CALIFORNIA (TIP): A 29-year-old Sikh man died after he jumped into a river to rescue three children who were swept away in the US state of California, according to media reports.
The man, identified as Manjeet Singh, was visiting Reedley Beach on Wednesday evening near his home in Fresno County when he saw the three children struggling in the Kings River, the media reported on Friday.
Two eight-year-old girls and a 10-year-old boy were playing in the river when they were pulled under a bridge by the current, CNN quoted Reedley Police Department commander Mark Ediger as saying.
Manjeet Singh, who was at the river with his brother-in-law and other friends, removed his turban and attempted to use it as a rope to pull the children in but was quickly pulled under himself.
“He went in to try and help them and unfortunately, went underwater fairly quickly and never came back up,” said Reedley police commander Marc Ediger.
Manjeet Singh was found unresponsive 40 minutes later, downriver. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Other bystanders were able to pull two of the children out to safety. One of the eight-year-old girls was underwater for about 15 minutes before she was pulled out, Ediger said. She was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno and as of Friday afternoon remained in critical condition and on life support.
Singh moved to California from India two years ago. He had plans to start a trucking business and had been taking truck-driving lessons on Wednesday before visiting the river.
DALLAS (TIP): Hundreds of community members at Plano city in Texas state of the US organized a memorial run in honor of an Indian-American woman researcher and athlete who was killed last week while she was out jogging.
According to the police, 43-year-old Sarmistha Sen was randomly attacked and killed while jogging on August 1 near the Chisholm Trail Park in Plano.
Her body was found lying in the creek-area near Legacy Drive and Marchman Way by a passer-by. Sen was a pharmacist and researcher who studied molecular biology and worked with cancer patients.
She was originally from Sindri in Jharkhand and moved to Plano after her marriage to Arindam Roy. She has two young sons.
At the daybreak on Saturday, local community members gathered at the Chisholm Trail Park to pay their tributes to Sen. They organized a memorial run/walk on the same trail she frequented and followed the path of the park which she took on the day of her murder.
“She did leave an imprint behind and that is why we are all here today to remember her,” one of Sen’s friends said.
Later in the afternoon, a large number of people showed up to pay respects to Sen and her family at a public visitation.
Police arrested a 29-year-old youth on the same day of Sen’s murder for a burglary that happened in the area.
According to police, Bakari Moncrief is a person of interest in Sen’s death and remains in jail on an unusually high USD 1 million bond but he is not charged in Sen’s murder.
Sen used to run the popular Chisholm Trail nearly every morning before her children woke up.
A day after her killing, strangers, neighbors and friends surrounded two trees near the park with flowers and hundreds of running shoes.
Sen’s husband has set up a CaringBridge page to share Sen’s story and a GoFundMe page, all proceeds of which will be donated to charities devoted to issues that she deeply cared about such as cancer awareness, cancer research, healthy living and protection of the environment.
Through the pandemic, it has not only met its domestic requirements but taken a range of steps for global good
By Harsh Vardhan Shringla
“We reaffirmed our position as first responder to humanitarian crises in the region by deploying medical teams to help Maldives, Mauritius, Comoros and Kuwait deal with the pandemic. India also dispatched naval assets to Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles to deliver assistance. This demonstrated our strong commitment to the PM’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).”
At the virtual Global Vaccine Summit, the PM highlighted how India’s contribution to the global response in terms of sharing medicines was guided by our philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbkum.
Covid-19 continues to exact a heavy toll worldwide. In India too, positive cases are rising. However, India’s effective response has led to a significant improvement in its recovery rate, which is now 68.78%. The case fatality rate at 2.01% remains one of the lowest in the world.
High recovery and low-fatality outcomes can be attributed to proactive measures taken to deal with the outbreak from its early stages. In comparative terms, India started screening Covid-19 cases a full 13 days before the first case was detected in the country. India implemented full lockdown on the 55th day of the outbreak when it had only around 600 cases. Its public health response has been appreciated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The government took rapid steps to augment health infrastructure. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted, “India now has over 11,000 Covid-19 facilities and 1.1 million isolation beds. We have ramped up testing to over half-a-million tests a day, to be scaled up to a million”.
India’s response has not been confined to meeting its domestic requirements. India has been significantly engaged with the international community in providing the leadership that the global situation demanded. As a responsible stakeholder in global health supply chains, India ensured timely access to essential drugs and medical items for over 150 countries while meeting our own domestic requirements.
We reaffirmed our position as first responder to humanitarian crises in the region by deploying medical teams to help Maldives, Mauritius, Comoros and Kuwait deal with the pandemic. India also dispatched naval assets to Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles to deliver assistance. This demonstrated our strong commitment to the PM’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
From being a net importer of Covid-19-related medical items, India has emerged as a net exporter. Today, India manufactures over 500,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and over 300,000 N-95 masks every day. Our system has shown the necessary adaptability and agility to significantly ramp up production to go beyond our domestic requirements.
The repatriation of Indian nationals stranded abroad and the evacuation of foreigners from India to their home countries have been among the most successful aspects of our response. In the initial days, the ministry of external affairs had promptly set up a Covid cell and a 24×7 control room to assist Indian citizens abroad. The PM had also personally directed our heads of missions to extend all possible assistance to our nationals stranded abroad. Subsequently, the Vande Bharat mission, launched to repatriate our nationals stranded overseas, has been the largest exercise of its kind ever undertaken by the government and has demonstrated our capacity to effectively carry out complex humanitarian missions. Over a million Indians have returned under the ‘Vande Bharat’ mission so far through flights, across land borders and on naval ships.
We have not only been able to bring home Indian nationals from distant locations but also facilitated the return of Bhutanese, Nepalese and other nationals stranded in third countries to their homes on these repatriation flights. In recognition of the immense contribution played by the Indian American community in building bridges between India and USA, India has allowed all holders of Overseas Citizenship of India cards to travel freely between the two countries. The institution of ‘travel bubbles’ between India and USA and a few other countries has further facilitated such travel.
Rigorous screening of returnees by our diplomatic missions has ensured that the proportion of positive cases remains extremely small (less than 0.2%). Testing on arrival by the health ministry and state governments has helped detect these cases. The mission just doesn’t end with the return of Indian nationals. Recognizing that a lot of expatriate Indians would have lost their jobs particularly in the Gulf area, the Govt is mapping the skills of Indians on arrival to reskill and link them with companies for job opportunities.
There has also been no let-up in India’s diplomatic outreach during the pandemic. We have initiated and been part of several important conversations globally. Our ‘Neighborhood First’ policy was on full display when the PM hosted a video conference of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) leaders early in the crisis — our first such engagement on Covid-19. He announced a series of measures to deal with the pandemic, including the creation of a Covid-19 emergency fund with a commitment of $10 million from India.
We have also called for a better multilateral response to global crises in the future. The PM has, on several occasions, including in the G-20 and Non-aligned Movement virtual summits, proposed the reform of multilateral cooperation by bringing people to the center of our efforts. Our own initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure are prime examples of this approach. The decision of the G-20 on debt service suspension for developing countries, which India fully supported, reflects this people-centric approach.
At the virtual Global Vaccine Summit, the PM highlighted how India’s contribution to the global response in terms of sharing medicines was guided by our philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbkum.
