The Ground Report India - 2010 July Edition PDF

The Ground Report India (GRI) July 2010
The Ground Report India - July 2010 3

Editorial! 3
Nature of a Political Party and Political Activity! 3
Cover Reports! 4
What is happening in Jharkhand Deshum Today 2010?! 4
Another story of humiliation, torture, violation of human rights/ constitutional rights in the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)! 7
International! 10
Singapore: Legal Charges Threat to Freedom of Expression :: British Author’s Critique of Death
Penalty Leads to Arrest! 10
India: Don’t Repeat Misuse of Counterterrorism Laws :: Amend Laws to Protect Basic
Rights! 11
Food Security Strategy Workshop to highlight actions for progress! 12
China: Witnesses Lift Veil on Abuses by Security Forces in Tibet! 12
Reports! 15
How Information Commissioners & Police endanger Right To Information Activists! 15
HOW & WHY INSUGENCY - Nation Understands :: Administrative egotism and mischief must
cease! 17
Centre yet to take stand on Dalit Muslims: Salman Khurshid! 18
Bangalore's garbage killing people in Mavallipura :: Villagers refuse to cremate young victim's
body! 19
Parliamentarians pay floral tributes to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak! 20
PARYAVARAN SURAKSHA SAMITI are horrified at the gruesome murder of Mr Amit Jethva!20
Condolence Meeting about right to Information activist Sri Amit Jethava's murder and some
important decisions! 21
PM's opening remarks at the meeting of Chief Ministers of naxal violence affected states!21
Smt. Meira Kumar to address Women Speakers of the World on Violence against Women! 22
woman sexually abused, tortured by BSF-- Impunity prevailing! 23
India Water Foundation on WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY! 24
hike in gas prices! 25
killing of a Scheduled Caste youth by stabbing while in BSF custody, nexus with police! 26
RTI replies from PMO & DoPT betray politics in Information Commissioners’ selection! 27
PM condoles the passing away of Malayala Manorama Chief Editor, K.M.Mathew! 31
Columns! 32
DISAPPOINTING PEACE TALKS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN! 32
Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok :: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains
untold! 32
Powers of Information Commission to change its penalty! 36
www.groundreportindia.com
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Four golden rules for writing effective Right To Information Applications! 37
MERC’s Public Hearing in the matter of Govt of Maharashtra’s Memorandum Case No. 13 of
2010! 38
City Betterment Charge! 41
Let us make friends, not enemies; peace, not war! 42
Political reservation an undemocratic discrimination! 43
About the Ground Report India! 44

Publication Policies:! 44
Email Policies:! 45
Disclaimer:! 45
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The Ground Report India - July 2010
Editorial
Nature of a Political Party and Political Activity
Political parties, in a democracy, aim at capturing power and then retaining power, ideally for the good of the people. In actual
practice in India and many other countries, however, a political party aims at capturing and retaining power by any means, not
essentially for the good of the people, but for the benefit of the party itself, and, in worse (read most) cases, for some of the
individuals that control and lead the political party. The object of a political party in reality is, therefore, not primarily public
welfare, but enjoyment of power, and amassing of wealth through power, and enjoying all other benefits that might accrue on
account of being in the seat of power, or being close to it. This is happening irrespective of the fact whether the people, or the
leaders, in the political parties are highly educated, semi-educated or unlettered. The things in this regard are not radically
different, be it India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.
Reason?
Think. People, who are not very enlightened (being enlightened is different from being educated), are driven essentially by their
emotions, and their intelligence is used primarily to fulfil their desires, which are also essentially in the nature of emotions. At
the level of fundamental desires, in these countries, whatever be the causes, there is no great difference between and educated
and an unlettered person. They all want power primarily for enjoying power, wealth and social status. Earlier, the emotions of
humans used to be structured and moderated by some of our holy books, and there was some fear of God, sin and
punishment. In the age of reason, these books, whatever their value, have been exiled from our lives, and the system of
education has no element built into it to make us understand our emotions, and to provide guidance on how to direct and
control them. The families of nearly all of us are propelled by the same emotions, and they propel us towards the goals that
match with those blind, crude emotions. The net result is that we talk great things when we are intelligent and well read, and
then, when we are in power, start doing what the uneducated did: enjoying power, enjoying wealth and status.
We talk of team and ideology, but when we find that we are not going to get a share in the pie of power, we find reasons to
become rebels, and to form our own parties, and do whatever else is possible.
If we form a political party, and give a call for people who would offer themselves to become MPs and MLAs, and if people
have some reason to believe that we may one day, in not so distant a future, become powerful, they wold quickly offer
themselves for the party. When they do not get a party ticket for an MLA or an MP, they would defect in no time to some other
party. If we give a call, on the other hand, to people to join a political party without any claim to a party ticket, a different kind
of people, much fewer in number initially, would join the party. Without men and women who are not driven by greed for
power and party posts or tickets, no political party can achieve much in terms of public welfare. They would again, like all
other politicians, start enjoying power, wealth and status, for which they actually joined politics. And they wold start fighting
with each other for party posts and posts in the government, throwing to winds all their former wisdom and erudition.
What is the solution?

The solution lies in changing the nature of politics and political activity, and therefore of the political party.
A political party has to start engaging in constructive activities, rather than politicking all the time. If the workers are given a
constructive program which the top leaders themselves engage in most (and do not only talk about), a new political ethos
formation will start. When service will begin in right earnest, the emotion culturing will also start, gradually turning politics
into service. Today most parties and most men in active politics are visible to the people only when elections are around. This is
just because politics has been accepted essentially as an instrument to acquire and retain power. Since all political parties are
the same in this regard, what option the people have in not choosing any one of them? If politics were an instrument equally of
service, politicians and political parties would be visible to people not through the TV shows but in their close vicinity.
And when this culture would be embedded in politics, leaders will not land from the skies suddenly. They would grow usually
from the grass roots. Even highly educated people trained in MIT and Harvard would start working for the people, right in
their midst, without elections being around.
But this change in the political ethos can only be brought about by great leaders who have all the wisdom and erudition to
understand international affairs, and yet who have the humility to live and work with the masses, understand their aspirations
and problems, and then lead them to economic and social salvation.
P K Siddharth
He is the member of the Editorial Board of the Ground Report India.
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Cover Reports
What is happening in Jharkhand Deshum Today 2010?
[The paper below was presented as the Concept Note1 for a National Campaign & Consultation: Who are the barbarians on our Homeland? at Bagachia Conference
Centre Namkum Ranchi Jharkhand2. The delegates then voted that it be circulated to all corners of our land as an annexure to the Declaration of the Consultation
under the above title.]
1) What have peace, harmony & common living meant for us Adivasis?
a) We the Adivasi3 peoples of Jharkhand Dishum4 share many ways and thoughts with our fellow Indigenous peoples, spread
over all the continents of this our World. The core and essence of them all being:
• A love and respect for life
• A reverence for all living things,
• Their ever evolving creative capacities and
• For us, life is not just an individual matter or concern.
b) We believe in all life
• The life within-ourselves
• The life out-of-ourselves and
• The life around-ourselves
• And above all the life we experience within the fellowship of the spirits of our ancestors ...ever there to guide and
protect us
2) What do we mean when we say Respect for all life?
1. Respect for the life of others is so important for us Adivasis that, we consider territorial conquest and destruction of
any livelihoods as barbaric and evil. Such acts disqualify a person from living amongst us humans as children of our
Mother Earth.
2. As more and more colonizers invaded our territories, during the past two centuries, we kept losing more and more of
our land and population. A time came when there was no more land left for us to run to or take shelter. For reasons we
will explain below, we could not compromise by assimilation or integration into their communities, for this meant
subordinating to their economic way of life. Therefore it was during these stages of colonization, and when we had no
more land to run to that our ancestors were left with no alternative but to stand back, resist and fight. Our ancestors
did just that and some of their brave and glorious stories make the history of peninsular India.
3) Confronting a Warring people
1. Our invaders had for centuries through war and conquest over long voyages mastered the skill of warfare. They were
well developed and cruel warriors. As we Adivasis did not believe in territorial conquest and expansion we did not
need to wage wars and hence were ignorant of the techniques’ of wars and weaponry. Therefore when the colonisers
invaded our territories and tried to subjugate us to live like them we just could not comply. Instead we took flight
eastwards to the next available space.
2. On the other hand it should be remembered that all through the above period (which spanned several centuries) we
did welcome other communities. They had different languages and different ways of living. But the essence and core
of their way of living was the same as ours –respect for life and its creative capacities. From them and with them we
shared whatever we had and progressed. We are Munda, Ho, Santhal, Urang, Khadia, Paharia et al. At one time we
were innumerable. A people with different languages not known by all yet we all communicate well enough to live in
peace and harmony under a common ethnic name ‘Adivasi’. Few recognize the fact that there are no records of
conflicts among or between us. We shared an economy that kept us in peace and harmony and community living.
3. The above reading that for centuries we were a peace loving people can be supported by the fact that none of our
Adivasi communities or groups living today in Jharkhand has developed any technology for war-fare. If during these
centuries of continuous migration, we would have wanted to contest our predators, then we surely should have
improved upon the pick axe and the bow & arrow as weapons of war, rather than as weapons to protect us from the
animal kingdom. If despite the fact that others waged war against us (including the East India Company and the
English Army) continuously for centuries and yet we did not develop warfare technologies to retaliate or defend
ourselves, goes to tell how much we value peace, harmony and collective living.
4) Our needs for life and living
1. We Indigenous peoples have for centuries lived a life where wanting more and subjugating others to creating that
more, is considered the first and primary threat to peace harmony and collective living.
2. Destroying the life and livelihoods of others, taking over and expanding into their territories are acts of war on
humanness. The same is with taking from others what is theirs and enhancing your life possessions with what belongs
to others, by depriving them of the very basis of their livelihood – their land, their forest, their villages, their waters,
their clean air, their health, their youth and their longevity of life.
3. We were continuously for centuries invaded by such people whose interest in invading us was to plunder our resources
to meet their insatiable demands. For their lavish and exuberant and wasteful life styles, their rulers needed their
subjects to over work. In order that the ruling minorities have more; the majority (janata) had to work and overwork.
They could not be content with what they had. Life for them is reduced to consuming things as rapidly and as
voluminously as possible. Life is also meant to fight and compete over possessions.
4. Our desire for co-existence in total harmony with all the living is so essential that rather than contest or fight other
intruders, we chose to abandon our lands and flee to begin habitation all over again in another distant land. Episodes
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of getting uprooted, taking flight, exoduses were routine and life shattering that even today they flow along the
memory lines of each new born generation. The trauma of continuous forced exoduses against our will still imbibes
fear in our people.
5. We are grateful to the few who acknowledge that our lands were usurped for the National Development agenda. What
however is not much known is that more than giving up our lands, we were protecting our way of life that was based
on a different kind of economy. Just as when a city is in siege the first thing its people do is to take their gods into
protection so also when our lands were seized we were taking our Adivasi economy into protected areas.
6. We gave up the very source of our life, -our land and livelihood, in order to protect our values and way of life. This is
the cost we Indigenous Peoples have paid for protecting our economy, the only economy on this earth which produces
peace as it grows.
7. When we are not recognized as a people with a distinct identity, when the wealth that has been plundered from us is
not recognized or acknowledged, how can we expect the outside world to admit the fact that we have been running an
economy that produces peace? It is not possible to acknowledge the worth or value of something you cannibalise.
8. We today want it to be known that not only our land and our people but our economy, the only economy on this earth
that produces peace, became the cannibalisers first victim. More than killing us or taking over our territories it was a
economy that produces peace that they eat up in order to creates an economy that lives on blood.
9. For this reason we do not see territorial expansion as something only political. Territorial expansion and looting goods
and lives of others is now an economy. Therefore territorial expansion is not just looking for land or resources it is also
means killing an economy of peace and by doing so establish an economy of war. The first lie we all are though in
economics or in school or collages by our civilised system is that the present economy is for the welfare of us all.
Including National Development. Since it depends on war skills, looting, it cannot be called an economy producing
peace. In fact this present economy cannot function in an atmosphere of peace it needs to destroy peace in order to
expand. It is a Peace-destroying-economy. It is this Pease cannibalizing economy that governs and rules all of us all
over the world.
10. Therefore any talk of peace, harmony and collective living, which do not include the story of how a small group of
people are creating wealth by grabbing or looting our land and minerals, cannot be taken as serious talk by us. If the
talk is not serious then the intention to deal with the problem too is not serious. All the non serious talk about us
Adivasis and our present position therefore becomes eyewash and a further joke on us.
11. This present day global economics grows by the creation of disparities within society. In the case of us Indigenous
peoples, it has taken away all that sustained us and reduced millions of our people to slave labour or inmates in death
traps. By producing excess and by creating the needs for the consumption of this excess, it is this economics that
creates the politics of conflict, social discord, and cannabilisation. The breathing ground for human being to kill one
another.
12. When killing and discord becomes an integral part of the economics of society and when it sells then killing and all
the paraphernalia of weaponry and security technology becomes a profit making commodity and a full-fledged and
growing industry. Killings have now become so casual that it has not only become a profitable commodity but also a
mode of communication.
13. Refused a drink by the bar girl kill her. Over took my car kill him. Adivasis not fleeing from their lands kill them. No
more places to rehabilitate them, kill them. Workers demand justice then kill them.
14. Despite these very obvious facts above those within the corridors of power or have access to it, especially the media
prefer to keep the discourse on killings or violence, limited to a moral question. You are either with us and therefore
are good or you are against us and therefore bad. Such arguments reduce our whole history and that of the exploited
classes to a fairytale. This method helps to protect them from the well known fact that it is their economics and its
politics that is responsible for our selective killings.
5) The Economy of Peace, Harmony & Collective Living
1. Peace, harmony and collective living, are not mere moral virtues that our ancestors have handed down to us as
dogmas. The whole structures of our life, society, economic production i.e. the building blocks of all we have, are built
on them. Take one apart and our society and the ecology around will together collapse.
2. Just as civilized society cannot live without an army or a police or a stock market our society cannot live without peace,
harmony and collective living. This means that we can take from nature what we need to exist but not to accumulate
in order that we have more than others and that when other do not have the necessities of life we still have plenty of it.
Therefore our economy demanded and was managed in such a way that we all had what we wanted and needed.
Within our community if there was any discrimination between uses of natures bounties by some, such individuals
had to change their ways or find their path out of the community.
3. Therefore our economy grew-up building itself on the peaceful use of the earth’s natural resources and that in turn
necessitated us to build a community of peace and harmony. What this means is that the earth can only provide for us
if we use its resources peacefully.
4. This relationship is not just a memorandum of understanding between Mother Earth and us. It is a covenant with
Her that comes by being born an Adivasi that we will use her bounties exclusively for the proliferation and
magnification of all life. Therefore peace for us is not an option or a moral code or some cherubic desire. Peace is that
bounty we receive by keeping and respecting the convenient we make with our Mother. When this basic point of our
economy is understood then it will also be understood that if all resources of Mother Earth when used for peace can
thwarter any social conflict or wars. May be even some natural calamities.
5. From this logic also flows one of the fundamental rules of our life and social governance. Living off the labour and
common resources of others is therefore the fuel for conflict and violence. Such behavior or living is considered by our
society as greed which is as bad a word as Satan or in-human. For this reason we Adivasis cannot worship money.
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Money for us is the measure and symbol of how much more we have taken from Mother Earth and from the labour of
our fellow people.
6) We are, we were, we will be here!
1. In terms of free land, free mineral, free water, free forest produce and above all almost free labour, we Adivasi and
Dalits and our other small farmer classes and caste have been the single largest forced scarifies for the National
Development agenda. The blood on this sacrificial alter always flows the table of sacrifice never dries. If the value of
the minerals being taken each day is taken and to that added the production of the ancillary industries, it becomes a
gigantic and strategic amount. The economy of this nation will come to a halt if we close the tap. Yet this fact is not
recognized nor accepted. We will have to go a long way before we are recognized as an equal partner in Indian society.
2. For two to three centuries we as a people have faced annihilation, killings and other brutal and life-altering modes of
dominating us Indigenous/Adivasi/Dalit peoples. This method is now routine and an established way in which our
dominator-classes and caste deals with us. It has not only been going on for centuries, but it has also been global.
1. On which people of this country would the police enter a Mines hospital and bayoneted/machetes 17 of our
relatives to death when they went there for medical attention? (IISCO Mines Gua Singhbhum 8th Sept 80).
2. On which people would the Tata Steel Company together with the State Administration of Orissa plant landmines
to kill and maim? (Kalinga Nagar Tata Landmines Adivasis 2nd January 2006).
3. As this paper is being written (29th March 2010) another relative Khuntia has been short in the chest by Orissa
police and Tata goons who were forcefully trying to drive out our people to make way for the Tata Kalinga project.
3. There and a hundred plus more of equally brutal killings our people have had to go through in the name of National
Development Agenda.
4. Our ancestors would never have given up our ancestral lands and forest if they could foresee its consequence on their
grandchildren. They were the victims of the legacies of Colonialism and the economy of modern civilization. It was
too early for them to understand the ways of the outsider. We have paid a heavy price for the lack of this knowledge.
Today we are trying not to make the same mistakes our ancestors did. We their decedents are now enjoying what they
managed to rescue and save. But this little that we have left and which will be the deciding factor of our survival as an
Adivasi people is now being encircled by the Corporate houses and their supportive governments.
5. The reason for going through all this explanations and history to make the following points:
6. Our understanding of peace comes from the covenant we make with Mother Earth. Our economy demands peace
and without it will collapse.
7. Our peaceful ways and life has been right through history been violated by people who colonized us and now have the
power over us this is the Indian State and the Business Corporations.
8. A genocide being committed on us not something new. Taking our lives one way or the other is now routine and part
of the mode of production of the mainstream economy.
9. We are now better organized, better politically consciousness and all of us together have a common collective will.
10. It is the above 4th point that the State and Corporate houses are most worried about. They would like to break our
will and have developed a multiple ways of defeating us.
11. The call for definition of words like violence v/s non-violence, who are the Maoist, are Adivasi Maoist etc etc are
attempts to build up a narrative that will suit the demands of Corporations and the State.
12. The debate is deliberately being deflected to serve point No 6.
13. The new economic policy of India is therefore a grand plan to take away from us what little we have left. This time it
will be left to be seen who are the winners and who are the losers.
14. The State, the Chamber of Industries and Businesses all know that the lines are drawn. In between we and these
above two powers rest a majority of our country fellows who believe that both the parties we and the State and
Industry can negotiate and come to a win-win situation. It has been so well orchestrated from the Government to
Army General to Academician and Tribal experts that it is the only available narrative of our story.
15. Those in-between people who refuse to see things deeper and want only to accept the mainstream point of view are
actually looking for their very own survival need. They benefit by keeping to the story of the mainstream.
16. Before we go ahead we would like to give our understanding on the Government’s Grand Plan.
17. This is not the GP exclusively of the current ruling party. It is the GP of each and every political party that sits today
in Parliament. Left, right and centre.
18. The GP is explained to the nation by a statistic. Last year it was a particular number and if you want show that the
economy of the country has grown then that statistical number has to be bigger than what it was the last year. A one
percentage of a point can make a big big difference. The Government wants that number to go up by more
percentage points. That will make India a tiger among the world economies.
19. But without minerals, land, water, forest this growth is impossible. So they together with the Chamber of Industries
are all in a state of panic.
7) Why are such powerful bodies the Indian State and the Chamber of Commerce in a state of panic?
1. The answer lays here deep in the ground of Greater Jharkhand and us its people.
2. For the past seven years when ever a Company or Government tried to enter a village to survey the land of the people
the people drove them away. There were Tata officials, Mittal’s officials, NTPC, Coal India officials and even Chinese
officials who were driven out. Some were tied to trees others had to leave in their underwear.
3. With the exception of the PANEM Coal mines in Pakur Sahebgunj no Mining Company could succeeded in enter our
villages.
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4. If you calculate these numbers they are very very large. Rs. 60,000/- crores (2004 Rupee rate) of just the TATA
Company is held up. We the people of Jharkhand have turned the tables. From decades of being encircled by Mining
Companies today we the people have encircled them by keeping their investments locked up.
5. This political development has been created through years of work of hundreds of our fellow activist and dozens of
organizations. Some of these activists have been killed, others have died early. If you calculate the number will be in
hundreds.
6. The State as well as the Industry love democracy and swear by the Indian Constitution. But their love lasts only as
long as they are the beneficiaries of its outcomes. When the beneficiaries are the common people, especially when they
do not want to give up their lands to Industry and mining, then the State and Industry does not like Democracy.
7. Our people today are well organized have a developed political consciousness and above all can recognize the game
plan of the enemy. This mass awareness and joint action with a single slogan “Not an inch more of our lands” is what
the State and Industry is afraid of. They are afraid of the democratic action of an organized and politically aware
mass of people.
8. The above situation of the Indian State v/s its people is the crux of the problem here in Jharkhand. Adivasi
homelands (including our Tribal brethren in the North East) have been kept in a state of seize ever since
Independence. State of seize is a state of war. But who among our thinking friends will accept this?
9. Different people are giving it different interpretations and looking at it differently. Some call it increase in violence,
some call it the biggest threat to the country, some feel that the Maoist have captured so much territory and people
(read Adivasis) that they are going to overthrow the State.
10. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) has through their various statements declared that through armed revolution
they are going to overthrow the State and capture power. The government of India should have the necessary
intelligence to gauge this threat. Dissent is a democratic right and political groups of all ideologies have a right to form
their own groups or parties. The Indian State has various laws to judge crime and if any individual or group has
violated it they should be tried and punished.
11. The above paragraph may sound simple but it is not. The problem is that there are a multiple groups and parties
operating in Greater Jharkhand. We are told by the press and the State that they are ‘Maoist’ or ‘Naxalist’ and now
‘terrorist’. As far as paper reports go there are several of these groups. There are reports that the State and some
Industrial houses too are sponsoring these groups. It is today reported that the Tata Company has even financed the
Salwa Junum programme in Chattisgarh. There are other incidents which show that some of these groups are actually
bandits.
12. In order to tackle these groups/parties/individuals the State and now with the help of its paramilitary forces
supported by air power are treating all our Adivasi and Dalit people living in these targeted areas as enemy. This
means that in order to ‘save’ us the State need to kill us.
13. They are telling us what they would like to see and not what is really happening. Unfortunately some of us, our media
people, and intellectuals etc pick up those words phrases and lines and amplify it. Unaware that they are learning from
a group of people who do not know the real ground realities i.e. what is happening in Greater Jharkhand.
14. Just as we could not understand the whys of our invaders, we saw that they too probably could not comprehend why
we wanted to live our life in the way we do.
15. This history continues and today its power and scope is threatening our very existence as Indigenous/Adivasi peoples
all over the World. As more and more of our lands are being plundered and our commons looted we are not only
becoming a minority in our own homeland but all that sustained us as a distinct people is being destroyed. Our forest
that we cared for and successfully managed for thousands of years, our economy that is the only ecologically
sustainable and fair economy will get wiped out.
--------------------------
Another story of humiliation, torture, violation of human rights/ constitutional rights in the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur
In the eve of Prime Minister's visit a graduate student of IIT Kanpur was detained by the police under pressure of the IIT
Kanpur administration without any reason or documents in the room A-108, Hall-8, IIT Kanpur. And in the morning they
took him to the police station and many officers were saying there to put me in lock up. Police Officers also violated
constitutional rights by refusing for any call to home also for any call to advocate. The student insisted for an undertaking letter
to an IPS officer who detained him in his room with three police officials for 18 hours. The officer replied him that director IIT
Kanpur directed them to do so.
The student had already put an objection on the termination of such a large number of students from IIT Kanpur done on
Jan-04-2010 being also one of them. These students silently protested against the decision of termination by IIT Kanpur
administration, later administration agreed to reinstate but 6 months have past and nothing is done yet and the student who
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were terminated in the May-2010 have been reinstated in the June 2010 but they have set a meeting on the 21st July 2010 just
before a day of registration.
Few very basic question arises here -

