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The Voice of the Citizens is the Voice of Our Government – Brand Bangalore

The Voice of the Citizens is the Voice of Our Government – Brand Bangalore

by | Oct 9, 2023 | Bangalore Karnataka Congress, Media News, Political News, Politics | 0 comments

Brand Bengaluru envisions a city where pedestrian-friendly roads take center stage, prioritizing the safety and convenience of its residents. Well-planned sidewalks, dedicated cycling lanes, and green spaces encourage active transportation and promote healthier lifestyles. Efficient transportation systems and smart traffic management ensure a faster and seamless commute, reducing congestion and travel times. Integrated public transportation networks, including buses and metro lines, provide convenient and accessible options for all residents. Through effective urban planning and robust stormwater management, Bengaluru aims to eliminate flooding, safeguarding lives and properties. Sustainable drainage systems and water management practices ensure a flood-free environment even during heavy rainfall. Brand Bengaluru is committed to creating a child-friendly city, with parks, playgrounds, and educational spaces designed to nurture the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of children. Safe and inclusive environments encourage learning, exploration, and social interaction. As the thriving hub of Information Technology, Bengaluru continues to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological advancements. It provides a fertile ground for startups to flourish, attracting global talent and investment to fuel the growth of the IT sector. The city’s strong job market offers diverse employment opportunities across sectors, ensuring a vibrant and inclusive economy. Bengaluru promotes skill development, vocational training, and entrepreneurship, empowering individuals and fostering economic growth. Bengaluru envisions itself as a global leader, attracting international collaborations and investments. It embraces cultural diversity, promoting cross-cultural exchange and fostering a global outlook, positioning itself as a cosmopolitan city on the world stage. With a focus on fostering startups and promoting innovation, Bengaluru encourages a culture of creativity and entrepreneurship. Incubators, accelerators, and supportive policies create an ecosystem that nurtures and supports innovative ideas and their transformation into successful businesses. Inclusiveness is a core value of Brand Bengaluru. The city embraces diversity, ensuring equal opportunities and accessibility for all residents. Inclusive policies, barrier-free infrastructure, and social initiatives create an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to the city’s growth. Bengaluru aspires to be a beacon of innovation and progress, where startups, technology, and inclusive growth go hand in hand. It strives to create an ecosystem that fosters collaboration, empowers individuals, and drives positive change for the betterment of its residents and the world.

Kashmir Files: For Electoral Gains in 2024

Kashmir Files: For Electoral Gains in 2024

by | Mar 21, 2022 | Bangalore Karnataka Congress, Political News, Politics | 0 comments

With a resounding victory in recent assembly elections in four of the five states, the BJP has begun preparations for the next Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for 2024. The BJP which has emerged from the womb of RSS as its political outfit has set itself the goal of winning the 2024 elections in any case and before that it is determined to form its government in Kashmir. The resolve to have the entire country under their control is part of a 100-year-old dream of RSS that Modi has set out to fulfil. Alongside, sectarian forces are working to immerse India in Hindutva. Their aim is to generate a climate where Hindus hate Muslims to the core so that all the Hindu votes in the elections are reserved for the BJP party.

The latest endeavour for the accomplishment of the set goals is the film ‘Kashmir Files’ directed by Vivek Agnihotri, and starring Anupum Kher and Mithun Chakraborty, both staunch supporters of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which depict the exodus of Kashmiri pandits during Kashmir insurgency in the year 1990. Immediately after the film’s release, the BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Haryana made it tax-free and the Prime Minister made a lengthy speech in support of the film while addressing the BJP parliamentarians on March 15. He said that those who are opposing the film are the ones who do not want to admit the truth shown in the film. He further said that the film reveals the truth suppressed for years, and more such films need to be made to lay bare the truth to people. The film may be close to the stories of Kashmiri pandits leaving Kashmir, but now it is being used to spread hatred against Muslims in the country. Films like these are very dangerous and detrimental to the country and its unity, no matter how much the Prime Minister likes them. The effect of the Prime Minister’s endorsement of the film has led more and more people of a similar mindset to watch the film and conclude that those who expelled Kashmir pandits out of Kashmir, played with the dignity of their sisters and daughters, were Muslims. Several videos of the reactions of people after watching the film have gone viral. In one video people coming out of the cinema halls after watching the film are seen shouting slogans like ‘shoot the traitors of the country’. In another video, some people are seen chanting the slogans “Vande Mataram” and “ Jai Hind” in front of a movie theatre, and one of them is in a frenzy urging Hindus to stop watching movies starring Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. One video clip shows a man harshly abusing Muslims using profanity without caring about the girls and women present at the place. The anthem of RSS, ‘Namaste Sada Vatsale Matribhume’ was sung in one of the cinema halls. In one of the videos, a man can be seen warning Hindus to be careful of Muslims who could attack them at any time. He was also seen telling the crowd that they had seen stories from Kashmir but such stories could unfold next in Kerala or West Bengal.

