Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Beti Bachao campaign is abused by none other than BJP leaders themselves. Since the scrapping of Article 370 which had given special status to Jammu & Kashmir, BJP leaders are making fun and memes on Kashmiri girls which sounds against PM’s ‘Beti Bachao’ campaign.
BJP spokesperson Avdhut Wagh said, “All women of Kashmir are our sisters and all residents of Kashmir are our brothers. We have immense respect for them. BJP has issued a statement that after the abrogation of Article 370, Kashmir will witness development. You should concentrate on the positive statements issued by BJP and not focus on what is being reported by media.”
As per reports, a BJP MLA from UP has asked the youths of the state to marry the fair girls of Kashmir. His comments had drawn sharp criticism from people on social media. Apart from the MLA, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also said that girls from Kashmir can be brought for marriage. After criticism by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and women organisations over this, Khattar refuted that he had said so. He said that daughters are our pride. On the other hand, the National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma gave hints that Khattar would be asked for explanation over his remarks. She tweeted without naming anyone, “Why their imagination ends at women and their complexion and looks? How they open their big mouth and give these stupid remarks for women? Why people choose them to power? I certainly will ask for his explanation.”
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said, “The mindset of BJP leaders has been revealed. They are shameless fellows and don’t have any sensitiveness towards women. They don’t have any respect for women. The true face of BJP has been unveiled.”
Internet users are having discussions of their own. As soon as Union Home Minister Amit Shah made the announcement of the scrapping of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, Google users from Delhi and other cities began to search for Kashmiri girls in large numbers. This comes after the news of plots in Kashmir. A Facebook user said, “Please get it booked for me too. Route cleared for getting a bride. A wave of excitement among unmarried youths.”
It is remarkable that ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ (BBBP) was launched by the Prime Minister on January 22, 2015, in Haryana. BBBP addresses the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women empowerment over a life-cycle continuum. There is a strong emphasis on mindset change through training, sensitisation, awareness-raising and community mobilisation on ground. The Modi Government is trying to bring about a transformational shift in the way our society looks at the girl child. But leader like Vikram Singh Saini and Minister Manohar Lal Khattar are abusing ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme through their irresponsible statements.
BJP chief spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said, “I have not heard about Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s statement. To make insensitive statements about women is not a part of Indian culture. Kashmir is a national issue.”
According to reports, Vikram Singh Saini is a BJP MLA from Khatauli assembly constituency. He can be seen saying at a rally in a video, “Karyakarta bahut utsuk hai aur jo kunwaare hai, unki shaadi wahi karva denge, koi dikkat nahi hai. Kya dikkat hai? Pehle wahaan mahilaon par kitna atyachar tha. Wahaan ki ladki agar kisi Uttar Pradesh ke chorey se shaadi kar le, toh uski nagrikta khatam. Bharat ki nagrikta alag, Kashmir ki alag… Aur jo Muslim karyakarta hai yahaan par, unko khushi manani chahiye… Shaadi wahaan karo na, Kashmiri gori ladki se. Khushi manani chahiye. Poore chahe Hindu, Musalman koi ho. Yeh poore desh ke liye utsah ka vishay hai. (The workers are very excited and those who are bachelors, they can get married there. There is no issue now. Earlier, there was lot of atrocities on women. If a woman from there [Kashmir] gets married to a man from Uttar Pradesh, her citizenship would be revoked. There was different citizenship for India and Kashmir. And the Muslim workers should celebrate here. Get married there. To a fair Kashmiri girl. There should be celebrations. Everyone should celebrate… Be it Hindu or Muslims. This is something the entire country should be celebrating).”
In addition to sexism and colourism in Vikram Singh Saini’s remarks, he is also wrong about the facts. Kashmiri women did not lose their residency if they married someone from outside the state. Former advocate general of Jammu and Kashmir government Ishaq Qadri told agencies, “This issue was settled by a full bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court in the case titled State and others vs Dr Susheela Sawhney and others in October 2002 by striking down the proviso of the state subject (permanent residency) law according to which women marrying outsiders would lose their permanent resident status.”
Vikram Singh Saini was not alone in this belief that women from Kashmir will now marry men from other parts of the country. A number of TikTok videos of men bragging about how they will marry Kashmiri women now have emerged.
Vikram Singh Saini is no stranger to controversy. He is a high-school dropout. The 50-year-old man has several on-going criminal cases from attempts to murder to outraging religious sentiments. It is alarming how he thinks it’s alright to use the temptation of women and property to lure men, the products of patriarchy into rejoicing the scrapping of Article 370.
since Article 370 got scrapped, with this bold decision of the Prime Minister, his ministers are passing even bolder comments. A statement regarding Kashmiri women from a senior BJP leader has displayed the mindset towards women at large. They are either aiming for land or the ladies of Kashmir. In open speeches, it has been cleared by saying that now we will bring girls from Kashmir. Unfortunately, no one really objected to this. PM Modi Ji came into power with the “Beti Bachao (Save Girl Child)” slogan but his ministers misunderstood it as “Beti Bech Aao” and they are attacking the dignity of a woman.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bid that the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A which is supposed to bring “new era of development” in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be drowned out by male chauvinist statements regarding Kashmiri women from his own party colleagues. Most recent in the line of misogynistic offenders is Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. He should know that Haryana is the most unsafe place for girls; the rape rate is so high in the state and so far, the Chief Minister failed to address these issues. Patriarchy, popular culture, unemployment, arrogance, and male dominance are the biggest problems of Haryana and that is why the state is called India’s rape capital.
