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The Bombay High Court on Thursday indicted former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for irregularities in a joint venture for the allotment of 20 acres land to film director Subhash Ghai's film training institute Whistling Woods!

2012-02-10T10:27:00.001-08:00

The Bombay High Court on Thursday indicted former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for irregularities in a joint venture for the allotment of 20 acres land to film director Subhash Ghai's film training institute Whistling Woods!

"The decision was taken by the then administration to encourage education in the filed of entertainment. Bollywood is the capital of entertainment in the country," Mr. Chavan stated.

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Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh (Marathi: विलासराव दगडोजीराव देशमुख) (born May 26, 1945), popularly known as Vilasrao is the current Minister of ...

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Vilasrao Deshmukh indicted over land allotment to Whistling Woods

The Hindu‎ - 46 minutes ago

The Bombay High Court on Thursday indicted former Chief MinisterVilasrao Deshmukh for irregularities in a joint venture for the allotment of 20 acres land ...
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The Bombay High Court on Thursday indicted former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for irregularities in a joint venture for the allotment of 20 acres land to film director Subhash Ghai's film training institute Whistling Woods. The court stated that the agreement signed between Mr. Ghai's company Mukta Arts and the Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) is "illegal, arbitrary and without authority of law".In a scathing order against former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Bombay high court on Thursday said he misused his position to allot 20 acres at Film City, Goregaon, to film producer Subhash Ghaifor just Rs 3 crore a decade ago. The Mumbai collector said the market value of the plot, where Ghai's institute Whistling Woods stands, was Rs 66.21 crore in 2000.

Dealing with two PILs against the deal, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Girish Godbole quashed a joint venture pact between Maharashtra Film Stage and Cultural Development Corporation on October 24, 2000, and Ghai's company, Mukta Arts.In quashing the agreement, the judges were particularly harsh on Deshmukh, who is now the Union science and technology minister. "The role played by Respondent 7 (Deshmukh) in the entire transaction is deprecable. As highest functionary of state executive, (he) must be held to be aware of the legal provisions regarding public property," they said. "(Deshmukh) has clearly misused his official position as CM and it is certainly not acceptable that a chief minister will personally sign an agreement as a witness, though such agreement is completely illegal and does not have any support or authority even in the form of a resolution," they said.

Congress today said law will take its own course in the wake of the Bombay High Court judgement in the land allotment case in Mumbai allegedly involving Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury told reporters that law is universally applicable to all, but noted that in one para of the judgement, it has been said that there was no personal gain for Deshmukh, who was the chief minister at that time. "We will see the judgement," she said. The High Court has asked film maker Subhah Ghai to return to Maharashtra government the 20-acre land allotted for his film institute, making a scathing indictment of Deshmukh for "misusing his official position" as chief minister in showing "undue favours." The court, however, said there is no need for a CBI probe in the land deal since there was no material to indicate that its sale at reduced prices was a quid pro quo to get the then chief minister's actor son (Riteish Deshmukh) established in the film industry.

On Thursday, the Bombay High Court held that the joint venture agreement signed between Mr. Ghai's Mukta Arts and the Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) in 2004 for the director's film school Whistling Woods International was "illegal, arbitrary and without authority of law". The court also stated that Mr. Deshmukh had extended "undue favours" to Mr. Ghai.

"Mukta Arts has been directed by the court to immediately surrender 14.5 acres of the 20 acres land to the State government. The rest of the 5.5 acres land, on which the institute has been constructed, can be retained by them till May 2014, for which they will have to pay rent at the market rate. The condition of delay has been put only to prevent any loss to the students, who have already enrolled for courses at the institute," Bhushan Mahadik, advocate for the petitioner, toldThe Hindu.

he State government will fulfill all its responsibility, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said reacting to the Bombay High Court's order indicting senior Congress leader Vilasrao Deshmukh for "misusing his official position" as former Chief Minister and while allotting land to film maker Subhash Ghai for his film institute, Whistling Woods International.

However, Mr. Chavan chose not to comment on Mr. Deshmukh's role. Addressing mediapersons before his road show in the city on Friday, ahead of the upcoming corporation elections, Mr. Chavan said, "I cannot comment on Vilasrao's role without reading the court order. But our commitment for a clean government still stands."

"The decision was taken by the then administration to encourage education in the filed of entertainment. Bollywood is the capital of entertainment in the country," Mr. Chavan stated.

However, Mr. Chavan chose to take credit for the court decision, by emphasising on the governance of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). "It is because of the Right to Information (RTI) act, implemented by the UPA, that such things are coming into public light," he said.

The division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Girish Godbole was particularly severe on former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh during whose tenure the controversial allotment of the land, in Filmcity, took place.

"Respondent 7 (Deshmukh) has clearly misused his official position as the chief minister, and it is certainly not acceptable that a chief minister of the state will personally sign an agreement as a witness, though such agreement is completely illegal...," the bench said, adding that Deshmukh had clearly extended undue favours to Mukta Arts.

Stage & Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) and Ghai's production company had entered into the joint venture for setting up of Whistling Woods. The agreement for the 20-acre plot, which was valued at only Rs 3 crore by the state administration, was signed in Deshmukh's presence in May 2004. Five agriculturists from Latur and Osmanabad, and two Goregaon residents had later challenged the allotment in separate petitions.

On Thursday, the High Court directed Mukta Arts to "surrender" the land. "Here is a case where all norms of transparency and reasonableness have been given a complete go by. The present case is a classic example of arbitrary, unreasonable and illegal decision of permitting use of available land owned by the government without any authority of law," the division bench said.

In a minor relief, the court allowed the company to retain 5.5 acres, on which Whistling Woods stands, till July 2014. It granted the reprieve because students have enroled in courses at the institute that will end only in May 2014. However, Mukta Arts has been asked to pay annual rent of Rs 5.3 crore from the date the land agreement was struck till it returns the remaining 14.5 acres.

One of the petitioners had alleged that Deshmukh favoured Ghai to boost his son Ritesh's film career. The court rejected this accusation. It, however, faulted the former chief minister in almost every other aspect. Deshmukh had said that he endorsed the land agreement "at the spur of the moment".

Rejecting his defence, the court observed: "Being the highest functionary of the executive of the State, he must be held to be aware of the legal provisions regarding public property. The defence of innocence cannot be accepted, and we decline to accept that defence that just as token of goodwill at the spur of the moment respondent no 7 (Deshmukh) signed the joint venture."

"The court has also directed Mukta Arts to pay rent on the entire property from the year 2000 onwards at the prevailing market value and to also pay interest on the rent at six per cent simple interest," Mr. Mahadik said.

The court stated that Mr. Deshmukh, as the then Chief Minister, misused his official position and illegally signed on the agreement papers, giving undue favour to Mr. Ghai's institute. It said that all norms of transparency had been bypassed in the case.

Rajendra Sontakke and four other agriculturists from Latur and Osmanabad districts had filed a public interest litigation in the court in 2009 alleging that Mr. Deshmukh had "grossly abused his power" for allotting the land to Mr. Ghai.

"We had filed the petition stating that the land which was actually owned by the Maharashtra government, was given to Mukta Arts without the government's permission. There were no competitive bids for the same. Even the board of the MFSCDC had not given an approval for the MoU [Memorandum of Understanding]," Mr. Mahadik said.

"Still, very significantly and for no ostensible and bona fide reason, the ex-Chief Minister as the Chief Minister signed the agreement below the signatures of the parties to the agreement, underneath a handwritten endorsement made by him saying 'signed before me'," he said.
The petition stated that the value of the land was wrongly calculated as Rs.325 per square metre by the MFSCDC, whereas the prevailing rate notified by the Mumbai municipal corporation in that year was Rs.3,900 per sq. m.

It stated that even the Comptroller and Auditor General had raised queries about it but it was told that the agreement will be renegotiated. "However, the existing agreement has not been rescinded till date. Action has not been taken against the officials responsible for the undervaluation," the petition stated.

"The court has directed the State government to appoint an expert committee to look into the valuation of the construction on the land. That consideration price will either be adjusted in the rent or will be payable by the government," Mr. Mahadik said.

The petitioners had also sought interrogation by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the matter on the grounds that the deal may have been struck to promote Mr. Deshmukh's son Ritesh Deshmukh in the films. It is however learnt that the court dismissed this plea.

"The court has stayed the order for six weeks so that they can appeal in the Supreme Court. But they will not be able to take any new admissions in the period for any course which runs beyond May 2014," Mr. Mahadik said.

Vilasrao Deshmukh indicted over land allotment to Whistling Woods
The Hindu - ‎33 minutes ago‎
The Bombay High Court on Thursday indicted former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for irregularities in a joint venture for the allotment of 20 acres land to film director Subhash Ghai's film training institute Whistling Woods.

Bombay HC slams Vilasrao Deshmukh- Subhash Ghai land deal
Times of India - ‎21 hours ago‎
Bombay high court on Thursday said Vilasrao Deshmukh misused his position as chief minister to allot 20 acres at Film City, Goregaon, to film producer Subhash Ghai for just Rs 3 crore. MUMBAI: In a scathing order against former Maharashtra chief ...

Vilasrao Deshmukh misused post: HC
Daily Pioneer - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎
Validating the severe strictures passed earlier by CAG against a State-run body on a questionable land deal, the Bombay High Court on Thursday indicted Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for "misusing his official position" as Chief Minister to allot 20 ...

HC blows the whistle on Vilasrao Deshmukh, Subhash Ghai
Daily News & Analysis - ‎14 hours ago‎
By Urvi Mahajani | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA The Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday raised serious questions about the role played by former chief minister (CM) Vilasrao Deshmukh in setting up Whistling Woods International, a film training institute ...

Chavan silent on Deshmukh's indictment
The Hindu - ‎4 hours ago‎
The State government will fulfill all its responsibility, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said reacting to the Bombay High Court's order indicting senior Congress leader Vilasrao Deshmukh for "misusing his official position" as former ...

Bombay High Court indicts Vilasrao Deshmukh in land deal
Economic Times - ‎20 hours ago‎
The court indicted Union science and technology minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for "misusing his official position" as chief minister by showing "undue favours" to Ghai. However, the court said there was no need for a CBI probe into the land deal since ...

Blow for Vilasrao, Ghai land allotment scrapped
IBNLive - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎
In a setback for Congress leader Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Mumbai High court has ordered that the land given to Subhash Ghai's Mukta Arts in 2006 be taken back. http://ibnlive.com/livetv.

Deshmukh's role deprecable: HC
Hindustan Times - ‎22 hours ago‎
7 (Vilasrao Deshmukh) has clearly misused his official position as chief minister of a State," the division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Girish Godbole observed, while disapproving the chief minister's counter-signing the agreement.

Court raps Vilasrao Deskhmukh for land deal with Subhash Ghai

NDTV - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎

Mumbai: Recent photographs of Vilasrao Deshmukh show him beaming at the lavish wedding of his son, actor Riteish, to co-star Genelia D'Souza. Bollywood's biggest and most beautiful were in glitzy attendance. But today's picture is considerably more ...

Govt to comply with High Court 'expectations' in land case: Prithviraj Chavan
Economic Times - ‎6 hours ago‎
Chavan was reacting to media queries related to the HC's indictment of then Chief MinisterVilasrao Deshmukh for the allotment of 20-acre land of Film City in Mumbai's Goregaon to Ghai for his film institute, Whistling Woods.

HC asks Ghai to return land to govt, raps minister Deshmukh
IBNLive.com - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎
PTI | 06:02 PM,Feb 09,2012 Mumbai, Feb 9 (PTI) In a scathing indictment of union ministerVilasrao Deshmukh, the Bombay High Court today held him responsible for "misusing his official position" as chief minister to hand over 20 acres of land to ...

India Bollywood director Subhash Ghai 'to return land'

BBC News - ‎11 hours ago‎

The high court also criticised federal minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for showing "undue favours" in allotting the land to Mr Ghai at a reduced price. Mr Deshmukh was the chief minister of Maharashtra when the 20-acre plot of land was allotted to Mr Ghai ...

HC scraps land given to Ghai's film institute, raps Vilasrao
Hindustan Times - ‎22 hours ago‎
The Bombay high court on Thursday ordered filmmaker Subhash Ghai to return the 20 acres allotted to his film institute in Goregaon in 2000 and said then Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh "misused his official position" to allow the deal.

Law to take own course in land allotment case: Cong
IBNLive.com - ‎2 hours ago‎
PTI | 09:02 PM,Feb 10,2012 New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) Congress today said law will take its own course in the wake of the Bombay High Court judgement in the land allotment case in Mumbai allegedly involving Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Court scraps Ghai-Deshmukh land deal
Indian Express - ‎10 hours ago‎
The court said that the deal to allow Ghai to set up his film institute -- Whistling Woods International -- was illegal and arbitrary. The court also indicted the then Maharashtra chief and current central minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for misusing his ...

