The Rihai Manch and its associates had called for a press conference on January 21, 2020 to discuss the wrongdoing of the UP government during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) agitation. Addressing the press conference were Prashant Bhushan, Senior Advocate; Mohd. Shoaib, Senior Advocate and President of Rihai Manch; Hartosh Bal, Political Editor, The Caravan; Rajeev Yadav, General Secretary, Rihai Manch; Mangla Verma, Advocate and Gufran Siddiqui, Social Activist. Anil Chamadia, Senior Journalist chaired the meeting.

Advocate Mohammad Shoaib, the President of the Rihai Manch who was imprisoned for a month for opposing the unconstitutional Citizenship Amendment Act, spoke to journalists at the Press Club of India saying that he was also arrested during the Emergency and was hailed as a freedom fighter, and he was now too proud as he was trying to uphold the values of the Constitution.

On December 18, 2019, Mohammad Shoaib was charged under Sec 107/117 of the IPC and put under house arrest. The next night, he was taken by the police on the pretext of meeting the Circle Inspector. However, his relatives and members of the Rihai Manch got to know that he was detained at the Hazratganj police station. The police claimed he was released the following morning on December 20 at the Clarks Awadh Chowk in Lucknow, but that was not the case and nobody was aware of the 76-year-old Shoaib’s whereabouts for a month.

He spoke about the unfair treatment of the people by the Uttar Pradesh police and the false news spread by the newspapers in a bid to discredit the work done by the Manch and its members. Mohammad Shoaib also said that the agitation against CAA turned violent because they were disrupted by the members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He also spoke about Robin Verma, a member of the Manch, who was falsely implicated and beaten up severely at the police station. Not just that, he was also terminated from his professorship at the Shia PG College and the police associated his name with Kashmiri ‘stone-pelters’, abused him and his family members and threatened him with cases that would ruin his life forever.

The police, Shoaib said, also tried to get their hands on Rajeev Yadav and termed him and other members of the Manch as ‘miscreants’. Shoaib said that such behaviour of the police only showed that the police was targeting individuals who were advocating for the rights and welfare of the common people. He said, “There is considerable threat to their safety and well-being, as illustrated during the police interrogations. Even other people in jails said they were asked about the whereabouts of Rajeev, even though there were many people brought in for throwing stones at the peaceful protest. The police received calls from the BJP office, following which the actual stone-pelters were respectfully served tea and escorted out.”

Mr. Hartosh Bal, Political Editor, The Caravan, said that the torture and prosecution by the police were reflective of their personal vendetta against the members of the Manch. He said that the high-ranking police officers only served the ill aspirations of the Sangh and because the Rihai Manch was raising crucial questions about the indiscriminate killings of Dalits, Muslims and OBC youth under the ‘Thhok Do’ policy and extra-judicial killings, they had earned the ire of the Uttar Pradesh government.

He added that the due to the efforts of the Manch and other progressive groups, they had been instrumental in getting innocent people falsely accused in terror cases acquitted. Mentioning the documentary highlighting the politics of UP CM Yogi he said, “14 people have been finally let off by the court in recent cases. A documentary highlighting the politics and actions of Yogi Adityanath made by members of the Manch in the past, had also incriminated the current CM, and an FIR was filed against on the basis of this evidence. It is noteworthy that the General Secretary of Rihai Manch, Mr. Rajeev Yadav has been explicitly warned by the police of dire consequences. He had strongly opposed the illegal imposition of the National Security Act (NSA) against many Muslim and Dalit youth and the police atrocities committed against many of them during the nation-wide agitations of 2nd April, 2018.”

Saying that many members of the Manch had had their phones tapped and were being profiled, Rajeev Yadav said, “The Yogi Adityanath led government wants to save itself by trying to prosecute these individuals and wearing them out with several false cases.”

Adv. Mangala Verma said, “The cases of police encounter and extra-judicial killings have followed a pattern of involvement of high ranking officials in the police and administration, and has been promoted as the police model to control crime. The documentation of these crimes point to the nature of discrimination and exclusion dominating the UP police.”

Senior journalist Mr. Anil Chamadia said that Rihai Manch has done a lot of work in defence of democracy. Muslims, Dalits and OBCs have been targeted many times by the RSS and its affiliates. It is attempt to malign and isolate them. It has specially the legal case of those who were wrongly killed, prosecuted and harassed by the police. It has also exposed the sectarianism of the police and the Chief Minister.  

Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan called out the repeated abuse of power by the police and the administration in Uttar Pradesh. He said that there has a complete collapse of the rule of law in the state, and the impunity with which the police has operated, has been ordered by the Chief Minister himself. Speaking about the crimes being committed by the police of a serious nature, he also said that the current events in India were akin to a second freedom movement where the common people weren’t fighting the British but those who do not believe in the Constitution and are not willing to let democracy and rule of law to flourish.

Related:

Rihai Manch President finally walks out of jail
Rihai Manch member Robin Verma granted bail
After silencing protests by violence, UP starts implementing CAA

The post Rihai Manch slams UP administration for wrongdoings appeared first on SabrangIndia.

27 days after being arrested from his residence, senior lawyer and Rihai Manch President, Mohammad Shoaib has been granted bail by a Lucknow court. He was arrested from his residence on the night of December 19, 2019 and taken to an unidentified location a day after he was put under house arrest amid the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Speaking to The Hindu, his wife Malka Bi confirmed the news alleging foul play in the police version of the matter asking, “When a person was at home, how can he be part of a riot? Police said they found him near Clark Awadh. If he is in police custody, how can he reach Clark Awadh?”

Shoaib was charged under several serious charges like rioting, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy by the Uttar Pradesh police even though his name did not appear on the chargesheet.

Along with Shoaib, other activists including another member of the Rihai Manch, Robin Verma, were also detained the same day, attacked and wrongly framed by the UP police, but they all were released on bail after a significant passage of time.

But why was Mohammad Shoaib such a threat and a thorn in Yogi’s flesh?

Mohammad Shoaib, runs rights group called Rihai Manch and had shot to prominence after six blasts that rocked the courts in Lucknow, Varanasi, Faizabad and Gorakhpur on November 23, 2007 took the lives of over 15 people.

When angry lawyers across the state went on a strike and refused to appear in terror-related cases, it was Shoaib who decided to take on the cases of terror suspects; a move that didn’t go down well with protesting lawyers.

After Shoaib fought for Aftab Alam Ansari who was accused in the serial bomb blasts case and successfully got him acquitted after days of torture, the UP police claimed their arrest to be a case of mistaken identity.

He then took up the causes of such terror accused who couldn’t garner the means for legal help and in the course of time, with his legal expertise, Shoaib helped 18 people falsely charged with accusations of terrorism, walk free.

However, the road ahead was not easy and he did face his share of attacks for his brave actions.

The Telegraph got in touch with some of his colleagues about the work Shoaib did and believed in.

Senior journalist Anil Chamadia said, ““Jab terrorism ke naam par jo begunahon ko jab phasaya jaane laga woh pehli awaaz the jinhone isko lekar courts me jakar ladai ladi (When innocent people were being trapped in cases in the name of terrorism, he was the first person who took the fight to the courts and fought for them).”

