Congratulations to CM of Punjab – Reservation in appointment of Legal Officers

 

Congratulations to CM of Punjab – Reservation in appointment of Legal Officers

Side lining and negating the Manuwadi mindset of the likes of the former Advocate General of Punjab, it is a matter of satisfaction that Government of Punjab, under the able leadership of Hon’ble CM Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mann, has decided to provide reservations to Scheduled Caste candidates in the recruitment of Legal Officers. It is an important decision towards ‘Empowerment’ of weaker sections of the society, the first such decision in the country taken with foresight and vision. CM Bhagwant Mann fully deserves hearty

congratulations and appreciation in this regard. With this in mind, I ventured to write to the Hon’ble CM of Punjab to register our thankfulness and gratitude. It also gave me an opportunity to list a few additional points concerning the community; Post-Matric Scholarships to SC Students, Vacating of illegally occupied land in rural areas, appointments of Chairmen/Members of various Commissions, Mayoral positions for Scheduled Castes and April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality. Let us hope CM Bhagwant Mann, a well meaning leader, considers and take appropriate action and decision on the points raised in the letter dated August 23, 2022 appended below. I humbly expect the civil society and the intelligential; particularly belonging to the marginalized sections of the society to kindly consider and pursue the matter with the Government of Punjab to support the ‘affirmative’ agenda for the due share and space to the weaker segments of the society.

Text of my letter dated August 23, 2022 to CM of Punjab:-          

August 23, 2022

Respected CM Sahib,                                   

I am writing this, as a common citizen that is Aam Admi, with a view to keep the dialogue on. I thought of writing to you again, Sir, as I found couple of your recent decisions as ‘public centric’ particularly with regard to the weaker sections of the society. Congratulation; I wish you and your government all the best in the days to come.

I)                  One such decision is to provide reservations to SC candidates in the recruitment of Legal Officers. It is a laudable decision taken with guts and foresight. Yes, you have shown constitutional and moral standing in this regard.  It will go a long way in strengthening the ‘affirmative action’ to help the marginalized sections of the society. Let us hope other states also take a cue and take positive decisions in this regard leaving the ‘lip service’ phenomena.

II)               The second one which I would like to refer is – your policy and action in vacating illegally usurped land the rural areas by the land sharks and anti-social elements. Kindly continue and take a timely decision in allotting the land to the tillers of the weaker sections in due course. People are with you.

III)            Post Matric Scholarships to SC students remained an issue of contention to the detriment of SC students. Kindly solve this issue once for all as I also wrote about this in my earlier letters. The wrongs done in this regard required to be set right and a new perspective presented. I am confident, Sir, you can do it.

IV)             Kindly don’t delay and appoint Chairmen/Members of Punjab SC Commission, SC Finance Corporation, NRI Commission, among others. SC candidates, I think, equally qualify and are available for such coveted positions.  AAP is a party with a difference. Kindly demonstrate it and I am sure that you will put your weight behind these decisions; sooner the better.

V)                Yet another suggestion as apolitical observer, kindly consider and fix, formally or informally, at least 4 Municipal Corporations reserved for SC candidates with due share to ladies as Mayors.

VI)             Kindly take up the proposal of April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar as International Day of Equality. I wrote to you on the subject on July 7 which may be accessed at my blog for ready reference: http://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2022/07/international-day-of-equality-open.html                    

I am confident that my submissions would find due and favorable consideration at your hands.  I surmise to write a line that, except automated acknowledgements, nobody has shown any concern and interest to respond to several letters to you. Obviously, I don’t have a vested agenda and my only purpose is to support you in your good work with regard to the people of Punjab; particularly pertaining to the depressed people.

With the assurances of my highest consideration,

Yours truly,

 

(Ramesh Chander)

Hon’ble Sardar Bhawant Mann,                                                    

Chief Minister of Punjab,

Chandigardh

                                                         

POSTSCRIPT: - While I am posting this on my blog, Chief Minister’s Office has acknowledged my letter and forwarded it to the concerned senior officers for necessary action. It is a matter of gratification to note this positive change. Thanks CMO.

Halla Bol on Caste – Don’t close eyes from the real situation

 

Halla Bol on Caste – Don’t close eyes from the real situation

I wrote in my blog – Halla Bol on Castiest Mindset which I posted today, August 19, in the morning. By the evening, I got more perturbed. While getting supportive messages on the social media

from many of my readers, I came across today itself at least three cases which sent shivers to my not so strong spine. Where are we heading? God save my Bharat. I share here the three cases:

1.   In the Tribune (E-paper of August 19), I read a story around mid-day that a dalit boy was beaten by the school teacher in Bahraich district of UP for not paying on time the school fee of Rs.250 and later succumbed to the injuries and died. Now by the evening, when I made my mind to write about it, I could not find that story in the esteemed Tribune. It seems it has been removed. Obviously, it seems, the so called ‘free and fair’ media is at work. Hopefully, the likes of Anjana Om Kashyap may come up with a TV debate on the Bahraich incident too as she did on the Jalore case in Rajasthan. But it seems unlikely as UP is UP. No further elaboration is needed.

