India needs more Muslims to get vocal like Maulana Saahib.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Fossil find boosts human self esteem
Year 1992, scientists find fragments of a 4.4 million year old fossil of a creature called Ardipithecus ramidus.
Year 2009, analysis of this fossil brings humans across the world some more self respect, brings mythology hope in its quest of being studied as history and aspiring scientists find new PHD ideas.
Ardi as the fossil has been named is so human like and different from chimps / apes/guerillas that it indicates Humans did not descend from apes and guerillas. It is possible that both humans and apes descended from same ancesstors but Apes are not our ancesstors and that in itself is one of the most liberating thoughts. After all who wants to name the Guerilla sitting in some remote African corner in their family tree !
For detailed information visit links listed below or view the video from Associated Press at the end of this post.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/10/01/hscout631519.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8285180.stm
Year 2009, analysis of this fossil brings humans across the world some more self respect, brings mythology hope in its quest of being studied as history and aspiring scientists find new PHD ideas.
Ardi as the fossil has been named is so human like and different from chimps / apes/guerillas that it indicates Humans did not descend from apes and guerillas. It is possible that both humans and apes descended from same ancesstors but Apes are not our ancesstors and that in itself is one of the most liberating thoughts. After all who wants to name the Guerilla sitting in some remote African corner in their family tree !
For detailed information visit links listed below or view the video from Associated Press at the end of this post.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/10/01/hscout631519.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8285180.stm
Friday, September 25, 2009
Homeless in America
It is a common perception that United States of America is the land of opportunities, a developed nation and therefore poverty is not a concern in this hugely successful country.
The assumption could not be further away from reality. In every country a segment of population is deprived and poor and U.S is no exception. Though there always existed a small segment of homeless people the 1980s (debt due to vietnam war and increasing oil prices led to "stagfltion" - inflation while the economy was still stagnant) saw a surge in homelessness. Today on any given night approximately 750,000 men, women and children are homeless in U.S. The present economic downturn has further aggravated the situation and numbers.
The two main causes of homelessness are unemployment and unaffordable housing. Even if employed, as soon as debt increases to a level where the individual is unable to payoff, homelessness becomes a very real threat and once homeless, it is difficult to maintain a job! On the other hand if homelessness occurs due to unemployment, the day to day practical difficulties of being homeless make it near to impossible to get a job! The homeless individual soon finds himself caught in a vicious cycle that he is unable to break.
The Federal Government, State Governments and several NPOs have come together to help solve the problem of homelessness. Most plans to end homelessness involve following measures:
1) Creating Data Systems
2) Emergency Homeless Prevention Programs that include rent, mortgage and utility assistance; case management and landlord or lender intervention.
3) Building Low cost housing and
4) Transitional housing systems.
While many NPOs and agencies work in this field, one of the notable agnecies is the "National Alliance to End Homelessness" (NAEH). To know more about NAEH please visit their website
http://www.endhomelessness.org/
Note:
The video has been prepared by Richa Vyas and Eric Givens of the Carolina School of Broadcasting. It deals with the struggles of the homeless in the Charlotte region (only).
Information in this post has been take from online resource materials provided by NAEH.
Monday, July 6, 2009
kailash Mansarovar Tour: Shrestha Holidays versus Pilgrims
Choices International has taken up the issue of safety and well being of travellers opting for Adventure Tourism including pilgrimage tours to hazardous locations. This issue came to our notice when some pilgrims to Kailash complained about their tour operator Shrestha Holidays.
It is not our concern to wage war with any individual travel company. We fight for (and not against anybody) the consumer rights of those who approach tours and travels companies.
Though as we said we do not stand against any particular corporate entity, name of Shrestha Holidays often recurrs in our posts mainly owing to their extremely callous interview that will be separately posted in a separate post. We understand that this may have caused inconvenience to Shrestha Holidays and acknowledge their right to respond to complaints against them and therefore we welcomed them to comment on our Blog. We are not interested in a continuous to and fro of charges between shrestha Holidays and travellers who complained agianst them and therefore we shall only allow 2 entries from each party to present their view points.
You can read Shrestha Holiday’s response in the comment section of our Post: Travel Agent (Shrestha Holidays) says dying in Kailash is auspicious. Travellers of the group that complained about Shrestha Holidays has been contacted and their response is awaited.
It is not our concern to wage war with any individual travel company. We fight for (and not against anybody) the consumer rights of those who approach tours and travels companies.
Though as we said we do not stand against any particular corporate entity, name of Shrestha Holidays often recurrs in our posts mainly owing to their extremely callous interview that will be separately posted in a separate post. We understand that this may have caused inconvenience to Shrestha Holidays and acknowledge their right to respond to complaints against them and therefore we welcomed them to comment on our Blog. We are not interested in a continuous to and fro of charges between shrestha Holidays and travellers who complained agianst them and therefore we shall only allow 2 entries from each party to present their view points.
You can read Shrestha Holiday’s response in the comment section of our Post: Travel Agent (Shrestha Holidays) says dying in Kailash is auspicious. Travellers of the group that complained about Shrestha Holidays has been contacted and their response is awaited.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Mansarovar Pilgrim issue to be raised in Indian Parliament
The Plight of Mansarovar Pilgrims it seems will not go unnoticed this time. The news about dangers that these pilgrims face due to lack of regulations on the tour industry has spread like fire on the internet and has been picked up by the print media too.
Choices International has committed itself to supporting the victims and we have done our part (and continue to do so). Letters have bneen sent to prominent BJP leaders like shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shri Advani, Sushama Swaraj Ji and Shri Venkiah Naidu. we have also writtent o the BJP central office and other prominent BJP leaders in the Indian states.
What remains to be seen is will the Indian politicians take the matter seriosuly and raise it in the July Parliamentart Session? We hope they will.
Choices International has committed itself to supporting the victims and we have done our part (and continue to do so). Letters have bneen sent to prominent BJP leaders like shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shri Advani, Sushama Swaraj Ji and Shri Venkiah Naidu. we have also writtent o the BJP central office and other prominent BJP leaders in the Indian states.
What remains to be seen is will the Indian politicians take the matter seriosuly and raise it in the July Parliamentart Session? We hope they will.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Travel Agency declares dying on pilgrimage to Mansarovar auspicious
Those who have been following our Blog know how Shrestha Holidays a travel agency with offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Kathmandu hoodwinked a pilgrip group of 56 promised all kinds of amenities and then blackmailed them for every basic amenities including oxygen. This group was starved for two days, not given enough water, not provided oxygen on time and treated like animals. Due to the travel agency's criminal conduct a middle aged woman almost died while several others fell sick. This Agency was interviewed by a reporter to whom Pradeep Kumar, assistant tour operator of Shrestha Holidays in the capital said :
"Even some in south India consider death during pilgrimage as auspicious........... "
To read the complete interview visit this link:
http://blog.taragana.com/n/death-during-kailash-pilgrimage-is-auspicious-tour-operator-81247/
"Even some in south India consider death during pilgrimage as auspicious........... "
To read the complete interview visit this link:
http://blog.taragana.com/n/death-during-kailash-pilgrimage-is-auspicious-tour-operator-81247/
Saturday, June 13, 2009
More pilgrims die due to criminal neglect by travel agencies
The Harsha family and their pigrim group that we spoke about in our previous post (Criminal Neglect by Travel agency almost kills a pilgrim to Kailash Manasarovar) has decided to speak up and fight the tyranny of travel agencies that blackmail helpless pilgrims stuck at high altitudes and demand extra cash to receive basic facilities (that pilgrims have already paid for to the agency) like oxygen, food and water.
