1. FESTIVALS: Jagannath Ratha Yatra in Puri takes place on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya corresponding to June 29 this year. On this day Bhagwan Jagannath, Bhagwan Balabhadra and Subhadra come out of their abode and proceed to Gundicha Mata temple. After resting eight days in Gundicha temple, Bhagwan Jagannatha returns to his main abode. This day is known as Bahuda Yatra or Return Yatra and is observed on Dashami Tithi. During Bahuda Yatra Lord makes a short stoppage at Mausi Maa temple which is dedicated to Goddess Ardhashini. Ratha Yatra is also observed at all major temples world over. -Top
2. 13-YEAR-OLD FROM AP
BECOMES YOUNGEST GIRL TO SCALE EVEREST:
Malavath Purna, a tribal student from Nizamabad district in Andhra Pradesh,
created history on May 25 by becoming the youngest girl in the world to scale
the Mount Everest. She pitched the Bharatiya flag at 6.00am and was closely
followed by Sadanapalli Anand, a 17-year-old student from Khammam district.
This is the first time that two poor tribal
students from remote areas of Andhra Pradesh braved one of the world's most
unfriendly terrains. Anand and Purna are both students of Andhra Pradesh
Social Welfare Residential Schools (APSWRS). Purna is a student of class IX
in Thadwai APSWRS. Her parents are daily wage workers. Extremely good in
studies and extracurricular activities, she grabbed the opportunity by
undergoing a four-stage screening test. During the training programme, Purna
got 'A' grade by climbing Kanchenjunga and she was finally selected for the
Everest. She along with Anand began the hike on April 4 from Kathmandu.
"We are happy that she has set the world
record. We know she will go places. She is not only bright in academics,
but also in adventure," Purna's parents said. -Top
3. DAWN OF HOPE BEGINS:
When Narendra Damodardas Modi took
oath as Pradhan Mantri at the bustling forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan on
Monday, the 26th May, it was a historic occasion for the man of the
moment, the BJP, and most importantly, for Bharat. In his first message to the
nation after taking oath, Modi said, “On 16th May, 2014, the people of Bharat
gave their verdict. They delivered a mandate for development, good governance
and stability.”
He went on to add, “As we devote ourselves to
take Bharat’s development journey to newer heights, we seek your support,
blessings and active participation. Together we will script a glorious future
for Bharat. Let us together dream of a strong, developed and inclusive Bharat
that actively engages with the global community to strengthen the cause of
world peace and development.” -Top
4. 3rd YEAR
TRAINING CAMP OF RSS at Nagpur is
being attended by 717 swayamsevaks in the age group of 18-40 from all over the
country. RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna
Gopal, while inaugurating the camp on May 19 in Nagpur said that the stream of
volunteers trained there has spread the work of RSS in their respective
regions in the country and even abroad bringing various cross sections of the
society together under the Hindu identity. He said this happened to be the
karma bhoomi of RSS founder Dr Hedgewar, and his successor Shri Guruji, who
toiled hard and braved many adverse conditions to nurture the RSS in entire
country and outside Bharat. It is for this very reason, Nagpur is considered
as an important pilgrim centre for every swayamsevak. This is the place where
the swayamsevaks are groomed to shoulder various responsibilities in the
social life of the country and dedicate themselves in the man-making and
nation-building mission of RSS.
-Top
5. 18-YEAR-OLD BHARATIYA
STUDENT CHOSEN FOR ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION: Zareen
Cheema was barely eight when she first saw photographs of aurora australis in
all its glory. Since then, it has been her dream to see the phenomenon in
person. That desire paved the way for the now 18-year-old's selection as the
only Bharatiya student in the December expedition to Antarctica.
'Students on Ice', a research-based expedition
to the icy continent, aims at educating students about global issues such as
climate change. The Pune girl is also the youngest and among the 44 Bharatiyas
out of 705 people selected from around the world in Round 2 of the one-way
manned mission to Mars, popularly known as Mars One.
