VIEW FROM THE RIGHT

PARTITION REDUX

AN EDITORIAL IN Organiser slams the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government in West Bengal for refusing permission to the Hindu Sammelan organised by the RSS. The meet, set for January 14, was to be addressed by Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. The editorial compares the Mamata administration to Mughal rulers which, it claims, was “known for religion-based discrimination”. Pointing out that “a nationalist organisation had to knock on the doors of the high court to organise a function on Makar Sankranti,” the editorial says, “if the state government and Kolkata police do not take immediate corrective measures, it may pave the way for another ‘Direct-action-day’-like riots.” The editorial argues that Hindus had accepted the partition of Bengal hoping to see the end of the communal rot sown by the British in 1905. But vote-bank politics followed by various parties allowed the situation to continue. “Unfortunately, the vote-bank politics of Congress, communists and now Trinamool has given space to the same mindset which is not only anti-hindu but (also) anti-national.” According to the editorial, “the indigenous people” had a tough time under Mughals. “From Babur to Aurangzeb, everyone employed their own discriminatory rules to undermine culture and traditions of the indigenous people,” it says.

IN PRAISE OF SC

AN OPINION PIECE in Organiser praises the Supreme Court judgment that has barred the misuse of religion, race, caste, community or language for the contestants in the elections. The article by Sanjay Kumar Visen says the judgment has “underlined the gravity of the deeper malaise in the electoral process and has mandated to stem the rot by invoking the available legal remedies”. According to the writer, the judgment has empowered the people of the country to come forward with their conviction before the courts wherever candidates contesting the elections violate the provisions of law governing the electoral process of the country. The article says the judgment asserted that the Indian Constitution stands for a secular state. “It has no official religion and the Constitution not only guarantees a person’s freedom of religion and conscience, but also ensures freedom for one who has no religion and it restrains the state from making any discrimination on grounds of religion,” it says. The writer laments that there has been widespread misuse of religion, race, caste, community and language during elections. At the same time, he raises doubts if the judgment can be implemented wholly, as many parties in India seek votes in the name of religion, caste and language.

CHANGING JAMMU

EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER the demographic shift in favour of a particular community “having a record of supporting antinational elements” in Jammu, an article in Organiser cautions that “if not addressed well in time it could become a communal flash point in the hitherto peaceful region. Jammu is fast emerging as a ticking time bomb.” The article by Brigadier Anil Gupta, a Jammubased political commentator, says during the last decade-and-half, exclusive Muslim colonies have mushroomed around Jammu, some of them openly advertising in newspapers that plots will be sold only to Muslims. “Though illegal, these colonies are provided amenities like water and electricity by the government. The settlements have been planned in such a manner that Hindu-dominated localities have been encircled,” the writer claims. The article alleges that the rising migration of Muslims to Jammu as well as Hindu youths moving out of the region to cities and metros are changing the demography of the region. According to the writer, it will lead to “increased influence of Hurriyat and other pro-separatist and pro-pakistan elements in the communally sensitive Jammu region, which has so far displayed maturity and tolerance”.

TARGET SP

THE EDITORIAL IN Panchajanya takes a potshot at the Samajwadi Party for the recent developments in its first family. It also criticises the SP for its appeasement policies and raises question over its commitment to Ram Manohar Lohia’s socialist ideology. The BSP, the editorial says, was getting nervous over the SP’S appeasement strategies and has changed its already candidates.

Compiled by Liz Mathew