Manuski : Humanism for All

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T23:25:00.000+09:00

A new year wish to end the caste corruption in IndiaDear friends,This is to wish you all wonderful days ahead in year 2012. We have witnessed the strong role of the social movements in changing the fortunes of many countries. But it is also a fact that in the absence of an alternative there seems to be an organised chaos existing in many of these countries which hoped that they would change the power for the better.India also witnessed a strong protest for the Lokpal bill which is now proved to politicised. While there is no doubt that we need strong Lokpal or ombudsman yet it is equally important it does not infringe the constitutional provisions and delicate power balance by handing over the power to some unaccountable retired or present day 'experts'. The fight for a Lokpal need to be understand in that way. After years of struggle, we were able to form a constitution of ours which gave opportunity to all ( I can understand many would disagree) but the Dalits, Minorities and backward communities feel it as their constitution. It is not that they all respect the government structure or not interested to eliminate the corruption. How can people victim of caste, religious and gender violence in India ignore the issue of corruption. The problem is those who shout at top and added with great media circus are the one who have no opinion or cleverly sideline the issue of the marginalised sections of society. Yes, they would not speak against the corrupt corporate, film stars, business houses and illegal land grab by the religious gurus as all of them want to 'fight' against 'corruption'. The joke of this campaign is that it has actually awakened the marginalised sections of society against the social fascism which exists in India.India's political system will not work unless we attain social democracy. Unfortunately. Anna Hazare and his team does not think that way as they think that more the laws are better to govern India. It is unfortunate that in the name of eradicating corruption, middle classes which enjoy the power through corruption is now talking of corruption. Anyway, corruption without fight against social fascism in India and a war against untouchability and caste system will never succeed.Yes, the religio fascist forces are up in arms. They are using science and technology. Middle class Indians can not survive without these babas, sadhus and hypocrites which are perfect breeding grounds for fanatic middle classes which want to enjoy the globalisation, power without question and control India in the name of fight against corruption. Yes, a perfect wish for a happy new year would be to get rid of these thugs who cheat people as Prof Venkat Ramakrishanana said by maintaining that Astrology is not science. It will be good if government of India understand this and regulate TV Channels including the news channels who are spreading this poison of Brahmanical system into our mind. If these things are not controlled and stopped, there will be a big disaster for India. The fascist forces will use these 'super natural' power holder for their own purposes. Interestingly, none of team Anna member ever question these Babas and how they amassed huge properties. Is that not corruption when they claim to treat every disease. Is that not corruption when Sai Baba died in a first class medical hospital despite claiming super natural powers.Hope in the coming days, these fads will be exposed. The only hope is not middle class and our new channels but from India's poor who despite all this orchestrated campaign are still not attracted to them. Hope the middle classes will develop a scientific attitude and question these thugs who want to control their mind. Government of India must head to the advise of Justice Markandey Katju, the chairman of the Press Council of India regarding the contents of these programmes. Many of them could be booked under gambling and cheating act. We must canvas for a law that control these tricktsters in the name of possessing the super natural power.I wish India will be a Prabuddha Bharat, enlightened India where the dirty character of our great society is exposed and all those fighter against corruption understand that caste is the most corrupt thing that could happen to India. Let us eliminate caste system and untouchability. Are those fighting against corruption ready to expose our notorious caste system and truly ready to fight against it.In the din of fight against corruption, we have completely forgotten the tribal war against corruption where the corrupt Industries are in land grab. Is the fight against corruption, a clear cut deviation from other important issues where people are fighting for their rights, autonomy and human rights. Is India just Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata with a few middle classes claiming to be more Indian than others. Such communal colours of nationalism must be rebutted. Nationalism is not the monopoly of those who take a tricolor in the street and violate the traffic rules and hound the nation. In fact, this nationalistic perception is actually asking the government to be more stringent in law making rather than understanding the issues.Hope the land struggle of millions of Dalits, tribal and farmers will be given due space in our media. Indian media need to take these issues into consideration particularly the loudmouth TV channel otherwise, it is indeed the need of the hour to expose the hidden agenda of the media. I hope some of our media analyst would do it so that we can understand what is behind the news.And finally, I wish, India could be saved from Messiahs. It would be better. Please do not create these fatalistic messiahs as Messiahism takes you to fascist tendencies. India can do better without Gods, goddesses, babas, Sadhus and messiahs.Have a safe year ahead and keep up writing against the corrupt practices of our 'great' 'culture' that remain hidden so far. Wish you all success in your life.Yours Sincerely,Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Tribute : Dev Anand

2011-12-04T22:53:00.001+09:00

A legend who celebrated lifeBy Vidya Bhushan RawatNone of us can believe that Dev Anand is no more. Dev Anand is going to live for ever as long as there is music in life as art transcends cultural boundaries, nations and generations. In this age of stolen stories, corrupt practices to promote films and communalised mindset to gain patronage from political groups, Dev Anand was refreshing challenging to the system without mincing so many words. He was never hypocrite even when his films were banned by Sanjay Gandhi and his brigades during the emergency for not toeing the ‘official line’.While we can remember lot of his films and songs which will always make us feel younger, Dev Anand’s life gives us many new insights for living. That one can never be a legend in hatred. We all have suffered in our lives. Some suffer more and some less. That happiness and sorrow are part of lives. Dev Anand and his generations of artists particularly Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar hailed from undivided Punjab. The partition had created animosity and a sense of despair. Major States of India like Bengal and Punjab witnessed communal disturbances. Even today, the popular psyche remains communal in these states despite all pretensions of secularism. Similar things have been witnessed in Pakistan too. Yet, the most fascinating part of it is that the legacy that these legends left on us was not of hatred or communalism but of secular values, of love and compassion. Dev Anand proudly carried that legacy which actually transcends everything, hatred and despair. He was an eternal optimist, a life giver, a man who believed in his principles of life and never tried to get them justified. Often, we live according to society and try to get fixated in the norms of society. Dev Anand broke that tradition. He lived on his conditions of life. He challenged the norms of life without making loud noise. Whether it were his films which despite poor business, could never made him depressed or his own personal life which was linked to so many beautiful stars of his time.How can a man be of so much energy in this age of 89. Well, I could say having lived a small part of my life with Dr Mulk Raj Anand that for the legends, it is romancing with life, spreading love and eschewing hatred and prejudices, which make people into legends. The day we are able to overcome these, a Dev Anand will emerge inside us.It is important to understand the cinema of that period when India was passing through change and its political leadership was still swearing to basic principals of secularism and socialism. If Raj Kapoor could bring Shri 420, Awara and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahti hai, which reflected the political statement of the film maker, his belief in democratic secularism, then film like Paying Guest, Guide, Teen Deviyaan, Prem Pujari made by Dev Anand showed eternal optimism of young India. Film maker like B.R.Chopra created magic with Naya Daur and Waqt. Even when India’s polity could not completely turn secular yet it were the films and lyrics in the cinema which reflected how India’s destiny was in living together spreading love and overcoming hatred. Naushad, Dilip Kumar, Sahir, Shailendra, Mazrooh Sultanpuri, S.D.Berman, Mohammad Rafi and many like them with deeply nationalistic secular socialist principals entertained us. The entertainment was not just symbolic but their belief and values as well as part of their life and culture. They showed that despite partition of India, the division of the heart and minds of people was difficult and the people of India as well as that of Pakistan loved them. These songs and lyrics not just entertained us but provided healing balm to many broken heart. It is a fact and I want to admit that despite my reservations to orthodoxy in the films, there were very few at least of that generation, who influenced the psyche of youngsters like me and help us build our ideals. It is important to see how these icons succeeded in their lives. Partition uprooted many and yet when they came to India and moved to Mumbai to make their attempt in the film industry, it was not an easy task. Their films and depictions had the close reflections of our life particularly that of rural India. Each film had dynamism and films like Guide are epitome of love and life. At the time, when most of our films were making people cry, many narrating stories of pains in the life of good people, Dev Anand suggested that there was life beyond pain. Life is not just Dukha dukha, it was happiness too. Among all the stars of his time, he reflected the urbane young face of our films. Cinema of the 1950s and 1960s is nothing without wonderful lyrics and entertaining music. Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand were the three iconic figures of that period and yet the generations even loved them. None of them tried to copy and yet all the three had wonderful partners. Mukesh, Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar flourished that time. Who can think a Raj Kapoor with out Shankar Jaikishan, Khwaza Ahmed Abbas and Mukesh, Dilip Kumar without Mohammad Rafi, Naushad as music director and Sahir as the lyric writer and then Dev Anand, without S.D.Berman and Mazrooh Sultanpuri. It is not remarkable that Mazrooh’s romantic numbers of Dev Anand remain unmatchable even today and can be seen being played at the radio more than ever.Dev Anand gives us message of living life to the fullest even in most disturbing time. That life is not to be legitimised by your popularity or acceptability as despite being an iconic figure his films did not do well in the past thirty years. One does not know which his last hit films were yet the passion which he made them showed us the way. Even if he were not making any films, his life remained an example. In today’s time, when we try to find the outcome in the beginning, when we look that film makers, writers compromise with their perceptions and are ready to go to any extent to make their film successful. He never believed in so called remixing terming that those who are making them have run out of ideas. He never thrived on his past glory and continued with working. That I am still working is the best award, he opined in an interview with Star News. Love of people is the best award and ‘ I enjoy life he had said’. It is this energy in him that inspired me a lot. Do your work with complete conviction and do not get bothered about comments and ‘acceptability’. We all know ours is a huge country where to gain popularity and acceptability we do all kind of tricks. Dev Anand was an unIndian that way. He never believed in that hero worshipping which we are habitual of. He broke many myths including that only sadness would make you hit. Ofcourse, during his period Dilip Saheb was the ultimate Devdas yet Dev Anand would never be a devdas, instead he would make another attempt to a romantic life and would not accept failure. He would not drink to celebrate his failure but make another attempt to live a better life and romance with it.Today, it was sad day. I know many of my friends with whom, I passed some of the most fascinating moments of my life, are sad today. How they would jump on every action of Dev, his style, dresses and songs of his films. All of them will always be part of our life to celebrate life and romance with it. Life is not just to cry and weep but to enjoy. Life is to do something in deepest struggling moments. And today, when Dev Anand breathed his last in London, his story will always reminds us the power of love and power of romance. His face, smile and untiring work will always provide energy to all of us who believe in positive energy of life. ‘ The biggest love he says is getting engaged to your work without expecting too much of it. The ‘Guide’ whose ‘Gata rahe mera dil’ is committed to his love and promise her to be with her in happiness as well as difficult moments of life, who dare to dream despite all adverse situation. It was a movie much before its time. The songs, lyrics or acting, the films for Dev Anand were not just entertainment but mission of life with his convictions which has become a rare commodity today. The biggest casualty in today’s entertainment industry is its honesty and marketing of hypocrisy. In his films, Dev Anand rarely used religious symbolism to promote his values; instead he remained far more progressive and liberal democrats. That is why despite differences on remixing and remaking of old films and songs, he defended the rights of people to make it, though he never believed that any body could recreate Guide. Dev Anand is physically no more yet his life and films will always inspire us and entertain the people and his values of life would be more than ever relevant in today’s world. Thank you Dev Saheb for entertaining us and making us believe that romance of life is the best award that anybody could get. It is to make ‘ pyaar ka jahan’ every where in complete harmony with nature. Life is romance and romance is not just love and sex but engagement with work. Definitely, as long as we live we will always get inspire from ‘ main jindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya…

2011-11-23T15:39:00.000+09:00

The opening of a Pandora BoxBy Vidya Bhushan RawatUttar-Pradesh state assembly in its shortest ever session of eleven minutes only passed a resolution for carving out four states from Uttar-Pradesh. The resolution has now gone to the Central government for their perusal. However, we all know, that this is not going to happen that easily for which our political pundits are making noises and parties going for and against it.Let me be clear in the very beginning that I have no objection of Ms Mayawati raising the issue for political purposes. In politics you raise the issue in the people’s court and it is up to them how they react. Rajiv Gandhi went for a national poll immediately after Indira Gandhi’s assassination in October 1984 and won with a landslide majority. Gujarat Chief Minister used the same anti Muslim card for his comeback. Ayodhya’s issue raised by Advani and company finally help BJP to take its tally from 2 to 120 in Parliament and converted it to India’s main opposition party. So, political debate in India has stooped so low that we must not expect too much from them.Now let us examine the issue of division of Uttar-Pradesh. One may ask this question as why should we only divide Uttar-Pradesh and reduce it to nothing. Politically Uttar-Pradesh is an important state for every political party and today, if we are witnessing the assertion among the DAlits and OBC political leadership all over the country, the credit goes to Uttar-Pradesh. In fact, Bihar comes second to Uttar-Pradesh as far as Dalit assertion and political understanding is concern. Today, BSP is the only party based on Ambedkarite principals (whether they work on it or not is not the question here but they claim to follow it), which is in power. In Maharastra, the RPIs failed and that too miserably forcing many of them to even form alliance with Shiv Sena. Can we ever imagine a party formed by Ambedkar and on his principals forming alliance with rabid anti dalit and anti Muslim party like Shiv Sena or MNS? Have we forgotten how Shiv Sena opposed violently the naming of Marathwada University in the name of Baba Saheb Ambedkar in the 1980s?For us who have seen the danger of majoritarian politics, secular polity of India is thankful to Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar for successfully able to thwart the designs of communal fascist forces in the country. We all know that the Sangh Parivar and its offshoots are completely helpless in Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar at the moment as their hegemony has completely destroyed at least politically. The Dalits, OBCs and Muslims are building alliances and coming close. Uttar-Pradesh is the biggest laboratory for that. The second phase of Mandalisation process has already begun in Uttar-Pradesh. It is the reemergence of MBCs and Maha Dalits or excluded dalits. Nitish Kumar played a card in Bihar to gain from it but fortunately in UP, it is the emergence of these segments and they can play their own politics. So, it is second phase Mandal process where even the Mahadalits, MBCs and Pasamanda Muslims are joining hand for their political participation. With BSP increasingly tilting as Chamar-Brahmin alliance, the excluded Dalits and MBCs have no other option than to form an alliance and look for their future. In this background comes the news of division of Uttar-Pradesh. There is no proof that smaller states are better governed or bigger states are worst. Why should then we have a huge country which is ungovernable? Should not we say that India is an unmanageable country? But then, every small identity that merges with India also gets benefit of its strength. It happen same to the states.Question is not whether a state should be big or small. The real question is whether the people in the state want to live together or not. Whether there is a cultural difference or a feeling of isolation by one segment of people or not? We all know when Uttarakhand was created, I protested against it for the fear that the majoritarian upper castes will not allow the Dalits and OBCs to live peacefully. We all know how the condition of Dalits in Uttarakhand where no government till date have been able to spend the SCP meant for SC-STs. The money goes unspent. The job quota is not filled adequately and the social ostracisation of the community is enormous even when there is no physical intimidation in the hills. The conditions in Harit Pradesh or Paschim Pradesh are different. This is the fiefdom of the Jats and Gujjars. The Dalits here are predominantly depended on agricultural work. Ofcourse, they have also grown up but the relationship between them and the upper castes is well known here. In the Bundelkhand region Kurmis, Brahmins and Thakurs dominate. Violence against Dalits particularly the Kol tribal go unreported. The Poorvanchal is the region where BSP remained stronger but that too with the help of ‘poor’ ‘brahmins’ so we can understand how will it help them. It is equally important to see how the state of Uttar-Pradesh can merge Faizabad, Pratapgarh and Sultanpur in the Poorvanchal State though historically they have been part of Avadh. In fact, before the capital of Avadh moved to Lucknow, Faizabad was its capital. Is not it a travesty of truth? Similarly, Agara, Kanpur and Allahbad should be nearer to Bundelkhand rather than Avadh Pradesh or Pooravanchal Pradesh.It would have been great if the serious issue had discussion in the beginning so that people are well equipped with knowledge about the act. Secondly, do we hate Uttar-Pradesh that much that we want to eliminate the very name of Uttar-Pradesh itself. Third, why should only Uttar-Pradesh be divided? Why not other big states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar? It is important to understand the dynamics of our political class. Even when the state can be divided for administrative reasons, let there be a state reorganization commission. There are a lot of unfulfilled agenda of the past. A place like Belgaum creates violence on the issue of Marathi verses Kannada in Karnataka. Why should a Marathi speaking town such as Belgaum be part of Karnataka? Similarly, the issue of Abohar and Fazilka in Punjab became bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana. We all know the issue of Naga areas in Manipur for which the state is still facing the blockade. Jammu and Ladhakh have nothing in common with Kashmir valley and have distinct cultural identity of their own. India needs small states to govern efficiently. Ofcourse, India needs to increase its size of parliament too. India requires radical changes including that in our parliamentary structure. Problem is not just with the governance of state. Our states or parliament is not really representative of our communities. Despite sizeable presence in Uttar-Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the Tharus, one of the most celebrated tribes of our country, have just one member of assembly in Uttarakhand. Communities like Balmikis, Khatiks, Kols, Doms, Nais remain unrepresented. Many of the most marginal communities remain outside the realm of our parliamentary politics. So what will these new state offers to them? Frankly speaking, the new state might reduce the already diminishing Dalit-OBC representation so chances for the most marginalized one would be difficult to come. It needs to change India’s parliamentary system. If we see the state of Chhatishgarh and Jharkhand, both are Adivasi dominated yet have been dominated by the non adivasis in political leadership. The least said about Jharkhand’s political leadership the best. In one night, Madhu Koda signed more than 300 deals which could never have happened in a state like Bihar. A big state is a challenge for officials as they fear mass protest if the political leadership is sidelined. A state like Uttar-Pradesh is bigger than many countries and therefore the chief minister of the state is respected and is relatively powerful. No official or bureaucrat can take her for granted but all these small states are being run by the coterie of bureaucrats or the chamchas of the political class. The experience shows that they are ruthless in tackling dissent and opposition. Economically, most of these states are dependent on the Centre for financial support. Creation of new state poses great economic stress. Not only does it need new infrastructure, legislative assemblies, governor’s houses, bungalows etc. Our political class will not live in ordinary areas. In the fifties it was easier for new states to be developed as places like Lucknow, Hyderabad, Madras, Banglore, Thiruvnanathpuram had already had infrastructures for everything. But now the new states will be more burdens to people. Most importantly, in the new state, we will not have new leaders but the same old ones who have been sucking our blood all the time. Example from Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhatishgarh and north east clearly indicate that they have become police state. It is also true that big corporate find is easier to tackle the political leadership in these states easily than in the bigger states.While, I do not believe in the argument whether smaller states are better or big states are useful. The question should be addressed according to local demands, cultural issues and most importantly economic viabilities of such states. It would be better if Centre comes out with a specific time frame for a State Reorganisation Commission which should look into all aspect such interstate issues such as Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal which cannot be created just out of Uttar-Pradesh but will have to be carved out of Madhya Pradesh too. Lot of issues but if the petty politics takes over then the whole exercise would be too dangerous for the unity of the country. A country like India can accommodate more state and bigger parliament but for that we need serious discussion and a time found agenda and framework of SRC so that we can address the issue in the utmost national interest. Let the political parties not whip up passion and create a frenzy in the name of ‘small is best’, as it could prove contrary also because at the end the political leadership as well as the working class of each state in India will emerge from ourselves only. Hence , whether it is small or big, at the end of the day, it is we the people of India, who will provide leadership to these states. It is not going to come from anywhere else. There is no denial of fact that people today aspire for more decentralized power structure but at the same point of time, also look for safe guards of communities who have never got representation. So, India need a reorganization of not only its state, but its political system in entirety otherwise, these so called new states or small state will have the same elite dominating with much bigger brutality over minorities as they have been in the past. The issue of creation of states have to be based on demands of people and should not be imposed by the political leadership from the above. An empowered State Reorganisation Commission should be asked to look into it and till then we can make a moratorium on the issue, except the already decided issue of Telangana which need to be created based on popular demands of the people of the region. Denying that in the name of unity and integrity of Greater Telangana will be an injustice to the entire struggle of the people. Such generalization can damage the cause of unity of people. Uttar-Pradesh government’s issue is different as there is neither a mass movement nor a public revolt for creating so many states out of Uttar-Pradesh. Ofcourse, it is good that Ms Mayawati has given it a serious thought but it is equally important that the issue be debated widely and should not be resolved without a State Reorganisation Commission as the stake holders are not just in Uttar-Pradesh but also in other states.

A letter to Chief Minister of Uttarakhand..

2011-11-12T13:08:00.000+09:00

How long will you deny justice to Dalits in Uttarakhand....Mr Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri,Chief Minister of Uttarakhand,Chief Minister’s Secretariat,Dehradun November 5th, 2011Re: Honouring the Nainital High Court’s Judgement in the Escort Farm case Sir,We write you with great concern and anguish for the failure of Uttarakhand state to provide justice to nearly 150 Dalit families living in and around village Harinagar and Kundeswari, in Kashipur block of district Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, who have been waiting for land redistribution for the land declared ceiling surplus under the UPZALR act in 1990s by the commissioner of Kumaon. This was upheld by Allahabad High Court in 1992 which was again challenged by P.N.Mehta of M/s Escorts Farms Ltd yet the Supreme Court in its historic judgement upheld the Allahabad High Court Order in February 2004.After the Supreme Court upheld land ceiling, we thought that the state of Uttarakhand will implement the court order which was clearly meant according to ceiling laws but very unfortunately without caring the human aspect and the issue of social justice as well as the claims of the Dalit families who were actually tilling the land during the time in 1990 when M/s Escorts Farms Ltd of Mr P.N.Mehta in active connivance of administration mercifully dislocated the 150 landless Dalit families who created a new world of their own by dint of their hard work. The administration from the day one was hell bent to deny the Dalits a right to have their land.The dismal state of Dalits and their isolation in Uttarakhand is well known to be described here. The antipathy of the political parties to raise this issue in the past 15 years is an example of how our polity take up the issue of Dalits in the region. Yet, we have fought the issue with great conviction in rule of law and our constitution.After the Supreme Court judgement too, the Uttarakhand authorities were not ready to take over the land from the farm house which used every trick to circumvent the rule of ceiling act by creating fictitious companies and group of people which were clearly described by the Supreme Court as people who should be shown no mercy. In fact, on February 5th, 2001, Shri Bansidhar Bhagat wrote a letter to district magistrate Udham Singh Nagar, ( letter number 831/vip/2000 dated 5.02.2001) on our complaint to investigate the activities of the land mafia in the region who with active connivance of the district administration were allotting the land declared surplus under Ceiling Act, to the people from Punjab without providing any papers etc. In fact none of the residents of the area would have any paper of land but they would claim having been there for ‘years’.On January 2nd, 2006, the State Chief Minister Shri N.D.Tiwari under pressure of violating Supreme Court order asked the state administration to take the possession of the said 1126.67 acres of land. The way the entire issue was dealt showed the farce in the entire exercise. The government demolished various houses of the ‘farmers’ who were declared encroachers by the Supreme Court and later on redistributed the same land to nearly 200 families. Hence the illegal owners have now been legalised by the state government. Ofcourse, the politicians from Punjab, Akali Dal and BJP were in the forefront of fighting for the ‘rights’ of the ‘farmers’. We all know all the land ceiling act has been mercilessly and violently violated in the Tarai region of Uttarakhand.The shocking aspect of all these is the continuous neglect to the issue of the Dalits in the region. Why have the government officials, political parties continue to deny the rights to the Dalits in the region. We filed a petition with the Lokayukta Justice S.H.Raza who declared in his final report that the state of Uttarakhand has violated the Supreme Court order. The attitude of the government officials in Uttarakhand was clearly caste-ist in nature and thoroughly anti Dalit. We wanted to know under which category the land was given to these 200 Sikhs after the government took over the land.We can understand that your government was not there during the period but your party has a role in thwarting the Supreme Court judgement. Land Ceiling Act is clearly design to provide social justice to all the landless people particularly Dalits, addivasis and women but definitely the government officials had other ideas. They felt that the government has enormous rights over their land and can redistribute it to whoever it feels. This was challenged by me in the Uttarakhand High Court on October 19th, 2010 under PIL No 75,2010 about which Justice Barin Ghosh, Chief Justice of High Court of Uttarakhand said “ The petitioner contends that the land acquired under UP Zamindari Abolition and Land Reform Act, 1950 can only be dealt with in the manner provided in Section 198 of the said Act In other words it is the contention of the petitioner that the land, which has come in the possession of the State, in view of the provision contained in the said Act, can only be settled in favour of the persons named and in accordance with the preference specified in Section 198 of the said Act and the State Government has no authority to utilise the said land for any other purpose.’ The state counsel said that the state government has unfettered rights of deciding about the acquired land to any one.On 26th October 2010 Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court Justice Barin Ghosh passed the order accepting our position and asked the state government to redistribute the land according to the provisions Section 198 of Uttar-Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reform Act, 1950.We however want to mention shocking details here and completely lack of coordination between the standing Counsel of the government of Uttarakhand in the High Court, who did not know anything happening at the ground. The standing counsel suggested that the government has not done anything with the acquired land while the government’s own records suggested that over 200 people were already redistributed land which violated the basic principle of the land ceiling act. The officials were unable to convince the Lokayukta that time whether their act was according to the provisions and spirit of Supreme Court order.The court however accepted the contention of the Standing Counsel that the government has not acted there because of various problems, while the fact is that the government on January 1st-2nd and 3rd, 2006 distributed about 450 acres of land to nearly 200 families who were actually declared encroachers by the Supreme Court of India in its judgement in 2004 and suggesting that no mercy should be shown to them.We felt that finally the Uttarakhand government will act and provide relief to the Dalit families hence we did not insist on our charges against the standing counsel for openly misguiding the court about the said land.It is over one year now since the High Court Order came and it is with deep sense of regret that we are approaching you that the government’s in Uttarakhand have not shown any will to implement the Supreme Court order despite a clear guide line from the High Court in Nainital as how should the land be redistributed. We are enclosing all the main documents including the high court order in this regard in the hope that your government will soon take and action. In case it is not done, we will have to approach the High Court and Supreme Court for the clear case of contempt of the Court order by the state of Uttarakhand.We are looking forward for a speedy action from your side so that the Dalits in Uttarakhand may feel that government has honoured its constitutional obligations. It is rare that despite so much of miscarriage of justice by the state authorities the Dalits of the state still are looking for constitutional means to provide them justice. We congratulate for passing a Lokpal bill though without ensuring participation of Dalits and OBCs in it, yet we hope you will find time to read Justice S.H.Raza’s scathing indictment of Uttarakhand government officials for violating the spirit of Supreme Court order. It is therefore not important whether you bring this law or that, but the implementation of it. We hope that your government will act on it and provide justice to the displaced Dalits of village Harinagar and Kundeswari who fought against the might of the land mafias and still opted to believe in the constitution of India and did not pick up guns to get speedy justice. That need to be appreciated by you and your government if it want peace and prosperity in Tarai region as social inequalities and mafia raj on land will only precipitate the matter and no action for the sake of vote will create a big distrust between different communities.Thank you,Yours Sincerely,Vidya Bhushan Rawat

It is Outrageous

2011-10-04T01:45:00.002+09:00

Raid on Kavita Srivastava’s house is a case of intimidation by State of ChhattishgarhBy Vidya Bhushan RawatChhatisgarh police is notorious for its misadventures. We all know its track record of harassing human rights activists all over the country. It has taken a leaf out of the book from Andhra Pradesh police who is notorious to harass people as well as engaged in encounters. Perhaps, all this is happening everywhere. We have seen the notoriety of Gujarat police where an honest police officer is paying price of his honesty of speaking against the chief minister of the state. The threat and intimidation of human rights activists all over the country is well known to be debated here. What we are witnessing now is the outreach of the state agencies to arrest, humiliate and harass activists beyond their states and it is a matter of great concern. The situation in states like Gujarat, Chhatishgarh and Jharkhand is a challenge to all the human rights activists and it is time when the Central government must make it clear to the state to put their own house in order rather than trying to shoot the messenger.It is therefore shocking to hear the news of the raid by the Chhatishgarh police at the house of Kavita Srivastava, the National Secretary of People’s Union for Civil Liberties, in Jaipur. Those who have known Kavita and her work can vouch that her work goes beyond the work of PUCL and her concern for the common people and human rights in the country. Activists deeply rooted in the grassroots traditions of India; we have all seen Kavita completely immersed in issues related to the people. Whether it is the issue of right to food, and various issues related to the same, or the issue of communalism in India, she has been uncompromising in her attitude and perception.She has been an ardent advocate of human rights all over the country and travelled to many state for the cause of the same. Whether preparation of draft National Food Security bill or strengthening the Public Distribution System or raising the issue of minorities in Rajasthan, Kavita has been in the forefront. The ministers and their bureaucrats who have seen Kavita leading or participating in various delegations know her conviction for the cause of human rights in India.Therefore, it is shocking to see a group of Rajasthan police actively assisting their Chhatisgharh counterpart in ‘searching’ for a ‘dreaded’ ‘Naxalite’ at the house of Kavita in Jaipur. They found nothing. What will they report to their Central bosses and state apparatus? This is sheer nonsense and a serious challenge to all the human rights activists all over the country. This is nothing but intimidation and harassment of an activist who has devoted herself for the cause of human rights in the country. If speaking for human rights and expressing our dissatisfaction and dissent to government policies mean being a Maoist, then we should all register ourselves as Maoist. I have no shame in saying so.It is time for P.Chidambaram to train his police and investigators who are completely lost in their effort to ‘control’ ‘terrorism’ and Maoism’, in the country, to understand the meaning of dissent. The policies of the government and it is not necessarily government at the centre but at the state level also have generated mass upsurge all over the country. While, you may define Anna Hazare’s movement as a rightwing nationalist outcry but the dissent against the policies of the government and its surrender to capitalists casteists forces is growing every where. People are revolting and if the government feel that this protest and revolt of the Dalits and Aadivasis is just supported or facilitated by some NGOs or organisations, then they are on the wrong path. It is time for them to see the writing on the wall as they have completely failed in understanding people’s perception and ideas about their rights.It is shameful for the government of chhatishgarh for trying to intimidate an activist and her parents in her absence. This is nothing but a clear case of ‘dadagiri’ by a government that has spread official terrorism in the state. Today, activist can not organise meeting in Chhatishgarh as the state spy them all the time. The life of an activist in Chhatishgarh and Jharkhand is so miserable that they can not even think of organising anything without inviting the government of the state to create obstacles for them.Binayak Sen was charged for helping the Maoists. The government of the state pursued the case shamelessly against him and tried to influence the local courts. He was ultimately granted bail by the Supreme Court. The condition in Bastar and other areas are well known to us. We know chief minister Raman Singh can not visit Bastar or any of the regions which is ‘infected; by the Naxals. Why is the chief minister still unable to win over the tribals despite so much of drama and theatrics by him to claim the sainthood and a leader who has provided people rice below Rs 2 a kilo. It is a well known fact that the most comfortable people in Chhatishgarh are the Babas, the socalled spiritual gurus who have got huge land to fulfil the Hindutva project and the companies like Essar and Jindals. Ofcourse, Jindal is a Congress MP but despite that we all know that corporate interest cross party lines and BJP or Congress will not create any obstacles for them. Chhatishgarh is the best example of the lethal mixture of brahmanical Hindutva and capitalist corporate. The victim of this are the Dalits and tribals who have to vote to any of these great ‘nationalist’ parties to save their interest.The raid on Kavita’s home is a challenge to all of us who do not agree with the fascist nature of the state trying to shun all kind of dissent. It is a signal to all of us to keep our mouth shut or get ready to face various charges of being ‘anti national’, a Maoist or Naxalite. Former Prime Minister VP Singh in an interview had said once that if speaking the truth and fighting for your rights mean being a Maoist then he was ready to be called as a Maoist. It is shameful that political parties and leaders are unable to win the confidence of the tribal and Dalits and are trying to create a fear psychosis about the prevailing situation in Chhatishgarh, Jharkhand and other states. The question is that tribal autonomy is an old issue and with the continuous assault of the corporate on their natural resources is being resisted. If people are speaking and supporting the cause of the human rights of tribal or Dalits or Muslims, it is being seen as a challenge to state. One does not know whether a state could ever be bigger than its people. Can India ever progress and claim as a nation if its tribals, Dalits and minorities remain outside the ambit of development, and constitution.So, the attack on kavita is a clearly a signal to human rights activists, people’s movement leaders, and writers not to speak against the state. That the notorious police of these states will come and search your house is well known. That these states are now spreading their wings outside their limited domain and can take you anywhere is a worrying signal...The Central government can not keep silent on the issue. It will pay a heavy price for playing politics on the issue of human rights. The problem with it is that it is promoting all such rubbish in the name of nationalism which violates basic rights of people. If India wants to claim a democracy then it must not allow itself to surrender to fascists element claiming to democrats just because they got elected. We all know Hitler also got elected from a popular mandate. The threats to human rights are very valid in India and its neighbour. We can not allow human rights activist to be brutalised by state as well as society. We need a regular monitoring of all these states where the state apparatus is being used by the state government to fulfil its nefarious agenda. The issue of Naxalims and Maoism can not be resolved by making them ‘terrorists’. It can not be resolved by Chidambaram and his colleagues through guns and their idiocies in arming the state and terrorising the innocent tribals. To win them over, the Indian state will have to disarm them and not to procure more arms to terrorise the innocent people. State can not be using ‘tit for tat’ techniques.People like kavita Srivastava are actually playing role of a catalyst to increase faith of those who are being violated daily in the state. They are defending human rights even at the cost of their own self. By terrorising them and humiliating them, the state of India will not gain anything. It will only lose whatever little it has acquired in the last sixty years, in the name of democracy. Chhatisgarh government must apologise. The rights of the state government to go anywhere and terrorise citizens of other state can not be expected. How can Rajasthan government allow Chhatisgarh government and its police to raid the house of an activist?We must condemn this incident and warn the Chhatishgarh police to mend its ways. It must be taken to task and improve its style of functioning. The Hindutva government of Chhatishgarh is advised to take care of Adivasis properly. Win the Aadivasis through good work, through land reform and giving them autonomy and not through terrorising the people who speak for the rights of the people. National Human Rights Commission and Union Home Ministry must take action against Chhatishgarh police and must apologise for this shameful incident. They must ask the state to maintain some dignity. State can not be allowed to send their goons everywhere to arrest any one in the name of ‘Maoism’. It is the same that the state apparatus and the central intelligence can not differentiate between dissenters and Maoists. If they do not understand it then they must be taught that there are hundreds of activists and political scientists who differ completely with the government’s approach in handling the issue of tribals and yet they do not approve the ways of the Maoists. If the government does not understand it, it is not the problem of the activists or PUCL or Kavita Sirvastava. If the government and its agencies do not understand it then it is time to train them again. In the meanwhile, we must all salute to the spirit of Kavita and hope that such intimidating tactics will not deter her from her path. There are hundreds like us expressing solidarity with her..

has India Failed as a Nation to provide justice to all.

