eNewsroom India Logo
Search here...
Home Blog Page 225

Second Innings of companionship for Kolkata’s seniors

ScribeShah
-
12
Second Innings of companionship for Kolkata’s seniors

Kolkata: Seventy-year-old Ashish Ganguly, leads an extremely lonely life after he lost his wife to cancer seven years ago. With his children getting busy in their own circle of life, Ganguly often finds no one to share his feelings and thoughts with.

So, when a city-based NGO, Thikana Shimla Family, organised a swayamvar or meeting for elderly people to choose a companion for themselves, Ganguly along with several others assembled at the Calcutta Sports Journalist Club. The organisers added that they had received and overwhelming response, but many chose to back out from the meeting organised, primarily because of the social stigma associated with senior citizens dating or planning to remarry.

Sharing her share of resistance faced was Bagbazar’s Chanda Ghosh, The septuagenarian had decided to attend the meet. “My children were shocked with the idea of me attending the swayamvar. They gave me an earful. I think the society is yet to think about the need of a partner or companion for the elderly,” she expressed her feeling.

Where the kids and society are failing to understand the needs of the old, there Dr Amitava Desarkar, founder secretary of the NGO and a social gerontologist feels that much need to done to tackle the problems of the elderly, who often lead an unhappy life, after losing their partners. Talking to eNewsroom, Dr Desarkar said, “Being an activist working on the problems of the elderly, I realised that loneliness and social isolation was their biggest issue. It took me about four years come up with the idea of acting as a facilitator for senior citizen matrimony. While researching, I realised that most of the time loneliness in elders was due to the death of one of the partner. Hence, I decided to make such elderly men and women interact and pick up new partners so that they could have a companion to share their views with.”

However, the NGO realises that results can’t be achieved with a single day programme. Hence they have begun a closed Face book group where the old and lonely can connect and get into a new relationship. “Apart from the FB group, we will be organising dating tours and workshop on how to use a smart phone and ATM cards. We will also hosts events for Valentine’s Day and have a senior citizens’ beauty contest, among many other events that we have exclusively designed for them.”

However, Dr Desarkar, who has been working on this initiative for four years now, feels that the social stigma is too high when it comes to elderly dating services. He revealed, “I have even been threatened by the family members on several occasions. While some question our motive and while a few think that we are here to make money out of these gullible people.” He further added that the response so far has not been that warm. “The group so far has attracted only 15 members of which eight are women. We charge an annual fee of only INR 600. Only male members are needed to pay the membership fee, for women it’s free.” When asked, why the women are not being charged, he said, “This has been done to attract female members.”

However, to ensure online safety, those joining this group need to fill up a form giving the details, along with an identity, residence, age and singlehood proof like a photocopy of the passport, Aadhar Card, death certificate of spouse or divorce certificate. “People have been hailing this initiative as a good one but most are reluctant to come forward and endorse or seek its service in public. Few are even contemplating about social acceptance as well,” added Dr Desarkar.

Speaking about need of companionship in old age is way higher. He pointed out that most of single elderly look for friendship than sexual relation. “The trend is high for legal friendship than live-in or marriages Perhaps they are looking for companions who can listen to them,” he summed up.

Three-year-old sexually abused in Jharkhand, parents yet to get copy of fir and medical report

ScribeShah
-
0
Three-year-old sexually abused in Jharkhand, parents yet to get copy of fir and medical report

Ranchi: A mother admitted her 3-year-old son to Little Angles, a play school in Ranchi, Jharkhand. She was quite relaxed about her child’s safety as the school claimed that it was their foremost concern. Things were fine post admission. However, ever since she subscribed to the school van services, her son got targeted by the driver, who did sexual abuse with the child for 10 days.

Significantly, a maid, used to travel in the van as a chaperon, but she never objected or raised an alarm when the child was being abused.

Ironically, when the parents approached the school Principal, her reaction was shocking. She exclaimed, “Why would the driver leave the ‘aaya’ and molest a child? That is unnatural.”

Speaking to eNewsroom, the mother of the child informed, “I started sending my son to the school, situated 2 kilometers way from my residence from March 25, 2018. The driver and an ‘aaya’ (maid) used to travel with kids. They are school employees.”

When the child began complaining of being unwell, the mother inquired about his health. But the child didn’t speak up.

