Month: November 2020

Millions of Livelihoods at Stake Amid Covid-19

‘CAA, Riots, Love Jihad… Where Will The Hounding Stop?’

By LokMarg

Farheen Zaidi, 22, a student of Fine Arts in Delhi, says with millions of livelihoods at stake amid Covid-19, our leaders should redefine their priorities, and not constantly target one community

Where do I even begin? I don’t understand what is going on in our country for the past few years. First, the stalemate over Citizenship Amendment Act- and NRC, then the communal violence in Northeast Delhi and now a law against so called ‘love jihad’, which I do not even think, exists…

Where will this concerted and coordinated effort to target Muslims stop? Till a few years ago, the Hindu-Muslim rivalry was a one-off thing and people used to take extreme steps in the heat of the moment. But now it’s like this rivalry recurring periodically. There’s a constant undercurrent of hatred running in India these days.

Even the November 11 High Court order that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Ji had cited to justify ‘love jihad’ law earlier, has now been overturned. The HC now says that it was ‘bad law’ and two consenting adults have the freedom to choose the way they want to conduct their lives. Love is a matter of the heart, how can it be governed by law?

I wonder if the people who talk about ‘love jihad’ even understand the meaning of love. It takes so much for people to be able to find another person who understands them well and how can they be judged by people who don’t even know them? If conversion has been done forcibly, be they of any religion, then the government can step in, but one can’t assume that people will behave a certain way and take pre-emptive measures.

ALSO READ: ‘Love Jihad Law Kills Beti Bachao Spirit’

Shouldn’t the government be worrying about and working upon handling the pandemic, or soon there will be no people left to fall in love with each other or marry. So many people have lost their jobs and livelihood because of the pandemic, and I feel the government should really give its priorities a rethink.

Farheen believes addressing loss of livelihoods amid Covid-19 must be a priority for leaders

This is not the time for people to feel hatred for each other. We all need each other to see ourselves through the coronavirus crisis. Our faiths should help us become better people and help each other and we need to fight coronavirus together. I sometimes feel sad about how we have changed as a country. When I was in school a few years ago, we had many friends from other faiths, but now just a few years later when I am still in college, our social circle has shrunk considerably. There is this whole ‘Hindu-Muslim’ talk going on always.

Sometimes I feel if the matter of ‘love jihad’ is so serious why doesn’t Modiji talk about it in his ‘Man Ki Baat’? He could give us examples when cases of people marrying someone just for the sake of converting them has come to light and talk about those cases from all angles. That could be the beginning of a serious dialogue on the topic, but in my life I have personally seen no such incident and feel it is a just a bogeyman of an issue.

ALSO READ: ‘Love And Jihad Don’t Go Hand In Hand’

And if the law is brought in, the poor of the poorest will suffer; the rich will take to legal recourse. I hope better sense prevails and more thought is given to social harmony. When people are secure in their own faiths and identities they don’t even try to convert people to their ideas, forget changing their religion.

Whatever decision Yogi Ji and his counterpart in Bihar, Nitish Kumar Ji take in this matter will have far reaching implications for the rest of the country. I am waiting to see what Nitish Ji has to say in this matter as the Chief Minister of a state where there is a large Muslim population.

Punjab Farmer With Wheat Crop

Making Sense Of Central Farm Laws

By LokMarg

What are the three bills that have been enacted?

a.)   The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), b.) The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and c.) The Farm Services and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act

What do they propose to change?

The government says the new Acts are meant to boost the farm sector. Although more than 60% of the Indian population works in the agriculture sector (even more if those who depend indirectly on the sector are included), the farm sector’s contribution to GDP is just around 18%. The government believes the changes in farm laws will lead to private sector investments in the sector in building infrastructure and supply chains for farm produce to be distributed more efficiently through both domestically and for exports.

The government believes small farmers who cannot bargain for better prices for their produce and have no means to invest in technology will be helped by the new laws. And that they will help farmers to sell their produce outside the mandis that are regulated by the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC). That means farmers will have access to buyers who could pay higher prices.

Why are there protests against the new laws?

The protests by farmers, in Punjab and other states, is driven by fears that the government is using the laws to benefit private sector firms, including big corporations, which they feel could subvert the interests of the farmers by squeezing them on prices and, thereby, enforce control over farmers’ land, crop mixes, and, most of all, prices.

Farm Laws Give New Rights, Opportunities To Farmer: PM

By LokMarg

In a bid to allay fears of farmers who have been protesting against the new farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the agricultural reforms have opened the doors of new opportunities for farmers and gave them more rights.

