Contents
1. Edits
2. Articles
Putin's India Visit and Indo-US Nuclear 'Deal': Sukla Sen
3. Concerns :Nanded Blasts
4. Peace with the Neighbour
5. Campaigns: Sachar Committee
6. Anti Christian Violence
7. Five Years of Gujarat Carnage
8. Human Rights
9. Mapping the Present
10. Resources
Edits
The Valentine day every year is a time for the Bjarang Dal, Shiv
Sena types to break some greeting card shops, attack some young
couple and indulge in uninhibited violence. This annual ritual of
Hindu right-wingers was given a fitting reply by the All India
Secular Forum’s Bhopal Branch, which formed a Protection squad,
comprising of youth, equipped with Lathis. This majority of squad
members are girls. This year they wowed that if Bajrang Dal/Shiv
Sena indulge in the hooliganism they will protect the shops dealing
with valentine day items and the couples expressing their love. The
impact was magical and the Bhopal branch of Barang Dal backed out
from their usual intimidatory tactics, on one pretext or the other.
There is a valuable lesson in this. One knows these right wing RSS
associates as such are cowards of the worst order; they succeed only
because they are not confronted and given some protection by those
in power. One hopes that such courageous efforts on the part of
liberal democratic groups will not only reign in the vandalism of
these groups but will put the civic norms in place.
--
The blasts in Nanded on 10th February 2007, and the recent blast on
Samjhauta Express have shaken us again. One recalls that in the
earlier blasts in Nanded two Bajrang Dal workers were killed and the
narco test on the survivor revealed the deeper nexus of RSS
affiliates in blasts in different places. So far these links have
not been traced further, at least public is unaware of the same. The
Anti terrorist squad also confirmed the role of Bajrang Dal, but not
much was done as far as reaching the root of the problem is
concerned. One hopes efforts are made to pursue the on lines
revealed by narco test. The investigation of Samjhauta express
blasts needs to be done with all sincerity to nip the issue in bud.
We have been witnessing the repeat of tragic incidents far too
often, part of the reason being the lack of proper investigation.
Accordingly some social workers and rights activists have been
correctly asking for the investigation of the blasts being handed
over to CBI, rather than continuing with Maharashtra police set up
which has shown its deep biases, resulting in the continuation of
the problem and also a deep dissatisfaction amongst the section of
minorities.
Articles
(A)
An open letter to Rahul Dravid
Shamsul Islam
Dear Rahul Dravid,
Namaskar!
You, presently, lead the cricket team of India and wear the
National Flag, Tri-colour while playing for India in different
parts of the globe. You must be well aware of the fact that this
Tri-colour represents a Secular-Democratic India and team led by
you which includes players from different religions and regions of
the country, undoubtedly, symbolize the same reality. I hope you
are familiar with the
glorious heritage which the National Flag and a Secular-Democratic
polity represent. These are the
products of great anti-colonial struggle and ruthless fight against
theocratic politics represented by organizations like the Muslim
League, the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha. Despite the partition
of India on the basis of religion mainly forced by Muslim League and
dastardly killing of Father of
the Nation by persons affiliated to the Hindu Mahasabha and the
RSS, India chose to remain a non-theocratic state. That is the
significance of the Nation which you and your team represent and the
Flag which you display on your costumes.
I am sorry to write that by participating in the birth centenary
programme of M. S. Golwalkar (Guruji), the ideologue of the RSS,
in Nagpur on January 20, 2007, you have not only violated the trust
which this country has put in you but also saddened large sections
of your fans who love and adore you
because you and your team represent a Secular-Democratic India.
According to a report which appeared in the Hindi organ of the RSS,
Panchjanya (February 4, 2007, p. 11), ‘Indian cricket captain
inaugurated the Surya Namaskar Mahayagya programme in the Vidarbh
region (of Masharashtra)’. This campaign was organized by RSS ‘to
commemorate the birth centenary of Shri Guruji’ who
happened to be the second chief and the most prominent ideologue of
the RSS. The cover page of Panchjanya also shows you lightening
the lamp before the garlanded photograph of Golwalkar.
I do not know who led you to join this programme of the RSS but I
feel duty-bound to bring to your notice few crucial facts about the
RSS and Guruji who led it from 1940 to 1973.
The first Home Minister of independent India, Sardar Patel, held the
RSS responsible for the assassination of Gandhiji. He in a letter to
Golwalkar, dated 11 September 1948, clearly stated that it was
communal poison spread by the RSS which was responsible for this
tragedy. Without mincing words he wrote: ‘As a final result of the
poison, the country had to suffer the sacrifice of the invaluable
life of Gandhiji. Even an iota of the sympathy of the Government, or
of the people, no more
remained for the RSS. In fact opposition grew. Opposition turned
more severe, when the RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets
after Gandhiji’s death.’ I hope you know that consequently the RSS
was banned for its role in the assassination.
Dear Rahul Saheb! Golwalkar whose birthday centenary programme you
inaugurated was a die-hard fascist who rejected any talk of a
democratic-secular India. In 1939 he penned a terrible book We or
Our Nationhood Defined which ousted minorities like Muslims and
Christians from the Indian nationhood. Even after Independence, in
another book his Bunch of Thoughts, Golwalkar declared Muslims as
enemy number one and Christians as enemy number two of the
country. I wish you had
boycotted such a programme as you can vouch to the fact that many
Muslim and Christian players playing cricket with you have done
proud to the nation. Golwalkar also glorified dictators like
Mussolini and Hitler and insisted on adopting their methods for
cleansing minorities in
India. In his 1939 book while eulogizing Hitler he wrote: ‘German
race pride has now become the
topic of the day. To keep up the purity of the Race and its
culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of the
Semitic Races-the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been
manifested here. Germany has also shown how wellnigh impossible it
is for Races and cultures, having differences going to the root, to
be assimilated into one united whole, a good lesson for us in
Hindusthan to learn and profit by.’ It is really astonishing that a
renowned sportsperson like you
went to be part of programmes dedicated to such a nasty person.
I also would like to draw your attention to what RSS thinks about
the Tri-colour which you so proudly wear. When the Indian
Parliament decided to have Tri-colour as the National Flag, the
English
organ of the RSS, Organizer, (‘Mystery behind the Bhagwa Dhawaj’,
August 14, 1947) denigrated
this great choice in the following words: ‘The people who have come
to power by the kick of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour
but it never [sic] be respected and owned by Hindus. The word three
is in itself an evil, and a flag having three colours will
certainly produce a very bad psychological
effect and is injurious to a country’. The RSS has been demanding
the adoption of saffron flag as the National Flag of the country. It
also needs to be known that when the Constituent Assembly of India
finally passed the Constitution on 26 November 1949, the RSS
demanded that it should be
replaced by the Codes of Manu (Organizer November 30, 1949) which
openly glorified Casteism, upheld persecution of Untouchables and
denigrated women. Dear Mr. Rahul! You went to commemorate the birth
centenary of a RSS leader who hated democracy and declared (while
addressing the top cadres of the RSS at its Reshambagh headquarters,
Nagpur in 1940) that
Hindu India of his dreams needed only ‘one flag (saffron), one
leader and one ideology’.
Moreover, it is really unfortunate that you went to honour a person
who believed and practiced Racism. Interestingly, his kind of Racism
was blatant in glorifying the racial superiority of North Indian
Brahmins. According to a report in Organizer (January 2, 1961)
Golwalkar while addressing the
students of the School of Social Science of Gujarat University
declared: ‘In an effort to better the human species through
cross-breeding the Namboodri Brahamanas of the North were settled
in Kerala and a rule was laid down that the eldest son of a
Namboodri family could marry
only the daughter of Vaishya, Kashtriya or Shudra communities of
Kerala. Another still more
courageous rule was that the first off-spring of a married woman of
any class must be fathered by a Namboodri Brahman and then she
could beget children by her husband. Today this experiment will
be called adultery but it was not so, as it was limited to the first
child.’ This only showed
Golwalkar’s hatred for South Indians. Isn’t it shocking that you
went to honour such a person!