Institute venture was misinterpreted: Ghai

Firstpost - ‎3 hours ago‎

The High Court, in response to a PIL by Rajendra Sontakke and others, yesterday ruled that allotment of land to Whistling Woods by the state (when Vilasrao Deshmukh was the Chief Minister) was without "authority of the law", and amounted to abuse of ...

HC orders Subash Ghai to return the institute's land
Times of India - ‎4 hours ago‎
The division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Girish Godbole was particularly severe on former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh during whose tenure the controversial allotment of the land, in Filmcity, took place. "Respondent 7 (Deshmukh) ...

Mumbai edit: Discretionary power cannot become arbitrary power
Daily News & Analysis - ‎15 hours ago‎
The Bombay high court has come down hard on former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, now Union minister for science and technology, for his role in the setting up of Whistling Woods, a film training institute, by Mukta Arts, which is owned ...

Ritesh Deshmukh's Father Under Fire for "Gross Abuse of Power"
Gather Celebs News Channel - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎
Vilasrao Deshmukh, the father of Bollywood star Ritesh Deshmukh, has come under fire in India for a "gross abuse of power" related to the land which is occupied by a film school. Whistling Woods International is a high-tech film school run by Bollywood ...

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IBNLive - ‎12 hours ago‎
Filmmaker Subhash Ghai has claimed that there was no foul play in the land deal during theVilasrao Deshmukh government. http://ibnlive.com/livetv.

Court questions land allotment to director Subhash Ghai- NewsX
NewsX - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has admited to discrepancies in land allotted to Subhash Ghai under former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. The Bombay High court has ordered film maker Subhash Ghai to return the piece of land meant for a ...

Filmmaker Ghai lands in trouble
Deccan Herald - ‎22 hours ago‎
... to surrender the land on which his acting institute Whistling Woods International Film School is built, tacitly also putting Maharashtra's former chief minister (now Union Science and Technology Minister) Vilasrao Deshmukh also in docks.

Court orders Subhash Ghai to return 'illegal' 20-acre land that is home to his ...

Daily Mail - ‎22 hours ago‎

The court observed that Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had "misused his official position" while allotting the land to Ghai. 'It is not acceptable that a former CM signs an agreement which is illegal. Deshmukh has extended undue favours to Whistling ...

Ghai to return Filmcity land
Deccan Chronicle - ‎13 hours ago‎
However, the HC order is looked upon by many as a scathing indictment against former chief minister and now Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. The HC directed Mr Ghai to hand over 14.5 acres of the total 20 acres of land to the state with immediate ...

I am in a soup, government is in a soup, says Subhash Ghai

NDTV - ‎7 hours ago‎

The verdict delivered yesterday has, in many ways, far more serious implications for union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who signed off on the deal with Mr Ghai. In May 2000, Mr Deshmukh was Chief Minister when his government entered a joint venture with ...

Subhash Ghai asked to return land given for film institute

NDTV - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Rajendra Sontakke and four others from Latur and Osmanabad districts alleging "gross abuse of power" by former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in allotting the land.

Subhash Ghai to appeal to SC against Bombay HC order
Indlaw.com - ‎7 hours ago‎
The land was allotted to Subhash Ghai in 2000 by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh during his tenure. As per the court order, Ghai will need to return back 14.5 acre of open land that was allotted for building his film school.

Bombay HC orders film director Ghai to return land
Newstrack India - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎
The court also asked Ghai to pay Rs 5.3 crore annually from 2000, from the time Mukta Arts entered into a joint venture with the Maharashtra Government headed by then chief ministerVilasrao Deshmukh. The court order comes in response to a case filed ...

Court asks Subhash Ghai to return land given for film institute

Deccan Chronicle - ‎Feb 9, 2012‎

The studio and the institute were built on 5.5 acres of land and Ghai was allotted an additional 14.5 acres of surrounding land for expansion in 2000 by then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. The court directed Ghai to immediately hand over 14.5 acres ...

Court orders filmmaker Ghai to surrender institute land
gulfnews.com - ‎13 hours ago‎
The HC bench verdict follows a public suit filed by five agriculturists from Latur and Osmanabad districts who alleged that then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had abused his power while allotting land to the filmmaker. "In the interest of justice, ...

Fingers at 15% political commission
ZEESHAN JAWED

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Calcutta, Feb. 9: Some of the political hands that allegedly nurture and feed off the amorphous entity called "the syndicate" have been named by disgruntled operators from within.
Several syndicate members have told The Telegraph that a hefty commission to Trinamul Congress satraps is one of the main reasons forcing them to short-change contractors in New Town.
The conversations — some of which are on tape — threw up the names of some Trinamul leaders who the syndicate members said were directly or indirectly associated with the chains that monopolise the supply of building materials.
The syndicate members would not have spoken to the newspaper under normal circumstances. However, brewing discontent over the commission appears to have prompted some of them to step forward and speak up but on condition of anonymity as they fear for their safety.
For the sake of convenience, the 3,000-hectare township has been divided into three regions — Bhangar, New Town and Rajarhat — to ensure that syndicates do not fight among each other.
One name that cropped up was that of Arabul Islam, the former MLA of Bhangar. "Arabul-bhai charges 15 per cent on every consignment of construction materials that the syndicates dump at construction sites within the Bhangar block," said a man who identified himself as a close aide of the former MLA.
According to the person in his mid-fifties, the rate chart for the construction material is prepared keeping in mind the profit margin of the syndicate members and the commission. In exchange for the commission, the syndicate members are given protection from police and big promoters in Bhangar.
The South 24-Parganas block, which borders Rajarhat, is part of the upcoming township. It includes the 50 acres each the erstwhile Left Front government had allotted to Infosys and Wipro. The formal handover was held up because of protests from landowners over inadequate compensation.
Arabul had then led the agitation against the Left government's "land grab". The same leader, however, played a different role after the change of guard at Writers'.
"The government is building a road to connect the project sites to the Rajarhat Expressway. Arabul-da is overseeing its implementation so that no disgruntled landowner can hinder the work," said a close aide.
Another aide of Arabul — also an active member of the same syndicate — said the former MLA was eyeing the contract to supply materials to the proposed Infosys office in Bhangar. "He is our leader and we do not do anything without his consent," said the aide.
The aide, however, added that resentment was building up among some syndicate members over the demand for commissions. "Giving him such a big share leaves us with very little. But he has assured us that he will sit with us and negotiate the percentage after settling certain party-related issues in Bhangar," said the aide whose syndicate has over 30 members.
Several contractors have complained of dwindling quantity and quality of materials being supplied. The syndicate members claimed that they have to cut corners to accommodate the demands for commission and protect their share of the pie.
Contacted, Arabul denied not only his involvement but also the very existence of syndicates (see graphic).
Another leader whose name figured in the conversations was Sabyasachi Dutta, the MLA of New Town and vice-chairman of Bidhannagar municipality.
In the past, whenever this newspaper contacted Dutta, he had always denied having any knowledge about syndicates and their arm-twisting tactics in New Town. Today, the MLA said all he tried to do was to ensure there was no law-and-order problem and he wanted villagers also to progress (see graphic).
"He controls all the syndicates in New Town. Whenever we have any problem we just need to give him a call and he would be there by our side," said an aide who was previously associated with the CPM but switched sides after the 2008 panchayat elections that marked Trinamul's rise in what used to be a CPM fortress.
According to the aide, Sabyasachi has a political interest in retaining control over the syndicates. "All the boys are either our supporters or party workers. Sabyasachi-da has to run the party in New Town. If the party does not allow us to run syndicates, we will never associate ourselves with Trinamul. Sabyasachi-da understands this very well and gives us shelter if we run into any trouble with the police or builders," said the aide.
Another aide in Bhangar recalled how "100 of them" met Sabyasachi in November when there was confusion over territorial demarcation between syndicates. "He suggested we should oppose anybody who tries to stop us from supplying. According to him, that was the only way to solve this problem," said a syndicate member.
At least one minister's name was also mentioned by some syndicate members. Purnendu Bose, labour minister and Rajarhat MLA, does not get directly involved in matters related to syndicates.
"Several of his close associates like Babai Bose are very powerful in Rajarhat and they control the supply of construction materials," said a syndicate member.
Some syndicate members suggested Trinamul functionaries down the ladder also control the levers. They cited the name of Prabir Kar , Trinamul block president in Rajarhat, as an example. "His men conduct business in Rajarhat," said an aide.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120210/jsp/frontpage/story_15117142.jsp

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2012-02-10T09:57:00.000-08:00

तेल के बाजार में जारी अनिश्चितता प्रमुख चुनौती! टाटा मोटर्स ने नैनो कार और आरिया को छोड़कर अन्य वाहनों के दामों में इजाफा किया

डीजल की गाडि़यों पर 80,000 रुपये अतिरिक्त उत्पाद शुल्क लगाने की सिफारिश

मुंबई से एक्सकैलिबर स्टीवेंस विश्वास

तेल के बाजार में जारी अनिश्चितता प्रमुख चुनौती है।ऑटो क्षेत्र की दिग्गज कंपनी टाटा मोटर्स ने नैनो कार और आरिया को छोड़कर अन्य वाहनों के दामों में इजाफा किया है।टाटा मोटर्स ने बढती लागत से निपटने के लिए शुक्रवार को कहा कि उसने नैनो और प्रीमियम कार आरिया को छोड़कर अन्य सभी मॉडलों की कीमतें 12000 रुपये तक बढ़ा दी हैं। संबंधित तिमाही में मटीरियल लागत में बढ़ोतरी की वजह से आटो क्षेत्र पर खासा दबाव रहा और यह अब भी चुनौती बना हुआ है।हालांकि कार बनाने वाली देश की सबसे बड़ी कंपनी मारुति सुजुकी इंडिया की कारों की बिक्री एक करोड़ इकाई को पार कर गयी,पर आटो उद्योग की मुश्किलें आसान नहीं हुई है!पेट्रोलियम एवं प्राकृतिक गैस मंत्री एस. जयपाल रेड्डी ने वित्त मंत्री प्रणव मुखर्जी से आगामी बजट में डीजल की गाडि़यों पर 80,000 रुपये अतिरिक्त उत्पाद शुल्क लगाने की सिफारिश की है।

डीजल कारों पर अतिरिक्त उत्पाद शुल्क से प्राप्त राजस्व को तेल कंपनियों की इधन सब्सिडी की भरपाई में इस्तेमाल किया जा सकता है। तेल मंत्रालय ने तरल प्राकृतिक गैस (एलएनजी) के आयात पर पांच प्रतिशत आयात शुल्क समाप्त करने की भी मांग की है ताकि उर्वरक और बिजली जैसे बुनियादी जरुरत वाले क्षेत्रों में इधन लागत कम की जा सके।

पेटोलियम मंत्री ने कच्चे तेल और पेटोलियम पदार्थों को भी प्रस्तावित वस्तु एवं सेवाकर :जीएसटी: कानून के दायरे में रखने पर जोर दिया। फिलहाल कच्चा तेल, पेटोल, डीजल और एटीएफ को जीएसटी दायरे से बाहर रखने का प्रस्ताव है। इससे इन पदार्थों पर केन्द्र और राज्यों के कर मौजूदा दर पर लगते रहेंगे। मंत्रालय ने अपनी बहुत पुरानी मांग को भी इस बार दोहराया है।

टाटा मोटर्स ने अपने वाहनों के कीमतें करीब 7,000 रुपये से लेकर 12,000 रुपये तक बढ़ायी है। कंपनी ने बढ़ती उत्पादन लागत बढ़ने का हवाला देते हुए ये बढ़ोतरी की है। यह बढ़ोतरी 9 फरवरी 2012 से प्रभावी हो गयी है। टाटा मोटर्स अपनी सपनो की कार नैनो की सेल बढ़ाने के लिए नई रणनीतियों पर ध्‍यान देगी। ऑटो सेक्‍टर में टाटा नैनो की बिक्री को लेकर कई तरह की चर्चा होने लगीं है जिससे कंपनी कुछ नई योजनएं तैयार करने पर विचार कर रहीं है। कंपनी के अध्‍यक्ष रतन टाटा ने नैनो की ब्रिक्री और मार्केटिंग में कुछ खमियों को स्‍वीकारा है।गाड़ी की बिक्री बढ़ाने के लिए डीलरशिप नेटवर्क का विस्तार, विभिन्न आय वर्ग के ग्राहकों तक पहुंच बढ़ाने तथा गाड़ी के लिए खरीदारों को कर्ज उपलब्ध कराने की व्यवस्था पुख्ता करने जैसे उपाय किए जा रहे हैं।

