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The W’s of the Syrian War

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When and Why: Syrian War history

The conflict began due to multiple factors, the major one being the unrest of the 2011 Arab Spring and the successful mobilization against the government in Tunisia and Egypt that spilled over in Syria due to the already present discontent with the Assad families long reign. Other factors included Assad’s special priority towards the Alwaite minority in a Sunni majority country, the socio economic situation of Syria and extreme drought condition of Syria during 2011.
The Syrian people organized peaceful protests against the regime in March 2011 which later turned into a armed conflict after President Bashar Al Assad’s government violently repressed protests calling for his removal. In the same year, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was formed, headed by Riad Al Assad, a former Syrian army colonel. The year saw the formation of other rebel groups against the government.

After the failed peace talks in 2012, the Syrian government allegedly used chemical weapons on 21st August 2012 in a Damasus suburb killing up to 1400 civilians. Russia while did not enter the war till 2015, manoeuvred Syria to dismantle its existing chemical facilities.
In 2013-4, ISIS entered eastern Syria and transformed Raqqaa into its de facto capital after entering the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad in Syria in 2011.
Who: Foreign countries
According to the map by Thomas van Linge, the combatants can be grouped into 4 broad categories – Rebels (from ‘moderate’ to Islamists), Loyalists (regime forces and their supporters), Kurdish groups (control autonomy of the north-eastern Syria after fighting with ISIS, they as of now do not wish to overthrow the Assad regime), and finally the foreign power which are either fighting or claiming to fight ISIS at the moment.
The foreign powers include the as of now pro Assad regime of Russia, Iran and Hezbollah and the opposition that is the US led coalition along with Turkey, Arab states like Qatar and Saudi Arabia who maintain their statement about the removal of Assad from power. Russia has according to Reuters, achieved its goal of stabilizing the Assad government, also providing it with new armoured vehicles, surveillance equipments and various weapons including guided bombs for planes. It has allegedly led air strikes against not just ISIL, but also the rebel groups. The US on the other hand in July 2012, granted a non government organization called the Syrian Support Group a license to fund the Free Syrian Army and also provided arms and training to certain ‘vetted’ rebel groups. The foreign countries have while maintained their claim of fighting the ISIS, but have also been taking action to either support or remove the Assad regime

Which: Right side
There are no ‘right’ side or country in the war as according to the UN report, both the sides have led to casualties and death of civilians.

What: Current situation
November 28: After months of intense air strikes, the Syrian army and its allies announced the capture of a large part of eastern Aleppo from the rebels. The Kurdish YPG militia later moved into at least two of the areas left by the rebel forces after an arrangement according to Reuters.
December 13: Regional director of UNICEF, Geert Cappelaere reported that around 100 unaccompanied children were trapped in a building under heavy attack in East Aleppo.
December 15: Russia and United States suspended talks on ways to resolve crisis in Syria’s largest city of Aleppo.
December 20: The allies and non allies of the government reported varying evacuation reports but according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, no new evacuation were made on Saturday. As of Tuesday, 25,000 people have been evacuated from Aleppo including 15,000 on Monday and 10,000 last Thursday.

The current situation of the Aleppo citizens is extremely bad with thousands left in cold, injured and the war is far from over.

Feature Image Credits: Reuters

Adarsh Yadav
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Fascism: Word of the Year?

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Fascism: a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual, and that stands for a centralised autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.

 

In the process of looking up the above definition on Merriam-Webster’s website, I’ve made my contribution towards making fascism Webster’s ‘Word of the Year.’ The word that has been looked up the maximum number of times on the website receives that prestigious position of word of the year. While announcing the likelihood that fascism may become its word of the year, Merriam-Webster took to Twitter to send out an entreaty-“there’s still time to look something else up.”

In related news, Oxford Dictionary has declared ‘post-truth’(relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief) its word of the year, while dictionary.com has gone with xenophobia (dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries). The pattern is hard to miss.

Why this fuss about a ‘word of the year,’ you ask? They tend to reflect the socio-political situation we are currently faced with, though to a largely limited extent. A single word fails to capture the plurality of experiences across the world, but does serve as a mirror image of the ideas that are bandied about in conversations or in the media, virtual or otherwise.

While 2016 cannot be described in a word, our concern lies primarily with the circumstances that have led several thousand across the world to take to the internet and find out what ‘fascism’ or ‘xenophobia’ might mean. Acknowledging such words as ‘words of the year’ would involve accepting the unfortunate idea that such circumstances predominate in the minds of a large number of people, and this can be a scary prospect when it comes to terms like fascism. The world definitely hasn’t forgotten what happened the last time fascism gained ground as an ideology.

Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the United Nations human rights Chief, claims that, “The rhetoric of fascism is no longer confined to a secret underworld of fascists meeting in illicit clubs. It is becoming part of normal daily discourse. In some parts of the USA and Europe, anti-foreigner rhetoric full of unbridled vitriol and hatred, is proliferating to a frightening degree.” This rhetoric is evident in Donald Trump’s plan to build an “impenetrable, tall, physical, powerful, beautiful, southern border wall” between the USA and Mexico, and in his suggestion of a ‘register’ for Muslims.