2.   A story in the Hindustan Times of today, August 19 further perturbed me. This time, the holy and sacrosanct judiciary is at work. A lower judge in Kazhikode in Kerala, S. Krishna Kumar, adjudicated in a case of sexual harassment of a dalit woman and granted bail to the accused. Hon’ble Judge said that charges under

SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act wouldn’t, prima facie, didn’t stand against Chandran (accused) because it “is highly unbelievable that he will touch the body of the victim fully knowing that she is a member of Scheduled Caste.” It was also reported in the story that the same Judge in another judgment on the sexual harassment case commented that the offence of sexual harassment wasn’t made out if the woman was wearing ‘sexually proactive’ clothes. Less said the better. Demands of reservation in the judiciary are not without basis, I think. The likes of Anmol Rattan Sidhu, the former Advocate General of Punjab who opposed reservation of dalits as Legal Officers should read and understand.

3.   By the evening yet another gem appeared in a story in the Tribune - Piped water to all rural houses will end discrimination: PM after Jalore incident –The media story further stated, “Noting that top global institutions had predicted water scarcity as a major challenge of the 21st century, the PM said lack of water could become a major

PM Narendra Modi at Guru Ravidass Dharamasthan

hurdle in the way of developed India too” and further added, “To tide over this crisis, we need to work 24 hours with the spirit of service.” This is how we want to deal with the Caste System and glaring social discrimination and injustice.  Yes, Hon’ble PM, we need to work 24 hours to kill the monster of Caste and Social discrimination. There is no political will and social motivation to eradicate caste system. Instead of hitting the nail in the head, we are interested in defending the indefensible, the Manuwad. It is not a matter of water, food, clothes, house; it is a matter of respect and dignity.

Ai tā.ir-e-lāhautī us rizq se maut achchhī

Rizq se aatī ho parvāz meñ kotāhī

O ethereal bird! It is better to starve to death,
Than to live on a prey that clogs thy wings in flight.

 

 

Halla Bol on Castiest Mindset

 

Halla Bol on Castiest Mindset

Today’s (August 17) Halla Bol TV debate show on Aaj Tak prompted me to pick up a current issue and write. The debate run and presented by a said to be a prominent TV journalist and Anchor, Anjana Om Kashyap, an iconic figure in the so called ‘free and fair’ media, now a days popularly called ‘Godi Media’, rightly or otherwise. Anyway, I have no intention to divert my focus from the issue which was the

A Punjabi Poem by Rattu Randhawa

theme of the debate – Beating and killing of a 8 year old dalit boy by his own high caste teacher for touching the pitcher of his drinking water in Jalore in Rajasthan. The mainstream media, particularly the electronic media, generally is not interested in such said to be ‘trivial’ issues, as usual, as it pertains to hapless dalits, the condemned lot even after 75 years of independence and abolition of untouchability legally and constitutionally. It was surprising as to how come Anjana Om Kashyap has shown magnanimity and professional honesty to Halla Bol on the condemnable and heinous crime when all others are blissfully silent and feigning to be ignorant of the fact that ‘castiest mindset’ was still as strong as it was before. But, as expected, it was a fake and shameless attempt to encash the vested agenda by shooting from the shoulder of dalits and their misery. The Anchor was lop-sided with her motivated agenda to embarrass the Ashok Gehlot’s Congress government to the benefit of BJP rather than condemning, questioning the society and the authorities on the gruesome murder of the dalit boy by the castiest mindset and Manuwadi thinking. The cat was out of the bag and Anjana Om Kashyap was caught red handed doing glaring injustice to the dalits of India, a slur on the face of the so called free and fair press, said to be the fourth pillar of democracy.

Let us Halla Bol on the so called ‘free and fair’ media run by the likes of Anjana and her tribe. I raised this issue in my blog of August 15 with reference to PM Narendra Modi’s address from the ramparts of Red Fort and wrote, “PM Narendra Modi termed India as ‘the mother of democracy’ in his long speech in the morning of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotav. But, on ground, our political democracy is yet to be transformed into social and economic democracy as visualized by Babasaheb Ambedkar.  The speech was full of hope to make India a ‘Developed country’ in the next 25 years; a long way to go. At the same time, the speech tended to create further confusion with the assertions like ‘Gulami Ka Ansh Mitana Hai’ – eradicate the mindset of servitude. It would have been better and in order, if he had mentioned about the beating and killing of a dalit boy of 9 years by his school teacher in Jalore, the other day, just because he touched the water supposed to belong to some high caste in the school. Caste system, about which the society and the government, is blissfully silent, is the biggest negation of the very edifice of our constitution which professes; Equality, Liberty, Justice and Fraternity. The Hindi heartland, the states of UP, MP, Bihar, Rajasthan, are the states where atrocities on dalits are committed at a large scale. Every 10 minutes, a case of atrocities is registered. Most of the cases remain pending for a long time as the disposal and conviction rate is dismal. The Halla Bol TV show was flagging this data repeatedly but without a word to condemn the ‘castiest mindset’ of the society except trying to get brownie points in corning the State Government for political mileage. Caste system has failed us. It is a total negation of our constitutional stipulations and moral high-ground which we tend to boast of as ‘Hindu Culture’. Babasaheb faced the same inhuman treatment in his school days and also Babu Jagjivan Ram as

