Dissent ​amongst the intellectuals will be seen as the dark phase in history

The country is going through a crucial phase and something really important is happening in the country. The returning of awards by the intellectuals must not be seen as a trivial event. Similarly the strike by the FTII students must not be rejected as a regular strike by students.

​In the coming time, these two events will be remembered as ​critical events which created a divide in the society. People will look back in past and see these events as ​a ​struggle of ​a section against the mighty state.

At a time when the state has cleverly decided to ignore the dissent, and continue to rule with all its arrogance, the minority radical population of the country has came up with better ideas to counter attack. Sahitya Akademi ​A​ward is the highest literary award of the nation. As of now 41 recipients have returned it- latest being Urdu poet Munavvar Rana.

​ ​

This has invited international attention​.​ It sounds bizarre that the Prime Minister has time to tweet about demise of Asha Bhosle’s son, wish parliamentarians ​on their birthday​s ​- but has no time to speak on the rising tension over eating habits of people from various faith. Not share a thought over months long strike by students of a premier institute. And not talk about killing of liberals and intellectuals.

These are not trivial incidents. These are matters relating to law and order. These are the issues ​on which ​ a Prime Minister is expected to address first- before addressing ​to the ​international communities, and inviting MNCs to ‘Make in India’. For whom do we want to make in India?

The people of the country are tolerant. Maybe tolerant is a wrong word. We have become numb to the situation. Most of us- the sensitive liberal people- have started ignoring the situation. The society is constructed in a way that we have to ignore the most important questions. The priority is paying the EMIs and loans first. The priority is ensuring to stay away from any conflict. But we are in middle of the biggest conflict, and now we cannot ignore it.

The return of the award and strike by the FTII students is the best way the students and intellectuals can answer back. For those who do not have Sahitya Akademi award and are not studying at FTII, the only way is to speak up.

The silence of those who can speak up is a mark of numbing of society. It is a sign of a dead society. We are still breathing I guess.

It is time to speak up.

This article was first published on LokMarg on October 20, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/dissent-%E2%80%8Bamongst-the-intellectuals-will-be-seen-as-the-dark-phase-in-history/ 

Dadri Lynching: ​Living in ​Fear

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav addresses press
after meeting the family of Mohammed Akhlaq, who was lynched by a mob in
Bisahada village of Dadri; at his residence in Lucknow on Oct 4, 2015.
 (Photo: IANS)

​New Delhi: ​A man being lynched ​merely on the basis of rumours of him storing beef​ not only sounds absurd, but ​also ​horrific. ​Its a shame that this is the India​,​ we are living in- a nation build on great ideas ​and strong values ​of secularism has​ turned into a highly communal​ state​.

​A lot has been written and ​said about this issue. ​These cases are ​becoming so common that discussing it looks meaningless. We have been talking about this issue for ​the ​last ​four​ years at least. Killing of intellectuals, open threats to journalists who critically analyse BJP and Hindutva politics, lynching of a Muslim man on ​the basis ​of rumours of him storing beef- all this has ​emerged as a​ pattern.​ These unfortunate cases raise a question mark over secularism of the nation. ​This is not to deny the numerous riots that took place when Congress was in power. But nothing was done openly. The communal faces were actively working even then. But now everything ​seems to be in the open.

To everybody’s surprise the Prime Minister has chosen to keep silent on such issues. Modi has not spoken his mind on deaths and threats ​of the intellectuals, the FTII issue, the lynching of a muslim man. These issues have shaken the conscience of entire country. When Atal Bihari Bajpayee was the Prime Minister, he used to address such critical issues. ​Though he beloned to R​ashtriya ​S​wayam ​S​evak Sangh (RSS)​ and was a firm believer ​of Hindutva. But​, law and order was an important issue for him. Modi,​ it seems is extremely​ conscious about the economic growth ​and little about the internal issues.

​E​conomic growth is important for the country- very important- but how can the Prime Minister choose not to speak on such an issue and rather take out time to address rallies in villages of Bihar and talk about ‘Achche Din’?

The silence of the Prime Minister will lead to a bitter tomorrow. ​The increasing incidents related to religion is​ turning many young people communal. The fringe elements of the ‘other’ religion will capitalise on the opportunity​ and will give birth to anti-​​​social elements in the society.

This is not the right politics. But we choose to keep silent, because ​we do not want to come out of our comefort zone and want to turn a blind eye. We made Modi the man he is. We voted him ​in​to power. ​A section has become highly sensitive towards religion which is leading to such communal cases, which is posing a hinderance in the overall development of the country. Our sorrows will not end if an entire community is killed. Our life will not be better. Our battles will not end. But in name of pseudo-nationalism we are allowing such ideas to flourish.

This silence is numbing. We are no more sensitive. We are no more alive. Silence of the good has always resulted in the evil to rule. We are witnessing this in India.

This article was first published on LokMarg on October 6, 2015

Permalink: http://lokmarg.com/dadri-lynching-%E2%80%8Bliving-in-%E2%80%8Bfear/

Silence ​is killing: No land for free thinkers

It doesn’t require a rocket science to understand ​the anarchy around us. Rationalists are being killed, threatened and are forced to take refuge. The list is getting longer and longer​ with each passing day​. ​People who are the watchdogs of the society such as ​Nikhil Wagle, Ravish Kumar, Anand Patwardhan, Rajdeep Sardesai, KS Bhagavan, MM Kalburgi, and many more ​are being targeted. Death of MM Kalburgi is ​still ​fresh in our memory.

Ravish Kumar wrote in his blog, ​”​What kind of rotten society it is has left me alone and is accepting the hooliganism?​”​

​He is correct in pointing at the degrding social system and absolute waywardness around us.

It will be wrong to consider these threats as petty incidents. ​In fact, these incidents are silencing the truthful voices ​in​ our times​. We are heading towards a ​dark ages. And it is our collective silence which is responsible for all this. Ravish is bullied on twitter and on Facebook. Nikhil Wagle receives death threat. Kalburgi is dead. Anand Patwardhan is not allowed to screen his films. And ​to beat it- all ​this is not making us​ ​uncomfortable​.​

This silence will result in acceptance of a totalitarian state. We- the collective us- have always loved to hate totalitarian communist state in China, the Taliban in Pakistan-Afghanistan region, dictators in the middle-east region, the totalitarian regime in North Korea- the first noticeable character of these totalitarian system is that the rationalists are silenced first. India​ is well known for free thinkers we have produced over the ages. ​The anarchist approach and growing intolerance are pushing us towards backwardness.

​J​ournalists, film makers, writers are not supposed to be praising a particular person every time. Their job is to critically see the world- and enable others to see the not-so-obvious truth of our times. This not-so-obvious truth threatens those who benefit from the ignorance of the masses. It is these rationalists which are beacon of knowledge in any era. Saving them is saving our intellect. Simple, right?

The silence of our generation is the most horrific thing that can happen to us. Your silence will result in silence of those who can speak. In coming days I will have to be silent, even when I want to speak my heart out.

Speak up. There is no better time to speak. This is the time.

This article was first published on LokMarg on September 22, 2015

Permalink: http://lokmarg.com/48869/

Homeland, across the border: Hindu in Pakistan, Pakistani in India, some are even returning to Pakistan as India fails in its promises

Pakistani Hindus who have migrated to India to escape increasing extremist violence in Pakistan, are finding that they have merely exchanged one frying pan for another. If they have run away from violence, they now face disease, bad sanitation, lack of water and poverty in the places they have been forced to live in. Despite grand promises by no less than BJP before elections, the migrants are struggling with basic necessities.

