Congress Sandesh

EDITORIAL
he Congress Parliamentary Party had a meeting on 20th July, addressed by the Congress
President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Touching on various issues concerning the nation the Congress
President emphasized that the tenure of Modi Government so far has only exhibited acts of
destabilization of institutions and polarization of the society. She said that they seem to have forgotten
that the Parliamentary majority can never be the reason to abandon the principles and practice of constitutionalism.
The blatant attack on democratically established elected institutions is totally unprecedented in the history of this
nation. The attempt to destabilize the elected Governments at Uttrakhand and Arunachal Pradesh were totally
unacceptable. They took off the mask of democratic federalism that the Prime Minister keeps on talking about but
never practices.. The Congress Vice President remarked Thank you supreme court for explaining what democracy
is all about to the PM. The Congress President said She hoped the historic judgment which firmly establishes
democratic values enshrined in the Constitution will deter the government from any further misuse of power.
In the recently concluded elections for the Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana pens in the polling booth manned by
the officers were surreptuosly replaced. In a place where all voters were asked to leave their pens before entering
the voting booth the mysterious changing of pens only for some strategic Congress votes reeks of mystery. This
once again exposed the truth about the protestations of the PM about his faith in democracy, constitution and
propriety and showed the BJP in its true light. It is now clear to what extent can they fall even for one seat in the
Upper House. Arunachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand are the other examples. Fortunately an independent and fearless
judiciary has reminded the PM about constitutional norms and values.
The level and nature of terrorism in the world has crossed all boundaries. The recent happenings during Bastille Day
Celebrations in the French Riviera city of Nice at France on 14thJuly left 84 people dead and hundreds injured. The
killings of innocents who were only trying to join in revelries on a festive occasion without a reason is one of the most
barbaric acts of recent times. This happened so quickly after the terrorist action at Bangladesh. What objective can be
achieved and what religious fundamental can be perpetuated by such heinous acts is beyond human imagination. It is
almost as if some young people have been indoctrinated to the extent of being hypnotized to believe that this is in the
interest of a religion. In a message, issued by Congress Vice President Shri Rahul Gandhi he said, My heart goes out
to the people of France as they mourn those who lost their lives in the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn the
attack. Our only hope for peace and progress and happiness is a shared humanity. Violence and terror can never be the
answer.
Whereas tall claims are being made about the booming economy except for the PMO no one else can see this. Deception
is not new to the ruling party. In order to divert attention from the real issues they keep on orchestrating unsubstantiated
charges against the Congress party.
Job creation has been at the lowestin six yearsbut retrenchment of industrial workers and loss of tens of thousands
of jobs in the export-manufacturing segment has added to the misery of the youth and the poor. There is a decline in
exports. The prices of food commodities and essential commodities are on the rise and this fact is exposed by no less
a person than the RBI Governor. The distress in the rural areas seems to be of no concern to the Modi Government.
No one else except the PM himself probably knows the inconsistency and incoherence of the Governments foreign
policy. The reverses in the international arena with the recent rebuff from Brazil, Switzerland and China in the matter
of the NSG is evident to all. And the behavior of Pakistan despite the bonhomie that the PM is exhibiting of his personal
relations with the Prime Minister of Pakistan is now a source of jokes even in social media. The increased intrusions in
Kashmir, ever since this bonhomie has emerged is a matter of concern. Going across the world and embracing world
leaders may be the styles of the PM Modi but that is not the way countries frame their foreign policy. It goes much
beyond the 'Chai pe Charcha' and depends upon the interest and stated positions of nations. The chanting of Modi,
Modi by the Indian diaspora in other nations seems to impress the audience back home but it does not alter foreign
policy that is always between two nations and not two leaders.
The nation remembers with affection its tall leader of the backwards and a brilliant administrator who served the
nation almost uninterruptedly as a Cabinet Minister with key portfolios. Babu Jagjivan Ram was a Congress leader who
served under many Congress Prime Ministers till we lost him on 6thJuly, 1986. We pay our respects to our leader on his
death anniversary. v
Congress Sandesh | 3 | July 2016
Published in Hindi & English
Jammu & Kashmir has been a a very sensitive area since partition and it has
required a touch of mature handling to tackle the insurgency perpetuated by
our neighbours as well as to meet the aspirations of the people of the area. The
recent events in the valley have been tragic and have thrown a great challenge on
the nation. The UPA Government under Dr. Manmohan Singh had tackled
the issue with great deal of sagacity along with a serious effort to open and
sustain a dialogue. Ever since the installation of a PDP-BJP Government in J&K
and the installation of the NDA Government at center things have deteriorated
to a very large extent.
Whereas there can be no compromise to the manner in which terrorism and
EDITOR
insurgency need to be handled as also we cannot compromise on the sovereignty
Dr Girija Vyas
of our country the treatment with the people has to be full of patience and tact.
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Motilal Vora
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Speaking at the CPP meet the Congress President said We must introspect
and ask ourselves what has driven scores of young people to such levels of
anger and protest, even violence. Can we say with all honesty that we have
responded with sincerity to their pleas? They are our people, we cannot
forsake them. While expressing her sorrow at the happenings at Kashmir and
the loss of innocent lives she said.. the death of so many of our citizens and
attack on security forces is very painful.
Ghulam Nabi Azad the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha and former CM
of J&K expressed his anguish over the needless death of 19 people during the
incidents recently. He shared the grief of the bereaved families and hoped for the
early recovery of more than 200 injured during the recent riots. He too expressed
deep concern on the deteriorating law and order situation in the valley in which
irreparable collateral damage has taken place.
J&K is not about the territorial integrity of the region alone, but also about
the aspirations and concerns of its citizens that needs a humanitarian touch
and understanding. Whereas there can be no compromise with the forces of
destabilization and terror we need to sit in dialogue with the local people and
address their concerns to their satisfaction.
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Contents
Vol. XVIII No. 11, July 2016
6
CPP Meet
Congress President Smt. Sonia
Gandhi addresses the CPP Meet and
says We may be lacking in numbers,
but we will make up for it with our
work and we will continue to demand
accountability through Parliament
during the Monsoon Session
8
Kashmir Issue
Kashmir is burning Prime Minister
plays drums, tweets about his travels
Messages
Dhaka terror attacks
Uttarakhand cloud burst
10
11
In Parliament
Speech of the Leader of Opposition in
Rajya Sabha, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad
on bloody clash in Kashmir valley 12
Speech of Shri Ahmed Patel during
the short-duration debate on recent
atrocities on Dalits in various parts of
the country
17
7th Pay Commission
Press Comments by Shri Ajay
Maken on the 7th Pay Commissions
recommendations
20
Media Incharge Shri RS Surjewala on
Modi governments shoddy treatment
to Armed Forces
21
22
Opinion
Dr. Priyam Barooah of DU on
Kashmir being mishmashed by Modi
government
24
Viewpoint
Dr. Amna Mirza of DU on SCs verdict
on Arunachal Pradesh
26
Comment
The great Modi-somersault on FDI
29
Analysis
Amit Punia, convener of RGPRS
discloses steeply declining
Employment in MNREGA
31
Achievements
Contribution of the Congress to
Social Reforms
35
Tribute
Babu Jagjivan Ram, the towering
visionary leader of the Dalits
37
Tragedy
Dr. Archana Sharma of RPCC on cruel

treatment to mentally sick children
38
Tribute
Tributes paid to former Chief Minister
Dr. B.C. Roy by Praveen Davar
Stateswatch
Demonstration against Price Rise 41
Dharna in 21 Assembly
42
Constituencies
Modi ke Bol, Jumlo ke Dhol
43
Meeting of the State Congress
Committee
44
AICC Diary
52
CPP-Meet
We may be lacking in numbers,

but we will make up for it with
our work and we will continue
to demand accountability
through Parliament:
Smt. Sonia Gandhi
The Speech of Congress Partys President Smt. Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, 20th July, 2016 in the
Congress Parliamentary Party meeting
welcome you to this meeting. It has

been quite some time since we have
met. I would like to begin with some
thoughts on Kashmir.
violence. Can we say in all honesty

that we have responded with sincerity
to their pleas? They are our people, we
cannot forsake them.
Recent events in the Valley are tragic

and pose a grave challenge to the
Dr. Manmohan Singhs government had

done a tremendous amount of good
work, along with
The Modi government has mistaken its a serious effort to
open and sustain a
parliamentary majority for a license dialogue. Sadly, this
to impose its narrow ideology on our is no longer the case.
We must respond
people. It seems to have forgotten the with restraint and
parliamentary majority can never be sensitivity to the
harsh realities of
a reason to abandon the principles
recent
months.
Not
doing
so
and practice of constitutionalism
is
fraught
with
dangerous long-term
country. The loss of life and suffering of consequences. Our partys position
our brothers and sisters, whether they is clear and consistent: while borders
are civilian or of the armed forces, is a cannot be redrawn, much can and must
source of deep anguish. There can be be done within the framework of our
no compromise on national security. constitution.
Militants must be dealt with firmly. Yet
Friends, in the last few months,
we must introspect and ask ourselves
we have witnessed how the Modi
what has driven scores of young people
governments project of destabilizing
to such levels of anger and protest, even
institutions and polarizing our society
has played out with renewed vigour to

the detriment of constitutional values.
The Modi government has mistaken
its parliamentary majority for a license
to impose its narrow ideology on our
people. It seems to have forgotten the
parliamentary majority can never be a
reason to abandon the principles and
practice of constitutionalism.
In the recently concluded Rajya Sabha
elections in Haryana, we saw how in
a never-before-act, pens in a polling
booth were mysteriously replaced.
On the one hand the Prime Minister
claims the Constitution to be sacred
for his government. On the other, he
has no compunction in trampling
upon it, first in Arunachal Pradesh and
then in Uttarakhand. Fortunately, an
independent and fearless judiciary has
reminded him about Constitutional
norms and values. But we canno afford
to be complacent since similar tactics are
still being attempted in other Congressruled States.
Friends, deception is not new to this
ruling party. They are skilled at ignoring
facts, at propagating false claims and
CPP-Meet
orchestrating unsubstantiated charges
against the opposition, especially the
Congress Party. As they complete two
years in office, they have sought to
create a bubble of achievement. But
what exactly have they achieved?
Job creation has not only been at its
lowest in six years but retrenchment
of industrial workers and loss of tens
of thousands of jobs in the export
manufacturing sector has added to the
misery of the youth and the poor. There
has been a continuous decline in exports
over the last 18 months. Contrary to
claims that India has turned power
surplus, power shortages continue to be
endemic.
Prices of essential commodities,
especially food items are at an all time
high. The Modi Governments hollow
claims on inflation have been exposed
recently by no less than the Reserve Bank
Governor. Their inaction in helping
farmers affected by acute drought despite
the Supreme Courts intervention is
deplorable. The widespread distress in
rural areas seems to be of no concern to
the Modi-government.
The Panchayat Raj Ministry established
by the UPA is being starved of funds and
slowly being driven into extinction. BJP
ruled states are dismantling the edifice
of the third tier of democracy by taking
away the autonomy of urban and rural
local bodies.
The Modi Government is defying labour
unions and reducing the security of
their savings.
The recommendations of the 7th Pay
Commission have done injustice to
the government employees and armed
forces resulting in discontent.
The Modi-government has snatched
away the rights of adivasis, dalits
and other traditional forest dwellers
under the Forest Rights Act, 2006
and is systematically weakening and
The Modi-government has snatched away the

rights of adivasis, dalits and other traditional
forest dwellers under the Forest Rights Act, 2006
and is systematically weakening and subverting
environmental laws. Brutal atrocities against
scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities
are continuing with impunity and shaming us all.
subverting environmental laws. Brutal
atrocities against scheduled castes,
scheduled tribes and minorities are
continuing with impunity and shaming
us all. The recent shocking incident in
Gujarat where four Dalit youths were
savagely beaten and humiliated publicly
is just one example of the social terror
this government condones.
There is constant confrontation with
the judiciary, civil society and student
organizations, and debate is being
stifled.
And when it comes to growth and GDP
figures that they tout, questions on their
veracity are raised even by their own
party leaders.
The BJP blocked every important FDI
initiative of the UPA government.
Yet, now, it has put in place a free for
all policy even in a sensitive area like
defence.
And how does the Modi-government
explain
the
incoherence
and
inconsistency of its foreign policy despite
the Prime Ministers frequent travels
abroad, his equally frequent embraces of
world leaders and impromptu birthday
calls!! Its policy towards Pakistan
oscillates between from one extreme to
the other. Relations with Nepal are at
an all-time low. Its ill-prepared policy
on the NSG memberships has exposed
us to a snub and is in complete contrast
to what, the UPA, achieved in 2008. The
Modi government seems to be changing
our countrys stand on security and
defence issues, departing radically from
policies that have stood the test of time

over the decades.
In the last session, amongst other
issues, we had raised the Gujarat State
Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) scam
which the government has tried hard to
sweep under the carpet. At a time when
banks are struggling with their NPAs, it
is unacceptable that almost Rs. 20,000
crore was lent to this company when it
was known that its claims on the size of
gas reserves were bogus.
The opaqueness of the Modigovernment is decision making and
brazen promotion of cronyism has cast
a dark shadow on its integrity.
And what of the other scandals that have
been exposed and are sought to be buried
in BJP-run States like Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and in
the Prime Ministers own State Gujarat?
And yet the claims that he is curbing
corruption.
Friends, we are presented with
a government that is anchored
in slick marketing events, in glib
marketing slogans, in repackaging, in
embellishment and exaggeration.
We may be lacking in numbers, but we
will make up for it with our work and we
will continue to demand accountability
through Parliament.
I count upon each one of you to be
present, to be active, to be aggressive and
hold the government and the ministers
to their words and actions.
Jai Hind! v
Kashmir issue
Kashmir Is Burning But PM Plays

Drums, Tweets About his Travels
New Delhi:With the situation in Jammu and Kashmir being
tense, the Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi
for tweeting about his travels and playing the drums instead
of focusing on the situation back home.
Kashmir is burning and our Prime Minister prefers to tweet
about his travels and play the drums, Congress said on 11th
July, 2016, taking potshots at PM Narendra Modi who was on
a 4-nation official visit of Africa.
Kashmir is burning. 21 people have died. Security forces are
being attacked daily. AmarnathYatra suspended and Modiji is
playing the drums. At least wake up now, he said in another
tweet in Hindi.
He also reminded the Prime Minister that the PDP-BJP
government in the state is unable to handle the situation and
he should not throw Jammu and Kashmir in the shadow of
the gun to ensure that the peace process remained unaffected.
At the Congress briefing, party spokesman AbhishekSinghvi
attacked Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for deploring
India for excessive force against civilians in the Valley while
expressing deep shock over the killing of HizbulMujahideen
commander BurhanWani.
We would urge the government to show maturity in handling
the situation. The government, the NDA Government in the
centre and the BJP-PDP alliance Government in the State,
have to remember that they inherited a peaceful valley from
the UPA Government. It was their duty to take this process
forward, the party said in a commentary on its website.
Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi,
Appeals for peace in Jammu and Kashmir
Congress president Smt. Sonia Gandhi
has expressed deep anguish at the loss of
innocent lives in the senseless violence in
parts of J&K in past few days. She said that,
there can be no compromise on matters relating to National
Security. Terrorism must be dealt with firmly. Even so, the
death of so many of our citizens and attack on security forces
is very painful. The political process has made many gains
in J&K particularly over the last two decades and these must
not get lost. I appeal to my brothers and sisters in the Valley

to allow political parties to find durable and enduring ways
of fulfilling their aspirations meaningfully in a peaceful and
democratic manner.
Gains Made By Us in Kashmir Have Been

Lost By Modi Government: Rahul Gandhi
The gains made by the previous Congress-led UPA government

have been nullified by the fatalistic policies of the Modi
government, Shri Rahul Gandhi said in New Delhi on the
night of 11th July, 2016.
Speaking at an Eid Milan reception hosted by JamiatUlemae-Hind chief MaulanaAsadMadni, Congress Vice President
Shri Rahul Gandhi said that mishandling the situation in the
Kashmir Valley had led to political turmoil.
Shri Rahul Gandhi said that when Dr. Manmohan Singh
was the prime minister, he focused on Jammu and Kashmir
and after years of toil we succeeded in restoring peace and
normalcy in the militancy-hit state. However, all the gains
made in the state were wasted by the Modi government by
handling the situation in a most casual manner, he alleged.
Shri Rahul Gandhi Gandhi said he voiced his concern to
Finance Minister Shri ArunJ aitley about growing unrest in the
Kashmir Valley when he met him regarding the GST bill a few
months ago.But Shri Jaitley was dismissive of my views and
claimed that the situation is well under control. I kept mum
after his observations.
When Dr.Manmohan Singh passed on the baton to PM Modi
Messages
in May 2014, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was quite
normal, Shri Rahul Gandhi said.
Leader of Oppostion in Rajya Sabha Shri Ghulam Nabi
Azad condoles the loss of lives in the Valley
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and All India Congress
Committee, General Secretary Shri GhulamNabi Azad has
expressed profound grief and sorrow over the untimely death
of more than 19 people during the violence in various parts
of the Kashmir Valley and has also expressed his heartfelt
condolences to the members of the bereaved family in this
hour of grief. Mr. Azad has also expressed deep concern on
the deteriorating law and order situation in the valley in which
irreparable collateral damage has taken place. He further said
that, the need of the hour is to ensure that the law and order is
restored at the earliest without any further loss of lives.
Shri Azad also wished speedy recovery of those more than 200
civilians and security personnel, who were injured during the
violence. v
Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi

condemns the Pampore terrorist
ambush
At least 8 CRPF jawans killed after terrorists open fire at

their convoy.
New Delhi: At least eight CRPF personnel were killed after
militants opened fire at the bus carrying the jawans in
Pampore, Jammu-Kashmir. Two terrorists were also gunned
down after the paramilitary force retaliated the attack.
Two terrorists were killed, weve lost 5 jawans and 20 are
injured. The injured were admitted in a hospital, according
to the CRPF.
However, three more jawans succumbed to their injuries later
at an Army Hospital bringing the total number of casualty
to and the CRPF said that the two terrorists, who have been
neutralized in the gunfire, appeared to be Lashkar-e-Taiba
operatives from Pakistan.
Honble Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has
condoled the death of CRPF Jawans who laid their precious
living in the dastardly terrorist ambush in Pampore. Their
sacrifice is supreme and unforgettable and we stand with
their families in this hour of grief and distress, she said.
Honble Congress President added: We wish the injured
Jawans a fast recovery, strength and healing. v
France Truck Attack
84 Mowed Down in Nice During

Bastille Day Celebration
NICE, FRANCE: A truck rammed into a crowd
celebratingBastille Day in the French Riviera city of Niceon
14th July, 2016 night,killing at least 84 peoplein an apparent
terrorist attack in which the driver also opened fire on
revelers, before being shot dead by police.
The truck struck
the crowd after
a
fireworks
display for the
French national
day
on
the
Promenade
des
Anglais, a seaside
walk in the city in
southern France. The Interior Ministry said Friday that84
were killed.The Islamic State asserted responsibility for that
attack, the worst bloodshed on French soil since World War
II.
The attack came on one of Frances most treasured holidays,
the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14,
1789. In Paris, the occasion is marked by a military parade
down the Champs-Elysees, the oldest and largest regularly
scheduled military parade in Europe.
In a message Congress President, Smt.
Sonia Gandhi has strongly condemned
the horrific terrorist attack on crowd
celebrating Bastille Day in French City
of Nice. Expressing profound grief,
Smt. Gandhi said, this deadly attack
reflects deep resentment to peace and
democratic values. Expressing deepest condolences to the
families of those killed, Smt. Gandhi called for strict action
and harshest punishment against those who are behind these
attacks. The Congress party stands firmly with the people of
France in these difficult times, she added.
In a separate message by Congress Vice President Shri
Rahul Gandhi said My heart goes out to
the people of France as they mourn those
who lost their lives in the horrific attack
in#Nice, . I strongly condemn the attack.
Our only hope for peace, progress &
happiness is a shared humanity. Violence
& terror can never be the answer. v
Messages
Dhaka Terror attack: Hostages killed within 20 minutes after assault

Congress President condemns the attack
and said such attacks are contradictions
of all ethical and human values.
New Delhi: The Islamic terror group
which carried out the worst terror attack
at a cafe in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka,
had slaughtered all the 20 hostages within
20 minutes of the blood bath.
Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the killing
of the 20 hostages and two police officers during the 12hour siege that ended after the Army stormed the Holey
Artisan Bakery popular with expats in the diplomatic zone
there, killing six attackers and capturing one alive.
Hostages who were killed include a 19-year-old Indian
girl Tarishi Jain. Nine Italians, 7 Japanese, one American
of Bangladeshi origin, and two
Bangladeshis were also among the
people who were butchered.
Congress President, Smt. Sonia
Gandhi has condemned the mass
killing of hostages in Dhaka recently.
Such attacks are contradiction of all
ethical and human values, she said.
Expressing deepest condolences to the families of those
killed, Smt. Gandhi called for immediate collective and
decisive action against those who are behind these attacks.
The Congress party stands firmly with the people of
Bangladesh in these testing times, she added.
In a separate message by Congress Vice

President Shri Rahul Gandhi strongly
condemned the Dhaka, attack. My
prayers are with the people of Dhaka
& Bangladesh. This senseless violence
must be fought strongly & unitedly. He
further expressed deepest condolences
to those who lost
loved ones in the Dhaka, attack. My
heart goes out to the family of Tarishi
Jain she remains in our prayers.
Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi
also wrote a condolence letter to Shri
Sanjeev Jain, father of Ms. Tarishi Jain.
Congress President said, I am deeply
hurt to know about the dastardly
killing of your daughter, Tarishi Jain, in the ghastly terror
attack in Bangladesh. This kind of act is a blot on the
humanity; and the people, who perpetrate such horror acts,
can never be anybodys friend. There is a need to create an
environment against such activities. I know how difficult is
it for the parents and loved ones to bear such a trauma. But
there is no alternative except having courage and patience.
No word of consolation is enough for it. But there are some
happenings in life, which are beyond our control. We have
to take it in our own stride.
I express my deep condolences to you and your family in
this hour of sorrow and grief. v
Terror attack kills 41 at Istanbul airport, Turkey

New Delhi: A suicide bombers attack
killed 41 people in a coordinated terror
attack on Istanbul Ataturk Airport,
the Turkeys largest airport. After
the estimated death toll fluctuated
throughout preceding night, a
statement from Istanbuls governor
confirmed the figure. It included 10
foreign nationals.
In a message of Solidarity and
Condolence Congress President
Smt. Sonia Gandhi said, My hearts
go out to the families of those who
have been killed. Our prayers are
with those who have been wounded.
This is a devastating attack and

it is heartbreaking to learn about
the damage done. It is one that is
particularly painful for the people
of Turkey, who have faced series of
attacks from militants and terrorists
this year. Human spirit and resolve
will never be deterred by such
cowardly attempts, she further said.
We feel enormous solidarity and
grief on behalf of the families that
have been affected, she added.
In a separate message Congress Vice
President Shri Rahul Gandhi reacted
saying: Shocked & deeply saddened

by news of yet another terror attack
in Istanbul, Strongly condemn this
cowardly attack on innocents. My
prayers are with the families of the
victims & the people of Istanbul." v
Messages
Iraq suicide bomb attack: Deaths in

Baghdad rise to 165
Uttarakhand cloudburst: At
least 30 people killed
New Delhi: A lorry packed with explosives was detonated in

the Karrada district of Iraq while families were shopping for the
holiday marking the end of Ramadan. It is believed to be the
deadliest single bomb attack in Iraq since 2007. T he number of
people killed on 3rd July, 2016 suicide bomb attack in the Iraqi
capital, Baghdad, has risen to 165, interior ministry officials say.
New Delhi: Congress President