Rihai Manch’s General Secretary Rajiv Yadav, then a journalism graduate working on new stories of terror cases said he got acquainted with Shoaib and his work at the time he used to cover cases of victims and their families’ inability to get help and get themselves acquitted.

He said, “Shoaib sahab used to say that our objective was not only to fight these cases but to counter the terror politics. We need to put together a social democratic movement so that innocent people are not harassed in the name of terror.”

It was due to Shoaib who removed the stigma of working for the terror accused. Court judgments over the years have also proved that many of such young men have been falsely implicated under grave charges.

Over the years, Rihai Manch, synonymous with helping the wrongly booked in terror cases, took on various other causes. One of the most famous of its campaigns was questioning the custodial killings of people under the Mayawati government after the 2012 communal violence incidents and 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. Not only this, it also raised its voices for the concerns of the socially marginalized Dalits afflicted with problems like mob lynching and farmers who are caught in a spire of land grabbing issues.

The organization has also started its campaign against the dangerous National Security Act which allows the detention of people simply on the assumption that they could compromise national security, alleging that it is only the poor and marginalized who are exploited under this act.

However, what seems to have got UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s goat, says Rajiv Yadav, is the Rihai Manch raising its voice against the more than 3,000 encounter killings under his government, an issue they have highlighted in a documentary called ‘Saffron War’.

Journalist Anil Chamadia and former IPS officer Vikas Narain Rai told The Telegraph that the governments before that of Yogi’s did have some semblance of logic and the law. However, since Yogi’s term as CM, the Rihai Manch has become a favorite target of the government.

In 2018, the members of the Rihai Manch had received threats of being ‘encountered’ by the UP police whom the Manch had accused of being complicit in a fake encounter case.

However, now that Mohammad Shoaib has been granted bail, what is to be seen is whether the UP police and the government will launch a crackdown on his organization or back off in light of public support that has accumulated for Shoaib and other activists like him.

Related:

Rihai Manch member Robin Verma granted bail
Adv. Mohammed Shoaib’s petition hearing postponed by Allahabad HC
Allahabad HC asks for evidence of advocate Mohammed Shoaib’s arrest

The post Rihai Manch President finally walks out of jail appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Social activist and teacher Robin Verma who was arrested by the Lucknow police on the evening of December 20, 2019 amid ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was granted bail by a district court on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, his lawyer Kamlesh Singh told The Hindu. He also said that Verma would have to submit a bond of Rs. 50,000 to the court.

Verma was picked up from a restaurant in Hazratganj with a journalist from The Hindu and was brutally beaten up during his detention. The police have submitted a contrary account in court saying that Verma was arrested on December 21, 2019 from near the High Court road.

In court, he had stated that he was only a part of the peaceful protest and not part of the “criminal violence” that had taken place.

Singh had argued against the “illegal manner of his arrest” and said that Robin was not named in the FIR lodged at the Hazratganj police station. Singh also mentioned that the police was not able to prove that Verma was involved in the violence that took place on December 19, 2019 in Lucknow.

Robin, who also works for Rihai Manch, was suspended from Shia PG College where he was a faculty for International Business in the Bachelors of Business Administration programme after he was arrested during the anti-CAA NRC protests.

Verma was booked under Sections 147 & 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 152 (assaulting or obstructing public servant suppressing riots), 307 (attempt to murder), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) among other serious charges. The court granted him bail without going into the merits of the case, but it can be deduced that even if the court had, prima facie, found merits on such serious grounds, they would’ve taken into consideration the State’s arguments against him and probably not granted him bail.

Related:

Adv. Mohammed Shoaib’s petition hearing postponed by Allahabad HC
Anti-CAA activists arrested in UP to spend New Year in jail
Journalist detained, communally abused and questioned by UP police

The post Rihai Manch member Robin Verma granted bail appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Allahabad High Court (HC) heard the habeas corpus petition regarding the illegal detention of 76-year-old Mohammed Shoaib, social activist and President of the Rihai Manch who had been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police on December 19, 2019 at 11:45 P.M. after being put under several hours of house arrest in the wake of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests in the state.

The Allahabad HC asked the prosecutor to furnish evidence in the matter for which the first hearing had been set for December 21, 2019 where the public prosecutor and the petitioner were instructed to file a counter affidavit and rejoinder respectively.

On the next date of hearing, January 2, 2020, the public prosecutor insisted that Mohammed Shoaib was picked up from Clarks Awadh Tiraha on December 20, 2019 at 8:45 P.M. As part of the rejoinder, the petitioner has placed supporting material to show that he was in fact picked up from his house on 19.12.2019 at 11.45pm after being put under several hours of house arrest. The petitioner had submitted photographs, call records and other documents to support his claim.

The State sought time to seek further instructions in light of the supporting material so placed on record through the rejoinder. The matter has now been fixed for a hearing on January 3, 2020.

This is not the first time Mohammed Shoaib, who has been striving to protect socialist ideals right from his student years, has been arrested. He has, before too, been implicated in many fake cases for favouring the oppressed and marginalized, but never compromised on his ideals. He was arrested even during the Emergency in 1975 and jailed for two months in Gonda under the DIR.

Even after he started practicing law in Lucknow, he remembered to sync his ethics to his work. He not only helped the oppressed fight cases free of cost, but also helped them financially. He never turned away anyone in need. He also fought for the youth who were being arrested for being alleged terrorists after the Bar Association issued cases against them. He was also attacked upon by lawyers in Lucknow, but never gave up and ensured the release of 14 innocents.

The Rihai Manch has issued a statement saying that veteran lawyer Mohammed Shoaib has always upheld the values of the law and shown unrelenting faith in the judiciary. He has faced violent attacks but has never acted with the intention of revenge against anyone. It said that it is utterly unfortunate for the country and the society that the Uttar Pradesh government in its farce of protecting democracy, has instead overstepped the Constitution and accused a protector of democracy for resorting to violence and illegally detained him.

According to a statement given to Scroll.in, Mohammed Shoaib had said that the UP government had issued two notices to him – one under 149 of CrPc to not participate in any kind of protest and the second under 116/107 of Crpc for executing a bond for keeping peace. The Uttar Pradesh government had issued notices to more than 3,000 people across the state, cautioning them to stay away from the anti-CAA protests. Just yesterday, around 56 jailed activists were released in Varanasi after the relentless efforts of lawyers and social activists.

Related:

Activist couple released from prison for anti-CAA protest after 12 days
56 activists arrested in anti-CAA protests in Varanasi released
NAPM releases report on state repression of protestors in UP
UP sees the worst of Police Brutality

The post Allahabad HC asks for evidence of advocate Mohammed Shoaib’s arrest appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Comprising of Masihuddin Sanjari (coordinator, Rihai Manch, Azamgarh zone), Mohd Asim and Shadab Ahmad (AWMELA), the team has issued a report titled “Jaipur Central Jail: A tale of solitary confinement and brutal beating”. Text of the report:

Story of police: After the brutal beating on 30 March 2019 it was narrated to media by jail administration central jail Jaipur that the undertrials assaulted a jailor when he and his associates had gone to search high security ward No 10 with video camera. As a result he got fracture in one of his fingers. They resorted to light Lathi charge to overcome the undertrials. Meanwhile one of the undertrials wounded himself by hitting his head against the wall and the other ripped his hand with some pointed object to scare the jail administration. The administration has got a case registered against the undertrials for said offence, but the facts do not seem to verify the claims.

