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Saturday 25 February 2012

एक और तेल युद्ध की शुरुआत!देशी कंपनियों का बारह बजना महज औपचारिकता है।



एक और तेल युद्ध की शुरुआत!देशी कंपनियों का बारह बजना महज औपचारिकता है।

मंदी की मार से अब तक बच निकली भारतीय अर्थ व्यवस्था और भारतीय राजनय दोनों के सामने ​​कठिन परीक्षा की घड़ी है।

मुंबई से एक्सकैलिबर स्टीवेंस विश्वास

एक और तेल युद्ध की शुरुआत हो गयी है।  दुनिया में करीब 40 फीसदी कच्चे तेल की आपूर्ति ठप हो जाएगी।  इंडस्ट्री के दिग्गजों को डर है कि कच्चे तेल की बढ़ती कीमतों से महंगाई बढ़ेगी और इससे ब्याज दरों के घटने की उम्मीदें कम हो जाएंगी। यही नहीं उन्हें इस बात का भी डर है कि कच्चे तेल की बढती कीमतों का असर लागत पर पड़ेगा। अंतरराष्ट्रीय परमाणु ऊर्जा एजेंसी [आईएईए] की एक गोपनीय रिपोर्ट के बाद शुक्रवार को कच्चे तेल की कीमतें बढ़ गई। रिपोर्ट में ईरान के यूरेनियम संवर्धन कार्यक्रम में विस्तार की बात कही गई है। मंदी की मार से अब तक बच निकली भारतीय अर्थ व्यवस्था और भारतीय राजनय दोनों के सामने ​​कठिन परीक्षा की घड़ी है। बढ़ी हुई तेल कीमतों से निबटने में प्रणव मुखर्जी  क्या नूस्खा अपनाते हैं, उद्योग जगत को इसी का इंतजार है। इस​ ​ बीच वाशिंगटन के हस्तक्षेप से ईरान के बदले सऊदी अरब से तेल आयात लगभग तय हो गया है। ओएनजीसी की हिस्सेदारी की नीलामी से​ ​ विदेशी निवेशक एक बार फिर मैदान में है। देशी कंपनियों का बारह बजना महज औपचारिकता है। भारत सरकार की आँखों का तारा ये नवरत्न तेलकम्पनियाँ दीवालिया ही हो जायेंगीं

मालूम हो कि  भारत ने चीन के सुर में सुर मिलाते हुए कहा है कि वह ईरान पर लगे अमेरिकी और यूरोपीय प्रतिबंधों के बावजूद वह ईरान से तेल आयात में कटौती नहीं करेगा। वित्त मंत्री प्रणब मुखर्जी ने कहा कि भारत ईरान से पेट्रोलियम आयात में कमी नहीं करेगा। ईरान से तेल आयात में कटौती करना भारत के लिए संभव नहीं है। ईरान एक ऐसा देश है, जो उभरती अर्थव्यवस्थाओं की जरूरतों को पूरा कर सकता है। पर युद्ध छिड़ने की स्थिति में क्या भारत अमेरिका और इजराइल के खिलाफ जा सकता है। अफगानिस्तान और इराक में अमेरिका के युद्ध में भारत की क्या भूमिका थी?  सद्दाम हुसैन के पतन के बाद तो कच्चा तेल की समस्या दिनोंदिन विकराल होती रही।  बजट पर कच्चा तेल का हमेशा दबाव रहा है। अब जरूर सरकार सब्सिडी घटाकर इस संकट से निजात पाने की कोशिश कर रही है। देशी तेल कंपनियों का बोझ बार बार बेल आउट के बावजूद घटता नजर नहीं आता। तो अब क्या होना है? सरकारी तेल उत्पादक कंपनियों पर सब्सिडी बोझ बढऩे की खबर से बाजार ऊपरी स्तरों से फिसले। बाजार ने कई बार रिकवरी दिखाई, लेकिन बाजार पर मुनाफावसूली का दबाव भारी पड़ा, ऐसा नजारा हमें बार बार देखना पड़ता है। अब राजस्व और संसाधन पर दोहरा दबाव और सुरसामुखी वित्तीय घाटा के मुकाबले अलग से तेल कंपनियों को बचाने के लिए प्रणव दादा क्या करतब कर दिखाते हैं, यही देखना बाकी है।

अंतर्राष्ट्रीय बाज़ार में तेल की कीमतें जब भी बढ़ती हैं तो सरकार और तेल कंपनियों पर आर्थिक बोझ बढ़ जाता है

वैश्विक बाजार में मजबूत रुख के बीच सटोरियों की लिवाली से कच्चे तेल की कीमत शुक्रवार को 1.24 फीसदी बढ़कर 5,396 रुपये प्रति बैरल रही। मल्टी कमोडिटी एक्सचेंज में कच्चे तेल की कीमत अप्रैल डिलिवरी के लिए 66 रुपये यानी 0.124 फीसदी बढ़कर 5,396 रुपये प्रति बैरल रही। इसमें 397 लाट के लिए कारोबार हुआ।बजट के दबाव के बीच अब सरकार न इस संकट से ऊबर पा रही है और न ही इसे नजरअंदाज करने की स्थिति में दिख रही है। ऐसे में भारत सरकार की दिक्कतें और भी बढ़ने के कयास लगाए जाने लगे हैं।मैर्क्वायरी की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक ईरान तेल संकट से सरकार की दिक्कतें बढ़ सकती हैं। इसके अलावा देश की तेल कंपनियों पर भी असर पड़ेगा। भारत जरूरत का 9 फीसदी कच्चा तेल ईरान से आयात करता है। मैक्वायरी के एमडी (ऑयल एंड गैस रिसर्च), जल ईरानी का कहना है कि ईरान से सप्लाई रुकने से कच्चे तेल में उबाल जारी रह सकता है।

इसी प्रकार, मार्च अनुबंध के लिए तेल की कीमत 65 रुपये या 1.23 फीसदी बढ़कर 5,345 रुपये प्रति बैरल रही। इसमें 8,995 लॉट के लिए कारोबार हुआ। विश्लेषकों के अनुसार अमेरिका तथा जर्मनी में बेहतर आर्थिक आंकड़ों और ईरान के परमाणु कार्यक्रम को लेकर चिंता के कारण तेल की कीमत में तेजी दर्ज की गई।

इस बीच, न्यूयार्क मर्केन्टाइल एक्सचेंज में अप्रैल डिलिवरी के लिए कच्चे तेल की कीमत 64 सेंट बढ़कर 108.47 डॉलर प्रति बैरल रही।

