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NDA REVIEW MEET

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 1|Page


Session Shall Commence On 1st January16
COMMUNAL DIVIDE
Press accounts of communal conflicts in the India have frequently portrayed
religious antagonisms, particularly between Hindus and Muslims, as intrinsic
to the region. However, such an interpretation fails to take into account the
fact that political organizations and governments have exploited religious
differences for political purposes.

Independent India established a governmental structure committed to


secularism and democracy. Its constitution guarantees equal treatment before
the law to all individuals regardless of community background. In the first
twenty years after independence, the Congress Party consistently articulated
its support for the equal recognition of all religions and communities. Despite
state-sanctioned support for secularism and nondiscrimination, however,
conservative religious organizations sought to give a communal orientation to
political debates revolving around language issues, the protection of religious
symbols, and the maintenance of religious personal laws. While the Congress
Party often conceded to demands made by such groups (particularly Hindu
organizations) over linguistic, religious, and legal issues, it remained
rhetorically committed to nondiscrimination and secularism in the political
process.

A perceptible shift in the communalization of politics occurred during the


1970s when Indira Gandhi was prime minister. During this period, support for
the Congress Party waned. Many of its post-independence development
policies had failed, and massive inequities existed in access to education,
housing, health care, and food. While India was procedurally a democracy,
violations of human rights were widespread and endemic. Prime Minister
Gandhi increasingly resorted to authoritarian measures to retain power. In
1975, she declared a state of emergency in India and officially suspended a
range of civil liberties. The suspension of regular government, which was
followed by the defeat of the Congress Party and the election of the Janata
Party in 1977, altered the Congress Party's traditionally leftist political
platform.

With segments of its traditional base of support shifting allegiance to other


parties, the Congress Party attempted to reconstitute itself by moving onto the

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 2|Page


ideological terrain traditionally occupied by rightist religious parties. For
example, in an effort to appeal to the Hindu right, Hindu rituals were used to
inaugurate state functions and Hindu symbols were increasingly utilized at
political rallies. Simultaneously, the Congress Party opportunistically sought
support from conservative elements within the Muslim community while
ignoring the sentiments of secular and progressive Muslims.

Such strategies were politically successful, and the Congress was re-elected
in 1980. In 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Her successor and son
Rajiv Gandhi continued the trend toward the communalization of politics.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s the government refused to condemn
discriminatory rhetoric of an increasingly militant Hindu right. Rather, the
government sought Hindutva electoral support and in 1989, Prime Minister
Gandhi made a campaign speech from near Ayodhya, where he called
for Ram Rajya (the rule of the Hindu god Ram) in India. Similarly, attempts by
conservative Muslims to assert power over the broader Indian Muslim
community were supported by the government. For example, Gandhi
promoted the agenda of conservative Muslim leaders who sought to uphold
"traditional" Muslim family laws.

Despite the Congress Party's best efforts; it was the explicitly communal
parties which benefited the most from the communalization of Indian politics.
In the 1989 national election, the BJP, with its Hindutva agenda, won15
percent of the popular vote and eighty-eight seats in Parliament. In addition, it
gained control of four state assemblies including Uttar Pradesh. The BJP had
campaigned on a Hindutva platform which promised, among other things, to
build a temple dedicated to Ram on the site of the mosque in Ayodhya.

The Law

Victims of communal violence in India suffer a range of violations of


internationally recognized human rights. These include the right not to be
arbitrarily deprived of life, the right to equal treatment before the law without
discrimination, and the right not to be subject to coercion which would impair
the freedom to have or adopt a religion. Ethnic, linguistic, and religious
minorities are guaranteed the right to enjoy their own culture, to profess and
practice their own religion, or to use their own language. Furthermore, under
international human rights law states are obligated to prohibit by law any
advocacy of national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to
discrimination, hostility or violence.

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 3|Page


The indiscriminate use of lethal force against unarmed demonstrators violates
the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement
Officials, which inter alia states: "Law enforcement officials, in carrying out
their duty, shall, as far as possible, apply non-violent means before resorting
to the use of force and firearms ... Whenever the lawful use of force and
firearms is unavoidable, law enforcement officials shall: (a) Exercise restraint
in such use and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offence and the
legitimate object to be achieved; (b) Minimize damage and injury, and respect
and preserve human life ...." The Basic Principles also state: "Governments
shall ensure that arbitrary or abusive use of force and firearms by law
enforcement officials is punished as a criminal offence under their
law."Unfortunately, the Maharashtra state government's Guidelines for
Dealing with Communal Disturbances 1986 authorize the early use of lethal
force in order to quell a communal disturbance, and prohibit firing warning
shots in the air, in violation of the Basic Principles.