Series of incidents: Talks with undertrial victims, jail superintendent and members of human rights/social organizations and available documents reveal that the undertrials had gone on hunger strike against oppression in jail demanding installation of a complaint box and visit of a judge as incorporated in jail manual. Documents show that they had also written to special judge Jaipur blast cases about their demand. The facts that came to fore as a result of these talks as follows:-

After the killing of Pakistani convict Shukrullah on 20 February 2019 allegedly by don Raju Theth and his men the undertrial inmates of ward No 10 began to be kept completely locked in their cells in the unbearable heat of Rajasthan. The undertrials had objected to it, saying that they had nothing to do with that murder then why they were being tortured. The jail administration had taken action against Raju Theth and his men in the case of said murder.

The undertrials had gone on hunger strike against that kind of treatment in the last of this February but they rescinded the hunger strike on the assurance of the jail administration that the old situation would be restored. Before this, the undertrials were let out of their cells for six hours each in the morning and evening.

When after about 40 days no change was brought in their condition in restoring the previous condition, the undertrials went on hunger strike again demanding installation of complaint box and visit of a judge (so that they could easily complain of their grievances). As the hearing of Jaipur blast cases was going on daily basis, the undertrials Shahbaz Hussain, Mohd Saif, Mohd Sarvar, Mohd Salman and Saifurrehman gave an application regarding their demand to the special judge who was hearing the case.

When the said undertrials came back to jail after the hearing the Karyapal Kamlesh Sharma snatched the carbon copy of the complaint from their hands, abused them and told that it was their law that prevails in the jail. After that he went to high security ward No 10 and threatening to their life said if they dared complain against the jail authorities again they would not be able to go to court again. In the evening the night guard Ramesh Chandr Meena went to every single cell like his predecessor Kamlesh Sharma and threatening for life said to them if they kill two or three people they had to blacken only two or three papers.

On 30 March 2019 when the undertrials Shahbaz Hussain, Mohd Saif, Mohd Sarvar and Saifurrehman went for hearing in the court they gave a fresh application to learned judge apprising the him of the latest development and the judge, taking the cognizance, issued notice to the jail superintendent. Mohd. Salman had not gone to court that day because he had fallen sick.

At about 12:30 pm Karyapal Wilson Sharma, jailor Mahendra Pratap Vishnoi, Chief Karyapal Kailash Sharma, jailor Raj Mahendra Singh, Sunit Sharma, Awdhesh Sharma, Bhagwan, guard Ramesh Chandra Meena and inmate Gunna Sardar along with other jail personnel, home guards and few other inmates, about 50 in number, went to high security ward No 10 and dragged out the undertrials one by one from their cells and began to beat brutally with Lathis, iron rods and pipes.

As Salman was sick and he had not gone for hearing in the court that day but even he was not spared. When some convicts in the same ward overheard the cries of the victims they peeped out of their cells and asked the jail staff not to do that, they too, were misbehaved. Insult of religious books has also been reported during the beatings. Jailor Mahendra Pratap Vishnoi allegedly said that he was a man of mission and hurled communal abuses.

When Shahbaz, Mohd. Saif, Mohd. Sarvar and Saifurrehman returned from hearing, they also overheard cries coming from ward No 10. When they asked Karyapal Kamlesh Sharma about the same, he told them to go and see by themselves. As they moved swiftly forward they were attacked by the same people and wounded badly in the way to the high security ward No 10.

Human rights/social organizations’ jail visit: On 2 April 2019 a team of the members of human rights/social organizations of Jaipur i.e. PUCL, APCR, Samanvay Seva Sangh and eminent persons met director general jail Rajasthan NRK Reddy. He suggested the team to meet jail superintendent. Thereafter the team visited the jail and met the wounded undertrials in the presence of jail authorities.

A member of the delegation advocate Farooq Pekar told that the boys were badly wounded and blood was oozing from their wounds and there were two fractures in the hand of a boy from Seekar (Rajasthan). There was much possibility of two others having fracture in the hands and feet. The undertrials were so distressed that they had continued their hunger strike even in that condition. One of the members of the delegation Anil Goswami could not hold his tears when he saw their miserable condition.

Jail administration had first claimed of having video and CCTV footage of the incident in support of their claim but kept silent when the delegation repeatedly asked them to show footages. On the other hand, the account of the incident given by the violence victims corroborates the series of incidents that took place. The delegates persuaded them to rescind the hunger strike. Seeing the gravity of the matter advocate Farooq Pekar gave application in the court for a case to be registered from undertrials side and a medical checkup done. Only then the jail administration was compelled to get the medical checkup done.

Undeclared restriction on meetings: An undeclared restriction was imposed by jail authorities from meeting the guardians of the badly wounded undertrials. When Mohd Asim uncle of Mohd Sarvar went to Jaipur (about 850 kmts. from his native place), he was denied meeting. He had no idea of the happenings in the jail till then. He applied for the meeting and kept waiting for the whole day. At last the jail personnel at the gate asked him to go back as no meeting would take place. Later he came to know that guardians of the other undertrials had also to face similar response from the jail administration.

Meeting of the joint team with jail superintendent: The joint delegation (on visit to Jaipur) also met the jail superintendent with representatives of human rights/social organizations of Jaipur in his office. As we entered the jailor superintendent’s office we saw a board on the wall behind the jailor’s seat with “17.3.2019 ko Geeta Karyakram” (Geeta programme on 17.3.2019) written on it. He continued to assert that there were different kinds of people in jail administration. He did not have control over all of them. At times the arrogant behavior of inmates rouses instigation. It is the responsibility of the inmates to win their sentiments. He continuously skipped to talk on the demands of the undertrials and their brutal beating.

Questions arising on jail administration: Jail administration has got a case registered for assault on jailor against the violence affected undertrials wherein it is said that his finger was fractured. The jail administration has accepted of a mild Lathi charge to overcome the undertrials. It also said that one of the undertrials hit his head against the wall and another one ripped his hand with some pointed object.
But even then they did not get proper medical examination done. Place of incidents as told by violence affected are two and that told by jail administration is one. Among about 12 of the violence affected undertrials four had gone for hearing and the remaining were confined in their cells in high security zone. Allegation of assault (incitement) is over seven of them.

Then how did they attack the jailor together? Why did the jail administration not show any video or CCTV footages as they had claimed to have? Apparently, procedure of full-fledged treatment was not possible along with hunger strike. Why jail administration did not try to get the hunger strike rescinded or adopted the procedure of hospitalizing them. What was the motive of the jail administration in leaving them in that condition?
The hearing of the Jaipur blast case is in the final stages. Decision is expected soon. Only one witness remains. Elections are on and the witness happens to be a BJP’s leader. Perhaps, this is why he is not available for evidence.

