A video message of sarpanch Usha Devi from Kablana and sarpanch Kavita from Mundakheda surfaced on social media where they can be heard redacting their statements. In the video, Kablana’s sarpanch said, “This panchayat respects all religions, communities and castes. We don’t have any enmity with anyone and welcome all to our village irrespective of their religion”.

“Our intention was never to offend anyone’s religious feelings. The issuance of these letters was solely a precautionary step in response to a surge in cases of theft,” the sarpanch also said in the video message.

Pursuant to this, Mundakheda’s Sarpanch stated, “If it was portrayed as though we were side-lining a particular community, we are withdrawing the letter with a written statement.”

The video can be viewed here:

A #Jhajjar Panchayat announces withdrawal officially after Jhajjar DC takes cognizance upon #TimesOfIndia phone call and report of them issuing boycott letters against #Muslims.#HaryanaViolence #NuhVoilence pic.twitter.com/hdCh2R5L63

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) August 10, 2023

The boycott notices, issued after communal violence gripped the state of Haryana on July 31, attracted widespread criticism. Following communal clashes in Haryana’s Nuh and Gurugram, over 50 villages spanning Mahendargarh, Jhajjar, and Rewari had announced boycott of Muslim businesses and traders. It is also essential to note that on August 8, a plea was also moved in the Supreme Court against the calls of social and economic boycott of Muslims in multiple districts of Haryana.

What did the resolution entail?

On August 3 and 4, as selective targeting of Muslims expanded from Nuh, Haryana, to other districts, about 50 village panchayats from three different districts joined forces to sign the boycott letters. In the identically worded letters, prohibitions against Muslim shopkeepers and other members of the community from entering the separate areas were mentioned. Additionally, the aforementioned letters demanded that Muslims living in the areas provide the police with identification documents. It is essential to note that in majority of these villages, there is hardly any Muslim population.

As provided by the report of The Quint, a letter written by the gram panchayat of Mahendergarh’s Saidpur, dated August 3 provided, “In view of the communal violence in Nuh, the panchayat as well as villagers have taken a decision that ‘mischievous elements’ or ‘anyone from the Muslim community’ will not be allowed to conduct any trade or other activities in Saidpur”.

As reported by The Quint, copies of almost identical resolutions passed by village panchayats of Silapur, Bahila, Tajpur villages in Mahendragarh and Zainabad, and Chimnawas in Rewari district, besides other panchayats.

The Quint reported, one common line in all the letters was: “Woh log (Muslims) din mei gaon me recce karne ke liye aate hai or raat ko chori ko anjaam dete hai… (During the day, they (Muslims) come and do a recce and at night they come and steal)”

A change of heart as authorities stepped in

On August 9, Haryana Minister of State Social Justice & Empowerment Om Prakash Yadav had assured the media that strict action will be taken those who have issued the said boycott resolution.

On August 8, the divisional commissioner of Jhajjar had issued show cause notices to the sarpanch of Kablana and Munda Heda villages for issuing boycott calls against Muslims. Before the withdrawal surfaced, Jhajjar deputy commissioner Shakti Singh said that such boycott calls were against constitution. The DC also said the move seemed to be the handiwork of ‘fringe elements’ bent on spreading communal hatred following violence in Nuh and nearby areas.

 “We received the letter from Kablana and issued a show cause notice. They redacted the statement and apologised,” said Captain Shakti Singh, DC, Jhajjar.

More villages withdraw boycott letters

According to a report of the Times of India, another village head from Saidpur in Mahendargarh withdrew the boycott letter after getting legal counsel that singling out a community based on religion is illegal and unconstitutional. 

The village of Saharanwas in Rewari had also issued a boycott call exhorting local to not conduct business with, and rent out houses to Muslims. It is essential to note that not even one single Muslim resident lives in Saharanwas. On August 9, the sarpanch issued a letter withdrawing her earlier statement, as reported by the Indian Express. 

The report of the Indian Express also provided that the village sarpanch of Chimnawas, which is around 10 km from Rewari town, had also issued a similar boycott call. Krishna, the sarpanch of Saharanwas had said, “We have no ill-will towards Muslims. We just said that those who create violence should not be allowed into the village,” as per Indian Express. On August 9, sarpanch Krishna wrote that “The letter that prohibited Muslims was written due to oversight. We retract that statement.”

Her husband Vijay Singh, the former sarpanch, had further claimed the call was in response to cow vigilantes who had asked them to ensure that Muslims were not allowed inside.

Related:

‘Ethnic cleansing by State?’ HC stops Haryana’s Nuh & Gurugram demolitions

Bail not Jail for Bajrang Dal man, Bittu who posted a provocative video on day of Nuh clash

Lives lost in Nuh violence, a failure on the part of the Haryana police and government?

