Rafeeque, a self-avowed atheist and left sympathiser from Thaliparamba in Kerala’s Kannur district says he was targeted by fundamentalists and his video production studio burned down at 2.30 a.m. on December 26, 2015 to scare him and stifle his independent views on various aspects to do within Islam.
Rafeeque owns the Obcura studio in Thaliparmba in Kannur and is or was the administrator of a Whats APP group called “What is Islam?” On this group he has attempted to have many discussions on the practice of purdah and polygamy.

Speaking to Combatonline, he said that he began to feel the threat and intimidation from self-proclaimed defenders of the faith who are also political activists when his comments on the Hijab (covering eyes and face of women) were widely shared within the Muslim community in Kerala and also in the Gulf countries. “Many persons openly advocated the boycotting of my studio by the Muslim community,” said Rafeeque who added that a few days back he received direct threats from the internet.

Examples of Threats

The threats on Whats App and Social Media were vicious and on predictable lines. “Rafeeque is only expressing these views to get attention and claps from Muslim-haters” reads one. Another reads, “Rafeeque Pulimparamba", who is running this Obcura Video Studio “carrying our prostituting activities against Islam so  boycott him and do not hire his services for video shooting of marriages and other occasions.”
 
Rafeeque said soon after, he began to feel the heat from orthodox elements in the community. He said his comments were widely shared in the Muslim community in Kerala and even Gulf countries. “Many advocated boycotting my studio and asked community members not to give me any work. A few days ago, I received threatening calls over the internet,” said Rafeeque.

He also said that while he cannot pin down any particular organisation as many Muslim outfits have conservative and rabid elements who can engineer such attacks. However the cost to Rafeeque has been a total damage of Rs 2 lakhs. Local persons from all communities, including a majority of Muslims have come together to contribute Rs 1 lakh rupees that has been handed over to him to make up for the damage. Inexplicably, however, no FIR has yet been registered by the local police.
 
Question remains however,  will those guilty of arson, threats and intimidation, be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted?
 

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These were some of the comments made by right wingers on social media against activist Vidya Dinker. What was it that Vidya had done to earn such venom from the self-appointed `protectors of Hindu culture’? She had filed a complaint before the police and asked them to take action against members of the Bajrang Dal who were obstructing the screening of Shah Rukh Khan’s film `Dilwale’ in Mangaluru theatres recently. A few months ago Shah Rukh Khan had – in an interview to Rajdeep Sardesai – expressed his concern about rising intolerance in the country and had earned the ire of the knickerwallahs.[1]

Vidya’s `Dilwale’ incident happened by chance. A young college student was keen on seeing Shah Rukh Khan’s film and had booked a ticket in advance. However, when she went to the theatre she was told that the show had been cancelled due to pressure from members of the Bajrang Dal. By then some members of the Saffron brigade had also shared photos of them tearing and burning the posters of the film on social media. The young girl took a photo of her ticket being cancelled and her money being refunded. Later, when she ran into Vidya Dinker she narrated all that had happened.

The Mangaluru police know Vidya well. For many years now, she has been active in rescuing children from traffickers, rushing to the aid of abused women, opposing goons who attacked pubs and home stays, and so on. Vidya came more clearly to the forefront when she put up a protracted struggle against the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (SEZ). It was because of a protracted struggle, with her at the helm, that, finally, both the state and the central governments had to give up on the 2035- acre project. And again, when journalist Naveen Soorinje was arrested and jailed for doing his duty and filming the attack (by fanatics) on a home stay, it was Vidya who ran from pillar to post, to get him out on bail.

There is one thing everyone knows about Vidya: once she takes up an issue she will not easily throw in the towel. Yet, when Vidya first went to the police and asked them to take action against mobs which were obstructing `Dilwale’ the police tried to fob her off. Instead of sending policemen to the theatres where the shows were being unlawfully stalled, they (the police) sent cops to other theatres! When Vidya insisted on action, the police claimed that since theatre owners had not filed a complaint, they could take no action. (Theatre owners were afraid to file a complaint since they feared attacks on their property). When Vidya asked the police to take suo moto action, under the law, against people breaking the law, they replied that they could not do so, for lack of evidence. That was when Vidya took the photo of the ticket being reimbursed from the college student and filed a complaint in her own name. This was on December 21, 2015.

