Free Online FOOD for MIND & HUNGER - DO GOOD 😊 PURIFY MIND.To live like free birds 🐦 🦢 🦅 grow fruits 🍍 🍊 🥑 🥭 🍇 🍌 🍎 🍉 🍒 🍑 🥝 vegetables 🥦 🥕 🥗 🥬 🥔 🍆 🥜 🎃 🫑 🍅🍜 🧅 🍄 🍝 🥗 🥒 🌽 🍏 🫑 🌳 🍓 🍊 🥥 🌵 🍈 🌰 🇧🇧 🫐 🍅 🍐 🫒Plants 🌱in pots 🪴 along with Meditative Mindful Swimming 🏊‍♂️ to Attain NIBBĀNA the Eternal Bliss.
Kushinara NIBBĀNA Bhumi Pagoda White Home, Puniya Bhumi Bengaluru, Prabuddha Bharat International.
Categories:

Archives:
Meta:
December 2009
M T W T F S S
« Nov   Jan »
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
12/31/09
Mayawati asks officials to ‘expedite’ action against corruption-Mayawati, among 50 people who shaped decade’-SC/ST women find their voice through a newspaper
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 2:23 am

Mayawati asks officials to ‘expedite’ action against corruption


Lucknow, Dec 29 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Tuesday
asked officials to expedite action in all pending cases of corruption.
Chairing a law and order review meeting at the Yojana Bhawan here, she
expressed deep concern over the long pendency of corruption cases
against government officials.

“The vigilance department needs to gear up its working so that all
pending corruption cases could be expeditiously taken to their logical
conclusion,” she told top officials attending the meeting.

The chief minister also expressed her displeasure at the slow working
of the state Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where scores of cases
including one of fraud and money laundering against Samajwadi Party
general secretary Amar Singh were pending.

Mayawati further asked officials to prepare a blueprint for improving
the living conditions of police personnel, particularly those of the
Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), who had to carry out duties in
inhospitable and hostile conditions.

She also stressed the need to strengthen the police force in the
Maoist-affected areas and issued directives for early filling up of
vacancies in various wings of the state police.

Mayawati also called for strict enforcement of the provisions related
to fire security, particularly in high-rise buildings, and also
emphasised the need for construction of proposed fire stations in a
time-bound manner.

Among other things, she asked officials to improve the purchase system
for buying various articles and equipment required for modernisation
of the state police force.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary Shashank
Shekhar Singh, Additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey and
Principal Secretary (Home) Kunwar Fateh Bahadur.

Mayawati,  among 50 people who shaped decade’

Agencies Posted online: Tuesday , Dec 29, 2009 at 1632 hrs



London : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is among  Indians named in the Financial Times list


of ‘50 People Who Shaped the Decade’.

Los Angeles Times Articles

SC/ST women find their voice through a newspaper



Indian
tribal and so-called untouchable (Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath) women, overcoming social hurdles,
write and run their own weekly newspaper in northern India. Their own
stories are as compelling as their reports.


BANDA, INDIA — The pen, it’s sometimes said, is mightier than the sword. For these women, it’s also a ticket to respect.

Khabar
Lahariya, or “News Waves,” is India’s first newspaper written, read and
run by tribal women and those from the SC/ST (Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath, or so-called untouchable,
caste.)

While most readers know only of the politics, crime or education
news in the 8-page weekly, each of the writers has a story of her own
about struggling against life’s harsh challenges.

Many of
the dozen or so women on staff were beaten or sexually abused as
children, married off young, endured abusive marriages and fought
mightily for an education and a divorce. Often, the newspaper provides
them with a voice on important issues for the first time in their lives
along with a sense of confidence and purpose.

The paper is also a
labor of love. Not only do the women write the stories, which appear in
a local minority language, Bundeli, they edit, handle layout, proofread
and solicit ads for its two editions. And staff members, paid between
$60 and $140 a month, spend several days each week lugging copies to
distant villages, some accessible only by hiking trails, to flog what
they’ve produced.

“We take buses, cars, motorcycles until the
road stops, then we walk,” said Meera, 23, who like many here uses only
one name, while sitting beside a whiteboard with the week’s stories
mapped out. “It’s hard enough to reach many of these remote areas. Then
you have to stay and sell the papers.”

In the remote communities,
they pick up stories from readers or from residents petitioning for
justice in courts and government offices. Thus armed, they return to
their weekly editorial meeting with a minimum of five ideas and hash
out among themselves what stories will make it into print.

The
paper’s recent stories included alleged bribery at health clinics, a
bureaucrat reported to be siphoning off money meant for widows and a
piece on the brother of a powerful politician who built a house,
blocking water that had gone to SC/ST (Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath, or so-called untouchable,
caste.) farmers nearby and destroying
their livelihood.

A few years ago, the paper did a story on a
groom who had refused to marry his fiancee because her family wouldn’t
give him an appliance he wanted. Their story — under the headline “Do
you want a wife or a TV?” — got huge attention. Today the couple are
happily married and joke about the incident.

comments (0)
12/30/09
Mayawati’s 54th b’day to be celebrated as People’s Welfare Day-Kumari Mayawati’s e-governance in Uttar Pradesh through Convergence of Three Jewels: Information Technology (IT) Bio-Technology (BT) Nano Technology (NT)
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 5:20 am


Mayawati’s 54th b’day to be celebrated as People’s Welfare Day

By India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking News - Times of India

The
54th birthday of Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati will be
celebrated as People’s Welfare Day on January 15, a party spokesman
said.


Kumari Mayawati’s e-governance in Uttar Pradesh through Convergence of Three
Jewels:

Information Technology (IT)

Bio-Technology (BT)

Nano Technology (NT)

The great people of Uttar Pradesh (Buddha Pradesh) is the only
State, without any Caste and Creed bias elected a Scheduled Caste (Aboriginal
Inhabitant of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath) Ms Kumari
Mayawati as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Now she wants to e-govern emphasizing that information technology (IT) was on the
top of her agenda, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today directed the
officers for effective implementation of e-governance system.

Mayawati said during a high-level meeting. “IT should be put to
optimum use in the government’s working, and its process should be simplified
and made transparent so as to facilitate common people.”

She said programmes being implemented by IT department should be made
better and public-oriented.

“Electronic delivery through public service centers should be made
available to all, and these centers should be set up at the earliest,” she
directed.

“Electronic delivery through public service centers should be made
available to all, and these centers should be set up at the earliest,” she
directed.

The chief minister said with the setting up of service centers, people
will not be required to take rounds of tehsil and district headquarters for
their works.

“The government is committed to provide all facilities to attract
investment in IT sector and the investors are free to set up a unit in any part
of the state,” she said.

Directing the officers to expedite implementation of State-wide Area
Network (Swan) project, she said networking work should be completed at the
earliest.

“E-district scheme being implemented as a pilot project in six districts
of the state should be made more effective and delivery system should be
improved,” she said.

This is the first
time in the world that a Chief Minister talked about implementation of
e–governance that will reach and facilitate common people and wanted IT
department to be made better and public-oriented. She wanted Electronic delivery through public service centers
to be made available to all, and these centers should be set up at the earliest.
She did not want people to take rounds of tehsil and district headquarters for
their works.

 

Her Government is committed to provide all facilities to
attract investment in IT sector and the investors are free to set up a unit in
any part of the state.

Directing the officers to expedite implementation of State-Wide Area
Network (SWAN) project, she said networking work should be completed at the
earliest.

“E-district scheme being implemented as a pilot project in six
districts of the state should be made more effective and delivery system should
be improved,” she said.

Now is all that you have

All the IT, BT, NT experts supporting the cause of welfare and happiness
of the entire people (Sarvajan Hithay, Sarvajan Sukhay) must wake up like the
sleeping elephant and make use of the opportunity provided by the Chief Minister
to attract investment in IT sector and the investors are free to set up units
in any part of the State.

It is suggested that the experts who know the value of convergence of
Information Technology, Bio-Technology and Nano-Technology form a world class
forum to help the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to enable her to serve the
common people for their welfare and happiness.

And this will be the best way for

Mayawati’s 54th b’day to be celebrated as People’s Welfare Day

comments (0)
12/27/09
1st Boudh Mahoutsav 2010 UTTARKHAND National Seminar on Buddhism its Origin and Development-Appeal to Request His Excellency The first Pacific President Obama obama.barack@fcboe.org and Heads of All Countries in the world in general and China, Taiwan,Japan,Korea,Thailand,Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and the future First Pacific Prime Minister Ku.Mayawati in particular to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi at White House and all other Capitals of the world on 27th May 2010 -Effective implementation of e-governance in Uttar Pradesh: Mayawati to officers-Naseemunddin Siddiqui releases special ‘Shakeel Badauni Number’ of Urdu Monthly Naya Daur-On 26-12-2009 the BSP in front of Basaveswara statue came out strongly against the impeachment move which, incidentally, has been admitted in Rajya Sabha.
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 10:56 pm


VR1

(WE  ARE  ONE )

+VE  NEWS

MAY YOU BE EVER HAPPY, WELL AND SECURE!

MAY YOU LIVE LONG!

MAY ALL BEINGS BE EVRER HAPPY, WELL AND SECURE!

MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE CALM, QUIET, ALERT, ATTENTIVE AND

EQUANIMINTY MIND!

WITH A CLEAR UNDESRSATNDING THAT

NOTHING IS PERMANENT!

 

MERITS makes us HAPPY

MORALITY makes us HAPPIER

                                                                

MEDITATION makes us
HAPPIEST


http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Buddha_in_Sarnath_Museum_(Dhammajak_Mutra).jpg/300px-Buddha_in_Sarnath_Museum_(Dhammajak_Mutra).jpghttp://www.mahindarama.com/mbt/holysite_files/kushinagar-bud.jpg


Venerable Bodidatta Bhante’s collection:

“Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is eternal”.

- Lord Buddha

“Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame”

- Lord Buddha

1st Boudh Mahoutsav 2010
UTTARKHAND National Seminar on Buddhism its Origin and Development



 

 

Dear
Friend in Dhamma,

             
You will be happy to know that we are going to hold a two day BUDDHIST
CULTURAL FEST (1
st BAUDHA
MAHOTSAV-UTTRAKHAND)
along
with
ICHR Sponsored
National Seminar
on “BUDDHISM
: ITS ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT”, 30-31 JANUARY, 2010 at DAKHPATHAR, DEHRADUN,
UTTRAKHAND
.
It is
estimated that Buddhists all over the country will participate in the ceremony
by which the culture of Buddhists will get global
attention.             

We want to take the opportunity to invite you as delegate/observer for
the same. Hon’ble Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’, Chief Minister, Uttrakhand

has consented to inaugurate the
fest and seminar. The fest is being organized by Hon’ble M.K. Otani, Member
(Buddhist), Minority Commission, Govt. of Uttrakhand, Dehradun. Please send
your confirmation through e-mail, fax or surface mail at your earliest so that
we able to make proper arrangements for you.
If you want to present paper during the seminar,
please send it before 10
th
January 2010 by e-mail so that we able to include it in the proceedings of the
seminar.

With Thanks!

Yours in Dhamma

 

 

 

(Heero Hito)

Managing Director

 heerohito@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME-DAY 1

Saturday 30th  January ‘2010 

08.30
am.             
Arrival of delegates

09.30
am.             
Registration of participants

10.00
am.             
Breakfast

10.30 am.             
All delegates to be seated

10.30
am.             
Arrival of Chief guest and other invited guests

11.00
am.             
Observation of Tri-saran pancasila led by Rev. LAG M.N.M.T.

             
             
Theravada Buddhist Prayer by Buddhist Monks & Mahayani Buddhist Prayer by
Lamas

11.30
am.             
Welcome Speech by the organising CHAIRMAN and Introduction of Guests

11.45
am.             
Inauguration Ceremony : Fest Inaugurated by Hon’ble Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal
‘Nishank’

             
             
Chief Minister, Govt. of Uttrakhand  

Plenary Session-I

12.00
noon             
Address by Organising Committee

12.30
pm.             
Reading of Message (if any)

01.00
pm.             
Group Photograph

01.15
pm.             
Formation of Group and presentation on “BUDDHISM IN UTTRAKHAND : AN
OVERVIEW AND IMPACT OF BUDDHISM ON ASIAN CULTURE”

02.30
pm.             
Lunch

03.00
pm.             
Formation of group and group discussions “IMPACT OF BUDDHISM ON
HIMALAYAN CULTURE AND PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF BUDDHIST MONUMENTS IN
UTTRAKHAND” 

04.00
pm.             
Presentation of group recommendations and papers

04.30
pm.             
Tea

04.45
pm.             
Formation of group and group discussions “BUDDHA THE GAUTAMA AND HIS PHILOSOPHY
FOR WORLD PEACE”

06.15
pm.             
Presentation of group recommendations and papers

06.30
pm.             
Formation of group and group discussions “BUDDHIST RITUALS AND
SCRIPTURES”
Presentation of group recommendations

07.00
pm.             
Cultural Programmes followed by dinner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME-DAY 2

Sunday 31st January ‘2010 

08.00
am.             
Breakfast

08.30
am.             
Buddha Puja

 

Plenary Session-II

09.00
am.             
Formation of groups and group discussion “ESSENCE OF BUDDHISM IN THE
CHANGING SCENARIO”

10.30
am.             
Presentation of group recommendations and papers

11.00
am.             
Formation of groups and group discussion “RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HINDUISM
AND BUDDHISM :  PAST PRESENT FUTURE”

12.30
pm.             
Presentation of group recommendations and papers

Plenary Session-III

01.00
pm.             
Formation of groups and group discussion “BUDDHISM FROM INDIA TO
OVERSEAS”

02.30
pm.             
Lunch

03.00
pm.             
Presentation of recommendations and papers

02.30
pm.             
Lunch Break

Plenary Session-IV

03.00
pm.             
Formation of groups and group discussions “TRADITIONAL AND CULTURE OF
HIMALYAN BUDDHISTS IN THE ERA OF GLOBALISATION”

04.30
pm.             
Tea Break

05.00
pm.             
Formation of groups and group discussions “HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA
AND TIBET
ISSUE”

06.00
pm.             
Presentation of recommendations and papers.

06.30
pm.             
Cultural Programmes

07.30
pm.             
Vote of Thanks

08.00
pm.             
Dinner


 Respected Heero Hito

 

I thank you for your kind invitation to participate as a delegate
in the BUDDHIST CULTURAL FEST (1st BAUDHA MAHOTSAV – UTTARKHAND)
along with ICHR Sponsored National Seminar on “Buddhism : ITS ORIGIN AND
DEVELOPMENT”, 30-31 JANUARY,2010 at DAKHPATHAR, DEHRADUN, UTTARKHAND.

 

I hope and suggest that an invitation be extended to  Maha
Bodhi Society, 14, Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, Bangalore – 560009, India
Tel:080-22250684 Email: info@mahabodhi.info
and
Bhante36@yahoo.com.

 

Maha Bodhi Society is doing a yeomen service with
its branches at Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Mysore etc.

 

I WISH TO CONFIRM THAT I AM WILLING TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE ABOVE EVENTS AND ALSO WISH TO PRESENT A PAPER DURING THE
SEMINAR.

 

I am herewith submitting my first PAPER to be
published during the Seminar



 

BUDDHISM ITS ORIGIN AND
DEVELOPMENT

 

Though
a lotus flower grows in the murky water, it breaks the surface and fragrantly
blooms. Thus the wise are born in worldly society yet they rise above it and
realize Nibbana - The Buddha. 

Be
a Lotus Flower; follow The Buddha’s Five Precepts and Eightfold
Path. 

 

 

The Buddha was well-acquainted with all this diversity and
tried to provide proper guidance to the society.
His ideas were at
once traditional and revolutionary, transformative and emancipating.

That is why he
became easily acceptable to the masses and the elites. Many kings like Pasenadi
of Kosala came to him to seek advice and tranquility and peace of mind.

There are many
stories available in the early literature about Pasenadi’s marriage with a
woman of low caste by deceit and Buddha’s advice to the king to adopt the
policy of ‘forget and forgive’.
The Buddha opposed jativada. He was well steeped in the Vedic lore. The
contribution of Buddhism to jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabudha Bharathian
thought and culture is immense. Buddha was born and brought up in the cultural
soil of Jambudvipa, that is, Prabuddha Bharath, purified the soil to enable
blossoming of the best flowers and fruits in the cultural garden of
Jambudvipa, that
is, Prabuddha Bharath
. Buddhism has not only awakened Jambudvipa, that
is, Prabuddha Bharath
, but also the whole of Asia
in the ancient times, and now it is awakening the whole world in the modern
times.
Buddhism has been the best product of Jambudvipa, that is,
Prabuddha Bharathian culture to be offered to the world at large. There is a
need to re-establish Buddhism in its pure and pristine form, and that will help
Jambudvipa, that is, Prabuddha Bharath and also the world.

 

Buddhism had an extremely humble beginning for a religion
that is now known throughout the world. Having its origin in the 6th century
B.C.E., makes Buddhism one of the oldest religions in the world as well.
The teachings of Buddhism
developed, in many ways. From one man’s awakenment to our modern world of
today, Buddhism has evolved and adapted to the various cultures and
countries it has encountered, which has enabled it to survive into the 21st
century. 

In 563 B.C.E.,
a prince was born into the clan of the Shakyas at the beginning of the Magadha period (564-324 B.C.E.) in the southern
Himalayan town of Lumbini,
which is in Southern Nepal/Northern Jambudvipa, that is, Prabuddha Bharath. His
name was Siddhartha Gautama, but he would later be known simply as the Buddha,
which means “the awakened one.”
Gautama’s father sought to keep his son
isolated from the realities of the world - including old age, death, and
suffering - and he succeeded for approximately 30 years.
Despite the best
efforts of his father, he began to come into contact with the outside world and
the realities of human existence.

Siddhartha Gautama discovered the Buddhist Middle Way—a path of moderation away from the extremes
of self-indulgence and self-mortification.

 

Siddhartha Gautama attained awakenment sitting under a pipal tree, now known
as the Bodhi
tree
in Bodh
Gaya
, India.
Gautama, from then on, was known as “The Perfectly Self-Awakened
One,”
the Samyaksambuddha.

Buddha found patronage in the ruler of Magadha, emperor Bimbisara. The
emperor accepted Buddhism as personal faith and allowed the establishment of
many Buddhist “Viharas.”
This eventually led to the renaming of the entire region as Bihar.

 

At the Deer Park near Vārāasī in northern
India
, Buddha set in motion the Wheel of
Dhamma
by delivering his first sermon to the group of five companions with
whom he had previously sought awakenment. They, together with the Buddha,
formed the first Sagha, the
company of Buddhist monks, and hence, the first formation of Triple Gem
(Buddha, Dhamma
and Sangha) was completed.

For the
remaining years of his life, the Buddha traveled in the Gangetic
Plain
of Northeastern India and other regions.

Buddha
attained Parinibbana
in the abandoned jungles of Kuśināra.

Just before
Buddha died, he told his followers that thereafter the Dhamma would be their
leader. The early arhats considered Gautama’s words the primary source of
Dhamma (doctrine, teaching) and Vinaya (rules of discipline and community
living), and took great pains to formulate and transmit his teachings
accurately.
Nonetheless, no ungarnished collection of his sayings has
survived. The version of the Canon (accepted scripture) preserved in Pali,
Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan are sectarian variants of a corpus that grew and
crystallized during three centuries of oral transmission
.

The Buddha
did not appoint a successor, and asked his followers to work for personal
salvation. The teachings of the Buddha existed only in oral
traditions
. The Sangha held a number of Buddhist
councils
in order to reach consensus on matters of Buddhist doctrine and
practice.

According to
the scriptures, a monk by the name of Mahakasyapa
presided over the first Buddhist council held at Rajgir. Its purpose
was to recite and agree on the Buddha’s actual teachings and on monastic
discipline. Some scholars consider this council fictitious.

The Second Buddhist Council is said to
have taken place at Vaishāli. Its purpose was to deal with questionable monastic
practices like the use of money, the drinking of palm wine, and other
irregularities; the council declared these practices unlawful
.

What is
commonly called the Third Buddhist Council was held at Pātaliputra,
and was allegedly called by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd
century BCE
. Organized by the monk Moggaliputta Tissa, it was held in order to rid
the sangha of the large number of monks who had joined the order because of its
royal patronage. Most scholars now believe this council was exclusively
Theravada, and that the dispatch of missionaries to various countries at about
this time was nothing to do with it.

What is
often called the Fourth Buddhist council is generally
believed to have been held under the patronage of emperor Kanishka at Jālandhar,
though the late Monseigneur Professor Lamotte considered it fictitious. It is
generally believed to have been a council of the Sarvastivada School.

Following
the Buddha’s passing, many philosophical movements emerged within Buddhism. The
first of these were the various Early Buddhist Schools (including Theravada).
Later Mahayana Buddhism and Vajrayana Buddhism arose.

The Early
Buddhist Schools were the various schools in which pre-sectarian Buddhism split in the first
few centuries after the passing away of the Buddha (in about the fifth century
BCE). These schools have in common an attitude to the scriptures, that doesn’t
accept the inclusion of the Mahayana
Sutras
as valid teachings of Gautama
Buddha
. It accepts the Tipitaka as the final recension of the teachings of the
Buddha.

The Mahāyāna
branch of Buddhism popularized the concept of a Bodhisattva
(literally enlightened being or “a Buddha-to-be”) and the
worship of the bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas like Mañjuśrī, Avalokiteśvara,
and Maitreya
became the focus of popular devotional worship in the Mahāyāna sect. According
to the Mahāyāna tradition, the key attributes of the bodhisattvas are
compassion and kindness.

Mahayana
Buddhism includes the following Indian schools:

A form of
Indian Buddhism that emerged in the 4th century AD and later became widespread
in Tibet, and Japan.
The Vajrayana developed in India,
but was spread to Tibet, and
has also been practiced in Nepal,
Bhutan, Sikkim, and Mongolia.

This school
emerged from forest meditation traditions in northern India, in which
the entire emphasis of teachings was on practice, using skillful means to
attain the goal of awakenment in one’s present lifetime. This form is also
known as Vajrayana (The Diamond Vehicle). Tantrism is an esoteric
tradition. Its initiation ceremonies involve entry into a mandala, a mystic
circle or symbolic map of the spiritual universe. Also central to Tantrism is
the use of mudras
and mantras.
Vajrayana became the dominant form of Buddhism in Tibet and was also
transmitted through China to Japan, where it continues to be practiced by the Shingon sect.

It is
generally accepted that the spread of Buddhism from India to Tibet and then to
the wider regions of Central and East Asia took place mainly via the trade (and
religious) route that went through the valley of Kathmandu, situated in
present-day Nepal. The valley, forms the cradle of the Nepali state, and since
the farthest point in historical time, has found itself under the cultural
influence of the South Asian Hindu (and also Buddhist) civilization. However,
being a distant outpost of Hinduism (and Buddhism), it was spared from the
ravages of later conquests and social upheavals. Even after Buddhism died in
the heartland, it survived in Kathmandu
valley. Monastic records in the numerous monasteries show that till the
mid-medieval period in Nepali history, Tibetan students regularly came there
for learning Buddhism from the local spiritual masters. The Tibetan religious
scripts Lantsha and Vartu are variants of the Ranjana system used by the Newars
of Kathmandu. However, due to numerous social,
economic and political factors prominent among which was declining patronage
from the Hindu rulers, Buddhist monasticism in the valley died. By then Tibetan
Buddhism had already gained prominence in the region. Today, in the urban
centres of Kathmandu valley, we still find
Indian Mahayana Buddhism, modified through mixing with Vajrayana, practiced by
the local Buddhist Newer population.

Asoka and
the Mauryan Empire

The Maurya
empire
reached its peak at the time of Emperor Asoka, who himself converted
to Buddhism after the Battle
of Kalinga. This heralded a long period of stability under the Buddhist
emperor. The power of the empire was vast—ambassadors were sent to other
countries to propagate Buddhism. Greek envoy Megasthenes
describes the wealth of the Mauryan capital. Stupas, pillars and edicts on
stone remain at Sanchi,
Sarnath and Mathura, indicating the extent of the
empire.

Emperor
Ashoka the Great (304
BCE
232 BCE)
was the ruler of the Maurya Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE.

Ashoka
reigned over most of India
after a series of military campaigns. Emperor Ashoka’s kingdom stretched from South Asia
and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan and parts of Persia in the west, to Bengal and Assam in the east,
and as far south as Mysore.

According to
legend, emperor Ashoka was overwhelmed by guilt after the conquest of
Kalinga
, following which he accepted Buddhism as personal faith with the
help of his mentors Radhasvami and Manjushri. Ashoka established monuments
marking several significant sites in the life of Shakyamuni
Buddha
, and according to Buddhist tradition was closely involved in the
preservation and transmission of Buddhism.[18]
He used his position to propagate the relatively new philosophy to new heights,
as far as ancient Rome
and Egypt.

