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Economic Highlights
Electoral Calculations: ALL ABOUT MODI MAGIC?, By Dhurjati Mukherjee, 29 February 2024 |
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Open Forum
New Delhi, 29 February 2024
Electoral Calculations
ALL ABOUT MODI MAGIC?
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
The
battle for Lok Sabha elections 2024 is turning out both intriguing and exciting
on the political landscape of the country. The popularity of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi is reflected in his claim that he would return to office in May
with a landslide victory, with his party, BJP, winning more than 370 seats on
its own and the NDA crossing the 400 mark! The over-confidence came during the reply
to President’s address, but at this point of time when
INDIA bloc is making every effort to work out seat-sharing formulas, the figure
appears inflated. The score of 370, if at all the BJP reaches this figure, will
be the highest since 1984 when Congress rode the sympathy wave following Indira
Gandhi’s assassination.
Notably,
the BJP is going all out to emerge victorious with a big margin. A move which
is bolstered with the shift of Nitish Kumar back to the NDA along with the RLD
after Charan Singh was honoured with the Bharat Ratna and former Chief Minister
Ashok Chavan leaving the Congress in Maharashtra and may well join the
BJP. Clearly, the efforts to muster more support won’t stop here, as in
Delhi, the AAP flogs the claim that BJP is offering big sums of money to wean
away its MLAs.
Undeniably,
following the overwhelming response to the Ram temple consecration and other
such temples expected to follow suit in Kashi and Mathura, Modi’s popularity
has risen, and the NDA is eyeing regional parties for support. Political
analysts believe that the religious card is over-shadowing the economic rights
of the marginalised and backward sections, including their justified demand for
a dignified existence.
At same
time, it’s evident that BJP is seeking to win back its old allies. The Bihar effect
is being felt in other places as in Punjab and West Bengal, where the ruling AAP
and TMC have decided to go it alone respectively. Much depends on what happens
in Maharashtra and whether the seat-sharing between the Shiv Sena (Uddhav
Thackeray group), Congress and NCP is worked out well amongst all three. Latest
reports indicate that Arvind Kejriwal has decided that AAP will contest all 90 Assembly
seats alone in Haryana but shall continue to be part of INDIA bloc in the
battle for Lok Sabha.
Alliances
in the Opposition bloc are still being worked out even if there’s no alliance among
AAP and Congress in Punjab as also between TMC and Congress in West Bengal. In
Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party and Congress have reached an agreement with
the latter contesting 17 of the 70 seats. Moreover, while in Delhi, AAP and
Congress will be jointly fighting in four and three seats respectively, the situation
in Haryana is quite complex.
Recall in August 2023, the
India Today-C’Voter survey predicted the vote share gap between the NDA and
INDIA coalition had narrowed down to just two per cent. The momentum has been
somewhat lost and in its latest February survey, the lead has increased to six per
cent and the NDA seems headed for a clear majority. Modi has claimed
Congress won’t get even 50 seats!
While
many would say it’s an absurd claim, the fact that Congress President Mallikarjun
Kharge has hardly any following in the northern and eastern states may not be
totally wrong. As it appears the Congress is relying heavily on Rahul Gandhi
and his Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, which is reportedly drawing large
crowds. Plus, grass-root leaders of the party in Rajasthan, Jharkhand and
Madhya Pradesh are expected to help the grand old party in its calculations. But
as things stand today, it would be extremely impossible for the Congress to get
a sizeable number of seats to make a claim to form the next
government.
The power
needed for a strong working alliance is somewhat missing in the INDIA bloc. One
reason being the Congress’ incapability and the results in got in the recent Assembly
elections. Though Rahul has been highlighting the right social and economic
issues that affect the impoverished and backward sections, the neglect of OBCs,
the dalits and tribals, the induction of religion into politics and the
aggressiveness of the Hindutva brigade appear to be influencing the
semi-literate masses of the northern states, where the BJP is now dominating.
