Tribute to the satyagrahi spirit of Ahilyatai Ramnekar
The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) pays rich tributes and mourns the passing away of one of the greatest struggles of women's rights in Maharashtra in the recent times, Ahilyatai Ramnekar, who since her early years was with the people's movements for justice and equality.
An indomitable fighter with a Marxist vision and a firm struggler of the downtrodden, working classes and all the disadvantaged sections at large, she was a non-compromising left visionary until her last breath. She always supported our struggles and tried to reach out to the agitators whether from Narmada valley or the women from the bastis. Beyond her writings and speeches, mass actions with a Satyagrahi spirit, with others like Mrinal Gore, are an indispensable heritage for all people's movements. We salute her contribution and truly devoted life.
We have lost a truly committed veteran Marxist at a critical stage when people's movements are facing the combined onslaught of neo-colonialism and neo-liberalization. Visionaries like Ahilyatai continue to be our beacon light for our ongoing struggles in these challenging times.
Medha Patkar, Suniti SR, Anand Mazgaonkar
Politics is about the allocation of resources: Arundhati Dhuru
Politics is about the allocation of resources: Arundhati Dhuru
[To listen to audio podcast, click here]
[To read this posting in Hindi language, click here]
Lucknow, INDIA: "Politics after all, is the allocation of resources. Also politics is who gets to decide on how this resource allocation should be done" said Arundhati Dhuru, the firebrand veteran Narmada Bachao Andolan frontline activist and adviser to Right to Food Commissioner to Supreme Court.
She was addressing a public meeting in the lead up to the Lok Sabha elections 2009 in Lucknow.
"Many years ago, we went to Bihar to participate in a massive rally on issues related to women's rights. We asked a young boy if he knew who was Indira Gandhi. 'I at least know that she controls the price of potato' replied this boy. This example helps us in understanding how even potato is connected to everyone's life and also to politics" said Arundhati.
"In political science, the definition of politics is that it is the allocation of resources" further added Arundhati.
Before Arundhati Dhuru came on the stage, many speakers including a youth candidate from Lucknow had reiterated the need to build a clean political alternative. All previous speakers had expressed their concern against the rising criminalization and corruption in politics. That is why most speakers had said that 'they don't have to do anything' with the four mainstream political parties (Bhartiya Janta Party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress) because all these parties are reeking with corruption and criminalization.
Arundhati Dhuru was right on spot when she said that we all have a consensus to build an ideal political alternative but "don't depoliticise politics to this extent." She further added "we cannot build a new ideal political alternative by putting these mainstream political parties on the blind spot. If we ignore the mainstream political parties in our isolated efforts to build a new ideal political alternative, then this reflects our immature political understanding, this is what I believe."
Giving the example of right to food activists, she illustrated how they had engaged major political parties in a dialogue on food security as a result of which food security related issues (GM food etc) are reflected in their manifestos.
"Due to untiring efforts of right to food activists, Congress, JDU, both communist parties, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), and other political parties have included food security related issues in their manifestos, as a result of a Lok Manch (People's Forum), which was organized to establish an interface between the representatives of major political parties and the right to food activists like Jean Dreze, Aruna Roy, Yogendra Yadav among others" said Arundhati Dhuru.
Achieving hundred percent voting in the coming elections was stressed from the beginning of the meeting. Arundhati Dhuru cautioned that "as we pump up the drive for clean and fair elections (which is right), we are also making it difficult for those without any recognized 'identity' to participate in the electoral process."
"We should not only be advocating for achieving hundred per cent voting alone. As the drive to allow only those to vote with a valid photo identity card is upped, as if without this identity our existence will be denied, the danger is lurking that those living on the margins of society may face further exclusion. Just because such people don't have a valid photo identity, does that mean they are not alive as human beings?" asked Arundhati Dhuru.
Terrorism was also discussed in the public meeting and many previous speakers had asserted that security measures must be radically revamped and scaled up. Arundhati Dhuru retorted on this issue too and said "police and army doesn't provide security, rather security for me is an innate sense which comes from those whom I live with in my society, from my co-workers, my family and neighbours."
"If we will ask police and army to provide security to us then how will we protect those people we are representing" said Arundhati.
Sharing a wisdom nugget, she said "Security comes from believing in our ownselves, human relationships and from being humane."
- Bobby Ramakant
[To listen to audio podcast, click here]
[To read this posting in Hindi language, click here]
Lucknow, INDIA: "Politics after all, is the allocation of resources. Also politics is who gets to decide on how this resource allocation should be done" said Arundhati Dhuru, the firebrand veteran Narmada Bachao Andolan frontline activist and adviser to Right to Food Commissioner to Supreme Court.
She was addressing a public meeting in the lead up to the Lok Sabha elections 2009 in Lucknow.
"Many years ago, we went to Bihar to participate in a massive rally on issues related to women's rights. We asked a young boy if he knew who was Indira Gandhi. 'I at least know that she controls the price of potato' replied this boy. This example helps us in understanding how even potato is connected to everyone's life and also to politics" said Arundhati.
"In political science, the definition of politics is that it is the allocation of resources" further added Arundhati.
Before Arundhati Dhuru came on the stage, many speakers including a youth candidate from Lucknow had reiterated the need to build a clean political alternative. All previous speakers had expressed their concern against the rising criminalization and corruption in politics. That is why most speakers had said that 'they don't have to do anything' with the four mainstream political parties (Bhartiya Janta Party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress) because all these parties are reeking with corruption and criminalization.
Arundhati Dhuru was right on spot when she said that we all have a consensus to build an ideal political alternative but "don't depoliticise politics to this extent." She further added "we cannot build a new ideal political alternative by putting these mainstream political parties on the blind spot. If we ignore the mainstream political parties in our isolated efforts to build a new ideal political alternative, then this reflects our immature political understanding, this is what I believe."
Giving the example of right to food activists, she illustrated how they had engaged major political parties in a dialogue on food security as a result of which food security related issues (GM food etc) are reflected in their manifestos.
"Due to untiring efforts of right to food activists, Congress, JDU, both communist parties, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), and other political parties have included food security related issues in their manifestos, as a result of a Lok Manch (People's Forum), which was organized to establish an interface between the representatives of major political parties and the right to food activists like Jean Dreze, Aruna Roy, Yogendra Yadav among others" said Arundhati Dhuru.
Achieving hundred percent voting in the coming elections was stressed from the beginning of the meeting. Arundhati Dhuru cautioned that "as we pump up the drive for clean and fair elections (which is right), we are also making it difficult for those without any recognized 'identity' to participate in the electoral process."
"We should not only be advocating for achieving hundred per cent voting alone. As the drive to allow only those to vote with a valid photo identity card is upped, as if without this identity our existence will be denied, the danger is lurking that those living on the margins of society may face further exclusion. Just because such people don't have a valid photo identity, does that mean they are not alive as human beings?" asked Arundhati Dhuru.
Terrorism was also discussed in the public meeting and many previous speakers had asserted that security measures must be radically revamped and scaled up. Arundhati Dhuru retorted on this issue too and said "police and army doesn't provide security, rather security for me is an innate sense which comes from those whom I live with in my society, from my co-workers, my family and neighbours."
"If we will ask police and army to provide security to us then how will we protect those people we are representing" said Arundhati.
Sharing a wisdom nugget, she said "Security comes from believing in our ownselves, human relationships and from being humane."
- Bobby Ramakant
SR Darapuri is for a change
SR Darapuri is for a change
Brief introduction to Lok Rajniti Manch's candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency SR Darapuri, who is a retired Inspector General of Police (IG):
SR Darapuri is a 1972 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. Before joining IPS, he has served as a teacher, 'Rashtriya Bachat Sangathan', Finance Ministry and Customs department (Government of India). In this way he has more than 40 years of administrative experience. He has demonstrated a pro-people, upright and honest attitude in shouldering administrative responsibilities competently over years. After his retirement, he has emerged as a socially-conscious and sensitive social activist providing support to social justice movements on issues pertaining to human rights, dalit, minorities, women, labourers, weavers, farmers, students, youth amongst others, and empowering the poor and underserved communities. Presently he is associated with the following social organizations, political forums and people's movements including:
1. Vice President, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Uttar Pradesh (UP)
2. Vice President, Dr Ambedkar Mahasabha
3. State Coordinator, Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front), UP
4. Member, Coordination committee, Jan Sangharsh Morcha, UP
5. Member, Right to Information Campaign committee, UP
6. Convener, Dalit Mukti Morcha
7. Convener, World Conference on Religion and Peace, Lucknow branch
8. Member, Right to Food committee, UP
9. State Representative, Asian Centre for Human Rights
10. President, Society for Promoting Buddhist Knowledge
Just recently he has played a key role in supporting the cause of muslim youth who were being targetted and framed in terrorist activities.
Main issues:
1. Equitable economic policy should be made to end the gap between the rich and the poor
2. Local communities should have the right to own the natural resources (water, forests, land, minerals etc) instead of giving the natural resource away to private corporations
3. Shopping malls should be closed so that the livelihood of small scale producers, roadside vendors, etc doesn’t get threatened
4. Employment should be made a basic right and unemployment allowance of Rs 5000 per month should be arranged
5. Black money deposited in Swiss banks and elsewhere inside the country should be identified and those responsible should face action. All kind of corruption should be brought to an end.
6. Government should fix a maximum retail price of all necessary food grains to control inflation
7. No local area development funds should be provided to MPs and MLAs
8. Land acquisition of cultivable land in the name of Special Economic Zone (SEZ), urbanization or industrialization should be stopped.
9. Agriculture policy should be such that farmers need not commit suicide and labourers shouldn’t be dying of hunger deaths anymore. Industries dependent on agriculture should be promoted
10. Politics on communal issues or terrorism should be brought to an end. Social, economic and political solutions should be found for all kinds of violence, naxalism, separatism and terrorism.
11. Right to Information Act and National Rural Employment Guarantee Act should be effectively implemented
12. Violence against and exploitation of women, dalit, tribals and minorities should be stopped
13. According to the recommendations of the Kothari commission, uniform education system should be enforced all across the country. Privatisation and commercialization of education should be stopped.
14. Elections of students' union of all universities and degree colleges should be held as per the recommendations of Lynghdoh committee.
15. Genuine poor should be given the below the poverty line (BPL) cards so that they can avail of the benefits of Urban Poor Housing Scheme.
16. The urban-focussed development policy should be changed so as to provide employment opportunities in the rural areas so that rural to urban migration can be halted.
17. Public transport services need to be improved not only to reduce the need to use private conveyances as much as possible but also to contribute in reducing global warming.
18. Alternative energy sources like solar power, wind power and bio energy be adopted so that electricity can be provided in every village.
19. The privatization of health services should be stopped and government health services should be optimally provided in an effective manner
20. Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. Therefore the category of 'very important person' (VIP) should be brought to an end.
21. India's foreign policy should be such so as to establish peace and friendship with the neighbouring nations. The defense budget should be reduced and security provided on the basis of mutual trust.
22. Necessary reforms should be undertaken so that police can function in an accountable way, without any undue interference.
23. The union of south Asian nations should be formed like the European Union so that people can travel to south Asian nations without passport.2
24. The scope of special opportunities should be broadened from a government job and education, and other tools be added along with reservation
25. The dream of Dr BR Ambedkar of a caste-less and class-less society be realized as soon as possible so that real democracy can be established in our country
26. The decision on all cases in the court should be made in a time-bound manner
27. All laws related to child rights and welfare be effectively implemented in letter and spirit
Supported by:
Kuldip Nayar, Justice Rajinder Sachchar, Surendra Mohan, Medha Patkar, Aruna Roy, Swami Agnivesh, Banwari Lal Sharma, Brahmadev Sharma, Shamsher Singh Bisht, Ravikiran Jain, Yogendra Yadav, Dr Roop Rekha Verma, Dr Sandeep Pandey
Lucknow-specific issues:
- Economically-feasible permanent construction should be made to provide houses for all poor
- Those residing in the slum or hutments should only be displaced or relocated after all adequate arrangements for their rehabilitation have been made
- Economically-feasible market be made for small-scale roadside vendors and other traders
- Electricity, water, drainage system and road should be provided in every slum
- Corruption and unlawful extortion of money should be stopped in granting licenses to richshaw pullers and auto drivers
- A dedicated agency be set up to clean the river Gomti
- Metro Rail service should be started in two years and city public transport services should be improved and available at a cheaper rate
- Places of historical value should be protected from communalization or alteration
Contact:
SR Darapuri, 18/455, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016. Phone: 0522- 2354661, mobile: 9415164845; email: srdarapuri@yahoo.co.in
Dr Sandeep Pandey, A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016. Phone: 0522-2347365, email: ashaashram@yahoo.com
Office:
Naveen - 83, Halwasiya market, Hazratganj, Lucknow. Phone: 0522 3012385
Brief introduction to Lok Rajniti Manch's candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency SR Darapuri, who is a retired Inspector General of Police (IG):
SR Darapuri is a 1972 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. Before joining IPS, he has served as a teacher, 'Rashtriya Bachat Sangathan', Finance Ministry and Customs department (Government of India). In this way he has more than 40 years of administrative experience. He has demonstrated a pro-people, upright and honest attitude in shouldering administrative responsibilities competently over years. After his retirement, he has emerged as a socially-conscious and sensitive social activist providing support to social justice movements on issues pertaining to human rights, dalit, minorities, women, labourers, weavers, farmers, students, youth amongst others, and empowering the poor and underserved communities. Presently he is associated with the following social organizations, political forums and people's movements including:
1. Vice President, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Uttar Pradesh (UP)
2. Vice President, Dr Ambedkar Mahasabha
3. State Coordinator, Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front), UP
4. Member, Coordination committee, Jan Sangharsh Morcha, UP
5. Member, Right to Information Campaign committee, UP
6. Convener, Dalit Mukti Morcha
7. Convener, World Conference on Religion and Peace, Lucknow branch
8. Member, Right to Food committee, UP
9. State Representative, Asian Centre for Human Rights
10. President, Society for Promoting Buddhist Knowledge
Just recently he has played a key role in supporting the cause of muslim youth who were being targetted and framed in terrorist activities.
