Intellectuals, former civil servants, historians, economists, and academicians came together on the 20th anniversary of the formation of Anhad, a civil society group, at Constitution Club in New Delhi on Saturday to discuss the attacks on democratic institutions and defend the idea of India.

Addressing the gathering, Aditya Mukherjee, a renowned historian, said that the idea of India may have formed in the mid-nineteenth century, but it was very distinct from ideas of nationhood in Western countries. “Our leaders in the freedom struggle talked about sovereignty and democracy from the beginning. By sovereignty, they were referring to a state where people will be free from colonial slavery as well as be taking their own decisions,” he said.

“Mind you, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was talking about the adult franchise in the 1890s. Western democracies like America were discussing in the 1960s if black people will have civil rights. So, it was a quite revolutionary idea in the nineteenth century to envision democracy. […] Gandhi famously said that freedom of speech and civil liberties are the water of life and have you ever heard about water being diluted? So, it remained non-negotiable for Gandhi in independent India. For him, the right of association was simultaneously important,” added Mukherjee.

He pointed to the threat looming over civil liberties today and observed that even members of parliament are finding it difficult to organise a protest with the hurdle of Section 144 among other things.

“Respect for the opposition was equally important. But today, we see all versions of history where Nehru is posed against Gandhi, Patel against Nehru, and Bose against Nehru. However, in reality, they did differ in views but never disrespected each other. Secularism and inclusivity were equally relevant,” he said.

Mukherjee added that we should be proud of the fact we could envision diverse societies culminating into a nation. “The European Nation States emerged on the foundations of one language, one nation. If I go ahead, it was one nation, one sect. Look at France, catholic France, not even Christian. It was a multi-lingual society, but the French Revolution flattened it. Protestant England. They failed to recognise our diversity and rebuked us by saying that we are just a geographical expression between longitude and latitude called South Asia,” he said.

According to him, the second big differentiator that stood out for India was that nationalism here was “humane”. “As European nation-states developed, they became imperial powers. The only people who differed were nationalists and loyalists. […] It is these loyalists and communalists who are in power today and they are borrowing the idea of one nation one language from personalities. It is well documented how Hindu Mahasabha leaders sought an audience with Mussolini and came back to implement his ideas,” he said.

“We are getting clarifications from the NCERT director that the syllabus and text in the books have been revised to lessen the load on students but it is an open secret that Mughals have been erased to demonise the Muslim community, to push them into ghettos in order to prevent them from sharing their pain with rest of the Indians,” said Mukherjee.

Ashok Vajpayee, a noted poet and former ambassador to Poland, said that the leaders of the BJP are using the text of epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata to justify their crimes. However, a reading of these texts suggests otherwise.

Citing an example of Van Parv in Mahabharat, Vajpayee said that Vyas argued against enmity between religions. “A religion loses its meaning if it hates the followers of other religions. Similarly, A religion’s existence is in danger if its followers question others,” he said.

He said that the essence of the text suggests a very long journey of religious philosophies in the country. It is in this discourse Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism emerged in this country. “If everything was right with the Hindu religion, why would have these religions appeared? Second, Hindutva is the illegitimate version of Hinduism and has completely distorted the latter’s meaning. Thus, the fight is to protect the religion from opportunistic tendencies,” said Vajpayee.

Anjali Bharadwaj, an RTI activist, said that idea of India also represents a nation where people have the right to ask for information to ensure less corruption and transparent administration.

She said that the anxiety of ruling party members can be understood from the sentence of a national minister who had said that “people’s responsibility to ask questions ends with elections”. He was addressing the mediapersons after an encounter in Bhopal.

“If people are exercising their right to information for better governance, they are being killed. As per available data, 90 RTI activists have been killed. I fail to understand the fear in the ruling party that there is no permission to protest at a designated place like Jantar Mantar where we saw people converging in thousands to express their anguish. The NREGA workers are sitting for 50 days, and the permission is denied if the participants are more than 50 whereas we saw a meeting of Hindu extremist groups with swords and batons,” she said.

She added that institutions which were responsible for ensuring a smooth flow of information are being attacked. “We had to go to Supreme Court every time to seek the appointment of information commissioners. In nine years of this rule, not a single commissioner was appointed without a court battle. It came into power with the promise of Jan Lokpal but did not appoint them until 2019 before the elections. So, it has been a difficult struggle though it must be fought to defend the idea of India.”

Among other speakers who addressed the conference were historian Mridula Mukherjee, economist Santosh Mehrotra, political scientist Zoya Hasan, journalist Pamela Philipose, and lawyer Vrinda Grover.

