Govt. should help those stranded get home

The swift 21 day nationwide lockdown to fight coronavirus pandemic ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a harsh but correct decision under the unprecedented medical emergency that the world is facing today. 

However, with states sealing their borders as a consequence and police simply having no clue as to how to help, this has left many people stranded at various places away from their homes for no fault of theirs. As Uttarakhand Chief Minister has admitted, there are hundreds of Uttarakhandis in Delhi unable to cross over to UP on their way back home; with no transport available. This is just a miniscule number, the exact figures of all those marooned at different places expected to be in lacs if the entire country is considered.

Hopefully, central and state governments will take quick steps to ensure that all those who are stuck at different places reach their destination safe and quick.

When Prime Minister Modi addressed the nation on 19 March requesting people to observe a fourteen hour voluntary “Janata Curfew” on Sunday 22 March, no one had any inkling that lockdown would be announced suddenly two days later, trains and  flights cancelled, public transport suspended, state borders sealed, leaving a large number of people stuck away from homes. The stranded include those who were touring the country or out on official work; as well as migrant labor who want to return home since they suddenly find themselves suddenly unemployed as all activities have come to a standstill. 

On a personal level as a current resident of Greater Noida, I found the local police having no clue to help me in obtaining a curfew pass to enter Delhi on 24 March to fetch my daughter from the airport, borders having been sealed and curfew imposed suddenly by Delhi govt.; forcing me to ask her to cancel her flight and return to her place from the airport in Mumbai since she was to arrive late at night.

Also, since the lockdown from midnight was announced by the Prime Minister at 8 P.M., people thronged to provision shops in large numbers and panic buying of groceries was witnessed across the country, which defeated the very purpose of keeping people isolated. 

While the efficient manner in which government stood by and evacuated Indian nationals stranded in China and Iran deserves all the praise, the handling of the situation within the country has been shoddy. Could the situation have been better handled? After all, this was no demonetization where the surprise element was necessary to corner black money. 

The first coronavirus positive case was detected on 30th January in India, ten days after USA, a day earlier than Italy and Spain and three weeks earlier than Iran, all worse affected than us till now.  Moreover, India was declared a “high risk” country even before the first patient was identified.

With WHO closely monitoring the situation outside China and providing useful inputs, it was clear that the pandemic was growing exponentially with situation getting out of hand by roughly the fourth week after the first case was discovered.  Further, with no prescribed medication available and social distancing the only effective means to contain the spread of virus; it was clear that a complete shutdown was forthcoming.

Our government should have drawn lessons from the position in Italy, Iran and Spain and Prime Minister should have informed the nation of the gravity of the situation in the first week of March itself when the first cases in Delhi and Hyderabad were detected, and advised people to avoid non-essential travel within the country too. Citizens should also have been warned that if the spread of virus could not be controlled, complete lockdown or curfew will need to be enforced. 

Prime Minister’s second address to the nation should have come on 17 March when Italy and Spain declared lockdowns after both these countries had the situation completely out of their hands while India was still in a relatively better position; declaring that we too would have a similar lockdown in a few days; while on 19 March complete shutdown from 22 March should have been announced.

This would have allowed people away from their homes sufficient time and opportunity to get back to their abodes as well as buy provisions.

It is hoped that positive lessons are drawn from the present shortcomings so that the government is better prepared for the next crisis and that the cure for coronavirus is also found soon.

http://garhwalpost.in/govt-should-help-those-stranded-get-home/

Choose The Best Individual

The past several months constitute what can be called a watershed period in the politics of Uttarakhand. Rebellion in ruling Congress party, Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s sacking in March 2016 following the sting operation and then his reinstatement in May after floor test by High Court order; laid bare the true character of our netas enjoying the perks of power on our vote and money.

That politics has become the biggest money spinner in our country was never in doubt; the surprise lay in the level congressmen stooped to for the purpose. The mutiny itself was for not getting what they believed was “their” share of the booty, rather than the reasons that were cited for public consumption. Vijay Bahuguna was a revelation in the rebel camp, having earlier enjoyed a two year stint as Chief Minister before being forced out under similar allegations.