The violations of human rights that occur in the context of communal violence
also clearly violate protections set forth and defined in the Constitution of India
and the Indian penal code. Under articles 15, 16, and 19 of the Indian
constitution, discrimination on the grounds of religion is prohibited and all
citizens are guaranteed the right to equal treatment before the law and the
right to equal protection of the laws. Section 153 of the Indian penal code
criminalizes the promotion of violent attacks against groups on grounds of
religion, race, place of birth, or language.

Reasons for the divide:

UN Historical Approach: The British use of Indian history to degenerate Indian


national character and to prove Indians unfitness for independence and
democracy produced another distortion in Indian History and politics. The
Indian counter this unscientific and unhistorical approach with an unhistorical
approach of their own. They began to glorify the past. Thus gradually
developed several myths, each one of which weakened healthy, secular
nationalism and gave an opening to communalism.

The first of these myth is the belief that Indian society and culture-Indian
civilization-had reached a high watermark, the Golden Age, in ancient India,
from which high watermark it gradually sided downward during the medieval
period branded the period of decadence and of foreign rule and continued to
slide down till the revivalist movement made partial recovery but that real task
of reviving the past glory and civilization still remains. The blaming this decay

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 4|Page


of Islam or Muslim rule and the alien west, was easily taken. These create
hostility between these two religious communities.

Hero myth : All of the major heroes, Rana Pratap, Shivaji, and Guru Gobind
Sing, belonged to medieval India and had fought against Mughal authority-
have done as much to undermine secularism and national integration as any
other ideological factor. These hero myths proved the case for the two nation
theory or basic communal approach. By what definition are they national
heroes and their struggle a national struggle? Because they were fighting
against foreigner? How were the Mughals foreigners? Because they were
Muslim. What was the uniting principle in the nationalism of Rana Pratap,
Shivaji and Guru Gobin Sing? Their being Hindu or non-Muslim thus the hero
myths spontaneously generated communalism.

Divide and Rule Policy of the British: The British rulers adopted the policy of
'Divide and Rule' to strengthen their roots while living in India. They divided
the people of various communities of India and spread the feeling of distrust
among them and hence they sowed the seeds of communalism in India.

Political Organisations: Different communal organisations are found in India


which have created hatred among the people of various religious communities
by propagating, and hence they are the root cause of communalism.

Inertia indifferent Government: When the government does not take proper
action at the proper time, communalism spreads among the subjects.
Sometimes the government favours on the religion and leave others which
create differences.

Ineffective Handling of Communal Riots: Sometimes the state governments


have been proved ineffective to curb the communal riots in their respective
states. It also results in spreading the communalism.As the result of the above
factors, communalism is raising its ugly face in India after the Independence
and also creating great problems even in the working of Indian political
system.

While there are statements by eminent leaders such as Subramaniam


Swamy, Sakshi Maharaj, Sadhvi Prachi, Yogi Adityanth who have been giving
radical statements out in the public defaming BJPs identity and lowering the
secular image.

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 5|Page


SADHVI PRACHI

Badaun (UP): VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi has stoked fresh controversy by
making inflammatory remarks on the issue of 'love jihad' and defending her
statement that Hindu women should have four children.

"They are trapping our daughters through 'love jihad'. These people who give
birth to 35-40.... are spreading love jihad... They are trying to make Hindustan
into Darul Islam," she said.

YOGI ADITYANATH

In yet another instance of hate speech, a video has surfaced where a


supporter of BJP leader Yogi Adityanath delivers a speech saying they should
dig out dead bodies of Muslim women and rape them. In a high-pitched vitriol
the unnamed supporter also holds forth statements like Muslims' voting rights
must be taken away and how this is important for the creation of
Hindu rashtra .