Courtesy: Newsclick

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New Delhi: The victims of riots in North East Delhi came together on the third anniversary of horrific violence that claimed 53 lives at Qaumi Ekta Bhawan in Brij Puri to demand speedy justice. In a public meeting organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) to remember the victims, the family members on Sunday emphasised that the riots were not about tyranny by followers of one religion over other but injustice by ruling leaders who used violence to further their political interests.

Aaghaz who lost his newlywed son Ashfaq in riots said that the struggle for justice must continue if it is to ensure that no violence occurs again in the area. He said, “the victims have gathered here only to say that justice is yet to be delivered. The struggle for justice must continue. We will get it one day. History is a testimony to it that no ruler would be permanent. Just look at the religious scriptures of any religion and you would find the fate of unjust rulers. The one who perpetrates injustice is a tyrant and it does not matter which religion he follows. If Mughals could go, if British could go then present tyrants would be dusted too.”

Mallika, who lost her husband said that her partner could have been alive, had the police intervened in the matter. “My husband was hiding in the room. I had hidden my children inside the bed. When the rioters came, they started beating my husband. When they got to know about my children, they started beating them with iron rods. Later, my husband was brought down in the street and thrown away in the fire. I went to the Policemen to ask for help but they mocked me! My family was finished. After three years, I only seek justice,” she told NewsClick.

The members of the left party maintain that there had been a slew of challenges ranging from rehabilitation and compensation to perusal of justice. After rehabilitation, the struggle for just compensation has begun. We still do not know the status of all cases related to murders. Further, the challenging part has been to enable the survivors to earn with dignity and begin a new life. The space of Qaumi Ekta Bhawan was created with the intention to strengthen the bond among communities.

Ashok Tiwari, who specialises in pedagogical training told NewsClick, “we need to stand up with the communities in a sense that ensure that they are empowered economically and socially. We are right now focusing to impart training for self-employment. When we interacted with community members, we found that there are learning gaps in students studying in school. So, we started coaching and computer classes. We are also looking at other avenues where children could express themselves creatively such as writing and acting workshops too. It’s a new beginning for people and us too.”

Sehba Farooqi, Secretary, of All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA) Delhi emphasised that the struggle for justice could not be fought by Muslims alone. “It is not a question of Hindu-Muslims unity. It’s a political question. The attacks which happened here were not attacks on Muslims alone. They were attacks on every individual who wish to see India as a secular republic. It was an attack on the constitution. Some people say that Muslims alone endured injustices and they will have to fight alone but if we see the country, it is being pushed in one specific direction. There are attacks on Dalits and Tribals too. People here are saying that Brinda Karat was the first to visit them after the riots. It’s not a new thing for us. She went to Jahangirpuri too when bulldozers were demolishing the homes and shops of innocent people. We could have issued the statements at the luxury of home. We went there to emphasise that the struggle to save the country will be fought on the streets. So, Muslims too will have to join other segments of society for a united struggle too,” Farooqi said.

Addressing the gathering of riot victims, Brinda Karat, Politburo Member, Communist Party of India (Marxist) said that the objective of bringing together riot victims is not to refresh their grief and trauma but to show that they are fighting the hardships and look after their families with unprecedented resolution. She said, “the victims have narrated their ordeal about life without their loved ones. With this meeting, we wanted to show the world that even though our sisters and brothers are living in hardships, they are demanding their right to life. They are saying to rioters that you tried to finish their families but we are alive and demanding justice. One of the victims recounted that when his husband was killed and she went to the police station, she was persuaded by police officials not to file the complaint. In today’s newspaper, we are learning that among 700 cases related to riots, only 10% of cases could see any progress and nobody has been persecuted in murder cases. We cannot abandon this struggle for justice. I urge you to please come up with case files, documents and information for us in the next month and we will initiate this legal struggle by keeping all people together. We must say that what was done to us will not be forgotten. If we want our generations to never face this violence again, we must fight this struggle and get real culprits punished.”

Karat said that it is a pity that government could not fix a universal mechanism for compensation of riot victims and treats different classes without a humanitarian approach. “I also wish to speak about compensation. No compensation can bring back a dead person but I fail to understand the standard of relief for people. The son of Ram Sugarath Paswan was a minor and he was given only half compensation. How inhuman is it? Ankit and Ratan Lal were murdered in a gruesome manner and their families were rightly compensated Rs 1 crore each. I want to ask this government which yardstick it is using to compensate somebody Rs 1 crore and somebody Rs 5 Lakh and discriminate against people. There are victims who lost their eyesight in acid attacks. If the compensation could not help them live with dignity, then it should be reconsidered. So, there should be a renewed for justice collectively.”