2011-09-26T10:32:00.001+09:00

No criminal conspiracy in MirchpurBy Vidya Bhushan RawatA Delhi court yesterday declared that there was no criminal conspiracy in Mirchpur and therefore it honorably acquitted 82 accused while framing charges against the other 15 accused who were found guilty of not committing murder. Mirchpur incident came into focus when on April 21st, 2010, a father and his disabled girl was brutally burnt by some of the Jat villagers as they refused to toe the line of the powerful Jats and were living a relatively better life much to the envy of the powerful Jats. When the Balmikis became enraged and protested the state government ordered an inquiry to the incident and tried to cover up the case. It was only after the intervention by the Supreme Court that the case was transferred to a Delhi court in Rohini yet the end result remain the same. It would have been the same case had the case been filed in Haryana.Mirchpur incident reflect many thing. That the Balmikis and other Dalits often becomes victim of caste violence in Haryana where caste identities are sharpened and mingling is not allowed, when they assert and have a ‘feel good’ factor for themselves. It means that the upper caste will be angry when a Dalit family is happy despite all their troubles as the Hindus most of the time wants them to stick to their traditional occupation and beg them for honor. Now after much harder work, the Dalits in Haryana and Punjab are not moving to cities and charting a different path for their livelihood much to the discomfort of the powerful caste forces. It is also a fact that Mirchpur violence was not first instance of caste violence in Haryana. Prior to that we had seen many places the violence against Dalit including infamous Jhajjhar where a Dalit was murdered for tanning the skin of a cow. Haryana may be boasting too much for its farmers but it has not been able to develop a modern democratic culture. It may have elected governments like any other state but it is more feudalistic in nature than any other state.The Khap rules Haryana. The Khap is the Panchayat as well as the farmers who have developed their own sense of superiority complex. It is not strange therefore that when I attended a farmer’s protest in Haryana against land acquisition, most of the farmers still wanted to be called as ‘Zamindar’. They felt proud of being so. Haryana has the dominance of Jaats and Gujjars since independence. The change of democratic system which allowed these communities to grow has not percolated further. Any effort to change is resisted violently. Unfortunately, the farmers movement in Haryana has just been reduced to bargain better land price for them and not related to anything with farming. It is most to convert farmers to real estate agents like what has happened in Western Uttar-Pradesh. Haryana never had land reform hence despite so called prosperity; it is a few communities who enjoyed the fruits of suppression of Dalits. Most of the Dalits are in to agrarian work making their livelihood through agricultural labors.Now, the Chamars and Balmikis have delinked themselves from the traditional occupation as they want to get educated and do the work which gives them respect. It is not easy for the upper caste to tolerate the new assertion of a Balmiki in Haryana. As a manual scavenger they were prohibited entering the house but that was not the problem. The Jaat or Gujjar pride is hurt when they see the young boys from Dalit communities doing different work than ‘meant’ for them. Secondly, if a Balmiki has relatively a better house in the village or they are enjoying their life, that too becomes a matter of great ‘concern’ of them. And this anger is reflected somewhere else and on some day when the community is targeted.With political power and sheer number games on their side, Jats know that any action against them would cost the political parties their votes in Western Uttar-Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. That is why the political parties do not speak. Other than that, there are so-called farmer’s support groups, who would talk about them as if ‘ Zamaindari’ is their fundamental right. Such person glorifies the so called farming even at the cost of human lives and the oppression and ostracisation of Dalits in these villages. Not a single person writing about agricultural labour or agrarian question ever mention the condition of agricultural labour in Haryana who are mostly Dalits. Their marginalization and exploitation is complete yet have not attracted the attention of our friends who are worried about ‘kheti-kisani’.Nothing happened to Mirchpur exploiters. They knew it well that such incidents will never get a witness. When an entire village turns against a community or an individual who will lodge a complaint to the police or authorities? Who will dare to become a witness when faced with deep pressure to save the people who saved their ‘pride’? The ‘pride’ of Jats at that moment was to teach a lesson to asserting Balmikis and hence most of the villagers felt they had not done anything wrong. The best way to tell the authorities is that they saw nobody. When the entire village has turned racist and casteist then talk of sanity is not possible. There the rule of law has to be enforced. No decentralization work here. These are the dangers of decentralization. If the central law is not there then the local feudal lords will not allow the Dalits to flourish. So, despite so-called ‘decentralised democracy’, we are still bound by International and national human rights laws. Unfortunately, those who talk of the so-called decentralization process are glamorizing those Khaps which must be destroyed. There is nothing glamorous in these Khaps which are casteist and are a blot to any civilized society.Mirchpur also reflect the poor state of our governance. The issue of Dalits will only get prominence if they are suitable to the ruling elites. Whenever and wherever the issue of Dalits becomes an obstacle to get sympathy or political benefits the issue will be side tracked. Hence, the Haryana police predominantly a Jat-Gujjar enterprise did not do anything to nab the culprits. It just did everything formally. Their counterparts in Delhi have the same mind. I know once I met a senior officer of Delhi police related to a case against Valmiki family in Narela where the police was openly supporting the Jaats who had joined hand to throw a Valmiki family out of that place yet the officer was showing his helplessness. ‘ You see, I come from JNU and have progressive thoughts but our Jawans and our junior officers hail from Haryana and Western Uttar-Pradesh, who still have the same social and cultural prejudices which existed in the village. So, it is not just a legal problem but greater issue of social change, the officer said. My point was that ofcourse, we have to fight for this and social organizations must do it but then how many of the social organizations will get any support if they start working on Caste and untouchability? Secondly, we know all these realities but the state should also show some spine in this case. Even when Mirchpur case was transferred to Delhi for the reason that the powerful people would not be able to influence the witness, the fact remain the same. Delhi is not different than Haryana. We know it well that such things happen. While our media and ‘social activists’ went in the town and at the India gate with candles in their hand to force the court give a favorable verdict in the case of ‘Jessica Lal’ but the same media do not have time to even give some space to this. Mirchpur is a common failure of Indian democracy. It is failure of our civil society which has no time for it. It is failure of the forces of social justice who are unable to join hand and take it to logical conclusion. Our political parties have always been casteist in nature hence if this matter does not suit them they will avoid it. The administration has no will as it remain an administration to save the powerful. Haryana will continue to have more Mirchpurs and bigger Khap challenging the very democratic set up the country when it does not suit them. Mirchpur’s judgment has shown how helpless the case of justice in India is. The forces of caste are so powerful that they have law, political system and media with their side. It is tragic but truth. How can a country living in so much divisions and prejudices be called a society or a nation. When Jessica Lal’s verdict was delivered by the local court acquitting all the accused the Times of India wrote prominently ‘ No one killed Jessica’ and media went overboard to get ‘Jesica’ justice. Her sister became a ‘social activist’ and many more friends also became ‘social activists’. The upper courts were forced to take a matter seriously. Media pressure, in the name of public pressure, finally brought justice to Jessica. But it is tragic that a case of racial violence, caste prejudice, does not get a single column report in front page in the media. The worst are the TV channels who seem to have become the guardians of our morality. But there was no news. It is a shame that these ‘moral guardians’ sitting in the TV studios have no time to discuss Mirchpur which is not even two hours drive from Delhi. Why are they silent? Indian state is nothing but is controlled by the brahmanical manipulators. Unless, we understand it, nothing will move. These manipulators work in media and in our state apparatus. Through media they change the debate, take you somewhere else. There are those who have taken it to them to be our moral guardians. They want to be looked as ‘conscious keeper’ of the country yet such blatant violations of human rights of people are ignored by them. All the people become one for them. It is easier to abuse politicians and government from the loudspeakers of TV studios but please go beyond it. If your caste prejudices are out, then you will see, the people of India, we appreciate too much, are suffering from a big disease of caste prejudices and hidden apartheid. Unless India addresses this, it will never be a nation. It will be a country of a few power elite while others will suffer without our mind and action going to them.Therefore, Mirchpur case is an example where Indian state should show some spine. Our media should stand with the victims and our social movements must understand that just large number of people for a cause may not necessarily be on the right side. It is time to call these majoritarian forces a bluff. India need protection of the individuals’ right and such tendencies of majoritarianism will demolish a great constitution and our society as a whole. The issue of violence against Dalits is a serious matter and if India fail to provide justice, then it has to be prepared for its repercussion and social unrest. The case is a challenge and test of our democratic set up. The higher courts must take note of it. It should not be left to an unwilling government. Time has come when people must file case on their own so that the complicity of state apparatus is exposed in it.

Planning Commission or Real Estate Agency

2011-09-21T10:46:00.000+09:00

Do we need a planning CommissionBy Vidya Bhushan RawatDo we really need a planning commission which does not even know the anguish and pains of the country. Such a planning commission is a blot on India. In this age, when corruption in each department has run in billions, when salaries of government staff and their counterparts are zooming up, our planning commission shamelessly tells the Supreme Court that Rs 25 ( not even fifty cent) a day is enough to live a life. When we demand that Rs 100 meant for one day work in the National Rural Employment Generation Scheme is much below the inflationary rates. This sham called Montek Singh Ahaluwalia must be be dismissed immediately. Planning Commission's member who do not toe the Montek line are isolated. If this govt continue to go ahead with such attitude, I am sure people of India will push it to dustbins in the coming days. It is nothing but deeply regrettable that such an idea coming from government's planning commission which is supposed to be understanding the issues of people. Every year, the government of India increase the salaries, Dearness Allowances of its officers. The chairman of the planning commission is a well furnished job. It has power, influence and glamor if you do the work for the companies. Ofcourse, if you promote people's policies then you are bad, jholawala and old communist mind. Montek has completely demolished that old pro people ideas of the planning commission. He can go so harsh because our Prime Minister feel that he has the in his pulse the understanding of the country.It is important that planning commission must be revamped. It must have eminent people from social organisation, political leaders and activists. Planning can not be left to a few individuals of the 'great' quality learnt from Washington DC and in the air conditioned chambers of World Bank and International Monitory Funds. Planners need to understand the pain of Bharat. The people of Bharat are really feeling the pinch whether their land is being acquired or they are pushed to further marginalisation. It is time the prime minister of India think serious and completely revamp the planning commission. We have no faith in such a Commission which is a facilitators for the corporate take over of people's resources. People of India have not voted Montek Singh Ahluwalia to sale India's assets to private corporations. He must be desisted to do so. This farce at the planning commission must stop. The government must withdraw its affidavit from the Supreme Court and apologise from the people of India for insulting them. What is the budget of Montek. His coffee must be costing much more than Rs 25/-. Such shameless commission must be disbanded and its head must be shown the door. India can not afford their luxuries at the cost of its own people. For the past 20 years, the planning commission is just meant to reduce government's burden, by reducing its social responsibility and acting as a 'real estate agent' which has actually resulted in huge corruption as state, centre and each one who enjoyed power began selling India's natural worth to private corporations. While people are dying of hunger, losing their land, water and forest, our netas, bureaucrats, industrial houses multiplied their wealth. This shamelessness has resulted in people losing faith in political system of the country and picking up guns. If a large part of india is witnessing a challenge to its sovereignty, it is because of this Montek Manmohan Chidambaram's shameless agenda of looting people's worth. It is time, such rackless loot of India's resources must be stopped so that people do not resort to desperate violence for their survival. India as a nation has to answer to millions of its people who still remain hungry, who still do not have two time a meal.Vandemataram and mera bharat mahan and big nationalist cries mean nothing to them. India will become great and powerful if each one us have two time meal and a work to contribute to the nation. We all know that depending on government is foolishness. India's Aadivasis were never dependent on the government but it is the otherway round. By sucking their resources, which they nurtured for thousands of year, the government has become looter. And over it, the planners in Delhi feel that by making people landless and workless and suggesting that they can survive just on Rs 25 a day, this government insult the people, their work and worth. Chidambaram will not succeed if his friend in planning commission continue to insult people and their livelihood. If you can not give people dignity and right, you have no right to snatch their life, livelihood and resources. Let the government know it otherwise the government will never be able to do justice anywhere. Let the planning commission be an inclusive body, the voice of the people, for their welfare, and benefit and not a facilitating 'real estate' agency for the national and international private corporations.

Modi's Fast or Farce

2011-09-18T00:00:00.001+09:00

Looking for a Messiah: Are the Indian elite desperately searching for a Savior?By Vidya Bhushan RawatIt is disappointing and shameful the way BJP and some of its allies have exhibited their support for Narendra Modi’s fast for ‘atma shuddhi’ and ‘sadbhavna’. Gujarat Congress leader Shankar Singh Vaghela has also gone on fast though without much notice of the media. Vaghela comes from the Hindutva background and understand very well the tricks of the game. Those who have read the Supreme Court order know it well that it has given instruction to authorities to file cases as per the SIT report. There is every option for the people to again go the court and seek justice if the local authorities in Gujarat again try to subvert justice. However, the issue here is much bigger and the way the entire game is being played, it has wider political repercussions too and need political understanding of the entire game.While every political party is free to go for its political campaign and can approach any community in India, however there are a few questions before that. In a democratic society there is no space for fasting which is nothing but an act of blackmail and side tracking the real issues. Therefore political battles have to be fought politically and not through apolitical blackmails. Fasting is nothing but re-imposition of the brahmanical values on India. Right from the period of Gandhi all the symbols adopted and exhibited for fasting are brahmanical and widely open to interpretation without saying directly. The war cries during these fasts are so loud that any one who oppose them genuinely face threat of physical intimidation. So, the non violent fasts are actually more violent than the physical violence as they expose your vulnerability.Anyone who has seen the ‘progress’ and ‘peace’ in Gujarat can vouch for Narendra Modi. Gujarat is a very prosperous state and there is little doubt about that. But this is also a fact that it was so much before Narendra Modi as dominant Gujaratis are business mind and they have succeeded in their business world over. But has the business mind in Gujarat really brought a change in the ‘mindset’ of common Gujarati which Narendra Modi and others in the Sangh Parivar boast so much? Can we say that Gujarat is a state which has no discrimination and every body live in peace? Yes, because the Gujarat which Narendra Modi boast and develop actually is a Gujarat of Varna Vyavastha, of caste system and none of them have the courage to stand against that. If we ask these questions and make a checklist then the reality would exactly the opposite. Are inter caste marriages common in Gujarat and the answer is a big no. Similarly, we all know the fate of people marrying beyond their religious identity. So what has changed in Gujrat Mr Modi? Yes, all the Babas, and Sadhus are more popular than ever in Gujarat. The sas-bahus idiocies are too popular in Gujarat and therefore bollywood jump in that market. If you compare Gujarat with Punjab then the differences will be sharp. Gujarati’s are businessmen but by heart not as open as the Sikhs. Sikhs also prospered and traveled world over like Gujaratis have much wider community sense than Gujaratis. They have also developed business and entrepreneurship. But see the difference. The progress in Punjab is over all and inclusive while in Gujarat it is exclusive and those living in margins are still living the same way. Today, the Dalits in Punjab whether it is the Mazhabis or Ravidasis are much better and liberated than their counterparts in Gujarat. Go to any Dalit basti in Gujarat particularly the Valmikis and you can hear the story of the racial prejudices in Gujarat. In Punjab too they face discrimination against the vary tenants of Guru Granth Saheb yet Dalits retaliate in Punjab. They have their own Gurudwaras and strong community leadership has emerged.Gujarat is not just Anand, Ahmedabad, Baroda or Surat. Gujarat is also Kheda, Porbandar, Kutchch and other tribal regions. Ask those regions about the changes and you will realize it.Narendra Modi claims that there were no communal riots in Gujarat since 2002. Yes, there could not have been as the entire state machinery was used so much against the minorities that their life became hell and economy totally collapsed. It take time to rebuild in a state where a complete economic embargo was put on Muslims and Christians. Don’t we know that before the Muslim became direct target of the Hindutva brigade, it were the Christians, their churches and institutions that came under sharp attack from the Hindutva gangs who had clearly got state patronage. Gujarat is very unfortunate in many way. Unfortunate because the cocktail of corporate and religion is working wonder in Gujarat. The powerful upper castes in Gujarat are more than ever powerful. They have migrated abroad. The condition of Dalits and tribal is so bad that none of them have power to stand up at the moment. Most of them have either state government jobs or at maximum private jobs owned by Patels, Sidhis and Jains whose political sympathies with Hindutva are well known to be described here. The Dalits even if they want to revolt may not be able to do so under the grave economic pressure. That has happened in a very systematic way. Whenever the Dalits organize their rallies and programme, their activities are watched and observed and later they are isolated. The economic dependency has hampered their movement for a different political understanding other than the upper caste parties of Congress and BJP. Muslims in Gujarat seems not to have any other option than switching their loyalty here and there as their condition is the worst.Modi’s supporters are proposing Gujarat model for development. One does not know in which world they love. Can Gujarat be really called a developed state? A good state for investment and a better governed state are two different dynamics. If Gujarat is so good that every international company are vying to be here then why the Gujaratis living in Africa, Europe and Americas come back to their original land and restrengthen it. Why they still need to go abroad to earn much.Gujarat riots were engineered to break the backbone of Muslim business. It is the basic tendency of the Hindutva protagonists to engineer riots where the Muslims had a sizeable business presence and the result from various communal riots reflect that. The isolation of Muslims in Gujarat was complete. If peace comes at the cost of leaving in submission and subjugation then Modi and his fanatic friends must understand that it will not be. Injustice anywhere is a threat to peace. If people are unable to get justice in the political set up then obviously it breed communalism on both the sides.Today, Narendra Modi condemns communalism and caste-ism. He blames the policy of appeasement in the past sixty years. The fact is that India has been ruled by the upper caste upper elite during all these years Mr. Modi. And if he means that Indian state has appeased Muslims and given some thing special then Modi must understand that Muslims face the worst form of discrimination in the government jobs and private corporations. Even taking a house on rent is difficult to get and finally the person has to find the ‘Muslim’ locality’. Such ghettosiation helps the communal politicians and their leaders as the more the communication gap between the two communities the bigger the business of these loud mouths who shout at each other posing a threat from the opposing sides.There is no denying the fact that India need to move forward. And for it the shortsighted policies must go. For this, the tamasha of fasting must stop. All these fast are meant against some one. Most of these fast are done by the caste Hindus to regain and retain their leadership and stop the others from gaining any right. Gandhi’s fast against untouchability was a betrayal to Ambedkar’s struggle for social justice and Dalits which he so valiantly fought. Anna’s fast looked intimidating to the Dalits, OBCs, and Muslims of India. Now Modi is fasting to cleanse himself while Congress too is fasting. The political battles are to be fought politically but when the politics is just an adjustment and calculation then we can expect anything sincere from the political class which has become expert in saying things according to its convenience.In the Gujarat University campus, sharing platform with Modi were various political leaders. Modi say ‘ India is run through constitution’, now this is another statement. Why any one has to host tricolor in India or say Vandemataram. While Modi’s supporters have not started following Anna, but such tactics are clear enough in projecting one particular community or people who disagree as traitors. When you say that India is run through constitution, it is because you want to communicate that you have been exonerated by the highest court of the land which is absolutely farcical. The Supreme Court’s Judgment has not exonerated Modi. In fact, Supreme Court must take a suo moto cognigence of such blatant lies and misinterpretations of its order. We all know the agenda of the Hindutva protagonists. Most of them do not have faith in the constitution of India. Modi feel that the past 60 years India appeased to different castes and religion. Modi hate castes because it is obstructing his way. May be true because he is not a powerful Patel of Gujarat and at the initial phase the Patel lobby had actually tried to overthrow him.Gujarat may be having a high growth rates but Gujarat’s Dalits and Adivasis too want Gujarati’s to leave their caste mind. The narrowness of Gujarat’s caste mindset can not be matched to openness in Punjab which a Dalit can feel. And in Punjab the Dalits too retaliate and react if they are under assault. We can not expect that in Gujarat at the moment. The openness that the Muslims have in Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar is much bigger than the peace of Gujarat. The blending of Muslims in the Ganga Jamuni culture is tremendous and despite all problems they too can retaliate when time comes. If Modi say that there were no curfew in Gujarat it is because the social ostracisation of marginalized communities in Gujarat completed with Modi. Along with Modi all the Gujaratis should atone for their caste mind. Gujarati’s want to enjoy liberty and freedom elsewhere but they do not want to give the same in their own state Mr Modi. So, these tamasha being oraganised in Gujarat will serve little purpose. The problem of Gujarat is multifold. The oppression and control of the poor of Gujarat is complete. They will revolt against the elite of Gujarat who have Modi as their hero. That day is not far over. The so-called governance will then crumble. As far as the media is concern, the least say about them is the best. They were the most fascinating observer of YSR Rajshekar Reddy, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and today they can see YSR and his corrupt regime. So, Modi is good for them as he serves their interest. Let us ask a question to Modi what radical changes has he made in the lives of a common Gujarati? What is the standard of an ordinary road transport bus of Gujarat? Is it a better transport service than Rajasthan or Haryana? What about the college education in Gujarat? Is it providing better research than others? Yes, Gujarat is have business mind and that is why they can claim to have an IIM in Ahemdabad and one for the rural development in Anand. But what about the common education in school? What about the Panchayats in Gujarat? Finally, Mr Modi, so many people were arrested under POTA in Gujrat, particularly in Godhra. I have visited those families and seen their pain. Old, young, visually impaired, we have seen people virtually living in deep dejection and isolation. How will they get justices who are in jail without any trial? How will people react if so many people without trials are in your jails on the one side while on the other side those who should have been behind the bar, are enjoying the fruits of power.Yes, Mr Modi, caste was not discovered sixty years ago. It is a heritage that you feel proud. All those rishis, munis, sadhus and sanyasis that you bring on your stage and shout Bharat Mata ki Jaya are afraid of caste. They know it better that today thank to constitution of India these people are now standing up and reacting. Yes, Ambedkar’s constitution have given them power, understanding that in democracy number matters and it is here all the good friends of Narendra Modi are afraid of. Not of Modi but so-called opponents are also afraid of that weapon as the real threat to India according to them, does not come from Pakistan but the assertion of Dalit Bahujan. It is actually this feeling which is disturbing India’s ruling elite whether it is Kapil Sibol or Chidambaram or Jayalalitha-Advani and Modi. In this historic war, Muslims are simply becoming the tool to be used. They have to decide which side of the war are they on. It is not a war between Congress or BJP. It is actually a war between India’s minority upper caste elite and those who have suffered India caste based hidden apartheid. The power elite in India is desperate at the moment and looking for some savior such as Anna Hazare or Narendra Modi. Fortunately, India is such a diverse and huge country that despite all the propaganda material at their disposal they know it well, things are not that simple which our news channels want us to believe. Yes, India’s poor understand all these forces much better than those who make their opinion through TV channels. This desperation will not work. The upper caste upper elite in India need to believe in democratic set up and not try to subvert it through desperate means as end of democracy will only open caste anarchy in India. Let us not allow India to go the Afghanistan way by such short sighted policies of ignoring important division and genuinely addressing those issues. For the sake of a few leaders, a country’s unity cannot be put on stake. Coming days are more challenging for India as we need to see whether the perpetrators of crime will be punished as per law of the land or will they use this opportunity to take power in their own hands in the name of people’s verdict by creating hysterical situation and total polarization on religious line. The idea of India is under the threat.

Looking beyond Anna..

2011-08-22T09:56:00.000+09:00

Need to shift political system which work collectively By Vidya Bhushan Rawat India at the moment is at the cross roads. Anna Hazare and his team have presented a Janlokpal bill which according to them will wipe out corruption from India. They feel that corruption is the root cause of all our evils. Now, one does not know whether they consider the caste system, untouchability, dowry as corruption or not. We do not know whether billions of rupees of cash, Gold and other treasure in our religious institutions are corruption free or meant for something else. Anna seems to have caught the fancy of India’s upper caste upper elite and middle classes. Right from the film stars to our business tycoons every one is taking oath to fight against corruption. The local businessmen, dibbawallahs, auto-drivers, taxi unions, doctors and government servants also seem to agree with Anna and want that corruption should be ended. The Prime Minister of India also want the corruption should go. Advani and Gadkari want to hang the corrupt except Yadurappa. Anna wants to hang them but do not have the courage to ask the same treatment for Ramdev and Ravishankar or any other religious guru or corporate leader if they are found guilty. He also wants to keep safe the ‘civil society’ from any charges of corruption. This seems to be well planned exercise with solid backing from India’s corporate. Now, it is coming to lime light and sources are alleging that the Tatas and Anil Ambani group may be behind the campaign. Both of them are resourceful and can make our media men and TV anchors workless hence the TV cameras have to be there all the time and make it a truly ‘national event’. The number of people in the ground was never twenty thousand as Times of India describe. It could be around 5000 to 10,000 at the peak hour. Anyway, political rallies have always been huge and to compare it with the political movement lead by either JP or VP would be too naïve. At least VP and JP had an open agenda and asked people to vote. Anna seems to be working on a hidden agenda and that is the real cause of worry. The Lokpal bill that is produced by Anna’s team has positive side but the one important draw back is a super structure which is unaccountable to Parliament. We want balance between different power structures who compliment each other and do not pull leg of each other. We want a Lokpal who can seek responses from officers for their failure. I completely agree that this government had tried to shield corrupt officers. The bill presented by the Central government in Parliament is a betrayal in fact. It punishes the whistleblowers and save the corrupt officials. May be, because the ministers and officials are normally hand in glove together in the corruption cases and know the history of their cases. The question is not of including prime minister or judiciary into the Lokpal bill but we do not want another department harassing and exploiting people. Therefore, a bill need to be prepared after due consultation. Anna’s civil society never bothered to speak to others and take opinion of diverse sections of civil society, social movements in the country. It was the case basically that Sonia Gandhi appointed one set of high profile ‘civil society’ to National Advisory Council which was a ‘super cabinet’ and therefore those who have been left behind in that must have felt that it is time we must have ‘super duper cabinet’ which has ‘people’s mandate. And that is why such a big ‘reality’ show being organized in Delhi. Sonia’s advisory council have elite ‘social activists’ and Anna’s team too had the same criteria. So, there is nothing wrong to say if you call it upper caste upper elite clash of interests. Not every crowd turns into a revolution. We want to look this event as revolution and the reason is that Gandhi, India’s fading icon, must be placed on top despite the known facts that the same upper caste actually hated him and killed him. Gandhi and Gandhisim are the best way to control our mind, preach us fictitious morality of the barbaric age which none of these ‘revolutionaries’ will ever agree in their own personal lives. The caste and religious character of the entire protest is well known to be described here. As reported in many dailies, the main organizers of this crowd management team are not just the corporate jars, former anchors and reporters of television channels who are producing Anna package to the country but the micro level management is also being taken care of by the religious fanatics who have deep rooted hatred towards the Dalits and minorities of the country. It is this class of people who have no interest in India and who are ready to ditch the country for their profits and benefits which are swearing by the tricolor and raising hatred towards the Dalits. Many of my friends have actually disagreed with my contention that Anna’s movement has caste and communal contours but they too agreed that some of the people might take benefit of it. But facts are not that simple. Neither is history that evaporated from us when we have seen the Sangh parivar and its elements intruded in the mainstream politics and got legitimized through electoral alignments in 1975 and 1989. That an organization such as Youth for Equality which has been spreading continuous hatred towards the Dalits and OBC in the name of opposing their legitimate quota in AIIMS and other institutions is a shocking reminder of the nature of the politics being played at Anna’s August Kranti. To add further salt to injury is another hate monger organization called Krantikari Manuwadi Morcha. One can understand from the very ideological ground of this organization how they continue to think that there will not be an India with equality as even today they continue to believe in inequality. How have those who used to clean our shoes are ruling us is a common refrain for the political system. The egalitarian political system is the bone of contention for these caste minds. Anna’s movement actually exposes openly the hidden apartheid of India. If you see the crowd and many of those who are speaking you can find their arrogance and feeling that this country is ‘theirs’ and now they have found Anna who will not allow these politicians to do ‘corruption’ which in other way means ‘vote bank politics’. My fears have always been that the Lokpal case would have more cases against the reservation and if Lokpal is not accountable to Parliament then he is bound to indulge in notoriety which would attract appreciation of the upper castes but would definitely be against the interest of the Dalitsand particularly against OBCs. Lot of anecdotes about Anna’s greatness are being talked about. Anna himself glorified himself and his ‘sacrifices’ for the nation. He said ‘I did not marry for the shake of country.’ Most of those who are there at the Ramleela ground, are using this as a point to promote Narendra Modi, who is not married. Question is if the Indians think that marriage is bad for the country then why are we over one and a half billion. All this could not have happened without marriages as living with out marriage is still not an acceptable idea in this country and children out of wedlock will never be accepted here. Another question is if being unmarried is greatness then why the same upper caste do not respect Uttar-Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and her mentor Kanshi Ram? There is no law, no rule for these forces of stats quo. They only have their interests and hence can bend their ideological positions to suit their interests. And you can see this during the current campaign. Anna’s many formulations are flawed. There is no doubt that the Congress party behaved in an arrogant way and political leaders claims that they only speak for the people is blunted by Anna’s campaign yet we can not mock at the form of democracy which Anna and his team is indulging. As a civil society you can suggest to the government various points and do things but did Anna and his team ever spoke to any other fellow civil society people. Or this was an attempt to hijack the entire issues of civil society and become their leader. Today, the corporate has provided space for the likes of those who were supporters of civil society as leaders of civil society. That is the danger of the new economic disorder, which claims to makes and unmake leaders. It creates mass hysteria, create news through these histrionics’ and paralyze the administration. It blocks the opposite views as it is an embedded journalism. It is an activist journalism which can not be accepted. Such brand of journalism with hidden agenda and deep rooted caste prejudices exist in the shining India and promote ideas which are detrimental to the interest of India. It is surprising that none talked about the issue as how is this big movement being funded. Who are the forces supporting it from the back? Has any one tried to find out? Yes, an Indian Express story exposed many chinks. So much so that Anna and his team continuously talks about corruption of political class but refrained from talking about the corrupt corporate and the corrupt religious gurus who are happily sitting with Anna and claiming high moral ground. How is this none of us ever think of challenging those who are becoming our moral guardians. The big land owning Babas and Sanyasis and hugely corrupted corporate who were responsible for most of the corruption in the post liberlisation phase remain untouched by our elites. It is because, in today’s packaging, these corporate are required for running a middle class movement which is essentially against government and all praise for the likes of Ambanis who never hesitated in saying that they used the loopholes of the government institutions to promote themselves. Such hysteria on a particular issue is dangerous. Times of India reported that the only solution is to ask for referendum. The Times forgot that there is no difference in the government and opposition on Lokpal at the moment. And you can not discuss nitty-gritty’s of the bill in the referendum. Secondly, if the government is accepting the demand for referendum then there are major issues in the country and many states who want it. Whether it is Kashmir, Nagaland, Manipur or Telengana, the government must listen to people’s voice and come to a conclusion or organize referendum if the demand of Times of India and those who are calling for it, is accepted. India’s problems can not be resolved through a Lokpal or more bureaucrats. The failure of Indian political leadership is happening because our parliamentary system is actually based on a minority voting pattern. First past the Post system is the weakest link of our democracy. You can win election through cobbling together a few people and dividing the other votes. Therefore, India need to switch to Proportionate Electorate System, so that its diversity is represented in is Parliament and assemblies. That will pave the way for state funding and reduce the burden. The current form of democracy is giving way to individualism and any system which is based on individualism is going to be fatalistic. The fancy of an individual become the root cause of our evils. Therefore, it is important that India’s minorities, the Dalits, OBCs, the Aadivasis and other communities get fair representation in it. Unless that is done, these issues raised by certain group of people would snow ball into bigger threat for those who disagree with it. Anna may say that his Lokpal is to cleanse the system but a majority of Dalits, Aadivasis, Muslims, other minorities and OBCs have growing fear of that this campaign is fast turning into a caste-ist campaign whose agenda is not corruption but reestablish the supremacy of the erstwhile ruling elites of India who are losing their grip over power in the parliamentary process and who are looking to control levers of power through non parliamentary process. Such a thought would be dangerous and will be responsible for a caste war in India.

Remembering Shehla

2011-08-18T22:55:00.000+09:00

Woman with conviction and Courage By Vidya Bhushan Rawat Shehla Masood became the latest victim of the corrupt Indian system which is unable to defend those who are trying to expose the corrupted. On August 16th, she fell to the bullets of an unidentified assailant near house in Bhopal. The police in Bhopal are on a hunt to nab the killers but have not been able to do so. We do not know whether they would be able to do so or not as the perpetrators of this ghastly crime may have their access to high and mighty. I came to know Shehla several years back and developed an instant rapport with her as she was very keen to do things. She asked me to contribute for her blog ‘Miracles’. She was a curious student to know new things and wanted to do things differently. She has been interested to build a strong organization for wild life and actually discussed with me in April. She shared her frustration also particularly when the state authorities never took action against the police officer she complained. She wrote a letter to home ministry about the said officer and there was no response from the ministry she said. Though she ran a company yet her intention were to build up an international organization for wild life. She called me and we met in Delhi to discuss things further to do our work. She was very happy to inform me that she had now shifted to Delhi and that we would be able to work together. Unfortunately, April and May had been quite engaged tour for me and we spoke once after that when she was in Bhopal. I saw Shehla as a dynamic woman and a role model. In a country where there is a dearth of such strong personalities, I felt she was not utilizing her worth and could really be a source of inspiration of thousands of women in the country in general and Muslim women in particular. And we spoke passionately how Muslim women should be united and organized in their struggle. She had desired to organize something for them in Bhopal. She felt that political interventions are necessary for the empowerment of women and that they must get reservation in Parliament and Assemblies. Last time when we met in Delhi, she was a bit hurt and displayed a sense of betrayal from her erstwhile colleagues. She felt that some of them were using the information collected under RTI to strike a deal. She was very disturbed with it. When I met her in Bhopal to discuss things which we could work together, she was very eager yet I found some thing was missing. The problem I felt was that she lacked some of the friends who had same passion as she had. She realized that some of the friends might be using her and may be leaking some of the information. We all know that she was living in Madhya Pradesh and had to depend a lot on the people who might not have liked her ideological positions or efforts to nail those who were close to power. That was actually her frustration when we met in Delhi and she asked me to do something together particularly on the issues of wild life and forest conversation. She was all appreciation for the then environment minister Jai Ram Ramesh and often talked about her meeting with him related to Bandavgarh Tiger range about which she complained to Ministry of Environment and Forest. Shehla became fifth victim of the mafias who are afraid of getting exposed. But at the same point of time, her brutal murder also reflect how much threat we face in the streets if we raise the issue of corruption in public life and on particular individual issues. Her death also shows how individual activists face threat to life and need to be more careful. There is a growing temptation for media coverage in the individual cases which has made the lives of activists threatening. These issues need the getting of like minded individuals who do not compete with each other for publicity but compliment the work and also keep each other updated about their activities and complains so that in case of difficult time they can be supported. We know that work on human rights is very tough and each of the human rights activist need protection for their life. While we demand protection from the government, we also know that such theoretical formulas do not solve the issue as a society which is deep nick in corruption can not protect individuals fighting against corruption. Therefore we need to be more vigilant and work together. The tragedy of the RTI is that every individual is filing cases and publicizing them and before things are taken to a conclusion he or she become the victim of it. Local media blow issue out of proportion and make the lives of these individuals more dangerous. Therefore, it is essential for all those who are fighting against this to address the issue in broader term and not become a kind of ‘tu-tu main main’. The individual fight would always result in chaos and make life of the complainants more vulnerable. Shehla was bold and daring. She wanted to do things differently. She had passion. And she wanted to do things. I am extremely disturbed and pained at her untimely death. We wanted to do things together and I was more than happy when she said that she was shifting to Delhi. I felt, I will have a friend who is daring to fight against system and have new ideas. Alas, that was not to be. The brutal murder of Shehla has taken her away from us but the ideas always remain. She will always remain a shining star, a woman who fought passionately and with great courage. She will remain a role model for many. Those who killed her must understand that by killing a person they can not kill the ideas, they can not kill the power of people. Shehla had dream. Dream of a society where men and women are equal and complete harmony with nature. She dared to do things differently and I can say she became immortal her death. We salute the spirit Shehla and hope that youngsters who dream for the society will take some lesson from her life. At the end, I am demanding a thorough investigation into the probe of Shehla Masood. The perpetrators must be brought to the books. Madhya Pradesh government should form a special task force to investigate the matter or if they are unable to find anything must hand over the inquiry to CBI. The role of the officials against who she filed cases must be investigated. These officials include forest and police department. Maybe, the information could be gathered from office in Bhopal and the colleagues who were working with her on RTI. While I deeply moan her death, I hope the real tribute to Shehla would be when the people who she filed complaint against, goes to bar and face the court. It is time that the government must ensure protection to the activists. It is equally important for the activists too to take enough precaution in their battle against the corrupt. There is no place for a Dharnaa or protest. There are no TV cameras. There are no newspapers when you are vulnerable. The tragedy is that you become news only after death. The issue raised by Shehla could have been used by media but it did not do that. Today, she has herself become news. That is the biggest irony of people who work for the rights of others. They bring out news but that is rarely used by the media. They become news once they are killed. It would be advisable to all our friends to please take care of yourself and work in unison with others and share your information with friends and organization. We do not want to lose you dear friends. Each life is important and lives of those who live for others is more precious. That is what I would speak to each one of them. The loss of Shehla is tremendous and will be felt by all of us in the coming days. Let us hope that her sacrifice is honored by the government once it is able to reach the culprit and provide her justice.