“On April 5, he came with injuries in his body. He was unwell too, so we took him to doctor who revealed to us that the child has been sexually abused,” narrated the child’s mother. Her voice almost broke while sharing the details.

The child was traumatised and it was only after a few days that he was able to narrate the details of the abuse. The driver used to take the boy to a desolate place and undress him. All the boy was able to recollect that it was a filthy place, where he could hear the dogs bark. The ‘aaya’ used to go away when the driver molested the child and would come back only when the driver was done with his misdeed.

She sadly added, that her child doesn’t even know that he has been sexually abused.

“Next day, we contacted the school administration, but were shocked by Principal Sandhya Bagla’s reply.”

The school authorities were more concerned about brushing aside the issue.

For 15 days, parents have been requesting the school authorities to take action against the driver and maid, but school is yet to take any action.

“Finally on April 21, we met Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ranchi, Kuldeep Diwedi, who asked us to register an FIR , so that he could take action,” said the mother.

After the registration of FIR at Kotwali Police Station (no 19/18), driver was arrested by Ranchi the police. And a medical examination has been done by a board on April 23.

The mother added, “I want justice for my child. I want to fight. Though I have registered a police complaint, I have come to know that the principal is trying to ‘manage’ the officers as well as the medical reports. The Doctors had affirmed it then that the child has been sexually assaulted. The bruises were there. But I fear that, as time passes by, they would erase all the evidences. They might influence the doctors. For them, the prestige of their school is more important than the psychological scars that my child has suffered.”

When contacted, Sandhya Bagla, the principal, she said, “No such incident has taken place in our school.” She then reiterated the same logic, “Driver is 52 year old and maid is 27, so why leaving her, he will molest the child?”

However, mother claimed that driver was not older than 35 years. The driver Kunwar Kespotta has been arrested by Ranchi police.

The principal also claimed that they have a GPS system in the van, and there was no record of the van deviating from its routined path.

Mother again claimed that principal giving wrong information, as GPS had been installed in the van, only after April 5, which was after they had complained to the school authority regarding the child’s molestation.

SSP, Ranchi being on leave, in-charge Sanjay Singh told eNewsroom, “”I have no idea about the case, but if an FIR has been registered, there will be no manipulation either in the FIR or in the medical report,” he claimed.

Asaram to spend his life in jail until death for raping a minor school girl

ScribeShah
-
0
Asaram to spend his life in jail until death for raping a minor school girl

Jodhpur: Five years after being arrested for having raped a minor on pretext of exorcism, Jodhpur Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Court, gave a landmark judgment by sentencing Asaram, a self-styled Godman, for lifetime. His associates, Shilpi and Sharad, will now have to spend 20 years in jail, as they have been awarded 20 years of imprisonment.

Continue

Operator’s phone number in several Aadhar cards, gets control of all data

ScribeShah
-
0
Operator’s phone number in several Aadhar cards, gets control of all data

Ranchi: Last year in March, Sakshi Dhoni, wife of former Team India, captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni had raised an alarm concerning the M S Dhoni’s confidential data listed in Aadhar being leaked. She had also complained regarding the same to Union Law and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. With the government giving an assurance that there would not be a repeat, it was believed that no Aadhar information would ever be leaked in Jharkhand.

But, within a year, this incident where a Common Service Center (CSC) operator, at Ganwah More, Ganwah block, Giridih has put his phone number in most of the Aadhar cards made through him, has exposed once again, as to how vulnerable the data listed in one’s Aadhar identity proof is.

The center used to operate from Ganwah Panchayat Building, has now been shutdown, with Aadhar now being made at banks. But till January 31, 2018 one Raju Kumar, had put one single phone number in every Aadhar card that was applied for through his centre. A little bit of investigation revealed that the number belongs to him. Several Aadhar cards and the enrollment slips have the same phone number—8969877638 listed in it.

Phone number listed in the Aadhar card has great significance as now one can only get rations, pensions and several other welfare scheme’s benefits authentification get done only after submitting OTP (One Time Password).

When eNewsroom contacted Raju on the number listed on the card, he received the call and explained that he had had his number listed as he wanted to help certain people who didn’t have any phone or mobile numbers to list. “If I would not have added my number, they would have not been able to get an Aadhar,” he told eNewsroom.

