Political or Communal Violence in Independent India: What? - Highlights By: Balbir Singh Sooch-Sikh Vichar Manch

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​Clash Between Hindutva and Development In India: What To Do Now?



1. But, “We reduce Indian citizens to categories which can be despised- ‘to dislike somebody or something intensely and with contempt’: Terrorist, Maoist, Islamist, Separatist, Jihadist and so on. This makes it easier for our armies and paramilitaries to kill them,

“Yes, India is a democracy but it’s not really a republic:

2. This story was reported on October 1, 2016: “Four people were left dead and as many as 40 were injured after police opened fire on a protest this morning, according to sources in the Chirudih village near Hazaribagh in Jharkhand. Residents have been protesting the acquisition of land by the National Thermal Power Corporation for their coal mines.”



3. This, the murder of citizens by the state, is actually a regular occurrence in India, in the adivasi belt, the northeast and Kashmir. It is not a ‘national’ issue because the killed are not like us. Also, their resistance hinders our development and our version of nationalism. We refer to their questioning of our consensus as anti-national behaviour.



4. We reduce Indian citizens to categories which can be despised- ‘to dislike somebody or something intensely and with contempt’: Terrorist, Maoist, Islamist, Separatist, Jihadist and so on. This makes it easier for our armies and paramilitaries to kill them, though as Hazaribagh and thousands of such incidents show, we also have zero regard for the poor.



5. When can we, wholly and in full measure, claim to be a republic? Only when the rights and liberties of Indian citizens are respected by the state, without exception. Not steamrolled over regularly, to applause from the media.



6. And when the violation happens, as it can happen anywhere, it is addressed meaningfully and ended. Till that happens, it would be fair to say that India is a democracy. But it is not really a republic. An extract courtesy by: Aakar Patel in Aakarvani | Edit Page, India | TOI: May 14, 2017, 12:01 AM IST



7. Where we are now? Some famous quotes by our freedom fighters may be asking on every ‘Republic Day’.



“Here are some famous quotes by freedom fighters that you can share on Republic Day:



8. "Give me blood, I will give you freedom" -- Subhas Chandra Bose



9. "Patriotism is religion and religion is love for India" -- Bankim Chandra Chatterjee



10. "A country's greatness lies in its undying ideals of love and sacrifice that inspire the mothers of the race" -- Sarojini Naidu



11. "The sanctity of law can be maintained only so as long as it is the expression of the will of the people" -- Bhagat Singh



12. "The shots that hit me are the last nails to the coffin of British rule in India" -- Lala Lajpat Rai



13. "Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it." -- Bal Gangadhar Tilak



14. "Every Indian should now forget that he is a Rajput, a Sikh or a Jat. He must remember that he is an Indian." -- Sardar Patel



15. "If yet your blood does not rage, then it is water that flows in your veins. For what is the flush of youth, if it is not of service to the motherland." -- Chandra Shekhar Azad



16. "Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge... At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom." -- Jawaharlal Nehru



17. "We believe in peace and peaceful development, not only for ourselves but for people all over the world." -- Lal Bahadur Shastri” NDTV



18. Political or Communal Violence in Independent India: What?

Posted on Jan 29, 18 | 7:07 am