Vol. 75
No 3
JUNE 2011
Rs. 20 / month
THE RADICAL HUMANIST Formerly : Independent India (April 1937-March 1949) (Since April 1949)
495 Winds of change Uday Dandavate On Rabindranath Tagore's Poems Amitabha Chakrabarty Farmers' Survival March Indu Kumar Jani India without Sathya Sai Baba Sanal Edamaruku Basic Issues in Lokpal Bill S.N. Shukla Saibaba and other God men Asghar Ali Engineer The Ulysses in Roy Dipavali Sen
Founder Editor: M.N. Roy
Editorial Comment: The Need for a Contemporary Philosophy Rekha Saraswat
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The Radical Humanist Vol. 75
Number 3
June 2011
Monthly journal of the Indian Renaissance Institute Devoted to the development of the Renaissance Movement; and for promotion of human rights, scientific-temper, rational thinking and a humanist view of life. Founder Editor: M.N. Roy Editor: Dr. Rekha Saraswat Contributory Editors: Prof. A.F. Salahuddin Ahmed, Dr. R.M. Pal, Professor Rama Kundu Publisher: Mr. N.D. Pancholi Printer: Mr. N.D. Pancholi Send articles to: Dr. Rekha Saraswat, C-8, Defence Colony, Meerut, 250001, U.P., India, Ph. 91-121-2620690, 09719333011, E-mail articles at: rheditor@gmail.com Send Subscription / Donation Cheques in favour of ‘The Radical Humanist’to: Mr. Narottam Vyas (Advocate), Chamber Number 111 (Near Post Office), Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, 110001, India n.vyas@snr.net.in Ph. 91-11-22712434, 91-11-23782836, 09811944600
Please Note: Authors will bear sole accountability for corroborating the facts that they give in their write-ups. Neither IRI / the Publisher nor the Editor of this journal will be responsible for testing the validity and authenticity of statements & information cited by the authors. Also, sometimes some articles published in this journal may carry opinions not similar to the Radical Humanist philosophy; but they would be entertained here if the need is felt to debate and discuss upon them. Rekha Saraswat
Download and read the journal at www.theradicalhumanist.com
- Contents 1. From the Editor’s Desk: The Need for a Contemporary Philosophy —Rekha Saraswat 2 2. From the Writings of Laxmanshastri Joshi: Spiritual Materialism: A case for Atheism 3 4. Guests’ Section: India would have been a better place without Sathya Sai Baba —Sanal Edamaruku 8 A Travesty Of Election Law (Contd.) —S.N. Shukla 10 Saibaba and other God men —Asghar Ali Engineer 12 Farmers’ Survival March —Indu Kumar Jani 15 On Rabindranath Tagore’s Poems —Amitabha Chakrabarty 18 5. Current Affairs: Basic Issues in Lokpal Bill —S.N. Shukla 19 Winds of change —Uday Dandavate 23 6. IRI / IRHA Members’ Section: RT: Iconoclast Social Revolutionary —N. Innaiah 26 7. Teachers’ & Research Scholars’ Section: Noor of Punjabi Letters: Sutinder Singh Noor —Ashok K. Chaudhury 29 8. Book Review Section: Impending Destruction of Environment: A Myth? —Subhankar Ray 31 The Ulysses in Roy —Dipavali Sen 34 9. Humanist News Section 36
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From the Editor’s Desk:
The Need for a Contemporary Philosophy Rekha Saraswat
the relevance of people WelikeareSaiweighing Baba on the one side and of governments like UPA in the Centre and of BJP and Congress in Karnataka and Maharashtra on the other. We are questioning the functioning of democracies as such in countries big and small and suggesting appendices like Lokpal Bills to keep them intact and functioning. We are wondering at the very concept of ‘ethics’ in the context of not only States but also in societies of all kinds in all countries. We have gone so far as to doubt the sanctity of a moral code in running our family affairs and relationships. Every concept and ideology has been put to test. All value systems seem to be superfluous. All philosophers have begun to appear as mere utopians who professed such doctrines that are no more than fairy tales now. The ideas of ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ have been completely muddled up. Does this situation indicate the redundancy of the basic principles which have guided our lives so far? Should the present generation then learn from Richard Dawkins’ following statement— that “In childhood our credulity serves us well. It helps us to pack, with extraordinary rapidity, our skulls full of the wisdom of our parents and our ancestors. But if we don’t grow out of it in the fullness of time, our ... nature makes us a sitting target for astrologers, mediums, gurus, evangelists, and quacks. We need 1
to replace the automatic credulity of childhood with the constructive skepticism of adult science.” (Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion, and the Appetite for Wonder 1998, page 142–3)—and build a new cultural ethos? Does it not mean that the mental growth of people in the present world society is stunted and has not developed beyond a gaping child’s wisdom, which questions less and believes more? Has science gone beyond philosophy? Has knowledge only been used as technology for material betterment that too of a few without opening the mental reasoning and rationalizing faculties of most of us? Or does it mean that we are in need of a new philosophy that may guide us through the tumultuous changing times of the present era? A philosophy that may bring the anguish of the modern man to peace; that may restrain the present day youth from entering the tyrannical world of terrorism, drug addiction, anarchism and keep him away from the ennui of existential worthlessness! To save them from continuous disenchantments and disillusionments with the entire prevalent social ethos we need not only to restructure a contemporary philosophy but also to redefine modern culture and its corollaries to suit the present requirements. Just like Roy we again have to evaluate the philosophical consequences of modern science. We have to take a new look at the roles of individuals and societies; of the states and governments. Ethics and values, norms and traditions of our modern world require a candid reassessment. In short, there has to be an honest re-examination of the purpose of human life and its relationship with the surrounding universe. The call for a behavioral philosophy which answers all questions of the present complexities of the world and gives a good reason for human existence is the need of the hour!
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From The Writings of Laxmanshastri Joshi: Many taboos which might have had some beneficial effects are given a permanent sanction and these put a fetter on further progress. The Spiritual argument that religion promotes social stability and Materialism – A social harmony is examined and rejected. Without case for Atheism the dubious benefit of religion various secular worldly values have been developed and they have benefited mankind more than the vaunted religious Translated by values. With no sops of religion men have laboured —Arundhati Khandkar hard and the finest admirable qualities of men’s Laxman S. Joshi spirit have been developed inspite of religious [The book Spiritual Materialism – A case for influence – the scientists and the reformers are Atheism, A New Interpretation of the examples. The humility that should force itself in Philosophy of Materialism written by the presence of the infinite and the unknown is Tarkateertha Laxmanshastri Joshi has been more to be seen with the scientist, the philosopher translated by his daughter, Arundhati than the religious leaders and often this drives them Khandkar, who was formerly Professor of to fathom the depths of thought in the quest for Philosophy at S.I.E.S. College, University of truth. Rarely does religion explain the how and Mumbai, India. He passed away many decades why. These have become the preoccupations of ago but his contribution in building up the people in secular fields. With a sense of philosophical base of Radical Humanism has self-reliance and self-confidence guiding him, man been no less. Roy acknowledged it in his life time has dropped the earlier props of religion. In India and the followers of the philosophy continue to do too, the social order was seen as embodying moral so. I had requested Ms. Khandkar to translate her values.” father’s major works from to Marathi to English Contd. from the previous issue............ for the benefit of the contemporary readers of RH. Soul is Body itself— And to our pleasant surprise she informed that Materialists maintain that there does not exist there is already the above mentioned book in separately in the body of a plant, of an animal, or of English done by her. It is being serialised in The a human being an independent vital force or a Radical Humanist June 2010 onwards. She has conscious power. Body as a design by itself is a also promised to send us in English, gradually, life-form or a conscious form. Now let us consider more of his Marathi literature. the point of view of the spiritualists in some detail Laxmanshastri wrote this essay with the title in the following paragraphs. Spiritualists say that Materialism or Atheism in 1941. How just as a chariot needs a charioteer, so does the body meaningful and necessary it is, even now, 70 need an agent inside, the soul or the atman which years later, can be understood by the following stimulates and controls the body. This independent paragraph given on the cover page of the book. vital force is like an actor with many masks. Just as, —Rekha Saraswat] all the activities in a home continue in the light of a “That religion more often than not tends to lamp inside, similarly the flame of a conscious perpetuate the existing social structure rather than power resides in the body-house and the body being reformist and that it benefits the upper activities go on in the light of that flame. classes. They perpetrate the illusions and are used Vital Force: The vital force or the living soul stays for impressing the weaker sections of the society. in plants, animals and people just like the fire which
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resides in a red hot rod or like the electricity which travels inside the copper wires of a telegraph or a telephone system. The vital force is encased in a live body like the steam encased in a steel cylinder of a locomotive. The vital force is totally unlike any other inanimate thing.
Immortal Substance: Soul: The principle attribute of a living body is that when the body develops disorder or experiences disturbance, there and then begins the effort for its repair, thereby initiating an effort for restoring the living body back to its original stable state. Such an arrangement does not exist in any other inanimate body. An effort is initiated immediately inside the body for healing a wound. There inheres in a living body a combat mechanism for protecting the body more or less from poisons, pathogenic bacteria and other harmful substances. Every live form has its own individuality. A live body is not exactly like that machine whose various different parts can be removed and stored or the dysfunctional parts can be discarded and replaced by new parts. Although body parts look on the surface distinct, there exists among them an overall functional seamless unity. It is not possible to replace one heart for another, because the body is not just an inanimate machine but also because there exists in that body an indivisible power that allows fusion of different limbs and organs. That indivisible power is nothing but the soul. According to Vaisheshika system of philosophy the soul is as follows: It is that principle that manages the functions like breathing, inhaling, exhaling. All these functions driven by a certain power. The same power also heals the body needing the action of repair. Moreover, consciousness, experience, knowledge, memory, desire, hate, anger and other functions are the attributes of the same substance, or the same power, meaning the soul.20 The mental states like sensations, experience, knowledge, recollection, desire, hatred, anger are also the attributes of soul substance. The awareness that ‘I am the same being right from childhood to the old age’ is possible because of the eternal indestructible soul. These
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thoughts, representing the viewpoint of the spiritualists do not survive when subjected to a deeper analysis. Science and Soul: Even if it is true that the creation of a living organism has not been achieved yet in a laboratory, progress in physiology and biology is being made on the foundation of physics and chemistry. It helps now to unfold many hitherto hidden truths of a living organism. The progress achieved in science to date makes us to establish beyond doubt that the soul does not have existence separate from that of the body. Outer Space and Earth: A living body-form has originated and evolved from the surrounding non-living nature. It subsists in a given environmental situation. The living form is a part of that environment only. It can exist in a thermal of a narrow temperature range, from temperatures considerably higher than 0 to considerably less than 373 degrees centigrade. It cannot live or grow at a height of over 5 miles above the msl. It cannot exist in an environment that cannot sustain formation of carbon based organic proteinous compounds. No living organism survives heat of fire. Specific kinds of live forms originate and grow in specific geographical environment. In case of radical shifts in that geographical environment, hosts of species die. Earth Comes Alive: What archaeologists have discovered about geological rock formations and the successive surface strata arranged one above the other has led to the conclusion that various kinds of species of creatures lived there. a new generation of animal species used to be born wherever cataclysmic events convulsed the surface layer of their residence and exposed a fresh geological layer. Such layers of the earth when get structured make a very clear and trustworthy book of nature. Such a book of nature preserves and speaks about plants, animals, and minerals. This book if read today, reveals that the live world is only a part of inanimate nature. Inanimate nature began breathing after it experienced transformation
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in the same inanimate world. The same nature acquired eyes and ears and became aware of self. This nature, which lay in prolonged monstrous sleep from eternity, seeped in deep ignorance, woke up after assuming a life-form and began to observe itself. With the modern advances in earth and space-research all these limits, facts and postulates are expected to undergo redefinition ceaselessly as nature under scientific scrutiny reveals facts stranger than fiction. Body and its Physiology: Life-form, in its constitution, reveals physical and inanimate substances upon examination. For its subsistence and development, only physical substances are needed. It perishes in the absence of availability of these substances. The living self, the Jeevatma存 reacts to poisons, diseases and medicines. If the living self would have been an object independent and separate from the body, it would not have been influenced by food, disease, and poison. From the very fact that the living self is affected by food, disease and poison, it is obvious that it must be only physical and mutable. The power of memory, the propensity for thinking, attitudes, emotions and desires like anger, courage, excitement, imagination and so on, are all bodily acts. If the chemical compounds called hormones secreted by the ductless glands such as thyroid, pituitary and also by the intestines are insufficient, the above functions suffer. It has become possible to produce these substances independently, outside the body. Dysfunctions such as lethargy and irritability arise if the thyroid hormone is not generated in required amounts. As a result, thought sequences suffer. In case the hormone in the pituitary gland is not produced adequately sexuality is also affected adversely. The task of hormones is to aid the various bodily organs in their functions. If memory, thoughts, desires and emotions such as hatred were treated as functions of the body and if on the contrary, were thought to be the attributes of the separate self or the atman, then there should be no effect at all of the substance called hormone. 21 States of Sensorium: To the extent that the
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construction of a body is fully developed with the heteromorphic complexity and is complete with the systems and sub-systems of organs, to that extent experience and intelligence assume various evolved and mature forms. Development of knowledge keeps pace with the evolution of a body. To the extent the body is unevolved, to that extent knowledge is also unevolved. This rule applies to all kinds of awareness and the mental faculties. Consciousness neither rises nor develops, unless the brain and the nervous system emerge and develop. All the mental states inhere in the sensorium. From Being to Becoming: Evolutionary Ladder of Form: A single celled living organism is the evolutionary beginning of the human body. At first there were live forms like protozoa. Afterwards, some of them got aggregated to form multi-cellular bodies. Their structure resembled beehives. Later there emerged an astonishing array of multicellular animals, the ancestors of virtually all the creatures that now either swim, or fly, the fishes and the birds, and also those that crawl, eg the crocodiles. There do exist gaps in fossil records and many mysterious facts remain to be explained. Much later, 150 million years ago, appeared vertebrates and the mammalians. Mammalian females secrete milk for nourishing their young. The first man-like apes evolved 190 million years ago. As the vertebral column took an upright position Vamana avatar the human form came into being. Evolutionary Ladder of Consciousness: During the evolutionary process of graded physical growth, there takes place parallel to it, the evolution of consciousness moving from lower to higher level. To the extent, the bodily machinery steps up towards completion hand in hand with the nervous system, to that extent the mind, the soul or the capacity for knowledge also moves towards perfection. It is beyond doubt that, long ago in the past, there was a time in which no life-form existed and what existed was all lifeless matter. War with Nature for Becoming: Prior to the