IITK is a technological institute owned by the people of the India or a private property of an individual or group of
individuals?
IITK is an institute for the development of the children and the people of the India or is an institute of dirty politics and lust of
the power-egos of the administration?
If everything is right then why a student was tortured and was detained by the police by misusing powers?
Why a student was detained to stop him to meet the Prime Minister of India and who gives rights/powers to the academic
administration and police department for stopping a person to meet the Prime Minister?
It is straight and intentionally violation of the Constitution of the India.
***
PM's speech at the Convocation Ceremony at IIT Kanpur

July 3, 2010, IIT
Kanpur
" I am very happy to participate in this convocation of IIT Kanpur. Let me begin by thanking the Board of Governors and
Academic Senate of IIT Kanpur for awarding me the degree Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa). This is an honor that I will
always cherish.
I congratulate the bright young women and men who have just received medals and degrees. You are indeed a privileged
group. The education you have received will serve you well all your life. A very exciting future beckons you.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur is undoubtedly one of our top-most institutions of higher education. The students
graduating today will always have the self-assurance that comes with being educated at a great institution. You will have the
confidence that you are better than most others in your chosen fields. But great institutions also teach you humility. They teach
you the power of ideas. They teach you to be broad minded and tolerant and also to question relentlessly. They teach you that
often there are many, equally valid approaches leading to the same goal. I hope you have also learnt some of these lessons,
which in some ways are more important than the knowledge and skills that you have picked up here.
The alumni of the IIT system have done our country proud. The peaking of the careers of the early batches of the IITs has
broadly coincided with the new recognition and respect with which the world views India today. IIT alumni have helped
immensely in this transformation of India's image, serving as excellent ambassadors for their country. Many of them are
leaders in business and technology, both within our country and abroad. They have also enriched India’s public service. There
is a long list of illustrious IIT alumni – Shri Narayanamurthy in the software industry, Shri Vinod Khosla in venture capital,
Prof. Raghuram Rajan in economics, Dr. Subba Rao in public service, late Prof. Rajiv Motwani in computer science, Shri
Ashok Kejriwal in the NGO sector and so on. Your institute is well represented in my office too. There are three officers from
IIT Kanpur in the Prime Minister’s Office today. Both my private secretaries are alumni of the IITs.
The graduating students of today will pursue diverse careers in academics, in finance, in marketing, in software, in technology
and in public service. Most of you will be very successful individuals. You will be well off; you will have accomplishments in
your professional life. But you must always bear in mind that the people of our country have partly paid for your education,
that our country is still burdened with persistent poverty, hunger and disease and that institutions like yours are islands of
excellence in a sea of less endowed institutions. You must in some manner, however small it might be, give back to the society
and the people who have nurtured you.
In some respects your graduation from IIT Kanpur is just the beginning of your education. The life ahead will test the strength
of your character and the mettle of your spirit as never before. I wish to see you pass these tests with flying colors. I hope you
will be a little old fashioned and build your life on the bedrock of ethical conduct. I hope you will have the courage of
conviction that Abraham Lincoln once spoke of- to close your ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if you think you are
right.
Our country owes a very deep debt of gratitude to our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was his extraordinary
vision that gave birth to many of our best institutions, including the IITs. IIT Kanpur has covered quite a distance since its
inception. It has lived up to Nehruji’s vision in many ways. It undoubtedly ranks among the very best in the world in
undergraduate education in Engineering and Technology. It has many firsts to its credit - the semester system, letter grades,
open book and take home examinations and so on. While we should be justifiably proud of the institute’s achievements in its
journey of 50 years, we should also use this landmark year for some serious introspection as to the deficiencies that we must
remove and the higher goals that we must reach in the future. We should all pledge to work together to make IIT Kanpur and
other IITs rank among the very best Science and Technology institutes of the world. An obvious area of improvement is the
8
quality of the post graduate programs. We need to strengthen the master and doctoral programs in the IITs. I urge upon the
Senate members, faculty and all others associated with IIT Kanpur to pool their wisdom, knowledge and experience to address
this issue.
Let me also touch here upon two issues pertaining to the research being conducted at the IITs. I would suggest that the IITs
should collaborate more with each other in research projects. I would also urge all IITs and especially IIT Kanpur for far more
collaboration with the corporate sector than we have seen in the past. This would be of mutual benefit to both – to the
corporate sector it could mean cost effective solutions and newer technology and products while for the IITs it would bring in
much needed funds and enhance their research capabilities.
Indeed, we as a nation urgently need to increase quality research in Science and Technology. Science and Technology today
play a dominant role in determining the power and progress of a nation. This role has become even more critical in the wake
of newer challenges like climate change. We need more innovation in areas like sustainable agriculture, affordable health care
and energy security. India’s strength in frugal engineering and extremely affordable innovations is becoming known
internationally. Indian scientists and engineers should leverage this strength to play a more prominent role in addressing
problems that affect all countries of the world.
To enhance our capabilities our Government has tried to ensure that Science and Technology form strong pillars of our
strategic alliances with other countries. The establishment of IIT Kanpur marked the beginning of cooperation between India
and the United States in Science and Technology. In the recently held meeting of Indo-US Science & Technology Joint
Commission, several important decisions have been taken to take this cooperation rapidly forward.
For high quality research we need world-class institutions. We also need more bright students to opt for research. We need more
young women and men acquiring PhD degrees. These needs of our country exist not only in Science and Technology but
across all areas of higher education. In the last five years we have expanded higher education facilities on an unprecedented
scale. A number of new IITs, IIMs, and IISERs have been started. More than 300 degree colleges have been opened in selected
districts. Government spending on higher education has been enhanced manifold. However, the issue of quality remains. A
major constraint is the availability of good faculty. I am told that the new IITs are ALSO facing problems in this area. An
obvious solution lies in encouraging a larger number of bright students to join academics. However, the IIT community must
come together to also evolve other innovative ways to address these issues. I assure you that the Central Government will do all
that is possible to ensure that the IITs function with the required degree of autonomy and flexibility and that the genuine needs
of the IIT faculty are met.
We have also set in motion an ambitious program to completely restructure the legal and regulatory environment of higher
education. Intensive consultations are being carried out for setting up the National Council for Higher Education & Research.
Several important bills have been introduced in the Parliament. These relate to accreditation, foreign universities, educational
tribunals and unfair practices. I would urge the entire IIT community to carefully go through these bills and offer suggestions to
make them better. I further suggest that high-class institutions like the IITs should also apply their minds to the improvement of
the overall public policy framework in the field of higher education.
I am happy that in the past few years IIT Kanpur has become associated with a number of projects which would greatly
benefit our country. These cover a diverse range of areas like railways, water resources, energy and environment. We have just
launched a new initiative in solar energy to be executed jointly by three Ministries of the Central Government and IIT
Kanpur. I am told that the project would explore new ways of storage of solar energy and its conversion into electricity. The
importance of such initiatives in energy cannot be over-emphasized given India's dependence on fossil fuel imports and the
increasing demand for energy to meet the requirements of our growing economy. We have also launched a joint initiatives of 7
IITs for the development of a management plan for the National Ganga River Basin. I am told that IIT Kanpur has also been
involved with important projects of the Indian Railways. The development of zero discharge toilet technology is a wonderful
contribution not only to the railways but also to the Shikaras of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. Similarly, the train tracking system
that IIT Kanpur has developed should improve the efficiency and safety of our railways. There are many other critical areas
where IIT Kanpur could contribute. I would urge the Institute, its faculty, staff and students to focus mere on projects and
initiatives which are of immediate benefit to our country and our people.
As you venture into a new phase in your life and career, I wish you all luck. I also wish IIT Kanpur its faculty and staff all the
best in the years ahead. I am sure that the institute will set higher and higher standards of excellence in the future.
May God be with you. "
------------------------------------
9
International
Singapore: Legal Charges Threat to Freedom of Expression :: British Author’s Critique of Death
Penalty Leads to Arrest
Singapore officials should cease using criminal defamation and contempt laws to silence government critics, Human Rights
Watch said today. The arrest of Alan Shadrake, the 75-year-old British author of Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in
the Dock, a critical review of Singapore's death penalty law and its administration, further narrows the space for reporting and
analysis of issues the government prefers to keep under tight control, Human Rights Watch said.
On July 16, 2010, the day before the book launch, the Media Development Authority, responsible for regulation of Singapore's
media and publishing industry, filed a police complaint against Shadrake for criminal defamation and contempt of court. The
defamation charge is still under investigation. On the same day, Singapore's attorney general submitted an affidavit saying that
Shadrake should be "committed to prison or receive such other punishment ... for his contempt of court ... for bringing into
existence, publication and distribution of the Book which contains passages that scandalize the Singapore Judiciary."
Supporting documents add that passages "undermine the authority of the Singapore courts and public confidence in the
administration of justice..." If convicted, Shadrake faces a potential two-year sentence and fines.
"Free speech is an endangered species in Singapore," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "It's
sadly predictable that the government did not hesitate to threaten prosecution, fines, and imprisonment against an author
whose views run contrary to its own."
Authorities arrested Shadrake, a death penalty opponent, on July 18, seized his passport, and released him on bail the following
day. The court hearing on the contempt charge is set for July 30, but in the interim the 75-year-old author has been subjected
to several days of police interrogation without benefit of counsel. Shadrake stated that the lengthy interrogation sessions left
him exhausted, and his lawyer reported that he had been placed on a heart monitor.
Once a Jolly Hangman is based on interviews with a longtime executioner at Changi Prison who has now retired and with
dozens of lawyers and death penalty opponents. Shadrake also reviewed years of court case files. He is outspoken in his
suggestion that Singapore death penalty sentencing decisions are not always made through impartial and independent
examination of the alleged crimes.
Human Rights Watch considers criminal penalties for defamation to be disproportionate and unduly harmful to freedom of
expression. Many states have abandoned such laws, recognizing that civil defamation is generally adequate to protect the
reputation of others.
Scandalizing the court, the contempt charge applied in Shadrake's case, is a relic of British colonial law no longer in use in the
UK or in other commonwealth countries such as Brunei, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Canada, but retained in Singapore.
And although Singapore's constitution protects free expression, it also specifically protects against contempt of court. Another
well known case was that of the academic Christopher Lingle and the International Herald Tribune, who were fined for
contempt when Singapore's High Court deemed that a reference in an October 7, 1994 op-ed article to "intolerant regimes"
and a "compliant judiciary" could only refer to Singapore. In the 2009 case of Attorney-General v. Hertzberg, the High Court
rejected the proposition that contempt had to pose a "real risk" to the administration of justice and affirmed that conviction
could be based merely on the "inherent tendency" of words to suggest bias, impropriety, or other judicial wrongdoing.
"All the government's action will do is jail yet another author, while ensuring that Shadrake's book will be a best seller outside
Singapore, most likely in Southeast Asia's airport bookstores" Robertson said.
Although media reports state the book is not banned in Singapore, it is apparently hard to purchase because the government
has advised bookstores not to stock it. The death penalty is a touchy issue for Singapore officials, who rigorously defend the
state's mandatory death penalty for murder, treason, and some 20 drug-related offenses. The latest high-profile case on
Singapore's death row involves a Malaysian, Yong Vui Kong, due to be executed in August for a drug-related offense committed
when he was 19. Singapore refuses to make public statistics on executions in the city-state, but is believed to have one of the
highest per capita execution rates in the world. Human Rights Watch opposes capital punishment in all circumstances because
of its cruel, inhumane, and irreversible nature.
Singapore's drug law, which carries a mandatory death penalty for some offenses, also fails to meet international human rights
standards, Human Rights Watch said. The mandatory nature of this penalty effectively obstructs judges from considering the
circumstances of a case or handing down lighter sentences. The United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary
or arbitrary executions has stated that the death penalty should under no circumstances be mandatory by law, regardless of the
charges involved.
"If the government is truly concerned with protecting its reputation, it could do better than to jail authors and execute drug
offenders," Robertson said. "Abandoning criminal punishment for defamation and prosecutions for criticizing the judiciary
would be a good start."
Source: Human Rights Watch