It would
be pertinent to refer to a book titled Modi’s India: Hindu Nationalism &
The Rise of Ethnic Democracy by Christopher Jaffrelot published in 2022
which dealt with Modi’s spectacular popularity in spite that his was a pro-rich
government, ideologically opposed to policies of redistribution, those that
worked towards a welfare State. Moreover, the violent intimidation of
minorities coupled with Modi’s authoritarianism choked democracies by elected
governments themselves beginning with Parliament and extending to the
judiciary, the media, the Election Commission, the CBI, the Lokpal etc.
Perhaps,
the pursuance of religion and aggressive Hinduism has tilted the balance in
favour of the ruling dispensation. It is indeed distressing that the country
navigated from a flawed yet hopeful experiment in building democracy with equal
citizenship of people of every faith to a place where it is increasingly
dangerous to be a minority, dissenter or even to report the truth as dissent
and protest are being thwarted, not just by the Centre but in the states as
well, West Bengal being a glaring example.
In the
present situation, even though the Modi government has been pro-rich and
favouring this section along with the middle class, the higher castes, the poor
and the lower castes appear to be mesmerised with Modi’s religious overtures. He
has portrayed himself as a saintly person, possibly the first of its kind to
occupy the chair of the prime minister. The skills of Modi, including his articulation
and gestures, seem to have had a great impact on the masses.
It is
worth mentioning that Modi’s image has been bolstered in a big way while it’s not
so in the case of Rahul. Modi’s skills of mesmerising the masses with talks of
achievements that possibly lack justification has caught on well with people
from northern, central and western India, who don’t have the real power to
analyse. On the other hand, Rahul has been focussing on basic social and
economic issues that affect the common man. His yatra, no doubt, may have an
effect, but doesn’t match either BJP’s money power or its surreptitious methods
of harassing Opposition leaders by unleashing the ED or IT agencies after them.
In this
big ensuing electoral battle, it remains to be seen whether Modi’s experiment
of a sharper thrust on religion, will get him the massive majority that he
claims to be heading towards and drastically change politics in the country. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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Goodwill Train To Delhi: SAVES TONNES, HELPS KISANS, By Shivaji Sarkar, 28 February 2024 |
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Economic
Highlights
New
Delhi, 28 February 2024
Goodwill Train To Delhi
SAVES TONNES, HELPS KISANS
By Shivaji Sarkar
The
farmers’ determination to march to Delhi stems from the profound belief that
voices resonating in the capital echo throughout the nation. Allowing them
access to the National Capital to articulate their concerns would validate
their sense of being heard and acknowledged.
A simple
act of facilitating their travel by train from Ambala, a mere two-hour journey,
to New Delhi could alleviate tensions and reflect positively on the government’s
willingness to resolve a longstanding issue. This pragmatic approach not only
avoids congesting roads but also signifies a proactive step towards dialogue
and reconciliation.
Kisans
are struggling since 1960s and their demands remain unchanged. They want
minimum prices and the political system has been denying the right prices to
them while unmindful of the rising commodity prices since the time of Late Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi.
It has been
a problem during the Nehruvian era as well. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru himself
started as a farmers’ leader of the Congress party, that led to the enactment
of the UP Tenancy Act in 1938, considered those days a revolutionary act on
land reforms. This law set in motion significant changes in agrarian structure
setting in the abolition of the zamindari system in 1950s. It was an important
milestone in land reforms.
Still
without a “foreign” hand the MSP for crops had not been possible. In 1959, a
team of the Ford Foundation comprising US agricultural officials and scientists
travelled to different states, met the people in villages, officers and chief
ministers to understand the food production problems. It submitted a report to
then minister for agriculture AP Jain called “India’s Food Crisis”. It paved
the way for “guaranteed minimum price, publicised before the planting season, a
market and its availability within bullock-cart hauling distance”. That is how
the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) or Mandi Samitis came into
being. It, however, took five years to start the MSP in 1964 from paddy season
shortly after Nehru’s death.
The
country remembers the intense drought of the 1960s leading to food grain
imports from the US, proverbially known as ‘ship to mouth’ existence. Though a
good beginning in a country that had no system of organised kisan market, it
faced a mismatch between the production price and input costs. Still the MSP
ensured that farmers prosper in many states.
