The Ground Report India - 2010 April Edition PDF

Ground Report India (GRI) April 2010
GRI - April 2010 3
Editorials 3
Democratic Society – the Recent Utopia 3
Special Edition on Water Issues by the Ground Report India (GRI) 8
Cover Reports 9
An untold story of a human rights activist (Maoist : Am I a sympathiser or Supporter) by Gladson Dungdung) 9
Does Pranab Mukherjee misuse constitutional powers for private reasons not for public good 10
Kirity Roy, HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER, HARASSED by west bengal government systems 11
International 13
Thimphu Statement on Climate Change 13
Middle East/Asia: Partial Reforms Fail Migrant Domestic Workers 14
India-Brazil Joint Statement 16
MEDIA IN UKRAINE: An Overview of current obstacles to media freedom and independence 18
Reports 20
An open letter to Union minster for Environment and Forests 20
National Online Survey Report of Senior Citizens & Letter of Protest to MOSJE Mr.Mukul Wasnik 21
CHRONOLOGY OF POLICE ATROCITIES & HARASSMENTS AGAINST MASUM ACTIVISTS - FOR CONDUCTING
PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL ON TORTURE 21
Social Audit on State RTI Information Commissioners launched 25
Let innocent millions be killed but not a single perpetrator in uniform in India be punished 25
Mumbai Poor Unite to Launch Postcard Campaign to Oppose Food Security “Bull” 27
Amnesty International- India: Government of West Bengal must drop false charges against activists campaigning
against torture 28
Parliamentarians pay tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar 29
6th National conference on Electoral and Political reforms in Bhopal 29
Stop structural violence against adivasis Stop destructive development and restore the faith of the adivasis in the
Indian Constitution 30
Delegation met the president of India on issue of students of IIT Kanpur 31
I have no intention and desire of rejoining the BJP: Govindacharya 31
Parliamentarians pay tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram 32
Columns 33
Suicides and attempts for suicide by the students of IIT Kanpur (An autonomous prestigious Institute where
recruiters come from heaven) 33
www.groundreportindia.com 1
ISSUES FACING ELDERLY PERSONS 33
Land Use Planning for Judicious Use of Valuable Land for Establishment of Agro-Economic Zones in Uttar
Pradesh 34
VACCINATION IS NOT IMMUNIZATION 38
Caution in accepting GMO products 39
The Spread of Naxalism and Maoism (by Anant Trivedi, NNFI Delhi) 39
Funding peace-building 41
CAN A CORRUPTION RIDDEN GOVERNMENT DEFEAT THE MAOISTS ? 42
EASTER: CELEBRATION OF HUMAN SPIRIT 43
GENETIC ROULETTE 44
THE LAST SUPPER (by P N Benjamin) 46
An article on Ganga by Dr. Amarnath Giri 47
About Ground Report India 49
Publication Policies: 49
Email Policies: 50
Disclaimer: 50
GRI - April 2010
Editorials
Democratic Society – the Recent Utopia

Guest Editorial by Yora Atanasova,
(please click for original article in Bulgarian)
1. The Lost Illusions during the Years after 1989

2. The World in April 2010
3. What is Coming?
I have twice experienced big disillusionment in my life – with “the real socialism” and with the “real” democracy, as I grew up during
the socialism, experienced the transition, and gradually realized that as far as the democracy exists it is actually imitation and fake.
Maybe, I will witness the emerging failure of the Anglo-Saxon capitalism, which I rather call individualism or extreme individualism.
Today, I feel like we live in two fantasy novels at the same time: The Futurological Congress by Stanislav Lem and Nineteen Eighty-
Four by George Orwell. Realization of one suggested illusion is often prelude to another bitter one, and the reality increasingly looks
like the one of Big Brother.
It is still unclear what will substitute the capitalism/individualism, and what will happen with the democratic ideas. Probably, the next
utopia will be another negation of the previous one still keeping some of its elements.
Perhaps, it is utopian to hope that this time, finally, on the brink of ecological disaster, various social development projects will occur in
different countries, and that the most efficient of them will gradually strengthen their position in a positive competition, rather than
through hot or cold wars.
1. THE LOST ILLUSIONS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AFTER 1989
In 1989, with the end of the "real socialism" and the beginning of the transition to democracy and market economy, everything
seemed clear. We believed in the democratic ideology and values. We assumed that we had finally understood the truth, and knew who
was good and who was bad.
During the first years of the transition, I was a student at Sofia University, and would suck in all on social sciences from both media
and newly published Western literature. I would go to the rallies of all parties and organizations in order to feel the atmosphere and
their spirit. I would reinvent the new for the Bulgarian society ideas, including spiritual beliefs and God.
Not just words but a reality were democracy, human rights, freedom of speech and expression, rule of law, division of powers,
transparency of the political governance, the supremacy and the lack of alternative of the market economy and capitalism,
individualism, fairness of the world order, free and fair elections, independent and objective media and journalism (at least CNN and
BBC), the power of civil society and NGOs, state sovereignty...
I believed that the democracy, which “may not be perfect but is the best political system ever invented“, could be achieved by those
who sincerely sought it and diligently fulfilled the requirements of the most developed democracies, respectively of those
organizations, which the latter led. I was happy with the successes of Bulgaria towards membership in both NATO and European
Union, because we had many examples of countries that had achieved prosperity, stability and security as a result of those
memberships.
Capitalist society and democracy were synonymous. The U.S. and allies sincerely wanted peace in the world and prosperity of all
countries, and they sympathetically helped both emerging democracies and developing countries. They were strong, and dominated
the world because of the superiority of their ideology, political and economic systems. The U.S.A.'s leaders were more reliable because
they had been already rich when were elected, and the British secret services were the best in Europe. I thought that although the U.S.
played the role of world's policeman, any society needed police, and we were lucky that they themselves performed the job; because of
both their democratic system and internal control by the civil society they could not abuse this role. The established democracies had
outgrown the disadvantages of their imperial periods.
However, gradually I started seeing increasing discrepancies between words and media suggested, on the one hand, and reality - on
the other. For Bulgarians, the events associated with the disintegration of former Yugoslavia, and especially with the affirmation and
identity of the newly established country FYR Macedonia was like a litmus test. First I thought the biggest problems were caused by
the Serbs and some individual Western countries allies of he U.S. as a historical recurrence due to deformations of their national
psychology. Gradually, I realized that it was not about individual countries but about the system.
I myself wonder in which of the above mentioned I still believe now: perhaps, in spirituality and God? I also believe in humanity,
morality and solidarity as the substructure of the society; however, I learned the latter from my family, my country's culture and
socialist ideology, even though I find the utopian as a whole.
2. THE WORLD IN APRIL 2010
The Macedonian Issue
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is like a litmus test for the actual policy and values in today's world for anyone, who is at
least a little informed or get interested in and read something of the history of the Balkans. Macedonia is a vivid embodiment of the
Orwellian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
As known, the country split from former Yugoslavia in 1991, and Bulgaria first recognized it. Currently, it is in involved in name
dispute with Greece, and Macedonian version of history of both nation and state are disputed by both Greece and Bulgaria. Positions
regarding the ethnic identity of the modern Macedonians are not very clear, and have shades, but hardly Bulgaria or Greece would
deny the right of the Macedonians, as well as ones of any other people to identify themselves ethnically.
The problem is that for political reasons the Macedonians identify themselves based on falsified history, including their neighbours'
one, and that is seen as hostility, provocation, irritation and sowing future conflicts. A Big Brother' sentence, which is fully true to
Macedonia is that who possesses the past, they possesses the future too; who possesses the present, they possesses the past. That policy
started during the former Yugoslavia, and then it was explained with the Serbian intentions to keep the Macedonians away from
Bulgaria and cleave them to Serbia. However, it is going on nowadays, with some lucid moments of rapprochement between
Macedonia and Bulgaria, for example at the time of the deceased Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski, who died tragically in a
plane crash in 2004. By the way, there was nothing nationalistic or chauvinistic in this rapprochement from the Bulgarian side; it was
in European spirit.
Any objective and honest observer could at least compare Macedonian versions / translations of historical documents and fiction with
the originals, and see that "Bulgaria", "Bulgarian" and their derivatives would be replaced by „Macedonia“, „Macedonian“, etc.
If today's Macedonians want to be Macedonians and not Bulgarians or any other, nobody and nothing could stop them, even the fact
that their ancestors had Bulgarian self-consciousness. What is the logic for the Macedonian leaders to care for this falsified and fake
version of history instead of for the actual and real modern Macedonian identity? What is their benefit from it, especially given the
dispute with Greece and barriers to Macedonian integration into NATO and the EU to which they aspire?
A more precise question, however, is why Anglo-Saxon countries, Germany and other, obviously encourage it if judging from the
appearances of their officials, journalists and other citizens on Macedonian media, where they confidently explain to the Macedonians
how much they are right in the dispute with Greece, and suggest they must be united and speak with one voice. The latter is often
repeated by the Macedonian politicians too. Furthermore, they put tremendous pressure on Greece, even knowing that it is not that
much about the name but about the Macedonian provocative and hostile interpretations of history.
At the same time, the most logical solution of Greek-Macedonian dispute is to show those falsified sources and the own historic
documents and records of Britons, Americans, Germans, etc., and to suggest to the Macedonians that they can be whatever they want,
but not on the basis of falsification.
Unfortunately, the logical explanation for not doing it is that the falsifications and „Macedonism“ (as in Bulgaria they call the
Macedonian aggressive nationalism based on fake history and crooked historical interpretations hostile to the neighbours) are
necessary for the above mentioned big countries themselves, and serve their (geo)political interests. In our country it is believed that the
Macedonian nation was created by the Comintern in the 40s of the last century, with the participation of Bulgarian communists.
However, given that the official Macedonian language is written up by Americans, and the latter's more than controversial policy
today, I wonder if it really happened that way.
Another paradox is that the media in Bulgaria do not show all this to the Bulgarians. While the Bulgarians as a whole know very well
their history, and are aggrieved at and disappointed by the Macedonism, they are not aware of the attitude of their new allies on the
Macedonian dispute, and therefore remain very positive about them.
Where are the correctives?
The democratic ideas still sound to me beautiful and attractive, but today's reality makes me doubt in their practical feasibility. If there
was democracy some time in the past, where is it today, when every election is manipulated by controlling public opinion and moods,
at the same time formally declaring it as fair? In such case, of course, it is hard to speak about independent media, journalism and
freedom of thought and speech. Could we suppose that during the past decades of democratic blossoming, the democracy was largely
been only words, but then the Cold War and rivalry with the Soviet bloc and communism were to blame? Or maybe, there was more
democracy, due to both fear of infiltration of communist influence and deterrent effect of the antagonist camp?
In the last century, the prosperity of the Western democracies was probably achieved thanks to pluralism, dualism, and if using a
market term, to the absence of monopoly. It coincided, and largely is due to the existence of the Soviet Union and Soviet camp of
countries, which formed a second pole. Two opposite poles, it is a normal and stable condition in the nature. When one of the poles
dropped out, the other pole not only lost much of its motivation to have more acceptable for the people image, and really be better,
but many of its shortcomings hypertrophied. Monopoly in politics proved as dangerous and harmful to ordinary people as the
economic monopoly was. The democracy, the democratic society, the civil society, the political parties – each of those proved to be
powerless as internal corrective.
So the most powerful countries and ruling circles were able to set whatever aims they want (or to pursue old ones), and use any means
they could wish in order to achieve them, without anyone controlling them and being capable to stop them, and even without public
understanding of what they actually were doing. While it is not inconceivable to suppose that once upon a time the rulers would think
exactly what they would say, and there was less hypocrisy in the public space, nowadays, the words apparently only serve to conceal the
real intentions and goals.
Besides the absence of equally powerful rival as a corrective, the development of ICT and psychology, respectively the techniques for
mass influence, also contributed to that state.
Kingdom of individualism
A little over a hundred years ago, in his book To Chicago and Backwards , the Bulgarian writer Aleko Konstantinov quoted the words
of a Serbian immigrant in the U.S. that "dough is the queen“. However, in my opinion, the capitalism is a kingdom of the
individualism. Money give much more individual freedom, enable the individual to be less dependent on a community and its norms,
as well as on society and place, and therefore make them less accountable to others and less moral. "Money do not smell"; they not just
allow a person to get almost everything they need, anywhere in the world, but also to influence people and institutions. Even if they
might have been acquired in a queer manner inconsistent with our ideals of good and morality, they are capable of providing an
image of integrity.
The real rulers, the "world rulers", people with the money, influence and power are seeking for global governance through the leading
countries. They may not necessarily be politicians; for the politicians it is just important to be good executors and public faces. Of
course, as it is known that the U.S. presidents are usually wealthy people, emanating from a few family clans. The country of the
unlimited opportunities is really such one for a particular range of people.
The right place for every rich man, who wants to become wealthier and has global ambitions is in those societies. The immigrants
possessing lots of money are welcome there. The society as a whole also benefits, getting high life standard, which maintains the
loyalty and attachment of the ordinary people, in addition to the normal human instincts of belonging to a community – yet no
individual can be a lonely island, even though the British would say that about themselves by way of a joke.
Countries such as England and the U.S. prosper by attracting, in one or another way, of wealth – capital, natural and other resources,
"brains", and also through exporting their problems. For example, in recent decades, they export their environmental problems,
respectively nature polluting industries.
Aggressiveness and false positivity
Aggressiveness is considered a good thing in the U.S. It is obvious in popular culture and films, and also I have heard it from an
American Methodist pastor. I thought that actually the Americans meant activity and vigour, but later realized that they speaked
literally. Being aggressive means to be a fighter, to attack your competitors, to weaken them in order to achieve success yourself.
Meanwhile, this is something quite different from the Bulgarian culture, where people tend to wish on holidays "to be better", or
torment themselves on different unfortunate occasions that they are not good enough.
Perhaps, the history of aggressiveness can be traced back at least to the dawn of capitalism, when the British Empire managed to
benefit from the higher aggressiveness of some of its nationals, benefited by sending prisoners away to America and Australia and by
allowing the adventurers and rebels to travel overseas and conquer distant lands.
Both aggression and exploitation are the way of survival of those societies. At the same time, today's Anglo-Saxon cultures consider
themselves positively inclined, and have built a positivist image. They are considered optimistic, seeking opportunities above all and
believing in ultimate success. However, is that positivity true: while seeing and looking for opportunities for yourself, preventing others
from doing the same? It is rather destructiveness.
In this sense, the criticisms of the former communists that the capitalist system was exploitative and imperialistic were reasonable. It is
another issue that the political alternative proposed by the former and being realized for some time, was not good and collapsed.
Managing the public opinion and the public mood
Perhaps, all the rulers of all times dreamed of what today's rulers have achieved through the media, ICT and psychological
techniques. In the past, they applied only physical violence but today they mainly rely on the more sophisticated methods.
The world rulers can control the mass consciousness in order to achieve their desired election outcomes, be it political or even cultural
elections such as the "Eurovision Song Contest" (again for political purposes). The way they do it is similar to that in which consumers'
preferences and mood are moulded by the marketing.
The mental picture in our minds about the world we live in is a target of influence and modelling. For example, the media suggested
ideas about the allocation of political forces or rival camps are not reliable because some already subject countries may be presented as
opponents just for the sake of convenience, and then put in different scenarios similar to "good and bad cop". How would any country
agree to be treated that way? Unfortunately, today, each country can be conquered through a series of (pre-)election manipulations
resulting with electing puppet politicians, who hold "reforms" until the key positions are occupied by their people. It seems to be a
dangerous new virus, with which the societies have not faced in such a scale so far, and against which they do not have immunity.
The world rulers act globally, not recognizing borders and state sovereignty. They apply it to both countries proclaimed as
undemocratic and evil and "friend" countries either new allies from the former Soviet bloc or ones of long standing from "Old
Europe"; the small and weak countries, and the big developed countries which were once "great powers" may be equally hit. "England
has no friends but has interests” is an old-time sentence.
With regard to enemies such interventions will be justified with imposing democracy and human rights, while in the case of "allies" -
with corruption, breaking some rules ... even being unlikable. Regarding the latter I mean Bulgaria, as it is not hard to notice that the
media in different countries keep on publishing negative and tendentious articles about Bulgaria as it happened during the Cold War,
at the same time skipping the good things. Bulgarians blame themselves for their poor image, but perhaps there are major political
interests and objectives behind it. And we are certainly not worse than the others, so that is pure discrimination, indiscernible from
racial one, anti-Semitism "or any other.
Technical societies
It seems that the world rulers are not very interested in philosophy and philosophical issues. They are practical and pragmatic, but
above all their philosophy is 'I want', and both social engineering and sciences are to just give them the technology and techniques for
achieving the desired. I think if, figuratively speaking, Jesus went down to them, they would be only interested in acquiring his skills
and techniques and applying them. Of course, after making sure he does not threat them (otherwise, a similar to "Star Wars" scenario
will be activated), and trying to subject him, and treat him as a laboratory exemplar.
Ordinary people's wishes can not interfere with and impede the rulers' ones. Maybe, this is why the primary instincts are encouraged
in the individualistic societies. Normally, any society has restrictions and taboos, and it is hard to believe it is just about mass culture
and individual freedoms. More likely, the goal is eccentricity, sexual lawlessness, alcohol and addictions to be taken up as freedoms, so
distracting people from thinking of their true freedoms. People are encouraged, openly or not, through advertisements and mass
culture, to harm their health through hazardous sex, alcohol, smoking and drugs, and afterward they themselves and society pay a lot
of money for treatment, which certainly is also financially beneficial for variety of industries, including pharmaceutics.
Environmental short-sightedness
Nature is treated in the same way as society - as a resource for achieving small group of people's individual and corporate goals as well
as for fulfilling their limitless opportunities. Individualistic societies are unable to deal with the environmental problems likewise the
way they are powerless in the social sphere. However, while in the social sphere it could be balanced somehow by the abundance of
wealth concentrated from and on account of the world, in terms of ecology it can not happen.
Today's environment shows the failure of the dominant Anglo-Saxon capitalism. Unlike the humans and societies, the nature can not
be manipulated and exploited endlessly. The mankind reached the limit and began to realize it. Unlike worms, which corrode an
apple, we have no where to shelter afterwards, including the rulers with unlimited opportunities. It is not know if ever and when
people will be able to leave the Earth and colonize other planets or objects in space.
The leading countries and politicians try to take the initiative here too, but their approach is clearly limited to enlightenment, i.e. alert
about the situation and danger. At the same time, there still are powerful economic interests that oppose the actions addressing
environmental problems. The environmental objectives, set in various documents and at different forums, are either regarded as
insufficiently ambitious or can not be agreed. However, even if they were agreed, their feasibility would be doubtful since the
sustainable development requires a life philosophy differing from both individualism and consumerism. Unfortunately, Europe, the
European Union, the leading European countries and increasing number of other have got into, softly speaking, Anglo-Saxon
influence, and therefore are moving away from the sustainable development.
3. WHAT IS COMING?
Negation and replacement of the leading concepts and lifestyles
There will be disappointment in the now dominant views associated with capitalism / individualism and perhaps democracy, which
will lead to their denial and replacement in accordance with the development spiral known from the Hegelian dialectic. It means not
only a negation of the theory, but also of its practical dimensions in living, including both current world leadership and related
relations and organizations.
It is yet not known which will be the new dominant concept, and who will be its carriers. It may be related to ecology, since the
environmental problems are becoming far more acute, and will inevitably stand in the centre of attention, while the systemic failure of
the leading individualist societies and their leaders to deal with them will be tangibly felt by the world. The strength and sharpness of
the resistance to this leadership change will probably depend on the severity of the problems, as well as on whether the way for
expansion and new space colonization will be found. In the latter case, the ruling circles would rather treat the Earth as a rotten apple,
and would search for a egoistic salvation.
It is not excluded that the current trend of global total control and manipulation will continue, but getting regional, nationalistic or
other similar dimensions, particularly given that the current opposition to the global Big Brother, which has retained some potential
and capacity for organized resistance, including appropriate psychological attitude of the population, can not be described as
democratic. However, the presence of many totalitarian centres would still be pluralism, and hence could result in positive long term
developments.
Dealing with the Big-Brotherhood
The Big-Brotherhood problem is not due to the revolutionary technological development, which has occurred for the recent decades,
respectively ICT methods and techniques for psychological impact. George Orwell created that image in his novel shortly after the
World War II, as opposition to the totalitarianism and propaganda at that time, when there was just radio and cinema, and the boom
in the development of psychology was forthcoming. But the technological development made the Big-Brotherhood more sophisticated
and raised it to a new level.
I hope that the use of ICT and psychological techniques by the rulers for control and manipulation of both individuals and
communities will be overcome. It could happen by using the same means, for example development and distribution of such ICT,
which are aimed at protecting the personal privacy and freedom. Possibly, the world rulers' skills for implementation of ICT and
psychological impact techniques will gradually be acquired and used by a number of centres of power. However, people and societies
will gradually learn to recognize them and not succumb. The Big-Brotherhood problem now swept under the rug purposefully (by the
rulers) or because of reluctance and fear will gradually be recognized and evaluated as priority.
It is also possible, even though may sound fantastic hat the psychology, communication, interaction between the people in society will
develop in new directions of more transparency and sharing both life and thoughts with each other.
Triad Individualism-Sociality-Environmentalism
The human aggression, love of power and greed that underlie today's problems are so inherent to the human as the socials instincts
and the need for community, belonging and cooperation are. In recent history, for the first time individual and social dimensions of the
human have formed a leading duo and unity and struggle of opposites, a thesis and antithesis. Indeed, individualism appeared along
with the capitalist system. While the individualism / capitalism, which preceded the socialism and sent it history (or at least its most
radical and organized carriers) seemed triumphant winner in the late 80's and early 90's of the last century, it now appears to be one-
sided and insufficient by itself.
In this sense, there will probably be return and strengthening of the social, communal elements and more close monitoring on those
individuals and groups of “world rulers”, who now have enormous and uncontrolled power. The new socialism / sociality will
certainly differ from the Soviet one, and will rather express itself as attachment to community, more cooperation and responsibility to
the society. The latter will differ from the "social responsibility" which, like the ever popular "Glasnost" only depends on the goodwill;
it will then be both an obligation and value.
Environmentalism will join the current duo individualism-socialism. And maybe exactly from the former will come the strongest
impetus for change and shifting power from the individualism. The question is whether it will be too late.
If we lean on the experience, the environmental problems will continue to be swept under the rug, because of both resistance of the
individualism and existing powerful economic interests, and their influence on the public consciousness on one hand, and due to the
psychological denial from the society on another hand. This will go on until many people feel the environmental problems really
acutely, and the latter become environmental cataclysms. Otherwise, even now there are many indicators of climate change, as well as
voices predicting a pending catastrophe within one or more decades, but people are too busy with the problems in the 'individual-
society' duo.
It is obvious that the leaders of individualistic societies are trying to play a leading role in relation to ecology too. However, they can
hardly be successful, because coping with these problems requires a different philosophy including rejection of consumerism. Because
of their impotence in this regard, they would possibly resort to imitation of change, and thereby will delay and make it more difficult
to find proper environmental solutions.
I wish to believe that alternative projects with efficient environmental aspects will appear before the ecological disaster, and will
prevent it. We can only speculate whether they will include the good old statehood and nationalism, which currently seems to be the
only hope for correction of the global individualism and Big-Brotherhood.
If we survive, ideal would be to have a balance between individualism, sociality and environmentalism. Of course, every ideal is
utopian, and even if pursued it can never be fully achieved. Since two poles are a normal and stable condition in the nature, it is likely
to have a new grouping in pairs in the triad individualism-sociality-environmentalism. It may be a variation of our historically familiar
duos society-nature (from the early stages of development of the homo sapience). It is even possible that if the environmental disaster
is avoided a new duo individualism-environmentalism will make first appearance. However, I suppose that individualism will have
previously undergone transformation and catharsis, and above all, will have dismissed the consumerism and Big-Brotherhood.
Anyway, the next duo will most likely include sociality, either as a transition or as a permanent condition.
If the individualism and the socialism are two opposite extremes of the same thing, we could maybe expect their convergence
(synthesis) in a more distant future. Then probably, a third element will be clearly outlined and ready to join the duo. It may be the
spirituality and what is now associated with divinity. Or it could appear from the technology.
In conclusion, these thoughts of mine may be familiar to someone, look like an attempt at fiction a la Orwell to others, or as madness
for third. Anyway, I hope that they will still lead anyone to think and at least sometimes try to perceive the media news from this point
of view.
(please click for original article in Bulgarian)
Article by:
Yora Atanasova
____________________________________
Special Edition on Water Issues by the Ground Report India (GRI)
Dear Friends,
Thank you for appreciation and contributions to establish and empower the Ground Report India (GRI) as a ground voice for the
common people.
The Ground Report India is planning a Special Edition in the month of September 2010 on Water Issues and ground works on Water
Issues in India. Please send reports of ground works on water issues for special edition.
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Editors
The Ground Report India
____________________
Cover Reports
An untold story of a human rights activist (Maoist : Am I a sympathiser or Supporter) by Gladson Dungdung)
I appeared in the public life through my human rights works, writings and speeches. However, I reached to the larger audience when I
had got a chance to appear in CNN-IBN and NDTV-24x7 debates on the issue of Naxalism last year. After these debates, I got
immense positive and negative responses from across the country. I was upset for sometime precisely because the most negative
responses I got from those youth, who are running behind the market forces unknowingly. They ruthlessly questioned me whether I get
money from Pakistan, Nepal or China for speaking against the Indian State. I responded few of them with the detail explanation but
many believe on P Chidambaram's theory of this side or that side therefore they are not ready to accept my rational arguments.
Meanwhile, I continued my work of raising the genuine issues of the marginalized people of India. Amidst, the so-called operation
green hunt (OGH) was also launched in the state of Jharkhand in the name of cleansing the Maoists. I passionately attempted to bring
out the truth of the OGH, intention of the state behind the OGH and sufferings of the villagers caused by the OGH. As a result, so-
called educated people intensified more personal attacks against me. There are also some e-groups where they attempted to coin me as
a Maoists sympathizer and supporter. Finally, they have portrayed me as a Maoist Ideologue. I just laugh, laugh and laugh. Precisely,
because how can a person suddenly become the Maoist ideologue without having a depth study on Maoism? I have never read about
the Maoism.
I deliberately do not read about any ideology because I know that Maoists teach the Adivasis about Maoism, Gandhians preach them
about Gandhism and Marxists ask them to walk on Marxism but no one bothers about the Adivasism, which is the best is among
these, which perhaps leads to a just and equitable society. I have been raising the questions about how the Indian State has deliberately
destroyed the Adivasism. The Adivasi religion was not recognized by the Indian constitution, traditional self-governance was
neglected, culture was destroyed, lands were grabbed and our resources were snatched in the name of development. But what do we
get out of it? Should we still keep quiet? Are we not the citizens of this country who need to be treated equally? Do they care about
our sufferings?
I am one of those unfortunate persons, who have lost everything for the so-called development of the nation and struggling for
survival even today. When I was just one year old, my family was displaced. Our 20 acres of fertile land was taken away from us in the
name of development. Our ancestral land was submerged in a Dam, which came up at Chinda River near Simdega town in 1980. We
lost our house, agricultural land and garden but we were paid merely Rs.11 thousand as compensation. When the whole villagers
protested against it they were sent to Hazaribagh Jail. Can a family of 6 members ensure food, clothing, shelter, education and health
facilities for whole life with Rs.11 thousand?
After displacement, We had no choice rather than proceeding towards the dense forest for ensuring our livelihood. We settled down in
the forest after buying a small patch of land. We used to collect flowers, fruits and firewood to sustain our family. We also had sufficient
livestock, which supported our economy. Needless to say that the state suppression continued with us. When we were living in the
forest, my father was booked under many cases filed by the forest department (the biggest landlord of the country) alleging him as an
encroacher and woodcutter. There was no school building in our village therefore we used to study under the trees and when there was
rain our school was closed. But my father taught us to always fight for justice. Though he was struggling to sustain our family but he
never stopped his fight for the community.
Unfortunately, on 20 June 1990, my parents were brutally murdered while they were going to Simdega civil court to attend a case and
4 kids were orphaned. Can anyone imagine how we suffered afterwards? The worst thing is the culprits were not brought to justice.
Can anyone tell us that why the India State did not deliver justice to us, who snatched our resource in the name of development? Why
there is no electricity in my village even today? Why my people do not get water for their field whose lands were taken for the
irrigation projects? Why there is no electricity in those houses, who have given their land for the power project? And why people are
still living in small mud houses whose lands were taken for the steel plants? It seems that the Adivasis are only born to suffer and other
to enjoy over our graves.
After a long struggle, we all got back to life but my pain and sufferings did not end here. When I was working as a state programme
officer in a project funded by the European Commission, a senior government officer and an editor of a newspaper (both from the
upper caste) questioned my credentials saying that being an Adivasi how did I get into such a prestigious position? Similarly, when my
friend had taken me to meet a newly wedded couple of the upper caste in Ranchi, I was not allowed to meet them saying that being
an Adivasi if I meet the couple, they might become unauspicious and their whole life would be in a stake. Was I a devil for them?
However, when I joined another farm, I was totally undermined and not given the position, which I highly deserved to. I was racially
discriminated, economically exploited and mentally disturbed. Can anyone tell me that why I should not fight for justice? Can those
so-called supporters of the unjust development process, who have not given even one inch of land for the so-called national interest,
coin me as the Maoist ideologue, sympathizer and supporter respond me that why I should shut up my mouth and stop writing against
injustice, inequality and discrimination?
I have lost everything in the name of development and now I have nothing to lose therefore Iï¿½m determined to fight for my own
people because I do not want them to be trapped in the name of development. I have taken the democratic path of struggle, which
the India Constitution guarantees through the Article 19. A pen, mouth and mind are my weapons. Iï¿½m neither a Maoist nor a
Gandhian but Iï¿½m an Adivasi who is determined to fight for its own people, whom the Indian State has alienated, displaced and
dispossessed from their resources and continually doing it in the name of development, national security and national interest even
today.
--------------------------
Does Pranab Mukherjee misuse constitutional powers for private reasons not for public good
India
The dust has not yet settled around Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar, but the cloak of silence that surrounds ministerial
girlfriends and cronies seems to be coming apart. The Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad Edition, said: “A spate of babu heads will roll,
but largely those in minor services but with major loyalties to mantris who matter… Though nobody is saying anything directly, it
looks like one of the possible targets of this draconian measure is Omita Paul. Currently Ms Paul is on the personal staff of the most
senior of ministers, Pranab babu.”
Read Deccan Herald article dated 18th April:
http://www.dc-epaper.com/DC/DCH/2010/04/18/ArticleHtmls/18_04_2010_011_039.shtml?Mode=0
Mrs Omita Paul, an officer of the IIS (Indian Information Service) cadre, has been on Pranab Mukherjee’s personal staff for the past
30 years, through all his successive postings, including various ministries and the Planning Commission. The only time when she
served on the Information & Broadcasting Ministry is when Mr Mukherjee was not in power.
Pranab Mukherjee was able to ensure Omita Paul’s appointment as CIC on the eve of general elections in 2009 thanks to the Prime
Ministerial committee’s pliability, besides the lack of transparency of the selection process. Read the complete & unabridged story
here: http://www.box.net/shared/yxy898b9re
Armed with documents procured under Right to Information, Girish Mittal & Krishnaraj Rao filed a complaint with Election
Commission of India (ECI): http://www.box.net/shared/13lfm7il7h
ECI’s reply ( http://www.box.net/shared/q0vn7yzy3g ), signed by Under Secretary K.N. Bhar, said: 'I am directed to state that there
was no violation of the model code of conduct on appointment of Omita Paul as central information commissioner as appointment of
central information commissioner or information commissioner is governed by the statutory provisions of the RTI Act, 2005.’ To
understand this reply in its context, it helps to remember that Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla is widely believed to be a
Congress sympathizer.
WHAT MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT STATES: Election Commission of India’s Model Code of Conduct specifies: “From the
time elections are announced by the Commission, Ministers and other authorities shall not make any ad-hoc appointments in
Government, Public Undertakings etc. which may have the effect of influencing the voters in favour of the party in power”. Q 52 of
FAQs also clarifies that such appointments must be deferred till the completion of elections.
Model Code of Conduct & FAQs: http://www.box.net/shared/5m7n145hyo
DOES ANY STATUTORY PROVISION OF RTI ACT EXEMPT CIC’S APPOINTMENT FROM CODE OF CONDUCT?
Provisions relating to appointment of Central Information Commissioners are highlighted. RTI Act: http://www.box.net/shared/
i2qbrtqjrf
LEGAL OPINION: IS ELECTION COMMISSION’S CONTENTION MAINTAINABLE? IS THIS NOT A DANGEROUS