A bright reporter Sudeshna Sarkar from Kathmandu was moved to tears when she heard and saw first hand the plight of these pilgrims to Kailash. She has covered the story and has sworn to expose the blackmailing murderous travel agencies like Shrestha Holidays
You can read the news on following link:
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/another-indian-pilgrim-dies-during-kailash-yatra-lead_100204280.html
A bright reporter Sudeshna Sarkar from Kathmandu was moved to tears when she heard and saw first hand the plight of these pilgrims to Kailash. She has covered the story and has sworn to expose the blackmailing murderous travel agencies like Shrestha Holidays
You can read the news on following link:
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/another-indian-pilgrim-dies-during-kailash-yatra-lead_100204280.html
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Criminal Neglect by Travel agency almost kills a pilgrim to Kailash Manasarovar
A group of 50 pilgrims was cheated, mistreated and exposed to grave danger by their travel agency enroute to Kailash (in the Himalayas).
Hundreds of Hindu pilgrims attempt to visit Kailash Manasarovar - the abode of Lord Shiva and thus the holiest of all pilgrimage sites. These pilgrims are taken to China by travel agencies who have the license to organize tours and operate in China from the Chinese government. When people go through these agencies their passports are not stamped by the Chinese government and separation from the group means they can be apprehended and prosecuted by Chinese government as aliens or illegal travellers. This procedure places pilgrim groups at the travel agencies' mercy who promise the mountain and grudgingly deliver basic necessities like food, water and oxygen at high altitudes where smallest neglect can be fatal.
Recently, a group of 55 pilgrims were victim to such a travel agency, Shreshtha Holidays. The group was grossly ill treated and subjected to criminal neglect almost killing a pilgrim.
The group began its journey to Manasarovar on 31st May. Shreshtha Holidays promised the group amongst other amenities an adequate number of toilet tents, 1 jeep for every 4 pilgrims, an oxygen tank in each jeep, air compressor bags, medical aid and vegetarian food without onion and garlic (the group was of those Hindu Brahmins who consider onion and garlic inauspicious vegetables. The group chose Shreshtha Holidays over other agencies because it promised to provide onion garlic free food). We interviewed some members of this pilgrim group and the ground reality of how Shreshtha Holidays broke all its promises and ill treated these pilgrims including some old people and kids is shocking.
Kailash Manasarovar is at the terrible height of 14947.5 ft above mean sea level. An average human being begins to experience difficulty in breathing and height sickness at 3000m above sea level. Common sense dictates that an agent must carry ample oxygen for every member of the group but Shreshtha Holidays did not deem it necessary. When members of the group began to feel sick they realized there was not enough oxygen. A young boy of 19 years fainted due to lack of oxygen while another middle aged woman almost died due to lack of medical amenities.
The agent did not carry ample oxygen or air compressor bags. He didn’t even have a blood pressure monitor or a stethoscope. As altitudes increased, many travellers began feeling ill. One of the travellers, Mrs. Harsha, had to be admitted to a hospital due to a lack of oxygen and extremely low blood pressure. The travellers approached the agent to help with the transporation and admission of Mrs. Harsha to the hospital, but they found him drunk, incoherent, and useless to any cause; this happened frequently throughout the trip. Mrs. Harsha’s condition would not have worsened as it did if they could have measured her blood pressure earlier and not proceeded to higher altitudes.
At high altitudes, doctors advise travellers to drink plenty of water and pass urine as often as they can. If Mrs. Harsha and many others in the group could have done that much sickness and discomfort could have been avoided. However, the travellers had to ration their drinking water as the agency did not provide them enough drinking water!
The pilgrims were promised that adequate medical help would be available at all times. Not only did that promise turn out false but the group realized to their utter horror that they could not inform the Chinese doctors names of drugs they were allergic to as they had Chinese names in China. Members of the group we interviewed said if they had known they could have researched and found out the Chinese names of drugs they were allergic to. While all members suffered from altitude sickness, Mrs. Harsha’s condition worsened to such degree that her family had to hire a helicopter to bring her down to lower altitude. As we report this she is still under medical observation and her family fears she could have suffered a silent heart attack.
We interviewed the young daughter of Mrs. Harsha (name withheld due to sensitivity) who said she was afraid she would lose her mother. She also informed us (corroborated by other group members) that the Agent was rude, lethargic and callous when asked to help the family procure a helicopter. The family had to pay almost 12,000 US dollars to procure the helicopter. She also said when they asked the Agent if the family of 4 could go together in the copter Agent said yes but when the copter came the pilot refused to allow this young girl and her old grandmother to sit in the copter with her parents. This young lady (daughter of Mrs. Harsha) said to us :
“It is ironical that in God’s land my mother was saved by power of money. I am glad it was my mother who suffered and not mother of those who could not have afforded that copter which saved my Mom’s life.”
This is an outright case of criminal neglect and deficiency in services. We support the group of 55 pilgrims and any other pilgrim who might have faced such adversities during their travel to Manasarovar and encourage them to write to us about their experiences.
The group has written letters to the Indian embassy in China and intends to criminally prosecute the agency. Below is a copy of one of the letters sent to the Embassy from the group:
Date: May 10/11, 2009
To,
The Ambassador
The Indian Embassy
Kathmandu
Nepal
Subject: Deficiency in service, cheating, seizure of passport, threatening by Mr. R Pradhan of Shreshtha Holidays, our travel agent and risking lives of pilgrimages.
Dear sir,
I Rajendra Harsh having passport no. H3325395 with my family members, my wife, Mrs Anjana Harsha, passport no. H3325387 daughter, Miss Soumyaa Harsha passport no. H0227477 and my mother in law, Mrs Tara Joshi passport no. H3925992 have travelled in a group of 55 persons organized by Shreshtha Holidays having offices in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kathmandu and would like to convey the following:
1. Shreshtha holidays charged us Rs 72,000 per person for a trip from Kathmandu to Kathmandu which included our travel to Kailash and Mansarovar, including boarding, lodging and conveyance which included stay at Shangri la hotel in Kathmandu and 2/3 star hotels on the way and camping with bio-toilet during Kailash parikrama. They also assured us that all the land cruisers by which we will be travelling will have oxygen and our group will be provided with doctor with all first aid medical facilities.
2. We reached Kathmandu on 29th May and started our yatra on 31st May. On 30th Mr. R. Pradhan told us that you all will need a special Jacket and for which he would charge us Rs. 450/- per person. He purposely told us just on the eve of departure so that we can not check the rates outside. Later on I came to know that if we would have bought from market it would cost us lesser than the rent he was charging. He also told us on that evening that you need to buy Chinese currency of at least 500/- Yuans if you need pithu during the Yatra and 1000/- Yuan if you need to have both the horse and pithu but this booking he will not do here and will do it during Yatra only. He converted our money Indian Rs to yuan on 30th May in night at the cost of Rs 8/- per yuan. I do not know he had license to do this or not and now I am sure he charged much higher rate than what he should have charged from all of us. Our group must have bought from him at least 40,000 to 50,000 yuans. At that time we never doubted him because it was starting but when I look back I understand that his briefing us at last minute and selling yuan, renting jackets was with shear ulterior motive to cheat us. Our whole group told Mr. Pradhan that we are vegetarian and we do not take onion and garlic. Mr. pradhan assured us the same and told that they will not even carry onion and garlic.
