“On 26th January 1950, we aregoing to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics, we willhave equality and in social andeconomic structure, continue todeny the principle of one manone value. How long shall wecontinue to live this life of con-tradictions? How long shall wecontinue to deny equality in oursocial and economic life? If wecontinue to deny it for long, wewill do so only by putting our political democracy in peril. Wemust remove this contradictionat the earliest possible momentelse those who suffer from inequality will blow up the struc-ture of democracy which thisConstituent Assembly has so laboriously built up.”

“I feel that the constitu-tion is workable, it is flexible andit is strong enough to hold thecountry together both in peace-time and in wartime. Indeed, if Imay say so, if things go wrongunder the new Constitution, thereason will not be that we had abad Constitution. What we willhave to say is that Man was vile.”

Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar

Indian society needs to examinewhy caste discrimination stilltakes place: Desmond Tutu

South African Nobel

Peace Prize laureate and anti-apartheid campaigner Arch-bishop Desmond Tutu told TheHindu that he had not heard ofDr. B.R. Ambedkar. He was pleas-antly surprised when informedthat Dr. Ambedkar chaired thedrafting committee of the Consti-tution of India.

Asked why African lead-ers fighting apartheid had not

paid enough attention to him un-like Mahatma Gandhi, Arch-bishop Tutu said: “We wereinvolved in our struggle againstthe racial injustices in SouthAfrica, and you were looking forallies who would be able to helpchange your own set up. So ob-viously there was need to linkup with those who had influence and power in theircountry.”

He hinted that it wouldbe natural for an alliance to de-velop between Africans whostruggled against injusticeunder apartheid regime and Dal-its who are struggling againstcaste prejudices. “More of usshould be concerned about it[caste discrimination] and per-haps be interrogating the other

part of Indian society as to whythey are allowing this to continueif it is an egalitarian society. Imean your Constitution says so.”The Archbishop stressed that Indian society should be chal-lenged about the situation of Dalits because it affects one’shumanity.

With thanks "The Hindu" Posted: www.ambedkartimes.com

November 25, 2014

Editor-in-Chief: Prem Kumar Chumber Contact: 001-916-947-8920 Fax: 916-238-1393 E-mail: chumbermedia@yahoo.com, editor@ambedkartimes.com

VOL- 12 ISSUE- 37-38 December 2, 2020 California (USA) www.ambedkartimes.com www.deshdoaba.com

Weekly

Guru Nanak and his Vision ofEgalitarian Social Order

Prem K. Chumber Editor-in-Chief:

www.ambedkartimes.com

After Tathagath LordBuddha, it was BabaGuru Nanak whoraised a thunderingvoice against the oppressive social system of caste divisions and untouch-ability. His engagingapproach and consis-tent efforts for the

establishment of egalitarian society both throughteachings and practice distinguished him from hispredecessors and contemporaries of the Prema-Bhakti path of famous North Indian BhaktiMovement (Great Revolutionary Movementstarted by Dhan Dhan Satguru Namdev Ji, Sat-guru Kabir Sahib Ji & Satguru Ravidass Ji Maharaj), which is known for its emphasis onequality of all persons irrespective of their caste,sex and creed before the almighty God. BabaNanak was for social and gender equality in boththe realms of spirituality (Parlok) and terrestrialworld (lok). He stood with the lowest of the low.He reiterated that if one was desirous of thegrace of God, he had to take care of the lowestof the low. In order to institute the principle of so-cial equality in the sharply divided Hindu castesociety, he founded the tradition of commoncommunity kitchen (langar) which needs to be fi-nanced out of the hard earned living by sharingits fruits. KiratKaro, Naam Japo, Vand Shakkowas the trilogy for the success of his social rev-olution. However, this trilogy of spiritual pathneeds to be understood in conjunction with theanother postulate of the egalitarian social struc-ture of Sikhism meticulously nurtured by GuruNanak. Sharing the fruits of one's hard earnedlabor was to be practiced across caste bound-aries of the given Hindu society based as it wason the divisive Varna order. Baba Guru Nanak ad-vocated decimation of all such oppressive castebased social boundaries. The inclusion of the Baniof different spiritual personalities cutting acrosscaste lines vindicates the egalitarian intent ofSikhism. Had Baba Nanak been alive today, hewould not have approved of the emergence ofGurdwaras on caste/community lines. Similarly,for the establishment of a true egalitarian society,Guru Nanak laid emphasis for the emancipationand empowerment of the women who were de-nied equal rights. While highlighting the variousmerits of women, Baba Nanak said why to con-demn them who give birth to princess. He trav-elled far and wide to comprehend as well asenlighten the ignorant about their duties towardsthemselves,society and spiritual world. We needto sincerely adopt his teachings in our routinedaily life and social dealings to give shape to thesociety which he envisioned and truly practicedin his earthly life time. Are we genuinely living theway he exhorted us to live? Let us do introspec-tion within ourselves on the auspicious occasionof 551st Parkash Purab of Dhan Dhan Sahib SriGuru Nanak Dev Ji and resolve to follow histeachings in word and spirit.

Read more: www.ambedkartimes.com & www.deshdoaba.com

Constitution Day Celebrations

Read more on next page

The Indian Constitution

www.deshdoaba.comwww.ambedkartimes.com 2V0l-12 Issue-37-38 December 2, 2020

Constitution Day CelebrationsConstitution Day of India is observedon November 26, the day when theconstitution of India was formally andfinally passed by the Constituent As-sembly of India on November 26,1949. PM Narendra Modi’s govern-ment officially instituted the Consti-tution Day in November, 2015 andever since it is observed throughoutIndia and beyond with all solemnityand dedication and rightly so. Gov-ernments are expected to do somemore to educate the common people

to know and respect the constitutionwith a view to strengthen the edificeof our democratic and secular setupenshrined in the constitution and fur-ther dedicate ourselves to the loftyideals of Liberty, Equality, Justice andFraternity to all the citizens of India.It is all the more important to heed tothe cautions and warnings given bythe Chief Architect of the Constitu-tion, Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkaron November 25, 1949 in his lastspeech in the Constituent Assemblybefore he moved to pass the Consti-tution not only to transform ournewly established political democracyinto social and economic democracybut also to ward off the dangers ofputting our newly attained independ-ence into peril if we did not conductourselves to ‘constitutional’ means asstipulated in the constitution. It is amatter of satisfaction that PM Naren-dra Modi, in spite of the perceivedperception being spread by some ofthe opposition parties that BJP andits mentors in the RSS intend to sub-vert and change the constitution to

promote their communal agenda, cat-egorically set at rest these rumorsmany a times and reiterated that thegovernment will do every best to ed-ucate the masses particularly theyouth to educate them on the salientfeatures of the constitution with aview to entrench and preserve thecardinal principles and values of theconstitution. Speaking on the subjecton November 26, 2020 in the Confer-ence of Presiding Officers of Legisla-tures, PM Narendra Modi gave an

analogy of KYC – Know Your Cos-tumer as KYC – Know Your Constitu-tion - to spread the much neededawareness about the Constitution ofIndia. It is time to take these thingsat their face value rather than ex-pressing apprehensions. The consti-tution of India is an important andpotent document capable of dealingwith all untoward eventualities, ifsuch a situation arises.