On being asked, if he was aware of the fact that his action of listing his own number was a punishable offence and that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) can book him, or that the card owner would be dependent on him for life, Raju had no answer. However, his modus operandi exposes the fact that Aadhar credentials can easily be manipulated or accessed by anyone.

When contacted Shambhu Singh, General Manager, Technology SCS eGovernance Services, he told eNewsroom, “The person (Raju Kumar) has been removed from CSC center in March itself for some other reason.”

“However, we had no idea about this issue, and now when UIDAI will instruct us, then only we can take action against him,” he added.

This year in January, The Tribune newspaper had done a story, which had shown how by paying just Rs 500 anybody can get access to millions of personal Aadhar data.

PM Modi, when 19 cr becomes 100 cr, its either magic or fantasy!

ScribeShah
-
0
PM Modi, when 19 cr becomes 100 cr, its either magic or fantasy!

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]rime Minister Narendra Modi, it appears, lives in his own fantasy world. He fantasises something about his achievements and then starts believing it to be true. The latest example is the claim, he made during his recent interaction with the Indian diaspora in London. He said that he, as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, had been receiving gifts which he had auctioned over Rs 100 crore. He said that he spent this amount on girl education. Following which people started giving him cheques for girls’ education. In his own words: —

फिर मैं उसका valuation करवाने लगा, फिर मैंने उसका ऑक्‍शन करवाना शुरू किया। हम लोग जानते हैं हिंदुस्‍तान में राजनेताओं के साथ ऐसी बातें, सब सच होती हैं ऐसा भी मैं नहीं कहता हूं, झूठ होती हैं ये भी मैं नहीं कह सकता। लेकिन ये तो होता कि यार वो फलाना था, कितना ले गया। लेकिन मैं गर्व से कहता हूं कि जब मैंने गुजरात छोड़ा था तो ये जो मुझे मिलती थीं चीजें, मैं उसका लगातार ऑक्‍शन करता था पब्लिक में। और ऑक्‍शन करके उससे जो पैसा आता था वो मैं girl child education के लिए सरकार में donate कर देता था। और करीब-करीब 100 करोड़ से ज्‍यादा रुपए ऑक्‍शन से और फिर लोग मुझे चैक भी देने लगे। किसी फंक्‍शन में जाता था तो चीज देने के बजाय girl child education के लिए चैक देने लगे। ये amount करीब-करीब 100 करोड़ से ज्‍यादा था, जो मैं बच्चियों की शिक्षा के लिए दे देता था।

But in reality, all that Narendra Modi had received from the auction of the gifts during his 12-year tenure was only Rs 19 crore. Indian Express, Ahmedabad edition, had reported it on January 2, 2014: ‘In the 12 years of being at the helm in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been able to contribute about Rs 19 crore to the Kanya Kelavani, a programme floated by his government for girls’ education in the state. Modi contributed the money to the state treasury after auctioning 18,000-plus gifts, that he had received by him, in a public auctions, stated an official release here on Wednesday”.

With so much zeal displayed by Modi towards improving the life of girls, it will not be out of place to have a look at the state of girls’ education in Gujarat when he left the State to become the Prime Minister. In June 2014, the then Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani was invited to Gujarat to participate in a school function. There she promptly announced that she would replicate the Gujarat school education model to other States. She was, however, stopped by the officials of her own Ministry from making any move. She was then said to have been given a report prepared by the HRD Ministry around the same time.

The report titled ‘Elementary Education in India: Progress towards Universal Elementary Education’ had found that the average dropout rate of girls in the upper primary level in Gujarat was 8.19 per cent, which was higher than all States except Madhya Pradesh (10.27 per cent). The all-India average dropout rate for girls at the higher primary level was 4.01 percent only. Obviously the Gujarat government’s ‘Kanya Kelavani’ drive for ensuring girl child participation in education had failed. The dropout rate for the boys, too, at the upper primary level was quite high – 2.75 per cent, whereas the all-India average was 2.30 per cent.

The enrollment rate for children was also far below the objective set in the Right to Education Act of 2009. The all-India average was 88.05 per cent at the lower primary level and 70.20 per cent at the upper primary level. Gujarat lagged behind all-India average here also, with 82.92 per cent at the lower primary level and 68.39 per cent at the upper primary level. Figures of enrolment at the lower primary level for some other States were: Bihar 91.66 per cent, Chhattisgarh 93.79 per cent, Jharkhand 96.49 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 93.66 per cent, Odisha 89.05 per cent, and Uttar Pradesh 87.03 per cent.

