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[1] From: yogi sikand <ysikand@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Nov 11, 2005 Subject: Invitation: Public Hearings on Pakistani Refugees in Western Rajasthan Invitation to Attend Public Hearings on Refugees and Border-Area Inhabitants in Western Rajasthan and Gujarat (December 2005) The Pak Visthapit Sangh and the Seemant Lok Sangathan, Rajasthan, are organising a series of public hearings at different places in western Rajasthan and in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in December 2005 to discuss issues related to people living in those parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat that border Pakistan, particularly the problems of refugees from Pakistan. This would be followed by a state-level convention in Rajasthan and a national-level convention in New Delhi. We cordially invite you to participate in these events. Background From 1965 onwards, a large number of Pakistani nationals from Sindh, mainly Dalits as well as caste Hindus, have been migrating to India for various reasons. The estimated number of such refugees is around 2 lakhs, including their children born in India. Most of them reside in Rajasthan, and a lesser number in Gujarat. In 1978 the Government of India gave Indian citizenship to some 54000 of these people. In the wake of the destruction of the Babri Masjid and the ensuing violence against Muslims in India, reprisal attacks in Pakistan led to further insecurity among Pakistan??™s Hindu minority, leading to a fresh wave of Hindus migrating to India. From 1992 onwards, some 17,000 of these people have come to India, and this migration still continues. The Pak Visthapit Sangh (PVS), established in 1999, took up the issue of the migrants from Pakistan now living in Rajasthan. It demanded that the Government reformulate its rehabilitation package for the refugees who came to Rajasthan between 1965 and 1971, the granting of Indian citizenship to the post-1971 refugees and a proper rehabilitation package for them and the delegation of the power to confer Indian citizenship to the District Magistrates in the districts in Rajasthan and Gujarat where the post-1965 refugees from Pakistan mainly reside. For this purpose, the PVS organised numerous public meetings and demonstrations and met with government officials and bureaucrats as well as leaders of various political parties to promote political consensus on this issue. Due to the public campaigns that we launched and our advocacy efforts, early this year the Government of India agreed to provide Indian citizenship to some 12,000 post-1971 refugees, most of whom are Dalits, who work as landless labourers and stone quarry workers. However, many issues still remain unaddressed, including the absence of any rehabilitation package for these migrants, the significant number of refugees who have not received Indian citizenship as yet, the high fees that are charged for applicants for Indian citizenship, the improper rehabilitation package for pre-1972 refugees, the absence of a provision for permanent delegation of powers to District Magistrates to provide Indian citizenship to migrants who are now coming from Pakistan and the slow pace of providing Indian citizenship to refugees living in Gujarat, in contrast to Rajasthan. The public hearings that we are holding will raise these and other related issues, in order to build public awareness and to demand suitable policy changes on the part of the state. In addition, the public hearings will also focus on issues related to other communities, Hindu and Muslim, living in the border areas adjoining Pakistan, including inter-communal harmony, cross-border peace initiatives, and easing of restrictions on acquiring Indian citizenship for Pakistani spouses of Indian citizens living in the border districts and travel restrictions on Pakistani nationals desirous of visiting these areas to meet their relatives, matters that are of relevance to both Hindus and Muslims living in the border areas. We intend to build on the momentum generated by the public hearings by later organising a Rajasthan state-level and then a national-level conference on refugee-related issues in order to network with similar groups working among other refugee peoples. We will also be organising two interface workshops in Jodhpur and Bikaner to dialogue with government officials, bureaucrats, political parties, journalists and civil society groups, the dates of which we will later announce. We see this as an effort to promote interaction and coordination at the broader South Asia level and to promote better relations between different countries in the region, based on the realisation that our futures are inseparable and interlinked. Programme of Public Hearings in Western Rajasthan and Gujarat 1. Chotan, Barmer district, 7th December, 2005. 2. Gadhra Road, Barmer district, 9th December, 2005. 3. Jalore, 12th December, 2005 4. Bali, Pali district, 13th December, 2005. 5. Bajju, Bikaner district, 19th December, 2005. 6. Pugal, Bikaner district, 21st December, 2005. 7. Anupgarh, Ganganagar, 23rd December, 2005. 8. Jodhpur, 28th December, 2005. 9. Jaisalmer, 30th December, 2005. 10. Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 9th January, 2006 State-Level Convention: 11th February, 2006, Jodhpur. National-Level Convention: 25th February, 2006. We will arrange for local hospitality, including food and accommodation and local travel. In case you would like to attend any of these meetings do let me know. Looking forward to hearing from you, Regards, Hindu Singh Sodha (Pak Visthapit Sangh & Seemant Lok Sangathan) 2, Dilip Singh Colony Near UIT Jodhpur Rajasthan 342001 Telephone no: 0291-2626171 Cell No.: 09414243331 Email id: hssodha@... ------------------- [2] From: Parvez Jamasji <parvez1942@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Nov 11, 2005 Subject: Re: [indiathinkersnet] Riots in France, by Thomas Sowell True !!! No body can forgive the most Cruel most Racist; Caste system nor the weird rituals; to name ONLY two cruellest ones : SATI & Dev Dasi System, but the Hindus don't take up the Gun or Bomb & blow up innocents. Its time to call a spade a spade & face UP to reality. Best Wishes Parvez Jamasji http://www.geocities.com/siafdu/vc81.html Aditya Mishra <aditya11@...> wrote: It does not apply to Muslims alone. Even Hindus in USA congregate only in temples and when meeting talk only about how bad Americans in general and blacks in particular are. ------------------------------- [3] From: "Arif N. Khan" <ank2000pk@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Nov 11, 2005 Subject: Hype Hype is generally regarded as exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material: The old addage of "if it sounds too good to be true it is" seems to apply to many business or political claims. For instance change color of skin by using a cream, Roti, Kapra and Makan, Khush hal Pakistan, End of fuedalism and in India BJP talking about secularism and their double talk about Babri mosque etc. Advertising "That is the kind of ad I like. Facts, facts, facts." Samuel Goldwyn , U.S. film producer. Quoted in: Arthur Marx, Goldwyn: the Man Behind the Myth, Goldwyn referred to an advertisement for the film We Live Again which described it as "The greatest motion picture in all history, by the world??™s most outstanding writer. The directorial genius of Mamoulian, the beauty of Anna Sten and the producing genius of Goldwyn have combined to make the greatest entertainment in the world." The movie flopped. Arif Khan |
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November12, 2005 - [India Thinkers Net]Saturday Digest >> |
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