With background, I may re-port that I participated, as an apoliti-cal person, in a function to observeConstitution Day arranged by the SCMorcha of BJP in Jalandhar as a leadspeaker. It was a good gesture by theBJP leadership. I wish the other par-ties would have taken such decisionsas the constitution belongs to the na-tion and not to any one party or two.The Constitution Day is to underlinethe principles and values of our polityand society and it should be a matterof national interest and concern.While emphasizing the need to avoidthe “Grammar of Anarchy” as warnedby Dr. Ambedkar if we continue to

follow the “unconstitutional means”to register our demands and protests,I underlined the need to understand,implement and celebrate the consti-tution with all seriousness as Indiawas India or Bharat because of theconstitution alone. At the risk of of-fending my hosts, I decided to speakmy mind and expressed displeasureon the fact that 99% of the audience,I could guess, comprised of peoplefrom dalit communities. Why shouldit be so? Does the constitution be-

long only to dalits? There is a need tochange the mindset, if we really wantto bring about “Samrasta” in the so-ciety as propounded by RSS and itsaffiliates. Others namely; FormerChairman of the Punjab SC Commis-sion Rajesh Bagha, Former MayorSurinder Mahey, Community ActivistJiwan Singh and Convener of Jaland-har SC Morcha of BJP BhupinderKumar among others spoke at lengthabout the constitution and its ChiefArchitect Babasaheb Ambedkar. Itwas a well attended function.

In the evening, Shri GuruRavidass Educational and CharitableTrust observed the Day at Shri GuruRavidass Dham at Bootan Mandi withArdas and prayers for the welfare ofthe community. It was a matter ofgratification to note that the younggirls of the community, for the firsttime, participated and presentedthemselves in a befitting manner.Kashish read the poetic Preamble ofthe Constitution with an appreciativeflare. Kirtan Trainee Ashwina, Jyoti adistrict topper of 10th standard, a

budding Mountaineer and student ofPost Graduate student Priya Ambed-kar spoke with full confidence anddedication on the constitution andBabasaheb Ambedkar. CommunityActivist Paramjit Mahey was the leadspeaker at the occasion. As always,he spoke with conviction and in hisimpressive brief speech cautionedthat any attempt to undermine andchange the fundamentals of the con-stitution may result in bloody reactionand added that, as true followers of

Babasaheb, we should try our best todiminish such an eventuality. Poeticinterventions were provided by ac-claimed poets, Param Dass Heer andRajinder Thapar. Finance Secretary ofthe Trust and Former GM of CoalIndia Amar Nath Ram gave the voteof thanks and spoke at length aboutthe constitution. I, along with SwamiBalram Rai, was invited to the podiumto honour the poets and young girlparticipants with Saropas and copiesof the Constitution of India whichwas a pleasure. I will not concludethis piece without appreciating andcongratulating the managementheaded by Om Prakash Mahey, partic-ularly Prof. Mahesh Chander, whothoughtfully chalked out and aptlyconducted the programme, the Trustand the Dham for arranging this be-fitting event and involving the younggirls of the community. I wish themall the best for further success.

The Constitution of India willremain and prevail to make Indiastand up to meet the challenges of21st century.

www.deshdoaba.comwww.ambedkartimes.com 3V0l-12 Issue-37-38 December 2, 2020

Do not destroy the Natural Resources of Goa in the name of Economic Development On the night of 1st November, 2020,about 5000 Goans gathered near therailway crossing in the Historic villageof Chandor (which was the capital ofGoa in the Medieval Period), one kilo-meter away from the environmentallysensitive area of Mollem NationalPark and Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuaryand protested against the Govern-ment of Goa for allowing three proj-ects by playing drums and chantingslogans like ‘Save Mollem’ and ‘Goadoesn’t want Coal’. The protest wasalso supported by the Goa Congressleaders and some foreign environ-mental activists. Three sanctioned de-velopment projects in the region are– double tracking of railway line, fourlaning of 4-A National Highway and400 km transmission line.

The Union Government minis-ter Prakash Javadekarhas approved 30 devel-opment projects duringthe lockdown whichfall in environmentallysensitive areas in dif-ferent parts of thecountry. Before approv-ing these developmentprojects, as per rules,the outline of the proj-ect has to be discussedwith the environmentalcommittee of the re-spective area, afterwhich the environmen-tal impact assessmentof the area is done. Inorder to know the opin-ion about the projectfrom the people livingin the respective areawhere project has to bestarted, detailed infor-mation of the project isgiven through print and electronicmedia. The project can be startedonly if people agree to start the proj-ect after knowing the pros and consof the project, if the people have sug-gestions then the outline of the proj-ect is changed again by incorporatingthe suggestions given by the peopleand can be started thereafter. But theUnion Government Minister have notconsulted the Regional EnvironmentCommittee, neither did the govern-ment conducted an environmental im-pact assessment, nor has thegovernment sought public opinion onthe projects in defiance of the envi-ronmental regulations. The govern-ment took advantage of Covid-19lockdown and passed all the projects.These passed projects include thoseprojects which are being vehementlyopposed by the people of Goa.

