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KASHMIR "ENCOUNTER": Delhi HC Orders Security For BSF Whistle-Blower Rediff.com/PTI, March 24, 2005, Thursday HC orders security for BSF whistle-blower The Delhi high court on Thursday asked the Border Security Force to ensure the safety and security of a constable who had moved the court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged killing of a Kashmiri youth by a commandant of the force in a fake encounter. A Division Bench of Justice B A Khan and Justice Anil Kumar asked BSF Deputy Inspector General (Operations) J S Bhalla, who was present in the court, to file an affidavit within two weeks in this regard. The court also asked him to transfer petitioner Subhash Rathod to a place out of Kashmir where he could use his mobile phone to be in touch with his family and counsel. Observing that it was a question of the whistle-blower's security, the court said he needed to be protected. The court also directed the BSF to file a copy of the records pertaining to the proceedings of the inquiry into the alleged fake encounter. The court said the photocopies of the records will be kept with deputy registrar. The petitioner's counsel, B K Kulshrestha, expressed apprehension that the records might be tampered with. Earlier, Bhalla submitted that the BSF was ready to consider Rathod's request for a transfer. However, Rathod cannot be allowed to use cell phones at his present place of posting as no jawan was allowed to use mobile phones in Kashmir, the DIG said. Rathod had urged the court to issue directions for his personal safety, transfer to Delhi, Bangalore or Hazaribagh and permission to use a cell phone. The court adjourned the hearing to August 12. On December 7, 2004, the court had issued notices to the Union home secretary and BSF Director General on Rathod's petition. Rathod, who belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir-based BSF's 42nd battalion, had accused Commandant Narender Singh of killing a youth in the intervening night of November 7-8, 2003. http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/24bsf.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2] KARNATAKA: "Udupi, Dakshina Kannada Communally Disturbed Districts" The Hindu, March 24, 2005, Thursday Minorities panel to submit report By Our Staff Correspondent MANGALORE, MARCH 23. The State Minorities Commission headed by Mohammed Masood will submit a report to the State Government suggesting that it declare Udupi and Dakshina Kannada communally disturbed districts. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr. Masood criticised fundamentalist forces operating in the coastal belt and termed the social situation unbearable for Muslims as the fundamentalists are undermining the economic and social spheres of minorities, especially Muslims. Mr. Masood said the communal situation needs to be brought under control, and it appeared to him and to the commission that it is not possible with the present district administration. Forces with specially endowed powers are needed to handle such situations, he said. Mr. Masood said though it was not his intention to demoralise the police force in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district, the police did not handle the situation pertaining to the stripping and parading incident in an appropriate manner, which sent wrong signals to the Muslim community. Action should have been taken against the Sub-Inspectors of Malpe as well as the Udupi Town police stations, but only the Malpe Sub-Inspector had been suspended. Mr. Masood said he will present the report to the Government by the end of the month. http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/24/stories/2005032413940300.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3] New Indian Express, March 25, 2005, Friday BJP-CPM clashes upsetting life in Kodungallur town KODUNGALLUR: Frequent confrontations between the BJP and the CPM are hindering peaceful life in the temple town of Kodungallur in Thrissur district. Over the last fortnight, three DYFI workers and a BJP activist were injured in clashes. Things have reached a head with allegations of criminal-police nexus and corruption in police circles. According to the police, approximately 110 cases have been registered against the BJP/RSS and CPM/DYFI activists at the Kodungallur police station. In all, 137 persons were arrested, including BJP mandalam president Sreekumar in connection with the assault on DYFI activist Moideen Shyam. ???Conflict began with the BJP??™s move for a toehold in Kodungallur. Now they are trying to infuse a communal element by portraying the Muslim workers in the CPM and DYFI as NDF terrorists,??? says CPM Methala local committee secretary V.K. Balachandran. ???Some of the police officers are not averse to graft. There have been instances when we??™ve had to approach senior officials to get justice. Sreekumar??™s arrest was a farce,??? says CPM area secretary M.A. Vijayan. The RSS and the BJP leaders have another story to tell. Sreekumar says his party was forced to retaliate after BJP men were assaulted repeatedly by CPM/DYFI activists, the latest victim being Yuva Morcha activist Shilji, which led to the attack on Shyam. Sreekumar alleges that ???NDF terrorists??? have infiltrated into the CPM and are creating problems. ???We hit back after we were attacked 12 times in a row. Police are siding with them,??? he says. The clashes also point to a growing social problem in the region. Seventy-five percent of the youths involved in the attacks, police say, are between the ages of 18 and 23 ??