Gandhi and Ambedkar are India’s most popular thinkers, and also the most romanticised ones. While Gandhi is called the “father of India”, Ambedkar is called the father of the text that makes India a democracy (on paper), the Constitution. People often worship these figures, but usually do not read, thus begins the saga of romanticisation.
The machine (EVM) could also eliminate booth-capturing as it would become possible for the Election Commission to introduce mobile polling stations to take the machines to the doorsteps of the people, especially the weaker sections.
Akbar Allahabadi was senior to Iqbal and he wrote a reply to Sare Jahan Se Achcha in form of another poem.
The idea of reservation to OBCs (Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs) came about in 1990 after the Mandal Commission recommendations were implemented. The reservation under article 341 defined only SC community and most of these Pasmanda castes don’t come under this identification.
“This is the Congress radio calling on 42.34 meters from somewhere in India,” spoke Usha Mehta after the Quit India Movement had been silenced by the Britishers.
Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan plays Usha Mehta in her movie Ae Watan Mere Watan.
Read our special feature about India’s bravest Radio Jockey ,fondly known as Radio Ben
CAPTAIN LAKSHMI SAHGAL – Doctor by Job, Freedom Fighter by Will
During the Bengal famine, Sahir Ludhianvi wrote a poem which has a couplet:
In 1839, Samuel Morse, reputed as the telegraph pioneer, laid the first telegraph lines connecting Washington to Baltimore. In India, the same year, O’Shaughnessy completed 21 miles of a telegraph line wrapped around trees and vast stretches which included a river crossing of 4 miles as an experiment.
Democracy is an occidental idea. A Hindu cannot comprehend it as long as he is a Hindu. It is against his religious belief. The divisions of Varna are the basis of his religion. He cannot see without distress a Brahman or Kshtriya serving a Sudra. A Brahman may beg or even may die, yet he will never touch a dish from which a Sudra has partaken food.
Allama Iqbal Letter to Mahatma Gandhi, declining the offer of Vice-chancellorship of Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh, 29th November 1920.
