With out opportunity no dignity

Opportunity is most important factor and actor to defend dignity.It is noted that historical exclusion process of caste system,patriarchy, colonialism,racism and neo-liberalism are snatching the opportunity from common masses through marginalization. I appeal to humanistic forces, democratic actors,democratic capitalists and responsible forces against exclusion come forward and bring pressure on Governments and corporate for their role in ensuring the opportunities for historically excluded people to ensure the dignity of human in world.         

Karma Festival: A way to the dignity of the tribal to protest to resist anti -tribal mindset

Karma tribal dance performers struggle to survive confronting social inequity and administrative apathy

Today ‘Karma dance’ is popular in the entire world but the performers are languishing in penury and their identities are at stake. If we turn back to the history then we see that in November 1986, these dancers performed in front of President at ‘Apna Mahotsav’ held in New Delhi. Even they were honoured and invited in a dinner hosted by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, the present UPA Chairperson at Teen Murti House on November 24, 1986. Later on, from 7th to 24th 1989, in Mumbai, there tribal dancers performed in the presence of Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi. In 2001-2002, 16 performers participated in Island Festival held at Andaman Nicobar Islands. Karma tribal dance performers belong to Ghasia tribe have no land, not home and not even safe source of drinking water. But they have the skill and had inherited the rich legacy of ‘Karma dance’.

These performers are facing virtual extinction due to poverty and administrative apathy. The insensate and corrupt-ridden administration has failed to lend its helping hand in linking up these ‘special artistes’ to welfare programmes and schemes, consequently Ghasia tribe had to confront economic hardship. In the name of granting ‘cultural programmes’ to the tribe, the dominant in the society in collusion with officials in the district officials want to extract undue favour from the Ghasia tribe as they wanted to satiate their carnal desire and had tempting eyes towards their women. It pricked their conscience and the tribe was not prepared to compromise with women’s dignity in lieu of few programmes. Ghasia tribe was forced to live in the rocky and undulated Raup village in Sonebhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.  Karma dance facing administrative callousness, the tribal performers were forced to toil hard, pull rickshaw and dance in the marriages for earning their livelihood.

Pushed to economic deprivation, the Ghasia tribe living in Raup village were somehow eking out their living but between July and September 2003, within 3 months, there was heart wrenching incident when 18 children between the age of 3 and 7 years died of hunger and malnutrition. Post to hunger deaths, the local district officials’ callousness was at the extreme showing their apathy and ignorance about the incident even after newspapers prominently covering the hunger deaths depicting tribe’s abysmal condition. Seeing the news reports, People’s Vigilance Committee for Human Rights (PVCHR) intervened and a team talked to the villagers and developed a fact finding report.

The report is quite startling jolting everyone’s sensibilities. Children of the artistes endowed with the rich legacy of rare and exceptional folk culture ‘karma dance’ are dying of hunger and their families are on the verge of starvation. Coupled with that feudal thinking, arm-flexing politicians, anti-people reactionary forces had ganged up with the police to harass them and brand them as ‘Naxalite informers’. Police had unleashed a reign of terror by sexually assaulting the Ghasia women. Peeved by police repression, the Ghasia tribes protested and then the police retaliated by entering their homes in dark night and tried to silence children, elderly people and pregnant women by kicking them with their heavy boots. Many of the men arms and limbs were broken and are still incapacitated. Now they are eking their existence by begging at the streets. Intermittently, many of the youths from the Ghasia ghetto were falsely implicated and pushed behind the bars and to get them released in bail and for the bail amount they have to take loans. Loans were taken by mortgaging their ration cards to the money lenders, who showed their dominance by wielding stronger clout and charging heavy interest from the families of Ghasia youth. It pushed them further to deprivation and destitute.

Then, PVCHR organised the basti dwellers and initiated a process so that the justice should be delivered to them. PVCHR in collaboration with Care House Foundation, Indian orgin Sweden resident Parul Sharma had planted 100 saplings of drumsticks in Raup village to tide over infant and maternal mortalities. PVCHR had even petitioned NHRC on the problems confronting the Ghasia tribe. In its follow up, villagers staged protest ‘dharna’ at the district headquarter.

