Constitution Cannot Be Above Country Come What May

I still just cannot believe it. It will take some time for me to believe that the special status of Jammu and Kashmir has been abrogated! But what has happened has to be believed. Even in my wildest of dreams could I never expect that a day would come when Article 35A and Article 370 would become a thing of the past and Jammu and Kashmir would be made a Union Territory! But it has happened in reality! This NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi deserves all the praises, laurels and applaud for taking such a courageous decision which no Prime Minister could ever dare to take solely on the ground that what our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru does cannot be ever questioned or challenged! This alone explains that why inspite of more than 72 years of independence we see that the most populated state of India that is Uttar Pradesh whom the former UN Secretary General ban ki moon had slammed as “rape and crime capital of India” has just one high court bench created way back on July 1, 1948 just about 200 km away from Allahabad at Lucknow and nowhere else compelling the people from hilly areas who now form separate state called Uttarakhand to travel thousands of kilometers all the way to Allahabad as there was no high court bench there even though Justice Jaswant Singh Commission headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Jaswant Singh had recommended 3 high court benches for UP at Agra, Nainital and Dehradun yet not one was created even though benches were created at other places like Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Jalpaiguri in West Bengal and Madurai in Tamil Nadu only on the ground that Nehru’s decision can’t be changed!

                            Nothing on earth can be more ridiculous than this! We all respect and we must respect Jawaharlal Nehru for leading our nation as Prime Minister for the longest tenure from independence for 17 years! But this does not mean that if he committed some Himalayan blunders like approving just one high court bench for most populated state of India that is UP which has maximum pending cases should never be corrected or the other mistakes which he did in 1948 war by rushing to UN without conquering the whole of Jammu and Kashmir or in the 1962 war which we lost to China by not using Air Force which was far more advanced than that of China still they should never be corrected or even questioned solely on the ground that Nehru’s legacy can never be disturbed. He also was a human being and can commit error!

                                  Let me reiterate once again what I have always believed in since 1993-94: No individual, no leader, no Prime Minister, no President, no law, no Constitution, no Court not even the Supreme Court of India, no Judge not even the Chief Justice of India or anyone else can be above the country and we all as good citizens must be prepared to undergo any sacrifice to ensure that the unity and integrity of our country is always maintained under all circumstances! This was ingrained deep inside my mind by my best friend Sageer Khan whom I always admire, appreciate and adore! There can be no denying or disputing it!

                                      It was about 26 years ago in 1993 that my best friend Sageer Khan confided in me that if there are two articles in our Constitution which he considers as betrayal of India, they are none other than Article 35A and Article 370! He said that it is a matter of national shame and a national disgrace that despite being an Indian, no person could either buy any property in Jammu and Kashmir or apply for a job there or settle there or buy even an inch of land there even though one can buy property anywhere else in world and settle down yet no Prime Minister till date has ever shown the courage and conviction to come forward and abolish Article 35A and Article 370 in one go! He also said that what a tragedy that if I want to marry any women I can marry but if I want to marry a woman from Jammu and Kashmir I cannot marry because then she will lose all her rights and I would not be entitled to either settle there or apply for a job there as it is prohibited thanks to Article 35A and Article 370 but if a Pakistani wants to marry a woman from Jammu and Kashmiri, he can easily do so and neither will the women lose any rights nor will the Pakistani be denied citizenship or any right to settle there! How can this be ever justified in the name of autonomy? It is a national disgrace!”

                         It is a no brainer that he (Sageer Khan) very rightly said that, “Can on earth there be anything more dangerous than this? I fail to understand why Article 35A and Article 370 were inserted in the Constitution in the first place! Was it at the behest of some foreign power? I don’t know but it is most shocking that these two most dangerous Articles have been allowed to continue in the Constitution for so long! How can one country have two Constitutions, two citizenship, two set of laws, two flags and what not? It is because of these two most dangerous Articles! Constitution cannot be above our country under any circumstances come what may! Both these Articles must be thrown out or rather kicked out immediately because they are against the very concept of a united and strong India.”

                             Let me be candid to confess here: At that point of time I was simply just not aware as to what these two Articles postulate as I was doing BSc at that pointy of time where Constitution found no place but Sageer Khan was doing his BA and was studying Constitution as part of his course! Yet I nodded as if I too was aware about it!

                                      Let me say this on record: I too was most shocked to learn from my best friend Sageer Khan that such dangerous Articles exist in our Constitution which favours integration of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan and treats Indians as foreigners! How can this ever happen that a Pakistani be allowed to settle in Jammu and Kashmir and inherit all the rights after marrying a women there but no Indian from any state can ever settle there even if he marries a woman from Jammu and Kashmir rather the women herself will lose all her rights if she dares to do so as stipulated in Article 35A? This is nothing but an open betrayal of India and open treachery with our country! We all must always remember what my best friend Sageer Khan said in 1993 that, “Constitution can never be above country come what may. These two treacherous Articles 35A and 370 should never have been allowed to enter our Constitution in the first place!”  

                                        Needless to say, we all know fully well that even Dr BR Ambedkar never favoured the insertion of Article 370 and Article 35A and opposed them tooth and nail but yet they were later brought in even though in the original Constitution they had found no place! How can this be ever justified? What a joke that it is only for Jammu and Kashmir and not for any other state like Maharashtra or Gujarat that our leaders repeatedly say that it is an integral part of India yet have ensured that these two most dangerous Articles of our Constitution continue uninterruptedly for more than 70 years!    

                             No doubt, the scrapping of Presidential proclamation of 1954 by the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 which was passed on August 5 in concurrence with the Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect is the most boldest step by any government in India since independence! This is a more bolder step than even surgical strikes of 2016 or the Balakot air strikes! This alone explains that why even Sushma Swaraj who was the former Union External Affairs Minister and who expired just recently before dying left a most memorable tweet in which she expressed her utmost happiness in the following words, “Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime.”

