Secular Action Network, Delhi : Newsletter for April 2007
Affirmative Action: To be or not to be?
The findings of Sachar Committee have shaken the conscience of those concerned with the overall development of the Indian society. It is a matter of shame that during the last six decades of existence of Independent India, Muslims are the only community who has slid down on the scale of social development. All the indices of social progress showing a decline. In this light, is it correct on the part of the Central Government to come up with the schemes to focus on the development of this community which has been discriminated against so far? Is it right on the part of the Government to plan to allocate 15% of the central budget for taking care of this community which has lagged behind very badly?
There can be various ways of looking at it. Some may be arguing that this community has not used the availing opportunities for its growth, so there is no point thrusting development down its throat. They don’t want education, they don’t want to progress, so why bother? There may also be an argument that if such measures will be taken, they will tantamount to injustice on other communities. These in turn will lead to heartburn and anger amongst them leading to backlash, resulting in violence, and a set back to culture of peace! So far only political forces were dabbling with these issues and opposing protective actions for the weak, now even the spiritual gurus have started opposing these affirmative clauses. They are providing the spiritual, religious veneer to the political arguments of the advantaged social groups. It is probably the sign of times, sign of the new ‘culture of greed’ where the weak and deprived are blamed for their own backwardness.
We know that in India in particular dalits and women remained deprived and backward for centuries, following this logic one will tend to argue that it is they who did not avail of the opportunities? It is they who did not go for education and did not want to progress! One knows that with change in the social dynamics and acceptance of democratic norms and some supportive clauses, dalits could make some progress during last six decades. No society can be called a developed society, unless poorest of poor are having reasonable social facilities. The peace and harmony demands an equitable access to and distribution of resources. To assume that the affluent can be having a peaceful life while a vast chunk of society is writhing in the pain of poverty, hunger, disease and deprivation, it is a mirage. Justice has to precede the possibility of peace. The aspiration for peace has to run parallel with the struggle for justice, the provisions of affirmative clauses, if the need be.
In a situation where communities are grossly unequal, the democratic norms call for the affirmative action. Affirmative action is not an injustice to ‘others’, it is essentially to pave the path towards tolerable levels of parity. One concedes that due to the reservations for dalits, for OBCs a large section of middle class felt that their merit is not being suitably rewarded. In Gujarat the violence which began against the issue of reservations for dalits in 1981 and later against the OBCs turned into the anti democratic, right wing politics, the politics which went on to take out rath yatras and later to demolish the Babri mosque. The inadequacies in the application of reservation policy have really highjacked the issues and the desired results are far from sight even in the case of dalits.
So how does one respond to the steps being taken by the government for the minorities to alleviate their plight? Will it further polarize the communities on religious lines? Surely there is a thin line between the assuaging the needs of deprived sections and provoking the better off sections into doing something which it did in Gujarat in 1980s, the anti dalit/OBC violence. While matters are bit different in case of Muslims, their being battered and in turn ghettoized due to communal violence, the need is much more to back up the schemes for their development and at the same time winning over the popular opinion for such actions. To blame them for their own backwardness is quite like blaming the rape victim for inviting rape due to her ‘conduct’.
We are far off from the egalitarian society, which can be the real base for culture of peace. The conflict is their due to the injustices heaped by the strong over the weak. This is currently on the grounds of wealth, caste, gender and religion. The efforts of government needs all the support to ensure that the recommendations of Sachar committee are honestly implemented and genuine efforts are made to uplift the condition of the Muslim minority to bring them close the economic indices. To do this does not mean that it will be an injustice on the others. The teachings of most of the religions show us the path of justice.
Today we need to imbibe the ethical and moral components of our heritage, the values of bonding with others, having empathy for others. All religious communities need to be given the advantages of development and those who have remained backward for historical and political reasons need to be especially taken care of. The polarization has taken place in the society due to the divisive seeds sown by the British policy of divide and rule, and its continuance by the politics laced in the language of religion. The path of Gandhi and freedom movement, the all inclusive one, needs to be restored and soothing balm, in the form of effective and pertinent steps, need to be taken to lift the minority community from the morass in which it has been thrown by the tragic dynamics of political and historical circumstances.
