Dam increases! Submergence decreases? –

Fraud on the People

Sardar Sarovar Dam Work Unlawful:

4 Judge People's Tribunal

'Development' or Jaws of Death?

Question Sardar Sarovar Oustees

2 day Jan Adalat concludes: 4 Retired Justices call upon Supreme Court and Govt. of India to review the status of displacement, submergence and rehabilitation of Sardar Sarovar oustees

Rajghat / Badwani, M.P. Pronouncing their interim verdict in the presence of about 10,000 oustees of Sardar Sarovar Dam, based on their observations and assessment of the legal and field situation, a Panel of 4 retired Judges of various High Courts concluded gross violations of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award and Judgements of the Supreme Court. Speaking at the proceedings of the "Jan Adalat" organized by eminent citizens of the country, well-known Justices including Jst. P.C Jain (Rajasthan High Court), Jst. Nag Mohan Das (Karnataka High Court) and Jst. V.D. Gyani (Madhya Pradesh High Court) and Jst. N.K. Mody (Madhya Pradesh High Court) expressed grave concern at the displacement of about 2.5 lakh people due to the completion of the Dam and the mass violation of the constitutional right to life, destruction of livelihoods, as also wiping out of an entire culture and civilization.

They stated that the further dam work and installation of gates should not proceed in the present circumstances of clear evidence of multiple violations. Observing that the concerned authorities have miserably failed to comply with the provisions of the Award and the Apex court' orders and have committed serious dereliction of legal obligations, they called for a serious review of the entire situation and a serious social-economic impact assessment. The Govt. and Apex Court must widen their horizons of 'development', in the light of the complex realities of the 30 years struggle of the Narmada valley, they said.

Reading out the operative part of their preliminary verdict, Jst. Jain exclaimed that the official claims of no additional submergence due to the current dam work is clearly unlawful and also unbelievable, since when the dam is being completed with the same original height, there is no reason why the submergence area would not increase ! Listening to testimonies of about 35 oustees they found that the Judgement of the Supreme Court dt. 18/10/200 and 15/3/2005 as well as several orders of the Grievance Redressal Authorities (GRAs). Jst Jain also said that the Government must await the Report of Jst. Jha Commission of Inquiry into Corruption in R&R before any further work is undertaken.

The 4 Justices urged the Social Justice Bench of the Apex Court to review its decisions and hearings in the light of the overwhelming evidence of legal violations and well as the obviously flawed "full rehabilitation" reports of the project authorities. The Jan Adalat specially acknowledged the valiant role of thousands of womenwarriors in the valley who have been keeping the torch of struggle aglow over the past 30 years.  These observations were made after hearing the depositions of about 35 oustees from the three states of M.P., Maharashtra and Gujarat, perusal of the NWDTA, various orders of the Apex Court, GRAs, interim reports of Jst. Jha Commission, official correspondence and intensive visit to various affected villages in the tehsils of Badwani, Kukshi, Manavar and Dharampuri yesterday.

The deponents before the Tribunal today included representatives of adivasis from the hilly and plain areas, other farmers who have been entangled in the fake registries scam, received meagre cash and denied land or given land from the land bank, landless oustees, including fish workers, potters, boatmen, small traders etc. Oustees from Maharashtra and Gujarat also expressed their grievances and pointed out to major violations.  The hearing was conduced in a completely formal manner, with a People's Court set-up on the Narmada river bank at Rajghat and each oustee / deponent stood in the 'dock', as s/he deposed.

Bhagirath Dhangar spoke of the plight of hundreds of farmers, workers, small traders, shopkeepers, hawkers etc. whose lands and livelihoods are to be lost by the dam increase, with no alternative R&R in sight.   He questioned if the balance is indeed '0', then how is it that the govt. fair price shops, panchayats, voting and even govt. licensed wine shops are functioning here? Mahesh Patel exposedthe fraud in the name of back water levels due to which 16,000 families has been declared "out of submergence". He said that all these unscientific claims would be blown up by Narmada herself and her fury into which 99 tributaries and 999 large darins flow. Fish worker families represented by Savabai (Pichhodi) & Madubhai (Chikalda) demanded fishing rights in the reservoir and alternative livelihood. They said that fishing and riverine rights cannot be compensated in monetary terms.

Mr. Karan Yadav from Pipri read out the message from Mr. Ramesh Patel, the MLA of Badwani, admitting that governmental reports of R&R are patently false and that 99% oustees, still reside in the original villages awaiting R&R. Mr. Patel submitted a written demand to the Tribunal that the SSP gates should not be installed at this stage, without completion of R&R, as per law.  Meera spoke of the absolute failure and connivance of the elaborate machinery of monitoring and project authorities in complying with the Apex Court's orders and demanded that all the clearances granted by the authorities are unlawful and need to be set aside by the Apex Court. Adv. Umesh stated that thousands of SSP oustees are now owners of the acquired lands/houses as per 2013 LAQ Act and Govt. dare not dispossess them.