Must read:

1. Ayodhya issue
2. The Shrikrishna inquiry
3. Killings in Bombay

Links to go through:
https://www.hrw.org/reports/1996/India1.htm
http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/10603/40
546/9/12_chapter3.pdf
http://www.isidelhi.org.in/hrnews/HR_THEMATIC_ISSUES/Commu
nalriots/Communal-2015.pdf
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularS
ession/Session23/A.HRC.23.47.Add.1_EN.pdf
http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/NIC
-W-Group.pdf

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 6|Page


FOREIGN TRIPS
A Delhi-based Right To Information (RTI) activist, Lokesh Batra, finally got
responses to his request for information on the public funds spent on Prime
Minister Narendra Modis official foreign trips between June 2014 and June
2015. Mr. Batra was forced to write separately to every Embassy and High
Commission in each of the countries the Mr. Modi visited, and yet some
denied him the information on the grounds that the resources would need to
be diverted to collate the information. Mr. Batra had to go in appeal in several
instances, but four countries Japan, Sri Lanka, France and South Korea
havent yet supplied the information. In the United States of America, the
details of his Washington trip were not available, while the spending on the
New York segment was made available. Since the RTI request concerned the
current Prime Minister only, there isnt a relevant comparison that can be
made with the spending of past Prime Ministers.

In all, India spent over Rs 41.1 crore on his foreign trips over the last year.
The US trip was probably the most expensive, but details of the Washington
leg are, as mentioned, not available. Among the countries for which full data is
available, Australia was the most expensive.

Few Indian missions abroad gave a break-up of the spending. Among those
that did Brazil, the USA and Australia hotel accommodation and the hiring
of vehicles locally took up the bulk of the expense.

List of the agreements that have been signed are:

S.
No. Area of Co-operation Description of the Agreement

Defence and Nuclear


Energy

It is aimed at cost reduction by increasing


MoU between L&T localization, to improve the financial viability of
1 and AREVA Jaitapur project. It will also enable transfer of

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 7|Page


technology and development of indigenous nuclear
energy industry in India.

The PEA studies intend to bring clarity on all


technical aspects of the plant so that all parties
Pre-engineering (AREVA, Alstom and NPCIL) can firm up their
agreements between price and optimize all provisions for risks still
2 NPCIL and Areva included at this stage in the costs of the project.

Space

The Indo-French Megha Tropiques satellite was


launched on board the Indian launch vehicle,
MoU between ISRO PSLV on October 12, 2011. The MoU shall extend
and CNES on Megha by 2 more years, the joint project for sharing and
3. Tropiques use of data from the satellite.

The MoU envisages cooperation for


implementation of the project concerning Ka- band
propagation experiment over Indian tropical
'MOU between ISRO, region. The main objective is to collect Ka-Band
CNES and ONERA for attenuation data using available Ka-Band
Ka-band propagation transmission and perform analysis along with
experiment over Indian corresponding radio meter and meteorological
4. tropical region' data.

The Agreement proposes cooperation in the areas


of Satellite Remote sensing, satellite
communications and satellite meteorology; space
sciences and planetary exploration; data collection
and location; operations of satellite ground stations
and spacecraft mission management; space
Programme between research and applications. It covers the potential
ISRO and French cooperation activities such as joint earth
National Centre for observation mission, hosted payload opportunities
5. Space Studies (CNES) and Mars exploration.

Sports

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The MoU envisages cooperation and exchange of
MoU on Cooperation experiences in the fields of sports medicine,
between the Ministry institutional cooperation, development of practice
of Youth Affairs and of sports in the context of proximity sports,
Sports of India and support of participation of women and the disabled
French Ministry of in sports, management and coordination of sports
Sports, Youth Affairs, federations, training of executives and
Public Education and establishment of National Institute of Sports in
6. Community Life India based on French model of INSEP.

Economic Relations

Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU)
on cooperation in the
field of renewable
energy between the The understanding reached in this MoU will help
Ministry of New and establish the basis for cooperation and relationship
Renewable Energy to encourage and promote technical bilateral
(MNRE), Government cooperation on new and renewable energy issues
of India and the on the basis of mutual benefits and reciprocity
Ministry of Ecology, through exchange and training of technical
Sustainable personnel, exchange of information and data, joint
Development and research and transfer of know-how and
Energy, Government technology. It would cover solar, wind, bio-
7. of France energy, tidal and wave energy sectors.

Railways

Railway protocol
between Indian
Ministry of Railways The Protocol seeks to establish cooperation
and French National between Indian and French Railways for semi-high
8. Railways (SNCF) speed rail and station renovation.