CM Khattar has displayed his Haryanvi mindset by commenting on the Kashmiri girls. With nearly one gang rape every two days since 2016, Haryana has become the most unsafe place for women. Haryana is India’s richest large state by per capita income. Haryana also comes up tops on a score it would rather not: It has the highest number of gang rapes in India.
National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data shows in 2016, Haryana registered one gang rape every two days. The number of rapes was at 1,187 – which is more than three a day. Haryana Police data shows that already 70 cases of gang rapes have been filed in the state until May 31, 2018. Of these, 33 are under investigation and 18 in the trial stage. Last year was no different with 176 cases of gang rape being registered. If that is enough to declare a rampant, then Haryana – the Launchpad of the BJP’s ambitious Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme – should have declared one some time ago. Already the population of Kashmir is in trauma and there is a sense of insecurity among people and above all, such irresponsible statements will bring a lot of disharmonies. The BJP needs to win the faith of people, they have to go close to the common man and tell them the reasons and benefits taking them in confidence. Right now the youth of Kashmir is feeling betrayed and such statements will fuel it further.
There is another BJP minister OP Dhankhar who used to say that he will bring a ‘bahu’ (daughter-in-law) from Bihar. Nowadays, people are saying that the path to Kashmir has been cleared, so now we will bring girls from Kashmir. Why does their imagination end at women and their complexion and looks? How do they even open their big mouths and give these stupid remarks for women? The Prime Minister should have immediately taken action against such foul-mouthed ministers. There should be immediate dismissal and an FIR against these leaders over the remark.
CM Khattar’s comment depicts the mindset of the BJP. No Indian is against the marriage of Kashmiri girls in other states, but the manner in which the Haryana CM and BJP’s Vijay Goel are displaying their wish is not in the right taste. Such a thing can be said by only someone who does not have a daughter. A leader saying like this suggests that the party has a bad mindset about girls, as they are not a commodity that you can take them away.
If the Prime Minister works with a good mind, he should dismiss the Chief Minister immediately. The BJP leaders keep giving controversial statements but if a Chief Minister behaves like this, he should not be in the chair even for a moment and he should be removed immediately. If the PM does so, people with really respect the term he coined — “Beti Bachao”.
The PM needs to stand with the Betis of India by taking action against his own leaders. This rather bizarre commodification of women appears senseless at first, only rooted in the jingoistic narrative surrounding Kashmiri women and the Article 35A which restricted their property rights if they married non-locals. However, the comment gains more perspective when considered against Haryana’s poor track record in stopping female foeticide and its abysmal sex ratio.
According to NITI Aayog’s latest data (available till 2015), Haryana has the lowest sex ratio in the country — at 831 girls per 1,000 boys between 2013-15 — against a national average of 900. The fact that the Haryana Chief Minister was making these comments while addressing a state-level function on the “success” the NDA government’s flagship projects, ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, is ironic.
BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district, Vikram Singh Saini also said that party workers were “excited” over the scrapping of Article 370, as it allowed them to marry “Gori” (fair-skinned) women from Kashmir. In a video that went viral on social media, Saini said that “both, Hindus and Muslims should welcome” the abrogation, as it allowed them to marry Kashmiri women “without any issue”. There has also been a surge in misogynistic social media posts from Indian men across the country, expressing enthusiasm in marrying women from Kashmir.
The comments on social media following the passage of the new bill in both the Houses of Parliament saw a surge in misogynistic posts which reek of objectification. These types of comments will downgrade the dignity of rest members in the party as well. This would be rated as a below-par comment and would request the senior matured personalities to strictly controlling on such speech deliveries and instruct them to be cohesive while delivering speeches.
At a time when the BJP leaders are busy making cheap and shameful remarks about “fair Kashmiri girls” in the wake of abrogation of Article 370, an Akal Takht Jathedar has urged the Sikh community to protect the honour of Kashmiri girls as their “religious duty. Akal Takht is the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. Kashmiri women are part of our society. It is our religious duty to defend their honour. Sikhs should come forward to protect the honour of Kashmiri women. It is our duty and it is our history. Many more should come forward and stand for the dignity of Kashmiri women at this moment because the BJP leaders have misunderstood the Beti Bachao slogan.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)
Adoption of eco-friendly vehicles or electric (e) vehicles is a demand of time because the problem of pollution is increasing day by day. The use of e-vehicles will reduce the level of pollution, as well as reduce the dependence of the country on petroleum imports. Not only this, but it will also help our country in reducing the trade deficit.
NITI Aayog has formulated an e-vehicle policy, according to which 100 percent of e-vehicles will be sold in the country by the year 2030. The government has also announced to give subsidy to purchase e-buses, e-taxis, and e-three-wheelers because these vehicles are used in public transport. The subsidy will be given under the Fame India scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries Companies. This subsidy will not be given for e-vehicles purchased for personal use.
The goods and service tax (GST) council has reduced GST on e-vehicles from 12 percent to 5 percent. The GST council has also reduced GST from 18 percent to 5 percent on e-vehicle’s charger. In the first round, infrastructure for e-vehicles will be developed in cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Jammu, and Guwahati.