3. On the very first day(31/05/2009) on the way to Kodari he told us that your lives are in danger because ahead on road agitation is going on and villagers have blocked the road and he will negotiate with them so every passanger will have to pay Rs 800/- per person to pay to villagers. His representative Mr. Rawat who was drunk throughout the trip told us that if we do not pay we will have to delay the yatra by one day. We had no choice but had to pay .He took away the money and did not pay anything to villager at least in front of us. I am sure it should have been his responsibility to transport us without any extra charges. He did not inform while booking that it is frequent problem in Nepal and such charges will be extra. He purposely cheated us by creating imaginary problems because when we passed through we did not see any agitating group on the way. Whenever we wanted to talk he was not available and will be seating in some jeep. He would surface only when he wanted some money. We were always left with Sherpas, drivers and one so called captain. Most of them will neither speak English or Hind and we did not know Tibetan or Chinese language.
4. The first day(31/05/2009) we were supposed to cross Chinese border and stay in China but he stopped us at Kodari in Nepal only. In the so called hotel which was worse than a third class lodge had only two toilets and bathrooms for around thirty passengers and the same was the position for balance members of the group. On this first day he did not provide lunch on the way which he was supposed to provide. He did not even provide tea to us in afternoon.
5. Next day(01/06/2009) we were taken to the border of Nepal and China and after crossing the friendship bridge we found that our permit was not available with him. We all had to wait under SUN for nearly 6 hours. He did not provide water, tea and lunch on this day also. On the same day we reached in late evening to Nyalam and he informed us that his food truck has got breakdown and therefore he can not give us dinner also and he did not made any arrangements. It is important to note that such news were always delivered to us through some Sherpa who could not do anything as he did not have any authority. In midnight at 12.00 he woke up and told us that he has arranged Khichadi without any butter, vegetable, pickle or papad. He always use to say us that it is pilgrimage and God makes you to suffer you are not here for food but for bhakti. It is because of me you are getting whatever you have otherwise you will be in horrible position. When we use to argue he will disappear and none of us knew Chinese language so could not communicate anybody ,our permit was with us and visa was not stamped on individual passport and therefore we had no choice but under mental duress had to keep him happy and he exploited us. Because of no lunch last day and no lunch and dinner today two passengers Mr. Vishal Vyas and Mrs. Sadhana Vyas became unconscious and he could not provide doctor or medicine. Luckily we had one doctor who was travelling with us gave some medicine. It was utter negligence and inhumane attitude of Mr. Rawat towards the life of his clients. He neither had medicine and doctor nor had taken it seriously and always use to say have courage such things does happen and you should not bother. In a day or two you will be OK. In Nyalam only my wife also had bad stomach and weakness because of no or improper food and water. After reaching Nayalam we came to know that there is no hot water was available for bathing which he promised to us. He promised us 2 star facilities but here hotel room was shared by around 8-10 person with no attached toilets. There were common toilets which were not clean and had only half partitions. Among 55 of us there were 3 toilets for men and 3 toilets for women and no bathrooms.
6. Next day (2/06/2009) our group was already delayed by one day and he kept us at Nayalam because he did not have bookings for us for next stop. The food which he supplied us was half cooked and gave many a bad stomach.
7. We reached to Saga on 3/06/2009 and according to the brochure and promise we were to stay at a 2 star hotel, but were kept at dormitory- like rooms with no proper sanitation facilities. For toilets we were told to go in open ground where wild dogs were roaming and as we were supposed to leave in morning we had to go for toilets in open grounds when temperatures will be zero or sub zero. We did not have even hot water for going to toilets and we were also not given toilet papers. In such inhumane conditions he kept us which we could not think after giving around INR 80,000 per person and totaling to around 44 lacs of Rupees for one group. We had to buy mineral water, which was supposed to be provided by them. Water was a major problem because to survive at high altitudes one must drink a lot of water. Lack of mineral water made many feel sick.
8. We reached to Prayang on 4/06/2009. Mr. Rawat did not have booking even here and after reaching there he took us to a place which in no sense you can a hotel or lodge. In evening without caring our religious feelings he put onion and garlic in the vegetable and as he used give only one vegetable many of us forced to eat onion garlic because they did not have choice and some did not even food. My wife was one of them who did not eat because of onion. In evening he told us that because of poornima (as if he did not earlier about poornima ) there is shortage of pithus and horses so you will have to pay 1500 yuan for both per person instead of 1000 yuan as expected. He again cheated and charged more money then promised in Kathmandu. Again in Prayang there were no toilet facilities and we had to go to open grounds with wild animals roaming around without hot water and you can imagine the position of Indian ladies. Here again the temperature in night becomes zero and in such temperature opening your undergarments and exposing yourself to the vagaries’ of nature was such an inhumane condition which we were not told at the time of booking.
9. In the morning of 5/06/2009 at Prayang my wife got very sick and only then we realized that they did not even have any stethoscope, life saving drugs, antibiotics, injections, disposable syringes or any doctor. Also they did not have the most important thing, oxygen which they claimed to have had. Only 2 cars instead of 14 had oxygen cylinders, whose capacity was only 3 to 4 hours. My wife got very serious. Her brain got disoriented and even 15 minutes without oxygen made her face turn blue. Doctor in our group gave a steroid (life saving drug) to save my wife. Mr. Rawat did not do anything and did not have any such drug with him. We needed more steroid tablets till we reach to low altitude. Mr. Rawat told us that the best thing for us to go to Takalakote where Military Hospital is there and you will be evacuated by Helicopter to Kathmandu. He also informed that steroid medicines will be available and we need not to worry. We left for the hospital in Taklakot but the oxygen ran out before we could reach the hospital. We reached to the hospital in late afternoon. We shown the drug to doctors there and they told us that they do not English and therefore can not know what is this drug. When I asked Mr. Rawat to send back the driver for which we all four already paid for the whole trip has refused to send him till I pay further money Yuan 500/- I told him that last night only I paid you Yuan 3000/- for horse and as you have not yet booked the same return this money to me but he did not return the money and asked further money for hospital and jeep. After the payment of money only he sent the person. Sir when my family of four had already paid for Jeep throughout the tour up to 12th June he should not have asked the money. Not only this he also asked 100 yuan for food to be brought from market whereas he was to pay for all meals up to 13th may till we leave Kathmandu. After reaching the hospital Mr. Rawat told us that we require permit to leave the country and he will be arranging the same not today but in morning. When I asked what happened to the Helicopter which you told is ready on the other side of border at Hilsa, he told me that how it can come when you have not finalized and paid for helicopter. At that time I talked to my friend in India who found out the telephone no of Mr. R Pradhan and asked about the help. He told that you have to pay for helicopter for rescue up to Kathmandu INR 6.0 lacs and he promised that helicopter will have oxygen and Gama Bag for respiration. Through my friend I paid advance INR 3.0 lacs in shreshtha account on 06/06/2009. On 06/06/09 morning when Mr. Rawat made us goodbye at the hospital and when we reached near to the border we came to know that we will have to walk for around 2 kilometers in hilly terrain and my wife could not even stand on her own. With great difficulties and payment of around 1000 yuan I arranged local persons from china and Hilsa(Nepal) border to carry my wife on back, at some place in a small cement trolley which was there for some construction work. I only know how we could cross the border. After reaching to Hilsa on Nepal side at 10.45 I found there was no helicopter. When I called Mr. Pradhan he told me it has already started and within 20 minutes it will reach. Sir you will not believe that helicopter came to Hilsa at 6.00 PM. He told me that because of agitation it got delayed. I do not know when helicopter already started how it was stopped on the way. Sir you know I had limited oxygen for my wife and with great difficulty she survived additional hours because of rationing of the oxygen by me. Sir please visualize the episode was witnessed by my 65 years old mother in law and my 19 years old daughter. With what agony we had passed through no body can imagine. When checked Helicopter did not have Gama Bag and I had no choice but to risk the life of my wife again. In one and half hour we reached to Nepalgung and he told we have to stay here and we will go to Kathmandu tomorrow by flight. One person of Shreshtha came to receive us and he collected our passports for entry. I admitted my wife to local Medical college hospital and we stayed there for three days. When I asked about my passports I was told that the passports have been sent to Kathmandu and I will get the same only after I pay balance money. Sir before flying to Kathmandu on 9/06/09 I again paid Rs1.0 lac to Shreshtha account and when I reached here his man came and asked my signature on a bill and only after paying Rs. 2 lacs in Shreshtha account he released our passports.