Postal stamp on Ambedkar's Mahad Satysagrah for Water

underlined by her daughter Meira Kumar, “100 years ago my father Babu Jagjivan Ram was prohibited from drinking water in school from the pitcher meant for Savarna Hindus. It was a miracle his life was saved,” and added, “Today, a nine-year-old #Dalit boy has been killed for the same reason. 75 long years after Independence, caste system remains our greatest enemy,” Prof. A Ramaiah of TISS, a visiting fellow of London School of Economics has analyzed the issue and said, “Despite this legislation and the establishment of special commissions to monitor its working, caste discrimination and caste-based crimes persist throughout India.  It is well documented that the police are reluctant to register complaints about caste-based discrimination and violence so national statistics on caste crimes against SCs are grossly underestimated figures. However, even this limited data is enough to understand the gravity of the problem.” The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the death of the third standard student of Sarasvati Vidyalaya in Rajasthan’s Jalore. The NCSC might also do so. Nothing has changed on ground and, it seems, nothing will change, unfortunately. The society, particularly the Hindu society has to stand up and accept the challenge rather than defending the indefensible. Dalits are up in arms against the inhuman and illegal treatment to the dalit boy as only the bearer knows where the shoe is pinching. But they are hapless and powerless people – Nakar Khane Mein Tuti Ki Awaz. Where those who shout from the roof are tops against the reservation for dalits and other affirmative actions?

Why the outfits like RSS, SGPC and others are blissfully silent who profess ‘Samrasta’ as per the Hindu code of conduct and ‘Casteless’ society as professed and propagated by the great Gurus. The visualized ‘Developed India’ is a far cry in the so called democratic polity and a compassionate society, if we go by the ground realities.

Babasaheb Ambedkar rightly said that democracy had no meaning without establishing a casteless society – Jine Naaz Hai Hind Pe Woh Kahan Hain? This poetic assertion of Sahir Ludhianvi is as valid today as it was before. The society must rise to the occasion and Hall Bol on the Manuwadi Mindset and reform the society, if we want to see India a civilized and progressive country in the next 25 years. Governments and the Society will ignore this fact at their own peril. How long may we play ‘Goody-Goody’? I am sorry, to conclude, by quoting Allma Iqbal which may not be stomached by the main stream of the society; let it be:

आह! शूद्र के लिए हिन्दोस्तां गम-खाना है
दर्द-ए-इंसानी से इस बस्ती का दिल बेगाना है।

 

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Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – Greetings

 

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – Greetings

India has come a long way; it has completed 75 years of her Independence. It is a matter of joy. Mahamahim Droupadi Murmu’s address to the nation on the eve of the Independence Day, August 15, her first after becoming the President, was a non-starter, frankly. The marginalized sections of the society expected more from one of their
own. PM Narendra Modi, as usual, spoke for the 9^th time with confidence and authority, as expected, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, a traditional annual ritual. He is a politician to the core, as demonstrated repeatedly, holding the reigns of the country for the last 8 years. Good or bad; history will judge it in due course but, to my mind, prima facie, he is yet to become a statesman. It takes time; India requires statesmen to steer India that is Bharat, a multi religious and diversified society. PM Narendra Modi termed India as ‘the mother of democracy’ in his long speech in the morning of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotav. But, on ground,  our political democracy is yet to be transformed into social and economic democracy as visualized by Babasaheb Ambedkar.  The speech was full of hope to make India a ‘Developed country’ in the next 25 years; a long way to go. At the same time, the speech tended to create further confusion with the assertions like ‘Gulami Ka Ansh Mitana Hai’ – eradicate the mindset of servitude. It would have been

better and in order, if he had mentioned about the beating and killing of a dalit boy of 9 years by his school teacher in Jalore, the other day, just because he touched the water supposed to belong to some high caste in the school. Caste system, about which the society and the government, is blissfully silent, is the biggest negation of the very edifice of our constitution which professes; Equality, Liberty, Justice and Fraternity. Anyway, today on the occasion of happiness, I have no intention to be negative. India is on rails and I take this opportunity to greet my fellow countrymen on the reaching an important milestone of 75^th year in the fascinating journey to development and prosperity and also wish God Speed to the Government.