More desertions from the Congress, expected after Harish Rawat’s swift removal following the infamous sting that caught him with his pants down, simply did not happen; leading to his return to helm in May and proving his majority in a reduced House, rebels having been disqualified for having insufficient numbers to be treated as a split in the party.

Did the fence sitters, who were all set to desert Rawat, indeed get money for continuing to support him?  MLAs switching over to BJP just before the polls do give credence to this.

Having scored a constitutional victory over his detractors and the BJP in spite of losing the moral right to stay in office, Harish Rawat chose to let go a golden opportunity of salvaging some pride by recommending the dissolution of Vidhan Sabha and seeking a fresh mandate soon after resuming office; deciding to cling to his money spewing chair right till the end instead.

While Congress has long been a one family enterprise, nurturing similar smaller familial structures down the hierarchy and engaged in large scale corruption; BJP prides itself as the only national, cadre based, non-family owned, most disciplined political party in the country. It has been a cradle for development of political leadership and has provided opportunity for new talent from the grassroots level to rise and shine.

Shivraj Chauhan (Madhya Pradesh), Raman Singh (Chattisgarh) and Manohar Parrikar (Goa), all three time Chief Ministers of their states respectively; have risen through rank and file and have won successive mandates on the basis of their performance.

The tallest of them all, Narendra Modi, has similarly undertaken the journey from a humble kar sewak to four-time Gujarat CM to Prime Minister himself. Moreover, post demonetization, he has emerged as the rare Indian politician people have complete faith in; if serpentine queues outside banks and ATMs for hours end witnessed for well over a month across the country sans protests or unsavory incidents, despite provocation and big hue and cry raised by opposition parties, are anything to by.

Against this backdrop, how and why did the BJP think tank allow and accept such a large influx of people for whom the party was “communal” till just the other day?  Does BJP not have enough of its own capable leaders at various levels in Uttarakhand?

More importantly, why have the Aryas – Rekha (Someshwar) Sanjeev (Nainital) and Yashpal (Bajpur), members of the same family, fielded from three different seats, particularly since only one of them is a member of the outgoing Assembly and all joined the party just a few weeks ago? What credentials does Saurabh Bahuguna (Sitarganj) have other than being Vijay Bahuguna’s son? On what basis Munna Singh Chauhan and his wife Madhu Chauhan have been selected as candidates from Vikas Nagar and Chakrata respectively?

Has BJP betrayed its own cadres for swift short term gains? Has it become a party for fostering political dynasties in Uttarakhand?

The Congress rebels, had they been leaders of substance, would have formed a new party, which would have provided a third option which is sorely missing in Uttarakhand; UKD having failed in its duty to do so. Instead, all of them joined the BJP, with many more of their former colleagues following suit just before the elections. With so many former congressmen contesting on BJP ticket, it has become difficult for voters to differentiate between the two parties.

This being the case, the onus is now solely on us common Uttarakhandis, and we must now exercise our constitutional right with due diligence. While the present government has to be booted for its unethical ways and there may be no alternative in sight to BJP at present, the initiative lies with us for voting not on the basis of the party, caste or community; but for the best candidate solely on his/her credentials and track record.

We have to understand that many candidates, particularly the new entrants in BJP, enjoyed the spoils of power for at least four years before switching sides solely for the selfish purpose of winning election, welfare of the state being the last thing on their mind. We have to ensure that these now-secular now-nationalist but definite self-seeking turncoats as well as the undeserving ones are kept out of Vidhan Sabha at all costs.

We have done it before and there is no reason why we cannot do it now. Saket Bahuguna, son of the then CM Vijay Bahuguna, was rejected by the voters of Tehri Lok Sabha seat vacated by his father in the November 2012 by poll as well as in 2014 general elections. Likewise, Suryakant Dhasmana (Congress) has never won any election though he has contested several times. Only this time such candidates have to be shown the door over a large number of seats.

Independent candidates with good credentials deserve a serious look in and must be preferred over party fielded tainted ones. Anoop Nautiyal is one such contender from Dehra Dun Cantt seat. Other seats must be having similar deserving aspirants that voters of those constituencies will know of.  Though Nautiyal faces BJP veteran and heavyweight Harbans Kapoor, should he even manage to finish runner-up ahead of Congress’s Dhasmana; and independents on other seats pull off a satisfactory performance; it may well be the beginning of value based politics in Uttarakhand.

After elections, people of Uttarakhand must come together in the form of pressure groups, be vigilant and force their elected representatives to keep their promises. For the long haul, we Uttarakhandis will have to somehow come up with a viable third option in the state on our own, sans any professional netas.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 14th Feb 2017)

Harish Rawat Sting

Together, We Can

Several markets downing shutters and thousands of mourners paying homage to a hanged criminal, convicted by court as per the law of the land and who was part of the conspiracy that killed 257 of their innocent countrymen in cold blood and injured 713 others in the first ever coordinated terror attack on 12 February 1993 in Mumbai; assistance and shelter provided by local people for two months to captured Pakistani jihadi and his accomplice who attacked a BSF vehicle in Udhampur and who said he was here to kill Hindus for fun; are but a few indicators that do not bode well for us.

As we celebrate 68 years of our Independence, we must pause and ponder whether we are treading along the path to further enriching our hard earned freedom or we are steadily heading towards our impending doom.

Fanaticism is being increasingly carried out across the world in the name of Islam. Our immediate neighbour Pakistan has been, unfortunately, engaged in recruiting and training manpower; arming and giving them logistic support; and pushing them into India for undertaking terror activities.  That we have their sympathizers on our own soil who provide them all possible support in their endeavour is shameful and a cause of grave concern.

This menace is increasing by the day despite our country having a fair record of human rights, minority friendly policies, tolerance for other faiths by the majority community and implementation of the constitution in letter and spirit.

When the country was partitioned on religious lines in 1947, it was thought that India and Pakistan would be Hindu and Muslim majority secular nations respectively. While we opted for and continue to be secular till date; persecution and genocide of minorities started in Pakistan soon after with the result that Hindus and Sikhs who accounted for 24% of the population are now reduced to a mere 1.5%. Moreover, they do not enjoy even basic human rights and do not hold any important or position of power. Their women are raped and converted to Islam forcibly, while men are routinely tortured and executed for crimes they did not commit.

Bangladesh (earlier East Pakistan) has been no different.  From 31% in 1947, the population of Hindus has dwindled to 8% even as their harassment continues unabated at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, government choosing to turn a blind eye. In fact, Bangladesh is expected to be the next country where there will be no Hindus left. Human rights organisations like Amnesty International are silent spectators of this blatant ethnic cleansing of millions of Hindus and Sikhs in these two countries.

In secular India, however, Muslim population has steadily gone up from 9.8% in 1951 to 14.2% in 2011, with some border states registering a very high increase; Hindu population dwindling from 84.1% to 78.35% in the same period, the sharpest dip of 2.1% coming in 2001-2011 decade itself. Muslim population in India has clearly increased at the cost of Hindus and illegal infiltration from Bangladesh.

Hindus have, ironically, faced persecution in India as well. Kashmir, the lone Muslim majority kingdom to join India in 1947 and proclaimed to be the beacon of our secularism by Nehru, has been in the grip of terrorism for three decades; wherein the minority Hindu Kashmiri Pandits have been “ethnically cleansed” and forced to live in refugee camps within their own country for two and a half decades with no solution to their plight in sight.

This is not to suggest that secularism should be abandoned by us for this is the only path a civilized world can tread on if peace has to prevail. We rightly chose to let faith be a personal matter of the individual and accorded equal status to all beliefs under our laws.

On attaining power after the British left, our new political masters soon began looking for ways and means to somehow cling on to it. Muslims, being the largest minority community, were courted and with clerics obliging; became a “vote bank”; ensuring unchallenged power to both political and religious leaderships. Pioneered by the Congress soon after independence, this form of politics has since prospered and is practiced by all our so called “secular” parties.

This deadly mix of religion and politics has meant that our ordinary Muslim brethren are deliberately misled and kept insulated from modern education, so that absolute power can be enjoyed by their leaders without fear of encountering any obstruction. Medieval personal laws continue to be implemented despite the fact that numerous Islamic countries have harmonized theirs with present times, even as any attempt to frame and enforce a Uniform Civil Code is vehemently opposed. Hate speeches are routinely given by the likes of Owaisi.

This has to stop immediately. Secularism ought to be practiced honestly and all religions treated equally; it cannot be a one way street. Appeasements like Haj subsidy have to be done away with at once. Government sponsored faith specific events like iftar parties must also be dispensed with.

With Muslims increasingly opting for mainstream education, they have begun to understand this politics-religion nexus. The 2014 Lok Sabha elections could well be the watershed moment in our history. Many eminent Muslims joined, while many more of them voted for the BJP, branded an “untouchable Hindu communal” party by our secularists.

That fundamentalism has no end and jihadis are mere sacrificial pawns in the hands of their masters is for all to see in Pakistan which is clearly on the path of self-destruction, since unabated violence now continues against the Muslims themselves, minorities having been gotten rid of.

People have started leaving Islam and embracing Christianity in Africa in large numbers in their quest for peace, while Muslims of Nepal are clamouring for restoration of Hinduism as the state religion in their country’s new constitution alongside the Hindus.

Muslim Intelligentsia must play mentor to their misguided brethren, while Hindus themselves must place nation above all else and stop being “caste vote banks”.

Political leadership, on its part, has to make it clear to all that country and its laws are supreme, above individual and faith. Steps must be taken for the formulation and implementation of a Uniform Civil Code which also addresses controlling our population becoming more and unsustainable. Rule of law should be strictly enforced with zero tolerance, and no special concessions allowed on grounds of religion. It should also deal sternly with Pakistan. 

Media, particularly TV, must also stop glorifying terrorists; while rights activists must talk about the human rights of innocent victims rather than the terror merchants.

We must also try to find out and rectify as to why we lack national character, integrity and honesty; despite the presence of a large number faiths in our country. Why places of worship keep getting richer and god men enjoy luxuries, while the poor and hungry beg outside their gates. Religion ought to promote harmony, not conflict.

Together, we can, provided we look up to late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for inspiration, rather than some convict or fanatic. 

KIND ATTN DELHI VOTERS !!!

FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU. 

FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME.

don't let the shame be on you .........

say NO to the coughing muffler man
vote for KIRAN BEDI, the iron lady

Mighty Weapon - Garhwal Post completes 8 years as a daily.

Pen is a mighty weapon. That ten pens are ten times mightier was demonstrated earlier this year when an “Open invitation to the CM” extended by editor Satish Sharma (GP dated 18/02/2014) for undertaking a trip by road from Doon to Delhi to witness the pathetic condition of the national highway himself got a massive impromptu reaction from readers increasing its effect manifold, forcing the state government to take rapid necessary action. Repairs were immediately carried out and the road, except for a 20 km stretch, was in quite a decent condition by May.

Reader’s responses or letters to the editor, thus, are not merely individual expressions of opinion or a dialogue on an issue; but also a potent tool to fight the numerous ills that afflict us as a society and force our lethargic officialdom out of its slumber. A little increase in their frequency will greatly benefit readers and the “complete people’s newspaper” alike.

The balanced, mature and positive journalism practiced by Garhwal Post through its news, forum and editorial columns in the aftermath of Kedarnath deluge last year was yet another feather in its cap. Congratulations Satish and team. Keep up the good work.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 2nd July 2014)

How long does it take for HNB Garhwal University to declare results?

Just how much time does a university need to declare end of semester examination results? Three to four weeks after the last paper is what University of Delhi takes, with most reputed ones not taking much longer. For HNB Garhwal University (HNBGU), however, even four months are not adequate for the purpose.

A few weeks ago, several students pursuing undergraduate professional courses from Dehra Dun based private institutes affiliated to HNBGU, who had qualified entrance tests for admission to postgraduate courses in universities outside Uttarakhand and had to register for counselling thereof, had to make a couple of trips to university’s office in Srinagar to obtain their fifth semester mark sheets as results of their examinations held in January had not been declared till the end of May!

The students got their mark sheets, of course, but after making the unnecessary extra effort, besides suffering needless anxiety and losing valuable time and money in the process. They were lucky that their results had been uploaded on the university computer and hence were not asked to shell out an extra thousand rupees as fees for “provisional” mark sheet.  What would have happened if their answer booklets had not been evaluated is anybody’s guess.

Some running around from “pillar to post” had to be done and red tape faced within the university’s office in Srinagar for the purpose. That none of the dealing persons asked that their “palms be greased” was the saving grace.

These students are now left wondering whether HNBGU will be able to declare the results of their sixth semester examinations held in the middle of June and issue the final mark sheets before the cut-off dates prescribed by the universities they are joining.

HNBGU has been notorious for delays and irregularities right from the time it came into existence in 1973 and the situation seems to be much the same even though it was upgraded to a central university in 2009, barring the financial gains that its employees have made on account of change of their pay scales from state to central government.

The situation is worse for students of affiliated self-financing private institutes offering professional courses like B.B.A., B.C.A., B. Sc. (IT), M.B.A., M.C.A., M. Sc. (IT), etc. Semester end examinations that are supposed to be conducted in December and May are invariably delayed by at least a month.

The university then takes its own sweet time and students usually receive their mark sheets and admit cards together just before the commencement of the next semester exams. Moreover, for some reason best known to HNBGU authorities, results of these professional courses are not uploaded and made available on the university website, even as the ones for other courses are.

The position is even more appalling in the case of B.Ed.  Three years ago, HNBGU declared a “zero year” for this programme to bring it back on track as sessions were running more than a year behind schedule. In spite of this, and the fact that entrance tests for the course are usually conducted on time, the session begins not before October and examinations are held in August or September the following year, while the results are declared still later. The scenario for other professional courses run by the university is pretty much the same.

It is interesting to note that Government of India had recognised that there was no uniformity in the academic schedule followed by the various varsities and colleges which often acted as a hurdle for students taking a transfer from one university to another often leading to missed opportunities and appointed an expert committee in 2006 to look into the feasibility of establishing a uniform academic calendar.

The report of this committee was accepted and the Union HRD Ministry had in June 2007 asked all UGC recognised universities - whether central, state or a deemed; as well as their affiliated colleges - to follow a uniform academic calendar with immediate effect.

As per this directive classes for first year students must commence in the first week of August, while for all others by the third week of July in every university or college. Examinations are to be held on time and results for all courses to be declared by not later than the last week of June.

Why is HNBGU not following such clear government directives? Who in the university is responsible for implementation of these directives? Who is to be blamed  if its students lose out on better prospects for higher studies in universities outside the state and on job opportunities on account of such delays on the part of the university for no fault of theirs? It is time HNBGU stopped playing with the careers of its students.

UGC and HRD Ministry, on their part, need to continuously monitor the functioning of all the universities across the country to ensure that their guidelines are strictly adhered to as also take strict action against the erring ones. They also need to issue clear instructions to universities to be flexible regarding the cut-off dates in genuine cases so that students are not deprived of their legitimate rights for mistakes committed by the varsity they were unfortunately enrolled with. The task is monumental, but not impossible.

HNBGU final semester candidates, in the meanwhile, are looking skyward for timely declaration of their results.

(Published in Garhwal Post on 27th June 2014)