“We Stand with Stan,” say more than two thousand concerned citizens of India

Freshly Brewed

ScribeShah

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October 9, 2020

“We Stand with Stan,” say more than two thousand concerned citizens of India

Ranchi: More than two thousands concerned citizens from across India jointly issued an statement in solidarity with 84-year-old human rights activist Stan Swamy, who was arrested by National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday in connection with Bhima-Koregaon case.

The under signies, which include several prominent dignetries from all walks of life also appealed Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to intervene into the matter. Hemant Soren, as leader of opposition had opposed the action by Pune Police when they had raided Stan’s office first time.

“The recent arrest of Stan Swamy is a gross violation of human rights and democratic norms. We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the arrest of Jharkhand’s Stan Swamy by the NIA in the Bhima-Koregaon case on the evening of 8 October 2020. Stan Swamy, 84 years old, is a valued and public-spiritedness citizen who has worked for Adivasi rights since decades in Jharkhand. The inhuman and insincere act of the NIA authorities in arresting Stan Swamy stands out for its sheer vindictiveness for Stan fully cooperated with the investigating officers of the NIA when they questioned him at his residence in Bagaicha for over 15 hours (on 27-30 July and 6 August),” reads the statement.

It further said, “Stan has consistently denied any link with extremist leftist forces or Maoists. He had also clearly told the NIA that some so called extracts allegedly taken from his computer shown to him by the NIA were fake and fabricated and that he disowned them. It is deeply worrying that the NIA arrested an 84-year old with several health ailments during the Covid epidemic and made him travel to Mumbai. Stan’s statement, written two days before the arrest, is attached. His video testimony can be seen below.”

The statement also mentioned the main reason, why the veteran activist has been framed by Modi government, “Stan works for the rights of Adivasis and other underprivileged groups in the state. Among other issues, he works on displacement, corporate loot of resources, the condition of under-trials and PESA. Stan has been a vocal critic of the BJP government’s attempts to amend land laws and the land acquisition act in Jharkhand, and a strong advocate of the Forest Rights Act, PESA and related laws. We know Stan as an exceptionally gentle, honest and selfless person. We have the highest regard for him and his work.”

And added, “We firmly believe that the Bhima-Koregaon case, being driven by the Modi government, is a baseless fabrication. The central government, in the guise of the Bhima-Koregaon case, is trying to build a false narrative of a national Maoist conspiracy against the state that involves these activists. The main objective of the case is to target and harass activists who work for the rights of Adivasis, Dalits and the marginalised and raise questions against the anti-people policies of the government. The Bhima-Koregaon conspiracy case exposes the extent to which the central government is willing to undermine constitutional values and suppress dissent. The arrest of Stan Swamy is also an attack on all those working for human and constitutional rights in Jharkhand.”

Lastly, it appealed to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to oppose the arrest of Stan, “In June 2019, when the Maharashtra police had raided Stan Swamy’s residence at Bagaicha in the Bhima-Koregaon case, the then leader of opposition Hemant Soren had strongly condemned this and said: “Back in power, BJP government is back to dirty business, stifling all voices of dissent. Stan Swamy has been a leading voice tribal rights and welfare. I strongly condemn this forceful and unwarranted raids in his house.”

And demand from the central government for the immediate release of Stan Swamy and closure of the case.

Some of the names and affiliations are:

Name	Affiliation		Place
A C Michael	Former Member, Delhi Minorities Commission		New Delhi
A David Rebello		Gurgaon
A D’Souza		Mumbai
A F C Lopez		Thiruvananthapuram

A P Josy	PUCL		Chhattisgarh
A. Joe Franklin		Tamil Nadu, Trichy
A. Vasanthi	Ssps		T. N
Aabida	Concerned Citizen		Uttar Pradesh
Aameen	AISA		Ludhiana
Aaron D’ Almeida	People who bring peace to Adivasi rights let them work		Andheri Mumbai
Aashish Gupta		University of Pennsylvania
Aashish Khakha	Tata Institute of Social Sciences		Mumbai
ABHAY MOKASHI	AAMRAS		MUMBAI
Abhirup
Abinesh		Bangalore
Abinesh		Bangalore
Achintya Mukherjee	Individual		Panchratna, Almeida Road, Bandra West
Adele Pereira		Mumbai
Adhersh I		Tamilnadu
Adityanath	Samajwadi Jan Parishad Rajasthan		Jaipur
Adivasi Women’s Network
Admiral L Ramdas	Former Chief of Naval Staff [retired]		Alibag, RAIGAD Dist, Maharashtra
Adolfina Xavier	Mount Carmel College		Bangalore
Adrian Castelino	.		Mumbai
Adrian Correa		Mumbai
Adv Charles DSa	Voice of Kalina ALM		, Mumbai
Adv. Jomol Joy		Kerala
Adv. Razaullah	Association for Protection of Civil Rights		Ranchi
Advika Pandey		Ranchi
Advocate Nikita Agarwal		New Delhi
Agnel Pereira		Mumbai
Agnelo Menezes	St Xavier’s College, Mumbai		MUMBAI
Agnes		Mumbai
Agnes Almeida		Gujarat
Agnes Lobo		Pune
Agnes Mariyam
Aiman Khan	Innocence Network India		Bengaluru
Ajay J George	Society of Jesus		Mangalore
Ajay Minj		Ranchi
Ajit	CPIML Liberation Maharashtra		Mumbai

BJP marches against Mamata to highlight rise of crimes in Bengal

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October 8, 2020

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BJP marches against Mamata to highlight rise of crimes in Bengal

Kolkata: At a time when there is rage against Bharatiya Janata Party led government in Uttar Pradesh for large number of rape cases especially against Dalit community across the country, BJP led a protest march in West Bengal highlighting worsening law and order situation in Trinamool ruled state.

