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As the ideologue of ruling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is in pursuit of its agenda of Hindu Rashtra. Calculated attempts are being made by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Lotus party, to whip up trouble in universities by isolating the so called anti-nationals. BJP leaders are shouting from rooftops that they will come down heavily against anti-national elements. The prestigious Central university – Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in the national Capital appears to be a test case. Â 

The State’s intervention is to send a strong and stern message that dissent will not be tolerated. The arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and cracking down on political dissent has brought to center-stage once again the BJP-led NDA government’s bid to stifle free speech. Kanhaiya Kumar has since been granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court, released and welcomed by thousands of JNU students in the campus where he addressed a large gathering of his fellow students Thursday evening and asserted that he was for Azadi within India and not from India. His hour-long speech has gone viral on the social media network.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu reacted by saying that the JNUSU president “”is getting free publicity and is enjoying it.”” “”They are all studying at a Central university, where public money is involved, so they must do justice to the cause and they must study, that’s all,”” Mr. Naidu advised. However, there is marked silence about action being taken against lower court lawyers for attacking Kumar as well as roughing up reporters of the audio-visual as well as the print media.

The crackdown at JNU was instigated by the alleged chanting of anti-national slogans along with a meeting to mark the death anniversary of Afzal Guru who was convicted and hanged for his involvement in Parliament House terror attack. Kumar was arrested and the outgoing Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi claimed that they had evidence to charge him with sedition which has rarely been proved in the past. If convicted for sedition, he faces life imprisonment. The JNUSU president has maintained he had not said anything anti-national and has full trust and faith in the Constitution of India. Investigation agencies have found many of the videos showing Kumar shouting slogans to be doctored. The alleged complicity of the Delhi police under the leadership of Mr. Bassi been a matter of concern.

With tempers running high against the so called anti-national elements, Union Home minister Rajnath Singh and Human Resource minister Smriti Irani emphasized anti-national slogans will not be tolerated. The Centre views itself as being the torch bearers of nationalism. The use of state power is to put the defenders of liberty and critics of the state on their guard. The RSS does not want to let go this opportunity with the BJP having secured a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha since the party was formed in 1980. During NDA I when BJP’s liberal stalwart Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister heading a disparate 26-party coalition government from 1999 to 2004, the RSS was sidelined as the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) adopted then steered clear of the three point Hindutva agenda. These pertained to building a Ram temple at Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 according special status to the only Muslim majority state of Jammu and Kashmir in the country and having a Uniform Civil Code. The second time around the RSS is determined in implementing its agenda. They handpicked Mr. Modi, then Gujarat Chief Minister, in September 2013 to be the BJP’s Pime Ministerial nominee. He did not disappoint. He carried the day repeatedly underlining that he is a Hindu nationalist. He stole the thunder with the people rooting for him overwhelmingly as he focussed on development and stressed upon “”Sab ka Saath, Saab ka Vikas “”along with making a multitude of promises.

Mr. Modi’s invincibility at the hustings after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections was shattered when he lost the assembly elections in Delhi last year. The BJP suffered a mind boggling defeat managing only three seats and the remaining 67 in the 70-member assembly being gobbled up by the fledgling Aam Aadmi party of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. It was highly embarrassing for the Prime Minister. Then again later in October-November the BJP suffered a loss of face in the assembly elections in Bihar, one of the main battleground states in the Hindi Heartland. Lalu Prasad Yadav and chief minister Nitish Kumar forming the Mahagatbandhan put paid to BJP’s hopes.

Realising that the Lotus party was safe in occupying the seat of power on the Raisina Hill till the 2019 general elections, Mr. Modi and the RSS appear working to a game plan. It will be naive to assume that the RSS pressure is not getting to the Prime Minister. The meeting of Vice-Chancellors of central universities under the aegis of Smriti Irani recently adopted a resolution that central universities should install the national flag on their campus to instil patriotic fervour among the students. What it means is that students of JNU are not nationalist enough barring a handful belonging to the ABVP. Other universities are also not sufficiently nationalist.