Main issues:
1. Equitable economic policy should be made to end the gap between the rich and the poor
2. Local communities should have the right to own the natural resources (water, forests, land, minerals etc) instead of giving the natural resource away to private corporations
3. Shopping malls should be closed so that the livelihood of small scale producers, roadside vendors, etc doesn’t get threatened
4. Employment should be made a basic right and unemployment allowance of Rs 5000 per month should be arranged
5. Black money deposited in Swiss banks and elsewhere inside the country should be identified and those responsible should face action. All kind of corruption should be brought to an end.
6. Government should fix a maximum retail price of all necessary food grains to control inflation
7. No local area development funds should be provided to MPs and MLAs
8. Land acquisition of cultivable land in the name of Special Economic Zone (SEZ), urbanization or industrialization should be stopped.
9. Agriculture policy should be such that farmers need not commit suicide and labourers shouldn’t be dying of hunger deaths anymore. Industries dependent on agriculture should be promoted
10. Politics on communal issues or terrorism should be brought to an end. Social, economic and political solutions should be found for all kinds of violence, naxalism, separatism and terrorism.
11. Right to Information Act and National Rural Employment Guarantee Act should be effectively implemented
12. Violence against and exploitation of women, dalit, tribals and minorities should be stopped
13. According to the recommendations of the Kothari commission, uniform education system should be enforced all across the country. Privatisation and commercialization of education should be stopped.
14. Elections of students' union of all universities and degree colleges should be held as per the recommendations of Lynghdoh committee.
15. Genuine poor should be given the below the poverty line (BPL) cards so that they can avail of the benefits of Urban Poor Housing Scheme.
16. The urban-focussed development policy should be changed so as to provide employment opportunities in the rural areas so that rural to urban migration can be halted.
17. Public transport services need to be improved not only to reduce the need to use private conveyances as much as possible but also to contribute in reducing global warming.
18. Alternative energy sources like solar power, wind power and bio energy be adopted so that electricity can be provided in every village.
19. The privatization of health services should be stopped and government health services should be optimally provided in an effective manner
20. Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. Therefore the category of 'very important person' (VIP) should be brought to an end.
21. India's foreign policy should be such so as to establish peace and friendship with the neighbouring nations. The defense budget should be reduced and security provided on the basis of mutual trust.
22. Necessary reforms should be undertaken so that police can function in an accountable way, without any undue interference.
23. The union of south Asian nations should be formed like the European Union so that people can travel to south Asian nations without passport.2
24. The scope of special opportunities should be broadened from a government job and education, and other tools be added along with reservation
25. The dream of Dr BR Ambedkar of a caste-less and class-less society be realized as soon as possible so that real democracy can be established in our country
26. The decision on all cases in the court should be made in a time-bound manner
27. All laws related to child rights and welfare be effectively implemented in letter and spirit
Supported by:
Kuldip Nayar, Justice Rajinder Sachchar, Surendra Mohan, Medha Patkar, Aruna Roy, Swami Agnivesh, Banwari Lal Sharma, Brahmadev Sharma, Shamsher Singh Bisht, Ravikiran Jain, Yogendra Yadav, Dr Roop Rekha Verma, Dr Sandeep Pandey
Lucknow-specific issues:
- Economically-feasible permanent construction should be made to provide houses for all poor
- Those residing in the slum or hutments should only be displaced or relocated after all adequate arrangements for their rehabilitation have been made
- Economically-feasible market be made for small-scale roadside vendors and other traders
- Electricity, water, drainage system and road should be provided in every slum
- Corruption and unlawful extortion of money should be stopped in granting licenses to richshaw pullers and auto drivers
- A dedicated agency be set up to clean the river Gomti
- Metro Rail service should be started in two years and city public transport services should be improved and available at a cheaper rate
- Places of historical value should be protected from communalization or alteration
Contact:
SR Darapuri, 18/455, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016. Phone: 0522- 2354661, mobile: 9415164845; email: srdarapuri@yahoo.co.in
Dr Sandeep Pandey, A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016. Phone: 0522-2347365, email: ashaashram@yahoo.com
Office:
Naveen - 83, Halwasiya market, Hazratganj, Lucknow. Phone: 0522 3012385
Four months old girl-child fights for life after brutal acid attack
Four months old girl-child fights for life after brutal acid attack
Lucknow: In one of the most gruesome violations of child rights, a four month old baby girl has become the youngest victim of a brutal acid attack which has not only scarred her physically but will now destroy her emotional and psychological well being as well. The innocent child will be forced to live with deformities caused to her by a brutal attack for no fault of her own.
The incident took place in village Saffadirpur in district Hardoi when the family of the baby girl named Bitta, had an altercation over landed property with their neighbours.
Bitta's father Vijay Kumar lives with his four brothers in Saffadirpur. The family did not get along with their neighbours Sanjay, Ravindra, Nanhe and Anand who were in the habit of instigating trouble. To harass and trouble Vijay Kumar's family on a number of occasions, bottles had been flung by the four accused at the child when she was left sleeping on the bed of the verandah of Vijay Kumar's home.
On 5 February 2009, the four men scaled the wall while the parents were not near the child and poured acid on the baby's face. Causing serious damage to her eyes, face, chest and completely disfiguring the four month old girl.
The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Mallawa Thana (police station) in Hardoi district of UP, India, but nothing was done and the culprits are still at large. The case was also referred to Child Welfare Committee in the state-capital Lucknow who shot off a letter to superintendent of Police (SP) Hardoi to look into the matter. But nothing was done neither did they respond to the CWC letter. The National and State Women's Commission, the National and State Human Rights Commission, the Director General of Police (DGP) UP, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lucknow, SSP Hardoi all were contacted by the baby's family but justice is yet to be brought to them.
In the meantime the culprits are still dodging the law and continue to freely roam in the village in Hardoi district. They have also threatened to harm the other girl children in Vijay Kumar's house in Hardoi as they did to baby Bitta.
The case was referred to Saaksham Foundation when the child was brought to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU) Plastic Surgery Department where the child underwent her first operation on 17 April 2009.
As per the investigation done of the case and discussions with the Head of the Department (HOD) Plastic Surgery, Dr AK Singh, the child will require continuous surgeries till she is 15 years old to make her condition manageable, which will require huge financial resources which the family is unable to afford.
A child-rights organization, Saaksham Foundation, had made an appeal on behalf of the child and her family for support so that the culprits can be brought to justice and be made to bear the cost of the medical treatment of Baby Bitta. An appeal has also been made to the Chief Minister of UP state, to release funds from her discretionary funds to cover costs of the first phase of the treatment of the baby.
As per the Article 6(1) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it has been defined clearly that: State parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
It also says in Article 16(1) of the convention that: No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home, correspondence nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour or reputation.
Article 16(2) of the convention further says: The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
But above all Article 39 of the convention says, state parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social re-integration of a child victim of any form of neglect, exploitation, abuse, torture or any form of cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or armed conflict. Such recovery shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self respect and the dignity of the child.
Even the Constitution of India clearly states as per Article 39, Directive Principles of State Policy: ... that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in condition of freedom and dignity and childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against, moral and material abandonment...
As of now Baby Bitta has been denied all of the above. And she is fighting for life at the Department of plastic surgery at CSMMU. She needs our help and protection and it's our moral responsibility to stand up and fight for the rights of this innocent child.
Published in
Media for Freedom, Kathmandu, Nepal
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Lucknow: In one of the most gruesome violations of child rights, a four month old baby girl has become the youngest victim of a brutal acid attack which has not only scarred her physically but will now destroy her emotional and psychological well being as well. The innocent child will be forced to live with deformities caused to her by a brutal attack for no fault of her own.
The incident took place in village Saffadirpur in district Hardoi when the family of the baby girl named Bitta, had an altercation over landed property with their neighbours.
Bitta's father Vijay Kumar lives with his four brothers in Saffadirpur. The family did not get along with their neighbours Sanjay, Ravindra, Nanhe and Anand who were in the habit of instigating trouble. To harass and trouble Vijay Kumar's family on a number of occasions, bottles had been flung by the four accused at the child when she was left sleeping on the bed of the verandah of Vijay Kumar's home.
On 5 February 2009, the four men scaled the wall while the parents were not near the child and poured acid on the baby's face. Causing serious damage to her eyes, face, chest and completely disfiguring the four month old girl.
The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Mallawa Thana (police station) in Hardoi district of UP, India, but nothing was done and the culprits are still at large. The case was also referred to Child Welfare Committee in the state-capital Lucknow who shot off a letter to superintendent of Police (SP) Hardoi to look into the matter. But nothing was done neither did they respond to the CWC letter. The National and State Women's Commission, the National and State Human Rights Commission, the Director General of Police (DGP) UP, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lucknow, SSP Hardoi all were contacted by the baby's family but justice is yet to be brought to them.
In the meantime the culprits are still dodging the law and continue to freely roam in the village in Hardoi district. They have also threatened to harm the other girl children in Vijay Kumar's house in Hardoi as they did to baby Bitta.
The case was referred to Saaksham Foundation when the child was brought to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU) Plastic Surgery Department where the child underwent her first operation on 17 April 2009.
As per the investigation done of the case and discussions with the Head of the Department (HOD) Plastic Surgery, Dr AK Singh, the child will require continuous surgeries till she is 15 years old to make her condition manageable, which will require huge financial resources which the family is unable to afford.
A child-rights organization, Saaksham Foundation, had made an appeal on behalf of the child and her family for support so that the culprits can be brought to justice and be made to bear the cost of the medical treatment of Baby Bitta. An appeal has also been made to the Chief Minister of UP state, to release funds from her discretionary funds to cover costs of the first phase of the treatment of the baby.
As per the Article 6(1) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it has been defined clearly that: State parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
It also says in Article 16(1) of the convention that: No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home, correspondence nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour or reputation.
Article 16(2) of the convention further says: The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
But above all Article 39 of the convention says, state parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote physical and psychological recovery and social re-integration of a child victim of any form of neglect, exploitation, abuse, torture or any form of cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or armed conflict. Such recovery shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self respect and the dignity of the child.
Even the Constitution of India clearly states as per Article 39, Directive Principles of State Policy: ... that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in condition of freedom and dignity and childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against, moral and material abandonment...
As of now Baby Bitta has been denied all of the above. And she is fighting for life at the Department of plastic surgery at CSMMU. She needs our help and protection and it's our moral responsibility to stand up and fight for the rights of this innocent child.
Published in
Media for Freedom, Kathmandu, Nepal
Citizen News Service (CNS)
The Amazing Garbage Woman
The Amazing Garbage Woman
[To read in Hindi language, click here]
Yes, that is what Prabha Chaturvedi (resident of D-2/4 Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow) is lovingly known as in the circle of her friends and well wishers. A very socially committed person, she started an anti-
garbage movement in 1993, with the support of a small group of women volunteers and her husband, Shri Ramakant Chaturvedi. During the course of her crusade for removal of roadside garbage, cleaning and de-silting of overflowing drains, she became a familiar figure at the local municipal office. She would often bang at their doors, forcing them to do their duty sometimes. At other times her complaints would fall on deaf ears. Nonetheless, she became a necessary nuisance for them and they thought she was really 'mad'. Well, mad she was to see the filth around her and also the public apathy towards the efforts of her volunteers. But her untiring efforts attracted the attention of Mr MB Nirmal, a social activist from Chennai. He was so impressed by her zeal that he invited her group to visit his NGO ‘ExNoRa International’, which was engaged in solid waste management.
Thus was born the ExNoRa Innovators Club, Lucknow , in 1996. This acronym stands for ‘Excellent, Novel and Radical’ ideas which can transform society. Ms Chaturvedi rightly believes that the root cause of pollution (in public life and in the environment) is WASTE - whether it is a waste of money, or of natural resources, or of words/ ideas. Hence an efficient management of all such waste is the need of the hour.
As far as garbage is concerned, it is best to reduce, reuse and recycle it, as far as possible. This garbage (generated by us) is polluting our rivers/water sources, poisoning the air we breathe and making our surroundings filthy. Yes, the government has failed in its duty of providing us with basic civic amenities. But are we, as civil society, doing anything worthwhile either? With just a little change in our mindsets, we can indeed do a lot.
So let us imbibe the ‘mantra’ of Prabha Chaturvedi and begin right away. Let us start reusing, rather than throwing away, our household garbage. It would take only a little will power to consciously decide to segregate this garbage into bio-degradable (organic) and non bio-degradable (inorganic) heaps. The former (bio-degradable) includes all kitchen waste, human hair, dead/dry plant leaves and incense/joss stick ash and likewise. All these wastes should be put under the soil of the house garden or a roadside tree or in a wooden crate lined with jute. They would gradually turn into nitrogen rich manure/soil nutrients. The inorganic non bio-degradable waste, consisting mostly of plastic bags, plastic bottles, gutkha or pan masala sachets, iron/aluminum scrap, broken pottery and glass, can be put in a separate bin and given to the rag pickers directly (to be recycled). This would decrease their workload of rummaging through garbage heaps and also decrease the roadside filth.
It is unfortunate that we keep on grumbling about the dirty surroundings, but do not want to take simple steps to make them clean, says Prabha ji. Surely, children could become harbingers of this change under the able supervision of the retired residents of the colony/housing society. Only when we make our environs clean and garbage free, will we be empowered to remove political pollution. We need to weed out (rather vote out) the poisonous elements and elect honest candidates who are sensitive to the needs of the under privileged.
Shobha Shukla
The author writes extensively in English and Hindi media. She serves as Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS).