Based on the 2011 census, it is proposed to develop basic facilities for battery charging in cities with a population of more than 10 lakh. Initially, the aim is to establish one thousand charging stations across India. India currently has 20 vehicles per 1000 population, which shows that there is a huge shortage of vehicles in the country. From this perspective, there are immense possibilities for the development of the e-vehicles market in the country.
E-Vehicle operates with batteries instead of petrol or diesel. Therefore, there is a need to set up fast-charging stations in remote areas. Apart from this, there is also a need to ensure parking spots in all over India and the availability of standby batteries. There are presently 75 percent small cars in India. The government has to electrify these cars. For keeping the affordable price of e-vehicles, the government will have to manufacture e-vehicles and its parts in India. If the government does this, then only their price can be made affordable to everyone. Currently, lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and silicon-based batteries are being used in e-vehicles, which are very expensive. Among these, the solid lithium-ion battery is currently more popular.
Mahindra & Mahindra Company has started assembling of e-vehicle’s batteries for which it has invested $ 700 million. India’s automobile companies have joined hands with global auto companies to implement the scheme to sale 100 percent e-vehicles by the year 2030. Suzuki will make an agreement to manufacture e-vehicles with Toyota. Mahindra will make an agreement with Ford and Renault will make an agreement with Nissan. Honda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, JLR, etc. are also working on the strategy of e-vehicle production.
There is presently only 1 per cent of e-vehicles compared to conventional vehicles in the world. Therefore, it is not easy to ensure 100 per cent e-vehicle sales by the year 2030. At present, the manufacturing of the passenger vehicle is growing at 8 per cent per annum. Even if only e-vehicles are built in the country, 100 percent of e-vehicles cannot be sold by the year 2030.
Lack of electricity can become the biggest obstacle in the path of e-vehicles. Therefore, in order to give an e-vehicle plan an integral form, 100 per cent electricity supply across the country must be ensured. Even today, 90 per cent of the electricity in the country is produced from coal. Here, the e-vehicle is not completely pollution-free.
According to experts, due to e-vehicles also carbon dioxide gas emits. For example, we manufacture batteries for e-vehicles with the help of electricity and most of the electricity is produced by Coal. Even for recharging of batteries, we use electricity. If we add total carbon dioxide gas emission in the manufacturing process of batteries including recharging, emission of carbon dioxide would only less than 30 to 40 per cent against conventional vehicles.
Mahindra and Ola have jointly run more than a hundred e-vehicles in Nagpur, but they are facing charging and other battery-related problems. They also have to face problems in charging batteries of e-vehicles at the time of need.
It can be said that there are many obstacles in the way of realizing the dream of e-vehicle. The biggest obstacle is the lack of infrastructure. There is a need to set up charging stations across the country to operate the e-vehicle. It is also necessary to arrange 24 hours power supply all over the country. The problem is also about the high cost of the e-vehicle. Till the e-vehicle is not affordable, common people will not be able to buy it. Since the cost of e-vehicle is high due to the battery’s cost, it will have to be manufactured in India.
It is obvious that the vehicle companies and the government will need huge capital for making this dream true. However, all these issues have not been discussed in NITI Aayog’s e-vehicle policy, due to which the future of e-vehicles in India did not appear very bright. According to Bloomberg, only 6 percent e-vehicles of the total vehicle usage in India will be used by the year 2030.
By Satish Singh
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
Revoke passports of people who tarnish India’s image abroad
The incident may have happened in Bali, Indonesia but the tourist who stuffed his suitcases with stolen hotel property has tarnished our country’s image globally after the video went viral and needs to be punished by our government. Every Indian tourist would now be looked down with suspicion abroad which truly is a pity. Passport of people who misbehave abroad or break the laws in foreign land should be cancelled on return so that it acts as a stern lesson for other people of their tribe. They should also be shamed on return by making their pictures public to face humiliation which would have a bigger impact than fines or penalties.
Indian’s are penny wise and pound foolish as they spend exorbitant sums on foreign holidays but end up tarnishing their image with petty acts that are shameful. Education is the need of the hour. Foreign affairs ministry should issue clear cut guidelines on the ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ while travelling abroad with heavy fines and penalties for those who break them. The video that went viral would act as a lesson for most to behave rationally not just while touring abroad but within the country as well
S.N. Kabra
Stop unwanted acts of indecency
Rain or shine the monsoon rains in Maharashtra is providing space and time for making mockery to State Water Resources minister Girish Mahajan to combine disaster trek with selfies with a smile when people are suffering in the flood hit areas. Thus ministers instead of reviewing rescue and relief operations in Kolhapur and Sangli escalated and precipitating public wrath with silly acts. It is high time the BJP High Command should issue strict strictures on the behaviour of ministers holding responsible post. Smiling and waving while visiting flood hit areas showed their cheap behaviour and that not only caused embarrassment to the Prime Minister and his council of ministers. There should be a full stop for all such unwanted acts of indecency. Seriousness of BJP minister and government officials should become sensible rather than making a show all the time with selfies and smile. The show must go on but not to this extent.