Graeco-Bactrians, Sakas and Indo-Parthians

Menander
was the most famous Bactrian king. He ruled from Taxila and later from Sagala (Sialkot). He rebuilt
Taxila (Sirkap)
and Pushkalavati. He became Buddhist and remembered in Buddhists records due to
his discussions with a great Buddhist philosopher in the book Milinda
Panha
.

By 90 BCE
Parthians took control of eastern Iran and around 50 BCE put an end to last
remnants of Greek rule in Afghanistan. By around 7 CE an Indo-Parthian
dynasty succeeded in taking control of Gandhara. Parthians continued to support
Greek artistic traditions in Gandhara. The start of the Gandharan Greco-Buddhist art is dated to the period
between 50 BCE and 75 CE.

Kushan Empire

Kushan
Empire
under emperor Kanishka was known as the Kingdom of Gandhara. The
Buddhist art spread outward from Gandhara to other parts of Asia.
He greatly encouraged Buddhism. Before Kanishka Buddha was not represented in
human form. In Gandhara Mahayana Buddhism flourished and Buddha was
represented in human form.

This tower
was reported by Fa-Hsien,
Sun-Yun and Hsuan-Tsang. This structure was destroyed and rebuilt
many times and remained in semi ruins until it was finally destroyed by Mahmud
of Ghazni
in 11th century.

The Pala and Sena era

Under the
rule of the Pala and
Sena kings, large mahaviharas
flourished in what is now Bihar and Bengal. According to Tibetan sources, five great Mahaviharas
stood out: Vikramaśīla, the premier university of the era; Nalanda, past its
prime but still illustrious, Somapura, Odantapurā, and Jaggadala.[19]
The five monasteries formed a network; “all of them were under state
supervision” and their existed “a system of co-ordination among them
. . it seems from the evidence that the different seats of Buddhist learning
that functioned in eastern India under the Pāla were regarded together as
forming a network, an interlinked group of institutions,” and it was
common for great scholars to move easily from position to position among them

Dhamma masters

Jambudvipa,
that is Prabuddha Bharath shramanas propagated Buddhism in various reigons,
including East
Asia
and Central Asia.

In the
Edicts of Ashoka, Ashoka mentions the Hellenistic kings of the period as a
recipient of his Buddhist proselytism. Emissaries of Ashoka, such as Dharmarakkita,
are described in Pali
sources as leading Greek (”Yona“) Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist proselytism (the Mahavamsa,
XII).

Roman
Historical accounts describe an embassy sent by the ” Jambudvipa, that is
Prabuddha Bharath king Pandion (Pandya?), also named Porus,” to Caesar
Augustus
around the 1st century. The embassy was travelling with a
diplomatic letter in Greek, and one of its members was a sramana who
burned himself alive in Athens to demonstrate his faith. The event made a sensation
and was described by Nicolaus of Damascus, who met the embassy at Antioch, and
related by Strabo
(XV,1,73)[23]
and Dio
Cassius
(liv, 9). A tomb was made to the sramana, still visible in the time
of Plutarch,
which bore the mention:

“ΖΑΡΜΑΝΟΧΗΓΑΣ ΙΝΔΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΒΑΡΓΟΣΗΣ”

(”The sramana master
from Barygaza
in India“)

Lokaksema is
the earliest known Buddhist monk to have translated Mahayana Buddhist
scriptures into the Chinese language. Gandharan monks Jnanagupta
and Prajna contributed through several important
translations of Sanskrit sutras into Chinese language.

The  Jambudvipa, that is Prabuddha Bharathian dhyana master Buddhabhadra
was the founding abbot and patriarch of the Shaolin
Temple
. Buddhist
monk and esoteric master
from North India
(6th Century CE), Bodhiruci is regarded as the patriarch of
the Ti-Lun school. Bodhidharma (c. 6th century) was the Buddhist Bhikkhu
traditionally credited as the founder of Zen Buddhism in China.

In 580, Jambudvipa, that is Prabuddha Bharathian monk
Vinitaruci travelled to Vietnam.
This, then, would be the first appearance of Vietnamese Zen, or Thien Buddhism.

Padmasambhava,
meaning “lotus-born”, is said to have brought Tantric
Buddhism
to Tibet
in the 8th
century
. In Bhutan
and Tibet
he is better known as “Guru Rinpoche” (“Precious
Master”
) where followers of the Nyingma school
regard him as the second Buddha. Shantarakshita,
abbot of Nalanda
and founder of the Yogachara-Madhyamika is said to have helped
Padmasambhava establish Buddhism in Tibet.

Indian monk Atisha, holder of
the mind training (Tib. lojong) teachings, is considered an indirect founder of the Geluk school of Tibetan
Buddhism
. Indian monks, such as Vajrabodhi,
also travelled to Indonesia to propagate Buddhism.

Revival of Buddhism in India

Anagarika Dharmapala and the Maha Bodhi Society

A revival of
Buddhism began in India
in 1891, when the Sri Lankan
Buddhist leader Anagarika Dharmapala founded the Maha Bodhi Society. Its activities expanded to
involve the promotion of Buddhism in India. In June 1892, a meeting of
Buddhists took place at Darjeeling. Dharmapala spoke to Tibetan Buddhists and
presented a relic of the Buddha to be sent to the Dalai Lama
.

Dharmapala built many viharas and temples in India,
including the one at Sarnath, the place of Buddha’s first sermon. He died in 1933,
the same year he was ordained a bhikkhu.

 

Bengal Buddhist Association

In 1892,
Kripasaran Mahasthavir founded the Bengal Buddhist Association (Bauddha
Dharmankur Sabha) in Calcutta. Kripasaran (1865–1926) was instrumental in uniting
the Buddhist community of Bengal and North
East India
. He built other branches of the Bengal Buddhist Association at Shimla (1907), Lucknow (1907), Dibrugarh
(1908), Ranchi
(1915), Shillong
(1918), Darjeeling
(1919), Tatanagar Jamshedpur (1922), as well as in Sakpura, Satbaria, Noapara,
Uninepura, Chittagong
Region in present day Bangladesh
.

Tibetan Buddhism

Following
the Dalai
Lama
’s departure from Tibet, Indian Prime Minister offered to permit him and
his followers to establish a “government-in-exile” in Dharamsala.

Tibetan
exiles have settled in the town, numbering several thousand. Most of these
exiles live in Upper Dharamsala, or McLeod
Ganj, where they established monasteries, temples and schools. The town is
sometimes known as “Little Lhasa“, after the Tibetan capital city, and has become one
of the centres of Buddhism in the world.

Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha
Bharathians (Scheduled Caste) Buddhist movement

A Buddhist
revivalist movement among
Aboriginal Inhabitants of
Jambudvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharathians (Scheduled Caste)
 was initiated in 1890s by Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is, the Great
Prabuddha Bharathians (Scheduled Caste)
 leaders such as
Iyothee Thass, Brahmananda Reddy, and Dharmananda Kosambi. In the 1950s, Dr. B. R.
Ambedkar
turned his attention to Buddhism and travelled to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) to attend a convention of
Buddhist scholars and monks. While dedicating a new Buddhist vihara near Pune,
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar announced that he was writing a book on Buddhism, and that
as soon as it was finished, he planned to make a formal conversion to Buddhism.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar twice visited Burma
in 1954; the second time in order to attend the third conference of the World
Fellowship of Buddhists in Rangoon.
In 1955, he founded the Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha, or the Buddhist Society of
India.
He completed his final work, The Buddha and His Dhamma, in 1956. It was
published posthumously.

After
meetings with the Sri Lankan Buddhist monk Hammalawa Saddhatissa,Ambedkar
organised a formal public ceremony for himself and his supporters in Nagpur on October 14,
1956. Accepting the Three Refuges and Five Precepts from a Buddhist monk in the
traditional manner, Ambedkar completed his own conversion. He then proceeded to
convert an estimated 500,000 of his supporters who were gathered around him.
Taking the 22 Vows, Ambedkar and his supporters explicitly condemned and
rejected Hinduism and Hindu philosophy. He then traveled to Kathmandu in Nepal to attend the Fourth
World
Buddhist Conference. He completed his final manuscript, The
Buddha or Karl Marx on December 2, 1956.

Vipassana movement

The Buddhist meditation tradition of Vipassana
meditation
is growing in popularity in
Jambudvipa,
that is, the Great Prabuddha Bharath
. Many institutions—both government
and private sector—now offer courses for their employees. This form is mainly
practiced by the elite and middle class Indians. This movement has spread to many
other countries in Europe,
America and Asia. And through the
Internet to all over the world. Attemps are being made to celebrate Buddha Jayanthi
in all the countries in general and White House in particular to spread the
teachings of Buddha non-violence and peace for the welfare and happiness of all
beings.

 

 

References:

http://www.sobhana.net/

http://www.flipkart.com/origin-development-buddhism-india-geeta/8188629472-ew23fvt8ef

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/13229/buddhisms_origin_and_development.html?cat=34

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism_in_India

 

With lots of Metta

 

Yours in Dhamma

 

Jagatheesan
Chnadrasekharan


Appeal to Request His Excellency The first Pacific President Obama obama.barack@fcboe.org and
Heads of All Countries in the world in general and
China,
Taiwan,Japan,Korea,Thailand,Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and the future
First Pacific Prime Minister Ku.Mayawati in particular
to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi at White House and all other
Capitals of the world on 27th May 2010

Politics and
political matters in Buddhism are considered worldly concerns, yes. But the
Buddha did not ignore such worldly concerns, because as a Prince estranged and
removed from his prior worldly concerns, still He was living in society. Alms
food comes from vast numbers of people constituting society. So should not we
work to elevate society to evolve into a higher form, to be more effective and
more just? The monks were also told by the Buddha to work for the good of many,
for the benefit of all beings and for the betterment of society. The intent
behind the founding of the community of monks (Sangha in Pali, Pali being the
original language of the Buddha) was entirely for the benefit of the people.


In the life of Buddha, we find that the Buddha often discussed politics with
the rulers of realms in his time, such as King Mala, King Kosala , King
Licchavi and King Ajatasattu . The Buddha always preached the kings that they
must rule their kingdoms with dasarajadhamma. The dasarajadamma in Pali is
based on ten precepts, in order for the king to best rule the country. They
are: (1) be liberal and avoid selfishness, (2) maintain a high moral character,
(3) be prepared to sacrifice one’s own pleasure for the well-being of the
subjects, (4) be honest and maintain absolute integrity, (5) be kind and
gentle, (6) lead a simple life for the subjects to emulate, (7) be free from
hatred of any kind, (8) exercise non-violence, (9) practice patience, and (10)
respect public opinion to promote peace and harmony. Any government who wishes
to peacefully rule any nation can effectively apply these 10 precepts even
today; they haven’t yet and never will “go out of date.”


The Buddha preached non-violence and
peace as a universal message. He did not approve of violence or the destruction
of life, and declared that there is no such thing as a ‘just’ war. From his own
words, He taught: “The victor breeds hatred; the defeated lives in misery. He
who renounces both victory and defeat is happy and peaceful.”


Not only did the Buddha teach non-violence and peace: He was perhaps the first
and only religious teacher who went to the battlefield personally to prevent
the outbreak of a war, when He diffused tension between the Sakyas and the
Koliyas who were about to wage war over the waters of Rohini River. He also
dissuaded King Ajatasattu from attacking the Kingdom of the Vajjis


He showed how countries could become corrupt, degenerate and unhappy when the
head of the government becomes corrupt and unjust. He spoke against corruption
and how all governments’ actions must be based on humanitarian principles.


The Buddha once said, ‘When the ruler of
a country is just and good, the ministers become just and good; when the
ministers are just and good, the higher officials become just and good; when
the higher officials are just and good, the rank and file become just and good;
when the rank and file become just and good, the people become just and good.’


Clearly, religion and politics are
something analogous to paper money having two sides. The front can be regarded
as religion and the other side can be regarded as politics. They cannot be
separated from each other. Otherwise the value of money is nothing. Similarly,
Buddhist monks and other religious leaders also should not be separated from
politics. I don’t mean to imply that they should rule the country, but just to
present and to advance their Buddhist precepts throughout the workings of a
government in order to prevent so many wars and conquests, persecutions, such
egregious atrocities, rebellions, and the destruction of works of art and
culture.

Better than a thousand hollow words, Is one
word that brings peace.



In separateness lies the world’s great misery;
in compassion lies the world’s true strength.

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it
at someone else; you are the one getting burned.

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of
service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

He who can control his rising anger as a coachman controls his carriage at full
speed, this man I call a good driver; others merely hold the reins.




Gautama
Buddha

Desappriya
jayasuriya
0n Subject: Buddha mentioned Remarks by President Barack Obama at Suntory
Hall”……. It is wonderful to be back in Japan.  Some of you may be
aware that when I was a young boy, my mother brought me to Kamakura, where I looked up at
that centuries-old symbol of peace and tranquility — the
great bronze Amida Buddha……” Now Barack Obama is been described as one of the
greatest leaders
. All the Pacific leaders  as Visionary. Like the captain of a ship, they
have a definite goal to chart their course and steer their ship in the right
direction. They have one goal - to find the cause of suffering and a way out of
suffering. Despite much hardship and setback, they never veered from their course
but persevered till they gained awaken-ness after they got chosen as leaders.

Guided by
this vision, their mission is an all-embracing one. It is a mission founded on
compassion and love for all beings, regardless of race, creed or status quo.

The Leaders  as Role Models

They have exemplary
figures, someone we can respect and emulate. They are extraordinary, virtuous
and righteous in every thought, word and deed. They say as they do and do as they
say. Such integrity and consistency won them the trust of their followers. They
are aware of the ten principles which a ruler ought to be possessed:

1.                 
Alms giving

2.                 
Morality

3.                 
Unselfishness

4.                 
Integrity

5.                 
Gentleness

6.                 
Self-restraint

7.                 
Non-anger

8.                 
Non-violence

9.                 
Patience

10.             
Agreeability

 

The Leaders  as Mediators

As  leaders, they demonstrated
both skills in mediation and impartiality in judgment, showed their ability to
resolve problems and arguments.

Hence
Jagatheesan Chandrasekharan suggested “…..
Let all
of us request His Excellency the first Pacific
president-barack-obama and Heads of All Countries in the world in general and China, Taiwan,Japan,Korea,Thailand,Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka
and the future First Pacific Prime Minister Ku.Mayawati in particular
to Celebrate
Buddha Jayanthi at White House and all other Capitals of the world
to celebrate next (27-May 2010)Buddha Jayanthi at White House  and other capitals of the world to spread the
message of non-violence and peace by chanting relevant gathas by Maha theras
for the happiness and welfare of all…..”

 

 

MAHINDA

 welcomed the same by saying “…..DEAR FRIENDS
…ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!
                        
WHAT MARVELOUS IDEA. WE SHOULD ASK THE ENTIRE BUDDHIST WORLD TO RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST FROM PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA TO COMPLY WITH OUR HUMBLE IDEA AND
HONOR IT.
                     
The main reason being    THAT THERE WERE NOT SINGLE  A DROP OF
BLOOD WAS SHED IN THE NAME OF THE BUDDHISM 
                     
        BUDDHA PREACHED ABSOLUTE NONVIOLENCE ,THE
UNBOUND LOVE AND COMPASSION TOWARD EVERY LIVING CREATURE.
                     
  
    MOST LIKELY THE PRESIDENT MAY NOT BE FULLY AWARE OF
 THE DETAILS OF THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF BUDDHISM.
                     
    
                     
  FURTHER MORE THE BUDDHA TOLERATED ALL BELIEF SYSTEMS AND NEVER
CONDEMNED OR PUT DOWN OTHERS’ FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROPAGATION OR
PROSYLITIZATION /FOR HIS OWN. HE WAS THE MOST TOLERANT TEACHER OF DARMA
WHICH ADVOCATES THE TOTAL OPENNESS LIKE MAMMOTH TENT WITHOUT DOORS AND
WINDOWS  WHERE EVERY ONE IS WELCOME   AND NO ONE IS ASKED OR
REQUIRED TO GIVE UP THEIR BELIEF.

                          
HE INVITED THE FOLLOWERS TO CAREFULLY INVESTIGATE HIS TEACHING, LIKE GOLD
DIGGER TRYING FINDING THE PURE GOLD, BEFORE MAKING ANY HASTY DECISION TO BECOME
A BUDDHIST.
            SO LET US
SEND OUR REQUEST THE WHITE HOUSE AS A UNOFORM VOICE.  LET US
ALSO REQUEST HIS HOLINESS DALAI LAMA TO JOIN US  …  “
Venerable Ananda Bhante of
Mahabodhi Loka Shanti Vihara, Bangalore suggested to appeal all the Buddhist
organizations in general and Americans in particular to make a request to White
House to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi on 27th May 2010. Accordingly
emails are being sent to all Buddhist organizations through the world.
Similar suggestion was made by
Sashikanth Chandrasekharan from Cleveland.

P.P.
Lakshman
Email:
pplakshman08@ gmail.com
Tel: 917-664-6566

suggested as follows:
Dear Jagatheesan,

There is no doubt that the case for celebration of Buddha Jayanti at
White House is inherently strong, more so in the wake of the inspiring
speech at Tokyo, earlier this month, by President Obama who called
himself the ‘first Pacific President’. We all should be thankful to
you and the other Buddhist friends for bringing this up.

As you know, most of the Buddhist countries in the world are in the
Pacific region, and they all will be ecstatic about the idea of
celebrating the next Buddha Jayanti at the White House - on May 27,
2010. China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos,
Sri Lanka
have all very many devoted Buddhists.

Their governments are likely to
make the suggestion to the Pacific
President in the U.S.
This is true of India as
well despite the fact
that India
has a Buddhist symbol as its national emblem and Buddha
Dhamma Chakra embedded on its national flag. There are many Indian
nationals in the Obama administration including the White House.
They will also
support the idea.
The memorable Tokyo speech of the U.S. President provides
an excellent
background to make the case for a White House celebration of Buddha
Jayanti. Obama will most certainly get a hearing for the Buddha
Jayanti proposal from leaders like Dalai Lama, the Chinese Buddhist
leader Ven Hsing Yun. Buddhist activist Richard Gere the famous actor,
and Buddhist Professor Robert Thurman and others. I am very optimistic
that with their voicing support, the White House celebration of Buddha
Jayanti on May 27, 2010 would be a done deal.

Dear JC,

 

I appreciate that you are making great
efforts to propagate Buddhism in general, and  the celebration of
Buddha Jayanthi at the White House in particular. 

 

Let the idea flare up from our small base
to fill  the entire public space. Let newspaper columns be filled
with letters to the editor, articles, editorials;  let parliament and all
representative bodies at the Centre and the States reverberate. 

 

I hope our prayers will be
answered.  

 

Thanks for all you do. The reproduction of
Richard Reoch’s “Personal and social radicalism of the Buddha” has
also been great and very enlightening. It is worthy of repetition.

 

With much metta,

 

Lakshman

 
Let
us make our appeals to His Holiness Dalai Lama
Characteristic hands-raised anjali greeting, Chinese Buddhist
leader
Venerable
Hsing Yun
星雲大師2009IBPS.jpg,

Budddhist activist Richard Gere the famous actor
,
and
Buddhist Professor Robert Thriman
Photo � Jerry Bauer

 and others for voicing their support for  celebration of  Buddha Jayanthi at White
House on May 2010
Therefore
I request you in general and American in particular to kindly take steps from
your end to request His Excellency
President Barack Obama to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday on 27th
May 2010 at white house. Let us not miss this golden opportunity where His
Excellency started celebrating Dipavali and Guru Nanak Birthday at White House
in the interest of peace, happiness and welfare of entire people.


Effective implementation of e-governance in Uttar Pradesh: Mayawati to officers

Lucknow: Emphasising that information technology (IT)
was on the top of her agenda, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati
today directed the officers for effective implementation of
e-governance system.

“IT
should be put to optimum use in the government’s working, and its
process should be simplified and made transparent so as to facilitate
common people,” Mayawati said during a high-level meeting.

She said programmes being implemented by IT department should be made better and public-oriented.

“Electronic
delivery through public service centres should be made available to
all, and these centres should be set up at the earliest,” she directed.

The
chief minister said with the setting up of service centres, people will
not be required to take rounds of tehsil and district headquarters for
their works.

“The government is committed to provide all
facilities to attract investment in IT sector and the investors are
free to set up a unit in any part of the state,” she said.

Directing
the officers to expedite implementation of State-wide Area Network
(Swan) project, she said networking work should be completed at the
earliest.

“E-district scheme being implemented as a pilot project
in six districts of the state should be made more effective and
delivery system should be improved,” she said.

Press Information Bureau
(C.M. Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.

Naseemunddin Siddiqui releases special
‘Shakeel Badauni Number’ of Urdu Monthly Naya Daur

Lucknow: 23 December 2009

U.P. Senior Cabinet Minister Mr. Naseemunddin Siddiqui
said that the present Government was doing all possible efforts
to promote Urdu language and linking it with employment. He
said that with a view to encourage Urdu writers and litterateurs,
the Government was giving awards on the publication of their
writings. Besides, the Urdu poets and students were also being
provided financial assistance by Urdu Academy and Fukhruddin
Ali Ahmad Committee. He said that the U.P. Chief Minister Ms.
Mayawati was fully committed for the development of Urdu.
Keeping this in view, the Government had increased the budget
of Urdu Academy for the first time. Besides, the students were
also being encouraged for research in Urdu, he added.

Mr. Siddiqui was releasing the ‘Shakeel Badauni Special
Number’ of Urdu monthly ‘Naya Daur’ published by Information
and Public Relations Department, U.P. here today at Suchna
Bhawan. He said that nearly each and every aspect of Shakeel
Badauni’s personality and works had become a part of this
special number. The gazals and film songs of Shakeel Badauni
were popular even today and his classical poetry had found a
special place in this number, he added.

The Cabinet Minister said that many famous poets, who
belonged to U.P. had given the message of love and brotherhood
through their genres. He said that the Urdu lovers and research
students would definitely become inspired by this special number
published on Shakeel Badauni, who also belonged to U.P. He
appreciated the efforts of Information Department, especially the
officers related to Naya Daur for publication of special numbers
on several litterateurs and poets.

The Media Advisor to C.M. and Chairman, Science and
Technology Council Mr. Mohd. Zameel Akhtar, while presiding
over the programme, said that in future efforts should be made
for publishing at least one special number on famous poets/
litterateurs in a year, so that Urdu literature and language could
be developed and the younger generation could get inspired from
the life and works of these poets/litterateurs. He said that the
present Government was making all efforts to give Urdu its due
place for which it had taken historic decisions which were never
given a thought by the pervious governments. He congratulated
the Information Department for the publication of this special
number successfully.

Addressing the programme, Additional Cabinet Secretary
Mr. Vijay Shankar Pandey said this special number based on
personality and works of Shakeel Badauni would become a
milestone for Urdu lovers. He said that Urdu monthly Naya Daur
had a special identity among the magazines published by the
Government Departments. He said that Shakeel Badauni created
a new literary genre in film lyrics. He said that the special
number on Shakeel Badauni was a part of the series published by
Information Department form time to time on several famous
great persons, who served literature and society.

On this occasion, the famous poet Dr. Malik Zada Manzur
Ahmad appreciated the efforts of Information Department for the
publication of special number on Shakeel Badauni and said that
for the first time, the Government had increased the budget of
Urdu Academy and several awards and scholarships to promote
Urdu language and litterateurs. He remembered his meetings on
several occasions with Shakeel Badauni and said that he became
a separate identity among film lyricists.

Welcoming the guests, the Information Director Mr. Ajai
Kumar Upadhyaya discussed the contribution of Shakeel Badauni
for films and literature. He said that Information Department
would continue the efforts of publishing the special numbers on
famous poets and litterateurs as earlier. He appreciated the
efforts of editor of Naya Daur Dr. Wazahat Husain Rizvi and his
colleagues for brining out this special number on Shakeel
Badauni.

On this occasion, famous Urdu and Hindi poets, litterateurs
and teachers were present, besides eminent citizens.
********
CM requests to give opportunity to Justice P.D. Dinakaran
to put his own version in cases related with him
Natural justice being overlooked in the case of Justice Dinakaran
—Mayawati

CM writes letter to Prime Minister


Lucknow: 19 December 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has written a letter
to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today to give an opportunity
to the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Mr. Justice P.D. Dinakaran
so that he can put his version in the matters related with him. She said
that the theory of natural justice was being overlooked in his case,
which was not correct in any way. She said that he should be given an
opportunity to put his version in the cases related with him before
considering any action against him.

Ms. Mayawati said that this was a very important case and
demanded immediate intervention in this case. She said that according
to the theory of natural justice the accused person is given an
opportunity to put his version before taking any decision. She said that
the way Justice Dinakaran’s case was being handled was not justified,
as he was not being given any opportunity to put his version and
consider it with full seriousness, the action was being taken, which was
not correct.

