Protest in Chandigarh University.

At Chandigarh University in Mohali, there is a sizable demonstration. Giving justice to those girls who are the victims of this popular video is the motivation behind this protest. One of Chandigarh University’s dorm roommates takes 60 recordings of the females bathing. Although it sounds shameful and horrible, this is the reality. The female sends the lad those videos. The lad is from Shimla, the girl claims, and he asked him to shoot those movies. That boy sent those videos around via MMS. It’s terrible.

The girl was speechless as the Warden questioned her again. That establishes her errors. There are some YouTube videos where the girl tries to respond to those queries. Social internet is rife with allegations that a few girls have committed suicide. The fact check and police comments, however, make it very evident that no girl has actually committed suicide. But why were the ambulances sent to the institution, one could wonder? According to the police officer, a couple girls experienced panic attacks and required hospitalization. But they are now fine.

The police team is thoroughly investigating this matter and an FIR has been filed against the female. Soon after this tragedy was made public, the students began protesting, displaying their sense of oneness. Several students are traveling the path to justice. Now, the situation is a social problem. Because the pupils in that age group are active, they must learn how to use that energy effectively. This matter is being looked into more thoroughly because it involves sensitive information. The search for that boy is urgent for the police. This cannot continue. The students there have received precise instructions from the cops. The experts are discussing this case.

This can’t happen. This was a silly thing to do. The university’s reputation will suffer as a result of this. And because this behavior was inappropriate, the parent will feel humiliated by her daughter. The girl is expelled from the university, and the police are given custody of her.

Contemporary anarchism

Anarchism is a process whereby authority and domination is being replaced with non-hierarchical, horizontal structures, with voluntary associations between human beings. It is a form of social organisation with a set of key principles, such as self-organisation, voluntary association, freedom, autonomy, solidarity, direct democracy, egalitarianism and mutual aid. Based on these principles and values, anarchism rejects both a capitalist economy and a nation state that is governed by means of a representative democracy. It is a utopian project that aspires to combine the best parts of liberalism with the best parts of communism. At its heart is a mix of the liberal emphasis on individual freedom and the communist emphasis on an equal society. Let’s unpack this a bit. The etymology of the term traces back to the Greek word “anarkhia”, which means “without rulers” or “without authority”. It stands for the absence of domination, hierarchy and power over others.

Whenever public protests ignite into violent behaviour, the mainstream media are often quick to refer to “anarchy” and to “anarchists”. Those who are referred to as anarchists are protesters who burn tyres or engage in battles with the police. In this narrative, anarchists are lawless hooligans and anarchy is about chaos and pointless violence. The political philosophy of anarchisms emerged in the mid-19th century – as part of the thought of Enlightenment. Key anarchist thinkers include Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, William Godwin, Peter Kropotkin, Mikhail Bakunin, Emma Goldman, and Max Stirner. Proudhon is credited as the first self-proclaimed anarchist and is often seen as the founder of classic anarchist thinking. In particular, he developed the concept of spontaneous order in society, where organisations can emerge without central or top-down coordination.

The most common definitions of anarchism stress two points; first, anarchists are opposed to any form of coercive authority; following from this, anarchists are opposed to state power and seek to destroy it. But even this basic definition ignores the important distinction between anarchists who emphasize collective action rather than individualism, or who avoid any strategies focused on the state (even its destruction. The last stand of traditional anarchism, which reached its high point in Spain during the 1930s, suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Franco’s fascists and the criminal policies of the Stalinized Communist Party. A once vibrant international anarchist movement was in ruins by the end of the Second World War. In the United States, political repression and Red Squad terror decimated the anarchist ranks more than a decade earlier. Small, isolated groups of anarchists survived, but never again reached the influence once attained during the Spanish Civil War.

After World War II, anarchist groups and federations reemerged in almost all countries where they had formerly flourished—the notable exceptions being Spain and the Soviet Union—but these organizations wielded little influence compared to that of the broader movement inspired by earlier ideas. This development is not surprising, since anarchists never stressed the need for organizational continuity, and the cluster of social and moral ideas that are identifiable as anarchism always spread beyond any clearly definable movement.

Anarchist ideas emerged in a wider frame of reference beginning with the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s, which aimed to resist injustice through the tactic of civil disobedience. In the 1960s and ’70s a new radicalism took root among students and the left in general in the United States, Europe, and Japan, embracing a general criticism of “elitist” power structures and the materialist values of modern industrial societies—both capitalist and communist. For these radicals, who rejected the traditional parties of the left as strongly as they did the existing political structure, the appeal of anarchism was strong. The general anarchist outlook—with its emphasis on spontaneity, theoretical flexibility, simplicity of life, and the importance of love and anger as complementary and necessary components in both social and individual action—attracted those who opposed impersonal political institutions and the calculations of older parties. The anarchist rejection of the state, and the insistence on decentralism and local autonomy, found strong echoes among those who advocated participatory democracy. The anarchist insistence on direct action was reflected in calls for extra parliamentary action and violent confrontation by some student groups in France, the United States, and Japan. Anarchists also took up issues related to feminism and developed a rich body of work, known as anarcha-feminism, that applied anarchist principles to the analysis of women’s oppression, arguing that the state is inherently patriarchal and that women’s experience as nurturers and caregivers reflects the anarchist ideals of mutuality and the rejection of hierarchy and authority.

The most prevalent current in anarchist thinking during the last two decades of the 20th century (at least in the United States) was an eclectic, countercultural mixture of theories reflecting a wide range of artistic, literary, political, and philosophical influences, including Dada, Surrealism, and Situationism; the writers of the Beat movement; the Frankfurt School of Marxist-oriented social and political philosophers—especially Herbert Marcuse—and post-structuralist and postmodern philosophy and literary theory, in particular the work of the French philosopher and historian Michel Foucault.

