Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens of India

CAA is not a problem. It will pass the test of constitutionality under the doctrine of intelligible differentia. It does not discriminate against any Indian citizen. Though one can argue that include more countries, more religions, more of anything. Those are the policy issues. I'm not delving into that. Personally, I am against such generosity of granting citizenship to anybody who enters the territory of India either for economic reasons or in fear of persecution, given our already stressed economy. India does and should respect the Refugee law. Giving shelter is different from giving citizenship. Other prospering nations should also come forward to help these immigrants. These nations together can put international pressure on the defying country to stop persecuting its citizens and take them back.

Coming to NRC, in its current form, it will only fuel the existing communal tensions and, there will be chaos everywhere. What is the objective of NRC? Identification of genuine citizens and detection of illegal immigrants. So the purpose here is not granting citizenship. I understand that such exercise may be necessary, but do you think that the implementation of NRC in the whole of India would solve this? Will it not be another blunder like demonetization? In Assam itself, 19,06,657 persons were excluded, and the remedy that they have is to approach a Foreigners' Tribunal with an appeal against non-inclusion if they so desire. We already do not have enough judicial infrastructure to tackle pending litigation, but NRC would require more foreigner tribunals, more detention camps, and more staff. Is India prepared for such tedious exercise? Answer is clearly no.

NRC has many bugs and loopholes. It is not illogical to apprehend wrongful non-inclusion in the NRC. Here CAA becomes discriminatory. It will protect you if you are a non-Muslim. All of us can prove that we came to India before 31st December 2014, and if one happens to be a non-Muslim, he/she can benefit from CAA. Even that is problematic. You are declaring your citizen a foreigner and then taking him back under CAA. Well, at least they have a safeguard. But what about Muslims? Where do they go? To detention centres? Had there been no CAA, everyone would go to those centres.

We acquired citizenship by virtue of Articles 5, 6 and 8 of the Constitution. Our citizenship is protected under Article 10 of the Constitution. Sections 3 to 7 of the Citizenship Act of 1955 lay down how citizenship of India can be acquired and sections 8 to 10 lay down how citizenship can be lost. NRC cannot take it away. Article 11 empowers the Parliament to legislate on citizenship but, such legislation cannot arbitrarily take away citizenship acquired under Articles 5, 6 and 8 in view of Article 10.

NRC suffers from many defects. In NRC with CAA, only Muslims suffer, in NRC without CAA, everybody suffers.

How is government going to protect native Muslims against possible exclusion from the NRC list? Until these concerns over the implementation of NRC are addressed, I cannot support it.

Yatra: A journey of a girl with her inevitable pain!

What comes to your mind when you hear the word, Periods?

Taboo, stomach cramps, discomfort, grumpiness and severe mood swings?

Periods or menstrual cycles are the regular natural changes that occur in the female reproductive system (specifically the uterus and ovaries) that make pregnancy possible. It is often accompanied by severe abdominal pain.

Naturally as women, we often avoid scheduling anything important on those dates, and travelling definitely is in that 'avoid-for-now' list. Unfortunately, this is not always under our control and sometimes, we are compelled to deal with most difficult and unpleasant situations during periods. In this post, I will be sharing one such misadventure, one of the scariest incidents that I have ever experienced.

I was in Bhubaneswar for a Women's Conference. At the end of the conference, a group of delegates and I decided to go for sightseeing before taking the late night train from Bhubaneswar to Delhi. Prompted by the onset of premenstrual cramps, I kept a sanitary napkin in my purse before boarding the early morning bus for Konark from Bhubaneswar. I was right in anticipating it. I urgently needed to use a washroom, so I hurried to a restaurant in front of the Sun Temple Entry Gate as soon as I got down from the bus to save blue from turning red. :P I have an irrepressible craving for green Lays during periods, luckily there was a general store beside the restaurant.

We were a group of people in three different buses. I was enjoying Konark putting my best efforts to pay no heed to cramps. I had taken a vow to not depend upon Meftal Spas tablets to soothe the pain, and had learnt to tolerate it.

Sun Temple, Konark

After a late lunch, we started off towards Puri from Konark at around 3 PM. The bus I boarded had a mechanical fault, which meant that I had to disembark and wait for the organizers to provide an alternative one. A replacement bus did not arrive. So, we grudgingly waited under a tree shade whilst the mechanics tended to the bus. It took two whole hours to get the bus up and running again. We set off for the city. This untimely mishap had me running late. I was worried and apprehensive of missing my train from Bhubaneswar to Delhi at 11 PM. My fellow colleagues, who had to board the same train, had already reached the temple, and they were to start from there at 8 PM for Bhubaneswar.