Let me end with the hope that a great cricketer like you who stands
as a symbol of Democratic-Secular India will not betray the trust
the country has shown in you and fall prey to the designs of Hindu
Separatism. Wishing you all the best.
Shamsul Islam.
February 6, 2007.
notointolerance@hotmail.com
(B)
Putin's India Visit and Indo-US Nuclear 'Deal'
Sukla Sen
“Russian President Vladimir Putin was [the] guest of honour at
India's Republic Day parade, showing warm ties still exist between
the former Cold War allies despite New Delhi's growing US tilt.” is
the text of a news capsule put out on the net by a leading
international news agency under the caption, ‘Putin
guest of honour as India rolls out military might’ describing the
Russian president’s recent visit to
India and linking it to the main report. The implications, and
lessons, of this visit, apart
from those seen and perceived in terms of international big power
rivalries as is the wont of
the run of the mill ‘security and strategic analysts’ – amply
illustrated in the above example, are
important from the viewpoints of the anti-nuke peace activists as
well.
The visit has shown up in graphic details the divergence and also
convergence between the Russian
and US interests, particularly on the issue of the ongoing Indo-US
Nuke ‘Deal’. That Russia has, on this occasion, signed an MoU with
India as regards supply of four additional nuclear reactors in
future for the Koodankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu has
been rather convincingly interpreted as an attempt on its part to
preempt American moves to sell their wares and corner the Indian
market, as and when and if at all the ‘deal’ eventually comes
through. The fact that only the other day Russia (Atomstroiexport),
and Frnance (Areva), had been pipped to the post by the US-based
corporate
Westinghouse, now a subsidiary of Japanese Toshiba, in the race to
secure a giant deal to supply four nuclear reactors to friendly
China with an estimated price tag of $5 to $8 billion must have had
made Putin all the more desperate. Rather paradoxically, but quite
self-evidently, this desperation has also impelled Putin to
demonstratively commit himself to garnering support for the American
initiative to change the ground rules of the 45-member Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG) to accommodate the
Indo-US Deal in the making.
Here it would be pertinent to recall that the US President George
Bush has inked the Henry J. Hyde Act on the December 18 last, as the
first major step, towards actualising the Indo-US Nuke Deal, which
had been outlined in the Bush-Singh joint statement issued on July
18 2005 at Washington DC and further developed and reiterated on
March 2 in the joint statement issued from Delhi.
The ‘Deal’, as when becomes operative, will enable India to have
‘civilian’ nuclear trade with the US,
and also the rest of the world, having been conferred the
quasi-legitimate status of a nuclear weapons
state.
As of now India as a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) is not entitled to such
facility and was specifically debarred since May 1974, when the
first Pokhran test was carried out.
The barrier was progressively raised and reinforced, and more so
since May 1998, when with another five tests carried out India
virtually gatecrashed into the exclusive club of nuclear weapons
states, albeit with a pariah status.
A couple of hurdles, however, remain to be crossed. As far as the US
is concerned, it will have to
conclude a treaty with India, popularly termed as the ‘123
Agreement’ laying down the specific terms and scope of cooperation
between the two countries along with the specific safeguards
ensuring strict
separation between the ‘civilian’ and ‘strategic’ plants being
properly codified. India will also have
to negotiate and finalise the scope and terms of inspection by the
International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) as regards the plants designated as ‘civilian’. Then the
whole package will go to the NSG for its
consensual approval. After crossing this hurdle it will be again
presented to both the houses of the
(reconfigured) US Congress. On its approval, the President will be
authorised to act upon it and the
‘Deal’ will finally come into operation. A very interesting aspect,
which has, rather surprisingly, not attracted the attention of the
media as yet, is that in the event of the ‘Deal’ passing through the
NSG barrier but floundering at the US Congress, for whatever
reasons, the other 44 members of the NSG would be able to have
nuclear commerce with India as per its amended rules, but the US
will not.
It is precisely this scenario the Russian, French, Canadian players
must at times be just fantasising
about.
Those who were trying to block or at least making a show of opposing
the ‘Deal’ exclusively in terms of
loss of India’s national sovereignty cannot but be highly
discomfited by the outcome the visit. That the
Indo-Pak-Iranian gas deal has made a bit of headway despite explicit
American opposition and while India is likely go on an armament
shopping spree from diverse sources in the coming days - a joint
military exercise is scheduled to take place in Russia, in the
northwestern Pskov region, later in September this year will further
underscore the essential untenability of such opposition.
Be that as it may, Putin’s visit with its promise of a string of new
nuclear power plants on the ‘Deal’
crossing the NSG hurdle has also clearly brought out how in this
present case the ‘energy’ and ‘weapon’ dimensions of the nuclear
issue are intimately intertwined.
Apart from other negative impacts in terms of increased strategic
proximity between India and the US
and also heightened nuclear danger to the South Asian region and the
world as a whole through the
undermining of the current non-proliferation order and moves towards
global nuclear disarmament, freer access to nuclear fuel and
technology will also trigger a mad race for building nuclear power
plants in the country, as has been exemplified by Putin’s promise.
Given the fact that nuclear power is as of now fairly uneconomic,
capital-intensive and thereby cost frontloaded, intrinsically
hazardous - from mining to power plant operations, potentially
catastrophic, acts as a major driver and facilitator for
manufacturing nuclear warheads, will crowd out investments and
efforts for ecologically benign alternate energy and there is as yet
no failsafe method of disposing nuclear waste and the old outlived
plants, the consequences would be nothing short of disastrous.
Concerns
Nanded
(A)
National Printer Friendly Page Send this Article
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Nanded blast "a possible explosive accident"
Staff Reporter
Inquiry calls for stringent action
MUMBAI: The explosion that killed two persons and damaged a biscuit
factory unit in Nanded on February 10 was not a fire accident but
a possible explosive accident, says preliminary findings of
Concerned Citizen Inquiry, conducted by Teesta Setalvad, Justice
B.G. Kolse-Patil and Arvind Deshmukh. The final report will be out
in a month, which will include details on the Malegaon blasts, the
recovery of RDX and several other recent events.
On February 10, 2007, at about 12.15 a.m., 28-year-old Pandurang
Ameelkanthwar died on the spot as the biscuit boxes he was carrying
exploded. His cousin, Dnaneshwar Manikwar, who sustained 72 per
cent burns, died on February 16 at the JJ Hospital in Mumbai.
Teesta Setalvad, socio-legal activist, wondered why the police
hastened to declare it a fire accident before getting the forensic
result.
She said there were two versions from Dnaneshwar, one saying it was
a short circuit and another saying he did it to claim insurance.
Justice B.G. Kolse-Patil said they went to the site with a
forensic expert, who did not want to disclose his identity, took
pictures, and interviewed people around the area. They also spoke to
the owner, the civil surgeon, fire brigade officials, SP Fatehsingh
Patil
and other police officials.
The expert opinion was that the shutter that took the impact of the
explosion would not have been thrown to a distance of 40 feet had
it been a normal fire. He also hinted at low intensity volatile
explosives.
The inquiry recommends: "The Central Government should keep a close
watch and monitor the increasing low intensity terror generating
activities being conducted by political outfits that
are misusing Hindu religion."
It also recommends "stringent action so that the accused in the
earlier Nanded blasts — including those never arrested despite
evidence — are arrested or not released on bail, as the case may
be. Proceedings of these investigations must be conducted in full
public glare."
(B)
Nanded Blasts From: Feroze Mithiborwala
There was a massive explosion in Nanded at a biscuit store at
'Shivkashi' the house of Shivram Manjrekar in Shastri Nagar. The
explosion took place on 12:30 am on Saturday 10th Feb. 2007
and it was so severe that one person, Pandurang Bhagwan Amilkuntwar
aged 30 years was killed on
the spot and another, Gyaneshwar Manikwar aged 37 years was severely
injured with 70 percent burns. The shutter of the front-side shop
was thrown off to a distance of 40 feet. The windows were burnt and
glasses cracked. The household were scattered everywhere with blood
and
flesh. Walls were cracked and the site was in total disarray.