Published in
Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
Two Circles.net
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Media for Freedom, Kathmandu, Nepal
Citizen News Service (CNS)
[To read in Hindi language, click here]
Yes, that is what Prabha Chaturvedi (resident of D-2/4 Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow) is lovingly known as in the circle of her friends and well wishers. A very socially committed person, she started an anti-
garbage movement in 1993, with the support of a small group of women volunteers and her husband, Shri Ramakant Chaturvedi. During the course of her crusade for removal of roadside garbage, cleaning and de-silting of overflowing drains, she became a familiar figure at the local municipal office. She would often bang at their doors, forcing them to do their duty sometimes. At other times her complaints would fall on deaf ears. Nonetheless, she became a necessary nuisance for them and they thought she was really 'mad'. Well, mad she was to see the filth around her and also the public apathy towards the efforts of her volunteers. But her untiring efforts attracted the attention of Mr MB Nirmal, a social activist from Chennai. He was so impressed by her zeal that he invited her group to visit his NGO ‘ExNoRa International’, which was engaged in solid waste management.Thus was born the ExNoRa Innovators Club, Lucknow , in 1996. This acronym stands for ‘Excellent, Novel and Radical’ ideas which can transform society. Ms Chaturvedi rightly believes that the root cause of pollution (in public life and in the environment) is WASTE - whether it is a waste of money, or of natural resources, or of words/ ideas. Hence an efficient management of all such waste is the need of the hour.
As far as garbage is concerned, it is best to reduce, reuse and recycle it, as far as possible. This garbage (generated by us) is polluting our rivers/water sources, poisoning the air we breathe and making our surroundings filthy. Yes, the government has failed in its duty of providing us with basic civic amenities. But are we, as civil society, doing anything worthwhile either? With just a little change in our mindsets, we can indeed do a lot.
So let us imbibe the ‘mantra’ of Prabha Chaturvedi and begin right away. Let us start reusing, rather than throwing away, our household garbage. It would take only a little will power to consciously decide to segregate this garbage into bio-degradable (organic) and non bio-degradable (inorganic) heaps. The former (bio-degradable) includes all kitchen waste, human hair, dead/dry plant leaves and incense/joss stick ash and likewise. All these wastes should be put under the soil of the house garden or a roadside tree or in a wooden crate lined with jute. They would gradually turn into nitrogen rich manure/soil nutrients. The inorganic non bio-degradable waste, consisting mostly of plastic bags, plastic bottles, gutkha or pan masala sachets, iron/aluminum scrap, broken pottery and glass, can be put in a separate bin and given to the rag pickers directly (to be recycled). This would decrease their workload of rummaging through garbage heaps and also decrease the roadside filth.
It is unfortunate that we keep on grumbling about the dirty surroundings, but do not want to take simple steps to make them clean, says Prabha ji. Surely, children could become harbingers of this change under the able supervision of the retired residents of the colony/housing society. Only when we make our environs clean and garbage free, will we be empowered to remove political pollution. We need to weed out (rather vote out) the poisonous elements and elect honest candidates who are sensitive to the needs of the under privileged.
Shobha ShuklaThe author writes extensively in English and Hindi media. She serves as Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS).
Published in
Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
Two Circles.net
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Media for Freedom, Kathmandu, Nepal
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Pictorial health warnings on tobacco products from 30th May
Pictorial health warnings on tobacco products from 30th May
The long pending pictorial or graphic health warnings on all tobacco products in India shall finally be impelmented from 30 May 2009. This is in line with the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act and the global tobacco treaty which India has ratified (World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control).
Earlier this week, the Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium had assured a bench headed by Justice BN Aggarwal in the Court after senior counsel Indira Jaisingh, appearing for NGO Health for Millions, alleged the Centre was dragging its feet on the issue.
Earlier this month, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on tobacco warnings were supposed to meet on 8 April 2009 and further dilution or delay to pictorial health warnings on tobacco products was apprehended by many health activists. However the meeting didn't take place.
Also, a survey conducted in four Indian States by Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health and Voluntary Healh Association of India (VHAI) reports 98% of public supporting the pack warnings and 99% supporting government action to strengthen health warnings requiring them to be large and including pictures of all tobacco products.
Pictorial warnings on tobacco products are intended to increase consumer knowledge of the deadly health effects of tobacco consumption, to encourage cessation and to discourage uptake. In India they also break the linguistic and cultural barrier, in addition to informing the illiterate population (a large proportion of this segment smokes bidis) about the harmful effects of tobacco use.
Before going to the 3rd Conference of Parties (COP3) to the FCTC, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had revealed before the Central Information Commission that tobacco industry is putting "pressure" to relax the tobacco control policies (source: The Hindu, 14 November 2008). The Preamble of the global tobacco treaty, indicates that Parties “need to be alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts and the need to be informed of activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on tobacco control efforts”. Further, Article 5.3 of the FCTC requires that “in setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties should act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with the national law.”
Hope the authorities will not dilute or delay the implementation of this health policy any further, and stick to their commitment to enforce the pictorial health warnings on tobacco products by 30th May 2009.
- Bobby Ramakant
The long pending pictorial or graphic health warnings on all tobacco products in India shall finally be impelmented from 30 May 2009. This is in line with the Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act and the global tobacco treaty which India has ratified (World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control).
Earlier this week, the Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium had assured a bench headed by Justice BN Aggarwal in the Court after senior counsel Indira Jaisingh, appearing for NGO Health for Millions, alleged the Centre was dragging its feet on the issue.
Earlier this month, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on tobacco warnings were supposed to meet on 8 April 2009 and further dilution or delay to pictorial health warnings on tobacco products was apprehended by many health activists. However the meeting didn't take place.
Also, a survey conducted in four Indian States by Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health and Voluntary Healh Association of India (VHAI) reports 98% of public supporting the pack warnings and 99% supporting government action to strengthen health warnings requiring them to be large and including pictures of all tobacco products.
Pictorial warnings on tobacco products are intended to increase consumer knowledge of the deadly health effects of tobacco consumption, to encourage cessation and to discourage uptake. In India they also break the linguistic and cultural barrier, in addition to informing the illiterate population (a large proportion of this segment smokes bidis) about the harmful effects of tobacco use.
Before going to the 3rd Conference of Parties (COP3) to the FCTC, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had revealed before the Central Information Commission that tobacco industry is putting "pressure" to relax the tobacco control policies (source: The Hindu, 14 November 2008). The Preamble of the global tobacco treaty, indicates that Parties “need to be alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts and the need to be informed of activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on tobacco control efforts”. Further, Article 5.3 of the FCTC requires that “in setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties should act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with the national law.”
Hope the authorities will not dilute or delay the implementation of this health policy any further, and stick to their commitment to enforce the pictorial health warnings on tobacco products by 30th May 2009.
- Bobby Ramakant
Elections 2009: CPI, AIFB and RSP support Darapuri in Lucknow
Elections 2009: CPI, AIFB and RSP support Darapuri in Lucknow
The Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Forward Block (AIFB) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) have expressed their support to the Lok Rajniti Manch candidate SR Darapuri who is contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Lucknow. Lucknow goes to poll on 30 April 2009.
Former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer SR Darapuri (retired Inspector General (IG) of Police) is a prominent social and human rights activist. He is part of the people's movements aimed at empowerment of common people. During service he was regarded as an honest and diligent officer.
Lok Rajniti Manch desires to build a new political culture which will be an alternative to the dominant money and muscle powered politics, which will bring the common people's issues to the core of politics, where the candidates will have a history of serving the people, where the politicians will not require armed security, where the candidates will strictly follow the code of conduct set up by Election Commission, where the election expenses will be made public and where the candidate will conduct himself/herself in a transparent manner and will be accountable to the people. The candidate irrespective of the result of the election will continue to serve the people.
This is a small beginning to challenge the stranglehold of crime and corruption over politics.
People who are affected by or working on issues ranging from violence against women, gender-based inequalities, right to health, right to education, reproductive health and rights, discrimination or violence against dalit, youth-related issues, girls and children-related issues, public health, substance abuse, caste-based discrimination, and others, are interacting with Darapuri to draft his election manifesto.
Darapuri while interacting informally with the people said that he consented to fight the elections to raise people's issues and create an alternative in the otherwise grim scenario of Indian politics where corruption and criminalization has upped to an alarming level.
"Those committing themselves to serve the people need to be honest and sensitive to people's issues" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member of National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch. "It is important for people's representatives to be sensitive to their issues and not just merely honest" said Pandey.
Dr Sandeep Pandey is one among those who had sought legal recourse to challenge the film-star turned Samajwadi Party's candidate for Lucknow lok sabha constituency Sanjay Dutt. Later the Supreme Court ruling made it clear that Sanjay Dutt cannot contest elections from Lucknow this time.
Lok Rajniti Manch indeed gives a hope to the people, particularly the youth. Many young people have organized themselves as Project Vijay to root out corruption and increase accountability and transparency in the system. They are also supporting Darapuri and raising key issues to generate meaningful dialogue among general public.
- Bobby Ramakant
The Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Forward Block (AIFB) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) have expressed their support to the Lok Rajniti Manch candidate SR Darapuri who is contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Lucknow. Lucknow goes to poll on 30 April 2009.
Former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer SR Darapuri (retired Inspector General (IG) of Police) is a prominent social and human rights activist. He is part of the people's movements aimed at empowerment of common people. During service he was regarded as an honest and diligent officer.
Lok Rajniti Manch desires to build a new political culture which will be an alternative to the dominant money and muscle powered politics, which will bring the common people's issues to the core of politics, where the candidates will have a history of serving the people, where the politicians will not require armed security, where the candidates will strictly follow the code of conduct set up by Election Commission, where the election expenses will be made public and where the candidate will conduct himself/herself in a transparent manner and will be accountable to the people. The candidate irrespective of the result of the election will continue to serve the people.
This is a small beginning to challenge the stranglehold of crime and corruption over politics.
People who are affected by or working on issues ranging from violence against women, gender-based inequalities, right to health, right to education, reproductive health and rights, discrimination or violence against dalit, youth-related issues, girls and children-related issues, public health, substance abuse, caste-based discrimination, and others, are interacting with Darapuri to draft his election manifesto.
Darapuri while interacting informally with the people said that he consented to fight the elections to raise people's issues and create an alternative in the otherwise grim scenario of Indian politics where corruption and criminalization has upped to an alarming level.
"Those committing themselves to serve the people need to be honest and sensitive to people's issues" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member of National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch. "It is important for people's representatives to be sensitive to their issues and not just merely honest" said Pandey.
Dr Sandeep Pandey is one among those who had sought legal recourse to challenge the film-star turned Samajwadi Party's candidate for Lucknow lok sabha constituency Sanjay Dutt. Later the Supreme Court ruling made it clear that Sanjay Dutt cannot contest elections from Lucknow this time.
Lok Rajniti Manch indeed gives a hope to the people, particularly the youth. Many young people have organized themselves as Project Vijay to root out corruption and increase accountability and transparency in the system. They are also supporting Darapuri and raising key issues to generate meaningful dialogue among general public.
- Bobby Ramakant
'Chunav par nazar' reaches New Delhi
'Chunav par nazar' reaches New Delhi
Travelling through Mumbai, Ghaziabad, Himachal Pradesh, Ranchi, Chindwada and raising people's issues at all these places, the Chunav par Nazar Yatra team has reached Delhi on 15 April 2009, to highlight the concerns of the lakhs of urban poor, unorganized working classes and basti dwellers as also the farmers and landless living on the periphery of Delhi, who are battling with their life in their struggle to save their lands and livelihoods from an infrastructure-hungry state and real estate hungry 'corporate'.
Thousands of farmers, landless dalits, urban basti dwellers, domestic workers, unorganized workers and other contract labourers, hawkers, residents of unauthorized colonies, pavement dwellers, pedestrians, rickshaw pullers and cyclists on unsafe roads assembled at the Lok Manch today afternoon at the Dharna Sthal of the Khanzawala Bhoomi Bachao Andolan, a 1700 old village, where farmers have been resisting all attempts by land sharks to grab their fertile agricultural lands.
Together, they joined the struggling villagers of Khanzawala, as also those of the 900 year old Tekri Kala, Karala and Tekri Khurd villages and question the political parties and candidates on what Lok Sabha Elections 2009 means for their lives and livelihoods and challenge their hollow unkept promises made in 2004 and the arbitrary land acquisition of DDA and DSIDC.
The Campaign in Delhi is a joint initiative of many people's groups including the National Alliance of People's Movements, Jan Sangharsh Vahini, National Kissan Mazdoor Federation, Delhi Solidarity Group, Bandhua Mukti Morcha, National Workers Federation, National Domestic Workers Federation, Delhi Forum, CACIM, Youth Collective, Institute for Democracy and Sustainability, Urban Women Worker's Organization, Jan Sanghash Sanyukt Morcha and other groups.
Many prominent activists, intellectuals and academics joined the Lok Manch, including Shri Sharad Chadra Behar, Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Meher Engineer, President, Indian Social Science Academy, Prof. Amit Bhaduri, Economist, JNU and supporter of people's movements, Arvind Kejriwal, Right to Information Activist and Magsaysay Award recipient, Medha Patkar, National Convenor, NAPM, Prof. Ajit Jha, Professor, Delhi University, Prof Arun Kumar, Political Economist, Shri Suhas Borker, Veteran Media person and Working Group on Alternative Strategies, Rajendra Ravi, NAPM (Delhi) among others.
In different cities the campaign was also joined by Shri K. Jagannatha Rao, Former Advisor, Election Commission of India, Shri Trilochan Sastry, Association for Democratic Reforms and Dean, IIM, Bangalore, Justice (Retd.) Suresh, Mumbai High Court, Prof. Ram Dayal Munda, Former Vice Chancellor, Ranchi University, Dayamani Barla (INSAF), Dr. Sunilam, Kissan Sangharsh Samiti, Sanjay Basu Mallick, Jangal Bachao Abhiyan, Ms. Abha Singh, IAS and many others.
Smt. Krishna Teerath from the Congress Party, Smt. Meera Kavariya from the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Shri Rakesh Hans from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) joined the Manch and presented their party's position on people's issues.
In addition to electoral reforms proposed by us decentralization is very much necessary for a real democracy. Decisions of Basti Sabhas consisting of 3000 families in each city and those of the Gram Sabhas must be the basis of any democratic decision – making process. We, the people's organizations, who have profound faith in the Lok Satta (people's power) above the Lok Sabha have proposed a Jan Bhagidari Bill on which we invite political parties to give their comments and responses (draft available for comment).