Both the Central and StateGovernments are trying to convincethe people of Goa that these projectsare for the development and better-ment of the people of Goa, but if theyare for the development of the peopleand the state then why are the peo-ple of Goa opposing them. The Goaresidents say that these three proj-ects are related to the ecological sen-sitive area as well as all of theseprojects pass through NationalMollem Park and Bhagwan MahavirSactuary those have a unique status

for their rich flora and fauna biodiver-sity. Along with this the area is lo-cated in the Western Ghats which isknown for its ecological fragility. Thenatural beauty of this area is vert cap-tivating, Goa’s famous Dudhsagarand Tamdi Falls, Tamdi Temple andDevil Canyon are also in this regionand these places are good touristdestination. The region is denselyforested which contributes im-mensely to the balance of Goa’s en-vironment and groundwater level. Thethree projects will upset environmen-tal balance of the region. For theseprojects, at least 50,000 trees wouldbe cut down from the dense forests,which would drastically increase theamount of carbon dioxide levels in theatmosphere, increase the local tem-perature and have negative impact on

the ground water level of the area.The people of this region will beforced to face water scarcity like thepeople of Cotigoa area. In the Coti-gao area, it is not an uncommon sightto see women of the five villages lin-ing up in front of the governmentwater tankers for drinking water everyyear during the summer months.What is the use of developmentwhere people crave for even basicneeds like water?

The Goa residents say thatnone of these projects are for the de-velopment of Goa. All of these proj-ects are designed for the corporateworld and entrepreneurs. The mainreason for double=-tracking the rail-way line and making National High-way 4-A four lane is to supply morecoal and iron from Marma Goa port toindustries in Karnataka. So far, only12 million tonnes of coal is beingtransported annually but with thisrailway line and 4-A National High-way, the target is to increase the vol-ume to 51 million tonnes per annumby 2036.

The Central Government hadplanned to double the railway track in2016 and now taking advantage ofthe lockdown and putting pressure onthe state government, it has passedit in defiance of the environmentalregulations. Former Goa Chief Minis-ter Pratap Singh Rane has said that

Goa already has two railway lineswhich are enough to cater to theneeds of the people of Goa. It is im-portant to mention here that 400 KWtransmission line is also there to meetto the growing power demands of theindustries.

The double track railway line,the four-lane National Highway 4-Aand the transmission line will not pro-mote the economic development ofGoa, rather they would destroy andpollute the natural resources such asforest, air and water resources whilepassing through the environmentallysensitive zones. During the trans-portation of high amount of coal, thesmell and large particles of coalwould scatter in the coastal areas ofArabian Sea and on the both sides ofrailway line, scattering in the water

and air, polluting the environment, en-dangering the lives of the people, seacreatures and wildlife. With theseprojects, the dense forest of MollemNational Park and Bhagwan MahavirSanctuary will be fragmented intosmall pieces, which will destroy thehabitat of the animals and put themat greater risks as their number willstart declining at a fast rate. Humanpopulation will face dire conse-quences if they enter into the forestsas animal diseases will also startspreading among them.

All over the world Goa isknown for its natural beauty, if doubletrack railway line is constructed thatwill not only destroy the forest ofMollem Nation Park and BhagwanMahavir Sanctuary but also pollutethe beautiful beaches of Goa. The in-crease in transportation of coal willreduce the influx of tourists whichwill adversely affect the livelihood ofthe people of Goa. As a result,tourism industry will be badly af-fected by these projects which is theonly economic resource of the state.Along with the beaches, the seawater will be polluted with coal parti-cles which will cause the sea plantsto die from being unable to make theirfood due to lack of sunlight. Due toabsence of food sea creatures (fish,crabs, etc.) will either die or migrateto other places. With the scarcity of

fish or otheraquatic organ-isms, thousandsof fishermenwhose livelihooddepends on thesea will becomehelpless to meettheir basic needs.These so-calledd e v e l o p m e n tprojects will do agreat damage tothe naturalbeauty, biodiversity, and economicand social development of Goa. Thebottom line is that these projectshave no prospects for the develop-ment of Goa that is why the residentsof Goan are opposing them. Further-more, they say that they will fight up

to death to save Goa’senvironment, wildlifesanctuaries, economy,people’s employmentand health from theCentral Governmentand industrialists likeAdvani, Sterlite, Ven-danta and Jindal(whose iron and steelindustries are located inKarnataka). The Goa Government

is now supportingthese projects underthe pressure of theCentral Government, itshould have approvedonly those projectswhich are in favour ofthe state’s natural envi-ronment and economicdevelopment. It is diffi-cult to understand whythe Central Govern-

ment at the different internationalplatforms and in the Paris ClimateAgreement has promised to increaseforest cover and generate energyfrom renewable sources to reducecarbon emission, but at national levelunder the pressure of industrialists isencouraging coal-fired industries byremoving the dense forest cover en-dangering the natural environmentand livelihood of the people as well astheir health. Not only this, the CentralGovernment has brought the draft ofEnvironmental Impact Assessment,2006 during the lockdown period. Ifit is passed, then a large number ofcountry’s natural resources will alsobe sacrificed for the corporate world.

It is incumbent upon the Cen-tral Government to abandon the nar-row political interests andcorporate-friendly model for eco-nomic development of the countryand adopt a people and nature-friendly model.

If the Central Governmentdoes not change its planning strategyof the economic development, thenall people of our country will facemore natural calamities due to risingtemperature in the forthcoming daysand at the same time excessive useof renewable energy resources willalso be a disgrace to the country toemit more carbon into the atmosphere.

Dr. Gurinder KaurProfessor, Departmentof Geography, PunjabiUniversity, Patiala

www.deshdoaba.comwww.ambedkartimes.com 4V0l-12 Issue-37-38 December 2, 2020

Peasant struggle: Time for workers to wake upThe ongoing peasant struggle in 18states of the country, which startedfrom Punjab, has brought some veryimportant issues before the societyand the government. At first glance,the struggle seems to be limited tothe repeal of three newly enactedlaws on agriculture by the CentralGovernment, but in reality, it is astruggle to save the country's federalstructure. Adoption of a people-friendly and nature-friendly economicdevelopment model and a path ofstruggle instead of escapism willsolve problems and warm social relations.

Although at present around500 farmers' organizations of thecountry are supporting and contribut-ing to this struggle, it is very impor-tant to reach a consensus among the31 farmers' organizations of Punjabto resolve the issues of the farmers.This is because the left and rightwing farmers' organizations in thestate had earlier not only turned theirbacks on each other but also hurledinsults at the fleeing oppositiongroups. The struggle of these groupsis going on in a democratic andpeaceful manner and these groupsare making every effort to take theirstruggles to the 18 states of thecountry through collective decisions,to awaken the political parties of thecountry and to make their struggle apeople's struggle. Out of these 31farmers' organizations, the leadershipof only one organization has bent onsacrificing the interests of the farmersout of self-interest, but it has lostface as the members of that organi-zation have largely opposed this leadership.