The CM requested the Prime Minister that Mr. Dinakaran should be
given an opportunity to put his version and after that all the facts
should be considered seriously and impartially and thereafter any
decision should be taken.




Maya birthday

Karnataka State BSP under the leadership of Marasandra
Muniappa have come out against the impeachment motion moved against Justice P D
Dinakaran, chief justice of Karnataka High Court, alleging that he was being
persecuted for being from the Scheduled Castes.




On 26-12-2009 the BSP in front of Basaveswara statue
came out strongly against the impeachment move which, incidentally, has been
admitted in Rajya Sabha.


Mr. Gopinath, R.Muniappa, Muniswamy, Chikkanna, Advocate Nagaraj, Chengappa,
Lakshiminarayan Calling it “discrimination”, the leaders passed a
resolution condemning the discriminative attitude of the Manuvadis, the
Karnataka Bar Association, Advocates, Shanth Bushan, Jetmalani and
others.During Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure no action was taken on Military personnel
who leaked out vital secrets, George Fernandez was not impeached for his
activities.
to give an opportunity

To the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Mr. Justice P.D. Dinakaran

so that he can put his version in the matters related with him. They said
that the theory of natural justice was being overlooked in his case,
which was not correct in any way.

Mr. Dinakaran should be
given an opportunity to put his version and after that all the facts
should be considered seriously and impartially and thereafter any
decision should be taken.

After the rally they submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Karnataka. Chief Justice was thankful to BSP for their support.



comments (0)
12/20/09
CM requests to give opportunity to Justice P.D. Dinakaran to put his own version in cases related with him Natural justice being overlooked in the case of Justice Dinakaran —Mayawati CM writes letter to Prime Minister-Formulate strategy for doubling agricultural production and present it before Cabinet within a month Utilise irrigation capacity to the fullest Prepare action plan for better transport facilities in rural areas Orders issued to fill all vacancies of HODs/Additional HODs through promotion within a month Review meeting of Principal Secretaries/Secretaries held-C.M. requests Centre to reorganise Uttar Pradesh on the lines of Telangana and constitute Bundelkhand and Western U.P. states separately State Government not against creation of separate Poorvanchal state, in fact it is with the people on this issue — Mayawati Our party supports smaller states — Chief Minister-Conduct detailed survey to give rights to SC and Vanvasis on land, their settlement claims should also be solved immediately — Mayawati Amend MNREGA scheme to provide infrastructure facilities like irrigation to SC and poor people — Chief Minister Directives issued to provide X-ray and Pathology services in government hospitals round the clock and improve operation system
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 4:58 am


Press Information Bureau
(C.M. Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.



Formulate strategy for doubling agricultural
production and present it before Cabinet within a month
Utilise irrigation capacity to the fullest

Prepare action plan for better transport facilities in rural areas
Orders issued to fill all vacancies of HODs/Additional HODs
through promotion within a month
Review meeting of Principal Secretaries/Secretaries held

Lucknow: 16December 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati directed the officers
to formulate strategy for doubling the agricultural production of the
state and present it before the State Cabinet within a month. She
directed the officers to take punitive action against those who had
furnished wrong income certificates to avail government facilities. She
also decided to replace Jal Nigam with other department or any other
agency for the installation of hand-pumps under the rural drinking water
programme, so that its resources could be fully utilised for the large
projects.

The C.M. gave these directives when the Cabinet Secretary Mr.
Shashank Shekhar Singh, Chief Secretary Mr. Atul Kumar Gupta and
Additional Cabinet Secretary Mr. Vijay Shankar Pandey apprised her of
the feedback of the monthly review meeting of the Principal
Secretaries/Secretaries of all the departments.

Ms. Mayawati said that her government wanted to make the
farmers of the state prosperous and happy and with this view it had
taken several important decisions. She asked the officers of all the
related departments to prepare a strategy for doubling agricultural
production and present it before the Cabinet within a span of one
month. She said that a consolidated action plan should be formulated
with the coordination between agriculture and related activities, so that
the farmers got various agricultural inputs/facilities like fertilisers,
certified seeds, soil testing and irrigation timely and also in a smooth
manner, so that the income of the farmers could be increased twice in
next three years. She said that adequate quantity of fertilisers should
be stored before the start of the crop cycle, so that the farmers had no
difficulty in getting fertilisers. She directed the DMs to keep a check on
the distribution of fertilisers by private sellers. She said that priority
should be accorded to such proposals to be sent to the Government of
India under the Backward Area Grant Fund in the next fiscal, which
ensured creation of enough agricultural infrastructure in the rural areas.
She said that the number of Mandis should be increased, so that the
farmers got fair prices of their produce.

The C.M. said that the officers of the Medical Department should
review the number of operations being undertaken by all the surgeons
everyday and ensure that the set parameters were strictly adhered to.
She also asked them to review the parameters set for operations by the
surgeons and set new parameters for the same. She directed that the
utilisation of beds available in all the hospitals should be improved, so
that the people of the rural areas got better medical facilities. She
further directed that the facility of OPD, x-ray and pathology should be
made available round the clock at the hospitals. She said that the
National Health Insurance Scheme should be extensively reviewed by
the Health Department to assess its viability for BPL families.
Ms. Mayawati also directed the officers to prepare an action plan
for increasing transportation facility in the rural areas. She asked the
officers of the Transport Department to immediately issue permits for
plying of buses to the small private transporters and take action for
plying of buses on the newly identified routes.

Reviewing the programmes of Social Welfare Department, Ms.
Mayawati directed to constitute a committee under the Chairmanship of
Principal Secretary Social Welfare, in view of complaints with regard to
benefits being received by ineligible beneficiaries on the basis of false
income certificate. Secretary/Principal Secretary of Revenue, Rural
Development, Planning, Finance, Food and Civil Supplies Departments
will be the members of this committee, which would ensure a fool-proof
arrangement for issuing income certificate considering all the facts, so
that eligible persons could get the benefit of departmental schemes.
The Chief Minister directed to computerise the data of destitute
women pension and physically handicapped pension beneficiaries
besides, getting the amount according to fixed number by Government
of India in these two heads. Expressing concern over the number of few
beneficiaries of Mahamaya Gharib Balika Ashirwad Yojna, she directed
that this scheme should be publicised on a large scale and certificate
should be taken every month from district programme officer for no
pending of application and all the applications available had been
forwarded. She said that all scholarships and pension schemes second
instalment should be released compulsorily by December 31, so that all
the beneficiaries could be benefited by schemes timely.

Ms. Mayawati directed to fulfil the vacant posts of HODs/AHODs of
departments at all costs by January 15, 2010, so that works of
departments could not be affected. She also directed to fill the posts of
SC/ST in several departments. She said that ST people were living in a
large number in Sonebhadra and Mirzapur. Large scale publicity should
be made in these districts keeping in view to fill these vacant posts
especially, so that the people of naxal-affected areas could get
employment opportunities.

The Chief Minister said that several officers were not visiting fields
to verify development works. She directed that officers should visit
twice a month on regular basis to ensure the verification of
development works and make the report of spot verification available to
the Government. She said that only few months had been left in the
closure of financial year, therefore the remaining amount against the
programmes and schemes should be released soon to speed up
development works. She directed to take action against the
departments, which had slow pace for development works despite the
availability of money.

Ms. Mayawati directed the Electricity Department to speed up
revenue realisation and prevent power theft by examining the data
electricity sub-station wise. She directed for taking stringent action
against the responsible officers/employees failing in it. She said that
several projects of Electricity Department were being held up due to non
supply of materials on time. She directed the officers of Electricity
Department to ensure the supply of materials timely. Directing to
increase the revenue realisation, she said that if needed, policy should
be made to simplify one-time settlement scheme.

Reviewing the works of Irrigation Department, the Chief Minister
directed that work on projects, which had been sent to Government of
India should be started by getting immediate sanction to prevent floods
in future in areas affected last year. She directed the Irrigation
Department to implement the action plan for better use of available
irrigation capacity.

Ms. Mayawati, while reviewing the primary education directed to
make arrangements for assessment of students. She also directed to
complete the urban infrastructure facilities timely.
Keeping in view, the large difference between the wholesale and
retail rates, the Chief Minister directed to take action against the officers
responsible for it. She said that action should be taken under Essential
Commodities Act, if needed. Directing to check the construction of
religious spots on public places/properties, she said that regular
monitoring should be done at district level for it.
********
C.M. requests Centre to reorganise Uttar Pradesh on the lines
of Telangana and constitute Bundelkhand and
Western U.P. states separately

State Government not against creation of separate
Poorvanchal state, in fact it is with the people on this issue
— Mayawati
Our party supports smaller states
— Chief Minister

Lucknow: December 11, 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati, keeping in view
the inspiration of the people of Bundelkhand and Western U.P.,
requested Central Government to give its consent to create two new
separate states of Bundelkhand and Western U.P. She said since she
accorded top priority to the interests of the people, therefore, she was
with the people regarding the formation of these two new states so
that better administrative management and all round development of
these areas could be encouraged.

The Chief Minister was addressing a press conference held at her
official residence here today to clarify her party’s and state
government’s stand on the creation of new states of Bundelkhand and
Western U.P. She said that her government supported smaller states
and districts, so that people could get better administration and all
round development could also be ensured.

Replying to a question she said that if the people of Poorvanchal
also demanded their state then the state government and her party
would not oppose it, instead she was with the people of Poorvanchal
on this issue. Answering another question she said that since Mr.
Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party was heading the Central Government,
therefore he should press Central Government to form separate
Bundelkhand state, instead of demanding it like a leader of opposition
adding that it was opposition which made such demands.

Ms. Mayawati said that she had written several letters to the
Central Government earlier regarding the creation of new states of
Bundelkhand and Western U.P. She said that she had written a letter
in this regard to the Centre today as well. Referring to the huge
population and area of Uttar Pradesh, she said that the formation of
Bundelkhand and areas of Western U.P. as separate states had
become imperative for ensuring better administrative management in
the interests of the people. She said that the people of both these
areas had been demanding for long to create separate states on the
lines of Uttarakhand State.

The C.M. said that as soon as the Central Government gave its
consent to create Telangana as a separate state out of Andhra Pradesh
and wanted that the Vidhan Sabha approved it, the people of these
areas also started pressing more for their demand of separate states
for the past 2-3 days. Therefore, her party and government also
demanded from the Central Government to give its consent for the
creation of two separate states of Bundelkhand and Western U.P. in
the same way.

Ms. Mayawati said that she had requested the P.M. through her
letter written on 15 March 2008 that to ensure all round development
of U.P. it should be divided into smaller states. Therefore, creation of
Bundelkhand and Western U.P. as two separate states would be
correct. She had also requested in her letter that the Central
Government should initiate action as per the constitutional procedure,
so that progress could be made for creation of new states.

The Chief Minister said that in this light she had written another
letter to the Prime Minister today to give consent for the creation of
Bundelkhand and Western U.P. as two new states like Telangana.
Ms. Mayawati made it clear that during her huge public meeting
organised in Lucknow on 09 October 2007, she had strongly and
publicly supported creation of Bundelkhand and Western U.P. as two
new states. She said that during her address she had expressed her
view that her party supported smaller districts and states. She said
that she had made it clear at the meeting if the Central Government
agreed, then the proposal for creation of Bundelkhand and Western
U.P. as two new separate states could be forwarded to the Centre.

The C.M. said that on 31 October 2007, her government had
expressed its view in the U.P. Vidhan Sabha that under Article-3 of the
Constitution, the Parliament had the right to create new states. She
said that her government had said that it was supporting creation of
smaller states, so that all round development could be ensured, and
when the Central Government initiated it, her government would
extend its support.

Ms. Mayawati appealed to the people of the Bundelkhand and
Western U.P. to strongly plead for the creation of new states before
the Central Government. She said that the people should put their
demand in a disciplined manner and within the limits of law. She urged
them not to get provoked and take law in their hands on this issue.
********
Conduct detailed survey to give rights to SC and Vanvasis on land,
their settlement claims should also be solved immediately
— Mayawati

Amend MNREGA scheme to provide infrastructure
facilities like irrigation to SC and poor people
— Chief Minister

Directives issued to provide X-ray and Pathology services in
government hospitals round the clock and improve operation system

Lucknow : December 10, 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati directed the officers to
ensure transparency and quality in the implementation of programmes directly
related with the people. These programmes should be completed in a time
bound manner, she warned. She said that detailed survey should be conducted
to give rights to SC and Vanvasis on land and their settlement claims should
also be solved immediately. She said that the officers should visit villages for
this purpose. Directing the Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of Forest, Social
Welfare and Revenue departments to hold camps in the villages of Sonebhadra
and Mirzapur districts to ensure that the people got right/possession over the
land. This work should be completed in a time bound manner, she added.
Regarding the availability of fertilisers in adequate quantity, the C.M.
directed the officers to ensure that there was no paucity of fertilisers at any
cost. She asked the officers to ensure that the black marketing and stockpiling
of fertilisers was stopped and tough action should be taken against those
indulging in it. She further directed the officers to implement such a system
before the next Kharif season, so that there was no dearth of fertilisers. She
directed the officers to fix new routes for the newly constructed roads, so that
people of the rural areas got the facility of transportation. She asked them to
issue permits for the same. She directed the officers that all the construction
agencies ensured selling of tender papers through banks.

Ms. Mayawati gave these directives when the Cabinet Secretary Mr.
Shashank Shekhar Singh, Chief Secretary Mr. Atul Kumar Gupta and Additional
Cabinet Secretary Mr. Vijay Shankar Pandey apprised her of the feedback of the
review meeting held with the divisional commissioners and the senior officers of
the government here today. The officers had extensively reviewed the progress
of the development programmes accorded priority by the C.M. After going
through the inferences of the feedback the C.M. gave necessary directives for
the divisional commissioners. She directed the officers to complete construction
of 2000 community centres, being constructed in the Ambedkar villages all over
the state, by 31 March 2010. Besides, she also directed the officers to ensure
that works like construction of link roads, C.C. roads, K.C. drains, kharanja and
installation of sodium lamps, linking of majras and their electrification work was
completed by 31 January by all costs. The Commissioners should conduct on
the spot verifications, she said.

The C.M. directed the officers to distribute land pattas among people of
SC/ST category and ensure their cent per cent possession and if somebody
illegally encroached it then action should be initiated under section 198 against
the encroachers. Besides, she directed the officers to ensure distribution of
housing pattas and agricultural pattas and qualitative disposal of complaints
received at Tehsil Diwas. She asked the officers to verify these activities from
time to time through the competent officers. She directed the officers of the
Revenue department to speed up the pace of consolidation as it adversely
affected the farmers.

Expressing her displeasure over the slow pace of work being conducted
under MNREGA, Ms. Mayawati asked the officers to amend MNREGA scheme to
provide infrastructure facilities like irrigation to the SC and poor people. She
said that for the rapid construction of ponds and to accelerate the pace of
various development works being undertaken at the Panchayat level, a training
and awareness programme should be conducted at the block level for Pradhans
and Panchayat officers.

The C.M. said that about Rs. 2000 crore were being spent under ICDS
scheme for the welfare of women and children. She said that this scheme
should be implemented in an effective manner, so that the beneficiaries got
more and more benefit from it. She directed the officers to review the format of
ICDS scheme so that it could be made more effective. She directed the
divisional commissioners to carry out surprise inspections of the Anganbari
centres.

Ms. Mayawati said that the presence of the doctors should be ensured at
all the PHCs and hospitals, so that people got better health services at the local
level. She said that stringent action should be taken against the defaulters. She
said that it should be ensured that there was no scarcity of medicines in the
hospitals. Besides, she directed the officers to ensure that X-ray and pathology
services in government hospitals were provided round the clock and the
operation system should also be improved.

The C.M. directed that the officers to ensure that the complaints being
received in the distribution and purchase of bitumen (coal tar) were looked into
and solved at the earliest, so that construction of roads could be done in a
qualitative manner. Tender documents should be sold through banks so that
the e-tendering system could be implemented effectively, she stated. Moreover,
23 per cent reservation for the SC/ST in the government contracts should be
ensured at all cost. She expressed her displeasure over the slow progress of the
construction of link roads in the naxal affected divisions viz. Azamgarh,
Varanasi and Vindhyachal. She directed the officers to replace defunct
transformers immediately and energise the tube-wells on priority basis, so that
the farmers did not face any difficulty in their irrigation requirements.

Ms. Mayawati directed the officers to ensure that the maximum amount
received under the BRGF scheme under Panchayati raj was utilised in a time
bound manner and strict action should be taken against those Safai Karmcharis
who were not doing their duty properly. It was informed at the meeting that the
services of as many as 306 Safai Karmcharis had been terminated, 1120
suspended and salary of 2133 Safai Karmcharis had been held.

The C.M. directed the officers to improve the quality of primary education
and speed up the process of recruitment of teachers. She also asked them to
achieve the target of paddy purchase in a time bound manner. She directed the
officers to ensure that all the necessary preparations were completed for the
effective implementation of Secondary Education Campaign. Besides, effective
implementation of schemes like Education for All, Mid-day meal, Savitri Bai
Phule Balika Shiksha Madad Yojna and Mahamaya Garib Balika Ashirvad Yojna
and should be ensured. She also directed to ensure that the canals had water
till the tail end and plantation work was also carried out in an effective manner.
Ms. Mayawati directed the officers to ensure cent per cent distribution of
pre 10th and post 10th scholarships and furnish its report to the government.
She also directed the officers to verify the distribution of pensions like widow,
old age and disabled and eliminate the bogus candidates. She appreciated
some divisions for satisfactory work and warned some divisions and asked to
improve their functioning.

The C.M. directed the officers to utilise funds allocated by 12th Finance
Commission by February next and ensure that the schemes being conducted
under it were completed in a time bound manner and the reconstruction of
collectorate buildings of Azamgarh and Barabanki districts, which were 100
years old, should be completed at the earliest. Besides, various schemes being
implemented for rural and urban drinking water supply should be completed in
a time bound manner and the construction of solid waste management work,
being carried out in Agra, should also be completed at the earliest. She directed
the officers to speed up allotment of houses constructed under the Manyawar
Shri Kanshiramji Shahri Garib Awas Yojna and also to ensure effective
implementation of Sarvajan Hitai Shahri Garib Awas (slum area) Malikana Haq
Yojna.

The Chairman Revenue Board Mr. R. Ramni, APC Mr. V.K. Sharma,
Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner Mr. Anup Mishra,
Principal Secretaries/Secretaries to C.M. and Principal Secretaries of all the
departments were present at the meeting.
*******

comments (0)
12/17/09
Maya’s travails
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 7:10 am

Maya’s travails
By Kancha Ilaiah

If a political issue is sought to be settled through the legal means, it would have different implications to our democracy.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s response to the legal hurdles
to her plans to set up Ambedkar parks and Kanshi Ram memorials was
quite brave and intelligent. A team of anti-Maya lawyers (belonging to
both BJP and Congress ideology) filed a public interest litigation in
the supreme court pleading to stop the construction.

The
supreme court constituted a committee, which held that there is great
danger to the environment of UP because of these parks, though they are
not polluting industries. There is not enough evidence that in order to
construct these statue-parks, they had cut down any trees at all.


Based
on the recommendations of the experts committee, the supreme court
ordered stoppage of work at all construction sites. The court
threatened to forcefully stop the work or otherwise it would take over
the sites by deploying special armed forces. Hence the work was stopped.

However,
within a few days, Mayawati declared that her government would build
massive Kanshi Ram green parks around Lucknow and other cities of Uttar
Pradesh. She also announced that a long stretch of green corridor would
be created on the outskirts of Lucknow. If the anti-Mayawati forces
want to cut her sovereign powers based on the democratic decision of
her cabinet (right or wrong) by using the court, she wants to assert
her power. She wants to appeal to the psychological alienation of the SC/ST masses and show them that she was bent upon creating alternative
sites of socio-spiritual satisfaction of those people by building more SC/ST-Buddhist icon parks.

After all, the SC/STs and green
environment are not enemies of each other. They did not cut down
forests to own hundreds of acres of land nor did they cut down trees to
build mansions for their comfortable living. But to see how much
teakwood is there in the houses of the every principled
environmentalist of Delhi and other cities one only needs to visit
their houses.

So like Orwellian principles of ‘Animal Farm’, the
theory of even simplicity and environment changes from caste to caste
and culture to culture. Even the courts seem to be getting drawn into
this controversy. That it poses a danger to democracy needs to be seen
in future. Already the SC/ST-Bahujan masses have been losing faith in
our judicial institutions. If the courts involve in far-fetched
interpretative judicial activism in
SC/ST cultural life (of statue
building or otherwise) their alienation would become more pronounced.
That does not harm Mayawati but harms democracy, rather irreparably.


Courage

There
is a gross mis-reading of Mayawati’s abilities to handle her own
affairs. We do not know how much money she has but she has enormous
courage and confidence. Though efforts are on to dislodge and destroy
her legally, she seems to be gaining politically.

On the one hand,
Congress is attempting to take her
SC/ST and Brahmin vote-bank away and
on the other, it is attempting to project the Brahmin leadership at the
top (Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Manish Tiwari and so on). At the ground
level, it is sending Rahul Gandhi into
SC/ST huts to eat with them and
sleep in their homes so that a psychological repositioning of them
could take place. But will the Congress succeed?

While all her
opponents are trying to drag her into litigations so that her
administration becomes totally dysfunctional, she seems to be gaining
strength. If a political issue is sought to be settled through the
legal means, it would have different implications to our democracy. If
Mayawati is spending money on monuments when the masses are suffering
from lack of food, education and employment, such a government should
be faced politically only
.

The recent byelections in UP have shown
that her voters are not getting alienated from her. If more and more
feeling of harassment on account of Ambedkar parks is generated, then
more and more consolidation of the
SC/ST vote would take place and
Mayawati will prove her opponents wrong.

She has an ideological
agenda. The rock bed of that agenda is the
SC/ST social force. The BSP
from the days of Kanshi Ram has an ideological position on men and
matters. The Congress and more so, the Samajwadi Party cannot convince
the
SC/STs on that count.
The Samajwadi party, in particular, has no
ideology whatsoever. The Lohia-JP ideology has no social basis. The
Muslims have no problem with her so long as she does not allow the BJP
to play round.

If Ambedkar parks that are coming up as
alternative sites of socio-spiritual culture of
SC/STs are shown as
anti-democratic by the Hindu legal pundits, the
SC/STs will tell them
that they will back Mayawati more and more on religious and ideological
grounds.

As these parks are essentially anti-Hindu-Buddhist
monuments, she is constructing history. If they stop her activities in
the name of protection to environment, the
SC/STs might feel that the
so called environmentalists have saffron threads to their wrists and
that is where they see a common ground between the BJP, the Congress
and the Samajwadi Party.

comments (0)
12/15/09
Spoke against Mayawati. Expelled.-Rise of the First Pacific Prime Minister
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 11:21 pm


The Bahujan Samaj Party has lost no time in expelling general secretary
Shahid Siddiqui, who dared to speak against party chief Mayawati.


Daily newspaper
The Indian Express quoted Siddiqui as saying that in party meetings,
“Mayawatiji comes, speaks, goes, there’s no discussion.” The BSP
expulsion came just a few hours after the newspaper had published
Siddiqui’s comments on Monday.


The party said in a press release

that it was expelling Siddiqui for indulging in anti-party activities
and that he had been warned a week ago to improve his way of
working
. It said Siddiqui’s statements on party activities were baseless.

The
party also blamed Siddiqui for the loss of the Bijnor seat in the Lok
Sabha elections this year. Shahid Siddiqui had quit the SP to join the
BSP just before the parliamentary elections and lost to RLD candidate
Sanjay Singh Chauhan.


To the The Indian Express, Siddiqui also
said; “Decisions are taken somewhere else. People like Bal Thackeray,
Prakash Karat who have not been to Parliament, and those like Mayawati
and Chandrababu Naidu who are not MPs themselves, control party MPs.
They tell them what to say and what not to. Parliament is the
chessboard on which the pawns are moved, but the hands moving them are
elsewhere”.


Explaining Siddiqui’s expulsion following his interview in the Indian
Express, cabinet minister Babu Singh Kushwaha said that Siddiqui’s
irresponsible statement was the last nail in his coffin as the party
was annoyed by his errant ways.


‘Right from day one, Siddiqui
had been told in no uncertain terms to maintain discipline and not
indulge in self promotion as BSP was not like other political parties.
But he refused to mend his ways and was angling to get an entry into
the Rajya Sabha. However, our party president gave him a Lok Sabha
ticket for Bijnore that was BSP’s traditional stronghold. Yet he fared
poorly and failed to retain the seat, largely because he could not give
up his hobnobbing with SP,’ Kushwaha stated
.