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Forum News |
REPORT Of THE ALL INDIA SECULAR FORUM
National Convention
18th March 2007 in AICUF Ashram in Bhopal.
The All India Secular Forum was set up to preserve the plural character of our polity and to confront the threat posed by sectarian politics a need was felt by various human rights groups to build a national forum, which could be a platform for common campaigns and efforts, to thwart the dangers posed by those imposing sectarian politics in the garb of religion.
Mr. L S Hardenia spoke of the activities of groups working on Secular Issues in Bhopal which aimed at projection of secular ideology and Principle of Secularism. Some of the activities mentioned by him were Raksha Bandhan Samarohs where Muslim children tied rakhees on Hindu children. Condemning the activities such as the Suryanamaskar, Jalabhishek, and the Upanayanam Ceremony he said that they were instruments to further divide the country and ought to be faced with firm resistance.
Dr Engineer spoke on ‘ Communalism Today’.
He said that the political problem is that no single party can rule in the Centre much less in the States. Congress Secularism has weakened since the 80s and the BJP has become strong in the whole country. BJP feels that the only way to resume power is to spread Communalism.
Communal forces are overactive where there is no communal violence. It is in this interregnum when there is no communal violence we should be active to counter propaganda communalism. BJPs control on education has become a medium of spreading communalism today. He gave the example of ‘ fascism is being the best solution’ mentioned in one of the history books This was in violation of our constitution. He said that it was a pity nothing much was being done about it.
He also criticized Mulayam Singh Yadav giving two and half crore to VHP to hold Hindu Sammelan. He questioned this act and said that in a Sammelan where a resolution is passed that Ram Mandir should be constructed how can money be given?
He advised that we should now take our commitment to secularism seriously. He urged the civil society to come forward to strengthen secular forces . He ended by narrating success stories of the secular groups working all over.
Participants from various states then shared on the said topic.
Following future programs were planned
· To organize poster exhibitions which has to be displayed from time to time. (this shall include photographs of communal violence , appealing verses of Kabir etc)
· Intensive training programme for people with good understanding. Target group to be 20 maximum. This will enable them to train other cadets.
· Investigation of the communal violence to be done objectively and impartially.
· To float a branch of the organization
· Promote value education in schools.
· Setting up of resource centers in as many groups as possible.
· Cultural groups to propagate Secularism
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Secular Action |
1. Perzania Screening in Gujarat
Anhad held a contest for Gujarat students, with the theme whether Perzania, a feature film bases on the true story during the Gujarat carnage, should be screened in Gujarat or not. There was an overwhelming response from amongst the youth, calling for its screening. This is a strong indictment of the rising intolerance amongst the section of Gujarat community.
2. Peace and Conflict resolution Workshop
CSSS is holding a weeklong workshop on Peace and conflict resolution workshop, in Raipur from 9th to 15th April. Nearly 50 youth and others including social workers and teachers have registered for the same. These workshops a regular feature of CSSS activity.
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Article |
Freedom of Religion Bill 2006 in Himachal Pradesh
Rajani.V.Aithal
The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill 2006 was passed by the Himachal Pradesh Legislature on December 19th 2006. This bill if enacted would violate freedom of conscience of the people of Himachal Pradesh which is fundamental rights under Article 25 of the Constitution of India. This law has taken us in surprise as it has been passed by the government i.e. Congress which calls itself as secular means giving equal treatment to all religious communities while in other states this law has been passed by the Bhartiya Janata Party. Secondly this legislation has come out of the blue moon. Neither was it mentioned in the election manifesto nor there were instances of incidents of conversions been recorded.
