The crowd at Bastille

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

Large crowds are a powerful symbol. Often they are an indication of something being wrong, something needed to be rectified by people in power. If the rulers fail to take note, a crowd has a way of turning into a nasty mob, an agitated congruence of aggrieved people blinded by a destructive rage. Bastille is an example of what a mob (mobile vulgus) can wreak. The French Revolution that changed not only France, but also Europe and the rest of the world, introducing it to liberty, equality and fraternity, was set off by a mamoth crowd at Bastille.

What happened at Patna on August 27 is ominously reminiscent of that crucial moment in history when furious crowds stormed Bastille and demolished the old order–French monarchy and feudalism–and ushered in a new era, producing ideas that the world values even today. Rumblings under the earth are an indicator of a massive earth quake on way. The movement of tectonic plates deep inside the earth have to be constantly watched with seismographs and the behaviour of some animals.

The unusually large crowd at Gandhi Maidan, the like of which has not been seen in years, if not decades, does not augur well for the NDA at Patna and Delhi. Happy, satisfied people do not throng in such large numbers at a political rally. People are deeply concerned about huge job losses, virtually stagnant job creation, decimation of smaller businesses in the wake of note ban, lynching, murder and systematic goonda attacks on Muslims, Dalits (and, sometimes) Christians by Sangh’s lumpen ruffians.

All this has been happening as NDA governments have preferred to look the other way, dereliction of duty by the state. The situation has become so grim that the latest report of US State Department’s Religious Freedom Commission has observed that the murderous “cow vigilantes have not been punished.” On the other hand, different governments have encouraged those pious ruffians.

The gathering at Gandhi Maidan, sponsored by RJD and supported by more than 13 Opposition parties of India, also indicated a deep-seated resentment at Nitish Kumar’s betrayal of their trust that they had reposed in him by voting for the Mahagathbandhan. At one go, without thinking for a moment about this treacherous breach of trust, Nitish had walked out of the Mahagathbandhan and joined the BJP-led NDA. Few turncoats in India’s history can match that record.

Senior Opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Hemant Soren and Ghulam Nabi Azad attended the rally. The NDA grapevine tried to spread the disinformation that by sending Ghulam Nabi Azad to Patna, the top two Congress leaders–Sonia and Rahul Gandhi–had refrained from joining the Patna rally. The fact remains that they had been in constant touch with Lalu and Tejaswi Yadav.

It is also heartening to note that Lalu’s sons have come of age, and with their persuasive and bold style they can hold their own. Now is the time for the secular opposition to come together to “Save the Constitution and Build the Nation,” the theme of All India Milli Council’s conclave at Talkatora stadium on July 30, 2017 which was hugely attended by a cross-section of society.

The secular Opposition has to learn to stay together and work together for a secular, democratic India that is prosperous, peaceful and healthy.



The crowd at Bastille - Article by Dr Manzoor Alam. http://jameelblr.blogspot.in/2017/08/the-crowd-at-bastille.html

Time to revive the spirit of 1942

Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam

After decades of politics under the British Raj the Indian National Congress decided finally on August 8, 1942 that enough was enough and every mission, commission, petition and submission had become irrelevant. The people, largely led by the Indian National Congress, decided that it was time for the Raj to fold its tents, pack its bags and go where it had come from, Britain (which the empire builders called “Great Britain” in their hubris). The Congress issued the Quit India call and the people responded enthusiastically, reiterating the call to the British to quit, leaving India fully and wholly to Indians.

From that point in time the solemn moment of Pandit Nehru’s declaration of “India’s tryst with destiny” was only five years away. Today we are immensely saddened to hear the President of India’s inaugural speech from which the towering Nehru’s name has been gracelessly dropped. This great freedom fighter who was also a model of the “philosopher king,” an intellectual giant and a sensitive, singularly credited as the builder of modern India and its democratic institutions cannot be ignored by history and Indian people.

Although the Indian presidency does not have the sweeping authority of its American or French counterpart and the President’s speech here is vetted by the ministry of home affairs, still the replacement of Nehru with the BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay (who never participated in the independence movement, or the building of modern India) has been noticed worldwide as a betrayal of the leaders of freedom and builders of India.

After three years of BJP rule India has moved away from the spirit of the pledge made 75 years ago and the vision of India presented in Nehru’s “tryst with destiny” speech at midnight of August 15, 1947. Now is the time to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Quit India declaration and within the next few days we will be celebrating the 70th year of our Independence. However, we must remember that slowly and steadily we are moving away from the heritage and ideals of our freedom struggle and its stalwarts.

At this critical moment, when we are once again face-to face with China, instead of uniting the people the Sangh is busy dividing people on the basis of religion, conducting a reckless hate campaign against the religious minorities, creating a civil war-like situation.