Smt. Sonia Gandhi has expressed
profound grief on the devastations
caused by cloud burst at Chamoli
and Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.
The government has declared three days of mourning after the

huge blast, which also left 225 people injured.
Congress President said, Through the day grim

news of the damage done by flash floods, which
have killed and grievously hurt many is of great
despair and sorrow. Many people are missing is also
a news of serious disappointment.
More than 165 people were killed in drastic suicidal attack. Many
people were badly burned. Islamic State (IS) declared to have
carried out the suicide attack.
Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has condemned bomb
blasts in Baghdad which killed more than 80 innocent people.
The past week has been terrible for humanity, she said.
Expressing deepest condolences to family of those killed, Smt.
Gandhi called for the world to unite, fight and defeat forces of
terror and extremism that pose a serious threat to world peace and
humanity. v
NSCN leader Isak Chisi Swu passed away
Isak Chisi Swu, Chairman of the National

Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah),
or NSCN (I-M), died the way he lived every
inch the fighter. Swu passed away at a Delhi
hospital at about 12.40 pm on 28th June,
2016, eleven months after the accord. He
was 87.Shri Isac Chisi Swu was undergoing
treatment for almost a year at a private hospital
in South Delhi where he breathed his last around noon, today
following multi-organs failure.
In August last year, the NSCN-IM had signed a Framework
Agreement with the government
The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, has extended her
condolences on the passing away of Shri Isak Chisi Swu. She
hoped that his legacy will evolve into that of lasting peace and
reconciliation. v
Expressing solidarity with those who have lost their

dear ones Smt. Gandhi added, Government of
Uttarakhand has been asked to provide swift rescue
and rehabilitation. The relatives of those, missing,
should not lose hopes. We firmly stand by the
people of Chamoli and Pithoragarh, they remain in
our prayers.
Heavy rains triggered cloudbursts in several districts
of Uttarakhand, killing many people and washing
away houses, on 1st July, 2016. The death toll due
to incessant rains in Chamoli and Pithoragarh, rose
to 30. Following the flash flood, the water level rose
dangerously in Nandaprayag area. The cloud bursts
at Bastadia and Pithoragarh districts, reportedly,
injured many people. The Rishikesh-Badrinath
National Highway (NH-58) was blocked due to
heavy rains and landslide near Devprayag Gangotri
Char Dham Yatra has also been temporarily halted
due to flooding at the highway after heavy rainfall
in the region.
The Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Shri Harish
Rawat, said that he was personally monitoring the
situation and had also announced a compensation
ofRs.2 lakh each to the families of victims. v
In the Parliament
Short Term Debate in the Rajya Sabha on Bloody Clash in Kashmir Valley
The country has one voice, irrespective

of caste, region and religion, the
Congress will stand by it
Ghulam Nabi Azad
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (Shri Ghulam
Nabi Azads) Speech: I am standing here to share my feelings
of pain, gloom and hurt. Sir, the situation that is prevailing in
Kashmir today has many facets. First of all, there is internal
problem. In such a situation what is and what should be the
role of the Centre and the State government, how much effect
does the situation within the country has on government!
There are external forces spearheaded by Pakistan, how much
responsible is that, these are the things which need to be
pondered. I will not like to blame either Central government
or the State government; but this much is certain that what we
needed to learn we havent!
I was the Chief Minister there after that Umar Saheb became
the CM and today its Mehbooba ji, this way, there have been
3 chief ministers from 3 different parties. During my regime it
was an alliance between the NC and the Congress and today
the PDP and the BJP are in coalition.
What is the matter of worry is that; why the situation
reached this extreme state between 2008 and 2010.
Militants used to be killed earlier as well. They were
killed in large number in 90s, in full decade. It
happened during my tenure, during Umar Sahebs
tenure and under Mufti Sahiba; but situation was
never so grime as was during 90s. At present
people have been killed in all the ten districts Valley
the toll rose to 42 to 44. South Kashmir has borne
maximum damages. The centre has 3 districts it
took place in all, north has 3 districts it to suffered
losses. Than there is no place in the valley nor any
tehsil which remain undamaged. During our time if
something happen in north the south was peaceful,
if south was in turmoil the centre was unstirred.
who send from Kashmir, you cant even watch it. I saw a DIG
crushing the mouth of four-five or six-seven year old child.
Such case must have being published in a few newspapers here
but it is available to everyone in Kashmir. The brutality with
which a five year child is being lathi charged, how horrified he
would have been, mortally feared he is trying to save his life.
Okay, children do pelt stones, they dont support militancy,
what we had done to root out militancy you cant do even
in 50 years. No one supports it, neither me nor my party
including the Opposition but let me ask you, should there be a
differentiation between militants and the common masses or
not? The kind of treatment we meet out to the militants like
we shoot them dead. We do the same thing with the people of
the valley that includes small children, kids, the old people,
the common women, should they be shot? Should we treat
all the people of the valley in the same manner as we do with
militants. We all are with you in finishing off the militancy but
the way common kashmiris are treated I am sorry we are not
with you.
What is the matter of worry is that; why the

situation reached this extreme state between
2008 and 2010. Militants used to be killed
earlier as well. They were killed in large
number in 90s, in full decade. It happened
during my tenure, during Umar Sahebs
tenure and under Mufti Sahiba; but situation
The way bullets were rained, initially guns were used, the
brutality with which it was perpetrated. Sir, Whatsapp message,
I dont know it, I get information from friends, the people
was never so grime as was during 90s.

How can it happen? There is no hospital, Sher-e-Kashmir
Institute of Medical Sciences are full with injured, Bones and
Joints Hospital where disease related to bones are treated is
too is full. There is an Army Hospital in cantonment which
is the big hospital housing 3 thousand beds named after Baba
In the Parliament
Saheb progeny, they have got the hospital SMHS that too has
no vacancy. You go to Anantnag Pulwama, Shopiyan, Pulgam,
there is no place for any fresh patient. No matter if he or she
dying or not.
you, you should have also learned the lesson, because that
movement had been launched by your party but you refuse
to learn the lesson.
Sir, all of you know it very well what is happening globally. I
dont want to go into those details. For us what is the matter
of concern is that the population of the Muslims in India
is second only to Indonesia and if we talk about practicing
Muslims India is at no. 1. All these ISIS which is in the centre
of international hatred is almost none existent, hardly it would
be dozen. Despite Muslims having the largest population in
India the existence of ISIS is negligible. This is a matter of
pride for us is it not the issue of patriotism? What can be the
better proof of patriotism of Muslims in India or in Kashmir?
All these hospitals are full. Around 1800 boys, women, and
men are injured. A majority of them fell victim to pellet guns,
balled ammunition. Why dont we see the similar situation in
other parts of the country? A massive movement took place in
our neighbouring state of Haryana, many were shot dead but
these kinds of pellets were not used. The thousands of people
lost their eyesights due to pellet attack. We see on television it
shows it all in night. The girl child is aged 8 years, 9 years and
some are 10 years old. There was no roof on their heads, they
were watching the actions from wherever they could
be it windows but they lost eyesights. Some lost one
Children do pelt stones, they dont support
eyes, others the both. Sir, I want to tell you there must
be some reason behind it. There have been a number
militancy, what we had done to root out
of governments in the valley during last 26 to 27 years.
militancy you cant do even in 50 years. No
As I have submitted there was a governor rule, rule by
NC, Mufti Saheb and Congress also ruled over, there
one supports it, neither me nor my party
was Congress government, Farooq Saheb also ruled
including the Opposition but let me ask you,
over so did Umar Saheb. The militants were killed in
should there be a differentiation between
a limit and with bullets an approach of healing touch
policy continue to be followed.
militants and the common masses or not?
I understand that there was no leniency in killing

the militants during my regime, but when a custodial death
occurs I got the corpse dug out of the grave and investigation
was done. They were police officers, who were from Kashmir,
not from outside, they were Jammu and Kashmir police
officers, they are languishing in jail because that custodial
death was found to be true. People had faith, they believe
that militants would be killed but no harm will be done to
common masses and if it did not happen the guilty would
never be spared. There is a mountain of difference between
now and then. Sternness with militants but those who are
local, common man must get sober treatment from the
government. Its behaviour should be fatherly, the kind of
behaviour that should exist between and elected government
and its electorate. We gave the same treatment and caring
government.
Let me share three to four examples. As I told we learnt from
our mistakes. I also read the statement of Umar Saheb. That
you should learn and learn very well. When during my tenure
the issue of providing temporary shades to the Amarnath
yatries arose, a storm was created in Kashmir and peoples
in lakhs joined demonstration. That was the lesson to be
learned. When I withdrew that law lacks of people took to
protest which was organized by your party. So let me tell
Today, no matter how big is the country in the world, there

not even a single institution associated with the Muslims is
there which has issued Fatwa against ISIS? Its a matter of
pride for me, for India to be Indians no matter whether one
is Muslim or a Hindu. But the atmosphere that has come to
prevail has not been caused by the Congress by the Samajwadi
Party by Bahujan Samaj Party by the CPM by the TMC by
AIIDMK or by DMK or by no party from Orissa. I feel hurt to
say that the Ministers and MPs of the Ruling Party issue the
statements which contribute to the conflagration of prevailing
situation. It is said that no action taken against them. This
house has been discussing this issue time and again now
strong action should be taken against those Ministers who
are in government and foment troubles by giving provocative
statements which are creating crevice in the society, a wall is
being drawn these MPs should be punished.
There is a reason why the action is not taken its impact falls
on Kashmir that the Parliament discusses it thrice yet no
action is taken, this is a very big reason. The kind of treatment
that is meted out to the Kashmiri students in their institutions
in other parts of the country, educational institutions in the
name of security, the kind be behaviour shown to them. A
little of these things are only published here but a lot are
In the Parliament
published there.
These things leave an impact on their mind to think if they
belong to this country or they are misfit, this is bound to
affect them. We when UPA government in power provided
for scholarship scheme. But that scholarship scheme is
lying under the carpet this too has an impact. What is more
important is that the government is run on the trust, the
belief. The mistrust which is on this government, on the UPA
government, Sir, I cannot say that Kashmiris had full trust
when Congress was in government.
I dont have any illusion about it. But somewhere in some
corners the trust was there, belief was there which is missing
today. Sir, in this House Honble Leader of the House what
present.
Last year in the month of February or in the first week of
March during the debate after the Presidential address,
Honble Prime Minister was present. Mufti Saheb was alive
that time that time the talk with the BJP was going on.
talli which could be spotted from wide distance. We have

seen in many films when many Sadhus are walking, begging,
but their clothes patched up in contrast colour. This is your
government whose colour was white and you used black or
red patches which are totally mismatch. It is starkly noticeable
to everyone that it is a misfit. If a little whitish colour is used
then its alright but if the difference is 19 to 2000 how can it fit
into it. Lava does not occur in a day it is a contributory factor.
The wave is not created in the ocean suddenly, such fires are
not cloak. Its not easy to set water on fire; unless there is a
possessiveness nothing of this sort can ever take place. To
break the water there is water in the midst that is lava, which
was gathering.
This situation has been reached because of the maltreatment
given to Kashmiris, the statements which were made at the
national level, the talk of demographic change that used to
happen from time to time.
I have no problem with the Home Minister, nor do I have

any ill-feeling for Leader of the House. Alas! It would have
been better had you made statement yourself but how many
After ten days of that debate, the government was formed. I
members are there in your families, and parties, the relatives
had said that do not commit that mistake. We took 70 years
of relative, now who gives incendiary remarks, who is firing
in winning the trust and confidence of the people and are still
missiles and making Kashmir potentially volatile. Kashmir is
struggling, why are you trying to form the government, you
a sensitive state, its a border state. Speak with restraint. We
have been honouring these sentiments for the last
When during my tenure the issue of providing 47 years respecting it incessantly; we are struggling
while walking ahead of them. We are trying to bring
temporary shades to the Amarnath yatries
all of them in the mainstream of the national life, if
arose, a storm was created in Kashmir and
someone says that we will foist the flag tomorrow
itself and we will consolidate the BJP and the RSS
peoples in lakhs joined demonstration. That
in Kashmir, let me tell you all that the consequences
was the lesson to be learned
would be disastrous.
will need 200 years in winning that kind of trust. So do not
form the government. But you did it because you thought that
Ghulam Nabi would have been interested, if we do not become
the CM, Ghulam Nabi would become the chief minister. He
had assured that we are not to become it. But you dont do it
because the BJP need centuries in making its acceptability in
the valley. Sir this too was a big reason.
When we were child, we used to see in the village, there was
poverty. Today if you see the old film, you will see the same
thing. In old times, when people were poor, they used be very
poor and if they used to wear cotton cloth and if it was white
and torn, they used to get it patched up with white stitches.
The poor people who did not have proper sense used to get
the patch stitches in other colours like black on white or red
I know both the Home Minister and our Leader of the House
know Kashmir very well. Both of them are J&Ks Jamai (Sonin-Law) so they can understand my sentiments very well.
Kashmiris are very sharp-minded and shot-tempered. But it
does not mean that they will take the guns and start shooting
and make Kahmir. They possess immeasurable love, Let one
learn love and compassion from them. Forgive me, they dont
love the guns. Perhaps your friend showed them the wrong
path. I am not saying it today; people say that much of the
force was used. Honble Home Minister, and finance minister
and the leader of the house, you convened a cabinet meeting.
Your Cabinet includes the chief ministers and your ministers.
After three days of the meeting a minister called in a
press conference and told that the cabinet had come to the
conclusion that disproportionate use of the force. It means,
In the Parliament
the government used the force more that it should have
used. Now this is your government that is accepting it. What
should I say then? What is the reason that disproportionate
use of force is not applied elsewhere? What is the reason that
so much force was used against children, youth, old men and
women? This is the reason why the situation has gone back
to pre-90s stage.
A lot of time will be required; perhaps it may take 26 years.
I pray to Allah that normalcy is restored to the valley, not
through my statements. The situation at the ground level is
grim. Just imagine that there is a curfew for the last ten days
and people are alive without eating anything. Vegetables are
not to be found, so is the mutton, milk is conspicuous by
absence but people despite all this are ready to live under
curfew.
But the moment curfew is slackened people walk out of the
house. Usually, if there is a curfew for a day peoples response
is cold even after the curfew is withdrawn. But this is not
the case here. Despite the ten days curfew, no semblance of
normal life is to be found. Why is it so? The message is clear:
The wound is deep, the horror of trauma is so debilitating
that normal medicine is of no use, the responsibility lies with
you. We are with you. We dont want to leave you alone. We
are not going to take undue advantage of the situation.
accident it was Muslim brothers who ran for rescue and took
the patients to hospitals, got them treated, I saw it all on the
TV and was filled with the emotion by the fight between two
Kashmiris- one was saying that he would donate the blood
and another was arguing no, I will do that. In such a situation
when curfew is imposed, two Kashmiri youths were fighting
over who would take the injured to the hospital, who will
donate blood to Hindu bhais who were from Meerut?
I was watching when a Kashmiri youth was killed the local
people violated the curfew and took out the dead bodies for
the final rites. I mean to say, curfew is not violated only for
pelting stones, rather three days back curfew was violated
because there was a Kashmiri pandit in the Model town area
and an old man was lying dead. The curfew was violated,
because the dead body had to be consigned to fire. Curfew was
broken for the funeral pyre of a Kashmiri Pandit. This only
the Kashmiri can do. If they can do such kind of humanity do
they not deserve to be treated with dignity.
Honble Home Minister ji it will be my last request to you
that the people, who are involved in vitiating the situation
in Kashmir- sir I am talking about the TV. I am in favour of
the freedom of press. Today there is no freedom of press in
Kashmir. The papers are closed, Internet service is disrupted,
TV is closed down. I am not in favour all this. Press should
I remember when I had to tender my resignation as

The kind of treatment that is meted out to
CM the people instead of supporting, be it your party
the Kashmiri students in their institutions
or others all added fuel to the fire against me, but
my party and me are not of that kind. Our seniors,
in other parts of the country, educational
Ambika Soniji and former ministers who have
institutions in the name of security, the kind
just left told the press, said the same thing. I make
frequent telephone calls to our presidents, MLAs and
be behaviour shown to them.
others telling them to cooperate because we have to
retrieve the situation first. We dont have to exacerbate the be free, but it does not mean that it should be used for the
situation thinking that it the PDP-BJP government ruling the destruction of the country, it should not be allowed to act
state so let Kashmir burn. We never want the valley to burn as a virus. Today when you watch the debate going on, on
in fire. We want Kashmir to return to the situation where we TV I am not talking about any particular channel, channels
had left it. It becomes once again the favourite destination of are vying with each other. Earlier, we used to wait for the
tourists as it was known for. Do you know how many aircrafts news being telecasted between 8 and 9 pm. Now, there are
used to fly to Srinagar? 40 planes used to make rounds of news, the prime time news, prime time, post prime time, I
the Kashmir valley every day, you can easily understand how have no idea how many are the prime times? On those prime
normal, receptive and tourism-conducive Kashmir that it time discussion the debate fuels the communal hatred. Four
was still a month back.
Mullas from Muslims, four Pandits from Hindus, and fourI feel glorified that despite all these disturbances journeys
are being undertaken as usual. I congratulate our Muslim
brothers who did not allow to paint in communal colours,
but our home minister must be knowing it that when an
accident of the bus carrying Amaranth yatris met with an
five from the RSS, some from other organization which

are Muslim fundamentalists are picked up and they are
allowed to fight through heated arguments. If it is so I want
to congratulate the Hindus and Muslims that despite all this
they retain restraint.
In the Parliament
came from nowhere and is now speaking against Zakir Naik.
He continues to spit venom against Zakir Naik and Islami
religious literature as well as Islam. There is one Yunus-alGauhar, there is another foreigner who does not find place
anywhere he to indulges in tongue-lashing against the Quran.
I will not give those abuses, I will show both of you. If you
see them you will ask that these two should be caught and
thrown out of this sub-continent. If he speaks on our
channel who will bear the brunt of ignominy? All
I know both the Home Minister and our Leader
these acquisition will go to the Central government
of the House know Kashmir very well. Both
or your office-bearers, officers, they dont watch
those channels, they dont have the control over
of them are J&Ks Jamai (Son-in-Law) so they
those channels. My point is what is written in
can understand my sentiments very well.
newspapers are very serious, the paper publishes
anything with great caution, understanding, depth
Kashmiris are very sharp-minded and shotof the knowledge, but the issue of conducting
tempered. But it does not mean that they will debates in the night that has cropped up will lead us
to destruction this is what I intend to convey.
Otherwise if they are allowed to carry swords they would kill

half of Indians. There must be a limit to control the media.
They dont honour any limit. All these factors contribute to
flare up in Kashmir. I am not in favour of the theory given
by Zakir Naik, nor do I watch the debate and discussion
regarding what he says on TV. You said there will be an
enquiry. You inquire, but you also inquired those people
take the guns and start shooting and make

Kashmir. They possess immeasurable love
who declare to reward money for murdering people. Uski

gardan lao or 50 lakh pao (bring the head chopped off the
body and get 50 lakh). What kind of enquiry is this? This
way Kashmir is born, its here where we felt to give justice.
Conduct the enquiry against the Zakir Naik. If he spread
terrorism, punishing, but if a party or someone who has
similar ideology to what Zakir Naik says than saying like
bring Zakir Naiks head and get 50 lakhs than he should not
be sent to jail? The people giving such statements should not
be sent to the jail? If the people like them are not sent to jail
than the Kashmir like situation arises.
At last, I want to say that Pakistan is a nursery of

producing contributory plants. I am of the opinion
that Pakistan does have its existence, but its presence
is the factory of communal viruses. If every disease has its
root, it is rooted to Pakistan. The formation of Pakistan in
1947 is the mother of all diseases that India is suffering from.
The mistrust between Hindu and Muslim and suspicion that
majority community has towards minorities have all their
origins in Pakistan. Pakistan took away one and half parts, let
it rule the country the way it wants. I apologies to Pakistan
to please leave us. We have democracy, we are able to fight
with our brothers- to ask for our share, whether its in the
government, in Parliament or the employment. The Muslims
of India do not need Pakistans support to live in peace in this
country.
Honble Home Minister! You bear the responsibility of 125

crore Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. Some people
came from outside the country whom you drove back.
Taslima Nasreen for writing against Muslims, against the
Quran, she was driven by the Bangladesh government, we
provided shelter to her on the humanitarian ground but
what she is speaking in debate on TV now? The same petrol
she brings sprinkles on herself. You must not have seen that
programme but when that comes on a national channel that
another person whom we have given shelter, who writes
against Islam, speaks and we allow them to use our national
channel to voice vitriolic version against Islam who should
be held responsible? The accusation lies with the Central
government.
We are in our country with self confidence and self belief.

They had chosen their country, our forefathers choose India.
They must honour our country so that we could give respect
to it, so I will like to tell Pakistan that those living in the
houses of glasses dont throw stones on others house. Today
they are celebrating black-day, sometime on 19th, sometime
on 20th. The way people are murdered on daily basis there
if they celebrate black-day everyday still the number of days
will fall short. They should devote their times in bettering
their internal situation, rather than damaging our condition
and fueling our tranquility. They must leave us for ourselves,
we are capable enough to take care of ourselves.
Sir, similarly, there is Tarkeeh Fateh of Pakistan, who was

driven out of the country, the way Nasreen was done for going
against Islam and Quran. There is a Canadian national who
Honble Home Minister so far as the situation prevailing

in Kashmir is concerned, I demand keeping in view the
situation of Kashmir, with full sympathy with them that an
continued on page 23
In the Parliament
Short duration discussion on recent incidents of

atrocities on Dalits in various parts of the country
Modi Raj spells Disaster for Dalits

Ahmed Patel
Shri Ahmed Patel: The incident that took place at Mota

Samidhiyana in Gir-Somnath of Gujarat on 11 July, 2016
and what is happening there now a day in my perception
is at matter of shame for all of us. All Indians are feeling
ashamed. There was no reason of beating the youths so
brutally.
our Prime Minister. The things for which freedom struggle

was fought and even Mahatma Gandhi had said that the
goal of freedom movement was not only to secure freedom
from British yoke but also to strengthen the values, which
we learnt during the freedom struggle like unity, human
concern, brotherhood, peaceful co-existence, non-violence,
Sarvdharm Sambhav, and also freedom from untouchabilityI think that after such a long time those values, principles
should be safeguarded.
The people had been doing those works for a long time.
The animals who had died, extract their skins and those
who were farmers had told the police that they had allowed
those young men to take the skins of the dead animals, but On the contrary, those ideals, principles etc are being given
the moment the incident took place the police did not act a raw deal. That too are happening in Gujarat. This is a
against the guilty rather picked up those who had inform matter of great shame for all of us. The society for whose
the police about the incident, they were taking the
The situation prevailing in Gujarat today
villagers to Una. On the way they come across a
police vehicle, policemen de board and ask them
is explosive. What is happening in Gujarat
what the matter was all about, and they took
had happened in Haryana on 20 July, 2016.
them to police station. After taking them to police
station the kind of treatment was given to them is
Particularly, when someone commits suicide
highly objectionable. Not only were this even the
parents of those young men beaten up. It was the
by taking poison then as I understand
responsibility of the administration to take them all
provides a hint of the grave situation
to the hospital and get treated for the wounds they
had caused. It was some kind hearted people who
upliftment Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar sacrificed his entire
took them to hospital.
life, particularly for those segments are now being subjected
The situation prevailing in Gujarat today is explosive. What to abject injustice and the way those principles and ideals
is happening in Gujarat had happened in Haryana on 20 are being abused, the government should thing over it
July, 2016. Particularly, when someone commits suicide by deeply and seriously. The kind of nasty thing which is being
taking poison then as I understand provides a hint of the said about a Dalit woman who has been the Chief Minister
grave situation. What the earlier government had done, for four times, I think there cant be anything worse than
the statistics are given in defence, it should not be done, this. This is the meanest act. I think this is the time the
if a situation goes out of control the message is clear the government needs to think deeply. It is a must.
situation is on the edge of turmoil. What is saddening is that
these things are happening at a birth place of the father of The reason why I am saying this is because the government
the nation, Vallabhbhai Patel iron man of India; and even said that it is a local incident which can be ignored, should
In the Parliament
not be taken seriously, in my view it is not appropriate. I want
the central government to be primarily held responsible for
it because Modiji during his poll campaigns had promised
to ensure Sabka Saath, Sab ka Vikas (Support from all,
Prosperity for all) and also to develop the country on
Gujarat model. The Prime Minister is silent now, he must
be sad, even distracted because the real face of the Gujarat
attention of the Central government particularly on this.

