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  • Can misuse of 498A be prevented?

    Can misuse of 498A be prevented?

    On the 27th of July 2017, the Supreme Court of India issued a series of guidelines to curb the misuse of the draconian IPC 498A. This law, easily the most misused law in India, is meant to provide criminal relief against the physical and mental abuse caused to women by their husbands and in-laws. However, this law has turned into a weapon used by unscrupulous wives to falsely implicate their husbands and relatives in order to exert pressure on them to settle for a quick divorce and a fat alimony package.

    In spite of the severe public demand, and irrefutable data, the Government of India, over the past 20 years has not taken a single legislative remedial measure. Hence the burden of reducing the misuse of this law has fallen on the Courts of this country.

    In Civil appeal No. 4399 of 2005, the Supreme Court of India said the following about IPC 498A-

    “As noted above the object is to strike at the roots of dowry menace. But by misuse of the provision a new LEGAL TERRORISM can be unleashed. The provision is intended to be used a shield and not an assassin’s weapon”

    For the first time, the Courts started taking cognizance of the fact that a law drafted with the intention of protecting women from abuse was being misused for ulterior gains.

    In the year 2010, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an advisory to all States to take measures to reduce the misuse of this law. The ministry again repeated its advisory to all the States in the year 2012.

    In the year 2014, the Supreme Court of India, in Arnesh Kumar vs State Of Bihar & Anr, ended up creating a case law and stopped the right of Police to automatically and indiscreetly arrest those accused under 498A.

    To further prevent misuse of this law, the Supreme Court once again, in July 2017, issued further guidelines on the procedure to handle any 498A case. It ordered the setup of Family Welfare Committees in every district that will look into each complaint of 498A and issue directions and advise police on next steps.

    With each one of the above measures, one should remember that the goal has ONLY been to prevent misuse of the law, especially the provision to arrest the husband and his family members right at the onset of the complaint. None of the measures have eroded the possibility of justice in case of genuine abuse. Nor has there been any change in the penalty or punishment to those genuinely guilty.

    Most of the families who undergo arrest even for a single day end up wanting to settle the cases as soon as possible. This arm twists them into accepting the demands, however unjustified, of the wife and her family, which almost always is around divorce, huge alimony and maintenance and in many cases handing over of the family property. In almost every case of misuse, the intention is to break the will of the husband and his family and force them to accept a settlement on terms placed by the (former) wife. Therefore, for those who misuse the law, it is of utmost importance that there be immediate arrest of the accused.

    If there is no arrest prior to chargesheet and/or conviction, false cases will fail during the trial. This means the husband and his family will never be arrested and therefore the chances of them accepting the demands are miniscule. In summary, the main “attraction” of 498A is its ability to get the opposite party arrested even before any semblance of a trial and/or conviction has occurred.

    With the new guidelines and consequent difficulty around arrest, interest in misusing this law should naturally decline. In the remainder of this write-up, we look at some numbers from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to confirm if the numbers support the theory that 498A is waning in its attraction as a tool for misuse.

    Statistical analysis of 498A

    Every year, a huge number of cases are registered under IPC 498A. In terms of total number of cases registered, it is the 6th biggest crime in India, as seen from the below table.

    Note: Table only lists those crime categories where the total number of cases registered are in multiple tens-of-thousands.

    All India – Cases – Major Crimes – 2015
    Nature of Crime Total Number of Cases
    Theft 467833
    Rash Driving/Road Rage 451069
    Death by Negligence 134384
    Cheating 115405
    Criminal Tresspass & Burglary 114123
    Cruelty by Husband & Relatives 113403
    Grievous Hurt 92996
    Kidnapping & Abduction 82999
    Assault on women 82422
    Riots 65255
    Robbery 36188
    Rape 34651
    Murder 32127

    In fact, one can notice from the above table that if one were to consider only those categories where a deliberate intent to commit crime is involved (leaving out rash driving and death by negligence), 498A crimes are the 4th largest in terms of number of cases registered.

    Over the past 15 years, the total number of cases under IPC 498A have seen a continuous upward trend and have increased by more than 100% from 2001 to 2015. The below table shows the actual number of cases registered from 2001 to 2015.

    All India – Cases – Cruelty by husband and family members for crimes against women
    Year Cases Registered
    2001 49170
    2002 49237
    2003 50703
    2004 58121
    2005 58319
    2006 63128
    2007 75930
    2008 81344
    2009 89546
    2010 94041
    2011 99135
    2012 106527
    2013 118866
    2014 122877
    2015 113403

    We can observe from the above table that, for the first time in 2015, the total number of cases registered has shown a downward trend. This can directly be attributed to the strict guidelines issued by the Supreme Court of India in the year 2014. One may argue that the decline shown is for only one year and therefore it is inappropriate to conclude that it is related to the guidelines related to “no-automatic arrests”.