Courtesy: Newsclick

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The formation of an endowment fund for Delhi University (DU) has raised the eyebrows of teachers and student organisations.

Registered under the Companies Act 2013 as a company with limited shares ‘The University of Delhi foundation’ will be able to raise money through “mobilising, bequest gifts, funds, subscriptions, contributions in cash/or in kind to accept land, building or any other assistance from individuals, well-wishers, alumni, philanthropists, associations including the University of Delhi, business fraternity, industries and corporates within the country and overseas and to raise funds in such manner as the board of directors of the company may think fit subject to Articles of Association to support any or every aspect of Delhi University.”

The memorandum of association, also known as the constitution of the company, further stated that the company will “promote, facilitate and support education, research, infrastructure, neighbourhood programmes, library and museum preservation, campus activities and such other activities including housing, hostel and guest houses and food courts and the like for the benefit, social needs and welfare of students, employees, alumni and well wishes of the University of Delhi.”

Raising apprehensions over the motives of the move, Abha Dev Habib, Secretary, Democratic Teachers Front, said that the setting up a private Not-for-Profit Company, now known as the University of Delhi Foundation, was initially granted approval by the VC on December 8, 2022. The Executive approved this VC move on February 3, 2023.

“It is deeply concerning that this company, the University of Delhi Foundation, will now be able to mobilise funds and resources and control the Funds for objects listed under its Memorandum of Association.”

She further said, “This company, from now on, will be able to raise resources from alumni, students, well-wishers of DU, Government, public bodies, private companies and corporations. Will private companies and corporations, who are for-profit entities, provide funds without expecting a suitable quid pro quo?”

Habib maintained that it is abundantly clear that this aligns with the funding principle underlying National Education Policy 2020 (NEP).

“This funding principle tasks universities with the responsibility to expand course offerings and promises some Development Fund (but not operating expenses such as salaries of teachers and non-teaching staff). Thus, teachers whose salaries depend on these resources will have a precarious existence in terms of pay and other service conditions.”

Nandita Narain, former President, Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) and a signatory to the statement, said that the details outlined in Draft NEP required each higher education institution to institutionalise an office to mobilise funds for its activities. This action of the DU VC, who is excessively eager to please the Union government, shows that this institutionalisation for DU is in the form of a company mobilising, managing, utilising and investing University Endowment Funds.

“In short, it is a step towards gradual self-financing of higher education and destruction of public funding of higher education. The setting up of a company called Higher Education Funding Agency a few years back did not result in any extra quantum of funding. Instead, it led to substituting loans in place of Government grants or infrastructural requirements. The logical consequence of such loans is fee hikes and freezes or reductions or delay in salaries of teachers and non-teaching colleagues. We are already getting a foretaste of delayed salary payments in a rising number of DU constituent colleges due to the government’s policies and the cravenness of the DUTA leadership.”

A similar concern came from Rajesh Jha, Media in-charge, Academics for Action and Development Teachers’ Association, the teachers’ wing of Aam Aadmi Party, who argued that the corporatisation is being imposed in the name of the endowment fund.

He said that while they met teachers across the departments and the colleges and brought this to their notice, they expressed deep anger over the commodification and commercialisation of higher education by the companisation of the University.

Jha said, “The decision to take a loan of Rs 1000 crore was imposed on us too. The EC was informed about the authority’s plan to take many more instalments of such loans. This makes DU easy prey for the corporate takeover due to bi-ownership and the decision-making power being taken away from the Academic Council and Executive Council.”

He added, “The change of name does not change its character of being enemy of DU, which is open to all castes, class and creed as provided by Clause 6 of DU Act 1922. This also violates Clause 4 (Power of the University) and Clause 5 (territorial jurisdiction of the University) of DU Act 1922.”

Discontent over the issue is brewing among students who argue that changes are being brought to implement the core fundamentals of NEP.

Abhigyan Gandhi, Secretary, All India Students Association Delhi, said that it is the beginning of a dangerous trend where the responsibility of generating funds has been handed over to a private company.

“NEP proposes that the Board of Governors will replace the decision-making bodies like Academic Council and Executive Council. Similarly, the four-year undergraduate programme with multiple entry and exit points has already been introduced. We will not tolerate this. We have already launched a campaign against these sweeping changes, essentially anti-students.”

Mayank Azad, Secretary, Students Federation of India Delhi, told NewsClick that the provisions of financial autonomy in the new education policy are directly linked with the dilution of the quality of education in higher education institutions.

