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Kerala: Woman pretends to be an advocate for 2 years, flees with rare books and documents after anonymous letter exposes her

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Woman pretends to be an advocate for 2 years, flees with rare books and documents after anonymous letter exposes her

A 27-year-old woman, who had been pretending to be a lawyer for the past 2.5 years, fled from the Alappuzha (Aleppey) court in Kerala on Thursday after realising that her game of deceit was over.

As per reports, the accused woman has been identified as one Sessy Xavier. A resident of Ramankary in Kuttanad, Xavier managed to practice law for over 2 years without raising any suspicion. With the help of fake documents, she worked as a junior lawyer under a senior advocate in the Alappuzha court. The accused had even interned under the same lawyer by claiming to be a final-year law student. She even managed to become a member of the Aleppey Bar Association in March 2019 after working with it since March 2018.

During the said period, Xavier appeared in several cases before the court. She was also appointed as Advocate Commissioner in 25 cases. She contested in the Bar Association election in 2021 and was elected as the librarian. However, the case of deceit and fraud came to an end when the Bar Association received an anonymous letter on July 15. The letter claimed that Sessy Xavier did not have any law degree or enrollment certificate. During the probe, it was discovered that she had been practising law using the enrollment number of another advocate based in Thiruvananthapuram.

Bar council terminates membership of fake lawyer

It was also found that she never enrolled with the Kerala Bar Council. The woman had misled her friends and family into believing her concocted story. She had initially claimed to have studied law in Thiruvananthapuram but later maintained that she continued her law degree in Bengaluru. As such, the Bar Association immediately terminated her membership and notified the District Judge regarding the matter. Sessy Xavier did not respond to the notice sent by the Bar Association and failed to provide any explanation.

Police files case, accused absconds from court premises

The Bar Association also filed a complaint with the local police, wherein it alleged that the accused stole books and rare documents as a librarian. It is believed that the woman had destroyed her fake certificates before absconding from the law enforcement authorities. The police have registered a case against Sessy Xavier under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 417 (cheating), 419 (cheating by personation), and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property). The cops have also pressed charges for theft.

On Thursday (July 22), the accused reached the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I in Alappuzha with an intention to surrender. Reportedly, she hoped to seek bail before the Court. However, on realising that a First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against her for non-bailable offences, she fled through the backdoor with the help of some unidentified advocates. Sessy Xavier is still on the run from law enforcement and the cops are yet to trace her down.

Gang rape victim threatened by police in Bengal, attempt to intimidate her for registering complaint against TMC leaders, say activists

OpIndia Staff
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Gang rape victim threatened by police in Bengal, attempt to intimidate her for registering complaint against TMC leaders, say activists

A gang-rape victim in West Bengal was allegedly threatened by West Bengal police for registering a complaint against TMC leaders.

Supreme Court Advocate Monika Arora alleged that a gang-rape victim from Birbhum, West Bengal, was threatened by the police officers for registering a complaint against ruling Trinamool Congress leaders, who had allegedly gang-raped her.

The police officials from Shantiniketan visited the victim’s residence on Friday and terrorised her for accusing TMC leaders of gang-raping her, Advocate Monika Arora said in her tweet. The police officials allegedly warned her, saying that they would take her to the police station on Friday night in response to her accusations.

Dr Shruti Mishra, a Professor at Delhi University and an activist, shared an audio clip in which the victim was heard narrating her ordeal.

“Instead of providing justice to the victim woman, the police has reached to arrest the victim at 8 o’clock in the night,” said Dr Shruti Mishra in her tweet.

In the audio clip shared by Dr Mishra, the victim, who is terrified, can be heard narrating her ordeal in a hushed voice. The victim says six police officials from the Shantiniketan police station had reached her house and threatened her father, saying they would take her daughter to the police station.

The victim said that the police are asking her to visit the police station at 8:00 PM on Friday to inquire about the gang-rape case. The victim in the audio says she could not identify the police officers as they were not carrying their official badges.

Following the horrific incident, activists Monika Arora and Dr Shruti Mishra have requested the centre and National Human Rights Commission to take cognizance of the matter and offer protection to the victim.