It is time to redeem the pledge of our stalwarts instead of indulging in petty intrigues like cutting Nehru to size.

As a nation, there is a lot before us to do. Despite the fact that we are the fastest growing among the large economies, half of the world’s poorest people live in India. We have a higher rate of malnutrition and stunted growth among our children compared to even smaller and poorer countries. We are still far behind even the middle-income countries (with a GDP per capita of $ 1,772 (PPP: $ 7,110).

The democratic legacy of Nehru is in disarray today. The centres of independent thinking and free enquiry, our premier universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Hyderabad Central University and Delhi University, among others, are under siege. Youthful enthusiasm of students is being sought to be destroyed by slapping sedition cases against them. The aspirations of Dalit students are crushed by denying them scholarships. A Dalit scholar, Rohit Vemula is forced to commit suicide. Independent thinkers like Dabholkar and Pansare are shot dead under the patronage of the new dispensation. People are lynched by goonda squads in the guise of cow protectors. Where is our democracy? Rule of law?

Opposition is sought to be gagged with income tax and police raids. The media is gagged as honest journalists are sacked under pressure. There are no TV channels that dare to ask questions or report honestly. Exceptions like NDTV are harassed incessantly. Their offices and the premises of their backers are raided by policemen and tax officials. Even a hotel where Congress MLAs are staying is raided. There is no room for opposition and, yet the fact remains that there can be no democracy without an opposition, or without the right to dissent. The handful of print media that dare to tell the truth are denied government advertisement. Where is the freedom of speech?

On this auspicious date we must pledge to restore our democratic and Constitutional values. We must struggle for this. This is the message of the Quit India anniversary.

HUJOOM

Ham-safar chahiye hujoom nahin
Ek musafir bhi qaafila hai mujhe.

Clash of Clans will be Builder less Game Soon

The Builder — his is a hard lot. Since the beginning of Clash of Clans, he has dutifully built cannons, walls, elixir collectors and more, only to watch them smashed to pieces time and time again. It's a thankless, if vital role, and it's the subject of a new video from developer Supercell. The Builder, apparently, has had it with this ephemeral existence and has decided to leave for greener pastures. Watch him go in the video, entitled "Bye Bye Builder."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JrUVlDrNfM&feature=youtu.be

You can see this reflected in game as well: not only are there little signs outside the builder huts, but the Builder icon at the top of the screen is replaced by a confused-looking Barbarian in a Builder's hat. If you go to construct something, you'll see a barbarian whacking at it with his sword. Note that the game still works the same and that all of these changes are purely aesthetic, but it does all beg some questions about how this will play out going forward. Will The Builder be back? Or will we be able to follow him to where he goes next?

The obvious connection here would involve the Builder Base across the sea, which is already inhabited by a Master Builder. If I were a disillusioned Builder, I certainly might journey to visit the master of my trade to rekindle my love of the craft. This would work well from an in-game perspective as well: currently, players are limited to a single Builder at the Builder Base, and so a limited time "vacation" offering up a second builder would be a good way to shake things up at the secondary base. And since the Builder Base makes you pay to get more loot in a given day, it might also be a good way to spur some players to spend some cash in order to take advantage of a second Builder.

The Builder may also be heading to Clash Royale, which introduces new units at a fairly solid clip. One supposes he could build walls, or possibly repair towers.

There is also the possibility — remote, to be sure — that Supercell is teasing a new game. The press release hints at something more with this line: "While Clash players are celebrating the game’s fifth anniversary this month, The Builder has decided to leave in search of a place where his creations live on for more than just a few hours." Which might suggest something entirely different, or might just be a joke about the Builder. Either way, we'll find out soon.

The "Bye Bye Builder" video comes as part of Clash of Clans' Five-Year Anniversary, which also comes with various celebrations both in and out of the game throughout the month.

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Why do we need to promote breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding has been a traditional practice for centuries together, why does it need to be promoted now…..One needs to ponder over it!!

Breastfeeding lays a sound foundation for healthy life during infancy/child-hood as well as the later years of life. Every child needs to be provided adequate nutrition, care, protection, love and affection for his/her proper growth and development. As per WHO and UNICEF, breastfeeding must be initiated within the first hour of birth; and that colostrum (thick, yellowish and sticky but highly nutritious secretion) must be fed to the baby. Further, that the infant should be exclusively breastfed (only breast milk and no additional food or drink, not even water) for the first 6 months; breastfeeding should be on demand; use of bottles, teats or pacifiers prohibited; and after 6 months, she/he should be given age-appropriate complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding uptil 2 years or beyond.