The police initially took the case very leniently, with no senior
officer reaching the site for more than six hours. First it was
stated that the explosion was due to short circuit. The stock of
the biscuits caught fire and exploded. Later the theory put forth
was that it was a well thought of plan to claim Rs.15 lakh
insurance from Bajaj allianz to which the injured Manikwar had
recently subscribed and the
explosion was the result of vapourised petrol unable to escape from
the airtight godown. Nanded
superintendent of police Fatehsingh Patil, said he was completely
satisfied with the results of the investigations that "had laid to
rest for once all theories of a possible bomb blast by a section of
Hindu right wing"
The Police concluded the case even before the reports of forensic
experts came. The Police also claimed that the persons killed and
injured did not belong to any organization.The local people are not
ready to believe in Police theory. They still believe that this was
the evidence that the Bomb manufacturing Centre run by Right wing
Hindu extremists was still functional in the city. This
accusation is not baseless. It has strong foundations in a very
similar incidence that took place in the same city and in the same
vicinity in an astonishingly similar manner and that had generated
very much same response from the same Superintendent of Police, M.
Fattesinh Patil.
It was in April last year when a powerful bomb explosion at the
house of Rajkondwar, a retired irrigation department official, in
Patbhandare Nagar Nagar Nanded, killed two persons
Naresh Lakshman Rajkondawar, and Himanshu Venkatesh Panse. Three
others, Yogesh Ravindra
Deshpande Vidholkar, Maroti Kishore Wagh and Gururaj Jayaram
Tuptewar, were seriously injured. Another injured, Rahul Manoharao
Pande, managed to run off from the place, but was arrested later.
The response of the Police that time was exactly similar. First
they made contradictory statements. Beginning with the stance that
the explosion was due to firecrackers, they later changed that it
was due to a live bomb. No arrests were initially made. Soon after
the blast, a fire engine was rushed to the house and began spraying
water inside, although there was no fire as such. A lot of crucial
circumstantial evidences were washed away.
After a detail enquiry the irresponsible conduct of Police officers
was revealed. It was disclosed by the Special IG Police
Mr.SuryaPrakash Gupta that it was not an isolated event; rather a
bomb-manufacturing center (Bamb Nirmiti Kendra) was functional at
the house of Rajkondwar Later much more horrifying facts were
exposed. The Tehelka
Newspaper revealed that according to the narco-analysis and
brain-mapping reports, accused were being aided by state-level VHP
and Bajrang Dal officials to execute bomb blasts at mosques in
Parbhani, Jalna and Purna in central Maharashtra. According to
reports (The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Madivala, Bangalore,
Report Number: No/FSL/4876/FPS/187/2006)
conducted on Sanjay alias Bhaurao Vithalrao Choudhari, dated July
19, 2006, Sanjay operated with Himanshu Panse and three others —
Maroti Keshav Wagh, Rahul Manoharao Pande and Yogesh Ravindra
Widulkar. All four were trained in bomb making at the Akash Resort
at Sinhagad, Pune,
in 2003. Pande's brothers stayed near Sinhagad and he frequently
visited them. The report disclosed
that individuals associated with Hindutva outfits like the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the
Bajrang Dal are developing terror networks in north Maharashtra
targeting the region's Muslim population. [See for details *
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main24.asp?filename=Ne123006Nanded_blast_CS.asp
*<http://www.tehelka.com/story_main24.asp?filename=Ne123006Nanded_blast_CS.asp>
Tehelka says "A closer look at all the recent blasts that have
occurred in central Maharashtra reveal a pattern which seems to fit
with Panse's plan. All blasts (including the ones in Malegaon on
September 8) occurred between 1.45pm and 2.00pm at the most
prominent mosque in these towns, just after the Friday prayers,
when attendance is maximum"
Malegaon blasts accused are still behind the bars without any
concrete evidence. According to Tehelka " Many in Malegaon are now
contrasting the fate of those arrested in the blasts in their town
with those arrested in the Nanded blasts case. They say that
authorities have failed to nail the accused in Nanded despite plenty
of evidence being available against them, whereas the fate of those
arrested in the Malegaon blast case is anyone's guess although
there is hardly any evidence against
them."
It is in this background that the role of police becomes doubtful.
Maharashtra Police has very glorious record of putting under carpet
all the reports and allegations of the criminal advances
of the right wing Hindu forces. It has not so far arrested Bal
Thackeray despite of his continuous
chain of venomous articles and speeches. Justice Sri Krishna's
crystal clear report not withstanding, and despite of the electoral
promise of the Congress-NCP government, it could not dare to take
action against the mass-murderers of the 19993 Mumbai mayhem. It is
in this backdrop that no
body is ready to subscribe to the 'Five liters petrol-turned into
Gas-Could not escape-Exploded-Creating Massive Explosion theory'.
It is to be examined whether five-liter petrol, without any
external aid, can so instantly produce such gases that can explode
so violently? Some experts deny the possibility of such a miracle.
Marathi
newspaper Loksatta has also quoted some forensic experts denying the
possibility of Police theory being true. The Police statement that
the injured and killed were not connected with any organization are
also being widely disputed. Locals are confirming the Loksatta
(Dated 12th Feb.2007) allegation that Amilkuntwar was former Shiv
sena Shakha Pramukh and a Bajrang Dal activist. Locals also
believe in the connection of Amilkuntwar with the April explosion
at the house of Rajkondwar.
The gravity of the case demands immediate removal of the
irresponsible SP and handing over the case to CBI. It is not an
isolated event. Its fair enquiry can reveal the motives and plans of
Hindu terrorists in India and it may lead to a totally different
direction to the enquiries of many of the so far unsolved terrorist
cases in Maharashtra. There are widespread believes in some sections
that terrorist
activities in Mumbai, Malegaon etc. were masterminded by Rightwing
Hindu elements. Incidents like
Nanded strengthen such theories. The two incidents of Nanded should
be investigated in that direction also by an independent and fair
agency. Unfortunately Maharashtra Police does not have such
reputation.
Feroz Khan Ghazi and
Mujeeb Adil
(M.P.J.- Nanded)
Feroze
H. Mithiborwala (M.P.J.- Maharashtra)
Syed Iftikhar Ahmed (M.P.J.-Maharashtra)
Peace with the Neighbor
Panvel to Pakistan Cycle Expedition
March 1, 2007
Today (Thursday, March 1, 2007) morning at 09.00 am, nine youngsters
including two young girls took off from Panvel to Islamabad,
Pakistan on a cycle expedition. They were flaged off in a ceremony
which was well attended by their parents, well wishers, school
students, social and political activists. Admiral L Ramdas gave
green signal to commence an expedition of more than 3,000 km. On the
way, they will be meeting thousands of people, journalists, social &
political activists, law makers and they will emphasis on the
importance of peace and friendship.
The flag off ceremony was held at the Hutatma Smarak (Martyr's
Memorial). More than 100 school students had a Prabhat Ferri in
cycle in Panvel before the programme began. They carried placards
saying "Sarhad ke par se, Mohabbat ka paigam", "We want Peace",
"Friendship and love is the key to defeat hatred" etc.
Cyclists are staying at Shahpur, Dist.: Thane tonight. When I spoke
to Ms Shraddha Tisgaonkar tonight she and all colleagues were in
great mood. They cycled 75 km to reach Shahpur. Tomorrow early
morning they will have to clear Kasara ghat. They will pedal 90 kn
to reach Nashik. Our friend and PIPFPD member Vishwas Thakur will be
taking care of young pople in Nashik.