Conclusion: The delegation concluded that the incident of beating in the jail was without any provocation, one-sided and pre-planned at the highest level. On the initiative of few officers the other jail personnel and inmates took active part in it. Gross negligence was done in the treatment of the wounded undertrials after the beating incident which could prove fatal. As written complaint has been filed from the side of undertrials, seeing the previous behavior of the jail administration, the chances of some happening unwanted incident are there in future.

Demand: The delegation demands the state government to make impartial inquiry into the incident and take action against the wrong doers as per law. The state govt. also needs to assure that incidents like this would not recur in the jail in future.

Courtesy: Counter View

The post Institute impartial inquiry into beating of Jaipur jail undertrials, take action against wrong doers appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The NGO chief produced audio clips at a press conference seeking to prove his charge. “The UP-chief minister is saying that some police officials are not able to stop crime in the state, while the truth is that the police itself is involved in crime,” the NGO head said

The post Human rights NGO accuses UP cop of sending death threats over fake encounter cases appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
यूपी प्रेस क्लब, लखनऊ में रिहाई मंच द्वारा आयोजित ‘सियासत की कैद में बेगुनाह’ सम्मेलन में ‘बेगुनाह दहशतगर्द’ किताब का विमोचन करते हुए आयशा बेगम ने कहा कि जब वह पहली बार लखनऊ अपने बेटे आफताब की रिहाई के लिए आईं थीं उस मंजर को आज भी सोचकर सिहर जाती हैं और उसे याद नहीं करना चाहती हैं। उस वक्त शुऐब साहब मिले और उनसे मैंने कहा कि मेरा बेटा बेगुनाह है उसे रिहा करवा दीजिए। शुऐब साहब ने मुकदमा लेने में कोई ना-नुकुर नहीं की। उस दरम्यान बेटे से मिलने के लिए जेल के पास की चाय की दुकानों पर वक्त कटा और जब मैं वापस गई और मालूम चला कि बेटा रिहा होने वाला है और पुलिस के लोग कहने लगे की वो उनके बेटे को घर छोड़ देंगे तो मैंने शुऐब भाई से बात की कि भाई आप उसे अपने पास रख लीजिएगा नहीं तो वे किसी दूसरे केस में न उसे फंसा दें। 
 
पुस्तक के लेखक और रिहाई मंच नेता मसीहुद्दीन संजरी ने कहा कि उत्तर प्रदेश में आतंकवाद के आरोपों से बरी अन्य नौजवानों के बारे में तथ्यों और दस्तावेजी आधार पर बहुत कुछ लिखे जाने की योजना है। क्योंकि इनकी कहानियां सिर्फ किसी व्यक्ति की नहीं बल्कि एक पूरे समाज, राज्य मशीनरी से लेकर न्यायपालिका तक में व्याप्त फासीवादी मानसिकता को कटघरे में खड़ा करती हैं।
 
आजमगढ़ का होने के कारण जिसे आंतकवाद की नर्सरी के बतौर खुफिया विभाग और मीडिया का एक हिस्सा प्रचारित करता रहा है, मैने इसे अपनी जिम्मेदारी समझा की इस निर्मित धारणा को तोड़ा जाए जिसका परिणाम यह पुस्तक है। उन्होंने कहा कि पुस्तक का नाम ‘बेगुनाह दहशतगर्द’ इसलिए रखा कि राज्य ने इनपर दहशतगर्दी का जो ठप्पा लगाया वो उनके रिहा होने के बावजूद भी नहीं हटा और इसीलिए उनकी रिहाई के बाद जब उनको जमानतदारों की जरूरत होती है तो शुऐब साहब जैसे लोगों को अपनी पत्नी और साले को जमानतदार के बतौर खड़ा करना पड़ता है।
 
कोलकाता से आए आफताब ने 27 दिसंबर 2007 को कोलकाता से उठाए जाने की अपनी दास्तान को बताते हुए कहा कि आतंकवाद के आरोपों से घिरे वो 22 दिन इतने डरवाने रहे हैं कि उसे जिंदगी भर नहीं भूल सकता। जब मुझे एक लोन गारंटर की शिनाख्त के बहाने कोलकाता से सीआईडी ने उठाया और यूपी एसटीएफ के हाथों दिन रात मारा पीटा गया, मैं कहता रहा कि आतंकवाद से मेरा कोई संबन्ध नहीं है पर वे मानते नहीं थे। पर 23 नवंबर 2007 का एक मेडिकल सर्टीफिकेट मेरी बेगुनाही का प्रमाण बना जिसके बाद मैं रिहा हो सका। मैं उस दर्द को आज भी नहीं भूल सकता कि इस आतंक के कंलक की वजह से मेरी बहन की शादी टूट गई।
 
आतंकवाद के मामलों में फंसाए गए बेगुनाहों के वकील रणधीर सिंह सुमन ने कहा कि पिछले 10 सालों में ऐसे मुकदमें देखने के तजुर्बे से मैं कह सकता हूं कि आतंकवाद के नाम पर न सिर्फ बेगुनाहों को फंसाया जाता है बल्कि आतंकी घटनाएं भी राज्य मशीनरी और साम्प्रदायिक तत्व ही मिलकर कराते हैं। जिनकी अगली मंशा यही होती है किसी भी तरह डरा-धमका कर वकीलों को इन मुकदमों की पैरवी से दूर रखा जाए। यह सब एक योजना का हिस्सा होता है। इसीलिए हम लोगों के ऊपर लखनऊ, फैजाबाद से लेकर बाराबंकी ही नहीं देश के दूसरे हिस्सों में हमले होते हैं। लिहाजा यह जरूरी हो जाता है कि ऐसे मुकदमों के साथ ही जनता के बीच भी आंदोलन हों ताकि हम वकीलों के पक्ष में भी समाज का जनमत बने। रिहाई मंच और मसीहुद्दीन संजरी ने ये काम बखूबी किया है। 
 
रिहाई मंच अध्यक्ष एडवोकेट मो. शुऐब ने कहा कि इन 10 सालों में आतंकवाद के नाम पर गढ़े गए हिंदुत्ववादी धारणा को तोड़ने और उसका काउंटर नैरेटिव निर्मित करने की हमारी कोशिश रही है। इसमें हम कितना सफल हुए हम नहीं जानते ये तय करना आवाम का काम है। उन्होंने कहा कि हमने आवाम से जो वादे किए उनपर कायम रहे और आज भी इंसाफ के लिए लड़ रहे हैं लेकिन सरकार लगातार आवाम से वादाखिलाफी कर रही है। अखिलेश सरकार ने बेगुनाहों को छोड़ने का वादा तो नहीं निभाया उल्टे जो लोग अदालतों से बरी हुए उनके खिलाफ अपील में जाकर उन्हें फिर जेल भेजने की साजिश रच रही है। रिहाई मंच इस साजिश को एक बार फिर जनता के सहयोग से नाकाम करेगा। मो. शुऐब ने कहा कि आज इस पुस्तक का विमोचन करने के लिए हमने आफताब आलम अंसारी की मां आयशा बेगम को इसीलिए बुलाया है ताकि अपने बच्चों के इंसाफ के लिए लड़ने वाली मांओं का हम सम्मान करें और रोहित वेमुला जिनकी हत्या का भी कल एक साल होने जा रहा है उनकी मां और नजीब की संघर्षरत मां के साथ अपनी एकजुटता दर्शा सकें। इन्हीं मांओं का संघर्ष नए समाज और देश का निर्माण करेगा।