Political violence, gang-rapes in West Bengal

Following the victory of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, large scale political violence ensued in the state.

Horror stories of violence emerged from the state that included assault, rape, police apathy against women in West Bengal. The women had moved the Supreme Court narrating details of the horrifying crimes they were subjected to. The victims had sought SIT probe into all the incidents as well as the inaction of the police.

Model says Raj Kundra’s assistant wanted her to get nude during auditions, says she is receiving threats, abusive calls

OpIndia Staff
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Model says Raj Kundra’s assistant wanted her to get nude during auditions, says she is receiving threats, abusive calls

Model Sagarika Shona Suman has made stunning allegations against Raj Kundra, husband to Shilpa Shetty, who is currently involved in a pornography scandal. Sagarika Shona has claimed Umesh Kamat, Raj Kundra’s former personal assistant, demanded that she get naked during an audition.

“He told me I have to audition online, and I was ready for it because during the lockdown all auditions were happening online. When the audition started, he demanded I take my clothes off and that is when I refused to go ahead,” said Sagarika.

According to Sagarika, there were three individuals on the other end of the call and one of them she figures was Raj Kundra. She stated, “I am not sure if he was Raj, his face was covered with a mask, however, the figure and the body structure did look like him. It was Umesh Kamat who asked me to strip and pose nude on the video call.”

She is discussing the future course of action with her lawyers. Sagarika Shona said that there were others who were involved in the pornography racket. According to her, they were not victims but active participants.

“There are many more people who are making porn films. There are nearly 30 others who are not just victims, but they are a part of the Kundra-led porn racket. These actors are actively promoting and shooting porn and then sharing uncut clips on their Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts, which in turn drive huge traffic to apps like HotShots and HotHits. These people should also be arrested, and their roles probed by the police,” she stated.

The model has said that following her allegations against Kundra, she has been receiving threatening calls and also vulgar and abusive calls. “I am disturbed and depressed because I am getting calls from different online platforms. They are threatening me. I am getting threats of death and rape. People are calling me from different numbers and asking me what wrong has Raj Kundra done,” she stated.

She said, “They are threatening me and accusing me of shutting down their business. They even said that you people watch porn films that’s why we are making it.”

The model first made the allegations in February 2021, months before the pornography racket broke out in the open. She had said, “This happened in August during the lockdown. I got a call from Umesh Kamat. They told me that they are making a huge web series, which is owned by Raj Kundra. He said that together with us you will get a very big hike. He told that the web series is based on love stories. I accepted the offer. He then said that he would take the audition on a video call. When the turn came for the audition, he demanded a nude audition from me.”

The case against Raj Kundra

On Monday, the British-Indian businessman and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty – Raj Kundra was arrested by the Mumbai Police on charges of creating pornographic films and publishing them through mobile apps.

According to reports, Raj Kundra is accused of being a key conspirator in creating and published pornographic content online. The Mumbai Police officials investigating the porn film racket case involving Raj Kundra have alleged that he has made over 100 porn movies in the last one-and-a-half-year.

The Crime branch officials said they have recovered “huge data” of porn movies, running into terabytes (TB) during their raids at Raj Kundra’s office in Andheri West, Mumbai. The police have also seized the server and devices allegedly used to store this data. At least 70 adult movies have been recovered from the server.

The Mumbai officials alleged that Raj Kundra entered the porn industry in August 2019 and earned crores through them. The arrest of Raj Kundra comes months after Mumbai Police had initiated a coordinated probe into the porn film racket case. The case is under investigation since the beginning of this year.

Kerala witnesses dramatic spike in dowry payments; Sikhs, Christians top the list

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala witnesses dramatic spike in dowry payments; Sikhs, Christians top the list

Although the dowry system has been rendered illegal by the Indian government in 1961, the exploitative tradition continues to be practised across the country. In a new study published on the World Bank blogs, it was found that Sikhs and Christians constitute the highest dowry payers in India. It was also revealed that Kerala had the highest dowry inflation compared to other States.

The study titled, “The evolution of dowry in rural India: 1960-2008” was authored by a group of economists, namely, S. Anukriti, Nishith Prakash, Sungoh Kwon, and published on June 30 this year. The authors relied on the data provided by the 2006 Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS), which found that dowry was paid in 95% of marriages between 1960 and 2008. The data was collected from 40,000 marriages in 17 states that roughly comprise about 96% of the population.