Though Trump occupies pride of place in the media, he isn’t the only one sounding the death knell for liberalism. European politicians like Germany’s Frauke Petry and Sweden’s Jimmie Akesson have been consistently opposed to ‘open-door’ refugee policies. An 89-year old survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp recently took to the internet to appeal to people not to vote for a far-right Austrian politician, Norbert Hofer, as their President. She draws similarities between Hofer’s politics and fascism of the pre-second world war period. There have been allegations that India is also currently experiencing fascist undercurrents.

Though Trump has the backing of the people of a democratic nation, having been elected President in a valid election, similarities have also been drawn between Trump’s politics and that of Hitler’s. These similarities, seen not just in Trump but also in several politicians across the world, can be quite appalling.

Maybe looking up other words will help avoid the negativity associated with fascism and xenophobia? But doesn’t the “fear of a name increase fear of the thing itself?”

Maybe we should all look up tolerance instead. Our collective amnesia seems to prevent us from recalling what it means.

 Image credits: Uproxx

Abhinaya Harigovind
[email protected]

 

 

 

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The Political Landscape In Delhi University

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One’s political acumen takes a tangible hit when confronted with DU politics. By the time one believes to have understood its nitty gritty, the politics changes its form.

Political symbolism is at its full bloom around the rainy month of August. Pamphlets, flyers and posters seem to take over almost every wall, classroom, canteen and road. Even cars seem to flaunt their ‘poster-friendly’ being at you. During this time, the multi-layered being of politics becomes more than obvious. Class level, department level, college level and university level elections happen around the same time at the varsity.

At the university level, it’s a contest between the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP, the student wing of BJP), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI, the student wing of Congress), All India Students’ Association (AISA, the student wing of CPI M-L), Students’ Federation of India (SFI, the student wing of CPI M) and Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS, the student wing of AAP) apart from other smaller parties. Calling this contest a microcosm of mainstream elections would be an understatement, as the number of voters in varsity is roughly the size of a Vidhan Sabha electorate.

The diverse forms of campaigning techniques make it clear that there’s no need to be a part of any political party in order to be political. Political speeches and deliverances become a common scene during the new session, with promotional hoardings acting as backdrops. You’re bound to find many on-the-move political pundits around the campus during this time. Unmissable is the insightfulness displayed by rickshaw waalas whose predictions about rain and elections never seem to go wrong.

Featured Image Credits : www.indianexpress.com

Sidharth Yadav
[email protected]

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DUB News

Best and Worst of 2015: Political Highlights of the Year

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Those in power and those fighting for it have made headlines this year, some for very controversial reasons. With the whole world eagerly anticipating the American Presidential election in 2016, it has been an eventful year for the electorate that’s watching the potential candidates. The elections that have taken place in 2015, both in India as well as abroad, will have long lasting impacts on politics in the years to come.

International Politics

  1. US Presidential Election candidates

As the world watches with bated breath, the potential party candidates for American President have been battling it out, trying to swing public support in their favour. Business tycoon and probable Republican party candidate, Donald Trump, leads with the highest support base, according to public opinion polls. His support base has risen from 27 percent of the Republican voters in October, to a whopping 41 percent in December. In the wake of shootings at San Bernadino in December, Trump courted controversy when he proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States till better security measures are implemented. This suggestion only served to enhance his growing support-Republican voters were seen to be in favour of his idea, though it garnered flak from all quarters globally. A petition on the British Government’s website, seeking to ban Trump from the UK, has gathered over 500,000 signatures.

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Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders | Source: theodysseyonline.com

Meanwhile, former Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders, and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton are vying for the Democratic party nomination. According to polls, Sanders lags Clinton by close to 25 points. Bernie Sanders and Trump have been on a collision course over their disparate views on economic policies, and other issues of national and international issues, with Sanders holding a more liberal, progressive viewpoint.

  1. UK General Election, May 7

For the first time since 1992, a Conservative Party majority government, with a working majority of 12, was elected in 2015, with David Cameron securing a second term as Prime Minister. The Labour party with Ed Miliband at the helm came a close second in terms of votes. The Liberal Democrats, who had governed in coalition with the Conservatives since 2010, suffered their worst defeat since the 1970 elections.

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David Cameron | Source : www.telegraph.co.uk
  1. Referendum in Greece, July 5

The European Commission, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank jointly proposed certain bailout conditions on Greece, according to which, certain fiscal reforms would have to be implemented by the debt-ridden country, in consultation with the IMF, EC and ECB. A referendum, the first since 1974, was held to decide if these conditions were to be accepted. The public (over 61 percent) voted a clear no.

  1. Myanmar elections, November 8

The National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, secured an absolute majority in the national parliament. The 2015 general elections were the first openly contested elections since 1990. The Union Solidarity and Development Party which has a strong military backing, with Thein Stein as President, had been ruling since 2010. The NLD’s victory marked a complete overthrow of the vestiges of the military rule that Myanmar had previously experienced till 2010.

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Suu Kyi | Source: www.storypick.com

Though the NLD won the elections, its leader, Suu Kyi is barred from holding the position of President according to the constitution since both her children are British citizens. The President will be chosen indirectly by the NLD dominated Legislature by March 2016.