As a humble and duty conscious citizen of India, I joined the call of ‘Ghar Ghar Tiranga: Har Ghar Tiranga’, and rightly so. We should be proud of our national symbols and heritage as PM Naendra Modi reiterated this in his speech today – respect and preserve our ‘drohar and Virasat’. But we should not be oblivious of the reality – Jara Dekh Jo Kuch Ho Raha; Hone wala Hai, Bhala Rakha Kya Hai Ehde Kuhan Ki Dastano Mein. There should be no acrimonious debate on this. We are yet to go a long way for that we need to remain on track. And it could only be done if we bring about ‘Ekta and Ek Jut Ta’ – Unity and Togetherness as asserted by PM Modi. May God show us the way to much needed ‘Unity’ in the years to come.

We celebrated Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with great enthusiasm and solemnity in Jalandhar – hoisted the Tricolour at our house as ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’, my grand-daughters, Suhani and Rupal participated in the programme at their school and I unfurled the National Flag as the

Chief Guest at a celebratory function at the Silver Residency Apartments, an abode of more than 200 hundred cultured and well to do families in a residential complex.  It was a befitting function to celebrate the occasion – Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. In my brief remarks, referring to the ‘mantra of unity’ of PM Narendra Modi, said that the unity starts from the family, Mohalla, City, State and reaches the country at large. Let us start and profess ‘unity’ from here itself – Tum Hi Tum Ho To Kya Tum Ho; Hum Hi Hum Hain To Kya Hum Hain. Congratulating the audience on the Independence Day, I said that it was a matter of satisfaction that we had a functional constitution which had stood the test of time. In spite travails and tribulations, India remained India only because of the constitution. Referring to the recent unfortunate and condemnable incident of beating and killing of a 9 year old dalit child by his own teacher in Jalore of Rajasthan, I added that democracy had no meaning without establishing a casteless society – Aa Gariat Ke Parde Ik Baar Phir Utha Den;

Bishadon Ko Phir Mila Den; Nakshe Dui Mittan Den. Many of the smart and well groomed children of the Silver Residency presented a colourful cultural programme dedicated to the freedom and freedom fighters which was well appreciated. The Management of the Residency headed by Anil Kaul and Rahul Verma took considerable pains to arrange the function with their associates namely; Kamal Grover, Amit Garg, Raj Khera among others. Dr. Vandana Saggar shouldered the onerous duty of ‘Master of Ceremonies’ with her usual flair and aptness. Ladoos and Samosas added to the fun and frolic of the morning of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Chisti Ne Jis Zamin Mein Paigamme Haq Sunaya;

Nanak Ne Jis Chaman Mein Vehdit Ka Geet Gaya;

Mera Watan Wahi Hai Mera Watan Wahi Hai.

 

                           

 

 

 

                                  

Status and Progress of Dalits in Punjab since Independence

s

Status and Progress of Dalits in Punjab since Independence

India is celebrating “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ in its 75th year of independence. Obviously, there is much to write and celebrate and also feel proud on one hand. Certainly India has arrived but there is much to ponder over and contemplate to remain on the rails to reach in the years to come on the other.  I am a Punjabi Indian and after a long diplomatic career have come back to my roots in Jalandhar and as such picked up the threads to study, understand, asses and analyse the status and progress of my fellow brethren in the socially weaker or marginalized sections of the society, the so called dalits. Social Studies Foundation (SSF) of Pune was kind enough to ask me to contribute to the Special Issue of their mouthpiece, the Unheard Voices, to write on the subject. With a view to do my bit in this regard, I venture to write not as a historian or expert but as a student and a layman to celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ with the esteemed SSF and the Unheard Voices.