One of
the biggest farmers’ rallies was organised by Indira Gandhi as prime minister
at the Boat Club, India Gate, lawns in March 1981, for launching son, Rajiv
Gandhi. It was her reaction to the danger of a widespread, opposition-led kisan
movement and erosion of the agrarian base of the Congress(I). Interestingly,
kisan leader and father of defections Charan Singh never organised a farmers’
stir.
A still
bigger rally at the Boat Club was held during Rajiv Gandhi’s prime ministership
by western UP, Bharatiya Kisan Union, leader Mahendra Singh Tikait in 1988.
They had a langar there for days together. Over a lakh kisans continued their
sit-ins. They were addressed by opposition leaders, ministers and Rajiv Gandhi
himself. It was a major media story even on Doordarshan.
All over
the country several farm movements were held at states. Shetkari Sangathan held
several rallies between 1980 and 2014 led by Sharad Joshi. Many of these
confined to Vidarbha did not get much publicity. The Left resolved West Bengal land issues.
In 2009,
the Tata group was forced to abandon plans to set up a factory at Singur in
West Bengal to build Nano - the world’s cheapest car - after protests by
farmers. It caused a political upheaval in West Bengal bringing the end to 34
year-long Left rule and rise of maverick Mamata Banerjee’s TMC. In 2011, there
were violent clashes between farmers and police in the Bhatta-Parsaul villages
of northern Uttar Pradesh over the acquisition of farmland for road and
industry.
On
October 2, 2012, Gandhi Jayanti day, about 50,000 poor farmers, members of
rural communities, including the landless and the tribal community, on a Jan
Satyagraha, marching from different parts of southern India converged at
Gwalior to continue their march to New Delhi. An alarmed UPA government, sent
Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Commerce Minister Jyotiraditya
Scindia to meet the organisers -- a non-governmental organisation called Ekta
Parishad -- to accept the government’s promise that a draft national land
reform policy would be prepared in six months.
The Jan
Satyagrah protesters did get lukewarm response in the media, but they were firm
that welfare programmes like the rural jobs (MNREGA) were no solution to
poverty. They demanded that their land be not acquired for roads and industry
as land sustained livelihood and could lift tens of millions out of poverty.
The ministers’ promises were not fulfilled during the UPA regime.
The next
NDA regime in 1920 brought three legislations allowing farmers freedom to sell
their produce to anybody and anywhere; with price assurances and contract
farming. It stirred a 17-month long agitation by farmers of UP, Punjab and
Haryana at borders till these were withdrawn on December 11, 2021.
Those
unfulfilled promises, rising prices, severe mismatch between input cost and MSP
stirred the present agitation by Punjab farmers on February 13 for marching to
Delhi only to be prevented by the Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar’s
highhanded police action with one death and 177 hurt at the Shambhu border in
Punjab off Ambala. Borders around Delhi are sealed with barbed wire, fencing,
sharp spikes, concretised walls and posse of policemen. Four rounds of talks
were held at Chandigarh with central ministers. But farmers rejected diversion
of cropping pattern and MSP guarantee on five crops other than wheat and rice.
The Sanyukt Kisan Union led farmers from UP is now joining it.
The
government can solve it with empathy. It could arrange a two-hour local EMU
train ride to New Delhi, allow a rally at Ramlila Ground, a km from New Delhi
station, and hold talks with their leaders. Intelligently government leaders
could address the farmers and win their hearts with a promise to
holistically review the myriad farm issues and the vexed MSP. Satisfied farmers
could go back by the same train in the evening possibly ensuring a political
bonanza for the government on poll-eve. It would save tonnes in fortifying
Delhi, may be enough to fund guaranteed MSP with immense goodwill.---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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Gyanvapi Mosque: TIME FOR BHARAT BHAKTI?, By Poonam I Kaushish, 27 February 2024 |
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Political Diary
New Delhi, 27 February 2024
Gyanvapi Mosque
TIME FOR BHARAT
BHAKTI?