But clashes broke out between the BJP workers and the West Bengal Police on Thursday during the saffron party’s ‘Nabanna Chalo’ protest march.

The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB)’s 2019 figures also show that UP tops in India in violence against women and girl children. The home ministry claimed that West Bengal did not share its latest data and its 2018 data has been used to arrive at national and city-wise figures.

On October 3, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a rally in Kolkata against the Hathras gangrape case and UP police not allowing opposition leaders to meet victim family.

Violence erupted near Howrah Bridge as the BJP activists led by BJP state president and Midnapore MP Dilip Ghosh tried to break the barricade near the bridge.

“The police are just the puppet of the chief minister. We have organised a democratic and peaceful rally. The TMC government, along with police, is purposely trying to disrupt the social fabric of the state by unnecessary violence,” said Ghosh.

Countering Ghosh, the mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Firhad Hakim alleged that BJP is not a political party but a group of lumpens.

“BJP had hit the streets purposely to unleash tension and terror. They are not a political party but a group of lumpens trying to break the democracy of the state,” claimed Hakim.

The police resorted to water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charge on the BJP cadres leaving more than 1,000 workers severely injured.

The youth wing of state BJP had taken out a protest march to the state secretariat Nabanna. The protest march started from four different points state BJP`s headquarters on Central Avenue, Hastings, Howrah Maidan and Santragachi.

The BJP worker arrived from the districts for the mega rally. BJP central leader and Bengal observer Arvind Menon had to be hospitalized after being injured in a lathi-charge near Hastings More.

State vice-president Raju Banerjee, who led the rally from Satragachi along with party’s general secretary Sayantan Basu, was rushed to Apollo Hospitals for treatment as he was gasping for breath after being hit by a chemical-laced water cannon at Satragachi bus stand.

The state government used heavy police force to stop the march and disperse the party workers. The arterial Howrah Bridge, connecting the city to Howrah town and the station, was turned into a fortress by the heavy deployment of cops. RAF, city and state police and Robocop personnel were also seen guarding the streets in large numbers. The BJP leaders alleged that the administration had stopped plying buses, ferry services and other modes of transport, since Wednesday evening to prevent the workers reach the city.

Union minister and Asansol MP Babul Supriyo was stopped at Kona Expressway and was denied permission to enter Kolkata.

“I was supposed to join the rally from Satragachi but police is denying permission to even go to Kolkata. Mamata Banerjee vacated the state secretariat fearing of BJP wrath. We exactly want this to happen and want to uproot her and her tyrant party from Bengal,” claimed Supriyo.

Earlier in the day, around noon, when the BJP workers were still converging at the various venues, the cops used lathi-charge at Kona Expressway around Satragachi. At Dhulagarh too, the marching rallists were stopped. At Satragachi More, a large number of bike-borne workers joined the rally. The crowd later broke open the bamboo barricades put up by the cops.

At Howrah Maidan too barricades were upturned by the marching workers.

Later, at a press meet BJYM all-India president and MP, Tejasvi Surya said that the state has the most corrupt government in India and that 120 party workers were killed in the state in the last 2 years. He said he will ask the centre for gross violation of human rights by the use of chemical-laced water jets, which is the first of its kind in the world. He quoted former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when he said, “Andhera chatega, suraj niklega aur kamal khilega (state will see the lotus blooming after the darkness is removed and the sun shines)”.

The state BJP youth wing activists staged a protest programme near Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee`s residence at Kalighat earlier in the day chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans.

Significantly, in an anti-NRC rally in December last year, CM Mamata had said that BJP didn’t allow the delegates we sent to enter UP but their leaders come and do rallies in Bengal. Last week, when TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien gone to Hathras to meet Manisha’s family, who has been gangraped, did not let meet the family and police stopped him by pushing him to ground.