नई रणनीति के तहत कंपनी हर तीसरे और चौथे दर्जे के शहरों में नए शौरूम बनाएगी। हम आपको बता दे 2009 में लांच होने के बाद से ही टाटा नैनो का प्रदर्शन उम्मीदों के मुताबिक नहीं रहा है। पहले जहां हर महीने करीब 25 हजार नैनो बिकती हैं वहीं नवंबर 2010 में यह संख्या घट कर मात्र 509 हो गई थी दिसंबर में कंपनी ने 7466 नैनो बेची हैं। पिछले साल दिसंबर के मुकाबले यह 29 प्रतिशत अधिक थी।

शेयर बाजार में टाटा मोटर्स के शेयर भाव में हल्की कमजोरी रही। बीएसई में शुक्रवार के कारोबार में कंपनी का शेयर 0.02% की मामूली गिरावट के साथ 257.10 रुपये पर बंद हुआ।सुबह 9:45 बजे सेंसेक्स (Sensex) 38 अंक की बढ़त के साथ 17,869 पर है। निफ्टी (Nifty) 11 अंक की मजबूती के साथ 5,423 पर है। एनएसई के मँझोले सूचकांक सीएनएक्स मिडकैप में 1.09% की तेजी है। बीएसई स्मॉलकैप में 0.69% और बीएसई मिडकैप में 0.92% की मजबूती है।क्षेत्रों के लिहाज से बीएसई के रियल्टी और आईटी सूचकांक को छोड़कर अन्य सभी सूचकांकों में बढ़त का रुख है। सबसे ज्यादा मजबूती ऑटो सूचकांक (Auto Index) में दिख रही है। यह सूचकांक 0.89% ऊपर है। सेंसेक्स के 19 शेयरों में बढ़त है, जबकि 11 शेयरों में गिरावट है। सबसे ज्यादा मजबूती टाटा स्टील में है। इसका शेयर 2.97% ऊपर है।

गौरतलब है कि पिछले महीने ही मारुति और जनरल मोटर्स ने अपनी गाड़ियों के दाम 17,000 रुपये तक बढ़ाए हैं। मारुति ने भी डिजायर को छोड़कर सभी कारों के दाम 3.5 फीसदी तक बढ़ाए थे। जनवरी में ही महिंद्रा एंड महिंद्रा, ह्युंदई और टोयोटा किर्लोस्कर भी अपनी कारों के दाम बढ़ा चुकी हैं।

इस बीच महिंद्रा एम्ड महिंद्रा ने शुद्ध मुनाफे में गिरावट दर्ज की है। वित्त साल 2011-12 की दिसंबर तिमाही में कंपनी का नेट प्रॉफिट 9.8 फीसदी गिरकर 662.15 करोड़ रुपए रहा।

बीते वित्त वर्ष की समान अवधि में कंपनी का नेट प्रॉफिट 734.68 करोड़ रुपए रहा था। महिंद्रा का कहना है कि कंपनी ने पिछले कारोबारी साल की तीसरी तिमाही में ओवेन कॉर्निंग इंडिया लिमिटेड में होल्डिंग्स बेची थी और वजह से इसे इस दौरान 117.5 करोड़ की राशि लाभ में जुड़ गई थी। दिसंबर तिमाही में कंपनी की कुल बिक्री 8,327 करोड़ रुपए रही, जबकि पिछले साल की संबंधित अवधि में यह 6,074 करोड़ रुपए रही थी।

डीजल कारों पर कर कर बढ़ाने के सुझावों को उल्टा कदम बताते हुए महिंद्रा ऐंड महिंद्रा समूह ने गुरुवार को कहा कि ऐसी पहल से देश में वाहन उद्योग की वृद्धि प्रभावित होगी।

रिजर्व बैंक चाहता है कि सरकार डीजल डीकंट्रोल करे ताकि उसको वित्तीय घाटा कम करने में मदद मिले। लेकिन बढ़ते वित्तीय घाटे के बावजूद सरकार इस पर कोई फैसला लेने से हिचकिचा रही है।

खुद पेट्रोलियम मंत्री जयपाल रेड्डी ने कहा है कि रिजर्व बैंक की ये सलाह सुनने में तो अच्छी लगती है और वो इससे सैद्धांतिक रूप से सहमत भी हैं लेकिन राजनीतिक वजहों से फैसला लेना मुश्किल है।

पेट्रोलियम मंत्री जयपाल रेड्डी के मुताबिक डीजल डीकंट्रोल पर महंगाई को नजर में रखते हुए फैसला हो पाएगा। साथ ही उन्होंने कहा कि डीजल डीकंट्रोल का फैसला पेट्रोलियम मंत्रालय अकेले नहीं कर सकता, इसके लिए सरकार की मंजूरी भी जरूरी है।

महिंद्रा ऐंड महिंद्रा समूह के अध्यक्ष (ऑटोमोटिव ऐंड कृषि उपकरण क्षेत्र) पवन गोयनका ने कहा, 'मेरे ख्याल से डीजल वाहनों पर अतिरिक्त कर का विचार करना एक उल्टी सोच है।' महंगी डीजल कार में सब्सिडी पर डीजल के उपयोग को देखते हुए डीजल कारों पर 80,000 रुपये तक अतिरिक्त कर लगाने के सुझाव दिए जा रहे हैं। इस बारे में महिंद्रा का कहना है कि व्यक्तिगत काम के लिए डीजल का उपयोग 0.2 फीसदी से भी कम है।

गोयनका ने कहा कि किरीट पारिख की अध्यक्षता वाली विशेषज्ञ समिति ने भी अपने आंकड़ों में सुधार किया है जिसने पहले कहा था कि 15 फीसद डीजल ईंधन का उपयोग व्यक्तिगत डीजल वाहनों के लिए होता है। उन्होंने कहा, 'आगामी आम बजट में वाहन क्षेत्र के लिए यह सबसे महत्त्वपूर्ण मुद्दा होगा क्योंकि इससे आगामी वित्त वर्ष में उद्योग की वृद्धि पर बड़ा असर हो सकता है।'

वर्ष 2011 उद्योग के लिए अच्छा नहीं रहा है। निर्माताओं के संघ सियाम के ताजा आंकड़ों के मुताबिक घरेलू बाजारों में कारों की बिक्री 2011 में 4.24 फीसदी बढ़कर 19,46,373 हो गई जो 2010 में 18,67,246 थी। वित्त वर्ष 2010-11 में कुल 21,60,153 कारों की बिक्री हुई थी जिनमें 28.42 फीसदी कारें डीजल थीं और पेट्रोल कारों की संख्या 71.58 फीसदी थी।

जबकि मारुति सुजुकी इंडिया के तीसरी

तिमाही नतीजे उम्मीद से काफी ज्यादा खराब रहे। अक्टूबर-दिसंबर तिमाही के दौरान कंपनी का मुनाफा 63.6 फीसदी घटकर 205.6 करोड़ रुपए पर सिमट गया। कंपनी का मुनाफा घटने का प्रमुख कारण बढ़ती ब्याज दरें और महंगा होता ईंधन रहा। इन वजहों से एशिया की तीसरी सबसे बड़ी इकॉनमी भारत में मांग प्रभावित हुई।

दिसंबर तिमाही के दौरान मारुति की मांग 28 फीसदी गिरी। कंपनी ने जानकारी दी कि आलोच्य अवधि में कंपनी का मुनाफा 205.06 करोड़ रुपए पर सिमट गया, जबकि बिक्री घटकर 7,663 करोड़ रुपए रही। बीते कारोबारी साल की इसी तिमाही में कंपनी को 565.17 करोड़ रुपए का शुद्ध लाभ हुआ था।

इस दौरान डॉलर के मुकाबले रुपए की कमजोरी भी कंपनी के कारोबार पर असर डालने वाले कारकों में शामिल रही। दोपहर 2 बजकर 21 मिनट पर बीएसई पर मारुति सुजुकी का शेयर 1.61 फीसदी की बढ़त के साथ 1116.75 रुपए के स्तर पर कारोबार करता देखा गया।

दूसरी ओर सेंटर फॉर साइंस ऐंड इन्वाइरनमेंट ने डीजल गाड़ियों पर अडिशनल टैक्स लगाने की मांग की है। संस्था का कहना है कि यह फ्यूल सरकारी खजाने को भी नुकसान पहुंचा रहा है। इस मांग से कार कंपनियां खफा हैं। दिल्ली के एनजीओ ने छोटी डीजल गाड़ियों पर 81,000 रुपए और डीजल से चलने वाले मल्टी-यूटिलिटी वीकल और स्पोर्ट्स यूटिलिटी वीकल पर इससे दोगुना टैक्स लगाने की मांग उठाई है।

सरकारी तेल कंपनियां डीजल पर 14.57 रुपए प्रति लीटर की सब्सिडी देती हैं। इसके एक हिस्से की भरपाई सरकार करती है। पेट्रोल महंगा होने से डीजल गाड़ियों की बिक्री काफी ज्‍यादा बढ़ गयी है। 4 लाख रुपए से ज्यादा में आने वाली 60 फीसदी से ज्‍यादा गाड़ियां डीजल से चलती हैं। मारुति स्विफ्ट और ह्यूंदै वरना के डीजल मॉडल की डीमांड इतनी है कि बुकिंग के बाद ग्राहकों को इंतजार करना पड़ रहा है।

सोसाइटी ऑफ ऑटोमोबाइल मैन्युफैक्चरर्स (सियाम) के डायरेक्टर सुगातो सेन ने कहा कि इंडस्ट्री परफॉर्मेंस, इमिशन और सेफ्टी के सभी मानकों को पूरा कर रही है, इसलिए डीजल को बदनाम नहीं किया जाना चाहिए। और वहीं ऑटो कंपनियों का कहना है कि इस बारे में जल्दबाजी में किया गया फैसला इंडस्ट्री को नुकसान पहुंचाएगा।

--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
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Fwd: [Indians Against Fascist BJP & RSS] बलराज मधोक जैसे प्रखर हिंदूवादी नेता भाजपा से...

2012-02-10T07:38:00.001-08:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ambalal Chauhan <notification+kr4marbae4mn@facebookmail.com>
Date: 2012/2/10
Subject: [Indians Against Fascist BJP & RSS] बलराज मधोक जैसे प्रखर हिंदूवादी नेता भाजपा से...
To: Indians Against Fascist BJP & RSS <215196645205736@groups.facebook.com>

Ambalal Chauhan posted in Indians Against Fascist BJP & RSS.

Ambalal Chauhan

9:07pm Feb 10

बलराज मधोक जैसे प्रखर हिंदूवादी नेता भाजपा से निकाल ही दिए गए थे. सेक्यूलर दिख कर प्रधानमंत्री बनने की जुगत में जिन्ना की तारीफ़ करते हुए अडवानी जी हिन्दुओं के नेता ही नहीं रहे. बाकी छोटे नेताओं के बड़े अहंकारों ने हिंदुत्व को एक जुट करने के बजाय अपनी संभावना तलाशते हुए विखंडित ही कर डाला, जैसे राज नाथ सिंह आज हिन्दुओं के नहीं ठाकुरों के नेता हैं, कलराज मिश्रा हिंदुत्व के नेता नहीं अभिनेता ही हैं. मुरली मनोहर जोशी लुप्त हैं. विनय कटियार राय बरेली और खीरी लखीमपुर के कुर्मी बहुल क्षेत्रों से चुनाव लड़ कर खेत रहने के बाद अब महज कुर्मी नेता ही हैं. केशरी नाथ त्रिपाठी का सभी को पता है कि इलाहाबाद में अतीक से लम्बे समय से चला आ आरहा चुनावी साझा है. उमा भारती सत्ता के गलियारे की साध्वी हैं सो लोधी बहुल इलाके से चुनाव लड़ कर अपने लोधी नेता के असली स्वरुप में आ चुकी हैं. अब बचे अरुण जेटली और सुषमा स्वराज जिनका चरित्र पूर्णतः वातानुकूलित है. रही बात राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष नितिन गडकारी की सो वह अपनी काया से गल्ला मण्डी के आढतिया ज्यादा लगते हैं , जन नेता कम. कुल मिला कर भाजपा में आज कोई ऐसा व्यक्ति ही नहीं जो सम्पूर्ण हिदुत्व के प्रवक्ता और नेता होने का दावा कर सके. बचता है एक अकेला नरेंद्र मोदी जिस पर हिन्दुओं को अभी पूरा विश्वास है लेकिन पहचान के संकट से जूझ रहे भाजपा के बाकी नेता उन्हें राष्ट्रीय राजनीति में आने ही नहीं देते. कश्मीर में तिरंगा फहराने वाला एक और युवा चेहरा था अनुराग ठाकुर उसका भी इस्तेमाल नही किया जा रहा. याद रहे हिजड़े विकराल और स्वस्थ दीखते हैं, उनकी आवाज़ भी बुलंद होती है, नगाड़े भी जोरदार बजाते हैं पर युद्ध नही जीत सकते." ---- राजीव चतुर्वेदी Observe, modi isnt canvassing in any state ! Is he going to launch a new BJP after these elections /

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Fwd: [CHARBAK MISSION] Mallik Manon

2012-02-10T07:37:00.001-08:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Pronab Mondal <notification+kr4marbae4mn@facebookmail.com>
Date: 2012/2/10
Subject: [CHARBAK MISSION] Mallik Manon
To: CHARBAK MISSION <charbakmission@groups.facebook.com>

Pronab Mondal posted in CHARBAK MISSION.