Medha Patkar decried the massive violation of the rights of the Gram Sabhas in the constitutionally protected scheduled adivasiareas. She spoke of the possibilities of and need for a review even at this stage to avert the inhuman pauperization of 2.5 lakh people, for the benefits of corporates. "While displacement and disaster is planned by the State, development and rehabilitation is not" she said and concluded that continuation with the dam would mean a mass atrocity on the dalits and adivasis.

Shri Soumya Dutta, one of the members of the recent Fact-Finding Team to the Narmada valley (May, 2015), whose report has received wide attention and even alerted the Judges of a disaster in Narmada moderated the proceedings and shared with the Judicial panel, the findings of his Report co-authored by senior political leaders and experts including Hannan Mollah, Annie Raja, Dr. Sunilam, Raj Kchroo and Benoy Vishwam.

The Panel of Judges was invited by a team of distinguished citizens including Jst (Retd.) Rajinder Sacher [Retd. Chief Justice, Delhi High Court].; Syeda Hameed [Former Member, Planning Commission of India and National Commission for Women]; Sagar Sarhadi, Senior film maker, short story and play writer, writer, director and producer; Prof. Anil Sadgopal, Eminent Educationalist and Founder, All India Forum on Right to Education.; Ramdas Bhatkal, Founder, Popular Prakashan,Mumbai and Senior Litterateur and Anand Patwardhan, Internationally Acclaimed Film Maker on Developmental and Human Rights Issues to hear the oustees and State agencies and give its findings on the legality of the decisions of the Government to pursue the dam work in the light of large number of complaints of denial of R&R. 

Notably, the highest officials of the Central and State Governments including the Chairpersons of the NCA, R&R Sub Group and GRA, as well as the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Commissioner of NVDA, Bhopal, Collector, Nandurbar (Mah) and Commissioner, SSPA (Guj) were invited on behalf of the Organizers, but as none of them turned up, their chairs were kept vacant !

The hearing today was preceded by a day-full of intensive visits yesterday to various villages including Khalghat, Dharampuri Township as well as Vill. Semalda (Teh. Manavar) and Villages Chhota Barda, Pipri and Chikalda, Kadmal-Khaparkheda (Tehsil Kukshi); where elderly persons and women who poured out their grievances of denial of R&R, poor quality amenities at the resettlement sites, massive corruption, unlawful submergence in 2012-13 etc. The hearing began with a homage to Shri. Ramaswamy Iyer who passed away 2 days ago. Madhuresh of NAPM remembered of him as a beacon, for decades, in the water-ecology sector, whose own life was enriched by his engagement with the SSP struggle, as a Govt. Member of the 5-Member Review Panel and later his valuable contributions to the water rights regime, acknowledged internationally.

Mukesh          Hirdaram           Rahul Yadav                     Leelabai

Contact Ph: 09179148973 / 09179617513

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Major issues put forth before the People's Tribunal

Some of the major issues that the oustees from the three states put forth before the Tribunal are:-

1. a)Representatives of tribals – farmer (Kailash Awasya-Vill Bhilkeda, Surbhan-Vill. Kakrana and Ghokru-Vill.Bhadal) spoke of the atrocities on adivasis in the hills and plains and demanded that oustees who have not accepted cash and have been given bad land, should be given good land and compensation as per the GRA's orders. They rejected the cash grants, exposed fraud in the name of land bank and SRP and demanded cultivable land as well as interim relief.
   

1. b)Deven Tomar, Dayaram and Rahul Yadav exposed the 1,000 crore corruption scam due to the fake registries, house plot irregularities, sub-standard works at R&R sites, livelihood grant fraud and demanded that there must be no further dam work until the Report of Jst. Jha Commission is out.

1. c)Devram Kanera stated that there are lots of reasons to review the SSP even at this state. When the dam cost has shot up from Rs. 4,000 crores to Rs. 90,000 crores., why cannot there be a comprehensive review? Why not search for alternatives, he questioned ?

1. d)Bhagiram (Piplud) and Mohan (Kundiya) who have been given only one instalment of the Special Rehabilitation Package refused the meagre cash grants, asserted the right to land of 1500 oustees like them and also of the 2000+ oustees those who have been entangled in fake registries scam or have been given only meagre cash in lieu of land.

1. e)Representatives of landless and fish families including Pemal (Dhanora) refused the meagre cash grants as "rehabilitation" and stated that more than 10,000 families like hers are entitled to stable and sustainable alternative livelihood. She demanded that the middlemen should be completely eliminated from the R&R process.

1. f)Sanobar Bi spoke of the impacts of Displacement, Denial of R&R and Implications for women and the unique situation of river-dependent women farmers, widows, single women.

1. g)Haribhai, an old encroacher from Vill. Segava stated that hundreds of old encroachers on government land entitled to R&R are being denied land, since decades.

121. h)Fish worker families represented by Savabai (Pichhodi) and Madhubhai (Chikalda) demanded fishing rights in the reservoir and alternative livelihood.  They said that fishing rights, river bed cultivations, boating rights etc. cannot be compensated in monetary terms. Madubhai also questioned the illegality of the GRA's orders denying compensation for the 2012-13 submergence on the ground that submergence was due to the Omkareshwar dam waters, although the impact was due to the SP dam wall of 121.92 mts.

