11th Commonwealth Summit

The three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) concluded in Perth (Australia) on 30 October. The meeting did well to highlight the issues related to security and hunger as these affect a vast section of humanity.
Eliminating Terrorism
The 11th CHOGM collectively pledged to fight terrorism by preventing the use of their territories for terrorist acts or financing and also vowed to accelerate efforts to combat piracy and strengthening maritime security in the Indian Ocean.
The 54-nation bloc, in its joint communiqué, committed to "unequivocally preventing the use of their territories for the support, incitement to violence or commission of terrorist acts".
They also agreed to work towards implementing the necessary legal framework for the suppression of terrorist financing, and preventing the raising and use of funds by terrorists, their front organizations, and transnational terrorist organizations.
Terrorism continues to pose a major threat despite billions of rupees having been spent on eliminating the scourge. The CHOGM communiqué rightly expressed its commitment to prevent the use of its territory by any nation for promoting terrorism. It also called for suppressing funding sources for acts of terror.
How it goes about forcing certain countries like Pakistan to stop using terrorism for their geopolitical objectives remains to be seen. Terrorists may be down but they are not out. They continue to claim lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere. India’s maintenance of its tight vigil has paid dividends.
Economic Issue
On economic front, the CHOGM communiqué noted the “impasse” in the Doha round and urged the trade ministers’ World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in December to make “substantive progress” as well as make a formal “anti-protectionist pledge”.
The leaders at the Perth Meeting also agreed to reduce the cost of remittance transfers by removing barriers to remitting and encouraging greater competition in the transfer market, by endorsing the World Bank’s General Principles for International Remittance Services.
International Security Problem
As regards the international security issue, piracy was another issue that figured prominently in the communiqué as the group maintained their commitment to a stable and secure national and international environment.
In addition to accelerating efforts to combat piracy and to strengthen maritime security, including through enhancing the capacity of coastal states, the communiqué also urged the international community to recognize that the menace of piracy in the Indian Ocean cannot be effectively tackled in the absence of political stability and security in Somalia.
The leaders at the meeting expressed the view that the international community must ensure stability in the poverty-stricken African nation. Poverty drove most Somalians to take to piracy. Thus, the cause of eliminating poverty wherever it exists, too, must get precedence along with the need for providing stability. They affirmed support to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and its Seventh Review Conference in December 2011 and pledged to continue tackling the root causes of conflict, including through the promotion of democracy, development and strong legitimate institutions.
The Perth Summit also agreed to combat people smuggling and human trafficking by clamping down on illicit criminal organizations and bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, while protecting and supporting the victims of trafficking.
Grouping Reforms
The 11th CHOGM indirectly sent out the message that the grouping of 54 former British colonies would not allow any kind of discrimination on the basis of one’s sex. The call for reforms by the Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) led by former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi needs to be given a serious thought.
The leaders at the Perth meeting agreed to adopt one third of the 106 recommendations of an eminent persons group to make the grouping more relevant in current times, but virtually rejected the proposal for a human rights commissioner. Faced with a tough task of ushering in reforms, leaders of the 54-nation bloc had asked their foreign ministers to work overnight on recommedations of the 11-member EPG, which had gone public with its criticism.
Climate Change
With many of the Commonwealth nations being low-lying islands, the Perth meeting agreed on a slew of measures to promote action on climate change, including a push to find better ways to fund mitigation and adaptation projects.
Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed said a number of the EPG recommendations touched upon the issue of climate change and all have been accepted by the CHOGM leaders.
The issue of climate change is not of the future. It is happening now and we must deal with it now
India's Development Agenda
India returns with a feeling of satisfaction from the CHOGM, having managed to keep the 54-nation grouping focused on the development agenda.
Dismissing the general perception that the meeting was a failure because it did not accept the reform agenda set by some countries, Vice President Hamid Ansari, who headed the Indian delegation at CHOGM, said the Commonwealth has been an organization that has evolved slowly and could not be pushed into “instant” action. “We reiterated our perspective on institutions - that we needed to strengthen existing institutions rather than create new ones,” Ansari said in a clear reference to the effort by some developed nations to push through the creation of a Commissioner for Human Rights. The contentious recommendation was contained in a report by an EPG comprising civil society members, and some member-nations had sought to link its acceptance to the success of CHOGM 2011.
Some of the EPG recommendations have been accepted, others have been kept aside for further discussions, with officials indicating that the opposition to them was so widespread that they were unlikely to be adopted.
In fact, dispelling the perception that only some countries - including India, Sri Lanka and South Africa – were against the creation of the Commissioner’s office, an Indian official said that more than 30 of the 54 Commonwealth nations were opposed to the move.
Kamalesh Sharma Reappointed Chief
Seventy-year-old seasoned Indian diplomat Kamalesh Sharma was reappointed secretary general of the 54-nation Commonwealth grouping for a four-year term beginning April 2012.
India proposed Sharma’s name for a second term to the coveted post at the concluding session of the 21st Commonwealth heads of government meeting here. Pakistan seconded it. The proposal was accepted unanimously by everybody.
Sri Lanka would host its next Commonwealth Summit in 2013.

