Readers’ comments: The Modi government’s NRC exercise in Assam is farcical

The Kashmir debate

This author is equating terrorism and Islamic insurgency with people’s rights to their homes in the Narmada basin (Valleys in crisis: How Indians respond to Kashmir, Narmada will determine future of our democracy). How can he ignore the aspirations of the whole of Jammu and Ladakh who have welcomed the scrapping of Article 370? How can he ignore the fact that when militants roam with guns, the first thing that is murdered is democracy and free opinion? Crass journalism at its best, this man sounds like a Leftist with a Chinese handler. – Sanjay Sarup

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If this is what passes for journalism in your publication, I have no desire to support it or even read it (Americans must not let Modi’s actions in Kashmir become global trend: A US Congressman’s perspective). This sort of reporting legitimises [Donald] Trump’s dismissal of all reporting as fake news! Good luck. I hope your editorial staff are more rigorous in doing their job. – Ganesh Prasad

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The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is shameful for all Indians living abroad (If IMA is really concerned about Kashmir, why hasn’t it criticised Srinagar doctor’s arrest). The narrow-minded people of the Bharatiya Janata Party are bringing about the downfall of India. What of all the Muslim countries where Hindus are benefitting economically? [Should they] deport them all in response to Kashmir and Assam situation? – Paratha

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Before publishing such an article, have you ever gone through the history of Jammu and Kashmir? (The Daily Fix: What Hong Kong’s mass street protests could teach New Delhi about Kashmir) What happened to the Kashmiri Pandits? Why has no one raised their voice against the then government? And when terrorist-heaven countries are waiting for the opportunity to bring chaos across India, no voice has been raised? Instead of publishing such articles, it is better not to publish for the sake of the survival of your newspaper. – Avinash Hamsa

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I read your biased, mischevious, misappropriated, notorious article wherein you are giving sermons to the Indian public that we must learn from the Hong Kong street protests and apply the same to what’s happening in Kashmir against the government.

Now I would want to bring a little perspective.

Firstly, we, the Indian public are actually very happy and delighted by the abrogation of Article 370.
Kashmir had been a parasite, sucking money and blood for decades and all attempts to win/cajole the state failed. A clause purposely inserted in the constitution by the cunning chacha [uncle] and his step-brother Sheikh Abdullah was a big curse.

Second, I never saw one so-called secular political party or journalist or so-called intellectual or activist take up the case of Kashmiri Pandit atrocities and exodus. There have been no convictions for the horrors the Kashmiri Pandits had to bear and all in the name of some desert cult called Islam. We also know how their great, peaceful religion would treat non-believers or kafirs like me in an Islamic rule by Hanafi or Sharia laws.

Third, some recorded 143 terrorist organisation are Islamic yet Islam is peaceful for seculars, pseudo-intellectuals and fake activists. So, in short, you are doing your divine duty as a foot soldier of Islam – propagating an intellectual jihad.

Fourth, we believe that even if the government needs to take the same steps as used by Kashmiri Muslims to drive the Kashmiri Pandits out of their homeland, they should go ahead and take it. – Vilok Maloo

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Right approach to the problem (In Kashmir, a quiet crackdown – on mosques and clerics). The Britishers quelled Malabar Mappila Lahala not by shooting the rioters, who came from mosques after Friday prayers by the public execution of clerics who exhorted devotees to kill Hindus. – Nediyanchath Shyam

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The NRC process

How many people are out of National Register of Citizenship is a question that remains till the legal process is completed – which takes five years to 10 years (Made it to the NRC? You may still have to prove your citizenship at a foreigners tribunal). It may be five lakhs to seven lakhs. But what after that? Who will accept them? Whether they will remain in the country without any authorisation or they will be deported to Bangladesh or some other country? It’s also important to determine why any other sovereign country would accept them. People without any proper records are very dangerous to the safety of a country as well as to its general public. So, it seems that this exercise of the government will probably prove to be farcical and useless. – Rakesh Gupta

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Read your article (Humans of Assam: This soldier was dropped from the NRC – despite having all the documents). In my case, we are Jains, a minority religion, indigenous to India only.

Although the names of my father-in-law and mother-in-law have been included in the first list of NRC draft itself, my wife’s name has been rejected even though her sister’s name is included.
This, despite her having all needed documents – right from her birth certificate, education certificates, marriage certificate, passport and Aadhaar card. The logic is beyond my understanding.

Although I have full faith it the judicial process, it makes me wonder who is responsible for the harassment and cost of what we have to go through now. We can afford this financially, but what about the more than 19 lakh people of whom many are asking the same questions of being the only ones of a big family being left out? The process is beyond comprehension. – Sharad Jain

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History mystery

I am thankfully for this valuable information regarding the archaeology of Ayodya (Babri Masjid case: Archaeological evidence rules out present-day Ayodhya as city of sacred texts). Please carry on. Keep it up. – Sarabjeet Ukhala

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I am a teacher. I laugh when I read the Orient Black Swan book of history. It says the finding of Black Polished Ware or Painted Grey Ware was proof of an Aryan invasion. Idiot scholars write volumes on just pieces of stones but don’t accept documented proofs such as Puranas, Mahabharat, Ramayana.
Nowhere in the world was there was a tradition of documenting events to such an extent and yet these documents are rejected just by labelling them as mythology. – Vijay Rana

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I was disappointed to know the status of the Vikram lander on the Moon’s South Pole in India very first attempt to land there (Watch: ISRO chief hugs Modi, breaks down after space agency loses contact with moon lander Vikram). However, with the Chandrayan-2 orbiter still being active and involved in its continuous path, it brings cheers and hopes to many people.

