Kolkata: A day after BJP national working president JP Nadda alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee didn’t nothing for the betterment of the Matua community and instead played with the sentiments of the Matuas, Banerjee during one of her anti-CAA and anti-NRC rallies claimed that she had worked for the upliftment of the community, about which BJP is not aware of.
“I had taken charge of Boroma’s (Binapani Devi) treatment for last 30 years. I have formed the Matua Welfare Board and even set up the Matua University. BJP is playing dirty votebank politics in the name of Matua community but everyone knows the truth,” mentioned Banerjee.
Mamata in NRC protest
On the sixth day of continuous protest against CAA, Bengal CM walked from Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral home to Gandhi Bhawan.
“Shah is saying that nothing can stop them from implementing NRC across the country on the other side Modi is trying to show the importance of CAA to the world. Modi speaks about clothes and appeasement, how can he say such stuffs, while deviating from important issues? Come what may, we will stand together and NRC, CAA will not be allowed to enter Bengal,” reiterated Banerjee amidst the loud roar of dhol and other traditional instruments.
Speaking about the struggles of people who were compelled for an exodus due to partition of Bengal, the TMC Supremo said that after several struggles and hardships people had established themselves and is the voter in this country but due to BJP they are also being heckled.
“Those who voted for BJP are now illegal infiltrators for them. They should read history first. A new political party constituted in 1980 doesn’t know anything about the rich culture and heritage and history of Bengal. Time has come for them to go, so that other democratic political party can form the central government,” stated Banerjee.
On the violence over NRC issue and breakdown of law and order, Banerjee claimed that the saffron camp always alleges that due to Trinamool Congress government, violence is increasing in Bengal but they turn a blind eye towards the law and order condition of BJP ruled states.
“We had sent a four-member delegation to UP, where seven people have died due to NRC issue. But our delegation was not allowed to go out from the airport. BJP central leaders and ministers come and hold rallies here in Bengal. We don’t don’t raise objections. Yesterday, Nadda held a public meeting cum rally. If we wanted to then we could have stopped them but TMC is a democratic party and we believe in democracy and unity. This shows which political party is democratic and which party fakes to be a democratic one,” mentioned Banerjee.
TMC chief also mocked BJP leaders, for being so ‘fat’ that they cannot even walk the rally and use minidor for rally instead.
Ranchi: Jharkhand Election mandate has shown a thumbs up to the Gathbandhan and the door to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The result is an indicator for the public anger, which stemmed from a large number of mob lynching that took place in the state, between 2016 and 2019.
At least 23 people have been lynched in Jharkhand. The first case of lynching took place in Latehar district in 2016. Most of the lynchings that took place in Jharkhand, were over petty allegations like – bike theft, child lifting along with other allegations like cattle transportation and beef consumption. Imtiaz Khan, a boy as young as 12 years of age was beaten to death and then hanged from a tree in Latehar. Gautam Verma, a student pursuing his Bachelors in Computer Application (BCA) and a 70-year-old woman Sakhi Devi are among others, who became victims of rampant mob lynching in Jharkhand.
In September, five mob lynching cases had taken place on a single day. When Lok Sabha polls were on in April, one Prakash Lakda was killed allegedly for cow slaughtering in Gumla, while Mubarak Ansari was killed just ahead of Jharkhand Assembly Polls in November.
Despite the cases being pursued in Court and civil society taking on the streets to demand justice, families of the victims are still waiting for justice to be delivered.
In the very first lynching incident in Jharkhand- Latehar lynching, the prime accuse Vinod Prajapati was never arrested.
And in some cases, like that of Alimuddin Ansari, intentionally criminals were patronised by politicians like Jayant Sinha, which further discouraged the victim’s families during their fight for justice.
Now there being a change of guard, with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led Gathbandhan getting the people’s mandate, the hope for justice among the families of the victims has soared higher.
“The trial for Tabrez’s case has not yet begun. Now I hope that the new government will take action on it,” said Shaista.
“I want justice at any cost,” reacted Shaista Perween, wife of Tabrez Ansari, who was lynched to death in June, earlier this year. The merciless lynching of Tabrez was recorded on video. His case was even heard at the United Nation’s Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
But back home in Jharkhand, all the eight accused are on bail now.
“The trial for Tabrez’s case has not yet begun. Now I hope that the new government will take action on it,” said Shaista.
Another lynching case that had rocked the nation was that of Alimuddin Ansari, in 2017, especially after MP Jayant Sinha garlanded his killers when they stepped out on bail. In this case, all the 11 murderers are out on bail now.
After Alimuddin was lynched to death, his eldest son too dies due to lack of medical treatment. His wife Mariam Khatoon not only wants justice but also a government job for her younger son.
“Since Jayant Sinha garlanded my husband’s killers, we lost faith in the government. We got discouraged and did not know how to go about with getting justice. But as Raghubar Das’s government has gone, we are hoping to get justice,” said Mariam.
He further said, “I had met Chief Minister Raghubar Das and had written so many times to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for CBI inquiry, but neither Raghubar Das accepted my request nor PM replied to my letters.”