The PM also hosted the first virtual bilateral summit with Australia, which was followed by the India-European Union summit. In addition, the PM has spoken to his counterparts from 61 countries during this period. The external affairs minister has spoken to foreign ministers from 77 countries. I have been part of several dialogues with several of our partners countries, notably the Indo Pacific Group that convenes every other week to coordinate health, travel, immigration and related issues during COVID times, We have kept open channels of virtual communication to strengthen partnerships and deal with situations that require diplomatic engagement.
We have been constantly adjusting, adapting and innovating to deal with the changed reality, particularly in our engagement with the world. And in the process, we have been successful in elevating India’s profile as a constructive and dependable actor on the global stage.
(The author is foreign secretary, Government of India. The views expressed are personal)
Congress party gets an Independence Day gift in Rajasthan
JAIPUR (TIP): Hitting hard at Opposition BJP for its interference in the internal affairs of the Congress party, the Gehlot Government in Rajasthan on Friday, August 14, won the Confidence Motion by a voice vote in the state Legislative Assembly after over 3 hours of debate.
The victory of the Congress in the State has sent a clear message to the saffron party that its Mission Lotus in the garb of ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’ would not be applicable in a majority led government anymore, not in Rajasthan, at least. The ruling members in the House blamed the judiciary and the Governor for causing hurdles in the democratic process. Opposition BJP without creating an uproar in the House could not move its ‘no confidence motion’ notice against Gehlot government.
Proving that he is with the Congress, Pilot interrupted the BJP legislators in the House claiming that he was the ‘strongest warrior’ of the Congress party despite his new sitting arrangement. ‘I am sitting on border line close to the Opposition members but I will protect my party at all costs. This is not important where one sat but what mattered was what people had in their heart and mind about him”, he warned.
This was all made possible as a ‘Ram-Bharat Milap’ was witnessed in the Pink City a day ago when a known Jadugar turned Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, former Deputy CM, came face to face with warmth and anticipating to revive the Congress government’s image and prestige in public once again.
It seems to give the impression that All Is Well with the Congress Party in Rajasthan. However, only time will tell whether there was a genuine feeling of brotherhood in the hug, or it was another feigned show of amity.
After a major revolt, and leading the rebel camp with 18 MLAs for the last 31 days, Pilot was given a warm welcome on his arrival at CMR by AICC’s top functionaries K C Venugopal (now RS MP from Rajasthan), Avinash Pandey, Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Makan and PCC President G S Dotasra.
Gehlot and Pilot shook hands enthusiastically, while Gehlot was also seen holding Pilot’s right upper arm as a gesture of unity and political bond. Both were wearing face masks and no emotions were captured, but their glowing eyes gave the impression that both were pleased.
The brief Ram-Bharat-Milap was followed by Congress Legislature Party meeting in which Pilot faction also made attendance. Still scared of poaching, the Gehlot camp MLAs returned to the hotel, whereas Pilot flock’s MLAs returned to their residences separately.
Ending a month-long tug of war between the CM and his rebel faction that was piloted by Sachin with 18 dissidents over ‘political ambitions of youngsters’ in Rajasthan now appears to be settled down, like dust storm in the sandy desert. Rebels have cooled down their feet, and Opposition party (BJP) gave up the hope to be king makers in case Gehlot government fell.
Four days ahead of the Assembly Session slated for August 14, a sudden somersault by Pilot, who was sacked on twin posts of Deputy-CM and PCC President, has stunned everyone , especially the ambitious rival BJP that has projected ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’ since 2014 and tried this slogan in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur and Goa to ‘topple’ the governments.
After quandary with Gehlot government, keeping only Twitter handle open, and hiding with his flock under alleged Haryana Government’s hospitality’, Pilot got an appointment very late and met the Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi & Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with his 18 supporting MLAs. This is utterly surprising that when Pilot first moved to Delhi in early July to approach and raise his resentment to the party high command, he was not heard because Gehlot had disclosed alleged audio-clips on ‘horse trading deal struck’ in which the names of a veteran Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma and Union Minister for Jalshakti Gajendra Singh Shekahawat, LS MP from Jodhpur in Modi Government surfaced on police records.
The deadlock of government’s functioning has been partially paralyzed since July 12 when Pilot had revolted with his camp against CM threatening that the Gehlot government had come in minority. The soup was thicker when Gehlot had sacked Pilot and two other ministers Ramesh Meena and Vishwendra Singh for their alleged involvement in poaching with huge cash secretly offered by the BJP for toppling the ruling government having majority of 119 MLAs in a house of 200. Pilot was furious and moved to coup when he was served a notice by SOG under section 124-A of IPC along with CM, and Chief Whip.
The instability of the state government has revolved around Gehlot vs Pilot over supremacy, Speaker vs Court (High Court and Supreme Court) over notice to rebel MLAs under the Anti-defection Law (10th schedule of the Constitution) by the Speaker C P Joshi, Gehlot vs Governor over calling early assembly session, and Gehlot vs BSP’s Mayawati over direct merger of six MLAs with the Congress last year. After facing the legal challenges under the Article 174 of the Constitution and rejecting Gehlot cabinet’s three-time proposal to convene the assembly session on a short notice, the Governor Kalraj Mishra finally issued order to convene the session on August 14, covering 21 day- notice.
The BJP appointed Governor’s clash with a non-BJP Chief Minister in Rajasthan was nothing new. In Delhi, it was CM Arvind Kejriwal vs Lt Governors, Mamata Banerjee vs Jagdip Dhankar in West Bengal, Uddhav Thackeray vs Bhagat Singh Koshiyari in Maharashtra, P Vijayan and Arif Mohd Khan in Kerala, V Narayana Swami vs Lt Governor Kiran Bedi in Puducherry, and K Chandrasekhar Rao vs T Sundararajan in Telangana.
Pilot faction got scared when it calculated that its herd hiding with a meagre 19 rebels could not cut the ice, and rival party (BJP) which he did not want to join at this juncture would not support him despite alleged ‘poaching’ of some MLAs. Gehlot succeeded in keeping 102 MLA’s in ‘political quarantine’ under unprecedented security cover, and when time came, paraded his loyalists before the Governor.
Later Gehlot’s confidence weakened when BJP and BSP moved to the courts against merger of all six BSP MLAs into the Congress last year. Probably under pressure of raids by Central investigating agencies like IT, ED, CBI against Gehlot’s one MLA, friends and relatives, the government bowed down and adopted damage control exercise. The Special Operation Group (SOG) of state Police) dropped the sedition charges (section 124-A of IPC) in two cases of horse trading exposed in alleged audio-conversation clip between one BJP Minister and a Congress MLA. The case is now referred to the slow-paced Anti-Corruption Bureau.
A hypothesis indicates that the government’s move to go on back foot was a big respite for Pilot camp. Though Pilot was now free from SOG but not having desired support of other party MLAs and deficiency of outside support from rebel party to kick out the ruling government, perhaps they returned to alma mater with their list of grievances. This time Pilot also lacked active support of Gurjar community on which he won the assembly poll in 2018 from the Tonk constituency. It was the political compulsion to live inside the party and sit in the assembly as a legislator and not to face any ‘disqualification’ clause under Anti-defection Act by flouting any whip of the treasury bench.
