Month: June 2023

Brazil: Judges Vote to Bar Bolsonaro From Office for 8 Years

The former president was accused of abusing his political power and misusing the media. Four of seven judges voted to suspend him, one backed him, and two are yet to vote. Bolsonaro can appeal.

Brazil’s top electoral court, the TSE, on Friday reached a majority on a motion to bar former president Jair Bolsonaro from public office until 2030 as a result of his behaviour during the previous presidential election campaign.

Four of the seven judges on the TSE voted in favour of suspending Bolsonaro, one opposed the idea, and two were yet to vote, meaning that a final verdict may yet take time.

Bolsonaro had already said that he intended to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court if the TSE voted to bar him.

Accused of creating a movement to overturn election result

Bolsonaro is accused of creating a nationwide movement seeking to overturn last October’s narrow election defeat to his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, culminating in the January 8 invasion of government buildings in Brasilia by thousands of his supporters.

At the time of the unrest in Brasilia, Bolsonaro was in Florida, but prosecutors link his earlier comments about the vote to his supporters’ later actions.

Particularly at issue was a July meeting, before the vote, when Bolsonaro summoned foreign ambassadors to vent unfounded claims about Brazil’s voting machines being prone to fraud, as he embarked on a campaign first undermining the election and then questioning the validity of his defeat that would prove eerily reminiscent to that of Donald Trump in the US roughly a year before.

The lead justice in the case, Benedito Goncalves, voted earlier this week to make the former army captain ineligible for political office for eight years, saying that he had “used the meeting with ambassadors to spread doubts and incite conspiracy theories” ahead of the vote.

Bolsonaro says he plans to appeal

Bolsonaro, meanwhile, denies any wrongdoing and had said he planned to appeal any ban — if the TSE voted for one — at the Supreme Court.

“I have not attacked the voting system, I just showed its possible flaws,” Bolsonaro said in an interview with the Itatiaia radio station on Friday, before the judgment. “This trial doesn’t make any sense.”

Bolsonaro trod a slightly more fine line than Trump did after his election defeat, not explicitly claiming to be the rightful winner in quite the same manner, but also refusing to congratulate Lula or to concede defeat. He left for Florida two days before his term ended, skipping Lula’s inauguration.

He returned to Brazil in March after his self-imposed transitional exile, but has been keeping a comparatively low profile since then.

This article was originally published on DW.


Government Approves Sale of 27th Tranche of Electoral Bonds from July 3

The sale comes ahead of assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram later this year. The dates for these elections are expected to be announced in the next couple of months.

New Delhi: The Union government on Friday, June 30, approved the sale of the 27th tranche of electoral bonds from July 3.

The sale comes ahead of assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram later this year. The dates for these elections are expected to be announced in the next couple of months.

The government claims the electoral bonds scheme, introduced as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties, enhances transparency in political funding. However, critics say it has the opposite effect.

The State Bank of India (SBI), the only bank authorised to issue and encash the electoral bonds, will sell them through 29 designated branches between July 3 and July 12. The authorised SBI branches include locations in Bengaluru, Lucknow, Shimla, Dehradun, Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai, Patna, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Raipur, and Mumbai.

The first tranche of electoral bonds took place between March 1 and March 10, 2018.

The validity of an electoral bond is 15 days from the date of issuance. No payments will be made to any political party if the bond is deposited after the expiry of its validity period and the funds will instead be deposited into a fund like the PM Relief Fund.

Indian citizens or entities incorporated or established within the country can purchase electoral bonds.

Registered political parties that have secured at least 1% of the votes polled in the last Lok Sabha or legislative assembly election are eligible to receive funding through these electoral bonds.

Rahul Gandhi Urges Manipuris to Take Steps Toward Peace

Speaking to the media, he described the violence as a “horrible tragedy” that is painful for the people of Manipur and India. Gandhi said that the basic amenities in the relief camps should be improved and better food should be provided.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged the people of Manipur to move towards peace, saying that nothing can be achieved through violence as he concludes his two-day visit to the state that has been in the throes of ethnic violence for nearly two months.

On Friday morning, Gandhi visited Moirang by a chopper and met people in two relief camps, meeting people from the Meitei and Kuki communities. He was accompanied by former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, Manipur PCC president Keisham Meghachandra Singh and former MP Ajay Kumar.

In an Instagram post, he said that it was “heartbreaking” to see and listen to the plight of those who have lost loved ones and homes due to the violence. “There is a cry for help in the face of every brother, sister and child I meet. The most important thing Manipur needs now is Peace – to secure the lives and livelihoods of our people. All our efforts must unite towards that goal,” he said.

Speaking to the media, he described the violence as a “horrible tragedy” that is painful for the people of Manipur and India. Gandhi said that the basic amenities in the relief camps should be improved and better food should be provided.

He said he is ready to help in any way he can to bring peace to the state.

When asked by media persons to comment about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the clashes, Gandhi responded in Hindi, “I haven’t come here to make a political statement. I will not comment on these issues. I hope that peace returns to Manipur soon.”