“The institutions have been advised to seek financial autonomy by generating revenues through their resources. The institutions can raise funds by increasing fees. They will also be under pressure to reduce their expenses in the form of teachers’ salaries and expenses on infrastructure building and maintenance. It will lead a student to get an expensive but low-quality education. Plus, there will be more market-oriented courses, and courses which enable us to understand our societies may no longer be in existence.”

Courtesy: Newsclick

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New Delhi: Farmers’ organisations on Wednesday said in the Union Budget 2023-24, the Centre has “literally taken revenge” on farmers for their historic movement that forced roll-back of the three farm laws, by reducing allocations in every major scheme, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and PM Fasal Bima Yojana.

Ashok Dhawale, president, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) told NewsClick that farmers expected the finance minister to announce something to assure them minimum support price (MSP) as per the Swaminathan Commission formula of providing them 1.5 times remuneration of the cost prices.

“The BJP government has refused to implement the MSP as per the M.S.Swaminathan Commission recommendations of C2+50 % nor has it ensured legal guarantee for MSP leading to increasing distress for farmers. This budget does nothing to mitigate the situation,” he said, adding that the government is “exacting a revenge from farmers for the humiliating defeat suffered by it at the hands of the historic united farmers’ movement which forced it to withdraw the three pro-corporate farm Acts.”

Dhawale said farmers were battling challenges like climate change, recession and rising input costs. Yet, the Centre chose to drastically cut allocation for agriculture sector from Rs 1,24,000 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 1,15,531.79 crore this year. Citing the example of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, which provided monetary assistance to 12 crore farmers, Dhawale said that Rs 60,000 crore was not enough.

“Even on the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, in comparison with the 2022-23 Budget Estimates of Rs.15,500 crore, this Budget only has proposed Rs.13,625 crore. The Green Revolution, which was earlier advertised as core scheme and had an allocation of Rs.6,747 crore in 2021-22, had no allocation in the last as well as this year’s budget.

There has also been a drastic cut in fertiliser subsidies from Rs.2,25,000 crore in 2022-23 Revised Estimates (RE) to Rs.1,75,000 crore in Budget Estimates (RE) of 2023-24, a 22% cut of Rs.50,000 crore. “Such a move could have an adverse impact on productivity and impact production of foodgrains,” he added.

Dhawale said the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana has been drastically cut from Rs.10,433 crore to Rs.7,150 crore. The allocation for Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sinchai Yojna has been cut from Rs.12,954 crore in 2022-23 BE to Rs.10,787 crore.

 “If we look at the allocation for rural employment, which was Rs.1,53,525.41 crore in the RE of 2022-23, it has has been drastically cut to Rs.1,01,474.51 crore in the 2023-24 BE. The allotment for MGNREGS has been cut from Rs.89,000 crore in RE of 2022-23 to only Rs.60,000 crore in the 2023-24 BE.

“This is at a time when an estimated 2.72 lakh crores are required if the government intends to provide the legally guaranteed 100 days of employment,” he added.
 
Dharmendra Malik, spokesman, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Apolitical) said that the budget seems like a routine exercise which has very little to offer to farmers. “We are very disappointed that there has been no increase in monetary allocation for buying grains under the Central pool. The Centre has been focusing on encouraging consumption of cereals but how will it happen unless there is no money to buy them,” he said.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a collective of farmers unions which spearheaded historic farmers struggle to repeal farm laws, too criticised the budget for “concealing data” about farmers’ incomes.

An SKM statement read: “Union Budget 2023 is silent on Doubling Farmers Income. There were no figures given in the Budget. It may be recalled that according to the Govt., it was Rs.8000 per month in 2016 (the year of announcement) and was to be increased to Rs.21,000 per month in 2022, so that the grand announcement of doubling income becomes reality. After 3 years, it was found to have been Rs.10,200 and perhaps now it is a maximum of Rs.12,400. Thus, out of the targeted increase in income of Rs.13,000, only Rs.4,400 has been achieved, that is only one-third of the target. In any case, the Govt has dishonestly stopped giving data on this and has hoodwinked the farmers.”

The SKM leaders said while the Govt has irrationally resisted the demands of farmers for MSP and its guarantee, this budget has removed “even the fig-leaf” with which the government was trying to cover its meagre efforts to ensure that farmers get MSP.

Flagship schemes like PM Annadata Aay Sangrakshan Abhiyan (AASHA) have seen a steady decline in allocation. Two years ago, it was Rs.1,500 crore. In 2022, this was reduced to Rs.1 crore. Only Rs.1 crore to secure 150 million farming households!

Similarly, the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and MIS (Market Intervention Scheme) was reduced from Rs.3,000 crore to Rs.1,500 crore in 2022, and this year it is an “unimaginable” Rs.10 lakh, it said. In effect, the government has buried AASHA, PSS and MIS and with that the fate of farmers getting MSP has been buried, the SKM added.