    When we analyze the numbers for total cases registered over the years for various states, we see that two States – Karnataka and Kerala – have shown a downward trend in number of cases registered from 2012 onwards itself.

    The data for Karnataka is captured in the below table.

    Karnataka – Cases – Cruelty by husband and family members for crimes against women
    Year Cases Registered
    2001 1735
    2002 1826
    2003 1704
    2004 1588
    2005 1883
    2006 2129
    2007 2507
    2008 2638
    2009 3185
    2010 3441
    2011 3712
    2012 3684
    2013 3276
    2014 3025
    2015 2732

    Similarly, the number of cases in Kerala have also declined since 2012, as shown below.

    Kerala – Cases – Cruelty by husband and family members for crimes against women
    Year Cases Registered
    2001 2561
    2002 2836
    2003 2930
    2004 3222
    2005 3283
    2006 3708
    2007 3999
    2008 4138
    2009 4007
    2010 4797
    2011 5377
    2012 5216
    2013 4820
    2014 4919
    2015 3668

    Some very interesting details emerge when we try to analyze the reasons behind the decline starting in 2012 for these two states.

    As mentioned in the beginning of the article, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular in 2010 and in 2012 to all the States to take steps to prevent misuse of 498A. As a response to this many states issued directions to their police to take precautions while handling these cases. For example, guidelines were issued by the DGPs (and other relevant authorities) of Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and others. However, almost all the directions were precautionary in nature and centered around thorough investigation, need for counseling, etc.

    However, the DGPs of Karnataka and Kerala, in 2010-11 and 2012 respectively, issued detailed directions that involved one crucial, and additional step, before arresting anyone under 498A. In both these states, the investigating officer had to obtain the consent of the DCP prior to arresting anyone. This introduced a crucial senior review process in deciding arrest. Clearly, with an additional, superior, authority reviewing the case, the scope for misuse reduced. The reduction in the registration of cases under 498A in these two states can be directly attributed to this tightening measure.

    Therefore, it is quite clear that the drop in 498A cases registration is clearly linked with its utility in immediate arrest coming down, due to the guidelines by the SC and the Police departments.

    Misuse and Conviction Rates

    If misuse of 498A comes down, it naturally means that the total number of cases that needs to be investigated by the Police comes down. This also means that the percentage of genuine cases go up and also that the bandwidth available to the Police for investigating the genuine cases increases. This highlights the important issue associated with misuse of current law which denies justice to actual victims.

    The NCRB website provides detailed statistics on the total number of persons arrested and the number of persons convicted under any crime. For the years 2010-2015, at the all-India level, the following is the conviction rate for crimes under 498A.

    All India – Persons Arrested – Cruelty by husband and family members for crimes against women
    Year Persons Arrested Persons Convicted Conviction Rate (%)
    2010 180413 23837 13.21
    2011 180701 21662 11.98
    2012 197762 16402 8.29
    2013 222091 17542 7.89
    2014 225648 16360 7.25
    2015 187067 16857 9.01

    The conviction rate, for the past several years, has been in single digits, which is yet another pointer to the high percentage of false cases registered under this category.

    For comparison purposes, let us look at the conviction rates under the 13 crime categories that we looked at in the beginning of this article (which showed the total number of cases registered)

    All India – Crimes – 2015 – Persons Arrested and Convicted (Arranged in decreasing order of conviction rate)
    Nature of Crime Persons Arrested Persons Convicted Conviction Rate (%)
    Rash Driving/Road Rage 426435 245935 57.67
    Cheating 146236 39378 26.92
    Murder 62159 16081 25.87
    Tresspass & Burglary 79379 15461 19.47
    Theft 222556 40916 18.38
    Rape 42036 7185 17.09
    Death by Negligence 116759 19048 16.31
    Robbery 46899 7317 15.60
    Riots 294289 34300 11.65
    Assault on women 101571 11342 11.16
    Kidnapping & Abduction 73557 7285 9.90
    Grievous Hurt 112916 10975 9.71
    Cruelty by Husband & Rels 187067 16857 9.01

    We can see that crimes under 498A have the lowest conviction rate of any (significant) IPC crime!!! Not to forget that the criminal is known in this case and put behind bars at the onset of the case.

    In the year 2015, after the total number of cases declined for the first time, we notice that the conviction rate under this crime went up from 7.25% to 9.01%. This could be an indicator that reduction in the number of false cases provides an opportunity for Police to perform better investigations in genuine cases. To confirm this, we can look at the conviction rates between 2010-2015 for Karnataka and Kerala since these 2 states have shown a decline in false cases for a longer period.

    Below table shows the conviction rate for Karnataka.

    Karnataka – Persons Arrested – Cruelty by husband and family members for crimes against women
    Year Persons Arrested Persons Convicted Conviction Rate (%)
    2010 6515 183 2.80
    2011 6801 157 2.30
    2012 6317 174 2.75
    2013 5771 179 3.10
    2014 5523 276 4.99
    2015 4770 91 1.90

    Similarly, the table below shows the conviction rate for Kerala.