Energy

9. Guarantee Agreement The Agreement seeks to finance Energy Efficiency

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with AFD Financing of Services Limited (EESL)
Energy Efficiency
Services Limited
(EESL)

CULTURE,
HERITAGE
CONSERVATION,
TOURISM, PEOPLE-
TO-PEOPLE
CONTACTS

The Administrative Arrangement between the


Indian Ministry of Culture and French Ministry of
Culture and Communication, envisages
cooperation in the field of cultural heritage,
through training of Indian heritage conservation
professionals at the Institute National du
Patrimoine (INP), a higher education
establishment of training for curators and restorers
in the field of heritage in France, as well as
Development of cultural and scientific cooperation
Administrative in the fields of conservation and restoration of the
Arrangement in the heritage, short duration training sessions in India
field of Cultural by INP trainers in Indian institutes and training of
10. Heritage French training in India etc.

LoI for increasing cooperation in tourism sector


signed between India and France aims to promote
sustainable bilateral tourism between the two
countries including through mutual promotion of
tourism, ensuring safety of tourists and
encouraging sharing of expertise and best
practices. The LoI also seeks to facilitate twinning
of sites having historical, natural and cultural
Letter of Intent on significance in India and France for promoting
11. Tourism them as tourist destinations.

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Letter of Intent (LoI)
between the
Archaeological Survey The LoI envisages collaboration on preventive
of India (ASI) and archaeology projects, initiatives to disseminate
National Institute of culture and promote archaeology, training
Preventive programmes for specialists of ASI and deployment
Archaeological of expertise, in particular, in the field of
12. Research (INRAP) underwater archaeology.

The MoU envisages cooperation to undertake joint


MOU between School planning and geographical studies in India and
of Planning and France and training of local counterparts in
Architecture, Delhi modern urban and regional research as well as in
and National techniques of scientific methods in Urban and
Architecture Institute regional planning, geography, environment,
13. in Paris, France Building engineering and management.

MoU between Indian


Heritage Cities
Network Foundation
(IHCN) and
Association Nationale
des Villes et Pays dArt This MoU envisages cooperation between to
et dHistoire et villes a cooperate in the fields of sustainable development,
secteurs sauvegards et urban planning, heritage conservation and up-
14. protgs (ANVPAH) gradation of basic services.

Proposal for twinning


of historical Twinning of historical monuments is covered
15 monuments under the LoI on Tourism Cooperation.

VIE scheme to allow The Volontariat International en Entreprise (VIE)


Indian students in scheme offers Indian Visa for 12 months
France and French renewable once for a period of 12 months for 250
students in India to French students and a second residence permit of
stay for a period of 24 12 months for the Indian students in France
16 months. following the 12 months already granted.

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LoI allows both the parties to strengthen their
relationships and cooperation in the area of
Ayurveda education and research by undertaking
academic and research activities, exploring
Letter of Intent on feasibility of collaborative research, and drawing
Ayurveda between up strategies for dissemination of results of
Ministry of Ayush and completed studies,Conducting joint
University of workshops/conferences on Ayurveda as
17 Strasbourg complimentary medicine in France

Skill Development

MoU between National


Skill Development
Agency (NSDA), India
and the National For exchange of information regarding the
Commission for maintenance of National Skills Qualification
Vocational Framework and the French National Register for
Qualifications Vocational Certifications (RNCP). The agreement
(Commission Nationale will facilitate exchange of information and
de la Certification knowledge about maintenance of qualification
Professionnelle registers through information exchanges, visits and
18 CNCD) other suitable meetings.

Science and
Technology

The MoU is for cooperation between the two


MoU on cooperation in countries in the areas of applied mathematics,
the field of Science & physics, Information & communication
Technology between technology, water resources and environment, life
Department of Science sciences, astronomy, climate and energy by
& Technology of India exchange of information, organization of
and the French meetings/workshops/seminars, exchange of
National Centre for research personnel; joint projects; establishment of
Scientific Research Virtual Joint Laboratories, and establishment of
19 (CNRS) Joint Research Centres.

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MoU
betweenDepartment of
Biotechnology of India
and CNRS and UPMC
on Collaboration The proposed MoU seeks to establish a National
forestablishment of a Institute of Marine Biology and Biotechnology in
National Institute of India, with a Hub and Spoke network of
Marine Biology and laboratories spanning Indias marine regions from
20 Biotechnology in India the Andaman to Lakshadweep.

The opposition has been questioning the present government on the high
costing of the trips and blaming the present government to be soft on
neighboring countries like Pakistan and not being able to show a stern and a
strict attitude towards it.