PRECEDENT? If this reply is legally maintainable, then, from a layman’s point of view, it appears that: (1) All politicians may
appoint their favourite people as information commissioners at the time of elections! And (2) Not only information commissioners --
any other "statutory appointments" such as those of Human Rights Commissioners under other Acts and statutes, are also allowed! It
can lead to a free-for-all. Constitutional expert and Supreme Court advocate M L Lahoty disagrees with the stand taken by the ECI. 'I
entirely disagree with this, and there is no question of such appointment being ousted from the model code of conduct,' Lahoty
recently told IANS. 'It is well known that during the enforcement of model code of conduct, no appointment, that too for a senior and
sensitive post like this (information commissioner) can take place without the consent and approval from the Election Commission,
and this is the general rule under the guidelines of the Supreme Court,' he said.
Report by:
Krishnaraj Rao
FOOTNOTE 1: Summary of Progression of events:

The below events make it clear that Mrs Paul was appointed not for public good but for a private reason. Approaching the Lok Sabha
elections in May ‘09, Pranab-babu was worried about what would happen to his friend when he was no long a minister. He wanted to
park her in a safe post for five years, just in case UPA and/or he lost the elections and failed to return to power. So one of his last acts
as External Affairs Minister was to ensure her safety by making her CIC, where she was protected from pulls and pressures of any
politician or bureaucrat, and virtually impossible to dismiss!
After 1980, wherever Pranab Babu wielded any governmental authority, Mrs Paul was always there, without fail. The eight-year
stretch between 1996 and 2004 when Pranab-babu was out of power must have been a difficult and emotionally draining period. Mrs
Paul jumped four jobs and took voluntary retirement from government service in 2002. But they outlasted this difficult period, and
then it was back to business-as-usual after 2004. Only, now instead of being “Officer on Special Duty (OSD)”, Mrs Paul would be
Pranab Babu’s “Advisor”.
Look at Pranab & Omita’s careers together:

1) Pranab – Commerce Minister Jan 1980 to Jan 1982.
Mrs Paul -- Under Secretary of Commerce Feb ‘79 to Dec ’82
2) Pranab -- Finance Minister Jan ‘82 to Dec ‘84
Mrs Paul – Director of Public Relations Finance Ministry Jan ‘83 to June ’84
www.groundreportindia.com
10
3) Pranab – Deputy Chairman Planning Commission June ‘91 to May ‘96
Mrs Paul -- Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Planning Commission June ‘91 to May ’96
4) Pranab -- Commerce Minister Jan ‘93 to Feb ‘95
Mrs Paul -- OSD to Commerce Minister May ‘92 to Jan ’95
5) Pranab – External Affairs Minister Feb ‘95 to May ‘96
Mrs Paul -- OSD to External Affairs Minister, Jan ‘95 to May ’96
6) Pranab -- Defence Minister May 2004 to ‘06, and External Affairs Minister 2006 to May ‘09
Mrs Paul -- Advisor to Minister of Defence & External Affairs & Finance Nov 2004 to May ’09
7) Elections were declared in March 2009. By the last week of March, it became widely known that Mrs Paul was one of the three
contenders for the post of a new CIC to be appointed. Aruna Roy and others protested, but bulldozing all the opposition, the
government completed the selection.
8) Lok Sabha Elections were held from 16th April to 13th May ’09.
On 13th May, Mrs Paul was administered oath as CIC.
9) 14th Lok Sabha was dissolved on 18th May.
On 18th May, Mrs Paul started attending office, prepared to face the worst if her friend did not return to power.
10) Pranab Mukherjee became Finance Minister on 23rd May.
Mrs Paul resigned her CIC’s on 26th June, but was appointed as Finance Minister’s Advisor the previous day.
FOOTNOTE 2: BARE FACTS OF APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

On the eve of the General elections in 2009, Mrs Omita Paul was selected and appointed as a Central Information Commissioner.
The Code of Conduct period was in force from March 2 to May 28. Mrs Paul’s selection procedure began on April 4, and she
occupied the CIC’s office on May 13 – the day of the final phase of the elections. It is evident this appointment was done to give Mrs
Paul an assured government position in case the Congress Party failed to return to power. After the elections however, Mrs Paul
resigned from her position as CIC on June 26, a day after she was appointed as Advisor to Finance Ministry under Pranab Mukherjee.
Scans of relevant papers from DOPT: http://www.box.net/shared/nt0n6p0vif
----------------------------------
Kirity Roy, HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER, HARASSED by west bengal government systems
West Bengal,
Well-known human rights activist Mr. Kirity Roy, Secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) and National
Convenor, Program Against Custodial Torture and Impunity (PACTI) was arrested illegally, harassed and indicted in frivolous charges
on 07th April 2010 in connection with holding People’s Tribunal on Torture.
Background
MASUM organized a People’s Tribunal on Torture (PTT) at Moulali, Kolkata on 9th and 10th of June, 2008 a programme as part of
the project of NPTTI (National Project on Preventing Torture in India). Nearly 1200 victims and their families were present and 82
victims of torture narrated their plight before the panel members, consisting of illustrious persons of national repute in the public
tribunal.
Though it is a well-known practice all over the world since past half a century, MASUM has been framed for the same questioning the
legality of doing same, quite unknown incident to this effect by Kolkata police.
The quashing for the above FIR is scheduled to be heard by Hon’ble High Court Calcutta on 08/04/2010. The said case was
initiated for holding People’s Tribunal on Torture, a project under National Project on Preventing Torture in India on 09/06/2008
and 10/06/2008 at Kolkata.
07th April 2010’s Harassment

On 07 April 2010, a huge contingent of police consisting at least 25 plain cloth police personnel led by Inspector S. Ghosal, Inspector
Biswas and Sub-Inspector Pervez except only three uniformed police personal of local police station with rifles & revolvers appeared at
the residence of Mr. Kirity Roy at Srirampore, District – Hooghly, West Bengal, India at about 09:45 AM and arrested him in
connection with Taltala PS case No.134 of 2008 dated 09/06/2008 and GR 1487/08 under sections 120B/170/229 of Indian Penal
Code by Anti Terrorist Cell, Detective Department, Kolkata Police. The arresting police officials disguised themselves by not wearing
uniform, thus violating the DK Basu judgement. Though a ‘Memo of Arrest’ was issued, it was evident that they arrived at Mr. Kirity
Roy’s residence with a pre-set ‘Memo of Arrest’. It was not prepared at the place of arrest again violating DK Basu judgement
guidelines. It is only on demand by the arrestee that the address of arresting place was included in the ‘Memo of Arrest’ by a different
person than who had earlier prepared the ‘Memo of Arrest’ amounting to fabrication of official document as per their whims. It is to
be noted that he was deprived to even attend nature’s call before arresting him and later even not allowed to contact any lawyer of his
choice, which is in contradiction to the rights ensured under Article 22 of Indian Constitution. Mr. S Dhar, the Investigating Officer of
the abovementioned criminal case was not present at the place of arrest amongst the arresting police personnel while Mr. Roy was
arrested.
11
Later, at about 1:45 PM he was brought in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), Bankshall Court, Kolkata court lock-up. Even
upto this time, despite pleading repeatedly, Mr. Roy was not allowed to contact lawyer of his choice. He was detained in the lock-up
purposefully without forwarding the required documents by the police to the court. In consequence hearing on the bail petition for the
arrestee, Mr. Kirity Roy got delayed. It is only at about 4:35 PM that the appearing advocates brought the CMM’s attention to this
matter. Then, after few minutes the records and documents in connection with this case was produced by the prosecution before the
CMM. The public prosecutor vehemently objected to granting bail in favour of the arrestee. Notwithstanding his objections, the
learned court heard at length the submissions made by the defending advocates and granted the arrestee ad-interim bail. During this
course, the arrestee was never been produced physically before the CMM, which is again a sheer violation of rights assured as per
Indian Constitution.
After completing due formalities, the arrestee was released from the court lock-up at about 6 PM. It is relevant here to mention that
the charge-sheet is submitted by the police on 07 April 2010 in connection with the abovementioned criminal case against eight
accused persons naming (1) Mr. Kirity Roy, State Director of National Programme on Prevention of Torture in India (NPPTI), (2) Mr.
Abhijit Dutta, Advocate, SLO of NPPTI, (3) Mr. Henry Tiphagne, Advocate, National Director of NPPTI, (4) Mr. Subhasis Dutta,
Advocate, SLA NPPTI, (5) Mr. Subhrangsu Bhaduri, SPA NPPTI, (6) Ms. Sushmita Roy Chowdhury, DHRM NPPTI, (7) Ms.
Tanusree Chakraborty, DHRM NPPTI, and (8) Ms. Aditi Kar, DHRM NPPTI under sections 120B (Criminal Conspiracy), 170
(Personating a public servant), 229 (Personation of a juror), 467 (Forgery of a valuable security …. or to receive a money), 468 (Forgery
for the purpose of cheating) and 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code. Though police initially started the proceeding, as mentioned in
the FIR, with first three sections (i.e 120B, 170, 229), later they added the other three penal provisions (i.e 467, 468 and 420) in the
charge-sheet. The court took this fact into judicial observation that those three penal sections were added in the charge-sheet by police
without the prior knowledge and permission of the court. It is to be mentioned that the said NPPTI was implemented by MASUM in
West Bengal, India during 2006-2008.
The paradox of the police proceedings is that, Mr. Abhijit Dutta, assistant secretary of MASUM and a practicing lawyer had been
summoned under section 160 of Criminal Procedure Code by the Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Terrorist Cell, Detective Department,
Lalbazar, Kolkata on 04 April 2010 in connection with the abovementioned case. He duly attended the office and was examined by
the investigating officer, Mr. S Dhar. However, quite surprisingly, he is also being framed in the charge-sheet as accused reflecting him
an absconder. Similar proclamation has been made against other six accused in the charge-sheet.
We are drawing your attention as gross procedural violation and judicial misappropriation: -
Though the police investigation should have been completed within six months as per sections charged, it took around one year and
ten months to submit the same.
Today’s arrest was an attempt by the police to hinder the high court case, intentionally arresting him on 07th April 2010, just a day
before the high-court hearing date.
This is an attempt to curb the dissenting voice against the authoritarian approach of the police administration and the government. As
MASUM has grown to be a reliable platform to voice the victim’s angst and anguish, now they are trying to suppress their democratic
spirit of upholding the law and rights of people.
The very act of the state government shows that they want to combat human rights activities by the Anti-Terrorist Cell of police.
The guidelines on police arrest laid down by the apex court in DK Basu case are not followed in West Bengal.
The governments of India, in particular, the West Bengal government waged war against the peace loving and law abiding citizen and
taking all undemocratic means to crush the democratic values.
MASUM wants to convey deep regards to all friends who rushed to Bankshall court in solidarity. Sramajibi Hospital, Bondi
Mukti Committee, Ganatantrik Adhikar Raksha Samiti, HRLN, Ekhan Bisangbad, DISHA, Nagarik Mancha, Human Rights Law
Network & Asian Centre for Human Rights, People’s Watch, SICHREM, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, OMCT
(World Organisation Against Torture) & FIDH.
Source:
MASUM
-------------------------
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International
Thimphu Statement on Climate Change

Bhutan,
The Sixteenth Meeting of the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) in Thimphu, Bhutan, on 28-29 April 2010,
Recalling the high priority attached by the Leaders of SAARC at successive Summits towards preserving and sustainably managing
the rich, fragile and diverse ecosystems of South Asia;
Expressing deep concern about the adverse effects of climate change and its impact on the region, particularly on the lives and
livelihoods of the 1.6 billion people of South Asia;
Recognizing that effective responses, both on mitigation and adaptation should be formulated and implemented at regional and
international levels;
Mindful that while South Asia’s contribution to climate change is minimal, the impacts of this global phenomenon transcends national
boundaries;
Also Mindful that the Member States of SAARC as developing countries face the dual challenge of addressing the negative impacts of
climate change and pursuing socio-economic development;
Emphasizing the overriding importance of socio-economic development and poverty eradication in our region, and convinced that
reducing dependence on carbon in economic growth and promoting climate resilience will promote both development and poverty
eradication in a sustainable manner;
Determined that South Asia should become a world leader in low-carbon technologies and renewable energy;
Reiterating the principles of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities as enshrined in the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change to be the basis for an agreed outcome in the global negotiations on climate change;
Also underlining that an agreed outcome of the global negotiations must emerge from an inclusive, transparent, open and democratic
process of negotiations;
Noting that South Asia is particularly prone to climate change and related disasters making the need for a regional response to meet
the challenge of climate change more urgent and compelling;
Welcoming the adoption of Climate Change as the theme of the Sixteenth SAARC Summit as an important initiative to galvanize
and consolidate regional endeavours with the objective of making South Asia climate change resilient;
Also Welcoming the signing of the SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment as a significant step towards promoting and
strengthening regional cooperation;
Convinced that South Asia could benefit from cooperative regional initiatives and approaches, exchange of experiences, knowledge,
transfer of technology, best practices to address the challenges posed by climate change;
Aware that preservation of environment and mitigating the impacts of climate change are mutually reinforcing;
Determined to address the adverse effects of climate change in accordance with the purposes and principles of regional cooperation
enshrined in the SAARC Charter;
Hereby adopt the Thimphu Statement on Climate Change and agree to undertake the following:
(i) Review the implementation of the Dhaka Declaration and SAARC Action Plan on Climate Change and ensure its timely
implementation;
(ii) Agree to establish an Inter-governmental Expert Group on Climate Change to develop clear policy direction and guidance for
regional cooperation as envisaged in the SAARC Plan of Action on Climate Change;
(iii) Direct the Secretary General to commission a study for presentation to the Seventeenth SAARC Summit on ‘Climate Risks in the
Region: ways to comprehensively address the related social, economic and environmental challenges’;
(iv) Undertake advocacy and awareness programs on climate change, among others, to promote the use of green technology and best
practices to promote low-carbon sustainable and inclusive development of the region;
13
(v) Commission a study to explore the feasibility of establishing a SAARC mechanism which would provide capital for projects that
promote low-carbon technology and renewable energy; and a Low-carbon Research and Development Institute in South Asian
University;
(vi) Incorporate science-based materials in educational curricula to promote better understanding of the science and adverse effects of
climate change;
(vii) Plant ten million trees over the next five years (2010-2015) as part of a regional aforestation and reforestation campaign, in
accordance with national priorities and programmes of Member States;
(viii) Evolve national plans, and where appropriate regional projects, on protecting and safeguarding the archeological and historical
infrastructure of South Asia from the adverse effects of Climate Change;
(ix) Establish institutional linkages among national institutions in the region to, among others, facilitate sharing of knowledge,
information and capacity building programmes in climate change related areas;
(x) Commission a SAARC Inter-governmental Marine Initiative to strengthen the understanding of shared oceans and water bodies in
the region and the critical roles they play in sustainable living to be supported by the SAARC Coastal Zone Management Center;
(xi) Stress the imperative of conservation of bio-diversity and natural resources and monitoring of mountain ecology covering the
mountains in the region;
(xii) Commission a SAARC Inter-governmental Mountain Initiative on mountain ecosystems, particularly glaciers and their
contribution to sustainable development and livelihoods to be supported by SAARC Forestry Center;
(xiii) Commission a SAARC Inter-governmental Monsoon Initiative on the evolving pattern of monsoons to assess vulnerability due to
climate change to be supported by SAARC Meteorological Research Center;
(xiv) Commission a SAARC Inter-governmental Climate-related Disasters Initiative on the integration of Climate Change Adaptation
(CCA) with Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) to be supported by SAARC Disaster Management Center;
(xv) Complete the ratification process for the SAARC Convention on Cooperation on Environment at an early date to enable its entry
into force; and
(xvi) The Inter-governmental Expert Group on Climate Change shall meet at least twice a year to periodically monitor and review the
implementation of this Statement and make recommendations to facilitate its implementation and submit its report through the
Senior Officials of SAARC to the SAARC Environment Ministers.
Source:
Prime Minister Office
India
-----------------------------------------
Middle East/Asia: Partial Reforms Fail Migrant Domestic Workers