The atmosphere at Panvel was full of emotion. Everybody was
complimenting and expressing solidarity with each other. Admiral L
Ramdas said,"I was moved by your gesture and indomitable spirit to
spread the message of peace and brotherly relationships between two
neighbours through the adoption of this difficult journey. I am sure
you all will enjoy Pakistani hospitality."
Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, Vice President of PIPFPD, told," You are
navratna. (nine gems) of peace. I congratulate your guts and moral
convictions." Munawar Peerrbhoy and Jatin Desai also advise
youngsters.
Local MLA Vivek Patil, Panvel City Council President Prashant
Thakur, Prof. Pushpa Bhave, Vijaya Chauhan, Lalita Ramdas, Sukla
Sen, Varsha Rajan Berry, Shrikant Matondkar, Asad Bin Saif and many
other colleagues graced the occassion.
(Report prepared by Asad Bin Saif & Jatin)
Campaigns
To: Prime Minister of India, Members of Parliament, Chairperson of
UPA
The Prime Minister's High Level Committee, constituted in pursuance
of a notification issued by the PMO on March 9 2005, to probe the
social, economic and educational status of Indian Muslims had
submitted its report on November 17 2006 to the Prime Minister and
was in turn tabled in the Parliament on November 30 2006 by the
Minister of Minority Affairs. The seven-member committee headed by
Justice (Rtd.) Rajindar Sachar consisted of experts with high
credentials and impeccable integrity.
The committee collected, compiled and analysed data from various
governmental and non-governmental sources across 13 states. Given
the gigantic task, it must be acknowledged that the committee worked
with due diligence and submitted its report with minimum of delay to
the PM and the people's representatives.
The report, the first of its kind to be presented to the Parliament,
highlights a dark and dismal picture of the social, educational and
economic conditions of Indian Muslims. The report positions Indian
Muslim as a whole amongst the most backwards of all communities of
the Indian society.
Please visit website: www.indianmuslim.gov.in
Some of its stark and unflattering findings are:
1. Though Muslims have a share of 13.4 per cent in the country's
population, their representation in government jobs is a mere 4.9
per cent.
2. In the elite civil services, comprised of the Indian
Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and
the Indian Police Service (IPS), Muslim representation is as low as
3.2 per cent.
3. Only 3.4 per cent of the Muslim population has completed
graduation whereas the corresponding figure for non-OBC,
non-S.C./S.T. Hindus is 15.3 per cent. Literacy levels are also
similarly low. Only 59.1 per cent of the community are literate
while the national average is 64.8 per cent. The literacy level for
non-S.C./S.T. Hindus is 65.1 per cent.
4. Only 80 per cent of urban Muslim boys are enrolled in schools,
compared to 90 per cent in S.C./S.T. communities and 95 per cent
among others. Just 68 per cent of Muslim girls go to school,
compared to 72 per cent of Dalit girls and 80 per cent of girls from
other groups.
5. Incidence of poverty among Muslims has a Head Count Ratio (HCR)
of 31 per cent, which is second only to the S.C./S.T. HCR of 35 per
cent. Significantly, in urban areas Muslims have a higher HCR of
38.4 per cent as compared to 36.4 per cent for S.C./S.T.
6. There is a marked reluctance on the part of house-owners to sell
or rent out houses to Muslims; Muslim students are unwelcome in
schools; they are denied jobs and banks discriminate against them in
giving loans.
7. Out of the total 543 Lok Sabha members, only 33 are Muslim.
There are, however, mercifully a couple of positive observations as
well:
1. The Muslim community in India has an increasingly better sex
ratio than other socio-religious categories.
2. The child mortality rate is also low in the community. The
national Infant Mortality Rate stood at 73 in 1998-99 while it was
only 59 in the Muslim community. The figure was 77 among Hindus and
49 among Christians.
3. Muslims are on a par with other communities in housing and toilet
facilities are even better.
The reason for this across the board backwardness range from sheer
discrimination, to lack of awareness and education within the
community, to criminal callousness and indifference on the part of
the successive governments since Independence and the bureaucracy.
The PM's High Level Committee has done yeomen service by bringing
out into open and putting on record the dismal state of affairs and
the underlying issues and causes.
The Indian people as a whole cannot reach its full potential with a
large and soft underbelly, which remains underdeveloped, poor,
malnutritioned and uneducated.
The Committee has also suggested a number of 'general and 'specific'
policy initiatives that the State needs to adopt to correct this
anomaly specific to the large Muslim community constituting 13.4 per
cent of Indian population.
But unfortunately, though not unexpectedly, certain political forces
have started making unseemly noise to defeat this laudable move.
They are, apparently, scared that any State sponsored move to
acknowledge and authenticate the real situation of Indian Muslims
and better their conditions of day to day living would go a long way
to mitigate the widespread sense of alienation amongst them and
thereby greatly serve the cause of national integration. This cannot
but hugely damage their political interests as their very survival
is strongly linked to the sense of mutual suspicion, hatred and
animosity between different sections of Indian people divided across
religious identities.
It is these very forces which had earlier scuttled the move by the
Committee to collect data on the representation of Muslims in the
Indian armed forces and stop it from publishing whatever collected.
The way a fragment of the Prime Mister's speech in the National
Development Council is being distorted, misinterpreted and used,
even going to the extent of paralysing the proceedings of the
Parliament in session, to stir up adversarial passions is a cause
for real concern.
Under the circumstances, we, a conglomeration of activists and
social organisations spearheaded by the Movement for Peace and
Justice (MPJ) find it necessary to impress upon the Central Govt,
the UPA and the Hon'ble Members of the Parliament to ratify the
Report of the Committee and begin the process of implementing its
recommendations in right earnest.
Though we do recognise that despite the best of intentions the
Report has many critical uncovered gaps, we are of the firm opinion
that it is nevertheless a great beginning and a significant step in
the right direction.
We do specifically appreciate the summing up observation by the
Committee: "The Committee strongly suggests that the [State]
policies to deal with the relative deprivation of the Muslims in the
country should sharply focus on inclusive development and
'mainstreaming' of the Community while respecting diversity."
We would like to strongly urge the civil society, the youth, the
students, the trade unions, the academicians, the professionals, and
personalities with social conscience to join us and lend their
forceful voices so that the appeal is heard and heeded to.
We must reiterate that this is just not in the interests of Indian
Muslims alone, it'd serve the interests of equity across the board
and thereby the Indian people as a whole.
Anti Christian Violence
PRESS STATEMENT Guwahati, Assam, February 19, 2007
Dear Prime Minister, Why are BJP ruled states getting away with
anti- Christian violence?
AICU welcomes Manmohan steps on Development of Minorities, Northeast
Focus on SC status for Dalit, Urban Poor and landless Christians
[The following is the text of the statement by All India Catholic
Union President Dr John Dayal, Member of the National Integration
Council, Government of India, to the Press in Guwahati, Assam, at
the conclusion of the Working Committee Meeting of the Union, and
the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Catholic Association of
Guwahati on 17 and 18 February 2007. Dr Dayal and India Additional
Solicitor
General Kalyan Pathak were chief guests at the CAG Jubilee
celebrations. Guwahati vicar general Fr. Varghese, Don Bosco
Institute director Fr VM Thomas, and Fr Mark Lakra were present at
the colourful four hour festivities at the Don Bosco school presided
over by CAG President Milton Queah and his team including Mr. Allan
Brooks, treasurer Abraham Thomas, and Mr. Michael Brooks, An
inter-faith dialogue and an Oath of National Unity administered by
Addl Solicitor General Pathak were the highlights of the function.]
The All India Catholic Union congratulates Chief Minister Tarun
Gogoi and the people of Assam for the successful Asian Games held in
Guwahati this week. We also congratulate Manipur and Assam, two of
the Seven Sisters of North East India, for their excellent
performance in the Games.
A powerful message has gone our nation-wide from the Games. This is
that the People of India want Peace and the development that
accompanies it, and they reject violence, terrorism and coercion.
