IMC-USA Weekly News Digest - September 7th, 2009
September 4, 2009 Indian Muslim Council - USA (IMC-USA: http://www.imc-usa.org/), an advocacy group working towards safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos, called the decision of fDi magazine not to honor Narendra Modi the Asian Personality of 2009 award as a step in the right direction. IMC-USA further urged fDi Magazine to cancel the amended award to the State of Gujarat in lieu of Narendra Modi. Following widespread protests from rights activists, the fDi Magazine amended the award to be given to Modi with the statement" Following a review prompted by the ongoing investigation into the 2002 Gujarat riots, fDi has decided to present its award to Gujarat state, rather than Mr Narendra Modi, the state's chief minister". The statement further said "Mr Modi was chief minister of Gujarat at the time of the riots. Mr Modi's alleged role in connection to the riots is under investigation in which over 2,000 innocent people were killed". This open state sponsored massacre of minority Muslims occurred in 2002 under Modi's tenure as Chief Minister. In addition, hundreds of women were gang raped on the streets of Gujarat, over 150,000 people were ethnically cleansed and an estimated damage of $500 million was caused to minority owned properties. Narendra Modi is widely regarded as the architect of these massacres, considered to be the most brutal in the history of India since its Independence. After almost 7 years of evasion from any judicial purview on April 24th 2009 the Indian Supreme Court finally asked a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the role of 64 people, including that of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the Gujarat 2002 riots cases. "It was on Modi's watch that the massacres took place and he continues to be the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Giving the award to the State of Gujarat instead of Modi is akin to awarding Nazi establishment instead of Hitler" said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, IMC-USA's President. "Tens of thousands of ethnically cleansed victims of the 2002 violence still live in refugee camps. The State of Gujarat under Modi continues to actively create hurdles into the prosecution of those involved in the violence" he further added. In 2005, the US State Department banned him from entering the United States following his involvement in these massacres.A recent report published in the beginning of 2009 by the United Nations Human Rights Council has warned of a "very real risk" of a repeat of the 2002 Gujarat riots in the country unless politicians stop exploiting communal distinctions that presents a dim picture of religious intolerance in India. The report compiled by U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Asma Jahangir states that members of the Muslim community shared their concerns about the ongoing repercussions of communal violence, after the Gujarat massacre in 2002. Modi has become a huge liability for the State of Gujarat and the industrious Gujarati community. In spite of media hype about Gujarat's ability to attract foreign investments, a an independent analysis done by journalists Dionne Bunsha (for Frontline) and Salil Tripathi (for The Mint) concluded that foreign investment has declined consistently after Modi became the chief minister of Gujarat. Indian Muslim Council-USA is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 10 chapters across the nation. CONTACT: References:: "Communal harmony is the hallmark of Kerala and it should not be disrupted under any circumstances," said Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor here on Friday. Inaugurating the annual public meeting of various spiritual organisations at the St Mary's Cathedral at Manarcaud, he said that it was a totally different picture in places like Gujarat and Orissa and called upon the Church to strive hard to maintain the communal harmony among different religious groups in the State. At the meet, which was organised in connection with the ongoing 'Ettunombu Perunnal', Tharoor said that in addition to having faith in God, spiritual uplift and prayers, one should also be keen to get involved in social welfare activities such as education and healthcare. "It is heartening to note that the Manarcud Church, established more than thousand years ago, has been contributing a lot for this cause without looking into the caste or creed of the beneficiaries," he said. Tharoor also stressed the need for encouraging English education in addition to the native language as it would enable one to work around the world. "Many closed doors can be opened by learning English", he said. Taking queue from the oft-quoted words of Sree Narayana Guru, calling for the uplift of man irrespective of the religion to which he belonged, Shashi Tharoor said that in the present milieu, these words could be modified into 'irrespective of differing politics, the nation should grow'. Kozhikode diocese Metropolitan Paulose Mar Iraneus presided over the function. Assembly Speaker K Radhakrishnan officially opened the newly-constructed block at the St Mary's Hospital, which is functioning under the Church. Opposition leader Oommen Chandy distributed the education merit award on the occasion. Jose K Mani MP handed over the foundation stone for the 11 houses to be constructed by Martha Mariam Sevika Sangham for the poor. MLA s Mons Joseph and V N Vasavan offered felicitations. Programme convener Rev Kuriakose Cor-Episcopa Kizhakkedam honoured Fr Mathews Vadakkedath to mark his completion of 25 years of service at the church. Four elders, among the laity of the parish, were also honoured on the occasion. Cathedral main vicar Rev E T Kuriakose Cor-Episcopa Ittiath welcomed the gathering and chief trustee P V Mathew proposed a vote of thanks. http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/print.aspx?artid=X7Q3z9lupgc= The Gujarat High Court on Friday struck down the ban the BJP-run Gujarat government had imposed on expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh's book. It set aside the notification issued by the government banning Singh's Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence and observed the government seem to have taken the step without reading the book. "I'm thrilled and feel vindicated," said Singh, who was expelled from the BJP for writing it. Chief Minister Narendra Modi had banned the book the very day, August 19, on which Singh was expelled, claiming it made derogatory references to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which could disturb public tranquility in the state. "The ban amounts to serious inroads into fundamental rights," the court observed. It pointed out the notification was silent on how the book would disturb peace. Nor could the government's counsel explain it. But the Gujarat government seemed unwilling to give up. "The order does not stop us from bringing a fresh notification if we want to," said Jaynarayan Vyas, state government spokesman. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/450197.aspx SEE ALSO: In another snub to the BJP, a defiant Jaswant Singh has, as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, convened its first meeting on September 7. The BJP had earlier demanded that Jaswant quit the position after his expulsion from the party "as it was party that had nominated him as the panel chairman". Senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and S S Ahluwalia had also visited the residence of Jaswant Singh a couple of days ago asking him to step down from the position. Unless the Speaker steps in and asks Jaswant to step down, there is no hurdle in Jaswant convening the September 7 meeting. The former BJP leader has reportedly written to the members of the committee to attend the meeting. A chastened BJP on Thursday said that it was up to Jaswant to continue as chairman of the PAC after his expulsion from the party. "We (BJP) have left it to Jaswant Singh to decide whether he would retain the PAC chairmanship after expulsion. BJP will take a decision on the future course of action on the current imbroglio over the post at an appropriate time and an appropriate stage," said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad. Yashwant Sinha and Gopinath Munde are the other two BJP leaders on the Public Accounts Committee. While Munde was not available for comment, Yashwant Sinha said he would not be able to attend the meeting as he was touring his constituency. "I am on a tour of my constituency and will be in Jharkhand for sometime and will not be able to attend the meeting," he said. http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/511781/ SEE ALSO: RSS chief Mohanrao Bhagwat may have put Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani and BJP president Rajnath Singh on notice to quit their respective posts soon, but the notice itself has triggered fresh rivalry within the BJP, complicating the situation further for the organisation and making the succession process in the party that much more difficult. In fact, for all the hype accompanying the first widely publicised interaction of the Sangh chief with BJP leaders, it seems he could not succeed in his mission of effecting a total revamp of the BJP leadership or at least announcing a time frame for it. Sources said that was to a large extent due to lack of unanimity in the Sangh itself on Advani and Rajnath's successors. When Bhagwat arrived here last week Rajnath was the first to visit the Sangh chief. Rajnath, under attack from Advani camp for encouraging groupism and infighting, reportedly offered to quit his post instantly. But he also complained that though after Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani he was the longest serving BJP president, in effect he did not get even six months to work independently without interference from Advani and his camp followers. Rajnath had succeeded Advani in 2005 when Advani was removed for his praise of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Pakistan. Sources said Rajnath told Bhagwat how the first six months of his tenure borrowed from Advani's tenure he maintained a low profile, since he had to be elected formally at the end of these six months. BJP organisational elections were followed by one after another state assembly elections which gave him time to revamp the organisation. He was looking forward to take command after UP Assembly elections. But there the party was swept out, denting Rajnath's moral authority. By October 2007 there was pressure on him to declare Advani as the prime ministerial candidate and once that was done in December 2007 Advani just took over as the parallel power centre till the general election results. After Rajnath meeting with Bhagwat, Advani camp followers namely Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, M Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar went to meet Bhagwat the next day. They reportedly complained of Rajnath encouraging groupism and infighting in the party. They were, however, told by Bhagwat that he would prefer a complete outsider to succeed Rajnath. The next day Advani met Bhagwat. But before that Bhagwat went to Murli Manohar Joshi's house for lunch where Joshi warned him against allowing Sushma to succeed Advani as LoP saying that he would not want to work under her. When Advani met Bhagwat, he said he offered to step down. But he suggested putting in place a sound and consensual succession plan, lest there may be further chaos after him. And that is where the catch lies. Advani would like to move after a consensual succession plan has been put in place and Bhagwat also seemed to appreciate that. But that seems to be a Catch 22 situation. Sources said as long as Rajnath/Advani duo are at the helm of affairs and their groups active it won't be easy to find candidates for the two posts acceptable to all concerned. Notwithstanding Bhagwat's personal disinclination to appoint any of the four Advani camp followers, sources say the names of both Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj are still under consideration and so is Sushma and Joshi's name for the LoP post. Other names like that of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, B.S. Yedyurappa and even Narendra Modi have also been mentioned. But clearly there is no unanimity in the BJP or even in the RSS over anyone and till then Advani can sit comfortably. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090904/main4.htm SEE ALSO: Former BJP MLA from Limkheda Babu Bhabhor is a wanted man for his 'alleged' involvement in the murder of BJP's Limkheda general secretary Raman Baria. Dahod police obtained the warrant on Friday evening for the murder, which is believed to have taken place because of an extramarital affair that Baria's wife had with Bhabhor. The warrant under Section 70 of Criminal Procedures Code (CrPC) was obtained from a Limkheda court on Friday evening. Bhabhor has been on the run ever since the case was filed while Baria's wife Leela and Bhabhor's close aide Bharat Patel were arrested in connection with the murder, which was committed on July 22. The former legislator 'allegedly' visited Leela's house on the night of July 22 with Patel, who killed Baria with a sharp-edged weapon. Baria was murdered in the room where Leela was sleeping and his bike was set up in flames outside the house. Police suspected Leela to be an accomplice to the crime after she claimed that she had been waken up in the wee hours by a noise which sounded like that of an ox that had freed itself. Police suspect that on the fateful night, Patel called Leela outside her house to meet Bhabhor. Meanwhile, thinking that Baria would wake up and spot them. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4949361.cms SEE ALSO: Noted film and theatre personality Shabana Azmi is distressed that her native place is in news for all the wrong reasons. Presently on a visit to her native house 'fateh-e-manzil' in Mizwa village here, the birth place of her late father and acclaimed 'shayar' Kaifi Azmi, Shabana said branding Azamgarh as a terror hub was unfair. "Azamgarh is the birth place of people like author Rahul Sanskritayan, scholar Allama Shibli Nomani and poet Kaifi Azmi, who were the living examples of communal amity and brotherhood… maligning their hometown Azamgarh as 'atankgarh' (terror hub) is saddening," Azmi said. The population of Azamgarh is 50 lakh of which a few may have adopted the wrong path like in any other place, but branding the whole town or district as "atankgarh" is not fair, the former Rajya Sabha member said. "The people of Azamgarh had played an active role in the freedom struggle and the first war of independence in 1847 and this is one town where both Hindus and Muslims had always been living peacefully," she said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4971388.cms SEE ALSO: Twenty years after one of the worst communal riots took place in Bhagalpur in which around 1,000 persons lost their lives, the Centre has eventually decided to compensate the victims at par with the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The government has released Rs 29.81 crore as compensation for them. "We have received the fund allotment letter from the Centre and this has been communicated to the Bhagalpur district administration which will now hand over the compensation amount to family members of the 844 people killed in the riots," said Bihar Home Commissioner Afzal Amanullah. The state government had initially identified 861 families to be compensated but the Centre cleared the names of 844 victims. As per the Centre's largesse, each of the victims will now get Rs 3.5 lakh, akin to the anti-Sikh riot victims. The riot was one of the worst communal conflagrations witnessed in 1989, where nearly 1,000 people, mostly belonging to the minority community, were killed. The Congress, which was in power then, was ousted from the office next year. And after that, it could never stage a comeback in Bihar in the next two decades. Even 15 years of uninterrupted Lalu-Rabri regime could not compensate the victims' cry for justice. It was eventually left to Nitish Kumar to assuage the ruffled feathers of those denied justice. The Bihar government announced to give a life-long pension of Rs 2,500 per month to the widow of those killed, besides re-opening the cases in which some of the accused were let off. As a consequence, one of the accused, who was awarded by Lalu for promoting communal amity and peace, was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court. Later, the Nitish Kumar government made a fervent plea to the Central government to compensate the victims at par with Delhi riot victims. Twenty years after the mayhem, the Centre has undone the injustice. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/21709/bhagalpur-riot-victims-get-justice.html SEE ALSO: Eight years after two men were killed in an encounter in Agra, the Uttar Pradesh Police have lodged an FIR against 10 people, including two IAS and two IPS officers, alleging that the encounter was fake. The FIR was lodged last week on the basis of a complaint filed by one of the victims' wife. But it is not clear when the complaint was filed. The then district magistrates and SSPs of Agra and Mathura figure in the FIR. It is alleged that the police picked Ram Khiladi and his nephew Pappu from their Mathura home and killed them near Yamuna in Agra on September 9, 2001. The police had then, however, claimed that Ram Khiladi and Pappu were members of Bawaria gang and were planning to execute a crime when they were shot dead in an exchange of fire. Strangely, no police officer could explain why the case had been registered after eight years and why formers SSPs and district magistrates have been named in the FIR. "We have registered the case on the direction of DGP headquarters," said DIG of Agra Braj Bhushan. But neither state DGP Vikram Singh nor ADG (Law and Order) A K Jain know about the details of the latest FIR. The IG of Agra, Vijay Kumar, also said he know nothing about the case. Inspector General (PAC) P K Tiwari, who was then the SP of Agra, and Additional Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration Hari Ram Sharma, who was then SP of Mathura, said they don't have any knowledge about the case and had never been contacted by anyone in this connection. State Home Secretary Kumar Kamlesh and Additional Managing Director of Power Corporation Narendra Bhushan, who were then the district magistrates of Agra and Mathura, respectively, could not be contacted. Although the case has been registered at the New Agra police station, the investigation has been given to the special inquiry wing of the Uttar Pradesh Police, which is based in Lucknow. Others named in the FIR included the then in-charge of the Special Operation Group of Agra and police officers who were then posted at the New Agra police station. The police had then claimed that they were tipped-off about the gathering of Bawaria gang members near the Yamuna bank. While two gang members were killed, others managed to escape, the police had then claimed. "There were protests after the encounter, but these were all politically motivated and the matter got cooled down after a few days," said Navrang Singh, who was then in-charge of New Agra police station and is currently posted at Shahjahanpur. "A final report was submitted in the court after the investigation. The magisterial inquiry did not find anything wrong and the National Human Rights Commission also did not find any foul play," Singh added. http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/509214/ SEE ALSO: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday upheld a Central Information Commission (CIC) order that judges should declare their assets and the office of the Chief Justice of India would be the public authority to assess those assets. In a historical judgement, Justice S Ravindra Bhat said judges are accountable but they are also subjective to some constraints. "The dignity of the judges add value to the democracy. Judges are under public attack and revealing of assets and other information may increase the reputation of the judges," Justice Bhat said. The judge also noted that the office of Chief Justice of India is a public authority and it is well within the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. "Chief Public Information Officer of the Supreme Court shall release the information about the declaration of the assets to the petitioner within four weeks of time," he said. The court refused to comment on the recent development of declaration of assets by judges of various state high courts. The Delhi High Court on May 4 had reserved its order on an apex court plea challenging CIC's order that judges declare their assets. Solicitor General G E Vahanvati contended before Justice Bhatt that disclosure of information on personal assets by judges will affect the independence of the judicial system. "If we introduce transparency to an extent which would disturb the working of the judges, then it would affect the independence of the judicial system," Vahanvati had said. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/judges-should-declare-their-assets-delhi-hc/100498-3.html SEE ALSO: Lakhs of people bid a tearful farewell to charismatic Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who was killed in a helicopter crash, as his body was interred in his family's expansive estate Idupulapaya after a state funeral. The last rites were performed in this rural town in Pulivendla constituency after a galaxy of national leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition L K Advani joined a sea of humanity that had come all parts of the state to bid adieu to him in Hyderabad. 60-year-old Reddy's son Jaganmohan (36), the cynosure of all eyes against the backdrop of a succession race for the Chief Minister's post, was composed with hands folded acknowledging the mourners, many of whom raised slogans like "YSR amar rahe" (long live his memory). But his wife Vijayalakshmi and daughter Sharmila were inconsolable as they sprinkled earth after the flower-bedecked coffin was lowered into the grave in his 300-acre estate in Kadapa district. Interim Chief Minister K Rosiah, Union Ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad, V Narayanswamy and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and ministers of Reddy Cabinet were among the leaders present during the last rites performed in his native village in accordance with Christian practices. The last journey of the leader, who received a massive mandate for the second consecutive term on the back of various welfare programmes, began from his Begumpet residence in Hyderabad as the coffin, wrapped in tri-colour, was placed on a gun carriage which was pulled by an army truck. PM Manmohans Singh, Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and top leaders of Congress and other political parties including TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu and BJP Leader M Venkaiah Naidu paid homage and placed wreaths on his body. Union ministers P Chidambaram, A K Antony, M Veerappa Moily, Prithviraj Chavan, besides Delhi CM Sheila Dixit, Rajasthan CM Ashok K Gehlot and several leaders cutting across political divide including his arch rival TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu and BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu paid their homage at his residence. Reddy's mortal remains were taken in a funeral procession first to Gandhi Bhavan-the state headquarters of Congress-in Nampally and then to Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium where mourners in large numbers came to pay their last respects. The cortege moved at a snail's pace with surging crowds, many among them sobbing uncontrollably,trying to get near it. Jagan Mohan, Rajya Sabha MP K V P Ramchandra Rao, a close aide of YSR, Congress MP and former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin were among those who stood near the casket carrying Reddy's mortal remains. All state and central government offices, schools, shops and commercial establishments in Andhra Pradesh remained closed in view of the state mourning. In the afternoon, the body was flown to Idupulapaya in Kadapa, his native district, by an air force helicopter. The national flag is being flown at half mast during the seven-day state mourning. The charred remains of YSR and four others on board the twin-engine Bell 430 helicopter was spotted on a hillock, about 70 kms east of Kurnool by IAF helicopters at around 8.30 a.m. on Thursday, nearly 24 hours after it lost contact with the Air Traffic Controller at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad. http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/511831/ SEE ALSO: The government has rejected a recommendation of the Sachar Committee to create Indian Wakf Services on the lines of the civil services to appoint officers to boards that manage Muslim religious and community properties. A Right To Information (RTI) application was filed to know the reasons behind the rejection of the recommendation by the minority affairs ministry, but it has refused to reply. "We had filed an RTI application to know the reasons for rejecting the recommendation of the Sachar Committee, but the ministry refused to give an answer for not creating Wakf services saying that it does not come under the purview of the RTI Act," Zafar Mahmood, president of the Zakat Foundation of India, told IANS. The NGO works for issues concerning the Muslim community. A senior official in the ministry told IANS on condition of anonymity: "The government has rejected it as to create these services is a complicated process. Also, the Wakf Boards across the country are in a pathetic condition." According to the Wakf Act of 1995, only an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer or an officer appointed by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) can be appointed as CEO of the central and state wakf boards and the officer has to be a Muslim. However, the Sachar Committee appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to study and prepare a report on the social, economic and educational status of Indian Muslims found that there was an acute dearth of Muslim officers in the country. The Sachar report said "where a CEO is not high ranking in the hierarchy of the state bureaucracy, the interests of the Wakf board often suffer". The committee recommended that in the civil services tests conducted by the UPSC, an examination for the cadre of Indian Wakf Services should also be included and those Muslims candidates who qualify in the examinations be made CEOs of Wakf boards. Mahmood, who was once an officer on special duty in the Prime Minister's Office, pointed out that "most of the CEOs of the 27 Wakf boards in the country are promoted officers and not of the appropriate seniority level, which is not in consonance with the Wakf Act". Under the concept of Wakf, Muslims adhering to the principles of 'endowment' embedded in Islam donate large and valuable amounts of property in the name of Allah. The proceeds from these properties - from their sale, rent or use for the welfare of the community - are dedicated to meeting the needs of the poor and the maintenance of the property. There are 27 Wakf boards in the country functioning under different state governments. The states of Haryana and Punjab have a joint Wakf board. Apart from these Wakf boards there is a Central Wakf Council which gives direction to them. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4963643.cms SEE ALSO: Is the RSS itching to play a new role in relation to the BJP? The answer to this question is that the RSS always looks forward to the past. The rupture with the past came during the six years of the BJP-led coalition government in Delhi, when two of its senior swayamsevaks, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, sought to break free from the Sangh's suffocating embrace and tried to steer the BJP in a different direction. For the Sangh, nothing ever changes; any idea of change is merely cosmic play, leela, or is part of the illusory nature of the phenomenal world and has little to do with reality. In turn, reality is what the Sangh feels, thinks, knows and decrees. In Nagpur, where the headquarters of the RSS are located, this illusion of permanence and hubris of certainty is protected by the heavily armed policemen of the democratically elected government of the people of India. What are these tenets of the RSS that will never change? The Sangh believes that politics is based on selfishness and the greater selfishness increases, the greater the need for politics, power and governance. The only way to avoid the path to politics is to have social unity, cultivate the inner excellence of individuals within that society and celebrate culture as the true representation of genuine power. Quarrels, disagreements, love and hate are possible only in a perfectly constituted unity and not as instances of individuality. Democracy is to be rejected because it encourages individualism and selfishness; democracy, Golwalkar famously quipped, was not even a historical necessity. The only 'ism' that the RSS finds tenable is Hinduism. In order to achieve this ideal of purity and perfection, the Sangh took a leap of presumptuousness. The first of these was appointing itself the sole guardian, protector and defender of what they called Hindu culture. The second was to assume the mantle of the sole spokesperson for an undiluted and militant idea of nationalism, which, when translated into simple language, meant Hindu nationalism. Thirdly, they took upon themselves, unilaterally and arbitrarily, the task of what they call Hindu consolidation. Finally, the RSS believes that there is something called Hindu society out there, and it is only a matter of time that this Hindu society will be awakened, see the light of day, and run to the paternal embrace of the Sangh. The RSS had assumed that swayamsevaks who ventured into politics were to be like sages entering the world to cure its impurities. They were to be the 'recruiting ground', as Golwalkar suggested for the ideology and the ultimate mission of the Sangh. These sages, over the years, instead of reforming that harlot, namely, politics, instead fell in love with her. They began to love all that she had to offer, be it power, wealth, position or glory. A rank careerist like Jaswant Singh was not far off the mark when, after being expelled from the BJP for writing a book, said that the top leadership of the BJP had begun to suffer from the intoxication of power, or Rajmad. Not only has the BJP learned that politics and power are after all not so bad, but it has also begun to question the Sangh's leap of presumptuousness. The BJP can no longer pretend that the Sangh or its affiliates protect and preserve Hindu culture, especially so when it is done through dragging young girls out of a pub and assaulting them. They have also realised that the roots of democracy are deep in India and Indian nationalism, however articulated, is a democratic nationalism. The realisation has also dawned that the greatest challenge towards a Hindu consolidation comes from Hindus themselves, who neither subscribe to the rigid, anachronistic and illiberal idea of what an ideal Hindu society ought to be. Nor are they ready to buy the hysterical outpourings of some leaders within the Sangh parivar of a threat to Hindu identity in the form of Muslims, Christians and Western modernity. Most significantly, two successive election defeats have finally driven home the message that there is nothing called a Hindu vote, a myth as exaggerated as the existence of permanent vote banks. Truth be told, there is little that the RSS approves in terms of the functioning of the BJP, whether in power or out of power. The BJP now is like any other political party. It has factions, interest groups and islands of naked ambition. All that the RSS can do in the present scenario is to favour one faction over the other. All its disclaimers to the contrary are merely for public consumption. Without being in politics, it has been reduced to playing politics of the lowest kind, and at the same time, pretending to be an unbiased arbiter of all that masquerades as politics within the BJP. It has become the 10 Janpath of the BJP, but with a difference. Sonia Gandhi is an elected representative of the Indian people. While her authority does not derive from this single fact alone, her legitimacy derives substantially from being part of the democratic process. The RSS, on the contrary, will have to remain content with the ecstatic vision and sinful frenzy of the BJP's undying love for that woman of the multitude, as Golwalkar in 1954 and Sudarshan in 2004 called that entity we know as politics. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/449336.aspx SEE ALSO: Instead of going for a thorough overhaul, the BJP seems to be set for a patchwork operation for the time being. The delayed action has been necessitated not only by the fact that it has to find a face-saving device for senior leaders like Mr L K Advani and Mr Rajnath Singh but also by the spectre of the forthcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana where the current turmoil in the party is bound to be reflected in the poll results. So, it is the status quo at the moment. However, there is very little chance of the two leaders being given too long a time. Their position has become untenable and the sooner they go the better it would be for the party. But equally important is who will be handed over the baton now. There are no obvious choices because there is a paucity of second-rung leaders. According to current indications, instead of tall personalities, there will be several leaders of average merit who will be looking after various responsibilities. These may include Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu, Ananth Kumar and even some dark horse. The big question remains: whosoever they be, will they be able to extricate the BJP from its present mess? What needs to be noted is that nobody has really addressed uncomfortable issues raised by Mr Jaswant Singh, Mr Yashwant Sinha, Mr Brajesh Mishra and Mr Arun Shourie. Instead, the BJP is now being prepared to conform to the RSS ideology. That will mean that there may be re-dedication to the "core belief" of Hindutva, whatever softer name it may be given. That will only be pushing the party into the same quagmire which had made it stumble in the recent general election. The redemption may actually lie in exactly the opposite direction. Mr Mohan Bhagwat, Sarsanghachalak of the RSS, may be optimistic that the BJP can rise from the ashes, but others - even the insiders - may not be that confident. Everybody wants the party to change the way it is run. But who is there to effect the course correction? http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090901/edit.htm#2 SEE ALSO: The Gujarat High Court on Friday delivered a blow to the BJP leadership. And, rightly so. It justifiably overturned the Narendra Modi government's ten-day old ban on expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh's book Jinnah: India-Partition, Independence. More damning than just the lifting of the ban is the court's observation that