There are two things, at last it is the central governments
responsibility because it had talked about the Gujarat
Model. This matter is not about the beating up of a Dalit
youth or his humiliation, but I understand it concerns
the whole Dalit community and those who come from
the unprivileged class. They all are feeling humiliated and
distressed.
The kind of nasty thing which is being said
Now the BJP has two fundamental issues. Firstly,

what is the cause of this growing anger and
Minister for four times, I think there cant be anguish in Gujarat and other parts of the country?
This anger is not restricted to the district, nor to
anything worse than this. This is the meanest Gujarat but it is galvanizing in the whole of India.
I feel the Centre must pay heed to this aspect as
act. I think this is the time the government
to why these things are happening? All of us
needs to think deeply. It is a must
know why this government allowed the Schedule
caste and Schedule tribe atrocities prevention act
amendment
ordinance was allowed to lapse on 14 July,
models shining sequel is coming out in open. We always
2016.
Had
this
happened that time itself, it would have been
said that the Gujarat Model was primarily propounded
specially for the industrialists. I know, his prime concern better, but it was done after the congress mounted pressure.
has been to strategize how a handful of corporate bulls are This act was passed in 2015 under the congress onslaught,
benefitted. His stratagem has been based on how to divide after the lapse of 18 months. There was no need to delay its
the people, strike wedge between societies and succeed in passage for so long.
about a Dalit woman, who has been the Chief
grabbing the power.
What happened later? In January, 2016 Rohith Vemula

suicide case comes to the fore. I am making this counting
because all this has happen during the late two years of the
BJP government. In the budgetary allocation for the SC
during 2016-17 was greatly slashed from 16.8 to 7.6 percent.
There first technique was to put Muslim and Harijan against

each other to fight foster religious enmity, cause communal
clash and then gather votes. You will be surprised to know
that here too the first person to be arrested was a Muslim,
who was driver. Today I will like to caution the Home The BJP hoodlums ransacked the Ambedkars party in June,
Minister particularly, because Gujarat is going to
the polls, let it not be turned into a communal
I will like to caution the Home Minister
riot. I think it is the responsibility of the central
particularly, because Gujarat is going to the
government to guard against it.
polls, let it not be turned into a communal

All of you to it very well that the way an
announcement was made for a special court
riot. I think it is the responsibility of the
the law was passed several years back, that time
central government to guard against it
Dalit were being particularly subjected to cruelty
at that time it was said that a special court would
be formed, but several years have passed, but no court was 2016 at Dadar. In July, 2016 Dalit womens were gang rapped
setup ever since. It is very shameful. The Chief Minister in Rajasthan and Haryana while an IAS officer protested the
constitutes a special court with the consultation of the high governments apathy in a case related to the unprivileged
court only after the incident of 11 July, 2016 took place. community.
Now the task of investigation was given to the CID. I dont Why is it all happening? I am not saying the government
know who the investigation will be conducted? What will that you are only responsible, but what is the reason of
they do? Will they also bear the medical expenses or not? it demands to be looked into. If we talk about the rate of
The incident takes place on 11th July 2016 and the CM goes punishment in Gujarat then we must compare it with the
to visit the victim on 20th. Nine persons have been arrested country, which is only 7 percent. The special court for the
so far, but what is the real issue, I will like to draw the
In the Parliament
SC/ST (prevention of atrocity) Act was finally setup, but is
should have been made permanent not the way it is today.
Similarly the disparity in castebased income in comparison
not a good sign for us. That such incidents are not repeated
in future, I specially appeal to the government that what
is this country is quite prosperous, and it should try to
understand. The uniformity is not unity. The unity
BJP has two fundamental issues. Firstly,
amidst the diversity is our strength and it is this
virtue that our country has remained united. How
what is the cause of this growing anger and
much this India is theirs is ours too. The people
anguish in Gujarat and other parts of the
who are living here, are being subjected to injustice,
their being deprived, this India is theirs too, the
country? This anger is not restricted to the
way it is yours. The strength of any government
is not measured on the basis of the majority, but
district, nor to Gujarat but it is galvanizing
on the basis of how the government treats its
in the whole of India
minorities. Particularly, what is happening with
the weaker section of society is very sad, painful.
to other state of the country is the highest. Gujarat has I hope the good sense would prevail on the government,
63 percent Dalits. They work as domestic helps. The daily so that they fulfill their obligations of safeguarding the
income on which they depend is 19 percent. They way interest of the weaker section. That they will carry out the
the private hospitals and others treat them should also legal responsibilities towards providing rights to the people
be taken into consideration. I am not saying
The disparity in castebased income in
that all things will change for better overnight.
We all will have to shoulder this responsibility
comparison to other state of the country is
to make it possible. I will also like to draw the
the highest. Gujarat has 63 percent Dalits.
attention of the government towards one thing. I
think the government needs to take seriously the
They work as domestic helps. The daily
way defence is being tried. There is no control
income on which they depend is 19 percent
whosoever says whatever he wants to say to
anyone here and there.
of the weaker section and ensure that they get justice, that
As I told earlier, that the Ordinance for the SC&ST lapsed such incident is not repeated again.
in July 2014, but the UGC took back the grants given for
the OBC fellowship in September 2015.In October 2015, Whenever such thing has happened in the history, you know
someone had given an anti-reservation remark. In that it very well that the majority community has tried to display
matter the kind of explanation that should have come from their might and arrogance and the rest who is weaker or is
the government did not happen. Even the minister issues from other class are ignored, such people have always tasted
statements comparing the dalits with something. These defeat and they had to bite the dust.
The strength of any government is not
Bade naadan hain jo karte hain bulandi par gurur,
measured on the basis of the majority,
Humne chadte suraj ko bhi dhalte hue dekha hai.
but on the basis of how the government

treats its minorities. Particularly, what
is happening with the weaker section of
society is very sad, painful
things are not taking place on its own. The government is
required to pay due attention to all these things as well.
(Those are innocents who show hubris after getting to the

top, we have seen the Sun, which rises finally sets in)
So, the hubris, arrogance are not required. You have
majority, you are in majority, we accept it, but alongwith it
the Constitution which we have, our Constitution, must be
taken into account, must be cared for. v
(Excerpts from the speech in the Rajya Sabha on 21st July,
2016)
In my perception, the tragedy that took place in Gujarat is
Pay commission
IMPLEMENTATION OF the 7THPAY COMMISSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS
he cabinet has given its approval to implement the 7th Pay

Commissions recommendations on 29th June, 2016. It
was expected that Government will improve and enhance the
benefits recommended by the commission, especially in case of
low paid employees (Including Armed forces).The committee
constituted by the government to look into the report and make
their recommendations it appears that at the behest of political
bosses, did not recommend. In the history of CPC during
last about 70 years this is the worst recommendations and
needed major surgery to make it acceptable to the employees
(Including Armed forces) and meet their expectations up to
some at some extend now the employees (Including Armed
forces)are dejected.
The Seventh Central Pay Commission miserably failed to
improve financial condition of the employees (Including
Armed forces) who were expecting betterment in their pay
structure and living standard but their dreams shattered and
now they have been left with no option but to express their
resent and seek justice.
The recommendations made by the 5th and the 6th Pay
Commissions for increase of 20% in pay of employees (Including
Armed forces) were enhanced by previous governments from
20% to 40%. The present NDA Government has accepted the
report in Toto (Hike of just 14.27 percent).
In case of pensioners the 7th Pay Commission has
recommended complete parity of the past pensioners with
the present retirees, which is beneficial for pre-2006 retirees
but the government shelved it.Similarly, no decision has been
taken about allowances and has been kept in abeyance by the
government.
Since independence seven Pay Commissions were all
constituted by the Congress or Congress-led governments.The
NDA Government, which was in the power refused to
constitute 6th Pay Commission in spite of recommendations
of 5th CPC to constitute 6th Pay Commission on 1st Jan, 2003
so that its recommendations could be implemented wef 1st Jan,
2006. Now it was expected that present BJP led Government
would grab the chance to better the working condition of
the employees (Including Armed forces) by improving the
recommendations of the 7th CPC and will give at least 40%
hike in the pay of its employee.
At present pay ratio after between the lowest and the highest
paid employee is1:12which will now be 1 to 13.8 widening
the gap between the lowest and the highest paid employees
(Including Armed forces). Even fixation

formulae of fitment factor of 2.57 is not
the same for all lower side it is same but
for higher level it is between 2.62 to 2.81;
thus more weightage has been given at
higher level.
The government has accepted the
recommendation to give uniform Shri Ajay Maken
increment at the rate of 3% of the basic
pay to all employees (Including Armed
forces) whereas at present it is between 3 and 4%.
In order to prune the strength of central government
employees (Including Armed forces) the cabinet has approved
the recommendation to withhold annual increments of those
employees (Including Armed forces) who are not able to meet
the benchmark either for MACP or regular promotion within
first 20 years of service with option to leave service on similar
terms and conditions as prescribed for voluntary retirement.
This is detrimental to the employees (Including Armed forces),
the senior officers may get power to harass and intimidate
their juniors compelling them to seek pre-mature voluntary
retirement.
Some recommendations to discontinue with present benefits
at the time of promotion and completion of certain years in
particular cadre have been accepted by the government at the
cost of affected employees (Including Armed forces).
In short Central Government Employees particularly the
Armed forces are frustrated and disappointed with the
decision of the government not to make improvement in
the recommendations which are worst in the history of Pay
Commissions. It is unfortunate that the employees (Including
Armed forces), who were given 40% hike in their respective
pay in past by previous governments has now been brutally
slashed to only 14.27%. This is unjust and humiliating for the
beneficiaries.
The Federation of Government Employees (Including Armed
forces) which includes Indian Railways, Civilian Employees of
Ordnance Factories, Post and Telegraph etc., has decided to go
on strike from 11thJuly, 2016 to express their resentment.We
support them and hope good sense will prevail and the
government of India will review this decision. v
Excerpts from a Press comment by a Senior Spokesperson, AICC on
30-06-2016
Pay commission
ARMED FORCES TREATED SHODDILY BY

MODI GOVERNMENT GRIEVANCES OF ARMED
PERSONNEL CRUELLY IGNORED
1.
Our frontline Defence Warriors, Armed
Forces have been treated shabbily and shoddily
by Modi government in implementing the
7thPay Commission. Naturally, our Defence
personnel are feeling cheated and ignored
leading to the wide spread discontent and
demoralization.
2.
Defence experts, decorated soldiers and
Shri Randeep
retired Army chiefs have openly expressed
Surjewala
their resentment. According to one ex-Army
Chief, the Uniform Pay Matrix has not been
implemented. The Defence Pay Matrix in 7th Pay Commission has
only 24 pay levels, on the other hand, the bureaucratic pay matrix
has 40 levels. Due to this, not only the salary hike gets stagnated
after some years of service, but it also include the pensions; at
defence personnel draw is Rs 20,000 lower than the civil employees
do after retirement.
3. The demand to provide allowances at par with civilian employees
has also not been taken into account. Civilian employees are
entitled to a large number of allowances, which are not provided to
defence personnel. For example, a CRPF DIG posted in Leh, will
get Rs.57,000/- as part of allowance, whereas, an Army Brigadier
posted in the same region gets only Rs.17,000/- as allowance.
4. Another demand of military employees was to increase the
Disability Pension at par with the civilian employees. While an
Additional Secretary would get Rs.60,000/- as disability pension, a
Lt General of Armed Forces would get only Rs.27,000/-.
5. There are less than 50 allowances for military, compared to about
90 for civilian employees. Moreover, a large number of military
allowances stand subsumed into a risk-hardship matrix, in which
every military posting gets a standard allowance based on the risk
and hardship profile. The Siachen Glacier, which tops the list
with the highest degree of both risk and hardship, brings soldiers
posted there an allowance of Rs.31,500/- per month. In contrast,
a bureaucrat from the All India Services draws 30 per cent of his
salary as hardship allowance when posted anywhere outside
what officials regard as, a comfort zone. For example a senior IAS
official posted in Guwahati will draw Rs.70,000/- per month as
hardship allowance, compared to Rs.31,500/- per month to be
drawn by military officers in Siachen.
Modi ji promised One Rank One Pension for our Forces and
resolution of all other issues, some of which are listed above. Armed
personnel now realize that the entire rhetoric was a mere jumla. v
Birth Centenary celebration of

Smt. Indira Gandhi
he Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi,

has constituted two Committees for the Birth
Centenary Celebrations of former Prime Minister Smt.
Indira Gandhi. According to the Press released by the
AICC General Secretary, Shri Janardan Dwivedi, on
June 23rd, 2016 are as follows:-
Indira Gandhi Birth Centenary

Celebrations Committee
1.
Congress President
2.
Dr. Manmohan Singh
3.
Shri Rahul Gandhi
4.
Shri A.K. Antony
5.
Dr. Karan Singh
6.
Shri Madhavsinh Solanki
7.
Shri Shivraj Patil
8.
Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde
9.
Shri Mallikarjun Kharge
10.
Smt. Mohsina Kidwai
11.
Smt. Sheila Dikshit
12.
Shri Tarun Gogoi
13.
Shri P. Chidambaram
14.
Shri Lalthanhawla
15.
Shri Anand Sharma
16.
Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar
17.
Shri R.K. Dhawan
18.
Kumari Selja
19.
Shri Oscar Fernandes
20.
Shri Manikrao Gavit
21.
Shri D.D. Lapang
Treasurer, Political Secretary, General Secretaries,
Incharges and Heads of Frontal Organizations will be
Ex-officio members of the Committee.
Indira Gandhi Birth Centenary

Celebrations Implementation Committee
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Smt. Sheila Dikshit

- Convener
Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar - Co-Convener
Shri Anand Sharma
- Co-Convener
Shri Motilal Vora
Shri Janardan Dwivedi
Shri Mukul Wasnik
- Secretary
Shri Ajay Maken
Shri D.K. Shivkumar
Ms. Asha Kumari
Shri Milind Deora
Ms. Priya Dutt
Shri Imran Kidwai
Excerpts from the Statement released by AICC Media Incharge

on June 29th, 2016
opinion
Kashmir: An issue of
perpetual Tragedy
Dr Priyam Barooah
ashmir continues to burn due to the protests

following the killing of Hizbul Commander, Burhan
Wani. Atleast 43 civilians have been killed and
thousands injured in the ensuing violence and standoff
between Kashmiri people and security agencies. Curfew
imposed in the valley in wake of the protest has continued
indefinitely Peoples life in the Valley has remained paralysed
since then. Failure has bred cynicism that destroyed hope in
Kashmir.
What Modi government has failed to grasp is the centrality

of Kashmir issue which is just not a peripheral one. The
NDA governments hard-line actions have worsened the
situation.
The Kashmir issue continues to destroy life and obliterate
the rights and aspirations of the people in Kashmir. The
conflict is not only a threat to millions of Kashmiris, but a
serious hazard for the one billion-plus population of India
and for the population of the entire region.
This is just another example of tactical as well as strategic

The NDAs policy stands diametrically opposite to the
failures of Modi government on issues of immense
public importance. NDA governments dismissive
To his political acumen and better grasp
stance is another attempt to mask its failure to
of Kashmir problem, Rahul Gandhijihad
handle the Kashmir issue. Rahul Gandhi jee has
aptly contended that When Manmohan Singh
voiced his concern to the government about
passed on the baton to Modi in May 2014, the
growing unrest in the valley, but the myopic
situation in Jammu and Kashmir was quite normal
and the gains made by the UPA in Jammu and
vision of Modi-led government led to the
Kashmir have been lost due to fatalistic policies
of Narendra Modi government. To his political
escalation of crisis
acumen and better grasp of Kashmir problem Rahul
Gandhijihad voiced his concern to the government about
UPA I-II policy of balancing out and ensuring growth
growing unrest in the valley, but the myopic vision of Modiand prosperity in Kashmir. Unlike disproportionate use of
led government led to the escalation of crisis. In his words
military and blatant violation of civilian rights of civilian
only I voiced my concern to Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley
people under Modi-led regime, UPA I-II governments fully
also but he too was dismissive of my views and claimed that
understanding of the complex nature of Kashmir issue
the situation is well under control. I kept mum after his
followed a well-calculated multi-pronged strategy. The
observations,.
UPA policy involved dialogue with different stakeholders
True to his concern, Kashmir is seriously facing a crisis of belonging to the body polity of Kashmir as also the policies
governance After Burhan Wanis death, Kashmir is on boil meant for economic development of the state while not
and around 43 peoples death, and over 3000 including 1600 ignoring the security concerns and more importantly
civilians injured in clashes between youth and security men territorial integrity of India at the same time. Ranging from
during protests Governments are run on trust and faith the post-independence period to the UPA-II government,
but people of Jammu and Kashmir have a sense of mistrust the congress party has focused on both macro and micro
towards the current government which is not a misplaced aspects of the problem. While it has relied on negotiation,
one. Rash and irresponsible statements made by some dialogues, public discourse as instruments of arriving at any
BJP political leaders has further added to already vitiated political solution, successive congress governments have
tried hard to design and implement policies for industrial
atmosphere in the Valley.
opinion
The UPA policy involved dialogue with
regarding Pakistan. Pakistans demand fora UN-backed

independent and transparent probe and observing July
19 as Black Day against Kashmir killings.
different stakeholders belonging to

the body polity of Kashmir as also the
policies meant for economic development
of the state while not ignoring the
security concerns and more importantly
territorial integrity of India
development of Kashmir particularly the local handicrafts
and small and medium industries. These policies have gone
a long way in alleviating poverty and providing gainful
employment to the local youth.
The Government of India under UPA also showed its
keenness to economically integrate Jammu and Kashmir
with the rest of India. The state was one of the largest
recipients of grants from New Delhi under congress regime
at the centre. The outcomes are no less significant with the
state having merely 4% incidence of poverty, one of the
lowest in the country. UPA government also took efforts to
develop infrastructure in the state. One important milestone
was launching the construction of Kashmir Railway project.
Unfortunately, rather than pursuing a political-socioeconomic solution in Kashmir, the NDA government has
continued to waste the public revenue to pursue a militaristic
policy on Kashmir. At huge economic and human cost, this
approach represents a failed policy. If theNDA government
continues to avoid a political solution to the conflict, if
it insists on the continuation of the present unjust and
hegemonic approaches, it will spell disaster for the region.
An important dimension to the current problem is the failure
of Modi government to craft a coherent policy on Pakistan.
The result is Pakistans blatant attempt to internationalize
If theNDA government continues

to avoid a political solution to
the conflict, if it insists on the
continuation of the present unjust and
hegemonic approaches, it will spell
disaster for the region.
the sensitive issue of Kashmir post-Burhans killing and
eruption of violence in Kashmir. Pakistans stance raises a
question about the complete absence of not only a strategy,
but even a tactical approach which the Modi government has
The present belligerence and impertinence emanating

from both the security and political establishment of
Pakistan is to a large measure because the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) and Modi have failed to craft a
coherent policy towards Pakistan.
A peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue would unleash

immense prosperity and economic benefits for India and
for the entire South Asia Region which is also in Indias
strategic and moral interests. There must be a serious,
result-oriented and time-bound process of dialogue and
development. The problem of law and order in Kashmir
must not be in isolation with concomitant development
and governance. Ensuring peoples participation in the
politico-administrative structures and processes is an
imperative. Peace, progress and prosperity is a sine qua non.
Unfortunately, the present government lacked moral fibre
as well as political maturity required for resolving complex
issues like Kashmir. v
The author is an Assistant Professor in Deptt. of
History,ARSD College, University of Delhi
continued from page 16
The country has one voice, irrespective of caste,

region and religion, the Congress will stand by it:
Ghulam Nabi Azad
all party meeting should be called in. We should discuss

certain issues that how far we should go, the guidelines
should be framed what statement should be made in public
on TV and outside it. Secondly, if there has been the use of
excessive force in dealing with the situation in Kashmir the
responsibility should be owned up, the charge for excesses
should be fixed. No matter, in which part of the state it has
taken place.
So far as the unity and integrity of the country is concerned,
so far the question of ending the terrorism and terrorists
from any part of the country is concerned, the country
has one voice, no matter whatever be the religion, caste or
region, the Congress will stand by you and our party as
well as the country will also be there with you against the
anti-India propaganda spread by Pakistan, but this kind of
treatment with the Kashmiris is not at all acceptable to us.
Thanks, thanks a lot. Jai Hind! v
(Excerpts from the speech in the Rajya Sabha
on 18th July, 2016)
Viewpoint
Supreme Court verdict on Arunachal Pradesh
Check on Dictatorial Tendencies

Dr Amna Mirza
onstitutional democracy and interplay of vested

political interests were narrated aptly from the tiny state
of Arunachal Pradesh. At a time when unethical ways were
bing adopted to mock at electoral mandate in Arunachal
Pradesh, the Supreme Courts historic verdict came as a
grim stopper to illegal means to topple state governments.
The judgment also pointed out to the current ruling regime
of blatant misuse of power in order to cater to its vindictive
motive. Imposition of the Presidents rule on pretext of
using Machiavellian means of misuse of Governors office
showed nothing less than of a desperate attempt to uninstall
a democratically elected government.
The Presidential proclamations put in question the
office of the Governor wherein the court observed
how the operation of different parties at centre and in
states led to vendetta-oriented style of functioning
by political authority. It further gives an affirmative
note to the way as to how judiciary underscores the
importance of the democracy and the constitution.
Constitution Bench of Supreme Court gave the
judgment that the decision of Arunachal Pradesh
Governor J.P. Rajkhowa to advance the date of the
Assembly session from December 16, 2015 to January
14, 2016 was beyond the authority of the Governor. There
were cries from various segments of polity that this move
led to a phase of unrest which becomes crucial looking
at the fact that Arunachal Pradesh has a sensitive terrain.
Declaration of President rule on 26 January further made
mockery as to how political might was being misused by
the ruling government. It even went to the extent of massive
play of money power which can be read to be against
national interest in unequivocal terms looking at the fact
that the state of Arunachal Pradesh is strategically crucial
for our country security and current regime played with
internal issues to cater to its vested interests.
The court judgement also pointed that the attempt by the
centre to dislodge state governments is detrimental to rule
of law and federalism, principles which are cornerstone
of Indian constitutional democracy. Thank you Supreme