Nuh Haryana: Who cast the first stone?

Nuh Clashes planned and coordinated, more such violence likely before 2024 Polls: Satyapal Malik

The post Haryana: Resolutions banning entry of Muslims traders withdrawn after authorities send show-cause notice appeared first on SabrangIndia.

As soon as the promotional song ‘Besharam Rang’ of the movie Pathan was released, the saffron brigade got to work to employ as many tools of hate as possible to boycott the movie. To nitpick, they chose the colour of the outfit worn by the lead actress, Deepika Padukone, which was orange in colour. There began the series of hateful comments saying that saffron is a holy colour for Hindus and her “objectionable” outfit and objectionable scenes with Shahrukh Khan will not be tolerated.

The bigotry is apparent and selective. In the decades of cinema where even yesteryear actresses have donned a bikini in many colours and shot all kinds of scenes with the actors, have  quietly been pushed under the rug only to selectively target a film with a Muslim actor in the lead. The fact that such selective targeting is apparent does not deter the saffron brigade at all. What becomes a matter of worry for the makers of the film is when prominent political leaders call for the boycott over this issue. The production house as well as the actors involved have given absolutely no reaction to this hate tirade and rightly so. Such objections do not warrant the time and energy of these artists who aim to entertain the masses.

To counter this right wing rhetoric, many social media users dug out an old video of Union Minster Smriti Irani donning a ssaffron bikini as part of her ramp walk for the Miss India contest.

Ramdas Athawale, the Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment said, “We don’t have any problem with Pathan except that it uses the phrase, ‘Besharam Rang’, in a song for the saffron colour. Saffron is not only the colour of the BJP or the Shiv Sena, but it’s the colour of the clothes that Gautam Buddha wore. About 2,500 years ago, it emerged as a colour of peace. Hence it is also an insult to Buddhism. If they don’t remove the word, besharam, our party will also agitate against the film. No colour is besharam and such a reference should be removed.”

Madhya Pradesh Home Minster NArottam Mishra was the first to begin this tirade. He had said, “The film ‘Pathaan’ is full of faults & based on toxic mentality. Lyrics of song ‘Besharam Rang’ & saffron&green clothes worn in the song need to be corrected or else we will take decision on whether to let the film’s screening happen in MP or not”

The film ‘Pathaan’ is full of faults & based on toxic mentality. Lyrics of song ‘Besharam Rang’ & saffron&green clothes worn in the song need to be corrected or else we will take decision on whether to let the film’s screening happen in MP or not: MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra pic.twitter.com/csEl6jUd4t

— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2022

The hate wave even spread to Maharashtra where BJP MLA Ram Kadam, said, “JNU-dhaari” (people standing with JNU) are hurting the sentiments of the “janeu-dhaari” (Hindus who wear the sacred Brahmin thread). Any film or serial that insults Hindutva will not be allowed in Maharashtra”.

#पठाण फिल्म को देश के कई #साधू #संत #महात्मा सहित social media पर भी कई #हिंदू संघटन तथा करोडो लोग इस फिल्म को कडा विरोध कर रहे है

महाराष्ट्र मे वर्तमान मे #हिंदुत्व विचारधारा वाली सरकार है . बेहतर होगा फिल्म निर्माता तथा दिग्दर्शक सामने आकार जो आपत्तीजनक बाते साधू संतो

— Ram Kadam (@ramkadam) December 16, 2022

DNA reported that since this comment, complaints have been filed with the I&B ministry against the actors Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan for disrespecting the religious sentiments of the Hindu.

The comments also prompted workers of “Veer Shivaji Group” in Indore to burn effigies of Deepika and Shahrukh to protest against the “objectionable” saffron bikini.

In a rather abhorrent remark, Madhya Pradesh Assembly speaker said, “Shah Rukh should watch this film with his daughter, upload a picture and tell the world that he is watching it with his daughter. This should definitely not be allowed. Will you dish out whatever you feel like? I want to openly say — make one such film on Prophet Muhammad and release it in the name of freedom of expression. There will be bloodshed across the world,” reported NDTV.

Naturally in trending topics, #boycott Pathan was trending for a day. Many social media users dismissed these comments and came out in support of the song and the movie.

Closer to the release of the movie, the boycott gang will expectantly become active again. Moreover, there is a buzz that this will be a talking point in the Madhya Pradesh’s winter Assembly. Where more germane points are conveniently sidelined by the representatives, it is such topics which have no basis and relevance to governance, are gaining prominence in the Assembly. There is more to come until the release of the movie and if these threats of disallowing the release of the move in some states are actually implemented, it will hurt the business that the movie is expected to do and will serve the purpose of the right wing, which is economic boycott of a Muslim artist who has always been on their radar.