Modi is right when he says that truth must come before the country, but such truth should not be one-sided and incomplete. Is it not true that when the exodus of Kashmiri pandits took place, neither Congress was in power at the center, nor National Conference in Kashmir. Is it not true that in 1990, the BJP had supported V.P. Singh to become Prime Minister and the stalwarts of BJP like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani had chosen Jag Mohan, a favourite of RSS, to be the Governor of Kashmir? Was it not Jag Mohan who sent buses and trucks into villages and towns to ferry Kashmiri pandits and drove them away from the Kashmir valley? Is it not a fact that the insurgency in Kashmir in the 1990s was perpetrated by intruders and terrorists from Pakistan and Afghanistan and not by the local Muslims of the valley? Is it not a fact that more than 60,000 local Muslims of the valley were killed by terrorists and security forces after the Kashmiri pandits left the valley and that the same atrocities that the Kashmiri pandits suffered during their exodus were committed against the Muslims in the valley? If the Prime Minister is keen to convey such truths to the country and the world, should not films be made on the killings and massacres in Nelli in Assam, Meerut, Maliyana, Muradabad, Aligarh, etc.? Will there be films about the massacre of Sikhs? Will films be made on the truth of the heinous and shameful acts at Godhra Station and the massacres that ensued across Gujarat when Modi himself was the Chief Minister of the state Could Indians expect films about the massacres that took place under the guise of riots in many parts of the country following the demolition of Babri Masjid and the subsequent bomb blasts in Mumbai? Will the reality of Bhagalpur massacre be brought to light through films? Should not the truths behind the riots that took place in different parts of the country during the Rath Yathra of Lal Krishan Advani, the political mentor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, be brought before the Indians through films?

Speaking at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Modi also said that if someone does not like the truth of Kashmir Files, nothing stops such a person from making another film based on his factual knowledge. Such a statement that too by a Prime Minister is extremely irresponsible, inappropriate, and dangerous for the country. Things are changing around the world and people are forgetting past hatred, animosity, and mistakes and trying to move forward with mutual love, respect, and regard for each other. It was with this spirit that Berlin Wall was torn down a few years ago, and the two parts of the country were reunited so that people there could live happily together. It was the same spirit that prompted the white and black people of South Africa to forget the crimes of the apartheid regime reconcile truths and shake hands to move the country towards progress and prosperity. When the situation in different countries is such for reconciliation between individuals and communities to live in a peaceful and amicable atmosphere, the stand of our Prime Minister calling for anyone to make films on explosive issues that generate mutual hate between communities does not seem appropriate. Should it be the wisdom of the country’s greatest leader to ask the wounds to keep bleeding and rub salt on them from time to time to spread hatred between different communities? Alas, when leaders take such stands, God bless our country. God save India.

A Caveat To BJP Leadership – The current government under Mr. Narendra Modi is the first government in post- independent India that is resolutely bent upon destroying the democratic and federal systems in the country.

A Caveat To BJP Leadership – The current government under Mr. Narendra Modi is the first government in post- independent India that is resolutely bent upon destroying the democratic and federal systems in the country.

by | Sep 6, 2021 | Bangalore Karnataka Congress, Media News, Politics | 0 comments

Mohammed Obaidulla Sharief Chief Editor, The Daily Pasban

The current government under Mr. Narendra Modi is the first government in post- independent India that is resolutely bent upon destroying the democratic and federal systems in the country. Apparently, it claims to respect constitutional values but in reality, believes in taking measures that are unconstitutional. It harbours antipathy to strengthening democratic and federal structures. It cannot withstand anyone who points out a finger at the policies made by it. It feels revulsion when controversial provisions of parliamentary bills or enactments are objected to. The ultimate intent of the party in power at the center is to form its governments in all the states by deploying all means whether justifiable or otherwise. In the states where the party is out of power, it is making all bids to deprive the state governments of their legitimate powers and rights. This is done by resorting to different arm-twisting techniques, sometimes by denying the budgetary allocations for the schemes or through some other means.