Calicut Ramanathan Ramani
Rising crimes in Delhi
It refers to media-reports wherein it was reported that nine more members of a notorious gang headed by a gangster presently lodged in Tihar Jail of Delhi were arrested by Delhi Police because of its unmatched capability and strategy for which Delhi Police deserves full compliments. Media-reports also revealed that the gang-leader operated all types of criminal activities inside from Tihar Jail through a foreign mobile-number especially taken to connect all gang-members through a Whatsapp group operated from the mobile-number.
Shocking surprise is that gang-activities continue because of an extremely slow Justice-Delivery-System which prevented quick-most punishment to the gang-leader that too he has benefit of further delaying punishment because of opportunity available to him to approach later court-stages till Supreme Court. Delhi Police Commissioner should better write to Chief Justice of India for earliest punishment to the gang-leader crossing all stages of appeals in higher courts. There should also be a system where advocates contesting cases of such criminals may also be kept under strong vigil of various agencies in a manner that advocates may not take cases of such known criminals. Members of public harassed by such gang-members should be free to approach concerned senior-level police-authorities to make verbal submissions to avoid danger to life from gang-members not in jail.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that dynasty politics was rejected in last general elections but Congress still wants Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to lead the party.
Chouhan said that BJP has set an example as its leaders grow naturally in the party whereas Congress is unable to move beyond a family. “The Congress is not willing to learn. It is surprising that CWC still wants Rahul and Sonia Gandhi to lead the party,” said the BJP vice-president.
In a resolution, the Congress Working Committee on Saturday appointed Sonia Gandhi as interim party chief till AICC elects a regular president. Chouhan a former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said political parties governed by dynasty, family and caste politics were defeated everywhere including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in Lok Sabha polls.
People have also rejected the politics of appeasement in West Bengal, he said adding that people chose nationalism and development.
The Congress should choose a leader through a democratic process and if it fails to do so, no one can save the party, Chouhan claimed.
Sushma Swaraj came, saw, and conquered her detractors with good oratory skill, efficient administration and the image of a prominent public figure ready to help out people in distress. She brought a rare empathy and a human approach to the nation’s diplomacy. The Indian Diaspora condoled the demise of former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and remembered her as a “caring” and “remarkable” leader. Swaraj passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi after suffering a cardiac arrest. The senior BJP leader was 67.
One of the most prolific politicians of India, who brought a rare empathy and a human approach to the nation’s diplomacy, Swaraj’s sudden demise triggered a wave of shock and grief among Indians living in Houston, who remembered her as a charismatic and dynamic leader, and a woman of grit. She will be remembered for her leadership in opening up the external affairs ministry and consulates across the globe to any Indian who needed help, she was a living Goddess for those having their bread winner in under foreign control for some minor offence or captured for no fault of theirs. She took upon the task of bringing them back to India with her personal touch and that went a long way in projecting her image as a saviour in silence.
Recalling Swaraj’s efforts to get relief for 200 Indian students who were stranded at the University of Houston in floods triggered by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, it was her commendable swift action and the way how she involved and got into action to rescue them with the help of the Consulate General of India, Houston. It was indeed a super human effort of Sushma Swaraj. Swaraj, as External Affairs Minister, brought a sense of assertiveness in India’s diplomacy and was known for her prompt response on Twitter to address grievances of overseas Indians. We are all greatly saddened by Sushma Swaraj’s untimely passing. A lady of great grace and ability, she had served for five years as an outstanding External Affairs Minister.
With the passing of Sushma Ji, India has lost one of her greatest leaders who was able and capable to build bridges with the outside world. She was a globally recognized champion of human rights and expert in diplomacy, she represented the best of India and in global diplomatic circle she was an astute person. Her demise is an incalculable loss to India; her friends all around the globe and to diplomacy. She will be always revered and remembered for her inspirational eloquence in oratory like Atal Bihari Vajpayee. One of the most prolific politicians of India, Sushma Swaraj’s sudden demise triggered a wave of shock and grief with leaders cutting across political spectrum paying glowing tributes to the astute leader.
Swaraj was known for her erudition and patriotism, besides being hugely popular with admirers in all political parties and a source of inspiration for millions of Indians. Sushma Swaraj was a wonderful lady, always full of life, as she represented India on the world stage and fought tirelessly for her citizens. She will always be remembered for her warm friendship and wise counsel. Our hearts are broken by her loss. RIP Sushma Swaraj.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Afternoon Voice celebrated its 11th Anniversary on August 8. On the occasion of completing these many years of supporting the fourth the estate of the democracy and fighting its evil, Afternoon Voice organised its first Media Conclave that was unique with its wide range of topics of discussion and with the presence of renowned dignitaries from all strata of the society. While notable politicians like Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Welfare Ashish Shelar, NCP Mumbai President Nawab Malik, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Waris Pathan, State Agriculture Minister Dr. Anil Bonde, BJP Maharashtra Spokesperson Shaina NC and Avadhut Wagh added grace to the Conclave, exponential classical singer Padma Shri Dr. Soma Ghosh, one of the champions of Bharatanatyam and academician and the principal of Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya Dr. Uma Rele, Singer and author Sonal Sonkavde, Comedian Sunil Pal, journalist Shikha Dhariwal, RTI activist Anil Galgali, Namrata Thakkar, Psychologist, Indian writer and Film producer Swapna Patker, and Advocate Pratibha Bangera were among the other panellists. Child artists Nitanshi Goel and Harshita Ojha too were present at the conclave.