Related:

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Tales of love: Choosing humanity over religion in 2022

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As if an open call for economic boycott wasn’t enough, two “spiritual leaders” have now urged people to bear arms and cut off hands and heads of “those who dare to point fingers” at Hindus. Mahant Nawal Kishore Das and Yogeshwar Acharya made these open calls for violence at the same public rally where Parvesh Verma had previously administered an oath to boycott members of a particular community.

Addressing a gathering at an event called Virat Hindu Sabha organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday at North East Delhi’s Dilshad Garden, Yogeshwar Acharya, a spiritual leader who goes by the title “Jagat Guru”, referred to the same murder case as Verma had – that of the alleged killing of a man named Manish in Delhi’s Sundar Nagar area on October 1. While Verma did not specifically name the Muslim community in his comments, it was clear he was targeting them given how all the accused in the case have Muslim-sounding names. But Yogeshwar Acharya did not exercise any restraint and openly called for violence against the community.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, Acharya can be seen and heard saying, “The inhuman killing of Manish… The (Delhi) government wants such terrorists and Ma***chas (a derogatory word for Muslims) to engage in such brutal killings.” Taking a dig at the Muslim population he said, “They have not one, but many children. They want to marry 14 times and have 40 children.” He then gave an open call for genocide saying, “We should target and kill them.”

राजधानी दिल्ली में VHP की रैली में मुसलमानों के नरसंहार की अपील

योगेश्वर आचार्य ने लोग़ों को मुसलमानों को मारने के लिए उकसाया pic.twitter.com/ExOQaBI0Dl

— Bolta Hindustan (@BoltaHindustan) October 9, 2022

Indian Express further quoted him as saying, “Agar aise log humare mandiro… ko ungli dikhayee, unka ungli mat kaato, unka haath kaato. Agar zarurat pade, to unka gala bhi kaat do. Kya hoga? Ek ko phaansi hogi, do ko phaansi hogi…Hum sab bhi iska dhyan de… inko chun chun ke marne ka kaam karen.” (Translation: If such people point fingers at our temple, don’t just chop off the fingers, chop off their hands. If need be, slit their necks. What’s the worst that can happen? A few people will be hanged. We should be mindful, target them and kill them.)

Following the event, when media persons confronted him, Acharya appeared to defend his comments. Indian Express quoted him as saying, “Main baar baar kahunga iske liye… sanatan dharam ke liye phaansi chadne ke liye tayaar hoon.” (Translation: I will say this repeatedly, I am prepared to be hanged for Sanatan Dharma.)

But the impunity with which calls of violence were made at the venue, did not end with Acharya. Another hardline Hindutva leader Mahant Nawal Kishore Das urged Hindus to bear arms. According to India Today, he said, “Get guns. Get licenses. If you don’t get a license, dont worry. Those who come to kill you, do they have licences? So why do you need a licence?” He went on to declare, “If we all come together, even the Delhi Police Commissioner will offer us tea and let us do what we want.”

But it did not end there either. It was then the turn of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Nand Kishore Gurjar to make even more disparaging remarks about Muslims. In another video that has gone viral on social media, he can be seen and heard saying, “A pig named Akhlaq, who killed cows, was killed in Dadri. Then everyone from Rahul Gandhi to Akhilesh (Yadav) and Arvind Kejriwal cry as if their son-in-law has been killed.”

“Dadri mein ek suar maara jaata hai gaay kaatne waala Akhlaq toh Rahul Gandhi se lekar Akhilesh aur Arvind Kejriwal aise rote hain jaise inka damaad mar gaya ho” –BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar in Virat Hindu Sabha in Delhi today

Muslims are dehumanised even after they are lynched. pic.twitter.com/1DGuTnGdb9

— Kaushik Raj (@kaushikrj6) October 9, 2022

The open calls for violence clearly constitute hate speech, no matter what justification is offered by the speakers, their followers or supporters. The Print now reports that the Delhi Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), saying prior police permission was not sought for the event. However, so far, no action has been taken against Parvesh Verma, who had at the same event urged people to boycott the minority community, nor has any action been initiated against Yogeshwar Acharya or Mahant Nawal Kishore Das.

Related:

Hate Watch: Parvesh Verma calls for total boycott of a particular community

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Making a massive political statement, 16 Opposition parties have decided to boycott President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to Parliament on January 29. The President is to address the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament when the Budget session begins, however, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has said his party along with 15 others will boycott it, in solidarity with the farmers protesting the new farm laws.

The Congress party & 15 other Opposition parties have decided to boycott the President’s address to Parliament on 29th Jan 2021 in solidarity with the farmers of India.