There was a clear messagefrom the Central Government to setup private markets for marketing ofagricultural commodities and to abol-ish the APMC markets and to runaway from procuring at minimumsupport prices (MSPs) for agriculturalcommodities through contract farm-ing. It was soon understood that thepropaganda by the government todouble the income of the farmersthrough these laws and the wordsused in the language of these lawsare misleading. The third law on agri-culture was meant to protect the in-terests of farmers and consumers.There is no mention of how this lawwill protect the interests of the farm-ers, but as far as the Essential Com-modities Act, 1955 is amended, thelimit on storage of farm commoditiesfor companies / traders has alreadybeen abolished by it. The rise inprices of onions and potatoes hasalso begun to erode the two-timesdry bread for the average consumer.

The Agricultural Prices Com-mission was set up by the CentralGovernment in 1965. Since its incep-tion, the Commission has been mak-ing recommendations to the CentralGovernment on MSPs for certain agri-cultural commodities and the CentralGovernment has generally compliedwith those recommendations. Duringthe first five years, when the countrywas facing severe shortage of food-grains, the recommendations of the

Commission for MSP of some agricul-tural commodities were in favor of thefarmers. From 1970 onwards theserecommendations were made againstthe farmers which was opposed andcriticized by the farmers' organiza-tions and some political parties. Toavoid this opposition and criticism,the Central Government tried to givethe impression that the Commissionwas renamed as 'Commission forAgricultural Costs and Prices' on Feb-ruary 23, 1987, as if it were relyingon agricultural production costs inmaking its recommendations. It wasa completely confusing phenomenon.The Central Government currentlysets MSPs for 23 agricultural com-modities, but generally procures onlywheat and paddy from a few statesat those prices. This time the marketprices of maize and cotton are bring-ing to light the reality of the MSPfixed by the Central Government.

One of the major issues in the

farmers' struggle has been the fixingof MSPs of agricultural commoditiesand their procurement by the CentralGovernment. The Central Govern-ment, from the UPA government tothe present NDA government, hasbeen running away from fixing theMSP of agricultural commodities asrecommended by the SwaminathanCommission. Even if the Central Gov-ernment accepts the recommenda-tion of the SwaminathanCommission, which is not visible, willall the problems of the farmers besolved? The answer to this questionis no, as 68 per cent of the country'sfarmers own less than 2.5 acres and86 per cent less than 5 acres. For ex-ample, if all the farmers are given 50per cent profit on the cost of produc-tion of their commodities and the av-erage annual income of these farmerswould be Rs 1 lakh it will be less thanRs 28 per person per day. Will farmersbe able to support themselves in thisincome? Therefore, the issue is beingconsidered in the farmers' organiza-tions that the Minimum SupportPrices (MSP) should be replaced bythe Remunerative Support Prices(RSPs) of agricultural commodities,but at the same time the agriculturalpolicies of the government should befarmer-friendly. The government mustmaintain a minimum level of incomeso that farmers can meet their basicneeds of food, clothing, housing, ed-ucation, healthcare, clean environ-

ment and social security in a respect-ful manner. In order to protect the soilhealth and environment in the coun-try from degradation, the CentralGovernment has to identify the vari-ous agro-climatic zones and ensureproper cultivation in these zones andprocurement of their commodities atremunerative prices. In this regard,special care needs to be taken of thetwo rungs at the bottom of the agri-cultural economy ladder, farm labour-ers and rural artisans, as they aremore prone to wear and tear in theprocess of agricultural production andare also being kicked by the farmers.Both these sections have no meansof production other than selling theirlabour and the increasing use of ma-chinery and herbicides since theadoption of New Agricultural Technol-ogy has greatly reduced their employ-ment opportunities.

With the enactment of threelaws related to agriculture by the

Central Government, the alreadyweakened federal structure of thecountry has been severely curtailed.According to the Indian Constitution,agriculture and marketing of agricul-tural commodities falls under the ju-risdiction of the states. Whileenacting these new laws, the mainstakeholders - the state governments,farmers, farm labourers and ruralsmall artisans and other unions de-pendent on the agricultural sectorhave been completely ignored. Inview of the economic, geographical,socio-cultural, political and other dif-ferences of the country, there is anurgent need to further strengthen thefederal structure so that the statescan develop and contribute to therapid development of the country. Thecountry's farmers' organizations arealso raising their voices for strength-ening the federal structure.

The corporate economicgrowth model created by the 'neweconomic policies' adopted since1991 is creating a number of insur-mountable problems for the workingclass. Economic inequalities arewidening between the country's 1per cent ultra-rich and the remaining99 per cent, and the vast majority ofthe wealth and capital generated inthe country is being usurped by the 1per cent ultra-rich which is neither ininterest of working class people northe country. Due to declining employ-ment opportunities in the country, a

large num-ber ofyoung peo-ple areg o i n ga b r o a d ,which hasled to BrainDrain, Capi-tal Drainand loss ofD e m o -graphic Div-idend. Thep e a s a n ts t r u g g l ehas suc-ceeded inbringing to light the fact that theshare of 50 per cent of the popula-tion, who depend on agriculture fortheir livelihood, should be increasedfrom 16 per cent to at least that levelwhich would enable the farmers, farmlabourers, rural small artisans andother labourers who depend on agri-culture to meet their basic needs easily.

The peasant struggle is mov-ing towards becoming a people'sstruggle, but for its success it is nec-essary that the peasant organizationsunderstand the problems of the farmlabourers, rural artisans and otherworkers and contribute without anyslogan for their solution. The farmers’unions should facilitate the requiredincrease in wage rates for farmlabourers, rural artisans and otherlabourers as well as strictly avoidcaste discrimination. Instead of deny-ing the legal rights of the Dalits in vil-lage Panchayati lands, they shouldcome forward to make them happy.