Contemporary anarchism has some important differences, but also a great deal of continuity, with historical anarchism. Where it focuses on building an alternative in the “interstices” of capitalism, it accommodates to, rather than challenges, capitalism; and where it fetishizes street tactics, it generates more press than tangible success in either building the struggle or in challenging the state.But struggle teaches, and those anarchists most engaged in struggle and most concerned with finding the most effective means of winning a better world are looking for alternative ideas to make sense of the crises around us. Marxists and these anarchists should stand shoulder-to-shoulder in every aspect of struggle, whether fighting evictions, the far right, or budget cuts. And serious revolutionaries must consider what tactics will strengthen the movement and its chances of victory. Foolish acts of vandalism by unaccountable individuals only serve to disrupt and weaken the movement, and the best anarchists recognize this.

The Tiananmen Square Protests

What was it?

Tiananmen square is a city square in Beijing, China. In 1989, there were student-led protests and demonstrations calling for democracy, free speech and free press in China that culminated in this square. The pro-democracy student protestors had marched through Beijing to Tiananmen Square following the death of Hu Yao bang, a former communist party leader who had worked to introduce democratic reform in China. In mourning Hu, the students called for a more open, democratic government and also demanded the resignations of Chinese Communist Party leaders who were deemed repressive and inadequate. For nearly three weeks, the protesters kept up daily vigils, marched and chanted. The event drew around one million participants and was being captured and reported on by news channels all over the world. It had become a global event, but one which would have a terrifying ending.

The Tiananmen Square Massacre

The government had considered negotiating with the demonstrators and offering concessions. However, many in power were opposed to this and decided that to avoid anarchy, the protests needed to be suppressed forcibly. To this end, martial law was declared in Beijing, and army troops were stationed around the city. Initially, attempts by the troops to reach Tiananmen Square were thwarted by the citizens of Beijing who flooded the streets and blocked their way. Eventually however, the Chinese government decided to crack down on the protestors in Tiananmen square with all their might. They sent soldiers and security police that stormed through Tiananmen Square, firing indiscriminately into the crowds of protesters. Tanks and heavily armed troops advanced toward Tiananmen Square, opening fire on or crushing those who tried to block their way.

Hence, carnage ensued as tens of thousands of the young students tried to escape the terrorizing Chinese forces. Other protesters fought back, stoning the attacking troops and overturning and setting fire to military vehicles. Once the soldiers reached the square, a number of the few thousand remaining demonstrators chose to leave rather than face a continuation of the confrontation. By morning the area had been cleared of protesters, though sporadic shootings occurred throughout the day. By June 5, the military had secured complete control, though during the day there was a notable, widely reported incident involving a lone protester momentarily facing down a column of tanks as it advanced on him near the square. This incident is now a famous picture that serves as a representation of what happened at Tiananmen (featured image of the article).

The Aftermath

In the aftermath of the massacre and crackdown, the United States instituted economic and diplomatic sanctions on China for a time, and many other foreign governments criticized China’s handling of the protesters. Leaders and governments worldwide condemned the Chinese government’s military actions. Still, the Chinese government arrested thousands of individuals who were suspected to have been involved in the protests, and many of them received prison.

From the outset of the incident, the Chinese government’s official stance was to rationalize their actions, calling the protesters ‘counterrevolutionaries’ and minimizing the extent of the military actions. The government’s count of those killed was 241 (including soldiers), with some 7,000 wounded. However, most other estimates have put the death toll much higher. In the years since the incident, the government has attempted to suppress all references to it, and public commemoration of the incident is officially banned. However, the residents of Hong Kong have held an annual vigil on the anniversary of the crackdown, even after Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration. It remains a sensitive topic to date in China, and there is little to no discussion or debate about in Chinese public forums. Regardless, everyone in China and in the world knows and remembers the tragic events that occurred in Tiananmen square and the protestors that died while wishing for a better China.

National Doctors’ Day

National Doctors Day is celebrated nationwide, every year, on the 1st of July. But why? This is to express our gratitude towards doctors and physicians for their service towards our well-being. Legendary physician and the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy was born on the 1st of July in Patna, Bihar in 1882 and coincidentally died on the very same date in the year 1962. In 1961, Dr Roy was conferred with the nation’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna. Doctors day in India was established in 1991 in honour of his birth and death anniversary.

Well, Doctors day is celebrated every year on the 1st of July but this year another day was observed, by the doctors of IMA (Indian Medical Association) on 18th of June, NATIONAL PROTEST DAY. Doctors came together against the assaults on doctors in COVID wards. IMA observed nationwide protests demanding central law to protect doctors against violence.

Image source: Google | Image by: EKTA KUMAR

Doctors and healthcare workers held placards and raised slogans like doctors bachao desh bachao (save doctors, save nation) and save the saviour. Doctors and medical staff at the IMA office in Hyderabad protested wearing black badges. Doctors from AIIMS Delhi and IMA unit, Ludhiana also took part in the agitations. Various state-level protests were taking place for a long time.

Why are these protests taking place?

Let me brief you here

Bhopal: A local politician was seen screaming at a Bhopal doctor who couldn’t save the life of a patient who was bought to the hospital at an oxygen level of 30. This left the doctor in tears and he was demoralised to the extent that he wanted to resign.
Guwahati: A doctor at a coronavirus facility in Assam was punched, kicked, and pounded with metal trash cans and bricks, by the relatives of a Covid patient who had died, allegedly due to oxygen shortage. Locals also assaulted the doctor who was then hospitalised.
Kerala: A police official allegedly attacked a doctor in the Alappuzha district. The official is accused of slapping Dr Rahul Mathew, who was working the night shift at the Mavelikkara district hospital, after the former’s mother, a COVID-19 patient, was brought dead to the hospitals. Doctors protest for the non-arrest.