Here is the joint statement: pic.twitter.com/mJo9Q4fXyd

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 28, 2021

According to news reports, this is the second time that any such protest has happened during the Presidential address in Parliament. In January, 2020, the leaders of the opposition parties wore black armbands during the President’s address to both the houses, reported the National Herald. This was a mark of protest in the wake of the anti-CAA protests that were going on across the country at that time.

Now, the 16 Opposition parties have also demanded that a probe into the Centre’s role in violence on Republic Day in Delhi be conducted. According to news reports, the Congress, on Wednesday, had also held Union Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for the violence that was witnessed on Republic Day. They had demanded that he “be sacked immediately,” reported NH and the party had accused the “Modi government of being part of a concerted conspiracy to malign the farmers’ agitation by allowing some miscreants to enter the Red Fort complex and hoist a religious flag, in their bid to ensure that the farmers bury their demand for the repeal of the three new agri laws.” 

Related

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The Muslims in India have been on edge ever since the announcement of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the Centre that seeks to grant citizenship to religiously persecuted Hindus, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Sikhs from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

This, coupled with the declaration of an all-India National Register of Citizens (NRC) has further instilled an unshakeable fear in the Muslim community. And now, the Hindutva peddlers are going all out to demonise the community, calling for their economic boycott.

While Gujarat has been a hotbed of tensions, the venom of communal hatred is now also being spread to neighbouring Saurashtra and Kutch which have been relatively peaceful on communal issues in the past, reports The Citizen.

Systemic hate model

The Hindutva forces have intensified their attack against the Muslims who are vehemently opposing the CAA all over India. After evident scare tactics in Delhi, by self-proclaimed Hindutva followers opening fire on peaceful protestors, the ‘Gujarat Model’ where the minorities have been systematically pushed to the margins, is now being implemented shamelessly through social media with people circulating hate messages and openly calling for the shutting down of businesses run by Muslims.

The anti-government sentiment has surged in this manner for the first time post the Emergency and the ruling regime has pulled out all stops to ensure that its agenda is met, no matter what. The protests have seen Muslims at the forefront and post the Bharat Bandh called on January 29, there have been at least four incidents of Muslims being targeted in Kutch and Surat.

“The calls for boycott saw their peak last week during the Bandh against CAA, NRC and NPR. The response to the call was unprecedented across South Gujarat as even those selling vegetables and eatables on small carts kept off the roads. The Hindutva elements then resorted to composing multiple hate messages and circulating them on the social media,” Surat sources told The Citizen.

The messages, sources said, contained lists of prominent shops owned by Muslims, with an appeal to boycott them and ensured that they remained closed forever.

The hate propaganda against the Muslims has been spreading in Kutch for quite some time now. In the villages of Ratnaal and Navanagar which have no Muslim households, there have been calls to refuse entry to Muslims in the village and label any Muslim in the area as ‘anti-national’.

“Last year the Hindutva groups organized trident distribution programmes in the villages. We had approached the Governor of the state with an appeal to check this but the exercise continued. Apart from this there is a sudden upswing in organizing of Ram Kathas and other religious programmes at hyper local level in rural Kutch where the religious discourse is subtly laced with hate propaganda. This has been happening in the villages of far remote Abdasa and Nakhatrana talukas as well as other parts of the district like Anjar along with various other parts of North Gujarat. The sudden up scaling of such programmes can also be attributed to the local body polls approaching in Kutch district besides it being a part of a larger game plan,” senior Minority Co-ordination Committee (Gujarat) functionary Mujahid Nafees told the publication.

The Ahmedabad Mirror reports that Hindutva organizations like the Akhil Bharatiya Desh Rakshak Sangh have put up banners with the words “Jai Shri Ram! Those not supporting the country must not park or stop their vehicles in the village”.

Another banner reads, “Before making purchases from these shops, please think about the plight of Hindu women being persecuted in Pakistan.”

And another one, “Before you purchase flowers from these shops, think about the 12-13 year old Hindu flowers (daughters) being crushed in Pakistan.”

A Muslim vegetable vendor, Hasan Memon was threatened in Navanagar, which has a population of around 1,500 to 2,000 residents of Hindu families who settled here from Pakistan after the 1971 war. A video of the incident has been doing the rounds which shows two youths warning him from entering the village.

Another Muslim man was warned of extending support to the protestors at Shaheen Bagh and was labelled an anti-national.

BJP leader forwards divisive WhatsApp messages – Intention or unwitting mistake?

Bharat Sanghvi, a local BJP leader from Kutch, forwarded pictures of the hotels and shops who had observed the bandh against the contentious CAA and NRC, with a message that read: “Hotels are closed in support of bandh. We stop eating there to show our support for CAA.”

When questioned, he defended himself saying that he had unwittingly forwarded those messages and that once he analysed them, he deleted them. He said, “I do not believe in the boycott of Muslims. I have opened up at least 800 accounts of Muslim labourers at post offices.”

Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani has spoken about the incident saying, “This is the RSS and BJP design to keep dividing the nation on communal lines. Comments made by the BJP leader amount to criminal offence under IPC 153(A). Since we are a secular country, such statements and acts are prohibited under various laws including the IPC. Such people must be arrested. BJP, as a party, must expel such people, if at all they believe in the idea of India.”

Countering hate

Congress politician, Manisben Sanghvi, whom a voice note is being attributed to, is taking to task a BJP leader from the same Jain community that she belongs to, for circulating hate messages calling for the economic boycott of Muslims.

In it she can be heard saying, “Please do not resort to such politics. We have played and grown up with these people. We belong to a community that does not even allow killing the tiniest of insects. These people (Muslims) are buried in the land of this country. That is the level to which they are attached to this country.” The man can be heard sheepishly agreeing to whatever she is saying. She is heard firmly conveying that dissent is a democratic right of the people. The man can be heard agreeing and saying, “They are our brothers.”

Shamshad Pathan, a lawyer and member of the Alpsankhyak Adhikar Manch is trying to stop the hate in its tracks through conducting Mohalla meetings on the CAA, NRC and National Population Register (NPR) making people aware of the importance of uniting against the government that was trying to take everyone for a ride. He told The Citizen, “Being a lawyer I can tell you that it would not be easy for any of the Hindus left out in NRC or NPR to get citizenship under CAA as is being said by the government. Submitting details on how they came to India, which route they took, how and where they were persecuted, filing affidavits would be a very tedious exercise. And just one false information would make them liable for facing a criminal case.”

Ibrahim Halepotra, President of the Akhil Kutch Sunni Muslim Hitrakshak Samiti has also reported incidents to the Kutch Range IG Subhash Trivedi who has promised to take cognizance of the matter.

Lawyer and activist Anand Yagnik told the Ahmedabad Mirror that those under oath must not make statements that result in religious intimidation, further saying that party cadres must behave in accordance with the Constitution. He said, “No person can be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, caste and sex.”

However, it seems like Yagnik’s words that reflect the values of the Constitution are lost on Hindutva sympathisers. Muslims in India have been physically, mentally and emotionally tested time and again and asked to prove their loyalty to the country that is India. 

Now, they are being economically outcast – another weapon to drive them away from their own land. Yet, the move is not surprising, given that the ruling regime will not relent from its divisionary agenda to pigeonhole the Muslims at the fringes.

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Saffron raising red flags since 2014?

The post The quick and systemic boycott of Muslims fighting the CAA-NPR-NRC appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In its usual pattern of giving answers, the government shirked any responsibility and gave a fact-based answer. Interestingly, the Ministry denied any social boycott while the case is pending before the apex court and the court has not yet decided whether social boycott has been committed by the ‘upper castes’. The Minister of State of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, in response said,

“Government of Haryana in the matter has apprised this Ministry that it is not correct that member of Scheduled Castes are being socially boycotted in any village of District Hisar. However, on a specific complaint of an individual, an FIR dated 10.07.2017 invoking relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 thereon, was registered, that alleged Social boycott of member of SC by some person in village, Bhatla, District Hisar. Subsequently, when a Writ Petition was filed by the complainant in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Hon’ble Court on 28.05.2018 appointed an Advocate as Court Commissioner to submit the report regarding actual situation in village Bhatla. The Commissioner in the report concluded that the fight took place due to the heat generated at the spur of moment between two communities over the water from the hand pump and it has no background of any caste conflict nor there appears to be predetermined mind of either of two castes amongst the fight of two communities. Therefore, on 24.10.2019, the Hon’ble High Court disposed off the Petitions. Another Writ Petition in the matter has however been filed by an individual in Hon’ble Supreme Court and the matter is presently sub-judice.”

Although the answer given in terms of the legal status of the case is factually correct, the former part of the answer seems like the Haryana government has already decided a matter that is sub judice in the apex court.

About the case

A petition was filed before the Punjab And Haryana High Court by Ajay Bhatla alleging social boycott of 500 families in Bhatla by people of ‘upper castes’ and accordingly a commissioner had visited the village on the court’s order, to prepare a report but the officials gave him wrong information, a charge that was denied by the police and concerned officials.

After the petition was disposed of in the High Court, the matter has now reached the Supreme Court.

The whole controversy started in June 2017 when some people belonging to the Dalit community in Bhatla village in Hisar, were allegedly abused and assaulted over use of hand pump following which an FIR was lodged. It was reported in August last year that among the people who were boycotted, 300 dalits embraced Buddhism. Due to boycott in the village the Dalits were forced to sell their animals and they were also being deprived of employment; more so, even the supply of water and power in the Dalit locality was interrupted. The community was also barred from entering residential areas and fields.

