The residents of Dhinkia village in Odisha, with the help of Debendra Swain of the anti-Jindal anti-Posco movement have written to CK Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) against the proposed construction of five projects by M/s JSW Utkal Steel Limited.

The projects are:

Integrated Steel Plant of 13.2 MTPA crude steel

10 MTPA cement grinding unit

900 MW captive power plants.

All weather, multi cargo, greenfield, captive jetties for handling capacity 52 MTPA at Jatadhari Township of 221,500 sq kms.

The villagers of Dhinkia, which falls in the Jagatsinghput district of Odisha believe that the projects will have irreversible impacts on local livelihoods and ecology; a fact that has been proven in the ministry’s own records.

Opposing the environmental clearance granted for the projects, the villagers have said that the project proponents have mislead them about the scale of the project and the faulty environment impact assessment.

The villagers have highlighted their objections to be:

The proposed projects are said to be ‘two’ in number, but consist of at least five separate components. .  For instance the “first project” that has three components: A Steel Plant, A thermal power plant and a cement grinding plant have all been granted a joint Terms of Reference under “Metallurgical Industries (ferrous & non-ferrous).” 

The mention of the construction of a township has not been disclosed in the public hearing dated December 20, 2019. The township is a building and construction project and attracts a separate approval from the Odisha State Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). This amounts to “false and misleading” data as M/s JSW Utkal Steel has selectively clubbed and broken up components of an integrated project that allows them to bypass detailed scrutiny and comprehensive assessment by all applicable Expert Appraisal Committees (EAC). It also misleads the public by presenting the project only two projects and therefore requiring only two public hearings.

The villagers have also complained that no common Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report covering each project component has been prepared. Without a common EIA report, affected people and concerned citizens would not have the opportunity to review the cumulative and comprehensive impacts of all components of an integrated/interlinked project such as the above.

The villagers have also questioned the adequacy of water required for the execution of the projects as the Mahanadi River near Cuttack has been identified as the source river, though it is already stressed. The K Roy Paul committee had recommended that a “source sustainability study of water requirement” be carried out, but this precaution has completely been ignored while planning the projects. No assessment or analysis of historical floods and cyclones or the impact of the project on the natural drainage pattern has been conducted.

In light of the above, the members of the anti-Jindal anti-Posco movement have demanded the following:

1.       Expedient action through your office towards immediately recalling the public hearings held on 20.12.2019.  

2.       Cancellation of the projects on grounds of providing false and misleading data by selectively clubbing and breaking up components of a project that misleads both the public and the appraisal committees. 

After the villagers of Jagatsinghpur fought off the South Korea steel giant POSCO which wanted to acquire land there, it had to gear up to fight JSW Utkal Steel, led by Sajjan Jindal for the same. They are striving to protect the betel leaf cultivation, almost a Rs. 50 crore industry in the area which is the major source of livelihood for the people there apart from fishing and agriculture.

The leaders of the movement against POSCO had been slapped with grave non-bailable offences of murder, rape, dacoity and kidnapping, reported The Hindu. Some 1,500 villagers have been shuttling between courts in Jagatsinghpur and Kujang to get reprieve in the 2,500 non-bailable arrest warrants issued against them. “We had not even seen a police station before 2005, when the land acquisition process began. These cases must be dropped,” says Swain, who stands accused in 22 cases.

Regarding JSW setting up a plant on POSCO land, a villager told The New Indian Express, “It is illegal to set up the JSW plant on Posco land. The State Government should have returned the land to people as no project could be set up within five years of its acquisition.” He also alleged that around 5,000 betel vine workers were rendered jobless due to dismantling of vines during land acquisition for Posco. The Government had decided to give sustenance allowance of Rs. 2,500 to each betel vine worker and 20 per cent of the compensation awarded to their respective vineyard owner. However, 99 per cent of the workers are yet to receive the allowance and compensation, he added.

Related:

On a fast unto death to save the Ganga, Sadhvi Padmavati forcefully arrested
If we are here, only then will the jungle remain: Adivasis and forest dwellers
40,000 trees cut in Odisha!

The post First POSCO, now JSW: Dhinkia villagers are still fighting for their land and compensation appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Defying attempts by the Uttar Pradesh State administration to hound the organisation, Bhim Army leader, Chandrashekhar, took the battle to Delhi’s Jantar Mantar today. Protesting against the recent caste disturbances in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, hundreds led by the Bhim Army, an organisation fighting for Dalit rights, gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Members of several Dalit groups gathered at the protest site on Sunday, despite being denied permission by the Delhi Police. More than 50,000 persons had gathered at the protest today.

https://www.facebook.com/Akhil1490/videos/1418120028249603/

Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar, has been contesting allegedly fabricated charges of the Uttar Pradesh Police for allegedly trying to instigate people. He  was present at the event. Gujarat youth Dalit leader Jignesh Mawani and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar were among those who joined the protesters, it is reported.

Late on  Saturday, the Delhi Police denied permission to Dalit unions to hold a protest at the venue. “The capacity of Jantar Mantar is 5,000, and there are already several protests going on there… The permission for this demonstration has been denied,” BK Singh, DCP (New Delhi), had said. However, members of the Bhim Army announced that they will go ahead with the plan as their supporters had already reached Delhi and that more were on their way to the venue.