1. i)Ramesh Prajapati from Nisarpur demanded recognition of the rights of the potters with alternative land for the brick kilns and the narrated the woes of potters due to frequent problems faced from the local administration.

1. j)Mohan Patidar deposed on the status of villages like Bhavaria, Malangaon, Sondil etc. where entire hamlets are to become marooned (tapu – affected), but no surveys have been done in M.P. and no R&R entitlements have been given till date.

1. k)Balram Kevat demanded livelihood rights for the generations, 5,000 strong old boats-men communityaffected by the SSP and other dams on Narmada.

1. l)Shantabai warned of disasters worse than Nepal and Uttarakhand if the nature's laws are are ignored and ecologically unsound projects like large dams or river linking is pursued !

1. m)Bhagirath Dhangar (Chikalda) spoke of the plight of hundreds of small traders, shopkeepers, hawkers, artisans, tailors  whose livelihoods are to be lost by the dam increase, with no alternative R&R in sight.   He said if the balance is indeed 0, then how is it that the govt. fair price shops, panchayts, voting and even govt. licensed wine shops function here ?

1. n)Mahesh Patel (Vill. Kundiya) exposed the fraud in the name of back water levels due to which 16,000 families has been wrongly declared as "out of submergence". He said that all these claims are unlawful and will be exposed by Narmada herself and her fury into which 99 tributaries and 999 large drains flow.

1. o)Madan Alave (Pichhodi) stated that hundreds of tribal and other small farmers who are losing lands even for the R&R sites are denied land-based R&R. How can rehabilitation be complete without giving us land, he asked.

121. p)Noorji Padvi (Vill. Danel) and Punya Vasave (Somaval R&R site), Maharashtra along with Yogini stated that when not less than 1200 oustees in Maharashtra, mostly affected under 121.92 mts, even at 80 mts are yet to be rehabilitated, how can the Governments claim "full or even substantial compliance". Good land, irrigation facilities, house plots, compensation etc. are yet to be given to hundreds. The self-contradictory affidavits of the GoM before the Apex Court expose the fraud, they said.

1. q)Lakhan Musafir, with Chaintamani and Shankar Kagda from Gujarat deposed about the status of the oustees in Gujarat and they stated that while hundred affected since decades are yet to be rehabilitated and still face problems at the R&R Sites such as denial of quality land, civic amenities etc, thousands more are to be affected in the name of  tourism projects, Garudeshwar weir, Sardar Patel Statue of Unity, Bharat Bhavan, Naar-Paar River Link Project etc.  Unique Problems of Project-affected in Gujarat: 6 Colony-Affected, Oustees due to Tourism plans, Garudeshwar weir,. – Costs and Benefits of SSP

1. r)Vikram Verma and Mansaram Jat decried the massive impact to be caused on the Dharampuri township where not less than 10,000 people reside and Govt. claims that thousands are now suddenly 'out of submergence'. Mr. Jat appealed to "My Lords" to ensure that the villages and real India survive.

1. s)Mukesh and Jagish Patidar spoke of the further destruction to be caused by the canals in the irrigated villages, affected by SSP and Maheshwar dams close to Narmada and stated that while the Apex Court and Expert Committees have been looking into the violations, many grievances are still not fully resolved.

1. t) Umesh Patidardrew the Panel's attention to the fact that thousands of oustees have become absolute owners as per Sec 24(2) New Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and their lands should neither be submerged nor they be dispossessed without due legal process.

1. u)Tukaram of Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan demanded that there should be a complete moratorium on large dams and only small projects in the interests of the farmers, workers and environment must be pursued

Why India won't sign Refugee Treaty

In the absence of any domestic law or regional South Asianframework, India has desisted from taking its rightful regional leadership role in this increasingly critical matter

Refugee crises may be caused by any number of reasons but the most common are war (Bangladesh), domestic conflicts (Tibet, Sri Lanka), natural disasters (famine), environmental displacement, human trafficking and—this one will turn up at all our doorsteps soon—climate change. Photo: AFP

The refugee crisis arising from the Syrian conflict is only the latest reminder of the fact that India remains one of the few liberal democracies not to have signed, supported or ratified the international convention that governs how nations should treat distressed people who are forced to leave their homes under harrowing conditions.

Refugee crises may be caused by any number of reasons but the most common are war (Bangladesh), domestic conflicts (Tibet, Sri Lanka), natural disasters (famine), environmental displacement, human trafficking and—this one will turn up at all our doorsteps soon—climate change.

India has signed neither the 1951 United Nations Refugee Conventionnor its 1967 Protocol, which has 140 signatories, an overwhelming majority of the world's 190-odd nations. However, India continues to host a large population of refugees. In the main, they are treated kindly.

Clearly, India has stood up and been counted when it comes to accepting refugees. It has one of the biggest refugee populations in South Asia. But it is precisely the large numbers that enjoin upon India the duty to enshrine in law how these refugees will be treated. In the absence of any domestic law or regional South Asian framework, India has desisted from taking its rightful regional leadership role in this increasingly critical matter.