The
second lesson is that if adequate resources and affirmative action
are available, so called underdeveloped people can prosper and reach
out to dizzy heights of achievement and growth. This is true of all
people as it is true of the North Eastern States. India's religious
minorities are also looking forward to such affirmative action and
care.
The All India Catholic Union has already welcomed Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's recent statements committing development funds for
the North East and other under developed areas. We have also
wholeheartedly welcomed the report of the Justice Sachchar Committee
and the Manmohan Singh government's action programme for Muslim
welfare that has followed the Sachchar report.
Despite our several requests in the last two years to the Prime
Minister and to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Mrs. Sonia
Gandhi, the Christian community has been denied a similar assessment
of its economic infirmity, rural backwardness, urban poverty and
utter
lack of financial resources. For want of such resource and such
support, the Christian community has not been able to take steps to
benefit from economic liberalization, self employment and
entrepreneurship resulting from economic liberation.
The plight of the Dalit Christians continues to be abysmal because
they have been denied all benefits of Scheduled Castes in a most
illegal and criminal manner by past governments. We call on Dr
Manmohan Singh to instruct the Indian government's Counsel to
support the Dalit Christian cause in the Supreme Court when hearings
are held on Dalit Petition in April this year.
We also draw the attention of the Prime Minister and his government
to the continued high pitched hate campaign against the Christian
community in several parts of the country, in states ruled by the
Congress as much as in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party or
its other communal allies.
It is a matter of shame and concern to Democratic India that
Congress ruled state such a Himachal Pradesh has enforced mock
Freedom of religion act to target Christians and Buddhists at par
with the law in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. In states such as
Chhattisgarh, local governments have found new ways to harass the
community. The ruling BJP with all its others outfits are now bent
to curb all the services that the church is rendering to all the
people. To implement their agenda of harassment, the Collector, the
Sub Divisional magistrates and the Tahsildars, are using the 170 B
land regulations
indiscriminately only on our Christian Institutions. All the heads
of the Institutions are receiving court summons to appear in the
court. Priests and nuns are asked very impertinent questions.
Worse of course is the multitude of acts of violence, including rape
and murder of Christians, in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisharh,
Rajasthan, Gujarat and now, increasingly, Karnataka. The government
must bring it to a halt using the law of the land. The dark shadow
of fear must be removed from the minds of the community.
---------
Issued by Dr John Dayal and released for Publication in the Media
Five Years of Gujarat Carnage
(A)
Justice, Democracy, Freedom and rehabilitation: Last five years
Five years have passed since the carnage in Gujarat in
February-March 2002. Five years and we
still wonder about the status of Muslims in Gujarat today. What is
the status of the camps?
Have the displaced Muslims found homes again? Were the guilty
punished? What of the innumerable Muslims booked under POTA for
suspected involvement in the blasts? What of the women who were
subjected to sexual assault? Following the massacre in Gujarat there
were discussions on the need for a communal violence bill; a number
of reports including the report of
the International Initiatives for Justice were published
recommending laws against such pogroms.
And yet, five years have passed and there has not been a single
conviction of any of those who raped
murdered and displaced thousands of Muslims. At the same time there
are a number of Muslims still
languishing in jails for their suspected involvement in the blasts.
Zahera has been punished for being a pawn in the game of politics.
Is it an exaggeration to say that in our country any crime by a
Muslim is punished but any crime against a Muslim is not?
With the passage of time Gujarat has become another memory along
with many others, added to a
list of riots and pogroms the country has had to deal with. What
will prevent future Gujarat? What
is the responsibility of civil society? Of the government? Are we
safe from the nazi trend in politics of which Gujarat is an
example? What is our accountability to the Muslims of Gujarat and
of the country?
To discuss this and issues of Muslims in Gujarat we invite you to a
public meeting on 3rd March 2007
at 5:30 pm at Kitte Bhandari Sabhagruh, 18 Gokhale Road(North),
Dadar (west),Mumbai 400028. Phone no: 24453779, 24460752 Do join us
in the search for answers. The speakers who will address us have
worked extensively on issues of communalism. They include Harsh
Mander, Trupti Shah, Mihir Desai, Mukul Sinha and Javed Akhtar.
Chayanika Shah will chair the meeting.
In Solidarity
Awaaz-e-Niswan,
(B)
NO MORE GUJARATS!
Five years after the carnage in Gujarat in 2002, the wounds refuse
to heal. It bears repeating that this was a massacre unprecedented
in independent India, openly led by the State against its own
citizens, and it left over 2000 dead and lakhs displaced,
terrorized, and scarred. At a conservative estimate, well over 300
women were sexually brutalized in horrific ways, raped and killed in
full public view. We as citizens of India stood up and asked for
Justice for all the victims of the Gujarat carnage, whether it was
the Sabarmati train victims or the post Godhra victims.
And yet this is the situation in Gujarat today:
Ø 20,000 people from the Muslim community, driven away from
their homes in March 2002, still live in rehabilitation camps across
Gujarat.
Ø Meanwhile the Gujarat government returned Rs 19.1 crores of
the money it received from the Central government for resettlement,
saying there were no more refugee camps.
Ø About 5,000 Muslim families have relocated to live in some 69
makeshift resettlement colonies across the state. All of them have
no means of livelihood, suffer from lack of sanitation and other
facilities, and face continuous harassment from the police.
Ø So far no one has been punished for the crimes committed.
Murderers are roaming free in Gujarat. People cannot return to their
villages or their lands as the State Government refuses to give them
any protection and protects the guilty.
Ø Films approved by the Indian Censor Board, whether it is
Aamir Khan’s Fanaah or Rahul Dholakia’s Parzania, are being banned
by these same guilty communal groups. With State support, the
Hindutva forces are continuously taking law in their hands and
violating the constitution of India.
So long as justice eludes the survivors, so long as their scars
remain unacknowledged, and so long as the State does not come
forward with reparations for harms inflicted on scores of innocents,
the constitutional promise given to all Indian citizens,
irrespective of caste, religion and gender, remains violated. So
long as Hindutva forces openly violate the law of the land and are
not punished by the State, no person can be free of fear and terror.
Let us come together so that:
All the victims of communal carnage are given justice.
Every person’s right to free expression, right to livelihood and
security is protected as guaranteed under Indian Constitution and
law.
Processes of democracy are strengthened and no one takes law into
their own hands.
Let us build a democracy, where everyone is ensured justice,
freedom, and the right to live. There cannot be any peace without
justice.
Forum Against Oppression of Women, Awaaz-E-Niswaan, Lesbians and
Bisexuals in Action, Akshara,
-----
(C)
Hiren Gandhi,
(CO-ORDINATOR. ‘SUCH KI YADEIN: YADON KA SACH’.)
Contact Nos.: 079-2681 5484, 6541 3032, 9426181334
Sach ki Yadein, Yadon ka Sach
(26 February–3 March 2007)
Gujarat 2002 witnessed an estimated killing of 2000 people, rape of
approximately 400 women, property damage worth Rs 3800 crores,
around 1100 restaurants destroyed, 563 religious places (302
dargahs, 209 mosques, 30 madrassas, 18 temples and 3 churches)
destroyed or damaged. About 2.5 lakh people were directly displaced.
Recent surveys reveal that 5,000-10,000 families are still living in
around 80 relief camps, not recognized by the state govt. and
without any basic civic amenities! Out of a total 4252 FIRs lodged
(minuscule, compared to unofficial figures), 2208 cases were
summarily
closed and most of the accused were released within one year of the
carnage. 214 people are still
languishing in jails under POTA, all Muslims barring five!
The legacy continues! The politicians are still reaping benefits;
academics are still trying to make sense of it for the long-term
future of Indian democracy; media persons are still divided over it;
activists are still trying to wrest for the victims whatever
minuscule doles they can from an
otherwise hostile state and the victims are still struggling to make
two ends meet or to come to terms with the nightmare they had to
undergo. Meanwhile the memory of it all is being overwritten!