In the run up to Independence, dalits of Punjab, under the leadership of Gadri Baba Babu Mangu Ram Mugowalia, the founding father of AD-dharam Mandal, launched in 1926, while fighting for the independence from the colonial rule, were much concerned about the social status of the depressed classes which were later came to be addressed as Harijans and  Scheduled Castes and now as Dalits.  Dalits of Punjab, in cooperation and liaison with Babu Mangu Ram Mugowalia, Gopal Singh Khalsa, Seth Kishan Dass among others, fully sided with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and supported him in his relentless struggle to get a due and rightful space for the depressed classes against, right or wrong, but willful opposition from Mahatma Gandhi and other hardcore Hindu leaders. Punjab dalits stood by Babasaheb Ambedkar pleading the case of dalits in the Round Table Conferences in London which resulted in PM Ramsey MacDonald’s ‘Communal Award’ accepting dalits as a separate entity and not as Hindus. The rest is history as to how Babasaheb Ambedkar was made to sign the ‘Poona Pact’ in 1932 to save the life of Mahatma Gandhi and retain the depressed classes in the Hindu fold with special provisions of ‘Reservations’ to cater for the social empowerment of dalits. Dalits of Punjab spearheaded the caravan of Dr. Ambedkar for the social reform and rightful space and say of dalits not only in socio-economic structures of the country but also in the polity as equal partners. Dalits contested elections of 1937 under the banner of the Unionist Party of Punjab and also All India Scheduled Caste Federation, floated by Babasaheb Ambedkar, and made their mark on the political map of the country. It may not be out of place to mention that when all doors were closed by the Congress Party and other hardcore Hindu elements for Babasaheb Ambedkar to enter the Constituent Assembly in 1946, the Punjabi leather businessmen led by Seth Kishan Dass, Baba Budh Singh Tallan and others played a sterling role to get Babasaheb Ambedkar elected to the Constituent Assembly from Bengal on a call by Joginder Nath Mandal who later, in the wake of partition, became the first Law Minister of Pakistan (Later he came back to India – a story in itself). With this background, I would tend to say that dalits of Punjab remained in the forefront of the emerging situation with a definite sense of confidence and belonging not only in Punjab but in other parts of India too.

 

Both socio-political and socio-spiritual considerations remained a vital factor in shaping the role and conduct of dalits in Punjab since independence in 1947. The new constitution of India, with Babasaheb Ambedkar; a dalit himself as the chief architect of the constitution) tended to give dalits a sense of assertion for their rights and due space in the social structures as equals which resulted in socio-political empowerment. In fact, caste system of Brahmanical order, as stated by Prof. Ronki Ram of the Panjab University, was never too strong or widely prevalent in Punjab as compared to other parts of the country. The Muslim influence was yet another factor in this regard as the undivided Punjab was a Muslim dominated province demographically. The Sufi traditions of Punjab and also the egalitarian approaches of the Sikh religion with the teaching of ‘equality, fraternity and justice’ enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib also contributed to shape the conduct and behavior of dalits. The Arya Samaj also played some moderating role to bring the Harijans or depressed classes to the mainstream Hindu fold under the aegis of Jaatpaat Todak Mandal led by Sant Ram B.A. along with other

moderate Hindus. But in totality, the so called Harijans (as termed by Mahatma Gandhi) or Depressed Classes (termed by Ambedkar and Babu Mango Ram Mugowalia) or  Scheduled Castes (the nomenclature used by the legal framework) remained a marginalized lot at the lowest rung of the society; both in pre-partitioned Punjab or even later in the early years of independence. The following quote from a renowned scholar and political analyst Harish Puri of Punjab University sets the position in perspective, “M. A. Jinnah was reported to have made a suggestion that the Kamins (menial labour) (who were regarded neither Muslim nor Hindu/Sikh) may be divided 50-50 between India and Pakistan afterall both the dominions required scavengers, sweepers and leather workers [cf. Madhopuri2002:175]. Ambedkar and Nehru had to personally intervene to secure the release of Scheduled Caste people who were prohibited from leaving Pakistan for India by the Government of Pakistan through an order under a special Essential Services Ordinance.” Here in India too, the situation was so precarious that dalits were not permitted to live in refugee camps by the caste Hindus. Babasaheb Ambedkar spoke to PM Jawaharlal Nehru and the then Minister of Rehabilitation and sent Dadasaheb B.K.  Gaikwad, an associate and close aide of Ambedkar, to Punjab to oversee the rehabilitation of dalits. Harish Puri has said to explain the situation, “During the half a century and more after independence one witnessed the working of complex and