Image source: Google | Image by: Hemanta Kumar Nath

And many more such cases went viral on social media. Assaults on doctors might not make it to the news daily, but take place every day.

What exactly did they do to get such treatment?

Grinded in high school, cracked NEET, spent 7-8 years working hard and studying in college, paid a hefty amount of fees to medical colleges or even took loans for their studies.

Who does that? Their fault, right?

Image source: Google | Image by: **BusinessToday.In**

During COVID lockdown when most of us were busy making dalgona coffee and baking cakes, they were out there in scorching heat, wearing PPE kits dealing with patients. Burning the candle at both ends, forgetting they have a life of their own, forgetting they have a family waiting for them, isolating themselves from their own family members, in their own houses to protect their families from contracting the virus, more than 500 doctors died during COVID, trying to save our lives. But why, just to save us. Imagine how demoralising it is for them to get beaten up by the ones they’re working for.

What is the probable reason?

Lack of infrastructure
Manpower
Laws in place
Security arrangements

Lack of infrastructure

The shortfall of ICUs, no beds for patients, dearth of oxygen support, the inadequacy of medicines, caretakers bound to wait in long queues for medicines at dispensaries, patients gasping outside hospitals, black marketing of almost everything required for a person to recover, our health infrastructure was crippling.

Image Source: Google | Image by: Aishwarya Paliwal

Manpower

Along with the tools used to help fight COVID, there is a paucity of our warriors too. There should be at least one doctor per 1000 patients according to WHO, whereas in India there is one doctor who attends more than 1445 patients. Not just doctors, the suggested number of nurses per 1000 patients is at least 3, there are just 1.7 in India (43% less than WHO standards). This leads to overworking of doctors and medical staff ignoring their basic requirements like sleep and a proper diet.

Laws in place

Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, also known as the Medical protection act is there in at least 19 states, which when breached can lead to an imprisonment of up to 3 years and a fine of INR 50,000. Damage to any medical devices and equipment is a punishable offence and offenders are liable to pay twice the amount of the damaged equipment’s cost.

The Act, however, fails to really protect doctors because it features neither in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) nor in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). This makes it difficult for victims to approach the police for help or the latter to file a complaint against suspects.

Security arrangements

Doctors are not politicians with scores of gunmen and bouncers around them, who will assure their safety? Due to lack of security at hospitals and clinics, doctors and other staff are the soft targets for unhappy relatives and agitated patients.

Stepping into doctor’s shoes

Imagine yourself as a teacher who fears being beaten up to death by parents for their child’s poor performance at a test, will you even be willing to teach anymore with the same zest. I don’t think so. Hospitals are understaffed, doctors are overworked, patients are overwhelmed.

But this isn’t the fault of our doctors. They are going an extra mile in order to save as many patients as they can, making 3 patients share a bed or switching oxygen support among patients, they have our best interest at heart.

Doctors are not supposed to be accountable for the paralyzed infrastructure, that is where the leaders we vote for come into play. They’re made to work for 15+ hours at a stretch that too in a harsh environment, in a place they no longer feel safe or comfortable in.

What do doctors want?

All they want is for the government to sit with them and consider their problems.

For a law to protect their lives so that they can continue with their duties towards the nation. The implementation of existing laws.

They don’t demand banging of thalis from our balconies or something like that in order to pay our respect, they didn’t ask for showering of flowers upon them for their service, all they’re asking for is to be able to practice in a safe environment where they’re worried for patients’ life, not scared of getting beaten up by sticks.

Image source: Google | Image by: Anjana Pasricha ( VoA)

We were always raised to believe doctors are God on land. Saving our life, giving us a new one at times, while risking their own. What they now want is not godly, but at least a humanly manner.

How can we help?

First and foremost, don’t be someone they need protection from. i.e. don’t be an assaulter.

Secondly, don’t ignore if you see someone being unfair toward them. Raise your voice, report if you see something like this.

A simple realisation that we can trust our doctors can do wonders.

Lastly, don’t forget they’re humans too. Thank them, pay your respect, or at least, just don’t be a jerk.

This Doctors day, I bet Dr Bidhan Chandra wouldn’t be proud of our country treating its doctors and medical staff like this.

Let’s all come together and promise that we’ll make the world a better place to live for our selfless human beings. We owe them.

Ending here with a salute to any doctor or an aspiring doctor reading this, and a sincere tribute to the warriors that lost their lives.

Kudos, to all of you.

What is Catcalling?

Catcalling is a form of harassment primarily consisting of unwanted sexual comments. This may include honking, wolf-whistling and indecent exposures. Most of the time, it is a man who catcalls and a woman who is catcalled.

According to surveys by Stop Street Harassment (a non-profit organization):

Nearly 95% of female respondents were honked at one or more times
Nearly 82% of female respondents were the target of a vulgar gesture at least once
Nearly 81% of female respondents were the target of sexually explicit comments from an unknown man at least once
Just over 77% of women said they were the target of kissing noises from men.

Where catcalling takes place?

Catcalling doesn’t only happen on the streets. Sexual harassers find targets on campus sidewalks, in restaurants and movie theaters, at work, inside homes – literally anywhere. Similarly, anyone can be a catcaller – including a person’s acquaintances. Online catcalling is also an issue just as severe as in-person catcalling. What’s worse, people on social media are able to say more because they are protected by a screen.

The Problems with Catcalling

It’s disrespectful: Catcalling is uncalled-for and usually makes the victim feel exposed and uncomfortable. In some cases, catcalling is used as a method of expressing power over someone, rather than the misperception of it being a “compliment”.
It’s not impressive: Someone may catcall in order to impress their friends, or the person they are catcalling at, but it’s actually unimpressive and immature.