NHRC issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government for initiating action on the long-standing demands of the Ghasia tribe and asked the State Government to keep them posted with the development within a week. Then, the district administration was thrown from its slumber and was back in action. Then they pressurised the basti dwellers to downplay the deaths of the children not due to hunger but out of any disease. Even they were threatened of eviction if they didn’t submit and change their version of children’s death Facing official apathy and highhandedness, a cycle rally was organised to mark the death of the children’s starvation deaths as martyrdom, which commenced on 7th December from Kavardih (Nogarh), Chandauli. It culminated at Raup Ghasia basti on 10th December, which is Human Rights Day. The cycle rally was able to draw the attention of the district administration.  In the district headquarter at Varanasi a memorandum signed by 300 people were submitted with a charter of demand.

The demands are as follows:

1) Families living in Ghasia basti be issued Below the Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards

2) Ensure employment to the basti dwellers

3) Stop evicting the Ghasia basti dwellers

4) Children till 14 years should be given and nutritious food

5) Anganwadi should be immediately opened in the basti

6) Agricultural land should be distributed to the landless villagers.

It mounted some pressure on the district administration and then administrated distributed some food grains and relief material but failed in providing sustainable livelihood. Seeing the office apathy, PVCHR sent the charter of demand to NHRC. PVCHR has been arduously trying to bring to the fore the deplorable conditions of the artistes and save the rare and exceptional culture. PVCHR had been successful in garnering support and people have extended support in the form of distribution of blankets, mosquito nets, rickshaws, goat, bands etc. But it’s quite pathetic that folk performers had to pick up shovel, spade etc to work for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme. They didn’t get a job under MNREGA and till now they have not got a job. Seeing the deaths due to fatal disease resulting out of impoverished conditions, PVCHR at its own level had organised health camps and health awareness programmes. In collaboration with New Delhi based Goonj, PVCHR distributed woollen materials and clothes to 306 children and adults living in Raup village.

To impart education to the children of the basti, PVCHR on August 2006 opened Jan Mitra Kendra (People Friendly Centre) in a room and started the school. 2 teachers have been appointed. After that, a school building was built and swings were installed so that children could play. Bal Panchayats (Children councils) were organised to bolster confidence. PVCHR’s initiative and regular advocacy helped in opening Anganwadi Kendra occupying a room in the school building. In other section, primary school was opened in 2012 where 62 children are enrolled. The struggle for survival of the traditional karma folk dance artistes still continues in 2012. People living in this basti say that listening to the flow of the streams, feet moved rhythmically and palash (Bengal Kino) blossoming in the mountain creates lyrics in the lips. Sometimes hubbub created in the atmosphere burst with the female voice singing ‘Mayi re aaiha sajaley rasiya’ which echoed the mountainous region.

But the present hapless and miserable plight abounding the Ghasia tribe the song has changed into ‘Raja soye lal palang, babu bhaiya khatia, garib soye khodo puhal’ Police and district administration is responsible for the miserable plight of the Ghasia tribe, who had been assiduously trying to evict them and even snatching the source of livelihood from them. If any of the youth gets a private job then the police create hindrances and are shunted out of the job. District administration had derogatorily branded the folk artistes as ‘thieves’. Social ostracism and abject poverty had pushed them to penury and deprivation. Both Ghasia women and men are not safe. Fear of women’s modesty being outraged and men’s pushed behind the bars on fabricated cases always looms large. Seeing the police or government vehicles, children hide themselves out of fear. The administration deliberately adopts dual approach with them. On the one side the Government though its website popularises Karma folk dance performers in the world by claiming it to be ‘India’s rich legacy’ .But on the other side the performers are branded as criminals. In this situation how the tribal dance performers would develop that is the point to be probed into?