According to reports, Gandhi also met leaders of political parties and members of civil society in Imphal.

On Thursday, the former Congress chief was on the way to Churachandpur when his convoy was stopped. He eventually flew there on a chopper.

Ethnic violence began in the northeastern state in early May, over a high court recommendation that the majority Meitei community should be granted Scheduled Tribe status. The clashes have led to the deaths of nearly 200 people and displaced over 60,000.

On Friday, Manipur chief minister Biren Singh was set to tender his resignation but declined to do so after his supporters protested against his plan. Singh has been accused by several Kuki MLAs of being anti-Kuki and of siding with Meitei groups like Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol, which they claim are involved in attacks on tribal communities.

Russia Says Modi Expressed Support for Putin’s Steps Following Wagner Mutiny

The phone conversation between the two leaders took place for the first time after the aborted mutiny by the private military company led by Yevgeny Prigozhin and ahead of the forthcoming virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

New Delhi: Russia on Friday, June 30, claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “expressed understanding and support” for President Vladimir Putin’s actions to put down the surprise mutiny by a private army of mercenaries last week.

The phone conversation between the two leaders took place for the first time after the aborted mutiny and ahead of the forthcoming virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Earlier this week, the two National Security Advisors had talked to each other on phone.

The Kremlin claimed that the phone call was “initiated” by India and that the subsequent “conversation was substantiative and constructive”.

While the Russian readout indicated that there was specific discussion over the mutiny of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group, the Indian press statement did not go beyond saying that Putin informed Modi about “recent developments in Russia”.

The Kremlin’s press statement was detailed, claiming that Modi lent support to Putin on the steps taken to quell the unexpected challenge to his authority. 

“In connection with the events of June 24 in Russia, Narendra Modi expressed understanding and support for the decisive actions of the Russian leadership to protect law and order, ensure stability in the country and the security of its citizens,” said the Russian readout.

Last week, Putin’s power was challenged seriously when a column of the Wagner Group, a private army of 25,000 mercenaries led by his former aide Prigozhin, started to march towards Moscow. They ultimately stopped just 200 kilometres from the Russian capital, after the Belarusian president brokered a deal that would send Prigozhin into exile and Moscow agreed not to pursue charges against him.

The Wagner Group had not only been deployed at various conflict hotspots around the world, especially in Africa, but also had a visible combat role in Ukraine. However, as per reports, the group’s contract to fight in the Ukrainian war has not been renewed.

On Ukraine, Modi “reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy”, as per the Indian side.

Putin conveyed that there was no opportunity for diplomacy as Ukraine was not taking any steps. “The Russian President gave his assessment of the current state of affairs in the special military operation zone, having stressed Kiev’s utter refusal to undertake political and diplomatic steps to resolve the conflict,” said the Kremlin.

The Russian press note also said that Modi “informed on his international contacts, including ones during his recent visit to Washington”. There was no mention of Modi briefing Putin about his state visit in the Indian press communique.

Last week, Modi had been feted with a state dinner and diplomatic pageantry at Washington, with both sides declaring that it was a breakthrough visit in terms of defence joint production and cooperation in critical technologies.

The Russian president underlined that there should be further “consistent implementation of the major joint projects in various areas and noted with satisfaction substantial growth in trade throughout 2022 and in the first quarter of this year”. 

India’s trade volume with Russia has zoomed substantially, largely due to New Delhi purchasing Russian crude after Western markets closed their doors.

“Both leaders agreed to remain in touch and continue to make efforts to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries,” said the Indian statement.

Echoing similar language, the Russian press release said that the leaders “reaffirmed their mutual intention to strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and agreed to maintain contact”.

Explained: The Controversy Around a Bill to Amend the Sikh Gurdwaras Act

The amendment, which will allow the free broadcast of Gurbani, has become a major bone contention between the Bhagwant Singh Mann government, the Badal family-owned television channel PTC and the SGPC.

Jalandhar: An amendment that will allow the free broadcast of Gurbani – the reading of hymns from the Sikh holy text Sri Guru Granth Sahib – has become a major bone of contention between the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab government, the Badal family-owned television channel PTC and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body to manage gurdwaras in the country.

On June 20, the Punjab legislative assembly passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023. While the SGPC has reacted strongly to the development, the silence of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has been conspicuous.

At the centre of the controversy is the introduction of clause 125-A in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 which stipulates that the SGPC should propagate the “teachings of the Gurus uninterrupted (without any on-screen advertisements, commercials or distortion) live feed of Gurbani from the Golden Temple, Amritsar every day available free of cost to all media houses, platforms, channels or whoever wishes to broadcast it”.

The SGPC sees the move as government interference in religious matters, while Mann has pitched it as a move to make the broadcast of Gurbani freely accessible. At the moment, the exclusive broadcast rights are with PTC, a private television channel in which the SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal reportedly has a stake. The Punjab chief minister has also presented the Bill as a way to break the Badal family’s monopoly on the broadcast of Gurbani.