Courtesy: National Dastak

The post ‘सियासत की कैद में बेगुनाह’ सम्मेलन में पीड़ितों ने खोली अखिलेश सरकार की पोल appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image: The Indian Express

मुजफ्फरनगर के दोषियों को बचाकर संघ परिवार का एजेंडा पूरा कर रही है सपा सरकार- रिहाई मंच मुजफ्फरनगर के पीड़ितों की स्थिति 2002 के गुजरात हिंसा पीड़ितों जैसी- हर्ष मंदर एसआइसी प्रमुख मनोज कुमार झा मुजरिमों का नाम निकलवाने के लिए डालते थे दबाव- रिजवान (पीड़ित) हर्ष मंदर, जफर इकबाल, अकरम चैधरी और राजन्या बोस लिखित ‘सिमटती जिंदगी’ रिपोर्ट हुई जारी रिहाई मंच की रिपार्ट ‘सरकार दोषियों के साथ क्यों खड़ी है’ ने सपा-भाजपा गठजोड़ को किया बेनकाब मुजफ्फरनगर साम्प्रदायिक हिंसा की चैथी बरसी पर रिहाई मंच ने किया सम्मेलन
 
लखनऊ 7 सितम्बर 2016। मुजफ्फरनगर साम्प्रदायिक हिंसा की चैथी बरसी पर यूपी प्रेस क्लब लखनऊ में रिहाई मंच ने ‘सरकार दोषियों के साथ क्यों खडी़ है’विषय पर सम्मेलन किया। इस दौरान दो रिपोर्टें भी जारी हुईं।
 
इस अवसर पर पूर्व आइएएस और वरिष्ठ सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता हर्ष मंदर ने कहा कि मुजफ्फरनगर की हिंसा छेड़छाड़ के झूठे अफवाह के आधार पर हिंदुत्ववादी संगठनांे ने फैलाई थी। जिसे यदि सरकार चाहती तो रोक सकती थी लेकिन उसकी आपराधिक निष्क्रियता के चलते हिंसा का विस्तार होता गया। राज्य सरकार ने दंगे के बाद लोगों को सुरक्षित अपने गाँव वापस लौटने और फिर से नई जिंदगी शुरू करने में किसी तरह की मदद नहीं की। यह चिंताजनक है कि मुजफ्फरनगर के पीड़ितों की स्थिति 2002 के गुजरात हिंसा के पीड़ितों जैसी है। दोनों जगहों पर मुसलमानों को अलग थलग बसने के लिए मजबूर किया गया, उनका सामाजिक बहिष्कार हुआ और वे अभी भी डर के माहौल में जी रहे हैं। न्याय की भी कोई उम्मीद नहीं है। इसके लिए संघ परिवारी संगठन और राज्य सरकार दोनों बराबर के दोषी हैं।

 
मुजफ्फरनगर साम्प्रदायिक हिंसा पीड़ितों का मुकदमा लड़ रहे असद हयात ने कहा कि  इस हिंसा के बाद लगभग 15 लाशें गायब हैं जो कि ग्राम लिसाढ़, हड़ौली,बहावड़ी, ताजपुर सिंभालका के निवासी हैं। सरकार कहती है कि लाश मिलने पर इन्हें मृत घोषित किया जाएगा। जबकि चश्मदीद गवाह कहते हैं कि हमारे सामने हत्या हुई। पुलिस तो घटना स्थल पर तुरंत पहुंच गई थी फिर यह लाशें किसने गायब कीं? 18 से अधिक लोग गुमशुदा हैं जिनके परिजनों ने प्रथम सूचना रिपोर्ट दर्ज कराई है। अगर वो जीवित होते तो अब तक लौट आते। लगभग 10 हत्याएं जनपद बागपत में हुई जिन्हें सरकार ने सांप्रदायिक हिंसा में हुई मौत नहीं माना है।25 से अधिक मामले ऐसे भी हैं जिनकी निष्पक्ष विवेचना नहीं हुई और इन व्यक्तियों की सांप्रदायिक हत्याओं को पुलिस ने आम लूट पाट की घटनाओं में शामिल कर दिया।मुख्य साजिशकर्ता भाजपा और भारतीय किसान यूनियन के नेताओं और इनसे जुड़े संगठन के नेताओं के विरुद्ध धारा 120 बी आपराधिक साजिश रचने के जुर्म में कोई जांच ही नहीं की गई। इसतरह सरकार ने दंगा क्यों हुआ, किसने कराया, कौन साजिशकर्ता था उन पर पर्दा डाल दिया।  
 
मुजफ्फरनगर सांप्रदायिक हिंसा पर गठित विष्णु सहाय कमीशन पर सवाल उठाते हुए कार्यक्रम की अध्यक्षता कर रहे रिहाई मंच अध्यक्ष मुहम्मद शुऐब ने कहा कि मुलायम सिंह मुसलमानों के साथ आयोगों का खेल खेलना बंद करें। सहाय कमीशन ने अपनी रिपोर्ट में इस बात को स्वीकारा है कि 4 सितंबर 2013 को मुजफ्फरनगर बंद के नाम पर अराजकाता फैलाने में वर्तमान भाजपा मंत्री संजीव बालियान, उमेश मलिक,राजेश वर्मा व अन्य शामिल थे। ठीक इसी तरीके से 5सितंबर को लिसाढ़ में हुई पंचायत को स्वीकारा है कि पंचायत में गठवाला खाप मुखिया हरिकिशन सिंह और डा0 विनोद मलिक जैसे लोग शामिल थे जिसके बाद लिसाढ़ से सांप्रदायिक हिंसा शुरू हुई। 7 सितंबर को वर्तमान भाजपा सांसद हुकुम सिंह, महापंचायत में भारतीय किसान यूनियन के नेता राकेश टिकैत, अध्यक्ष नरेश टिकैत, साध्वी प्राची, भाजपा के पूर्व एमएलए अशोक कंसल, भाजपा के पूर्व सांसद सोहन वीर सिंह,सरधना के भाजपा विधायक संगीत सिंह सोम, बिजनौर के भाजपा विधायक भारतेंदु सिंह, जाट महासभा के अध्यक्ष धर्मवीर बालियान, रालोद के जिला अध्यक्ष अजीत राठी शामिल थे। मुजफ्फरनगर सांप्रदायिक हिंसा को भड़काने के लिए इन सब के साथ संगीत सोम द्वारा 29 सितंबर को शाम 6 बजकर 21 मिनट पर फर्जी वीडियो इंटरनेट द्वारा प्रचारित करना भी आयोग ने माना। उन्होंने कहा कि इतना सब जब साफ था तो निष्कर्ष तक पहुचते-पहुचते आखिर सहाय कमीशन ने इन सांप्रदायिकता भड़काने वालों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई की बात क्यों नहीं कही?  