Court for explaining to the Prime Minister what democracy
is, tweeted Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. Sheer
attempt by the Centre to misuse Article 356 in oppositionruled States was vehemently turned down by the court in
this landmark judgment. Further, the nation merits an
apology from the current regime for misuse and derail
constitution & democracy.
The government has to justify its actions when asked by
the court. In this regard if we read in between the lines of
the Supreme Courts judgment, it was critical of the role
played by Arunachal Pradesh governor for the dismissal of
The court judgment also pointed

out that the attempt by the centre
to dislodge state governments is
detrimental to rule of law and
federalism, principles which are
cornerstone of Indian constitutional
democracy
the State government. The tenant at raj bhawan cannot work
at the behest of centre in a political way for oppositionruled states. Thrashing given to constitution, spanking of
governance- these were the critical observation of the apex
court in its verdict.
The governor must function on the aid and advice of the
council of ministers as stated in Articles 200 and 201 of the
Constitution. The action of the state governor Rajkhowa
to summon the assembly without due consultation with
the cabinet was duly quashed by the judgment that it
cannot be an authority to work outside the realm of the
constitution. Using discretionary powers to summon or
dissolve Assembly without any input or advisefrom Chief
Minister and Cabinet is definitely unconstitutional.
Viewpoint
One also needs to point out that the Governor is not an
elected representative, but executive nominee. Therefore,
Article 163 (2) of the Constitution that talks about the
discretionary powers of governor needs - to be debated
The governor must function on the

aid and advice of the council of
ministers as stated in Articles 200
and 201 of the Constitution. The action
of the state governor Rajkhowa to
summon the assembly without due
consultation with the cabinet
in a more clear manner. The tenure of governor depends
on the pleasure of the President and juxtaposed with the
fact and structure of parliamentary democracy in Indiathe governor cannot compel the speaker to work in a way
which he feels deem fit.
The political prism had an interesting narrative as it was a

major setback to the BJP-ruled Centre with the apex court
ordered restoration of Congress government in Arunachal
Pradesh. No one can dispute the fact the national
government has been attempting to impose of unilateral
and homogeneity in the country. What does not suit their
view or gain that it not accepted. This verdict can be seen
to give boost to the realm of democracy which respects
diversity and difference. Political commentators also read
this judgment in a way that it restored faith of people in
democracy and placed it above monetary and vested
motives. Difference cannot be bent to likes and dislikes of
few.
Arunachal Pradesh is a sensitive border state over which
Indo-China relations have been often strenuous. At a time,
when Chinese incursions in the region and other diplomatic
moves are not favourable to India, the government of the
day through clever gimmicks led it into a situation of crisis.
It is yet to learn the nuances of maturity that it expected by
ruling political party towards such border regions where it
is not in power. Its actions to incite turmoil in the problems
simmering there speaks volumes about its inadequate
commitments towards national interests and security.
Tradeoffs in politycannot be seen in mere us versus them
perspective, rather an issue where the centre has acted in
undemocratic way which is against the spirit of the federal
structure.
Governor misused the shield of discretionary powers to

destabilize by meddling in the affairs of democraticallyelected governments.Ups and downs, dissent and consent
are part and parcel of working of democratic organizations
and any political party are also part of this fulcrum. The
governor cannot meddle and poke in the working of
political arrangement in the state. The blatant
support to political horse trading that was
Governor misused the shield of discretionary
being unearthed in the state by the governor by
supporting the clever political gimmick of the
powers to destabilize by meddling in
central government needs to be condemned in
the affairs of democratically-elected
all terms. Further, there is no just explanation
that can be tendered for Governor role in
governments.Ups and downs, dissent and
relation to proceedings and disqualification of
consent are part and parcel of working of
MLAs under the Tenth Schedule. Any action
taken shall surely be dubbed as impropriety
democratic organizations and any political
towards the constitution.
The need of the hour is that Central Government
should have respect for idea of power sharing as
subtly enshrined in the law of the land. The word federal
is nowhere used in the constitution but the successful
working of the polity since the dawn of independence and
constitution thereof definitely speaks volumes about the way
federal structure idea has been kept sacrosanct by Congress.
Sheer attempts to grab power at the expense of bullying an
opposition state makes mockery of ethos of the law of the
land, keeping in view its guiding principles. crushing an
elected government, destabilizing state governments can
be viewed as disregard and contempt towards the idea of
cooperative federalism. The verdict unmasked this truth.
party are also part of this fulcrum.
Such acts of transgressions are immoral and a cruel example

of rise in authoritarian tendencies. The enlightened polity
must put in question the notion of accountability to people
and forces that have been responsible for it. Further, let
us hope that this serves as a detriment for future course of
action while thinking about misuse of power in bringing
down democratically elected governments in different
states of the country. v
The author is an Assistant Professor in political studies,
University of Delhi
Comment
THE GREAT MODI-SOMERSAULT ON FDI
olitics is a bizarre business which allows the party in power

the freedom to follow its self-framed rules of the game.
The stark reality and populist policy dictate the direction of
the governance, rather than its avowed pursuit of principles,
political stands on national issues, and the agenda that the party
continued to harp on in all of its aggressive propaganda in the
past. The actions of the BJP government under Narendra Modi
provide eloquent proof of this changed political culture that the
BJP seems to have imbibed just after coming to power - without
even a qualm of conscience.
It was the same BJP, which never tired of cursing the Congress
for allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in a few not-socritical sectors, like the Defense, Pharmaceuticals and Civil
Aviation. It had charged the then Manmohan Singh-led Congress
government, which tried to allow restricted FDI in retail
segment, with complete sale out and definitive compromise on
national security - is today crisscrossing the world with humble
request of investing in India. After unleashing numerous sectors
for FDI the Modi government has now pulled out all stops by
liberalizing its foreign direct investment strategy on June 19
after a high level meeting chaired by the PM himself.
The government launched a second wave of FDI reforms
allowing 100 percent inflows in civil aviation and food
processing sectors while also easing norms in defense and
pharmaceuticals. The major reform measures were decided
at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, Now most of the sectors would be under automatic
approval route, except a small negative list. With these
changes, India is now the most open economy in the world
for FDI, the PMO statement said.
In last two years, the BJP-led NDA Government, has
brought major FDI policy reforms in a number of sectors
like defence, construction development, insurance, pension
sector, broadcasting sector, tea, coffee, rubber, among
others. As a result, the government claimed, FDI inflows
into the country has increased at $ 55.46 billion in 201516 as against $36.04 billion during 2013-14. This is the
highest ever FDI inflow for a particular financial year as per
government statement.Truth is hard to fathom.
However, it is felt that the country has potential to attract far
more foreign investment which can be achieved by further
liberalizing and simplifying the FDI regime, a statement
issued by the government agency said.
Accordingly the government has brought about increase in

sect oral caps, bringing more activities under automatic route
and easing of conditional ties for foreign investment. These
amendments seek to further simplify the regulations governing
FDI in the country and make India an attractive destination.
The first batch of FDI reforms were announced by the
government in November 2015. The relaxation in the norms
and relaxed sourcing regime for another 5 years for company
undertaking single-brand- retail trading of products having
cutting-edge technology, Apple will find easy entry into the
Indian markets. In short, the generous relaxation in the FDI by
Modi government would immensely help foreign defense firms
to enter India, help food marketing companies like IKEA and
Apple to set up stores.
But it is the Aviation sector, where Indian players already
struggling to survive, will have to grapple with global giants in
the race for survival as the government has allowed 100 percent
investment by the foreign aviation sector. But a fresh twist has
come to further complicate the matter. A fresh circular issued
by the government further confounded the already confused
state of affairs in the aviation sector. As per circular, substantial
So dont get shocked if you find the

Modi government making frequent
somersaults in contrast to its past
stands. Reason is simple: getting power
after decades of ascetic life and brainracking campaigns, consideration of
contradictions in actions with its
past principles and political stands
all relapse into the background.
Even the principals of the so-called
principled party, that prided in being
different from others, takes no time in
somersaulting on its avowed stands on
the issues, even if it is detrimental to
the economic health of the country.
Comment
all of Indias economic problems. Domestic Investment is far
more important than FDI. So, we do not believe that FDI is the
answer; it is an important instrument for economic growth, but
it is not the main instrument of economic growth, he declared.
ownership and effective control of airlines should vest with

Indian nationals. Now it runs contradictory to governments
decision to raise the FDI limit to 100 per cent. The circular,
issued by the Department of Industrial policy and promotion,
retains the clause which vests substantial ownership and effective
control (SOEC) with Indians. It is bound to discourage the
investment inflow and thus may prove to be counterproductive
Adding further, he said: Fifty per cent of the FDI coming into
India is coming only into the e-commerce area. Fifty per cent
of all the FDI that has come into India so far in the last two
It is ironical that the BJP is today claiming years has been in the services sector and of that bulk has
been in e-commerce. This fact the government will not say
FDI to be the answer to all of Indias
where is the FDI going, where is it coming from?
economic problems. Domestic Investment

is far more important than FDI.
hiking the airfare up.
The Congress reaction came after the government on 20th
June announced the relaxation of its foreign equity norms
further in sectors, which have so far been considered to be the
most confidential sectors like defense, apart from aviation and
pharmaceuticals.
It was the Congress governments approval to FDI in retail,
which had fluttered the dovecots and it was the BJP which was
most vehemently opposed to it in December 2012, when it was
in the Opposition. BJP had beaten its heart most forcefully on
the issue of allowing FDI in retailing. A nationwide uproar
was created. The BJP with in full aggression trying to create a
national commotion by mobilizing public and political supports
against the Manmohan Singh government which wanted to
allow restricted FDI in retailing.
So dont get shocked if you find the Modi government
making frequent somersaults in contrast to its past
stands. Reason is simple: getting power after decades of
ascetic life and brain-racking campaigns, consideration
of contradictions in actions with its past principles and
political stands all relapse into the background. Even
the principals of the so-called principled party, that
prided in being different from others, takes no time in
somersaulting on its avowed stands on the issues, even
if it is detrimental to the economic health of the country.
Ramesh lambasted the BJP president, Amit Shah and the

RSS for facilitating the exit of Rajan. It is clear that quality
is not a priority with this government. This will become the
government of the suit, boot and loot. BJP president Amit
Shah and RSS have been successful in sending Rajan away. This
is a government of the capitalists who are looting the banks,
added Ramesh.
The Congress reaction to FDIs so-called 'radical liberalization'
including Defence sounds genuine as it was the BJP which had
opposed the Congress-led UPA governments approval to the
FDI in retail was way back in 2012.
It was the BJP, then in the opposition, which had made a
nation-wide commotion on the FDI issue and there were two
leaders from the saffron brigade, who had made the loudest
cries over this issue- Sushma Swaraj and Narendra Modi, in
their earlier avatar. The former was leader of Opposition in the
Lok Sabha while the latter the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Both
were conspicuous in beating their hearts and creating brouhaha
on allowing the FDI in retail by the Congress then.
Ramesh lambasted the BJP president, Amit

Shah and the RSS for facilitating the exit
The Congress party termed the Narendra Modi governments

decision to relax FDI norms in some key sectors as a panic
reaction to Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajans
exit and that it was aimed to protect the loan defaulters and
those who have looted the banks.
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Jairam Ramesh
made a caustic remark while reminding the BJP of its ironical
behavior by saying: The BJP has always opposed FDI. It is
ironical that the BJP is today claiming FDI to be the answer to
of Rajan. It is clear that quality is not a

priority with this government. This will
become the government of the suit, boot
and loot.
The BJP was most vitriolic in attack on Manmohan Singh
government and had left no stone unturned in trying to
precipitate a crisis by mobilizing supports from everywhere.
While the truth was Manmohan Singh government wanted to
allow only restricted FDI in retailing.
The BJPs Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma
Swaraj, went to the extent of bringing in motion for division
of votes in the Lok Sabha on 5th December 2012 against
Manmohan Singhs government on the issue of allowing FDI
in retails.
Comment
Initiating the debate on FDI in retail, the then Leader of
Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, had fired all
cylinders cursing the Manmohan Singh government for
approving the restricted FDI in retail sectors. She warned
Manmohan Singh government that the foreign investment
would benefit farmers, consumers and generate employment as
being claimed by his government was a myth. FDI in multibrand retail will sound the death knell for small industries and
traders, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj lashed out.
The BJP was most vitriolic in attack on

Manmohan Singh government and had
wanted India to be changed into the dumping ground for

the cheap goods produced outside. He went a step further
announcing relief measures for the farmers. But the really
interesting elements of irony to debate were added by former
BJP president, though marginalized for long now, and senior
leader Murli Manohar Joshi. He reminded the House as to how
the BJP had disallowed the FDI in retail back in 2002. Not only
this, he boasted by saying that the BJP stated it (Its opposition
to the FDI) in its election manifesto. Joshi had then got angry at
the Congress reportedly charging that the BJP supported
FDI in the country. Joshi quoted that BJP had criticized
FDI in its election manifesto.
left no stone unturned in trying to

precipitate a crisis by mobilizing supports
from everywhere. While the truth was
Manmohan Singh government wanted to
allow only restricted FDI in retailing.
Sushma was on her fiery spell: International experience shows
that retailers do predatory pricing, and once they come to India,
they will reduce prices so that smaller shops get shut... and when
the competition is over, they will raise prices and the consumers
will have no option but to buy at high prices. She rued: Small
shops, retailers have been wiped out in countries which allowed
FDI in retail. About 12 crore people will go out of jobs in India
due to the UPA governments decision to allow FDI in retail,
she said. Here, vote with us and defeat FDI (in retail).
Targeting Prime Minister directly, Sushma had ridiculed saying:
PM makes bold statements like if we must go down, well go
down fighting. You must Mr. PM, but fight for the poor, not the
rich, fight for country, not multi-nationals, fight for small, not
big.
Countering the Congress governments claim that FDI will
increase employment, she had opined: Government says that
FDI will generate employment for 40 lakh people but going by
figures if we have to employ so many people, then all companies
like Wal-Mart, Tesco and others coming to India need to open
over 36,000 stores in 53 cities, which means over 600 stores in
each city.
Similarly, the Congress-led UPA governments decision to allow
FDI in multi brand retail sector came in for sharp criticism from
the then Gujarats Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, who termed
the move as anti-people. Mr Modi came down heavily on the
Congress government for allowing FDI in multi brand retail by
saying: It would mean immense harm to small shopkeepers,
hit the domestic manufacturing sector and create joblessness.
He made pointed attack by saying that the UPA government
But today neither Sushma nor Modi find anything

wrong in allowing 100 per cent FDI in the most crucial
sectors like Defence. Do thinking and concern change in
diametrically opposite direction if party changes bench in
the Parliament. It poses definitive question of what about
those principles, stands and ideology which the political
party is identified with or it seeks to galvanise the entire
country for support harping on those principles?
Does power erase the memory of past actions, clamouring

in high volumes, and requesting even political foes with folded
hands to vote against the FDI which Sushma Swaraj did while
concluding her speech on 5 th December, 2012, after forcing the
division of votes, though defeated. She had then cried out: if
the government goes ahead, without paying heed to us, I urge
all the parties in this house to vote against the move. This wont
fell the government this will force the government to trash the
FDI decision.
Above all, it was current Prime Minister Narendra Modi
himself, then the Gujarats Chief Minister, who had cried halt
to UPAs approval to FDI in retail. To put it in his own words, it
would mean throwing poor farmers before the big bull to fight.
But, now Modis heart and mind both seem to have made a total
turnaround. Worse, even the strong objection of its ideological
mentor, RSS, too finds no taker, not even Modi, its long time
pracharak. By opening the Defense segment Modi failed to
impress his own ideological parent-RSS.
But Modiji is not in mood of listening the discordant notes;
he is too excited! That is why our PM is envisioning windfall
of dollars when he says: It will unleash big inflow of foreign
money that would benefit the farmers, from whom they would
purchage grains and give a robust boost to employment.
What a sudden somersault occurs in ideology the moment power
comes into hand and what a spectacular volte-face Modiji can
make! Perhaps this is the political culture of double speak which
the RSS seems to have engrained in the minds of its leading
protgs. Or the power has the magic of metamorphosis. v
by Sandesh Editorial team
Analysis
WEALTH CREATION AND EMPLOYMENT's

STEEP DECLINE IN MNREGA
Amit Punia
n May 2004, Dr. Manmohan

Singh-led Congress had
started working on economic
reforms and the effect of
globalization could be seen
clearly on the whole economy.
Earlier, about 8 years ago
when the country was being
ruled
by
non-Congress
governments, the flow of
growth during and after the
congress regime between 19911996 then Finance Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singhs team
made it through globalization
& liberalization, there was
widespread interruptions in this
flow from 1996 to 2004. It was done
deliberately so as to exploit the customs/
ethics & policies of the Congress. The
non-congress government formed
later lacked vision as a result, when the
Congress took over the regime in May
2004, everything was shattered. Our
rural economy that was developing
during the period of 1991-96 was also
interrupted. Dr. Manmohan singh
understood this & after comprehensive
discussion with Congress president
Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, made the basic
framework to stop the rural migration
& operate the rural development and
thus MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee
Act) came into being in 2005. The basic
idea behind this law was the utilization
of time left after farming & local
work force into productive work & to
emotionally attach the worker for the
growth of his region & give him suitable
work. This was the start of Mahatma
Gandhi Employment Guarantee Sceme
or MNREGA implemented in 2007 in

200 disstricts. From 1st April 2008, it
was implemented in all the districts of
the Nation.
When Congress was in rule the scheme
achieved landmark success; the rural
families got work in their own villages
within one year for 100 days. The
scheme benefitted continuously till
2014 to the rural population & the
migration of rural population to cities
stopped. People started taking care of
their own farms, as a result agriculture
production of the country increased. In
2014, when Narendra Modiled BJP took over it came to

be constantly disturbed. The
intentions of the Centeral
Government are known to
them only, but in times of
disaster like famine, BJP ruled
states like Madhya Pradesh,
Rajasthan,
Chattishgarh,
Jharkhand
are
creating
obstacles in this scheme. As a
result, on one hand finances
being allocated for this scheme
has declined and on the other
wealth creation through this in
rulal areas has also decreased.
The biggest problem is that due to
decreased allocation for this scheme,
the 100 days employment per family is
also going down. As a resault to this,
the rural population has again started
migrating to cities & the pressure on
cities is increasing. This all happens like
a circle. MNREGA not only stopped the
migration to cities during 2004-2014
rather than rural population shifted
back to their homes in villages because
they were sure about their jobs. But
now due to the callousness of the BJP
When Congress was in rule the scheme achieved

landmark success; the rural families got work in
their own villages within one year for 100 days. The
scheme benefitted continuously till 2014 to the rural
population & the migration of rural population to
cities stopped. People started taking care of their
own farms, as a result agriculture production of the
country increased.
Analysis
government, the conditions are getting
from bad to worse and the burden of
urbanization is mounting.
According to the report of the chief
consultant of the agency India Spend:
The expenditure on this scheme
during 2012-13 was 39778 crore
rupees and 38553 crore rupees in
2013-14, which came down to 36026
crores in 2014-15 just after BJP
Government came to power.
During the last financial year 2015-16,
wealth creation through MNREGA
dropped by 23% as compared to 201415. During 2012-13, wealth created
was 25.5 lakh, next year wealth
creation was 27.40 lakh which again
dropped down to 22.7 lakh in the year
2015-16.
Although 4.8 crore families directly
benefitted from this scheme, but in
the year of review, families that got
100 days employment was only 10%.
Workers were not getting their wages
on time, reports say that there were
only 40% workers who were getting
their wages within 15 days of the work
done by them, wages of the rest 60%
workers were delayed by more than 15
days
The number of households taking the
advantage of this scheme has been
declining. Where more than 5 crore
families benefited from the scheme in
2012-13, it came down to Rs 4.10 crore
in 2014-15 under the Narendra Modis
government or it can be said that almost
approx 90 lakh families were deprived
of the job altogether.
The Supreme Court recently held that
under the MGNREGA scheme, a rural
household should be given 150 days of
employment in a year. The arrangement
is made be given that the government will
take action on it accordingly, if it does
not, then the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati
Raj Sangathan will ensure that at the
village level of rural household, 150 days
of employment in a year will be sought.
Government is not paying the wages
to MGNREGA workers on time to
discourage them. As such, MGNREGA
Due to the lack of social audit names of several

people at the same time can be seen in several Muster
Rolls; and at many places. Wages are being taken in
names of dead people. Where the spirit of MNREGA is
going down due to this kind of corruption poor in dire
need are being hit hard.
Article 2 of schedule 2 of the Act of
29- 1: within 15 days of the closure of
Muster Rolls-payment of wages, if the
workers are entitled to receive should
be givne a compensation for delay at the
rate of 0.5% to the closing Muster Rolls
they should get 16 days. The Supreme
Court decided that if there is a delay
in the payment to the workers they
should be paid 18% annual interest.
The organization is preparing to raise
awareness on this matter.There was
also a practical problem seen here these
days that MGNREGA laborers have to
go to the bank and the post office for
collecting their payment. Lower cadre
of Government department is unable to
make coordination in this regard so as to
adjust the due payment of the workers.
Like this workers are suffering through
the process.
MGNREGA workers are facing one
major problem related to job cards;
these cards are usually 8-10 years old.
The card diariaes of the workers get
filled by then & extra papers are further
pasted to use it by the MAT. The state
government is responsible for getting the
job cards printed, but most of the state
governments have shown negligence on
this.
After the BJP government came to power
the lower level corruption in MNREGA
increased. Work is being done by the
workers in the villages & they are being
paid Rs 50-60 in the name of that work.
The machine owner, village panchayat
& some other people involved share
the remaining payment as booty. Many
complaints are being received from most
of the districts of the country.Although
there is a provision of social audit in
MNREGA scheme, but the Government
has not yet provided adequate measures

for it. Due to the lack of social audit
names of several people at the same time
can be seen in several Muster Rolls; and
at many places. Wages are being taken in
names of dead people. Where the spirit
of MNREGA is going down due to this
kind of corruption poor in dire need are
being hit hard.
Panchayati Raj in the country was
launched in Rajasthan and when the
MNREGA scheme was introduced,
Rajasthan was the focus. During the
year 2008-09, Rs 6275 crores were spent
under this scheme, but unfortunately
during the last financial year, when there
was BJP government both at the Centre
and in the State, the cost of MNREGA
scheme declined to Rs 3269 crore and a
total of creative man-days employment
declined from 4829.38 lakh to 2311.22
lakh. Similarly, the number of the
families, which got complete work of
100 days, declined from 26.31 lakh to
4.69 lakh. Rajasthan is geographically
the largest state of the country, here
also an average employment days has
gone below, from 76 days to 55 days
per family. And considering the matter
of wages, MNREGA enitles Rs 173/to worker, whereas in Rajasthan, an
average wage a worker is getting is Rs.
120/- only.
In conclusion, it can be stated
since the Congress had introduced
MGNREGA during its tenure, so it is
the accountability of Congressmen to
protect the interests its beneficiaries.
Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan
will bear the accountability to ensure
that justice is done into this matter. v
(The author is a Convener of Rajasthan
State unit of RGPRS)
Achievements
Congress Sandesh has started a new series on the achievements of the
Congress Party in building the nation - from the desk of Editor.
Contributions of the Congress Party difficult to be ignored
Contributions of the Congress

to Social Reforms
part from bringing the colonial

rule to an end, one of the main
aims of the freedom movement was
to obliterate social inequality and
social evils. Right from its formation
in 1885, the top leadership of the
Congress Party started and supported
various social-reform movements
and this responsibility as a mission
was carried forward generation after
generation. The Congress Party has
shown a tremendous commitment for
maintaining social harmony, providing
equal opportunity to every citizen and
bringing dalits, the downtrodden and
the exploited into the mainstream.
This commitment proved not only a
milestone but has been established
also as a social value in Indian society.
Today, Indian politics is passing
through a transitional phase. Other
political parties who oppose the
Congress are trying to usurp the credit
of the policies and politics of the
Congress that proved instrumental
in bringing about social changes and
eradicating social inequalities. These
political parties usually talk about
dalits and the downtrodden merely
as a fashion whereas their real aim
to fulfil their political dreams. But
the truth is that the Congress Partys
real aim from its inception till today
is to establish a strong democracy
and to provide equal opportunity
to every citizen. The contribution

of the Congress Party with regard to
bringing the marginalised into the
mainstream is exceptional. Right from
its formation, the Congress Party has
tried to eradicate the contradictions
within Indian society. As a result,
Indian democracy and its tolerant
approach and mutual disposition are
admired all over the world.
Indian history tells us that caste-system
came into existence in Indian society
about 2500 years ago. It is interesting
to note that not only among Hindus, it
is prevalent among Muslims, Sikhs and
Christians as well. Unfortunately, it
was never strongly and forcefully tried
to eliminate these inhuman practices
like caste-system and untouchability.
But during the last decades of the 19th
century, the national movement and
the Congress Party initiated decisive
efforts to obliterate these inhuman
practices. Big changes especially in the
field of economy were taking place.