The Bill states that the conversion by force or allurement has been made cognizable offence under the ‘Freedom of Religion Act’.” No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religion to another by the use of force or by inducement or by any other fraudulent means, nor shall any person abet any such conversion. Anybody found guilty of violation of this Act will be liable for punishment of imprisonment up to a period of two years and / or fine which may be extended up to Rs. 25,000. If any woman, child, member of Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe is converted by unlawful means, in that case the period of imprisonment will be up to three years and fine may be extended up to Rs. 50,000. These cognizable offences are required to be enquired by a police officer of the rank not below of Inspector. Can conversions be called cognizable offence? Cognizable offences are those offences where person is arrested without any warrant. An important provision in this Act is that the person willing to change his or her religion will be required to give notice to the district magistrate one month in advance. The district magistrate will make an enquiry through the Superintendent Police or any other appropriate agency. On the basis of enquiry report, he will decide whether the demand for conversion is genuine or not. If anybody changes his or her religion without giving one month notice, he or she will be liable for a fine of Rs.1000/- and the person will be treated as not converted. Here the question arises whether the state has been authorized in a democratic country to control religion which is something very personal? There is one more important provision under which return to ones original religion will not be treated as conversion and hence there will be no requirement to give prior notice.
The legislation is in direct contradiction of Article 25 of the Constitution of India which guarantees every single citizen “the freedom of conscience and freedom of profession, practice and propagation of religion” and of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which asserts that, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion: this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance”. Presently India has now seven states with legislation banning unregistered or unethical religious conversions. The seven Indian states with anti-conversion legislations, known as Freedom of Religion Acts, are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. While anti-conversion laws were enforced in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (before they were divided into two separate states) in 1967 and in Orissa in 1968, the legislation in Rajasthan state, which passed in the state assembly in April 2006, is still awaiting governor’s assent. Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat also have passed such laws in 1978 and 2003 respectively, with their governors’ approval, but they have not been implemented as rules have yet to be framed.
In less than one year, the BJP, which was ruling at the federal level till April 2004 and is still in power in some states, has enacted an anti-conversion law in Rajasthan and made the existing laws more stringent in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Governors in those states, however, have not given their assent to any of these bills.
The double face of the Congress Government
If one sees in reality there was no need to pass such a bill on anti-conversions. The government also does not have any official data on forcible conversions to justify the bill. The government found the situation to pass the bill as elections are coming sooner. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been laying the groundwork for the use of the Hindutva as a poll plank in the assembly elections due next year. Organizations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal made allegations of forced conversions on Christians in numerous instances, seemingly to make a case for an anti-conversion law. In September 2006, Prem Kumar Dhumal, the opposition leader and former chief minister, promised to ban conversions if his party won the elections. However, the Vir Bhadra Singh government cut the ground from under BJP’s feet by introducing the bill. The Congress left nothing for the BJP to promise vis-à-vis the conversion issue. It drafted the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill 2006 exactly the way the BJP would have framed it. For instance, it excluded from the ambit of the proposed legislation “reconversion” ceremonies, which are normally conducted among Christian converts by the VHP and other communal organizations. It can be said that it is a political move but one should be surprised that the Christian community which is a minority community constitutes less than one percent of the state’s total population cannot become an attractive vote-bank.
After passing the Bill many atrocities against the Christians have increased. In Himachal Pradesh state, where the law is yet to be implemented, two anti-Christian incidents were reported soon after the passing of the bill. A large number of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) extremists on January 21 gathered outside the house of Pastor Timuhias Behal in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, demanded that he close down his Peniel Prarthana Bhawan orphanage and move out of the area. On January 18, extremists from the same group pressured two residents of the Last Resort drug-rehabilitation center in Khokhan village to file false complaints against a pastor and three Christian workers. Many other such similar incidents have been occurring but neither the government nor the police are paying attention to it.
Now the time has come that government takes serious notice of the conversions as “Hindu extremist groups have got one more chance to become bold by the passage of this law encouraged by the state-sponsored religious freedom restrictions which are becoming ever more common across India. This is a very troubling trend, and therefore it is essential that urgent representations be made to the Indian government about the proliferation of anti-conversion legislation.”
