Day: December 31, 2017

Thy will be done

Jesus says, “When you pray, say, ‘…Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven….’”

Luther explains, “What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is God’s will done? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let his kingdom come; and when he strengthens and keeps us firm in his Word and faith until we die. This is his good and gracious will.”

Salvageable adds: Those four words, “Thy will be done,” can be the hardest words for a Christian to pray. We are accustomed to delivering our wish lists to God and advising him how to run the universe. We would like to take God’s promises about prayer and use them to make ourselves the lords and make God our slave. The “name it and claim it” approach to prayer completely ignores our relationship to God. He is our Father; we are his children. Because he loves us, he invites us to ask anything of him. Still, because he loves us, he will grant no prayer that is bad for us or that contradicts his master plan for the redemption of the world.

Jesus prayed this difficult prayer in Gethsemane. He begged his Father for another way to rescue sinners; he did not want to drink the cup of God’s wrath, filled with the poison of sin and evil and rebellion. Even as he named the gift—“Let this cup pass from me”—Jesus refused to claim it. Instead, he prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.” This example sets the pattern for every Christian as we live our lives and as we speak with our heavenly Father in prayer.

We are nearly half-way through this prayer, and we have not yet said anything about what we want and need. The first three petitions of the prayer focus on God’s name, God’s kingdom, and what God wants. Even secular business strategy understands this approach: talk to the customer about the customer first, and the customer will keep listening when you switch to your product or service. Christians are not cynical when we begin our prayers talking to God about God. In both Old and New Testaments, believers began their prayers talking to God about God. They spoke of things God had done in the past and promises he had made. They reminded God of his nature—not because God needs reminders, but because the rest of us need reminders. The more we speak to God about God, the more we are pulled away from our selfish sinfulness and gathered into the saintly habit of loving God more than we love ourselves.

The words “on earth as it is in heaven” apply to all three petitions prayed thus far. “Hallowed be thy name on earth as it is in heaven.” “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s name is always holy, except where sinners profane the name of God. God’s kingdom follows his rules, except where sinners break his rules. God’s will is done everywhere in creation except where sinners rebel against him and follow their will rather than God’s will. Some people wonder why God allows sin and evil to exist in his otherwise perfect creation. That question is not the mystery, though. The true mystery is why God loves sinners and rebels so much that he sends his Son as a ransom to reclaim them. The only answer to that mystery is found in the will of God—a gracious, merciful and loving will that wants no one to perish but wants to redeem and reclaim all people. Because that is God’s will, Christians cheerfully and trustingly pray the words, “Thy will be done.” J.