Nature’s precious gift – breast milk, is a perfect food for the baby for which there is no other substitute. It not only provides adequate amount of energy but also contains appropriate quantity/quality of proteins, fat, lactose,
minerals (esp. iron), vitamins and water as well as various health promoting components like lactoferrin, bifidus factor, enzymes and immune bodies (mainly immunoglobulin A). Above all, it is tailored to suit the baby’s needs. Free of contamination, it is easily available, economical, easy-to-digest which boosts the baby’s immunity and protects him/her from several infections. In fact, mother’s milk is the neonate’s first vaccine. Since breastfeeding reduces morbidity/mortality rates among children as well as the incidence of various NCDs during their later life, it helps in keeping the health-care cost under check. Further, breastfeeding fosters a rather close and interactive mother-&-child bond which greatly helps in emotional/psychological development of the infant; and thus, directly impacts his/her brain development. Not only this, breastfeeding confers several benefits to the mother too – it reduces post-partum bleeding as well as the risk of breast/ovarian cancer and anaemia. The incidence of overweight/obesity is comparatively less common among the mothers who breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding is a means of natural contraception – it promotes family planning and child spacing.

Mother’s milk being the most suitable/complete food, breastfeeding should be continued even during the mother’s or the child’s sickness, unless medically contraindicated. Safe complementary foods should be introduced only after the age of 6 months to bridge the gap between the child’s nutritional needs and the nutrients provided through breast milk. During breastfeeding, it is advisable that the mother neither smokes nor consumes alcohol as it can be harmful – both for herself and the baby. In addition, care should be taken to maintain proper hygiene before & after breastfeeding. It is recommended that the child should be fed on demand or at least 8 times/day. It is imperative that every mother should know the appropriate technique of breastfeeding – how to feed, when to feed, how many times to feed with special emphasis on proper latching and various other aspects of breastfeeding.

Studies indicate that breastfeeding within an hour of birth alone can prevent nearly 20% of the neonatal deaths; and that the exclusively breastfed babies are at 11-15 times lowered risk of mortality due to diarrhoea/pneumonia. However, NFHS-4 data indicate that 41.6% children (aged <3 years) were breastfed within first hour of birth and 54.9% (aged <6 months) were exclusively breastfed; the respective figures in 2005-06 (NFHS-3) were 23.4% and 46.4%. The current scenario calls for raising awareness regarding the appropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices along with their effective implementation.

Since 1992, World Breastfeeding Week is being celebrated every year (1-7 August) in more than 170 countries for encouraging breastfeeding and, thus, improving child health. This year’s theme is Sustaining Breastfeeding Together which endorses the creation of an enabling environment for successful breastfeeding. It further aims to work collectively towards the common goal for achieving sustainable results. In 2016, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) initiated the journey towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by linking each goal with breastfeeding and multi-level partnerships including health-care advocates/activists, decision-makers along with political support and media. All governments have endorsed to prioritise the World Health Assembly’s global target for increasing the exclusive breastfeeding rates up to at least 50% by 2025.

Our government has initiated many programmes/schemes and interventions for promoting breastfeeding directly/indirectly which include:

A nationwide flagship programme - ‘MAA’ (Mothers’ Absolute Affection) has been implemented across the States/UTs since November 2016. It envisages improving the breastfeeding rates and child feeding practices among the masses. Under this, ASHAs are being incentivized for reaching all pregnant women and nursing mothers of young children (aged <2 years) for advocating optimal IYCF practices. Positioning of trained ANMs (at all sub-centres) and the health-care personnel (at all delivery points) is also being ensured for providing skilled support to nursing mothers, where necessary. The programme involves a comprehensive set of activities along with strong monitoring component for protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding/child feeding - both at the community and the facility level.

India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) aims at attaining single digit neonatal mortality rate by 2030 (five years ahead of the global target) and addresses prime interventions like pre-conception and antenatal care; care during labour/child birth; immediate new-born care; care of healthy and the small/sick new-borns as well as care beyond new-born survival. It is targeting at raising the rate of breastfeeding initiation (within 1^st hour of birth) to 90% by 2025.

Maternity Benefit Programme (MWCD) provides cash incentive (Rs.6,000/-) to pregnant women/nursing mothers as a compensation for the wage loss as well as to facilitate breastfeeding during the first six months of life. Facility based new-born care, special new-born care units, new-born care corners, home based new-born care are some of the schemes dedicated to the mother-&-newborn dyads which can profoundly promote timely initiation of breastfeeding.

Since Nov 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (MoHFW) aims to provide assured, comprehensive cost-free quality antenatal care to all pregnant women on the 9^th of every month. This Abhiyan provides an excellent window of opportunity to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding as well as appropriate IYCF practices, especially the primi-gravida/the mothers-to-be!!