                            No doubt, even though Congress is fulminating  against revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A yet it is most heartening to note that many prominent faces of Congress party including Janardhan Dwivedi, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Deepender Hooda, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Salman Khurshid, Milind Deora among many others have expressed their solidarity with this latest move by Centre! Senior and eminent Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi minced no words in saying that a historic blunder has been remedied today after the scrapping of Articles 35A and 370! Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he supported the Narendra Modi government’s proposed move to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He tweeted minutes before the Lok Sabha voted on the resolution that, “I support the move on #JammuAnd Kashmir & #Ladakh and its full integration into union of India. Would have been better if constitutional process had been followed. No questions could have been raised then. Nevertheless, this is in our country’s interest and I support this.”

                               As things stand, Congress senior leader Janardhan Dwivedi said happily that, “It is a very old issue. After Independence, many freedom fighters did not want Article 370 to remain. I had my political training under Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, who was against this Article. Personally, this is an issue of a matter of satisfaction for the nation. This historical mistake that happened at the time of independence has been rectified today, even though late, and is welcomed.” Mumbai Congress Chief – Milind Deora said that it was “very unfortunate” that Article 370 was being converted into a “liberal vs conservative debate”. He said in a tweet that, “Parties should put aside ideological fixations & debate what’s best for India’s sovereignty and federalism, peace in J&K, jobs for Kashmiri youth and justice for Kashmiri Pandits.”

                                         Not stopping here, another Congress leader Deepender Hooda who is a three-time MP from Haryana’s Rohtak constituency said that, “I’ve always maintained that Article 370 should be scrapped. It is irrelevant and has no place in the 21st century. Abrogation of this article is in the interest of national integrity and the people of J&K which is an integral part of India. Senior Congress leader Anil Shastri also openly came out in support of Centre’s move and said that the the people are totally with the government on this issue! There can be no denying it!

                                         Above all, even the Congress’s chief whip in the Rajya Sabha – Bhubaneshwar Kalita strongly protested against his party’s stand and said emotionally while quitting his membership in Rajya Sabha after the party asked him to issue a whip to all members for opposing the bill that, “I was asked by the party to issue a whip but this is against the mood of the nation. The party as it is on its way towards destruction and I can’t be a contributor to it.” Even Congress MLA from Rae Bareli Aditi Singh said on Twitter that, “United we stand! Jai Hind. #Article 370”. She termed it a historic decision and urged people not to politicize it. When someone reminded that she was a Congress leader, she boldly retorted that, “Main ek Hindustani hoon (I am an Indian).” Absolutely right!

                                       Interestingly enough, even veteran Congress leader Karan Singh who is son of J&K’s last ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh who signed the Instrument of Accession in 1947 and who was a Union Minister in the Indira Gandhi Cabinet in 1967, has been a member of CWC and worked with four generations of the Nehru-Gandhi family took a divergent stand from that of his party and said that he did not agree with a “blanket condemnation” of the government’s decision and said that it has “several positive points”. He welcomed the government’s decision to make Ladakh a Union Territory and reminded that, “In fact, I had suggested this as far back as 1965, when I was still Sadr-i-Riyasat of J&K, when I had publically proposed reorganisation of the state.” He said that he hoped the hill councils of Leh and Kargil would “continue to function, so that in the absence of the Legislature, the grassroots opinion of the people of Ladakh are duly represented.” He minced no words to reiterate his support to scrap Article 35A and the government’s plan to initiate an exercise to redraw the contours of the Assembly constituencies. He said that, “The gender discrimination in Article 35A needed to be addressed as also the long-awaited and enfranchisement of lakhs of West Pakistan’s refugees and reservations for Scheduled Tribes which will be welcomed. There will also be a fresh delimitation which, for the first time, will ensure a division of political power between the Jammu and Kashmir regions.”     

                                       Be it noted, Union Home Minister Amit Shah who tabled the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 and the statutory resolutions in Rajya Sabha around 11 am after the Union cabinet met at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence at 9.30 am to grant the go-ahead said that, “Article 370 was a temporary provision…how long can a temporary provision be allowed to continue…After abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir will truly become an integral part of India.” Saying Article 370 was at the root of terrorism, Amit Shah told the House that full state status will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir at an appropriate time when normalcy returns. He rightly said that the decision to do away with the special status of J&K and to bifurcate the state into two UTs was in the supreme national interest! No denying it!

                                        Why is it that so many opposition parties like AAP, BJD, BSP, TDP, AIADMK, YSR-Congress and many others extended their unstinted support to Centre? It is because this most historic decision reflected the true sentiments of every Indian! This alone explains that why so many top leaders of Congress party also which opposed this landmark decision came out in open support of it! Why even JD(U) which initially walked out in protest has now endorsed Centre’s move to scrap Article 370? It is because many senior party leaders came out in full support of Centre’s bold move! There were rumblings of discontent even within TMC led by Mamata Banerjee and many leaders openly voiced their unstinted support for Centre’s bold move!   

                                        Truth be told, the first statutory resolution stated: “That this House recommends the following public notification to be issued by the President of India under Article 370(3): ‘In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (3) of Article 370 read with clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, the President, on the recommendation of the Parliament, is pleased to declare that, as from 5th of August, 2019, all clauses of the said Article 370 shall cease to be operative except clause (1).”

                          To put things in perspective, Article 370 will survive on paper but will now read “All provisions of this Constitution, as amended from time to time, without any modifications or exceptions, shall apply to the State of Jammu and Kashmir notwithstanding anything contrary contained in Article 152 or Article 308 or any other article of this Constitution or any other provision of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir or any law, document, judgement, ordinance, order, bye-law, rule, regulation, notification, custom or usage having force of law in the territory of India, or any other instrument, treaty or agreement as envisaged under Article 363 or otherwise.”