After crunching the data, the authors concluded that dowry was prevalent among adherents of all major religions in India. The study broke the long-held myth that the dowry system was limited only to the Hindu community. Despite the Hindu population comprising 89% of the original sample (40,000 marriages), it was found that the net dowry was the highest for the Sikh and Christian communities. Both these religious groups witnessed a drastic growth in net inflation in dowry payments. Interestingly, even the Muslim community surpasses the Hindu community in dowry payments around the years 2002-2003.

Net dowry for major religious groups between 1960-2008 (Graph Courtesy: World Bank blogs )

The State-wise data for dowry inflation put India’s most literate State under the scanner. The authors noted, “Kerala exhibits stark and persistent dowry inflation since the 1970s and has the highest average dowry in recent years. Other states with inflationary trends are Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat. Given Kerala’s religious composition—26% Muslims, 18% Christians, and 55% Hindus—this trend is compatible with the differential trends by religion described earlier.”

Net dowry for various States between 1960-2008 (Graph Courtesy: World Bank blogs )

The study also noted that the average net dowry has stabilised over the years, with a spike prior to 1975 and after 2000. It must be mentioned that the average net dowry is calculated by subtracting the value of gifts given to the groom by the bride’s family and the gifts given to the bride by the groom’s family. The researchers found that the value of gifts from the groom’s side was relatively smaller than that received by him. “While on average, a groom’s family spends about Rs. 5,000 (in real terms) on gifts to the bride’s family, gifts from the bride’s family cost seven times more, that is, about Rs. 32,000, implying an average real net dowry of Rs. 27,000,” the study concluded.

Ravindra Jadeja shows how to bat against left-wing outrage mob, why others should follow

Jinit Jain
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Ravindra Jadeja shows how to bat against left-wing outrage mob, why others should follow

After Chennai Super Kings southpaw Suresh Raina got attacked online for asserting his Brahmin identity, his friend and fellow CSK player Ravindra Jadeja demonstrated how to tackle the menace of leftist trolls on social media platforms.

In utter defiance of the backlash that Raina faced for calling himself a Brahmin while commenting during a match in Tamil Nadu Premier League, Ravindra Jadeja, who is also a part of the Indian Cricket Team and is currently on tour to England for the upcoming test series, posted a tweet where he called himself a ‘proud Rajput boy’.

“#RAJPUTBOY FOREVER. Jai Hind,” Jadeja tweeted.

Jadeja’s bold tweet betrays that he cares two hoots about the outrage that would inevitably follow after he unabashedly asserted his Rajput identity. It shows his haughty disregard of the leftwing users, who have made it their profession to attack those who are proud of their Hindu roots and cultural heritage.

For some time now, the leftist trolls on social media platforms have attacked notable celebrities who have not shied away from expressing their caste and Hindu identity. These trolls not only resort to abusing, threatening and berating such personalities online but they also indulge in promoting “cancel culture” against them and encouraging their social ostracism, simply because their ideology did not converge with their’s.

However, Jadeja has a way to deal with such nasty leftwing trolls—instead of ducking their attacks on the back foot or slavishly heeding to their demands, the all-rounder suggests that one should take them on the front foot and hit them out of the park(metaphorically), without bothering about the consequences.

With his tweet, Jadeja displayed that the only way to fight the scourge of leftist trolls on social media websites is by unapologetically wearing one’s caste/identity on their sleeve, instead of forfeiting one’s identity and meekly surrendering to their outrage. As such, this is not the first time that Jadeja has been unapologetic about his caste. In April 2020 too, Jadeja’s sword-wielding and “Rajput Boy” assertion has raised the hackles of the leftist ideologues and trolls on social media.

Jadeja’s defiance should be aped by others as well because if they keep humouring unreasonable demands made by the leftwing trolls, it will not only legitimise their outrage, but will also embolden them to continue indulging in such perverse conduct. It is time that the leftwing ideologues and their piddly trolls on social media are made to realise that they have no business to dictate and regulate people from asserting their religious and cultural indentity online.