No sooner had she done so, right wingers started spewing venom against her. On a face book wall named `Veera Kesari’ the co-convener of the Mangaluru unit of the Bajrang Dal, Puneet Kottari, posted a message calling Vidya a ‘traitor’ to the nation. He also asked her to `remember that you are eating rice grown in India and not Camel dung excreted in Pakistan’. It was Kottari’s initial post which evoked these abusive responses. A look at the face book walls of Kottari — and all those who responded to his post — show that they are all ardent admirers of both Narendra Modi, individually and the Sangh Parivar, in general.
With the saffron brigade spewing targeted hate on social media and the Karnataka police not even raising a finger to control them, all liberals and progressives persons all over the state (Karnataka) got very alarmed. They staged a number of protests. That was when the Mangaluru police woke up. But what did they do? They only called Puneet Kottari, gave him a warning and sent him on his way.

Bhuvit Shetty did ultimately kill an innocent youth. Puneeth Kottari might soon get bail and be released soon. Who knows, then, what he or someone else like him, groomed by an ideology that engenders violence and hatred, will end up doing? That thought alone is enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine.

It is also worthwhile recalling what another Bajrang Dal activist called Bhuvit Shetty did just recently. Another product of the Hindutva ‘Laboratory’ that the coastal districts of Karnataka have become, Bhuvit Shetty had gloated over the murder of scholar and historian M M Kalburgi nearly four months ago. He had tweeted, “Critics of Hinduism will die a dog’s death. After U R Ananthmurthy, it is Kalburgi who had died such a death. Next, it is your turn K S Bhagwan”. Then, too, it was Karnataka’s liberals that had expressed shock and dismay and protested strongly. In response, then, the Mangaluru police had merely summoned Bhuvit Shetty, given him a warning and sent him off. A couple of months later, Bhuvit did exactly as he had threatened. He attacked and killed. His victim, however, was not Professor Bhagwan, but a poor youth called Harish Poojary.

The incident took place around the time of the Tipu Sultan Jayanthi controversy in Karnataka which had created ripples in Mangaluru and Coorg districts. Around this time, on November 12, 2015 Samiullah and his friend Harish Poojary went on the former’s bike to play cricket. While returning home, they stopped at a junction to drink tender coconut. It was the same spot where Bhuvit and four other Bajrang Dal members lay in waiting, ready to attack Muslims. [2] The five of them assumed Harish Poojary also to be a Muslim and surrounded both Samiullah and Harish. Though Samiullah escaped with some wounds, Harish was not so lucky. He was killed on the spot by Bhuvit and his accompanying, Hindutva goons. After investigations the police arrested Bhuvit and Achuta and are still on the lookout for the other three persons involved in the murder. Announcing the arrest of Bhuvit and Achuta, IGP Amrit Paul, rued “I have worked in many districts in the state, but never have I seen a place like Mangaluru where people go and kill someone without any reason. Their intention was very clear: to kill someone. This was done by perverted minds.”[3]

And there are innumerable perverted minds wandering loose in the coastal districts of Karnataka. A couple of decades ago these very same districts had a different social climate and were considered peaceful, housing a population that was educated, progressive, enterprising and development oriented. But since the RSS has chosen to concentrate its special attention on these districts – important for the RSS as they have a higher percentage of Muslims and Christians when compared to other parts of the state – they have become communal cauldrons. Youths belonging to the backward classes have been brainwashed by the Sangh and are being used as the frontline goondas (lumpens) who impose the fatwa generated by the upper caste leadership of the Sangh Parivar.

Puneeth, who belongs to the backward Kottari class is clearly one such perverted mind. Soon after his post about Vidya, photos of him proudly posing with a rifle, standing behind the Vishwa Hindu Parishat leader Praveen Togadia and grinning goofily, and many other pictures of him sporting a huge tilak and standing in front of various Hindutva posters started circulating on social media such as WhatsApp.

Liberals, who were alarmed upon seeing such photos and the lack of action on the part of the Mangaluru police, started questioning the state government. “Are you waiting for Puneet to become a killer like Bhuvit?’’ they asked. It was only when their voice got louder that the police finally arrested Puneeth and filed charges against 27 others who had abused Vidya Dinker on social media. This happened only on December 24, 2015.[4]
These are extremely dangerous times to be living in. When well known Karnataka writer, U R Ananthamurthy said that he would not like to live in an India where Modi is prime minister, he was abused.[5] Ultimately, when Modi did become prime minister, the writer was sent an air ticket to Pakistan. When Ananthmurthy passed away, Sanghis celebrated his demise by bursting firecrackers.