Uttam Verma lost three members of from his family in a single incident had lost all hope of getting justice during the previous government. He had lost two brothers – Gautam and Vikash Verma and grandmother- Sakhi Devi. Along with three family members, one Gangesh Gupta, a friend of Uttam was also killed in suspicion of being a child lifter at Nagadih in Jamshedpur.
On that night in a separate incident, three Muslim men were also lynched near Nagadih itself.
“I am a witness to that fateful night and even after two years, if I wake up in the middle of the night, I am unable to sleep. The incident still haunts me,” rued Uttam while talking to eNewsroom.
He further said, “I had met Chief Minister Raghubar Das and had written so many times to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for CBI inquiry, but neither Raghubar Das accepted my request nor PM replied to my letters.”
Advocate Shadab Ansari, who had fought the case of Alimuddin Ansari in the lower court and has closely monitored several lynching cases told eNewsroom, “The new government should appoint a special public prosecutor to monitor all the lynching cases in Jharkhand. The government should also hand over cases to competent police officers to speed up the trials.”
“Now, as Hemant Soren is going to become the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, I want to put forward my request for CBI inquiry into the lynching incident that took place on that fateful night. I want to know the mastermind of the incident in which seven people were killed in one night,” he added.
Advocate Shadab Ansari, who had fought the case of Alimuddin Ansari in the lower court and has closely monitored several lynching cases told eNewsroom, “The new government should appoint a special public prosecutor to monitor all the lynching cases in Jharkhand. The government should also hand over cases to competent police officers to investigate the cases in which chargesheet has not been filed or investigation is pending.”
Significantly, the Supreme Court in its guidelines has told to all the states in July, 2018 to run all lynching cases in fast track courts. However, barring Ramgarh lynching case, no other lynching case has been tried in a fast track court.
And after the lynching of Tabrez, human rights activist Harsh Mander had filed a petition in Ranchi High Court requesting it to order the state government to implement Supreme Court guidelines on mob lynching cases in the state.
Kolkata: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintained silence over the NRC issue but spoke about the importance of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), BJP national working president JP Nadda on Monday said that CAA doesn’t take away anyone’s citizenship but gives the same to people.
Addressing a public rally at Shyambazar, Nadda said that Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was misguiding the people by projecting CAA as an evil.
Significantly, throughout the rally Jai Shri Ram was chanted as a slogan, while Nadda claimed that the act would not affect Muslims.
The Telegraph in its report even mentioned, ‘Communal undertones remained palpable throughout a three-hour BJP march.’
“Muslims and people who have been residing in Bengal for long will not be affected. CAA gives citizenship to people from other nations staying in this country. Banerjee is misleading everyone by being vocal against CAA,” said Nadda.
The march was organized ‘to dispel doubts and misinformation’ about the amended citizenship law.
While it is being alleged by the opposition parties and civil society in large that the CAA is unconstitutional. And giving citizenship to any persecuted minority from any country is not an issue, but doubting everyone’s citizenship and asking everyone to prove their citizenship through NRC and NPR is.
Nadda reminded how India is secular, he stated that though Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan chose to become an Islamic country, India post Independence chose to become a secular one for which the Indian constitution starts with ‘We the people of India…’
“BJP abides by the constitution. And keeping the constitution in mind we have always respect the minorities. Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan had signed a pact to save the rights of minorities in both countries. CAA will help the minorities and the helpless from the neighbouring countries,” claimed the BJP working president.
Supporting Nadda, Goutam Mondol, resident of Chakdah, representing the Matua community said that Mamata Banerjee didn’t do anything for the upliftment of the Matua community.
“The Left Front didn’t do anything for us. We have a rich heritage, despite meeting our Boroma, Banerjee always gave false hopes but the BJP government is trying to save our lives and through CAA it will be ensured,” said Mondol.
Speaking about Ayushman Bharat scheme, Nadda added that more than 2 crore people are under BPL and also that Banerjee is still vocal against the implementation of the same in Bengal.
The Calcutta High Court verdict asking the state government to withdraw all the advertisements against CAA from government portals and social media before the next hearing on January 9, was hailed by BJP national secretary and Bengal observer Kailash Vijayvargiya.
The BJP rally in Kolkata was organised in support of CAA and NRC on a day, when the Jharkhand election results was declared. Political observers believe that the election verdict came against NRC, NPR and the controversial amendments made in the Citizenship Act.
It is also significant that, while during the day, BJP organised a rally in support of CAA and NRC, by midnight, its state vice-president and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose tweeted and questioned the party as to why Muslims had not been included in CAA.