भविष्य में तेल आयात की समस्या अर्थव्यवस्था के लिए मुसीबत नहीं खड़ी कर दे इसलिए पेट्रोलियम राज्य मंत्री आरपीएन सिंह ने सऊदी अरब के सहायक पेट्रोलियम मंत्री प्रिंस अब्दुल अजीज से आगामी वर्षों में आयात बढ़ाने के पेशकश की है। हिंदुस्तान पेट्रोलियम कार्प लिमिटेड (एचपीसीएल) अगले वित्त वर्ष में सऊदी अरब से तेल आयात को दोगुना करेगी और ईरान से होने वाली खरीद 14 फीसदी घटाएगी। कंपनी के सूत्रों ने बताया कि एचपीसीएल ने 2012-13 में सऊदी अरब के सऊदी ऐराम्को से 35 लाख टन कच्चा तेल खरीदने का प्रस्ताव किया है जबकि पिछले साल कंपनी ने यहां से 17.5 लाख टन कच्चा तेल खरीदा था।

रूस के प्रधानमंत्री व्लादिमीर पुतिन ने कहा है कि पश्चिमी देश निशस्त्रीकरण अभियान का प्रयोग ईरान में सत्ता परिवर्तन करने के लिए कर रहे हैं।समाचार एजेंसी आरआईए नोवोस्ती के अनुसार, पुतिन ने कहा, ''जनसंहार के हथियारों के निशस्त्रीकरण के बहाने परमाणु अस्त्र सम्पन्न ईरान में सत्ता परिवर्तन की कोशिश की जा रही है।''उन्होंने कहा, ''हमें इसके प्रभावों के विषय में शंका है। रूस, ईरान पर पश्चिमी देशों के रवैये एवं ईरान समस्या को सुलझाने के तरीके से असहमत है।''

ईरान द्वारा पिछले चार महीनों में यूरेनियम संवर्धन के काम में नाटकीय रूप से तेज़ी लाई गई है जिससे इस देश के परमाणु कार्यक्रम की सैन्य प्रकृति पर संदेह और पक्का हो गया है। यह बात पश्चिमी समाचार एजेंसियों के हाथ लगी अंतर्राष्ट्रीय परमाणु ऊर्जा एजेंसी (आई.ए.ई.ए.) की एक रिपोर्ट में कही गयी है।

इस रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, तेहरान इस सवाल का कोई ठोस जवाब नहीं दे सका है कि उस यूरेनियम धातु का इस्तेमाल कहाँ और कैसे किया गया था जिसका सरकारी रिकार्डों में कोई  लेखा नहीं मिला है। एसोसिएटेड प्रेस की रिपोर्ट है कि पश्चिमी राजनयिकों के तर्क के अनुसार इस रेडियोधर्मी सामग्री का ईरान द्वारा परमाणु हथियार बनाने के लिए गुप्त रूप से किए जा रहे प्रयोगों में इस्तेमाल किया जा सकता है।

अंतर्राष्ट्रीय परमाणु ऊर्जा एजेंसी की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि इस सप्ताह तेहरान में हुई बातचीत के बाद भी अंतर्राष्ट्रीय समुदाय का यह शक कम नहीं हुआ है कि ईरान परमायु हथियार बनाने के प्रयास कर रहा है।

इजरायल के राष्ट्रपति शिमोन पेरेज ने चेतावनी दी है कि ईरान की परमाणु महत्वाकांक्षाओं पर लगाम लगाने के लिए सभी विकल्प खुले हैं।

उन्होंने कहा, 'परमाणु संपन्न ईरान न सिर्फ इस्राइल बल्कि पूरे विश्व के लिये सामरिक खतरा है। ईरान 'आचरण संबंधी भ्रष्टाचार'  का केंद्र बन चुका है और वैश्विक आतंकवाद को बढ़ावा दे रहा है।' पेरेज ने जोर दे कर कहा कि इस्राइल को किसी भी खतरे से खुद का बचाव करने का अधिकार है और वह ऐसा करने में सक्षम भी है।

उन्होंने अमेरिकी यहूदी संगठनों के अध्यक्षों की एक बैठक में कहा 'जब हम कहते हैं कि सभी विकल्प खुले हैं तो यह बात मायने रखती है।' पेरेज ने कहा कि उन्होंने इस मुद्दे पर रूस, फ्रांस और जर्मनी के नेताओं से बात की और उन्हें पता चला कि सभी देश अयातुल्ला के नेतृत्व और परमाणु बम के 'गठजोड़ से उत्पन्न होने वाले बड़े खतरे' से अवगत हैं।




सवाल उठ सकता है कि खाड़ी युद्ध के क्या दुष्परिणाम होंगे और बड़ा शिकार कौन होगा? निसंदेह तेलकी आपूर्ति और मांग में विकराल अंतर होगा और कीमतों में बेतहाशा वृद्धि होगी? गौरतलब है कि आसन्न  तेल युद्ध के परिणामों से पहले ही अमेरिका अपना और इजराइल का पल्ला झाड़ रहा है।अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति बराक ओबामा ने कच्चे तेल की बढ़ती कीमतों का ठीकरा एक बार फिर भारत और चीन के सिर पर फोड़ा है। ओबामा ने कहा कि भारत, चीन और ब्राजील जैसे देशों में तेल की मांग लगातार बढ़ रही है और इसके चलते अमेरिकियों को तेल के लिए ज्यादा पैसे देने पड़ रहे हैं।ओबामा ने कहा कि 2010 में चीन में एक करोड़ नई कारें सड़कों पर आईं आप अंदाजा लगा सकते हैं कि इन कारों के लिए कितने तेल की जरुरत होगी। भारत और चीन जैसे देशों में कारों की मांग लगातार बढ़ रही है वह अमेरिकियों की तरह नई कारें खरीदना चाहते हैं। गौरतलब है कि अमेरिका दुनिया का सबसे ज्यादा तेल खपत करने वाला देश है सबसे ज्यादा कारें भी अमेरिका में है। इसके बावजूद ओबामा तेल को लेकर भारत और चीन पर निशाना साधते रहते हैं।

एचडीएफसी के चेयरमैन दीपक पारेख का कहना है कि इस बजट में एनर्जी सेक्टर पर फोकस करना बेहद जरूरी है। क्योंकि उर्जा क्षेत्र में निवेश किए बिना विकास दर में बढ़त के आसार कम हैं, साथ ही आर्थिक सुधारों पर भी फैसला लेना होगा। वहीं देश में विकास को बढ़ावा देने के लिए सरकार को जल्द से जल्द उचित कदम उठाने की जरूरत है।दीपक पारेख के मुताबिक अगले 6 महीनों में विनिवेश तेज हो सकता है। वहीं चुनावों के बाद पेट्रोल की कीमतों में एक बार फिर से बढ़ोतरी देखी जा सकती है। साथ ही आगामी बजट में सरकार डीजल से सब्सिडी का बोझ कम करने के लिए अहम कदम उठा सकती है।। एचडीएफसी के चेयरमैन दीपक पारेख ने सीएनबीसी आवाज़ से खास बातचीत में आगामी बजट को लेकर अपने सुझाव बताए।