On International Labor Day, Governments Should Pledge to Make Comprehensive Reforms
New York,
The reforms undertaken by Middle Eastern and Asian governments fall far short of the minimum protections needed to tackle abuses
against migrant domestic workers, Human Rights Watch said today in a report released in advance of May 1, International Labor
Day. Despite recent improvements, millions of Asian and African women workers remain at high risk of exploitation and violence,
with little hope of redress, Human Rights Watch said.
The 26-page report, "Slow Reform: Protection of Migrant Domestic Workers in Asia and the Middle East," reviews conditions in
eight countries with large numbers of migrant domestic workers: Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates,
Bahrain, Singapore, and Malaysia. The report surveys progress in extending protection to domestic workers under labor laws,
reforming immigration "sponsorship" systems that contribute to abuse, ensuring effective response by police and courts to physical and
sexual violence, and allowing civil society and trade unions to organize.
14
"Several governments have made concrete improvements for migrant domestic workers in the past five years, but in general, reforms
have been slow, incremental, and hard-fought," said Nisha Varia, women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. "Jordan deserves
credit for including domestic work in their labor law, but enforcement remains a big concern. Singapore has prosecuted physical abuse
against domestic workers vigorously, but fails to guarantee them even one day off a week."
Several countries across the Middle East and Asia host significant numbers of migrant domestic workers, ranging from 196,000 in
Singapore and 200,000 in Lebanon to approximately 660,000 in Kuwait and 1.5 million in Saudi Arabia. Migrant domestic work is
an important source of employment for women from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Nepal, India, and Ethiopia. Migrant
domestic workers' earnings constitute a significant proportion of the billions of dollars of remittances sent to these countries each year.
Human Rights Watch research over the past five years has shown that migrant domestic workers risk a range of abuses. Common
complaints include unpaid wages, excessive working hours with no time for rest, and heavy debt burdens from exorbitant recruitment
fees. Isolation in private homes and forced confinement in the workplace contribute to psychological, physical, and sexual violence,
forced labor, and trafficking.
"Reforms often encounter stiff resistance both from employers used to having a domestic worker on call around the clock and labor
brokers profiting handsomely off a poorly regulated system," Varia said. "Governments should make protecting these vulnerable
workers a priority."
Most governments exclude domestic workers from their main labor laws, denying them protections guaranteed to other workers, such
as limits to hours of work or a weekly day of rest. Only Jordan has amended its labor law to include domestic workers, guaranteeing
protections such as monthly payment of salaries into a bank account, a weekly day off, paid annual and sick leave, and a maximum
10-hour workday. However, domestic workers cannot leave the workplace without permission from their employer.
The governments of Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia have all publicly announced
they will amend existing labor laws or draft new legislation on domestic work. But despite years of proposals, none have adopted such
reforms. Saudi Arabia's Shura Council approved an annex on domestic work to the labor law, but the cabinet has not yet approved it.
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower has repeatedly rejected calls to extend labor law protections to domestic workers.
"Instead of ensuring protection under labor laws, governments have relied on creating standard employment contracts or bilateral
agreements with labor-sending countries, Varia said. "Employment contracts and bilateral agreements may be better than nothing, but
with weaker protections than labor laws, they effectively reinforce discrimination against domestic workers."
Immigration reforms have proceeded even more slowly than labor reforms, Human Rights Watch said. In the countries surveyed,
domestic workers migrate on fixed-term visas, under which their employers double as their immigration sponsors. This system
heightens the risk of abuse by giving inordinate control to employers, who can have domestic workers sent home at will or prohibit
them from being hired by a new employer.
"Governments have dragged their feet on reforms to the immigration sponsorship system, which contributes to forced labor and
trafficking," Varia said. "They need to move quickly to find alternatives, such as shifting sponsorship from employers to labor
authorities or closely monitored employment agencies."
Human Rights Watch also examined the governments' responses to criminal abuses against domestic workers. Some governments
have begun to investigate and successfully prosecute abuse against domestic workers, but numerous obstacles continue to stand in the
way of such victories, Human Rights Watch found. For example, systems for filing complaints are often out of reach of domestic
workers trapped in private homes and unable to speak the local language.
For cases that do reach the attention of the authorities, legal proceedings often stretch over years, while victims typically wait in
overcrowded shelters, unable to work. The lengthy waits and uncertain outcomes cause many domestic workers to withdraw their
complaints or negotiate financial settlements so they can return home quickly. In other cases, domestic workers who bring charges are
forced to defend themselves against counter-allegations of theft, witchcraft, and adultery.
"Successful prosecutions of abusive employers and labor brokers is not only justice served but also a strong deterrent against abuse,"
Varia said. Governments should establish accessible ways to file complaints, expedite legal proceedings, and ensure a minimum
standard of social services, such as shelter and health care, during the process."
Reforms on regulating domestic work are taking place not only at the national level, but globally. In recognition of the importance of
protecting a major source of employment that has been historically neglected, members of the International Labor Organization will
begin formal discussions in June to establish global labor standards for domestic work. Lebanon, Bahrain, and Jordan support legally
binding standards, while Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates support a non-binding recommendation. Singapore
and Kuwait did not submit official responses.
Human Rights Watch urged governments to take the following steps to prevent and respond to abuses against migrant domestic
workers:
Extend equal labor protections in national law to domestic workers, and address unique circumstances relating to their intermittent
working hours, lodging, and board;
15
Improve regulation and oversight of employment agencies and fees charged to these workers by private recruitment agencies;
Reform immigration policies so that workers' visas are not tied to individual sponsors, and so that they can change employers without
the first employer's consent;
Improve workers' access to the criminal justice system, including through confidential complaint mechanisms, prosecutions, and
expansion of victim services;
Cooperate with labor-sending countries to monitor transnational recruitment, respond to complaints of abuse, and facilitate
repatriation;
Support a binding convention on domestic work with an accompanying recommendation during the International Labour Conference
in June.
Source:
Human Rights Watch
--------------------------
India-Brazil Joint Statement

Brazil, 16th April 2010,
At the invitation of the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E. LuizInácio Lula da Silva, the Prime Minister of the
Republic of India, H.E. Dr. Manmohan Singh, visited Brazil on 15 April, 2010. The two Leaders held a bilateral meeting and also
met at the 4th Summit of the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum (on 15 April) as well as the Second Brazil-Russia-
India-China (BRIC) Summit (on 16 April).
2. At the bilateral meeting and working lunch, President Lula and Prime Minister Singh held detailed discussions on bilateral, regional
and multilateral issues and renewed their commitment to strengthen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership. Both Leaders expressed
satisfaction at the growing cooperation and collaboration between the two countries which has intensified in recent years.
3. They expressed satisfaction at the continued expansion of bilateral trade in recent years which reached US$ 5.6 billion in 2009
despite the impact of the international financial crisis. They noted, however, the need for increased efforts to achieve the bilateral
trade target of US$ 10 billion by 2010 including the diversification of bilateral trade particularly in value-added sectors. In this
context, they noted the positive outcome of the Trade Monitoring Mechanism, the second meeting of which was held on 15 March
2010 in São Paulo, and the scheduling of the next meeting in October 2010 in New Delhi. The Leaders reiterated their intent to hold
the Second Meeting of the CEO Forum shortly.
4. Both Leaders noted that bilateral investments were growing in diverse areas. They called on business and industry in both countries
to utilize the opportunities available in the areas of Energy, Agriculture, Mining, Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure and Construction,
among others to further expand bilateral investments.
5. Both Leaders welcomed the coming into operation from June 2009 of the Preferential Trade Agreement between MERCOSUR
and India. They expressed the view that there is a need to significantly increase the number of tariff lines in the PTA, so that the
coverage of the Agreement could be expanded to a sizeable level. The Leaders urged that the ongoing negotiations in this regard be
concluded successfully in a time bound manner.
6. The two Leaders reiterated the need for active enhancement of cooperation in Science and Technology, Nuclear Energy, Space and
Defence for mutual benefit. They also noted that Biotechnology, IT, Marine Science, and Nano-technology have been identified as
areas with significant potential for cooperation.
7. The two Leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector including in Hydrocarbons
and New & Renewable energies. In this regard, they directed the Joint Working Group on energy to convene an early meeting. Brazil
welcomed the interest of Indian oil companies to participate in future ANP bidding processes for exploration of oil in conformity with
its national policies in this sector. They reaffirmed their intention to encourage better coordination of their positions on the issue of
Bio-fuels at multilateral fora.
8. Both Leaders expressed satisfaction at the ongoing bilateral cooperation in the Defence sector. They welcomed the appointment of
Defence Attachés in their respective Diplomatic Missions in Brazil and in India. They noted the increasing contacts between
EMBRAER and DRDO towards the joint development of high-technology military aircrafts. They underlined that the recent visit of
Minister of Defence of Brazil, H.E. Nelson Jobim, to India in March 2010 had opened opportunities for enhanced Defence
cooperation particularly in the field of joint production, research and development. Both Leaders welcomed the decision to host the
First Meeting of the India-Brazil Joint Defence Committee, in India, this year, at mutually convenient dates.
16
9. The two Leaders reiterated the importance that Brazil and India attach to bilateral electoral cooperation and noted with satisfaction
the ongoing dialogue between the Election Commission of India and Electoral Authorities in Brazil, which saw the visit of Mr. Carlos
Augusto Ayres de FreitasBritto, President of the Electoral Superior Tribunal, Brazil, to India for the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of
the Election Commission of India on 25 January 2010, and would lead to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between
the Election Commission of India and the Electoral Superior Tribunal of Brazil shortly.
10. Both Leaders expressed satisfaction at the growing cultural exchanges between India and Brazil. The Brazilian side welcomed
India’s decision to open a Cultural Center in São Paulo, the first of its kind in the Americas. The Indian side commended the
Brazilian side on the successful organization of the “Brazilian Cultural Week” held in India in 2008. The Brazilian side also welcomed
India’s intention to organize a Festival of India in Brazil in early 2011.
11. Both Leaders welcomed the convergence of positions between Brazil and India in multilateral fora and in groups such as IBSA
and BRIC, which is reflective of the growing importance of developing countries and of their role in shaping a more balanced
international order in a multi-polar world.
12. The two Leaders shared the view on the urgent need to strengthen the participation of developing countries in the decision-
making processes within the multilateral financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and
political bodies, such as the United Nations. They reaffirmed their commitment for the reform of the United Nations, particularly of
the Security Council, including through its expansion in both permanent and non-permanent membership, with a view to improving
its efficiency, representativeness, and legitimacy needed to meet the challenges faced by the international community today. The two
Leaders reiterated their support to each other in their quest for permanent membership in an expanded UNSC. They also expressed
their commitment to join efforts to convey to other countries the importance and urgency of the expansion of the UNSC in both
permanent and non-permanent categories. President Lula expressed appreciation for India’s support for the election of Brazil as a
non-permanent member of the UNSC for 2010-11 and reiterated the support of Brazil to India’s candidature for a non-permanent
seat of the UNSC for the period of 2011-12.
13. President Lula and Prime Minister Singh strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whoever,
wherever and for whatever purpose and stressed that there can be no justification, whatsoever, for any acts of terrorism. They agreed
to support the global struggle against terrorism in conformity with the principles of the U.N. Charter, relevant international
conventions and International Law. Both sides reiterated their commitment to continue efforts for an early adoption of the
Comprehensive Convention on international terrorism.
14. They recalled the significant progress already achieved in the Doha Round of Trade Negotiations. They called upon all Members
to work towards a balanced agreement and to refrain from seeking excessive and additional levels of ambition from a few developing
economies. The prolonged inconclusiveness of the negotiations may threaten the credibility of the rule-based multilateral trading
system, which has proved its relevance in resisting protectionism during the recent global economic crisis. Brazil and India will
continue to make all efforts to build a multilateral trading system that puts development at its center.
15. President Lula and Prime Minister Singh reiterated that early conclusion of the São Paulo Round of GSTP Negotiations among
developing countries in accordance with the agreement reached last December will contribute in a concrete manner towards
increasing South-South trade and economic cooperation.
16. Both Leaders reaffirmed their concern for Climate Change and its adverse impacts. They committed themselves to work in close
coordination including in the BASIC group towards a comprehensive, balanced, and effective outcome at the 16th Session of the
Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 6th Conference of the
Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, to be held in Mexico in November-December 2010. They
welcomed the Resolution of the UN General Assembly to hold a Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro,
in 2012.
17. Both Leaders reiterated their commitment to fight hunger and poverty, promote democratic values, and foster socially-inclusive
economic development policies in their respective countries.
18. Prime Minister of India, H.E. Dr. Manmohan Singh, sincerely thanked the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E.
LuizInácio Lula da Silva, and to the Brazilian government for the kind hospitality extended to him and his delegation during their visit
to Brasilia.
Source:
Prime Minister Office
India
-----------------------------
17
MEDIA IN UKRAINE: An Overview of current obstacles to media freedom and independence
I. Freedom of Expression or Owners' Orders?

The Western world thinks that media in Ukraine are relatively free, and that Ukraine is the most democratic country in the CIS space
in the information and media sphere. But in reality there is a big difference between the way democratic rules and standards are
applied in the media sphere in the West, and the situation in Ukraine. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression do exist to some
degree in the Ukrainian information field, but there are too many ways in which those freedoms are systematically limited or
undermined:-
A – The daily coverage of State owned media is unbalanced. They habitually concentrate their news output narrowly on information
about state institutions and their activities -- especially the President, the parliament, and the national government, as well as local
authorities. Both domestic news and foreign news coverage are viewed almost exclusively from the perspective of Ukraine's concerns
and preoccupations, giving a distorted picture of the realities of international affairs. A general lack of adequate funds is one
important cause of this deficiency.
B – Ukraine has no public media of the kind that are familiar to the populations of western countries. Pledges and intentions “to
create public TV and radio” or “to change local media into an important part of the public TV system” etc are routinely made by
each new presidential team, and every new Cabinet of Ministers responsible for broadcasting in Ukraine. But in reality the great
majority of Ukrainian politicians, including the President, Speaker, Prime Minister etc. are afraid to create the public media – like the
BBC in the United Kingdom – in Ukraine. Ukrainian politicians and governors are unwilling to face open criticism of the kind that is
normal and expected in countries that enjoy really independent public media, especially broadcasting. Thus, public service
broadcasting is seen by many top politicians in Ukraine as their potential adversary. Crucially, one important reason for this hostility is
that the creation of a successful public broadcasting system would be a strong competitor to private owned media, which currently
owe their allegiance to various businesses controlled or owned by those same top persons in politics and businesses in Ukraine. As a
result, the politicians' commitments to establishing public media have so far been shown to be empty words.
C – Privately owned media are in principle free in their editorial policy. However the freedom of action of journalists and employees is
all too easily stopped by owners at any time when they choose to intervene. Yes, top journalists in the private media have relatively
good salaries, and modern technologies to make products of high quality, which is generally interesting and useful for their audiences
or readers. But every staff member in the private media understands that everything is subject to political or business influences of
various kinds in Ukraine. There are two media trade unions, both of which purport to support journalists' working rights and to
uphold journalistic ethics, but the results of their activities are disappointing. Journalists are not united and solidarity is weak in the
face of the pressures I have mentioned.
D – Legislation in the media sphere allows state owners or private media owners a virtually free hand to do what they want with their
media organisations. In January 2010, the National Commission On Morals and Ethics prepared a new law on moral and ethical
issues in the media, named the “Journalists Code”. However, lawyers -- including those working for the parliament of Ukraine and for
leading media NGOs -- say that the law fails to protect the rights of journalists in basic respects. One of those legal experts even
condemned the new law as dangerous, because it makes a mockery of the concept of freedom of expression, and instead creates a
legal framework for censorship to be practised in the Ukrainian media (the criticism of Y. Zakharov, Head of the Group of Human
Rights Protection in Kharkiv).
E – For media owners, media have regularly been used during campaigns and elections as a tool to promote their own interests,
whether party political, personal or business. State owned media often give prime time exposure to powerful figures and candidates
during campaigns, in clear breach of Ukrainian laws. But few people care enough to speak up against these abuses. NGO activists,
journalists and lawyers are powerless to prevent them, and many have grown inured and accustomed to the lack of genuinely
independent media scrutiny of political campaigns.
II. What should be done? Many things, and urgently!
A – To change the relevant laws in Ukraine to protect and support independence of the media, and to translate the many Ukrainian
and international commitments and texts about upholding free media into reality.
B – To create genuinely independent public service media based on the "best practice" in Western Europe.
C – To give Ukrainian journalists more opportunities to experience and understand the workings of independent European media at
first hand. Such experience could help Ukrainian journalists to fight for their professional rights, to apply European principles of
impartiality and independence in local media – and to teach their bosses how to do a better job of following agreed rules and
standards in journalism.
D – Training for news editors, reporters and others in being independent and objective in covering various kinds of news events and
issues in Ukrainian and international affairs.
C – An ambitious programme of training for journalists working in local media. Media in small cities are poor both in terms of
financing and technical support. Most of those journalists now have little or no chance to observe or study the professional working
practices of more experienced colleagues. It’s VERY important to invite journalists from the East, as well as from the South of
18
Ukraine and Crimea, to take part in training sessions/ master classes with European journalists and editors. In reality, some very
untransparent and undesirable practices from Soviet times are still prevalent in a number of Ukraine's regions.
D – I also welcome the chance to develop a Ukrainian internet media community through the AEJ website. It will be a useful means
for Ukrainian journalists to get information on AEJ activities, on the activities and concerns of Western media, and the principles on
which they aspire to work, from news production to the principles of media research etc. Bohdana Kostiuk, a member of the
Ukrainian section of the AEJ and a freelance Journalist for Radio Liberty, will be contributing a Russian or Ukrainian language page
on the site, for the benefit of our Section members.
Article by:
Arthur Rudzitsky,
President of the AEJ Ukrainian Section and
President of the Ukrainian Association of Publishers and Press Distributors (UAPPD)
Source:
Association of European Journalists
________________________________________________
19
Reports
An open letter to Union minster for Environment and Forests
Dear Sir,
Subject: Support for ministry’s principled stand on Acts of Parliament
Greetings from the Western Ghats.
The recent news media seem to be replete with reports that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is facing criticism
that environment clearance to many projects, which will need either diversion of forest lands OR are proposed to be set up in
environmentally sensitive areas, is being denied or delayed while seeking clarifications. The reports also indicate that few of your
cabinet colleagues are bringing political pressure seeking dilution of the relevant regulations to get exemption from the provisions of
many relevant Acts.
A large number of law abiding and environmentally conscious citizens of this country are in support of the principled stand taken by
MoEF on these matters.
The proponents of such ill-conceived projects need to be reminded that MoEF has been entrusted with the onerous responsibility of
protecting our natural resources and environment through the Environmental Protection Act, the Forest Conservation Act and the
Wild Life Protection Act. In view of this critical responsibility the MoEF should not be seen as a rubber stamp of approval for every
project, including the ill conceived projects.
Its is highly deplorable that high impact projects in such environmentally sensitive areas, such as road through a protected forest in
Karnataka OR in Madhya Pradesh OR Hubli-Ankola railway through thick forests of Western Ghats OR Gundia Hydel Project in
Western Ghats, which may reduce the travel time by an hour or two OR reduce the distance by few kM OR provide few MW of
power for wasteful uses, are considered highly essential to seek exemptions as compared to the integrity of thick forests or the
conservation of rich bio-diversity. These people seem to be completely ignorant of the criticality of rich bio-diversity we have in our
forests, and the fact that the forest & tree cover in the country is already below 23% against the national target of 33%.
People, who are aware of the destruction of our nature through unscientific mining activities, are also satisfied that you have taken a
firm and principled stand against the enormous damage being caused by the mining. We are happy to acknowledge your stand that
almost one-third of the country’s top grade coal reserve areas would not be available for mining as these areas are now considered to
be ecologically very fragile. We think that in fact almost all coal mines were, or are, or will be found to be, below thick forests. The
Integrated Energy Policy which envisages increasing the coal power capacity from the present level of about 80,000 MW to about
600,000 MW by 2031-32 must be reconsidered seriously in this context. Large number of additional coal mines required to support
such massive coal power capacity expansion will not only reduce our forest cover (which are the best sinks of CO2) considerably but
also will seek huge quantities of fresh water, which is already getting scarce. These additional mines will irreversibly destroy water
security, biodiversity security, food security and national culture, as well as contributing to global and regional climate change. Our
country must utilize the plentiful free energy from the Sun instead of continuing to damage water bodies, soils, plants, animals and
people irreversibly through outmoded nineteenth century ideas of limitless economic growth.
If pressure lobbies are allowed to twist the laws of the land then various commitments by the government to its own people, such as
National Action Plan on Climate Change, will have no meaning, and we can forget our various commitments to the international
community on Global Warming.
There are any number of scientific reports in the international arena, which are consistently advocating the urgent implementation of
environmentally sustainable policies through application of the law in a rigorous and timely manner before it is too late to safeguard
the flora, fauna and the vulnerable sections of our society.
Popular support to the MoEF in your endeavors in this regard can be guaranteed.
Yours sincerely
Shankar Sharma
Power Policy Analyst
Thirthahally, Karnataka
--------------------------------------------
20
National Online Survey Report of Senior Citizens & Letter of Protest to MOSJE Mr.Mukul Wasnik
On 24th April National Online Survey Report and a Protest Letter was submitted to MOSJE Shri Mukul Wasnik by Sailesh Mishra at Bangalore at
Inauguration function of Nightingale Center for Ageing & Dementia.The Minister assured that he will look into the matter.
On 8th Dec 2009 the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment (MOSJE), Shri Mukul Wasnik informed about Review of NPOP
at National Dementia Strategy, New Delhi.
NPOP was formulated in 1999, but till date it has not been implemented by Central Govt / Pan India, due to various reasons
including lack of political will. Various NGO's and activists have been advocating its implementation and review.
During these 10 years the world has changed, there has been significant demography change in India's population due globalization
and improved medical facility and lifestyle. The fall of joint family system and rise in nuclear family system has brought new
dimension to the care and welfare of Elderly. The population of aged people above 60 yrs as on 2009 is estimated at 90 million, i.e.
around 8% of total population. According to UN the population of 60+ in 2050 will be around 20%.Life expectancy has increased
60% in last 60 years from 42yrs in 1950 to 69yrs in 2009.There is sharp increase in population of Young Old 60yrs to 69 yrs and Old
old 80+. Due to this demand and needs of various age groups have changed. Now it is time for civil society and government to rethink
their strategy to address the needs of Senior Citizens.
This survey was jointly conducted by Silver Innings Foundation and Society for Serving Seniors to assess the requirement and need of
Senior Citizens from 19th March 2010 to 15th April 2010. It was hosted on the Survey Site www.questionpro.com at the link: http://
questionpro.com/t/ADwMaZHLEV
The questionnaire was online for about a month. Wide publicity was given to this survey in a large number of web groups, blogs,
websites and by email to Senior Citizens associations, Federations etc.
Some brief of Report:
Top 5 Needs of Senior Citizens:

1) There is a need for Fast Track Courts exclusively for Senior Citizens : 82.30%
2) Old Age Pension must reach all deserving persons : 81.86%
3) Separate Medicare policy must be available for older persons : 80.53%
4) Senior Citizen must be defined as one who is 60 plus : 79.20 %
5) A National Level Elder Helpline (Four digit Code) must be set up : 77.88%
Top 5 issues of Senior Citizens:

1) Health & Medical Care
2) Accommodation & Shelter
3) Food & Nutrition
4) Psychological Needs
5) Insurance
Report by:
Sailesh Mishra
Founder President
Silver Inning Foundation
----------------------
CHRONOLOGY OF POLICE ATROCITIES & HARASSMENTS AGAINST MASUM ACTIVISTS - FOR

CONDUCTING PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL ON TORTURE
West Bengal,
FEBRUARY 2006
MASUM initiated National Project on Preventing Torture in India (NPPTI) undertaken by the People's Watch, Tamil Nadu,
supported by the European Union and the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (FNSt). MASUM was responsible for implementing the
project in West Bengal. Project was designed for 2006-2008. Objective was to ratify the UN CAT and document police torture with
legal supports to victims.
799 Fact Findings were made during the period on police and BSF atrocities in six districts of West Bengal
21
Before Tribunal- 7 June 2008

Officers from the Detective Department, Kolkata Police visited MASUM's office before the tribunal, on 7 June 2008. The police
questioned MASUM about the legality of conducting such a tribunal but refused to accept written replies.
9-10 June 2008

MASUM organised a People's Tribunal on Torture (PTT) at Moulali, Kolkata on 9 and 10 June, 2008. The tribunal is the part of the
said national project against torture undertaken by the People's Watch, Tamil Nadu, supported by the European Union and the
Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (FNSt).
Nearly 1200 victims and their families were present in the public tribunal. As many as 82 victims of torture narrated their plight
before the panel members consisting of illustrious persons of national repute. Justice Malay Sengupta, former Chief Justice Sikkim
High Court and Dr. Mohini Giri, Former Chairperson, National Commission for Women, Ms. Pamela Philipose, Dr. Satyajit Ash, Mr.
Ashok Chakroborty, Dr. Hiralal Konar, Prof. Dr. Tapas Bhattacharya, Mr. Asutosh Mukhopadhay, Dr. Sreemanti Choudhury, Prof.
Ruchira Goswami and Prof Dr. A.K Gupta as panelist.
In the inaugural programme Ms. Sayeda Hamid, Ms. Sreerupa Mitra Choudhury and Justice DK Basu were present.
12 June 2008 – Police Raid at MASUM office

On 12 June 2008, police officers from the Detective Branch of West Bengal state police led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police
(ACP) Mr. Prabir Chatterge marched into MASUM's office late in the evening claiming that they have obtained a search warrant from
the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court to conduct a search in MASUM's office. Neither the ACP nor his subordinate officers were
in uniform. None of the officers had any identification name tags. While the officers entered MASUM's premise some six to ten
uniformed police constables armed with rifles stationed outside MASUM's office. The police had also brought police photographers
taking pictures of the search.
When activists of MASUM requested for information why such a search was conducted and on what suspicion, the police officers
refused to divulge any information. The police officers only informed that they had obtained a search warrant from the court for the
search. On further questioning it was revealed that the officers did not have an omnibus order for search, but was permitted only to
look into the activities of MASUM that linked them with the PWTN anti-torture campaign. MASUM cooperated with the police
officers. However, throughout the search the police officers tried to harass MASUM by taking 'mug shots' of the MASUM staff as if
they are some criminals apprehended after committing a crime.
The police seized some documents from the MASUM office and prepared a seizure list, as required under Indian law. The police have
also seized some audiovisual equipment from MASUM which was also included in the list. It is also reported that some of the police
officers were apologizing for the trouble caused to MASUM, but maintained that they have to abide by the 'orders from above'
without questions. These off the cuff remarks by some police officers strengthen MASUM's suspicion about the actual purpose of the
search.
Civil Society Reactions on this brutal attack:

12th June 2008- Dr. V. Mohini Giri sent a letter to Hon'ble Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu, the then Chairperson of National Human
Rights Commission showing her anguish and concern and other panelists showed their solidarity and concern
14th June 2008- Meeting attended by activists from various rights groups at Maria’s Day School, Howrah and showed their solidarity
and strategize future course of action
16th June 2008- Press Meet at Press Club from 1-30 pm to 2.30 -pm & release of Interim Report of Peoples Tribunal on Torture
18th June 2008- public meeting and leaflet distribution from 3.30 onwards in front of Coffee House, College Street
26/06/2008 - People’s Convention against illegal police action upon Human Rights Defenders (MASUM) for holding People’s
Tribunal on Torture was held at Students’ Hall, College Square, Kolkata, various civil society organizations participated
Framing in Legal case:

Queries on the legality of the tribunal continued at the instigation of Kolkata police and a police case was registered at the behest of
the Detective Department at Taltolla Police Station (Taltala Police Station case no. 134/2008 dated 9.6.2008) under sections 170
(Personating a public officer); 179 (refusing to answer public servant authorized to question); 229 (Impersonation of a juror or assessor)
and 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code 1860, against Mr. Kirity Roy and other activists of MASUM. It is
noteworthy that Kolkata Police had also supported the activities of the tribunal by sending pilot cars for some of the members of the
panel.
· National Project on Preventing Torture in India sent a complaint dated 12 June 2008 to the National Human Rights Commission
against the registering of the case
· MASUM challenged the constitutional validity of the criminal case in the Calcutta High Court and requested the court to quash the
police case. This case, Kirity Roy & others V. State of West Bengal is pending consideration of the High Court as Writ Petition No.
25022(W) of 2008.
· On 26 August, 2009 Justice Sanjib Banerjee heard the Writ Petition and dismissed the petition on the ground that police
investigation is necessary to find out whether the petitioner (Kirity Roy) wished to organize a parallel judiciary in the country.
· MASUM filed an appeal (MAT 1219/2009) along with a Stay Application (C.A.N. 10511/2009) against the order in the Division
Bench led by Chief Justice Mohit Ranjan Shah and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh.
22
· On 10 March 2010, the case was fixed for hearing before the Division Bench as Item number 2. Mr. Sadhan Roy Chowdhury,
advocate pleaded on behalf of the petitioner (Kirity Roy). He was assisted by Mr. Somnath Roy Chowdhury, and Mr. Debashish
Banerjee, practicing advocates of the High Court, Calcutta. The Respondent/State also presented its case in the court. After an
extensive hearing the Division Bench passed an order. The gist of the order is given below:-
“That the above application for stay in the above appeal was taken up on 10/03/2010 by the Hon’ble Division Bench comprised of
the Hon’ble Chief Justice sitting with the Hon’ble Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose.
After hearing the Learned Advocates at length. Their Lordships have been pleased to pass an order staying operation of the judgment
and order under appeal till the disposal of the appeal. Their Lordships have further been pleased to pass necessary orders for
expeditious disposal of the Criminal Case initiated against the Appellant, initiation of which is the subject matter of the writ Petition,
and directing the State Respondents to file a report in this regard within a month.” Their Lordships were further been pleased to pass
an order fixing the final hearing of the Appeal on 08/04/2010”.
· 21st April 2010 has been fixed for the next hearing before the Chief Justice of Kolkata High Court regarding the appeal (MAT
1219/2009) along with the Stay Application (C.A.N. 10511/2009)
4th April 2010 (Sunday)

Mr. Abhijit Datta, Advocate & Assistant Secretary of MASUM was summoned at Lalbazar with a notice and Mr. S. Dhar,
Investigating Officer of the case examined him and recorded his statement in accordance to section 161 of Criminal Procedure Code
of India as a witness, but astonishingly we find his name as an absconding accused in charge sheet.
7th April 2010

Mr. Kirity Roy, Secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) has been arrested from his residence at Serampore,
Hooghly in connection with Taltala Police Station, case number 134/2008 dated 9 June 2008 and GR number 1487/2008 under
Sections 120B; 170 and 229 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 by the Anti-Terrorist Cell, Kolkata Police. The police have registered the
case against eight persons including Mr. Roy.
The Police continued its subtle harassment by withholding to submit the documents before the Magistrate (Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate, Bankshall Court, Kolkata) for a long time so that the hearing of the bail petition could be delayed. Despite the
obstructions, Mr. Roy’s lawyers succeeded in getting his bail. Appallingly, Mr. Roy was not physically produced before the concerned
magistrate; this is again a violation of law.
The charge-sheet was submitted by the police on 07 April 2010 in connection with the abovementioned criminal case against Mr.
Kirity Roy and other seven persons as accused namely (1) Mr. Abhijit Dutta, Advocate, Assistant Secretary, MASUM, (2) Mr. Henri
Tiphagne, Advocate, Executive Director of Peoples Watch, (3) Mr. Subhasis Dutta, Advocate, MASUM, (4) Mr. Subhrangsu Bhaduri,
Executive Committee Member, MASUM, (5) Ms. Sushmita Roy Chowdhury, Executive Committee Member, MASUM, (6) Ms.
Tanusree Chakraborty, Activist, MASUM, and (7) Ms. Aditi Kar, Activist of MASUM & Swayam. It is to be mentioned that those
persons except Mr. Kirity Roy were not named in the FIR.
While in the charge sheet sections 120B (Criminal Conspiracy)/170 (Personating a public servant)/229 (Personation of a juror), other
charges as 467 (Forgery of a valuable security …. or to receive a money)/468 (Forgery for the purpose of cheating)/420 (cheating)/
471/ 201 of Indian Penal Code were slapped against Mr. Kirity Roy and Mr. Henri Tiphenge; the rest of the accused persons have
been charge sheeted with all the penal sections mentioned, except section 201 of the Indian Penal Code.
It is also relevant to mention that the FIR was registered under sections 120B/170/229 of Indian Penal Code but later the police
added the other five penal provisions i.e. Sections 467/468/420/201/471 of Indian Penal Code in the charge-sheet. The Magistrate
(CMM, Bankshall, Kolkata) did not take cognizance of the charge sheet while passing order of granting ad interim bail in favour of
Mr. Kirity Roy till 21st of April 2010. The Magistrate also took in its judicial observation that the addition of the sections was made
without any permission and prayer of the court not showing what new materials are appearing during the time of investigation. The
case has been transferred to the court of 7th Metropolitan Magistrate.
On 19th of April 2010, six named accused except Mr. Henri Tiphagne appeared before the said court of 7th Metropolitan Magistrate
in person for seeking bail and his court granted ad interim bail to all the accused till 23 July 2010.
21st of April 2010 has been fixed for next hearing for the said case vide number 134/2008 dated 9 June 2008 and GR number
1487/2008
Calcutta High Court Order dated 21st April:

The Division Bench of Calcutta High Court comprising of Chief Justice Mr. Mohit Lal Shah and Justice Mr. SP Talukdar ordered
regarding 8th April as the date was fixed for submission of report by the State. State sought adjournment for a week. Hence the
matter has been fixed on 28th April for further hearing and for submission of report. We are waiting for the copy of the order.
Bankshall Court:
In connection with Taltola Police Station Case no. 134/2008 dated 9.6.2008(G.R. no.1487/2008) pending before the 7th
Metropolitan Magistrate, Bankshall, Kolkata, Mr. Kirity Roy appeared before the court today in compliance of the court’s order dated
7.4.2010. Today, the interim bail was extended to him up to 23. July 2010
23
· Civil Society reaction on and after Kirity Roy’s arrest and subsequent criminal charges against HR activists of MASUM
7- 19 April 2010
Various civil society organisations and rights groups met at Theosophical Society Hall to discuss about the ongoing harassments and
throttling of democratic voices regarding arranging the Peoples’ Tribunal on Torture and subsequent criminal case against MASUM.
The meeting was primarily focussed on discussing the future course of action by civil society organisations in response to police and
state atrocity on MASUM for holding a People’s Tribunal on 9th and 10th June 2008 at Kolkata. The participants discussed the
propriety to holding peoples tribunal.
These were the resolutions taken jointly by nearly 35 representatives of various organisations
A detailed letter to be written to ABP stating the facts and countering false charges.
A convention is planned to take place on 25th June 2010 on Legality and justification of ‘Peoples’ Tribunal’
A draft write-up for the intended convention is to be prepared
The convention should discuss following subjects:

Legitimacy of organizing People’s Tribunal, Discussing the validity, justifiability and righteousness of organising People’s Tribunal
according to Indian Constitution, Civil society organizations and individuals after knowing the constant attempts to harass the Human
Rights Defenders and activists of MASUM by bringing frivolous charges on behest of state of West Bengal and instrumented by
Kolkata police; shown their angst and anguish with further upliftment and encouragement for civil society initiations to challenge the
said police actions with a sense of Impunity and further judicial non deliverances.
International and national organizations and individuals who shown their concerns are:-
Organizations:-
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (USA), Frontline Defenders (Ireland), Forum Asia (Thailand), The Observatory
(Geneva), Asian Center for Human Rights (Delhi), Peoples Watch (Tamil Nadu), Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, Human Rights
Law Network, SICHREM (Karnataka) International Bridges to Justice (Geneva), Nagarik Mancha, Bandi Mukti Committee,
Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), Nari Nirjatan Pratirodh Mancha, Sramajibi Hospital, Indo- Japan Steel
Employees Union, DISHA, Ekhon Bisangad,
Individuals:-
Arundhuti Roy – writer, Gautam Navlakkha- Editor- EPW, Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, Sujato Bhadra- APDR, Bibhash
Chakraborty- Theatre Personality, Meher Engineer- Scientist, Sumit Choudhury- Filmmaker, Prof. Tarun Sanyal- Rights Activist,
Murad Hussain- NAPM, Chotan Das- Bandi Mukti Committee, Kunal Deb, Raghab Bandopadhay- writer, Prashanta Chattopadhay-
writer, Kanchan Kumar- AILRC, Krishna Bandopadhay- Lalgarh Mancha, Sandip Bandopadhaya- Writer, Kalyan Rudra-
environmental expert, Bolan Gangopadhay- columnist, Dr. Hira Lal Konar- Health Service Association, Guruprasad Kar- Indian
Statistical Institute, Carol Geeta- Samikhsha; Rajsthan, Tapan Basu- SAFHR, Debal Deb- CIS, Babloo Loitongbam – Manipur, Dr.
Walter Fernanendez- NESRC, Philip Setunga- Hong Kong, Soo A Kim- South Korea, Goutam Sen- Majdoor Mukti, Shibani
Choudhury- HLRN, Dipankar Chakraborty- Aneek, Alexandra Kossin – OMCT, Geneva, Colin Gonsalves - HRLN
And many other civil, political and human rights activists
APPEAL:
Express your concern and solidarity against the malafide intention of Kolkata Police and circumstances under which a criminal case is
registered against eight human rights activists, including Mr. Kirity Roy.
Report by:
Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
&
National Convenor
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI)
-------------------------
24
Social Audit on State RTI Information Commissioners launched
Maharashtra,
A group of RTI activists in Mumbai has launched a social audit or public hearing (Jan Sunwaiee) on the quality of service rendered by
Maharashtra State Information Commissioners (MSICs), who are appointed under the Act as Second Appellate Authority, to facilitate
and implement Citizens’ access to information. Information Commissioners are mandated by Sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Act to
take various steps to help citizens procure information in a timely and accurate manner.
Says activist G R Vora, who is leading this initiative, “The information that we collect will be used for compiling statistics, making
representations to the government (especially the Governor for representations and other necessary corrective actions) on behalf of
the general public, and submitting reports to higher judiciary and media.”
“This Social Audit is a way to improve dialogue, improve the system for the good of the entire nation and send a message to
Information Commissioners that they have to abide by the law and facilitate flow of information as mandated by the RTI Act 2005,”
Vora asserts.
Activist Mohammed Afzal urges RTI users to participate on a massive scale. “If you or people known to you have had a personal
experience with MSICs – whether positive or negative – please submit the relevant papers for this audit. All the files that you give us
will be studied, compiled as data and submitted to the authorities for action. We commit to use your documents to try and improve the
system,” he says.
Report by:
Krishnaraj Rao
-------------------------------
Let innocent millions be killed but not a single perpetrator in uniform in India be punished
West Bengal,
It is alleged that Mr. Atiur Rahman was under rigorous custodial torture and subsequently shoot from service arms of BSF personnel
on 21st March 2010 night near Saidapur village in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Even after that they never cared to take him
to any doctor for medical aid and they themselves declared him dead. It is a sheer violation of guideline set by NHRC, where it is
clearly mentioned that the same is to be proceeded by a Magistrate and the next of kin of the deceased must invariably be associated.
However, the BSF authorities presented their predictable and clichéd version of ‘encounter death’ stating ‘smuggler attacking the on-
duty BSF personnel during their intervention and on self-defence the BSF personnel had to fire’. This has become so common a state-
of-affair to torture and kill innocent villagers and subsequently implicate them in smuggling case or placing a sickle or other common
tool in the place of incident which is otherwise found with any agrarian villager; that people are afraid to become witness even if they
have some information on the matter. Subsequently, multiple procedures of NHRC guidelines in case of ‘encounter death’ have not
been followed in the follow-up action.
It has often been observed that instead of capturing an alleged smuggler and handing him/them over to police authorities and bring
to judicial trial procedure, they indulge into killing the person thus forfeiting any opportunity to hear the version of other party
amounting to violation of principle of natural justice.
This incident once more establishes the fact that the right to life and liberty of people residing in the nearby villages in Indo-
Bangladesh border area is at peril in the hands of the Border Security Force.
Despite repeated complaints to various administrative authorities, the perpetrator BSF personnel are enjoying complete impunity and
hence continuing their atrocities time and again on the populace. Due to their extreme barbaric atrocity and subsequent impunity,
BSF personnel has become a ‘torture agent’ to poor villagers instead of ‘protector of country borders’.
Case Details
Name of the Victim :- Mr. Atiur Rahman (deceased), son of Mr. Mesher Ali, aged 24 years, religion – Islam, resident of village –
Puthiya (Jamtala), Post Office – Barjumla, Police Station (PS) – Raghunath Ganj, District – Murshidabad, West Bengal, India.
Name of the Perpetrators:- (1) Mr. Sunil Kumar Singh, Border Security Force (BSF) Constable (No. 93106790), (2) Mr. Ajeet
Singh, BSF Constable (No. 08254607) of Outpost (OP) No. 8 of Bahura BSF Border Observation Point (BOP) under ‘E’ company of
105 Battalion BSF, and (3) Company Commandant, ‘E’ company of 105 Battalion BSF.
25
Place of Incident:- At Afflux baandh (dam) near Saidapur adjacent to the OP No. 8 of Bahura BSF BOP camp, PS – Raghunath
Ganj, District – Murshidabad, West Bengal.
Date of Incident:- On 21st March 2010 at about 9 PM.
Detail of Incident:-
Mr. Atiur Rahman, a recently married young small-scale businessman of Puthiya (Jamtala) village, an area adjacent to Indo-
Bangladesh border was returning from his aunt’s (Ms. Mariyam Biwi, wife of Mr. Omar Ali, village – Saidapur, PO – Sommati nagar,
PS – Raghunath Ganj) house along with his cousin brother Mr. Rahabul Seikh (son of Mr. Rezaul Seikh) at around 9 PM. On the
way, they were blocked by two BSF personnel namely Mr. Sunil Kumar Singh and Mr. Ajeet Singh – both constables, and without
showing any reason attempted to take them under their custody. As the villagers of those areas are already alert about BSF atrocities,
sensing some uncalled for threat, they tried to escape the clutch of those two BSF constables. While Mr. Rhabul managed to get away,
Mr. Atiur Rahman fall prey to those constables’ torment. They started beating him brutally with rifle butt, boots etc. and later fired
two bullets from Mr. Sunil’s service rifle and killed Mr. Atiur Rahman.
In the mean time Mr Rahabul informed Mr. Atiur’s family members that the latter was taken into BSF captive. Mr. Matiur Rahman,
brother of Mr. Atiur states, “As we came to know about the dreadful incident, we immediately approached the Gram Pradhan (head
of village level administration). He advised us to make a written complaint on the matter to the police in the next morning. However,
in the morning, we came to know from fellow villagers that my brother has been killed by BSF firing and his body is lying on the field
near Padma river banks. As we, family members and neighbours tried to approach the dead body, the armed BSF personnel
vehemently obstructed us. It was so clearly evident from the dead body (photo attached) that he was cruelly tortured to the extent of
twisting and breaking his arms before shooting him. Later, he was shot at left abdomen and another bullet fired at his forehead from
point-blank range.” The bullet which was fired at the victim’s forehead pierced his head and entered almost one foot deep into the soil.
The police personnel of Raghunath Ganj PS collected the fired portion of bullet from soil in front of the witnessing villagers. It is
quite evident from this fact that, while firing this bullet, the victim was made to lie down on his back and was shot to kill. It is
confirmed by us later from the investigating officer (IO), Mr. Ratan Kumar Choudhury, Sub-Inspector that the fired portion of the
bullet is collected and kept under police custody.
However, the BSF version of the incident (as per their complaint to police) reflects the same old story of attack on BSF personnel by
smugglers and they had to fire in self-defence. The Company Commander of 105 Bn BSF, BOP Boyraghat stated in his complaint,
“…in the intervening night… Constable Sunil Kumar and Constable Ajeet Singh were patrolling (…). …constable Sunil Kumar
observed 10-15 smugglers along-with about 06 cattle heads coming from India side and going towards Bangladesh side. He (Constable
Sunil Kumar) also saw shadow of a smuggler nearby as such he physically apprehended him. The remaining smugglers tried to get
free the apprehended smugglers by attacking and encircling patrolling party and they managed to get him free. They also tried to
snatch weapon of Constable Sunil Kumar, however, they could not do so. The patrolling party challenged the smugglers to stop but
the smugglers party threatened and encircled the patrolling party. During the course of fighting Const. Sunil Kumar sustained minor
injuries in right arms and left leg. The butt of his rifle (…) suffered damage by dah (scythe) of smuggler. Sensing imminent danger to
own life and in self defence of life, constable Sunil Kumar fired 02 rounds from his rifle (…). Resultantly (…) Atiur Rehman (…)
sustained bullet injury in forehead and back and died on the spot. There is no report of casualty or injury to other smugglers or any
BSF person. On firing, the remaining smugglers alongwith cattle heads ran away towards India village Dihipara (…).”
It is to be noted that, while two BSF personnel intervened the alleged smugglers, it is only Constable Sunil Kumar, who was
apprehended, attacked, encircled, injured and fired bullet as reflected in the BSF complaint. It appears quite astonishing that the other
member was totally spared from the alleged attack by those alleged smugglers. Neither there is any mention of the other constable’s
reaction on the matter. As mentioned earlier, it is evident from the dead body of Mr. Atiur, he was brutally tortured and was shot while
kept him lying on the soil. This is completely contradictory to the scenario represented by the BSF version. Moreover, even it appears
quite incoherent that while one person (allegedly smuggler and one amongst the attackers) was taken into close captive so as to shot
him repeatedly to death, rest of the smugglers vanished from the scene along with the cattle. While one BSF personnel made it a point
to nail one person to death, other person appeared to remain completely reclusive! More so, none of them tried to stop other alleged
smugglers and allowed them to escape with cattle!
The Inspector General (South Bengal) of BSF Mr. CV Muralidharan defended, as reported in a prominent Bengali daily Ananda
Bazar Patrika on 23 Mar 2010, “Everyone knows that curfew is promulgated in the Indo-Bangladesh border adjacent areas after
evening. Loitering around those places after evening is completely prohibited for general people. Generally, smugglers move around
those places after evening. How would the BSF guards know who is good person and who is smuggler?” The local Panchayat Pradhan
of Baroshumul Gram Panchayat Mr. Fatik Sheikh argues quite rationally, “Even if BSF had any doubt, why did they kill him instead
of taking him into their custody?” On the same report Constable Sunil Kumar was quoted as, “… I asked Mr. Atiur and his
companion to halt. But, as they didn’t pay heed to my call and started running away, I had to fire.” Even this statement is quite
contradictory to the firing details mentioned above – the victim was shot from point blank range and from front side.
A police case has been registered in Raghunath Ganj against BSF personnel upon Mr. Mesher Ali’s (father of the deceased) complaint
vide case no. 148/10 dated 22 March 2010 under sections 302/34 of Indian Penal Code. While our activist contacted Mr. Subir Pal,
Sub-Inspector of Ragunath ganj PS, he said, “BSF personnel had unlawfully killed Mr. Atiur and subsequently inquest was carried out
by Mr. Abul Kashem, a Deputy Magistrate” On the other hand, BSF has lodged a complaint (extract of which is mentioned above) to
26
the same police station and another case has been started on the same incident vide PS case no. 147/10 dated 22 March 2010 under
sections 147/148/149/186/353/427/307 of Indian Penal Code.
It needs to be mentioned that while BSF has repeatedly tried to prove that the victim was a smuggler, it is evident from his certificates
and examination cards that he has been trying sincerely to establish himself as a government employee and was very close to obtain a
job. The Gram Panchayat Pradhan of Sekhalipur Gram Panchayat Mr. Dil Mohammad affirmed, “Atiur was a very honest guy.” A
member of Panchayat committee Mr. Torab Ali appended, “He was a good person and was never connected to any smuggling
activity.” Such an honest person’s killing added to the growing misery and terrifying atmosphere created by BSF atrocities around
Indo-Bangladesh border areas.
However, it is confirmed from the IO of the case that no substantial development has been taken place till date. Poor villager’s often
restrain from becoming an witness due to probable BSF personnel’s subsequent terror. Due to consistent impunity enjoyed by
perpetrator BSF personnel, villagers have started to believe that, in spite of being citizen of India, they are denied justice.
Report by:
Kirity Roy
Secretary
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
&
National Convenor
Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI)
---------------------------
Mumbai Poor Unite to Launch Postcard Campaign to Oppose Food Security “Bull”
Maharashtra, 14th April,
Spurred by the Food Security Bill’s current draft, which threatens to leave Mumbai’s slum populace high-and-dry in terms of their
ration-card entitlements, slum-dwellers are making known their displeasure by sending tens of thousands of post-cards. The people’s
verdict is writ large on the postcards: Make 35 kg of guaranteed foodgrain plus essential commodities available to the holders of
Above-Poverty-Line (APL) ration cards, who form the overwhelming majority of the urban poor.
Hundreds of slum-based “mitra mandals” and self-help groups spread all over the city are busy collecting and posting these postcards
addressed to Sonia Gandhi, Chairman of the National Advisory Committee, who has herself opposed the draft Bill to guarantee 25
kg of foodgrains for only those who hold Below-Poverty-Line ration cards. Scores of these organizations have also sent telegrams and
phonograms to press home the message. This activity is being coordinated by Rationing Kruti Samiti (RKS), in order to bring
Mumbai’s affected people within hearing distance of the policy-makers in New Delhi. RKS monitors the implementation of Public
Distribution System (PDS), and also other government schemes such as Employment Guarantee Scheme, all over Maharashtra.
Aggregating the reports from all the local-level grassroot workers, RKS estimates that over 15,000 poor people have sent postcards this
week. A majority of these are women, as they are closer to the ground realities of running a household on shoestring budgets.
The Food Security Bill, in its current form, would restrict the guaranteed supply of foodgrains to holders Below-Poverty-Line (BPL)
ration cards, who constitute less than one percent of the poor in Mumbai. The poverty-line, defined as income of Rs 1250 per month
per family (about Rs 40 per day per family), is unrealistically low. Breaking up this figure on a per-head basis for a 5-person family, it
means that a person who earns over Rs 8 per day – less than the price of a single vada-pav and chai -- falls above the poverty-line.
Thus the Poverty Line is actually a level that would indicate death by starvation!
In addition, the present draft of the Food Security Bill, which supposedly seeks to secure all the food entitlements available to the poor,
speaks only of providing 25 kgs of foodgrain i.e. rice and wheat to BPL families and excludes essential commodities and of locally
available coarse grains like jowar and bajra. It is also silent on all the current schemes for food security like the mid-day meal, Janani
Suraksha Yojana, etc. Shockingly, the proposed 25kgs for BPL is less than the current 35 kgs currently guaranteed by the Supreme
Court.
RKS has put out a detailed note in Marathi to promote awareness of the implications of the Food Security Bill on the lives of the
millions of Mumbai’s poor who are officially Above-Poverty-Line, but whose meager earnings can go the distance only if subsidized
foodgrains and essential commodities are available from ration shops. Currently, Mumbai’s APL card holders receive around 15 kg. of
subsidized rice or wheat, besides supply of essential commodities like palm oil, sugar and kerosene. However, if the Food Security Bill
is passed in its present form, then it will put a big question-mark on the continuance of these life-sustaining entitlements of lakhs of
Mumbaikars, besides poor people in many metro cities.
27
A postcard, costing only 50 paise, is an ideal way for a poor person to get the attention of the powers-that-be. The postcards campaign
is seen as an ideal method for even such impoverished citizens to “vote” for good governance by letting their views be known in large
numbers. It makes it possible for citizens to go beyond the bare-minimum of an electoral democracy, and embody the ideal of a
participatory democracy by casting a vote on issues that deeply concern their lives.
Source:
Rationing Kruti Samiti
Draft Food Security Bill:

English: http://www.box.net/shared/stljuqz8lb
Marathi: http://www.box.net/shared/ncy602k9f4
----------------------------------
Amnesty International- India: Government of West Bengal must drop false charges against activists
campaigning against torture
West Bengal,
The Government of West Bengal must drop false charges against Kirity Roy and other human rights defenders and hold the State
police accountable for harassment and intimidation, Amnesty International said today.
Kirity Roy, Secretary of the Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum) – a human rights organization in West Bengal – was
arrested by the Kolkata police on 7 April 2010. This was in pursuance of a complaint filed by the police in June 2008 relating to his
involvement in organising an event in Kolkata, titled the ‘People’s Tribunal on Torture’.
This event was organised by Masum as part of a nationwide project on preventing torture in India. The police complaint of June
2008 charged Mr. Roy and six other Masum employees for offences including impersonating a public official (Section 170, Indian
Penal Code), impersonation of a juror (Section 229) and criminal conspiracy (Section 120B).
Public or people’s tribunals are commonly held globally and in India, as a way of highlighting human rights violations and seeking
accountability. There was no attempt by the organisers of the ‘People’s Tribunal on Torture’ to impersonate public officials or jurors.
Not only were the West Bengal police informed of this event, but senior officials including Kolkata city police commissioner were also
invited to attend.
At the event in Kolkata, a panel consisting of former judges and human rights defenders heard detailed testimonies from 82 victims
who alleged police torture. In most of the cases presented, previous complaints by the victims to higher authorities had not led to any
investigations or prosecution. The police charges of impersonation against Mr. Roy and others appear to be an attempt to silence the
victims of police torture by criminalizing a legitimate form of protest by human rights defenders.
Mr. Roy’s arrest on 7 April 2010 took place a day before the High Court was due to hear a petition seeking the quashing of charges
against him and six other Masum employees. Although Mr. Roy has now been released on bail, the police have added further charges
of forgery of documents (Sections 467), forgery for the purpose of cheating (Section 468) and cheating (Section 420) against all the
seven persons previously charged. Another key organizer of the event, Henri Tiphagne of People’s Watch, Madurai, has also been
named in the charge-sheet filed by the police in a local court.
Amnesty International is concerned that Kirity Roy’s arrest and the filing of charges against him and seven others appear to be
politically motivated, as a result of their work as defenders of human rights raising issues of torture and impunity.
Amnesty International calls on the West Bengal government to drop false charges against Mr. Roy and other human rights defenders
in this case. Instead the Government should hold the State police accountable such for harassment and intimidation. The authorities
should also create an enabling environment and ensure respect for the rights of individuals in West Bengal engaged in the peaceful
promotion of respect for human rights, including the right to meet and assemble peacefully, to seek obtain, receive and hold
information about respect for human rights, and to discuss and form opinions about and draw the public’s attention to the observance
of human rights.
------------------------
28
Parliamentarians pay tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
New Delhi, India,
Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Meira Kumar; Leader of the House (Lok Sabha), Shri Pranab Mukherjee; Leader of Opposition (Lok
Sabha), Smt Sushma Swaraj; Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri K. Rahman Khan and Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha),
Shri Arun Jaitley led the nation in paying floral tributes to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar on his Birth Anniversary in the Central Hall of
Parliament House today.
Among the dignitaries who paid floral tributes to Dr. Ambedkar were several Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and former
Members of Parliament.
Secretaries-General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Shri P.D.T. Achary and Dr. V. K. Agnihotri, respectively, also paid floral tributes.
A booklet containing the profile of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, brought out by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, both in Hindi and English, was
presented to the dignitaries who attended the function.
The portrait of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar was unveiled in the Central Hall of Parliament House by the then Prime Minister, Shri
Vishwanath Pratap Singh, on 12 April 1990 in recognition of his many splendoured services to the nation.
Source:
Speaker's Office
India
---------------------------------------
6th National conference on Electoral and Political reforms in Bhopal

Madhya Pradesh, April 10 and 11, 2010,
On the first day of the sixth national conference on Electoral and Political Reforms being organized by Association for Democratic
Reforms and National Election Watch, Mr Navin Chawla, Chief Election Commissioner, released a book “Lok Sabha 2009 Election
Watch: A compendium of state election watch reports”. The book contains analysis on criminal and financial details of candidates
and winners of Lok Sabha 2009 Elections for all states and UT‘s of India.
The delegates to this conference include civil society organizations, eminent citizens, media, senior bureaucrats and Police officials,
leaders from the corporate sector and the political parties.
Speaking at the conference Mr Chawla said, “The EC should be given power to de‐ register political parties especially those which do
not even contest elections.” He also expressed deep concern about increasing instances of paid news which needed to be addressed
urgently.
Speaking on the importance of the political party reforms, Mr. Manickam Tagore, MP INC said, “All political parties remain closed
for new entrants, unless they have some connections. This closed nature of the parties needs to be changed and the gates should be
opened to meritorious youth”.
On the importance of electoral reforms Mr. Kirit Somaiya, National Secretary BJP said, “Electoral and political reforms are crucial
for the progress of the country. Paid news is a menace on which action should be quickly taken so that the spirit of democracy is kept
alive”.
Mr Anil Madhav Dave, MP, BJP strongly appealed that, “Vidhan sabha and Lok sabha elections should be held jointly so that
constant elections don’t become hindrance to development”.
On the second day, Representatives of Congress and BJP discussed issues like inner party democracy and funding transparency, on the
concluding day of the sixth national conference on Electoral and Political Reforms organized by Association for Democratic Reforms
and National Election Watch. Vinay Sahasrbuddhe, Member of BJP Executive Council said that political parties should also subject
some regulation and be asked to furnish annual reports of activities and accounts. He also added that politicians should undergo
professional training to become effective legislators. Mr. K.K.Mishra, Congress spokesperson from Madhya Pradesh, expressed
concern about the increased role of money power and criminals in elections.
29
The conference also discussed the role of media in elections, and the increased danger of the phenomenon of “paid news” in election
campaigns. Mr. L. C. Jain, former member of Planning Commission said that edifice of India’s democracy cannot be built without
strong foundations of integrity in politics.
The conference concluded with resolutions demanding no criminal candidates, an option for “none of the above” on the voting
machine and political party reforms.
----------------------------
Stop structural violence against adivasis Stop destructive development and restore the faith of the
adivasis in the Indian Constitution
New Delhi,
The Independent People’s Tribunal on Land Acquisition, Resource Grab and Operation Green Hunt, organized by Citizen’s against
Forced Displacement and War on People, kicked-off today to a packed hall, consisting of students, academics, activists and the media.
The Independent People’s Tribunal is being held in New Delhi, Constitution Club.
Dr. Vandana Shiva, well-renowned environmental activist presented the inaugural address and spoke about the “urgent need to
develop democratic spaces”, such as the IPT. She said “the complex issues related land acquisition, mining and exploitation of the
tribals as well as mechanisms of state suppression need to be discussed in a open manner by concerned individuals and intellectuals
without the threat of arrest”. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, continuing in a similar vein, referred to the mining mafia that was bleeding
the nation of its resources. According to him “rampant mining is displacing adivasis from their lands and leading to the ecological ruin
of India’s forest land”. He questioned the logic of undertaking such activity ‘in public interest’ when 80% of the profits were pocketed
by private companies, while people were left dispossessed and left to suffer health hazards. Mr. Bhushan then introduce the People’s
Jury comprising of Hon’ble (Retd) Justice P. B. Sawant, Justice (Retd) H. Suresh, Dr. V. Mohini Giri, Professor Yash Pal, Dr. P. M.
Bhargava and retired IPS officer Dr. K. S. Subramanian. (Jury Bios are attached at the end of the press note). The first session was also
addressed by Mr. S P Shukla who spoke about the deep injustice being met out to the tribals and the unfair polarisation of the debate
in the media and the state. He said that violence by the Maoists was representative of years of injustice suffered by the poor in these
lands and that use of excessive force, clamping down on democratic spaces by arrests and detention of activists like Binayak Sen would
only exacerbate the situation. He strongly recommended that the State should engage in widening the discussion on the issue if it
wanted to solve it. Dr. B D Sharma, a retired civil servant and ex-chairman of the SC/ST Commission, Bastar spoke about the
continuous denial of rights of the tribals by the state – in the form of violations of the Vth Schedule of the Constitution, Panchayati
(Extension) to Schedule Areas, Forests Rights Act.
Day 1 of the Independent People’s Tribunal focussed on the current situation in Chhattisgarh. Sudha Bhardwaj, lawyer and labour
rights activist, Chattisgarh Mukti Morcha deposed on the intricate nexus between the State and Corporations in expropriating the
land for industrial and mining purpose. She deposed on the ground situation in Chhattisgarh where in gross violation of the PESA
Act, gram sabhas were being manipulated to take decisions on land use and sale, against collective community decision-making
process. According to Sudha the scale of corruption was enormous. The district officials were facilitating the transfer of tribal land,
flouting all legal and procedural conduct. She recommended that there should be strict enforcement of the Forest Rights Act and
procedures of granting environmental clearances. In all cases, corporate acquisition of tribal land was to be stopped to restore the
faith of the tribals in the State. Goldy M George, rights activist in Chhattisgarh also reiterated the corporate land grab and pointed
out to the number of secret MOUs that were being signed, without adequate public consultation. Activists in these areas were being
targeted by insidious campaigns by the State and corporates. The politics of alienation of the tribals was part of a larger strategy to
use the politics of genocide in the game of Power. Harish Dhawan, human rights activist, Peoples Union for Democratic Rights spoke
about the terror unleshed by the Salwa Judum and its role in the current operations.
The second part of the session focused on narratives by tribals, from the state of Chhattisgarh. The general narratives were different
in details but similar in the pattern – atrocities by the police and Sulwa Judum SPOs; torture, interrogation and illegal detention for
being an alleged ‘naxal’ supporter. Lingaram who was tortured and forced to join the Judum spoke about how the Gram Panchayats
were mute to the cause of the tribals, and in fact, detrimental to their existence. He questioned the enormous amount of money spent
since independence on the ‘welfare plans’ for the tribals and the lack of any progress in this regard. Lamenting on the lack of
education and health services, he said that tribals needed development on their terms and not of the kind that was being enforced
upon them from all quarters. Himanshu Kumar, Gandhian activist, spoke about the advisory, legal and rehabilitation support provided
by the Vanvasi Chetna Ashram to the tribals and the consequent attempts by the state to squash the same by terrorizing villagers. Dr.
Binayak Sen, offered a different perspective on structural violence that is embedded in the treatment meted out to the tribals.
According to him, statistics on malnutrition revealed a severe hunger crisis and are emblematic of the neglect that these regions had
been subjected to for long. He derided the state for using the development rhetoric when masses were dying of hunger and malaria.
-------------------------------
30
Delegation met the president of India on issue of students of IIT Kanpur
New Delhi
A delegation lead by Prof. V.N.Pal Along with Dr. S.L Sagar, Mr. Pradeep Verma &
Deshraj Vidyarthi met Hon'ble President of India on 01.04.2010 at Rastrapati Bhawan
and discuss the issue of termination of students of IIT Kanpur at length Dr.Pal also
offered the Socio-Scientific solutions of various problems of the nation such as Roti,
Kapda, Makan, Sadak, Bijli, Pani, Siksha, Swasthya, and Suraksha. the Solutions are
Simple, full of Ineffectual, Practicable, easily applicable, economic and sort terms in
Nature.
Dr. Pal ask for the time to discuss these problems at length either before the President of
India of any of Her Representatives. She accepted the request of Dr.Pal and directed her
aides to provide him a suitable hand like Mr. Barun Mitra an IAS, Joint Secretary to
President of India.
The Delegation discussed the issue of IIT/K Student Problem of termination at length. and consented to provide the formal appeal
to Reinstate the terminated students along with proofs to Mr. Mitra. for other matter's Dr. Pal was told to be in touch with Mr. Mitra
through correspondence like Email, Teliphonic, Talk or in Person.
--------------------------
I have no intention and desire of rejoining the BJP: Govindacharya

