Mughal Rule was the darkest period of Indian history

Book review of the book BABUR

Parmanand Pandey

Although I finished reading the book BABUR by Aabhas Maldahiyar almost four months ago, for reference's sake, I had to go through it again. This book was recommended to me by a friend, a well-read veteran journalist Jagdish Upasane, when I visited his house in Raipur a few months ago.

There is no doubt that the book epitomises deep learning and, the painstaking hard work of the Author. The Mughal rule was established by Babur, who came from Ferghana. He lived only for 47 years and ruled in India only for three years. He had a diabolical hatred for Hindus and Buddhists and his insensitivity knew no bounds.

During the entire Mughal rule, India remained an exploited and backward country. Some pro-Mughal historians keep on saying day and night that, unlike Britishers, Mughals did not loot Indian money to be sent abroad. But there is no denying the fact that despite vast resources at their command they did no developmental work. People were thrown to live in abject poverty. No canals, no roads worth name or arrangements for safety and security were developed.

While people were dying of hunger, Babur used to send huge offerings to Mecca and Madina. Money was paid to the people of Kabul by forcibly extracting it from the people of Hindustan. He gave one crore forty-eight lakhs and fifty thousand to one Shaikh Bayazid as a reward for crushing the rebellion. Babur granted ninety lakhs and thirty thousand to Mahmud Khan and 23 lakhs to Qazi Jia for the same task. The reward used to be given in Shahrukhi, which was an Islamic silver coin of roughly 4.6 grams and continued to be for almost the entire Mughal period.

Babur was suffering from the vice of pederasty i.e. he used to have with young male persons. Huge money used to be spent on Eid celebrations. Lakhs of rupees used to be sent every year to the descendants of Prophet Mohammad. Records tell that Akbar tried hard to become a Caliph but when things did not work well, he insisted on declaring himself ‘Padshah-i- Islam.’ A few years later he established’ Din-e- Illahi, as the religion was deeply embedded in the Timurid psyche. After Akbar came to Jahangir, who resumed the tradition of patronage for Haji. He writes in Tarikh-i-Salim Shahi that Rs two lakh was allocated for Haji.

The fame of India as a soft milch cow spread throughout the Middle and Near East. Records state that around Rs 30 lakh was spent by Aurangzeb between 1661 to 1667 for Islamic purposes. He used to send a gift of Rs lakh to Abdullah Khan, who was a deposed king of Kashgar. The cash flow to Mecca continued flawlessly under Aurangzeb through his agents. And this was done when the weavers who spun the finest brocades and garments went about half-naked.

Shah Jahan had organised a grand feast on Nauroz in AD 1628 and had gifted abundantly to each member of royalty. The imperial consort, Mumtaz Mahal received Rs 60 lakh from the treasury. Jahan Ara, his daughter from Mumtaz was granted 20 lakhs. The Mughal state was largely unproductive. Their investments were made in two main forms: hoarding precious metals and jewels. That was the British period in contrast was highly progressive, evolved systems and undertook many developmental works, but it is equally true that they also stashed away huge money to their own country.  

Thus, we find through this book that the Mughal period was the darkest period of India when subjects were exploited to satisfy the whims and caprices of Mughal rulers.

Artificial Intelligence Must be Introduced in the Judiciary to Make it Timesaving, Transparent and Corruption-free

. By Parmanand Pandey

"The millions mired in poverty here can only get rid (of it) when science is used in their interest. Such maximum application of science is only possible when scientific knowledge is available to Indians in their own country.” Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya spoke these immemorable words, emphasizing the importance of science and technology. What was true in those days is truer today. The need is to encourage and augment its use in all spheres of life.

Today the dockets of courts, from sub-ordinate courts to High Courts and Supreme Court, are cluttered with new and old cases. Some have been pending for decades together. Some two decades ago when I became an Adorate-on-Record in the Supreme Court of India, I went to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, along with my clerk to seek his help for E filing of the cases. He was courteous but in no position to help. E-filing was at the nascent stage.

As a result, one could see the long queues of Advocates, mostly young ones and clerks before filing and defect-curing counters. Filing and curing defects were the most tedious jobs. The Process of litigation was, undoubtedly, a big punishment, not only for both lawyers but also for clients. However, today with the introduction of technology things have completely changed. Earlier, after drafting on the computer, the printouts had to be taken. Many Advocates had to draft the cases in their own handwriting, then go for typing or composing.

Even computer typing or composing was considered to be a luxury. It was a tortuous exercise. Printouts were to be taken to be photocopied and then paper books were prepared for their filings. One can only imagine how much boring legwork had to be done before any case came for hearings before the judges. Only after that did the second phase of pummelling start. However, e-filing and curing defects have immensely reduced the burden and have proved to be time-saving. This process is eco-friendly. It has saved hundreds of tonnes of papers to be used in the Supreme Court itself.

Therefore, the live-streaming and virtual hearings in the courts are no less than a revolution. Its effect is very much visible to the judges, lawyers and litigants as well. Virtual hearings and live streaming should be made a rule to make better use of technology. A litigant or lawyer can address the court from anywhere in the country or even from abroad. With the abundance of availability of the internet, it has become all the more useful for every section of society, even for maintaining records.

The time has now come for the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Only Artificial Intelligence can root out corruption from the judiciary. It will help decide the cases at the earliest possible for which a litigant has to wait, nobody knows how long. Most of the cases can be decided through Artificial Intelligence, requiring an almost negligible number of judges or judicial officers. With the non-interference human faces, everything will be transparent and corruption-free.

It is expected that it will be introduced sooner than later by the government of dynamic Narendra Modi.