A question remains unanswered whether a three member AICC Committee comprising Ahmed Patel, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K C Venugopal will redress 19-MLAs’ grievances and look into demands which include re-allocating cabinet berths to two MLAs . Will Pilot get any parallel post in the cabinet of Gehlot who bluntly described Pilot as ‘Nikkama, Nakara and Conspired against his own government”. However, in his face saving move Pilot received a warm welcome to Jaipur where he held a series of individual media interactions. Pilot, son for late Union Minister Rajesh Pilot and former MP Mrs. Rama Pilot, assured that he has not asked for post but there should be no vendetta politics. This is a hidden deal when Gehlot says he was unaware under what conditions Pilot group has come back to the party fold.
Why and how the veteran MLA Sharma, whom the SOG police has failed to search in the audio-conversation case in the country, made a surprise landing at CM’s House after Pilot met Gandhi family in Delhi remains a mystery. Gehlot had openly assailed Sharma’s attempts to destabilize his government and former CM B S Shekhawat’s government and turning coat frequently in the past.
At a recently held CLP meeting, a number of MLAs and a few Ministers have expressed their displeasure at homecoming of ‘rebels’. A million-dollar question would chase CM how he is going to appease Independent MLAs who had merged their affiliation with the Congress – 6 BSP turned Congress MLAs, and BTP legislators while fulfilling his promise of ministerial reshuffle in near future after assembly session. Another big puzzle Congress party will have to address is how to accommodate the Pilot camp in the state in remaining term of the government.
Is this a victory of Ashok Gehlot, 3rd timer Chief Minister in Rajasthan, without a floor test in State Legislative Assembly after a suo moto surrender of Sachin Pilot with his 18-rebellion Congress MLAs before the Congress High Command for an ‘amicable mediation’ on his flock’s grievances ? It seems to be a win-win situation more for Pilot and less for Gehlot government as ‘horse trading of lawmakers’ is unpredictable alike Cricket in future too. Political Pandits feel after some time Pilot may raise his ante against Gehlot rule if more rebels join to saddle him (Gehlot) out of power. Gehlot urged his MLAs to forgive him and move, but would it be so easy for the voters who have noticed fragility of oldest party, the Congress. Caste politics would again emerge as a threat to the Gehlot who is always known as Jadugar of Politics.
(Dr Goyal is a senior journalist, and has worked for PTI and The Tribune)
India has never faced a severe crisis to its institutions like this one , to its Courts, Media, Election Commission, or law enforcement mechanisms. They are all in danger of losing their independence while the opposition appeared to be withered and infirm. Unless the country wakes up soon to realize the impending danger, the constitutional republic will continue to be undone, and the fabric of liberal democracy unraveled, replacing the idea of India with the idea of Hindutva.
However, the Modi administration with the blessings from RSS is busy tearing apart the institutional foundations that have kept India a free and democratic nation with individual rights and equal justice. Their actions are reverberating even across the continents as the Hindutva organizations in the United States were celebrating with pomp and ceremony, the laying of the foundation stone for the Temple in Ayodhya.
When Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, promoted the “idea of India,” it was supposed to be a grand vision for a nation based on diversity. He has done his utmost institutionalizing that great concept working together with great leaders such as B.R. Ambedkar. However, as we celebrate the 74th anniversary of independence from Britain, the history is being rewritten by the Modi Sarkar and their ardent defenders.
When Nehru made that famous speech on the eve of independence about the “tryst with destiny,” those who felt that religion should be the determinant of nationhood have already left after creating a separate country called Pakistan. The rest of them, including Mahatma Gandhi, rejected the idea of a theocracy but embraced a new vision of “unity in diversity” for people of all religions, regions, castes, and languages.
However, the Modi administration with the blessings from RSS is busy tearing apart the institutional foundations that have kept India a free and democratic nation with individual rights and equal justice. Their actions are reverberating even across the continents as the Hindutva organizations in the United States were celebrating with pomp and ceremony, the laying of the foundation stone for the Temple in Ayodhya. Notwithstanding the role a secular country should play in a religious ceremony, it begs the question as to why the Times Square digital boards must be lit up for a holy ceremony that should have been conducted with piety and devoutness?
To an independent observer, it is not Hinduism or Hindu culture that was celebrated in Times Square, but instead, a message was sent to the Muslims and possibly other minorities that they do not matter in the scheme of things in India anymore. And they are stripped of their place in history and relegated to a second-class status and permanent subjugation. Since August 5 also happened to be the first anniversary of the suspension of the civil liberties in Kashmir, Modi and his acolytes are defiantly conveying to the world that India as a pluralistic democracy has been done and is over with.
The country has been reeling from a COVID-19 crisis with deprivation and miseries all around, especially in rural villages and towns where businesses are shut, and the poor laborers are out of work. The Modi government appears detached and unconcerned while going about their ways to carry on with their saffron agenda. The forces they have unleashed on the nation have started dictating what we should think or say or what is edible to eat. A sense of fear pervades the society now that even expressing an opinion on social media could invite the wrath of the enforcement directorate or other law enforcement authorities.
The passing of CAA has brought millions of ordinary people into the streets protesting the discriminatory nature of its provisions based on religion. There were great concerns that CAA, for the first time, has injected the religious component into legislation to differentiate and stigmatize people. At Shaheen Bagh, a neighborhood in South-eastern Delhi, hundreds of people turned up over nine weeks to take part in an indefinite sit-in until COVID stepped in to prevent its continuation.. Although they were peaceful protests, BJP had no stomach for tolerating any dissent.
What followed is Delhi riots, and for two days, Delhi police watched passively while rampaging mobs killed, looted, and torched a whole neighborhood. The common refrain was, “teach them a lesson.” Some of the BJP leaders were openly giving inflammatory speeches promoting the riots and defending the culprits. The riots have a lot of similarity to the 2002 pogrom in Gujarat in terms of its ferocity, police complicity, and political patronage, and appeared to be more strategy-driven to divide and polarize the community to expand their reach and retain power. Today, the narrative is being rewritten to absolve the criminal elements and frame and punish those who have advocated for fairness and equal justice under the law.
Since independence, the Supreme Court has remained a firewall against abuse of power by the Executive branch and the ruling class elites. The integrity of judges has been a critical component in rendering impartial decisions that have far-reaching effects on society. Judicial independence is vital in reassuring the public that judges would dispense cases with honesty and impartiality in accordance with the law and evidence presented to them. The Supreme court must be free of fear and favor from the Executive; if and only if that is the case will the Court be trusted by the public.
It appears no longer the case as a tamed Supreme Court that has been rendering decisions in accordance with Government’s wishes. Although the country has welcomed the Ayodhya verdict, the paradox is not lost on anyone. The Supreme Court’s decision to punt the outright violations of the civil rights of the Indian citizens in Kashmir has further stained the reputation of the Supreme court as an independent arbiter who could protect the lives and property of the citizenry or safeguard their civil rights.
India’s free and vibrant press played a critical role in protecting India’s democracy since its independence. But journalists around the country now feel that they are also under attack. The fourth Estate, as they are dubbed, has an important role to play as regards disseminating information with objectivity and holding the public officials accountable for their actions. Since Modi came to power, his Government has tried to control the news media by berating editors, cutting advertisements, ordering tax investigations, and encouraging their capitalist cronies to acquire the media entities so that they could help build a cult of personality that portrays Modi as the nation’s savior.
India has never faced a severe crisis to its institutions like this one to its Courts, Media, Election Commission, or law enforcement mechanisms. They are all in danger of losing their independence while the opposition appeared to be withered and infirm. Unless the country wakes up soon to realize the impending danger, the constitutional republic will continue to be undone, and the fabric of liberal democracy unraveled, replacing the idea of India with the idea of Hindutva.