Need new words for expressions...

2011-07-16T09:33:00.002+09:00

Mind your Language By Vidya Bhushan Rawat The feudal caste values of our subcontinent often reflect in our expressions. One of the reasons for the usage of these terminologies is the ‘feeling’ of ‘empowerment’ in our heart. How can a ‘helpless’ or a powerful person shows his empowerment. The powerful can abuse and be violent but a ‘helpless’ has only abuses. And interestingly these abuses get more contemptuous in descending order of our society. It means they are hurled more at the most marginalized and physically weak one. Why should we abuse to the others ? And the answer is provided in the various terminologies of our society which have stereotyped these and justify their aggression or failures in doing so. So, there is a blame game through these abuses and terminologies. Police did not act in Mumbai as it was ‘Napunsak’ i.e. impotent or people saw fellow citizen dying on the street because there was no ‘mard ka bachcha’ ( son of MAN), as if women can not save or have not saved any one. Why is, the non functionality of our governments termed as ‘lame duck’. They call proudly ‘yeh langdi sarkar hai’. How does it feel when a person suffering from physical disability and trying to walk as fast as so-called ‘able’ people do, listens to these ‘macho’ dialogues? Have we tried to understand that? Do the people suffering from physical disability not work efficiently? Can they never be efficient and equal like ‘others’? Often in our political platforms the leaders abuse the government saying ‘yeh sarkar bahri and andhi ho gayee hai’. I don’t know but what that means is that all the men and women who are unable to hear and see are incapable. The other day, I had objection to the terminology of ‘kaladhan’ or ‘black money’ for the illicit or ill-gotten money. Why do we use this terminology? Why is black that bad that all the bad things are linked to it. For me black remains the most beautiful color, a color of change. What will we call to the money obtained by the people whose color are not fare as white skinned. I also maintained that most of this ‘so-called’ black money is actually not owned by the ‘black people’ hence why to defame an entire race. Our society is racist in nature. Not all will realize that what the reason of Mahabharata was. While we all condemn the ‘cheer- haran’ of Draupadi, (if that is a true story), but we should also remember how contemptuously she laughed at Duryodhan when he falls in to pool assuming that a glass floor. And the comment that followed was ‘andhe ka beta agar andha nahee hoga to kya hoga’ (the son of a blind will only be a blind, what else he could be). Actually, this reflects the psychology of Indians. The feeling that we can not change and we must do what we are parents and forefathers have been doing for generations. So, a person whose father was a cobbler must do the same work and not think of change. That is the reason of why people hate reservation because they feel that these children who should have been doing menial work are actually now thinking of coming to power. How can the children of cobblers, goldsmiths, iron smiths, farmers, workers, laborers be allowed to rule the country? What will they bring to us except misfortune? It is this very reason, why our middle classes get very reactive of corruption among Dalits and OBCs. Oh, how have these guys got so much of wealth? Why don’t they go back to the community? But the same questions are not asked as where from Anna Hazare got the money to sit on fast and why were businessmen so concern about ‘corruption’ and were donating handsomely to Baba Ramdev. If the same funds are given by some Christians and Muslims, immediately the question would arise, as why are they interested in our cause? Why can’t we ask the question as why the tax evading class is interested in fighting against corruption? If that fast and crowd was mobilized by Udit Raj, everyone would have been asking where the money has come from. Nobody ask the ‘polite’ upper caste about this. It is assumed that they have it for generations and hence nobody needs to question it. So, the donation to the high quality people is on ‘will’ and for a cause and for the others it is meant for ‘corruption’ and ‘conversion’. One of the biggest comments in our films and political circle is made on the inability or inefficiency of a person or a government is ‘yeh napunsak hai. This is an impotent government. ‘Be man’. What will happen if the government is headed by a woman? So any leader who is involved in all kind of misbehavior is termed as ‘impotent’ as if all the bad deeds and sexual abuse are carried over by the sexually inactive persons. Many sexual scandals of our political leaders are getting exposed these days. Should we call them ‘impotent’ or sexually pervert? It not that just physicality matters in our society. Gender and caste abuses are often part of our discourse. It is shocking to see them being used by the caste Hindus. Some of them are often used by even the ‘so-called’ revolutionaries to score a point and degrade some one’s caste. These are part of our rural culture and their daily language. Aamir Khan’s Bosedeeke is nothing but justifying these stereotype where abuses are hurled at regular basis on gender basis (most of the indigenous abuses are caste and gender biased) and cowardliness and betrayal are related to particular communities. Most of our idioms and local sayings are actually based on deep gender and caste prejudices. These idioms are nothing but glorification of our false caste pride and promote macho values which are anti woman. You can always find dialogues of Hindi films saying ‘are koi mard ka bachcha jo mujhse bhide.’ (Is there any son of a MAN who can fight me?. Often the ‘Mard’ i.e. MAN word has used in the bollywood films to degrade woman and promote patriarchical values. I do not think if there is any English equivalent to this word except MAN with a big ego in heart. This has virtually degenerated our entire system. In the 21st century India, the empowerment of communities and societies will happen through a change in our culture and not through guns and bombs. We all know society can not change over night but at least those who claim for it, work for it and want to change it must change themselves. For a healthy society we need a healthy vocabulary and not rhetoric based on prejudices towards the marginalized and physically challenged people.

Why Manu excites our academic institutions?

2011-07-01T18:13:00.000+09:00

A certificate course in racism By Vidya Bhushan Rawat Several years ago, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, in New Delhi became the heart of ‘agitation’ against discrimination in government services. The Hindu students of medical sciences there were perturbed as why the shudras and ati shudras were getting into this institution which was the sole preserve of the high caste Hindus. The media gave lot of stories of them and the ‘poor’ doctors forgot their basic duty of looking after the patience. Instead they were raising slogan for ‘equality’ and started an organisation called ‘Youth for Equality’. Interestingly, these youth for equality do not know the meaning of equality. Equality for them is only possible when we maintain the varna dharma which is based on ‘purity’ of ‘soul’ and ‘merit’ of human being. To strengthen their point they say that they are not against ‘poor’. That the basis of reservation should be ‘economic’ and not ‘ caste’. Unfortunately, the basis of reservation is the social identity of the person and not economic but even for a moment we accept their argument even then it will go to the same people who are getting due to their caste. Anyway, this ‘youth of equality’ was nothing but a tool to maintain the status quo ante and suppress the voices of the Dalits and OBCs. Unfortunately, OBCs are unable to even fight their battle so Dalits took up the lead and also became target of insinuation by the caste forces. OBCs reserved their energy to hit the Dalits in the villages which they are quite expert in and providing fodder to Hindutva’s street thugs against Muslims. The issue of reservation in India has always been burning heart of our friends for years. Unfortunately, none of them raise their voice against the reservation for Brahmins who control our temples and ashrams and which is absolutely birth based, as well as reservation for manual scavengers who hail from a particular community. We still have not been able to eliminate the manual scavenging. Those champions of equality actually usually protest in the street sweeping and polishing shoes which means that if they are not there in the AIIMS, they would have to do such work which is not meant for them. Our students feel it the same way. That cleaning, sweeping, scavenging, farming are not their work. It is the duty for those which is prescribed by Lord Manu. Therefore none should be surprised what IIT Delhi is proposing in terms of ‘educating’ the Dalit students. It is simply following what AIIMS student started several years back. We all know its director Indrasen has been notoriously writing against reservation and has filed a case in the Supreme Court related to OBC quota.Indian Institute of Technology is a brand name world over for high quality technical education. Unfortunately, these institutions surviving on the extraordinary budget of the government do not provide people who have not only quality and ability but also a commitment to India. Today, these institutions have become den of the forces who look down upon anything which reflect diversity of India and fair play. The issue of reservations of seats for Scheduled Castes and other groups like the Scheduled Tribe and OBCs has been powerfully resisted by the IITians of different hues in the name of merit. One can not ignore the fact that merit is important in our life but the basic point is how do you estimate merit? Is there any criterion which can judge merit in India which suffers from Dronacharya syndrome and where academics are turning worst than the former Guru of Mahabharata who created all kind of obstacles for Eklavya, a tribal boy, to become numerouno archer of the world? One does not need to repeat this mythological story as how Dronacharya in his attempt to foil the hard work of Eklavya used his devotion to him as a tool to promote his favourite Arjuna as the number one archer of the world, asked Eklavya to offer him his thumb. So, one can not believe in such teachers for evaluating the merit of those who they feel suffer from inferiority. These are the academics who have not been able to clean their mind and heart. The issue of reservation has to be seen in wider context of respecting diversity of communities at all the level of our academic institutions and governance structure. Unfortunately, it seems, that the caste Hindus feel that merit and nationalism is their domain and therefore they have got the fundamental right to rule and lord over the country. It is an unfortunate situation. Definitely one of the issue is that every one want to be part of these institutions and hence government must increase the strength also but that apart a diverse country like India can not survive if our places of learning do not have space for the vast variety of ethnic, linguistic, religious and caste groups in these institutions. In the absence of the presence of these groups, we only create stereotypes about them. It is more than shocking to hear the circular of IIT Delhi for the Dalit-OBC students to learn etiquettes and manners. What does it mean? Do the students hailing from these categories suffer from cultural inadequacies? Can we really call it like that? What are the learned professors of our IITs going to teach to these students? Why are such classes necessary for the Dalits, tribal and OBCs only? Why the University and these ‘meritorious’ institutions not offer these classes of manners and etiquettes for the so-called upper caste Hindus too. IITs and other such institutions have been domain of caste based discrimination in India. The Dalit students and the students from OBC community face discrimination at every phase right from their admission till evaluation. The female students opting for Ph.Ds often face the sexual harassment. Many of these students were compelled to commit suicide. The dirt in India’s academic world need to be cleaned and it is only possible with diverse participation these institutions. Today, these institutions have high level of nepotism and corruption which is not exposed so far. The links matter a lot in India and particularly in bureaucracy and academics. Better assignment, good postings and wonderful evaluation are hallmark of our wonder world. In such a scenario when these institutions want special training to learn etiquette for the Dalits and OBCs then we have to seriously think of the merit of these teachers and other academic staff. It clearly envisage that the Dalit and others who are not really caste Hindus suffer from lack of etiquettes and hence need to be ‘educated’ for that too. Should we call it a new ‘sansrktisation’ process where students may be asked to condemn themselves rather than questioning the wrong? Indians grow in their caste and have never allowed developing linkages and friendship beyond their caste. The beyond caste friendship is just due to some compulsion otherwise we would not be happy in exploring that. When you grow up in hearing things about the glories of your caste and contempt of others, you only develop a false notion about others. Our academic institutions actually suffer from that as they were educating just one kind of people there. They should understand that thousands of Dalit OBC students are now challenging the status quo and coming up with flying colors. If they do not know, I would like to emphasize that 10 years down the line, the maximum competition and merit would come from the Dalit students. So the education sector is witnessing the biggest change and that is the participation of Dalit-OBC-tribal students and Universities, colleges and other academic institutions need to understand that. It is not scenario of 1980s when they would say that in the absence of ‘eligible’ students they recruited the ‘others’. Today, there is no dearth of students from these communities who have come up and performed much better than others. Hence the institutions have to prepare them to face new realities and not re-impose their outdated caste mind on the young mind. They do not realize that they are living in 21st century and for this they need 21st century ideas. On the one side we want to claim that we have highly talented young minds coming from these ‘prestigious’ institutions but the darker side is that they are churning pathetic caste mindsets who have nothing to with India and mostly who are looking for greener pastures. IITs and academics should come out of their isolated megalomaniac world and face the realities of the 21st century where their act may be pursued as violation of fundamental rights of individuals. They need to learn from the world that there are UN Declaration of human rights and India is signatory to all this. They should also know the political changes in the country. These teachers are a shame to India who suffers from Dronacharya syndrome. In today’s world Dronacharya would not only have been suspended from the job but would have faced prosecution in the court of the law. One sincerely hope that the decision of Delhi IIT and any other institution will be taken back otherwise it will amount to racial and caste based discrimination and the director or Vice chancellor of such institutions must be prosecuted for that. Those champions of ‘merit’ who oppose reservation for Dalits and OBCs keep mum on when their friends buy seats in the technical institutions. They pay money and get admission abroad too. None of them ever raised a slogan against private colleges which levy huge capitation fees or when they can buy ticket for anything by just paying a few bucks extra. Issue of merit is often repeated and Dalit-OBC-Muslim question can not be related to that. It is the question of share in power structure. If the government is so afraid, then we will need more AMUs, more Jamias and more the likes that for the Dalits and OBCs too. If the caste based discrimination against them continue, there is nothing wrong in demanding special universities for each segments of our society. We have seen how the students are bringing fictitious certificates of different categories to get admission in the university and we have plenty of information related to that in the past also. The only point, I wish to make is that the student do not know what to do for the admission. It is there ‘meritorious’ teachers who must have told them to get these fake certificates. What could be the ‘merit’ of these goons who are ready throw away lakhs of rupees to get admission into these ‘prestigious’ colleges. It would be better to rename AIIMS as All India Institute of Manuwadi Studies which actually would really reflect the nature of the institution. Already, we have the statue of Manu inside the campus of Jaipur High Court and nobody dare to remove that. It would be good to install these statues at other places such as IITs and AIIMS so that people world over could know what is the importance of this man Manu. In fact, government of India, should also help strengthen Manuwad all over the country by printing original Manu smriti in all the languages of India so that people could know why Manu excites so much to our academic institutions and IITs.

S.P.Singh : Icon of Hindi media

2011-06-27T12:15:00.000+09:00

TributeSP : Legacy of Ethics and courage in the mediaBy Vidya Bhushan RawatSurendra Pratap Singh or SP as he was popularly known was one of the most iconic journalists of Hindi media at the time when it was opening up to new realities of television journalism. At the time when media particularly the vernacular media and its journalists were openly hobnobbing with the Hindutva lobby in the corporate and enjoyed the patronage, he was sharply different and committed to the profession of journalism.Yes, unlike many other veterans in the Hindi world, who crossed the thin line between journalism and politics, SP was clear about his motive and work. He never pretended to be a mass leader, nor was he a preacher. Those were the days of Indian media when many of the editors had the habit of coming to the front page under their by-line yet these temptations did not attract SP. He was happy with his contents and stood with the ethics of journalism.We all know that the vernacular journalists are habitual of political patronage and feel proud of their linkages. At the time when Hindi newspapers converted themselves to Hindu newspapers and the way they reported the entire Ramjanmbhumi-babari masjid controversy to say the least was shocking. The newspapers baron was playing tricks. Most of them owned both vernacular and English dailies and hence they cleverly allowed ‘freedom’ to their editors. So that was an interesting phase when the owners put different breed of Secularists and Hindutva sympathisers for their Hindi and English News papers. Many brought them in the name of literature. SP was not enamoured by literary figures. The fact is that after the demise of Rajendra Mathur, perhaps the most respected editors of his time, who actually was editor in chief of Navbharat Times when SP was editor, the Times Management brought a veteran Brahmin Vidya Niwas Mishra as the Editor in Chief of the newspaper and that brought a complete down fall of Navbharat Times, a newspaper who every body would subscribe. He knew how the journalists have openly joined hand with political parties and later Rajya Sabha seat was not a far away job but it was not surprising for him. He always mentioned that this has been happening since independence and journalists and writers were always ‘Promoted’ and ‘awarded’ the state for their own purposes. However, in the Ramjanmbhumi-Ayodhya matter even the owners of various newspapers jumped in and became ‘writers and journalists’. Their writing was completely irrational and unethical. They forced their reporters to twist the facts and distort the news. Even the press council reprimanded many of these newspapers.The Hinduisation or brahmanisation of Indian media is a continuation process with SP a victim of it. He stood against it and provided opportunities to budding journalists in his institution. He had faith in the youths and was that way an iconoclast who never believed in big names of the literature to be the best journalists. He always said that one can be a good writer but may not be a great journalist. And it proved when Vidya Niwas Mishra proved to be disastrous for Navbharat Times, which was a great institution before SP left it.SP continued with his writings and many of them appeared in English press also. However, his best days were yet to come. As Doordarshan allowed a half an hour news based programme Aaj Tak to India Today group with SP its head, the meaning of news changed for many of us. It was a sharply different news style than the boring faces of Doordarshan who would only report about the inauguration and death ceremonies of the political leaders and ministers. (Today, doordarshan seems to be better option than our preachy and self conscious anchors of the private channels).Aaj tak became very popular and SP synonymous to it. People would wait every night to here his voice and analysis. The best quality in him was that he was not judgemental and always left to his viewers to decide. As he said many time, his did not do journalism to fulfil any fixed agenda. He was committed to journalism and its ethics. For him, news should be ethical and should not promote mass hysteria. At a time when the entire country witness the ‘drinking of milk’ by Ganesha, SP had the capacity to send his reporter to a very ordinary shoemaker in Delhi and seek his opinion and explain the science behind the Ganesha drinking milk. He never appreciated such acts which were being promoted in the name of news.Upahar cinema tragedy in June, 1997 at Delhi, shook every one of us. We waited that night to listen to him. As he started speaking and narrating the entire sequence and we saw dead bodies, burnt corpus of young old being taken, people in distress, SP’s voice was choked on TV. He became philosophical too how the administration could be so callous that such kind of things can happen in the capital city of the country. The trauma of the cries of people was too much for him to bear. He struggled for life many days and finally succumbed to it on June 27th.SP is not there but his smiling face always remind us that news can not be just for sale or production. News must be ethical. One important point that our friends must learn from his experience is that not everything that brings crowd is great. It can make great news but there must be news behind the news too. Therefore, he not only showed the news of people queuing up to offer Ganesha milk but also exposed it showing how a common Dalit does not believe in all these miracles by showing an interview of a shoemaker. When Delhi was burning against Mandal Commission report, SP stood strong and refused to toe line of his peers in the media who came out openly asking students to come on the street and immolate themselves. Today, when we remember SP for his immense contribution to India media and how he changed the perception of media and how important it is for the budding journalists not to worship their elders but believe in getting into the depth of the news. He started various products right from Ravivar from Kolkata to Aaj Tak in Delhi and converted them into credible brands. People read him and watched his channel out of deep respect for him and credibility that he brought. You can not build credibility on compromise. It is built on ethics. Nobody ask you to have a particular ideology but commitment to truth and values and SP believed in it. Yes, whatever one say, he proved with his hard work that nothing is invincible and age does not matter. At a young age his left behind a credible legacy to us and hope those who worked with him or read him will actually take forward his legacy of commitment and impartiality to the news.

Why they still hate him...

2011-06-25T19:43:00.002+09:00

Relevance of V.P.Singh and his politicsVidya Bhushan RawatToday, we remember V.P.Singh on his birthday. We know that on his death anniversary our friends do not have time except to shout loud of the hotel Taj and how India was attacked that day. The forces of status quoists always find ways and means to undo everything that comes in the way of social justice and social change.I did not intend to write this article today but somewhere I always felt that we have done great injustice to the man himself. Even when the forces of hatred continue to speak loudly and in deepest condemnable term, we keep quiet or just listen to it. We may not be VP Singh’s fan but definitely we must understand why he is being abused even today by the caste forces, most of them, who would happily go at Ramdev’s fast or Anna’s tamasha at the Rajghat.It brings us to the question that the caste Hindus always suffer from the disease of ‘merit’. This merit which has not brought any laurel to India, no invention except the caste system and its worst form. It is a unique country where majority suffer and minority rules. It is a unique country where the participation of the marginalized is resisted powerfully. If you understand, please note the point of convergence between Anna Hazare and Kapil Sibbol-Chidambaram-Pranab Mukherjee gang. Despite their differences, they share common hatred towards the Dalits and the OBCs. They want to be the leaders of every Indian but just get panicky when the issue of reservation is raised. Whenever the issue of marginalized comes up, our political leadership buckled under the pressure and became media savvy.Those of us, who have followed the heady days of anti mandal agitation in Delhi and other parts of North India, know well how much courage it needed for a prime minister to face an adverse atmosphere. We know every suicide that time was glamorized by media, supported by editors as fight against injustice. The whole story cooked up by the crooked editors as if the High Caste Hindus are facing the discrimination at the hands of ‘Dalits and OBCs’. It needed lot of courage to implement such a path breaking decision whether knowingly or unknowingly, which actually cost him his own government. Why did the National Front government fell? It fell for two important causes of India. One for the implementation of Mandal Commission Recommendation and secondly and more importantly protecting shrines which the Hindutva forces were ready to destroy and celebrate. Yes, V.P.Singh did not allow the Babari mosque to be demolished yet years after when Narsimharao connived with the Sangh Parivar in destroying the mosque at Ayodhya, nothing happened to him. He still remains a ‘pratasmaraniya’.Those who say that equity has been achieved will not get shocked when the Chair person of National Commission for Scheduled Caste is denied entry in temple in Orissa simply because he happen to be a Dalit. Many meritorious Dalit students are forced to commit suicide because the academics have clearly shown their caste character in most of our academic institutions. But the caste Hindus have kept their eyes shut. Today, when Anna Hazare is claiming to fight against corruption. None of his colleagues ever remember V.P.Singh because they fear the caste Hindus. Why ? Why do the castes Hindus not want to remember his anti corruption campaign? Is it so because they are afraid of even the ghost of V P Singh? He was the cleanest among his peers, honest than any other prime minister India has so far and was involved in direct interaction with people. There was no ego when any body went to meet him. He was ready to go to the hunger strike, sitting, dharanas and even fight with police. We all know how he reached village Bajhera Khurd one early morning and ploughed the land acquired by Reliance Power Plant. This was time when Mulayam Singh Yadav had handed over three thousand hectare land to Anil Ambani for a Gas based power plant in Dadri, near Noida, much against the wishes of the farmers.To understand V.P.Singh, one needs to see his campaign and political strategies. He might have weakness like any other politician but he had conviction. At this moment, when we suffer from the hyper Hindutva and an aggressive upper caste lead Congress Party, we really miss this space of opposition which V.P. had the capacity to unite and organize. He was an elderly statesman who could have united the forces of social justice and secularism.India needed him more at this moment. We miss him because we see the two upper caste parties sucking India’s blood and undoing everything that has happened since 1989 with massive participation of Dalit-OBC-Adivasi-Muslims political leadership. That leadership needs a statesman today who could bring them together and fight against this Hindutva corporate nexus. The war is put on us. Our land is being acquired in the name of ‘development’ and our jobs in the name of ‘merit’. Let us be clear, it is not time to pitch one against other. Reservations provide us opportunity to be in power structure and land reforms are important point of entry to attain social justice. Well, the caste Hindus want to grab everything in the name of their own constructed theories. They are active every where to cry against everything. Whatever, they may claim and spread, the fire that V P burnt has ignited all those who aspire to change and fight against this corrupted system. A small effort of a man in power can change many things so V P might not be an ideologue but he stood with his convictions and always remained with people’s movement till his death. The abuse hurled at him shows his strength and relevance to the polity of social justice.

Fight against Corruption can not ignore vital issue of communalism in India

2011-06-09T20:45:00.000+09:00

Fight against Corruption: Are we Serious ?By Vidya Bhushan RawatThose were the years when the people in Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar thought that now the change was about to come. The crowd at his gathering was increasing regularly. The speeches were laced with new adjectives of ‘future of India’. Rajeev’s clean image had taken a beating. The expose had jolted his government. As finance minister, he ordered that the corruption charges against prominent industrialists be probed. Many of them had to go to jails. He selected his officers on the basis of their probity and personal strength. They gave him results. Soon, the ‘best finance minister’ was shunted out of the Ministry to ‘defend’ the country. The Industrialists wanted him out. He ordered an inquiry against corrupt politicians too and they too wanted his exit. No industrial house in India can survive without corruption. Tax evasions were rampant and he was trying to find out the big fishes without understanding that these sharks would connive together and throw him away.He was send to Defense Ministry ignoring big public opinion against him. Government of that day was habitual of such things. Rajeev was surrounded by the coterie and completely ignored saner advises. As he moved to defense ministry, he found that there was a commission paid in HDW Howitzer deal ordered from Germany. The Bofors report also came out and it became difficult for Congress to hide its face. This he that time was V.P.Singh who we all love to hate despite his personal integrity and honesty in political life.Yes, V.P.Singh was dismissed from the primary membership of Congress Party for his fight against corruption. Yet, the successful thing was that he became symbol of fight against corruption in India in the late eighties. The students, middle classes jumped and joined hand. His personal image remained cleaned all the time. The government of the day, started personal vendetta and fictitious reports were created. Editors were hired to write in papers. Some of the biggest name of Indian media jumped into the fray and allowed themselves to be used in a vicious propaganda against Singh. A fake account was opened under his son Ajeya Singh’s name in St. Kitts islands which later turned out to be fictitious. He ancestral property issue also cropped up. Yet, V.P.Singh could survive because he was simply a man of integrity and his life was open for probe.The upper caste middle classes were first to jump on his bandwagon when they realize that he is now ready to overthrow the government. The Brahmins of Varanasi anointed him with title ‘ Rajarshi’ and he developed tremendous good will of the people i.e. upper castes.V.P.Singh came to power in 1989. He ensured that people with integrity take charge of the ministry. The government was functioning well. It started allowing freedom to Doordarshan and all India radio. It was refreshing to see news that time. It was working on labor and election reforms. Lot of other issues including Lokpal was under consideration that time. That apart, the Janata Dal as a political party had promised to fulfill 27% quota for the OBCs.On August 7th, 1990, V.P.Singh announced the acceptance of the Mandal Commission Recommendations in Parliament. Till one month nothing happened and slowly the upper castes realized that their control over power is slipping and unless a slanderous campaign is started, they will be completely out of power. So, not only slander but everything that was available in dictionary was used to defame the Dalits and OBCs. The middle class Hindus were in the streets against OBC quota. V.P.Singh became one of the most hated politicians of our time. So much that none of the Hindu journalists ever want to say few things about him. Today, when we are fighting against corruption, none of these leaders bothers to even mention his name. Why? The answer lies in the upper caste hatred against anything that provides connection of power to the Dalits and marginalized. V.P.Singh was the greatest person as long as he was talking about corruption and everything but he became the worst since he started talking about the Dalits and OBCs. His government not only did the OBC quota but it also provided reservation for Neo Buddhists and the Centenary celebration of Baba Saheb Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and honoring him with Bharat Ratna. Similarly, Mayawati is not corrupt as long as she placate the upper castes but as soon as she has erected those monuments of Dalit Bahujan icons in the city of Lucknow, we are angry because we feel that the natural inheritor of our roundabouts in the city center, are the Gandhis, Nehrus, and our so many Gods and Goddesses. The upper caste middle class feeling is that Dalit Bahujan icons should remain in the Bastis and dalitwadasWhen we talk about corruption, how can we ignore the illicit land deals in our country? How can Anna and his team just feel that corruption is just in terms of money? The biggest corruption in today’s India is selling of our natural resources, our land, forest and water. What is their stand on it? What will they do that powerful and well connected people do not buy land just because they have money. Will we put a ceiling on land in India despite people’s purchasing power? When civil Society want to judge every one, who will judge civil society? What is this civil society. Did Anna and his team follow any principle of democracy in forming his team? How does democracy survive? With such blackmailing tactics of Gandhi who used it to foil the separate electorate of Dalits?’The issue of corruption is not light but then those who want to fight against it should also remain clean. Yes, for people like us, they should not only be clean but also have faith in our secular pluralistic values and can not be hate preachers. How are these multi billionaires who have acquired their property in each state and even outside India interested in fight against corruption? Do Anna and team not know that Baba and his games, his property and his money? Is it a fight among those who say you have grabbed over one hundred million rupees and it is our term to do so? How are we going to talk about individuals? Democracy will have to come out of these individualism and work. Yes, corruption affects us all. So why not we start to work developing a movement from the ground involving those who lands have been grabbed by the local elites who may be donating huge sums to these anti corruption fellows. Should we not see who these forces we want to project an alternative are.Just because there is a crowd does not mean that it has right to do anything. Crowd does not provide legitimacy. Many of our friends actually feel that any one who brings out the crowd is great. Yes, Babas crowd was not a crowd of social justice. Anna’s crowd is similar. The stupidity of the Sangh’s propaganda is that the Ramleela ground incident is being portrayed as Jalianwallah massacre. And see their gleeful faces in Rajghat. Sushma was dancing while Advani was comparing this incident to Jalianwallah Bagh. None ever question about the fictitious land deals of Ram Dev and other Babas. If we ignore the vital corruption in terms of land in the name of mutts, temples, Gurudwaras and mosques, we can not fight against corruption. In fact, we provide legitimacy. We can not start a movement in which India majority population feel isolated, and fearful. The concern of 20% Indian Muslims and other minorities are important and can not be ignored. It is not just corruption but also their place in India and partnership in decision making. How do allow Dalit, Adivasis, Muslims and other partnership in our movement if we allow the entire reactionary forces in our decision making. Just because you want to eliminate Congress Party does not mean you can ally with any one.Yes, if the government and those who claim to work for us, are serious, then they must talk corruption of all kind, in all forms, anywhere. And not talk what is suitable to middle classes who started corruption and want to lead the movement against it too. We want the government to release all the land papers of temples, mutts, Gurudwaras, Churches and Mosques. Let the people know how much money is lying there and who is using it for what purposes. Anna Hazare and his team would do great danger if they do not consider it as corruption. Will they speak on it ? Will they take on the religious thugs sitting on our land and water and preaching us of austerity? The Hindutva forces are working over night on their agenda. They will use all the platforms which brings back power to the bramanical social order. After Ramdev, they want to bring back Uma Bharati to fight against Mayawati. While Congress is shamelessly sticking to Brahmin elite in Uttar-Pradesh, the Hindutva is busy with experimenting and who else can do it better than the Shudras. It is time we understand the dangers of such fight against corruption and expose them tooth and nail. None can be a bigger threat to India than the ascendancy of the Hindutva forces to power. Let us fight against corruption and expose the very source of it.

Hidden entry of the corrupted against corruption

2011-06-05T14:08:00.000+09:00

Dangers of Ramdev's rhetoricsBy Vidya Bhushan Rawat Delhi police in the midnight forcibly evicted the Ramleela ground where Baba Ramdev and his fiftty thousand devotees were fasting against bringing 'black money' from abroad. Baba was over excited. He wanted that he will not sit in AC untill each Indian has an AC. He was in Land Rover and later shifted to Scorpio. I hope he would not say that I would not sit in Land Rover or Scorpio unless each Indian gets one. Baba's rehterics are immense. Once Laloo used to do this but then Laloo really was a great orator and his understanding of Indian masses was too large than Baba Ramdev. Baba, on the other hand know that his clientale is local Marwaris and upper castes who have generously donated for this great campaign. They all want to get India's money back. One must tell Baba that a parellel economy already exists in India itself and most of those who have donated him may not have clean hands yet since anything which is coming to Baba is becoming clean so we must accept that everything Baba does is clean. I had maintained from the very begining that the Varnavadi forces lead by the Sangh Parivar and their Hindutva lampoons are behind Baba. Long back MN Roy wrote that Indian facism may not be violent but it would be cultural fascism. We are witnessing corporate fascism today when our farmers are being brutally beaten up for protesting their land grab, students are beaten up when they ask for their rights and quota but then these are not the issues of Baba. He want justice for farmer but would never ever sit on fasting against illegal land grab. Baba Ram Dev can make some of our issues truely national. When our friend Udit Raj fast unto death for reservation in government services, most of us term it as purely politics and do not even come to support. Why is that Baba Ramdev continue to desist the issue of Dalits and OBCs. Well, he knows that if he raise these issues he will not be able to bring likes of Ashok Singhal, Rithambhara on his platform. Watching them and their faces makes one wonder that what is this hue and cry over corruption. Corruption is not merely in the form of money, in India, it actually exist in our values, our spiritualism and our brahmanical system which created this superficial superstructure called brahmanical social order. What is corruption Babaji. Simply because you belong to a shudra community does not give you a licence to claim that you must be working for their rights. In fact, you are converting the new assertive shudras to again bow to brahmanical Hinduism which is the aim of such forces lead by the Hindutva. They want shudras to forget asking their rights, political and economic power. They want to use Shudra's power to actually hit at the bottom of Dalits. They want to make shudras as the gate keepers of brahmanical system which Ambedkar had long back rightfully commented. You can look who are the people around Baba. and you can undersatnd what do they want. All of them gets fits just hearing the name of reservation and quota for Dalits, Adivasis, backwards and minorities. Yes, Baba want to change our constitution. He want a direct election of prime minister like the presidential form of government. We all know Indira Gandhi started this long back and later Advani also wanted it as they are afraid of the regular coalition governments in India. They are afraid of no stable government. Kanshi Ram used to say that the non stable governments are best suitable for all the Dalit Bahujan masses.They will listen to their voices only then. In the presidential form of the government, it is the politicians, who have media, mafia and money with them, will win the elections. We all know who have these with them. Dalits-Bahujan know it well. But then Baba is working on RSS iagenda who always wanted to scarp our secular constitution. Yesterday baba said that I condemn rape on women when a journalist asked him question. He said that he eat at the homes of Harijans and Balmikis. How great he is. He was actually unable to hide his discomfort on the question itself.He forgot Harijan is a prohibited word and they do not need his 'greatness' to eat at his home. He must know that illicit money can not be black as it is the money of the people who are pushing him. He must know that our temples and muths are dens of corruption. In this country, an average Indian has .6 hectare of land.Most of the Dalits do not possess land but you can have huge track of land in the name of cows and any damn gods. There is a ceiling law where an individual can not procure over 18 acres of land. It is different in different states yet it is not over 18-20 acres of land yet for different Gods, we can have thousands of acres of land. All the corruption in India stem from brahmanical corruption. The illicit money in these temples need to be exposed. We must tax all the money in these temples and mutths. Government must bring out a law to regulate these temples like the SGPC in Punjab and other parts of the country. Baba Ramdev, we just want to know why you need such huge track of land. Why you need a chopper to reach masses. You must get the old Mahabharat or Ramayana time chopper and not the modern day instruments to preach your spiritualism. You speak of rehtrorics. We all want to fight against corruption. It is a serious issue. Do not make it non serious through your antics and oversimplifications. Your donors must be having the interest in the so called black money which exists not just in Mauritius or Switzerland but in India too. Why dont you speak of the illicit money in India itself. The Dalit Bahujan masses do not have it. Even the socalled corrupt leaders of theirs do not have this much of money to send to Swiss Bank. This illicit money and I refuse to say black money as I respect the power of blacks.. I respect the color of black.. and I refuse to call black as the symbol of illicit things. For me black is symbol of revolt.. it is colour of Dalit Bahujan. Do not attack our colours. Ask all your donors who are giving you handsome donation as where is their money coming from. I can vouch that Dalit Bahujan Adivais do not need your Yoga as they are hardworking masses.. and they are not in a position to pay you handsome donation baba. Mahatmas have come and gone, said Dr Ambedkar on Gandhi's fast. He blamed that Gandhi did fasting for everything but not a single fast for the emancipation of Dalits. The only fast Gandhi did related to Dalits was for denying them the rights under seperate electroate. So many years after Gandhi, when our Dalits and OBCs are asserting and seeking their role in power politics and rejecting the castiest Varnashram dharma, the danger of Baba Ramdev is that they try to evade these issues and damage the forces of social justice. We condemn the police brutalities in Ramleela ground. But then dont we know how our police behave. How our governmeent behave. When this police beat up Muslim boys, cook up stories about them, leak them to media, we jump and report those as gospel truth. When they inflict brutalities on the Adivasis in Chhatishgarh and Jharkhand, we keep conspicuous silent and say they deserve it. Why are we so angry. Is it because most of these devotees belong to upper caste middle classes? And finally, if Baba want to do politics, he must join it and claim it. He must clear his agenda. Every one has a right to start a campaign for himself. Dont use your Yoga classes and Vandemataram for politics. This is absolute communal agenda from backroom and again putting the brahmanical agenda on the top of our head. We must be careful.