Why won't India sign the Convention or the Protocol? The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) won't officially say why, but the reasons are chiefly security-related. The line of argument is that borders in South Asia are extremely porous and any conflict can result in a mass movement of people. This can have two results: first, a strain on local infrastructure and resources in countries that are poorly equipped to deal with sudden spikes in population.

Second, it can upset the demographic balance, a tinderbox in South Asia.

Another argument is that India already does its duty, so where's the need to sign this piece of paper? It mostly doesn't even take UN money to look after the refugees.

India is home to diverse groups of refugees, ranging from Buddhist Chakmas from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, to Bhutanese from Nepal, Muslim Rohinygas from Myanmar and small populations from Somalia, Sudan and other sub Saharan African countries. According to the UNHCR, there were 204,600 refugees, asylum seekers and "others of concern" in India in 2011. They were made up of 13,200 people from Afghanistan, 16,300 from Myanmar, 2,100 from various other countries and the two older populations of around 100,000 Tibetans and 73,000 Sri Lankan Tamils. The UNHCR financially assisted 31,600 of them.

A third reason offered by some scholars is that India retains a degree of scepticism about the UNHCR. This apparently flows from the Bangladesh war of 1971.

At the time, UNHCR played a stellar role in helping devise India's administrative response to the 9.8 million Hindu refugees who poured in from Bangladesh. It also helped to mobilize huge international finances to pay for Indian bills (and it wasn't even the West's war). And when it came to repatriation of the refugees, then again the UNHCR helped roll out an orderly return journey.

But India was upset that the UNHCR began talking about the need for repatriation of refugees—something India had emphasized from the very start of the Bangladesh crisis—only in June 1971, just around the time Pakistani atrocities were causing millions more to flee to India. New Delhi felt talk of repatriation at that particular point in time gave the wrong signals to the world.

Additionally, India was far from pleased by a visit to Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) by the UNHCR high commissioner, Sadruddin Agha Khan, on the invitation of Pakistani president Yahya Khan. This was seen as an endorsement of Pakistani propaganda that its eastern territory was normal.

So what would ratifying the Convention mean for India? Would it be better or worse off for signing it? I believe pitching your lot with other liberal democracies on an important ethical and humanitarian issue can only be to India's good. But there will be many commitments India will have to take on.

For instance, it will be bound by law not to repatriate a single refugee against their will. It's known as the non-refoulement principle—no forcible repatriation. According to academic Shreya Sen, a researcher on South Asian issues, India in any case is bound by this principle because it is contained in the 1984 Convention against torture, to which India is a signatory.

Article 3 of the Torture Convention states: "No state party shall expel, return (refouler) or extradite a person to another state where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture."

It's not as if India habitually forcibly repatriates refugees—indeed it is commended for its restraint. However, back in the late 1980s, and then following the assassination of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, a large number of Sri Lankan Tamils were repatriated from camps in Tamil Nadu. There has never been any evidence this was forced repatriation, but some academics and refugee workers think it was a blot on India's record.

Where problems have arisen in the absence of any policy framework on the treatment of refugees is when vulnerable refugees try to find work or when they are exploited by unscrupulous businessmen because they remain unintegrated.

In 1985, working as a reporter in India, I helped unearth a settlement of bonded labourers in Tamil Nadu made up entirely of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. They had been put to work in a vast rubber plantation located in a forest, around half-a-day's walk from the nearest bus stop in the scenic Western Ghats.

Guided by a machete-wielding sadhu, who certainly knew his way around the forest, I didn't expect to see what I did—a slave camp. Hundreds of Tamils ran out of the settlement, mistaking us for humanitarian workers bringing supplies of water and food—it had been raining. It was a shocking moment.

Powerful vested interests were at work here. The local Indian Administrative Services officer, an uncompromising Sikh, carried a gun in his car.

In 2015, amid the biggest refugee crisis in the West since World War II, none of the reasons listed above justifies India's continuing refusal to sign the Refugee Convention. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fond of quoting ancient Sanskrit sayings: one of them is Atithi Devo Bhava. Guests are like God.

http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/bePZQScFIq1wEWv9Tqt4QO/Why-India-wont-sign-Refugee-Treaty.html

Makbool Veeray

Chief Editor at Daily Kashmiriyat & Sach News

Scores attend Lashkar commander's funeral in Awantipora Bilal Habib Pulwama, September 13: Amid a complete shutdown in twin towns of Pulwama and Awantipora, Scores of people today participated in the funeral prayers of slain Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Irshad Ahmad Ganai and staged pro-freedom demonstrations. Early morning, hundreds of people visited Padgampora in Awantipora to have last glimpse of Irshad, who was killed in a brief gun-battle with the government forces in Kakapora area on Saturday evening.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sania-Hingis-win-US-Open-doubles-title/social/48948783.cms

NEW DELHI: Ace tennis player Sania Mirza scripted history on Sunday by clinching the second Grand Slam of the year after she won the women's doubles US Open title with Swiss partner Martina Hingis at Flushing Meadows in New York.