Dec 15. It was May 2007, when Ku. Mayawati led Bahujan Samaj Party
swept the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections,winning 206 out of 403
seats. The dalit czarina silenced all her critics by taking her party
to majority for the first time,becoming the first majority party in the
state since 1991.The social engineering agenda of the 52 year
politician had reaped huge dividends as Mayawati became centre of all
attention in the politics of India. Mulayam Singh Yadav and his
Samajwadi Party associates could never understand what had hit them.

As the recent results of the bye-elections to the 11 assembly
constituencies and a Lok Sabha seat is to be taken into account, BSP
has won 9 out of 11 seats.Now speaking about Mission 2012, BSP has managed to win 9 seats which
indicates that the BSP has still not lost touch with its voters.

Rise of the First Pacific Prime Minister


Now speaking about Mission 2012, BSP has still
not lost touch with its voters. Hence Ku. Mayawati will not only be the first
Scheduled Caste Prime Minister of Jambddvipa, that is, the Great Prabuddha
Bharath, but also rise to be the first Pacific Prime Minister.

Politics and
political matters are considered worldly concerns, yes. But Mayawati did not
ignore such worldly concerns, because as a Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh,
still she is living in society. Food comes from vast numbers of people
constituting society. So she is working to elevate society to evolve into a
higher form, to be more effective and more just?

The Ministers, MLAs and BSP Cadres are also told by Mayawati
to work for the good of many, for the benefit of all beings and for the
betterment of society. The intent behind the founding of the Bahujan Samaj
Party (BSP) was entirely for the benefit of the people.

In the life of Buddha, we find that the Buddha often
discussed politics with the rulers of realms in his time, such as King Mala,
King Kosala, King Licchavi and King Ajatasattu. The Buddha always preached the
kings that they must rule their kingdoms with dasarajadhamma. The dasarajadamma
in Pali is based on ten precepts, in order for the king to best rule the
country. They are:

(1) be liberal and avoid selfishness,

(2) maintain a high moral character,

(3) Be prepared to sacrifice one’s own pleasure for the
well-being of the subjects,

(4) be honest and maintain absolute integrity,

(5) Be kind and gentle,

(6) lead a simple life for the subjects to emulate,

(7) Be free from hatred of any kind,

(8) exercise non-violence,

(9) Practice patience, and

(10) Respect public opinion to promote peace and harmony.

Ms Mayawati’s government who wishes to peacefully rule her
State effectively apply these 10 precepts even today; they haven’t yet and
never will “go out of date.”

She follows
non-violence and peace as a universal message. She did not approve of violence
or the destruction of life, and aware that there is no such thing as a ‘just’
war.
  “The victor breeds hatred; the
defeated lives in misery. He who renounces both victory and defeat is happy and
peaceful.”

She is also
aware ‘When the ruler of a country is just and good, the ministers become just
and good; when the ministers are just and good, the higher officials become
just and good; when the higher officials are just and good, the rank and file
become just and good; when the rank and file become just and good, the people
become just and good.’

Now Ms
Mayawati is been described as one of the greatest leaders. The Leader as
Visionary. Like the captain of a ship, he has a definite goal to chart her
course and steer his ship in the right direction. She has one goal - to find
the cause of suffering and a way out of suffering. Despite much hardship and
setback, she never veered from her course but persevered till she gained
awaken-ness after she got elected as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Guided by
this vision, her mission is an all-embracing one. It is a mission founded on
compassion and love for all beings, regardless of race, creed or status quo.

The Leader
as Role Model

She has an
exemplary figure, someone we can respect and emulate. She is extraordinary,
virtuous and righteous in every thought, word and deed. She says as

She does and
does as she says. Such integrity and consistency won her the trust of her
followers. She is aware of the ten principles which a ruler ought to be
possessed:

1.                 
Alms giving

2.                 
Morality

3.                 
Unselfishness

4.                 
Integrity

5.                 
Gentleness

6.                 
Self-restraint

7.                 
Non-anger

8.                 
Non-violence

9.                 
Patience

10.             
Agreeability


Father of the Prabuddha Bharath Constitution

Ambedkar proved right

 

After resigning from Nehru’s
Cabinet as Law Minister over the controversial Hindu Code Bill in 1951, Dr.
B.R. Ambedkar spent most of his time writing at his 26, Alipore Road residence in Delhi’s Civil Lines.
Fresh from drafting and the successful piloting of the Indian Constitution in
the Constituent Assembly, he entered one of his most productive writing phases
and left behind a great body of literature on a wide range of subjects.

 

Dr. Ambedkar, who remained a
Rajya Sabha member till his death in December, 1956, made occasional
appearances in the house of elders to express his views on contemporary issues
that exercised him. Though reading and writing on Hinduism and Buddhism
consumed most of his time, the everyday Indian political situation of the 1950s
did not escape his attention. Two of those issues that need to be relooked
today are the reorganisation of the states and his idea of the politics of
majority and minority castes.

 

As the issue of
reorganisation of Indian states on the basis of language raged in the 1950s Dr.
Ambedkar compiled his opinions into a book, Thoughts on Linguistic States,
which was published in 1955. The book is as relevant today as it was then. Dr.
Ambedkar felt that creation of states should be based on equal distribution of
population and their capitals should be centrally located in those states. Dr.
Ambedkar criticised the confusion prevailing in the ruling camp in the 1950s on
linguistic states.

 

He said that one language in
a state can unite people and two languages are sure to divide them. “Culture is
conserved by language”, he said. He supported linguistic states for two
reasons. One, to make the path to democracy easy and the other to remove racial
and cultural tensions.

His opinions find reflection
in today’s situations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam
or even Maharashtra. The formula he put forth
for division of states in his book now seems prophetic. He then had envisioned
the division of Bihar into two: north Bihar with Patna
as capital and Ranchi being the capital of south
Bihar.

 

The division did happen,
though it took almost fifty years. For him Andhra and Hyderabad (Telangana) were never one state.
He always perceived them as two separate entities. The demand for a separate
Telangana never really died down.

 

More ominous seems to be his
prescription for Uttar Pradesh. He sought to divide Uttar Pradesh, which was a
six Crore population state in 1955 into three states of two crore population
each. Western Uttar Pradesh with Meerut, Central
Uttar Pradesh with Kanpur and Eastern Uttar
Pradesh with Allahabad
as capitals. He clearly conceptualised that smaller states were always better
administered.

 

Dr. Ambedkar’s
recommendations for Maharashtra will be too
startling for today’s reader. He proposed the creation of a city state of Bombay (Mumbai) with a rider that the taxes collected from
Bombay should be equally divided among the three
states he proposed to carve out of rest of Maharashtra.
His proposal was for a western Maharashtra, Marathwada or central Maharashtra
and eastern Maharashtra comprising Vidharbha.

 

He had also wanted to split
Madhya Pradesh into north and south, which eventually became Madhya Pradesh and
Chhattisgarh many decades later. While accepting the linguistic states
as a matter of principle, he proposed further division of single language
states for better administration, access to administration for people of
various regions within the geographic entity and also their sentiments.

 

[   Excerpts from the Thoughts On
Linguistics States, By Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar 
       

 

SUMMARY OF PRICIPLES
COVERING THE ISSUE

 

For the sake of the reader I summarise
below the principles which should underly the creation of Linguistic States which are
already enunciated In the foregoing pages but
which lie about scattered. These principles may be staled as below :

(1) The idea of having a mixed State must be completely abandoned.

(2) Every State must be an unilingual State. One State, one language.

(3) The
formula one State, one language must not be
confused with the formula of one language, one State.

(4) The
formula one language, one State means that all people speaking one language
should be brought under one Government
irrespective of area, population and dissimilarity of conditions among the
people speaking the language. This is the idea that underlies the agitation for
a united Maharashtra with Bombay. This is an absurd formula and has no
precedent for it. It must be abandoned. A people speaking one language may be
cut up into many States as is done in other parts of the world.

(5) Into
how many States a people speaking one language should be cut up, should depend
upon (1) the requirements of efficient administration, (2) the needs of the
different areas, (3) the sentiments of the different areas, and (4) the proportion
between the majority and minority.

(6) As the
area of the State increases the proportion of the minority to the majority
decreases and the position of the minority becomes precarious and the
opportunities for the majority to practise tyranny over the minority become
greater. The States must therefore be small.

(7) The
minorities must be given protection to prevent the tyranny of the majority. To
do this the Constitution must be amended and provisions must be made for a
system on plural member constituencies (two or three) with cumulative voting ]

 

 

The most fascinating
of Dr. Ambedkar’s proposal was about making Hyderabad, the country’s second capital for
an obvious reason
— this
southern city is equidistant from various regions of the country. The second
reason for mooting this idea was to ease the north-south tension.

 

[ Excerpts from the Thoughts On Linguistics
States, By Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar

 

INDIA AND
THE NECESSITY OF A SECOND CAPITAL

A WAY TO REMOVE TENSION BETWEEN THE NORTH
AND THE SOUTH

 

Can India
afford to have one Capital ? That India has now
one capital does not close the question. If the Capital of India is not
satisfactorily located, now is the time for considering the question.

Since the departure of the British, India
has only one capital and that is Delhi.
Before the British, India
has always had two capitals. During the Moghal
period, India had Delhi as one Capital and Shrinagar
in Kashmir as another Capital. When the
British came they too had two capitals, one was Calcutta and another was Simla. Even when
they left Calcutta for Delhi, they retained Simla as their summer
Capital. The two capitals maintained by the Moghuls
and by the British were the results of climatic conditions.
Neither the British nor the Moghuls were able to
live in Delhi or in Calcutta continuously for 12 months. The
summer months in Delhi
were unbearable to the Moghuls. They made Shrinagar their second capital for
summer months. The summer months in Calcutta
were equally unbearable to the British. They, therefore, established a second
capital. To these climatic conditions must now be added three other conditions.
There was no popular Government when the Moghuls ruled or when the British ruled. Now we have popular Government and the
convenience of the people is an important factor. Delhi is most
inconvenient to the people of the South. They suffer the most from cold as well
as distance. Even the Northern people suffer in the summer months. They do not
complain because they are nearer home and they are nearer the seat of power.
Second is the feeling of the Southern people and the third is the consideration
of Defence. The feeling of the Southern people is that the Capital of their
Country is far away from them and that they are
being ruled by the people of Northern India.
The third consideration is of course more important. It is that Delhi is a vulnerable
place. It is within bombing distance of the neighbouring countries. Although India is trying to live in peace with its neighbours
it cannot be assumed that India
will not have to face war sometime or other and if war comes, the Government of India will have to leave Delhi and find another
place for its location. Which is the place to
which the Government of India can migrate ? A
place that one can think of is Calcutta.
But Calcutta is also within bombing distance
from Tibet.
Although India and China today are
friends, how long the friendship would last no one can definitely say. The
possibility of conflict between India
and China
remains. In that event Calcutta
would be useless. The next town that could be considered as a refuge for the
Central Government is Bombay. But Bombay
is a port and our Indian Navy is too poor to protect the Central Government if it came down to Bombay. Is there a fourth place one could think of? I find Hyderabad to be such a place. Hyderabad Secunderabad
and Bolarum should be constituted into a Chief
Commissioner’ s Province and made a second capital of India. Hyderabad fulfils all the requirements of a capital for India. Hyderabad is equidistant
to all States. Anyone who looks at the table of distances given below will
realise it:

 

 

From Delhi – miles

From Hyderabad – miles

To Bombay

798

440

To Calcutta

868

715

To Madras

1198

330

To
Karnul

957

275

To Trivandrum

1521

660

To Patiala

124

990

To Chandigarh

180

1045

To Lucknow

275

770

 

From the defence point of view it would
give safety to the Central Government. It is equidistant from all parts of India. It would
give satisfaction to the South Indian people that their Government is sometimes
with them. The Government may remain in Delhi during winter months and during other months it can
stay in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad has all the
amenities which Delhi has and it is a far better
City than Delhi.
It has all the grandeur which Delhi has. Buildings are going cheap and they
are really beautiful buildings, far superior to those in Delhi. They are all on sale. The only thing
that is wanting is a Parliament House which the Government of India can easily
build. It is a place in which Parliament can sit all the year round and work,
which it cannot do in Delhi.
I do not see what objection there can be in making Hyderabad a second capital of India. It
should be done right now while we are reorganising the States.

Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Bolarum
should be constituted into a second capital of India. Fortunately, it can be very easily done with satisfaction
to the whole of South India, to Maharashtra and to
the Andhras.

This is
another remedy for easing the tension between the North and the South ]

 

In Karnataka
State the BBMP has
created 198 wards from just less than 100 wards. Even though the number of
seats reserved for SC/ ST is not proportionate to 198, the election is will be
held in February. The BBMP has been bifurcated to 20000 and 30000 population.
When such is the case why not States be bifurcated for every 2 crore
population? Already number of States have been created after Independence. There is no problem. It is for
easy administration.


comments (0)
12/14/09
Appeal to Request His Excellency The first Pacific President -barack-Obama to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi at White House on 27th May 2010-Ambedkar proved right-Mayawati seeks centre’s nod for trifurcation of Uttar Pradesh
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 7:42 am
Appeal to
Request His Excellency The
first
Pacific
President
-barack-Obama
to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi at White House on 27th
May 2010

Politics
and political matters in Buddhism are considered worldly concerns, yes. But the
Buddha did not ignore such worldly concerns, because as a Prince estranged and
removed from his prior worldly concerns, still He was living in society. Alms
food comes from vast numbers of people constituting society. So should not we
work to elevate society to evolve into a higher form, to be more effective and
more just? The monks were also told by the Buddha to work for the good of many,
for the benefit of all beings and for the betterment of society. The intent
behind the founding of the community of monks (Sangha in Pali, Pali being the original
language of the Buddha) was entirely for the benefit of the people.


In the life of Buddha, we find that the Buddha
often discussed politics with the rulers of realms in his time, such as King
Mala, King Kosala , King Licchavi and King Ajatasattu . The Buddha always
preached the kings that they must rule their kingdoms with dasarajadhamma. The
dasarajadamma in Pali is based on ten precepts, in order for the king to best
rule the country. They are: (1) be liberal and avoid selfishness, (2) maintain
a high moral character, (3) be prepared to sacrifice one’s own pleasure for the
well-being of the subjects, (4) be honest and maintain absolute integrity, (5)
be kind and gentle, (6) lead a simple life for the subjects to emulate, (7) be
free from hatred of any kind, (8) exercise non-violence, (9) practice patience,
and (10) respect public opinion to promote peace and harmony. Any government
who wishes to peacefully rule any nation can effectively apply these 10
precepts even today; they haven’t yet and never will “go out of date.”

The Buddha
preached non-violence and peace as a universal message. He did not approve of
violence or the destruction of life, and declared that there is no such thing
as a ‘just’ war. From his own words, He taught: “The victor breeds hatred; the
defeated lives in misery. He who renounces both victory and defeat is happy and
peaceful.”


Not only did the Buddha teach non-violence and
peace: He was perhaps the first and only religious teacher who went to the
battlefield personally to prevent the outbreak of a war, when He diffused
tension between the Sakyas and the Koliyas who were about to wage war over the
waters of Rohini River. He also dissuaded King Ajatasattu from attacking the
Kingdom of the Vajjis


He showed how countries could become corrupt,
degenerate and unhappy when the head of the government becomes corrupt and
unjust. He spoke against corruption and how all governments’ actions must be
based on humanitarian principles.

The Buddha
once said, ‘When the ruler of a country is just and good, the ministers become
just and good; when the ministers are just and good, the higher officials
become just and good; when the higher officials are just and good, the rank and
file become just and good; when the rank and file become just and good, the
people become just and good.’

Clearly,
religion and politics are something analogous to paper money having two sides.
The front can be regarded as religion and the other side can be regarded as
politics. They cannot be separated from each other. Otherwise the value of
money is nothing. Similarly, Buddhist monks and other religious leaders also
should not be separated from politics. I don’t mean to imply that they should
rule the country, but just to present and to advance their Buddhist precepts throughout
the workings of a government in order to prevent so many wars and conquests,
persecutions, such egregious atrocities, rebellions, and the destruction of
works of art and culture.


obama.barack@fcboe.org

Obama


Desappriya
jayasuriya
0n Subject: Buddha

mentioned
Remarks by
first
Pacific
President Barack Obama at Suntory Hall”……. It is wonderful to be
back in Japan
Some of you may be aware that when I was a young boy, my mother brought me to Kamakura, where I looked
up at that centuries-old symbol of peace and tranquility — the great bronze
Amida Buddha……” Now Barack Obama is been described as one of the greatest
leaders. The Leader as Visionary. Like the captain of a ship, he has a definite
goal to chart his course and steer his ship in the right direction. He has one
goal - to find the cause of suffering and a way out of suffering. Despite much
hardship and setback, he never veered from his course but persevered till he
gained awaken-ness after he got elected as President of US.

Guided by this
vision, his mission is an all-embracing one. It is a mission founded on
compassion and love for all beings, regardless of race, creed or status quo.

The Leader as
Role Model

He has an
exemplary figure, someone we can respect and emulate. He is extraordinary,
virtuous and righteous in every thought, word and deed. He says as he does and
does as he says. Such integrity and consistency won him the trust of his
followers. He is aware of the ten principles which a ruler ought to be possessed:

1.                 
Alms
giving

2.                 
Morality

3.                 
Unselfishness

4.                 
Integrity

5.                 
Gentleness

6.                 
Self-restraint

7.                 
Non-anger

8.                 
Non-violence

9.                 
Patience

10.             
Agreeability

 

The
Leader as Mediator

As
a leader,

He
demonstrated both skills in mediation and impartiality in judgment, showed his
ability to resolve problems and arguments.

Hence
Jagatheesan Chandrasekharan suggested “…..
Let all of us
request His Excellency the
first
Pacific
president-barack-obama to celebrate next (27-May 2010)Buddha Jayanthi at White House to
spread the message of non-violence and peace by chanting relevant gathas by
Maha theras for the happiness and welfare of all…..”

MAHINDA
welcomed
the same by saying “…..DEAR FRIENDS …ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!
                        
WHAT MARVELOUS IDEA. WE SHOULD ASK THE ENTIRE BUDDHIST WORLD TO RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST FROM PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA TO COMPLY WITH OUR HUMBLE IDEA AND
HONOR IT.
                     
The main reason being    THAT THERE WERE NOT SINGLE  A DROP OF
BLOOD WAS SHED IN THE NAME OF THE BUDDHISM 
                     
        BUDDHA PREACHED ABSOLUTE NONVIOLENCE ,THE
UNBOUND LOVE AND COMPASSION TOWARD EVERY LIVING CREATURE.
                     
  
    MOST LIKELY THE PRESIDENT MAY NOT BE FULLY AWARE OF
 THE DETAILS OF THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF BUDDHISM.
                     
    
                     
  FURTHER MORE THE BUDDHA TOLERATED ALL BELIEF SYSTEMS AND NEVER
CONDEMNED OR PUT DOWN OTHERS’ FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROPAGATION OR
PROSYLITIZATION /FOR HIS OWN. HE WAS THE MOST TOLERANT TEACHER OF DARMA
WHICH ADVOCATES THE TOTAL OPENNESS LIKE MAMMOTH TENT WITHOUT DOORS AND
WINDOWS  WHERE EVERY ONE IS WELCOME   AND NO ONE IS ASKED OR
REQUIRED TO GIVE UP THEIR BELIEF.


                          
HE INVITED THE FOLLOWERS TO CAREFULLY INVESTIGATE HIS TEACHING, LIKE GOLD
DIGGER TRYING FINDING THE PURE GOLD, BEFORE MAKING ANY HASTY DECISION TO BECOME
A BUDDHIST.
            SO LET US
SEND OUR REQUEST THE WHITE HOUSE AS A UNOFORM VOICE.  LET US
ALSO REQUEST HIS HOLINESS DALAI LAMA TO JOIN US  …  “
Venerable Ananda
Bhante of Mahabodhi Loka Shanti Vihara, Bangalore suggested to appeal all the
Buddhist organizations in general and Americans in particular to make a request
to White House to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi on 27th May 2010.
Accordingly emails are being sent to all Buddhist organizations through the
world.
Similar
suggestion was made by Sashikanth Chandrasekharan from Cleveland.

P.P. Lakshman
Email:
pplakshman08@
gmail.com

Tel: 917-664-6566

suggested as follows:
Dear Jagatheesan,

There is no doubt that the case for celebration of Buddha Jayanti at
White House is inherently strong, more so in the wake of the inspiring
speech at Tokyo, earlier this month, by President Obama who called
himself the ‘first Pacific President’. We all should be thankful to
you and the other Buddhist friends for bringing this up.

As you know, most of the Buddhist countries in the world are in the
Pacific region, and they all will be ecstatic about the idea of
celebrating the next Buddha Jayanti at the White House - on May 27,
2010. China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos,
Sri Lanka
have all very many devoted Buddhists.

Their governments
are likely to make the suggestion to the Pacific
President in the U.S.
This is true of India as
well despite the fact
that India
has a Buddhist symbol as its national emblem and Buddha
Dhamma Chakra embedded on its national flag. There are many Indian
nationals in the Obama administration including the White House.
They will also
support the idea.
The memorable Tokyo speech of the U.S.
President provides an excellent
background to make the case for a White House celebration of Buddha
Jayanti. Obama will most certainly get a hearing for the Buddha
Jayanti proposal from leaders like Dalai Lama, the Chinese Buddhist
leader Ven Hsing Yun. Buddhist activist Richard Gere the famous actor,
and Buddhist Professor Robert Thurman and others. I am very optimistic
that with their voicing support, the White House celebration of Buddha
Jayanti on May 27, 2010 would be a done deal.
Let us make our appeals to His Holiness Dalai LamaCharacteristic hands-raised anjali greeting
ohhdl@dalailama.com,
Chinese Buddhist leader 
Venerable Hsing Yun星雲大師2009IBPS.jpg, Budddhist activist Richard Gere the famous actor
, and
Buddhist Professor Robert Thriman

Photo � Jerry Bauerand others for voicing their support for
celebration of  Buddha Jayanthi at White House on May 2010




The Non-Violence Ethic - A Noble Humanist Concept

Gautama Buddha propounded the philosophy of
non-violence, universal love and peace 2,500 years ago. Emperor Ashoka Maurya
from India gave this
pacifist philosophy official recognition in the 3rd century B.C.E. and sent
Buddhist missionaries to the far-east and Central Asia.
For this initiative in spreading the message of peace and non-violence, he is
remembered not only by Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is The
Great Prabuddha Bharath but by pacifists all around the globe.

It is becoming increasingly ironical to talk about Non-violence in a
world of Inter-Continental Ballastic Missiles, Hydrogen Bombs, Nuclear
Submarines and the rest. But amidst all the dust that is kicked up by the
aggravating belligerence between the US and Iraq or Aboriginal Inhabitants of
Jambudvipa, that is The Great Prabuddha Bharath and Pakistan for instance, the
word Non-Violence brings to mind the name of Mahatma Gandhi in Aboriginal Inhabitants
of Jambudvipa, that is The Great Prabuddha Bharath along with the other
pacifist crusaders in different parts of the world.

Buddhism - the Pioneering Spirit of Non-Violence

Whatever one’s opinion on how far
India owes its independence to Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent crusade against
British imperialism, even the Mahatma’s worst critics would admit that the
non-violent Satyagraha launched by him attracted millions of Indians into
India’s freedom struggle.

But the philosophy of non-violence
(ahimsa) in India
is not a 20th century phenomenon, it has existed since the last three thousand
years right from the days of Gautama Buddha. India’s great emperor Ashoka gave
this pacifist philosophy official recognition for which he is remembered not
only by Indians but by pacifists all around the globe.

Origins of Non-Violence lie in Buddhism,

Lord Buddha was born in the year 563
BC in Lumbini in Nepal
Tarai near Kapilavastu in the Himalayan foothills and was named
Siddhartha.  His father was King Suddhohana of the Sakya tribe and the
Gautam clan, and his mother Maya was a Licchavi princess.  At age 19
years, he was married to princess Yashodhara and was later blessed with a son,
Rahul.  At age 29 years, Siddhartha left his home for good to seek
enlightenment and peace.  He received instructions from gurus at
Vaisali and Rajagriha and later practised penances and austerities at Uruvela
(near Gaya) for
six years but without any results.  It was, however, at Bodh Gaya after a
period of seven weeks’ continuous meditation, sitting under a pipal
tree, that Siddhartha obtained supreme enlightenment at the age of 35
years.  Thereafter, from that point, he became the Buddha—the enlightened
one.

  
He went on to Sarnath (near Varanasi)
where he preached his first sermon to five Brahmins who had been his companions
for six years at Uruvela.  The five holy men of Sarnath who received these
instructions became Buddha’s first followers.