He tweeted, “If #CAA2019 is not related to any religion why are we stating – Hindu,Sikh,Boudha, Christians, Parsis & Jains only! Why not include #Muslims as well? Let’s be transparent (sic)”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the opposition parties of doublespeak on newly passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). But his address at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi made it obvious that he himself is suffering from selective amnesia. For the worse, he offered a calculated denial of responsibility on the regime’s twin project for a religion-based citizenry in hitherto secular India. Now that nationwide popular protests against the dual designs to exclude Muslims and include non-Muslims from three neighboring Islamic countries have spread in BJP-ruled states, a visibly troubled Modi denied ‘any discussion inside the government on NRC since 2014’. He tried to de-link the two by dismissing fears and speculations on the social and financial cost of NRC as ‘premature and baseless’. Further, he wanted to wash his hand from the fiasco over Assam NRC by claiming it as an obligatory move to follow SC order. In the same refrain, he denied the existence of any detention camp for the 19 lakh individuals who have been excluded from the final list of Assam NRC.
Modi’s ‘Safed Jhoot’
His off and on dementia or denial mode, a special attribute of the politicians of all hues, may help him for a while to gloss over his as well as home minister Amit Shah’s repeated assertion to link the two exercises. But proliferation of digital-age records is making it difficult for them to take advantage of short public memory.
As early as June 20, the Presidential address of Ram Nath Kovind in the Parliament, had underlined the intent of Modi.2 Ministry – to launch a nationwide NRC even as the Assam-specific exercise was yet to be over. As late as December 9, the day of CAA passage in the Parliament, Shah had thundered: Mankaar Chaliye, NRC aane walahai. The duo made similar refrains on the exclusion of Muslim ‘infiltrators’ from Bangladesh and inclusion of persecuted Hindu and other non-Muslim ‘refugees’ during their Jharkhand election campaign, which lasted over a month. Retrieval of Parliamentary records to expose the doublespeak will not embarrass the opposition only as Shah’s junior in home ministry had informed on 27 November about the detention of 998 ‘foreigners’ in six detention camp as well as Assam government’s admission of 30 deaths of inmates including a suicide in the detention centre.
Shah’s Silence
Interestingly, Modi’s comrade-in-arms and Home Minister Amit Shah was conspicuously absent after shooting his mouth on the hyphenated nature of the CAA and NRC for months. He had said umpteen times that NRC is meant to filter out the Bangladeshi infiltrators irrespective of their faiths while CAA is designed to take in non-Muslims as legitimate refugees who had fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. But the self-styled Chanakya is apparently rattled as his ministry is now trying to de-link the two and assuring people of hassle-free NRC.
Painting the whole opposition with the Pakistani brush has been most tested and sure-shot strategy for Modi and his echo-chamber to communalise any domestic issue and polarise people on religious line. Nothing is easy like whipping up anti-Pak Hindutva nationalism and its corollary tirade against homegrown Muslims by painting them as Pak agent provocateurs or Bangladeshi Trojan horses. Pakistani generals and politicians too had used the same weapon by triggering mass hysteria against India to deflect popular anger against them for failing to deliver on roti-kapda-makan, bijli-sadak-pani demands.
Beleaguered may be for the first time since his maiden run in 2014, Modi, however, hinted a pause on countrywide NRC but not an annulment of the project, lest it annoys Sangh and demoralize its core support base. Instead, he reiterated the differences he and Sangh makes between ‘self-asserting’ Hindu, Sikh and other non-Muslim refugees and ‘surreptitious’ infiltrators, read Muslims from the neighborhood while playing the emotive refugee card by referring to their persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Obsession with Pakistan and Kashmir
He clearly signaled a counter offensive by accusing the Opposition of parroting Pakistan and conniving with the enemy to give Indian citizenship to its fifth column. Further, his shrewd allegation of the opposition’s silence on the earlier denial of right to property for Kashmiri women who had been married to mainlanders was obviously meant for rousing the majoritarian sentiments that he has exploited to the hilt for the abrogation of article 370 and the statehood of J&K.
Painting the whole opposition with the Pakistani brush has been most tested and sure-shot strategy for Modi and his echo-chamber to communalise any domestic issue and polarise people on religious line. Nothing is easy like whipping up anti-Pak Hindutva nationalism and its corollary tirade against homegrown Muslims by painting them as Pak agent provocateurs or Bangladeshi Trojan horses. Pakistani generals and politicians too had used the same weapon by triggering mass hysteria against India to deflect popular anger against them for failing to deliver on roti-kapda-makan, bijli-sadak-pani demands.
War-mongering, even a terror strike, a la Pulwama before the May Lok Sabha polls, would salvage the situation for the Regime. Current army chief and would-be first Chief of Defence Staff Vipin Rawat has suitably joined the orchestra by alerting media on increased tension on the LOC. In the meantime, an anonymously sourced story on a Pak-Jehadi plot to kill Modi has also been floated. All these are aimed at rallying the core constituency of the Hindutva project for both electoral and street battles.
The replay of Ramayana
Trying his best to don a cloak of Kalyug ke Ram, he described himself a much maligned and hounded man, almost a martyr for new India. Presenting a case for his Dharam Yudha in presidential style, he has again made BJP and bigger Sangh Parivar almost invisible behind his ubiquitous ‘I, Me and Mine’. The self-appointed saviour and avenger for historical wrongs done to the majority were frank enough about his strategy and battle cry against the new Ravana and Co – Congress and its assorted allies.