Countering the BJP or the Sangh Parivar is not going to be easy. The courts will no doubt have their say but the incident in JNU is a warning to the people who disagree with the BJP’s Ram Rajya. The obstacles in countering the Parivar are many. Mr. Modi’s second term as Prime Minister will depend on predelictions of his masters in Nagpur where the RSS is headquartered. His chances will primarily depend on whether he is able to deliver on his pledges. He has shown he can think out of the box and take snap decisions. On the other had UPA II had lost its vigour with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi dabbling in dual authority. For the BJP and the Sangh Parivar JNU is a test case given the various student bodies’ Left orientation and secular character. The present challenge is a test for the country’s political democratic system as well as the opposition to strike a balance. Shutting down JNU might well be pipe dream.

T R Ramachandran is a senior journalist and a commentator. Views are personal.”

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zikaGlobally, 1 in 33 newborns have birth defects and an estimated 2,76,000 babies die within the first month as a result of these defects. Yet, birth defects remain under-recognized. World Birth Defects Day observed on 3 March every year comes at a time when the global spotlight is on Zika virus disease and its strongly suspected causal relation with clusters of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities. Microcephaly is one of many birth defects.

Birth defects are a major cause of still-births and neonatal mortality. Those who survive birth defects often suffer long-term disability. These deaths and life-long sufferings cause untold miseries to individuals and families, and have negative socio-economic consequences.

The most common birth defects in WHO South-East Asia Region are heart defects, neural tube defects and Down’s syndrome, with the most severe defects occurring in middle and low resource settings. According to the WHO, birth defects can be genetic, infectious, nutritional or environmental in origin. Creating awareness among the public on the causes of birth defects and empowering them to take preventive measures is an important step to reducing their prevalence. Many birth defects can be prevented by taking appropriate measures before and during pregnancy. Timely and cost effective measures can help prevent deaths and cure or minimize the effects of birth defects. Rubella vaccination, adequate intake of folic acid, iodine through fortification of staple foods and salt or supplements, and adequate antenatal care are keys steps for prevention of birth defects.

Simultaneously, making quality health care services available to provide early care for children born with birth defects can go a long way in reducing their burden, says Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director, South East Asia. In 2010, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution on birth defects calling all countries to promote primary prevention and improve the health of children with congenital anomalies.

Focusing efforts in this area in the South-East Asia Region, WHO has established a web-based new-born and birth defect (NBBD) surveillance network in 150 hospitals in 8 countries with the support of the CDC-USA. In view of WHO declaring clusters of microcephaly in Latin America as Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 1 February, an online system has been added to the NBBD network to report on head circumference in all births. This is to monitor the occurrence of microcephaly in the South-East Asia Region. The World Birth Defects Day, initiated by global health organizations last year, is aimed at creating awareness on birth defects which continues to be an important cause of childhood death, chronic illness and disability in many countries. The day is a reminder to all of us to further commit our efforts towards ensuring a healthy and birth-defects free life for every new-born.”

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bioauthors.pngProviding access to sexual and reproductive health education is critical to the health and well being of an entire society, particularly its girls and women. Yes, there are text books that have volumes of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, but these lifesaving lessons are not reaching the people that need it most – young people. Young people in Pakistan and India are often shockingly uninformed and lack the tools necessary to prevent risky behavior. Teachers and parents do not address these issues,leaving adolescents without the critical knowledge they need to protect their health.As well, what material is available is often found in text books,which do not resonate with a generation accustomed to accessing information online.

For India and Pakistan,itis essential to educate and provide all young people with accurate, comprehensive information on sexual and reproductive health – as well as rights.We are faced with these challenges across the regionand around the world. For such an important issue, we often have far too little data to inform smart policy making. The most recent statistics available on knowledge of sexual and reproductive health in India are a decade old and show that that only 20% of 15–24-year-old women have comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. This gap in knowledge makes it clear that we need to invest more in the health, rights and well being of girls and women both inthe region and throughout the world.

If we filled these global gaps in sexual and reproductive health servives, education and rights — and provided women with the full range of pregnancy care they are entitled to — we could reduce unintended pregnancy by 70% and unsafe abortions by 74% according to UNFPA and Guttmacher Institute. We also know that when girls and women can choose when and where to have children, they are more likely to reach their full potential – and so are their families, communities and economies. For these reasons, we owe it to our mothers, sisters and daughters, as well as our families and communities, to do more and do better — and young people are leading the change. In India, a youth-led development agency called “Restless Development” is working to educate rural youth in Bihar on comprehensive sexuality education. Volunteer teachers, all young people, workin primary and secondary schools and use creative techniques, including drama, dance, and games to share accurate sexual and reproductive health care information with students.