10. When I reached at Kathmandu airport nobody came to receive us and take to hotel which was promised by Mr. Pradhan. When I asked Mr. Pradhan he told me that Kathmandu is closed he can not help and he also threatened me. I arranged my own taxi and came to hotel. I found on the way that Kathmandu was normal and no signs were there of Bandh or strike.
11. Sir after reaching to hotel I came to know that he had booked me only for one day whereas my tour ends on 13th June. Sir I have my bookings with my group on 13 th and if I cancel my tickets I will not get any refund. Further to book tickets now I have to pay additional Rs. 1.00 lac. Moreover my wife can not take strain of going to Ahmadabad because it has to change the flight at Delhi from international terminal to domestic one. Sir after coming to Kathmandu I checked in market I found that the helicopter services from Nepalgunj to Hilsa and back air tickets from Nepalgwith misc expenses would not cost more than Rs 3.00 lacs where he has charged 6.0 lacs. Sir it seems that he purposely do not give proper food and water so that people get sick and he make them believe it is because nature and high altitude moreover no medical facility creates crises and he takes benefit of the saving expenses on breaking of journey and charging them extra for evacuation. Sir I have information that in parikrma from my group only 15 out of 55 could go and balance had to come back without parikrama. How much money he saved imagine. He charged me INR 1.5 lac per member just for evacuation whereas his standard package by helicopter to Kailash Mansarovar of 7 days stay in Himalaya with all conveyances, lodging boarding is only Rs 1.35 lacs.
Sir I contacted today Mr.A. K. Roy in Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and he wanted the same in writing which I am giving now. Sir I pray for following
1. To protect life of mine and my family from Mr. Pradhan of Shreshtha Holidays.
2. Treat this letter as FIR and start legal action against the Shrestha Holidays in India. He should be given punitive punishment by law so that lives of further Indians are not in danger.
3. Blacklist Shreshtha Holidays and get his all licenses forfeited in India, Nepal and China.
4. Please ensure that all tour operators operating in Himalayas and especially Kailash Mansarovar arranges for proper food, mineral water availability, hot water for bathing, sanitation, medical and doctor facilities.
5. In case if it is required please also contact Chinese Embassy to look in the matter and get conditions improved for tourists of Kailash Mansarovar yatra.
I look forward to your support for getting justice for me and protection for other Indians lives in future.
If you support this group of pilgrims trying to get justice, write to us and we will take your voice to Indian media and government.
Hundreds of Hindu pilgrims attempt to visit Kailash Manasarovar - the abode of Lord Shiva and thus the holiest of all pilgrimage sites. These pilgrims are taken to China by travel agencies who have the license to organize tours and operate in China from the Chinese government. When people go through these agencies their passports are not stamped by the Chinese government and separation from the group means they can be apprehended and prosecuted by Chinese government as aliens or illegal travellers. This procedure places pilgrim groups at the travel agencies' mercy who promise the mountain and grudgingly deliver basic necessities like food, water and oxygen at high altitudes where smallest neglect can be fatal.
Recently, a group of 55 pilgrims were victim to such a travel agency, Shreshtha Holidays. The group was grossly ill treated and subjected to criminal neglect almost killing a pilgrim.
The group began its journey to Manasarovar on 31st May. Shreshtha Holidays promised the group amongst other amenities an adequate number of toilet tents, 1 jeep for every 4 pilgrims, an oxygen tank in each jeep, air compressor bags, medical aid and vegetarian food without onion and garlic (the group was of those Hindu Brahmins who consider onion and garlic inauspicious vegetables. The group chose Shreshtha Holidays over other agencies because it promised to provide onion garlic free food). We interviewed some members of this pilgrim group and the ground reality of how Shreshtha Holidays broke all its promises and ill treated these pilgrims including some old people and kids is shocking.
Kailash Manasarovar is at the terrible height of 14947.5 ft above mean sea level. An average human being begins to experience difficulty in breathing and height sickness at 3000m above sea level. Common sense dictates that an agent must carry ample oxygen for every member of the group but Shreshtha Holidays did not deem it necessary. When members of the group began to feel sick they realized there was not enough oxygen. A young boy of 19 years fainted due to lack of oxygen while another middle aged woman almost died due to lack of medical amenities.
The agent did not carry ample oxygen or air compressor bags. He didn’t even have a blood pressure monitor or a stethoscope. As altitudes increased, many travellers began feeling ill. One of the travellers, Mrs. Harsha, had to be admitted to a hospital due to a lack of oxygen and extremely low blood pressure. The travellers approached the agent to help with the transporation and admission of Mrs. Harsha to the hospital, but they found him drunk, incoherent, and useless to any cause; this happened frequently throughout the trip. Mrs. Harsha’s condition would not have worsened as it did if they could have measured her blood pressure earlier and not proceeded to higher altitudes.
At high altitudes, doctors advise travellers to drink plenty of water and pass urine as often as they can. If Mrs. Harsha and many others in the group could have done that much sickness and discomfort could have been avoided. However, the travellers had to ration their drinking water as the agency did not provide them enough drinking water!
The pilgrims were promised that adequate medical help would be available at all times. Not only did that promise turn out false but the group realized to their utter horror that they could not inform the Chinese doctors names of drugs they were allergic to as they had Chinese names in China. Members of the group we interviewed said if they had known they could have researched and found out the Chinese names of drugs they were allergic to. While all members suffered from altitude sickness, Mrs. Harsha’s condition worsened to such degree that her family had to hire a helicopter to bring her down to lower altitude. As we report this she is still under medical observation and her family fears she could have suffered a silent heart attack.
We interviewed the young daughter of Mrs. Harsha (name withheld due to sensitivity) who said she was afraid she would lose her mother. She also informed us (corroborated by other group members) that the Agent was rude, lethargic and callous when asked to help the family procure a helicopter. The family had to pay almost 12,000 US dollars to procure the helicopter. She also said when they asked the Agent if the family of 4 could go together in the copter Agent said yes but when the copter came the pilot refused to allow this young girl and her old grandmother to sit in the copter with her parents. This young lady (daughter of Mrs. Harsha) said to us :
“It is ironical that in God’s land my mother was saved by power of money. I am glad it was my mother who suffered and not mother of those who could not have afforded that copter which saved my Mom’s life.”
This is an outright case of criminal neglect and deficiency in services. We support the group of 55 pilgrims and any other pilgrim who might have faced such adversities during their travel to Manasarovar and encourage them to write to us about their experiences.
The group has written letters to the Indian embassy in China and intends to criminally prosecute the agency. Below is a copy of one of the letters sent to the Embassy from the group:
Date: May 10/11, 2009
To,
The Ambassador
The Indian Embassy
Kathmandu
Nepal
Subject: Deficiency in service, cheating, seizure of passport, threatening by Mr. R Pradhan of Shreshtha Holidays, our travel agent and risking lives of pilgrimages.
