If Narayan Murthy can feel it . it is Serious for sure !!!

Narayana Murthy says there is fear in the minds of the minorities in the country.IT entrepreneur is first prominent face from business community to voice concern about fears of minorities in India.The first priority of the government, Murthy said, should be "to bring back the confidence, the energy, the enthusiasm, the trust in the minds of every Indian" that their rights and safety would be guaranteed.

Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has called for an end to vigilante acts in the pursuit of enforcing bans, saying that they will stifle progress

I'm being a scary species of being minority in India still hopeful with the likes of Raghuram Rajan & Narayana Murthy. More they speak more stronger secular fabric of india, Now educated and people with wisdom are coming out clearly against Modi, and also understand how deeply the current government lead by Modi destroying the Social fabric of India. Narayana Murthy, Raghuram Rajan ,Maj Satbir Singh,Scientist.Basically all the literates are opposing displays the seriousness for the issue,and has to be given high priority.

The Irony : Narayan Murthy was criticised in social media.

Narayan Murthy is a person who has created a lot employment in India. Infosys has hired people from all parts of India. He is one of the pioneer of software industry who brought thousands of jobs to India. His concern is economical not political. , obviously he showed concerned about killing of MM Kalburgi. As a south Indian, obviously he spoke about the atrocities about south Indians. And as an Indian, he wants India to progress. Economical progress can happen only when the country is peaceful without chaos and disturbances.

If Narayan Murthy can feel it .
it is Serious for sure
------------------------------------------
Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy says there is fear in the minds of the minorities in the country
First bring peace, growth will follow: Narayana Murthy to government

http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/first-bring-peace-growth-will-follow-narayana-murthy-to-government-115103100569_1.html …

http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/first-bring-peace-growth-will-follow-narayana-murthy-to-government-115103100569_1.html

General Body 2015 - ALL INDIA MILLI COUNCIL KARNATAKA

7 Japanese aesthetic principles to change your thinking

Exposing ourselves to traditional Japanese aesthetic ideas — notions that may seem quite foreign to most of us — is a good exercise in lateral thinking, a term coined by Edward de Bono in 1967. "Lateral Thinking is for changing concepts and perception," says de Bono. Beginning to think about design by exploring the tenets of the Zen aesthetic may not be an example of Lateral Thinking in the strict sense, but doing so is a good exercise in stretching ourselves and really beginning to think differently about visuals and design in our everyday professional lives. The principles of Zen aesthetics found in the art of the traditional Japanese garden, for example, have many lessons for us, though they are unknown to most people. The principles are interconnected and overlap; it's not possible to simply put the ideas in separate boxes. Thankfully, Patrick Lennox Tierney (a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun in 2007) has a few short essays elaborating on the concepts. Below are just seven design-related principles (there are more) that govern the aesthetics of the Japanese garden and other art forms in Japan. Perhaps they will stimulate your creativity or get you thinking in a new way about your own design-related challenges.

Seven principles for changing your perception

Kanso (簡素) Simplicity or elimination of clutter. Things are expressed in a plain, simple, natural manner. Reminds us to think not in terms of decoration but in terms of clarity, a kind of clarity that may be achieved through omission or exclusion of the non-essential.

Fukinsei (不均整) Asymmetry or irregularity. The idea of controlling balance in a composition via irregularity and asymmetry is a central tenet of the Zen aesthetic. The enso ("Zen circle") in brush painting, for example, is often drawn as an incomplete circle, symbolizing the imperfection that is part of existence. In graphic design too asymmetrical balance is a dynamic, beautiful thing. Try looking for (or creating) beauty in balanced asymmetry. Nature itself is full of beauty and harmonious relationships that are asymmetrical yet balanced. This is a dynamic beauty that attracts and engages.

Shibui/Shibumi (渋味) Beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon. Direct and simple way, without being flashy. Elegant simplicity, articulate brevity. The term is sometimes used today to describe something cool but beautifully minimalist, including technology and some consumer products. (Shibui literally means bitter tasting). 

Shizen (自然) Naturalness. Absence of pretense or artificiality, full creative intent unforced. Ironically, the spontaneous nature of the Japanese garden that the viewer perceives is not accidental. This is a reminder that design is not an accident, even when we are trying to create a natural-feeling environment. It is not a raw nature as such but one with more purpose and intention.

Yugen (幽玄) Profundity or suggestion rather than revelation. A Japanese garden, for example, can be said to be a collection of subtleties and symbolic elements. Photographers and designers can surely think of many ways to visually imply more by not showing the whole, that is, showing more by showing less.

Datsuzoku (脱俗) Freedom from habit or formula. Escape from daily routine or the ordinary. Unworldly. Transcending the conventional. This principles describes the feeling of surprise and a bit of amazement when one realizes they can have freedom from the conventional. Professor Tierney says that the Japanese garden itself, "...made with the raw materials of nature and its success in revealing the essence of natural things to us is an ultimate surprise. Many surprises await at almost every turn in a Japanese Garden."

Seijaku (静寂)Tranquility or an energized calm (quite), stillness, solitude. This is related to the feeling you may have when in a Japanese garden. The opposite feeling to one expressed by seijaku would be noise and disturbance. How might we bring a feeling of "active calm" and stillness to ephemeral designs outside the Zen arts?

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How Japanese People Think

Japan is a sophisticated and ancient culture that has enjoyed long periods of isolation. As a result, Japanese culture is ripe with ideas that are unique and intriguing.