The day was also marked with the launch of De Dhakka, Desh Chalana Hai, an initiative by Afternoon Voice which was launched by Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Welfare Ashish Shelar. De Dhakka, Desh Chalana Hai is a platform launched to bridge the gap between the common man and the power corridors. The government is a responsive and accountable form of democracy that belongs to you. While Power Hunger, Corruption, and Discrimination are ruling the power corridors, Afternoon Voice has come up with this platform which gives citizens the opportunity to question the government and run the government. The initiative appeals to the common man to connect with De Dhakka, raise questions, and work hand-in-hand with the government to work towards a progressive nation.
“I want to congratulate the entire team of Afternoon Voice and Editor-in-Chief Vaidehi on the 11th anniversary. I am observing how the entire team is doing fearless journalism throughout these years. Afternoon Voice has come up with an impressive initiative De Dhakka which will act to strengthen the democracy by bringing forward the voices of common man,” said Ashish Shelar.
With the blessings, co-operation, and encouragement of the readers, Afternoon Voice could sustain the parallel media by voicing for the voiceless, sometimes questioning the governance and sometimes defending the government against the odd voices. Its main aim is to live journalism and fight the evil in the fourth estate. The newspaper and its team also aim to fulfill the dream of the Prime Minister to create a better India by taking everyone along.
Afternoon Voice celebrated One More Year of Success as a daily and one of the fastest-growing tabloids from Mumbai that began its journey with a rebellious story 11 years back to voice the opinion of the journalists who were imbibed with an idea that newspaper is not a prerogative of a common man. The anniversary edition launch of Afternoon Voice by Ashish Shelar, Nawab Malik, Shaina NC, and Waris Pathan was another moment to cherish.
Talking about the journey of Afternoon Voice and the launch of De Dhakka, NBC Group Editor and Afternoon Voice Editor-in-Chief Dr. Vaidehi Taman stated, “The motive of the Afternoon Voice Media Conclave was to engage people in interaction and create voices. Perhaps, that is the same reason we decided to launch De Dhakka which is a platform for the common man to reach the power corridors. This was our first effort and I hope we have many more to go.”
Nitanshi Goel, who was co-anchoring the launch of De Dhakka with the Editor-in-Chief started the event asking the panellists what do they expect from the next generation to contribute to the nation-building. Replying to her, Nawab Malik stated, “Once we grow up, we tend to forget our responsibilities towards our parents who have dedicated their lives for our future. I hope that the coming generation will not ignore their parents and will abide by their duties towards their parents.” While Waris Pathan said, “I would like to suggest the next generation to be highly educated and not restrict themselves to only graduation level. Only educated youth can take the nation forward and add to the betterment of the country”, Shaina NC asserted, “While people say youth is the future, I believe youth is the present and only the present can decide how the future will be. I want all the youngsters to be socially motivated and engage with social causes.”
The event started with the political panel consisted of Shaina NC, Nawab Malik, Waris Pathan, and Suresh Nakhua, Avadhut Wagh. When asked how she sees the growth of the country going by the promises of PM Modi, Shaina NC replied, “PM Modi has already delivered on hardest of promises — be it the abolition of Triple Talaq and abrogation of Article 370. I joined the party 16 years ago and one of the reasons behind was BJP’s agenda of the abolition of Uniform Civil Code and Article 370.” Shaina also spoke about the performance of the Parliament where several legislations have been passed. Calling the Modi government a progressive one, she highlighted several pro-people schemes launched by BJP. Shaina also attacked the Congress party for following pseudo-secular politics. When asked about the small businessmen being affected due to the implementation of GST, Shaina stated, “Under MUDRA banking, 70 per cent of assistance have been provided to women from rural areas. Under Ujwala scheme, 6,50,000 cylinders were provided to poor women.” She said that out of one crore thirty lakh population it called it a big achievement. She also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi for indulging in photo-ops by visiting homes of Dalits during poll campaigns.
Replying the recent mass resignation in NCP, Nawab Malik said, “So many leaders have quit NCP and many more will leave the party. NCP will not come to an end with the resignation of few leaders.” He said that the country has achieved progress in the last 70 years and praised former PM Rajiv Gandhi for bringing computer era into India. He added that BJP is taking credit for the development of the nation. Stating that lies and false propaganda don’t last for long, Malik attacked the government saying, “India is faring only slightly better than Bangladesh and Ethiopia and the government is claiming that India will become a 5 trillion dollar economy.”
Adding to the discussion, Avadhut Wagh said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that since Independence each and every Prime Minister has contributed to the development of India. BJP government has carried out development work in the last five years and people have given a mandate to the government. People are with the Modi government.” Attacking the Congress party for taking credit for computerisation and not for introducing EVMs, he said, “If political parties want EVMs to be scrapped then they should approach the Election Commission.”
Another panellist Pathan said, “In today’s time if anyone speaks against BJP, they are termed as anti-national. For the development of the country, it is necessary to take along people belonging to all communities. I am always with the minorities and the underprivileged. It is unfortunate that more than three crore Muslim women have sent letters to the government against the Triple Talaq bill.” RTI activist Anil Galgali said that every political party should be given De Dhakka as neither BJP nor Congress has been able to deliver and they are indulging in vote bank politics. He also regretted how most of the schemes started by the government remains restricted on paper. He appealed the citizens to join with De Dhakka and participate in the betterment of the country. Talking about his stand on the recent RTI amendments, he said that ‘not only BJP whichever party comes to power oppose RTI’.