PTC won the 11-year contract in 2012, and its term will expire on July 24, 2023. Advertisements are not run during the Gurbani broadcast – a condition the channel managers say was a deterrence to other broadcasters. However, a report by the Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Chandigarh has noted that the Gurbani telecast has brought the channel high viewership, which in turn allows it command good advertising rates for its other programmes.

Representative image of an SGPC meeting. Photo: sgpcamritsar.org

What did Mann say?

In his speech in the house, the Punjab CM said that presently, there was a “paradoxical situation” because the SGPC, under the influence of a family that controls its affairs, is giving the  intellectual property rights of telecasting the sacred Gurbani to a channel owned by the same family.

The CM had claimed that the Bill was in no way interfering with religious affairs – rather, it was a simple step to ensure that Gurbani reaches every household.

He rejected claims that the move was an attack on the ‘Panth’ (Sikh religious affairs), saying: “I wonder how this was an attack on the Panth, as I was just opposing the control of a particular channel over the telecast of Gurbani, which is totally unwarranted and unjustified. A single family has dominated the affairs of the SGPC for a long time, to which irreparable damage had been made to the Sikh Panth.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the AAP government has hinted at taking action against the Badal family-owned PTC channel and other businesses run by the family since it came to power last year.

Responding strongly to the passage of the Bill, the SGPC held a special general house meeting at Teja Singh Samundri Hall, Amritsar on June 26, 2023 to reject it. Condemning the Punjab government’s “interference” in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 and the SGPC, house members called for strong opposition to this move.

The SGPC also passed a resolution, in which it warned the Mann government that if it did not stop this “anti-Sikh decision”, they would be forced to launch a morcha (agitation). “CM Bhagwant Mann should withdraw the Bill or get ready to face an intensified struggle,” the resolution read.

Bibi Jagir Kaur’s speech goes viral

But interestingly, during the same session, the speech by Bibi Jagir Kaur – the only female SGPC president – has gone viral for her strong criticism of the Badal family. While she criticised the AAP government for interfering in religious matters, she also slammed the family for allegedly diluting Sikh values.

While she was making sharp observations against the Badal family, her audio was muted. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami even asked her not to present a resolution in the house, leading to a debate between the two on the spot. Her resolution was not accepted by the house. The live coverage of the session on all channels was disrupted too.

Raising interlinked pertinent political and religious questions, Kaur in her speech said: “The issue is not of ending the monopoly of PTC but that of those people, who give two hoots about ‘Panthic ideology’ just for the sake of one family (Badals). The SAD, while completing its 100-year-long journey, seriously affected the status of the Sikh community’s supreme bodies like the SGPC and the Akal Takht. But we remained silent and kept accepting the hukum (orders of the Badal family).”

Further, she said, “Instead of following the concept of Panj Pyaras (the five beloveds of the Guru, who were baptised) we confined ourselves to lifafa culture (a common parlance in Sikh religious matters related to announcing the name of SGPC president through an envelope, which was pre-decided by the SAD leadership). The lifafa culture hit the Sikh ideology deeply. Let us be clear, the SGPC has never accepted sarkari (government) interference in its functioning.”

She said, “If we do not speak now, future generations will never forgive us. I am ready for any sacrifice for the sake of Panth and Sikhs will never tolerate this interference.”

Speaking to The Wire, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that she had always stood for the Panth and it was in her nature that she could not bear any interference in the supreme body of the Sikhs. “Since the beginning, I have been talking about Gurbani, Gurmat and the SGPC. I remained in the SAD but supported the Panth first. So, it was but natural for me to speak vociferously in the SGPC general house meeting, where most of my suggestions invited sharp criticism”, she said.

On SAD’s absolute silence on the Punjab government’s amendments, Kaur said, “The SAD’s Panthic ideology was getting eroded. The SAD has already faced a huge political loss because of its positions on key issues. People just cannot expect the SAD to be against Panth. The SAD  started off with the Anandpur Sahib resolution, talking about federalism, but it remained silent about the dilution of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. It is shocking that the SAD leadership is silent on such a crucial matter as the amendment Bill, which, if not handled well could lead to serious repercussions in the future.”

Lashing out at Mann, Kaur said that the CM should understand that the SGPC is the supreme body of the Sikhs, flowing out of an Act of parliament. “The SGPC has its own constitution, executive body and as per agreement, nobody can interfere in its functioning. But Mann overlooked all these facts and meddled with the SGPC’s affairs,” she added.

In November last year, Kaur was expelled from the SAD for deciding to contest the 2022 SGPC elections.

Bibi Jagir Kaur. Photo: Screengrab via Twitter/@bibijagirkaur

Expert speaks

Chandigarh-based author and journalist Jagtar Singh said that Bibi Jagir Kaur’s raised three important issues: the Panthic crisis, the situation arising out of the amendment Bill and the need for an independent SGPC channel to telecast live Gurbani. “All these issues are interconnected and she spoke in this framework,” he said.

