On the eve of India’s 75th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that August 14 will henceforth be observed as “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day”. 

The PM made this major announcement in the quietest of ways, with a post on his twitter handle. “Partition’s pains can never be forgotten. Millions of our sisters and brothers were displaced and many lost their lives due to mindless hate and violence. In memory of the struggles and sacrifices of our people, 14th August will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day,” he tweeted in Hindi and english adding “may the #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay keeps reminding us of the need to remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment.”

देश के बंटवारे के दर्द को कभी भुलाया नहीं जा सकता। नफरत और हिंसा की वजह से हमारे लाखों बहनों और भाइयों को विस्थापित होना पड़ा और अपनी जान तक गंवानी पड़ी। उन लोगों के संघर्ष और बलिदान की याद में 14 अगस्त को ‘विभाजन विभीषिका स्मृति दिवस’ के तौर पर मनाने का निर्णय लिया गया है।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 14, 2021

Official notification of Govt declaring 14th August as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day

Govt says this will remind the present and future generations of Indians of the pain and suffering faced by the people of India during the partition pic.twitter.com/O70gQCjoZp

— Aman Sharma (@AmanKayamHai_) August 14, 2021

Many ministers, including Home Minister echoed the PM and said the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day will “strengthen peace, love & unity by eliminating discrimination and malice from the society.”

देश के विभाजन का घाव व अपनों को खोने के दुःख को शब्दों में वर्णित नहीं किया जा सकता।

मुझे विश्वास है कि #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay समाज से भेदभाव व द्वेष की दुर्भावना को खत्म कर शांति, प्रेम व एकता को बल देगा।

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 14, 2021

As expected the Prime Minister’s sudden tweet went viral within minutes and set off a debate on what the need was to name August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. India’s neighbour Pakistan celebrates August 14 as its Independence Day. 

There is always an attempt of cordiality between the two nations, on this day. In fact Pak Rangers and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) guards exchange sweets at Attari-Wagah border on this day to mark Pakistan’s Independence Day. The BSF commandant Jasbir Singh told the media that, “We will also gift sweets to them tomorrow”, as a part of the celebrations of India’s 75th Independence Day on Sunday, August 15. This year too, the occasion was reported widely on both Indian and Pakistan media. It is often dubbed “sweet diplomacy” and is a tradition carried out by the BSF that guards the massive India-Pakistan International Border.

#Pakistan Ranger’s Wing Commander Hassan presents sweets to #Indian Border Security Force (BSF) commandant Jasbir Singh during a ceremony to celebrate Pakistan’s 75th Independence Day at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post. pic.twitter.com/eapsB1ZAPx

— Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) August 14, 2021

Journalists also shared images of sweets also being exchanged by Indian and Pakistan Army troops stationed at the LoC Mendhar-Hotspring.

Annual rituals of irony. Indian & Pakistan Army troops at LoC Mendhar-Hotspring exchanging sweets today on the occasion of Pakistan’s Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/klzZEYZQly

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) August 14, 2021

The sharp divide on social media was clear, while many who are fans of the PM agreed with his given title to August 14, there was an equal number who believed this was not a gesture that indicated peace and could in fact be most divisive. Some said it was politically motivated and reminded the PM that he himself has often greeted the people of Pakistan on their national days including their Independence Day.

The divisive duplicity exposed !

Congratulate Pakistan on 22nd March, the day Muslim League (22/3/1940) passed the “Partition Resolution”;

Congratulate Pak on every 14th August;

BUT…
Start diversionary politics at home.

P.S- Pl read PM’s Letter & Tweet ? pic.twitter.com/qW2DIWotAT

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 14, 2021

‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’
This is vile! It is not about remembering people who lost families to the partition, this is done to opening wounds and create communal hatred.

— T M Krishna (@tmkrishna) August 14, 2021

Was Aug 14, 1947 ‘Partition day’? 

As recalled in an article on Hindustan Times, Lord Mountbatten, India’s last Viceroy, released a plan on the country’s Independence from the British on June 3, 1947. This was the Mountbatten Plan, which “announced that India would be splitting into two nations after its independence — India and Pakistan. The division came into effect on August 15, 1947.” The plan “included the principles of partition and gave autonomy and sovereignty to both India and Pakistan. It also gave the nations the right to form their own constitution.” 