वित्त मंत्री प्रणव मुखर्जी का कहना है कि बजट में किसी एक सेक्टर पर फ़ोकस नहीं किया गया है। बजट में हर सेक्टर की ज़रूरतों को देखते हुए क़दम उठाए गए हैं।

कच्चा तेल एक बार फिर बाजार और सरकार की सबसे बड़ी चिंता बन रहा है। अंतर्राष्ट्रीय बाजार में कच्चा तेल पिछले 7 दिन से लगातार चढ़ रहा है। ब्रेंट क्रूड तो लगातार 5 हफ्ते से चढ़ रहा है।कच्चे तेल में इस लगातार तेजी के चलते अब नायमैक्स पर कच्चा तेल 109 डॉलर के ऊपर चला गया है। जबकि भारत के लिए अहम ब्रेंट क्रूड 125 डॉलर पर पहुंच गया है। कच्चे तेल में ये तेजी ईरान से सप्लाई की कमी की आशंका के चलते देखने को मिल रही है।जबकि ताजा हालत यह है कि ईरान से अब तेल आने वाला नहीं है। बढ़ी हुई कीमत पर सऊदी अरब से नई शर्तों के मुताबिक तेल लाया जायेगा। इस बीच यूरोपीय यूनियन ने जुलाई से ईरान से कच्चे तेल के आयात पर रोक लगाने की धमकी दी है।ईरान ने भी स्टेट ऑफ होरमुज के रास्ते को रोक देने की चेतावनी दे डाली है। स्टेट ऑफ होरमुज के रास्ते दुनिया को करीब 20 फीसदी कच्चे तेल की आपूर्ति होती है।


आईएईए की रिपोर्ट में ईरान और पश्चिमी देशों के बीच अधिक टकराव को लेकर चिंताएं बढ़ गई हैं। न्यूयॉर्क मर्कटाइल एक्सचेंज में अप्रैल के लिए लाइट, स्वीट कच्चे तेल की आपूर्ति 1.94 डॉलर [1.80 प्रतिशत] की वृद्धि के साथ 109.77 डॉलर प्रति बैरल हो गई। इस सप्ताह प्रति बैरल कच्चे तेल की आपूर्ति में 6.53 डॉलर [69.33 प्रतिशत] की वृद्धि हुई।लंदन में ब्रेंट कच्चे तेल की अप्रैल की आपूर्ति में भी वृद्धि हो गई है और अंतिम कारोबार 125 डॉलर प्रति बैरल पर हुआ। इस तरह कीमत में छह प्रतिशत की साप्ताहिक वृद्धि दर्ज की गई। ज्ञात हो कि अमेरिका और यूरोप ने ईरान पर कड़े प्रतिबंध लागू कर दिए हैं। दुनियां का तीसरा सबसे बड़ा तेल आयातक जापान, अमेरिकी दबाव में ईरानी कच्चे तेल के आयात में 20 प्रतिशत तक की कटौती कर सकता है।

सरकार माल व सेवा कर (जीएसटी) को जल्दी से जल्दी लागू करने के लिए राज्य सरकारों के साथ मिलकर काम कर रही है। वित्त मंत्री प्रणव मुखर्जी ने बुधवार को राजधानी दिल्ली में आयोजित सीमा शुल्‍क और केन्‍द्रीय उत्‍पाद शुल्क विभाग के एक समारोह के दौरान यह बात कही। उनका कहना था कि जीएसटी देश के अप्रत्यक्ष कर प्रणाली के इतिहास में सबसे अहम सुधार है। उद्योग व व्यापार जगत ही नहीं, तमाम अर्थशास्त्री व विशेषज्ञ में इसे बेहद महत्वपूर्ण आर्थिक सुधार मानते हैं।जीएसटी को अप्रैल 2010 से ही लागू किया जाना था। लेकिन राज्यों, खासकर बीजेपी शासित राज्यों के विरोध के कारण यह बराबर टलता जा रहा है। वित्त मंत्री ने सीमा शुल्क और केंद्रीय उत्पाद शुल्क विभाग के राष्ट्रपति पुरस्कार प्राप्त 35 अधिकारियों और कर्मचारियों को प्रशस्ति पत्र देने के बाद कहा कि जीएसटी कराधान के मामले में और अधिक सक्षम प्रणाली के तौर पर सामने आएगा और इससे केन्‍द्र और राज्‍यों के कर राजस्‍व में वृद्धि होने की संभावना है।वित्‍त मंत्री ने कहा कि जीएसटी राज्‍यों के बीच आने वाले अवरोधों को भी दूर करेगा और समूचे देश को एक समान बाजार में परिवर्तित करेगा। उन्‍होंने कहा कि एक बार कार्यान्वित हो जाने के बाद जीएसटी देश में अप्रत्‍यक्ष कराधान के क्षेत्र में एक मिसाल कायम करेगा।

इस बीच किसानों की आत्महत्या और खेती किसानी करने वाले लोगों और ग्रामीण भारत की दुर्दशा को देखते हुए देश भर के किसान संगठनों ने 'किसान आंदोलन की भारतीय समन्वय समिति' के तहत बजट के पहले वित्त मंत्री प्रणव मुखर्जी को अपनी मांगों की सूची सौंपी है। अपने पत्र में समिति ने लिखा है कि भारत के कृषि क्षेत्र और खेती से जुड़े लोगों की स्थिति में सुधार के लिए इनके अनुकूल बजट पेश किए जाने की जरूरत है। अगर देश को गरीबी, भूख, पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र और जलवायु परिवर्तन जैसी समस्याओं से निपटना है तो ऐसा करना जरूरी होगा। समिति ने ध्यान दिलाया है कि बजट में कृषि क्षेत्र को प्राथमिकता वाले क्षेत्र में रखा जाना चाहिए, जिससे इस क्षेत्र का पुनरुद्धार किया जा सके। इसमें प्राथमिक तौर पर छोटे, मझोले और सीमांत किसानों और महिलाओं के साथ कृषि मजदूरों पर ध्यान दिए जाने की जरूरत है।
--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/


Girl shot before matric exam


http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120225/jsp/frontpage/story_15177442.jsp

