An Open Letter to SC Senior Ministers in the NDA Cabinet of PM Narendra Modi – International Day of Equality

 

An Open Letter to SC Senior Ministers in the NDA Cabinet of PM Narendra Modi – International Day of Equality

The month of September every year cajoles me to get up and say my mind on the much neglected and marginalized proposal on April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar as International Day of Equality under the aegis of UN as yearly ritual of UNGA takes place in New Year in the second half of September. From India, either PM or EAM or both generally participate in the  UNGA and address the international community from the high podium of the world body.

Though a long time has passed since the proposal was made in June, 2015 and the GOI is blissfully silent yet my gut feeling tells me that it is increasingly becoming difficult to ignore the greatest son of India Babasaheb Ambedkar. One may or may not like it – Powers in

Delhi would ignore Ambedkar at their own peril. GOI (MEA) has already joined the process by installing and unveiling the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar at  PMI at Geneva, the second most important seat of the UN, dealing with issues of Equality and Human Rights. EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar tweeted in social Media, “Paid my respects to Dr.Bhimrao Ambedkar , the architect of the Indian Constitution at India UN at Geneva. Babasaheb’s vision of social justice, Equality and progressive modernity is an inspiration for the world.”  New York would not be far behind, to my mind.

In continuation of my blog on the subject which may be accessed at: https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2024/08/as-i-please-international-day-of.html

 I thought of writing an open letter to the Dalit Ministers in the Cabinet of PM Narendra Modi, seeking and soliciting their understanding and support to the proposal on International Day of Equality. The text of the letter dated September 18, 2024 addressed to Ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan, Dr. Virendra Kumar and Arjun Ram Meghwal is appended below.

Let us hope these dalit Ministers join us and urge the NDA Government under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi to wake up and come out of the ‘lip service’ phase and give his due to the greatest icon of contemporary India.

मेरी अदा को दवाना तो खैर मुमकिन है;

मगर नई अवाम की आवाज कौन रोकेगा?

 

Appendix – Text of Letter dated September 18, 2024 to all the SC Senior Ministers

 

September 18, 2024

Subject - An Open Letter to Dalit Ministers in the NDA Government – International Day of Equality

Respected Hon’ble Ministers,

You might have heard of the proposal to declare April 14 (birth day of Babasaheb Ambedkar) as International Day of Equality under the aegis of the UN. The proposal is resting with the GOI (MEA/PMO) since June, 2015. After its initiation with the then EAM Sushma Swaraj, it reached PM Narendra Modi in November, 2015 in a Memorandum submitted by the Forum of SC MPs and MLAs under the stewardship of the then Speaker of Punjab Legislative Assembly, Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal with a delegation of all the Ministers in the GOI including Ram Vilas Paswan, Thavar Chand Gehlot, Ramdas Athawale among others. In pursuance of these activities, for the first time, Dr. Ambedkar’s 125^th birth anniversary was celebrated at the UN in New York in April, 2016 with the initiative of the GOI and rightly so. Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal, Head of the Forum of SC MPs, who led the GOI sponsored delegation to participate in the celebrations at the UN mentioned and supported the proposal on International Day of Equality in his address at the UN function. On return, Atwal Sahib submitted his report to PM Narendra Modi in May, 2016 and informed him of his initiative and urged the Hon’ble PM to consider and advise the MEA to take appropriate steps to make a diplomatic demarche to UN on the proposed International Day of Equality. Since then, we have been reminding the powers in Delhi especially; MEA and PMO religiously but, regrettably, nothing much has moved. Meanwhile, with the collaboration and support of some of the Ambedkarite, Ravidassia, Buddhist and other stake holders and outfits abroad, we could succeed in convincing the local authorities. As a result, to our satisfaction, many Cities and Provinces in Canada, US, UK and others have declared April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar as “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality. But, surprisingly, GOI is blissfully silent on the proposal to honour one of the greatest sons of India, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

With a view to cut the story short and knowing full well that Hon’ble Ministers have much to do otherwise, I take the liberty of listing here my latest blog on the subject which provide you some more details and information on the proposal on International Day of Equality: https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2024/08/as-i-please-international-day-of.html

You would observe, Sirs that the proposal on International Day of Equality would not only honour the greatest icon of India, Babasaheb Ambedkar but il would further strengthen India’s cultural and soft diplomacy. I will be grateful, therefor, if you spare a few moments out of your busy schedule and read and consider my submissions. Your support in the matter is much needed and earnestly solicited. EAM and PM are going to address the UNGA in the coming days. It is time to urge and alert them to consider and include the proposal on International Day of Equality in their Briefs for their interaction at the UN.