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existence of life forms, what existed were the raging powers of blind nature. The progress occurred when the seed like blue-green algae struggling for existence transformed itself into the protozoan cellular life-forms. 22 From the point of view of the life-form, the living organism survived, despite the very cruel and destructive natural forces. Some live forms started subsisting, having found pathways for survival through countless successive phases of annihilations. Through the clutches of dangerous forces and through ruinous battles, they entered into an environment, somewhat stable and satisfactory. In this struggle for survival billions perish and only a few survive. This proportion of survival of life-forms is indicative of the magnitude of the war with nature. Neither Live nor Dead: There exist substances that can be strictly speaking called, neither living nor non-living. These substances are the link between the phases animate and inanimate. Substances that destroy disease carrying microscopic bacteria, called bacteriophage and the poisonous substances that harm and live upon a live creature or a plant, called virus are that link. These substances have been determined to be nothing but chemical complexes. Living forms are essentially nucleoproteins composed of proteins that have combined with nucleic acids. If a corpuscle of these nucleoproteins falls on a plant or enters a living body, it grows and multiplies in infinite proportion. Such a capacity for regeneration is the real proof of liveability of the viruses. Human Body- Machine: Human body is an extraordinarily complicated form arising out of organic substances. There are still some constructional questions yet unresolved regarding all the animal forms. The same questions can also be raised in connection with the human body. A good many questions have been solved through the help of sciences such as physics and chemistry. The questions that remain to be answered are expected to be resolved through the methodology of the same sciences. From the viewpoint that the human body
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is a machine, many problems lend themselves to solution soon. Organs: Chemical Factories and Machine Parts: Laws of chemical substances are useful for interpretation of many a process inside a body. For example, the regulatory processes of muscular contraction and expansion can be formulated as causal effects of certain chemical substances. Human body is a chemical laboratory. In this laboratory, the substance insulin, for example, is generated in the pancreas. Other substances such as haemoglobin, glucose, hormones, and so on are being produced by organs such as liver, pancreas, endocrine glands in that order. Many bodily functions are easy to understand if the body is viewed as a machine. Organs such as the brain and the nerves acting as sensory channels for communication and action function much better than a telephone system in a big city. If the heart is looked upon as a pump, then only the regulation of the blood circulation is understood. It is found that an eye is a high quality camera. An animal body is decidedly an excellent machine which functions as a self-repairing and self-regulating mechanism. This mechanism works smoothly as long as the functions of the chemical compounds in the blood are well-regulated. The production of the chemicals in the blood continues according to a plan as long as the discharge of carbon dioxide and the supply of oxygen occur in a well regulated manner. As a result, blood pressure is maintained within limits. Lungs assist the function of the blood. For the appropriate functioning of lungs, production of certain chemicals by the kidneys has to continue in harmony. To do just that, the adrenal glands have to be cautious in avoiding excess production of their own secretion. Otherwise, blood pressure will be adversely affected. The pituitary gland must also act in unison, to produce its own secretion in appropriate amounts. Thus all the functions of the body-machine must operate interdependently. 23 Contd. in the next issue............................. References:
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20- Vaisheshikasutra 3/2/4 English Translation: The attributes of the soul are Breathing, opening-closing of eyelids, living, Mental activities, the functional organisation of the various organs, Joy, sorrow, desire, hate and motivated
Press Statements:
actions; 21- Mark Graubard, Man the Slave and the Master, p. 113; 22- Julian Huxley, The Stream of Life, p. 36; 23- J.B.S. Haldane, Marxist Philosophy and the Sciences, p. 103, Life and Mechanism, chapter 1
Bombings in Libya
seem that international law is nonexistent. That alone can explain the barbaric bombing Itofwould civilian targets in Libya. I hold no brief for what many correctly describe Gaddafi as a tyrannical ruler. I have full sympathy for the opposition and admiration for their struggle to get rid of Gaddafi. But I protest strongly at the unilateral action of Nato air strike UNO has not sanctioned it. Who are these self appointed guardians of world security? Who gives them the right to bomb civilian targets and residential quarters? The latest hit has resulted in a residential complex of Gaddafi’s youngest son Saif al Arab who even by Western reports was not involved in polities and was known for his partying and praying. I am of the firm opinion that India should raise this matter at UNO, if it wishes to prevent the objectionable role of Europeans nations to act as purported guardians of the non European States – a clear case of racial arrogance and amounting to genocide. The fact that Gaddafi has engaged in brutal murders can not justify a sectional group of nations to arrogate to itself the role of World policeman and inflect counter genocide an non European population. —Rajindar Sachar, Former CJ, Delhi High Court, Former PUCL, President
Banning pilots’ strike is unjustified It is really disturbing to read from newspapers’ reports that the Delhi High Court has directed the striking pilots of Air India to discontinue their agitation and resume work. We fail to understand as to under what law such an order can be passed. Peaceful demonstrations are part of the fundamental rights of free speech and also of the right of assembly which are guaranteed under article 19 (a) and (b) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court as long back as in 1962 in the matter of Kameshwar Prasad Vs. State of Bihar has held that demonstration is a visible representation of the feelings or sentiments of an individual or group and is part of fundamental right of free speech. (AIR 1962 SC 1166). Any prohibition or restriction of the right of citizens to hold peaceful demonstration to express their feelings will prima facie be violative of the fundamental right to free speech. Only violent demonstrations can be restrained. Further, strikes and lockouts are weapons in the armoury of labour and management in the process of collective bargaining all over the world. These rights have been recognized under the Industrial Disputes Act. Right to strike or lockout can only be controlled or regulated by industrial legislation, and not by courts. As stated by the Supreme Court in the matter of Gujarat Steel Tubes Ltd. Vs. Gujarat Steel Tubes Mazdoor Sabha {(1980)(1) LLJ 137} seeking to restrain the strike on substantial and righteous demands often leads not to industrial peace but to seething unrest and lawlessness. Giving directions/injunctions to employees to join duty is also violative of the settled law under which contract of personal service cannot be enforced by courts except under certain statutory exceptions.
—N.D. Pancholi, Secretary IRI & President PUCL, Delhi unit
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Guests’ Section:
Sanal Edamaruku
India would have been a better place without Sathya Sai Baba [Sanal Edamaruku is President, Indian Rationalist Association & Rationalist International. The following article was published in the Rationalist International Bulletin by him. He can be contacted at: rationalistinternational@gmail.com] hen Sathya Sai Baba died on the morning of 24 April 2011 at the age of 85 years, he proved once again that miracles and predictions fail. He had predicted at a public gathering at his head quarters in Puttaparthy, in 2000, and repeatedly many times, that he would die at the age of 96 only. And till the last moment, many of his devotees clung to his word and waited for a miracle. May it be an eye opener for the millions of gullible people whom he misguided and deluded. De mortuis nihil nisi bene, they say, say nothing but good of the dead. But I think Sathya Sai Baba’s case qualifies for an exception. Too great is the damage that he did to India. His devastating influence on reason and scientific temper caused huge setback to the country. At a time, when scientific progress led to great social and economic leaps and scientific awakening started spreading all over India, Sathya Sai Baba launched a “counter revolution” of superstition, supported by irresponsible politicians and other public figures who should have known better. In my judgment,
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this is his greatest crime. I have succeeded again and again to expose him publicly as a fraud, so did some other rationalists. But due to his political protectors he was never held responsible for his crimes against public reason. Nor was he ever booked for any other crime he was accused of. Numerous cases of alleged sexual abuse and murder are yet to be investigated, not to mention the financial secrets of his empire. Sathya Sai Baba insisted in all seriousness that he was god, the creator of the universe, and “proved” his divinity with a couple of small “miracles”. As son of a village tantric he was familiar with the hand sleights and tricks of the trade. However, he did not only fascinate poor and uneducated villagers with his fraudulent performances. Over the years, he managed to attract a galaxy of India’s rich and powerful, among them ministers, prime ministers, presidents, chief justices, top industrialists and superstars. Sathya Sai Baba had a special modus operandi that was the key for his astonishing success and the root of his enormous clout. Many of his high society devotees came to serve their own vested interests. Some came to rub shoulders with the prominent. Many joined the club because it was working as a powerful syndicate spreading its tentacles all over the political system. It was a way to the top jobs and a way to get things done. Others were seeking financial support or wanted to get rid of ill-gotten black money: The empire, it is alleged, was based on money laundering, using foreign devotees and branches. In fact, the huge foreign donations to Sai Baba stood in contrast to the comparatively modest number of active foreign devotees and the sometimes quite weak foreign branches, some of them residing in private homes. That is no great surprise, when one considers that Sai Baba did not speak any other language than Telugu and traveled only once in his whole life abroad – to visit his friend Idi Amin in Uganda. On his 80th birthday, Sai Baba’s supporters announced that he would turn from a miracle man
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to a philanthropist. That was, after I had demonstrated his miracles so often in TV shows that many kids in the streets could imitate them. That he since spent a part of the great fortunes, swindled out of the gullible, for social development around his ancestral village, is highlighted now to present him as a saint. But as useful and welcome hospitals, schools and drinking water projects for the poor always may be: this kind of alibi-philanthropy is well known even from mafia-bosses. It cannot be weighed against his crimes and the damage he has done to the Indian society. In December 2005, I wrote a letter to then President Dr. Abdul Kalam, one of Sai Baba’s ardent supporters, which was never answered. I demanded
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criminal investigations against Sai Baba. If his social development projects are meant to be indulgence to nullify his crimes, this procedure is unprecedented and unacceptable, I wrote. It is a shame for India that well-founded accusations and numerous reputed witnesses against Sai Baba are ignored without any investigation. Do saffron clothes make an offender untouchable for the law? Do we have to tolerate that political protectionism raises its head so boldly, mocking India's democracy? Sathya Sai Baba caused great damage to India. His irresponsible political patrons corrupted the political culture of India. Encouraged by the clout of Sathya sai Baba, a new clan of miracle mongers imitated him. India would have been a better place without Sathya Sai Baba.
End of a miracle monger The remains of the trickster of Puttaparthi are laid at rest. The euphoria orchesterd by media is waning. The accolade showered on him by some celebrities from political, celluloid and sports world seems totally out of proportion. Now the bickering for the control and management of the huge trust fund and his succession are coming at fore. The judges, financiers and social workers, attracted by possibility of some good work, which joined as trustees, may perhaps face the same fate as trustees of Pandurang Athwale’s trust. We know that they were pushed out by threats to their life and even murder. He might have done some good work from the donations he received from his devotees. Many charitable hospitals, educational institutions are functioning from individual donations in this country. Many have worked for upliftment of rural areas. They remain unsung. What has raised this euphoria seems largely based on his so-called miracles, which were repeatedly exposed as slight of hand or tricks. In addition, the accusations levelled against him, including land grabbing, sexual crimes and murder of some youths in his bedroom have been buried. He has also built temples in his name to promote his worship by projecting himself as god. They in turn served as centres of collecting more funds. The injurious effects of this method of bewitching gullible people and promote blind faith amongst masses is detrimental and should not be glossed over. Jayanti Patel jaykepatel@gmail.com
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[Mr. S.N. Shukla belonged to 1967 batch of IAS and retired as Chairman State Vigilance Commission, U.P., after serving as Industrial Development Commissioner and Administrative Member Board of Revenue. Topper of the 1964 L.L.B. Exam of S.N. Shukla undivided Agra University, he has taken to legal profession after his retirement from service in February 2003 basically to take up public issues and to procure justice for the poor. As ‘General Secretary of ‘Lok Prahri’, he has been conducting several PILs in Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court and also in the Supreme Court.]
A Travesty Of Election Law Contd. from the last issue................ t the time of preliminary hearing of the appeal it was observed that the term of the elected respondents was nearly over. To this it was clarified by the petitioner’s counsel that their term will expire in July only. Moreover, adjudication of the validity of their election was necessary as the questions of refund of allowances drawn by them and eligibility to pension and other facilities of the first time MPs (Respondents No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 11) depended on the validity of their election and therefore, it needed to be decided to avoid unnecessary burden on the exchequer. The validity of their election needed to be decided for the following reasons also i. The questions of law raised in the appeal were of great public importance concerning legitimacy and transparency of the election process which is crucial for proper functioning of the democracy in the country and therefore, needed to be decided. (Just as the Hon’ble Court was seized of the matter of removal of Governors in 2004 even after the expiry of their term).
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ii.The impugned judgment running in the face of law laid down by the Apex Court should not be allowed to stand as it has been made reportable and will be cited in future cases and will encourage High Court Judges to flout Article 141 and defeat even such strong cases by making them virtually infructuous. iii.The unsubstantiated observations and conclusions about the alleged “interpolation of record” and “attempt to tamper with the Court’s record” by the petitioner and his Counsel cast a slur on them and required to be expunged. iv. In case this Hon’ble Court comes to conclusion that the nomination paper of the appellant was wrongly rejected and that of respondents 4 and/or 11 was wrongly accepted and the appellant should have been declared elected in her/his place, he could at least be compensated by directing the respondents to pay the salary and allowances which he would have been entitled to if he were not denied justice by the returning officer and the High Court. However, the petitioner’s appeal was dismissed without even going into the grounds taken in the appeal, although the direction in the impugned judgment imposing costs for the reasons which constituted basis for dismissal of the election petition was deleted. Thereupon, a review petition was filed for reconsidering the order dated 19.4.2010 dismissing the petitioner’s civil appeal on the following, inter alia, grounds1.In the case of Moti Ram Vs. Param Dev22, where during the pendency of the appeal before this Hon’ble Court the Assembly was dissolved, it was held that since invalidation of the election of the appellant may give rise to the liability to refund of the allowances received by the appellant as a member of the Legislative Assembly, it could not be said that the questions arising for consideration were purely academic in nature. 2.Section 116-C of the Representation of the People Act 1951 provides that “every appeal shall be heard and determined by the Supreme Court as nearly as may be in accordance with the procedure
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applicable to the hearing and determination of an appeal from any final order passed by a High Court in the exercise of its original civil jurisdiction; and all the provisions of the code of civil procedure 1908 (5 of 1908) and the Rules of the Court (including provisions as to the furnishing of security and the execution of any order of the Court) shall, so far as may be apply in relation to such appeal”. Since no separate Rules have been framed by this Hon’ble Court for appeals under the Act, the procedure in election appeals is to be the same as in the case of civil appeals. 3.In Surinder Singh Vs. Hardial Singh and Others23 it was held that an appeal under Section 116-C has to be treated as a civil appeal and the jurisdiction to be exercised is as extensive as in the case of an appeal from a matter disposed of in exercise of original civil jurisdiction of the High Court. In an appeal laid before this Hon’ble Court whether under any statute conferring a right of appeal or as a result of grant of leave under Article 136 of the Constitution what opens up to be exercised is the normal civil appellate jurisdiction of the Court. Accordingly, the provisions in Rule 5-A of the Order XV of the Supreme Court Rules in regard to appeals on certificate by the High Court will apply with greater force to the election appeals since they stand on a higher footing being statutory appeals. Since in terms of the decision in the case of M/s Golcha Investments (P) Ltd.24 that the appeals other than those mentioned as required to be listed, cannot be so listed, an election appeal is not required to be listed for preliminary hearing, as it does not figure in the list in the Rule 5-A. 4.The order dismissing the petitioner’s appeal in limine without going into the merits of the grounds taken in the appeal is also not in consonance of the decisions of this Hon’ble Court in Uma Kant Vishnu Junanarkar Vs. Prmilabai and Another25, reiterating the earlier view in Mahadev Tukaram Vetale and others Vs. Smt. Sugandha and another26 wherein it was held that an appeal raising triable issues should not be summarily dismissed.