Girl shot before matric exam

OUR CORRESPONDENT
Bharti Gupta
Hazaribagh, Feb. 24: A matriculation examinee was shot dead at her home in Rajdhanwar block of Giridih district this morning, allegedly by two of her classmates one of whose romantic overtures she had reportedly spurned.
Bharti Gupta (15), a student of Doranda High School, was to appear for her Sanskrit paper at 9.30am. Her mother found her dead in a room on the terrace of their Doranda house, 46km from the district headquarters, around 7am.
Father Jagat Mohan Gupta, a farmer, said he went out to a nearby tea stall for his morning cuppa, while his wife Arti was busy in household chores. They heard a crackling sound soon thereafter. Arti was the first to rush to the terrace, where she saw her teenaged daughter — who had been shot in the head — lying in a pool of blood.
Bharti was rushed to Rajdhanwar Referral Hospital, but doctors said she needed intensive care and referred her to Ranchi. The girl succumbed to her wound in Hazaribagh, on her way to the state capital.
Giridih SP A.V. Homkar said Bharti's brother Vidit Kumar had lodged an FIR, accusing two of her classmates of murder. Vidit, apparently, saw the duo escape from their house after Bharti was shot. Some neighbours said since the three were classmates, the boys often visited Bharti's home.
The needle of suspicion also points to the two minor boys because they were reprimanded by the village mukhiya yesterday for bothering Bharti. According to the victim's mother, the boys used to make smut calls to her daughter who had refused their overtures. The mukhiya had made the boys give a written pledge and even warned them of punishment in public if they did not mend their ways.
An uncle of one of the accused denied the murder charge, saying Bharti's family was trying to implicate his nephew in a false case. He, however, admitted that the boys were reprimanded by the mukhiya and his nephew had promised not to meet the girl again.
SP Homkar said the two students would be detained for interrogation.

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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PM You Will Be Asked Why You Let This Happen You, Mr Prime Minister, are today being seen as the person who is not only shielding the perpetrators of this original crime, but also protecting the beneficiary LT GENERAL V.K. NAYAR


AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PM
You Will Be Asked Why You Let This Happen
You, Mr Prime Minister, are today being seen as the person who is not only shielding the perpetrators of this original crime, but also protecting the beneficiary


Respected Prime Minister,

Most people, including myself, believe that old soldiers should just fade away. Ever since retiring from the Indian Army as the Western Army Commander and subsequently having served as the governor of Manipur and Nagaland, I firmly held that we have had our innings and matters were best left to those who followed us. However, after giving it considerable thought, I take the liberty in all due respect of writing this 'open letter' to my Prime Minister for like hundreds and thousands of my brother officers— both retired and serving— I am deeply concerned about what today is talked about as the 'Age Controversy.'

In my book, leadership, be it in matters military or otherwise, is based on three simple principles— righteousness, decisiveness and fairness. All three of these seem to have been vitiated in this particular case. There is no doubt that all records, both in the MS and AGs branch, until 2006 clearly reflected 1951 as the Chief's date of birth. Based on an erroneous entry in the Army List, after the officer had already been cleared for the rank of Lieutenant General, first the MS branch records and then the AG's records were tampered with. To my mind and understanding, this is the simple crux of the issue and I fail to understand what sort of message has been given to the rank and file of the Indian Army by your government's inability to resolve it.

To hide behind the legal system— the retraction of the government's rejection of the Statutory Complaint frankly left the Chief's lawyers with no choice but to withdraw their petition— and for the media and your government to project this as a defeat for General V.K. Singh is indulging in theatrical politics. Like many of my brother officers, after the media blitz that reported on the Supreme Court's deliberations, I too felt that the Chief should immediately resign in protest. However, once the Order of the Honourable Court came out five days later— without any TV channel or newspaper reporting it— the shoe seems to be on the other foot. By not resigning and continuing with his job despite what was widely projected as a 'public humiliation', V.K. Singh has shown a degree of personal courage that makes me proud of the man and by extension, the Indian Army. Had he resigned, it would have been a petulant act. We must not forget that there is a lot more to the office of the COAS than just the age issue.

Today, Mr Prime Minister, many would like to bury this issue and may accuse me of flogging a dead horse. However, it is my duty as an elder who has served my country to the best of my ability, to point out to you that once the smoke settles, you will be asked why you let this happen. In a system that is reeling from endless corruption charges, where many have learnt to bend with the wind, one man stood up for what he considered wrong. The 'system' may have closed in around him and, in the short term, defeated him by denying him justice. But you, Mr Prime Minister, are today being seen as the person who is not only shielding the perpetrators of this original crime, but also protecting the beneficiary of this blatant manipulation.

I have had the honour of interacting with you when you were the finance minister of our country. I have always found you to be a man who could quickly grasp the larger picture and resolutely follow your convictions. Since Independence, the civil-military equation in this country has evolved in its own unique way, perhaps creating certain imbalances which need to be looked at for like the 'age issue', these too cannot be wished away. In a fractured and fragmented country that came together in 1947 as the Union of India, I can say with great pride that the Indian Army managed to retain its secular and non-communal outlook. This has to be protected at all costs! In your watch, if all the lions were to get up and go, the wind will say, I told you so!

Lt General VK Nayar, PVSM, SM (retd)
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Gandhi's Mindless Appeasement of Muslims and the Partition of India