Jagtar Singh said that in 2004, the SGPC in its election manifesto had announced plans to launch its own channel for the live telecast of Gurbani but it remained on paper. “The SGPC should explain why they overlooked such an important decision. They never took it into consideration. Rather, the SGPC and the Akal Takht were trying to save the integrity of the Badals and their family-owned PTC channel, which is authorised [to provide] live coverage of Gurbani,” he added.

The author said that Mann should remember that the SGPC was a sovereign house elected by the Sikhs with its own constitution. “No other house can interfere with the SGPC’s functioning. It is for the SGPC to decide how it should function and who should run it. As far as the CM’s role is concerned, he can at the most give suggestions or hold a discussion – but interference in the SGPC’s functioning is blatantly wrong,” he added.

In his blog too, Jagtar Singh wrote that the Bill passed by the Mann government might violate the autonomy of Sikh religious affairs but added that the SGPC must launch its own channel. He said the Bill “has far reaching implications in the Sikh religio-political matrix and ultimately the political discourse in general” and the amendments question the “very autonomy of Sikh dynamics”. He said the situation could have been averted if the Badals dropped their exclusive rights to telecast the Gurbani.

The SAD’s stoic silence on these developments was shocking, Jagtar Singh said. “The SAD neither issued a single statement on this issue nor its core committee held any meeting. It is perhaps the first time that they have not even responded to such a major development. Had Sukhbir Badal given a statement on this issue, the situation would have been different,” he added.

Pal Singh Nauli, a senior journalist with BBC Punjabi, said there was a time when the decision of the ‘Panj Pyaras’ used to be the final word. “The SGPC should analyse what led to this situation. When the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (HSGPC) was formed, the SAD should have taken serious note of it and acted wisely. But they never took notice of it. Even the Mann-led AAP government’s popularity was declining because of this development. The people of Punjab have never liked interference in Sikh religious affairs. They have always spoken against it. The present government should not fiddle with these affairs,” he said.

The senior journalist said the Tara Singh-Nehru Pact of 1959 says no amendment was possible without the consent of the SGPC. “A two-thirds majority of the SGPC is mandatory for any kind of amendment in the 1925 Act. But this fact was ignored. Given the kind of resistance the Gurdwara Amendment Bill was facing, it should not get the governor’s assent. However, in case it gets the nod, the Bill will pave the way for the government to fulfil its hidden agenda in the SGPC’s functioning.”

He said, “The issue is not of PTC. It is a question of Sukhbir Badal’s leadership. People want the SAD to be revived but not with Badal as president. Bhagwant Mann would never have dared to meddle with the SGPC’s affairs if the SAD was not so weak,” he said.

The BBC journalist also targeted the SGPC for its rhetoric about launching its own channel but never actually doing so. “The SGPC should act fast before it’s too late,” he warned.

Kusum Arora is a freelance journalist.

Watch | Kota: In Viral Video, Students Chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ as Others Offer Namaz

While the Kota police claim that the video is from 2020, it appears that it was shot this month only.

On June 26, a video of students offering namaz and others chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ went viral on social media. The video was tweeted by journalist Meer Faisal.

The video was shot in Kota, where lakhs of students go to study every year. Some go to Kota to prepare for their medical exams, others go to prepare for IIT entrance exams.

In the viral video, some children are seen to be offering namaz, while others are chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ after seeing the Muslim children praying.

While the Kota police claim that the video is from 2020, it appears that it was shot this month only.

Chhattisgarh: Congress Eases Tensions By making Singh Deo Deputy CM

The move was aimed at ensuring that the voter base is not lost. But it remains to be seen how the dynamics between Singh Deo and Bhupesh Baghel pan out.

Raipur: Ahead of the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, expected to be held towards the end of the year, the Congress party has appointed T.S. Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister on June 27.

The move comes after a tussle between chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and Singh Deo over a change in the leadership led to a crisis within the Congress party.

The Congress held a meeting to discuss poll strategy in which party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Baghel, Singh Deo, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee chief Mohan Markam, state in-charge Kumari Selja, party secretary K.C. Venugopal and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present.

According to sources in the party, Baghel was called for a one-on-one meeting with Gandhi, Venugopal and Selja before meeting other Congress members. Similarly, Singh Deo also met them separately after the meeting with all members ended, The Wire has learnt.

Both of them were believed to be contenders for the top post after the 2018 election. There was reportedly an agreement that power would be shared equally between Baghel and Singh Deo for a period of 2.5 years each.

However, in 2021, the mid-point of the five-year term, the party didn’t change the leadership in the state.

Amid rumours of a change of guard, Baghel went to New Delhi to meet the top leadership in September 2021, in a show of strength to prevent such a move.

Following that, factions within the party became apparent, with targeted attacks against Singh Deo and his supporters from Baghel’s supporters becoming sharper.