On August 14, 2021, the government’s press statement on PIB added the reasoning as it were to naming the day. It stated: “Independence Day, which is celebrated on 15th August every year, is a joyous and proud occasion for any nation; however, with the sweetness of freedom came also the trauma of partition. The birth of the newly independent Indian nation was accompanied by violent pangs of partition that left permanent scars on millions of Indians. The partition caused amongst the largest migrations in human history affecting about 20 million people. Millions of families had to abandon their ancestral villages/towns/cities and were forced to find a new life as refugees. While at the stroke of midnight of 14th-15th August, 2021, the entire nation will be celebrating the 75th Independence Day, the pain and violence of partition has remained deeply etched in the nation’s memory. While the country has moved on, to become the largest democracy and the third-largest economy of the world, the pain of partition suffered by the nation can never be forgotten. While celebrating our Independence, a grateful nation also salutes those sons and daughters of our beloved motherland who had to sacrifice their lives in the frenzy of violence.” 

Wall of shipping containers at Red Fort, high alert in Delhi

The national capital of Delhi, all roads leading to Red Fort where the PM will unfurl the National Flag on Independence Day are now covered under a security blanket. It is for the first time that a wall of shipping containers has been placed at the entrance of the Red Fort ahead of the Independence Day celebrations on August 15. The Delhi Police told the media that this has been done for security reasons. At the Red Fort the security arrangements include deployment of “NSG snipers, elite SWAT commandos, kite catchers, canine units and sharpshooters on high-rise buildings,” reported The Mint adding that “anti-drone systems have also been installed at the Red Fort in view of the recent terror attack at IAF station in Jammu airport.” 

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The post PM Narendra Modi names August 14 “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Kabir was born to a Muslim family of weavers in Varanasi, India in 1398. He had denounced orthodoxy of both the Islam and Hinduism and was highly critical of blind faith and the brutal caste system within the Hindu society. He grew up as a poet whose body of work had also inspired Sikh gurus who included his verses in their holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib.  

Some of his poems were no less than a war cry that inspired many radicals to take to the arms to fight against injustice and repression. He mainly stood for the poor and marginalised that incited the Hindu and Muslim clergy to team up against him and provoke the then-Delhi emperor Sikandar Lodi to punish him. However, Kabir survived several attempts by Lodi to get him executed. This was primarily because he had a huge following even among those who worked for the king.  

Ironically, his birthplace is now the constituency of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose actions are allegedly the mirror image of Lodi. Not only the attacks on religious minorities and political dissidents have grown under his ruling Hindutva nationalist BJP government, the Hindutva orthodoxy that Kabir had challenged has captured the centre stage of Indian politics.  

Rather Modi has been trying to appropriate Kabir. On Thursday, while paying tribute to the saint on his birth anniversary, Modi said that the path shown by him will continue to inspire generations to move ahead with brotherhood and goodwill. What could be more contradictory than someone like Modi saying it when his government has locked up scholars who have been standing up for the underdog following in the footsteps of Kabir. The list is long, but just a few instances are enough to suggest that he has no moral right to even talk about Kabir.  

Anand Teltumbde, the grandson-in-law of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a towering social justice activist and the architect of the Indian constitution whose family is believed to have been influenced by Kabir, is being incarcerated for the past one year on trumped up charges for merely questioning the power. Teltumbde is a renowned writer and columnist who exactly practiced what Kabir had preached.    

Likewise, Prof. G.N. Saibaba, a former Delhi University who is disabled below the waist continues to be jailed under inhuman conditions for raising his voice against repression of minorities and the poor. An elderly revolutionary poet Vara Vara Rao too is detained to silence any voice of reason and dissent.

Maybe, we need to remind Modi that it was Kabir who had said; “The brave is the one who fights for the oppressed.” By persecuting Teltumbde, Saibaba, Rao and many more like them, Modi is simply repeating what Lodi did centuries ago.  

Related:

Kashi ka Kabir
Remembering Kazi Nazrul Islam: Syncretic secularism in face of a communal divide

The post From Lodi to Modi, Kabir will continue to be more powerful appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“The Gupkar Gang is going global! They want foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir. The Gupkar Gang also insults India’s Tricolour…”  Union Home Minister Amit Shah had posted on Twitter in November 2020. He lashed out at the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a coalition of political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, which had come together to demand restoration of Article 370. Most of these leaders had also been detained, arrested under the Public Safety Act for nearly a year. The Home Minister’s words are still in the public domain.