Pronab Mondal

8:40pm Feb 10

Mallik Manon
সকল বন্ধুদের দৃষ্টি আকর্ষণ করছিঃ
সাম্প্রদায়িক সহিংসতায় চট্টগ্রামের হাটহাজারি উপজেলার 'নন্দির হাট',ছবির মতো সুন্দর গ্রামটি সম্পূর্ণ ধ্বংসের মুখে।
ইতোমধ্যে নন্দির হাটের সবকটি মন্দির ভেঙ্গে ফেলা হয়েছে,পুড়িয়ে ফেলা হচ্ছে একের পর এক ঘর-বাড়ি,ভেঙ্গে ফেলা হয়েছে নান্দনিক নিদর্শণ সুরকার সত্য সাহার জমিদার বাড়িটি।পুরো গ্রামটি ঘিরে রাখা হয়েছে।আর এটা চলছে টানা দু'দিন ধরে অথচ প্রশাসন কোন পদক্ষেপ নিচ্ছে না,অজ্ঞাত কারণে খবর আসছে না কোন মিডিয়াতেও।আতংকগ্রস্ত,গৃহবন্দি মনুষেরা এখন শুধু মৃত্যুর অপেক্ষায় আছে।
আমাদের কি কিছুই করার নেই,মধ্যযুগিয় বর্বরতাই কি আমাদের সর্বশেষ পরিচয়???!!!
বন্ধু,দয়াকরে শেয়ার করুন লেখাটি।

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WHY CODIFICATION OF MUSLIM PERSONAL LAW ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER.

2012-02-10T07:29:00.001-08:00

WHY CODIFICATION OF MUSLIM PERSONAL LAW

ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER.

Islamic Law or what is called Muslim Personal Law comes under attack not only by Hindutva forces but also is criticized by secular forces who stand for gender equality. The Hindutva forces attack it not for their love for gender justice but out of hostility for Islam. But same cannot be said for secular forces. They find existing Muslim personal law as gender biased in favour of man.

Most of us think that the Muslim personal law as applicable in India today is Shari'ah law. However, it is not so. Those Muslims who defend Muslim personal law as Shari'ah law do not understand the difference between Muslim personal law applicable today and Shari'ah law. In fact it was called Anglo-Mohammedan law before independence but was renamed as Muslim personal law after independence.

The British Government, after it seized power from Mughals, established its own courts, which also heard cases pertaining to Muslim marriage, divorce, inheritance etc. In most of these courts there were either British or non-Muslim judges who did not know Shari'ah law or if even Muslim judges heard these cases, most of them were trained in British laws.

What these judges did was to consult Hidayah, written by Mirghayani, a Hanafi scholar, and translated into English by Mr. Hamilton. Often they also consulted some Maulavi before delivering the judgment. Since the cases were heard in these British courts, the procedural law followed was English law and substantive law was based on Hidayah, it came to be known as Anglo-Mohammedan law.

The judgments in these cases delivered by higher courts became precedents for subsequent cases and thus whole corpus of law came into existence based on these judgments which came to be known as Anglo-Mohammedan law and renamed as Muslim personal law as calling it Anglo-Mohammedan law was now rather embarrassing. Thus to call it Shari'ah law would be a misnomer.

Unfortunately what we Muslims or rather Muslim personal law Board is defending is not divine law but Anglo-Mohammedan law known by another name. It is unjust in many respects to women and we try to rationalize these injustices in the name of Islam. In fact Islamic law has to be based on Qur'an and Sunnah and then alone it could be called Shari'ah law and such law would not tend to be unjust.

If we codify the present Muslim personal law, many shortcomings in the present law can be removed thus making it much more gender just than it is at present. In fact in its original spirit Islamic law in matters of marriage, divorce, inheritance etc. was most progressive, and empowered women as no other law had done before. However, over period of time this original spirit was lost due to then prevailing social ethos and values. And customary laws acquired greater importance over Qur'anic and Prophet's (PBUH) pronouncements.

We are doing this codification precisely for this reason. And our team is meeting noted Ulama and Muftis, Muslim lawyers and Muslim women activists to evaluate their views and problems encountered by them. Our team has recorded their interviews based on properly designed questionnaire prepared in consultation with some experts on Islamic law. It is important to know that we are interviewing Ulama of various schools i.e. Hanafi, Shari'I, Ithna Ashari, Ahl-e-Hadis etc. those who have presence in India.

These views will be very much kept in mind while actual codification is done. And it need not be reiterated that this codification will be based on Islamic framework and nothing outside it so that it is acceptable to all. It will not be based on anything outside Islamic laws. However, codification need not follow only one school of law as in some schools there are provisions more favourable to women, than other schools. Thus partly we may follow what was done in Turkey in framing Tanzimat laws.

It is interesting to note that so far our interviews are very encouraging and many Ulama from Deoband, Lucknow, Aligarh, Azamgarh and other places have fully supported our views about making present Muslim personal law gender-just by bringing it closer to Qur'anic spirit and spirit of Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). It was indeed very pleasant surprise to us. They also do not agree with Muslim personal Law Board in maintaining status quo and causing problems to women.

First of all we have covered area of marriage. Marriage being civil contract in Islam bride's approval is a must and which must be obtained in presence of two witnesses and conveyed to the Qazi and she would also stipulate the amount of mehr which will not be less than one year's income of the bridegroom and should preferably be in gold or silver or in bank deposit to avoid inflationary consequences.

There will be no limit for maximum amount depending on bridegroom's economic status. In case of higher amount of mehr landed property or house in bride's name should be a preferable option. It would not only avoid inflationary consequences but, on the contrary, would appreciate in price and benefit the bride in long term. As far as possible there should not be deferred payment component mehr muwajjal, and if at all there is, it should be only in gold or property, not in cash in any case.

Marriage should be registered and records should be maintained by Qazi concerned and he could charge fee from the bridegroom for registration of marriage. He can club records of few such marriages and get them registered once in a month or once in three months depending on his convenience and time. Registration of marriage will have permanent record and will avoid many disputes. There is no need to oppose it as in no way it is against Shari'ah law.

Most of the Ulama, with some exceptions of course, agreed with us that polygamy cannot be permitted unregulated as Qur'an makes it strictly conditional, on ability of men to do equal justice to his wives as Qur'an clearly states in 4:3 and 4:129 that if justice is not done, one should marry only one. In fact 4:129 is very very emphatic on justice so much so that it says you cannot do justice even if you want and do not leave first wife suspended or neglected.

The question of polygamy is controversial. By broad consensus it was decided that neither it should be abolished right away nor should it be made so loose as to enable anyone to marry another wife according to ones whim. This is the most important area of codification. There should be a marriage council comprising eminent Muslims of known integrity in the town. If a person wishes to take second wife he would serve a notice to his wife and the marriage council stating clearly the reasons why he wishes to take a second wife and furnish necessary documents. He would also prove that he is capable of maintaining both the wives with his given means and that he will fulfill the requirement of justice stipulated by the Qur'an.

Among the conditions for second wife it was agreed that either the first wife should be barren and medically proved and that she gives her consent for taking second wife without any coercion and the Qazi in consultation with marriage council will give first wife to present her case and judge whether she is given free consent or there is any element of coercion involved.

The second condition could be if she is suffering from terminal disease and results in deprivation of husband of fulfilling his sexual needs due to this disease and again this should be medically proved and all documents submitted to the marriage council and the Qazi who would take final decision in consultation with the first wife. Second marriage, as stipulated by the Qur'an (see 4:3 and 4:129) has to be in keeping with principles of rigorous justice and should in no case be treated as privilege of man, much less his right, as it often happens.

Some prominent Ulama from Deoband, Lucknow and Aligarh, to our pleasant surprise, favoured abolition of triple divorce and they were critical of Muslim Personal law Board on its insistence to retain it. One of them pointed out that if triple divorce in one sitting is justified on grounds of 2nd Caliph Hazrat Umar permitting it, why don't they take into account that he later punished those who resorted to it.

These Ulama pointed out that divorce should be pronounced on three different occasions as described in the Qur'an so that reconciliation could be brought about in the meanwhile, if possible. Some even maintained that it should be only thrice in lifetime. All of them agreed that as per Qur'anic requirement prior to divorce arbitration should be attempted failing which divorce procedure may be started (4:35). This verse too emphasizes reconciliation rather than divorce.

Also, triple divorce should be replaced by talaq al-sunnah or Qur'anic form of divorce both are quite fair to women. Even divorce where inevitable has to be fair to women and Qur'an repeatedly exhorts men to either retain her (in marriage) in goodness or leave her (i.e. divorce her) in kindness (2:229). She cannot be thrown out arbitrarily as it is usually done through triple and oral divorce. Law must prevail and proper procedure must be followed as laid down in Qur'an and sunnah. Triple divorce is not in keeping with either of the two,

Though incidence of polygamy is not very high among Muslims in India still some men do marry second wife by either deserting first wife or refusing to divorce her when wife asks for khula'. Thus there is need to regulate polygamy by stipulating strict conditions as required by the Qur'an and no man should be free to take another wife according to his whims. Codification would attempt to lay down such conditions and make it justiciable as per law.

Thus these are two main issues in Muslim personal law, which are causing injustices to Muslim women. If polygamy and triple divorce are properly regulated Islamic personal law will not only come much closer to the Qur'anic spirit but would become much more progressive than what it is today.

A woman also has right to khula from her husband and it is her Qur'anic right (see 2:229) and according to hadith also the Prophet (PBUH) granted Jamila khula' on grounds that she did not want to live with her husband though he loved her and maintained her with respect and dignity. He only asked Jamila to return the orchard he had given her by way of mehr. Thishadith clearly shows that her right to khula is absolute and involving no conditionality. Here no consent of husband is needed for khula'. It is not correct to insist on husband's consent it would amount to overruling the Prophet (PBUH) himself.

Rethinking Muslim personal law as prevalent in India is certainly not to violate divine injunctions as often maintained by some people but to bring in much closer to divine injunctions i.e. to infuse in them really divine spirit. Well it may not always be possible to achieve complete unanimity but certainly we will attempt to create a broad consensus around codification so that Muslims women really enjoy equal status as they are entitled to according to Qur'anic injunctions and also in accordance to modern laws.

Press Release 2/10/2012 (on the Struggle against Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant)

2012-02-10T07:25:00.001-08:00

People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy
(PMANE) February 10, 2012
Idinthakarai
& P. O. 627 104
Tirunelveli
District, Tamil Nadu
Phone:
98656 83735

Press Release

While the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) welcomes
the State Expert Team set up by the Chief Secretary on behalf of the Honorable
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, we are obliged to point out that Dr. M. R.
Srinivasan, a member of the team, is a well-known pro-nuclear person. He is the
former Chairman and a current member of India's Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).
He was also a member of the site selection committee in the 1980s for
the Koodankulam
Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP). He has been writing and speaking in favor of
nuclear power and the Koodankulam project itself. Speaking to the press on
November 13, 2011 in Chennai, Dr. Srinivasan claimed that when he had visited
the Koodankulam area in 1984, there were no habitations there, nobody lived in
the area and the whole region was vast seashore. This is a complete falsehood
as Koodankulam and Idinthakarai villages have been in existence for
centuries. He
also requested Tamil Nadu Government's full cooperation to the Central
Government to open the Koodankulam project.[i] On December 15, 2011
Dr. Srinivasan spoke about the Koodankulam Project at an
event in Coimbatore, claimed that "the dangers perceived by the locals
were 'imaginary'"
and wanted the project to be commissioned at the earliest.[ii]

The people of Tamil Nadu had expected that the State Expert Team
members would be neutral and independent but Dr. Srinivasan is neither. So it
is hard for the PMANE to accept Dr. Srinivasan. Given this situation, the PMANE
would like to request the Honorable Chief Minister to replace Dr. Srinivasan
with another expert and expand the Expert Team with experts in
Geology, Oceanography
and Hydrology in order to deal with a few KKNPP-specific issues.