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Concerns |
a. Stop Funding Hate
<news@stopfundinghate.org >
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 01:15:43 -0500
Saffron Dollar March 2007
Campaign to Stop Funding Hate
Dear friends,
In this issue of Saffron Dollar, we focus on the Sangh’s activities in India, particularly in the wake of centennial celebrations for MS Golwalkar, the second supremo of the RSS. In many parts of the country, the RSS and its affiliates celebrated a man who openly admired the Nationalism of the German Nazis and Italian Fascists in his time. In the second part of Sangh Watch India, we focus on a disturbing trend of the spread of the RSS and its hate in the state of Karnataka over the past
couple of decades. Much work lies ahead in the fight against Hindutva, but we are energized to report on the work of a community based organization, the Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike, which is resisting the RSS through mass-based organizing.
As always, we welcome questions and comments. Do drop us a line at info@stopfundinghate.org
Contents:
1) Co-opting Yoga in the Service of Hate
2) SANGH WATCH INDIA: Laying the seeds for violence in Karnataka
3) Who is Fighting the Secular Fight in Karnataka?
www.stopfundinghate.org
b. Nanded Blasts
NANDED BLAST: THE HINDU HAND
http://communalism.blogspot.com/search/label/Maharashtra
Narco-analysis and brain-mapping reports of the accused and the Maharashtra Police ATS’s findings on the Nanded blast add up to reveal an alarming trend: local Sangh Parivar members are raising their own terror networks.
Shashwat Gupta Ray reports
c. Samjhauta Blast
Majority of Samjhauta Blast were Urdu Speaking Muslims
From: kashif < kaaashif@gmail.com>
Date: March 7, 2007 11:49:18 AM EST
To: kashif < kaaashif@gmail.com>
Subject: [AMUNetwork] Bajrang Dal did Samjhauta, earlier blasts, says a threat letter to Jamiat Ulama
New Delhi, March 7 ( indianmuslims.info) Though the investigating agency probing into the blast that ripped two coaches of the Lahore-bound Samjhauta Express on February 19 has not yet reached any
logical conclusion, a threat letter, delivered at Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind headquarters here as well as at its Mumbai office, claims that the blast was carried out by Bajrang Dal.
Though the said letter is unsigned, typewritten in Marathi, and even the address on the envelop is typewritten, it specifically mentions that the Samjhauta Express blast was carried out by Bajrang Dal.
The letter wondered whether the Jamiat people had forgotten the blasts carried out in the country earlier.
“We had warned you against being pretty wise and holding large conferences. But you people didn’t pay heed to our warning and held a large gathering at Malegaon on February 17, 18 and 19. We would have exploded the bombs there but the explosives were seized in Mumbai,” the threat letter reads.
“We will establish Hindu Rashtra here anyhow. No one can harm us. You people will be detained,” it adds.
Talking to indianmuslims.info here Wednesday, Jamiat’s secretary-cum-spokesperson Maulana Abdul Hameed Noamani confirmed the receipt of the threat letter typewritten in Marathi at both its headquarters and its office in Mumbai.
“Our organisation helped the victims after the bomb blasts in Samjhauta Express; that could be the reason behind the threat,” he guessed.
Addressing the Jamiat as “Fools,” the letter threatened Jamiat’s general secretary and Rashtriya Lok Dal MP from Dehradun Maulana Mahmood Madni of dire consequences if he continued to support the
backward classes.
The Maulana has formally complained to the Delhi Police that he has received a threat letter from Bajrang Dal. A copy of the complaint has been given to Commissioner of Police Dr KK Paul while another copy of the same has been sent to the SSP, Dehradun.
Police sources said a case has been registered at the IP Estate police station and further investigations are on. “We are trying to find the origin of the letter,” a police officer said.
Maulana Madni informed the presspersons that on his way back to Delhi from Dehradun (Uttarakhand) by Masauri Express on February 19, he had received a call from +9144401 on his mobile at 9:15 p.m. threatening to teach him a lessen if he continued to attend meetings and conferences. On reaching Delhi he filed a written complaint in IP Estate police station on February 20 and lodged an F.I.R. there on February 26.
Lamenting that the police have failed to trace the caller as yet, the Maulana said he is not afraid of such threats.