Dear sir,
I Rajendra Harsh having passport no. H3325395 with my family members, my wife, Mrs Anjana Harsha, passport no. H3325387 daughter, Miss Soumyaa Harsha passport no. H0227477 and my mother in law, Mrs Tara Joshi passport no. H3925992 have travelled in a group of 55 persons organized by Shreshtha Holidays having offices in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kathmandu and would like to convey the following:
1. Shreshtha holidays charged us Rs 72,000 per person for a trip from Kathmandu to Kathmandu which included our travel to Kailash and Mansarovar, including boarding, lodging and conveyance which included stay at Shangri la hotel in Kathmandu and 2/3 star hotels on the way and camping with bio-toilet during Kailash parikrama. They also assured us that all the land cruisers by which we will be travelling will have oxygen and our group will be provided with doctor with all first aid medical facilities.
2. We reached Kathmandu on 29th May and started our yatra on 31st May. On 30th Mr. R. Pradhan told us that you all will need a special Jacket and for which he would charge us Rs. 450/- per person. He purposely told us just on the eve of departure so that we can not check the rates outside. Later on I came to know that if we would have bought from market it would cost us lesser than the rent he was charging. He also told us on that evening that you need to buy Chinese currency of at least 500/- Yuans if you need pithu during the Yatra and 1000/- Yuan if you need to have both the horse and pithu but this booking he will not do here and will do it during Yatra only. He converted our money Indian Rs to yuan on 30th May in night at the cost of Rs 8/- per yuan. I do not know he had license to do this or not and now I am sure he charged much higher rate than what he should have charged from all of us. Our group must have bought from him at least 40,000 to 50,000 yuans. At that time we never doubted him because it was starting but when I look back I understand that his briefing us at last minute and selling yuan, renting jackets was with shear ulterior motive to cheat us. Our whole group told Mr. Pradhan that we are vegetarian and we do not take onion and garlic. Mr. pradhan assured us the same and told that they will not even carry onion and garlic.
3. On the very first day(31/05/2009) on the way to Kodari he told us that your lives are in danger because ahead on road agitation is going on and villagers have blocked the road and he will negotiate with them so every passanger will have to pay Rs 800/- per person to pay to villagers. His representative Mr. Rawat who was drunk throughout the trip told us that if we do not pay we will have to delay the yatra by one day. We had no choice but had to pay .He took away the money and did not pay anything to villager at least in front of us. I am sure it should have been his responsibility to transport us without any extra charges. He did not inform while booking that it is frequent problem in Nepal and such charges will be extra. He purposely cheated us by creating imaginary problems because when we passed through we did not see any agitating group on the way. Whenever we wanted to talk he was not available and will be seating in some jeep. He would surface only when he wanted some money. We were always left with Sherpas, drivers and one so called captain. Most of them will neither speak English or Hind and we did not know Tibetan or Chinese language.
4. The first day(31/05/2009) we were supposed to cross Chinese border and stay in China but he stopped us at Kodari in Nepal only. In the so called hotel which was worse than a third class lodge had only two toilets and bathrooms for around thirty passengers and the same was the position for balance members of the group. On this first day he did not provide lunch on the way which he was supposed to provide. He did not even provide tea to us in afternoon.
5. Next day(01/06/2009) we were taken to the border of Nepal and China and after crossing the friendship bridge we found that our permit was not available with him. We all had to wait under SUN for nearly 6 hours. He did not provide water, tea and lunch on this day also. On the same day we reached in late evening to Nyalam and he informed us that his food truck has got breakdown and therefore he can not give us dinner also and he did not made any arrangements. It is important to note that such news were always delivered to us through some Sherpa who could not do anything as he did not have any authority. In midnight at 12.00 he woke up and told us that he has arranged Khichadi without any butter, vegetable, pickle or papad. He always use to say us that it is pilgrimage and God makes you to suffer you are not here for food but for bhakti. It is because of me you are getting whatever you have otherwise you will be in horrible position. When we use to argue he will disappear and none of us knew Chinese language so could not communicate anybody ,our permit was with us and visa was not stamped on individual passport and therefore we had no choice but under mental duress had to keep him happy and he exploited us. Because of no lunch last day and no lunch and dinner today two passengers Mr. Vishal Vyas and Mrs. Sadhana Vyas became unconscious and he could not provide doctor or medicine. Luckily we had one doctor who was travelling with us gave some medicine. It was utter negligence and inhumane attitude of Mr. Rawat towards the life of his clients. He neither had medicine and doctor nor had taken it seriously and always use to say have courage such things does happen and you should not bother. In a day or two you will be OK. In Nyalam only my wife also had bad stomach and weakness because of no or improper food and water. After reaching Nayalam we came to know that there is no hot water was available for bathing which he promised to us. He promised us 2 star facilities but here hotel room was shared by around 8-10 person with no attached toilets. There were common toilets which were not clean and had only half partitions. Among 55 of us there were 3 toilets for men and 3 toilets for women and no bathrooms.
6. Next day (2/06/2009) our group was already delayed by one day and he kept us at Nayalam because he did not have bookings for us for next stop. The food which he supplied us was half cooked and gave many a bad stomach.
7. We reached to Saga on 3/06/2009 and according to the brochure and promise we were to stay at a 2 star hotel, but were kept at dormitory- like rooms with no proper sanitation facilities. For toilets we were told to go in open ground where wild dogs were roaming and as we were supposed to leave in morning we had to go for toilets in open grounds when temperatures will be zero or sub zero. We did not have even hot water for going to toilets and we were also not given toilet papers. In such inhumane conditions he kept us which we could not think after giving around INR 80,000 per person and totaling to around 44 lacs of Rupees for one group. We had to buy mineral water, which was supposed to be provided by them. Water was a major problem because to survive at high altitudes one must drink a lot of water. Lack of mineral water made many feel sick.
8. We reached to Prayang on 4/06/2009. Mr. Rawat did not have booking even here and after reaching there he took us to a place which in no sense you can a hotel or lodge. In evening without caring our religious feelings he put onion and garlic in the vegetable and as he used give only one vegetable many of us forced to eat onion garlic because they did not have choice and some did not even food. My wife was one of them who did not eat because of onion. In evening he told us that because of poornima (as if he did not earlier about poornima ) there is shortage of pithus and horses so you will have to pay 1500 yuan for both per person instead of 1000 yuan as expected. He again cheated and charged more money then promised in Kathmandu. Again in Prayang there were no toilet facilities and we had to go to open grounds with wild animals roaming around without hot water and you can imagine the position of Indian ladies. Here again the temperature in night becomes zero and in such temperature opening your undergarments and exposing yourself to the vagaries’ of nature was such an inhumane condition which we were not told at the time of booking.