New Delhi, 6 April
Amid the speculation over his comeback to BJP, KN Govindacharya, Patron of Rashtriya Swabhiman Aandolan (RSA) said, ‘Since
2003, I have never expressed any desire and intention of rejoining the BJP. I want to make it clear once again that I have no intention
and desire of rejoining the BJP.’
He said, ‘Whatever I have done since 2003, there is a consistency and continuity in that. I have formed Kautilya Sodh Sansthan in
2003 and handed over it to Shri Amit Sharma and I became the patron of the same. Same thing I have done with Bharat Vikas
Sangama (BVS). It was formed in 2004 and handed over to Shri Basavraj Patil in 2008 and I became the patron of BVS. Samagra
Sodh Sansthan was formed in 2008 and handed over to Shri Surendra Bisht in 2009 and I became the patron of this. Same thing
happened with RSA. This organization was formed on 15th May 2004 on the issue of eligibility of a person of a foreign origin for the
important post like prime ministership. Since then, I was acting as the convenor of RSA and finally I handed over this to Shri Rakesh
Dubey on last Saturday (3rd April) and became the patron of RSA. I handed over each organization to that person, who is more
competent than me. It doesn’t mean that I have either disassociated myself from these organizations or my colleagues.’ He said, ‘I am
also acting as patron of the Ganga Mahasabha, which was formed by Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya in 1916 and rejuvenated in
early 2000 by Shri Acharya Jitendra. Bhartiya Janshakti Party (BJS) was formed on 30 April 2006 in Ujjain. After the assembly
election of MP in 2008, I was requested to become the patron of the BJS too.’
Govindacharya said, ‘My activities, steps and decision should not be viewed in a partisan angle favouring a particular political party.
Current problems and condition of the BJP do not influence my decision making faculty in any manner.’ He further laments, ‘I am
consistently following the line of Pro-poor and Pro-Bharat. I desired to co-operate on values and issues with various political and semi
political organizations. The touch stone will be the Pro-Bharat and Pro-poor policies. The politics favouring poor and Bharat is the
need of the hour.’ Govindacharya said, ‘Keeping this purpose in mind, a group of political and semi political organizations gathered
at Allahabad on 15th January 2009 and they formed the Rashtravadi Morcha. Shri S.S. Dang of Jagrat Bharat Party is the convenor
of the same and I am the patron of this front.’
He said, ‘I have reached Bhopal on 31st evening for the preparation of RSA all India meet. Details of the deliberations were
formulated on 2nd of April and the working paper for discussion was handed over to Shri Rakesh Dubey. On 3rd and 4th, I had
planned to be in Delhi to oversee some documents necessary for Rashtravadi Morcha. Also, the discussion was scheduled for National
Vision Document too. My coming back to Delhi was in no way even remotely connected with affairs of BJP in particular or partisan
politics in general.’
Govindacharya added, ‘For the coming months, the workers of all these fronts and organizations will be working for the success of
Bharat Vikas Sangama scheduled at Gulburga, Karnatka from 23rd December 2010 to 1st January 2011 along with other activities of
their own.’
Source:
Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan
-------------------------------------------
31
Parliamentarians pay tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram
New Delhi, India,
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Meira Kumar led the nation in paying floral tributes at the statue
of Babu Jagjivan Ram in Parliament House on his Birth Anniversary, today.
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal; Union Minister for Social Justice and
Empowerment Shri Mukul Wasnik; Members of Parliament; former Members of Parliament; and Secretaries-General of Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha, Shri P.D.T. Achary and Dr. V.K. Agnihotri, respectively, also paid floral tributes.
A booklet containing the profile of Babu Jagjivan Ram, brought out by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, was presented to the dignitaries
who attended the function.
The statue of Babu Jagjivan Ram was unveiled by the then President of India, Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, in Parliament House on 25
August 1995 in recognition of Babuji’s outstanding services to the nation.
Earlier in the day, Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari; Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh; and Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Meira
Kumar paid floral tributes at Babuji’s memorial at the Samta Sthal in New Delhi. Among others who paid tributes were the Leader of
Opposition in Lok Sabha, Smt. Sushma Swaraj; Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Mukul Wasnik; Chief
Minister of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dikshit; Members of Parliament; and former Members of Parliament.
On the occasion, the Lok Sabha Speaker attended a Sarva Dharam Prathana at 6, Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi. Later in the
day, she also joined a large number of people who took part in a Shobha Yatra from the Red Fort to the Samta Sthal to mark the
occasion.
In the evening, Union Minister for Finance Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivered the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Lecture in Vigyan
Bhawan. While Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Meira Kumar delivered the Presidential Address on the occasion, Union Minister for Social
Justice and Empowerment and President of the Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation Shri Mukul Wasnik presented the Welcome
Address. The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri D. Napoleon gave Vote of Thanks.
Source:
Speaker's Office
India
-------------------------
32
Columns
Suicides and attempts for suicide by the students of IIT Kanpur (An autonomous prestigious Institute
where recruiters come from heaven)
IIT Kanpur,
It was the night of this April 19’2010, Snehal Ajit Indurkar, student of IIT Kanpur cut a slit into her left hand nerve to end her life
just because of the fear of termination, if you are stunned please don’t be now because this is like the sun rises every morning and sets
in the evening, yes in IIT Kanpur this is a pattern here, eight students in four years ended their lives, and dozens have tried but any
how they are saved, and many hundreds of students are under different type of psychological treatment here in IIT Kanpur, if you are
judgmental here please don’t be now, story is a bit big. And you will be startled to know that immediately any suicide attempt happens
IIT Kanpur administration found busy in preventing the news from spreading, even I have heard from a PhD student that before a
year a girl attempted suicide and dean of student affairs Partha Chokraborty rang to health centre and warned the doctor about
spreading the news and gave threat of job. Often in the morning I go for a walk in the lane where my director sir lives, a big cup of tea
in left hand and the news paper in other hand, sitting with his wife with cheerful short conversations after every few minutes, his
highness, he is a director here for the third time, you know I am a fan of him, wouldn’t you ask why, because he has made very good
relations with upper cone of political hierarchy. Neither the President, Prime minister, MHRD, Home Ministry, Human Rights nor
State Government tried to intervene this killing business in IIT Kanpur, he is a man of powers in this democratic country.
If you think to leave apart the suicides and attempts for suicide because IIT Kanpur has been a prestigious institute, retrieve the
memories of expulsion of 50 students that was illegal as well as in humanitarian and malicious. I am saying it illegal in the sense that
the senate that takes the decision was running short in number means quorum was incomplete and it is happening for last few years, I
am saying it in-humanitarian as the students having genuine excuses (like heart surgery of parents etc) were expelled and students with
no proper excuses were reinstated back. In last of the December 2009 IITK authorities issued termination letters to 140 students of
various departments, don’t think this is a big number who couldn’t perform up-to mark but apart from this many hundred students are
put in the category of under-performance called probation, this is real picture of academically inadequately running institute, if
students in a huge numbers are being served as terminations this shows the failure of administration and management. Government is
always found concerned about quality of education in our country but one thing that bothers me and many of us is why this
government just ignoring the case of IIT Kanpur for the past few years while the situation is terribly cynical here and its world ranking
is going down rapidly, simultaneously talking of reforms in education system every time.
Above indicated are not the only problems, institute is going through a lot of other atrocious implications and it’s a time to find out an
immediate remedy for the disease before it jump to the next and irreparable level.
Article by:
Kilkil sachan
Graduate student
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
(IIT Kanpur)
-------------------
ISSUES FACING ELDERLY PERSONS
While the improvement in medical science has enabled longevity of life for many people, this has also brought about many issues.
There are number of instances that both the elderly parents and the children compliment each other in an elegant manner, with total
understanding of each other’s needs. However, this is not always the case.
At the fag end of one’s life, many of those who live beyond eighty years or so sometimes wonder as to whether such longevity is a
blessing or curse. In most cases, such longevity of life is accompanied by ailments, which cripple the active life and increase the
dependence on sons or daughters or even grand children to a considerable extent. Particularly when medical expenses become
inevitable, in most cases, the dependence is not only for moral support but also for material support.
With nuclear families becoming the order of the day and sons and daughters often going to distant places or abroad for employment,
the elderly couple are forced to live alone in many cases. With materialistic pursuits receiving overwhelming priority amongst the
younger people, the sons and daughters also feel on many instances that they cannot afford to make sacrifices in their professions or
other interests for the sake of looking after their elderly parents. Also, there are some cases where the elderly couple find it preferable
to live alone away from their sons and daughters even if they happen to be in the same city due to the compatability issue.
33
However, it is not easy for elderly couple to live alone , particularly in present situation where the cost of living is spiraling up and
security concerns create fear and anxiety. In the unfortunate cases, where the mobility of the elderly people make them disabled, living
alone becomes tortuous for them. It is pathetic to see them struggling , with their children living away from them and just talking over
to them during week ends or visiting them occasionally. The sense of loneliness and helplessness make them even more weak than
what they actually would be.
While old age homes are springing up all over the country both in big cities and small towns to cater to the needs of the elderly people,
such old age home facilities can be availed only by those who can afford to pay. Many elderly people find that the old age home is
actually not a real solution as what they need is some sort of emotional support which rarely happen in these paid homes. Even these
old age homes can meet the needs only if the persons would be in reasonably good health.
The plight of the elderly citizens become even worse when one of the couple happen to pass away which deny the survivor the
emotional needs that is required and which can be provided with understanding only by the life partner.
In recent times, there is considerable awareness among every one that some forward planning is necessary to ensure an honourable
living at ripe age. People conserve the resources to the extent possible to reduce their economic dependence on their children . But,
what about those elders who are not affluent and who cannot afford to have any savings at all ?
Of course, there can also be the view that the elders should show greater understanding of the compulsions of the younger generation
and the wisdom gained through age and experience should enable them to do so.
However, in the case of those families where the younger generation do have problems in looking after the interests of elderly parents ,
some sort of counseling are required for the sons and daughters who should be enabled to develop an attitude of compassion and
responsibility towards the parents and readjust their priorities to the extent possible , to meet the requirements of the elderly parents in
tune with their aspirations and outlook.
While earnings and jobs are important, they certainly can not be more important than keeping their parents comfortable and
peaceful.
Several sons and daughters often feel frustrated after their parent pass away that they have not done enough for their elderly parents
while they needed support due to their frail health. There can be no greater satisfaction for anyone more than the feeling that they
have done their level best to keep their parents happy when they were alive.
Article by:
N.S.Venkataraman
--------------------------------------
Land Use Planning for Judicious Use of Valuable Land for Establishment of Agro-Economic Zones in
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh,
Abstract
For having an all round development of the economy the need of the hour is to have sound land use planning that can help to
mitigate the negative effects of land use and enhance the efficient use of resources with minimal impact on future generations. Instead
of encroaching on fertile land for the establishment of agro-economic zones we should aim to set it up on barren and uncultivable
land further if they are exhausted or unavailable we should go for cultivable wasteland as a last option. It would be a great blunder if
we continue to shift our valuable fertile agricultural land for purposes other than agriculture and its allied purposes. Let more
investment on infrastructure may be allowed in distant barren and uncultivable lands for the time being but in long run our
agricultural land would be saved for us as well as for our coming generation.
Keywords: Land-Use, Planning, Agro-Economic Zones, Wasteland.
(please see full article with tables in PDF file)
1.0 Introduction
Land is an essential pre-requisite both for primary production system as well as for meeting social priorities and therefore, must be
available in adequate extent and desired quality. With the growth and development of economy we observe that the per capita
availability of the resource is declining due to various reasons. Successful development planning for future will now depend on
scientific land use planning with specific consideration to maintaining and improving the interrelationship between land and water
cycles. In developing countries like India, problems of soil erosion and land degradation are intimately associated with land husbandry
as well as growth promoting developmental activities. It is, therefore, necessary to ensure generation of sustainable livelihood in terms
of food and income through proper maintenance and enhancement of the productivity of the resource base on a long term basis. Our
34
aim to save the degrading land resource is due to the fact all the agricultural activities depend on the physical environment in which he
is living and not only does his survival depends upon the food production he produces but agriculture sector plays a strategic role in
the process of economic development.
But with the growing rate of urbanization and increasing population the acquisition of the land for non farm activities have been very
rampant in all over India in many cases the land acquisition has been for the setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and it has
put a important focus on the loss of agricultural land. As this problem has been addressed in a National Development Council
meeting on December 23, 2006, by our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he said that: “I agree that we must minimize the
diversion of agricultural land and, given the choice, must opt for using wasteland for non-agricultural purposes. However, it must be
kept in mind that industrialization is a national necessity if we have to reduce the pressure on agriculture and provide gainful,
productive employment to millions of our youth who see no future in agriculture.” This land acquisition for any purpose other than
agriculture has been modifying the land use pattern of India and often has turn out to be negative to a much extent. Uttar Pradesh
one of the most populous state of India is no exceptional with the passing of time more and more fertile land are being acquired
either willingly or forcibly in the name of development.
2.0 Agricultural Overview of Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh that accommodates 166.2 million populations with a density of 690 persons per square kilometer. The state has total
242.02 lakh hectare is reported area out of which 167.50 lakh hectare is brought under cultivation. About 58 lakh hectares of
wastelands have been treated and brought under cultivation. Approximately 31.4 per cent of fertile land is being used for non-
agricultural uses when approximately 30 per cent of the states income comes from agriculture. While on the other hand the forest
cover that plays an important role in balancing the ecosystem is less than 7.0 per cent and that too is not effectively covered by forests.
When according to forest policy it should have been one-third forest cover for healthy environment. Adverse environmental impact is
now reflected in falling yield and increasing other fallow and current fallow lands as it is becoming uneconomical to cultivate. For
example in Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Lucknow and Unnao districts other and current fallow lands have increased up to 15.0 per cent. In
U.P. cereal production was 41.76 million metric tones in 2001-02 which has fallen to 37.57 million metric tones in 2004-05 due to land
degradation. Though during the last 50 years we have treated most of the wastelands and added mostly with agricultural land, but it is
reported that after few years of cropping, land is again becoming infertile and uneconomical. Uneconomic agriculture, landlessness
among rural masses and quest of modernization has created momentum to migrate from rural to urban areas that too towards
metropolitan cities, where congestion and pollution is unimaginable. During last fifty years the land under non-farm use related to
mainly urban has almost doubled, which would continue to grow. More than 50.0 per cent districts are showing above the state
average, i.e., 10.6 per cent land under non-farm use. In Ambedkar Nagar, Kushi Nagar, Sant Ravi Das Nagar and Ghaziabad districts,
the land under non-farm use has crossed beyond 15.0 per cent and many other districts are on the same trend.
2.1 Existing Land Use

If we analyze the land utilization during 2002 and 2005 we find that during these five years the land put to non-agricultural uses has
risen 5.3 per cent and the current fallow has risen to 18.6 per cent and as a result the land which is lifeline, i.e. forest land and net area
sown has decreased to 0.1 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively. The land put to non-agricultural uses is occupying about 10.9 per
cent area and in most of the cases it is expanding on most of the fertile lands when this land is important for food grain production for
feeding the teeming millions. We are in deficit of 23 per cent of forest cover which is necessary to meet the National Forest Policy and
as well to provide the better environment and retain the fertility of the soil. Urbanization and industrialization are the dialectal
phenomenon which cannot be stopped but we must have certain policy to control their haphazard growth. (See Table: 1)
2.2 Growing Trend of Land Put to Non-Agricultural Uses

The annual growth rate of land put to non-agricultural uses in Uttar Pradesh is not uniformed. During 2001 and 2002 the growth
rate was 3.2 per cent which dropped to 1.6 per cent during 2002 and 2003 but again it has risen to 2.1 per cent during 2004 and 2005.
It is expected that during recent yeas the growth rate is much faster. (See Table: 2)
2.3 Regional Pattern of Land Put to Non-Agricultural Uses

Since Uttar Pradesh is one of the largest States the land put to non-agricultural uses in rural and urban areas has been worked out
according to its four geographical regions[(i)Western region,(ii)Central region,(iii)Bundelkhand &(iv)Eastern region] during 2001 and
2008. Comparatively Western region is highest urbanized in Uttar Pradesh but its growth rate during 2001 and 2008 is less than the
State average in both rural and urban land put to non-agricultural uses. The Central region has recently (2008) surpassed the State
average in its rural and urban land put to non-agricultural uses. The growth of land put to non-agricultural uses in rural areas has
risen to 19.1 per cent whereas in urban areas the growth was 43.0 per cent during 2001 and 2008. Similarly in Bundelkhand during
last eight years the growth rate has gone up to 17.6 per cent in rural areas and 30.6 per cent in urban areas. In case of Eastern region
the growth rate in rural and urban areas of land put to non-agricultural uses was higher than the Western region but quite far behind
than the Central region and Bundelkhand, i.e., 11.3 and 4.8 per cent respectively. Overall the growth rate of total land put to non-
agricultural uses was below the State average in only Western region but in Central region, Bundelkhand and Eastern regions it was
quite high, i.e. 22.2, 18.5 and 10.7 per cent respectively. The growth of rural and urban land put to non-agricultural uses is alarmingly
high in Central region and Bundelkhand which needs an urgent policy and control measures. (See Table: 3)
2.4 Districts Having Fast Growth of Land Put to Non- Agricultural Uses
During 2008 there are districts in Uttar Pradesh where rural land put to non-agricultural uses has gone up quite high than the State
average 10.7 per cent. For example highest proportion of land put to non-agricultural uses are occupied in districts like Ghaziabad
18.4, Ambedkar Nagar 17.6, Kushi Nagar 17.4, Sant Kabir Nagar 15.3, Ballia 14.8, Ghazipur 14.0 per cent. While calculating the
growth rate during 2001 and 2008 we worked out the average annual growth rate of rural areas put to non-agricultural uses and the
35
State average comes 1.5 per cent there are districts where the annual growth rate is manifold than the State average, for example,
Chitrakoot 10.4, Faizabad 8.7, Mahoba 6.6, Kanpur Urban 6.5, Unnao 5.6 and Ambedkar Nagar 5.0 per cent. In most of the cases
the land put to non-agricultural uses in rural areas is in fact influenced by neighboring towns and cities which are in the process of
transition to become urban land. For vertical industrial and urban growth or vertical settlements in rural areas there is an urgent need
of government policy which should be strictly implemented through the Town and Country Planning. (See Table: 4)
2.5 Fast Growth of Land Put to Non-Agricultural Uses in Blocks

If we go to micro-block level to understand the fast growth of rural land put to non-agricultural uses, we find at least 29 blocks are
showing very fast growth rate, there are blocks like Razapur block, Loni block in Ghaziabad, Morava block in Muzaffarnagar, Kashi
Vidyapeeth block in Varanasi and Kaurihar block in Allahabad where land put to non-agricultural uses is occupying more than one-
fifth of the total area of each respective block. There are blocks where annual growth rate is more than 10 per cent which are Dabri
block in Gautam Budh Nagar, Sarojininagar block in Lucknow, Rasulabagh block in Kanpur Dehat and Bhitargaon in Kanpur Nagar
(See Table: 5)
3.0 Need of Agro-Economic Zone

With the passage of time the conversion of farm land for non farm activities has been at a faster rate and often these non farm
activities around the farm lands have an adverse affect on the crop growth. This conversion of farm land into non farm land opens the
gate for an intensive rate of the acquisition of land for non farm activities. The prevailing practice is to acquire land on the fringe of
the cities where most of the infrastructures are available and market forces are playing. So for higher monetary gains the valuable
agricultural land is acquired from innocent farmers by luring/inducing/forcing them by the money/muscle power. The farmers who
have been depended upon the agriculture since centuries tend to sell off their land but it takes at least one century for them to adjust
with the non farm activities. The processes of land acquisition along with the adverse impact of the Green Revolution on the soil
fertility as well as the irregular monsoonal rainfall have brought down the food production. As according to the latest economic survey
conducted by Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) (Oct. 27, 2009) “Decline in acreage and expected fall in yield will lead
to a 16 per cent drop in kharif food grain production. It is expected to fall to 98 million tonnes from 117.7 million tonnes produced in
kharif 2008.” Further if we analyze just the production of wheat one of the major food crops we observe that its production per
hectare was 2708 kg in the year 2000-01 but it decreased to only 2602 kg per hectare in 2004-05 that is at the national level the per
hectare production of wheat has dipped 106 kg. This is when as well known that the population growth have till now shown an
upward trend.
We do we cannot deny the fact that urbanization and industrialization brings with it development and we cannot just deny being an
agrarian economy as still about 60.0 per cent rural population of India depends upon the agriculture. The answer is to have Agro
Economic Zones on the line and pattern of Special Economic Zone that will on one hand boost the economy of the said area because
it will be able to generate employment for the local inhabitants and on the other hand will help in giving a boost to the agrarian
economy of the state and country as a whole.
3.1 Priority of Land Acquisition for Agro- Economic Zone

It is high time that we must save our agricultural land and must disperse our urbanization in all the regions in a balance way if
Agricultural Economic Zones (AEZ) is located adjacent to small and medium towns where non-agricultural lands are available. Maybe
more infrastructure would be required for the zones to be established in these areas but in the longer run we will be able to reap
benefits from our hardships. Our aim in this would be to save our valuable fertile agricultural land and allow the small and medium
towns to grow parallel to bigger cities; this would further pave the way for a sustainable urban growth.
The alternative of saving valuable agricultural land and so as to achieve a balanced urbanization our option is to utilize our land
which is available in the form of barren and uncultivable wasteland as a first priority after the first priority is exhausted or no more
available in a particular district we should go for barren cultivable wasteland as a second priority. Similarly the last option for
acquiring the land should be of old fallow land of more than five years. During 2004-05 in nearly 28 districts of Uttar Pradesh barren
and uncultivable lands that are more than the State average is available. Similarly barren and cultivable wasteland and old fallow land
are available in 25 and 24 districts of Uttar Pradesh respectively, which are more than the State average. The fact is further stressed
upon that it has been experienced that the revenue records of the State do not show the right picture of the land use statistics,
therefore satellite imageries should be the basis for occupying these non agricultural lands for agro economic zones.(See Table: 6)
3.2 Policy Formulation for Agro Economic Zones

For establishment of the Agro- Economic Zones all primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in the rural economy should be combined
in the agro activity-centered growth. It should aim towards the development of agro based industries in the state of Uttar Pradesh and
transform the state into a major agro industrial hub. So as to attract more investors towards the agro economic zones the Uttar
Pradesh Agro Economic Zone (AEZ) Policy should provide the promoters and the investors with a unique double way exemptions and
incentives plan. The development plan pertaining to the Uttar Pradesh AEZ should be divided into different categories based upon
the priority list given above.
Features of Uttar Pradesh AEZ Policy should be that-

The methods used in the acquisition of lands should be highly effective and time conserving.
The use of single window system pertaining to granting of permits and approvals based on the issues such as work force and
environment should be propagated.
There should be exemptions pertaining to registration fees and stamp duties.
36
The exemptions from different kinds of tariffs, local and state duties, and taxes pertaining to the functions in the Agro Economic
Zones should be considered.
Permission pertaining to the setting up of power generation units by the manufacturing units for their own use should be allowed.
Issues related to Uttar Pradesh Agro Economic Zone are-

Law and order:
For regulating law and order the State Government of Uttar Pradesh should take appropriate measures
Taxes, duties, local taxes levied by the State Government of Uttar Pradesh: All kind of taxes levied by the State Government of Uttar
Pradesh including sales tax, purchase tax, cess, octroi, etc. related to the supply of services and goods should be exempted.
Water Supply:
The area of the Agro Economic Zone should have adequate supply of water as suggested by the administrative authority of the AEZ.
Power Supply:
The area of AEZ should have continuous supply of power and also have back up power service in case of stand by situations.
Registration of SSI and IT enabled services:

The administrative authorities should be empowered to grant permanent and provisional registration for the small-scale industry and
information technology enabled service units that are either related to the agriculture or should be able to boost the agro economy of
the zone.
4.0 Conclusion
Though in India agriculture is not so lucrative because of many geographical and social factors but agricultural land whatever it is
available with us should be maintained intact. Despite of globalization agriculture is the fundamental basis of India’s survival
therefore we must have a proper strategy to for land use planning in a scientific manner. The lands that are not being cultivated that
are barren and uncultivable wasteland as well as old fallows are enough to meet our urban demands and Special Economic Zones/
Agro Economic Zones. Simply on the basis of availability of infrastructure or agricultural land we should not go for establishing these
zones; it would be a serious mistake which would be irreversible. Therefore, it is most essential to identify the non-agricultural land
through satellite imageries and it should be a compulsion to utilize these non-agricultural lands on priority basis. Agricultural land
should not be allowed simply on the basis of market forces, there should be strict check and control on the basis of clear cut
formulated policies at all cost.
Article by:
Prof.(Dr.) S.S.A. Jafri
Giri Institute of Development Studies
&
Ms. Milita Haldar

Lecturer, Shri Ramswaroop Memorial Engineering and Management College, Lucknow and
Doctoral Fellow,
Giri Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow
Reference:
• Citizens’ Research Collective(2007) www.infochangeindia.org
• Fazal, S (2000), The Need for Preserving Farm Land: A Case Study From a Predominantly Agrarian Economy, Landscape
and Land Use Planning Elsewhere.
• Goswami, Bhaskar, (2007), “Chinese Lessons for India-SEZ” www.indiatogether.org/2007/feb/opisezchina.htm
• Hite,Jim. (1998), “Land Use Conflict on the Urban Fringes: Causes and Potential Resolution”. Prepared by the Storm
Thurmond Institute.
• http://www.cmie.com.
• Jafri, S.S.A., (2009) “Rural-Urban Nexus Policy and Urban Poverty: A Comparative Analysis of India and China”, in E-
Journal: www.indiastat.com.
• Jafri, S.S.A., (2008) “Urbanization in Uttar Pradesh” Urban Panorama: A Journal of Urban Governance and Management,
Vol. VII, No. 2.
• Shafi, M., 1969. “Land Use Planning, Land Classification and Land Capability, Methods and Techniques”. The Geographer,
Aligarh.
• Stamp, D., 1962. “The Land of Britain: Its Use and Misuse”. Longman Green and Company Ltd., London
• Verma, V.L., (2006), Urban Geography, Rawat Publication, New Delhi, p 273
For Tables (please see full article in PDF file):