The rise of extremist forces in Pakistan had forced many Hindus residing in the country to take refuge in India. In the last decade, it is estimated that around 20,000 Hindu migrants have come to India from Pakistan. The refugees remind us the pain of partition our part of the world has been cursed with. Partition of India and Pakistan based on religion was without doubt one of the most horrific historical incidents that ever took place. Millions of people were rendered homeless, many dead. The condition of Hindus in Pakistan makes shows that there has not been much progress in the years that have gone by.

BJP’s support to the migrant Hindus

Before the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, Bhartiya Janta Party ran a full fledged campaign for rights of the Hindu migrants from Pakistan. Prime ministerial candidate of BJP, the present PM Narendra Modi, had sent a strong message in support of the migrants saying, ”We have a responsibility toward Hindus who are harassed and suffer in other countries …India is the only place for them.”

As per the new updates BJP is working to ensure that the migrants get property rights and are provided banking services based on their long term visas. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had earlier allowed to extend banking and property purchase facilities to Hindus from Pakistan.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that he and his ministry is working on a plan for better rehabilitation of Hindu migrants from Pakistan. He also said that he is aware of the persecution of minority Hindu population in Pakistan, and the hurdles Hindu migrants find in obtaining citizenship in India. It is worth noting that the present BJP government has given permanent citizenship to almost 4,000 Hindu migrants from Pakistan since coming to power, which is much higher than what the erstwhile UPA government had allotted. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan also said earlier that until he is at the helm of affairs in the state, no Pakistani Hindu will be asked to leave the state.

Migrants from Pakistan are spread all over the country- in Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, et cetera. But just allowing people to stay in the country, and extending the visa for next 5 years is not enough. They didn’t leave Pakistan just to become citizens of India, but for a more secure and better life. That setill seems to eb a dream.

A Hindu in Pakistan, and Pakistani in India

According to various media reports from across the nation, the Hindu migrants from Pakistan are, sadly, leading an extremely inhuman life in India. The plight of the people is so bad that many have chosen to return back to Pakistan!

Most of the people coming from Pakistan are Hindus belonging to Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes. This may have become a larger problem for their acceptability in India. Also, most of the camps for them are on the outskirts of the cities- depriving them of water supply, better health services, education and shelter.

In one of the interviews given to Al Jazeera, a Pakistani migrant said that in Pakistan they were not accepted and had to hide their identity of being a Hindu. In India, they had to hide their identity of being born in Pakistan.

In a PIL filed by Ajay Gautam in Delhi High Court, it is claimed that the Hindu migrants are living in unhygienic conditions in various parts of Delhi. According to the PIL, around 1,000 Hindu migrant families from Pakistan are living in various clusters in the National Capital, mainly in the area of Rohini, Majnu Ka Tila and Bijwasan. Even though the authorities have full knowledge of the conditions of the people, nothing concrete has been done to provide better living standards to the Pakistani Hindu migrants..

The ongoing monsoon has made the lives of the people in such makeshift slums even worse. The families have been living for two to five years in these slums. They are still waiting for the ‘better’ life they had been hoping for in ‘Matar bhumi’.

Extending Visa, and not proving for better living?

The Indian government has extended the visa of the people migrating from Pakistan, but is also working to give them permanent citizenship as well. However the larger issue of better livelihood, sanitation, education and health remains unaddressed. In Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) does not provide any facilities such as cleaning and spraying fumes in the camps to tackle the attack of mosquitoes in the monsoon.

These people must be helped on humanitarian grounds alone even without considering that they are Hindu migrants from Pakistan. As the Government of India has made many promises to Hindus wishing to migrate from Pakistan and who have migrated from Pakistan it becomes important that it also delivers on what it promises in rhetoric and electioneering!

--

We will be following up the issue more closely in the present series titled “Homeland, across the border”. In our series we will be travelling to various camps of the migrant Hindus from Pakistan in Delhi and elsewhere.

--

This article was first published on LokMarg on August 10, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/homeland-across-the-border-hindu-in-pakistan-pakistani-in-india-some-are-even-returning-to-pakistan-as-india-fails-in-its-promises/

Odisha Crime Branch comes up with a plan to tackle Acid Attacks, but can we really end the attacks?

Despite a sharp rise in acid attacks in India, there has not been concrete steps taken by the authorities to tackle the situation. Sadly, various state governments have shared their inability to tackle the problem because of the widespread distribution of acid in the corners of the country.

But all is not gloomy. Crime Branch in the state of Odisha has done something which may become a reference point for many in the coming days. Crime Branch chief B.K Sharma has issued a circular in which he has asked all district Superintendent of Police (SPs) to treat acid attack at par with murder cases and categories them in ‘Red Flag cases’ (most sensational cases). Not only this, the state CB has chalked out strategies to tackle unauthorised sale of acid. The CB Chief has instructed the officials to regularly raid the unauthorised sellers of acid in respective areas.

The CB Chief has said on record that the Crime Branch has identified various acid attack cases in the state, and will be monitoring the cases. No officer below the rank of Inspector will be allowed to investigate acid attack cases, showing the seriousness of the department to tackle the issue.

Over the years, Supreme Court of India has shared its displeasure over the centre’s failure in tackling the menace of acid attacks in the country. It has released various statements and guidelines to follow. In the famous Laxmi versus Union of India case, the Supreme Court has issued guidelines for the Union Government to regulate the sale of acid in the retail shops, and also take care of the medical expenses of the victim. But there has not been much progress by the Central government nor the various state governments.

Though the Uttarakhand government has come up with a notice for the private hospitals to treat acid attack victims and not run away from their humanitarian responsibilities. The state government has also set up a new Nirbhaya relief fund for the acid attack victims, where the victims can receive assistance upto Rs 3 Lakhs. Only three women have received the assistance till date.

Though these are welcome steps by the authorities, but the crucial questions remain unaddressed. Assistance of Rs 3 Lakhs is still a very less amount for acid attack victims. Alok Dixit, founder of Stop Acid Attacks campaign, has told that it is too less an amount to bring back life and dignity of a woman. Also the the various surgeries require upto Rs 20 Lakhs for an individual. Apart from this, a nationwide campaign by the Prime Minister to address the issue of acid attacks is required. India is one of the leaders in acid attacks in the world. The issue requires pro-activeness of the central government the same way it showed in Swachch Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India campaign). Without the Prime Minister taking the issue in his own hands, the fight is very crucial.

This article was first published on LokMarg on August 10, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/odisha-crime-branch-comes-up-with-a-plan-to-tackle-acid-attacks-but-can-we-really-end-the-attacks/

Living in National Capital: Another Delhi Slum to Face Eviction, This Time Due to Security Threat to the VIPs

In a recent development in Delhi, 600 families face threat of eviction central Delhi’s Hafiz Nagar and Janta Camp due to security threats to VIPs. The 600 families have been living in slums near Bhairon Marg for decades, and now the authorities feel their presence pose threat to the VIPs of the area. The slums lie in the route of the VIPs to reach Rajghat. The threat has been anticipated by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in a letter written to the Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.