Explosion Outside Delhi High Court: Terror Acts Continue

A high intensity briefcase bomb exploded near Gate No 5 of the Delhi High Court on 7 September, killing 11 persons and injuring 90 in a major terror attack that struck the National Capital after a gap of three years. Parliament unequivocally condemned the explosion outside the Delhi High Court and adjourned the proceedings till the government gathered facts and made a statement in both the Houses.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Adjourned
The Lok Sabha (lower house of the Parliament) was adjourned until 1230 when Home Minister P Chidambaram was expected to make a statement, while the Rajya Sabha (upper house of the Parliament)was adjourned until 1400.
At the outset, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar condemned the explosion as a dastardly act and asked the government to make a statement.
Cutting across party lines, leaders condemned the explosions as a cowardly act and said the Lok Sabha cannot continue with business "while people continue to die just over a kilometer from Parliament."
Leaders’ Reactions
BJP veteran L K Advani condemned the incident and urged the Speaker to adjourn the Lok Sabha until the government made a statement on the explosion outside the High Court.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and BSP leader, also asked the Home Minister to make a statement on the issue and requested the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day.
He also said that some foreign nationals came into the country undetected, carried out such incidents, and got way.
JD-U President Sharad Yadav shared the views expressed by members and said the fact that the explosion occurred within a kilometre from Parliament was disturbing.
CPI-M leader Basudeb Acharia termed the explosion as a "disturbing incident" which should be condemned not only by the House but by the entire country.
He too said that the Lok Sabha should be adjourned until noon and the home minister should make a statement on the issue when the House meets.
Bahujan Samaj Party leader Dara Singh Chauhan condemned the explosion and asked the Speaker to adjourn the House until the government made a statement.
Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete noted that even Parliament had been a target of terror attack and the entire nation has to fight this menace unitedly.
DMK leader T K S Elangovan condemned the explosion and asked the Home Minister to "look into it" and take action.
AIADMK leader M Thambidurai strongly condemned the explosion and agreed with the views of his colleagues that the House be adjourned till the Home Minister makes a statement.
Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the Lok Sabha should not conduct business till the government made a statement on the incident.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal then informed the House that the Home Minister would make a statement at 1230 following which the Speaker adjourned the House until then.
In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Hamid Ansari adjourned the proceedings until 1400 to allow the Government to collect information on the explosion.
When the House met for the day, Chairman Hamid Ansari said that a "disturbing news" had just trickled in about a bomb explosion outside the Delhi High Court.
"There are reports of some casualties. This is something to be condemned," he said. "As soon as facts are available, we will request the government to share it with the House," he said, adding that it could be possible by around 1400 and adjourned the House until then.

Golden Jubilee of Darul Ulum Sabil

Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari has called on the Muslim community to learn sophisticated technology to keep pace with changing times, and described it as a dire need. Addressing the valedictory session of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Darul Ulum Sabil, the famous Arabic college in Bengaluru, he said no one can see so far in the future to say what may befall him 50 years from now, and what changes he would have to bear with.
The world is changing fast and if we desire to come out successful in the world, we would have to change ourselves in sync with the changes. Ansari stressed that we should not wait for the government to provide us all amenities and facilities. Instead, we should extend our hand and ask for what we need.
Laudable and Pleasant Outcome
The main problem with the Muslim community, in fact is that it has the inclination of not changing with current times. This tendency, however, does not plague the Muslim community elsewhere in the world. Wherever the Muslim community has taken to modern education, laudable and pleasant outcome have emerged there. Yet, there are several Islamic countries, including a section of Muslims in India, who take modern education as against their religious values, and consider it to be the forbidden fruit. Consequently, people who think in these terms fall behind as compared to other communities. It is a general feeling about students studying in madaris (religious seminaries) that they do not get any motivation to learn latest technologies and modern education.
Despite it, great institutions and religious organization like Darul Ulum Deoband have the rare privilege that several of their students have succeeded in Indian Administrative Services examinations. Several students there are learning new technologies and modern education. Such students have found prestigious jobs in the government and in multinational companies too. In several other madaris in the country, attention is being paid to learn modern education in view of changing times, and to cope with it. Arrangements for imparting modern education, though at the rudimentary level, have been made in madaris. Yet, the situation, on the whole, remains far from satisfactory and a lot more needs to be done in this field.
There is the need to comprehend and keep in mind the advice tendered by the vice-president. The vice president has rightly said we should not look up to the government for everything and need not depend on it for facilities. It is clear that if the Muslim community strives to get modern education on its own, formulates a line of action to get modern education and has faith in itself, better results can be forthcoming. Wherever the community has taken to this attitude, the clear difference is perceptible.
Employment Opportunities
The advent of multinational companies in India has changed the employment spectrum. If we consider those who got employment opportunities in these multinationals, one would, perhaps, find a large number of those who have not got any reservation in government employment. The main cause of it is that reservation or privileges do not let the spirit of self-reliance to be inculcated in some people. Such people have to suffer in competition. Further, there is a fundamental difference between government policy and the ideology of companies earning profit. This kind of a difference helps those persons who may belong to any section or community, who have equipped themselves with modern education and latest technologies. These are the people who toil tirelessly to take the company they work for to new heights.
The advice by the vice president that if the Muslim community has to make progress they should not be entirely dependent on government to extend facilities to them and that they should endeavor on their own to get modern education, is timely and correct. The community has to bear in mind that latest knowledge and modern education is nowhere an impediment to the faith one follows. Instead, knowledge and education make life better for human beings.
Obstacle in Path of Progress
It is, however, a certainty now that to make progress in life and for development, progress and prosperity of the country, getting modern education is imperative for all, whether Muslims, or from any other community. The situation in a secular country like India gives the liberty to achieve modern knowledge, and Islamic faith nowhere is an obstacle in the path of progress. What is needed the most is that we should make the fullest use of the opportunities.