5.Moreover, in the case of Sita Ram and Others Vs. State of UP27 it was held that in the case of an appeal as of right the rule is ‘notice, records and reasons’ but the exception is ‘preliminary hearing on all such materials as may be placed by the appellant and brief grounds for dismissal’. This exceptional category occurs where, in all conscience, there is nor point at all. In cases of real doubt the benefit of doubt goes to the appellant and notice goes to the adversely- even if the chances of allowances of the appeal be not bright. In the present case, it could not be said that in all conscience there was no point at all. Nor the requirement of recording reasons for rejecting the very valid grounds raised in the appeal could be dispensed with. 6.Even in the recent case of Robin Chetia Vs. Jagdish Bhuyan & Others28 its was held that the power of the power for summary dismissal of the appeal “would be exercised only by way of exception such as, on the Court feeling convinced that the appeal does not raise any such question of fact or law as would persuade this Court to put the respondent on notice before hearing”. The present case evidently raised several important questions of fact and law on the basis of which the impugned judgment was prima facie unsustainable. Outcome of the election petition apart, the questions which arise for the consideration of the jurists are can it be said to be a fair trial? If not, should the concerned Judges be allowed to get away with such judicial misconduct? And also what needs to be done to ensure that provisions regarding disposal of election petitions/appeals are not made redundant in a clear case like this of sabotage of the election process by the Returning officer so that its purity is maintained. References: 22; 18.AIR 1999 SC 3655 (3JJ); 19.(2005) 5 SCC 793; 20.AIR 2007 SCC 581; 21.AIR 2005 SCC 22; 22.AIR 1993 SC 1662; 23.(1985) 1 SCC 181; 24.AIR 1970 SC 1350; 25.(1973) 1 SCC 152; 26.(1973) 3 SCC 746; 27.(1979) 2 SCC 656; 28.AIR 2005 SC 1872
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Concluded.....................
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Asghar Ali Engineer
[Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, is a reformist-writer and activist. Internationally known for his work on liberation theology in Islam, he leads the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra movement. The focus of his work is on (and action against) communalism and communal and ethnic violence in India and South Asia. He is an advocate of a culture of peace, non-violence and communal harmony, and has lectured all over the world. He is presently the head of the ‘Institute of Islamic Studies’ and the ‘Centre for Study of Society and Secularism’, both of which he founded in 1980 and 1993 respectively. He currently contributes to The God Contention, a website comparing and contrasting various worldviews.He may be contacted at Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, 9B, Himalaya Apts.,1st Floor, 6th Road, TPS III, Opp. Dena Bank, Santacruz (E), Mumbai-400055, India]
Saibaba and other God men death a couple of days ago has Saibaba’s brought thousands of people from India and abroad to have his last darshan (glimpse) and many of them were even crying that Baba’s divine soul has left them forever. On the other hand rationalists are challenging his miraculous powers once again and maintaining that he was man like others and man being mortal, he also died. Many are pointing out that his own forecast that he will 11
die at the age of 96 proved to be wrong and he died at the age of 86. It should not be very surprising if thousands of people are flocking to his funeral but what is indeed surprising is that the Prime Minister of a secular country, along with Sonia Gandhi, also went to pay his homage. Mrs. Gandhi is free to do so as she does not hold any office in Government but Shri Manmohan Singh holds the highest office and should have refrained from going there. It is not clear whether he went there in his personal capacity or as head of the Government. If he went in his personal capacity who bore his expenses and if he went as Prime Minister, then according to which protocol did he go? The Prime Minister of a secular country should not go for funeral of a divine personality. What I am going to write here is not to condemn but to understand what is happening in our so called post-industrial and post-modern society? I always maintain that it is easier to condemn but difficult to understand and unless we understand we cannot bring about change. Thus understanding an event is of primary importance. Understanding functioning of god men requires understanding sociological, psychological and political factors. Human behaviour is of very complex nature and all these factors play important role. The entire phenomenon cannot be explained with reference to ‘blind faith’ alone as rationalists tend to do. Human interests too, along with other factors, play an important role and human interests constitute an important part of human behaviour. Thus, as against rationalists, I believe, human behaviour as it is, needs god men very much even in 21st century (though I myself do not approve of it). I am just trying to explain the phenomenon as a social scientist. First of all we should understand the structure of our society and also education system it needs. Our society is structurally unjust and is based on exploitation of some by others. Thus the very nature of our society promotes injustices, uncertainties and feeling of insecurity.
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Our education systems not only promote it but also justify it. The poor and exploited feels helpless and begins to believe in destiny. Those who cannot face uncertainties either tend to resort to irrational religious beliefs or even commit suicide as many peasants in our country are doing. Also, there are ways and ways of believing in religion. For some with proper understanding religion is a source of morality and ethics whereas for many others religion is a source of superstitions. It is in this sense that Marx called religion an opium i.e. pain killer. Thus religion helps the victims of our social system (exploited and oppressed) to bear the pain of their suffering. It gives them great solace and inner peace. Only the sufferers know the value of this role of religion. Many people flock to god men and babas in search of this inner solace. In our world which is full of oppression, exploitation and corruption, religion has become source of such peace and solace, in other words it has become only ‘opium’. Religion, in fact, should be a great source of inspiration to fight against what is wrong and oppressive, it should create inner urge for believer to achieve what is best in human beings and fight against all that is beastly - anger, revenge, lust and greed. In our own times Gandhi took religion in this sense. Thus taken in this sense religion can inspire us to combat all that is oppressive and exploitative and to establish truth and justice in the world. If religion does not inspire us to do this it is nothing more than opium. Babas and god men are required because of this nature of our society. Had there been a society just and truthful we would not have needed them. These babas make this world livable for the victims of justice and oppression in various ways. To achieve for real success, success achieved in a just way, not through fraud and cheating, is very difficult and one has to work very hard indeed. And many of us do not want to work hard and look for miracles as a short cut. A truly religious person would not look for
miracles but face all trivial of life. These Babas try to win over our hearts and minds by exploiting this weakness of ours for miracles. And not only the victims but rich and powerful also look for such miracles and hence they too flock to such babas. It is not easy for us to overcome this weakness and look for miracles. Also, many people suffer from certain diseases for which modern medicine has no easy cure and so we tend to incline towards miracles and in this category we have weaker as well as powerful and rich sections of our society. Earlier at least in this matter there were no classes i.e. there used to be one saint or baba to whom all will go rich or poor. But now in our country there are saints and babas who cater to poor and those who cater to the rich and powerful. The Sai was one among them. Through his miracles he would produce golden rings and Seiko watches and usually the rich would flock to him. Even powerful politicians need babas for various reasons. Earlier people would go to these saints and babas for spiritual purposes but now rich or poor, politicians and other professional, all go to them for personal and mundane reasons. Hardly anyone goes for any spiritual development. The modern world is too complex for inner peace. Generally, and specially the rich and powerful experience lot of tension and insecurity and they need such external props which babas readily provide. Also, in this globalized world a successful baba is supposed to have many foreign (especially American) disciples and then argument would go look even foreigners come to him and so he must be really delivering baba. Generally these babas are not very educated. They often happen to be semi-literate but Rajneesh, who at one time, was as popular as Sai Baba, was intellectually accomplished. He also catered to upper class professionals. Rajneesh attracted high end professionals for certain reasons. He came into existence in a society where industrialization was taking place and professionals with high income were proliferating.
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These professional needed lax moralities with spiritual cover (what I call MATERIAL SPIRITUALISM) and that is what Rajneesh provided. Rajneesh even believed in free sex gratification rather than controlling it as traditional saints did. Thus Rajneesh became very popular in these classes of people, especially among the neo-rich. According to him one should enjoy pleasures of life to accomplish ones spirituality. There was hardly any from lower class among his clientele or with rural background. Sai Baba, one must say had no such pretensions of sophisticated philosophy, was illiterate and even catered to the poor and rural folk. Rajneesh did not perform miracles nor did he believe in them. His miracle was his knowledge and his sophistry. Sai Baba needed ‘miracles’ (which was nothing but tricks and sleight of hand) precisely because he was illiterate and could not attract sophisticated clientele by philosophizing. He was a simpleton with rural background. People flocked to him not to listen to philosophical sermons or moral and spiritual discourses but as a man of miracle and hence ‘divine ‘. He also claimed to be an avatar and to carry conviction with people began to perform miracles. Once he succeeded he began to attract more and more people and more people he attracted, more he
succeeded. Thus success has its own dynamics ‘nothing succeeds like success. But then he had to meet challenges also. Kovvor, a rationalist from Sri Lanka, and others challenged him to perform miracles under controlled conditions. Kovvor even deposited one lakh of rupees in the bank as a reward. He asked Sai Baba to produce pumpkin instead of ring or watch (which could be hidden under loose garment but pumpkin obviously could not be). Sai Baba failed to take challenge but changed the track. His miracles had already rewarded him and he could do without them now. He began to render socials service, bringing water to water starved areas, building schools and universities and hospitals and this endeared him to another section of people. Thousands really benefited from amongst the poor. He also began to talk of love, love which conquers hearts. Also, modern day Babas are turning into land mafias and develop megalomania for huge empires. Sai is also reported to have left empire worth some say 40,000 to 1 lakh crore. Building such empires is, in fact beginning of failure of the mission as now there will be fight for succession to control the establishment. A real religious person does not build empire but subverts it. Whosoever built empire failed in spiritual sense and whosoever subverted established empires became great.
A request to the Contributors of Articles and Research Papers PLEASE DO NOT SEND ARTICLES BEYOND 1500-2000 WORDS. Also, inform me whether they have been published elsewhere. And, please try to email them at rheditor@gmail.com instead of sending them by post. You may post them (only if email is not possible) at C-8 Defence Colony, Meerut, 250001, U.P., India. Do also email your passport size photographs as separate attachments (in JPG format) as well as a few lines in your introduction, if you are contributing for the first time. Please feel free to contact me at 91-9719333011 for any other querry. —Rekha Saraswat
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Indu Kumar Jani
[Mr. Indukumar Jani is the editor of a Gujarati fortnightly magazine Nayamarg. He is a committed activist and a crusader for the rights of Dalits, Adiwasees and the deprived classes. Mr. Jani wishes to acknowledge that Prof. Jayanti Patel and Mr. Kiran Nanavati have helped him in preparing the following condensed English version of his article. Mr. Jani may be contacted at Khet Bhavan, Near Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad – 380 027]
Farmers’ Survival March will give our life but not our land.” “We The resounding slogan charged the atmosphere of 350-kilometre road from Dodia to Gandhinagar. Nearly five thousand people on 3rd March started walking towards state capital Gandhinagar to express their will and grievances. They carried memorandum of demand signed with blood by 11000 people hailing from nine villages of Mahuva taluka in Bhavnagar district, southern Saurashtra. The march was reminiscent of Gandhi’s Dandi Yatra. Nearly 2000 women, 175 children, 2 blind person, 6 differently-abled persons, one person without legs and a dog Moti marched for fifteen days, covering 53 places on route to Gandhinagar. In the mad craze for industrial development Modi government of Gujarat is acquiring lakhs of hectares (1 hectare =1000 sq. meters) of fertile land and it includes common grazing land-Gauchar-, forest land, Gir sanctuary land,
ponds etc. This land is further given to certain industrial houses at an insignificant price. As disclosed in legislative assembly, Gujarat government has given 48.77 crore sq. meter land at nominal price to 46 industrial houses. For example: To Adani Sez 5,33,38,280 sq. meters, price not disclosed, To Reliance Infra 1,37,54,249 sq. meter at Rs. 234 per sq.meter, To Archian Chemicals 24, 02,10, 000 sq. meter and To Solaris Chem tech 10,69,84,000 sq. meter at Paisa 1.5 (one and a half Paisa) only per sq. meter in Kutch. These lands were acquired under the land acquisition act. Originally, there was a provision that the acquired land must be allotted for public purpose. During Indira-emergency era, the act was reframed in such a way that it gave discretionary powers to government in allotment of these lands. In Gujarat, this discretionary power has been benefiting the likes of Reliance, Tata, Ambuja Cement, Adani and others, as well as some dear and near ones of the ministers. Matter is graver because this region of Southern Saurashtra has deposits of limestone. Mining of limestone for cement factories has developed at a fast pace in this area. Intensive mining and use of underground as well as surface water resources has depleted the natural shield, The March thereby allowing seawater to seep in. This has been destroying thousands of kilometers of land near seashore. Farmers have been uprooted from their land and have lost their livelihood; pollution has increased to a level that thick layer of cement deposits covers the roofs of houses. Government has allotted 260 hectare land of these nine villages to Nirma Company for their cement manufacturing unit. (High court has ordered
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to return 100 hectare land in its interim judgment.) People of these nine villages had developed the area with their own effort. They had constructed four small dams along the 40 kilometers sea-shore to preserve water and use it for farm irrigation. The ponds created by these dams are connected and pipe line laid by the contribution of people and their own labour. The saline and fallow land turned fertile and various crops could successfully grow. Salinity from the land is removed, water level in the wells have risen. Barren region was slowly turning into greenery.