The Gupkar Gang is going global! They want foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir. The Gupkar Gang also insults India’s Tricolour. Do Sonia Ji and Rahul Ji support such moves of the Gupkar Gang ? They should make their stand crystal clear to the people of India.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 17, 2020

On Thursday, Shah, stood with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he posed for a group photo with the same ‘Gupkar gang.’ Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir,  Manoj Sinha, NSA, Ajit Doval, Minister of State (PMO) Jitendra Singh and senior officials also attended the meeting along with political leaders. “Our democracy’s biggest strength is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views,” said the Prime Minister after his 3-hour meeting with leaders of Jammu and Kashmir, aimed at removing “Dilli ki Doori as well as Dil Ki Doori”. 

Our democracy’s biggest strength is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views. I told the leaders of J&K that it is the people, specially the youth who have to provide political leadership to J&K, and ensure their aspirations are duly fulfilled. pic.twitter.com/t743b0Su4L

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 24, 2021

Shah who had once called the Gupkar Alliance an “unholy global gathbandhan” accusing it and the Congress of wanting to “take J&K back to the era of terror and turmoil,” echoed the PM on Thursday, saying “peaceful elections are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in parliament.” 

Today’s meeting on Jammu and Kashmir was conducted in a very cordial environment. Everyone expressed their commitment to democracy and the constitution. It was stressed to strengthen the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/oa6ZYQVz9J

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 24, 2021

Let bygones be bygones?

Attending the meeting on invite from the Centre were J&K politicians Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Kavinder Gupta, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Nirmal Singh, Tara Chand, Mohd Altaf Bukhari, Sajad Gani Lone, Ravinder Raina, Gulam Ahmed Mir, Mohd Yousuf Tarigami and Bhim Singh. As expected most leaders told the media after the over three-hour meeting that the discussions were “cordial” and that the PM heard them out. No one shared if there was a roadmap in place for the restoration of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. Was Ladakh, which was designated as a Union Territory, discussed at all? It has not been mentioned in any post-meeting comments so far. This meeting was focused on J&K only.

The J&K leaders’ mood too was a far cry from the days when many of them were released after the year long detention. The former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, had all been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in 2019 since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 that year. The PSA allows the government to detain a person for upto two years without a trial. Farooq Abdullah was released in March 2020, a few weeks after that his son Omar Abdullah, was also released from a long detention. Months after that, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti was released too. She had been detained for around 14 months. She had then released an audio message on Twitter and said, “People of Jammu and Kashmir cannot forget the “robbery and humiliation” of August 5.”

Seditious no more?

It was in March 2021 that the Supreme Court  had said that “Expression of dissent not seditious” and dismissed a plea seeking action against former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah over his views about the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and withdrawal of special status of the valley. The SC  Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hemant Gupta opined, “Expression of views which are dissent and different from government opinion cannot be termed as seditious.” In 2020 Farooq Abdullah had been slammed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra who called the veteran polticians’s comments about Article 370 abrogation “seditious and anti-India.” On June 24 2021, Patra was on a television channel sharing carefully worked opinions on the abrogation of Article 370 even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was meeting with the political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir. 

On June 24 2021, post meeting ‘statements’ given by the politicians whose words  were once labeled seditious have all been diplomatic and guarded. 

What’s the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration planning next?

The leaders once released from detention had come together with other regional leaders to form the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD). The Alliance of National Conference, PDP, BJP, Congress, and others proved its credentials with a big win in the District Development Council (DDC) polls, indicating a changing political opinions of the voters. According to the former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, the DDC results have also “made it clear that people of J&K rejected the unconstitutional decision to abrogate Article 370.” In February 2021, in response to a question raised by MP Ripun Bora and MP Priyanka Chaturvedi in Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that out of 613 persons detained since August 1, 2019 under the Public Safety Act (PSA), 430 have been released so far.

These are essential facts to consider, as they have now been seen as ‘people’s representatives’ by the Centre, for the first time since the alliance came into being. They may have not really been smiling in the group photo with the PM and HM, but the optics of the meeting on Thursday are interesting. According to news reports, security in the UT was reportedly tightened even as the leaders were on their way to Delhi to meet the PM at his residence. All day the media reported how ‘there was no specific agenda” for the meeting. However, for the leaders from the UT, the agenda has been clear from the day they came together to form the coalition: agenda is very clear — Jammu and Kashmir, the decision taken by the Prime Minister on August 5 and restoration of statehood.