The former Chief Minister and DMK president Mr. M. Karunanidhi has
claimed that it is mysterious on the part of the Government of Tamil Nadu to
arrest a Madurai advocate who had accused the PMANE Coordinator S. P.
Udayakumar of acting at the behest of a foreign power, instigating the
Koodankulam struggle, and doling out money for the relay fast. This "Tamizhina
Thalaivar" who has consistently compromised on the interests and welfare of the
Tamil people both here in Tamil Nadu and there in Tamil Eezham, has no moral
authority to criticize the Tamil people's genuine struggle for life and
livelihood. He and the non-functioning electricity minister in his
erstwhile cabinet
should explain to the Tamil people what all they together did to augment
electricity generation in the state. They focused more on reaping monetary
benefits from coal deals than generating more electricity from new and
renewable energy sources. They never developed any original and sustainable
plans and projects to face the power crisis of the State. They alone are
responsible for the present sorry state of the power scenario in Tamil Nadu and
hence forfeit their right to comment on our people's struggle.

The PMANE members and our supporter Fr. Thomas Kocherry feel
vindicated about our personal integrity and moral uprightness. Responding to
the legal notice of S. P. Udayakumar on the false charge of having received Rs.
1.5 crores from abroad, Union Minister Narayanaswamy has retracted his
story. And
similarly, the Dinamalar daily has apologized to Fr. Kocherry (issue
dated February 9, 2012) about its atrocious claim of his channeling money from
Germany to our struggle. These ridiculous episodes prove that the charges
against us are completely false and those who accuse us of these charges have
no credibility.

Having failed miserably to allay the fears and concerns of our
people, the Central Government and its intelligence agencies are now sending
spies and agents into our villages to divide our communities, create fear and
panic among the people and instigate violence. For instance, on February 8,
2012, three men had entered our relay fast site at Idinthakarai and loitering
about the complex with a few bags and boxes. Our people drove them
away and filed
a complaint with the Koodankulam police. The PMANE condemns this kind
of anti-people
tendencies and approaches and requests the Central Government and the Congress
Party to accept and respect our people's spontaneous struggle to protect our
right to life and livelihood.

The
PMANE requests the Honorable Chief Minister to make the State Expert Team meet
with our own experts, consider their findings and engage in a genuine dialogue
with them. Shunning the usual public hearing model interactions, the Expert
Team should visit the project-affected villages and hamlets individually, listen
to the fears and concerns of the people and arrive at a conclusion in a
democratic manner on the basis of majority opinion. Only such an
action by the Government
of Tamil Nadu will ensure the democratic and Constitutional rights of
our people.

S.
P. Udayakumar, Ph.D.
Coordinator:
PMANE Struggle Committee

________________________________

[i] "50 Kelvikku Intha Varam Badhil," Dinakaran, November 14, 2011.
[ii] "Former AEC chairman clarifies on Kudankulam plant's safety," The Hindu,
December 16, 2011.

Puddles and His Puppy Friend By Yoginder Sikand

2012-02-10T07:24:00.001-08:00

Puddles and His Puppy Friend

By Yoginder Sikand

The only way to describe Puddles, as he once was, was that he was a little bundle of enormous fear. He lived in terrible fear of everything. He feared his parents most—their constant fights and their furious tempers. Nothing that poor Puddles did was ever right for them. Not a day passed without their losing their heads screaming at or even badly beating him up—more often than not for nothing at all. It was hardly surprising, then, that Puddles began to believe that this was simply how all parents ought to behave. As for Puddles' siblings, they behaved exactly as their parents did, for they had learned from them that all that Puddles deserved was a round scolding and an occasional wallop.

As he grew older and learned about God, Puddles began to live in terrible fear of God, too. If he was naughty or forgot his prayers or disobeyed his parents, he was told, God would throw him into the leaping fires of hell, from where there was simply no escape for all time to come. How awfully terrified this made the poor lad!

As you can well imagine, there was little cause for fun and cheer for hapless Puddles. At night he would be haunted by dreams of ghosts—not that he had ever seen one but they were a stick his parents wielded to force him to do as they pleased. 'If you don't brush your teeth or listen to Daddy, a ghost will take you away tonight,' his sharp-tongued mother would sternly warn him. And when, after a restless night, he would climb out of his bed Puddles would start trembling at the thought of all the fearful people he would have to meet that day: his teachers in school, who delighted in beating him for no reason at all; his class-mates, who called him a 'sissy' and played cruel pranks on him; and then, when he returned home in the afternoon, his parents and siblings and their constant banter and beatings.

Little wonder, then, that wherever little Puddles went he kept all to himself. He had no friends at all, and at home all he did was to sit on his bed and think of all the many people he so greatly feared.

Things had come to such a pass that Puddles even feared to cross the road by himself. What if he banged against a speeding car or a pedestrian or knocked a child down? What if he tumbled into a pothole? What if a bird flying above were to drop something on him? These were the fears that haunted the child each time he had to cross a road.

One day, it so happened that Puddles developed a high fever—his father had given him a round thrashing for getting wet in the rain and his mother had added to that by refusing him his dinner. As his fever mounted his head began to spin like a top and he felt that he would soon fall unconscious. No one at home, he sobbed to himself, loved him. How he wept in despair!

But just as Puddles was about to give up all hope, a thought struck him. 'I must help myself', he said to himself firmly. 'If I don't, there is no one else who will.' And, to his utter surprise, he mustered enough courage to climb out of his bed, step out of his house and head towards the chemist's shop.

As he walked ahead, Puddles came to an intersection, from where, to get across to the shop, he needed to cross a busy road. It was rush-hour and the road was clogged with traffic. You won't believe how frightened this made poor Puddles! After all, he had never crossed a road alone before. Each time he hesitantly tried to take a step forward all the fears he had of crossing roads would haul him back. 'I can't cross. I simply can't and won't!', a voice thundered in his head, and all this while Puddles felt his fever going from bad to worse.

An hour passed as Puddles stood at the corner of the road, torn between the need to cross over and a powerful urge to rush back home, back to the safety of his bed, even if that meant leaving his fever untreated.

Just then, a puppy strode up and squatted beside him. Puddles looked down at the puppy. It seemed so full of joy and love. It had kindly eyes and a smile seemed to dance on its lips. It turned up to look at Puddles, and, as their eyes met, something strange happened. It was as if the puppy was calling out to Puddles, saying, 'Come, little one! Fear no longer. We may be small and helpless, but together we can cross the road.'

Do you know what happened next? All of a sudden, Puddles forgot all his fears of crossing the road! The puppy looked to the right and then to the left and then trotted across the road, with Puddles bravely following after him.

'We've crossed the road! We did it! Wow!' Puddles excitedly exclaimed as he and the puppy reached the other side. He could hardly believe what he had just done! He swept up the puppy in his arms and showered it with kisses. And just then, to his utter surprise, he felt his fever vanish at the same time as he knew that he no longer feared crossing the road.

Puddles had now no need to go to the chemist's and so for the rest of the evening he and the puppy had the time of their lives crossing from one side of the road to the other, just for the fun of it—much to the amazement of passers-by—until they were really exhausted. You wouldn't have been able to recognize Puddles, so excited was he that evening!

And do you know what happened after that? Puddles took the puppy home and somehow managed to convince his parents to let it live with them. The puppy became Puddles' best—and only—friend, and with all the love that it shared with him Puddles learned to gradually overcome all the many fears that had haunted him for as long as he could recall.

Truly, as the saying goes and as Puddles came to learn, love overcomes every fear.

Gita: Not a Religious Book? ISP II Frb 2012

2012-02-10T07:22:00.001-08:00

Gita: Not a Religious Book? ISP II Frb 2012

Gita: Not a Religious book?

Ram Puniyani

Srimad Bhagwat Gita or Bhagwat Gita or Gita has been in the news recently for various reasons. Few months ago, the matter came up when a Siberian Court in the Tomsk City of Russia was to decide about the ban on the translation of Gita by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad Swami, the founder of ISKCON. The argument was that this particular translation was promoting social discord and so be banned. It was perceived in India as if there is a demand for ban on Gita in Russia. In this context the matter came up in the parliament and a strong protest was voiced against banning of Hindu religious text. Later the court did not ban this particular translation and so the matters came to rest there. Incidentally it can be reemphasized that Gita as a Hindu religious scripture is prevalent in Russia from centuries, and what was being demanded was a ban on particular translation and not on the Holy Scripture as such.

Closer home, the M. P. High court has ruled (Jan 2012) that "Gita is essentially a book on Indian philosophy, not book on Indian religion". This judgment gave a sanction on the decision of M.P. Government to continue with the teaching of Gita Sar (Essence of Gita) in the MP schools. This petition had come up in the court when the Catholic Bishop Council appealed that moral values of all religions should be taught in schools and not just Gita. So now the M.P. High Court has concluded that since Gita is a book on Indian Philosophy and not on religion, it can be continued as such and the need to consider introducing the moral values from other religions as well, need not be considered. Incidentally other BJP ruled state; Karnataka is also planning to introduce the teaching of Gita in its schools. While giving this judgment, one wonders if the honorable judge forgot that while the oath is administered to Hindus in his court, they are made to do take oath by keeping their hand on the same Holy book, as a religious book not for its philosophy!

One is reminded of another judgment at this time, the one known as "Hindutva as a way of life". The Supreme Court was to decide whether the use of the word Hindutva in elections tantamount to corrupt electoral practices or not, as Hindutva divides people along religious lines. Contrary to the theological, sociological and political understanding that Hinduism is a religion and that the word Hindutva is built around Hindu religious identity, Court ruled something which opened the floodgates of dividing people along religious lines. This judgment 'Hindutva is a way of life' exonerated someone who was doing divisive religious propaganda and gave legitimacy to the politics in the name of religion. Now the Gita judgment has again raised the questions about the nature of Hinduism, its religious texts and its religious belief.

Opportunistically the MP government and other Hindutva ideologues who called Gita as a holy Hindu religious scripture, and so needs to be taught in schools are keeping quiet, as this judgment suits their political agenda. The confusions prevail at multiple layers, as Hinduism is not a prophet based religion and there is no single 'revealed holy book' this understanding is being used by many to take the convenient path of taking the meaning which suits their purpose.

While term Hindu is of late origin, eighth century, the consolidation of Hinduism from the various prevailing religious sects has been a process beginning around that time with Magadh Maurayan empire. There are many a religious scriptures, many a holy books in this umbrella of Hinduism, Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. So which is the holy scripture of Hindus? While all these books are regarded as Holy, over a period of time Hindu religion is being shaped around, One Deity, (Lord Ram) One Book (Gita), One Clergy (Acharyas, Mahants). The verdict of the court defies logic when it proclaims, "Gita is essentially a book on Indian philosophy not book on Indian religion."

The Bhagwat Gita or Gita (Song of God) is a 700 verse scripture that is part of the epic Mahabharata. As it is drawn from Mahabharata it can be labeled as Smriti text. Some sects of Hinduism give it the status of Upanishad, thereby making itsruti (revealed) book. It is also regarded to represent the summary of Upanishadic teachings and so it is also called as 'Upanishad of Upanishads'. In this Holy Scripture Lord Krishna teaches Arjun about his duties as a Prince belonging to Kshtriya Varna. Arjun was faced with the dilemma of the war, the possibility of killing his own kin, cousins and others. Lord tells Arjun that it is his holy duty to undertake the war. Lord elaborates on different Yogas and so Gita is often described as a core of Hindu theology. As most holy scriptures are the revelations from the supreme God, in Gita also Krishna reveals his identity as Supreme Being himself (Svayam Bhagvan). He blesses Arjun with the awe inspiring vision of divine universal form.

The Gita elaborates on the central part of Hindu theology, the origin of Varnas. In Purush Sukta of Vedas Lord Brahma narrates as to how he created four Varnas from the body of Virat Purush. In Gita on similar lines Lord Krishna also tells about the divine origin of Varna's. Lord says that the fourfold order was created by him according to the divisions of quality (Guna) and work (karma).

One knows that origin of Hinduism is different from the Prophet based religions. Here there has been an evolution of the Hinduism over a period of time and today while Hinduism is a religion, Gita is its Holy Scripture. To take the stand that it is Indian philosophy and not religious one is far from truth. There is philosophy also in many a Holy Scriptures. Notwithstanding that, they are primarily religious scriptures. The verdict of the court needs re-examination as it is not conforming to the belief of millions of Hindus; neither can it stand the scrutiny of rational understanding about Hinduism as a religion. From the religion of Pastoral Aryans to the practices of Hindus today, there is a long journey. The communal forces want to introduce this text in schools as not only they want to impose Hindu nation in this country but also through this book, they aim to reinforce the concept of Varna, which is one of the core doctrine of Hinduism, and Gita tells this by attributing Varna to the divine creation by Lord Himself. While there are many a philosophical formulations in this divine book there is also the subtle defense of what the Hindutva politics wants to bring in today, Varan- Jati in a repackaged form.