The IB feels anybody standing on the terrace of these slum could have a close view of the VIP motorcade. The slum land belongs to the Northern Railway of India, and it has also been informed about such threat. As the slums are unauthorised settlements, there is no clarity about the future of the families living in such slums.

Last week the people in the slum were surprised after receiving a notice from Northern Railway to vacate their houses in 10 days. People have been living in the area for past 50 years, and a sudden notice to vacate the land comes not only as a surprise but also as a question to the dignity of life of people living in India.

“We have been living here for decades. When the new government came into power it said that it will be making new houses for us. But it seems it was only to get our votes and nothing else.” a local resident lamented after receiving the notice. The resident also shared that whenever there was any VIP movement through their area, the police came and locked their houses, and nobody was allowed to come out or stand on the terrace.

Most of the people in the slums are labourers working in the nearby railway yard. The people belong to the economically backward class, and relocating to a new place means loss of work as well as additional costs, which people are not in a condition to bear. Apart from this, the approach of the government authorities has been vary one sided, without taking into consideration the problems which 600 families might get into.

Arun Arora, divisional railway manager of Northern Railway, has come out and said that the notices were send because the colonies were unauthorised. The railway authority has said that they want to free the land of the illegal encroachments for future expansion of the railway network. But the plan is only to free the land and there has been no mention of rehabilitation of the people being affected by it.

People in slums live in a permanent threat of losing the shelter they call their home. Their dreams hang in an uncertain sky. The case of Janta Camp and Hafiz Nagar is one example of many camps and people who may lose the right to live any moment. In many cases the people are also relocated, but mostly there is no plan of rehabilitation. There is a difference between relocation and rehabilitation which the authorise forget most of the times. 

This article was first published on LokMarg on August 8, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/living-in-national-capital-another-delhi-slum-to-face-eviction-this-time-due-to-security-threat-to-the-vips/

Bihar Elections: Parties talk about development and still Caste becomes the biggest issue!

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav
during Hindustan Samagam programme in Patna on June 23, 2015. (Photo: IANS)

Bihar is in election fever again. These upcoming Bihar elections will be the most crucial for the people of Bihar. Each of the political parties have their agendas rather than manifestos. But the people of Bihar are still waiting for development in the real sense for many years. The election was supposed to be promising, but as days pass on, the politics of Bihar seems to trap the people of Bihar in the politics of communalism and caste.

Nitish Kumar was once the hero of Bihar. People looked upto him until he stood against Narendra Modi’s Prime Ministerial candidature in 2013. Since he broke his alliance with BJP, he has been criticized from various corners of the state. He then entered into coalition with Lalu Prasad Yadav, which made him the villain in the eyes of the middle class people in the Bihar and rest of India. But for the people belonging to lower castes in Bihar this is a classic combination of representation of the lower castes in Bihar politics.

Castes so important!

Caste has become so important this time that even BJP President Amit Shah has tried to reinstate the category of PM Narendra Modi’s caste in the election debates. In his excitement he even said that BJP has given India’s first OBC (Other Backward Caste) Prime Minister to India. Lalu Yadav immediately reminded the world that Amit Shah was wrong and that it was H.D Devegauda who was India’s first OBC Prime Minister.

Not only this, BJP has delayed the release of Caste based census citing technical grounds. But the real reason people suspect is that declaring the caste based census may become a problem for BJP in upcoming elections. People consider the BJP to be a party ruled by upper caste Hindus. Most RSS leaders belong to the Upper caste Hindu category. In Modi’s cabinet, out of 27 ministers, 12 belong to the Upper Caste Hindu category. But it is expected that in the caste based census the population of upper caste Hindus may lie anywhere between 10% to 18%. Yogendra Yadav says that it may lie between 15% to 20%, while the OBC will be 45% to 50%. This uneven representation of OBC and Upper Caste Hindus in various segments of society may raise a demand for OBC reservation in India and may help Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar in Bihar elections. BJP has never opposed reservation, but there is a hidden interest in avoiding the caste based census being released. As per various reports and a claim by Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) spokesperson Manoj Jha, there is a segment of OBC leaders within BJP who want the caste based census to be declared. BJP, thus, is also fighting an internal battle.

Caste has become so important that BJP is totally relying on Ram Vilas Paswan to do the magic in Bihar. Paswan is one of the most important backward caste leaders in Bihar. But it is still doubtful if he can pull it off and help BJP in this crisis situation.

No development, caste is supreme

The sad fact is that In the present scenario no political party is talking about the real issues, the various issues which need immediate attention. Bihar is still one of the most underdeveloped states in India. Crime is once again rising in Bihar. Infrastructure remains a serios matter needing attention. Education, industrial development, creation of new jobs- everything has been compromised in order to win the elections by the various parties. There have been numerous caste based political gatherings being organised in Bihar in last six months than ever. But there are no ‘development’ based gatherings. Leaders, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, are talking about ‘caste’ based development, and not a wholesome development.

Caste is a myth created by the politicians in order to consolidated their voter base. This has been a reality in every state of India. Bihar is no exception. Caste vote bank politics is a destructuive part of Indian electioneering. Sadly people have fallen again into the trap in Bihar.

A beautiful tomorrow?

The present state of affairs in Bihar present a very grim scenario. But there are serious questions given the previous history of Bihar. How is it that a state which was lauded for its caste-less election 10 years back, when Nitish Kumar won, irrespective of his caste, is going back to the situation of the 80s or the 90s? Have the people of Bihat not learnt from the past? The poor Kurmis, Yadavs and Paswans are leading the same kind of life which they were leading three decades back! Voting their own caste has never helped anybody. Can the state really think of a better tomorrow? Isn’t a beautiful tomorrow a dream for Bihar?

If people of a state are going to caste their vote based on their castes even in 2015, then there is no hope of this political disease going away. The age old proverb stands true- “People are ruled by the leader they deserve.”

This article was first published on LokMarg on July 23, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/bihar-elections-parties-talk-about-development-and-still-caste-becomes-the-biggest-issue/

Delhi Rains: People suffer, while Government says it is working on a long term plan to tackle water logging

Delhi witnessed a modest rainfall, but people living in the slums and villages had to suffer heavy water logging. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that this year there has been less water logging compared to previous year. Yet the situation in various areas in the outskirts of Delhi was no better. There has been little improvement if any and even the ‘people’s’ government seems to ignore the consequences of diseases relating to water logging.

Ruma, who runs her family of 5 people by doing various household work in South Delhi’s Sultanpur area said that her work has been affected by the incessant rain and consequential water logging near her home. “Because of the water logging, I have not been able to go to few of the houses where I work as a cook. This will have a direct effect on my monthly income. We are also afraid of water-borne diseases which may affect young children in the home.” she said.

Unlike Mumbai, Delhi doesn’t face a huge problem during the monsoon. But in Delhi, it is majorly the lower class income group which faces the problem. The well-off areas like the Green Park, Golf Course, Greater Kailash, Defence Colony and others, have excellent drainage system. On the contrary the various villages in the National Capital region, have in adequate drainage system struggling to deal with the problems of thousands of people being directly affected. There was a ray of hope when CM Arvind Kejriwal asked people in his government to work on a long term plan to deal with problems relating to water logging.

“It has been years since I have been witnessing this water logging. The major problem it brings is the mosquitoes and subsequent diseases like dengue. Every year we hear so many deaths in Delhi because of Dengue. I hope the new government is able to tackle this problem.” said Tarun, owner of a grocery store in Sultanpur area of Delhi.