 
मैगसेसे पुरस्कार से सम्मानित संदीप पाण्डेय ने कहा कि देश में साम्प्रदायिक हिंसा के पीड़ितों को न्याय न देने की जो प्रक्रिया चल रही है वह लोकतंत्र के लिए आत्मघाती है। इस प्रक्रिया को चलाते हुए संघ गिरोह जिस हिंदू राष्ट्र की परिकल्पना कर रहा है उस पर अमल करते हुए ही सपा सरकार उन्हें न्याय से वंचित किए हुए है।
 
हर्ष मंदर, जफर इकबाल, अकरम अख्तर चैधरी और राजन्या बोस लिखित ‘सिमटती जिंदगी’ रिपोर्ट में बताया गया है कि किस तरह 2013 में हुई साम्प्रदायिक हिंसा में लगभग 50,000 लोग अपने गाँवों से उजड़कर कैम्प में आकर रहने लगे। इनमें से एक तिहाई से भी कम लोग वापस अपने गाँव लौट सके। कैम्प के बाद ये लोग मुसलमान आबादी वाले इलाके में जमीन खरीदकर बस गए। लगभग 30,000 लोग मुजफ्फरनगर और शामली जिले के 65 पुनर्वास कॉलोनियों में रह रहे हैं जो अब वापस कभी गाँव नहीं जाएँगे। इन कॉलोनियों में नागरिक सुविधाओं जैसे, बिजली, सड़क, पानी, सफाई,स्कूल, आँगनवाड़ी जैसी सुविधाओं की बहुत कमी है। ज्यादातर कॉलोनियाँ सरकारी रिकार्ड से बाहर हैं।
 
आरटीआई कार्यकर्ता व रिहाई मंच नेता सलीम बेग ने कहा कि उन्होंने नवंबर 2015 में सात बिंदुओं पर मुजफ्फरनगर सांप्रदायिक हिंसा संबन्धित सूचना प्राप्त करना चाही थी। जिसमें अनेक चैकाने वाले तथ्य सामने आए जैसे उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य अल्पसंख्यक आयोग को सांप्रदायिक हिंसा से संबन्धित एक भी शिकायती पत्र प्राप्त नहीं हुआ। इससे भी शर्मनाक कि राज्य अल्पसंख्यक आयोग ने मुजफ्फरनगर का दौरा ही नहीं किया। सबसे शर्मनाक कि मुस्लिम विधायकों ने सरकार के आपराधिक रवैये पर कोई सवाल नहीं उठाया।
 
रिहाई मंच की रिपोर्ट ‘सरकार दोषियों के साथ क्यों खड़ी है’ पर बोलते हुए रिहाई मंच महासचिव राजीव यादव ने कहा कि जब उन्होंने भाजपा विधायक संगीत सोम व सुरेश राणा पर अमीनाबाद लखनऊ में रासुका के तहत जेल में रहते हुए फेसबुक द्वारा साप्रदायिक तनाव भड़काने की तहरीर दी तो उस पर पुलिस ने कोई कार्रवाई नहीं की पर इसी थाने में हाशिमपुरा के सवाल पर इंसाफ मांगने वाले रिहाई मंच नेताओं समेत अन्य लोगों पर दंगा भड़काने का मुकदमा दर्ज किया गया। उन्होंने बताया कि सांप्रदायिक हिंसा में मारे गए डूंगर निवासी मेहरदीन की हत्या का उनके द्वारा मुकदमा दर्ज कराने पर महीनों बाद पुलिस ने उन्हें मुजफ्फरनगर बुलाया की पोस्टमार्टम के लिए लाश निकाली जाएगी पर बयान दर्ज करने के बावजूद लाश नहीं निकाली गई। मुख्यमंत्री अखिलेश यादव पर आरोप लगाते हुए कहा कि उन्होंने जांच के लिए गठित एसआईसी का प्रमुख मनोज कुमार झा जैसे अधिकारी को बना दिया जिनपर खुद खालिद मुजाहिद की हिरासती हत्या का आरोप है और निमेष कमीशन की रिपोर्ट ने भी जिनके खिलाफ आतंकवाद के नाम पर बेगुनाह मुसलमानों को फंसाने के लिए कार्रवाई की मांग की है।
 
शामली से आए अकरम अख्तर चैधरी ने सांप्रदायिक हिंसा के दौरान बलात्कार की घटनाओं पर कहा कि बलात्कार पीड़ितों को सरकार ने सुरक्षा नहीं मुहैया कराया जिसके चलते गवाह दबाव में आ गए। एक मुकदमें में गवाह मुकर गए जिसके कारण सभी चार आरोपी बरी हो गए, अन्य मामलों में भी मुजरिम जमानत पर बाहर है और तो और एक बलात्कार के मामले में तीन साल बीत जाने के बाद भी कोई गिरफ्तारी नहीं हुई। 
 
मुजफ्फरनगर-शामली सांप्रदायिक हिंसा में सबसे अधिक 13 हत्या होने वाले लिसाढ गांव निवासी रिजवान सैफी जिनके परिवार के पांच लोगों की हत्या हुई थी ने कहा कि मेरे दादा-दादी की हत्याकर उनकी लाश को गायब कर दिया गया लेकिन जांच कर रहे एसआईसी के मनोज झां आरोपियों के नाम निकलवाने के लिए हम पर दबाव बनाते रहे। वे हमें जब भी बुलाते थे उसके पहले आरोपियों को भी वहां बुलाकर हममें डर व दहशत का माहौल बनाने की कोशिश करते थे। मेरे गांव से सटा हुआ मीमला रसूलपुर जिसके ग्राम निवासियों ने थाना कांधला पुलिस को फोन करके बताया कि उनके गांव के बाहर कब्रिस्तान के पास तीन अज्ञात लाशें पड़ी हैं, जिसके बाद पुलिस मौके पर पहुंची और यह कहकर चली गई कि उसे अभी वह ले नहीं जा सकती और बाद में वह लाशें गायब हो गईं। जिसको पुलिस ने आरटीआई में भी माना है।
 
कार्यक्रम का संचालन राजीव यादव ने किया। इस दौरान अमित अम्बेडकर, लखनऊ रिहाई मंच महासचिव शकील कुरैशी, रफत फातिमा, अनिल यादव, अजय सिंह, अरुंधती धुरू, आली से आंचल, जनचेतना से रामबाबू, सत्यम वर्मा, पुनीत गोयल, बीएम प्रसाद,आरके सिंह, पीसी कुरील, प्रबुद्ध गौतम, साहिरा नईम,अजरा, सृजनयोगी आदियोग, वीरेंद्र गुप्ता, कल्पना पांडेय, डाॅ दाउद खान, इनायतुल्ला खान, यावर अब्बास,मोहम्मद अली, अब्दुल्लाह, केके वत्स, डाॅ0 इमरान,यावर अब्बास, प्रतीक सरकार, शशांक लाल, एसपी सिंह, निखिलेश, संजय नायक, सुधा सिंह, माहिर खान,आबिद जैदी, सबीहा मोहानी, शाहनवाज आलम आदि मौजूद रहे। 
 
द्वारा जारी-
शाहनवाज आलम
प्रवक्ता रिहाई मंच

A report on muzaffarnagar ‘why the government is siding with the guilty’

The post मुजफ्फरनगर साम्प्रदायिक हिंसा: ‘सरकार दोषियों के साथ क्यों खड़ी है’ appeared first on SabrangIndia.