Women Yatri
When the land was given to Nirma, without consulting the people, Villagers rushed to Dr. Kanubhai Kalsaria, their MLA from ruling BJP, who was under false impression of being capable in amicably resolving just by presenting the case. He failed and failed miserably. The Modi government ignored his plea and the Nirma went on with its project. However, the people were not prepared to surrender their land. Dr. Kalsaria stood with them, braved the displeasure of the chief minister, and was prepared to face suspension from the party. However, this has not happened so far, even though he successfully fielded his candidates under the banner of ‘Sadbhavna Seva Samiti; against the party in local district level elections. BJP has shied away from taking any action against this
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honest, altruistic, public spirited and popular leader. Presentations, protests, public meetings, DHARNA, PADYATRAS, legal battles etc. are ongoing since last three years. Initially Dr. Kalsaria guided the struggle. Soon support started pouring in from other public spirited leaders like Chunibhai Vaidya – a nonagenarian SARVODAYA leader and president of LOKSAMITI, Sanat Mehta – old socialist, jailed during emergency and once a finance minister of Gujarat, Ila Pathak – women activist (AWAG), Aniruddh Singh Jadeja – scion of a royal family, and many other activists and intellectuals have actively supported the movement. History of the relentless struggle and its growth could be envisaged from the following list of some significant events: · August 2009, a public meeting at DUDHARI village. · 30th September to 4th October, PADYATRA of the affected villages. · 10th December – Human Rights Day, DHARNA at Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad. · 7th February 2010, public hearing at Ahmedabad. · 20th February, silent march was organized in MAHUVA. Police used force and ten persons were jailed for a week. A number of meetings, processions and rallies were organized in MAHUVA taluka and a memorandum, signed with blood by 11000 farmers, was given to the chief minister and other concerned ministers. · 25th February, Police did not permit a march from Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar, stopped the vehicles and the people; arrested 5000 farmers and their supporters. Leaders of the movement, including Dr. Kalsaria, became victims of violent attacks. The meetings, organization of movement, public awakening and enlightenment about the issues through PADYATRAS and discussions and dialogue with the owners of the Nirma Company continued during the ensuing period.
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· 15th-19th July, 51 Km. long PADYATRA of thirteen villages, participated by 31 Sarpanchs. · 5th September, in rain a convention of 25000 held at DODIA addressed by Chunibhai, Sanat Mehta and others. Whether winter cold, summer heat or monsoon rains the meetings, Padyatras, camps, conventions, and signature campaigns have continued to show the determination of the people. Finally, the 350 kilometers long march to Gandhinagar, asserting the determination and peoples will to fight for their land, livelihood and survival.
Yatra to save Water Land Forest Marchers carried their own equipment for day and night halts, including toilets, cooking requirements and so forth. Meetings were held at these to explain objectives of struggle to the local people. Some villagers on route supplied grains, vegetables and such other requirements.
Marching Kadviben, a pioneer of the movement, sorrowfully complained that ‘Modibhai used to say that sisters you send a postcard and this brother of yours will come at once. We have sent 2000 postcards and nothing has happened. Today I
spread my anchal and urge him to save our land....’ another pioneer Dhaniben and four other women have taken a vow that they will not wear shoes until they get their land back. They were marching without any footwear on roads in summer heat. Participation of thousands of women and women leadership in this movement is significant step in the empowerment of women. In Gandhinagar a meeting was organized on 17th evening and the programme was extended for a day. Meanwhile the court judgment came (returning 100-hectare land). Next day a march to legislative assembly was organized. Police used force to disperse the marchers, sparing nobody, not even children. One child lost consciousness and had to be hospitalised. Despite this, children voiced, ‘Our sir has asked us not to retaliate. So we will endure this beating sans protest.’ Some sections of public are also exploring the idea of boycotting all produce by Nirma group of companies. Three years of peaceful movement and the Modi government has ignored it and even tried to suppress it. The movement has raised a question: does natural resources like water, forests and land belong to government or the society? Combined interests of several ministers, miners, industrialists and land mafias’ is depriving farmers from their land, livelihood and survival. This mad rush for fertile land is going to shrink the agriculture production and aggravate food crisis in the times to come. Only people’s awareness and such movements will give us rays of hope. —Photographs of Padyatra by Umesh Solanki
Letter to the Editor: Dear Rékhâ, Quite an original form of an editorial in a dialogue: living and powerful. Thank you for the review by Amitabha Warm regards. —Prithwindra-dâ, prithwin.mukherjee@gmail.com
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About Rabindranath Tagore
Amitabha Chakrabarti
Dear Rekha, I have read Ian Jack’s article on Rabindranath Tagore and the comments. Thank you for sending them. Forgetting Tagore as a poet might indeed be a comfortable solution for Ian Jack and some others. They read a little in translation and get bored. But there is a vague unease : But what do I do about the fact that Rabindranath is supposed to be a great poet ? Am I missing something essential? Having decided that one might as well forget his poetry they can look casually at his other, more accessible, aspects and mutter “pas mal” (not bad or quite good). I do not know any quite adequate solution concerning translation of poetry. Reading again some poem of Rabindranath, though read so many times before, there is at certain moments a sensation of incredulity. Can one really do such things with words? He can and he does again and again. So much depends, along with the meaning, on the exact sound of the words. Even a really good translation often leaves me, when I know the original, with a deep feeling of frustration - a feeling of all that is lost. Once sitting in the vast auditorium of Polytechnique, Michelle and I were listening to Stanislas Dehaene’s talk about “reading neurons”. Fascinated, I watched luminous dots, generated by functional magnetic resonance, move on the screen. Visual data of reading is directly registered in the occipital lobes ( at the back ) and start to
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travel towards the front lobe where they spread out and are felt and interpreted. “A sequence of printed symbols on a page (+) one particular neural network”: such is the composite system behind any reading. When a particular poem is read, for each reader for the same sequence of printed symbols the neural network is different. Each one thus finally ”reads" a different piece. Shared social and cultural backgrounds can give substantial overlaps between different impressions. But basically they remain different. Obstinately so! Each judgment is exactly equally true and false as any other. I can do nothing about patronizing remarks about a poem that overwhelms me. Different composite systems are involved. At times what another person says about a poem can suddenly alter my awareness. Reading (or listening) of those words contribute new elements that can alter the processing in my brain. This is not frequent, but can happen: Even as a child I knew by heart Rabi Babu’s poem on a ‘ Tal ‘ tree. Familiarity did not breed contempt (far from it) but dulled the sense of wonder. Recently I read Radice’s remarks about it in his translations. I was startled into new awareness. The poem is written essentially in monosyllables (!) and appears in “Sahaj Path” written specially for initiating children. Yet how wonderful a poem it is! Yearning of the tree for the far away, dreaming, as its round leaves tremble in the wind, of flying through the clouds among the starts and then as the wind drops thinking again with tenderness of mother Earth, coming back to the familiar —all this is captured. I recited the poem, which I know by heart, to Michelle making her aware that she is listening to a magic flow of monosyllables. I quote myself: “Can one really do such things with words?” If someone else is patronizing about ‘Tal gatchh’ I can just register the fact that here a different composite system is at work. I can do nothing more about that.
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Current Affairs’ Section: I [Dear Madam, Your incisive editorial in the May issue has hit the nail on the head. In this context I am sending my article on the draft Lokpal Bill for publication in your esteemed journal. It may help if it comes out in the June issue. S.N.Shukla,I.A.S.(retd.), Advocate] —S.N. Shukla
Basic Issues in Lokpal Bill modalities for drafting the Lokpal While Bill and the composition of the drafting committee generated a lot of controversy, not much thought has been given to the contents of the Bill which is the real issue. The original government draft of the Bill and the Jan Lokpal Bill (JLB) before the Joint Committee are two extremes. While the former was wishy washy resulting in a toothless Lokpal defeating the very purpose of such an enactment, several provisions of the JLB are impractical and against the basic structure of the Constitution. What is required is to have a practical via media within the Constitutional framework while ensuring the objective of having an effective Lokpal. For this purpose it is necessary to delineate and consider the following basic issues in the BillI. Object of the Bill II. Scope of the proposed enactment III. Jurisdiction of Lokpal IV. Composition of Lokpal V. Selection Committee VI. Selection Procedure VII. Functions and Powers of Lokpal I.) Strangely the original JLB draft was not accompanied by the mandatory Statement of Objects and Reasons (SOR) which throws light on what it seeks to achieve and the reasons behind the proposed enactment. The SOR not only provides
the rationale for various provisions in the Bill to enable their consideration by the Legislature but is also used to interpret them. Instead of spreading the net too wide and thereby losing focus, the object of the Bill should be to check top level political and administrative corruption which has assumed alarming proportions. In fact, political corruption promoted and backed by corporate and criminal mafia is the fountainhead of administrative corruption, earning our country the ignonimity of being one of the most corrupt nations of the world. Due to loopholes in the existing laws and their half hearted enforcement, while only small fishes get caught the big sharks get away scot-free necessitating an effective mechanism to take care of the rot in the higher echelons of the government. Therefore, instead of covering every one from the PM to peon, the Bill should aim to tackle corruption at the topmost level in the Legislature and Executive. Otherwise, instead of being thin and effective, the institution will become unwieldy and unmanageable loosing its focus and thereby its raison d’être. II.) Accordingly, the proposed enactment should be confined to tackling corruption in high places. Dealing with misconduct and grievance redressal should be best left to the concerned authorities. Otherwise, not only their effectiveness will be eroded but the main purpose of having this law is likely be lost. It is impractical to expect Lokpal to do the work being handled at present by the entire government machinery at various levels. Improvement in the existing system of grievance redressal can be considered separately. Likewise, the subject of whistleblower protection which, is already under consideration of Parliament in another Bill should be excluded. Similarly, the subject of citizens’ charters also be better dealt with in a separate statute. The JLB needs to be recast accordingly. III.) With the aforesaid objective, the jurisdiction of the Lokpal should be limited to cover only the following-
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1. All MPs, including Prime Minister and with merely legal background. Thus, Lokpal may/
Ministers. 2. All other Constitutional and top statutory office holders (excluding President, Vice-President and those of Judiciary) under the government of India. 3. Officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above in the Government of India and its public sector undertakings and other organizations. The existing institutions and laws should continue to deal with the corruption in the GoI at other levels. The task of tackling corruption in Judiciary should be left to the proposed Judges’ Standards and Accountability Bill. It is necessary to include Prime Minister within the purview of Lokpal for the simple reason that otherwise the corrupt Ministers/officers will get away by pleading that they had acted with the approval/knowledge of PM. IV.) The JLB does not indicate the rationale for having a 10 member-Lokpal. If all of them have to act in as Lokpal then we do not require so many Lokpals in view of limited jurisdiction proposed above. The JLB also does not indicate the specific work to be done by each one of them and their eligibility criterion in relation to the function to be performed by them. Lokpal is not supposed to be a mere Panchayat of 11 persons. Its composition and eligibility criterion of its members have to be decided keeping in view the tasks expected to be performed by them. Lokpal’s work will involve processing of complaints received by it, examination the irregularities, financial bungling, and corruption involved therein, decision on the action required in the matter, and lodging of FIR, investigation, and prosecution, if a prima facie criminal case is made out. Accordingly, Lokpal should consist of eminent persons of impeccable integrity (both financial and intellectual) having necessary expertise in these fields. Examination of scams and higher level corruption is a very technical and complicated job which can be done only be competent professionals/specialists having the requisite expertise and not by social activists and persons
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should consist of only a Chairperson and 5 other members as follows1. Chairperson - For deciding on the culpability of the accused taking into consideration all the aspects of the matter. 2. Member (General) - For specialized knowledge of Rules and regulations especially those relating to contracts/procurement. 3. Member (Finance) - To see if the financial rules and procedures have been followed. 4. Member (Audit) - For examining the accounts. 5. Member (Engineering) - To examine engineering/ technological aspect, if any, of the case. 6. Member (Investigation and Prosecution) - For examining the culpability of the accused under relevant criminal laws and supervising investigation and prosecution. Evidently, the success of Lokpal will depend on the character and competence of its Chairperson and members. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that not only they must be persons well known for their integrity but also having requisite expertise, experience and caliber for these positions equivalent to those of the Chief Justice and the Judges of the Supreme Court. Since PM also will be within the purview of Lokpal it is essential that it is headed by a person of at least that level. Hence, it is necessary to provide the following eligibility criteria for them1. Chairperson- Former President/Vice President or Chief Justice/Judge of Supreme Court or Attorney General. 2. Member (General) - Former Cabinet Secretary/Comptroller and Auditor General/Chief Vigilance Commissioner/ Chief Election Commissioner or having held a position of equivalent rank under the Government of India. 3. Member (Finance) - Former Governor of Reserve Bank of India/Finance Secretary in
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GoI/Chairman of SEBI/SBI or a large reputed financial/banking organization 4. Member (Audit) - Head of an eminent Chartered Accountant Firm in the panel of CAG having experience of auditing accounts of Ministries/ undertakings of GoI with largest spending/earnings/ turnover. 5. Member (Engineering) - Former Director of IIT or Head of a similar Institution. 6. Member (Investigation and Prosecution)-Former Director CBI/RAW/IB or a Padma awardee DGP. The Chairperson/members of Lokpal should be debarred from reappointment or holding any other constitutional/statutory office under the GoI after demitting office. V.) Evidently, the selectors of the Chairperson and members of Lokpal should also be persons of at least equal, if not better, standing. The selection Committee proposed in the JLB, while totally excluding the Legislature and the Executive is heavily loaded in favour of judiciary and persons with legal background and includes certain members who will have no expertise in judging suitability of Chairperson/members of Lokpal for the task expected of them. Moreover, highest Padma awardees should be preferred to Magsaysay awardees whose area of work is rather limited. Instead, it should consist of two representatives each of all the three wings of the Central Government (The Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary) and two representatives each of the Fourth Pillar of democracy and the Civil Society as followsChairperson, Rajya Sabha Speaker, Lok Sabha Prime Minister Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Chief Justice of India Chairman, Bar Council of India Chairman, Press Council of India Chairman, Editors’ Guild. Oldest Nobel prize/Bharat Ratna/Padma Vibhusan
awardee (in that order) in the field of Public Affairs/Public Service. Oldest Nobel prize/Bharat Ratna/Padma Vibhusan awardee (in that order) in the field of Social work/Social Service. Inclusion of the oldest awardees in Sr. No. 9 and 10 above will rule out the discretion of the government of the day to nominate their favorite, and thereby influence the choice. The suggested composition of the selection Committee will ensure that the concerned public representatives responsible for proper functioning of democracy in the country and the Civil Society members are represented in equal measure. If they cannot be trusted to select the best persons then obviously no one else can have a better claim to do so. VI.) The selection procedure proposed in the JLB is rather cumbersome. In the absence of any definite and limiting eligibility criterion and in view of the large number of members to be appointed it is possible that the selection process may end up in accommodating each others undeserving nominees. The proposal for appointments of Chairperson and members of the First Lokpal by the Government is prima facie improper as it may result in their being appointed by way of political patronage rather than on merit, thereby compromising on the independence and credibility of institution. Moreover, the procedures and traditions set by the first Lokpal will lay the foundation for the functioning of this highly cherished institution in future. Hence it is absolutely necessary that the first set of its Chairperson and members should be such as are nationally acclaimed as the right choice and who serve as a role model for their successors. A much simpler procedure to ensure that only the most suitable persons are appointed as Chairperson and members of Lokpal could be as followsThe work of their appointment should be handled by the Secretary to the President, their appointing authority. To initiate the selection of Chairperson/member of
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Lokpal, the Secretary to President will notify the Selection Committee and request them to suggest within 30 days from receipt of the letter one name for each position whom they consider as most suitable along with their curriculum vitae and a note justifying the choice. This way there will be 10 names for each position. After the expiry of the stipulated time limit and ensuring that the letter inviting names was duly served and giving one more opportunity for 15 days after making request by phone/e-mail, the Secretary to President shall fix the date, time and place for the meeting of the Selection Committee, giving one month’s notice to the members of Selection Committee and forwarding to them the names and curriculum vitae of all the nominees for each position. Simultaneously the names of all the persons nominated for various positions shall also be put on the Website and given to media. In the aforesaid meeting of the Selection Committee the members will be requested to rank various nominees for each position in order of their preference, and also indicate with reason if they consider any nominee unsuitable for that position. In case a member of the Committee is unable to attend the meeting for any unavoidable reason he may send his rankings and objections in a sealed cover before the meeting. The nominee getting the highest number of first plus second preference votes minus negative votes(s), if any, will be considered as selected. This would ensure that the person most acceptable to the group is selected. The entire record relating to the selection along with the minutes of the meeting duly signed by all the members present will be submitted by the Secretary to President who shall act on the recommendation of the Committee. In the event of a tie, the appointing authority i.e. President of India will make the choice recording his reason(s) for the same.