    Kerala – Persons Arrested – Cruelty by husband and family members for crimes against women
    Year Persons Arrested Persons Convicted Conviction Rate (%)
    2010 7522 222 2.95
    2011 7305 313 4.28
    2012 6923 254 3.66
    2013 6330 268 4.23
    2014 6818 165 2.42
    2015 4998 185 3.70

    We can notice from the above 2 tables that, apart from a blip in Karnataka in 2015, the numbers always show that a dip in false cases, and consequent reduction in arrests, leads to an increase in conviction rate! Therefore, any step, such as the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court, to reduce false cases can only benefit those who are genuine victims of domestic violence and need protection and relief from this law.

    Disparity in State wise numbers

    When it comes to total number of cases registered on a state wise basis, we find that there is a huge disparity in terms of the percentage of cases registered as measured against the percentage of population of the state. The below table shows a list of the states that contribute the maximum number of cases related to 498A.

    All India – States with maximum cases registered – 2015 (Total cases – 113403)
    State Cases Registered Percentage of Total Cases Population %age – 2011 Census
    West Bengal 20163 17.77 7.55
    Rajasthan 14383 12.68 5.67
    Assam 11225 9.89 2.58
    Uttar Pradesh 8660 7.63 16.49
    Maharashtra 7640 6.73 9.28
    Telengana 7329 6.46 2.97
    Andhra Pradesh 6121 5.39 4.08
    Madhya Pradesh 5281 4.65 6.00
    Gujarat 4133 3.64 5.00
    Bihar 3792 3.34 8.58
    Kerala 3668 3.23 2.76
    Odisha 3605 3.17 3.47
    Haryana 3525 3.10 2.09
    Delhi 3521 3.10 1.38
    Karnataka 2732 2.40 5.05
    Tamil Nadu 1900 1.67 5.96

    It is startling to see that just 3 states – West Bengal, Rajasthan and Assam – contribute more than 40% of the total cases registered in the country in 2015 even though their share in India’s population is just 15% as per Census 2011. The trend is similar in the immediate preceding few years.

    Although, one can argue that these states are different in how police functions and it is easier to report cases. But using NCRB data we do not find that other crimes are also reported more in these states. So, it cannot be efficiency of police force leading to higher reporting of cases. Another possible reason could be that women are treated differently in the public sphere in these states and they can easily report the crimes to police without any stigma. So, high per capita cases case of West Bengal and Assam actually highlights some kind of women empowerment. But this myth is busted when we look at the next table, which presents conviction rate.

    The table below shows the total number of persons arrested in the year 2015 and the total number of persons convicted. Of course, the persons convicted most often corresponds to cases registered in previous years but a review of the NCRB data shows a uniform proportion of these numbers in the preceding years. Hence this is a valid comparison.

    All India – States – Ratio of persons arrested to persons convicted – 2015
    State Persons Arrested Persons Convicted %age of PC/PA
    West Bengal 22508 244 1.08
    Rajasthan 9590 2341 24.41
    Assam 10404 263 2.53
    Uttar Pradesh 41802 6708 16.04
    Maharashtra 20129 762 3.78
    Telengana 10082 426 4.22
    Andhra Pradesh 8984 756 8.41
    Madhya Pradesh 13317 2270 17.04
    Gujarat 12982 120 0.9
    Bihar 5396 143 2.65
    Kerala 4998 185 3.70
    Odisha 5051 171 3.38
    Haryana 3628 239 6.58
    Delhi 1266 144 11.37
    Karnataka 4770 91 1.9
    Tamil Nadu 3634 368 10.12

    It is once again surprising to see that the 2 of the 3 states that contribute most of the cases (West Bengal and Assam) have the most dismal conviction rate amongst all states. If social stigma was the driving force, we would not see such big disparity in conviction rates across states. This clearly shows a high level of misuse of the law associated with failure at proving conviction. Above table also highlights in red a few other states where conviction rate is far below national average of 9% indicating the law being misused more often than not.

    Conclusion

    The Government of India, considering these factors, should take further steps to dissuade misuse of this law. Introduction of criminal action against those found misusing this law can be the next big reform to totally weed out misuse. This will further reduce the workload of our investigating and judicial authorities and will also lead to faster conclusion of the genuine cases. Shorter trial periods will feed back into the loop leading to more and more genuinely affected women approaching the justice system, thereby serving the purpose which the original makers of the law intended.

    The Government should also perform a thorough analysis of the data collected to determine state-wise (local) reasons that could show a more prevalent case of domestic abuse of women. Since law and order is a state subject, making necessary laws specific to those states, while removing a common special law for the entire country could be a welcome move to curb misuse and at the same time increase effectiveness.

    Note: The author tweets at @Hariprasad.

    Image Source: http://www.section498.com/article/a-look-at-how-the-dowry-law-is-being-highly-abused/

  • Does UPSC favours Muslims in IAS interview?