As the bus huffed and puffed towards the outskirts of the city, the conductor informed us that due to traffic restrictions, the bus was not allowed into the city centre. That meant I had to take an auto rickshaw to complete the journey. This slight inconvenience chewed away at the little sightseeing time I had. I called my teammates who were already in Puri to wait for me before starting for Bhubaneswar. I had to shelve my plans to go to the beach and temple. Time was not on my side, and apparently the heavens had other plans.

I reached the auto-rickshaw stand, to only discover that there were no available for-hire autos. I dashed into a fully loaded auto and squeezed myself next to the driver as it was already leaving the stand. I begged the driver to speed up a bit but my pleas fell on deaf ears. Instead of heeding my desperation,  the driver annoyingly tried to engage me into an unnecessary conversation by frequently asking questions;

'Kaunsi train hai (which train is it)?

apne dosto ke sath kyun nahi gayi (why didn't you go with your friends)?', and so on.

Finally to shut him up, I shouted;

'suno, apni bakwas band karo aur chupchap auto chalao' (listen, shut up and drive). I realised that I sounded very rude and he looked offended by my tone. Who cared? I was at peace that he was finally quiet.

I frantically tried to call my colleagues but nobody was picking up my calls. Finally we arrived at the beach. At this point, the auto was empty. I got off and rushed towards the Jagannath temple to meet up with my friends. I reckoned they had left their mobile phones at the temple's locker room.

I ran as fast as I could towards the main circle to find other means of transport while also continuously calling them. As I slowed down to catch my breath,  I intuitively turned my head to look behind me, and I suddenly realised that the auto-rickshaw driver who had dropped me off moments ago, was following me. He was yelling at me saying;

 'madam, aao baith jao, main chhod deta hoon, pareshan mat ho' (Ma'am, sit in the auto, I will drop you off, don't worry).

He signalled me to go into his auto, where another strange guy, whom I presume to be his friend was already on the wheel. We sat in the back passengers seat with the familiar driver who hurriedly offered me some popcorns that were wrapped in a dirty newspaper cone. I politely declined the offer.

'Drop me at Jagannath Temple!' I instructed him.

'Theek hai madam. Chinta mat karo. Yeh lo popcorn khao' (Alright, don't worry, have some popcorns).

'Nahi chahiye' (I don't want). I retorted.

As we made our way to the temple, I felt his hand rest on my shoulder and I immediately shouted angrily,

'Stay away, don't touch me!'

I was growing suspicious and uncomfortable . Why was he insisting on having me eat the popcorn? Has he mixed something in the popcorn to make me unconscious? My mind wondered.

"Baap re, itna gussa, shant ho jao, lo main door baitha hoon' (Calm down, don't be angry, let me sit further away).

Finally, I got a response from my colleagues that I had to go directly to Talabania where the bus for Bhubaneswar was parked. My friend spoke with the Autowala to direct him to the place.

'Talabania toh bahut door hai' (Talabania is very far). The auto driver quipped .

'How far?' I asked.

'Kareeb 7-8 KM, apka train toh miss hoga' (Approximately 7-8 KM, you won't be able to catch your train). He guessed.

I didn't believe him. My friend had mentioned that Talabania was nearby.

I felt the eery feeling of being trapped. Am I in danger? What will he do? Traffic me or take me to a secluded spot and then what?

No! I was freaking out.

Despite my incessant yelling to have him stop the auto,  the driver kept his foot on the pedal. I had all kinds of terrible thoughts and worst-case scenarios running through my mind . Jumping off a moving auto was not the best of ideas.

We drove into thick traffic which forced the driver to significantly reduce speed. I saw my opportunity to escape. I snuck out of the auto, which at this time had come to a halt. I saw a small Chai-Cigarette shop.

'Uncle Talabania yaha se kitni door hai?'(Uncle, how far is Talabania?) I yelled at the shop attendant.

'2 KM, beti. Yaha se sharing auto mil jayega' (it is 2 KM. You will find sharing auto from here). He responded with an expression of bewilderment.

It was apparent that the autowala and his friend had sinister plans. He was being untruthful and clearly was driving me away to a destination only known to himself. This just augmented my uneasiness.

As all this drama was unfolding, I was having excruciating period pain. It felt like my ovaries were being shredded into pieces. I yearned for a peaceful place to relax and have a cool breeze rub against my face.

Firstly, I had to extract myself from a sticky situation whose end looked more ominous. He was still following me on foot. Nobody was stopping to help me because of the things (best known to him) he was telling them in Odia.

A passing biker stopped to enquire if I was okay. I had no time to explain or let alone dial 100-the emergency police number. I requested him to take me to Talabania (hearing this, the auto driver was displeased). This is where my colleagues were waiting for me. He agreed and we sped off.