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VII.) The functions and powers of Lokpal in JLB have also to be redefined in terms of the object and scope of the proposed enactment. Accordingly, Lokpal should deal with not only complaints about acts of omission or commission punishable under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act but also those relating to Money laundering, and Foreign Exchange violations. While the requirement for prior permission to take assistance of any Central/State Investigative Agency be deleted, and the powers of Lokpal should no doubt include taking suo moto cognizance of the aforesaid acts/omissions and lodging of FIR and initiation of prosecution without any permission from the Appointing Authority, making him the Disciplinary and Appointing Authority will be unconstitutional. Moreover, in case of constitutional/statutory office holders the procedure prescribed in the Constitution/relevant law has to be followed. The better course will be to provide that, except in case of such office holders, the President shall act on the advice of the Lokpal but where he disagrees with Lokpal’s recommendation he shall record reasons for the same. The President’s decision, either way, shall be appealable to the Supreme Court only. This will automatically exclude High Courts’ jurisdiction on the ground of alternative remedy. This will be in conformity with the basic structure of the Constitution without compromising the authority and effectiveness of Lokpal and at the same time providing safeguard against any possible injustice due to its erroneous or unjust decision. Of course, jurisdiction of courts till the decision of the President should be barred to facilitate quick and final disposal of cases. The Lokpal Act may also be given overriding effect over other Acts. It is expected that, instead of taking rigid stands on their proposed drafts, members of the Joint Drafting Committee from both sides will give a serious thought to the above suggestions with an open mind and give ‘We the People’ a Lokpal worth its name.
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II
Winds of Change —Uday Dandavate a fast unto death to force Bytheannouncing government to engage the representatives of civil society in drafting of a Lok Pal Bill, Anna Hazare has ignited the conscience of the nation. A nation benumbed by a series of corruption scandals sees in Anna Hazare a ray of hope. It was surprising to read the reaction of veteran journalist B.G. Verghese to Anna Hazare’s fast when he wrote “A fast unto death is coercive and undemocratic and amounts to emotional blackmail, which undermines parliamentary democracy”. I have never had any doubts about the significance of Anna Hazare’s movement. This is not the first time that the instrument of fast has stirred the conscience of a nation. Mahatma Gandhi used fast as a part of his experiments with using Soul Force or Truth Force for political action. The essential aspect of fast being the character of the person undertaking a fast. A leader of impeccable character such as Mahatma Gandhi could use it to even stop a communal riot in Bengal. Lord Mountbatten acknowledged the impact of Mahatma Gandhi’s fast in his memoirs, “while 55,000 man boundary force in Punjab was swamped by riots the one-man boundary force brought peace to Bengal’ In 1974, Chimanbhai’s government in Gujrat fell amidst mass civic unrest as a result of the Nav Nirman movementl lead by Umashankar Mankad, Manishi Jani an others. Gujarat then went under President’s Rule. Through 1975 the Central Govermnent led by Mrs. Indira Gandhi was dilly-dallying with the election schedule. Morarjibhai Desai fasted and got the Government to declare the election dates, even if they fell in the middle of the summer heat. The election resulted in
the victory of the Janata Morcha and election of Babubhai Jashbhai Patel as the Chief Minister perhaps within days of the Emergency proclamation. The impact of Morarjibhai’s fast was not limited to restoration of a democratic government in Gujarat alone. It contributed significantly in building momentum for JP’s movement for “Total Revolution”. After reading Mr. B.G. Verghese’ comments I made it a point to visit Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi where Anna Hazare was meeting with a small group of journalists from Maharashtra. One of the reporters asked him for his reaction to the accusation that he was undermining the institution of Parliament. Anna’s response was, “In a true democracy people are supreme. It is the people who empower the village Panchayat. A strong village panchayat will empower the institution of the state legislature and a strong state legislature will bring power and dignity to the Parliament. As a humble villager my movement aims at strengthening democracy at the grass root level, from village panchayat up. I am alarmed that the elected representatives in the Parliament often forget where their true strength comes from- from the villages of India. I am not undermining the democratic institution. On the contrary I am trying to strengthen it by awakening the people in the villages. I will travel all over India and mobilize people against the corruption that is eating up the roots of our democracy”. Anna’s comments brought back memories of growing up in a socialist family. I was not fortunate enough to see Mahatma Gandhi in action. However, I did participate in Jayaprakash Narayan’s march to the Parliament in March 1975 and have met him several times. During the dark days of emergency I have had the opportunity to meet with many of the leaders of the underground movement and have witnessed at close quarters the indomitable spirit of those imprisoned by Mrs. Indira Gandhi. As I grew up amidst the socialist fraternity and later amidst various iterations of the Janata party, Janata Dal, National Front and United
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Front. I have had the opportunity to meet both the opportunists and the reformers. I can say with humility that sitting in front of Anna Hazare I was overcome by the same emotion I felt when I met Jayprakash Narayan at the Express Towers in Mumbai. Listening to his response reminded me of the humble interactions SM Joshi would have with the press (who we fondly referred to as Anna as well), his clarity of thought reminded me of N.G. Goray, and his resolute facial expression reminded me of my own father who never let political maneuvers distract him from his focus on his ideals. I could feel winds of change sitting in front of Anna Hazare. Anna’s movement has created skeptics as well. For example Praveen Mishra, co-founder of the “New Socialist Party” in Gujarat wrote in his article in Ahmedabad Mirror, titled, People’s Victory, Really? “I saw celebrations similar to those of India winning the World Cup. Noise, tricolours, drums, dance, police, chaos, cameras, and plenty of saffron. With Bharat Mata as the most prominent symbol and pro-Hindutva slogans, I felt I was in the midst of a Ram Mandir movement. The posters and banners of babas and god men dominated ground zero. It appeared to me a very well scripted political drama and not a spontaneous apolitical movement. I could witness several political boundaries and sixes being scored in this shorter version of the protest. With peaceful satyagrah and aggressive nationalism on display, I saw Gandhi and Godse coming together”. As I read through Praveen’s column, I was reminded of the post emergency Janata Party days when a section of the socialist fraternity, led by veteran leader Madhu Limaye, persistently raised hue and cry, over the designs of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in using the Jan Sangh ingredient of the Janata Party to pursue its communal agenda. While the members of erstwhile Jan Sangh continued to use their presence in the government to plant RSS cadres in positions of influence, the radical socialists engineered a split in the Janata Party and brought about the downfall of 23
the first ever non-congress government at the national level. Distressed at the destruction of his instrument of Total Revolution, Jayaprakash Narayan, responded in despair, “Hamara Baag Udhvastha Ho gaya”. (Our garden has been destroyed). The fall of Janata Government did not stop the Jan Sangh from spreading its influence. In due course they formed the Bharatiya Janata Party and gained public sympathy as a party that stood by the people’s movement. Events of later years have proved that though Shri Madhu Limaye’s diagnosis of the situation was accurate and his predictions about RSS’ long term designs prophetic, his prescription in bringing about a downfall of the Janata party by feeding the ambitions of Shri Charan Singh to become the Prime Minister, discredited the socialist movement in the eyes of voters and planted the seeds of politics of opportunism. It is no surprise that some of the proponents of the decision to bring down the Janata party government have over the years ultimately aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party and even become ministers in the National Democratic Aliance governments at the center and in states. It is important to learn from the events of 1979. In my view Anna Hazare has his hand on nation’s pulse and has galvanized the youth. As always, opportunist elements will hover around him and try to draw maximum mileage out of the movement. However, I do believe that the core team around Anna Hazare is a team of impeccable secular credentials and there is a need for progressive forces to rally around Anna Hazare and co-create a vision of a progressive and just India. As the UPA completes its second year in office, there are still two more years before the next election, for the progressive forces to harness the energy and the hope generated by Anna Hazare’s movement into a new model of development and a new vision for the future of India through participation of the youth. Anna Hazare’s movement is a warning to those elected representatives who have abused Indian
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democracy by turning it into a business. Over the years numerous scams have made people realize that elected representatives have allowed themselves to become tradable commodities. Rather than political alignments along ideas or ideologies, we are witnessing mushrooming of small political parties, each hoping to extract its own bargaining power, a lucrative ministry and a leverage to make a deal with the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister.
The idea of denying professional politicians a platform at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi resonated well with the audience because the corrupt politicians have discredited the political class through pursuit of power. The Congress party has played a big role in undermining the democratic institution of India. In 2004 when Dr. Manmohan Singh took over as the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar succinctly articulated what was on every congressman’s mind. During an interview with CNN he commented on Sonia Gandhi’s much publicized renunciation of power, “She’s the queen, she is appointing a regent to run some of the government’s business. But it is she who will be in charge.” What an irony- we have a Prime Minister whose constitutional authority is not acknowledged by his own party. He would have brought dignity to his office had he contested a direct election to the Lok Sabha. He instead took refuge in a technicality in electoral law and entered Rajya Sabha from Assam. The Constitution of India only recognizes three pillars of democracy, the Judiciary, the Executive and the Parliament. The Congress party has built a new pillar to the power structure by instituting the office of the National Advisory Council that empowers Mrs. Sonia Gandhi with no accountability. The immense energy of Anna Hazare’s movement has forced the Congress Party into a firefighting mode to protect its prospects at the next election. The public anger against corruption has forced UPA II to start taking action against the corrupt members of the alliance. After following the grand
old tradition of encouraging or neglecting money laundering as a perk for their support in coalition politics, action is now being taken against corrupt politicians. Congress members like Suresh Kalmadi and alliance partners such as Karunanidhi now look bewildered at the holier than thou attitude of the Congress Party. They suspect this to be a new strategy of ditching the alliance partners before the next election by discrediting them and taking credit for, what has never been Congress’ strength- clean politics. It was ironic that after agreeing to Civil Society’s demand for a joint committee to draft the Lok Pal Bill, Rahul Gandhi, Congress Party’s heir apparent, made a claim counter to Congress Party’s reputation. While acknowledging the support Anna Hazare has received from people, he said“Congress Party has always fought against corruption”. Having lost elections several times in the past on the issue of Corruption, Congress Party recognizes that allegations of corruption easily stick to the Congress Party’s brand. The current mood of the nation does not serve the Congress Party well. Anna Hazare’s shadow will loom large in the next election. His recent meeting in Gowhati attracted a large turnout. By distancing his movement from professional politicians Anna is defining a new niche to be filled with people who bring a new vision for modern India. Nitish Kumar, Naveen Patnaik, and Mamta Banerjee have already learned that in order to win the hearts of their constituents they have to maintain enough distance from discredited National parties and alliances. The next election will not be a choice between Congress and the BJP. BJP failed to sell its “India Shining” campaign. Congress Party will have a hard time selling its newfound activism against corruption as being credible. The Nation is looking for a new alternative. It is time to rally around Anna and provide that alternative.
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IRI/IRHA Members’ Section:
Innaiah Narisetti
[Dr. N. Innaiah, former Director, Centre for
Inquiry (CFI), India, did his Ph.D on Philosophy of Modern Science. He is a veteran Radical Humanist who has translated maximum books written by M.N Roy as well as other books on humanism in Telugu.]
Ramaswami Tripuraneni: Iconoclast Social Revolutionary Continued from the previous issue................