It is being touted instead that all is well with the proverbial
Gujarati world and the state
continues to march on its way to glory. Those raising doubts are
portrayed as conspiring to divide the five crore Gujaratis. The
pathetic condition of the minorities does not raise any concern
rather
becomes a solid example to showcase the state as ruthless and hence
very focused. And what is the state’s track record on other fronts?
Gujarat’s status remains as number five in debt. According to NSSO
May 2005, each of the 48 lakh farmers in the state is reeling under
a debt of Rs. 15526.
Officially, in the three years till 30 June 2006, 100 dalits have
been murdered.
Gujarat is also number five in the worst sex ratio record. At the
same time, small-time thugs are
not allowing Fanaa and Parzania to be screened inside Gujarat; are
forcibly breaking inter-religious marriages apart and working for
intense polarization among the tribals against the minorities.
The happenings of 2002 form the larger backdrop against which the
events continue to unfold. How do we then pursue, an honest
admission of truth and moral responsibility through a collective and
public
exercise as well as state’s responsibility for the acts of its
organs or agents and for its own
failure to prevent or adequately respond to the commission of gross
human rights violations, remains the challenge. One continues to
demand for the right to fair and adequate compensation; the right
to restoration of the situation existing prior to the violation;
the restoration of dignity and the right to a guarantee, by means
of appropriate legislative and/or institutional intervention and
reform, that the violation will not be repeated. A crucial aspect in
all this is the symbolic reparation, especially in the backdrop of
the gravest threat of ‘erasure from memory and history’,
encompassing a process of
remembering and commemorating the pain. It aims to restore the
dignity of victims and serve
as a continuing reminder. As we know, post-holocaust Germany is an
example of that.
It is in this spirit that this six-day event is being organised. To
serve as a platform where all of us stand together for preserving
the ‘memory’ against ‘forgetting’.
--
Human Rights
(From Human Rights News)
Fertility amongst Muslims
Muslim fertility fall sharper than rest
New Delhi, Feb. 18: The Sach Committee report on the Muslim
community has nailed the lie on the issue of Muslim reproduction and
the "prevailing Muslim conspiracy" to reduce Hindus to minority
status. The report, quoting extensively from Census reports and the
National Health Survey, highlights how the last decade has witnessed
a sharp decline in Muslim fertility rates as against the rest of the
population. Estimates show that the total fertility rate (TFR)
among Muslims declined from about 4.3 to 3.6 in the 1990s, a
reduction of about 0.9 points. During the same period fertility
rates for the population as a whole declined from about 3.4 to 2.9,
a reduction of nearly 0.5 points. The decline in fertility among
Muslims was, therefore, sharper than average. Dr Rakesh Basak, an
economist with IIM Ahme-dabad and a member of the committee, points
out that at present "there is (only) a 0.7-point difference between
the Muslim and the average fertility rates. While the average
fertility rate is 2.9, for Muslims it is 3.6." Dr Basak emphasises
that 37 per cent of Muslims use contraceptives against a national
average of 48 per cent. Therefore, contraceptive Usage is about 10
percentage points lower among Muslims than the average. However,
there are significant regional variations. The use of contraceptives
amongst Muslims is more widespread in Madhya Pradesh and
Chhattisgarh than amongst Hindus in these states. In Gujarat, there
is hardly any difference in the use of contraceptives across
religious communities. In general, the report observes,
contraceptive usage goes up with education and development and all
communities benefit from such changes. Of course, the availability
of various contraceptive options also plays a major role in
enhancing contraceptive use. Dr Basak says, "Data shows that on an
average Muslims prefer using reversible methods of family planning
as compared to nasbandi (sterilisation). This is true of several
Hindu communities as well." He adds, "If there are severe
supply-side constraints in the availability of the preferred
contraceptive options, adoption may suffer. There is evidence to
suggest that the unmet needs of the Muslim population for reversible
methods of family planning are high." …….. (Asian Age 19/2/07)
"Muslims' backwardness rooted in regional context"
NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam
Ramesh on Saturday said the Government alone could not address the
backwardness of the Muslim community. It must be backed by political
will and community initiative, he said, adding that the status of
Muslims was rooted in the regional context as their condition in
South India was better than in the North. Addressing a national
consultation on `Social, Economic and Educational Implications of
the Sachar Report on Muslim Women,' the Minister said while the
Sachar Committee made a detailed analysis, it failed to reflect on
the connection between the general backwardness of North India and
the status of Muslims in the region. Mr. Ramesh cited the Sachar
Committee's observation that only about a lakh SHGs were located in
minority-dominated areas. "But, the fact is that 80 per cent of the
SHGs is in South India." He said Muslim women were particularly
backward. This was borne out by the lower fertility rate among the
Muslim women of South India. "So, the focus should be on the larger
issue of backwardness of North India" as the benefits of development
percolated to all communities as was proved in the South. Using the
incidence of polio to support his argument for a community
initiative in addressing backwardness among Muslims, he said 540 of
the 667 polio cases reported from across the country in 2006 were
from Uttar Pradesh. "When Muslims of South India administer the oral
polio vaccine to their children, why is it that their counterparts
in the North say the OPV will make their kids impotent?" He said
State Governments must take the lead in providing reservation on
social and economic grounds — as was done in Kerala and Karnataka —
to broadbase education among Muslim women. On SHGs, Mr. Ramesh said
the movement was very rural-based whereas Muslims were
urban-centric. (The Hindu 11/12/07)
Meeting on Sachar report
New Delhi, Feb. 10: National Commission for Minorities chairman
Hamid Ansari on Saturday said, the effective implementation of the
Sachar Committee’s recommendations will not be possible without
first solving the problems faced by the Muslim women. Speaking at
the National Consultation on Social, Economic and Educational
Implications of the Sachar Report On Muslim Women, Dr Ansari said,
"Implementation of the Sachar report must take women’s issues into
notice. If it is not done, only 50 per cent of the Muslim population
would be benefited and the whole process would be absolutely
defective." Focusing on key development areas such as education,
health as well as economic empowerment, the day-long consultation
organised by the Guild of Services, All India Democratic Women’s
Association, Muslim Women’s Forum and the Justice Sunanda Bhandare
Foundation laid stress on the need to create awareness and educate
Muslim women for the benefit of the community. Calling for a
national solution to Muslim community problems, the consultation saw
speakers stress on the need to find a common and not separate
solution. "There cannot be Muslim solutions to Muslim problems. It
has to be a common solution," academician Imtiaz Ahmed said.
Seconding his view was Prof. Akhtrul Wasi of Jamia Millia Islamia
University, who noted that the Sachar recommendations should be made
into a development issue and not a political one. Muslim women, it
was felt, were suffering due to the incorrect interpretation of the
Shariat. While CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali pointed out that,
"Shariat laws are being interpreted against women by some people
with vested interests. Public opinion must be created for reforms in
the interpretation of the Shariat laws." (Asian Age 12/2/07)
Muslims killed in fake encounters: Bukhari
Lucknow, Feb. 11: The United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the
Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Maulana Syed Ahmad Bukhari, has alleged
that a large number of innocent Muslim men have been shot dead by
the UP police in fake encounters during the Mulayam Singh regime.
The UDF has demanded an independent inquiry into the fake
encounters by the National Human Rights Commission to "expose" the
truth. "Even the five young men killed in an encounter with the
police during the militant attack on Ayo-dhya were innocent. If they
had been terrorists, the police should have made efforts to catch
them alive and unravel the entire conspiracy behind the attack.
Muslim youth are being termed as terrorists and are then shot dead.
How come in all such encounters, not a single policeman was killed?"