The Supreme Court took serious note of this case; Justice Ramana said, “What is happening in your state? Social boycott is happening since the last one-and-a-half years and the government did nothing”. Justice Ramana directed the counsel for the State of Haryana to get a written response from the state government. The Supreme Court has even asked the state government to submit names of cops belonging to neither community to which either party belonged, to conduct a fair inquiry. The petitioners are seeking a CBI inquiry in the case. The date for next hearing is December 10.

A case of social boycott of which the Supreme Court has taken such strict cognizance, is being downright denied by the Haryana government, seemingly having decided that the Dalit community’s allegations are unfounded and no social boycott has taken place. It is a dangerous statement to make specially when the matter of fact is that the court has not yet decided whether social boycott has taken place. The Haryana government had even submitted to the government that increase in registration of cases under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is primarily in minor offences which are mainly due to free registration of cases and increased awareness amongst members of Scheduled Castes.

Related:

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

This article was first published on mondoweiss.net.

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The proposed enactment is unlikely to be taken seriously by the Narendra Modi-headed BJP government with a comfortable majority. But there can be no doubt that if enacted, Tharoor’s Bill would go a long way in promoting equality and preventing discrimination not only against Muslims but every vulnerable segment of India’s citizenry.

The Sachar Committee’s mandate was to prepare a comprehensive report on the ‘Social, Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim Community in India’ and to make necessary recommendations for addressing issues related to the socio-economic backwardness of the community.

The Committee’s report submitted in November 2006 highlighted the fact that Indian Muslims were victims of institutionalised discrimination and suggested several short and long-term remedial measures. In 2007 the then UPA government tabled the report in Parliament and declared its intent to act upon all the Committee’s recommendations.
However, as several reports have since pointed out, the actions taken have at best been token in nature.

Between 2007 and 2014, when the UPA government was voted out of power, the recommendation for an Equal Opportunities Commission was tossed around between the Ministry for Minorities Affairs, National Commission for Human Rights and the National SC/ST Commission before being altogether forgotten.

Whether the national scene would have been altogether different had a law of the kind now suggested by Tharoor been enacted during the pendency of the UPA regime is now a matter of conjecture. However, his private Bill has within it the clear possibility of placing before citizens a promising counter-narrative.

The overarching aim of the Bill is to promote equality and prevent harassment, boycott, segregation, discriminatory violence and victimisation of any targeted group of persons based on caste, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion and belief, tribe, disability, linguistic identity, HIV status, nationality, marital status, food preference, skin tone, place of birth or residence, age.

In addition, it includes any group of persons suffering widespread and substantial social, economic, political, cultural or educational disadvantage.

The wide-ranging protection provided by the Bill cannot be dismissed on the ground of alleged “appeasement of minorities”.   

The ‘Anti-Discrimination and Equality Bill, 2016’ envisages the creation of a Central Equality Commission to be headed by a Chief Equality Commissioner (CEC) who is a retired judge of the Supreme Court or chief justice of a high court or a senior advocate practicing in the Supreme Court. The CEC is to be assisted by two Equality Commissioners (ECs). One of them would be a distinguished academic and the other a member from civil society who has “worked for organisations committed in advancing the purpose of the Act”. At least one of the three ECs should be a woman.

The other nine ex-officio members of the Commission will be the chairpersons of the present national commissions for SCs, STs, minorities, human rights, women etc.
The functions of the Chief Equality Commission shall include:

• Eliminate discrimination, harassment, boycott, segregation, discriminatory violence and victimization.
• Encourage the formulation and adoption of good practice in relation to equality, anti-discrimination and diversity for the disadvantaged groups.
• Promote awareness and understanding of the rights and duties under this Act.
• Assist aggrieved persons in seeking legal remedies provided under this Act.
• Monitor the enforcement of this Act.
• Review, from time to time, the functioning of this Act and make recommendations for its improvement.

The powers of the Central Equality Commission:

• Approach any court for the enforcement of this Act.
• Require any public servant to undergo diversity training.
• Take any other reasonable action towards the implementation of this Act.
• Conduct equality impact assessments of the activities of composition of any public authority or any private person performing a public function.
• Direct a State Equality Commission (to be set up along similar lines as the central commission) to investigate any alleged breach of provisions of this Act.

The full text of the Bill may be read here.
 
 

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Dozens of Spanish cities declaring themselves ‘Free of Israeli Apartheid’ (Graphic: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement )

An unprecedented victory for the BDS movement and for Palestine solidarity groups across the Spanish state that have prevailed against relentless Israel lobby attempts to intimidate them into silence through propaganda and expensive court cases …

Ironically, Netanyahu has recently boasted that Israel has effectively “defeated” the BDS movement. My personal reaction to the media at the time was:

“Netanyahu’s peculiar claim that his government has defeated the BDS movement would have been worthy of a serious response if it weren’t so outlandish, false and laughable.