On the other hand the tussle between Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi government once again showed us the politics of playing the blame game. The BJP ruled MCD has been blaming AAP government for not doing the work properly and thus leading to water logging at several places in Delhi. On the contrary, AAP has been blaming MCD for not doing the same work. Because of this, the powerless and poor people, living in the low-lying areas are facing the problem. As far as the bureaucracy is concerned there seems to be only one solution to the misery- end of monsoon!

Delhi, being the national capital needs to provide better infrastructure. Water logging effects economy of the state directly. Diseases spread to affluent areas as well. Governments have been promising a better infrastructure for years. The present AAP government has also promised to create a long term plan. We hope the long term plan doesn’t mean it will be put in place in some long term but will begin soon. People deserve better from their governments.

This article was first published on LokMarg on July 16, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/delhi-rains-people-suffer-while-government-says-it-is-working-on-a-long-term-plan-to-tackle-water-logging/

10 Ways You Too Can Help Stop Acid Attacks!

It is one of the sad consequences of our unregulated market that some dangerous items meant for use for one thing often get used for another by irresponsible people. One of these is acid. Acid Attacks are the new weapon against not only women but men as well. South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have seen a sharp rise in the attacks using Acids. In India alone at least four cases of attacks are reported every week, and many go unreported.

As sensible humans we all want violence to stop. The gruesome attacks on young girls leave them at the mercy of society, which does strives for perfections and superficial beauty. Many Acid Attack survivors say that it is not the attacker who haunt them as much as the reaction of the society that haunts them.

In case you are one of those who believe in making society society strong and compassionate and are willing to assist Acid Attack survivors, here is how you can step forward and help. It does not need you to be superhuman, just be human. This list has been prepared with the help of one of the campaigners of the Stop Acid Attacks campaign, India’s most active campaign to stop Acid Attacks.

Report the illegal sale of Acid in your locality:

Retail sale of Acid has been banned by the Supreme Court of India. If ever you come across shops where Acid is being sold, you are witnessing a criminal activity. Do not delay. Report this to the nearest Police station. Later you can keep a track of the same shop if it continues to sell the Acid.

Never allow your family members and friends to buy Acid for cleaning purposes:

Charity starts at home. Ensure your family members and friends are not buying Acid for house hold purposes, including toilet cleaning. It is injurious to everybody. Also, when people demand Acid, shopkeepers feel they have to meet that demand and supply it or lose their customers. Reduce the demand. Your contribution is valuable.

Keep a track of news relating to threat of Acid attacks:

It is important to keep track of news relating to Acid Attacks, and threats. Once you start keeping track, you can inform about events to the Stop Acid Attacks campaign and even ensure that there is adequate medical treatment of the victims. The Government has promised to pay medical expenses of the victims. In case the hospital denies, you can raise remind them of their responsibility. 

Be a responsible citizen, keep the phone numbers of local police officials handy:

It is very important to keep the phone numbers of local police stations, SHOs, Police Officers in your mobile. In case you witness any unfortunate event, you can directly contact the police officers. Believe me, most of the senior police officers appreciate the role of responsible citizens. You are helping in maintaining law and order of the country.

Raise voice when you see a potential harasser:

Potential harassers are everywhere. It is sad, but a reality of our society. The moment you see a potential harasser, you can be a responsible citizen and inform the the local police. In case you find this a little difficult, you can contact the people at Stop Acid Attacks campaigns who can then pursue it. But reaching out, raising your voice and taking some steps is important. That is what whicwilldifferentiate you from the masses!

Use social media for awareness:

Using social media for awareness is the best possible way we can sensitise more and more people. Share relevant information (one like this article), with as many people as possible. Use your personal network on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp to inform those who are still not aware of the issue.

Acid survivors are humans, do not run away from them:

Yes. This is one way to reintegrate the survivors in the society. The moment we walk away from the distorted faces due to the attack, we alienate a few of our fellow humans from society. The least we can do is to give human and society support to those unfortunate enough to be attacked with acid.

Create a better tomorrow where there is a place for everybody, including Acid Attack survivors:

We all are striving towards a better tomorrow. Everybody’s contribution is required to ensure this. A better tomorrow will be a day when every individual will find a place for him/herself. We need to create a system where people, irrespective of being acid attack survivors, find it easy to live normal lives. Creating job opportunity, ensuring their representation in every walk of life is part of it. You do not know, but you can actually make this possible.

Help Stop Acid Attack campaign by becoming a volunteer:

Stop Acid Attacks is a volunteer based campaign. Roles of volunteer include activities like reaching out to survivors, working on RTIs, following cases relating to harassment, et cetera. You can become a part of this campaign from anywhere in the country. If you find yourself fit for any of these, or any other role in which you can help, reach out. Just drop a mail tostopacidattacks@gmail.com and they will contact you.

Donate, so that the campaign is able to function:

Like any other campaign, Stop Acid Attacks need regular flow of money. Many people cannot help physically, but that should not stop you form helping a noble cause. You can contribute monetarily to the campaign. The money is used in treatment of the survivors as well as running a shelter home for the survivors.

Share this piece of information. Lokmarg.com is committed to a better society and a better tomorrow. You never know when your small contribution can actually help in stopping Acid Attacks.

--

This article was first published by LokMarg.com on July 12, 2015

Permalink: http://lokmarg.com/10-ways-you-too-can-help-stop-acid-attacks/

Is the future of India based on widespread malnutritioned children in the slums?

A walk in Delhi slums and various underprivileged villages in Delhi reveals the level of malnutrition children have to live with. The glitz and glamour of India’s capital, which is incidentally world’s fastest growing metropolis, evaporates when you look at a child’s skinny limb with pot-belly. As per claims by present and past governments in Delhi, soon itDelhi will be referred to as India’s first ‘smart city’. But tit will also be world’s first smart city home to 66% children in the slums with malnutrition. 33% of these children fall in the Severely Acute Malnutrition category! Smart?.

Malnutrition in children is one of the most important issues which has sadly not yet become matter of concern in the city let alone a national campaign . Even though PM Modi has raised critical issues and drawn attention of the people towards them, including that of saving girl child, malnutrition remains an ignored topic from national conscience. Shockingly, almost half of malnutrition children on the planet live in India! Delhi has a significant number of children with malnutrition. Improving situation in Delhi can become a national model to look upto. Delhi must take this issue seriously and adopt strategies to deal with it.

The gravity of the situation needs to be examined by the authorities. Malnutrition is a major reason behind high dropout rates in schools.

Delhi’s Kathputli Colony, near Shadipur, has a huge slum settlement. As you enter the colony, you can see skinny children playing near heaps of garbage. Quite a few of them have disproportional pot-bellies, making it difficult for them to carry their own bodies. Entering the colony exposes more problems the slum faces. The water which is used for cooking food is not something people becoming part of ‘digital India’ will ever allow their families to consume. This class division is serious- and the lower class gets filth..

The huge economic disparity forces the families in slums to access cheaper food with low nutritional value. Fast food, including the banned Maggi, is available easily in most of the colonies. Lack of nourishment hampers the development of child’s brain, which is crucial in the early years of a child. Even though government is running various programmes, including the mid-day-meal programme in government schools, which entitles the students to nutritional food by the school authorities, malnutrition remains a big challenge for the government to eliminate. There is a need for the Government to rething its strategy.

