UP and Karnataka have done well to bring some good bills/laws; Maharashtra should be high on priority list
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There are many developments taking place in and outside the country that it is becoming difficult to address each of them separately. So we have clubbed a few and are writing a common email for a few of them.
Let us start with the Uttar Pradesh anti Love Jihad bill that was recently passed by the Adityanath Yogi government. We have been appreciating the Yogi government right from the beginning for various factors. First and foremost is the HIGH CONVICTION that the dynamic CM of UP represents. Such conviction is rarely seen in politicians at this level. After PM Modi, HM Amit Shah, Yogi is certainly the man that the saffron supporters have loved. Second is his no nonsense approach that is making his detractors think twice and third is the approach taken by the CM of the biggest state of the country, which is to cleanse the system that was heavily biased against the Hindus. All this when the national media and the Lutyens made a campaign against him.
Coming to the anti Love Jihad bill, we are of the opinion that this is a step in the right direction despite what some of the people are labeling it as Islamophobia. For there has been a rise in inter faith marriages and the trend is just going to rise. The unfortunate part is it is mostly one way that is Hindu girls getting in love with Muslim boy, being converted and married while the reverse is not happening. The worse is as many as three Hindu boys were killed just becasue they loved Muslim girls. Besides, religious fanaticism has taken some youths to exploit the love route for conversions and or harm the Hindu religion. While it is difficult to say whether this is happening under a systematic plan or is just a random phenomenon, it can be safely said that the mission might have got the support of a few overzealous people at the local levels.
Therefore we are pleased to note that the bill has been brought by the UP govt and will help to curb this menace which has been wrongly used.
2. Similarly we are pleased to see the Karnataka govt’s anti Cow Slaughter bill. It is good to see that many of the State CMs of the BJP are acting to safeguard the cultural roots of Hinduism. While cow slaughter is one of the biggest sin equivalent to “Matra hatya’ as per Hindu shastras and scriptures the governments have to also see and make sure that the concept of Gushalas and the load on people because of feeding old cattles is also looked into. As we are living in Kaliyoga which is largely governed by money and greed there will be parallel issues that have to be looked into. Therefore we think that the state government has to sit and look into the issue more comprehensively. Nonetheless the issue is important and the Karnataka government has done well to bring the important anti slaughter law. Hope other state governments will also follow the same. India cannot rise unless we protect the cows and honor the Brahmins.
3. Finally we will take the issue of the high handedness of the Maharashtra government that has put the CEO of Republic TV under arrest. Though he was later given bail by the courts, the manner in which the Shiv sena led government is going ahead in a very revengeful, unlawful manner is very serious. It is showing complete disregard for law and ethics. Maharashtra is also a very important state that cannot be allowed to go wayward.
To say that it is harmful for a democratic state will be an understatement considering the consequences of such acts. It seems that there is something going seriously wrong with the state government and is under a kind of ‘Spell’ . BJP both at the state and central level has to watch the developments of this state minutely and work out a proper strategy. To consider Shivsena as an ally should be a lost case. The BJP has to make alliances on a strong ideological basis rather than just for political gains. This may seem to be impractical but that is the way it has to be.
It was also unfortunate to see that the state unit of BJP in Maharashtra is also silent considering the kind of atrocities happening there. Except for Kirit Somaiyaa an old worker and politician from Mumbai, we don’t see much happening in the state.
Conclusion:
In a previous post we have said democracy is not for the faint hearted and those in power or otherwise, must continually strive to uphold the values and standards of democracy. Else it is just an authoritarian rule under the garb of democracy. All those who believe in a strong democratic nation must be active to preserve the state that is the only way to go about it. Social media and the internet has brought a revolution that must be utilized by one and all for the same.
Dr Asheesh Shah
Samanvaya