(The author is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations and the Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA)
We need to reassure each other, loudly and clearly, that together as Indians, and we must commit to safeguarding every Indian’s lifestyle, however different that maybe. Together as Indians, we must uphold, protect, defend, and celebrate the values enshrined in our Constitution, a guarantor of the way of life for each one of us.
India is one of the first nations on the earth to practice Pluralism, i.e., respecting others’ otherness. While the Hindu ethos considers the world as one family, also known as Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum, the Islamic, Christian, and other traditions also subscribe to the idea that we originated from a single couple. Together, these values ‘had’ contributed to India’s post-independence political stability. We have lost those values now.
As a nation, we were bestowed with diversity; the characteristics of the entire world are contained in our country; India. Collectively we are Adivasis, Atheists, Bahais, Bos, Buddhists, Christians, Dalits, Hindus, Jains, Jewish, Muslims, Sikhs, Tribal, Zoroastrians, and every possible grouping. We are also Brown, Black, White, and Yellow. India ‘was’ indeed God’s own country until recently.
India is also the first nation on earth where God has placed people of different faiths and races together as a model of co-existence. India has been a beacon of Pluralism, and now the divisiveness, discord, and distrust are causing social instability.
How do we get out of this?
On August 15, 2020, we will be celebrating the 74th Independence Day and we need to determine as a nation if we adore our motherland, or is it a political stunt? Our mother wants all of her children to get along with each other.
Lord Krishna, blessings upon him, whose birth celebrations concluded this week, said, whenever adharma (chaos) takes over a people, I will emerge from among you to restore dharma (righteousness). We hope the time has come for that catalytic change.
We are not dictatorships or kingships, where an individual dictates how we behave and what we do. We are a democracy, and we decide how we want our nation to be.
The political leaders are good at coining new phrases without meaning a word of it. The slogan “sab ka saath, sab ka Vikas aur sab ka Vishwas” is pragmatic and is the right attitude to bring prosperity to the nation. Thus far, it is nothing but a political slogan as the leadership has not brought the Indians together, nor has it earned their trust.
The change begins with leadership
Prime Minister Modi is demonstrably dumb, Goonga, as we call in Hindi. When Asifa was raped, and her body was mutilated – when Tabrez Ansari was brutally murdered, and the video was circulated, and when Dalit girls were raped and hung on trees, Modi did not speak. When a church was vandalized, when attempts were made to evict Sikhs from their land as settlers, and about 120 such incidences, the man shamelessly remained silent. However, when he saw the national outrage, he paid lip service and spoke the words he did not mean.
If Modi were to speak after each incident, the chaos would subside, the lynching of fellow Indians will stop. All he has to say is I will not tolerate any Indian harassing a fellow Indian, and the violators will be punished severely, and follow through it. But will he?
The change also begins with our children
As a parent, should you poison your children towards others and screw their lives? The answer should be no, but yet we do it.
A doctor, a son of my friends’ friend, was a guest at my place for a few weeks while attending meetings related to his residency. At the end of his stay – he said, “I wish my parents had not poisoned me against Blacks, Muslims, Christians, and Jews; everything I have heard from them turned out to be false.” He continued, “I have lived in dorms with others, and now with you, they were plain wrong.”
He agreed, when you are biased towards others, it affects your work performance. Your relationship with fellow workers will not be clean as you were poisoned against them. You keep a reserve with your fellow worker, and subconsciously, you don’t trust and share everything with them. That attitude reduces your contribution to your work, and you will not be able to serve your employer with full integrity. And when you go home, you are not giving 100% to your family either, and you are obsessed with your hatred towards the other.
Would you hire someone like that to work for you?
We have to reject the poison injected into us by our parents, teachers, and religious men. It takes away the joy of conflict-free living.
A vast majority of us have heard ‘false’ things about others from our friends, news, social media, or our knowledge of others, and we instantly form opinions about others. As responsible individuals, we must strive to strip stereotyping and build pathways to ensure our society is functioning smoothly.
Our attitudes need to re-align
As the cities become cosmopolitan, you will not find a place of work, worship, playground, school, restaurant, theater, and other areas of public gatherings where you will not see people of different faiths, and ethnicities are interacting, working, studying, intermingling, playing and even marrying each other.
These interactions are bound to create conflicts. We must prevent such disputes, so each Indian can live securely with his or her faith, culture, gender, race, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.
God created each one to be a unique being with our thumbprint, eye print, taste buds, religious buds, and DNA, and we have lost that ideal in the last few years. We cannot force others to do what we want without giving them the same right to tell us what they want us to be.
A vast majority of us have heard ‘false’ things about others from our friends, news, social media, or our knowledge of others, and we instantly form opinions about others. As responsible individuals, we must strive to strip stereotyping and build pathways to ensure our society is functioning smoothly.
We need to reassure each other, loudly and clearly, that together as Indians, and we must commit to safeguarding every Indian’s lifestyle, however different that maybe. Together as Indians, we must uphold, protect, defend, and celebrate the values enshrined in our Constitution, a guarantor of the way of life for each one of us.
Let me state this clearly, “My peace and tranquility hinges on the peace of people around me,” and “My safety is tied to the security of people around me.” It behooves me to build societies where all are secure; it guarantees my security and a tension free life.
As we learn to respect others’ otherness and accept the God-given uniqueness of each one of us, conflicts fade, and solutions emerge.
(The author is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism. He is a speaker, thinker, author, consultant, pluralist, activist, a newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions to the media, public, and policymakers. More at www.TheGhousediary.com)
The history of Sikhism starts from the Blessed Advent of Sree Guru Nanak Sahib, in circa 1469, in Talwandi region, then part of a much larger India. His Tenets include Truthful living, humility, liberty, equality, justice, compassion, honest earning, serving the needy selflessly and protecting the weak and the meek. All this, he said would be tantamount to a Divine Life and real, true, actual worship and attainment of God and fulfillment of the purpose of human-birth.
For over a thousand years, this region was invaded by a small bunch of horse-riders, from Mongolia, Persia, Afghanistan, and the like. Taimur, Ghazni, Ghori, Nadir Shah, Abdali are a few of those invaders, who plundered Hindu Temples, looted gold, took women and children as slaves, killed everyone who crossed their path.
And then appeared a man on earth, the likes of whom are seen, once in a millennium. Guru Nanak Sahib confronted Babur, an invader who established his empire on Indian soil. Guru Nanak Ji’s Divine ambrosial words were adequate to transform a ruthless mass-murderer into one who fell at the Guru’s feet, pledging to rule with justice. Babur sought a boon of ruling for several generations and Guru Nanak Sahib granted it and it came to fruition for seven generations, exactly during the lifetime of ten Divine Gurus.
The Divine Preceptor of ONENESS of humanity traversed 27,000 miles, across various continents, in 25 years of his 70 years’ sojourn on this planet, during which he reformed several tyrannical rulers, vociferously advocated human rights and women’s rights, brought about social revolution, by speaking out against slavish mentality, superstitious belief system, hollow ritualistic practices, religious bigotry and suppression of the downtrodden social and economic classes.
Guru Nanak Ji was the pioneer, enunciating the cause of Inter-Religious Peace and Harmony.
Guru Arjan Sahib and Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib attained martyrdom for the cause of Freedom of Religion and Interfaith acceptance and harmonious coexistence.
Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, tenth Spiritual Master, sacrificed his entire family including four sons, all under 17, fighting the tyrannical regimes, bent upon annihilating the Freedom of Religion, Culture and Traditions.
During these five centuries, hundreds of thousands of Sikhs have performed the supreme sacrifice of life, for the protection of their motherland.
They have been in the forefront against marauding invaders and the oppressive British regime. The maximum number of those exiled from India or those executed by the British, after fake trials, were Sikhs.
Illustrious Martyrs include Bhagat Singh, who instilled courage in the masses by kissing the gallows, as a reward for serving the cause of India’s freedom. Udham Singh, avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre perpetrated by the British, after twenty-one years, and was also hanged.
Heroic Sikh soldier Air Marshall Arjan Singh
Sikh regiments and battalions have served the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces, worldwide, whether in war-torn countries or civil-wars, and in regions ravaged by natural calamities as famines, floods, droughts or earthquakes.
Fighting in the World Wars, as part of the British Indian Army, the highest number of “exceptional gallantry” Awards from the British Empire were bestowed upon the Sikhs. The epic saga of twenty-one Sikhs attaining martyrdom facing ten thousand Tribal Afghans is unparalleled in world history.
The role of the Sikhs in the Liberation of France is well recognized.
Today, the Sikhs reside in several countries and have made a mark for themselves, in various spheres of endeavor.
Heroic Sikh soldier Lt. General J.S. Aurora
The Sikhs, whether in India or while living as law-abiding citizens and contributing significantly to the economic growth of their adopted nations of abode, have maintained strong connections with their land of origin. The foreign exchange remittances, to India, from the Sikhs are exemplary, in rejuvenating the Indian economy.
Whether the armed forces or politics,
science and technology, business or various professions, the arts or sports, Sikhs have excelled unproportionately, in correlation to their very negligible percentage of the world populace.
Revered Saint Bhagat Puran Singhji, personally, served the residents in a leprosy-home which he established. Being an epitome of humility and selfless service, he refused to be nominated for the Nobel Prize.
Giani Zail Singh was President of India.
To name a few luminaries : Dr. Manmohan Singh (Prime Minister of India) Zail Singh (President of India) Air Marshal Arjan Singh, Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora (effected the surrender of ninety thousand Pakistan army personnel) Bhai Mohan Singh (industrialist, Founder of Ranbaxy pharmaceuticals)
Dr. Manmohan Singh remained Prime Minister of India for a decade
Amrita Pritam (poet par excellence) The ‘Flying-Sikh’ Milkha Singh (Olympian sprinter) Ajaypal Singh Banga (CEO, Mastercard) Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany (inventor of fiber-optics) Capt. Tania Shergill, the youngest Adjutant and the only lady to become the Parade-Adjutant, on India’s Republic Day, 2020.
Yogi Harbhajan Singh Khalsa was the Preacher of Sikhism in the Western Hemisphere, where the Sikh universal doctrine has been embraced by people from various races and those having different religious and cultural affiliations.
There are several Sikh parliamentarians in various countries. Gurbax Singh Malhi, elected to the Canadian Parliament in 1992, created history, when laws had to be amended, to accommodate a turban- wearing member to sit in the Parliament.
In the scenario of the post 911 tragedy, several Sikhs were murdered and bore the brunt of hate crimes, due to the mistaken-identity syndrome, but succeeded through relentless endeavors, to enhance awareness about the Sikhs.
During the current global pandemic, the Divine Guru’s teachings of compassionate sharing, came to the fore, when millions of people were served with edibles, medicines, clothing, shelter and all essential services.
During the unprecedented lockdown, several governments officially requested the Sikhs to prepare food in Gurdwaras, to be served to individuals, as well as to be sent to hospitals and other institutions for the old and the infirm, orphans, and economically weaker sections.
The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to New York based Ajaypal Singh Banga, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 28, 2016.
Wherever the Sikhs reside, they assimilate extraordinarily well, in the mainstream life of any nation, culturally, politically, socially, economically, lending a spiritual and ethically sublime touch to all that they are involved in or are called upon to do.
In 2017, Kamala D. Harris was sworn in as a United States Senator for California, the second African-American woman and first South Asian-American senator in history. She serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the Budget.
The Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden has selected as his running mate for VP, Senator Kamala D. Harris who is of Indian origin (her mother is a Tamilian). Fathered by a black Jamaican, Kamala is black.
The Indian Panorama decided to have the view of readers on her selection as a candidate for the second highest office of the most powerful nation in the world.
It is a mixed bag of approval and disapproval.
Here is what the readers said.
New Jersey based senior journalist Ashok Ojha
“A proud moment awaits all Indian-Americans who might see Democratic candidates, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, as the winners in the November election. Should they win we will see Kamala Harris, a woman of color and of Indian origin, as the Vice President of USA. If it happens it would be the first time in the history of USA.
The majority of Indian-Americans are of progressive bend that aligns with the personality of Kamala. For this reason alone, majority of Indian Americans may vote for Democrats in the forthcoming presidential election.
Senator Kamala currently serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the Budget. She possesses all the experiences needed to function as the Vice-President of USA. She has the experience working as a top law enforcement officer since 2003 as California’s Attorney General.
I wish to see Kamala elected as she possesses the kind of character it requires to stand up to the powerful. She resolved to spend her life advocating for those who could not defend themselves.
As the VP of the most powerful nation of the world I expect her to be fair and objective while dealing with India. It would be up to the Indian leader to take advantage of the Vice-Presidential office where someone of Indian origin would be sitting.”
Community activist , Long Island based Real Estate broker Anu Jain
“Kamala Harris is the best choice in the era of Black Lives Matter. As the daughter of immigrants who came to this country as students and became civil rights activists, she is a woman of diversity at a time when we need diverse voices in leadership. Because of her background she understands the tapestry of America. Her experiences and past will inspire Americans.
By selecting Harris, Biden has most definitely made history. As the first Black and first Indian American woman on a national ticket, she is going to be transformational and will energize the base. And, if they win, she will help change the view of women in politics forever. But this election is about one, and only one, person — Donald Trump. Harris’ selection has definitely put Trump’s campaign in a hard spot.”
Morgantown, WV based eminent ophthalmologist Dr. VK Raju
“Yes, we are proud and elated that Kamala Harris is selected to the vice-presidential ticket of the democratic party.
It’s an honor for every one of us. It is a historical and an outstanding achievement and The American dream is quite alive!
In spite of her extraordinary busy schedule, she has written two non-fiction books and one children’s book.
She is tough and tender which is a rare and exceptional quality.
On the other hand, we will be even prouder if we clean up Mata River Ganga. (like they did river Thames.) Today, river Thames is the cleanest river that flows through a major city. This was a major accomplishment considering that fifty years ago, the river was so polluted that it was declared biologically dead. May I add, we will be profoundly proud when we change the life of a young girl in India. Band aid changes will not do; real implementation of the promises of the leaders in public is needed. Then, sky is the limit for India!”
Washington DC based Community activist and promoter of pluralism Mike Ghouse
“Congratulations to Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and the Democratic Party for selecting the right candidate. Biden made his first right decision by selecting Kamala Harris as his running mate. She will be one of the best VP’s America ever had.