Courtesy: Newsclick

The post Union Budget a Statement of ‘Sheer Hopelessness’, say Farmer Leaders appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Jind (Haryana): Far from the customary Republic Day Parade at the glittering Central Vista, thousands of farmers congregated at Anaj Mandi, in Haryana’ Jind, to celebrate the Constitution and its values.

Though the celebration was unusual—it was the largest farmer meeting after the suspension of agitation at Delhi’s borders to protest the consistent apathy towards the demands for minimum support price (MSP as per the Swaminathan formula), revoking of the Electricity Amendment Bill and justice to Lakhimpur Khiri case victims.

According to the farmers, the protest marked the beginning of the second stage of the movement in which the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will intensify its struggle to claim fair crop remuneration and remind the Centre about other promises made at the culmination of the Delhi agitation.

The Centre, through its letter by then-farmers welfare department secretary Sanjay Agarwal, had assured the leaders that it would form a committee with a clear mandate to ensure MSP to farmers, revoke cases related to the agitation and do away with the adverse provisions of Bill.

“The idea behind the rally was to show our unity because Central law enforcement agencies tried hard to sabotage our Kisan Parade on Republic Day in 2021 during our agitation at Delhi’s borders,” Krantikari Kisan Union president Darshan Pal told Newsclick.

“It gave an impression that we are no longer united. However, we defied all propaganda and ultimately won. Farmer organisations came together again in Kurukshetra last year and resolved to celebrate Republic Day in Jind to reiterate our demands. Today, we are remembering our martyrs and the rally is an important development in the second phase of the movement,” he added.

Pal emphasised that the first phase of the movement revolved around repealing the three contentious farm laws. “The consensus among farmers was to suspend the agitation after Modi’s announcement. We had won and needed some break.”

He said it was a “tactic to see if the government realises its promises. When it defaulted, we met again in Delhi last year and announced that we would resume our struggle for MSP, Electricity Amendment Bill and punishment for Lakhimpur Khiri culprits. We reminded the Centre through letters and memorandums to MLAs and MPs”.

Republic Day is “important for several reasons”, Pal said. “We lost Navreet Singh in Uttar Pradesh due to police violence. Farmers are holding bike rallies, meetings and conventions across the country today. The government lied to us on MSP. It introduced the Electricity Amendment Bill. We aim to expose the BJP-RSS combine and isolate it politically before general elections.”

Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan was seen eagerly waiting for buses carrying farmers to arrive at the destination. The organisation had made elaborate arrangements to manage the rally—from feeding thousands of people to ensuring the safety of women and children.

Large batches of farmers came from Punjab’s Malwa belt, infamous for an agrarian crisis and farmer suicides. A study revealed that 16,606 farmers had committed suicide in Punjab alone from 2000-2016 owing to distress.

Ugrahan said that his “apprehension was correct” when the government invited SKM representatives to discuss MSP. “Neither they informed us about the mandate of the committee nor its members. The other members and experts were the same people who supported the farm laws. What would we achieve by going there? It was a clear betrayal.”

The Republic Day celebration is a “reminder that the emancipation of farmers cannot be achieved till they are indebted” he said.

“We want to realise the Constitution in its true spirit. It says that working people will get justice and we seek it. Farmers are in debt due to the government’s dishonesty and wrong policies,” he further said. “The Centre “presented a model which favoured corporate entities through expensive seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. These entities now wish to control the entire agriculture sector. We would not tolerate it.”

Mangtu Ram and his friends, who came from Mansa district’s Sardulgarh, explained the maths behind their debt. Ram planted cotton on 18 of his 22 acres hoping to profit this year.

“I got spurious seeds and pesticides—there was no cotton. A few plants that had flowers were destroyed by pests. Fertilisers are expensive with bags now weighing 45 kg compared to earlier 50 kg. When this government came to power in 2014, a bag of DAP cost Rs 300. Now, it has increased to Rs 1,300,” Ram said.

“The price of one bag of urea has jumped from Rs 100 to Rs 275. Pesticides, which cost 100 per acre, now cost Rs 1,200. We cannot even recover our rent. Our biggest concern is the closure of government seed research centres with the entire market being handed over to the private sector,” Ram added.

Mentioning his story of “never-ending loans”, Rishi Pal Singh said, “Since groundwater in my area cannot be used for irrigation, farmers have to invest in pipelines measuring up to 4 km to get water from canals. The cost is in lakhs. Three bags of seeds are needed for an acre, which costs Rs 3,000. Besides, pesticides, herbicides, diesel and labour expenses plus rent inflate the bill.”

