Monday, March 26, 2007

Semantics of Race, Caste and Class

Dear Bahujan Samaj Members,

I have been reading about a UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) Report, that has called upon the Indian government to ensure an immediate end to the violence on Dalits and a repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Please note, this UN Committee, is headed by Linos Alexander Sicilianos, a Greek European. Apparently, CERD held two sittings in Geneva on February 23 and 26. The CERD issued its report soon thereafter, from Geneva this month.

The report has found that the 1. "de facto segregation of Dalits persists" and highlighted 2. systematic abuse against Dalits, including torture and extra-judicial killings, 3. an "alarming" extent of sexual violence against Dalit women, and 4. caste discrimination in post-tsunami relief.

I found it interesting that the report highlights a discrepancy between the statement of Indian Prime Minister ManMohan Singh and the official Indian UN dleegation. While the committee hands out kudos to the Prime Minister, it has thought fit to criticize Indian UN bureaucrats for their so called, "arrogant rejection of well documented abuses against Dalits in India".

It has also referred to a mysterious European terminology complaining that "the Indian delegation has resorted to a semantic debate on the difference between caste and race. "

Very interesting. Please feel free to comment.

The story is at : http://www.hindustantimes.in/news/181_1958208,0008.htm

Warm Regards,

Nagarjuna

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bahujansamaj/

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Tears, Maharashtra Onions and Bureaucrats

The real reasons for Maharashtra government and politicians apathy towards starvation deaths of Maharashtra KOLAM tribals are being revealed now like the skins of the Maharashtra Onion. One by one the Maharashtra onion peels are coming off :
PIL ON STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS OF KOLAM TRIBALS :

STATE GOVERNMENT'S APATHY TOWARDS SOLVING THE BURNING ISSUES OF TRIBALS SURFACED IN JOINT MEETING :
Drinking Water, Health Care & BPL Benefits to Kolam Tribals heldup for want of timely support from Mantralaya :
1. Officials expressed inability due to limitations on their part.

PIL Petitioner to raise all issues of plights of Tribals and lack of support from Government before High Court on 29th March, 2007 Hearing :
NAGPUR, DATED 21st March, Wednesday :

The Joint Meeting organized by the State Government after the Orders of Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High Court in PIL pertaining to most serious issues of Starvation & Malnutrition Deaths of Kolam Tribals in Yavatmal District, has witnessed Government Apathy & lack of timely support from Mantralaya to address the various issues involving Right to Food, Shelter – Gharkul, Health Care, Education, Drinking Water, etc. to be made available to the distressed Tribals family in the Yavatmal District by the Ground Level Administration in solving the issues as the Officials expressed their limitations in speedy implementing the Tribal Schemes for want of budgetary supports and approvals of the State Government.

The meeting was held at Nagpur Yesterday on 20th March, 2007 at Divisional Commissionerate, under the Chairmanship of Amravati Divisional Commissioner Dr. Sudhir Goyal in which PIL Petitioner Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Sh. Kishore Tiwari and Counsels Adv. Firdos Mirza, Adv. Vinod Tiwari, Adv. Ajay Somani, Asst. Govt. Pleaders Smt. Bharti Dangre & Sh. Arvind Mujumdar and host of the Government Officials from Yavatmal District including District Collector Dr. Harshwardhan Kamble, Z.P. CEO Dr. Sikar Pardesi, Additional Tribal Commissioner Sh. Hemant Limaye, Dy. Commissioner - Civil Supply Sh. Hemant Pawar, Dy. Commissioner Sh. Jaywant Choudhari, I.D.T.P. Project Officer Sh. S.N.Saidane, Dr. Rathod (District Health Officer), Dy. Director of Health Services of Akola and other Officials of Tribals Development and District Administration attended the emergent meeting organized pursuant to the Orders of Hon'ble High Court which is hearing the PIL filled by Petitioner Sh. Kishore Tiwari in the year 2003, in the wake of untimely, sudden starvation deaths of 52 Kolam Tribals which rocked entire nation in the year 2003.

In the meeting, the Officials submitted detailed reports based upon the Action Taken Report submitted by the State Government in the High Court alongwith the Affidavit on various aspects pertaining to issues of Right to Food, Shelter, Health-Care, Drinking Water, Education of the deprived Tribals in Yavatmal District.

