Sunday 21 May 2017

Toxic Links behind the attack on Art of Living?

A deep dive into the forces arrayed against AoL in the NGT points to Toxics Link as a possible entity

May 18, 2017

Since March 2016 I have read with interest numerous media stories about the possibility that The Art of Living’s (AoL) World Cultural Festival (WCF) caused harm to the Yamuna. Given conflicting stories from both sides, I wondered about the truth and was waiting to see what the outcome of the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) hearings would be. However, a recent tweet from Subramanian Swamy, caught me by surprise:
Swamy's tweet about Sri Sri

I was intrigued. Why would Swamy allege that the complaint against Art of Living’s WCF was an organized attack on its founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a Hindu Guru? I decided to do my own fact finding.

My research into publicly available information on the petition against AoL began with reading the numerous articles and videos on the controversy. My intention was to find answers to the following questions:

Who are the people who form the consortium of petitioners and what are their backgrounds and links?
Who is providing funding support for the petition which has involved significant legal expenses which started in December 2015?
Is the NGT appointed “Expert committee” biased in any way or are its members truly independent of influence from the petitioners or other special interests?

Here are my findings based on information publicly available on the internet. I will let you draw your own conclusions.

The People Involved, Their Backgrounds and links

The Funding Sources

Some notorious foreign funding agencies backing the petitioners against Art of Living that caught my attention are highlighted in the table below:

Toxic Links

Ford Foundation: considered a funding arm of the CIA for influencing policies and governments of foreign countries. PM Modi has taken legal action against it in the past for political interference through its funding of NGOs in India.
SIDA: considered a Trojan horse of the west for engineering regime changes.
Swedish Society for Nature Conservation: known for interfering in environmental issues the developing world through engineered public protests
Oxfam: known for supporting Evangelical activities in India and other countries.

Links between Petitioners and NGT Expert Committee

The facts and the links that I have unearthed in my research have raised the questions about the neutrality of the NGT Expert Committee. It is possible that there is collusion against AoL and a bias in favor of the petitioners’ nexus.

The NGT had claimed to have appointed a seven-member “independent” Expert Committee” to assess the alleged damage to Yamuna flood plains due to World Culture Festival Event. However, the public needs to know if this expert committee is truly “independent”.

My research revealed the existence of many relationships between the consortium of petitioners, their lawyer and some of the Expert Committee members. Ravi Agarwal, is Founding Director of Toxics Link, along with Sanjay Parikh, legal representative for the petitioners, is a Board member. Toxics Links appears to be an influential NGO that has close links with the petitioners and the NGT Expert Committee members. So far, I have identified the following links which leads me to question their ability to be neutral.

Toxic Tree

CONCLUSION

Based on the research presented above, I find Toxics Link, a foreign funded NGO, to have significant links to the petitioner against Art of Living and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. I ask the readers to also consider the following facts about Toxics Link (TL):

TL Board members have targeted Modi since 2002
TL Board members have supported Naxalites
TL Board members have supported terrorists like Afzal Guru
NGOs run by these petitioners are funded by foreign funding agencies that are known for destabilizing democracies and interfering in India’s policies.
Toxics Link is aligned with organizations like Sweccha that support evangelical activities in India
TL Board member is the lawyer fighting against Art of Living

I will let you draw your own conclusions about the significance of these links. The question is this: Can the current NGT Expert Committee be expected to be fair in its handling of the case against the WCF event held by Art of Living and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?

The next logical point to ponder is WHY Art of Living/Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is at the receiving end given WCF generated a huge PR win for India and showcased India’s soft power and message of fostering peace to entire world. More research needs to be done on this aspect as there is no smoke without fire.