Singh said that a farmer “does not even get a quintal of cotton per acre, which will hardly fetch Rs 9,000. In this situation, he also has to take care of his family. It is a cycle of never-ending loans.”

The mobilisation from Uttar Pradesh (UP) was managed by BKU (Tikait). Parminder Dhaka and his friends travelled 190 km to Jind to “listen to Rakesh Tikait and “convey the pain” of sugarcane farmers in western UP.

“When the BJP was in the Opposition in UP, its workers demanded Rs 450 per quintal MSP from the Samajwadi Party government. The party has been in power for six years, but no member gives a damn about the demand. Does it mean we don’t feel pain anymore? Not at all,” Dhaka said.

Dhaka said that farmers “consoled themselves that the loss of farming could be compensated” if any of their sons get selected for the Army. “The government snatched that opportunity as well through the Agnipath Scheme.”

Sachin Chaudhary isn’t interested in farming anymore. “The input costs have rocketed, and mills are unwilling to pay us on time. “Bajaj Sugar Mill, in Bhasana, alone owes Rs 222 crore to farmers from the previous year. The input cost, excluding the family labour, for one quintal is Rs 300 whereas we receive Rs 350 in return,” the young farmer said.

Farmers and agricultural workers in Haryana are angry over a new scheme under which family identity cards are linked with every social security scheme.

Ram Chander, an activist of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) from Narwana (Jind), said that the government had fixed Rs 1,80,000 annual family income as the benchmark for this card along with 12 exclusions.

“The ridiculous part is that if you own a motorcycle, you cannot get the PDS ration. If your electricity bill exceeds Rs 1,000 per month, you are out. Even a pension is included in family income to keep you out. That is why angry farm workers are present in the rally in large numbers,” Chander said.

The rally also mourned the Lakhimpur Khiri victims and offered condolences. Terai Kisan Sangathan president Tejinder Singh Virk said that the families of the deceased still await justice.

“We are very grateful that the Supreme Court took sou motto cognisance of the killings. Yet the bail for Ashish Mishra on is hurtful. The world watched how he mowed down people under his jeep and farmers only reacted in self-defence. I hope the judiciary will deliver justice by keeping in mind the Constitution we are celebrating today,” he told Newsclick.

Courtesy: Newsclick

The post India Misses Unique R-Day Celebration: SKM to Intensify Struggle appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The lanes of Tughlakabad village are a deserted sight now. As one moves inwards, anxious eyes follow strangers with the singular
question: are you from the Archaeological Survey of India? The residents of the village are expecting imminent demolition of their
houses after the ASI asked them to vacate the land following a Supreme Court order. The residents, mostly migrant worker families from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal fear that the demolition will not only make them roofless in this biting cold but also break the crucial link to their workplaces.

Rajesh, who came from Bihar in 1996 to find work in the national capital, said that he bought the plot in Tughlaqabad from another
person knowing little about the legality of the title. He maintained that thousands of families bought plots from local dealers and paid them their hard-earned money. Yet, nobody is turning up to help them in this critical hour.

“I worked in a local garment factory in Okhla. The order from ASI suggests that all homes within a radius of 100 metres from the walls of  Tughlaqabad fort will be demolished. I put my hard-earned money into this house. My entire family lives here and if somebody breaks it, I cannot build another again. We suffered a lot in the pandemic and lockdowns. Now, we run a local grocery store for our livelihood,” said Rajesh.

The order for demolition by the Archaeological Survey of India is rooted in the long legal battle that began in 2001 when petitioner S N Bharadwaj approached the Delhi High Court saying that historic Tughlaqabad fort should be saved from illegal encroachment from land mafia grabbing precious land adjacent to the walls of the fort. The apprehensions of the fort losing its existence were grounded in administrative apathy and land grabbing which already affected Qila Rai Pithora and Siri Fort. Noted Historian William Dalrymple cites in his book City of Djinns that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi demolished the outer walls of Qila Rai Pithora for broadening of the road without understanding its historical significance. The structure remains the last surviving building from the pre-Islamic era in Delhi.

Issuing a notice to ASI, the High Court disposed of the matter. Following no action, Bharadwaj approached the Supreme Court in 2006 to seek remedy. He maintained that Delhi Development Authority had transferred 4435 Bigha land to ASI for maintaining and preserving the monument. However, all parties kept ignoring the land grabbing. After considering the facts, the Supreme Court asked ASI to conduct an aerial and physical survey to determine the extent of the illegal land grab. ASI maintained that its officials faced threats and needed police protection to carry out the eviction. After two decades of legal battle, the ASI has given time to residents till January 26 to vacate their homes so that demolition can be carried out.

