India's multiple freedom struggles

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INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS AND THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, 1885-1947 Amales Tripathi (Translated by Amitava Tripathi) Oxford University Press; 621 pages; Rs 1,495

The English translation of Amales Tripathi's monumental work in Bengali on the Indian National Congress deserves special attention for several reasons. It is not just one more book on the well-documented theme of India's struggles for freedom between 1885 and 1947; it is also a study that deepens the levels of understanding of one of the most powerful anti-imperialist struggles in the history of colonial societies in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Harvard University professor Rupert Emerson concluded in the last chapter of his seminal work, From Empire to Nation: The Rise to Self-Assertion of Asian and African Peoples, that there were only two models of anti-colonial struggles that deserve to be noticed across the continents: those of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi of India and Mao Zedong of China. Only these two acted as real role models for freedom fighters and, in his historical judgement, Emerson asserted that Gandhi's path of struggle for freedom was much more successful than Mao's, which is why the former was immortalised by Nelson Mandela.

So it is fitting that Tripathi says "Gandhi is the nucleus of this study". India witnessed many struggles, which were led by many important leaders who were guided by different ideologies with the common goal of freedom for India from the British. However, only Gandhi and his ideology succeeded in providing Indians with a real road map for attaining independence.

The author analyses with surgical precision the works of historians from the Cambridge School of historiography, the subalternists led by Ranajit Guha, the communists (M N Roy), the moderates such as Dadabhai Naoroji and Mahadev Govind Ranade, the challengers to Gandhi within the Congress, and Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Then he concludes, "within this plethora of conflicting circumstances, the Congress functioned as a 'truly unifying force' since its main agenda of freedom from British imperialist domination and colonial exploitation transcended all the animosities between individuals, between class and caste." Therefore, it is Gandhian ideology and leadership that triumphed over every challenger and critic from 1885 to 1947.

This study consists of four sections: "The First Phase (1885-1907): From the Founding of the Congress to the Extremist-Moderate Split"; "The Second Phase (1907-1930): From the Morley-Minto Reforms to the Salt March"; "The Third Phase (1930-1943): From the Round Table Conferences to the Quit India Movement"; and "The Fourth Phase (1943-1947): From Wavell to Mountbatten - The Road to Independence and Partition". The narrative is all-inclusive because every competing and conflicting tendency or movement - big or small, sectional or class-oriented - has been properly analysed in the larger historical context of continuity and change.

The British rulers played every trick of the trade to divide and rule over their precious colonial possession. So the nationalists had to handle the "Harijan question" and the "Muslim question" to keep the anti-colonial struggle united. The British were equally determined to weaken this united struggle by making sectarian caste and communal issues intractable. The author has successfully substantiated his claim that Gandhi delegitimised the Hindu caste system by evolving social and ideological approaches to create a solid base for dignity and self-respect for the Dalits. Gandhi countered the colonial rulers' every divisive effort, such as the Communal Award, which was announced by Ramsay MacDonald for separate electorates for the scheduled caste, and the Gandhi-Irwin pact. Gandhi even launched a constructive programme by showing through his own life the untenable nature of "untouchability".

If Indians succeeded in countering British policies on caste, the British, in full collaboration with the Muslim separatist and sectarian leadership led by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, foiled every effort by the nationalists to keep India united. The author critically examines events from 1945 to 1947, when the ugliest form of communalism and the great radicalisation of sections of society were at work so that negotiations for the transfer of power were conducted in an antagonistic atmosphere. Abnormal times and circumstances lead to unexpected and unintended results, and this explains Partition.

An effort has been made to minimise, even ridicule, the anti-imperialist character of Indian nationalism. The author uses just one compelling piece of evidence to expose authors who have written reams demonstrating that the Indian leadership was always inclined to compromise with the British. On whether India should have supported the British in war against Japan, the author quotes Gandhi: "the presence of the British in India is an invitation to Japan." Gandhi added that even though "Japan is too much of an aggressor for me", it is not the kind of "calculating imperialist than British have shown itself to be". Hence, "the British must promise to free India" and, as a condition, India will join the war.

Surprisingly, Tripathi's otherwise meticulously researched study does not contain a single sentence about the presence or involvement of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its powerful anti-imperialist struggles. This omission is significant in the context of present-day India.

