A Principled Stand
Mr. Soroor Ahmed has written about sportspersons and athletes who have taken a principled stand and raised their voices against injustice committed in the name of gender, race and religion (vide Radiance, 20 May, 2023). He has mentioned the names of so many celebrities who adhered to their principles at the risk of their lives. Congrats to the learned writer for his superb and informative article.
But he has forgotten the name of celebrated athlete, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) who was also known for his public stance against the Vietnam War as well as on racism.
Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942, Muhammad Ali reverted to Islam during the 1970s. He defiantly refused to join the U.S. War on Vietnam. He was prepared to sacrifice his lucrative career and name and fame and even go to jail for his beliefs and principles. His historic words are self-explanatory:
“Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change. Shoot them for what? They never called me nigger. They never lynched me. They never put dogs on me. They didn’t rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. What do I want to shoot them for, for what? Why do I want to go shoot them, poor little people and babies and children and women? How can I shoot them? Just take me to jail. We have been in jail for 400 years.”
Farooq Abdulgafar Bawani
Rajkot, Gujarat
Congress Poses 9 Questions to PM
The Congress released a booklet titled “Nau Saal, Nau Sawaal” as PM Modi’s government completed nine years in office, recently. The Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh said, “We want the PM to break his silence on these 9 questions.” The 9 questions are:
Why is it that inflation and unemployment are skyrocketing in India? Why have the rich become richer and the poor poorer? Why is public property being sold to Mr. Modi’s friends? Why the agreement made with farmers while repealing the three “black” farm laws have not been honoured and why the minimum support price has not been legally guaranteed? Why didn’t farmers income double over the last nine years? Why is it that even after your clean chit to China in 2020, they continue to occupy Indian territory? Why politics of hatred for electoral gains? Why are you silent on the atrocities against women, Dalits, SC, ST, OBCS & Minorities? Why are you ignoring the demand for a caste census?
Congress also questioned the government over democracy and federalism. Mr. Ramesh alleged that the government had weakened the schemes for the welfare of the poor, needy and tribals by cutting their budgets and making restrictive rules.
Chowdhry Nisar Ahmed
Noorullah pet, Ambur (Tamil Nadu)
An Advisory and Warning
The Supreme Court’s warning to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to create an atmosphere of fear indicates how much the agency is biased in investigating allegations against opposition parties and their leaders.
In response to complaints that the ED is harassing employees of the Chhattisgarh government Excise Department in the name of investigating the money laundering aspects of an alleged liquor scandal, the SC has made it clear that even a genuine cause would seem suspicious if a law enforcement agency sought to create fear.
The observation is both an advisory against crossing the limits of a lawful investigation and a warning against letting an impression gain ground that the agency can go to any limits to implicate someone. Given that several leaders and Ministers from opposition-ruled states have been summoned or arrested by the ED, not many will be surprised at the allegations levelled by the Chhattisgarh government that the agency and its officers were threatening state officers, in an alleged attempt to implicate CM Bhupendra Baghel.
A major complaint concerns the alleged politicisation of investigations and the personnel heading the agency. Some parties fear that the money-laundering law is being used for a political witch-hunt.
- Chopra
Mohali, Punjab