• Table 1: Land Utilization in Uttar Pradesh: 2002 & 2005
Source: (a) Based on Statistical Abstract of U.P., 2006.
(b) Sankhyakiya Patrika of U.P.
• Table 2: Annual Growth Trend of Land Put to Non-Agricultural Uses in Uttar Pradesh, 2001-2005
Source: Based upon Statistical Abstract of U.P., 2007
37
• Table 3: Land Put to Non-Agricultural Uses in Regions of Uttar Pradesh, 2001 & 2008
Source: Based on Sankhyakiya Patrika of U.P. (upgov.up.nic.in/engspatrika)
Table 4: Districts of Fast Growth (Above Average) of Land Put to Non-Agricultural Uses in Rural Areas of Uttar Pradesh,
2001 & 2008
• Table 5: Block-wise Growth of Land Put to Non-Agricultural Uses, 1998 & 2008
Table 6: PRIORITY OF LAND AVAILABLE FOR AGRO-ECONOMIC ZONE 2004-05
Source: Based on Sankhyaki Patrika, State Planning Department, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh.
---------------------
VACCINATION IS NOT IMMUNIZATION
Immunity is inbuilt -- it may be weak, medium or strong. If weak it can be built. For healthy immunity your blood should be 70%
alkaline and 30% acidic. But because of the wrong food that we eat day in and day out this ratio is in inverse proportion. Impure
blood then destroys the immunity and internal organs creating dis-ease state.
The lethal brew called the vaccinations (or inoculations) made from disease cells and so many obnoxious ingredients do not build up
immunity. Rather these vaccines are introduced to create more diseases. As I have said in my new doctor's oath, vaccinations are worse
than rape. It is heinous and those who have made vaccination mandatory, like in USA and in the EU countries, are the mass
murderers. Hitler pales into insignificance when it comes to genocide of small children due to vaccinations.
So many clandestine events are planned behind the closed doors of the medical laboratories, which have a set agenda to follow,
namely population control. For example, how many people (including doctors, parents, planners, politicians, advocates, administrators,
consumer rights organizations) are even aware that now the required number of childhood vaccines has increased to dangerous levels.
These are the weapons of mass destruction.
1980 20 vaccines
2003 40 vaccines
2004 53 vaccines
2005 58 vaccines
2006 63 vaccines
2008 68 vaccines
Why is this number going up every year and it is never reported or discussed in the media or in the parliaments of the nations? Earlier,
vaccinations were given only to small children. Now they are recommended even to senior citizens and there are 73 vaccines for
adults.
As a result people are getting sicker. Issues like, (a) Sudden Infant Death, (b) Autism, (c) Measles (d) Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine,
(e) Flu Shots and Mercury in Vaccines, (f) Why infant deformities and deaths are increasing are deliberately not discussed.
New vaccines are being invented every year and routinely included in the "Mandated Immunization Schedule".
Who has made them mandatory and on what basis? Money decides everything. See how Bird Flu scare is created and then
inadequately tested or costly Tami Flu is promoted. But cancer and AIDS vaccine is nowhere in sight. Because these two diseases are
created by infecting bloodline itself.
Today, there are 68 vaccines mandated for use before a child is eighteen years old. And yet, our infant mortality rate and the health of
our children are appalling. The incidence of both infectious diseases and degenerative diseases among Americans is skyrocketing.
Allopathy is a pseudo science and allopathic vaccinations are based not on scientific premise but greed and more greed. The role of
vaccinations over the past 100 years has been grossly exaggerated and the harm done has been carefully hidden from public view. Life-
changing information is deliberately hidden by the immoral greed-driven industry. BBC recently removed the website on CAM. When
I complained to them, they wrote saying they are improving it and it will be up again shortly. By the same token the Modern Medicine
website, which gives much more misleading and dangerous information is not removed, I countered.
38
Veggie vaccines, urine vaccines, homeopathic ‘vaccines’ (nosodes) are never discussed even though they are cheaper, safer and without
any side effects. Likewise, the role of good diet and nutrition, as also herbs, fruits and vegetables (God's pharmacy) is never discussed.
Now you require a doctor's prescription even to buy vitamins and minerals, even though banned and bannable drugs are freely
available off the shelf. Tomorrow you may require doctor’s chit to buy even vegetables because all vegetables have healing power and
turmeric, neem, garlic, onion, capsicum have tremendous medicinal properties.
Wake up folks, wake up. In this information explosion age if you do not get proper information or if you do not use your common
sense than you are an educated fool. If you wish to remain in fool's paradise that is your look out. But do not rape your children willy-
nilly.
Article by:
Dr. Leo Rebello
-----------------------
Caution in accepting GMO products
The pressure is on to have India accept and promote Genetically Modified Organisms or GM plants and foods. The recurring theme
of various reports, across the world in this regard is inconclusive on the long term benefits of GMO.
One thing is clear, these new inter-species gene-spliced products would need large amounts of resources to sustain their 'gains' after
some time. In most of the world today: processes needing 'large water, power, pesticides and chemical fertilizers' are frowned upon.
This understanding has come some 40 years after our First Green Revolution when intra-species cross-bred products were used. The
new GM products are under use for less than 15 years today and already serious cracks in their acceptance is found in Euroland and
USA.
Caution is the only key when we deal with a billion plus citizens, most of who will never be well-informed to make a meaningful
choice, if such is left by the creators of GM-foods. Is this rush to adopt GM foods politically, economically, technologically viable?
Must we again suffer alien domination? The second green revolution must come from
Please read the attached pdf file for two important reports in our local newspapers in this regard. Register your protest and ask for
decades long testing and evaluation by third party with citizen oversight. Kindly inform well wishers too.
Report by:
Praful Vora,
Convener - JNM
JNM will work towards fundamental political, electoral and governance reforms.
www.jagrutnagrik.com
-------------------------
The Spread of Naxalism and Maoism (by Anant Trivedi, NNFI Delhi)
New Delhi,
Tragedy consumed the lives of so many CRPF Jawans recently in Dantewala in an ambush by Naxals. Media is busy with writings and
debates and seminars are being held by concerned citizens - we love to debate issues. There is so much being speculated about how the
perpetrators of the massacre should be dealt with, who should be held accountable for the loss of so many lives, the failure
intelligence, who should take the blame for lack of training and inadequate preparedness of those sent in to enforce the rule of law.
Politicians as always, are busy trading charges at each other with the Home Minister coming under a lot of flak with calls for his
resignation. No politician from the state of Chattisgarh has accepted responsibility – the problem belongs some where else. Nor even
politicians from the ‘red corridor’ of Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa ,
West Bengal have shed their silence. The day after the massacre the CM and another politician could be clearly seen in a jovial mood
on this sombre occasion, caught off guard no doubt by the cameras. It seems this was another item in their busy schedule – promise
compensation to the bereaved and life moves on.
39
Dantewala is no the first tragic event in recent times and sadly perhaps it won’t be the last. The country is suffering as a result of a
chaotic state of governance, which has been getting worse over years. Those elected to govern do not see the need for planning for the
future and well being of those they are elected to govern. The need to ensure proper civil administration, communication, adequate
well equipped and trained and accountable law enforcement and judicial delivery – for all particularly beyond the urban sprawls,
seems alien to the elected leadership. The elected, the supporting civil administration and the law enforcement machinery are today
totally engrossed in filling their coffers, in fact a race to surpass the other in quantum of loot. It is naïve to believe that those elected
are there for reasons other than to acquire enormous illegitimate wealth, and retain their hold on power. The nation is in the grip of a
mafia which gets elected by hook or by crook. Political mafia whose strategy is to get cosy with groups who espouse violence and
insurgency as a strategy for winning political power continues. With this background, it is important to sit back and analyse the
situation to determine what needs to be done by the State and how should civil society intervene to arrest the slow but sure decline
into a state of lawlessness and anarchy. Can concerned citizen afford to sit back and allow the nation to be further destroyed by a
minority that has proved repeatedly that they cannot be trusted to govern. At grass roots there is very good nexus in between the
bureaucrats, politicians, policeman and the leaders of Maoist movement. Without political patronage and protection it is not possible
for such movements to sustain.
How did we get into this situation?

The troubled areas are typically those where there has been virtually no developmental activity over the 60 plus years of
independence. These are areas where locals have been systematically repressed, their resources looted and fundamental rights violated.
Police atrocities and feudal caste based hierarchy has taken matters from bad to worse. These are not confined to the forest belts like
Dantewala. Pockets of neglect exist all round the country and these are typically the breeding grounds of miscreant activity and are
also places where disruptive philosophy of Maoism flourishes.
The particular belt where tragedy struck is an where people live off the land, and have been hunting for food and been tilling the soil
for subsistence for generations. This land is there home. There are no roads, schools, hospitals and no presence of civil administration
or the law enforcement agencies. These are areas where subsistence is at a few rupees a day, if you don’t hunt successfully or are not
able to convert some vegetation into food you simply go hungry, if you fall ill you die unless the local voodoo doctor is able to cure you.
There are still vast tracks of the country where millions exist in such primitive ways, abandoned by the State.
Law enforcement has entered the scene only recently to help protect the mining mafia and contractors who moved into the area to
extract valuable minerals but without any plan for compensating those whose land is being usurped by providing them either money
or enriching their lives with ‘value’ such as employment, health schooling etc. These are clearly encroachers who have moved in, in
connivance with the elected and the powerful of the area. The helpless local is forced to move away and make way.
Why would the miner or contractor need protection if they had reached out to the local tribals and provided a
package of employment, education, and compensation at a fair price?
Where there is neglect by the state, there will be poverty and social injustice. Where there is no redressal mechanism for disputes, there
will inevitably be an environment in which miscreants and anti State philosophies gather sympathy. Where the state has failed to
govern, people will succumb to persuasion from the anti-state elements to take alternatives to safeguard their interest and some will no
doubt out of desperation and foolishness take up arms. No doubt Maoists have moved into the area (often supported by equally
criminal political partners) and in many instances preached the philosophy of extortion as a remedy against the miners thus in turn
making the erstwhile peaceful tribals into a lawless mob. When they know no better, it is foolish to blame them alone. Tribals have no
experience of the benefit of a civilised administration and now do not trust a system which has exploited them and now offers the
course of law to resolve disputes. These locals are fighting for survival. They see their lives threatened by aliens who have moved into
their home and destroying them. They have to resist this invasion with every means available.
It follows that the miners to protect themselves call for help from the administration whose babus and politicians were no doubt in
collusion and receiving bribes from the miners to be allowed to extract minerals, coal etc. reaction of the state machinery is to
violently put down any insurgency. But is the consequential collateral damage from such strategy clearly understood?
What we are witnessing at increasing frequency today are symptoms of a gradually failing nation. Our political class is at a loss on
how to deal with the situation sensibly. The nation is threatened not so much by Maoism or even the spreading of Naxalism, but by
the increasing apathy for the well being of the citizen and total disregard for the rule of law by those whom we elect to govern and
then fail to hold them accountable.
How should this situation be reversed?

The law enforcement agencies will only see this as a law and order situation. The Home Minister who is charged with maintaining the
rule of law has no choice but to restore the respect for law. But should the rule of law only be enforced amongst these villagers and
tribals who are the true aggrieved in the first instance from years of neglect? Should we not also punish those who caused this situation
– who allowed neglect and encouraged repression to carry on for so long, who looted the land, allowed mining mafias to move in and
displace the poor, who violated human rights for so long? These villagers and tribals have never seen the benefits of progress (food,
livelihood, health, education, roads, resolution of disputes….) they have instead seen their place of abode of centuries being occupied
by strangers and they being made to uproot and go some where else! They have only experienced social injustice.
To address this problem requires a package of measures and it is questionable whether our elected leadership is up to the task of
delivering the required change, without a big nudge from the citizen who put them there.
40
A few objectives of a package of reform for change should be:
1. You have to isolate and put behind bars, the leadership of the anti state elements – the Maoists leadership which is fuelling
the insurgency. They have declared war on the nation so let us not pussyfoot about democratic processes until after problem is
resolved. But his will require political equations to be disturbed.
2. You have to cut off the supply of arms to these areas and any elected leader or rogue element form the enforcement agencies
caught conniving should be summarily dealt with as an anti state element.
3. You need to reach out to the locals through trusted intermediaries and provide your plan to reverse their plight and hope for
a period of truce in which you can prove your intent and ability to deliver. Truce in the past has allowed miscreants to
regroup this needs to be recognised and monitored carefully. Do not trust politicians for this task, rather well meaning society
elders and social workers who are more likely to be trusted by locals.
4. You need an urgent plan of action to build infrastructure, employment, food, health, education and delivery of justice. This
needs to be ‘sold’ to those who are aggrieved and neglected.
5. You need a sincere plan for proper compensation and relocation of those uprooted by the mining projects and all further
such projects should be put on hold until a comprehensive plan is drawn up and agreed with the local leadership. The mining
mafia needs to be reigned in urgently.
6. Our judicial delivery system is in need of a total overhaul. Law enforcement has to be accountable to the people and not be
manipulated by the elected. Law has to punish all alike for wrong doing.
7. The law enforcement agencies have to be properly trained, equipped and made accountable and continuously monitored to
ensure delivery of service. Law enforcement has to work as an integral part of a national security program where agencies
work with each other and share intelligence with each other in national interest, without political interference.
8. Intelligence services have to be built up. For far too long our intelligence has focussed on external elements. It needs to
encompass the internal situation and needs to build up a comprehensive view from the beat constable upwards and involve
the citizen as the eyes and ears. Local police has to gain trust of citizens and be severely punished if found to be extorting or
avoiding logging of and following up on complaints.
9. None of this possible until we recognise the urgent need to focus on removing the criminal element from our parliament and
legislators and forcing them to give back the loot to the nation. These are people who have always exploited the poor and
vulnerable. They have no ethical values.
10. Our civil administration is in need of a total overhaul. It has to be accountable – the citizen is the master not the babus. The
administration should not be in a position of manipulation or blackmail by the elected leader an their appointment,
promotion and transfer should be handled by an independent body made up of senior citizens and civil service peers – not
the elected leader who can only ask for an agreed policy to be implemented. Transparency, accountability, proper on going
training, and correct manning levels are essential keywords.
These are only a few of the enormous challenges to be addressed for change. We the citizens have to decide if we are serious about
turning this country around and do we have the will to take up the challenge of making this happen on a war footing. It can no longer
be left to the politicians and bureaucrats alone.
In this objective there is an urgent need for civil society to come together with a definitive plan to save our democracy.
Article by:
Anant Trivedi
NNFI, Delhi
-----------------------------
Funding peace-building
Governments wage wars. They appropriate state resources to prepare for and to conduct wars. Taxpayers from around the world
willingly or unwillingly bear these costs. Peace-building is usually left to the initiative of common citizens.
Rarely do peace-builders have resources of their own, to finance their work. Therefore, they usually depend on generosity of others.
It is not uncommon, in South Asia, for peace-builders to look for one or more prominent patrons, who have political, social or
financial stature in the community. The prestige, and influence of and/or donations by the patrons facilitate the work of peace-
builders.
But the patrons do not always have interest in peace-building. And their help is not unconditional. Therefore, limitations are imposed
on what the peace-builders can do, and in what ways and how often they do it.
No matter how much or how little they appreciate the need for peace-building, common people are usually reluctant to contribute
their money or time to the work of peace-builders. And without the sustained involvement of common people, the work of peace-
building will not be successful in real terms, even though it may get some media attention.
41
The problem points to a serious difficulty peace-builders face. In order to help common people become a part of the process, peace-
builders should communicate the need and the importance of peace-building to them in a way that makes sense to them.
Peace-builders need to do a lot of serious thinking about their goals and objective, and appropriateness of their methods to achieve
them. Clarity about what they plan to do, why they want to do it, and how it should be done, is essential. Also they need to conduct
periodic evaluations of what they have done, so that they can improve upon their messages, methods, and programs. Finally they must
be creative and resourceful in these respects, but also in the ways to finance them.
Article by:
Dr. Pritam K. Rohila
Executive Director of the Association for Communal Harmony in Asia
(www.asiapeace.org)
----------------------------------
CAN A CORRUPTION RIDDEN GOVERNMENT DEFEAT THE MAOISTS ?

The ruthless killing of the CRPF jawans by the Maoists in Jharkand have caused great sorrow in the country. While the Union Home
Minister says that the Maoists will be wiped out in three years and media is clamouring for strong action to defeat the Maoists, there is
also widespread apprehension amongst the people as to whether the government can do this.
The fact that cannot be ignored is that the Maoists have some sort of support amongst the local population in the areas where they
have entrenched themselves. The local population in these regions are impoverished lot and have been taken for granted by the
politicians , government machinery and the business houses. These poor people have been exploited in variety of ways and feel
helpless and angry. Their mood is such that they would support anyone who would promise to improve their living conditions by
whatever means.
Perhaps, most of these people think that the government is the villain and the politicians and police men and bureaucrats are seen as
representatives of the government and therefore are equally hated. Under the circumstances, it would not be possible for the
government to defeat the Maoists without the government getting closer to the local population and winning their trust and
confidence.
The government has, no doubt announced number of well meaning welfare schemes to improve the living conditions of the poor
people including educational and medical facilities etc. However, the ground reality is that while such schemes are discussed with great
fanfare in the media and the conference halls in star hotels, very little benefits really reach the poor people. Most of the funds allotted
for the welfare schemes are siphoned away by the politicians, bureaucrats and the government officials at various levels as well as the
contractors. The level of corruption amongst these sections including the contractors is so high that with every governmental welfare
schemes and fund allotment , the politicians and government officials at various levels become richer with the poor people remaining
without any change in their conditions.
With such prevalence of corruption, the Home Minister of Government of India sitting in Delhi and the Chief Ministers in the
affected states are only talking in vacuum, when they lecture about solving the Maoist problem. It is high time that we should
recognize that the corrupt politicians and government officials are the cause for rising of the Maoist movement and the Maoists
cannot be defeated without eliminating this cause. Obviously, these corrupt elements should be defeated and thrown away which is a
pre condition for throwing out the Maoists.
The media , which is increasingly coming under the control of the business houses and are no more representative of the people’s
thoughts and preferences particularly that of the poor people, is criticizing the NGOs for asking the government to speak to the
Maoists and convince them about the well meaning attitude of the government , instead of approaching them with a war like attitude.
The NGOs who understand that the Maoists have gained strength only due to the frustration of the poor people and characterlessness
of the governmental agencies and the politicians who deal with such poor people, are being painted by the media and the government
as sympathizers of Maoists which is not true.
The government should improve its image , get rid of corrupt elements and identify people who are honest and who can win the
confidence of the poor people for dealing with the issue. The bullet cannot be the ultimate answer for the problems caused due to
disparity in the national income and denial of opportunities to the poor and downtrodden.
Article by:
N S Venkataraman
----------------------------
42
EASTER: CELEBRATION OF HUMAN SPIRIT
EASTER celebrates the vibrant hope for every individual and for the entire world. It is also a warning to every evil power that preys
on humankind – a warning that truth is again coming out of its tomb. Easter, thus, is a ringing reminder that the human spirit cannot
be confined.
Christianity is primarily a religion of the dawn – a religion that addresses itself not to the dead past and its failures but to the vibrant
future and its possibilities. Faith does not rest on the fact that two thousand years ago, a man, Christ, was crucified, buried and then
miraculously walked out of his tomb alive. It rests rather on the evidence that He is, as He said: "alive for evermore", through the
words he spoke two thousand years ago.
What is history but the record of the triumph of human hope? Ours is only the new chapter in an ever-continuing story of the
eventual emergence of good over evil. If Easter says anything of importance to us today, it is this: "We can put truth in a grave, but it
won’t stay there. We can nail it to a cross, wrap it in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will arise."
There is something familiar about the account of Pontius Pilate unloosing the forces, which crucified Christ, and attempted to shut
him away in a tomb. It has happened in every age. Standing there before Pilate, who had the might of the Roman Empire behind
him, Jesus Christ could be said to cut a sorry figure. Yet soon all the Caesars and their legions crumbled, while "the pale Galilean" kept
coming on, living ever anew in the world’s heart. The world’s tyrants, to their ultimate undoing, have always misunderstood the
mightiest of all forces – Faith.
An eminent theologian once said: "Eternal truth is eternal. It can be distorted but not destroyed. It may have to carry a cross or drink
a cup of hemlock in Grecian gaol. But after every black Friday there dawns an Easter morn".
Standing amid our personal Calvaries, confused and disillusioned, we need Easter to remind us that there always is "a third day" on its
way. With that knowledge we can look at any evil in the face and say with confidence: "You can’t win". Is there any spirit we need
more in these days?
Whence came the human instinct towards liberty, which again and again throughout history has broken all bonds men would place
upon it? Any search for the fountainhead of "free man" concept takes us right back to a God, making Man in His own image, making
him free to roam and replenish the earth, free to decide how or even whether he would worship his Creator.
Christ turned the world’s accepted standards upside down. It was the poor, not the rich, who were blessed; the weak, not the strong,
who were to be esteemed; the pure in heart, not the sophisticated and the worldly, who understood what life was about. Righteousness,
not power or money or sensual pleasure should be man’s pursuit. We should love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to
them that hate us, and pray for them that despitefully use us, in order that we may be worthy members of a human family.
No words ever uttered, it is safe to say, have had anything like the impact of these, first spoken to some scores, may be hundreds, of
poor, and mostly illiterate people, by a teacher who, in the eyes of the world was of small account. Besides belonging to eternity, Christ
belonged to his times. On the outskirts of the dying Roman civilization, he spoke of dying in order to live. Today, when the human
civilization is likewise dying his words have the same awe-inspiring relevance as they had then.
What Christ had to say was too simple to be grasped, too truthful to be believed. So the great majority of Christians have never been
able to believe when Christ said that the whole duty of man resolved itself into loving God and our neighbour, he meant just that. It
seems so simple, so obvious. And furthermore, there is the question of who is our neighbour. In Christ’s estimation, our neighbour is
everyone. He said: Feed my sheep – all, black, white and piebald. Hindu, Muslim, Christian. Dalit and Brahmin.
Article by:
P. N. BENJAMIN
Coordinator
Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue (BIRD)
----------------------------------
43
GENETIC ROULETTE
Jeffrey Smith has written two books about the significant danger genetically modified (GM) foods pose to your health, and the health
of the entire planet.
In addition to his books he has also created two videos:

Hidden Dangers in Kids Meals, and Your Milk on Drugs, Just Say No. Genetically Modified Foods = Toxins in Every Bite? Corn
chips, or tortilla chips, are quite pervasive. Perhaps you’ve had some yourself this week? Well, let’s see how you feel about buying them
again once you realize what you’re risking by eating them.
In the only human feeding study ever published on genetically modified foods, seven volunteers ate so-called Roundup-ready soy
beans. These are soy beans that have herbicide-resistant genes inserted into them in order to survive being sprayed with otherwise
deadly doses of Roundup herbicide.
In three of the seven volunteers, the gene inserted into the soy transferred into the DNA of their intestinal bacteria, and continued to
function long after they stopped eating the GM soy! There are serious medical implications to this finding. However, the GM-friendly
UK government, who funded the study, chose not to fund any follow up research to see if GM corn -- which areengineered to produce
an insecticide called BT toxin
(http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/08/enjoy-pesticides-in-every-bite-of- gmo-food.aspx) -- might also
transfer and continue to create insecticide inside your intestines. These kinds of studies are sorely needed, and fast, because as of right
now, about 85 percent of the corn grown in the US is genetically engineered to either produce an insecticide, or to survive the
application of herbicide. And about 91-93 percent of all soy beans are genetically engineered to survive massive doses of Roundup
herbicide.
What this means is that nearly ALL foods you buy that contain either corn or soy, in any form, will contain GMO unless it’s certified
organic by the USDA (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/01/Which-Organic-Label-Should- You-
Trust.aspx). Other major GM crops include cottonseed and canola.
When trying to avoid these GM crops, you’d also have to avoid all the derivatives of them, which would include items such as
maltodextrin, soy lecitin, and high fructose corn syrup.
Other common GM products include:

His first book, Seeds of Deception (http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/Home/index.cfm), is the world’s bestselling book on
the topic. His second,Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods (http://
www.geneticroulette.com/), provides overwhelming evidence that GMOs are unsafe and should never have been introduced. He’s also
the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, whose Campaign for Healthier Eating in America (http://
www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/CampaignforHealthierEatinginAmerica/index.cfm) is designed to create the tipping point
of consumer rejection of GMOs, forcing them out of our food supply.
As a major force riling against GM foods, Smith is responsible for limiting the spread of GM crops in the US, just like others have
successfully done in Europe.
• Some varieties of zucchini, crookneck squash, and papayas from Hawaii
• Milk containing rbGH
• Rennet (containing genetically modified enzymes) used to make hard cheeses Aspartame (NutraSweet)
How Genetic Engineering Works