Immense employment opportunities
were being generated in sectors
like agriculture, factories, mandis,
government-services, contract labour
system. It led to a change in the status
of the downtrodden. The top leaders of
the Congress Party not only supported
the social movements being carried
on by Jyotiba Phule in Maharashtra
and Narayan Guru in Kerala but they
themselves also relentlessly tried to
eliminate these social evils.
Our freedom movement under
the leadership of Indian National
Congress was itself very much
inclined towards social reforms in
terms of contemporary parameters.
It was pro-poor as is evident by the
criticism of the foreign rule by Dada
Bhai Naouroji who said that the root
cause of poverty of the large section
of Indian society is the colonial rule.
This was further invigorated by the
The contribution of the Congress Party with regard

to bringing the marginalised into the mainstream is
exceptional. Right from its formation, the Congress
Party has tried to eradicate the contradictions
within Indian society. As a result, Indian democracy
and its tolerant approach and mutual disposition are
admired all over the world
Achievements
advent of Gandhiji and the rise of
socialistic ideology. This movement
was committed to end the foreign rule
first and then to eradicate poverty. The
leaders of the Congress Party were of
the opinion that without eradicating
poverty, social evils cant be wiped out.
Poverty is the root of social inequality
and untouchability.
In the decade of 1920, Congress
leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subash
Chandra Bose tried to give the freedom
movement a socialistic ideological
inclination and a dream of establishing
Indian society on socialistic pattern
was encouraged which attracted a
large section of nationalist-workers
and intellectuals immensely. Before
1947, Pandit Nehru underlined the
fact that Indian National Congress
has not accepted socialism as its
ideal but it has been accepted that
the society based on equality should
be established in which every citizen
should have equal opportunity and a
standard life-style so that availability
of equal opportunity can be put
forward as a truth.
Indian National Congress showed
its commitment towards social,
economic and political changes. It
went into constant churning and
taking shape of an organisation which
seeks fundamental changes based on
social and economic equality of the
highest level and social justice. The
top leadership of the Congress Party
accepted such programmes which
can be termed as strong reformist.
For example, primary education,
low tax rates on the poor and lowincome groups, lower taxes on salt
and land, safeguarding the rights of
share-croppers, abolishing zamindari
system, waiving off agricultural loans
and provision of new loan at lower
rate for farmers, right to making
organisations for farmers, minimum
wages and less working hours for
labourers, improvement in law and
order situation etc. Indian National
Congress passed a resolution in its

Karachi session in 1931 that clearly
expressed its motive of social reform.
It was said that To obliterate the
exploitation of crores of the poor that
were on the verge of dying of hunger,
it is necessary to include economic
freedom under the political one.
Mahatma Gandhi was also a supporter
of economic reforms who already
vehemently supported political and
social reforms. After 1920, he included
problems of untouchables, dalits and
the poor with the freedom movement
and succeeded in organising strong
protests like Vaicom (1924-25) and
Guruvappyur (1931-32).
Gandhiji tried to make aware the
upper classes with the seriousness
of injustice of untouchability so that
they could feel the intensity of their
wrongdoings. He protested against the
conspiracy of the Britishers to show
untouchables and the downtrodden
distinct from the Hindus. The national
movement was committed to social
equality and egalitarian society and
it protested against every form of
inequality whether it was based on
caste, sex or exploitation. It either
made alliances or made them merged
those organisations which were
carrying on movements for the social
liberation of women and lower classes.
Lakhs of women joined the national
movement leaving behind household
chores. In its agenda, from social
upliftment of women to their
education, employment and equal
political rights were included. After
1920, it gave untouchability a topmost
priority keeping in mind the larger
perspective of caste based inequality
and exploitation. Indian National
Congress gave this ideology such a
direction that no one protested the
proposal of reservation for SCs and
STs in the Constituent Assembly.
Likewise, the Hindu Code Bill was
passed without much protests because
the national movement had already

secured the rights of social liberation
for women.
The top leaders of the Congress Party
are rightly called the builders of
Indian democracy since they provided
a balanced direction to the national
movement; nurtured the proposition
of social invigoration and a definite
view for all the sections of society. The
founders of Indian democracy were
not limited merely to the national
unification and political stability.
Indian society had to pass through
a long phase of social changes. It
was expressed in the Directives of
the State Policy under article 36 of
the constitution, State in order to
augment welfare of the people shall try
to achieve and safeguard by effective
means such a social arrangement in
which economic and political justice
can be availed by the national life from
every institution. It was expressed as
a socialistic pattern of society and was
accepted officially in Awadi session
of the Congress. Later, its ideals were
made part and parcel of the second
and third Five-Year plans. As a result,
during the tenure of Pandit Nehru,
various steps were taken which people
perceive as the beginning of a welfare
state.
Some important steps were taken
in the context of making Indian
democracy as a welfare state. For
example, land reforms, planned
economic development and rapid
growth in public-sector. Additionally,
labour-laws were implemented under
which provisions were made for
collective agreements, to form trade
unions, to go on strikes, security of
employment and health and accident
insurance etc. Efforts were taken for
the equitable distribution of property.
For this, high rate of income tax and
excise were implemented. Initiatives
were taken for the overall development
of education, health and other public
utility facilities.
Achievements
Under the leadership of Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, the top leaders of
the Congress Party were eager to such
social changes which may liberate the
weaker and the downtrodden sections
of the society. The Congress Party
identified Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar
who had already become a prominent
leader of dalits and engaged him for
the development of the country. Dr.
Ambedkar was given the responsibility
of constitutional and legal aspects.
Despite differences with him before
the independence, the Congress Party
appointed him as the president of
the Draft Committee. He was later
appointed as the law minister in
Nehrus cabinet.
The Congress party also identified
Babu Jagjivan Ram due to his astute
political acumen, he was dear to
stalwarts like Pandit Jawahar Lal
Nehru and Smt. Indira Gandhi. Right
from 1937 he played a dominant
role in Indian National Congress.
During the pre independence period
when the Congress government was
formed in 1937, Babuji was appointed
as the Parliamentary Secretary
in the Ministry of Education and
Development Right from 1937 Babu
Jagjivan Ram held important offices
at the state level in the Congress Party.
After Independence Pandit Jawahar
Lal Nehru made him the axis of the
party and indispensible for the party
affairs as well as government of the
country. He remained a member of
the Union cabinet for nearly 31 years.
He was honoured to be the youngest
minister in Jawaharlal Nehrus interim
government, the first cabinet of India
as a labour minister and also member
of constituent assembly of India, where
he enshrined in the constitution.
In fact, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and
the top leaders of the Congress Party
were of the opinion that we are not
merely trying for the political and
economic revolution but also for
social revolution. Indian people can
develop only after treading on these

three roads and changing it into
harmonious whole.
The provision for abolition of
untouchability was already included in
the constitution. In 1955, it was made
a cognisable offence and punishable.
The Congress Party tried to implement
entirely the provisions of reservation
for SCs, STs and weaker sections of the
society in educational institutions and
government jobs.
the victim were included. Provisions

for reservation for STs were ensured
in state legislatures, educational
institutions
and
government
services. First the reservations were
implemented for ten years and later
it was repeatedly extended with an
aim to bring the downtrodden into
the mainstream. Expansion of health
services, programmes for poverty
eradication,
rural
employment
guarantee scheme, rural income
In the decade of 1920, Congress leaders like

Jawaharlal Nehru, Subash Chandra Bose tried to
give the freedom movement a socialistic ideological
inclination and a dream of establishing Indian
society on socialistic pattern was encouraged which
attracted a large section of nationalist-workers
and intellectuals immensely
After independence, under the
leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,
the top leaders of the Congress Party
took important steps to eradicate
caste injustice and inequality. The
constitution gave equal rights to every
citizen without any consideration of
religion, caste, sex, language, class etc.
Scheduled tribes residing across the
country were also included in it. Article
17 of the constitution clearly explains,
Untouchability has been abolished
and there is a legal ban on its practice
in any form whatsoever. In the eyes of
the law, any practice of untouchability
will be a punishable offence. In 1955,
parliament passed the Untouchability
(offence) act which explains that
there was provision for punishment,
cancellation of licence and closure of
public assistance for such offences.
The citizen right preservation
(amendment) act was passed in
1976. More provisions dealing with
more stringent punishments, special
courts and officers and legal-aid for
schemes like dairy, poultry and goat

rearing, abolition of child labour were
some of the programmes which proved
decisive for social changes.
One of the most influential Congress
leaders and former Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi started a programme
in 1970 under which land rights were
given to the rural poor. It proved an
important scheme for upliftment of
the poor and dalits because influential
upper caste people used to dispossess
them from their land. Right to vote was
granted to every citizen and it made
the weakest and the most influential
on the same footing. Where there
was land distribution, the curse of the
landless was wiped out. The Congress
Party also discouraged professions
based on castes. Efforts of the Congress
governments and top leaders of the
party made untouchability disappear
in urban areas whereas it nosedived in
rural areas. Untouchability diminished
significantly in more developed areas
where employment opportunities were
Achievements
Some important steps were taken in the context
of making Indian democracy as a welfare state.
For example, land reforms, planned economic
development and rapid growth in public-sector
created for the weaker sections. When
the owners need labour, they may ruin
themselves if they consider the caste as
basis of their selection for workers. We
can hardly find a trace of caste-based
discrimination in offices and factories.
The Congress governments felicitated
the access of weaker sections to
education, employment and other
economic and social opportunities
and thus succeeded in bringing out
the important changes in the form
of empowerment of the poor and the
downtrodden. It made the have-nots,
the exploited, dalits and the tribes
aware of their rights.
The Congress governments and
top leaders of the party have always
kept policies like economic growth,
employment generation, employment
guarantee schemes that tend to
eradicate poverty by increasing the
income of the poor in their prioritylist. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira
Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi
and Rahul Gandhi all have strongly
supported eradication of poverty and
education to all. They all are of the
opinion that education is a means
of social change. So they all have
paid special attention to primary
and secondary education. Attempts
were made to link education with
the poor. Due to illiteracy, the poor
and the weaker sections were unable
to understand the importance of
population control. When the Congress
leaders gave special importance to

women education, decrease in birthrate was observed and it ultimately
benefitted the poor.
The study of social reforms in
modern India reveals that all the
policies meant for the welfare of
the poor and the downtrodden
were primarily formulated by the
Congress governments. Those all
were the initiatives of the Congress
governments. These initiatives and
policies were guided by pure devotion
and certainly not driven by a sense
of using them as a vote-bank after
polarising the poor and dalits. The
Congress governments and top leaders
of the party provided space and
platform to the leaders of the poor and
the downtrodden so that social changes
could smoothly take place without any
sort of acrimony among stakeholders.
No class of society could think that
their interests were being sacrificed for
the benefits of others. It is important
to note here that the core issue of
non-Congress Dalit politics is to gain
power by caste-polarisation. In order
to bring dalits into the mainstream of
the society, the Congress Party gave
the responsibility of preparing the
draft of the constitution to great Dalit
leader Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and the
party leaders provided him all sort of
assistance.
After the death of Dr. Ambedkar in
1957, Republican Party was formed.
The Congress party also identified Babu Jagjivan

Ram due to his astute political acumen, he was dear
to stalwarts like Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Smt.
Indira Gandhi. Right from 1937 he played a dominant
role in Indian National Congress
It contested Bombay Vidhan Sabha

elections and succeeded in winning
some seats. But soon, the Party broke
into many factions. Most of them
either joined the Congress or became
its alliance partners. Y.V. Chavan
provided them due respect and space
in the party.
In the seventh decade, a new initiative
under the banner of Dalit Panther
was taking shape in Maharashtra.
Dalit Panther at first made literature
its base and in 1972, it established
itself as a political party. After that
the party took inspiration solely from
Ambedkars ideology. Students and
the youth in urban areas were the
partys strongholds. They talked about
the revolution but they lacked any
solid strategy like the Congress. In the
80s serious differences cropped up on
major issues like viewpoint regarding
non-Dalit poor and non-Buddhists
dalits, culture versus economy, Raja
Dhale versus Namdeo Dhashal. These
differences led to the breaking into
many groups and most of them joined
the Congress like that of Republican
Party.
In the last decades of the 20th century,
BSP and other Dalit parties were
constituted in north and eastern India
who do politics in the name of dalits.
But the real aim of these parties is to
attain power in the name of dalits.
Once they come into power they
forget about the welfare of dalits and
the poor. Instead, they begin to serve
the interests of their own people.
The poor of this country are observing
all these political games and thats why
majority of them vote for the Congress
Party despite the politics of so called
Dalit parties. This is the simple and
straightforward truth due to which
most of the Dalit leaders are inclines
towards Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Sh.
Rahul Gandhi. Dalit leaders and
ideologues have found that the welfare
and upliftment of Dalit lie only in the
hands of the Congress Party. v
Tribute
Babu Jagjivan Ram: A truly

visionary Leader of the Dalits
Dr Surendra Kumar
he contributions of Babu Jagjivan

Ram breaks all attempts to classify
his leadership in any homogenous
framework. No doubt, he belonged to
the section of society oppressed by caste
discriminations. It prompts scholars to
situate leadership of Babuji in a framework
serving the marginalized sections or to
describe him as a leader of the Dalits. But,
any deeper analysis of his contributions
and methods to address challenges opens a
new dimension of leadership from Below.
The range of classification for leadership of
Babuji is very wide and it includes diverse
aspect which has been largely ignored
by mainstream media and knowledge
production system.
Falsifying Myth of Homogeneity in

leadership
The greatest challenge faced by any scholar in analyzing the
leadership of Babuji is that it is very difficult to situate the
leadership in any framework of homogeneity. Truly, he inherited a
background of army and legacy of thoughts situated in discourse of
Begumpura (idea traced in the thoughts of Saint Ravidas). These
twin traditions had a powerful impact in crafting of personality of
Jagjivan Ram. Further, his journey from childhood to youth shows
immense energy to compete and perform. The desire to compete
and perform shows a leadership rooted in culture of resistance,
It is also true that Babu Jagjivan

Ram had opportunity to understand
the work culture of Mahatma Gandhi,
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru,
Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi etc. His
methods of addressing responsibilities
were innovative and based on principle
of welfare of large section of society.
scholarship and inclusive practices. He

sharply reacted to the oppressive practices
in different ways, broke the traditions
by creating new paths and worked for
practices oriented to welfare. The diversity
in his actions with a blend of army culture
and traditions of Bhakti movement situate
Babu Jagjivan Ram in a very different
framework of leadership. A leadership
immensely dedicated to serve the masses,
aware of challenges faced by nation and
committed to empowerment of the weak.
It is also true that Babu Jagjivan Ram had
opportunity to understand the work culture
of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,
Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv
Gandhi etc. His methods of addressing
responsibilities were innovative and based
on principle of welfare of large section of
society. These aspects are very obvious in his actions for welfare
of army, ex-serviceman, family members of army, who sacrificed
life in battle, insurance schemes for workers, Green revolution,
victory of country in battlefield, commitment for Congress Party
etc. Yet, the elements of Rebel in his personality got reflected when
he sharply focused on vertical mobility of a person from below
due to various reasons, and breaks traditions of unconditional
support to show new dimension of leadership.
Culture of Resistance and search for inclusive politics

The traditions of army developed a culture of resistance in Babu
Jagjivan Ram and this aspect was reflected continuously in his
functioning in various capacities throughout his life. The first
case is visible, when he got admission in Arrah Town School in
1922, where practice of keeping two separate pitchers of drinking
water for Hindus and Muslims was a rule. Now, the admission
of Jagjivan created a crisis because the students were aware of
the separate spaces for the Hindu and the Muslim, and unable
to situate presence of student from the depressed classes. The
students and authorities found solutions on the principle to
keep apart and proposed a third pitcher for the untouchables.
His intense opposition to decision of school authorities, not by
begging, but by breaking the third pitcher repeatedly jolted the
Tribute
oppressive mindset. Finally, the school authorities reacted in
a very creative way by starting a new tradition of keeping one
pitcher for all students and it created a new space where an
identity of student could not be challenged by sectarian identities.
It shows that Babu Jagjivan Ram had very sharp understanding of
impact of space on younger generation, and following methods
of Saint Ravidas, he preferred to reform the society from within.
Jagjivan Ram did not perceive religion as source of mobility, but
he treated the religion as a powerful source of energy naturally
existing in society. He aimed to channelize this natural energy
towards structural change in society and the welfare of people. In
this regard, his approach was focused to engage state and society
for an egalitarian society. Unlike Karl Marx, who situates religion
in a discourse of ideology of ruling class, Jagjivan Ram was close
to the approach of B.R. Ambedkar towards religion as a powerful
instrument of shaping mindset of society. For Jagjivan Ram,
Temple was an institution of setting way of life and he demanded
temple entry for oppressed sections of society. At the same time, he
kept alive the tradition of Saint Ravidas to challenge orthodox way
of understanding religion. So, he not only organized innumerable
Ravidas Sammelans, but also, established Akhil Bhartiya Ravidas
Sabha in 1934.
Apart from this, he was a great freedom fighter and a committed
Congress leader. Although, it is very true that his meeting with
Madam Mohan Maliviya in school while delivering welcome
address and winning Bihar Legislative Assembly seat unopposed(
ensured victory in 14 reserved seats on banner of Depressed
Classes League) prior to joining Congress Party shows dynamic
aspect of his personality. As an ardent freedom fighter, Jagjivan
Ram intensively participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement
and Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi. It led
to his arrest in 1940 and 1942. It could not stop him, and he
continuously organized rallies and meetings, against colonial
state in 1943. The closeness of Jagjivan Ram to Mahatma Gandhi
and his presence in the Congress Party at various level such as
member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC, 19401947), Congress Working Committee (1948 to 1977) opens a
new dimension of presence of a leader from below and creates
cultural capital to shape up the mindset of younger generation to
participate in politics for nation building process. Jagjivan Rams
approach towards politics shows that he visualized politics as a
tool to empower the downtroddens. In this regard, he is a source
of inspiration for masses to participate in democracy to find out
solutions of various problems and motivates people to get engaged
with state. Unlike Naxalbari movement, state is concptualised as
a space, which offers solutions for various challenges, for Jagjivan
Ram
Discourse of Begumpura (land without sorrow)
The oral traditions refer the concept of Begumpura (land without

sorrow) to Saint Ravidas and his inclusive traditions are also
documented in Panch Vani text of Dadupanthi , Sri Guru Granth
Sahib etc. He had a very powerful impact on society and primarily
He was blend of continuity and

change. The discourse of Saint Ravidas
kept alive immense desire to serve the
poor man and it showed continuity
of Indian civilization. Further, the
immense dedication for modernized
and institutionalized solutions to
challenges reflects change
tried to reform Hinduism from within by challenging orthodox
and discriminatory practices. The dedication of Jagjivan Ram in
welfare of people through relief and rehabilitation work in natural
calamities, and devoting life for policies-programmes for welfare
of people clearly reflects legacy of Saint Ravidas. Jagjivan Ram
was strong supporter of civil rights movement and his role in
Protection of Civil Rights Act,1955 is clearly evident. His skills to
handle so many issues is clear from the range of Ministries Babu
Jagjivan Ram was assigned such as Labour, Railways, Transport,
Communications, Defence, Food and Agriculture etc. These
responsibilities of Jagjivan Ram show an approach for function of
state as a welfare agency. He worked very hard to improve status
and conditions of workers. Rightly, he ensured constitution of
National Labour Commission, Contract Labour Bill, regulation
of working hours of labourers. Further, He chaired the conference
of ILO organized at Geneva 1950. He ensured nationalization
of air transport and, as a result, Air India and Indian Airlines
were created. These policies not only ensured state intervention,
but also , the increasing capacity of state to provide jobs made
the policy of reservation a relevant policy for empowerment.
Similarly, he is credited with the beginning of reservations in
departmental promotions of employees from SC/ST categories.
While writing opinion in the Hindu on 27/2/2008, M.S.
Swaminathan said, The best tribute we can pay to Jagjivan Rams
life and work is the conversion of the concept of inclusive growth
from rhetoric into reality. Swaminathan argued that Jagjivan
Ram was a visionary leader, who adopted creative and innovative
methods. The initiatives taken for acceptation of green revolution,
opening Krishi Vigyan Kendras, National Bureau of Plant Genetic
Resources, New Delhi, the National Bureau of Soil Survey and
Land Use Planning at Nagpur etc. The impact of his work as
Food and agriculture minister may also be understood from the
fact that foodgrains production increased from 74 million to
94 million. At the same time, he worked hard to ensure proper
implementation of the Public Distribution system. Obviously,
Jagjivan Ram was a great institution builder and always respected
the autonomy of institutions. He allowed institutions to evolve
progressive work culture.
In addition to this, he strongly stood for the army man as the
army man goes to any extent to protect country, and Jagjivan
continued on page 39
Tragedy
Mentally Sick Children treated

like worse than Animals
Dr Archana Sharma
he condition of mentally retarded

About 12 children died due to eating poisonous foods,
children is worse than animals.
served in the asylum at Jamdoli in Jaipur in April
Having been immersed neck-deep into
month and around the same number of children are
corruption the Rajasthan government
is insensitive to the specially abled
fighting for life at Jaipur government child hospital.
people. About 12 children died due to
The children ate poisonous meals, got infected and
eating poisonous foods served in the
asylum at Jamdoli in Jaipur in April
subsequently died just because of recklessness of
month and around the same number
the government officials.
of children are fighting for life at Jaipur
to Honble Governor of the state. But unfortunately the officials
government child hospital. The children
ate poisonous meals, got infected and subsequently died just who were in real sense responsible for this horrendous incidents,
because of recklessness of the government officials. The children were handed over the responsibility of probing the whole matter.
died a miserable death despite the fact that government provides Keeping in mind all these actions it appears the BJP government
monetary help for child every besides of donations made by wants to prove the deaths as natural. Otherwise also when children
virtuous people. It is a proof of a dangerous dereliction of duty were dying the representatives of the government were blaming
by those responsible for the running of the Asylum as well as the absence of the physical resistance power among children to
insensitive attitude of the administration. But behind all this has be the reason behind their death. Despite the fact that medical
been the deep-rooted corruption. In clear violation of the Mental department clearly said that the cause of death was due to septic
Health Act of 1987, which lays down provisions for having such shock caused by infected food.
an asylum in the middle of the city, the BJP government removed
The people of the state seem to have invited misfortune by voting
it to a rural area just after coming to power.
the BJP to power with such a huge number in 2013, because the
It was shifted to a place where there is no availability of emergency government has got involved in serving its vested interesting
medical services. When the condition of the children deteriorated, setting aside the issue related to the public. After Lalit-Modi
there was no ambulance. They had to be transported in general scandal, the mining scam has further eroded the governments
transport vehicle to the hospital. Had they been brought to the credibility. NCRB has clarified that the present government is
hospital a little earlier, many lives could have been saved. During incapable of running the governance by proving the figure of crimes
the process many children suffered fits and later died. This killer against SC/ST and women, which have been on rise. The death of
government did not bother to take it into cognigence even mentally sick children has disclosed that the BJP government does
then and for formality suspended Seven government officials not believe in safeguarding the life and honour of sensitive section
associated with social justice and rights department. Worst of all, of the society and even the laws enacted for their protection are
the new incharge of mentally retarded home, who was posted after not going to be adhered to. Thats why like butcher house, which
the incident is facing the charge of sexual exploitation of children is shifted outside the city, the home for mentally sick children too,
since 2013 and had even been suspended for that. The horrible was thrown away from the township, which is illegal as it equates
death of children has not only stirred the peoples conscience but children with animals. The children lived hellish lives there and
has also exposed the cracks in the armour of local administrative which spending time a mindset human extra they finally left for
heavenly abode. BJP must atone for the killing of cows and those
system.
children in the state as they are responsible for them. v
The Congress Committee raised the issue forcefully demanding
Author is Pradesh Vice-President and Chairperson, Media Cell, Rajasthan
high-level judicial enquiry to probe the irregularities that led to
Pradesh Congress Committee
the death of 12 children and even submitted the memorandum
Tribute
Bengals physician
Chief Minister
Praveen Davar
r. BC Roy, a renowned freedom fighter