Suresh Raina attacked by leftists on social media for asserting his Brahmin identity

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina landed in a controversy after a commentary during Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) where he asserted his Brahmin identity and said that he relates to the culture of Chennai. He has been an integral part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and was speaking about his connection with Chennai.

Raina, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, said, “I think, I am also Brahmin. I have been playing since 2004 in Chennai, I love the culture… I love my teammates. I have played with Anirudha Srikanth, Badri (Subramaniam Badrinath), Bala Bhai (L Balaji)… I think you need to learn something good from there. We have a good administration, we have the license to explore ourselves. I love the culture there, and I’m lucky to be part of CSK. Hopefully, we will play more matches there.”

However, he was subsequently attacked on Twitter where he was accused of being ‘casteist’, just because he said he was a Brahmin.

‘CM Amarinder Singh managed the farmers and sent them to Delhi’: Former Congress Punjab chief’s speech raises questions

OpIndia Staff
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‘CM Amarinder Singh managed the farmers and sent them to Delhi’: Former Congress Punjab chief’s speech raises questions

Former Congress Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar made a startling revelation on Friday during the Congress ceremony to commemorate the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the new state party chief. Sunil Jakhar said that Captain Amarinder Singh handled the farmer protests ably and if anyone else were the Chief Minister, then the Punjab government would have borne the brunt of the farmers’ anger rather than the central government.

Jakhar said, ‘The farmer protesters have entered BJP’s house but if BJP is unable to oust them, it is because the whole of Punjab is standing by the protesters. If someone else was the Chief Minister at that moment, the slogans that are being raised against the BJP would have been raised against us. He (Amarinder Singh) handled them brilliantly and sent them there (Delhi border)’.

Sunil Jakhar said that if the situation was not handled aptly, then the Punjab Government would have suffered the wrath of the anti-farm law protesters. The comments are being interpreted by people as an admission that the Congress party sent the farmers to protest at the Delhi Border.

The protests have turned into a crime zone, with sexual harassment, murder and assault being reported from the protest sites. Navjot Singh Sidhu was appointed the Congress party chief in Punjab amidst his quarrel with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. There are reports of infighting in the party amidst the squabble between Sidhu and Singh.

Thousands of Afghans who worked for US troops now face Taliban’s death trap, US govt announces Operation Allies Refuge

OpIndia Staff
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Thousands of Afghans who worked for US troops now face Taliban’s death trap, US govt announces Operation Allies Refuge

Sohail Pardis, an Afghan translator for the US army, was beheaded by the Taliban terrorists in Kabul on May 12. The Taliban terrorists had later in June assured that they would not harm the people working alongside the foreign forces. 

As per a CNN report, Pardis on his way back home for Eid celebrations was driving, when his vehicle was blocked at a checkpoint by the Taliban.

As he approached the checkpoint, he accelerated to speed through but the Taliban shot at his car. The vehicle swerved and stopped and Padris was pulled out of the car by the terrorists. Villagers who witnessed the incident revealed that Padris was instantly beheaded.

As per the CNN report, just days before the incident, Padris had informed his friends that he was receiving death threats from the Taliban. They had discovered that Padris had worked as a translator for the United States Army for 16 months during the 20-year-long conflict.

“They were telling him you are a spy for the Americans, you are the eyes of the Americans and you are infidel, and we will kill you and your family,” said his friend and co-worker Abdulhaq Ayoubi to CNN.

Afghans feel the US abandoned them

After the US pulled itself out of the war zone, the Afghans say they have been left in a death trap. 

Pardis’s incident has put the other Afghans who worked for the US troops in fear. As many as 18,000 Afghans who worked for the US military in various roles have applied for a Special Immigrant Visa program that would enable them to take refuge in the United States.

However, the number of these people is not restricted to just 18,000 and not all will be accepted by the US, as per reports. Several of these interpreters and translators have been abandoned and rejected by the US owing to their faulty military tests and security checks. 

Several translators in an interview with CNN revealed that the Afghan workers had to undergo polygraph tests for getting security clearance before working at the US bases in Afghanistan. The same polygraph tests which the workers term unreliable were also used as part of the screening process to apply for the visa. 