Catcalling is not a compliment, it’s a harassment!!

Whilst compliments and flirting can be harmless and fun, shouting at strangers is not flattering, it leaves “targets” feeling exposed.

Catcalling is degrading, demeaning, and disgusting.

Women have the right to be treated with as much respect and dignity when walking down the street as any man. Women deserve to feel safe.

How to react if you are being catcalled?

Catcallers usually look for a reaction. Don’t give them one, especially fear.
Get to a safe or crowded place as soon as you can. Seek help if needed.
If you are around other people and it’s safe, you can use a simple comeback like “that’s harassment” or “don’t do that”.
While snapping back (if you choose to do so), make sure to keep walking and don’t stop.
Avoid the use of swear words or eye contact.
If it’s online, you can block and report them. Choosing to reply is also an option (e.g., asking “would you find it okay if someone spoke to your mother or sister in that way?”).
Document it: write it down or take a picture/screenshot. By doing this you can call them out later.
Share your story if you feel comfortable.

How to intervene if someone is being catcalled?

Call out the harasser if it is safe to do so.
Create a distraction or start chatting with the target (e.g., drop your keys and ask “are these yours?”).
Approach the target afterwards to see if they need company or if there is anything else you can do to help.
Whatever you do, don’t put the person who is catcalled at greater risk (e.g., becoming aggressive).

Catcalling has become normalized, as it is often disregarded as a “joke”, or even a compliment. These are some tips to learn why this is absolutely not the case.

BLACK LIVES MATTER OR DO ALL LIVES MATTER?

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”- Nelson Mandela

Racism has always existed and still is an ongoing struggle for a lot of us. Discrimination on the basis of color is very frequently experienced where the “whites” are considered on the higher scale of an hierarchy and the “colored” and “blacks” are considered on the lower scales. The black lives matter moment began after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin 17 months earlier in February 2012.The overall Black Lives Matter movement is a decentralized network of activists with no formal hierarchy. he movement returned to national headlines and gained further international attention during the global George Floyd protests in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. An estimated 15 million to 26 million people participated in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, making it one of the largest movements in the country’s history. The movement comprises many views and a broad array of demands but they center on criminal justice reform. The popularity of Black Lives Matter has rapidly shifted over time. Whereas public opinion on Black Lives Matter was net negative in 2018, it grew increasingly popular through 2019 and 2020. A later poll conducted in September 2020 showed that support among American adults had dropped to 55%, with notable declines among whites and Hispanics, while support remained widespread among black adults.

The phrase “Black Lives Matter” can refer to a Twitter hashtag, a slogan, a social movement, a political action committee, or a loose confederation of groups advocating for racial justice. Activist DeRay McKesson has commented that the movement “encompasses all who publicly declare that black lives matter and devote their time and energy accordingly.” BLM generally engages in direct action tactics that make people uncomfortable enough that they must address the issue. BLM has been known to build power through protest and rallies. BLM has also staged die-ins and held one during the 2015 Twin Cities Marathon. Black Lives Matter demonstration in Oakland, California, December 2014. Political slogans used during demonstrations include the eponymous “Black Lives Matter”, “Hands up, don’t shoot” (a later discredited reference attributed to Michael Brown), “I can’t breathe” (referring to Eric Garner and later George Floyd), “White silence is violence”, “No justice, no peace”, and “Is my son next?”,among others. According to a 2018 study, “Black Lives Matter protests are more likely to occur in localities where more black people have previously been killed by police.” The phrase “All Lives Matter” sprang up as response to the Black Lives Matter movement, shortly after the movement gained national attention. Several notable individuals have supported All Lives Matter. Its proponents include Senator Tim Scott. NFL cornerback Richard Sherman supports the All Lives Matter message, saying “I stand by what I said that All Lives Matter and that we are human beings.” According to an August 2015 telephone poll, 78% of likely American voters said that the statement “all lives matter” was closest to their own personal views when compared to “black lives matter” or neither. Only 11% said that the statement “black lives matter” was closest. Nine percent said that neither statement reflected their own personal point of view. According to professor David Theo Goldberg, “All Lives Matter” reflects a view of “racial dismissal, ignoring, and denial”. Professor Charles “Chip” Linscott said that “All Lives Matter” promotes the “erasure of structural anti-black racism and black social death in the name of formal and ideological equality and post-racial colorblindness”. Founders have responded to criticism of the movement’s exclusivity, saying, “#BlackLivesMatter doesn’t mean your life isn’t important – it means that Black lives, which are seen without value within White supremacy, are important to your liberation.” President Barack Obama spoke to the debate between Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter. Obama said, “I think that the reason that the organizers used the phrase Black Lives Matter was not because they were suggesting that no one else’s lives matter rather what they were suggesting was there is a specific problem that is happening in the African American community that’s not happening in other communities.” He also said “that is a legitimate issue that we’ve got to address.”

To conclude this, the Black lives matter movement was never a way to discriminate the others(whites). The whites were always placed on a superior level and it was the colored who were continuously bashed because of their color. they were killed because of this difference and because of this they definitely deserve to have the title that ” Blacks lives matter.”

This Is No Way To Protest And Hold Nation To Ransom

“I am always ready to bear Allah’s full fury but under no circumstances will I ever block road for offering namaz. There was no space in mosque or anywhere else except on road! Offering namaz on road is a big crime for me which I will never commit under any circumstances! Not for a second will I ever do anything that disturbs others and forces them to wait for me to leave road so that they can leave for their own work!”