Food Crisis in the age of Land Grabbing

2011-05-25T18:01:00.000+09:00

Food Crisis an outcome of failed agrarian reformsBy Vidya Bhushan RawatMuch before the world could rise about the context of land grabbing, we in India, know it well how people’s land was already grabbed by the ruling Elites. These people who we called as Dalits or most marginalised found that whatever land they had in their possession was annexed by those village elite which claimed itself as ‘farmers’. Farmer in India, is a peculiar term. They too have castes. They too have rigidities of life. They too suffer from a hierarchical value system which considers the most marginalised as subhuman and untouchables. Indian villages live in darkness, in caste system and in nepotism Said Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar who guided our destiny in the post-independent India as he drafted our constitution and became the emancipator and liberator of millions of oppressed communities all over the country.While, we oppose all forms of discrimination by any one, and, all forms of land acquisition, a bit sophisticated terminology for land grabbing, we want to make it clear that we have become habitual of speaking the truth of convenience. Land grab is not just international phenomena but have been used by all the power elite in our societies. So, as I said in my opening statement, I am opposed to all forms of land acquisition including that by my own countrymen inside the country as well as outside it.Let me explain it further. Before 1990, most of the Dalits and Adivasis found their land being annexed by the upper castes and middle castes farmers. In many places, Indian state refused to act as those whose land was annexed did not matter much politically. The government knew it well that a large number of these communities need their protection yet nothing happened. The first generation of land reform failed miserably because inherent racist nature of our society which never considered these issues important. We still know millions of people in India mostly the Dalits, the tribal and the most backward communities, have in their hand, their land entitlement yet they fail to know where that exact portion of land is.Second failure of first generation of land reform was state’s failure to get the land ceiling laws implemented. Without active will of the state Land Ceiling Laws remain redundant. Most of the land still remains in the hands of power brutal village elite. WeKnow that they have used the Indian courts to make the Indian laws completely redundant.Many people talks about the Bhoodan Movement for land reform which was a complete eye wash actually to deviate people’s demand for land rights. We all know that these ruling elite would not give their own land at their own will that easily. To puncture the land rights movement, these elite trapped the whole social movements for land rights in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. We all know the out come of Bhoodan movement and how the land was used. Andhra Pradesh can give a better example of Bhoodan land.Interestingly, Land Ceiling is for 12 acres of irrigated land while 18 acres for semi irrigated land. Land in India, is a state subject hence these criteria’s change accordingly. But the commonality of these things is that you can procure land in the name of gods and goddesses, in the name of church, temple and mosques and no ceiling law would impact you as all these Gods do not live with in the Ceiling act. You can also procure enormous land for your cows. It is only for human being that we have put ceiling laws. To evade the land ceiling laws, the ruling elite turn to religion, use it as a tool to exploit the most marginalised one. Rule of law have failed to protect and honor the most margainslied communities from being exploited.In the post 1990s, when the Indian government went on Structural Adjustment programmes, became part of the WTO regime and abdicated all its responsibilities particularly related to land and agrarian reform, we saw a clamour for land acquisition in the name of ‘public interest’. Now, public interest during the British regime who drafted 1894 Land Acquisition Act, was much more different. At least the British created institutions in India, built our road networks and railways and hospitals were constructed but contrary to that our governments actually became ‘real estate agents’ and started land acquisition and handed them over to private companies. Most of the people who face this challenge are the communities of farmers, tribal and Dalits living in the villages and forest regions. Since 1950s, over 9 million tribal have become landless and displaced completely without rehabilitation. In fact, I call it, the annihilation of tribal culture and their land. It is criminal. Any protest for their rights and livelihood is being treated with much voracious state apparatus which criminalises the social movements and political protests. The tribal land is gone to mining mafias, timber contractors in the forest and then the environmental mafias who feel that the tribal are the biggest threat to environment. It does not care whether the tribal be honourably rehabilitated, or compensated for their sacrifices for making us live our today. The Indian state has failed to honor the tribal autonomy and continue to marginalise them. The second kind of threat today is to the farmers in India through the Land Acquisition for Special Economic Zones ( SEZs), for the big roads, malls, companies. All over the country, the farmers are protesting against this illegal land grab. The state acquires their land threatening them with dire consequences if they try to stop the authorities from acquiring their land. A report in the Times of India suggest that in 17 States of India, 40 districts will lose simply 3,69,000 acres of land for various projects. The fact is the numbers are quite big and I would term it great Indian land robbery much bigger than any bank robbery. And these robbers have not come from out side India, the record of Indian companies is worst than their external counterparts. For us this challenge is big. Though we know a large of number these farmers do not even consider Dalit and Adivasis as human being (caste being an important aspect of their arrogance) yet, if we have to understand the future of India and its food security, we must understand the conspiracy of the ruling elite and the powerful private owners who want to control our agriculture.Yes, India’s communal land is under the grab. It was meant for the communities and their cattle for grazing and sitting and discussing their issues. But it is in the hands of powerful caste forces in the villages. We do not talk about it as it would expose our own imperialist culture. It is easy to fight against an external enemy but very difficult to fight against our ‘own’ people and it is applicable to each one us including the communities who I am talking about. Each one of us is a victim of not only external forces wanting to control us but also our own people wanting to be a stooge in the hands of these forces, to exploit our sentiments.The issue of Food crisis is not just related to Food security. For us Food sovereignty is more important. We are not ready to accept that there is a food crisis and hence we need to import food to give it to our people. Food sovereignty is our food, our land and our farmers. You can not impose your waste food on our people in the name of food security. Food is a culture, it depends on local environment, it is developed over a period of time and hence our concern is food which is culturally conducive for our people.Many Indian companies are procuring land abroad particularly in Africa. I know about the land struggles going on in these countries against this kind of imperialism. That is why I mentioned in my remark that we must oppose all kind of imperialist tendencies and not particular kind. If India indulges in that kind of approach, we must not suffer with a false ‘nationalistic’ sentiment because the same companies are disinheriting our own people from their land and using it for non agricultural purposes and then procuring huge land abroad to get it imported to India. It is a conspiracy to make our farmers workless and complete beggars. We must oppose to it.We must also not lose sight of the fact that the current food crisis is not a day’s work. The issue of subsidy to the farm products and fertilisers are very important. If Europe and Americans are not ready to do away with it, they have no right to impose these conditions on our governments to kill our agriculture. It is because of this, we are witnessing farmers committing suicide as they are unable to face the market pressures. They are unable to produce their crop according to fancies of market. Not able to produce profit as we all know well, market gives you big dreams and yet in reality it works against the most marginalised one. It is monopolised by the big corporations hence how can a common farmer compete with them. The farmers have to procure the hybrid seeds to ‘increase’ their yields which has failed forcing them to commit suicide. Indian farmers’ continuous suicide is a direct out come the ‘green revolution’ where they shunned traditional practices and went following the ‘commercial’ practices. Scientific achievements were converted to commercial greed by the companies and we all know green revolution also undid the agrarian reform. It mocked at small land holding and compelled people to annex the land of the most marginalised. The most powerful regions of India’s ‘green belt’ have the worst record of violence against women and Dalits. It has the worst record of dilapidating our water resources. Today, the same farmers are willingly ready to sale their land for real estate purposes and the only struggle between them and the government is related to monitory compensation and the rehabilitation package.India’s poorest people are living in richest zones. Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Oddisha, have rich wealth of natural resources. The companies are venturing there and sucking these resources while the indigenous people are on the road fighting in their own land for their own survival. Is it not an irony that in these rich mineral zones, people are still suffering from hunger? What have we given to them? Except than criminalising them, we have no shame in continuously marginalising and isolating them. A war is growing in the heart of people against this injustice. The state was supposed to protect and fulfil its duties towards its people but it has failed. Civil society failed in its duty. For social movements, it was plainly the issue of land but for millions of people it relate to their continuous marginalisation, cultural annihilation and social ostracisation with the rest of the country. We failed in our duty towards our indigenous people, our most marginalised communities and unable to accept them in our decision making so that they can speak about their issues and plan their future.The crisis is enormous. You can not force an unwilling people to your thought. The efforts to privatise the agrarian system in the name of Food security would not succeed. It is an effort to kill the indigenous system of agriculture. It will ruin millions of farmers, indigenous people from their traditional method of agriculture. Such a food produced by big companies using the most ‘modern’ ‘technology’ might be large in quantity but will never be a qualitative food and will be resulting in annihilating our food culture. If the governments world over have failed to fulfil their duties towards their farmers, their indigenous people then they have no right to seize the resources of people which they have protected, nurtured so beautifully over the years. Do not blame these communities who protected our environment, our natural wealth for your mistakes. It is time, we must apologise to these communities and hand over their land and resources to them so that they are protected better. Let the big companies not worry about our food security. Those corporations can not feed the world who are responsible for killing thousands of farmers, indigenous people on whose ruins they produce their resources. Let us all boycott those corporations and products that are the results of the ruins of the farmers and indigenous people. If people are allowed to access their resources, there would be no hunger deaths. Hunger deaths are the failure of modern states which acquired people’s resources in the name of public interest but could never fulfil those promises to the people it displaced and killed. It is time; we need an informative debate on the issue of Food Security, Food sovereignty and on Land Acquisition. For that, we need to place a complete moratorium on all forms of acquisition that displace people from their natural resources and make them landless and then respect community’s sovereignty over their land and other natural resources.

Need action for the perpetrators of the crime against woman in Jharkhand

2011-05-18T23:34:00.001+09:00

A Fact Finding Report of Violence against a Dalit woman in Giridih, JharkhandBy Vidya Bhushan Rawat, Ramdev Vishwabandhu and Pradeep PaswanShe is completely lost and thoroughly crushed as she comes in front of us and just sits on the floor unmindful of the dust on it. As happen in most of such cases, she has herself become a subject to be discussed and her family regularly being threatened. Just 17 years of age and married twice, Sugani’s tale is the story of how dangerous the guardians of morality could be in our villages. Unfortunately, despite a most gruesome case being reported in the media here in Giridih, not much noise has been made. The organisations working for the Dalits, of the Dalits, by the Dalits, community organisations of Ravidasis, human rights organisations and women’s rights organisations have kept mum. On its parts, administration is absolutely silent and did not even deem it fit to provide protection to the victim and her family who are living in absolute fear. That their economic condition is pethatic reflect from their inaction to take the girl for medication. Police and administration has failed to provide any safety and security to this family Ravidasis Dalits here in Ranidih village which is about 60 kilometer away from the district headquarter of Giridih in Jharkhand state.Sugani is an agricultural labour who was speaking to a known family person from another village who had come to attend a marriage in this village. Just when they were interacting, a village boy Lakhan Das, 22, ask her as ‘who was speaking with’, who is this man? Is he your husband? He abusing her and slapped several time. This incident is of May 5th evening time. Lakhan’s mother intervened and the matter ended there.But the news spread like wild fire in the village. Rumours spread and on May 6th early morning, member of Mahila Samiti gathered together and picked up the girl from her home which is her father’s home at around 10 am. Her hair untied and dragged her to the lanes to the village school. Her aunt try to stop them but they threaten her with dire consequences and similar fate if intervene. There were about 12 members of the Mahila Samiti which is a Self Help Group of the village. According to the victim, these women members then made her naked and cut her hair. She was forced to eat human excreta and garlanded with Chappals. The women asked the men of the village to go out of the place. The woman blame that her pubic hair were also cut by these women and they tried to play with her inner part. She was persistently abused during those five six hours hour. She was kept in the sun. The male members of the family were not at home as they had gone to brick kiln and came home during the day. When the family came and heard from their women about this incident then Kapil Dev, a man known to this family from the neighbouring village came and got this stopped. This humiliation of a woman happened till 3 pm and most shockingly by the women themselves from the same community. In the evening the family of the girl went to the police station Deori to lodge an FIR. This falls under the Jamua Assembly constituency which is a reserved constituency. The family of the girl is a Ravidasi community and are agricultural labour. They don’t even know as what is the FIR filed by the police. So far no action has been taken.When the Mahila Samiti people came to know that there might be investigation and they might have to go to Jail, they have started threatening these people. It is ironical that no medical has been conducted on the woman so far.Our VisitWe came to know about the incident during a visit of mine to Giridih when some of the local informed us about the incident and the inability of the administration to take action against the culprits. According to them, these women of the same community are running a SHG group and are dominant and play moral police. They threaten every one with dire consequences. Since the humiliation of the Dalit girl was done by the women of her community, the police found it difficult to register them under the SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Now, this is an unfortunate situation as it is the woman who has to bear the brunt. Not even the community organisations or other groups came to her rescue so we decided to make a visit to the village and met the victim.We visited the victim’s house and met members of the family and neighbours on May 11th, 2011. We also tried to find out from neighbours, social activists and a few political activists about the incident. Daughter of Girdhari Das, an agricultural worker, Sugani has two brothers. Just at 17 she had faced many realities of life. Her first marriage was broken and her father got her married again. At the moment, she was staying with her father and other relatives. Her father is an angry man. Her mother cries to see the plight of her daughter. She has not eaten any food since the incident happen. Those horrible moments comes in her mind. Her aunts are angry with society, with government and with the political class as none has come to visit them. ‘Yes, the very unfortunate part of this incident is that we are continuously facing threatened by these Mahila Sanghathan i.e. women’s group to keep our mouth shut. They are very powerful people, we are poor so none come to us, said her aunt.The fact is that the girl is unable to recollect many things. Her confidence is completely lost by this event. The humiliation has shattered her body, mind and soul. It is like she does not know what will be her future. Her mother is quietly worried of her future. Till the writing of this, her husband had not known about this incident and the family did not know what could be his reaction. Our main findings were following:Findings1. None in the village has denied the incident but the village was divided on nature. While the victim and her relatively were categorical that she was paraded naked and a stick with human excreta was forced on her mouth and her silver chain was snatched and hair were cut, the opposite side just felt that the hair were cut but all other things about parading naked was absolutely false.2. A number of villagers pointed out that the girl was bad in character which clearly indicates that now the fear of an administrative action is forcing people to lie. While they are admitting that incident happen, they deny parading naked and all other charges levelled by the girl.3. Most of the men actually deny having seen the incident and yet none of them were ready to condemn it even if it had happened.4. The victim, her family and neighbours openly accused the Mahila Samiti members to have perpetrated this crime while the Mahila Samiti members flatly refused the same and said that a mad woman cut her hair. The victims family is facing threat from the girl.5. Till the date of our visit, there was no trace of any police protection to the girl and her family. She was also not taken for medical examination. This is the criminal negligence on part of the police for not having done and action must be taken against them.6. The victim actually named many people in front of us and there was virtual fight when people deny it yet it is true that villagers are divided on the issue. That does not reduce the importance of this incident and its wider repercussion.7. One of the main reason for community unity in this case is that this is a case with in the community. The perpetrators of the crime of community women and hence it is a bit difficult for them to accept or involve the police in it.8. The police and administration remain ineffective on this issue. No medical examination was done, no compensation was provided and no security to the girls family. She lives in constant fear from the threat of these powerful community women.Our Analysis of the situationThis case is typical case as have been happening in our villages where the women are easy target of the ‘moral policing’. It is unfortunate that such things still happening and we have no police protection for those who become victim of it. After speaking to many witnesses or villagers, we realise that while people are saying that her hair were cut which were visible but she was not paraded naked. After I recorded her statement, it seems the message went across the village that they will now be traced and immediately they started sending us overtures that the woman is lying and no woman can be maltreated in our village. The young boys came to us said that the victim was ‘bad in character’. A man who the victim said did not come for her rescue said we must find out why she was paraded. It was clear that among themselves the villagers have justification of the incident. It is only because of fear of law that they retracted that she was not humiliated. My question to them was leave aside all other things, is cutting of her hair and placing a garland of chappals not humiliation ? When we were returning, some of these so called women’s group members met us and said that the girl was lying. One of the member said that the hair were cut by a mad woman. So, like any other incident of village pride, we will not find any witness to this incident also. We know that this incident happened with in the community and must be come with in the parameters of ‘crime for honor’ since it had happened with in the community and there is no chances of any SC-ST act being used in this case as it would have happened in the case of violence been perpetrated by non Dalits.The physical and mental condition of the girl is disturbing and need immediate medical attention. We know that in such cases the girls become victim of neglect and the families also consider them burden. It is time that the government must provide her due compensation.It is a shame that a Women’s group from the community perpetrated this ghastly crime. They must be arrested immediately and a message must be send across that such act of anti women violence by women or community would not be tolerated.It is not that only women were involved in the crime. Some men and the person Lakshman Das, who actually instigated the entire incident must be chargsheeted.Following names were given. The victim identified them with their husbands name. It is not the husbands who are the culprits but the wives who run the Mahila Sanghatan and Self Help Group.They are1. Wife of Hira Lal Das2. Wife of Dinesh Das3. Rekha Devi4. Krishna Devi5. Savitri Devi6. Geeta Devi7. Bhutwa Devi8. Dulari Devi9. Anita Devi10. Kunti Devi11. Saraswati Devi12. Suker DeviOfcourse, the main culprit seems to be Lakhsman Das, who beat her up the previous day and then complained to the women members about the same.Our Demands1. Immediate arrest of those who perpetrated the crime even if they happened to be Dalit women. Their organisation must be prohibited working in the community any more.2. Action against police inaction and delays.3. The victim must be rehabilitated. Full compensation must be given to her to make her life better. Medical treatment must be provided to her.4. The Commission can send its own investigation team to find out further.5. Provide protection to the family of victim as they live in continuous harassment.We would like to request the national bodies such as National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women, National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission for Schedule Tribe to look into these matters seriously. Caste and gender related violence in India is rampant and all this happens in the name of community honour. We know fully well that the debate in the village start from the character of woman and our police force and those in administration some time feel the same way and hence rarely we reach to conclude such cases. These commissions should Now have specific duties to investigate these matters themselves and take them To logical conclusions otherwise like many other unknown deaths in India, this case will also die.

Time for left to widen its base and introspect its loss

2011-05-14T21:55:00.001+09:00

It is a vote against loot of public resources: Land or money from exchequerUnderstanding the mandate of voters in recent assembly electionsBy Vidya Bhushan RawatThe 35 years old left front government in West Bengal finally bowed out of power in a massive reversal of fortunes which they never ever imagined. Mamata Banerjee and her alliance is ready to take up the new challenge in West Bengal. There is no need to argue against left except the fact that they had stayed in power for too long and for the good health of democracy the people must not allow any regime beyond two terms consequently. In fact, Parliament should pass a bill fixing up tenure of Prime Minister and Chief Ministers so not to allow any PM or CM beyond two terms whether consecutive or alternative like the system in United States fix terms for president. It will strengthen democracy and take us beyond the polity of individual ‘liberators’ which has become hall mark of our polity and political-social movements. That will pave the way for more democratisation of parties and leadership and further decentralise the power structure and develop new leadership. Therefore, defeat of left in West Bengal should not be considered as a jolt but as a break for the party leadership to think about their programmes and policies. None can deny the historic role of the left forces in West Bengal but there is also a grave reality that there was no efforts to bring the marginalised leadership into the party. The dark reality of West Bengal is the continuous marginalisation of Dalit-OBC-Muslim leadership in any of the political formulations. Hence if people are calling Mamata Banerjee the new liberator of West Bengal, it need to be seen whether people like Amit Mitra of CII, are going to liberate Bengal or will they create new Nandigrams and ‘manage’ media which had turn anti left in the past 10 years. It is important to know whether Mamata has any new agenda for the vast number of these marginalised sections of society which remain marginalised politically and in governance structure in West Bengal. Yesterday, Bengal was remarkably calm. In Bardwan, where I boarded a local train to reach Chandanagore, none was initiating a discussion, there was a pin drop silent in the trains and roads and streets were deserted. Only the regular vendors were selling their products. At one place, a coolie had virtually tears in his eyes telling ‘everything is lost’, Buddha Babu gone, most of his colleagues defeated’. His eyes spoke everything. I came here to understand the moods of people but I suppose so much has happened that it will take time for people to realise that things are changed. There were not much discussions on the streets. People were not much expressive. May be the defeat of Buddha Dev and his team shocked the people. Did he deserve this humiliation of losing in his own constituency? Mamata said the people of West Bengal are liberated. Well didi, we also want liberation from you, from the Railway ministry which you virtually killed with your over time involvement in West Bengal. Now, that you have to take charge of Writer’s Building in Kolkata, please give a break to Prime Minister to find a better Railway Minister so that we all can travel safe and better.In the evening, there was as mall procession of people with Vande Mataram in the air. Mamata’s flag hoist every where. Women and men played holi and colour each other yet the mood still was somewhat sombre. In the night when I walked on the side of Hooghly, not much was visible except the fact the some people went to see an exhibition on Tagore and his life. My friend Bhaskar suggested that political discussion seems to be reducing in West Bengal and youths are completely dejected with the overdose of politicisation process in the state. Did the CPM manipulate the caste equations in the state? The left had always have a position in favour class and not caste but the realities of Bengal showed that also came from powerful Bhadralok who seems to have drifted from the party towards Mamata for green pastures. The 26% Muslims of the state remained completely isolated and marginalised despite tall claims of ‘secular’ values. Muslims want participation in power structure and their job share in the government. Is not it a shame that such a huge number of Muslims have less share in governance structure in West Bengal than in Gujarat who we regularly vilify. Congress Party, the allied partner of Trinamul is happy today as it returned to power in Kerala and retained in Assam. The news analysts may be writing obituary of the left in West Bengal and glorifying Mamata Banerjee and her team but in democracy one has to win. Left lost after 35 years hence no need to feel sorry for them. None should get such a long ride if we want to strengthen democracy. We need left forces in the country as long as we have regimes of repression. Left is always great when in the opposition and one hope they will raise the issue of loot of land in the country and contribute in a much better way.The poll results have thrown some pertinent questions at the moment. Congress lead UPA at the centre continues to brazenly follow the neoliberal agenda and has corrupted the entire structure. It is time for them to do a rethink. In the din of celebrations, it must think that there lies the message of voters about policies and programme. One, that people want better living for them, better life and secure future for them. They want roads, infrastructure, schools, hospitals and not the political rhetoric against these. West Bengal lacked that shockingly and credit goes to some of the rhetorical statement that we in the left movement are habitual of making about development and welfare. Secondly, Nandigram and Singur sealed the fate of the left. The same CPM and its allies lost their credit among their own supporters and constituents as it smack of hypocrisy. None can support Mamata’s politicisation in Singur as most of the people wanted a better compensation and security of their jobs, and yet the government mishandled the situation and now faced the music. The struggle against land acquisition is a nation wide phenomenon apart from the question of tribal rights over forest and water resources.Those who want to celebrate at the ouster of left forces must not drift away from the reality of the current trends. The left forces in West Bengal got 42% of the total votes against 48% of Mamata Banerjee led alliance. Just 6% of shift in votes has changed the fortunes of the left in West Bengal reflect a serious concern of all of us that we need to discuss on the issue of electoral reform. How can a mere 6% difference create loss of 162 seats? So, even after 35 years of left rule, if Bengal electorate has still reposed faith in the left then we should appreciate their work and actions. Ofcourse, as I said earlier, time for introspection for the left themselves and hopefully this will give them more time to strengthen their social base and widen their network. The result of Kerala have shown the similar trends that even if UDF seems to have got the power, the fact is that it is not a resounding no to the policies of left, which brings us to other points as why are neo liberals celebrating this even when left is not decimated despite their tall claims. And the answer is clear that industries are looking Mamata to work for the industries in West Bengal which is fair enough but how she manages it would be seen in future.The rout of DMK in Tamilnadu is a great lesson for all the political leaders who feel that people are not going to entertain corruption. While Jayalalitha is no saint and definitely Karunanidhi had a better record as chief minister, the involvement of family in wide scale corruption is a matter of great concern and people have rejected them all. One thing that goes greatly in favour of the left parties is that despite such a long spell of serving in power in West Bengal and Kerala, their leaders were relatively cleaner and uncorrupted which is unique and must be acknowledged. The trend of people throwing their own community leaders who tend to be corrupt started from Haryana where Devi Lal felt that corruption was never an issue. It reached Bihar where Lalu’s brother in laws had field day and anointing Rabari Devi as chief minister of State was the biggest damage that he played though he might claim it was a ‘backward’ woman but the question is there are hundreds of backward community women, much better than Rabari Devi who could have become Chief minister if Lalu was so interested. Mulayam Singh Yadav has the same fate. Actually, that makes Mayawati must stronger and better than any of her opponent despite all allegation of corruption that she has not allowed her family members dominate the political space of BSP. Hence, the Tamilnadu and Puducherry results shows that the people will revolt against their leaders and that democracy will mature and none can take their own community for granted even if our intellectuals and political analysts try to glorify any misdeeds. The trends from these polls are clear that it is a vote against corruption and a vote for change, a vote for better life and not mere rhetoric. It is not that all those who have been elected are ‘revolutionaries’ or ‘change makers’. That is the biggest drawback of our democratic set up that elections are won on the negative votes. Jayalalitha came back to power because of excess of the Karunanidhi government in Tamilnadu. None will want a state to become the family domain of a party or an individual. The West Bengal’s mandate was for change as it is over 35 years left front rule and there was stagnation but that does not really mean power in the hands of marginalised. May be new forces of social justice have to emerge from West Bengal. Muslims continue to remain marginalised except promises by the political parties. They can not survive on the promises of the parties. The leadership has to emerge. West Bengal will need a social revolution of ‘vote hamara raj tumhara, nahi chalega’.. my vote your govt will not work. The OBCs, Dalits, Muslims can make a strong combine but alas they did not have a credible face and more over the first past the post system is certainly beneficial to powerful castes in India and does not favour the marginalised.India will have to switch to Proportionate Electorate System, if we want representative governments in true sense which could reflect the diversity of people in our governance structure. The manipulations and calculations of political parties will not work and they will have to function according to aspirations of the people and minorities whether linguistic or caste or religious will have more safety than they have today. The dismal percentage of Muslims in political structure will create unhealthy environment in all the states and further alienate them. It is time a serious thought is given to make their presence felt in the power structure. What makes it more important from the fact that despite tribal opposition and revolt Bastar goes to the same party and non tribal. How can you resolve a conflict where the Member of Parliament has no time to visit the people and speak on their issues? When the government can hold talks with ULFA and NSCN, what is wrong with speaking with those claiming to work for tribal or protecting them? That would give more time to government to reach in these areas and discuss autonomy of tribal regionsIt is time for Congress to think beyond Manmohan-Montek-Chidambaram agenda of development. The fire of Nandigram and Singur has now reached Noida where Congress General Secretary went and sat on a Dharana ignoring the vital fact that Congress governments in Andhra Pradesh and Maharastra had the worst record related to this where chief ministers became over enthusiastic in land grab. Late Y.S.Rajshekar Reddy lead it, acquired tribal land and the polarised the opinion in media and political circle by playing different caste, and regional cards. The ideologues in the Congress want government to dole out ‘entitlement’ based things to people and acquire their land clandestinely without any protest. By targeting the civil society and all those who are opposing these policies, the political parties are trying to shut the dissent. Mr Chidambaram would do well to think over his agenda of ‘tribal’ empowerment. There will never be any peace in India if we continue to elect our government based on minority votes and rejoice at the ‘dance’ of democracy. If in the past 20 years our parliament did not have time to discuss the land acquisition bill and despite presence of 350 odd Dalit, OBC and tribal Member of Parliament and our marginalised continue to be sold, then it is time, we must give a rethink to our current system. In the absence of these debates, everything that governments do is a justification of act in the form of violence against people. Every protest for protection of their land water and resources is being criminalised by indiscriminate use of police force, terming it as administrative problem. It is time to think over these issues seriously. At the end of the day, these election results have shown that people will fight against corruption which actually is loot of people’s resources whether it is in the form of Nandigram, Singur or monitory loss to the exchequer in the 3G spectrum. Not much should be expected from the political class who will always manipulate things and wait that people forget it. One is sure, in the coming days, things are becoming more difficult and there is a serious need to switch over to Proportionate Electorate System, at least a debate is needed so that we have genuine representation and wider protections of the rights of the tribals, Dalits and minorities and the seats one gains should be proportional to the vote polled by the party. Let the left initiate the debate on electoral system by involving more political parties and involve itself more on strengthening social political movements which is important against the illegal grab of our resources and growing corruption in our political life. Let Didi and Amma take charge of their state in hope that they would do justice to what they promised to their people.