It would be a mistake to believe that all Japanese people think alike. Japan has as much diversity in opinion as any other country. Japanese ideas, are interpreted by people in Japan as individuals.

The following are all ideas that are familiar to most people in Japan.

1. Ganbatte

Ganbatte is a common phrase in Japanese that means "do your best!" Japan has great respect for effort and pushing oneself. This can be seen in the way that people work or in Japan's passion for physical challenges such as carryingmikoshi at festivals that can weigh several tons.

2. Shoganai

Shoganai is an important idea in Japan that can be translated "it can't be helped." It is the philosophy or strategy that some things are out of your control and it's best to focus your efforts on things you can change. Shoganai is used to explain a wide range of social phenomenon in Japan including the country's ability to bounce back from hardship. People don't complain muchand press ahead under duress. It can also be used to explain negative things such as people's disinterest in politics that allows politicians to implement things that are wildly unpopular.

3. Giri & Ninjo

Giri & Ninjo can be loosely translated Duty & Emotion. Giri is a duty you have due to work, family and interpersonal relationships. For example, a waiter has a duty to be provide a high standard of customer service. If a customer is difficult, the waiter may feel emotions of anger but duty is always supposed to come first. This difficult prioritization of duty over emotion is the theme of many Japanese dramas. It's also a real problem that people face on a daily basis.

4. Genki

Genki is an common word in the Japanese language that can be translated as health, enthusiasm, spirit or energy. It encapsulates the idea of health and enthusiasm in a single concept.

5.Mottainai

Mottainai is a feeling of regret about wasting something. As a highly populated island with few natural resources, the Japanese historically had a strong aversion to waste. This ethic is arguably fading as its easy to spot wasteful habits in modern Japan. Nevertheless, mottainai is a still a potent idea in Japan even if its practice is fading. Most people can tell a story about how an older relative such as a grandparent avoided mottainai by repairing possessions and recycling things such as kimono.

6. Kawaii

Kawaii is the Japanese word for cute. Japan has a unique sense of the cute aesthetic.

7. Yakudoshi

Yakudoshi is the Japanese superstition that particular ages are unlucky. In Japan, superstition tends to be viewed in a lighthearted way. Nevertheless, people take these things somewhat seriously and many people buy lucky stuffat their local shrine in their unlucky years in the hopes of avoiding tragedy.

8. Kami

Kami are Shinto deities. According to Shinto traditions there are eight million Kami. However, this number is the ancient way that Japan represented infinity. This large number of deities has given Japan a sense of religious flexibility. For example, it's common for Japanese people to identify with both Shinto and Buddhism. It is also common for couples to choose a Christian style wedding in Japan.

9. Honne & Tatemae

Honne & Tatemae can be translated "true opinion" and "public face." Tatemae is the idea that it's often necessary to hide your true opinion in order to ensure social harmony. This a fundamental building block of Japanese Manners. It is unusual to directly criticize someone in social situations. As a result, the Japanese tend to deliver criticism in roundabout ways and you need to read between the lines to see it.

10. Jishuku

Jishuku is a type of mourning that's often translated "self restraint." It is a period of reflection after loosing a loved one that may last several months or more. During Jishuku people refrain from self indulgence and self promotion. For example, it's common to refrain from joining nomikai during Jishuku. Japan is also known to go into Jishuku at the national level after a major tragedy such as an earthquake that claims many lives. At the national level this usually means cancellations of festivals and other joyous events.

11. Mono No Aware

Mono No Aware is a Japanese aesthetic that can be translated "the impermanence of things." It suggests that things are more attractive because they don't last. For example, cherry blossoms bloom brilliantly in the Spring and quickly fall. Mono No Aware suggests that cherry blossoms would be less attractive if they were long-lived flowers. Although it's an attractive aesthetic, Mono No Aware has a somewhat dark history. For example, it was used leading up to WWII by the Japanese government to convince young people of the glory of war.

12. Otsukaresama Deshita

Otsukaresama Deshita is a common way to say goodnight at work in Japan that can be translated "you're tired sir." In Japan, it's considered a compliment to tell someone they're tired since it implies they've been working hard.Otsukaresama Deshita is also a common way to say cheers in Japanese.

13. Bureiko

Bureiko is a Japanese term for the break down of rules that tends to happen at company parties known as nomikai. Japanese companies are traditionally managed with rigid hierarchical structures that don't allow for free flowing ideas. As such, a break down of rules is considered valuable for building stronger teams.

14. Pasonaru Supesu

Pasonaru Supesu is the Japanese term for personal space. In Japan, personal space is something of a skill. That is to say that people have developed various strategies to establish a little personal space in the most crowded of conditions.

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All over a Tattoo - Hindu Editorial 20th Oct 2015

What is this Indian culture that feels threatened and slighted by a visiting Australian man sporting a tattoo of a Hindu goddess? What is this Indian culture that is so intolerant of people from other faiths, especially Muslims and Christians, who do not worship the same gods and who do not have similar food habits and tastes? And who exactly are the self-styled proponents, upholders and protectors of Indian culture? The Australian’s shocking account, reported by this newspaper, described how a bunch of people in Bengaluru threatened him with dire consequences when they spotted on his shin the tattoo of goddess Yellamma — who is worshipped in parts of southern India, and who as the Mahabharata says was slain by her son on her husband’s orders for merely looking at the pleasing reflection in a river of a celestial flying overhead. A policeman, instead of protecting the young man from the group, corralled him to a police station and got him to write out an apology. That this happened in a modern Indian city in this age and time should worry everyone. Increasingly, cities are falling prey to vigilante groups whose views often represent everything that is reprehensible to real Indian culture. Couples are yanked out of the privacy of their rooms by cops who hold the view that their being together is against the culture. Women are directed, by none other than an elected Chief Minister of a State that boasts the worst sex ratio in the country, to shed their clothes if they desire freedom. Such bizarre views and outcomes appear out of sync with the dominant political discourse of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which repeats the development mantra while many among its cadres go about preaching the message of cultural exclusion.