Kamala will change the role of Vice-presidency and be more active in domestic politics, and most certainly, she will not be a docile poodle like Pence. Kamala will stand her ground; we needed a VP who can say no to the president; she will be the one.
Is there an Indian who has not read about Kamala Harris? I have lapped up everything that came across about Kamala. She makes us proud of being an Indian American, she and our Indian American Congressmen give us hope and are the role models for the next generation.
Sen. Harris is progressive and inclusive. She will not buy into the prejudices that hold the nation back. Her intellectualism is a breath of fresh air; indeed, it is worth watching her grill Judge Bret Kavanaugh and attorney general nominee William Barr.
She is the perfect candidate for Vice-president and I will be voting for her and possibly campaign, as I did for Obama. By the way, I am an independent voter.
I have run into her several times in the Hart Senate Building, and her office is the first office as you enter the building. I have given her my book American Muslim Agenda, a book about building a cohesive America.
One of the questions that haunt me is to find out if Kamala Harris had faced exclusion from the Indian American community while growing up, as her father was black. Indian Americans are still struggling with racism, casteism, and prejudices.
Kamala Harris will undoubtedly work for stronger ties with India, provided Modi Bhai gets his act together. She will not tolerate Modi’s hatred for fellow Indians who are Christians and Muslims.
The blind Modi Worshippers will work hard for Trump as their racism aligns with Trumps’. The Good news is they are a few of them, and it will not make a dent.
Kamala owes an apology to the Sikh community for how she opposed the Turbans in the police force while she was the Attorney General of California.
I am not voting for Kamala, because she is of Indian Origin, I have been a fan of hers since I watched her grill Kavanaugh and Barr. She will be a great vice-President.”
New Jersey based businessman and a community activist Dave Makkar
“Kamala Harris has created history by being the 3rd woman , 1st Black & 1st Indian American to be running for Vice President of America. Being an American, I am proud of my country that after electing its first Black President in 2008 we are definitely moving beyond race, religion & gender.
Then as an Indian American, I have mixed feelings for Kamala’s candidacy. She always claims that she & her sister were raised by her mother, who was from India, as Black. That’s the most admirable thing about her for identifying herself with both cultures. The most disturbing well-known fact about her that she used her sexuality to ride to the top in politics. An unfair means to grab power. I don’t care about her sexual preferences but it is unethical & unfair just like the use of money or muscle power to grab power. Lot of male politicians had affairs and mistresses but they never used it to ride to the top. Fair competition is the foundations of democracy. If women rise to the top by sleeping with people in power the democratic system will no longer be supported by people of talent and principles. Such people are flash only with no substance and lack ideological compass. Use of money power, muscle power or sexuality in politics is worst for a country & its citizen. Live example is the plight of Indians currently ruled by politicians with flash only, no substance and total lack of ideological compass. They gained power by using muscle power, money power and religion.
Kamala being an opportunist lacks political ideology, always combine her flash with her killer political instinct. She adopted Bernie Sander’s policies to claim she believes in progressive left policies and then abandoned him to claim she is a moderate when she ran for President!. Even before the first vote was cast for primaries; she abandoned her bid for President after major flip flops in debates. Her flip flops, low poll numbers & even rock bottom Black votes during primaries will be a drag on Biden. Biden who is famous for his gaffes for over 4 decades in Washington; lately his gaffes have become a serious matter of concern about his health. If elected he will be of Regan’s age when he left office. That is a matter of grave concerns; Kamala with hardly any political ideology and stamina for political fights that she can take over as President if the need arises. So the voters should keep all these things in their mind when they will vote to Elect the President of the most cherished and powerful democracy in the world; United States of America!”
Long Island, New York based political analyst and commentator Vibhuti Jha
“Congratulations to Senator Kamala Harris for her nomination to Mr. Biden’s ticket for the position of the Vice President. It’s proverbially known as a position that is a heartbeat away from Presidency! No VP candidate has drawn bigger attention as she has done and there are good reasons to analyze in that regard. She will give a much-needed flamboyance to the Biden campaign and as a former Attorney General of California she brings with her an enormous ability to argue a position as anyone can do. She is the best of all available option except perhaps for Ms. Warren, perhaps.
That said , we Indians need not go mushy or sentimental or emotional about her “Indian” heritage ! She is not an ABCD since she carefully crafted her future as a black woman and her entire political career is woven around the identity of her black color. Her mother is a Tamil Brahmin and that’s where her things Indian ends. What we must bear in mind relates to her position on matters relating to India and that is not a positive given her past statements against laws passed in Indian parliament with overwhelming mandate.
In any case , the position of Vice President is vital in this election given Mr. Biden is almost 78 and thus the VP has to be battle ready from day one. I am of the opinion , that since Mr. Biden is a one term President, he might choose to step down ( for a variety of reasons) mid-way to pave way for the first ever ascent to the Presidency by a woman in America! Highly probable !
Mr. Biden will lose or win based entirely on his performance! His policy pronouncements have been remarkably anti-India and thus , Indians would do well to vote Trump whose policies have been truly pro India. For the first ever time , US and India have taken joint action to hit China for its Wuhan virus and border attacks by banning Chinese app makers. The battle has just begun. Democrats , Biden and his son have had murky financial equations with China !
Beware Indians of the Democrats in this 2020 elections. Do nothing that hurts our country of origin !”
Dr. A. D. Amar , President, Indian-Americans for Trump
“The Kamala Harris selection by Biden to be his running mate has a lot of significance for the Indian-Americans, some positive, some negative. It will excite many Indian-Americans. This is the closest India has come to the Oval Office. With Biden being 77-year old and she 55, there is a very good chance that she could be the president during Biden’s first term, if there is a Biden win.
However, there is a lot of negative in the Indian-Americans for her. Until she was contesting for the President, during the Democratic primary season, she had not associated herself with the Indian-American population. That is why, at a debate podium, questions were raised to her about her being of Indian heritage and hiding it. That opened this issue for her. Several reporters, since, asked her openly about her not espousing her Indian descent. It was only then that she accepted her Indian blood.
I am sure this question will come to haunt her during the presidential campaign. Both Indian-Americans and the Trump-supporting reporters will not let it die. No matter what, this lack of her association with her Indian heritage will have some negative effect on the Indian-American votes for Biden.
This election cycle, the Indian-Americans for Trump has been expecting a big turnout of the Indian-Americans for Trump, some of which will be dampened. Nevertheless, Harris’ selection by Biden will send negative vibes among the black voters. While many of them may not vote for Trump, the lack of enthusiasm for the Biden-Harris ticket will keep them home on the election day.
Nevertheless, Trump will still win hands down. The Indian Americans for Trump will make sure of it.”
Queens, New York based community and political activist Malini Shah
“Kamala Harris is the right choice and would make a great Vice President .She brings with her stability, steadiness and diversity .Very experience and fights for rights of all communities.”
Long Island, New York based veteran community leader Indu Jaiswal
“ I am extremely delighted that Kamala Harris has been nominated by the Democratic Party for Vice President Position. She is of Indian Origin. Hence , she makes all proud. She is a good choice. Wishing her all the best.”
FORDS, NJ (TIP): The Federation of Indian Association of NY, NJ, CT (FIA Tristate) hosted a welcome reception on Aug. 7, 2020 for Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, the newly appointed Consul General of India in New York, at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords, New Jersey.
It was an intimate affair due to New Jersey state and local restrictions and regulations on gatherings.