बिहार: एक पैराग्राफ की कहानी का राज्य

ताज़ातरीन

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October 7, 2020

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साधारण कथाओं का यह असाधारण दौर है। बिहार उन्हीं साधारण कथाओं के फ्रेम में फंसा एक जहाज़ है। बिहार की राजनीति में जाति के कई टापू हैं। बिहार की राजनीति में गठबंधनों के सात महासागर हैं। कभी जहाज़ टापू पर होता है। कभी जहाज़ महासागर में तैर रहा होता है। चुनाव दर चुनाव बिहार उन्हीं धारणाओं की दीवारों पर सीलन की तरह नज़र आता है जो दिखता तो है मगर जाता नहीं है। सीलन की परतें उतरती हैं तो नईं परतें आ जाती हैं। बिहार को पुरानी धारणाओं से निकालने के लिए एक महीना कम समय है। सर्वे और समीकरण के नाम पर न्यूज़ चैनलों से बाकी देश ग़ायब हो जाएगा। पर्दे पर दिखेगा बिहार मगर बिहार भी ग़ायब रहेगा। बिहार में कुछ लोग अनैतिकता खोज रहे हैं और कुछ लोग नैतिकता। बिहार में जहां नैतिकता मिलती है वहीं अनैतिकता भी पाई जाती है। जहां अनैतिकता नहीं पाई जाती है वहां नैतिकता नहीं होती है। बिहार में दोनों को अकेले चलने में डर लगता है इसलिए आपस में गठबंधन कर लेती हैं। अनैतिक होना अनिवार्य है। अनैतिकता ही अमृत है। नैतिकता चरणामृत है। पी लेने के बाद सर में पोंछ लेने के लिए होती है। नेता और विश्लेषक पहले चुनाव में जाति खोजते थे। जाति से बोर हो गए तो जाति का समीकरण बनाने लगे। समीकरण से बोर हो गए तो गठबंधन बनाने लगे। गठबंधन से बोर हो गए तो महागठबंधन बनाने लगे। नेता जानता है इसके अलावा हर जात के ठेकेदार को पैसे देने पड़ते हैं। दरवाज़े पर बैठे लोग पैसे मांगते हैं। चीज़ सामान मांगते हैं। यह स्वीकार्य अनैतिकता है। पहले जनता नहीं बताती थी कि किसने दिया है। अब राजनीतिक दल नहीं बताते हैं कि करोड़ों का फंड किसने दिया है। इल्केटोरल फंड पर कई महीनों से सुप्रीम कोर्ट में सुनवाई नहीं हुई है। बहरहाल, जाति, समीकरण, गठबंधन और महागठबंधन के बाद फैक्टर का चलन आया है। किसमें ज़ेड फैक्टर है और किसमें एक्स फैक्टर है। स्विंग का भी फैक्टर है। सब कुछ खोजेंगे ताकि जीतने वाले की भविष्यवाणी कर सकें। कोशिश होगी कि जल्दी से महीना गुज़र जाए। वास्तविक अनैतिक शक्तियों तक न पहुंचा जाए वर्ना विज्ञापन बंद हो जाएगा और जोखिम बढ़ जाएगा। आम जनता जिसने पांच साल में घटिया अख़बारों और चैनलों के अलावा न कुछ देखा और पढ़ा है उस पर दबाव होगा कि उसके बनाए ढांचे से निकल कर ज़मीनी अनुभव को सुना दे। अब तो वह जनता भी उसी फ्रेम में कैद है। वह ज़मीनी अनुभवों में तड़प रही है मगर आसमानी अनुभवों में ख़ुश है। सूचनाएं जब गईं नहीं तो जनता के मुखमंडल से लौट कर कैसे आएंगी। जनता समझदार है। यह बात जनता के लिए नहीं कही जाती बल्कि राजनीतिक दलों की अनैतिकताओं को सही ठहराने के लिए कही जाती है। जनता की मांग खारिज होगी। नेता जो मांग देंगे वही जनता को अपनी मांग बनानी होगी। नेता जनता को खोजते हैं और जनता नेता को खोजते हैं। चैनल वाले दोनों को मिला देंगे। ज़्यादा मिलन न हो जाए उससे पहले महासंग्राम जैसे कार्यक्रम में खेला-भंडोल हो जाएगा। खोजा-खोजी बिहार के चुनाव का अभिन्न अंग है। आँखों के सामने रखी हुई चीज़ भी खोजी जाती है। कोई नेता गठबंधन के पीछे लुकाया होगा तो कोई नेता उचित गठबंधन पाकर दहाड़ने लगा होगा। बिहार 15 साल आगे जाता है या फिर 15 साल पीछे जाता है। अभी 15 साल पीछे है मगर खुश है कि उसके 15 साल में जितना पीछे था उससे आगे है। उसके बगल से दौड़ कर कितने धावक निकल गए उसकी परवाह नहीं। इसकी होड़ है कि जिससे वह आगे निकला था उसी को देखते हुए बाकियों से पीछे रहे। बिहार की राजधानी पटना भारत का सबसे गंदा शहर है। जिस राज्य की राजधानी भारत का सबसे गंदा शहर हो वह राज्य 15 साल आगे गया है या 15 साल पीछे गया है, बहस का भी विषय नहीं है। सबको पता है किसे कहां वोट देना है। जब पता ही है तो पता क्या करना कि कहां वोट पड़ेगा। नीतीश कहते हैं वो सबके हैं। चिराग़ कहते हैं कि मेरे नहीं हैं। चिराग कहते हैं कि मेरे तो मोदी हैं, दूजा न कोए। मोदी की बीजेपी कहती है मेरे तो नीतीश हैं,दूजा न कोए। गठबंधन से एक बंधन खोल कर विरोधी तैयार किया जाता है ताकि मैच का मैदान कहीं और शिफ्ट हो जाए। मुकाबला महागठबंधन बनाम राजग का न ले। चिराग और नीतीश का लगे। चिराग कहते हैं नीतीश भ्रष्ट हैं। बीजेपी कहती है नीतीश ही विकल्प हैं। नीतीश से नाराज़ मतदाता नोटा में न जाएँ, महागठबंधन में न जाए इसलिए चिराग़ को नोटा बैंक बना कर उतारा गया है। चिराग का काम है महागठबंधन की तरफ आती गेंद को दौड़कर लोक लेना है। राजग को आउट होने से बचाना है। बाद में तीनों कहेंगे कि हम तीनों में एक कॉमन हैं। भले नीतीश मेरे नहीं हैं मगर मोदी तो सबके हैं। मोदी नाम केवलम। हम उनकी खातिर नीतीश को समर्थन देंगे। ज़रूरत नहीं पड़ी तो मस्त रहेंगे। दिल्ली में मंत्री बन जाएंगे। ज़रूरत पड़ गई तो हरियाणा की तरह दुष्यंत चौटाला बन जाएंगे। बस इतनी सी बात है। एक पैराग्राफ की बात है। बिहार की कहानी दूसरे पैराग्राफ तक पहुंच ही नहीं पाती है।

CM Yogi should resign: Md Salim

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October 6, 2020

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Kolkata: The Left and the Congress jointly organised a mega rally in Kolkata on Tuesday against the gang rape of a dalit woman in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, by upper-caste men.

Both have also held state-wide protests in other districts as well on the day.

A 19-year-old dalit girl was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to the Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital where she breathed her last, exactly a week back.

In Kolkata, the rally started at Esplanade and commenced at Lady Brabourne College.
Thousands of Left and Congress activists protested against the alleged gang rape at Hathras in Kolkata on Saturday too, sparking nationwide outrage.