The events had led to Singh Deo staging a walk-out from the assembly after allegations were levied against him from within his own party. He also quit one of the departments he was in charge of, through a public letter.

While both the leaders had dismissed the feud publicly, the tension between them seemed obvious.

Moreover, the party had continuously denied any arrangement between the two leaders on power-sharing.

Also read: Chhattisgarh: The Curious Case of Bhupesh Baghel’s Populist Moves

T.S. Singh Deo’s appointment

At the meeting on June 27, the Congress leadership confirmed that the party would fight the upcoming election under the leadership of Baghel and with all the leaders working together. After the group meeting, however, a one-on-one meeting was sought with Singh Deo, sources in the party told The Wire.

In the meeting, Singh Deo, who had been offered the post of deputy chief minister earlier as well, was once again given the offer, which he accepted. According to sources close to him, he seemed to have accepted the offer at the insistence of the party’s top brass.

“Hon’ble Congress president has approved the proposal for the appointment of Shri T. S. Singh Deo as the deputy chief minister in the Chhattisgarh government,” read an order passed by party secretary Venugopal on Tuesday evening.

While the order didn’t clarify who proposed the same, it is understood within the party that it came directly from Rahul Gandhi, who seems to have a soft spot for Singh Deo and has publicly lauded him for his work on the Congress manifesto.

“I am a loyal Congressman. The party has given me a responsibility and I will fulfil it to the best of my ability while ensuring the strength of the party before the election,” said Singh Deo.

On June 28, Singh Deo reached Raipur and then he left for the Patan constituency in the Durg district – which is the home ground of chief minister Baghel – for a ‘Youth Jodo, Booth Jodo’ campaign.

Interestingly, the chief minister’s son, Chaitanya Baghel, accompanied Singh Deo. Chaitanya, who is a novice in political circles, drove Singh Deo around the constituency in his own vehicle.

T.S. Singh Deo. Photo: Twitter/@TS_SinghDeo

According to political analysts, the move is aimed at reducing tensions in the party before the upcoming elections. It is also aimed at ensuring that the voter base is not lost.

“Singh Deo has a huge following in Sarguja, and in other regions like Raigarh and Bastar. His influence is expected to have an impact on at least 38 seats in the upcoming election. The move seems to be geared towards that,” said a political expert from Chhattisgarh.

Some experts also believe that Singh Deo is the party’s contingency plan due to the continuous targeting of Baghel by the central probe agencies. Several people close to the Chhattisgarh chief minister and his son, including a former aid Saumya Chaurasia, have been arrested.

Others say this move is aimed at diminishing the influence of several ambitious faces within the party, who all considered themselves as potential successors to Baghel, because of their proximity to him.

“When the cabinet was declared in 2018, it was clear that Bhupesh Baghel was on top followed by Singh Deo. However, over the past four years, Singh Deo had slid down that scale. The Congress party seems to have addressed that. Without shaking the position of Baghel, the party leaders have clearly indicated that Singh Deo is a leader of senior stature with relevance and he cannot be taken lightly,” said the political expert cited above.

“In the past three years, the people of Sarguja found their trust wavering. But now, by making Singh Deo deputy CM, the people know that their leader has been reinstated in the race. This has definitely helped boost the morale of workers and trust among the voters,” said a Congress party member.

But it seems there are different opinions within the party on Singh Deo’s position and role.

It is believed that he had to make compromises regarding the top job. “He wanted to be the chief minister but he just got a title [of deputy chief minister], that too months before the election. This is a compromise which might not mean much [to him]. In fact, it makes him liable for a lot of the government’s decisions, regardless of whether he, personally, agrees with them or not,” said a Congress supporter, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised Singh Deo’s appointment as the deputy CM.

Former chief minister Raman Singh tweeted that the Congress party seems to be sidelining Bhupesh Baghel by providing Singh Deo with a contractual appointment. He added that the people of Sarguja may perceive this as an insulting move.

The tweet, in Hindi, said that the “Congress has realised that the groundwork of their government is full of corruption and that is why [they have made] this sudden posting to project a positive image.”

While Singh Deo has received attention and responsibilities, it remains to be seen how the dynamics between the Congress’s two top leaders pan out.

‘Unconstitutional Exercise of Executive Fiat’: AAP Govt Moves SC Against Delhi Ordinance

The Delhi government’s petition argued that the Ordinance ‘shows contempt for the elected government while making a pretense of their involvement through the chief minister’.

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has moved the Supreme Court with a plea to strike down the Union government’s Ordinance on ‘Services’, calling it “an unconstitutional exercise of executive fiat”.

While underlining that the Ordinance overrules a constitutional bench judgement, the Delhi government plea said that it “shows contempt for the elected government while making a pretense of their involvement through the chief minister”, India Today reported.

The Centre brought the Ordinance on May 19 to curtail the powers of Delhi’s elected government. The Ordinance was promulgated days after the Supreme Court handed over control of services in Delhi to the elected government, excluding those related to police, public order, and land.