In this sort of toxic air where a band of puritanical elements threaten to stamp out everything that goes against their own understanding of Indian culture, voices of sanity have to make themselves heard loud and clear. The ruling political class, if it seeks development, has to talk to its people on the values of Hinduism as opposed to the backward-looking forces to which it extends tacit support. Indian culture must accommodate the view that gods and goddesses have their own particular traits. Let them not be imprisoned behind concrete vaults and confined to rituals. Hinduism has thrived over the centuries because of its larger-than-life philosophy of accommodation and tolerance. Let not Indian culture be shackled — unless this country wishes to go down the path of Saudi Arabia where women have hardly any rights; unless it wishes to take the road travelled by the IS or the Taliban; and unless it wishes to shut off all discourse.

To Read this Editorial in Official websit Please Click the Link Below : 

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/all-over-a-tattoo/article7781044.ece

Zaheer Khan Most Cooler & Clever bowler India Ever had

Zaheer Khan has announced his retirement from international cricket. Was imminent but his contribution to Indian cricket isn't over. One of the finest Indian bowler,Most Cooler & Clever bowler India Ever had. From being a kid in playing in the streets of Shrirampur to lifting the World Cup: Zaheer Khan bids farewell to the game, Zaheer Khan's decision to call it a day saw his team-mates congratulating him on twitter for an outstanding career. Shrewd, intelligent, clever, cool were just a few of the adjectives used by the likes of Dhoni, Sachin and a lot more.

Former test cricketer VVS LAXMAN wrote

" I am sure Zaheer will continue to contribute to Ind cricket especially in the development of young fast bowlers"

ANIL KUMBLE tweet

Wonderful to have played with you Zak @ImZaheer great bowler great skill! Best wishes for the future.

Zaheer khan is been the leader of Indian fast bowlers in the last decade or so & one of the best exponent of reverse swing in India.

Below is the Retirement statement :

The toughest call in a cricketing career is when one has to walk away from the game itself. You almost 'will' yourself and want to push that few, extra miles but then the body, after nearly two decades, decides not to respond.

As I was training for the upcoming season, it dawned on me that my shoulder may not last the rigours of bowling nearly eighteen overs a day, and that's when I knew it was time.

With immediate effect, I bid adieu to my career in international cricket. I look forward to signing off my last season in domestic cricket at the conclusion of Indian Premier League 2016.

As a kid from a small town Shrirampur, I gave up a career in engineering to pursue bowling.My parents backed that decision and every decision since. My dad, I distinctly remember said, 'Engineers toh bahut saare hein tu bowler hi ban na (There are a lot of engineers out there. You become a bowler)."
I fondly remember my initial days, way back in 1996 at National Cricket Club at Cross Maidan to the call up for the Mumbai Under-19 team. My crucial months of training at the MRF Pace Foundation, my debut with Baroda in the Ranji trophy to going on to lead Mumbai, I have cherished every game. Each game was an opportunity that allowed me to express myself freely in the best way I could on the cricket field, always trying to improve as a player.

Leading up to my debut for India in 2000 and beyond, I got crucial opportunities, with people backing me at different and difficult stages and I was able to contribute to Indian cricket and learn many things along the way. I was able to try out different ideas while playing because of the unconditional support I received from my captains and coaches, who trusted and supported me in setting fields or trying a different approach or tactic that was loaded with risk.

My greatest cricketing moment was lifting the 2011 World Cup as part of Team India and creating history. We played as a top team and being part of the journey of India as a top ODI side was very fulfilling. As a young fast bowler who grew up watching the legends of the game, I remember the satisfaction and joy to win a Test match for India. Winning ways are addictive and I thoroughly enjoyed sporting the whites for India as we emerged as the No. 1 test playing nation in the world.

For those who supported me, especially in the BCCI, Baroda Cricket Association and Mumbai Cricket Association, I am grateful for the encouragement. It has been a privilege to be part of various teams during my career including the Indian cricket team, Baroda, Mumbai, Worcestershire (critical to my comeback in the national team in 2007), Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils.

Today, I have many, many individuals to thank - from physios, trainers, support staff, colleagues, captains, coaches, selectors, senior officials, administrators in various Associations, groundsmen, Team management as also team owners. Kindly pardon me for my inability to name each one of you but that does not take away from the deep sense of gratitude I have for your support in allowing me to live my dream.

My colleagues with whom I shared dressing room pranks have, over the years, become some of my closest friends. It has been a pleasure to play alongside them as each added a different perspective. I've enjoyed listening to them as also contributing in a small way to their growth.

My family has been patiently watching from the sidelines but they have always been central to my life. I can't thank my parents enough for understanding me and allowing me to chase my dream. My elder brother, Zeeshan, who dutifully reminded me that, 'my job wasn't finished with my India debut, and that I needed to make every game count'. My younger brother, Anees has shouldered a lot of pressure which allowed me the freedom to enjoy on the cricket field. He's never watched me play live, but his encouragement has been a significant part of my life.