FIA leadership, prominent members of the Indian American community and members of the press attended the event. Guests networked and mingled with each other, observing social distancing guidelines.
Ambassador Randhir Jaiswal and Deputy Consul General Shatrughna Sinha with FIA leadership
Andy Bhatia, member of the FIA Board of Trustees, compered the evening. FIA leaders including President Anil Bansal, Chairman Ankur Vaidya, senior advisors Dr. Sudhir S. Parikh and Dr. H. R. Shah, among others, welcomed Consul General Jaiswal and Deputy Consul General Shatrughna Sinha.
Dr. V. K. Raju, founder and president of the Eye Foundation of America, spoke eloquently about the importance of vision and the role his organization plays in restoring vision for the underprivileged community in India and around the world.
Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, Chief Editor of The Indian Panorama who spoke on the occasion was appreciative of FIA’s tremendous contribution in forging the spirit of nationalism among the Indian American community through the India Day Parade to commemorate the Independence Day of India, and hoped that the 50th annual India Day parade next year will attract bigger crowds and prove to be historic. He also spoke of the need for greater cooperation between the Consulate and community organizations, in particular with the FIA which he said, is the most representative organization of the Indian American community.
Mahesh Bhagia (right), chairman of the Edison Democratic Party, delivering a Proclamation from the State Assembly to Consul General Jaiswal. Also seen in the picture, from L to R: H.R. Shah and FIA President Anil Bansal
Mahesh Bhagia, chairman of the Edison Democratic Party, delivered a Proclamation from the State Assembly to Consul General Jaiswal.
Dipak Patel, FIA Board of Trustees, introduced the Consul General. Prior to being appointed the Consul General of India in New York, Jaiswal was the Joint Secretary cum Social Secretary to the President of India Ramnath Kovind. A 1998 Indian Foreign Service officer, Jaiswal headed the foreign affairs office of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and advised the President on India’s foreign policy. Prior to that he served as the Consul General of India in Johannesburg in South Africa.
In his address, Consul General Jaiswal thanked the FIA for a warm welcome, and acknowledged the contributions made by the community in various fields. “The Indian story all over the world is very engrossing, very deep” he said. “It is a story that carries a message of peace and harmony.” Consul General Jaiswal lauded the FIA for putting a stamp on New York City with its flagship India Day Parade “which has become iconic, not just in New York and in this country, but all over the world.”
Consul General Jaiswal noted that the Indian American story is that of “peace and progress,” as well as a story of “sharing and caring for others.” And that, he said, is what defines the community and has also become its identity. He urged the community to keep playing a pivotal role in “strengthening the friendship between the U.S. and India, which is going to be a defining pathway of the century.” He said he is looking forward to the time when the Indian American community “will have a stronger imprint of our strength, of our hard work, of our identity, culture, color, and vibrancy, in this country and everywhere else.
He said he seemed the community’s support and wishes, as he “carries out his responsibilities as a representative of the Government of India.” The Consulate will “have an engaging relationship with the FIA,” he said, and added that during this time of the pandemic “we have to see how to hold each other’s hands and see how best we can help each other.”
FIA ladies with Ambassador and FIA President Photos / Paresh Gandhi -Gunjesh Desai
He said he looks forward to interacting with the Indian American community which is full of “great ideas and great energy.” He said the Consulate General of Indian in New York is “looking forward to supporting the FIA support next year when it will celebrate 50 years. He said, he, along with his college Deputy Consul General Sinha and the entire team in New York is “ere for you whenever you need us.
Consul General Jaiswal’s first introduction to prominent members of the community was on July 19, a few hours after his arrival in New York. He administered the oath of office to FIA’s new executive committee. “No sooner than I arrived in New York, I had the opportunity to engage with a few members of the Indian American community when I swore-in the new FIA team,” he said.
Doctors and medical professionals have been the front line Covid warriors. No amount of appreciation is enough for these warriors.
NEW DELHI (TIP): President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday, August 14, said India believes in peace but is capable of giving a befitting response to any attempt of aggression as was displayed during the Galwan Valley clashes when “some in our neighborhood tried to carry out the misadventure of expansion”.
In his address to the nation on the eve of the 74th Independence Day, President Kovind did not name China but hailed Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives while fighting Chinese troops on the Ladakh border for “national pride”.
The President noted that as the coronavirus has demolished the “illusion’ that humans are the masters of nature and talked about the various lessons of 2020.
He noted that Independence Day celebrations would be restrained this year but complimented the Narendra Modi government in “anticipating the tremendous challenge, responding effectively and well in time”.
Commenting on the construction of the temple at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, he said it was “a moment of pride for all” and complimented citizens for their “patience, restraint and the unflinching trust in the judiciary”.
Speaking about the self-reliance or ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative launched by Prime Minister Modi, Mr. Kovind said India’s self-reliance means being self-sufficient without alienating or creating distance from the world. India will continue to engage with the world economy while maintaining its identity, he said.
“The world now realizes what our sages had said long ago: the global community is but one family: Vasudhaiv kutumbakam. However, even while the world community needs to fight together against the greatest challenge before humanity [COVID-19], some in our neighborhood tried to carry out their misadventure of expansion,” he said without naming China.
“Our brave soldiers laid down their lives defending our borders. Those worthy sons of Bharat Mata lived and died for national pride. The entire nation salutes the martyrs of Galwan Valley… Their bravery in combat has demonstrated that while we believe in peace, we are also capable of giving a befitting response to any attempt of aggression. We are proud of the members of our Armed Forces, paramilitary forces and police personnel who protect the borders, and ensure our internal security,” he added.
Talking about the COVID-19 pandemic, the President said the nation is indebted to doctors, nurses and other health workers who have been “the frontline of COVID warriors and many of whom have lost their lives in fighting the virus”.
“For a country so vast and diverse with high population density, meeting this challenge requires super-human efforts. All State governments took measures in accordance with local circumstances. People also supported whole-heartedly. With our committed efforts, we have succeeded in containing the magnitude of the pandemic and saving a large number of lives. This is worth emulating by the wider world,” he said.
The President complimented the government for introducing the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to “enable crores of people to earn their livelihood and mitigate the impact of job-loss, dislocation and disruption caused by the pandemic”.
“The needy are being given free food grains, so that no family goes hungry. The largest free food distribution programme in the world has been extended till the end of November 2020 to provide succor to about 80 crore people every month,” he said, adding that daily wage earners have been the hardest hit by the pandemic.
Talking about the lessons of 2020, the President said it was still not too late for humanity to correct its course and live in harmony with nature and ensure “that 21st century is remembered as the century when humanity put aside differences and collaborated to save the planet”.
“Coronavirus does not recognize any artificial divisions created by human society. This reinforces the belief that we need to rise above all manmade differences, prejudices, and barriers,” he said while referring to the second lesson from the pandemic.
Augmenting public health infrastructure and the need to accelerate developments in science and technology are the other lessons.
“During the lockdown and subsequent unlocking, information and communication technology has emerged as an effective tool for governance, education, business, office work and social connect. It has helped meet the twin objectives of saving lives and resumption of activities,” he said, highlighting how the judiciary and even the Rashtrapati Bhavan had been using a virtual interface to discharge their functions.
The President referred to the anxieties among students because of closure of educational institutions but urged them to work on their dreams as difficult times will not last and mentioned the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as a right step toward youth empowerment.