Bringing this education directly to young people is imperative if we want to improve the sexual and reductive health of girls and women, and it’s not just happening in schools. A mobile app currently in development called “M-Sathi” provides comprehensive sexual education information to young people in both English and Hindi. With smartphone use booming throughout the region, the potential for impact from digital education is enormous.

We must approach health and development through a gender lens. And, we must look for solutions from every region, sector and generation – from a comprehensive mobile app that gamifies sexual and reproductive health education, to youth-led trainings that fill gaps in traditional school curriculum. These solutions and many more will be explored at the Women Deliver 2016 Conference taking place in Copenhagen in May. Global and local leaders, including Hina Jilani, Muhammad Yunus and Farhan Akhtar will stand alongside 5,000 world influencers and advocates—from the highest-levels of government to grassroots change-makers—to discuss how to deliver on promises to girls and women.

Crucially, a good 20% of attendees will be young people – and for good reason: young people aren’t just our tomorrow. They are the leaders of today, and must be given opportunities to drive change in their communities. With the endorsement of the recently launched Sustainable Development Goals Ã¢Â€Â“ a set of UN goals adopted by 193 countries that aim to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all by 2030 – we can and must ensure that the global push to end poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change starts with every girl and woman, no matter where she lives, no matter her age. As they say, it is time to translate the “talk into walk”” and turn speech lines into budget lines.

This International Women’s Day, let’s recognize the powerful solutions every young person and every generation has to offer. Let’s work smarter for girls and women everywhere.

Views expressed are personal

By Katja Iversen, Women Deliver CEO and Franklin Gnanamuthu, Women Deliver Young Leader & Restless Development Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator

About the authors

Katja Iversen, Women Deliver CEO

Katja Iversen joined Women Deliver as chief executive officer in March 2014. Iversen, an internationally recognized expert on development and communications, has more than 20 years of experience working in NGOs, corporates and U.N. agencies. Previously, she held the position of chief of strategic communication and public advocacy with UNICEF.

Franklin Paul Anand Gnanamuthu, Women Deliver Young Leader

Franklin works as Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator at Restless Development, a youth-led development agency. Franklin joined the organization in 2011, and was instrumental in starting and leading the Comprehensive Sexuality Education program in the two districts of state of Bihar reaching more than 8,000 youths through 8 volunteers. He now works to ensure program quality through developing effective monitoring systems, trainings, and evaluations. He is a skilled and experienced trainer, and serves as regular representative of the Voices of Youth in India.”

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2-inter-services-intelligencePrime Minister Nawaz Sharif led civilian government in Pakistan and the Modi government have shown desire to have cordial relations as both of them won elections on the premise of growth and development. Both the Prime Ministers – Mr. Modi and Mr Nawaz Sharif know that the neighbouring  countries can progress if the animosity between them ends as they are spending their huge resources on defence and purchase of armaments. However, the overriding Pakistan army which avails several privileges in the country on the imaginary threat of annihilation of Pakistan by India does not allow civilian government to have friendly relations with its eastern neighbour. Pakistani Army chief General Raheel Sharif also wants to keep the civilian government under control, hence, whenever the leaders of India and Pakistan try to minimize the differences, military controlled Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) sabotages peace process by sponsoring terrorist activities in India.

ISI funded Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) attacked Dina Nagar Police Station in Gurdaspur in Punjab last July 27 and killed a Superintendent of Police and six  innocent persons just after the meeting between Modi and Sharif at Ufa. The ISI equipped the terrorists with sophisticated weapons, strategic information and training. Same way ISI sponsored Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and United Jihad Council (UJC) attacked Pathankot Airbase this January  2 within a few days of the stopover of PM Modi at Lahore where both the prime ministers had cordial  meetings. ISI was so desperate to carry out attack on Pathankot airbase that it utilized its contacts used in drug smuggling. Here it will not be out of point to mention that ISI seldom uses routes and contacts of drug smuggling in carrying out terrorist activities as drug smuggling contacts are far more precious than low level agents who carry out terrorist activities.