The Delhi government’s petition sought to underscore that the Ordinance violates the scheme of federal, democratic governance entrenched in Article 239AA (provision on the governance structure of Delhi). “Under the scheme of Article 239AA, the Lieutenant Governor enjoys discretion only in matters falling outside the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi’s legislative and executive domain,” the petition noted.

Therefore, the Delhi government argued, as per the provision, the Lieutenant Governor is bound to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.

The Ordinance provides for a committee comprising the chief minister and two senior bureaucrats to make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor regarding transfer and postings of civil servants, only the LG will have ‘sole discretion’ in taking a decision.

According to LiveLaw, the petition claims that such an arrangement “completely sidelines the elected Government, i.e. the GNCTD, from control over its civil service”, pointing out that a similar end was sought to be achieved by the Union government’s 2015 notification which was invalidated by the Supreme Court.

The AAP has also announced a series of public protests against the Ordinance, starting from July 3. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal will burn copies of the Ordinance at the party’s central Delhi office on July 3, NDTV reported citing party sources.

Kejriwal’s party has been trying to mobilise the support of Opposition parties to block the Ordinance when it is brought to the Rajya Sabha in the form of a Bill. While it can sail through easily in the Lok Sabha due to the support the BJP commands, the situation in the Upper House is different.

Despite the support promised by other opposition parties, the Congress party has still been non-committal on the issue. It would be impossible to defeat the Bill in the Rajya Sabha without the Congress’ support, for it is the largest Opposition party with 31 members in the House.

While the AAP wants Congress to publicly denounce the Ordinance, the latter says it will take a call when the matter reaches Parliament. The AAP-Congress sparring continues to impact the efforts of opposition parties to find a common cause against the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party before the 2024 General Election. The issue also had its impact on the recent meeting of 16 opposition parties in Patna, which also saw the participation of Congress and AAP.

Unless the Congress party publicly denounces the Ordinance for control of services in Delhi brought out by the Modi government, the AAP said it will be wary of its “silence”, raising “suspicions” about its “real intentions”.

Some Misguided Sikhs Abroad Are Glorifying Bhindranwale. They Are Wrong.

As a Sikh, I detest what he stood for – and a majority of Sikhs around the world think the same way.

First, a disclosure. I am a Sikh, though not a practising one. I cut my long hair and discarded my turban in my late 20s, much to the disappointment and sorrow of my parents.

Becoming a “cut surd”, as the lingo goes, is a big deal for a Sikh. My mother refused to speak to me for a long time, and my father, though also not a practising Sikh, had retained his turban and long hair and was just as upset. 

Now, let me turn to the main content of this article and its provocation.  

While recently in London, I received a picture from a friend who had gone to the largest gurudwara in Southall, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha. 

The image showed, at the entrance of the gurudwara, a large picture of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. And on the other side, a portrait of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, and the compiler of the Sikh scripture, the Adi Granth, which later became the Guru Granth Sahib.

Photos of Guru Arjan Dev (L) and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (R) at the Southall gurdwara. Photo: Twitter/@realSukhiChahal. June 1, 2020.

Bhindranwale, the school dropout who had brought such misery and monumental suffering to the Sikh community, was sharing space with one of the most revered and learned Sikh gurus at the largest gurudwara in the UK! The very idea outraged me and I expressed my feelings in a Facebook post. I am glad to say that every single friend, including all Sikhs, agreed with me.

I was even more outraged when I learned that the Bhindranwale picture had defiled the gurdwara for the past two years or so. Why haven’t Sikhs in the UK protested and boycotted that gurudwara? And why did the gurudwara management allow the picture to be put up in the first place? Shame on them.

As immigrants, most Sikhs in the UK have prospered by dint of hard work and enterprise. I am sure they are grateful to their hosts, the British government, for having given them the opportunities denied to them in their home country. By praising Bhindranwale, they are abusing their hosts, since that same gurudwara was inaugurated by King Charles (when he was Prince Charles).

Only a tiny fringe of the Sikh community admires Bhindranwale. The vast majority of Sikhs detest what he stood for.

The ongoing polarisation between Hindus and minorities (primarily Muslims) in India is rightly being condemned. However, Bhindranwale and his goons were at the forefront of a far more pernicious polarisation four decades ago, between Hindus and Sikhs. Buses in Punjab would be stopped, the Hindu passengers separated from the rest, lined up and shot in cold blood.

Also Read: ‘Amritpal Justifies Demand of Sikh Nation Against the Backdrop of Demand for a Hindu Nation’

That was his way of trying to scare Hindus into leaving the state so that there would be fewer of them in Punjab, a diabolically divisive plot. 

Bhindranwale was actually a creation of the Congress party, more specifically of the Punjab chief minister Giani Zail Singh (who later became the president of the country). He convinced Indira Gandhi that by propping up Bhindranwale, the Akalis could be divided to benefit the Congress. The ploy succeeded, but the puppet turned into a Frankenstein’s monster.