– Sageer Khan my best friend who in 1993-94 said this to me when I asked him why he was so upset while returning from a mosque and why can’t he offer namaz on road just like others

It is most shocking to see that in his second term as PM Narendra Modi has senselessly, shamelessly and stupidly allowed blocking of roads and so also the Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also have also allowed for blocking of roads and rail tracks to register their protest against the new farm laws. What is even worst is that even Supreme Court too didn’t promptly order lifting of blockade of roads and rail tracks which is most unfortunate. My best friend Sageer Khan once also rightly said to me way back in 1993 that, “No cause no matter how sacred it may be can ever justify blocking of roads and rail tracks under any circumstances. My friendship will break with you if I ever come to know that you are a party to blocking of road or rail track. But I am sure that you will never ever commit such crime in your life.”

Bluntly put: Any PM who cannot stop blockade of road and rail tracks must promptly resign and pave way for some other capable person! Which Constitution or which law or which religion or which God can justify blocking of roads and rail tracks? To hell with such Constitution or law or religion or God! To hell with all of them or any one of them depending on which ever try to justify blocking of road or rail tracks under any circumstances whatsoever which cannot be ever justified!

Needless to say: Any PM who cannot stop carrying out of tractor rally or any other parallel rally during Republic Day in Delhi must promptly resign as this definitely lead to giving free hand to hoodlums, criminals, goons and terrorists who will not spare any opportunity to even desecrate Red Fort as we saw most recently during 26 January, 2021 which has shamed our nation in front of the whole world! More than 500 policemen were injured by armed rioters under the garb of farmers and even with folded hands when police cops requested when their was no space left for them to escape then also they kept on beating them mercilessly! Can this be justified in the name of dissent? To hell with such dissent! This can only be justified on the ground of “Might is right” and this is exactly what is happening unabashedly in our country since last two years!

Of course, it was not a coincidence that Khalistani supporters were simultaneously raising anti-India slogans and so also the historic statute of Mahatma Gandhi in America was broken! Can this also be justified in the name of dissent? Can chanting of Khalistani slogans also be justified in the name of dissent?

More broadly, can carrying of weapons be justified during tractor rally as we saw in Delhi during 26 January? Can tractors be allowed to break all barricading that comes their way? Can tractors be allowed to crush police men if they come in their way?

Why police never spares any person even if a person commits a small mistake like not wearing a helmet etc but on the contrary when many rogues threaten to carry out rallies and dare to throw aside all check posts then they are treated with kidgloves as we saw when more than 300 policemen were injured. How long will mob violence be justified on one pretext or the other? How long will terrorists be glorified in such protests? How long will women and men be allowed to chant that, “Hain Hain Modi Marja Tun Pehla Indira ko thoka hain aab Modi ki bari hain”? Why were such anti-nationals not arrested promptly? Why was all this taken so lightly?

There are many actors both in India and in abroad who are not coming out in open but who have made it their latest weapon to sponsor such blockade of roads and rail tracks and those foreign forces who are inimical to the very concept of India are the “real force” behind all such fundings and they must be identified at the earliest and exposed in front of the world. It is a national shame that why our government in Centre as well the Supreme Court allowed such dangerous, deplorable, despicable and dastardly blocking of roads and rail tracks which causes maximum inconvenience to the common person for months and months together and now Rakesh Tikait has warned to carry it for a year by end of 2021! All the legal luminaries, senior Supreme Court lawyers and Supreme Court Judges including CJI along with PM and Cabinet Ministers must feel most ashamed that they have allowed this most despicable blocking of roads and rail tracks right under their nose!

Under no circumstances should the administration both in the State as well as in the Centre should have ever allowed farmers instigated by their leaders for advancing their own interests to occupy roads and rail tracks. India’s international reputation has been worst affected but leaders like Rakesh Tikait among others are least bothered about all this! What is most shocking is that the PM and the CJI have not taken it most seriously due to which this shameful, senseless and stupid act of blocking of road and rail tracks is fast becoming the order of the day! CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde should have first ordered protesters to vacate the road and to give an undertaking that they would never again occupy roads and rail tracks like this before staying the Central laws or appointing a high powered Committee to look into it. But nothing of this sort happened and the result are there for all of us as we saw during Republic day!

To put it mildly: Our Red Fort was desecrated by hoodlums and vandalisers and this happened right under the nose of the administration. Why was permission given for such tractor parade and that too on Republic Day and that too in Capital itself to so many vehicles that it was virtually impossible to keep a control on all of them? There are many more such troubling questions which keep haunting us who love this nation!

Needless to say, too much freedom and too much tolerance allowed to mob under the garb of farmers or any other form will destroy India completely as it is goons who hijack the agenda as we saw during the Republic day parade! Who is responsible for many places like Ghazipur turning into fortress with nails on roads and concrete walls? It is these hoodlums who tarnished the reputation of India and indulged in wanton violence in which more than 500 police cops were injured which cannot be justified under any circumstances whatsoever!

How can we forget the images of farmers in their tractors considering themselves above law and clashing with the Delhi police at Red Fort where they were not permitted to go and rampaging whatever came in their way and carried out huge destroying of precious items even inside the Red Fort? As if this was not enough, many of them even tried to run tractor over police cops who had to run for saving their lives! Should the CJI and his brother Judges have sympathy for such farmers? Should they allow farmers to hold nation to ransom by blocking all entry points to Delhi?

It cannot be lightly dismissed that among all the Congress leaders, it was Captain Amarinder Singh who is Chief Minister of Punjab who was most vocal in denouncing what all happened under the garb of tractor rally on January 26, 2021. He minced no words to state unequivocally that, “My head hangs in shame at what happened yesterday in the national capital.” He also said categorically that those who were responsible for the incident were not farmers but misguided youth who were indulging in symbolism. How can this or blocking of roads be ever justified? Why rail tracks in Punjab were allowed to be blocked for months together?