Likewise, when Kalburgi criticised facets of Hinduism, he too was threatened by the Sanghis and later he was shot dead in his own home. It’s been four months since his demise and even today we are clueless about who conspired to kill him.

Bhuvit Shetty did ultimately kill an innocent youth. Puneeth Kottari might soon get bail and be released soon. Who knows, then, what he or someone else like him, groomed by an ideology that engenders violence and hatred, will end up doing? That thought alone is enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine.

The post Living in dangerous times: Venom in the name of Hindutva appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
Jagmati Sangwan, a fiery activist and academic from Haryana who has initiated and led the campaign and struggles against honour crimes and the role of khap panchayats has declined to be honoured by the Modi government
 
In a polite but strong letter to the union minister for Women and Child Welfare, Maneka Gandhi, Jagmati Sangwan has turned down a potential honour from the Modi government. Around December 10, 2014, International Human Rights Day, the central government had, through a letter informed her that she had been shortlisted  as part of 100 Women Achievers to be honoured in the category of 'Women in Public Life'.

Four days later, on December 14, 2015 she has, in a letter to Maneka Gandhi politely but firmly declined the honour. Her letter available with Communalism Combatonline states,

“I would like to very humbly request you to take my nomination out of this award process. I am writing it to you with a heavy heart in the background of Haryana governments decision to put conditions on contesting panchayat elections which in effect have meant that 83% of Scheduled Caste women, 72% of the General category women, 71% of Scheduled Caste Men and 56% of general category men  and overall 67% of general citizens in the state cannot contest the local elections.

As you may be aware, it was after long fought struggle and assertion by women that their participation in the local bodies was ensured. However, such a decision taken by the state government would only be detrimental to what we have achieved so far.  
You are also aware about the massive fund cuts that the central government has undertaken in women friendly acts in the 2015 budget.

The day to day survival of women has only become more difficult in recent years as we feel that the central government has pulled itself (away) from its responsibility to safeguard the interests of women and other vulnerable sections including children.   
In this present scenario, I do feel that my work along with millions of other workers of my organisation is in complete contradiction to what your government is aiming to achieve.  Therefore, I would like to keep myself away from any award conferred by the government at the present juncture.”
This missive from a woman from the grassroots representing India’s largest woman’s organisation, is a blow to the Modi regime, keenly seeking respectability and considered, otherwise to be a master of symbolism.
 

The post Thanks but no thanks: Leading activist declines state honour appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image Courtesy: indiatoday.in
 
Communalism Combatonline team
 
Six month old Rukaiyya died as her parents Mohammad Anwar and Safeena Khatoon rushed to save what they could as of their shanty as their home faced demolition by a bulldozer during a drive by the Indian railways on Sunday, December12 at the Shakur basti slum in north west Delhi raising serious questions of the fundamental rights of the homeless in the country. The temperature in the capital had dipped to a bitter 6.8 degrees Celsius on the day the authorities decided turn their lathis and bulldozers on the homeless.
 
Two demolitions, in the span of a fortnight smack of similar arbitrariness in action. One demolition took place at Belagaon on December 1 (conducted by the DDA), and the second by the Railways on Shakur Basti on December 12, 2015. A question that repeats itself every time such a demolition drive is undertaken is why such brute demolitions of home and hearth take place either during the pouring rain or the bitter cold.
 
The Railways and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) are the two authorities that carried out this demolition. While the former is under the union government, the second is under the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. Several judgements of the Delhi High Court including Sudama Singh and Ors.vs. Govt. of NCT Delhi (11 February 2010), have ordered for due process to be followed before any such action is undertaken.
 
According to these judicial pronouncements, due process includes an adequate survey, notice, and rehabilitation to be carried out before any demolition/eviction in Delhi. The Delhi Housing Rights Task Force (DHRTF)—a collective of individuals and organizations concerned with, and working to protect and promote, the human right to adequate housing in Delhi and across India has strongly condemned this action at the peak of winter. Besides the DHRTF has said that both these demolitions without due process and in violation of the Constitution of India, court judgements, and international human rights standards, including the United Nations Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacement.
 

People in Belagaon and Shakur Basti, however, were not even given sufficient time to remove their belongings before their homes were demolished. Affected families have been left out in the cold with no provisions for alternative housing or compensation for the loss of their homes and belongings.
 