Lack of community awareness and various socio-culture practices like early marriage and gender discrimination contribute to malnutrition in children. According to one of the reports by Child Rights and You (CRY) overall malnutrition is higher in girls (38%) compared to boys (34%). Also, 52% of the children in Delhi slums and unauthorised colonies defecate in the open- making them more prone to other diseases. In most of the cases, both the parents of a child are working (especially in low-income groups), thus the child is not looked after properly, making them vulnerable to malnutrition. There are no nurseries in the slums to look after children when parents are away working.

India has fought with Polio in the past, making itself a Polio-free nation. It has fought other health issues. A renewed strategy with a a strong honest political will power can certainly eliminate malnutrition from the country. The future of India cannot be built on the basis of malnutritioned children of today.

This article was first published by LokMarg.com on July 5, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/is-the-future-of-india-based-on-widespread-malnutritioned-children-in-the-slums/

Malnutrition and children of Delhi: A healthy meal is a dream for millions of children in India

In our first article in the series on malnutrition and children in slums, we came across the dismal situation in which a majority of children live in Delhi and various other parts of the country. In this article we interact with the families and try to understand their point of view on the situation.

It is very easy to find slums in the National Capital Region (NCR). A slum settlement can be found anywhere where there is a construction going on in the NCR. Most of the labourers are migrants from the various villages of India- mostly from Bihar. Each temporary shelter of six-by-six is home to a family. In most cases the husband and wife work as labourers, earning a meagre daily wage. There is no security of job, no permanency of employment. And they also have children to look after.

Dharmendra, a daily wage earner working in the Sultanpur area of South Delhi lives with his family in a temporary shelter built by the contractor near the site where a multi-storey building is being built. His house is a small one room compartment made of tin and bricks. There is a common bathroom for everybody in this temporary slum area.

“Who wants to live in this condition? Who doesn’t want to provide better food to his child? But maybe this is not possible for people like me.” said Dharmendra referring to the condition and ill-health of his two children- a boy and a girl, in the age group of less than five years old. “My son is a weak child. He falls sick every other day. We do not have enough money and time to visit the doctor. It takes one entire day if we visit a doctor with him, which means loss of income for the day. We cannot afford that. We take the child with us to the construction site and try to take care of him there. I am not sure, but I do not think he will survive for a long time.”

When asked about the food they provide the child, Dharmendra’s wife, Sunita said, “We make him eat what we get to eat. But I know that children in this age require better food with more protein and vitamins, but those foods are expensive. What we earn is not enough for our family. And we also have to save the money for some work in our villages. So normally we provide the rice and chapati we make for everybody. But both my children like “Maggi” and “O’Yes” more than anything else.”

The area near Sultanpur has a few shops, informs Sunita, where one can still find Maggi, though it has been banned by the state government on the grounds of heath safety. “But it is cheap, and fills the stomach.” Sunita adds.

In the same area Roma lives with her family. Roma is a maid and works as a house help in many houses in the area. Roma has three children- two girls and one boy. “Nutritional food is something we all want to eat and provide our children. But the cost of vegetables and other foods is increasing day by day. I am the only earning member in my family. My husband recently lost his job. How can I think of good food when there is no way I can ensure two meals a day to my family. Life is not fair.”

Dharmendra offered me water in his home, as it was a comparatively warm day. As I brought the water near my face, it smelled. It had a pungent smell, which can not be described by the words I can write. I could not drink the whole water. When I asked about the smell, Dharmendra said, “What smell? Maybe you are not used to this kind of water.” And it was a big revelation of class division between me and Dharmendra.

Children deserve a better life. Not only children but the families living in sub-human conditions as well. Because only when every family lives a decent, hygienic and healthy life, we can think of collective growth. A GDP growth without the development of many Dharmendras, Sinitasand Romas– and their children- is no growth.

Looking forward to a better tomorrow.

In next article in the series we shall contact various officials and authorities responsible for the betterment of the people living in sub-human conditions, and try to understand the hurdle which has not been removed for decades.

--

This article was first published by LokMarg.com on July 8, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/malnutrition-and-children-of-delhi-a-healthy-meal-is-a-dream-for-millions-of-children-in-india/

Living in the National Capital Part 4: Social Division and Unequal distribution of resources

Khampur is a village less than 10 kilometres from Delhi’s heart, Connaught Place. The area is like any other Delhi village- urban concrete jungle, with no regulation on building construction. It is home to numerous Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) aspirants, who live as tenants. Rent in the area is as high as Rs 12,000 a month for a small room, which is normally occupied by two people.

The area is also home to numerous vegetable vendors, labourers, people with odd jobs, and traditional villagers who have been living in the area for decades. They have been joined by an influx of UPSC aspirants who have changed the demography of the area. These aspirants, who can pay higher rents receive more resources than those who have less paying capacity. A class society has been created in one of the corners of the city, just like every other village in Delhi. And resources seem to be available on the class status of the person.

Deepak and his family faces huge water problem in the area

Deepak (name changed on request), a gol-gappa vendor shared his story. He faces acute water shortage in summers every year. “I have been living here for past 10-15 years. Water is the biggest issue we face. There is a heavy shortage of water supply.” Deepak lives in a permanent settlement, and not a temporary shelter. He receives water supplied by Delhi Jal Board, which comes directly under Delhi Government. Kapil Mishra, newly appointed Law Minister of Delhi Government, has also been appointed the chairman of Delhi Jal Board. He replaced Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Interestingly, the UPSC aspirants in the same area receive 24 hour water supply. Rishikesh Roshan, an aspirant from Patna (Bihar) told us that he has never faced any problem in the area- be it water supply or electricity supply. “We receive 24 hour water supply and there is no power cut in the area. This is a perfect area to live in and prepare for UPSC exams.” This comes as a surprise as many of the people living here much longer in the same vicinity have different experiences of these basic resources.

When asked if Deepak has raised the issue with the local MLA or the Ward Councillor, he said, “I am a daily wage earner. Who am I to raise such questions? If I indulge in such activities then what will happen to my work? I have left it to the landlord. I do not want to get into all this. I have accepted my life as it is.”

Politicians share their achievements

The dingy lanes of the village makes one realise the strong pressure of population the area is under. The ever growing population in the area, unauthorised construction of houses, influx of new students every year- all this result in more pressure on the limited land and thus unequal distribution of natural and basic resources. Deepak also shared that there was not that much of a problem when he first entered the area years back. They had reasonable supply of basic resources. However with time the water supply started diminishing. This is still happening inspite of the promise by Kejriwal to provide free water to every family in Delhi.

Delhi is constituted of numerous villages. The Delhi villages are different than other villages in India. They are somewhere in between- neither modern nor traditional. They are highly populated due to the lesser rent one has to pay compared to the urban settlements in Delhi. The villages also come under Lal Dora area, and thus Municipality permission is not required in many constructions.

The unequal resource distribution and urban divide requires attention of the authorities in power. A divide in society, of any kind, is not good for social cohesion. Kejriwal promised water to everyone, it should not depend on whether a person can pay higher rent or lower rent.