All reactions:

4Pandey Dewesh, Bipin Agarwal and 2 others

Introduction of e-filing in Allahabad High Court is a Welcome Decision

Parmanand Pandey

It is bizarre and surprising to learn that Advocates of Allahabad High Court are up in arms over the e-filing initiative of the High Court from all districts of Uttar Pradesh. It is beyond any logic that when the whole world is moving with science and technology, why lawyers are opposed to this welcome decision. It is also learnt that a Special Leave Petition (SLP) has also been filed in the Supreme Court against the introduction of e-filing.It hardly needs to be stated that the e-filing system in High Courts in India offers several benefits that streamline the legal process and make it more accessible. The keyadvantages are:

            Time and Cost Efficiency:

E-filing saves significant time and money for both advocates and clients by

eliminating the need to physically visit the court for filing documents.

Convenience: It allows for the online submission of cases and documents, making the process more convenient and less time-consuming.

Reduced Physical Meetings:

The need for in-person meetings between clients and advocates can be reduced, as much of the communication and document exchange can happen online.

Automatic Digitization:

As documents are filed electronically, they are automatically digitized, which

helps in creating a more efficient record-keeping system

Environmental Impact: By

reducing the reliance on paper, e-filing has a positive impact on the

environment.

Accessibility: The system

is designed to be bilingual (English and local languages), which makes it

accessible to a wider group of advocates and litigants

Portfolio Management:

Litigants and advocates can manage their cases more effectively with an online

portfolio and planner tools provided by the e-filing system.

Online Payments: Court fees

and other payments can be made online, which adds to the convenience and

efficiency of the process.

E-filing represents a significant step towards modernizing the judiciary and making the legal process

more efficient and user-friendly.

In this regard, the Supreme Court in general and the Chief Justice in particular deserve kudos for the use of greater technology including the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country. The Advocates are considered to be forward-looking persons in society and if they behave in such a manner, then it can only be condemned and chastised.

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Indian courts is an evolving area, with several applications being explored and implemented to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the judicial system. Here are some key points on the use of AI in Indian courts: AI in Legal Research and

Administration: AI is currently being used for tasks like automated contract review, legal research, and transcription services. It helps in processing information and making it available to judges for decisions.

Translation Services: The Supreme Court of India uses an AI tool called SUVAS (Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software) for translating legal documents between English and vernacular languages. Case Analysis: In some instances, AI tools like ChatGPT have been used to provide a wider perspective

on legal matters, such as in the case of Jaswinder Singh v. State of Punjab, where the Punjab & Haryana High Court sought input from ChatGPT for a bail petition. 

Transcription of Hearings:

The Supreme Court has utilized AI for the live transcription of proceedings, which aids in streamlining the administration of justice and could significantly benefit the district judiciary with increased efficiency.

Future Prospects: There is potential for AI to be used for case prioritization, categorization, scheduling, docket management, and even predicting outcomes based on records in the future.

It’s important to note that while AI can assist in various administrative and research tasks, it does not participate in the court's decision-making process. The human element remains crucial, especially in matters that involve complex legal reasoning and interpretation of laws. Integrating AI in the judiciary aims to complement the work of legal professionals, not replace it.

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The conduct of Kejriwal and AAP Leaders is Repulsive and Lowest of the Low

 

 Twenty days have elapsed from the incarceration of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, firstly in ED’s custody and thereafter in judicial custody. L’ affaire Aam Adami Party and Arvind Kejriwal have been controversial for over a year. He and his party have been claiming from housetops for the purity and transparency in public life. But nobody ever imagined that AAP and particularly its leader Kejriwal would plumb to such an unfathomable depth of immorality and opacity. Now leaders of AAP are saying that Kejriwal will continue to run the government from jail. However, the question is how will it be feasible? Will it not be a gross violation of constitutional propriety?

Mr Kejriwal had cocked the snook to the summons of the ED nine times and at long last he appeared at the directions of the court. If he had nothing to conceal in the liquor gate scam, he could have appeared at the first call but always avoided appearing by saying that the summonses of the ED were nothing but tools of harassment. Instead of assisting the ED in investigating the multi-crore liquor scam, he started thumping his chest by blaming it (ED) for working at the behest of a political party in power at the Centre.

In fact, in law, while the prosecution must prove the accused person to be guilty of the crime at the same time it is also the onus on the accused to prove his innocence. Kejriwal and other leaders of his party are in the dock, and it is a general perception that they have made money by illegal means. Their recent acts and insistence on running the government from jail further reinforce the perception of the public that the AAP government consisted of a bunch of criminals and corrupt persons. After all, jails are meant for criminals and not for constitutional functionaries. Seeing the conduct of Kejriwal and his party one finds that even Lalu Yadav, Hemant Soren and Jayalalithaa have been far better than these lumpen elements.

While in jail, Kejriwal will be kept as per jail manuals, then how can he hold the cabinet meeting from the prison cell? This shows that he and his party have no sense of shame in harping on running the government from the prison cell. This also reflects insecurity and the mens rea of Kejriwal otherwise he could have pleaded for the appointment of any person to be his successor as the Chief Minister of Delhi.

It is more shocking that why Lieutenant Governor is keeping silent over the constitutional breakdown of this magnitude.  Why is he allowing the wife of the Chief Minister to sit on his chair to read out his letters and messages without any constitutional obligations? Kejriwal should have been dismissed, if he declined to resign, on the day he was put in judicial custody.

The less said about the non-sensical speech of another AAP leader Sanjay Singh after his release on bail the better. His speech contained no substance; it was all froth and fury. It was hilariously ridiculous from beginning to end. His logic was full of the bravado of a dishonest politician.

Nobody had thought that a party which started with claims of upholding high moral virtues in public would go down in history with the abominable low level of immorality.