It may be recalled that the report of High Power Committee appointed by the Hon'ble High Court had pointed out serious issues pertaining to Poor Health-Care, Contaminated & Poisonous Drinking Water, poor conditions of Ashram Schools run by Politicians, short coming in BPL Schemes and denial of benefits to the poor & innocent tribals families residing in 710 villages of tribals belts of Yavatmal Districts. Upon perusal of the report and on the request of PIL Petitioner, the High Court had ordered State Government to take immediate steps and submit Action Taken Report on the serious points raised by the High Power Committee headed by the Divisional Commissioner, Amravati in which Top IAS Officials where the Members of the said fact finding committee who all are the part of administration governing the control of various schemes.
But in the joint meeting, officials express their limitations in solving various burning problems of the Tribals inspite of knowing fully well, as they lack in getting timely support from the State Government at Mantralaya even after their repeated efforts.

The joint meeting was shocked to note that many of the villages are forced to drink fluoride contaminated and poisonous drinking water, non availability of Doctors in Tribals area, miserable conditions of shelter and housing, mis-managed Ashram Schools run by the Politicians, non inclusion of illegible families in BPL List due to delay in finalization of BPL list at Mantralaya level, guaranteed employment to the Tribals, etc.

The Petitioners counsel Adv. Firdos Mirza and Adv. Vinod Tiwari raised various short comings in the report and traced to record the same in the Minutes of meeting so that it can be pointed out before the Hon'ble High Court for passing appropriate orders / directions to the State Government in light of urgent needs for protection of deprived Tribal families whose fundamental Rights to Live & Liberty is infringed due to negligence of State Government as the Tribals have been denied Right to Food, Shelter, Health – Care, Drinking Water & Education inspite of the directions from the Hon'ble High Court.

The joint meeting was conducted in a very cordial and non - adversial manner, in which officials expressed their serious concern towards the implementation of various schemes for the Tribals but due to limitations of timely support from Mantralaya, the results expected have not been seen effectively, even after four years of continued efforts of the District Administration. The Petitioner was very critical upon the lack of support from State Government and its apathy towards the burning issues of the Tribals in Yavatmal district for which the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti is fighting continuously since last Seven Years.

As ordered by the Hon'ble High Court, the report of the Joint Meeting alongwith the Minutes will be placed before the Hon'ble High Court on the next date of hearing on 29th March, 2007.

Monday, March 19, 2007

19 March 2007 - HC Orders to Amaravati DC

Ref No. VJAS/PIL-HC/Kolam Deaths/175/2007, March 19, 2007

PRESS NOTE – URGENT
PIL ON STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS OF KOLAM TRIBALS :
HIGH-COURT ORDERS IN PIL :
STATE GOVERNMENT TO HOLD URGENT MEETING ON TOMORROW – 20TH MARCH, 2007 FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION TAKEN REPORT FOR THE BENEFIT OF POOR TRIBALS FACING STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS IN YAVATMAL DISTRICT OF VIDARBHA REGION.

NAGPUR, DATED 19th March, Monday

Consequent upon the Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High-Court orders the State Government has now finally directed to Amravati Divisional Commissioner to hold urgent meeting on 20 th March, 2007 at Nagpur Divisional Commissionerate, along with the PIL Petitioner Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President Shri Kishore Tiwari & all concerned officials of the State Government to implement the Action Taken Report on the Kolam Tribals Starvation & Malnutrition Deaths in Yavatmal District of Vidarbha Region. The tribal belt of Yavatmal District is most affected due to non implementation of various schemes for the benefit of poor tribal families residing in the 710 tribal villages of Nine Talukas of Yavatmal District and the poor tribals are deprived of fundamental rights of Food, Shelter, Education, Health and Drinking Water even after the directions of Hon'ble High-Court.



It may be recalled that, on 14 th March, 2007, the Division Bench of the High-Court at Nagpur consisting of Justice Shri Ambadas H. Joshi and Justice Shri R.C. Chavan while hearing the Public Interest Writ Petition filed by Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President Shri Kishore Tiwari in the matter of infringement of fundamental rights to Live & Life of the poor tribal families in the Tribal Belt of Yavatmal District, passed the above order. The High-Court is seriously concerned with the facts that, the tribal families are deprived of basic means of life such as food, shelter, education, health & drinking water due to the apathy of the State Government in implementation the various welfare schemes, even after the report from the High Power Committee appointed by the High-Court in the PIL.