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India's multiple freedom struggles

Hundreds file claims for eugenics compensation

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By Matthew Burns

Raleigh, N.C. With seven weeks left for victims of North Carolina's erstwhile forced sterilization program to apply for compensation, 442 claims have already been submitted to the state Office of Justice for Sterilization Victims.

The office has forwarded 281 of those claims to the North Carolina Industrial Commission, whichhandles all tort claims against the state and will be responsible for determining whether a claimant is eligible for compensation. The remaining 161 are lacking some necessary information before they can be considered, said Chris Mears, spokesman for the state Department of Administration.

Lawmakers last year set aside $10 million in the state budget to provide compensation to victims of the eugenics program, which ran between 1929 and 1974. The exact payment per victim will depend on how many apply.

As many as 1,800 victims may still be alive, but as of last year, the state's efforts to find them had yielded only 176 people. Families of victims who have already died aren't eligible for compensation.

The Office of Justice for Sterilization Victims is trying to notify as many victims of the sterilization program as possible about the June 30 deadline to apply for compensation. The state sent about 1,000 direct-mail pieces to identified victims, made hundreds of telephone calls and partnered with other state agencies on outreach efforts.

For more information, including claim forms, people can check the Office of Justice for Sterilization Victims website or call 919-807-4270.

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Hundreds file claims for eugenics compensation

HiPos look for a different treatment: Tata Motors – Vikram Bector – Video

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HiPos look for a different treatment: Tata Motors - Vikram Bector
HiPos stand out in three things. The first is managing results, which is really about execution and managing the current eco-system. You can #39;t have a great strategic leader who can #39;t manage...

By: PeopleMattersOnline

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HiPos look for a different treatment: Tata Motors - Vikram Bector - Video

Driving on beaches 'dangerous and irresponsible'

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Police and the Kapiti Coast District Council are concerned people driving on the beach irresponsibly are putting the safety of other beach users at risk.

Driving is prohibited on beaches near residential areas, with an exception only for vehicles launching or retrieving a boat from the water at designated places.

However, there have been ongoing comments from the community that cars, motorbikes, quad bikes and scooters continue to be driven recklessly on beaches where vehicles are not allowed.

"Its not acceptable that people drive at speed down beaches endangering others," says Kapiti Police Sergeant Jacquie Muir.

"If people see vehicles being driven on the beach in an irresponsible way and have a cell phone we suggest they take a photo of the vehicles licence plate and if possible the driver - as long as doing this does not put them at risk. People could also take note of licence plates and the time and date of the incident then report to matter to Police. Police and Council will work together to prosecute these offenders."

Councils Environmental Standards Manager Nick Fowler says despite signage being put up to stop vehicles driving irresponsibly on beaches, the behaviour is continuing.

"There a few people larking around in cars on the beach at the expense of other beach users," he says.

"They need to stop and think about what theyre doing and how their reckless behaviour could harm someone. This sort of behaviour can also damage dunes which protect houses on the beachfront from coastal erosion. A lot of effort is put into retaining dunes and the plantings on them, so its appalling to see this work being jeopardised by a few thoughtless hoons."

Rules for driving vehicles on beaches

Two wheeled road or off-road motorbikes are not permitted to drive on any part of the beach.

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Driving on beaches 'dangerous and irresponsible'

Homes sewage blamed for our filthy Southend beaches

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Homes sewage blamed for our filthy Southend beaches

7:00am Tuesday 13th May 2014 in News Exclusive By Jon Austin

SOUTHENDS beaches were left contaminated with raw sewage because pipes from homes and businesses were not connected properly, the Echo can reveal.

Tens of thousands of litres of raw sewage seeped into the sea from dodgy plumbing pipes at string of properties including a plush penthouse block, two churches and a yacht club.

Several properties with misconnected or broken drains were uncovered during a ten-month probe into the source of increased pollution levels at Southends beaches, which may have been the main factor in the town losing Blue Flag status for all its beaches over 2012 and 2013.

In all 133 misconnections were found by Anglian Water, who spent 200,000 on the Southend Water Quality and Improvement Project.

A report about the project said: More than 100 properties were identified as misconnected. Most notably in High Street, Southend. A block of 64 flats which had at least half of the foul waste entering into the surface water sewer and a yacht club which had been connected incorrectly were among key finds.