“No power can stop us from striving for the rights of the oppressed, weak and deprived sections. In a democracy every person has every right to fight for his rights and any attempt to suppress it will be a
mockery of law, and we will never let it happen,” he observed with a sense of confidence in his tone.
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/march/07/indian_muslim/
bajrang_dal_did_samjhauta_earlier_blasts_says_a_threat_letter_to_jamiat_ulama.html
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Human Rights News |
(From Human Rights News Bulletin)
Communal Violence Bill with changes headed for House
New Delhi, March 1: The government will re-introduce the Communal Violence Bill in Parliament during the ongoing session after incorporating some changes. The Union cabinet, which met here this evening, approved reintroduction of the Bill, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Priyaranjan Dasmunshi said. The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, introduced in Rajya Sabha in 2005, had stirred a controversy with several states opposing provisions, including one which empowers the Centre to notifiy an area as “communaly disturbed” and deploy central forces there. The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, which cleared it with amendments last December. The Bill had been formulated in the backdrop of the Gujarat communal violence in 2002 and is one of the promises in the UPA’s common minimum programme. It will empower the Centre to prevent communal violence and in case of incidents, provide justice and rehabilitation to the victims. With the Cabinet clearing its reintroduction, the government is keen to get approval of both Houses during this session itself. The standing committee had taken a close look at reservations expressed by several states and political parties. On one controversial provision, the committee had observed that “adequate safeguards” had been provided when it came to the clause vesting the Centre with power to issue directions to state governments and issue notifications on communal violence. A majority of the states and political parties, the committee contacted for views, opposed the proposal. But the committee in its report said it was for retaining this proposal in its present form to maintain the country’s secular fabric, unity and integrity. But it was against another important provision of the Bill that empower the Centre to transfer a case from one High Court to another, saying this power should remain with the judiciary. The committee, however, disagreed with Clause 24 of the Bill, which provides that the state government shall establish one or more special courts for the trial of scheduled offences committed during the period of disturbance (Indian Express 2/3/07)
Rally in Ahmedabad for communal harmony
AHMEDABAD: Thousands of men, women and children, both Hindus and Muslims, marched shoulder to shoulder through the once worst riot-infested areas in the heart of Ahmedabad to “herald a new era of communal harmony” in Gujarat. The rally was timed to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the “Gujarat Bandh” day on February 28 in 2002 when hundreds of Muslims were burnt alive in several parts of the State in retaliation for the Godhra train carnage the previous day. The rally was organised by the “New Social Movement,” an offshoot of the Jansangharsha Manch, which was fighting the cases of the riot victims in courts and before the G.T. Nanavati-K.G. Shah judicial inquiry panel probing the train carnage and the post-Godhra communal riots in the State. Several other voluntary organisations working for the rehabilitation of the riot victims and supporters of the Left parties also joined the rally. Family members of many riot victims as well as survivors of the communal attacks also took part in the rally to plead for communal harmony. The rally carrying placards and shouting slogans for communal harmony wound its way through the most-congested and narrow minority-dominated areas in old Ahmedabad before it converted itself into a public meeting addressed by leaders of both Hindu and Muslim communities and Gandhians. On its way through some of the mixed localities, the rally received enthusiastic response from the people watching from both sides of the road indicating that there were no hard feelings left in their hearts. The speakers at the public meeting asked the Narendra Modi government to stop playing the “politics of divide and rule” to increase the chasm between the two communities for political benefits.