However, hundreds of translators were ripped off their work and denied the Special Immigration Visa (SIV) for failing the test.

One such example is of Abdul Rashid Shirzad who served for five years as a linguist working alongside America’s military elite, translating for US Special Forces. He even produced photographs of his time on missions in the Kejran Valley in Uruzgan province working with the US Navy’s SEAL Team 10. 

However, Shirzad believes his service has been repaid with a death sentence. The US government rejected his Special Immigrant Visa, making him a potential target for the Taliban. 

His visa rejection letter from the US Embassy simply said “lack of faithful and valuable service” despite having letters of appreciation by the US military for his service. 

“If they catch me they’re going to kill me, kill my kids and my wife too. It’s payback time for them you know,” he said. Shirzad can no longer go back to his home province and keeps moving locations with his family every month, the CNN report revealed.

Another translator Ayazuddin Hilal in an interview with ABC News narrated how they have been receiving death threats from the Taliban. “Your brothers have left. Now we will kill you,” said Hilal quoting the threat he received from the terrorists. 

ABC’s report on Afghani translators who worked for the US Military

Criticizing the slow and complicated process to get SIV, Hilal said that his application has been rejected four times as death looms over. 

At least 300 Afghan interpreters have been killed since 2016 by the Taliban, as per reports.

Pardis’ friend and co-worker Ayoubi also informed that he failed a polygraph test and was terminated despite being awarded a medal for helping to save an American sergeant who had stepped on a bomb.

“I thought we would have a beautiful Afghanistan. We never thought of this situation like now,” he remarked. 

US says they are vetting visas 

“We have long said we are committed to supporting those who have helped US military and other government personnel perform their duties, often at great personal risk to themselves and their families,” said a US spokesperson negating the claims of the Afghans. 

As per the report, the vetting process for visas is lengthy and complex. Every applicant is re-assessed on whether they pose a risk to the national security of the US.

Assessing the risk, the White House on July 14 said that it was launching, “Operation Allies Refuge,” an effort to relocate the thousands of Afghan interpreters and translators who worked for the US considering lives are now at risk. 

 White House press secretary Jen Psaki in a briefing had said, “The evacuation will begin in the last week of July for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants.”

US President Joe Biden on July 8 assured to rescue Afghan interpreters and their families who had worked alongside American troops in Afghanistan. “Our message to those women and men is clear: There is a home for you in the United States if you so choose and we will stand with you, just as you stood with us,” he said.

Recently, the US Defense Department has announced that in the initial phase, as many as 2500 Afghan citizens will be flown in as a part of ‘Operation Allies Refuge’ and will be housed at Fort Lee, Virginia till their visa formalities are completed.

“At Fort Lee, the Army will provide food and housing for both individuals and families. The Army will also provide medical care if it is needed”, a US Defense statement has said.

Supreme Court dumps IIT study that showed firecrackers are not a major cause of pollution, dismisses plea challenging ban on sale

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court dumps IIT study that showed firecrackers are not a major cause of pollution, dismisses plea challenging ban on sale

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed challenging the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order on the ban on the sale of firecrackers. While dismissing the petition, the apex court also dumped a study by IIT Kanpur which had shown that firecrackers are not among the top pollutants.

A Bench comprising of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Sanjiv Khanna was hearing an appeal filed by firecracker sellers. In a plea to reconsider the ban, Advocate Sai Deepak representing an individual seller had argued that an IIT-Kanpur report does not list firecrackers even in the list of top 15 contributors to air pollution.

However, the court refused to accept the IIT study, saying they don’t need IIT to know that firecrackers cause pollution. Justice Khanwilkar lashed out at the study saying, “Do you need IIT to understand that firecrackers impact your health? Ask someone staying in Delhi what happens during Diwali.”

The Bench while dismissing the plea said the authorities may permit the sale and use of firecrackers if the air quality (AQI) improves. 

“Ban is only defendant on air category. If its severe it will not be not allowed. Ban is only where quality is poor. When the air quality is moderate green crackers are allowed. In other areas it is allowed,” the Court observed.

While announcing the order, the Bench made it clear that no interference is warranted in the current resolution.

