Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Insights on the recent- Hathras gangrape case with Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi

  https://www.thepolitindia.com/hathras-discussion-with-dr-raghuvan

Insights on the recent- Hathras gangrape case with Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi

Interviewed by: Kushagra Yadav, Ritvik Garg and Ishika Lohani

Written and compiled by: Ishika Lohani

The Politindia successfully organized its another online interview with the honorable Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, a Dalit right activist, political thinker and social entrepreneur on 16th September 2020. This illuminating interview revolved around the “insights on Hathras gang rape with special reference to casteism prevailing in the country at present times”.

The interview began with a brief introduction of our guest member, Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi. He threw light upon the present time scenario transpiring in the country and stated-” September 14 2020, marked one of the most atrocious crime of all time which shook India from its bottoms. A 19-year-old, Dalit girl, brutally gang raped by four upper caste men to the extent that her spinal cord and neck were severely damaged and her tongue slit-up. This heinous crime broadened its view around casteism in India and highlighted the long history of caste based violence residing in the country against women” 

Since my childhood I’ve seen conflicts between the marginalized castes and the upper caste people in my village and all I could comprehend from this was that the people belonging to the upper caste section always want to perpetuate their dominance over others (especially the women from the lower castes). They intend to suppress them and create a culture of silence and inferiority amongst all. Sadly, women in our cultural conventions have been reflected as “objects” and not humans. They have always been suppressed under loads of patriarchy and male supremacy”. 

Without further ado, we commenced our interview session with some questions linked with the topic as follows- 

Question 1) why does education of women rights lack in our country? How can we gradually increase the awareness of women’s rights focusing more on the rural areas?

”Education is very important for empowerment of women but the most important thing to look upon is the conditions of the villages, for example- recently in the Covid’19 global pandemic, the women who had migrated to the cities from the villages didn’t have the will to come back to the villages, because the villages are an actual representation of absolute form of patriarchy and caste system. So first we need to reform the patriarchal and caste system residing in the rural areas. Coming to education, I would say that both the genders should be given proper education to break the culture of silence and to give credibility to women. Educating the boys should be the aim too, they should be taught how women should be treated equally”. 

Question 2) Even after decades, why does “casteism” as a word still prevail in the country? What could be the possible solutions to it? 

“Well if we look at this 3000 year old system, “casteism” as a word still prevails in the country and remains to be one of most complex issues of all times. According to me what the stereotypes has been is basically that the marginalized castes have no access to make a revolution, they are just defined as co-existence. But now that the era has changed, we need to empower them. We need to see them as a catalyst for change in our contemporary times. People like me who belong to the upper caste need to be a part of this arising issue by investing in their education, resilience, livelihood, knowledge and health”

“One possible solution to this could be the Neo-Dalit Movement, which is an initiative to unite the shudras and the anti-shudras together and to fight against the barriers of patriarchy, communal fascism, process of injustice and impunity”. 

Question 3) What are the roles of the news industries and media when such movements and incidents take place? Do they signify a positive role or a negative one? 

“Well, Indian media forms two sides of the same coin. If you see the first side of the coin, Indian media plays an important role in such movements and incidents. They help in breaking the culture of silence and bringing out the social conventions. But in the recent, Hathras case, the media can be referred to the second side of the coin. It has manifested news in the favor of the accused without any attestations and has revolved around the abstruse side of the media. I would say that the role of the media particularly in this case isn’t very positive. They have depicted a very non-sensitive, unsympathetic, indurated and a harbor figure amongst the people of the nation”. 

Question 4) Why does the recent Hathras case has everything to do with the caste angle? And why is it important to highlight this aspect? 

“In a country like India, there is a very rigmarole concept based on the caste system and as well as patriarchal, which seen together are very linked. If you look at the case itself, when the relatives of their family were questioned as to why the hospital in Uttar Pradesh was not able to confirm or deny rape even two weeks after the assault, and why the local administration did not treat this case with urgency despite the vicious nature of the assault? The only answer they received in return was silence. Also, evident reports stated that ‘...caste bias is still very prevalent in the area of victim’s residence, and Dalits have to keep a low profile’.' This precisely speaks the favor of caste angle in the case”. Whatever may the concerns be regarding this case but, caste has to be seen as a predominant feature. Dalits being at the lowest of the social spectrum are the most venerable to such”. 

Question 5) How did the bureaucracy or the police forces, instead of helping the victim demeaned the same? 

” Well, it is quite clear from the law morals, that all the dignity should be given to the victim and the family of victim, yet I agree not all the cases of harassment or sexual violence may be true but it’s quite exceptional and rare, if you say. The forcible crimination of the body carried out by the police forces in  absence of the family member has deeply saddened and dejected us. It shows us the downcast and dark reality of the bureaucracies and police forces in the contemporary times of our country”. 

Question 6) As being one of the founders of People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights, what steps has your organization taken or is willing to take for this arising issue? 

