Hinduism a way of life

Jagdish N Singh

umanity is the essence of all religions. The finer versions of all famous religions bear it out. Last month the Supreme Court of India did well to have declined the plea to review its previous judgment on the subject of Hinduism. Our former Chief Justice of India J S Verma had rightly concluded in 1995 that Hindutva or Hinduism is a "way of life" and has nothing to do with "narrow fundamentalist Hindu religious bigotry". Justice Verma said "no precise meaning can be ascribed to

the terms 'Hindu', 'Hindutva' and 'Hinduism'; and no meaning in the abstract can confine it to the narrow limits of religion alone, excluding the content of Indian culture and heritage". He dismissed the idea of equating the abstract terms Hindutva or Hinduism with any "narrow fundamentalist Hindu religious bigotry".
Significantly, a seven-judge Bench, led by our current Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur, clarified that the Court was hearing only the arguments on whether it amounted to a corrupt electoral practice if a candidate roped in the services of religious leaders to use their mass appeal to swing votes in his or her favour.

We all are looking forward to the Court's decision in this regard . It is an established fact that the quality of our leaders in different political parties has gone down over the years . Most of our politician today hesitate little in resorting to misusing the social clout of religious leaders to advance their own political interest. This is absolutely antithetical to the Indian Constitution. The spirit of our Constitution demands the emergence of leadership that is committed to the higher values of humanism, liberalism and democracy. Human nature is not perfect . Every person or community has its own contradictions. Our Muslim community is no exception. It has allowed so many vices to persist within. One such vices has been its tradition of arbitrary divorce (triple talaq) .

Cause of Muslim women

The other day a progressive group of our Muslim artists, intellectuals, writers and poets did well to stress diversity within the community, reject the "instant arbitrary triple talaq and support the demand of Muslim women to abolish it." They also disapproved of the affidavit filed by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in the Supreme Court on the validity of such talaq. progressive demands for equality, led by various Muslim women's organisations, the most conservative sections of the Muslim community are creating a Shah Bano campaign-like situation so that they can keep the women subjugated and strengthen the patriarchal stronghold on Muslim women."

Our Government at the Centre must back the progressive Muslim elements and take necessary legislative steps to serve the Muslim community. At the same time the Government would do well to remove the progressive Muslim group's distrust towards it on the Law Commission's consultation over a Uniform Civil Code
The group thinks the current government's new-found 'love for women' and 'gender justice' is not genuine .It has alleged , "Since the new regime has come to power, we have seen heavy budget cuts on schemes for women, we have heard horrendous statements about women, which have gone unopposed by the members of the regime, and we have witnessed growing violence against women as well as dilution of gender just laws such as the Domestic Violence Act ."

Citizen-friendly strategy missing

In our Republic citizens are sovereign. The Government is supposed to conduct economic affairs in their interest . But economic justice is still a far cry in the country . The privileged continue to flourish at the cost of the masses . At present our masses are facing a new crisis. They are being harassed in conducting their day-to-day economic activities . The new predicament is due to our Government's recent notification demonetizing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. Ironically, this demonetization has affected little those against whom it is supposed to be directed – a few mafias having black money .

Our Supreme Court has done well to decline the government's plea to stay cases filed against it for the inconveniences caused to the people on this account . The Court's Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur has rightly observed the people have started feeling desperate for money. They have to brave queues for hours. Cases against such inconveniences are being filed in courts across the country. This shows how grave the problem really is.
The Court has said, "How can we is an issue of such magnitude… They are going to the courts for relief. …This is very serious. This will require great consideration. People have become frantic, people are affected... There may be riots…"

Our Government must heed the Court's words of caution and take immediate steps to ease the citizens' inconveniences in getting their own money from their banks. The Government's plea in the Court goes that the estimated black money is around Rs 15-16 lakh crore. The demonetization is likely to lead to the deposit of Rs 10-11 lakh crore in banks. The rest Rs 4-5 lakh crore is being used in northeast and J&K to fuel trouble therein . The demonetization would have it "neutralised." One finds this plea is not devoid of substance. But it would do little to address the real malaise .

There is a near consensus among economic observers that the currency notes of the demonetized denominations are misused for terror financing. They are also used by some political parties to manage popular support for their various activities. However, the constant need for cash in our system cannot be overlooked . Almost 90 per cent of our money transactions are done with paper currency . The demonetized currency notes account for more than 85 per cent of the value of cash in circulation. Money in these denominations is now being increasingly dispensed by the bank ATMs . The sudden unavailability of cash has hence thrown the life of common people out of gear.