This article was first published by LokMarg.com on July 1, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/living-in-the-national-capital-part-4-social-division-and-unequal-distribution-of-resources/

The curious case of Maharashtra Cabinet and amendments in the CrPC

In a recent development, the Maharashtra cabinet has amended a provision of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to prevent filing of an FIR against a ‘public representative’ without the sanction of a ‘competent authority’. The competent authority can be identified as the speaker of the assembly in case of MLAs, and Chief Secretary in case of bureaucrats. The amendment is also applicable to elected representatives of panchayats and municipalities.

This becomes pretty interesting as Maharashtra has alarming high numbers of elected representatives with declared criminal cases. According to analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), of affidavits submitted by MLAs from Maharashtra at the time of election in 2014, 165 (57%) of the MLAs had declared criminal cases. Out of these 51 (31%) MLAs had declared cases where charges had been framed. Among all legislative assemblies in India, Maharashtra is second highest after Jharkhand in the proportion of MLAs with criminal cases. 3 MLAs had declared cases related to murder and attempt to murder while 11 MLAs declared cases related to crimes against women, 3 MLAs declared cases related to causing communal disharmony, 14 MLAs with cases of robbery and dacoity and 9 MLAs with cases related to kidnapping.

According to the latest report by ADR, even in the recent local body elections in Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, out of 105 winners analysed, 17 had declared criminal cases out of which 13 had declared serious criminal cases. In the Vasai Virar City Municipal elections, 17 (17%) out of 102 winners declared criminal cases wherein 12 had serious cases. While this amendment to the CrPC is not applicable to Members of Parliament, it is important to note that criminality even among MPs of Maharashtra is alarmingly high, wherein 31 (65%) out of 48 MPs have criminal cases.

Professor Jagdeep Chhokar, founding member of the Association for Democratic Reforms has condemned the amendment and said, “This decision of the Maharashtra cabinet goes directly against Article 14 of the Constitution of India which guarantees ‘equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws’ to “any person within the territory of India.’ This decision obviously gives ‘greater protection’ to MLAs and bureaucrats, and therefore makes them ‘more equal’ than ordinary citizens.”

ADR has written to the Maharashtra Cabinet and urged it to repeal the amendment to CrPC.

This entire episode makes one wonder if the political class is working to save the elected representatives with a criminal background. Getting sanction from the ‘competent authority’ will certainly be a herculean task for any ordinary citizen. The amendment takes the process of justice one step backwards and elongates the overall process. A collective decision of a state cabinet, where BJP is in the power, makes one wonder the vision behind it. An unconstitutional amendment by the ruling BJP government is not only sad but a threat to people who dare to stand against the political class. When a government is out there to save the criminals, what can the public really expect?

We hope the Maharashtra cabinet understands the seriousness of the matter and repeals the unconstitutional amendment.

This article was first published by LokMarg.com on June 22, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/the-curious-case-of-maharashtra-cabinet-and-amendments-in-the-crpc/

What happened to Kejriwal’s promise of marshals and CCTV cameras in DTC buses?

Just when the Delhi government is once again under the scanner due to the cases of fraud presented by ex-Law Minister, Jitendra Tomar, and a case relating to domestic violence on Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti, people in Delhi have once again tried to bring focus to the various promises the government made during elections. Female security was one of the most important issue which helped Kejriwal become Chief Minister of the state. Kejriwal had promised deploying marshals on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, as well as installing CCTV cameras in the buses as well as various streets of Delhi. But nothing much has been achieved.

During the elections AAP had promised to deploy 5,000 marshals in DTC buses. It had also promised the creation of a Women’s security force comprising of 10,000 home guards. As per the latest report, no Home Guard (HG) personnel is free for the job! The existing strength of the Delhi Home Guard, which comes directly under Delhi Government, is 5,000. Out of this 4,500 HGs are presently assisting Delhi police, and the remaining 500 are deployed in various other departments.

Interestingly, 98 home guards who had earlier been deployed with DTC buses after the December 16 gang rape incident, have not received their salary for last seven months. The report was published in The Hindu newspaper. There is a vacancy of 5,000 HGs. Lack of funds with DTC will be a big hurdle in the process.

Similarly, the situation is not very good when we talk about CCTV cameras in DTC buses. According to a latest report, only 4.2% of DTC buses have CCTV surveillance. By November 2014, the DTC had already installed non wi-fi CCTV cameras in 200 DTC buses. It was a pilot project but nothing much has been achieved since then. 

It has been reported that the government has written to Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung to withdraw HGs from the Delhi Police. But there has been no reply from Jung on this matter.

DTC has a fleet of 4,705 buses, which is used by nearly 4.5 million people everyday. Many cases of sexual harassment have been reported in the buses. If marshals and CCTV cameras are present, then it will surely help the women commuters.

AAP came to power with many promises and hopes. But it has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. And nothing concrete has been produced by the government. The controversies relating to Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Jitendra Tomar, Somnath Bharti, Rakhi Birla, Kejriwal-Jung tussle, were making the news. But decisions relating to women security were never able to make a headlines in the national capital.

Only time will tell if the ‘technical problems’ were far too difficult for a party which came to power promising change in the initial days. There has been a new wave of dissatisfaction with the Kejriwal government in Delhites. Let us see if Kejriwal is able to win back the hearts of Delhites or not.

This article was first published by LokMarg.com on June 16, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/what-happened-to-kejriwals-promise-of-marshals-and-cctv-cameras-in-dtc-buses/

A Lawmaker’s Wife Faces Domestic Violence: Is Women Security a Dream?

Somnath Bharti, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Malviya Nagar constituency and an Ex-Law Minister of Delhi Government, has been in the news recently for the alleged charges of domestic violence by his wife Lipika Mitra. The charges are serious and the National Women Commission has intervened. Somnath Bharti’s wife has spoken in front of various media houses in the last week regarding the domestic violence she faced in her marriage. The charges include that Bharti had been beating the wife for years and they both started living in isolation because of this. Lipika has also said that Bharti once left his dog to bite her when she was pregnant. Bharti had also spoken lies about his income whilst married, the charges say.

Somnath Bharti shot to fame when he first carried out a raid on an alleged sex racket in Khidki Extension area of Malviya Nagar in Delhi. He was highly criticized for the act- because the raid was carried out with AAP supporters and Delhi Police was not taken into consideration. Later AAP had to apologise because of this and it brought forward the insensitiveness of AAP towards women’s security. There were no concrete proof that the Nigerian women whom Bharti had alleged charges for prostitution were running a sex racket. It also brought criticism from the Nigerian embassy.

Insensitiveness towards women and women’ issues is a reality we all are living with. Domestic violence cannot be seen in isolation, but must be seen as a part of the narrative which talks about the systemic failure of society to ensure that women live with dignity inside a marriage. But sadly this is not true. If Lipika has to be believed, then this incident breaks the widespread myth that domestic violence is limited to the lower classes of the Indian society. Somnath Bharti is a well-known lawyer, has studied at Faculty of Law, Delhi University and also at IIT Delhi, pursuing Masters in Science (M.Sc), one of the most prestigious institutions in India and also in Asia. He has been president of IIT Delhi alumni association in the past. The myth that people from a particular institution, profession and economic class are better than rest of the people has no basis to support itself. In the past we have come across cases where a man from IIT Delhi has thrown acid on a female colleague. This myth needs to be erased from public memory because these are the basis of arranged marriages in many Indian families.

The present incident needs police investigation and it is too early for us to come to any conclusion based on allegations. But this must be a time to bring our attention to the issue of domestic violence in India, which is avoided from public debate. Statistics show (STATISTICS) that there have been many suicide cases of wives due to domestic violence. Dowry is a common reason for domestic violence in North India.