'Yahan 5 min khana pack kara loon nahi toh bhookha rahna padega?' (Can I stop here for five minutes to get some food packed?) The biker requested.

'Hmm, okay.' I answered with a nod.

The stress on my face was so apparent as he ordered food at a roadside restaurant. Time was not on my side. I forgave the waiter when he enquired whether I had been fighting with my boyfriend- the Good Samaritan biker, or not. The thoughts of missing my train to Delhi were making me extremely jittery.

As they prepared and packed the food , my period cramps did not let loose. The agony was unrelenting. I waited for the food for what felt like forever. My colleagues kept my phone abuzz.  This signalled that I was getting late. I was already late.

In my desperation, I requested the restaurant owner if he could quickly drop me off to where my friends were. He agreed. I thanked the Good  Samaritan biker and left. In no time, we safely reached the destination . Finally I was reunited with my friends. I felt relieved.

I hurriedly boarded the bus and rushed to the window seat at the backside where no-one could see me. I slumped into my seat, heaved a sigh of relief and all the tears I was holding back started rolling down my face uncontrollably. I sobbed like a toddler. A Nepali friend in the group saw me. I cried more when she hugged me. She made me feel better. Nobody except her knew about this incident. And, I never felt the urge to share it with anyone else.

We had no time to go to the place of accommodation to get our luggage. The idea was to reach the station directly and ask some of our friends who had remained behind at the guesthouse to pack and carry our luggage from there to the station. Many of my miscellaneous belongings including the much needed sanitary napkins were left behind in the room. I looked for shops and medical stores at the station, but unfortunately all were closed.

Dysfunctional vending machine

I searched for sanitary napkins at the Railway's Passenger Welfare vending machines in the ladies waiting room. They were not functional. I complained to the station staff. I was told that the person in-charge for the dispensing machines was not around. They could not offer any more help. My train's imminent departure was announced on the speaker. 'Leave it. I have no time for the this.' I talked to myself as I ran to my train.

The Bandage.

I was running towards my coach when I heard a voice;

'Eh ladki ruko.' (Hey, girl, stop). A man, whose age I presumed to be that of my father stopped me.

'Yeh rakh lo.' (Take this). He said as he politely extended a bandage to me.

It was of no use but I was touched by the generosity and sensitivity of the old man. I gladly accepted it. He was sitting in a corner of the small male-only-office of Railways when I went to complain about the dysfunctional vending machine. To this day,  I still have the bandage as a souvenir. The old man reminded me of how my father used to quietly keep sanitary napkins in a small zip compartment of my school bag.

In a society where uttering the word period is a taboo, my parents never made me feel that periods are shameful, embarrassing or should not be openly talked about.

Fortunately, a friend of mine had spare napkins and tampons which she joyfully shared with me.

In the end:

"To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength." 

- Criss Jami

My first Solo Trip to Rishikesh

I always wondered about the outside world, people across different parts, their culture, rituals, cuisine, thought-process, and how things work outside our comfort zone. Travelling teaches all of this.  It broadens our perspective of looking at the things. Every time I try to plan a solo trip I come across advice like- "Hey! Ekta, travelling alone is not a good idea. Go with someone reliable."

I remember making group travel plans with friends that were seldom implemented. The lesson here is, make yourself your exclusive travel partner and you'll have an awesome journey with zero betrayals. You'll realize how stupid it was to ditch it only because you had no companions.

It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon. "Ekta, you've to travel." I didn't want to dodge my urge for travelling. However, now I realize that it had something to do with my pre-menstrual mood-swings too. But travel to where? How? Budget? Hmm!!

Where is my phone? Let's explore options on the Internet and make few calls for suggestions. Done. Now travel agents to get quotes. No- no, firstly it's tight on my budget, and secondly, I don't want to follow a fixed schedule.

Woah!! I can get a Tatkal Ticket in this train going to Haridwar. I readied my backpack with all the essentials and left for the train station. By the time I reached Haridwar, it was late at night. Fellow passengers suggested that it's safer to stay in Haridwar for the night and go to Rishikesh the next morning as it will be difficult to find transport and accommodation in Rishikesh.

Not possible. I've to reach Rishikesh before it's 12 AM. It's a challenge now. I knew that Bus Stand is somewhere in front of the Railway station but where exactly? Bhaiya, bus stand ke liye kaise jayenge? (Bhaiya, how to reach Bus Stand?) "Madam 50 Rupees lagenge, door hai, drop kar denge". (It's a little far. Pay ₹50, I'll drop you.) Whaaatt? No, man, you can't befool me this time. Another man told, "madam, aage jaake right lelo, 5-minute ka raasta hai".  (Go straight, and then take a right. It is only a 5-minutes-walk away) Many a time, Autowalas duped me, so I rejoiced my little victory. It took me one hour and only 39 bucks to reach Rishikesh from there.