The consensus goes that the government should have generated enough cash in the system before going in for this demonetization . The Government must really focus on curbing black money . The bulk of black money lies in off-shore accounts in foreign currencies . There is huge black money in the real estate sector too.

The Government must checkmate the terrorist funds that flow mainly through electronic transfers . Also, the Government should have been more careful about allowing the conversion of the existing 1000 and 500 currency notes within the prescribed time- limit. Appropriate measures ought to have been taken to prevent any benami conversions.

Working together

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe Time changes and with it the national interest . In 1998 Tokyo objected to India's nuclear tests . It froze aid and resorted to economic sanctions against India. Tokyo lifted sanctions against New Delhi in 2001. In 2009 Tokyo started with New Delhi an annual strategic dialogue. And last month a nuclear cooperation agreement was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tokyo .
New Delhi is sure to benefit from this deal. Knowledgeable sources say India today has highly ambitious renewable energy plans. Japanese companies produce cutting-edge were not allowed to supply parts to India. This would help India also in clinching deals with American companies . Japanese companies have significant holdings in some U.S. and French partner companies .
Japan's nuclear deal with India, a non-signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty, recognises India's commendable record in nuclear nonproliferation. This should help India's efforts to acquire membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group .

One hopes Japan's Parliament will approve the deal in early 2017. This will be helpful to the commercial agreement for Westinghouse's six reactors in Andhra Pradesh in June 2017.

One of the finest contributions that was made by our former Prime Minister P V Narsimha Rao to our diplomacy was to establish fullfledged diplomatic ties with Israel, the Middle East's only democracy, in 1992 . The successive prime ministers in India have done well to build on his remarkable feat .

As a result relations between New Delhi and Jerusalem have flourished over the years . However, since the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2003, no head of government or the state from Israel had come to India . The first Israeli president to visit India was Ezer Weizman in 1997. The Modi government has done well to have revived this high-level exchange.

Recently, our President Pranab Mukherjee, Foreign Minister Sushama Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar visited Israel. Last month Israeli President Reuven Rivlin visited India ( November 15 to 20) .

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israel President Reuven Rivlin Rivlin was accompanied by a delegation of leading agriculture, defence and university figures . He had deep bilateral talks with President Mukherjee and Prime Minister Modi. During his India visit,
Rivlin and Mukherjee witnessed the signing of several agreements with a focus on cooperation in agriculture, water and education.
Both sides agreed to take "practical and specific" measures on cybersecurity and defence cooperation. India and Israel agreed to intensify counter-terror efforts .
Now Prime Minister Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to exchange "high-level" interactions by the end of this year. Modi is said to be a great fan of Israel. He had his first bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UNGA in September 2014.
Modi is full of praise for the Israeli Defence Force's actions in Palestine and Lebanon. At a meeting in Himachal Pradesh on October 18, Modi likened the Indian Army's strikes across the LoC as "no less than the Israel Army." Under his leadership in India, relations between New Delhi and Jerusalem can be expected to attain new heights

Pragmatic pattern

James Woolsey Those who think Washington under President Donald Trump would be cold to Beijing may better rethink . Knowledgeable sources say the pattern of interaction between the United States and China has been pragmatic since the Nixon- Kissinger years. Trump is highly unlikely to disturb it.
Of course, throughout his election campaign Trump did lambast China and pledge to slap 45 per cent tariffs on imported Chinese goods. He also labelled communist China as a currency manipulator. But that is how election in fought and won in a democracy these days.
After his election, Chinese President Xi Jinping wasted no time to call on Trump to tell him the two nations are the world's largest economies . There were many areas to cooperate and benefit each other.
Head of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Jin Liqun has said in a media interview to People's Daily : "I have heard a certain senior official of President Barack Obama speak good of the AIIB and after Donald Trump won, I was told that many in his team have an opinion that Obama was not right not to join the AIIB, specially after loud endorsement of the bank. So we can't rule out the new government in U.S. endorsing the AIIB or indicating interest to join as member."
A report in the People' Daily hints the U.S. may embrace 'One Belt, One Road ( OBOR) if Beijing agreed not to the alter the status quo in the Asia-Pacific. Former CIA Director James Woolsey, who is part of Trump's inner-circle, has "recognised China's leadership role" asserting " the balance of power in Asia depends on America's strength". Woolsey has "called U.S. opposition to the formation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 'a strategic mistake,' and said that the new administration should warm up to the 'Belt and Road' initiative."