Mr Bukhari said at a press conference here on Sunday. Replying to a
question, he said that the main accused in the Varanasi blast case,
Maulana Vali-ullah, was also innocent and had been wrongly framed by
the UP police. The UDF president said that the law and order
situation in Uttar Pradesh was at its worst and the Muslim community
had been at the receiving end all along. "Whether it is the riots in
Gorakh-pur or the Allahabad madrasa rape incident, the police, along
with the Hindu Vahini, have been unleashing terror on Muslims and
this government had forfeited its right to remain in power," he
stated. Mr Bukhari said UP chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was
hand-in-glove with communal forces and his recent meetings with RSS
and Hindu leaders proved it. "Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav claims to be
pro-Muslims but he has merely used Muslim sentiments to capture
power. If he genuinely respects the sentiments of the Muslim
community, why has he not issued a fresh notification in the Ayodhya
case so that senior BJP and VHP leaders can face trial?" he asked.
He said that parties like the Samajwadi Party and the Congress has
taken advantage of Muslims for almost six decades in Uttar Pradesh
but the UDF would not provide leadership to the community on its
own. …. (Asian Age 12/2/07)
HINDUTVA
After Rajnath, RSS praises Modi as a 'statesman' (26)
New Delhi : In what appears to be an act of balancing, the RSS has
heaped praises on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, projecting
him as a true statesman in the latest issue of Organiser, the
mouthpiece of Sangh parivar. In its previous issue, the Organiser
had poured similar kind of praise on Bharatiya Janata Party
president Rajnath Singh for his leadership qualities. Modi, whose
ouster from the Parliamentary Party Board of the BJP kicked off
debate inside and outside the party, has been praised for setting up
Kanya Kelavani Nidhi funds for the cause of girl education.
"Commitment, conviction and concern are the basis of any revolution;
they discriminate (read distinguish) a statesman from a politician,"
the Organiser states in comment on Modi's innovative endeavour for
furthering the cause of girls' education. Enjoying the status of a
towering figure in the BJP with a pan-India image, Modi was the only
BJP Chief Minister on the party's Parliamentary Board that decides
about the appointment of chief ministers and leaders of the party in
the State Assemblies as well. His dropping from such an important
party body by Singh hit the headlines along with the stripping of
Arun Jaitley, a senior general secretary from the post of the chief
party spokesperson. "The dedication of a person of the stature of a
Chief Minister deeply influences society as a whole. People were so
touched by Modi's commitment for the cause of girl child education
that in public functions, instead of felicitating him by gifts or
souvenirs, they started donating cheques for Kanya Kelavani Nidhi,"
the Sangh weekly said. "For this benevolent cause, they have
voluntarily handed over more than Rs 11 crore to their beloved
leader. This only reaffirms that when the intentions are noble and
the commitment cent per cent, support flows from all directions,"
the weekly in English added. "In a period of 41 years, his 13
predecessors had deposited a meagre amount of Rs 4.55 lakh, whereas
present Chief Minister Modi has deposited Rs 287.37 lakh in a period
of five years. He has, thus, set a new example of adding to the
State exchequer a trend that may prove difficult for his successors
to follow," the write-up says. (The Hindu 12/2/07)
COMMUNAL VIOLENCE
Curfew relaxed in Indore
BHOPAL: Curfew was relaxed in Indore between 3 and 6 p.m. on Tuesday
and no untoward incident was reported from the city. Three police
station areas were brought under curfew on Monday following clashes
between members of two communities. A peace march, which Ministers
Himmat Kothari and Kailash Vijayvargiya joined, was taken out
through a two-km route passing through the disturbed areas in the
afternoon. Community leaders and people belonging to different
religions participated. They raised slogans to reassert the spirit
of secularism and communal amity. Home Minister Nagendra Singh told
The Hindu that the situation in Indore was under control. He said
extra police force had been rushed. (The Hindu 14/2/07)
BJP MP's son held for riot in Gujarat
Ahmedabad, Feb. 15: Bhavesh, the son of BJP member of Parliament
Babu Katara, was among four persons arrested in connection with a
2002 post-Godhra riot case, the police said on Thursday. • They were
arrested on Wednesday , for their alleged involvement in a" murder,
arson and loot case in Jhalod town of Dahod district, in Gujarat,
during the post-Godhra riots. The other three who have been arrested
are Mr Chandrakant Patel, Mr Jignesh Patel and Pappu, alias Yogendra
Aganval. Mr Katara represents Dahod Lok Sabha constituency. Dahod
superintendent of police A.K. Pandya said the four accused were not
mentioned by the victims in the original police complaint,
registered in 2002 after the riot incident. However, the victims
submitted an affidavit in court in 2004, two years after the
incident, saying that these four people were also involved in the
riot case in Jhalod town, he added. "We haye arrested the four,
including the son of the Lok Sabha MP* based on the .affidavit in
the court," Mr Pandya said. (PTI) . (Asian Age 16/2/07)
CPI (M) to discuss steps for betterment of Muslims
NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) plans to
deliberate on the steps it thinks are needed to address the issues
concerning the Muslim community in the wake of the recommendations
of the Justice Rajinder Sachar panel report. "The Polit Bureau would
finalise its approach on the needs of the Muslim community based on
the Sachar Committee report including education and employment,"
party general secretary Prakash Karat told The Hindu . The Polit
Bureau meets here this weekend. He said the party would finalise a
document that could then be put up for discussion among people
especially those belonging to the community before coming up with
specific suggestions. The party's Minority Affairs Committee that
went into the entire issue has prepared a draft document suggesting
steps like the possibility of inclusion of some categories of
Muslims under Article 341 of the Constitution. Article 341 provides
that the President may with respect to any State or Union Territory,
and where it is a State after consultation with the Governor
thereof, by public notification, specify the castes, races or tribes
or parts of or groups within castes, races or tribes which shall for
the purposes of this Constitution be deemed to be Scheduled Castes
in relation to that State or Union Territory, as the case may be.
The party was of the view that in many cases Muslims belonging to
Other Backward Classes have not been included for the purposes of
benefit. The opinion was that the matter varies from State to State.
To cite an example, the party members said for instance, Muslim OBCs
in U.P. constitute more than Yadavs who were around 9 per cent. Yet
over 50 per cent of the jobs go to Yadavs while the Muslims get
between 2 per cent and 3 per cent. Earlier, the party had mooted the
idea of a separate sub-plan earmarking 15 per cent of the funds for
Muslims on the lines of special allocation for tribal people. In
addition the document to be discussed talks of education and
employment. (The Hindu 16/2/07)
Mapping the Present
INDEPENDENT PEOPLES' TRIBUNAL
ON
FASCISM’S RISE AND THE ATTACK ON THE SECULAR STATE
A. BACKGROUND
Jawaharlal Nehru about eighty years back had said that ‘if fascism
comes to India it will come in the form of communalism’. Most
leaders and intellectuals did not realize the gravity of the
formulation. They did not have to, for the reason that most
individuals or organized communalists occupied positions at the
farthest end of the periphery of Indian socio-political ethos. No
one took them seriously or in other words they were not perceived as
a threat to secular democratic fabric as it was weaved by the
leadership after India own its freedom.
Subsequent pronouncements of the Supreme Court laid down that
secularism forms part of the basic structure of the constitution.
In S.R. Bommai’s case the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court
said, “The state has no religion. It stands aloof from religion.”
When the secular forces and civil society were engaged building the
nation and grappling with the questions of development such as
eradication of illiteracy, poverty, epidemic, floods and famines,
the communal formations both Hindu and Muslim, abetting each other,
were busy creating a communal mindset. Drawing strength from the
fabricated history and fictitious present day realities, the hate
campaigns, unleashed by especially the Hindu right , gradually
corroded the secular and democratic fabric of the country. They are
no more on the periphery. Through covert and overt operations they
today occupy fairly large spaces particularly in northern parts of
India. The Gujarat genocide perpetrated by these forces shook the
people of the country. The enormity of operation as was unfolded in
Gujarat makes it imperative for civil society to look at the process
of genocide closely and draw lessons.
Activists are aware about these dangers and different strategies
have been adopted to battle them. Grass root mobilizations,
sensitisation workshops, training sessions, academic intervention,
and judicial challenges have all been adopted to a greater or lesser
degree. Though information about the spread of fascist forces and
strategies adopted against them is available from all parts of the
country we believe that at this juncture we need to have a macro
level picture of the spreading cancer. No doubt this can be done
through national level seminars or partially even through e- mails,
etc. But there is no substitute for actually hearing testimonies of
victims and activists and based on this arrive at a macro level
picture.