Sania Mirza is the highest ranked female player ever from India, reaching World No. 27 in singles in 2007 but a major wrist injury forced her to give up her singles career and focus on the doubles circuit. (Reuters Photo)

Congratulate Sania Mirza on her victory

Here are the ten things to know about Sania's illustrious career:

# Sania Mirza has title at all Grand Slams - Wimbledon (2015 - Doubles), US Open (2014 - Mixed doubles), US Open (2015 - doubles), French Open (2012 - Mixed doubles) and Australian Open (2009 - Mixed doubles).

# Sania Mirza was conferred with the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award last month. Sania became the second tennis player to receive the country's highest sporting honour after Leander Paes.

# The pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis is ranked Numero Uno in the world and they were the top seeds at the 2015 US Open. This is their second Grand Slam of the year after Wimbledon Championship.



# Sania Mirza had become India's first woman player to win a Grand Slam when she won the Australian Open with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi in 2009.

# The 28-year-old Sania Mirza won her first women's doubles Major title 12 years after turning professional.

# It was 12 years ago, in 2003, when as a 16-year-old Sania became the first Indian girl to win a Grand Slam when she triumphed in the doubles' event at Wimbledon, partnering Alisa Kleybanova of Russia.



# Sania Mirza has also won a total of 14 medals, including 6 golds, at three major multi-sport events, namely the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Afro-Asian Games.

# Sania Mirza is the highest ranked female player ever from India, reaching World No. 27 in singles in 2007 but a major wrist injury forced her to give up her singles career and focus on the doubles circuit.

# Sania Mirza was awarded the Arjuna award in 2004 while in 2006 she was awarded a Padma Shri, India's fourth highest honour for her achievements as a tennis player.

# Sania Mirza is the first South Asian Woman to be appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador of UN Women, in the organization's history, for South Asia.

दमन और प्रतिशोध का दौर

Author: पंकज बिष्ट Edition : September 2015

इसलिए यह आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है कि सत्ताने पाटीदारों (पटेलों) के आंदोलन को रोकने के लिए जिस तरह का दमन किया उसी का नतीजा था कि पाटीदारों ने भी उतने ही हिंसक तरीके से सत्ता को उत्तर दिया। और उसी राज्य सरकार ने, जिसने 13 वर्ष पहले तीन दिन तक दंगा होने दिया था, आठ घंटे के अंदर सेना को बुला लिया और आधे राज्य को उसके हवाले कर दिया। विडंबना यह है कि राज्य में पटेल समुदाय, जो कुल जनसंख्या का 12 प्रतिशत है, सबसे समृद्ध समुदायों में है और भाजपा का सबसे बड़ा परंपरागत समर्थक रहा है। यह अपनी जातीय प्रतिबद्धता के लिए बहुचर्चित है। यही नहीं कि राज्य की मुख्यमंत्री स्वयं पटेल हैं बल्कि उनके मंत्रीमंडल में आधा दर्जन के करीब मंत्री इसी समुदाय के हैं। भाजपा के कुल विधायकों में 40 इसी जाति के हैं। और हां संभवत: यह याद रखना भी लाभप्रद होगा कि 2002 के दंगों का एक तरह से नेतृत्व इसी समुदाय के हाथों में था।
यद्यपि सत्ता का चरित्र रहता है कि वह एक सीमा के आगे अपने विरोध को सहती नहीं है और जब भी मौका लगता है विरोधियों को दबाने से बाज नहीं आती है। पर भारत जैसे लोकतांत्रिक देश में जहां सत्ता की जड़ें आज भी सामंती मूल्यों और मानसिकता में गहरी पैठी हैं विरोध लोकतंत्र का हिस्सा नहीं बल्कि शत्रुता का पर्याय माना जाता है। इस पर भी, भाजपा नेतृत्ववाली इस सरकार की विगत सवा साल के शासन की प्रकृति को देखा जाए तो, उसे प्रतिशोध और दमन जैसे अलोकतांत्रिक शब्दों की सीमा में ही व्याख्यायित किया जा सकता है। ऐसा लगता है मानो लोकतांत्रिक तरीके से जीत कर आई सरकार भूल ही गई है कि उसके जीवनकाल का फैसला फिर से चार वर्ष बाद होगा। पर जो हो रहा है, और जिसके एक नहीं कई उदाहरण हमारे सामने हैं, वे कोई बहुत अच्छा संकेत नहीं देते हैं।

