Love For My Country Transcends Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nay The Whole world!

Dr P S Sahni — August 27, 2019

Tsunami of aggressive nationalism

Across USA, Europe and beyond

Internationalism is my creed; patriotism acceptable

But not the sedition law

My ancestors born in Pakistan

Part of undivided India

Communal partitioning in 1947

Affected lives

My mother born in 1921

At Suri Mohalla, Rawalpindi

Completed her studies

At middle school, Rawalpindi

At school she learnt needle work

Hygiene, domestic science, cooking

Practical physiology, arithmetic, laundry

Three languages, history, geography

My father born in 1914

In village Amar Kalan, Gujrawalan

Studied at Dayal Singh College, Lahore

After B.A. headed Delhi

Job obtained, came marriage proposal

From a slim, sharp featured girl

Exchange of Rs. 5 and sweets

Sealed their future at Montgomery

Father earned rupees thirty-five per month

At Viceroy’s Office

Household expenses got managed

Courtesy mother’s skills honed at school

Nanak’s Sufism helped too

Nanak born in 1469

In Nankana Saheb

Founded Sikhism

Russian revolution and Lenin inspired revolutionaries

Sukhdev, Rajguru, Bhagat Singh

Hanged by British in 1931

At Shadman Chowk, Lahore

In 1762 Sikhs occupied

Abdullah Khan Masjid, Lahore

Built Gurudwara housing priests

In the mosque building

When Muslims filed cases for recovery

Courts under British rule

Maintained status quo

Denied justice, Muslims got no relief

In 1935 Sikhs demolished the Mosque

Bombay High Court ruled in 1940

Building was indeed a mosque

But Limitation Law merited its use as Gurudwara!

The upheaval of 1947

When Muslim neighbours escorted safely

My ancestors to military vans

On journey to India

Coming from different parts of Pakistan

My ancestors, relatives got scattered in India

To Delhi, Punjab including present day Haryana

And Jammu & Kashmir!

My aunt hailing from J & K

Taught us love for all living beings

Often times I would see her

‘Talk’ to house sparrows and hens

In 1971 Bangladesh was born

We left Delhi

As part of medicos team

To render services

Medical camp based in

Village Matikunda, Uttar Dinazpur, West Bengal

Having eighty thousand refugees – Hindus, Muslims

Their plight similar to those of 1947

At St. Columba’s school, New Delhi

I studied for eleven years

Christian Brothers inculcated: Love thy neighbor

Can one go against their teachings?

Babri Masjid demolished in 1992

Resulted in widespread violence

We worked amongst victims

At Janta Mazdoor Colony, Seelampur, Delhi

A dispensary based in Hanif’s house

Abid and his ammi ever helpful

Child Noori bringing home-made tea

Bashir Chacha’s wisdom guiding us all

In struggle for their rights

Our brush with Marxism goaded us

To launch dharnas and rallies

Braving police brutalities

Globally forces of reaction bull-dozing people

To hate other countries

Were I to falter for a moment

I’d become a living corpse.

[Endnote: My classmates of 1969 batch for MBBS course at Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi nicknamed the eight of us – who worked at refugee camps in Bengal – as “Bangladeshis”. Even fifty years later if an old friend spots me on the streets of Delhi he/she would use the tag “Bangladeshi”! For me this is recognition one would aspire for in such troubled times when Bangladeshi migrants are being hunted and hounded in India.]

Also At: https://countercurrents.org/2019/08/love-for-my-country-transcends-bangladesh-pakistan-nay-the-whole-world

Most Major Opposition Parties Demonstrate At New Delhi In Support of Kashmiris; Protest Reminiscent of J.P.’s 25 June, 1975 Rally

On 22 August, 2019 leaders of most major opposition parties demonstrated at the national protest site, JantarMantar, New Delhi, India from 11 a.m. to 1.15 p.m. The all party demonstration was organized to urge immediate release of leaders detained in J & K; to save democracy and to protect human rights. The call for this action was given by the DMK President, M.K. Stalin. Supporters of DMK from Delhi joined in large numbers.

While the attendance at the protest was in hundreds the body language of the opposition leaders; the tone and tenor of their speeches and statements; the stingingly sharp criticism of Modi Government’s action on Kashmir; no mincing of words;the political ambience of the meeting; the electrifying environment created by the playing of a Tamil song with lilting tunes at the start of the function – all sum up the mood at the gathering. The pain, anguish and outrage at the August 5 decision of the Modi government was all too discernible. The protest was attended by leaders of DMK, Congress (I), CPI, CPI (M), Indian Union of Muslim League, Samajwadi Party, National Conference, Trinamool Congress, RashtriyaJanta Dal, LoktantrikJanata Dal. Shehla Rashid of J & K Peoples’ Movement was also present.