Pathankot airbase which is the first line of defence against Pakistan is situated near the border and at the time of attack Mig-21fighter planes and Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters were in the base. The terrorists were instructed to destroy planes especially Mi-25 helicopters as India promised to give 4 helicopters to Afghanistan.  Although Pakistan trained terrorists could not damage the high value assets but seven valiant security personnel including a Lieutenant Colonel lost their lives. ISI backed terrorist outfits are continuing with the attacks and the latest attack was in Pampore near Srinagar on February 23. The security forces rescued more than 100 persons including son of Syed Salahuddin, who is the head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and mastermind of several terrorist activities in India especially in Jammu and Kashmir. Six persons including two Army Captains lost their lives while all three terrorists were also killed. However, a wind of change is blowing and the terrorists killed in encounter with security forces at Pampore were not treated as martyrs and residents of village Bonyar refused the burial of the slain terrorists in their village.

Besides sponsoring terrorist attacks the nefarious ISI is also involved in smuggling of more than Rs.7500 Crores of drugs and large quantity of Indian Fake Currency Notes (IFCN) in India. The money generated through smuggling of drugs and IFCN is utilized by ISI in financing several terrorist outfits and activating Khalistan secessionist movement. All powerful Pakistan army would not allow feeble civilian government to have friendly relations with India hence the Modi government should chalk out a long term plan to counter cross border terrorism. Firstly, it should continue its sincere efforts to have negotiations with Pakistan. Secondly, it must modernize the security forces so that the terrorists cannot infiltrate and if at all they penetrate they must be eliminated expeditiously.

The intelligence organisations should be strengthened so that they produce actionable intelligence and that too in advance. Ministry of External Affairs must disseminate information in diplomatic circles about ISI sponsored terrorism in India. The important installations including Air Force Bases and Naval installations should be safeguarded by trained security agencies as Air Force and Naval personnel may not be fully trained to secure their bases. Security agencies should also involve public in countering terrorism. Village and local Mohalla Committees should be made and they should inform the security agencies if they observe any undesirable person or article. Beat constables should be more vigilant and should have cordial relations with the residents of their areas.

Pakistan must realize that it has more problems than India. All the nationalities in Pakistan are against the domination of Punjabis. Baluchis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Muhajirs and a few more nationalities want to separate from Pakistan. It would be in the interest of Pakistan that state actors there  discontinue sponsoring cross border terrorism as it is also realizing of late that terror incidents are wreaking havoc there also.

Jai Kumar Verma is a Delhi-based security analyst. Views are personal.“

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JFKForgottenrisis.pngThe help rendered to India in 1962 by then U S President John Fitzgerald Kennedy brings to the fore the key role played by him against the expansionist designs of Communist China. Kennedy’s role cannot be undermined in his handling of the India-China conflict as well as the Cuban crisis which had the portends of escalating into a full fledged war.

“”JFK’S FORGOTTEN CRISIS : TIBET, THE CIA, And Sino-Indian War”” authored by Bruce Reidel with a thirty year career in the Central Intelligence Agency looks at the charismatic leadership of Kennedy. Handling of the Sino-Indian conflict and the Cuban crisis was the tour de force of policy making at the highest level. Presently a senior fellow and Director of the Brookings Intelligence Project, he analysis Kennedy’s role in the Sino-Indian war which has been largely ignored. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy played no small part in bolstering diplomatic relations with India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Reidel’s analysis of declassified CIA documents and top secret letters between Nehru and Kennedy provides valuable insight on the war, diplomacy and covert operations.

The 1965 the CIA concluded that the Tibet uprising had gravely compromised Nehru’s ability to keep India’s relations with China friendly. The crisis between the two countries was now in the open. The Dalai Lama’s presence in India was another major point of friction between India and China. The temporal head of the Tibetans was granted political asylum in March 1959 when he fled the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Nehru sought to navigate a difficult balance — providing help to the Tibetan leader by allowing him to set up an informal government in exile in India without alienating China. However, China saw the Dalai Lama as a mortal enemy trying to subvert its control over Tibet.

Then IB Director Mullik saw China as India’s main threat, along with Pakistan. Starting from scratch with no intelligence capability in 1948, India had greatly increased its intelligence infrastructure along the northern border in response to the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Kennedy handpicked John Kenneth Galbraith, who spent half a century at Harvard teaching economics, to be the ambassador to India. He was the central American player in the 1962 Sino-Indian crisis. Vice-President Richard Nixon, as Kennedy’s opponent was an outspoken supporter of Pakistan and a sharp critic of Nehru and India. After a visit to South Asia Nixon said that “”Pakistan is a country I would do anything for. They have less complexes than the Indians.”” Kennedy felt the Nixon approach was out of step with the changes sweeping the world, particularly the independence granted to countries.