                           Going forward, the second resolution pertaining to the Bill said that the President has referred the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 to the House “under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constituion of India for its views as this House is vested with the powers of the State Legislature of Jammu and Kashmir, as per proclamation of the President of India dated 19th December, 2018.” Amit Shah who is Union Home Minister tabled the Bill and the statutory resolutions after Ram Nath Kovind signed the official notification, The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order 2019, superseding the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order 1954 under which the Constitution was applied only selectively to the State. The notification said that, “All the provisions of the Constitution, as amended from time to time, shall apply in relation to the state of Jammu and Kashmir…”

                                        It would be pertinent to mention here that the government has added in Article 367 of the Constitution a clause 4 which makes four changes. The order said references to Sadar-i-Riyasat of Jammu and Kashmir shall be construed as references to the Governor of J&K. Similarly, references to the Government of J&K shall be construed as reference to the Governor of J&K acting on the advice of the Council of Ministers. With Opposition members expressing their dismay that the Bill to bifurcate was not even circulated, Shah introduced the Bill and statutory resolutions again promptly. Shah also introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 providing for 10 percent reservation for SC, ST and OBCs in J&K which now after being passed and having received President’s assent have become a law.

                                     It must be mentioned here that Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who toed his Congress party line of opposing it lashed out while taking potshots at BJP saying that, “The BJP has murdered the same Constitution and democracy. The Article 370 through which we had given Jammu and Kashmir to India… today the Modi government has torn it to pieces.” But Amit Shah countered this by saying that the Bill he has tabled is historic. He said that, “Because of Article 370, people of Kashmir are living in poverty. They don’t get the benefit of reservation…Corruption is rampant. Three families have looted Jammu and Kashmir all these years. The Leader of the Opposition has said Article 370 attached J&K to India. That is not true. Maharaja Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession on October 27, 1947. And Article 370 came into existence in 1949, two years later. It is not true that Article 370 attached J&K to India.” What Amit Shah is saying is hundred percent right. Article 370 was against national interests and this alone explains why the founding father of our Constitution – Dr BR Ambedkar opposed it vehemently and did not allow it as long as he was at the helm!

                                         Moving on, Amit Shah said that Article 370 was always considered temporary because it had to go one day. He said that, “But no one had the political will…then there was vote bank politics…they wanted to make a vote bank out of it. We don’t want to make a vote bank and neither do we lack political will.” Amit Shah said that the UT in Ladakh will have no legislature like Chandigarh while the UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature like Delhi and Puducherry.

                              While reading out provisions of Article 370 (3), the Home Minister said there are provisions within that which state that Article 370 shall cease to be operative or can be amended and the President has the right to issue such a notification or constitutional order. He told the House that, “We are adopting the same path as adopted by the Congress in 1952 and 1962 by amending the provisions of Article 370 the same way through a notification.” So what is wrong in it? Congress certainly didn’t cover itself with glory by alienating Jammu and Kashmir from India by not allowing anyone to either settle there or buy any property there and creating separate flag, separate Constitution, separate laws, separate citizenship for them! Even former CJI JS Khehar had rightly questioned and ridiculed this saying that, “How can one country have two sets of Constitutions, two sets of laws, two sets of citizenships, two sets of flags?”    

                                   It was most heartening to see that even the Lok Sabha approved the resolution and adopted the resolution abrogating special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and a Bill for splitting the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories with 351 members voting in its support and 72 against it while one member abstained! Centre has rightly clarified that it would hold no talks with Hurriyat which always keeps singing the tune of Pakistan and would speak directly to the people of Jammu and Kashmir!

                          It was a national tragedy that earlier all was were applicable all over but not in J&K! This ensured that the Right to Education Bill could not be applied to J&K and the children living there were thus deprived wrongly of the fundamental right to get education! Same is the case with other landmark Bills like Right to Information among others! Amit Shah also rightly clarified that, “When I say J&K, I include Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin. Both are included in the territorial boundaries of J&K…We will give our lives for it.”

                           It is most heartening to note that when Pakistan rushed to United nations Security Council, it refused to intervene! Similarly China and USA also advised Pakistan not to severe its ties with India as it will itself suffer most and refused to intervene! I fail to understand that how can Pakistan decide that what India does in its Constitution? Did Pakistan authored Article 370 and Article 35A? Certainly not! Then who are they to jump and shout when we amend our Constitution?

                                Let us not forget that it is Pakistan who will suffer most if it dares to cross sword with India and this is what its traditional ally China has rightly advised them! Jammu and Kashmir is internal matter of India as rightly pointed by eminent Supreme Court senior lawyer and Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid and who is Pakistan to ask us what we do in our Constitution! Pakistan’s belligerent approach on India kicking out Articles 35A and 370 speaks for itself as to who was gaining from it but Pakistan is only fooling itself if it thinks that by ending diplomatic relations or stopping train service it can put India under pressure! Pakistan should not forget that by Indus Water Treaty of 1960, it is getting 80 percent share and India just 20 percent. If India decides to scrap it, Pakistan’s already sinking economy will get completely drowned! Now the ball is clearly in court of Pakistan! Pakistan must mind its own business as India is a sovereign country! Supreme Court Judge NV Ramana rightly refused to entertain a plea of urgent hearing by senior Supreme Court lawyer ML Sharma who said that Pakistan would move the United Nations against the Presidential order and said that, “If they go to the United Nations, can the UN stay the constitutional amendment of the Union of India?”

                                          Before parting, let me say that every Indian must support this latest move by Centre which seeks to ensure complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India! We all must respect Constitution but let me again reiterate that Constitution cannot be above country come what may! Those Articles which are in conflict with our national interests have to be either amended or removed from our Constitution as Constitution cannot be above country come what may!

Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,

s/o Col BPS Sirohi,

A 82, Defence Enclave,

Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,

Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.

Sustainable buisness management practices.