Despite his inclusive rhetoric, earlier too Modi had betrayed his hatred for Muslims when he identified the vandals by their dress during the violent protests in Bengal and elsewhere. However, historians of freedom struggle have questioned Modi and his extended Sangh Parivar on their newfound love for Mahatma Gandhi and the national flag. They reminded that the saffron camp had not only supported British power at the trying times during the freedom struggle but also refused to honor the tricolor after independence and wanted to replace it with ‘Bhagwa Jhanda’ of RSS.
He trained his guns on current Congress dynasts with ‘Gandhi surname’ and their loyals courtiers including Manmohon Singh for reneging the Partition-era pledges made to persecuted non-Muslim refugees.
What the prime minister did not divulge is the Sangh agenda to complete the religion-based Partition based on Jinnah and Savarkar’s two nation theory: exchange of minority populations in three nation-states of the subcontinent.
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee drew his derision mostly. Mocking the ‘Didi’ repeatedly while pausing for the approval of cheering crowd, he referred to her doublespeak on Bangladeshi infiltrators in her opposition avatar and now in power in the state. Communists, particularly,Prakash Karat, the former CPM chief who has no love lost between him and Singh after Left withdrawal of support to UPA I government too drew his flak on the same account. But all the Modi’s detractors later pointed to their continued support to persecuted Hindu-Sikh refugees. But they refused to buy his discrimination to persecuted minority sects among Muslims in Islamic states, who may be considered as Bibhisana s in the Modified Ramayana.
More Patriotism test for Indian Muslims
Urging Indian Muslims not to succumb to disinformation and instigation of Pakistan-inspired opposition and ‘urban naxals’, Mota Bhai counted other Islamic countries among his global admirers which, he complained, caused heartburn among his homegrown and regional adversaries. Angry about the waving of the national tricolors by street protesters who have called for a second freedom struggle, Modi dismissed it as the display of false patriotism by the infiltrators. He retorted Indian Muslims obliquely on their nationalism as he asked dissenters to condemn the Pakistani terror acts in the same spirit.
Modi’s propaganda machine has already zoomed in the basic forces behind the agitations; Muslims, Left-liberal students and ‘urban Naxals’ helped by opposition parties. The continued practice of branding any dissenter as deshdrohi or anti-national has been made coterminous to Muslims and Hindus who stand by them.
Despite his inclusive rhetoric, earlier too Modi had betrayed his hatred for Muslims when he identified the vandals by their dress during the violent protests in Bengal and elsewhere. However, historians of freedom struggle have questioned Modi and his extended Sangh Parivar on their newfound love for Mahatma Gandhi and the national flag. They reminded that the saffron camp had not only supported British power at the trying times during the freedom struggle but also refused to honor the tricolor after independence and wanted to replace it with ‘Bhagwa Jhanda’ of RSS.
PM made Police victim of protester atrocities
The prime minister’s empathy for the ‘plight of policemen on their line of duties to protect the citizens and public property braving heat and cold, rain and snow’’ made his take on uniformed burtalities against Jamia Milia and AMU students as well as killings of Muslim youths in UP. His minions have already justified it to underline the ‘zero tolerance’ to violence by the main minority.
The minion’s threat to rerun Gujarat 2002
Modi’s disciple and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had threatened Badla against arajak and upadrapi or lawless and trouble-makers who had destroyed state and private property. Gunning down at least 16 persons in the state, mostly Muslims (though police claimed no firing), and merciless beating of the community students and youth underlined the state-sponsored hatred, not new in the state’s uniformed forces since decades. Most chilling reminder of the Hindutva mindset came from Karnataka BJP minister. He threatened to re-run Gujarat 2002 by referring to the carnage of Muslims after Kar Sevaks were killed in a torched train compartment in Muslim-dominated Godhra.
Modi’s propaganda machine has already zoomed in the basic forces behind the agitations; Muslims, Left-liberal students and ‘urban Naxals’ helped by opposition parties. The continued practice of branding any dissenter as deshdrohi or anti-national has been made coterminous to Muslims and Hindus who stand by them.
Clearly, he has drawn battle lines for a civil warlike situation. Yes, Modi hai to Mumkin hai!