-Top
6. VIJNANA BHARATI
ORGANISED SCIENCE FAIR AT HYDERABAD:
Bhagyanagar unit of Vijnana Bharati organised
a science camp at Saraswati Sishu Mandir, Badangapet for children studying
from 6th to 12th standard from May 16 to 18. Inaugurating the camp, Shyam
Prasad, coordinator, Vijnana Bharati, Andhra Pradesh stressed on the
importance of developing scientific solutions to medical health care and
looking at job creation. The students had the opportunity to experiment with
more than 50 experiments on physical sciences. The topics covered were sound,
optics, magnetism, electronics and Thermodynamics.
-Top
7. HINDU FOUNDATION
RECOGNIZES TEACHERS: Teachers from
the Simi Valley, Moorpark, Conejo Valley and Oak Park school districts in
California USA were recognized on Teachers Appreciation Day on May 10 in Simi
Valley on behalf of Hindu Education Foundation. While Dr. Amrit Ram from
SVYASA Yoga University, presented a demonstration on Yoga , Chetan Gandhi, a
Hindu minister and councilor, discussed the significance of a teacher and yoga
in enhancing the quality of life for individuals. Students presented a mosaic
of cultural programs with elements from Bharatiya classical dance, martial
arts, folk dances and yoga. About 100 people attended the event. -Top
8. PINAKA ROCKETS:
Bharat on May 29 successfully test-fired
the indigenously-built Pinaka rockets from a defence base in Odisha. Three
rounds of rockets were fired from the multi-barrel rocket launching system (MBRLS)
at the Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) in Chandipur-on-sea in
Balasore district, around 230 km from state capital Bhubaneswar. Capable of
firing 12 rockets in a single salvo with 1.2 tonnes of explosives within 40
seconds, the Pinaka system has already been inducted into the armed forces and
was used in the field during the 1999 Kargil war.
-Top
9. BHARATIYA AMERICAN WINS
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE: Akhil
Rekulapelli, a 13 year-old eighth grader from northern Virginia’s Loudoun
County, is the winner of the 2014 National Geographic Bee. Rekulapelli emerged
as the victor of the Bee’s 26th annual iteration on May 21, beating out
competitors from each state and territory in the US. His win as the national
Geographic Bee champion continues a streak of Bee dominance displayed by
Bharatiya American students, who have also regularly topped the Scripps
National Spelling Bee in recent years, too. Rekulapelli will represent the
nation at the International Geographic Bee, which will take place in Monaco
later this year. -Top
10. LOOTED STATUES COME
HOME: Sandstone figures packed into
crates returned to Cambodia on May 28. The Kingdom welcomed the repatriated
11th-century statues with little fanfare, a remarkably placid homecoming given
the lengthy legal battle with auction house Sotheby's and the enlivened
conversation with a California art museum that led to their return.
The Duryodhana and the Bhima, which depict
opposing Hindu warrior figures that were locked in a mythic battle, were
displayed at the Prasat Chen Temple in Siem Reap before being hacked from
their pedestals and moved through the antiquities black market in the 1970s.
Over the past three years, Cambodian officials and art researchers have traced
seven of the Prasat Chen's nine statues to collections in the US. -Top
11. DRDO GETS SUPERSONIC
MISSILE SIMULATOR: Bharat has
joined an exclusive club of four countries that can test payloads for missile
and rocket technology by simulating a flight environment on the ground.
Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory (TBRL), a DRDO lab in Chandigarh, has
indigenously developed the facility known as the Rail Track Rocket Sled Penta
Rail Supersonic Track. It is a 4km track where trials are conducted. Some
confidential tests have already been conducted on this range, which include
recovery of crew capsules in manned space mission.