The US intelligence agencies judged India’s “”major foreign policy problem centred on the threat of Communist China.”” Nehru and his advisors gradually implemented what became known as the “”Forward Policy”” of sending Indian military forces into contested and disputed territory with China. In the early 1960s, India began to build military outposts behind the Chinese troops in the disputed land so as to cut off their supplies and force their return to China. This led to some scholars and in particular Australian journalist and author Neville Maxwell to argue “”it was Nehru and not the Chinese who declared war.”” Mullik reported two important insights to Nehru. First the Chinese consulate in Calcutta was secretly telling the Indian Communist party leadership that “”forced by the adamant attitude of the Indian government about the border, the Chinese government was going to adopt a new line of action towards India.””

The new action will be implemented in the fall (September to November) and China wanted its sympathizers in India to be ready to back the Chinese claims. Mullik’s assessment of “”possible military collusion between Pakistan and China”” was a bombshell for the Indian leadership. The prospect of a two front war as Mullik later wrote “”remained imprinted in the minds of our leaders and the Army headquarters. The bulk of the Indian army was deployed on the Pakistan front leaving only the weaker units to face China and the PLA.”” In May 1962 China began a major buildup of forces facing the weak Indian position in North Eastern Frontier Area (NEFA). Brigadier John P Dalvi who was captured in the fighting in October 1962 concluded after talking to senior Chinese army commanders “”it is ludicrous to suggest that India had provoked the Chinese, forcing the Chinese to launch self defense counter attacks. The war was coldly and calculatingly planned by the Chinese.”” Later he wrote that the Chinese withdrawal was the “”direct result of President Kennedy’s direct action.””

At one point Nehru and his intelligence chief were fully expecting to lose control of all of Northeastern India to China east of the Siliguri neck. At the peak of the crisis on November 19, 1962, Nehru wrote two letters to Kennedy. Realizing the desperate situation at one point of time, Nehru wrote to Kennedy asking the US to join the war against China. It was a momentous request. Assuring JFK that the equipment will not be used against Pakistan, Nehru observed “”the stakes were not merely the survival of India but the survival of free and independent governments in the whole of this subcontinent and Asia. India is ready to spare no effort until the threat posed by Chinese expansionist and aggressive militarism to freedom and independence is completely eliminated.”” In his second letter Nehru asked Kennedy for 350 combat aircraft and crew. At least 10,000 persons will be needed to staff and operate the jets, provide radar support and conduct logistical support for the operation.

In his diary Galbraith notes that on the morning of November 21, 1962, “”like a thief in the night peace arrived.”” Just before midnight on November 20 the Chinese government declared a unilateral ceasefire along the entire Sino-Indian border that would begin within 24 hours. In addition, on December 01 Chinese forces will withdraw to positions 20 Km behind the Line of Actual Control (LOAC) which existed between India and China since November 07, 1959. China would keep the strategic but uninhabited land in the west, and in the east retain its claim to NEFA, but adhere to the de facto border situation that existed before the 1962 war. Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai warned Nehru that refusal to cooperate will jeopardise the ceasefire.

The question is how would Kennedy have answered Nehru’s desperate appeal for American pilots to start flying combat missions to fight the Chinese and defend India, Reidel believes “”almost certainly the President would have reacted positively to India’s request. Kennedy believed that the rivalry between India and China was an existential issue for the United States.”” When Pakistan complained and asked for compensation, Kennedy refused to be blackmailed. “”The 1962 war was over on Chinese terms. India had lost,”” observed the author.

Salient Points

• President John F Kennedy’s key role against the expansionist designs of China against India in the 1962 war cannot be undermined.
• Charismatic Kennedy managed to ensure the Cuban crisis did not escalate into a full fledged war.
• Tibet uprising in 1965 had affected Nehru’s ability to maintain friendly Sino-Indian ties.
• Nehru had made a momentous request for U S help in flying combat missions against China.
• Author Bruce Reidel believes almost certainly Kennedy would have a reacted positively to India’s request.
• “”The 1962 war was over on Chinese terms. India had lost,”” emphasised the author

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To promote a nationwide initiative that aims to build a social movement for sanitation and toilet use to end open-defecation in India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket for Good and UNICEF in partnership with BCCI has launched the ‘Team Swachh Clinics’ during the ICC WT20 tournament. To mark the occasion, the ICC WT20 Men’s and Women’s trophies traveled on the Nissan Trophy Tour float through the streets of Mumbai. Exhilarated fans got the opportunity to photograph themselves with the ICC WT20 Trophies. A specially designed double-decker bus carried the children from a local NGOs and Indian cricket teamplayer Sameer Dighe and Diana Edulji.