Unethical human clinical trials for jobs, total violation of medical ethics says Civil Society

ScribeShah
-
0
Unethical human clinical trials for jobs, total violation of medical ethics says Civil Society

Jaipur: About 21 healthy men from Churu came to Jaipur in the hope of earning some money. However, they had been kept in dark about the nature of the work that the Jaipur-based multispecialty Hospital would be giving them to do. On arrival these men were admitted and asked to have a medicine, which the doctor claimed would help in digestion, 17 of those admitted while four denied.

For the uninitiated, Malpani Hospital in 2017, along with several other hospitals across India had been authorized to conduct the phase II clinical drug trial of a medicine formulated by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. The 17 who were administered a medicine prior to their meals now allege that they had been unethically used by the hospital for the scheduled clinical human drug trial.

“The recent incident in which 20 healthy poor persons brought from villages of Churu and Bharatpur districts under the pretext of getting them employment and then were administered medicines which led to serious medical complications is a total violation of all medical ethics for clinical trial,” reacted the civil society of Rajasthan, as a united unit.

In a press communiqué, they collectively said, “We condemn the sinister manner in which the clinical trials are being carried out in Malpani Hospital, VKIA Area, Jaipur by flouting all protocols and standard procedures laid down by the Drug Controller General of India.”

Collectively criticizing the horrific act, were — Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) Rajasthan, PUCL, Actionaid, BGVS, BARC, Prayas and several other human rights, women and child rights organizations, networks and individuals.

They also expressed their concern over how India was becoming a hub of clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies, a majority of whom are transnational companies. “Poor and uneducated people of the country are being coerced to become guinea pigs for a paltry sums of money and in the process are subjecting themselves to adverse medical consequences without being compensated properly,” stated the press release.

According to NGOs that have been protesting against the recent flouting of rules, Malpani Hospital, Jaipur administered medicine (code name GRC27864-201 expiry April 30, 2019), manufactured by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, headquartered in Mumbai and that caused adverse consequences among those who were administered the medicine. They claim that the medical well being of these individuals need to be further investigated to rule out adverse effects and also to determine if the reactions are just symptomatic or have caused more serious damage to the body organs.

They have also demanded for the setting up of regulatory bodies to monitor clinical trials in India and the immediate cancellation of the clinical trial registration of Malpani Hospital, Jaipur. “Enquiry should be conducted to find the violations of norms in clinical trials conducted by Malpani Hospital and prosecuted accordingly after filing criminal cases,” said Kavita Srivastava.

They have also demanded that the government needs to ascertain through proper investigation with regards to any violations made by Glenmark when it launched the clinical drug trial of its new medicine.

Among other demands that the civil society have put forward before the government are, compensation for the 17 people, evaluation of the extent of damages caused to the body because of the drug trial and rigorous monitoring of the centres where the trials are conducted.

They added that JSA Rajasthan and other organizations have planned a campaign against unethical clinical trials and would soon be organizing a protest against Malpani Hospital.

The seventeen labours have lodged an FIR against the hospital, and Rajasthan government has ordered probe on it too.

From a General Store Owner to being the Messiah of Indian migrant workers

ScribeShah
-
0
From a General Store Owner to being the Messiah of Indian migrant workers

Ranchi: On April 14, 2018, 10 migrant workers from India got stuck in Malaysia, sent an SOS to WhatsApp group meant for the migrant workers community, informing that they are being treated as bonded labours by the Malaysian Company that has hired them.  The company had not just seized their passports but was also paying them 500 Ringit instead of the promised 1500 Ringit. To make matter worse was the fact that the migrants who wanted to return back to India, had no money on them and were supposed to pay a fine as they were sent to Malaysia on Visit Visa and it has been three months now staying there.

However, within a week of posting an SOS in the WhatsApp group, the company was not just returned their passports but also had them sent to the Indian embassy in Kuala Lumpur, where the fine imposed on them was waived off, by the Malaysian government. All were done by the initiation of the group. And there was no bureaucrat of politicians directly involved in the process.