Ghasia Testimony

Karma Program - Raup Ghasiya Basti, Sonbhadra

Asia uprising is a way to build more vibrant Asia

Bali Democracy Forum(www.bdf.kemlu.go.id) opens the door for Civil Society Organizations .I and Yap Swee Seng(ED,Forum Asia) participated as a first CSO representative on behalf of Forum Asia as observer. see the link in newspaper about program:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-08/gillard-co-chairs-bali-democracy-forum/4361358 Many head of states talked about pluralism, sovereignty of the People and many point from our two declarations(http://www.pvchr.net/2009/06/south-asian-peoples-declaration.html and http://www.forum-asia.org/?p=15548 ) http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Cooperation-and-dialogue-in-Bali-for-peace-and-democracy-in-Asia-Pacific-region-26291.html But we need the implementation,implementation and only implementation as realization of pluralistic democracy based on sovereignty of the People. http://www.bdf.kemlu.go.id/

Lenin Raghuvanshi to be felicitated with the prestigious 'Karmaveer Puraskar

"We congratulate Lenin Raghuvanshi for possessing the conviction and compassion to stand up, speak out and lead the change with his positive attitude! The management of iCONGO, which has selected his nomination after thorough due diligence based on the process created by the international HR audit firm MERCER and Grant Thornton, said that they were glad to have found a true champion of social justice issues in Lenin Raghuvanshi and wish that more and more citizens gave his time, involvement and humane feelings towards addressing social justice issues and being the change and role models for other citizens to follow." 

http://palashupdates.blogspot.in/2012/11/lenin-raghuvanshi-to-be-felicitated.html

From the eyes of James Hotham: Impressions of India

From the eyes of James Hotham: Impressions of India

http://jameshotham.com/india-unfolded/

approval of membership of Forum Asia

Congratulation to all members and associates of PVCHR for approval of membership of Forum Asia http://www.forum-asia.org/

India: The Impoverished Hands That Create The Rich Benarasi Sari

http://indiacurrentaffairs.org/india-the-impoverished-hands-that-create-the-rich-benarasi-sari/

• November 15, 2012 1:38 pm
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  For decades, a handwoven Benarasi sari with its rich brocade and bright colours has been an essential ingredient of the great North Indian wedding. Whether it is the Bollywood star or the middle-class Hindu bride, when it comes to taking the ‘saat pheras’ (walking around the sacred fire seven times to solemnise a marriage), they do so, resplendent in the glittering fabric woven by the bunkars of Benaras, most of them Muslims. The six yards of silk woven in the ‘gallis’ and ‘mohallas’ of this holy city are special not just for the beauty of their weave but for the inter-community ‘tana bana’ (warp and woof) that they embody. But what are the lives of these dream weavers like? Find out in this excerpt from Beautiful Country – Stories From Another India.

For decades, a handwoven Benarasi sari with its rich brocade and bright colours has been an essential ingredient of the great North Indian wedding. Whether it is the Bollywood star or the middle-class Hindu bride, when it comes to taking the saat pheras (walking around the sacred fire seven times to solemnize a marriage), they do so, resplendent in the glittering fabric woven by the bunkars of Benaras, most of them Muslims. The six yards of silk woven in the gallis and mohallas of this holy city are special not just for the beauty of their weave but for the inter-community tana bana (warp and woof) that they embody. We were sad to see these symbols of our syncretic culture and creativity close to extinction, for people said that the weavers of Varanasi were selling their blood to feed their children.

We saw these children even before we had seen their parents. Our guide through the narrow lanes was a young bespectacled man of average height, Lenin Raghuvanshi, convener of the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights. For the last fourteen years he has been working for the rights of the poor in his city, especially the bunkars. …

Lenin took us to see the SOS Children’s Village in Varanasi. In 2003, SOS had started an outreach programme to provide non-formal education to out-of-school children of kumhars (potters) and weavers in the five to twelve-year age-group. We were taken to a small room in which a hundred of these children were seated. They looked tidy but quiet; too quiet… Outside the classroom the parents, who had come to collect their kids, were waiting. Most of them lived in Daniyalpur, a locality in the nearby Choubeypur Thana area. Rashida, a young woman in a faded green salwar kuta, was carrying her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Ruby. The child had matchstick legs. ‘She had never had tika karan (immunization). Dal and rice is all I can give her. There is no money for milk.’ A pretty girl in advanced pregnancy with three children clinging to her stood in a corner. Her name was Sabiha. She shyly answered our queries. ‘No, I have never seen a doctor.’ ‘Yes, I had all my babies at home.’ ‘Rozgar (work)? Our family gets orders. It takes us fifteen days to make a sari for which we get Rs 500. This money is paid to us by the gaddidars (middlemen).’ …

While discussing the efficacy of our schemes or the achievements of the development commissioner, handlooms, only one face comes to mind – that of Maimun Nisa. It is her story that we want to tell.