multi-dimensional process of change. A major difference was made by the demographic change following the Partition and the later reorganization of Punjab state.” Independence and the new constitution, which engaged Babasaheb Ambedkar in the lead, resulted in power awareness among the dalit masses in Punjab in the early years of independence. Dalit leaders; particularly those who decided to side with the ruling Congress party to counter the increasing influence of All India Scheduled Caste Federation and Ad-dhram Mandal and also the Shiromani Akali Dal like; Prithvi
Singh Azad, Yashwant Rai, Master Gurbanta Singh, Chaudhary Sunder Singh, Chaudhary Chand Ram, Chaudhary Dalbir Singh (both the Chaudharies of Haryana) found berths in all successive Congress Party governments right from Gopi Chand Bhargav – Bhim Sen Sachar era (early formative years)  to 1965-66 and formation and demarcation of Punjabi Suba. Several and varied cross currents to woo the dalit vote banks came and shaped the status and progress of dalits not only in socio-political but also socio-economic and also socio-religious spheres. Babasaheb Ambedkar himself visited and toured Punjab in 1951. With a view to undermine Ambedkar and Akalis under Master Tara Singh, Congress Party propped up Prithvi Singh Azad (Ravidassia), Yashwant Rai (Balmiki), Chaudhary Sunder Singh (Ravidassia),  all of them professed to be Arya Samaji in the Hindu fold and Master Gurbanta Singh (Ad-dharmi turbaned Sikh), Master Sadhu Ram (Ad-dharmi) among others. Master Tara Singh to garner the support of Ravidassia and Mahazbi Sikhs roped in Gopal Singh Khalsa (Ravidassia turbaned Sikh). The Hindu outfit, Jan Sangh appeared on the scene but could not make much dent politically among the dalit Hindus though the Hindu vernacular press, based in Jalandhar partially succeeded in attracting an influencing Hindu dalits culturally; particularly with reference to the demand of Punjabi Suba on linguistic basis. A large chunk of dalit Hindus registered their mother tongue as Hindi. Republican Party representing dalits of Ambedkaite orientation slowly gained strength in 1960s. Dalits started going abroad particularly UK in 1960s and later to the Gulf and other greener pastures in developed countries which resulted in their economic wellbeing and awakening raising  their social and political aspirations back home. The main stream of Republican Party led by Piara Ram Dhanowalia among others, against the faction led by Lahori Ram Balley who opposed, ostensibly, Punjabi Suba allegedly on the behest of lobby headed by the Hindu Lala Press of Jalandhar, sided with Akalis on the issue of Punjabi Suba and even join the first coalition government of Justice Gurnam Singh after the formation of Punjab in 1966. With these developments, dalits got fragmented and divided to the liking of vested interests both in Sikhs and Hindus on one hand and among the political outfits viz. Congress Party, Akali Dal and Jan Sangh on the other. Dalit consciousness received a much needed boost with the growing economic muscle, increased influence of all embracing spiritual Deras like Satsang Beas, Nirankaris and outfits of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh and also, inter alia, dalits deras like Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar, Swami Gurdip Giri Dera in Pathankot among others. Kanshi Ram appeared on the scene in mid 1970s with BAMCEF, DS4 and ultimately Bahujan

Samaj Party (BSP) and successfully galvanized the dalit psyche and made dalits, a force to ‘reckon with’ in the political landscape of Punjab. With the favourable demographic profile with almost 35% and 34 reserved seats in the Assembly and 4 in the Lok Sabha, dalit vote banks became a much sought after activity on the political agenda of all political parties. Though there is no doubt that the constitutional provisions made by our forefathers; particularly Babasaheb Ambedkar tended to help dalits, as visualized, to stand up and assert for their due space in the polity, economy and the society yet it was not to be because the political and caste based social structures and the avoidable ‘disunity’ among the dalits themselves did not allow to avail off the opportunities for the real ‘empowerment’ of dalits. They remained on the fringes in spite of all visibly requisite parameters of much needed and intended progress and prosperity of dalits. In the last three decades, governments of Akalis, Congress Party and coalition governments of Akali-BJP dispensations successfully, and I think willfully, kept the dalits on the margins. The reasons for this undemocratic, undesirable and unethical situation is not far to seek – dalits are a divided lot, dalit leadership of all parties could not prove themselves as true representatives of the masses, dalit Deras are not alive to the political situation and are mostly headed by uneducated so called spiritual gurus without any ‘Think Tanks’ working behind them and traditional caste bias in the society which still, unfortunately, exist in the society at large.  The so called dalit party, BSP of Mayawati failed Kanshi Ram and the dalit masses with their restricted motivation and agenda. The dalit intelligentsia including the retired top ranking bureaucrats, appears to be at loss to understand what to do? What how far it will remain like this? The question needs to be addressed. Dalits themselves would be required to think and find a solution to get a due space and say in the power structures of the state where they are 35% of the population of the state.

Of late, it has been observed that dalit youth and the educated segments of the community are getting interested, concerned and even agitated with regard to the existing and emerging socio-political scenario and rightly so. In the recent 2022 elections, Congress Party played their tactical move to name Charanjit Channi the Chief

Minister a couple of months prior to the elections and contested with Channi as the CM face. The move boomeranged not only because of the infighting in Congress Party but also the underling social hierarchy which does not like the idea. Earlier, BJP Appointed Vijay Sampla as an MOS in the Central Government and also made him the head of the BJP’s Punjab Unit. They made Som Parkash as MOS in Delhi. Akalis thought of wooing the dalit vote banks by forming an alliance with BSP. In the recent years, all major political parties viz. Congress, Akalis, BJP and new entrant AAP could manage to win reserved seats to their kitties which resulted in further fragmentation and division among dalit MLAs and ultimately adversely affected the strength of dalits. But there is no way out to address the systemic malice; it seems, in the given situation. Besides, legal and constitutional framework, constitutional morality is needed as advised by Babasaheb Ambedkar to send ‘Gyansheel’ elected representatives to the legislatures.  Let me add a recent instance. AAP, the ruling party in Punjab, with its strength of 92 in the Punjab Assembly has 28 SCs, who won from the reserved seats. But AAP did not show magnanimity or political prudence in nominating a single dalit for the 7 seats of the Rajya Sabha in the recent elections. The ones who shout from the roof tops against Reservations should take note of this.