Pain of the Expatriate Pakistanis

2011-05-03T17:46:00.002+09:00

Time for Pakistan establishment to show some commitment to secularism and JusticeBy Vidya Bhushan RawatIt was raining heavily when I boarded the bus no 7 from square one to Toronto Airport to catch my flight back to Delhi. After several stops, I saw Anwar Bhai boarding the bus. It was relief for me as I wanted to meet him before leaving but our schedule were such that it was difficult. Anwar Bhai was born in Lucknow city but became a Pakistani citizen due to accident of circumstances. Pakistan could not attract him much and he migrated to Canada with his family. Speaking to him was a treat as he had so many memories of Delhi and Lucknow that one would always want to listen to him. He is a freak of the Hindustani movies being produced in Bombay which we claim to be ‘Hindi Movies’. ‘Why do we call them as Hindi movies, he says. ‘None of the old days writers, actors ever knew Hindi. The fact is they always wrote their script in Urdu and represented the great Hindustani tehjeeb of the subcontinent’, Anwar Bhai would suggest. He came to meet me at Shamshaad Bhai’s place and we had whole lot of discussion on our relations and the situation in both India and Pakistan.But on that day, when we met at the bus, I saw an anguish and pain in the eyes of Anwar Bhai. He did not know that I was leaving for Delhi but when I informed him that I am leaving for Delhi right now, he became pensive. We sat and chatted for a few minutes before he departed. ‘You see, this is the tragedy of Pakistani expatriates that none of us want to go back to Pakistan. Where shall we go? Are we safe there? It is difficult to live in that country which is in the grip of religious thugs and mafias. When I see you Indians craving to go for your country, I feel how fortunate you are. Each one of us loves our land. ‘I was fortunate to be born and brought up in Lucknow and see the supreme irony I can not even claim to be a citizen of India because I do not possess the relvent papers which got lost, he says. He wanted to say many things but I could realise that he had a lot to say. He narrated me stories of his Hindu neighbours and how they would help each other. India is a model for many of these countries where people help each other. Ofcourse, things are not that easier here I told him yet the people and the unity of Pasmanda Muslims, Dalits, the Adivasis and others is getting stronger day by day, I informed. Similar feelings were expressed by Iqbal bhai who came to drop me at Square one in his taxi. He belonged to Sambhal near Moradabad and would explain to me various things. He had been living in Canada for over 15 years and yet unable to visit his own country for many years. ‘ what do we do after going there. It is becoming risky day by day, he said.The expatriates Pakistanis whose roots are in India are actually praying for good relations between the two countries. They are feeling uprooted from their culture and language. India is providing them a link. The films, the songs, cricket, and politics everything is giving them happiness yet the pain of not being able to see their land is much bigger than any of these. And when they meet friends and compatriots from India, they realise how wrong was partition of India, which actually created artificial borders between three newly created states.Yes, now they are questioning the partition of India and say it was a conspiracy to divide us by the elites. ‘They looted us and gained from our dislocation. What did we get said many of them’, said one of them. Though, I do not personally believe that partition was avoidable as the circumstances that time were completely different and the things have taken a different turn now when the Muslims and others have seen the politics behind partition. There are hundreds of logics who can suggest that Partition was necessary, I said. If I see the condition of Muslims in India, their marginalisation in polity and decision making, I feel it was necessary but when I see the situation in Pakistan today, which can plainly be described as a country in war with itself, and then I say it was absolutely disaster. It did not help either.It was a disaster as many of our friends say seeing the situation today but if that had not happened, don’t we think that the forces of Jehad would have been operating in India demanding for the same. There would have been Hindu fanatics who are still targeting Muslims and Muslim fanatics would have been playing their games easily and we would have been in a much bloody situation today. After years of churning, there is a realisation that hatred does not bring anything. Today, the people of Pakistan have seen what have they got in the name of religion. ‘Well, a friend says, ‘we want to have Kashmir in the name of religion as every locality of Karachi has a collection centre in the name of Jehad in Kashmir. What should the govt do, I asked Butt Saheb, a Kashmiri, who met me at a shop in Toronto? ‘Why has the entire struggle of self respect of Kashmiris have turned into a hatred towards non-Muslims’, I asked. ‘You can not separate the Kashmiri Hindus from the Kashmir Muslims says Butt. You see, my surname is Butt and it reflect that we were originally Pandits who we spell as Bhutt. It is common thread between us. The whole thing has been created by politicians and government. There is tremendous good will among the people on both the sides of border. Though, I live in ‘Azad Kashmir’ yet I am proud to be born in Srinagar’, he says. ‘I asked him when should Pakistan give Azadi to the people in their part of Kashmir? Butt Saheb has not given a thought on this. He only says that it is the politicians who are dividing us. But one very interesting point that he referred was that it was not difficult for him to go to Kashmir as there are so many entry points. He feels proud of being a Kashmiri from Srinagar. Last night, US President Barak Obama declared that Osama Bin Laden is killed by the American troops in Abottabad, a calm military town near Pakistan capital Islamabad. Death of Bin Laden could be described in various ways by commentators. For Americans and their allies he was the person who made women widows, children orphaned and killed innocent, for many in the Islamic world, he was a hero who took on the Non Muslims who were trying to challenge the authority of Islam. It is not that every Muslim supported him but George W Bush’s doctrines of Islamic Fascist actually put the entire Muslim world against him. However, president Obama has been more than careful in describing this as a war against terrorism and not war against Islam. While, we agree that the Americans and others who entered in Iraq or Afghanistan are not there to bring ‘democracy’ which they often describe so proudly, but to serve their own interest, it is also time to look inwardly. Off late, the practice of blaming everything to your opponent seems the best strategy for despots, politicians and those who sale on victim mindset all the time. A victim mindset will never get any one justice but will only create more and more fanatics who at the end will not be damaging to any one but to their own societies. After all, who did Bin Laden kill more? Who are the victims of Talibans? Who are the victims of Gaddafi and Mubaraks? All these despots and fanatics were somewhere created by the American and their notorious agencies like CIA. At the end all of them actually damaged Islam more than they could damage the others.So, when I say we need to look inward, it is because unless our societies are internally stronger, we can not really do justice to our people and fight with the so-called enemy. We will only end up in killing ourselves. We have seen this in Afghanistan and now in Libya, Nigeria, and Bahrain where one ethnicity dominate over the other and unable to provide political alternative. Today, in Pakistan, the situation is grim. In most of these countries the rights of the people are crumpled under the heavy boots of the authoritarian regimes and society is completely collapsed. The morality brigade ensure that women are beaten on the street and do not go out in their own. It is this situation which has compelled many of the people to migrate to west. And coming to the west is a cultural shock to many as most of the immigrants bring their feudal values along with them. Hence, the largest numbers of honoured killings are being witnessed in United Kingdom and Canada. Yes, many of them go unreported.On the eve of Easter when I was travelling from Ottawa to Toronto, I met a Sudanese doctor who had migrated several years back from his country to Canada. With a wife and family, he started his life as a taxi driver and pursued his study in medicine. Sudanese name in the west has become synonymous with Islamic terror and despite humiliation at the airports and at immigration level, people still preferring to leave those isolated heavens of feudal lords where life has virtually become miserable to live. ‘I want to study here and make my life better said, Marry who was along with her husband. ‘We have been here for past 15 years and our children are now accustomed to live in the Western world. These people have allowed us to grow and given us opportunities to taste the success. I would not like to go there in Sudan where people are killing each other in the name of religion. Today, I can drive around and take my children at my own. None can stop me here taking a decision on my life. Why should I go there if as a woman my own identity is never respected’, explains Marry who felt that America would be the last in her list to visit as it humiliate all who are Sudanese. ‘At least, here in Canada we are much safer and not humiliated’, she adds.Two years ago, I met a few Pakistanis in London working with women and girls in UK who were victim of violence. I met Mehjabin, a Gujarati Muslim woman who married to a Pakistani much against the wishes of her family. They would have killed her yet the girl was too bold to handle and they decided to live separately. Yet, when their child was born, her husband forced him to go to learn Arabic and ‘Muslim culture’ which he was unable to respond. One day the boy was so scared with the highhandedness of the Maulvi that he pissed in his pant. The mother got angry with her husband and withdrew the child. The inability of South Asians to mix up with their counterparts in the western societies is creating a big gap in understanding. They want to come out their cultural shock yet fear isolation from the community push them back in the lap of those who want to ghettoise them. They crave for their language, music and traditions and some time turn more conservative. In the case of Pakistani friends, a number of them become depressed with the fact that there is so much to do in Pakistan yet very unfortunately they can not go and do any work for the women and poor there. Pakistan today is on the verge of collapse. Civil society is threatened and politicians are unable to take on the challenge of the religious right wings who are determined to convert Pakistan into another chaotic Islamic nation where women will virtually have no right and people would not be allowed to access the modern world. Speaking with friends and fellow activists in Pakistan makes you feel pensive on how a country has deteriorated. And most of them feel that the ruling establishment in Pakistan actually want such a scenario when democracy fail and military take over. While people have no love for Zia ul Haq kind of military men, definitely many of them have soft corner for Musharraf who they think was modernising Pakistan. The day Mukhtar Mai’s rapist were released on the order of Pakistan Supreme Court, I spoke to a friend in Sindh who was narrating me the growth of fundamentalist in Pakistan and their continuous assault on freedom of expression and religious beliefs.Pakistan is paying a heavy price for its flirtation with the hate mongers. The elite have shifted to other countries and are not bothered about it. The powerful military men who rules have their children abroad and know they are in safe heaven. Mukthar Mai and many like her do not get justice. The other South Asian particularly the caste Hindus try to avoid the Muslims from Pakistan. They would not like to be associated and counted in minorities and Muslims, informed a friend. The common refrain from the South Asian community in UK and USA is to avoid any linkages with Pakistanis. This has given rise to the growth of Hindu right wing among Indian expatriate as this is their fertile time when the anti Muslim propaganda is on full flow and war on terror has indirectly been a war on Islam despite Obama’s tall claim. A large part of this negative feeling for Muslims has happened because of inner power games in Pakistan’s power structure. It is time for them to change their attitude and stop supporting such notorious movement in the name of Islam. At the end it is isolating Muslims and only helping those who want to see them isolated further. We have seen the isolation of Mukthar Mai, and Salmaan Taseer whose death was celebrated by many. It is the meekness of the voices of secularism that the religious fanatics take things for granted and consider their strength. The fears of people like me is that if Pakistan and Bangladesh go to the right wing fundamentalist groups, it will only strengthen the process of radicalisation of other communities too and the end would be chaos and further destruction of lives in South Asia. Islam is not in danger but Muslims are facing persecution because of a few such fanatics. Justification of historic wrongs and blame games will only escalate tension. Ofcourse, things can not improve if the Americans continue to intervene and kill innocents in the Middle East. It will never improve with the hate propaganda of the US machinery who on the one hand call for reconciliation and the other side continue to harbour ill will and misconceived notion towards Muslims and Islam. A Pakistan of Jinnah’s dream can take the lead in it yet every expatriate is looking for that where minorities have equal rights and women do not face the victimisation like Mukthar Mai. Only a government with strong sense of justice to people and secularism can bring Pakistan near to the secular dream of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Is Pakistan establishment prepared for that?

The Crisis of Zari Zardosi work in Uttar-Pradesh

2011-03-23T13:30:00.000+09:00

Shabanam’s struggle for dignity and honorBy Vidya Bhushan RawatShe is about 28 year old living in a very dilapidated structure of Muraintola near Lala Bazar, in the nondescript district Fatehpur of Uttar-Pradesh, about 150 kilometer from Allahabad and nearly 70 kilometer from Kanpur town. Once a constituency of former prime minister V.P.Singh, Fatehpur is a rural district lacking basic developmental facilities with a fairly large number of backward community people living along with Dalits and Muslims. Shabanam has graduated in Urdu language from a local women’s college. Two of her elder sisters got married many years back but now the burden of her family rest on her. She lost her father Babu Ali Khan when she was just studying in the IIIrd standard. None in her family was literate but she wanted to study. As the financial condition of her family was worst, a thought to get admission in the school was nearly impossible without a strong support. She had three brothers who were elder to her, too worked at the local shops and her mother worked as domestic labour. Somehow she completed her VIIIth and the family people asked her to stop then lacking financial resources. Fact is that more than the financial resources it is the labour resources that they want from their children. The family was in to Beedi making and also doing the zari-zardosi work which was actually not able to sustain the family as the payments were low and exploitation high. It is an organised crime against these unorganised people, a regular perpetuation of criminality mixed in class, gender and religious bias. One of her sisters actually understood her ambition to study further and promised that she would support her in studies. That helped Shabnam in completing her 10th standard. Unfortunately, her sister who supported her died leaving her future to further uncertainties. Yet, she decided that whatever happens she would study further. She understood well that for that she needed economic independence. She started making Beedis in the night and used to go college in the morning which helped her completing her graduation. Her three brothers were illiterate and did not show any interest in education. Two of them were into tailoring work while the third one was a carpenter. All of them got married somehow and were living with their families. In fact, running the family was solely the duty of Shabnam. In a sad turn of event, her younger brother died leaving his wife and child to be fetched by Shabnam. When we see the home they live in, it shows their desperation. In the absence of the state’s duty, most of the Muslims masses are destined to feed themselves in such a way as Shabnam is doing. They have no idea that they have certain rights too envisaged in the constitution and that the government need to honour them. It is tragic that the community is living in such a state that its political class has no time to look beyond its narrow and self cantered political agenda while those playing secular politics are just not able to look beyond their narrow political agenda.Shabnam’s trial did not end with the death of her brother. Nearly three months after her brother had died, her sister in law also passed away leaving her baby in her hands. One of her elder brother live with her family but his income is not enough to feed his three children. The macabre dance of deaths that Shabnam witnessed in her family can’t be just coincident but the brutal fact of prevailing health conditions among the artisans working in beedi and zardosi work. They suffer silently and before they could realise that some disease has caught them, it is too late. These young deaths are brutal reminder of complete failure of state, civil society and our governance system to look beyond the traditional work of ‘development’. Developmental agenda of our country has still remained biased towards Muslims and fail to provide them any alternatives and support despite their efforts to continue with age old traditions and occupations particularly in terms of arts and music which clearly is our national heritage.At the moment, Shabnam is actually the guardian of her mother, her elder sister who is not married and the 10 years old son of her brother. The family lives in a desperate situation. The rooms are dark with virtual no air or light. Looking like shell of an old jail, you can find here the aging and isolated Muslim population living in disgusting conditions, of course with smiling faces. Dr Salim, an old man in his seventies who claims to be a ‘doctor’ owns this dilapidated structure with about five tenants each paying nearly Rs 500/- as rent. One can understand what could be the living conditions of these houses in such an amount. The ‘doctor’ himself needs a doctor as age has caught him and his condition look grim and pathetic. The rent, perhaps, is the only source of his survival as one does not know whether he still ‘practices’ or not. Shabnam lives in one of these rooms with her family. The dirty lanes that leads to her home in Murain Tola, Fatehpur, openly speak about the seriousness of the local authorities related to Muslim community particularly those who are living in depressing conditions. Most of the occupants, here live in dark single rooms and mostly engaged in the handicraft work. At the rooftop, Shabnam introduce me to another zardosi worker Naseema Khatoon, who has started her morning work. It is just 9 am and yet most of the people had started working on their ‘projects’. Naseema has three children and her husband is a tailor master. I asked her about her life, her earnings, her fears and future which she feels remain uncertain at the moment. And according to her, ‘It is painful living with no security of life and family as each one suffer as running a home in these time of inflation is nearly impossible’. She does the Zardosi work and could earn Rs 20-25 per day. A deep sense of insecurity and uncertainty looms large over her face as she does not want to speak saying what is the outcome of speaking to you? People come and report but our plight remain the same, says, Naseema. With no fixed income and no social security such as a BPL card which could enable them to procure the essential commodities in fair prices, life is harder. One does not really know why the ‘pro poor’ programmes have not reached the Muslims. Shabnam says that so many houses were constructed in the name of poor like Kanshiram Shahari Avaas Yojna, Indira Awas Yojna, Balmiki Ambedkar Avas Yojana and nowhere did even a single person from her community got a house. Isn’t it a bias in our governance structure and its so-called anti-poverty programmes that have left the poor Muslim in the belief that she does not have right? As Shabnam takes me to another house of another family engaged in this work which does not fulfil their minimum daily needs, the same question comes in my mind as why despite hard work these families are most marginalised. Meena is on the work at the compound of her home in the early hours. Despite working all through the day, the four sisters still find it very difficult to get going. They have no support from any quarters for their survival. No ration card and no job security. ‘ We lost our father several years back. He was a scooter mechanic and my younger sister now looks after his work’, said a Meena who remains illiterate and yet has a zeal to study. They are five sisters in all in which one is married. At this small kuchcha home, these four sisters live together and earn their living. Meena’s elder sister Asma is looking after her father’s work in the mechanic shop and repair cycle and scooters. Actually, this family is related to Shabnam and like her these girls are taking care of their own families with all what they could do. I have the same question about their studies and most of them actually suggest that they want to study but circumstances have forced them to be in this work. ‘Don’t you think this art will die, if you people also leave this work in the absent of fair compensation?’, I ask. ‘You see the problem is not the work but our financial capacity. Most of the work is actually not coming directly to these artisans. The middlemen in Kanpur and Delhi actually procure orders from the businessmen and then give it to us on a very low rate, says Shabnam. In the market, the stuff created by these artisans is appreciated and have large buyers but behind these beautiful creations are some bitter truth of negligence, exploitation and painful living conditions. Most of the people engaged in this work suffer from eye sight problems, migraine etc. Since this work does not fetch enough money to run even a single person’s life, young woman like Shabanam take to other work of Beedi making which add to their miseries further. As an instant rehabilitation, it might help them earn some money but make them vulnerable to other diseases like tuberculosis and skin diseases. The women chose beedi making due to various social stigmas attach to her particularly when she venture out. In such a society, it would be difficult for a working woman to survive if any day her name is attached to someone. Most of the time, women do not feel safe in going out and as they are illiterate hence it would not be possible for them to get even a safe job except domestic worker which too is very limited in the town. Asma, elder sister of Meena runs a scooter and cycles repair shop in the market. As I go along with Shabnam to speak to her, she does not feel comfortable in speaking to me. She earn about Rs 3000 per month which goes in running her house. ‘Many reporters came here and written about me and appreciated of my work but I am not comfortable doing this work’, she says and adds that ‘ It is not a worthwhile work for woman like me as people gaze at me and speak about me when I lie down to repair the scooter or fix the puncture. I am not doing this work at my own’. ‘ If I get an opportunity and some funds, I will leave this work and venture into cosmetic shop which is more ‘respectable’, she says. This shows the concerns, pain and fears of Muslim women who do something different yet feel deeply disturbed with the turn of events.To run her living shabnam does zari-zardosi work and in the night from 9 pm till 1.30 she makes beedis so that she could earn some extra bucks to run her family. She works with a local nongovernmental organisation too but all this could not provide her a stable Rs 3,000 per month to run the family. It is tragic that such a hard working woman with great ideas has to suffer. The tension looks in her eyes. She is frustrated as nothing seems to be working at the moment. The art that we appreciate so much does not fetch her anything. Today, there are one thousand such zardosi workers in Fatehpur town and most of them living in deeply difficult situation. Life is virtual hell for them as they seem to have no way forward. They are destined to live in such inhuman condition. For the beautiful art work that they do on the salwar-kameez which might be appreciated at Delhi market as superb, these people get a meagre amount. They are able to complete the work in 4 days on a Kurta and that too not alone as other also support them but the returns are very low. It is rather unfortunate and exploitative that for this much of work a girl earns nearly Rs 40-60 per piece which is completed in four days. In a month period, most of them do not even earn Rs 400-500/-. The men have better chances as they are paid more but still their earning too is less than Rs 3,000 /- a month if everything goes fine and the work is regular. Last year, I was informed, that a majority of them suffered under the Chinese invasion. Most of the new work was coming from China virtually making these artisans workless but today the situation seems to change as the customers have realised that the hand work is much better in quality than the mechanical one. And therefore, this year there was more work though it too is seasonal. Shabanam want to unite the workers and start something for them. The frustration comes in hear heart and in her talks quite often. She is angry as nothing materialise here despite publication of articles and many people ‘photographing’ here. Newsmen come here and publish our stories in their newspapers but so far nothing has changed in their lives. The ‘developmental’ programmes have never reached pasmanda Muslims. They are virtually left out by the powerful leaders. None of these people have a BPL ration card even when most of them are living in abject poverty. Shabanam’s widowed mother has no pension, no other support. The family conditions forced Shabnam to apply for a job in the municipality but there too she was asked to pay Rs 70,000 as bribe for contract work which she was unable to pay. Shabanam moves around in Burqa but very confident of her own self as she is able to earn something but the anguish of having an elder sister who is not married yet and an old mother who does not get anything, reflects in her eyes. There is no fixed salary for her and earning even Rs 3,000 is a rare thing in today’s time. She mocks at the government schemes of pretending to provide support to people. ‘Where is the support’, she ask? We are not even asking government to pay us, all we want is a fair deal in creating these beautiful stuff. We all know that in the international market these things are sold at a very high price but we are unable to get anything. We suffer while making other joyous. While both men and women have faced tremendous pressure from the modern market here. She says, people appreciate art work and machine cannot really replace their art. But at the same point of time, people must pay for it. When I ask as why she has not been able to make a union of the people, she replies that now she is willing to work if people support the cause, she may take up. At the moment, she has her priorities to work for her family but definitely she does not want to sit silently and suffer. Most of the artisans cannot send their children to school as it is difficult to finish work on time and hence they engage their children too. There is no social security, health benefit and this art work actually affect their eye sight and beedi work makes them vulnerable to tuberculosis and breathing problems.They are always indebted and the contractors use it. Women are not able to go out and remain under tremendous social pressure. This work is seasonal and hence artisans remain workless for many months. The contractors do not pay on time and for many months. Their own money is treated as advance and used as a tool of exploitation. Shabanam’s eyes are asking various questions to me. But after hearing from many people she has this hope also that her voice and feeling will go to people who can think of saving this art. ‘Have you heard about Narega’, I ask. Yes, ‘ I know about it and they get Rs 100/- for their 8 hours work while we work to save this art and yet Rs 100 is a dream for us even in the three-four days. What an irony’, she says. I have refused to accept defeat even in the darkest hour of life as these circumstances are created by our society and apathy. Democracy does not mean anything to them as it failed to protect them. They do not even know whether they have rights to get a dignified return for their work. Those who fight in their names have failed to benefits as most of these war cry’s actually created leaders and do not really resolve the issues of the people. Travelling different parts of India and speaking to various path breakers such as Shabanam is always a refreshing experience that people are still hopeful and have that ability to live their life in happiness and whatever they possess. They are exploring new ways despite the marginalisation created by the system in the past so many years. They are hope of the country even in these hours of gloom that so-called liberalisation has brought in their lives. I have seen in the eyes of Shabanam the hope for future and the courage, which is essential in these moments of crisis. One is sincerely hoping that there will be people who will be able to support such initiatives which can bring cheers in the lives of these people, our own Zardosi workers, who makes our brides beautiful, our boys look handsome and have kept our art alive despite all their pains and troubles.

Initiative for Change in Fatehpur

2011-03-21T15:23:00.000+09:00

Fatehpur's Balmikis fight for Life with dignity and honorBy Vidya Bhushan RawatChanda is a happy woman today as she has more confidence in her ability as a human being which was degraded due to her work which she was forced to do by the caste forces. In the Lalauli village of feudal Muslims and other Hindu castes, she was engaged in picking up the human excreta for nothing. Two chapatis were the things which they got in lieu of their work. But that Chapatis for the most degrading work actually took away the freedom, liberty and dignity of Chanda. Yet, when the people like Dheeraj Balmiki entered in the area with an aim to pursuade people leaving this occupation they had to face a lot of resistance. Primarily, the people were upset as what would they do in the absence of an 'alternative' and secondly and most importantly on the retailation from local powerful community of Muslims which would feel threatened as who 'would clean' their toilets if these people leave the work.August 13th, 2010 , under the 'People's Alliance Against Untouchability' activist in different parts of Uttar-Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh took out rallies and protest marches against mannual scavenging and called for its total abolition and complete rehabilitation of the people engaged in this work. Chanda was in the forefront of that protest despite the known fact what would happen to her if things do not materialise. Actually, the confidence of Chanda had grown after participating in a conference against untouchability in Nagpur where she was asked to speak. For the first time, she ventured out of district headquarter of Fatehpur and stayed at Nagaloka Buddhist Center in Nagpur. She realised that life was much bigger outside her confined 'work' area and those domesticated world where she was always treated as untouchable and with utter contempt. Nobody would talk to her pleasanly and with respect but here in the conference for the first time she felt that she too was a human being and could shake hands with people and eat along with them at the same dining table. And then when she spoke to me, the fire in her started, ' Sir, I am now ready to fight. Now, I am changed completely. I will not at all do this work again even if I remain hungry. Even if the entire people kill me, I am not going to do this indignified work', she empahsied. Many months later when I met her in Fatehpur, one of the greatest victory for us was when the entire village of Lalauli was forced to leave the manual scavenging. After our memerendum to officials and continuous campaigning the government officials went to the village and souught clarification. The biggest threat was coming from those people who had these latrines but the officials threatened them with dire consequences if they do not close down their toielts. People like Chanda were already advocating for the community to come out of this mindset that their ancestors did this work hence they had to follow it. Its simply blackmailing of our community, she said.Dalit Yuva Swabhiman Manch was leading the movement in the Balmiki community for voluntary rejection of manual scavenging from with in community. ofcourse, it was also part of the 'People's Alliance against Untouchability' and campaigning to collect about one lakh signature from the State of Uttar-Pradesh to submit it to the government to rehabilitate the women from this community who leave manual scavenging with five acres of agricultural land so that they can live theirilife with dignity. Today nearly 6 villages voluntarily left the work of manual scavenging in Fatehpur and our campaign is growing says, Dheeraj. The only thing people face is 'future' and 'alternative' and we have to think about it, he quipped.'While we all know how government function in this country and that the community can not be dependent on government. We should campaign with government and put pressure on her but at the same point of time the community must also prepare itself to leave this dirty work at their own. What we were looking was a community initiative against manual scavenging and we feel happy that this has happened in many of the villages in Fatehpur where people have voluntarily left the manual scavenging', says Praksh Balmiki. About 12 kilometer from Fatehpur is village Damapur which has a population of 1,500 people. In the five families of Balmikis 8 women were engaged in the manual scavenging who were cleaning the toilets at nearly 115 families of Muslims, Thakurs and Brahmins. Two of the families had 1/2 bigha agricultural land to cultivate. The women are now engaged as agricultural labour apart from work at the NREGA. Unfortunately, there is another grim reality of village life where even the basic facilities meant for them are not made available to them. None of the family have BPL cards to procure ration from the PDS shop. Most of them have got NREGA job card yet the payment made for the work done take three weeks to one month. Ganga Deiya has four sons and three daughters. She left manual scavenging but has no pain though life is tougher for her. Her husband make bamboo work. In the absence of resources the children could not get education. Most of them feel that if the government provide them at least two acres of land then it would be able to create a sense of ownership and dignity among them. Some of them even felt that soft loans should be provided for buffelo rearing, goat rearing and pig rearing etc. However, they also felt that starting tea shop or grocerie shop in the village is not an option as none would buy product from them. In the village Badanpur, which is about 6 kilometer from Fatehpur town nearly 9 women volutnarily left the work. These women were engaged in manual scavenging and after the intervention of Dalit Yuva Garima Manch, felt it important to leave the work. Here too they have the crisis of livelihood and most of them want to get some training whether in sewing or tailoring or Zardosi work. They are also demanding five acres of land from the state government so that they can live their lives in dignity and with honor. It was a difficult work but not impossible to make people think that their dignity and self respect was more important than such non payable work which degrade them virtualy and make them 'slave' of the feudal caste Hindus and upper caste Muslims who too are in large number in some of these localities where manual scavenging takes place. According to Prakash Balmiki, its easier to complaint to municipality and then get an action but that is dangerous as it would only add to the woes of the community. The Manual Scavenging Abolition Act actually justify the victimisation of the victim and hence on many ocassions whenever we made a visit, we were careful not to send these informations to the authorities, the main action would be against the people engaged. In the past few months, many women who were doing and whose names appeared in the papers faced problems as their husbands who were working in the Nagar-Palikas as Safai Karmcharis were suspended. Such campaigns are not good in the people's interest says Dheeraj Balmiki. We can not be instrumental in targetting our own people even the Nagar-Palika. We have to understand why our women whose husbands or children work in the Nagar-Palika were still engaged in the work says Dheeraj. Most of the workers these days are being appointed on 'adhoc' and contract basis. They do not have any social security or leave benefit. Many time the salaries backlog is of over 6 months which kills them virtually. Moreover, the salaries are so low and if there is a leave then you do not get the amount too, that forces the females of the family to do the business. Dheeraj says that ' We need to be careful in such work. I have been using negative thing in my work to bring people to positivity, like leave this work otherwise we will complaint or such as giving example of what a great health and mind would be there with doing this 'work'. Some time you have to speak 'the exact opposite' for the people to understand otherwise they do not understand, says Dheeraj.The battle is bigger for the Balmiki community as Malti Balmiki who has been constantly participating in the awareness programmes. From her personal life where pressure at home to now going outside for studies, she face oppression virtually daily, yet her head is high. ' It is not that only upper caste inflict untouchability on us, we are isolated in our own communities and they practice untouchability with us who claimed to be Scheduled Castes and backward communities too'. Malti devotes her time to social action too and persuing her studies too even after the marriage where she is living in a very traditional family where going out of home for work is not considered good.It is a fact that the Balmiki community was kept out of many developmental programmes. There may be many reasons for that includng local caste politics. Most of them are not even in the developmental agenda of the organisations. When issue of land redistribution comes, organisations are conspicuously silent and Balmikis outside its perview may be becasue a majority of them living in the urban centers yet a look at the rural areas would show how difficult is the life of those who have not got a job with municipality. Actually, municipality is the 'lifeline' of the community. It has worked well but also kept them isolated from other movements of the Dalit communities and when politics comes it become easier for 'leaders' to take sides. Majority of them are landless and live in the desperate situation. Yet, the new youngs have refused to accept the defeat. In Fatehpur people like Babulal have started their own band. Dheeraj himself did not go to do the same work while Prakash Balmiki is still persuing higher education. A number of girls are now learning computers and sewing along with other girls of different communities including Muslims. Today, at attempt has been made in Fatehpur to provide them literature of great writers and liberators such as Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Jyoti Ba Phule, Periyar and many others like them to bring awareness and change in their lives. The change is coming. Fatehpur's youngs are now not sitting idol and they are preparing a new , world of their own.The community is now looking forward. It does not sit and wait for something happen. As I write this Dheeraj informs me about a possible blockade by the upper caste people as they have closed the main passage of the community which link to the road. Such road blockade by the caste Hindus are open and blantant violation of human rights of the Dalits. The fact is they not only block the road but filed FIR against the people opposing it. In fact UP government will have to introduce such stringent laws that where ever the Dalits and other marginalised communities are not allowed passage by the caste Hindus or Muslims or OBC people, actions must be taken against them as they are blatant violation of human rights.In the village Vinobapuri, with the efforts of community mobilsation ( and here we have Kanjar community people), a link road is being developed and primary school also will soon be there in the locality. Ofcourse, just four kilometer from district headquarter and with in the local municiple area this does not have electricity at the moment. One can understand what could be the future of the people. As, I move a few yards from the village towards the main road, I find a locality which is called as 'Balmiki-Ambedkar Aawas Yojna' but most of the villagers say it is Duda colony. I decide to get down and want to have a look to only find to my utter dismay that there is not a single Balmiki family who have got a house here. There are a few of them who are from Chamar community but most others hail from relatively better background. Its tragic that such colonies too which are being built in the name of Balmiki-Ambedkar Awas does not have a space for people from the community. There is a dire need to stop this victimisation and isolation of communities. A large number of houses in such colonies are empty and most of those living there claims that 'powerful' people come here and 'enjoy' in the night. This has made the women feel threatned and unsafe in the entire area. Its tragic that when I leave this place, I found two old women ( mother and daughter) from Ravidasi community who wanted us to request the government provide them house. Living in pethatic conditions, now many of the families have got notices from the authorities to depoist the money which they have not. Actually, the Dalals i.e. middlemen with local political linkages take money from the people and promise them heaven. Most of the people who have got into these places felt that the government has gifted them these houses for a token amount of money but now they are realising that they are in a trap when huge bills piles up for them.In Lalauli and Dasauli village, the local Muslims were the culprits of forcing people into the scavenging work. It was painful when I saw even young girls of 7-8 years age in manual scavenging. Now both the villages have lef manual scavenging work. Ofcourse, we have to hard think what alternative could we provide to the people as well as how can we take our children further. That is a big challenge but as Maina who came into this work at a very young age of 8 years, is now liberaated and ready to fly. Though she does not know what to do as her parents did not have time to send her to school, even at this age of 17 years, she has dreams of future. Much of our battle is 'internal' says Malti, we can fight with outsiders, we know how to tackle but who will tell our parents and in laws to allow their girls to go to school, do work, learn professional courses. ' Our community is not that weak financially, as others might be, but still they do not want us to go out. At the young age of 15, the social pressure is so much that we have to get married.Malti has decided that she will work and work for the community. She put Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Buddha's photograph in her home despite reluctance of her in laws who worship the 'Hindu Gods'. Chanda is raring to go to fight against injustice. Dheeraj is already fighting for the community and now initiaed 'Prerna Kendra' for community girls and boys in Fatehpur along with Babu Prasad and Prakash to bring community boys and girls into the world of computers and literature of the Dalit movent. Dheeraj rightfully says that It is time for the community youth to come and join hand with other like minded people and combinely fight for their rights, dingity and freedom as well as be part of the revolution initiated by Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

Swami Achhutananda and his Adi-dharma movement

2011-03-16T12:33:00.002+09:00

SWAMI ACHHUTANAND HARIHAR (1869--1933): A VOICE AGAINST SOCIAL EXCLUSION, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL MARGINALIZATION By Dr. Mahendra Pratap Rana INTRODUCTION: The emergence of untouchable consciousness and political voice spread across the country during the last quarter of the 19th century is a phenomenon that has received a very little attention by non-Dalits and Dalit scholars. Swami Achhutanand Harihar (original name Hirala) was born on 6th May, 1869 in District-Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh State. He was well worse in eight languages such as Hindi, Sanskrit, Pharsi, Marathi, Bangla, Gurumukhi, Urdu and English. Hiralal worked for Arya Samaj from 1905 to 1917 was honoured with the title of “Pandit Hariharanand” and made chief of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan unit. Witnessing the existing untouchability practiced by Arya Samaj, he not only resigned but also returned the title of Pandit Hariharanand to Arya Samaj and adopted a title of “Swami Achchutanand Harihar” as a mark of identity of the untouchables. He formed “Bharatiya Achhut Mahasabha” to address social, political and economic issues of untouchables and edited a monthly magazine ‘Achhut’ from Delhi in November, 1917 to awaken his people at village level. The untouchables can achieve everything if they are educated and Hindus have already closed the door of education for them. Therefore, untouchables should open schools. They should not leave their children uneducated if they want to live a human life. Adi-Dharma: An alternative to Hindu religion Swami Achchutanand Harihar was convinced that the Untouchables continue to suffer social, political and economic subjugation as long as they are Hindu. Therefore, he launched Adi-Dharma (a religion for original race of Bharat-Native Indians) an alternative religion for untouchables to uplift them socially, culturally, religiously and economically. He challenged every customs and laws which placed untouchables as lower castes in the society. Instead of worshiping Hindu gods, they should dedicate themselves to Bhakti (prayer) or devotion as alternative religious rites which had been practiced prior to the advent of the Aryans. The untouchables believe in a philosophy or dharma which they understand is Vyavaharik, Tarksangat or scientifically logical. Achhutanand Harihar focus on Truth and scientific philosophy seems he preaches the philosophy propounded by Gautam Buddha. Instead of throwing dead animals, carrying night soil and digging Hindu’s graveyards, they should adopt other means to come out from poverty and hunger. The untouchables and Shudra castes have to burry their differences if they want to rule the country. You have to demolish the exploitative structure and it will be possible only when you become a ruling race. Prince of Wales: 17 Points demands presented by Swami Achhutanand Harihar Achhutanand saw British rule, with the possibility of political representation and a source of salvation for the untouchables. Prince of Wales was on official visit to India in 1922. Swamiji utilized the opportunity and organized a conference” at Purana Quila (Old Fort) where more then ten thousands untouchables and Shudras attended. Prince of Wales was the Chief Guest in the conference. While welcoming the chief guest, Swami Achhutanand presented 17 point demands before Prince of Wales. Those demands were such as: 1. The Untouchable communities will progress with education only, therefore, it is most urgent that schools to be opened for them. 2. Law should be enacted and implemented in true spirit to eradicate Untouchability. 3. Separate Electorate granted political representation untouchables to be introduced and ensure their representation in proportion to their population. 4. Legal provisions to be made to ensure representation of untouchable communities/ native Indian communities in local bodies such as Municipal Corporations, District Boards, Town areas and Notified areas. 5. Educated Untouchables be appointed on Gazetted posts. 6. It should be made an official policy to promote native Indian communities to start their own trade and business. In addition, they must be given financial support from government to start that business. 7. Begar Pratha should be abolished. 8. The social, political and economic rights in terms of progress of Untouchable communities should not be left any more on Hindus and British Government should take extra care to protect their rights. 9. Representation to be given to them in proportion to their population in every Government and private controlled businesses. 10. The Untouchable communities are extremely poor and can not afford the cost of education; therefore, scholarship must be given to every child. 11. Separate school to be opened in villages where Untouchable communities live in majority. 12. The untouchable castes were not recruited to the subordinate ranks of the police force because of lack of awareness as well as social restrictions. Swami Achchutanand Harihar demanded that they must be recruited in police and armed forces. 13. There is need to enhance in wages. 14. The Chaukidar in the villages shall be appointed from the untouchable castes. 15. The untouchable communities should be given the Government lands belong to the Gram Sabhas. 16. The untouchable communities should be given representation in State Assemblies. 17. Women belong to the Brahmins and Kshatriyas have been exploited by their males only, therefore, provisions be made to ensure basic rights to them. Simon Commission: An alternative plans for socio-economic development of untouchables: Swami Acchutanand Harihar presented the “socio-economic conditions and alternative plans for the liberation of untouchables” before Simon Commission. He convinced the members that Congress and its leaders as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Gandhi are representing Hindus; they can’t be representative of untouchables at national as well as international forums. Letters to the organisors of Round Table Conference, London to invite leaders of Untouchable Community: Acchutanand Harihar and his supporters sent several letters and Telegraphs to the organisors of Round Table Conference in London to extend official invitation to the untouchable leaders separately. He stated in one of his letter stated that untouchables have no faith in the leadership of Gandhi and Congress led movement in India and abroad as far as the issues of untouchables are concerned. It was a matter of a great satisfaction for him when he got a message that Dr. Ambedkar was officially invited for the Round Table Conference. Before living for Round Table Conference in 1930, Dr. Ambedkar met and discussed all those issues related to untouchables were raised in the conference. Separate Electorate, Gandhi’s Fast unto Death: A reply to Gandhi by Swami Acchutanand Harihar The British Premier granted separate seats in the Provincial Legislatures, and the right of double vote to the Untouchables under which they were to elect their own representatives under Communal Award on 20 August 1932. Gandhi sat on fast unto death 20 September, 1932 against the grant of separate electorate to the Untouchables Swami Acchutanand Harihar organized protest rallies in Prayag, Etawah, Lucknow and Kanpur against the fast of Gandhi. Addressing the rally as a chief guest Harihar said that “Gandhi’s fast unto death is a mischievous act against untouchables being granted political rights. We can not accept joint electorate at any cost. If Hindus consider untouchables their brother then why not they give some seats in Vidhan Sabhas and local wards. Joint electorate is a death nail for untouchables and we will go to any extent to ensure that separate electorate is to be given to them.Email : paus_india@hotmail.com>--