राँची: जब मैं झारखंड विधानसभा चुनाव की रेपोर्टिंग कर रहा था तो जो खास बात थी वो ये के झारखंड में लोकल मुद्दे पूरे चुनाव में हावी रहे। सत्ताधारी भारतीय जनता पार्टी (भाजपा) के तमाम बड़े नेताओं की कोशिश की चुनाव में राष्ट्रीय मुद्दों को वोटेर्स के बीच लाये और एक माहौल बनाए वो पूरी तरह से फ़ेल हो गया।
अपने पहले चुनावी रैली से लेकर आखिर तक, भाजपा के राष्ट्रिए अध्यक्ष और गृहमंत्री अमित शाह कश्मीर से धारा 370 हटाना, सूप्रीम कोर्ट का अयोध्या पे फैसला और फिर नागरिकता कानून में बदलाव को हर बार उठाया। यहाँ तक के प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने एनआरसी के खिलाफ हो रहे विरोध प्रदशन को लेकर भी ब्यान दिया के प्रदर्शनकरियों को उनके कपड़े से पहचाना जा सकता है। मतलब सीधा चुनाव को सांप्रदायिक बनाने की कोशिश की।
पर ये मुद्दे झारखंड के लोगों के जीवन से जुड़े सवालों- भूख से मौत, गिरती विधि वैवशता, मोब लिंचिंग, बेरोजगारी, आदिवासियों के जमीनों को कॉर्पोरेट को देना जैसे सवालों को झारखंडवासियों के दिलो-दिमाग से नहीं निकाल पाये।
यही वजह रही के पाँच चरणों में चुनाव होना, दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी पार्टी के सभी बड़े नेताओ का कार्यक्रम होना, पर फिर भी झारखंड चुनाव परिणाम को अपने हक़ में भाजपा नहीं बादल पायी।
सीपीआईएमएल के विनोद सिंह, अपने पिता को सलामी देते हुए
अगर रैलियों की बात करें तो प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी सहित, गृहमंत्री अमित शाह, राजनाथ सिंह, स्मृति ईरानी, जेपी नड्डा, उत्तर प्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री आदित्यनाथ सहित पार्टी के तमाम बड़े नेता प्रचार किए, पर भाजपा का आंकड़ा 27 के पार नहीं हो पाया।
वहीं झारखंड मुक्ति मोर्चा बिना किसी स्टार प्रचारक के झारखंड विधानसभा चुनाव में सिंगल लारजेस्ट पार्टी बन गयी।
गिरिडीह की सीट पर जेएमएम के उम्मीदवार सुदिव्य कुमार सोनू को हराने गृहमंत्री खुद आए, पर वो भी भाजपा को जीत नहीं दिला पाये।
भाजपा, जेएमएम के साथ साथ, सीपीआईएमएल के विनोद सिंह के खिलाफ भी राजनाथ सिंह से लेकर आदित्यनाथ सब को मैदान में उतारा पर सीपीआईएमएल को वापस सीट अपने कब्जे में लेने से नहीं रोक पायी। विनोद सिंह ने सीपीआईएमएल के लिए तीसरी बार बागोदर विधानसभा जीता। उतना ही बार उनके पिता महेंद्र सिंह ने ये सीट जीता था।
Madhya Pradesh government was gracious enough to appreciate Abdul Jabbar’s work among the victims of Bhopal Gas Tragedy after his death and confer on him posthumously the State’s highest Award, the Indira Gandhi Award for Social Service. There was, however, little grace in the manner in which the Award was presented.
The Award carries a citation and Rs 10 lakh in cash. The State government organised a function on November 17 at Bhopal’s historic Minto Hall to mark the completion of one year of Congress government in Madhya Pradesh. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was the chief guest, released the State government’s “Vision to Delivery Roadmap 2020-2025”, outlining the government’s agenda for next five years. After that the former Prime Minister presented the citation and the cheque to the late Jabbar’s widow, Sayra Bano, and that was all. Neither the citation was read out nor did Chief Minister Kamal Nath nor Manmohan Singh even mention Jabbar’s name in their speeches, leave aside their saying a few words about Jabbar’s excellent work.
Manmohan Singh had apparently always had an apathy towards Bhopal Gas victims. Prime Minister Narasimha Rao had in January 1992 constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM), headed by Manmohan Singh (then Finance Minister) to ensure implementation of the Supreme Court order of October 1991 which related to disbursal of compensation out of the settlement fund and insuring children born just before or immediately after the gas leak tragedy.
Conferment of the Award on Jabbar posthumously has made Jabbar’s friends wondering how he would have reacted if he were alive. The NDTV had honoured Jabbar’s Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan with the Indian of the Year 2009 “Unsung Hero” Award in February 2010. Jabbar received the Award from Amitabh Bachan at a glittering function in New Delhi. He, however, did not feel elated.
It was also mandated to frame guidelines for disbursement of the compensation; besides, the GoM was asked to redress the grievances of the survivors’ wherever these arose. . The GoM also comprised Arjun Singh (Human Resource Development Minister), Vijay Bhaskar Reddy (Law), and Chinta Mohan, (Minister of State for Fertiliser and Chemicals). Manmohan Singh and his colleagues in the GoM never took any interest in the matter, though there were complaints galore about the mismanagement and corruption in disbursement of the compensation. Not even a single child was insured, in pursuant to the Supreme Court directive. It was said at the time that the mention of Bhopal gas soured the taste in Manmohan Singh’s mouth.
Conferment of the Award on Jabbar posthumously has made Jabbar’s friends wondering how he would have reacted if he were alive. The NDTV had honoured Jabbar’s Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan with the Indian of the Year 2009 “Unsung Hero” Award in February 2010. Jabbar received the Award from Amitabh Bachan at a glittering function in New Delhi. He, however, did not feel elated. Rather, he felt more gratified with the honour he had received from a little known Maharashtra organisation, called “Kusumagraja Sansthan”, of Nasik. He received the “Lokseva Puraskar” (public service award) from Sansthan president and noted film director Dr Jabbar Patel. Jabbar’s pleasure, he had told me, came from the fact that the compact audience drawn from different walks of life questioned him keenly on the conditions of the gas victims and the work his organisation was doing.