. (The Hindu 2/3/07)
Gujarat riot victims want the guilty to be punished
AHMEDABAD: With both fear and anger in their eyes, survivors of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat poured out their frustration at the “denial of justice” to them in the last five years. The riot-affected had gathered at the Gujarat Vidyapith here under the aegis of the “Sach ki Yadein, Yadon ka Sach,” an umbrella organisation formed by over 25 voluntary organisations to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the post-Godhra riots. Their number surpassed the estimates of the organisers. More than 6,000 people from different riot-affected parts of the State turned up to narrate their experience. Teesta Setalvad, convener of the Mumbai-based non-governmental organisation Citizens for Justice and Peace, said more than 6,000 signatures were collected on a 10-point demand of the riot-affected which would be sent to the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the leaders of various political parties. The demands included ensuring proper justice for all, protection for witnesses in various riot cases against threats from fundamentalist elements and adequate compensation to the affected. Asserting that there could be no lasting peace until justice was done to the riot-affected, the gathering took oath in the name of Mahatma Gandhi to fight peacefully to ensure that the perpetrators of crime were punished. Many speakers complained that even after five years, they were unable to return to their homes as an atmosphere of hatred prevailed among the members of the rival community. Among those who attended the “hearing” of the survivors were Zakia Jafri, wife of the former Congress member of Parliament Ehsan Jafri, who was among those burnt alive in Gulberg Society, and Rupa Modi, mother of the missing boy whose story the film “Parzania” tells. (The Hindu 3/3/07)
Disappointed Christian leaders write to Sonia
New Delhi, March 8: When the Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the anti-conversion Freedom of Religion Act 2006 last December, the Congress party could not have imagined the adverse reactions it would bring from minority groups, especially Christians, even from outside the state. Bride Groom India USA UK UAE Canada Australia Pakistan Saudi Arabia Kuwait South Africa 18 – 24 25 – 30 31 – 35 36 – 45 46 – 50 50+ Hindu – Assamese – Bengali – Gujarati – Hindi – Kannada – Malayalam – Marathi – Marwari – Oriya – Punjabi – Sindhi – Tamil – Telugu Muslim Christian Sikh Parsi Jain Buddhist Jewish Other No Religion Spiritual They say the law, the first ever to have been passed by a Congress government, goes against the party’s commitment to allow Indians freedom to “practise, profess and propagate” their faith. Usually seen at the forefront for defending the party, the groups now say the law amounts to a breach of faith. Several Christian clerics, heads of Christian organisations and even the Vice-Chairman of a State Minorities Commission have written to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the past few weeks in this regard. In a letter dated January 12, Abraham Mathai, Maharashtra Minorities Commission vice-chairman, wrote: “It may be recalled that even in your capacity as the chairperson of the UPA government and president of the Congress party, you had condemned these Bills publicly and also written to the All-India Christian Council about the same in a letter dated 27th July 2006. It was encouraging to know that the Congress party in all these five states under your able leadership had vehemently opposed these Bills and even demonstrated against them.” Mathai goes on to express his disappointment saying: “Such a Bill that undermines the very spirit of democracy especially in a Congress-ruled state is an embarrassment to the party, which is seen as the only hope and champion of secularism in this nation. Besides negotiating and contradicting the integrity and the stand of the Congress on this issue, such a trend when allowed to continue will even weaken our resolve in fighting against communal forces and their repressive policies.” In a separate letter to Sonia, the president of the National United Christian Forum, Archbishop Vincent M Concessao, writes that this is “the last thing that the citizens, particularly the minorities, expected from the Congress.” All those writing to Sonia have cited the other four states (Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan), which had passed similar anti-conversion laws and the Congress party’s opposition to those laws. In a strongly-worded paragraph in his letter to Sonia, secretary of All-India Christian Council Sam Paul has requested the Congress president to “constitute an inquiry against the Himachal Pradesh chief minister for anti-party activities and set the record straight by repealing this anti-human rights law of the Anti-Conversion Bill.”