-----------------------------------------
10
India: Don’t Repeat Misuse of Counterterrorism Laws :: Amend Laws to Protect Basic Rights
New York,
The Indian government should revise its draconian 2008 amendments to counterterrorism laws that can lead to serious
violations of human rights, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. The amendments mirror previous
counterterrorism laws that had been allowed to lapse or were repealed because of the abuses committed under them, Human
Rights Watch said.
The 20-page report, "Back to the Future: India's 2008 Counterterrorism Laws," is an analysis of the amendments to the
Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), enacted after the November 26, 2008 attacks on Mumbai that killed 166 people
and injured over 300. Comparing them to previous legislation, the report finds that the new amendments contain provisions
that are also likely to result in abuse of terrorism suspects and the infringement of basic due process rights.
"The Indian government needs to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, but laws that open the way to human rights
violations are counterproductive," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Abuse of previous
counterterrorism laws all too often alienated communities and served as a recruitment tool for militants."
The Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act 1985 was allowed to lapse in 1995, and the Prevention of Terrorism
Act 2002 (POTA) was repealed in 2004 because both laws had led to the arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearance,
and extrajudicial killing of numerous terrorism suspects and others, including Sikhs, Muslims, Dalits, and citizens of India's
northeastern states.
The 2008 amendments contain the same vague definitions of terrorist activity and unlawful association as these previous laws.
With the amendments' harsh penalties and wide powers of detention and investigation, the government can misuse this law to
persecute political opponents or authorize repressive measures against minority groups and targeted populations. Human
Rights Watch is particularly concerned that the amendments will be invoked during security operations against Maoist armed
groups, known as Naxalites, to target tribal groups and human rights defenders.
The report contains detailed recommendations to the Indian government to revise the 2008 amendments to prevent abuses. In
particular, Human Rights Watch calls on the Indian government to revise the definition of terrorism and ensure that
restrictions on organizations respect the right to freedom of association under international law. Human Rights Watch also
urges the repeal of provisions such as those authorizing pre-charge detention for up to 180 days, limitations on bail,
presumption of guilt in certain circumstances, and overly broad search, seizure, and arrest.
The 2008 amendments allow the authorities to classify as "terrorist" a broad range of peaceful opposition movements arising
from regional, ethnic, or religious grievances. The amendments permit the security forces to conduct searches and make arrests
that otherwise would be unlawful under Indian law, and to compel information from third parties without a court order or
judicial warrant, based only on the "personal knowledge" of the relevant officer. The law also permits detention without charge
for up to 180 days, including 30 days in police custody, without proper safeguards. These violate international protections
against arbitrary detention.
Human Rights Watch said that the National Investigation Agency Act (NIAA), which allows for the creation of a specialized
federal police agency, is another source of concern. The agency is authorized to investigate terrorism and other national-
security crimes. The law also authorizes the creation of special courts that have broad powers to hold closed-door proceedings
with secret witnesses.
"Indian security forces are seldom held accountable for their crimes," Ganguly said. "Providing them the dangerous powers
under these amendments opens the door to further injustice."
A number of Indian states are facing violent protests or armed conflict, placing some of the country's poorest and most
marginalized communities at risk. Muslim and Hindu extremist groups have indiscriminately targeted people in bomb attacks,
Maoists have killed alleged informers and ordinary citizens in buses and trains, and armed separatists in Jammu and Kashmir,
Manipur, and Assam routinely carry out attacks that kill or wound civilians.
"Local populations are often caught in the middle of a conflict, forced to support armed groups in their midst, and then put at
risk of arrest and torture by the security forces for aiding the enemy," Ganguly said. "The recent amendments tighten the vise
even further."
Source:
Human Rights Watch
--------------------------
11
Food Security Strategy Workshop to highlight actions for progress

Sana’a – Policymakers, researchers, and donors are considering a seven point action plan to improve food security in Yemen by
2020. The discussions are taking place at the Food Security Strategy Workshop hosted by the Ministry of Planning and
International Cooperation, Government of Yemen, in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI).
One-third of Yemenis – 7.5 million people – do not have enough food, making Yemen the most food insecure country in the
Arab world. But the Government of Yemen has a mission to drastically change those figures and is committed to cut food
insecurity by one-third by 2015, make 90 percent of the population food secure by 2020, and sharply reduce child
malnutrition.
“The Government of Yemen is committed to taking all measures to increase food security in the country, and these
recommendations will be reflected in the five year plan that will be finalized by the end of this year,” said Abdulkarim I. Al-
Arhabi, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation.
The seven point action plan outlines suggested priorities for action, to be followed-up with decisive policies, targeted
investments and programs, to reach the goals of reducing food insecurity.
The proposed action points are:
Leverage fuel subsidy reform to promote food security;

Promote pro-food secure private investments in promising sectors;
Support for non-qat agricultural development;
Enforce competition among cereal importers and consider physical grain storage for emergencies;
Implement water sector strategy;
Better target public investment to the food insecure; and
Launch national campaigns for family planning, nutrition, and women’s empowerment
“With a combination of proper policies and design of investment plans and programs, Yemen can dramatically improve food
security, and reach its goals by 2015 and 2020,” said IFPRI research fellow Clemens Breisinger, who provided technical
assistance with the action plan.
-----------------
China: Witnesses Lift Veil on Abuses by Security Forces in Tibet

Eyewitness accounts confirm that Chinese security forces used disproportionate force and acted with deliberate brutality during
and after unprecedented Tibetan protests beginning on March 10, 2008, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released
today. Many violations continue today, including disappearances, wrongful convictions and imprisonment, persecution of
families, and the targeting of Tibetans suspected of sympathizing with the protest movement.
The 73-page report, "‘I Saw It with My Own Eyes': Abuses by Security Forces in Tibet, 2008-2010," is based on more than 200
interviews with Tibetan refugees and visitors conducted immediately after they left China, as well as fresh, not previously
reported, official Chinese sources. The report details, through eyewitness testimonies, a broad range of abuses committed by
security forces both during and after protest incidents, including using disproportionate force in breaking up protests,
proceeding to large-scale arbitrary arrests, brutalizing detainees, and torturing suspects in custody.
"Dozens of eyewitness testimonies and the government's own sources show clearly the official willingness to use lethal force
against unarmed protestors," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "This report decisively
refutes the Chinese government's claim that it handled the protests in line with international standards and domestic laws."
The report also suggests that contrary to government claims, Chinese security forces opened fire indiscriminately on
demonstrators in at least four separate incidents, including in one area of downtown Lhasa on March 14.
In order to avoid external or independent scrutiny of the security operations, the Chinese authorities effectively locked down
the entire Tibetan plateau and dispatched massive numbers of troops across all Tibetan-inhabited areas. It expelled journalists
and foreign observers, restricted travel to and within the region, cut or monitored telecommunications and internet, and
arrested anyone suspected of reporting on the crackdown. The government has rejected all calls for independent investigations
into the protests, including those from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN special rapporteurs.
12
Human Rights Watch has condemned violence committed by Tibetans as well as by security forces. In Lhasa alone, 21 people
were killed and several hundred injured during the March 14-15 time period in 2008, according to government figures. But
international legal standards limit the use of force by states to that which is strictly necessary in order to protect life or to
apprehend perpetrators of violent crimes. In multiple incidents, eyewitness testimonies show that Chinese forces acted in
contravention of these standards and broke international law - including prohibitions against disproportionate use of force,
torture, and arbitrary detention, as well as the right to peaceful assembly - despite government claims to the contrary.
From the outset of the protests, the Chinese government consistently stated that it would handle all cases arising from the
protests in an impartial manner and "according to law." But the report offers a very difference picture: one in which thousands
of demonstrators and ordinary Tibetans were arrested and detained without due process and without regard to legal
procedures; where the state provided no accountability as to the whereabouts of detainees; and where a politicized judiciary
controlled by party authorities conducted proceedings in which defendants had virtually no due process.
Human Rights Watch said that the report's finding showed that the Chinese government urgently needs to investigate the
protests and their aftermath, and open the region to media and international monitors. The Chinese authorities also need to
examine the conduct of its security forces, which eyewitnesses consistently say used disproportionate force; deliberately
brutalized and mistreated Tibetans detained for suspected involvement in the unrest; and deprived detainees of minimum
guarantees of due process of law, including formal notification of where, or why, they were held.
"The need for an international investigation into the situation in Tibet is a great as ever," Richardson said. "Abuses by security
forces are unlikely to quell, and may even aggravate, the longstanding grievances that prompted the protests in the first place."
Background
In early March 2008, the suppression by Chinese security forces of a string of peaceful protests by Tibetan monks from major
monasteries in and around Lhasa led to a severe break down of public order in the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of
China on March 14.
As massive security reinforcements from neighboring provinces poured into the area and the government threatened a major
crackdown, an unprecedented wave of protests erupted across the Tibetan plateau. Official reports acknowledged over 150
incidents in the first two weeks, and occasional isolated protests continued to be reported over many months.
In response this most sustained episode of Tibetan unrest in decades, the Chinese government launched largest security
operations in the country since the crackdown of the Tiananmen movement in 1989.
Yet the Chinese government has yet to explain the precise circumstances that led to dozens of clashes between protesters and
police. It has not addressed how its security forces handled protesters - including allegedly using lethal force and abandoning
Lhasa's city-center to protesters and looters for several hours on March 14. Nor has the Chinese government revealed the fate
of hundreds of Tibetans arrested during the protests, or disclosed how many Tibetans have been detained, sentenced, held
pending trial, or sentenced to extrajudicial forms of detention.
Testimonies from
"‘I Saw It with My Own Eyes': Abuses by Security Forces in Tibet, 2008-2010":
"They were firing straight at people. They were coming from the direction of Jiangsu Lu firing at any Tibetans they saw, and
many people had been killed."
Pema Lhakyi (not her real name,) a 24-year -old Lhasa resident.
"She was shot by a single bullet in the head. Local people managed to take her body home to the village, which is about five
kilometers from Tongkor monastery."
Sonam Tenzin (not his real name), a 27-year-old monk from Tongkor monastery.
"At first, the soldiers fired in front of the crowd a few times to scare them, but the crowd thought they would not dare to
actually fire and continued crowding inside the compound. At that point, the soldiers started to fire."
Tenpa Trinle (not his real name), a 26-year-old monk from Seda county.
"The first thing I saw was a lot of soldiers and police beating the crowd with electric batons. Groups of four or five soldiers
were arresting crowd members one by one and putting them in a truck."
Dorje Tso (not his real name) 55-year-old resident from Tongren.
"They burst in, breaking the doors and gates of the colleges and dormitories. The soldiers were armed and equipped with
hatchets and hammers, as well as torches, handcuffs and wire ropes. On entering monks' rooms they would first ask for phones,
which were systematically confiscated ... Some of the arrested monks were handcuffed; others tied up with wire ropes ... They
ordered us to move very fast, and if we didn't, they'd hit us. Several hundred monks were taken away."
Jampa Lhaga (not his real name), a former Drepung monk in Lhasa.
13
"None of the means ... adopted there have exceeded the constitutional rights of the armed forces or international law."
Wu Shuangzhan, Commander of the People's Armed Police, March 16, 2008.
"We were beaten very badly. The guards used clubs and sticks to beat us ... They hit us mostly on the lower body. This lasted
two days. Then we were taken to Gutsa prison in Lhasa. There, the police interrogated us non-stop for two whole days and
nights. They were beating us, taking turns to conduct the interrogation ..."
Rinchen Namgyal (not his real name), a 33-year-old monk from Ganden monastery.
"Up to 30 people were crowded in cells of three or four square meters. There was no space to sit down so detainees had to
stand most of the day and night. The cells had no toilets but prisoners were not taken out and had to relieve themselves in the
cell. They were given one bowl of rice congee a day. Many were subjected to beatings."
Pasang Choepel (not his real name), a former detainee from Aba.
"The Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Intermediate People's Court held that the defendant Dorje Kandrup [Ch. Duoji
Kangzhu] wrote pamphlets calling for Tibetan independence, threw them on important roads of Ganzi County, brazenly
inciting to split the country and destroy national unity, and that her actions amounted to the crime of inciting separatism.
Public notice of Ganzi prefecture's Political and Legal Committee announcing the 6-year imprisonment verdict of Dorje
Kandrup.
"The beatings continued in the courtyard. The PAP soldiers were using belts and the butt of their guns ... They were kicking
him on the ground, and he was bleeding a lot-there was so much blood. Then they left him just lying on the ground,
motionless ... I saw it with my own eyes."
- Lhundrup Dorje (not his real name), a resident from Lhasa.
Source:
Human Rights Watch
---------
14
Reports
How Information Commissioners & Police endanger Right To Information Activists
There has been a spate of 20 attacks on activists in the last 7 months, including 9 killings. [Latest killing “TOI: Home guard
killed for seeking info under RTI”: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Home-guard-killed-for-seeking-info-
under-RTI/articleshow/6225768.cms ]
Digging into individual cases may explain why a particular activist was attacked, but fails to explain the larger mystery: Why
this sudden rash of attacks nationwide? What is going on here? Is there a pattern?
To understand this nationwide murder-mystery, we need to take a bird’s-eye-view of several relevant facts (including some
background facts), and then join the dots to see a pattern.
· Fact no. 1: RTI HAS CAUSED A GROUNDSHIFT, AN IRREVERSIBLE CULTURAL PHENOMENON. The passing of
the Right To Information Act in 2005 gave citizens a new locus standi vis-à-vis the government and administration, enabling
ordinary people to demand access to documents that were hitherto “official secrets”. By ending the stranglehold of the pre-
colonial Official Secrets Act 1923, the RTI Act changed the balance of power between citizens and bureaucracy. Early pioneers
(like late Prakash Kardaley, Late Kewal Semlani and Shailesh Gandhi and Anna Hazare in Maharashtra, Aruna Roy in
Rajasthan and Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi region) systematically taught people the logic of RTI, creating a well-informed swarm
of citizens to question the government on non-performance, arbitrariness and corruption.
Email groups, blogs and mobile technology acted as hubs in the further education of citizens and media by a second generation
of RTI activists and experts. With hundreds of aggressive activists scooping out skeletons, there is now a mass movement that is
no longer dependent on the initiatives of a few enlightened persons. Indeed, RTI and administrative-reform today provokes
popular emotions that were earlier seen only in the case of river-water-sharing issues.
Lakhs of educated information-seekers and activists spend hours daily exchanging legal notes on the internet. The hits and
updates on dedicated RTI websites like http://www.rtindia.org, or email forums like humjanenge@yahoogroups.co.in,
probably excel the hits by lawyers on law websites like vakilno1.com. (In fact, a growing proportion of hits on law websites
come from RTI activists looking for Court judgments to cite in their appeals before Information Commissioners.)
Even where internet has not reached, there are, on any given day of the week, a score of activists and NGO workers sitting
with villagers and slum-dwellers, patiently explaining the rules of the game and helping to draft requests for information, and
appeals against unjustified delay and denial. Through RTI, legal awareness has entered India’s DNA.
· Fact no. 2: RTI ACTIVISTS ARE PRESENT-DAY CRIME FIGHTERS. It is no exaggeration to say that RTI “activists” (as
opposed to RTI “Users”) are modern-day detectives and crime-fighters. Unlike Phantom, Spiderman and other imaginary
super-heroes, they don’t use fists and guns; like Sherlock Holmes and Perry Mason, they use their brains to get expose crime
and sleaze. Forced by the often-deliberate failure of authorities to stop ongoing criminal activities, they set out to expose the
crimes and the complicity of officials. Quite often, crime-fighting activity either originates from personal vendetta, or results in
personal vendetta, or both. It can be a vicious death-cycle. [As an example, read this Indian Express report on Amit Jethwa
here: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Chronicle-of-a-Murder-foretold/653660 ]
· Fact no. 3: THE NUMBERS AND NETWORKS OF ANGRY ACTIVISTS IS SWELLING EVERY MONTH.
Agonizingly slow case disposal by Information Commissioners discourages many information seekers. But it also turns
substantial numbers of information seekers into experts and hard-boiled activists. During the 6-18 months of waiting for
hearings at State and Central Information Commissioners (SICs/CICs), frustrated RTI applicants get lots of free advice from
senior colleagues, network together and establish groups. Together, they evolve ingenious ways of challenging the system with a
combination of RTI applications to various public authorities, complaints, letter-baazi, sting operations, media exposes etc.
They develop various legal, administrative and arm-twisting methods for seeking remedy. The slow-moving system thus helping
to create an army of its own enemies. This process appears to have reached a saturation point in 2010… hence the killings.
· Fact no. 4: CIC/SIC’s RELUCTANCE FORCES ACTIVISTS TO ENDANGER THEIR LIVES FOR MONTHS &
YEARS. The wait for information is made prolonged by SICs/CICs reluctant to enforce the time-limit for giving information –
30 days in a bulk of the cases, 45 days in complicated cases. Information commissioners routinely refuse to penalize public
information officers (PIOs), order compensation for distressed appellants, and monitor the smooth flow of quality information.
Such routine condonement makes PIOs and public authorities fearless and unmindful of the requirements of the RTI Act. The
prolonged struggle of the helpless activists to get information increases their visibility and vulnerability. The activist becomes a
sitting duck for the criminals and the corrupt whom he is seeking to expose.
· Fact no. 5: GOVERNMENT POLICY OF ROUTINELY SELECTING POLITICAL APPOINTEES AND RETIRED
BABUS FOR THE POST OF CICs/SICs INCREASES THE CHANCES OF ATTACKS ON RTI ACTIVISTS. Does
anybody believe that after decades in the administration, a retired IAS officer will force his former colleagues to give out
embarrassing information? Is it likely that bureaucrats or political party workers will compel disclosure of documents that may
15
be used as evidence in court? Appointment of such people as SICs/CICs violates the basic tenet of natural justice, vz. “No one
should be judge in his own cause.” While minimizing the chances of timely information disclosure and justice, such
appointments maximise the chances of the activist’s strategies being leaked the Information Commissioner or his staff to land
and mining mafias etc, leading to threats, attacks and killings. For thousands of activists countrywide, this is not a hypothetical
scenario, but a regular occurrence.
CIC Selection Issue explained in a nutshell: http://www.box.net/shared/15mjbyihfk
· Fact no. 6: UNWILLINGNESS OF POLICE TO REGISTER FIRS AND INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS OF