References:

http://www.pucl.org/bulletins/2015/PUCLaug2015.pdf, pg. 10
https://sabrangindia.in/article/arguments-zakia-jafri-case-implicating-top-netas-cops-and-babus-2002-carnage-conclude
http://www.countercurrents.org/2017/01/31/sardar-sarovar-rehabilitation-supreme-court-to-appoint-high-level-expert-committee/
http://www.legallyindia.com/the-bench-and-the-bar/sanjay-parikh-in-massive-win-for-greenpeace-as-delhi-hc-thaws-funds-frozen-by-home-ministry-20150120-5511
http://pucl.org/admin/national_council.html
http://www.indiaresists.com/pucl-statement-on-hanging-of-afzal-guru/
http://yamuna-elbe.org/speakers/manoj-kumar-misra/ (click on the website indicated at end of the post). There is no proper website for “Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan”. Both NGOs do not have a site where public can get information on funding, board, etc.
http://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/grants-database/grants all?originatingoffices=%26RegionIds%3D5&page=2&minyear=2007&maxyear=2008
http://myvoice.opindia.com/2016/03/ngo-which-questioned-aol-for-yamuna-has-burnt-1-crore-without-doing-any-ground-work/
http://swechha.in/#aboutus
https://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/other/irrc_858_ferris.pdf pg 322
Oxfam is accused of evangelism pg. 149
http://www.sida.se/contentassets/1990c6bb0b354841a851e22c1582b6e4/increased-awareness-and-capacity-to-protect-the-environment-through-indian-ngos—review-of-swedish-support-to-the-centre-for-s_3751.pdf
http://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/grants-database/grants all?originatingoffices=%26RegionIds%3D5&page=2&minyear=2007&maxyear=2008
https://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/files/other/irrc_858_ferris.pdf pg 322
http://www.sida.se/contentassets/1990c6bb0b354841a851e22c1582b6e4/increased-awareness-and-capacity-to-protect-the-environment-through-indian-ngos—review-of-swedish-support-to-the-centre-for-s_3751.pdf
http://delhigreens.com/2009/11/18/toxics-link-public-lecture-series-screening-of-the-final-tide-at-iic/
Prof Brij Gopal is panelist in a conference on India Rivers Week hosted by Toxics Link & Manoj Mishra’s organization Peace Institute Charitable Trust. https://www.internationalrivers.org/sites/default/files/attached-files/proceedings_of_india_rivers_week_2014.pdf
Prof C R Babu and Ravi Agarwal (Director of Toxics Link) are part of Tree Authority. http://enews.toxicslink.org/partner-view.php?id=6
Yamuna: By Brij Gopal and Manoj Misra at Living rivers, dying rivers series-Part V https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77j6UpN1IwQ (at 0:59 sec)

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

Saturday 6 May 2017

Duyadhana and Shakuni - As shared

Why did Krishna not save the Pandavas when they played dice with Duryadhana & Shakuni?

Wonderful explanation by Krishna himself:

From his childhood, Uddhava had been with Krishna, charioting him and serving him in many ways. He never asked for any wish or boon from Sri Krishna. When Krishna was at the verge of completing His Avatar, he called Uddhava and said,‘Dear Uddhava, in this avatar of mine, many people have asked and received boons from me; but you never asked me anything. Why don’t you ask something now? I will give you. Let me complete this avatar with the satisfaction of doing something good for you also’.

Even though Uddhava did not ask anything for himself, he had been observing Krishna from his childhood. He had always wondered about the apparent disconnect between Krishna’s teachings and actions, and wanted to understand the reasons for the same. He asked Krishna, ‘Lord, you taught us to live in one way, but you lived in a different way. In the drama of Mahabharat, in the role you played, in your actions, I did not understand many things. I am curious to understand the reasons for your actions. Would you fulfil my desire to know?’

Krishna said, ‘Uddhava, what I told Arjuna during the war of Kurukshetra was Bhagavad Gita. Today, my responses to you would be known as ‘Uddhava Gita’. That is why I gave this opportunity to you. Please ask without hesitation.’

Uddhava starts asking – ‘Krishna, first tell me who is a real friend?’

Krishna says, ‘The real friend is one who comes to the help of his friend in need even without being called’.