Issues in Secular Politics

II February 2012

Response only to : ram.puniyani@gmail.com

First new nuclear reactors OK'd in over 30 years

2012-02-10T07:21:00.001-08:00

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/09/news/economy/nuclear_reactors/

First new nuclear reactors OK'd in over 30 years
By Steve Hargreaves @CNNMoney February 9, 2012: 2:50 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved
licenses to build two new nuclear reactors Thursday, the first
authorized in over 30 years.

The reactors are being built in Georgia by a consortium of utilities
led by Southern Co. (SO, Fortune 500) They will be sited at the Vogtle
nuclear power plant complex, about 170 miles east of Atlanta. The
plant already houses two older reactors.
The AP 1000
An artist rendering of the AP 1000

"Today marks an advancement in our nation's energy policy," Southern
Company chief executive Thomas Fanning said at a press conference
after the approval. "The project is on track, and our targets related
to cost and schedule are achievable."

The 5-member NRC voted in favor of the licenses four to one, with
Chairman Gregory Jaczko dissenting.

Jaczko said the new licenses don't go far enough in requiring the
builders to incorporate lessons learned from the Japanese nuclear
disaster last year.

Although new nuclear reactors have come online in the United States
within the last couple of decades -- the last one started operation in
1996 -- the NRC hasn't issued a license to build a new reactor since
1978, a year before the Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania.
Reactors that have opened in the last decades received their initial
licenses before 1978.

The combination of the Three Mile Island incident and the high costs
of nuclear power turned many utilities away from the technology.

The utilities building the new Vogtle reactors submitted their
application seven years ago. Prep-work at the site has been under way
for some time, but construction on actual reactors couldn't begin
until the final license was issued.
How close is your home to a nuclear plant?

The new reactors are a Westinghouse design called the AP 1000.
Together they are expected to cost $14 billion and provide 2200
megawatts of power, according to a spokesman for Southern Co. That's
enough to power 1 million homes.

The plants are being built with the help of a conditional $8.3 billion
loan guarantee from the Department of Energy. The loan guarantee is
part of DOE's broader loan program that has been criticized for
backing companies like Solyndra, the bankrupt maker of solar panels.

The Southern spokesman said the loan guarantee, combined with other
regulatory measures, enable the project to receive cheaper financing
that will ultimately save ratepayers $1 billion.

The first reactor is expected to come online in 2016 and the second
one in 2017, according to Southern Co.

The AP 1000 is the newest NRC-approved nuclear reactor. This would be
the first one built in the United States, although four are already
under construction in China, said Scott Shaw, a Westinghouse
spokesman.

Critics have said the containment walls of the AP 1000 aren't strong
enough to withstand a terrorist attack, but Shaw says they were
redesigned after September 11, 2001 and have held up during
simulations.

He also said the design's passive cooling system makes it much safer
than older designs. The AP 1000 uses gravity and condensation -- not
electricity -- to cool the fuel rods.

It was the loss of electric power that led to the meltdown of Japan's
Fukushima Daiichi reactors following the tsunami in 2011.

Still, a coalition of nine mostly regional anti-nuclear groups say the
current design is not safe. They plan on challenging Thursday's
decision in federal court.

In addition to fears of a meltdown at a nuclear power plant, critics
also point out that the nation still has no long term plan for the
disposal of nuclear waste.

The waste, which is highly radioactive, is currently stored at the
plants themselves while the federal government continues its
decades-long search for a permanent disposal facility.

There are currently 104 operating nuclear reactors at 64 plants across
the country. Half are over 30 years old.

Nuclear power provides the country with about 18% of its electricity.
Coal is the nation's largest source for electricity, providing 43% of
our energy, while natural gas makes up another 25%, according to the
Energy Information Agency.

Renewables make up the remaining 14%, with hydroelectric dams
accounting for more than half of that. Wind accounts for about 3% and
biomass (think paper mills or agricultural plants) another 2%. Solar
and geothermal make up under 1% of American electricity production,
according to EIA.

In addition to the Vogtle plant, 16 other plants across the country
have applications with the the NRC to build 25 more reactors.

Most of those reactors would be built at existing nuclear power plants
but there are two applications submitted for brand new nuclear plants
-- one in Levy County, Fla., and another outside Gaffney, S.C.

Environmentalists are split when it comes to nuclear power. Many are
weary of it, citing the safety, cost and waste disposal concerns.
Others favor it on the grounds that it can provide massive amounts of
power that's basically greenhouse gas-free.

"Moving away from fossil fuels in order to address climate change is
the biggest challenge facing our power sector, and safe nuclear power
will be an important part of that solution," Richard Caperton,
director of clean energy investment at the left-leaning Center for
American Progress said in a statement.

But, underscoring the dichotomy, he added: "If the new reactors are
not brought online in a timely and cost-effective manner, as often
happens with nuclear plants, those consumers could see their electric
bills skyrocket."

-- CNN's Carol Gantt contributed to this report To top of page
First Published: February 9, 2012: 12:15 PM ET

Let's oppose Valentine's Day - A Cultural Conversion of Hindus !

2012-02-10T07:20:00.001-08:00

Media Release: Lok Satta Party Candidates for BMC and TMC Polls have taken a Historic Pledge Affirming Their Commitment to Clean Corruption Free Citizen Centric Governance in their Wards to The Citizens of Mumbai and Thane

2012-02-10T07:18:00.001-08:00

Media Release
(Mumbai, 10/02/2012)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lok Satta Party Candidates for BMC and TMC Polls have taken a Historic Pledge Affirming Their Commitment to Clean Corruption Free Citizen Centric Governance in their Wards to The Citizens of Mumbai and Thane

For the first time in the political history of Mumbai and probably India, Lok Satta Party (LSP) candidates for BMC and TMC polls have taken, a Unique Public Pledge to reaffirm their commitment to clean corruption free citizen centric governance in their wards.

The Citizen has become cynical about all politics and all politicians. Through this event, LSP candidates have solemnly and publicly committed their actions towards the betterment of the wards where they will get a mandate.

This pledge is NOT just a promise but guarantees that the actions of the elected corporators are transparent and that through this pledge they hold themselves directly accountable and answerable to the citizens they seek to serve.

The pledge is a public manifestation of LSP and its candidates of the commitment to the principles as enshrined in the Model Nagar Raj Bill and The Ten Guarantees that LSP has publicly released.

The candidates have pledged that.

"I will work as a public servant for all the citizen in my ward without fear or favour and without discrimination based on caste, creed, language or community
I will constitute a Ward Committee in my ward as mandated in the Model Nagar Raj Bill.
The ward Committee will meet at least 12 times in a year and I will ensure that area sabha meetings are held at least 3 times in a year.
All development projects in the ward will be decided and carried out in consultation with the Ward Committee.
I will remain accountable to the citizen through the ward committee.
I will work for delivering the 10 guarantees of Lok Satta Party to the citizens in my ward."

For more details, please contact Lok Satta Party, Mumbai - Spokesperson Dr. Ram Ramdas on 0 982 0538 685 OR General Secretary Shri Mustan Tambawala on 0 982 0137 765.

For Lok Satta Party

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regards,

Surendra Srivastava
Volunteer - Lok Satta Aandolan
Tel: +91 22 2377 2279 Email: surendra@loksatta.org.in
The Answer to "Bad Politics" is "Good Politics" Not "No Politics" - Dr. JP, Lok Satta Aandolan
[Wikipedia] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Why Loksatta?][www.killcorruption.org][Video]
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भगत दा ! मेरे हमदम मेरे दोस्त लेखक : हरीश पंत :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 17, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

2012-02-10T07:16:00.001-08:00

भगत दा ! मेरे हमदम मेरे दोस्त

लेखक : हरीश पंत :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 17, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

http://www.nainitalsamachar.in/a-tribute-to-bhagat-da-by-harish-pant/

भगत दा ! मेरे हमदम मेरे दोस्त

लेखक : हरीश पंत :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 17, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

'अपने भीतर और बाहर की

नमी और हरियाली खो देने के बावजूद

मनुष्य के लिये सर्वाधिक निरापद है धरती

जो हमें पाना है

कदाचित उसी के दर्पण में

हमारा बिम्ब है'

'अरण्य' पत्रिका का सपना और 'वनरखा' को साकार कर सुधी पाठकों में वन, पर्यावरण, ग्राम्या का वैचारिक उजास फैलाने वाले अपने 'भगत दा' नन्द किशोर भगत को याद करने के लिये उक्त पंक्तियाँ बार-बार 'हॉण्ट' करती रही हैं उनके नश्वर शरीर को छोड़ने के बाद।

अपनी निकम्मी याददाश्त को हजार बार कोसने के बावजूद भगत दा से पहली मुलाकात मेरे लिये एक शोध का विषय हो गयी है। जुलाय 77 का कोई दिन, 'नैनीताल समाचार' से जुड़ने के बाद राजहंस प्रेस में छप रही 'उत्तराखंड भारती', जिसके वह प्रकाशक थे, के साथ प्रूफ ले कर शिक्षाविद शुकदेव पाण्डे जी के निवास 'दीना कॉटेज' मल्लीताल उनके साथ जाने का ही स्मरण कर पाया हूँ। वहीं से कैण्टन लॉज में बने उनके फॉरेस्ट के सरकारी निवास व भगत दा के परिवार के मोहिले प्यार का स्थायी सदस्य बन गया। वह सिलसिला आज भी कायम है निरंतर।

नैनीताल समाचार के शुरूआती दिनों में उसके कार्यालय की व्यवस्था, यथा प्रचार-प्रसार, विज्ञापन मान्यता के पत्र-पत्रक बनाने व उन्हें भेजने, की कार्यालयी व्यवस्था की जिम्मेदारी बिना किसी आग्रह के उन्होंने अनौपचारिक रूप से स्वयं सँभाल ली। अखबारी दुनियाँ से वह 'दैनिक पर्वतीय' से जुड़े थे और उनकी कुछ कहानियाँ तब छप चुकी थीं। उनकी लगन और मेहनत का नतीजा था कि नैनीताल समाचार के प्रकाशन के दो साल के भीतर ही भारत सरकार द्वारा आबंटित अखबारी कागज के 1.5 टन कोटे का आबंटन पत्रक उन्होंने हमें दिला दिया। पर घोर अव्यावसायिक दृष्टिकोण होने व एकमुश्त धनराशि, जो करीब 15 हजार रुपये थी, न जुटा पाने के कारण हम उसका लाभ नहीं ले पाये। रेलवे, एलआईसी और अन्य सरकारी-अर्द्ध सरकारी संस्थानों से विज्ञापन संबंधी पत्राचार भी उनके कार्यालयी ज्ञान व व्यावहारिक सोच के पुख्ता प्रमाण हैं। मगर समाचार की अराजकता, अतिक्रांतिकारी झुकाव व अव्यावसायिकता से वह क्षुब्ध हो जाते और बहसों में हिस्सा न ले कर झटके से समाचार से उठते और सदा साथ में रहने वाला झोला कंधे पर लटकाये, बिना कुछ कहे उठ कर चल देते।

अक्सर उनके मौन विरोध का गुबार मुझे ही झेलना होता। तब एक बड़े भाई की अभिभावकी नसीहतों को सुन और उनके गुस्से को अपने मौन मनोबल से शांत करने का सुख मिलता। भगत दा के महाप्रयाण से तीन हफ्ते पहले समाचार का ताजा अंक ले कर मैं अस्पताल में उनसे मिला। लेटे-लेटे उन्होंने उसे पढ़ना शुरू किया। उसी अंक में 'चिणुक' नाम से बच्चों का कॉलम शुरू हुआ था। उन्होंने तुरंत गिर्दा का स्मरण करते हुए इस स्तम्भ का नाम 'नानतिन बाड़ी' सुझाया और गिर्दा की लोक परम्पराओं को जारी रखने का आग्रह किया। यह उलाहना भी दिया कि 'उनकी बातों', सुझावों को तवज्जो हम शुरू से ही नहीं देते। हमारी गैर व्यावसायिकता और आर्थिक मामलों में लापरवाही से वह खिन्न भी रहते थे पर प्रतिबद्ध पत्रकारिता के कायल भी। पर कहते बहुत कम थे। उस रोज भी उन्होंने वहीं अस्पताल में मुझसे एक अखबार के साल भर की योजना और खर्च पर दो घंटे तक बहस की। जब मैंने उनके स्वास्थ्य का हवाला दिया तो बोले, ''ठीक हो जाऊँगा, तभी तो कह रहा हूँ। तुम तैयार हो जाओ।''

वीरेन डंगवाल के 'नन्दू बॉस' की ऊर्जावान सृजनात्मकता का सदुपयोग न कर पाने की चूक हमें हमेशा सालती रहेगी। हालाँकि यह अकेली गलती हमसे नहीं हुई। समाचार से जुड़े लोगों की प्रतिभाओं के समुचित उपयोग में बेपरवाही, खासकर स्वास्थ्य व आर्थिक संदर्भों ऐसा लगातार होता रहा है। खैर इस बारे में फिर कभी….!