And this is not the only case in which, this group played a key role in getting back migrant workers. Only a fortnight back, about 44 migrant workers (Nine from Jharkhand and 35 from West Bengal) were rescued back to India through the same WhatsApp group.

Meet Sikandar Ali, the Good Samaritan, he has been silently helping hundreds of migrant workers return back to India from abroad. It doesn’t matter if the worker has been cheated or is dead. He is there to help them. Adding on to his list is the funds that he collects for the orphans of the migrant workers who die abroad.

Sikandar is neither an official of the Ministry of External Affairs nor a politician nor a well placed bureaucrat who has been authorized to save the migrant worker. On the contrary, he is a simple political science graduate, running a general store in Giridih’s Bagoder district. And he has been on a mission since 2015 to help migrant workers. Sikandar, often uses social media to share these information with both regional and national media operating in Jharkhand.

With the number of people Sikandar has helped in bringing back home, has made him a name to reckon with. Today, whenever any migrant from Jharkhand and Bengal area face problem outside India they send an SOS to him instead of approaching any official or political leader.

“I come from an area a lot of people choose to work abroad with the dream of carving out a better life. Most of them are uneducated and belong to labour category. Sometimes, they get cheated even before going abroad and sometime after reaching, while some die after working on international. And in all these situations, they have to face a lot of difficulties,” informed Sikandar to eNewsroom.

The 36-year-old social activist further maintained that he had created a WhatsApp group for migrant workers, where all they need to do is send a message when in distress. Following which he visits the family to get all the details and shares with the journalists to report the news, so that the issue gets highlighted.

The group members include journalists, politicians, social activists, teacher, locals, and NRIs.

“However, in our first attempt to help bring 38 workers from Malaysia, we had failed. It was in 2015. But soon, in 2016, we managed to save 34 workers. They had been jailed, but we managed to get them released and return back to India,” he recalled.

Last year, Sikandar kept following up with the Saudi Arabian official to get back Nunuchand Mahto’s dead body, and only after seven months after his death, his body returned. Later he collected almost Rs 2 lakhs through the group for the welfare of Mahto’s children. To make things easier, he maintains complete transparency when it comes to donations, he makes it a point to share the details with the group members on a daily basis.

Recently, he had even been felicitated for his work at an award function in Mumbai, which has Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Guest.

Former Bagoder MLA Vinod Singh, who too has helped in bringing back migrant workers, had a word of praise for Sikandar and his friend Ajay Kumar Mahto, a government school teacher, who also works for the education of children of migrant workers. “They have been doing great work together and have saved several migrant workers. Their commitment for the cause is commendable,” said the former MLA.

“In cases which happen in Malaysia, one Bikas Mahto, who is from Hazaribagh, works in Malaysia, also helps workers there,” Sikadar pointed out.

The social activist’s works also make a point that how WhatsApp, a messenger can connect people for a greater cause, and not spreading hate among communities, as it is prevalent nowadays.

 

Over 10 rapes a day in Vasundhara Raje’s Rajasthan

ScribeShah
-
0
Over 10 rapes a day in Vasundhara Raje’s Rajasthan

Jaipur: Daily over ten women are getting raped in Rajasthan, a state that has a woman at the helm of its affairs. In Police Headquarters report, it has been stated that in the first 90 days of 2018— at least 966 women have been violated in Rajasthan, while in the state capital, Jaipur– between January 1 to March 31, 183 cases of rape have taken place.

Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Congress National General Secretary Ashok Gehlot, issued a press communiqué and stated on the police report, “It’s a serious issue, given that such a large number of cases of rapes being registered in the state.” Adding that he questioned, “During earlier government, chief minister Vasundhara Raje used to ask to step down such government where a woman had been raped, now will she do the same?”

He also attacked home minister Gulabchand Kataria, by saying, “Kataria only makes tall claims, but in reality nobody listens to him.”

But, it was Raje who remained to be the focus of the former chief minister’s direct attack. He further said, “The woman chief minister has become insensitive. She only talks about women empowerment but in reality women are feeling unsafe. They are fearing to venture out of their homes.”

Gehlot then added on the report, “Girls child are not seen safe in the BJP regime.”

He also mentioned that despite Raje government having passed a bill, which awards a death sentence to rapists of children below the age of 12. There is no law and order in the state. And criminals no longer fear the police. It seems like the chief minister has lost control on the administration.”

