By Kanwal Bharti   Recently, I read in the newspaper about a group of Dalit students in Banaras who organized a program to burn Manusmriti. They are now in jail. This act raises a critical question: why do Dalits engage in such actions? They claim to follow Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, but they seem to ignore the historical context of his criticism of Manusmriti. For Ambedkar, Manusmriti represented Hindu separatism in its time. How do Dalits perceive it today? If they identify as Hindus, why oppose Manusmriti?

- राम पुनियानी  हाल (31 दिसंबर 2024) में शिवगिरी तीर्थयात्रा के सिलसिले में आयोजित एक सम्मेलन का उद्घाटन करते हुए केरल के मुख्यमंत्री पिनारई विजयन ने स्वामी सच्चितानंद के इस प्रस्ताव का समर्थन किया कि मंदिरों में प्रवेश करते समय पुरुषों द्वारा कमीज उतारने और शरीर के ऊपरी हिस्से पर कोई वस्त्र न पहनने की प्रथा को समाप्त किया जाए. यह माना जाता है कि यह परंपरा इसलिए स्थापित हुई ताकि उन लोगों की पहचान हो सके जो जनेऊ नहीं पहने हुए हैं. जनेऊ पहनने का अधिकार सिर्फ उच्च जातियों के लोगों को था. कुछ लोग इस व्याख्या पर शंका जाहिर करते हैं लेकिन धड़ को खुला करने की कोई और वजह रही होगी, इसकी संभावना बहुत कम है. जनेऊ न पहने हुए लोगों का मंदिर में प्रवेश प्रतिबंधित रहता था. विजयन ने यह भी कहा कि ऐसा प्रचार कि जा रहा है कि सुप्रसिद्ध समाज सुधारक नारायण गुरू, सनातन परंपरा का हिस्सा थे. यह दावा बिल्कुल गलत है क्योंकि नारायण गुरू “एक जाति, एक धर्म, एक ईश्वर” के नजरिए का प्रचार करते थे और जाति और धर्म के बंधनों से परे समानता का भाव, सनातन धर्म की मूलभूत मान्यताओं के एकदम विपरीत है. 

By Bharat Dogra   While starting their work most voluntary organizations are reluctant to take up the most difficult issues. However when Gaya Prasad Gopal, popularly known as Gopal ji in development circles in Bundelkhand region, established the Akhil Bharatiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan (ABSSS) about four decades back he did not hesitate to prioritize the most difficult but also the most important issues—distribution of land among the landless and release and rehabilitation of bonded workers. What is more, this work was taken up in the difficult Patha (plateau) area that was known for its ‘dabangs’, a word commonly  used here for powerful and ruthless persons who dominate these villages. An additional difficulty was that several dacoit gangs were active in the Patha area, and the dabangs sometimes colluded with them to use their might against anyone who opposed them.  The Patha area where the ABSSS started working was then included in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, and ...

- संदीप पाण्डेय  1959 में भारतीय प्रौद्यौगिकी संस्थान, कानपुर को बनाने के लिए दो गांव उजाड़े गए। किसानों को सिर्फ खेतों में खड़ी फसल का मामूली सा मुआवजा दे दिया गया। इस राष्ट्रीय महत्व के संस्थान को बनाने के लिए जमीन का कोई मुआवजा नहीं दिया गया। उजाड़े गए हरेक परिवार को वायदा किया गया कि परिवार के एक सदस्य को संस्थान में नौकरी मिलेगी। बस यह नहीं बताया गया कि भारतीय प्रौद्यौगिकी संस्थान में नौकरी करने कि लिए विशेष कौशल वाले लोग चाहिए। हां, कुछ लोगों को निचले स्तर पर मेहनत-मजदूरी वाले कामों के लिए रख लिया गया। इसी समय कुछ घोबी परिवारों को भी बाहर से लाकर बसाया गया जो छात्रों, कर्मचारियों व प्रोफेसरों के कपड़े धो सकें। इनमें से एक व्यक्ति को जिसे रु. 35 प्रति माह पर संस्थान में नौकरी का मौका मिल रहा था, को समझा बुझा कर नौकरी छुड़वा कर धोबी का काम करने के लिए तैयार किया गया।

By Harsh Thakor*  Mohinder Amarnath’s autobiography, Fearless, released thirty-five years after his departure from international cricket, is a fitting tribute to his relentless courage on the cricket pitch. Co-written with his brother Rajender Amarnath, this memoir is a balanced, forthright, and anecdotal account that explores not just Amarnath's cricketing career but also his family life, philosophies, and the trials he faced both as a cricketer and as a person. The memoir begins with touching reflections on his childhood experiences and the profound influence of his father, Lala Amarnath, on his life and career. Written in a simple, lucid style, the book is a compelling read, capturing the essence of Amarnath’s rollercoaster journey in cricket. It portrays his career as one of the most enduring tales in Indian sports history, blending moments of triumph with setbacks and controversies, akin to an epic novel with continuous ebb and flow.

- राजकुमार सिन्हा  सौर ऊर्जा सबसे प्रचुर मात्रा में उपलब्ध है और स्वच्छ ऊर्जा संसाधनों में से एक है। ‘भारतीय अक्षय ऊर्जा विकास ऐजेंसी लिमिटेड’ (आईआरईडीए) के अनुसार भारत 5000 ट्रिलियन किलोवाट सौर ऊर्जा उत्पादन करने में सक्षम है। अगर इस ऊर्जा का कुशलतापूर्वक उपयोग किया जाए तो जीवाश्म ईंधन पर निर्भरता काफी हद तक कम होगी और ऊर्जा उत्पादन में शामिल कार्बन उत्सर्जन में कमी आएगी। देश की कुल सौर क्षमता 7,48,990 मेगावाट है  परन्तु नंवबर 2024 तक 92120 मेगावाट क्षमता ही स्थापित की जा सकी है, जबकि सरकार ने 2030 तक 2,92,000 मेगावाट का लक्ष्य निर्धारित किया है।

By A Representative  As widely reported in the media, a month back, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted early-morning raids across Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab, targeting several individuals and organizations. The raids, which took place on December 20, were reportedly linked to an ongoing investigation under FIR No. RC-01/2023 registered in Lucknow, concerning alleged attempts to revive the Northern Regional Bureau of the banned CPI (Maoist).

By Shankar Sharma*  India stands at a crucial juncture in its energy transition journey. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently announced that the country's renewable energy capacity has doubled to 15 GW. While this milestone is commendable, it is juxtaposed with concerns over coal-based power expansions, substantial investments in transmission infrastructure, and delayed renewable energy projects. 

By Harasankar Adhikari  Just after India's independence, Dr. Rajendra Prasad declared that "it is a democratic constitution, and its successful functioning requires in those who have to work them, a willingness to respect the viewpoints of others and the capacity for a comprehensive accommodation. It does not function without taking into account the choice for voting, and the divisions in lobbies strengthen that hope. If the elected representative is capable and a man of character and integrity, he would be able to make the best even of the defective constitution. If they lack these, the constitution cannot help the country. After all, a constitution, like a machine, is a lifeless thing. It acquires life because of the electorates that control it and operate it, and India needs today nothing more than a set of honest men who will have the interest of the country before them."