Hers was the first house we visited in Daniyalpur. We went there simply because it was closest to where the car had stopped. It was a one-room mud-and-brick structure. A broken charpai and a run-down loom were the only furniture. A white-and-orange fabric was trussed on the loom. A frail woman sat on the floor, sewing tiny stars into the fabric. Next to her, on the floor, lying on scrap of cloth, was a small child. As soon as we entered her home, she picked up her child and stood up.

‘What’s your name?’

‘Maimun Nisa.’ Thin face, sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, a frayed pink dupatta covering her head. Her son, Imran, was tiny and had the face of an old man – shrivelled and shrunk. His feet were so thin that we wondered if he would ever be able to walk. His head seemed too big for his small frail body. We assumed her was eight months old.

‘He is eighteen-months-old,’ she said.

‘Eighteen months!’ We could not believe what we had heard. ‘What do you feed him?’

Eyes lowered, she mumbled, ‘Sabudaane ka paani (gruel of tapioca).’

‘What! And what else?’

Silence.

‘Do you feed him milk?’

Again, silence.

‘We have no money to buy milk and I have none in my breasts. All I have ever been able to give him is sabudaane ka paani.’

We heard a sound behind us. Turning around, we saw a tall, thin man with a balding head and a small white beard. He was crying.

‘Mushtaq her husband,’ someone whispered.

‘Madam, we have nothing. We get Rs 15-30 per day for weaving saris and decorating them with stars and glitter. If we ask for more, the middlemen will give work to someone else. And with it the house will go, too. You see it belongs to the dalal (agent). As long as we work for him, we will have this roof over our heads.’

Looking around the bare room, we did not see a single pot where any grain could have been stored. The chulha (wood stove) in the corner seemed hardly used.

‘Don’t you get BPL and Antyodaya rations?’

‘No. We don’t have any cards. Getting them means giving money to the dala babu (middlemen).’

‘To earn additional money, Mushtaq used to sell bananas on the railway platform. Then they charged him with theft and even this source is gone,’ Maimun Nisa added softly.

In her helpless eyes and face, we saw a mother who is forced to watch her child die every day because she is unable to feed him. …

On the way to Nati Imli, a colony of powerloom weavers, we stopped at Handloom House, a shop where some beautiful specimens of Benarasi silk saris were selling for Rs 1,200 to 20,000. The kind of sari we had seen at Mushtaq’s house was selling at Rs 1,500; he and Maimun Nisa only made Rs 150-200, that is Rs 100 for sequin work and Rs 50 to 100 for weaving; that was what they got for three days’ work. …

Kashi they say is enlightenment… our visit to Benaras had definitely enlightened us; it had taught us about derivation and misery, sorrow and poverty, like we had never known.

(Excerpted from Beautiful Country – Stories From Another India By Syeda Hameed and Gunjan Veda; Published by Harper Collins; Pp: 365; Price: Rs 399.)

(© Women’s Feature Service)

Vardagshjältar

http://www.svd.se/kultur/vardagshjaltar_7123927.svd

18 maj: Lenin Raghuvanshi

Den 18 maj 1970 föds Lenin Raghuvanshi, en av grundarna av organisationen PVCHR som kämpar för att stärka de kastlösas rättigheter i Indien. Sedan 2008 lever han under ständiga dödshot för sitt arbetes skull.

Swedish newspaper published Everyday Heroes

During spring and summer, Svenska Dagbladet to publish short news items about people who have shown courage - here we have collected them in one article. The texts come from a calendar made in memory of Raoul Wallenberg. 