Someone has rightly quoted that “Being a good human is being a good business” taking into consideration this fact a business should perform.The 3 most important P’s in today’s era are ‘People’, ‘Profit and the ‘Planet’ which every buisness person should keep in mind before launching a buisness. These 3 P’s are connected with each other. Suistanbility in a buisness can be regarded as the s uccess of the company in both short term and long term. Suistanbility encompass social,financaial, environmental opportunities and threats that are in business facet.When buisness incorporate healthy, social, and economic strategies they are likely to face any challenge in present or in future.Now the company has adopted a way to engage with people living around the community one of the widely used strategy is ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR).It can be defined as acheiving commercial success in methods that are ethical and protect the environment.So the best way to create future is to predict it.

Marietas Islands

Location

The Marietas Islands are a group of small uninhabited islands a few miles off the coast of the state of Nayarit, Mexico, located in federal waters approximately 7.9 kilometres (4.9 mi) southwest of the peninsula known as Punta de Mita, in the municipality of Bahía de Banderas. The islands are a popular tourist destination because of the abundant marine life populations due to the islands being protected from fishing and hunting by the Mexican government. The ocean water depth around the islands is between 70 and 110 feet.

Geography

The Marietas islands were originally formed many thousands of years ago by volcanic activity, and are completely uninhabited. The islands are about an hour-long boat ride west-northwest from the coast of Puerto Vallarta or a 15-minute boat ride from the resort area of Punta Mita and are visited daily by hundreds of tourists. However, visitors cannot legally set foot on the islands. In the early 1900s, the Mexican government began conducting military testing on the islands since they were uninhabited. Many bombings and large explosions took place on the islands causing caves and rock formations to be created. After a massive international outcry, started by scientist Jacques Cousteau in the late 1960s, the government eventually decided to declare the islands a national park and therefore protect it against any fishing, hunting or human activity. Situated in a sort of open sun-drenched crater, this beach is affectionately nicknamed the “hidden beach” or “beach of love”. It is accessible only when the tide is low.

Tourism

Protection by the government has created an environment conducive to the development of the marine ecosystem, and is a popular location for snorkeling and scuba diving. Not even during whale watching tours, people often report seeing sea turtles, manta rays, octopus, wild dolphins, humpback whales and thousands of species of tropical fish around the islands. The islands are also home to a few thousand birds, with species such as the blue-footed booby. Currently, the Mexican government allows only a few companies to go to the islands and allows the landing of passengers onto one secluded beach with the necessary permit from SEMARNAT.

From Punta de Mita, small boats do tours through the islands to see the wildlife of this region. From December to March, gray and humpback whales can be observed that come from Alaska to give birth off the coast of Nayarit.

It has been estimated in studies that the so-called “hidden beach” or the “love beach” can accommodate up to 116 visitors a day without degrading. The carrying capacity of the entire park is 625 visitors. However the actual number of visitors is typically three or four times this limit with more than 2500 visitors landing on it each day during 2016. During the Easter holidays more than 250 boats landed on the island per day, some of them carrying as many as 400 tourists. This has been due to recent interest in the Island. The number of tourists in 2012 was only 27,500, but this skyrocketed to 127,372 in 2015.

Things to do

  1. Islas Marietas Eco Discovery

In terms of pristine natural beauty and scenic seaside vistas, few areas in the world are richer than the Marieta Islands. Protected as part of Islas Marietas National Park, these natural wonders are home to a number of native wildlife species, as well as some of the most breathtaking landscapes in all of Mexico. On this tour, guides give you the opportunity to enjoy the natural majesty of the Las Islas Marietas at your own pace. Explore the serene seawater while snorkeling, kayaking, or paddle boarding. No matter what type of natural wonder you’re looking for, on the tour of Islas Marietas, the guides will make sure you find it.

The Bay of Banderas is one of the few places in the world that is a natural sanctuary for a profusion of natural land and sea life. Within the Bay of Banderas, there are few areas lusher in life than the waters surrounding Islas Marietas National Park. During the winter months, it is common to see humpback whales in the bay, since this is a centuries-old breeding ground and respite following their annual migrations. Dolphin encounters are a regular year-round occurrence. You may see them in large groups leaping out of the water or in pairs riding along near the bows of boats in the bay.

2. Rhythms of the Night –SAVIA

Deep in the heart of the steamy tropical rainforest at Las Caletas, near a crumbling pyramid, there is a mystical amphitheater where excitement is waiting for you. As the stars appear in the sky, the spirit world convenes here in a dazzling world-class show that will take your breath away. Conceived of, written and directed by Gilles Ste-Croix, co-creator of Cirque du Soleil, Rhythms of the Night – SAVIA is a celebration of spectacular acrobatic skill, pulsating rhythms, vibrant dance, amazing costumes and Ste-Croix’s breathtaking interpretation of the Aztec creation story.

SAVIA: The Legend of the 5 Suns is truly a feast for the senses. Great entertainment, food, and adventure await. As you take your place in the incredible outdoor amphitheater for a show at the pyramid under a serene starry sky, you’ll feel like you’re entering another time, another place. And perhaps you are, for each night in Puerto Vallarta, this is where the spirit world of the ancients once again comes alive!

An explosion of color, sound and spectacle, SAVIA tells a powerful story about the persistence of the human spirit using colorful imagery, music, dance and movement. Legend has it there were four civilizations of humanity prior to ours. Each new period saw the evolution of the human race, as well as its demise. These previous worlds were destroyed by tornadoes, fires and floods, yet rituals and sacrifices have kept the human spirit alive. From the bones and ashes of the ancients comes a celebration of the fifth sun and the unflagging hope for a better world. Rhythms of the Night dinner and show, with its intimate setting, vibrant story and stunning feats of acrobatics, are nothing short of magical.

3. Valarta Canopy tour

A canopy tour zip line tour is a pre-established route through a forested or other beautiful landscape, often with mountains and valleys making use mainly of zip-lines and suspended bridges between platforms that are built upon trees. Visitors are harnessed to steel cables all the time while on these tours, ensuring their safety.