By Poonam I Kaushish
It was music to Shiv
Bhakts as Har Har Mahadev had his
way, say and came out trumps. In a big win for Hindus, Allahabad High Court Monday
dismissed Gyanvapi mosque management committee's appeals challenging Varanasi
district judge's order last month allowing “puja”
to be performed in Vyas Tehkhana, averring “worship will continue.”
Recall, Samajwadi’s Mulayam Singh Government had
stopped prayers in the Tehkhana 1993 post Babri Masjid demolition. On Shailendra Vyas’s petition claiming cellar
was with his family since 1551and prayers were being held since British times
till 1993 and State could not arbitrarily take away his right of freedom of
religion granted by Article 25, the district judge allowed puja.
Certainly, the temple-masjid symbolism is an
intoxicating potent being used by Hindus and Muslims, depending on which side
of the template one is on. History tells us Aurangzeb built Gyanvapi Mosque
1669 after demolishing Vishweshwar Mandir. The temple’s plinth was left
untouched and continued to serve as the mosque’s courtyard which reportedly has
a Shivling in the pond used for “wasoo”
(purification) before namaz and why
Hindus are being deprived of their religious right to offer water to the ‘lingam.’
In 1936, three Muslim petitioners moved Varanasi’s
District Court demanding the entire Gyanvapi complex be declared mosque’s part.
The Court granted right to offer namaz alongside
prayers anywhere in the complex.
However, just like Places of Worship Act (PoW) the
present case too has its roots in 1991 when a Vishwanath temple priest’s
descendant and two others filed a suit in Varanasi’s civil judge court
demanding declaration that Gyanvapi complex is part of Kashi temple, removal of
Muslims from therein, mosque’s demolition as it was built on old Visweshwar
temple’s remnants and land be returned to them, bypassing the PoW.
In 1998 Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee (AIM) moved
Allahabad High Court asserting temple-mosque land dispute could not be
adjudicated by a civil court as it was barred by PoW Act citing Section 3 which
prohibits converting place of worship of a different religious denomination or
a different class of the same religious denomination. Section 4(2) states all
litigations, appeals or other proceedings relating to changing nature of the
place of worship (which were pending till August 15, 1947) shall cease after
the enactment of this Act and no fresh action can be taken on such cases.
The petitioners contended the 1991 Act did not apply to
the mosque as the mandir was partly demolished to
construct it. Also, as change in nature of worship place had occurred after the
cut-off date of August 15, 1947 legal action could be initiated, resulting in
the High Court staying proceedings in the lower court for 22 years.
The issue was revived in 2019 demanding an
Archeological survey of the entire disputed area. This was ceded by the
city-court on 8 April 2021. Alongside, a five-member committee comprising
archaeology experts with two members from “minority community” was constituted
to determine whether any temple existed at the site, prior to the mosque. The AIM
challenged this in Allahabad High Court which indefinitely stayed the survey.
On 18 August 2021 five women filed a petition demanding
right to worship in Shringar Gauri
temple daily without restrictions along-with other “visible and invisible
deities within the old temple complex”. Presently, devotees are allowed to
worship only on fourth day of Chaitra
Navratra.
In April 2022 Varanasi District Court
allowed videography. AIM moved Supreme Court stating it went against PoW Act
which was rejected. In July Allahabad’s High Court upheld Varanasi Court ordering
ASI survey to determine if mosque was built upon a temple. In August last
Supreme Court refused to stop ASI continuing their “scientific investigation of
mosque’s complex”.
Questionably, is the genesis of the dispute just to
rectify history? Is it only about worship in Tehkhana? Or ensure BJP’s political
future of Hindu consolidation? “Ayodhya
to bas jhaanki hai, Kashi-Mathura baaki hai? Saffronites allege Mathura’s
Shahi Idgah Masjid was built by demolishing a temple at Lord Krishna
birthplace. A case is pending before a local court seeking to reclaim Katra Keshav Dev Mandir complex.