9. In the morning of 5/06/2009 at Prayang my wife got very sick and only then we realized that they did not even have any stethoscope, life saving drugs, antibiotics, injections, disposable syringes or any doctor. Also they did not have the most important thing, oxygen which they claimed to have had. Only 2 cars instead of 14 had oxygen cylinders, whose capacity was only 3 to 4 hours. My wife got very serious. Her brain got disoriented and even 15 minutes without oxygen made her face turn blue. Doctor in our group gave a steroid (life saving drug) to save my wife. Mr. Rawat did not do anything and did not have any such drug with him. We needed more steroid tablets till we reach to low altitude. Mr. Rawat told us that the best thing for us to go to Takalakote where Military Hospital is there and you will be evacuated by Helicopter to Kathmandu. He also informed that steroid medicines will be available and we need not to worry. We left for the hospital in Taklakot but the oxygen ran out before we could reach the hospital. We reached to the hospital in late afternoon. We shown the drug to doctors there and they told us that they do not English and therefore can not know what is this drug. When I asked Mr. Rawat to send back the driver for which we all four already paid for the whole trip has refused to send him till I pay further money Yuan 500/- I told him that last night only I paid you Yuan 3000/- for horse and as you have not yet booked the same return this money to me but he did not return the money and asked further money for hospital and jeep. After the payment of money only he sent the person. Sir when my family of four had already paid for Jeep throughout the tour up to 12th June he should not have asked the money. Not only this he also asked 100 yuan for food to be brought from market whereas he was to pay for all meals up to 13th may till we leave Kathmandu. After reaching the hospital Mr. Rawat told us that we require permit to leave the country and he will be arranging the same not today but in morning. When I asked what happened to the Helicopter which you told is ready on the other side of border at Hilsa, he told me that how it can come when you have not finalized and paid for helicopter. At that time I talked to my friend in India who found out the telephone no of Mr. R Pradhan and asked about the help. He told that you have to pay for helicopter for rescue up to Kathmandu INR 6.0 lacs and he promised that helicopter will have oxygen and Gama Bag for respiration. Through my friend I paid advance INR 3.0 lacs in shreshtha account on 06/06/2009. On 06/06/09 morning when Mr. Rawat made us goodbye at the hospital and when we reached near to the border we came to know that we will have to walk for around 2 kilometers in hilly terrain and my wife could not even stand on her own. With great difficulties and payment of around 1000 yuan I arranged local persons from china and Hilsa(Nepal) border to carry my wife on back, at some place in a small cement trolley which was there for some construction work. I only know how we could cross the border. After reaching to Hilsa on Nepal side at 10.45 I found there was no helicopter. When I called Mr. Pradhan he told me it has already started and within 20 minutes it will reach. Sir you will not believe that helicopter came to Hilsa at 6.00 PM. He told me that because of agitation it got delayed. I do not know when helicopter already started how it was stopped on the way. Sir you know I had limited oxygen for my wife and with great difficulty she survived additional hours because of rationing of the oxygen by me. Sir please visualize the episode was witnessed by my 65 years old mother in law and my 19 years old daughter. With what agony we had passed through no body can imagine. When checked Helicopter did not have Gama Bag and I had no choice but to risk the life of my wife again. In one and half hour we reached to Nepalgung and he told we have to stay here and we will go to Kathmandu tomorrow by flight. One person of Shreshtha came to receive us and he collected our passports for entry. I admitted my wife to local Medical college hospital and we stayed there for three days. When I asked about my passports I was told that the passports have been sent to Kathmandu and I will get the same only after I pay balance money. Sir before flying to Kathmandu on 9/06/09 I again paid Rs1.0 lac to Shreshtha account and when I reached here his man came and asked my signature on a bill and only after paying Rs. 2 lacs in Shreshtha account he released our passports.
10. When I reached at Kathmandu airport nobody came to receive us and take to hotel which was promised by Mr. Pradhan. When I asked Mr. Pradhan he told me that Kathmandu is closed he can not help and he also threatened me. I arranged my own taxi and came to hotel. I found on the way that Kathmandu was normal and no signs were there of Bandh or strike.
11. Sir after reaching to hotel I came to know that he had booked me only for one day whereas my tour ends on 13th June. Sir I have my bookings with my group on 13 th and if I cancel my tickets I will not get any refund. Further to book tickets now I have to pay additional Rs. 1.00 lac. Moreover my wife can not take strain of going to Ahmadabad because it has to change the flight at Delhi from international terminal to domestic one. Sir after coming to Kathmandu I checked in market I found that the helicopter services from Nepalgunj to Hilsa and back air tickets from Nepalgwith misc expenses would not cost more than Rs 3.00 lacs where he has charged 6.0 lacs. Sir it seems that he purposely do not give proper food and water so that people get sick and he make them believe it is because nature and high altitude moreover no medical facility creates crises and he takes benefit of the saving expenses on breaking of journey and charging them extra for evacuation. Sir I have information that in parikrma from my group only 15 out of 55 could go and balance had to come back without parikrama. How much money he saved imagine. He charged me INR 1.5 lac per member just for evacuation whereas his standard package by helicopter to Kailash Mansarovar of 7 days stay in Himalaya with all conveyances, lodging boarding is only Rs 1.35 lacs.
Sir I contacted today Mr.A. K. Roy in Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and he wanted the same in writing which I am giving now. Sir I pray for following
1. To protect life of mine and my family from Mr. Pradhan of Shreshtha Holidays.
2. Treat this letter as FIR and start legal action against the Shrestha Holidays in India. He should be given punitive punishment by law so that lives of further Indians are not in danger.
3. Blacklist Shreshtha Holidays and get his all licenses forfeited in India, Nepal and China.
4. Please ensure that all tour operators operating in Himalayas and especially Kailash Mansarovar arranges for proper food, mineral water availability, hot water for bathing, sanitation, medical and doctor facilities.
5. In case if it is required please also contact Chinese Embassy to look in the matter and get conditions improved for tourists of Kailash Mansarovar yatra.
I look forward to your support for getting justice for me and protection for other Indians lives in future.
If you support this group of pilgrims trying to get justice, write to us and we will take your voice to Indian media and government.
Friday, May 22, 2009
India's Solar Lanterns
Just read a post on solar energy. A NPO in India called Sadguru Foundation supplied 100 solar lanterns to socially and economically disadvantaged households in 25 villages in the Dahod district of Gujarat state between January 2004 to December 2007. Professor Govindasamy Agoramoorthy from Tajen University and Dr. Minna Hsu from the National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan studied the effect (translate benefits) of the same to the households. And concluded that solar lanterns were not only ecologically beneficial but also safer and more economical.
Considering that the report is quite old now one would expect that the Indian government should have made all Indian villages Solar Lantern villages! But there has been no such progress. However, we hope that more people will make themselves aware of this technology and it will be used in rural households of various developing nations.
Considering that the report is quite old now one would expect that the Indian government should have made all Indian villages Solar Lantern villages! But there has been no such progress. However, we hope that more people will make themselves aware of this technology and it will be used in rural households of various developing nations.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Revolutionary Technology
At Choices we are no big fans of forwards but one of our well wishers forwarded something that made us all sit up. On March 27, 09 a piece of news appeared online that has the potential to change the way our world looks and functions today.
MIT is going to announce its patent on an electrolyzer that can enable each house to create electricity for itself by itself!
They have developed a manufacturable electrolyzer made from cobalt and potassium phosphate. This technology, powered by a 6 meter by 5 meter photovoltaic array on the roof, is capable of powering an entire house’s power needs plus a fuel cell good for 500 km of travel, with just 5 liters of water. Its cheap, its efficient, its manufacturable, and it works on Room Temperature!!
This revolutionary technique could translate into an end to big energy corporates, hydro electricity to create which people are displaced, natural order is disturbed, several species are destroyed and because of which atmosphere suffers.
To read the original post visit this link:
http://cleantechnica.com/2009/03/27/mit-professor-power-your-house-with-5-liters-of-water-per-day/
MIT is going to announce its patent on an electrolyzer that can enable each house to create electricity for itself by itself!
They have developed a manufacturable electrolyzer made from cobalt and potassium phosphate. This technology, powered by a 6 meter by 5 meter photovoltaic array on the roof, is capable of powering an entire house’s power needs plus a fuel cell good for 500 km of travel, with just 5 liters of water. Its cheap, its efficient, its manufacturable, and it works on Room Temperature!!
This revolutionary technique could translate into an end to big energy corporates, hydro electricity to create which people are displaced, natural order is disturbed, several species are destroyed and because of which atmosphere suffers.
To read the original post visit this link:
http://cleantechnica.com/2009/03/27/mit-professor-power-your-house-with-5-liters-of-water-per-day/
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Pakistan’s Achilles Heel
I came across a rather interesting article today on gopetition.com. Allow me to share with you the article and my thoughts on it.