As people's movements, using the twin methods of Sangharsh (struggle) and punar-nirman (reconstruction), we are working on the issues of development in the context of destructive displacement towards for equity and justice self-reliance and sustainability and this pre-election monitoring campaign is a part of this process. The Campaign is in Delhi today to shake the conscience of the power holders and power aspirants about their real commitment to people's everyday issues and the tall claims in their manifestos. The thousands of development-affected people are determined in their voice; Sawaal lekar aaye hai' – Jawaab lekar jaayenge'.
The campaign will travel to Bhopal from here on the 17th April 2009 and to Nandurbar (Maharashtra) on the 19th April 2009 where thousands of adivasis in the Narmada valley shall question parties on various issues including displacement, right to work, health and food among other issues affected their lives.
Nirmala Behen, Madhuresh, Aneeta Kapoor, Bhupendra Rawat, Nanhu Prasag Gupta, Medha Patkar
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Travelling through Mumbai, Ghaziabad, Himachal Pradesh, Ranchi, Chindwada and raising people's issues at all these places, the Chunav par Nazar Yatra team has reached Delhi on 15 April 2009, to highlight the concerns of the lakhs of urban poor, unorganized working classes and basti dwellers as also the farmers and landless living on the periphery of Delhi, who are battling with their life in their struggle to save their lands and livelihoods from an infrastructure-hungry state and real estate hungry 'corporate'.
Thousands of farmers, landless dalits, urban basti dwellers, domestic workers, unorganized workers and other contract labourers, hawkers, residents of unauthorized colonies, pavement dwellers, pedestrians, rickshaw pullers and cyclists on unsafe roads assembled at the Lok Manch today afternoon at the Dharna Sthal of the Khanzawala Bhoomi Bachao Andolan, a 1700 old village, where farmers have been resisting all attempts by land sharks to grab their fertile agricultural lands.
Together, they joined the struggling villagers of Khanzawala, as also those of the 900 year old Tekri Kala, Karala and Tekri Khurd villages and question the political parties and candidates on what Lok Sabha Elections 2009 means for their lives and livelihoods and challenge their hollow unkept promises made in 2004 and the arbitrary land acquisition of DDA and DSIDC.
The Campaign in Delhi is a joint initiative of many people's groups including the National Alliance of People's Movements, Jan Sangharsh Vahini, National Kissan Mazdoor Federation, Delhi Solidarity Group, Bandhua Mukti Morcha, National Workers Federation, National Domestic Workers Federation, Delhi Forum, CACIM, Youth Collective, Institute for Democracy and Sustainability, Urban Women Worker's Organization, Jan Sanghash Sanyukt Morcha and other groups.
Many prominent activists, intellectuals and academics joined the Lok Manch, including Shri Sharad Chadra Behar, Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Meher Engineer, President, Indian Social Science Academy, Prof. Amit Bhaduri, Economist, JNU and supporter of people's movements, Arvind Kejriwal, Right to Information Activist and Magsaysay Award recipient, Medha Patkar, National Convenor, NAPM, Prof. Ajit Jha, Professor, Delhi University, Prof Arun Kumar, Political Economist, Shri Suhas Borker, Veteran Media person and Working Group on Alternative Strategies, Rajendra Ravi, NAPM (Delhi) among others.
In different cities the campaign was also joined by Shri K. Jagannatha Rao, Former Advisor, Election Commission of India, Shri Trilochan Sastry, Association for Democratic Reforms and Dean, IIM, Bangalore, Justice (Retd.) Suresh, Mumbai High Court, Prof. Ram Dayal Munda, Former Vice Chancellor, Ranchi University, Dayamani Barla (INSAF), Dr. Sunilam, Kissan Sangharsh Samiti, Sanjay Basu Mallick, Jangal Bachao Abhiyan, Ms. Abha Singh, IAS and many others.
Smt. Krishna Teerath from the Congress Party, Smt. Meera Kavariya from the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Shri Rakesh Hans from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) joined the Manch and presented their party's position on people's issues.
In addition to electoral reforms proposed by us decentralization is very much necessary for a real democracy. Decisions of Basti Sabhas consisting of 3000 families in each city and those of the Gram Sabhas must be the basis of any democratic decision – making process. We, the people's organizations, who have profound faith in the Lok Satta (people's power) above the Lok Sabha have proposed a Jan Bhagidari Bill on which we invite political parties to give their comments and responses (draft available for comment).
As people's movements, using the twin methods of Sangharsh (struggle) and punar-nirman (reconstruction), we are working on the issues of development in the context of destructive displacement towards for equity and justice self-reliance and sustainability and this pre-election monitoring campaign is a part of this process. The Campaign is in Delhi today to shake the conscience of the power holders and power aspirants about their real commitment to people's everyday issues and the tall claims in their manifestos. The thousands of development-affected people are determined in their voice; Sawaal lekar aaye hai' – Jawaab lekar jaayenge'.
The campaign will travel to Bhopal from here on the 17th April 2009 and to Nandurbar (Maharashtra) on the 19th April 2009 where thousands of adivasis in the Narmada valley shall question parties on various issues including displacement, right to work, health and food among other issues affected their lives.
Nirmala Behen, Madhuresh, Aneeta Kapoor, Bhupendra Rawat, Nanhu Prasag Gupta, Medha Patkar
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Damsels no longer in distress
Damsels no longer in distress
Anjali Singh
They may not be as suave as Nafisa Ali all set to wow Lucknow on a Samajawadi Party (SP) ticket to Lok Sabha or the messiah of the dalits as the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) Supremo, Bahen Mayawati but this elections the mahila brigade in city of Nawabs are gearing up to be heard and how!
Down trodden and oppressed for decades now a good number of Lucknawi women have come together and decided to say enough is enough. To be heard is their agenda and to campaign for their rights, top most on their election manifesto. All feisty members of the women's wing of Bhartiya Ekta Party they are more than determined to make a place for themselves in UP's highest office.
Says Neelam, a victim of dowry harassment who was burnt by her in laws for not bringing in the booty they expected at the time of her marriage, "I was thrown out of my husband's house way back in 1992 with an infant son. No one came to my help, I approached everyone right from the police to the women's commission, to the local corporator of my ward but all my pleas fell on deaf years. For 12 years I have struggled to make ends meet with no financial support from my husband or in-laws. But now I have decided no more will I suffer in silence and so when I got to hear that women were getting together to fight back this election and ask for their rights I joined in."
Completely disfigured by the flames that engulfed her 12 years back when she was set afire by her in-laws, the fire is still burning in her heart to get justice for herself and her son and also develop a support system through the women's wing of the all women's party she has just become a member of.
And just as keen is Ram Pyari, a 65 year old widow who has been denied a widow's pension for years now, "I have three daughters to be married off and no source of income despite the fact that I have been enrolled with the Social Welfare Department in UP to receive the widow's pension. But till date I have not got a single penny from them. I have written to them, met the MLA here and given him an application in that regard but nothing has come out of it. So when the women who were forming the Bhartiya Ekta Party came to my neighborhood and talked to women and asked them to join up I jumped at the opportunity. I feel only when we women get together and build our strength to stand up for each other only then our voice will be heard."
As upbeat as that sounds the fact remains that over 160 women who have joined up to give a voice to women issues are not only thinking of taking up issues where rights have been denied to the fairer sex instead they plan to build a all women's forum that will draw its strength from the sheer number of women who come together with them to take up the cause.
Explains Neetu Bajpai, who runs a NGO called Neetu Mahila Bal Kalyan Samiti at Gulzar Nagar in Lucknow and is a member of the all women's Bhartiya Ekta Party, "When I began working for women's rights I understood that it's a challenge for a woman to keep the home fire burning on her own. Many a times they slept hungry as they could not get even one square meal a day for their children. Deserted by their husbands and in-laws and abandoned by society they had no where to turn. So I decided to visit each house in my locality and help those who could not afford to burn the 'Chula' in their homes. Today over ten thousand women stand by me and fight for all such women who have been abandoned and abused. The aim of the party we all have become a member of is to ensure that women in UP are no longer taken for granted and considered weak. We will take up every issue and campaigned for and no more tears will be shed, whether it is marital abuse, police brutality, rape or molestation or denial of the basic right to live."
Adds Bahen Farida, Nagar Mahasachiv, Muslim Mahasabha who is leading the women, "I draw my strength from these women and the determination will help me fight to get them their rights. We have decided to get on the offensive as it's been long enough that we have been on the defensive the first step towards that is forming an all women's party is the way to do it."
But what if the electorate does not support the noble cause?
"We are prepared for that but even then we will form pressure groups and voice the issues that we want to be addressed by the government. In fact a group of the women's Bhartiya Ekta Party is already educating the women voters to seriously question the credentials of the candidates of various parties that come to them to seek their votes. They have been told to analyse if that particular candidate has helped address and solve the problems women have been facing. If not then he or she will not be voted for," informs Farida.
How's that for a beginning demanding equal rights in decision making in the parliament? They may still be denied the 33 percent reservation in the parliamentary process but women in UP but they have decided to exercise their rights nevertheless. And being part of the electoral process is just a start. Right ladies?
Anjali Singh
(The author is a Special Correspondent to Citizen News Service (CNS) and also the Director of Saksham Foundation. Email: anjali@citizen-news.org)
Published in
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Anjali Singh
They may not be as suave as Nafisa Ali all set to wow Lucknow on a Samajawadi Party (SP) ticket to Lok Sabha or the messiah of the dalits as the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) Supremo, Bahen Mayawati but this elections the mahila brigade in city of Nawabs are gearing up to be heard and how!
Down trodden and oppressed for decades now a good number of Lucknawi women have come together and decided to say enough is enough. To be heard is their agenda and to campaign for their rights, top most on their election manifesto. All feisty members of the women's wing of Bhartiya Ekta Party they are more than determined to make a place for themselves in UP's highest office.
Says Neelam, a victim of dowry harassment who was burnt by her in laws for not bringing in the booty they expected at the time of her marriage, "I was thrown out of my husband's house way back in 1992 with an infant son. No one came to my help, I approached everyone right from the police to the women's commission, to the local corporator of my ward but all my pleas fell on deaf years. For 12 years I have struggled to make ends meet with no financial support from my husband or in-laws. But now I have decided no more will I suffer in silence and so when I got to hear that women were getting together to fight back this election and ask for their rights I joined in."
Completely disfigured by the flames that engulfed her 12 years back when she was set afire by her in-laws, the fire is still burning in her heart to get justice for herself and her son and also develop a support system through the women's wing of the all women's party she has just become a member of.
And just as keen is Ram Pyari, a 65 year old widow who has been denied a widow's pension for years now, "I have three daughters to be married off and no source of income despite the fact that I have been enrolled with the Social Welfare Department in UP to receive the widow's pension. But till date I have not got a single penny from them. I have written to them, met the MLA here and given him an application in that regard but nothing has come out of it. So when the women who were forming the Bhartiya Ekta Party came to my neighborhood and talked to women and asked them to join up I jumped at the opportunity. I feel only when we women get together and build our strength to stand up for each other only then our voice will be heard."
As upbeat as that sounds the fact remains that over 160 women who have joined up to give a voice to women issues are not only thinking of taking up issues where rights have been denied to the fairer sex instead they plan to build a all women's forum that will draw its strength from the sheer number of women who come together with them to take up the cause.
Explains Neetu Bajpai, who runs a NGO called Neetu Mahila Bal Kalyan Samiti at Gulzar Nagar in Lucknow and is a member of the all women's Bhartiya Ekta Party, "When I began working for women's rights I understood that it's a challenge for a woman to keep the home fire burning on her own. Many a times they slept hungry as they could not get even one square meal a day for their children. Deserted by their husbands and in-laws and abandoned by society they had no where to turn. So I decided to visit each house in my locality and help those who could not afford to burn the 'Chula' in their homes. Today over ten thousand women stand by me and fight for all such women who have been abandoned and abused. The aim of the party we all have become a member of is to ensure that women in UP are no longer taken for granted and considered weak. We will take up every issue and campaigned for and no more tears will be shed, whether it is marital abuse, police brutality, rape or molestation or denial of the basic right to live."
Adds Bahen Farida, Nagar Mahasachiv, Muslim Mahasabha who is leading the women, "I draw my strength from these women and the determination will help me fight to get them their rights. We have decided to get on the offensive as it's been long enough that we have been on the defensive the first step towards that is forming an all women's party is the way to do it."
But what if the electorate does not support the noble cause?
"We are prepared for that but even then we will form pressure groups and voice the issues that we want to be addressed by the government. In fact a group of the women's Bhartiya Ekta Party is already educating the women voters to seriously question the credentials of the candidates of various parties that come to them to seek their votes. They have been told to analyse if that particular candidate has helped address and solve the problems women have been facing. If not then he or she will not be voted for," informs Farida.
How's that for a beginning demanding equal rights in decision making in the parliament? They may still be denied the 33 percent reservation in the parliamentary process but women in UP but they have decided to exercise their rights nevertheless. And being part of the electoral process is just a start. Right ladies?
Anjali Singh
(The author is a Special Correspondent to Citizen News Service (CNS) and also the Director of Saksham Foundation. Email: anjali@citizen-news.org)
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Major setback for scaling up Hepatitis C (Hep C or HCV) treatment
Major setback for scaling up Hepatitis C (Hep C or HCV) treatment
The Indian Patent Office has rejected a post-grant opposition filed against the grant of patent to drugs that are used for Hepatitis C (Hep C or HCV) treatment.
A Mumbai-based non-governmental organization, Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust, had filed this post-grant opposition against the grant of patent to F-Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Roche) for Pegasys (pegylated interferon alfa 2a) - a key drug used to treat HCV.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne, infectious, viral disease that is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The infection can cause liver inflammation that is often asymptomatic, but chronic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. HCV transmission occurs when traces of blood from an infected person enter the body of a HCV-negative person. Like HIV, HCV is spread through sharing injection equipment, through needle stick or other sharps injuries, or less frequently from infected mothers to their babies.
HCV transmission rates are higher than that of HIV, and the condition is often more severe in drug users. People who share injection equipment are vulnerable to HCV and HIV infection, and in many places co-infection is not common.