The Governments should sin-cerely carry out land reforms in favourof the poor and underprivileged work-ers of the agricultural sector whichwill increase productivity, productionand income of the workers. The adop-tion of the 'New Agricultural Technol-ogy' in the country and the successof the 'Green Revolution' and the pro-capitalist/corporate world economicdevelopment model adopted in thecountry since 1991 have resulted inindividualism among the people be-longing to the agricultural sector. Theco-operative movement needs to beaccelerated to rectify the deteriora-tion in social relations caused by ma-terialist tendencies and to increasethe income of these sections. TheDalit working class families of Punjabthrough their struggles have taken1/3rd Panchayati land legally on con-tract and cooperative farming on ithas shown a good way to all the agri-cultural labourers by providing themwith their grains, vegetables, greenand dry fodder. Farmers with smallholdings, landless farmers, farmlabourers and rural artisans can useall their resources to make their liveshappier and more meaningful bylearning from the Jews of Israel tohelp each other and moving towardscooperative agriculture. Cooperationin meeting the machinery and finan-cial needs can yield remarkable re-sults. By adopting agro-based

(Contd. on page 6)

Dr. Gian Singhsfbkf pRoÌYsr, arQ-ivigafn ivBfg,

pMjfbI XUnIvristI, pitaflf91-99156-82196

www.deshdoaba.comwww.ambedkartimes.com 5V0l-12 Issue-37-38 December 2, 2020

County Returns to the Purple TierIn the midst of rising COVID casesstatewide, on November 13th Sacra-mento County was officially demotedto “purple tier” status, the State’smost restrictive level. These restric-tions include, among other things, theclosure of indoor operations for gyms,fitness centers, and restaurants. Thismove by the State will have a devas-tating impact on local businesses al-ready shutting down at a

heartbreaking rate. It ignores whatscience is telling us.

If something doesn’t changein the immediate future, these busi-nesses are going to be going into thewinter months being forced to onlybe open outdoors. It will be incredi-bly difficult for businesses to con-vince customers to eat dinner outsidein the cold when they could eat in-doors a few miles away in Rosevilleor El Dorado Hills.

Our public health departmentalready knows what is causing our in-crease in COVID cases: private gath-erings and outbreaks in somelong-term care facilities. It is not amajor problem at the businesses thatare being forced to close operationsand where safety measures, such associal distancing, have been success-fully implemented. Shutting themdown when they are not significantlycontributing to the problem is unnec-essarily harmful.

Our public health departmentalso already knows that well over halfof the COVID cases are coming fromthe City of Sacramento, even thoughthey represent only about one third ofthe County population. The Unincor-porated Area of the County has morepeople than the City of Sacramento,yet has less than 20% of cases.Many of these areas share muchmore in common with communitieslike Roseville or El Dorado Hills thanit does with Sacramento City. OurState policies should allow us to takethings like this into consideration. Yet,California remains ignorantly adheredto flawed policies that hurt our com-munity, even when given a clear path-way to do things more efficiently andsafely.

You may have seen it in thenews, but in early October, I signedonto a letter along with several otherlocal and State leaders, that was writ-ten to Governor Newsom and HumanServices Secretary Mark Ghaly. In

this letter, we requested that theState allow Counties like Sacramentoto reopen communities by zip codewhere COVID metrics meet theState’s requirements for progressingto the next color-coded tier. As ofwriting this article, that letter has noteven been responded to, let aloneconsidered.

A balanced zip-code approachisn’t some bogus theory that lacks ascientific basis. A zip-code based ap-proach is precisely what is being uti-lized in America’s most populous city,New York. They use a targeted ap-proach to address clusters of COVIDcases by targeting the most affectedzip-code hot spots. Doing so allowsthem to allocate important medicalresources to the targeted communi-ties that are most in need. This ap-proach also ensures that communitiesnot experiencing an increase in posi-tivity are not negatively impacted byrestrictions that are not necessary.

I am going to keep fighting toput pressure on the State to allow usto consider more sensible policies lo-cally in Sacramento County, and Iwon’t stop until this pandemic isover.

Grants for Local Non-ProfitsI am thrilled to announce that Sacra-mento County began accepting appli-cations for this year's TOT grants on

November 6th! TOT grants go to non-profit organizations that provide serv-ices/programs in Sacramento County.No less than $100,000 will go tonon-profits in District 4, so I hope youwill all help me spread the word! Thisgrant program has gone to supportsome really great organizationsthroughout the County.

If you are interested or havequestions, visit this link for more de-tails. The deadline is December 7th.

Holiday Blues, Coping During COVID-19

The holiday season is traditionally atime to share food and time with ourfriends and family. For most of us,this was unlikely to be the case thisyear. With travel restrictions and Pub-lic Health Orders in place, we willneed to adjust, but this could have amajor impact on our mental health.

The holidays are traditionallywhen everyone can take time offfrom work and connect with peoplethey care about, break their routine

and travel. With COVID-19 surgingacross much of the country, these ac-tivities aren’t safe at this time. Look-ing after our mental health in aproactive way is more important thanever as we enter the holiday season.

This year, we need to findsmall, creative ways to feel joy andcomfort and when you need it, don'tbe afraid to ask for help. For the hol-idays to maintain that vital humanconnection, that might mean havinga video chat with a loved one in anursing home, committing to callingsomeone you love every day or set-ting up a computer in the dining roomso family and friends from afar canvirtually join in the holiday meal.

According to the National Al-liance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 64percent of people with mental illnessreport holidays make their conditionsworse. In addition, many holidayevents include and even focus on al-cohol consumption, which can be aparticularly challenging time for sobri-ety for people in recovery.

In Sacramento County alone,it is estimated that nearly 300,000residents are living with a mental ill-ness, which means we all need tobring understanding and kindness toeach other and ourselves as we greetthis holiday season.Mental Health Tips during the Holi-days:1. Keep Active. Physical activity canboost your mood both in the shortand long term. Go for a 10-15 minutewalk or dance around in your kitchento increase your mood and calmness. 2. Address Loneliness. Many peoplehave been isolated in 2020, to com-bat this, make an effort to call orvideo chat someone who is importantto you. Remember to check in withothers through email, text and socialmedia. Staying occupied is also help-

ful, find a new podcast, listen tomusic, start drawing, an occupiedand engaged mind is less likely todwell on loneliness. 3. Eat and Drink Well. What we eatimpacts our mood – with this inmind, make sure to eat well leadingup and following the holidays to keepa steady mind. Also remember, thatwhile alcohol might lift your moodand reduce anxiety at the time, in thelong term alcohol increases the riskof developing mental health issuessuch as depression and anxiety.