What message has gone out? Why judiciary too allowed this most despicable act of blocking of road right under its very nose? Why were these protesters allowed to take the nation for a ride and injure as many as more than 500 police personnel? What message are we setting?

It is a no-brainer that this farmers movement has defamed India to the hilt. Spineless, senseless and shameless justification of violence under the garb of farmers protest and blocking of roads and rail tracks cannot be justified under any circumstances. Who is having the last laugh? It is countries like Canada, UK, US, Italy and Germany among others who openly support Khalistani movement and encourage them to rebel against India by allowing openly anti-India and pro-Khalistani activities on their soil and allowing them to vandalise even statutes of Mahatma Gandhi as we saw in USA!

Should we be proud of this? It is not just a coincidence that it is mostly celebrities from these countries who are expressing maximum concern for what is purely an internal issue of India but which Opposition parties are wanting to spare no opportunity to internationalise it. It is not just a coincidence that governments of these countries are voicing maximum concern over farm laws and this despite the irrefutable fact that USA has lent its support to the farm laws under the new President Joe Biden as mentioned in the newspapers of February 4, 2021!

Never take your enemy for granted. This where India always err. Why are protesters becoming a convenient tool in the hands of foreign powers? Why are Mir Jafars and Jai Chands being allowed to set the agenda of blocking roads for an indefinitely long period so as to tarnish, tatter and toss the impeccable reputation of India to the hilt?

I am sorry to say but this is no way to carry out a movement! We have become a laughing stock in front of the world for which farmer leaders who have misdirected farmers cannot escape from being held accountable. Why farmer leaders allowed this sacred agitation to be hijacked by radical separatists organizations who are openly advocating a separate Khalistan for Sikhs? Why Sikhs for Justice which is one such separatist organization was allowed to take the centrestage that had gone to the extent of even giving a clarion call to the Sikhs to reach the Red Fort on 26 January and unfurl the Khalistani flag and insult the national flag? Why Centre took it most lightly and why permission was granted to tractor rally which was more a terrorist rally in which we saw violent protesters trying to crush our police cops, run over barricades and vandalise Red Fort in a manner that is completely unprecedented? Centre has a lot of explaining to do on this just like in the case of Shaheen Bagh!

The locals are also simmering in anger as it is their right to livelihood and right to free passage that is getting worst affected due to this endless farmers agitation. We have seen how tension broke out in Tikri border where more than 100 people gathered and demanded the removal of protesters from the main Rohtak Road which has been blocked for the last more than two months. How long will the locals keep patience? Why Supreme Court gave the green signal for protest to continue on roads? Do only protesters have fundamental rights? What about others who face immense difficulties and trouble in their livelihood due to such blockades? Are they second grade citizens? Only vandalisers, hoodlums, violent agitators and road blockers entitled to fundamental rights for which our Supreme Court speaks most vociferously! What about others? Should others just keep on tolerating every nonsense quietly? This is what happened during Shaheen Bagh agitations due to which riots broke out when protesters tried to block other places also feeling emboldened to block Shaheen Bagh for more than 100 days!

Pintu Kumar who is a resident of the nearby Baba Haridas Nagar at Tikri Border said that these protesters “broke our trust” and “insulted” the national flag on January 26, when the farmers abetted by some selfish and vested leaders took out the disgraceful, disastrous, dangerous, shameful, senseless and stupid tractor rally to embarrass our nation. He rightly said that, “These people cannot be farmers, as a Kisan will never attack a Jawan. These are anti-social elements. We initially supported them and gave them food as well but they have broken our trust by resorting to violence on Republic Day.” The NIA report and intelligence report had also warned of Khalistani terrorists having entered the tractor rally and farmers protest but still stupidly sanction was granted for tractor rally and the results are there for us to see for ourselves! Most shocking indeed!

Why is it that we see maximum protesters from just Punjab and one or two other states only? Why is it that Gen Bajwa of Pakistani Army wanted Kartarpur Corridor to open fast and why huge hoardings of Khalistani Referendum 2020 not taken seriously? Why is it that drones from Pakistan were entering India and dropping weapons and still we took it lightly? It is high time that we wake up and stop this mockery of our national interests for the sake of appeasement of one religion alone. Why can’t we worship in our own country? My best friend Sageer Khan once said that “Even if Allah commands me to come to Pakistan I will refuse as nation, parents and religion can never be changed and so why should I go to Pakistan to worship? Why can’t I worship him in my own country? India is the best place for Muslims to live in.”

Movements on roads like the Shaheen Bagh sit-in by blocking road connecting two cities – Delhi and Noida for more than 100 days and now this protest against farm laws for more than 2 months are not a revolutionary upsurge as some suggest but symbol of “India Celebrating And Inviting Lawlessness, Indiscipline, Khalistani Agenda And Violence And Insulting India’s Pride Like Red Fort” which cannot be justified under any circumstances! Even all those Opposition parties who are lending their support – open or covert in any manner have only served in discrediting India as a safe place to live in! They have certainly not covered themselves in glory by hailing those who attacked our policemen and even tried to murder them by running them down under tractors!

It cannot be denied that every government has the prerogative to make new laws or make suitable changes in the existing ones. If Centre erred in not sending the farm bills to the Select Committee for discussion and in promulgating Ordinances and later converting it into law in a hurry as former Union Minister Ajit Singh points out, this by itself cannot be a justification to block rail routes as happened in Congress ruled states like Punjab and Rajasthan or block entry routes to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ruled Delhi. Is it not the common person who is bearing the maximum brunt of all this nonsense? How can PM, President and CJI allow ever all this nonsense to happen right under their very nose? Will this promote “rule of law” or “rule of jungle” where “Might is right” holds the ground? What are we trying to make of India?