Asked for restoration of statehood: Ghulam Nabi Azad

“We kept 5 demands in the meeting- grant statehood soon, conduct Assembly elections to restore democracy, rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in J&K, all political detainees should be released and on domicile rules,” said Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad after the meeting. People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone told the media:  “The meeting was held in a very cordial manner. We came out quite positive..”. People’s Conference Party’s Muzaffar Baig added that the “PM listened carefully, and all parties in agreement over J&K development.”

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah told The Indian Express that the meeting was “a first step in the right direction”. He added, “The Central government is keen to restore an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest. The Prime Minister has talked about an early delimitation process. That means they are looking at following that up with Assembly elections”. The National Conference and other parties had challenged the August 5 decision and the delimitation exercise before the Supreme Court. On Thursday the PM said, “Our priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K. Delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can happen and J&K gets an elected Government that gives strength to J&K’s development trajectory.”

What about Article 370?

There seems to have been no discussion on article 370 at the meeting, if the post meeting statements are to be considered. However, former CM Mehbooba Mufti told NDTV, “People of J&K are in pain since 5 August 2019. They are angry and feel humiliated. The people of J&K do not accept the unconstitutional abrogation of Article 370.” Instead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 3-hour meeting with political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, reportedly spoke about removing “Dilli ki Doori as well as Dil Ki Doori” and assured his commitment to restoring full statehood at the right time. According to news reports, PM Modi said J&K’s statehood would be restored “at an appropriate time” and asked the political parties to get on board with delimitation or the redrawing of assembly constituencies to enable elections. Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti, one of the two who continued to wear the facemask in keeping with Covid-19 protocol as seen in photos, said, “We will struggle for 370, be it months or years. We didn’t get this (special status) from Pakistan, but from India, Nehru. There can be no compromise on this.”

Related:

Torture of PDP leader Waheed Para by NIA accuse UN officials
Expression of dissent not seditious: SC
J&K HC: Notice issued in plea challenging “maximum” period of detention under PSA
National Conference leader Hilal Lone arrested under UAPA
Over 400 detainees released under Public Safety Act in J&K: MHA
After 18 months, J&K gets 4G internet back!

The post Has Centre admitted that stripping Article 370, bifurcating J&K was a mistake? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

After collective disapproval over the Centre’s destructive environmental clearances given to various projects like the cutting of community forests in Odisha or the virtual clearance to a four-lane highway and transmission line right through Goa’s Bhagawan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary during the lockdown, now the opposition against the Centre’s decision to auction coal blocks in the country is growing. Even as the country is dealing with the surging Covid-19 pandemic, on June 18, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the opening of commercial coal mining for the private sector through auctions. He announced the auction of 41 coal blocks, estimated to attract Rs. 33,000 crore in investments. While 9 of the coal blocks are in Jharkhand, the rest are spread across Madhya Pradesh (11), Chhattisgarh (9), Odisha (9) and Maharashtra (3).

However, states like Jharkhand and Chattisgarh have vehemently protested the move saying that the coal blocks fall under areas rich in biodiversity and that opening the coal blocks for domestic and foreign corporates will put the livelihoods of Adivasis and the ecology of the region at risk. Environmentalists and social activists have ferociously opposed the move stating the decision has subverted the consent of the Gram Sabhas and exposed the profiteering intentions of the Centre which has been granting environmental clearances for infrastructure and mining projects in eco-sensitive areas, pushing millions into a live of destitution given its history of poor rehabilitation.

Dayamani Barla, veteran indigenous activist had previously told Sabrang India how rampant displacement had taken place in Jharkhand’s Jharia due to mining. She had said, “The rehabilitation has not taken place the way it was supposed to. The displacement is only going to increase as the land under mining increases. People will continue to get displaced. Economically, the people there are very poor. There are very few landowners left in that area. Most of the migration has taken place from the colliery areas. Currently, more than 1 crore people have been displaced from Jharkhand. Most of the people who are now rickshaw pullers or coolies, are all those who are displaced from their lands.”