and physician, was the second Chief
Minister of West Bengal-from 1948 till his
death in 1962. The term of his predecessor
P.C. Ghosh lasted barely an year after
independence.
It is very rare, perhaps rarest of the rare, that
birth of a person and his death take place on
the same day and month. Bidhan Chandra
Roy was born on 1 July 1882 and died on 1
July 1962. Born in Patna to Prakash Chandra
Roy and Aghorkamini Devi, Bidhan passed
matric examination from Patna Collegiate
School in 1897 and did his intermediate from
Presidency College, Calcutta and BA from Patna College with
Honours in Mathematics. He applied for Engineering in Bengal
Engineering College and Calcutta Medical College. He got
admission in both, but opted to join Calcutta Medical College.
Bidhans term in medical school was fraught with hardships. His
father retired as a Deputy Collector after the first year and could
no longer send Bidhan any money. Bidhan fended for himself
by getting a scholarship and living frugally, saving on books by
borrowing notes and relying on books in the library.
Dean, reluctant to accept a student from Asia,

rejected Bidhans application. Dr. Roy did not
lose heart. Again and again he submitted his
application until finally the Dean, after 30
admission requests, accepted Bidhan to the
college. Within two years and three months,
Bidhan completed his M.R.C.P. and F.R.C.S.
and returned home from England in 1911.
On his return he taught at the Calcutta
Medical College, then the Campbell Medical
School and finally at the Carmichael Medical
College.
BC Roy believed that Swaraj would remain
a dream unless the people were healthy
and strong in mind and body. He made contributions to the
organisation of medical education. He established the Jadavpur
T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, Kamala Nehru Hospital,
Victoria Institution and Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital. The
Chittaranjan Seva Sadan for women and children was opened in
1926. The women were unwilling to come to the hospital initially
but thanks to the hard work of Dr. Roy and his team, the Seva
Sadan was embraced by women of all classes and communities.
He opened a centre for training women in nursing and social
work. Dr. Roy entered politics in 1925. He ran for elections from
the Barrackpore Constituency as an Independent candidate
for the Bengal Legislative Council and defeated the Grand
Old Man of Bengal, Surendranath Banerjee. Even though an
independent he voted with the Swaraj Party (the Parliamentary
wing of the Congress in the 1920s). In 1925, after the death of
The partition of Bengal was announced while Bidhan was

in college. Opposition to the partition was being organised
by nationalist leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai, Tilak and Bipin
Chandra Pal, the famous Lal-Bal-Pal trio. Bidhan resisted the
immense pull of the movement. He controlled his emotions and
concentrated on his studies realising
that he could better serve his nation
BC Roy believed that Swaraj would remain a dream
by qualifying in his profession first
unless the people were healthy and strong in mind
immediately after graduation, B.C. Roy
joined the Provincial Health Service
and body. He made contributions to the organisation
where he exhibited immense dedication
and hard work.
of medical education. He established the Jadavpur
Bidhan sailed for England with only
Rs. 1,200 in February 1909 intending
to enroll himself at St Bartholomews
Hospital to further his education. The
T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, Kamala Nehru

Hospital, Victoria Institution and Chittaranjan
Cancer Hospital
Tribute
Despite being Chief Minister with a
hectic political and administrative
schedule, BC Roy continued to devote
time for his patients every day of the
week. Dr. Roy believed that the youth
of India would determine the future of
the nation
CR Das, who had founded the Swaraj party alongwith Motilal
Nehru, BC Roy emerged as the face of the Swaraj Party in
Bengal. He not only became a close associate of Motilal Nehru
but also his personal physician.
Dr. Roy was elected to the All India Congress Committee in
1928. He kept himself away from rivalry and conflicts and made
a deep impression on the leaders. Dr. Roy efficiently conducted
the Civil Disobedience in Bengal which prompted Pandit Motilal
Nehru to nominate him as Member of the Working Committee
(CWC). The CWC was declared an unlawful assembly and Dr.
Roy along with other members of the committee was arrested
on 26 August 1930 and detained at Central Alipore Jail.
Dr. Roy served as the Alderman of the Calcutta Corporation
from 193031 and Mayor in 1933. Under him, the Corporation
made substantial progress in the expansion of free education,
free medical aid, better roads, improved lighting, and water
supply. He was responsible for setting up a framework for
dispensing grant-in-aid to hospitals and charitable dispensaries.
In 1942, Rangoon fell to Japanese bombing and caused an
exodus from Calcutta fearing Japanese insurgency. Dr. Roy was
serving as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta.
He acquired air-raid shelters for schools and college students to
have their classes in, and provided relief for students, teachers
and employees alike. In recognition of his efforts, the Doctorate
of Science was conferred upon him in 1944.
Dr. Roy accepted the position of Chief Minister and took
office on 23 January 1948. Bengal at the time that had been
torn by communal violence, shortage of food, unemployment
and a large flow of refugees in the wake of the creation of East
Pakistan. Dr. Roy brought unity and discipline amongst the
party ranks. He then systematically and calmly began to work
on the immense task in front of him. Within three years law
and order returned to Bengal and it soon became one of the
most efficiently run state administrations. He told the people:
We have the ability and if, with faith in our future, we exert
ourselves with determination, nothing, I am sure, no obstacles,
however formidable or insurmountable they may appear at
present, can stop our progress... (if) all work unitedly, keeping
our vision clear and with a firm grasp of our problems.
Despite being Chief Minister with a hectic political and

administrative schedule, BC Roy continued to devote time for
his patients every day of the week. Dr. Roy believed that the
youth of India would determine the future of the nation. He
felt that the youth must not take part in strikes and fasts, but
should study and commit themselves to social work. At his
Convocation Address on 15 December 1956 at the University
of Lucknow, Dr. Roy said, My young friends, you are soldiers
in the battle of freedom - freedom from want, fear, ignorance,
frustration and helplessness. By a dint of hard work for the
country, rendered in a spirit of selfless service, may you march
ahead with hope and courage.
Conferred the Bharat Ratna in 1961, Dr BC Roy passed away
in Calcutta on 1 July 1962 while he was still the Chief Minister.
Paying tributes to him, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus
cabinet declared his birth anniversary as Doctors Day which is
celebrated as such every year. Though Jyoti Basu of CPI(M) was
West Bengals longest serving Chief minister, the popularity of
Bidhan Babu as CM is yet to be surpassed. v
(The writer is a Member of National Commission for Minorities
and former AICC secretary.)
continued from page 36
Babu Jagjivan Ram: A truly visionary

Leader of the Dalits
Ram realised the sacrificing aspect of this work. He was very well
aware of the pain and the sufferings faced by families of armyman.
Again, the human face of Jagjivan is reflected through various
schemes that he initiated such as family pension for widows,
sheltered appointments, war injury pay, medical treatment to
families, free land distribution, employment to widows etc. These
policies not only motivated common man to think that joining
army service is the service to the nation, but also, addressed the
challenges faced by families of army man.
Conclusion
It clearly shows that Jagjivan Ram was a dynamic, committed, hard

working, inclusive leader who always believed in institutionalized
solutions to various challenges faced by the country. He was
blend of continuity and change. The discourse of Saint Ravidas
kept alive immense desire to serve the poor man and it showed
continuity of Indian civilization. Further, the immense dedication
for modernized and institutionalized solutions to challenges
reflects change. His rise from a member of oppressed section
of society to Deputy Prime Minister of India is unprecedented
and guides the youths from below to seek solutions of various
challenges by participating in mainstream politics. It may not be
argued that Jagjivan Ram represents masses of this country. He
will always be remembered as the leader who strengthened the
nation and paved the way for an egalitarian society. v
The author is an Assistant Professor in Department of History,
Faculty of Social Science, University of Delhi.
Messages
Senior artist K.G. Subramanyan passes away
enior and renowned artist Shri K.G.

Subramanyan died in Baroda on 29th
June, 2016 at the age of 92. He was one
of Indias most senior artists, working
with diverse media and materials, and
exhibiting extensively both within and
outside the country. Known as much for
his wide-ranging scholarship as for his
artworks which are full of wit, subversion,
eroticism and critical social commentary,
Subramanyan was a towering figure in
modern Indian art.
Noted classical singer Veena

Sahasrabuddhe passesaway
New Delhi: Acclaimed Hindustani classical

singer and exponent of the Gwalior gharana
Veena Sahasrabuddhe passed away here
following a prolonged illness. The 67-year-old
singer, who passed away at her residence in
Pune on 30th June, 2016, is survived by her
husband, son and daughter.
Born in Kanpur on September 14, 1948,
Subramanyan was a modernist, having studied art under stalwarts

like Nandlal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij and Benode Bihari Mukherjee in
Shantiniketan.
Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi has
condoledthe passing away of celebrated activist, artist
Shri K.G. Subramanyan.
She said, One of the towering figures of modern art is
now no more. He continuously challenged established
norms and expressions in visual arts with pioneering
ideas to help create a better world. Simply a genius, his vision and work
cannot be recreated.
Expressing her solidarity with the family and friends of the legendary
artist, Smt. Gandhi hoped they get solace and strength in this hour of
grief.
Sahasrabuddhe learnt music from her father

Pandit Shankar Shripad Bodas, and her brother,
Pandit Kashinath Shankar Bodas. Known for
her Khayal and Bhajans, Sahasrabuddhe, had
a bachelor and master degree in both vocal
performance and Sanskrit literature. She had
also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi
award in 2013.
Congress
President
Smt. Sonia Gandhi has
condoled the passing away
of celebrated classical singer
Veena Sahasrabuddhe.
In a letter to his daughter Smt. Uma, Congress President said The sad
demise of your father Shri K.G. Subramanyan leaves a void in our lives
that will be impossible to fill.
He was a brilliant and versatile artist, each of his works was imbued with
his vibrant spirit and his deep humanism. He was a many-splendoured
personality: freedom fighter, scholar, creative genius, inspirational
teacher to generations of younger artists and a man of boundless
warmth, generosity and joie de vivre. He was that rare modern artist
whose works, be the paintings, murals or terracotta reliefs drew deep
into Indias rich traditions of art and craft, and yet; had a quality of
timelessness and universality that was uniquely his.
Smt. Indira Gandhi had a long association with your father and held him
in high esteem and I too have warm memories of my meetings with him.
Shri K.G. Subramanyan enormously enriched Indias cultural life and
leaves us a in his works which will continue to give all lovers of art joy
and inspiration.
On my personal and on behalf of my Party, I send my heartfelt
condolences to you, other family members and his vast number of
admirers and disciples in this hour of deep sorrow. v
She
said,
Hindustani
classical music has lost
one of its stalwarts of the
Gwalior gharana. She had the rare opportunity
to be trained by some of the best gurus of
classical music in India. Her contribution
to classical music education with her music
appreciation courses in colleges across India
had significant popularity and is a noteworthy
contribution.
Expressing solidarity with members of her
family, students and those who admired her
work. Smt. Gandhi said, Indias most authentic
exponent of the Gwalior gayaki leaves a rich
legacy behind that will be cherished forever. v
NEWS
STATESWATCH
Andhra Pradesh
Birthday of Shri Rahul Gandhi
Mandapet: The 46th Birthday of the

Congress Vice-President, Shri Rahul
Gandhi, was celebrated under the
leadership of Incharge of Mandapet Shri
Kamna Prabhakar Rao Congress and
spoke on 19th June, 2016, who cut cakes
with blind children.
On this occasion she said that Rahul
Gandhi is the centre of hopes for youths
and he inspires young leaders. We take
oath of making him Prime Minister for
the betterment of the women, youth and
farmers, she said.
Bihar
Organizing Jumla Diwas
Ara: On the occasion of completion of

two years of Modi government, a Jumla
Diwas was organized on 22nd June, 2016
near Bindeshwari Dube Smarak Samiti
on the aegis of Bhojpur Zila Kisan and
Khet Majdoor Congress under the
presidentship of convenor Shiv Shankar
Choube. Dias coordination was done by
block Congress former president Bihariji
Singh.
While addressing the audiences, senior
Congress leader Roy Shabd Singh and
State representative Pramod Roy said
that the Modi had promised of bringing
back black money and depositing Rs. 15
lakhs in everyones account. But Modiji
is giving the gift of high price rise. All
slogans proved to be Jumlas. Congress will
expose the government through the Jan
Chetna Rally thorugh out the villages.
occasion.
Distribution of copies-pen
among children on Shri Rahul
Gandhis birthday
Patna: All India S chedule Caste

Councils President Umesh Kumar
Ram distributed copies-pen and sweets
among children on the occasion of Rahul
Gandhis birthday. Celebrated on 19th
June, 2016, the Congressmen present
there wished a long and healthy life to
Shri Rahul Gandhi.
Former Mukhiya Jagdish Rai, General
Secretary of District Congress Anita Devi,
Shivam, Sandhya, Neha and Siddharth
were presented this occasion.
Chandigarh
Demonstration against
Price Rise
Chandigarh: Chandigarh Congress

organized a massive demonstration and
protest march on 25th June, 2016 holding
Narendra Modi government responsible
for the rising price rise.
On this occasion Chandigarh Congress
president Pradeep Chhabra charged the
Modi government for unprecedented
hike in food products prices during last
2 years and also led a protest march.
Chhabra also said that cheap rashan
and kerosene oil to be given to the poor
under PDS system have all crumbled. The
government is talking now of Achche
Din. The workers, industrialists, traders,
labourers and working class are all facing
Thanks giving was done by Prof. Arun

Singh. Raghuraj Ojha, Rajgopal Tiwari,
Madan Mohan Tiwari, Birendra Mishra,
Baban Pandey, Zalil Mohd. Mohd. Chand,
Rana Pratap Singh, Lalan Kushwaha,
Ram Kushwaha, Sukhlal Yadav, Bijendra
Yadav among others were present on this
troubles due to the wrong policies of the

government.
On this occasion Harfool Chand
Kalyan, Bhupinder Singh Badhedi,
Sohan Lal Vedh, Darshan Garg, Sandeep
Bharadwaj, Vinod Sharma, Ajay Joshi,
Chitranjan Chanchal etc. were among the
Congressmen present there.
Chhattisgarh
Meeting of the State Congress

Working Committee
Raipur: The expanded meeting of the

State Working Committee concluded on
10th June, 2016 in presence of Congress
secretary and incharge of Chhattisgarh,
Bhakta Charan Das. Political proposals
were passed in the meeting on the failures
of the government. Alongside in the run
up to the coming elections it was decided
to hold dharna and demonstrations at
all block and district headquarters on
15th June, 2016 regarding the expansion
of Panchayat, organizing Sankalp Shivir
and issues related to poor, farmers and
labourers. It was also decided to carry the
message of failures of the government on
different fronts to common masses.
Those present in the meeting, included

the State unit chief Bhupesh Baghel, exUnion Minister Dr. Charan Das Mahant,
MLA and ex-State chief Dhanendra Sahu,
ex-State President Satyanarayan Sharma,
ex-leader of Opposition Ravindra Choube
former MP Karuna Shukla, P.R. Kunte,
ex-Minister Mohd. Akbar, MP Chhaya
Verma, Various other office bearers and
a large number of congressmen.
Demand of swift action in

BSUP Scandal
Raipur: The Congressmen angry with

the slow investigation in the scandal
NEWS
involving the distribution of houses to
homeless people under BSUP scheme
met the Raipurs DM and the SP led
by Congress City president, Vikas
Upadhayay and Mayor Pramod Dubey
on 27th June, 2016.
and took the oath of following in their

foot step on the service of the nation.
State General Secretary and Chairman
of Media Department Shailesh Nitin
Trivedi, Dhananjay Singh Thakur, Muuna
Mishra, Pramod Gautam, Roshan Srivas,
Nisar Chagal, Vikas Pathak, Suresh
Mishra, Amit Dubey and others were
present on the occasion.
Opposition to the Ordinance

banning old vehicles
City president demanded swift action and

minute investigation in the irregulations
that have taken place in the distribution
of houses under BSUP scheme and poor
should get justice. He charged the State
government with covering up the matter
and demanded strict punishment to those
found guilty.
The representative party included Sanjay
Pathak, Kumar Menon, Rajesh Thakur,
Govardhan Sharma, Sameer Akhtar, Ajit
Kukreja and Vimal Gupta among others.
Condolence on Martyrdom Day

of Chandra Shekhar Azad and
Death Anniversary of
Shri Sanjay Gandhi
Raipur: A condolence meeting was

organized on the occasion of Martyrdom
day of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar
Azad as well as the death anniversary of
dynamic Congress leader Sanjay Gandhi
on 28th June, 2016. It was organized by
the district Congress.
Congressmen offered flowers on the
image of both the brave sons of the soil
Raipur: District City Congress chief

Vikas Upadhayay opposed the new
rule passed by the Chief Minister, Dr.
Raman Singh, and his Transport and
Environemnt Minister through which
commercial vehicles of more than 12
years old, 10-years old Truck, 8-yearsold Auto, Taxis and Jeeps etc. would be
banned from plying on roads within a
year.
It has been reportedly done keeping
in view the rising pollution level. Shri
Upadhayay, while opposing this move,
alleged that by doing so the government
wants to benefit the vehicle manufacturing
companies and the finance companies in
the name of controlling pollution. Shri
Upadhayay demanded that the industries
causing high pollutions, deforestication
and the felling of trees for the widening of
roads etc. should be stopped immediately.
That it would be of great help.
Shri Upadhayay suggested that the
government should come up with better
plans and policies to restrict the level
of pollution rather than torturing the
vehicle owners. The Congress does
support the idea of controlling pollution
but will never give up fighting if an
arbitrary action is taken in its name.
Delhi
Dharna in 21 Assembly
Segments
New Delhi: Thousands of Congress

workers organized demonstrations and
dharnas in 21 Assembly Segments on 26th
June, 2016. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind
Kejriwal had appointed 21 parliamentary
secretaries and sent the Bill for being
passed. But the Central Government

returned the Bill as it was considered to
be unacceptable. The Congress had held
dharna and demonstrations against this
decision of the AAP government for a
week and started signature campaign
approaching people from door to door.
While addressing the gathering Delhi
Congress President Ajay Maken alleged
that 21 MLAs had been appointed
parliamentary secretaries in a illegal way
and they should resign as these is no state
in the country where 1/3rd of the MLAs
were ever appointed as parliamentary
secretaries. Kejriwal should take their
resignation immediately.
CM Kejriwal had promised to give Rs.
25000/- month to his MLAs as salaries
but after coming to power he increased
it to 3 Lakh per month. He has got the
habit of cursing Lt. Governor, PM and
Municipal authorities.
Shri Maken said that Modis minister sat
on dharna in from of Kejriwals residence
and the Delhi Minister did the same with
Kejriwal government, what common
people can expect from these people?
Shri Maken recalled that when the Madan
Lal Khurana was the Delhis CM, it was
the Congress rule at the Centre. Similarly
when the BJP government came in power
in 1998 at the Centre, Delhi government
was under the Congress rule; but there
was no confrontation. So, it is clear that,
NEWS
it is only the Congress which can give a
stable government in Delhi.
Taking a dig at Kejriwal, Maken
said that in order to project high his
malperforming government, Kejriwal
appointed a PR agency and spent Rs. 526
crore on advertisements. The Congress
government had spent only 10-11 crore
in all.
Kejriwal has no plan for the electricity,
water-supply, deficiency of buses etc.
among others.
The prominent among those who sat in
dharna included, Sharmistha Mukherjee,
ex-Minister Kiran Walia, ex-MLA
Chhatar Singh, ex-MLA Neeraj Basoya,
District Congress Chief Birendra Kasana,
Municipal Co-oporator Abhishek Dutt
and Dharamvir.
Gujarat
Protest against inflation
Ahmedabad: The State Congress

organized a protest against the rising
prices of essential commodities on 29th
June, 2016 which started from Rajiv
Bhawan near Ilis Bridge and ended at
Sardar Bagh area near Nehru Bridge. All
the opposition leaders including around
5000 Congress workers and others
participated in the protest.
State Congress chief, Bharat Singh
Solanki, while addressing the masses,
alleged the BJP government of patronizing

stockists and intermediaries due to which
there has been a steep rise in the inflation.
The leader of Opposition in the Gujarat
Assembly Shri Shankar Singh Baghela,
accused that the BJP leaders are immersed
into corruption. He said that the BJP
made the false promise of bringing about
Achche Din. The BJP is in power for last
20 years in the State, yet no effort was
made by it to bring down the prices. Shri
Baghela hoped that in the forthcoming
elections people will teach them a lesson
in 2017.
Dharna against Price-Rise
Gandhinagar: A Dharna was organized at

all districts and 8 municipal corporation
headquarters of the State on 23rd June,
2016 by the Congress Party. Hundreds
of workers also courted arrest during the
demonstrations.
State President Bharat Singh Solanki
said in his address that both the Central
and State governments have been unable
to control price-rise. The price of food
grains, petrol, diesel, medicines and
education have increased manifold. The
price of food product has increased from
100 to 420%.
Shri Solanki said that Modi government,
which had claimed to bring down prices
within 100 days, has made the life of
common men an unbearable burden
by introducing special taxes apart from
increasing excise duty, service tax etc.
Haryana
Faridabad: Former Principal

Parliamentary Secretary of Haryana
Rao Dansingh cut the cake on the
occasion of Congress Vice-President

Shri Rahul Gandhi on 19th June, 2016 at
the residence of senior Congress leader
Lakhan Kumar Singla and addressed the
gathering.
Rao Dansingh said that the State BJP
government had made 154 promises
after coming to power but even after 2
years of completion, it has kept none.
This government is government of Zumla
(Slogan). He appealed to the people to
aware the masses about the public welfare
policies of the Congress Party and expose
the real face of the BJP government to the
common masses.
The Congressmen present at the occasion
wished a long life for Rahul Gandhi and
hoped that Congress will bounce back to
power both in the Centre and in the State.
MLA Lalit Nagar, Spokesperson of
Youth unit of the State Vikas Verma,
Nitin Singla, delegate of the State Youth
Congress, Rajesh Khatana etc. were
present on the occasion.
Himachal
Pradesh
Modi ke Bol, Jumlo ke Dhol
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Congress