Bill To Criminalise Triple Talaq Passed In Lok Sabha

To begin with, it needs no rocket scientist to conclude that the reprehensible practice of instant triple talaq is just a step away from becoming a punishable offence after the Lok Sabha on December 28 passed this historic Bill by voice vote. The Bill expressly stipulates a jail sentence of up to three years for the guilty husband. The Bill draft says that, “Any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever shall be void and illegal.” The Bill makes the declaration of instant triple talaq a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Without a doubt, the Centre by making instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a punishable offence has given a big boon to all those Muslim women who get adversely affected by it and suffer for no fault of theirs!
                                           But the endless woes of women just don’t end by this only! Polygamy or permission given under Muslim man to marry up to 4 wives is another much abused provision wherein it is the woman who is the worst sufferer. As if this is not enough, there is Nikah Halala also whereby if a Muslim man gives divorce to his wife and wants to marry him again then that Muslim woman is supposed to marry some other man, get divorce from him and then again marry her former husband!
                                        Can on earth there be anything more atrocious than this? Still it is valid in India since last 70 years and has continued unabated, unpunished and unchecked! Arif Mohammad Khan who was Union minister in former PM late Rajiv Gandhi’s Cabinet has been most vocal in demanding the abolition of not just instant triple talaq but also nikah halala and polygamy but he had to leave the Cabinet as his voice was not heard on this and he was overruled! Centre must now act on these two evils also just like Nehruji very rightly banned Hindus from marrying more than once even though Lord Krishna had 16,108 wives, Shivaji too had many wives and it was very common for Hindus to marry as many as they liked with no one to stop them from marrying them as many times as they wanted! Hindus should never forget Nehruji for this great favour that he did to them because of which the population also has come under control and now similarly Modiji should also have the guts like Nehruji to do a favour on Muslims also by similarly abolishing these reprehensible practices which are retrograde and violate the dignity of woman in the most rash manner! No doubt, a good beginning has been made in this direction!
                                          It is imperative to mention here that the Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill by voice vote after rejecting a string of amendments moved by opposition members. The Congress said it supported the Bill but wanted it to be scrutinized by the Standing Committee of Parliament but this demand was rejected by the Chair. MPs from the RJD, AIMIM, BJD, AIADMK and All India Muslim League opposed the Bill and called it arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal. Eminent Union Minister MJ Akbar who is himself a Muslim said that, “The law will give a big blow to those who want to keep women under the constant ‘fear and terror’ in the name of talaq”.
                                        It must be mentioned here that the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had invoked the Shah Bano case at the BJP’s Parliamentary Party meeting on December 28 and had said that unlike Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not bow down on triple talaq. He briefed the BJP MPs of the triple talaq legislation. He said that, “Rajiv Gandhi bowed down to the lobbies and left Shah Bano mid-way. Our PM will not let any injustice done to Muslim women.” What Prasad has said is truly laudable but I will again reiterate that it must now outlaw nikah halala also and polygamy also because such derogatory practices cannot be justified under any circumstances!
                                                 Let me mince no words in saying this most directly: If polygamy is banned even among Muslims, the dangerous trend of Hindus and people from other religions converting to Muslims just for getting their second marriage validated would be checked hundred percent! Thus two birds will be killed with one stone! The dangerous menace of “Love Jihad” can also be effectively checked by this!
                                               But the moot question here is: Will Centre show the requisite courage to act in this direction by acting similarly as it has done in the case of instant talaq or will it succumb in front of those who are big leaders but who never want the Muslim woman to truly become independent which alone explain why they oppose tooth and nail any type of changes in Muslim laws and this includes derogatory practices also like nikah halala and polygamy? Only time will tell! But I am still optimistic that Centre would place national interests first and take the right decision accordingly! Banning polygamy will not just check exploitation of women, conversion of people from their own religion to Islam just for marrying more wives than one but will also go a lot ahead in checking the population of our country which right now is growing by leaps and bounds and it is widely anticipated that if we go by this rate we would soon leave even China behind in next few years to become the world’s most populated country!