Before the leader addressed the gathering the following slogans were raised repeatedly for a few minutes:

• Release the political leaders detained in J & K immediately
• Resume telecom services in the valley
• Restore democracy in J & K
• Restore normalcy in J & K

The message in the slogans formed the resolution adopted at the protest.

The sixteen odd leaders spoke in Tamil/Hindi/English and stressed:

• “Our (National Conference) leaders don’t know why they have been arrested. I will return to Kashmir and inform the people that so many supporters are there in India willing to extend hand-in-hand support.”[National Conference representative]
• “Promises were made to Kashmiris by our ancestors who fought for India’s freedom; those in power today appear to be fighting those very freedom fighters through their action in Kashmir … Kashmir has become an open air prison.” [SharadYadav]
• “Please tell us what is the crime they have committed that they are behind bars, it is our right to know.” [Dinesh Trivedi]
• “Country’s unity cannot be maintained with a bandook (gun) and the army. BJP’s action in Kashmir is antinational.” [Brinda Karat]
• “Time to hold each other’s’ hand. If we are silent today – doomsday awaits us. We voted against the government in Parliament.” [RJD]
• “We condemn what is happening. Abrogation of Article 370 is undemocratic, unconstitutional and an assault on democracy. There is a sininster attempt to push through RSS agenda of Hindu Rashtra. There is curfew all over; jails are full in J & K. We should reach out to people of J & K; call for nationwide protests.” [D. Raja]
• “Media is muzzled; does not have access in J & K; jails in U.P. are being used to house Kashmiris arrested in the valley; this is a dangerous situation.” [Ram GopalYadav]
• “Mulkka, kaumkaitanabheenamiyaargire, kisurkhiyaandekhateheehaath se akhabaargire…

With the start of the 2nd term of the government a reign of dictatorship has started. Today the struggle against dictatorship has also started.” [Manish Tewari]

• “Government’s swoop down in Kashmir seizing J & K through military take over; the Constitution has been manipulated to pave the way for a Hindu Rashtra.” [SitaramYechury]
• “We (DMK) have a national outlook; steps in whenever constitutional norms are in danger.”[DMK representative]
• “Something grave is happening in J & K. Only international media knows it. Indian media is covering Kashmir but the telecast is not being allowed. We are no longer living in democracy.” [GhulamNabi Azad]

Placards carrying the following messages (in Hindi, English and Tamil) were displayed:

• Release all political leaders, workers and ordinary people arrested in Kashmir.
• BJP-RSS-NDA Government stop assaults on the Indian Constitution.
• Stop assaults on rights of people in J & K.

Dozens of workers, members of CPI (ML) New Democracy came out in support carrying placards with messages:

• Do not trample federal structure
• Restore democratic rights of people of J & K
• Restore Article 370.

Some Delhi based, non-party political activists also joined the protest in solidarity. As we walked away after the protest was over, one of us – who had attended J.P.’s rally of 25th June, 1975 – commented that though J.P.’s rally was attended by around a lakh of people at RamlilaMaidan, Delhi the political message sent out by today’s protest is as loud and clear as it was then in 1975!

(Dr. P.S. Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal are members of PIL Watch Group. Email: pilwatchgroup@gmail.com)

Back-stabbing of Kashmiris & Dismembering of Jammu and Kashmir Into Tukde-Tukde By The Government of India

From PIL Watch Group archives

 The PIL Watch Group strongly condemns the reprehensible act of the Indian Govt. in relation to Jammu and Kashmir set in motion on 5 August, 2019. All assurances given to the people of Kashmir by the Indian Govt. since 1947 stand withdrawn through a sleight of hand by a brute majority in Parliament; as also the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) resolution and Simla Agreement. The millions of Kashmiris are literally locked up; with no communication channels open for their use; they are surrounded by hordes of police, para-military and the army (already stationed there). No consultation took place with the people of Kashmir whose future is at stake.

The PIL Watch Group appeals to democratic forces everywhere to ensure that Plebiscite is held in Jammu &Kashmir and the issue resolved as per UNSC Resolution. Meanwhile:

• Status quo ante as on date prior to 5 August, 2019 should get restored in all respects
• Article 370 should be reinstated in full
• All political prisoners be released
• All Draconian laws be repealed; and
• Talks are held with all the stakeholders including movement leaders in detention/jail/house arrest as also with Pakistan Government.

The Grit of Kashmiris

A lone,young Kashmiri protestor with a masked face at the National Protest Site, JantarMantar, New Delhi, India reminded us in April, 2014 (see picture above):

“Indians took 200 years to throw out East India Company and the British colonial rulers …. We Kashmiris have a long way to go, perhaps another 125 years or less.”

He carried a placard with a slogan:

“… We are adamantine people
We are Kashmiris
Nothing can break down our resolve
For right to self-determination”

In solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,

Dr. P. S. Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal

Members, PIL Watch Group