Donald Trump’s anniversary
President Donald Trump’s anniversary of his presidency has landed as a wet squib. The government has shut down, his poll rating are at the lowest, he had to cancel his visit to UK on a false pretext, he has infuriated African nations by calling them “shit-holes”, he is anti-climate change and is anti-media, accusing them of giving fake news. His ban on 6 Muslim nations was a fiasco as the Supreme Court had to over-rule him. His out of the blue controversial announcement of moving the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem unhinged and was not welcomed by the Palestinians and the entire Arab and Muslim world.
He is suffering from Obama phobia, and is hell bent in destroying his legacy in all areas. He wants to get rid of Obama Care, he is deporting thousands of Dreamers, (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act) introduced by Obama. There are roughly 1.8 million immigrants in the United States who might be, or might become, eligible for the Obama Administration’s “deferred action” initiative for unauthorized youth brought to this country as children. This is strongly opposed not by the dreamers but the Democratic Party and American at large.
He has sacked and some members of his cabinet have resigned in the first six months of his Presidency which is scarred by scandal and acrimony. He says he is not a racist but inclinations are tinged by racism. The growth in economy, and low employment is not because of him but inspite of him. It has happened because of general growth in the Global economies. His “America First” agenda is undermining transatlantic relations.
The United States is an oligarchy in which real political power is wielded by an unelected cabal of billionaires, intelligence operatives and generals. Trump is the representative of these reactionary forces. His first year has had more minuses than pluses. Thus the second year does not augur well.
Baldev Sharma
Rayners Lane, Harrow.
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Whither Indian Republic
The article, “Whither Indian Republic etc” in Asian Voice was thought provoking and appropriately placed nearer to India’s Republic Day. Proving Churchill and B. R. Ambedkar wrong is good news. But presence of mafia at Parliamentary levels is depressing. Add to this gloomy picture presented everyday by media.
Present picture of India is due to the fact that while Sardar Patel has united 556 princely states under Central government, the move has not been able to uplift citizens as Indian first. Caste, creed, and loyalty to state are predominant, and crippling any efforts of nationalistic, majoritarian patriot. Another factor is imposing colonised version of India’s history, where enemies are glorified and local Indians are depicted as zany, and primitive peoples. No governments have guts to decolonise history in favour of Indians. But the same authorities shamelessly ban and punish writers of corrective history books. Inferiority complex still haunts majority, whose inclusiveness and tolerance are neither appreciated nor reciprocated.
Remedy is to instill sense of pride and dignity to be a majoritarian Indian. Indians’ backbone must be reinforced by exposing them to world history. Examples of incredible patriotism, majoritarianism and courage by some nations must be cited. Britain ran all the way across Atlantic to protect its territory where sheep were more than human population; Israel rushed overnight to attack Entebbe to protect its citizens; America rushed across the world to avenge 3000 deaths. If they can do such brave acts, Indians can do it too, without fear or favour. That must be forcefully taught in India.
B. R. Ambedkar is right to advise shakti as necessity to march with rest of the physical world.
Ramesh Jhalla
By email
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India’s determination to make taxi-ride safe for women
In the wake of rape of a young Financial Analyst in Delhi recently, as well as many such incidents in the past, Indian government is taking initiatives, determined to protect women who use taxis, especially late in the evening while going home from work, removing inhibition associated with use of taxis and buses.
New rules will make it mandatory for all public vehicles that include taxis and busses but not open three wheelers rickshaws to have GPS (Global Positioning System) as well as “Panic Button” installed within easy reach of all passengers. GPS is almost fool-proof, vehicles are tracked by at least four satellites and even in the heavy traffic of Delhi; police can reach distressed passengers well within minutes, as police vehicles are constantly patrolling Delhi streets.
At the moment 75% of all PSV (Public Service Vehicles) do not have GPS, thus passengers are at the mercy of drivers who take advantage of venerable female passengers, especially when travelling alone late at night.
Besides GPS in taxis, linked with not only police but also with registered, operational office which must be within city limit, use of clean fuel, such as CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) will be mandatory, along with driver verification process, onus will be on service providers. Operating licences will only be issued to those companies registered under Companies Act 1956, mandated to provide public transport services.
As such acts of physical and sexual violence in public vehicles are not that uncommon here in London; perhaps it is time to have similar regulations to safeguard our own people from sexual predators plying London streets in search of venerable females.
Kumudini Valambia
By email
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Kite Festival
The kite festival of Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) is regarded as one of the biggest festivals celebrated in the western India. It marks the transition of the sun into the zodiacal sign of Makara (Capricorn) on its celestial path. The day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in many parts of India. The tradition of kite-flying is said to have started among royalty and nobility which over the years gained popular appeal.