Speaking of the government’s decision to auction off coal blocks, Prafulla Samantara, Green Nobel Prize Winner, had told Sabrang India, “The mining industry has been operating all through the lockdown. There have no precautions been taken for the health of the tribals who are working in factories that are operating during the lockdown.” He added, “There is widespread corruption in the mining industry. Companies who take coal blocks on lease will take 1000 MT but show 200 MT on paper. Natural forests have been cut down for commercial activities. If the power distribution companies hadn’t shut during the lockdown, why did the government allocate Rs. 90,000 crore to them? This is only to earn more profits.” He had also written a letter to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik requesting him to suspend mining and industrial activity in tribal areas to protect tribals from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Revoke the auction of 41 coal blocks for commercial mining

In light of the developments, the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has condemned the diabolical design of the current regime and demanded that the Centre ‘stop corporate loot in eco-sensitive and Schedule V Adivasi areas of Central and Eastern india’.

Signed by eminent social activists and environmentalists like Prafulla Samantara (Lok Shakti Abhiyan), Dayamani Barla (Adivasi Moolvasi Astitva Raksha Manch), Medha Patkar (Narmada Bachao Andolan), and Anand Mazgaonkar, Swati Desai, Krishnakant, Parth, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti among others, the statement by NAPM reads, “Opening up of these areas to profit-making domestic and foreign corporate mining entities will irreversibly jeopardize the pristine forest lands, increase environmental pollution and public health risk in Covid times and destroy the habitats of a major chunk of the adivasi population and wild-life.”

Saying that the move is a hoax  on the people of the nation couched under the deceitful jargon of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and takes away constitutional rights of self-governance, NAPM added that under the pretext of ‘economic survival’, the government was resorting to a severe transgression of the rights of the communities dependent on land and forests in the areas.

The auctioning announcement was made pursuant to the recent Mineral Laws (Amendment) Act, 2020 to amend the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, in order to ‘ease restrictions’ on end use and relax the eligibility criteria for participating in coal auctions, especially enabling FDI by global bidders. In fact, in Aug 2019, the Modi government approved 100% FDI via the ‘automatic route’ for coal mining, processing and sale, NAPM said.

Violation of constitutional safeguards

Highlighting the government’s scant regard for marginalized communities, ecology and laws of the land, NAPM stated that the decision of auctioning coal blocks was violative of constitutional safeguards of Adivasis in the Fifth Schedule regions and other protective laws including the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of ForestRights) Act, 2006 (in short, FRA), the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA),  The Environment Protection Act, 1986 and EIA Notification, 2006 and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in. Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act).

NAPM also said that the decision of putting up coal blocks for auction violated multiple judgments of the Supreme Court including:

1.       Judgement dated July 11, 1997 in Samata vs. State of Andhra Pradesh & Ors which held that all entities including the State are ‘non-Adivasis’ and Adivasi co-operatives alone have the right to undertake mining in their land, if they so wish.

2.       Judgement dated April 18, 2013 in Orissa Mining Corporation Ltd vs. Ministry of Environment & Forest (Niyamgiri Judgement) wherein a three-judge Bench upheld the constitutional right of the Gram Sabhas to consider and decide as to whether mining in their areas can be undertaken or not.

3.       Judgement dated July 8, 2013 in Thressiamma Jacob & Ors vs. Geologist, Dept. of Mining, wherein a three-judge Bench headed by Justice R.M. Lodha held that ownership of minerals should be vested with the land owners.

4.       Judgement dated August 25, 2014 in Manohar Lal Sharma vs. The Principal Secretary & Others (Coalgate Case), wherein a three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice clearly held that coal is ‘national wealth’ which should only be used for ‘common good’ and ‘public interest’.

‘No-go’ coal blocks auctioned, Gram Sabhas oppose decision

In Chhattisgarh, the state government has written to the Centre to disallow the auction of around 5 coal blocks which fall in ‘no-go’ classification as they fall under the environmentally sensitive areas like the catchment of the Hasdeo and Mandi River and the proposed elephant reserve. The Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan has vociferously opposed the decision and about 20 Gram Sabhas in the Hasdeo Arand region have written to the Prime Minister to stop the auctioning.

In Maharashtra, the state has raised objections against the auction of the Bander and Marki Mangli 2 coal blocks. The Bander coal block falls on the periphery of a tiger corridor and the Marki Mangli 2 has been classified as ‘no-go’ due to its dense forest cover. The Environment Minister of Maharashtra, Aaditya Thackeray has written to the Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, pointing out the dangers of opening of the Bander coal block.

In Jharkhand, at least 3 of the 9 coal blocks, namely Chakla, North Dhadhu and Gondulpara have been classified as ‘no-go’ and they have been put up for auction even though other 33 coal blocks classified as go areas, are still available. Organizations like the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha have given protest calls against the auction. The Jharkhand government has now approached the Supreme Court citing ‘need for fair assessment of social and environmental impact on the huge tribal population and vast tracts of forest lands which are likely to be adversely affected’. The Chief Minister has also termed the auctioning a violation of the spirit of ‘co-operative federalism’.

In Madhya Pradesh too, there is a contention over 3 coal blocks – Marki, Barka and Bandha which are ‘no-go’ areas. The Marwatola block which is classified as ‘inviolate’ is also up for auction even though it is situated in a tiger corridor. The Gotitoria East coal block in Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh is 80% forest and acts as drainage for Sitarewa river. Singrauli region, the notorious ‘energy capital of India’ is already heavily exploited to the hilt and the adivasis and other villagers over here have been struggling against reckless mining by companies, failed rehabilitation and severe pollution. There is already ongoing resistance to the WCL mining in Chhindwara as well. Many Gram Sabhas resolutions against coal mining and allocations of coal blocks have been passed in all these areas as well.

In Odisha, one coal block, Phuljari East and West, falls in the ‘no-go’ area. The rest of the 8 coal blocks are in Angul district, spread over 30,000 hectares where people have been resisting destructive mining for years. Talcher-Angul and Ib Valley were declared as ‘Critically Polluted Areas’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), for 3 decades now with little ‘improvement’, rather deterioration in the environment, people’s health and more displacement. The coal blocks are in densely populated areas in the proximity of important rivers. If these are opened for commercial mining, it would lead to further ecological degradation, wide-spread displacement and decimation of water bodies there.

Impact on livelihoods, displacement and environment

NAPM stated that the people in Central and Eastern India have been opposing forcible land acquisition and consequences of extensive mining for decades. Tribal communities have been the worst victims of the lot, having lost their lands and livelihoods to the menace. While in the 1960s, the size of a coal mine was 150 acres on an average, it increased to 800 acres in the 1980s and up to 3,500 acres in recent times. With most mines being open cast, it has caused the usurping of more land, destruction of large chunks of forests and destruction of water bodies and biodiversity, thus leading to adverse impacts on the health of the population residing there.

Since independence, NAPM said, an estimated 100 million people have been displaced due to development induced displacement, of which approximately 12%, 12 million have been affected by the coal mining alone, of which 70% is Adivasi population. The record of ‘resettlement and rehabilitation’ has been a mere 25% of those affected who have either got compensation or some form of job with the mining companies.

Attack on federal spirit

In auctioning the 41 coal blocks, the Centre completely sidelined the powers and opinions of the States, which NAPM said was an attack on the ‘federal structure of the Constitution’. The move showed that the regime wanted to ‘centralize’ the power of decision-making for its crony interests. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren called it a ‘blatant disregard of co-operative federalism’. With 3 out of the 5 states raising objections over the Centre’s decision, it is evident that the States were bypassed and their authority or opinion was unabashedly brushed aside.  

Claims and costs

In announcing the auctions, the Centre claimed that the move would attract capital investment worth Rs. 33,000 crores and create more than 2.8 lakh jobs, it didn’t take into account the socio-environmental costs that offset these claims. NAPM stated, “Amongst other things, the Govt plans to ‘gassify’ 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030 for which an investment of ₹20,000 crore has been earmarked for 4 projects. The detrimental impact of the decision to allow commercial coal mining on the domestic coal industry and market is well-known. With no end use and pricing restrictions, the Govt. is literally giving up its crucial role of safeguarding public interest, environment and constitutional rights of people in the forested regions.”

Coal Exports vis-à-vis End of Coal Era

NAPM stated that the move of opening up coal blocks for commercial coal mining reflected poorly on India’s obligations under the Paris Agreement to reduce climate impact. As a signatory to the Paris Agreement at the International Convention on Climate Change in 2015, India had pledged a 33-35 % reduction in emissions intensity by 2030, compared to 2005 levels and agreed to a policy shift away from conventional energy to renewable energy forms.

The First Report on the ‘Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region’ was formally released by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, a day after the auction revealed that due to greenhouse gas emissions, the average temperature of the country had increased by around 0.7 degrees Celsius during 1901-2018 and was set to rise by 4.4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.