Significantly, last few years have not been much better than the ongoing year, according to National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). In the last released data of 2016, Rajasthan had registered almost same number of rape cases. Around 3656 cases of rapes had been registered in Rajasthan in the year 2016.

Rajasthan has assembly elections scheduled in December this year, and it seems that not only lynching of Muslims, atrocities against Dalits but also the occurance of a large number of rape cases are going to become a major issue for the opposition parties.

Because of the gang-rape and rape cases in Kathua and Unnao, across India people are hitting the streets, saying enough is enough against rape cases. However, 2018 records so far says situation for women are not better either in the desert state.

SC judgement in Mishra case, a blow to MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

ScribeShah
-
0
SC judgement in Mishra case, a blow to MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The recent judgement of the Supreme Court in the K K Mishra case is a blow to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. It may haunt the ruling BJP, particularly the Chief Minister, through the Assembly elections due in November this year. The apex court judgement is also a sad reflection on the session judge of Bhopal who had tried the case initially.

The case in nutshell is like this. K K Mishra, who is the chief spokesperson of the State Congress, had made the following observations at a press conference he had convened at the PCC office in June 2014: as many as 19 among the transport inspectors appointed by the State government were from Gondia (in Maharashtra) which is Chouhan’s sasural; Chouhan’s cousin Sanjay Singh had been talking on mobile to the accused in the mega-scam now known as Vyapam; and Chouhan’s wife, Sadhna Singh, had made 139 calls from the CM’s residence to the top Vyapam operators, Nitin Mahendra, Pankaj Trivedi and Laxmikant Sharma.

Chouhan took offence and filed, as Chief Minister, a defamation case against Mishra in the court of the Special Judge, Prevention of Corruption Act, Bhopal. After the sessions trial, the Judge, by its order of November 17, 2017, sentenced K K Mishra to undergo a simple imprisonment for two years with fine of Rs 25,000. Having failed to get a relief from the High Court, Mishra went in an appeal before the Supreme Court where the case was heard by a division bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi, R Banumathi and Mohan M Shantanagoudar.

The bench, in its judgement delivered on April 13, observed that ‘none of the said statements, even if admitted to have been made by the appellant (Mishra), can be said to have any reasonable connection with the discharge of public duties by or the office of the Hon’ble Chief Minister. The appointment of persons from the area/place to which the wife of the Hon’ble Chief Minister belongs and the making of phone calls by the relatives of the Hon’ble Chief Minister have no reasonable nexus with the discharge of public duties by or the office of the Hon’ble Chief Minister’.

The bench pointed out that such statements may be defamatory but in the absence of nexus between the same and the discharge of public duties of the office, the remedy provided for public servants under provisions of the Cr.P.C. would not be available. Chouhan, as individual, and not as Chief Minister, should have gone before the ordinary court (the court of the magistrate).

The bench said: The press meet was convened by the appellant (Mishra) on June 21, 2014.  The government accorded sanction to the public prosecutor to file complaint under Section 500 IPC against the appellant on June 24, 2014. The complaint was filed by the public prosecutor against the appellant on the very same day, i.e. June 24, 2014. The haste with which the complaint was filed prima facie indicates that the public prosecutor may not have applied his mind to the materials placed before him. ‘We, therefore, take the view that the complaint is not maintainable on the very face of it and would deserve our interference.’

The apex court allowed Mishra’s appeal and quashed all proceedings in the trial court. Desperate State BJP has been trying to argue that the trial court order has been quashed by the Supreme Court only on technical grounds and that nothing has changed substantially. This is an utterly erroneous assertion. After the Supreme Court judgement, the situation now is the same as it was before Chouhan had filed the complaint against Mishra in the special court. If he still feels defamed by Mishra’s allegations, he will have to file a fresh complaint like an ordinary person in the court of judicial magistrate.

Do people of Giridih deserve a ‘First Citizen’ with doubtful caste credentials?

ScribeShah
-
1
Do people of Giridih deserve a ‘First Citizen’ with doubtful caste credentials?