Canopy tours have existed for a long time, but just recently have they become a tourist attraction and a popular tour in Mexico, Costa Rica and many other places around the world. Canopy tours in Puerto Vallarta are a truly thrilling ecological experience that offers you the unique opportunity to glide through the treetops on a network of cables suspended high above the jungle trails in the local tropical forest. The list of the main canopy zip line tours in the area includes – Canopy River, Canopy Los Veranos, Extreme Zip Line Adventure, Canopy La Vista, Mundo Nogalito Canopy, Las Animas Adventure Park and Rancho Mi Chaparrita, to name a few.

Why visit the Marietas Islands?

  1. Hidden Beach

Officially it’s called Playa del Amour, but visitors reckon Hidden Beach does the job better. After all, it’s tucked away in a cave underneath one of the islands and can only be reached by swimming through a tunnel. But what makes it really bucket list-worthy is the fact that the cave has no lid, opening it up to the sunshine – and savvy aerial photographers.

2. The snorkeling scene

With a snorkel and fins, the Marieta Islands are your oyster. There are more than 10 kinds of coral around these parts, reeling in the biggest load of reef fish in Banderas Bay. In winter, the kings of the ocean and humpback whales mooch through the waters.

3. The boobies

It’s not all about the amazing sea life. Around 100 bird species hang around the Marieta Islands, including a few record breakers. There’s the world’s largest colony of brown boobies, for starters, and the islands are also home to biggest swallow breeding grounds in Mexico.

4. The castaway vibe

Hidden Beach is the closest you can get to actually stepping foot on the Marieta Islands. And thanks to their uber protected status – they’re national park territory – only a few tour operators can weigh anchor in their waters. With all that peace and quiet, it’s hard to believe you’re only an hour’s boat ride from Puerto Vallarta.

5. The History

Way back in the early 1900s, the Mexican government used the Marieta Islands as a military testing site. These explosions carved out some of the caves and oddly-shaped rock formations you’ll see when you visit today. In fact, rumour has it that even Hidden Beach was created by one of these test bombs.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and set out for this paradise on the face of the earth!

BEEF BAN: AN OPINION

By Kartik Sharma

PC: Cow Slaughter & The Constitution, The Hindu June 7, 2017.

BANNING BEEF JUSTIFIED?

Can beef banning be justified in the multicultural society of India? Is it about respecting people’s sentiments or it disrespects freedom to eat? In the history of our country too, there have been conflicts on this topic as Mahatma Gandhi was against beef-eating as he saw religious aspects more. At the same time, J L Nehru considered Gandhi’s demand as unreasonable. So, is it justified to ban it? In 2015 Maharashtra’s Government banned the slaughter of cows, bulls and bullocks and the possession of flesh of these animals.[1] It felt that it is a reasonable restriction as a cow and its progeny is the backbone of Maharashtra’s agrarian economy.[2] Reduction in the number of these animals will prove to be detrimental in the long run. There is no total ban on the import of meat or livestock but the trade of beef from Maharashtra. It believes that it is in the public interest. The act that government passed also criminalises possession of beef and in turn its consumption. This bill was a 20-year old bill, passed in February 2015 and enacted in March after state government received President’s assent.[3]

There can be three angles to the topic- the religious sentiments, the logic and political opportunity. A cow is considered to be holy in India, and anything that is done against it hurts religious feelings. Now, after the act, it will be seen as a legal offence too. The state will be encouraged to stop killing of other animals as well. But what about the livelihood of the people who depend on the cattle industry? The fact is that India is becoming a major exporter of beef, and people who have been employed in the beef industry may now resort to illegal trade. People will become jobless if bans are justified because promises are made by the government to set up a secondary platform for people of this industry. However, it is not practical for the government to create so many jobs readily. It is seen that, through this initiative, some politicians gather the support of people who have religious sentiments attached to the cow.

India, according to many sources, is one of the largest exporters of beef in the world. India majorly exports buffalo beef. There are over 30,000 illegal slaughterhouses in India.[4] Only the ones which possess required certificates should run a slaughterhouse. There is a pressing demand for milk in the Dairy industry. Therefore, cows are not treated nicely. The animals are inhumanely cramped into vehicles during transportation. Due to this, their bones break, and they get dehydrated. The dairy industry does not raise these animals for beef; it is mainly for the milk. Leather, beef are by-products of the dairy industry. But that is a different issue; still, people ask that why don’t we ban milk too? The process of mulching includes the ill-treatment of animals.

In many villages, it is ban just by a norm and not by law. People have decided to follow the standard. The places where there are a ban people have to give up their individual liberty, which is against the Constitution of India. Indian Constitution gives Right to choose what to eat under Article 21.[5] Some people say live and let live attitude should exist- ‘If you don’t like to eat, then don’t eat it, why force it onto others who do?’ In Malaysia and UAE, even though the culture does not permit the consumption of pork, one can get it in separate sections. Why do we only treat one animal as holy when every creature is a beautiful creation of God? If there is a ban on one animal, then it can be suggested that a ban should be there on every animal killing. However, nobody likes things to be done in this fashion. Bulls and bullocks are not considered holy; only a cow is; so why not put a ban on them too?

Smoking kills but the government doesn’t ban cigarettes but puts a mandate to show a large picture on the pocket that says smoking leads to cancer. Why does it not ban that? Bans have been mostly counterproductive in India. Gujarat is a dry state, and everybody knows that people who desire to consume alcohol manage to do it even there. It is written in ‘Bhagwad Gita’ that the supreme personality of Godhead has given us fruits and vegetables to eat. Then why must we take away the life of a creature for the pleasure of the tongue? Spiritually speaking, we must not kill animals for taste. Whatever vegetarian food we eat, we must take it from nature consciously. But if we talk practically, many people are vegetarian by choice, and they never force people to give up eating non-vegetarian items. We are a democratic nation, and we can encourage people to become vegetarian by pick but ban, as it seems, is unwarranted.

[1] Shibu Thomas, Beef ban is ‘reasonable restriction’, does not violate fundamental rights: Maharashtra Govt to HC, The Times of India Apr 20, 2015 available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Beef-ban-law-is-reasonable-restriction-does-not-violate-fundamental-rights-Maharashtra-govt-to-HC/articleshow/46986689.cms.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] As states to close illegal slaughterhouses, PETA India available at https://secure.petaindia.com/page/23016/action/1?locale=en-GB.