National Politics

  1. Delhi Assembly Elections, February 7

The underdog, the Aam Aadmi Party, made history when it secured an absolute majority, winning 67 out of 70 seats, trumping the political heavyweights-the Congress and BJP. Arvind Kejriwal assumed office for the second time as Delhi’s CM, having resigned  after 49 days in office in 2014, due to issues over the Jan Lokpal Bill. Kejriwal is currently engaged in a spat with the BJP over allegations that Arun Jaitley was involved in certain irregularities, during his term as DDCA chief.

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Arvind Kejriwal | Source: www.zeenews.india.com
  1. Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections, October 12-November 5

The Bihar elections were a face off between the ‘Mahagatabandhan’ (an alliance between the JDU, led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar, and RJD, led by Lalu Prasad Yadav, supported by the Indian National Congress) and the BJP led NDA. The RJD won the highest number of seats (80) with the JDU coming a close second with 71. Nitish Kumar secured his third term as CM with the 2015 elections. The elections were a landslide victory for the alliance, as it trumped the NDA and BJP’s victory in the 2014 general elections, indicating that public opinion might have swung against Modi.

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Nitish Kumar | Source: www.indianexpress.com
  1. Narendra Modi’s foreign visits

During his tenure in office, PM Narendra Modi has made several international trips and met with leaders of various countries, in the interest of foreign policy and bilateral relations. Modi’s visit to the UAE in August was the first by an Indian PM in 34 years. He also became the first Indian PM to visit Mongolia in May. During his international visits, Modi sought the support of the leaders of several countries for India’s permanent membership in the UNSC.

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Modi with Nawaz Sharif | Source: www.bbc.com

On December 25, Modi made a sudden, impromptu visit to Lahore and met his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif. His ‘surprise,’ unannounced visit was seen globally as a sign of good will and improving relations between the two nations which have historically been at loggerheads.

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Campus Central

FIRs filed, claim-game intensifies as DUSU elections inch closer

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With the date of polling just 9 days away, the political arena of Delhi University is catching fire as contesting parties step up their campaign for DUSU elections. Parties including Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, National Students’ Union of India and All India Students’ Association are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory.

The week gone by had the Delhi Police register over twenty FIRs against various student parties for cases related to defacement of public property through promotional posters. Last week, we reported the move of the Chief Election Officer of DUSU elections, DS Rawat, to seek help from the Delhi Police in cracking down on defaulters of civic and election rules.

In another development, the launch of a University-special bus in the South Campus of DU took an ugly turn when CYSS and ABVP took to social media to claim the credit for the same. The bus was covered with posters of CYSS, one of which read, “Welcome freshers.” Saket Bahuguna, State Secretary of ABVP, referred to a meeting DUSU had had with the CM of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, earlier this year to demand similar amenities for DU students. He also went on to ask why action was not being taken by the police for the ‘act of defacing public property’.

The CEO of DUSU elections has also announced the availability of Delhi University Community Radio (DUCR) to candidates in order to promote paperless campaigning. Candidates will be allowed to record five-minute long speech which will be moderated and aired on the radio at 90.4Mhz.

The CEO also announced the doing away of allowing candidates to change their names by prefixing the letter ‘A ‘several times before their names. This practice enabled candidates to get their names enlisted higher on the EVM machines as names are placed in alphabetical order.  Last year, AISA had challenged the practice legally.

AISA organised a referendum dubbed as ‘Opinion Dhamaka’ in which 93% respondents reportedly voted against the Choice Based Credit System. Earlier, Students’ Federation of India conducted a similar referendum in which 92% respondents voted against CBCS.

Ishaan Gambhir

[email protected]

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Narendra Modi’s Policies for the Youth: An assessment

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Narendra Modi has been perceived as a strong and focused leader amongst the youth. After a corruption grimed UPA 2 tenure, the hopes and dreams of all the demographic strata were bent on Narendra Modi’s NDA Government. The Youth similarly had various demands too -education, health, employment, family planning and world connectivity. Being the World’s youngest democracy, India is also set to play an important role in the Global service sector. With the Make in India policy, a similar behaviour is expected in the manufacturing sector too. Let’s analyze and assess some of the newly introduced policies of the Modi government and how they have a substantial impact on the Youth and its role in the future.

1) Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
Image Credits- northeasttoday.com
Image Credits- northeasttoday.com

India has predominantly been a patriarchal society. Although acts of rape, domestic abuse, and female foeticide have been prevalent in our society since the 1950’s, the recent upsurge in pro-active media has brought things into the limelight. The sex ratio (918:1000) in India is extremely poor and is as bad as many African countries whose GDP is 10 times smaller than India’s. To address these issues and to improve on the statistical data provided, the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana were introduced. You might eye these policies as three distinct policies or a consolidated legislation, but however you perceive it, the policy’s on-paper direction aims at-
a) Increasing the sex ratio by incentives that can benefit the whole family through Beti Bachao Abhiyan.

b) Increasing the involvement of young women in economic decisions in the future, through a boost in female participation in schools, colleges and graduate schools through Beti Padhao Abhiyan.

c) Increasing family savings in the name of the girl child in the family through the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana.

Issue: The issue with this policy is the concern of its execution. With the allocations for the Women and Child Development Ministry in the government budget being reduced to one third of that of the UPA government’s budget, there are serious doubts about the large scale successful implementation of the Government.

2) Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan jyoti Bima Yojana

More than 65% of the Indian population has inadequate insurance coverage. As passive as it might seem to take an insurance policy at a young age, in the long run it proves to be extremely essential. Insurance which provides relief to families of youth who have died due to accident or natural death can successfully provide for an ailing family who has lost its only son or daughter. Health insurance also becomes important for the youth who suffer from hereditary diseases. The two policies mentioned above can assist the youth or his/her family monetarily and effectively. The policies aim at –
a) Providing a coverage of 2 lakh on death or full disability on a premium of rupees 12 per annum. It also provides for coverage of 1 lakh for partial disability under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana.

b) Providing coverage of 2 lakh on death due to reason (not controversial), on a premium of rupees 330 per annum under the Pradhan Mantri jeevan jyoti Bima Yojana.

Issue: The acceptance of insurance in the rural strata and the youth is generally less. The governments throughout the ages have been unsuccessful in changing this candid and conservative mindset.

3) National Skills Mission and Skill India Initiative
Image Credits- mapsofindia.com
Image Credits- mapsofindia.com

Indian youth are often plagued by the fact that they are incapable of getting jobs in spite of being a graduate or a post graduate. In a survey conducted by the Para Foundation in Pune, the stark contrast in the curriculum of courses taught in undergraduate colleges in India and the United states state that nearly 70% of the Indian curriculum paves a way for textual rather than a more practical (more preferred) approach to education which in the United states is 70% in favour of practical education. This gap reduces the quality of skilled labour available in the country. In the recent 2015 budget, allocations for a consolidation of skill initiatives across ministries, now directly under the Skill Development ministry shall pave the way for a faster and more unidirectional approach to increasing productivity, employment opportunities and knowledge amongst the youth. The upsurge aims at –
a) Consolidating 20 different skill development bodies working under different ministries (Labour and Entrepreneurship, Education, Women and Child Development, Social Injustice and many more) and synergizing them under one ministry’s direction.

b) Relaxing the scope for foreign investments and expertise in the skill development sector.

c) Bringing India one step closer to a skilled powerhouse of human resource

Issue: Consolidating the functioning of skill based organizations across ministries is a tough and complex task.

India’s strength lies in its huge human resource repository. However it is essential that the opportunities are available to all strata of the society. A healthy skilled labour force can be attained by bridging the gender gap, by practically facilitating long term healthcare and transfer payment mechanism and adequate skill development opportunities. The current governments’ policies are aiming to do exactly that. The result however can be ascertained or judged after the 5 year period of the Government.

Image Credits- expressions.blogspot.com

Ishaan Sengupta
[email protected]

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Campus Central

Life at Delhi University: Political Science Honours

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1. Politics begin to interest you more and you start keeping track. Unless you were a hardcore political lover from the beginning, admit it, this is a new found interest for you.  You start following news articles and watch channels to keep updated on the latest issues and finally understand what all the ministers are there for. Having likeminded or people with the same interests as yours (talking about classmates and department people here) you get a chance to discuss all the information you have digested, form your own opinions about them and grow your knowledge about the state of politics in the nation and around the world. On the other hand, if you had consciously chosen political science and have already been doing all the above since you could understand news, then you have probably developed a wider understanding of the ‘whats’ and ‘whys’ of the polity.

2. You learn to think critically of every issue that you come across.

One of the benefits of studying the subject is that you learn to develop a critical mindset. You do not willingly accept everything that you hear and learn to question every policy or programme put forward by an authority whether it be the college political party’s or the governments’. Repeated practice of putting up debates or counter debates in class lectures helps polish this line of thinking.

3. People assume you know the Constitution of the country like the back of your hand.

Yes, we are students of political science and no, we do not know the constitution by heart. It is not necessary that we know each and every law there is out there.  It has been in my experience that people have asked me numerous times what certain laws and rights are. Although I have been more than happy to give them a satisfactory answer (and at times blank looks) all knowledge about rights and regulations are not always on the tip of our tongue.

4. “Political Science? Oh so you are joining the civil services!”

This happens more than a lot. Maybe not just for Pol. Science students but it’s a definitely for us. Sometimes there is not even an ‘if’, just a “Have you started preparing?”. Although once in class almost everybody raised their hands when the teacher asked for civil service aspirants, it does not hold true for all. It is no secret that many of us have taken major in this subject because it was the best option for us given our percentage. Pol. Science is not just a stepping stone to conquering the UPSC exams. I have seen many students who are more interested in other activities like photography or doing social service. It is just one of the many assumptions that we have to deal with.

5. You slowly develop your own political philosophy and your set of beliefs about the world.

Reading about Marx, Kant, the works of Mill and other thinkers of the political world and their ideologies, beliefs and theories puts before us a plethora of conceptions to go through. At times we find ourselves agreeing with some and at sometimes not so much. Over time, as we articulate our thoughts and views we find them parallel to the views of some other thinker. And as such, slowly we develop our own ideologies, political or otherwise. Political Science as a subject can be really challenging and given the vast nature of the subject, sometimes it may seem like an impossible feat. Even for the subject lovers who might at times be daunted by the vastness of the course, the circling conceptions and debates which do not have definite answers. But at the end of the day, it helps us see the world in a different light and with a new found understanding which is worth it. Featured image credits: www.itimes.com Arindam Goswami [email protected]]]>

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He Would Grow Up To Be A Rapist

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The boy looked into his mother’s eyes, silently pleading. This was where he was from, but he did not want to grow up here. He did not want to fill his father’s shoes. He did not want to lead the life laid out for him. He wanted to grow up and get the world. He wanted to make his mother proud. But..