Photo Courtesy: Indian Express, Abhinav Saha

Chandrashekhar, founder of the Bhim Army, addressed the crowds at Jantar Mantar. Last Saturday, on May 13, Justice Sawant, Justice Suresh, Justice BG Kolse Patil and others had in a press statement cautioned against the sue of draconian laws like the National security Act (NSA) on members of the Bhim Army including Chandrashekar. On May 5, violence broke out in Saharanpur’s  Shabbirpur village after members of the Dalit community objected to loud music during a Thakur-led procession to mark the upcoming birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap. The Dalits claimed that the Thakurs did not get permission from the authorities to hold the event. In the clashes that followed, a Thakur man was killed. Later, around 2000 members from the Thakur community gheraoed the village and burned and ransacked 25 houses belonging to the Dalits. At least 15 people were injured in the violence.

Photo credit: Indian Express

Thousands of Dalit activists gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest against the recent caste disturbances in Uttar Pradesh. Weeks after the violent clashes, police arrested five members of the Bhim Army and booked Chandrashekhar.  Sadar Bazar police station SHO Piyush Dixit said a case was filed against Chandrashekhar on Thursday on the basis of an audio clip purportedly released by him.

The audio calls for a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on May 21 to protest against the “lax attitude” of police and administration in taking action against the violence on Dalits in Shabbirpur village on May 5. Dixit said that Chandrashekhar has been accused of staging protest against the administration and trying to create an atmosphere of violence by instigating people from different communities. Chandrashekar and other members of his organisation are also wanted for arson and violence at various places in Saharanpur on May 9. FIRs have been lodged against Bheem Sena activists Arun and Vikas Meshram.
 

The post Dalit Assertion: Bhim Army at Jantar Mantar appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The perpetrators were, in large part, allegedly, cadres of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Today, many people have come back to the district. However, there are still some families who have not yet come back home.

They live in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and other parts of Odisha. There are still families who are internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in a rehabilitation colony, Shanti Nagar, near G Udayagiri in Kandhamal.

The victims of this violence had filed 3232 criminal cases against 11,000 perpetrators. But the police only registered 827 cases. Out of those cases the police closed 315 cases siting those as ‘lack of evidence’. Out of rest of 362 cases convictions were secured in only 78 cases! Out of 30 murder cases, conviction happened only in two cases.

The Supreme Court had instructed the government of Odisha to reopen those 315 cases in 2016. But nothing has been done in local courts. Will the guilty ever be punished?

This documentary on Kandhamal titled Innocents Imprisoned: Kandhamal’s Travesty of Justice was released in New Delhi on August 23, 2018 – to mark the 10th anniversary of the Kandhamal carnage:
 

Like clockwork around the same time, in the southern state of Karnataka where the saffron flag had flown on the state’s assembly for the first time in the previously held elections, 57 Churches were attacked systematically in Mangalore, Udipi and other parts of the state. The attacks, thoroughly documented by Justice Saldanha in his report, on an Inquiry requested by Transparency International and PUCL, Karnataka, presents a dangerous tale of how the highest echelons of those in power, assisted by some communally minded policemen, not only allowed mobs to attack Christians at prayer and desecrated their places of worship, but worse also systematically destroy any evidence of the attack as soon as they had taken place.

Independent media were also made targets and other sections, wooed through monetary considerations by the state government, were complicit or silent. Action against the perpetrators has not taken place with the state government in a malafide action simply withdrawing all criminal cases against the RSS, VHP, BD and BJP. The officially appointed Justice BK Somasekhara Commission that released its report in January 2011, has been an eye-wash.

You can watch a film on the Kandhamal carnage here:
 

The post Kandhamal Anti-Christian Violence: 10 years on, guilty still escape justice appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image Courtesy: Priya Ranjan Sahu
 
Jharkhand: Stan Swamy and 19 other Adivasi activists have been accused of sedition (desh droh) by Raghubar Das-BJP led Jharkhand govt on July 28, 2018. “We are accused of supporting the self-rule movement taking place among Adivasis in Jharkhand and neighbouring states of central India. Pathalgadi (erection of stone slabs) listing the powers of Gram Sabhas as per PESA Act, 1996 and declaring their right to self-governance. The state govt is not able to digest this declaration and calls it a ‘war against the state’ and all those who support it as ‘desh drohi,” said Father Stan Swamy, a senior Adivasi rights activist.
  
“On July 30, 11 of the 20 accused met together with several concerned friends and decided that we will act together as a group since the IPC clauses are the same for everyone. A group of lawyer-friends are looking into the advisability of going for anticipatory bail for the whole group. Happily, all the opposition political parties have assured they will stand by us and with them, a press conference is being planned for August 3, when we hope to lay bare the political vendetta of the ruling BJP party,” he said.
 
Many Adivasis in the area believe that this move is another intimidation tactic by the ruling government to silence protestors as a part of their communal-corporate nexus.
 
Stan Swamy listed all the activities that have made him a ‘Desh Drohi,’ a traitor of the country, in his open letter after he was charged with sedition:
 
During the past two decades, I have identified myself with the Adivasi people and their struggle for a life of dignity and self-respect. As a writer, I have tried to analyse the different issues they are facing. In this process, I have clearly expressed dissent with several policies, laws enacted by the govt in the light of the Indian Constitution. I have questioned the validity, legality, justness of several steps taken by the govt and the ruling class.
 
As for the Pathalgadi issue, I have asked the question “Why are Adivasis doing this?” I believe they have been exploited and oppressed beyond tolerance. The rich minerals which are excavated in their land have enriched outsider industrialists and businessmen and impoverished the Adivasi people to the extent there are starvation deaths taking place.
 
They have had no share in what is produced. Also, the laws and policies enacted for their wellbeing are deliberately left unimplemented. So they have reached a situation where they realised ‘enough is enough’ and are seeking to re-invent their identity by empowering their Gram Sabhas through Pathalgadis. Their action is understandable.
 