Ramaswami Tripuraneni RT and Ramaswami Periyar, Similarly leader of the Dravidian movement, met in Madras earlier to his meeting with M.N. Roy, and 25
discussed topics of secular interest with special interest in improving the lot of the less educated classes. RT was very much influenced with the Dravidian movement in leading people out of blind faith in myths and related mystical stories and blind beliefs in Gods etc,. He attended the conferences organized by the movement in Tanjore, Ongole and other places. Andhra at that time was in Madras state. Hence there were close contacts between Andhraites and Tamils on cultural and political matters. A movement to empower the non-brahmin caste members who were denied access to education for several centuries was very actively supported. Justice Party, a political party dominated by non-brahmins unlike the Congress party which was supported by the traditional educated classes, ruled Madras state from 1922 to 1937. All those factors put their impact on molding the views of RT on social reform and secular politics. RT died at the age of 55 on 16 Jan 1943. By that time his impact was considerable in Andhra area. His writings and their impact on society: The first major impact of RT commenced with his stage play Sambuka Vadha (assassination of Rishi Sambuka) that he wrote during 1914-17. The play which depicted assassination of a mythical sage whose actions defied the caste system and the classification of some people as untouchables was enacted on stage. The play roused the interest of the suppressed classes in the Hindu society. The lengthy introduction to the play by RT is a logical analysis of the Hindu myths and the self aggrandizing views of the higher classes. RT exposed the attitude of Brahmins towards non Brahmins in his lengthy preface. Sambuka was a non-Brahmin seer who went on penance for attaining heaven. Non Brahmins were not supposed to do meditative penance (Tapas) to attain Moksha. If they did, it was said, their children in the kingdom would die. That was a
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popular myth. Hence non Brahmins were prohibited from Tapas. When Sambuka had undertaken Tapas, Seer Narada provoked the king and Vasista seer encouraged King Rama to kill Sambuka. Vasista quoted Smriti sayings about this and asked King Rama to kill Sambuka. Rama obeyed his Guru Vasista and cut the head of seer Sambuka with his sword. Sacrificing humans was in vogue among Hindus during Ramayana period to propitiate gods. Reactionary writers like Viswanatha Satyanarayana, who staunchly supported the existing hierarchical caste system, and his followers published plays, novels and other articles critical of RT. They vigorously campaigned against the views of RT as false and contrary to age tested traditions. However RT rebutted all their criticisms and published several articles with cogent arguments exposing the irrelevant and unsubstantiated statements of his critics. Seer Vasista welcomed Seer Valmiki with tender cow meat. Killing calf was in vogue in Ashrams which Vasista followed. In those days Saivites were vegetarian and hence vaishnavas depicted them as demons. In his detailed preface RT explained all the cunning things of Brahmin seers in whose grip kings were puppets. RT also expressed his views on the probable time when Ramayana might have taken place. He opined that it might have occurred around 2370 B.C but not 8 lakhs 60 thousand years as mentioned under division of Yugas. RT appears to have accepted the Aryan invasion theory proposed by western trained Indologists. According to TR after the invasion of India Aryans took the defeated people as slaves (dasya) and thus the so called sudra caste was created. Prior to Aryan invasion he assumed that there were only three divisions –Brahmins, kshtriyas and vaisyas. Suta Purana:RT wrote his magnum opus poetry entitled Sutapuranam in four parts. He adopted traditional literary style but theme is novel and revolutionary. In his elaborate preface RT wrote
that the division of four yugas is nothing but concoction and falsehood. Purans are highly partial towards the brahminical hierarchical caste system. The nasty description of women in puranas was no way helpful for their upliftment according to RT. In Sutapurana RT adopted social innovations and condemned people who adored statues and worshipped them with gold and clothes while poor people suffered for want of basic needs. He emphatically stressed that to tell the truth is his aim in the poetry. He put all his doubts before seer Suta for answers. They were: How can seven seas be poured with both hands? Where are wings to mountains? How is it possible for hills to give birth to humans? How can mutual contradictory aspects in Puranas be reconciled? Why Sanskrit language is prohibited to sudras? Is it true that learning Sanskrit will take sudras to hell? The sons of Sagar made seven holes in earth and the water emerged out of those holes became seven oceans. Can it be true? How can Ganges come from sky? Why did Indra spoil the penance of people in all places? How is it that people were tortured on the basis of Manu smriti? Then he questioned the propriety of prohibiting sudras from learning sastras. When they create 10 heads to one person, how is it that they fail to provide 20 hands? RT opined that Srikrishna made Pandavas to fight Kauravas in an immoral way and got them defeated. Khooni (Murder): Viswanatha Satyanarayana published a play entitled Venaraju in which he depicted the king as a cruel and immoral king. To counter this and tell the story in proper order RT wrote with more authentic basis a play called Khooni (Murder). In that play Brahmins plotted to kill Venaraju with the pretext that he canvassed Charvaka or atheistic hedonistic philosophy. What the puranas described as sinners were actually good people who helped with philanthropy and kindness. Bhagvad Gita: RT published his last work under the title Bhagavad Gita. It is a parody. He took the theme from War of Palnad area in Guntur district.
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He compared war of Palnad to Kurukshetra battle. Brahmanaidu as Krishna, Balachandrudu as Arjuna. Through out he maintained satire and criticized original Gita. Brahmanaidu says that he was born as Krishna in Dwapara Yuga, created tensions between Kauravas and Pandavas so that they annihilate each other. Thus Brahmanaidu claims that he established Dharma. He gave this lecture to Balachandradu as moral teaching. According to Brahmanaidu all persons are one in creation and there are no specific morals to specific people. He denied that the four varnas are created by him. He claims that originally he created only three kinds of persons where as Sudras were added later, out of evil design. Then panchamas were added who are called fifth grade persons. Brahmanaidu says that there is no moral in the
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division of humans and all things were deception only. He pleaded that people should know the truth through scientific method and questioning. He also claims that he emerged for the welfare of Telugu people. At every stage RT criticized Bhagavad Gita of Vyasa. Satakas: RT published poems entitled Sutaasram Geetaalu, Are the Telugu people cowards? Telugu Jodulu, Telugu Nayakulu, Pratapa Rudriyam, Sarangadhara, Naadu-Nedu, etc. RT officiated innumerable wedding ceremonies with Telugu oath and under his inspiration many persons took it as a social revolutionary program. After the death of RT his literature came into vogue and became popular. .....................Concluded
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Teachers’ & Research Scholars’ Section:
Ashok K.Chaudhury
…Indeed ‘Noor’ of Punjabi Letters
(Sutinder Singh Noor: 1940-2011) fraternity was plunged into Thedeepliterary grief with the demise of Sutinder Singh Noor, the ‘Noor’ (meaning divine light) of Punjabi literature, on 9th February 2011. His death has created a great void in the field of criticism. A versatile writer, he was regarded as a monumental figure in the contemporary literary scene. Noor, an internationally acclaimed multilingual scholar, poet, critic, translator, editor, academic, administrator, thinker, mentor, and above all a good human being, was the guiding light of eminence. Being the Deputy President of Sahitya Akademi, National Academy of Letters, he had worked for the furtherance of Indian languages, and Punjabi in particular. He was constantly on the move and took Punjabi literature to various corners of the world. Noor was a true follower of Guru Nanak and carried his message to far flung areas. “Noor had
acquired the status of literary ‘Pope’ of Punjabi literature. “His ‘letterdom’ is almost cosmic in nature and is strictly run on medieval feudal lines” quoted Gurbachan, an eminent Punjabi writer. Tirelessly, he worked for the promotion of Punjabi and other regional languages, spoken in the state, and ensured that Punjabi writers got their rights, recognition, and awards at the national and international level. He was deeply entrenched with the spirit of Punjabiyat and never missed a single opportunity to serve the cause of Punjabi literature, irrespective of stature and affiliation. As a leading member of a 145 members’ delegation which included writers, scholars, folk artists, media persons, he went to attend World Punjabi Conference at Lahore, Pakistan, in 2004. There Noor dreamt to work out a joint strategy to promote goodwill in both Indian and Pakistani Punjabis and felt it was a big family reunion. He wished to set up Punjabi departments in the universities and colleges of Pakistan, for both Gurumukhi and Persian script, to preserve the rich cultural heritage of both sides of Punjab. To him only literature could change the society and he wanted writers to be conscious about this responsibility. Simultaneously, he maintained that literature should not become only a means of propaganda for the purpose. Literature had its own aesthetics but always with a social awareness. An institution in himself, he had the credit of establishing the Punjabi Department in the University of Delhi. Though very well known as a critic, Noor was one of the most decorated poets for his magical spell through linguistic manipulation. One of the most readable writer, he had read all most all major contemporary writers of Indian languages. But he was very much influenced by Manipur poetry, Marathi drama, and Bengali and Malayalam novels. He had shown his love for poetry since his childhood. His first poem was published in 1954, at the tender age of 14, and he published his first book Birkhi Nipatre, a collection of poetry, in 1970, followed by Navin Kavita Seema te Sambhavana, a criticism, in 1972. Over the years, he had written 15
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collections of poetry, 26 volumes of criticism and 6 books on prose. His writings were very well received and were considered as a product of his penchant for rhetoric. For his contribution in the Punjabi world of letters, he was awarded the coveted Sahitya Akademi Award for his criticism Kavita Da Bhumika (Role of Poetry) in 2004. A collection of 38 critical essays, the volume depicts a panoramic view of main trends of Punjabi poetry during the last 60 years, including the prominent poets Bawa Balwant, Mohan Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Shiv Kumar Batalvi, Surjit Patar, and many more. Kavita is a critical analysis of high order and the approach is fresh and original. It presents the depth of modern Punjabi poetry in its wider perspective. As such, Akademi says, Kavita Da Bhumika is a significant contribution to Indian literary criticism in Punjabi. Critical and creative writing apart, Noor proved his ability as an eminent editor of repute. He was the editor of Samadarshi of Punjabi Academy, Delhi; and Ikati Farvari. His script Meghadootam, based on Kalidasa’s kavya, a 15 episodes Sanskrit serial, serialized in Delhi Doordarshan, was widely acclaimed. As an able translator, he had translated the Japanese poetry and European poetry, entitled Cherry De Phul, and Suraj Te Masiha respectively. Born on October 5, 1940 at Kotkapura in Punjab, Noor was a double post-graduate in English in 1967, and Punjabi in 1969, and was a doctorate in literature in 1976. After serving thirty seven years in teaching, he retired as Professor, Department of Punjabi, University of Delhi in 1994. During his career he had been guiding more than 30 research scholars who have been awarded the degree of Ph.D. In his teaching career and association with several literary and cultural institutions he had participated in many national and international conferences and seminars. Noor had associated himself with a number of learned and literary bodies, apart from the Akademi, including: Member, Language Council,
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HRD Ministry, Govt. of India; Member, Knowledge/Translation Commission, Delhi; Chairman, Institute of Contemporary Punjabi Studies, Ludhiana; Member, Governing Council, Punjabi Academy, Delhi; Panel Expert, NBT India; Member, High Power Committee, National Commission for Minorities; Executive Member, Center for Punjabi Culture, Govt. of Delhi; President, India Chapter, World Punjabi Congress; Member, State Advisory Board for Language Department, Govt. of Punjab; Convener (Punjabi), K.K. Birla Foundation, and Bhatratiya Jnanpeeth. Besides, he was honoured with innumerable national and international awards: Punjabi Alochana Award, Punjabi Academy, Delhi; Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar Award, and Principal Teja Singh Award, Language Department, Govt. of Punjab; Bawa Balwant Award, Punjabi Sahit Trust, Dhudike; Safdar Hashmi Award; Punjabi Folk Art Sanman, Punjabi Cultural Association, Punjab; Malwa Sahit Sanman, Punjabi Sahitya Sabha, Koktapura; Prerna Sanman, Delhi; IAPA Award, Canada; Waris Shah Award (twice), Denmark; Bhai Kahan Singh award, Punjab; Aman Poetry Puraskar, Punjab; Poetry Festival Nabha Sanman; Bulleh Shah Award, Denmark; Punjabi Sath Award, Lambra, Punjab; Lok Sewa Award, Delhi; Pt. Yograj Memorial Award, Punjab; Param Sahitya Sewa Sanman, Punjabi Academy, Delhi. Though he bagged many laurels for his unequalled contribution to Punjabi language and literature, Noor was remarkably humble. He always observed: so far as awards are concerned, it is certainly recognition, but true recognition of a writer is his acceptance by the readers. At the time of his death, he was working on literary autobiography and some analysis of medieval literature, as well as was engaged in the problems of modern literary theory and poetics. His unfinished works, if completed, will be a true tribute to Noor, the writer par excellence. [Dr. Ashok K. Choudhury, a postdoctoral scholar & critic, works in Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.]
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Book Review Section: [BOOK: The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World (Danish: Verdens sande tilstand, literal translation: The Real State of the World) by Danish environmentalist author Bjørn Lomborg. It was first published in Danish in 1998, and the English edition was published as a work in environmental economics by Cambridge University Press in 2001.]
—Reviewed by Subhankar Ray [Mr. Subhankar Ray is a researcher in Biochemistry and has been, for a long time, associated with the Renaissance movement.]
Impending Destruction of Environment: A Myth? Continued from the previous issue... the description of overall Despite improvement, in concluding this Chapter the Author admits that there are many problems and he thinks Africa to be the most problematical area.
Borrowed Time? In the Second Part of the Book that has been just described above the Author shows that there was significant improvement in all measurable indexes. By quoting from the writings of certain environmental organizations and some persons he informed that they are also in agreement about the idea of this development. But they feel that this development will bring disaster like cancer, which with ever increasing growth brings destruction to the host. Similarly reckless use of natural wealth and pollution will bring disaster. This development is unsustainable. The development, which after meeting the needs of the present population could meet the needs of future generation, is known as sustainable. For our sustenance we have to use natural resources. Some of these resources we always get hence renewable, such solar energy, air, water, plants living organisms etc. Some however
erodes (nonrenewable) such as minerals. By analyzes the use of both these resources the Author examines whether this development could be sustainable. Future Food Crisis: This Chapter deals with food production and whether we would receive more food in future. As in other parts here also long term trend is emphasized. A graph shows that the price of a bushel of wheat came down from 18 US $ in 1950 to only 4 in 2000.Globaly in 1960 a person on an average took 2300 calories and in developing countries 1900 calories, whereas in 2000 they are getting 2800 and 2700 respectively. The production of rice and other food grains are also increasing. By referring to the short term trend many want to show that the increased production is unsustainable. In the past we had heard this warning numerously. However Malthus and all his predecessors and successors failed. Since there is no need for more food in developed countries food production per hector might not increase there. Moreover due to the heavy subsidy the farmers get there they take it easy. Large gaps now exist in production between that of developed and developing countries, in developing countries one country from another and also in one region from another in a particular developing country. By using sources from International Maize and Wheat Development Center (in which Norman Borlug worked), FAO, International Food policy Research Institute the Author shows that there are reasons to think that food production will rise. Because of some decrease in the stock of food some are worried. But the main reason for this is present relatively easy international trade. The long term trend indicates that the production fish in farms has increased but in outside of the firm it has decreased. This raises some anxiety. Fish is only 1% of food for human but for many it is the major source of protein. Only wheat and rice is discussed in this Chapter but the readers would be benefited if there is a discussion about other foods.