Why thousands of crores of rupees are being allowed to be wasted due to such shameless, senseless and stupid blockades? Can farmers be above our nation and law? Can they smash vehicles, hail terror leaders like late Bhindrawale, try to run down police personnel with tractors, attack anyone who try to stop them with swords and call for gunning down PM Narendra Modi just like earlier late Mrs Indira Gandhi was gunned down? Certainly not!

How can the CJI maintain a conspicuous silence on all this? Why can’t he order prompt removal of protesters from all roads and rail tracks? Most baffling!

Why is blocking of road and rail tracks taken so lightly even by the Apex Court? Why it took so long for the Apex Court to deliver a ruling that condemned blocking of roads? Why still were farmers then allowed to block roads and why CJI didn’t order their prompt removal from roads?

Why is it that Apex Court stayed farm laws which many Judges like Justice Deepak Gupta of Supreme Court felt was not proper as it was not the remit of the Apex Court but why no such promptness was shown in ordering protesters to stop blocking of roads in Delhi and why no initiative was taken in this regard by the CJI? Why were the common people left to suffer in the cold? How can this be justified under any circumstances?

Why are farmers going overboard on this issue and why they are feeling more encouraged by Supreme Court’s inaction in making them vacate roads and increasing political support by parties who are just concerned about their vote banks thereby completely disregarding our national interests in the longer run? Why Rahul Gandhi instead of advising Centre to build bridges and not walls maintained a stoic silence when farmers were rampaging Delhi and desecrated even our national monuments and national pride – Red Fort? Why this dubious double standards?

Who is responsible for Centre ensuring that iron rods are hooked between two rows of cement barriers on a flank of the main highway at the Singhu border to further restrict the movement of protesters, agitating against the Centre’s new farm laws? It is those farmers themselves who indulged in lawlessness, violence and rampaging on Republic Day even after assuring the police that they would not indulge in violence of any kind due to which more than 500 police personnel got injured! Why Opposition leaders never say a word on this? Clearly, this only shows that there is more to it than meets the eye!

One still fervently hopes that good sense prevail over farmers also now and they see the dangerous game plan that is being played by some leaders who are only interested in serving their own vested agenda at the cost of farmers! Centre has taken a very balanced stand on this and has always agreed to hold talks time and again to review the farm laws instead of holding that it is non-negotiable! Foreign actors, leaders and even foreign countries have no right to meddle in India’s internal matters with clear design to malign India and this has been underscored by many celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar among others!

No doubt, this is no way to protest that you block road and rail tracks and become overjoyed that neither State nor Central Government acted tough and even Supreme Court refused to order prompt removal from these sites due to which people face maximum inconvenience and business worth thousands of crores of rupees is adversely affected! It is a no-brainer that there are some foreign powers and powerful terror groups who are behind all the sabotage that happened on 26 January and who don’t want that India should run smoothly on roads and rail tracks! Should PM, CJI and President allow them to have the last laugh by tolerating blockade of road and rail tracks quietly or should they display zero tolerance towards it as we have seen since independence till some time back when Shaheen Bagh episode spoiled everything? It is for them to introspect and decide on this! If not checked now this will become the most dangerous trend in India and our democratic system will be completely destroyed which we can certainly ignore only at the risk of our own peril!

Sanjeev Sirohi

The Casteless Collective

The Casteless Collective is a Chennai based Tamil indie band.

The band currently consists of 19 members including Tenma (leader and music producer), singers Muthu, Bala Chandar, Isaivani, Arivu and Chellamuthu, Dharani (Dholak), Sarath (Satti), Gautham (Katta molam), Nandan (Parai and Tavil), Manu Krishnan (drums) and Sahib Singh (guitar).

Formed in the year 2017, the band was started by Pa. Ranjith and Tamil Indie Musician and Composer, Tenma, founder of Madras Records. The band’s name originated from the phrase ‘Jaathi Illadha Tamizhargal’ which was coined by the 19^th century anti caste activist C. Iyothee Thass. He was a social activist who urged Dalits across Tamil Nadu to register themselves as Tamils without caste in the first census in 1871. The band makes music to protest and rebel against the age-old caste-based discrimination and violence. Their songs are political which speaks against the inequalities of the caste system and oppression of women and minorities in Tamil Nadu.

The leader and music producer of the band, Tenma was preparing to put together a group of indie musical artists for the Madras Indie Collective in 2017 when he got the idea from Pa. Ranjith, of training Gaana musicians for it. They prepared auditions for over 150 applicants and looked for artists who had a socio-political motivation in their lives as well as musical strengths. A mixture of Gaana, hip hop, rap and folk musicians were brought together. About 19 singers were selected for the initial ensemble.

Jai Bhim Anthem (2018), Quota (2018), Magizhchi (2018), Vada Chennai (2018), Thalaiva (2019), Dabba Dabba (2019) are popular singles of the band.

It has broken caste boundaries by engaging with the current social and political issue in the state. Instead of making music for entertainment alone the band has tried to eradicate discrimination through its music. Their main intention is “to create political awareness through music and art” because “art which makes us question discomfort is beautiful”. The band is a collective without caste which aims to eradicate caste based and religious discrimination through music.

The Casteless Collective had their very first concert on January 2018 in Chennai. It was their first performance in front of more than 4000 people. The 19 members including one female artist, all dressed in identical grey suits gave a wonderful performance. Their cries of “Jai Bhim!” would be greeted with thunderous applause. They did not expect such a big entusiastic crowd and it was a very emotional experience for all of them. This was also because most of the artists came from small backgrounds and they had mostly performed in one or two funeral processions. The instumentalists who played katte and chatti were really overwhelmed as these instuments were restricted to only funeral events.

