Congress Govt's Blasphemy related to Sethusamudram project

The controversy:

Quoting TOI: "In the midst of a political controversy over the Sethusamudram project, the Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that there was no historical evidence to establish the existence of Lord Rama or the other characters in Ramayana."

Opposition BJP blasted the Congress-led UPA government, accusing it of “blasphemy”. They mentioned that even Constitution of India contained images of Rama, Sita and Hanuman.

What is Blasphemy?

Blasphemy is the defamation of the name of one or more Gods. In a broader sense, blasphemy is irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable.

Many cultures disapprove of speech or writing which defames the deity or deities of their established religions and these restrictions have the force of law in some countries.

Blasphemy laws – nowadays often altered to include blasphemy regardless of religion – exist in several countries, such as in:

�        Austria (Articles 188, 189 of the penal code)

�        Denmark (Paragraph 140 of the penal code).

�        Finland (Section 10 of chapter 17 of the penal code)

�        Germany (Article 166 of the penal code, see also the Manfred van H. case)

�        Greece

�        Islamic Republic of Iran

�        Ireland

�        Iceland

�        Italy

�        The Netherlands (Article 147 of the penal code)

�        New Zealand (Section 123 of the Crimes Act 1961)

�        Norway (section 142 of the Norwegian Penal Code never applied).

�        Spain (Article 525 of the penal code)

�        Switzerland (Article 261 of the penal code)

�        The United Kingdom

In the third book of the Old Testament, Leviticus 24:16 states that those who speak blasphemy “shall surely be put to death”. Blasphemy in Islam constitutes speaking ill of any other prophet mentioned in the Quran. The Quran also states that it is blasphemy to claim that there is more than one God or that Jesus Christ (the son of Mary) is the son of God (5.017). Speaking ill of God is also blasphemy. In Islam, blasphemy is considered a sin.

What to infer from this case?

The point is, in order to prove that the Rama Setu had nothing to do with Rama, why did the government comment on Rama Himself? As a matter of fact, this government affidavit actually declares that:

- Sacred Hindu books like Ramayana have nothing in real, Hindu Gods are not real, and Hinduism is based on false stories. 

- All religions being practiced in India should request GOI and ASI to Certify themselves, whether they are based on historical proofs or not.

Why couldn't the government say, for example, "ASI is not able to find any proof", that the Rama Setu or Adam's Bridge "is connected to" Rama? Government it seems has not chosen the right words to say (or it has!).

The believers will say that the fact that ASI or any other organization has not been able to find a scientific proof behind something, doesn't make it "false". Plus, any government in a democratic country should respect the matters of faith.

Three Legislators and a System

The beauty of our Indian democratic system is: the moment you feel proud of it, you will see a thousand reasons to be ashamed of. And if you are ever ashamed of it, you will have another ten thousand reasons to be proud of the system! Today, when I went through the 18 pages of HT, I got three interesting news to prove this:

Incident 1:

In Yavatmal, Maharastra, the district police has been allegedly harassing a taxi driver and had filed a few false cases against him. The taxi driver was in a helpless situation. He came to know that a state minister, who hailed from his district, was coming to hoist the national flag on 15th of August at Yavatmal. The taxi driver reached the venue. This was full and final attempt from his part. He was so serious about his plans and future, that he took a bottle of poison with him. But the police prevented him from meeting the minister. Seeing his efforts to meet the minister turning futile, he consumed poison in front of the minister. He was rushed to the district hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Incident 2:

A state minister's car ran over a 60 years old lady who was crossing the road. She died on the spot. After the accident, the minister left the accident site on another car! Later, villagers blocked the traffic on Nagpur - Umrer road. The police arrested the minister's driver.