Sheikh Hasina Visits India: Bangladesh Assures India To End Terrorism

The story of Osama Bin Laden has come to an end after a military operation carried out by the United States in Pakistan. Now, all major powers, including the United States and India, are exerting pressure on Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of the 26 November 2008 incident (terrorists strikes in Mumbai) and strictly adhere to its assurance that it would not let its territory used by terrorists to carry out anti India activities. No categorical response has come from Pakistan on it, so far.
Under these circumstances, the assurance given by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid of Bangladesh to cooperate fully with India against terrorism, assumes greater significance because Bangladesh is one such neighbor, the territory of which may be used by the terrorists against India.
Better Cooperation
Sheikh Hasina has assured Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is on a visit to Bangladesh, that she would not allow Bangladeshi territory to be used for terrorist activities against India and would extend full support to India in its war on terror. In fact, India has received better cooperation from Bangladesh against terrorism earlier, than from Pakistan. It is despite the reported information that several terrorist organizations and outfits, like the Harkatul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI), and the insurgent groups active in the Northeastern region in India, have turned Bangladesh into their safe haven. There are also reports that several terrorists and insurgent of groups like the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) are hiding in Bangladesh. Despite it, it is equally true that Bangladesh never gave them the liberty to function as Pakistan did. During the Sheikh Hasina era, in particular, an air of confidence has been created between India and Bangladesh and mutual cooperation between the two has increased.
Reiteration of Mutual Trust
The assurance given to Ansari is based on traditional mutual relations and is a reiteration of mutual trust and cooperation. Ansari fearlessly expressed India's concern in the presence of Sheikh Hasina and emphasized the need of mutual cooperation. It makes it clear that India does not expect Bangladesh to be indifferent to terrorism like Pakistan, which is not prepared to take any action against terrorists based in that country. India expects Bangladesh to rein in HuJI, ULFA, and other such insurgent outfits.
It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may also visit Bangladesh and the issue of terrorism would be on the top of the agenda of talks with the Bangladesh leadership. Three agreements with regard to dealing with terrorism already are in existence. India also wants Bangladesh to sign an extradition treaty. India feels that such a treaty is needed to extradite ULFA head Anup Setia to India. True that no worthwhile progress has been made on the issue during the current visit by the vice president yet, it cannot be ignored. That the assurance given by Sheikh Hasina is in unison with India's stand against terrorism.

Women's Reservation Bill Passed

At last, the magic of democracy worked and the country created a new history. For women, 33 percent seats have been reserved in the legislature, Parliament, and state assemblies of the country. However, the bill that had been waiting to become law for the past 16 years had to struggle a lot this time as well.

A handful of MPs, who put obstacle in the path of this bill, crossed all limits of propriety. They did not even spare Hamid Ansari, chairman of the Rajya Sabha [Upper House of the Parliament] and the country's vice president. The entire country was watching their shameful behavior with awe for the last two days. At the end, the bill could not be passed on 8 March, and it had to be deferred until the next day.

History Written
The next day also, this handful of people did not refrain from their unruly behavior. As a result, marshals were called in and these MPs were physically whisked away from the House. After that, there was no one who could stop history from being made. Then, there was discussion on the bill followed by voting to pass it, which added a new chapter of women's empowerment to the golden pages of our democracy. Undoubtedly, political parties that showed the courage to take positive initiative for the country's better future, rising above their narrow political interests, deserve to be commended for this historic step.

Although there was a very brief debate on the bill in Parliament, whatever was said must have removed several kinds of misunderstandings among people. Another thought given to the measure was that, instead of constituencies, why should not it be made compulsory for political parties to give 33 percent tickets to women conditions.

Rotation System
Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley clarified how this system is in force in the United Kingdom, and has not provided desired benefits to women. However, when reservation was implemented in parliament in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the African country Rwanda, a large number of women were successful in winning elections.

Rotation system has been implemented so that in 15 years, for which this present system of reservation is valid, a woman represents every seat of the Lok Sabha, at least once. Although this bill has to still get approved by the Lok Sabha and state assemblies to become a law, we have certainly taken a concrete step for half the population.