He would grow up to be a rapist.

He was born in a village, in one of the many villages of India. The name did not matter. They were all the same. The men ruled, earned the food, selected the breads and decided the layout of the plate. The women veiled their faces, cleaned the houses and laid the plates. From the very start, he was taught that he was to be the man of the house- the one in charge. He often listened to his mother, but ultimately did what his father said. He did not understand this skewed dynamic. His father came in and out at odd hours and no one seemed to raise a finger.

As he grew up, he somehow adjusted to this implied understanding of the sexes. The men decided the rules and the women played by it. When they didn’t, the men forced themselves on the women and no one batted an eye.

It never changed.

Men had an innate power, supremacy. They danced to their own tunes, listened to their own demons and satisfied their insatiable hunger.

It wasn’t his fault really. He was born in a system where men could do anything. He was born in a system where the very runners of the system discarded women as objects of chained will. If a woman does not agree, rape her and if she had any physical connections before marriage, hang her. An alleged rape was garbed as a relationship gone wrong. Hence, the woman was now trying to avenge her petty self by asking for a death sentence to a man who forced her to have sex with her. Boys will be boys, they say. Men will be men. And women? Well, they can be whomever they want to. As long as the men rule, they will end up being nothing.

And just when this asphyxiated landscape began changing colors, it was dragged right back into the abyss of depravity. The very public and downright insulting and ridiculous remarks by Abu Azmi and Mulayam Singh Yadav are testimony to the illusion that we all perceived as progress. Our society is still as dolled up with the salacious paint of inhumanity.

And so, the boy, now a man ended up in the same system. In the sad excuse for a life that he led, he raped three women, impregnated one, married another and spent the last leg of his miserable life condemning rape victims and upholding the frivolous and instinct driven nature of men. He could have been so much more. But he grew up to be a rapist.

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Lok Sabha Elections 2014: A dance of democracy, glamour and technology

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Lok Sabha Elections 2014 are here. The voting  scheduled to take place in nine phases throughout the country from April 7th,2014 to May 12th, 2014 has already started. The first phase constituting of 6 of the 543 seats being contested for, saw a voter turnout of a whooping 79.5%. The graph has of course risen and is  a healthy sign for the Mandate 2014.

A mega turn out like this could mean resentment in minds and desire for change in hearts of people. Only as the process unfolds further we shall know, whether this trend continues in the phases to come and if it leads to sustenance of current throne holders or formation of anti incumbent government. However, another aspect to attribute this turnout could be the increasing glamour quotient of election contenders  and an upsurge in technology driven promotion.

As glamour embraces politics!

Indian politics is no longer what it used to be decades ago. Nor is the image of Indian ‘neta’ same any longer. The white kurta dhoti guy with specs resting on his nose and hands resting on his round belly, wearing a Nehru jacket and a Gandhi topi atop his head ceases to exist in real and is only to be found in works of fiction.  Indian leaders today are dynamic,brand conscious,completely informed, well dressed and nowhere less as the demarcating line between politics and glamour industry is gradually disappearing.

Bollywood celebrities like Dharmendra Deol, Hema Malini and Late Sunil Dutt have been into politics for decades.  This year too,  numerous Bollywood celebrities are looking for a decent second innings in politics. Kirron Kher (BJP Chandigarh), MNS candidate Mahesh Manjrekar, Samaajwadi Party’s Kamaal Rashid Khan, BJP’s Smriti Z. Irani (from Amethi) and Paresh Rawal (from East Ahemdabad) are some of such names who’ve been a part of the glitzy industry and now wish to serve the people. In addition Congress is also fielding veteran actors such as Ravi Kishan, Aparijata Mohanty and Nagma as contenders from their party.

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Also, 2014 elections witnessed an inflow of young and fresh blood into the system with numerous ticket receivers being representatives of the youth of the nation. Gul Panag (AAP Chandigarh), Babul Supriyo( BJP West Bengal),  TMC’s actor Indraneil Sengupta,  AAP’s Jaaved Jaaferi and Rashtriya Aam Party’s Rakhi Sawant are few famous people to name. The list isn’t just limited to Bollywood  but also famous sports personalities like former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif, famous footballer Baichung Bhutia and magician P.C. Sorcar Jr. are also contesting Lok Sabha 2014 polls.

As the glamour quotient of politicians is rising,  India is eventually having leaders with better personalities and perspectives. Also, the celebrities have their own fan base, which helps them  to garner support in this new arena. The goodwill of celebrities comes handy for the party too, and as people have seen them and heard of them, the celebrities eventually have an advantage over their fellow contenders who are relatively unknown. In the elections of 2014 too, some celebrity seats like Amethi shall be interesting to keep an eye on.

In Social Media’s Ambit

The Lok Sabha Elections 2014 are the first ones to come after internet, smart phones and social networking sites like Facebook & Twitter have become household names and their updates have become the topic of dinner table discussions. No matter any other industry has or has not, but politicians have very well exhausted this unique methodology to reach out to the people at relative ease and cost efficiency. All major politicians and parties have launched their Facebook pages and Twitter handles that keep the party supporters and public updated on movements and activities of their leaders.