The article was published by Nigah Zehra on Jan 29, 2009 and titled “Who carried out 2,148 terrorist attacks inside Pakistan” The topic suggested it would shed some light on the fundamentalists behind various terrorist attacks on Pakistan. But Lo and Behold! The Article was much more than I bargained for.
It quotes studies by Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies according to which in 2008 the country saw 2,148 terrorist attacks, which caused 6,825 casualties — 2,267 of them fatal. There are many more statistics but just this was enough to make me sit up.
The Author after quoting above mentioned and more such hair-raising statistics questions if the world is aware of Pakistan’s plight. According to the author America’s suspicions on Pakistan’s commitment to fighting terrorism and the “do more litany” clearly shows that America is not aware of “what the country and its people have been going through”. Immediately after this attention diverts to India. The Author vents out the rage at Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts post Mumbai terrorist attacks wherein though Pakistan presumably convinced the world that it was not responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack, the efforts were characterized by diffidence (according to the author) and failed to show Pakistan’s anger on India’s baseless accusations.
The real Drama is in the next Paragraph where the Author questions if India has suffered as much as Pakistan has! The answer to that rhetoric question as per the Author is “No”. It evidently infuriates the Author to think that the World believes India has suffered more than Pakistan at hands of terrorism and instead mistakenly believes that safe havens for Taliban and other militants exits in Fata and elsewhere in Pakistan territory.
The Article made me think and this is what I think and what I would like to say to the Author and all those who think similarly:
1. If United States of America is not aware of the “Pakistani Plight” why has it been financially supporting it since before 1980s?
2. Is it not extremely thankless of an individual to curse America when he/she can eat the daily naan simply because America – “The Big Bad Brother” has been pumping in money in his/her country?
3. Notwithstanding accusations (supported by evidences in most if not all cases) of terrorism by various countries can Pakistan really close its eyes to the fact that extremism is growing in its land and that the terrorists who bleed the State are locally grown?
4. Can an honest Pakistani really deny that the Anti India sentiment is strong enough in Pakistan to blind its people to the follies of their government just because India brings them to light?
5. Can any Pakistani intellectual deny that Pakistan today suffers from a severe case of low self esteem (but immense Ego) and feels victimized by the World?
It is not the intention to insult Pakistan – a country this Blog has praised earlier for its tenacious hold on Democratic ideals despite various upheavals. However, it is the intention to point out that Pakistani “avaam” (people) needs to open its eyes and accept that:
• it has received ample international aid
• its soil today is ripe with the blood of innocents and moderates and grows extremists
• problems that Pakistan faces today are not creation of other forces but its own failing and
• the Anti India slogans can wait for a time when Pakistan has stabilized itself
Unless they do not accept these facts there is no hope for Pakistan. And it will be foolishness for any Pakistani to think that any country including India would want Pakistan to fail as a State. India watches Pakistan with abated breath and hopes that it will stabilize for the sole reason that a failed neighbour State ripe with Islamic Extremism and Fundamentalism will be a reality worse than India’s worst nightmares. Similarly no country in the World would want Pakistan to fail as a State as that will only give rise to terrorism, endanger international oil interests in Afghanistan, increase Islamic Extremism and maybe even make it easier for terrorists to lay their hands on nuclear arsenal that Pakistan so gladly and foolishly continues to increase.
The article was published by Nigah Zehra on Jan 29, 2009 and titled “Who carried out 2,148 terrorist attacks inside Pakistan” The topic suggested it would shed some light on the fundamentalists behind various terrorist attacks on Pakistan. But Lo and Behold! The Article was much more than I bargained for.
It quotes studies by Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies according to which in 2008 the country saw 2,148 terrorist attacks, which caused 6,825 casualties — 2,267 of them fatal. There are many more statistics but just this was enough to make me sit up.
The Author after quoting above mentioned and more such hair-raising statistics questions if the world is aware of Pakistan’s plight. According to the author America’s suspicions on Pakistan’s commitment to fighting terrorism and the “do more litany” clearly shows that America is not aware of “what the country and its people have been going through”. Immediately after this attention diverts to India. The Author vents out the rage at Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts post Mumbai terrorist attacks wherein though Pakistan presumably convinced the world that it was not responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack, the efforts were characterized by diffidence (according to the author) and failed to show Pakistan’s anger on India’s baseless accusations.
The real Drama is in the next Paragraph where the Author questions if India has suffered as much as Pakistan has! The answer to that rhetoric question as per the Author is “No”. It evidently infuriates the Author to think that the World believes India has suffered more than Pakistan at hands of terrorism and instead mistakenly believes that safe havens for Taliban and other militants exits in Fata and elsewhere in Pakistan territory.
The Article made me think and this is what I think and what I would like to say to the Author and all those who think similarly:
1. If United States of America is not aware of the “Pakistani Plight” why has it been financially supporting it since before 1980s?
2. Is it not extremely thankless of an individual to curse America when he/she can eat the daily naan simply because America – “The Big Bad Brother” has been pumping in money in his/her country?
3. Notwithstanding accusations (supported by evidences in most if not all cases) of terrorism by various countries can Pakistan really close its eyes to the fact that extremism is growing in its land and that the terrorists who bleed the State are locally grown?
4. Can an honest Pakistani really deny that the Anti India sentiment is strong enough in Pakistan to blind its people to the follies of their government just because India brings them to light?
5. Can any Pakistani intellectual deny that Pakistan today suffers from a severe case of low self esteem (but immense Ego) and feels victimized by the World?
It is not the intention to insult Pakistan – a country this Blog has praised earlier for its tenacious hold on Democratic ideals despite various upheavals. However, it is the intention to point out that Pakistani “avaam” (people) needs to open its eyes and accept that:
• it has received ample international aid
• its soil today is ripe with the blood of innocents and moderates and grows extremists
• problems that Pakistan faces today are not creation of other forces but its own failing and
• the Anti India slogans can wait for a time when Pakistan has stabilized itself
Unless they do not accept these facts there is no hope for Pakistan. And it will be foolishness for any Pakistani to think that any country including India would want Pakistan to fail as a State. India watches Pakistan with abated breath and hopes that it will stabilize for the sole reason that a failed neighbour State ripe with Islamic Extremism and Fundamentalism will be a reality worse than India’s worst nightmares. Similarly no country in the World would want Pakistan to fail as a State as that will only give rise to terrorism, endanger international oil interests in Afghanistan, increase Islamic Extremism and maybe even make it easier for terrorists to lay their hands on nuclear arsenal that Pakistan so gladly and foolishly continues to increase.
Pakistan: And the Road to Secularism
The foundation of Pakistan was laid by Muhammad Ali Jinnah who was a man of secular vision. To quote him, in his address to the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947 he said to the assembled delegates:
“You are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or, to any other places of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed–that has got nothing to do with the business of the State…. We are all starting with this fundamental principle that we are citizens and equal citizens of one State…. Now, I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State.”
Jinnah’s death in September of 1948 meant that his secularist perspective lost its most dynamic proponent. The issues involved in defining the character of the new State proved so contentious that Pakistan did not get its first constitution until 1956, which established Pakistan as an “Islamic Republic”. This Constitution of 1956 was abrogated on 7th of October, 1958 and Martial law was imposed; and when, on 8th of June, 1962, Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan, the Chief Martial Law Administrator, enforced his self-made Constitution, the word ‘Islamic’ from its name was omitted. It was only named as “Republic of Pakistan”. The 1962 Constitution established several Islamic institutions but gave them no real legislative power. Further, two portions of the 1956 preamble were notably missing from the 1962 version:
“You are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or, to any other places of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed–that has got nothing to do with the business of the State…. We are all starting with this fundamental principle that we are citizens and equal citizens of one State…. Now, I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State.”