यकूब मेमन को फंासी दिए जाने के मामले में सरकार ने अगस्त में ही तीन समाचार चैनलों को यह कहते हुए नोटिस दिया कि उनके प्रसारणों से हिंसा और राष्ट्रविरोधी भावनाओं को भड़काने की आशंका है। इन चैनलों की याकुब मेमन को दिए मृत्युदंड को लेकर हुई बहसों में राष्ट्रपति और सरकार के फैसलों पर कुछ सवाल उठाये गए थे। ये सवाल कोई पहली बार नहीं उठाए गए थे और न ही ऐसा था कि इससे पहले न्यायालयों के मृत्युदंड देने और राष्ट्रपति द्वारा मृत्युदंड पाये लोगों की याचिकाओं को खारिज करने के मामलों की आलोचना न की गई हो। इस तरह का सरकारी रुख संकेत करता है कि वह अपने किसी भी काम की आलोचना नहीं सहना चाहती। निश्चय ही मोदी सरकार के पास बहुमत है पर यह प्रवृत्ति किसी भी रूप में उसके विश्वास नहीं बल्कि असुरक्षा की अभिव्यक्ति है।
ऐसा लगता है भाजपा शासित राज्यों की नीति ही हो गई है कि स्वयंत्र विवेक वाले किसी भी व्यक्ति को न तो बोलने दिया जाए और न ही काम करने। सरकारी कर्मचारियों से तो संविधान नहीं बल्कि भाजपा की नीतियों और उसके नेताओं के प्रति समर्पित अंध समपर्ण की अपेक्षा की जा रही है। गुजरात सरकार, जो मोदी के शासन काल की विरासत को निभा रही है इसका सबसे बड़ा उदाहरण है।

इसी माह गुजरात सरकार ने भारतीय पुलिस सेवा (आईपीएस) के अधिकारी संजीव भट्ट को नौकरी से बर्खास्त करवा दिया। उन पर लगाए गए आरोपों में नौकरी से बिना इजाजत अनुपस्थित रहने के अलावा विवाहेत्तर संबंध भी हैं। हाल ही में एक ऐसी सेक्स सीडी सामने आई है जिसमें भट्ट जैसा आदमी किसी महिला के साथ दर्शाया गया था। भट्ट का कहना है कि इस में मैं नहीं हूं बल्कि मेरे जैसे चेहरेवाला कोई दूसरा व्यक्ति है। असल में भट्ट पर लगे इन सतही आरोपों की 'गंभीरता'को तब तक नहीं समझा जा सकता जब तक कि यह न याद कर लिया जाए कि इस संकट के पीछे उनका गुजरात के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री और अब देश के प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी से टकराना रहा है।

जाननेवाले इस बात को खूब जानते हैं कि गुजरात में जिसने भी मोदी का विरोध किया उसको लेकर एक न एक सेक्स सीडी प्रकट हुई है। भट्ट से पहले 2005 में संजय भाई जोशी की सीडी सामने आई थी। जोशी मोदी के प्रतिद्वंद्वी थे और उन्हें आरएसएस का समर्थन प्राप्त था। जोशी ने भी उस सीडी के संबंध में वही कहा था कि इस में उनके जैसा कोई और आदमी है। कम से कम जोशी के बारे में तो यह सिद्ध हो चुका है कि सीडी का आदमी वह नहीं कोई और है। सन 2007 में इसी तरह की एक और सीडी प्रकट हुई। उसमें कांग्रेसी नेता भरत सिंह सोलंकी जैसा आदमी था। सोलंकी मोदी के एक और राजनीतिक प्रतिद्वंद्वी थे। उनकी भी इस पर कांग्रेस की ओर से कहा गया कि सीडी में सोलंकी नहीं हैं और वह इसकी सीबीआई से जांच करवाने के लिए तैयार है। पर चुनावों के बाद सब कुछ शांत हो गया। यानी सीडी को किसी ने याद नहीं किया। पर इन सीडियों से जोशी और सोलंकी को जबर्दस्त नुकसान हुआ और दोनों का राजनीतिक भविष्य लगभग चौपट हो गया।

संजीव भट्ट के खिलाफ जो आरोप हैं, यह दोहराना गैरजरूरी है कि वे निहायत सतही हैं। उदाहरण के लिए नौकरी से बिना उचित अनुमति के अनुपस्थित रहना कोई बहुत बड़ा अपराध नहीं है और न ही यह कोई असामान्य घटना है। केंद्रीय सरकार की आचरण संहिता की धारा 20 के तहत यह कहीं नहीं है कि दो वयस्कों की सहमति से संबंध अपराध हैं। यानी अगर संजीव भट्ट विवाहेत्तर संबंधों के अपराधी भी हैं तो इस में राज्य तब ही हस्तक्षेप कर सकती जब कि उनकी पत्नी इसे उठाए। यहां तथ्य यह है कि किसी भी आईपीएस जैसी केंद्रीय सेवा के अधिकारी को बिना केंद्रीय सरकार की सहमति और सहयोग के हटाया नहीं जा सकता।