B. NEED FOR A TRIBUNAL
We have been involved in a number of peoples' tribunals and our
experience has shown that though, these tribunals represent only one
aspect of the strategy, they are an important tool. Tribunals serve
the following objectives:
For any political and social change to occur an in depth
understanding of the problem is required.
The testimonies of the victims and the report of the Tribunal can
be used for legal initiatives to strengthen the secular structure
of the state.
The tribunals act as a recorder of history which may otherwise be
lost
The issue gets much more media coverage and gets highlighted in
public spaces.
The Report is used by organizations for lobbying of their issues.
The report, if properly done, has tremendous credibility at the
national and international level and at times can influence courts
and policy makers.
After the Gujarat carnage and particularly after the change of
government at the Centre, it was thought that the communal build up
was on hold or on the decline. However reports from all over
India, including the South and Central states, indicates an alarming
spread of fascist ideology and activities and a deeper penetration
into education and the arms of the state. It is a cancer that seems
capable of growing in all political environments.
C. PRESENT TRIBUNAL AND ITS LOGISTICS
The Independent Peoples' Tribunal, which is planned, is a small step
towards this. The object is to have a panel of judges, which include
retired High Court and Supreme Court judges, academicians,
journalists and other media persons, activists as also retired
police officers, bureaucrats and media persons. The panel will take
testimonies of different groups and individuals- victims, activists
and academicians from across the country and draw a nation wide
picture of the rising face of fascism.
The dates for the IPT are March 23-25, 2006. It will be organised at
Indian Social Institute, Lodi Road Institutional Area, New Delhi.
D. CO- ORGANISERS
Anhad and Human Rights Law Network have taken the initiative to
organise this Tribunal. The task is stupendous. Obviously it cannot
be undertaken by one or two organisations. We need to make it a
collective national level effort. We would therefore request you/
your organization to participate in this effort. Participation would
involve all or at least some of the following:
Being a joint co organiser of this process
Identifying issues nationally as well as locally which need to be
taken up by the Tribunal
Identifying and contacting other groups which can be part of this
process as also names of panel members
Helping to identify 15-20 individual/ groups from your state to
depose at the Tribunal.
Volunteering to compile the existing material on the issue.
Assisting in Report preparation
Fund raising for the project
E. ISSUES TO BE TAKEN UP AT INDEPENDENT PEOPLES TRIBUNAL
Overview of Rise of Anti Democratic Forces in India
Increasing spread of majority communalism
Growing intensity of riots and spread to newer areas
Failure of the State machinery
Links between the government/ state and non-state actors – use
of the law to promote anti-democratic forces
Education
§ Communalisation of Mainstream Education
§ Changes in Curriculum
Spread of communalisation through schools run by various
communal groups
Attacks on minority schools
Funding grants – discrimination in distribution of grants
Discrimination of secular scholars and academicians
3. Communalisation of Culture
§ Rewriting of history
Insistence on Unitary Versus composite culture
Attacks on places of worship- Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Bhoj
Shala destruction of places of worship in Gujarat and other
states, attacks on churches at various places
Dress Code
Policing of Culture
4. Role of Media
§ Media- especially the role of vernacular media, electronic
media
5. Conversion
Extent of conversion and how big is it really an issue?
Anti conversion laws
“Hinduisation” of tribals
Connected issues such as separate census of Christians
6. Hate Speech
§ Extent and nature of hate speech
§ Circulars and handbills issued by communal organisations
against Muslims and Christians
§ Legislative response to hate speech (S.153A, 153B, 505 of
the Penal Code)
§ Judicial response to hate speech
§ Administrative failure to respond to hate speech
7. Riots and Other Attacks
§ History and causes of major riots in different parts of
India
§ Impact of riots on various communities
§ Role of the fundamentalist organizations in riots
§ Role of administration in riots
§ Paramilitary forces of communal groups
8. Police Force
Reports of various Enquiry Commissions on Role of Police
Police involvement in riots
Scuttling of investigations by the police
Religion wise composition of the Police force
9. Administration
§ Reports of various Enquiry Commissions on Role of
Bureaucracy, Involvement of bureaucracy in riots
§ Communalisation of bureaucracy
§ Penetration of communal forces in bureaucracy
10. Legislation
§ Conversion laws
§ Anti cow slaughter laws
§ Repeal of Assam Migrants Act
§ Art. 370A of the Constitution
§ Misuse of TADA, POTA, Armed Forces Special Powers Act,
Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act and related legislation
11. Judiciary
§ Recent judicial trends in issues concerning secularism-
such as judgments on Elections, Bommai Judgment, Communalisation of
Education Judgment, Conversion cases, etc.
§ Role of the judiciary in important cases such as Anti Sikh
riots, Bombay riots and Gujarat pogrom
12. Other Quasi Judicial Institutions
§ NHRC & SHRCs
§ Minority Commission
§ Women's Commission
§ Election Commission, (To be taken up at Delhi and at such
other places where the Commissions have been called upon to act-
such as Gujarat)
§ Identity/ Impact on reservation/ welfare schemes and other
issues close to Dalits
13. Communalisation amongst Dalits and Tribals
§ Recent trends of communalisation amongst Dalits and
tribals
§ Participation of Dalits and tribals in recent riots,
Identity politics, impact on reservation
§ Impact on welfare schemes and issues close to Dalits
14. Impact of Communalisation on women
§ Impact on women during riots
§ Impact on women's rights due to communalisation of
society,
§ Cult of male supremacy
§ Distorted picture of Hindu women from mythology
15. Attack on Secular Organisations
§ Description of attacks on organizations- here we need to
give a geographical spread as also description based on attacks on
different community groups- such as Missionary schools, NGOs,
individuals working on issues concerning secularism, etc.
16. Other ways of Spreading the hatred by communal groups
§ Extent and spread of different in India communal groups,
(both majority and minority groups)
§ International connections of these organizations and their
funding
§ Distribution of weapons
§ Attempts to make communal persons national heroes
§ Changes in the National Anthem and Flags law
§ Vande Matram controversy
§ Jingoism around Pakistan and Bangladeshi immigrants
§ Economic Boycott
17. Minority Communalism
The growth of fundamentalist organisations
Impact on women’s rights due the growth of fundamentalist
forces
18. Rise of Militarism, the International situation and Fascism
§ Hyper Nationalism, the rise of militarism and
nuclearisation within the country – India as a Super Power
§ Islamic Phobia
§ Militarisation of daily life
§ The U.S. hegemony and rise of fundamentalism after
September, 11th
§ Selective targeting of fundamentalism by the Western
countries
§ Situation in Pakistan and its impact on India
F. ENDNOTE
This draft has been put together in consultation with several groups
and concerned individuals. It is still open to suggestions and
inclusion of ideas and inputs from you.
The task outline is large but if done well would be a landmark
document coming at a crucial juncture. It will only be possible if
many of us get together to undertake this task.
As time is short, we would request you to immediately respond with
your suggestions and concrete proposals.
(Contact anadinfo@yahoo.com)
Resources
From the Web
-Golwalkar: Superhuman or less than Human: Subhash Gatade
http://www.countercurrents.org/comm-gatade170207.htm
-Interview with Afzal Guru
-http://www.countercurrents.org/hr-jose190207.htm
-A short Film On RSS
By Ian Mcdonald
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYhdtaFKMzA
Watch the Film here
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Editor: Ram Puniyani, Advisory Board: L.S. Hardenia, Irfan Engineer
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C/o. Centre for Study of Society and Secularism
602 & 603 Silver Star, Prabhat Colony Rd., Behind BEST Bus
Depot, Santacruz (E),
Mumbai: - 400 055.
E-mail: csss@mtnl.net.in
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