We may talk about economic development of India on world forums, but until unless half of the population feels insecure in our societies, and is subjected to violence and torture, India can never develop in true sense.

This article was first published on LokMarg.com on June 15, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/a-lawmakers-wife-faces-domestic-violence-is-women-security-a-dream/

Gurgaon Acid threat case: Are we waiting for another Acid Attack in front of us?

In 2012, India saw one of the biggest protests on the streets when a girl was brutally raped in a horrific incident which is widely known as Nirbhaya Rape case. Everybody talked about justice. 

Cut to June 2015: A young girl is physically assaulted by a middle aged man in Gurgaon; he threatens to throw Acid on her face in public; an FIR is lodged (with many difficulties); he was arrested and then granted bail within five days! He is now out in the open. 

Nothing much has changed. The system has not become more sensitive. Rapes continue to take place in the National Capital Region (NCR), and acid attacks are a reality this society needs to deal with. The protests, the committees, the much talked reforms- have still not been successful enough to create a women-friendly environment in India. 

A young Gorkha Girl Assaulted and Threatened of Acid Attack in Gurgaon

A young Gorkha girl in her 20s has been assaulted in Gurgaon by a man named Shailendra Chauhan. Shailendra, in his late 30s, had been stalking the girl, who works in the retail sector for the past year. The victim has narrated the incident in an interview. She said, “I work in retail and I was placed at my company’s branch in Galleria market (Gurgaon). I would often find this man staring at me from outside. Soon he started visiting our store and trying to converse with me. The way he used to talk to me seemed dangerous and I used to get scared. When I was shifted to our store in Ambience Mall (Gurgaon), he followed me there as well. I realized he was spying on me when for a day I was shifted to another department and he came there as well. He used to come wherever I used to be.”

Later the girl confronted the man, who got aggressive and abused her. The girl took the matter to her colleagues in the store she was working at. When the colleagues confronted Shailendra, he apologised, and assured them he would not hurt the girl.

But , after 25 days on May 30th, Chauhan came back and physically assaulted the girl by slapping her when she was trying to catch a rickshaw near her work place. Chauhan not only slapped her on a busy road, but when she tried to run caught her and banged her face at least five times. He also said that he will destroy her face. Meanwhile no one came to support the girl. Only another woman got out from her car and saved the girl. 

The un-helpful Gurgaon Police

After the incident, the victim who was extremely traumatized and scared, went to file an FIR in the DLF Phase 2 Police Station, Gurgaon. Unsurprisingly, the Gurgaon police did not take the FIR, citing unavailability of a women constable. Instead the duty officer asked her to submit a complaint in writing. He also asked her to write it in Hindi, a language the victim was not comfortable with. Being from the North-Eastern part of the country, Hindi is not her mother tongue. A friend accompanying the victim wrote the complaint instead. The duty officer also asked her to write in brief, and not mention that the accused was stalking her for the past year. Later the lawyers informed the victim that because of this the case had become weak. 

The duty officer had told the victim that a woman constable would call her a day later and would record the formal FIR. But nobody from Gurgaon police reached out to the victim. When she herself called the police, they told that the woman constable is busy in some other important case. 

The girl then reached out to the North-East helpline number. It was only then the case came under the attention of IPS Officer Rohin Hibu, an officer with Delhi Police. He informed about it to an organisation of young people from North-East called Gorkha Youth and Student’s Association (GYASA). The organisation immediately reached out to the victim. Realising the seriousness of the matter, the members of the organisation tried putting pressure on the police. Because of their efforts, the accused was arrested and the case was taken to the court. GYASA ensured that medical examination of the victim was conducted by the police. 

Sangeeta and Dinesh, members of GYASA, informed that the case was put forward to the civil judge. The defence lawyers had appealed for bail, but it was rejected first. It has also been reported that the accused is son of a former Air Marshal of Indian Air Force. Finally the accused got bail on June 6, 2015. This came as a big shock to the victim, who is now scared of the consequences. 

Waiting for another Nirbhaya or Acid Attack?

As the accused is out on bail, the victim had to leave her home and move to a disclosed location. The police has not provided any security to the victim, despite the fact that she has demanded it. Sangeeta Pradhan, General Secretary of GYASA said in an interview, “When the accused first applied for bail we were present and we saw how aggressive he was. He was abusing the witness. So security for the witness and the victim is necessary. If that is not done, we will not allow the accused to be let out on bail. We will sit in protest especially as the guy has already threatened to disfigure her face saying “Tera chehra bigad dunga, tujhe tere chehre pe bahut ghamand hai (I will disfigure your face, you are very vain about your beauty).” If that girl hadn’t helped her out, we don’t know what he would have done to her. We want justice in this case.”

It is really sad that our judicial system has granted bail to a person with heinous intentions. Why should a girl stay in an isolated place? Is it not the duty of police, administration and judiciary to ensure that the girl is safe in the city? A criminal is out on bail, and a girl for no fault is sitting in an isolated location, unable to go to her work place. This is a classic example of how the system fails its own people. 

It is time we all should come forward and create a pressure on the police, administration and judiciary to ensure justice is served, and the innocent girl is able to move freely in the society- and not a criminal!

An shorter and amended version of this article was published on LokMarg on June 11, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/gurgaon-acid-threat-case-are-we-waiting-for-another-acid-attack-in-front-of-us/

Living in National Capital Part 3: Delhi sees water crisis, Government fails to deliver

Every year summer brings the most difficult times for people in Delhi, especially those living in the slums and various villages of Delhi. Scarcity of water has been a political issue for a long time in Delhi. Kejriwal came to power with the promise of ensuring 700 liters of free water everyday for a family in Delhi. But it seems the government has failed to deliver on its promises.

Two days back hundreds of people from Sangam Vihar area in South Delhi protested outside the Delhi Jal Board office in Greater Kailash. Many women joined the protests. Because of the protest, there was almost a kilometer long jam on BRT road. BJP councilor from Sangam Vihar area Kalpana Jha also joined in to protest against Delhi Jal Board and Delhi government. BRT is one of the most important roads in Delhi, and a jam on it can disrupt life in city to a great extent.

In another instance, there have been reports of fights in several areas of Delhi for water. One such instance took place in DDA flats of Malviya Nagar, a middle class settlement in the city. People in the area have not received their water connection for the past one month due to failure of tube well in the locality. When the people went to meet the local MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj of Aam Admi Party, there erupted a fight between supporters of Bharadwaj and the protesters. People of the RWA have registered a FIR in the Malviya Nagar police station as well, accusing Bharadwaj of misbehaving with the women who went to protest and demanding proper action.

Water crisis in not new to Delhi. Political parties have been making it a big issue and winning elections promising to supply water to each and every corner of the city. The entire politics of AAP and Kejriwal had grown out on issues relating to water and electricity in Delhi. The erstwhile Congress government failed the people miserably. AAP took advantage of the situation and came to power. But there is hardly any difference in the lives of the people. Summers have shown true colour of politics, and people are protesting everywhere to make sure they get their share of water.