-Top
12. GUJARAT'S 'RANI KI
VAV' TO BE DIGITALLY RECREATED IN UK:
One of Gujarat's monuments — Rani ki Vav (The
Queen's Stepwell) — is among five international heritage sites to be
replicated digitally using latest technology in Scotland. It is part of a
project called The Scottish Ten — an ambitious five-year-programme to create
accurate digital models of Scotland's five UNESCO-designated World Heritage
Sites and five international heritage sites in order to better conserve and
manage them. A team from Historic Scotland and Glasgow's School of Art
travelled to Gujarat's Patan town last August and digitally imaged every
corner of Rani ki Vav.
The Vav is not widely known outside Bharat and
currently sits on the UNESCO tentative World Heritage List. By digitally
documenting stepwell for the project, Scotland hopes to bring the site to a
much wider audience and raise both its national and international profile. -Top
13. 9 BHARATIYA FIRMS IN
FORBES’ MOST INNOVATIVE GROWTH COMPANIES LIST:
As many as nine Bharatiya firms have made it
to the Forbes World’s 100 most innovative growth companies list. Godrej
Consumer Products is ranked 31st globally with an enterprise value of $4.25
billion (Rs 24,850 crore) and an innovation premium of 58.7%. Other Bharatiya
firms on the list include ABB India, Marico, United Breweries, Siemens India,
Asian Paints, Nestle India, Colgate Palmolive India and Divi’s Labs. ABB India
is ranked 37th, with an enterprise value of $2.7 billion (`15,787 crore) and
innovation premium of 56.4%. The list has been made on the basis of innovation
premium, a measure of how much investors have bid up the stock price of a
company above the value of its existing business, based on expectations of
future innovative results (new products, services and markets).-Top
14. 400-YR-OLD STOLEN
IDOLS REAPPEAR POST-QUAKE: Even as
panic-struck people were making frantic efforts in Bhubaneswar to get out of
their residential buildings when the earthquake struck on May 21 night, some
miscreants while trying to shift nine antique idols hidden at a place to an
undisclosed location dropped them near Phirphira Bridge.
The idols of Lord Radhakrishna worth crores of
rupees, said to be of 400-year-old, were stolen from the Shree Kishore Jew
temple in Niali area in Cuttack on May 6. The idols had fallen on the road
after the bag tore off while those were being carried by the culprits on a
bike minutes after the earthquake.
-Top
15. RSS PRACHARAK
CHANDRASHEKAR BHANDARI TO RECEIVE KARNATAKA STATE GOVT AWARD:
Noted writer, veteran scholar, Senior RSS Pracharak Chandrashekar Bhandari
is to receive Karnataka state Govt’s reputed Kuvempu Bhasha Bharati Award for
Best Translators for the year 2011 for his translation work on Dattopant
Thegandi’s Book ‘Saamajika Kranti Surya Dr BR Ambedkar‘, a book on Dr BR
Ambedkar.
79 year old Chandrashekar Bhandari is known
for his great contributions for RSS and related publications. He has penned
several books, translated books and poems and also himself composed several
patriotic poems. Among his poems, ‘Dharegavatariside Swargada spardhiyu
sundara taynelavu’, was selected by state govt and adopted as a patriotic song
for upper primary schools. Shri Bhandari who is a prachark for last 54 years
now has the responsibility of Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishat for Karnataka.
-Top
16. BRITISH MP COMPLAINS
TO ‘HINDU PHOBIC’ BBC COVERAGE :
Recently, while covering Bharatiya elections on BBCs Newsnight programme on
16th May, well known Hinduphobe William Dalrymple went to its
extremes labeling BJP prime ministerial candidate Naraendra Modi as mass
murderer. British MP from Withham and Prime Minister’s UK Indian Diaspora
Champion Priti Patel wrote a strong letter condemning the attacks on Modi to
the head of the BBC Lord Tony Hall Director General of BBC. She mentioned that
many in the British Bharatiya community, particularly those of Gujarati
origin, were offended by the reporting about Prime Minister-elect Narendra
Modi. From the beginning of the broadcast, Modi was portrayed by the
presenter, Yalda Hakim, as a “controversial figure.” Modi’s political
opponents have portrayed him as being ’controversial’, so by using this
reference, the BBC, who should be impartial, is giving acceptance to the
political position of Modi’s opponents rather than reporting
objectively. The term ‘controversial’ could be used to describe a large
number of politicians, which is why many people in Britain’s Bharatiya
community believe its use purely in relation to Modi in the news item was
unbalanced. -Top
17. VETERAN PRACHARAK
ANANT RAMCHANDRA GOKHALE IS NO MORE:
Veteran Sangh Pracharak Anant Ramchandra
Gokhale, passed away at Lucknow, on May 25. He was 96. He was unwell for some
time.