Some questions that I have raised are as follows:
 
1. I have questioned the Non-implementation of the 5th Schedule of the Constitution [Indian Constitution, Article 244(1)]clearly stipulates that a ‘Tribes Advisory Council’ (TAC) composed solely of members from the Adivasi community who will advise the Governor of the State about any and everything concerning the protection, well-being and development of the Adivasi people in the State. The Governor is the constitutional custodian of the Adivasi people and he/she can make laws on his/her own and can annul any other law enacted by the parliament or state assembly always keeping in mind the welfare of the Adivasi people.
 
Whereas the reality is that in none of the States during all these nearly seven decades has any State Governor ever used his/her constitutional discretionary power to reach out to the Adivasi people proffering the excuse that they have to work in harmony with the elected government of the State. The meeting of the TAC takes place rarely, and it is convened by and presided over by the Chief Minister of the State and is controlled by the ruling party. TAC has thus been reduced to a toothless body. Verily a constitutional fraud meted out to the Adivasi people.
 
2) I have questioned why the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act [PESA],1996 [No:40 of 1996] have been neatly ignored which for the first time recognized the fact the Adivasi communities in India have had a rich social and cultural tradition of self-governance through the Gram Sabha.                                                                                                                                     
Whereas the reality is this Act of the parliament has deliberately been left unimplemented in all the nine states. It means the capitalist ruling class does not want the Adivasi people to self-govern themselves.
 
3) I have questioned the silence of the govt on Samatha Judgment, 1997 of the Supreme Court [Civil Appeal Nos:4601-2 of 1997] which came as a huge relief to the Adivasi communities in Scheduled Areas. It came at a time when consequent to the policy of globalization, liberalization, marketisation, privatisation national and international corporate houses started to invade particularly the Adivasi areas in central India to mine the mineral riches. The govt machinery gave its full cooperation to these companies. Any resistance by the Adivasi people was put down with an iron hand. The judgment was meant to provide some significant safeguards for the Adivasis to control the excavation of minerals in their lands and to help develop themselves economically.
                                                                                                      
Whereas the reality is the state has ignored this verdict of the highest court. Several cases have been filed by affected communities but the ‘law of eminent domain’ of the colonial rulers are invoked to alienate Adivasi land and to loot the rich mineral resources.
 
4) I have questioned the half-hearted action of govt on Forest Rights Act, 2006: [Act of Parliament No:2 of 2007] jal, jangal, jamin, as we know, are the basis of the economic life of the Adivasi people. Of particular importance is their traditional rights in the forest have been infringed upon systematically over the decades. At long last, the govt came to the realization that a historic injustice has been done to the Adivasi and other traditional forest-dwellers. To correct this anomaly, it enacted this Act.
 
Whereas the reality is far from desirable. From 2006 to 2011 of its operation, about 30 lakh applications were made all over the country for title-deeds, of which 11 lakhs were approved but 14 lakhs were rejected and five lakhs were pending. Of late the Jharkhand govt is trying to bypass the Gram Sabha in the process of acquiring forest land for industrial set up.
 
5) I have questioned the inaction of the govt to carry out the SC order ‘Owner of the land is also the owner of sub-soil minerals’. [SC: Civil Appeal No 4549 of 2000] wherein it has said “we are of the opinion that there is nothing in the law which declares that all mineral wealth sub-soil rights vest in the State, on the other hand, the ownership of sub-soil/mineral wealth should normally follow the ownership of the land, unless the owner of the land is deprived of the same by some valid process.”
 
The rich minerals in their lands are being looted by the govt and private companies. The Supreme Court has declared 214 out of the 219 Coal-Blocks in the country illegal and ordered their closure and levied a fine on them for their illegal mining. But the Central & State Govts have found a way out by re-allotting these illegal mines through auction to make it look legal! 
 
6) I have questioned the reasons why SC observation is being ignored that ‘Mere membership of a banned organisation will not make a person a criminal unless he resorts to violence or incites people to violence or creates public disorder by violence or incitement to violence. [SC: Criminal Appeal No: 889 of 2007]. The court rejected the doctrine of ‘guilt by association’. 
 
It is common knowledge that many young men and women are held in prison on the suspicion of being “helpers of Naxalites”. After arresting them other penal clauses are added on. It is an easy label that can be put on anyone whom the police want to catch. It does not require any proof or witness. Supreme Court says even membership in a banned organisation does not make a person a criminal. How far removed are the law and order forces from the judiciary!
 
7) I have questioned the recently enacted Amendment to ‘Land Acquisition Act 2013’ by Jharkhand govt which sound a death-knell for the Adivasi Community. This does away with the requirement for “Social Impact Assessment’ which was aimed at safeguarding the environment, social relations and cultural values of affected people. The most damaging factor is the govt can allow any agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes. So, any and everything can be included.
8) I have questioned ‘Land Bank’ which I see as the most recent plot to annihilate the Adivasi people.
 
During ‘Momentum Jharkhand’ in February 2017 the govt announced that 21 lakh acres in Land Bank of which 10 lakh acres is ready for allotment to industrialists.
 
Gair-Majurwa” land (uncultivated land) can be ‘khas’ (private) or ‘aam’ (common). As per tradition, individual Adivasi families or communities have been in possession and use this land [jamabandi]. Now the govt shockingly cancelled all ‘jamabandi’ titles and claims that all ‘gair-majurwa’ land belongs to the govt and it is free to allot it to anybody (read industrial houses) to set up their small and big industries.
 
People are in the dark about their land being written off. The TAC has not given its approval as is required by the Vth Sched., the respective Gram Sabhas have not given their consent as required by PESA Act, affected Adivasi people have not given their consent as required by Land Acquisition Act (2013).
 
Above are the questions I have consistently raised.   
 
If this makes me a ‘Desh Drohi’ then so be it!