Stop agricultural land grabbing for corporate Greed

2011-02-21T01:32:00.002+09:00

Raigad’s victory is Inspiring and a warning to greedy corporateBy Vidya Bhushan RawatWith the Maharastra government denotifying the land acquired for Raigad SEZ of Mukesh Ambani led group Reliance Industries come an end to a historic protest movement of Raigad farmers who had deep faith in the democratic structure of the country despite its all weaknesses. They not only defied all the acquisition process which were constitutionally illegal but also organized a massive referendum against it which was not accepted by the government. A majority of farmers had actually rejected government’s offer to do away with their land.The land acquisition procedure for the proposed SEZ project, spread over 35,000 acres in Raigad was started in May 2006. But, the company managed to acquire only 13 per cent of the land within the stipulated period, as it faced strong opposition from farmers. In fact most of the farmers protested against forcible land acquisition and even organized a local referendum against the said acquisition and voted against the entire process. But the Maharastra government was determined to deliver it to Reliance unless the company could not acquire the other land in stipulated period of time in December 2009. It was the people’s movement that were continuously opposing the acquisition process and who went to the Supreme Court against the failure of the company to comply with the law related to SEZ. The question was why it wanted to acquire such a massive land but for the government officials that did not matter as they were overwhelmed by Reliance company. Even when The Raigad victory comes at a time when the country witnessed many things including the unabated violence in Chhatishgarh. While for the government it is easy to say that people must have faith in the government and its courts yet for the victims it’s very difficult to wait for years to get justice. We have witnessed many cases when the victims do not get justice for years and the government, the industries and the powerful have enough patience to wait as they have nothing to lose.India’s SEZ’s are nothing but new colonization process of our farmers, Adivasis and Dalits which are out of their purview and meant for export product. The land being acquired for these SEZs is enormously high quality agricultural land. Also, most of this land has rarely been used as the ration between the land acquired and its usage is very vast. The real face of this land grab is actually the vast housing market in India in the coming days. We all know once these conclaves come into picture; the industries will shift their focus on real estate.The second tenure of UPA have seen rabid rise in the land acquisition process throughout the country with scantiest regard for public norms and sentiments of the farmers. The government virtually became real estate agent and big companies enjoyed the curtsy. The result was growing unrest against the illegal land grabbing all over the country. The political parties failed to pick up the issue and were very opportunistic in their approach. Trinamool Congress opposed the process in West Bengal while kept quite on things happening in other parts. Similarly, CPM and other left parties could not mobilize people against this corporate greed as their own West Bengal experience was the most horrendous one. It is important to ask the question as why the corporate want land in thousands of acre. The same government which refuses to redistribute land to the landless people is readily agreeing it handover to the big corporations. They are coming with new ides to lure farmers. In various meeting when the farmers raised the issue of land prices, the builders, and business houses only complained that the prices rose when they start building a project. The issue is not that the land prices shot up after somebody started building up an SEZ. The insensitivity with which our officials deal the issue is shameful and reflects why it is happening. If in the government offices, we have least representation of Dalits, Backwards, Adivasis, how can we think of justice being done to them. Similar things needed in judiciary. As the upper caste bias is clearly reflected in the activities of the state and judgments of the courts. Of course, there is some oasis of fresh air which comes these days and we must celebrate that.Raigarh’s victory is a great motivator for all of us. Maharastra government has not withdrawn just because Supreme Court gave an order. I know many of the Supreme Court order have never been implemented. The political parties and their establishment address to the issue only when people are united. The government listens to the voices when people are united against their oppression. Raigad’s whole acquisition was illegal though unfortunately Supreme Court could not stop it but it stopped because of the company itself was unable to fulfill the mandate. Thankfully, the Supreme Court did not come under any emotional pressure of the company as they have the best lawyers at their disposal, and stuck to their stand that government must acquire the land. It is clear that the way which our political establishment went over handing over prime time land to corporate is perhaps independent India’s biggest scams. The farmers are a big power in India and no government can come to power by antagonizing them. SEZs clearly violated the policy of the government which says agricultural land will not be given for the non agricultural purposes. The industries grabbed these lands for throw away prices in close connivance with government officials who had the blessing of their political masters. I can say with full conviction that an audit of the land grab in India during past 20 years would prove that land acquisition will be the biggest scams in the history of independent India. Chief Ministers have collected huge money for their party in the name of ‘development’. Such acquisitions must be scrutinized and CAG must audit all the process.When the people are losing hope in our judicial process and our farmers are our deep stress, its time to think over the entire process which is simply called corporate land grabbing. At a time when our agricultural production is under serious threat, when corporate greed is ready to demolish and annihilate our agriculture and our farmers, this judgment is definitely going to help the people. This also proves that the people who are leading the movement must concentrate on their region, make linkages with national and international movements yet must do everything to reach to a logical conclusion. I know it is a difficult task. Temptation of visibility in the media and elsewhere some time actually put the activist somewhere else at the cost of the people. They forget the issue and take people for granted. Some time the activists become bigger than people or developed that notion and develop a larger than life image about them. They become obsessed with their mirror image and take a rigid position. Many of them start thinking that they would rest only when the entire system is changed and hence do not want to negotiate on anything. For the common men who lose their land, the major issue is not ideology but justice. Those who lose their livelihood, their culture and their homes do not wait for particular ideology but want to get justice. But in the din of ideological debates, activists change their track for their own benefits. It has happened on many places where the issues which made some one visible is forgotten and the hidden issues under national international agenda crops up to the great dismay of the people whose rights we claim to fight. Many times, the people leave the battle half way and shift some where else. Some time, people are unable to mobilize larger public opinion on it. The issue particularly caste based differences always occur in such movements and need to be handled with great care. Some time in the broader frame work of anti land acquisition process the landless farmers are completely marginalized. In the case of Raigad, the anti SEZ movement was constantly protesting with various new ideas and used every method of protest. It not only mobilized the farmers but also approached the courts, developed public opinion. Any movement needs multiple strategies to succeed. They need supporters in every sector including media, academics, human rights activists, social movements, political mobilization etc. However, unfortunately, the role of the opposition is not being played by political parties but by the social movements and hence things became a bit difficult as political establishment of the country continue to judge the social protest through a conspiracy angle. The campaign against civil society members, the FIR against activists and the threat to many RTI activists is example how the status-quoists feel threatened from them. There seems to be no opposition against these basic issues concerning our farmers and poor. Therefore, the faith of people is growing in the extra constitutional authorities. While the people of Raigad must be appreciated for their continuous effort to get justice, not every one is that fortunate to get justice. In the Raigad number mattered a lot while in many other cases the selection for land acquisition was very strategic. Hence the votes of the people never mattered as politicians always visited those areas which have substantial votes. Unfortunately, for Maharastra politicians this did not matter unless Supreme Court stuck down Reliance’s appeal for granting an extension. The government had no option to follow the court’s order. More importantly, the political climate in Delhi has changed and government was forced to take action in this matter.Raigad’s victory has gladdened the heart of people. Most importantly it has sent an important message that we will always win if we have faith in ourselves and are determined to take our battle to logical conclusion. For the government it is important not to push people to that extent that they pick up guns and lose faith in democracy. World over, people are protesting democratically and have defeated big despots and mighty armies. In India the despots come through corporate-bureaucrats-politicians’ nexus, in the form of forcible land acquisition. After Nandigram and Singur, this is perhaps the biggest victory of people’s movement. Nandigram and Singur might have been political yet Raigad victory will strengthen people’s faith in democratic process. The government must listen to these voices of people and not treat them their enemy. Political parties must relook into entire acquisition process and there should be a complete moratorium further acquisition unless they come to a conclusion after complete debate on it. Special sessions of Parliament and state assemblies should be convened to have a detailed discussion on our agricultural policy and land acquisition process in the country. In fact, the government must bring out a white paper on the land acquisition process and the losses it incurred after 1990s. At the moment, let us celebrate the victory in hope that the farmers will get their land soonest possible time without any hiccup from the government officials. The government must fine Reliance Industries for agricultural losses during this period and farmers must be compensated for the loss of their crop. After Nandigram and Singur, Raigad has sent clear signals that democracy is the best possible choice for justice despite all its shortcomings. People world over are fighting against tyrannical regimes so that they have a functioning demoracy.In our country people have to struggle against democratic governments for ignoring their problems. It all happens in the absence of a formidable opposition which speaks people’s voice. Fortunately, even when there are not much political opposition, people’s movements have succeeded in putting pressure on governments which have been united in grabbing their land. It is right time for them to read the writing on the wall otherwise they would decimate in next elections.

Stop agricultural land grabbing for corporate Greed

2011-02-21T01:29:00.001+09:00

Raigad’s victory is Inspiring and a warning to greedy corporateBy Vidya Bhushan RawatWith the Maharastra government denotifying the land acquired for Raigad SEZ of Mukesh Ambani led group Reliance Industries come an end to a historic protest movement of Raigad farmers who had deep faith in the democratic structure of the country despite its all weaknesses. They not only defied all the acquisition process which were constitutionally illegal but also organized a massive referendum against it which was not accepted by the government. A majority of farmers had actually rejected government’s offer to do away with their land.The land acquisition procedure for the proposed SEZ project, spread over 35,000 acres in Raigad was started in May 2006. But, the company managed to acquire only 13 per cent of the land within the stipulated period, as it faced strong opposition from farmers. In fact most of the farmers protested against forcible land acquisition and even organized a local referendum against the said acquisition and voted against the entire process. But the Maharastra government was determined to deliver it to Reliance unless the company could not acquire the other land in stipulated period of time in December 2009. It was the people’s movement that were continuously opposing the acquisition process and who went to the Supreme Court against the failure of the company to comply with the law related to SEZ. The question was why it wanted to acquire such a massive land but for the government officials that did not matter as they were overwhelmed by Reliance company. Even whenThe Raigad victory comes at a time when the country witnessed many things including the unabated violence in Chhatishgarh. While for the government it is easy to say that people must have faith in the government and its courts yet for the victims it’s very difficult to wait for years to get justice. We have witnessed many cases when the victims do not get justice for years and the government, the industries and the powerful have enough patience to wait as they have nothing to lose.India’s SEZ’s are nothing but new colonization process of our farmers, Adivasis and Dalits which are out of their purview and meant for export product. The land being acquired for these SEZs is enormously high quality agricultural land. Also, most of this land has rarely been used as the ration between the land acquired and its usage is very vast. The real face of this land grab is actually the vast housing market in India in the coming days. We all know once these conclaves come into picture; the industries will shift their focus on real estate.The second tenure of UPA have seen rabid rise in the land acquisition process throughout the country with scantiest regard for public norms and sentiments of the farmers. The government virtually became real estate agent and big companies enjoyed the curtsy. The result was growing unrest against the illegal land grabbing all over the country. The political parties failed to pick up the issue and were very opportunistic in their approach. Trinamool Congress opposed the process in West Bengal while kept quite on things happening in other parts. Similarly, CPM and other left parties could not mobilize people against this corporate greed as their own West Bengal experience was the most horrendous one. It is important to ask the question as why the corporate want land in thousands of acre. The same government which refuses to redistribute land to the landless people is readily agreeing it handover to the big corporations. They are coming with new ides to lure farmers. In various meeting when the farmers raised the issue of land prices, the builders, and business houses only complained that the prices rose when they start building a project. The issue is not that the land prices shot up after somebody started building up an SEZ. The insensitivity with which our officials deal the issue is shameful and reflects why it is happening. If in the government offices, we have least representation of Dalits, Backwards, Adivasis, how can we think of justice being done to them. Similar things needed in judiciary. As the upper caste bias is clearly reflected in the activities of the state and judgments of the courts. Of course, there is some oasis of fresh air which comes these days and we must celebrate that.Raigarh’s victory is a great motivator for all of us. Maharastra government has not withdrawn just because Supreme Court gave an order. I know many of the Supreme Court order have never been implemented. The political parties and their establishment address to the issue only when people are united. The government listens to the voices when people are united against their oppression. Raigad’s whole acquisition was illegal though unfortunately Supreme Court could not stop it but it stopped because of the company itself was unable to fulfill the mandate. Thankfully, the Supreme Court did not come under any emotional pressure of the company as they have the best lawyers at their disposal, and stuck to their stand that government must acquire the land. It is clear that the way which our political establishment went over handing over prime time land to corporate is perhaps independent India’s biggest scams. The farmers are a big power in India and no government can come to power by antagonizing them. SEZs clearly violated the policy of the government which says agricultural land will not be given for the non agricultural purposes. The industries grabbed these lands for throw away prices in close connivance with government officials who had the blessing of their political masters. I can say with full conviction that an audit of the land grab in India during past 20 years would prove that land acquisition will be the biggest scams in the history of independent India. Chief Ministers have collected huge money for their party in the name of ‘development’. Such acquisitions must be scrutinized and CAG must audit all the process.When the people are losing hope in our judicial process and our farmers are our deep stress, its time to think over the entire process which is simply called corporate land grabbing. At a time when our agricultural production is under serious threat, when corporate greed is ready to demolish and annihilate our agriculture and our farmers, this judgment is definitely going to help the people. This also proves that the people who are leading the movement must concentrate on their region, make linkages with national and international movements yet must do everything to reach to a logical conclusion. I know it is a difficult task. Temptation of visibility in the media and elsewhere some time actually put the activist somewhere else at the cost of the people. They forget the issue and take people for granted. Some time the activists become bigger than people or developed that notion and develop a larger than life image about them. They become obsessed with their mirror image and take a rigid position. Many of them start thinking that they would rest only when the entire system is changed and hence do not want to negotiate on anything. For the common men who lose their land, the major issue is not ideology but justice. Those who lose their livelihood, their culture and their homes do not wait for particular ideology but want to get justice. But in the din of ideological debates, activists change their track for their own benefits. It has happened on many places where the issues which made some one visible is forgotten and the hidden issues under national international agenda crops up to the great dismay of the people whose rights we claim to fight. Many times, the people leave the battle half way and shift some where else. Some time, people are unable to mobilize larger public opinion on it. The issue particularly caste based differences always occur in such movements and need to be handled with great care. Some time in the broader frame work of anti land acquisition process the landless farmers are completely marginalized. In the case of Raigad, the anti SEZ movement was constantly protesting with various new ideas and used every method of protest. It not only mobilized the farmers but also approached the courts, developed public opinion. Any movement needs multiple strategies to succeed. They need supporters in every sector including media, academics, human rights activists, social movements, political mobilization etc. However, unfortunately, the role of the opposition is not being played by political parties but by the social movements and hence things became a bit difficult as political establishment of the country continue to judge the social protest through a conspiracy angle. The campaign against civil society members, the FIR against activists and the threat to many RTI activists is example how the status-quoists feel threatened from them. There seems to be no opposition against these basic issues concerning our farmers and poor. Therefore, the faith of people is growing in the extra constitutional authorities. While the people of Raigad must be appreciated for their continuous effort to get justice, not every one is that fortunate to get justice. In the Raigad number mattered a lot while in many other cases the selection for land acquisition was very strategic. Hence the votes of the people never mattered as politicians always visited those areas which have substantial votes. Unfortunately, for Maharastra politicians this did not matter unless Supreme Court stuck down Reliance’s appeal for granting an extension. The government had no option to follow the court’s order. More importantly, the political climate in Delhi has changed and government was forced to take action in this matter.Raigad’s victory has gladdened the heart of people. Most importantly it has sent an important message that we will always win if we have faith in ourselves and are determined to take our battle to logical conclusion. For the government it is important not to push people to that extent that they pick up guns and lose faith in democracy. World over, people are protesting democratically and have defeated big despots and mighty armies. In India the despots come through corporate-bureaucrats-politicians’ nexus, in the form of forcible land acquisition. After Nandigram and Singur, this is perhaps the biggest victory of people’s movement. Nandigram and Singur might have been political yet Raigad victory will strengthen people’s faith in democratic process. The government must listen to these voices of people and not treat them their enemy. Political parties must relook into entire acquisition process and there should be a complete moratorium further acquisition unless they come to a conclusion after complete debate on it. Special sessions of Parliament and state assemblies should be convened to have a detailed discussion on our agricultural policy and land acquisition process in the country. In fact, the government must bring out a white paper on the land acquisition process and the losses it incurred after 1990s. At the moment, let us celebrate the victory in hope that the farmers will get their land soonest possible time without any hiccup from the government officials. The government must fine Reliance Industries for agricultural losses during this period and farmers must be compensated for the loss of their crop. After Nandigram and Singur, Raigad has sent clear signals that democracy is the best possible choice for justice despite all its shortcomings. People world over are fighting against tyrannical regimes so that they have a functioning demoracy.In our country people have to struggle against democratic governments for ignoring their problems. It all happens in the absence of a formidable opposition which speaks people’s voice. Fortunately, even when there are not much political opposition, people’s movements have succeeded in putting pressure on governments which have been united in grabbing their land. It is right time for them to read the writing on the wall otherwise they would decimate in next elections.

India waits for Its Mubarak Moment

2011-02-16T17:28:00.000+09:00

Mubarak ho Egypt as India waits for its Mubarak momentBy Vidya Bhushan RawatAfter the 18th day protest Egyptian despot Husni Mubarak was forced to leave. Ofcourse, he ensured everything for him. Perhaps, he might have seen the writing on the wall but was just arranging like his bank accounts, financial deals and other things. As I write this, report of Swiss Bank freezing his accounts and British Government also willing to follow the same, would not be providing a great future to him. More importantly, the Egyptian people have owned this revolution which is truly being claimed 21st centuries French Revolution. That is why as an armed forces commander, Mubarak might have survived several attempts on his life and was a tough fighter but this fight became his waterloo and he had to leave Cairo. Like any other dictator or power politicians of today, he had enough time to wait for his people’s patience in the hope that they would return their home and he would again lord over them proved false. Hence his efforts to frighten people with tanks or with flying jet over their heads could not break the conviction of the people who were unanimous in one point agenda that if Egypt has to survive as a dignified nation then Mubarak has to go. Clearly, Mubarak was still weighing on his threat of an Islamic take over if he steps down. We all know most of these ruling lords in the Middle East have the blessings of western government and serving their interest. The only thing they have to pretend is wear a secular cap and do anything that violates the fundamental rights of the people. You have to look secular to kill your own people. These despots knew the weakness of the western governments and hence used the very frame work so that they can get huge arms and funds. It was like made for each other syndrome. Today, we all may decry Mubarak and call him a villain but as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair mentioned in an interview yesterday that Mubarak brought stability to Egypt and was the key western ally in bringing stability in the region. One can clearly understand what does he meant by stability, clearly good relations with Israel is called stability by the western world.The army has taken over in Egypt. It has suspended the constitution and dismissed the Ministry as well as the Parliament till the next government take over. Mubarak is still in Sharm-el-Sheikh and is calculating his future plans. There are however, reports that he might escape to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere which are heaven for all the despots. Mubarak also knows well that he can not live in the West as it will target him and his wealth. Though it clear that life would be tough for him and the pressure on Egyptian army would be under tremendous pressure from its people to show result and hand over the country to a democratic government.After Mubarak’s departure, Egyptians thronged the street, celebrated whole night but they also knew it well that the time ahead was more crucial and tougher. It is easier to fight against an enemy but the situation does not remain the same all the time. After Mubarak’s departure they have to take things in their hands and do it otherwise they can not blame on others. Hence, we saw people came in large number to clean the streets and do the menial work like construction and wall cleaning and were joined by the families. It is called ownership of a revolution and one can find very few examples like this when people still wanting to know what next. They do not end up with waiting for a messiah. The biggest danger in such revolution is the control of a few who may not have the same ideas as people and they mould people’s opinion according to their fancies and political ideologies. For people who suffered with tyrants, the most important thing is how to get dignity of work, right to make free political choices and freedom of expression and thought. Of-course, right to work will not work unless the employment situation changes and corruption is fought with. Most of our friends are discussing here in India as can a revolution be possible in India which is suffering more than Egypt does. Many of us think that at least Egypt does not suffer from chronic hunger and poverty that is clearly visible in India. They did not put their people on sale for years. They did not suffer from the brutality of caste system and untouchability as we suffer here for the past three thousand years. Yet, we are called a democracy and hailed as world’s ‘biggest’ democracy. The Americans, British and other give our example to the world as how India survived and is progressing with 9% growth. They give our examples how India had a ‘Muslim’ president, ‘Sikh’ prime minister, ‘Dalit’ women as Lok Sabha speaker and now, a ‘woman’ as President of India, a ‘Dalit’ Chief Justice of India and so on. All, these, according to them, show, how India has graduated from a British colony to a vibrant ‘plural’ and ‘multi cultural’ democracy. So, India does not need a change as what will people need after getting ‘so-much’ of freedom. We all know how British Prime Minister David Cameroon has admitted failure of ‘multiculturalism’ in their own country because rather than strengthening the cause it seems a license to every one to defend their ‘deeds’ in the name. India is worst off as here the ruling elite is much crafty and best suited to use these ‘modern’ terms. Hence ‘secularism’ is suited to help them retain in power in a very similar way as the rhetoric of Hindu Nationalism. The rise of Dalit assertion is growingly becoming victim of same brahmanical syndrome. Rather then providing an alternative module, it wants to ape them and use them to demolish their structure. The fact is it has become a tool in their structure. That is why despite Uttar-Pradesh and Tamilnadu experiences might seem to give community an identity and make ‘Indian’ ‘democracy’ vibrant but does not help people at the village whose daily struggle for dignity and life continues and where an administration is ready to make everything ‘comfortable’ and ‘beautiful’ for the ‘most powerful’ person of the states even at the cost of the poor who might hail from the same castes which these leaders belong to. Yet, no tears are shed for the poor as we are dividing our energy between our leaders and hope that leaders will change India.To understand India, we will have to analyse the minds of India’s ruling caste structure and how it has created such ghettoes which helps it retain its domination. Brahmanism, India is biggest disease does not survive because of Brahmins only. It is a contiguous disease and fast spreading across the spectrum. The forces which were supposed to demolish it are today suffering from it and hence the fight against the brahmanical democracy in India remained unsuccessful so far. The best part of the brahmanical strategy is to divide people in the layers of identities so we think these identities help us but at the end it helps the brahmanical minds. It is these identities which they befool people world over. All these Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Dalit leaders we mention represent the people just because of their birth. One can easily ask a question as how many of the community’s people really feel for them. Brahmanism worked through these symbolic gestures. Now the monster of other identities is threatening the very basic of the identity we created. So, every where, these upper caste thugs now create multiple identities among Dalits-Bahujans-Adivasis. Because of lack of communication among the communities and any further initiative, smaller contradictions of our village lives are becoming the big one. For political purposes, these contradictions are being used by each one of us as in ‘democracy’, it’s the umber game. If Mushhahars, Balmikis, Doms, Kols, Banzaras, Kanjars, Khatiqes, have no number then damn care for them. They don’t exist. Do not approach them. This has resulted in the biggest caste conflict in the region which may not look violent but which threatens to destroy the basic preamble of Dalit movement in India. Just keeping away from these issues and not speaking on them will not help that at the ground level. It is true about other communities in each states whether Andhra or Kerala, Tamilnadu or Maharastra. Any voices of dissent or assertion from these communities are fiercely blamed to be fed by the ‘opposition’ camp or agent of the ‘upper castes’, despite known fact that all the political parties of Dalit-Bahujan communities have compromised on the basic principles of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and EVR Periyar. The Egyptian tyrant’s brutalities forced his own country men and his own co-religionists to throw him away from their land but can it happen here in India. Can we speak against our own tyrants who do not have time to see the problems of people? Can we speak against our brahmanical democratic tyrants who are using democratic way to grab power yet have no time for people? Democracy has boosted the morale of the powerful anti democrats in the country. There can be nothing better than making the powerful more powerful and the poor more marginalized. The violence by the powerful unleashed against their own people is not debated. Instead, we are divided in groups of political identities. Hence, when the question of our rights violation comes, it is deafening silence and according to our suitability. How will there be a revolution when we are critiquing according to our convenience. Our political parties are divided between individuals and their families. We like to abuse others while are highly intolerant about our own selves. We do not want to hear anything about our political leaders. I do not call the differences between different groups ‘ideological’ as it has no face value in India. Your ideology is your caste in this country and those who were supposed to demolish it also use it for their own tiny purpose and hence getting defeated every moment. They may say that they are demolishing Brahmanism but fact is they are becoming the extension of Brahmanism and nothing more. Often a slogan is raised as how our 85% population is victimized by the brahmanical oppression and how we want these 85% should be united. Is it possible? If yes, then what attempts have been made? Is the discrimination of these the same? Is it true? Leave alone the 85%, 17% Scheduled Castes are not the same and every where new questions and identities are emerging. Can we be happy with such a situation when the oppressed people have been put to fight against each others? The issue of quota with in quota will finish whatever coming together of the Dalits. We all know how these brahmanical thugs have cheated and betrayed the Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasis of India. But the issue is now much bigger than mere quota. The cultural changes have not taken place and majority of us despite claiming Ambedkarite still follow the same brahmanical values. Just by saying that you do not like Hindu Gods does not mean you have become Ambedkarite as it is one of the toughest things to be. One has to be courageous and deeply committed to the cause and believing in sacrificing for the sake of the community. One who believe there is no ‘third party’ intervention in our life and we are the makers of our world. An Ambedkarite is the one who can not live in the past and victim hood all the time but has to provide alternative of this disgusting module. Yes, for that caste identities will not work, its annihilation is the precondition. Caste is a brahmanical game and will never strengthen the coming together of Dalit-Bahujan. It is destroying their coming togetherness and ultimately strengthening the neo Brahmins and their brahmanical backers.The divisions are happening because we are just obsessed with identity politics and ideology has some where taken a back stage. If you are an Ambedkarite, you can not really compromise with brahmanical, casteist, communalist and corporatised anti women thugs of our society where individual is supreme and has right to dissent. A 21st century India can only grow and develop on these wider principles of Equality, Liberty and Fraternity. It needs a cultural renaissance which Ambedkar could have done had he lived several years more. The later generations have not only compromised with his basic principles but completely drifted away from the communities he aspired to work. With out a cultural revolution, Indian democracy will be just identity politics which is most suitable to the brahmanical agenda in India. Unless, we go in the communities and raise the issue of their common concern, the threat to their livelihood, the looting of their land and resources, more political participation and representation in power, in assemblies and parliament, nothing is going to change. In Egypt, people rose up against the despot for a common cause. They wanted a good life for themselves and can not be happy with the palace of Mubarak. Can we really fight a common cause in India ? Well, Indian democracy is the biggest threat to its poor. It betrayed them from the very beginning. It created dumb leaders. It legitimized killing of people in Delhi in 1984 and Gujarat in 2002. It legitimized commercial land grabbing by the corporate. It does not allow a revolution. It is creating rebels. People want justice. Justice can only come when the political parties take up the cause. At the moment they are unanimous in two things. One to destroy and demolish any dissent to their activities and secondly in acquiring wealth and living a high life. Well, we will only fight that our leader is better corrupt then yours but that will not solve the problem. Our political class continues to make mistake. Political leaders have gained through exploiting all shorts of issues but hopefully the silent revolution started by Ambedkar will ultimately wake us all against notoriety of the political class. The Adivasi revolt or the Dalit assertions are part of revolt against Indian structure. Hopefully, the backward communities, the farmers, the agrarian workers, all will wake up and join hand to demolish this brahmanical supremacy. Remember, annihilation of caste is annihilation of Brahmanism and Hindutva. Are we ready for it? There was one Mubarak against whom all Egyptian had one opinion that they must get rid of him, it worked and brought them together. Here in ‘democratic’ India we have worst than Mubarak and they exist in each caste and political sphere that a common man is confused. If I participate in somebody else’s movement, what will happen to ‘my’ leader? And hence there seems to be no common ground between those who are oppressed or who aspire to fight. In the politics of Jugad, they just feel ‘enemy’s enemy is a friend ignoring the grave new reality that caste forces are more than powerful as ever and most of the leaders we idolize are accessed by our enemies more than us. My friends are writing everything accept the important one as how to bring together these victims of brahmanical deception. Is there any magical wand to resolve this crisis? There is everything for a revolution here but there are so many Mubaraks in our society that it looks difficult that India will have its ‘Mubarak’ day soon as it would the elimination of varnashram dharma and none seems to be interested in its annihilation as those we believe fighting against it have got their own world in it and therefore denying us the Mubarak day.

Judiciary in India : Need for reform

2011-02-10T16:10:00.002+09:00

Judiciary and its brahmanical prejudices in India

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Two Judges of Supreme court recently, for the first time in our judicial history, had the courage to challenge the religious text of the Brahmanical order. In an order favoring tribal women’s land right violating which the powerful in the village termed her as witch
and paraded her in the village. The Judges were very forthright in their statement saying that violation of the tribal right start from ancient period when Guru Dronacharya asked from his tribal disciple Eklavya to donate his thumb to him, in order to protect the interest of Arjuna, the kshatriya warrior to be the best archer of the world.

Not long back the same Supreme Court gave a judgment saying Hindutva is a way of life. It has been criticized. The highest court today is more sensitive than ever. Just a few days back the court amended their old order in which they upheld the life sentence to Dara Singh, the mastermind of burning Grahm Stains with his two sons in Orissa. While court upheld the high court’s judgment, it unnecessary stretched its brief to conversion and then said that Dara Singh was protecting people from converting to Christianity. The court later realize their mistake and amended the order.

The brahmanical prejudices in our system are well known and judiciary is no exception to it. There are number of judgments against dalits on the issues of reservations are well known and can be elaborated here. Even after the Mandal judgment the issues related to OBC reservation has been diluted in many ways and the issue of merit always cropped up as if there is no merit in those who come through reservation. This stand is quite dangerous. In fact, Indian courts have continuously opposed reservation in judicial services terming that it will affect merit in the courts as if all the other sectors where reservation is effective are non meritorious. The fact is judicial appointments are political nature and there is control of several families in top echelon of Indian judiciary. Like every other sector, here also we have judges who have history of their parents in the judiciary. Earlier, the people retiring from the Supreme Courts used to keep themselves off from the politics but today they are openly part of political parties and ideologies. Many of them like Justice V.M.Tarkunde, Justice Krishna Iyer, Justice Rajender Sachar gave monumental contribution in the field of human rights and promoting rule of law in the country and never ever took any official position. Some of them actually gave dangerous judgment and reports. Justice Rangnath Mishra was appointed by Rajiv Gandhi to look into the anti Sikh riots in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s death in 1984 and not a single political leader from the ruling party was charged. Justice Mishra got his reward to Rajya Sabha from the Congress Party.

The lower judiciary is more prone to brahmanical biases. In Allahabad, a district judge washed his court room with Ganga Jal when he assumed charge as his predecessor was a Dalit. Just a few days back we heard that a judge in Madhya Pradesh asked the government to get each children’s horoscope checked by the Brahmins and then admit them to school so that they can understand whether the boy or girl is going to be healthy child or not. This story has appeared in the Times of India yesterday though it was abuzz in the internet for long. The Child Rights commission in India has asked for a report on it.

Indian judiciary is like any other sector in India suffers from the inadequacy of understanding the issues and problems of the marginalized. If there are some judgments favoring them they are purely on charitable and good will basis. When ever the issue of the rights of the Dalits and marginalized have come judiciary by and large was seen with powerful. Several years back, the a retired Supreme Court judge was asked by the Supreme Court to report on the inadequacies Public Distribution System in several states. He called up meeting of many people working on the same. I was one of them. In the meeting the former Judge was asking people what would be good for them and then came out with an idea that to improve the efficiency of the PDS they must have computers at their shop. Every body was happy but when they realize that this was nothing but another sale ploy people opposed it. Suddenly, some of the people suggested the issue of quota for the Dalits, Muslims and others in the distribution of these shops. The judge became furious and he asked the others as why don’t they openly oppose it. How one any one who is not known marketing be given charge of shops. And he just stuck down the entire formulations that we can not talk of quota here.

In the past twenty years judiciary paved way for land acquisition process which was responsible for displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Political craftiness and crookedness forced political leaders to take shelter in the judicial activism which was nothing but turning the issue of executive which is more accountable to the people, in their hands. Land has always been acquired in the name of ‘public interest’ but none could find what the public interest if lakhs of people have been uprooted from their land. There are definitely very good judgments and we always are grateful to them. We still look for some good judgments as people are quite fed up with political maneuvering.
Hence, land acquisition never ever got discussed in Parliament but it has been justified by the judiciary on many occasions.

Thousands of cases related to land ceiling act are lying with courts. Powerful people have time and money to delay judicial process. It’s the poor who bear the brunt of it. It’s difficult to bring all the cases to the court. Justice Y.B.Sabbarwal’s over enthusiasm on implementing Sealing process in Delhi and making our cities ‘world class’ is well known. It uprooted lakhs of people. DDA and other authorities got right to demolish any location and slums without rehabilitating them. It was painful to see how the doors of court remain close for the poor as they feel helpless.

Three years back a 4 year old Dalit girl was thrown into burning fire allegedly by an upper caste boy in district Mathura. The UP government appointed a fast track court to implicate him. The boy was booked under SC-ST prevention of Atrocities Act. The judge after hearing every one exonerated the boy that there is no witness. He rejected the contention that girls mother is a witness saying that she was in veil when the girl ‘fell; into the fire. There was no other witness and hence the judge came to the conclusion that the girl fell the fire out of her own even when it was clear that she was going to defecate with her mother and was pushed to fire by the local landlord who was unhappy with their using his fields to defecate.

It is important that India reform its judicial system and form an all Indian Judicial commission which be made responsible for recruitment of the judges and they be monitored and seen. Let a committee of retired judges observe and read the judgments of these judges and then promote them. Right now most of them are picked up from the practicing lawyers of High Courts, so political favor, relationships and other things matter and unfortunately that reflect in judgments on many occasions. Binayak Sen’s conviction is one such incident of how judges in the lower courts have already made up their mind and do not normally question the government version. The situation is grim as people do not have money and patience to fight for their cases in the High Court and Supreme Court.

I have been fighting for the case of 150 Dalit families in Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar for the past 15 years. The were fighting for implementation of land ceiling act and be given land declared surplus under Ceiling Act. This case went to Allahabad High Court where the judge upheld ceiling. Then the powerful people of a company challenged in the Supreme Court and lost there also. The judgment came in 2004 and we waited with breathe that now the people would get their land. When nothing happened and the judgment was dubiously used to defeat the purpose of it, we went to the Lokayukta of the Uttarakhand state who took about 2 years to come to a conclusion that the violation of Supreme Court Judgment has happened that official need to be punished. Nothing happened. We went to the Supreme Court again. Justice K.G.Balakrishanan accepted the petition but for next three years, he did not give us time to hear it. As soon as it he retired, the petition came to current Chief justice who directed us to go the Uttarakhand High Court, Nainital. Now, it is painful for people to wait for three year and then be asked to go back to High Court. We went to Nainital High Court where the chief justice was not willing to listen to us even when we mentioned that it is under the direction of the Supreme Court. Finally, he fixed up a date to clear the case. We brought to his notice violation of Supreme Court judgment and Lokayukta report but that was clearly rejected. Lokayukta can not be bigger than this court said Chief Justice. Now the question was no body was questioning the powers of judiciary, we just used his report because it took two years for him to come to some conclusion and he himself was a judge in Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.

The Ayodhya verdict has been shocking. How are the judges going to decide where Lord Rama Was born. Is it the job of the judiciary to decide about it. The matter before them was whether some body installed the statues of Ram in the Babari mosque or not and secondly about the ownership of the land which could have been judged on the basis of their papers yet the judges went on and on to declared it. If such cases become a legality than it would be difficult to find any land in India for human being as under each building the religious thugs are ready to say there resided a ‘god’ and we have over 33 crore of them.