To those millions of fans and well wishers of Indian cricket who've watched and encouraged me over the years, I trust you know that I was always trying and never gave up.

I thank the members of the media for the many words of appreciation and constructive criticism during the course of my career.

Cricket has been my only life over the past two decades and is, in fact, that the only thing I know well. Cricket has made me the individual I am, giving me everything in life and much more. I walk away with fantastic memories, life defining experiences and great friendships. My mother summarised it well in reaction to my decision to retire, "Theek hein, bahut accha safar tha tumhara (Alright, you had a great journey)."

'Zak is Back' is perhaps a headline that may come my way again, as I have every intention of giving back to this game and our wonderful country which gave this kid from Shrirampur the opportunity to chase and live his dream!







My Blog on Zaheer Khan's Retirement :
Zaheer Khan Most Cooler & Clever bowler India Ever had
click the link Below to Read
http://jameelblr.blogspot.in/2015/10/zaheer-khan-most-cooler-clever-bowler.html

Virtues of the Sacred Month of Muharram, Its First Ten Days, and the Day of `Ashura

Duties of the Month of Muharram
1. It is the best of months for general voluntary fasts, after Ramadan.

2. It is especially recommended to fast the 10th of Muharram (known as the Day of `Ashura), with a day before it or after it. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, quoting Kasani’s al-Bada`i]

3. It is also virtuous to give in charity on this day.

Extracts from Ibn Rajab’s Lataif al-Ma`arif, regarding the month of Muharram:

The Virtues of Fasting in the Month of Muharram and Its First Ten Days

Muslim reported from Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said , “The best of fasts after the month of Ramadan are in the Month of Allah, which you call Muharram. And the best of prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer.” [Muslim, 1163]

This refers to general voluntary fasts according to Imam Ibn Rajab (Allah have mercy on him): These are best in the month of Muharram, just as the best general voluntary prayer is night prayer.

The virtue and honor of this month can be attested to by the fact that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) called it, “the Month of Allah.” (Shahr Allah) Such ascription is only made by Allah to the most special of His creation, such as the ascription of the Prophets Muhammad, Ibrahim, Ishaq, Ya`qub, and others to his slavehood (Allah’s peace and blessings be on them all), and His ascription of the House (Ka`ba) and the camel to himself.

Given that Allah ascribed fasting, between all spiritual works, to Himself [saying, “It is Mine,”] it was suitable that this month, which is also ascribed to Allah, be selected for this particular form of worship.

Fasting is a secret between the servant and his Lord. This is why Allah Mighty and Exalted says, [in the divine hadith (hadith qudsi)], “Every action of the son of Adam is his, except for fasting. It is Mine, and it is I who reward it.” [Bukhari and Muslim, from Abu Hurayra]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) also said, “The fasting person has two joys: one when he breaks his fast, and the other when he meets his Lord.”[Muslim]

Night Prayer

As for voluntary night prayer (qiyam al-layl), it is superior to voluntary prayer during the day because it is closer to secrecy, and nearer to sincerity (ikhlas).

Allah Most High said, “Lo! the vigil of the night is (a time) when impression is more keen and speech more certain.” [Qur`an, 73.9]

This is because the time of the night vigil (tahajjud) is the best of times for voluntary prayer, and the closest a servant gets to his Lord. It is a time when the doors of the skies are opened, supplications answered, and needs fulfilled.

Allah Most High has praised those who wake up at night in His remembrance, supplication, seeking forgiveness, and intimate entreating (munajat), saying, “Who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of that We have bestowed on them. No soul knows what is kept hid for them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do.” [Qur`an, 32.16-17]

And, “Or he who pays adoration in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, bewaring of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord? Say: Are those who know equal with those who know not? But only those of understanding will pay heed.” [Qur`an, 39.9]

And He said to His Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace), “And some part of the night awake for it, as voluntary worship for you. It may be that thy Lord will raise thee to a praised estate.” [Qur`an, 17.79]

It has been said that those who worship at night will enter Paradise without reckoning, and that standing in night prayer shortens the length of one’s Standing on the Day of Judgment.

This is why the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, “Stick to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you. Night prayer is a means of closeness to Allah Most High, of expiating for bad deeds, avoiding sins, and keeping away illness from one’s body.” [Tirmidhi (3543], Bayhaqi, and others; it is a sound (hasan) hadith]

Similarly, it has been related that fasting is a means for good health. The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) is reported to have said, “Fast, and you shall have good health.” [Ahmad, from Abu Hurayra]

Lovers have no time more joyous than when they are alone in entreating their Beloved. This is the healing for their hearts, and the great thing that they could long for.

This is why Abu Sulayman al-Darani would say, “The people of the night find more joy than the people of distraction (lahw) in their distractions. Were it not for the night, I would not like to remain living.”

The Day of `Ashura: The Tenth of Muharram

It is mentioned in Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him and his father) that he was asked about fasting the Day of `Ashura [10th of Muharram]. He said, “I did not see the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) fast a day while more avid to seek its virtue than this day,” [meaning the Day of `Ashura]. [Bukhari (2006), and Muslim (1132)].

The Day of `Ashura has great virtue, and tremendous sanctity (hurma). The virtue of fasting it was known among the Prophets (peace be upon them all). Both Prophet Nuh and Prophet Musa (peace be upon them both) fasted it.