“NGT Order is a graded approach taken by the Tribunal to the prevailing situation. No clarification needed. It was expressed that manufacturing activities will also be prohibited in the concerned area if the AQ falls. The (NGT) order does not deal with that. If the situation is covered by earlier general directions of this court, it must be followed in letter and spirit. these appeals are devoid of merit and are dismissed,” the Court ordered.

IIT-Kanpur report

A 2017 IIT-Kanpur report had revealed that the burning of firecrackers was one of the least contributors to air pollution in the national capital. As per the report, evidence suggests that construction dust may be the biggest culprit when it comes to air pollution followed by vehicular pollution and bad infrastructure.

Experts had observed that the air quality of the NCR had deteriorated despite no firecracker being burnt at the time of the study. The air in fact was the cleanest in the week of Diwali suggesting that the rise in pollutant values was observed during the peak of the winter season.

Tamil Nadu: Hindu activist and Indu Makkal Katchi Chief Arjun Sampath arrested for protesting against destruction of temples in Coimbatore

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: Hindu activist and Indu Makkal Katchi Chief Arjun Sampath arrested for protesting against destruction of temples in Coimbatore

Hindu activist and Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) Chief Arjun Sampath was arrested in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, for protesting against the Coimbatore Corporation and the Tamil Nadu government against the demolition of the Hindu temples on the banks of Muthannankulam pond in the city recently.

On Friday, Indu Makkal Katchi took to Twitter to say that Tamil Nadu police arrested Arjun Sampath for protesting against Coimbatore civic body for carrying out a demolition drive against seven Hindu temples including the Angalamman temple along the Muthanankulam bund in the city.

In a tweet, IMK said that Arjun Sampath was peacefully protesting against the temple demolition site, and he was arrested by Coimbatore Police. They also demanded the immediate release of the IMK leader and urged Coimbatore Corporation to rebuild the temple where it was destroyed.

Earlier this week, IMK Chief Arjun Sampath had requested Hindu devotees to assemble outside the demolished temple premises on July 23rd as a mark of protest. He had said worship and Parikara Puja would be done at the site of the temple demolition site on Friday.

Demolition drive of temples in Coimbatore

Last week, several Coimbatore civic body officials landed near Muthanankulam bund to carry out demolition drives of seven temples. In the presence of officials, earthmovers demolished Amman Kovil, Bannari Amman Kovil, Angala Parameswari, Karupparayan Kovil, Muneeswaran Kovil and a few other temples. 

Six of the remaining idols present inside these temples were given away to the public, while officials took away one idol to keep at the corporation office. Last year, the corporation had also moved nearly 2,400 families from the tank bund after demolishing their houses, citing encroachment of the lake.

They were provided with alternative housing by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board.

The demolition of seven temples, especially a 100-year-old, had fueled massive outrage on social media platforms. Netizens had accused MK Stalin-led DMK government of attacking century-old Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier this week, several Hindu activists had taken to the streets of Coimbatore to protests against the demolition drive of Hindu temples. The Hindu activists members of Hindu Munnani protested outside the corporation office at Town Hall in Coimbatore to condemn the civic body for the demolition drive.

Why His Holiness the Dalai Lama deserves the Bharat Ratna: India will be honouring its own traditions of Karuna and Ahimsa

Tsewang Rigzin
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Why His Holiness the Dalai Lama deserves the Bharat Ratna: India will be honouring its own traditions of Karuna and Ahimsa

No individual of the 20th Century inspired more people than Mahatma Gandhi did. He brought back the Indian tradition of Ahimsa (nonviolence) in the arena of political struggle – an idea that changed the world from civil rights movements in the US to the Solidarity movement in Poland and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Albert Einstein, another equally prominent figure of the 20th Century, stated that “Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a man as this one, ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

Despite becoming the most prominent symbol of peace, Mahatma Gandhi was never awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. There were several hypotheses as to why Norwegian committee members made that omission. One of them was that the Norwegian committee did not want to make the British angry. Whatever the reason/s be, Michael Sohlam, the Executive Director of the foundation, publicly declared that “…We missed a great laureate, and that’s Gandhi. It is a big regret”.