दुर्भाग्य से भट्ट की बर्खास्तगी के संदर्भ में केंद्रीय सरकार की संस्थाओं की भूमिका को ही संदेहास्पद बना दिया गया है। ऐसे किसकी मामले में केंद्रीय गृहमंत्रालय और संघीय लोक सेवा आयोग (यूपीएससी) की सहमति जरूरी होती है। जैसा कि पूर्व आईएएस अधिकारी हर्ष मंदर ने लिखा है कि 'राज्य और केंद्र का सहमत होना आश्चर्यजनक नहीं है – गो कि दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है – क्यों कि उन्होंने (भट्ट ने) उस आदमी के खिलाफ गंभीर आरोप लगाए थे जो आजकल देश का प्रधानमंत्री है।Ó मंदर ने आगे जो लिखा है वह महत्वपूर्ण है कि: 'पर जो बात भट्ट के मामले में अत्यंत चिंता जनक है वह है यूपीएससी की भूमिका जो कि संविधान की धारा 315 के अंतर्गत स्थापित एक संवैधानिक संस्था है।Ó उनके अनुसार यूपीएससी ने भट्ट को अपना पक्ष रखने का उचित समय नहीं दिया।
स्पष्ट है कि सरकार यानी कि इसके शीर्ष पर बैठे आदमी के द्वारा खुले आम निजी राग-द्वेषों को तय करने के लिए यह दुरुपयोग हो रहा है। यह दुनिया के सबसे बड़े लोकतंत्र के प्रधानमंत्री का छोटापन तो दिखलाता ही है साथ में उन दूरगामी परिणाम की ओर भी इशारा करता है जो एक के बाद एकराष्ट्र की सारी शीर्ष संस्थाओं की विश्वसनीयता को खोखला कर रहा है।
इसी क्रम का दूसरा पर संभवत: उससे भी बड़ा उदाहरण में तीस्ता सीतलवाड और सबरंग फाउंडेशन का। सर्वविदित है कि उनकी संस्था 2002 के गुजरात के सांप्रदायिक दंगों के पीड़ितों के पक्ष में काम ही नहीं कर रही बल्कि उनकी कानूनी लड़ाई भी बड़े साहस के साथ चला रही है। उन्हीं के कारण राज्य के कई उच्चपदाधिकारी जेल गए हैं। राज्य सरकार वर्षों से इस फिराक में है कि किसी तरह से तीस्ता को दबोचा जाए। केंद्र में आने के बाद मोदी सरकार ने जो काम किया है वह है उनकी संस्था के खिलाफ यह आरोप लगाना कि उन्होंने दंगा पीड़ितों के नाम पर 11 लाख डालर (लगभग सात करोड़ 15 लाख रुपये ) का गबन किया है। इस तरह का आरोप पत्र सर्वोच्च न्यायालय में दायर किया गया है। यह पैसा तीस्ता की संस्था को फोर्ड फाउंडेशन से मिला है। पर तथ्य यह है कि फोर्ड फाउंडेशन ने इस तरह की कोई अनियमितता उनके हिसाब किताब में नहीं पाई है। कहने की जरूरत नहीं है कि अगर 2002 के दंगा पीड़ितों को न्याय मिलता है तो वह किस की हार होगी और उसके क्या परिणाम होंगे।

इसी बीच भारत सरकार ने जिस तरह से उन स्वतंत्र रूप से काम करनेवाली और विदेशी अनुदान पानेवाली स्वयंसेवी संस्थाओं (एनजीओ) को निशाना बनाया वह भी कम गंभीर नहीं है। सरकार यह सिद्ध करने पर उतारू है कि से संस्थाएं देशद्रोही हैं और लगातार जनता के खिलाफ काम कर रही हैं। सरकार इन जनता के बीच में काम करनेवाली संस्थाओं को परेशान करने पर किस हद तक उतर आई इसका उदाहरण ग्रीन पीस है। सरकार ने जिस तरह से ब्रिटेन में वेदांता द्वारा अपनी जमीन से बेदखल किए जा रहे आदिवासियों के पक्ष में गवाही देने जा रही ग्रीनपीस की प्रतिनिधि प्रिया पिल्लई को हवाई अड्डे पर रोका और उन्हें प्रताड़ित किया वह बहुत पुरानी बात नहीं है। यहां यह याद करना जरूरी है कि स्वयं भाजपा और आरएसएस की कई संस्थाओं को बड़ी मात्रा में विदेशों से दान मिलता है। सरकार ने इस स्रोतों को बंद करने की जरा भी कोशिश नहीं की है। पर मसला केंद्र या गुजरात तक ही सीमित नहीं रह गया है। ऐसा लगता है यह एक तरह से सर्वव्यापी तरीके में बदलता जा रहा है।

मध्य प्रदेश का उदाहरण लें। जिसे बेहतर भाजपा शासित राज्यों में माना जाता है। राज्य के बदनाम व्यापमं घोटाले ने अब तक लगभग 60 लोगों की बलि ले ली है। सैकड़ों युवा जेलों में सड़ रहे हैं या भागे फिर रहे हैं। हजारों प्रतिभाशाली युवकों का भविष्य चौपट हो चुका है। पर राज्य सरकार मामले की लीपा-पोती करने पर उतारू है और इस कोशिश में है कि मामले में कोई गवाही देने सामने न आए। उस डाक्टर राय दंपत्ति को जिसने इस मामले को सामने लाने में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिक निभाई, हर दो महीने में स्थानांतरित कर हैरान-परेशान किया जा रहा है।