“Recent agri-reforms have opened the doors of new opportunities for farmers. Decades-old demands of farmers which were promised by many political parties have now been met. Parliament has recently passed farm reform laws after rigorous brainstorming. These reforms have not only broken shackles of farmers but have also given new rights and opportunities to them,” PM Modi said while addressing the nation in the 71st edition of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

“Under this law, it is mandatory to pay farmers within three days of purchasing the produce. If payment is not made, then the farmer can lodge a complaint. Another major provision is that the SDM of the area must address the complaint of the farmer within one month,” he said.

Explaining the benefits of the new agriculture laws, the Prime Minister cited an example from Maharashtra’s Dhule who got his dues after filing a complaint with the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

“You should know how Jitendra Bhoiji, a farmer in Dhule, Maharashtra used these new farms laws. He produced maize and decided to sell it to traders at the right price. The total amount agreed at was around Rs 3.32 lakh. He got Rs 25,000 in advance,” he said.

“It was agreed that he will get the remaining amount in 15 days but he didn’t get the payment. He filed a complaint and got his dues within a few days,” he said.

The Prime Minister requested the youth especially those studying agriculture to go to nearby villages and make farmers aware about modern farming and recent farm reforms. “By doing this, you will become a partner in big change that is happening in the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s comments came even as hundreds of farmers continue to camp in and around the national capital as part of their agitation against the Centre’s agricultural laws. Farmers from various states have embarked on ‘Dilli Chalo’ march to protest against the three farm laws.

Reaching out to protesting farmers, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on Saturday said the Central government was ready to hold talks on their “every problem and demand”.

He urged the farmers, who are protesting against three farm laws enacted recently, to shift to Nirankari Samagam Ground marked for their protest by Delhi Police and said the Centre was ready to talk to them earlier than December 3.

The Tikri border has been opened to enable farmers to proceed to the ground marked for their protest against the three laws — the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)

Farmers Continue Protests, Refuse To Shift To Burari

By LokMarg

As farmers on Sunday continued their protest against the Central farm laws at the Ghaziabad-Delhi border, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) asked why they were being appealed to shift their demonstration to Nirankari Samagam Ground in Burari on the outskirts of the national capital.

“Protests happen at Ramlila ground, then why should we go to Nirankari Bhawan, a private facility? We will stay put here today,” Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said while speaking to ANI.

This comes hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to the farmers’ union to gather on Nirankari Samagam Ground, saying the Centre was ready to hold talks even before the scheduled day of December 3.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened on the Delhi-Haryana border as farmers, who are opposing the farm laws, stayed put at the Delhi border points.

The farmers further said the government should come forward with an “open heart” and not with a “condition”.”Amit Shah ji has called for an early meeting on a condition; it is not good. He should have offered talks with an open heart without any condition. We’ll hold a meeting tomorrow (Sunday) morning to decide on our response,” said Jagjit Singh, BKU’s Punjab President, squatting at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana).

The Delhi administration has allotted the Burari ground to the farmers for protesting. While some hundred shifted there on Saturday morning after they were allowed to enter Delhi through Tikri border, thousand others are demanding that they be allowed to enter the heart of the city.

The Home Minister said that the Centre was ready to deliberate on every problem and demand of the farmers as soon as they move to the ground allocated by the Delhi Police. The farmers of Kisan Union Amristar said that if the government really wished to hear their problems, they can visit the farmers at the Singhu border.

“If the government really wants to hold talks, they should come to the Singhu border. This government does not want to talk to the farmers at all; they just want to show off in front of the country and show everyone that the farmers don’t want a dialogue. We want the farm laws to be scrapped, that is all,” Jaskaran Singh of Kisan Union Amristar said.

The farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, embarked on ‘Dilli Chalo’ march to protest against the three new farm laws.

The Tikri border with Haryana has been opened to enable the farmers to proceed to Nirankari Samagam Ground, marked for their protest by Delhi Police. (ANI)

A Tale Of Two Elections In Jammu & Kashmir

By LokMarg

The month of November has witnessed elections in two different parts of the former Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir. On November 15, elections were held in Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) wherevotes were cast to elect a puppet legislative assembly. And on November 28, Direct Development Council (DDC) elections were held in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time.

The DDC elections were held in order to elect representatives who would be in charge of development projects in their respective districts.

The GB elections were more of a ‘make-PTI-win’ by hook or crook exercise. Originally the elections were scheduled to be held in August. However, excuses were made regarding incomplete voters list and elections were postponed for three months.

Critics of Imran Khan are of the view that this was a manoeuvre to let winter set in so that far-flung regions in the mountainous region would be blocked due to snowfall thus making it impossible for voters to get to the far and few polling stations.