Arvind Kejriwal, who is being considered the pioneer of this new trend, has used it smartly enough, that within few years of its formation and function, the party tops the Twitter followers list, leaving behind the traditional twin parties – INC & BJP.

KS

 AAP tops the list in popularity ratings based on Twitter followers of the three major parties in India.         

This can be attributed to Kejriwal’s spontaneity with updates and posts, leaders’ humorous twitter conversations and patience of accepting sportingly even the negative most regards and gestures with utmost grace. He was also seen engaging in a conversation with the attacker, an auto driver Lali who allegedly slapped him in his rally. The video footage have been posted online, pictures uploaded on Facebook, indeed the best way of social media marketing.

Arvind Kejriwal tweeted a parody song made to mock his frequent staging of Dharnas, refering to it as an ‘interesting song’ on February 16th, 2014.

Numerous social media websites like Facebook & Twitter have been carrying out surveys and online opinion polls to provide insights into what voters feel.  Facebook has been showcasing leading parties and candidates status at a glance, while Twitter is running ‘#ElectionTracker2014‘. Another social media platform, Social Samosa, is carrying out another election tracking mechanism that shows politician popularity in terms of positive/negative mentions on Twitter/ Web for voters to judge

Another interesting trend observed in terms of unofficial online promotion, has been of the ‘Norinder Mudi’ memes, that combines random lines with the jingle ab ki baar, Modi sarkar. The idea has gone viral, and off late, similar memes on Arvind Kejriwal have also begun to circulate in social networking circles.

Image Courtesy: Facebook Page 'Norinder Mudi'

 

Not only has social media eased the way of reaching the masses, it has also led to some tiffs, jibes and cold wars among competitors. The recent Kirron Kher – Gul Panag face off on micro blogging website – Twitter has been an example of the same.

Thus in all, the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, have been different in all terms, from participation to promotion. The trend till date is encouraging, and it is hoped to continue, for Democracy is a religion, elections are the festivals, wherein everyone is supposed to celebrate and participate. Don’t merely exist, make your say count, make a difference, for there is ample information available,  in news dailies and on TV, on radios and with experienced people, and now even at  a distance of a few clicks.

Make an informed well thought upon call. I am a first timer like you, but trust me, that ink mark on my finger, I think it’ll all feel good. Happy Elections!

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DUB News

Here is what you should know before Delhi conducts Lok Sabha Polls on 10th April

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Every political process comes with a set of questions. On the 7th of April, the country went on for what is being labeled as the biggest general elections in Indian history. While on one hand, experienced players such as Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC) are battling at the forefront, a newly formed Aam Aadmi Party is also claiming to bring in notions of change. In the previous general elections, the total voter turn out was 57 percent and only 12 percent of the youth made it to the polling booths.

Post by DU Beat.

 

In this context, we went around the campus for MTV India’s Rock the Vote campaign to understand how much Delhi University students know about this political process everyone is talking about – the Lok Sabha elections. Before the the city goes for polling on 10th April, we felt there were few questions that should be answered, few concerns that should be resolved. In order to make sure you use your vote to the best of your ability, this post is all you need.

How many seats are there in the Lok Sabha?

The maximum strength of the Lok Sabha as envisaged by the Constitution is 552 – upto 530 members to represent the States, up to 20 members to represent the Union Territories and not more than two members of the Anglo-Indian Community to be nominated by the President, if,  in his opinion, that community is not adequately represented in the House. However, the present composition of the Lok Sabha has 545 seats, with 543 open to elections and two seats up for nominations by the President.

How many constituencies are there in Delhi?

Delhi has a total of 70 constituencies in the Vidhan Sabha and 7 constituencies in the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha elections taking place on 10th April, 2014 will witness elections taking place for the seven Lok Sabha seats in question.

Who is standing for elections in your constituency?

With NCT Delhi being divided in seven constituencies, it is important for a voter to know who is standing in their constituency before you vote. Here is a list of all the candidates standing in different constituencies. In order to know more about a candidate (including their financial assets), just click on their name.

Note: All data regarding the contesting candidates is sourced from Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR)’s portal – myneta.info.

[tabgroup][tab title=”East Delhi”]

Candidate

Party

Criminal Cases

Education

Age
Arun Thakur Samyak Parivartan Party 0 12th Pass 39
Deepak Kumar IND 0 12th Pass 31
Dr. Nabhit Kapur Naya Daur Party 0 Doctorate 26
Jagannath Tiwari IND 0 12th Pass 39
Jai Ram Lal JKNPP 0 10th Pass 79
Kumar Vivek Gautam IND 0 Graduate 32
Mahesh Giri BJP 1 10th Pass 39
Manjeet Singh IND 0 Graduate Professional 26
Manju Chhibber RPI(A) 0 Graduate 58
Mohammad Shakeel Saifi BSP 1 Literate 42
Mohammed Naeem IND 1 10th Pass 37
Mohd Naseer Peace Party 0 8th Pass 39
Mohd Shahid Siddiqui AITC 0 12th Pass 51
Ompal Singh Kalyankari Jantantrik Party 0 Graduate 44
Padam Chand IND 0 10th Pass 61
Praveen Kumar Bhartiya Jan Manch 0 8th Pass 33
Prem Singh Socialist Party (India) 0 Doctorate 57
Rajesh Ambedkar National Congress 0 Graduate 45
Rajmohan Gandhi AAP 0 Post Graduate 78
Ram Briksh Mall Hindusthan Nirman Dal 0 Post Graduate 58
Sandeep Dikshit INC 0 Post Graduate 49
Shakeel Ahmed Jai Maha Bharath Party 0 12th Pass 32
Virendra Mayer Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) 0 Graduate 60

