Portents of a religious autocracy

Cultural intolerance is a dominant element in the functioning of the present government, which wants to decide what we eat, wear, read, watch, and who we love.

With the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) being the fountainhead of Hindutva, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government being strongly influenced by the RSS, we may ask: “Are we moving towards a Hindu religious autocracy which would move the country away from rationality and reason and, thus, democracy?” Unfortunately, it seems so. In any rational and reasonable society as in a democracy, dissent is accepted as a norm and reasoned dissent is encouraged. However, in India at present, the space for reasoned dissent is shrinking day by day, being reduced as part of the public policy of the present government. Consequently, intolerance to any different view is increasing. Thus, on October 22 in Karnataka, a young Dalit student-writer, Huchangi Prasad, was kidnapped and beaten up by a group of men for showing disrespect towards Hindu gods and writing about caste discrimination. Though the caste system has been the bane of Hindu society, it is now being practised with increased vigour. This is reflected in the growing number of crimes against Dalits, including the horrific incident in Faridabad last month where two Dalit children were burnt to death when a mob attacked their home.

Pushpa M. Bhargava

Apart from violence, cases have been filed against well-known organisations such asGreenpeace, and individuals such as Teesta Setalvad, because they have dared to show dissent.

Promoting unreason

According to Article 51a(h) of our Constitution, it is the fundamental duty of every citizen “to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform”. However, the government now is the biggest hurdle to the practice of scientific temper which, by definition, is rooted in reason and rationality. No government in the past has had such little understanding of science. This can have a substantially negative effect on the country’s developmental agenda.

Absurd claims are being made about our past: that we had large planes that could perform interplanetary travel and the ability to transplant an elephant head over a human torso. History is being distorted to suit religious beliefs with mythological figures and gods presented as historical figures.

There have been organised attempts to impose the Hindutva agenda across the country with the tacit support of organisations that have no respect for the law, leave aside reason or secular values. The recent actions of the Shiv Sena, despite being in a ruling alliance with the BJP, such as throwing black ink on Observer Research Foundation Chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni’s face because he launched a book written by former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, not allowing Pakistani musician Ghulam Ali to perform in Mumbai, and storming the offices of the Board of Control for Cricket in India during a meeting with officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board, are examples. Apart from attacks on freethinkers and Dalits, minorities are also made to feel like second-class citizens. Churches have been attacked and more recently, in an apparently premeditated assault, Mohammad Akhlaq, a blacksmith in Dadri near Delhi, was lynched and his son severely injured on the suspicion that they ate beef. This incident was defended by BJP legislators Sangeet Som and Sakshi Maharaj.

A Hindu fundamentalist organisation has announced a reward to all Hindus who have five or more children, to prevent the Muslim population in the country from increasing at a higher rate than the Hindu population. The Hindu Mahasabha has meanwhile announced that November 15, the death anniversary of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, would be celebrated as Martyrdom Day.

Privatising essential services

In any good democracy, education upto Class XII (upto 18 years of age) and health are taken care of by the state. In India, however, both education and health are being increasingly privatised and commercialised, making them accessible only to the rich — something that would characterise an autocracy.

In filling up top posts in the country, greater emphasis is being laid on political advantage and relationship with the RSS than on merit. An example would be the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as Director of the Film and Television Institute of India, sparking protests from students and filmmakers.

Cultural intolerance is a dominant element in the functioning of the present government which wants to decide what we may eat, what we may wear, whom we may love, what books we may read, and what films we may watch, in a way that no previous government has done. This government does not seem to be aware that eating of beef was permitted in ancient India. The qualities of beef are stated in the Ayurvedic text, Charaka Samhita, as follows:

“The flesh of the cow is beneficial for those suffering from the loss of flesh due to disorders caused by an excess of vayu, rhinitis, irregular fever, dry cough, fatigue, and also in cases of excessive appetite resulting from hard manual work.”

The votaries of Hindutva do not realise that no religion is superior to another, and all have substantial elements that go against the grain of scientific temper, rationality and reason.