Undoubtedly, the judgment’s larger implications are
that it paves path for suits of similar nature. To buttress its claim, a senior
BJP leader underscores Kashi Vishwanath Temple as Lord Shiva’s most significant
shrine and prominent among 12 ‘Jyotirlingas’
mentioned in Puranas. It’s part of
our national heritage and symbol of nationalism which is at the core of Indian
consciousness. We have given Kashi a
political thrust for installing Hindu nationalism as India’s dominant political
credo.
More. The Saffron Sangh avers idea of communal harmony
and unity flies in the face of historical evidence even as Muslims use historic
religious sites as reference points to articulate their socio-political goals
and build modern identities with different visions of a modern State.
Musim clerics aver Hindutva Brigade has found its
golden goose: Reclaiming temples by breaking mosques to get Hindu majority to
keep bringing them back to power on an emotive issue built on the foundation of
aastha and badla from Muslim invaders, who are history. The method is simple:
instill a feeling of victimisation within Hindus that they had been dealt
unfairly by Muslim minority, first by Mughals and now by Congress and
Opposition Parties which believe in Muslim appeasement.
Today, this victim complex has now culminated into a
superiority complex within a cross-section of the majority community which
wants to assert its identity by demolition of mosques and “reclaiming” temples.
Ayodhya and Babri were the political investments made three decades ago.
Adding, “For the BJP it is a political issue for which
they will gain benefits in 2024 elections, specially, as it Prime Minister
Modi’s constituency. The Saffron Sangh wants to dip into their interest
earnings from Ayodhya and make fresh investments — basically go on an expansion
drive, inject fresh fuel in religiosity via
Kashi and Mathura which are part of a grand effort to undermine India’s
Islamic history. The motive is clear. Monuments that remind presence of Muslims
ruling India must be destroyed.”
Already, there are four instances beside Varanasi where
the origin of various structures are being challenged before courts despite the
PoW law: Mathura, Agra, Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar and New Delhi.
In a sense, the dispute with its political undertones,
underscores the nemesis of depending wholly and pathetically on the judicial
process to tackle an issue of faith. Perhaps a way forward is to learn from the
Ayodhya verdict. The judgment went a long way in becoming a catalytic agent to
integrate India and make it a cohesive whole.
It strengthened the basic features of the Constitution
and confidence of people, especially of minorities, on independence of
judiciary and rule of law. People showed their inherent maturity. There were no
untoward incidents, fiery and inciting speeches, celebration or despondency.
Clearly, a long legal battle lies ahead as
Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi temple is related to faith and posturing of assertion is
not the best formula for amity. In a pluralist society, with multiplicity of
religions, Hindu-Muslim religious leaders need to sit together and work on a
solution. For starters why don’t ShivBhakts
and Rahim Abids evoke the spirit of Rashtra Bhakti. What gives? ----- INFA
(Copyright,
India News & Feature Alliance)
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Of ‘Honour’ & Politics: WB ROW GETS MURKIER, By Insaf, 24 February 2024 |
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Round The States
New Delhi, 24 February 2024
Of ‘Honour’ & Politics
WB ROW GETS MURKIER
By Insaf
Sandeshkhali
in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district is becoming a political hot potato.
It’s not just the ‘honour’ of the village women but also of the Sikh community
in the State. Tempers are far from being pacified. On the one hand, fresh protests
broke out on Friday last in the village as locals set fire to properties
belonging to TMC leaders Shahjahan Sheikh and his brother Siraj for grabbing
their land and sexually assaulting their women and on the other the Sikh
community staged demonstration in front of BJP office in Kolkata on
Wednesday last, expressing solidarity with an IPS officer who has alleged its party
leader Suvendu Adhikari labelled him
as a ‘Khalistani’, as he was deputed to prevent him from visiting
Sandeshkhali. Similar protests were held by the Sikhs in few districts, and Congress,
AAP and TMC promptly grabbed the opportunity and slammed BJP for ‘divisive
politics.’ While Adhikari denied the allegations, TMC launched a digital
protest with theme “I Am A Sikh, I Wear Turban, & I Am Not Khalistani,” and
demanded an explanation from Prime Minister Modi. Guess it will get a response
on his visit scheduled for 6 March. Will tables be turned?