May 18: Lenin Raghuvanshi

On May 18, 1970 born, Lenin Raghuvanshi, a founder of the organization PVCHR struggling to strengthen the caste solved rights in India. Since 2008 he lives under constant threat of death for the sake of his work.

http://www.svd.se/kultur/vardagshjaltar_7123927.svd

Inside and out side fight of PVCHR against fascism

Hypocrisy,manipulation,cheating and controlling resources are main characters of our Hindu fascism.In few days,I understand a lot very fruitful.Please read our article :http://malenadu.com/?p=26468

Just few hours before our friend Lukas H

aensch

shared a follow very important thought:

Watch your thoughts, they become words

Watch your words, they become actions

Watch your actions, they become habits

Watch your habits, they become character

Watch your character, it Becomes your destiny (Lao tzu)

India needs more multidimensional and multilayer comprehensive initiative to eliminate the fascism and restore the dignity.We are fighting outside and inside both struggles. We shall win........

Long live our uncompromising fight base on value of non-violence,pluralism,secularism,democracy , human rights & human dignity for all

Silent revolution is going on at grass roots of India

http://twocircles.net/2012nov15/silent_revolution_going_grass_roots_india.html

Open Letter to Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh

http://www.mynews.in/News/create_definite_rules_of_procedures_for_the_cases_of_the_minority_and_marginalized_N516544.html

To,

The Prime Minister, India

The Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh

Sirs,

Wishing you a radiant Diwali, we would like to share with you a distressing dilemma. Due to the acquaintance of the persisting injustice in our society, one is compelled to take action driven with urgency, regardless of the occurrence of this joyously celebrated festival. We request you to read and thoroughly consider the written manifestation of the struggling people.

On 11^th March 2009, in Bazardiha area of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, police opened fire indiscriminately on a crowd gathered to commemorate a Hindu ceremony in a majorly Muslim populated area. All of the victims belong to the Muslim community who were just bystanders or passing by the site. 2 young persons were killed and 8 were injured by being fired at by the police. All of the victims belong to the weaver’s community and are struggling with their families to survive due to the death or disability of their sons, caused by the police.  In spite of rigorous perseverant efforts of seeking legal justice since more than three years, at the local, state and national governments, and Human Rights institutions, the victims have not received compensation; rehabilitation and the perpetrators have not been punished.

While perusing through the happenings of this horrid incident and many cases of torture filed at the National Human Rights commission by People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) we realized the vital need for intervention for creating a pluralistic democracy. On comparative study of the cases we have identified patterns of biased, discriminatory action taken by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) towards the victims who belong to the Muslim minority community.

Link:

http://muslim-minority.blogspot.in/2012/11/nhrc-discrimination-with-hindu-and_7031.html

We appeal to you to create definite rules of procedures for the cases of the minority and marginalized, at the level of the administrative, state and human rights commissions and institutions. These rules of procedures will spread the spirit of the constitution and the international human rights standards and prevent the influence of any bias, prejudice and discrimination.

With kindest regards,

Lenin Raghuvanshi
Secretary General
Peoples' Vigilance Committee on Human Rights

 Gwangju Human Rights Award – 2007

Association of Cultural Harmony in Asia (ACHA) Star Peace Award – 2008

Director of ACHA - Since 2009

International Human Rights Award of Weimar (Germany) - 2010

SA4/2 A Daulatpur, Varanasi - 221002
Mobile No: +91-9935599333

www.pvchr.asia

www.pvchr.net

www.testimonialtherapy.org

A brief out sketch of the indiscriminate police firing in Bazardiha and tabular timeline of the extensive labor done by People’s Vigilance Committee for human rights and Dignity: Danish Institute against Torture is also presented below.

This is an example of the laxity of the administration, state and human rights commissions in bringing about justice to the victims of brutal torture and organized violence.

Brief sketch of the police firing based on the testimonies given by victims of the police firing.