We remember both Lord Buddha and his
sermon at Sarnath with great reverence. His preaching is well-known as dhamma-chakka
pavatana
(setting in motion the wheel of law).

Gautama Buddha explained the four
noble truths, the eightfold path of duty, the need to follow the middle path to
avoid the extremes of the pursuit of pleasure on the one hand, and worthless
austerities on the other. 

 The four noble truths are: (i)
misery (dukkha); (ii) cause of misery (dukha-samudaya); (iii)
negation of misery (duhkha-nirodha); and (iv) the path which leads
towards the negation of misery (duhkha-nirodha-gamini-patipada).

  
 The Eightfold Path comprises (i) right speech, (ii) right action, (iii)
right means of livelihood, (iv) right exertion, (v) right mindedness, (vi)
right meditation, (vii) right resolution, and (viii) right point of view. 
The first of these three paths lead to sila (physical control), the
next three to samadhi or chitta (mental control), and the last two to pajna
(intellectual development).

 It may be recalled that in the
last 45 years of his life after attaining Awakenment with Awareness, Buddha
traveled around the country teaching the masses and debating with many other
religious teachers the four noble truths, the eight-fold path, and dhamma
Buddha always spoke in the people’s language Prakrit and not in Sanskrit. 
Many people became his followers but stayed with their jobs, homes, and
families.  These lay followers provided food and shelter for others who
decided, like Buddha, to give up ordinary life and become wandering monks
wearing saffron robes.  The community of monks and nuns became known as
the sangha.

The gospel of Buddha spread
rapidly.  Buddha’s impressive personality, use of the common people’s
language, and his communication skills made his gospel spread fast.  It is
another matter that Buddha’s dialogue and discussions were recorded well after
his maha pari nibbana in Pali and these formed the basis of Buddhism
in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia,
and Vietnam
where the Hinayana form of Buddhism prevails.  Similarly, some
hundred years after Buddha, several scholars recorded the Buddhist precepts and
practices in Sanskrit.  These Sanskrit writings of Buddhist scholars in India spread to China,
Japan, Tibet, and Central Asia
and provided the kernel for the growth of the Mahayana form of
Buddhism.

In fact, from among the galaxy of
Buddhist monks, Arahats and Rinpoches, starting from Ananda,
the principal associate and disciple of Lord Buddha to the present 14th Dalai
Lama, one name that stands out with great prominence is that of Guru
Padmasambhava, the lotus born who transmitted tantric Buddhism to Sikkim, Bhutan
and Tibet
in the 8th century.

There are several legends and myths surrounding this great Guru including his
eight forms or manifestations representing different aspects of his being.
Several historians, however, describe Padmasambhava’s place of birth to be
Oddiyana (now believed to be the
Swat Valley in Pakistan). He played a major role
in the spread of Buddhism in
Tibet
and in other parts of the Himalayan region in the midst of different
conflicting philosophies.

Guru Rinpoche or the precious Master, is the Supreme Tantrik Master who through
his tantric power subdued evil spirits and demons and reformed them to guard
the religion and protect the followers of Dharma. He is profoundly venerated in
Tibet
for establishing Buddhism there.

It is learnt that while he was on his way to Tibet,
Guru Rinpoche visited Sikkim
in 8th century A.D. Guru Rinpoche has a special connection with the land of Sikkim which was blessed by him as the Bayyul
Dremojong
(hidden land of rice).

 
Guru Padmasambhava is not only venerated as the guardian deity and the
protector of the land by the people following Buddhism but also held in high
esteem and profound reverence by Sikkimese of every faith.

Many believe that this Himalayan land continuing to enjoy peace, tranquility,
progress and social harmony in spite of chaotic and violent disturbances
prevailing all around is a testimony to the belief that Sikkim must surely have
been blessed and protected by Guru Rinpoche from misfortunes, calamities,
strife and destruction.

Unification of Buddhist Thoughts


An enormous corpus of literature on Buddhism is available today in the
world. We have to take note of the fact that literature on Buddhism has grown
in several parts of the world encompassing ideas expressed in different
languages and in distant lands with varied cultures and even several
civilizations.

Following are three aspects of
Buddhism which were very dear to Lord Buddha. These are namely; (i)
compassion and non-violence; (ii)avoidance of the extremes and pursuit of the
middle path; and (iii) inculcation of spirit of rationality and argument.

Compassion and Non-violence

In the light of Lord Buddha’s
teachings, the conflict resolution mechanism of the Aboriginal Inhabitants of
Jambudvipa, that is the Great Prabuddha Bharath society received new ideas and
institutions.  This is reflected in the increasing importance of Karuna
or compassion and non-violence in our society.

Love and kindness are the very basis of
human society.  Hatred, the Buddha said, was never appeased by more
hatred—it could only be defused by friendship and sympathy. 

Compassion is the real essence of
religion.  All religions emphasize betterment and improvement of human
beings, a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, and love.  If one can
practice compassion, then the essence of religion is automatically followed,
whether it is the Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, or Islamic way.  The
important thing is that in daily life one must practice the essentials of
religion—non-violence, love, and compassion—and on that level there is hardly
any difference between Buddhism, Christianity, or any other religion. 

Gautama Buddha’s ‘middle path’. 

According to this doctrine of the
golden mean, the correct or right course of action is always some middle point
between the two extremes of excess (too much) and deficiency (too
little). 

It is interesting to note that similar
approaches were propounded in China
and Greece
in the pre-Christian era.  Confucius (550–479 BC) believed in virtuous
living by what he called the ‘doctrine of the mean’ (Chung Yang or ‘constant
middle’): for every action, there are two extremes which must be avoided, and
what lies at a proper distance between these two extremes is virtue, and the
right way to act.  Lao Tze, an older contemporary of Confucius believed,
and accordingly advocated, that the right way (Tao) consists in reversion from
extremes. 

In Greece, Aristotle (384–322 BC)
developed this doctrine of the mean to be applied in determining what course of
action is right in a number of different situations.

 There is nothing to indicate
that ‘middle path’ doctrine were known to the Chinese savant Confucius or to
the Greek philosopher Aristotle.  This astonishing coincidence in approach
among the leading men of three civilizations (Indian, Chinese, and Greek)
establishes that commonality in findings about truth is independent of race,
environment, or age.

To arrive at the middle path is not to
effect a compromise but to attain a harmonious view among conflicting
interpretations.  This is a difficult task.  At a deeper level, it
denotes unity of mind and thought.

Rationality and Argument

Buddha attached great importance to
rational enquiry than perhaps any other religious leader in history.  The
Buddha says in a sutta:

Monks and scholars should
Well analyse my words,
Like gold (to be tested through) melting, cutting and polishing,
And then adopt them, but not for the sake of showing me respect.

By this Buddha meant that even if a
particular doctrine is set forth in scriptures, one must examine whether or not
it meets the test of reasoning.  If it comes in conflict with reasoning,
or is at variance with new realities, it is no longer appropriate to assert its
primacy and to follow its dictates.  This applies to Buddha’s sayings as
well.

A fundamental change in attitude is
necessary.  Basically a Buddhist attitude on any subject must be one that
accords with the facts.  If, upon investigation, one finds that there is
reason and proof for a point, then one should accept it.  That is not to
say that there are not certain points that are beyond human powers of deductive
reasoning—that is a different matter.  However, when we investigate
certain descriptions as they exist in sacred texts and we find that they do not
correspond to reality, then one must accept the reality, and not the literal
scriptural explanation.

Buddha, like Socrates, was never
content to accept traditional certainties as final, however august they might
be. Buddha believed that every individual must find the truth in his own way,
and must question everything, even Buddha’s own words and sayings
himself.  This new rationality had no place for blind faith.

  
The story of Gautama has particular relevance for our times.  We too are
living in a period of transition and change, as was the Great Prabuddha Bharath
during the sixth and fifth centuries BC.  Like Gautama, we live in an age
of political violence and have had terrifying glimpses of man’s inhumanity to
man.  In our society too there is widespread malaise, urban despair and
anomie, and we are sometimes fearful of the new world order that is emerging.

 
Scholars have been re-examining the
history of the Buddhist doctrine in the light of modern ideas.  Buddha has
been considered a rationalist, an empiricist, and a social prophet, and the dhamma
an ideology for a new age.  Modernists feel strongly about the social role
religion should be expected to play.  In the Great Prabuddha Bharath, for
example, a crusade was initiated in 1958 against the caste theory of
untouchability.  The solution was presented in the form of a return to
Buddhism.

Buddha’s scrupulous empiricism, his
demand for intellectual and personal independence, his belief in dialogue, his
insistence on the ‘middle path’ are useful beacons to solve our present
problems.  We may not be able to fully practice the method he prescribed
or raise ourselves to the level of his conduct but one can certainly move
towards building institutions and supporting individuals that make for a truly
compassionate political and social architecture which I call the Bahudhā
or pluralist approach in our society and politics. 

The Buddhist approach of the middle
path, of non-violence, of love and compassion, influences people of a large
number of countries in the world.  The Buddhist approach of rational
self-enquiry also enables a person to achieve a higher state of discipline and
harmony beyond narrow sectarian and national prejudices.  All these become
axiomatic when seen in the light of the well-known Buddhist maxim: ‘Be a lamp
unto yourself’ (Appa Deepo Bhav).

There are three truths:
my truth, your truth and the truth.
Chinese Proverb


Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar
Mahatma Budh
Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar

Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar
Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb. Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar
Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb

Dr. Ambedkar Statue, Mumbai by Akuppa.

Ambedkar proved right

by Raja Sekhar Vundru
 
Published in The New Indian Express, 15 April, 2008
link: http://www.newindpr ess.com/NewsItem s.asp?ID= IE72008041422255 4&Page=7&Title=TheOped&Topic=0
 
After
resigning from Nehru’s Cabinet as Law Minister over the controversial
Hindu Code Bill in 1951, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar spent most of his time
writing at his 26, Alipore Road residence in Delhi’s Civil Lines. Fresh
from drafting and the successful piloting of the Indian Constitution in
the Constituent Assembly, he entered one of his most productive writing
phases and left behind a great body of literature on a wide range of
subjects.
 
Dr.
Ambedkar, who remained a Rajya Sabha member till his death in December,
1956, made occasional appearances in the house of elders to express his
views on contemporary issues that exercised him. Though reading and
writing on Hinduism and Buddhism consumed most of his time, the
everyday Indian political situation of the 1950s did not escape his
attention. Two of those issues that need to be relooked today are the
reorganisation of the states and his idea of the politics of majority
and minority castes.
 
As
the issue of reorganisation of Indian states on the basis of language
raged in the 1950s Dr. Ambedkar compiled his opinions into a book,
Thoughts on Linguistic States, which was published in 1955. The book is
as relevant today as it was then. Dr. Ambedkar felt that creation of
states should be based on equal distribution of population and their
capitals should be centrally located in those states. Dr. Ambedkar
criticised the confusion prevailing in the ruling camp in the 1950s on
linguistic states.
 
He
said that one language in a state can unite people and two languages
are sure to divide them. “Culture is conserved by language”, he said.
He supported linguistic states for two reasons. One, to make the path
to democracy easy and the other to remove racial and cultural tensions.
His
opinions find reflection in today’s situations in Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, Assam or even Maharashtra. The formula he put forth for division
of states in his book now seems prophetic. He then had envisioned the
division of Bihar into two: north Bihar with Patna as capital and
Ranchi being the capital of south Bihar.
 
The division did happen, though it took almost fifty years.
For him Andhra and Hyderabad (Telangana) were never one state. He
always perceived them as two separate entities. The demand for a
separate Telangana never really died down.
 
More
ominous seems to be his prescription for Uttar Pradesh. He sought to
divide Uttar Pradesh, which was a six Crore population state in 1955
into three states of two crore population each. Western Uttar Pradesh
with Meerut, Central Uttar Pradesh with Kanpur and Eastern Uttar
Pradesh with Allahabad as capitals. He clearly conceptualised that
smaller states were always better administered.
 
Dr.
Ambedkar’s recommendations for Maharashtra will be too startling for
today’s reader. He proposed the creation of a city state of Bombay
(Mumbai) with a rider that the taxes collected from Bombay should be
equally divided among the three states he proposed to carve out of rest
of Maharashtra. His proposal was for a western Maharashtra, Marathwada
or central Maharashtra and eastern Maharashtra comprising Vidharbha.
 
He
had also wanted to split Madhya Pradesh into north and south, which
eventually became Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh many decades later. While
accepting the linguistic states as a matter of principle, he proposed
further division of single language states for better administration,
access to administration for people of various regions within the
geographic entity and also their sentiments.
 
[   Excerpts from the Thoughts On Linguistics States, By Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar        
 
SUMMARY OF PRICIPLES COVERING THE ISSUE
 

For the sake of the reader I summarise below the principles which should underly the creation of Linguistic States which are already enunciated In the foregoing pages but which lie about
scattered. These principles may be staled as below :

(1) The idea of having a mixed State must be completely abandoned.

(2) Every State must be an unilingual State. One State, one language.

(3) The formula one State, one language must not be confused with the formula of one language, one State.

(4) The formula one language, one State means that all people speaking one language should be brought under one Government
irrespective of area, population and dissimilarity of conditions among
the people speaking the language. This is the idea that underlies the
agitation for a united Maharashtra
with Bombay. This is an absurd formula and has no precedent for it. It
must be abandoned. A people speaking one language may be cut up into
many States as is done in other parts of the world.

(5)
Into how many States a people speaking one language should be cut up,
should depend upon (1) the requirements of efficient administration,
(2) the needs of the different areas, (3) the sentiments of the
different areas, and (4) the proportion between the majority and
minority.

(6)
As the area of the State increases the proportion of the minority to
the majority decreases and the position of the minority becomes
precarious and the opportunities for the majority to practise tyranny
over the minority become greater. The States must therefore be small.

(7)
The minorities must be given protection to prevent the tyranny of the
majority. To do this the Constitution must be amended and provisions
must be made for a system on plural member constituencies (two or
three) with cumulative voting ]

 
 
The most fascinating of Dr. Ambedkar’s proposal was about making Hyderabad, the country’s second capital for an obvious reason
— this southern city is equidistant from various regions of the
country. The second reason for mooting this idea was to ease the
north-south tension.
 
[ Excerpts from the Thoughts On Linguistics States, By Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar
 

INDIA AND THE NECESSITY OF A SECOND CAPITAL

A WAY TO REMOVE TENSION BETWEEN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH

 

Can India afford to have one Capital ?
That India has now one capital does not close the question. If the
Capital of India is not satisfactorily located, now is the time for
considering the question.

Since
the departure of the British, India has only one capital and that is
Delhi. Before the British, India has always had two capitals. During
the Moghal period, India had Delhi as one Capital and Shrinagar
in Kashmir as another Capital. When the British came they too had two
capitals, one was Calcutta and another was Simla. Even when they left
Calcutta for Delhi, they retained Simla as their summer Capital. The
two capitals maintained by the Moghuls and
by the British were the results of climatic conditions. Neither
the British nor the Moghuls were able to live in Delhi or in Calcutta
continuously for 12 months. The summer months in Delhi were unbearable
to the Moghuls. They made Shrinagar their second capital for summer
months. The summer months in Calcutta were equally unbearable to the
British. They, therefore, established a second capital. To these
climatic conditions must now be added three other conditions. There was
no popular Government when the Moghuls ruled or when the British ruled. Now we have popular Government and the convenience of the people is an important factor.
Delhi is most inconvenient to the people of the South. They suffer the
most from cold as well as distance. Even the Northern people suffer in
the summer months. They do not complain because they are nearer home
and they are nearer the seat of power. Second is the feeling of the
Southern people and the third is the consideration of Defence. The
feeling of the Southern people is that the Capital of their Country is
far away from them
and that they are being ruled by the people of Northern India. The
third consideration is of course more important. It is that Delhi is a
vulnerable place. It is within bombing distance of the neighbouring
countries. Although India is trying to live in peace with its neighbours it cannot be assumed that India will not have to face war sometime or other and if war comes, the Government of India will have to leave Delhi and find another place for its location. Which is the place to which the Government of India can migrate ?
A place that one can think of is Calcutta. But Calcutta is also within
bombing distance from Tibet. Although India and China today are
friends, how long the friendship would last no one can definitely say.
The possibility of conflict between India and China remains. In that
event Calcutta would be useless. The next town that could be considered
as a refuge for the Central Government is Bombay. But Bombay is a port and our Indian Navy is too poor to protect the Central Government if it came down to Bombay. Is there a fourth place one could think of? I find Hyderabad to be such a place. Hyderabad Secunderabad and Bolarum should
be constituted into a Chief Commissioner’ s Province and made a second
capital of India. Hyderabad fulfils all the requirements of a capital
for India. Hyderabad is equidistant to all States. Anyone who looks at
the table of distances given below will realise it:

 

 

From Delhi – miles

From Hyderabad – miles

To Bombay

798

440

To Calcutta

868

715

To Madras

1198

330

To Karnul

957

275

To Trivandrum

1521

660

To Patiala

124

990

To Chandigarh

180

1045

To Lucknow

275

770

 

From the defence
point of view it would give safety to the Central Government. It is
equidistant from all parts of India. It would give satisfaction to the
South Indian people that their Government is sometimes with them. The
Government may remain in Delhi during winter months and during other months it can stay in Hyderabad. Hyderabad has all the amenities which Delhi has and it is a far better City than Delhi. It has all the

grandeur which Delhi has. Buildings are going cheap and they are really
beautiful buildings, far superior to those in Delhi. They are all on
sale. The only thing that is wanting is a Parliament House which the
Government of India can easily build. It is a place in which Parliament
can sit all the year round and work, which it cannot do in Delhi. I do
not see what objection there can be in making Hyderabad a second capital of India. It should be done right now while we are reorganising the States.

Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Bolarum should be constituted into a second capital of India. Fortunately, it can be very easily done with satisfaction to the whole of South India, to Maharashtra and to the Andhras.

This is another remedy for easing the tension between the North and the South ]

Mayawati seeks centre’s nod for trifurcation of Uttar Pradesh


Now,
the other interesting issue he raised in 1955 was on the majority and
minority groups within a state. Dr. Ambedkar analysed the linkages
between majority caste politics and the concept of the rule of the
political majority. He said that majorities are of two sorts: communal
majority and political majority. Explaining the concept, he wrote that
a political majority is not monolithic and can change its class
composition accomodating various classes. That means a political party
that comes to power winning a majority may consist of persons of
various classes and castes. But he felt that, inherent in such a group
is a communal or caste based majority.
 
While
admission to a political group (which may gain majority in elections)
is open to all, the door to a communal group is closed and is
restricted to a particular caste or community which dominates the
political group. He then questions how this majority caste or communal
group runs away with the title deeds of power won by a political group
after an election? This question has stopped rattling the Indian
polity, since the rule of a single majority caste or community, within
a political formation has become a matter of routine . He went on to
say that, to give such title deeds to a caste or community is to
establish a hereditary government and to ensure the tyranny of that
majority.
 
Dr. Ambedkar’s thoughts about an equitable society remain as prophetic as ever.
 
(Raja Sekhar Vundru from Andhra Pradesh is an IAS officer and opinions expressed are personal.
 
The
excerpts from “Thoughts on linguistics states” by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar
are not part of original article by Mr Vundru, I have added them to
give more clarity to the topic.
 

Lucknow, Dec 11 (IANS) In a surprise move that could give the centre some more sleepless nights, Uttar Pradesh chief minister
Mayawati Friday declared her outright preference for further partition
of UP and creation of independent states of Bundelkhand and Harit
Pradesh.

‘I have written a letter to prime minister
Manmohan Singh, urging him to give clearance for carving out
independent states of Bundelkhand and Harit Pradesh out of a giant
sized and unmanageableUttar Pradesh,’ Mayawati told a hurriedly convened press conference here Friday evening.

‘Since the centre
has already given its nod for carving out the state of Telangana out of
Andhra Pradesh, there was good enough reason to follow the same
exercise in case of UP, where the demand for an independent Bundelkhand
in southern UP and a Harit Pradesh in western UP was being raised for a
long time,’ she said.

While political observers felt that the move was aimed at creating greater discomfort for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre
already grappling with the gradually increasing demand for statehood
from different corners of the country, Mayawati sought to justify her
demand by impressing that she had had these views for long.

‘I was always in favour of smaller states as they are much simpler to
govern,’ she said adding: ‘These views have been expressed by me on
several occasions in the past as well.’

The UP chief minister said: ‘In the past too, on March 15, 2008, I had sent a letter to the prime minister, urging him to consider the demand of the people of Bundelkhand and of western UP for giving them independent statehood.’

She said: ‘Still earlier on October 8, 2007, I had expressed these view at a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) rally in Lucknow.’

According to her: ‘My party legislators too had formally raised this
demand on the floor of the state assembly on October 31, 2007…
therefore, it was now time forthe centre to act.’

Asked if she would move a resolution in this regard in the state assembly, Mayawati shot back: ‘Well, I would do so once the centre has given its approval in principle.’

Meanwhile, in an appeal to the people of these two regions, she has
urged them ‘not to indulge in any activity that is likely to disturb
law and order in the state.’ She, however, assured to ‘extend full
support to the popular demand of the people’.


Category: India, News, Politics

Mayawati Backs Formation of States of Bundelkhand and Paschim UP

Mayawati Backs Formation of States of Bundelkhand and Paschim UP

Uttar Pradesh’s firebrand Chief Minister Mayawati has extended support to the creation of smaller States.

On Friday, she backed the formation of separate States of Bundelkhand and Paschim Uttar Pradesh by trifurcating U.P. and sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. She said it would fulfil the needs and aspirations of the people of the two regions of U.P.

In this context, Ms. Mayawati appealed to the people of Bundelkhand
and Western U.P. to up the ante, albeit within the parameters of law,
onthe creation of two smaller and separate States by incorporating the districts of the two regions.

Ms. Mayawati said she had written to Dr. Singh urging him to take the initiative for the creation of Bundelkhand and Western U.P. on the pattern of Uttarakhand.

“Uttar Pradesh’s population and size is an impediment in speeding up
development works and fine-tuning the administration. It is, therefore,
imperative to create the smaller States of Bundelkhand and Western
U.P.,” she told journalists.

Mayawati was addressing a press conference in UP today in which she said: “Today I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister demanding the creation of separate Bundelkhand and Paschim Uttar Pradesh.”

“My government and my party (Bahujan Samaj Party) are in favor of
creation on smaller states and administrative units. We expresses the
same many times earlier.”

comments (0)
12/11/09
Conduct detailed survey to give rights to SC and Vanvasis on land, their settlement claims should also be solved immediately — Mayawati Amend MNREGA scheme to provide infrastructure facilities like irrigation to SC and poor people — Chief Minister Directives issued to provide X-ray and Pathology services in government hospitals round the clock and improve operation system
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 9:16 am

Press Information Bureau
(Chief Minister Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.

Conduct detailed survey to give rights to SC and Vanvasis on land,
their settlement claims should also be solved immediately
— Mayawati
Amend MNREGA scheme to provide infrastructure
facilities like irrigation to SC and poor people
— Chief Minister
Directives issued to provide X-ray and Pathology services in
government hospitals round the clock and improve operation system

Lucknow : December 10, 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati directed the officers to
ensure transparency and quality in the implementation of programmes directly
related with the people. These programmes should be completed in a time
bound manner, she warned. She said that detailed survey should be conducted
to give rights to SC and Vanvasis on land and their settlement claims should
also be solved immediately. She said that the officers should visit villages for
this purpose. Directing the Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of Forest, Social
Welfare and Revenue departments to hold camps in the villages of Sonebhadra
and Mirzapur districts to ensure that the people got right/possession over the
land. This work should be completed in a time bound manner, she added.
Regarding the availability of fertilisers in adequate quantity, the C.M.
directed the officers to ensure that there was no paucity of fertilisers at any
cost. She asked the officers to ensure that the black marketing and stockpiling
of fertilisers was stopped and tough action should be taken against those
indulging in it. She further directed the officers to implement such a system
before the next Kharif season, so that there was no dearth of fertilisers. She
directed the officers to fix new routes for the newly constructed roads, so that
people of the rural areas got the facility of transportation. She asked them to
issue permits for the same. She directed the officers that all the construction
agencies ensured selling of tender papers through banks.

Ms. Mayawati gave these directives when the Cabinet Secretary Mr.
Shashank Shekhar Singh, Chief Secretary Mr. Atul Kumar Gupta and Additional
Cabinet Secretary Mr. Vijay Shankar Pandey apprised her of the feedback of the
review meeting held with the divisional commissioners and the senior officers of
the government here today. The officers had extensively reviewed the progress
of the development programmes accorded priority by the C.M. After going
through the inferences of the feedback the C.M. gave necessary directives for
the divisional commissioners. She directed the officers to complete construction
of 2000 community centres, being constructed in the Ambedkar villages all over
the state, by 31 March 2010. Besides, she also directed the officers to ensure
that works like construction of link roads, C.C. roads, K.C. drains, kharanja and
installation of sodium lamps, linking of majras and their electrification work was
completed by 31 January by all costs. The Commissioners should conduct on
the spot verifications, she said.