With regards,

Yours truly,

(Ramesh Chander)

All the SC  Senior Ministers in the GOI

 

Madan Bolina – An Obituary

 

Madan Bolina – An Obituary

I was shocked to get a message yesterday, September 2, from one of our common friends Roop Lal Roop about the sudden passing away, on August 31, of my school days friend, Madan Bolina, a fine man

with intellectual pursuits of writing Punjabi poetry and reciting it with great passion. I was totally stunned as Madan spoke to me a week ago and shared with me the good news of an addition to their family. He was elated of becoming a grand-father. Madan was still in the state of celebrations but   providence had something else in store.  Here one gets helpless.

We studied together up to Matriculation from Sain Dass School in Basti Nau. Both our families were dependent on small-time leather business in Bootan Mandi though their native place was a flourish village in the vicinity of Rama Mandi on the Hoshiarpur Road, Bolina Doaba. Earlier his father, Joginder Ram was working with Seth Munshi Ram, to whom they were related socially, at Seth ji’s Kohenoor Tanneries in Kanpur in UP. Madan was a handsome and a tall lad with a stylish hairline. One of our school mates and a member of the extended family, Lekh Raj Mahey used to compare, in lighter vein, his hairline with that of Wahida Rehman, a famous actor of Hindi cinema n Bollywood. I joined DAV College, after

Matriculation and Madan some other College in Jalandhar itself. Subsequently, I went to Delhi in the pursuit of earning bread and butter and joined IFS at the lowest rung in early 1970. We met in Delhi in 1971-72 when he came there for his attempt to join Delhi Police. Madan himself recalled it me later on return to Jalandhar on my retirement as it was not registered in my feeble memory. He was nostalgic and appreciative of those good old days spent together in a small one room accommodation. It made me feel good. We lost touch in the pursuit of our respective careers. He joined service in the Defense Audit and Accounts and shifted to his village, Bolina Doaba. On my return to Bootan Mandi in 2011, one day, we bumped into each other at some socio-cultural gathering. He came and introduced himself to me with great humility. Our formative years in school time, sparked into my mind. His humility touched my core and made me feel that he must have had a great regard for me in his heart. We picked up the threads and revived our association particularly with regard to our common interest - his skills of poetry and my simple interest in search of food for thought. We participated in many Mushiaras (Poetry recitation functions), me as a Guest and he as a Poet. Madan was a self-effacing personality but I saw him in his spirits while reciting his good and meaningful poetic compositions on the themes of national pride and subjects relating to the weaker sections of the community and the society at large.

One day, we were going to Adampur for a book release where I was the Guest of Honour at a function organized by Adampur Punjabi Sahayatia Sabha in which Madan to participate and join his colleagues in the Sabha for a Mushiara. Madan impressed me much

with recital of his poem on patriotism targeting Pakistan. On our way back, I asked him, being my fellow BootanMandian, will you like to write some or a write-up for my forthcoming book on Bootan Mandi? He was reluctant initially but on persuasion he agreed to his bit and asked for the theme. I suggested writing on Pritam Ramdasspuri, a talented and acclaimed son of the soil in poetry as Madan had earlier told methat Pritam Ramdasspuri was his literary Guru and one of his mentors. Accordingly, his contribution on Pritam Ramdasspuri adorned my book – Bootan Mandi: Nerve Centre of Dalit Chetna which was launched in April, 2024. Madan participated in the function as an honoured guest.

With the demise of Madan Bolina, I have lost a dear friend so suddenly. I take this opportunity to pay my tribute to the memory of Madan and convey heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

बिछड़ा कुछ इस अदा से; की रुत ही बदल गई

इक शख़्स सारे शहर को वीरान कर गया