ACTIVISTS FORCES THEM TO DO DANGEROUS DETECTIVE WORK FOR GATHERING EVIDENCE. Over
recent decades, the power to get an FIR registered with the police or Anti-Corruption Bureau with basic evidence of
wrongdoing has slipped out of the common citizen’s hands, and accumulated in the hands of the powerful, influential and rich.
CrPC sections 154 and 156 say that for FIR to be registered, cognizable offence must be “made out” by the citizen’s complaint;
it is the job of the police investigation to gather enough evidence to later frame a charge-sheet and place it before the court.
[Issue on registering FIR explained in a nutshell: http://www.box.net/shared/pb0qyu86q4
Anti Corruption Bureau explained in a nutshell: http://www.box.net/shared/5cz9or6csh ]
Due to police officials’ unwillingness to perform their legal duties – no doubt under political and bureaucratic pressures – RTI
activists endanger their lives trying to gather more and more documentary evidence to nail the culprits in court -- a dangerous
activity, especially when powerful MLAs, MPs, ministers and history-sheeters are involved.
Amit Jethwa, Dattatreya Patil and Satish Shetty took it on themselves to uncover ongoing criminal activities. In 2009, like all of
us, they were part of the struggle for good governance. In 2010, they have been laid to rest. Aren’t we all “dead men walking,”
waiting for a bullet to release us from our struggle? Don’t our families live in the fear of being orphaned?
Sumaira Abdulali has been fighting to save the environment from rapacious sand-mining mafias. She was assaulted – not once
but twice – and narrowly escaped with her life in january. Nayana Kathpalia has been fighting in courts for decades to prevent
theft of precious public spaces in cities by crooks. She was shot at; and luckily, she escaped. How many more chances do we
want to give the crooked and the corrupt to eliminate them?
How much longer shall we tolerate and ignore procedures of governments, information commissions and police officials that
actively makes living targets out of the best people in our midst?
SUGGESTED ACTION:
At the very least, please write petition letters to Chief Minister, Prime Minister, UPA Chairman Sonia Gandhi and Chief
Justice of India asking for these systemic changes:
a) Information Commissioners must be selected by a process of open selection, after issuing circulars and advertisements to
invite applications from “eminent citizens” from different walks of life, as mandated by RTI Act sections 12(5) and 15(5).
Selection cannot be a hush-hush affair that is closed to the public and open only to stooges of Chief Ministers and the Prime
Minister.
b) Speaking order formats and other formats recommended by Price WaterHouse Coopers must be implemented. [PWC
recommendations: http://www.box.net/shared/e318anzho6 ]
c) Supreme Court should proactively initiate contempt proceedings in response to police officers shirking their lawful duty to
register FIRs. The duty to enforce compliance of Supreme Court orders should not be cast on hapless citizens!
Report by:
Krishnaraj Rao
--------------------------------------------
16
HOW & WHY INSUGENCY - Nation Understands :: Administrative egotism and mischief must
cease
THE new National Litigation Policy has special significance for the defence services, particularly disabled veterans. The policy
ordains that frivolous appeals would not be filed by government departments and that appeals on orders of Tribunals shall be
an exception rather than the rule. Further, false and misleading pleas or technicalities shall not be espoused.
For long veterans have been at the receiving end of paper violence perpetrated by the government’s legal pundits, who, guided
by a strange spirit of sadism, exhaust every single game in the book to ensure benefits do not reach the beneficiaries even when
directed by higher judiciary.
To begin with, medical authorities indulge in “literal” rather than “liberal’ interpretation of rules, thereby denying benefits to
disabled soldiers. They forget the “spirit” while clinging to the “letter”. When there is a court order granting disability pension,
appeals and reviews are filed as a matter of routine even in cases fully covered by earlier judicial rulings.
It is not the higher echelons of governance or the services headquarters that are to blame, but the swarm of section officers,
under secretaries and deputy secretaries who rule the roost.
The lower-level bureaucracy with its caustic file-notings, unfortunately, runs the government.
That the new policy specially mentions “false” and “misleading” pleas shows the powers that be are aware of the malaise.
Appeals are filed not out of legal necessity but because of administrative egotism – How could a petty employee win a case
against the mighty officialdom?
Then comes the stage where dubious pleas are presented before the courts, which if not rebutted by a well acquainted legal
brain, end in pronouncements which can hardly be termed well-rounded.
This reminds me of some cases with special reference to disabled soldiers. In Secretary MoD Vs Ajit Singh, the defence
ministry is on record, stating that disability pension was not released to him since he did not have the minimum required
service of 10 years. In reality, there is no minimum service requirement for disability pension and even a recruit is entitled to
the same.
In the recent case of Karan Singh Vs UOI, the government espoused that the Army alone provides disability pension to its
employees. The truth is that civilian employees are also entitled to exactly the same benefits. In P.K. Kapur Vs UoI the
government went hammer and tongs proclaiming it had the right to fix a cut-off date for grant of certain disability benefits that
had been refused to pre-1996 retirees. The case went in favour of the government since the Court was never informed that the
said benefits through the same master notification had already been extended to similarly placed pre-1996 civilian retirees. The
petitioner could not rebut the falsehood since he could not afford a lawyer.
It is not that mischievous elements are playing around only with the judiciary. The higher strata of governance is also not left
untouched. In a speech last month, apparently prepared by a similarly inclined officer, the Defence Minster was made to
“announce” with pride that the government had introduced an additional amount of Rs 3,000 as constant attendance
allowance for disabled soldiers keeping in view their sacrifices. So far so good, but the humble Minister was not in the
knowledge that firstly, this allowance is applicable to civilian employees too and hence has nothing to do with valour or
sacrifices. Second, the concept is in force since times immemorial and even its enhancement is old news which was announced
in March 2008 by the Sixth Pay Commission. Third, it is not applicable to all disabled personnel but only to 100 per cent
disabled retirees.
In the past two years there have been other instances where the political executive and the top brass have been misled into
announcing beneficial “policy decisions” by hiding from them the fact that the same had actually been necessitated due to
Supreme Court decisions.
----
EXPERT SPEAK
THERE is an awakening to see that military law is made purposeful and pragmatic not only to answer the needs of the defence
personnel but also to ensure it is in consonance with the rule of law. The grievance mechanisms within the services also need a
re-look. For example, the Complaints Advisory Board (CAB), through which all complaints are routed, is staffed by officers with
no exposure to law whereas many complaints have legal ramifications. Law qualified people in CAB can render appropriate
advice at the initial stages itself, thereby cutting down the possibility of litigation.
— Brig (Dr) S.D. Dutta (Retd), Ex-JAG Deptt and practicing lawyer
LAW cannot be static but ought to be dynamic and military law can be no exception. With the Armed Forces Tribunal, more
and more court martial trials are bound to come under intense scrutiny and we need legal cover at the grassroots. There is
therefore, an urgent need to revisit the system of military justice to minimise if not altogether eliminate adverse fallouts. Then
there is the issue of the summary court martial, an important mechanism of instilling discipline, where the CO is the judge as
well as the prosecutor and all elements of the court function within his command. Since military law and justice are two sides
of the same coin, it is important to review this.
— Col R. Balasubramanian (Retd). Ex-JAG Deptt and practicing lawyer
17
WHEN the Army Act 1950 was introduced, it was just old wine in a new bottle and since then we have paid lip service to
changes required in military law. Even with the Tribunal coming up, a large number of service personnel cannot approach it
because the it lacks jurisdiction in several areas like transfers and in certain cases of summary courts martial. Also with the
Tribunal now functional, several provisions in the Army Act pertaining to court martial like review of sentences by high
authorities or pre and post confirmations petitions need to be done away with.
— Col S.K. Aggarwal (Retd), Ex-JAG Deptt and practicing lawyer
INDIAN Military Law is comprises Army Act, Navy Act and Air Force Act and most Acts for paramilitary force have drawn
their inspiration from the Army Act. These special enactments provide for a sound system of administration of justice in the
defence forces and at the same time provisions that ensure the maintenance of, as is also the need for, high standard of
discipline among the personnel. Now with the setting up of the Armed Forces Tribunal, there is more confidence among
litigants as the scope of judicial intervention and review has increased, besides speedier disposal of cases.
— Rajeev Anand, High Court lawyer
MILITARY Law is one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation and it provides for efficacious and speedy justice. It is
required to be humane but firm to maintain the discipline and morale of the armed forces. There is erroneous impression that
military law in India is archaic, harsh and arbitrary. The law itself is humane but its manner of implementation leaves a lot to
be desired. The inherent checks and balances ensure smooth dispensation of justice and some of its provisions need to be
emulated by the civilian courts.
— Arvind Moudgil, High Court lawyer
WE must apply the basic concepts of justice and humar rights to the armed forces, while maintaining discipline and
operational efficiency. Many countries have amended their military laws regarding the rights of the accused and the human
rights standards. We have also made a beginning by setting up Armed Forces Tribunal at various places across the country.
— Capt Sandeep Bansal, High Court lawyer
-----
Article by:
Navdeep Singh
(Maj Navdeep Singh is a lawyer practicing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court)
----------------------
Centre yet to take stand on Dalit Muslims: Salman Khurshid

PATNA,
The UPA is not clear about its stand on Dalit Muslims and will take up the issue only after implementing all recommendations
of the Sachar report. A recommendation on Dalit Muslims has been made in the Ranganath Mishra report.
When asked about UPA’s stand on this sensitive issue boggling the community’s mind, Union minister of state for minority
affairs Salman Khurshid said here on Sunday, "We have no stand on this issue as we are still busy implementing the
recommendations of the Sachar Committee. We have already implemented 90 percent of the recommendations."
He said the recommendations in the Mishra report will also be studied and implemented. "On Dalit issue, we will seek the
opinion of all stakeholders," he added while interacting with the media.
Khurshid also told that the Centre is now going a step ahead of the reservation plank. He said, "An Equal Opportunity
Commission has been set up which will decide the quantum of reservation for the deprived sections of the society."
He said both majority and minority and other sections which are deprived will come under the ambit of this commission which
will not prefix quota but decide it later as per space and availability in government and private sector.
Khurshid said that a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by defence minister A K Antony has been constituted. He said the
GoM has already held two rounds of meeting. He was of the view that the minority groups would benefit under this scheme
since it is a common belief that minority sections are more deprived.
Khurshid said he has written to CM Nitish Kumar on schemes for Minority Concentration Districts (MCD). There are seven
MCDs in Bihar out of 90 across the country for which the Centre has made provision of Rs 3,500 crore in 11th Plan for
redressal of various problems facing the community.
18
"The Bihar CM complained that we are not giving him funds for the infrastructural facilities in madrassas. The matters related
to madrassas are looked after by the HRD ministry which runs various schemes. He can ask my ministry for funds to open
schools and ITIs and construction of hostels for minorities," Khurshid said adding it should not be made a poll issue.
He said the opposition should admit what the UPA government has been doing and also realize their own failures. The
minister also lamented the problem in implementation of the scholarship scheme for minority students. He said the states will
now have to put on website the names of all the students recommended for the scholarship and also those whose applications
were rejected, giving the reasons for the same. The scholarship is given from Class I to XII and also to college students.
----
Credits to RINA news agency
-------------------------
Bangalore's garbage killing people in Mavallipura :: Villagers refuse to cremate young victim's
body
Akshay Kumar, a 15 year old boy, died of dengue this morning at Mavallipura, Yelahanka Hobli, 20 kms north of Bangalore.
Akshay's untimely death is the tragic outcome of reckless dumping of hundreds of tonnes of garbage daily by Bruhat
Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and M/s Ramky Infrastructure Ltd. at Mavallipura, making it a fertile habitat for
mosquitoes and resulting in widespread affliction of local communities with deadly dengue and chikungunya.
This is the second death in a week in this village. Rajanna (about 60y) passed away due to cancer only 5 days ago. Rajanna's
death is highly indicative of the widespread adverse impact of toxic discharge from illegal landfills in the village. Many more
are suffering from cancer, kidney failure, low immunity levels in surrounding villages, and the rates of such diseases are way
over the national average.
The misery of the villagers is unspeakable. People have to eat inside mosquito nets during the day and night, to ensure flies
don't get to their food. Dogs and scavenging birds are everywhere. Couple of days ago, 7 year old Chaitra was bitten by a rabid
dog and has been hospitalised.
The landfills are also only 5 kms. from Yelahanka Air Force Base and attract a very high population of kites and crows, and
vultures too – considered serious threat to flight safety of defense aircraft. This landfill is proving to be a major handicap to free
movement of Indian Air Force planes and consquently compromising our air borne security systems.
This terribly mis-managed and illegal landfill has been a major source of worry, consternation and protest amongst local
communities for some years now. Regulatory agencies, like Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, have done little or
nothing to contain the damage to human health and environment, despite many petitions, protests, complaints, etc.
Livid villagers of Mavallipura are now carrying the body of Akshay to the Ramky facility in protest. The tragedy struck family
has refused to cremate the remains of this unfortunate young victim of criminal negligence by BBMP and regulatory
authorities. In their worst times they have taken to protest until their long standing demands are met with: the illegal landfill
facility must be shut down, the area must be fully decontaminated and all affected families comprehensively compensated.
Environment Support Group has extensively surveyed the damage to the local environment and human health due to the
illegal landfills and a comprehensive report of the adverse impacts will soon be released.
Call for support:

If you wish to support the affected communities in their tragic times, please join the villagers protest right away, at Mavallipura.
To reach the village travel on Bangalore – new Airport road (Bellary Road), take a left after the GKVK Campus at Yelahanka
junction onto the Doddaballapura Road, proceed for a few kms. to the CRPF campus (on the left) and immediately after this
police campus take the left turn that will take you straight to the illegal landfills and the site of protest.
In solidarity with the unfortunate victims of our collective neglect.
Report by:
Leo F. Saldanha
Coordinator Environment Support Group
------------------------------------
19
Parliamentarians pay floral tributes to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Meira Kumar, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Smt. Sushma Swaraj, and Chairman of the BJP
Parliamentary Party Shri L.K. Advani led the nation in paying floral tributes at the portrait of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
in the Central Hall of Parliament House on his Birth Anniversary, today.
Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, former Members of Parliament, and Secretaries-General of Lok Sabha and Rajya
Sabha, Shri P.D.T. Achary and Dr. V.K. Agnihotri, respectively, also paid floral tributes.
A booklet containing the profile of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, brought out in Hindi and English by the Lok Sabha
Secretariat, was presented to the dignitaries who attended the function.
The portrait of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was unveiled by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,
in the Central Hall of Parliament House on 28 July 1956, in recognition of his outstanding services to the nation.
-------------------------
PARYAVARAN SURAKSHA SAMITI are horrified at the gruesome murder of Mr Amit Jethva
We the activists of PARYAVARAN SURAKSHA SAMITI are horrified at the gruesome murder of Mr. Amit Jethva, President
of Gir Nature Youth Club, Khambha, District Amreli who had been raising the issue of illegal mining and other
environmental issues in Junagadh area.
More shocking is the fact that the murder took place not only in a big, busy city but very close to Gujarat High Court and not
very far from the seat of power in 'peaceful Gujarat. Perhaps the location of the crime spot explains who might be behind it as
suspected by his immediate family.
The possible reasons and motive of the crime may never be properly investigated given the influence and reach of those alleged
to be behind it but it is absolutely essential that civil society condemns this unequivocally and exerts sufficient pressure on the
Police and higher authorities to carry out a fair and impartial inquiry, and trial of those guilty.
It has to be realised by one and all that settling disputes in this manner should not go unpunished. Even the powerful pay a
heavy price for such acts in the medium and long run.
By:
Anand Mazgaonkar
Michael Mazgaonkar
Swati Desai
Rajnibhai Dave
Rohit Prajapati
Krishnakant
Trupti Shah
Ambrish Brahmbhatt
Kantibhai Mistry
--
Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti
----------------------------------------
20
Condolence Meeting about right to Information activist Sri Amit Jethava's murder and some
important decisions
On 22/07/2010, a condolence meeting of the National RTI Forum was held at its office at 5/426, Viram Khand, Gomti
Nagar, Lucknow. It was in remembrance of the slain RTI activist Sri Amit Jethwa, the eminent environmentalist, RTI activist
and the State Coordinator of RTI Forum at Gujarat who was so brutally murdered by vested interests before the Gujarat High
Court. The meeting was primarily attended by Mr Amitabh Thakur, President of the Forum, Mr Himanshu and Mr Abhishek,
Dr Siddharth from the Uttar Pradesh RTI Forum, Mr Ashok Pandey, Mr Gagan Singh, Mr Harish Malik, Mr Pramod Tiwari
from Lucknow Forum and others.
The meeting discussed the exemplary and path-breaking works of Sri Amit and also condemned his murder with the strongest
possible words, In addition a few important decisions were taken.
These included-
1. It was decided to create a separate permanent "RTI Fund" to be operated by the Forum which shall be exclusively for RTI
activists.
2. The first substantial amount from this Fund shall be given to the family members of Sri Amit Jethawa.
3. It was also decided that since Sri Amit's father Sri Biku Bhai Jethwa has directly accused the Junagarh BJP MP Sri
Duinubhai Solanki, hence it would be appropriate to get the investigation done by an agency outside the State. Sri Jitendra
Kumar, a Supreme Court advocate has shown his willingness to pursue the matter there.
4. This has also been decided that the details of the RTIs that were being pursued by Sri Amit shall be obtained from his father
and the Forum shall go on further pursuing them.
5. The first issue of the Journal for Right to Information to be published on 13th October 2010 shall be dedicated to Sri Amit
Jethawa.
6. One of the three "RTI Gallantry awards" to be given by the National RTI Forum shall be given to Sri Amit Jethawa.
Source:
National RTI Forum
Lucknow
---------------------------------
PM's opening remarks at the meeting of Chief Ministers of naxal violence affected states
July 14, 2010, New Delhi
“ I am very happy to welcome you.
Over the past few years, we have met a number of times to discuss issues relating to internal security and left wing extremism.
As a result, it has been possible to develop a more coordinated approach, both between the states and between the centre and
the states. Matters have improved vis-a-vis intelligence sharing, deployment of Central Para Military Forces, augmentation of
state police forces, provision of funds under central schemes, etc. However, more needs to be done.
Though law and order is primarily a state subject, the ramifications of the problem of Left Wing Extremism call for sustained
coordination between the Centre and the States not only regarding the overall strategy but even on the regular operational
issues. In particular, we need greater coordination and cooperation in crucial matters like intelligence gathering and intelligence
sharing. Each state has a different set of problems, administrative arrangements, strengths and weaknesses and, therefore, there
is also a need for a state specific approach. The action plans that the states have prepared could perhaps be made more detailed
keeping this in view.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has circulated a detailed agenda note. I look forward to your considered response on each of the
items in it. On the development side, we hope to discuss matters in greater detail in the NDC meeting scheduled for the 24th of
this month. However, I would like to mention here a few points related to the development of tribal areas, which is a special
obligation that the Constitution bestows upon us. These areas have lagged behind the rest of the country so far and this state of
affairs needs to be changed. Our tribal populations have traditionally depended upon the forests for their livelihoods and we
must ensure that this link does not get disrupted without alternate means of livelihood being made available. Any development
of tribal areas must also ensure that the tribal population has a stake in it, even after it has been adequately compensated for
displacement. For far too long have our tribal brothers and sisters seen the administration in the form of a rapacious forest
guard, a brutal policeman, a greedy patwari. It is time that we provided a better delivery of services, one which is sensitive and
caring to the needs and concerns of the tribal population for effective livelihood strategies on a sustainable basis.
21
I would particularly like to stress the need for properly manning all posts in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism. Without
adequate and reasonably efficient staff, it would be difficult to implement any strategy or programme for these areas. I would
urge the Chief Ministers present here to set up a group under the Chief Secretary to evaluate the vacancy position, develop an
appropriate incentive package for posting in difficult areas and thereafter ensure deployment in a time-bound manner. Perhaps
we could target filling up one third of the vacancies within the next six months.
On the security side, the state forces obviously will have to be further strengthened, though the position has improved in the
past few years. I also think that we need more young men and women from these areas in our security forces. I would
appreciate your thoughts in this regard. There is also need to improve the infrastructure in the police stations.
In case there are issues regarding intelligence sharing or the pattern or nature of CPMF deployment, I would like to hear them.
There are other very useful ideas in the agenda notes and I would welcome your suggestions on them. My esteemed cabinet
colleagues, Pranabji and Anthonyji are also here and we will have the benefit of their enormous experience during the course
of our discussions.
Before I close, I must reiterate that we cannot afford to let inter-personal issues come in the way of our strategy to tackle Left
Wing Extremism. We must be and also appear to be united and one in our resolve and in execution of our strategies. In
particular, I would emphasize the urgent necessity for the central and state forces to work with total coordination and without
any misunderstanding about each other.
I once again welcome you all as we begin discussions in this meeting.”
--------------------------------
Smt. Meira Kumar to address Women Speakers of the World on Violence against Women
Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar leaves for Bern on 14 July 2010 to attend the Sixth Annual Meeting of
Women Speakers of Parliaments being held there from 16th to 17th July, 2010.
The Meeting begins on 16th July, 2010 with a Keynote address on “Achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on child
survival and maternal health: Where do we stand?” The Agenda of the Meeting consists of the following 5 Themes for
discussion on 16th and 17th July, 2010:
Theme 1: Building National Health Systems