Events then moved inexorably to Bhindranwale holing up in the Golden Temple, Sikhdom’s holiest shrine. There, with the assistance of General Shabeg Singh, who had trained the Mukti Bahini and was a master of guerrilla warfare, the Temple was converted into a formidable fortress, defended by hundreds of heavily-armed and fanatical militants, ready to fight to the death.

An arrogant army leadership told the prime minister that “Operation Bluestar” would be over in no time, with little loss of life.

It was a huge miscalculation. Bluestar lasted almost a whole day and night, killing hundreds of soldiers and militants, and tragically, even more innocent pilgrims caught in the crossfire. (Bluestar coincided with the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, when thousands of pilgrims were at the shrine.) Till now, the true number of casualties of the army’s botched operation is anybody’s guess. Definitely in the hundreds, perhaps even in the thousands.

Indira Gandhi probably knew in her heart that Bluestar had signed her death warrant. The aftermath of her assassination further fuelled Khalistan, as several thousand Sikhs were butchered, mainly in the capital, while the army looked on, the police were complicit and Rajiv Gandhi rationalised the pogrom with the inexcusable words, “When a big tree falls, the earth is bound to shake.”

Also Read: How Sabotage By Indira Gandhi’s Advisors Paved the Way for Operation Blue Star

A delighted Pakistan, eager to avenge Bangladesh, did their utmost to further the Khalistan cause. Except for Partition, the decade of the Khalistan movement was probably the most trying time since independence for the Sikh community. A community that had been completely trusted and praised was now looked at by most Indians with suspicion, as possible Khalistanis. Some 30,000 Sikhs – terrorists, members of security forces and innocents – died before Sikhs returned to the mainstream.

It took two decades to try and erase the horrors of Bhindranwale, Bluestar, the pogrom against the Sikhs and the Khalistan stain. Fortunately, the bonds that closely tied Sikhs to the country and to Hindus prevailed. That, and the famed resilience of the Sikhs. The defining moment came when Manmohan Singh, a turbaned and devout Sikh, became prime minister. The nightmare was finally behind the community.

However, among a tiny fringe of the community, especially those living abroad in the UK and Canada, the “martyrdom” of Bhindranwale still foolishly resonates. The vast number of Sikhs in these countries are diligent citizens and want to get on with their lives.

But perhaps this minuscule number of Sikhs living abroad feel guilty about having left their homeland and hence want to show how “Sikh” they are. But they must remember that Bhindranwale ushered in one of the darkest chapters in the history of Sikhism. Don’t glorify him. He belongs to the dustbin of history.

Footnote: For a fuller understanding of the issue, I recommend the following books: Turmoil in Punjab by Ramesh Inder Singh, Blood for Blood by Terry Milewski, and The Khalistan Conspiracy by G.B.S. Sidhu.

Rahul Singh has been editor of Reader’s Digest, Indian Express, Sunday Observer and Khaleej Times. He is at present a freelance columnist and writer.

In the Face of Death Threats, Online Hate, Telugu Journalist Thulasi Chandu Refuses to Back Down

‘Someday, some innocent youth will attack me by turning the hatred filled by the party he loves into a sword or a bullet,’ she wrote in a Facebook post on June 24.

New Delhi: For Telugu journalist Thulasi Chandu, vitriolic trolling and online harassment are not new.

In the three years since she started her eponymous YouTube channel ‘Thulasi Chandu’, the 36-year-old independent journalist has been branded as “anti-Hindu”, “Urban Naxal” and “communist”, among others.

However, in a Facebook post last week, Chandu said that she feared for her life.

“Someday, some innocent youth will attack me by turning the hatred filled by the party he loves into a sword or a bullet,” she wrote in Telugu on June 24.

“They are hating me because I am saying that religious hatred is the most dangerous thing for the youth of any country.”

Speaking to The Wire, Chandu said that in her 15 years of being a journalist, she has never felt as fearful as she does now.

“There is so much fear,” she said.

“I fear for my young children (aged five and 12), my aged mother. My husband has been very supportive of me. But I am a single person, and they are attacking me as an organisation.”

“They are not criticising my video, but they are directly attacking me with personal attacks, body shaming me and showing me as anti-Hindu, even though I haven’t made any videos on the Hindu religion. My videos are only to educate people and to give the complete picture on any issue in current politics.”

Chandu said that the abuse started within three months of starting her YouTube channel.

“Three months after I started my channel, I posted a video that tried to explain how the BJP and the AIMIM [All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen] are the same. Titled “Dear people, religion is coming, be aware”, the video talked about how these two parties are dividing people along the lines of religion.

“The video was widely circulated and went viral very quickly. That is when I first started receiving threats and abuses from right-wing Hindu groups.”

Also Read: WSJ Reporter Who Asked PM Modi Question About Human Rights Faces Twitter Abuse

Chandu said that apart from comments under her video on YouTube, people started calling her with the sole intention of abuse.

“They started saying ‘why do you teach lessons only to Hindus and not to other religions?’”