[5] The Indian Constitution, 1949, art 21(1).

MS Dhoni(Mahi): A Blessing To Indian Cricket

The whole world knows, the rocking captain of India’s cricket team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, still the best caption among all the Indian captains. He is known by his nickname Mahi. He is a right handed batsman, known for the greatest captain for all time. He has gained more success than all the captains of India before.
MS Dhoni was born on 7 July 1981, is a blessing to cricket ground who made the India’s cricket team strong and arrived it among the best teams of the world. The Indian cricket team won the 2011 cricket world cup under his captainship. In his childhood, he studied at DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamali, Ranchi, Jharkhand. He was interested in football and badminton from his childhood and was sent to play cricket in local cricket academy by his football coach. At this academy, he was impressed by his wicket keeping skills and became the permanent wicket keeper at the Commando Cricket Club. He focused on cricket after his 10th standard. Till 1998, he played only school Cricket and club cricket and no professional cricket. In 1998 he was selected by Deval Shayal for the Central Coal Fields Limited team. Deval Shayal used to gift him ₹50 for each six that he hits in tournament matches. He was impressed by his hard hitting shots and dedication for  cricket. He started his profession in 1998 by playing for Bihar U-19 group. In 1999-2000, he made an introduction for Bihar in Ranji Trophy.
In 2003, Dhoni was found by TRDO Prakash Poddar. He saw MS Dhoni play for Jharkhand at match in Jamshedpur in 2003 and sent a report to National Cricket Academy. In 2002-2003, he was picked for India ‘A’ crew for a voyage through Zimbabwe and Kenya. From there his journey started in cricket for India.
Dhoni took over the captaincy of the onday side in 2007 and led India to the Twenty20 (T20) World Title. He moved India to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) test rankings for the first time in December 2003. In Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008, he signed with the Chennai Super Kings for $1.5 million, that was the largest contract in IPL at that time.
In 2016, the hit bollywood film M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story is based on his life. In 2013, India became the first team in more than 40 years to whitewash Australia in a test series under his captaincy. MS Dhoni is really a blessing for Indian Cricket Team and for the Cricket lovers. He has leaved the captainship but he still lives in the heart of Indians. He is as a hero for Indian Cricket Team. He made many records and took India to a great level.

Alcohol and Covid-19

The Covid-19 lockdown has increased the sales of alcohol by 55%. People are bored at home and not sure what to do so they consume alcohol in the name of ‘chilling’.
But did you know you are more prone to get affected by corona virus by consuming alcohol? The disease caused by corona virus affects the respiratory system the most.

• What happens when you take the first sip?
As soon as you take the first sip, your body makes it a priority above all the other functions that it carries out to metabolize the alcohol and send it out of the body. The metabolism of alcohol takes place in your liver where it is broken down into two parts viz., water and carbon dioxide. It’s the liver’s job to detoxify your body. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, alcohol can’t be stored in your body. Hence, it’s metabolism is prioritized.

When you consume too much alcohol at once, without giving proper time to your liver to carry out its metabolism, some quantity of alcohol remains in your liver and slowly starts damaging it followed by other body parts. Consumption of too much alcohol at once also pressurizes the liver to carry out its metabolism.


• Liver diseases
I. Fatty liver
When alcohol remains in the liver, it develops molecules that inhibit fat oxidation in the liver and lead to condition called fatty liver.
This condition seen in 90% of the people who consume 45ml-60ml per day.
If you drink that much or more on many days of the week, chances are that you are already on the first stage of fatty liver.
Symptoms include sudden weight loss, pain above the abdomen and fatigue.
Although this disease can be treated by completely stopping the consumption of alcohol for six weeks.


II. Liver Hepatitis
During the metabolism of breaking down alcohol, highly toxic chemicals are released. These chemicals lead to inflammation destroying the liver cells hence, causing the replacement of healthy tissues by scar tissues.
The amount of alcohol that leads to this condition is not yet known. However, consumption of 105ml of hard drinks or seven beers or seven glasses of vine or seven shots of spirits over a long period of time might put you at risk.

Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, abdominal tenderness, loss of appetite and often low grade fever.

III. Liver Cirrhosis
It is the most advanced form of liver disease which starts with fatty liver to liver Hepatitis and at last liver Cirrhosis. Sometimes a person might develop Liver Cirrhosis without undergoing Liver Hepatitis.
When the healthy liver tissues are replaced by scar tissues, it becomes difficult for the liver to function.
Hence, the body does not produce enough protein or filter the toxins as required. This leads to liver damage.
Symptoms include Jaundice, skin itching., Etc

• Note to the heavy drinkers
If you spot a yellow tinge on your skin, pain in the upper right portion of your abdomen or have a sudden weight loss, consult your doctor immediately.

• Bacterial growth in the gut
Sometimes because of alcohol, bacteria grows in the gut and then moves to the intestinal wall and then to the liver Hence, damaging it.

• Effects on heart
Alcohol causes a condition called cardiomyopathy, in which the heart becomes weak. It also causes irregular heart beat pattern known as arrhythmia.
Some people might also develop the problem of high blood pressure.


• Effects on Immune system
The people who drink everyday or almost everyday, might catch cold, cough, flue or other illness very soon as compared to the people who don’t drink.
Alcohol weakens your immune system and makes you prone to all the infections.


• Effects on respiratory system
Excessive drinking damages the lungs. The airway starts altering over a period of time, making the inhalation process difficult, decreasing the production of saliva and also increasing the risk of bacterial growth in the mouth. These factors further lead to lung disease and infections. As the immunity decreases, the risk of the spread of bacteria into the windpipe and lungs also increases.