दरअसल भगतदा नैनीताल मुद्रण एवं प्रकाशन सहकारी समिति के रूप में एक सुदृढ़ व्यावसायिक स्तम्भ बनाना चाहते थे, ताकि आर्थिक संबल वहाँ से मिले और प्रखर पत्रकारिता का सहज संचालन भी होता रहे। उन दिनों यह व्यावहारिकता समझने में असमर्थ थे। यहीं पर मतभेद होते रहे और वह भी समाचार से कटते-जुड़ते रहे।

यह वास्तविकता है कि भगतदा शुरू से ही पारिवारिक जिम्मेदारियों व नौकरी की उलझनों के चलते अपनी सृजनात्मक प्रतिभा को व्यवस्थित नहीं कर पाये। वरना उनके लिखे 'सौल कठौल' के निठल्ले चिंतन वाले हुक्का राम के बहुआयामी लोक चरित्र के नजरिये का कोई सानी नहीं। सामायिक घटनाओं पर उनके बेबाक सौल कठौल क्षेत्रीय राजनीति, छद्म पर्यावरणीय सोच, रोजगार, सब्सीडी खाये उद्योग, विकास की गैरटिकाऊ अवधारणाओं पर तीखे कटाक्ष करते थे।

भगतदा की प्रगतिशीलता और उनके सोच का उत्कृष्ट उदाहरण है उनका परिवार। अपनी तीनों बहनों को समर्थ बनाने के लिये पढ़ाई के साथ रोजगारपरक शिक्षा, यथा बीटीसी, नर्सेज ट्रेनिंग कोर्स दिलवाने के लिये परिवार के बुजुर्गों के न चाहने के बावजूद उन्होंने जद्दोहद की। स्व. पुष्पा बहन (शारीरिक रूप से अस्वस्थ) की नौकरी हो या मुन्नी दी की नर्स पद पर नियुक्ति, भगतदा के स्त्री स्वावलंबन की सोच का परिणाम है। अपने बेटे संजीव के ग्रेजुएशन करते ही उन्होंने उसके पत्रकारिता की ओर झुकाव के बावजूद उसे फल प्रसंस्करण उद्योग में जाने के लिये मनाया। क्षेत्रीय उत्पादों के स्थानीय सदुपयोग के तो वे प्रणेता थे ही, रोजगार सृजन के लिये भी फरसौली क्षेत्र के कई परिवार उनके ऋणी रहेंगे। बेटियों को स्वावलम्बन की राह दिखाने के लिये भगत दा ने बड़ी बेटी रेखा को 'डिप्लोमा इन हैल्थ एंड न्यूट्रीशन' का कोर्स कराया ताकि पारम्परिक नौकरियों से इतर वह एक विशेषज्ञता का रोजगार कर सके। मँझली बीना को बी.एस.सी वनस्पति विज्ञान से करने के बावजूद कम्प्यूटर डिप्लोमा दिलवाया। वह आज नैनीताल के प्रतिष्ठित स्कूल में अध्यापन कर रही है। छोटी दीपिका को बिल्कुल अलग, 'फीजियोथैरेपी' का डिप्लोमा दिलवा कर डिग्री कोर्स करवाया। दीपिका ने उनके महाप्रयाण से दो दिन पूर्व ही डिग्री हासिल की, जब वह अस्पताल में उनकी परिचर्या में व्यवस्त थी। इस सुखद समाचार की संतुष्टि उनके श्रीमुख पर देखने का सुख उनके परिवारजनों ने उनके अन्तिम क्षणों बाँटा।

भगतदा ने वन विभाग की नौकरी आजीविका के लिये की तो 'ग्रामोत्थान प्रयोगाश्रम' का गठन कर वनोत्पादों, क्षेत्रीय उत्पादों की विस्तृत जानकारी के साथ ही आर्थिक आधार तैयार करने की जद्दोजहद भी। फ्रूटेज की उनकी सोच को पेशेवर तौर पर संजीव ने सँवारा व उसे सफल व्यावसायिक प्रतिष्ठान बनाया, मगर उसकी रीढ़ असल में भगत दा थे। शासकीय लालफीताशाही से वाकिफ भगतदा के अनुभवों ने ही आज फ्रूटेज उद्योग को वास्तविकता में बदला। उनका सबसे प्रिय शगल 'ग्रामोत्थान प्रयोगाश्रम' का 'आरबीटोरियम' आज तीन भागों- औषधीय प्रजातियाँ, चारा प्रजातियाँ और विलुप्त होती प्रजातियों को समेटे हुए है। इसमें अखरोट, अग्यार, आँवला, बेहड़ा, बकैन, बरगद, नेहा, बुरांश, दालचीनी, देवदार, गेठी, हल्दू, किलमोड़ा, साल, अनार, दाडि़म, जामुन, काकड़ी, कचनार, कंजू, खैर, रीठा, शहतूत, सेमल, तुन, हरड़ प्रजातियाँ उपलब्ध हंैं। पेड़ लगाने के उनके जनून का ये हाल था कि साल भर पेड़ लगाने की तैयारियाँ चलतीं और लगाये भी जाते। यहाँ तक कि अपने महाप्रयाण से पहले ही मँगाये पौंधे अब रोपित किये गये। क्षेत्र की तमाम नर्सरियों की उनको जानकारी रहती थी। इधर अस्वस्था के कारण एक नेपाली मजदूर वे अपने साथ लगाये रहते।

भगतदा 'उत्तराखंड भारती' के प्रकाशक रहे तो 'वनरखा' के सम्पादक। नैनीताल समाचार के संस्थापक – संपादकों में से एक, आशल -कुशल के खबरची नन्दकिशोर भगत को मैं नागार्जुन के इन शब्दों के साथ श्रद्धांजलि देना चाहता हूँ:

जो नहीं हो सके पूर्ण काम

मैं उनको करता हूँ प्रणाम

जिनकी सेवायें उल्लेखनीय

पर विज्ञापन से रहे दूर

प्रतिकूल परिस्थिति ने जिनके

कर दिये मनोरथ चूर-चूर

उनको प्रणाम।

वे हमें समर्थ देखना चाहते थे लेखक : पवन राकेश :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 17, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

2012-02-10T07:14:00.001-08:00

वे हमें समर्थ देखना चाहते थे

लेखक : पवन राकेश :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 17, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

http://www.nainitalsamachar.in/a-tribte-to-bagat-da-by-pawan-rakesh/

वे हमें समर्थ देखना चाहते थे

लेखक : पवन राकेश :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 17, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

नंद किशोर भगत (वीरेन डंगवाल के नन्दू बॉस और हमारे भगतदा) 14 दिसम्बर 2011 को हमें अलविदा कह गये। नैनीताल समाचार के बुनियादी स्तम्भ थे भगतदा। एक सामान्य वन कर्मी की नौकरी करते हुए अपनी अलग सोच के कारण सामाजिक सरोकारों से जुड़े। कुछ कर सकने की छटपटाहट ने उन्हें 'उत्तराखण्ड भारती' से जोड़ा और उससे पूर्व दैनिक पर्वतीय से। जिस दौर में हिन्दी पत्रकारिता एक मुश्किल काम मानी जाती थी, तब 1976 में वन सम्बन्धित जानकारी लोगों तक पहुँचाने के लिये उन्होंने 'वनरखा' पत्रिका निकाली।

नैनीताल समाचार के आधारभूत ढाँचे को तैयार करने में उनका बहुत बड़ा योगदान है। अपने व्यावहारिक अनुभव के आधार पर उन्होंने समाचार के सभी खाते-रजिस्टर तैयार किये। सरकारी विभागों से पत्राचार कर हर संभव कार्य करवाने में उनका जोड़ नहीं था।

उस दौर में समाचार में आदर्श और क्रांति का रंग बहुत गहरा था। उस उत्साह में कई बार जरूरी बातें भी दरकिनार कर दी गईं, जिसका खामियाजा बाद में भुगतना पड़ा। वह स्वप्नदर्शी थे। कुछ करने की ललक उनमें थी, जिसका प्रत्यक्ष 'फ्रूटेज' के रूप में फल प्रसंस्करण इकाई है, जो आज न नैनीताल के आसपास बल्कि दिल्ली, बरेली, मुम्बई आदि महानगरों में भी अपनी पहचान खुद ही है। फ्रूटेज को उनके पुत्र संजीव भगत, जो स्वयं भी पत्रकारिता में रुचि रखते हैं, बखूबी चला रहे हैं।

भगतदा का मतभेद समाचार से इस मामले में था कि जब सब कुछ सरकार के हिसाब से और उसके अन्तर्गत ही करना है तो संपादकीय नीति को छोड़कर अन्यत्र उसका विरोध क्यों ? उस समय वह अकेले पड़ जाया करते थे, क्योंकि वे अपनी बात गिर्दा की तरह दमदार तर्कों और बुलन्द आवाज के साथ नहीं रख पाते थे। हम उनसे सहमत होते हुए भी उनके साथ नहीं खड़े हो पाते थे, क्योंकि हमारी स्थिति भी उनकी ही जैसी थी। बस वह इतना ही कहते थे कि जिस तरह से हम लोग कर रहे हैं, वह ठीक नहीं है। उनकी बातों, अपने तमाम मतभेद और नाराजगी के बाद भी उनका रिश्ता नैनीताल समाचार से अटूट बना रहा। हर आन्दोलन, हर कार्यक्रम में वे हमेशा उपस्थित रहे। बीमारी से शरीर घट रहा था पर मन का जीवट बना रहा- मौका मिलते ही एक फटक समाचार में आते ही रहे।

प्रत्यक्ष रूप से अस्वीकार करते हुए भी उनको न मानना सम्भव नहीं था और हम अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से उनसे निर्देशित होते रहे। समाचार को सबल बनाने के लिए वह इतने उत्सुक थे कि 'नैनीताल मुद्रण सहकारी समिति' बना डाली जो समाचार का प्रकाशन करती है।

Browse: Home / उन दिनों हमने एक समानान्तर दुनिया के सपने रचे उन दिनों हमने एक समानान्तर दुनिया के सपने रचे लेखक : लक्ष्मण सिंह बिष्ट 'बटरोही' :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 18, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

2012-02-10T07:11:00.001-08:00

उन दिनों हमने एक समानान्तर दुनिया के सपने रचे

लेखक : लक्ष्मण सिंह बिष्ट 'बटरोही' :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 18, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

http://www.nainitalsamachar.in/tribute-to-bhagat-da-by-batrohi/

उन दिनों हमने एक समानान्तर दुनिया के सपने रचे

चौदह दिसंबर की सुबह जब राजीव लोचन साह का मोबाइल पर संदेश आया कि नंदकिशोर भगत नहीं रहे, तो मैं उसकी शक्ल याद करने लगा। इतने दिनों से उसके साथ संपर्क छूटा हुआ था कि मुझे शक्ल तलाशने में वक्त लगा। एक दुबले-पतले इंसान का भारहीन पुतला आँखों के आगे तैरने लगा, जिसे सक्रिय चेहरे के रूप में तलाशने में मैं लगभग असफल रहा। बार-बार मैं खुद से सवाल करता था कि साहित्य और सामाजिक सरोकारों के प्रति बेहद अंतरंगता के साथ जुड़े इस व्यक्ति को मैं अपनी जिंदगी के किस मोड़ पर छोड़ आया था ? लगातार याद करते हुए, सक्रिय नंदकिशोर को पकड़ने में मुझे करीब तीस-चालीस साल पीछे लौटना पड़ा। तब हम लोग नैनीताल में पढ़ते थे और मालरोड में घूमते हुए साहित्यिक विषयों पर अंतहीन बहसें किया करते। हमारे लिए उन बहसों का कोई अंत नहीं होता था, मानो उन बहसों का उद्देश्य अपने मन में फैले हुए विचारों के गुंझलक को साफ करना रहा हो! ऐसी बातों का भला कहीं समाधान होता है!