“Since I am a journalist, people can easily get my number. I have received calls even from Kenya using bad language, saying ‘who are you to teach Hindus?’.”

Between 1992 and 2023, 91 journalists have been killed in India according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In 2022, India slipped to 163rd place from 150th the previous year on the World Press Freedom Index released by Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

“Supporters of Hindutva, the ideology that spawned the Hindu far-right, wage all-out online attacks on any views that conflict with their thinking. Terrifying coordinated campaigns of hatred and calls for murder are conducted on social media, campaigns that are often even more violent when they target women journalists, whose personal data may be posted online as an additional incitement to violence,” RSF’s report noted.

“Power of social media”

Prior to starting her independent journalism career, Chandu worked at popular Telugu news outlets including Eenadu, Andhra Jyothi and Sakshi.

“When I became a member of the Network of Women in Media, India, I was inspired by the work done by independent women journalists and decided to start my own YouTube channel.”

“I saw the power of social media and started making videos with my phone. Until about three months ago, I was even editing my own videos on my phone and my small system. Now I have a video editor.”

Despite the abuse she received with the video on the AIMIM and the BJP, Chandu decided to take it in her stride and continue with her work.

“I did not file any case because at the time I felt that it is very normal for a journalist to get such abuses. Even then I did not receive any threats as such, it was only abuse.”

Screenshot of Thulasi Chandu’s YouTube channel on June 30, 2023.

Chandu said that she decided to focus on national politics in her videos.

“In Telugu media, the focus is not on national politics. So I chose to explain national developments and issues in my videos.”

When the farmers began their protest in Delhi against the three farm laws in 2020, Chandu made videos explaining the farmers’ stance.

“I made a video explaining why they are protesting. I was branded as anti-national in the comments, and my inbox was flooded.”

“I tried to patiently convince them, which was my biggest mistake, as I have a habit of replying to my YouTube comments.”

But the vicious trolling did not stop.

“Anti-Hindu” hate and abuse

In the 337 videos that have been uploaded on her YouTube channel, Chandu has sought to question all governments, irrespective of the political party in power.

Some of her recent videos include explainers on the Indian Railways in the aftermath of the Balasore train crash, the wrestlers’ protest in the national capital against sexual harassment, the BJP’s silence on Adipurush, “How India sold out to Adani”, Chandrababu Naidu’s Kandukur roadshow, the Agnipath protests, the Telangana State Public Service Commission paper leak, and why Andhra Pradesh government employees opposed the implementation of the 11th Pay Revision Commission.

However, Chandu said that the right-wing trolls always sought to portray her as “anti-Hindu”.

“Right-wing channels tried to show me as anti-Hindu because I tried to show how The Kashmir Files was a propaganda movie, I did explainers on the Gujarat riots and Bilkis Bano and Sanjiv Bhatt, the Karnataka Hijab controversy etc.”

On January 5, 2022, Chandu filed an FIR after a Facebook page named ‘Pastor Paramjyothi Raju’ uploaded her morphed photographs.

Despite Telangana minister K.T. Rama Rao amplifying the abuse on Twitter and directing the police to take action, Chandu said no action was taken.

On Monday, June 26, Chandu filed another FIR, this time naming Pastor Paramjyothi Raju Facebook page as well as three YouTube channels, ‘Ahambramhasmi’ (@Ahambramhasmiol), ‘RJkiran’ (@rjkiran379), and ‘Mathonmadampai Ramabanam’ (@Mathonmadampairamabana).

“These three YouTube channels abuse me and provoke others saying, ‘If you are real Hindus go and report her channel’, ‘Expose this Urban Naxal’, they call me a communist and inundate me with comments like ‘we have to kill her’, ‘we have to put rods on her vagina’, ‘we have to give her to terrorists to kill her’.”

According to Chandu, these channels leave their video links in the comment section under her videos.

“My viewers automatically watch these videos and question me. Nameless, faceless accounts come to my Facebook and Instagram DMs and abuse me constantly.”

The abuse has been noted in the FIR that was filed on Monday and accessed by The Wire.

“These YouTube channels and Facebook pages have created various videos against the complainant, alleging that she is against Hinduism. It appears that they are attempting to defame or discredit the complainant by portraying her in a negative light and misrepresenting her views on Hinduism … further, all the accused were threatening the complainant with dire consequences,” the FIR says.

Also Read: Online Trolling of Indian Women Is Only an Extension of the Everyday Harassment They Face

Chandu said that the constant abuse has even reached her 12-year-old son, who now fears for his mother’s life.

“Because he observes everything. He keeps insisting ‘amma stop this, don’t do these political videos, we don’t want to lose you’.”

“He searches online and reads articles which say journalism is the most dangerous profession in India and gets very scared.”

When asked if she wants to give up journalism in the face of such attacks and immediate threat to her life and security, Chandu’s refusal was prompt.

“No. It is my passion and my livelihood. I am not doing social service. This is my job,” she said.