• Respiratory system diseases

  1. Alcoholic Pneumonia
    Alcohol weakens the function of processing the bacteria in the body. The immune function in the lower airways is also weakened, thereby weakening the body’s ability to remove mucus from the lungs. This leads to aspiration.
    Pneumonia often leads to death.
    Symptoms include excessive coughing, fever or chills, chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, etc.
  2. Additional lung diseases caused by alcohol
    • Tuberculosis
    • Sepsis
    • Lung infection
    • Aspiration
    • Severity in asthma cases

• Other effects
It might lead to cancer of mouth, throat, liver, pancreas, oesophagus or breast.
Pancreatic inflammation is also a result of alcohol.

Hence, consumption of alcohol causes various harm to your body. So next time you brag about you drinking tolerance and capacity, know that the jokes are on you.
As we battle Covid-19, it’s important for us to do every possible thing and keep our immunity system strong.
Covid-19 affects the respiratory system therefore, we must avoid everything that affects our respiratory system.
As for alcohol, it affects our immunity system as well as respiratory system. So it’s a request to everyone to avoid alcohol as it makes you more prone to Covid-19. There won’t be any chilling if you won’t be living.

Is racism a much bigger issue than Coronavirus?

9 HORRIFIC MINUTES!! For 9 minutes Derek Chauvin, pinned down George Floyd, kneeling on his neck as the 46 year old black man’s woeful pleas ‘I cant breathe’ fell on deaf ears with three other officers watching Floyd’s distraught soul depart with no remorse. The horrendous murder in Minneapolis befuddled citizens across the globe, resenting this ghastly incident. Thus began a myriad of events in America that unleashed pandemonium in these already tumultuous times. worldwide. Americans took to the streets protesting vehemently, waving banners and billboards with fury, demanding justice against this heinous crime of police brutality. As police forces and the national guard have tried to trample the voices of the protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets, there seems to be no backing down among them. Their protest gained unprecedented momentum especially on internet with netizens going berserk, trending hashtags, people extending legal aid and financial donations, celebrities observing a moment of ‘Blackout’ on their social media pages.

This inferno of justice prevails worldwide with a recent crusade of shoving and dumping sculptures and statues of the tyrant, bigoted slave traders, colonial rulers, Confederate generals who have been glorified and idolized despite their brutal schemes and pro-slavery regimes. Powerful images of hordes of protesters jostling the statue of Edward Colston, a fraudulent philanthropist involved in slave trade into the Bristol harbor, United Kingdom. Along with the stone effigy of Leopold II in Brussels, Belgium being vandalized and disfigured and many revered imposters.

Alongside this anarchy there is the alarm death toll statistics due to COVID-19 which as of June 9th has crossed 1 lakh and 2.4 million confirmed cases in USA, 41 thousand deaths in UK followed by 3 lakh confirmed cases. Their respective urging citizens to abide by social distancing norms however, the palpable angst and fear that is prevalent worldwide. Furious protesters especially in America not deterred to crusade against these heinous crimes. It definitely made us question if racism was a much bigger issue than the current COVID-19 fear!

The first ‘Black Lives matter’ protest was initiated when a judgement on the shooting of Trayvon Martin was passed in favor of George Zimmerman and was let off the hook, scot free. This movement was nationally utopian and gained much acquiescence worldwide. It had shocked the conscience of millions. However, what changes the current scenario is the social media prowess for today’s situation. With millions of users glued to their phones, the protests in USA were brought into the public attention. This time there was no ambiguity in the injustice rendered against the innocent man, with recordings of the gruesome murder being circulated on the internet definitely awakened people. From guards manhandling protesters to George Floyd’s sad, poignant funeral service everything is present on the internet. People responded to the plight of these victims even through generous donations, promoting businesses run by the Black community or even providing them food services.

Also with a worldwide lockdown issued and unemployment, people have actually been able to take some time off their rigid routines and pay heed to these hate crimes. Simultaneously unearthing many such stories, like Breonna Taylor, a medical professional in Louisville who was struck at least eight times by the police on account of a ‘no knock warrant’ issued due to an alleged drug trafficking report. The spiking unemployment rate has definitely played especially in case of the African- American population. Also the appalling statistics of 2019 have quite contributed to this unrest. African Americans made up less than 14% of the population but accounted for more than 23% of the just over 1,000 fatal shootings by the police. The government paying no attention to the problems faced by the African Americans in terms of employment, housing, education this disdain definitely drove people to revolt against these current apartheid like times. So let’s question our anemic beliefs again, ‘Can we breathe now?’

Advantages of Reading News Online

We are growing day by day in the field of technology. Technology is involved everywhere, whether using a button to drive an electric fan or making a huge space vehicle. Similarly, the presence of technology is now taking place in reading news and regularly updating. Gone are the times when people usually wait to get news or watch television or read newspapers. The introduction of the Internet has led to the latest breaking news websites that provide a wide variety of information with an issue. Additionally, online readers have many advantages over offline readers.

There are the following benefits of reading news online.

  1. Less expensive: – Reading online news is less expensive because there is no distribution fee, no printing work which usually makes the newspaper more expensive and the readers have to read more by paying more. If you talk about reading online news, then you can read it using a little bit of your mobile data. It looks accessible as well as less expensive.
  1. Eco-friendly: – In the present scenario, the environmental issue matters a lot. Reading news online is a good step towards saving the environment. Hard copies contain paper, chemical inks that can harm our environment. To use paper, millions of trees are cut in one stroke and the same ink containing chemicals on the paper, which is found in the environment, contaminates it. Instead of reading news from magazines or newspapers, we can read it online, where no paper or chemical-use ink is required.
  2. Instant Edit and Update: – Online news gives information about any event immediately. The same takes time for collection, printing time as well as the distribution of material for offline reading, which is considered to be outdated in the time of this new modern world. As such, we can say how important it is to be updated immediately in the modern era and for which we have to depend on online news instead of reading offline news.
  3. Get a large amount of information: – Digital content requires less space to hold a large amount of information. Therefore, by reading online news, you get more types of news available depending on your interest. Here, along with any current news, you can get the information behind it, which will make it easier to understand.
  4. Easy to carry anywhere: – Carrying a laptop, mobile, tablet or digital watch is not a big task. And all these gadgets help you to access news digitally and instantly. If we want to take away any news printed in a newspaper or any information printed in a magazine, then it is a very difficult task, but you can take the news online anytime, anywhere.