Another panel had Dr. Soma Ghosh, Dr. Uma Rele, Namrata Thakkar, Sunil Pal, and Swapna Patker. When asked about the thoughts on the vulgarity in the present-day entertainment media, Dr. Soma Ghosh and Dr. Uma Rele highlighted the use of tasteless and crass lyrics and dance steps used in recent times and how it is harmful of the sane mind was also elaborated by them. Dr. Ghosh said, “The way music has the ability to heal an unwell person, it also has all the strength to make a healthy human mentally sick.” Talking about the same in the stand-up comedy, Sunil Pal said, “Such contents are used because the audience likes it; however, not every comedian follows the same path while they perform. The same applies to the Youtubers who take the support of adult talks to get more reach and likes. While performers with good content get trolled, ones who use vulgar content get the most support.”
While talking about the importance of music in our lives, Padma Shri Dr. Soma Ghosh said, “Music has tremendous power. Nowadays, kids are under a lot of stress and they are many who are consulting the psychiatrists. The doctors suggest singing as a method to relieve stress. We used to have extracurricular classes in schools before, but unfortunately, we hardly have any in the current education system. Education without music is incomplete.”
Swapna Patker threw light on how these contents have harmful effects on the minds of teenagers. She also said how social media addiction and the hunger to keep updated at every social platform have taken people away from their own selves. “People are afraid to face themselves,” Patker added. She further added, “Any art form is similar to meditation that sharpens your attention. We lack focus in today’s time.
Uma Rele said, “The duty of every art form is to teach at least something to the society. Our responsibility is to upgrade the audience without degrading ourselves as an artist.” When asked about the challenges to maintain the ethicality of the industry, Namrata Thakkar said, “We suggest the entrepreneurs how distressing can eventually help in their businesses and take them ahead in their careers. Entrepreneurship is entirely about the mindset.”
Another panel that was joined by Advocate Bangera, Dr. Patker, Journalist Dhariwal, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti spokesperson Ramesh Shinde, and social entrepreneur Adhik Kadam. When asked why 90 per cent of cases in courts these days are not genuine and why people are using legal tools for revenge or personal agenda, Advocate Bangera said, “You are right. Many come to the court for revenge or with some ulterior motives while the ones who really need justice, do not think about revenge. I can easily understand that my client has come for revenge or justice. I have noticed that a person, who wants to take revenge, has his agenda ready.”
While talking about the present situation in J&K after the scrapping of Article 370, Adhik Kadam, who runs shelter houses in Kashmir Valley for the orphan girls, anxiously said, “To see the change, I will have to reach there. After a new step by the Centre, I am unable to contact my children. Internet and phone services are closed. Only through the military, I could only know that some essential things have run short in the shelter houses. I am worried about their security and well-being. There is no communication. Many persons of Jammu are against the scrapping of Article 370.” On being asked how does she perceive spicy news by media particularly in the entertainment industry, Dhariwal said, “The present time is an era of social media. Celebrities are very active on social media and spicy news or rumours are not new for them. This is quite normal for them. Celebrities are also responsible for this.”
Talking about what are the threats against the Hindus in India, Ramesh Shinde said, “Yes, Hindus are not safe in India. The Supreme Court of India fined Rs 100 crore to Times of India for tarnishing the image of a judge. However, there is no instance of punishment in the cases of blasphemy of Hindu gods-goddesses. A Supreme Court judge said that Krishna was in live-in relationships with Radha as they did not marry. He may be expert of Law, but he has no knowledge of holy books of Hindus. For me, this blasphemy of Krishna is more than Rs 100 crore.” Psychologist Swapna Patker added, “All these, problems are due to lack of trust and end of teacher-pupil (Guru-Shishya) tradition. Whenever you are in distress and pain, there is no one to whom you can share your problem. I am a psychologist but whenever I am in trouble, I consult my teacher.”
In the post-event media conversation, wishing luck for the entire Afternoon Voice team, Shikha Dhariwal said, “All the panels had discussed a wide range of topics, be it religion, politics, or journalism. Afternoon Voice has completed its 11th year and I feel being completely unbiased in putting out the opinion and maintain it for this long is excellent in itself.” Uma Rele stated, “De Dhakka is an exceptionally impressive initiative by Vaidehi and team which is much needed in the current era. Incidents which all are happening around us every day undoubtedly need a Dhakka (push) to work in the right direction. We have all our support to De Dhakka and the team. I want to congratulate and have only good wishes for the initiative.” Waris Pathan congratulated and gave good wishes to Afternoon Voice on its anniversary. He also wished De Dhakka great success ahead.
Dr. Soma Ghosh expressed, “On the 11th anniversary of ‘Afternoon’ newspaper, I was the Guest of Honour in the conclave. The Editor Vaidehi anchored the discussions of the evening that covered a variety of topics ranging from ethics in politics to fundamental rights to intellectual property rights to Cultural/ therapeutic aspects of Indian music and the decay and vulgarization of Indian folk music. I made a point when I brought to focus the greater need for monetary as well as the government facilities that ought to be given to Padma Awardees. According to me, these Awards bring greater responsibilities and more social obligations and thus we have to travel more to reach out to a larger number of people. I was loudly appreciated for my various views and also for singing a few songs!”