Committee president Thakur Sukhvinder
Singh Sukhu vehemently criticized
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led
NDA government for falling to fulfill
the promises made during the election
campaigns and charged him with
patronizing corruption while he used
to emphasis that his government would
adopt zero tolerance for corruption.
Pradesh Congress president held a
meeting on 30th June, 2016 of Party
workers under district hamirpur to
crate the awareness of Modi ke Bol,
Jumlo ke Dhol. On this occasion
he was accompanied by CPS Indra
Dutt Lakhanpal, Himachal Pradesh
Congress Committees chairperson of
Scheduled Caste Suresh Kumar, ex-MLA
Kuldeep Pathania, District Congress
Committees chief Naresh Thakur, all
the block presidents were present. Modi
ke Bol, Jumlo ke Dhol programme was
NEWS
organized at 20 blocks on a single day.
The meeting was attended by more than
20 thousand workers.
Pradesh president said that Lalit
Modi, who is a declared absconder by
the Court. Whose black money and
money laundering racket is undergoing
investigation, was helped by Union
Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Pathania
said that helping the person who against
whom a red alert is on for arrest is in itself
a big crime.
He said that all the BJP-ruled states are
embroiled in scandals worth thousands
of crores. The Vyapam scam has already
taken a tall of 50 precious lives. The
mining scandal of 45 thousand crores in
Rajasthan, PDS scandal in Chhatisgarh,
Chikki scandal in Maharashtra in which
Cabinet Minister was involved but the
government of zero tolerance did nothing
to order probe into this scandals and
preferred to keep mum.
Pradesh Congress President attacked
Prime Minister Narendra Modis slogan
of Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga
and said that it too has turned into
a slogan. He charged that the BJPled NDA government is misleading
the common people by pumping in
crores in advertisement clamming big
by raising these serious scams which have

been ravaging the country. The Congress
demands the resignation of all the tainted
leaders keeping the high tradition of
moral ethics.
Jammu and
Kashmir
Meeting of the State

Congress Committee
Jammu: State Congress meeting was held

on 30th June, 2016 presided over by the
State Congress president G.A. Mir.
In the meeting it was discussed that the
attempts are being made to weaken the
Panchayati Raj Institutions. The proposed
Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill was
vehemently opposed. The Congress Party
believes in democratic institutions to be
strengthened.
About the Anantnag election he said that
EVM machines were found without seals
which should be investigated at high level,
as it is a serious matter.
In the meeting, the role of the Congress
as a responsible opposition party is being
lauded.
Demonstration for water and

electricity shortage
Jammu: State Mahila Congress chief

Indu Pawar led a demonstration at the
Press Club on 9th June, 2016 for water
achievements having been acquired

during the BJP ruled. He said that PM
Narendra Modi has so far not reacted to
any charge of corruption leveled against
his party leaders be it lalitgate, vyapam
scandal, Eknath Khadse of Maharashtra
to name of few.
and electricity.
Indu Pawar said on this occasion that
the problem has turned into crisis. It is
difficult to say when the electricity will
return, if the area goes powerless. The
condition of water supply is in worse
condition. Drinking water has turned to
be the biggest problem for both the rural
and urban area.
Those present in the demonstration
included district (City) Chief Suman
C h au d h a r y, S e c r e t a r y Va n d a n a
Makhnotra, District head (Rural) Sushma
Chaudhary, State secretary Rita, Geeta
Dogra, Santosh Sharma, Sunita, Sita,
Bhupinder Kaur and others.
Jharkhand
One-day Dharna in front of Raj

Bhawan
Ranchi: The Mahanagar Zila Congress

Committee organized one-day dharna
on 8th June, 2016 protesting against
the politics of revenge, rising crime,
worsening law and order, system, effete
PDS system and demanding large scale
cleansing campaign before the festival
season. The programme was presided
over by working president of Mahanagar
District Congress Shri Sanjay Pandey and
was co-ordinated by the convener of the
programme Dr. Rajesh Gupta (Chhotu).
Spokesperson Rajesh Ranjan Prasad said
that the price is rising due to the wrong
policies of Modi government. On the
one hand, the government is doling out
largesse to the corporate sector, on the
other breaking the back of the middle
class by increasing the service taxes.
The common masses are not getting
the benefits of the decreasing price of
petroleum products in the international
markets.
Deepak Sharma, Sunil Das, Alok Tiwari,
He voiced anguish that why the Prime

Minister who had promised of giving
corruption free governance is being a
mute spectator to a slew of scandals. He
said that the Congress is playing the role
of a responsible and sensitive Opposition
NEWS
Ved Prakash, Kuldeep Kumar were
among a large number of Congressmen
present in the event.
of the Shahdol Lok Sabha constituency,

Block President, Mahila Congress, Yuva
Congress NSUI etc.
Dharna programme was supported by a

number of workers and teachers unions.
BJPs attempt to cause fight

between Dalit and Common
Masses
Madhya Pradesh
Congress victory is a failure of

BJPs extra democratic design
Bhopal: Former Leader of Opposition

Ajay Singh in his statement issued on
11th June, 2016 claimed a big victory in
the winning of Tankha as Rajya Sabha
MP, and turned it as a strong message to
the BJP. He claimed that all attempts of
the Chief Minister to win Rajya Sabha
elections through extra democratic way
failed.
He expressed gratitude to BSP-Supremo
Ms. Mayawati and congratulated the
BSP legislators for remaining firm in
their support to democratic values. He
also helped the role played by observer,
Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Shri Digvijay
Singh, Shri Kamal Nath, Shri Jyotiraditya
Scindia, General Secretary Shri Mohan
Prakash and the State Congress Chief
Arun Yadav along with other party
leaders who helped the party win.
Meeting regarding the

Parliamentary by-poll
Bhopal: A meeting was held in the

State Congress Committee office by
the General Secretary, Incharge of the
organization, Chandrika Prasad Dwivedi,
on 19th June, 2016 regarding the by-poll
of Shahdol division.
Gwalior: The convener of the State

Congress Schedule Caste, Prabhudayal
Johre, wrote a letter to Governor Ram
Naresh Yadav on 13th June, 2016
alleging that the State government is
trying to widen the gulf between the
common masses and dalits by putting one
against and there. He demanded it to be
immediately stopped.
Shri Johre said that BJP is already working

towards creating crevice between Hindu
and Muslim and it is now trying to
replicate the same between dalits and
common masses.
The BJP government willfully did not
submit the certificates issued by the High
Court in the Supreme Court. Dalits are
purposefully subjected to injustices and
the BJP is spreading hatred.
The birthday of Shri Rahul

Gandhi
Gwalior : City District C ongress

Committees chief Darshan Singh,
Advocate presided over the celebration of
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhis
46th birthday anniversary as Sankalp
Diwas. Sweets were distributed among
the people present and the congressmen
wished a long life to the partys national

Vice-President
Dr. Darshan Singh, said that the Congress
has been dedicated to the growth of
the country by making innumerable
sacrifices for the freedom since 1885.
Struggle has been Congress only religion.
The Congress will move forward under
the guidance of Jyotiraditya Scindia and
affirmed belief that the party will emerge
stronger under Scindia on the Sankalp
Diwas.
The programme was anchored by
organizational Incharge, Lateef Khan
Mallu and thanks giving was done by
organizational secretary Virendra Singh
Tomar.
Former MLA Pradyuma Singh Tomar,
State Secretary, Hariom Sharma, VicePresident Sunil Sharma, leader of the
Opposition Krishna Rao Dixit, General
Secretary Surendra Singh Parmar,
Shyam Kuwari Vyas, Kusum Sharma,
Spokesperson Virendra Singh Yadav and
large number of congressmen attended
the meeting.
Condolence on the death

anniversary of Subhash Yadav
Khargone: A condolence meeting was

organized in manner of former Deputy
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Subhash Yadav in which his son and
Congress State unit Chief Arun Yadav
and grandson MLA Sachin Yadav paid
tributes to the departed soul. The meeting
was held at the ancestral house at Boranwa
of Khargone district.
Sundarkand was recited on this occasion.

The Congressmen gathered from all areas
the state also paid tribute to the departed
soul.
The meeting was attended by Rameshwar

Nikhara, Fundelal Marko, Rampal Singh,
Kunal Chaudhary, District Office bearers
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Protest against the celebration of
Modis two-years rule
Shivpuri: Chief organizer of the district

Congress Seva Dal Anil Utsahi issued
a press note saying a large part of the
country is reeling under severe drought.
Price rise is rocketing the sky. Modi
government is celebrating the completion
of its two years in office. In order to
disillusion the common masses the
government is wasting public money on
the celebration.
Anil Utsahi said that the condition of
the law and order is pitiable in the State
corruption is rampant Jungle mafia, Sand
mafia, Chief-fund fraudsters etc. are
running the government.
Demonstration of Seva Dal

against the Sale of Liquor
Shivpuri: A memorandum, addressed

to the Governor was submitted on 14th
June, 2016 to the district administration
by the Congress Seva Dal. Through
memorandum it was demanded that
illegal liquor was being distributed
among villages and Mohallas should be
immediately stopped because thousands
of households are driven to starvation.
On this occasion Seva Dals chief organizer
Anil Utsahi, City chief Harish Khatik,
Organizing Secretary K.L. Rai, Ashok
Thakur, Mamta Jain, Chetram among
others were present on the occasion.
Amit Shah was to address the gathering.

The demonstrators were carrying placards
inscribed with drought, price rise,
corruption, atrocities against minorities
etc. The Congressmen showed black flag
to Amit Shah.
On this occasion District City Congress
chief said that Amit Shah had a role in
the communal carnage in the Gujarat.
Marathawar is reeling under severe
drought situation but the Prime Minister
has no time to visit them or provide any
relief. He does not have any concern for
farmers, labourers and poor.
In the protest march General Secretary
of Mahila Congress Kamal Vyavahare,
State General Secretary Abhay Chhajer,
Congress member Gopal Tiwary, State
General Secretary Sudhir Janjyot, Ajeet
Apte, Haridas Charvad, Arvind Sindhe,
Avinash Vaghvey, Manda Chauhan,
Bhushan Ranbhare among many other
party office bearers were present.
Nagaland
Meeting of the Seva Dal
Kohima: State Congress Seva Dal

organized a meeting on 30th May, 2016
at Congress Bhawan, which was presided
over by State Seva Dals Secretary L.
Manen Jamir. Welcome address was
made by chief organizing Secretary N.
Neelo Koja.
Maharashtra
Amit Shah was shown black flag
Pune: District (City) Congress Committee

posted a protest against the arrival of BJP
president Shri Amit Shah under the
leadership of Ramesh Baghve on 5th June,
2016. The protest march followed Amit
Shah to Bal Gandharav Auditorium here
The meeting had been held to strengthen

the Seva Dal. The chief guest was Alliodia
Seva Dals Secretary and Incharge of
north-east P. Andreyu, said that there is
a need to incorporate people in the Seva
Dal and that Seva Dal would organize
competitions for sports.
Punjab
Government bluffing the actual

number of deaths due to drugs
Chandigarh: The Legislative Party leader

of Punjab Congress, Charanjeet Singh
Chhani, strongly condemned the Badal
government for trying to hide the actual
number of deaths caused by illegal drugs
consumption. Shri Chhani claimed that
the relatives of victims having alleging
that the real cause of death is not being
registered in the government documents.
It shows how insensitive is the Badal
government towards the victims!
Shri Channi reminded that when
Congress Vice-President Shri Rahul
Gandhi had raised the issue it has been
strongly protested by Sukhvir Singh
Badal. Corruption and drugs having
the bane of society in Punjab which is
gnawing at the roots of social fabric.
Rajasthan
Organizing farmers meet
Jaipur: State Congress President Sachin

Pilot addressed a farmers meet on
31st May, 2016 at Ghantali village of
pratapgarh district.
Sachin Pilot said that farmers are
the victims of governments apathy.
Irrigations schemes are lying paralyzed,
animals are dying due to draught, seeds
are not being provided for despite the
monsoon approaching fast, agriculture
cess has been imposed. During the
Congress rule, Rs. 15000 crore crop-loan
used to be given which has been slashed
down to 12000 crores. On that loan, the
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Congress had reduced the share of the
farmer, from 13 to 6 per cent, but the
BJP government has further increased
to 9%. Now, the farmers will have to pay
additional 360 crore.
Shri Pilot said that unless the farmers
are happy, development of the State will
continue to suffer. More than 10 lakhs of
farmers have been bereft of governments
relief for farmers. Only 25% of the
money asked for the help of the disasterhit farmers was allowed by the Modi
government, by which it has been proved
that Modi government has no concern
for the farmers. The neglect of the tribal
areas by the State government has led to
the rise in the exploitation of tribals and
Rajasthan tops the list of crimes against
tribals due to unprecedented rise in them,
which is the highest in the country.
Organizational Meeting
Jaipur: Pradesh Congress Committee has

given a call for all the leaders to unite and
reach out to every nook and corners in
order to expose the thuggery of the BJP.
All the Congressmen will be fighting the
BJP untidily and register victories.
The General Secretary of AICC and
Incharge of Rajasthan, Shri Gurudas
Kamat, address the joint meeting of
office-bearers of the State Working
Committee at the Partys headquarters
on 4th July, 2016. Shri Kamat said that
in whichever district the change has to
be affected and appointments to be made

will soon be done so that the organization
gets a momentum.
He said Congress not a party to be run by

a single person. Every leader and every
worker is its strength.
He said that which is very important that

in the days to come the booth committees
should be constituted Assembly wise.
He said that workers conference of the
frontal organizations at the division level
will be organized and soon where training
camps will be installed at the State level
so that the workers of organizations
could be trained and strategy for future
will be framed. He said that at per the
wishes of national Vice-President Shri
Rahul Gandhi the meeting of block
and district Congress Committee will
essentially be conducted every month. He
cautioned that those found non serious
will be awarded suitable punishment. He
said that Congressmen have to struggle
un-tirelessly on the issues related to the
common masses in order to ensure that
justice is done to them.
The meeting was also addressed by former

Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot who
said that its not the BJP government but
its RSS which is running the government.
The BJP is immersed in self seeking rather
than caring for the masses and trying to
saffronize the institution and is working
against ethics of democracy.
Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee

president Shri Sachin Pilot while
addressing the gathering said that the BJP
government has lost the confidence of the
common masses due to worsening law
and order situation. The killing at Baaran
of a Congress leader is a reflection of the
BJPs politics of revenge. He said that the
atrocities being committed against Dalit
and Women have been a blot on the State
and had the Congress not pressurized the
Delta Meghwal murder incident would
have been suppressed. People are not
safe within the four walls of the house
nor in public places. The worst irony is
that people are being murdered despite
being in police protection. The situation
has come to such a sorry pass that even
farmers are not being aspired. People
are done to death in faking encounters.
He said that in the BJP regime the price
rise and corruption have broken the back
of common man. Government itself is
orchestrating cruelty on people because
the criminals have received a shot in
their arms ever since the BJP government
came into power. In this prevailing hostile
circumstances we have to face it unitedly
so that the people at large could be saved
from governments negligent and cruelty.
Pradesh Congress Committee president

Shri Sachin Pilot presented 8 proposals
which were passed unanimously by the
Congress Working Committee and office
bearers.
The leader of Opposition Rameshwar

Dudi said that the Congress has raised
the issues of the public welfare with
full force so that the anarchy of the
government could be exposed. On this
occasion former president of Pradesh
Congress Committee Dr. Girija Vyas and
Dr. B.D. Kalla also expressed their views.
During the meeting the former president
of Pradesh Congress Committee Shri
Narayan Singh and Dr. Chandrabhan
were also present.
Meeting of Pradesh Working

Committee and office-bearers
Jaipur: A meeting of Pradesh Working

Committee and office-bearers was held
in the presence of Pradesh Congress
president Sachin Pilot and General
Secretary of the Congress Party and
Incharge of Rajasthan Shri Gurudas
Kamat on 4th July, 2016.
The following proposals were passed in
the meeting:The State BJP government had declared
that 9 lakh people have got employment
and 78% of the electoral promises have
been fulfilled. This declaration is a farce
and illusory. It was demanded in the
meeting that the government should issue
the white paper in this connection.
The cruelty against Women, Schedule
Caste and Tribe has increased. It was
also demanded that the law and order
situation should be streamlined to
provide a fearless environment to the
NEWS
people.
The Supreme Court of India has dismissed
the essentiality of the Aadhar Card for
clamming the government subsidy and
its use in PDS system. So the meeting also
demanded that the Aadhar Card criteria
should be done away with.
The State government has created
employment half of the stipulated 100
days. It was demanded that MNREGA
scheme should be implemented in toto.
The essential commodities are getting
costlier. The State government has
increased VAT on diesel and petrol. It
was demanded in the meeting that there
should be a cut in government vehicles
and sharing consumerism should be
practiced and food products should also
be made available.
A few days back Congress General
Secretary Sonu Goyal were brutally killed
in baaran district. The relatives are of the
opinion that the killing was done as a part
of conspiracy. The people present in the
meeting expressed shock and demanded
from the government that the murder
should be investigated at the high level.
The government has indulge in immoral
act by stopping social security pensions
of the people by declaring them dead. It
was demanded in a meeting that all the
10 lakh accounts should be scrapped and
people should be given the fundamental
rights.
The State government has started
privatizing essential ser vices like
electricity, medical, transport etc. It was
also demanded that this process should
be stopped at once.
A meeting organized by the

District Mahila Congress
Bikaner: District City Mahila Congress

chief, Sunita Gaur presided over the
meeting held on 15th June, 2016 at
Anand Niketan in which deep anguish
was voiced at the policies of both the
Centre and the State government. The
Congressmen passed the resolution
to fight the unjust policies of the BJP
governments at the Centre and in
the State.
Sunita Gaur accused the BJP of starting

to vitiate the communal tranquility just
after the announcement of election is
made. BJP MP Hukum Singh has tried
to divide people along religions and
foment hatred. Thanks to media that
blew the lid off his claims.
The General Secretary of the State
Mahila Congress, Sushma Varupal, said
in her statement that poor and middle
class people are really being crushed
under price rise. The prices of essential
commodities are sky-rocketing. She
said that Chief Minister is benefitting
the Insurance Company indirectly by
implementing Bhamashah Swasthya
Bima Yojana.
and down-trodden.
On this occasion Suman Tripathi, Vijelata
Sharma, Rameshwari Vishnoi, Sandhya
Diwedi, Santosh Bhati among others
were present.
Telangana
Shri Rahul Gandhis Birthday
Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Youth

Congress Committee Linguistic Minority
cell celebrated the 46th birth anniversary
of Shri Rahul Gandhi on 19th June, 2016.
The Chairman of the Bhasha Alpsankhyak
Cell, Murali Mohan Ashok Singh cut the
The Block chief of Mahila Congress,

Asha Swamy, said that the price of
electricity and food products are rising
every day.
The Vice-President of Mahila Congress
Mahila, Mohini Tak, said that the wards
of the corporation is lying dead.
Former counciller, Santosh Gurjar,
Raj Kumari Acharya, Jyoti Sharma,
Suman Tripathi, Rameshwari Vishnoi,
Sandhya Dwivedi, Sarla Goyal and
Jamna Devi Verma etc. also expressed
their opinions.
Fruits distribution among poor

on Rahul Gandhis birthday
Bikaner: City Mahila Congress celebrated

the birthday of Congress Vice-President
Rahul Gandhi and distributed fruits
among poor and needy persons on 19th
June, 2016 at Kotgate Joshiwara.
District City Mahila Congress Chief
Sunita Gaur distributed fruits among
poor children. She said that Rahulji is a
symbol of youth power and is trying hard
to bring in betterment in the lives of poor
cake and distributed among the Congress

persons present there. All Congressmen
wished a long and prosperous life to Shri
Rahul Gandhi.
Rajendra Yadav, Vinod Singh, Sayyed
Aftar Ali, Narsingh Rao, Ye Sudas, Sanjiv
Venkat were present there.
Uttar Pradesh
Protest against the renaming

of programmes named after
Nehruji
Lucknow: The Modi government at the

centre has changed the names of many a
programmes named after Shri Jawaharlal
Nehru and is now renaming it after the
people from the RSS. The UP Congress
Committee chief, Shri Nirmal Khatri, led
NEWS
MP Pramod Tiwary said in his address
that though it can take some time but it
is certain that Rahul Ji will be holding the
rein of the country.
a protest march on 5th June, 2016 from

Hussainabad Chowk to Satkhande, where
effigy of Narendra Modi was burnt in
expression of anguish.
Anusiya Sharma, ex-MLA Shyam Kishore
Shukla, Subodh Srivastav, Ali Agha,
Akbar Raja Jairy, Javed Malik, Rehna were
prominent among the Congress people
present over there.
Lucknow: On 19th June, 2016 Congress

Vice-President Shri Rahul Gandhis
birthday was celebrated at the Congress
headquarters in Lucknow by Pradesh
Congress Committee President Dr.
Nirmal Khatri. Function was led by
General Secretary Onkarnath Singh.
While addressing the Congressmen Dr.

Khatri wished a long and prosperous life
to Shri Rahul Gandhi. He said that Rahul
Ji is the future of the country and he is the
source of power for all of us.
On this occasion the Disciplinary

Commissions Chairman Ramkrishna
Dwivedi, Member of State Council
Deepak Singh, ex-Minister Raj Bahadur,
ex-MLC Hazi Siraj Mehandi along with
hundreds of Congressmen wished long
life to Rahul Gandhi.
A Sammelan on Secularism:
Challenges to Democracy
Lucknow : A grand meeting was

organized at Gandhi Bhawan Auditorium
on the subject of Secularism: challenges
of Democracy on the aegis of State
Publicity and Publication Department on
the occasion of Congress Vice-President
Shri Rahul Gandhi birthday on 19th
June, 2016.
Attending the meeting as a chief guest
Smt. Mohsina Kidwai, MP, said in her
address that the kind of danger the
democracy and secularism are facing
today never existed in the last 70 years of
Indias freedom. Ministers of the Central
Government are openly talking about
saffronization and thus vitiating the
environment.
On this occasion ex-Pradesh Congress

President and MLA Dr. Rita Bahuguna
Joshi said that the BJP leadership nurse
the language of hatred and dishonour to
the Indian Constitution. They neither like
the rights given to the Minorities nor do
they respect it for Dalits. She said that
the incidence of Kairana, Kandhla and
Muzaffar Nagar are the handy work of
the RSS and the BJP.
While presiding over the meeting,
Chairman of the Pradesh Congress

Disciplinary Committee Ramkrishna
Dwivedi said that the BJP and the RSS
are working towards dividing country
once again.
The organizer of the meeting and
Chairman of Pradesh Congress Publicity
and Publication Department Subodh
Srivastav said that if the communal
harmony is being disturbed in the country
the democratic institutions are also being
attacked. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
must be knowing it because neither does
he adopt a stern attitude nor does he try to
give message to the RSS and the BJP men
to stop spreading communal disharmony.
The meeting was attended specially by
Vice-President of Pradesh Congress
Digvijay Singh, Vice-Chairman of
Communication Department Virendra
Madan and Maroof Khan, Vice-President
of Publicity and Publication Department
Vijay Pratap Singh as well as convener
Tirathraj Mishr, Mehandi Hassan, Arshi
Rja, Jaswant Sonkar and Ghulam Abbas,
among others.
Tribute to Sanjay Gandhi
Lucknow: A condolence meeting was

organized under the presidentship
of Chairman of Pradesh Disciplinary
Committee Ramkrishna Dwivedi at
Congress Headquarters to pay tribute
to Yuwa Hriday Samrat (Heart throb of
Youth) Sanjay Gandhi on 23rd June, 2016.
On this occasion Pradesh Congress

President Dr. Nirmal Khatri said that
Sanjay Gandhi was a visionary who
adopted the path of struggle and taught to
fight in order to strengthen the Congress
Party.
NEWS
Ex-Minister Ramkrishna Dwivedi said
in his address that Sanjay Gandhi laid
emphasis on planting maximum trees
speak little, stopping the population
growth, self-reliance and struggle.
The condolence meeting was chiefly
attended by ex-Minister Satyadev
Tripathi, former MLA Shyam Kishore
Shukla, Hanuman Tripathi, Onkarnath
Singh among many other Congressmen
were present.
Organizing Roza Iftar
Lucknow: The Minority wing of UPCC

organized a Roza Iftar Party on 3rd July,
2016 at Lucknows hotel Clarke Awadh.
All sections of society participated in
the event and presented a spectacle of
composite culture.
On this occasion Pradesh Congress

president Dr. Nirmal Khatri and
Minorities wing chairman Hazi Siraj
Mehandi participated and congratulated
the people.
On this occasion of Roza Iftar AICC
General Secretary and Incharge of
UP Ghulam Nabi Azad, MP Pramod
Tiwary, the Chairperson of Scheduled
Caste Commission P.L. Punia, leader of
Legislative Party Pradeep Mathur, former
Governor Sayeed Sile Razi, MLA Dr. Rita
Bahuguna Joshi, National Secretaries
Zuber Khan, Naseeb Singh, Prakash Joshi
were among hundreds of senior congress
leaders and workers.
On this occasion Shri Azad and Dr.