Theme 2: Legislation and Policy: Removing barriers to access to Health for all
Theme 3: Funding for MDGs 4 and 5
Theme 4: Empowering women, including by addressing violence against women
Theme 5: Raising awareness and building political will
Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, will address the Meeting on Theme 4: “Empowering women, including by addressing violence
against women”. She will dwell on the importance of positive discrimination in favour of women enjoined in the Constitution
of India that India has been at the forefront of all the international efforts that seek to empower women with India’s
commitments to CEDAW (1979) followed by the Beijing Declaration and right upto the UNIFEM Campaign on Say No to
Violence against Women, 2009. She would be sharing the legislative efforts of Parliament to fight domestic violence and
foeticide which impacts the sex ratio in India.
After the Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament, Smt. Meira Kumar, Speaker, Lok Sabha, who is a Member of the
Preparatory Committee for the 3rd World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, will travel to Geneva to attend its final
meeting on 18th July, 2010. She will be joined by Shri K. Rahman Khan, Hon’ble Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha in Geneva.
The Conference begins on 19th July, 2010 with the Inaugural Ceremony which will be held in the presence of the United
Nations Secretary-General. There will be a General Debate on “Parliaments in a world of crisis: securing global democratic
accountability for the common good” which commences on the opening day of the Conference and concludes on the last day
of the Conference. Both Hon’ble Speaker and Hon’ble Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha will participate in this General
Debate. Apart from the General Debate, Panel Discussions on the following will be held on 20th July, 2010:
(i) Countdown to 2015:

Keeping our collective Promise on the Millennium Development Goals, where Hon’ble Shri K. Rahman Khan will speak ; and
(ii) Strengthening trust between Parliament and the people, where Hon. Smt. Meira Kumar will participate.
22
Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, will participate in the discussion on “Strengthening trust between Parliament and the people.
The Conference concludes on 21st July, 2010 with the adoption of the Final Declaration.
Lok Sabha Speaker will be accompanied by Shri P. D. T. Achary, Secretary General, Lok Sabha, Joint Secretaries Shri Amitabh
Mukhopadhyay (Lok Sabha) and Shri Tapan Chatterjee (Rajya Sabha).
--------------------------
woman sexually abused, tortured by BSF-- Impunity prevailing

Name of the Victim(s): 1.Ms. Julekha Bibi, wife of Mr. Hanif Seikh 2. Mr. Hanif Seikh both are resident of Village-
Puratan Degree, Post-Domkal, Police Station- Raninagar, District – Murshidabad, West Bengal.
Name of the Perpetrator(s): One Sub Inspector of Mohanganj BOP with 2 constables of ‘A’ Company of Battalion
Number-123 of Border Security Force (BSF), Raninagar Police Station, District – Murshidabad, West Bengal.
Place of incident: At the residence of the victim (Village- Puratan Degree , Post-Domkal ., Police Station- Raninagar,
District – Murshidabad, West Bengal).
Date & time of the incident: On 08th June 2010 around 7 PM.
Case Details:
Mrs Julekha Bibi, daughter of Ms Memjan Bibi and wife of Mr. Hanif Seikh is a resident of Puratan Degree village in
Murshidabad. On 08.06.2010 at around 7 PM, while it was raining the victim and her husband were lying in their bed.
Surprisingly at that time One Sub Inspector (SI) of Mohanganj Camp with 2 Constables of ‘A’ company of Battalion
Number-123 of BSF forcibly entered their room. After forcible trespass, those two constables who were in their uniform
dragged her husband out from the room. Ms. Julekha Bibi tried to stop the act, and her resistance made BSF personnel furious
and she was subsequently assaulted by those BSF personnel. At that time there was no woman BSF personnel in that place. She
was not only physically assaulted but BSF personnel tried to molest her. The BSF constables beat in her abdomen with a stick.
Thereafter, Ms. Julekha Bibi lodged a written complaint against those errant BSF personnel in Raninagar Police station on the
next day; 9th June 2010. Based on the written complaint of Ms. Julekha Bibi; the Officer in Charge of Raninagar police
station; Mr. Pabitra Mitra Mustafi started a criminal case vide Raninagar Police Station Case Number- 03.08.2010 dated
09.06.2010 under sections 448/325/354/506/427 Indian Penal Code (IPC) and started investigation on 10.06.2010. Julekha
got serious injury on her body and thus she was admitted in Godhan Para Primary Health Center at 2 PM on 09.06.2010. Dr.
N.K Haldar examined and treated her and she was discharged on the same day. The serial of her admission to the primary
health center was 7 and No.-453.
On 15.06.2010 our fact finding team reached at the place of occurrence and gathered information during the course they met
Mr. Pabitra Mitra Mustafi; Officer in Charge of Raninagar Police station around 3 PM. He showed the copy of F.I.R and the
complaint made by Julekha to our fact finding team.
Now, Police having connivance with BSF is trying to suppress the fact and influence the process of investigation with a malafide
intention to save the involved BSF personnel. Police only has taken account of the statements made by the BSF personnel and
ignoring the view of victims or complainant in course of investigation. On 15.06.2010 our Fact Finding team met the Block
Development Officer (BDO) of Raninagar Block; Mr. Arunava Das. He shown his indifference on the said assault by the BSF
personnel and asked to attend ‘Simanta Samanway Committee’ meeting to voice these allegations.
Till date no arrest of involved BSF personnel was made proving the unholy nexus between the Police and BSF.
--
Report by:
Kirity Roy
Secretary-Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
&
National Convenor- Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI)
Web: www.masum.org.in
---------------------------------
23
India Water Foundation on WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

5th June 2010
India Water Foundation, a New Delhi based non-profit civil society, hosted felicitation ceremony to felicitate Sadhguru Jaggi
Vasudev of Isha Foundation on the occasion of being conferred upon Indira Gandhi Pariyavaran Puruskar by the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India on 5 June 2010 at New Delhi. Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister for
Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs presided over the function. Smt. Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi felicitated
the Sadhguru.
More than 700 eminent personalities were also present at the function to support Project Green Hands initiative. The evening
festivities were kicked off with beautiful and unorthodox music from Sounds of Isha, the homegrown band of Isha volunteers.
Untrained in music, they played fabulous sets taking inspiration from mundane.
Padamshree Shovana Narayan’s performance touched every member of the audience with her effortless and almost spiritual
dancing. The evening closed with a rousing applause for every person who took the responsibility for making a positive change
in environment by planting tree.
Earlier in the day, Sadhguru J Vasudev of Isha Foundation, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu,was awarded Indira Gandhi Pariavaran
Puraskar for the year 2008 in recognition of Isha Foundation’s massive ecological initiative, called ‘Project Green Hands’ to
prevent and reverse environmental degradation and to enable sustainable living.Under this project, over 300,000 Isha
volunteers have raised 8.2 million trees for plantation in the last 5 years across Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.
Project Green Hands is a massive people’s movement to raise the green cover of Tamil Nadu by 10 per cent. It is an
environmental initiative designed to educate public, farmers and land holders to create green belts by planting trees for India’s
ecological problems. This partnership would encourage the planting and harvesting of trees for a positive change in
environment. The project envisions a society that develops a simple yet deep culture of care towards the environment to keep
this planet livable for future generations. Since 2005, over 2 million people have joined Project GreenHands in planting 8.2
million trees in over 1,800 communities across Tamil Nadu.
Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation, in his opening remarks dealt briefly with the initiatives undertaken by
the Indian Water Foundation in water-related and environmental-related realms. While welcoming the Sadhguru, Smt Sheila
Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi and Honourable Union Minister for Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs, Sh. Pawan
Kumar Bansal, Dr Arvind dwelt on the theme of water conservation. He further averred that sustainable development was very
essential for sustainable living. Sustaiable development is facilitated through clean and unpolluted environment, clean drinking
water, sustainable energy and food security.
Lamenting at the dismal state of affairs pervading the water quality in India, Dr Arvind stated that India Water Foundation has
made as part of its VISION 2050 to improve the quality of surface and underground water in the country. He further stated
that such a vision could be fulfilled by raising awareness among the people about the urgency of keeping surface and
groundwater resources free from pollution. He also informed that India Water Foundation would carry out this task with the
help of school children, youth, farmers, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and others. Besides, the main water-pollutant
industries like distilleries, tanneries, and others will be reminded of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and act
accordingly.
While felicitating the Sadhguru, Smt Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi, briefly recounted the laudable work done by the
Isha Foundation under the inspiring leadership of Sadhguru in the realm of environment preservation by planting more trees
and emphasized on the need of emulating the example of Isha Foundation. Smt. Sheila Dixit spoke passionately about the
need for proactive programs to counter ecological degradation and climate change. She briefly touched upon Government’s
commitment to the ‘Green India Mission’ and also shared details of Project GreenHands.
Smt. Dikshit was joined in the felicitation ceremony by Hon’ble Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Minister of Water
Resources, Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal.
Asserting that India has to support 16 percent of the global population and has only 4 per cent of world’s water resources, Sh.
Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister of Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs, expressed the need for sensitizing the
people about water related issues. Stating that the Government was doing its part, he called upon the involvement of the
people in conservation and preservation of water. He eulogized the role of India Water Foundation in generating awareness
among the people pertaining to water-related issues and expressed the hope that other civil societies should come forward.
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev dealt with the programmes accomplished and underway under the aegis of Isha Foundation in the
realm of environment and exhorted the audience to plant more trees for their own benefit and for the welfare of humanity. He
also narrated as to how with the help of volunteers Isha Foundation could restore the lost green cover of Coimbatore in Tamil
Nadu.
24
As a part of its VISION for 2050, the India Water Foundation is focusing on Environment Security, Water Security, Energy
Security and Food Security.
Environmental Security is closely linked to keeping air, water and other natural resources free from pollution and to develop the
habit of conservation. The growing menace of global warming, particularly owing to Greenhouse gases, can be tackled with
the promotion of water-friendly forestry.
Water security can be ensured through conservation, by keeping surface and groundwater resources free from pollution,
promoting rainwater harvesting, reducing dependence on fast depleting underground water resources and other related
emasures. Energy Security entails reduction of dependence on fossil fuels, developing hydro-electric power, promoting
renewable resources of energy and developing the habit of conservation etc.
Food Security is essential in the wake of shrinking agricultural lands and growing demands for food as a sequel to increasing
population. Water-intensive crops are required to be replaced with crops that consume less quantity of water, developing
innovative techniques in agriculture for increasing production, preventing wastage of food, educationg the farmers about the
rational use of water, developing new techniques of irrigations designed to promote water conservation etc. Building buffer
stocks of food to meet the drought and famine like situations is also essential.
Source:
India Water Foundation
---------------------------------
hike in gas prices

(An open letter)
Respected Murli bhai,

Namaskar.
The statement by you has come in ET that you have just increased Rs. 1 per day that is Rs. 35 /- for gas cylinder.
Please note:
1. The sweeper, the watchman, the domestic help , the bai, the aya, the lift man , the driver etc earn less then 5k to 6 k.
They have to pay rent in slum created by politicians and bureaucrats which is about Rs. 3000/- pm.They have to pay for
power,water, sickness, look after old and children > They have more then 3 to 4 children. After Sanjay Gandhi the spine less
politicians have no courage to implement family planning.
These poor also wish to send their children to English medium school as municipal school run by politicians and bureaucrats
( u were once Mayor of this corrupt, inefficient municipal corporation of Mumbai. slum-bay) . They r not able to afford
that.And these children remain uneducated and remain poor worker which your system wants ( so rich can hire them and
squeeze them further life time). Your system of education is such that rich can send their wards to US best schools and they
become MBA 's and draw Rs 10 million package and poor ( kept like that by your govt) can only send their children to so called
school run by municipality which produces illiterate workers so u can hire them for peanuts. Great work. May god bless u for all
this.
Just search your soul ( Osho says not all have one) , sit and work household budget of your junior staff / domestic help , best is
run your house for just one month with only honest white income and then make the same statement with no guilt ( guilt is only
felt by non hard core criminals, hard cores will never say oooof even after murdering 100 innocents and our politicians and
bureaucrats r not lesser hardcore.).They enjoy world best luxuries without guilt ( Gandhiji . Vinoba etc gave all that as they had
heart) while poor and middle class suffer this price rise, this mismanagement, this inflation, non development for common man
etc. etc.
2. You never thought for a second with ur heart before increasing gas cylinder price. But u have blocked increase in rent in
Mumbai for last 60 years. Why u can think of profits of gas cos, petrol cos, od Ambanies, of industrialists alone???? Taxi and
auto fares have been increased. Air fares have been increased. Power tariffs have ben increased but not the rent. There r only 2
reasons.
A. Those cos where u have a stake / share holding u r worried about their profits.
B. Those who have unions who can arm twist/ give bribe their rates are increased.The rates of milk used by poor, infants,
pregnants, old, patients etc are increased as either the dairies r owned by politicians and ex govt officials or dairy union can give
bribe . Same is taxi, auto union has given Rs. 10 million to transport minister and commissioner. Same is Reliance has given to
energy minister and officers etc etc. Now a days schools and colleges r owned and run by politicians and bureaucrats and their
25
fees, donation etc has been allowed to increase leaps and bound. Any business which can share booty with govt r allowed to
thrive but since shelter provide rs / the property owners ( recognised as land lords) r in minority so their vote does not count,
they can not take city to ransom like tax auto workers did, they can not collect few crores to pay to govt. to bureaucrats , the
judiciary ( their case is hanging in supreme court because of ur meddling for over 25 years) and they get no raise.
Please remember here you may be a ruler but their is some one up there making your balance sheet. I don’t want to remind
what happened to so many politicians and bureaucrats and their family for whom they amass wealth and make draconian
policies.
garib banao (make poor) so u can get cheap labour is the present policy of your govt. Naxalites are wrong on their means but
they mean to undo what you are doing.
Thanks and Regards,

Alok Tholiya (S.E.O.),
Marigold Hall,
Tholiya Bhavan,10th Road,Santacruz East,
Mumbai 400055
-----------------------------------
killing of a Scheduled Caste youth by stabbing while in BSF custody, nexus with police
Name of the deceased: Sumanta Mondal, aged- about 22 years, son of- Mr। Nimai Mondal, Village & Post- Borderpara,
Police Station- Raninagar, District- Murshidabad
Name of the perpetrators – 1) Mr. Sailesh Kumar; Constable (CT No. 00722731) 2) Mr. Ramji Pandey; Inspector and
Three other on duty Border Security Force (BSF) Personnel (name unknown) all attached with 151 Battalion of BSF- B
Company posted at Harudanga Out Post (OP) no. VIII
Place of Incident: adjacent to Harudanga out post no. VIII
Date and time of the incident: 16.06.2010 at about 7.00 pm (as reported by the villagers)
Case Detail
On the fateful day Sumanta and his three companions tried to smuggle out buffalos from the said point. It was raining heavily
at that time. The youths tried to take advantage of the situation. Two of his companions accomplish their mission, another
returned back but Sumanta was caught by the said BSF personnel. It was reported in a Bangla daily that BSF ‘approved’ 20
buffalos to be smuggled but ‘offenders’ tried for 50. Ill-fated Sumanto belonged to a family listed in Bellow Poverty category.
After taking him into their custody, the said perpetrators killed him. Mr. Nilanjan Roy; Sub Inspector of Raninagar police
station reached at the place of occurrence and brought the body by a BSF vehicle with registration number HR- 39A 7419 to
Godhanpara Primary Health Center at around 10.30 pm same date. Five BSF personnel were in the vehicle, while the body
was brought to the said Primary Health Center. At the Health Center, Medical Officer, Dr. Sabyasachi Chakroborty examined
the body and at about 11.15 pm informed the persons present at the Health Center that Sumanta died at least 8-10 hours
back. He also examined the constable Sailesh Kumar and found no injury in his body, as reported, though Sailesh complained
about pain in his body. BSF corroborated that Sumanto died due to firing from Sailesh Kumar’s service riffle and thereafter
filed a criminal case against the deceased as Raninagar PS Case No. 328/10 dated 17.06.2010, under sections
147/148/149/186/188/353/307/379/411 of Indian Penal Code and 12 of PP Act. From Godhanpara Primary Health
Center body was sent to Raninagar police station.
At about 12 midnight, Mr. Biplab Chandra De; Circle Inspector of Domkal made inquest over the body at Raninagar police
station while the body was rested on the said BSF vehicle. At 12.45 am on 17.06.2010, Mr. Arunabh Das; Block Development
Officer of Raninagar Block- 2 made inquest report at the same place therefore at the top of BSF vehicle.
The assembled crowd was skeptical about the injury mark in the chest of the deceased as they were not convinced that it was
due to bullet firing as narrated by the BSF officials. While the Company Commander was asked about the same and entry and
exit wounds, he replied as the bullet was fired from an Insus Riffle from a close proximity, so the bullet got stuck inside the body,
though the statement itself has no rationale. Dr. Sabyasachi Chakroborty again visited Raninagar police station at about 1.30
pm for reexamine the body, especially the back of the body, and after not finding any exit wound, had a discussion with Mr.
Ramji Pandey, the Company Commander. The nature and size of the injury mark was quite abnormal in respect to bullet
injury. Mr. Pandey tried to satisfy the doctor by saying it was from Insus riffle and close proximity and it was stuck inside. But
26
the abnormally large wound made the said doctor dissatisfied with Pandey’s logic. The Circle Inspector of Domkal, Mr. Biplab
Dey echoed Mr. Pandey’s observation and directed Mr. Nilanjan Roy to write down for seizure of the bullet which was
supposedly inside the body.
At around 2.15 pm on 17.06.2010 the body was sent for Post Mortem Examination (PME) to Lalbagh Sub Divisional Hospital,
again by using the same BSF vehicle. The on duty doctor deputed for PME refused to do the same at the Lalbagh SD Hospital,
because police in their forwarding note mentioned that death was due to firing but he opined differently and as the hospital
don’t have forensic facilities he referred Baharampur New General Hospital (police morgue) for PME.
The body was lying at the Baharampur New General Hospital till next day evening, at around 5.00 pm on 18.06.2010, the
doctor deputed for PME; Dr. Gourishankar Das came out of the morgue and told the relatives he did not performed PME over
Sumanta’s body. While the relatives asked for the reason, he said death was not due to bullet injury which was contradictory to
forwarding report of police and it seems to be a complex case, so the PME would be done at Burdwan Medical College which
has proper facilities with forensic department to ascertain the cause of death and weapon used. The investigating officer of the
case Mr. Nilanjan Roy; SI, was present at the place. While he was asked about the reason of death, he replied that could be
determined after PME. The body was sent to Burdwan Medical College Hospital on the same day but appallingly, PME was
not done at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital till 20.06.2010. At last it was done at 1.15 pm on 20.06.2010 by Dr.
Debashis Sarkar. As reported Dr. Sarkar told Mr. Jagabandhu Mondal; uncle of the deceased, who was present at Burdwan
Medical College and Hospital, that Sumanta was not died due to bullet injury instead he was killed with the help of dagger or
spear like weapon. To ascertain the reason of death some portion of corpse has been sent to Kolkata for further examination.
The body was cremated at Khagra crematory in Murshidabad on 20.06.2010.