Audley Court, a development of flats built ten years ago, was identified as having toilets, sinks and washing machines wrongly connected in around 40 of its flats, which meant contaminated water flushed untreated into the sea at Jubilee beach.

Six toilets at Crowstone Christian Centre in Crowstone Road, Westcliff, were discharging onto Chalkwell Beach, while collapsed pipes near St Peters Church in Hinguar Street, Shoebury, meant it inadvertently polluted East Beach.

Problems with misconnections were also found near Thames Estuary Yacht Club in The Leas, Westcliff, which affected Westcliff Bay, and the Ship Pub in New Road, Leigh, affecting Bell Wharf.

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The Physics of Ocean Undertow

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Newswise WASHINGTON D.C. May 13, 2014 -- People standing on a beach often feel the water tugging the sand away from under their feet. This is the undertow, the current that pulls water back into the ocean after a wave breaks on the beach.

Large storms produce strong undertows that can strip beaches of sand. By predicting how undertows interact with shorelines, researchers can build sand dunes and engineer other soft solutions to create more robust and sustainable beaches.

"Formulation of the Undertow Using Linear Wave Theory," a new paper in the journal Physics of Fluids, clears up some of the controversy in undertow modeling, so planners can assess erosion threats faster and more accurately.

The paper's authors are coastal engineer Greg Guannel of the Natural Capital Project, which seeks smarter ways to integrate natural resources into development, and Tuba Ozkan-Haller, an associate professor of coastal engineering at Oregon State University.

Researchers have studied undertow for more than 40 years, and have developed very accurate models of its behavior. The most sophisticated ones are based on Navier-Stokes equations, which describe fluid flow in exquisite detail.

Unfortunately, such precision comes at a price. The mathematics are complex and it takes powerful supercomputers to run them quickly.

"You can't use them to solve day-to-day erosion problems," Guannel said.

For real-world use, researchers need mathematical shortcuts, the engineering equivalent of rounding numbers so they are easier to work with. Researchers turn to linear wave theory, which simplifies things by using idealized forms. Beaches, for example, are wall. Waves are given perfect "S" shapes based on average properties. Instead of modeling everything, researchers make assumptions about some of the weaker forces acting on waves.

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The Physics of Ocean Undertow

Toronto Beaches drop home opener against last seasons regular season champs

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Photo/TOM HICKEN

Six Nations' Quinn Powless puts the ball past Toronto Beaches' goalie Rance Vigneux during Jr. 'A' Lacrosse action at Ted Reeve Arena on Friday. Six Nations went on to win the game 15-4.

The Toronto Beaches Junior A lacrosse team opened their season with a 15-4 home loss to the Six Nations Arrows at Ted Reeve Arena.

And the going could get tougher for their road opener Tuesday, May 20 at 8 p.m. against the host Whitby Warriors.

Last season, those two teams finished one-two atop the Jr. A league standings, Six Nations at 17-3, Whitby at 15-5 (while Toronto Beaches finished just out of the playoffs at 6-14). The two also met up in the thrilling best-of-seven championship playoff series that Whitby won 4-3.

After tackling last seasons top two teams, Toronto Beaches will at least get to enjoy a three game homestand at Ted Reeve Arena: Friday, May 23 at 8 p.m. against the Peterborough Lakers; Sunday, May 25 at 5 p.m. against the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves; and Wednesday, May 28 at 8 p.m. against the Brampton Excelsiors. Toronto Beaches home opener took place Friday, May 9.

Complete league standings and stats at http://www.ontariolacrosse.com/

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Toronto Beaches drop home opener against last seasons regular season champs

Italy boasts 269 Blue Flag beaches in 2014

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Beaches in 140 municipalities receive top cleanliness award

(ANSA) - Rome, May 13 - The number of Italian beaches to be given the prestigious Blue Flag award for clean water and pristine sands has increased again this year, the international Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) said on Tuesday. In 2014, Italy can boast some 269 Blue Flag beaches in a total of 140 municipalities nationwide, compared to the 248 beaches in 135 municipalities recorded last year. Liguria in northwest Italy retained its title as the region with the cleanest beaches (20, the same as last year), followed by Tuscany with 18 (one more than in 2013) and the central Marche region with 17 (one less than in 2013). Among Italian islands, Sardinia, known worldwide for its crystalline waters and luxury Emerald Coast resorts, lost a Blue Flag while Sicily gained two, for a total of six Blue Flag beaches each. Blue Flag looks at sustainable development employing strict criteria on water quality, environmental education and management, safety and services. Blue Flag has worked with the United Nations' Environment Programme and analysed beaches and marinas worldwide since 1987 to monitor quality and cleanliness.