On the 11^th of March 2009, Matkafod was held by Mr.Mata Prasad in front of his house in Bazardiha area of Varanasi which is a densely Muslim populated area, for which a large crowd of Hindu community members had gathered (from other areas of the city). After the matka (small earthen jar) was broken the procession moved towards the Kolhua Mosque. Dirt, colors and alcohol bottles were thrown at the Mosque, followed by derogatory slogans belittling Islam. The elderly of the Muslim community could not tolerate it any more as similar debasing conduct had been repeated in the preceding 3 years.  So they approached few out of the 20-25 policemen who had been posted near the mosque to take control over potential display of derogatory behavior. The police commanded the complainants to overlook what had happened as it was an ordinary happening which didn’t need any consideration. When the offended members of the Muslim community persisted on their appeal to the police to take action against the mischievous persons, they were retorted back with abuses and threats. All of a sudden, someone from Mata Prasad’s house threw a brick towards the police, which was followed by a stone thrown towards the house from the facing lane. The police reacted impulsively by indiscriminatingly firing at the crowd. As the people ran haywire and hid, trying to save their lives, two young boys were shot dead and 8 others were injured by the gun bullets. The police and the people of the neighborhood (from varying religious background), took the injured and almost dead persons to the nearest hospitals. Each of the 10 victims was Muslim aging between 17 and 25 years of age. The victims were alarmed and baffled in pain when shot, as they were innocent passersby’s who had committed no crime.

On 13^th March 2009, Mukhtar Ahmad, father of deceased Moin Akhtar (age 22), lodged an FIR against Shamsher Singh in-charge of Bazardiha police out-post, R.B Singh Station House Officer of Bhelupur  police station, Babu lal (a local leader), Vijay Vishawakarma (local cooperator), Sanjay Nath Tiwari Station House Officer of Sigra police station, Mata Prasad and other police men involved in the firing under section 302, 307, 147, 148, 149, 504, 506, 336, 295 of the Indian Penal Code. Mukhtar Ansari also sent a complaint to the NHRC appealing for justice. The police also filed an FIR, explaining the happening as a communal riot in which ‘unknown’ 500 persons were involved, which justifies their firing in the air, on receiving orders from the District Magistrate. Legal evidence clearly proves the story made by the police incorrect.

On the same day of the incident, People’s vigilance committee for human rights was informed of the incident, within an hour of which the news of the incident was posted on the online edition of Times today as ‘What is bigger tragedy: Clash or penury?’. Throughout the years numerous articles were published in local and national newspapers and other media.

PVCHR with the collaboration of Danish organization Dignity: Danish Institute against Torture provided psychological support through testimonial therapy to Mr. Mukhtar Ahmad and Mr. Salim, the fathers of the two deceased youngsters Mr. Moin Akhtar and Mr. Khali-uj –Jama who lost their lives in the police firing. The 8 injured persons were also given testimonial therepy.

 On 18^th November 2009, Mr. Mukhtar Ahmad and Mr. Salim were honored by Dr. Sayeda Hameed, Member of Planning Commission, Government of India in the “People’s Tribunal on the situation of Muslim minority” at the Paradkar Smriti Bhawan press club in Varanasi.  

 The tribunal was organized with the joint collaboration of People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), Bunkar Dastakar Adhikar Manch (BDAM), Voice of People (VOP), Education Resource Centre (ERS), Citizen Front and Jaradoj Dastakar Union and supported by Sir Dorabji Tata trust (SDTT) at the Paradkar Smriti Bhawan press club in Maidagin, Varanasi. 

Dr. Sayeda Hameed, Member of Planning Commission, Government of India chaired the tribunal. The other jury members were Muniza Rafiq Khan, Registrar, Gandhi Vidya Sansthan, Mr. Mohan Lal Panda, Mr. Kamlesh Chandra and Mr. R.B Pal, Chief Secretary, Voice of People.  

Over the years numerous letters, appeals and RTI were filed to the administrative and judiciary institutions and commissions. Only 25,000 rupees has been given to the two families of the killed persons, which is negligible to what the victim’s family has a right to be provided and the 8 seriously injured have not been given any compensation and rehabilitation.

The police has submitted and taken the support of a forged report which accuses the victims of being mischievous perpetrators of communal clash and defend themselves by saying that they followed orders of their seniors and fired in the air, due to which accidently some were shot. Evident proof has also been submitted which prove the story of the police a creation of their imagination.

The present scenario

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) closed the file written by Mukhtar Ahmad who asked for inquiry into the incident and compensation for the death of his son and the son of Mohammad Salim. NHRC closed the case as the National Commission for Minorities had taken contingence before the NHRC.