The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to fast this day even in Mecca, though he had not yet ordered others to do so, as mentioned in both Bukhari and Muslim. [Bukhari (2002), Muslim (1125)]

When he migrated to Medina, and found the People of the Book fasting this day and venerating it, he ordered the Muslims to fast it, and encouraged it so much that even the children would fast it.

It has been reported in both Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him), that, When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) reached Medina, he found the Jews fasting the Day of `Ashura, so he asked them, “What is this day you are fasting?” They said, “This is a tremendous day. Allah saved Musa and his people on this day and drowned Pharaoh and his people. Musa fasted it out of thanks, so we fast it too.” The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, “And we are more deserving of Musa than you are.” So he fasted this day, and ordered that it be fasted. [Bukhari (2004) and Muslim (1130)]

At the end of his life, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) made the determination not to fast this day alone, but with another day [f: either before or after it], in order to be different from the People of the Book.

It has been reported in the Sahih of Imam Muslim (Allah have mercy on him), also from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) that, “When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) fasted the Day of `Ashura and ordered his companions to fast it, they said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! This is a day that the Jews and Christians venerate.’ So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said, ‘When next year comes – if Allah wills – we will fast the Ninth [of Muharram with it].’ But the next year did not come before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) passed away.” [Muslim (1134), Abu Dawud (2445)]

And it is reported in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad (Allah have mercy on him), from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Fast the Day of `Ashura” and be different from the Jews by fasting a day before it or a day after it.” [Ahmad]

Giving in Charity on the Day of `Ashura

It has been reported from Abd Allah ibn `Amr ibn al-`As (Allah be pleased with him), that “Whoever fasts `Ashura, it is as if he has fasted the entire year. And whoever gives charity this day it is like the charity of an entire year.”

Some of the Virtues of the Day of `Ashura

It is a day in which Allah forgave an entire people. Tirmidhi relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to a man, “If you want to fast a month after Ramadan, then fast Muharram, for it has a day in which Allah forgave an entire people, and He turns to others in repentance in.” [Tirmidhi (841)]

And Allah alone gives success.

It will not be easy for the Modi sarkar to wash off the Dadri stain: Here's why

It will not be easy for the Modi sarkar to wash off the Dadri stain: Here's why

by R Jagannathan  Oct 7, 2015 09:14 IST

The unconscionable lynching to death of Mohammed Akhlaq in Dadri over rumours of alleged beef consumption is likely to haunt the BJP and the Modi government for a long time. It is not going to become a non-issue just because the home ministry has issued a statement expressing "concern" over "incidents with communal overtones" across the country, "including the recent unfortunate incident at Dadri, UP."

Asking states to show "zero tolerance" towards such incidents is obviously the right thing to do, but it simply won't do the BJP and its government's "communal" image any good. The Modi government needs to internalise two important facts of life in a media-saturated world: perceptions are reality; and once formed, perceptions are almost impossible to change in a hurry. It has to build its politics by recognising these two points as a given.

Brain psychologists tell us that human beings take just seconds to form an impression about people they meet - and impressions are difficult to change once formed. So first impressions are often our last. This kind of stereotyping was essential to human survival in the distant past, when the ability to distinguish between friend and foe, predator and prey was needed to trigger a fight or flight response.

Just as human first impressions tend to linger long after events prove our judgments to be wrong, political parties and organisations too benefit or lose out from people having developed initial perceptions about them. The BJP is thus stuck with the "communal" label, whether it likes it or not, and regardless of its actual acts of communalism or otherwise.

"Facts" do not matter much for perceptions, for people and media tend to fit the "facts" to support existing perceptions rather than change perceptions depending on where the facts point.

This is why the same incident will be viewed differently depending on when - or under whose watch - it happens. A Dadri incident, if it had happened during a Congress regime, would have been treated as an aberration; during BJP rule it will be treated as a vile act that the BJP is directly responsible for even if it happens in a state ruled by a "secular" party like the Samajwadi Party.

"Church incidents" become "church attacks" during BJP rule, but similar "attacks" on Hindu temples - even 20 times the number of church attacks - will be seen as just random events. 2002 will be seen as a major communal riot because it happened under Modi. But an even bigger riot of 1969 gets a footnote in history, for the BJP didn't exist then. A massacre of Sikhs in 1984 or an Assam communal killing in 2013 will be seen as regrettable but not symptomatic of Congress politics because Congress owns the label "secularism".

One can rail against a biased media, but media is made up of human beings subject to the same perception biases as individuals. This is why a New York Times - reportedly a paper devoted to fair journalism - can get away by choosing persons with the "right biases" against the Modi government to write coloured pieces that are a blot on fair journalism. But the reverse is also true: try reading a Sangh parivar-leaning journal and see how much fairness you get about reporting on the minorities or issues that it considers core to its ideology. Fairness is not a trait human beings exhibit consistently. It exists only when a person has no stake in an event, or someone invested with an unusual amount of conscience.

It's also worth noting that the Indian English media ecosystem has been cultivated over decades by the Congress-Left political dispensation, and is thus more likely to accept long-term perceptions about the BJP and Narendra Modi than what the government would like it to believe.

Perception biases take a very long time to correct, and political parties are not creatures of the long-term.

This is not in any way to suggest that the BJP and the Sangh do not have people who are bigoted and deserve to be put behind bars or banned from making stupid statements of the kind put out by Sakshi Maharaj, Mahesh Sharma or Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti. Public perceptions are not formed in a vacuum - they have some basis in reality.