There is a huge discrimination in water supply in Delhi. The urban settlement of the city gets uninterrupted water supply, whereas people in the slums and suburbs struggle to get water. Kejriwal promised that every family- including those living in slums- will get water. But people in the slum are still to see this becoming reality. The temperature has already gone up in the city. Monsoon is still distant. With temperature rising up to 45 degree Celsius, many cases of heatstroke have been reported in the hospitals. The situation in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana is an alarm for all of us. More than 1,100 people have died due to heat waves. This is a genocide, and governments have not given it the proper attention.

It is the true test of the leader. Kejriwal needs to answer the problems in the most efficient manner, before the issue becomes unmanageable.

This article was first published on LokMarg on May 30, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/living-in-national-capital-part-3-delhi-sees-water-crisis-government-fails-to-deliver/

Living in National Capital Part 2: Problems we face, solution we do not have!

The Modi government has completed one year, and Kejriwal’s government has completed 100 days in Delhi. Both of them came with humongous support from the masses. But even now there seems to have been very little change in the lives of the people living on the margins of society.

As you walk around Connaught Place in Delhi, you can see people sleeping on the streets, children begging and some engaging in narcotics- everything in Delhi’s heart. The middle class of India’s capital considers this nuisance, but fails to provide any solution to it. Sadly we have never heard any concrete plans by any government to tackle this.

“This is not nuisance. This is the reality, and is an evidence that our governments have failed the people. Also, there is no popular plan to take care of the people sleeping on streets.” says Rohan, a freelance journalist and social activist. Rohan rightly points out that there is no popular plan to rehabilitate the homeless people in the city. Whenever any politician is asked about the people on the streets, there is a standard reply that they are working on a concrete plan. There might be plans on paper, but the reality of Delhi looks different.

Several days ago, while covering the Delhi elections, I had a conversation with one such homeless person near the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place. The person told me that there is a strong Kejriwal wave in the poorer segment of society because they felt Kejriwal will ensure better living standards for them. Nothing concrete has been done so far. “He is doing something. There are lot of work to be done. It is too early to expect anything from Kejriwal.” said another homeless person in a recent conversation. The popularity graph of Kejriwal has not gone down as of now.

There is no clarity on the number of homeless people in Delhi. From 25,000 to ten times the number, the divergent figures have made everybody confused. The population of slum dwellers in the city is at a whopping three million according to the latest census survey. The population pressure has caused many problems which the government has not been able to tackle. For instance various governments in Delhi have been promising the slum dwellers to legalise their settlements, but there is no plan of better livelihood around these promises. Sheila Dixit, the erstwhile Chief Minister of Delhi, had confessed publicly in 2013 that there is a vested interest of political parties to allow the slums to grow, but they need to do something now. She had admitted that the political parties see the slum dwellers as potential vote banks, and thus the people are left to their ill conditions.

The homeless and the slum dwellers constitute the majority of the city, as only 25% of the population lives in organized colonies within the city. The Kejriwal government seem to spend too much money on the posters of the Chief Minister with a vow to end corruption, but has not spend much on the blueprint of the plans relating to electricity, water supply and sewage plans in the slums of the city. Also, the homes in many slums are too clustered that a minor earthquake could lead to major destruction. Delhi falls in a severe earthquake prone zone, and the governments do not have houses built keeping this in mind.

There are problems in the national capital that we face, but sadly we do not have solutions to them. We hope the government and civil bodies work together to ensure that solutions are found soon- very soon- because it has already been too late.

This article was first published on LokMarg on May 26, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/living-in-national-capital-part-2-problems-we-face-solution-we-do-not-have/

Women Security in Cyber Space: A girl was harassed on Facebook, her reply stormed the internet!

We live in a society where women are harassed anytime, anyplace. It seems harassers are omnipresent. The latest place to find them is on internet!

The cyber stalkers have been sending inbox messages to girls in order to sexually bully them. In most cases girls avoid these messages. But Prerna Pratham Singh took another option. A Delhi based college student, Prerna received an inbox message from a man named Raushan Kumar asking if she has a vagina! Instead of avoiding the message, Prerna not only replied back but has also filed a complaint with Delhi Police’s cyber cell. She shared the screenshot of her reply over her Facebook profile. The image went viral and everybody was talking about it, including the Delhi police!

But as per the latest update, things are not as expected. The post which went viral on internet has been removed by Facebook citing reasons relating to obscenity. Prerna has raised her voice against this step by Facebook as it suppresses a voice against cyber harassment.

After the incident, issues relating to harassments on cyber spaces have come to focus. This has never been discussed in mainstream media, but remains one of the major issues girls and woman face in present times. The inbox messages, away from the public eye, also reflects the real face of society. When the issue became viral, and the profile of the person was recognized, the man in question posted a status update stating his profile was hacked. Prerna denied this saying he has been messaging her for some time. So it is unlikely that the profile was hacked.

The present case is a fine example of how raising a voice in such matters can have positive effect, and how some harassers can be brought into the public eye.

We hope the police takes proper action in the case and the harasser is put behind the bars.

This article was first published on LokMarg on May 21, 2015

Permalink: 

http://lokmarg.com/women-security-in-cyber-space-a-girl-was-harassed-on-facebook-her-reply-stormed-the-internet/

Religion in times of disaster: serving humanity or politics of opportunity?

No doubt religious organizations have been at the forefront of addressing the needs of those affected by the earthquake in Nepal, but we must try to analyze this critically as well, given the propaganda politics which various religions have been part of over the centuries.

In India, we have seen volunteers from religious groups actively participating in rescue relief work in the disaster hit zone or in times of other tragedies. Though they provide relief work, they also use the opportunity to extend their follower base. Various religions and its subsidiary organizations can only survive if they have members to boast about. For instance, Jat in the state of Haryana were for a long time not considered Hindu. But political parties, with the help of religious groups, ran the propaganda that they belong to a particular religion. Thus creating a new voter base. Similarly the various tribes in India were never part of any religion. But with time, many of them were converted to Christianity and Hinduism.

In earthquake hit Nepal, we have seen participation of almost all religious groups active in the region in relief processes. Lack of a stable and strong government has made it possible for the religious groups to reach out and work more evidently in every region in the country. The country is largely considered a Hindu nation. But there are other religious groups also actively present in the country. There is a visible presence of Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. 80% of the population consists of Hindus, but like India, the figure may be slightly misleading. The various tribes are also considered part of the larger Hindus in the country. But there is no clear historical evidences available as to when the various tribes started considering (or were made to consider) themselves part of the religion. In an article written by Dr Dilli Ram Dahal of the Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, titled ‘Social composition of the population: caste/ethnicity and religion in Nepal’, he suggests that data relating to religion has always been sensitive in Nepal. And the erstwhile monarchs never released the data due to the sensitive nature, trying to show the country as a homogenous population following Hinduism. But with the onset of democracy in 1990 (the king became the constitutional monarch), there were few segments in the country which started talking about it.

We are not taking away the credit the volunteers of various religious group must be given for the noble work of helping those in need. But just trying to suggest that there is a larger picture which we are missing. Can it be a possibility that the religious groups are proactively helping in times of disaster to re-establish their following base? We are not sure. But we hope humanity survives all odds.

Let there be peace.

The article was written for LokMarg and The Emergency (a temporary portal to report from earthquake hit Nepal). It was published on May 21, 2015

Permalinks: 

http://lokmarg.com/religion-in-times-of-disaster-serving-humanity-or-politics-of-opportunity/

http://www.theemergency.org/2015/05/serving-humanity-or-politics-of.html