On 5^th February 2010, PVCHR wrote to NHRC requesting them to direct state authority to provide immediate medical support and compensation to Abdur Rahman, one among the eight injured survivors of the police firing, who has been suffering terrible physical condition. NHRC clubbed this case number 35900/24/72/2010 with above mentioned case 52089/24/72/08-09 because according to them they ‘relate to the same subject’.  On 9^th October 2010, victim Abdur Rahman’s case was also closed because the case filed by Mukhtar Ahmad was closed earlier due to the explained reasons. The police has very cleverly filed an FIR and reported to the National Minority Commission that the police firing was done under orders, to control communal riot. This is a forged story that there was a communal riot in which 500 people were involved, so as to make it a very complicated case. The two cases are different and should not have clubbed together and closed. The National Commission for minorities has not taken appropriate action and implementation of Section D of Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities has also not been done.

The fight for justice is still on. The case is also being fought at the court. The victims, their families and PVCHR will persevere till justice is realized.

Timeline of deliberations done to bring justice-

Date	Action
11th March ‘09	Indiscriminate police firing in Bazardiha, Varanasi. Killing 2 and injuring 8 youths
13th March ‘09	FIR lodged by Mukhtar Ahmed, f/o Moin Akhtar killed in firing, at Bhelupur police station.
17th March ‘09	Letter to Chief Election Commissioner to the government to provide compensation to family of deceased and injured by Dr. Lenin
17th March ‘09	Letter to the Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission by Dr. Lenin requesting to set up an independent inquiry of the case through CBCID and to convince the appropriate government to grant appropriate compensation to the family of deceased and injured.
17th March ‘09	Letter to the Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission regarding problem faced by PVCHR due to non- receipt of its official letters.
24th March ‘09	Letter to District Magistrate, Varanasi from NHRC, directing the DM to enquire into the incident and send a report to the NHRC for perusal
7th Nov ‘09	Letter to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to order fair investigation into the police firing so that they get compensation
7th Nov ‘09	Urgent appeal program to Home Minister, Director General of Police, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Inspector General of Police Varanasi, The Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission of India, Dr.Sayeda Hameed, member of Planning Commission, Chief Secretary of Government of Uttar Pradesh, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Justice, Allahabad High Court, Prime Minister of India
23rd Nov ‘09	Letter written to Prime Minister by PVCHR to implement Section D of Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities
23rd Nov ‘09	Letter written to Shri .P.Chidambaram, Minister of Home Affairs regarding implementation of Section D of Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities
3rd Dec ‘09	Letter to Chairperson of National Human Right Commission to implement Section D of Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities
18th Dec ‘09	Ali Anwar Ansari, member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha writes to the central government about the plight of the weaver community and the urgent need to provide compensation to the weaver victims of the police firing.
19nd Jan 2010	Letter to Chief Secretary, U.P to speedily provide for compensation to the victim families.
23rd Jan 2010	Letter written to Special Secretary, Home, Government of Utter Pradesh to provide compensation to deceased and injured persons and to direct National authority to order state and district authority for fair investigation by independent agency such as state CBCID according to NHRC guideline by Dr. Lenin.
3rd Feb 2010	Complaint addressed to President of India regarding police firing in Bazardiha
5th Feb 2010	Letter to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh government to direct state authority to provide immediate medical support to Adbul Rahman and allotment of BPL red ration card.
5th Feb 2010	Letter to Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission to direct state authority to provide immediate medical support to Adbul Rahman and allotment of BPL red ration card.
6th Feb 2010	Letter to Sayida Hameed, member of Planning commission to order the implementation of weavers welfare programs for the victims’ families.
6th April 2010	Letter from NHRC acknowledges that they have been directed by the President Secretariat to take into consideration the police firing case no. 52089/24/72/08-09
20th July 2010	Letter to Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission regarding Khaliquzzaman s/o Mohammed Salim. Case no. 28972/24/72/2010, requesting them to direct fair investigation and bring justice by punishing the perpetrators.
21st  August 2010	Letter from NHRC to PVCHR informing that Khaliquzzaman s/o Mohammed Salim. Case no. 28972/24/72/2010 will be transferred to Uttar Pradesh State Human Rights Commission as the complaint relate to the matter which is a subject of the state.
9th Sept 2010	Letter from National Human Rights Commission to PVCHR wrote that case no. 35900/24/72/2010 was closed upon consideration as it relates to the same subject of case no. 52089/24/72/08-09, which has been closed as well under Commission’s order dated 18.06.2010