Popular as Gokhaleji among the swayamsevaks,
he lived a highly disciplined life and set many precedents before the
swayamsevaks through his daily conduct. Despite growing age and weakness he
was reluctant to get anybody’s help from cleaning the room to washing his
clothes.
Born in 1918 at Khandava of Madhya Pradesh, he
came in contact of RSS and became swayamsevak in 1938 at Dhantoli Shakha of
Nagpur, and came in contact with Dr Hedgewar at Reshim Bagh Shakha the same
year. He finally came out as Sangh Pracharak in 1942. He played a key role in
the activities of Sangh along with eminent and committed swayamsevaks like Pt
Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Sunder Singh Bhandari, Barister
Narendrajit Singh, etc.
-Top
18. BOOK ON SEXUAL
VIOLENCE IN AHMEDABAD RIOTS IS ‘SET ASIDE’ BY PUBLISHER:
A letter written by Dina Nath Batra, whose
civil suit led to the pulping of Wendy Doniger’s book on Hinduism, has now led
to the “setting aside” of a publication on violence against women in communal
riots in Ahmedabad.
Publisher Orient Blackswan, which recently
released Communalism and Sexual Violence: Ahmedabad Since 1969 and put it up
for sale on its website in April 2014, has written to author Dr Megha Kumar
saying the book needs “comprehensive assessment” and should be set aside “for
the present”.
In the letter dated May 16, Orient Blackswan
told Kumar, an Oxford-based Rhodes scholar, that Batra’s lawyer had written to
them in April complaining that another book published by them and in print for
more than 10 years, the popular textbook Plassey to Partition: A History of
Modern India by Sekhar Bandopadhyay, was defamatory and derogatory to the RSS.
In the light of that notice, Orient Blackswan
wrote, a “pre-release assessment of books that might attract similar
reactions” was being undertaken, suggesting that Kumar’s book had not been
released so far. The publisher cited worries of legal proceedings and also of
exposing “staff and families” of authors and publishers to “the risk of
violence, endangering their life and safety”.
-Top
19. PANDHARPUR TEMPLE
ALLOWS WOMEN, MEN OF ALL CASTES AS PRIESTS:
The temple administration of this 900 year old temple in Maharashtra has
interviewed women and those from outside the Brahmin community for appointing
them as priests. The Vitthal Rukmini Temple Trust (VRTT), which functions
under the Maharashtra government, has made the radical move possible. "For the
first time, a temple is throwing open its doors to everyone. We thought it was
time now for us to set an example. No group should claim monopoly for serving
as priests in the temple," Anna Dange, chairman of the trust, said. "Thousands
of people converge here every year. People love Vitthoba and Rakhumai [as lord
Vitthal and his consort Rukmini are called locally]. The Gods did not
discriminate between people; it's time we followed suit."
-Top
20. BHARATIYA AIRPORTS
NOW AMONGST WORLD'S BEST SERVICE PROVIDERS:
New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International
Airport (IGIA) and Mumbai's Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA)
have found place in the top five of the best service quality providers in the
world.
While IGIA has been adjudged as the second
best in the 25-40 million passengers per annum (MPPA) category in the world in
the Airports Council International's (ACI) airport service quality (ASQ). CSIA
is the fifth best in the list.
Even Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International
Airport (RGIA) has won the second best service quality award in the 5-15 MPPA
category .-Top
21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN:
Pravas: Shri Shyam Parande,
Secretary Sewa International will tour Australia and Malaysia in June.