Demanding immediate resignation of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the Left Front and Congress held their protest rally.

Senior CPI(M) leader and politburo member Md. Salim said that the torture meted out to the victim is horrific and he shudders to even think of it. The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh should immediately resign.

“BJP claims that they are a democratic party and also that they are holding onto the sovereignty of the country. Hathras incident is an example, how much heavy price we have to pay in the name of sovereignty. The entire country should now understand what BJP actually stands for. Yogi Adityanath should immediately resign. How can someone cremate the body without the permission of the family members?” questioned Salim.

Left Front chairman and senior politburo member Biman Bose said that families of rape victims in Bengal too have been denied justice and not just Yogi Adityanath but also Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee should also open up on why she is hiding the names of the culprits in the state.

“From Kamduni to Kakdweep, several minor girls have been raped and killed in Bengal. Their families are still awaiting justice. Mamata Banerjee should also answer why there has been no justice in these cases. Despite being a woman, she supports the rapists,” argued Bose.

The senior politburo member also alleged that no matter how much the TMC leader shouts against the BJP-led central government, there is a pact between the two parties.

An effigy of Yogi Adityanath was burnt in front of Lady Brabourne College where several partymen of both the Left and the Congress chanted slogans against BJP and the ruling Trinamool.

Since October 1, several protests against the Hathras gangrape incident are taking place at Kolkata and other parts of state by civil societies as well as political parties. Bengal CM, who was also attacked by leaders in the Left and Congress’ joint rally had also held a rally against the horrific gangrape incident in UP.

Conversions and Anti Christian Violence in India

Opinion

ScribeShah

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October 5, 2020

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Conversions and Anti Christian Violence in India

Mr. Satyapal Singh, the BJP MP, while speaking in Lok Sabha on amendments to FCRA went on to support the forthcoming restrictions to the foreign contributions. While making his arguments, to buttress his point, he put forward the case of Pastor Graham Stewart Stains. In the process he poured venom on the late Pastor by saying that the Pastor had raped 30 Tribal women and was involved in the work of conversion to Christianity with the help of funds from abroad!

This blatant lie should have been countered in the Parliament. The brutal murder of Pastor Graham Stains was described by the then President of India, Dr. K.R. Narayanan by saying “it belonged to the world’s inventory of black deeds”. The pastor, who came from Australia to work among the Leprosy patients in Orissa, was sleeping in an open jeep in the village on the night of 22-23 January 1999. He was working in Keonjhar, Manoharpur, in Orissa. On that fateful night he was burnt alive with his two minor sons, Timothy and Philip. The Whole Country was aghast with the brutal nature of the crime. The brutality was committed by Rajendra Singh Pal aka Dara Singh, a worker of Bajrang Dal.

Mr. Advani was the home minister that time. He stated that Bajrang Dal has nothing to do with this act; he knows this organization too well. As the immediate measure he sent three member ministerial team, Murli Manohar Joshi, Navin Patnayak and George Fernandez to Orissa. In a single day the team concluded that this grave crime is an international conspiracy to destabilize the ruling NDA government. Then Wadhava Commission was appointed. The commission concluded that Dara Singh, who was working with Bajrang Dal with the help of organizations like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, VHP etc. propagated that Pastor is doing the work of conversion and is a threat to Hinduism. He did mobilize people, poured Kerosene on the vehicle and put fire.

The Commission in its report further stated that Pastor had not been doing the work of conversion; he was involved in serving the leprosy patients. Dara Singh was awarded death penalty by Courts, which was later reduced to life imprisonment; currently he is undergoing the jail sentence. What is remarkable is that as per the report there was no substantial increase in the percentage of Christians in the area. The report states, “Keonjar district had a total population of 15.30 lakh. Out of them, 14.93 lakh were Hindus. Christians, mostly tribal’s, were 4,707. According to the 1991 census, there were already 4,112 Christians in the district. Thus, there was an increase of only 595 in the Christian population.” One can say that this is not due to conversion but is due to the natural biological process. Propaganda of Dara Singh and the organizations was purely guided by their political agenda.

The propaganda that Christian missionaries have been converting is the dominant social perception all around, and it is the ground for ‘Hatred against the Christians’, who have been facing the violence from last over two decades. We witnessed violence against Christians, mainly in Adivasi areas, Dangs, Jhabua, and large parts of Orissa. After this gruesome murder, there was regular violence against Christian community, the peak of which was seen in the Kandhamal violence (August 2008) in which nearly hundred Christians were killed, close to four hundred women raped and many Churches attacked and destroyed.

That has not been the end. The violence against this community is going on in a regular manner. It is mostly in remote areas, in a scattered manner and many a times below radar. The prayer meetings are attacked and missionaries distributing religious literature are apprehended. The organization ‘Persecution Relief’, in its recent report points out, “Hate crimes against Christians in India have risen by an alarming 40.87 percent…,That increase came despite a complete nationwide lockdown that lasted three months to stem the spread of Covid-19 infections.”

While the attacks on Muslim minority has been glaring, those against Christians though are scattered and low intensity, the murder of Pastor Stains and Kandhamal violence stand out. The core ideology behind this violence which has been spread is that Islam and Christianity are ‘foreign religions’ and are a threat to Hinduism. This is so much in contrast to what Indian Nationalists like Gandhi and Nehru who regarded that religion is no basis of Nationality; Christianity is as much a religion of this land as any other.

As a matter of fact as per one version Christianity entered this land in AD 52, With St Thomas setting up Church in Malabar area. Since close to last over 19 Centuries many missionereris have been coming and working in the remote areas, setting up health and education facilities in particular. They have also set up the schools and colleges, and hospitals in urban areas, which are known for their good standards, and people in these areas do vie to avail of these facilities with gay abandon.