    Does UPSC favours Muslims in IAS interview?

    One of the newspapers highlighted about the big success of Muslims in IAS exam this year. Some 50 Muslims cleared the prestigious exam this year. This is what the article said-

    But this year records of past several years were broken as nine out of 50 Muslims who cleared IAS exams secured their position in top 100 ranks.

    Given that the interview and written marks for the final selected candidates is available online, YP decided to check if there is any substantial difference between Muslims and other communities. The data (first 525 ranks) reveals that Muslims on average get 13 marks more at the interview stage as compared to other communities at the interview stage.

    IAS-scatter plot for marks for two groups reveal Muslims get more marks on interview stage.

    The above figure reveals the bias at interview stage in favour of Muslims as compared to other communities. Each dot corresponds to one candidate, where x and y-axis are equal to marks scored on written and interview stage respectively by this candidate. Although, there are only 20 Muslim candidates in the first 525 ranks, but they seem to get higher grade than average on the interview.

    The gray area shows 95% confidence interval and one can clearly see that at the interview stage marks are very different for Muslims and Hindus. If the two groups had same distribution statistically, then gray bands will cross at all level of written marks.

    To look at how much more marks Muslims get on average, we run the following regression analysis:

    Interview = β * written + Muslim + SC + ST + OBC

    What does this table tell?

    1. Those Muslims who are selected on average get 13 marks more than other general candidates on the interview stage.
    2. SC/OBC get less marks on interview stage (6.65 and 2.60 respectively). ST candidates get 1.6 marks extra, but this result is not statistically significant. It is statistically significant only for SC candidates and they definitely get lower marks.
    3. The slope β for written is negative, implying those with higher marks on written get low marks on interview stage. But this has to be interpreted carefully as those with low marks on both written as well as interview are not in this sample.

    The average marks for all candidates on the interview stage are 167, with a standard deviation of around 15 marks. Since Muslims get 13 extra marks on the interview stage, they are almost getting one standard deviation extra marks than others. These 13 extra marks for Muslims means they are on average getting 8.7% higher marks than other candidates in the interview stage.

    So, what should one conclude? Under Idea of India (#IOI), Muslims have the first right on resources as well as other administrative positions in India. The biggest take away from the above table is that Muslims are even above the other reserved category Hindus in the #IOI rankings. While the reserved category candidates get fewer marks on the interview stage, Muslim candidates get much-much higher.

    Note: Download the file for analysis. Report in case of any questions or errors.

    Image Credit: https://syskool.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/all-about-ias-exam.jpg

  • Divorce rate higher for Muslims than Hindus – Census 2011

    Divorce rate higher for Muslims than Hindus – Census 2011

    Today noted Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar in a tweet claimed that as per Census 2011, the divorce rate amongst Hindus was 0.76% and that of Muslims was only 0.53%.

    A little search on Google reveals that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board is also making similar claims about divorce rates being lower than Hindus, especially in the context of the Triple Talaq matter being heard in the Supreme Court.

    The National Herald website is also doing its bit to peddle this claim further. It says divorce rates amongst Hindus is 0.76% while the same for Muslims is 0.56%.

    Secular newspapers such as Times Of India and The Hindu have also added their bit to this issue.

    Now, let us look at the reality.

    Source: Census 2011 – C-3 Marital Status By Religious Community And Sex – 2011

    Table 1: Data for Total Population
    Marital Status | Total Persons | Males | Females
    Total | 1210854977 | 623270258 | 587584719
    Never married | 570833969 | 322870527 | 247963442
    Excluding never married | 640021008 | 300399731 | 339621277
    Divorced | 1362316 | 452743 | 909573
    Divorced + Separated | 4897518 | 1615191 | 3282327
    Divorce ratio | 0.002128549 | 0.001507135 | 0.002678198
    Divorced + Separated ratio | 0.007652121 | 0.005376806 | 0.009664668
    Percentage Divorced | 0.21 | 0.15 | 0.26
    Percentage D + S | 0.76 | 0.53 | 0.96

    Table 2: Data for Hindus
    Marital Status | Hindu Total | Hindu Males | Hindu Females
    Total | 966257353 | 498306968 | 467950385
    Never married | 444973597 | 253100795 | 191872802
    Excluding never married | 521283756 | 245206173 | 276077583
    Divorced | 962810 | 344281 | 618529
    Divorced + Separated | 3833495 | 1310576 | 2522919
    Divorce ratio | 0.001846998 | 0.001404047 | 0.002240417
    Divorced + Separated ratio | 0.007353951 | 0.005344792 | 0.009138442
    Percentage Divorced | 0.18 | 0.14 | 0.22
    Percentage D + S | 0.73 | 0.53 | 0.91