The Indian cricket players interacted with fans as the cavalcade made its way to photograph themselves with the ICC Trophies. Playing cricket-based games with the children along with advocating the use of toilets, Sameer Dighe and Diana Edulji engaged with the children when sharing cricketing tips and discussing the importance of hygiene and sanitation in the specially designed Team Swachh WASH clinic set up inside the Wankhede Stadium. Calling the initiative a ‘social movement for sanitation’, Ms. Caroline Den Dulk, Chief of Communication, UNICEF India said: “The idea of team and team play is at the core of the Team Swachh initiative and it leverages the vast passion of the sport in the country to advocate toilet use and save lives of children.”

The ICC WT20 Host City Tour visited each of the venues in Dharamshala, Mohali, Delhi, Kolkata, Nagpur, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai that will host the ICC WT20 matches. Present and former Indian cricket players from women and men team advocated for open defecation free india during the ICC world T20 trophy tour that travelled across 8 cities in India. The players are Rishi Dhawan in Dharamshala, Gurtheerath Singh in Mohali, Yuvraj Singh and Pawan Negi in Delhi, Umesh Yadav in Nagpur, Manoj Tiwary and Mythali in Kolkata, Dinesh Karthik in Chennai, Venkatesh Prasad and Jhulan Goswami in Bengaluru and Sameer Dighe and Diana Edulji in Mumbai. Earlier in October 2015, the ICC Cricket For Good and UNICEF launched a five-year global partnership in New York. They decided to engage the broader cricketing community to empower children and adolescents. In particular, during the many ICC events over the next five years, they will develop and implement various community outreach programmes and initiatives in collaboration with coaches, cricketers and cricketing personalities.”

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IWD.pngToday is March 8 – International Women’s Day. While the focus remains largely on achievers so that they become role models to inspire others, the contribution of a silent majority goes unsung. These lakhs of foot-soldiers brave difficult conditions to save women and newborns across the country. TheIndiaSaga.com brings to its readers a story from Fakirpuri the last Indian village along the international border in Uttar Pradesh. Nepal border, which is just 500 metres away from here, is perhaps its closest neighbourhood.

The village is about 120 km from the District Headquarters at Bahraich. One has to drive through 53 kilometers of dense forest and lush green fields from Mihinpurwa block to reach Fakirpuri which is a small Tharu tribe dominated village with a population of just about 1,440.  Tharu community is an ethnic group indigenous to Terai region (Himalayan foothills) in India and Nepal. The inaccessibility and proximity to the international border make this Tribes village difficult-to-reach with extremely poor mobile and internet connectivity. Other than the deployment of security forces, an anganwadi centre and a primary school show the government’s token presence here.

The entire healthcare system in this village from a sub-centre situated about 8 kms away. The Aamba sub-centre is run by an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) Sumitra Devi, and she is assisted by an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Prem Kumari, who is the first port of call on health-related issues. If Sumitra Devi has been instrumental in ensuring the safety of young mothers and children since 1989, Prem Kumari has been promoting ante-natal care, institutional deliveries, post partum care, immunization and even family planning. The closest tertiary care facility is the District Hospital at Bahraich.

Of and on, the community also contributes its bit in running the show. Just last year in October, the region witnessed massive floods and the village was totally cut-off from the mainland resulting in an acute shortage of drinking water, vaccines and medicine at the sub-centre with the threat of water-borne diseases looming large. The ANM started functioning from a nearby sub-centre where her mobile was partially functional and the sub-centre was not totally submerged in water.  One of the ASHAs coordinated with the Community Resource Person (CRP) – posted by the Technical Support Unit which is helping the UP government implement a comprehensive programme to improve the maternal and child health care — coordinated with the ANM to alert the staff at the one of the larger facilities in the block regarding the urgent need for medicines, vaccines and clean water.