‘Dictator’
Raids
It’s
happened – outspoken and a critic of Modi government, former J&K Governor
Satya Pal Malik has come under CBI’s radar. Vendetta or it is own goal, is the
big question? On Thursday last, raids were conducted at his premises and 29
other locations, all connected to alleged corruption in Rs 2,200-crore Kiru
Hydropower project in Jammu. Recall, he had claimed being offered Rs 300-crore
bribe for clearing two files, including this project, when he was Governor from
August 23, 2018-October 30, 2019. As premises linked to him in Delhi’s Dwarka,
R K Puram, Asian Games Village and in Gurugram and Baghpat were being searched,
he posted on X: “I have been ill for last 3-4 days and am admitted to hospital.
Despite this, my house is being raided by the dictator through government
agencies. My driver and my assistant are also being raided and harassed
unnecessarily. I am a farmer’s son, I will not be afraid of these raids. I am
with the farmers.’ But CBI said raids covered premises of all involved in the
April 2022 case, prompting him to accuse it of ‘harassing the whistle-blower
himself’! Critic may be more appropriate given record of his statements:
Pulwama terror attack could have been averted if Centre had not turned down his
request for aircraft to move CRPF personnel; farmers can’t be humiliated; if
Modi comes back in 2024 it’s the death of democracy and he must be stopped,
etc. Nothing short of inviting wrath?
Concern
Over Farmers’ Stir
Home
Ministry is tightening the screws on the Punjab government, with the farmers
threatening to put their protest into top gear, with some breaks, following the
death of a farmer at Khanouri border on Wednesday last, amid excessive police
action. Agencies report 14,000-odd people have been allowed to gather at
Shambhu barrier, with nearly 1,200 tractor-trolleys, 300 cars, 10 mini-buses
and other small vehicles. Similarly, Punjab has allowed a gathering of around
4,500 people with close to 500 tractor-trolleys at the Dhabi-Gujran barrier. However,
‘law and order situation is deteriorating’ claims North block and has asked AAP
government to take action to ‘curb disruptive activities’. Task impossible, as
Centre itself has failed to make headway with the farmers’ demands so far.
Plans are afoot now by farmers’ organisations to launch nationwide protests; demanded
Rs 1 crore compensation for farmer’s family; called for ‘tractor pradarshan’
(demonstration) on Monday across the country; organise a mahapanchayat at
Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on 14 March, etc. A stitch in time saves nine, is the
idiom the Centre could do well with.
INDIA Ties-UP
Uttar Pradesh and Delhi offer hope to INDIA bloc with seat-sharing
for Lok Sabha polls between Congress and SP and AAP respectively appears to be
working out. In Lucknow, the grand old party and SP announced on Wednesday last
a tie-up in UP and Madhya Pradesh, with the latter leaving 17 of the 80 seats and
getting a solitary seat Khajuraho respectively.
Interestingly, Congress will contest in high profile constituencies of Raebareli,
Amethi, and Varanasi and SP and allies shall fight rest of 63 seats. More good
news followed. Congress and AAP agreed that former will contest 3 of the seven
seats in Delhi. With all 7 seats with BJP in Delhi, the going is not easy,
particularly for AAP. It has fresh accusations against the saffron party now.
On Friday it claimed BJP was scared of the alliance, had asked it not to have
one, and shall soon get the ED to arrest Kejriwal, following its 7th
summons in the liquor case. The allegations don’t cut much ice as it has agreed
to share seats in Chandigarh, Goa, Gujarat, and Haryana with Congress, but will
go solo in Punjab. Guess, have the cake and eat it too!
Justice
For Chandigarh
Three
cheers to Supreme Court. The ‘rigged’ Chandigarh mayor poll has been set aside.