                                           To put things in perspective, while calling it a historic step, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Bill – The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 – will act as a deterrent since there have been 100 cases of triple talaq even after the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court delivered in August this year. We all know that in the landmark case of Shayara Bano v Union of India, the Supreme Court has outlawed instant triple talaq and very rightly so! Who can question this?
                                           Going forward, Prasad made it a point to further mention that while 22 Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh have regulated instant triple talaq, there was no effective law in India. He further went on to say that, “The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill seeks to ensure the larger constitutional goals of gender justice and gender equality of married Muslim women and help sub-serve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and empowerment.” Very rightly said!
                                It must be mentioned here that Clause 3 stipulates that instant triple talaq in any form shall be void and illegal. Clause 4 mentions that husband giving triple talaq to serve a jail term of up to three years and pay fine. A Sampath of CPM asked that, “Why is there no mention of the maximum quantum of fine in the Bill?” This is because the Judge has then the discretion to impose fine seeing the financial condition of Muslim men! Clause 5 envisages that the married Muslim woman shall be entitled to alimony. Sushmita Dev of Congress on this asked that, “Who will give the maintenance if the husband goes to jail?” All these questions must be addressed before it is finally made a law! The amount of the allowance will be decided by a first class Magistrate.
                                            Shaista Amber who is All India Muslim Woman Personal Law Board President hailed the judgment saying that, “I thank Allah, the government, the Supreme Court, Law Commission and all MPs”. Taking a dig at those opposing the Bill, Shaista questioned that, “What had they done for our rights?” Shayara Bano who led the sacred fight to ban instant triple talaq too expressed happiness but added a rider that, “After triple talaq, even other practices such as polygamy and nikah halala should be banned in our society. The way in which women are tortured in the name of these ill-practices should be stopped”.
                                            Shayara Bano also reiterated that, “I will once again file a petition to ban polygamy and nikah halala in  the top court. I will continue my fight against ill-practices among the Muslim community. These types of practices should be abolished from the Indian society for the development of our country.” After she filed the petition against instant triple talaq, it must be mentioned that thousands of Muslim women across the country came together demanding that triple talaq be abolished. Shayara has shown that any person can change the system if there is determination and will power to do so even if he/she comes from an ordinary family with a humble background! Kudos to her as she deserves all the laurels for prompting even the Supreme Court and Centre to act positively in this regard!
                                                   Eminent jurist and former Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee very rightly appealed not to bring religion into the triple talaq Bill. He elegantly said that, “It’s a very good move that requires legislation. Don’t bring religion into it as the whole thrust of the legislation is to ensure gender equality and to see women are not treated in an arbitrary manner.” He also said that the Bill was being opposed for the vested interests.
                                           He further added that the legislation would ensure gender equality. All of us must firmly believe in what Sorabjee has said and seriously adhere to what he has said as he is one of the brightest gem and jurist that India has known and has mentored even many other eminent jurists like Harish Salve who worked with him from 1980 to 1986! It is certainly a revolutionary step in the right direction but still all efforts must be made to cure it of all shortcomings before it is finally made into a law!
                                             Hope and pray earnestly that it is soon also cleared by the Rajya Sabha and made into a law so that Muslim women can be saved from this worst curse which in one second destroys her whole life with no way left for her to go! It is high time and now all efforts must be made to outlaw even other derogatory practices like nikah halala and polygamy as demanded by Shayara Bano, Arif Mohammad Khan and others which must be immediately thrown out into the dustbin of history by repealing it once and for all!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,

Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh

In A First Junior Advocates To Get Rs 3000 Per Month Stipend

Coming straight to the crux of the matter, let me begin at the beginning itself by first and foremost pointing out that in what could be considered as a very great landmark step taken for the benefit of fresh law graduates who just step into the legal profession as a lawyer, the Puducherry government has announced a stipend of Rs 3,000 per month for junior advocates for a period of three years or till they start practicing independently, whichever is earlier. This shall certainly bring a big smile in the face of all those who stand to gain by this landmark step. It is a truly laudable step which has to be appreciated for giving young lawyers the stipend of Rs 3000 per month so that they don’t have to look to their parents for financial help and undoubtedly this shall boost their self-confidence to a big level!  
                                   It merits no reiteration that every government of every state must emulate what a Union Territory which is not even a state has chosen to do! This is a very small step that will certainly go a long way in attracting more and more bright students into the legal profession! There is no valid reason as to why all other State governments all over India should not emulate what Puducherry has done now for the benefit of junior advocates!
                                 While craving for the exclusive indulgence of my esteemed readers, let me inform them that an official communication which was sent by N Murugavel who is Undersecretary (Law) to the President of the Puducherry Bar Association said that the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has allotted funds from the Chief Minister’s relief fund to cover the stipend. When such a small Union Territory can take such a landmark step by which so many junior advocates will benefit then why can’t bigger states who have much more money in their purse can’t allocate just Rs 3,000 per individual like Puducherry if not more so that more and more brighter talent is attracted to the legal profession and the junior lawyers don’t have to pinch their hands even to meet their daily expenses? It is high time and now bigger states too must follow the worthy footsteps of Puducherry and act in the supreme interests of junior advocates!
                                           It must not be lost on all states that in a first Puducherry has taken a very bold and landmark decision of giving junior advocates Rs 3,000 per month stipend! They too must not themselves lag behind and waste no time to do what Puducherry has done in this regard! There is no harm in doing or rather imitating other if that thing which has been done is laudable and worthy enough to be followed by others!
                                          It has to be conceded with grace that what the Chief Minister of a Union Territory – V Narayanasamy has done must be emulated by Chief Ministers of not just Union Territory or small states alone but also equally by bigger states as it is a very courageous decision which is bound to benefit many young and junior advocates who have just stepped into the legal profession and especially those who come from a weak financial background! I would rather go one step ahead and say that even those who come from good financial background would also feel more confident and happy if they get Rs 3000 per month stipend and this will imbue them further to work more harder to earn more and become independent in financial terms which is bound to groom their overall personality and make them more self-reliant! There can be no denying or disputing it!   
                                      For my esteemed readers exclusive indulgence, let me also inform them that the Puducherry government has also very rightly prescribed the eligibility criteria for getting the stipend. Those junior advocates who regularly attend free legal aid camps organized by the Legal Services Authority of the Union Territory of Puducherry and conduct the cases allotted to them by the legal aid committee and respective courts will be eligible to apply for the stipend. All other States must also emulate the most worthy example of Puducherry in this regard!
                                       To put things in perspective, there are other terms and conditions also that have been laid down which include assisting the courts as a researcher, attending the chamber of senior advocates with whom they are attached, obtaining regular service certificates every three months from the President or Secretary of the Puducherry Bar Association and assisting the government pleader or public prosecutor or others at least! These are all valid and rational conditions which shall go a long way in making a fresher and junior advocate more experienced and more capable to deal with the complex court situations which arises from case to case! So they cannot be questioned nor can their utility be questioned!    
                                         It must be highlighted here that while speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said there was a plea from the Puducherry State Bar Association that young lawyers entering the profession be paid monthly assistance. He said that, “Conceding the plea, the government has now evolved a scheme to provide Rs 3000 every month for young advocates. This assistance would be available to the new entrants for a period of three years to start with.” He also made it clear that, “The assistance is to enable the young lawyers to stabilize themselves in the profession.” He further added that initially the government would earmark from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, a sum of Rs 9 lakhs to the Welfare Fund of advocates here.
                                          All said and done, what the Puducherry government has done under the able stewardship of Chief Minister V Narayanasamy is truly laudable. He has taken a very bold initiative which must be truly applauded by one and all! It must be emulated by every State Government and Union Territories all across the country.
                                         Needless to say, junior advocates are also young officers of the court and to pay them so much that they don’t have to depend on others is imperative!  It is unquestionable that this is what the Puducherry government led by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has done so rightly! Who can deny this?
                                         It is a truly laudable step in the right direction to make them self-reliant especially in their initial years! This would make sure that young advocates are inspired to give in their very best to the profession right from day one without worrying much from the financial angle in the initial few years. They will be better trained as compared to those who don’t get anything and therefore lose interest in the legal profession of advocacy right from their formative years and thus get diverted into other professions! Who can deny this?
                                                 I have seen for myself that how not just lawyers in district courts and high courts but also in Supreme Court have shifted to other professions which includes teaching because there you immediately start getting good salary but in courts one has to wait for many years and still the earning is far below adequate! Who can deny this? I am ready to confront them!
                                          Even those lawyers who work with senior and eminent lawyers are hardly paid much except for a very few all across India and this explains why even young lawyers with exceptionally brilliant background but not having any relation in the legal profession tend to immediately shift to other fields like teaching etc or opt to appear in the judicial services exam and become a Judge where they start getting a decent salary very early in their life! This is a very dangerous trend that can never be good for the long term interests of judiciary and lawyering and must be checked immediately if the best talent is to be retained in the legal profession of lawyering and for this to happen it is imperative that the other Chief Ministers should also try and emulate what V Narayanasamy has attempted recently even though on a small scale which is truly laudable and worth emulating by all states and Union Territories!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh. 