--
Report by:
Kirity Roy
Secretary- Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
&
National Convenor- Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI)
Web: http://www.masum.org.in
-------------------------------
RTI replies from PMO & DoPT betray politics in Information Commissioners’ selection
22 Information Commissioners from across the country will retire in the next few months. Out of them, 11 are Chief
Information Commissioners.
So many posts will fall vacant. What should be the process of their appointment? The law is silent on that. Barring prescribing
the composition of a selection committee (consisting of PM, Leader of Opposition and one Cabinet Minister), the law does not
lay down the procedure that this committee should follow to invite names and process them.
Documents obtained under RTI from DOPT and PMO by Arvind Kejriwal reveal how intense lobbying takes place before
every appointment to the posts of Central Information Commissioners.
Ravi Shankar Singh is a journalist with The Tribune. His name was recommended by none other than Bhupinder Singh
Hooda, Chief Minister of Haryana himself through a personal letter written to the Prime Minister. Hooda writes – “He is well
known to me for the last more than twenty years. … I would be highly obliged if you kindly consider his name for the post of
Deputy Information Commission in the Central Information Commission.”
Ravi Shankar’s name was also recommended by Kumari Selja, Minister of State and two MPs namely Naveen Jindal and Dr
Karan Singh.
Likewise, 7 MPs recommended the name of Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony.
Interestingly, neither Ravi Shankar nor Dr Anthony’s names were even put up to the selection committee, which comprises of
Prime Minsiter, Leader of Opposition and a Cabinet Minister.
Before every set of appointments, the word spreads around. Several people either apply themselves or are recommended by
others. Recommendations are found to have been made by very influential people including Chief Ministers, Cabinet
Ministers, MPs, Supreme Court Bar Council etc.
27
The names for selection are put up to selection committee through an agenda note. The agenda note is prepared by DOPT.
However, none of these recommendations or applications was ever put up to the selection committee.
Interestingly, the names which made it to agenda note and who were finally selected, never applied nor were they ever
recommended by anyone, according to records provided by DOPT and PMO.
For instance, in August 2008, the selection committee cleared the names of four people in its meeting on 27th August 2008,
namely Annapurna Dixit, M L Sharma, S N Mishra and Shailesh Gandhi. Before this meeting, the following applications/
recommendations were received by the PMO and DOPT:
· President of Bar Council of India recommended the name of Sudhanshu Ranjan (a journalist) to the Prime Minister and
DOPT.
· 7 MPs names, Nakul Das Rai (MP), Shivanand Tiwari (MP), Sukhdeo Paswan (MP), Rajniti Prasad (MP), Ganesh Prasad
Singh (MP), Lalhming Lian (MP) and Alok Kumar Mehta (MP) recommended the name of Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony.
· Bhupinder Singh Hooda, CM Haryana, Naveen Jindal (MP), Dr Karan Singh (MP) and Kumari Selja, MOS recommended
the name of Ravi Shankar Singh, a journalist
However, the agenda note prepared by DOPT did not contain any of the above names. The agenda note was prepared by S K
Sarkar, the then Joint Secretary in DOPT. He included the name of his own boss S N Mishra (the then DOPT Secretary), and
the names of Mrs Annapurna Dixit, Ashok K Mohapatra, R B Shreekumar, M L Sharma and Shailesh Gandhi. Whereas
Shailesh Gandhi’s name was proposed by several RTI activists through an open letter to the Government, but where did other
names come from? According to records, none of them applied for these posts, nor were their names recommended by anyone.
This means that something is happening outside the files. Who called up these people and asked them for their CVs? Why were
only these people contacted?
Several questions arise. Firstly, how were the people like Ravi Shankar Singh, Sudhanshu Ranjan and Dr Krishna Kabir
Anthony found unfit and not even put up to selection committee? Who did their assessment and on what basis? Who decided
that these names should not be put up to the selection committee?
The agenda note is prepared by DOPT. Obviously someone in DOPT decided to reject these names. Does DOPT have these
powers under RTI Act to reject names? No. DOPT merely acts as secretariat to the selection committee. It neither has the
powers to reject anyone nor select anyone.
Next question is - how did the bio-datas of S N Mishra, Annapurna Dixit, Ashok Mohapatra, R B Shreekumar and M L
Sharma make it to the file? How did these names make it to agenda note? How was it decided to include these names and not
others?
It is surprising that the names recommended by MPs, Chief Ministers and Cabinet Ministers are not even put up to the
selection committee. But some other names make it to agenda note.
Interestingly, S N Mishra was the then DOPT Secretary. All this was happening under his nose. He shamelessly includes his
own name in the agenda note and excludes those of others.
It appears that the DOPT has become de-facto selection committee and selection committee provided in the law has been
reduced to an endorsement committee. The selection committee merely endorses the names put up to it.
In its first meeting on 5th October 2005, 5 names were put up to selection committee and it cleared all the five names. In its
next meeting on 27th August 2008, six names were put up and it cleared four of them. In the next meeting on 6th April 2009,
only one name was put up and the same was cleared. In the meeting on 25th August 2009, four names were put up and it
selected two of them. DOPT, by rejecting all names and presenting a very short list of names, creates a situation of fait
accompli for the selection committee, wherein the committee almost endorses what is presented to them.
For instance, Omita Paul, who is known to be quite close to Pranab Mukherjee and has worked with him for many years, was
working as Advisor to him before last Parliamentary elections. After the announcement of elections, the selection committee
met specially on 6.4.09 to clear her name for the post of Information Commissioner. Only one name was presented to the
selection committee and the committee cleared that name.
Interestingly, this was done in violation of model code of conduct. Though the Joint Secretary, in his notings, warned his
seniors that model code of conduct was in operation and permission from Election Commission would be required, however,
the permission was never sought. One wonders what was the hurry for appointing her? Omita joined on 13th May.
Interestingly, as soon as UPA came to power, Omita resigned within a month on 26th June and went back and joined Pranab
Mukherjee again.
What emerges from all this is that DOPT has become de facto selection or rejection committee. It rejects the names of all those
who either apply or are recommended by others. It then prepares its own list of names (sources of which are unknown) and
28
includes in this list, the names of its own bosses. The selection committee provided in RTI Act has been reduced to an
endorsement committee of DOPT.
What does the law say? The law prescribes a selection committee consisting of the PM, Leader of Opposition and one Cabinet
Minister. Then it says that the incumbent should be a person of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in
law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. He should
not be a Member of Parliament or Member of any Legislature or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political
party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.
The law does not provide for any procedure how nominations would be invited and how would they be processed. DOPT had
a duty to make rules under section 27 of RTI Act to lay down procedures. However, DOPT has not made any rules so far.
Selection Committee meeting on 5th Oct 2005:
Who applied?
1. G C Srivastava, IAS (Retd) – he applied himself.

2. Shri Lakshmi Chand, IAS (Retd) - – he applied himself.
3. Shri R Ganesan, (IPoS:69), Secy & DG, Chairman, Postal Service Board, Department of Posts – he applied himself.
4. Shri G Mohal Kumar, (IPoS:69), Member (Personnel), Postal Service Board, Deptt of Posts – he applied himself.
5. Shri P R Devi Prasad (IES:82) – he applied himself.
6. Shri K Jaikumar, Dir (IT) in D/o AR&PG no specific post mentioned – he applied himself.
7. Rameshbhai’s name recommended by Nirmala Deshpande, MP to the PM
8. Smt Neena Ranjan, Secy, Ministry of Culture – she applied herself.
9. Prof Akhtarul Wasey (Dean, Jamia Milia Islamia)
10. Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu (trade union leader from Jharkhand)
11. Nripendra Mishra
12. Mohan Kanda (Chief Secretary to Government of AP)
13. Dinesh Chandra Gupta (former Finance Secretary)
14. Prof Dr B K Chandrashekhar (former Education Minister, Karnataka)
15. Akhtar Majeed (Dean, Hamdard University)
Names which were put up to the selection committee through agenda note:
(None of the above names were put up)
1. Wajahat Habibullah
2. Dr O P Kejariwal
3. A N Tiwari
4. Prof M M Ansari
5. Padma Balasubramanian
Names selected by Selection committee:

All the above five names were selected.
Selection Committee meeting on 27th August 2008:
Who applied?
1. Sudhanshu Ranjan (a journalist) recommended by the President of Bar Council of India to PM and DOPT
2. Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony recommended by Nakul Das Rai (MP), Shivanand Tiwari (MP), Sukhdeo Paswan (MP), Rajniti
Prasad (MP), Ganesh Prasad Singh (MP), Lalhming Lian (MP) and Alok Kumar Mehta (MP)
3. Ravi Shankar Singh (a journalist with The Tribune) recommended by Sh Bhupinder Singh Hooda , CM Haryana; Naveen
Jindal (MP); Dr Karan Singh (MP) and Kumari Selja, MOS
(None of the above names were put up)
1. Mrs Annapurna Dixit

2. Ashok K Mohapatra
3. R B Shreekumar
4. M L Sharma
5. Shailesh Gandhi
6. S N Mishra
29

1. Shailesh Gandhi
2. S N Mishra
3. Annapurna Dixit
4. M L Sharma
Selection Committee meeting on 6th April 2009:
Who applied?
Meeting held suddenly. No one came to know about it. No names found on the file.
1. Omita Paul

1. Omita Paul
Selection Committee meeting on 25th August 2009:
Who applied?
1. Smt Sushma Singh, Secretary (I&B) recommended by her own Minister Anand Sharma, MOS (External Affairs and I&B) to
the PM.
2. Dr C V Ananda Bose recommended by Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs.
3. Saroj Bala, Member (R), CBDT directly applies herself.
4. Mr Choubey recommended by M Veerappa Moily. Mr Moily also writes to Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
5. Adm Pradeep Kaushiva recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
6. Lt Gen Mahajan recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
7. Amitav Tripathi recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
8. Neelam Deo recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
9. Maja Daruwala recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
10. Krishan M Sahni recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
11. Chitra Chopra recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
12. Suman Dubey recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
13. Ishtiaq Hussain recommended by Wajahat Habibullah
14. Sudhanshu Ranjan, a journalist recommended by Sadanand Singh, former Chairperson, Bihar Legislative Assembly. He
writes both to Mrs Sonia Gandhi and to the PM.
(Only Sushma Singh’s name was picked up from the above list. Why only Sushma Singh?)
1. Deepak Sandhu
2. Sushma Singh
3. Mahendra Kumavat
4. R P Agarwal

1. Deepak Sandhu
2. Sushma Singh
Report by:
Krishnaraj Rao
--------------------
30
PM condoles the passing away of Malayala Manorama Chief Editor, K.M.Mathew

The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has condoled the passing way of Malayala Manorama Chief Editor, K.M.Mathew.
In a message to his son Mammen Mathew the Prime Minister noted Shri K.M.Mathew’s commitment to the cause of
excellence in journalism and his contributions to promoting the freedom of the press. Following is the text of Prime Minister’s
message :
“I was deeply grieved to learn of the sad demise of your father Shri Kandathil Mammen Mathew. Shri K.M.Mathew was a
leading light of the Indian press fraternity and played a key role in making Malayala Manorama one of the major dailies in the
country after he became its Chief Editor in 1973. For his commitment to the cause of excellence in journalism and for his
contributions to promoting the freedom of the press, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan. He had distinguished tenures
as Chairman of the Press Trust of India, President of the Newspaper Society of India, and as member of the Press Council of
India. In his death the country, particularly the state of Kerala, has lost a true champion of the highest traditions of Indian
journalism.
On this sad occasion I convey my heartfelt condolences to you and other members of the bereaved family and to his numerous
friends, associates and admirers. I pray for peace of the departed soul.”
--------------------------
31
Columns
DISAPPOINTING PEACE TALKS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN

Millions of citizens of India and Pakistan do understand that long lasting peace and harmony between both the countries is
vitally important for their mutual prosperity and progress. They certainly felt hopeful that an era of peace would commence
when the Indian Foreign Minister went to Pakistan to hold bilateral discussions recently. But, unfortunately, it ended otherwise.
Possibly, the press conference after the bilateral discussions on 15th July,2010 should have been avoided since the discussions
between both the countries are in delicate and formative stage , with suspicions and prejudices still to be sorted out and
removed. In such conditions, both the foreign ministers were not sure as to what direction the bilateral talks , which is a
continuing affair , would take and therefore have to necessarily reiterate their present stand.There is really no point in holding a
press conference at this stage and stating their position once again , which have been said several times in many forums in the
past.
By holding this press conference, which is premature at this stage, the efforts to create an atmosphere of hope have been
defeated and the cause of peace have been lost.
Mr.C.Rajagopalachari, former Governor General of India and one of the wisest of the men that the sub continent has
produced in recent times said several years back that to make progress , both India and Pakistan should focus on areas of
agreement rather than areas of disagreement. Obviously, wnen the focus would be on the positive aspects of the relationship,
an atmosphere of goodwill would emerge that would pave way for settlement of the points of disagreement in an amicable way
in the course of time.After all, the problems which are supposed to be most complex have been solved in the past between
countries in the world by achieving a change of mind set.This approach would be the Gandhian way to find a permanent
solution to the man made vexed issues between India and Pakistan.
It is necessary to keep in mind that there is still enormous good will between the individual citizens of India and Pakistan, as
revealed during several person to person contacts in recent times between the citizens of both the countries. This is the area of
strength and this approach would be the key to the solution.
In recent times, there have been many occasions when the babies and children from Pakistan have been rushed to India for
medical treatment and Indian hospitals treated them with great care. A number of scholars from India and Pakistan have met
in many forums and have exchanged pleasantries without any feelings of animosity towards each other. Even in cricket, the
competition between India and Pakistan have been by and large healthy.
The best method of fostering cooperation between both the countries is to encourage exchange of students in the universities
and also promote trade and technical collaboration as well as cultural exchange programmes, where there would be no place
for politics. The well meaning citizens from both the countries should take the initiative to reach each other at every
opportunity and should resist the political factors from interfering in their relationships.
Column by:
N. S. Venkataraman
-----------------------
Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok :: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains
untold
Exactly 30 years ago, Dalits, in West Bengal, came to realize the true nature of Indian state that is being dominated, in every
sense, by a tiny section of population but at a great personal cost. It was in 1979, when thousands of Dalits, refugees from East
Bengal (now Bangladesh) lost their lives at Marichjhapi, in Sunderbans, for their dream of resettling in the region which they
considered part of their motherland.
Marichjhapi is just once incident in the tragic tale of one of the most powerful Dalit Community-Namashudras of Bengal -
who first became the victim of Hindu-Muslim communalism during the partition and later became the victims of their castes
in independent India.
Moreover, the complete silence of Bengal's civil society for almost 30 years and the fact that Dalits were killed by Communist
government of West Bengal that came in the power in the name of poor and dispossessed, raises some serious questions about
32
representation of Dalits in every sphere, the constitution of civil society and hegemony of few privileged castes over the
political power in Independent India.
Apart from these, the Namashudra problem also poses a big question for the Dalits (and Dalit movement) living in other parts
of the country about whether they are willing to fight for the rights of their fellow community people who, unfortunately, paid
the ultimate price for sending Babasaheb Ambedkar to the Constituent Assembly.
Before Marichjhapi
In 1946, Constituent Assembly was constituted with the mandate to frame Indian constitution and to function as provisional
parliament for independent India. Its members were elected by state assemblies and represented almost all major communities
of the country. However, the Congress government in Bombay province, headed by B.G. Kher and under instructions from
Sardar Patel, ensured that Babasaheb Ambedkar was not elected.
At this crucial juncture, a very prominent leader Jogendra Nath Mandal ensured his election from the Bengal province. Thus
Babasaheb could enter into the constituent assembly and, later, become prime architect of Indian Constitution that guaranteed
many rights for the Dalits including representation in education and government jobs.
Who was Jogendra Nath Mandal? How could Babasaheb enter into Constituent Assembly from Bengal being ambushed by
Congress in Bombay province and declared persona non grata due to his exposure of Gandhi and Congress as upholder of
'upper' caste Hindu domination?
He could enter at the strength of the then untouchable community called Namashudras and Jogendra Nath Mandal was one of
the prominent Namashudra leaders of Bengal.
Namashudras were largely an agrarian community well-known for its hardworking nature, agricultural and artisan skills. It was
one of the biggest communities of Bengal, with majority of its population based in east part of undivided Bengal (now
Bangladesh) with a long tradition of resisting caste-hindu domination and fighting against untouchability practices and other
ignominies thrust on them by the caste system.
The Namashudra movement had been one of the most politically mobilized untouchable's movements in colonial India that,
even before Dr Ambedkar, had rejected Congress leadership for upholding the interests of landowning 'upper' castes under the
ruse of Indian nationalism. The complete monopoly of rich Bengali Bhadraloks (a land owning class of people belonging to
three Hindu 'upper' castes - brahmins, kayasthas and vaidyas) on congress leadership validated their severe indictment of the
policies of the Congress.
Even prior to congress, the Namashudras were the only voice of resistance to much touted Bengal 'renaissance' that, in all
practical terms, were efforts of 'upper' caste hindus to consolidate themselves and aggressively bargain with British colonial
government to restrict the benefits of British built institutions like that of education, judiciary, bureaucracy and local
governance for themselves.
The success of the Namashudra Movement could be easily measured by the autonomous political space which they were able
to chalk out for themselves in Bengal politics and in alliance with Muslims had kept the Bengal Congress Party in opposition
from the 1920s. At the strength of this political space only they could get Babasaheb elected to the Constituent Assembly.
This exclusion of 'upper' caste Hindus from power in Bengal led Hindu elite and eventually the Congress Party pressing for
partition of the province at independence, so that at least the western half would return to their control. So successful they
have been in their design that West Bengal is probably the only state in the country where 'upper' caste hegemony went
completely unchallenged in independent India till today.
It is clearly manifested in every sphere of life there and one hardly comes across any murmur of Dalit assertion ever.
One of the best indicators of 'upper' caste Hindu domination over West Bengal would be the number of Cabinet positions
enjoyed by them in the successive state governments - the tiny tri-caste Bengali elite (consisting of brahmins, kayasthas and
vaidyas) increased its Cabinet composition from 78 percent under the Congress regime (1952-62) to 90 percent under the
Communist regime indicating their complete domination over West Bengal.
How this was achieved? What happened to the once powerful Namashudra community that resisted the 'upper' caste
hegemony in pre-independent India?
The Plight of Namashudras in post Independent India
Marichjhapi is one of the small islands lying within the Sundarbans area of West Bengal. It was here, in 1979, that thousands
of Dalits were killed by the communist led West Bengal government. Hundreds were killed directly in police firings but many
more died of starvation, lack of drinking water and diseases due to the economic blockade that was imposed on them by the
state government and carried out by the police and communist cadres together.
33
Their settlements in Marichjhapi were completely bulldozed, destroyed and hundreds of women raped leaving behind only the
dead bodies of the Dalits to be either dumped in the water bodies or to be eaten by the beasts of nearby jungles in one of the
biggest genocide carried out by any state in independent India.
The people who survived were driven out of West Bengal to continue living with the tragic memories of their lost loved ones
and perpetual longing for the soil that once constituted parts of their motherland.
What happened at Marichjhapi is just one incident in the long tragic history of this particular Bengali Dalit community that
started with the partition of the country and is continued till today. They have been living in their own country as second grade
citizens, being forcefully scattered throughout the country.
These helpless victims belonged to a Dalit community called Namashudras and were refugees from East Bengal (now
Bangladesh) who were dispatched to different parts of the country by the state government citing the lack of space in West
Bengal but took no time and least efforts to provide maximum possible relief and rehabilitation to the 'upper' caste refugees.
Apart from this, these refugees illegally occupied large areas in and around Kolkata and other major cities of Bengal and got it
regularized but when it came to Dalit refugees, the then Congress Chief Minister B.C. Roy wrote to Prime Minister Nehru that
'we have no place for them, send them to other states'.
Then these Dalit refugees, despite their vociferous protests, were dispatched to inhospitable and far flung areas of states like
Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Uttaranchal, Assam to live in completely alien environment. They were driven down to these places
packed in government vehicles as cattle, under strict police supervision. Later many of their settlements in different states, like
Mana camp in Orissa, were turned into concentration camps as government employed the services of Indian army to guard
the camps for 12 long years, lest these people would escape to West Bengal.
Marichjhapi massacre of Dalit refugees by Left government in Bengal is just one incident. Even before Marichjhapi there were
numerous incidents where many Namashudra refugees got killed by police while demanding for better provisions in the camps
where they were being forcefully kept.
Apart from being persecuted by the state, the Namashudras, settled outside West Bengal, also suffered enormously from various
other factors. They continuously faced hostility of local populace that strongly resented the presence of outsiders in their
surroundings. Most of the camps were in the areas that were not fit for agriculture and being primarily an agrarian community,
totally different type of climates and soil conditions made them handicap.
Also even the reservation provisions for which, as Dalits, they would have been eligible in West Bengal, were not recognized in
the states in which they were settled, as their castes were not native to those states. Despite all the difficulties, Namashudra
refugees settled in different states kept their dream alive of returning back to the environment/culture/land that they belong to.
The Great Communist Betrayal
During this period, in late 1960s and till mid-70s, the Bengali communists led by CPI (M), which was in opposition then, took
up the case of these refugees and demanded the government to settle them within their native Bengal rather than scatter them
across India on the lands of other peoples.
The communist, again its leadership monopolized by 'upper' caste, started raising their voices in the support of Dalit refugees
and promised to provide them rehabilitation in West Bengal. The sites they mentioned in West Bengal for resettlement were
either the Sundarbans area of the Ganges delta or vacant land scattered in various places throughout the state. The party
leaders went around various Dalit camps campaigning for their return to West Bengal, simultaneously promising full support
after coming in power.
Particularly one, Mr. Ram Chatterjee, who later became minister in the CPI (M) led government, exhorted the Dalit refugees
by thundering, "The 5 crore Bengalis by raising their 10 crore hands are welcoming you back."
In 1977, when the Left Front came to power, they found that the Dalit refugees had taken them at their words having disposed
off whatever their meager belongings were and have marched towards West Bengal. In all, 1,50,000 refugees arrived from
Dandakaranya region of what is now Chhattisgarh expecting the communists to honour their words.
Instead the Left Front government started sending them back forcibly citing the lack of space in the state - the same reason that
was cited earlier when the Dalits arrived from East Bengal during the partition. It was a rude shock for the refugees who were
depending on the newly elected Left Front government. When they opposed this, Dalit refugees were brutally evicted from
various railway stations, being fired upon by the West Bengal police and were denied food and water.
Still many refugees managed to escape and reached Marichjhapi, an island that lies in the northern part of the Sunderbans.
Thousands of other Dalit refugees also marched to Marichjhapi on feet along the railway tracks, avoiding the police.
34
By the end of the year 1978, there were 30,000 Dalit refugees in the island of Marichjhapi who rapidly established it as one of
the best-developed islands of the Sundarbans. Within a few months tube-wells had been dug, a viable fishing industry, saltpans,
dispensaries and schools were established. In short, in just few months, the hard working Namashudras built a thriving local
economy without any government support in the region that is considered the poorest in West Bengal.
Deeply humiliated by the successful resettlement of Namashudra refugees in Marichjhapi, the Left Front government started
their propaganda against them by stating that the 'Marichjhapi is a part of the Sundarbans government reserve forest' and
therefore Dalit refugees were 'violating the Forest Acts and thereby disturbing the existing and potential forest wealth and also
creating ecological imbalance'.
This was a blatant lie as Marichjhapi did not fall under government reserve forest at all. The Bengali Bhadralok leadership of
Left Front had to resort to such lies and take up environmental concerns as an excuse as the Marichjhapi exposed their earlier
lie too regarding 'lack of space in West Bengal'.
The West Bengal government launched a full frontal assault on the Marichjhapi and the Dalit refugees. It started with the
economic blockade. The police cordoned off the whole island, cutting every communication links with the outside world.
Thirty police launches encircled the island thereby depriving the settlers of food and water; they were also tear-gassed, their
huts razed, their boats sunk, their fisheries and tube-wells destroyed, and those who tried to cross the river were shot at. Several
hundred men, women and children were believed to have died during that time and their bodies thrown in the river.
And those who tried to defy this economic blockade by swimming across to other islands in search of food and water were
brutally shot. On the January 31, 1979 the police opened fire killing 36 people who were trying to get food and water from a
nearby island.
It was not that the media was not aware of the sufferings and police brutalities on hapless Namashudras. When the reports of
Marichjhapi started appearing in the media, Jyoti Basu, then chief minister of Bengal, shamelessly, termed it as 'CIA
conspiracy' against newly elected communist government of Bengal and exhorted media to support the government in
'national interest'.
Jyoti Basu justified the police actions by accusing Namashudra refugees of being agents of foreign forces and using Marichjhapi
as arms-training centre. Moreover, Jyoti Basu declared the whole area to be out of bound for media and thus effectively
silencing any dissenting voices or reporting of the killings of Dalit refugees.
It took more than five months and killings of thousands of Dalit refugees for the West Bengal government to effectively crush
the Namashudra resistance in Marichjhapi. Totally devastated by the government brutalities the rest of the Namsahudras were
packed off, as prisoner of war, back to Chattishgarh and Andaman.
After destroying all the huts, markets, schools and all other visible markers of Namashudra settlement, West Bengal
government declared, in May 1979, Marichjhapi 'finally free from all refugees'.
Regarding the total lives lost during the West Bengal government's assault on Marichjhapi we will quote from one of the
earliest writings on this incident by A. Biswas who wrote, in 1982, that '.out of the 14,388 families who deserted [for West
Bengal), 10,260 families returned to their previous places . . . and the remaining 4,128 families perished in transit, died of
starvation, exhaustion, and many were killed in Kashipur, Kumirmari, and Marichjhapi by police firings". [A. Biswas, 1982,
"Why Dandakaranya a Failure, Why Mass Exodus, Where Solution?" The Oppressed Indian 4(4):18-20.]
Memories in the black hole
Exactly thirty years have passed by of this fateful event that took place in Marichjhapi but not many from outside are aware of
the communist government's genocidal acts against Dalits. There has been complete silence even from the Bengali civil society
that claims to be very progressive and free from caste biases.
The Bengali scholars, Marxist or otherwise, rule the Indian academia and write, articulate on all the problems that plague this
earth. But none of them broke their silence ever on the merciless killings and eviction of people who belonged to the same
Bengali society but were Dalits. Marichjhapi was soon forgotten, except by the Dalits themselves.
The communists who keep on harping on fighting for the poor and dispossessed took no time in killing the same people soon
after occupying the state power.
Perhaps this was the apt revenge from the Bengali Bhadralok, (that completely monopolizes the Bengali civil society, it's so
called scholarly class, communist and congress leadership) against Namashudra community that once successfully challenged
'upper' caste hegemony in undivided Bengal. So successful is the revenge that the community now lives in complete oblivion
and scattered across the country without anyone standing for their rights or speaking about what actually happened in
Marichjhapi in 1979.
35
References:
While writing this article, we have drawn heavily from following two research articles among very few that are available on the
tragic tale of one our Dalit communities. We are reproducing both the articles for the benefit of our readers so that we all
become more aware of the tragedy and are able to fight for the justice. We are taking the liberty of posting the articles in all
good faith despite the possibility of infringing copy rights.
1. Mallick, Ross, 'Refugee Resettlement in Forest Reserves: West Bengal Policy Reversal and the Marichjhapi Massacre', The
Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 58, No. 1. (Feb., 1999), pp. 104-125.
Jalais, Annu, 'Dwelling on Morichjhanpi: When Tigers Became 'Citizens', Refugees 'Tiger-Food', Economic and Political
Weekly, April 23, 2005.
By:
Nilesh Kumar,
Ajay Hela and
Anoop Kumar
[Nilesh and Ajay are pursuing their Masters in Social work, TISS, Mumbai]
-------------------------
Powers of Information Commission to change its penalty

As we all know, Section 20 (1) of the RTI Act says that the Central Information Commission or the State Information
Commission, shall for different reasons assigned in the section, impose a penalty of Rs. 250 per day (with a limit of Rs. 25,000).
There is the condition of CIC/SIC giving a reasonable opportunity of being heard before any penalty is imposed on him.
Similarly in section 20(2), there is also the provision of recommending for disciplinary action against the PIO under the service
rules applicable to him.
In this regards, I would request you to kindly let me know if the CIC/SIC also have a right to reconsider their decision to
impose the penalty in section 20(1) or to waive off the recommendation of DE in section 20(2) once it has formally ordered the
imposition of the penalty?
From the reading of the RTI Act, I could gather that the CIC/SIC does not seem to have such a power and a penalty once so
imposed is a final order which can be challenged by the aggrieved person only possible through Writ or other powers in the
High Court.
But I am not 100% sure of this fact and would like to get your expert opinion on this please. Would also request you to tell
what are the legal recourse available to the original complainant if the CIC/SIC has actually changed its order despite there
being no such provisions in law (in case it is the legal position).
Column by:
Amitabh Thakur,
President,
National RTI Forum
-------------------------
36
Four golden rules for writing effective Right To Information Applications

We often sit down to draft an RTI application in an angry and unrealistic mood. When we write RTI applications, our focus
should be on getting information. Instead, we are thinking about stopping some wrongdoings, getting some officials and
corrupt contractors penalized, making the authorities “answerable” for negligence etc, etc. At such times, we fail to think
clearly about the items of information that we need.
Right to Information Act 2005 is a law, and effectiveness in legal work depends on using the law without anger, resentment and
wishful thinking.
While asking for information, the 4 golden rules are:
1) Point to various specific documents. Your application should look like a shopping-list of documents.
2) Name documents using words from Sec 2(f) and Sec 4(1)(b) of the RTI Act – reports, logbooks, emails, advices, rules,
regulations, manuals etc. Only after exhausting these should you use other similar names e.g. quality audit reports,
correspondence etc. In case this information is denied, the similarity of wordings will help you to convince appellate authorities
that your requested information is “records” and “information” that must be mandatorily given.
3) Don’t ask questions, don’t demand explanations, and don’t make allegations. Don’t make your application sound like a letter
of complaint or a letter-to-the-editor. Don’t preface it with a covering letter or an introductory paragraph. RTI applications
should be emotionless and bland.
4) Avoid vague expressions and requests such as
(a) “What is the status of my complaint? What further action has been taken on my complaint/letter? Give me action-taken
report.” Words like “status” and “action” are open to interpretation, and usually fail to point towards any particular document;
they can mean different things to different persons like applicant, PIO, APIO and appellate authorities. In most cases, there is
no such document called “action-taken report” in existence, and therefore, the PIO cannot be rightly asked under RTI to
generate such a document in reply to your application; PIO can only be asked to give you copy of a document that exists. The
right way is to ask for signed and stamped copy of all correspondence till date in the matter of your complaint, including
memos, emails, covering letters for forwarding your complaint etc. Ask for copy of logbook or any other book where details of
your complaint are entered, marked to specific officers for their investigation and action. Ask for a copy of all their remarks,
feedback, reports etc. If the case on your complaint is closed, ask for the closing remarks of the officer concerned.
(b) “Give particulars of the project to build XYZ.” What “particulars” do you want? Engineering drawings? Budgets? Financial
projections? Feasibility reports? Consultants’ studies? This is not clear. Don’t leave it to the PIO to decide what documents to
include and what to leave out. Be specific and name the documents that you want copied. Make it difficult for the PIO to
loosely interpret your request.
Also read:
A. Seven surprising tips for writing good RTI applications
B. Five psychological reasons for failure-prone RTI Applications
C. Examples of success-oriented and failure-prone RTI applications
Column by:
Krishnaraj Rao
----------------------------
37
MERC’s Public Hearing in the matter of Govt of Maharashtra’s Memorandum Case No. 13 of
2010
Overview
• The Present Situation
• CriticalIssues – Process of Law
– Competition – Power Purchase – Cross Subsidy
•• Summary 02
THE PRESENT SITUATION
The Present Situation (1/4)

• The present situation in Mumbai is a unique one – For the first time in the country, consumers have a REAL CHOICE of
electricity supplier
– Implemented only after Supreme Court restated & reiterated TPC’s status as a retail supply licensee
• About1.5% of RINFRA’s customers in the Mumbai suburbs have shifted to TPC
– To take advantage of lower rates
– Since the advantage is greater for higher consumption users, most of these 40,000 users are understandably in the higher
usage bracket

• As a result, RINFRA’s consumer mix has changed
– Those paying higher tariffs (and consequently ‘subsidizing’ the lower-end users) have moved away apparently leaving
RINFRA with a ‘revenue gap’
• TPC has informed RINFRA that it would no longer supply it with power
–
RINFRA does not have a LT-PPA with TPC and would need to buy Short Term power at (obviously) higher rates. RINFRA
may also have trouble actually securing the power – leading to power cuts ‘load shedding’. RINFRA is ‘threatening’ to increase
the rates for its 28 Lakh consumers

• RINFRA’s ‘threats’ prompts (!) GOM to wake up – Though the GOM did nothing to increase generation for years, the GOM
DOES care for its vote bank!
• GOM forms a special ‘committee’ which concludes that MERC must ‘protect consumer interest’
–
Issues a formal ‘Memorandum’ (legal status?) to MERC Memorandum issued is not under any specific section of the EA 2003
Unlike the earlier ‘direction’ issued u/s 108 to MERC asking it to investigate RINFRA’s functioning w.r.t. efficient functioning,
capital expenditure, power purchase, etc.