Greater awareness about hepatitis C, more investment of resources, cheaper diagnostic and treatment services, and improved hepatitis-related treatment literacy, are all urgently needed by people co-infected with the hepatitis C virus and HIV.
"Hepatitis C treatment is mostly left out since AIDS activists are so focused on ARVs [antiretroviral drugs] or other prevention and treatment services," had said Umesh Sharma, in 2006, who had then completed a course of hepatitis C treatment.
The treatment for HCV was already very expensive - costing on average approximately US$250 per week. Interferon injections are given weekly, in addition to ribavirin tablets.With rejection of post-grant oppostion to granting of patent to pegasys (HCV drug), the monopoly will further exacerbate access, availability and affordability to HCV treatment.
The Lawyers' Collective in a posting on International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) had said that In 2006, the Indian Patent Office had granted a patent to Roche for Pegasys. The Patent grants a monopoly to Roche, to market pegylated interferon alfa2a. Patients with chronic Hepatitis C, who need a six-month course of treatment of pegylated interferon alfa2a, have to purchase it at a cost of approximately Rs. 4, 36,000 [USD 8,752.38 ] (available at a discounted price of Rs. 3, 14,496 or USD 6,313.28 ). Again, Pegasys has to be taken in combination with Ribavarin, which alone costs Rs. 47,160 [USD 946.70 ].
In May 2007, Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust, a Mumbai-based NGO that works with drug users, filed a post grant opposition to challenge the patent.
Roche’s patent for Pegasys involves combining interferon alfa2a – a naturally occurring protein with known antiviral effects – with a structure called polyethelyene glycol (PEG), a known inert substance that prevents interferon from being broken down by the body, thus allowing it to remain in the bloodstream longer. This technology of combining interferon and other biologically active proteins with PEG had also been known for years prior to Roche’s claim for the patent, says the Lawyers' Collective posting.
Sankalp argued in its opposition that the patent was wrongly granted because given the existing knowledge at the time Roche filed its patent application, the “invention” that Roche was claiming was neither new nor inventive. Sankalp also urged that the pegylated form of interferon claimed by Roche is only a “new form of a known substance” without increased efficacy as compared to other known interferon conjugates and therefore is not patentable under section 3(d) of the Patents Act
Wockhardt, an Indian company, had also filed a post-grant opposition against the patent granted to Pegasys.
However, in a decision delivered on 17 March 2009, the Indian Patent Office dismissed the oppositions and upheld the grant of patent to Roche.
The impact of this decision is likely to be grim - with worsening access, availability and affordability of HCV treatment for those who need it most. Hope it gets reversed before it is too late.
- Bobby Ramakant
The Indian Patent Office has rejected a post-grant opposition filed against the grant of patent to drugs that are used for Hepatitis C (Hep C or HCV) treatment.
A Mumbai-based non-governmental organization, Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust, had filed this post-grant opposition against the grant of patent to F-Hoffmann-La Roche AG (Roche) for Pegasys (pegylated interferon alfa 2a) - a key drug used to treat HCV.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne, infectious, viral disease that is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The infection can cause liver inflammation that is often asymptomatic, but chronic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. HCV transmission occurs when traces of blood from an infected person enter the body of a HCV-negative person. Like HIV, HCV is spread through sharing injection equipment, through needle stick or other sharps injuries, or less frequently from infected mothers to their babies.
HCV transmission rates are higher than that of HIV, and the condition is often more severe in drug users. People who share injection equipment are vulnerable to HCV and HIV infection, and in many places co-infection is not common.
Greater awareness about hepatitis C, more investment of resources, cheaper diagnostic and treatment services, and improved hepatitis-related treatment literacy, are all urgently needed by people co-infected with the hepatitis C virus and HIV.
"Hepatitis C treatment is mostly left out since AIDS activists are so focused on ARVs [antiretroviral drugs] or other prevention and treatment services," had said Umesh Sharma, in 2006, who had then completed a course of hepatitis C treatment.
The treatment for HCV was already very expensive - costing on average approximately US$250 per week. Interferon injections are given weekly, in addition to ribavirin tablets.With rejection of post-grant oppostion to granting of patent to pegasys (HCV drug), the monopoly will further exacerbate access, availability and affordability to HCV treatment.
The Lawyers' Collective in a posting on International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) had said that In 2006, the Indian Patent Office had granted a patent to Roche for Pegasys. The Patent grants a monopoly to Roche, to market pegylated interferon alfa2a. Patients with chronic Hepatitis C, who need a six-month course of treatment of pegylated interferon alfa2a, have to purchase it at a cost of approximately Rs. 4, 36,000 [USD 8,752.38 ] (available at a discounted price of Rs. 3, 14,496 or USD 6,313.28 ). Again, Pegasys has to be taken in combination with Ribavarin, which alone costs Rs. 47,160 [USD 946.70 ].
In May 2007, Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust, a Mumbai-based NGO that works with drug users, filed a post grant opposition to challenge the patent.
Roche’s patent for Pegasys involves combining interferon alfa2a – a naturally occurring protein with known antiviral effects – with a structure called polyethelyene glycol (PEG), a known inert substance that prevents interferon from being broken down by the body, thus allowing it to remain in the bloodstream longer. This technology of combining interferon and other biologically active proteins with PEG had also been known for years prior to Roche’s claim for the patent, says the Lawyers' Collective posting.
Sankalp argued in its opposition that the patent was wrongly granted because given the existing knowledge at the time Roche filed its patent application, the “invention” that Roche was claiming was neither new nor inventive. Sankalp also urged that the pegylated form of interferon claimed by Roche is only a “new form of a known substance” without increased efficacy as compared to other known interferon conjugates and therefore is not patentable under section 3(d) of the Patents Act
Wockhardt, an Indian company, had also filed a post-grant opposition against the patent granted to Pegasys.
However, in a decision delivered on 17 March 2009, the Indian Patent Office dismissed the oppositions and upheld the grant of patent to Roche.
The impact of this decision is likely to be grim - with worsening access, availability and affordability of HCV treatment for those who need it most. Hope it gets reversed before it is too late.
- Bobby Ramakant
Death of Dalit election candidate warrants CBI enquiry
Death of Dalit election candidate warrants CBI enquiry
Bahadur Lal Sonkar (48 years) who was contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Jaunpur parliamentary constituency of India, was found dead hanging from a tree on the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti. He was contesting elections from Indian Justice Party (IJP).
"It is very unfortunate that on the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti such gory incident has taken place" said SR Darapuri, who is a Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) candidate from prestigious constituency of Lucknow. He expressed concern over the mysterious death of Bahadur Lal Sonkar.
Criminalization of politics is reaching at alarming levels. As per media reports, the IJP said that "Bahadur Lal was receiving life threats from BSP candidate Dhananjay Singh and some top police officials. The latter were asking him to withdraw his nomination or be ready to face the music." (The Pioneer, 14 April 2009).
"We demand CBI enquiry into the incident and appropriate legal action should be taken without delay against those who are responsible for the death of Bahadur Lal Sonkar" asserted Darapuri.
"Bahadur Lal was a dalit leader in Jaunpur. We are concerned that despite of the fact that Bahadur Lal had reportedly informed the authorities about the life-threats and demanded security, he neither got the security nor any action was taken to preempt such killing" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch.
"The dominant model of mainstream political parties which rely on muscle power, money power and unscrupulous ways for winning elections needs to be rejected" further added Dr Sandeep Pandey.
The criminalization of politics is of extreme concern and pressure is building to bar those with criminal backgrounds from politics.
- Bobby Ramakant
Bahadur Lal Sonkar (48 years) who was contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Jaunpur parliamentary constituency of India, was found dead hanging from a tree on the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti. He was contesting elections from Indian Justice Party (IJP).
"It is very unfortunate that on the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti such gory incident has taken place" said SR Darapuri, who is a Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) candidate from prestigious constituency of Lucknow. He expressed concern over the mysterious death of Bahadur Lal Sonkar.
Criminalization of politics is reaching at alarming levels. As per media reports, the IJP said that "Bahadur Lal was receiving life threats from BSP candidate Dhananjay Singh and some top police officials. The latter were asking him to withdraw his nomination or be ready to face the music." (The Pioneer, 14 April 2009).
"We demand CBI enquiry into the incident and appropriate legal action should be taken without delay against those who are responsible for the death of Bahadur Lal Sonkar" asserted Darapuri.
"Bahadur Lal was a dalit leader in Jaunpur. We are concerned that despite of the fact that Bahadur Lal had reportedly informed the authorities about the life-threats and demanded security, he neither got the security nor any action was taken to preempt such killing" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch.
"The dominant model of mainstream political parties which rely on muscle power, money power and unscrupulous ways for winning elections needs to be rejected" further added Dr Sandeep Pandey.
The criminalization of politics is of extreme concern and pressure is building to bar those with criminal backgrounds from politics.
- Bobby Ramakant
Demand for CBI enquiry into the death of Dalit leader
Demand for CBI enquiry into the death of Dalit leader
Lok Rajniti Manch expresses concern over the mysterious death of Indian Justice Party (IJP) candidate from Jaunpur, Bahadur Lal Sonkar (48 years), whose body was found hanging from a tree.
It is very unfortunate that on the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti such gory incidents has taken place.
Criminalization of politics is reaching at alarming levels. As per media reports, the IJP said that "Bahadur Lal was receiving life threats from BSP candidate Dhananjay Singh and some top police officials. The latter were asking him to withdraw his nomination or be ready to face the music." (The Pioneer, 14 April 2009).
We demand CBI enquiry into the incident and appropriate legal action should be taken without delay against those who are responsible for the death of Bahadur Lal Sonkar.
Bahadur Lal was a dalit leader in Jaunpur. We are concerned that despite of the fact that Bahadur Lal had reportedly informed the authorities about the life-threats and demanded security, he neither got the security nor any action was taken to preempt such killing.
The criminalization of politics is of extreme concern and those with criminal backgrounds should be barred from the politics.
SR Darapuri (Lok Rajniti Manch's candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency), Dr Sandeep Pandey (Member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch), Ram Sagar (Lok Rajniti Manch's candidate from Mishrik parliamentary constituency)
Lok Rajniti Manch expresses concern over the mysterious death of Indian Justice Party (IJP) candidate from Jaunpur, Bahadur Lal Sonkar (48 years), whose body was found hanging from a tree.
It is very unfortunate that on the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti such gory incidents has taken place.
Criminalization of politics is reaching at alarming levels. As per media reports, the IJP said that "Bahadur Lal was receiving life threats from BSP candidate Dhananjay Singh and some top police officials. The latter were asking him to withdraw his nomination or be ready to face the music." (The Pioneer, 14 April 2009).
We demand CBI enquiry into the incident and appropriate legal action should be taken without delay against those who are responsible for the death of Bahadur Lal Sonkar.
Bahadur Lal was a dalit leader in Jaunpur. We are concerned that despite of the fact that Bahadur Lal had reportedly informed the authorities about the life-threats and demanded security, he neither got the security nor any action was taken to preempt such killing.
The criminalization of politics is of extreme concern and those with criminal backgrounds should be barred from the politics.
SR Darapuri (Lok Rajniti Manch's candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency), Dr Sandeep Pandey (Member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch), Ram Sagar (Lok Rajniti Manch's candidate from Mishrik parliamentary constituency)
Whispers of sanity in the frenzy of madness
Whispers of sanity in the frenzy of madness
It was indeed refreshing to hear the views of Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, a Right Livelihood award recipient, on the politics of terrorism. He rightly believes that terrorism is not born of any religion, but is the outcome of political situations.
In India, the demolition of the Babri Masjid triggered the spate of terrorist activities in the country. The Indian government’s pro America stance aggravated the situation further, with America getting a lot of flak for its activities in Afghanistan and Iraq . All this prepared the soil for volatile activities.
"We feel that that if the Babri Masjid had not been demolished and if the nuclear bomb had not been tested in 1998 then our country would not be facing the problem of terrorism today. The first bomb blast occurred in Mumbai in 1993 after the demolition of the mosque. After the nuclear test, the then BJP government adopted pro-America policies and in 2001, when America began the war against terrorism, India joined this US' war against terrorism without invitation. It was precisely at this time that we had the first 'terrorist' attack on the Indian Parliament. After this, there was a spate in terrorist activities in India , the latest being the recent daring attack in Mumbai. The communal politics of the country has fuelled hatred and violence. It has also endangered the sovereignty of our country. This communal politics is responsible for terrorist activities. It is not only the Pakistan fundamentalist Islamic organizations, but the Hindu fundamentalist organizations like Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and others, who are to be blamed for this" said Asghar Ali Engineer, who has himself faced attacks from muslim fundamentalist organizations for his stand against fundamentalism.
"Now our country also faces the danger of Taliban, which is slowly devouring Pakistan . We must learn from Pakistan the devastating effects of supporting fundamentalism. We strongly feel that unless the elected government of Pakistan become strong enough to control its army, intelligence agency and terrorist outfits, the fear of terrorism will loom across our borders" said SR Darapuri, a former IPS officer (retired Inspector General (IG) police) who is also contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the prestigious Lucknow parliamentary constituency on behalf of Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front).
The communal /caste politics being played by the various political parties of the country have added fuel to fire. This fire of hatred and communal violence is slowly engulfing the entire nation and the common citizens (aam aadmi) have been the worst sufferers as always. The shameful Godhra incident, exposed the blatant partisan, biased and communal attitude of the powers-that-be. The protector has now become the predator. Fundamentalist organizations ( both Hindu and Muslim) are preaching violence in the name of religion, instead of love. There is an urgent need to ban all such outfits. But does anyone have the political acumen to do so? Populist measures, in the name of appeasing vote bank pockets have wreaked enough havoc already. Criminals fighting elections, and winning them too, on party tickets, have made a mockery of our democratic set up.
"There should be a complete ban on Hindu fundamentalist outfits from taking part in politics. Any organization based on the narrow ideology of hatred for other communities, should have no place in democracy. The youth of our country should become a vehicle for creating a just and peaceful society, where no religion or caste dominates others. We welcome the decision of the Congress Party for not giving the party’s ticket to Jagdish Tyler and Sajjan Kumar and expect similar actions from the BJP" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002), member National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) and a noted social activist.