In conclusion, we can strongly suggest that reading online news using your gadget greatly helps to get news, information and knowledge anywhere. In the modern era, the field of competition has become wider, for which it is very important to remain PR updated at all times. For which we will have to move towards online news and it will be necessary for the coming time.

Let us get to know some more about the families/partners of some of our favourite cricketers.

1) ROHIT SHARMA
The Telugu-Brahmin born and brought up in Mumbai married his manager and long-time girlfriend Ritika Sajdeh on 13th Dec 2015. Ritika is the cousin sister of Bunty Sajdeh, Virat Kohli’s sports manager. She is also the rakhi-sister of Yuvraj Singh. Rohit and Ritika have a 1.5 year old daughter Samaira Sharma born, too in December. Ritika lives with her mom, dad (Tina & Bobby Sajdeh) and brother Kunal Sajdeh in their flat in Mumbai whenever Rohit is out on tours. Rohit is often seen vacationing with Ritika and his in-laws in Maldives, the couple’s favourite holiday destination. Rohit’s parents too live in Mumbai with his brother and sister-in-law. Rohika are often seen campaigning for the ocean and marine animals. Ritika often accompanies Rohit on tours infact, she even took 3 months old Samaira to IPL matches in 2019 and guess what, Mumbai Indians claimed their 3rd IPL title that year.

2) SHIKHAR DHAWAN
Shikhar married Aesha Dhawan whom he met through Facebook in 2012. Aesha was a single mother of two lovely daughters Aliyah & Rhea and lived in Australia back then.
The couple gave birth to their boy Zoravar Dhawan in 2014.
Aesha used to live with her kids in Australia during Shikhar’s overseas tours. Presently, her daughters are staying with her parents in Australia while she is with Zoravar & Shikhar in Delhi. Shikhar is a very kind and modest family man who loves everything about being Punjabi, quite evident from his choice of music,food etc
  Aesha is an active spokesperson as far as feminist movements and parental counselling are concerned. She is friends with many WAGs. She has her own YouTube channel and also a platform for advising about being the right parents on Instagram.

    3) BHUVANESHVAR KUMAR
    Bhuvi married his childhood sweetheart Nupur Nagar in late 2017. Bhuvi and Nupur were neighbours in Meerut. They were very good friends. At that time and even during their teenage years, Nupur never actually knew or understood the seriousness of the sport as a career, as she felt that he was just playing. Though Bhuvi used to like her. Years later, they found each other on Facebook (another instance of social media uniting hearts). They met, went on several dates and made it official though not public. Months before their wedding, Bhuvi took to Instagram to introduce his lady love to the world. Nupur is also seen at many matches and is friends with other WAGs. She has an impeccable love for dogs but is always irked at Bhuvi’s cleanliness-related habits.
    They shared these inside details on Spicy Pitch Episode 6 by Cricbuzz. Checkout- https://youtu.be/1PqFy8OrfZE

    4) HARDIK PANDYA
    Hardik lives with his Mom, Dad, Brother (Krunal Pandya), sister-in-law (Pankhuri Sharma Pandya) and now also his fiancée (Natasa Stankovic). The couple recently announced their pregnancy and took internet by the storm. Before committing, Hardik had been linked with several other anonymous women from the industry. He himself spilled the beans, maybe a lot of them, in a Koffee with Karan episode. Anyway, he’s a gem of a person at heart who has truly worked hard to reach here. There was a time when he could just afford to eat a 10 Rs Maggi packet each day. Wishing Hardik all the very best for embarking upon this parental journey.

    A Break in Between

    The high school focuses on the textbook education of a child. As a student, you will be provided with insights on the Nazis and the best topography for the coniferous trees. But by the time you graduate from high school, you get so focused on your formal education that you are completely burnt out for the real world. There are still lessons waiting for you out there, many of which you need to learn before you enter your university and get a taste of the real world.

    Although most students head directly from the high school to the university courses, it can be healthy to take a break from school and focus on building your character for once. What most people don’t believe is that education can be continued outside a classroom too.

    A gap year is the answer for such students who are lost. It will give you the opportunity to take a breath before you dive headlong into university life. You can go to another country and instead of simply reading about the place you get a firsthand experience of its culture, traditions, and people. The change in scenery will aid in your networking and give you a global perspective on life.

    The one-year gap is a breather for you to understand what you want to pursue in your life. You will get the experience of making tough decisions and be more independent.

    Here are 4 benefits of taking a gap year in a country that is not yours.

    1. Accelerated maturity

    You can be a good student easily but there is nothing to support your statement. A gap year allows you to gain quality life experiences. You get to witness different things the world has to offer, from new sites to new foods. You learn about the people and more importantly, about yourself. Living in a place that is not your home allows you to handle things on your own, making you more responsible and self-reliant.

    1. Better performance in college

    If you are a student struggling to decide upon your major in college, the bridge year gives you a chance to explore your interests and allows you to make an informed decision regarding your field of study. It also gives you the time to refine the specific skills you feel you are lacking and catch up on them before you begin university.

    1. Boost your job prospects

    Since you return to college invigorated with a newly found confidence and perspective, you will have a better chance at any future employment prospects. You will be able to cater to the needs of diverse customers. Your time spent volunteering will be proof of your empathetic side which most employers seek while hiring.

    1. Discover a hidden passion

    In one year’s time, you can learn a new language or pursue a new hobby. Maybe you can even hone a previous skill of yours like writing, public speaking, and cooking. These skills will give you an edge in your career or help you in your personal life by making you feel relaxed. Either way, you’ll become a well-rounded person creating positive opportunities along your way and leading a rich and rewarded life.

    Image Courtesy: Google