Related Articles
How is it sedition if Adivasi’s choose self-governance through Gram Sabha?
How PESA, an Act of Parliament is Being Subverted in Jharkand
SC bats for Adivasis’ rights over natural resources, Govt disagrees
90% of mining in India is illegal: Deprived of basic rights, tribals treated as untouchables in their lands
Why Adivasis seek to re-assert their traditional identity

The post 20 Adivasi activists accused of sedition in Jharkhand appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Supreme Court, on Monday, July 24, 2018, ruled that there could not be a “complete ban” on protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the Indian Express reported. A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and A. K. Sikri said, “There cannot be a complete ban on holding protests at places like Jantar Mantar and Boat Club (near India Gate),” and directed the Central Government to formulate guidelines regarding the issue. 

The ruling came in the case of a petition filed by Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan, which challenged an order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which in October 2017 had asked the Delhi government to end all protests in the Jantar Mantar area, Scroll reported. The NGT said the protests breached environmental laws, and that it was the state’s duty to shield people from nois pollution, the Indian Express reported. The bench, led by Justice R. S. Rathore, had directed the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to take down all temporary structures, loudspeakers, and other protest-related equipment on the road leading to Jantar Mantar. It had deemed the Ramlila Grounds in Ajmeri Gate as an alternative option for demonstrators, where, as per North body authorities, just one group can hold an event at a time. 

It is Article 19(1) of the Constitution Of India that gives Indians the Right to Protest. Article 19 reads:
Article 19 (1) All citizens shall have the right
                (a) to freedom of speech and expression;
                (b) to assemble peaceably and without arms;

The petition challenging the NGT’s order argued, “….holding peaceful demonstrations in order to air grievances and to see that their voice is heard in the relevant quarters, is the right of the people. Such a right can be traced to the fundamental freedoms that are guaranteed under Articles 19 (1) (a) and 19 (1) (b) of the Constitution. Article 19(1)(b) specifically confers the right to assemble and thus guarantees that all citizens have the right to assemble peacefully and without arms,” Bar and Bench reported. The petitioner had argued that authorities and the police had curbed protests by constantly imposing Section 144 of the CrPC. The petition had said that the Delhi Police had for multiple years been issuing such directives as soon as the previous order lapsed, which constituted an abuse of power and hampered citizens’ right to protest, violating Article 19. The petitioner also submitted that in other areas of New Delhi, protests were previously permitted but have been slowly curbed over time. 

The post Supreme Court says no “complete ban” on protests at Jantar Mantar  appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On July 17, two days ago, Swami Agnivesh, an 80 year old rationalist and social activist was attacked in Pakur Jharkhand on July 17 by a lynch mob allegedly affiliated to the ruling dispensation.

What was the provocation ? It appears that a speech given by him recently didn’t go down well with BJP supporters and irked them to unimaginable limits. Funnily, many BJP supporters posted a video of the speech on Facebook and other social media channels and justified the attack!

In the video Swami Agnivesh can be seen ridiculing various recent commentaries by political giants including none other than the Prime Minister, Mr. Modi. Most importantly, he can be heard attacking various myths and superstitions propagated by one interpretation of the Hindu religion and advocated officially by the current government and its various representatives.

Agnivesh’s speech is sharp and an expression of dissent, all made within an atmosphere where the simplest of acts have and can be labelled as ‘hurtful of religious sentiments’. It is an audacious act to dissect these practices in a manner not only to shock, but be accepted within a massive crowd of common, believers. The saffron clad seer is clearly more effective than many. Very few rationalists have been able to present such sharp critiques openly in the recent past. When they have, they have been unfortunately, attacked in the most gruesome manner. No wonder then, that the saffron clad seer is such a threat to the bhakt brigade.

Swami Agnivesh can be seen expressing his utter disbelief at the Prime Minister’s fallacious contentions,  for example the one speech in which he says that in ancient India, the Hindu deity Ganesha underwent plastic surgery and his head was replaced with that of an elephant’s.

Referring to another peculiar statement by none other than the PM himself, again, he pointed out, “The PM said that the Kauravas (characters from a well-known Hindu epic, Mahabharata), multiplied themselves into hundreds. This, they achieved through stem-cell transplants” Mockingly, Swami Agnivesh laments, “Such lies, such pageantry, such superstitions, and India’s PM is perpetuating these! The country will move towards a deep abyss,” he predicts

The crowd whole-heartedly applauds Agnivesh’s speech and statements.

Swami Agnivesh, with even more grace, now speaking in a satirical and animated manner, imitating the PM, then adds, “When you go to Nepal as a PM, you spend two hours inside the Pashupati temple, [in your full attire], wearing a garland and a Tika (religious mark on forehead)  and then worship inside for two hours, if you want to worship [like that], become a priest! The PM’s chair isn’t fit for your work”

He questioned the “Pooja” done by the PM in Bangladesh, in the temple of one deity Dhakeshwari and says that a PM worshipping Gods and Goddesses is against the secular spirit of the constitution. He adds also that he has condemned these ridiculous acts of the PM in Dehradun, and in Srinagar!

All these, the Amarnath worshipping, Tirumala, Tirupati, all these places are places where superstition was bred. Talking about a Hindu pilgrimage Amarnath Yatra he mentions, “TV persons asked me in Srinagar, Swami ji, Amarnath Yatra time period has been reduced by 15 days, what is your reaction? I told them why only 15 days, the yatra should be stopped altogether”

Shedding light on the superstitious belief that there was a ‘Barfani baba’ (Ice-God) or a Shivling (Hindu God Shiva) at Amarnath, he said that no such Gods existed. He adds that it is a well-known fact that the ice formations are a work of the stalactite and stalagmite deposits. When, at the height of more than 13,000 feet from sea level, the water drips from the Himalayas, the ice formations happen in a certain manner. He points out that this was a natural phenomenon and there is no divinity in it! He adds, “These claims, that the government has to take the effort to go all the way up to thousands of feet and deploy forces for the ‘yatra’, all this was an ostentatious pomp!”