If only we could stop inhuman police atrocities on the innocents in Kashmir; start development work in earnest and hold fair and free elections, it would once again become a piece of ‘heaven on earth’.
As our elders have failed to deliver the goods, it is time for the youth to become harbingers of peace. They can, and should, become vehicles of a social and just society. In a democratic set up, it is the people who matter and not the political bosses. No religion, caste or community should be given preference over another.
Pleasant winds of change have already started blowing across the country. The youth are rightly questioning the credentials of the candidates standing in the forthcoming elections. I have seen many youngsters exhorting their fellow beings to vote for the right candidate and not for any particular political party. The manifestos of most political parties are nothing more than inane jokes. They are outdoing each other in the race for ‘Who Is The Most Idiotic Of Us All’? One party promises to remove English, computers, mechanization, all in one go, in the name of development. Another claims that by distributing freebies like laddoos, tiffin boxes, pencil cases and by projecting criminals as messiahs, it would win the hearts of the common public. Yet, another promises to root out corruption, terrorism and nepotism, after sleeping over them all this while.
So now enough is enough of this tom foolery. The political parties have made a mockery of the civil society. It is time now for the people to themselves draft a manifesto for the general good of all, including the lowliest of the low...
Shobha Shukla
The author writes extensively in English and Hindi media. She serves as Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS).
It was indeed refreshing to hear the views of Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, a Right Livelihood award recipient, on the politics of terrorism. He rightly believes that terrorism is not born of any religion, but is the outcome of political situations.
In India, the demolition of the Babri Masjid triggered the spate of terrorist activities in the country. The Indian government’s pro America stance aggravated the situation further, with America getting a lot of flak for its activities in Afghanistan and Iraq . All this prepared the soil for volatile activities.
"We feel that that if the Babri Masjid had not been demolished and if the nuclear bomb had not been tested in 1998 then our country would not be facing the problem of terrorism today. The first bomb blast occurred in Mumbai in 1993 after the demolition of the mosque. After the nuclear test, the then BJP government adopted pro-America policies and in 2001, when America began the war against terrorism, India joined this US' war against terrorism without invitation. It was precisely at this time that we had the first 'terrorist' attack on the Indian Parliament. After this, there was a spate in terrorist activities in India , the latest being the recent daring attack in Mumbai. The communal politics of the country has fuelled hatred and violence. It has also endangered the sovereignty of our country. This communal politics is responsible for terrorist activities. It is not only the Pakistan fundamentalist Islamic organizations, but the Hindu fundamentalist organizations like Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and others, who are to be blamed for this" said Asghar Ali Engineer, who has himself faced attacks from muslim fundamentalist organizations for his stand against fundamentalism.
"Now our country also faces the danger of Taliban, which is slowly devouring Pakistan . We must learn from Pakistan the devastating effects of supporting fundamentalism. We strongly feel that unless the elected government of Pakistan become strong enough to control its army, intelligence agency and terrorist outfits, the fear of terrorism will loom across our borders" said SR Darapuri, a former IPS officer (retired Inspector General (IG) police) who is also contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the prestigious Lucknow parliamentary constituency on behalf of Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front).
The communal /caste politics being played by the various political parties of the country have added fuel to fire. This fire of hatred and communal violence is slowly engulfing the entire nation and the common citizens (aam aadmi) have been the worst sufferers as always. The shameful Godhra incident, exposed the blatant partisan, biased and communal attitude of the powers-that-be. The protector has now become the predator. Fundamentalist organizations ( both Hindu and Muslim) are preaching violence in the name of religion, instead of love. There is an urgent need to ban all such outfits. But does anyone have the political acumen to do so? Populist measures, in the name of appeasing vote bank pockets have wreaked enough havoc already. Criminals fighting elections, and winning them too, on party tickets, have made a mockery of our democratic set up.
"There should be a complete ban on Hindu fundamentalist outfits from taking part in politics. Any organization based on the narrow ideology of hatred for other communities, should have no place in democracy. The youth of our country should become a vehicle for creating a just and peaceful society, where no religion or caste dominates others. We welcome the decision of the Congress Party for not giving the party’s ticket to Jagdish Tyler and Sajjan Kumar and expect similar actions from the BJP" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002), member National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) and a noted social activist.
If only we could stop inhuman police atrocities on the innocents in Kashmir; start development work in earnest and hold fair and free elections, it would once again become a piece of ‘heaven on earth’.
As our elders have failed to deliver the goods, it is time for the youth to become harbingers of peace. They can, and should, become vehicles of a social and just society. In a democratic set up, it is the people who matter and not the political bosses. No religion, caste or community should be given preference over another.
Pleasant winds of change have already started blowing across the country. The youth are rightly questioning the credentials of the candidates standing in the forthcoming elections. I have seen many youngsters exhorting their fellow beings to vote for the right candidate and not for any particular political party. The manifestos of most political parties are nothing more than inane jokes. They are outdoing each other in the race for ‘Who Is The Most Idiotic Of Us All’? One party promises to remove English, computers, mechanization, all in one go, in the name of development. Another claims that by distributing freebies like laddoos, tiffin boxes, pencil cases and by projecting criminals as messiahs, it would win the hearts of the common public. Yet, another promises to root out corruption, terrorism and nepotism, after sleeping over them all this while.
So now enough is enough of this tom foolery. The political parties have made a mockery of the civil society. It is time now for the people to themselves draft a manifesto for the general good of all, including the lowliest of the low...
Shobha ShuklaThe author writes extensively in English and Hindi media. She serves as Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS).
The Politics of Terrorism and Communalism
The Politics of Terrorism and Communalism
We feel that that if the Babri Masjid had not been demolished and if the nuclear bomb had not been tested in 1998 then our country would not be facing the problem of terrorism today. The first bomb blast occurred in Mumbai in 1993 after the demolition of the mosque. After the nuclear test, the then BJP government adopted pro-America policies and in 2001, when America began the war against terrorism, India joined this US' war against terrorism without invitation. It was precisely at this time that we had the first 'terrorist' attack on the Indian Parliament. After this, there was a spate in terrorist activities in India , the latest being the recent daring attack in Mumbai. The communal politics of the country has fuelled hatred and violence. It has also endangered the sovereignty of our country. This communal politics is responsible for terrorist activities. It is not only the Pakistan fundamentalist Islamic organizations, but the Hindu fundamentalist organizations like Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and others, who are to be blamed for this.
Now our country also faces the danger of Taliban, which is slowly devouring Pakistan . We must learn from Pakistan the devastating effects of supporting fundamentalism. We strongly feel that unless the elected government of Pakistan become strong enough to control its army, intelligence agency and terrorist outfits, the fear of terrorism will loom across our borders.
There should be a complete ban on Hindu fundamentalist outfits from taking part in politics. Any organization based on the narrow ideology of hatred for other communities, should have no place in democracy. The youth of our country should become a vehicle for creating a just and peaceful society, where no religion or caste dominates others.
We welcome the decision of the Congress Party for not giving the party’s ticket to Jagdish Tyler and Sajjan Kumar and expect similar actions from the BJP.
- Asgar Ali Engineer, SR Darapuri and Dr Sandeep Pandey
Asgar Ali Engineer is a Right Livelihood Awardee (2004), noted Islamic Scholar and had faced physical attacks from muslim fundamentalist groups on his stand against fundamentalism
SR Darapuri, is an IPS officer and retired Inspector General (IG) Police, and Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency this year
Dr Sandeep Pandey, is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002), member National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch, leads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) in India
We feel that that if the Babri Masjid had not been demolished and if the nuclear bomb had not been tested in 1998 then our country would not be facing the problem of terrorism today. The first bomb blast occurred in Mumbai in 1993 after the demolition of the mosque. After the nuclear test, the then BJP government adopted pro-America policies and in 2001, when America began the war against terrorism, India joined this US' war against terrorism without invitation. It was precisely at this time that we had the first 'terrorist' attack on the Indian Parliament. After this, there was a spate in terrorist activities in India , the latest being the recent daring attack in Mumbai. The communal politics of the country has fuelled hatred and violence. It has also endangered the sovereignty of our country. This communal politics is responsible for terrorist activities. It is not only the Pakistan fundamentalist Islamic organizations, but the Hindu fundamentalist organizations like Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and others, who are to be blamed for this.
Now our country also faces the danger of Taliban, which is slowly devouring Pakistan . We must learn from Pakistan the devastating effects of supporting fundamentalism. We strongly feel that unless the elected government of Pakistan become strong enough to control its army, intelligence agency and terrorist outfits, the fear of terrorism will loom across our borders.There should be a complete ban on Hindu fundamentalist outfits from taking part in politics. Any organization based on the narrow ideology of hatred for other communities, should have no place in democracy. The youth of our country should become a vehicle for creating a just and peaceful society, where no religion or caste dominates others.
We welcome the decision of the Congress Party for not giving the party’s ticket to Jagdish Tyler and Sajjan Kumar and expect similar actions from the BJP.
- Asgar Ali Engineer, SR Darapuri and Dr Sandeep Pandey
Asgar Ali Engineer is a Right Livelihood Awardee (2004), noted Islamic Scholar and had faced physical attacks from muslim fundamentalist groups on his stand against fundamentalism
SR Darapuri, is an IPS officer and retired Inspector General (IG) Police, and Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency this year
Dr Sandeep Pandey, is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002), member National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch, leads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) in India
Recalling Jamshedpur riots of 1979
Recalling Jamshedpur riots of 1979
Kashif-ul-Huda
This month in the year 1979, the Hindu-Muslim violence in Jamshedpur took the lives of 108 people. The number of dead could have easily been 114, but as it turned out, my family and I survived the mayhem, to write about it thirty years later.
This unfortunate event occurred when I was at the tender age of five, however the memory of it is etched in my mind and it is one of the clearest early memories that I have. Thirty whole years later, and the images of the violence that occurred are still extremely vivid for me.
Earlier that day on April 11th, the tension in the air was heavy with anticipation of something horrible to come. Somehow my mother was able to sense it and on the morning of Ramnawami she went with her brother and my two little sisters to a nearby Muslim neighbourhood (Golmuri). My father being the idealist was confident that nothing would happen. In case something did happen, he had formed a group of Hindus and Muslims to defend the houses against any mob attacks whether they be Hindus or Muslims.
I and my brother, who was two years older than me, stayed behind though my mother and sisters had left early that morning. As the day went on, the small crowd that was outside on the streets talking amongst themselves began to grow. My brother started getting uncomfortable and by lunch time we convinced our father to take us to Golmuri where my mother had gone earlier. While we were there, eating lunch at Uncle Kamaal's house, we heard shouts that the rioting had started.
We went out quickly to see what was happening and saw smoke rising in the air in the distance. My memories after that are vivid but in pieces. I remember that we were staying in a house full of women and children. I remember not wanting to eat the food as it was only half-cooked. This was my introduction to life as a refugee at a very tender age. I remember going on the roof at night to see what appeared to be the whole city burning up in flames. I also remember someone warning us not to go up there and stand there to avoid the risk of being an easy target for someone to shoot at. I remember that I was not able to see my father much and being very scared the entire time.
Years later I would find out that our house in the Tinplate area of Jamshedpur was a refuge for all the local Muslims after all the Hindus of the joint front slowly left. My father, who was back in Golmuri the next day to drop off some supplies, got stuck there as the curfew was clamped. He couldn't go back and Muslims of Tinplate feeling besieged went to the Tinplate factory to ask for help but instead they were brutally murdered by their own colleagues. My father survived this tragedy by not being able to leave the area.
Our house was looted but we were one of the lucky ones. Others had all their belongings burnt. Months later, we moved to a new area called Agrico colony, across the street from another Muslim neighbourhood of Bhalubasa. These freshly white-washed houses failed to hide the black soot of the fires that was set in them. We didn't know if anyone had died in those houses but signs of loot and plunder were clearly visible.
Over the years, I met many people with their own tales of that horrible time. I will meet a woman with burn marks on her body, a survivor of the ambulance that was doused in flames with the intention to kill all inside. Everyday on our way to school, we will see the charred ambulance parked outside the Police Station.
Of the 108 dead, 79 were Muslims and 25 Hindus. There were many injured and many who lost everything. Jamshedpur is an industrial town dominated by Tata factories where many residents of the town are employed. Most of the city is company property and people of all faiths live together in company quarters.
It is difficult to understand why this tragic event occured in a city so young where and with such a diverse population. Most of the residents are from different parts of undivided Bihar or other parts of India, and all were blue-collar workers trying to make a decent and honest living. Muslims werent the only ones who lost their lives, Hindus did too, so who really benefitted from this tragedy?
The person who single handedly took the entire city hostage that day in Jamshedpur, thirty years ago, was local legislator, Dinanath Pandey. Pandey, the person responsible for the riots, was awarded a seat in the Bihar assembly, twice after the incident. As BJP candidate he won elections as late as 1990. He made his seat a safe BJP seat. In the last two assembly elections, BJP won from there with over 50% of the total votes polled.
India goes to the polls to elect its representatives and decides who will run the country for the next five years. When we complain that the government doesn't do anything for us, or when we complain of goondas and criminals in politics, remember that we as voters put them there in the first place. People like Dinanath Pandey, with blood on their hands, have no place in any legislative body. Congress has done well by taking away party tickets from Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, but it is the same party that ruled Andhra Pradesh when the Muslim youth of Hyderabad were illegally detained and tortured by the state police. They will not take any action until the public shows them how upset they are.
If the parties fail to take any action and continue to field these criminals, we the people have take the stand and refuse to vote in those with hate-filled agendas or a criminal history.
Kashif-ul-Huda
[The author is the editor of news website www.TwoCircles.net and can be reached at kashif@urdustan.com]
Kashif-ul-Huda
This month in the year 1979, the Hindu-Muslim violence in Jamshedpur took the lives of 108 people. The number of dead could have easily been 114, but as it turned out, my family and I survived the mayhem, to write about it thirty years later.
This unfortunate event occurred when I was at the tender age of five, however the memory of it is etched in my mind and it is one of the clearest early memories that I have. Thirty whole years later, and the images of the violence that occurred are still extremely vivid for me.