Jinnah’s death in September of 1948 meant that his secularist perspective lost its most dynamic proponent. The issues involved in defining the character of the new State proved so contentious that Pakistan did not get its first constitution until 1956, which established Pakistan as an “Islamic Republic”. This Constitution of 1956 was abrogated on 7th of October, 1958 and Martial law was imposed; and when, on 8th of June, 1962, Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan, the Chief Martial Law Administrator, enforced his self-made Constitution, the word ‘Islamic’ from its name was omitted. It was only named as “Republic of Pakistan”. The 1962 Constitution established several Islamic institutions but gave them no real legislative power. Further, two portions of the 1956 preamble were notably missing from the 1962 version:
- The repugnancy clause and
- any references to ‘Quran’ and ‘Sunnah’.
Shortly thereafter, however, when the first session of the National Assembly was convened at Dacca, on the move of the well-known member of Jamaat-e-Islami of the then East Pakistan, Barrister Akhtaruddin, the word ‘Islamic’ was added before the word “Republic of Pakistan” and so by the first “Constitution Amendment Act, 1963”, Pakistan was again named as “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”. Since then, the name of this State continues to be “the Islamic Republic of Pakistan”. The amendment even reinstated the repugnancy clause and added an additional phrase stating:
“No law shall be repugnant to the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, and all existing laws shall be brought into conformity therewith”.
The 1973 Constitution was the first constitution to formally establish Islam as the State religion in Pakistan. The 1973 Constitution also retained the retroactive clause of the 1962 Constitution requiring “all existing laws to be brought into conformity with the injunctions of Islam” and created the Council of Islamic Ideology to enforce implementation of the clause.
As often seen with States declaring a State Religion, we see a slight bias towards Moral Principles of the State Religion for example, Article 37 (h) casts a duty on the State to prevent the consumption of alcoholic liquor other than for medical, and, in case of non-Muslims, religious purpose. Article 40 provides for strengthening bonds with Muslims and promotion of international peace reflecting the Islamic philosophy that all Muslims and Muslim nations of the world are one and must stand united.
The Constitution under Chapter 2 (Article 29 to Article 40) lays down certain principles of policy of the State, such as Article 31 which provides that steps shall be taken to enable the Muslims of Pakistan, individually and collectively, to order their lives in accordance with the fundamental principles and basic concepts of Islam, according to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah. The provisions of this Chapter like Directive Principles in the Indian Constitution are not binding on the Courts but provide guidelines for policy-oriented decisions of all State functionaries. It is to be noted that under this Article the framers manifested their intention to ensure that “Muslims” follow their religion diligently and that State must help them in doing so; no intention to force Islamic way of life on non – Muslims is manifested. Article 20 of the 1973 Constitution contains the following major provision on religious freedom: “Subject to law, public order and morality,–
(a) every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion; and
(b) every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions”.
Article 227 in PART IX requires that all existing laws must be brought in conformity with the Injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah (Injunctions of Islam) and no law repugnant to such Injunctions must be enacted. Immediately though it is stated that:
“Nothing in this Part shall affect the personal laws of non- Muslim citizens or their status as citizens”.
This provision however does not suffice to prove that Muslim dictates are not being forced upon the non Muslim citizens. It is necessary for any nation to have a strong and independent judiciary in order to develop a check and balance system for the Executive. This element is however absent in Pakistan. It is because of the weakened judicial machinery that Articles of secular potential enshrined in the Constitution are not effectively implemented.
The judicial system established by the 1973 Constitution has been effectively weakened by the creation of a separate Federal Shariat Court mandated to strike down any law deemed repugnant to the injunctions of Islam. The decisions of the Shariat Court are binding upon the High Courts and cannot be over-ridden by Parliament. Moreover, Presidential powers compromise the independence of High Court judges and of the Supreme Court judges nominated to the Shariat Court.
At the economic level, Musharraf’s government moved towards Islamization of the banking system. In July 2003, the State Bank of Pakistan issued guidelines for the introduction of Islamic banking. These guidelines required ‘stand alone branches for Islamic banking’ or separate counters in existing branches, and separate books of account to be maintained for Islamic banking transactions.
Article 51(4A) of the Constitution was amended in 1985 so as to bar non-Muslims from voting in elections to the general seats of the National Assembly. After the amendment, non-Muslims could only vote for non-Muslim candidates contesting on reserved seats for the religious minorities. The same however came to an end with the repeal of Article 51(4A) by Chief Executive Order No. 24 of 2002. A few other Articles too must be looked into in order to understand the position of political rights in the country. The preliminary condition to recognition of such rights is however a stable political system which is missing in Pakistan. Frequent military coups and drafting of new Constitutions has led to centralization of power and has failed to respond to the needs of its extremely diverse population. This has led to a sense of marginalization and deprivation, sub- national and ethnic conflicts and separatist tendencies among various disenfranchised groups and regions. In such a scenario where Fundamentalists are known to have a strong hold on any government that comes in power and where rulers find it necessary to bow down to their demands in varying degrees in order to legitimize their usurpation of power, and where Judges fear persecution when they take a liberal view of laws like Section 295C of Penal Code, equal voting rights alone can not guarantee political power to religious minorities which is essential for secularism to exist.
Under Section 295 C an offender may be punished with death or lifetime imprisonment if it is proved that he used derogatory language toward or regarding the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Critics of this section focus on the severe quantum of punishment. They argue that capital punishment is not commensurate with the “violation” involved. On the other hand, proponents argue that the purpose of the penal law is to preserve public order by mandating retribution for any act that grievously injures the religious feelings of a large class or community. Those in that class or community, it is argued, should be saved from gross injury perceived to occur by such outrageous actions. In a number of cases involving the Ahmadis, the courts have held that Section 295C must be narrowly construed and its consequences strictly applied. However, in these same cases, the minimum punishment available has actually been given.
Pakistan’s Constitution though declares Islam as the State religion and prohibits a Non Muslim from being elected as the President, has the potential to lead the country towards becoming a Secular State. However frequent coups and repealed constitutions force us to accept the bitter fact that in Pakistan it is the ideology of and capacity to sustain him/her self in face of severe pressure from Fundamentalists that decides Secularism’s fate in this country where Secularism has never had the chance to truly develop. Thus it can be easily said that fate of Secularism in Pakistan is not written by Constitution, Law or Judiciary but by individuals in power.
Gangajal Mentality in Jharkhand
A conscientious cop trying to improve the system meets stiff resistance. When the villians have tested the system’s patience to the limit subordinates of this honest cop snap and take their frustration out by drowsing acid on the villians. In no time the cowardly town terrorized by Yadav family is rejuvenated and takes matters in its hands dowsing acid on every criminal – taking law in their own hands.
Just fiction? Not really. Reality is closer to Reel than we sometimes realize. Recently, villagers in eastern India burned eight suspected robbers alive and beat four others to death.
Is it an illustration of human’s beastly nature? senseless mob violence? or something deeper? more serious? The incident took place in Pakur district of Jharkhand (a State in Eastern India), a State known for its lawlessness and ‘jungle raaj’. Corruption is deep rooted and the State machinery has failed so miserably that citizens are left with no choice but to take the law in their hands to protect themselves against crime.
Just fiction? Not really. Reality is closer to Reel than we sometimes realize. Recently, villagers in eastern India burned eight suspected robbers alive and beat four others to death.
Is it an illustration of human’s beastly nature? senseless mob violence? or something deeper? more serious? The incident took place in Pakur district of Jharkhand (a State in Eastern India), a State known for its lawlessness and ‘jungle raaj’. Corruption is deep rooted and the State machinery has failed so miserably that citizens are left with no choice but to take the law in their hands to protect themselves against crime.
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