Ranchi: Local policy of Jharkhand makes it very clear for the residents of the state– for those who wants reservation under Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, they should be staying in Jharkhand before the year of 1950 and for Backward Caste (BC) beneficiaries it should be 1978. However, going by the present trend it seems like, these rules are only for the poor unemployed youths who are seeking government jobs and not for political leaders fighting elections.

Giridih, around 220 kilometers away from state capital Ranchi, is all awaiting the results for the Municipal Corporation election to be declared on April 20. This is the first ever municipal poll for Giridih to elect its Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

The Mayor’s seat has been kept reserved for a Schedule Caste candidate, while deputy mayor’s seat has been left for the general candidate. Also, this is for the first time, that election getting held on party basis.

Ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) gave ticket to Sunil Paswan for the Mayor position, while Congress fielded Samir Choudhary. Jharkhand Mukhti Morcha (JMM) gave its symbol to Paromila Mehra. Apart from these three candidates, there were 19 others who had filled their nominations to become the first citizen of Giridih.

“We had given application to RO about BJP candidate Sunil Paswan only that he is not a resident of Jharkhand before 1950, as per the guidelines of the Jharkhand government for the candidates who wants to avail reservation facility in state. On our complaint, administration inquired all the mayor candidate’s caste documents. And found not only found our complaint about Paswan, true, but seven other candidates, including Congress candidate Samir Choudhary get issued wrong caste certificates,” Sanjay Singh, district president of JMM told eNewsroom.

After the inquiry, district administration has also lodged an FIR against Congress’ Samir Choudhary and an independent candidate Laxmi Kumari under section 420 (forgery) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). eNewsroom has got the inquiry report, submitted by the Circle Officer (CO) on the thirteen mayor candidates’ caste certificates to the district administration.

Administration had held back the scrutiny process for a day, but later cleared all the candidates and gave them chance to fight election. However, sent the seven candidate’s matter to the Screening Committee, under Department of Personal, Jharkhand. Screening committee, looks after genuine nature of the caste certificate.

According to the sources, BJP candidate Sunil Paswan, belongs to the schedule caste community only, but as per the rule of Jharkhand government he should have been residing in Giridih (Jharkhand) since or before 1950, which is not in his case. His father, a government employee, got posted in Giridih in 1985.

The source added, “The family tree, on the basis of which a person can make claims of belonging to a certain caste was incorrect for Samir Choudhary, the Congress candidate.”

Significantly, a complaint about the caste background of JMM candidate was also challenged by BJP office bearer, but her credentials were found true in administration’s inquiry.

Ultimately, it is the people of Giridih, who will be the real looser. “Political parties should not field candidates whose documents are in question,” feels Krishan Murari Sharma, the district coordinator of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Giridih.

He further questioned, “If JMM candidate wins and becomes the Mayor then this issue will not arise. However, if BJP or Congress candidate wins, then JMM for sure follow with screening committee and can go to court as well. Assume a scenario, where the BJP or Congress candidate wins the election only to lose in the court. Thereby, he will have to vacate the mayor’s seat and re-election will be scheduled. For this situation people have voted for?”

1...224225226...255Page 225 of 255

Follow us

Company

We are an independent, non-profit news website based out of Kolkata. We believe in an India that is liberal, secular and democratic and our aim is to help preserve these essential values that make India great! Our endeavour is to bring you stories that need to be told but may not necessarily make it to the headlines elsewhere.

Latest News

The Taj Story: Why Myth-Led Cinema Is Harming Public Understanding of History

CinemaScope 0
When a film chooses to revisit a contested piece...

Dharmendra Remembered: How Bollywood’s Most Human Superstar Became India’s Favourite Hero

CinemaScope 0
Film star Dharmendra lived a full and complete life....

‘Most Dangerous Phase’: Bengal’s SIR Stage Two May Remove Millions of Voters, Says Yogendra Yadav

Bengal 0
Kolkata: Stage two of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of...

Popular News

Four Indian Photojournalists Win Pulitzer Prize For Covid-19 Photography

Live Frame 0
Amid the controversy about the exact figures of Covid-19...

Magical world of Harry Potter recreated at Jadavpur University

Bengal 0
Kolkata: The two-day Harry Potter extravaganza - Alohomora kicked...

Watch Madhya Pradesh MLAs entering Assembly on day one

Live Frame 0
Bhopal: On January 8, when the MLAs entered the...

© 2021 enewsroom India . All Rights Reserved.