The claim comes in direct response to a professional report issued by the Israeli state comptroller accusing the Netanyahu government of utter “failure” in responding to the impressive growth of the BDS movement in recent years.

Despite its undeniable influence in the US Congress and, by extension, in Brussels and other world capitals, the fact that most in the Israeli establishment recognize today is that BDS is winning at the grassroots level, where Israel is losing the global battle for hearts and minds. It is in this arena where our possession of the moral higher ground trumps Israel’s military, financial and political prowess, which is deemed irrelevant.

A quick look at the top 11 achievements of BDS since the beginning of 2016, during the height of Israel’s war of repression and lawfare against the movement, reveals how fast the movement is growing. It also reveals how delusional Netanyahu has become in his desperate attempt to deflect internal condemnation of his failure to stop BDS.”

The inspiring news below from the Spanish state will amplify not only the delusional state of Israel’s far-right leaders but also their deep-seated  — and now famed — aversion to the truth!

— Omar Barghouti

Cadiz, provincial capital in the autonomous community of Andalusia in the Spanish state, has become the latest municipality to pass a motion supporting the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights and declaring itself an Israeli “Apartheid Free Zone”.

With a population of 120,000, Cadiz joins more than 50 cities and towns across the Spanish state which have voted to declare themselves spaces free from Israeli apartheid. Other famous Apartheid Free municipalities include Gran Canaria, Santiago de Compostela, Xixón-Gijón, Sevilla, Córdoba and Santa Eulària in Ibiza.

Inspired in part by a similar campaign during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s, the Israeli Apartheid Free Zone campaign, led by the Solidarity Network Against the Occupation of Palestine (RESCOP), seeks to create ‘islands of political consciousness’ and to break local ties with Israel’s regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid, as well as with international corporations and institutions that are complicit in the maintenance of Israel’s violations of international law.

The campaign, which is supported  by  social movements, businesses, schools, media and public institutions from across the Spanish state, has created a map indicating spaces free from Israeli apartheid.
 

Map of Israeli Apartheid Free space (HALS) (Screenshot: boicotisrael.net/elai/mapa/)

By declaring themselves Israeli Apartheid Free Zones, local authorities agree to boycott corporations complicit in violations of international law and the rights of Palestinians as well as break ties with the Israeli regime and its complicit institutions. They will also support local awareness raising efforts and commit to conscientious procurement policies based on the human rights of the Palestinian people.

Riya Hassan, European coordinator for the Palestinians BDS National Committee (BNC), said:
 

Attacks on a movement for freedom, justice and equality

Growing public support for the BDS movement for Palestinian human rights has prompted Israel and its allies to launch an unprecedented, well-funded and anti-democratic attack against everyone seeking to hold Israel accountable to international law and UN resolutions, especially through BDS advocacy.

The Israeli-sponsored attacks on the BDS movement aim to put pressure on governments, legislators and officials to curtail BDS civic actions and adopt repressive measures that infringe upon their respective citizens’ civil and political liberties at large.

In the Spanish state, attempts to silence the BDS movement, particularly on an institutional level, have been led by ACOM, a pro-Israeli Madrid-based lobby group.

ACOM has launched a number of legal appeals against local councils that have declared themselves Israeli Apartheid Free Zones.

However, ACOM’s strategy of intimidation has not been successful. Targeted cities have defended the democratic outcome of the votes, and informed courts, such as  the First Administrative Court of Gijon, refused to accept ACOM’s complaints.

Similar legal charges were lodged against three local councils in the UK by the  so-called Jewish Human Rights Watch, a London based Israel lobby group. Also there, the UK High Court rejected the complaints and ruled in favour of the three local councils which had passed resolutions in support of targeted boycotts of Israel’s occupation.

RESCOP commented in a statement: :
 

This latest decision by the city of Cadiz to join the inspiring wave of other Spanish cities and towns in declaring themselves zones free from Israeli apartheid is a sign that citizens and elected representatives are not intimidated by ACOM’s legal threats.

“By supporting the BDS movement for Palestinian rights and choosing not to engage with institutions and corporations directly involved in Israel’s egregious crimes against the Palestinian people, people of conscience and municipalities across the Spanish state are taking a concrete step to hold Israel accountable  for its crimes against the Palestinian people,” Riya Hassan concluded.

Want to start your own local campaign? Download our guide for campaigners here.

