Pray for brave Hanamanthappa's speedy recovery

Nation prays for its brave son Hanamanthappa's speedy recovery. It is his bravery that he snatched life from the claws of death. The guts, grit, determination, courage and zeal to fight against all odds in the service of the nation have helped Lance Naik Hanaman-thappa survive the Avalanche at 2000 ft high on Siachen glacier after being put under 35 ft of snow at the day temperature of minus 30 degrees Celsius and night below minus 55 degrees. He was under the 30-35ft snow for five days. It is miracle that he survived after being hit by avalanche of this magnitude. There were 10 army men along with Hanamanthappa who were hit by the avalanche and immediately put under 35 ft of snow at Siachen glacier. All but Hanamathappa died. Siachen is not only India's but also the world's most difficult terrain where the brave Jawans and officers of Indian army at the cost of their lives keep the national flying. In the most inclement weather condition where all around only the snow cover is seen, it is not possible for the general people to face the cold of this type as prevails on Siachen. The weather is so inclement and adverse for habitation that more than thousand Army personnel, including 33 officers have died on duty so far there due to the prevailing adverse weather condition. Siachen is a large tract of hilly terrain covered with snow at the height of 2000ft. It was lying unclaimed before 1984, but it was very important strategically for India from security point of view. First, Siachen attracted the attention of Pak Army General Zia-ur-Rahman of Pakistan. Realizing the bone melting cold condition at Siachen, he ordered for the purchase of uniform from European country to be worn by his soldiers. When India got scent of it, alarm bell rang in the government establishment and it was decided to depute the personnel of Indian army at Siachen to keep it under its control at all costs. Since then it is in India's possession and the Indian army keeps constant vigil on Siachen glacier to thwart any attempt of the hostile neighbours to grab it. Siachen is highly important for the security reasons for the nation. That is why despite the excessively cold environment on it, army personnel deputed their never distract their attention even for a second. They are deputed there at Siachen glacier in rotation. One regiment of the army is given three months of patrolling. The condition of Lance Naik Hanaman-thappa continues to remain very critical and he is still ventilator dependent. But the valiant effort that he made to defeat even the death is not only praise worthy but also memorable for others. The entire nation prays for the speedy recovery of its brave son. Hananmanthappa’s rigorous training strengthened him so much so that he acclimatized himself to the most adverse weather condition for five days under 35ft snow. It was the god sent air bag that kept him alive. Hanamanthappa was also a Yoga trainer for the jawans of his regiment. He had demonstrated and provided Yoga training at Siachen glacier on the international Yoga Day. It is the grace of almighty God that Hanamathappa was found alive even after being stuck under 35 ft of snow for days. He is undergoing treatment at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi. All of us wish him get well speedily.

Reservation is nothing, but a political weapon

Reservation has been used in our country as an instrument of politics by the political parties. They have supported caste-based reservation for nothing but to create a vote bank for themselves. They have no concern for their development. If they were concerned, they would have spoken of economic criterion as basis for reservation. The main motive of reservation is to strengthen the people economically. That is why whoever is economically weak must be given reservation in govt. job. Almost all political parties except the Left have used the issue of reservation as an instrument of politics whenever they got opportunity. Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had promised the Kapu community to include it in backward caste category, but he failed to deliver. That is why the people of Kapu community protested violently to demand for their inclusion in backward caste category. Before this, Jat and Gujjar castes have already launched agitation for their inclusion in backward caste category to avail the benefit of reservation in government job and admission in all educational institutions. No political party in the country has so far opposed the agitation for reservation by the people of any caste and community. Neither any political party has opposed it nor advocated for reservation to be based only on the weak economic position of the people. The caste has been accepted as the sole criterion of reservation in our Constitution since it was implemented. There is also a constitutional provision to make appraisal of reservation provided to weaker section (SC/ST), socially and educationally backward castes every ten years. But since it was brought into force, no appraisal has been made as yet. Reservation was granted originally to SC/ST to bring them on equal footing with the people of upper strata of society. They were considered for reservation because they were economically weak, socially and educationally backward. But it has never been known whether reservation has benefited them on the ground or not. The ground reality of reservation is that the people among the reserved category who really deserves did not get it because of poverty. They could not go to school, college or university because of poverty. Without having educational qualification, it was impossible for them to get reservation. Instead, the rich among the reserved categories have availed all its benefits. In this way the people for whom reservation was introduced remained deprived of its benefit in society. So, the poor among them became poorer and the rich became richer. The reservation did not serve any purpose. If the criterion of reservation had been economic, the rich among any section or caste of the society could be excluded automatically. Whoever is poor irrespective of caste, creed and community deserves reservation. It is not that only SC/STs or OBCs are economically weak, socially and educationally backward but also the majority of upper castes is economically weak. Economic backwardness is the biggest bane. And unemployment is its main cause. Weaker section among upper caste also needs reservation in govt. job and for admission in educational institutions as much as SC/ST or OBCs do. It is no matter whether the people are from upper or backward caste if they are economically weak, they must be granted reservation.

Don't crush opposition voice in democracy

The police brutality on JNU students, who had gathered outside the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) office in Delhi to demand justice for Rohith Vemula, caught on camera and played on all the TV news channels has shocked the nation. Rohith Vemula was a Dalit scholar of Hyderabad University, who committed suicide because of the alleged caste discrimination there. Delhi police personnel charged lathis on the innocent and unarmed students-boys and girls- mercilessly. It appears as if it were a police raj. All the norms of democracy have flouted openly. Govt. is bent on stifling the voice of student with their police force. Delhi police is under the direct control and command of the BJP-led Narendra Modi-led NDA govt. at the Centre. So, it may be possible that Delhi police would have acted one-sided against the protesting students at the behest of Central govt. But it is a matter of investigation to know what the truth is. It is necessary for the police to know that protesting, opposing and demonstrating are the most important ingredients of democracy. These are the essence of democracy. All have right to protest. To protest, oppose and demonstrate is the essence of democracy. Without the voice of opposition, the democracy is meaningless. It is in no way justifiable for the police to act in such an inhumanly way as they did with the protesting students in national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to intervene immediately to douse the fire that is smoldering against his government in the form of student agitation. Police personnel are there to ensure that no law and order problem could arise. The main duty of the police is to protect and serve the people. Police personnel deputed outside the RSS office to ensure that students' protest passes off peacefully. Central govt. is required to set up an enquiry commission to go into the details of the circumstances leading to brutal police lathi charge. The protesting students were not creating any law and order problem for the police that they became so enraged to beat them mercilessly. The video of lathi charge shared by students shows how mercilessly they were beaten by the police. No lady police was there; and even the girls students were beaten by the male police without any compunction. It was not only police personnel but there were some others in plain clothe who too beat the students along with police. As the students were protesting outside the RSS office, there may be the people from inside who would be there to beat them. It is duty of the police to investigate who these plain-clothed people were. Undoubtedly, the students were protesting against the alleged highhandedness and involvement of some BJP leaders and ministers in vitiating the atmosphere inside the Hyderabad University that led Rohith Vemula to commit suicide. RSS is also directly or indirectly has link with the ruling BJP at the Centre. BJP student wing ABVP had allegedly played a role in promoting caste bias and discrimination with full support from the University authorities on the campus. Delhi Police has received two summonses by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and another from the office of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung. While the women’s panel summoned police commissioner BS Bassi for not submitting data on crimes against women in the Capital, Jung’s office asked the department to explain the manhandling of students protesting the alleged suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula by its personnel.