Uddhava: ‘Krishna, you were a dear friend of the Pandavas. They trusted you fully as Apadhbhandava (protector from all difficulties). Krishna, you not only know what is happening, but you know what is going to happen. You are a great gyani. Just now you gave the definition of a true, close friend. Then why did you not act as per that definition. Why did you not stop Dharmaraj (Yudhishtra)

from playing the gambling game? Ok, you did not do it; why did you not turn the luck in favour of Dharmaraj, by which you would have ensured that dharma wins. You did not do that also. You could have at least saved Dharmaraj by stopping the game after he lost his wealth, country and himself. You could have released him from the punishment for gambling. Or, you could have entered the hall when he started betting his brothers. You did not do that either. At least when Duryodhana tempted Dharmaraj by offering to return everything lost if he betted Draupadi (who always brought good fortune to Pandavas), you could have intervened and with your divine power you could have made the dices roll in a way that is favorable to Dharmaraj. Instead, you intervened only when Draupadi almost lost her modesty and now you claim that you gave clothes and saved Draupadi’s modesty; how can you even claim this – after her being dragged into the hall by a man and disrobed in front of so many people, what modesty is left for a woman? What have you saved? Only when you help a person at the time of crisis, can you be called ‘Apadhbandhava’. If you did not help in the time of crisis, what is the use? Is it Dharma?’ As Uddhava posed these questions, tears started rolling from his eyes.

These are not the questions of Uddhava alone. All of us who have read Mahabharata have these questions. On behalf of us, Uddhava had already asked Krishna.

Bhagavan Krishna laughed. ‘Dear Uddhava, the law of this world is: ‘only the one who has Viveka (intelligence through discrimination), wins’. While Duryodhana had viveka, Dharmaraj lacked it. That is why Dharmaraj lost’.

Uddhava was lost and confused. Krishna continues ‘While Duryodhana had lots of money and wealth to gamble, he did not know how to play the game of dice. That is why he used his Uncle Shakuni to play the game while he betted. That is viveka. Dharmaraj also could have thought similarly and offered that I, his cousin, would play on his behalf. If Shakuni and I had played the game of dice, who do you think would have won? Can he roll the numbers I am calling or would I roll the numbers he is asking. Forget this. I can forgive the fact that he forgot to include me in the game. But, without viveka, he did another blunder. He prayed that I should not come to the hall as he did not want me to know that through ill-fate he was compelled to play this game. He tied me with his prayers and did not allow me to get into the hall; I was just outside the hall waiting for someone to call me through their prayers. Even when Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva were lost, they were only cursing Duryodhana and brooding over their fate; they forgot to call me. Even Draupadi did not call me when Dusshasan held her hair and dragged her to fulfil his brother’s order. She was also arguing in the hall, based on her own abilities. She never called me. Finally good sense prevailed; when Dusshasan started disrobing her, she gave up depending on her own strength, and started shouting ‘Hari, Hari, Abhayam Krishna, Abhayam’ and shouted for me. Only then I got an opportunity to save her modesty. I reached as soon as I was called. I saved her modesty. What is my mistake in this situation?

‘Wonderful explanation, Kanna, I am impressed. However, I am not deceived. Can I ask you another question’, says Uddhava. Krishna gives him the permission to proceed.

'Does it mean that you will come only when you are called! Will you not come on your own to help people in crisis, to establish justice?’, asks Uddhava.

Krishna smiles. ‘Uddhava, in this life everyone’s life proceeds based on their own karma. I don’t run it; I don’t interfere in it. I am only a ‘witness’. I stand close to you and keep observing whatever is happening. This is God’s Dharma’.

‘Wow, very good Krishna. In that case, you will stand close to us, observe all our evil acts; as we keep committing more and more sins, you will keep watching us. You want us to commit more blunders, accumulate sins and suffer’, says Uddhava.

Krishna says.’Uddhava, please realise the deeper meaning of your statements. When you understand & realise that I am standing as witness next to you, how could you do anything wrong or bad. You definitely cannot do anything bad. You forget this and think that you can do things without my knowledge. That is when you get into trouble. Dharmaraj’s ignorance was that he thought he can play the game of gambling without my knowledge. If Dharmaraj had realized that I am always present with everyone in the form of ‘Sakshi’ (witness), then wouldn’t the game have finished differently?’

Uddhava was spellbound and got overwhelmed by Bhakti. He said, ‘What a deep philosophy. What a great truth! Even praying and doing pooja to God and calling Him for help are nothing but our feeling / belief. When we start believing that nothing moves without Him, how can we not feel his presence as Witness? How can we forget this and act? Throughout Bhagavad Gita, this is the philosophy Krishna imparted to Arjuna. He was the charioteer as well as guide for Arjuna, but he did not fight on his own.’- Realize that Ultimate Sakshi/ Witnesser within & without you! And Merge in that God-Consciousness! Discover Thy Higher Self- The Pure Loveful & Blissful Supreme Consciousness! - Tat Tvam Asi!