The problem is perceptions cut both ways: they help as much as they hinder. Take a simple issue like the beef ban. While all liberals will be shocked that a modern party can espouse such illiberal ideas, the same illiberal ideas also appeal to a conservative group within society. The tag "communal" helps the BJP garner some votes from people for whom a Hindu identity matters, just as the "secular" label helps the Congress and some regional parties win minority votes even though "secular" and "communal" parties have the same kinds of people in them. The difference is only the label on the bottle.

The BJP should not forget Kargil and Kandahar. Even though these were its failures (intelligence failure and mishandling of a hijack) it could emerge without a stain from them because the BJP is also perceived to be "nationalist". Lapses in its nationalist credentials are treated as aberrations.

The Congress, despite being the original party of nationalism, has lost this label. It is also clear that the Manmohan Singh regime mishandled the Italian marines issue precisely because it felt handicapped by being perceived as being run by an Italian-born person. The Italian label has stuck to Sonia Gandhi despite her living as an Indian for decades. Perceptions linger despite our best efforts.

The bottomline is simple: If the Modi government wants to change perceptions about itself, it has to show a long-term commitment to it, and also be prepared to steadily abandon its base among sections of conservative Hindus. This is a tall order, for it means the party having to give up the bird in hand for two in the bush.

Just as Rahul Gandhi is not going to earn the "communal" Hindu vote by occasionally surfacing in Kedarnath and claiming he felt "fire-like" energy at the temple there, Modi is not going to be viewed as "secular" by talking in general about "sabka saath, sabka vikas", or even by meeting groups of Muslims here and there assuming them or fair treatment. It took him 10 years to wash off the 2002 stain, and even now it is not entirely gone.

Perceptions change only over the long-term, and they require hard work and a willingness to lose what you gain from your current perceptions. Is Modi ready for the hard slog?

Dadri Lynching

Dadri Lynching: Time for a Mann Ki Baat, Mr Prime Minister!

'Mohammad Akhlaq's death isn't only about a Muslim being killed out of sheer communal bigotry, but also the denial of the Constitutional guarantees of "due process" under Article 21 and the freedom of choice,' says Shehzad Poonawalla, who has moved the National Commission for Minorities over the murder.

Dadri is barely 60-odd kilometres, or about an hour's drive, away from national capital Delhi.

But when a person named Mohammad Akhlaq, 50, whose son is a part of the Indian Air Force, is lynched and killed on the basis of a cooked up rumour about beef consumption by a mob of over 100 people, high on pseudo-religious frenzy, the silence of those occupying the seat of power in Delhi makes us realise that physical distances, no matter how small, can hardly be traversed on the back of an empty slogan, even one as attractive as 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.'

Not for a moment do I suggest that we should absolve the state government of Uttar Pradesh, whose claim to fame includes the branding of its supreme leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav, as 'Maulana Mulayam'.

Ironically, it is Uttar Pradesh, governed by an allegedly 'secular' Samajwadi Party, that has seen the highest number of communal incidents, including the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots that displaced thousands of Muslims and left over 60 dead.

Mulayam, much like the then PM candidate and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, never found time to visit these open relief camps, inhabited by riot victims, set up in the bitter, biting cold.

For the past one year, especially after the 2013 riots, attacks on the minorities, especially in western Uttar Pradesh, have been rampant. It is hard to believe that something much more sinister, a political match fixing of sorts that sees communal polarisation of the majority counter-balanced with the instilling of a sense of fear and victimhood in the minority, as the shortest route to electoral success, does not exist.

A recent inquiry report on the Muzaffarnagar riots pointed out the alleged role of the ruling Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the riots, adding credibility to this theory.

The lack of action by Modi against his own party members -- from Adityanath to Sakshi Maharaj when they spew communal venom -- his rewarding of riot accused ministers such as Sanjeev Baliyan and Sangeet Som with ministerial posts (in the case of the former) and upgraded security cover, gives credence to the old proverb, 'It takes two to tango.'

Two days before Akhlaq was lynched, another middle-aged Muslim was branded a 'Pakistani terrorist' in Kanpur and drowned in the Ganga. Arrests and investigations in both these cases had hardly been up to the mark, necessitating the intervention of the National Commission for Minorities by my complaint.

Only after strictures came about from the National Commission for Minorities, in response to my complaint, with the NCM chairman personally seeking a report from the district magistrate on the proceedings, has the system begun to react. And to the collective disgust of all right-minded Indians, the first reaction of this system betrays no sense of fairness or seriousness.

The police have said they have sent samples of meat taken from Akhlaq's home 'to the forensics department for examination.' One wonders how that is even relevant.

Even if it were true that beef had indeed been consumed or stored (prima facie reports suggest that it was mutton, and not beef), did it justify the killing of a man and injuring of his young son?

Can there ever be a justification for vigilante justice, leave alone a case of outright mob violence like this one?

Does the consumption or storage of beef in Uttar Pradesh warrant death?

And even if it hypothetically did deserve the death penalty, will the mob on the street decide who dies and who lives on the basis of rumours?

Is that Akhilesh Yadav's idea of rule of law and justice dispensation? That somehow if his police proves that Akhlaq had indeed stored beef, it was justified to publicly execute him?

Even when we got hold of Ajmal Kasab, just after he had killed hundreds of Indians, we did not publicly hang the 26/11 terrorist at the Gateway of India the very next moment. We showed exceptional resilience and maturity, as a State and a society, ensuring Kasab got a fair trial.

If we could afford this to India's most dreaded criminal, why could we not offer the same Constitutional right to a more deserving citizen such as Akhlaq, of not being held guilty without a fair trial, of not being killed for a crime that certainly deserves no death penalty, even if it was committed?