The latest judgment in this series is of Bombay High Court which declared that Astrology is science. Should the judiciary accept such cases? How can they come to such a conclusion? If they want a meaningful judgment why can’t they seek opinion from medical and other department like that of Science and Technology? Isn’t it a fact that our judiciary is taking their role much beyond their defined role and is opening a Pandora’s Box. Such judgment helps the religious manipulators to spread their false massage in the name of judicial approval. It does not bode well to the health of the country. There is a need to control astrologers as there is no mechanism where they be held accountable. There is no mechanism where an Ayurvedik doctor and his activities be monitored under MRTPC act. If they are being declared as science and modern then all the modern day rules and regulation should also be implemented on them. Like any medicine they should also put expiry dates and other things on their products and all their activities should be scrutinized.

It is really needed that judicial system be reformed so that people get justice. This is a great season at the Supreme Court when some of the judges have delivered great judgment favoring tribal and Dalits, on human rights and against corruption. One sincerely hopes that this tribe of honest judges will increase whose judgment will help the marginalized gain their rights and confidence. It is time for reservation in judiciary for the Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis and women so that their confidence level also grows and people feel safe that the judges will understand their feeling and issues. Some of my friends suggest that this is the best moment in the Supreme Court in recent history when we are witnessing some fairly balanced judgment. People are still looking to higher courts for resolution of their problems. On Gujarat they have consistently taken a stand against the communal politics of Narendra Modi. Similarly, on many other things including the tribal rights, common land of the village, on women’s right, the judges have taken bold stand in the Supreme Court. One sincerely hopes that the highest court of the land will do its best to change the set up of judicial appointments as well as speedy process of law so that they are delivered on time. It is also important that Supreme Court take not of what the High courts are delivering and wheverever the judges have gone or commented beyond their jurisdiction should not only be scrutinized but those portion should be withdrawn. In the Graham Stains case the Supreme Court has withdrawn controversial portion of its order which is a welcome sign. One hope that the Supreme Court will support initiative in the direction so that in our judicial officers are more sensitized on the issue of caste, gender and communalism and it is not possible without fair representation of people from affected communities in the services.

Copy of Supreme Court's Historic Order

2011-02-06T14:11:00.000+09:00

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CRIMINAL APPEAL NO(s). 889 OF 2007

ARUP BHUYAN Appellant (s)

VERSUS

STATE OF ASSAM Respondent(s)

O R D E R

Heard learned counsel for the parties.

This Appeal has been filed against the impugned judgment of the Designated Court, Assam at Guwahati dated 28.03.2007 passed in TADA Sessions Case No. 13 of 1991.

The facts have already been set out in the impugned judgment and hence we are not repeating the same here except wherever necessary.

The appellant is alleged to be a member of ULFA and the only material produced by the prosecution against the appellant is his alleged confessional statement made before the Superintendent of Police in which he is said to have identified the house of the deceased.

Confession to a police officer is inadmissible vide Section 25 of the Evidence Act, but it is admissible in TADA cases vide Section 15 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987.

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Confession is a very weak kind of evidence. As is well known, the wide spread and rampant practice in the police in India is to use third degree methods for extracting confessions from the alleged accused. Hence, the courts have to be cautious in accepting confessions made to the police by the alleged accused.

Unfortunately, the police in our country are not trained in scientific investigation (as is the police in Western countries) nor are they provided the technical equipments for scientific investigation, hence to obtain a conviction they often rely on the easy short cut of procuring a confession under torture.

Torture is such a terrible thing that when a person is under torture he will confess to almost any crime. Even Joan of Arc confessed to be a witch under torture. Hence, where the prosecution case mainly rests on the confessional statement made to the police by the alleged accused, in the absence of corroborative material, the courts must be hesitant before they accept such extra-judicial confessional statements.

In the instant case, the prosecution case mainly relies on the alleged confessional statement of the appellant made before the Superintendent of Police, which is an

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extra-judicial confession and there is absence of corroborative material. Therefore, we are of the opinion that it will not be safe to convict the accused on the basis of alleged confessional statement.

For the reasons stated above, we are in agreement with the impugned judgment so far as it has taken the view that the confessional statement in question cannot be acted upon as the sole basis for conviction of the appellant.

However, the TADA Court has convicted the appellant under Section 3(5) of the TADA which makes mere membership of a banned organisation criminal. Although the appellant has denied that he was a member of ULFA, which is a banned organisation. Even assuming he was a member of ULFA it has not been proved that he was an active member and not a mere passive member.

In State of Kerala Vs. Raneef, 2011 (1) SCALE 8, we have respectfully agreed with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Elfbrandt Vs. Russell, 384 U.S. 17 (1966) which has rejected the doctrine of 'guilt by association'. Mere membership of a banned organisation will not incriminate a person unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence or does an act intended to create disorder or disturbance of public peace by resort to

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violence (See : also the Constitution Bench judgment of this Court in Kedar Nath Vs. State of Bihar, AIR 1962 SCC 955 para 26).

In Clarence Brandenburg Vs. State of Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969) the U.S. Supreme Court went further and held that mere "advocacy or teaching the duty, necessity, or propriety" of violence as a means of accomplishing political or industrial reform, or publishing or circulating or displaying any book or paper containing such advocacy, or justifying the commission of violent acts with intent to exemplify, spread or advocate the propriety of the doctrines of criminal syndicalism, or to voluntarily assemble with a group formed "to teach or advocate the doctrines of criminal syndicalism" is not per seillegal. It will become illegal only if it incites to imminent lawless action. The statute under challenge was hence held to be unconstitutional being violative of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

In United States Vs. Eugene Frank Robel, 389 U.S. 258, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a member of a communist organisation could not be regarded as doing an unlawful act by merely obtaining employment in a defence facility.

4. We respectfully agree with the above decisions, and are

of the opinion that they apply to India too, as our fundamental rights are similar to the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution.

In our opinion, Section 3(5) cannot be read literally otherwise it will violate Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution. It has to be read in the light of our observations made above. Hence, mere membership of a banned organisation will not make a person a criminal unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence or creates public disorder by violence or incitement to violence.

Hence, the conviction of the appellant under Section 3(5) of the TADA is also not sustainable.

The impugned judgment of the Designated Court, Assam at Guwahati dated 28.03.2007 passed in TADA Sessions Case No. 13 of 1991 is set aside and the Appeal stands allowed.

By Order dated 29.10.2007 this Court had directed that the appellant be released on bail on his furnishing adequate security to the satisfaction of the trial court. Security furnished by the appellant in pursuance of Order dated 29.10.2007 shall stand discharged.

..........................J.

(MARKANDEY KATJU)

..........................J.

(GYAN SUDHA MISRA)

NEW DELHI;

FEBRUARY 03, 2011. :5:

--
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
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Supreme Court's Historic Judgement

2011-02-05T11:10:00.001+09:00

We should try to get a full text of this judgement and must be send across the country. Dalits, tribals, Minorities and human rights defenders are being targeted by the police and intelligence for being part of some ideology just because they are raising issues of their rights. Reading books and raising uncomfortable questions have become crime in India. Hundreds of activists have been arrested. It is time these matters should reach to each one of our friends who have been humiliated, and targeted by the state.

regards,

Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Just being member of banned outfit not a crime: Supreme Court

Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN, Feb 5, 2011, 01.07am IST

Article

Comments (3)

Tags:ULFA|Terrorist And Disruptive Activities Act|Supreme Court|Arup Bhuyan

NEW DELHI: Members of banned organizations cannot be treated as criminals by police till they indulge in or incite violence, the Supreme Court ruled on Friday.

The apex court's Friday ruling is part of a judgment acquitting Arup Bhuyan, convicted by a Guwahati court under the now lapsed anti-terror law Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. Bhuyan was a suspected member of the outlawed secessionist outfit United Liberation Front of Assam ( Ulfa) which figures at the top of the home ministry`s list of banned organizations.

"Mere membership of a banned organization will not make a person a criminal unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence or creates public disorder by violence or incitement to violence," a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra said.

The order can have a bearing on the plans of outlawed outfits which include terror and insurgent groups. The list of 32 banned organizations on the website of ministry of home affairs includes al-Qaida, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Students` Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), CPI(M-L) and allied formations, militant groups active in north-eastern states, Khalistan Commando Force, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, International Sikh Youth Federation, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and Al Badr.

Exactly a month ago, the same Bench had upheld bail to a doctor arrested for treating a man accused of chopping off the hand of a Kerala professor for setting a controversial question paper.

The January 3 judgment had said, "Mere membership of a banned organization will not incriminate a person unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence or does an act intended to create disorder or disturbance of public peace by resort to violence."

The trial court had convicted Bhuyan based on his confession to police, admissible as evidence under TADA. Bhuyan had appealed in Supreme Court.

Allowing his petition, the court said his conviction was based on "a very weak kind of evidence" and could not be sustained in the absence of corroborative material.

On the confessions, Justices Katju and Misra expressed strong views. "As is well known, the widespread and rampant practice in the police in India is to use third-degree methods for extracting confessions from the alleged accused. Hence, the courts have to be cautious in accepting confessions made to the police by the alleged accused," the Bench said.

Police often extracted confession from an accused because they were neither trained nor equipped with gadgets to conduct scientific investigation like their western counterparts, the Bench said, adding, "Hence, to obtain a conviction, they often rely on the easy short-cut of procuring a confession under torture." The court added, "Torture is such a terrible thing that when a person is under torture, he will confess to almost any crime. Even Joan of Arc confessed to be a witch under torture."

Read more: Just being member of banned outfit not a crime: Supreme Court - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Just-being-member-of-banned-outfit-not-a-crime-Supreme-Court/articleshow/7428601.cms#ixzz1D2vCXIK9
--
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
Visit my blog at
www.manukhsi.blogspot.com

For information on the issues, movements and priorities of Scavenger community in India please log on to
www.swachchakar.blogspot.com
For information on civil society initiatives on Muslims in UP please log on to
www.rehnumaa.blogspot.com

Follow me on twitter at freetohumanity

Skype at vbrawat

For Social action, land rights, right to food and hunger issues support Social Development Foundation at www.thesdf.org

Pro Democracy Struggle of Egypt

2011-02-04T15:56:00.001+09:00

A Historic moment in Egypt

Popular revolt is against symbolic democracy and fake secularism

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

It is difficult for dictators and despots to leave their power and possessions as things are painful afterwards and you do not have everything at your disposal. Surrounded by hundreds of Chums, these self glorified leaders have virtually lost touch with modern day realities, the pains and agonies of their masses. Every political leader became victim of their own images and egos and developed a larger than life image of their own selves. At the end, when they face the popular music from people, they failed to realize that their time has run out and it was time to say bye. The last big revolt of the masses was seen in the Philippines when military dictator Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown by the masses but not before things were made difficult for him. The exiled opposition leader Benigno Aquino whose wife Corazon Aquino became president of that country later in 1986, was assassinated in August 1983 as soon as he landed at the Manila airport from the United States. Anyone who has seen the life style of the then president could vouch why he became a hate figure in his own country. Popular uprising forced Tunisian President Ben Ali to run away from his country and take asylum in Saudi Arabia. Egypt secular dictator Hosni Mubarak feel that he was still fit to rule the country and that he has more people on his side. To complicate further, he warned the west that if he is forced to quit, Egypt would be under the Islamic Fundamentalist forces. While he could not organize a march of even two thousands people, paid goons of the government and those who felt that they might lose their perks and contacts in the new set up, lost no time in attacking the protestors as the army stood mute and watched the events helplessly. It was a well managed act yet got exposed on Televisions sets world wide. President Mubarak who is not so young today, is still sticking to chair with all dirty tricks wanted to show his masters in the United States that he is still in command and a 'people's representative'. Americans are actually 'experts' in exporting such democracies to the world which create Mubarak or Shah which produce an Ayatollah or Taliban in counter revolution.

When two million people marched at the liberation square in Cairo, Mubarak and his cronies might not have imagined that people would stay whole night and ready to take on the government. Perhaps the most important factor in the power politics is the 'patience' of the governing class and the 'impatience' of the oppressed. They know well that the longer this protest grow, it will get frustrated as people have to ultimately look for their survival as none of them are fortunate enough to survive without working like our powerful people could do with out caring for. Unfortunately, when the protest reached the 9^th day, the state apparatus swung into action and started infiltrating in the movement for democracy. Mubarak's thugs came in Cars, Camels and horses and attacked brutally to every one. We saw live coverage how journalists are being targeted and foreigners are being shown the door. In the presence of international media, he knew that US and Europeans were determined to his ouster yet the facts are clear that they all know that once Mubarak is ousted then the new equations might be more dangerous. That this revolution does not go in the hands of allegedly Islamic groups was more problematic for the western diplomats and hence they have been working over time to stop it. The delayed tactics are being used and army is being taught to be a serious player so that a 'secular 'government' stays in power. This 'secular government' clearly means the one which can keep the interest of these powers safe and continue to be 'friendly' with Israel which feel continuously threatened with the growing unease in the entire Arab world against the dictators pampered by the United States. It's the 12^th today as thousands of people continue to defy the guns, tanks and power of Hosni Mubarak whose dictatorial powers for past thirty years compelled people to come to the street and fight for their right. The fear of people has disappeared now despite army's dwindling responses. Initially the armed forces said that they would not fire on their own people but they did not do much to protect the protesters from the assault of the paid goons of the president. Though they know it well that they can not fire on its people.

Why has Egypt erupted against the president who looked secular to all of us who were not living in that country? Years ago, when people like Mubarak, Shah of Iran, Nazib, Saddam Hussein, King of Jordan, Hafiz Al Asad of Syria, Ben Ali of Tunisia were leading their nations, the general feeling outside their countries was of secular leadership.

Since no information would come out, a foreign visit of these dictators was always a public relation exercise for all. For US, UK and India, these despots were their secular Islamic face and for them and their public their popularity internationally. It also meant that the policies have got approval by the international community. The fact is that they were indeed secular in their personal lives who had the best materialistic things at their disposal and who denied their people right to freedom of expression and right to make independent political choices. Thousands of political opponents were jailed and constitution became 'keep' of the rulers.

Today, when people all over the world are describing the events in Egypt as Tsunami or major earth quack which has swept across the Arab world, the tremors are being felt everywhere. Nobody ever thought that a slap by a police woman to a vegetable vendor in Tunisia would force the 'secular' dictator to run away and take shelter at Saudi Arabia, the biggest lanky of the United States. It has to be understood why the entire Arab world is in the crisis and why a secular alternative is often out of sight in those countries. Why Arab world has turned so rigid. And the answers lies in Iranian revolution in 1975 when the revolutionary Iranian overthrew corrupted Shah Regime and Ayatollah Khomeini became the new voice of the Islamic world. That is why it is important to understand why Arab world is so different and react negatively to American imposed western democracy and secularism. It is not that the people there do not want democratic secular values. But if secularism is keeping the opponents in prison and allowing a dictator to rule the country unquestionably then we are going to see more problem. Without resolving the Israel Palestinian issue, no Arab government can live peacefully. The present peace that the Western world feels about the Arab world is imposed and purchased by supplying huge arms and keeping the armed forces happy. That is why, each of these despots had unquestioned support from their army as they too know it well that once real democracy comes in these societies the perks and loot in the name of national security will have to be replaced by a more transparent pro people policy of the governments.

In 1981 President Anwar Sadaat was assassinated by the extremists who were unhappy with his signing treaty with Israel. Mubarak was his deputy and took over. Since then Egyptians have to contain with Mubarak and his military commanders. It is equally interesting that none in the western world ever thought of writing about the gross human rights violations in these states. The violence against children and women is rampant and honored killings have official sanction. Blasphemy laws are used to curtail opposition and freedom of expression and right to chose political party and political protest is unknown phenomena in many of these states. Yet, in the name of modernity, Americanisation process started. Big companies had huge land and market in the region. Efforts were made to convert the distinct Islamic values into forced 'secularism'. There was no effort to strengthen democratic voices and dissent. Americans were only interested in their interest and were pumping money to two of its giant like Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It was American money only that was taking care of Israel too so you have both warring groups in your hand. Mubarak despite wide protest in the Islamic world continued to be in the good book of the Western governments and the people in large were unable to protest against him because they were afraid of power.

It has to be understood that just aping the western power will not bring secularism in these states. The fact is that Americans and western interventions had nothing to help secular voices. After all how did Taliban come into force in Afghanistan or now the radicals in Iraq? The things are clear that nobody would accept imposed secularism at the cost of their cultural identities and subjugation of their masses. In the glitter of free market we forgot that the life was becoming hell in all these nations. The free market economy failed Indonesia and Malaysia and then followed by Turkey. The colonial democracy imposed by the western elites in these countries actually was nothing but fancy of a few feudal lords who cared nothing about their people. Human rights violation was a regular affair and the powerful manipulated democracy for their own purposes. Most of them hailed from Army which played an important role in strengthening 'democracy' in their respective countries.

Can a 'secular dictatorship' be allowed to ruin these countries which do not allow freedom of press and freedom of choices? How are they called secular when they violate the basic principles of democracy? How is it that the colonial powers had different sets of rule for democracy in their own country and their colonies? How is that none in US and UK could rule for more than 10 years yet in all the states which are being pampered by them their chums are ruling for over 30-40 years. There is no civil society and political freedom. Keeping army powerful in these countries is the western way of controlling their leadership and that is why what we are witnessing in Egypt and other parts of Arab world is a rejection of these power politics.

The popular unrest in Egypt has been successful though it has not reached to a logical conclusion. Mubarak has threatened an Islamic revolution if he leaves and he does not want his country to convert into an Iraq or Afghanistan. But the fact is that Mubarak will do so till his last breathe as he has now realized that his days are numbered and yet he is there because of the hypocrisy of the Western governments who are unable to find another puppet to serve their interest. The people know it well and that is why most of the protesters as well as the pro government people, shouted slogans and posters against the Western governments. Interestingly the person who is made his deputy hails from the army and intelligence. He is bargaining with west and probably to ensure that the government after him does not go on which hunt against him. US know well that any new entrants may not be instrumental in their plan to control Suez for commercial purposes. One of Mubarak's close-aid in an interview to BBC said that he was an army man first and any army one would like to be killed or shot at rather than run away from the battle ground. According to him, Mubarak will fight this battle with honor as he would not like to quit as Ben Ali did as there is a difference between Egypt and Tunisia.

Whatever happened but the fact is that the Egyptian coup has send tremors not only in the Arab world but also elsewhere. We wait when will such revolutions happen in our part of the world where democratic dictators have made our lives hell. Egyptian people have shown great courage in their fight against one of their mightiest opponent. And this courage needs to be saluted. More importantly, this is not just secularism and democracy debate. Behind every glitter of the free market world is an ugly reality of life. Behind every power of stock market is a dark side where people have no space to live and get two time meals. The western world might change the debate and put it according to their convenience but the fact is lack of employment, increasing inflation and absolutely difficult life style will create more unrest. IMF report has already indicated that the world will face such crisis including food riots in future as situation is absolutely grim. It is therefore important for the Western World to keep away from intervening in the Arab world and allow a democratic transition in those countries. Let their people decide what suits to them as an American solution for an Egyptian problem would be counter productive and will fail. Whatever form of government we have, at the end of the day, if it does not lift the masses and improve their lives, they will always face challenges. Let us not forget these factors that people want a better life style, peace and prosperity in all the regions and the political paratroopers have completely failed to satisfy their basic minimum needs as looking secular was more important for them then creating more work, better jobs for their own people with peace and stability in the region. Egypt's crisis is warning to all those who created these symbolic democracies to fulfill their own market agendas. The war has just begun that market has failed, it will create more chaos in the region and that by and large people want secularism and democracy but definitely not at the cost of their society and country. The protesters who are shouting in the streets want better lives for them, cheap food and more jobs and definitely does not have any hatred towards any one except the ruling elite whether it is Muslim or any one else. Democracy and secularism will never get strengthened with undemocratic despots who are destroying their countries to keep their Western world happy. Their time has come now as this mass uprising will not go in vein. It has already jolted Mubarak and other such governments in the region. May they succeed and a democratic transition takes place in the region soon.

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For Social action, land rights, right to food and hunger issues support Social Development Foundation at www.thesdf.org

Follow me on twitter at freetohumanity

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Corruption killing honest people

2011-01-28T10:16:00.002+09:00

India sinks in corruption and cast-ism

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

On the eve of our 61st republic day an upright officer in Maharastra was burnt alive by the oil Mafia as he tried to stop them from doing so. No officer of collector level normally travels without a few of his assistants. Additional District Collector of Malegaon Yashwant Sonawane found the Oil Mafia pilfering the oil and adulterating it. To make the case foolproof, he took video of the entire incident on his mobile phone. This resulted in scuffle and Sonawane lost his life in a brutal way. As Mumbai Mid day reported, the officer was allowed to die as none of his assistants tried to douse the flame. He fought with life for nearly 35 minutes before succumbing to burn. Can one believe such incidents where officers and Babus have taken the country for a ride. This incident should not become a tool for these corrupt officers to do away with people’s work and surround them in heavy security cordon. Though every one sympathise with Sonawane yet it does not give certificate of integrity to Indian bureaucrats who remain spineless to political-mafia class and show their spine only to the poor in the villages. Yes, the entire bureaucracy can not be blamed yet India needs cleansing from top to down. Its mindset is not changing. It remains prisoner of caste, gender bias and a corruption. A few years back a bright engineer of Indian Oil Manjunath was brutally murdered by the oil mafias in Uttar-Pradesh.

This incident has shocked the entire nation on the eve of republic day. We are already depressed with the growing unrest and uneasiness in the country. Nothing seems to be working here. When the report of Sonawane’s brutal burning came, the news channels were still busy with whether Sachin Tendulkar would get Bharat Ratna or not. It is business usual for them as they will have other stories to celebrate.

But 61 years after becoming a republic and so-called democratic country, why India is suffering and why it continue to be one of the most corrupted countries in the world. It is ironical that people in India are looking towards despots and dictators for being clean and committed even when they have seen and heard about these in Pakistan, Philippines and elsewhere. Why the situation has arisen when our friends are talking of a Tunisian replication in India. Let us discuss these issues in details.

Corruption did not erupt in India all of a sudden. Indian regimes were heavily corrupted and promoting their own family and relatives. The political system has become victim of this and the ruling Congress Party can not absolve itself from the major ills that the country face today. The Hindutva is a logical illegitimate child of Gandhian variety of politics that Congress and its various offshoots claim to follow. That corruption has a caste angle too needs to be seen in larger perspective.

In 1986, the issue of corruption in high places was highlighted by Late V.P.Singh and he faced not only false accusation and allegation that some of the top ranking editors allowed them to be used by the ruling congress in power games that time. Hence targeting the whistleblower is part of our power polity. All attempts were made to malign him and finish him politically. A fake account in his name was opened in St Kitts and the news for it was leaked through one of country’s top editors Mr M.J.Akbar. Akbar was part of congress party’s cocktail circle and later became spokes-person of the party. The reason for this was that as a finance minister in Rajeev Gandhi’s regime, VP Singh dared to raid the houses of those industrial houses who considered to sacrosanct in this country. Many new things were emerging. Ambanis, India’s most corrupted business house lobbied against it and used CBI and intelligence for its own purpose. State apparatus was playing in the hands of these powerful to lobby for them and thus reducing the state into virtual prisoner of these powers. It was also charged that VP Singh with his confident officials like Bhure Lal and Vinod Pandey were speaking to Fairfax agency to investigate the illegal money of Indian in foreign banks including the Swiss banks. The Prime Minister Gandhi shifted him to defense ministry against the public mood under the impression that India was facing severe challenge from Pakistan. There as a defense minister, he ordered inquiry into German HDW Howitzer deal and found that commission was paid. At the same point of time, news came of the Boforse Gun Deal and commission paid in it and the rest is history. Today, Congress and its most disgusting politicians may claim that this is not an issue but the fact is that Bofors caught the imagination of Indian people and the 1989 mandate against Rajiv Gandhi was a mandate against corruption. Though that government did not survive long yet the contribution of that fight against corruption made congress party virtually defensive and finished its unquestioned monopoly of country’s polity.

V.P.Singh was a hero of the Indian middle classes. He was personally honest and committed to the cause and hence people believed in him. But what happened afterwards. The 1991 acceptance of Mandal Commission Report change his acceptance in the middle classes. From an honest politician, he became one of the most hated one in Indian political scenario who must be shunned and rejected. Those who claimed to be his friends were totally co-opted by the Congress brand of secular politics which meant every thing is accepted as long as you are ‘secular’. They took people for granted and felt that ‘secularism’ is the final chord that this country wants and none is bothered about their deeds. His colleagues could not take themselves to those heights where your moral integrity and individual honesty matters a lot. They took inspiration from Congress’s family world and could not follow that properly. Corruption killed them politically and family world surrounded with their Chamchas was the last nail in their coffin.

BSP founder Kanshi Ram was an exception in this field. He kept himself away from the family and that is why not close to the charges of corruption. Even if some people might have alleged that he took money from Congress party or Rajeev Gandhi, his personal self remained pure. None of his family people could claim that they benefited from his politics and such politics gives you strength. That is why Kanshi Ram remains the idol for many of us who the others might charge as Machiavellian. Whatever he was, he never betrayed his community. The interest of his community was top in his mind. Once you are individually clean and honest, your followers will always ready to fight along with you. BSP’s cadres still remember Kanshiram and get strength from his work for the society. Politicians like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan could follow neither Lohia, Jai Prakash nor VP Singh or Karpoori Thakur for they all were known for their personal integrity despite their political successes or failures. How will you accept that Karunanidhi is the rightful heir of Periyar. It did not deter them from pursuing their agenda. It is not that there are no politicians of that kind but I am speaking of those who are supposed to be leading figures of their parties.

Unfortunately, the last 10 years, the foundation of Indian republic are under clear challenge from the corrupted. The crony capitalism promoted by the political parties particularly the Congress and BJP has resulted in complete collapse of our system. Bureaucrats are promoting linkages with Industries for their retirement benefits. Industries have controlled media and media is converting the non issues into the issues and avoiding debate on the issues of public interest. None feel shameful when Mukesh Ambani built a five thousand crore empire in Mumbai and his brother promise to create a better one in future. Whose money is this? Is there any shame? Was there any debate as why our Industrialists have no shame in claiming people’s money as their own and spending it on their shameless luxuries. Will there be a law. No, there is no question of a law on private property, say experts. Pranab Mukherjee, India’s finance minister say that the black money put in the Swiss bank can only be brought to India if the names of the people are not made public. Is it in an indirect way approval for an amnesty which Dr Manmohan Singh started several years back to legitimize the illegally begotten money by the corrupt Indian elite? Is it because there are a number of accounts belonging to Indian political class? Is it because we want to save special people from public scrutiny?

According to reports India has the largest number of sum in the Swiss bank followed by Russia but the gap between the first and second is too big and shows how India has sunk further. That this illegal money is of India’s poor is beyond any one’s doubt. It is certain the money has been deposited by politicians, industrialists, moneylenders and others like them as they know well that once they are found guilty in India, they can fly to Switzerland and its beautiful mountains without any problem and can live rest of their lives there.
.
INDIA $1,456 BILLION
RUSSIA $470 BILLION
U.K. $390 BILLION
UKRAINE $100 BILLION
CHINA $96 BILLION

The past 10 years have shown that this nexus between different groups, industrial and business houses and politicians-bureaucrats have influenced India’s policies and planning. So, nothing happened when inflation goes beyond the roof top. Our poor do not earn 50 cent a day while our leaders live in grand style. Their expenses are not questioned. They have discretionary quotas to allot public land to their friends, families and relatives. Y.S.Rajshekar Reddy started it in Andhra Pradesh and BSYadirappa is shameless in doing so and the Hindutva’s ‘soul keepers’ say it is ‘immoral and unethical’ yet not illegal. It is simply Hindutva way of defining corruption. They are calling for strike, stalling Parliament yet remain silent on the marriage of their president’s son. Where has the money come from? Can’t we do it in a simple way Mr Advani? Why our political class want to celebrate their private matter in a Raja-Maharaja style.

Corruption will not become an issue as long as it is not addressed from the root cause. A caste-ist society which is patriarchical believes in spreading the family wings. India’s corruption is basically to strengthen family control. Whether it is bollywood films, politics, industries or judiciary, it is to enlarge their families and circle to control India. You have judges coming from particular families, industrialists strengthening their families and Bollywood and Dollywood (delhi’s dirty political world) ready to fight honesty to promote their families. Political parties with immense benami land and money control will never fight against corruption as they have got ‘people’s mandate. One does not know what is this ‘people’s mandate when more than 50% voters do not even caste their vote. Most of the governments in this country and states are on less than 40% votes of the popular vote caste which actually is 20% of the votes of total eligible voters. That means most of the government in India after independence did not have the popular mandate of the people and that is the reason of their continuous negligence of people’s issues and their deep involvement in the loot of people’s resources. Moreover, when ever they want to change, they would raise some emotive issue and rise on the popular sentiments of the masses. The fact of the matter is that India’s electoral system is corrupted and it is giving rise to more corruption. There is a relative competition with the corrupt politicians who have taken their people for granted as they always felt that it is not going to be an issue. Leaders have become the ‘voice’ and ‘identity’ of their communities as if they are not there the community will be orphaned. This mindset has grown in the communities also and it has now the created the sinking feeling of helplessness and a blank future.

A country of 2 billion people can not be allowed to sink in the blank because of the historical wrongs committed by particular castes, its leaders and mercenaries. A country can not live in the baggage of past as it has to look forward. It can not be a victim of Dronacharya syndrome for ever where definition of corruption was different for different people.

Today, Lal Krishna Adavani and his fellow charioteers are seeking people’s mandate on corruption without ever introspecting on their own deeds of corruption. It is not phenomena that developed suddenly but the way our political system continued to ape the business interest, it was bound to happen. It will happen as long as our political class as a whole is prisoner of business houses, the corporate who will make it dance on their tones. The media will report according to its corporate interest. For getting rid of depression it has cricket and Bolly-wood in its kitty so there is no time for people’s issues. In fact, it is over enthusiastic about World Economic Forum meet in Devos. Hindutva’s cocktail with business and babas is well known to be discussed here. It is tragic that to fight against corruption we will depend on those forces whose basic preamble and ideology is corrupted and based on fanaticism, hatred and brahmanical racist hegemony. Public memory may be short but the facts are clear that in Parliament Congress opposed Mandal Commission Recommendation along with Advani. Lal Krishna Advani started his Kamandal yatra to counter the impact of Mandal on Indian masses and bring the asserting bahujan masses back to the Hindutva fold lead by the caste Hindus. It is beyond doubt that P.V.Narsimha Rao complimented the Hindutva by opening India’s gate for all these companies at the cost of destroying the public sector institutions to eliminate quota system.

At the World Economic Forum, Ajim Premji expressed shock of the collapse of governance in India. But he should introspect also as why the collapse. With the active participation of India’s crony capitalists, the political class alone can not be responsible for bringing us to this stage. It was logical conclusion of the dirt that we thought in the aftermath of the policies initiated by Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister and then followed as Prime Minister. These policies developed in rampant corruption by these companies. Do you think that the political parties and leaders who are selling our farmer’s land and property to private companies are doing it without any personal interest? Why are Vijay Malya, Anil Ambani, elected unopposed in Parliament. Why every political party is looking for an Amar Singh or Pramod Mahajan. Do we respect honesty really? How many of our people know about Madhu Dandwate, Surendra Mohan Karpoori Thakur, Kanshi Ram, Ram Dhan and Indrajeet Gupta. How much did media report about their deaths and their political lives?

Well, a system created to help the powerful class will always deviate from the issues and use media to over turn a mandate. Fortunately, despite all tall claims, people of India still have their own mind to vote and they voted according to their issues and priorities. I always loved what Late Kanshi Ram used to say ‘, we do not need Majboot Sarkar in Delhi but Mazboor sarkar which mean we need a weak government in Delhi and not a strong’. Congress in its second term actually proved how it has drifted from people’s issue and aspirations. Fight against corruption has to come from the above and political parties have to relinquish their family business of promoting their children and imposing on the people of India in the name of what people want. The patience of India’s people should not be tasted for long. If one slap in Tunisia can turn the entire system and brought hope in the Middle East against those despots who ruled in the name of Islam, then we are better prepared. Our people have been cheated and betrayed in the name of democracy. Where is it? In parliament or Assemblies where no discussion takes place and only unanimity is to increase their perks and salaries shamelessly. At the moment, people are not just frustrated with one particular party but with the democratic institutions themselves and that is shocking. The Hindutva want to ride on people’s aspiration and that must be curtailed. It would be worst than the Islamic despots in middle-east. So the challenge is bigger. The very foundation of our corrupt culture has to go and real democracy has to come. Political democracy without social democracy would fail Dr Ambedkar had said long back. Today, we are witnessing how our political democracy is failing as democracy is in the hands of not only corrupted but all those who have no respect for democracy. The depression must take the form of frustration only then we will be able to protect upright officers like Yashwant Sonawane.

Time for a Telengana State

2011-01-17T11:03:00.000+09:00

Messing up in Telengana would alienate people from rest of the country

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Justice Shri Krishna Committee report on Telengana has strengthened the views of the Telengana people that it was meant to create status quo and buying time to create further confusion and depression among the people of the region. That Shri Krishna Committee could not find logical reasons for carving a separate Telengana state is quite distasteful. But what can one do with a committee of ‘experts’ who hails from state apparatus and know to ‘rule’ and ‘govern’ rather than understanding the historical demands and sentiments of the people. Of course, sentiments do not matter for those in powers as for them it is important to calculate here and there to save their governments and further their own agenda for future.

That Andhra Pradesh has been a loyalist to Congress party and important for its future is a well known fact. And it is this tragedy that has averted creation of Telengana State duly declared by home minister P.Chidambaram on December 9th, 20101 last year after a cabinet meet on the issue. After the builders and minor lobby creating ruckus in Andhra Pradesh, the government backtracked its own decision and formed a committee of ‘expert’ to maintain the status quo. The committee members traveled across the state and met a large number of people and found their assumption that the most suitable thing for the development of the region is to maintain the status quo.

Telenagana is burning again. This time, it is silence in the air but tension is visible on each face. Perhaps, the people are waiting for the Budget session of parliament. They are waiting for the government at the center to come for a final solution. It seems, the Congress party is playing a mind game and testing the patience of the people of the region. Congress is known to do no work, a typical P.V.Narsimharao style which means doing nothing means doing everything. And they are waiting for people to respond.

The important thing that has happened this time is usage of media. This self censorship from the media created an atmosphere where the local people are feeling betrayed. The same media which was broadcasting every small event nearly a year ago is keeping a low profile. The day the Commission report was out, momentum was building up and our anchors were playing great hosts. Telengana Rashtra Samiti President KCR’s son was the most visible face on TV channels explaining eloquently why they reject the Shri Krishna Committee Report. The other faces from the regions were a bunch of expert and congress politicians who are unable to express as they are dying in two loyalties – one to their people and the other to their high command. In the congress culture, high command is most important thing and hence these MPs will wait till their last breathe to wait for a positive decision from High Command. An Indian Express story narrated in details how the Congress MPs from Telenagana regions virtually wept at the feet of Pranab Mukherjee, virtually telling him that their political future would be decimated and that they have no other option then committing suicide. The congress MPs should understand better that they have better option than opposition in creation of Telenagana. Congress should understand that it may lose all the regions due to its dilly dallying tactics on the issue.