Many are under the flawed assumption that genetic engineering is a very precise, refined science. Not so, explains Smith.
“... in order to understand the risks associated with GMOs, I’m going to back up and talk about the process of creating a genetically
modified organism because if we understand that, then a whole host of things that can go wrong all of a sudden become clear. ... The
biotech industry gives you this impression that it’s a very clean process. We just take a gene from a species and carefully splice it into
another, and the only thing that’s different is it’s producing some new beneficial protein to produces some trait.
This is far from the truth.
What they do is – let’s say you want to create a corn plant that produces a pesticide. So you go to the soil bacterium called BT for
“Bacillus thuringiensis” and you change it so it’s more toxic, and you make millions of copies of the gene. You actually put a piece of a
virus there which turns it on, it’s called the promoter. It’s the “on” switch that turns this gene on, 24/7, around the clock.
You make millions of copies and you put it in a gun and you shoot that gun into a plate of millions of cells, hoping that some of the
genes make it into the DNA of some of those cells. Then you clone those cells into plants. Now the process of insertion and cloning
causes massive collateral damage in the DNA that could have higher levels, and do have higher levels, of allergens and toxins.
... Anti-nutrients of soybeans that are genetically engineered have as much as seven times higher the amount of a known allergen cold
trypsin inhibitor when compared to non-GM soy, in their cooked state. There is a new allergen in genetically modified corn. There is a
new anti-nutrient in the [GM] soy which blocks the absorption of nutrients.
44
They don’t look for these things. These are found after they’re on the market by some few of the independent researchers that are
doing their work.” Farmers have long used BT spray on crops, and because it’s a natural bacterium, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and the biotech companies claim it is safe for human consumption.
However, this too is clearly misguided optimism. Smith states: “Based on peer reviewed published studies, animals like mice that were
fed BT had damaged tissues and immune responses as powerful as if they’ve been fed cholera toxin, and then they became multiple-
chemically sensitive to where they started to react to formally harmless compounds.”
It’s important to realize that when the BT is spliced into the corn, it’s thousands of times more concentrated than the spray version.
According to Smith, thousands of farm workers who harvest BT-cotton in India are complaining of rashes all over their bodies. And
animals grazing on BT cotton plants after harvest have died, sometimes within a day or so.
This should tell you something. Now, some will point out the fact that humans are not dying like flies from eating GM foods. But the
death of grazing cattle is likely the result of an acute reaction to large exposure.
So, as Smith Genetically Engineered Health Problems states, it’s still an indicator for what might be happening in the human system,
albeit at a much slower rate. For example, Smith mentions an Italian study where they fed BT corn to mice.
As a result, the mice expressed a wide variety of immune responses commonly associated with diseases such as:
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Osteoporosis
• Atherosclerosis
• Various types of cancer
• Allergies
• Lou Gehrig’s disease
Genetically modified foods are, from my perception, one of the most significant threats that we have against the very sustainability of
the human race (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/01/genetically-modified-organisms- are-a-looming-
threat.aspx).
Although Monsanto doesn’t believe (or admit) this is a possibility, their shortsighted focus on profits is blinding them to the very real
threats that this technology is posing to the viability of the human race. How Conflicts of Interest May Be Destroying Health of
Millions.
In this interview, Smith discusses some of the political intricacies involved with GM food labeling, and some of the more shocking
conflicts of interest that may be harming literally millions of people. Back in 1992, the FDA authority responsible for the decision of
whether or not to label GM foods turned out to be a former attorney for none other than Monsanto. His name is Michael Taylor.
He went from being Monsanto’s attorney to serving as their vice president, and after that he became a policy maker at the FDA. At
this point in time, Taylor serves as the US food safety czar! Taylor claimed that the agency was not aware of any information showing
that GM foods were significantly different than conventional foods, and therefore no testing and no labeling were required.
Since then, documents made public from a lawsuit showed that it was a lie that the policy was clearly fictitious. In fact, the
overwhelming consensus among the FDA’s own scientists were that genetically modified foods were inherently dangerous and could
create allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems, and of course they should be labeled because they are a food additive
and new food additives must be labeled.
In addition, Smith has documented at least 65 serious health risks from GM products of all kinds. Among them:
• Offspring of rats fed GM soy showed a five-fold increase in mortality, lower birth weights, and the inability to reproduce
• Male mice fed GM soy had damaged young sperm cells
• The embryo offspring of GM soy-fed mice had altered DNA functioning
• Several US farmers reported sterility or fertility problems among pigs and cows fed on GM corn varieties
• Investigators in India have documented fertility problems, abortions, premature births, and other serious health issues,
including deaths, among buffaloes fed GM cottonseed products.
However, Smith explains, the FDA was directed by the White House to promote the biotechnology industry, and they knew that if
they labeled GM foods, most Americans would avoid it like the plague. So, true to form, they supported the economic interests of the
biotech companies at the cost of long-term human and environmental health.
It remains to be seen whether or not this type of blatant conflict of interest will be perpetrated again, allowing genetically modified
alfalfa to be brought to market. There’s currently a grassroots movement underway demanding that Chief Justice Clarence Thomas
recuse himself in the April Supreme Court consideration of GM alfalfa.
As it turns out, Chief Justice Thomas is also a former Monsanto attorney, who served the biotech giant from 1976 to 1979. What You
Can Do NOW! The silver lining in all of this, however, is that we actually don’t NEED policy changes to kick GMO’s out of the
market!
The only requirement is getting enough people to consistently avoid buying anything that contain GM-derived ingredients, and the
food manufacturers will do the rest. They WILL respond to market demands, because if they don’t they go out of business. For a
45
helpful, straightforward guide to shopping Non-GMO, please see the Non-GMO Shopping Guide (http://
www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/SG/DownloadtheGuide/index.cfm), created by the Institute for Responsible Technology.
In addition, the natural food industry has decided to turn October of this year into “Non-GMO Month,” and October 10th
(10/10/10) will be “Non-GMO Day.” I encourage you all to prepare for October by spreading the information about GM foods.
Together we CAN make a major difference!
Arranged by:
Praful Vora,
Convener - JNM (Jagruk Nagrik Manch)
-----------------------------------------------
THE LAST SUPPER (by P N Benjamin)

An enduring episode in the annals of Christian art and history is the 'Last Supper' of Jesus Christ. Hours before his fateful trial for
treason, Jesus Christ had hosted his disciples a Passover meal in an upper room in Jerusalem. This was the final meal he had prior to
his crucifixion. He knew that his hour was drawing near.
However, before partaking of the food, Jesus rose from the table, took off his outer garments and tied a towel around his waist. Then
he poured water into a basin, and insisted washing the feet of his twelve disciples sitting around him. He was thereby showing them
once more that every act of true humility is a sort of grace whereby the soul grows as the will, or ego, diminishes. Intrigued and
bashful at the same time, one of them exclaimed: 'You, Lord, washing my feet?' The Great One answered: ' At present you do not
understand what I am doing, but one day you will.'
After washing their feet, he put on his garment and sat down again. Addressing them he said: 'do you understand what I have done for
you? You call me master and lord, and rightly so, because that is what I am. If I then, your lord and master, have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash one another's feet. I have set you an example: you are to do as I have done for you.'
Yes, the Great Christ himself knelt on the hard floor, and with his graceful hands, cleansed the feet of each and every of his disciple.
This inspiring parable gives us a significant insight into Christ's humility and the essentiality of his message:
"He who wants to be great must become the smallest of all." (Mark 9.35). Thus, he showed his disciples how to escape from the little
dark cells our egos make. Whosoever would be great in this world, he was always telling them, is small; and whoever, through his sense
of God’s greatness, realizes his own smallness, becomes spiritually great. As things turned out, it was to be their last Passover; it was
also the first Holy Communion service in the Christian history.
For the first time those mysterious words were spoken: Take, eat; this is my body… this is my blood of the New Testament, which is
shed for many for the remission of sins…Words to be endlessly repeated, in every language, to the accompaniment of every ritual, or
in stark simplicity. At this original austere Last Supper, Christ showed how, through the Blessed Sacrament – the bread he broke and
the wine he sipped with his disciples – he would remain always within their reach.
Article by:
P. N. BENJAMIN
Coordinator
Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue (BIRD)
_______________________________________
46
An article on Ganga by Dr. Amarnath Giri
Hindus have always believed that water from India's Ganges River has extraordinary powers. The Indian emperor Akbar called it the
"water of immortality" and always traveled with a supply. The British East India Co. used only Ganges water on its ships during the
three-month journey back to England, because it stayed "sweet and fresh."
Indians have always claimed it prevents diseases, but are the claims wives' tales or do they have scientific substance?
In the fourth installment of a six-part series, independent producer Julian Crandall Hollick searched for the "mysterious X factor" that
gives Ganges water its mythical reputation.
He starts his investigation looking for the water's special properties at the river's source in the Himalayas. There, wild plants,
radioactive rocks, and unusually cold, fast-running water combine to form the river. But since 1854, almost all of the Ganges' water
has been siphoned off for irrigation as it leaves the Himalayas.
Hollick speaks with DS Bhargava, a retired professor of hydrology, who has spent a lifetime performing experiments up and down
Ganges in the plains of India. In most rivers, Bhargava says, organic material usually exhausts a river's available oxygen and starts
putrefying. But in the Ganges, an unknown substance, or "X factor" that Indians refer to as a "disinfectant," acts on organic materials
and bacteria and kills them. Bhargava says that the Ganges' self-purifying quality leads to oxygen levels 25 times higher than any other
river in the world.
Hollick's search for a scientific explanation for the X factor leads him to a spiritual leader at an ashram and a biologist in Kanpur. But
his best answer for the Ganges' mysterious substance comes from Jay Ramachandran, a molecular biologist and entrepreneur in
Bangalore.
In a short science lesson, Ramachandran explains why the Ganges doesn't spread disease among the millions of Indians who bathe in
it. But he can't explain why the river alone has this extraordinary ability to retain oxygen.
Although many small streams comprise the headwaters of the Ganges, the six longest headstreams and their five confluences are given
both cultural and geographical emphasis (see the map showing the headwaters of the river). The Alaknanda river meets the
Dhauliganga river at Vishnuprayag, the Nandakini river at Nandprayag, the Pindar river at Karnaprayag, the Mandakini river at
Rudraprayag and finally the Bhagirathi river at Devprayag, to form the mainstem, the Ganges. The Bhagirathi is the source stream; it
rises at the foot of Gangotri Glacier, at Gaumukh, at an elevation of 3,892 m (12,769 ft). The headwaters of the Alaknanda are
formed by snowmelt from such peaks as Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Kamet.
After flowing 200 km through its narrow Himalayan valley, the Ganges debouches on the Gangetic Plain at the pilgrimage town of
Haridwar. There, a dam diverts some of its waters into the Ganges Canal, which irrigates the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh. The
Ganges, whose course has been roughly southwestern until this point, now begins to flow southeast through the plains of northern
India.
Further, the river follows an 800 km curving course passing through the city of Kanpur before being joined from the southwest by the
Yamuna at Allahabad. This point is known as the Sangam at Allahabad. Sangam is a sacred place in Hinduism. According to ancient
Hindu texts, at one time a third river, the Sarasvati, met the other two rivers at this point.
Joined by numerous rivers such as the Kosi, Son, Gandaki and Ghaghra, the Ganges forms a formidable current in the stretch
between Allahabad and Malda in West Bengal. On its way it passes the towns of Kanpur, Soron, Kannauj, Allahabad, Varanasi,
Patna, Ghazipur, Bhagalpur, Mirzapur, Ballia, Buxar, Saidpur, and Chunar. At Bhagalpur, the river meanders past the Rajmahal Hills,
and begins to run south. At Pakur, the river begins its attrition with the branching away of its first distributary, the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly,
which goes on to form the Hooghly River. Near the border with Bangladesh the Farakka Barrage, built in 1974, controls the flow of
the Ganges, diverting some of the water into a feeder canal linking the Hooghly to keep it relatively silt-free.
After entering Bangladesh, the main branch of the Ganges is known as the Padma River until it is joined by the Jamuna River, the
largest distributary of the Brahmaputra. Further downstream, the Ganges is fed by the Meghna River, the second largest tributary of
the Brahmaputra, and takes on the Meghna's name as it enters the Meghna Estuary. Fanning out into the 350 km wide Ganges Delta,
it finally empties into the Bay of Bengal. Only two rivers, the Amazon and the Congo, have greater discharge than the combined flow
of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Surma-Meghna river system.
The Ganges river has been considered one of the dirtiest rivers in the world. [The extreme pollution of the Ganges affects 400 million
people who live close to the river. The river waters start getting polluted right at the source. The commercial exploitation of the river
has risen in proportion to the rise of population. Gangotri and Uttarkashi are good examples too. Gangotri had only a few huts of
Sadhus until the 1970s[ and the population of Uttrakashi has swelled in recent years. As it flows through highly populous areas the
Ganges collects large amounts of human pollutants, e.g., Schistosoma mansoni and faecal coliforms, and drinking and bathing in its
waters therefore carries a high risk of infection. While proposals have been made for remediating this condition, little progress has
been achieved. Recently, the World Bank has agreed to loan India one billion US dollars over the next five years to clean up the
Ganges.
47
Along the 4 miles (6.4 kilometres) stretch of terraced bathing ghats in the holy city of Varanasi, the water of the Ganges is a "brown
soup of excrement and industrial effluents." The water there contains 60,000 faecal coliform bacteria per 100 ml, 120 times the
official limit of 500 faecal coliforms/100ml that is considered safe for bathing.
The Ganges river's long-held reputation as a purifying river appears to have a basis in science. First of all, the river carries
bacteriophages that vanquish bacteria and more. As reported in a National Public Radio program, dysentery and cholera are killed
off, preventing large-scale epidemics. The river has an unusual ability to retain dissolved oxygen, but the reason for this ability is
unknown.
Climate change: The Tibetan Plateau contains the world's third-largest store of ice. Qin Dahe, the former head of the China
Meteorological Administration, said that the recent fast pace of melting and warmer temperatures will be good for agriculture and
tourism in the short term; but issued a strong warning:
"Temperatures are rising four times faster than elsewhere in China, and the Tibetan glaciers are retreating at a higher speed than in
any other part of the world.... In the short term, this will cause lakes to expand and bring floods and mudflows. . . . In the long run,
the glaciers are vital lifelines for Asian rivers, including the Indus and the Ganges. Once they vanish, water supplies in those regions
will be in peril."
In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the "IPCC"), in its Fourth Report, stated that the Himalayan glaciers which
feed the Ganges, were at risk of melting by 2035.[The IPCC has now withdrawn that prediction, as the original source admitted that
it was speculative and the cited source was not a peer reviewed finding. [In its statement, the IPCC stands by its general findings
relating to the Himalayan glaciers being at risk from global warming (with consequent risks to waterflow into the Gangetic basin).
The 2,500km (1,500-mile) river has been badly polluted by industrial chemicals, farm pesticides and other sewage.
Speaking in Delhi, World Bank chief Robert Zoellick said the clean-up would target the entire river network. Plans involve building
sewage treatment plants, revamping drains and other measures to improve the water quality. The funding is part of the Indian
government's multi-billion dollar initiative to end the discharge of untreated waste into the Ganges by 2020. Environmentalists say the
river supports more than 400 million people, and if the unabated pollution is not controlled, it will be the end of communities living
along the banks.
Earlier attempts to clean the river have failed, including a plan to make its water drinkable by 1989. But Mr Zoellick said he was
confident the plan would work this time. "In the past, [efforts] focused too much on individual aspects such as sewage emissions and
not enough on the basin as a whole," he said.
"What really distinguishes this project is to try to look at the whole river network and try to deal with all the aspects."
Correspondents say many of India's polluting factories are located on the banks of the Ganges and their effluent has been largely
responsible for the pollution of the river.
The Ganges also flows through some of most crowded cities of India which release their untreated sewage into the river. Also India's
finance ministry has said the World Bank would triple its lending to $7bn this year for development, infrastructure and other projects.
Dennison Berwick (born 19 May 1956 in West Yorkshire, England) is a travel writer. Educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond, he
emigrated to Canada in 1980. Since then he has walked the entire length of the river Ganges in India ( the 3000 km walk is recounted
in A Walk Along the Ganges) and travelled extensively in the Amazon and (journeys that were described in Amazon and Savages: The
Life and Killing of the Yanomami). He is also editor of the Canadian Retreat Guide, a guide to more than 140 monasteries, retreat
centres etc. in Canada. He spent several weeks helping people in the isolated villages on the west coast of Aceh, Sumatra, following
the devastating tsunami in December 2004 and is now working on a novel inspired by those experiences. He currently lives most of
the year on his boat "Kuan Yin" (a Tahitiana 32). He is currently working on a new book about Labrador.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Stakeholder involvement: Stakeholders are people (e.g., general public, business interests, government entities, local agencies,
citizens, etc.) concerned about a particular water body. They become involved in development through local groups working with
Regional Water Quality Control Board staff. Their interests range from pursuing the science to support to figuring out how to
implement new management approaches.
Water body assessment: Pollution sources and loads are determined, and their overall effect on the water body is assessed.
Develop allocations: Based on the assessment, pollutant loads are allocated for each source. IT may address a single pollutant or many
pollutants. The allocations must be designed so that the water body will attain the applicable water quality standards.
Develop an implementation plan: The plan describes the approach and activities required to ensure that the allocations are met.
Amend the Basin Plan: Before a it is enforceable it must be incorporated into the appropriate Water Quality Control Plan by
amending the Basin Plan in accordance with state law.
Article by:
Dr. Amar Nath Giri
Compiled BY different ITNERNET Sources
48
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भारत % लोग, जो *क ,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया % ज5मदाता 8। मानवीय अ*धकार?/म@Aय?, लोकत.B अौर अिभEयिFत % Gवात.Hय I गहरा *वKास करM 8।
,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया भारत % लोग? की वह अावाज N जो *क जमीनी यथाथ2, *वचार, जमीनी ग*त*व*धयQ तथा अिभEयिFत % Gवात.Hय % िलR N।
मी*डया, लोग? % सशिFतकरण % िलR सबV बड़X अौजार? I V N, अौर इस बात पर *नभ2र करता N *क इस अौजार का Yयोग कZV *कया जाR। इसिलR
,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया का अा,ह N *क इसका Yयोग *कसी EयिFत *व[ष या स.Gथा *व[ष % लाभ? % िलR ना *कया जाR।
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*वK का कोई भी मन^_य ,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया I िलखa का अ*धकार रखता N। अाbटकल या *रपोट2 अcर या अावाज या चलिचB या इन% िमdज^d *कसी
भी eप I fजा जा सकता N। fजM समय *नgन hबiअ? I Yोjसाहन अkिcत N।
• अापका Yोjसाहन अkिcत N, य*द ,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया सामािजक म^l? अौर अराजनm*तक अाbटकल की अkcा रखती N ।
• अापका Yोjसाहन अkिcत N, य*द *रपोट2 की सjयता % Yमाण YGत^त करa की अkcा की जाती N ।
• अापका Yोjसाहन अkिcत N, य*द अाbटकल % मौिलक होa की अkcा की जाती N ।
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असमथ2ता को अ5यथा नहo dp। Yकािशत ना हो पाa % कारण? की चचq का Gवागत ,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया सदmव करती N।
• अापका Yोjसाहन अkिcत N, य*द ,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया *कसी ऐV अाbटकल या *रपोट2 को Yकािशत कर पाa I असमथ2ता EयFत करती N
िजसका अाधार %वल *कसी EयिFत *व[ष या स.Gथा *व[ष को लाभ पs.चाना हो ।
• अापका Yोjसाहन अkिcत N, कापीराइट्स % अ*धकार? को मानa ।
• अापका Yोjसाहन अkिcत N, य*द ,ाउ.ड *रपोट2 इ.*डया अkcा करती N *क य*द *कसी कारणवश *कसी अौर का अाbटकल Yकाशन % िलR
*दया गया N तो अाbटकल % ज5मदाता या म@ल अ*धकार रखa वाd का अाभार EयFत *कया जाR ।
49
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Ground Report India (GRI) April 2010

GRI - April 2010 3

Special Edition on Water Issues by the Ground Report India (GRI) 8

Middle East/Asia: Partial Reforms Fail Migrant Domestic Workers 14

India-Brazil Joint Statement 16

MEDIA IN UKRAINE: An Overview of current obstacles to media freedom and independence 18

Social Audit on State RTI Information Commissioners launched 25

Parliamentarians pay tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar 29

6th National conference on Electoral and Political reforms in Bhopal 29

Delegation met the president of India on issue of students of IIT Kanpur 31

I have no intention and desire of rejoining the BJP: Govindacharya 31

Parliamentarians pay tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram 32

VACCINATION IS NOT IMMUNIZATION 38

Caution in accepting GMO products 39

CAN A CORRUPTION RIDDEN GOVERNMENT DEFEAT THE MAOISTS ? 42

EASTER: CELEBRATION OF HUMAN SPIRIT 43

THE LAST SUPPER (by P N Benjamin) 46

An article on Ganga by Dr. Amarnath Giri 47

About Ground Report India 49

GRI - April 2010

Democratic Society – the Recent Utopia

(please click for original article in Bulgarian)

1. The Lost Illusions during the Years after 1989

1. THE LOST ILLUSIONS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AFTER 1989

2. THE WORLD IN APRIL 2010

The Macedonian Issue

Where are the correctives?

Aggressiveness and false positivity

Managing the public opinion and the public mood

Negation and replacement of the leading concepts and lifestyles

Dealing with the Big-Brotherhood

(please click for original article in Bulgarian)

Special Edition on Water Issues by the Ground Report India (GRI)

LEGAL OPINION: IS ELECTION COMMISSION’S CONTENTION MAINTAINABLE? IS THIS NOT A DANGEROUS

FOOTNOTE 1: Summary of Progression of events:

Look at Pranab & Omita’s careers together:

FOOTNOTE 2: BARE FACTS OF APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

07th April 2010’s Harassment

Thimphu Statement on Climate Change

Middle East/Asia: Partial Reforms Fail Migrant Domestic Workers

India-Brazil Joint Statement

I. Freedom of Expression or Owners' Orders?

II. What should be done? Many things, and urgently!

Subject: Support for ministry’s principled stand on Acts of Parliament

Greetings from the Western Ghats.

Some brief of Report:

Top 5 Needs of Senior Citizens:

Top 5 issues of Senior Citizens:

CHRONOLOGY OF POLICE ATROCITIES & HARASSMENTS AGAINST MASUM ACTIVISTS - FOR

Before Tribunal- 7 June 2008

9-10 June 2008

12 June 2008 – Police Raid at MASUM office

Civil Society Reactions on this brutal attack:

Framing in Legal case:

4th April 2010 (Sunday)

7th April 2010

Calcutta High Court Order dated 21st April:

The convention should discuss following subjects:

Date of Incident:- On 21st March 2010 at about 9 PM.

Draft Food Security Bill:

6th National conference on Electoral and Political reforms in Bhopal

I have no intention and desire of rejoining the BJP: Govindacharya

ISSUES FACING ELDERLY PERSONS