the state government might have arrived at the decision without even bothering to go through the book that runs into over 600 pages. Indeed, it is doubtful if responsible persons in the government had applied themselves before banning the controversial book. True, there are references in the book to India's "Iron Man" Sardar Patel. But odd mentions must be understood in the totality of the argument that the author makes throughout the book. Such a holistic picture can be had only if the book is given a thorough reading, not just by picking up sentences in isolation. Notwithstanding this, this book-banning tendency smacks of intolerance and is not the right way to go about governance in a democracy. It strikes at the very roots of the ideals of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution. By setting aside the ban, the high court has quickly upheld this basic freedom. For the BJP leadership, the implications of the court ruling, however, go far beyond. Modi had ordered the ban from Shimla, where he was attending the BJP's chintan baitak, within hours of Jaswant Singh's summary expulsion from the party. Like the case of the book ban, the reason given for the expulsion too was the alleged objectionable remarks on Patel. If, therefore, the ban is unreasonable, it also calls into question the wisdom of the expulsion. Many, in fact, have already wondered if any top BJP leader involved in taking the decision on Jaswant Singh's expulsion had read the book. Probably, not. This being the case, the expulsion too cannot any longer be defended merely on the ground hitherto cited. True, Jaswant Singh will not be able to successfully challenge, if he can challenge at all, his expulsion. It is a political decision by a political party. At the same time, the BJP leadership cannot any longer hope to carry public opinion with it if it continued to justify the expulsion, citing the book's reference to Patel. It is a different matter if it comes up with another reason to defend its action against the leader who has been a founding member of the party. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/23423/righting-wrong.html SEE ALSO: In the heart-rending tragedy of Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy's death in a helicopter crash, Andhra Pradesh has lost its most charismatic leader and the Congress its most politically talented and resourceful Chief Minister. A medical graduate, YSR, as he was widely known, was inducted into politics by his father, Y.S. Raja Reddy, a shrewd politician of Pulivendula in Kadapa district who was murdered by rivals. YSR proved a quick study. He became an MLA at the a ge of 29, a Minister two years later, and never lost an Assembly or Lok Sabha election thereafter. A devout Christian, he made pilgrimages to Bethlehem and Tirumala with equal piety, showing his broadmindedness. The real surprise was his metamorphosis from a factional leader whose detractors dismissed him as a rebel without a cause into a party unifier. The game-changing event was his 1500-km padayatra in 2003, which brilliantly tapped into mass unrest over the agrarian crisis and catapulted him to the seat of power a year later. For five years and three months, YSR strode the State stage as the Strong Leader. There was no effective challenge from the Opposition or, for that matter, from within what used to be a notoriously faction-ridden State Congress. Such was his self-assurance that when he made it back to power with a wafer thin majority, he did not perceive any real threat to his pre-eminence. He had accomplished something extraordinary in post-1971 Congress affairs: emerged from the long shadow of the high command without raising doubts about his loyalty. YSR was a strategic risk-taker who looked around eclectically for ideas that would be useful to him and initiated a plethora of welfare schemes to alleviate extreme economic distress among the rural and urban masses. His most impressive political achievements were the confidence and can-do spirit he injected into his camp and the political credibility he won for his schemes through incessant mass contact. His tenure, however, was marked by controversy, with a number of allegations of corruption and misuse of power levelled against him and his regime. He also showed signs of intolerance of criticism, which was revealed in his government's vendetta against the Eenadu group. YSR achieved the distinction of being the only Congress leader to serve a full five-year term as Chief Minister and was on course for a second full term. He tirelessly presented his mission as the transformation of agriculture and farmers' lives and the ending of agrarian distress. His 'Jalayagnam' drive to irrigate ten million acres of land by 2014, his Agriculture Technology Mission, his vigorous implementation and expansion of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, and his schemes to supply rice at Rs. 2 a kg to the poor and provide free power to farmers won him enormous credibility on the ground. His death at the age of 60 is the kind of loss the Congress will find extremely difficult to recover from. http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/04/stories/2009090455650800.htm SEE ALSO: There finally seems to be some movement on police reform. The Union home ministry has taken hard decisions that could ensure that the police are shielded from political pressure. The ministry announced on Tuesday that police officials, above the rank of inspector, in Delhi and all other Union Territories will get two-year fixed tenures. The only exception is administrative exigencies, which would have to be recorded in writing. The ministry has also directed setting up of Police Establishment Boards in each UT to decide transfers, postings, promotions and all other service-related matters as well as a Police Complaints Authority to address public complaints. All these measures are a belated response to a Supreme Court directive on police reforms given nearly three years ago. While it's good that the apex court directives are being implemented in UTs, the worrying thing is that many states are yet to comply with the SC orders. Some states have also drafted laws or passed ordinances to circumvent the implementation of the Supreme Court directions. But even where the police reforms are being implemented, there is no guarantee that it will ensure that the police do their jobs in a free and fair manner. It has been seen that a minimum tenure for senior police officials often leads to them working in cahoots with local politicians, businessmen and thugs. For this not to happen the two boards that have been set up must take their role of watchdogs very seriously. Otherwise the reforms would end up being meaningless. Alongside the much-needed reforms, serious thought should be given to recruiting police personnel. According to the latest figures, there are more than 1.3 lakh vacancies in the central and state police. This works out to a mere 143 policemen per lakh of population, which is well below the UN-mandated minimum norm of 222 police personnel for every lakh persons. While the ratio of police to people in India is much less than most developed countries, it does not even compare to developing countries. Mexico, for instance, has 492 policemen per lakh of population. Moreover, some of the states that are worst hit by violence have the most number of police vacancies. For instance, Chhattisgarh one of the states most affected by Naxalite violence has about 7,000 vacancies in its police forces. Another Naxalite-hit state, Jharkhand, has nearly 9,000 vacancies. Unless these vacancies are filled, other reforms might come to nought. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4964830.cms SEE ALSO: The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has underlined its presence in Lalgarh in West Bengal's West Medinipur district through a spate of killings in spite of the 50 companies of security forces that are stationed there. As of August 19, as many as 19 murders by the Maoists had been reported since the deployment two months ago of Central forces, the Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (Cobra), and the State police to flush them out of the Jangalmahal (as the forested part of the region is locally called) area in the district. Forty-five people, mostly Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders and workers and a few members of the Jharkhand Party (Naren), have been killed in the area by Maoists and activists of the Maoist-backed People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) since November 2008 after a failed attempt on Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's life at Kalaichand near Lalgarh. The continuing violence has prompted the State government to concede that the Central forces' operation in Lalgarh has been a failure. "Almost every day Maoists kill or abduct people. Our target was to arrest the Maoists or flush them out of the area, but current incidents show we have not been very successful," State Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said at a press conference on August 6. There have been regular exchanges of fire between the combined forces and Maoists ever since the police operations started on June 18. The killings by Maoists stopped for a while initially. In fact, by July 4, when the security forces recaptured Madhupur, the last Maoist bastion in the region, it was widely believed that the Maoists were on the run and that normalcy was about to return. A high-level task force consisting of senior bureaucrats even visited the area to take stock of its developmental needs. As it turned out, there was little cause for celebration. In a sudden move, on July 10, Maoists killed two CPI(M) supporters, Barendranath Mahato and Gurucharan Mahato, in separate incidents at Sirsi village. They struck again on July 13, killing two farmers, Swapan Debsingha and Tarini Debsingha, apparently for supporting the CPI(M), in Madhupur, just a few kilometres away from the police camps at Khadibandh and Ramgarh. Although Chhatradhar Mahato, the PCPA chief, and other leaders went into hiding, the committee's activities continued under the direction of the Maoists. Demonstrations and rallies, clashes with the police and the ransacking of CPI(M) offices resumed, and threatening posters reappeared. For about eight months before the police operations started, Maoists and the PCPA held sway in the area. They refused to allow the State police to enter the area, in protest against the arrests that had taken place following the attempt on the Chief Minister. Little seems to have changed since. "The situation is still very serious. We are keeping a close watch on the developments," Manoj Verma, Superintendent of Police, West Medinipur, told Frontline. According to him, most of the killings were taking place where the police presence was weak or absent. On July 18, Jaladhar Mahato, a CPI(M) leader in the Jhargram subdivision, and Ashok Ghosh, a party worker from Goaltore, were killed in separate incidents. The same day, just before the killings took place, Maoist posters were found on the walls of shops at Ramkrishna Bazaar in Jhargram announcing: "CPI(M) leaders will be beheaded soon." The posters named the area's CPI(M) leaders on the Maoists' hit list. On July 22, Maoists gunned down Fagu Baske, a CPI(M) leader, near the Jharkhand border, giving an indication of the reach of their information network. Baske, a branch committee secretary in Madhupur village, had been in hiding for a few months and had just returned to his village to work on his field. According to police sources, that his killers were waiting for him suggests that they had prior information of his whereabouts. Baske was shot 14 times. The site of the killing - barely 500 metres from the Jharkhand border - is also significant. On July 8, a high-level meeting took place in Ranchi between the West Bengal Police and the Jharkhand Police to chalk out a strategy for joint operations against the Maoists. On the same day that Baske was killed, armed Maoists herded several CPI(M) leaders and activists from different villages and forced them to squat holding their ears and declare their disassociation from the CPI(M). Many CPI(M) workers have resigned from the party in recent weeks, either at gunpoint or in fear. On July 28, a team of Trinamool Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Partha Chatterjee, Union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy, and Union Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Adhikari, visited Lalgarh. Addressing separate gatherings in the region, they demanded immediate withdrawal of the Central forces and came down heavily on the police activities there. "The State police are committing atrocities against innocent people in the name of flushing out Maoists. We will appeal to the Centre to withdraw its forces immediately and start developmental programmes here at the earliest," said Partha Chatterjee. The Trinamool Congress now finds itself in an uncomfortable position vis-a-vis the PCPA. It proclaimed its support to the committee's cause in February, when Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee shared the dais with Chhatradhar Mahato in Lalgarh. However, the party has been trying to distance itself from the PCPA for the past two months. Mamata Banerjee has maintained a stony silence on CPI (Maoist) polit bureau member Koteswar Rao's exhortation to her to choose a side, particularly since the Maoists had fought alongside the Trinamool against the CPI(M) in the bloody turf battle in Nandigram in East Medinipur district and had supported the Trinamool in its opposition to the proposed chemical hub at Nayachar in the same district. During their last visit to Lalgarh, the Trinamool leaders did not even try to contact the PCPA leaders, although they alleged police atrocities and demanded withdrawal of the Central forces. Soon after the departure of the Trinamool leaders, PCPA supporters clashed with the police - they organised a huge rally in defiance of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. On July 30, just two days after the Trinamool leaders' visit, the Maoists abducted Sagar Masanto, a CPI(M) leader from Goaltore. His mutilated body was found the next day. The same day, two policemen on patrol duty in the Lalgarh area, Kanchan Garai and Sabir Mollah, went missing. The following day saw a heavy exchange of fire between the Maoists and the security forces in the Jhitka forest as operations to trace the missing policemen began. As of August 19, there was no information on their whereabouts. On August 1, while the security forces and the Maoists were locked in a gun battle that continued late into the night, armed militants shot dead Kalipada Singh, a leader of the Ganapratirodh Committee (GPC), a committee set up in December 2008 by the local people to resist the Maoists, in his house at Chirgoda village in Belpahari in West Medinipur district. That was the first time that the Maoists killed a GPC leader. The Maoists' main target had been CPI(M) leaders and activists. The GPC, of course, has the backing of the CPI(M) and the police, but Kalipada Singh was not a party member.