Telengana, it seems, is the most misunderstood region. Its political struggle does not appear visible outside the region. The current movement and sentiments remains in the state. It is tragic that the other parts of the country, it is becoming like a hot ‘national’ issue which is linked to disintegration of the country. Some parties and experts claimed that it will divide the country further. Then there are arguments that smaller states are not good. The other argument is that states were divided on the basis of languages and hence no further division of one language state. Many argue according to their convenience like a Bahujan ideologue who said there is nothing for us in Telengana. BJP is supporting as it is known to swim in troubled water as it has no stake in Andhra Pradesh. The Hindutva always gained from the smaller state syndrome as the faulty positions taken up the other parties.

Let us understand that there is no meaning of the explanations given in terms of smaller state or bigger state. There are big states which have failed and there are smaller states which have succeeded. States are not created just because we feel they might fail. If that were the reasons, British should not have left from India. States are created on specific movements for their autonomy and people’s struggle, socio-economic conditions, cultural differences. United States of America has over 50 states while India with such huge population has just 29 states. The states that were created immediately after independence were not always on logical grounds. If one see the logic of the work of the state than you have to scratch your head. How states were created and how their capitals were developed. Thiruvananthpuram is capital of Kerala but it is based on the border of Kerala with Tamilnadu. How can one justify such a capital? Chennai is on one side of Tamilnadu. One can visualize the distance of Hyderabad from Vishakapattanam. French scholar said that nation states are bound not by language and common religion but common history which may not be dynastic but earned through common struggle. The Telenagna people’s strength lies in common struggle against not only the autocratic rule of Nizam but also against feudalism.

Unfortunately, the entire issue revolves around the fate of Congress party in the region. One must not undermine the factor that political parties are taking positions according to their possibilities for future. When the congress decided to opt for a Telengana state last year, they were hopeful that there would no reaction against it, as has happened in other cases such as Chhatishgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand state where state assemblies passed resolution in this effect. Hence the protest in coastal Andhra regions were well planned by the lobbyist to thwart the separate Telenagana dream. It is unfortunate that the politicians could go to such strength to sustain their interest. We know well that during the Uttarakhand state, the issue of Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar and Hardwar became bone of contention with Uttar-Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav continue to say they were part of Uttar-Pradesh ignoring the historic reality of the two cities. It was done to deny Uttarakhand the revenue generated from the region and compelling the center to concede the demand of the state in a truncated form. However, that did not succeed. This time too, the center has to take a decision above the party line. Once that is done, they would be able to handle all other issues.

It is well known facts that many voices for more autonomy for Indian states emerged in 1980s. The demands for autonomy with in the states also raised its head. The grievances of the people in particular states need to be looked after. Rajiv Gandhi actually started his governance with much better way as he not only negotiated in Punjab and Assam at the cost of his own party but also brought Mizo rebel leader Laldenga to negotiating table. When state were demanding fiscal autonomy, regional voices with in the states were raising their head. Gorakhaland, Bodoland, Vidarbha, Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand are some of the logical demands coming out of part of huge states where people of one region find it difficult to travel to the state capitals. The biases can clearly be found in the state bureaucracy.

The government of India should not be very of thinking about demands for separate states. We can not impose super state nationalism on these sub regional demand. It is important that our people stop looking the sub regional identities through the prism of ‘their’ ‘nationalism. Aspiration for saving their culture, identity and most importantly quest for development and being part of it force the people to think about their own state. As we know in big state, the backward regions are looked down upon and their people have a negative image. Definitely people of Uttarakhand did not have a positive image in Delhi and Lucknow. Students from Jharkhand regions were always maltreated in Bihar while we all know what do people in Andhra think of a Telengana person. I have been traveling Hyderabad and other regions and I have found this bias among them in my conversation with them. Even an auto driver would comment that ‘they’ are ‘lazy’ people. We faced it in Delhi many time being termed as ‘Pahadi’ as if the Pahadi’s have no right to exist or live or as if they do not know any thing. Such biases exist in our system and society and hence better governments tackle that. When arguments are given about development in Telengana region by many economists and also justified by the Shri Krishna Committee report, they failed to respond how many Telenganites are part of these Development. How many of them own industries, business, schools.. What is their percentage in our services and elsewhere. These are genuine concern and can not come through the jargons of ‘we develop Telenegana for you’. Today’s slogan is ‘we, the people of Telengana will develop our Telengana. Your support is welcome.

An important point raised by a number of Dalit Bahujan ideologues is about the movement being led by the upper castes. But should that deter the demands for a separate statehood as it is historical. Secondly, Telengana’s has a very substantial Dalit-Backwardcaste-Muslim population and it is definitely not going to be the same for them all the time. Once, the new state come, these power structure will also collapse. After all, who ever thought that Mayawati would become chief minister in the holy land of ‘Uttar-Pradesh’, the main battle field of Aryavrat. After nearly 40 years of our becoming republic people of Uttar-Pradesh realized the caste identities and their importance and post 1990s, we mostly had chief ministers from Dalit-backward communities. Now, we are entering into another phase where people are becoming more inquisitive and asking more questions from their own leaders and Bihar is another example of how the most deprived revolted against the powerful.

It is therefore important for the center government to initiate a process. Telenagna will not come to peace with patch up solutions. The more delay the government do in this case, they face more problem and people from both Andhra and Telengana regions will suffer. Already, the unrest during the past one year has cost a lot to students and business in the region. Such uncertainty fuel dissatisfaction among the people and alienate them from the rest of the country. They tend to become more rhetorical and will develop more hatred towards the neighbors which need to be shunned at all cost. Two people from same regions can not be allowed to hate each other and kill each other. But this will happen as the more we delay the process, the greater would be the feeling of ‘victimisation’ and betrayal among the people of Telengana region.

One hope that the government will bring the bill for a separate state in the Parliament and stop rest the question of what is going to happen in Telengana. The emotional bondage is completely broken in the region with that of rest of the Andhra Pradesh. And it can come back to normalcy once a new state comes into being. In true democracy it is people’s will to live together. In 1882, French philosopher Ernst Renan delivered a lecture in the University of Sorbonne and said that ‘A nation is therefore a large scale solidarity. Its existence is a daily plebiscite. A province is its inhabitants, if any one has the right to be consulted, it is its inhabitants. A nation never has any real interest in annexing or holding onto a country against its will. The existence of nations is a good thing, a necessity even. Their existence is a guarantee of liberty, which would be lost if, the world has only one law and only one master.’

While Ernst Renan was defining Nationhood and hence a large number of points which he mentioned are very much relevant here in terms of sub regional identities and aspirations. The truth is that if there is a plebiscite in Telengana, it would wholeheartedly reject being part of Andhra Pradesh. A state is not a militerised notion where your demands for autonomy are met with lathiweilding policemen and army. That can never bring peace. Time has come for the government of India to grant statehood to Telengana and also constitute a second State Reorganisation Commission to look into other such demands for the state for better governance. If the solutions for people’s aspirations are in the form of policing the people by putting non political governors in the ‘problematic’ states then India will pay a heavy price for this. Political issues need political solutions and not from those top bureaucrats who have deep contempt for the people and who consider themselves as masters of the people and know only language of violence. Nothing is lost at the moment. Shri Krishna Committee report is nothing but balancing acts of bureaucrats and good for research work. It can not bring solution to the issue without granting statehood to Telengana. To hold on to an unwilling people into a state is violation of their fundamental right. It would be good for Congress party to think beyond their immediate political interest and take a decision. Prolonging the decision will only bring chaos and anarchy which in long term would be detrimental for the economy and health of the country.

Growing Intolerance to Freedom of Expression and civil liberties

2010-12-30T11:45:00.000+09:00

Need judicial reforms and a debate on the issues of sedition and governance

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

As year 2010 is approaching to an end, the outrageous verdict pronounced by a Raipur court to Dr Binayak Sen is a reminder of how judicial system is working in India particularly the lower judiciary. It has not only shocked the nation but also proved that in this country any talk of senses would be dealt by the government and its authorities in the similar way. It is more shameful when we find the same charges being leveled against Arundhati Roy for alleged ‘anti-national’ remarks on Kashmir. It is sadly a poor reflection on how things are manipulated in India by authorities.. Definitely, it shocked the middle class upper caste Hindus also who think how such charge can be leveled against him. So far treason and sedition charges are always domain of the ‘Muslims’ but now we are turning more ‘secular’ for the same.

But my issue is not with what Binayak Sen and Arundhati Roy write or who they meet which actually is part of the life of all of us who claim to work for people. As human rights activist we are supposed to meet and visit people who feel they are threatened and wrongly abused by the state and its authorities. All this is part of democratic process as the aim is to bring people to negotiating table and force the state to be more responsible. State has all the power and that power need to be used with utmost care and more responsibility and accountability. State can not act in a streetfight acting on tit for tat slogan.

We all know that in the past 20 years, India has further degenerated in to the core values of state’s responsibility. The directive principles of our constitution guided us to make a responsible state towards the Dalits and Adivasis. As the assertion of Dalits and Adviasis grew, the state started abdicating its responsibility in a very shrewd way. The two important issues that are part and parcel of our struggle are Land Redistribution and participation in power structure through reservation in the government jobs. Since 1990s, they became target of the ruling elite. Hence on the one hand, the subsequent government in post 1990s opted for opening up of Indian market and thus killing our farmers on the one hand and allowing privatization of more and more companies thus reducing the job quota to a virtual nil in the government sector. This was the silent poison introduce by the government. The ruling elite were not satisfied with this only. The marginalization and isolation of Muslims was complete. Though this country has a history of communal disturbances yet Babari demolition shook the very basic foundation of our nationhood yet nothing happened to those who were behind the killings of people and incited hatred against the ‘second largest community’ in India Contrary to what we felt that these communalist forces would be thrashed and sent to jail, we saw Lal Krishna Advani became deputy prime minister of the country for his Ayodhya Kand. Narendra Modi became chief minister after massacring thousands of Muslims in Gujarat and Kalyan Singh who took oath to defend the Babari Mosque was sentenced to one day imprisonment for a clear act of sedition which actually created an unprecedented divide in the country. We did not a find single sentence for those who allegedly were responsible for massacring thousands of Sikhs in Delhi’s 1984 riots. After 1993 riots Bal Thackrey’s Shiv Sena came to power in Maharastra. Why not a fast track court for our politicians? Can there be any case against Lal Krishna Advani, Narendra Modi, Uma Bharati and Kalyan Singh under sedition. No, they have raised the consciousness of this country for Ram Mandir, the ‘most important’ issue the country, hence they got awarded with power in the country. Actually, questioning the mainstream politics has become very much like a blasphemy law in India and that could send you to jail. This has to be challenged at all level.

If these things were not enough to break the bone of the people of India, the power brokers forced the government to grab the fertile land of the country. Millions of hectares of land was handed over in a throw away prices to the industrialists who suck our blood from morning till evening. The authorities were hell bent to grab all these for the ‘development’ of our country. In each spheres of our life we find rampant corruption which is killing us. Our politicians, bureaucrats, journalists, along with corporate have looted our resources and displaced people from their own places without providing an alternatives. No debate is taking place in parliament on the issues of national concern. If one party opposes certain initiative, they are doing the same in their state. The Hindutva people knew it very well that a cocktail of ‘capital’ and ‘brahmanism’ is best suited to protect their interests in India and hence they have Brahmanised the Indian polity resulting almost no opposition for government policies on corporate. That is why any mention of ‘Hindu terrorist evoke such sharp reactions in Indian media. They do not have same when we refer to Islamic terrorists or Muslim terrorists. The media already become part of the power gangs and judiciary out of domain for the poor, there is no way out for the poorest of the poor. The issues of tribal are in direct conflict with the issue of development. It is not that they do not want it but then the question is whether any one of us ever thought what they want. The democratic deficit in tribal land turned their anger against the state. Hundreds of them have been arrested and put into the jails for no faults of them. Their voices rarely got representation in the mainstream for the sake of ‘community representation’. It is difficult to understand that even the political parties claiming to work for them rarely raised those issues in Parliament and state assemblies.

Land grabbing helped all those contractors come in close contacts of the power elite. Each event in this country has relation with land grabbing and corruption. It is therefore important why right from Common Wealth Games to building of dams, parks, hotels, resorts, SEZs, High ways are the out come of a big disease called brahmanical capitalism at the moment being developed under the supervision of power elites. There is no debate for it as most of them have their hand strained in the blood of the people. That the issue of corruption will never become an issue as it does not influence people who have grown up in worshipping our political class. The only thing is that it has decentralized. Earlier it has brahmanical hegemony but now slowly the Dalit-Bahujans are also having their take in it though their percentage seems to be very low. But at the end of the day, the impact of this is on the poorest of the poor whether it is taken by any one. You can only be good if you dance to the tone of corporate. Hence a Nitish Kumar will turn sour if he does not allot land to some Tatas or Ambanis on throw away prices like Naveen Patnayak.

When the voices of opposition are nowhere then who has to play the role of it. Hundreds of local struggles have emerged up against the state policies which are uprooting people from their land. Whether it is Chhattishgarh state which is currently being ruled by a non tribal and that is the biggest irony of the state,. Similarly, other states have been governed by those who did not remain behind to keep the Dalits and tribal out of their developmental plans. States such as Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Maharastra and Uttarakhand, have provided their fertile land and water resources are at the cost of their people to these greedy corporations, many of whom are being run by our ‘esteemed’ politicians, are facing the protest of the people who are resisting every bit of this illegal take over of their land cultivated and nurtured by their ancestors. For ‘national’ media these are ‘regional’ news but the unrest is high though not formidable as people have to look for their next day meal too. It is not my contention that people do not need development but as a human rights defender, I must add that if State has failed to improve the condition of the people then its sovereignty has no right to take the lives of the people. Where is the state when tribal are dying of hunger or their women are being raped by our police and forces? Will they not turn the people against its might? Why is Kashmir boiling? Why is the North East still unable to reconcile to us? It is not that they do not want to be with us but how have we treated them. Can a Kashmiri Muslim get a room on rent in our cities? What do the girls of the North East face truants in Delhi and other parts of the country? What are we as a state? A State of racist nature, which look down upon those who it feel different than us. Yes, as a nation we still worship the white skin and look down upon the black.

Therefore, it is logical for humanists, human rights activists, and social action groups to play the role of the opposition. The issues of Human Rights of the Dalits were taken to international agenda not by the political parties but by the Dalit rights activists who spoke there and presented despite the powerful opposition from the shameless government of India which denied existence of caste based prejudices in India citing the laws and acts in Indian constitution. It is important for the health of democracy that political parties raise the issues concerning the masses but over the last 20 years politics has just become the game of non political actors and that is a dangerous phenomenon. Political parties might have empowered some of them but it is the social movements which have changed the lives of the people. And since many of the writers, activists, struggles for people’s right over resources are challenging government’s action particularly on the issue of sovereignty they are easily targeted as ‘being anti national’ or supporting secessionists or in more popular discourse, supporting the Maoists. For a nation to survive as a healthy democracy, it is important that we have an open debate on issues concerning our people. A debate on Kashmir can not be judged on Barkha Dutt’s upper caste show on NDTV. It needs to be organized in Kashmir and let those champions of Hindutva be there and speak among the masses. The issue of Advasis, need to be discussed with their people and not with one or two members showcased in the TV studios of Delhi to justify that ‘we have space for ‘their’ voices. Let the journalist report going to nook and corners of the country and not become part and parcel of our ‘intelligence’ network. The greatest danger to our democracy is the growing disappearance of demarcation line between a reporter and an intelligence person, between a PR person and an editor. They all have merged together so much that it is important to know who is the person and what is he writing.

The self styled mainstream media has rarely spoken for people who are rotting in our jails. They speak for Dr Binayak Sen as they feel he was one among them. It is a class-caste consciousness which has shocked them that if such a thing could happen to him, it might happen to them. But the fact is media has completely lost interest in people’s issues. Binayak Sen is not important. Important is the issue of charges against him and the way police framed him. Important is to question our sedition laws and the issue of my right to criticize the state. He was critical of Salawa Judum which the state felt was providing justice to the tribal who were not Naxalites. Even the Supreme Court had held that state can not give private citizens right to kill each other and Salwa Judum was that. Hence, questioning state polices today is being considered as challenge to our sovereignty. Therefore, I am also happy that this verdict will expose the Indian judicial system, its courts, its trial methods and how they function. It is indeed a case for judicial reforms in India.

Therefore, it is not necessary for me to dwell on the argument of Dr Binayak Sen or Arundhati Roy which may suffer from flaws and we all have those flaws as we become too sensitive to the issues close to our heart and that is what true about those who fight for people’s right. We may differ on our perceptions but as writers, authors, human rights activists always believe in their perceptions and beliefs and that makes them different than others. We are not political leaders who speak for the ‘people’. We speak our voices and our feeling. As a human rights defender, I write many things which many may not like, of course, many others like them too yet, it is important that this freedom remain unchallenged. For, because of such people, the forces of state and its sponsored campaigns and laws are challenged.

Is not it a hypocrisy that when a Chinese dissenter got Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year, Indian government send its representative to attend the ceremony despite China’s effort to dissuade India from doing so. It was a great gesture in support of a human rights defender for democracy in that country who has been allegedly framed for treason in that country. Its shameful that Binayak Sen’s case is becoming a very similar one where the state is hell bent to prove that he worked against the state.. Binayak Sen might not have done so many things but in their dirty tricks the government officials will only make him bigger and larger than life. The world will only cry foul on conviction of the local court which looks like a kangaroo trial. For long there have been demands for a National judicial Commission and implementation of quota for SC-ST-OBCs, in the judiciary so that the judges themselves understand their issues with utmost care before passing a judgment. The courts have actually become biggest obstacles in progressive laws. Most of the judges have biases against Dalit-Adivasis and their issues related to them. The issue of quota is being made redundant through judicial interventions. Similarly, land reforms failed in India as in most of the cases the high and mighty went to court against land ceiling laws. The brahmanical minds created various side ways to destroy all the reforms and acts.

Binayak Sen has a formidable background as a doctor as well as a civil rights activist and hence his case became internationalized otherwise ordinary mortals like us would never ever think of civil libertarians and news papers supporting this freedom. Hence, we must support his release and ask for a thorough scrutiny of the conditions in Indian jails and reform in the judiciary. Binayak Sen is definitely bound to get justice but in the din of hello being created around, we must not forget thousands of innocents being put in the jail for being Jehadis, Naxalites and what not. Any one raise the issue for his right is charged with challenging the state and this mindset has to be challenged. It is time to start a complete debate on these issues which have emerged out of Binayak Sen’s conviction.

Understanding the importance of Mahad movement

2010-12-27T10:40:00.001+09:00

Relevance of Mahad’s historical struggle

Manusmriti need to be burnt not in its physicality alone but also from our hearts and minds

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Two sisters from scavenging community were burnt to death by an upper caste mob in Moradabad district of Uttar-Pradesh for an alleged murder committed by their brother who is still at large. The family requested the police to protect them yet nothing happened. Contrary to what the girl’s distraught mother is saying, the Uttar-Pradesh police already suggested that the girls committed suicide because of the regular humiliation by their neighbors regarding their brothers.

Uttar-Pradesh, people say, is the laboratory of the Dalit-Bahujan politics. Unfortunately, Brahmanism still remains as powerful in the state as ever though its functionality and strategies have changed drastically. The Dalit- Bahujan concept has taken a beating here and to the best now the new agendas of different caste identities have emerged in the state. Tragically, this assertion movement has some where drifted from what Baba Saheb Ambedkar charted for all the oppressed of the country, a new vision under Buddha’s liberating path. Uttar-Pradesh has seen empowered Dalit Bahujan politics but unlike Maharastra the efforts for a counter culture here have not worked well. In the absence of a counter culture, the Dalit Bahujan leaderships of different communities are targeting each other and in the end reinforcing brahmanical beliefs of supremacy and purity. As long as caste remains, Brahmanism will work to the benefits of the powerful and maintain hegemonies of a few.

It is therefore necessary to revisit the historic path of Baba Saheb Ambedkar in Mahad where he fought the rights of the people denied human dignity and access the natural resources. Water is a natural resource and none has right to control it and Ambedkar’s fight for water right for the Dalits is an example of how people’s movement can bring social change as he was not just breaking the brahmanical hegemony over water but also pointing that without equality of women and their effective participation no movement would succeed. He, along with thousands of his followers, predominantly women, burnt Manusmriti, the law book of the Hindus. It was not just symbolic but a strong rejection of racist Hindu social order which denied human being equality, liberty and fraternity. It was just not a political issue as he made an important statement in burning Manusmriti, which means that the rejection of old order based on racial prejudices of cultural supremacy must essentially be part of any movement meant for social justice. Hence, December 25th must be celebrated as a human rights day of the oppressed all over the world. We can not leave this symbolic day to the pages of history only but take it further to demolish Machiavellian politics of highest kind where people are marginalized through divine sanctions and subjugated further in the name of Gods and the books supposedly written by them. No book was bigger than human liberty and freedom and therefore they need to be questioned and formulated according to modern concept of rights for all.

For every student of social sciences and human rights in India must read and understand this historical event of December 25th, 1927, as this will give them ideas to learn and understand what Ambedkar stood for and what he revolted. That was the time, when Baba Saheb challenged the religious superiority of Manu Smriti and termed it a law book of injustice and burnt it with his supporters, it was a big event for millions of people were fooled to believe in a book which can not be changed yet which was responsible for their miseries and sorrows. A person like Ambedkar would not believe in tokenism as he countered each of these laws with his thought provoking critical analysis, yet it was important for him to do something symbolic which sends a positive message among the community.

This is Ambedkar’s century and his forthright views are now a challenge for all hegemonies. Today, the movement for social justice can not imagine anything leaving Ambedkar from the centrality of it. Yet, very unfortunately, many new things are coming up projecting Ambedkar as a person from a particular community, who married to a non Dalit woman and most shockingly, they alleged, he embrace Buddhism under pressure of Hindus. This is the outcome of the growing caste identities being used for individual leaders and their fancies to achieve ‘political power’. There is nothing wrong in attaining political power but how will it sustain without a common cause and common rejection of the Varnashram dharma. How can we challenge Brahmanism without a counter-culture, which is more humane, progressive and ideologically stronger and better than an order based on prejudices and stereotypes? As Dalit Bahujan movement further split into the caste and sub-castes identities hitting at each other, the power of Ambedkar’s cultural vision become more than relevant for all of us. Ambedkar as a challenger of hegemony, a free thinker and an iconoclast would answer to all the irrelevant manipulations of his formulations and ideological constructs being constructed by these prophets of religions who find it unacceptable as why he embraced Buddhism. Problem with these thinking is that all of them denigrate Ambedkar’s great moral courage and hence it is essential to understand Ambedkar in true spirit of his philosophy of life and mission.

Yes, those who feel Ambedkar embraced Buddhism out of fear and pressure from Sangh Parivar do not really appreciate his commitment and strength. A man who could walk out of an audience with Pope John Paul just because the latter could not respond to his questions properly must have been having the courage of conviction. One must understand that Baba Saheb Ambedkar clearly mentioned that Hindu Fundamentalists are the biggest threat and Hindu Rashtra would be a colossal tragedy for India. He talked against political Islam and its threat. It would be very difficult to find a man of Ambedkar’s vision and courage who single handedly brought change in the lives of millions of people in India.

Ambedkar is the name of Freedom, liberty and enlightened individual. And he is aspiration and hope of millions of people denied rights and yet by dint of their hard work, they have challenge the brahmanical superstructure. He was a man of great pragmatism yet never ever compromised on his principles. His pragmatism never ever reflected in politics of opportunism which is very much part of today’s politics and politicians. His thrust on individual is a landmark from any standard as even European society and Americans had not discovered that individualism that Ambedkar aspired for. For him individual was supreme and those who denigrate individual can not really build a healthy society? Our societies deny individual the basic liberty and that is why it can not be called a society.

Today, on December 25th, we must have the courage to be as courageous as Baba Saheb Ambedkar was to his thoughts and action, his creations, his thoughts, of his convictions and commitments. His fight for the fundamental right of access to natural resources, added by rejection of the racist brahmanical order should be part of our college curriculum. Those who believe in egalitarian society must understand the meaning of Ambedkar and his fight for social justice. Today, in the world where our governments and societies are hurting the individual liberty the most, when our political parties are compromising with religious fundamentalists, when our Khap panchayats are deciding what we should do and what should we think, Ambedkar’s ideas remains a beacon of hope. Ambedkar is the hope for all the oppressed. The women in India need to understand that Dr Ambedkar’s struggle for them was supreme. This day when we celebrate the Christmas as big day, it is a big day for millions of people all over the world for their dignity and human right. His ideas need to globalised and propagated internationally so that more and more people understand the enormity of his struggle and modernity of his ideas which changed our world. Let president Obama read Dr Ambedkar and his writings and he will understand the cruelty of Indian village system as well as how a giant like Ambedkar could bring hopes in the lives of million without using any violent methods but simply advocating through a counter culture to oppression and subjugation. The politics of identity is great but as Ambedkar himself said about his own ‘ I was born as Hindu which was not in my hand but I will not die as a Hindu’. It clearly indicates that he was out to create new identity and harp on it. The sacrifice of Baba Saheb Ambedkar was for all of us to live in an enlightened society. We can not have our vision by reasserting our identities created under the brahmanical construct. A new dawn need to be created which means a cultural change is prerequisite for making final assault on Brahmanism and Ambedkar has shown us the path. It is time we chose that identity charted by him and get out of this big brahmanical game of hurting each other. We all may have minor contradiction but we need to understand the bigger contradiction of our life is with the order created by Manu. Baba Saheb chose to hit at that bigger contradiction in Mahad and it is time we need to follow that again and again. We may burn Manu Smriti in public but let us throw it away in the rubbish bin of history and pledge to work for a humanist society as envisaged by Baba Saheb Ambedkar. When we shed our internal prejudices then the mother of the scavenging community girls who were brutally burnt Moradabad would not feel isolated with in the Dalit Bahujan politics and we will not raise an issue when there is a good political crop to harvest. That time every individual is important for us as Baba Saheb time and again maintained. It is tragic that like the Hindus we also prejudge things and confine ourselves in the realm of identity politics. Baba Saheb’s message was meant for all of us and we must come in solidarity of all who need us. It is here that Balmikis of Moradabad need our support. Even if, as some people assume that the brothers of these girls who were burnt, were criminals, that does not mean that the girls and their family should have paid the price for the crime they never committed. Blaming people on their birth identity and on the crime of some one else is brahanical and need to be challenged at all level including our personal and ideological discourse. The biggest defeat of Manu Smriti would be the social-cultural unity of victims of that order created by it, but in the absence of a concrete programme of action and because of conspicuous silence on matter such as these killings create further rifts in the people and make them fall in the hands of those who are actually the biggest offenders of our dignity and human rights. Unity will never happen with big jargons and rhetoric but is only possible with expression of solidarity and participating and being part of every struggle for human dignity and human rights. And message from Mahad is that intellectuals who write must ensure at least some time of their life to be participants of a social movement and struggle for change. How did Baba Saheb Ambedkar found time to write so many things and yet be part of all the major struggles. His writings and work had the conviction strongly inbuilt that unless we become part of social movements for change and unless we shed these brahmanical prejudices and values in our personality, we will always be carrying Manu in our heart and mind. Ambedkar did not have the patience to hear Pope that it will take so many centuries for elimination of caste system and walked out of him. Ambedkar has done his work, it is time for us to pledge that we will not sit ideally unless this notorious system is demolished and the best way to do so would be by taking further his path and creating an enlightened and equitable society, if not among all, at least among our own selves.

Mahad's historical struggle and its importance today

2010-12-25T11:56:00.001+09:00

Reality Check of Bihar's verdict

2010-11-25T18:33:00.000+09:00

Understanding Bihar’s verdict

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Bihar polls have brought ‘smile’ to many faces on our TV channels. As Nitish Kumar romp through a landslide victory along with his ally in the NDA, the media started writing obituary of Lalu Yadav as well as Ram Vilas Paswan. I still remember a statement from George Fernandez not to make mistake of writing obituary of political leaders unless they are buried or cremated as they can always bounce back. There is no scientific methodology for people to vote. A middle class hero Man Mohan Singh could be defeated easily from a constituency like South Delhi which is considered to be ‘educated and well off’. Hence it is too much if we think that caste has been eliminated from the minds of people in Bihar in particular and India in general since our TV ‘experts’ wants us to believe so without changing their own caste mind.

Yes, Bihar’s results need more analysis and in-depth reading. Did Lalu and Ram Vilas’s arrogance hurt the voters? Did they take their voters for granted? Is corruption not an issue with the Dalit Bahujan communities? I think one will have to analyse the whole issue. Has Mandal failed or the forces of social justice let down the Mandal revolution in India with their continuously opportunistic and unholy alliances with the caste forces?

Coincidently, when Bihar’s Nitish Kumar government assumes office for second term, a new scenario has emerged for the forces of Social Justice which need to be understood. And it is post modern Mandalism now with most backward communities challenging the status quo and asking for the accountability. That you can not rule over them in the name of Dalit and backward without providing a space for them in the governance structure. If the political class in the name of social justice does not come out of the family business, they will be wiped out as happened in Bihar. The forces of social justice can not have Gandhi family as their idol.

However, these polls also show the inadequacy of political system where a party just getting 39% of the popular votes has got nearly 89% seats in the assembly. Most of the media termed that Bihar has now got rid of caste identities but the fact is that the Maha Dalits and most backward castes are seeking their space and Nitish Kumar should not feel that he can put the upper caste agenda on Bihar to term it as a ‘casteless’ state. How many of them are ready to leave their caste interest aside and speak for a casteless society. Will the forces of Hindutva work for a casteless society? If yes then the annihilation of caste is annihilation of Brahmanism in India which is not really the agenda of Nitish Kumar and his allies.

Nitish Kumar failed in implementing the Bandhopadhyay Commission report on land redistribution. Just a few days before the election results we saw violence against Dalits by powerful Bhumihar community which seemed to enjoy Nitish Kumar’s rule in Bihar. The violence by Bhumihars on the Dalits was because of the land issue in Pathua village of district Lakhisarai in which about 900 bighas of land declared surplus under Ceiling Act was being encroached by the goons of a particular Bhumihar leader as they wanted to uproot the Dalits and most backward communities living on the said land. Land will remain one of the most contentious issue and if Nitish Kumar in the din of the euphoria created by corporate media ignore this issue then he will meet the same fate as Lalu and Ram Vilas Paswan have met with. That the most backward communities and Dalits have signaled to Bihar politicians which largely revolved around powerful OBCs, Bhumihars, Brahmin, Kayasthas and Rajputs that they too are an important segment of state. The Pasmanda Muslims also joined hand with these forces and hence the expectations are high. However, an attempt is being made to convert the entire verdict into so-called developmental frame work. While it is true that people want accountability from their leaders and they want participation in power. They will not be satisfied with the rhetoric of development. We all know Bihar remain peaceful during the past few years as no displacement took place because of so-called industrialization as it did not happen. The first phase of Nitish’s rule was basically roads, electricity and water but big companies are eyeing Bihar now. Nitish Kumar should be careful enough to understand that he can not take away people’s land in the name of development. An image is being created for Nitish Kumar as if he is the replica of Naveen Patnayak of Orissa. Nitish should be careful enough in dealing people’s issues s Bihar is definitely not Orissa and any such displacement of people will come to haunt him and decimate him for ever. We know the media is very happy with ‘merit’ winning in Bihar because they want to push their own agenda and get land for a few corporate houses.

As Nitish takes over the reins of tomorrow, he would probably remember his colleague and senior leader V P Singh’s effort for probity in public life. It is important to understand the importance of VP Singh today and how Nitish could further that agenda of Mandal. The result in Bihar are not end of Mandal politics but as VP Singh often remarked that the Mandal forces have to capture the opposition space also. It is important for the forces of social justice to be free from corruption and family business. Nitish Kumar could do it. Bihar’s voter was very clear this time when they defeated all the major Bahubalis and those who thought politics as family domain. In the realm of social justice politics there are very few who did not leave behind any family legacy for the others.

We know it very well that the corporate run media is hell bent to undo the historical change of the post Mandal era. They do it with all their might. Using every thing under their belt to scuttle all the voices of social justice. It is not for the unknown reasons that V.P.Singh still remains one of the most hated politicians of the country. Lalu and Ramvilas must understand. Nitish and Sharad may understand it even when they are being glorified by the same upper caste media which villainised them in 1990. Is not it a fact that Sharad Yadav and
Ram Vilas Paswan were two most hated face along with V P Singh during those tumultuous years that India faced just because a government dutifully promised to implement the Mandal Commission Report.

It is time to revisit that. It is time for introspection. The political forces of social justice actually betrayed themselves. The issue of corruption may not look important to all those ideologues who are in a comparative mode but it affects the common people. It does not matter whether the corruption involve Karunanidhi, Lalu Yadav or Rajiv Gandhi. It simply means loss of generation for poor in India. It means denial of their right and basic facilities. And people today are judging their political leaders. They understand that the political class is corrupted by the power politics and that is why Lalu and Rabri might not have thought that she will face such humiliating defeat in her own den where Yadavas called the shot. The verdict is clear that you can not take your own community for granted. May be they could have learnt a few lesson from Kanshi Ram who had no family to place over the people. He created a Mayawati and a committed cadre in BAMSEF and among various Dalit communities and people accepted her wholeheartedly. Ofcourse, Mayawati too, should take a few lessons from Bihar verdict even when Bihar and Uttar-Pradesh are quite contrast yet none should take their own community as for granted. Mayawati will have to work for Sarvjan but not at the cost of the Dalits in Uttar-Pradesh otherwise the most loyal voter will ditch her. There is a limit to the people’s patience. That is one big lesson we get from the defeat of close relatives of both Ram Vilas Paswan as well as Lalu Yadav. One can not term mere representation of one’s family as the ‘voice’ of people. You will have to go beyond slogans and create a movement. People are not going to believe in your hollow secularism unless you launch an anti caste struggle. Unfortunately, anti caste movement was never on the agenda of those who claimed the legacy of social justice movement in India. Yes, we need people with clean image and clear ideology to fight against the brahmanical forces who are basking over the glory of Bihar’s rejection to ‘caste’. One hope Nitish Kumar understand that caste is the real cause of poverty in Bihar as well as in India. Mushahars, Dushadhs, Nishads, Chamars, Doms are not poor because of their class only but because they were born in these particular communities. So, he will have to reach them. He formed Maha Dalit to break the greater Dalit alliance and unfortunately none noticed it but the fact is these are the time of alliance building. Nitish’s alliance is still artificial as there can not be any alliance between the exploiters and exploited. Nitish Kumar’s upper caste vote bank will still not want that land reform be implemented and land be redistributed to poor. That Lalu too does not want.

It is important to break the myth of Bihar’s revolution. Bihar actually has little to offer to Dalits as the politics here is very much a domain game of powerful upper castes verses neo powerful OBCs. Dalits and Muslims are just an annexure to their broader agenda. It’s similar to what is happening in Tamilnadu in the name of social justice. It is actually the biggest failure of Ramvilas Paswan and Lalu Yadav as they failed to reach the poorest Dalit and economically backward communities who were feeling marginalized and left out. Nitish Kumar carefully cultivated them along with Muslims and succeeded. Those pretending to lead anti caste forces must unite all such forces victim of caste forces in Bihar in complete harmony and not mere followers of a few individuals and their families.