The DDC elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held for the first time in the history of the Union Territory. They are designed to devolve power and to transfer control of local development from a centralised UT government right down to the district level.

On the contrary, the GB elections were a power grab scam which enabled the federal government in Pakistan to ‘select’ a toothless rubber-stamp legislative assembly.

On election day, ballot boxes were stolen and ‘unknown’ gunmen armed with guns attacked more than one polling station in GB and allegedly replaced numerous ballot boxes with those which had already been filled with votes to make ‘selected’ PTI candidates win.

At least 1,700 postal votes were discovered in Astore which had mysteriously been stamped before the election date.

Despite vigorous election campaign run by Pakistan People’s Party leader Bilawal Zardari Bhutto and Maryam Nawaz of Pakistan-Muslim League Nawaz drawing the largest crowds at her public meetings in Gilgit and Skardu they only managed to bag 4 and 2 seats respectively. The PTI bagged 8.

It has been the norm in previous GB elections held in 2009 and 2013 that the party which formed government in Pakistan would win in GB as well.

However, this time around the poor performance of Imran Khan government in Pakistan, the lack of grass root party organisation in GB, the resentment against the declaration of turning GB into Pakistan’s fifth province and the resonance of the anti-military establishment public discontent displayed at several rallies held across the country under the banner ofPakistan Democratic Movement were decisive elements that everyone had realised would grossly dent PTI popularity, if any, in GB, and that the PTI would lose miserably.

However, today we have a PTI government in GB. This can only happen in Pakistan where the invisible hand of Pakistani military establishment works in mysterious ways. But the people of GB have rejected the tampered election results and taken to the streets.

Violent protests set in across the land and in Gilgit and Skardu they continue for over a week. All major opposition parties have refused to accept the election results.

The DDC elections held on November 28 were held undisputed. Even the Gupkar gang did not raise a finger to challenge the transparency of the voting process. Electors in the valley came out in their droves to vote.

A 120-year-old woman was carried on the back of her great-grandchild to the pollingstation. Despite the bone-chilling cold and the fear of terrorist attempts to disrupt the polling, people came out and voted.

A glance at the percentage of votes might give us a better understanding of how seriously people took the DDC elections. In an interview with this scribe Sajid Yousaf Shah, CEO of The Real Kashmir News said that more people turned up at the polling stations in South Kashmir than North Kashmir.

This, he claimed, was of great significance since most of the violence and terrorism was previously attributed to the Southern part of the valley.

Perilously notorious trouble spots such as Kupwara, Shopian, Doda, Kathua and Samba to name a few, witnessed a turn out of 50.74 per cent, 42.58 per cent, 64.49 per cent, 62.82 per cent and 68.61 per cent respectively. The total overall turnout was recorded at 51.76 per cent.

No untoward incident was reported during the polling. This shows the resilience of the people of Kashmir who have been held hostages for seven decades by those who now comprise the Gupkar gang.

The politics of communal hate and insecurity are over or so it seems at least for now. The fact that people turn up at the polling stations in Jammu Kashmir is a testimony of approval of the abrogation of article 370 and 35A.

The second phase of the DDC elections will be held soon. This will include areas that were left out in the first phase. Unlike GB where elections have brought more repression of the colonial occupier, the DDC elections are to prove the steam engine for progress and prosperity.

The tale of two elections have brought about two opposing outcomes.

While DDC election in Jammu Kashmir will help the Union Territory to take long strides towards integrating its economic and political with the living body of Hindustan, in GB the struggle to free our people from the clutches of jihadist oppression and colonial slavery continues.

(The author is a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK — ANI)

Jacqueline Wraps Up HP Shoot Of ‘Bhoot Police’

By LokMarg

Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Sunday announced a wrap of the Dharamshala schedule of her next horror-comedy ‘Bhoot Police’ and shared a picture of herself holding a rose.

The ‘Kick’ actor along with actors Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor, and Yami Gautam were shooting for the horror-comedy in the mesmerising location here.

Dressed in a pink fur coat and matching cap, the ‘Judwaa 2’ star stood amid the rich flora of the hilly region. In the backdrop, one can catch a mesmerising view of the breathtakingly beautiful location, as the sun shines amid the shrubs.

Announcing a wrap on the film’s schedule from Dharmshala,the ‘Race 3’ star wrote in the caption, “Schedule wrap #dharamshala #bhootpolice what a crazy ride that was!!!! I’m missing the team already!! #saifalikhan @arjunkapoor @yamigautam @pavankirpalani @akshaipuri @rameshtaurani @tips @jaya.taurani @savleenmanchanda @shaanmu @abhishek4reel @marcepedrozo @travellingchef_sk @nat_chava @manishamelwani see you all soon!!!!”