Incident 3:

At a legislator's residence, his supporters were bursting crackers on the eve of his birthday. It was already midnight. A police patrol party arrived and asked the legislator and his supporters not to burst crackers at this time of night. The supporters misbehaved with the police party. Then the police commissioner arrived, and arrested the legislator. The MLA tried to resist his arrest violently. Then, the commissioner allegedly shoved a revolver in the legislator's mouth and beat him up before arresting him. The legislator spent his night in the intensive care unit of a hospital! Next morning, he was produced before a court, and was released on bail.

The third incident makes things even for an optimist, and proves the assertions at the beginning of this article. Here are some conclusions:

Many a time, even life saving drugs are sold fake in India, but the poisons are always genuine!

It is easiest for the aam-aadami to protest violently on the roads, and vandalize public property, because they are rarely honoured and graced with the opportunity to see and talk to their own representatives.

There is still some amount of Bollywood remaining inside the Police Inspectors.

If you thought such incidents happened in Bihar and UP alone, get your facts right. All these three incidents have happened in Maharastra.

To: *@hindustantimes.com, *@hindustantimes.com

CC: *@hindustantimes.com

Sub: Letter to Editor

Dear Sir,

This is with reference to the report in HT (Cabbie kills self in front of minister, by Pradip Maitra, Page 7, 17 Aug, 2007). It was so sad that the cabbie had to resort to such extreme step in frustration of not being able to meet the minister. Indian democracy is so screwed up that the aam aadami has to resort to threats and vandalism just in order to see his representatives! Or should I say mai-baap?

Yours truly,

Happy Independence Day – 15th of August

My message for Independence Day, 2007: 

Integration: Let us see each other as fellow Indians and not through the glasses of religion, caste, or region hood. Government's attempts of integration have failed; only citizens can make it a success.

Responsibility of media: Soon after judgments in Bombay Blasts cases are finished, media has started demanding implementation of Srikrishna commission report. And very insensitively they are publishing pictures of riots, charred bodies, and burning houses on the front pages. Demanding justice is fair, but to make people recall all the pains and trauma from the forgotten past is insensitive; inflammable if I inflate. The tendency to use some newsmakers, like Budhia form Orissa has done more harm than benefits.

Equality: Any attempt to force caste or religion based reservations in private sector is condemnable. This is classic example of "divide and rule" policy.

Integrity: It pains me that our political system doesn't protect the few men with integrity. We lost APJ Abdul Kalam as our next president and got some well-groomed, perfect-fits, gentlemen on the top posts. 

Bottom line: Let us remember our golden past and work responsibly in the present to create a safe, secure and prosperous future.

Power Struck in Goa

What do you think about the recent happenings in Goa assembly? Saying that "all parties are same" or "everyone does that", can't be an excuse. I congratulate the Hindustan Times for writing such a brilliant piece. Please go through this.

Hindustan Times

July 31, 2007

First Published: 23:25 IST(31/7/2007)

Last Updated: 23:26 IST(31/7/2007)

Going through [Link]

One would have thought that in a 40-seat assembly like Goa's, the temptation and the opportunities  to conduct democratic hanky-panky would be limited. After Monday's action in Panaji, one has to perish that thought. Goa Speaker Pratapsinh Rane's decision to disallow three MLAs from participating in the confidence vote was far too obviously a move to ensure that the incumbent Congress-led government survived. After the withdrawal of support for the Digambar Kamat government by the two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) legislators, Sudhin and Pandurang Dhavlikar, and the subsequent resignation of Congress MLA Victoria Fernandes over internal matters, Governor S.C. Jamir had directed the government to undertake a confidence motion.

Coming as the trust vote did 52 days after the last assembly elections, it seemed that Goa was on the brink of coming up with its 14th Chief Minister since 1990. But the tottering government was propped up by a six-time Congress Chief Minister of Goa and current Speaker. Without blinking an eyelid, Mr Rane put his party credentials out in the open and his job as an objective referee inside a closet by casting his, by-now crucial, vote in favour of the government. Mr Kamat could not have found a better saviour.