4. Keep your expectations re-

alistic. Not everyone is on the samepage when it comes to COVID-19,some might want to have a Zoom-based meal while others want to havea small in-person meal. These differ-ences have the potential to causesdisappointment and additional stress.Have a clear and frank discussionwith family on what to expect thisyear. The best option is to celebratevirtually this year.

5. Get enough sleep. It mightbe a small thing, but getting the sleepyou need every night can keep you alittle healthier and happier. Sleep dep-rivation can heighten emotions andcause unnecessary, added stress.

It’s also important to remem-ber that for people in recovery, theholidays can be a particularly chal-lenging time for their sobriety. Youcan help those in recovery during theholiday season by demonstrating un-derstanding and support.

For those in recovery, beloware important strategies for sobrietyand enjoy holidays:

Before heading to holiday fes-tivities virtually or in person, have aplan to stay sober Choose activities and your companyto reduce triggers

Spend time with those whoare supportive and keep away fromdrama

Have a response ready forthose repeatedly offering alcohol (I’mdriving; I’m the designate driver ; or Idon’t drink alcohol)

Bring your own non-alcoholicbeverages and fun mock-tails to par-ties

Start your own traditions tocelebrate in a way that works for you

Avoid putting too much pres-sure on yourself – it’s okay to say noto invitations, and know you are enti-tled to walk away from uncomfort-able situations

Volunteer with a local charityPlan your own virtual sober

holiday event for your friends andfamily and celebrate your sobriety

Ask for help. When facedwith cravings reach out and talkabout your cravings and rememberyour motivations to stay clean andsober

Remember to take care ofyourself, and keep in mind that theholidays may be a stressful time formany of your family members andfriends too. Reach out to loved oneswho might be struggling with thepressure of the holidays, take thetime you need for yourself and enjoythis holiday season!

A Range of Behavioral Health Services Offered

Sacramento County Behavioral HealthServices strives to create an effec

(Contd. on next page)

Sue Frost

www.deshdoaba.comwww.ambedkartimes.com 6V0l-12 Issue-37-38 December 2, 2020(Continue from page 5)

tive, high-quality integrated system tomeet the needs of SacramentoCounty residents. We work togetherwith those individuals living withmental health conditions and sub-stance use/abuse to provide hope,wellness and recovery.

It’s now more important thanever to address the Behavioral Healthneeds in our communities. The stressof COVID-19 and sheltering at homehave increased anxiety and depres-sion. People are struggling with thethreat of wildfires and power outagesfor themselves, family and friends.Civil unrest and systemic racial dis-crimination add to the distress of ourculturally diverse populations.

We all need to be monitoringour own behavioral health and the be-havioral health of our friends andfamily. It’s normal to feel stressedright now. However, if you experiencebehavioral health challenges for morethan two weeks, reach out for help.If you have insurance, contact your in-surance for a referral. If you haveMedi-Cal, call the County for an as-sessment (916-875-1055). Behav-ioral Health services are essentialservices and are available by tele-phone or video telehealth.

Every year, more than 40,000people are served in the County’sMental Health and Substance UsePrevention Treatment programs andmore than 170,000 are served by theCounty’s Prevention and Early Inter-vention programs. Programs continueto deliver services during the COVIDpandemic.

An array of opportunities areavailable through our Medi-Cal pro-grams and services for children, ado-lescents, young adults, adults andolder adults of Sacramento County.These supports include assessments,case management, crisis interven-tion, medication support, peer sup-port and other rehabilitative services.

Services are provided in mul-tiple settings including residential fa-cilities, clinics, schools, hospitals,juvenile halls and camps, mentalhealth courts, board and care homes,in the field and in people’s homes.Special emphasis is placed on ad-dressing co-occurring mental healthdisorders and other health conditionssuch as substance use and addiction.There are programs for outpatienttreatment, medication-assisted treat-ment, withdrawal management(detoxification), residential treatment,perinatal services and sober living en-

vironments/recovery residences.If you or someone you know

is in need of help, below is an arrayof Medi-Cal programs and servicesavailable. Sacramento County Behav-ioral Health urges everyone to taketheir health seriously and is here toguide you through a culturally compe-tent system of care that promotes ho-listic recovery, optimum health, andresiliency. Interpreters will be pro-vided at no costto the con-sumer.Mental HealthServices ACCESS Team– 916-875-1055 or 888-881-4881: Thisreferral serviceprovides over-the-phone assessment before refer-ring patients to appropriate mentalhealth care providers. The service isavailable Monday through Friday.The Source – 916-SUPPORT (787-7678): 24-hour call/chat/text for in-dividuals up to age 25 years old.Consumer-Operated Warm Line -916-366-4668: This service is of-fered by survivors of mental illnessesand those in recovery. They sharetheir experiences and offer support tomental health patients.The Community Support Team - 916-874-6015: The Sacramento Commu-nity Support Team providesfield-based assessments and help in-dividuals navigate mental health services.Crisis Text Line - Text “Home” to741741 and trained crisis counselorswith active listening and collaborativeproblem-solving skills will help you.Mental Health Crisis Triage Services -Provides support during a crisisthrough several community-basedprograms via phone, in person, andsecured website. Interventions mayinclude: in the moment support, me-diation, follow-up support, informa-tion and referrals, and linkage tooutpatient mental health services. Mental Health Urgent Care ClinicsMental Health Urgent Care Clinic at2130 Stockton Boulevard, Building300, Sacramento, CA 95817 pro-vides services on a walk-in basis (callahead) to individuals of all ages whoare experiencing a mental healthand/or co-occurring substance abusecrisis. (916) 520-2460

Turning Point in Rio Linda is acrisis residential program, created bySacramento County to alleviate a

decade-long shortage in mentalhealth services. It offers people whoare coming down from suicide at-tempts, panic attacks and other seri-ous mental health episodes a safeplace to stay for 30 days.Mental Health Court - Aims to reducere-offense and increase the quality oflife among those diagnosed withmental illnesses and those who haveco-occurring substance abuse condi-

tions that causesignificant im-pairment. Partic-ipants musthave low-levelcrimes and notconsidered pub-lic safety risks.S a c r a m e n t oCounty MobileCrisis Support

Team – A collaboration between Be-havioral Health and Law Enforcementto respond together to emergencycalls for individuals experiencing amental health crisis.