Earlier that day on April 11th, the tension in the air was heavy with anticipation of something horrible to come. Somehow my mother was able to sense it and on the morning of Ramnawami she went with her brother and my two little sisters to a nearby Muslim neighbourhood (Golmuri). My father being the idealist was confident that nothing would happen. In case something did happen, he had formed a group of Hindus and Muslims to defend the houses against any mob attacks whether they be Hindus or Muslims.
I and my brother, who was two years older than me, stayed behind though my mother and sisters had left early that morning. As the day went on, the small crowd that was outside on the streets talking amongst themselves began to grow. My brother started getting uncomfortable and by lunch time we convinced our father to take us to Golmuri where my mother had gone earlier. While we were there, eating lunch at Uncle Kamaal's house, we heard shouts that the rioting had started.
We went out quickly to see what was happening and saw smoke rising in the air in the distance. My memories after that are vivid but in pieces. I remember that we were staying in a house full of women and children. I remember not wanting to eat the food as it was only half-cooked. This was my introduction to life as a refugee at a very tender age. I remember going on the roof at night to see what appeared to be the whole city burning up in flames. I also remember someone warning us not to go up there and stand there to avoid the risk of being an easy target for someone to shoot at. I remember that I was not able to see my father much and being very scared the entire time.
Years later I would find out that our house in the Tinplate area of Jamshedpur was a refuge for all the local Muslims after all the Hindus of the joint front slowly left. My father, who was back in Golmuri the next day to drop off some supplies, got stuck there as the curfew was clamped. He couldn't go back and Muslims of Tinplate feeling besieged went to the Tinplate factory to ask for help but instead they were brutally murdered by their own colleagues. My father survived this tragedy by not being able to leave the area.
Our house was looted but we were one of the lucky ones. Others had all their belongings burnt. Months later, we moved to a new area called Agrico colony, across the street from another Muslim neighbourhood of Bhalubasa. These freshly white-washed houses failed to hide the black soot of the fires that was set in them. We didn't know if anyone had died in those houses but signs of loot and plunder were clearly visible.
Over the years, I met many people with their own tales of that horrible time. I will meet a woman with burn marks on her body, a survivor of the ambulance that was doused in flames with the intention to kill all inside. Everyday on our way to school, we will see the charred ambulance parked outside the Police Station.
Of the 108 dead, 79 were Muslims and 25 Hindus. There were many injured and many who lost everything. Jamshedpur is an industrial town dominated by Tata factories where many residents of the town are employed. Most of the city is company property and people of all faiths live together in company quarters.
It is difficult to understand why this tragic event occured in a city so young where and with such a diverse population. Most of the residents are from different parts of undivided Bihar or other parts of India, and all were blue-collar workers trying to make a decent and honest living. Muslims werent the only ones who lost their lives, Hindus did too, so who really benefitted from this tragedy?
The person who single handedly took the entire city hostage that day in Jamshedpur, thirty years ago, was local legislator, Dinanath Pandey. Pandey, the person responsible for the riots, was awarded a seat in the Bihar assembly, twice after the incident. As BJP candidate he won elections as late as 1990. He made his seat a safe BJP seat. In the last two assembly elections, BJP won from there with over 50% of the total votes polled.
India goes to the polls to elect its representatives and decides who will run the country for the next five years. When we complain that the government doesn't do anything for us, or when we complain of goondas and criminals in politics, remember that we as voters put them there in the first place. People like Dinanath Pandey, with blood on their hands, have no place in any legislative body. Congress has done well by taking away party tickets from Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, but it is the same party that ruled Andhra Pradesh when the Muslim youth of Hyderabad were illegally detained and tortured by the state police. They will not take any action until the public shows them how upset they are.
If the parties fail to take any action and continue to field these criminals, we the people have take the stand and refuse to vote in those with hate-filled agendas or a criminal history.
Kashif-ul-Huda
[The author is the editor of news website www.TwoCircles.net and can be reached at kashif@urdustan.com]
People to draft the manifesto of SR Darapuri
People to draft the manifesto of SR Darapuri
In times when manifestos of election candidates are announced by the highest seats of political 'ivory towers', a people centric initiative is taking shape in Lucknow. A series of public meetings led to the nomination of people's candidate from prestigious Lok Sabha constituency of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh in India. Indian Police Service (IPS) 1972 batch officer SR Darapuri (retired Inspector General (IG) of Police) is the candidate of Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) from Lucknow. Darapuri is a prominent social and human rights activist. He is part of the people's movements aimed at empowerment of common people. During service he was regarded as an honest and diligent officer.
Lok Rajniti Manch desires to build a new political culture which will be an alternative to the dominant money and muscle powered politics, which will bring the common people's issues to the core of politics, where the candidates will have a history of serving the people, where the politicians will not require armed security, where the candidates will strictly follow the code of conduct set up by Election Commission, where the election expenses will be made public and where the candidate will conduct himself/herself in a transparent manner and will be accountable to the people. The candidate irrespective of the result of the election will continue to serve the people.
This is a small beginning to challenge the stranglehold of crime and corruption over politics.
People who are affected by or working on issues ranging from violence against women, gender-based inequalities, right to health, right to education, reproductive health and rights, discrimination or violence against dalit, youth-related issues, girls and children-related issues, public health, substance abuse, caste-based discrimination, and others, are interacting with Darapuri to draft his election manifesto.
The manifesto is coming from the people and is aimed to reflect concerns of the people themselves. This participatory process where people are getting a chance to voice their concerns with dignity in the election manifesto of Darapuri is indeed an empowering process.
Darapuri while interacting informally with the people said that he consented to fight the elections to raise people's issues and create an alternative in the otherwise grim scenario of Indian politics where corruption and criminalization has upped to an alarming level.
"Those committing themselves to serve the people need to be honest and sensitive to people's issues" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member of National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch. "It is important for people's representatives to be sensitive to their issues and not just merely honest" said Pandey.
Dr Sandeep Pandey is one among those who had sought legal recourse to challenge the film-star turned Samajwadi Party's candidate for Lucknow lok sabha constituency Sanjay Dutt. Later the Supreme Court ruling made it clear that Sanjay Dutt cannot contest elections from Lucknow this time.
Is it not ironical that those who are alleged to be exploiting the poor and marginalized, and often with anti-social backgrounds, have found a way to manipulate the cauldron of political power.
Lok Rajniti Manch indeed gives a hope to the people, particularly the youth. Many young people have organized themselves as Project Vijay to root out corruption and increase accountability and transparency in the system. They are supporting Darapuri and raising key issues to generate meaningful dialogue among general public.
Lucknow goes to the poll on 30 April 2009.
- Bobby Ramakant
In times when manifestos of election candidates are announced by the highest seats of political 'ivory towers', a people centric initiative is taking shape in Lucknow. A series of public meetings led to the nomination of people's candidate from prestigious Lok Sabha constituency of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh in India. Indian Police Service (IPS) 1972 batch officer SR Darapuri (retired Inspector General (IG) of Police) is the candidate of Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front) from Lucknow. Darapuri is a prominent social and human rights activist. He is part of the people's movements aimed at empowerment of common people. During service he was regarded as an honest and diligent officer.
Lok Rajniti Manch desires to build a new political culture which will be an alternative to the dominant money and muscle powered politics, which will bring the common people's issues to the core of politics, where the candidates will have a history of serving the people, where the politicians will not require armed security, where the candidates will strictly follow the code of conduct set up by Election Commission, where the election expenses will be made public and where the candidate will conduct himself/herself in a transparent manner and will be accountable to the people. The candidate irrespective of the result of the election will continue to serve the people.
This is a small beginning to challenge the stranglehold of crime and corruption over politics.
People who are affected by or working on issues ranging from violence against women, gender-based inequalities, right to health, right to education, reproductive health and rights, discrimination or violence against dalit, youth-related issues, girls and children-related issues, public health, substance abuse, caste-based discrimination, and others, are interacting with Darapuri to draft his election manifesto.
The manifesto is coming from the people and is aimed to reflect concerns of the people themselves. This participatory process where people are getting a chance to voice their concerns with dignity in the election manifesto of Darapuri is indeed an empowering process.
Darapuri while interacting informally with the people said that he consented to fight the elections to raise people's issues and create an alternative in the otherwise grim scenario of Indian politics where corruption and criminalization has upped to an alarming level.
"Those committing themselves to serve the people need to be honest and sensitive to people's issues" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member of National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch. "It is important for people's representatives to be sensitive to their issues and not just merely honest" said Pandey.
Dr Sandeep Pandey is one among those who had sought legal recourse to challenge the film-star turned Samajwadi Party's candidate for Lucknow lok sabha constituency Sanjay Dutt. Later the Supreme Court ruling made it clear that Sanjay Dutt cannot contest elections from Lucknow this time.
Is it not ironical that those who are alleged to be exploiting the poor and marginalized, and often with anti-social backgrounds, have found a way to manipulate the cauldron of political power.
Lok Rajniti Manch indeed gives a hope to the people, particularly the youth. Many young people have organized themselves as Project Vijay to root out corruption and increase accountability and transparency in the system. They are supporting Darapuri and raising key issues to generate meaningful dialogue among general public.
Lucknow goes to the poll on 30 April 2009.
- Bobby Ramakant
What’s The Good Word?
What’s The Good Word?
Alas! Most of us do not remember a single one. In fact we prefer to throw shoes at each other (as was done recently by a scribe in India) rather than use words to debate an issue. Our politicians can only think of out doing each other by using choicest abuses and/or openly declaring to kill their opponents by unimaginably cruel methods. Their recent mutterings have thankfully pressed the Election Commission of India to take some suitable action against them. But, when this is the state of our elders and guardians, then what to talk about our youngsters.
A newspaper recently reported about a British school teacher being aghast at the slang vocabulary of her ten year old students. Things were no better in even elite Mumbai schools, where children (coming from supposedly good homes) use crude Hindi slang and swear words, dumbfounding everyone. Some blame it on parents, others on friends, or on video games and television shows which blur the line between what is acceptable and what is not.
These days, use of foul and violent language seems to be the ‘in thing’ amongst girls and boys alike. ‘Shit and ‘Bastard’ are the most commonly and frequently used words by students of even the so called prestigious schools. ‘Fuck you’ is another favourite, which has other worse equivalents in Hindi. In a milder tone, violence in the form of harsh words is being practiced too often. Stupid, fool, jerk, ass, are some of the hurtful and demeaning words which are used daily by most of us.
The finesse of language and the grace of good manners are gone. Lucknow , the city where I live, was once famous world wide for its polite manners and refined language (tehzeeb), even amongst the poor and illiterate. Alas! No more. Now we don’t care. It has become fashionable to be brash, loud and ill mannered. Words like ‘Please, Sorry, Thank you, Forgive me, Bless you for helping me’, are fast becoming obsolete. With the SMS language being accepted as the modern mode of communication, the last nail in the coffin of polite language has been hammered. More slang words, in cell phone language parlance, are being coined everyday.
We have become insensitive and that is what our kids are learning from us. Parents no longer seem to care about the four letter words being used by their wards in front of them. As income levels are rising, rude behaviour / foul language is becoming synonymous with power and might. We do not care to switch off our mobile phone conversations in theatres and cinema halls, despite repeated requests from artists and fellow spectators alike. We love to carry on loud, late night conversations in trains, totally oblivious of other passengers trying to catch a wink of sleep.
No wonder it all reflects upon the way we are bringing up our children. If we use foul language and arrogant manners at home and outside, children will be quick to pick it up, only if it is for the sake of imitating their elders. In many families, I have seen doting elders teach the 2- 3 years old to use swear words, just for the fun of it. Later on, it becomes a habit with no holds barred.
We are also becoming crude in our behaviour. Etiquette is passe. To some extent, this is connected to the weaning away of fine arts from our lives. Subjects of the Humanities group are becoming outmoded, making us less humane. Most parents (even the educated ones) feel that it is a waste of time if their child paints, draws, reads story books, recites/writes poetry. They think that any activity which does not fetch higher marks for their child is useless. I remember the father (an IIT professor) of a very bright student of mine, reprimanding her on winning a prize in an essay competition. He thought that she should have devoted that time more fruitfully in doing math rather than waste it in inane pursuits. A lack of appreciation for the finer points of life is affecting many facets of our personality. It is making us rude, selfish, and uncouth.
These days, nobody wants to study history, geography, sociology, English etc. If you are a good student, you are expected to study pure sciences, or at the worst, commerce, at the plus two level. In fact many schools pride themselves in not offering the ‘humanities stream’ at the class XII level. This trend needs to be reversed, though it may already be too late. Let us make not only good engineers and management professionals, but good human beings too.
We can at least teach our children to mind their language (which will be an asset to them in later life); to appreciate the beauties of nature and to feel the ecstasy of music and fine arts. Let us try to save our society from degenerating by mending our own ways. We can do this in our homes, in our schools and in our workplaces. Let our children learn to speak and act politely from the heart. Only then will they blossom creatively and grow up with the knowledge and appreciation of beauty and grace. Only then, perhaps, will they learn to respect and value life, stop desecrating monuments/buildings, stop molesting women and stop hating each other in the name of caste, social status and religion.
We can at least teach our children to mind their language (which will be an asset to them in later life); to appreciate the beauties of nature and to feel the ecstasy of music and fine arts. Let us try to save our society from degenerating by mending our own ways. We can do this in our homes, in our schools and in our workplaces. Let our children learn to speak and act politely from the heart. Only then will they blossom creatively and grow up with the knowledge and appreciation of beauty and grace. Only then, perhaps, will they learn to respect and value life, stop desecrating monuments/buildings, stop molesting women and stop hating each other in the name of caste, social status and religion.
Shobha Shukla
The author writes extensively in English and Hindi media. She serves as Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS).
Alas! Most of us do not remember a single one. In fact we prefer to throw shoes at each other (as was done recently by a scribe in India) rather than use words to debate an issue. Our politicians can only think of out doing each other by using choicest abuses and/or openly declaring to kill their opponents by unimaginably cruel methods. Their recent mutterings have thankfully pressed the Election Commission of India to take some suitable action against them. But, when this is the state of our elders and guardians, then what to talk about our youngsters.