Talking about an interesting anecdote, he recalls a time when the so called Shivlinga melted and the then Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Gen. S. K. Sinha went with artificial ice in a helicopter so that when the ‘devotees’ (Bhagat log) come, then they should be able to witness ‘Shiva’. He ridiculed such actions on the part of the government and rightly questions, “Is this the job of the government?”

When the Kumbh fair takes place every year, many die in stampede. People come to ‘wash their sins’ Swami Agnivesh says, “I roam around the fair distributing pamphlets about how all this is a spectacle. How washing in dirty waters [of Ganges] won’t wash off one’s sins, but will cause diseases!”

It is crucial that a sane and scientific voice like that of Swami Agnivesh is preserved and protected. When people are, on the one hand, going to ridiculous lengths to prove their secularism by coming up with hashtags such #TalkToAMuslim, or, on the other hand, are being pushed into ghettos, this speech by Swami Agnivesh is an act of courage, unmatched in its clarity and audacity.

Today, two days after the assault, protests have taken place in various parts of the country in support of Swami Agnivesh. Swami Agnivesh himself has pointed out that the violence on him cannot be seen in isolation and has also the elements of a conspiracy and pre-planned attack.
 
 
 

The post Was it  Swami Agnivesh’s attack on the ‘Sacred Games’ of PM Modi that Provoked Bhakts ? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On the first anniversary of the gruesome lynching of Alimuddin Ansari, the Jharkhand HC suspended the life sentence of BJP leader, Nityananda Mahto and 7 Others. In March this year, after the convictions, widow Mariam Ansari had made the headlines with her compassion when she had said ‘she was against the death penalty’ for the killers of her husband.

This order, dated June 29, 2018 comes merely three months after the historic convictions. On Friday, the Jharkhand High Court suspended the life sentence awarded to 8 convicts including BJP leader Nityananda Mahto. It was on March 21, that a fast track court had imposed life imprisonment on Mahto and 10 other cow vigilantes for the alleged lynching of the deceased, Alimuddin Akhtar Ansari , on June 29 last year for allegedly carrying cow meat in the Ramgarh District of Jharkhand. The bench of Justices H. C. Mishra and B. B. Mangalmurti was hearing the bail applications of the appellants, having been convicted for the offences under Sections 147, 148, 427 / 149, 435 / 149, and 302 / 149 of the Indian Penal Code. Eleven persons, cow vigilantes, had been entenced to life imprisonment in the Alimuddin Ansari lynching case
The Judges have directed Mahto and seven others to be released on bail, during the pendency of the appeals, subject to the furnishing of bail bonds of Rs.10,000 with two sureties of the like amount each.

The Order may be read here.

The prosecution case was instituted on the basis of the FIR lodged by the wife of the deceased on June 29, 2017 wherein, she had stated that her husband had left for Ramgarh at about 8 AM from his village Manua. Two hours hence, she was informed that, in the Ramgarh bazar, twelve named accused persons, including these appellants, had assaulted her husband, dragging him out from a Maruti van, burning the vehicle. Her husband had died on the spot. In the FIR, she had stated that the accused persons could be identified in the photographs and videos.

On the same day, another FIR was lodged by the Officer-in-Charge of the Ramgarh Police Station, wherein he has claimed that at about 9:45 A.M., he was informed that one Maruti van carrying prohibited meat was put to fire by the mob. Based on the said information, the Police Officer reached the place of occurrence at about 10 AM and found that the Maruti van had been put to fire. In two plastic bags, there was prohibited meat and some prohibited meat was also scattered here and there on the road.

One person was found fallen down in injured condition, who disclosed his name as Md. Alimuddin. The injured person had also allegedly admitted that he was carrying the prohibited meat while the mob of unknown persons had waylaid them, put the Maruti van to fire and had assaulted them.

On the basis of the statement of the Officer-in-Charge of Ramgarh Police Station, a case was instituted under Section 414 / 34 of the Indian Penal Code, Sections 12(2) and 12(3) of the Jharkhand Bovine Animal Prohibition of Slaughter Act and Sections 11(D) / 20 21 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act against the unknown.
 “It is apparent from the evidence on the record that the informant, who is the wife of the deceased, is not the eye-witness to the occurrence.  Some of the eye-witnesses have named some of the accused persons giving omnibus allegation that they had assaulted the deceased. Some photographs and one video that had become viral, is the source of identification of the appellants and this has been proved by P.W.-16, who is the I.O. of the case, during trial…It appears from the record that the video was displayed in the Court and she has identified all the appellants in the said video. From her evidence on record it appears that she has identified these appellants in the Court in the video, in which these appellants were only shown present in the mob.
There is no allegation of any assault against them rather, the allegation of assault on the basis of video is specific against three other co-accused persons who are not the appellants before us. To cap all, it has come in the evidence of I.O., that the source of the video and photographs was not known to her…”, noted the Division Bench of the Jharkhand High Court.
“…it is only apparent that the appellants were the members of the mob, and in view of lack of evidence of specific assault against them, we are inclined to release the appellants on bail”,

Background:

On June 29, 2017 just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned lynching under the guise of cow protection, a 45 year old man was killed by a hundred man strong mob in Jharkhand. Alimuddin Ansari aka Asgar Ali of Mouna village was allegedly carrying 200 kgs of meat in his van when he was intercepted by the mob at Bazartand in Ramgarh district. They dragged him outside his vehicle and beat him with sticks and pieces of meat. The mob also set his car on fire.

