Anti-fire cracker campaign of PVCHR

दीप जलाकर दीपावली मनाएं 

जीवन जलाकर नही 

दीपावली की बहुत - बहुत शुभकामनाएं. 1993 से चल रहे पटाखा विरोधी अभियान में शामिल हों. मानवाधिकार जननिगरानी समिति, बचपन बचाओ आन्दोलन, मुंशी प्रेमचंद बाल पंचायत एवं सुप्रशिद्ध कवि ज्ञानेन्द्रपति की मुहिम में शामिल हों ।
https://m.youtube.com/watc?v=ii47cAsrQZQ&feature=youtu.be

Social Marginalisation in Urban India and the Role of the State

For years, Varanasi's handloom silk industry has served millions of people: the industry has given livelihood to a large proportion of the local and regional population, and it has provided for the needs of consumers from all over the world for silk fabric. Recently, however, a number of problems have emerged which have led to a decline in the industry and, consequently, the lives of the handloom workers. These challenges facing the community engaged in making handloom silk fabrics include the huge influx of cheap Chinese silk material, the threat from the Surat silk market, the changing tastes of the younger generation, and 7 inappropriate trade policies. Discussions with handloom weavers living in Bazardiha locality of Varanasi revealed their concerns. A major threat to their livelihood is the growth in the number of power (electric) looms. Due to their weak economic condition, many weavers are unable to shift from handloom to power loom and thus fall behind in silk weaving and, thus, their daily earnings. Those using power loom earn, on average, up to 10 times more in a day. The second problem relates to the price at which design cards are sold in the market. Weavers use computer-generated design cards to print innovative designs on the silk fabric. Each card normally costs INR300 (US$ 4.73) and lasts for two to three years. Many users say that the cards are being sold at a prohibitive price of INR 900 (US$ 14.18). The weavers maintain that these cards should be made available at subsidised prices. Weaving by handloom workers is done within the house. The weavers work continuously for long hours and are highly dependent on stable supply of electricity. Often, though, power supply is erratic, leaving the work at a standstill. A visit to some houses showed the weavers' harsh working conditions, including poorly built and serviced structures situated in unplanned areas. Dissatisfaction was also expressed over the progress of government welfare schemes meant for handloom weavers. A handloom scheme was announced by the government as far back as in 2008 but the benefits did not reach the target groups. Again in 2014, an announcement was made for establishment of a trade facilitation centre and crafts museum to revitalise the traditional textile industry; this has yet to come to fruition. The workers suggest that social audit practices be used to ensure that such government schemes are implemented effectively

In Varanasi, government schemes aimed at the upliftment of the lives of handloom weavers have largely failed. Despite these initiatives‑such as granting identity cards, credit cards, and health insurance‑many workers are struggling to make a living. First of all, weavers are often unaware of the government schemes due to insufficient publicity. The city-based People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (#PVCHR) has expressed concern over the decline of the silk industry due to a variety of reasons, including unbearable input costs and exploitation by middlemen. A situation analysis of the life led by #handloom #weavers by PVCHR reveals presence of abject poverty, chronic malnutrition, changes in profession, and incidence of suicides. It has also been projected that if timely interventions are not made, the handloom silk industry faces more 9 hardships in the coming years. Failure in ensuring proper access to entitlements by the concerned authorities creates a general feeling of distrust in government. Such distrust can lead to unrest. This has been observed in Ahmedabad, for example, where the situation became extremely tense at the time of the slum demolition along the Sabarmati river because many families were not given a place to go prior to eviction. Anticipating conflict, the authorities 10 deployed a huge police force. With respect to Pune,  Cantú has identified a number of factors that, if left ignored, could generate spatial civic conflict, such as failure of government in reserving and/or acquiring land for low cost housing, slum demolitions and relocation to provide space for road expansion and parking, and lack of social inclusion provisions in the city's development plan. And in Varanasi, human rights activists caution that fundamentalist groups could exploit the unrest among handloom silk weavers to foment ethnic conflict.

http://www.orfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ORFIssueBrief_118.pdf

#PVCHR and #Bazardiha

#Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in India, situated on the bank of holy river Ganges. City is mostly inhabited by hindus and Muslims. Hindus are in majority but Muslim population is also more than 1 million. #Mulim population is highly concentrated in different areas of the city. Most of the Muslim population is engaged in weaving work of famous Baranasi Sarees. 