On August 8, 2019, the eleventh anniversary of Afternoon Voice, we celebrated hoisting a conclave and launching our new web series called “De Dhakka, Desh Chalana Hai”. We were unplanned and very much new to the concept of a conclave. However, we believed that somewhere we had to begin and somewhere we needed to learn.
We invited many dignified guests as the panellists and the Afternoon Voice Media Conclave began with BJP MP and Education Minister of Maharashtra Ashish Shelar and he reached dot on time. We all were still unprepared. My team is small and we had no iota of idea on how to receive a state minister at the program.
Well, the secretary of the Minister was very upset because none of us went to receive them or attended their call while this was not at all a deliberate attempt. We were hell-bent on completing the arrangements so that the event can go smooth. I must say that it’s both our luck and the kind heart of Mr. Shelar, a leader who has no false ego and who reached the venue without any prejudice. I could breathe a bit; followed by Shelar RTI activist Anil Galgali, NCP Mumbai President Nawab Malik, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC, AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan, and state Agriculture Minister Dr. Anil Bonde all reached one by one. They all launched the anniversary edition and Shelar launched our web programme “De Dhakka, Desh Chalana Hai”. This Conclave was a leaning as I said while the show flow was kicked out of the site and everything just flew with time.
The first session was all about politics, from scrapping Triple Talaq to Kashmir issues to non-delivered promises and so on. There were three BJP speakers on the stage Vs two Opposition leaders. A neutral person was Mr. Galgali who very promptly summed up the session stating that whichever government comes to power, they dilute or abuse RTI act but those in opposition support the act and activists. In the second session, there were four beautiful ladies, Dr. Uma Rele, an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and the Principal of the Nalanda Dance Research Centre. She spoke about the vulgarity in the dance forms used in movies. She spoke about how the art form is losing its sheen in skimpy clothes and discourteous moves. She expressed her concern over fading ethics in the art industry.
At the same time, second panelist Dr. Soma Ghosh, Padma Shri, an exceptional exponent of music in the field of Hindustani classical vocals, registered her displeasure over the folk songs and its cheap lyrics. Music has motivated the young and old and it has inspired many; music has given hope to an ailing old man and most importantly, music has and will always be food for the soul. She said that music has the power to change people and it can change the way they think and behave. Dr. Swapna Patker concluded stating that Music and Dance is meditation. Both the art forms have an immense ability to cure and bring stability in human minds. There was one more dignitary on the stage — Narmata Thakkar who is the Founder of Entrepreneur Excel. She spoke about music, dance, mid-life crises in entrepreneurs, and emphasised how we can beat the stress and stay young. The second session ended with music, discussions, and a performance by comedian Sunil Pal. People were rolling on the floor with his comedy.
The third session was little serious — Hindu Janjagruti Samiti’s spokesperson Ramesh Shinde, Borderless Foundation’s founder Adhik Kadam, Entertainment Journalist Shikha Dhariwal and Advocate Pratibha Bangera. This was a brainstorming session. Mr. Shinde spoke about the attack on Hindus and the religion; Shikha Dhariwal spoke about how social media is influencing mainstream media and why social media has become diluted to the depth of news. She was very specific on talking about the unity in media. The show-stealer of this session was Adhik Kadam who spoke about the pain being not able to communicate with his children in Kashmir. He spoke about changing the mindsets of militants and bringing them back to life and gave suggestions on how to win the confidence and faith of the youth in Kashmir after scrapping Article 370. Each and every submission of Kadam was insightful.
Advocate Pratibha Bangera spoke about betrayals, revenges, fake cases, and how laws are misused for self-motives. Dr. Patekar concluded this third and final session stating people today are very much insecure and unstable because we lost the guru-shishya parampara. There is a trust issue in everything; mothers have no time for their kids and people are too much focused on their social media presence. Mobiles have become a breather and all the relations and friends are replaced with one device. People are trapped in the virtual world. No matter how modern we are, we need one Guide or one Guru where we can confess, discuss, and talk anything and the one who can help us to pass through the stress of life. Child actress Nitanshi Goel was the showstopper of the Conclave, from anchoring to engaging audiences, she was at her best.
For a small company like us, it is a boon to have employees who are willing put in time doing the work needed; my team is my strength and they all were perfectly placed and performed their duties. For someone like me who has a small team and big task, I don’t need to worry as my team is perfectly fine at their level. They made it all happen so smooth.
This was our first attempt and I learned a lot from everyone. Let’s see from here how the journey of De Dhakka takes us ahead. This is a platform for the common man to reach the power corridors. We want to bridge the gap between people and their elected representatives. Join us and keep watching us.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)
India is such a country that is compared to a mother. However, it is regretful to say that mothers and sisters are not safe in a motherland. Even small-minded children are not safe. The government of India has taken thousands of initiatives for the development of women. It is a pride for our country that our former foreign minister was a woman, the Speaker of the Parliament was a woman, and many other ministers of the government, VCs of the universities, and IPS officers are women. Despite the status of women being so high in our beloved country, they are constantly being reported every day to be the victims of violence. So, what exactly is the problem? One way, just by blaming the government, we can get rid of it. However, did you ever think about what you are doing for the empowerment of women?