LIST OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS DECLARED ELAI AND / OR ADHERED TO BDS IN THE SPANISH STATE (until August 11, 2016)
Andalucía
Diputación de Sevilla
Ayuntamiento de La Roda
Ayuntamiento Castro del Río
Ayunamiento de Montoro
Ayuntamiento de Mairena del Aljarafe
Ayuntamiento Los Corrales
Ayuntamiento Alhaurín de la Torre
Ayuntamiento de Campillos
Ayuntamiento de Casares
Diputación de Córdoba
Ayuntamiento de Velvez-Málaga
Ayuntamiento de San Roque
Ayuntamiento de San Fernando
Catalunya
Ajuntament de Artés
Ajuntament de Sant Pere de Ruidebitlles
Ajuntament de Molins de Rei
Ajuntament de Sant Cebriá de Vallalta
Ajuntamnet de Badalona
Ajuntament de Sant Celoni
Ajuntament de Ripollet
Ajuntament de Sant Feliu de Llobregat
Ajuntament de Abrera
Ajuntament de Sant Boi de Llobregat
Ajuntament de Terrasa
Ajuntament de Olesa de Montserrat
Ajuntament de Sant Adrià de Besòs
Ajuntament de Sant Quirze del Vallès
Ajuntament de Barberá del Vallès
Ajuntament de Viladamat
Madrid
Ayuntamiento de Navalafuente
Ayuntamiento de Rivas-Vaciamadrid
Asturies
Ayuntamiento de Corvera
Ayuntamiento de Castrillón
Ayuntamiento de Gijón
Ayuntamieno de Llangreu
Galiza
O Concello de Compostela
Concello de Oleiros
Islas Canarias
Cabildo de Gran Canaria
Ayuntamiento de Telde
Aragón
Ayuntamiento de Sabiñánigo
País Valencià
Ajuntament de Alcoi
Ajuntament de Muro
Ajuntament de Onda
Ajuntament de Concentaina
Ajuntament de Catarroja
Ajuntament de Xeraco
Ajuntament de Benlloch
Ajuntament de Petrer
Castilla y León
Ayuntamiento de Viloria del Henar
Illes Balears
Ajuntament de Santa Euràlia

This article was first published on Mondoweiss.
 

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The European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine (ECCPalestine) have issued a Press Release yesterday:

More than 300 human rights and aid organisations, church groups, trade unions and political parties from across Europe have called on the EU to uphold its legal responsibilities and hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and to defend the right of individuals and institutions to take part in the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for justice and equality.

Signatories to the letter called on the EU commission to “introduce the human rights guidelines guaranteeing freedom of speech and right to boycott and to use all other means you have in your disposal to support European citizens in their struggle to uphold basic human rights.”

Having failed to stop the growth of the BDS movement, Israel has launched an unprecedented attack against the BDS movement for Palestinian freedom, justice and equality.

The 354 strong list of signatories includes: Transform! Europe – a European network of 28 European organisations from 19 countries, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, The Norwegian United Federation of Trade Unions, Parti de Gauche in France, Podemos in Spain, Norwegian Church Aid, the Flemish branch of Oxfam in Belgium, major Belgian NGO coalition CNCD 11.11.11, Defence for Children in Belgium, Greenpeace in Germany, the international catholic peace movement Pax Christi International in Belgium and major French Catholic NGO Terre Solidaire. See here for letter and full list of signatories.

At Israel’s request, European governments including the UK and France are introducing anti-democratic legislation and taking other repressive measures to undermine the BDS movement. In France, one activist was arrested simply for wearing a BDS t-shirt.

The EU envoy to Israel was criticised recently for participating in an anti-BDS conference in Jerusalem at which Israeli government ministers threatened BDS activists.

Israel has also imposed an effective travel ban on BDS movement co-founder Omar Barghouti, following thinly-veiled threats of physical violence against him by Israeli government ministers that prompted Amnesty International to express concern “for the safety and liberty of Palestinian human rights defender Omar Barghouti”.

Israeli state repression against human rights defenders and the BDS movement is designed to shield it from being held accountable for its violations of international law. Israel has openly boasted that it is spying on international BDS activists.

Riya Hassan, Europe Campaigns Officer for the Palestinian BDS National Committee, the broadest coalition of Palestinian organisations that leads and supports the BDS movement, said:

“Rather than helping Israel to repress the BDS movement, it is time for the EU to meet its obligations under international law and hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. The EU must uphold the right of European, Palestinian and Israeli citizens to uphold human rights and take part in the nonviolent BDS movement.”

Aneta Jerska, the coordinator of the European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine (ECCP), one of the organisations that has signed the statement, said:

“It is empowering to see so many European civil society organisations and representative bodies publicly declaring their support for the right to participate in the BDS movement that aims to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and human rights.

“This is a powerful sign that European public opinion is increasingly viewing BDS as an act of free speech. We will continue to fight to bring an end to Israel’s unjust system of oppression over the Palestinian people.”
 

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