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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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