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Normandy, D-Day beaches and beyond

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Honfleur: "as cute as kittens in a basket"

Id start by stopping in Le Havre because (a) thats where the Portsmouth ferry arrives and (b) no-one else does. They all blast straight through. They think of Le Havre as Stalingrad and, at first sight, theyre right. Flattened during the war, the great port town was put back together by Auguste Perret, the poet of reinforced concrete. He favoured straight lines, blocks and a very great deal of concrete. The town hall would have suited Ceaucescu. But take a little time and the overall effect becomes mesmerising. The town is bathed in light and space - as are the apartments, where Perrets plans re-housed 80,000 homeless in tune with humane times.

Over the soaraway Pont de Normandie, Honfleur is, by contrast, as cute as kittens in a basket, all rickety streets, half-timbering and a storybook port with a corsair past. The Impressionists - Monet, Bazille, Boudin - were all here at one time or another, partly because Boudin lived here, partly for the light and partly because this was the start of a newly-fashionable coast. Thus they had a subject and, with all those rich Parisians toting parasols, also a market.

They met up in Deauville, purpose-built as a nobs holiday resort 150 years ago. It remains a protectorate of palace hotels, broad avenues and imprints of stars, a spot where youre never far from a Gucci outlet or a galloping horse. Spielberg, Clooney and Kidman have all been at the Normandie Barrire hotel during the towns US Film Festival (this year, Sept 5-14), which may explain the prices.

At hand-shaking distance across the Touques estuary, Trouville is much older and fishier. It has a grand beach and many fantasy villas - the beau monde came here before Deauville was built, enticed by a cracking ad campaign: For the slightest dizzy spell, doctors recommend a break in Trouville. But it also has roots, a fish market and restaurants along the estuary, and rubbish collection by horse and cart.

For the slightest dizzy spell, doctors recommend a break in Trouville

Now inland to the Pays-dAuge, along lanes as enticing as a dairymaids smile. They weave between high hedges, cider-apple orchards and pastures plump with cows and horses. Theres cider if you need it (you dont: its a kids drink in adult clothes) and, more to the point, calvados. The apple brandy has moved on a bit since, as a veteran friend of mine told me, invading squaddies used it in their stoves. To see how far, call in on Christian Drouhin at Coudray-Rabut, near Pont-lEvque, or Pierre Huet at Cambremer, by Lisieux. A single glass, incidentally, contains seven apples, so regular drinking keeps the doctor away indefinitely. You might also bob into Lisieux itself. I can never decide whether the gigantic basilica, celebrating Ste Thrse of that parish, is a Byzantine monster or massively uplifting. Perhaps youd let me know.

Most certainly, villages like Beuvron-en-Auge and Crvecoeur-en-Auge are as comely as anything in the Cotswolds, consisting mainly of flowers, timber-framed homes and restaurants which raise your cholesterol level even as you pass by. If a dish isnt covered in butter, cream, cheese and alcohol, then the proper Norman isnt eating.

The incurably active may assuage their guilt in Suisse Normande (Norman Switzerland), just to the south-east. The little region is no more like Switzerland than the Dales are like Bhutan but, around Clcy and Thury-Harcourt, it does rise to crags, rocky hills and the Orne gorges. There is a suitable amount of climbing, canoeing, hiking, riding and other ways of knocking oneself out in stirring surroundings (details: clecy.fr or otsuissenormande.e-monsite.com).

And so, via the Mmorial de Caen on the outskirts of Caen - by some way, the Frances finest World War II museum - to Bayeux, by some way the best base for a break embracing war and peace. The first town to be freed after the landings, it was captured largely intact: the German garrison hoofed it as the Allies approached. So the 11th-century cathedral still lords it over tight streets and half-timbered commerce. The wandering is lovely.

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Normandy, D-Day beaches and beyond