NAPM questioned the Centre’s decision citing the Government’s own documents including Coal India Limited Vision – 2030, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Plans etc. project which stated that there was no need to allocate additional mines for the coal needs of the country, at least for the next decade. Existing statistics in the public domain also revealed that India has enough coal deposits outside the ‘no-go areas’ and there is no reason or justification to mine dense forests and adivasi homelands, that too by way of commercial auctions!

What Real ‘Atma Nirbharta’ must mean

NAPM said that under the call of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ the extraction of natural resources must strictly be for public interest with due regards to land laws, judicial pronouncements pertaining to the Fifth Schedule Areas and environmental regulations.

The Centre must obtain the consent of the stakeholders like the Gram Sabhas and Adivasis and support the formation and registration of cooperatives of land owners and villagers and extend adequate capital, technological assistance, managerial skills and marketing avenues to undertake mining and allied activities on their own. This would be in the true spirit of ‘Atma-Nirbharta’ and community ownership of natural resources.

Mentioning that the Centre was moving towards complete privatization, NAPM stated that the decisions were taking away the last vestiges of a ‘welfare state’.

Demands

NAPM called upon the Union Government to immediately revoke the commercial auctioning of 41 Coal Blocks in the interest of the ecology, economy, rights of the people in the five states and India’s climate commitments. The Govt. must uphold constitutional rights of Gram Sabhas, not profiteering corporates. It also demanded that the government come up with a comprehensive White Paper on the status of all existing coal mines, including details of permissions and production and need for more mines, especially in the dense forests.

Expressing solidarity with the grassroots resistance, it endorsed the objections raised by State governments and called upon opposition parties, mass organizations and trade unions to stand together with the Adivasis and forest-dwelling communities.

It also called upon Gram Sabhas and the Tribes Advisory Council in the five states to pass unanimous resolutions against the decision of the Centre, apart from expecting the Supreme Court to reverse the decision of the commercial auction which is violative of constitutional and statutory safeguards.

The complete statement by NAPM may be read below.

Related:

Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh oppose Centre’s move allowing commercial coal mining
Commercial Mining, not a boon but a curse: Jharkhand & Central India    
Auction for Mining in 20 Coal Blocks given go ahead, protests break out: Jharkand
Raging inferno Jharia treads on hot coals as Centre opens up mining for private sector
Culling our lungs: Protests against coal mine allocations in ‘no-go’ area continue
FDI in Coal: Why Every Ounce of Our Mineral Resources Should Remain in Public Hands
The Adivasi cannot live without the forest: Dayamani Barla

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In this episode of ‘NewsChakra’, senior journalist Abhisar Sharma discusses the recent interview of PM Narendra Modi broadcast by News Nation. Modi, in this interview, had suggested that the clouds help aircraft escape the radar. His unscientific, baseless and false comment was subjected to a lot of ridicule on social media. Abhisar Sharma discusses how Modi has been making factually wrong comments throughout his tenure – may it be his claim regarding world’s first cosmetic surgery in India or his denial of climate change.

Courtesy: News Click

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Two-thirds of central government ministries have not implemented more than 50% of “assurances” given to Parliament, even as the government completes two years in office today, according to data from the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament).
 
IndiaSpend had previously reported that 80% assurances given to the 16^th Lok Sabha were pending; that is now down to 58% in 2016.
 
Assurances–promises made by government to Parliament–do not expire
 
The government replies to 250 questions every day from Members of Parliament (MPs) during a Parliamentary session.
 
While replying to questions in the house or during discussions on bills, resolutions etc., ministers give assurances, undertakings or promises to consider an issue, take action or provide information later.
 
These assurances, compiled by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Lok Sabha Secretariat, are sent to the Parliamentary Committee on Government Assurances.
 
The committee must ensure assurances are implemented within three months. Secretaries of ministries are supposed to review assurances to Parliament every week or fortnight.
 
When the Lok Sabha is dissolved, assurances pass on to the next government.
 
PMO made one assurance in 2014 and has not yet kept it
 
Eight ministries have not acted on 80% of assurances to the Parliament; three ministries have implemented more than 75% of assurances given to the Parliament.
 

Source: Lok Sabha
 
The Prime Minister’s Office gave one assurance that it would release reports of performance and evaluation system of ministries for 2013-14 to the 16^th Lok Sabha, and has not fulfilled it since 2014.
 