The rationale behind such tricks is to tarnish the image of the governments of the opposition parties in the non-BJP ruled states so that in the next polls the BJP could reap the electoral benefits in those states. The attitude shown by the government in the last monsoon session of the Parliament compels everyone to think that Mr. Narendra Modi is running a dictatorship in the guise of democracy. The opposition parties were seeking answers from the government to various issues such as pegasus surveillance, farmers agitations, rising prices of diesel, petrol, and essential commodities but the government turned a deaf ear to the questions. The arrogant behavior of the government has disappointed not only the citizens of the country but also the BJP members who revere the democratic spirit. These members of the ruling party instead of registering their dislike for the behavior of the government in the close-doors have come out in public to do so. These members alongside have counseled the opposition parties that their acts of creating ruckus and tearing the controversial bills will damage democracy and lower the prestige of the country before the international community.

Among such members, Mr. Nitina Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, is one who has tried to awaken the conscience of the leaders of his party to the democratic traditions. It is his courageous nature that has propelled Mr. Gadkari to point out a finger at the Prime Minister of the country else there is no one in the party who has the nerve to express his opinion on Narendra Modi and Amit Shah leave alone opposing them. Mr. Gadkari‘s statement on the most strong leader of the BJP and the Prime Minister has been so powerful that it has rekindled hope in the opposition which prior to Mr. Gadkari’s articulation had fallen into slumber under the perception of helplessness. The union minister has spelled out how the behavior of the people in power and the opposition should be and has suggested that lessons should be drawn from the lives and styles of governance of Jawaharlal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee as they were paragons of Indian Democracy. They showed us the ways to promote and safeguard democracy. Mr. Gadkari by denoting Mr. Nehru as a person of high caliber has proved that the efforts of the entire BJP team in trying to project Modi as a savior is not a proper disposition. His declaration that it is the duty of the government to run the parliament proceedings and if the house lands in disorder it is the failure of the government is a correct proposition in terms of parliamentary temperaments. The opposition has an obligation to question the policies of the government.

Undoubtedly, the bold and brave statement of Mr. Gadkari must have made Narendra Modi and Amit Shah get goosebumps but they cannot do anything as the remarks of Gadkari are nothing short of realities. Other than that, Mr. Gadkari enjoys the support of the RSS which constraints Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to take any action against the union minister. If such a statement had come from any other person in the BJP that member would have received a termination order in no time. While reacting to the worsening conditions and the deteriorating parliamentary values, Mr. Gadkarihas commented that the ruling party and the opposition should introspect and learn to behave in a dignified manner. He informed that Nehru always respected Vajpayee and used to say that opposition is necessary for a healthy democracy.

In a programme organized by the Hindi News channel “News Nation’, Mr. Gadkari said that Nehru and Vajpayee always said that they would uphold democratic values. Declaring Nehru as a person of extraordinary merit and caliber is no less important when it has come from a person like Gadkari who is known to have vast knowledge about politics and its dynamics. When everyone in his own party is trying to defame Nehru, the stand of Gadkari in uncloaking the traits of Nehru in promoting and safeguarding democracy calls everyone to correct their estimations about Nehru. By holding a mirror to the realities, Mr. Gadkari has revealed that the strengthening of democracy can only bolster the progress and development of India Even the slightest error in our endeavours could prove dangerous to the integrity and unity of the country. All said and done, governments will come and go but everyone whether he is a leader or an ordinary citizen must serve the country to make it great. In the words of the famous poet Raahat Indori:

Jo Aaaj Saheb-e-Masnad Hain Kal Nahi Honge
(Those on the throne today, may not be there tomorrow)
Kirayedaar Hani Zati Makkan Thodi Hai
Tenants (after all), not the owners of (any) personal property

Is India Heading In The Right Direction? What Ideologies Are Governing Us?