Visitors: Saureen Shah USA, Ashwin and Hemant – Mauritius.
-Top
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
For each and every person, our Lord and Master provide sustenance. Why are you
so afraid, O mind? The flamingos fly hundreds of miles, leaving their young
ones behind. Who feeds them, and who teaches them to feed themselves? Have you
ever thought of this in your mind? - Guru Nanak
-Top
JAI
SHREE RAM
THE TRENDSETTER: NEW DRIVERS OF DEVELOPMENT
The biggest drawback with the present model of
development is that it has failed to ensure public participation in planning
and execution of development projects. This is the reason majority of the
projects fail to cater to the needs of the target audience. In order to change
the situation and also to bring Bharatiya model of development in reality with
active participation of people, Pune based YOJAK Centre for Research and
Strategic Planning for Sustainable Development has come out with a unique
idea, which can really reshape the destiny of villagers. With the help of some
voluntary organisations in Central India’s Maharashtra and Gujarat regions it
has created a band of educated youth who instead of migrating to cities for
jobs owned the responsibility of developing their respective villages. During
the last three years, YOJAK and its associated voluntary organisations have
mobilised over 2,300 youth, mostly Vanvasis, to take up this challenge. The
man leading this silent revolution is Dr Gajanan Dange, national president of
YOJAK.
The Vanvasi region of Central India,
beginning from Southern Gujarat to West Bengal, is among the highly
underdeveloped regions. About three years back, YOJAK started a project,
Madhya Bharat Vananchal Samriddhi Yojna, to change the development scenario in
this region. Mobilising and empowering some voluntary organisations, it
started studying the existed methods of development including their impact on
natural resources. The second aspect of the study was how to take corrective
steps that can meet the local needs. Third was implementation of the new
sustainable approach. Following the ideals of Pandit Deendayalji, who said
development should be based on janchetana (local conscience) and the
government’s role should be of just a guide, motivator and supporter, YOJAK
emphasised on this Bharatiya concept of development purely focusing on the
needs and aspirations of the people of this region.
The model is being implemented with the help
of voluntary organisations working on ground by mobilising local youth through
Yuva Chetna Jagran Programmes. Before organising such programmes, the
organisations' activists met local youth and motivated them to join the
programme. During discussions they also tried to know what corrective steps
they want in their areas. During the study it was found that majority of the
educated youth want to stay in their respective villages, if provided better
knowhow and help to live a meaningfullife. In order to help the selected youth
understand the whole concept, the first Yuva Chetna Jagran Programme was
organised at Krishi Vigyan Kendra Nandurbar, Maharashtra, on October 1, 2013.
The programme was held with the help of five organisations—Dr Hedgewar Sewa
Samiti, Deendayal Vanvasi Sewa Sanstha, Eklavya Adivasi Sewa Sanstha,
Bahuddeshiya Birsa Munda Adivasi Sewa Sanstha and Vanvasi Utkarsh Samiti.
Prior to the programme, all these organisations had deeply studied Nandurbar
region for several months.
A total of 1,500 youth had expressed their
desire in writing to stay in their villages and sought guidance for taking up
activities. Finally, 1,003 youth turned to the programme on their own
expenses. They were first apprised of the work being done by the associated
voluntary organisations. Then they were told that the problems which they find
are basically the problems of all 6 lakh villages. In the third session they
were apprised of the successful projects of rural development going on in
their regions. They were also told about the availability of technology for
resolving their problems. At a session they were administered an oath for
taking up developmental activity in their villages. In the last session, their
responsibility towards their villages and family was reintegrated through 'Kartavya
Bodh'. The participants returned home with renewed vigour and hope.
Another similar function was held in Songarh
in Tapi district of Southern Gujarat on March 13, 2014. Hosted by Dr Ambedkar
Vanvasi Kalyan Trust, Surat, the function was supported by Dang Vikas Parishad,
Sarvamangal Trust and Manasi Vikas Sanstha also. It was attended by 1,300
youth.