Gandhi's Mindless Appeasement of Muslims and the Partition of India

Thursday, 01 July 2010 05:45 Dr. Radhasyam Brahmachari
Gandhi's mindless appleasement of Muslims with complete disregard for the sufferings of Hindus did not only facilitated India's division in 1947, but also continues to afflict India....
It is now well known that Muslim appeasement was an inseparable part of Gandhi's doctrine of Nonviolence. But many do not know why he, while he was in South Africa, adopted, or compelled to adopt this dirty policy in 1908. At that time, the colonial South African government had imposed an unjust tax of £ 3 on every Indian living in South Africa and Gandhi initiated talks with the South African government on this matter. But Muslims did not support this move and were displeased with Gandhi. In addition to that Gandhi, in one occasion, made some critical comments on Islam while speaking at a gathering. He also had tried to make a comparative estimate of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, which infuriated Muslims.
A few days later, on 10th February 1908, a gang of Muslims, led by a Pathan named Mir Alam, entered Gandhi's house and beat him mercilessly. When Gandhi fell on the ground the Muslim attackers kicked him right and left and beat him with sticks. They also threatened to kill him. From this incident onward, Gandhi stopped making critical comments on Muslims and Islam. According to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, this incident was a turning-point in Gandhi's life. Afterwards, he began to overlook even the most heinous crime committed by Muslims.
An example would help the reader understand the matter. On 23rd December 1926, a Muslim assassin called Abdul Rashid stabbed Swami Shraddhananda to death, when the Swami was ill and lying on his bed. The reader may recall that Swami Shraddhananda was a preacher of Arya Samaj and he started a Suddhi Yajna (True Path) to bring converted Muslims of India back to Hinduism. It should also be mentioned here that when Gandhi's eldest son Hiralal converted to Islam, he sought the help of Swami Shraddhananda to bring him back to Hinduism.
Naturally the Swami's activities infuriated Muslims. A couple of months earlier, a Muslim woman came to the Swami and expressed her desire to return to Hinduism with her children. Her husband took the Swami to court on charges of abduction of his wife and children. The court quashed the allegation and set the Swami free. The verdict left Muslims extremely furious. Within a few days, Abdul Rashid assassinated him.
A few days after this incident, Gandhi delivered a speech at the national conference of Indian National Congress at Gauhati amidst an atmosphere of gloom and depression among Hindus due to unusual cruel assassination of Shraddhananda. But Gandhi left everyone dumbfounded by addressing the assassin Abdul Rashid as "Bhai Abdul Rashid" and added: "Now you will perhaps understand why I have called Abdul Rashid a brother, and I repeat it. I do not even regard him as guilty of Swami's murder. Guilty indeed are those who excited feeling of hatred against one another."
Thus, he indirectly held Swami Shraddhananda responsible for his murder, as he was propagating hatred through his Suddhi Yajna. Yet, quite contradicting himself, he wrote in the obituary note: "He (the Swami) lived a hero. He died a hero."
In other words, if a Hindu dies at the hand of a Muslim assassin, Hindus should consider it a "heroic death".
This policy of Muslim appeasement by Gandhi, under the garb of (pseudo) secularism, was partly responsible for the Partition of India in 1947. Yet many Indians, till today, firmly believe that Gandhi was against partition as in the public meetings, he used to say, "Vivisect me, before you vivisect India".
While Gandhi was saying expressing the undivided India sentiment in public meetings, he was expressing the opposite view his writings. On March 26, 1940, the leaders of Muslim League raised a united voice for the creation of Pakistan as a separate homeland for Muslims. Hardly a couple of weeks had passed, Gandhi, supporting the demand, wrote: "Like other groups of people in this country, Muslims also have the right of self determination. We are living here as a joint family and hence any member has the right to get separated" (Harijan, April 6, 1940). A couple of years later, he also wrote, "If majority of the Muslims of this country maintain that they are a different nation and there is nothing common with the Hindus and other communities, there is no force on the earth that can alter their view. And if on that basis, they demand partition that must be carried out. If Hindus dislike it, they may oppose it." (Harijan, April 18, 1942)
It should be recall here that the Congress Working Committee, in its session on June 12, 1947, decided to place the "partition issue" before the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for debate. At the beginning of the debate, veteran Congress leaders like Purusottamdas Tandon, Govindaballav Panth, Chaitram Gidwani and Dr S Kichlu etc. gave very convincing and forceful speeches against the motion. Then Gandhi, setting aside all other speakers, spoke for 45 minutes supporting partition.
The main theme of his deliberation was that, if Congress did not accept partition (1) other group of people or leaders would avail the opportunity and throw the Congress out of power and (2) a chaotic situation would prevail throughout the country. Many believe that, in the name of other leaders, he pointed to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and in the name of 'chaotic condition', he tacitly asked the Muslims to begin countrywide communal riot, if the Congress did not accept the partition. Till then, Sardar Ballavbhat Patel was on the fence regarding the partition issue. But Gandhi's speech turned him into a firm supporter of partition and he influenced other confused members to support the motion. In this way, Congress approved the Muslim demand for partition (History of Freedom Movement in India, R C Majumdar, Vol. III, p-670).
One may assume that that Gandhi's policy of nonviolence and Muslim appeasement in the name of secularism indeed greatly harmed the unity of India, and should be left at that. But a closer look reveals that it has caused severe harm to India even after partition and is still causing. During independence, the Muslim population in undivided India was 23%, but got 32% of the land area as Pakistan. Yet, the most appropriate step after partition was to carry out the population exchange, that is, to send all Muslims to Pakistan and bring all Hindus and other non-Muslims from Pakistan to India. This population exchange was included in the Muslim League's proposal for creating Pakistan, and after communal riots in Bihar, M. A. Jinnah requested the Government of India to carry out the said population exchange as early as possible. But Gandhi, noticing the Muslim reluctance to move to Pakistan, opposed the implementation of the process, calling it an impractical and fictitious proposal.
Mount Batten, the then Governor General of India, a staunch supporter of the said population exchange, advised Jawaharlal Nehru to carry it out without delay. But Nehru submitted to Gandhi will and refrained from implementing the proposal. It is needless to say that had the said population exchange been carried out, many of India's current and future problems would have gone with that. But, thanks to Gandhi's appeasement of Muslims, they happily stayed back in India, while Hindus from Pakistan migrated to India in large numbers during the partition and continue to do so till today under all kinds of compulsion, including violence.
Many perhaps do not know that due to Gandhi's opposition, "Bande Mataram" could not be accepted as India's National Anthem. In his early life, Gandhi had a great affinity for the song. While in South Africa, he wrote: "It is nobler in sentiment and sweeter than the songs of other nations. While other anthems contain sentiments that are derogatory to others, Bande Mataram is quite free from such faults. Its only aim is to arouse in us a sense of patriotism. It regards India as the mother and sings her praise." But later on when he discovered that Muslims disliked the song, he stopped singing or reciting the same at public places. As a result, the "Jana Mana Gana" was selected as the National Anthem. During the debate over the matter in the Constituent Assembly, Nehru argued that Bande Mataram is not suitable to sing along with military band while Jana Gana Mana is free from this difficulty.
It should also be pointed out that Gandhi was also not pleased with Tri Color, the National Flag of India, because Muslims disliked the same. In this regard, Sri Nathuram Godse has narrated an incident in his "Why I Assassinated Gandhi", which deserves to be noted in this context. During his Noakhali riot tour in 1946, a Congress worker put a Tricolor over the temporary house where Gandhi was staying. One day an ordinary Muslim passer-by objected to it and Gandhi immediately ordered to bring the flag down. So, to please an ordinary Muslim, Gandhi did not hesitate to disgrace and dishonor the flag revered by millions of Congress workers (Nathuram Godse, Why I Assassinated Gandhi, p. 75-76).
It should also be pointed out here that in his early life, Gahdhi was very fond of the Hindi language and used to say that it was the only language having the potentiality to play the role of the national language. But to please Muslim, he later on tried his best to make Urdu, under the garb of Hindustani, the National Language of independent India.
A few months before the partition, when Hindu and Sikh refugees started to come from West Punjab in droves and crowding the refugee camps of Delhi, one day Gandhi visited a refugee camp and said: "Hindus should never be angry against the Muslims even if the latter might make up their minds to undo their (Hindus') existence. If they put all of us to the sword, we should court death bravely. … We are destined to be born and die, then why need we feel gloomy over it?" (speech delivered on April 6, 1947).
On a similar occasion, he said: "The few gentlemen from Rawalpindi who called upon me, asked me, "What about those who still remain in Pakistan?" I asked why they all came here (Delhi)? Why they did not die there? I still hold on to the belief that we should stick to the place where we happen to live, even if we are cruelly treated, and even killed. Let us die if the people kill us, but we should die bravely with the name of God on our tongue." He also said: "Even if our men are killed, why should we feel angry with anybody? You should realize that even if they are killed, they have had a good and proper end" (speech delivered on November 23, 1947)
In this context, Gandhi also said: "If those killed have died bravely, they have not lost anything but earned something. … They should not be afraid of death. After all, the killers will be none other than our Muslim brothers." (Godse, p. 92-93). On another occasion, while talking to a group of refugees, he said: "If all the Punjabis were to die to the last man without killing (a single Muslim), Punjab will be immortal. Offer yourselves as nonviolent willing sacrifices." (Collins and Lapierre, Freedom at Midnight, p. 385).
While Gandhi is seen as a Mahatma or Great Soul, there is no doubt that if one reads all these utterances of Gandhi, he/she would take him as a fool or lunatic.
Gandhi believed that Muslims were brothers of Hindus; hence they should never take arms or wage a war against Muslims. He used to say that the foreign policy of independent India should always be respectful to Islam and Muslims. Moreover, independent India should never invade a Muslim country like Arabia, Turkey etc. Gandhi also said that Rana Pratap, Guru Govinda Singh, Raja Ranjit Singh and Raja Shivaji were misguided patriots, because they fought war with the Muslims.
Gandhi's utterances painting respected Hindu heroes as misguided patriots aroused widespread commotion amongst Hindus. Most importantly, his calling Raja Shivaji a misguided patriot put entire Maharastra on boil. Later on, Nehru pacified their anger somewhat by offering apology on Gandhi's behalf.
It should be understand that throughout Muslim invasion and rule of India, whenever the attack Hindu settlements, they—in addition killing innocent people, setting their houses on fire, loot and burglary as their routine work—rape Hindu women. They committed all such heinous crimes and oppressions to fulfill the dicta of the Koran and Sunna of the prophet. During the Muslim rule that lasted for nearly 800 years, raping Hindu women became a common affair. To save their honour and sanctity from the lecherous Muslims, millions of Hindu women used to sacrific their lives in flames. In the wake of the partition, most of the Hindu families of Pakistan area became victim of Muslim attacks, and raping the Hindu women was an integral part of it. When Hindus were butchered and forcibly converted in Noakhali in 1946, thousands of Hindu women fell victim to rape by Muslims.
Many Hindus do not know what Gandhi, the Great Soul and the Apostle of nonviolence, thought about this heinous behavior of Muslims. In the 6th July, 1926, edition of the Navajivan, Gandhi wrote: "He would kiss the feet of the (Muslim) violator of the modesty of a sister" (D Keer, Mahatma Gandhi, Popular Prakashan, p. 473). Just before the partition, when both the Hindu and Sikh women were being raped by Muslims in large numbers in West Punjab, Gandhi advised them that if a Muslim expressed his desire to rape a Hindu or a Sikh lady, she should never refuse him but cooperate with him. She should lie down like a dead with her tongue in between her teeth, advised Gandhi (Lapierre and Collins, p. 479).
Above narrations makes it clear not only of how Gandhi's mindless policy of appeasement of Muslims helped the partition of India, but also of the fact that he was never moved by the sufferings and miseries of Hindus at the hands of Muslims. While the Hindus suffered, he shed tears for Muslims, the perpetrators. His famed idea of Hindu-Muslim amity was based on the premise that only Hindus are supposed to make sacrifices; they were supposed to endure all kinds of oppressions and heinous crimes of Muslims without protest. And that was the basis of Gandhian nonviolence and secularism. So a Muslim called Khlifa Haji Mehmud of Lurwani, Sind, once said: "Gandhi was really a Mohammedan" (D Keer, ibid, p. 237).
 