इस संदर्भ में हालका उदाहरण अंग्रेजी पत्रिका तहलका पर महाराष्ट्र सरकार द्वारा मुकदमा दायर करने का है जिसमें विभिन्न धार्मिक आतंकवादियों के साथ बाल ठाकरे को भी शामिल करना है। यह छिपा नहीं है कि भाजपा की सहयोगी पार्टी शिवसेना अपनी आक्रामकता और हिंसा में किसी अन्य सांप्रदायिक संगठन से कम साबित नहीं होती। इस संगठन की पत्र-पत्रिकाएं जिस तरह की सांप्रदायिक और क्षेत्रीयतावादी आग उगलती हैं उन्हें कोई भी लोकतंत्रिक व्यवस्था सह नहीं सकती। इसलिए सरकार को या तो हर तरह के सांप्रदायिक अतिवादिता को रोकना चाहिए या फिर दूसरे पक्ष को सुनने का भी धैर्य रखना चाहिए।

देखने की बात यह है कि यह प्रतिशोध मात्र भाजपा के उन साक्षी महाराज, अवैद्यनाथ या साध्वी ज्योति ? का नहीं है जो हर बात पर सरकमल करने या खून का बदला खून की घोषणा से बाज नहीं आते बल्कि मुख्यधारा के उस नेतृत्व का है जिसकी प्रशासनिक दक्षता, दृष्टि और कार्यशैली पर देश का कारपोरेट मीडिया मुग्ध है। 

'पाकिस्तान आंदोलन'पर नई रोशनी

Dear Friends,

I have sad news to break.

During millennium of Mughal and British rule, large parcels of lands for Qabarstan, graveyards, and cremation grounds were provided, outside boundaries of towns. People did not want to live near those areas fearing dead souls surrounded those areas. However, in recent times, pressure on lands has increased and people don't mind living around those areas. Multi rise towers have come up. In Dahod, a Gujarat Waqf Board registered parcel is holding Id-gah and a Muslim cemetery. Some land mafia types have gotten hold of cheap land around this parcel. However, it has is no direct link to Dahod town and has not much value to the land without a direct road. So, they were eying demolition of above graveyard for a long time. During then CM Modi's Gujarat rule, Dahod Municipality had attempted demolition of the graveyard, and had demolished several graves. However, Dahod Qabarstan committee got stay order from Gujarat high court.

Sectarian Hindus rule Gujarat and Dahod. They tell Muslims, "What is the value of dead people when we need progress, the Vikas". However, the same people avoid everywhere big and small temples, Hindu Samadhi, or anything related to Hindu religion, finding a roundabout route saving those places.

For achieving the goal, the land Mafias purchased the police administration. Some existing officials were transferred and new officers were posted. They selected Sunday morning (Sept 6, 2015) when courts were closed and stay order could not be brought. Without giving any notice to Qabarstan Management, they pulled in several demolition equipment, and a large police force. They started demolishing Qabarstan compound wall that was constructed for preventing encroachments by animal grazers. Construction workers paved metal over Qabarstan graves and made road over it. It should be noted that many Sunni Muslims keep graves unmarked. They do not install tombstones lest it becomes an idol worshipping type place. They believe worshipping any article, except invisible God, is a big sin. Many Muslims are too poor paying for tombstones and a brick-mortar grave. Therefore, Muslim Qabarstan may look like an open ground.

Since the action was preplanned, Police had their plain cloth policemen and local Adivasi at hand. When demolition of compound wall and paving road was complete, and no trouble occurred despite of large crowd, those police agents started pelting stones on a police van; naturally, naïve young boys joined them as a kneejerk reaction without thinking this was a police trap. Police started lathi charge, curfew and 144 was imposed. Crowd started running creating a stampede. Many Muslims had come in vehicles to see the demolition and be witness. Their vehicles were towed away.

The action was a playbook case. The issue of demolition of wall and paving of road was a civil issue between administration and Qabarstan management. By creating riot, it has now become criminal issue with Muslim leaders and police. Now leaders under arrest, admiration will continue roadwork. For coming decades, Muslims will look at their graveyard and remember the atrocities of government committed on entire section of a community, for making few landowners super rich.

All over Gujarat, democracy minded people submitted petitions to authorities and promised a statewide agitation if those corrupt police is not brought to books. Gujarat high court has summoned those involved police offices for contempt of court for disobeying its stay order. I believe no action will be implemented against them under rule of current Gujarat Government.

Our Roshan Safar Waqf President Mr. Aizaz Kahn was talking to a reporter when a policeman hit him on right eye with a baton. Mr. Aizaz Kahn was arrested and taken to police station. Since it was Sunday, no bail was possible; he had to pass night in police custody. It is a shame, because Mr. Aizaz Khan was always helpful to police and municipality administration whenever help was need. He has received several certificates from Mamlatdar and other officials. Recently he helped officials establishing Atal Bihar library and passport camp.

Gujarat administration is in grip of anti-Muslim elements. I believe secular minded and tolerant people must come into action, otherwise all Mahatma Gandhiji's work and hard-earned democracy will see doom. If about 14% of Indian population is kept suppressed and backward, India's growth will remain stunted.

Please view pictures of the incident. Please click the link and view all pictures.

जनादेश के अपहरण की युक्तियां

Author: राजेश कुमार Edition : September 2015