“ unemployed and alcoholic. Trade has also been hit. The Kodungallur Merchants Association pegged losses during the February-end BJP-sponsored hartal at Rs 8 crore. The Kodungallur police station, with a total strength of 34, including a Sub-Inspector and an Assistant Sub-Inspector, is short-staffed to cover one municipality, three panchayats and six villages. Police also have to keep vigil on the sensitive coastal region. And all this with just one jeep. Police sources say that even minor issues are being politicised in the region. ???In most cases of assault, parties take over the victims even before the family members or we can have a look-see. An all-party decision was taken recently to remove party flags from puramboke land. Even this is being flouted.??? But Thrissur Superintendent of Police T. Vikram says that incidents have come down. ???We??™ve changed the Sub-Inspector, in addition to deploying ten extra Armed Reserve Police personnel. Also, we are probing the possibilities of posting more officers.??? Other moves are on to put a full stop. Mahatmaji Seva Kendra is planning an anti-liquor, anti-unemployment campaign with an eye on preventing communal and political incidents. ???Police are soft on the criminal mafia. We have to alienate criminals,??? says CPI area secretary K.G. Sivanandan. The Merchants Association is planning an all-party meet on the issue. http://newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20050324221650&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0& ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4] KASHMIR "ENCOUNTER": Delhi HC Orders Security For BSF Whistle-Blower Rediff.com/PTI, March 24, 2005, Thursday HC orders security for BSF whistle-blower The Delhi high court on Thursday asked the Border Security Force to ensure the safety and security of a constable who had moved the court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged killing of a Kashmiri youth by a commandant of the force in a fake encounter. A Division Bench of Justice B A Khan and Justice Anil Kumar asked BSF Deputy Inspector General (Operations) J S Bhalla, who was present in the court, to file an affidavit within two weeks in this regard. The court also asked him to transfer petitioner Subhash Rathod to a place out of Kashmir where he could use his mobile phone to be in touch with his family and counsel. Observing that it was a question of the whistle-blower's security, the court said he needed to be protected. The court also directed the BSF to file a copy of the records pertaining to the proceedings of the inquiry into the alleged fake encounter. The court said the photocopies of the records will be kept with deputy registrar. The petitioner's counsel, B K Kulshrestha, expressed apprehension that the records might be tampered with. Earlier, Bhalla submitted that the BSF was ready to consider Rathod's request for a transfer. However, Rathod cannot be allowed to use cell phones at his present place of posting as no jawan was allowed to use mobile phones in Kashmir, the DIG said. Rathod had urged the court to issue directions for his personal safety, transfer to Delhi, Bangalore or Hazaribagh and permission to use a cell phone. The court adjourned the hearing to August 12. On December 7, 2004, the court had issued notices to the Union home secretary and BSF Director General on Rathod's petition. Rathod, who belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir-based BSF's 42nd battalion, had accused Commandant Narender Singh of killing a youth in the intervening night of November 7-8, 2003. http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/mar/24bsf.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5] KARNATAKA: "Udupi, Dakshina Kannada Communally Disturbed Districts" The Hindu, March 24, 2005, Thursday Minorities panel to submit report By Our Staff Correspondent MANGALORE, MARCH 23. The State Minorities Commission headed by Mohammed Masood will submit a report to the State Government suggesting that it declare Udupi and Dakshina Kannada communally disturbed districts. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr. Masood criticised fundamentalist forces operating in the coastal belt and termed the social situation unbearable for Muslims as the fundamentalists are undermining the economic and social spheres of minorities, especially Muslims. Mr. Masood said the communal situation needs to be brought under control, and it appeared to him and to the commission that it is not possible with the present district administration. Forces with specially endowed powers are needed to handle such situations, he said. Mr. Masood said though it was not his intention to demoralise the police force in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district, the police did not handle the situation pertaining to the stripping and parading incident in an appropriate manner, which sent wrong signals to the Muslim community. Action should have been taken against the Sub-Inspectors of Malpe as well as the Udupi Town police stations, but only the Malpe Sub-Inspector had been suspended. Mr. Masood said he will present the report to the Government by the end of the month. http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/24/stories/2005032413940300.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6] A..P: Andhra Beats Bihar In Crime The Telegraph, March 24, 2005, Thursday Andhra beats Bihar in crime G.S. RADHAKRISHNA Hyderabad, March 23: Andhra Pradesh has surpassed Bihar in urban crime, according to a recent survey made by the Andhra Home Ministry. The survey says for every person abducted in Bihar, there were three or even more kidnapped in Andhra Pradesh. ???It appears that Laloo Prasad Yadav??™s Bihar is comparatively safer than Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy??™s Andhra Pradesh,??? says a senior police official. Police records show 800 women and girls were among 1,014 persons abducted in the state last year. ???Almost 80 per cent of them were in the state capital Hyderabad, the pilgrim centre of Tirupati, the port city of Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada,??? says a police source. Police say the statistics appears to be in contrast with 350 cases of abductions in Bihar last year. Most abductions in the city were either for land or ransom. ???During the last two months, there were 256 abductions in the state,??? they say. Police say schoolchildren are easy targets for abduction. ???The captors are satisfied with smaller ransoms of Rs 50,000 or less,??? say the police. Hyderabad has witnessed almost 210 abductions of businessmen and schoolchildren during 2004. Hyderabad has also witnessed two killings on court premises in daylight in the last two years. ???In both the instances ??” in the Rangareddy court complex and in the civil courts at Nampally ??” the victims were involved in previous murders and were out on bail.??? Police say the state has also become home to criminal gangs from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. ???Hyderabad is being seen as a safe haven for collecting ransom,??? a police official said. The deteriorating law and order has also kept industrial infrastructure away from the state. Volkswagen and Tata Steel, which made initial enquiries and also showed a keen interest to invest in the state, have now developed cold feet. The state had attracted nearly Rs 4,500 crore in investment during 2004 but hopes are pinned on major projects during the current year to double the prospects. ???But everything depends on how the government resolves the law and order situation in the state,??? says a senior adviser to the state government on industrial investment. Besides the deteriorating law and order situation, Maoist violence targeting industrialists and businessmen has also increased. The survey has also revealed that almost 21 per cent of the crimes ??” kidnappings, ransom or attacks ??” were on information technology workers in the city. ???Either they were attacked by rivals or by loan sharks for delay in payments.??? IT workers returning home late at night have also been victims of muggers, the survey says. Industry minister B. Satyanarayana, who was upbeat on new investments, has now turned cautious. ???Let them finally come, only then will we announce it,??? he said on the occasion of French car manufacturer Renault??™s visit to Hyderabad two weeks ago. World Bank officials who visited the state last fortnight have also been critical of the deteriorating law and order situation in the Congress regime. The statistics reeled out by the home ministry did not impress them. ???The year-on-year security environment shows slackness and needs to be toned up,??? a World Bank official told the state??™s bureaucrats, hinting that things were better in the previous regime. The outcome of the growth of criminal atmosphere has been the idle infrastructure in the state capital. ???Almost half a million square feet of constructed area is lying vacant in the state capital because of threat of crime,??? says Shekhar Reddy, an office bearer of the Andhra Pradesh Builders??™ association. But building activity is still brisk allegedly because of the flow of black money into the construction industry. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050324/asp/nation/story_4530646.asp ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7] WEST BENGAL: Hunger Forces Two Girls To Commit Suicide AHRC, March 24, 2005, Thursday, HA-06-2005 Suicide of two young girls who could face hunger and malnutrition no more The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) regarding the suicides of two young girls who had suffered extreme hunger and malnutrition for a prolonged time and could do so no more. Sundari Sardar and and Phulan Sardar, from the state of West Bengal, committed suicide after having endured several days without any food whatsoever, and years with only very little. With no hope in sight that this situation would change and that food would come there way, the young girls took their lives. This situation is not unique. Women and men in many places in India, particularly West Bengal, live in abject poverty and face dire starvation. To overcome this, more and more are resorting to drastic measures, such as what was seen in the case of Sundari and Phulan. The AHRC urges you to write to the authorities in West Bengal and the Nadia District and bring to their attention the plight and suicides of Sundari and Phulan. Please make them aware that the women's situation is not unique and that abject poverty, malnutrition and starvation are leading to further suicides around the state. Government intervention and assistance is paramount if this situation is to improve. Urgent Appeals Desk -- Hunger Alert Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) ----------------------------------------------------------- DETAILED INFORMATION: Location: Yamsherpur, Hogalberia, Nadia District, West Bengal, India Name of victim: Phulan Sardar, 16, wife of Dilip Sardar; and Sundari Sardar, 16, wife of Dilip Biswas Cause of death: Suicide; Malnutrition/starvation Place and date of death: Pulan died at her home on 12 March 2005. Sundari died at her home on 13 March 2005. Case details: MASUM reports that Sundari Sardar, a 16-year-old tribal girl, was married to Dilip Biswas just three months ago. Dilip was a daily labourer working at the betel cultivation. He often went out in search of additional work and income, but regularly returned home having earned nothing. As a result, Sundari and Dilip often went without food for several days at a time and both suffered extreme hunger and malnutrition because of this. Under such circumstances, Sundari felt little hope for the future. Without food to fill her and