Later on, “MP Foundation”, an elite organisation managed by noted advocate Vivek Tankha, invited Jabbar to its function in New Delhi to honour him for his services to the gas victims but with the rider that Jabbar would not speak at the function. Jabbar declined the invitation.
Kolkata: United India Zindabad, United Bengal Zindabad, Amra Kara (Who are we?) – Nagorik (Citizen), Labours, Youths, Students – are citizens. We all are citizens, People of Bihar are citizen, People of Dilli, Kerala, UP, Assam, we all are citizens.
Nahi Chalega Nahi Chalega, CAB Nahi Chalega, NRC Nahi Chalega, CAB Wapas Lo, CAB Wapas Lo, NRC Wapas Lo, Jo Humse Takrayega Chur Chur Ho Jayega.
All the above slogans are not of any activist but that of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee has been actively using these slogans at her rallies to mark her anti-Citizen Amendments Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) stand.
Trinamool Congress supremo sloganeering highlights that everyone is a citizen of India, be it Hindu, Muslim, businessman or shopkeeper, Bihari or Bengali.
The TMC chief has been leading rallies and addressing public meetings since CAB was given a go-ahead by both the houses of the Indian Parliament and the President of India.
Friday, on the fifth consecutive day of her public meet, not only made a sharp attack on the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government but also questioned Narendra Modi not voting for CAB.
With everyday rallies and sabhas, which are witnessing a large number of public participation, Kolkata is once again abuzz with the energy it has been missing of late. Change in political dynamics is significant. Gone is the politician, who a decade ago would excuse herself from speaking Hindi, as she was comfortable in Bangla. But surprisingly in all her five public meetings, Mamata spoke in Hindi. And significantly, her 30-minute long speech at the Park Circus ground was completely in Hindi.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Park Circus rally
Return of activist Mamata
Many who have seen the Trinamool Congress supremo during her Singur and Nandigram days may feel her present aggression is similar to the Singur movement, which she had judiciously used to dethrone the 3-decade old Left regime in Bengal.
Her fasting at Metro, long fiery speeches that spoke of the rights of the farmers, the support she garnered from the intellects of Bengal helped her build the movement which made the Tata exit Bengal.
NRC and CAA seem to have given Mamata the issue that can help her win public support, and thus, after every meet, her speeches are getting louder, stronger, and aggressive. The smart usage of Hindi to woo the Hindi-speaking voters might also help.
Social media which plays an important role in giving a message, Bengal chief minister had replaced her profile picture with #Citizen and United India message.
And in all her five rallies, Mamata has raised important questions pertaining to BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on CAA and NRC issue. She vehemently criticized BJP over the citizenship issue and sarcastically said, that the government wants to give citizenship to people who have fought for Independence.
Bengal Chief Minister questioned PM Modi for abstaining from voting on CAB. She even appealed to the UN to gauge the public opinion of India on NRC and CAA.
Former IAS officer Gopinath Kannan and CPIML’s Kavita Krishnan in Kolkata for No NRC rally on December 9
Why Mamata should be thankful to the civil society?
However, the crowd and the support that Mamata Banerjee is witnessing in Bengal, would not have been possible if myriad civil societies had not acknowledged the impending danger of NRC, NPR, and CAA to the common man.
It was the social activists and civil societies of Bengal that laid the foundation of the ‘No NRC No CAA no NPR’ Movement in Bengal. The journey began when the final NRC list of Assam was made public. Handful activists under the banner of Joint Forum Against NRC along with students from Jadavpur University assembled outside Assam Bhavan to submit a letter to the CM of Assam demanding the inclusion of all those excluded from the final NRC list. The forum, an umbrella organization of several civil groups, even wrote to the West Bengal Chief Minister seeking her pass a resolution in the Assembly, which she did on September 6, 2019.
The forum, led by Prasenjit Bose, Deborshi Chakraborty, Imtiaz Ahmed Molla, Manzer Jameel, played a key role in mobilizing the common man, through their Pahad Theke Sagar Campaign, which concluded on December 9 with a mega rally which was attended by Gopinath Kannan, former IAS officer, CPIML’s Kavita Krishnan and student leader Kanhaiya Kumar.
Another NGO, which has been actively working for mass mobilization and awareness creation in rural Bengal (Birbhum, Murshidabad, Malda) is Bangla Sanskriti Mancha, led by Tanmay Ghosh and Samirul Islam.
The awareness generated about the problems that could arise due to the implementation of the unconstitutional NRC and CAA is making a huge number of people come out to participate in all kind of political and apolitical rallies being organized in Kolkata and across Bengal.
Bengal would be among the only state in India, where almost all the citizens have hit the streets some or other day in against of NRC, be it students, intellectuals, politicians or local residents.