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Are we rapidly loosing forests? Forest is a perennial resource. But are we destroying this rapidly? By quoting the articles of Time Magazine, World Resource Institute, WWF the Author mentions that they are very much anxious for this. It is felt that entire forest will be destroyed soon. It is difficult to determine what is meant by a forest. Tropical rainforest, savanna, and bush steppe these all are might be considered as forests. There is a vast difference between rainforest of Brazil and beach woodland of Denmark. There are several estimates at different time about how much of this forest cover is declining and which mention some both increase and decrease. However the FAO estimate, which covers the longest period, shows that the forest cover has remained same in the second half of twentieth century. Worldwide forest land is two and half times more than agricultural land and this forest is mainly in Russia, Brazil, USA and Canada. Ever since human being started agriculture he used to cut trees in large numbers. Greek philosopher Plato wrote that The Attica hill in the outskirts of Athens had turned into a skeleton. From the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe and even in China there was extensive cutting of trees. The Author addresses to Europeans that in the past we had destroyed many forests. Now if we advise the Third World not to extend agriculture and not to use wood for fuel then it is a deception. However he by quoting several sources assures us that only 20% of forest had been lost till now from the dawn of agriculture. Estimation shows that temperate forests, which are mainly in Russia, USA and Canada have increased whereas, tropical rain forest has reduced. This is worrisome, because the later could keep the biodiversity. However this reduction is mainly because the governments of those countries are mostly corrupt and inefficient. People of poor countries frequently use wood as fuel. In the World as a whole only 1% of fuel is 31
wood; whereas in developing countries 25% and in Africa 50%. We usually think that wood is used mostly for house building and furniture. But poverty is one of the primary reasons of forest destruction. This trend will be reduced with the reduction of poverty because more kerosene, gas etc will be used. Pressure on forest land will be reduced if productivity is increased with improved technology. We also think that much of the forest tree is destroyed for the production of paper. But by using only 5% of forest land we could meet up all the necessities of wood including paper production. To save the forest the Author emphasizes the role of developed countries, which by providing economic help to poor countries should try to save forests. As an example there was an agreement between Bolivian government and a consortium of some US banks ‘debt for nature swap’; the government would protect the forest and the banks would waive the loans taken by the government. However Bolivia did not honour the agreement; whereas Costa Rica, Ecuador and Philippines did. When we pass through our country we see many unused lands here and there. These are not private properties. The government might lease these to commercial organizations for plantation. A portion of these would be used commercially by the respective organizations for wood and other materials, another portion will remain as forests. However in the context of various conflicts that are now going on regarding accusation of agricultural land, SEZ etc this proposal has little practical value. In our country the voluntary organizations are more interested in negative movements that positive. The Author provides specific scientific information. We have the idea that trees only give oxygen. It is true that when a tree lives it so does. But after death the amount of oxygen that it gave is totally consumed during decomposition. If we cut all the trees on earth then only 1% oxygen would be depleted from the atmosphere. Energy
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For quite sometime we hear about impending energy crisis. But is there any real crisis? The main sources of energy now are petrol, diesel, natural gas and coal. Besides nuclear energy, hydroelectricity, wood, solar energy also provide some usable energy. Prophets of doom say that coal, petroleum, gas etc which were produced through eons and are present in a fixed amount will soon be depleted if we consume those injudiciously. The famous and highly circulated book Limits to Growth, published in 1972 emphasized this. On the other hand some rely on human ingenuity. They opine that human Endeavour will discover new sources as also the alternatives. The economist and philosopher Robert Solow wrote we could not keep all types of wealth wholly for our future generation. We have to keep knowledge and capital so that future generation could live at least similar to our standard. We have to remember how meager we use resources it would be depleted some time. A substance would be costlier if it is scarce. By analyzing the data the Author shows the price of petrol remained stationary from 1870 to 2000, whereas production is increasing gradually. It is to be noted that despite the gradual increased use of patrol the known store of it is also increasing gradually. The simple explanation for this apparently contradictory phenomenon is nothing but we are getting more and more newer sources. We now consume the petrol that is supplied mostly from Middle East. But very recently a huge stock has been detected in Siberia from where petrol is being lifted and supplied to different parts of the World. Besides, there is one advantage of increased price. We try to look for it and to produce it more, as also to find an alternative. We also try to develop technology to use it more efficiently. In cars of new model petrol is used less per kilometer.
In historical perspective besides petrol coal is used largely. Due to difficulty in transportation petrol has gradually replaced coal. Coal also pollutes more. Still we have larger resources of coal. It is possible by research that coal could be transformed to power in mine itself. This technology already exists but not widely used for its cost. As a source of energy natural gas is very clean. The production and use of it are gradually increasing and it is hoped that it will further increase. The materials, which are stored in abundant but has been used very little are Shale Oil and Tar Sand. Estimates show that deposits of shale oil and tar sand are 250 times more than petroleum. Besides we have nuclear energy, which costs twice that of petroleum. But voluntary organizations of our country often show an exaggerated price. We could also use geothermal energy for power. Amongst the energy sources that are renewable such as solar power, the production and use of it are also increasing rapidly. Estimate indicates that by using present inefficient solar cell we could get that amount of energy that we use worldwide by only using 0.75% of earth’s area. Besides, wind power, hydrogen etc are there. The Author emphasized research on and use of unconventional energy sources. In his opinion there is not at al any dearth of energy. If you keep the technology same, resources will be depleted one day however small might we use those. New technology will give us new source. History has shown that the source of energy did not remain same throughout, it has changed through ages. The Stone Age did not end due to lack of stone. Similarly the present era of petroleum will also end not because of lack of petroleum but will be superseded by cheap and advanced technology. Continued in the next issue...................
Seminar on “Emergency and After” Citizen For Democracy is holding a day long seminar on the above topic on 25th June 2011 (Saturday) during 10-5pm, at GPF, New Delhi. The following speakers are expected to participate: B.D. Vergheese, Kuldeep Nayar, Nandita Haksar, Inder Malhotra and others.—N.D. Pancholi, Sec., CFD
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[Ms. Dipavali Sen has been a student of Delhi School of Economics and Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (Pune). She has taught at Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, and various colleges of Delhi Dipavali Sen University. She is, at present, teaching at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Delhi University. She is a prolific writer and has written creative pieces and articles for children as well as adults, both in English and Bengali. Dipavali@gmail.com]
The Ulysses in Roy [BOOK: M.N.Roy , by V.B.Karnik, National Book Trust, 2005, paperback, no illustrations, pp 100, price Rs. 35]
very slim paperback belongs to the This National Biography series of the National Book Trust. The first edition was published in 1980, the second in 1992. This is the second reprint of the second edition. The cover has M N Roy looking out of a dull background of yellow ochre darkening to green grey. There are no photographs or pen-and-ink sketches within. A reprint in the twenty-first century must have had a certain target audience. A brighter cover and a few illustrations would have been appropriate. This is true of most of the biographies in this National Biography series. The people whom the series depicts have all had most colourful lives. Most of them have had hardly a dull moment in their varied existences. Why shroud them now in somber shades? The National Book Trust brings out most attractive books for children and young adults. It certainly lacks no resource. It could certainly have made this reprint a little more pick-up-able.
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For, the book itself is un-put-down-able. M.N. Roy’s life is a fascinating tale of high adventure and fantastic ups and downs. The dullest presentation cannot take away its shine. The author, V.B. Karnik (1903-1985) had come in contact with M.N. Roy in 1930, and been associated with Roy in all his activities. He was the first General Secretary of the Radical Democratic Party founded by Roy, and the author of Indian Trade Unions – A Survey, Indian LabourProblems and Prospects, Strikes in India, and M.N. Roy – A Political Biography. V.B. Karnik begins the book with an Introduction, where he says that none of Roy’s contemporaries in the national field had the “dazzling record” that he had, traveling across the world and meeting with world leaders. Then follow eleven chapters in which Karnik chronicles the events in Roy’s life. Chapter 1 begins by mentioning that M.N. Roy was born as Narendranath Bhattacharya or Naren in 1887. He was an “adventure-loving” youth who loved to walk long distances, and wandered about from orchard to orchard, for something distant, something beyond. He spent lots of nights in cremation grounds looking for ghosts. He learnt Sanskrit from his father, head-priest of a temple in Midnapur. He visited the Ramakrishna Ashram at Belur. He learnt yoga as well as lathi-khela (the art of wielding the stick). He took great interest in the ideas and activities of nationalists and revolutionaries. “Narendranath was at that time a restless soul” (p 3-4). Karnik then describes how Narendranath at fourteen “rushed into” a small room where some revolutionaries of his locality were holding a discussion. He offered himself as a whole-timer and joined the movement on an oath. These details are important in developing some understanding of the man Roy was – until the end. He acted on impulse but remained pledged to his cause. And his cause was a searching and a seeking
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of a restless soul. Roy was an explorer, of places, people, ideas and isms. He remained so to the end. In Chapters II and III, Karnik describes Roy’s travels to Java, U.S. A. Mexico and Moscow. It was in the Stanford University campus that there took place a “re-birth” – that of Narendranath into M.N. Roy (p 18). Mexico provided the newborn with a hospitality that made Roy feel a sense of loss when leaving it. Spending four months in Berlin, Roy finally reached Moscow and interacted with prominent Communist leaders, among them Lenin himself. Karnik gives a clear account here of how Roy interacted with them and participated actively in the congresses being held there Chapters V-VII describe Roy’s transit through Tashkent and China, his rise and fall in relation with the Comintern. “Roy’s mission in China ended in failure. But it was the failure not of an individual but of an institution” (p 50). Within two years, his connection with the Comintern was broken. Break with the Comintern was a serious blow to Roy. But imaginative and enterprising as he always was, Roy soon found out another avenue of being of service to the revolutionary movement in India (p 58). In the next two chapters (VIII-IX), Karnik narrates how in December 1930 Roy came back to India secretly, and got arrested in July 1931, and then, tried and imprisoned. Jail “shattered” Roy’s health but he did plenty of writing in jail, and maintained his links with the external world. Karnik had mentioned earlier that M.N. Roy had been married Evelyn Trent in his Stanford days but they had separated in 1926( p 19).During his prison days, he wrote to his friend and colleague Emma Gottschalk, and she came over to India after he was
released, , married him and made India her home ( p 65). Chapter X outlines the next phase in Roy’s life. Between 1936 and 1940, Roy was “ in and out of Congress” , formed the Radical Democratic Party, and even in 1944, prepared the draft of a Constitution of Free India. Chapter XI describes how in the next and last phase, he moved away from Communism towards a philosophy that he evolved himself, that of Radical Humanism. It also describes his chance stumble in a Mussoorie hill track, his fifty-foot fall, and the general decline that followed leading ultimately to his death in 1954.In May 1953, however, he had recovered sufficiently to be planning a visit to the U.S.A. to meet old friends as well as fulfill speaking assignments (p 91). The visit did not work out but the fact that Roy was planning it shows that, he was until the end, a soul seeking – not rest – but further avenues of service – service to his own country as well as the rest of the globe. He was Tennyson’s Ulysses, with a never-ending mission “To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield…” The Notes on various chapters, the Chronology of events in Roy’s life, the list of Important Books and, of course, the Index, are useful guides for further inquiry, and this book does rouse an interest to inquire further into Roy’s life and philosophy. There is one shortcoming though, not of the original publication but of the recent reprint, viz., a chapter or even an annexure on the Radical Humanist movement( with special reference to the RH). It would have updated the book for the readers of today to whom reprint must be targeted.