… http://www.flonnet.com/fl2618/stories/20090911261810700.htm SEE ALSO:
IN THIS ISSUE
ANNOUNCEMENTS
COMMUNAL HARMONY
NEWS HEADLINES
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
US RIGHTS GROUP CALLS UPON THE FDI MAGAZINE TO CANCEL THE STATE OF GUJARAT AWARD
Dr. Hyder Khan
phone/fax: 1-800-839-7270
email: media@imc-usa.org
[Supreme Court Order] http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?659024
[UN Human Rights Report by Asma Jahangir] http://www.sacw.net/article641.html
[Dionne and Salil analysis] http://www.counterpunch.org/prashad09022009.html
COMMUNAL HARMONY
MAINTAIN COMMUNAL HARMONY: THAROOR (SEP 5, 2009, EXPRESS BUZZ)
NEWS HEADLINES
GUJARAT HC LIFTS BAN ON JASWANTS BOOK (SEP 4, 2009, HINDUSTAN TIMES)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4973290.cms
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/guj-to-issue-new-notice-banning-jaswants-book/100456-3.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/22755/sc-notice-gujarat-over-jaswants.html
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/508937/JASWANT COCKS A SNOOK AT BJP, CALLS FIRST MEETING OF PAC (SEP 3, 2009, INDIAN EXPRESS)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/448798.aspx
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/22705/jaswant-refuses-step-down-pac.html
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090831/nation.htm#3
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/509756/FRESH RIVALRY IN BJP (SEP 4, 2009, THE TRIBUNE)
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=13778
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/31/stories/2009083156261000.htm
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/449011.aspx
http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/01/stories/2009090160841000.htmARREST WARRANT AGAINST EX-MLA ACCUSED OF MURDER (AUG 29, 2009, TIMES OF INDIA)
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/512497/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4969217.cms
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/513275/
http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-4965312,prtpage-1.cmsBRANDING AZAMGARH AS TERROR HUB UNFAIR: SHABANA AZMI (SEP 4, 2009, TIMES OF INDIA)
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/510612/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-4923480,prtpage-1.cms
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/510597/
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090903/jsp/frontpage/story_11443635.jspBHAGALPUR RIOT VICTIMS GET JUSTICE (AUG 26, 2009, DECCAN HERALD)
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/508773/
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=14021
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/21200/malegaon-case-maharashtra-challenges-revocation.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4973566.cms8 YEARS ON, PROBE LAUNCHED INTO FAKE AGRA ENCOUNTER (AUG 31, 2009, INDIAN EXPRESS)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4965911.cms
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/513364/
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/449713.aspx
http://www.expressindia.com/story_print.php?storyId=510598JUDGES SHOULD DECLARE THEIR ASSETS: DELHI HC (SEP 2, 2009, IBN)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/450034.aspx
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sc-may-challenge-delhi-hc-ruling-on-judges-assets/100530-3.html
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/449725.aspx
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/506426/ANDHRA CM, FOUR OTHERS KILLED IN CHOPPER CRASH (SEP 3, 2009, INDIAN EXPRESS)
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/23315/67-die-ysrs-death-bereaved.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/probe-begins-into-ysr-helicopter-crash/100755-3.html
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/450484.aspx
http://www.asianage.com/GOVERNMENT REJECTS SACHAR RECOMMENDATION ON WAKF BOARDS (SEP 2, 2009, TIMES OF INDIA)
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/510482/
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=13998
http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/509225/
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/23231/victory-aysha-asmin-she-can.html
OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS
SPLITTING IMAGE - BY JYOTIRMAYA SHARMA (SEP 1, 2009, THE HINDUSTAN TIMES)
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main42.asp?filename=Ne120909coverstory.asp
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/22092/its-official-rss-boss.html
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/449647.aspx
http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/02/stories/2009090255170800.htmSUCCESSION PLAN ON HOLD - EDITORIAL (SEP 1, 2009, THE TRIBUNE)
http://epw.in/epw/uploads/articles/13859.pdf
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/23246/consumed-media.html
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090904/jsp/opinion/story_11449246.jsp
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main42.asp?filename=Ne120909acid_dreams.aspRIGHTING A WRONG - EDITORIAL (SEP 5, 2009, DECCAN HERALD)
http://www.frontline.in/fl2618/stories/20090911261812500.htm
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main42.asp?filename=Ws050909Ram_Puniyani.asp
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090831/edit.htm#1
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/print.aspx?artid=YmQlwrh4Deg=DEATH OF A TALENTED LEADER - EDITORIAL (SEP 4, 2009, THE HINDU)
http://www.asianage.com/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4968482.cms
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090905/edit.htm#1
http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/05/stories/2009090555090800.htmCALL TO ACTION - EDITORIAL (SEP 3, 2009, TIMES OF INDIA)
http://www.flonnet.com/fl2618/stories/20090911261810100.htmMURDER CAMPAIGN - BY SUHRID SANKAR CHATTOPADHYAY (AUG 29, 2009, FRONTLINE)
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=13347