    Table 3: Data for Muslims
    Marital Status | Muslim Total | Muslim Males | Muslim Females
    Total | 172245158 | 88273945 | 83971213
    Never married | 92081730 | 50970832 | 41110898
    Excluding never married | 80163428 | 37303113 | 42860315
    Divorced | 269609 | 57535 | 212074
    Divorced + Separated | 654347 | 154655 | 499692
    Divorce ratio | 0.003363242 | 0.001542365 | 0.004948027
    Divorced + Separated ratio | 0.008162662 | 0.004145901 | 0.011658617
    Percentage Divorced | 0.33 | 0.15 | 0.49
    Percentage D + S | 0.82 | 0.41 | 1.2

    Comparison table:
    Status | Total H | Total M | Females H | Females M
    Separated | 0.55 | 0.48 | 0.69 | 0.67
    Divorced | 0.18 | 0.34 | 0.22 | 0.49
    D+S | 0.74 | 0.82 | 0.91 | 1.17

    Observations:

    The percentage of divorced amongst Hindus is 0.18 while it is 0.33 for Muslims.

    Percentage of divorced + separated amongst Hindus is 0.73 while it is 0.81 for Muslims.

    The divorced and separated percentages are extremely high for Muslim women, with the latter crossing the 1 percentage mark.

    If you look at only the divorce rate then it is more than double among Muslims as compared to Hindus.

    Conclusions:

    Mainstream media, once again, has picked up random numbers and stitched together a narrative.

    Some of the other numbers quoted in the above referenced articles are all based on random surveys done in a few select districts.

    The problem of divorce is much more amongst Muslims than Hindus. It is especially so amongst Muslim women.

    Note: The author tweets @pranasutra

    Image Source: http://www.factriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/talaq-divorce2.jpg

  • Battle of Kharda (1795) – Marathas v/s Nizam

    Battle of Kharda (1795) – Marathas v/s Nizam

    The battle of Kharda took place in March 1795, ending up in a resounding win for the Marathas. It is notable mainly for two reasons:

    1) It happened 34 years after Panipat, at which point all Maratha armies had supposedly disappeared for ever.

    2) It was the last time that the Confederacy fought as one, reminiscent of Bajirao and to a lesser extent Balaji Bajirao.

    Background and cause

    Chauth and sardeshmukhi issues had been simmering between the Peshwa and the Nizam for quite some time. It was only their common war against Tipu sultan that had put the issue on a backburner. In 1791 though, the Marathas decided to push their demands through their envoys at Hyderabad – Govindrao Kale and Govindrao Pingle. The Nizam provided his reply under 34 documents and promised to negotiate once the war with Tipu was over.

    When negotiations were reopened, the Nizam informed Govindrao Kale that the Marathas owed him two and a half crore rupees. He had also arranged for the British under Shore to arbitrate in the dispute, much to the chagrin of the Marathas. At the same time, the Nizam had augmented his army from 2 battalions, under the Frenchman Raymond, to 23 battalions.

    Negotiations dragged on till 1794, with the Nizam not budging from his demands and the Marathas from theirs. Finally, the Mushir Ul Mulk at Hyderabad summoned Govindrao Kale and told him that Nana Phadnis would have to come to Hyderabad for any progress to be made. With the talks having fallen through, it was obvious that matters would have to be settled the old way.

    The Nizam moves to Bidar

    The Nizam of Hyderabad along with Raymond, Mushir ul Mulk and the Nawab of Kurnool etc moved his armies to Bidar by the beginning of 1795. From Bidar they proceeded to Wakigung and to the Mori Ghat, along the Manjiri river by February. The Nizam had 45,000 cavalry; 45,000 infantry and over a 100 guns at his disposal.

    The Marathas coalesce at Pune

    The Marathas under Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa and Nana Phadnis, prepared to meet the challenge head on. From the north, Daulatrao Shinde and Tukojirao Holkar joined the fray. From the west Gaikwad of Baroda arrived with his contingent. From the east, Raghuji Bhosale II contributed his cavalry. The loose Pindari mercenaries of Karim Khan joined in. Added to this were the contingents of Nimbalkar, Ghatge, Chavan, Pawar, Thorat, Vinchurkar, Malegaonkar, Pant Sachiv and others.

    Break of troops was as follows

    Shinde: 25000
    Holkar: 16000
    Govindrao Gaikwad: 10000 (?)
    Bhosale of Nagpur: 15000

    All put together, the Maratha army was close to 1,00,000 along with a hundred guns.

    The clash at Kharda

    Baburao Phadke was sent with an advance party to intercept the Nizam at the Mori Pass near Kharda, which he did, but ended up with heavy losses. He retreated towards the main army, hotly pursued by Raymond and his battalions. The commander in chief Parshuram Bhau Patwardhan now joined in, flanked by Shinde, Holkar’s and Bhosale’s contingents.

    Very soon, war had broken out between the Nizam and the Marathas near the fort of Kharda. The drilled musketmen of Raymond clashed with those of Perron, under the Scindia. Skirmishing went on for the whole day, before both armies retired for the night.