Among several world leaders inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet is one of them. His Holiness has said on numerous occasions that he considers himself as Gandhi’s follower. Time magazine named The Dalai Lama as Gandhi’s spiritual heir to nonviolence. In his acceptance speech, when His Holiness was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, he paid tribute to Gandhi by saying that “the prize is a tribute to the man who founded the modern tradition of nonviolent action for change, Mahatma Gandhi whose life taught and inspired me.”

A son of India from the land of snow

When speaking to millions of his followers or to a group of small gatherings of influential individuals, His Holiness often identifies himself as a ‘Son of India.’ In his own words, His Holiness said, “I also consider myself as the son of India as every part of my brain cells are filled with ancient Indian knowledge, and my body is because of Indian rice and dal.” Since he escaped from the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959, His Holiness has lived in India for about 62 years now. His Holiness’s four principal Commitments — the promotion of human values; promotion of religious harmony; preservation of Tibetan culture; and reviving ancient Indian knowledge based on the Nalanda tradition, fundamentally promote ancient Indian values, are missions which His Holiness has dedicated his life to.

Whenever he met with some of the most influential world leaders or the general public, he praised and promoted Indian virtues with utmost sincerity and clarity. No other individual of our time, in my assessment, did more in promoting India’s positive image through the thousand-year tradition of compassion (Karuna) and nonviolence (Ahimsa) around the world than His Holiness The Dalai Lama of Tibet. The world recognized his efforts and awarded him some of the most prestigious awards, such as the Nobel Peace Prize (1989), United States Congressional Gold Medal (2007), and several Honorary citizenships from several countries and Honorary Doctorates from many universities. 

Bharat Ratna and His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, has the sole purpose of recognizing individuals who have made “an exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.” A number of Indian intellectuals and thinkers have opined that the Tibetan spiritual leader deserves the Bharat Ratna for spreading the message of peace and Karuna all his life.

Shanta Kumar, a senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, submitted to the Indian Government a letter signed by the MPs of several political parties recommending Bharat Ratna for Dalai Lama in 2019. A 2021 nationally representative survey conducted in India by IANS indicates that 62% of Indians support the motion of conferring Bharat Ratna to His Holiness.  

But then why was His Holiness not awarded with Bharat Ratna so far? To put it simply, I would argue that the Indian Government is being over cautious by believing that doing so will trigger a strong response from China. While it may be a practical concern, however, we must be very clear that the purpose of awarding the Bharat Ratna to His Holiness should not be to gain some geopolitical points or to anger China but to recognize His Holiness’s unparalleled contribution toward the promotion of compassion and nonviolence.

Awarding Bharat Ratna to His Holiness to gain or send a political message to China, as opined by some politicians, is not just a practically counter-productive but also disgrace to India’s highest civilian award – Bharat Ratna and definitely not a way to honour His Holiness’s exceptional service/performance of the highest order. 

Does His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet need Bharat Ratna?

True to the principle of ‘Nishkam Karma Yoga’ (the Yoga of Selfless Action) from Bhagwat Gita, His Holiness’ work in promoting ancient Indian thoughts as an Indian ambassador around the world is truly devoid of any selfish motives. His sole purpose is to contribute to the well-being of all beings. Bestowing or not bestowing any recognition/awards to him does not make much sense to him personally. But it contributes positively to the work His Holiness does in promoting human values such as compassion (Karuna) and nonviolence (Ahimsa).

I agreed with veteran BJP leader Shanta Kumar when he said, “by honouring His Holiness with the Bharat Ratna, India will be honouring itself.” Bestowing Bharat Ratna to His Holiness is actually recognizing the Indian tradition of Karuna (compassion) and Ahimsa (nonviolence). 

The Nobel committee regretted not awarding Mahatma Gandhi with the Nobel peace prize. It was loss not for Gandhi but for the ideals of Ahimsa (nonviolence). In awarding His Holiness the with the Bharat Ratna, we assure that Karuna (compassion) is honored in the land where its ideals are honored for thousands of years. Let’s make that happen. In fact, whose accomplishment and contribution are more appropriate to be honored with the peepal leaf-shaped medallion engraved with the Lion Capital of Ashoka than that of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet? 

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