However, for our own dirty mind, women think that they are consumer goods. If the news came on the TV screen you will find such dirty people in the comment room. Why does she not wear the hijab, is she just raped? Surely the girl is in trouble, this situation for the parents, if she wears would have been like this? There are thousands of such comments when they are there. There is no major headache in the work of such a big inhuman act or with the punishment of rapists. All of them are interested in that girl. Only the events that triggered viral stirred up only for some time and then became silent again.
If you do not agree with the argument, they are tortured due to the women’s dress, but what? You cannot get rid of the little children, who are also the victim of this crime? This is not the age for children to understand anything. Why is this torture over them?
I heard a 6-month-old child was raped by his own uncle a few days ago. SIX months! Just six months. The world has not learned to understand anything. A few days ago another religious teacher was arrested for torturing small children. If a religious teacher is doing this disgusting thing, then who will the people trust? They only stigmatise religious in religious clothes.
Another 7-year-old child has been brutally murdered after rape. I couldn’t sleep after watching the news. The inside is fluttering. How can people be so inhuman?
The highest pendency under POCSO was recorded in Uttar Pradesh (44,376 cases) followed by Maharashtra (19,968) and Madhya Pradesh (9878) with there being a steady flow of 33,000 fresh cases getting registered across the country each year.
Actually, as long as we can change ourselves, the problem will never be solved because of the religion or government’s sake. Besides, if the rapists were arranged for severe punishment then someone would think ten times before committing a crime. Most of the times criminals get away with the shadow of influential people.
How long shall we tolerate? When will our mothers and sisters walk safely? When will the oppression of women from this country stop?
When we see the faces of these oppressed small children, the hearts call out “Ah India, Shame! Shame!”
Strict legal and administrative actions are needed to change this mindset. Only stricter punishments like death penalty can stop the rapists.
Dear beloved brothers, we would remember that every woman is a sister or mother of someone. She needs to be protected and respected. She is an equal partner of a man in all walks of life and hence must be treated accordingly.
-By Jamil Ahmed Qasmi
(The author of the article is a Social activist.)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
The Prime Minister’s address to the nation on Jammu and Kashmir has come ahead of his August 15 Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, where he spells out his vision for the nation. While many Indians welcomed the move and lauded Modi’s government for its decisiveness, others criticised India for what they said were heavy-handed and even unconstitutional tactics. It is a bold step that the BJP government has taken.
In his speech, Modi has suggested that Jammu and Kashmir could eventually regain the status of a state, but Ladakh would remain a union territory. He respected political critics and asked them to act in the larger interests of the nation instead of blindly opposing the government’s actions. He also assured the people of the region that the situation will normalise soon, and hinted at the possibility of Jammu and Kashmir regaining statehood under more conducive conditions. The scrapping of Article 370 is the beginning of a new era. BJP has long vowed to revoke the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir which they at last did. The party’s 2019 election manifesto said it was “discriminatory against non-permanent residents and women of Kashmir”, adding that it was an “obstacle in the development of the state.” With this decision, a “new era” will begin in Jammu and Kashmir as all the obstacles for the development of Kashmir has now been lifted. It is true that successive governments at the Centre diluted Article 370 to such an extent that it ceased to have any practical meaning. But still, it was that thin string which held Kashmir within the Union of India.
PM Modi has very nicely painted a picture of exports from the area taking off and quoted that “The colour of saffron or the taste of coffee from Jammu and Kashmir, be it the sweetness of the apple or the succulence of the apricot, be it Kashmiri shawls… they need to be spread worldwide.” Article 370 guaranteed the Muslim-majority region greater autonomy than any other Indian state, as well as special privileges in education, jobs and property ownership. The government’s plan to rope in big investors into the state involving people in the development process will come out with a new Kashmir and joy for the people. The move also energised the party’s base, which celebrated it as further proof of Modi’s muscular nationalism. Some analysts described as a bold political move the swift, assured manner in which the BJP rolled back a 70-year-old deal between Delhi and India’s most volatile region. There are many benefits and the effects of abrogation of Article 370 are that:
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir’s area, name, and boundary couldn’t be altered, which are now changed.
The Central government now needs no approval from the Jammu and Kashmir government to implement any laws, foreign affairs changes, and communications.
Kashmiri status will remain for a woman if she marries a man from any other parts of India.
No more separate flag in Jammu and Kashmir.
The residents India can now buy property in Jammu and Kashmir and can enjoy the citizenship.
People enjoying two types of citizenship. One is Indian citizenship and another is Kashmiri citizenship. That provision is now gone and
Now any Indian citizen can apply for jobs in the state government.
There is no doubt that Modi government will reach out to Kashmir by strengthening grass-roots democracy, holding immediate elections and reverting to full Statehood status after normalcy returns.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Beti Bachao campaign is abused by none other than BJP leaders themselves. Since the scrapping of Article 370 which had given special status to Jammu & Kashmir, BJP leaders are making fun and memes on Kashmiri girls which sounds against PM’s ‘Beti Bachao’ campaign.
Senior 
Sushma Swaraj
India is such a country that is compared to a mother. However, it is regretful to say that mothers and sisters are not safe in a motherland. Even small-minded children are not safe. The government of India has taken thousands of initiatives for the development of women. It is a pride for our country that our former foreign minister was a woman, the Speaker of the 
The