It may be recalled that the PIL Writ Petition was filed way back in May 2003 when the 52 Kolam Tribals died of starvation in Yavatmal District. The High-Court Division Bench at Nagpur had appointed various committees from time to time during the period of last 3 ½ years and finally had directed the State Government to submit Action Taken Report.

As per the orders of the High-Court, the Minutes of the Meeting will have to be submitted within 10 days and next date of hearing has been fixed for 29 th March 2007.

Friday, March 16, 2007

High Court Orders Kolam Tribal Deaths ATR Implementation

HC Ordered Implementation Of Action Taken Report :
In Kolam Tribals Deaths :

Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High-Court has ordered the State Government to direct Amravati Divisional Commissioner to hold urgent meeting along with the PIL Petitioner Vidarbha Jan Aandolan Samiti & all concerned officials of the State Government to implement the Action Taken Report on the death of Kolam Tribals due to Starvation & Malnutrition in Yavatmal District of Vidarbha Region. The Division Bench of the High-Court at Nagpur consisting of Justice Ambadas H. Joshi and Justice R.C. Chavan while hearing the Public Interest Writ Petition filed by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Kishore Tiwari on infringement of fundamental rights of the poor people in the Tribal Belt of Yavatmal District, passed the above order.

It may be recalled that the PIL was filed in May 2003 when the 52 Kolam Tribals died of starvation in Yavatmal District.
The High-Court Division Bench at Nagpur had appointed various committees during the period of last 3 ½ years.
Today when the matter come up for hearing the Petitioner's Counsel Advocate Firdos Mirza, Adv. Vinod Tiwari and Adv. Ajay Somani pointed out various shortcomings in the implementation of various welfare schemes for the tribals,
For which, the bench ordered State Government, to arrange meeting with the Amravati District Commissioner along with petitioner Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti and other concerned officials.
The next date of hearing has been fixed as 29th March 2007 by the Honourable Court.

Maharashtra Ordered By High Court

Ref No. VJAS/PIL-HC/Kolam Deaths/175/2007, March 14, 2007
PRESS NOTE – URGENTPIL ON STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS OF KOLAM TRIBALS :

HIGH-COURT ORDERS STATE GOVERNMENT TO HOLD URGENT MEETING FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION TAKEN REPORT FOR THE BENEFIT OF POOR TRIBALS FACING STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS IN YAVATMAL DISTRICT OF VIDARBHA REGION.

NAGPUR, DATED 14th March, 2007

Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High-Court has ordered the State Government to direct Amravati Divisional Commissioner to hold urgent meeting along with the PIL Petitioner Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President Shri Kishore Tiwari & all concerned officials of the State Government to implement the Action Taken Report on the Kolam Tribals Starvation & Malnutrition Deaths in Yavatmal District of Vidarbha Region, which is most affected due to non implementation of various schemes for the benefit of poor tribal families residing in the 710 tribal villages of Nine Talukas of Yavatmal District for protection of fundamental rights of Food, Shelter, Education, Health and Drinking Water to be made available to the tribals.

The Division Bench of the High-Court at Nagpur consisting of Justice Shri Ambadas H. Joshi and Justice Shri R.C. Chavan while hearing the Public Interest Writ Petition filed by Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti President Shri Kishore Tiwari in the matter of infringement of fundamental rights to Live & Life of the poor tribal families in the Tribal Belt of Yavatmal District, passed the above order. The tribal families who all are deprived of basic means of life such as food, shelter, education, health & drinking water due to the apathy of the State Government in implementation the various welfare schemes, even after the report from the High Power Committee appointed by the High-Court in the PIL.

It may be recalled that the PIL Writ Petition was filed way back in May 2003 when the 52 Kolam Tribals died of starvation in Yavatmal District. The High-Court Division Bench at Nagpur had appointed various committees from time to time during the period of last 3 ½ years and finally had directed the State Government to submit Action Taken Report.

Today when the matter come up for hearing the Petitioner's Counsel Adv. Firdos Mirza, Adv. Vinod Tiwari and Adv. Ajay Somani pointed out various shortcomings in the implementation of various schemes for the tribals.

After hearing both the sides, High-Court ordered State Government to direct Divisional Commissioner at Amravati to hold urgent meeting of all officials concerned along with the Petitioner and his Counsels in the matter of implementation of the Action Taken Report for the welfare of the poor tribal families residing in the Nine tribal Talukas of Yavatmal District.

The Minutes of the Meeting need to be submitted within 10 days of the Order and next date of hearing has been fixed for 29th March 2007, the High-Court Ordered.