.. (Indian Express 9/3/07)
COMMUNAL RIOTS/ GUJARAT RIOT VICTIMS
Documenting testimonies of Godhra victims
NEW DELHI: Yet to fathom the difference between a prison and a cage, Mohammed Zaheer Iqbal’s five-year-old son thinks that his father lives in a cage. Iqbal is one of the 221 people arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and now languishing in jails in Gujarat. “Whenever our son misses his father, I take him to the jail where Iqbal is lodged. The little boy thinks that we are visiting his father in a cage,” said Afrin, who has been fighting for the release of her husband. In the capital on Tuesday to narrate her story that is being documented at the Independent People’s Tribunal (IPT), Ms. Afrin said: “My husband was taken away for an inquiry by the Crime Branch officers in 2003. When he was picked up in the dead of night, we were assured that he will return home in the morning. He never came home, instead he was charged with the conspiracy of carrying a tiffin bomb. When that case was discharged, they promptly slapped another case, this time he was accused of being an ISI agent.” Ms. Afrin alleged that the families were not even allowed to be present at hearings. Another victim of the communal violence in Gujarat, Niyaz Ben Malek, who now lives in Rahat Colony, recalled how she was driven out of her village Ognaj by people who grew up with her sons. “I have filed a case against the people who attacked us with tridents and swords, my houses have been razed and all I have got is a compensation of Rs. 2,500 against the loss of property worth Rs. 10 lakh.” Sharing their harrowing experiences during the riots that followed the Godhra carnage, over 200 victims, activists and academicians from across 17 States have come together to testify before the IPT. Their testimonies on the rise of fascist forces in India will later be released as a report. “We are documenting the testimonies of these people, trying to make sense of it and present it as concrete evidence of people’s experiences. We will try to reflect on what happened and also suggest what can be done,” said Akoijam Bimol, who, along with Subharanjan Dasgupta, Nikhil Waghle and Sandeep Pandey, is a member of the jury on Gujarat. Accusing the Government of “shying away from recognising the growth of fascism in the country,” Shabnam Hashmi of non-governmental organisation Anhad said: “At this two-day event, we are trying to show that fascism is on the rise and not just in Gujarat. But surprisingly both the civil society and the Government are refusing to acknowledge it. These testimonies will help us push for action.” Organised by the Human Rights Law Network and Anhad, the IPT is being supported by organisations such as Aman Samudaya, Antarik Visthapit Hak Rakshak Samiti (Gujarat), Insaf, and People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). (The Hindu 21/3/07)
Riot victims denied relief by Gujarat can approach us: Centre
New Delhi, March 22: The Centre today announced a Rs 106.57 crore relief and rehabilitation package for post-Godhra riot victims that is on par with that given to victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and said it is open to respond to “cases not reported by the state (Gujarat) in terms of death and injury.” The decision, taken at a Cabinet meeting, means that riot survivors left out in the state’s relief packages, as some NGOs and official teams have alleged in their reports, can seek such help from the Centre. Reopening the debate on the number of people killed or injured in the post-Godhra riots, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi said that riot-hit people with complaints against the state government could approach the Centre. He said the Union Home Ministry would “consider, monitor and review” their cases. The decision comes in the run-up to forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh (in April-May) and Gujarat (by the year-end). According to the Gujarat government’s figures, 1,169 people died in the riots. Their next of kin, Dasmunsi said, will get Rs 3.5 lakh ex gratia in addition to the amount paid by the state government. And the 2,548 injured, as per state figures, will get an additional Rs 1.25 lakh each. He said the package includes ex gratia for damage to property. In addition, children and family members of those who died in the riots will get preference for recruitment in paramilitary forces, state police forces, India Reserve Battalions, PSUs and Central departments. Those who were forced to leave their jobs owing to the riots will be allowed to rejoin while pension will be paid to those who retired. (Indian Express 23/3/07)
Rs. 106.5-crore package for Gujarat victims