The staff from the Motipur Primary Health Centre brought supplies to the sub-centre where the ANM was stationed at that time. To transfer the medicines and vaccines to the flooded area of the block, local villagers packed the medicines in a series of polythene bags which they tied on their bodies. The villagers used rubber tyre tubes to swim across the flooded area to ferry supplies to Aamba sub-centre and then to Fakirpuri village. Even during normal times, the ANM Sumitra Devi has to fetch medicines and vaccines from the Bicchiya raiway station which is approximately 15 kms away from the Fakirpuri and the last rail head to the region, on her scooty. Alternately, when she goes for the weekly cluster meetings, she picks up the required stock.

Prem Kumari has been running the show efficiently. She has all details on the fingertips and tells without hesitation that there should to be 39 pregnant women registered with her as per the population norms. Her Village and Health Index Register (VHIR) was updated and she was proficient in discussing the 5 key indicators of mother and child care including registration, ANC, Institutional Delivery, PNC and use of contraceptives. However, despite all the initiatives, some deliveries were still happening at home. This was primarily because of lack of mobile connectivity. “”The BSNL connectivity here is not very good and sometimes it is not possible to call of ambulance. Therefore, we have to plan birth well in advance. I tell the families that they should make alternative arrangements for deliveries just in case the ambulance could not arrive,”” she says. But, there are times when deliveries are done at home due to logistical issues, she explains while adding that she was trained in Home Based Neonatal Care as well.

“”ASHA batayin raha kewal apna doodh pilana pani bhi nahi dena,”” says Sumitra a lactating mother when asked what all had she learnt from ASHA. The ASHA is a highly respected individual in the village with people taking her seriously. The umbilical cord of Sumitra’s new born child was dry and nothing was applied on that which normally is the practice in the communities. Her husband said he would have the second child only after at least 4 years, and her wife would opt for IUCD. A large number of eligible couples have opted for modern methods of contraception. But this change did not come overnight. According to Prem Kumari, whenever she used to ask women to adopt family planning methods, women used to tell her that she also have two children, so why had she not opted for sterilization. “”Then I decided to set an example and opted for sterilization,”” she said.

Interestingly, the community does not have a quest for male child and, hence, there is no discrimination among girls and boys. Girls are in fact called as “”babu””, something often used for boys. The use of “”babu”” explains the position of girls in this community. “”The induction of CRPs has brought about a massive change in the healthcare systems in far-off areas. She coordinated very well with the frontline workers and services are being delivered, and little wonder then that healthcare indicators are improving at all levels,”” Jairam Pathak, Zonal Community Specialist (ZCS) said.”

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FC3FccOI.pngNASSCOM Foundation has announced the launch of the Indian Public Library Movement (IPLM), an effort to revitalise and transform public libraries into inclusive knowledge and information centres catering to the information needs of communities across India. Indian public libraries can make the benefits of technology accessible to millions of Indians who do not currently have access to computers and the Internet, and provide training on how to use technology to access information that improves lives, a statement issued by NASSCOM said.  Speaking at the launch, Dr. Ganesh Natarajan, Chairman, NASSCOM Foundation, said, “”The Indian Public Library Movement will draw strength from the presence of a strong public library network in India, the committed leadership demonstrated by partners, and the ongoing support for public access to technology through the Government’s Digital India initiative.””

The IPLM seeks to change the landscape of public libraries and the services they provide to the country’s billion-plus citizens. The movement will start by reaching out to a million library users at 300 district-level libraries and proving them with community driven services such as computer training classes to build digital skills, access to online information about agriculture and health, a safe place for students to study, and learning opportunities for people of all ages.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided support for a pilot project for modernization of 7 government public libraries in the State of UP.  Based on the positive outcomes of the pilot project, the state government will now participate in the Scale Up Program, to be implemented by the Indian Public Library Movement/ NASSCOM Foundation. 16 Government Public Libraries of the state will be covered under the Scale Up Program including 7 Libraries covered under Pilot Phase. State Government has signed an MOU with IPLM for the smooth implementation of the Scale Up Program. We hope that this association will definitely benefit the Public library services of the state, the statement said. With a grant from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation IPLM implementation, NASSCOM Foundation will have an independent team of professionals, the IPLM Secretariat, to manage all programmatic activities. The Secretariat will work to strengthen the library sector in India through increased collaborative work and support from the government (national, state and local level) as well as non-government stakeholders (NGOs and corporations through their CSR initiatives), among other like-minded organizations.