Directed by Pavan Kirpalani, produced by Ramesh Taurani and Akshai Puri. The makers had earlier announced that the movie will be filmed in Dharamshala, Dalhousie, and Palampur. (ANI)

FDI Equity Inflow Rises 15% To $30bn In Apr-Sept 2020

By LokMarg

The FDI inflows in the country during the July-September quarter were US$28.1 billion and the FDI equity inflows during the first half of 2020-21 have shown 15 per cent growth in US dollar terms and 23 per cent growth in rupee terms, Commerce Ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry said in a release that August 2020 has been a significant month when US$ 17,487 Million FDI equity inflows were reported in the country.

“Total Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) inflows into India during the second quarter of financial year 2020-21 (July 2020 to September 2020) have been US$ 28,102 million out of which FDI equity inflows were US$ 23,441 million or Rs. 174,793 crore. This takes the FDI equity inflows during this financial year upto September 2020 to US$ 30,004 million which is 15 per cent more than the corresponding period of 2019-20. In rupee terms, the FDI equity inflows of Rs 224,613 crore are 23 per cent more than the last year,” the release said.

It said that in terms of the countries from where FDI equity inflows were reported to India during April 2000 to September 2020, maximum inflows have been reported from Mauritius, followed by Singapore and the US.

Among the sectors, services sector received maximum FDI equity inflows during April 2000 to September 2020 followed by Computer Software and Hardware and Telecommunications.

The release said that Gujarat has been the major beneficiary state of the FDI equity inflows from October 2019 to September 2020 followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka. (ANI)

PM Visits Serum Institute To Inspect Vaccine Preparedness

By LokMarg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Serum Institute of India in Pune as part of efforts to get a first-hand perspective of the preparations, challenges, and roadmap in India’s endeavour to vaccinate its citizens against COVID-19.

Earlier in the day, he visited Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad to know more about the indigenous DNA based vaccine being developed by Zydus Cadila.

He also visited Bharat Biotech facility at Hyderabad as part of his three-city visit to personally review the vaccine development and manufacturing process against COVID-19.

Serum Institute of India, the largest producer of vaccines in the world by volume, has partnered with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University for vaccine against COVID-19. (ANI)

Madhuri Gets Into ‘Shoot’ Mode For New Project

By LokMarg

Senior actor Madhuri Dixit Nene on Saturday expressed gratitude towards her profession as she shared a picture of herself reading the script of her upcoming project.

The ‘Dhak Dhak’ girl took to Instagram to share the picture that sees her smiling as she is immersed in reading the script ahead of the shoot.

She poured her feelings in the caption of the post as she expressed gratitude towards her job as an actor.

“Immersing & transforming yourself into a character is the most favorite part of my job. Forever grateful #HappyHolidays #ShootModeOn,” the 53-year-old actor wrote.

Fans of the actor flooded the post with several comments, while the picture received over 90 thousand likes within one hour of posting the picture. (ANI)

Naravane Chinese Army

‘Terrorists Desperate To Enter J&K, Disrupt Democracy’

By LokMarg

Army Chief General MM Naravane on Saturday said that terrorists across the border are making desperate attempts to infiltrate into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and disrupt normal democratic processes.

“With the ongoing situation on our western borders, terrorism continues to be a serious threat, and that is not abating in spite of all efforts made. There are terrorist launch pads and terrorists across the line of control (LoC) making desperate attempts to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir to disrupt normal democratic processes,” Naravane said in a press conference here.

He said that with the onset of winters, last-ditch attempts are being made to infiltrate before the passes close and level of snow make it impossible to cross over.

“It is because of this that they (terrorists) have started moving southwards and are now attempting to infiltrate through lower regions including tunnels across the international border,” Naravane said.

Earlier today, General Naravane reviewed the passing out parade of the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala for Autumn Term 2020. A total of 164 trainees comprising Midshipmen of 99th Indian Naval Academy Course (B Tech and MSc) and Cadets of 30th Naval Orientation Course (Extended) became officers on successful completion of their training.

Two trainees of the Sri Lanka Navy also completed their training. Various awards for the best cadets were also presented at the function.

Addressing the passing out parade, General Naravane urged the cadets to train hard to contain all challenges being faced by the country, saying, “for only then can our nation prosper”.

“Today, the country is facing challenges from all sides, some homegrown and some from outside. The armed forces are the strongest pillar in the defence of the country. While everything else may fail, we simply cannot,” General Naravane said.

“There are no runners up in war. The country looks up to us to deliver each and every time, whether it be a situation of war, response to natural calamities, breakdown of law and order or diplomatic missions,” he added. (ANI)