Laxman, a resident of Chhuria Mohalla in Tughlaqabad village told NewsClick over the phone that he allegedly paid Rs 3,40,000 to the corrupt officials of the Archaeological Survey of India who assured him that there would not be any demolition inside the inner walls of the fort. He said, “I worked as a driver to support my family. I received the notice on January 11 and I have been running from pillar to post to save my home. Amid this crisis, I lost my job too. I have three children and three of them will appear for examinations in February and March. Their studies for the entire year will go down the drain. If my children cannot get literate, then what’s the use of my existence? ASI officials came to us and assured us that there would not be any demolition. I paid them money in instalments to secure a roof for my children. Now, I am left with no choice.”

The notice by ASI pasted on the walls of the colony read that there would be no new construction post-1993 and all such construction should be removed. If the occupants fail to vacate at their own expense, then the survey office would recover the costs of demolishing such constructions.

A restless Laxman further explained that most of the working families go to plush colonies in Okhla, Greater Kailash, and Nehru Place for odd jobs and the demolition will further deprive them of employment opportunities too. “In this biting cold, where will we go? Neither the Delhi government nor the central government announced that they will provide any rehabilitation,” he said.

Sucheta De from All India Central Council of Trade Unions – who has been organising workers in South Delhi – highlights that ASI notice to residents does not portray the bigger picture. She said, “As per the November 24 order, the necessary survey – which will ascertain the legality of each household – is yet to be completed, and hence the notice is uncalled for. Besides, the demolition notice makes no mention of rehabilitation. The ASI has told the court that its survey has not been completed for “reasons beyond control” and listed “unrest” as one of the prime reasons. The ASI is hiding some key facts. We found that the 100-metre radius contains a government school and dispensary as well as houses of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ramesh Bidhuri. None of those buildings seems to have been earmarked for demolition. The presence of these buildings is another reason why the ASI is reluctant to complete the survey.”

She added, “We also take strong objection to the repeated use of the term “encroachers” to describe the residents. The residents are mostly workers who migrated from Bihar, Bengal, and Nepal over the last three decades and bought land in the area from local landowners to satisfy the basic necessity of housing. They are mostly domestic workers, construction workers, and daily wagers, who not only earn their living in the city but also keep the urban economy running. If the state refuses to accept its duty to provide housing for all, low-cost private housing is the only way in which workers can find a roof over their heads.”

Nirmal Gorana, convenor of Mazdoor Awas Sangharsh Committee, told NewsClick over the phone that the Tughlaqabad episode is the sheer repetition of Khori village demolitions where authorities for decades turned a blind eye to the illegal land grab and demolished homes evicting up to 1 lakh people. Yet, there was no action against people who illegally sold land to poor workers.

He said, “The authorities like ASI were ignorant about land grabs. Why could a government department with so many resources not prevent this land grabbing? Did they file a single police complaint against people that occupied the government land? It means that the corrupt officials of ASI were involved in plotting. Until and unless there is no right to guaranteed housing, Khori and Tughlaqabad will keep happening. In this biting cold, they will be uprooted without any provision for rehabilitation. Forget about it, the government will not arrange for even two rotis for the night. Ideally, the Delhi government should announce rehabilitation, but they have kept mum.”

 Meanwhile taking suo motu cognisance of proposed evictions, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights directed ASI Delhi circle to rehabilitate children before any eviction on Thursday. The notice read, “It is pertinent to mention that the order suffers from several infirmities. It speaks of no attempt or provision of rehabilitation of children. Taking away shelter from these families is nothing short of cruelty in such extreme weather of Delhi. Further, the children have their education which will suffer on account of this removal drive. It is tragic that the Archaeological Survey is not concerned about the well-being of the children.”

Courtesy: Newsclick

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Jamia Millia Islamia, in a controversial move, denied permission to Jana Natya Manch — a theatre group formed by legendary street theatre activist Safdar Hashmi — for its performance inside the campus. The troupe was invited by a group of students, Faiz Ahmed Faiz Study Circle to perform on January 12 to celebrate the life and works of Safdar Hashmi in the month of his 34th martyrdom day. The students alleged that the administration failed to cite any credible reason for cancellation.

Sanam Hussain, a member of the study circle, told NewsClick over phone that they were not given any specific reason for the cancellation of the play. She said, “We were made to wait for two days. They took our letter without any acknowledgment. Later, we were informed that the permission for the play was denied. I mean it is quite ironic that a campus that has its amphitheatre named after Safdar Hashmi is denying permission for the performance. The amphitheatre has been closed for a while. The students have been denied permission for every cultural activity. Does it mean that administration wants to confine students to their classes?”