At both the events, an exhibition was
organised highlighting the local knowhow. Basically, the instruments which can
reduce the drudgery in farming activities were prominently displayed. The
exhibition also displayed how the indigenous seeds can be preserved and used.
Both these events were also attended by some
achievers who have done wonderful work for rural development. In Nandurbar,
the villagers who stopped a river at 18 places and changed the farming system
in the entire area were invited. Similarly, in Songarh a community
representative who is managing forest based livelihood programme was invited.
Many similar successful experiments were displayed before them.
After analysing the information provided by
the youth during the events, YOJAK started work on providing them
technological support through local partners. Every individual case is being
studied by experts. If somebody is involved in cotton production, he has to be
helped in that way. “Since the Kharif season is beginning from June we have
started imparting them training as to how they can increase production. The
work has begun at rapid pace,” points out Dr Dange.
“An army of 2,300 youth has already started
fighting against the faulty model of development. They are serious to take it
to new heights. They are visiting the projects already going on in their
regions to have first hand and practical knowledge. In Nandurbar, the youth
were apprised of the work being done in Baripada Village where the villagers
preserved a forest of 1,100 acre. Now youth from eight villages have visited
that village to see and study the work. This shows the post programme
enthusiasm among these youth.
When asked how the idea of starting this
experiment clicked, Dr Dange says: “While visiting village to village in
central India during the last several years we realised that participation of
people in present process of development is very less. It is due to the lack
of ownership spirit among local people that the impact of majority projects is
minimal. We met many officials who too are worried over it. Our overall
objective is to increase the people's participation in development process.”
The experiment has given a new dimension to
rural development process, where the people think they should not continue to
depend upon the government agencies for resolving their issues rather they
have to be drivers in development. This can go a long way in curbing migration
from rural areas to cities in search of jobs. (Organiser Weekly, June 8
2014) -Top
ARTICLE 370 – A PERSONAL VIEW
Markandeya Katju
A Kashmiri political leader recently gave a
veiled threat that if Article 370 of the Constitution is repealed Kashmir will
secede from India. Another Kashmiri political leader said that amnesty should
be granted to stone pelters in Kashmir. All this has been shown recently on
television.
My own view is that whether Article 370 is
deleted or not, whether stone pelters are granted amnesty or not, Kashmir ( or
any other state in India) must never be allowed to secede from India.
In this connection, it may be pointed out that
Article 1(1) of the Indian Constitution states that India is a ‘Union of
States’. Thus, India is not a confederation but a union of states. Hence no
state has a right to secede from it, and the union is indissoluble.
If Kashmir has the right to secede, then
Nagaland, Mizoram, Tamilnadu, etc., may also claim the same right. What then
will happen to India ? It will be broken into pieces. This must never be
allowed.
When the southern states of USA claimed the
right to secede, and in 1861 formed their own government (the Confederate
States of America) President Abraham Lincoln declared that they will not be
allowed to secede, and he went to war on this issue. Similarly, we must never
allow any state in India to secede, and must maintain our unity at any cost.
As regards the Kashmir problem, I have said
several times that the only solution to the Kashmir problem is reunification
of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh under a strong, secular, modern minded
government which does not tolerate religious extremism of any kind.and works
hard to abolish poverty, unemployment, lack of healthcare, good education
etc., for the masses and raises their standard of living.
SOME SALIENT FACTS ABOUT ARTICLE 370
M G Vaidya
1. Article 370 is a part of our
Constitution.
2. It is included in part XXI, the title
of which is “Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions”.
The heading of Article 370 is worded as
“Temporary provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir”.
Our Constitution came into effect from
26th January 1950. The special provisions envisaged by Article 370, have been
amended from time to time. The erosion has started from 1954. 1954 is
important because in 1953, Shaikh Mohmed Abdullah, a very close friend of our
first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was arrested and put behind bars. Of
course all these amendments were endorsed by the J&K State assembly.
The following changes were made by these
provisions:
(a) In 1954, the laws and rules of
departments of Customs, Central Excise, Civil Aviation and Post & Telegraph
were made applicable to the State.