Some comments:
 
It was the Mongols who finished off the Caliphate. The Caliphate officially ended with the death of al-Mustasim at the hands of the Mongols in 1258. The 19th century claim of the Ottoman Turkish Sultans to be the inheritors of the Caliphate was not recognized by Muslims outside India. It was a political ploy by the Ottoman Sultans to keep together their crumbling empire. When Kemal Ataturk became the ruler of Turkey, he abolished the Caliphate and kicked out the Sultan. But Indian Muslims and even Gandhi embraced the now dethroned Turkish Sultan and pseudo-Caliph as their leader! 
It is one of the tragedies of history that Mahatma Gandhi made the restoration of the Turkish Sultan as Caliph the centerpiece of the disastrous Khilafat Movement in the support of which he launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1921. It resulted in a reign of terror in Malabar (Kerala) known as the Moplah Rebellion. It was the Khilafat that sowed the seeds of Partition. It also showed that terror could be used for political ends by invoking Islam. Indian history books rarely mention this 'Himalayan Blunder' by Gandhiji that led to bloodshed and Partition.
 
The Congress party to this day is always appeasing the Muslims as a continuation of Gandhi's policy.  All the Prime Ministers who were/are the members of the Congress party continued to appease the Muslims.  Now, Congress party wants to give a sub-quota to the Muslims out of the quota for OBCs at the cost of Hindus. This reservation for Muslims on religious basis would further divide the country and is fraught with danger.  Congress party is doing nothing to control the population of the country and it is the Muslims who are increasing their numbers through womb explosion.  After sometime, they would start demanding another Pakistan for themselves.  So, it is high time that Congress party which is in power, should change its policy of Muslim appeasement.
 
Satbir Singh Bedi


Two more people died in Assam tea garden



Two more people died in Assam tea garden
 
Guwahati, 23 February: Two more people died in the Bhuvan valley tea garden of Assam, a tea estate owned by a Kolkata based private company, raising the toll of poverty to 12. Barak Human Rights Protection Committee (BHRPC) received information that Belbati Bauri died on 18 February and Jogendra Bauri died on 22 February in the garden where, according to theBHRPC fact-finding report issued on 1 February (http://bhrpc.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/hungeralert1/), 10 people died allegedly due to starvation, malnutrition and lack of medical care during the 4 months period from 8 October 2011 to 8 February 2012 when the garden remained closed and the workers abandoned by the owners. 
 