Right to Information files submitted-

Date	Efforts
17th Dec ‘09	Upendra Kumar filed a RTI enquiring into why Mr.Salim has not been given 25,000/- from the Chief Minister Relief fund when Mukhtar Ahmad has received and when he will receive it.
8th Jan 2010	Reply to the RTI filed by Upendra Kumar on 17th Dec 2009 sent.  It said that on receiving governments grant, Salim Mohammad will be given the compensation. It clearly said that he will be given compensation, though within how many days and what amount was not mentioned.
19th Jan 2010	Letter sent to Chief Secretary, U.P by Dr.Lenin sharing that the reply to the RTI filed by Upendra ensured that Salim Mohamad will be given compensation and thus requested the government to hasten their efforts to provide the compensation.
19th Jan 2010	Dr.Lenin filed RTI enquiring
5th April 2010	Dr.Lenin filed RTI enquiring why his previous RTI application dated 19th Jan 2010 had not been replied, requested for a last date for the provision of compensation to the victims and asked for a copy of the investigation report of the accused policemen. A copy sent to Chief Minister, U.P
4th May 2010	Vishal Pandey(Kshetriya adhikari Bhelupur) wrote to Police (Up Mahanirikshak) that under the orders of the magistrate, the police investigated the no crime has been committed by the police in the 11th March 2009 firing. That the police followed the orders of the magistrate to fire in the air when a mob of 500 religious fanatic persons clashed in a communal riot.
June 2010	Reply to RTI filed by Dr.Lenin on 5th April received. It clearly said that the investigation done by the police testifies that police were not negligent in the police firing.
20th July 2010	Dr.Lenin filed RTI asking for the progress report of the investigation done regarding the stealing if the wages of Salim Mohammad f/o deceased victim of police firing. Answers for the RTI filed on 30th March 2010 was asked for.
20th July 2010	Dr.Lenin filed RTI asking the details of the schemes, weaver introduction letter, Mahatma Gandhi Life insurance, ICICI health scheme, that have been provided to Salim Mohammad as said in letter from Handloom and textile industry department, Varanasi dated 26th May 2010.

Efforts to provide support to the victims through government schemes and compensation.

Date	Efforts
26th Sept ‘09	Mukhtar Ahmad given 25000/- under chief minister relief fund
18th Jan 2010	Letter written to ADI Handloom by Dr. Lenin to provide weavers identity card to Salim Mohammad, father of deceased Khalikurjma
18th Jan 2010	Letter written to ICICI Lombard by Dr.Lenin asking them to provide ICICI Lombard health card to Salim Mohammad
19th Jan 2010	Letter to Chief Minister, U.P by Dr.Lenin requesting for compensation to be given to the family of deceased Khalijurma, mentioning that the family of the second deceased
22nd Jan 2010	Letter written to Chief Minister Mayawati by Mukhtar Ahmed to be entitled to Kashiram urban poor housing scheme. Copy sent to District magistrate
22nd Jan 2010	Letter written to ADI handloom, Varanasi by Mukhtar Ahmed requesting to be provided weavers identity card, Mahatma Gandhi insurance and ICICI Lombard weavers health card.
22nd Jan 2010	Letter written to ADI handloom, Varanasi by Salim Mohammad requesting to be provided weavers identity card, Mahatma Gandhi insurance and ICICI Lombard weavers health card.
6th Feb 2010	Letter written to Chief Minister by Dr. Lenin, requesting to entitle Mukhtar Ahmad to Kashiram urban poor housing scheme, to order fair investigation into the police firing and to provide rehabilitation under the Prime minister new 15 point program for Welfare of Minorities.
20th July 2010	Letter to Chief Secretary by Dr. Lenin requesting them to provide compensation and government scheme benefit to the victims of the Bazardiha Police firing case.
5th October 2010	Letter to Senior District Officer by Dr. Lenin enquiring for information regarding the compensation to be given to the victim families.