A video of the assault, that was allegedly deliberately circulated by the assailants on social media, showed that throughout the assault Ansari did not retaliate or fight back, and yet the mob kept beating him relentlessly.  In fact one man even violently snapped Ansari’s head to face the camera and yet Ansari still did not fight back. Ansari was rescued by the police who arrived on the spot in 30 minutes even as he was still being assaulted before a crowd that cheered the assailants. He was first taken to Sardar Hospital in Ramgarh, but transferred to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi because of the severity of his injuries. It was at the second hospital that Ansari breathed his last.

How the police responded

While the police reached the spot in about half an hour and rescued Ansari from the clutches of the mob, the statements they subsequently made to the press proved to be terribly problematic. Jharkhand police spokesperson RK Mallick openly and rather irresponsibly speculated that the murder could have been the result of a professional rivalry. “Ali had a criminal record, and was an accused in the kidnapping and murder of a child. He traded in beef and had been getting calls for ransom from his business rivals and local criminals. Still, that does not give anyone the licence to kill him. We will arrest the killers soon,” he was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

Related Articles:

1. Local BJP leader among 11 convicted in Alimuddin Ansari lynching case: Jharkand

2. Gautankwad: Beginning of the End? How a team of dedicated lawyers from Jharkhand secured justice in the Alimuddin Ansari lynching case

 3. Victims of Gautankwad: Alimuddin Ansari

The post Bail Granted, Life Sentence suspended for BJP Leader Nityananda Mahato & Ors: HC, Alimuddin Ansari Lynching appeared first on SabrangIndia.

An RTI reply had last week sensationally revealed that a cooperative bank in Gujarat with BJP President Amit Shah as a director, had collected the highest volume of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that were abruptly demonetised on 8 November, 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Even today, according to the website of the Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank (ADCB), Shah continues to remain its director raising serious conflict of interest given his proximity to the finance ministry as the president of the ruling party.  Shah is still being described one of the directors of the cooperative bank. (see below). He was also the bank’s chairman in 2000. ADCB’s total deposits on March 31, 2017, were Rs 5,050 crore and its net profit for 2016-17 was Rs 14.31 crore. Congress President Rahul Gandhi too tweeted using a catchy hashtag #ShahZyadaKhaGaya (Amit Shah has eaten too much), “Congratulations Amit Shah ji , Director, Ahmedabad Dist. Cooperative Bank, on your bank winning 1st prize in the conversion of old notes to new race. 750 Cr in 5 days! Millions of Indians whose lives were destroyed by Demonetisation, salute your achievement.”

Soon #ShahZyadaKhaGaya became a top national trend on Twitter yesterday.

Another branch with a BJP minister as its chairman received the deposit of Rs 693.19 crore in the same period. The Rajkot District Cooperative Bank has Jayeshbhai Vitthalbhai Radadiya, a cabinet minister in Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s government, has its chairman.

According to the AICC press release that may be read here, these are the links:
1. Surat District Co-operative Bank Ltd. which received ₹369.85 Cr
Director- Shri Prabhubhai Nagarbhai Vasava, BJP MP (Lok Sabha) from Bardoli
Chairman is Shri Nareshbhai Patel, a prominent BJP leader.
2. Sabarkantha District Central Cooperative Bank Ltd. – which received ₹328.50 Cr
Directors- Shri Rajendrasinh Ranjitsinh Chavada, BJP MLA from Himatnagar and
Shri Praful Khoda Patel, Former MoS Home in the BJP Govt of Gujarat and is now
appointed by Modi ji as Administrator of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
Chairman is Shri Maheshbhai Amichandbhai Patel is a BJP leader.
3. Banaskantha District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd- which received ₹295.30 Cr
Director- Shri Shankar Chaudhary, Former Minister of State for Urban Housing, Health,
Family Welfare and Transport in the earlier BJP Government of Gujarat and General
Secretary of the Gujarat BJP. Chairman is Shri M L Chaudhary, a BJP leader.
4. Mehsana District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd received ₹215.44 Cr
This bank is controlled by Deputy CM, Shri Nitin Patel through registrar. Elections due.
5. Amreli Jilla Madyastha Sahkari Bank Ltd. which received ₹205.31 Cr
Chairman- Shri Dileepbhai Sanghani, Former BJP MP & Former Cabinet Minister in
the BJP Gujarat Govt and is presently appointed by Modi ji as Vice Chairman, NAFED
6. The Bharuch District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd received ₹98.86 Cr
Chairman is Shri Arunsinh Rana, BJP MLA
7. Baroda Central Co-operative Bank Ltd received ₹76.38Cr
Director, who controls the Bank, is Shri Satishbhai Patel, BJP MLA and Chairman is Shri
Atulbhai Patel, BJP leader
8. Junagarh Jill Sahakari Bank Ltd received ₹59.98 Cr
Chairman is Shri Jashabhai Barad, Ex Cabinet Minister in BJP Govt & a prominent BJP
leader
9. Panchmahals District Co-operative Bank Ltd. received ₹ 30.12 Cr
This bank is controlled by Former BJP MP, Shri Gopalsinh Solanki through registrar.Elections due.

Rajkot is also believed to be a hub of Gujarat BJP politics as PM Modi was first elected from there as a legislator in 2001. “The amount of deposits made in the State Cooperative Banks (SCBs) and District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) — revealed under RTI for first time since demonetisation — are astounding,” Manoranjan S. Roy, the RTI activist who made the effort to get the information was quoted by IANS.