It was late at night; google map showed my place near Laxmanjhula was only 10-minutes-walk away. I kept walking on empty and silent roads following the map. I could hear some strange footsteps following me for too long. It was a ghastly guy dressed in shabby clothes. He growled when I dared to stare at him. I ran and ran even after I knew that I am far away from him. I could listen to my heart palpitations in that huge silence. He was either drunk or insane. I was reciting Hanuman Chalisa all this while with my fingers crossed.

Google maps led me to a very strange location. I wasn't able to trace my destination. A group of boys was sitting there and probably drinking. "Ma'am, it's not a nice place for girls. Where do you want to go?" I told them the address. "Sit on the bike, I'll drop you." I was already scared and distrustful. I sat in a ready-to-jump-off position anytime the danger alarm rings. I was sharing all my details on a call with a friend until I safely reached my destination and they left. Thankfully they were nice chaps. I took a sigh of relief. By the time I was doing an entry in the register it was 12 AM. I celebrated my another little victory. Wow, on this day I had decided to be in Rishikesh and yes, I'm here. Hurray.

A good night sleep boosted me for the rest of the trip. I checked out from that place at Laxmanjhula and left for Ramjhula as I wanted to shift there in some Ashram. It was windy. The task was to find an Ashram, put luggage, and chill in Rishikesh weather. Sounds easy, but it was not.

Ramjhula, Rishikesh.

I checked Quora for suggestions. So, you can't book Parmarth Niketan on the spot. Hmm, okay, Baba Kali Kamli Vanprasth Ashram and Ved Niketan are few other good choices as per some users. "Where do you want to go?" Asked the security guard at Vanprasth ashram. "I need to book a room here." "Single?" "Yes." Sorry, ma'am, none of the ashrams including Vanprasth gives room to a single girl as one tourist girl staying alone in an Ashram had committed suicide. I tried to convince the management for a long time but to no avail. I received the same response in Ved Niketan and other Ashrams. Darn, I've not come here to commit suicide!!

I had already wasted almost three hours searching for tidy accommodation. The decent hotels were exorbitantly priced. Instead of wasting more time in searching for accommodation I decided to visit Beatles Ashram and Rajaji National park area with my backpack. This time I needed food more than a roof so I took out a packet of my favourite green Lays not even slightly anticipating that I will be attacked by holy cows. Luckily a local guy helped me escape but warned me against eating anything on the street.

Women carrying grass.

Aghori at Rajaji National Park.

The road leading to Beatles Ashram.

The hunger had become intolerable so I stopped at a nice restaurant near the Ganges for lunch. After that, I was walking aimlessly on the main street looking at the posters of guest houses and hotels. Suddenly I noticed a messy-haired non-Indian guy was carelessly walking parallel to me. Maybe he can suggest something! Should I ask him or not? Will he really help? Hmm. "Hey, I'm looking for an accommodation close to the Ganges. Can you please suggest something?" "Oh, yes- yes. I stay in the backside of Swargashram." He was not an English speaking guy so had some difficulty in guiding me to his place but luckily I found another decent accommodation near Swargashram road. I put my luggage there and rushed towards the bank of the Ganges.

I kept walking on the pathway adjacent to the bank of Ganges for a long time observing and capturing nature with my almost obsolete phone. "Do you want me to click your pictures?" offered an old British lady sitting on a bench beside her husband who was busy reading some novel. I was thrilled to know that he was an attorney in London. I thanked both of them and moved ahead until I found a less crowded and more serene spot to sit and meditate. Young chaps were doing river-rafting, a monk was taking a dip in the holy Ganges, and a couple was dancing on some Bollywood music while bathing.

Finally, I found my corner.

Aghori after taking a dip in the holy river.

Before I could close my eyes I was interrupted by a guy. "Hey, nice. I have been observing you. Can I please sit here? What is your name?” “Sorry, but can you please leave and not bother me?”  He left but sat on a stone from where he could see me. I immediately moved from there to find a lonelier but safe spot.

The serene Ganges.

Sitting at the bank and meditating was the best part of the whole trip. I clicked some nice scenic pictures and a few selfies with the help of my phone's timer. I later noticed that two non-Indians were also meditating there.