The circle, in a press note said, “Faiz Ahmad Faiz study circle aimed to host the program on 12th January to celebrate the life and works of Safdar Hashmi in the month of his 34th martyrdom day. Despite approaching the proctor several times to seek permission for the performance, we received a negative response on the administration’s part. This is a highly shameful act from the administration as they denied permission to the very theatre group which was founded by Safdar Hashmi inside an amphitheatre named after him. Ironically, a prestigious central university like Jamia Millia Islamia with a huge cultural heritage is taking such a stance against the legacy of people like Safdar, who is a symbol of cultural resistance against authoritarianism. It is also deplorable that the Safdar Hashmi amphitheatre is still shut out for the students of the campus.”

It added, “Campus spaces are fertile grounds for the growth and development of ideas and public/cultural spaces inside the campus are of utmost importance for students to have healthy discussions, debates and socialise in general. The administration’s move to restrict students from entering such spaces is a direct attack on our democratic rights.”

A student who requested anonymity told NewsClick that the administration has been denying permission for long to curb the growth of students’ organisations. She said, “A general tendency of the administration has been to see that no political or cultural activity should take place. When our activists were pasting posters about an event, they were issued show cause notices. Those were withdrawn after much protest. Even the poetry events have been scrutinised and cancelled.”

Komita Dhanda, cultural activist and a member of the theatre group said that they were informed by the students associated with the circle that proctors have been denying permission for every cultural programme inside the campus and the denial was not meant for JANAM alone. She said, “We are witnessing a curb on cultural activities; be it plays, debates or lectures across the campuses in the country. A student is exposed to the contesting ideas and ideologies through these activities and they develop their understanding of our society. When authorities curb these activities, they are indeed prohibiting students from learning.”

The development comes days after the Jamia administration dissolved teachers’ association. The teachers’ bodies across the country have condemned the move.

Professor Atiqur Rahman, chief proctor of Jamia Millia Islamia, could not be reached for a comment despite multiple attempts.

Courtesy: Newsclick

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Image for representational use only.Image Courtesy : Scroll

The Afghan students, part of the Study Abroad Programme under the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Educational Consultants India Limited (EdCIL) scholarships, have been annoyed since last September when they were shifted far from the campus due to their “eating habits and culture”.

Some students claimed they do not eat non-vegetarian food, while some others said they were even ready to abandon their habit if they are shifted to a location close to the campus.

In September last year, the Gujarat University had shifted several Afghan students to a Muslim-dominated locality Lal Darwaja, 10 km away from the campus.

The latest directive stated,”engagement with any outer agency like media or police without prior permission of Gujarat University authorities shall invite immediate expulsion for violating the code of conduct from university/colleges and deportment to their country”.

Neerja Gupta, coordinator for the programme, reportedly said that all students were Muslims and were relocated after other students and neighbours complained about their eating habits. “The (Afghan) students staying at the Lal Darwaja facility are mostly, in fact, all are Muslims. So, looking at their eating habits, community and culture they are put up there. There were attempts to provide a hostel facility in the western parts of the city but we received complaints from both students and neighbours about their habits of eating non-vegetarian food. The students also complained that they do not get non-vegetarian food easily. So, these facilities were shut down,” The Indian Express quoted Neerja as saying.

When contacted by Newsclick, Gupta denied shifting the Afghan students on the basis of food habits. She said that all 35 students were part of undergraduate programme for which there is a hostel facility outside the campus. She said, “While P.G. hostels are in the campus, the U.G, hostels are outside the campus at the centre of the city.Thirty five is the number of students who are admitted this year in under-graduate courses, hence all 35, are staying in UG hostel. Other new students who are admitted to PG courses are staying in campus hostels.The location too is defined looking into the proximity of the college/ institution so that they can save time and money in travel.”

Gupta, however, side-stepped questions regarding the gag order issued by the administration, saying that “There is no such directive exclusively only for foreign students.”

However, the students of the university have a different story about the living conditions at the hostels. Talking to Newsclick, Nitish Mohan, a student of B.A Economics, said living conditions in Gujarat University hostels are deplorable and need to be addressed immediately.

He said,” the DRI Hostel is one of the examples which needs immediate attention. Its building is crumbling and it can collapse if the region is hit by any earthquake. Similarly, 12-14 students are compelled to live in one room and it has two toilets, with no door, for 100 students. The hostel is housed by Scheduled Tribe students who hail from different parts of the state.” He added, Despite being costly, the students rely on water tankers for their daily needs. Do not even think about taking a bath.”

 First published in Newsclick.
 

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