My hosts, Social Studies Foundation advised me to limit my take to about 1500 words but I have already crossed the limit with about 2400. What awaits dalits of Punjab in the years to come? It is a big question. I think, dalit’s ‘tryst with destiny’ in the year of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ has to be revisited. Political democracy has no meaning if it is not transformed into social and economic democracy, said Babasaheb Ambedkar. It is yet to come in our polity and society and Punjab is no exception. Political scientists and historians would observe that in the Punjab Elections – 2022, dalits did not support Charanjit Singh Channi on caste basis. They did not vote SAD-BSP alliance because of caste considerations. They did not support BJP, I think, because of historical and socio-cultural reasons. It is a matter of gratification to note that though dalits are sitting still on the fringes yet they are increasingly following the dictum – “Educate – Organise – Agitate” of their icon Babasaheb Ambedkar. The political

stake holders would engage themselves and do their job, I am confident, to accommodate dalits and their aspirations with 35% share in the demography of Punjab. The socio- cultural outfits like RSS, SGPC and others are expected to jump in and come out of the ‘Lip Service’ phase before it gets too late. I am a firm believer of ‘Samrasta’ in the society to keep India on track. We would ignore this vital need at our own peril. In conclusion, my poetic advice to my fellow brethren in dalit communities would be:

तू पहले बात; फिर बात का अंदाज़ पैदा कर,

फिर ज़माने  में तुझे  कोई नज़र अंदाज कर नहीं सकता।        

(Ambassador Ramesh Chander, IFS – a retired career diplomat)

 

 

Ambassador Bal Anand – a man of sterling worth

 

Ambassador Bal Anand – a man of sterling worth

Ambassador Bal Anand (1943-2022), my friend, guide and philosopher, passed away on July 29, 2022 after a brief hospitalization for some health complications pertaining to heart. I was stunned to hear this bad news from one of our mutual friends, Rajinder Kashyap, on telephone from Delhi. It was an unexpected call for me.  Bal Anand Sahib himself told us in an e-mail message to his close friends almost a month ago that he would be off from the

Ambassador Bal Anand

social media for a short period because of some medical concerns. Nevertheless, we, some of us in his friend’s circle, like Ambassador V.B. Soni, Ambassador Zile Singh, and Principal Jagdish Chandra Joshi spoke to each other to check and know about Bal Anand Sahib. No one of us expected this sudden and untimely blow in the demise of Ambassador Bal Anand, a through gentleman and an excellent human being, apart from his professional prowess as one of the finest career diplomats of India.

Though I had heard of Bal Anand Sahib, IFS of 1971 batch, as a junior functionary in the Ministry of External Affairs yet I did not have an opportunity to meet him personally till we both went up in the ladder in 1999-2000, me as Director of Central Asia Division in the MEA and he as Ambassador-designate to Armenia. He came to meet my boss, Joint Secretary Aloke Sen, for a briefing on the issue of Nagorano-Karabakh – a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I was also present in the meeting.  I met Ambassador Bal Anand for the first time. I was impressed by his simplicity, easy demeanor, soft tone and a keen sense of discussing and analyzing the issue as a student.  Coming to know that I belonged to Jalandhar, he told me that he would come and sit with me one day to talk about his cherished memories of Jalandhar and his Alma mater, DAV College. He did so and we became friends. He repeated his short visits to my small office room in South Block quite often before departing for Yerevan (Armenia). We both moved on in pursuit of our diplomatic career and exchanged greetings occasionally with an urge to keep in touch.

Our meaningful interaction culminated into friendship only after my retirement in December, 2010, some 7 years after that of Ambassador Bal Anand’s. We both subscribed to ‘Punjabiat’ as sons of the soil with ordinary social background. Incidentally, we both are members at the IFS Villas in Greater Noida and our villas are located close by in the same lane. For redoing and renovating his villa, he contacted me to have some clues and tips to get a civil contractor for the job as I had done so earlier. We also remained in touch with each other with regard to other matters of interest and concern through e-mail and my blogs. I often shared my blogs with him and he was kind enough to go through and comment which encouraged me further. Bal Anand

With Pakistani intellectual poet Ahmed Faraz

Sahib was a man of letters with an appreciable literary acumen. Bal Anand Sahib, with Masters Degree in English, remained a Lecturer of English language, before joining the government service, and enjoyed a good command on Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi besides his compulsory language Persian as an IFS diplomat.   Sometime in the summer of 2014, Bal Anand Sahib along with his gracious wife planned to visit Jalandhar and informed me. Though the time schedule clashed with our sojourn to Sweden to be with our son yet I humbly offered them to come and stay in our small flat and my younger son Rupesh, who was staying in a separate flat in the same compound, would oversee their comfort. Accordingly, they stayed at our humble abode. On our return, I found a packet of books and a bottle of an exotic drink which our guests left for us, a thoughtful gesture, of course. One of the books – ‘Sukh Sunehe’ belonged to himself. I read with interest and wrote about it in my blog: https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2014/08/sukh-sunehe.html