It was not a concert that had people head-banging or jumping to the beat of drums. Instead, the audience listened to the songs with rapt attention. They broke into applause and shouts of agreement whenever the lyrics hit home. The Bhim Rap, a song on BR Ambedkar’s life and work, was met with a very enthusiastic reception. So was the rap song that condemned honour killings in the name of caste pride which was a major social evil in Tamil Nadu. Another popular track, Madrasin Magizhchi, spoke about the small joys of living in Madras, despite being poor.

They say that people often ask them about the song lyrics and the stories about their experiences, so a discussion has begun. The band believes that social problems cannot be solved unless it is spoken about. Without discussions around caste-based discrimination one cannot attempt to eradicate the social evil. Their songs have already fulfilled their aim and created a stir among people. We hope that the band achieves greater heights and reaches out to everyone out there who has been a victim of caste discrimination and that it becomes successful in eradicating the malpractices of the system.

Are U “One out of Everyone”.

Living in this 21st century, with every comfort , freedom to our lives and most importantly the power to make choices and decision, has really transformed this world. Earlier people who used to be calm, composed and believe mostly to remain silent in any act of discomfort, now react with every thought out. People in today’s world take a stand not for themselves only but also in their surrounding wherever they feel an act of inhumanity has taken place. All this compassion and empathetic behavior has suddenly transformed the humanity, and thus has given justice to the sufferer. But are really these emotions which have transformed us, has really people developed this feeling of compassion and empathy towards others and do people really care about any thing wrong going around them, or there is some more which is adding on and giving rise to these things.

Pacing towards a goal, and working day-night in this fast world has limited man’s effort and boundaries to just his work and lesser attention towards his close ones’s . People rather hardly care about anything going around them besides the area which really affects them. So what it is which has brought everyone closer these days and they take stand for each other. The simple answer to this is inner pain, aggression, frustation and sorrow which man is not able to share with anyone as no one hardly cares. The rise to protest is mostly not because of people care about the incident, maybe there are people who genuinely care and to whom a particular incident is really devastating, but for most it is just an act to remove out whatever they are feeling inside.

But the prior question which arises is that why do people get so much into an act of anger and frustation and want the things to be done right. This could mainly include:

1. Wrong source of information- Mostly we acknowledge these days, that one sided story is shown to the people by the people, which surely is to attract others attention towards an act and gain sympathy. They believe to get justice but without truth.

2.Facts are manipulate, by the people and spread of rumours is the main idea most people follow.

3.Everyone is very frustated these days and stressed out. They want their anger to just break out and for that they usually manipulate others and brain wash them.

4. Also people get more attracted towards any bad act as they believe that justice should be provided, which is good, but before the decision of the higher authority, they must not come to a point of judgement. Also most people believe what if any similar incident happens with them is the future, so also as an act of selfishness they mostly join these acts.

But the main thought which must be concentrated, is that people must think before any kind of action they do. It’s good to stand up against anything which is wrong, but just blindly trusting any source if information and following it is not a good options. People might take a step which is for the betterment of themselves but they must not spoil anything which can affect any individuals life.

People must come up as individuals but work together as a team in any act of inhumanity and should work for justice and must not focus on the idea of “One Out Of Everyone” and rather must focus on ” One Out For Everyone “. By doing this peace and harmony would spread and the taste of justice would be far better. Just the need to understand is the facts which do manipulate us as India and separate us. We must believe in unity, work against anything wrong but in the way no one gets harmed, no property is destroyed and essence of peace all around.

Indian Cinema: A Hostage to Controversies

Bollywood never runs out of issues that capture the nation’s headlines. Anyone who is a Bollywood fan knows that controversies and cinemas go hand in hand. The issues can be related to anything to everything in a movie, be it, the cast of the film or their personal beliefs to their personal lives, everything revolves around it.

Every time there is a movie that will attract politicians, certain communal groups or even the Indian censor board and it is not easy for a film to go down the throat of the sensitive people.

Over 63 movies have faced controversies by different communities since 2008 according to an internet source. The reasons range from religious (PK gained criticism for the projection of Hindu God in a manner unacceptable to people), political (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was in the fire for casting a Pakistani actor, Fawad Khan), historical (Bajirao Mastani was accused of distorting facts related to the ruler Peshwa Bajirao and his wives) and community (Ek Thi Daayan has a report filed against it for the projection of witches in a bad light).
Lately, filmmakers have been struggling to make movies, a smooth run but the protestors have it all. Be it blackmailing to burning down the school bus, nothing seems to be enough for the haters to calm down their ‘pride’ and ‘ego’.
Moreover, there was a threat to chop off Deepika Padukone’s nose referring to the epic Ramayana where chopping off nose was a punishment.
Madhur Bhandarkar, a filmmaker said “Let’s accept that making historical and political films is a problem in India,” who refers to an old experience with Indu Sarkar (July, 2017) as a nightmare.
Nonetheless, the truth remains that the real issues that need peoples’ concern are lacking behind and are considered shameful to talk about.
We show rejection, intolerance for a movie being released who casts a Pakistani actor. Why? Was this reaction to be made over the issues like dowry, poverty or even women protection?
The humor is getting lost and people are becoming a hard rock statue that reacts only when it opposes ‘their’ sentiments or beliefs.

The thought needs to change, let the 1.3 billion people decide whether the movie is worth it or not.
Chief Justice Dipak Misra says”Cinemas are an inseparable part of the right to free speech and expression, States cannot issue notifications prohibiting the screening of a film.”
A movie despite controversies and hatred of certain groups still remains purely INDIAN, purely BOLLYWOOD that has the hard work of lakhs of people who worked day and night to get good results not anger and anguish of people.
Let’s think whether the ”VIRODH PRADARSHAN” is fair enough on part of being an Indian and a responsible human being.

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