Belbati Bauri (told to be of about 70 to 75), wife of late Debendra Bauri, was a former labourer of the tea estate and a resident of North Bank Division (Didarkhush) of the Bhuvan valley tea estate in Cachar district. BHRPC members visited her on 27 January and again on 9 February. The team found her very ill, week, pale. After both the visit the BHRPC reported her condition. But authorities did not provide any medical help or food support. Although her son Sricharan Bauri was a permanent labourer in the estate, he was not getting any ration, medicine or wages for last six months. Ironically they were regarded as being above poverty line (APL) family, and therefore, were not eligible for government schemes meant for the poor. According to them, other support provided by the Public Distribution System (PDS) did not reach to them properly. Other members of the family, including a young girl Moni Bauri, are trying to survive by collecting firewood from jungle and selling them for food and medicine ignoring study. Belbati left five other people in the family.
 
Jugendra Bauri (aged between 55 to 60), S/o Indra Bauri, was also a resident of North Bank Division. He was also a labourer of the garden.  He told the BHRPC team when they met him on 9 February that he had been suffering from asthma for some time. He looked very weak and pale. Lately he host appetite and his body became swollen. He left behind him his wife Malati Baori (55), son Rajib Baori (25) and 3 daughters.

BHRPC team met 43 sick people on 9 February in 3 divisions out of the total 10 divisions in the garden who were in need of urgent medical and nutritional support.
 
Although the garden has been re-opened on 9 February after the BHRPC reported the deaths, the authorities have still not taken any positive actions in terms of providing urgent medical and food support, improving working conditions, improving implementation of government welfare schemes and PDS or fixing responsibilities for the situation and payment of compensation to the kin and dependents of the deceased.
 
More over, it is reported that the owners have not yet appointed a permanent manager to the garden. The owners during their negotiation meetings with the Cachar district administration and the workers' union, had promised that a permanent manager would be appointed to run the garden. Apart from this, they had promised to revive the garden hospital and reopen the factory. But it's sad that even now no such steps were taken.
 

-- 
Waliullah Ahmed Laskar 
Barak Human Rights Protection Committee,
http://bhrpc.wordpress.com 
15, Panjabari Road, Darandha, Six Mile, 
Guwahati-781037, Assam, India 
Cell: +919401942234
Visit my blog at www.rightspeaks.blogspot.com
Skype: rights.defender


Another Nasrallah Speech By As'ad AbuKhalil - Mon, 2012-02-20 22:49



Another Nasrallah Speech
By As'ad AbuKhalil - Mon, 2012-02-20 22:49
http://english.al-akhbar.com/blogs/angry-corner/another-nasrallah-speech

Every speech by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is a political event which is widely discussed in Lebanon and the Middle East in general. Saudi and Qatari media ignore the event but marshal his opponents quickly after the speech to offer a rebuttal and denunciations of the points made by Nasrallah. Often such rebuttals include vulgarities, obscenities, and insults. This was the case when Tariq Humayyid editor in chief of the mouthpiece of Prince Salman, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat referred to Nasrallah as a Shabbih (armed thug). Such are political debates in the media of the House of Saud.

Only a smaller number of TV stations now carry the speech. Most of these stations are based out of Lebanon, including, Al-Manar, NBN, Orange TV, and New TV. For the mass base of Hezbollah, those events are eagerly awaited spectacles where leaders and members compete to get good seats in front of a giant TV screen in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The latest speech by Nasrallah, aired last week, was probably more aimed at the base. In that respect it seemed to work. It galvanized the base and even triggered wide approval all over Facebook and Twitter by the larger audience that supports Nasrallah. The first part of the speech was delicate and the speaker was clearly uncomfortable in delivering it. It was addressed (without any references to Sunnis or Shias because the party is very keen in avoiding specific references to Sunnis and Shias) to the Islamists around the Arab world.

Nasrallah was of course referring to Sunni Islamists and he kept pointing out that the issue of Palestine is crucial and that it should remain in the forefront of the agenda of Islamist movements. The point he was making was very delicate because not only was he directing it at the new Ikhwan rulers in Tunisia and Egypt, but also toward Hamas.

Hamas and Hezbollah keep their relationship secret for obvious reasons but there are signs of tensions. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are mounting a campaign against the Syrian regime which has supported and armed Hamas and Hezbollah. Hamas leaders have been shuttling from one Gulf country to another.

Saudi Arabia reportedly refused to invite Khaled Meshal and Ismail Haniyeh, despite efforts by both leaders. Saudi Arabia made it clear that Hamas leaders are not welcome in the kingdom unless the organization severs all ties with Iran.

But Nasrallah was also making a point that furthered Hezbollah's stance. He was reminding the Arab audience that by the criterion of anti-Israeli struggle (militarily and politically), Hezbollah remains ahead of the other Islamist (Sunni) organizations which have recently been flirting with both the US and Israel.

He then addressed the Syrian situation and, again, refused to give an inch to the Syrian opposition or any of its stands. He unconditionally supported the Syrian regime and called for its support.

Nasrallah focused on the general international campaign to unseat Syrian President Bashar Assad. He only would refer to "mistakes" by the regime. Many Syrians would rightly take offense. The killing of thousands of Syrians amounts to much more than a mistake, as would the many decades of repressive rule. And the notion that the regime itself "admitted" its mistakes as Nasrallah put it makes the argument worse because the regime does not even admit its long record of repression and oppression and cruelty.

In the second section of the speech, Nasrallah's demeanor changed and he became more relaxed and humorous. He was very effective in undermining the arguments of March 14 one by one. He effectively mocked the popular notion popular only in Lebanon that the Hariri uprising in Lebanon triggered the "Arab Spring" (Najib Mikati claimed that Saudi peace initiative triggered the "Arab Spring"). He reminded the audience that March 14 figures used to perform regular pilgrimages to Cairo to coordinate their moves with Egyptian regime (Umar Sulayman was the contact person for those leaders).

Nasrallah also compared the words of March 14 about Bahrain with their words on Syria. The audience loved that needling especially when he referred to the Lebanese Forces' history of massacres. Nasrallah also talked about the ability of Hezbollah to face its enemies and he brought back his memories of the Israeli war on Lebanon in 2006. He was not reluctant here to invoke the experience of Hussein, which must have tickled the sectarian audience.