Despite assurances from the PMO that the system has been approved and evaluation reports of ministries would be released, that has not happened for 2013-14.
 

 
Not far behind are the Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment, Minority Affairs, and Road Transport and Highways with 83%, 82% and 75%, respectively, assurances pending.
 

 
As many as 58% of assurances made to Parliament by the home ministry–which requested two assurances dropped–are pending.
 
One of the dropped assurance concerns the establishment Coastal Police Stations, a fallout of the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai. In August 2014, the home ministry said it was implementing phase 2 of the coastal-security scheme. In November 2015, it requested deletion of the assurance.
 
A pending home ministry assurance since 2014 concerns the creation of criteria to select a language for “official” status in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution. As many as 38 languages are awaiting the home ministry’s clearance to join the list of 22 official languages.
 

 
Here are some other assurances pending/dropped by the ministries:
 
* India has emerged as a favourable destination for surrogacy, and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) industry has evolved into a Rs 2,500-crore ($365 million) business annually. The health ministry acknowledged that there could be surrogate pregnancies, including in rural and tribal areas, that result from exploitation of women. The government’s assurance of a law to regulate surrogacy in India is pending since 2014.
 
* India’s tardy implementation of power projects has led to frequent cost escalations. When asked by a Member of Parliament if nuclear projects were getting enough money to be finished on time, the government said (on December 10, 2014) said that “all efforts are being made to complete and commission the projects within the approved time frame”. However, this assurance was dropped in February 2016, according to the Lok Sabha website.
 
Law ministry makes most assurances, fulfils 27%
 
The Ministry of Law and Justice tops the charts with 146 assurances during the 16^th Lok Sabha, fulfilling 27% by May 12, 2016.
 

Source: Lok Sabha
 
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology gave 129 assurances and implemented 40%; the Ministry of Finance 121, implementing 57.9%; the Ministry of Human Resource Development 113 assurances, implementing 35%; the Ministry of Railways 107, implementing 44%.
 

 
The committee on government assurances has reprimanded the government in its reports for several assurances being pending for years, some for almost a decade. “17 assurances from the Ministry of Human Resource Development are pending for implementation, in fact, first two assurances are pending for nearly a decade,” the report said.
 
(Agarwal and Sibal were fellows 2015-16 at PRS Legislative Research. They have worked with Members of Parliament on legislative and policy matters.)

Courtesy: IndiaSpend.com

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From one of India’s pioneering Information Commissioners about a crudely aspiring one. Gandhi was part of a countrywide movement to ensure due application of the Right to Information Act, a law that was finally enacted in 2005 after years of struggle by individuals and movements devoted to transparency and accountability. Gandhi brought verge and vigour to the post. Today he writes in perturbation to the Cabinet Secretary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the rumours that BS Bassi, the controversial police commissioner of Delhi is angling for the post. The Cabinet Secretary, PK Mishra has been a loyal aide of Modi since 2001-2002.

Text of Shailesh Gandhi’s Open Letter

February 18, 2016
To,
Mr. PK Sinha, Cabinet Secretary,
Government of India.

There are news reports that Mr. Bassi is likely to be made an Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission. This would be a travesty of the process. There should be a transparent process for selecting an Information Commissioner in line with the spirit of the Right to Information Act.

I concede that the final selection is a political decision as per the Act, but there should be a transparent process for short-listing the panel to be presented to the selection committee. Not doing this is doing great harm to the RTI Act.

At this particular moment when Mr. Bassi appears to have acquiesced to an open subversion of two of the estates of our nation, his choice would be very unfortunate. By his collusive inaction journalists were attacked and the sanctity and respect for the judicial system and the courts was diminished. Even when a citizen does this, it is unacceptable.

From a public servant charged to uphold the law, it deserves the strongest condemnation. Julio Ribeiro has stated with sadness “I would have arrested the lawyers from their homes at night. I would never condone such acts,“ and “I always had a good opinion about Mr Bassi. Unfortunately, circumstances have changed my opinion about him. He is angling for a post-retirement job. “

If the government now makes him an Information Commissioner it would be a sad day for democracy, and people will believe that the denigration of the two estates of governance had the approval of the government. I have faith that this will not be true.

Please convey this to the Prime Minister.
Best regards
Shailesh Gandhi
 

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