(b) In 1958, the Centre could appoint IAS
and IPS officers in the State. So also the State came under the authority of
the CAG.
(c) In 1959, the Central Census law was
applied.
(d) In 1960, the Supreme Court got the
appellate power to review the judgments of the J&K High Court.
(e) In 1964, Articles 356 and 357 were made
applicable to the State. We all know that the Article 356 empowers the
President, in case of Constitutional breakdown in the State, to assume all or
any of the functions of the Government. It means that the Presidential rule
will be there. And Article 357 gives to the President’s nominee i.e. the
Governor to exercise the powers of the State Legislature also.
(f) From 1965 all the Central laws
pertaining to labour unions, Social Security, Insurance etc were made
applicable to the State.
(g) In 1956, the people of the State got
the right to send their elected representatives to the Lok Sabha.
(h) In 1966 itself the State Assembly made
an amendment in the Constitution of the State by which, the titles of
Vazir-e-Azam and Sadar-e-Riyasat were changed to the Chief Minister and the
Governor as in other States.
(i) In 1969, in cases related to the
election, the Supreme Court got the appellate authority over the decisions of
the State High Court.
(j) In 1971, the State High Court got the
powers conferred by Article 226 of our Constitution which enables it to hear
the writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto,
certiorari or any of them, for the enforcement of any of the rights conferred
by Part III.
(k) From 1986, Article 249 was made
applicable to the State. This Article gives power to the Indian Parliament ‘to
legislate with respect to a matter in the State List in the national
interest’.
It is true that since last about 28 years no
erosion of the Article 370 was effected. WE can infer from a letter that Pt.
Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to Pt. Premnath Bajaj, an important personality in J&K,
on 21st August 1962, that Panditji was in favour of completely abrogating the
Article. The letter purports to say that in spite of the Article that gives
special status to J&K, much has been effected; and even that which remains to
be done will be done. In this matter the main problem is of sentiments.
Some other facts are also to be noted:
The article itself contains the provision to
completely annul the Article. Sub section 3 of the Article 370 says -
“Notwithstanding anything in the forgoing
provisions of this article, the President may, by public notification, declare
that this article shall cease to be operative only with such exceptions and
modifications from such date as he may specify.”
It is true that there is a proviso viz. “the
recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State referred to in clause
(2) shall be necessary before the President issues such a notification.” But
is the Constituent Assembly of the State in existence? How can a dead
institution give its approval? Besides Art 370 is a temporary provision and
therefore should not be made a permanent feature.
It is to be admitted that Article 370 has
became a sentimental issue, for the leaders of the Kashmir Valley. But the
State consists of other two regions also viz. a) Jammu and b) Laddakh. The
sentiments of the people of these two regions should also be respected.
These two regions don’t want the Article 370.
So let the State be trifurcated into three units viz. (1) Jammu, a separate
state and (2) Laddakh getting a union territory status and (3) Valley The
population of the Jammu region is almost equal to that of the valley. The area
of Jammu is more than that of the valley by 11000 sq. kms. The population of
this new State of Jammu will be more than that of any of the six states of the
North-east. Let the State assembly pass a resolution to this effect, and let
the valley satisfy itself with Article 370 as it stands today.
I can realize that this involves a long
process. But let the State Assembly pass at least the 3 laws at the earliest,
I mean before the State Assembly elections.
1) More than 2 lac people of Jammu region have
a right to vote for the Lok Sabha, but not for the State Assembly. It means
that they are citizens of India but not of the J&K. This absurdity must be
immediately removed.
2)Immediate efforts be made to rehabitate the
Kashmiri Pandits. It is a shame on all people of the valley and they must hang
their head in disgrace that the Pandits were not allowed to live in their
ancestral houses by the majority, I mean Muslims. Immediate dialogue be
started with the Pandits.
I hope the new Central Government will move
with alacrity in this matter. (Writer is veteran RSS thinker)-Top