The C.M. directed the officers to distribute land pattas among people of
SC/ST category and ensure their cent per cent possession and if somebody
illegally encroached it then action should be initiated under section 198 against
the encroachers. Besides, she directed the officers to ensure distribution of
housing pattas and agricultural pattas and qualitative disposal of complaints
received at Tehsil Diwas. She asked the officers to verify these activities from
time to time through the competent officers. She directed the officers of the
Revenue department to speed up the pace of consolidation as it adversely
affected the farmers.

Expressing her displeasure over the slow pace of work being conducted
under MNREGA, Ms. Mayawati asked the officers to amend MNREGA scheme to
provide infrastructure facilities like irrigation to the SC and poor people. She
said that for the rapid construction of ponds and to accelerate the pace of
various development works being undertaken at the Panchayat level, a training
and awareness programme should be conducted at the block level for Pradhans
and Panchayat officers.
The C.M. said that about Rs. 2000 crore were being spent under ICDS
scheme for the welfare of women and children. She said that this scheme
should be implemented in an effective manner, so that the beneficiaries got
more and more benefit from it. She directed the officers to review the format of
ICDS scheme so that it could be made more effective. She directed the
divisional commissioners to carry out surprise inspections of the Anganbari
centres.

Ms. Mayawati said that the presence of the doctors should be ensured at
all the PHCs and hospitals, so that people got better health services at the local
level. She said that stringent action should be taken against the defaulters. She
said that it should be ensured that there was no scarcity of medicines in the
hospitals. Besides, she directed the officers to ensure that X-ray and pathology
services in government hospitals were provided round the clock and the
operation system should also be improved.
The C.M. directed that the officers to ensure that the complaints being
received in the distribution and purchase of bitumen (coal tar) were looked into
and solved at the earliest, so that construction of roads could be done in a
qualitative manner. Tender documents should be sold through banks so that
the e-tendering system could be implemented effectively, she stated. Moreover,
23 per cent reservation for the SC/ST in the government contracts should be
ensured at all cost. She expressed her displeasure over the slow progress of the
construction of link roads in the naxal affected divisions viz. Azamgarh,
Varanasi and Vindhyachal. She directed the officers to replace defunct
transformers immediately and energise the tube-wells on priority basis, so that
the farmers did not face any difficulty in their irrigation requirements.
Ms. Mayawati directed the officers to ensure that the maximum amount
received under the BRGF scheme under Panchayati raj was utilised in a time
bound manner and strict action should be taken against those Safai Karmcharis
who were not doing their duty properly. It was informed at the meeting that the
services of as many as 306 Safai Karmcharis had been terminated, 1120
suspended and salary of 2133 Safai Karmcharis had been held.
The C.M. directed the officers to improve the quality of primary education
and speed up the process of recruitment of teachers. She also asked them to
achieve the target of paddy purchase in a time bound manner. She directed the
officers to ensure that all the necessary preparations were completed for the
effective implementation of Secondary Education Campaign. Besides, effective
implementation of schemes like Education for All, Mid-day meal, Savitri Bai
Phule Balika Shiksha Madad Yojna and Mahamaya Garib Balika Ashirvad Yojna
and should be ensured. She also directed to ensure that the canals had water
till the tail end and plantation work was also carried out in an effective manner.
Ms. Mayawati directed the officers to ensure cent per cent distribution of
pre 10th and post 10th scholarships and furnish its report to the government.
She also directed the officers to verify the distribution of pensions like widow,
old age and disabled and eliminate the bogus candidates. She appreciated
some divisions for satisfactory work and warned some divisions and asked to
improve their functioning.

The C.M. directed the officers to utilise funds allocated by 12th Finance
Commission by February next and ensure that the schemes being conducted
under it were completed in a time bound manner and the reconstruction of
collectorate buildings of Azamgarh and Barabanki districts, which were 100
years old, should be completed at the earliest. Besides, various schemes being
implemented for rural and urban drinking water supply should be completed in
a time bound manner and the construction of solid waste management work,
being carried out in Agra, should also be completed at the earliest. She directed
the officers to speed up allotment of houses constructed under the Manyawar
Shri Kanshiramji Shahri Garib Awas Yojna and also to ensure effective
implementation of Sarvajan Hitai Shahri Garib Awas (slum area) Malikana Haq
Yojna.

The Chairman Revenue Board Mr. R. Ramni, APC Mr. V.K. Sharma,
Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner Mr. Anup Mishra,
Principal Secretaries/Secretaries to C.M. and Principal Secretaries of all the
departments were present at the meeting.
*******

comments (0)
12/08/09
Appeal to Request His ExcAellency The first Pacific President -barack-Obama to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi at White House on 27th May 2010- U.P. Government requests Centre to provide details of Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s visit in time, also requests not to make last minute changes in his programme State Government writes letter to Central Government-Efforts being made to malign State Government’s image for cancellation of auditorium — Chief Minister — Allotment of auditorium allotted for holding proposed press conference of Mr. Rahul Gandhi tomorrow not cancelled, no cancellation order issued either State Government has nothing to do with this matter — Additional Cabinet Secretary-State Government very sensitive for solving problems of families of serving soldiers and dependents of ex-servicemen and martyrs —Chief Minister Chief Minister appeals people to contribute liberally on occasion of Armed Forces’ Flag Day-
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 9:23 pm

Press Information Bureau
(C.M. Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.

U.P. Government requests Centre to

provide details of Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s visit in time,
also requests not to make last minute changes in his programme
State Government writes letter to Central Government

Lucknow: December 08, 2009


The Uttar Pradesh Government has requested the Union Home
Ministry to give timely information of the state visit of the SPG protected
M.P. Mr. Rahul Gandhi to the state government. It has also requested not
to make last minute changes in his programme and if any change was
required then it should be ensured that all the concerned were informed
immediately. The state government has also said that Mr. Rahul Gandhi
should not violate the parameters fixed for his security while travelling
through helicopter or by road. The state government has made it clear
that if any untoward incident occurred because of the violation of the
security parameters, then the state government would not be responsible
for it and the Central Government would be held responsible for it.
This information was given by the Additional Cabinet Secretary Mr.
Vijay Shankar Pandey at a press conference held at the Lal Bahadur
Shastri Bhawan Media Centre here today. The press conference was
organised regarding the violation of security parameters during the state
visit of Mr. Rahul Gandhi.

Mr. Pandey said that the Government of India had been informed of
certain flaws present in the security arrangement of SPG protectee MP
Mr. Rahul Gandhi during his October 24, 2008 visit of Kanpur district
through a letter written on 26 October 2008. It had been mentioned in
the letter that it was also the responsibility of the SPG protectee that he
ensured that all the details of his programmes were furnished to the
related persons and he should not effect any last minute change in his
programme so that there was no confusion.

The Additional Cabinet Secretary said that the U.P. Chief Minister
Ms. Mayawati had herself written a letter to the P.M. Dr. Manmohan Singh
and also to the Union Home Minister on 25 September 2009 saying that it
was the responsibility of the SPG to furnish all the information regarding
the programmes of SPG protected VIPs in a time bound manner. The C.M.
had also mentioned that on getting information timely, the state
government ensured all the security arrangements as per the guidelines.
She had informed that on 23 September 2009, Mr. Rahul Gandhi arrived
at Amausi Airport in Lucknow through a Kingfisher Airline Aircraft without
any prior information and proceeded through road with his SPG cover
without informing the state police, intelligence department or security
branch regarding his programme, location etc.

Mr. Pandey said that still the minute-to-minute programme of 07
December 09 visit of Mr. Rahul Gandhi of Aligarh, Farrukhabad, Etah,
Kheri, Bahraich, Sitapur and Hardoi districts was provided in late hours on
06 December 09. He said that the ASL report also reached very very late
in the night. Owing to it, security arrangements for Mr. Rahul Gandhi
became very difficult. Besides, owing to his activities not mentioned in
the programme, the administration had to face more difficulty.

The Additional Cabinet Secretary said that during his Etah visit, Mr.
Rahul Gandhi was provided BR car by SPG and security branch for road
travelling, but he used party car and also violated security parameters
and went to meet the people near barricade and he also shook hands with
them. During his 07 December 09 visit of Sitapur district, his helicopter
landed after sunset using the high power light fitted in the chopper and it
landed at a place adjacent to the fixed ‘H’ mark area. At that time the
visibility was very low because the area was surrounded by the trees.
Again, from helipad Mr. Rahul Gandhi left to Hardoi through another
vehicle (Toyota Fortuner) which was not bullet proof leaving behind BR
car, which was against the road travel parameters.
********
Efforts being made to malign State
Government’s image for cancellation of auditorium
— Chief Minister

Allotment of auditorium allotted for holding proposed
press conference of Mr. Rahul Gandhi tomorrow
not cancelled, no cancellation order issued either
State Government has nothing to do with this matter
— Additional Cabinet Secretary

Lucknow: December 07, 2009

The Additional Cabinet Secretary Mr. Vijay Shankar
Pandey has said that the allotment of the auditorium,
situated in Tourism Department in Gomti Nagar, allotted
for holding Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s press conference
tomorrow, has neither been cancelled nor any cancellation
order had been issued in this regard. He said that State
Government had nothing to do with such matters.
The Additional Cabinet Secretary was addressing
media persons on this issue at the Lal Bahadur Shastri
Bhawan Media Centre here today. He said that if the State
Government had any intention of stopping Mr. Rahul
Gandhi’s press conference, then it would not have
accepted the booking amount needed for allotment of
auditorium.

Mr. Pandey said that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Ms. Mayawati has regretted that futile efforts were being
made to malign the image of the State Government. She
said that the State Government did not indulge in such
cheap activities as the others did. She reminded that such
misinformation campaign would not benefit anybody.
********
State Government very sensitive for solving problems of families
of serving soldiers and dependents of ex-servicemen and martyrs
—Chief Minister

Chief Minister appeals people to contribute
liberally on occasion of Armed Forces’ Flag Day

Lucknow : Dec 07, 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has appealed to the
people of the State to contribute liberally in the Flag Day Fund on the
occasion on Armed Forces’ Flag Day. She said that it was a national
responsibility to accord proper place to the ex-soldiers and their families in
the society and to provide them alternative means of employments as well.
She said that the State Government was very sensitive to provide benefits
of welfare schemes to the families of the serving soldiers, to the
dependents of the ex-servicemen and also to the families of the martyrs.
The Chief Minister was talking to the senior officers of the Sanik
Kalyan Vibhag on the occasion of Armed Forces’ Flag Day at her 5-Kalidas
Marg official residence here today. The C.M. also made donation in the
Soldier Welfare Fund. The Principal Secretary Social Welfare Mr. Prem
Narain, Principal Secretary to C.M. Mr. Netram, Secretary to C.M. Mr. Anil
Sant and Director, UP Soldier Welfare and Rehabilitation Dr. S.S. Singh and
other officers were also present on the occasion.

It may be recalled that collections were being made throughout the
year for the Flag Day Fund from all the districts. About 30 per cent of the
amount collected is kept in a district level fund. Through this fund, the
District Magistrate and the District Soldier Welfare and Rehabilitation officer
provide economic assistance under various schemes to the ex-servicemen
and their dependents. The remaining 70 per cent amount is handed over to
the Soldier Welfare Directorate. An amount of Rs. 16.42 lakh is handed
over to Central Soldier Board, New Delhi and the remaining amount is kept
in a State level fund. Besides, Armed Forces’ Flag Day Fund had been set
up for ensuring people’s participation through which several schemes had
been introduced for the welfare of soldiers and families of ex-servicemen
and also for the families of the martyrs. The State Government is fully alert
towards solving their problems.

It may be recalled, that young people were required for armed
forces. Owing to it, about 60,000 soldiers, between the age group 40-45,
retire every year. It was a huge responsibility to accord proper place to the
ex-servicemen and their families, besides providing them alternative
employment opportunities. Through Armed Forces’ Flag Day Fund various
schemes for the welfare of serving soldiers, ex-servicemen and the families
of the martyrs were being run.
*********

comments (0)
12/07/09
VR1 (WE ARE ONE ) +VE NEWS-Going against the stream Personal and social radicalism of the Buddha-Why go for conversion? Speech by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Appeal to Request His Excellency The first Pacific President -barack-Obama to Celebrate Buddha Jayanthi at White House on 27th May 2010-C.M. writes letter to P.M., terms Bundelkhand package as insufficient-Chief Minister directs all commissioners to make efforts for providing appropriate price, incentives and facilities to sugar cane farmers Token system is not binding for paddy purchase — Mayawati-C.M. grieved-Chief Ministers of U.P. and Uttarakhand discuss pending issues between both States U.P. Government to provide police and P.A.C. for Haridwar Kumbh Chief Secretaries of U.P and Uttarakhand to hold meeting every month to resolve other pending issues-C.M. greets people on Eid-ul-azha-Chief Secretary level meeting between Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh for division of assets and to discuss other matters to be held tomorrow-Mayawati pays tribute to Ambedkar-So did the Karnataka BSP to Ambedkar Statue at Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru-Buddha statue soon be unveiled at Sarnath-Low-cost houses for Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudviapa soon-In Focus:Bahujan Samaj Party Will Mayawati become the first Dalit woman Prime Minister of India ? Ganga Expressways-Mayawati asks officers to help farmers get maximum incentive
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 8:16 am



Going against the stream

Personal and social radicalism of the Buddha:

The
Buddha was born a prince in an era of social oppression and conflict.
He experienced firsthand his own homeland being subjugated by a bloody
conquest by a neighbouring warlord. Even as he was dying, genocide was
imminent.

The Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the poignant account of the last days of the Buddha, opens with a king seeking
the Buddha’s support for the “total annihilation” of the people of a small rival state.

So
tormented was the Buddha by the aggression that engulfed the world of
his time that he renounced the throne to which he was heir and set out
to discover for all beings the path that leads to the cessation of
suffering. So deep was his determination that it led him to take one of
the most radical personal, social, and political stances in the history of human endeavour.

For
seven years, it is said, he practised extreme austerities. He exhausted
himself almost to the point of death. Then, realizing the extent to
which he had punished himself, he abandoned the path of self-aggression
and turned to the path of meditation.

There is a particularly moving passage in the early Pali text that describes Prince
Siddhartha standing on the banks of the Neranjana River after he gave up his austerities.

He
had just bathed in the river and was holding the pot traditionally used
in the Indian subcontinent to pour water over the body. He gazed at the
river and asked aloud if it would actually be possible for him to
become the Awakened One.

The word for this in pali is Patisota,
literally “to go against the current.” He threw his pot into the river.
The text says that the pot immediately raced upstream against the
current “as quickly as a fleet horse.” The Buddha-to-be took this as an
answer. That very evening, imbued with confidence, he entered the
Samadhi of his great attainment.

After his enlightenment and as
he began to gather disciples around him, the Buddha called his
followers Patisotagama and Patasotagamini “those who go against the
stream.” Going against the stream meant freeing their minds from the
fetters of illusion and throwing off the shackles of social bondage.

For the Buddha,
living in an era of social oppression and within the confines of a
warlike society, the need for both personal transformation and social
change was pressing.

Almost immediately after his enlightenment
he set about his great project, the creation of an alternative society
based on wisdom and compassion.

For 45 years he travelled
ceaselessly across the North Gangetic Plain, establishing countless
communities of practitioners who worked together to put his principles
of enlightened society into practice.

When the Buddha declared
that the idea of the individual as a separate, permanent entity with a
fixed, inherent identity is fiction, this was true on an individual
level, but it was also true on a social level. If there was no foothold
for a personal identity, then there was no foothold on which to base
the prejudice and oppression of gender, race, or class.

If there
was no such thing as “me” or “mine,” how could there be anything that
was “us” or “ours”? If the mind could cause suffering, injustice, and
oppression, it could also liberate us from those illusions. We could do
that as individuals, taught the Buddha, and we could also do it as a
society.

With
the destruction of the idea of self went the destruction of the idea of
possession. The name that the Buddha gave to his closest
followers-bhikkus and bhikkunis-comes from bhik, and irregular form of
bhaj. “Bhaj” was the portion of food that a person shared from a common
pot.

Thus, the alms bowl is much more than a vessel or utensil-it
is a statement of our wish to share. This is the origin of oryoki and
all the other traditions of dana, feeding, and communal eating, within
Buddhist communities, including the feast practices of the Vajrayana.
They are all living manifestations of our profound intention to share
with others, to serve others, and to work together to go against the
stream of selfish consumption.

You
can see the bowl as a statement of our unbroken connection with the
Buddha as both a religious and social exemplar. The bowl is an enduring
symbol of the values to which we aspire in all our relationship-within
our community, with all people, with all beings, and with our entire
environment.

The early followers of the Buddha, like thousands of
his disciples to this day, did not ask for anything that was not
offered. They committed themselves to a completely different
relationship based on the pooling and redistribution of wealth.

In
many Buddhist communities, if you take a look in the kitchen or fridge,
you will often see plates or containers of food marked “not offered,”
especially when an individual has special dietary needs. This is a way
of reminding us that the default setting is “everything is offered.”
There is no one to have anything. There is everything to share.

For centuries, people have placed
rice, dhal, vegetables, fruit, cakes and so on in the begging bowls of
the bhikkus and bhikkunis, or brought them to their monasteries. If you
visit the sites of ancient Buddhist communities you come across huge
stone troughs into which the bhikkus and bhikkunis placed everything
that had been put into their bowls, literally creating a huge potluck
meal which was when shared by their entire community.

Where did
they go to collect this food? They went to the houses of all the castes
and subcastes of the highly stratified society in which they lived.
They made a particular point of going to the poorest areas of the
communities and deliberately collecting food offerings from the
outcastes.

This enraged the high-caste Brahmins who openly
attacked the Buddhists for doing this. In the Pali text The Dialogue of
the Buddha, the Brahmins are said to have called the Buddhists “a base
class of shovelling samanas, dark fellows, born of brahma’s foot.”

The
Buddha’s followers knew what they were doing and what message they were
sending. They had another name for themselves: the Pabbajitha, which
translates as “the exiles” or “the outcastes.”

It is clear from
the pali texts that they were challenging the entire social structure
of class and caste. Take their saffron and brown robes. The Brahmins at
the top of the social order were white. Saffron and brown were the
colours of the outcastes, the mark of extreme social stigmatization.
Yet these were the colours in which the early sangha wrapped themselves.

At
the urging of the Buddha, they went to charnel grounds and the waste
areas of the villages to salvage scraps of cloth, sewed them together
to make robes, and dyed them saffron or brown and sometimes yellow.
This would be an act similar to what non-Jews did during the Holocaust
to show solidarity with their Jewish brothers and sisters by wearing
the Star of David.

The
early sangha was known as the catudissa Sangha, the Sangha of the Four
Quarters or Four Directions. It was completely inclusive. There was a
rule in the Vinaya that forbade any bhikkhu or bhikkuni from mentioning
their previous social status after they had become a follower of the
Buddha.

And, as with the wearing of saffron, a special effort was
made to ennoble the outcastes. It is said that when Ananda and his
family joined the sangha, although they came from a high-caste family,
they asked that their low-caste barber, Upali, be ordained first so
that he would became their elder brother.

Not only were the robes
the symbol of identification with the most oppressed members of
society: they were also part of the Buddha’s revolt against gender
bias. Both men and women shaved their heads, and the men also shaved
their beards. Both sexes wore saffron robes.

It is said that as
the lines of bhikkus and bhikkunis walked along the highways and
byways, it was impossible to tell the difference between men and women
from a distance. This was deliberate.

Not
only did thousands of outcastes flock to the Buddha, so did thousands
of women who left their households and the oppression of patriarchal
domination. These revolutionary communities were demonstrating that
what was most important to them was not the differences between people
but their common humanity.

As with so many religious and social
movements, the transformative, even dangerous zeal of the founders
often gets rapidly diluted. Longstanding social habits grow over the
revolutionary institutions like the jungle growing back over a clearing.

It
has happened with the social radicalism of the Buddha too, but the
ideals themselves have never died. They live on in people’s hearts and
in potent symbols-in communal eating and festivities, in the robes and
bowls, and just simply in the fact that we gather together in
community. As sangha, our common humanity, our common Buddhanature, is
more important than all our differences.

Sometimes
we hear the term kalyana mitta, often translated as “spiritual friend.”
Bit in early Pali, it also had the meaning of “beautiful friend” or
“beautiful companion.” Who are these beautiful companions?

Those
who are drawn to the dharma, who hold in their hearts a different
vision of human life, who have the wish to go beyond the illusions of
false identity, to go beyond the social stigmas that divide us and
oppress us.

These beautiful companions share a belief that our
fundamental interconnectedness is for more important than whatever
appears to divide us, and those who, like the first bhikkus and
bhikkunis, have the wish to share the richness of this planet rather
than to possess it.

That’s who the Buddha saw as his community
gathered around him, and that’s who gathers around us still today as we
follow in his foot-steps. To quote from the Pali-Kalyana mitta, kalyana
sahaya, kalyana sampavanika: beautiful friends, beautiful companions,
beautiful comrades.

Richard
Reoch is the President of Shambhala, the global mandala founded by
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche that works to create enlightened society.

He
is a former senior official of Amnesty International, and currently a
trustee of the Rainforest Foundation and chair of the International
Working Group on Sri Lanka working to end the Buddhist world’s
longest-running war.

Turning Wheel



Development of Buddhist publications

Until
the Buddha Jayanthi Year 2500 years after the Great Demise of the
Buddha (Mahaparinirvana) in 1956, India did not have the Pali
Thripitaka (Canon) in any Indian script. The commitment and exertions
of Indian Bhikkhu Jagdish Kashyap (1908-1976), India was able to have
the entire Pali Thripitaka in Devanagari script in 1956.

It was
edited by Ven. Jagdish Kashyap, and published by the Pali Publication
Board, State Government of Bihar, Nalanda, India, during the period
1956-1961. Each of the volumes of around 400 pages was prefaced with a
brief introduction in Hindi and English. This Nalanda Edition of the
Pali Thripitaka in Devanagari script has the following texts:

1.
Sutta Pitaka (Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya, Anguttara
Nikaya and Khuddaka Nikaya). Digha Nikaya in print had three volumes,
Majjhima Nikaya in three volumes, Samyutta Nikaya four volumes,
Anguttara Nikaya in four volumes and Khuddaka Nikaya in 15 books.

The 15 books of the Khuddaka Nikaya are as follows:

1.
Khuddakapatha, 2. Dhammapada, 3. Udana, 4. Itivuttaka, 5. Sutta Nipata,
6. Vimana Vatthu, 7. Peta Vatthu, 8. Thera Gatha, 9. Theri Gatha, 10.
Jataka, 11. Niddesa, 12. Patisambhidamagga, 13. Apadana, 14.
Buddhavamsa, 15. Cariyapitaka.

Of these 1 to 5 were in one
volume, 6 to 9 in one volume, Jataka in two volumes, Niddesa in two
volumes and Buddhavamsa in two volumes.

Vinaya Pitaka

The Vinaya Pitaka had the
following separate books: 1. Mahavagga, 2. Cullavagga, 3. Parajika, 4. Pacittiya and 5. Parivara.

Abhidhamma Pitaka

This
Pitaka has the following books: 1. Dhammasangani, 2. Vibhanga, 3.
Dhatukatha, 4. Puggalapani (3 to 4 in one volume), 5. Kathavattu, 6.
Yamaka - (three volumes) and 7. Patthana.

The Thripitaka and commentaries

The
Vipassana Research Institute at Igatapuri, near Nasik in Maharashtra
was established by Vipassanacharya S. N. Goenka, an Indian born in
Myanmar (Burma), who perfected the techniques of Vipassana under
Sayadaw U Bakhin (1898-1971), for 14 years, a great Burmese lay teacher
of Vipassana, re-introduced it in India in 1969. Now Vipassana centres
have been established all over India by S. N. Goenka.

This
institute of S. N. Goenka has now published the entire Pali Tipitaka as
well as commentaries there on in Devanagari script. The institute too
has prepared a CD-Rom having all the Pali scriptures in Devanagari and
Roman scripts as a consequence of which search for words and
expressions is now greatly facilitated to researchers, scholars and
students of Buddhism not only in India but all over the world.

The
following are the translations so far published in English by Indian
scholars of some texts of the Pali Thripitaka. The most popular text to
be translated by the scholars is the Dhammapada, the text composed of
select sayings of the Buddha.