Kites flown are known to use a strong, special string (known as manjha) which is made by applying glass powder on it to provide it a cutting edge. This practice of using an abrasive thread especially for kite-fighting poses a great threat to birds and even humans. The impact on birds, however, is much larger. Birds, when in flight, fail to notice the fine glass-coated thread, get entangled in it, and injure themselves causing fractures, mutilation of wings and nerve injuries. At times, the minute glass pieces used on the manjha get embedded in their bodies adding to their painful misery and eventual death. Additionally, this string does not lose its strength even after getting wet creating potential threat for the birds both local and migratory. With more kites competing for space with birds, the number of avian injuries has risen exponentially over the years.
I therefore appeal to all to take care of this important aspect so that birds are not hurt.
Jubel D’Cruz,
Mumbai, India
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Being taken for a ride
All our life we work hard, raise our childrn and pass the property, our homes, in their names in order to save them from the clutches of inheritance tax after our departure.
We toil and scrape and save to educate our children and give them a better life. The elderly people then depend on their pensions to survive and not ask for a penny from their children.
Even then the children are dependent on the parents to ferry their grand children to and from school and involve in other househlod chores while the son and daughter-in-law go out to work or enjoy their social outings.
In the event, in the twilight years of their lives, the retired elderly people get confined to their homes. They give up their social life, stay at home being miserable and lose the opportunity to mingle with their peers at social gatherings for senior citizens.
The lonely parents lose touch with the outside world, are confined to their homes in the cold weather and become a burden on the national health service. They spend their day alone waiting for the time for the school to close and bring the grand children home.
I am not implying that they should not help their children but they must draw a line where their own well being is not being undermined in the process. They must put a foot down so that they are not being taken for a ride.
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
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Deepening ties between India and Israel
In a reciprocal gesture, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu paid an official visit to India, following into the foot-steps of Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Israel where he was given rare honour to address both Israel Chambers, the reception normally reserved for visiting American Presidents.
PM Netanyahu was generous in praising Modi, even though India voted against Israel in UN when debating Jerusalem as the sole capital of Israel, in the wake of American decision to recognize united Jerusalem as the sole Capital and promising to move US embassy from Tel AVIV to Jerusalem, a move condemned by rest of the world.
His exact words in praise of Modi were, “You are a revolutionary leader and you are revolutionising India. You are catapulting this magnificent State into the future and you have revolutionised relations between Israel and India.” He even showed his willingness to participate in Yoga exercise with Indian PM.
In reply PM Modi commented, “I have reputation for being impatient to get results and so do you, PM Netanyahu. We will strengthen our cooperation in areas that affect lives of our people, agriculture, science, technology and defence.”
Israel is far ahead in technical innovations in areas like management of water resources, agriculture and digital technologies, not to mention defence, especially in missile technology, the area where cooperation will benefit both nations immensely.
Besides meeting of two grandeur, luminous PMs, there were many meetings, discussions between various delegation members and Indian counterparts, like Ajit Doval (NSA) and Meir Ben-Shabbat, on security, counter-terrorism and associated subjects.
Let us hope that relations between these two enlightened States will progress by leaps and bounds, PM Netanyahu carrying home unstoppable momentum for mutual benefits to bring peace, progress and prosperity in the most troubled regions of Middle East and South East Asia.
Bhupendra M. Gandhi
By email
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To unite India and Pakistan
The long term future for the citizens of India and Pakistan is for the two countries to unite. Religion had nothing to do with the partition of India as stated in the holy books of all religions, that believe in one ‘God’ that we are all children on ‘God’, but that the world is ruled by the evil one. So how does the evil one rule the world?
With a rule book of democracy that is over 2,500 years out of date based on the principle of divide and rule. The partition resulted in the death of 2 million innocent citizens and 80 million made homeless. A future war between India and Pakistan could well be started by an act of terrorism, resulting in a nuclear war with hundreds of millions of innocent citizens dead, injured or made homeless.
To unite India and Pakistan needs a new constitution, to have independent members of Parliament, who after an election elect a Prime Minister and Cabinet, in this way you have a government of unity, who work for the good of the country and get rid of the corruption and dictators. To have a second assembly where all sections of the community send a delegate so that all laws passed by Parliament are approved by second assembly that they are compatible, with the laws of the universe (the laws of Physics and Chemistry) which is the highest law, before they are signed by the Heads of State.
At present science and technology are advancing faster than legislation to control it, with the result being, that man made chemicals, are destroying the organic life. If you destroy organic life you also destroy the bio-diversity and by doing that you destroy the Earth’s fragile eco-system and turn the planet into a desert. In this way you destroy the air you breath, the water you drink, and the soil you grow your food and kill all life on planet Earth. Please give peace a chance in the cause of freedom, equality, justice, security and prosperity for all citizens of our world as we are all children of ‘God’.
Jal Framji
Wilmslow, Cheshire