    The Marathas now played their masterstroke. Under the cover of darkness, they attacked the Nizam with guns and muskets. In the mayhem that followed, scores of his men were killed and a panic stricken Nizam retreated into the small fort at Kharda.

    Marathas lay siege. Nizam comes to terms.

    The Peshwa laid siege to the fort, while his Pindaries pillaged the deserted army camp. After seventeen days of holding out, by which time all cattle in the fort perished and his soldiers were also driven to starvation, the Nizam decided to come to terms. A dagger and seal was sent to the Peshwa, signalling that he was ready to accept any condition imposed on him.

    The Peshwa started off by asking for the Mushir Ul Mulk, who had insulted Nana Phadnis with his rude comments. The Nizam protested, but finally had to give in. His minister was soon packed off to Pune as a prisoner.

    The Nizam agreed to cede all land from Paranda fort to the Tapti river as well as fort of Daulatabad and territories which had been captured by Sadashivrao Bhau in 1760.

    Further, 3 crores 10 lacs were obtained from the Nizam as tribute. 29 lac were given separately to Raghuji Bhosale. Land worth 3,00,000 annually was given to Raghuji Bhosale.

    A resounding win had been scored, stamping Maratha authority on south India for one last time.

    Note: The author tweets @authorAneesh. Know more at http://www.aneeshbooks.wordpress.com

  • Śāstra Jñāna

    Śāstra Jñāna

    Thousands of autumns have come to pass since the time the praṇava was first uttered, and in those many years, many volumes have been written exploring even the most subtle aspects of Ṛta and Dharma.

    Textual traditions have been the recordings of ancestral opinion, on how they viewed the propagation of Dharma, and these texts have given systemic support to rituals and celebrations resonating within the Indic traditions.

    वेदोऽखिलो धर्ममूलं स्मृतिशीले च तद्विदाम्।
    आचारश्चैव साधूनामात्मनस्तुष्टिरेव च ॥६॥ (मनुस्मृति २.६)

    vedokhilo dharmamūlaṃ smṛtiśīle ca tadvidām
    ācāraścaiva sādhūnāmātmanastuṣṭireva ca (Manusmṛti 2.6)

    The entire Veda is the root-source of Dharma; also the conscientious recollection of righteous persons versed in the Veda, the practice of good and learned men, and their self-satisfaction.

    The source of criticism of textual scholarship is described as two-fold

    Misplaced sense of superiority

    Envy

    The first is explained as condescension toward people who preserve the foundations of the tradition, documenting and interpreting ancient treatises.

    The article criticizes claims such as “They know the words, but not the essence,” “These were written by Great Men whose words cannot be faithfully interpreted today,” and “Hinduism transcends the written word.”

    It argues that there has always been a rich commentarial tradition, so individual words and concepts can be interpreted through established disciplines such as the Vedāṅgas and Nirukta.

    The article also rejects the notion that devotional movements rejected the Vedas, arguing instead that the Nāyanārs, Āḻvārs and Bhakti saints remained deeply rooted in Dharma and the Vaidika mārga.

    The other source is envy. The article argues that scholarship requires the humility to learn from those who know more and to teach those who know less.

    It concludes by noting that Vedic scholars have preserved critiques of the Vedas as well as rebuttals, and that serious criticism requires actually reading the texts.

    Note: The author tweets @pinakasena. The article was first published on his blog.

  • Why do you see Muslims everywhere? It’s TFR, stupid

    Why do you see Muslims everywhere? It's TFR, stupid

    The lower rung BJP leaders every now and then are known to raise the bogey of TFR (total fertility rate) and exhort Hindus to increase their fertility. No sooner are such ideas floated than the entire media gets up in arms, leading to disowning of such members and comments by top leaders.

    While the left chastises the TFR brigade by citing their ill-founded fears about Muslim population explosion, the neo-liberal supporters on the right — although acknowledging the problem — fail to react because they don’t or can’t match the resolve of Muslim women, as Hindu women are not captive breeders.

    But truth be told, gullible Hindus hide their personal choice of having few kids by hiding under the intellectual veneer of excess population, environment-saving, women’s empowerment and other ideas that they have been spoon-fed since independence and have taken up with great zeal like any other nouveau convert to modern memes. The national and state governments too have played their role to a large extent, hence we find open support for this government propaganda which has put the responsibility of saving the world squarely on Hindu shoulders.

    But how does the TFR actually look? We present the result for the two religions from the 2011 census for different states.

    Chart: TFR by religion — Hindu vs Muslim, across Indian states (Census 2011)
    Representative restoration image generated because the original image was not embedded in the supplied HTML.
    Chart: TFR comparison table — Hindu and Muslim fertility by state
    Representative restoration image generated because the original image was not embedded in the supplied HTML.

