Reports: Prosperous India- Prosperous SAARC
Hindusthan Samachar Mahara-shtra and Goa Bureau have published a special issue titled Prosperous India-Prosperous SAARC on the background of SAARC Summit in Nepal. The issue was released by Shri Arun Kumar, Sahsampark Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) on the occasion of 1st Late Shrikantji Joshi Memorial Lecture held in Mumbai's Indian Merchants Chambers Hall on November 24. Shri Ramprakash Podar, an industrialist and chief trustee of the Podar Trust was the Chief Guest. Many writers have supported the idea of Myanmar's inclusion in to the SAARC fold through their articles in the issue. Also the idea of SAARC Bank has been discussed in an article by economist Dr VM Govilkar. Idea of SAARC defence treaty and strategic backgrounds have been discussed by defence experts like former NSC Deputy Chairman Dr Bibhu Prasad Routray, Lt Gen Ashok Joshi and Col Jaibans Singh.
The issue which has been edited by Organiser correspondent Rajesh Prabhu Salgaonkar, is a versatile document which contains articles on various issues within SAARC region and has been authoured by the experts from the relevant fields. The issue also informs about the life of late Shrikantji Joshi, mentor of Hindusthan Sama-char and former Prachar Pramukh of RSS through an appendix. Dr Ravindra Sanghvi, Director of Hindusthan Samachar, Shri Paresh-kant Manglik Chairman of the Manag-ing Committee of the HS Maharashtra & Goa Bureau and Bureau Chief Shri Kishore Apte were also present on the dais. —Bureau Report
Gandhi Peace Foundation & Centre for Himalayan Asia Studies and Engagement (CHASE) jointly organised a seminar titled “Challenges before Democracy Movement in China” at Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi on
November 22.
A panel discussion was held on the occasion in which eminent personalities such as, Maysing Yang, Vice President, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy; Chin Jin, Secretary, Joint Working Committee for the Chinese Democratic Movement; Radha Bhatt, Chairperson Gandhi Peace Foundation; Vijay Kranti, Chairman CHASE and Surendra Kumar, General Secretary Gandhi Peace Foundation actively participated.
“China is responsible for the violence in Tibet. So the problem is not Tibet, its China,” said Maysing Yang. She said Taiwan and Hong Kong are facing worst period because of China. It is believed by the leaders of democratic movement that India is the biggest democratic country in the world; it will surely understand our problem of demanding democracy, she emphasised.
“Democracy is required for the progress of world,” said Chin Jin. He added, Chinese government is so strong that every protest is crushed but we have to regain as Opposition and also look for political space in favour of democracy.
Protestors in Taiwan staged protests for more than a month this year with play cards having slogan “Defend democracy, withdraw the trade deal”. The protesters fear that Taiwan is becoming too economically dependent on China, which regards the island as a breakaway province and is pledged to eventual reunification.
A massive students’ rally took place at the Chinese University of Hong Kong demanding that the chief executive of Hong Kong should be elected by voting, which Beijing has refused.
It is simply to put pressure on Beijing to fulfill the promise it made after the British handed over sovereignty to the Chinese in 1997—to allow true democracy in Hong Kong.
—Monica Sangwan
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