It was dawn and the cold had only begun, my woollen sweater was just not enough. I took a walk around the pavements to explore the rest of the area. Again I encountered an angry baby cow on the pavement. "Baby cow, I swear that I left my packet of Lays in the room. And, I promise not to eat it until I reach Delhi." I managed to escape. Phew. Then there were cute little monkeys playing cheerfully and a monk was meditating under a tree. Everything there was so exciting and full of life.

Aghori meditating under a tree.

Monkeys playing.

I attended evening Ganga Aarti near the Ghats. A beautiful white statue of Lord Shiva is installed in the midst of the river. A guy was selling a fruit called Ramfal in front of Parmarth Niketan Ashram. The fruit was named after Lord Rama as locals believe that he ate those fruits. One should definitely not miss tasting it. It was dinner time so I had yummy Masala Dosa and hot milk at Neelkanth restaurant on the main street. Then I spent some time exploring market stalls.

The man selling Ramfal.

The Main Street in Ramjhula area.

Masala Dosa and hot milk.

With Natxo from Catalonia.

It was 10 PM and I was shivering with the cold so I headed towards Nirvana Yogasthal where I was staying. "Hey, you found accommodation"- asked some friendly voice. I recalled it’s the same Spanish guy Natxo who guided me to this place in the afternoon. He was going out for dinner. "I already had Dosa at Neelkanth but I don’t mind having tea." "Okay, let's go then." We went to Parmarth canteen.


"I have a friend in Andorra who's a ski trainer."

"Achha, Andorra is very close to the place where I stay."

"Great, then you must be knowing about Catalonia crisis."

Having Chai in Parmarth Canteen.

You are aware of all the little countries and political conundrums in there, he exclaimed. "I'm actually a Catalan but carry Spanish identity as not everyone knows about Catalonia."

 "So, you're not Spanish? You're a Catalan!! Hey! Man, you're the first Catalan I ever met." I was thrilled. I wanted to know how a Catalan reacts to Catalonia's internal crisis, politics and recent referendum. I was listening to him with utter curiosity. Words like Achha, Power, Ja-Ja, Chalta hai made him sound more interesting. He looked like a firangi Aghori dressed in modern clothes.

Diwali crackers had begun bursting. "Happy Diwali and Goodnight". I returned his shawl which probably had some airline's logo imprinted on it.

Next morning I got up early to see the sunrise near the Ganges. I bought a beautiful set of pearl earrings from a jewellery shop on the main street. He put it on fire to prove its originality. "Don't wear now. You've to first dip it in the Ganges water." Hmm.

pearls taking a dip in the Ganges.

I had a lovely and refreshing time in Rishikesh. I felt contented. Natxo came to see me off. Before leaving I wanted to salvage the serene beauty into my memory.

Natxo gave me a nice treat in a Japanese restaurant at Connaught Place before leaving for Spain. This time he told me about the houses he built on wheels.

As a woman, we often underestimate our strengths. But, once we realise that we've infinite potential then everything which seemed impossible earlier turns out to be easy-peasy. ;)

Check below for photo gallery.

भारत के संविधान का असंवैधानिक हिस्सा: अनुच्छेद 35A

जब से मामला सुप्रीम कोर्ट में आया है, संविधान का सबसे अप्रसिद्ध और अनसुना Article 35A आजकल एक ज्वलंत मुद्दा बनकर सभी की जुबान पर छाया हुआ है। अधिकतर विधि के छात्र भी इस आर्टिकल से अंजान थे। यहां तक कि संविधान के "Bare Text" में भी इसका कोई जिक्र नहीं है।

अनुच्छेद 370 के तहत जम्मू कश्मीर को मिले स्पेशल स्टेटस के बारे में तो लोगों को पता है पर अनुच्छेद 35A से वो आज भी अनभिज्ञ हैं।

मैं बहुत ही सरल भाषा में आपको इसके बारे में समझाने की कोशिश कर रही हूँ।

आख़िर क्या है अनुच्छेद 35A?

अनुच्छेद 35A जम्मू कश्मीर की विधायिका को यह तय करने की पूरी आजादी देता है कि जम्मू कश्मीर के "स्थायी निवासी" कौन लोग होंगे। यहां तक की इस अनुच्छेद के अंतर्गत स्थायी निवासियों की नौकरी, ज़मीन, जायदाद, छात्रवृत्ति, सरकारी सहायता, सामाजिक सुरक्षा आदि से सम्बंधित विशेषाधिकार पर भी कानून बनाने की उन्हें पूरी आज़ादी है। इन पर बनाये गए नियम चाहे संविधान के किसी भी प्रावधान या मौलिक अधिकार या भारत के किसी भी कानून का हनन करें, हम कोर्ट में जाकर उसे चुनौती नहीं दे सकते। यूं कह लें कि आर्टिकल 35A क़ानूनन हमारे मौलिक अधिकारो  (याने Fundamental Rights) के हनन का एक लाइसेंस है।

अनुच्छेद 35A अस्तित्व में कैसे आया?