Today the percentage of Christians, as per census figures is 2.30 (2011 census), this is again a climb down from 1971 when it was 2.60 %. Last six decades it has shown a constant decline, 2.60 (1971), 2.44 (1981) 2.34 (1991), 2.30 (2001) and 2.30 again in 2011. The organizations like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, VHP and Bajrang dal are active more in remote places to spread the misconception of the conversion. This is an assault on ‘Freedom of Religion’ and the repressive laws against freedom of religion have been coming up in state after state. While Indian Constitution stands for individual’s right to practice and preach one’s religion, the anti Christian violence on the pretext of religion is becoming endemic as sectarianism is growing in a frightening manner.

Recently 25^th August, it was 12 years since kandhamal Violence had shaken the country. The need is to restore peace, amity and harmony. By speaking unsubstantiated charges Mr. Satyapal Singh has just gone on to add to the anti Christian propaganda, which dents our values of Fraternity.

Why the tribals of Rajasthan are angry

Rajasthan

Urvashi Rawal

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October 4, 2020

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Jaipur: For four days towards the end of September, Dungarpur in south Rajasthan saw a violent stir with thousands of tribal youth blocking the Delhi-Mumbai highway and indulging in vandalism and arson.

The youth were demanding filling up of 1167 vacant posts of teachers under general quota from the ST quota.

The agitation was on for 18 days but the government did not pay heed and it ultimately resulted in a violent clash with the police forces on September 24, leaving two people dead and 45 police personnel injured.

Ashok Gehlot’s government under fire with opposition parties reprimanding the administration and intelligence to control the situation.

While peace has returned to the area, the role of the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) and people from Jharkhand has come under the scanner. Dungarpur collector Kana Ram said that the violence was fanned by people from the neighbouring states who were influenced by a particular ideology.

A report by the intelligence department also pointed out attempts to radicalise tribal youth. Officials say some naxal leaders from Jharkhand are active in the tribal belt and locals have attended chintan shivirs organised by naxals from Jharkhand.

According to a senior police official who did not want to be named, people from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as well as leaders of the BTP had a role in inciting the violence.

BTP’s growing influence

The BTP took shape in Rajasthan ahead of the 2018 assembly elections. The party won on two of 200 assembly seats. However, its political influence in the regions has been growing, especially among youth.

The BTP found support for its political agenda which includes creation of a separate Bhil Pradesh in the tribal dominated contiguous region in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, a separate family code and reservation for tribals locally.

It has also been opposing attempts being made by the BJP and RSS to bring tribals under the Hindu-fold as well as conversion activities by Christian missionaries. The BTP wants to revive tribal culture and icons and its leaders have asked people to shun Hindu prayers and cultural practices.

BJP leader and former state home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said there is an attempt by BTP in league with naxals from Jharkhand to radicalise the peace loving tribal population of Rajasthan.

Development lag in tribal areas

Political analyst Narayan Bareth maintained that such developments are indicated that the peaceful region could soon be converted into a fertile ground that could facilitate the growth of extremism.

He said that decades of neglect by successive governments and the rise of the Bharatiya Tribal Party had created a sentiment of alienation among the tribals.

“Rajasthan society is different from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. People here shun extremes and have faith in institutions so violent ideology has not taken root here. But if the government does not implement constitutional provisions for the Scheduled Areas and strengthen institutions, it will be a problem,” Bareth pointed out.

Eight districts of Rajasthan – Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Sirohi and Pali fall under the Scheduled Areas where the tribal population is over 50 percent.

“The allocation of funds to the tribal sub-plan is generally below the prescribed norms and there is no proper monitoring of funds which often lapse,” said Velaram Ghoghra, state president of the BTP.

The concept of TSP was to channelize funds and make special plans for the tribal areas so they could have access to health, education, income generation and employment.

Ghoghra said, “Successive governments have failed to bring basic amenities such as sadak, bijli, pani to these areas. Health and education infrastructure is poor and there is hardly any industry or employment opportunity.

According to the Budget Analysis and Research Centre Trust, the allocation to the tribal sub-plan (TSP) for the period between 2013-14 and 2016-17 ranged between 7 and 10 per cent of the total budget in Rajasthan, much below 13.5% prescribed under the government guidelines,

Nesar Ahmad, founder director at BARC, said, “The budget spent on tribal areas in the state should be around 13.5 per cent, which has been decided on the basis of tribal people and total population ratio in the Census 2011.”

“However, the allocation has remained well below the figure of 13.5 percent. This means each year the tribal areas are being denied crores of rupees meant for their development,” he mentioned.

Ghoghra stressed upon the fact that tribals are slowly becoming aware how they have been exploited and are raising their voice and demanding their rights. He said, “The constitution provides for autonomy of tribal areas to prevent our culture from outside invasion.”

BTP MLA Rajkumar Roat accused the Congress and BJP of a witch-hunt. “The BJP and Congress are terming us as naxals to suppress us because they are fearful of our influence,” Roat reasoned.

Bareth summed up that while there seemed to be no imminent threat of naxalism spreading its root in the tribal belt but the government needed to be alert and proactive.

In 2019, tribals residing in Jharkhand and Chattisgarh too had protested against their respective government for the lack of work in their areas, but they had chosen to do Pathalgadi (erecting walls in the entrance of village and not allowing any official without permission or in other words, making their sovereign territory). They had demanded proper implementation of PESA Act in the tribal areas.