On Tuesday last, not only did it instal declared defeated AAP-Congress nominee Kuldeep
Kumar to the seat, hurriedly taken by BJP nominee Manoj Sonkar, but found
returning officer Anil Masih ‘guilty of a serious misdemeanour’. It directed a
show cause notice be issued to him under Section 340 of CrPC 1973 (offence
affecting administration of justice), as “Pertinently, this is not an ordinary
case of alleged malpractice by candidates in an election, but electoral
misconduct by presiding officer himself.” Underlining ‘a free and fair electoral
process is imperative for maintaining people’s trust in representative
democracy,’ it said, “The ballots hadn’t been defaced when presiding officer
put his mark at the bottom…each of the eight ballot papers, which were
invalidated by Masih, the votes were duly cast in favour of Kumar…”, thereby
upholding Kumar’s plea. Though Sonkar resigned 48 hours before the order, it
didn’t stop the court to invoke Article 142 (empowering it to pass any decree
or order necessary for doing complete justice in matters pending before it) given
the “brazen nature of the malpractice, visible on camera, had made the situation
all the more extraordinary...’ BJP must see it as a warning, lest it goes pink
again!
No
Balm for Manipur
Too little,
too late, is best way to describe Manipur High Court’s action on Wednesday
last. It ordered the deletion of a paragraph from a March 2023 order that had asked
Biren Singh government to consider including the Meitei community in the ST
list within 4 weeks, which recall triggered the ethnic unrest and set the State
on fire claiming hundreds of lives and displacing thousands. The single bench
justified removal of the paragraph during a review petition saying it
conflicted with Supreme Court’s constitution bench position. In effect, it
accepted the thumb rule that courts shouldn’t overstep their jurisdiction in
determining such categorisations. Recall, the top court when petitioned last
May against that order had criticised it as ‘obnoxious’ as the High Court was
‘absolutely wrong’. However, it had refrained from staying the order as petitions
challenging the order were pending with the larger division bench and invited tribal
participation, particularly from the Kukis. Nearly a year since, the State is
far from returning to normalcy. The ethnic divide between Kuki and Meitei
people is complete. Manipur is divided
almost in two parts. It will take a lot more to bridge the gap. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News &
Feature Alliance)
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UN Veto on Gaza: CALL FOR REFORMS, By Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Giri, 23 February 2024 |
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Round The World
New Delhi, 23 February
2024
UN Veto on Gaza
CALL FOR REFORMS
By Prof. (Dr.) D.K. Giri
(Secretary General, Assn for
Democratic Socialism)
The United States vetoed the UN resolution calling for
immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Thirteen out of 15 UN Security
Council members, both permanent and non-permanent, voted in favour, Britain
abstained and US voted against. But, since the five permanent members (P-5)
have the veto powers, the United States vetoed it causing the resolution to be
un-implementable. This is the third time the US has vetoed the resolutions on humanitarian
ceasefire in Gaza: October 18, December 8 in 2023 and now this year, February
20. After the veto, the demand for reform of UN organs has become shriller.
The United States is moving, at the time of writing, an
alternative resolution calling for temporary ceasefire linked to the release of
hostages held by Hamas since 7 October 2023.
On this dark day, Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel killing
over 1200 people and taking 256 Israelis, including women and children, as
hostages. What will happen to this resolution is a matter of time and
speculation. Let us focus on the frustrations and desperations by the
international community on the controversial veto process in the UN. Let us
recall that the veto power has been exercised by all the five members on
numerous occasions.
In the recent past, Russia has used the veto 12 times in
favour of the Syrian government which is guilty of genocide of over 400,000 of
its citizens since 2011. Russia even vetoed a resolution calling for ending the
use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in the civil war. China has vetoed
more than once resolutions on Islamic terrorists working against India, to
declare them ‘global terrorists.’ Russia has been vetoing any resolution in
favour of Ukraine with regard to the ongoing Ukraine war. China is also vetoing
any resolution in favour of Muslim Rohingyas as Beijing completely backs the
military regime of Myanmar.
There is a contentious historical context of the veto power
by P-5 members. The P-5 is now divided broadly into two groups – US, France,
United Kingdom on the one hand and China and Russia on the other. However, all
of them act like a club and the club will not change the rules which take away
their privileges. So has been the case.