[/tab] [tab title=”West Delhi”]

Candidate

Party

Criminal Cases

Education

Age
Babu Singh Dukhiya IND 1 Graduate 57
Charan Jeet Singh AIFB 0 Post Graduate 46
Deepak Kumar Rashtriya Janadhikar Party 0 8th Pass 30
Dinesh Kumar Akhand Bharat Samaj Party 0 10th Pass 34
Har Gobind Arora SHS 1 12th Pass 42
Istak Khan IND 0 5th Pass 38
Jarnail Singh AAP 0 Post Graduate 41
Jarnail Singh S/O Gurbax Singh IND 0 8th Pass 59
Jarnail Singh S/O Rajinder Singh IND 0 10th Pass 44
Karam Chand Lathwal Bhartiya Pragatisheel Congress 0 Post Graduate 48
Mahabal Mishra INC 1 12th Pass 59
Parvesh Sahib Singh BJP 1 Post Graduate 36
Raj Pal Singh BSP 0 Graduate 51
Rakesh Kumar Bhartiya Janta Dal (Integrated) 0 10th Pass 31
Sunil Sourabh IND 0 Post Graduate 45
Uday Kumar Singh Bahujan Mukti Party 0 12th Pass 31
Virender Mohan Vats IND 0 Graduate 56

[/tab][tab title=”Chandni Chowk”]

Candidate

Party

Criminal Cases

Education

Age
Abdul Amir Amiro IND 0 5th Pass 44
Ajay Kumar Khemka Kalyankari Jantantrik Party 0 Graduate 41
Altaf Husain Bhartiya Janta Dal (Integrated) 0 12th Pass 40
Ashutosh AAP 3 Post Graduate 48
Ashutosh Mudgil IND 0 8th Pass 38
Balram Bari IND 0 8th Pass 47
Bir Singh Soni IND 0 12th Pass 46
Dhan Raj Chauhan Naya Daur Party 0 8th Pass 53
Dildar Hussain Beg IND 0 12th Pass 44
Dr. Harsh Vardhan BJP 2 Post Graduate 59
Dr. Tarun Kumar Vishva Shakti Party 0 Graduate Professional 33
Gagan Rastogi IND 0 Graduate 30
Hariom Sharma AITC 0 10th Pass 49
Jag Mohan Singh Bakshi Atulya Bharat Party 0 12th Pass 54
Jagjeet Singh Bharatiya Gaon Taj Dal 0 10th Pass 0
Kapil Sibal INC 0 Graduate Professional 65
Md Afaq Jai Maha Bharath Party 0 5th Pass 49
Mohd Mursaleem Peace Party 0 12th Pass 39
Musarrat Jahan Rashtriya Janmorcha 0 Graduate 49
Narendra Kr Pandey BSP 0 12th Pass 48
Rashmi Kashyap Bhartiya Pragatisheel Congress 0 10th Pass 55
Sanjay Gandhi Braj Vikas Party 0 12th Pass 0
Surender Singh IND 0 Graduate 42
Tariq Mirza RPI(A) 0 8th Pass 29
Vijay Shankar Chaubey IND 0 12th Pass 42

[/tab] [tab title=”New Delhi”]

Candidate

Party

Criminal Cases

Education

Age
Ajay Makan INC 1 Post Graduate 50
Anjuman Agnihotri IND 0 12th Pass 53
Ashish Khetan AAP 0 Post Graduate 38
Biswajit Ranjit Chatterjee AITC 0 12th Pass 77
Dalchand IND 0 8th Pass 52
Devi Singh Rashtriya Jankranti Party 0 Post Graduate 33
Dheeraj Puri SHS 0 10th Pass 35
Ghanshyam Dass IND 0 10th Pass 57
Harkrishan Das Nijhawan IND 1 12th Pass 50
K P Sankaran Menon IND 0 Doctorate 68
Lakshmi Narayan Bharatiya Bahujan Party 0 8th Pass 46
Lukman Khan IND 2 5th Pass 52
Meena Singla Poorvanchal Rashtriya Congress 0 Graduate 44
Narendra Singh Rawat IND 0 12th Pass 43
Naveen Chandra Naya Daur Party 0 Graduate 40
Nikhil Sablania IND 0 Graduate Professional 34
Padmaja Kandukuri IND 0 Not Given 50
Pradeep Varma Bharat Vishal Party 0 Graduate Professional 49
Ramanuj Patel Samyak Parivartan Party 0 12th Pass 36
Ratheesh IND 0 Graduate 26
Ravi Kumar Gupta IND 0 12th Pass 66
Rubina Khan IND 0 Graduate 27
Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi BJP 0 Graduate Professional 46
Solomon George BSP 0 Post Graduate 50
Sujeet Jha Bhartiya Janta Dal (Integrated) 0 12th Pass 30
Sunita Chaudhary JKNPP 0 10th Pass 36
Swadesh Ohri Atulya Bharat Party 0 12th Pass 72
Ved Prakash IND 0 10th Pass 56
Vishal Khosla IND 0 12th Pass 51