These translations are as follows:
Banerji, N. Kunja Vihari (The Dhammapada 1989); Bapat P. V. (Pali
Sangraha - Selections from Early Buddhist Texts); Benent A. A. G. (Long
Discourses of the Buddha, 1956); Bhagawat N. K. (The Dhammapada, 1935);
Buddharakkhitha, Acharya, Ven. (Dhammapada 1959, 1984, 1985, 1986,
1996); Buddhist Manual for Daily Practice 1980: Dhammacakkapavattana
Sutta 1980, 1996; Gihi Vinaya: (Householders’ Book of Discipline 2005);
Khuddaka Patha: Compact Collection, 2006; Sutta Sangaho, Parts I and
II, 2003; (In all these texts, Pali text is also given in Roman script;
Chaudhuri U. (Dhammapada, 1944); Dikshit, Sudhakar (Sermons and Sayings
of the Buddha); Law, B. C. (Buddhavamsa, Cariya - Pitaka Text in
Devanagari script with English translation; Osho (Acharya Rajneesh)
(The Dhammapada; The Way of the Buddha; This is the Path to Ultimate
Truth; Vols 1 to 12; Radhakrishna Sarvapalli (late Vice President of
India) (The Dhammapada - Pali text, in Roman characters, with English
translation, 1950: Raja, Kunhan C. (Dhammapada; Pali text in Devanagari
script with English translation, 1956; Pali text in Roman characters
with an English translation, 1956; Silananda (Dhammapada - Pali text
and translation); Vaidya, P. L. (Dhammapada - Pali text in Devanagari
script with introduction and English translation, 1923, 1934).

In
a survey of Modern Buddhist Literature, conducted by the noted scholar
D. C. Ahir, an author of many titles on Buddhism, has listed more than
300 scholars who had published about 500 books in English during the
period, from 1908 to 2008, hundred years (Vide: Jagajjyoti Centenary
Volume 2009), of the Bengal Buddhist Association (Buddha Dhamankur
Sabha) of Kolkata, India, pp: 56-76 (www.bengalbuddhist.com).

The
author says that the list is not exhaustive, as there may be some books
which have captured his attention. Further, books on Buddhism by
foreign authors published in India have not been included in the list,
as the idea is to assess the popularity of Buddhism with Indian authors
and Indian publishers.

This study reveals that more and more
books have been published after the 2500th Buddha Jayanthi Celebrations
in 1956. The scholar D. C. Ahir himself has already published as many
as 36 books on Buddhism during the period 1964-2007, and five more are
in press.



No strings attached

The Buddha’s culture of generosity:

‘How can I ever repay you for your teaching?’

Good
meditation teachers often hear this question from their students, and
the best answer I know for it is one that my teacher, Ajaan Fuang, gave
every time:

“By being intent on practicing.”

Each time he
gave this answer, I was struck by how noble and gracious it was. And it
wasn’t just a formality. He never tried to find opportunities to
pressure his students for donations. Even when our monastery was poor,
he never acted poor, never tried to take advantage of their gratitude
and trust. This was a refreshing change from some of my previous
experiences with run-of-the-mill village and city monks who were quick
to drop hints about their need for donations from even stray or casual
visitors.

Eventually I learned that Ajaan Fuang’s behavior is
common throughout the Forest Tradition. It’s based on a passage in the
Pali Canon where the Buddha on his deathbed states that the highest
homage to him is not material homage, but the homage of practicing the
Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma. In other words, the best way to
repay a teacher is to take the Dhamma to heart and to practice it in a
way that fulfills his or her compassionate purpose in teaching it. I
was proud to be part of a tradition where the inner wealth of this
noble idea was actually lived where, as Ajaan Fuang often put it, we
weren’t reduced to hirelings, and the act of teaching the Dhamma was
purely a gift.

So
I was saddened when, on my return to America, I had my first encounters
with the dana talk: the talk on giving and generosity that often comes
at the end of a retreat.

The context of the talk and often the
content makes clear that it’s not a disinterested exercise. It’s aimed
at generating gifts for the teacher or the organization sponsoring the
retreat, and it places the burden of responsibility on the retreatants
to ensure that future retreats can occur.

The
language of the talk is often smooth and encouraging, but when
contrasted with Ajaan Fuang’s answer, I found the sheer fact of the
talk ill-mannered and demeaning. If the organizers and teachers really
trusted the retreatants’ good-heartedness, they wouldn’t be giving the
talk at all.

To make matters worse, the typical dana talk along
with its companion, the meditation-center fundraising letter often
cites the example of how monks and nuns are supported in Asia as
justification for how dana is treated here in the West. But they’re
taking as their example the worst of the monks, and not the best.

I
understand the reasoning behind the talk. Lay teachers here aspire to
the ideal of teaching for free, but they still need to eat. And, unlike
the monastics of Asia, they don’t have a long-standing tradition of
dana to fall back on. So the dana talk was devised as a means for
establishing a culture of dana in a Western context.

But as so
often is the case when new customs are devised for Western Buddhism,
the question is whether the dana talk skillfully translates Buddhist
principles into the Western context or seriously distorts them. The
best way to answer this question is to take a close look at those
principles in their original context.

It’s well known that dana
lies at the beginning of Buddhist practice. Dana, quite literally, has
kept the Dhamma alive. If it weren’t for the Indian tradition of giving
to mendicants, the Buddha would never have had the opportunity to
explore and find the path to Awakening.

The monastic sangha
wouldn’t have had the time and opportunity to follow his way. Dana is
the first teaching in the graduated discourse: the list of topics the
Buddha used to lead listeners step-by-step to an appreciation of the
four noble truths, and often from there to their own first taste of
Awakening. When stating the basic principles of karma, he would begin
with the statement, “There is what is given.”

What’s
less well known is that in making this statement, the Buddha was not
dealing in obvious truths or generic platitudes, for the topic of
giving was actually controversial in his time.

For centuries, the
brahmans of India had been extolling the virtue of giving as long as
the gifts were given to them. Not only that, gifts to brahmans were
obligatory.

People of other castes, if they didn’t concede to the
brahmans’ demands for gifts, were neglecting their most essential
social duty. By ignoring their duties in the present life, such people
and their relatives would suffer hardship both now and after death.

As
might be expected, this attitude produced a backlash. Several of the
samana, or contemplative, movements of the Buddha’s time countered the
brahmans’ claims by asserting that there was no virtue in giving at all.

Their arguments fell into two camps.
One camp claimed that giving carried no virtue because there was no
afterlife. A person was nothing more than physical elements that, at
death, returned to their respective spheres. That was it. Giving thus
provided no long-term results.

The other camp stated that there
was no such thing as giving, for everything in the universe has been
determined by fate. If a donor gives something to another person, it’s
not really a gift, for the donor has no choice or free will in the
matter. Fate was simply working itself out.

So when the Buddha,
in his introduction to the teaching on karma, began by saying that
there is what is given, he was repudiating both camps. Giving does give
results both now and on into the future, and it is the result of the
donor’s free choice. However, in contrast to the brahmans, the Buddha
took the principle of freedom one step further. accesstoinsight.org



Why go for conversion?

Speech by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

 

In 1935 at Nasik district, Maharashtra, Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar had
declared his firm resolve to change his religion. He had declared that
he was born as a Hindu but will not die as Hindu. About a year later, a
massive Mahar conference was held on May 30 and 31, 1936, in Mumbai, to
access the impact of that declaration on Mahar masses. In his address
to the conference, Dr.Ambedkar expressed his views on conversion in an
elaborate, well- prepared and written speech in Marathi. Here is an
English translation of that speech by Mr.Vasant Moon, OSD to the
committee of Govt. of Maharashtra for publication of Writings &
speeches of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

Conversion is not a game of children. It is not a subject of
entertainment. It deals with how to make man’s life successful. Just as
a boatman has to make all necessary preparations before he starts for
voyage, so also we have to make preparations. Unless I get an idea as
to how many persons are willing to leave the Hindu fold, I cannot start
preparations for conversion.

For a common man this subject of conversion is very important but also very difficult to understand.

Class Struggle

There are two aspects of conversion; social as well as religious;
material as well as spiritual. Whatever may be the aspect, or line of
thinking, it is necessary to understand the beginning, the nature of
Untouchability and how it is practiced. Without this understanding, you
will not be able to realize the real meaning underlying my declaration
of conversion. In order to have a clear understanding of untouchability
and its practice in real life, I want you to recall the stories of the
atrocities perpetrated against you. But very few of you might have
realized as to why all this happens! What is at the root cause of their
tyranny? To me it is very necessary, that we understand it.

This is not a feud between rival men. The problem of untouchability
is a matter of class struggle. It is the struggle between caste Hindus
and the Untouchables. That is not a matter of doing injustice against
one man. This is a matter of injustice being done by one class against
another. This “class struggle” has a relation with the social status.
This struggle indicates, how one class should keep its relation with
another class. This struggle starts as soon as you start claiming equal
treatment with others…

Conversion not for slaves

The reason for their anger is very simple. Your behaving on par with
them insults them. The untouchability is not a short or temporary
feature; it is a permanent one .To put it straight, it can be said that
the struggle between the Hindus and the Untouchables is a permanent
phenomena. It is eternal, because the religion which has placed you at
the lowest level of the society is itself eternal, according to the
belief of the Hindu caste people. No change, according to time and
circumstances is possible. You are at the lowest rung of the ladder
today. You shall remain lowest forever. This means the struggle between
Hindus and Untouchables shall continue forever. How will you survive
through this struggle is the main question. And unless you think over
it, there is no way out. Those who desire to live in obedience to the
dictates of the Hindus, those who wish to remain their slaves, they do
not need to think over this problem. But those who wish to live a life of self-respect, and equality, will have to think over this.
How should we survive through this struggle? For me, it is not
difficult to answer this question. Those who have assembled here will
have to agree that in any struggle one who holds strength becomes the
victor. One, who has no strength, need not expect success. This has
been proved by experience, and I do not need to cite illustration to
prove it.

Three types of Strength

The question that follows, which you must now consider, is whether
you have enough strength to survive through this struggle? Three types
of strength are known to man: (i) Manpower, (ii) Finance and (iii)
Mental Strength. Which of these, you think that you possess? So far as
manpower is concerned, it is clear, that you are in a minority. In
Mumbai Presidency, the untouchables are only one-eighth of the total
population. That too unorganized. The castes within themselves do not
allow them to organize. They are not even compact. They are scattered
through the villages. Under these circumstances, this small population
is of no use as a fighting force to the untouchables at their critical
moments. Financial strength is also just the same. It is an undisputed
fact that you at least have a little bit of manpower, but finances you
have none. You have no trade, no business, no service, no land. The
piece of bread thrown out by the higher castes, are your means of
livelihood. You have no food, no clothes. What financial strength can
you have? You have no capacity to get redress from the law courts.
Thousands of untouchables tolerate insult, tyranny and oppression at
the hands of Hindus without a sigh of complaint, because they have no
capacity to bear the expenses of the courts. As regards mental
strength, the condition is still worst. The tolerance of insults and
tyranny without grudge and complaint has killed the sense of retort and
revolt. Confidence, vigour and ambition have been completely vanished
from you. All of you have been become helpless, unenergetic and pale.
Everywhere, there is an atmosphere of defeatism and pessimism. Even the
slight idea, that you can do something does not enter your mind.

Muslim Example

If, whatever I have described above is correct then you will have to
agree with the conclusion that follows. The conclusion is, if you
depend only upon your own strength, you will never be able to face the
tyranny of the Hindus. I have no doubt that you are oppressed because
you have no strength. It is not that you alone are in minority. The
Muslims are equally small in number. Like Mahar- Mangs, they too have
few houses in the village. But no one dares to trouble the Muslims
while you are always a victim of tyranny. Why is this so? Though there
may be two houses of Muslims in the village, nobody dares to harm them,
while the whole village practices tyranny against you though you have
ten houses. Why does this happen? This is a very pertinent question and
you will have to find out a suitable answer to this. In my opinion,
there is only one answer to this question. The Hindus realize that the
strength of the whole of the Muslim population in India stands behind
those two houses of Muslims living in a village and, therefore, they do
not dare to touch them. Those two houses also enjoy free and fearless
life because they are aware that if any Hindu commits aggression
against them, the whole Muslim community from Punjab to Madras will
rush to their protection at any cost. On the other hand, the Hindus are
sure that none will come to your rescue, nobody will help you, no
financial help will reach you. Tahsildar and police belong to caste
Hindus and in case of disputes between Hindus and Untouchables, they
are more faithful to their caste than to their duty. The Hindus
practice injustice and tyranny against you only because you are
helpless.

Outside Support

From the above discussion, two facts are very clear. Firstly, you
can not face tyranny without strength. And secondly, you do not possess
enough strength to face the tyranny. With these two conclusions, a
third one automatically follows. That is, the strength required to face
this tyranny needs to be secured from outside. How are you to gain this
strength is really an important question? And you will have to think
over this with an unbiased mind.

From this, you will realize one thing, that unless you establish
close relations with some other society, unless you join some other
religion, you cannot get the strength from outside. It clearly means,
you must leave your present religion and assimilate yourselves with
some other society. Without that, you cannot gain the strength of that
society. So long as you do not have strength, you and your future
generations will have to lead your lives in the same pitiable condition.

Spiritual Aspect of Conversion

Uptil now, we have discussed why conversion is necessary for
material gains. Now, I propose to put forth my thoughts as to why
conversion is as much necessary for spiritual wellbeing. What is
Religion? Why is it necessary? … ‘That which govern people is
religion’. That is the true definition of Religion. There is no place
for an individual in Hindu society. The Hindu religion is constituted
on a class-concept. Hindu religion does not teach how an individual
should behave with another individual. A religion, which does not
recognize the individual, is not personally acceptable to me.

Three factors are required for the uplift of an individual. They
are: Sympathy, Equality and Liberty. Can you say by experience that any
of these factors exist for you in Hinduism?

No Equality in Hinduism

Such a living example of inequality is not to be found anywhere in
the world. Not at anytime in the history of mankind can we find such
inequality, which is more intense than untouchability. .. I think, you
have been thrust into this condition because you have continued to be
Hindus. Those of you who have become Muslims, are treated by the Hindus
neither as Untouchables nor as unequals. The same can be said of those
who have become Christians.. .

That God is all pervading is a principle of science and not of
religion, because religion has a direct relation with the behaviour of
man. Hindus can be ranked among those cruel people whose utterances and acts are two poles apart. They have this Ram on their tongues and a knife under their armpits. They speak like saints but act like butchers…

Thus we are not low in the eyes of the Hindus alone, but we are the
lowest in the whole of India, because of the treatment given to us by
the Hindus.

If you have to get rid of this same shameful condition, if you have
to cleanse this filth and make use of this precious life; there is only
one way and that is to throw off the shackles of Hindu religion and the
Hindu society in which you are bound.

The taste of a thing can be changed. But the poison cannot be made
amrit. To talk of annihilating castes is like talking of changing the
poison into amrit. In short, so long as we remain in a religion, which
teaches a man to treat another man like a leper, the sense of
discrimination on account of caste, which is deeply rooted in our
minds, can not go. For annihilating caste and untouchables, change of
religion is the only antidote.

Untouchables are not Hindus

What is there in conversion, which can be called novel? Really
speaking what sort of social relations have you with the caste Hindus
at present? You are as separate from the Hindus as Muslims and
Christians are. So is their relation with you. Your society and that of
the Hindus are two distinct groups. By conversion, nobody can say or
feel that one society has been split up. You will remain as separate
from the Hindus as you are today. Nothing new will happen on account of
this conversion. If this is true, then why should people be afraid of
conversion? At least, I do not find any reason for such a fear…

Revolution - Not Reform

Changing a religion is like changing a name. Change of religion
followed by the change of name will be more beneficial to you. To call
oneself a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist or a Sikh is not merely a
change of religion but also a change of name.. Since the beginning of
this movement of conversion, various people have raised various
objections to it. Let us now examine the truth, if any, in such
objections.. .

A congenital idiot alone will say that one has to adhere to one’s
religion because it is that of our ancestors. No sane man will accept
such a proposition. Those who advocate such an argument, seem not to
have read the history at all. The ancient Aryan religion was called
Vedic religion. It has three distinct characteristic (features).
Beef-eating, drinking and merry-making was part of the religion of the
day. Thousands of people followed it in India and even now some people
dream of going back to it. If the ancient religion alone is to be
adhered to why did the people of India leave Hinduism and accept
Buddhism? Why did they divorce themselves from the Vedic religion?…
Thus this Hindu religion is not the religion of our ancestors, but it
was a slavery forced upon them…

To reform the Hindu society is neither our aim nor our field of
action. Our aim is to gain freedom. We have nothing to do with anything
else.

If we can gain freedom by conversion, why should we shoulder the responsibility of reforming the Hindu religion? And
why should we sacrifice our strength and property for that? None should
misunderstand the object of our movement as being Hindu social reform.
The object of our movement is to achieve social freedom for the
untouchables. It is equally true that this freedom cannot be secured
without conversion.

Caste can’t be destroyed

I do accept that the untouchables need equality as well. And to
secure equality is also one of our objectives. But nobody can say that
this equality can be achieved only by remaining as Hindu and not
otherwise. There are two ways of achieving equality. One, by remaining
in the Hindu fold and another by leaving it by conversion. If equality
is to be achieved by remaining in the Hindu fold, mere removal of the
sense of being a touchable or an untouchable will not serve the
purpose. Equality can be achieved only when inter-caste dinners and
marriages take place. This means that the Chaturvarnya must be
abolished and the Brahminic religion must be uprooted. Is it possible?
And if not, will it be wise to expect equality of treatment by
remaining in the Hindu religion? And can you be successful in your
efforts to bring equality? Of course not. The path of conversion is far
simpler than this. The Hindu society does not give equality of
treatment, but the same is easily achieved by conversion. If this is
true, then why should you not adopt this simple path of conversion?

Conversion is a simplest path

According to me, this conversion of religion will bring happiness to
both the Untouchables as well as the Hindus. So long as you remain
Hindus, you will have to struggle for social intercourse, for food and
water, and for inter-caste marriages. And so long as this quarrel
continues, relations between you and the Hindus will be of perpetual
enemies. By conversion, the roots of all the quarrels will vanish…
thus by conversion, if equality of treatment can be achieved and the
affinity between the Hindus and the Untouchables can be brought about
then why should the Untouchables not adopt the simple and happy path of
securing equality? Looking at this problem through this angle, it will
be seen that this path of conversion is the only right path of freedom,
which ultimately leads to equality. It is neither cowardice nor
escapism.

Sanctified Racism

Although the castes exist in Muslims and the Christians alike, it will be meanness to liken it to that of the Hindus. There

is a great distinction between the caste-system of the Hindus and
that of the Muslims and Christians. Firstly, it must be noted that
though the castes exist amongst the Christians and the Muslims, it is
not the chief characteristic of their body social.

There is one more difference between the caste system of the Hindus
and that of the Muslims and Christians. The caste system in the Hindus
has the foundation of religion. The castes in other religions have no
sanction in their religion …Hindus cannot destroy their castes without destroying their religion. Muslims
and Christians need not destroy their religions for eradication of
their castes. Rather their religion will support such movements to a
great extent.

Conversion alone liberates us

I am simply surprised by the question, which some Hindus ask us as
to what can be achieved by conversion alone? Most of the present day
Sikhs, Muslims and Christians were formerly Hindus, majority of them
being from the Shudras and Untouchables. Do these critics mean to say
that those, who left the Hindu fold and embraced Sikhism or
Christianity, have made no progress at all? And if this is not true,
and if it is admitted that the conversion has brought a distinct
improvement in their condition, then to say that the untouchables will
not be benefited by conversion, carries no meaning…

After giving deep thought to the problem, everybody will have to
admit that conversion is necessary to the Untouchables as
self-government is to India. The ultimate object of both is the same.
There is not the slightest difference in their ultimate goal. This
ultimate aim is to attain freedom. And if the freedom is necessary for
the life of mankind, conversion of Untouchables which brings them
complete freedom cannot be called worthless by any stretch of
imagination. ..

Economic Progress or Social Changes?

I think it necessary here to discuss the question as to what should
be initiated first, whether economic progress or conversion? I do not
agree with the view that economic progress should precede…

Untouchability is a permanent handicap on your path of progress. And
unless you remove it, your path cannot be safe. Without conversion,
this hurdle cannot be removed…

So, if you sincerely desire that your qualifications should be
valued, your education should be of some use to you, you must throw
away the shackles of untouchability, which means that you must change
your religion…

However, for those who need this Mahar Watan, I can assure them that
their Mahar Watan will not be jeopardized by their conversion. In this
regard, the Act of 1850 can be referred. Under the provisions of this
Act, no rights of person or his successors with respect to his property
are affected by virtue of his conversion.. .

Poona Pact

A second doubt is about political rights. Some people express fear
as to what will happen to our political safeguards if we convert…

But I feel, it is not proper to depend solely on political
rights. These political safeguards are not granted on the condition
that they shall be ever lasting. They are bound to cease sometime.
According
to the communal Award of the British Government, our political
safeguards were limited for 20 years. Although no such limitation has
been fixed by the Poona Pact, nobody can say that they are everlasting.
Those, who depend upon the political safeguards, must think as to what
will happen after these safeguards are withdrawn on the day on which
our rights cease to exist. We will have to depend on our social
strength. I have already told you that this social strength is wanting
in us. So also I have proved in the beginning that this strength cannot
be achieved without conversion.. .

Political Rights

Under these circumstances, one must think of what is permanently beneficial.

In my opinion, conversion is the only way to eternal bliss.
Nobody should hesitate even if the political rights are required to be
sacrificed for this purpose. 
Conversion brings no harm to the
political safeguards. I do not understand why the political safeguards
should at all be jeopardized by conversion. Wherever you may go, your
political rights and safeguards will accompany you. I have no doubt
about it.

If you become Muslims, you will get the political rights as Muslims.
If you become Christians, you will get the political rights as
Christians, if you become Sikhs, you will have your political rights as
Sikhs. In short, our political rights will accompany us.

So nobody should be afraid of it. On the other hand, if we remain
Hindus and do not convert, will our rights be safe? You must think
carefully on this. Suppose the Hindus pass a law whereby the
untouchability is prohibited and its practice is made punishable, then
they may ask you, ‘We have abolished untouchability by law and you are
no longer untouchables. ..

Looking through this perspective, conversion becomes a path for
strengthening the political safeguards rather than becoming a
hindrance. If you remain Hindus, you are sure to lose your political
safeguards. If you want to save them, leave this religion. The
political safeguards will be permanent only by conversion.

The Hindu religion does not appeal to my conscience. It does not
appeal to my self-respect. However, your conversion will be for
material as well as for spiritual gains. Some persons mock and laugh at
the idea of conversion for material gains. I do not feel hesitant in
calling such persons as stupid.

Conversion brings Happiness

I tell you all very specifically, religion is for man and not man for religion. To get human treatment, convert yourselves.

CONVERT -For getting organized.
CONVERT -For becoming strong.
CONVERT -For securing equality.
CONVERT -For getting liberty.
CONVERT -For that your domestic life may be happy.

I consider him as leader who without fear or favour tells the people
what is good and what is bad for them. It is my duty to tell you, what
is good for you, even if you don’t like it, I must do my duty. And now
I have done it.

It is now for you to decide and discharge your responsibility.

Devendra D. Meshram
meet_deven89@ yahoo.co. in

Reference: “Bhim Chakra 1996″ published by Oil & Natural Gas Corp. Ltd. Tripura project, Agartala.



Flag this message

Raj Kumar
Oshoraj<oshoraj@canada. com>
wrote:

Dear
all, 

Namo Buddha !

As you all know Indian Buddhist Society Toronto,
Canada
celebrated Buddha Jayanti 2009 in Canadian House of Commons (Parliament) and
now I hear this great news for the proposed celebrations of 2010 in White
House. I am confident it will happen, and 2010 Buddha Jayanti will be
celebrated in the White House. 

No doubt there will be a lot more influencial personalities participating
in the White House celebrations  than our this year’s program. we are
proud of it. By celebrating in Canadian Parliament , we feel we have
done something that was not done before and we always wanted to do it by
taking Lord Buddha’s message to the places where no one has taken it
yet.   

We should publicize such events as much as we can and may I please ask
if someone can forward me the details so that we can go in the
media in Toronto
about the celebrations in White House.

Thanks Mr. Lakshman for sharing the information.


In dhamma,
Therefore I
request you in general and American in particular to kindly take steps from
your end to request His Excellency
President
Barack Obama to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday on 27th May 2010 at
white house. Let us not miss this golden opportunity where His Excellency
started celebrating Dipavali and Guru Nanak Birthday at White House in the
interest of peace, happiness and welfare of entire people.
Press Information Bureau
(C.M. Information Campus)
Information & Public Relations Department, U.P.