History tells us that all autocracies are anti-intellectual. It is, therefore, not surprising that the present regime, instead of introspecting on the fact that over 300 eminent persons have returned national awards, has termed these persons anti-national and manufacturers of dissent.

The above listing is random and only partial. There is extensive evidence suggesting that the main objective of the BJP/RSS combine is to destroy the democratic fabric of India and make it a Hindu religious autocracy.

Being a professional biologist, I would like to end by quoting an important biological maxim — variety leads to evolution and homogeneity leads to extinction. India’s greatest asset is the variety it has in virtually every area. We have to learn to respect this variety through action, if we do not want the country to become a Hindu religious autocracy.

(Dr Bhargava is former vice chairman, National Knowledge Commission. He recently decided to return his Padma Bhushan. bhargava.pm@gmail.com)

Keywords: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bharatiya Janata Party, autocracy, Cultural intolerance

Source: The Hindu, 3-11-2015

JNU students screen film on beef eating habits

A students’ group at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday went ahead with the screening of a documentary on beef-eating habit, despite the administration having refused permission for the same earlier.

The film made its way into the ongoing beef debate earlier in the week after the ministry of information and broadcasting refused clearance for its screening at an ongoing film festival.

‘Caste on the Menu Card’ was the only documentary among 35 others that failed to get an exemption from certification (given to documentary films) for a screening at the 12th Jeevika Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival organised by the Centre for Civil Society.

JNU’s Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) said that the administration had given them permission to hold the screening at the lawns of Sabarmati hostel followed by a discussion. But the permission was cancelled on Sunday afternoon.

“We had permission to screen the movie in Sabarmati lawns which was later cancelled. This is wrong and that is why we went ahead with the screening. There must be political pressure from higher authorities to not let the screening happen. Why did they give permission if there were issues of jurisdiction?” said Chinmay Mahanand, a PhD student in the school of international studies.

However, Deo Shankar Navin, warden of the hostel, said that permission was cancelled because the students were screening the movie in an area which was beyond his jurisdiction. “They are screening the movie in lawns of the hostel. When I gave permission yesterday, I wasn’t aware that the area is not under my jurisdiction but today I came to know,” he said.

Navin also denied allegations that there was political pressure on him. “There is no pressure from anywhere. I don’t even know what the movie is about,” he said.

The 21-minute film, made by five students of the school of media and cultural studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), focuses on beef-eating habits in Mumbai.

Source: Hindustan Times, 3-11-2015

All Souls' Day: Die In Order To Live

Sumit Dhanraj





Christians worldwide marked November 2 as `All Souls' Day'.The official name of the celebration in the Roman Catholic Church is “The commemoration of all the faithful departed“ but the popular name is `Feast of All Souls'.
On this day, Christians remember their dear and near ones who have departed from earthly life to heavenly life. It's a day of remembrance, commemoration and celebration because they believe that they are now one with God in heavenly bliss ­ or soon, will be. The Church especially prays for souls of the faithful departed still suffering in purgatory.
Every Christian especially remembers Jesus Christ who died on Good Friday for the sins of humanity to bring everlasting life. Therefore, Easter ­ `feast of Jesus Christ's resurrection' ­ is a way to eternal life in Jesus and God the Father. Thus, Christians die with Christ in order to live with Him in heavenly abode.
On a recent All Souls' Day, Pope Benedict XVI said, “Christian hope is never something merely individual, it's always a hope for others. Our lives are deeply linked; one to another, and the good and bad each one does always impacts the rest. So the prayer of a pilgrim soul in the world can help another soul that continues purifying itself after death.“
However, God created humans in His image and likeness to be holy and pure in spirit. He breathed spirit or soul into our bodies. The spirit gives life because it is t from God, whereas flesh is from dust and unto dust it will spe return. Humankind is born tr and will die empty-handed. Despite this, we crave for pleasures.
Catholic celebration is associated with the doctrine that the souls of the faithful ­ who at death have not been cleansed ­ cannot immediately attain beatific vision in heaven. So they may be helped to do so by prayer, alms, fasting and sacrifice by praying in the Holy Eucharist (the Mass) for purification.
Prayer for the dead can be recited any time throughout the year, and also any time throughout the year, and also whenever Christians pass a cemetery. Many families also pray rosary for the dead in the graveyard along with the `Eternal Rest' prayer. Priests bless the graves with the Holy Water as a mark of purification and sanctifica tion in the ceremonial prayer e services after the Mass in king churches and cemeteries.
There is a Mexican saying e that we die three deaths: The first time we die is when our bodies die. The second is when our bodies are lowered into the earth, out of sight.The third time we die is when our loved ones forget us. Christians forestall that last death by seeing the faithful dead as members of the Church, alive in Christ, and by praying for them ­ asking their prayers for the earthly community always.
Apostle St Paul, writing to the first communities, exhorted the faithful to “not be downhearted, like the others who have no hope“. “If in fact,“ he wrote, “we believe that Jesus died and rose, so also God, by means of Jesus, will gather up with him all those who have died.“
It is apparent that death is a gain and life is a penalty. “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain,“ says St Paul.What does Christ mean to us here if not the death of the body and the breath of life? And so we must die with Him in order to live with Him.