The losing of contact with Vikram prior to landing resulted in the Indian Space and Research Organisation’s failure to accomplish the mission. The entire nation stood by ISRO and was overwhelmed by their brilliant efforts to prepare Chandrayan-2 including its components Vikram and Pragyan. It is overwhelming to know that ISRO has garnered high support and wishes across various sections of the society including the science community, Bollywood, sports community and political leadership.

ISRO should now look ahead and focus on its existing active mission – the Chandrayan -2’s orbiter and conduct extensive data analyses to determine the cause of failure. The efforts put up by ISRO and others involved in this mission is highly appreciated. The prime minister’s gesture towards ISRO Chief over the failure demonstrates leadership and the spirit of fairness. However such emotional outbursts should be avoided in a public domain and instead, the team should put up a brave face to the entire world and accept the failures in the right spirit of the game. – Varun Dambal

Jaggi Vasudev

I read your article on the guru and I just found his video’s on YouTube and I do not understand your vitriol and scepticism about the man (Opinion: The disturbing irrationalism of Jaggi Vasudev). He is upfront about his lack of formal education. He does not pontificate or preach. He speaks in terms that are basic and understandable. It’s part mystic. These are philosophical ideas that go back to Tao. He’s not a genius or a god. Just a man trying to help people and his organisation seems to do that. You don’t have to agree with everything he says. Nor should you make a joke of him. I don’t agree with all of it and his way lends itself to scepticism but that’s an easy way out. One of him is worth 100 politicians. So ease up on the man and take time to meditate. Then you too may find the way. – Nicholas Angelo

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Enjoyed the article. In my view, compared to the other popular godman such as Nithyananda – Nithyananda is an oblivious natural but Jaggi is an obvious fake. Both are out to fool the bhakts [devotees] in India and overseas. Right now Jaggi seems to have cleverly tapped into the Hindutva story and is making hay while the political sun shines, courtesy Modi Baba himself. – Sivaswamy Mohankrishnan

Inhuman mid-day meal

Needs proper investigation without any bias to anybody (Journalist booked for recording video of chapatis and salt being served in school meal in UP). The government is not discredited, but awareness among the public as to the serving of mid-day meal may be generated [through such videos]. – Shamlal Sharma

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Mid-day meal in a UP school of just roti and salt is really deplorable. – Debashish Chatterjee

Miscellaneous comments

What we need is a presidential multi-party system with more powers for all institutions and states with accountability (On Brexit, 21 British MPs voted against their government. Can this happen in India?) The IAS must be abolished and replaced with an efficient, accountable system. Lots of bold reforms to reset our democracy is required. – Manoj Kumar

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Sen’s retort or whataboutery clearly stinks of an agenda similar to that of the Award Wapasi brigade (Watch: How filmmaker Aparna Sen dealt with news anchor Arnab Goswami shouting at her on TV). Such mercenaries are used by the ultra-liberal Left. Ask them who paid them to be silent when Didi [Mamata Bannerjee] released goons from a police station or arrested a Jadavpur professor for cartoons. Or was she concerned for her commercial interests even as Bengal was threatened? – Santanu Ganguly

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Interesting (RSS affiliate urges PM Modi to reconsider award from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). Bill Gates says the next bioweapon is disease X. So next is what? After demonetisation, is the focus on depopulation? – Rahul Sangle

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I was in Baroda, 35 years back, when her andolan was picking up momentum (Activist Medha Patkar’s health worsens as indefinite hunger strike enters second week). She appeared to have gathered mass appeal but the authorities went ahead with the massive construction, gulping crores, in a hurry to change the historical course of the river Narmada. Last spring, I went to Bharuch, the ancient cultural capital of Gujarat, which has many such firsts to offer. It is called Bhrigu Kaccha, Yaga Bhoomi and is the birthplace of educationist KM Munshi and many such famous luminaries.

The river which had its estuary in Bharuch, which earned the title Paschim Kasi is no longer accessible in Bharuch for at least 90 km. I went to Poicha all the way to Rajpipla to have my holy dip. Then to Malsar, where only one-fourth of the river was visible. Water had to be released from the dam on Amavasya. Same fate at Poicha near Karnali which is Arun Jaitley’s wife’s village. The river had shrunk

The politician’s concern is like crocodile tears. They are in a frenzied mood to gain political mileage, with their unscientific lack of environmental concerns. Little do they realise that disturbing the natural course of the river is ecologically destructive, no matter what it means for development.

The massive tourist attraction of the Statue of Unity is but a visual appeal, only funding businesses for a hefty entry ticket. How long one can cherish this visual treat when the righteous tribes and displaced families suffer in pain?

The government cannot ignore the peoples’ voice. Else nature reenact its gory past, just as it did with the Brahmaputra floods and Kerala floods. They need to listen too. – Seethalakshmi Iyer

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This is the height of it all (Germany: Beef curry dropped from Kerala food menu at Indian fest after some raise objections). We will eat what we want and will continue to eat beef in Kerala. It is a shame that the organisers succumbed to pressure and changed the menu. Telling people what they can and can’t eat is the height of being ridiculous. – Rosemary Thomas