Important Announcement: IRI Board of Trustees Meeting A meeting of the Board of Trustees of Indian Renaissance Institute will be held on 20-21 August 2011 (Saturday-Sunday), from 10-5 p.m. at Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi, 110002. For further details regarding accomodation etc. kindly write to Mr. N.D. Pancholi, Secretary, IRI at the following new office address of IRI—Flat No. G-3 IRI, Plot 617, Shalimar Garden Ext. 1, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, U.P., 201005. Mob.: 09811099532 —Rekha Saraswat 34
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Humanist News Section: I
Socialist leader Madhu Limaye th remembered on his 90 birthday on 1st May 2011— Rich tributes were paid to the Great Socialist leader and freedom fighter Late Madhu Limaye on his 90th Birthday on 1st May 2011, at a socialist gathering at Gandhi Peace Foundation (GPF) In New Delhi. Noted Socialist writer & thinker Shri Mastram Kapoor presided over the function organized by Rajnath Sharma and S S Nehra of Gandhi Bhawan, Barabanki, (U.P.).Justice Rajinder Sachar, Ramvilas Paswan, Ajay Singh, Ex Union Minister, Saghir Ahmed, Raghu Thakur, Prof. Ishwari Prasad, Prof. Rajkumar Jain, Prof. Anand Kumar, Ram Bahadur Rai and many others spoke and paid their emotional tributes to Madhu Limaye. A discussion was organized on this occasion on the “Role of Madhu Limay in Parliament and his contribution for the civil liberties”. Speaking on the occasion Ram Vilas Paswan, MP and National President, Lok Janshakti Party stated that late Shri Madhu Limaye was not only a prominent political leader but also a great socialist thinker. Despite belonging to the upper caste he, fought for the empowerment of the oppressed and backward classes with firm belief in through out his life. It was during his Chairmanship of the Socialist Party (1958-59) the party adopted policy of preferential treatment to the backward castes, women and the minorities and started the movement for the 60 percent reservation in government jobs. Raghu Thakur said that Madhu Limaye was a stanch critique of RSS and its’ ideology. He strongly opposed the RSS ideology of Hindu Rashtra, its language policy, its demand of the review of the Constitution. Madhu Limaye once wrote that RSS were opposed to National 35
movement, National Flag and for the democratic Socialist pattern of the society on the basis of justice, Social, Political and Economic. RSS’s philosophy is of similar to fascist Nazi Hitler and Mussolini’s philosophy. Shri Paswan stated that the country would continue getting inspired from the writings of late Shri Madhu Limaye in order to bring the basic change in the country for the empowerment of the oppressed class of the country. Madhu Limaye son of Shri Ramchandra Mahadev Limaye born at Poona on 1st, May 1922.He was educated at Fergusson College, Poona, and married to Professor Smt. Champa Gupte nee Limaye. Previously he was associated with the Indian National Congress, 1938—48, and the Congress Socialist Party, 1938—1948.He participated in the freedom movement at the young age of 17 and imprisoned for 4 years, 1939-45.He Attended Socialist International’s Antwerp (Belgium) conference as a delegate of Indian Socialist Movement in 1947 when he was just 25 year old. He was elected to the National Executive, of the Socialist Party at Nasik Conference, 1948 as a youngest member and became Joint Secretary of the Socialist Party, 1949—52.He was also Secretary, Asian Socialist Bureau, Rangoon, 1953, and elected, Joint Secretary Praja Socialist Party at its first Conference held at Allahabad, 1953-54.He participated in the Goa liberation movement and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in 1955, and spent over 19 months in Portuguese captivity. In 1955 he was suspended from the Praja Socialist Party along with Rammanohar Lohia. He was elected Chairman of the Socialist Party in its Sherghati (Gaya Conference) for the year 1958-59.When PSP and SP merged in 1964 and Samyukt Socialist Party was formed, he became Chairman of the Samyukta Socialist Party Parliamentary Board. In 1964 he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Mungher parliamentary constituency in Bihar in a by-election as SSP candidate. Madhu Limaye was Member, (i) Third Lok Sabha, 1964—67(ii) Fourth Lok Sabha,
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1967—70 and (iii) Fifth Lok Sabha, 1973—77 and Sixth Lok Sabha,1977-79.He played an active part in the JP movement and in the effort to create a united opposition party and was detained under MISA from July 1975 to February 1977 in various Madhya Pradesh Jails during emergency 1974-77.Madhu Limaye was elected General Secretary of the Janata Party on his 50th birthday on 1st May, 1977.When Janata Party spitted on the issue of “dual membership” he joined Janata Party (S) led by Charan Singh and became General Secretary, Janata Party (S) and Lok Dal, 1979-82.He retired from active politics in 1982 after the formation of Lok Dal (K) and wrote more than 100 books in English, Hindi and Marathi. Publications: Where is the left going?, Titos revolt against Stalin, Communist Party: Facts and Fictions, Socialist Communist Interaction in India, Evolution of Socialist Party, Political Horizons, Politics of transition, Indian National Movement, Indian Politics in Transition, VK Krishna Menon’s Marathon Speech on Kashmir, India and the World, Madhu Limaye on Famous Personalities, Galaxy of the Indian Socialist Leaders, The Age of Hope: Phases of the Socialist Movement, Politics after Freedom, The Sino-Indian war: Its historical and International background, Goa Liberation Movement and Madhu Limaye, Manu, Gandhi and Ambedkar and Other Essays. Religious Bigotry: A Threat to Ordered State. Parliament, Judiciary, and Parties, (An Electrocardiogram of Politics), Janata Party Experiment-Part I & II, Limits of Authority, (Political Controversies and Religious Conflicts in Contemporary India). Decline of a Political System: Indian Politics at the Crossroads, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru: A Historic Partnership 1916-1948 (Vol. I—Vol. IV ), Cabinet Government in India, Problems of India’s Foreign Policy, Indian National Movement: Its Ideological and Socio-Economic Dimensions, Decline of a Political System: Indian Politics at the Crossroads, Birth of Non-Congressism: Opposition Politics( 1947-1975), Musings on Current Problems and past Events, Contemporary Indian Politics, Indian
Polity in Transition, President vs. Prime Minister, Prime Movers: Role of the Individual in History, Barren Path, Four Pillar State, The New Constitutional Amendments, A Self Liquidating scheme for Reservation, Supreme court Decision on Backward Class Reservation, Limits of Authority(Political Controversies & Religious Conflict in Contemporary India),August Struggle(An Appraisal of Quit India Movement), Dear Popat, Last Writings, Madhu Limaye in Parliament (A Monograph by Parliament of India). Hindi: Atamkatha, Sardar Patel Suvyavasthit Rajya ke Preneta, Baba Sahib Ambedakar Ek Chintan, Sankramankaleen Rajneeti, Dharam aur Rajneeti, Rashtrapati banam Pradhanmantri, Swatantrta Andolan ki Vichardhara, Samasyain aur Vikalp, Marxwad aur Gandhiwad, Aarakshan ki Neeti, Bhartiya Rajneeti Ke Antarvirodh, Bhartiya Rajneeti Ka Sankat, Sarvajanik Jeevan Main Naitikta Ka Lop,August Kranti Ka Bahuaayami Paridrashya,Ayodhya-Votebank Ki Vidhwansak Rajneeti,Communista Party:Kathni aur Karni,Mahatma Gandhi Rashtrapita kyoon kehlate Hain,Rajneeti Ki Shatranj-VP sey PV Tak, Rajneeti Ka Naya Mod,Aapatkaal:Samvaidhanik Adhinayakvad Ka Prashast Path,Chaukhamba Raj-Ek Rooprekha. Marathi: Trimantri Yojna, Communist Zahairnamyachi Shambhar Varshey, Pakshantar Bandi?Navhey Aniyantrit Neteshahichi Nandi, Swatantraya Chalvalichi Vichardhara,Communist Paksachey Antrang, Samajwad Kaal-Aaj va Udha, Chaukhamba Rajya, Rashtrapita,Doctor Ambedkar Eka Chintana, Pecha Rajakaranatale, Atamkatha. II
People’s Union for Civil Liberties organized a two days seminar on: —“Attack by the State on Life and Personal
liberty of its people in Democratic India: Examining the Law on Sedition, other Draconian Laws and Human Rights Violations
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of Citizens under Ordinary Laws”— on 7th-8th May, 2011 at Gandhi Peace Foundation, Delhi. The Speakers were Justice AB Shah, Ex Chief Justice Delhi High Court; Justice Rajinder Sachar, Ex-Chief Justice Delhi High Court; Shri Anhdhyarjuna, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Dr. Prabhakar Sinha, President PUCL; Dr Binayak Sen, VP PUCL; Pushkar Raj GS, PUCL; Ravi Kiran Jain, VP PUCL; V. Suresh, PUCL, Tamil Nadu; Prof Ujjwal Singh, Delhi University; Siddhartha Narrain, ALF, Bangalore; Sudha Bharadwaj and Himanshu Kumar, PUCL, Chhattisgarh; Babloo, Manipur; Sujato Bhadro, APDR, W. Bengal. At 6.30 pm following cultural programme was organized: Dastaane Sedition Banaam Hakim Sen- Mehmoud Farroqui and Danish Hussein and Le’ Mashale’ A Soliloquy on the Life of Irom Sharmila ten year fast. The People’s Union for Civil Liberties organised this all India seminar with the objective to: Discuss the alarming proportions of suppression of the people’s freedom of speech and expression and frequent attacks on the dignity of common citizens. Understand the historical basis of the sedition law and other draconian laws within the framework of the Indian Constitution and International law and share experiences of the victims of these laws. Outlining a charter of citizens’ demands from the government against deteriorating situation of rights and liberties of individual. People’s Union for Civil Liberties along with several democratic and human rights organisations is alarmed at the increasing assault by the State on the freedom of speech and expression of the people and the frequent attacks on the dignity of ordinary citizens. Every day democratic dissent, the right to protest, stage rallies and dharnas, is under threat. Assertion of ones rights which is central to democracy is criminalised through a number of ordinary laws. Governments are increasingly becoming so intolerant that there is an arbitrary use of sections called offences against the Indian State. As is well known, the law on sedition, Sec 124 (A) of the IPC, is one of the most 37
vaguely defined and abused draconian sections of the Indian Penal Code. The manner in which it is being applied presently by the police in various states of the country clearly shows that it has become the latest tool to silence dissent and any interrogation of the government’s policies and actions. The victims are a wide ranging lot. They include those who speak up against repression in Kashmir and states of the North East or those who speak up and counsel the government for restraint in dealing with the militant Maoist movement or even some non violent social movements. Fellow Human Rights workers, members of Democratic and Civil Liberties organizations, legal experts also participated in this two days’ meeting. News sent by Prabhakar Sinha (President) Pushkar Raj (General Secretary) 9810656100 Kavita Srivastava: 9351562965 Puclnat@gmail.com Detailed report may follow later. III
The statue of Tripuraneni Ramaswamy unveiled:
Left to right: C.L.N.Gandhi, S.Arivukkarasu and Gumma Veeranna during the unveiling of the statue of Kaviraju A public meeting was organized by Kaviraju Tripuraneni Foundation, Tenali, Guntur District,
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puranas including Ramayana and Mahabharata etc. through his literature. He introduced Rationalist and Humanist attitude in his literature. Sri Venkata Krishna, Commissioner, Tenali Municipality, praised the services of Ramaswamy as the Chairman of Tenali Municipality for 9 years. Ramaswamy was elected as the Chairman of Tenali Municipality for two times in the year 1925 and 1934. He died in the year 1943 at the age of 56 years. Govt. of India released a stamp in recognition of his services long back. C.L.N. Gandhi, Additional Commissioner, Transport Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, K. Padmavathi, Principal of PBN College, Ponnur, A. Gandhi, Publisher of Peacock Classics, Chalasani Prasad, Professor Anjaiah, Dr.Dakshinamurthy, G. Seetaramaiah, M. Subramanyam (Advocate), Atluri Anil (Grandson of Ramaswamy), J. Sambasiva Rao and others spoke on the occasion. “Sutapuranam” a great poetry book Foundation presided over the meeting. written by Tripuraneni Ramaswamy was translated After unveiling the statue, Arivukkarasu delivered into prose by B. Ramakrishna in two parts. The first a lecture remembering the services rendered by T. and the second part were released by K. Padmavati Ramaswamy. He compared the services of T. and A. Anil respectively in this occasion. Ramaswamy with Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy of Tamil Nadu. He explained that both Ramaswamis fought against the social evils including caste, untouchability, inequality, God, religion and innumerable blind beliefs and worked for non-brahmin movements in their respective areas. Meduri Satyanarayana, General Secretary,ationalist Association of India translated the speech of Arivukkarasu into Telugu language. Gumma Veeranna, President, Rationalist Association of Andhra Pradesh in his speech remembered that this year is the 125th birth year of T. Ramaswamy and also M.N. Roy, who dedicated their lives to bring philosophical revolution in our Kaviraju’s book Suthapuranam was released in two parts on this occassion country. He said that Rationalist Association of India, under the leadership of Sri Ravipudi N.V. Durga Prasad conveyed vote of thanks. Venkatadri, a disciple of T. Ramaswamy, is Nearly 200 people attended the meeting. working to achieve the goals set by Ramaswamy 75 —Report by G. Veeranna, President – Rationalist years ago. In the history of Telugu literature, Association of A.P; Photos by CB Rao. Ramaswamy is the first poet who criticized all the
A.P. to unveil the statue of Tripuraneni Ramaswamy by Sri S. Arivukkarasu, General Secretary of Dravida Kajagam, Tamil Nadu on 17th April 2011 at 5.30 PM in Kaviraju Park, Gandhinagar, Tenali. J.S.R.Krishna invited all the speakers to the dais and introduced them. Sri Y.Venkata Rao, Honorary President of the
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Yatra, an NGO. We are looking forward to having your full support and participation in helping us educate children and encourage them to participate and be aware about the environment and to respect it in daily lifestyle. Your small support will help to us launch this campaign to a different height and be an inspiration for all. So Be a part of Change toward safe, pollution-free Green Earth by encouraging your children, children at your home, relatives, friends and neighbours to participate , spread the words, forward this mail to all as much as you can because WE ALL live on this Planet Earth and must thrive for towards its Green Present and Future. Be the Change, Bring the Change... Become the Change-maker and join hands with us. To be our volunteer partner, donor, supporter, and collaborator, please write us on: work@greenyatra.org. Kindly pass on this mail ... because no revolution and initiative succeeds without the support of each individual, just like you. Join us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/greenyatra And follow on twitter at: www.twitter.com/greenyatra With Green regards, Nazia A Green Yatri, Nazia.sadiqe@gmail.com
IV Ganga Waterkeeper Be the Change, Bring the Change: Dear Friends, We would like to take this opportunity to make you aware of our environmental educational non-profit initiative, Go GREEN Kids, where students will learn how to be more respectful of our Mother Earth, learn of ways to reduce pollution, recycle and contribute towards a Greener life for us all and Inspire their Parents, Elders and Teachers for the same. In turn, this initiative will install in our children a more respectful, proud, and conscious character, which will enable them to be even more valuable and appreciated members of our society. Children can win a cash prize of Rs. 2, 00,000, Scholarships, educational grant, National Media coverage, trophy, mementos with bouquets of other benefits, Children can get chance to be part of our campaigns, talk shows, events, dramas, site visits, Eco- Natural picnics, tree plantation, workshops, audio visual presentation, scientific researches and international online forum and activities along with saving Mother Earth and contributing towards a Greener future for us all. It is completely FREE, with no strings attached! Each and every student will also be awarded with a participation certificate which will be life time asset to them and their credentials. Visit www.greenyatra.org,for more detail: Go Green Kids is an initiative by Green
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39
THE RADICAL HUMANIST
JUNE 2011
V PUCL & Lok Andolan Gujarat jointly organized a meeting & demonstration at Ahmedabad: They made the following demands: (1)Judicial Inquiry on Self Immolation of Jabbardan Gadhhavi (2)Immediate Appointment of Lok Ayukta & Chairman of State Human Rights Commission. (3)To Support Jan Lokpal Bill & Peoples’ Movement against Corruption. On 21st April 2011, Thursday, a meeting was organized by PUCL and Lok Andolan Gujarat at 4.30 PM at Himavan Paldi. It was presided over by eminent citizen Shri Prakash Bhai Shah. Concerned citizens from all walks of life joined the meeting and participated in the discussion on Lok Ayukta in Gujarat, State Human Right Commission, Judicial enquiry on Self Immolation of Jabbardan Gadhvi & Support to Jan Lokpal Bill to abolish corruption.
It was decided to invite Anna Hazare to Gujarat to launch the movement against corruption. Ms. Ilabehn Pathak, Gautam Thakar, Dwarika Nath Rath, Bharat Sing Jhala, Dilip Chandulal, Manishi Jani, Kamalesh Bhavsar, Meenakshi Joshi, Aswin Karia, Tanushree Gangopdhyay, Gaurang Divetia and many others participated in the discussion. After the meeting a demonstration was held and slogans were raised at 6 pm at Paldi Char Rasta. News sent by:Gautam Thaker- PUCL; Dilip Chandulal- Lok Andolan Gujarat; Dwarika Nath Rath- Lok Andolan Gujarat; Lok Andolan Gujarat, C/o Narmad-Meghani Library, Opp. Natraj Railway Crossing, Meethakhali, Ahmedabad-380006 Ph. 079-26404418; People’s Union of Civil Liberties, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Himavan, Paldi CharRasta, Ahmedabad 380006.
Friends, We regret to inform you Our Veteran Radical Humanist Mr. C R Dalvi passed away in Mumbai on 24 May 2011 Do share with us your feelings about him and the memories of moments you shared with him. We will publish them in the coming July 2011 issue of the Radical Humanist.
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THE RADICAL HUMANIST
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