Equally appalling are the statements of some BJP leaders including ministers like Mahesh Sharma, who feel that the death was a result of a 'misunderstanding.' Local BJP leader Vichitra Tomar demanded the release of those arrested for the murder.

Sharma, much like Mulayam, is obligated to preserve, protect and defend the Indian Constitution, the very document to which the two affirmed true allegiance while stepping into office as ministers.

To then find illegitimate excuses to rationalise extra-Constitutional actions, merely out of cynical political considerations, betray what is common to both these antagonists -- that power for them comes before principles and often at the very cost of principles.

At the heart of the Dadri lynching case, which the National Commission for Minorities described as 'communalism in its ugliest manifestation,' there are many simultaneous sub-plots that need to be addressed.

The less obvious but equally pertinent ones are that of the scant respect shown towards the rule of law and the freedom of choice.

Akhlaq's death isn't only about a Muslim being killed out of sheer communal bigotry, but also the denial of the Constitutional guarantees of 'due process' under Article 21 and the freedom of choice. Even since the BJP government has been voted to power, we have seen a wide variety of bans being imposed.

The apparatus of the State and society is being given the wherewithal to decide everything for us the individual, private citizen -- whether we are allowed to watch a certain film in our rooms, or send a WhatsApp message to our friends or even eat a meal of our choice.

Right from extending control over our bedrooms to our kitchens, the BJP government has actively promoted the idea that individual freedoms and the right to free choice must be subservient to what the State or a majoritarian section decides.

And that debate, which hitherto has been going on in urbane centres, from Mumbai to Delhi, from Ranchi to Jaipur, in the form of #Meatban and #Beefban played out with violent consequences in the rusty, rural setting of a village in Dadri.

If Akhlaq's free choice of eating or not eating meat, beef, fruits or vegetables or whatever he wanted to eat was indeed respected, he would not have been made to pay this price of alleged non-conformity to what the majoritarian group decides.

This forcible imposition of eating habits of a section onto another by self-appointed messiahs of Hindutva is exactly the kind of hypocritical pseudo religio-cultural terrorism that was unleashed by the Klu Klux Klan against minorities and African Americans in the US and today by ISIS in the Middle East.

All three use religion (rather an incorrect version of it) to justify their militant tactics and superiority over the other, legitimising their right to forcibly impose their ideology upon the other.

It is yet to be established that Akhlaq was indeed guilty of cow slaughter, but the saffron cousins of ISIS had already pronounced his guilt from the announcements at the temple. I doubt very much if the scriptures they refer to prescribe imposition of the death penalty on those who don't find the cow sacred.

I doubt if those scriptures rank the life of a cow or any other animal higher than that of human life. I am ready to stand corrected if it does. But I doubt they can convince me any more than the ISIS sympathiser who says Islam supports the wanton killing of people by strapping on suicide vests or the KKK activist that justifies a higher place for the white man than a black one, under the egalitarian scheme of Christ's teachings.

Recently, on his trip to the United States, Modi urged the world to stop differentiating between 'good and bad terrorism.' That is some sound advice, indeed.

And perhaps Modi should take a lead in setting that example by having a Mann Ki Baat to not only condemn the lynching of an innocent man, but the lynching of the Constitutional precepts of freedom of choice, rule of law and justice itself.

More importantly, let the prime minister prove to the world that he practises what he preaches by seeing no difference between the fundamentalism and terrorism of ISIS and of Hindutva groups. Only then can we truly be rest assured that this Gandhi Jayanti, the children of Godse won't take over.

Shehzad Poonawalla is a lawyer-activist and founder-member of the governing body of the think-tank PolicySamvad.

Shehzad Poonawalla.



Also read 10 latest developments in this story:

1. Surrounded by supporters, Mr Som walked up to a temple in the village from where a call for action against cow slaughter was allegedly made on Monday, minutes before a murderous mob attacked 52-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq.
2. Nine men, one of them the son of a local BJP leader, have been arrested in Mr Akhlaq's murder case. Mr Som met their families and vowed to get bail for the accused.
3. Sangeet Som has been charged with making inflammatory speeches ahead of the deadly 2013 riots in UP's Muzaffanagar that killed more than 60 and left hundreds of thousands homeless. He is out on bail.
4. "We have been saying repeatedly that cow slaughter is happening all over UP. This is leading to riots," he said today and accused the state's Samajwadi Party government for conducting a "one-sided investigation". 
5. Asked if he would visit the victim's family, the BJP lawmaker said, "The family isn't here. The government of Uttar Pradesh taken them away in an airplane. The way they did with the conspirators of the Muzaffarnagar riots... they have now done the same with the cow killers."
6. In Delhi, Mr Som's party leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said, "It was an unfortunate incident. But it is not proper to give communal colour to it".
7. Mohammad Akhlaq's family was flown to Lucknow to meet Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who has promised them Rs. 30 lakh in compensation.
8. Since Sangeet Som is a riot accused, the UP Police said they have video-taped his visit and speech today. If he is found to have made any controversial statements, the police said, a case will be registered against him.
9. On Monday, Mr Akhlaq and his 22-year-old son Mohd Danish Saifee were dragged out of their house by around 100 villagers and beaten with bricks. His son is critical. Mr Akhlaq's other son is a member of the Indian Air Force.
10. Half an hour before the attack, an announcement was allegedly made at a temple nearby that a calf had been slaughtered. A Home Guards constable who came up with the idea of making the announcement, has been detained for questioning.