 Later I wrote about yet another book of his – Nave Nimbandh: https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2015/02/nave-nibandh-collection-of-new-essays.html

Both the write ups were included and published in my book – The Bits and Pieces – Reminiscences and Reflections of a Novice which was released in June, 2019. I am happy to add that Ambassador Bal Anand not only went through the draft/manuscript of the book and gave valuable suggestions with his experience but also kindly agreed to write the Foreword of the book. Just to give the flavor of our

With Principal Jagdish Joshi at his residence 

friendly relationship, I quote from the opening paragraph of the Foreword, “Many of us luckier indeed to come across friends who are specially blessed persons and are intuitively gifted to ‘pen down’ their deeply felt perceptions, interesting experiences and the significant events they might have been a witness to or a part of, as they say, ‘luck by chance’. Shri Ramesh Chander, a very dear friend and formerly a kind colleague in the Ministry of External Affairs, known to me for decades, eminently qualify to be inducted in this privileged category.” I was much impressed by his depth of thought by reading his book ‘Expressions of Freedom’. I found Bal Anand Sahib a man with fond memory of his roots in the Malwa region of Punjab and his healthy and appreciable interest in Jalandhar, having been a student and teacher at DAV College, a premier educational institution of the Doaba region of which I also happen to be an alumnus. In the recent years, he came to Jalandhar twice for functions at his Alma Mater and we were privileged to host him at our humble home. I was rather surprised and further impressed that, in spite of the fact he remained away from Jalandhar for a long time in the diplomatic career, he had developed and nurtured friendship with many big names in the academic and
intellectual circles in and around Jalandhar to name a few; Principal Jagdish Chandra Joshi, Prof. K.K. Ghai, Principal K.C. Mohindru, Col. Tilak Raj, Prof. T.R. Shingari, Kundan Lal Badhan, Ajit Singh Langeri, Justice Sat Paul Bangarh, Principal Sanjiv Arora, Prof. Dinesh Arora among others. Bal Anand Sahib was a great help to me in maintaining and renting out of my villa in his neighborhood at IFS Villas. I stayed with them a couple of times and enjoyed their hospitality; particularly of the gracious lady, Madam Aradhna and Varoon, their well-groomed son. Bal Anand Sahib’s well stocked library of rare books and his collection of old letters, photos and mementos is impressive and is a loud commentary on his literary and academic tastes with a sense of history. Whenever we spoke on phone, he will often mention about my villa close by and speak high of Loveena and their two lovely daughters, residents there. Bal Anand Sahib was so considerate that at least two times during my short visits, he took me along to friendly lunches at  India International Centre and Central Government Officers Club at Chanakyapuri with some of the friends and senior colleagues from the IFS fraternity; Ambassadors – VB Soni, SK Mathur, RP Singh, Ajit Kumar, Ashok Amrohi, Azad Toor among others. I enjoyed their joint hospitality and cemented my bonds of friendship, courtesy Ambassador Bal Anand. His last project, in literary realm, was his autobiography in Punjabi – Meri Jiwan Yatra. He was so good and friendly to me that he shared and discussed the contents with me many a times before the book came out. I learnt a great deal in the process. We could succeed, in motivating and approaching the Punjabi media in Jalandhar and abroad, in getting good reviews of the book. Editor-in-Chief of the Desh Doaba and the Ambedkar Times, Prem Chumber, being published from California (USA), was particularly helpful in serializing some of important contents of the autobiography in the Desh Doaba (Punjabi) and carrying my blog which I humbly wrote to attempt a sort of review of the book:

Speaking at DAV College Jalandhar

https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2021/12/meri-jiwan-yatra-autobiography-of.html

Bal Anand Sahib was very keen to release ‘Meri Jiwan Yatra’ in Jalandhar and we discussed the matter accordingly to fix the time schedule and an appropriate venue in the coming months. But, alas, that was not to be. Ambassador Bal Anand, my friend, guide and philosopher, is no more, a great personal loss. I wanted to join and stand with Madam Aradhna Anand and their sons Varoon and Aditya and other members of the bereaved family but due to logistical and health reasons would not be able to do so in person. I join, in absentia, the family, relations and friends at the Antim Ardas of the departed soul of Bal Anand Sahib on August 3, 2022 with this blog as a humble tribute to ‘a man of sterling worth’, Bal Anand Sahib.

न हाथ थाम सके न पकड़ सके दामन,

बहुत करीब से उठकर चला गया कोई.