पंडित जवाहरलाल नेहरु एवं शेख अब्दुल्ला के बीच हुए 1952 के "दिल्ली समझौते" के बाद भारत के राष्ट्रपति डॉ राजेंद्र प्रसाद के आदेश (Application to Jammu and Kashmir Order, 1954) के पारित होने के पश्चात यह विवादित Article 35A हमारे संविधान का हिस्सा बना। यह एक इकलौता संवैधानिक संशोधन था जो बिना संसद में पारित हुए , राष्ट्रपति के आदेश से अस्तित्व में आया।

26 जनवरी 1957 को अस्तित्व में आये जम्मू कश्मीर के संविधान के सेक्शन 6 में "स्थाई निवासी" को परिभाषित किया गया।

विवाद

इन सत्तर सालों तक अनुच्छेद 35A को अंधेरे में रखा गया, न तो यह पाठ्यक्रम का हिस्सा रहा और न ही संविधान की किताबों में इसे कोई जगह दी गयी। किताबों में तो अनुच्छेद 35 के बाद सीधे अनुच्छेद 36 आ जाता है।

संविधान के अनुच्छेद 368 (i) के हिसाब से संविधान में कोई भी संशोधन केवल और केवल हमारी संसद ही कर सकती है। अब प्रश्न यह है कि आखिर राष्ट्रपति ने कैसे अपने आदेश से इतना बड़ा संशोधन हमारे संविधान में कर डाला? क्या उन्हें ऐसा करने का अधिकार था? या फिर यह आदेश उन्होंने अपने अधिकार के बाहर जाकर किया? और आख़िर क्यों नेहरू सरकार ने इस संशोधन को निर्णय के लिए संसद के समक्ष नहीं रखा?

इन्हीं सब कारणों से इस अनुच्छेद की वैधता को पूरनलाल लखनलाल बनाम प्रेसिडेंट ऑफ इंडिया (1961) के केस में सुप्रीम कोर्ट में चुनौती दी गयी जिसपर 5 जजों की बेंच ने अपना फैसला सुनाया। अपने निर्णय में न्यायिक बेंच ने इस आर्टिकल और इसके दुष्पप्रभाव की जमकर अवहेलना तो की पर ऐतिहासिक गलती करते हुए इसे वैध करार दे दिया। कोर्ट का आधार था कि संविधान का अनुच्छेद 370 (1) (d) राष्ट्रपति को पूर्ण अधिकार देता है कि वो जम्मू कश्मीर के "State Subjects" के कल्याण के लिए संविधान में कुछ "अपवाद और संशोधन" (exceptions and modifications) कर सकते है। पर सवाल यह है कि क्या इससे राष्ट्रपति को संविधान में संरक्षित नागरिकों के मौलिक अधिकार के हनन करने वाले संशोधन करने का भी अधिकार मिल जाता है?

आर्टिकल 35A का प्रभाव

हास्यास्पद बात तो यह है कि उस समय भारत में दो प्रधानमंत्री थे। भारत के प्रधानमंत्री पंडित जवाहरलाल नेहरू और जम्मू कश्मीर के प्रधानमंत्री शेख अब्दुल्ला। जम्मू कश्मीर सरकार ने वहां के कुछ ही निवासियों को परमानेंट रेसिडेंट सर्टिफिकेट (PRC) जारी करना शुरू कर दिया। सिर्फ PRC होल्डर्स को ही नागरिकता, वोटिंग राइट्स आदि मिले।

यह सीधे तौर पर संविधान के अनुच्छेद 14 (समानता का अधिकार), अनुच्छेद 16 (सार्वजनिक रोजगार में समान अवसर) और अनुच्छेद 19(1)(e) (भारत के किसी भी हिस्से में रहने और बसने का अधिकार) का हनन करता है। आर्टिकल 15 का हनन करते हुए यह PRC सिस्टम, जन्म के स्थान के आधार पर भी नागरिकों में भेदभाव करता है। बिना किसी संशय के असंवैधानिक होने के बावजूद यह PRC सिस्टम आज भी आर्टिकल 35A की सुरक्षा के घेरे में लगातार क़ानूनन नागरिकों के मौलिक अधिकारों का हनन कर रहा है।

पीड़ित कौन?