(Picture: Advocate Mohd. Shoeb and Jignesh Mevani)

 गुजरात से आए ऊना दलित अत्याचार लड़त समिति के संयोजक जिग्नेश मेवाणी ने कहा कि पूरे देश में एक संघर्ष का मंच बनाना चाहते हैं जो गुजरात, यूपी ही नहीं पूरे देश में दलितों के लिए जमीन के सवाल पर आंदोलन खड़ा कर सके। जो दलित आंदोलन सिर्फ अस्मिता की राजनीति में फस गया है उसको अपने अस्तित्व बोध के साथ खड़ा होना होगा। उन्होंने ऊना से शुरु हुए आंदोलन का जिक्र करते हुए कहा कि जिस तरह से ऊना में जिलाधिकारी कार्यालय पर मृत पशुओं को ले जाकर छोड़ दिया गया उसने साफ किया कि दलित अब पिटेगा नहीं वह अपने अधिकारों के लिए लड़ेगा। सिर्फ रोटी, कपड़ा, मकान की राजनीति नहीं बल्कि अब स्वाभिमान की राजनीति भी होगी। यह लड़ाई हम तभी जीत पाएंगे जब जाति व्यवस्था द्वारा थोपे गए अमानवीय कार्यों को छोड़ देंगे। इसलिए हमनें अहमदबाद में ‘गाय की पूंछ तुम रखो, हमको हमारी जमीन दो’ का नारा देते हुए बीस हजार दलितों के साथ शपथ की कि वे हम ऐसे घृणित कार्य नहीं करेंगे। यह दलित आंदोलन की ऐतिहासिक घटना है, जिसका सपना बाबा साहब भीमराव अंबेडकर ने देखा था। इस आंदोलन को हम पूरे देश में गैर बराबरी को स्थापित करने वाले जमीन के मालिकाना हक के मुद्दे से जोड़ना चाहते हैं। हमने गुजरात में मांग की है कि हर दलित परिवार को पांच-पांच एकड़ जमीन दी जाए। इसको गुजरात समेत पूरे देश में ले जाना है। यदि 15 सितंबर तक जमीन वितरण, आरक्षण सवाल पर गुजरात सरकार कार्रवाई करती नहीं नजर आएगी तो हम दलितों, मुसलमानों, आदिवासियों, मजदूरों के यूनियन के साथ या तो जेल भरेंगे या तो रेल रोको आंदोलन करेंगे। इसी संदर्भ में हम पूरे देश में समर्थन मांग रहे हैं। ‘गाय की पूंछ तुम रखो, हमको हमारी जमीन दो’ का नारा पूरे देश में ले जाकर भूमि के सवाल को दलित राजनीति को केन्द्र में लाना है जो आपके यूपी में भी दलितों का प्रमुख एजेण्डा है। जिग्नेश ने कहा कि यूपी भी जिस तरह दलित-मुसलमान उत्पीड़न का अड्डा है यहां भी हम हक-हुकूक और इंसाफ के लिए संघर्षरत जमात के साथ खड़े होकर सांप्रदायिक-सामंती मंसूबों को ध्वस्त करेंगे। संघ पोषित बीएचयू के कुलपति द्वारा आईआईटी से निकाले गए मैग्सेसे अवार्ड से सम्मानित सोशलिस्ट पार्टी के उपाध्यक्ष संदीप पाण्डेय ने कहा कि ऊना में जो दलित अस्मिता यात्रा निकली थी उसमें यह मांग उठी थी कि मृतक गायों को अब दलित नहीं उठाएंगे। जब रोटी बनाने की मशीन बना ली गई है, रोबोट से आपरेशन हो रहा है और हर मुश्किल काम हो रहा है तो मृतक गायों को हटाने के लिए मशीन क्यों नहीं। गुजरात में एक विज्ञापन निकला था जिसमें सीवर की सफाई के लिए सवर्ण की आरक्षित सीट लिख दिए जाने पर लोग नाराज हो गए इससे समझा जा सकता है कि सीवर में घुसकर काम करना कितना मुश्किल व अपमानजनक है। जिग्नेश और इनके साथी जो आंदोलन चला रहे हैं उसमें दलितों को ही नहीं समूचे उत्पीड़ित समाज को मजबूती से भाग लेना चाहिए और अपने बच्चों की शिक्षा के लिए लड़ना चाहिए। कार्यक्रम के अध्यक्षीय उद्बोधन में रिहाई मंच के अध्यक्ष मुहम्मद शुऐब ने कहा कि आज गुजरात का बेटा जिग्नेश मेवाणी हमारे बीच में हैं जिसने मोदी के गुजरात माॅडल को पूरे दुनिया में बेनकाब कर दिया जहां दलितों को इंसान नहीं समझा जाता। पूरी दुनिया ने 2002 में गुजरात की माओं के गर्भ को चीरकर नवजातों को त्रिशूल में टंगा हुआ देखा और आज उसी गुजरात के दलित भाइयों के साथ लगातार हो रही नाइंसाफियों के खिलाफ दलित-मुस्लिम एकता का जो नया गुजरात माॅडल विकसित हो रहा है वह पूरे देश की राजनीति को नई दिशा देगा। उन्होंने कहा कि कोई औपनिवेशिक उदारीकरण के विकास का माॅडल इस देश में शोषितों-वंचितों को मुक्ति नहीं देगा बल्कि इंसाफ के सवाल पर जिग्नेश मेवाणी जैसे नौजवानों का नेतृत्व ही एक नए भारत का निर्माण करेगा।   कार्यक्रम के शुरुआत में आधार वक्तव्य देते हुए रिहाई मंच नेता अनिल यादव ने सामाजिक न्याय की नई धारा के इस नेतृत्व पर बात रखी तो वहीं सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता अधिवक्ता अजय शर्मा ने यूपी में दलितों के भूमि व लोकतांत्रिक अधिकारों के दमन पर अपनी बात रखी। जिग्नेश मेवाणी को अमित अंबेडकर, लवलेश चैधरी, गुफरान सिद्दीकी, लक्ष्मण प्रसाद, शकील कुरैशी, राॅबिन, शबरोज मोहम्मदी, शम्स तबरेज, महेश चन्द्र देवा, मौलाना अबू अशरफ, आरिफ मासूमी आदि ने माल्यार्पण कर यूपी आगमन पर स्वागत किया। कार्यक्रम का संचालन रिहाई मंच नेता राजीव यादव ने किया। कार्यक्रम में सृजन योगी आदियोग, एहसानुल हक मलिक, बलवंत यादव, कल्पना पाण्डेय, शरद पटेल, हफीज किद्वई, इन्द्र प्रकाश बौद्ध, लाल प्रकाश राही, विनोद यादव, रफत फातिमा, हफीज उल्लाह, हादी खान, रफीउद्दीन, सत्यम वर्मा, सद्दाम अहमद, कमर सीतापुरी, रुपेश, इनायत उल्लाह खान, यावर अब्बास, वीरेन्द्र गुप्ता आदि ने शिरकत की।