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a Rs. 106.57-crore relief and rehabilitation package for the victims of the 2002 Gujarat communal riots. It includes an ex gratia payment to the next of kin of 1,169 persons who died. The payment will be made at Rs. 3.5 lakh a victim, in addition what was already given by the State Government. An ex gratia payment of Rs. 1.25 lakh will be made to each of the 2,548 injured persons. It will be reduced by the amount already paid by the State Government. The package consists of part-reimbursement of an ex gratia of Rs. 30.1 crore paid by the State Government for damage to residential property and an ex gratia of Rs. 17.18 crore for uninsured commercial/industrial property. Cabinet spokesperson Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said children and family members of those who died in the riots would be given preference, with age relaxation, in recruitment to paramilitary forces, IR battalion, the State police forces, public sector undertakings and State and Central government departments. The Central and State Governments might launch special recruitment drives to accommodate eligible members from the riot-affected families. Those who lost their jobs would be allowed to rejoin duty by treating the period of their absence as dies non, and those who had to leave their jobs because of the riots and had since crossed the age of superannuation might be given pension benefits by relaxing rules. The figures for the dead and the injured were found in State Government records. If there were any more dead or injured, not included in the State lists, the affected persons could approach the Centre. (The Hindu 23/3/07)
Survey shows sharp fall in number of Muslim men with regular jobs
NEW DELHI, MARCH 30: Adding another dimension to the Sachar panel report on the condition of Muslims in the country, the latest National Sample Survey shows that between 1999-00 and 2004-05, there was a nearly 45 per cent drop in the number of urban Muslim males in the category of “regular employees”. During the same period, the number of urban Muslims increased in the self-employed category. Data from the 61st round of the NSSO on employment and unemployment among religious groups it was released today shows that during 2004-05, more than half of the workers in rural areas were self-employed, the proportion being the highest among Muslims, both males and females in both rural and urban areas. Figures for regular male employees in urban India show that the fall was more pronounced among urban Muslims from 300 per 1,000 in 1999-00 to 165 per 1000 in 2004-05. Among Hindus, the drop is marginal from 437 in 1999-00 to 431 per 1000 in 2004-05. The trend is altogether different among the urban female population. There has been a more than 200 per cent increase among female Muslim regular employees. According to the NSSO data, it increased from 175 per 1000 in 1999-00 to 587 per 1000 in 2004-05. During the same period and category, increase in female Hindu regular employees was around 75 per cent from 338 to 590. Another interesting trend seen between urban male and females is that while there is an across the board increase in the number of self-employed among Hindu, Muslim and Christian males (around 9 per cent, 49 per cent and 52 per cent respectively), there is a reverse trend among self-employed Hindu, Muslim and Christian females where the fall is around 56 per cent, 51 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. The NSSO also has data on the unemployment rate (number of unemployed per 1000 persons) as well as proportion of those employed per 1000. Data shows that unemployment rate (among male and female) in rural India increased among all religions between 1999-00 and 2004-05, the increase being the highest among Christians (from 39 to 44 per 1000). In urban India, there has been a fall in the unemployment rate of Muslims (50 to 41 per 1000) but there has been an increase in the unemployment rate of Christians (73 to 86 per 1000). The proportion of persons employed in urban India (male and female, per 1000) was highest among Christians (375) followed by Hindus at 373 and Sikhs at 365. For Muslims, the figure was 331. (Indian Express 31/3/07)
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1. Tariq Ramadan: A new biography of Prophet Muhammad
The Messenger: The Meanings of the life of Muhammad, Allen Lane, £20
2. IN THE MAKING:
Identity Formation in South Asia
Meeto (Kamaljit Bhasin-Malik)
“Three Essays Collective”
threeessays@gmail.com >
Contents:
Introduction by Kumkum Sangari
1. A historiographical essay on Hindu-Muslim relations
2. Composite Culture in Pre-Partition Punjab: Fractures and Continuities
3. The Historian and the Indian Census: Accounts of Religion in late Nineteenth Century Punjab
4. The Census in Colonial Ceylon
5. Minority Rights, Secularism and Civil Society (co-authored with Yamini Aiyar)
6. The Ahmadi Problem: an unfinished essay
7. Appendices: a. I would like to …; b. Concept Paper on the Census; c. Being an Ahmadi in an Age of ‘Islamic
terrorism’ Meeto by Judith Brown
3. Changing Gods: Rethinking Conversion in India
by Rudolf C. Heredia
Penguin
Special Price: Rs 350.00
Cover Price: Rs 350.00
ISBN: 0143101900
Edition: Paperback
400pp
4. The Politics Behind Anti-Christian Violence
Ram Puniyani (Editor)
Compilation of human rights groups investigation reports on attacks on Christians. Articles on the theme by Rudolf Heredia, Vinay Lal, K.N.Panikkar, Ram Puniyani, Rowena Robinson, M. Prakash Singh, Rowena Robinson and Virginius Xaxa.
Pages 864, HB, Rs 495
Publisher
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( mediahousedelhi@gmail.com , www.mediahousedelhi.org )