“When India won freedom, many predicted that our experiment with democracy will not last long. They saw our ancient traditions and rich diversity as hurdles in democratization of our polity. But we have always nurtured them as our strengths that make the largest democracy in the world so vibrant. India has to continue playing its leading role for the betterment of humanity,” Mr. Kovind said while complimenting citizens for maturely dealing with the pandemic and urging them act maturely and responsibly in future.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic party’s vice-presidential nominee, has said that once elected the Joe Biden administration will create millions of jobs, fight climate change and build an affordable care act among various other strong initiatives for the welfare of Americans.
Hitting hard on the three and half years of the Trump administration during her first appearance after being picked as the vice-presidential nominee of the Democratic party on Tuesday, Harris, 55, presented a long list of missteps taken by the current US government.
“As Biden-Harris Administration, we will create millions of jobs and fight climate change through a clean energy revolution, bring back critical supply chains so the future is made in America, build on the Affordable Care Act so everyone has the peace of mind that comes with health insurance, and finally offer caregivers the dignity, the respect, and the pay they deserve,” she said.
“We’ll protect a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her own body, root out systemic racism in our justice system, and pass a new Voting Rights Act, a John Lewis Voting Rights Act, that will ensure every voice is heard and every voice is counted,” Harris added.
During her speech alongside Biden, Harris said the case of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence is open and she has worked every day to hold the officials accountable to the American people.
“Let me tell you, as somebody who has presented my fair share of arguments in court, the case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut,” said Harris.
“And the people are who Joe and I will fight for every day in the White House,” she said.
During the speech, she mentioned a lot of sectors where the current administration has created a complete mess.
“Just look where they’ve gotten us. More than 16 million out of work, millions of kids who cannot go back to school, a crisis of poverty, of homelessness afflicting black, brown, and indigenous people the most, a crisis of hunger afflicting one in five mothers, who have children that are hungry, and tragically, more than 165,000 lives that have been cut short, many with loved ones who never got the chance to say goodbye,” she said.
“It didn’t have to be this way. Six years ago, in fact, we had a different health crisis. It was called Ebola. And we all remember that pandemic. But you know what happened then? Barack Obama and Joe Biden did their job. Only two people in the United States died, two,” Harris said.
That is what’s called leadership, she told the audience.
“But compare that to the moment we find ourselves in now. When other countries are following the science, Trump pushed miracle cures he saw on Fox News. While other countries were flattening the curve, he said the virus would just, poof, go away like a miracle,” she alleged.
She said it was due to the fault of the Trump administration that the US had to shut down various of its regions again while other countries were opening up.
“So when other countries open back up for business what did we do? We had to shut down again. This virus has impacted almost every country, but there’s a reason it has hit America worse than any other advanced nation,” she said.
Harris alleged that it is because of Trump’s failure to take it seriously from the start.
“His refusal to get testing up and running, his flip-flopping on social distancing and wearing masks, his delusional belief that he knows better than the experts. All of that is the reason, and the reason that an American dies of COVID-19 every 80 seconds,” she said.
“It’s why countless businesses have had to shut their doors for good. It’s why there is complete chaos over when and how to reopen our schools. Mothers and fathers are confused and uncertain and angry about childcare, and the safety of their kids at school, whether they’ll be in danger if they go or fall behind if they don’t. Trump is also the reason millions of Americans are now unemployed. He inherited the longest economic expansion in history from Barack Obama and Joe Biden,” she said.
Harris said that this is what happens when one elects a person “who just isn’t up for the job”.
“Our country ends up in tatters, and so does our reputation around the world. But let’s be clear. This election isn’t just about defeating Donald Trump or Mike Pence. It’s about building this country back better, and that’s exactly what Joe and I will do,” she said.
She said the Biden-Harris administration will ensure equality for the people of America.
“The civil rights struggle is nothing new to Joe. It’s why he got into public service. It’s why he helped reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and restore unemployment discrimination–and employment discrimination laws. And today, he takes his place in the ongoing story of America’s march toward equality and justice as only–as the only, as the only who has served alongside the first black president and has chosen the first black woman as his running mate,” Harris said.
DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the Indian National Flag at the Red Fort to mark the 74th Independence Day of India. In his address following the flag hoisting Prime Minister paid tributes to freedom fighters and security forces. He then expressed the nation’s gratitude to Corona commandos- doctors and nurses who, at grave risk to their lives, worked to save precious human lives, adding “We will achieve victory over coronavirus with resolve of people of country”.
Coronavirus may be a big challenge but not so big as to stop India’s march towards self-reliance, said Modi.
Prime Minister reassured full support to citizens affected by natural calamities and disasters.
Touching upon his favorite theme of self-reliance (Atma Nirbhar), he said “In midst of coronavirus pandemic, Indians resolve to become ‘self-reliant’; this is not a word but mantra for all people. It is necessary for us to prepare ourselves to make India self-reliant.”
India’s share in world economy should increase for which we have to be self-reliant, he said.
“For how long India will export raw materials and import finished products? Country has to become self-reliant. We have to go beyond reducing our imports”, PM Narendra Modi said.
While we focus on economic growth and development, humanity must retain a central role in this process.
Mindset today should be ‘vocal for local’. Today, many big companies of world are turning to India: PM Modi on Indian economy
I am confident that measures like opening up space sector will generate many new employment opportunities for our youth.
Self-sufficient India means not only reducing imports, but also increasing our skills, our creativity.
We have to move forward with mantra of ‘Make in India’ as well as ‘Make for World’.
About 7,000 projects of different sectors have been identified to bring new revolution in infrastructure.
We have to remove silos and entire country has to move towards multi-modal connectivity infrastructure.
About Rs 90,000 crore directly transferred to bank accounts of poor; over 80 crore people provided free food grains: PM Modi
Seven crore poor families were given free gas cylinders.
Self-reliant India has an important priority — self-sufficient agriculture sector and self-reliant farmers.
An agriculture infrastructure fund of Rs 1 lakh crore has been created to give modern infrastructure to farmers.
Over one lakh households are being provided drinking water under Jal Jeevan mission.
Middle-class has potential and wants new opportunities
We have decided to connect all 600,000 villages with optical fiber within 1,000 days.
New education policy aims to connect our children with their roots while making them global citizens.
PM Modi announced launch of national digital health mission .From today, all Indians will get health IDs, he said. National Digital Health Mission will bring a new revolution in India’s health sector.
Three corona vaccines are in various stages of trial in India; large-scale production will begin once we get nod from scientists, he disclosed. “Our roadmap to bring corona vaccine to all Indians in shortest possible time is ready”.
Modi announced that India is committed to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir once delimitation exercise is completed. It was a year of a new development journey for Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
Just as Sikkim has made its mark as an organic state, efforts are being made to make Ladakh a carbon neutral region.
A special campaign with a holistic approach is also being worked out to reduce pollution in 100 selected cities of country.
Touching upon border incursions and aggressions by neighbors, without naming a country, Modi said “Those who challenge India’s sovereignty, be it LOC or LAC, have been given a befitting reply in their own language”. “What India can do, world has seen it in Ladakh”, he said.
Respect for India’s sovereignty is supreme for us. Today, neighbors are not only those with whom we share our geographical boundaries but also those with whom our hearts meet.
In next 1,000 days, Lakshadweep will also be connected with high-speed internet, he announced. .
We are expanding NCC in border areas; special training will be provided to about one lakh new NCC cadets.