A newspaper recently reported about a British school teacher being aghast at the slang vocabulary of her ten year old students. Things were no better in even elite Mumbai schools, where children (coming from supposedly good homes) use crude Hindi slang and swear words, dumbfounding everyone. Some blame it on parents, others on friends, or on video games and television shows which blur the line between what is acceptable and what is not.
These days, use of foul and violent language seems to be the ‘in thing’ amongst girls and boys alike. ‘Shit and ‘Bastard’ are the most commonly and frequently used words by students of even the so called prestigious schools. ‘Fuck you’ is another favourite, which has other worse equivalents in Hindi. In a milder tone, violence in the form of harsh words is being practiced too often. Stupid, fool, jerk, ass, are some of the hurtful and demeaning words which are used daily by most of us.
The finesse of language and the grace of good manners are gone. Lucknow , the city where I live, was once famous world wide for its polite manners and refined language (tehzeeb), even amongst the poor and illiterate. Alas! No more. Now we don’t care. It has become fashionable to be brash, loud and ill mannered. Words like ‘Please, Sorry, Thank you, Forgive me, Bless you for helping me’, are fast becoming obsolete. With the SMS language being accepted as the modern mode of communication, the last nail in the coffin of polite language has been hammered. More slang words, in cell phone language parlance, are being coined everyday.
We have become insensitive and that is what our kids are learning from us. Parents no longer seem to care about the four letter words being used by their wards in front of them. As income levels are rising, rude behaviour / foul language is becoming synonymous with power and might. We do not care to switch off our mobile phone conversations in theatres and cinema halls, despite repeated requests from artists and fellow spectators alike. We love to carry on loud, late night conversations in trains, totally oblivious of other passengers trying to catch a wink of sleep.
No wonder it all reflects upon the way we are bringing up our children. If we use foul language and arrogant manners at home and outside, children will be quick to pick it up, only if it is for the sake of imitating their elders. In many families, I have seen doting elders teach the 2- 3 years old to use swear words, just for the fun of it. Later on, it becomes a habit with no holds barred.
We are also becoming crude in our behaviour. Etiquette is passe. To some extent, this is connected to the weaning away of fine arts from our lives. Subjects of the Humanities group are becoming outmoded, making us less humane. Most parents (even the educated ones) feel that it is a waste of time if their child paints, draws, reads story books, recites/writes poetry. They think that any activity which does not fetch higher marks for their child is useless. I remember the father (an IIT professor) of a very bright student of mine, reprimanding her on winning a prize in an essay competition. He thought that she should have devoted that time more fruitfully in doing math rather than waste it in inane pursuits. A lack of appreciation for the finer points of life is affecting many facets of our personality. It is making us rude, selfish, and uncouth.
These days, nobody wants to study history, geography, sociology, English etc. If you are a good student, you are expected to study pure sciences, or at the worst, commerce, at the plus two level. In fact many schools pride themselves in not offering the ‘humanities stream’ at the class XII level. This trend needs to be reversed, though it may already be too late. Let us make not only good engineers and management professionals, but good human beings too.
We can at least teach our children to mind their language (which will be an asset to them in later life); to appreciate the beauties of nature and to feel the ecstasy of music and fine arts. Let us try to save our society from degenerating by mending our own ways. We can do this in our homes, in our schools and in our workplaces. Let our children learn to speak and act politely from the heart. Only then will they blossom creatively and grow up with the knowledge and appreciation of beauty and grace. Only then, perhaps, will they learn to respect and value life, stop desecrating monuments/buildings, stop molesting women and stop hating each other in the name of caste, social status and religion.
We can at least teach our children to mind their language (which will be an asset to them in later life); to appreciate the beauties of nature and to feel the ecstasy of music and fine arts. Let us try to save our society from degenerating by mending our own ways. We can do this in our homes, in our schools and in our workplaces. Let our children learn to speak and act politely from the heart. Only then will they blossom creatively and grow up with the knowledge and appreciation of beauty and grace. Only then, perhaps, will they learn to respect and value life, stop desecrating monuments/buildings, stop molesting women and stop hating each other in the name of caste, social status and religion.
Shobha ShuklaThe author writes extensively in English and Hindi media. She serves as Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS).
Call for separate Kutch state ups before elections
Call for separate Kutch state ups before elections
The call to form a separate Kutch state has upped in the lead up to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat.
The Kutch has 24% of the land in Gujarat but the state government hasn't kept its promise to provide even the stated share of Narmada waters. It uses only 7% of waters drawn from partially built reservoir, wasting 93% to the sea, say the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists.
The Kutch Rajya Sankalp Samiti (KRSS) states the cultural differences and geographical distance of Kutch from the Gujarat's state capital of Gandhinagar of about 400 km as one of the key reasons for Kutch being neglected for development, which presses the call for a separate Kutch state.
Advocates of a separate Kutch state report that the Kutch district pays taxes to the tune of over Rs 600 crore to the Gujarat state government which in turns only spends Rs 200 crore on Kutch.
Also the autonomous development board under Article 371(2) of the Constitution which was promised in 1960 could never come into existence due to lack of political will.
According to the royal family of Kutch, at the time of integration of the princely state with India in 1947, the accession was done on the condition that Kutch would retain the status of a separate state. It enjoyed this status till 1960, when a separate state of Gujarat was carved out of Maharashtra and Kutch was merged with it.
"Kutchis have rightly approached the Supreme Court against the unjustifiably small share. It's what we had anticipated – both the people in the Narmada valley and in Kutch, at two extremes, would be deprived by the 'power'ful central Gujarat. Its high time Sardar Sarovar had a re-look at, not only from the perspective of the displaced, but also the drought affected, yet cheated, 'planned beneficiaries', upholding their right to distributive justice" says NBA activists.
The call to form a separate Kutch state has upped in the lead up to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat.
The Kutch has 24% of the land in Gujarat but the state government hasn't kept its promise to provide even the stated share of Narmada waters. It uses only 7% of waters drawn from partially built reservoir, wasting 93% to the sea, say the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists.
The Kutch Rajya Sankalp Samiti (KRSS) states the cultural differences and geographical distance of Kutch from the Gujarat's state capital of Gandhinagar of about 400 km as one of the key reasons for Kutch being neglected for development, which presses the call for a separate Kutch state.
Advocates of a separate Kutch state report that the Kutch district pays taxes to the tune of over Rs 600 crore to the Gujarat state government which in turns only spends Rs 200 crore on Kutch.
Also the autonomous development board under Article 371(2) of the Constitution which was promised in 1960 could never come into existence due to lack of political will.
According to the royal family of Kutch, at the time of integration of the princely state with India in 1947, the accession was done on the condition that Kutch would retain the status of a separate state. It enjoyed this status till 1960, when a separate state of Gujarat was carved out of Maharashtra and Kutch was merged with it.
"Kutchis have rightly approached the Supreme Court against the unjustifiably small share. It's what we had anticipated – both the people in the Narmada valley and in Kutch, at two extremes, would be deprived by the 'power'ful central Gujarat. Its high time Sardar Sarovar had a re-look at, not only from the perspective of the displaced, but also the drought affected, yet cheated, 'planned beneficiaries', upholding their right to distributive justice" says NBA activists.
Will pictorial warnings on tobacco products get postponed again?
Will pictorial warnings on tobacco products get postponed again?
The Group of Ministers (GoM) on tobacco warnings is meeting on 8 April 2009 and further dilution or delay to pictorial health warnings on tobacco products is expected. This is a great concern before the nation when the implementation on pictorial warnings is long due now and the deadline is very close (31 May 2009).
This meeting is scheduled at the time when in the previous month General Election 2009 for Lok Sabha were announced and the Election Commission of India has passed the model code of conduct to ensure that no impression is given or created by any political party to influence the electorate in their favour. Hence, any kind of politically motivated decision resulting out of this meeting at this crucial hour is the violation of the this model code of conduct.
Also, considering the Honourable Health Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has resigned; convening such a meeting by the GoM will certainly have no one representing the concerns of public health and can result into giving likeminded outputs. The non-representation of the health sector in this decisive meeting will lead to biased decisions and favours to the tobacco industry.
According to Monika Arora, Director Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth (HRIDAY), "The GoM in its earlier 8 meetings has either delayed or diluted the effective pictorial health warnings notified by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in July 2006. The implementation of current mild warnings is continuously being delayed due to GoM’s intervention. This is a breach of right to information about the health hazards of the consumption of a deadly product."
Further, the issue of implementation of Packaging and Labeling rules 2008 is subjudice before our Supreme Court. This case was filed before the apex court seeing the lack of executive will to implement the said rules. Therefore, further interference in the implementation of the rules by GoM would lead to legislative interference when the said matter is pending.
According to Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, Senior Director, Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), "Any decision emerging out of the GoM meeting tomorrow that is likely to delay or dilute the existing rules will be a serious violation of the election code of conduct as it will gift windfall benefits to the tobacco industry and political gains to certain members of the GoM, who have lakhs of tobacco workers in their constituencies".
Whereas, the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 (COTPA 2003) and Global tobacco control treaty signed and ratified by India, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) mandates that all tobacco products, including bidis, must display effective pictorial health warnings.
Also, a survey conducted in four Indian States by Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health and VHAI reports 98% of public supporting the pack warnings and 99% supporting government action to strengthen health warnings requiring them to be large and including pictures of all tobacco products. At this juncture, any of the Government’s decision in further deferring the pack warnings will not only dishonor its international commitment and people’s will but also undermines the health of its 1 billion citizens.
According to Dr. Prakash C Gupta, Director, Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, "Pictorial warnings on tobacco products are intended to increase consumer knowledge of the deadly health effects of tobacco consumption, to encourage cessation and to discourage uptake. In India they also break the linguistic and cultural barrier, in addition to informing the illiterate population (a large proportion of this segment smokes bidis) about the harmful effects of tobacco use."
The issue of pictorial warnings has time and again affected the people working in public health as the persistent delay in enforcing the law to display pictorial warnings on tobacco products has resulted in no forward movement. It is ironical that the very same Government that has vehemently supported the guidelines on Article 11 of the FCTC (pack warnings) for the global community at the third Conference of Parties (COP-3) meeting in November 2008 in South Africa is delaying its implementation on different pretexts on its own home turf.
Before going to the 3rd Conference of Parties (COP3) to the FCTC, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had revealed before the Central Information Commission that tobacco industry is putting "pressure" to relax the tobacco control policies (source: The Hindu, 14 November 2008).
The Preamble of the global tobacco treaty, indicates that Parties “need to be alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts and the need to be informed of activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on tobacco control efforts”. Further, Article 5.3 of the FCTC requires that “in setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties should act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with the national law.”
Hope GoM members are listening!
The Group of Ministers (GoM) on tobacco warnings is meeting on 8 April 2009 and further dilution or delay to pictorial health warnings on tobacco products is expected. This is a great concern before the nation when the implementation on pictorial warnings is long due now and the deadline is very close (31 May 2009).
This meeting is scheduled at the time when in the previous month General Election 2009 for Lok Sabha were announced and the Election Commission of India has passed the model code of conduct to ensure that no impression is given or created by any political party to influence the electorate in their favour. Hence, any kind of politically motivated decision resulting out of this meeting at this crucial hour is the violation of the this model code of conduct.
Also, considering the Honourable Health Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has resigned; convening such a meeting by the GoM will certainly have no one representing the concerns of public health and can result into giving likeminded outputs. The non-representation of the health sector in this decisive meeting will lead to biased decisions and favours to the tobacco industry.
According to Monika Arora, Director Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth (HRIDAY), "The GoM in its earlier 8 meetings has either delayed or diluted the effective pictorial health warnings notified by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in July 2006. The implementation of current mild warnings is continuously being delayed due to GoM’s intervention. This is a breach of right to information about the health hazards of the consumption of a deadly product."
Further, the issue of implementation of Packaging and Labeling rules 2008 is subjudice before our Supreme Court. This case was filed before the apex court seeing the lack of executive will to implement the said rules. Therefore, further interference in the implementation of the rules by GoM would lead to legislative interference when the said matter is pending.
According to Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, Senior Director, Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), "Any decision emerging out of the GoM meeting tomorrow that is likely to delay or dilute the existing rules will be a serious violation of the election code of conduct as it will gift windfall benefits to the tobacco industry and political gains to certain members of the GoM, who have lakhs of tobacco workers in their constituencies".
Whereas, the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 (COTPA 2003) and Global tobacco control treaty signed and ratified by India, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) mandates that all tobacco products, including bidis, must display effective pictorial health warnings.
Also, a survey conducted in four Indian States by Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health and VHAI reports 98% of public supporting the pack warnings and 99% supporting government action to strengthen health warnings requiring them to be large and including pictures of all tobacco products. At this juncture, any of the Government’s decision in further deferring the pack warnings will not only dishonor its international commitment and people’s will but also undermines the health of its 1 billion citizens.
According to Dr. Prakash C Gupta, Director, Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, "Pictorial warnings on tobacco products are intended to increase consumer knowledge of the deadly health effects of tobacco consumption, to encourage cessation and to discourage uptake. In India they also break the linguistic and cultural barrier, in addition to informing the illiterate population (a large proportion of this segment smokes bidis) about the harmful effects of tobacco use."
The issue of pictorial warnings has time and again affected the people working in public health as the persistent delay in enforcing the law to display pictorial warnings on tobacco products has resulted in no forward movement. It is ironical that the very same Government that has vehemently supported the guidelines on Article 11 of the FCTC (pack warnings) for the global community at the third Conference of Parties (COP-3) meeting in November 2008 in South Africa is delaying its implementation on different pretexts on its own home turf.
Before going to the 3rd Conference of Parties (COP3) to the FCTC, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had revealed before the Central Information Commission that tobacco industry is putting "pressure" to relax the tobacco control policies (source: The Hindu, 14 November 2008).
The Preamble of the global tobacco treaty, indicates that Parties “need to be alert to any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control efforts and the need to be informed of activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on tobacco control efforts”. Further, Article 5.3 of the FCTC requires that “in setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties should act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with the national law.”
Hope GoM members are listening!
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