Yesterday, just before the Congress held its press conference, National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development, also known as NABARD, issued a statement, saying that the average deposit amount in the Ahmedabad DCCB was Rs 46,795 per account holder, which it said was lower than the average per depositor in 18 DCCBs of Gujarat, reported PTI. NABARD is the country’s apex financing agency for institutions that promote rural development.

Using the the NABARD statement, the BJP clarified that the Ahmedabad DCCB was one of the biggest in the country and that it was not out of the ordinary for it to collect such an amount, added PTI report. However the fact that the BJP is feeling compelled to respond to allegations speaks of how the political discourse is turning.
 
Demonetisation: A Modi-Made Disaster (AICC Press Note)

On November 8th, 86% of India’s currency was nullified in an effort to clean out “black money” and “counterfeit notes”; this effort resulted in a massive disruption to the existing social, political and economic functions of the world’s second largest emerging market. All 500 and 1,000 rupee notes were instantaneously voided, and a 50-day period ensued where the population could (ideally) redeem their cancelled cash for freshly issued 2,000 and later 500 rupee notes or deposit them into their respective bank accounts.

In the ensuing days after Demonetization, the public in general was hit quite bad, but it was the poor who took the largest share of pain. The poor and the lower middle-classes that constitute the vast majority of the population, simply did not have the access to structural and cultural resources needed to adapt to such shock economics.
Even the banks, debuted to do all the heavy lifting on the ground, weren’t kept in the loop; ill-equipped for the crisis and unable to make sense of an outlandish government order, they still managed to do a remarkable job despite not even having an adequate supply of new notes to balance out the nullified currency. With 86% of existing cash that was in circulation having been demonetized, the Indian Economy came to a sudden, screeching halt.

Trade across all facets of the economy was disrupted, and cash-centric sectors like agriculture, fishing, and the voluminous informal market, were virtually shut-down. Many businesses and livelihoods went under completely, not to mention the economic impact to the country when you have millions of productive people just standing in line for hours and hours, just to exchange or deposit cancelled banknotes, rather than working or running their businesses.

Even the undeclared emergency in the newsrooms failed to contain the news spreading like wildfire throughout India: Demonetisation was a colossal and completely avoidable failure and the largest government-abetted money laundering scheme in history.

Demonetisation failed to curb black money as 99% of the withdrawn 500 and 1000 rupee notes were returned, according to the RBI. This was expected as black money isn’t usually stored in currency, but property, bullion and more easily convertible currency like dollars. Thus, the dichotomy between ‘Black Money’ and ‘Black Wealth’: one is a flow variable and one is stock variable. And no amount of demonetization can bring about any change in stock variables. The claims of unearthing large amounts of black money are unfounded and based on a naïve and uninformed view of what actually constitutes black money.

Furthermore, the announcement failed to stem any sort of terror attacks and insurgency as there were 23 more attacks in Kashmir alone after the announcement. There were numerous reports of insurgents caught with large hordes of new currency on the Indian border.

The extent of circulation of counterfeit notes in the Indian economy is exaggerated. A special report carried out by the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, found out that the circulation of counterfeit currency was about Rs. 400 crore i.e. a mere 0.022%, of the total notes in circulation; simply not worth the 2% damage to India’s GDP growth.

It failed to produce a cashless economy as whatever rise in e-commerce sales took place during that period, returned to the same growth trend-line as before in a matter of few months, when cash supply was finally normalised. Considering the extent of the Indian unorganized sectors, it was simply illogical to even attempt digitalisation before creating an alternate payment infrastructure.
As a result of this catastrophic move, 3 lakh crore rupees in national income was lost; a conservative estimate given the informal cash-based economy accounts for nearly 50% of GDP or 65.25 lakh crore rupees. Some bank managers grew rich from the haircuts they took on people’s hard-earned money, quickly forming a sophisticated and organised money laundering racket. Meanwhile, a 115 people died as a direct result of the ‘note-bandi’—almost all were poor. Even after the supportive mainstream media declared demonetisation a failure, PM Modi has still not been able to bring himself to condole with their bereaved families or pay them any compensation for the loss of in many cases, their primary breadwinners.

The demonetisation move represents not just a faulty economic policy but also holds high potential for indiscriminate state surveillance, violation of privacy and abuse of civil liberties, with the replacement of cash payments with digital payment systems. With big data analytics growing bigger day by day, personal data of private citizens have turned into commodities on the grey markets, that may result in a breakdown of basic social-contracts and trust between the state and its citizens.

The end truth is, the Prime Minister expected to make a tidy profit of 4 lakh crores from dispossessing those who weren’t able to exchange their notes. Instead, 21,000 crore rupees of our tax money was squandered on printing notes, while only 16,000 crores were left unclaimed.
 
The entire text of the AICC Document may be read here.

The post 11 Banks accepted crores after Note-Ban, all linked to BJP: Congress appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The post was widely circulated and some web portals, newsppers even published it. The post was wrongly attributed to Ravish Kumar. Ravish Kumar has denied that he authored it. A controversial post that ‘appeals to Indian Muslims’ to not speak against the majoritarian saffron combine was attributed to Ravish Kumar through WhatsApp messages. Hyderabad based prestigious Siasat even published the story with a photograph of the popular anchor who’s prime time show at 9 p.m. on NDTV India has acquired something of a cult following in this day and age of a subservient and pliant media. Sabrangindia sought a clarification from Ravish Kumar by email. He has denied authorship of the same.

Reply by Ravisj Kumar to Sabrangindia:

“नहीं। मेरा लिखा हुआ नहीं है। मैंने फेसबुक पर भी लिखा है।”

The tone and tenor of the post is condescending to say the least. Following recent debates by begun by activists Harsh Mandar, historian Ram Guha and others, the tone and tenor of the post that denies Indian Muslims any agency is the latest example of advice being doled out to India’s largest minority!!