Woman ‘gangraped’ in Ludhiana, 7 booked - Indian Express




Woman 'gangraped' in Ludhiana, 7 booked - Indian Express

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/woman-gangraped-in-ludhiana-7-booked/916058/

Notice to govt over SC/ST students' fee - The Times Of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Notice-to-govt-over-SC/ST-students-fee/articleshow/12011684.cms

Raichur: 127 Families Get New Houses Donated by Karnataka Jesuits -
The Daiji World

 http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=130293

Official, tahsildar in soup over fake caste documents - The Times Of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Official-tahsildar-in-soup-over-fake-caste-documents/articleshow/12013856.cms

SC panel visits D'nal poll violence victims - The Pioneer

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/45071-sc-panel-visits-dnal-poll-violence-victims.html



Indian Express



Woman 'gangraped' in Ludhiana, 7 booked

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/woman-gangraped-in-ludhiana-7-booked/916058/



Express news service : Ludhiana, Fri Feb 24 2012, 03:50 hrs



The Moga police has booked four youth for allegedly raping a
35-year-old Dalit in Ludhiana's Vishva-karma Nagar. Three women have
also been booked.



An FIR has bee registered under Sections 376, 34 and 109 of the IPC
against the accused, all of whom are absconding, said ASI Malook
Singh.



The victim had alleged that on February 20, three women — Manjit Kaur,
Nanni and Manju — invited her to their residence to help solve a
dispute that she had with the four youth in question. She was offered
a cup of tea. After she had the tea, she lost consciousness.



The victim added that after regaining consciousness, she realised that
the four youth — Manna, Shaama, Roshan Singh and Kewal Singh — had
gangraped her.



The Times Of India



Notice to govt over SC/ST students' fee

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Notice-to-govt-over-SC/ST-students-fee/articleshow/12011684.cms



Rosy Sequeira, TNN | Feb 24, 2012, 02.39AM IST



MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Thursday issued showcause notices for
contempt of court to the principal secretary of the social justice
department and school education department for not complying with its
order to reimburse fees of SC/ST and backward-class students.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Ranjit More
was hearing a PIL saying after the state stopped reimbursing fees in
2007, students had been harassed by schools.

On April 28, 2011, the HC ordered the reimbursement of fees to various
schools. On behalf of the schools, it was submitted that
non-reimbursement of fees was making it difficult for them. When the
assistant government pleader was asked about the reason behind the
non-reimbursement, the judges were told that the state had issued a GR
directing a monthly support of Rs 100-150 to below-poverty-line
students who study English-medium schools. The advocates for
petitioners and schools pointed out that the order did not cover the
fees for them. Concurring with them, the judges directed the issue of
showcause notices.



The Daiji World



Raichur: 127 Families Get New Houses Donated by Karnataka Jesuits

 http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=130293



Fr Terence Farias



Raichur, Feb 24: A total of 127 newly-built houses for flood victims
of Manvi and Sindanoor taluks were inaugurated on Thursday February
23.

These houses were built by The Centre for Non Formal and Continuing
Education (CNF&CE) an NGO run by the Jesuits of Karnataka, in Manvi,
Raichur district, for needy people irrespective of caste, creed, and
religion.



The Jesuits have been working in the remote corner of the district for
the past 10  years  and have been instrumental  in starting a CBSE
school  and a PU college for Dalits, where more than 1,500 students
from 65 villages are being educated.



Manvi MLA Hampayya Nayak, former MLA and KPCC secretary Bosraj,
former MLA and CADA president Basavan  Bagvat, former MLA Gangadar
Nayak, Pannur Mission superior Fr Terence Farias, Jagir Pannur parish
priest Fr Maxim, CNF&CE director Fr Eric Mathias, and civic
authorities were present.



Hampayya Nayak, speaking on the occasion, reiterated his appreciation
of the Jesuit Fathers' commitment to the cause of the poor and added
that they have shown to these people where God is really found. He
appreciated the commitment of Pannur Jesuits for setting aside their
CBSE school for Dalits, the untouchables, 'Deavadasi' children, and a
preferential option for the village girls.



Bosraj, the former MLA, was all praise for the quality of the new
houses built with great care and love. He appreciated the quality of
whatever is done for the poor.   He assured the Jesuits of his full
support in their ventures for the betterment of village people.



Basavan Bagvat reiterated these views. More than a thousand people
gathered for the programme from various villages.



Fr Farias welcomed the gathering and thanked all guests for the
support assured by them.



The well-planned and neatly-built houses were appreciated by all.
Children of the village staged various cultural programmes that were
appreciated by all.



The Jesuit Mission of Pannur, Karnataka, includes a health centre
effectively run by the St Joseph's of Tarbes Sisters of Mysore
Province, a school and a college, and extensive social work in about
75 villages. Considering the recent deaths of several little children
on account of malnutrition in Raichur district, a nutrition programme
for the children of 50 villages is being worked out.



The Times Of India



Official, tahsildar in soup over fake caste documents

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Official-tahsildar-in-soup-over-fake-caste-documents/articleshow/12013856.cms



TNN | Feb 24, 2012, 06.59AM IST



MYSORE: Dalits Backward and Minorities Coordination Forum president
Harihara Anandaswamy on Thursday demanded action against the Hunsur
assistant commissioner Lingamurthy and Hunsur tahsildar Lokanath for
allegedly providing Schedule Caste certificates to a non-dalit woman.



Anandaswamy alleged that K Bharathi, who is running a private school
in Hunsur, obtained Schedule Caste certificate by providing fake
documents. "She used the certificate to apply for a gas agency
licence. It was soon brought to the officials' notice, but they have
not taken any action," he claimed, adding that this gas agency license
is particularly reserved for SC candidates.Bharathi, a non-member of
Scheduled Caste, has also obtained fake residential address
certificate. The accused tahsildar and assistant commissioner have
allegedly helped her get the licence. The organization will protest
near deputy commissioner's office demanding action against them on
February 27.



The Pioneer



SC panel visits D'nal poll violence victims

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/45071-sc-panel-visits-dnal-poll-violence-victims.html



National Commission-cum-Director of SC Dr Dibakar Basak, during his
visit to village Kamadhenukote in Sadar block on Tuesday, reviewed the
facilities and financial assistance provided by the district
administration so far to the victim SC families whose houses were
torched by a section of people over a dispute over the recent
panchayat polls held at Bhapur in Dhenkanal district.



District Collector Bishnu Prasad Panda appraised the Commissioner that
cooked foods were provided to the victims for 15 days.



According sources, Dr Basak advised the Collector to provide financial
assistance to the victim families for construction and repairs of
their houses and also to provide them jobs. Besides, the Commission
advised district SP Satis Kumar Ghajaviye for stringent action against
the miscreants.




--
.Arun Khote
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