The question raised now by many countries is whether it is
just, inclusive or equitable to let five countries impose their will on the
rest 188 member-countries of the world. In fact, in the context of the veto, it
is one country out of five imposing its will on the rest. Is this a fair,
prudent and practical way to run international politics? Admittedly, UN
Security Council has acted in unity in some cases, like military actions
against dictatorial regime of Col. Gaddafi in Libya and sanctions against Iran
etc. But in many cases like the ones cited, the one of the P-5 has been able to
monopolise the peace process, in fact in most cases, derailing it.
Let us remember that the UN was created after the Second
World War in order to prevent succeeding generations ‘from the scourge of war’.
The alternative strategy UN adapted to war consists of diplomacy, mediation and
peace initiatives. But because of the unequal composition of the UN organs,
mainly the UN Security Council, the principal objective of the United Nation
has been defeated; hence the call for reforms of its structure.
India, as the biggest democracy and the most populous
country in the world is leading the campaign on UN Security Council reform. The
principle New Delhi puts forth is ‘equity in global decision making’. This will
redress the historical injustices committed on the Global South; “centuries of
injustices”. India’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Ambassador
Ruchira Kamboj made a powerful case at the Inter-Governmental Negotiations on
Security Council Reform on 16 February.
She forcefully put it, “I think we might all broadly agree
that the historical injustices perpetrated against the Global South can no
longer be ignored. It is time to rectify these disparities by ensuring greater
representation for regions like Asia, Latin America and Africa on the Security
Council through reform in both permanent and non-permanent categories of
membership”.
Furthermore, she elaborated, “Equity demands that every
nation, irrespective of its size or power be afforded an equal opportunity to
shape global decision-making.” She added that equity entails that the voices of
the marginalised and the oppressed be elevated on to the world stage. Including
the members of the Global South into the table will lead to more inclusive
decision-making. Also, an inclusive Council will foster a broader consensus and
legitimacy of its decisions.
Let it be noted that India is not only demanding the
expansion of both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the
UNSC; New Delhi is also asking for restructuring the decision-making process in
the Council, which includes abolition of the veto power. Unless done so, mere
expansion of the membership will not solve the problem; on the contrary, it
will lead to perpetuation of existing inequities.
There is some wind of reforms blowing from the P-5
countries as well. One hears the talk of embracing the concept of ‘voluntary restraint’.
Prof. Jenifer Trahan discusses this concept in her book ‘Existing Legal Limits
to Security Council Veto Power in the Face of Atrocity Crimes, Chapter 3
focuses on ‘Initiatives to Voluntarily Restraint Veto Use as to the Face of
Atrocity Crimes’. There are six initiatives discussed in the chapter.
She addresses a legal issue here, i.e., whether P-5
countries can legally use the veto in the face of atrocity crimes – which has
serious implications on conflicts, and on the lives of all those affected by
the conflict. Crucially, she establishes the linkage between the exercise of
the veto power and ‘continuing death tolls on the ground’, like it is happening
now in Gaza, Ukraine and other ongoing conflicts.
Heeding the arguments and advice of Prof. Trahan, the world
must do its utmost to ensure that UN charter’s voting provisions (veto) are
never used that facilitates or enables the perpetration of genocide, war crimes
or crimes against humanity.
The second much-talked about reform is the expanding the
membership. The United States, UK and France are apparently open to expansion
whereas China and Russia oppose it. The most potential candidate for permanent
membership of the UNSC are India, Brazil, Japan and Germany which somewhat
operate as G-4. This should happen sooner than later.
To sum up, the United Nations has not been effective in
countering conflicts, preventing wars and restraining belligerence by many
countries. But, without doubt, United Nations has done commendable and critical
developmental as well as humanitarian work. As we scan the multiple development
arms of the United Nations, their works across the globe deserve admiration of
the international community. So, one is not writing the obituary of UN. On the
contrary, if UN did not exist, we had to invent it. More power to United
Nations as it resets its structures and functions.---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature
Alliance)
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