I wonder where the crowd that had camped at Jantar Mantar for days in 2012 against the rapists has disappeared today-Anubhav Sinha

CinemaScope

ScribeShah

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October 2, 2020

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I wonder where the crowd that had camped at Jantar Mantar for days in 2012 against the rapists has disappeared today-Anubhav Sinha

Who would know the road to evolution better than filmmaker Anubhav Sinha? A mechanical engineer from Aligarh Muslim University, Anubhav, bit by the film bug, moved on to Mumbai, to direct television series, Sea Hawks was his most memorable one. In the nineties, he even dabbled with the most in-thing back then, Music Albums, Sonu Nigam and Bipasha Basu’s Tu gave him instant fame in the music album industry, which eventually paved the path for something that he always aspired – Bollywood. Anubhav’s debut film Tum Bin, a musical love story revolving Non-Resident Indians is a stark contrast to his murky, dark socio-political brand of filmmaking today. In an exclusive interview with eNewsroom, Anubhav bares his heart about his brand of filmmaking, his shift of genre, need for more voices and the degenerating quality of television journalism and more. Following are excerpts from the interview:

eNewsroom: You made your debut as a filmmaker with a romantic film like Tum Bin in 2001. A decade later, you are making films like Thappad, Article 15 and Mulk. Is this shift of genre intentional?

Anubhav: Well, not really. The shift has been more organic, I would say. Or rather in these many years, I have just decided to not make films that we believe the masses will like, but to make films that I want to make, tell stories that I want to narrate.

eNewsroom: What do you have to say about the media circus surrounding the sudden unnatural death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput?

Anubhav: The entire film industry was trying to cope up with the lockdown when this happened. And then what followed was theories, counter-theories, conspiracy theories and more. Soon most of the news channels were doing nothing but presenting theories, stories and reaction related to this the death of this actor. So, amid the pandemic, his death somehow gave these television channels a topic to produce news content.

eNewsroom: What’s your take on the entire drugs angle being dragged into this case? Do you think Bollywood is being vilified?

Anubhav: Yes, of course, it is being vilified. Drugs angle is being investigated by the authorised agencies and they are yet to make any statement. But then you have news channels coming up with new details and theories as if they are a witness themselves. If the ones being slandered are proven to be guilty then they will be punished by the agencies. Right?

And to be honest, this is not about Bollywood, it’s about the new low that news channels are hitting these days.

eNewsroom: Do you think this will affect the film industry?

Anubhav: It will be forgotten even before we realise. The pandemic has made us all consume such news as there is not much to do. Remember, how IPL-drug case was dragged, how reporters chased the cricketers to these nightclubs for the IPL parties? Has that affected the popularity or business of IPL?

anubhav sinha bollywood rape news channels — Anubhav Sinha with actor Manoj Bajpai on the sets of Kapil Sharma Show I Facebook

eNewsroom: Now, that you mentioned about the lockdown, what has it been like for the film industry since it was announced?

Anubhav: Well, to be honest like all industries, Bollywood have also been hit badly. The extent of the damage is yet to be assessed. I was supposed to shoot for my next film, but I guess, we won’t be able to resume shooting for the film, till December.

eNewsroom: During this period, you have been pretty active on social media. Given the fact, vocal celebs are often trolled, don’t you feel hesitant every time you tweet?

Anubhav: Well, it doesn’t come to mind. But then, I am still trying to be as active as I can. I am trying to be as vocal as I can be on issues that need to be highlighted. Many of my friends have chosen to be silent. I am often advised to not be vocal.

eNewsroom: Do you think that Anurag Kashyap was cornered because of his tweets that many consider as anti-establishment comments?

Anubhav: It would be very unfair to term Anurag Kashyap as anti-establishment. He is a person who always speaks his mind. This is about being able to speak or say things that you feel like. In today’s environment, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to speak against the government (state/centre) even when they are not doing their job. The moment you say things that the government is not comfortable with, you will witness the troll attack. So, people fearing slander have chosen to keep quiet.

eNewsroom: You have been pretty actively tweeting about the Hatras case. It has reminded many of your film Article 15?

Anubhav: Unfortunately, it is the same story. A girl from a low caste family is raped and murdered. And the way new narratives, counter-narratives and claims of the girl not being raped or mutilated, all I can say is that it is all so nauseating. I have been to those villages to shoot for Article 15 and I am not being able to watch the news on television.

You know what? This case might just go the way Badaun rape case went, where the suspects were released after a CBI investigation. The CBI report claimed that the two girls had not been gang-raped and had hinted it to be a case of honour killing.

eNewsroom: After the Nirbhaya gang-rape case, several laws were amended. But that in no way seems to have had a positive effect…

Anubhav: I sometimes wonder where the crowd that had camped at Jantar Mantar for days, to force the Delhi government to take action against the rapists, to amend laws, has disappeared today. They all seem to be nowhere. Do, they no longer want justice for the victims of Hatras, Unnao, Balarampur rape cases or as a matter of fact in any other rape case?

It’s time that we hit the streets and demand for justice to be delivered.

eNewsroom: Do you think more voices are needed?

Anubhav: Yes, the more the voices the better it will be. But given the scenario of today, not many are open to raising their voice. So, it’s their choice to keep quiet. Like it’s my choice to keep voicing my opinion and saying what I feel needs to be said.

eNewsroom: You did your engineering from AMU. What was it like to see the chaos and controversy surrounding it earlier this year?

Anubhav: Well, it was not just Aligarh Muslim University, but also Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Jadavpur University are constantly being attacked, with the sole intention of creating a bad reputation for them. When I was studying AMU, a similar phenomenon was observed, when a concerted attempt was made to malign the institution. It’s sad to see such premium institutions being attacked.

eNewsroom: Do you think India is witnessing an era that can be termed dark?

Anubhav: Well, it’s not just India that is having to face this scenario. I think it is a global phenomenon, the entire world is witnessing this. I hope it changes and things get better.

eNewsroom: On a lighter note, what’s the next film of yours going to be all about?