Wednesday 3 May 2017

Lord Krishna - As shared

Why did Krishna not save the Pandavas when they played dice with Duryadhana & Shakuni?

Wonderful explanation by Krishna himself:

Uddhava starts asking – ‘Krishna, first tell me who is a real friend?’

Krishna says, ‘The real friend is one who comes to the help of his friend in need even without being called’.

These are not the questions of Uddhava alone. All of us who have read Mahabharata have these questions. On behalf of us, Uddhava had already asked Krishna.

‘Wonderful explanation, Kanna, I am impressed. However, I am not deceived. Can I ask you another question’, says Uddhava. Krishna gives him the permission to proceed.

'Does it mean that you will come only when you are called! Will you not come on your own to help people in crisis, to establish justice?’, asks Uddhava.

Anger Within Me

A monk decides to meditate alone, away from his monastery. He takes his boat out to the middle of the lake, moors it there, closes his eyes and begins his meditation.

After a few hours of undisturbed silence, he suddenly feels the bump of another boat colliding with his own. With his eyes still closed, he senses his anger rising, and by the time he opens his eyes, he is ready to scream at the boatman who dared disturb his meditation.

But when he opens his eyes, he sees it’s an empty boat that had probably got untethered and floated to the middle of the lake.

At that moment, the monk achieves self-realization, and understands that the anger is within him; it merely needs the bump of an external object to provoke it out of him.

From then on, whenever he comes across someone who irritates him or provokes him to anger, he reminds himself, “The other person is merely an empty boat. The anger is within me.”

Radha

Radha, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.

She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her few groceries on credit.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

Kamsa, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.'

Kamsa told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Krishna, standing beside the counter, overheard the conversation between the two. He walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'

Radha replied, 'Yes sir.' 'O.K' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.'

Radha hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down..

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the Krishna and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

Krishna smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

'Dear Krishna, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Radha thanked him and left the store. Krishna handed a Gold coin to the grocer and said the Creator Knows how much a prayer weighs.'

THE POWER: When you receive this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do.

Just stop right now, and say a prayer of thanks for your own good fortune...

I believe if you will send this testimony out with prayer in faith, you will receive what you need God to do in you and your families' life..

So dear heart, trust God to know your very own needs., heal the sick, provide food for the hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don't have as we do.

*My prayer for you today*:

_*The eyes beholding this message shall not behold evil, the hands that will send this message to others shall not labor in vain, the mouth saying Radhekrishna to this prayer shall laugh forever. Remain in God's love as you send this prayer to everybody on your list. Have a lovely journey of life! Trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will never fail you because He is LOVE*_!

TAKE 60 SECONDS and send this on quickly and within hours, you will have caused a multitude of people to pray to God for each other. Then sit back and watch the power and love of God in your life. Radhekrishna.

Life::::

A man died...

When he realized it, he saw God coming closer with a suitcase in his hand.

Dialog between God and Dead Man:

God: *Alright son, it’s time to go*

Man: So soon? I had a lot of plans...

God: *I am sorry but, it’s time to go*

Man: What do you have in that suitcase?

God: *Your belongings*

Man: My belongings? You mean my things... Clothes... money...

God; *Those things were never yours, they belong to the Earth*

Man: Is it my memories?

God: *No. They belong to Time*

Man: Is it my talent?

God: *No. They belong to Circumstance*

Man: Is it my friends and family?

God: *No son. They belong to the Path you travelled*

Man: Is it my wife and children?

God: *No. they belong to your Heart*

Man: Then it must be my body

God: *No No... It belongs to Dust*

Man: Then surely it must be my Soul!

God: *You are sadly mistaken son. Your Soul belongs to me.*

Man with tears in his eyes and full of fear took the suitcase from God's hand and opened it...

Empty...

With heartbroken and tears down his cheek he asks God...

Man: I never owned anything?

God: *That’s Right. You never owned anything*.

Man: Then? What was mine?

God: your *MOMENTS*.

Every moment you lived was *yours*.

Do Good in every moment

Think Good in every moment

Thank God for every moment

Life is just a Moment.

Live it...

Love it...

Enjoy it......

➖➖➖➖➖➖