    A few things to notice here. First, Muslim fertility is higher in almost all states. Second, the fertility is hovering around or below 2 for most Hindus — below replacement level. So Hindu population in these states will actually fall in the future. Third, it is not that Muslims are having too many children — it is just that Hindus are having too few children, which allows Muslims to keep the same percentage fertility gap (the only thing which matters for population share growth).

    Another important point to note is that the percentage difference is much higher in some states which are important demographically — like Assam and West Bengal. The surprise addition is Haryana, with the highest TFR difference between the two communities. The current Muslim share of Haryana’s population is very low and so it would not impact right now, but if the trends continue Haryana too will join the list of west UP districts. Delhi was already surrounded by high Muslim population in west UP, Alwar and Mewat. If Haryana keeps going on this trajectory, the encirclement of Delhi will soon be complete.

    But what is causing this great fall in Hindu fertility?

    Chart: Urban Hindu TFR by state — hovering around 1.5 or below
    Representative restoration image generated because the original image was not embedded in the supplied HTML.

    It is the urban Hindu who is showing the same trend everywhere — his fertility is hanging around 1.5 level. In some states it has gone down to 1, like in West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh. The low Hindu fertility in urban areas generates a much higher percentage difference between the two religions. Rural areas, though better than urban areas, are still lagging behind Muslim TFR.

    Chart: TFR gap between Hindu and Muslim communities — Assam and West Bengal highlighted
    Representative restoration image generated because the original image was not embedded in the supplied HTML.

    While Assam and West Bengal are undergoing big demographic change and everyone is aware of the influx of illegal Bangladeshis there, no one wants to talk about the elephant in the room — the TFR difference between two communities in these two states. The percentage TFR gap is around 80% in Assam and 45% in West Bengal. It is easy to blame the illegals but one cannot deny the low fertility of Hindus in these regions as a big part of the problem. While Kerala and west UP would not have as many illegals as Assam or West Bengal, they too are facing a similar problem — and the question is why? It’s the TFR, stupid.

    Key takeaways

    • Muslims have higher TFR than Hindus in almost all states
    • The absolute TFR is falling for the whole country — for both Hindus and Muslims
    • The absolute TFR difference between Hindus and Muslims is now at 0.55
    • The percentage TFR difference between the two communities is at 26%, down from 30% in NFHS3 (2005–06), but still very high
    • The TFR percent difference is still very high for Assam, West Bengal and Kerala, thus making them hotspots — the new addition is Haryana
    • Urban Hindus are fertility shredders — most states showing below replacement level TFR of 2.1

    Hindus will be chiefly to blame themselves for the future change in demographics in most regions. The high cost of raising children is not an argument that will cut with nature. Nature is ruthless to those who under-breed. While it is easy to blame governments (which is needed, because they keep TFR numbers guarded or under the radar and don’t take action against illegals), a big blame lies with the individuals too. If you see the numbers of Muslims multiplying in your area, you should trust your own hunch rather than government. And most importantly — act on it.

  • RTE for dummies

    RTE for dummies

    People worried- aloo, tamatar price increased by double in 10 years, but why school fees increased by 3-4 times?

    Well, you don’t pay RTE (Right to Education) tax on tomatoes.

    If RTE tax was applied on tomatoes, how will the world look like?

    Suppose every time if you go to buy tomato, you buy four tomatoes at Rs 2 each. Now, if Sabziwala takes Rs. 8 and put 3 tomatoes in your bag, that is RTE.

    You– why bhaiyya? Why steal one tomato from me, I paid for four tomatoes?

    Sabziwala– one is for poor kids ji.

    Then you see a Mulla ji buying tomatoes from neighboring Mulla ji sabziwala- and he gets 4 tomatoes for Rs 5.

    You– but why is he getting it for so cheap?

    Sabziwala– he has minority quota ji. He gets free land from govt, pays lower taxes, and he doesn’t have to give one tomato to the poor.

    You– I pay taxes and govt does tamatar farming with that money. Why don’t they give tamatar to poor from their own farm. Why should I pay extra?

    Sabziwala– their tamatar all foul, even poor doesn’t want them. So gobirmint asked us to charge you extra for one extra healthy tamatar and give it to the poor.

    You– so your business going well? Extra tamatar you sell.

    Sabziwala– no ji. This gobirmint is thief.

    You– why?

    Sabziwala– Because the gobirmint now want to fix price at Rs 1.5/tamatar. At this rate I can’t make any money to feed my kids. I will quit tamatar business.

    You– No. Don’t do that. Where will I buy tamatar then?

    Sabziwala– from the next door Mulla ji shop. He sells cheaper tamatar.

    You– but I have heard he spits on tamatar before selling them. Chiiii.

    Sabziwala– Sorry. Can’t help with that. You can always clean it at home.

    Also Read: Why Right to Education Act is Evil

    Image Source:
    http://cdn.deccanchronicle.com/sites/default/files/Right%20To%20Education_0_0.jpg

    Note: The above story was first tweeted at YP handle.