The IPLM team has partnered with DELNET to host the The India Public Libraries Conference. DELNET, with the prime objective of promoting resource sharing among the libraries through the development of a network of libraries, aims to collect, store, and disseminate information besides offering computerised services to users, to coordinate efforts for suitable collection development and also to reduce unnecessary duplication wherever possible.”

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535ab0c9d0d3437.pngIndia Post and the United Nations Postal Administration have jointly issued “”He For She”” postage stamps to commemorate the International Women’s Day. The stamp promotes gender equality and showcases UN Women’s campaign to engage men and boys as agents of change for women’s rights. In India, the stamps was issued by India Post and depicts side-by-side pairs, with half of a man’s face on a 5-rupee stamp and half of a woman’s face on a 25-rupee stamp.

The images portray girls and women as fully half of humanity and exactly equal to the other – male – half. Together, they make a whole world. The stamps were designed by Mirko Illic (USA, born in Bosnia and Herzegovina). He For She is an incredible youth movement and these stamps reflect that creativity and vitality,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women.

Since its launch on 20 September 2014, at the United Nations by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, hundreds of thousands of men from around the world including Heads of State, CEOs and global luminaries, from all walks of life have committed to gender equality. HeForShe has been the subject of more than two billion conversations on social media, with off-line activities reaching every corner of the globe.”

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RUVAbgOoHarish Chandra Singh Rawat who took over as the seventh Chief Minister of the hill state of Uttarakhand on February one, 2014  is a prominent leader from the state having risen from the grassroots. The 68 year old Rawat had served as Union Minister at the Centre and brings his experience which the Congress expects would help it in the coming Assembly elections in the state. Rawat spoke to Sri Krishna on various issues ranging from the ongoing JNU to centre-state relations.

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Q: How do you view Centre-State relations in today’s scenario ?

In fact, the Centre maybe very friendly towards BJP ruled states or NDA ruled states.  But as far as Congress-ruled States are concerned or states which are ruled by opposition parties, that is opposition to BJP,  they are not taking care of our financial or any other problems and in fact the NITI Ayog which has come in place of Planning Commission  has become very ineffective and the government  is not even listening to the recommendation made by the NITI Ayog which is happening for the first time. Earlier, when there was  Planning Commission, they  used to discuss various matters with the States and once they used to get settled there and than, subsequently the Planning Commission used to get the concurrence from Finance Ministry. However, all that has changed and now everything is decided by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). It is but natural that the Centre is not friendly to the States but at least they should acknowledge that the States growth too matter and is indeed important. For the development of the country, there should be development of the states too.

Q: What is your view on the ongoing JNU issue?

For political reasons, Delhi Police and the Central Government have blown this issue out of proportion and if there was any thing or any sloganeering which was prejudicial to the Indian state, it should take action against those who have made these kind of statements. But, unnecessarily they have registered case against JNU students union President Kanhaiya Kumar even when there is no evidence.  In fact, even the so called CD they found turned out to be doctored and this is wrong. Now it is upto the Central Government to find out why Delhi Police has acted like this. It is for the central government to decide.

Q: What is your view of the repeated attacks on Congress leaders and vice president Rahul Gandhi by the BJP ?

We are happy. The Prime Minister is now again and again attacking our leader Rahul Gandhi and thus he is acknowledging his emerging power and emerging stature. As opposition, I feel happy that my leader is now giving some sleepless nights to the Prime Minister and now he is explaining the behaviour and conduct of the government. The prime minister had said that when he comes to power he would unearth everything that is black but now they have developed a scheme where everything is black.

Q: How is you party’s preparation for the assembly elections which are due in about ten to eleven months from now?

We are in a good position and I am confident that we would do well. We have another 10 to 12  months to go for elections and the way we are moving people are happy.

Q: What is your view on this ongoing debate about tolerance and intolerance?

Tolerance is part of Sanathan Dharma and  Hindu culture is known for its tolerance but some people feel they can impose their views on others. However, the moment you think you can impose your thinking on others than it means you are no longer tolerant and in parliamentary democracy intolerance has no place and everything should be tolerated. But now in this country, these people  think they are  only right and that they are the only persons who have any place in society.

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