Story First Published: October 04, 2015 12:47 IST

http://www.ndtv.com/cheat-sheet/mob-killing-sangeet-som-visits-dadri-homeguards-constable-detained-1225905?site=full

It will not be easy for the Modi sarkar to wash off the Dadri stain: Here's why
http://jameelblr.blogspot.in/2015/10/it-will-not-be-easy-for-modi-sarkar-to.html

Aggrieved family members of Mohammad Akhlaq (Courtesy: The Hindu)

The mob at Dadri could lynch as they knew they have Impunity

http://twocircles.net/2015oct05/1443984575.html#.VhGQWuyqqko


BabriSeDadriTak
A very shameful act by lunatics who have problem with killing of cows but they don't mind killing humans....sick!!! Advani the architect of turbulency in ModernIndia, Who introduced Terrorism to Indians has lived to face ignominy/Disgrace .Why is it getting so difficult to leave in Peace? Think about the Similarities we Share instead of Differences.If we want the world to look at us as leaders then we should endorse PEACE and LOVE.BJP got power due to Babri,But Modi will lost power due to Dadri. Now, General public knew their game plan. #

Why the idea of Hindu Rashtra has not caught on in India

'Till today, the RSS only speaks of Hindu Rashtra but never explains what it means. It cannot, because it would be unacceptable to even a majority of Hindus, forget the Indian Muslims and Christians,' says Aakar Patel.

Any theocratic State can be built only on the principle of exclusion. In Islamic States, the application of Shariah law for crimes is one part of the State's theocratic face.

Corporal punishment was the norm across the world in a time when there were no jails. And so beatings, amputations, stoning and beheadings may seem barbaric to us today, but they were a commonplace in the world of the 7th century AD.

The other part of this face is exclusion.

In Pakistan no Christian can become prime minister and no Sikh can become president according to the constitution.

In this instance the religious State expresses itself through its identification and treatment of minorities as being different from the general population, who are the ideal citizens.

When Liaqat Ali Khan began work on the Pakistani constitution this was not the case.

The exclusions came in with Ayub Khan and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but there is no Islamic state from Iran to Saudi Arabia, where this principle of exclusion of non-Muslims, has not become a founding principle.

A few days ago Nepal's lawmakers voted against an amendment proposal in a draft of the country's new constitution to declare the Himalayan nation a Hindu State.

In Kathmandu protestors demanding restoration of the monarchy and the status of 'Hindu Rashtra' clashed with police.

Many Nepalis believe their kings were reincarnations of Shri Vishnu, and they support the restoration of the monarchy. Nepal is a secular nation today by constitution, but it was a Hindu State for centuries until the abolition of the monarchy.

Since this Hindu Rashtra demand is also made in India by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and many in the Bharatiya Janata Party, let us explore its contours to see if it is also exclusionary.

Touching upon the subject last year, I had written this: 'Till 2008, Nepal was the only Hindu State on earth. The Chhetri (Kshatriya) dynasty ended with the republic of 2008. Why was Nepal a Hindu State? Because executive power flowed from a warrior king, as prescribed in the Hindu code, Manusmriti. But Nepal was a Hindu State only to that extent. Nothing else from Hindu texts could be applied because much of it is against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.'

What did I mean by this? I meant, of course, the introduction of caste in the Hindu Rashtra. We can see its Hinduness as coming from two aspects. The external aspect is what we are focussed on in India because that is the RSS worldview.

Its idea of Hindu Rashtra is developed to exclude Muslims and Christians.

In Nepal, it was internal, meaning it was focussed on a Kshatriya king. That is what made it a Hindu State.

But it was insufficiently Hindu. Manusmriti also prescribes the position of other castes, not just the monarch. When Kshatriyas rule, Brahmins teach and Vaishyas trade. Shudras do the labour and the Untouchables are on the periphery.

The castes cannot encroach on one another's areas, and this is the ideal Hindu Rashtra according to our texts.

The exclusion in this instance comes from denying groups of Hindus access to money and education and power.

The Islamic State excludes the non-Muslim. The Hindu Rashtra first excludes the non-Hindu and then excludes even within.

This is the only reason why the idea of Hindu Rashtra has not caught on in India though most Indians will be unable to identify what the secular aspects of our Constitution are.

This is also the reason why, till today, the RSS only speaks of Hindu Rashtra but never explains what it means. It cannot, because it would be unacceptable to even a majority of Hindus, forget the Indian Muslims and Christians.

In Nepal also, only 21 members of the 601-person constituent assembly voted for the right-wing Rashtriya Prajatantra Party's return of the king.

In India, it would be impossible to gather support once the details of a Hindu Rashtra were made clear.

To me the best argument against a Hindu Rashtra was made by the Dalit activist and writer Chandrabhan Prasad.

In the golden age of Hindu Rashtra in India, he said, Brahmins were in charge of learning, and see the state of India's education.

Kshatriyas were in charge of defending Bharat Mata, and it was colonised for centuries.

Vaishyas were in charge of the economy and we are one of the poorest nations on earth.

Hindu Rashtra produced no good for Indians.

Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India.

'Till today, the RSS only speaks of Hindu Rashtra but never explains what it means. It cannot, because it would be unacceptable to even a majority of Hindus, forget the Indian Muslims and Christians,' says Aakar Patel.

http://jameelblr.blogspot.in/2015/10/why-idea-of-hindu-rashtra-has-not.html