Anubhav: It’s a thriller with Ayushman Khurana.

eNewsroom: Well, he has been listed in the 100 most influential people in the world by the Times magazine…

Anubhav: (Laughs) Yes, yes. But let me be honest, Ayushman is not just a good actor but a person too. I would rather say, despite his achievements, Ayushman is still very middle-class at heart. So is Shah Rukh.

eNewsroom: Speaking of Shah Rukh Khan, you had worked with him in Ra-One. During that time, both of you had expressed the desire to make a sequel. Do you people still intend to?

Well, both Shah Rukh and I keep talking about making it. But to be honest, at present I don’t have a story for the sequel. The day, I have it, we will make it for sure.

Supreme Court directs Centre and State Govt to help sex workers, WB Govt allows them to have ration cards

ScribeShah

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October 1, 2020

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Supreme Court directs Centre and State Govt to help sex workers, WB Govt allows them to have ration cards

Kolkata: Responding to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Kolkata-based Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC) the Supreme Court finally instructed the central and state governments to urgently consider providing relief to sex workers in the form of dry rations, monetary assistance as well as masks, soaps and sanitizers without insisting on proof of identity.

DMSC, India’s oldest sex workers’ collective had moved the Supreme Court and filed a PIL highlighting the destitution faced by sex workers on the account of Covid-19, and had requested for relief measures for over 9 lakh female and transgender sex workers across the country.

At a time when India is on the verge of unlock four, thousands of sex workers, are facing starvation like situation across the country due to prolonged lockdown.

While appealing to the Apex Court, the Kolkata based group had highlighted that sex workers’ have been living in the worst situation since the pandemic broke out and are in need of support. “Sex workers have the right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution of India since they are also human beings and their problems need to be addressed,” it argued before0 the SC.

DMSC consulted and received inputs from various Community Based Organisations and NGOs working with sex workers across the country. Many of these organisations have conducted community-led research and surveys to understand the conditions of sex workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The application cites a five-state assessment undertaken by Taaras, a coalition of women in sex work and their organizations among 1,19,950 sex workers to draw attention to the challenges of the community in accessing critical services during the Covid-19.

Lack of access to social protection services

Sex workers do not have access to social protection measures such as pension, health benefits and labour rights. The five-state consultation shows that only 5% of sex workers had received a bank transfer of Rs 1000 on the basis of a Labour Card issued to for registered workers only.

Lack of access to essential services

Around 48 per cent of the community members did not receive ration through the PDS (Public Distribution System). Out of 26,527 members who reported illness, around 97 per cent (25,699) are unable to access primary care services – both public and private. 20 per cent of the members have children attending private schools and of them, 95 per cent (23,425) are not able to pay the schools fees. Of the approximate 61 per cent of members who live in rental housing, 83 per cent are unable to pay rent and electricity bills.

Impact on livelihood

Almost 71 per cent (81,433) of the members do not have any other source of income to meet their two square meals.

DMSC’s application pointed out that a large number of sex workers have been excluded from aid measures due to lack of identity documents such as Aadhaar and ration cards.

This, despite the fact that the Supreme Court had directed the central and state governments to ensure access to ration cards, voters identity cards and bank accounts, based on recommendations of a Court-appointed Panel in 2011 looking into rehabilitation and empowerment of sex workers.

The application suggested providing relief to sex workers, till the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of monthly dry rations, cash transfer to the tune of Rs. 5000 per month, additional cash transfer to the tune of Rs 2500 for those with school-going children, Covid-19 prevention measures such as masks, soaps, medicines and sanitizers delivered through Targeted Intervention Projects/State AIDS Control Societies and Community Based Organizations.

State DMSC coordinator Mahasweta Mukherjee said that all are happy with the Supreme Court verdict. She also expressed her gratitude toward the Trinamool Congress run state government taking the initiative of allowing sex workers to have ration cards so that they can get a supply of free rations.

“Since April the business has been closed and DMSC has supported all the women. Now with unlock 4, the business scenario is little changing but not up the mark. We are constantly meeting with some influential people so that we can arrange for relief. Now with the apex court’s verdict, we are hopeful and the situation will change. We need financial assistance, at least for the next six months,” mentioned Mukherjee.

कॉरपोरेट के हवाले वतन साथियों- सम्पत सरल

ऑडियो वीडियो

ScribeShah

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September 27, 2020

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कॉरपोरेट के हवाले वतन साथियों- सम्पत सरल

हास्य व्यंग के सबसे बड़े कवि या यों कहें के समकालीन भारत के राजनीतिक घटनाक्र्म पे अपनी कविता करने वाले सम्पत सरल ने पार्लियामेंट में कृषि विधेयकों के पास होने पे एक कविता पढ़ी है जो ईन्यूज़रूम उनके आज्ञा के साथ अपने पाठको के लिए शेयर कर रहा है।

पढ़े पूरी कविता:-

जो तमाम काम करने की कह कर आए थे, वे आते ही काम तमाम करने में लग गए।

राज्यसभा में कृषि विधेयक माराडोना शैली से पास करा लिए गए। माराडोना शैली यानी रेफरी अपना हो, तो हाथ से गोल करके भी फुटबॉल मैच जीता जा सकता है।

जिन कृषि विधेयकों पर वोटिंग जरूरी थी, उपसभापति ने उन पर मात्र ध्वनिमत से मुहर लगवाली। विपक्ष का तो यह तक दावा है कि ध्वनिमत में भी मत कम थे और ध्वनि अधिक।

हंगामा करने का दोषी मानते हुए विपक्ष के आठ सांसद यह कहते हुए निलंबित कर दिए कि साध्य पवित्र हो, तो साधन भी पवित्र होने चाहिएं। तो जहांपनाह विपक्ष भी तो आपसे यही कह रहा था।

