by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Opinions
By Maeeshat Correspondent,
“We can no longer look away. We would be doing a disservice to our country if we do not stand up and speak for the liberal and secular values that our Constitution espouses,” said 114 veterans of Indian Armed Forces in their joint open letter to Prime Minister of the country and Chief Ministers of states while expressing their strong concern over rise in mob violence and cow vigilantism which have resulted in around two dozen deaths in the first seven months of 2017.
Without mincing words, the senior retired officers of the three Armed Forces – Army, Navy and Air Force – that included former Navy chief Admiral L. Ramdas strongly condemned acts of vigilantism and attacks on Muslims and Dalits.
“What is happening in our country today strikes at all that the Armed Forces, and indeed our Constitution, stand for. We are witness to unprecedented attacks on society at large by the relentless vigilantism of self-appointed protectors of Hinduism. We condemn the targeting of Muslims and Dalits. We condemn the clampdowns on free speech by attacks on media outlets, civil society groups, universities, journalists and scholars, through a campaign of branding them anti-national and unleashing violence against them while the State looks away.”
They categorically said that they are deeply concerned at the current situation in the country because of what they were taught and they did in their career in the armed forces.
“The Armed Forces stand for “Unity in Diversity”. Differences in religion, language, caste, culture or any other marker of belonging have not mattered to the cohesion of the Armed Forces, and servicemen of different backgrounds have fought shoulder to shoulder in the defence of our nation, as they continue to do today. Throughout our service, a sense of openness, justice and fair play guided our actions.”
“We are one family. Our heritage is like the multi-coloured quilt that is India, and we cherish this vibrant diversity. Our diversity is our greatest strength. Dissent is not treason; in fact, it is the essence of democracy.”
Since 1st April this year when Haryana dairy farmer Pahlu Khan, 50, was lynched by a gang of cow vigilantes in Alwar district of Rajasthan, at least 15 people have been lynched on suspicion of beef, cow or child theft. On 22nd July, a young boy Junaid Khan, also from Haryana, was beaten by a group and stabbed to death in a running train near Delhi. On 16th June, social activist Zafar Khan, 55, was allegedly beaten to death by municipality employees in Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan when he tried to stop them from taking photos of women defecating in the open.
However, 18th May was the biggest lynching day in the country when seven people were killed by mobs in two different incidents in Jharkhand. Four people named Naeem, Khali, Farzu and Raju were lynched in Seraikela-Kharsawa district on suspicion of being child lifter. Three others named Vikas Kumar Verma, Uttam Kumar Verma and Ganesh Kumar Gupta were lynched in Singhbhum district later in the day on the same suspicion.
The former soldiers of the country expressed their dismay at the ways society is being divided on communal lines.
“It saddens us to make this appeal, but current events in India have compelled us to register our dismay at the divisiveness that is gripping our country. We also support the ‘Not in My Name’ campaign that mobilised thousands of citizens across the country to protest against the current climate of fear, intimidation, hate and suspicion.”
The veterans urged the central and state governments to take note of their concerns.
“We urge the powers that be at the Centre and in the States to take note of our concerns and urgently act to uphold our Constitution, both in letter and in spirit.”
Signatories of the open letter included: Lt Col E.N. Ambre, Brig V.K.S. Antony, Maj M.K. Apte, Col C.T. Arasu, Lt Col Israr Asghar, Cdr C.R. Babu, Lt Cdr P.S. Bal, Lt Cdr Rakeh Bali, Maj Gen Dipankar Banerjee, Lt Gen C.A. Barretto, Brig Noel Barretto, Col T.S. Bedi, Surg Cdr P Bellubi, Petty Off Gajanan Bhat I.N., Cdr P.G. Bhat, Gp Capt A.V. Bhagwat, Col V. Bopiah, Maj Gen P.R. Bose, Vice Adm A. Britto, Col R.T. Chacko, Lt Col M. Chandrasekhar, Cdre R. Clarke, Col K.S. Choudhry, Brig T.P.S. Chowdhury, Brig Dileep Deore, Col Samuel Dhar, Lt Gen F.T. Dias, Lt Col A.P. Durai, Gp Capt M.P. Elangovan, Maj Gen Shyamal Ghosh, Col V. Nanda Gopal, Cdre E.C. Govindan, Col V. Govindarajan, Col R.P. Grover, Cdre P.C. Gulati, Cdr M. Hari, Lt Col Muzaffar Hasan, Brig Prem Hejmadi, AVM Kapil Kak, Col A.T. Kalghatgi, Maj Gen MPS Kandal, Col M.S. Kapoor, Maj Gen T.K. Kaul, Lt Col P.B. Keskar, Lt Col V. Kharkar, Wg Cdr R. Khosla, Brig Anil Malhotra, Col Arun Malhotra, Lt Col R.C. Malhotra, Brig G.K. Malik, Cdre G. Menezes, Wg Cdr S.N. Metrani, Maj G.N. Misra, AVM R.P. Misra, Col Biman Mistry, Col R.B. Mistry, Col A.K. Mitra, Col Pradip Mitra and Maj Gen H. Mukherji.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business Summit, Events

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairing the round table meeting of the FIPIC Summit 2015, in Jaipur
Jaipur:(IANS) Outlining several steps to forge closer cooperation with the Pacific Island nations, India on Friday proposed to create a network of marine biology research stations on them, hold a conference on ocean economy in New Delhi next year and have goodwill visits by its navy.