Switzerland still top tax haven, US jumps to No. 3

Lubna Kably





Switzerland has retained its top spot in the financial secrecy index (FSI) 2015, unveiled by the Tax Justice Network (TJN) on Monday . Switzerland is followed by Hong Kong, the US, Singapore and the Cayman Islands. The biggest surprise is the US, which has climbed to third place from sixth place in FSI-2013.Countries such as Switzerland, the US, Singapore and Germany that figure in the top 10 list of FSI-2015 (and are perceived as actively promoting secrecy in global finance) are also among the top 10 FDI investors to India.
TJN's biennial FSI ranking is based on a combination of a country's secrecy score and a scale-weightage based on the country's share in the global market for its offshore financial services. Thus, for instance, even though Mauritius (India's top FDI investor) has a secrecy score of 72, it is ranked lower at 23 as it accounts for less than 1% of the global market for offshore financial services compared to Singapore. India's second largest FDI investor, Singapore, has a lower secrecy score of 69 points but is ranked at fourth position.
Other top investors in India like the UK, Japan and the Netherlands have an FSI rank of 15, 12 and 41, respectively. Among the notable FDI investors in In dia, countries such as Mauritius, Switzerland and the UAE have a secrecy score of more than 70.
According to Tax Jus tice Network (TJN), “Switzerland stays at the top of the index and for good reason: Despite what you may have heard, Swiss banking secrecy is far from dead, though it has curbed its secrecy somewhat.“
As regards the US, TJN's communication states, “US is more of a cause for concern than any other individual country , because of both the size of its offshore sector and also its rather recalcitrant attitude to international co-operation and reform. Though it has been a pioneer in defending itself from foreign secrecy jurisdictions, aggressively taking on the Swiss banking establishment and setting up its technically quite strong Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), it provides little information in return to other countries.“
According to tax experts, the FACTA agreement entered into with India provides for reciprocal exchange of information, but it's too early to comment on the information that will be shared by the US.
Singapore and Germany , which also figure in the top 10 list of FSI-2015, are also among the top 10 investor countries for India. Germany's laxity in tackling illicit money and also in spearheading EU's resistance to public access of country-by-country reporting by multinational corporates has been pointed at.
Liz Nelson, TJN director, adds, “None of the reforms we've seen would have taken place without pressure from civil society and the streets.G7 and G20 leaders will do nothing unless pushed from below. So it's essential to keep up the pressure, especially on matters such as implementing public disclosure of company ownership and, crucially , of trusts.“
For the full report, log on to http:www.timesofindia.com

Source: Times of India, 3-11-2015

Economic and Political Weekly: Table of Contents

Wrong Solutions

Vol - L No. 44, October 31, 2015 

• Editorials

The increase in sexual crimes needs deeper analysis, not knee-jerk reactions.

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• 0 Comments

Bitter Battle over a Sweet

Vol - L No. 44, October 31, 2015 

• Editorials

Geographical Indication protection for the rosogolla fails to appreciate the nature of artisanal production.