Bajardiha is one of the most densely populated areas in Varanasi city. The total population of Bajardiha is more than 100,000 and most of them are weavers and living in appalling condition. In the concerned weavers’ community of Bajardiha there is only one government Primary school for children’s education, there is no hospital, no road, even there is no pavement in the locality. The sewer system does not work there. Everywhere in the area, stagnant and dirty water of sewer can be seen overflowing. The dump of rubbish is spread around the area which is not sanitary safe for the residents. Due to acute poverty and unhygienic conditions many people of this community, including children, are suffering from TB and Asthma. It is alleged that Varanasi Municipal Corporation is also responsible for the plight situation of the residents of Bajardiha. 

Due to breakdown of the economy in the market of Baranasi sarees, weavers' community of #Bajardiha have found difficulties to get job and the people are facing imminent problem of starvation. Thousands of weavers have been migrated to other cities leaving their families behind in search of livelihood; many others are involved in menial jobs to feed their families and children. 

In another community called Mirzamurad in Varanasi district named which is hardly 5 kilometers away from Varanasi city. People of neighbouring villages of Mirzamurad have also been engaged in weaving of sarees for last several years. Weavers of this area are also facing the same problem of loss of jobs due to breakdown of market. 

Most of the villagers in the area of Mirzamurad from different villages like Kardhana, Benipur, Mehdiganj, Ganeshpur, Islampur, Amini, Admapur, Mominpur, Kallipur, Chateri, Manapur, Thatara, etc are engaged in the weaving work. At the advent of summer season, weavers of this area were expecting that the market of Baranasi Sarees will gain momentum and with the increase in the sale of Baranasi Sarees they would be able to get job and their income will increase. But the weavers' expectations proved to be mistaken and their hopes to get out of the crisis of acute poverty even for a while seem to be broken. 

Dozens of weavers have already been closed their looms due to fall of demand of Baranasi Sarees and groping the dark in search of their livelihood. It is reported that in the State of Uttar Pradesh election campaign is going on and the candidates from different political parties contesting the election to get elected for State Legislative Assembly and their leaders are spending millions of rupees to win the election by any means but the sufferings of poor workers are not on the agenda of any political parties. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Majority of the Muslim community in India is living in acute poverty. Muslims in India have deliberately been deprived of education and jobs in government services. Muslim population in India mostly resides in cities and has been involved in different economic activities to earn their livelihood.

It is ironic to know that Muslim population in India has been facing the negligence and indifferent attitude of Indian ruling authorities and local level administrations since independence of India. It has been the root cause of all sorts of backwardness and poverty among Muslim community. They have been subjected to acute exploitation and for this reason despite of hard labour majority of Muslim population has always been deprived of their essential requirements.

Recently Justice Sachar Committee, which was established to improve economic conditions and social welfare of Muslims and other minorities in India, stated that the conditions of Muslims in India are even worse than that of Dalit. Sachar Committee has also recognized the fact that the Muslim community is deprived of all basic amenities and living in horribly poor conditions.

Weavers, organized violence and initiative of empathy:

http://www.testimonialtherapy.org/2009/12/jan-mitra-award-to-muslim-weavers-of.html

http://twocircles.net/2010aug19/victims_bazardiha_indiscriminate_police_firing_honored.html#.WA4At_l97IU

http://www.testimonialtherapy.org/2010/01/cognizance-taken-by-minister-of-home.html

http://www.pvchr.net/2010/02/india-please-immediate-support-to-mr.html

http://www.pvchr.net/2009/03/fact-finding-report-on-police-firing-on.html

Few other initiatives:

http://imagespvchr.blogspot.in/2015/11/october-03-2015-bazardiha-varanasi.html

http://muslim-minority.blogspot.in/2012/08/community-participatory-process-for.html

http://wiww.merinews.com/article/weavers-family-gets-govt-help-only-after-hunger-consumes-four-lives/15885780.shtml

Situation:

http://www.pvchr.net/2013/05/weavers-family-gets-govt-help-only.html

https://www.saddahaq.com/creators-of-the-world-famous-banarasi-sari-live-on-the-edge-of-hunger-today

http://beyondheadlines.in/2014/07/bazardiha/

https://www.academia.edu/8636774/Suicide_and_malnutrition_among_weaver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbxCECJurkY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5q1jUjRdm4