In his remarks at the second Forum for India-Pacific Island Countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed climate change “a pressing concern for all” and proposed that India will work with the 14 countries “and others for a comprehensive, balanced and fair outcome at COP 21 in Paris”.
On the proposed reforms of the UN Security Council, he asked the 14 countries to “help conclude negotiations at the UN General Assembly” that could see “long awaited reforms come to fruition”, said Anil Wadhwa, secretary (east) in the MEA, briefing reporters later.
Modi also proposed setting up an Institute for Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Research in the region and a network of marine biology research stations on many island nations. He suggested that both sides could begin with research collaboration and capacity building with institutions in India.
He also offered holding an International Conference on “Ocean economy and Pacific Island Countries” in New Delhi in 2016, and for the Indian Navy to provide “direct support and capacity building to island states”, especially for coastal surveillance and hydrographic surveys, like it has done with some Indian Ocean islands.
During goodwill visits, Indian Navy ships could also extend support in areas like healthcare through medical camps on the islands.
India also pitched for cooperation in the sphere of space, to help in making an inventory of land and water resources; fish zoning; forest resources management; coastal and ocean studies; weather and climate change; and, disaster management support. Modi said India could assist in establishing a Space Technology Applications Centre in any one of the countries and enhance support for training in space applications.
Referring to Fiji’s support for India’s Mars Mission, Modi said he hoped to continue receiving support for telemetry, tracking and command for India’s future missions. He said India would be pleased to create capacity in the Pacific Island States to deal with natural disasters, including through human resource development and application of space technology for early warning system and incident response.
Referring to India’s help in capacity building through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) scholarships, he said Fiji will get 110 slots, and the number of slots for the other 13 countries will be doubled from 119 to 238.
India would also offer two scholarships for college education in India to each of the 13 countries that do not receive them yet, while continuing with the 33 scholarships presently offered to Fiji. India will also expand training courses for Pacific Island diplomats and offer a two-week business management course at the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore.
Noting India has trained 43 rural women from eight island countries as solar engineers in the last three years, he now committed to training 70 more women and to provide solar electrification to 2,800 houses – 200 houses in each country.
Modi also announced the setting up of one information technology laboratory in each Pacific Island country to help improve local IT infrastructure as well as enable India to fulfil its commitment of tele-medicine and tele-education.
In the sphere of trade, Modi said that in addition to the FIPIC (Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation) Trade Office in New Delhi, India would support the development of micro, small and medium enterprises and also extend support for purchase of machinery for coconut processing and enhancing rice and sugarcane yields.
On the supply of generic drugs – presently routed through third countries and thus very expensive, he offered setting up a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant and distribution centre in the Pacific Island region. He also said India would offer a Line of Credit for this.
During his visit last November to Fiji, Modi had announced electronic visas for Pacific Island countries and on Friday announced the visas would be gratis.
He said Prasar Bharti, India’s national broadcaster, would gift television and radio programmes on culture, entertainment, news, education, in English and Hindi as well as organise a specialised training programme over the next few months for local broadcasters. India would also support the creation of India Centres through e-libraries and supply books to university libraries.
Modi said the partnership “demonstrates that geography is no barrier to productive partnerships of convergent interests and shared challenges. This partnership will be of great relevance to all of us in the 21st century”.
“We see this as a partnership of equals, driven by similar aspirations, in which we will all be more successful by being together.”