her husband's stomach, she knew that neither would survive. On Sunday March 13, she took perhaps what she perceived as the only way out and hung herself from the ceiling in her home. Dilip returned from work that day, at 10pm, to find his young wife suspended from the ceiling. After bringing her body down, he informed his neighbours and the police of his wife's death. Sundari's mother lodged a complaint with the local police station at Hogalberia. She noted that her daughter and son-in-law had been quarrelling for the past several days over the desperate state that they were in. The shortage of food and the constant search for it, she said, was the reason for her daughter committing suicide. A day earlier, on March 12, Phulan Sardar, another young girl from the same village took the same course of action and hung herself. Having endured a shortage of food, extreme hunger and malnutrition for so long, Phulan decided to end her predicament and take her life. The Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) in Tehatta, Mr Anindya Narayan Biswas, when commenting on the case of Sundari said, "this is the first case of starvation I got. Last Bulbuli Paul died who was also a betel labourer (to read more on this case, please refer to HA-04-2005). Condition of betel labourer is miserable in this locality and day by day it is deteriorating. We are enquiring whether Phulan who died just ago was also a victim of starvation". Upon visiting the affected areas on March 14, so as to ascertain the truth of these deaths, the SDO discovered that several people were dying from starvation. People explained that they had no or insufficient means of survival and that they were receiving no relief or assistance from the government. Under such conditions, the SDO learnt that the number of deaths in the area are increasing every day. When he spoke to Mangal Sarar, Phulan's grandfather-in-law, he was informed that many villagers had written to the Gram Pradhan, village panchayet, but nobody had responded or come to their aid. The SDO said "there are 400 people belonging to the tribal community living in this locality but out of them only four persons possess ration cards. Here, most of the people are labourers engaged with the betel cultivation. The condition of all the people is quite miserable, pathetic and wretched. Two days ago, Bulbuli Paul died due to malnutrition and lack of proper medical facilities. Then Sundari died in the prime time of her life." MASUM has previously reported that a lot of government welfare programmes exist throughout the country to assist, amongst others, hunger victims but due to corrupt administration, some of these programmes are futile. MASUM also states that the Food Corporation of India and the West Bengal state have granaries full of grains and foodstuffs. Despite this, endless numbers of people are going hungry and many are dying. At the very least, the issue of the 'right to life' of the citizens, as enshrined in the Constitution of India (Article 21) is being violated by the government who are shirking their responsibility to assist people who are literally dying from starvation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8] IHRO: Statement On Kanishka Disaster And Denial Of US Visa To Narinder Modi IHRO (Punjab), March 24, 2005, Thursday Statement on Kanishka disaster and denial of US visa to Narinder Modi LUDHIANA, March 24: The International Human Rights Organisation (IHRO), while hailing the decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court for acquitting two innocent Sikhs in the AIR India Kanishka disaster who were entrapped and framed in this case, condemned the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for suppressing evidence against the real culprits who had played with the lives of 329 persons. The IHRO, in a statement, also hailed the denial of US visa to Indian chief minister Narinder Modi, the neo Nazi, for his acts of omission and commission in the 2002 Muslim carnage in Gujarat, urging other States to follow the suit by including in their list the other Indian Nazis such as KPS Gill and all those indicted by credible public inquiries for the November 1984 Sikh genocide in Delhi and elsewhere in India. Chairperson D S Gill, secy-gen M S Grewal, Secy-admn Avtar Singh Gill and secy public relations Inderjit Kaur of the NGO here today said that Indian government had something to hide in so far as its police had killed Talwinder Singh Parmar, the alleged prime suspect in this infamous case. If revelations in "Soft Target: How the Indian Intelligence Service Penetrated Canada" by Zuhair Kashmiri and Brian McAndrew, and ???Open Secret??? by Maloy Krishna Dhar, who served for three decades in India's Intelligence Bureau are any indications, the involvement of the Indian Mission in Canada and its RAW in the sad disaster which was aimed at defaming the Sikhs and painting them terrorists the world over, cannot be ruled out. The IHRO has demanded a judicial inquiry into the faked killing of Talwinder Singh by the police in India and public inquiry in Canada to sift out the truth about the whole episode in order to punish the real culprits so as to give justice to the people affected by the disaster and the state machinations. (D S Gill) Chairperson International Human Rights Organisation 210, New Judicial Courts Complex Ludhiana- 141 001 (India) Tel & fax: 91 161 500 9210 Mobile: 98554 70092 Dsgill@s... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (CHRO) 3, Rams' Cottage Ambalathumukku Pettah Thiruvananthapuram-695024 Kerala South India Ph.: 0471-2476262 www.humanrightsindia.com www.humanrightskerala.com |
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March25, 2005 - India Thinkers Net >> |
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