निलंबित आठों सांसदों ने संसद परिसर स्थित गांधी प्रतिमा के पास रात भर धरना दिया।

उपसभापति हरिवंश जी अगली सुबह निलंबित सांसदों के लिए घर से चाय ले गए। आठों ही सांसदों ने उनकी चाय पीने से इंकार कर दिया। जाहिर सी बात है, एक चाय का जला हुआ देश, दूसरी चाय नहीं पीता।

लोगों ने सोशलमीडिया पर हरिवंश जी की चिट्ठी पढ़ी। जिसमें उन्होंने खुद को जस्टिफाई करते हुए गांधी, जेपी, लोहिया, कर्पूरी ठाकुर, चंद्रशेखर आदि को अपना आदर्श बताया।

लोगों में चर्चा है कि यदि यह चिट्ठी उन्हें कागज पर लिखी मिलती, तो वे कोना फाड़कर पढ़ते।

मेरा मानना है यदि हरिवंश जी इन महापुरुषों में से किसी एक को भी अपने आचरण में उतार लेते, तो बजाय पार्लियामेंट में बैठने के, किसानों के साथ सड़कों पर होते।

क्या उलटबांसी है? चाय बेचते थे, तो देश पर चर्चा करते थे। देश बेच रहे हैं, तो चाय पर चर्चा करते हैं।

सत्य जानने के लिए मेरा एक मित्र तो मोदीजी के कहे का उलटा अर्थ निकालने लगा है। जब मोदीजी ने कहा था- झोला उठाकर चल दूंगा, तब मित्र ने बताया था कि मोदीजी कह रहे हैं- झोला थमा कर चल दूंगा।

2014 के बाद से शब्दों के अर्थ बदल गए हैं। अब समर्थन मूल्य से तात्पर्य अनाज के सरकारी मूल्य से नहीं रहा।

समर्थन मूल्य का मतलब है आपरेशन लोटस के तहत जोड़-तोड़ की सरकार बनाने के लिए अन्य दलों के अवसरवादी सांसदों-विधायकों से मिले समर्थन के बदले उन्हें दिया जाने वाला मूल्य।

मजा देखिए, जो रबी और खरीफ में अंतर नहीं जानते और खेत जिन्होंने सिर्फ फिल्मों और हवाईजहाजों की खिड़कियों से देखे हैं, वे किसानों को कृषि विधेयकों के फायदे बता रहे हैं।

कृषि विधेयकों से किसानों की आय वैसे ही डबल हो जाएगी, जैसे नोटबन्दी से काला धन आ चुका है।

‘Temporary’ Chief Minister and mess in the government in Madhya Pradesh

N D Sharma

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September 25, 2020

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‘Temporary’ Chief Minister and mess in the government in Madhya Pradesh

Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at a Mandsaur function on September 20 that he is a temporary Chief Minister (of Madhya Pradesh). Chouhan is not known to be a person to say such things lightly; hence the speculation that he has probably received some adverse hint from the party’s Big Boss in Delhi. It may be due to the unsettled state of his mind that a mess is developing in the State government affairs. The controversy over the loan waiver of farmers has become a major embarrassment for his government.

Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel informed the Assembly during its one-day session on September 21 that the Congress government of Kamal Nath had disbursed around Rs 11,000 crore to write off the farm loans of 26,95,381 farmers in the State; farmers with a loan of over Rs one lakh were the beneficiaries of the scheme. About the loans of the remaining farmers, Patel said that a detailed review was under way.

Farmers’ loan waiver was a major plank of the Congress party during the electioneering for the 2019 Assembly elections. After the party formed the government with Kamal Nath as Chief Minister, it had raised the loan amount by promising to waive farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh. However, the government had to go after 15 months following defection of 22 party MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia and their resignation from the Assembly.

After formation of BJP government, Chief Minister Chouhan and others in his government and the party have been constantly harping on the Congress government’s failure to keep its promise of waiving loans of farmers; Congress government was accused of telling lies and committing fraud on the State’s farmers. Accusations against the Congress on the farmers’ loan waiver issue had reached a high pitch in view of the ensuing by-elections to the Assembly. Suddenly there are the loan waiver figures given by the Agriculture Minister in the Assembly. As it is a burning issue, one can reasonably assume that the minister may have brought it to the notice of the Chief Minister.

After Patel’s Assembly reply on loan waiver during the Congress regime appeared in media, there was an understandable disquiet among the BJP leaders. But none in the party appeared to think of how to absorb this shock.

Minister of Urban Administration and Development Bhupendra Singh said that what Kamal Patel had stated in the Assembly was based on ‘wrong information’ given by the officials. He told reporters: ‘Adhikariyon ne is sambandh mein Pradesh Vidhan Sabha ko galat jaankari di hai. Jaanch ke baad sahi jaankari di jayegi’ (the officials gave wrong information to the State Assembly regarding this matter. Correct information would be supplied after an inquiry}.

Bhupendra Singh is a veteran legislator and now an important minister. It is surprising that he should project himself as an enemy of common sense. It is the elected minister who is accountable to the Assembly and the people and not XYZ. While the controversy rages, with the Congress leaders having gleefully jumped into the fray, the Agriculture Minister and the Chief Minister are keeping quiet.

Incidentally, only Chief Minister is not ‘temporary’ in Madhya Pradesh. After Lalji Tandon’s death, Anandiben Patel has been temporarily holding the charge of Governor. Vidhan Sabha continues with pro tem (temporary) Speaker. Half the ministers are temporary as they are not MLAs and there is little chance that by-elections will be held before their six-month period expires. From September 30, MP High Court will also have a temporary Chief Justice (Justice Sanjay Yadav) after retirement of Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal.

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