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• 0 Comments

Editorials Naturally Unjust The proposed surrogacy law should not be a hurried "look-good" response from the government. Read more	Commentary India's Population Programme Obstacles and Opportunities Betsy Hartmann, Mohan Rao As sterilisation scandals abound, a consensus is emerging for a shift away from sterilisation towards a larger "basket" of contraceptive choices and concomitant improvements in service delivery. That such a shift needs to take place is... Read more
Commentary When Voices Are Muffled Vidya Rao What makes India special is the fact that it has always had multiple traditions of written and oral, text-based and homespun ideas that have been deep and thought-provoking, creative and exquisitely beautiful. The tradition of freedom of speech... Read more	Commentary Imperatives of a Left Public Sphere K N Panikkar A left public sphere, the site of rational debates and democratic politics, is virtually a thing of the past today. A failure to engage with traditional identities like caste and religion and the inability to grapple with the changes in the post-... Read more
Commentary 'Powering' Agriculture Andhra Pradesh’s Free Electricity Story Somdeep Chatterjee In 2004, the then newly elected state government introduced a policy to provide free electricity to farmers during off-peak hours to help activities like irrigation. This policy was heavily criticised due to the costs it entailed as well as its... Read more	Commentary Speeding Up Trains in India ‘Superfast’ Must Be Redefi ned V V Ravi Kumar The Indian Railways has big plans for speeding up its trains. It has invited foreign collaboration to kick-start high-speed trains. However, its current crop of trains labelled as superfast just cruise along at an average speed of 55 kilometres... Read more
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Perspectives Silencing Caste, Sanitising Oppression Understanding Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Subhash Gatade The Hindu notions of purity and pollution, inextricably linked with the caste system and the practice of untouchability, underlie the unsanitary practices in Indian society. These beliefs perpetuate the oppression of the "polluted castes," who... Read more	Review of Women's Studies / Review Issues Rethinking Violence Mary E John Read more
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Review of Women's Studies / Review Issues Reporting Sexual Violence in India What Has Changed since the Delhi Gang Rape? Divya Arya The Delhi gang rape of 2012 is a milestone in the way in which Indian media covers the crime of rape. This paper examines how the mainstream Hindi and English print and broadcast media has handled such coverage since then. It looks at how the... Read more	Review of Women's Studies / Review Issues Gathering Steam Organising Strategies of the Indian Men’s Rights Movement Srimati Basu From faint beginnings in scattered solitary actions in the 1990s, the activities of men's rights activists have emerged in India as a well-organised social movement. They denounce feminists with a broad brush, portend the impending doom of... Read more
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Special Articles Participatory Note Investments Do Indian Markets Need Them? S S S Kumar Investments through participatory notes in the Indian stock market have been a cause for concern for policymakers. It is argued that P-Notes did play a role in attracting foreign investments, when suitable instruments were unavailable in India.... Read more	Special Articles Fertiliser Use and Imbalance in India Analysis of States Ramesh Chand, Pavithra S The common and strongly-held view in India is that balanced fertiliser use requires three major plant nutrients, namely, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, to be used in the ratio of 4:2:1, and any deviation in fertiliser use from this norm... Read more
Special Articles To Eat or Not To Eat Beef Spectres of Food on Bengal’s Politics of Identity Kalyan Das Politics around food has been drawing scholarly attention, especially after state governments run by the political right-wing banned food items. This article draws upon local culinary practices in Bengal and its cultures of food. It shows how... Read more	Economic Notes Are Corporates Overleveraged? J Dennis Rajakumar There is concern that corporations have borrowed too much, and that therefore bank balance sheets are strained as well. Contrary to this popular view, it is argued here that the company finance data of the corporate sector in general does not... Read more
Reports From the States / Web Exclusives Why the Mithun Must be Saved Understanding Arunachal’s State Animal Kago Gambo The mithun’s significance among the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh is widely known. In this article, the author explores the vicissitudes in the socio-economic importance of the mithun and why efforts should be made for their preservation.... Read more	Web Exclusives Myanmar's Elections Skewed Constitution and Its Conundrums Mohinder Pal Singh As Myanmar prepares for its third elections under its third constitution in 67 years, this article looks at the evolutions of its electoral practices and its constitutions. The complex rules ...