The truth is that there is no provision in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with anti-defection, that applies to restraining legislators from voting before ordering their disqualification according to the due legal process. And that due legal process had not been carried out on Monday. It was the two MGP and single Congress legislators shifting their loyalties to the Opposition that made Mr Kamat leave nothing to chance and democracy and made him carry out a travesty. To stay in power is an integral part of the political game. But to stay in power by throwing the rulebook into the Arabian Sea is something that will not reflect well on the Goa Congress. We have witnessed something disquieting in the state of Goa. It is up to Governor Jamir to contain the damage.

[Link]

Goa Crisis - Timeline

Goa crisis: GDA to file petition in SC

August 1, 2007

Goa CM wins floor test; Oppn cries foul

July 30, 2007

GDA to challenge vote of confidence in Supreme Court

July 30, 2007

BJP accuses PM, Sonia behind failed floor test

July 30, 2007

Goa CM Kamat remains confident in House

30 Jul 2007

BJP-led GDA leaders meet Goa Governor

30 Jul 2007

Goa crisis reaches Rashtrapati Bhavan

28 Jul 2007

Goa crisis: Rajnath to parade MLAs before Prez

July 28

Kamat asked to prove majority in Goa Assembly

28 Jul 2007

BJP-led alliance stakes claim to form govt in Goa

27 Jul 2007

Manohar Parrikar likely to be next Goa CM

26 Jul 2007

BJP to stake claim for govt in Goa

26 Jul 2007

Cong-led Goa govt reduces to minority

26 Jul 2007

Amarnath Yatra: A Holy Journey marred with Terror

Amarnath Yatra is one of the most sacred pilgrimages among Hindus. This year also, the Yatra has started. And so have started the attacks on the devotees. I am not sure, when we mention Amarnath, what comes to our minds first: Lord Shiva or the terror attacks?

Amarnath Yatra 2007: Attacks update:

Yatra Begins:           July 1, 2007.                                      [Link]

Attack # 1:                17 July, 2007. I dead, 19 injured     [Link1] [Link2]

Attach # 2:                21 July, 2007. 10 injured                 [Link1] [Link2]

Government Protects

The Amarnath Yatra has been a constant target for Pakistan sponsored militants. Every year, devotees wait for the Yatra to begin so that they could see the living God Amarnath. And every year, the trained militants wait, so that they could strike and kill the maximum possible. The areas which the Yatra touches are in control of the Indian Army; even then the strikes happen.

I won't compare the Amarnath Yatra with the Haj Pilgrimage, where our secular government subsidizes the travel and facilitates the journey, even to the extent of arranging special flights. On the other hand, the fate of Amarnath pilgrims seems to be in the hands of terrorists. In the year 2000, 30 devotees were brutally killed and many others injured. It seems the devotees to the Amarnath Yatra must pass the test of remaining devoted throughout the attacks and obstacles, and then only they will be blessed!

Enigma

Every year, around 4 lakh devotees reach the Amarnath temple which is reported to be 5000 years old. This is held during 45 day season around the festival of Shravani Mela in July-August, coinciding with the Hindu holy month of Shravan.

The mythology is that this is the cave where Lord Shiva told about the secret of life and eternity to His divine consort Parvati. This place holds a very important value to Hindus.

The cave is situated at a height of 4175 m, about 141 km from Srinagar. Devotees generally take the 45 km pilgrimage on foot from town of Pahalgam onwards and cover the journey in 4 to 5 days. Devotees worship the naturally formed (ice) Shiva lingam. They also get to worship the naturally formed representations of Ganesha and Parvati. The Amarnath cave is high and shallow, and extended up to 40 m.

Putting a Full Stop

A poet named Nikhil Parekh has written "Love versus Terrorism", a collection of anti terror poems. [Link]. Anti terrorism books are also finding good market [Link].  

I haven't heard of any book in our religion, dealing in anti-terrorism. Have you? It proves that terrorism needs to be tackled in any other way than writing about it. Therefore, I stop.

PS: Let us hope and pray that remaining Amarnath Yatra concludes without any trouble.