Achievements of the government


There have been certain achievements of the government. Some of them are
as follows:

Bringing Indians caught in Iraq Crisis Successfully home


In recent Iraq crisis ISIS shook not only the Arab world, but the entire world
with its inhumane act of keeping civilians captive. Indian nurses working in
Iraq got stuck in the middle of a civil war, but here critics started cursing the
Modi government for not rescuing Indian nationals from war torn Iraq. The
Indian government headed by PM Narendra Modi left no stone unturned to
rescue Indians by deploying INS Mysore in Persian Gulf. When the rescue
mission was succesfully completed critics credited Kerala government for the
rescue operation. What they failed to understand is that neither foreign
relations nor Indian defense forces are commanded by any state government
in India.That is the prerogative of the central government which is currently
under the leadership of Modi.

We may be political opponents, ideological enemies, but during hours of crisis


we must act like one big Family that is India. Dont forget that first time ever

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in the history of India, central government has acted against the enemy to
save its citizen unlike 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed when central
government threatened the JK government with dismissal if the militants were
not exchanged for Rubaiya. We cant blame political opponents for failing to
acknowledge the extraordinary successful mission of rescuing India citizens
from Iraq, but the bigger concern is the Fourth Pillar of Democracy Media
media went silent as soon as rescue mission is completed and took no pain in
highlighting who really made all the efforts.

IB report on NGO

Foreign funded NGOs are known for halting development work across the
country. Congress government never acted against them because Leftist-
NGO nexus supports congress government in its ideological standing of
center-of-the-left. Billions of dollars has been donated to Leftist controlled
NGO through FCRA act, to destabilize country. On one hand their coterie
criticize government for not providing facilities, on other hand they halt
development work. As per IB report protests led by foreign funded NGOs
against development projects had caused a presumptive loss of 2-3% to
Indias GDP. Again political Opponents and NGO-friendly party (with
emphasis on NGO party) opted to be silent on IB report. Prominent party AAP
who know for its Dharna-ist credentials hits out at IB report, why? Because
NGO are under scanner and they need to take permission from MHA before
pumping foreign funds in to India. AAP instead to encouraging foreign funded
NGOs for generating funds at home lash out at IB report. Again opponents
opted to remain silent.

Process Improvement

In a significant development, central government has decided to improve its


taxation process in order to facilitate direct contact with taxpayers. MEA is set
to waive second police verification in case of passport renewal. 660 rape crisis
centers will be established across the country and named as Nirbhaya
centers. Government also planned to setup Kisan Mandis in order to fight
food inflation. Modi is delivering but opponents are choosing to ignore it.

Railways
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IRCTC performance is up with the launch of a new website and it has started
working as per users expectation but opponent are again opting to be silent
while they await loop-holes and as soon as they will get one they will start
cursing everyone who voted for Modi- led BJP. Railways are planning to build
high speed trains across the country in order to provide better facilities and
speedy journey to passenger but opponent cursing for increase in rail fair.

Power Crisis
AAP started criticizing Modi for power crisis; ponder upon the fact that AAP
leaders are the one who are against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant or any
other power sector development in the country. Though Modi said on record in
Parliament that My government will not be vindictive and we will work in
coordination with each other.

Basic needs
Govt. approved proposal to raise height of Narmada dam so that more water
will be available for drinking, irrigation and power generation. Protests had
been led by foreign funded NGO to halt the Narmada dam in past.

Health
In a significant development, the Modi government has decided to make X-
Ray, MRI and CT scans free of cost for the poor at government hospitals.

Environment

The govt. plans to plant 200 crore tress along the entire 1 Lakh Km length of
National Highways network across the country. Under this scheme
employment will be generated for jobless youth. Government is planning to
implement similar scheme under MNREGA along state highways, village and
district roads. As expected opponent opt to be silent on the same, rather they
are busy thumping their chest over IB reports on NGOs.

Defense

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Defense Ministry approved fast-track road building along the disputed border
with China. New posts will be established in strategic position of Indo-China
Border. 2 billion USD extension has been given to the Karwar Naval base in
the southern state of Karnataka. Government also plans to install a new
Radar station in the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal to
keep an eye on Chinas evil designs.

Must read:

1. Make in India

2. Start up India

These are the issues which the executive board wants the
committee to discuss. Other issues can also be discussed on the
discretion of the committee but only after these gets discussed.

HINDU POLICY SUMMIT 2016 16 | P a g e

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