  • Ten Secular Commandments

    Ten Secular Commandments

    We bestow upon you the ten secular commandments of secularism. Follow these or eternal damnation in hell fire awaits you.

    1. Secularism is the Law, thy God: This ascribes the status of sacrosanct to secularism.

    2. Thou shalt have no other laws before me: Yes, this implies Dharma is illegal.

    3. No graven images or likenesses: Simply put, no one is allowed to represent, analyze, deconstruct secularism from any other point of view. Secularism is the point of view from which everything else should be analyzed.

    4. Not take the secularism’s name in vain: Even doubting secularism amounts to blasphemy and you automatically get labeled and charged as a communal person.

    5. Remember the sabbath day: Yes, and forget all your sacred Hindu days for they no longer matter in the scheme of things.

    6. Honour thy father and thy mother: Thy father is the Law, thy mother is the secular education with which you have been brought up.

    7. Thou shalt not kill: For violence is the prerogative of secularism, which can kill you if it finds you violating any of the other commandments.

    8. Thou shalt not steal: Only the secular state can and will steal from you and give the spoils to its apostles.

    9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour: Secularism decides what witness is true or false. You have no standing in the matter.

    10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s properties: But the secular state will come after your temples, your temple donations, your schools and everything else that you hold dear.

    In short secularism, is nothing but manifestation of the next upgrade on the standard Abrahamic software first developed in Jooland. Whether it is Abrahamism part-4 or 5 is immaterial. Hindus would do well to learn these commandments by heart else Secular GOD will come down upon them with vengeance.

    Note: The author tweets @aurvabhrg.

  • Is Fadnavis PM material?

    Is Fadnavis PM material?

    Devendra Fadnavis, the current CM of Maharashtra, is quickly emerging as the face of new raytawing liberal politics in India. With his liberal vision, India will indeed achieve great heights. So, it is high time to list some of the biggest achievements of Fadnavis ji.

    1) He has closed so many Hindu schools under RTE that no other Raytawing leader can come close to him. According to this news, his government had served closure notice to some 7000 schools.

    2) He hates discrimination and he means it when he says it. Since all minorities are eligible for pilgrimage subsidy, he is ensuring that Jews don’t get left behind either. So lets give them scholarships and free tickets to Jerusalem. Thank you Fadnavis ji for showing us the way.

    3) Not only the above discrimination will end but he will also end the discrimination in choosing neighbours. Now, if you don’t like that fish and chicken smell, sorry folks, you need to train your noses better as Maharashtra government will bulldoze any dissenters who don’t like chicken smell in their housing society.

    4) Best part- he loves people who hate him and his party. In this sense he is Christ reincarnation and will hug all those haters and he will grant them his audience rather than send police after them, the level of nuisance notwithstanding!

    5) He cares for the freedom of presstitutes and will protect them with all his might. So you raytawingers, be careful on what you speak against presstitutes, because Fadnavis ji will come down upon you heavily. So no jokes on Barka Butt..ok!

    Given these great bills passed under him, we can only say that DF is- Your friendly Kristian, Guardian of journalists, Terminator of Hindoo schools, Superstitions slayer, Sarva dhimmi sambhava.

    If you have any doubts whether he is PM material or not, the guy is himself there to answer your question. Dear FatNovice ji- are you PM material?

    Raytawing(RW) wishes him good luck in all future endeavors.

    Note- PM can stand for many things and not just Prime Minister. For example- it can mean Prime Moron. Share your ideas below.

    Featured Image Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/44966123.cms

  • Sexual Harassment of coworker by Kumar Sundaram shows how pathetic liberal world view is

    Sexual Harassment of coworker by Kumar Sundaram shows how pathetic liberal world view is

    Reports are emerging from social media that Kumar Sundaram of a commie/liberal propaganda portal called India Resists has sexually and mentally harassed a girl who worked for him in his propaganda platform. One of the girls from his close coterie has come out to level charges against him for leaking her private pictures with him to her family members.

    When faced with the charges, Sundaram first tried to deflect them. But when it did not seem to work, he tried to diffuse the situation by seeking an apology.

    Liberals/Commie respect for women is a plain simple lie

    Whenever a story of sexual harassment or mistreatment of women comes in the internet, it is the liberals and commies who come out of their caves supposedly in defense of such women, often demonizing the whole class of men and society in the process.

    This incident gives a sneak peak into the typical life style and character of liberals/progressives and how pathetic they are in their private lives- have no sense of morals or principles and their typical attitude is whatever satisfies them sexually or otherwise is fine, no matter what the consequences of such actions for others.

    This kind of moral bankruptcy is not limited to this one guy or girl but is even reflected in the type of people who visit their site and are their followers.

    Coming back to the crime here, sharing someone’s pictures without consent is a big crime. Under the IT act, various charges can be pressed against the criminal, which in this case is Sundaram and he seems to have publicly accepted his crime.

    It will be wise if at least now, the women in India learn from what kind of creatures these liberals who push for such degeneracy are.