Is India Heading In The Right Direction? What Ideologies Are Governing Us?

by | Mar 12, 2021 | Bangalore Karnataka Congress, Media News, Political News | 0 comments

Mohammed Obaidulla Sharief Chief Editor, The Daily Pasban

In his latest tweet, Munawar Faruqi, the popular stand-up comedian, has announced that he will no longer perform comedy shows. His words are: “Putting me in the jail for the joke I never did to cancelling my show which has nothing problematic in it. This is unfair………I think this is the end…..You guys were wonderful audience. Goodbye! I’m done.”These are the words of disappointment from an artist whose face always beams with smiles and who has tried to tickle through his performances, smiles, and laughter in his audience. The manner in which the laughter show of the artist scheduled in Bangalore on November 28 was cancelled on the basis of frivolous reasons intended to highlight a particular ideology, indicates where our country is heading. Someone in the ‘Wire’ (Urdu version) has commented that after the cancellation of Munawar Faruqi’s show by the Bangalore police, it is evident that India is losing the status of a State based on its constitutional values but is heading towards becoming a country hinged on the philosophy of a particular community. The cancellation of the show has also proven beyond doubt that law enforcement
and administrative authorities who should take unbiased stands on issues have become susceptible to passionately playing the roles of volunteers for some organizations and their affiliates.

Munawar Faruqi is a cheerful person with smiles always radiating from his face. He portrays the socio￾political, economic and other realities of modern India in his comedies. He is a writer and a rap singer too and is seen in one of his video songs revealing the harsh experiences of his life in Bombay. His Youtube channel has more than five lakh subscribers, and he is also highly popular on Instagram. The topics of his comedies are other than general subjects and often end without conclusions, leaving the audience to ponder and seek answers and solutions. For instance, in his jokes, he criticizes those Punjabi musical videos that present women as greedy; quips about Indian social websites as dating platforms, and so on. Like artists in other freedom-loving countries, he uses his satirical talents to criticize even the government and was jocular when he recently lamented about the waste of water cannons on protesting farmers.

It appears from the measures against Munawar Faruqi that he is an indirect target to send a subtle message to the citizens at large that the criteria for decision-making at power centres are changing. It is a dangerous trend for Indian democracy. A few cases in point are the recent instructions by the police for Christians in Belgaum to skip prayer meets in the wake of possible threats of attack by right-wing organizations. The stand of police in not acting against those threatening law and order but directing Christians to lay low and opt for online prayers does not bode well for democracy and the protection of human rights. At the periphery, it appears that most of the law enforcement has ascribed to the views of some particular organizations and is in tune with them in considering Christians and Muslims as secondclass citizens and requires a nod from them for performing lawful duties of protecting the rights of the religious minorities. The incident at Gurgaon near Delhi, in which Muslims were prevented from offering Friday prayers but Hindu organizations were granted permission to perform puja and sing bhajans illustrates the shift in the perspective of the authorities. Denial of permissions for the shows of Munawar Faruqi in Mumbai, Kanpur in Chattisgarh earlier and recently in a dozen other cities in the course of two months for likely threats by right wing activists, bears ample testimony to the changed mindsets. These facts also remind of an incident in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh where a University department hosting a talk on an academic subject was treated by the police in much the same way as its Bangalore counterpart. Since, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had objections to the inclusion of a particular speaker in that talk, the police instead of being proactive, forced the University to cancel the event.

The growing connections between law enforcement and some particular organizations and the ascription of the former to the views of the latter, are portending a threat to the Rule of Law in the country as well as to its integrity and stability. Courts have not taken cognizance of these developments, thinking of them as temporary aberrations and would get set right organically with time. But all sensible citizens know that the developments are not transitory deviations but gradual slopes from the summit going down into the abyss.

We can comprehend the gravity of the affairs considering the stand of the Indore police in arresting Munawar Faruqi for an uncommitted offence and applauding the complainants for the objections against him. The words of Munawar Faruqi, mentioned at the beginning of this column, have come out sincerely from the depths of an aching heart, and in miniature outline the prevailing grim state of affairs. There is a crying need that everyone concerned with the protection of the Constitution, enforcement of Rule of Law, safety and integrity of the country, be he a parliamentarian or a legal practitioner or a bureaucrat or a law enforcement official or a democratic-spirited citizen must contemplate about the aforesaid developments and their adverse impact on the society. Needful reforms in a legal manner have to be brought in place to uphold the supremacy of the Rule of Law and to make law enforcement and administration consciously deter from succumbing to pressures, coercion, or arm-twisting from any quarter. Only then it is possible to have a peaceful, healthy, harmonious society as dreamed of by the founding fathers of the Constitution.
Satire in its various forms, such as comedy, parody, jokes, etc. is a tool for highlighting through humour, the social-political and other evils, clamouring for reforms, remedies, corrections, and atonements. It must be encouraged and welcomed with open arms.