Read on. 

Here is one more example of Fake News:

Brave and Honest Journalist ‘Ravish Kumar’ Emotional Appeal to Muslims
suryaa29 Mar. 2018 11:17

Ravish Kumar is an Indian one of the honest and brave TV anchor, writer and journalist who covers topics pertaining to Indian politics and society.
New Delhi: Recently noted TV anchor Ravish Kumar made an emotional appeal to Muslims during a programme. Following are his golden words.
1.Stop criticizing BJP and RSS.
2.Your opposition is their strength. Anyway except for Jammu and Kashmir neither you have to become chief minister anywhere nor the prime minister.
3.Those who have to grab ‘the chair’ they themselves will contest with BJP & RSS. Only because of your opposition BJP is creating fear of 18 pc Muslims among Hindus and is succeeding in getting votes of 80 pc Hindus. The director of the entire play is in fact just 3 pc.
4.Give vote in favour of whatever party you like, but don’t ever oppose BJP, RSS or Modi.
5.Forget that there is any organisation called RSS.
6.Forget that there is any party called BJP.
7.Forget that there is any leader called Modi
8.If you continue what you have been doing you will be politically made untouchables in few years. Then neither Congress will value you nor JP, SP or BSP.
9.The MIM or Owaisi you are blindly favouring will be allowed to contest as far as BJP is benefiting from them. The day when BJP will feel that their contesting is doing harm to it, from that day MIM will be banned as it was done during the first 30 to 40 years. You just focus on modern technology and education, secure marks through which you can get government jobs without reservation.
10.Before independence, the population of Muslims was 35 pc and they had occupied 35 pc government jobs. There was no reservation system at that time. Those who had reached the place did so on their own ability. Those who give zakat and sadaqah to religious institutions should also give them to institutions working for your education and employment. If there are no such institutions, establish them.
11.Remember! This is a competitive era and you are lagging behind in every field. Don’t rely on government aid, do whatever you want on your own.
God will do the rest!

The post FAKE NEWS: Ravish Kumar’s ‘Appeal to Muslims Not to Criticise RSS’ is Denied by Him appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Delhi Police on Friday first cordoned off, and then ordered a lathi charge on thousands of JNU students and teachers, who were marching towards Parliament protesting against removal of several department heads and a coordinator for not complying with the university’s new attendance rules. The other demand included immediate suspension and arrest of Prof Atul Johri who is accused of sexual harassment. Many of the students have been detained. Several were seriously injured.

In a continuing attack on India’s premier central university — that began with the Modi government’s slapping sedition charges against students in February 2016, the Delhi police which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs simply did not allow the peaceful protest to take place. The 2-kilometre long march was quietly proceeeding from North gate of the campus to Parliaent street when they were suddenly stopped after Bhikaji Cama Palace before the Safdarjung Flyover. Suddenly the protesters were cordoned off and water canons were used before the lathi charge was resorted to. Following the brutality of the police, protesters went to INA and the Sanjay Park.

The Delhi Police on Friday ordered a lathi charge here on thousands of JNU students and teachers, who were marching towards Parliament protesting against removal of several department heads and a coordinator for not complying with the university’s new attendance rules. The other demand included immediate suspension and arrest of Prof Atul Johri who is accused of sexual harassment. Many of the students have been detained.
 
 

The long march was completely peaceful and orderly, with students walking in lines, shouting slogans, carrying placards. The police followed the procession in large numbers but the strength increased to over 200 at INA market where the road had been barricaded. Even before the students could react the cops moved in and started pushing them around. This angered the students who tried to move on.

This was all that the police had been waiting for and they attacked the students with lathis, and water canons. Police brutality is visible in the video below, posted on Twitter:
Not just JNU, but civil society and students from the other Delhi universities joined the march with thousands participating.Water canons were used against all in the march, including teachers and others who participated. The canons were taken down the length of the procession, to ensure that all were hit by the water.

The students are staging a peaceful and silent iprotest at INA, demanding release of the detained students. The march was in response to the open call by the JNU Students Union and Teachers Association to protest against the removal of deans and chairpersons from the Centres ; and the ongoing sexual harassment case where the accused Professor was arrested and released immediately on bail. The girls who have been harassed by him held a press conference in Delhi recently, and made it clear to the media that Johri was a serial offender. They also said that unlike the propaganda by some of his supporters in the BJP, they were not from the Left students organisations but actually most of them were registered members of the ABVP.

The JNU teachers are protesting against the removal of several department heads and a coordinator for not complying with the university’s new attendance rules, and a number of them are on a hunger strike.

Also, Nine women students have filed police complaints against Atul Johri, Professor at the School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), accusing him of sexual harassment, abuse of power and sexual misconduct. 

The association said the university’s administration has not reached out to the faculty members who have been on the hunger strike for the past three days. It has also demanded that the management withdraw its notification removing the department heads and other circulars issued without consulting relevant university authorities.

The association also criticised the JNU administration over what it called selective inaction by the university against a professor accused of sexual harassment.
Meanwhile various representatives from the political parties rushed to the spot and extended support the students. Manoj Jha from RJD, Ali Anwar from JD(U) and Brinda Karat from the CPI(M) addressed the gathering. 

Related Stories:

JNU students and teachers march to Parliament demanding reforms

More attacks on JNU: Seven Chairpersons, Deans removed over mandatory attendance

 ‘Serial Harasser’ professor being safeguarded by JNU Admin?

The post Delhi Police Turns on JNU: Open Lathi Charge on Student-Teacher Long March appeared first on SabrangIndia.