Through this brazen action carried out on a cold winter’s day when the temperature was at 6.8 degrees Celsius, the state authorities have been in contempt of these judgements of the High Court. Besides these actions have violated, the human rights to adequate housing, information, security of the person and home, food, water and sanitation, health, education, work/livelihood, the right to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India, and most importantly, the right to life.
 
While a six-month-old baby girl was killed while the demolition was in progress, another young girl suffered serious injuries, as a result of which she has had to miss her school examinations. After the outcry, the police has registered a case under section 304 A (causing death due to negligence) at Punjabi Bagh police station. Anwar, the father of the small child has, in a statement said a tied bundle of clothes fell down on the girl sleeping on the floor as the family was in a hurry to vacate their shanty.
 
Delhi has a population of over 150,000 homeless people, only about two per cent of who are accommodated in shelters. It is a cruel irony that the central government is demolishing homes and rendering more people homeless despite its claims to provide ‘Housing for All.’
 
In a press release issued yesterday, the DHRTF has said that while the Delhi government has condemned this act of the Railways, and DDA has agreed to stall evictions during the winter, DHRTF believes that concerned officials of both agencies must be held accountable for the grave violations of human rights, and tried according to the law. This is especially important given the refusal of the Railways to accept responsibility for the death of the baby. Members of DHRTF also object to the statement made by the Minister for Railways in Parliament on December 14, 2015 that, “Such encroachments are the main source of garbage and open defecation, etc.” This reflects a very strong prejudice against the marginalised and homeless population of the city.
 
The Delhi Housing Rights Task Force had, in fact, written a letter to DDA on 1 October 2015, requesting the authority not to carry out any demolitions in Delhi. In particular, the letter stated: “Impose an immediate moratorium on all demolitions of existing settlements on all DDA land. The winter season is approaching and any further demolitions at this stage will result in thousands of people being left homeless on the streets of Delhi in the intense cold weather, exposing them to the risk of death, which is in violation of directives issued by the Supreme Court of India.”
 
Given the recent demolitions in Delhi, the DHRTF has submitted a list of the following demands to the Government of India:
1. Impose a moratorium on evictions in Delhi on all central government land (in accordance with the directive of the Delhi government).
2. Provide immediate relief, including accommodation, food, water, medical supplies, and healthcare to all evicted families.
3. Compensate the affected families for loss of their homes and belongings, and provide immediate assistance to help families rebuild their homes at the same site.
4. Provide alternative uniforms, books, and other educational material to children and ensure that they are able to resume school and appear in their examinations.
5. Give special attention to pregnant and lactating women, infants, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, and persons with illness/health concerns, Dalits, and minorities.
6. Coordinate with the Delhi government and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), and provide all the necessary information and support to the affected families.
7. Ensure that all officials responsible for the demolition and loss of homes and life are investigated and tried according to due process of the law.
8. Ensure that provisions of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Housing for All by 2022) and the National Urban Livelihoods Mission – Scheme of Shelters for Urban Homeless are implemented in Delhi.
9. Make adequate budgetary provisions for low-cost housing, especially for in situ upgrading and construction of housing for the homeless. This should include hostels, women’s homes and shelters, family shelters, short-stay homes, rehabilitation centres, special homes for destitute and    marginalised groups, which are linked to livelihoods of the urban poor.
10. Ensure reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) housing in all real estate/housing projects and develop a human rights-based law to provide affordable adequate housing for EWS and Low Income Groups.
11. Implement orders of the High Court of Delhi and Supreme Court of India.
12. Implement international law and guidelines, including the UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-based Evictions and Displacement.
 
Members of the Task Force have also called upon the government to ensure that it meets its commitment to protecting the human rights of all residents and takes immediate steps to provide restitution for the human rights violations resulting from its act of commission and omission.

References 

1. Shakur Basti demolition drive: Children suffering in cold, you don’t care, Delhi High Court tells Railways. http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/shakur-basti-demolition-drive-what-was-the-tearing-hurry-delhi-high-court-raps-railways/
2. Shakur Basti dwellers freeze in open after slum demolition http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Shakur-Basti-dwellers-freeze-in-open-after-slum-demolition/articleshow/50167165.cms 
3. Shakur Basti demolition: Case lodged in toddler's death; slugfest between political parties  http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/shakur-basti-demolition-case-lodged-in-toddlers-death-slugfest-between-political-parties-intensifies_1834522.html

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