[/tab] [tab title=”North East Delhi”]

Candidate

Party

Criminal Cases

Education

Age
A.K. Aggarwal Agar Jan Party 1 10th Pass 47
Abdul Sami Salmani BSP 0 Others 58
Ali Husan IND 0 5th Pass 40
Amit Kumar Sharma IND 0 Graduate 38
Anand Kumar AAP 0 Doctorate 64
Dan Bahadur Yadav IND 0 Graduate 50
Dharamveer Singh Rashtriya Ekta Party 1 10th Pass 50
Dinesh Pal Singh IND 0 8th Pass 35
H.K. Mahendru IND 0 8th Pass 78
Harsh Kumar IND 0 Graduate Professional 38
Jai Prakash Agarwal INC 0 Graduate 69
Manoj Tiwari BJP 0 Post Graduate 43
Mohd Arif Siddique AITC 0 Illiterate 26
Mohd Hasnan Khan JKNPP 0 5th Pass 33
Mohd. Hasnain IND 2 10th Pass 55
Mukesh Kumar Arora IND 0 Graduate 40
Narendra Sharma SUCI(C) 0 Post Graduate 68
Om Dutt Sharma SHS 2 12th Pass 49
Pradesh Kumar Ambedkar National Congress 0 Post Graduate 31
Rajan Lal Bharatiya Republican Paksha 0 Graduate Professional 36
Ramesh Singh Siral Naya Daur Party 0 8th Pass 40
Roshan Ali National Loktantrik Party 0 Not Given 56
Vinay Bharatiya Sarvodaya Kranti Party 0 12th Pass 29

[/tab] [tab title=”North West Delhi”]

Candidate

Party

Criminal Cases

Education

Age
Basant Panwar BSP 0 8th Pass 46
Bhup Singh IND 0 Graduate Professional 77
Dharamraj Bhartiya Pragatisheel Congress 0 8th Pass 40
Inder Singh Asankhya Samaj Party 0 10th Pass 51
Jodhraj Paharia IND 0 Illiterate 65
Kamini Kaur IND 0 8th Pass 49
Krishna Tirath INC 0 Graduate 58
Rajesh Kumar Rashtriya Bahujan Hitay Party 0 10th Pass 41
Rakhi Birla AAP 0 Post Graduate 27
Ram Karan Sauran IND 0 Graduate 60
Shailender Kumar IND 0 Graduate 34
Sunil Chhikara IND 3 Graduate Professional 42
Udit Raj BJP 1 Doctorate 56
Vijay Kumar RPI(A) 0 Graduate 39

[/tab] [tab title=”South Delhi”]

Candidate

Party

Criminal Cases

Education

Age
D K Chopra IND 1 Graduate 68
Devinder Kumar Sehrawat AAP 0 Post Graduate 48
Dushmanta Kumar Giri IND 1 Doctorate 54
Hafiz Mustaq Jan Samanta Party 0 Illiterate 53
Kiran Pal Singh IND 0 8th Pass 63
Mohan Kanuga JKNPP 0 Post Graduate 66
Naresh Kumar IND 0 Illiterate 50
Ombir Bharatiya Bahujan Party 0 12th Pass 51
Rakesh Kumar IND 0 10th Pass 42
Ramesh Bidhuri BJP 4 Graduate Professional 52
Ramesh Kumar INC 0 10th Pass 58
Ruby Yadav IND 0 Post Graduate 33
Sanjay Kumar Rai BSP 1 12th Pass 47
Shahid IND 0 10th Pass 38
Shri Chand Tanwar CPI 0 8th Pass 68
Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury AITC 0 Post Graduate 49
Sumant Kumar IND 1 Graduate 51
Sunil Kumar IND 0 10th Pass 38
Tej Pal Singh IND 0 10th Pass 38

[/tab][/tabgroup]

What is NOTA?

Let us assure you, this word being thrown in political debates has nothing to do with terrorism (please watch the video below to understand further).

None of the above (NOTA) is an option on the EVM for people who are not satisfied with any of the candidates running in their constituency.  You should know it is not akin to ‘Right To Reject’ where if a certain percentage of the voters choose the latter option, the elections are cancelled and all the candidates have to be changed by the parties. In India, even if a majority of the voters choose NOTA, the candidate getting the most number of votes will win the contest. (No, a hung parliament or President’s rule do not follow a scenario with majority of votes casted for NOTA)

There is something called a manifesto (and you should read it)

An election manifesto is a document released by a party or candidate with the agenda of what all would one seek to fulfill if brought to power. Irrespective of whether these promises are actually converted to actions, in order to make an informed choice, it is only sensible to go through what each party is promising. After all, you don’t want to support a party or candidate that have something against your beliefs in their agenda, right?

To make things easier, here are the links to the manifestos of the three major political parties: Indian National Congress (INC) | Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) | Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 

To see more videos of how Delhi University answered our questions visit DU Beat’s Instagram account. Share your opinions with @du_beat and @mtvindia using #RockTheVote.

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