Stop Stigma Sacramento -Learn about culturally responsivemental health and local resources;read personal stories from communitymembers living with mental illness;and, to find out how you can help re-duce stigma and discrimination inyour community and get involvedwith the project. Community specificcontent is also available in several lan-guages.

Sacramento Countywide Bul-lying Prevention Project - SupportsSacramento County districts and theirschool sites as they implement bully-ing prevention programs and strategies.

Hope Cooperative's Peer Nav-igators - Navigators transform andempower lives by supporting inde-pendence and preventing homeless-ness. This team also provides interimand permanent supportive housingand a variety of case managementprograms for people who are home-less or at risk of homelessness, manyof whom have a severe and persistentmental illness. A list of all Sacramento County Men-tal Health Plan Medi-Cal Providersand Prevention and Early Intervention& Mental Health Respite ServicesProviders is available online.

Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Services

Adult System of Care for SubstanceUse Treatment (Adults 18 years ofage and older) – 916-874-9754. Toqualify for services, adult clients must

participate in a preliminary assess-ment conducted by our Adult Systemof Care for Substance Use Treatmentstaff. Assessments are conducted ona drop-in basis.

Youth System of Care forSubstance Use Treatment (Youthunder the age of 18 years) - 916-875-0185Collaborative Courts and Programs -Also known as problem-solvingcourts, combine judicial supervisionwith rehabilitation services that arerigorously monitored and focused onrecovery to reduce recidivism and im-prove offender outcomes. Thesecourts reduce trauma on victims andprovide offenders with services, suchas alcohol and/or drug treatment,rather than jail time.Outpatient Treatment - Intake and as-sessment for a substance use disor-der, treatment planning, individualcounseling, group counseling, familytherapy, collateral services, membereducation, medication services, crisisintervention services, and dischargeplanning. Residential Treatment - A non-institu-tional, 24-hour non-medical, short-term living support and structure withavailable trained personnel who pro-vide rehabilitation services to individ-uals, with a substance use disorderdiagnosis, when determined as med-ically necessary and in accordancewith an individualized treatment plan. Withdrawal Management/ Detox - In-take and assessment, observationand monitoring to evaluate health sta-tus of individuals during the detoxifi-cation process, medication services,and discharge planning. Medication-Assisted Treatment - In-cludes the same components as Out-patient Services with the inclusion ofmedical psychotherapy. Medication-Assisted Treatment includes ordering,prescribing, administering, and moni-toring of all medications for sub-stance use disorders.

Recovery Residences/SoberLiving – Includes individual and groupcounseling; recovery monitoring/substance abuse assistance (recoverycoaching, relapse prevention, andpeer-to-peer services); and case management (linkages to educational,vocational, family supports, commu-nity-based supports, housing, trans-portation, and other services basedon need).

******

Peasant struggle: Time for workers to wake up(Continue from page 4)

industrial units in the cooperative sec-tor ownership structure, employmentopportunities can be increased aswell as the benefit of value-additioncan be reaped.

Consumers' rights can be pro-tected while increasing their incomeby selling vegetables, milk and milkproducts and other agricultural com-modities at special locations in citiesby setting up cooperatives. This willeasily dispel the misconceptions cre-ated about agricultural dependentworkers.

For the peasant struggle to

succeed in the long run, the peasantorganizations must also overcome po-litical and intellectual pollution. Since1947, various political parties havebeen making "promises" and newpromises to win elections and estab-lish their own government. Apartfrom political parties, groups of farm-ers, farm labourers and rural artisanshave been suffering under the guiseof one man.

To avoid such political con-tamination, it is very important toread, write, think together, take yourproblems to the society and the gov-ernment through the media. In addi-

tion to political pollution, there is anurgent need to avoid intellectual pol-lution that eats away at those whocome in contact with it like an amber-gris vine.

These so-called eight-stripedintellectuals come to the forefront ofthe struggle, get information fromthem about their struggle, give adviceon how to turn the struggle upsidedown and put their full emphasis onsuggesting to the rulers the methodsof crushing the struggle.

Therefore, in order to carryout the struggle in a democratic andpeaceful manner, there is an urgent

need to beware of the immortal vineof political and intellectual pollution.In this regard, workers in agricultureand other sectors should move awayfrom the politics of religions, castes,tribes, families, territories, etc. andalso focus on political initiatives withcollective leadership.

The peasant struggle will bea people's struggle in the true senseonly if all the working classes cometogether and fight for a long time in ademocratic and peaceful manner.Gram Sabhas, Mohalla Sabhas incities and pro-people caravans cancontribute a lot in this regard.

www.deshdoaba.comwww.ambedkartimes.com 7V0l-12 Issue-37-38 December 2, 2020

New appointments by elect President Joe Biden his Cabinet and White House staffThe announcements come as Bidencontinues to build his Cabinet andWhite House staff, led by Chief ofStaff Ron Klain while President Don-ald Trump refuses to concede theelection that Biden won.

"Communicating directly andtruthfully to the American people isone of the most important duties of aPresident, and this team will be en-trusted with the tremendous respon-sibility of connecting the Americanpeople to the White House," Bidensaid in a statement. "I am proud toannounce today the first senior WhiteHouse communications team com-prised entirely of women. These qual-ified, experienced communicatorsbring diverse perspectives to theirwork and a shared commitment tobuilding this country back better."

More:Ron Klain namedBiden's chief of staff, first WhiteHouse official picked for administra-tion As press secretary, Psaki will be-come the public face of the Bidenadministration, a role that KayleighMcEnany holds in Trump's administra-tion. "I grew up through the hard

fought battles of winning back theHouse, winning presidential cam-paigns and fighting for the Obama-Biden agenda with @KBeds andlooking forward to the journeyahead," Psaki said Sunday in a tweet.

Psaki served as communica-tions director for Obama during hisfinal two years in office. She was ear-lier a spokeswoman for the State De-partment, handling daily briefingswith the international press.

More:President-elect Bidenseeks a diverse Cabinet. Here's whowill join his administration and whomight be top contenders. As commu-nications director from 2015 to 2017,Psaki reorganized the White Houseapproach to media with more atten-tion for non-traditional and online out-lets. She previously had served assenior communications adviser andtraveling press secretary for Obamaduring his reelection campaign.