Mother and Child Tracking System (MoHFW) employs information technology for ensuring the delivery of full-spectrum healthcare/immunization services to pregnant women and children (aged <5 years). It is an innovative, web-based application to facilitate/monitor service delivery and establish a two-way communication between the service providers and the beneficiaries. In this context, it may be mentioned here that IYCF practices should also be tracked, monitored and facilitated so as to improve the timely initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, appropriate complementary feeding and continued breastfeeding practices.

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Sh. J.P. Nadda has said that breastfeeding is the natural cost effective intervention that should be promoted at all levels. To improve the IYCF indices, counselling strategies need to be strengthened through adequate resource allocation, capacity building and effective communication at all levels. For a collective action and lasting impact, midwives, nurses, physicians, nutritionists, public health advocates and community workers need to be trained effectively to promote, advocate and facilitate the adoption of optimal IYCF practices. The health facilities should have lactation counsellors/skilled assistance while at community level, trained peer counsellors/mother support groups can help the mothers to sustain breastfeeding. Pregnant women and adolescent girls need to be educated about the lactation process; and the girl child should be given an equal opportunity to adequate breastfeeding. For promoting breastfeeding, apart from having baby friendly hospitals, mothers should be entitled to flexible-extended leave benefits and necessary breaks as well as adequate breastfeeding rooms at the workplace. Recently, Tamil Nadu government has established nearly 300 centrally air-conditioned breastfeeding rooms in public places like bus terminals. Further, there is a need for effective implementation of the Infant Milk Substitutes (IMS) Act in every State along with regular monitoring of the various programmes at all levels.

Breastfeeding is the most invaluable investment for child’s physical, mental and motor development. All out efforts are needed for promoting and sustaining breastfeeding!!

स्तनपान विकल्प नहीं, संकल्प है !!

Why do we need to promote breastfeeding? http://jameelblr.blogspot.in/2017/08/why-do-we-need-to-promote-breastfeeding.html

Aadhaar required for registration of death from 1st October 2017

Aadhaar number will be now required for the purpose of establishing the identity of the deceased for death registration from 1st October this year.

In a notification, Registrar General of India(RGI) said, the use of Aadhaar for the applicants of Death Certificate will result in ensuring accuracy of the details provided by the relatives and dependents.

It will provide an effective method to prevent identity fraud and also help recording the identity of the deceased person. Besides, it will obviate the need for producing multiple documents to prove the identity of the deceased person.

The RGI has directed concerned departments of States and UTs to ensure compliance of the order and send a confirmation to this effect by 1st of September this year.

The provisions will come into effect immediately for residents of all States except Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya for which a date will be notified separately.

An Applicant who is not aware of the Aadhaar number or EID of the deceased will be required to provide a certificate that the deceased person does not possess Aadhaar number and it should be duly informed and also prescribed that any false declaration given by the applicant in this regard will be treated as an offence.

Smile:) 'An aspect of good manners.'😊

Friday Blog

Smile:) 'An aspect of good manners.'😊

🌴Smiling is an act of charity.'
Extracted from Today's Friday sermon at UAE🌴

Mosque-goers will be told to follow the example of Prophet Mohammed(PBUH), who always smiled.

Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) said “Smiling in the face of your brother (another) is an act of charity,” which means that smiling at others is regarded as a good deed and carries the same weight as giving to charity, mosque-goers will be told on Friday.

This is because smiling reflects purity of soul and beauty of the spirit, the sermon will say.

Smiling is also an expression of happiness and a means of spreading love among people.

Worshippers will be told that smiling has many positive effects and was part of the guidance of all the prophets and messengers.

It is said Prophet Mohammed(pbuh) always smiled, even until the very last minutes of his life. About such kind demeanour, Anas, narrated, “The Muslims were offering the Fajr prayer on Monday — the day of the Prophet’s demise. When the people aligned (in rows) for the prayer, the Prophet pbuh lifted the curtain of his house and started looking at us and was standing at that time. His face was (glittering) like a page of the Quran and he smiled cheerfully.”

A genuine smile is the fastest method of communication and is the sincerest of expressions that brings people closer together, the sermon will say. Thus, a smile has a positive impact on the community.

The power of smile can also be seen in family life as many families restored their happy and stable life thanks to cheerfulness and smiling faces of their members.

Trade is also an arena where smiling can have positive impact on the growth of business when a business owner treats customers gently and meets them with a smile.

Truly, a smile sends out a signal of love and sharing. This is why a scholar said, “When you are with people (in a gathering), you should smile often and meet them with a cheerful face.”

Furthermore, a society whose members are kind and smile often is a civilised one where everyone treats others nicely, politely and with courtesy. Those are traits of the well-mannered people. It was report that Abdullah Ibn Al Mubarak has described good conducts saying, "It is a smiling face, doing your best in what is good, and refraining from causing harm (to others)."

Have a blessed Juma.

🌿Duas.🌿

📌 Jameel Aahmed Milansaar.
FB.com/wwwjameel 🎋