Khatri gifted pant-shirts to children from
Siya orphanage on the occasion of Eid.
In Sunni Community Maulana Khalid
Rashid Farangi and Hussain Zaiddi read
the recital of Kalmas.
On this occasion Dr. Saidur Rehman
Azami, Saif Abbas, Riyaz Irani, Maulana
Sadaf, Maulana Hasan Zahir and
others present there prayed to god for
brotherhood, prosperity, and peace for
the country.
Meeting on Shri Ghulam Nabi

Azads arrival
Lucknow: The General Secretar y,

Incharge of UP and leader of the
Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Shri
Ghulam Nabi Azad was welcomed by
thousands of congressmen on the airport
on 16th July, 2016. Those who welcomed
Shri Azad included ex-Union Minister,
Jitin Prasad, ex-State Congress president
Rita Bahuguna Joshi, MLA Laliteshpati
Tripathy, MLC Dinesh Prasad Singh, Fazel
Masood, Siraj Mehandi, Virendra Madan,
Bodhlal Shukla, Gaurav Chaudhary
among others.
After that Shri Azad addressed a meeting

at Gandhi Bhawan Auditorium. The
meeting was presided over by former
Minister and Chairman of the Disciplinary
Committee of the State Congress. The
meeting was coordinated by Congress
Communication Department Chairman
Satyadev Tripathy.
While addressing the meeting Shri Azad
said that politics of religion is being
practiced in the state. One party is taking
the country towards religious direction.
Farmers, labourers, MNREGA and youth
are not the subjects of the discussion. No
one is talking about the employment of
youth. Steel and cement industries are

in danger. While the prices petrol and
diesel are decreasing in the international
market, in India its on rise.
He said that partition through the
politics of religion is a dangerous game.
The priority of some parties is to set
the country on fire and that of the
Congress is to save the country from it
all. Congress has to expand its base and
keep peace, brotherhood and unity intact.
Hindu-Muslim unity is essential for the
development of the country. We have to
increase the number of secular people,
organize them and develop the country.
Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the
Congress had survived in 1977 from
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and this
time it will be revived from UP.
While responding to the journalists Shri
Azad said that Congress will not ally with
any party. Congress is not going to project
anyone as the chief ministerial candidate.
Congress is yet to prepare its roadmap for
the UP elections.
On the question of Priayanka Gandhis
participation in campaigning Shri Azad
said that she will surely aspire sometime
for elections campaign.
Former Union Minister Shri Prakash
Jaiswal, Shri R.P.N. Singh, Shri Jitin
Prasad, Pradeep Jain Aaditiya, MPs
Pramod Tewari, Sanjay Singh, P.L. Punia,
Leader of the Congress Legislative Party
Naseeb Pathan, National Secretaries
Zuber Khan, Rana Goswami, Naseeb
Singh, Prakash Joshi, ex State presidents
Aarush Kumar Singh Munna, Dr.
Rita Bahuguna Joshi apart from the
heads of the frontal organizations and
departmental chiefs of the Congress
wings were present in the meeting.
BJP should intro-inspect on

non-fulfillment of promises
Allahabad: The spokesman of the UP

Congress, Shri Kishore Varshney, said on
13th June, 2016 that even after 2 years,
BJP could not fulfill its promises, so it
should go for intro-inspection.
Declaring the assertion of BJP Chief Amit
Shah that the BJP has expanded base
NEWS
from Kashmir to Kanyakumari as false;
he said that the BJP should examine why
did it get only four seats in West Bengal,
Tamilnadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
How did it make a world record of losing
deposit in 500 constituencies in a single
day!
Shri Varshney also asked the BJP to rethink its slogan on cow-slaughter also. It
is noteworthy that India has reached at
no. 1 during the last one year in export
of beef.
Memorandum regarding
problems related to electricity
submitted to the CM
Lu c k n o w : C on g re s s C om m itt e e
(Minorities) City chief Mehndi Hasan
Babloo led a Congress representative
party regarding the electricity problems
on 15th June, 2016 and submitted a
memorandum to the Chief Minister.
Sweets Distributed on Shri

Rahul Gandhis Birthday
Lucknow: The birthday celebration of

Congress Vice-President Shri Rahul
Gandhi was held on 19th June, 2016
at Baminabagh Chowk. The General
Secretary and Spokesperson of the State
Congress Committee, Maroof Khan,
distributed Ladoos among the people on
the aegis of Shanti Seva Samiti on this
occasion. FAS Churchil presided over
the function.
R.C. Srivastva, Dr. Parvej Aaga, Asif
Ullah Khan, Aftab Asar Andavi, Kamal
Hiru, Rais Ahmed, Mohd. Naseer were
particular among those presence on the
occasion.
TRIBUTES
Nation pays tribute to our freedom
fighters and distinguished leaders.
(1863-1902)
(1903-1975)
On this occasion, Mehndi Hasan said

that electricity House is ready on the
Ghanta Beg Gadhaiya and could not be
started due to absence of cable having not
been laid down. He demanded that new
Electricity Building should be started as
soon as possible.
Mehndi Hasan and Subhodh Srivastav
claimed that the government had
promised the there would be no shortage
of electricity during Ramdin but the
situation has worsened. They said that
the metre which was installed is running
fast and the reading too is being recorded
more than actual. He demanded that
the metres should be replaced with new
metres.
Meerut: The Vice-President of district

C ongress, Mohd. Imran, led the
celebration of the birthday anniversary
of Shri Rahul Gandhi on 19th June, 2016,
cut the cake and distributed its among the
poor and orphans.
(1856-1920)
Mohd. Imran while wishing a long and

prosperous life, reiterated that Shri Rahul
Gandhi would be the PM after the 2019
election.
Rikin Ahluwalia, Choudhary
Shamsuddin, Salim Pathan, Fazlu
Pehalwan, Rohtas, Babita Gurjar, Savita
Somani, Suchi Vishwas and hundreds
of Congressmen were present on the
occasion. v
Aarshi Raja, Ayyub Siddqui, Tirthraj

Mishra, Ajmal Ullah, Javed Khan were
prominent who were present there.
(1906-1931)
(1909-1996)
Swami Vivekanand
Death Anniversary
4th July
K. Kamaraj
Birth Anniversary
15th July
Lokmanya Bal
Gangdhar Tilak
Birth Anniversary
23rd July
Chandra Sekhar
Azad
Birth Anniversary
23rd July
Aruna Asaf Ali

Birth Anniversary
16th July
Death Anniversary
29th July
Press Briefings
AICC
DIARY
Burning Holes into pockets
of the People
Spokesman: Ms. Sushmita Dev: She said that the Modi Sarkar
is spending over 1000 crores in a propaganda campaign,
singing Desh Badal Raha Hai We want to categorically state
that- yes India is changing.Desh Mahangai se badal raha hai,
Naukriya na milne se badal raha hai, Kam Kamai se badal raha
hai aur Bachat na hone se badal raha hai!
From now on the ordinary Indian will already be burdened by
a 15% Service Tax which will make rail travel, mobile usage,
insurance, health check-ups, eating out at restaurants and a
slew of other basic services costlier for the ordinary Indian. This
insensitive Government has not even spared the common man
already reeling under high prices of Dal and vegetables and has
dealt a double blow by increasing the cost of non-subsidized LPG
cylinder by Rs 21 and commercial cylinder by Rs 37. Even ATF fuel
for Air Travel has been hiked by a steep 9.2% making it difficult
for families to travel in these summer holidays.
Service Tax increased the burden on common people by imposition
of 0.5% additional cess. In 24 months, Modi Government has
increased Service Tax from 12% to 15% i.e. a huge increase of
3%. Many essential services like mobile usage, health checkups,
air travel, restaurant meals, movie tickets, telecom and DTH
services and credit card, banking services, ATM usage, electricity
and internet bills will all become costlier.
And thats why people are saying Abki Baar, ChauTarfa
Mahangai Ki Maar!
Burning holes into the pockets of the ordinary citizens through
cess, taxes, excise duty, service tax etc has become the principle
aim of this Government. To profit from windfall gain of 73 Billion
US Dollars (Almost 5 Lakh Crore) in International Crude Oil
Prices is the underlined agenda of this insensitive Government.
Increasing diesel prices in this drought year and back stabbing the
farmer is the pathetic scheme of this Government.
It defics any logic, whatsoever to hit the farmer with a diesel
price hike, even as he is facing almost a calamity in the shape of
unseasonal rains and hailstorm and inclement weather that has
flatten crop across north India.
In August 2015, wholesale onion prices reached a record high
crushing the consumers. More recently, onion prices have
crashed completely killing the farmers. Thus on the one hand, the
consumer is crushed, on the other the farmers are forced to shed
its onion produce on the roads.

With prices rising and most economists advising that consumption
to be encouraged, the governments policies are causing a reduction
in the disposable income of the people. Modi Government says
that inflation is under control, but one only needs to see the prices
of pulses, vegetables, spices and mustard oil to call his bluff.
Shri Khadses Dawood Links & Corruption Allegations
Prime Minister had repeatedly stressed on zero tolerance of
corruption that no member of any political party would be
spared even if he/she belongs to his own political party. But we
are observing double standards and hypocrisy in the PMs rules
to fight corruption.
In the last few days, there have been several news reports against
Maharashtra Agriculture and Revenue Minister Shri Eknath
Khadse of his links with underworld fugitive and terrorist Dawood
Ibrahim.
It was under pressure from opposition, that CM Devendra
Fadnavis ordered a probe against Shri Khadse who had to be
immediately removed from his post by the CM. Wednesday, 1st
June, 2016.
Modi Masters the

Art of Exaggeration
Spokesperson: Dr. Abhishek Singhvi: He said we have already

seen that this is aSarkarof exaggeration, of prevarication, of
misrepresentation and of self-drum beating based on non-existent
facts. So it will be appropriate to call it aNon Disclosing Alliance
NDA and as was earlier said a Bharatiya Jhoot Party. Modi
Ji unfortunately presides over a government with great Event
Management skills; but in the absence of all fundamental facts,
such Event Management becomes hollow.
Just a few days ago, we found this grand Event Management at
India Gate with a 6-Hour gala which would have put Bollywood
and Hollywood to shame. There are many things which we can
say but I am only pointing out 5 clear facts which are glaring
exaggerations, prevarications, self-drum beating based on claimed
hollowness.
First - the countrys Prime Minister says Rs. 15,000 Crore is saved
by plugging subsidies leakages. That is the PM speaking 2-3 days
ago. Indian Express has published the facts that for the first two
years, leakages leading to savings or rather savings arising from
cash transfers for LPG subsidies were Rs. 143 Crore over 2 years.
Press Briefings
So, what he was talking about was Rs. 15,000 Crore of potential
savings - not actual savings. He told you actual. Indeed, even his
Chief Economic Adviser Mr. Arvind Subramanian says actual
I cant, potential could be Rs. 12,000 Crores as against PMs Rs.
15,000 Crores.
towards the Congress Partys ideology which is enshrined in the

Indias Constitution for three reasons.
Secondly, same drum-beating, same podium, same India Gate

same Event Management 3 Crore new LPG connections were
provided to poor families says our Honble Prime Minister. Fact:
only 60 lakhs were provided till April 2016.
2. The second reason is because under the Indian Constitution

Hindu Rashtra idea has not fructified for nearly seven decades
and will keep it at a bay perpetually in this country.
This is very clear because the Government of Indias Press Release

in January 2016 said that by January they have done 45 lakhs Gas
connections throughGive Upscheme. In April, the Petroleum
Minister Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan told the Journalists that they
had released 60 lakhs new Gas connections. Where is this mythical
imagination of 3 Crores?
Thirdly, PM says that more than 1.65 Crore fake ration cards have
been deleted. Two very interesting facts: 66 lakh cards alone have
been deleted in the last three years which includes the period before
Modi - Modi Ji has completed just two years the Government of
Indias Press Release in December 2015 is very interesting it says
that in the year 2012 to 2014 i.e. in three years 1.2 Crore ration
cards were deleted by the UPA Government. I confess that we are
very careful stating the facts,. I do not know how to drum-beat.
Now the Government has deleted some 66 lakhs cards. What is
great about it? I am counting all as fake. Actually 66 lakhs so-called
fake deletions include those cards which are not fakes but where
the person has moved from the eligibility to beyond eligibility
criteria. So, that is not a fake card, even that is included in 66 lakhs.
Fourthly, comes from the Finance Ministry - the Finance Minister
says that more than 20 Crore bank accounts were opened
during the first 100 days of theJan Dhan Scheme remarkable
statement. The actual figure is 8.7 Crore which is less than 40%
of what he is claiming. The Governments own Press and Progress
Report released after 100 days say that on the 100th day, they
have opened 8.7 Crore bank accounts. So, where did 20 Crore
come from?
Lastly, India is the fastest growing country in the world. Remember,
the 7.5%, 7.6% GDP is on the new calculation system 2 days
ago, in a leading newspaper, an article is published showing
how most economists are extremely worried about this new
calculation system. Secondly, the Chief Economic Adviser, Mr.
Arvind Subramanian and the RBI Governor, Shri Raghuram
Rajan, have publicly expressed skepticism about new method of
calculation. Even on the Governments own 7.5%, there are three
other countries ahead of us (of course, they are not big countries)
but there should not be factual error when the PM of the country
speaks. GDP is the highest in Myanmar at 8.6%, second Ivory
Coast at 8.5%, third Bhutan at 8.4%, India is fourth at 7.5% on
the new method of calculation which is doubted by many experts.
Monday, 6th June, 2016.
RSS trying to malign Ambedkar
Spokesperson: Shri K. Raju and Dr. Ajoy Kumar: Shri K. Raju

said all of us know that RSS and BJP have a deep and visceral hatred
1. The Constitution has established secular and democratic

Republic and guarantees Justice, Liberty and Equality to all
the citizens irrespective of religion and caste.
3. The third reason is because it is authored by Babsaheb Dr. B.R.

Ambedkar.
These are the reasons as to why the RSS and BJP are known to
hate the Constitution and the Indian National Congress ideology.
Modi Ji keeps saying Congress-Mukt Bharat but what they
want is Constitution-Mukt-Bharat. This is what we need to
really understand. The entire agenda is to achieveConstitutionMukt-Bharat.
All of us know, very recently, RSS ideologue Ram Bahadur Rai has
argued that the Indian Constitution was not written by Babasaheb
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He has further stated that Babasaheb had
merely corrected the English language of the Constitution. This
way, he has offended the sentiments of millions of Indians across
the country. Not only did he offend the sentiments of Millions of
the Indians because all of us hold him in high esteem, but also
the contribution made by Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the
making of the Constitution.
Shri Rajendra Prasad Ji and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, in the Constituent
Assembly,have appreciated the diligence, the manner in which he
had taken up every Article of the Constitution for discussion and
the kind of similar contribution Babasaheb made to the making
of the Constitution.
Ram Bahadur Rai and many others in the RSS have played and
demonstrated their deep anti-dalit attitude. Genl.V.K. Singh
callously compared Dalits to dogs. Madhu Mishra called for a
war against Dalits and the Constitution of India. Mohan Bhagwat
attacked the reservations. They are doing because M.S. Golwalkar
who is incidentally Modi Jis idol; he had very plainly opposed the
very Constitution that India has adopted.
I would like to quote from his writing. Unfortunately our
Constitution has given equal rights to everybody just as a person
without understanding that it may give equal rights to his children
and to the thieves in his House and distribute the property among
all.
It is this ideology and the mental frame that today we see significant
rise in the atrocities against Dalits across the country, particularly
in the BJP-ruled States. There is 20% increase in the atrocities
against Dalits. BJP, we have seen, how have they converted our
Universities into Caste Panchayats, clamped down on Ambedkar
Periyar Study Circle. We have seen as to how Modi Jis Ministers
Smriti Irani and Shri Bandaru Dattatrey literally pushed Rohith
Vemula to commit suicide at Hyderabad.
So, it is in this background, we need to understand the latest
Press Briefings
statement of Ram Bahadur Rai wherein he says the Constitution
was not written by Babasaheb but he had merely corrected the
language of the Constitution.
The Indian National Congress demands an apology for offending
the sentiments of millions of Indians and the Congress Party
will take up agitation cross the country demanding his apology.
Wednesday, 8th June, 2016.
BJP uses money and muscle

for Rajya Sabha win
Spokesperson: Shri R.P.N. Singh: He said we have seen results of

the Rajya Sabha elections coming in today. It is shocking the kind
of money and muscle power that the BJP Government has used to
try and win these elections. The Prime Minister, who says I swear
by the Constitution but that very Constitution is being subverted
to win elections. In reality he has tried to throttle democracy.
He talks about corruption-free India, the kind of money they
have tried to use in order to defeat the Congress candidates, is
extremely shocking and disturbing for the country which stands
for democratic values.
Results have come in from some states. All Congress candidates
have either won or many missed victory by a whisper. We would
like to take this opportunity to thank all Congress MLAs and all
regional parties who have supported the Congress candidates. I
would like to reiterate that this Modi Government is trying to
throttle democracy exactly in the same manner that they did in
Uttarakhand. What they did in Arunachal Pradesh. Saturday,
11th June, 2016.
May the NDA Government

be subverted?
Spokesperson: Shri Manish Tewari: He asked amongst the galaxy

of journalists present there can there be smoke without fire?
There has been a lot of smoke over the last few days smoke about
conversations allegedly, illegally recorded by a Corporate House.
What is even more ominous than the illegality of unauthorized
telephone tapping is the substance of those conversations which
have come out inMediareports. Now, if those reports are correct
as reported by a reputed publications then it alludes to the fact
that the entire NDA-I Governance was completely and absolutely
compromised, that the NDA-I Government was totally subverted.
Now these media reports alleged that the Budget was fixed,
that Telecom Policy was fixed, Ministerial appointments were
fixed, Disinvestment processes were fixed, Courts were sought
to be fixed, Parliamentary Committee Proceedings were fixed
and allegedly even criminal investigations involving influential
ministers in the then Government were also fixed.
Now, some of these people are still very much around. So, therefore,
if the NDA-I Government was subverted and compromised, it is
quite possible, that the current Government too may have been
subverted in the same manner.
Why is the BJP so silent? Has the BJP completely forfeited the
ownership of the NDA-I Government? Saturday, 18th June, 2016.
Confusion galore in Modis

governance
Spokesperson: Shri Kapil Sibal: He said that there are three issues
of paramount significance which we would address to. Firstly the
Pakistan policy, secondly the NSG and thirdly the Emergency.
We should start with Pakistan policy, at paramount 8 security
men which killded. During last 5 months about 50 Pakistani
terrorist have crosed over to India. This is the figure given by this
government, it is not ours.
I want to say that our PM has no idea of diplomacy, he does not
know what the diplomacy is all about. Shri Sibal said: track to
diplomacy is adopted in a very silent, sober manner without
any show off but we see none of that. We just see on Television
everyday as if something historic has happened and what is the
reality Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Pampore that is the reality on the
ground and we will be raising these issues in Parliament.
Second issue concerns the NSG. The PM tours the whole worldSwitzerland, Mexico, Tashkand, even China and goes on to
announce that Switzerland, Mexico and Ireland are all with us.
but what happened. None of them supported. What kind of mean
policy Mr. Modi is adopting. Diplomacy is not a light and sound
show. Unless there is total agreement never announce anything.
Now he is saying that I will be trying a second chance. I appeal
to him not to berate the countrys status. Do what everything you
want but without show off.
Thirdly about emergency, this is very sad Even though I, can
understand that you celebrate a historic event. It is simply baffling
and foxing that you are talking about something that had happned
in 1975 in 2016, that too, in Mann Ki Baat. But how do you have
an anniversary on Emergency? What benefits does he want to
extract from it today?
Advani Ji said it in June 2015 after Modi Ji became PM that at
the present point of time, the forces that can crush democracy
notwithstanding the Constitutional and legal safeguards, are
stronger. Advani Ji knew that constitutional amendment has been
made and he was talking about those in power. There is a silent
Emergency already in place. Monday, 27th June, 2016.

Congress Sandesh

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Congress Sandesh

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EDITORIAL

Published in Hindi & English

insurgency need to be handled as also we cannot compromise on the sovereignty

Dr. Archana Sharma of RPCC on cruel

We may be lacking in numbers,

welcome you to this meeting. It has

violence. Can we say in all honesty

Recent events in the Valley are tragic

Dr. Manmohan Singhs government had

has played out with renewed vigour to

The Modi-government has snatched away the

policies that have stood the test of time

Kashmir Is Burning But PM Plays

not get lost. I appeal to my brothers and sisters in the Valley

Gains Made By Us in Kashmir Have Been

The gains made by the previous Congress-led UPA government

Congress Sandesh | 8 | July 2016

Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi

At least 8 CRPF jawans killed after terrorists open fire at

France Truck Attack

84 Mowed Down in Nice During

Congress Sandesh | 9 | July 2016

Dhaka Terror attack: Hostages killed within 20 minutes after assault

In a separate message by Congress Vice

Terror attack kills 41 at Istanbul airport, Turkey

This is a devastating attack and

Congress Sandesh | 10 | July 2016

saying: Shocked & deeply saddened

Iraq suicide bomb attack: Deaths in

New Delhi: A lorry packed with explosives was detonated in

New Delhi: Congress President

The government has declared three days of mourning after the

Congress President said, Through the day grim

NSCN leader Isak Chisi Swu passed away

Isak Chisi Swu, Chairman of the National

Expressing solidarity with those who have lost their

Congress Sandesh | 11 | July 2016

The country has one voice, irrespective

What is the matter of worry is that; why the

was never so grime as was during 90s.

Congress Sandesh | 12 | July 2016

militants and the common masses or not?

I understand that there was no leniency in killing

Today, no matter how big is the country in the world, there

Congress Sandesh | 13 | July 2016

talli which could be spotted from wide distance. We have

I have no problem with the Home Minister, nor do I have

Congress Sandesh | 14 | July 2016

I remember when I had to tender my resignation as

five from the RSS, some from other organization which

Congress Sandesh | 15 | July 2016

Otherwise if they are allowed to carry swords they would kill

take the guns and start shooting and make

who declare to reward money for murdering people. Uski

At last, I want to say that Pakistan is a nursery of

Honble Home Minister! You bear the responsibility of 125

We are in our country with self confidence and self belief.

Sir, similarly, there is Tarkeeh Fateh of Pakistan, who was

Honble Home Minister so far as the situation prevailing

Congress Sandesh | 16 | July 2016

Short duration discussion on recent incidents of

Modi Raj spells Disaster for Dalits

Shri Ahmed Patel: The incident that took place at Mota