उन दिनों जंगलात दफ्तर के परिसर में उसके घर भी लगभग नियमित जाना होता था। कई कहानियाँ उस अस्तव्यस्त कमरे में सुनी थीं और उन्हें लेकर खूब लंबी-चौड़ी बहसें भी की थीं। अब वे बहसें याद नहीं हैं, मगर इतना याद है कि उन कहानियों में कुछ ऐसा अवश्य होता था, जिसे मैं उतने प्रभावशाली ढंग से व्यक्त कर सकने की योग्यता खुद में भी नहीं महसूस करता था। नंदकिशोर आज जीवित होता, और मैं उससे उन बहसों के बारे में पूछता तो मुझे शक है कि उसे भी वे याद होतीं। हालांकि नैनीताल में कितनी ही बार उसके साथ भेंट हुई, अनेक बार हम लोग एक-दूसरे के घर भी गए, मगर मुझे याद नहीं पड़ता कि हमने अपने उन रचनात्मक संबंधों के बारे में कभी बातें की हों। बाद के दिनों में उसकी रुचि शाम या रात की उन बैठकों की ओर ज्यादा सरकने लगी थीं, जिसमें मैं उसके साथ बहुत कम शामिल हो पाया था। मेरे साथ दिक्कत यह है कि लिकर शरीर में घुसने के बाद मुझे नींद आने लगती है और बहस करने की न तो ऊर्जा बचती और न तर्कसम्मत विवेक! जब कि अनेक लोगों के साथ इसका उल्टा होता है, जिसमें एक नंदकिशोर भी था। ऐसे लोगों को बहस की ऊर्जा ही उस हालत में पहुँचने के बाद मिल पाती है। इसके बावजूद नंदकिशोर की बहस का अंदाज़ खासा आकर्षक होता था। कुछ देर तक वह समस्या के साथ जूझता था, अपने तर्कों के द्वारा दूसरों को प्रभावित करने की कोशिश करता, मगर जब उसे लगता कि वह अपने तर्कों से दूसरे के तर्क नहीं काट पा रहा है, वह वीतरागी संत के अंदाज़ में 'स्वाहा' की तरह अपनी बीच की दो अंगुलियों में बहस के प्रसंग को अंगूठे से दबाए हुए हवा में उछाल देता, 'फूको, हो….!'

नंदकिशोर का यह 'फूको' शब्द दार्शनिक फूको और देरिदा के विखंडनवाद की तरह का ही होता था। फर्क यह है कि विखंडनवादी फूको अपने नाम से जुड़े इस शब्द से 'विचार' की ताकत ग्रहण करता था, जिसने उसे शब्द की शक्ति पहचानने के अनेक नए संदर्भ दिए, जब कि नंदकिशोर उसके माध्यम से विचारों से मुक्ति प्राप्त करता था।

आज नंदकिशोर के बारे में सोचते हुए एकाएक भावुक हो जाने के पीछे शायद यह अहसास है कि उसने अपनी मृत्यु के रूप में अपनी ओर से मानो मेरी ओर कोई संकेत फेंका था, बिलकुल 'फूको हो' के अंदाज में…. ''चल यार, जिंदगी का एक पड़ाव बीता!…. तीस-चालीस साल से टूटती-जुड़ती दोस्ती का एक हिस्सा तो बीत ही गया…. कोई जरूरी है कि दूसरे की शुरूआत भी करें ही।''

क्या हुआ इस वाक्य का मतलब ? कौन-सा हिस्सा बीता और किसकी शुरूआत नंदकिशोर करना चाहता था ? वास्तविकता तो यह है कि जिंदगी के जिस हिस्से के बीतने के बारे में नंदकिशोर अपनी मौत के बाद मुझे बता रहा है, वह तो कब-का बीत चुका था! उसके बाद उसने किसी दूसरी शुरूआत का जिक्र तो कभी किया नहीं था! कहीं उसका इशारा लोक-दार्शनिक कबीर की ओर तो नहीं है….. माली आवत देखकर कलियन करी पुकारि, फूले-फूले चुन लिए कालि हमारी बारि!…..

बात में दम लगता है! हम सभी लोग एक जिंदगी में कम-से-कम दो जिंदगियाँ तो जीते ही हैं….. एक भगवान के द्वारा दी गई जिंदगी और दूसरी, हमारे अपने प्रयत्नों से निर्मित जिंदगी। हम सब लोग भगवान् के द्वारा दी गई जिंदगी के समानांतर अपनी रुचियों, आकांक्षाओं और सपनों के माध्यम से एक समानांतर संसार रचते हैं…… और इसके लिए भगवान् द्वारा हमें दी गई सारी नियामतें झोंक देते हैं। वास्तविकता यह है कि इस सृष्टि का सच यही दूसरी दुनिया है, और जितनी ही स्वायत्त और स्वतंत्र यह दुनिया होती है, हमारा जीवन उतना ही धन्य होता है। धन्यता के पीछे कारण भी यही है कि इस दूसरी दुनिया के 'ईश्वर' हम होते हैं, केवल हम, हमारे ऊपर आरोपित वह काल्पनिक 'ईश्वर' नहीं!

हम सब लोग, चाहे गरीब हों या अमीर, आदिवासी हों या आधुनिक ढंग के शिक्षित, गोरे हों या काले, मर्द हों या औरत, अपने जीवन काल में अनिवार्य रूप से दो दुनियाएँ रचते हैं, मगर अज्ञानतावश अपने द्वारा निर्मित वास्तविक दुनिया की तो उपेक्षा करते हैं, जबकि भगवान के द्वारा दी गई इस अवास्तविक दुनिया को सच मान रहे होते हैं।….. यह नहीं जानते कि हमारे जीवन की सार्थकता इसी बात में है कि हम भगवान की रचना के समानांतर अपनी दुनिया को कितना रच पाते हैं! यही होती है हमारी रचना की दुनिया, जिसकी शुरूआत मैंने करीब आधी सदी पहले नंदकिशोर भगत के साथ की थी। ध्यान रहे, इस मुकाम पर भगतदा के 'फूको' से काम नहीं चलता, क्योंकि यह शुरूआत हमारे पैदा होने के साथ ही आरंभ हो चुकी होती है। अब देखिए न, एक तो हमको दिया गया भगवान् का क्रम है…..हमारा कद बढ़ता है, बाल, नाखून और हथेली की रेखाएँ बढ़ती हैं, हम खाना खाते हैं, सोते हैं, बैंक में खाता खोलते हैं, उसमें इजाफा करते हैं, शादी करते हैं, बच्चे पैदा करते हैं, उनकी अच्छी बातें हमें गुदगुदाती हैं और बुरी बातों से हमारी रातों की नींद हराम हो जाती है!…..हमारे प्रमोशन में कोई अड़ंगा लगाता है तो हम उसकी जान के दुश्मन बन जाते हैं!….. मगर एक और दुनिया भी तो है!…. अपनी बीवी, बच्चों या माँ-बाप के अलावा भी दूसरे लोगों के साथ उसी तरह के रिश्ते कायम करते हैं…ऐसे आदमी के लिए आँसू बहाने लगते हैं, जिसके साथ दूर-दूर तक हमारा कोई संबंध नहीं होता, ऐसे आदमी की जान ले बैठते हैं, जिसने हमारा कुछ भी नहीं बिगाड़ा होता!

नंदकिशोर होता तो यह जरूर कहता, 'फूको यार, इतना क्या सोचना हुआ…. जो होना था, हो गया, अब चैन की साँस लो!

मगर उस 'चित्रगुप्त' को हम क्या जवाब देंगे, जो हमारे अंदर बैठा है और हमारे हर पल का हिसाब-किताब लिख रहा है। इस चित्रगुप्त को इस बात से कोई मतलब नहीं है कि हमने अपनी संतानों के लिए कितनी जायदाद एकत्र की, कितना बैंक बैलेंस समेटा, देश और समाज को क्या दिया, कितना सच बोला और कितना झूठ!…. हमारे अंदर बैठे उस चित्रगुप्त को तो सिर्फ एक ही बात से मतलब है कि हमने अपने लिए क्या रचा ? भगवान् ने तो हमें पैदा करके अपने लिए रचना की, हमने अपने लिए क्या रचा ?…. मुझे याद आ रहा है, नंदकिशोर और मैं अपने उस शुरूआती दौर में कुछ इसी तरह की बातें किया करते थे। अपनी इस समानांतर दुनिया को रचने की कोशिश करते थे और हर बहस के बाद अंत में इसी निष्कर्ष में पहुँचते थे कि संसार में रचना से बड़ा सुख और कुछ भी नहीं है।

नंदकिशोर भगत, जिसकी मृत्यु 14 दिसंबर 2011 को सुबह के चार बजे भवाली-महरागाँव के बीच धार में बसे गाँव फरसौली में हुई थी, मेरे मन में इसीलिए अमर है क्योंकि उसने मुझे और खुद को ही नहीं, समूची सृष्टि को एक नई अंतर्दृष्टि दी, रचना की अंतर्दृष्टि, जो उसके अलावा और कोई नहीं दे सकता था।

“हमने इतिहास की धूल झाड़ने की कोशिश की है…”

2012-02-10T07:07:00.001-08:00

"हमने इतिहास की धूल झाड़ने की कोशिश की है…"

http://mohallalive.com/2011/10/29/we-have-tried-blowing-the-dust-of-history/

Forward Press, विश्‍वविद्यालय

"हमने इतिहास की धूल झाड़ने की कोशिश की है…"

29 OCTOBER 2011 5 COMMENTS

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लाल रत्‍नाकर द्वारा बनाया गया महिषासुर का रेखाचित्र

जेएनयू में महिषासुर की शहादत पर आयोजित आम सभा

फारवर्ड प्रेस के अक्‍टूबर अंक में हिंदी के साहित्‍यकार प्रेमकुमार मणि का लेख 'किसकी पूजा कर रहे हैं बहुजन?' प्रकाशित हुआ था। श्री मणि एक प्रतिष्ठित लेखक, सामाजिक न्‍याय के चिंतक व राजनीतिकर्मी रहे हैं। दिल्‍ली स्थित जवाहर लाल नेहरू विश्‍वविद्यालय (जेएनयू) समेत कुछ अन्‍य विश्‍वविद्यालयों में दक्षिणपंथी छात्र संगठन इस लेख का विरोध कर रहे हैं। इन संगठनों का कहना है कि उक्‍त लेख में हिुदुओं की देवी दुर्गा का अपमान किया गया है। इस तरह के आरोप किसी शोधपरक पत्रिका पर लगाया जाना अशोभनीय है। फारवर्ड प्रेस मुख्‍यत: भारत के शोषित बहुजनों के इतिहास, संस्‍क़ति और परंपरा से संबंधित प्रमाणिक और शोधपरक, नवीन तथ्‍यों को प्रकाशित करता है। इस पत्रिका के संपादकीय बोर्ड में भारत व विश्‍व के अनेक नामचीन शोधकर्ता आधिकारिक रूप से जुडे हैं। प्रभुगुप्‍त तारा (यूरोप), विशाल मंगलवादी (यूएसए) तथा गेल ऑम्‍वेट, (नई दिल्‍ली) इनमें प्रमुख हैं। इसके अलावा भारत के बहुजनों पर शोध करने वाले अनेक प्रतिष्ठित लेखक कांचा आयलैया, प्रेमकुमार मणि, दिलीप मंडल आदि इसके नियमित लेखकों में से हैं।

भारत में एक साथ कई संस्‍क़तियां और परंपराएं रही हैं। कबीर, जोतिबा फूले, पेरियार, अम्‍बेडकर, धर्मानन्‍द कोशांबी जैसे लोगों के लेखन ने विजेता शक्तियों के मिथकों, परंपराओं का पुनर्पाठ कर वंचित तबकों के नायकों की तलाश की। एकलव्‍य, शंबूक, बलिराजा आदि अनेक गुमनाम पराजित नायकों की प्राण प्रतिष्ठिा इसी का परिणाम है। महिषासुर भी ऐसा ही एक मिथक है, जिसपर से इतिहास की धूल झाडने की कोशिश फारवर्ड प्रेस के लेखक प्रेमकुमार मणि ने की है।

हम, जेएनयू में पिछले दिनों इस प्रसंग हुई मारपीट की घटना की निंदा करते हैं तथा इसे ज्ञान के प्रसार में सयास बाधा पहुंचाने की कोशिश के रूप में देखते हैं। साथ ही, जेएनयू के एक छात्र को उक्‍त लेख की प्रतियां प्रसारित करने के आरोप में जेएनयू प्रसाशन द्वारा दंडित किये जाने की घटना को अलोकतांत्रिक , तानाशाहिक और शोध के नये रूपों प्रति अवहेलना के रूप में देखते हैं। हम भारत के बुद्धिजीवी वर्ग से अपील करते हैं कि वे फारवर्ड प्रेस के प्रसार को सुचारू रूप सुनिश्चित करने के लिए दक्षिणपंथी ताकतों का विरोध करें।

Name	Shri Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh
Father's Name	Shri Dagadoji Venkatrao Deshmukh

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वे हमें समर्थ देखना चाहते थे लेखक : पवन राकेश :: अंक: 10 || 01 जनवरी से 14 जनवरी 2012:: वर्ष :: 35 :January 17, 2012 पर प्रकाशित

संबंधित लेख....

संबंधित लेख....

“हमने इतिहास की धूल झाड़ने की कोशिश की है…”

"हमने इतिहास की धूल झाड़ने की कोशिश की है…"

"हमने इतिहास की धूल झाड़ने की कोशिश की है…"