• MERC calls for a Public Hearing, with the following ‘Objectives’:
– The role of the Hon’ble Commission to take measures in regard to the broad principles indicated in the ‘Memorandum’
dated 7th May 2010 along with the report of the Committee;
– The statutory provisions under which the Hon’ble Commission can take measures, if any;
– The measures that the Hon’ble Commission can take which would be suitable in public interest.
The Issue:
PROCESS OF LAW
Process of Law (1/3)

• Central Government promulgated the EA 2003 on 10th June, 2003
• This sector that has been abused by the State Govts, just to get themselves elected, term after term, by giving free electricity to
their vote-banks.
• It is precisely with this intent that the EA 2003 has sought to limit, as far as possible, the powers of the State Government with
respect to running this sector

There is enough of Legislation that empowers MERC
– To ensure that Competition is introduced and promoted – To ensure that consumer interest is protected
There is also enough to ensure that generation companies stay free of Regulatory control Section11 and Section60 have been
chewed and masticated enough and I will not dwell on them
– Other than simply stating that the GOM cannot invoke Section 11 in this present case
– Unless WAR breaks out or there is a National calamity!
38

After the EA 2003 came in to existence, MERChad passed an Order preventing TPC from retail supply
– Which was proven to be grossly incorrect by the Supreme Court
– I don’t recall GOM running around asking MERC to invoke Section 60 (abuse of market dominance) on REL/RINFRA!
For over FIVE years, MERC’s wrong decision prevented Mumbai’s consumers from the legitimate choice that they had WHO
WILL PAY FOR THIS???
The Issue:
COMPETITION
Competition (1/3)
The EA 2003 encourages competition
– Has empowered the ERCs with enough Sections to go ahead and implement this Competition MUST be introduced and
promoted, in order to protect consumer interest
– Also mentioned in the preamble of the EA 2003 We have enough proof that this is something we HAVE to do!
– Time & again, various legislations and Court rulings have enough references to Open Access, Parallel Licensing, Wheeling
Charges, Distribution Franchising (rural areas)
Competition (2/3)
• What do we mean by ‘Competition’ ? – Simply put, it is the presence of more than one supplier – Through parallel licensing,
open access, etc.
• Competition is the availability of CHOICE to the consumer
–
Currently, this choice is limited to SUPPLIER In future it could also be choice of ‘tariff plan’ (as in mobile phones, airline
tickets, etc.)
Reliability charges (higher payment for continuous supply) is a step in that direction – but its implementation by MERC is
flawed (if supply is discontinued even for a few seconds, the user still pays!!)
Competition (3/3)
Does Competition lower the tariff for Consumers?
Does Competition prevent development of the electricity industry?
Do we have encouraging results from what limited Competition has happened up to now?
Should MERC encourage MORE Competition?
Should the GOM be doing anything that prevents increased Competition?
Do I need to bother answering these questions?
The Issue:
POWER PURCHASE
Power Purchase (1/7)

A major issue of the present situation is the availability of power
– There is a nationwide shortage – Discoms need to enter into LTPPAs to secure their needs and protect their consumers –
Garnering as much of (relatively) cheap power is critical ERCs should ensure that discoms have signed PPAs with suppliers.
GOM should create an investment -friendly atmosphere to encourage generation plants.

• Incidentally, when the GOM ordered MERC u/s 108, to “investigate” RINFRA (on 25th June 2009), power procurement
costs of RINFRA was a major point.
–
“...whether M/s. Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. has discharged its duties as envisaged in the Act in the most economical and
efficient manner so as to result in unnecessary avoidable burden on the consumers of that area and taken such further action as
may be considered necessary.”

Also, when MERC actually ordered the investigation of RINFRA (on 8th Sep 2009), it stated:
– “Commission is therefore satisfied of the necessity to investigate into the procedure adopted by R-Infra-D and the reasons for
procurement or non-procurement of power through long term power purchase agreements and related transactions as
reflected in the books of accounts maintained by RInfra-D to ensure the optimal impact on cost of supply and tariff charged
by RInfra-D.”
So it is a well- established and well- accepted fact (by the GOM and MERC) that RINFRA’s power procurement has not been
judicious

I am not going to go in to the sequence of events of the (non-starter) PPA between TPC & REL/RINFRA
39
– Both entities have spent enough of money trying to prove their own side right The fact remains that there is NO legal and
binding agreement between them
– Which is primarily the most important responsibility of a Distribution company Therefore,despiteeverythingthe‘blame’falls
directly on REL/RINFRA

• MERC’sownOrderdated6-Nov-2007inCaseNo.87 of 2006, Case No. 88 of 2006 & Case No. 30 of 2007,
–
“REL’s recalcitrant attitude in seeking approval of the terms and conditions of its power procurement, deserves to be
deprecated and the Commission administers a warning on REL.”
“...it is for REL to file the power purchase agreements for purchase of power from generating companies early...for approval of
the Commission as prescribed by the provisions of The Electricity Act 2003 and in terms of the Regulations framed by the
Commission. The Commission may take stern action in the event of such failure on the part of REL, in future.”

• We were happy at one point when REL started setting up so many power plants across the country
– We consumers thought that finally REL’s consumers would not be dependant on TPC
• Alas, REL’s management had different plans!!! – They ‘hived off ’ the new business into a different company, REL POWER,
and got it listed with great fanfare
– This built up huge wealth for the ADAG promoter group, and deprived REL’s shareholders
• The immediate market crash was like Divine justice!

Prayas mentioned that 28,000 MW of generation capacity is being built by REL POWER
– If this were still with RINFRA, maybe its Mumbai’s consumers would not have so much to worry!
– Interestingly, hadn’t REL built up their finances ONLY from the Mumbai electricity consumers??
Another aspect, which has not been highlighted is the need of RINFRA’s Mumbai Metro One project
– It is a known fact that this will be operational within the next 12 months
May be RINFRA needs cheap power for Metro One and is using the excuse of Mumbai consumers
The Issue:
CROSS SUBSIDY
Cross Subsidy (1/5)

• Whatiscross-subsidy?
– Same category: A higher consumption consumer will pay tariff at a higher rate – which allows the discom to sell power at a
lower-than-average-cost rate to lower end consumers
– Different category: A higher ‘category’ consumer like a ‘Commercial’ consumer will be paying at a higher rate and again, this
will help the discom to sell at lower rates to some other categories
• Therefore,amountofsubsidylargelydependsupon power purchase cost and the “mix” of consumers (within categories and of
different categories)
Cross Subsidy (2/5)

The consumer- mix for all four suppliers(TPC,BEST, RINFRA, MSEDCL) is very different!
– Trying to draw parallels between these will not help us arrive at any constructive conclusion
The content ion is that if higher-end consumers move away, then RINFRA will not get higher revenue to subsidise (fund) its
lower end consumers
– Since, in the present competitive situation, RINFRA’s ‘higher end’ consumers are migrating over to TPC
Cross Subsidy (3/5)

• In order to‘ compensate’ for this loss, RINFRA is proposing the levy of a cross-subsidy surcharge!
– Now, if this were done, it would put an additional ‘price’ on migrating away
– Effectively reducing the competitive environment !!
• MERC has permitted levy of ‘Wheeling Charges’ on consumers who switchover
–
By Law, this only when the load is 1 MVa and above, but here switchover consumers are paying for it even if their consumption
is ONE single unit!!
Which is why there is a threshold & its NOT economical for lower end consumers to switch!!
Cross Subsidy (4/5)

Since it is uneconomical for lower end consumers to switch, they CHOOSE to continue with RINFRA
– We MUST not take away the CHOICE of lower end consumers!
Incidentally, when the higher end consumers migrated away (switched to TPC), didn’t the LOAD also go down for RINFRA??
– Since it was buying extra power at higher rate from external sources, with the load going down now, wouldn’t they need
LESS of this expensive power?
40
These details need to be made public by RINFRA and certified by MERC
Cross Subsidy (5/5)

• If we go begin the unhealthy practice of Cross- subsidy surcharge, there is NO end to it!
– It already exists between consumers in one category and between categories
– Then we will extend it to between TPC & RINFRA ... and later between TPC & BEST, then TPC & MSEDCL (?)
– How about between MUMBAI & Rest of Maharashtra?
– Is the GOM not worried about the State where consumers are facing 12-14 hours of power cut??
– Where do we draw the line??
• Such a surcharge is not only illegal, but also unwarranted!
SUMMARY
Summary (1/3)
New classifications of consumers have come up
– RINFRA consumer, TPC consumer, BEST consumer, Switchover consumer, Subsidised/Subsidising consumer
The old “Divide-and-rule” policy is being played out on consumers through media campaigns
– 28 Lakh RINFRA consumers are being incited against 40,000 switchover consumers
Just like the GOM is pitting a few thousand ICSE/CBSE students against Lakhs of SSC students
– The net result is the SAME: ALL students are suffering And here ALL consumers are suffering!
Summary (2/3)
GOM must not be allowed to set/mandate any kind of tariff or blanket subsidy
– There should also be NO Uniform Tariff, as this will KILL consumer choice
In Uniform Tariff via subsidy the GOM will need to pay the discom directly and will eventually collect this via taxes from us!
– The amount of taxes could be much higher and there would be no way to correlate this with subsidy given
– Inefficient, recalcitrant and derelict utilities will continue to benefit!
Summary (3/3)
MERC should ensure that RINFRA ties up its power procurement needs from ‘outside sources’ in a time bound manner
– Stiff financial penalties for failure to comply Penalty in the form of disallowing any tariff hike and asking RINFRA to ‘bear
the losses’ Dual benefits:
– Consumers will be ensured of power – They will also not suffer on account of higher tariff. Thus, achieving the objective of
protecting consumer interest
Tamasoma jyotir gamaya

(From darkness unto light)
By:
Sandeep N. Ohri
Authorised Consumer Representative for this Case
credits to JNMM
----------------------------
City Betterment Charge

The Maharashtra Government and their 'selected officials' spent their time and citizens' money dreaming during the day. They
have come up with a plan to tax citizens yet again. They claim that better infrastructure should encourage Mumbaikars to pay
more for it. They feel, that property prices will go up and Mumbaikars should share with the Govt. their good fortune. Please
see the attached two pages.
I wonder if these babus have thought of refunding monies collected as taxes for the past say, twenty years, when they failed to
deliver basic infrastructure to the citizens of the City. I wonder if they have thought that if profit has to be shared, first there
must be a sale, will they wait for benefited citizens to sell out? What about those whose property prices fall, will they
compensate them? How about compensation for the losses during the floods?
If 'impact fee' is to be forced from developers, then there must be enforceable rights by the payees. Will the Govt and its Babus
enter into such contracts? This is the method of the business world ... which the Babus wish now to enter, so they should accept
personal liability for the same.
41
Me thinks this is a diversionary tactic by the Politicos to enrage the Citizens and then to offer to withdraw the same
magnanimously. Their inter party and intra party quarrels for one up man ship, have now spread with collateral damages to the
citizens who vote them to power. I say beware politicos! City Elections are near and games will not deliver outcome. Do not
tickle the sleeping citizens who when they wake up will throw these ideas and their originators into the sea.
Kindly post your thoughts and comments at our blog at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jagrutnagrik/ so that we can take
this matter up with our CM.
--
By:
Praful Vora
Convener - JNM।
JNM will work towards fundamental political, electoral and governance reforms.
Website: www.jagrutnagrik.com
-------------------------
Let us make friends, not enemies; peace, not war

According to recent reports, in Pakistan, there are influential media barons, military and government officials, and political
leaders, who consider nuclear weapons their ‘crown jewels’. They would like to start a nuclear war against India, even if a
couple of their own cities are also destroyed in the process. They regard peacemakers as conspiring to turn Pakistan into ‘slaves
of Hindus’. I am sure there are people like that in India as well.
In both countries, there are individuals, who profit from the disproportionate military expenditure and from the illegal and
third-country trade between India and Pakistan. There are those who thrive on propagation of hate against people across the
border and would like to keep the old wounds open.
They do not care if their own people suffer in the process. It does not matter to them if many are deprived of two meals a day,
clean drinking water, decent education, primary healthcare and other basic amenities. They could care less, if the very security
and integrity of their own nation are at risk, due to their misguided notions.
If you believe in the importance of peace for peace and security of Pakistan as well as India, you have to assert yourself to
counter the self-destructive efforts of hawks and hate-mongers.
You must actively work to ensure success of Aman ki Asha, a unique peace initiative launched on January 1, 2010, by Times of
India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/amankiasha.cms) and the Jang Group (http://www.amankiasha.com/).
Also you should help persuading the governments of India and Pakistan to make it easier for people to travel across their
common border. More people of the two countries meet each other, the easier it would be for them to overcome mutual
suspicions, and bridge their trust-gap.
In this context, you might consider signing the petition of the Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (www.asiapeace.org)
to the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan to “Make it Easier for People from India and Pakistan to Travel and Meet Each
Other.” It is now available for your signatures online at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pakistan-india-travel/.
We have wasted more than six decades being enemies. In the process, we have hurt ourselves at least as much, as we might have
hurt the other side. It is time we change our ways, and give up the old habits.
Let us make friends, not enemies; peace, not war.
By:
Dr. Pritam K. Rohila
He is the Executive Director of the Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (www.asiapeace.org).
--------------------
42
Political reservation an undemocratic discrimination

There are other ways around women reservation can be implemented without depriving others from their constitutional rights.
Often I become so much confused and ask myself, why the reservation is needed in India? and if necessary , which sections
deserve it the most? and should it not be implemented so that it does not hurt others? is the current reservation system really
fulfilling our basic purposes and motives substantially? if more reservation required? immediately in between this episode, my
conscience interrupts and pours a no-no no-political reservation, repeatedly on thought’s battle and being a thinker my inner
frustration of helplessness becomes battling with my own conscience, yes the sc/st/obc reservation was necessary and equitable
for the social and economic uplift of those un-noticed, downtrodden, socially and economically weak sections of the society at
that time, but it is very disappointing that the situations have not significantly changed till now by the running policies and
rather these have veered the direction of Indian politics towards the castes, religions, regionalism and languages, and this non-
directional politics is partitioning the Indian society in many isolated groups, such terrible situations are lingering danger to the
future India.
I support reservation until unless it does not deprive others from pursuing their constitutional rights, and the implemented
reservation and currently proposed women political reservation do the same, it hurts, it deprives others from their constitutional
rights, yes I am talking about political reservation only. When the reservation is implemented in other sectors like education,
jobs, it doesn’t affect others from achieving their goals and fulfilling their dreams but the currently running and proposed
women’s political reservation deprive many good leaders from becoming MP/MLA from their respective constituency for
which they have worked and have feeling for, it will snatch the confidence and enthusiasm of the good leaders, it may mitigate
the nationalist and patriotic feeling of good leaders and a bad indication for Indian politics.
Current political reservation system have resulted in poor leadership of our country and that poor leadership have given birth
to many serious implications to our country and I don’t feel need to say all those problems and complications because we all are
well aware of the current scenario. Proposed type of women’s reservation in politics will also be a major drawback and also
hindrance in the development process, it will slow down the development process in India because of the low quality
leadership, that we are suffering from last six decades, it was not my intention to say that women are not good leaders but the
females who will reach assembly/parliament/upper house through reservation would be poor representation of our country.
Already more than 10 percent women are sitting in the parliament house and there are other ways around, this number can be
increased without depriving others from their constitutional rights. This time in India women are equally talented and capable,
they only need opportunities not such type of reservation, women are leading in many states, and the proposed type of
reservation bill will worsen the political situations in future that will be decelerating the real development process. There are
other ways around the gender equality can be achieved without barring anybody from their fundamental rights, this can be
achieved if all political parties are forced to give at least 30 percent tickets to women candidates this will welcome women
participating in politics and gradually develop their political skills and country would be having good quality leaders without
exploiting others, some of you will be arguing that parties will be giving tickets to women from weak constituencies I totally
disagree with this type of argument I feel this as an immature and sense less argument, this type of argument reinforce the
politics of caste, religion, regionalism and language, in fair politics such type of situations don’t come. No seat is a weak seat for
any candidate, saying any seat weak is like abusing the Indian voters as voters decide which candidate better deserves the seat
and let Indian voter decide their leader freely, and by doing this we will be having plenty of good women candidates in
assembly/parliament and also we will be having plenty of women raw material for future politics and it will be equitable to
think for future, but now most of the political parties are supporting the current bill for vote politics and they are not at all
concerned with contemporary real issues and serious flaws of the currently running system.
Citizens active participation and interfere in any decision is an urgent need of our country so that political parties or leaders
wouldn’t pass the bad policies those are harmful for our country। One major drawback of this proposed bill that it will be
beneficiary for the women from very well off family (corporate) as around 70% of women candidates in assembly/parliament/
upper house are from millionaire families. Corporate supports political parties and hence politicians do for corporate sector
and all the media belongs to corporate sector so the triangle corporate-politicians-media-corporate is sucking the 99% Indian
public the basic reason for all the implications in developing process of our country.
Column by:
Kilkil Sachan
Graduate Student,
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
---------------------------
43
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The Ground Report India (GRI) July 2010

The Ground Report India - July 2010 3

Food Security Strategy Workshop to highlight actions for progress! 12

China: Witnesses Lift Veil on Abuses by Security Forces in Tibet! 12

Centre yet to take stand on Dalit Muslims: Salman Khurshid! 18

Parliamentarians pay floral tributes to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak! 20

woman sexually abused, tortured by BSF-- Impunity prevailing! 23

India Water Foundation on WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY! 24

hike in gas prices! 25

PM condoles the passing away of Malayala Manorama Chief Editor, K.M.Mathew! 31

Powers of Information Commission to change its penalty! 36

Four golden rules for writing effective Right To Information Applications! 37

City Betterment Charge! 41

Let us make friends, not enemies; peace, not war! 42

Political reservation an undemocratic discrimination! 43

About the Ground Report India! 44

The Ground Report India - July 2010

What is the solution?

Few very basic question arises here -

PM's speech at the Convocation Ceremony at IIT Kanpur

May God be with you. "

Source: Human Rights Watch

Food Security Strategy Workshop to highlight actions for progress

The proposed action points are:

Leverage fuel subsidy reform to promote food security;

China: Witnesses Lift Veil on Abuses by Security Forces in Tibet

· Fact no. 6: UNWILLINGNESS OF POLICE TO REGISTER FIRS AND INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS OF

Centre yet to take stand on Dalit Muslims: Salman Khurshid

Call for support:

In solidarity with the unfortunate victims of our collective neglect.

Parliamentarians pay floral tributes to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak

“ I am very happy to welcome you.

I once again welcome you all as we begin discussions in this meeting.”

Theme 1: Building National Health Systems

(i) Countdown to 2015:

woman sexually abused, tortured by BSF-- Impunity prevailing

India Water Foundation on WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

hike in gas prices

Respected Murli bhai,

Thanks and Regards,

Place of Incident: adjacent to Harudanga out post no. VIII

The body was cremated at Khagra crematory in Murshidabad on 20.06.2010.

Likewise, 7 MPs recommended the name of Dr Krishna Kabir Anthony.

Selection Committee meeting on 5th Oct 2005:

1. G C Srivastava, IAS (Retd) – he applied himself.

Names selected by Selection committee:

Selection Committee meeting on 27th August 2008:

1. Mrs Annapurna Dixit

Names selected by Selection committee:

Selection Committee meeting on 6th April 2009:

Names selected by Selection committee:

Selection Committee meeting on 25th August 2009:

Names selected by Selection committee:

PM condoles the passing away of Malayala Manorama Chief Editor, K.M.Mathew

DISAPPOINTING PEACE TALKS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN

The Plight of Namashudras in post Independent India

The Great Communist Betrayal

Memories in the black hole

Powers of Information Commission to change its penalty

Four golden rules for writing effective Right To Information Applications

While asking for information, the 4 golden rules are:

4) Avoid vague expressions and requests such as

THE PRESENT SITUATION