The post जिग्नेश मेवाणी का यूपी में ऐलान: भूमि अधिकार और स्वाभिमान की लड़ाई इस देश की लड़ाई होगी appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Government doesn’t give us house, allowance for our children’s education or any benefit Government has done nothing for us. Why should we stick our neck out to remove other people’s dead animals! We don’t want to be killed for the work which pays us bare minimum! I wont risk my life for money

 

“We will stop picking up dead animals if we are harassed and tortured like this“

“Why should we pay bribe every year for the contracts of removing dead animals? These contracts are reserved for us. The rate of bribe grows ten percent every year. We are threatened by government officials that they will open the contracts to general category if we don’t pay up. We should be given license for this work and not be expected to apply for contracts every year. “

“The Government doesn’t give us house, allowance for our children’s education or any benefit Government has done nothing for us. Why should we stick our neck out to remove other people’s dead animals! We don’t want to be killed for the work which pays us bare minimum! I won’t risk my life for money”

The Dalit- Muslim workers and contractors dealing with removal of dead animals are feeling terrorised, scared and angry after recent attacks by cow vigilante in Lucknow. They are also frustrated with both the police and bureaucracy’s lack of initiative in providing them protection. Their concern is supported by advocate Mohammed Shoeb of Rihai Manch – “There is a deliberate attempt to dilute the offences in the FIR in the recent case of Vidyasagar and Chhote. The local police has not applied sections of the atrocity act and also sections of IPC related to the spreading of enmity between communities”

The speculation is rife among the Dalit- Muslim contractors that that this could be a ploy to open up the reserved contracts to the general category. If the Dalits and Muslims stop applying for the contracts out of fear who will get the contracts?  Will the Caste Hindu really do this job? They almost zone out wondering why first rumours of beef and now cow carcass has been used to hit, hurt and kill Dalits and Muslims in last few years.  Is it simply love for Gau Mata? Or is there a business model there? After all the big beef export business is largely handled by caste Hindus. Could they now be eyeing these contracts? They can always employ Dalits to do the dirty work.

On July 28, 2016 , Vidyasagar and Chhotey’s vehicle was stopped by a cow vigilante group two kilometre away from Indiranagar Police Station. This is one of the posh localities of new Lucknow. The two Dalit men were transporting a dead cow on Lucknow Municipal Corporation’s usual orders.

Vidyasagar and Chhotu were abused, beaten up and threatened that they would be killed if seen again with a dead cow that wasn’t properly covered with a Kafan.

Where is the Kafan?  “Where is the Shroud?”
 

The vigilante men were livid that the dead cow had not been covered with a shroud. “Har mari gau mata par kafan hona chahiye nahee to tumhey khatam kar dengey”.  Vidyasagar and Chhotu explained to the miscreants that they didn’t have the money to buy Kafan for every cow. That it wasn’t their cow. They were asked to pick up the dead cow by LMC.
The vigilante group asked whether the Dalit men would eat the dead Cow.  Vidyasagar, a Dalit man of thirty something and Chhotey, in his forty are from Sitapur. They explained to the miscreants that they don’t eat dead cows.

What would they do with the dead Gau Mata, asked the vigilante men. The two Dalit men informed that the dead cow’s skin would be removed. Hearing this the vigilante group started hitting the two Dalit men and accused them of killing the cow, eating beef, being disrespectful towards “Gau Mata” or Cow mother.

On the August 3, when this reporter reached the Nagar Nigam office at Lalbagh Lucknow I couldn’t help notice how white the walls of the campus were. No usual betel leaf marks anywhere. Swopped and cleaned. Silent and calm. Well contained.  LMC veterinary officer Dr. Arvind Kumar Rao  mentioned that by the time contractor, Mohd Iliyas had reached the spot the vigilante group had left. The miscreants were in their early twenties. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) lodged an FIR with the Indiranagar Police Station after the matter was brought to its notice by the contractor. Was everything back to normal? Were Vidyasagar and Chhotu back at work? this reporter asked.

“Sab kaam kar rahey hai” Everyone is back at work. Dr Rao insisted that this wasn’t like Gujarat. The boys who harassed were not vigilante. They were miscreants of twenty something. It was not an organised attack of any cow vigilante group. Has such incidents increased in Lucknow? this reporter asked next. Dr Rao said it was a one off case. He, however, agreed that cow protection drive is on the high in the country. Dr Rao used the word Gau-Mata while talking about cow. He however, added that there is no killing of cow in Lucknow. “Only a mad person would kill a cow in this area. Miscreants just harass people. Cleaning the dead cow is extremely important else the rot will cause endless health issues in the population”.

Next this reporter met with some of the contractors and workers who deal with carcasses. Municipal corporations hire contractors from reserved category of Muslim and Dalit community to keep the city clean. These contractors hire Dalit workers to transport the dead animals from their owner’s house. It is on the call of the Municipal Corporation that the contractors send their workers to lift a dead animal. Municipal Corporations have a department for dead animals. Removal of dead animals is a serious task in any civilized society where a government and its civic bodies are concerned about protecting its people from illnesses. The men who pick up dead animals get a daily wage of Rs 300 – 350 from the contractors in Lucknow. These men on other days work as daily wage labour and make an amount of Rs 200 – 250 a day. Contrary to Dr Rao’s assessment of the situation we were informed that Vidyasagar and Chhotey have returned to their hometown Sitapur. They have decided to not risk their life. No more picking of carcasses for them. The contractors and workers repeatedly used the words “Khauf” and “Dehshat” while mentioning the mood at ground zero. The workers asked this reporter why spontaneous acts of terrorising them were so common now. They asked – Does it matter who terrorised them? Isn’t the issue that they were terrorised because they were Dalits? Does it matter who hits, hurts and terrorises? The main issue is that Dalit men were hurt and humiliated specifically because of their caste and the nature of their work.

Kamta Prasad, a Dalit contractor from Zone 1 added that such cases have happened in Lucknow before. He has faced harassment twice in last four months. Once he had rushed to Gomtinagar where his vehicle carrying the carcass was stopped by a vigilante group. When he enquired what was the fuss about, the men in Innova tried driving away. In that chaos the car hit Kamta Prasad’s head. He showed the minor head injury he had suffered.

(Kamta Prasad, Dalit Contractor of dead animals with Lucknow Municipality Corporation)

Mohd Iliyas and Kamta Prasad welcome Dr Rao’s idea of an identity card with phone numbers of LMC and Police Station. The identity-card may help their cause. Some contractors suggested that LMC should tell the owner of the dead cow to accompany the body till the destination. The workers should not risk their life for a few hundred rupees for another man’s dead cow.

Some other contractors insisted that identity card may be of help but the question is much bigger and humanitarian. Why do caste Hindus and cow worshippers not pick up their own dead cow? Why don’t they buy a Kafan for their mother? Why doesn’t the cow vigilante group engage with the cow owners and tell them to ensure kafan and last rites for their “Mata”?

They added that general caste Hindu population may never touch a dead animal, including the cow they worship. However, some business minded men may be seen soon as future contractors.  “May be the Savarn workers will be able to afford a Kafan for the dead cow. We don’t make enough to often buy one for our dead family members”, one of them mourned.

(Meanings for English only readers: Mata is Mother. Gau-Mata is Cow Mother)

The post Where is Gau Mata’s Kafan? appeared first on SabrangIndia.