From 2013 to 2015, Psakiserved as the primary spokeswomanfor the State Department, traveling600,000 miles to more than 50 coun-tries with Secretary John Kerry.

She earlier served as deputyWhite House communications direc-tor during Obama’s first term, coordi-nating and implementing the publicresponse of the government to the fi-nancial crisis. She worked with LarrySummers, director of the NationalEconomic Council, Treasury SecretaryTim Geithner and key senior cabinetofficials throughout the administra-tion.

She has also worked on manynational and state political cam-paigns. She was traveling press sec-

retary for Obama’sfirst campaign, com-munications directorfor former Rep.Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., and Midwestand Northwest re-gional press secretaryfor the DemocraticCongressional Cam-paign Committee.

Bedingf ie ld,the new White Housecommunications di-rector, said she is "un-speakably proud tohave the opportunityto serve as WhiteHouse communications di-rector."

"Working forhim as VP and on thiscampaign gave me in-sight into what kind ofcapable, compassionate, clear-eyedpresident he will be," she said intweet. Sanders, who will serve as thechief spokesperson for Harris, said

she is "ready to serve.""Also AN ALL LADY

SQUAD?!" Sanders said in a tweet,singling out her colleagues. "We eachtake our service seriously and areelated to get to work for the peopleand build back better! Lets go ladies!"

Etienne, the new communica-tions director for the vice president,previously served as House SpeakerNancy Pelosi's communications direc-tor. Pelosi said Harris has "chosen aseasoned communicator" in a state-ment.

"Her experience working onboth sides of Pennsylvania Avenueand the immense respect she com-mands among both members andstaff will make her a powerful forcein the Biden-Harris Administration,Pelosi said.

Elizabeth AlexanderCommunications director for the firstladyAlexander served as a senior adviseron the Biden-Harris Campaign. Shespent the first years of the Obama-Biden administration as the PressSecretary to Vice President Bidenafter serving as  then-Sen. Biden’sCommunications Director on CapitolHill. 

Kate BedingfieldWhite House communications

director Bedingfield served as deputycampaign manager and communica-tions director for the Biden-HarrisCampaign. She served as communi-cations director for Biden when hewas vice president and as associatecommunications director, deputy di-rector of media affairs, and the direc-

tor of response in the Obama-BidenWhite House. Before joining the BidenWhite House, Bedingfield served ascommunications director to

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., on hersuccessful 2008 Senate campaignalong with other roles on Democraticcampaigns. 

Ashley Etienne Communications director for

the vice president Etienne served asa senior adviser on the Biden-Harriscampaign. Previously, Etienne servedas communications director and sen-ior adviser to House Speaker NancyPelosi. She was the first woman andperson of color to hold the position.Etienne was special assistant to thepresident and director of communica-tions for the Cabinet in the Obama-Biden administration and also ledcommunications on PresidentObama’s My Brother’s Keeper initia-tive. 

Karine Jean-PierrePrincipal deputy press secre-

tary Jean-Pierre served as a senioradviser to Biden and chief of staff toHarris on the Biden-Harris Campaign.She previously served as a chief pub-lic affairs officer for MoveOn.org andwas a political analyst for NBC andMSNBC Political Analyst. Jean- Pierreserved as regional political director forthe White House Office of PoliticalAffairs during the Obama-Biden ad-ministration and as deputy battle-ground states director forObama#39;s 2012 reelection cam-paign.

Jen PsakiWhite House press secretary

Psaki is overseeing confrimation forthe Biden-Harris transition team. Dur-ing the Obama-Biden administra-tion, Psaki held several senior roles,including White House communica-

tions director, State Departmentspokesperson under then-Secretaryof State John Kerry, Deputy WhiteHouse communications director and

deputy White House Press Secretaryduring the financial crisis.

Symone SandersSenior adviser and chief

spokesperson for the vice presidentSanders served as a senior adviser onthe Biden-Harris Campaign. Fouryears ago, she worked for Sen. BernieSanders' presidential campaignas press secretary, the youngest per-son ever in that role for a presidentialcampaign. Before joining the Biden-Harris Campaign, Sanders was a CNNpolitical commentator and served asprincipal of the 360 Group LLC,where she provided strategic commu-nications guidance. Sanders is theformer chair of the Coalition of Juve-nile Justice Emerging Leaders Com-mittee and former member of theFederal Advisory Committee on Juve-nile Justice.

Pili TobarDeputy White House commu-

nications director Tobar served ascommunications director for coali-tions on the Biden-Harris Campaign.Previously, she served as the deputydirector for America’s Voice, whereshe advocated on behalf of immi-grants. She has also served as theHispanic media director forSenate  Minority Leader CharlesSchumer, national director of His-panic Media and Western RegionalPress Secretary for the DemocraticNational Committee, communicationsdirector for U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego,and communications director for theLatino Victory Project. Reach JoeyGarrison on Twitter @Joeygarrison.

Hussan Laroya Banga

www.deshdoaba.comwww.ambedkartimes.com 8V0l-12 Issue-37-38 December 2, 2020

“NANAK NAM CHARDI KALA TERE BHANE SARBAT DA BHALA”

Nishan Sahib Hoisting Ceremony will be held on December 5, 2020 (Saturday) at 11:00 AM

For peace and harmony in the world today, we really need to adopt His teachings of Universal brotherhood,Equality and Love of Mankind. Vainder Sudhir and his family will be hosting this Sewa.

Entire Sangat is requested to participate in this “Gurupurb” .

Sangat De SewadarChairman

Jagtar BhatiaPresident

Shinder Paul NarabutGeneral Secretary

Dharam Pal ChonkriaTreasurer

Vinod Kumar

Guru- Piari Sadh Sangat Ji,

December 6, 2020

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 551st Parkash Utsav Celebrations

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 551st Parkash Utsav will be celebrated on Sunday, December 6, 2020. Akhand Path will start on Fri-

day, December 4, 2020, at 10:00 AM and will conclude with Bhog ceremony at 1:00 PM on Sunday, December 6, 2020.

Giani Ompal Singh and Giani Gurnam Singh Ji will adorn the occasion with Shabad Kirtan along with other Kirtankars. Guru

Nanak Dev Ji is the first Sikh Guru and the founder of Sikhism. He was born in 1469 at Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in, now known

as Nankana Sahib. His spiritual teachings are enshrined in the holy pages of SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB*