PM needs to speak against assault on Swami Agnivesh
The assault on Swami Agnivesh is highly condemnable. The saint who has spent his life speaking against bonded labour, tribals and their betterment, is a highly respected personality among Arya Samajis. By now the identity of those who launched a deadly assault on him in the middle of the road, during broad daylight is pretty evident. The so called activists/goondas of BJP have caused him harm, floundered him and hit him bad.
Today, one wonders whether India is changing to suit the narratives of Godse, Hitler and Mussolini as against Dr Ambedkar, Gandhi, Nehru, Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose. Swami Agnivesh is known for his liberal views of hindu dharma. He has been protesting against any injustice meted out to the poor, dalits, women, and tribals anywhere in India. He has been very openly critical about the fascist face of Sangh Parivar. During his lifetime, he has spoken very strongly for the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy, bonded labourers of Haryana, and tribals of Jharkhand.
Today, this humiliating assault on him has to be condemned by one and all. India stands on democratic values granted by the constitution. In the last seven decades, the country stood firm on this course till the time Babri Masjid was demolished by communal and fundamental forces. Now they rule the country with this viciousness. People’s right to live a life of dignity and their freedom of expression has been threatened.
Today, one cannot speak about freedom of speech for various reasons. Our speech, our dress, our food everything is being controlled by some unknown extra constitutional hands. Freedom of expression and discussion are being threatened. There is an undeclared emergency ever since Modi, the then CM who was responsible for Gujarat massacre in 2002, became PM of this country. Though during emergency, people didn’t get down to murdering the others, today we have a situation where groups are unleashing violence and killing people for reasons that they raise their voice against inhumanity and inequality. And looks like the powers that be have given their silent concurrence to all this. Earlier, anti-superstition activist Dabholkar was being killed. It was followed by Maharashtrian rationalist Govind Pansare. Eventually senior researcher M M Kalburgi was done to death, and last year journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead.
On Tuesday, a group tried killing Swami Agnivesh in the broad daylight. Despite all this, the PM who often speaks on his ‘Man Ki baat’ has maintained massive silence over the issue. The same PM who would call his predecessor as ‘Mauni Baba’ has maintained stony silence over the issue. Does this mean he has silently approved of this? His silence raises a lot of questions? What do these acts convey about India to other nations? What is the motive of BJP for having attacked Swami Agnivesh who works for the welfare of people, while the party has maintained close links with the likes of Asaram Bapu who has been charged with rape?
Social reformer Basavanna said kindness is the root of all dharmas. Vedas wish universal welfare. Those antisocial elements who attacked Swami Agnivesh, which faith do they belong to? This incident that happened in Jharkhand is nothing less than an act of terrorism.
Those in high offices and with powers that be, need to condemn such incidents of goondaism or terrorism under any guise. Swami Agnivesh is referred to as modern Vivekananda, and is in his 80s now. People deem it fit to attack a senior citizen like him in the middle of the road? Is the law and order even alive in this nation? And how are those in high offices not even condemning it?
This attack on Swami Agnivesh when he was in Jharkhand to address a meeting of tribals on Tuesday, is clearly premeditated. Innocent youths have been misled with the poison of dharma, into carrying out this act. Before this attack, black flags were being demonstrated to Swami Agnivesh, in front of the hotel he stayed at. Swami Agnivesh had probably got the wind of this, and had even sought protection from the District Superintendent of Police. The Chhattisgarh state government did not heed to his demand to full effect. And even those cops who stood close to the place of attack were silent spectators.
This has to be condemned in strongest of words by everyone who believes in democracy of this country. Fascist forces and Gandhi’s killers are behaving like they have taken the contract of Hindu dharma on to themselves. They attacked film unit that went to shoot the plight of widows in Vrindavan. An artiste par excellence M F Husain had to leave the nation, fearing threat to his life. His works were reduced to cinders. Tamil writer Perumal Murugan received life threats and he was forced to put it on record that he would never write again in his lifetime.
Actors Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan were threatened because they said incidences of intolerance were increasing in the country. Writer Dr U R Ananthamurthy was hounded for his views on growing fascism. And after Modi became the PM, these forces have come down to murdering people in broad day light. The days ahead seem dark and dinghy. The President needs to intervene and instruct the government to maintain law and order, keeping in spirit with the constitution of this country.
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Make polling hours 6am-7pm for May 7 LS polls, Karnataka BJP urges EC citing heatwave
Bengaluru, May 3: Citing the ongoing heatwave in the state, Karnataka BJP on Friday petitioned the Election Commission with a request to modify the polling hours to the 6am-7pm period in the 14 parliamentary constituencies in the state that goes to polls on May 7.
Polling is currently scheduled to be held in the second phase in the state in 14 segments in the northern districts between 7am to 6pm on May 7.
"It has become hard to come out and vote between hours 10.00 to 17.00 due to uncontrollable heat. The average heat in those parts (north Karnataka) covering 14 parliamentary constituencies are between 37 and 42 degree (Celsius). The mercury is rising at an alarming level and it would become hard for the electors to come out and vote," BJP's petition said.
The petition highlighted the alarming rise in temperatures, which are expected to go beyond 40 degree Celsius, and also stated that the number of voters over the age of 40 is high and that they are vulnerable to the heatwave.
"To keep up the good spirit of voting, necessary action should be taken," the BJP petition urged the Election Commission, saying, "In this background, it is requested to modify the time of voting in the 14 parliamentary constituencies from 06.00 to 19.00 hours on May 7".
Polling was held between 7 am and 6 pm during Karnataka's first phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies on April 26.