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/People-still-unaware-of-DOTS-TB-continues-to-spread/articleshow/3984939.cms

http://www.foodjustice.net/ahrc-archive/statements/2009-hunger-alerts/update-india-call-for-more-attention-for-hand-loom-weavers-suffering-from-hunger-and-tuberculosis-in-varanasi

https://www.scribd.com/document/274173606/Evalution-Report-PVCHR

http://sshirinkhan.blogspot.in/2010/01/general-appeal-india-muslim-weavers_11.html

Research and finding of PVCHR on Bazardia:

•        Mention by in-depth study by think-tank ORF:

http://www.orfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ORFIssueBrief_118.pdf

•     Study published by Indiatogether:

http://indiatogether.org/varanasi-economy

सौ प्रतिशत पर्यावरण बने उत्तर प्रदेश चुनाव का मुद्दा

https://www.saddahaq.com/hundred-percent-of-uttar-pradesh-election-made-the-environment

One million solidarity to reconciliation against caste system and Neo dalit Movement

Lenin Raghuvanshi has called for the establishment of a neo-Dalit movement(http://differenttruths.com/governance/politics/can-the-neo-dalit-movement-eradicate-emerging-facism-in-india/) to eliminate the caste system and overthrow feudalism, thereby establishing a society based on equal dignity for all humankind. The neo-Dalit movement – combining Shudras and ati-Shudras (dalits of all kinds) with progressive people born in different castes from all regions – would formulate a popular movement against the ‘culture of impunity’ and the existing caste system.

His idea of reconciliation against caste system and Neo dalit movement is a process of conflict transformation for sustainable peace based on dignity, justice, fraternity, liberty, rule of law   and pluralism.

Implementation of idea of reconciliation and Neo dalit process is giving positive result in nearly 200 villages of eastern part of UP in India.

We launched a signature campaign as online and offline for support of reconciliation against caste system and NeoDalit Movement.

Please support campaign for one million solidarity to reconciliation against caste system and Neo dalit Movement.

With Kindest regards,

Sanjay Rai

Founder, AIM

sanjaykrai@yahoo.com

#pvchr #neodalit #dalit #dignity

On facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/304103843309279/

For Indian activist, 13-year-old’s death after 68 days of fasting is absurd

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/For-Indian-activist,-13-year-old%E2%80%99s-death-after-68-days-of-fasting-is-absurd-38817.html

AsiaNews.it

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For Indian activist, 13-year-old’s death after 68 days of fasting is absurd

by Nirmala Carvalho

Aradhana, who died of cardiac arrest, fasted to bring luck to her economically troubled family. Parents organised a funeral to venerate their daughter as a "holy child". Now they are being investigated for culpable homicide.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) – The death of a 13-year-old Jain girl after 68 days of fasting "is a heinous violation of human rights and of the dignity of a human being,” said Lenin Raghuvanshi, executive director of the Peoples' Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR).

The noted Indian activist spoke to AsiaNews about the death of Aradhana, a girl who died who refused water and food as part of chaumasa, a ritual that marks the fourth holy month in the Jain religion.

The eighth grade student died of cardiac arrest in Secunderabad, Telangana. According to investigation, she fasted to bring luck to her financially-strapped family after her father's jewelry business suffered losses. During the fast, she only drank a few drops of water, according to a precise schedule.

Aradhana’s death has sparked bitter protests from activists, incensed at her parents, guilty in their eyes of failing to protect their daughter.

For their part, the parents, Lakshmichand Samdhariya and his wife Manisha, organised a funeral for their daughter as a bal tapasvi, a holy child. At least 600 people attended the service.

Police in Hyderabad are investigating whether the girl was forced to fast by parents, who have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder (causing death by negligence) and cruelty to children (under the Juvenile Justice Act).

Prolonged fasting is a common practice in Jainism, and has been condemned by human rights advocates. For Lenin Raghuvanshi, "When religion is used for greed and power grabbing, we see misery, like in this case". Instead, "We must stop the use of our children in the name of religion and greed."

10/10/2016 15:43:00 - South Asia India 

India: State of emerging corporate fascism?

https://www.scribd.com/document/326710080/Submission-by-PVCHR-regarding-India-for-the-Universal-Periodic-Review-27th-session-scheduled-on-April-May-2017

Submission by PVCHR regarding India for the Universal Periodic Review 27th session scheduled on April- May... by Peoples' Vigilance Committee on Human rights on Scribd

Resilience Based on Hope, Honour and Dignity

Resilience Based on Hope, Honour and Dignity