However, senior journalist Biswajit Roy says, “The problem with Bengal politics is that every ruling party, be it now TMC or earlier the Left, they never want to give space to the civil society nor the opposition. So whatever movement you are witnessing in Bengal, for this civil society has to put a lot of effort.”
“The movement is a lesson for ruling dispensation to give space to opposition and the civil society on certain issues like the NRC and CAA, then only it helps the cause to catch the imagination of common man,” added Roy.
Kolkata: Hitting directly at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee alleged that PM Modi himself doesn’t support Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) as he didn’t vote in favour of the same in the Parliament.
“BJP came to power by taking our votes. Now, just because they have got the majority they are bringing new policies at midnight without consulting others. In Parliament when MPs were voting for CAB, Modi himself didn’t vote for the same. When he himself doesn’t support CAB, then he should immediately reject it,” said Banerjee while addressing a rally at Park Circus Maidan. This was the fifth consecutive rally by addressed by Trinamool Congress chief, as a mark of protest against the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Banerjee also mentioned that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initially started deciding on everything we do—what we wear, what we eat. “They have been after food habits of people of India. I was travelling by Air India and found that they do not serve non-veg food. And now they are after our citizenship,” she alleged.
Rally against controversial citizenship act
“I am a seven-time MP and have travelled a lot by Air India. But now flight companies don’t serve non-veg food only serves veg. There is limit to everything. All of us have endured the misdoings of the BJP government for so long but now it is time to fight back. They are seeking birth certificates of those born 70 years back, they should also prove the same for their ancestors. Time will come when the BJP will become extinct in India,” reiterated Banerjee.
Attacking at BJP, TMC supremo accused BJP of acting as a bigshot and were forgetting the power of united India.
“The vote percentage of BJP is 38 and uniting all the oppositions the remaining is 62 percent. They should not overlook that. If all the opposition parties along with the common people stand together then BJP will not find a place to hide. The beauty of India is that people of all religion stays and eats together, something that the saffron camp wants to break, but TMC will not let that happen,” said Banerjee.
She also said that BJP, which came into existence in 1980 can not pass the cut off date of 1971. When there was Gandhi ji, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and Rajendra Prasad in India then there was no BJP.
“So ministers and leaders of BJP should first come out clear about their eligibility to stay in India and the validity of their citizenship documents,” she added.
Chanting ‘CAB, NRC wapaas lo’ Banerjee said, “A party which was constituted in 1980, is asking for proof of citizenship from those who were born in 1950, 1960 and 1970. After 73 years of Independence Indian citizens are being asked to prove their citizenship which is actually a ploy to divide the country and sell it to foreigners.”
Singing ‘Sare Jahan se achha, Hindustan humara’, the chief minister urged the common people of the state not to fall into the trap of the ‘fake videos’ circulated by the BJP.
“BJP is spreading a fake video about me. I have been consistently protesting on the issue of ‘No ID card, No vote’. BJP is preparing fake videos to misguide people. Do not pay heed to these rumours. Protest peacefully, using democratic means,” she said.
Earlier today, Banerjee held a meeting with various party functionaries at Trinamool Bhavan. At the end of the meeting, she announced further course of action to step up the anti-CAA-NRC protests in Bengal. She also appealed to the people to participate in the mass protests in a peaceful, democratic manner.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today demanded a referendum on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), the two-pronged project to institutionalise religion-based citizenship by Narendra Modi-Amit Shah government at the Centre. She dared the duo to ascertain public opinion on the recently passed controversial act as well as its corollary nationwide NRC that the home minister Shah has been thundering about.
“Go for a referendum if you are so confident of people’s support to your moves on citizenship. See how many people of India would stand by you. If you are not competent, ask the UN or its Human Rights Commission to hold it. No political party need not to intervene in the process. If you are not ready, don’t play with fire”, Mamata said at her party youth rally in Kolkata.
Pointing to the absence of the early avatars of BJP and RSS in the freedom struggle and post colonial development of secular democracy, she urged the people of Hindi heartland and south to come out on the street against BJP’s divisive design’. Referring to the exclusion of 12 lakhs odd Bengali Hindus as well as Gorkhas and Biharis from Assam NRC final list, she called Shah’s bluff that Hindus won’t be affected.
The Left Front and the Congress which had fought recent Bengal polls jointly against TMC and BJP held separate protest rallies in the city against the CAA-NRC. While many commoners have wondered about the rationale behind the fractured opposition to the Modi-Shah regime, Left-Congress leaders, blamed Mamata for making room for BJP by poaching into their camps while refusing them basic democratic rights. They complained that the city police had forced other parties and non-party forums to change their march routes to facilitate Mamata’s gathering at the prime protest location in the city.
A huge gathering against NRC at New Market, Kolkata on December 19
Beyond the myopia
Amid this tunnel-visioned tug-of -war for hegemonic space among traditional electoral rivals, a non-party march by concerned citizens across faiths, languages and gender divide marked a much-needed contrast. Political greenhorns in their teens and seasoned middle-aged activists as well as snowhead elders marched together in thousands in response to a call by No NRC No CAA Movement, a joint forum of several non-party groups. Some of city intellectuals who have not sided either with the Left Front nor Mamata camp, too turned up.