Insult Of Jadhav’s Family Is Insult Of India

Coming straight to the key point, I fully agree with senior and eminent Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad that, “Insult of Jadhav’s family is insult of more than 130 crore Indians”. The moot question is: Why do our leaders of all parties speak strong language against Pakistan but never take any tough action against them? How long we will keep drinking poison like Lord Shiv and keep tolerating everything cheerfully? We are not Lord Shiv nor can we ever dare to even dream to become like him! Also, we should not forget that Lord Shiv certainly drank poison but he never tolerated insult and had not spared even the father of his consort Parvati when he insulted him publicly!
                                           But leaders of India are crossing all tolerable limits. They may shout against Pakistan, they may scream against Pakistan, they may demand terming Pakistan as Aatankistan as they did just recently in UN but when it comes to taking action themselves directly on the ground, they are just not prepared to do anything substantial! The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan was given unilaterally to them in 1996 even though they kept sending terrorists to India most actively since 1989 onwards and forced lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits and all those Muslim families who helped them to leave Kashmir and live like a refugee in their own country!
                                          Dr BR Ambedkar never favoured special status for Jammu and Kashmir which Jawaharlal Nehru did which was his worst blunder but what is more tragic is that no PM till now has ever dared to set right that historical blunder. Article 370 was not there in original Constitution but inserted later after Ambedkar’s death! Why is it there still in Constitution?
                                When we treat Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India then why have we not fully and finally merged it with India? Why as former CJI JS Khehar rightly pointed has separate flag, separate Constitution and separate laws when we treat as an integral part of India? This open sham must end now once and for all if we are really serious in treating as Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India!
                                      Coming back to the main issue, Kulbhushan Jadhav who was wrongly kidnapped from Iran border by Taliban and later sold to Pakistan’s ISI was termed a terrorist and when his mother and wife were keen to meet him, they were made to wait for nearly two years and then humiliated in the most shameful manner! Which self-respecting country will tolerate this quietly? Why India keeps taking things lying down? Why Pakistanis are given a VVIP treatment in India and allowed to dine and enjoy with whomever they like? Is this really fair? Yet shamelessly our politicians allow this to happen most brazenly right under our very nose!
                                         It is not Sanjeev Sirohi but Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar who disclosed to media after Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother – Chetna and Avanti returned to India along with Indian diplomat JP Singh who had accompanied them to meet Jadhav that, “Under the pretext of security precautions, the cultural and religious sensibilities of family members were disregarded. This included removal of mangalsutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security. For some inexplicable reason, despite her repeated requests, Chetana’s shoes were not returned to her after the meeting. We would caution against any mischievous intent in this regard.”
                                           What a national disgrace! If this thing were to happen with PM Modi’s family members or with even some Minister’s family members, would they still have given such muted response? Why do we tolerate so much everything quietly? Why can’t we pay back Pakistan in the same coin? This is the main reason why we are repeatedly subject to such insult time and again!
                                        Israel supports us but still we vote against them and reiterate our solidarity with Palestine! But see what Palestine does to us? Their leaders openly share platform with dreaded terror leaders like Hafiz Saeed who is leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba and reiterate their full support for Jammu and Kashmir’s integration with Pakistan at all cost and under all circumstances! Leaders like Farooq Abdullah don’t say a word when such shameful incidents happen but are quick to react otherwise at the drop of a hat and keep warning India against any measure to integrate them with India!
                                          Jadhav’s mother revealed that Jadhav kept on making tutored statement when she enquired him about the injuries. It was further revealed that Jadhav and his family were not allowed to speak in Marathi. Besides, the accompanying Indian diplomat Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh was initially separated from family members who were taken to the meeting without informing him. The Pakistani press was allowed to approach the family members closely, harass and hurl false accusations about Kulbhushan Jadhav. Kulbhushan and his mother were separated by a glass partition throughout the meeting.
                                      Indian leaders are squarely responsible for this! Why they lavishly throw dinners and parties for Pakistani leaders and invaders like General Musharraf who should not be allowed even an entry to India? Why they care a damn even when our soldiers are getting killed daily while fighting against their soldiers and terrorists trained and armed by their army and ISI?    
                                         At the very least, why can’t Centre revoke the unilateral MFN status conferred to them since 1996 thus disregarding the supreme sacrifices of our soldiers? Why can’t Centre declare Pakistan as a terror state instead of just demanding it once in a year in a UN platform or any other platform? Why can’t Centre expel all unnecessary Pakistani former diplomats fishing in troubled waters in India like Mehmood Kasuri?
                                          Why can’t Centre nuke all relations with Pakistan till they start behaving with us properly? Why can’t Centre revoke all benefits wrongly given to Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty agreement signed with them in 1960? Why can’t Centre expel all Pakistani nationals from India like Kuwait did as they foment trouble and terror wherever they go?
                                             It is because politicians and not Pakistan are the real danger to India because they are ready to tolerate everything and compromise on everything! Justice Markandey Katju termed Pakistan and Bangladesh as fake countries who were created by Indian politicians. Jinnah himself said to a boy long time back “No my boy, you are an Indian first and then a Muslim!” The creation of Pakistan was an act of treachery and we are still suffering because of it! Even Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who was a Pakhtoonistan leader said, “What is this Nehru? You have made me a foreigner in my own country? What sense does it make?”
                                       Seventy years down the lane nothing has changed. Still politicians keep appeasing separatists and keep appointing interlocutors to engage them even as they collude with Pakistan and regularly get funds from them to bleed India and cut it by a thousand wounds! What difference does it make to our politicians?
                                        What an unbeatable irony that those who are so senior politicians with exceptional academic background and even coming from royal families and served themselves in elite services hail Pakistan invader Gen Musharraf as “Musharraf Sahab” and terror leader like Hafiz Saeed as “Hafiz Sahab”! Are they peons and chaprasis of Musharraf and Hafiz or are they engaged as servants by them? If not then why do they indulge in so much of servility? Are they getting some pay from them? Then why so much of chamchagiri?
                                   Kulbhushan Jadhav is an ex servicemen and an officer who served in the Navy! Why India tolerates his insult so quietly? India must react very strongly and our politicians must start behaving themselves if India is to gain its pride and prestige in the international forum!
                                       But most shockingly politicians never learn anything even after facing repeated terror attacks from Pakistan and this alone explains why many feel that, “Fear politicians and not Pakistan! What is Pakistan? Nothing but a fake country created by politicians of India in collusion with England who formerly ruled over us!”
                                      Justice Markandey Katju went to the extent of calling politicians as “rogues and scoundrels”. It is high time and politicians must salvage their ever sinking reputation by really acting tough against Pakistan as Subramanium Swamy advocates but he is not listened to even in his own party that is BJP! The day our politicians start acting tough against Pakistan it dare not take us for granted! It will start to behave itself! But the moot question is: When will politicians make that day to come? It is all in their hands alone!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkehra,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.