Should they not live on to have their “Sonams”?

Khushwant Singh – Ji, plese reflect upon:
Sir,
We are bringing to your kind notice a case of heart -rending murder of a very newly - married young couple of Punjab. The couple dared to have their love marriage according to the law of the land, viz.according to the Special Marriage Act of 1954. This legitimate act of theirs was looked down upon as an inexcusable crime. They were mercilessly killed in the name of “honour-killing”. Ms Ravinder Pal Kaur and her lover Mr Balkar Singh of Punjab got determined to have their marriage. Ms Kaur married her lover on January 01, 2009. She did it against the will of her highly arrogant parents. For obvious reasons the couple approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court to direct the police to provide them necessary protection. The High Court did direct the police of both the districts of Amritsar and Tarn Taran to provide security to the couple as they were constantly receiving threats from the girl’s parents. The police for reasons best known to them practically ignored the High Court direction. Mr Kabul Singh, father of the girl, along with his son, Rajbir Singh and two cousins, Jatinder Singh and Sarmail Singh, shot the couple dead on 25. 01. 2009 in full public view. This has to be described as the cruelest face of Sikhism. The God - fearing assailants chased the Hero and killed him while he was buying some edibles. The unwritten law in states like Punjab and Haryana is that the police people are to stand motionless in case of honour-killing.

What would the parents do with a “widow” daughter who has already brought bad name to the family? Hence she should be murdered. So the killers ran to the house of the slain Balkar Singh. Seeing them from a distance poor Ravinder ran for her life. The assailants chased her and fired at her indiscriminately, killing her on the spot. No hue and cry on such inhuman honour-killing. No NDTV discussion. No political reaction. Sir on the other day you as one of the most eminent columnists of our country wrote about the sad demise of one of your relations. Your 60 plus relative, Happy, mother of a grown-up daughter, Sonam, working in distant Dubai, died of massive heart attack. This news led you to be stunned with disbelief. In your well - considered opinion, Happy was full of vitality and happy laughter and she should have not died at 61 without enjoying her life to the full. Nothing wrong here Sir. We have to forget about any Happy dying naturally at 61. Sir you are 94. You have clearly enjoyed your life to the full. Kindly look beyond and think of poor Ravinder Pal Kaurs and Balkar Singhs. Should not they live, say, up to 61, to have their own grown - up Sonams, taking jobs in distant Dubai? Should not the people of Punjab feel ashamed of the twin murders that so ghastly took place on 25 January, 2009?

Singh Ji, you are requested to refer to the news item relating to the twin murders that had come out in the Deccan Chronicle of 27 Jan, 2009. Kindly compare the same with your emotion loaded write –up on the sad demise of your relation, Happy as that have come in print in the Deccan Chronicle of 1st Feb, 2009, Chennai.
The Indian nation-state has remained mute and inactive in the area of marriage, love affairs and love marriage. It has virtualy tolerated honour - killings and the forced suicides of the lovers. Even, the National Commission for Women, the State Commissions for Women at different state capitals, Human Rights Commissions- both at the National and State levels - have chosen to sleep over this broad daylight butchery of Human Rights. Commissions whose basic job is to uphold Human Rights do not bother to do anything to save the lives of young men and women who are in deep love and who are being harassed and tortured and, often, killed by their heartless conservative parents. The members of the National Commission for Human Rights and those of the State Commissions are really afraid of hitting at the conservative and reactionary elements of the Indian society. Each individual should enjoy his or her life to the full. Should not this sound norm apply to the lovers? All columnists including you, Sir, should reflect upon this Social Cruelty and draw the attention of our shameless political and police masters who are in the habit of ignoring even High Court orders. Has the AKALI DAL – BJP Government headed by Mr. Prakash Singh Badal taken any action against the police for dishonoring the High Court orders issued for the safety and security of the couple Ravinder Pal Kaur and Balkar Singh?

Yours humanly,
B. Ramchandra CST Voltaire
Secretary, AMOFOI
121, Dharmavihar
Bhubaneswar,751030
Ph-09238878280, worldamofoi@ yahoo.com

Advani's Criticism of Sonia Gandhi: Quite Unfair

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, THE HINDU
Sir,
It is quite unfair on the part of Mr. L.K Advani, the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP to raise the question of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi exercising "authority, without accountability" and the Prime Minister Dr Manamohan Singh having "accountability, without political authority" (The Hindu, 27 Feb 2009,p12, Advani's press conference). He should refresh his memory that Mrs. Gandhi, as the number one leader of the Congress Party, was all set to become the Prime Minister of India soon after the 14th Lok Sabha Elections in 2004. Mrs Sushama Swaraj, a frontline Leader of Advani's Party, became very much upset and she threatened to do political hara-kiri - that she would go bald, put on white saree and sleep on the floor... if Mrs. Gandhi were to become the Prime Minister of India. Her strategy was to whip up orthodox Hindu sentiments and create communal tension in the country. Reason: Mrs. Gandhi was not born as an Indian, therefore, she should not became the Prime Minister of India. This was a silly, illegal and mischievous argument. And Mrs. Swaraj ought to have been prevailed upon by Mr. Advani and Mr. Vajapayee. This did not happen for reasons best known to Mr. Advani and Co. It is quite good and legal on the part of Mrs. Gandhi to become the head of the Congress Party and to become a Member of the Indian Parliament. Mrs. Swaraj had no grievance here. She did all sorts of things to prevent Mrs. Gandhi to become the head of the Union Government. In any case Mrs. Swaraj was outwitted by Mrs. Gandhi who chose Dr Manamohan Singh to take oath as Prime Minister of India. This was the political reality. This was created by the BJP five years back. If this was wrong, then the BJP should hang its head in shame. Politically, we are not yet as forward as the people of the USA. Without any hitch Mr. Barack Hussein Obama, the leader, representing the African- Americans, has become President of the USA. There is no Sushama Swaraj there to cry hoarse. In the post - Obama World, Mr. Advani should restrain his colleague Mrs. Swaraj and pave the way for Mrs. Gandhi to become the Prime Minister of India in the upcoming General Elections. Two centres of power, about which the BJP was the prime progenitor in 2004, would disappear in 2009 and the BJP must disentangle itself from the RSS power centre at Nagpur. The kettle should stop calling the pot black.

Yours humanly

B. Ramchandra CST Voltaire

Secretary, AMOFOI

121, Dharmavihar

Bhubaneswar,751030

Ph-09238878280, worldamofoi@ yahoo.com