PRC सिस्टम लागू होने से जम्मू कश्मीर में रहने वाले कई समूह प्रभावित हुए हैं। शेख अब्दुल्ला के इस साम्प्रदायिक एजेंडे में कश्मीर के अल्पसंख्यकों के लिए कोई जगह नहीं थी। जिन बाशिंदों को जम्मू कश्मीर सरकार ने PRC जारी नहीं किये वो अपने मौलिक तो छोड़िए सामान्य अधिकारों के लिए भी आज भी संघर्षरत हैं। सबसे अधिक प्रभावित हैं : गोरखा, वाल्मीकि और पश्चिमी पाकिस्तान से पलायन करके आये लोग।

गोरखा

1846 में महाराजा गुलाब सिंह द्वारा अस्तित्व में लाये गए रियासत जम्मू कश्मीर की सेना में शुरुआत से ही गोरखा सैनिकों का अहम योगदान रहा है। इसके पूर्व भी गोरखा सैनिक सिख राजाओं के नेतृत्व में लगातार कश्मीर को अपनी सेवाएं देते रहे। भारत पाकिस्तान बंटवारे के बाद पाकिस्तानी कबाइलियों से कश्मीर की रक्षा करने में भी बहादुर गोरखा सैनिकों के योगदान को भुलाया नहीं जा सकता।

दो सौ वर्षो से ज़्यादा से कश्मीर का निवासी होने के बावजूद जम्मू कश्मीर सरकार ने गोरखाओं को PRC जारी करने से मना कर दिया और एक लाख से अधिक गोरखा अपने पूर्वजों के बलिदान की कहानी कहती कश्मीर की धरती पर एक रिफ्यूजी की भांति रहने के लिए मजबूर हो गए।

न वो जम्मू कश्मीर में कोई सम्पत्ति या जमीन खरीद सकते हैं, न उनके बच्चे किसी कॉलेज में दाखिला ले सकते हैं और न ही वो कोई सरकारी नौकरी कर सकते हैं। वो अपनी जगह पर दोयम दर्जे का जीवन जीने को मजबूर हैं। नेहरू ने उनकी समस्याओं को पूरी तरह नज़रअंदाज़ किया और शेख अब्दुल्ला ने उन्हें नागरिकता देनें के खोखले वादे किये।

वाल्मीकि समुदाय

आज भी हजारों की संख्या में कश्मीर में रह रहे वाल्मीकि जो कि दलित समुदाय से आते है छुआछूत का शिकार हैं। 1957 में सफाई कर्मचारियों की हड़ताल के बाद जम्मू कश्मीर सरकार ने उन्हें PRC में कुछ छूट देने का वादा किया था। छूट तो मिली पर अधिक से अधिक एक सरकारी सफाई कर्मचारी बनने की।

आज 60 सालों बाद वाल्मीकि समाज की तीसरी और चौथी पीढ़ी पढ़ लिखकर स्नातक और परास्नातक तो हो गयी है पर इस अनुच्छेद 35A के प्रकोप के कारण अपने पूर्वजों की भांति वो भी सिर्फ एक सफाईकर्मचारी बनकर रह गए हैं।

वो लोकसभा चुनाव में तो वोट डाल सकते हैं पर विधान सभा में न उन्हें वोट डालने का अधिकार है और न ही सफ़ाई कर्मचारी से ज्यादा की नौकरी का अधिकार।

दुःख तो इस बात का है कि किसी भी राजनैतिक पार्टी, सामाजिक संगठन या फिर "सो कॉल्ड प्रोग्रेसिव इंटेलेक्चुअल्स" को इनकी चिंता नहीं है।

पश्चिमी पाकिस्तानी रिफ्यूजी

1947 के विभाजन के बाद हुई हिंसा के बाद हजारों हिन्दू परिवार जम्मू कश्मीर में पलायन करने को मजबूर हो गए थे।

5,764 परिवार जिनमें 47,215 लोग (अधिकतर शेड्यूल कास्ट) थे, को रिफ्यूजी की तरह बसाया गया।
सरकार ने उन्हें रहने के लिए कोई ज़मीन नहीं दी। वो ज़मीन के जिन छोटे टुकड़ों में रहते थे उन्हें उन टुकड़ों पर रहने की इजाजत दे दी गयी पर वो उस ज़मीन को बेच नहीं सकते हैं।

साठ सालों बाद आज उनकी संख्या करीब तीन लाख होने के बावजूद वो एक दोयम दर्जे के नागरिक की तरह जिंदगी बसर करने को मजबूर हैं। आज भी वो भूमिहीन मजदूर हैं जिनके पास न वोट देने का अधिकार है और न नौकरी पाने का। मुख्यतः दलित होने के बावजूद किसी भी दलितों के आवाज़ बनने वाले संगठन की आवाज़ कश्मीर तक नही पहुच रही !