C.M. writes letter to P.M., terms Bundelkhand package as insufficient


Lucknow: December 03, 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati in a letter written to Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today termed the package announced for
Bundelkhand as insufficient. She said that only Rs. 1595 crore had been
sanctioned as additional central assistance for three years. In this way, only Rs.
550 crore would be given to Uttar Pradesh per year. The remaining amount
would become available through conversion from the Central schemes running
already, she said adding that the people of Bundelkhand had felt cheated by this
meagre assistance. She has requested the Prime Minister to direct the Central
Planning Commission to arrange enough resources by the Centre for the allround
development of Bundelkhand area.

It may be recalled that the Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati had requested for
Rs. 80,000 crore special package for the development of Bundelkhand area and
the State by meeting P.M. Dr. Manmohan Singh personally after coming in power
in May 2007, but the Central Government has sanctioned only Rs. 7,266 crore
package for the Bundelkhand area covering Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
for three years on November 20, 2009, out of which U.P. will get only Rs. 550
crore per year.

The Chief Minister has drawn the attention of P.M. towards the decision of
implementing the announced package from the year 2009-10. In such a
situation, keeping in view the limited period of the financial year, it would be
proper that National Rain-Fed Area Authority should end the process of projects’
assessment and the sanctioning right should be given to the state directly. She
said that the people of Bundelkhand wished that besides, the fundamental
facilities they could get such a positive atmosphere including the social and
economic result oriented long term schemes to cope with the developed areas.
The Chief Minister has requested that in view of adverse circumstances of
Bundelkhand, the Centre should make positive and effective efforts for the
development of the area. She said that the geographical situation of
Bundelkhand was like other states, which had been sanctioned special area
incentive package and had been given concession in Central excise duty and
income tax. The Bundelkhand should also be given special area incentive
package for the industrial development of the area, she added.

Ms. Mayawati while referring to her earlier letters written to the Prime
Minister said that keeping in view the limited resources of the State, a large scale
planning was needed by the Centre in agriculture, industry and service sector for
the all-round development of Bundelkhand. She has also requested the Centre
that projects equivalent to Central Railway Coach Factory, National Institute of
Fashion Technology’s Branch, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and
Research, National Auto-Mobile Testing and Research Infrastructure, All India
Institute of Medical Sciences should be established and arrangements for coal
linkage be made for power projects.
********
Chief Minister directs all commissioners
to make efforts for providing appropriate
price, incentives and facilities to sugar cane farmers
Token system is not binding for paddy purchase
— Mayawati

Lucknow: December 01, 2009


The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has directed all

commissioners to make efforts again for providing appropriate price
to sugar cane farmers by sugar mills for their produce on the basis
of mutual consent among them and cane farmers’ representatives
and sugar mill owners. This price should be more than SAP
announced by the state government, besides other incentives and
facilities. In this connection, a government order has been issued.
The office bearers of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) demanded
more support price for wheat next year terming it as insufficient.
The Chief Minister said that letter would be sent to Central
Government to provide more support price for wheat. She directed
that token system was not binding for paddy purchase and the total
output of farmers’ crop would be purchased.

Ms. Mayawati gave these directives today when Principal
Secretaries to CM Mr. Netram and Mr. Shailesh Krishna apprised her
about the conclusions of the meeting held between them and office
bearers of BKU. In the meeting, National spokesman of BKU
Chaudhri Rakesh Tikait, National Vice President Mr. Rajesh Singh
Chauhan, National Secretary Mr. Raj Pal Sharma, National Vice
President Mr. Balram Singh, State President Mr. Bhanu Pratap
Singh, State Vice President Mr. Harpal Singh, Secretary Mr.
Dharmendra Chaudhri and Purvanchal President Mr. Deewan
Chandra Chaudhri were present. These office bearers handed over a
memorandum and demanded solution of several problems including
sugar cane price soon.

The Chief Minister with a view to solving the problems of
farmers on priority basis directed to make Kisan Bandhu constituted
at district level more effective and said that actual participation of
farmers should be ensured in these meetings. The office bearers
said that Kisan Bandhu had become defunct. Besides, on the
demand of BKU office bearers regarding the availability of fertilisers
and seeds for sowing of rabi crops and appropriate steps to prevent
spurious fertilisers and uncertified seeds for sale, the C.M. directed
the district magistrates to strictly check the hoarding and black
marketing of fertilisers and making fertilisers and seeds available to
farmers in enough quantity. She also directed to verify the quantity
of fertilisers, which had been made available to private stock
holders and retailers, besides its distribution among farmers. She
said that the state government was fully committed towards the
interests of cane farmers.

On the demand of electricity connection to private tube-wells
and the availability of material for sanctioned connection within a
month, the Chief Minister directed the officers of electricity
department to ensure the availability of concerning equipments,
besides 10-hour power supply in rural areas. The Chief Minister also
directed to take action for withdrawal of the cases slapped on
farmers during the agitation in the state in which no violence had
taken place. On the demand of considering the wife of farmer as a
unit under Farmers’ Accident Insurance Scheme, the Chief Minister
assured that letter would be sent to Government of India for
insurance of farmers’ crops on the basis of personal agriculture. She
also directed for spraying of pesticides and fogging in different
areas.

The office bearers of BKU appreciated the Chief Minister and
the State Government for their seriousness towards solving the
problems of farmers and they thanked for the cordial atmosphere
during the talks.
********
C.M. grieved

Lucknow: November 29, 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has
expressed profound grief over the untimely demise of
senior I.A.S. officer Mr. Harminder Raj Singh. He
belonged to 1978 batch.
In a condolence message, Ms. Mayawati described
him as a soft spoken and a very efficient and capable
officer. He held several important posts at the district
and government level and successfully performed his
duties. In his death, the administrative services had
suffered a big loss.

The Chief Minister has conveyed deep sympathies
and heartfelt condolences to the family members of the
deceased and prayed for peace to the departed soul.
******
Chief Ministers of U.P. and Uttarakhand discuss
pending issues between both States
U.P. Government to provide police and P.A.C. for Haridwar Kumbh
Chief Secretaries of U.P and Uttarakhand to hold
meeting every month to resolve other pending issues

Lucknow: November 28, 2009

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati and Uttarakhand Chief
Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhariyal “Nishank” discussed several pending issues
between both the States in a meeting held here today.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati accepted the request
of Uttarakhand Government to provide police force for Khumbh fair to be held
next year in Haridwar (Uttarakhand). The U.P. Government would provide 15
company P.A.C. and 1,000 constables, 40 horses and mounted police, 20
inspectors and 60 sub-inspectors civil police. Besides, 03 additional police
superintendent and 07 seven police deputy superintendent would also be
provided from time to time during the period of Khumbh fair according to
necessity. Five additional P.A.C companies would also be made available to
Uttarakhand during main festivals of Khumbh fair, which would return back after
the conclusion of festivals. The Uttar Pradesh Government told about the
inadequate number of traffic police constables and fire fighting personnel.
During the meeting, the consent was made that vacant posts equal to the
number of police personnel, who had not been joining in Uttarakhand owing to
administrative/judicial hindrances be made available, so that Uttarakhand
Government could make appointments on those posts at its own level. Consent
was also given for allotment of 16 seats for next five years to Uttarakhand by
U.P. Government for P.G. Diploma training in medical colleges of Uttar Pradesh.
It was also consented that 18 hectare of land would be transferred to National
Highway Authority of India by Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh for making
four lanes of national highway-58.

Regarding other pending issues between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it
was decided that Chief Secretaries of both states would hold meeting every
month, in which pending issues concerning departments would be discussed. In
these meetings, Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of concerning departments of
both the States will remain present, besides the Principal Secretary level officer
of Finance Department.

In the meeting held at official residence of the U.P. Chief Minister, Cabinet
Secretary Mr. Shashank Shekhar Singh, Chief Secretary Mr. Atul Kumar Gupta,
Additional Cabinet Secretary Mr. Vijay Shankar Pandey, Principal Secretaries to
C.M. Mr. Netram and Mr. Shailesh Krishrna and Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand
Mr. Nrip Singh Napalchyal, Principal Secretary to C.M. /Home Mr. Shubhash
Kumar and Principal Secretary to C.M. Mr. Shatrughan Singh were present.
********
C.M. greets people on Eid-ul-azha

Lucknow: November 27, 2009


The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati has greeted
the people of the State, especially Muslim brethren on the
occasion of Eid-ul-azha (Bakrid).

In a greeting message, Ms. Mayawati said that Eid-ul-azha
festival gave the message of sacrifice, peace, social harmony and
brotherhood. She said that Hazrat Ibrahim put the example of
sacrificing his most lovable son Hazrat Ismail on the name of
God. This example still inspires people for extreme sacrifice and
love, she added.

Ms. Mayawati while wishing her good wishes has appealed
the people to maintain the atmosphere of peace and harmony on
the occasion of Eid-ul-azha. She expressed hope that this festival
would be celebrated with the tradition of helping poor people,
feeling of sacrifice and simplicity.
********

Chief Secretary level meeting between Uttarakhand
and Uttar Pradesh for division of assets and to
discuss other matters to be held tomorrow

Lucknow : 26 November 2009

The Chief Secretary level meeting between Uttarakhand and
Uttar Pradesh for division of assets and also to discuss other
matters has been convened tomorrow. The State Chief Secretary
Mr. Atul Kumar Gupta would represent U.P., while Uttarakhand
would be represented by its Chief Secretary Mr. Nrip Singh
Napalchyal, Principal Secretary Home and Principal Secretary to
C.M., Mr. Shubhash Kumar and Principal Secretary to C.M. and
Reorganisation Mr. Shatrughan Singh.

The pending matters would be discussed at length at the
meeting. The discussions would also include availability of
gazetted officers from Uttar Pradesh for holding Kumbha Mela in a
successful manner and to ensure maintenance of law and order.
Availability of police and fire brigade officers would also be
discussed at the meeting. The matter related with the police
personnel allocated by Government of India for Uttarakhand State,
who had not reported so far, would also be discussed at the
meeting.

Besides, conversion of Muzaffarnagar-Deoband-Gagalhedi
road, National Highway-58 and Muzaffarnagar-Purkazi sector NH-
58 into four lanes would also be discussed. Division of
responsibilities between U.P. Hydro Power Corporation Limited and
Uttarakhand Hydro Power Corporation Limited would also be
discussed at the meeting. The construction of proposed new
express-way (Noida to Purkazi) being constructed by Uttar
Pradesh on Upper Gang Canal up to Haridwar would also be
discussed.

The division of the area of the Sharda Sahayak Sagar
Jalashay situated between both the States would also be focussed
in the meeting. The parking place for the buses plying during
Kumbha Mela 2010 in the adjoining districts would also be
discussed and identified at the meeting. Moreover, the pending
issues of U.P. Beej Evam Terai Vikas Nigam and Seed Certification
Institute would also be discussed.
******

Mayawati pays tribute to Ambedkar

Lucknow Dec 6 | Sunday, Dec 6 2009 IST




Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister


Mayawati today paid a floral tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar on his 53rd


death anniversary here.




Ms Mayawati attended a function at the B R Ambedkar Samajik Parivatan


Sthal in the presence of over 5000 party supporters and leaders.




After the function, the CM also instructed the officials to maintain


the sthal properly.




The CM stayed there for about 30 minutes but did not made any speech


on the occasion.




Earlier, the Supreme Court had disallowed the UP government to erect


any temporary structure inside the sthal for organising the function.




The apex court had already stayed futher construction in the Ambedkar


Samajik Parivartan Sthal.

Thousands throng Ambedkar Memorial



Express News Service Posted online: Monday , Dec 07, 2009 at 0147 hrs

Lucknow : To mark the 53rd death anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, the

ruling Bahujan Samaj Party mobilised thousands of party workers and

supporters at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal (Ambedkar

Memorial) in Lucknow on Sunday.

In the past, the event was organised near the Dr Ambedkar statue in

Hazratganj. This was the first time it was held at the Ambedkar

memorial.



Earlier, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea from the

Mayawati government seeking permission to undertake maintenance and

cleaning work at the premises in view of Sunday’s function.



This is the second time the memorial was thrown open to the public

after the Supreme Court had stopped all activity inside memorials on

September 12. The state government, thereafter, had barred the public

from entering the memorial.



The memorial was first opened on September 17, when Chief Minister

Mayawati laid the foundation of Kanshiram Green Eco Garden near the

Kanshiram Memorial.



Mayawati, who reached the venue around 10.30 am, paid a floral tribute

to Dr Ambedkar at the auditorium. She spent over 15 minutes there.



She was accompanied by senior officials including Chief Secretary Atul

Gupta, Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh and DGP Karamvir

Singh.



Most of the visitors who came from Lucknow and adjacent districts like

Barabanki and Sitapur, said they reached the state capital after

receiving a message from the local leaders of the ruling BSP.



“I received a message from my district president Ratan Lal Gautam on

Saturday to bring all party supporters,” said Sant Ram Gautam, BSP

Sector President of Surat Block in Barabanki district. “I passed the

message among our people. The vehicle was made available to us by

Saturday evening.”



Ram Kumar, convener of the Bahujan Volunteer Force (BVF) in Lucknow’s

Itaunja area, said he received the message to reach Lucknow on

Saturday.



Santosh Kumar, a resident of Allunagar in Digoria on IIM-L road, said

the BSP supporters were mobilised by Rakesh Gautam, the local member

of the Block Development Council.



Ram Kumar, president of BSP’s Aishbagh area of Lucknow, said the party

district unit held a meeting of the party workers on November 4.



“The plan to come to Lucknow was discussed at the meeting. The final

message came to me on Saturday,” he added.

Mayawati expresses her displeasure over poor upkeep of Ambedkar Memorial

Rajesh Kumar Singh, Hindustan Times




Lucknow, December 06, 2009


First Published: 20:43 IST(6/12/2009)


Last Updated: 20:45 IST(6/12/2009)




The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Sunday expressed her


displeasure over the poor upkeep of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar samajik


parivartan sthal.




To pay tribute to Dr Ambedkar on his 53rd death anniversary Mayawati


visited the memorial located on the bank of River Gomti. The dim light


in the gallery located under the main tomb and layer of dust over the


pedestal on which the statue of Dr Ambedkar has been installed upset


the Chief Minister.




She directed the officers to ensure proper lighting near the statues


and to keep the area clean. As she moved around the gallery semi


finished work and heaps of stone lying around the tomb added to her


annoyance. The officers accompanying the Chief Minister had tough time


explaining reasons for the slow progress of the work.




Thousands of BSP supporters had gathered in the parivartan sthal as


Mayawati paid floral tribute to Dr Ambedkar. The slogan ‘Baba tera


mission adhura Mayawati karegi pura’ (Mayawati will complete the


mission of Dr Ambedkar), Baba teri nek kamai tune soote kaum jagayi’


(Dr Ambedkar had recharged the community that was in deep slumber)


rented in the air.




Several of the BSP workers were seen carrying placard with the


pictures of Mayawati and Dr Ambedkar. They jostled with each other to


have a glimpse of Mayawati as she walked out of the main tomb. After


waving her hand toward the supporters Mayawati along with the national


general secretary SC Mishra left the spot.




As the cavalcade of the Chief Minister moved out of the memorial the


BSP workers broke the security cordon and soon the blue brigade was


spread all over the memorial area. Awe was clear on their face as they


walked over the granite steps and entered inside the tomb. The statue


of Dr Ambedkar located in the center of the gallery and the statue of


Mayawati along with Kanshi Ram was main center of attraction.




Some of them moved toward the elephant gallery, others inspected the


semi- constructed amphitheatre. Several of them climbed on the top of


the tomb to have a better view of the parivartan sthal.




The president of BSP state unit Swami Prasad Maurya said as mark of


respect to the SC/ST messiah Dr Ambedkar the Chief Minister Mayawati


constructed the grand memorial. Terming it as a monument of the


deprived class Maurya said this memorial would motivate them to work


for social justice and equality.




Sangram a native of Bhaura village located near Ram Sanehi ghat in


Barabanki district had come along with his family. “Few years back I


along with the other villagers use to visit Ayodhya on December 6 to


participate in the programme organized by saffron brigade but after


joining BSP I decided to visit Lucknow to pay obeisance to Dr Ambedkar


on his parinirvan diwas (death anniversary) “, he said.




For the children of Rajendra Gautam a resident of Mishrikh in Sitapur


district it was time to improve their general knowledge. As he moved


in the gallery he told them about struggle of Ambedkar in the early


years, his education, visit to Great Britain, fight for the right of


the SC/ST community and conversion to Buddhism. “The artists have


rightly engraved the moments depicting the life of Ambedkar on stone”,


he said.




Majority of the workers left their home early in the morning braving


the chilled winter wind to reach the spot. They gathered in the open


area along with the women and the children to warm themselves in the


sunlight. “We would leave the city after seeing other monuments and


parks”, said Mahipal resident of Tulsipur village in Unnao district.


http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=eb0de4658a&view=att&th=1256ce2fd5625f53&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=f_g2y9m273&zw
So did the Karnataka BSP to Ambedkar Statue at Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru.
President Marasandra Muniappa gave a very relevent speech followed by Karnataka State Co-ordinator Dr. Ashok Sidharth MLC, Mr.Tiwari MLA from UP and Mr.R.Muniappa.

Various organisations paid homage to Bharat Ratna Dr  B R
Ambedkar on his 53rd death anniversary in the city on Sunday.

Buddha statue soon be unveiled at Sarnath




Pioneer news service | lucknow




India’s tallest Buddha statues in standing position will soon be One of
unveiled at Sarnath, the Buddhist pilgrimage centre near Varanasi where
he had delivered his first sermon.




Almost 90 feet high sandstone structure at Sarnath is similar to
Afghanistan’s two Bamiyan statues, which were the world’s tallest
Buddha images till they were destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001.




The statue is being built by the Mrig Dayavan Mahavihara Society of
Sarnath and is financed by the Thai monks and other devotees.




“This statue has resemblance with Bamiyan’s Buddha statue as the
proposed statue too is in standing position and depicts Gandhara art.
though Bamiyans statues fell to the tyranny of Talibans, Sarnath’s
statue is being built to spread the message of peace and love that Lord
Buddha prescribed in his sermons,” Chief of the Mrig Dayavan Mahavihara
Society Shasan Rashmi told The Pioneer from Sarnath on telephone on
Thursday.




The statue costs anything between Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore and would be open for public viewing by the end of 2010.




The Sarnath statue mirrors the Gandhara style of art on which the
Bamiyan statues were based. The statue is made of stand stone brought
from neighbouring Chunar.




Rashmi said that the statue would be unique as it would be in Abhaya
Mudra. Four sacred signs of Buddhists would be engraved at the four
corners of the statue.




“The beauty of this statue is that it is made of only 845 sandstone
slabs kept one over the other. Intricate sacred designs are being made
all around the statue,” Shasan Rashmi said.




He said it would be the tallest statue of Lord Buddha in India in
standing position. “In Bodh Gaya we have a statue of Lord Buddha in
Abha Mudra, but in sitting position. The proposed statue would be in
standing position,” he clarified.




Construction of this statue was a struggle for the society. The project
was initiated almost eight years back when Talibans destroyed the
Buddha statue in Bamiyan. But the project was delayed because it got
tangled in the red tape. The Archaeological Survey of India wanted us
to change the site and then the project ran into financial problem.




“Yes our project ran into financial problem. We did not have money and
so the project was shelved for almost three years. We collected
`chanda’ from the devotees. Some organisations also helped us to tide
over the crisis. And now we are comfortable,” Rashmi said.



Chief Minister Mayawati, who is herself  is setting up 500 feet Maitriya Buddha statue at Kushinagar and that is her
agenda.




Former chief minister Rajnath Singh had planned a taller, 152-foot,
Buddha statue at Kushinagar, a pilgrim town around 160km from Sarnath,
but it never took shape.


Low-cost houses for Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudviapa soon

Last Updated : 2009-12-01 11:29 AM
The Himalayan Times - Saved Articles(s)

Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: The government will abide by its social responsibility to
Aboriginal Inhabitants of jambudvipa and marginalized communities, said Finance Minister Surendra
Pandey. “We are going to build 3,000 low-cost houses for Dalits of
Siraha, Saptari and Kapilvastu districts,” he said in a press meet
here today.

In the first phase, 320 houses will be built in Dom villages of
Saptari district, he said adding construction will start next month.
The government has developed two models of low-cost houses which cost
Rs 60,000 and 1,20,000, respectively.

Finance secretary Rameshwor Khanal said the government will provide
subsidy on compost fertilizer. “We have taken this initiation to
enhance soil productivity,” said Khanal. As per the plan, the Ministry
of Finance (MoF) will provide 50 per cent grant in establishment of a
compost fertilizer plant and 15 per cent subsidy on the product.

Moreover, the government will provide work to over 20,000 people in
development projects in the fiscal year 2009-10. The new budget has
promised to provide 100

days work to 50,000 people. MoF is studying mega projects to meet the
target, said Pandey.

However, the government has not achieved all economic targets set for
the first four months of the fiscal year. “Development projects are at
a satisfactory level and we can meet the target by this fiscal end,”
he told the media about progress in the first four months.

FM Pandey said price hike stepped down by one digit, which was two
digits since last year. Export reduced but import grew significantly.
“It is a challenge to increase the export volume,” he said, Foreign
exchange reserve has also gone down in the period.

The government expended Rs 45.72 billion until November

27. However, the capital expenditure is limited to Rs 7.12 billion.
MoF has collected Rs 50.38 billion revenue, which is 34.3 per cent
more than the preceding fiscal year.

Inauguration of a fast-track road between Kathmandu and Nijgadh,
embankment in Bagmati, Kamala and Triyuga rivers and Upper Tamakoshi
hydropower are achievements of the government. It has selected 919
projects in conflict-affected zones, among which 409 are in operation.
The government has also finalized the initial process of distribution
of bio-metric identity cards for Nepalis.

In Focus:Bahujan Samaj Party

Certainly
Mayawati will become the first Scheduled Caste woman Prime Minister of
Jambudvipa, that is the Great Prabuddha Bharath.

Ganga Expressways

Those who are seeking political
motives behind the Ganga Expressways are doing disservice to millions
of people of Uttar Pradesh.This expressways has the potential to
catapult UP among the most developed states of India.Many
good-for-nothing-politicians are averse that Mayawati too would gain
iconic status along with this expressways.So there is widespread
conspiracy to stall this anyhow.Once the court gives its directive and
go ahead then Mayawati will give this the highest priority and meet
the schedule somehow.

Certainly
Mayawati will become the first Scheduled Caste woman Prime Minister of
Jambudvipa, that is the Great Prabuddha Bharath.
Since the
expressways has the potential to catapult UP among the most developed
states of this country,there is no doubt that Mayawati too would gain
iconic status along with this expressways.
Let us be optimistic that
court gives its directive and go ahead then Mayawati will give this the
highest priority and meet the schedule somehow.

Mayawati asks officers to help farmers get maximum incentive

PTI
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 20:59 IST
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today
directed the divisional commissioners to help sugarcane farmers get
maximum incentive from sugar mills for their produce, besides the State
Advisory Price (SAP) announced by the government.

Acting on the inputs provided by her senior officials who earlier in
the day held talks with Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) office bearers,
Mayawati asked the divisional commissioners to mediate between the
farmers’ representative and sugar mills.

According to the
officials, a delegation of BKU which held a “mahapanchayat” earlier in
the day, also handed over a memorandum to the chief minister.

On
the demand by farmers that wheat support price for next year be
increased, the chief minister said she would write to the Centre for
the purpose.

Allaying fears of the farmers on paddy procurement,
Mayawati issued orders for not making newly introduced token system
mandatory, and assured all the paddy produced by the farmers would be
purchased.

When apprised about the problem being faced in the
availability of seeds and fertilisers for rabi sowing, she asked all
district magistrates to make them available at all ’sahkari saitis’
besides checking the sale of non-certified seeds and fertilisers.

She
also ordered for withdrawing of cases against farmers during their
agitation where there had been no violence involved, officials added.


comments (0)
12/02/09
VR1 (WE ARE ONE ) +VE - NEWS-White House celebration of Buddha Jayanti-Bodhisatwa Sangamitta-Mayawati warns against unrest over Ayodhya-Maya Lashes out at Congress, BJP, Liberhan-Press Information Bureau (Chief Minister’s Information Campus) Information & Public Relations Department, U.P. Rabi sowing : C.M. directs officers to ensure 10-hour regular power supply every day in rural areas Conduct raids on hoarders and black-marketeers — Mayawati DMs should regularly monitor distribution and availability of fertilisers and seeds — Chief Minister-C.M. holds high level meeting to review efforts being made to make Ganga pollution free State Government serious towards increasing pollution level in rivers, it is taking steps to make them pollution free — Chief Minister U.P. State Ganga River Conservation Authority formed to make Ganga pollution free and protect environment-U.P. has unlimited potential of development, export and services — Chief Minister C.M. invites entrepreneurs to invest in U.P. Decision taken to set up Rs. 560 crores international airport on PPP model at Kushinagar — Mayawati C.M. visits U.P. Pavilion at Pragati Maidan
Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 2:08 am
comments (0)