But it was students and youths who spearheaded the Protest against the pincer attack on hitherto secular citizenship law and its constitutional cornerstones through creative slogans, graffiti and songs. The participants’ spontaneity and high ‘Josh‘ underlined the anxieties and indignation of cosmopolitan Bengal. The sea of restive humanity, swelled with the waves of Indian tricolor interspersed with the red flags without party tags as well as black flags is not an everyday spectacle in politically pigeonholed Bengal. The chants of ‘Vande Mataram‘ and ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ rented the air together. The call for ‘Azadi‘ from poverty, unemployment and staggering price-rise, thanks to the economic mess as well as diversionary communal frenzy created by the Sangh Parivar regime through ‘Urban Nazi‘ Shah, reverberated the downtown. Rappers and folk singers lent voices to the existential crisis of millions in Assam whose nightmares are yet to over. Priya Kar, one of the participant carried a poster that said: How do you dare to say Muslims are not Indians.
Participants have come with several creative placards during the protest
Burqua and hijab-clad students from Bowbazar Loreto School marched for the first time today. “I am proud of Bengal that so many non-Muslims have turned up to foil Modi-Shah’s design to divide Hindu and Muslims again,” Ramsha Mehtab, a student of class XII said. She thanked Mamata Banerjee for taking a ‘clear stand’ against BJP government and urged other chief ministers to come out on the streets. Pratima Mazumder, an elderly lady walking with sticks is no rookie to political rallies. But she no longer cares for political correctness. “I was a leftist in my youth. But now I join rallies that focus on people’s cause in right earnest,” she said before moving ahead.
Undaunted by the lung power of the youth who raised slogans like ‘Ek Dhakka Aur Do, Desh Torne Wale Ko Gira Do’ and ‘Shunle Modi , Shunle Shah, Mera Bhi Desh Hai Hindusta,’ two class III siblings Farhan and Alia from nearby slums raised their voice: ‘Garib mere Banay desh, Modi Aur RSS‘. Students who wrote on the road– Jaat nay, Bhaat d’ cheered them.
Not only the city campuses, but local students from universities in Haryana and Karnaka as well as young professionals too joined in protest against police brutalities on Jamia Milia and AMU Students. Asoka university student s in winter break as well as Bangalore-based students narrated their experiences of campus vigilantism and social media trolls. “If they can manhandle and detain noted intellectuals like Ramchandra Guha, they can do anything to us. Still we will oppose,” said Manjushree, a tech city professional who did not share her full name fearing troubles. She smiled self-assuringly when a group of fellow travellers surged ahead in the rhythms of dafli: ‘Desher Janno Kobul Pran, Hindu Ebong Musulman.’
Kolkata: Senior CPI (M) leader and politburo member, Mohammed Salim on Thursday said that the BJP through their unconstitutional policies is uniting the citizens of the country. Salim was addressing a protest rally in Kolkata against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizen (NRC).
CPM along with 16 other Left parties had called for a Bharat Band over the controversial citizenship act. In Kolkata, thousands of Left supporters participated in the rally today.
CPM against NRC
“The more divide and rule politics the BJP will play the more united will the common public be. The saffron camp is following the footprints of the British. They used to keep freedom fighters in different jail based on their religion. Now the BJP is also doing the same,” mentioned Salim.
Speaking on the occasion, Salim said after the Jamia Millia University incident where the protesting students were brutally beaten by the police, students from all over the country especially in Bengal will protest more against the implementation of NRC.
“BJP and saffron camp controlled police is carrying out undemocratic acts over the common people of India. Constitution is like two strong legs on which a person stands. But BJP is trying to break the legs (constitution), they are unaware of the fact that if the constitution breaks the country will also break,” stated the politburo member.
Attacking ruling Trinamool Congress’ supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Salim alleged that even West Bengal police is not giving permission to the Left Front to hold any demonstration across the state.
“Just like BJP police is heckling Left leaders in Delhi and in BJP ruled states, Mamata Banerjee police is also not permitting us to hold any public rally. Left Front’s national secretary Prakash Karat and historian Ramchandra Guha got arrested today for their protest against CAA, even Bengal police might arrest us for hitting the streets. TMC supremo is doing this on purpose to ensure that she gets all the limelight and increase her vote bank,” alleged Salim.
The senior Left leader also said, “We are a secular party and work for the common interest of all human beings. We don’t divide people by religious lines. We had earlier demanded citizenship of every Bengali who came to West Bengal from the erstwhile East Pakistan and now Bangladesh. But CAA doesn’t have any provision for the minorities. So we now condemn the CAA and NRC which excludes the Muslims from getting Indian citizenship.”
“CPM MPs had given three amendments regarding the CAB which clearly mentioned that people from all minority communities from the neighbouring countries should be given citizenship which also includes Sri Lankan Tamils residing in Tamil Nadu,” Salim added.
Except BJP, all major political parties of Bengal, including Trinamool Congress, Congress as well as civil society were seen protesting against NRC and CAA in Bengal’s state capital on December 19.