न उनके बच्चे स्कूल से आगे की पढ़ाई कर सकते हैं और न उनकी भलाई के लिए कोई सामाजिक सुरक्षा योजना है। यह सब बिल्कुल पाकिस्तानी घुसपैठियों के उलट है जिन्हें सरकार ने खुद कश्मीर में सेटल किया।

शेख अब्दुल्ला ने इनसे भी सिर्फ खोखले वादे किये। अधिकारों के लिए ये लोग आज भी संघर्षरत हैं।

आज जब बांग्लादेशी घुसपैठियों को भी सभी अधिकारों के साथ बंगाल और असम में ज़मीन मिल गई है तब इन तीन लाख लोगों का अपनें ही देश में एक रिफ्यूजी की तरह रहना एक बड़ा प्रश्न खड़ा करता है।

औरतें

जम्मू कश्मीर की नागरिकता और उत्तराधिकार के कानून भी लिंगभेद करते हैं। एक PRC होल्डर महिला और गैर PRC होल्डर पुरूष से हुई संतान को उत्तराधिकार और PRC का कोई अधिकार नहीं। वहीं दूसरी तरफ एक PRC होल्डर पुरूष और गैर PRC होल्डर महिला से हुई संतान को कश्मीरी नागरिक के सभी अधिकार प्राप्त हैं।

मतलब एक महिला के पास अपनी पसंद से शादी करने की चॉयस (choice) नहीं है पर पुरूष के पास इस हद तक है कि वो लगातार पाकिस्तानी महिलाओं से निक़ाह करते आ रहे हैं।

भारत के महिलावादी लोग इस लिंगभेद पर चुप्पी साधे हुए है !

वर्तमान स्थिति

आज कश्मीर के ये लाखों लोग आशा के साथ सुप्रीम कोर्ट की ओर टकटकी लगाये देख रहे हैं। "We the People" NGO और चारु वली खन्ना की पेटिशन के बाद सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने इस मामले को सुनने के लिए तीन जजों की बेंच का गठन किया है।

NGO की पेटिशन के मुताबिक अनुच्छेद 35A संविधान की आत्मा के ही खिलाफ हैं क्योंकि यह नागरिकता की एक अलग क्लास का निर्माण करता है। हम सभी सिर्फ और सिर्फ भारतीय नागरिक हैं। किसी और नागरिकता का सवाल ही नहीं उठता। नागरिकों को दूसरे राज्य में संपत्ति खरीदने या रोजगार करने से रोकना आर्टिकल्स 14, 19 और 21 में सुरक्षित मौलिक अधिकारों का हनन करता है।

चारु वली खन्ना की याचिका के मुताबिक आर्टिकल 35A Gender Discrimantory अर्थात लिंगभेदी है क्योंकि एक PRC होल्डर लड़की के Non PRC होल्डर लड़के से शादी करने पर यह प्रॉपर्टी के अधिकार भी छीन लेता है। उनके बच्चों को PRC न देकर वह उन्हें illegitimate children का दर्जा देते हैं।

35A कैसे रिपील किया जा सकता है?

सुप्रीम कोर्ट इसे असंवैधानिक करार दे सकती है।
राष्ट्रपति द्वारा उसी तरह के दूसरे आदेश से या फिर संसद के दोनों सदनों द्वारा संशोधन पारित करके इसे रिपील किया जा सकता है। अधिकतर लोग इस तरह के भेदभाव के खिलाफ हैं इसलिए किसी का भी आर्टिकल 35A का समर्थन करना तर्कसंगत नहीं है। राजनैतिक दल सिर्फ वोट बैंक के लिए इसका समर्थन कर सकते हैं।

बहुत कम लोगों को इसकी जानकारी है। किसी भी सिविल सोसाइटी मेंबर, सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता, दलितों के मसीहा या महिलावादी द्वारा गोरखा, वाल्मीकि, पश्चिमी पाकिस्तानी रिफ्यूजी और कश्मीरी औरतों के इस मुद्दे को राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर नहीं उठाया गया।

हमारे संविधान के वास्तुकार डॉ भीमराव अंबेडकर भी नहीं चाहते थे कि जम्मू कश्मीर को कोई विशेष दर्जा मिले जो हमारे संविधान की आत्मा के ही खिलाफ हो।

अभी हमारे देश में बहुमत से बनी सरकार है, लोग भी अपने अधिकारों को लेकर सजग हैं, यह सही वक्त है जब ऐतिहासिक गलतियों को सुधारा जा सकता है।

उम्मीद है वह दिन भी जल्द ही आएगा जब कश्मीर से कन्याकुमारी तक हम सभी सिर्फ और सिर्फ भारत के नागरिक होंगे। हम सब एक बराबर होंगे।