“If we talk about the recent case of Hathras, our organization first and foremost filed petition to the National Women Rights Commission and also informed a number of politicians (both of the ruling as well as opposition parties) regarding this heinous crime. In such situations, our organization provides psychosocial support to the victim as they are burdened under immense trauma. We hire therapists, counselors and advisers for empathy and active listening of the victims, help the families of the survivors financially, inculcate them into legal cognizance and fight for justice till the last. In most cases the victims or survivors usually become human rights defenders under our vigilance of proper security and we provide them with most of our resources available”. 

Our enlightening interview session with Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi successfully came to an end and we were overwhelmed to have him as our valued guest.

#Hathras #Rape #PVCHR #LeninRaghuvanshi

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Varanasi NGO empowers first-generation learners

 https://mattersindia.com/2020/10/varanasi-ngo-empowers-first-generation-learners/


Varanasi: Mahima Bhardwaj is determined to become the first-generation learner in her family.

The 18-year-old girl from Sarai Mohana village of Varanasi in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh belongs to Dalit community.

The village, 9 km away from Varanasi, Hinduism’s holiest city, is sits on the bank of the confluence of Ganga and Varuna rivers.

“My father told me to stop my study when I was in Grade 6,” Bhardwaj recalled.

Her mother supported her, but her father’s mental illnesses forced her to quit school after eight grade.

A local NGO helped the girl to resume her studies. She is the first to study for a Bachelor’s degree in her village.

People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), the NGO that works for the promotion of human rights, provides scholarships to girls such as Bhardwaj to continue their education.

Seven months after Bhardwaj left the school, the PVCHR staff brought her to the office and allowed her turn a new leaf in life.

“I thank PVCHR and 200 Swedish donors who supported my study and provided valuable knowledge of life skills and hope to continue my study,” Bhardwaj, who studies for a degree in commerce, told Matters India.

She is happy that her dream to work in a bank would soon be fulfilled.

She has promised to help other poor girls to study after getting her job.

Varsha Kumari, is another girl, facing struggles.

Her father is alcoholic. The only source of income is her mother’s job.

However, the pandemic has deprived her mother of a stable work.

PVCHR with the support of Swedish donors provided a scholarship for her studies.

The NGO support helped her enroll for the Bachelor of Arts course. She is a now the second year of Bachelors course at Government Women Post Graduate College, Kailhat, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh.

Kumari now makes masks for marginalized people, health workers and social workers in Covid-19 times with PVCHR support.

Kumari and Bhardwaj are two beneficiaries of PVCHR which is providing scholarships to poor girls since 2005.

About 80 percent girls helped by the NGO are first-generation learners. They hail from the Scheduled Caste community (90 percent) and the rest from the Other Backward Classes. Most girls are from Uttar Pradesh with a few from Jharkhand and Maharashtra states,

“It is one of the most important investments of our organization which is creating a base of real democracy through the resilience of girls’ power and marginalized communities,” Lenin Raghuvanshi, founder and CEO of PVCHR, told Matters India.

Educating girls from vulnerable and marginalized community is a necessary step for the elimination of democratic gaps based on caste and patriarchy, he added.

He claimed that the NGO has helped ten thousand girls for education over the years.

This year, it has been supporting 157 girls from sixth grade to doctoral studies.

One of them is doing her doctorate in Biotechnology at Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier she did her Masters of Science in Biotechnology at Christ University in Bengaluru, managed by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate congregation.

“I am happy that our girls doing their studies. Some of them have completed masters in many disciplines and law,” said Shruti Nagvanshi, co-founder of PVCHR and in-charge of the girls’ education project.

One of the girls, Jyoti Kumari ,joined the PVCHR staff as part of the management team. Opportunities and dignity are the two most important for empowerment, said Nagvanshi, who mooted the idea of educating and empowering girls from marginalized communities.

“Once I came out of the house for attending college education, I could realize how lack of opportunities restricts human desire to achieve anything in life,” she said.

It was her self-belief that generated courage within her to participate in social work, learn and be aware of what is happening around her.

“It is my mother who remained as a truly inspiring person to help others grow, especially these girls who need grow in life with grit to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others,” Nagvanshi said.

Notice to Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of UP on asault of Shri Rahul Gandhi jee



 From: <nhrc.india@nic.in>

Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2020, 5:44 pm
Subject: Action Taken Report Called for(ATR) - 19674/24/37/2020
To: <csup@nic.in>, <cs-uttarpradesh@nic.in>, <dgp-control-up@nic.in>, <cfr.pvchr@gmail.com>


Case No.- 19674/24/37/2020
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
(LAW DIVISION)
* * *
MANAV ADHIKAR BHAWAN, BLOCK-C,
G.P.O. COMPLEX, INA, NEW DELHI- 110023
Fax No.: 011-24651332    Website: www.nhrc.nic.in
 

Date : 13/10/2020  
To,
THE CHIEF SECRETARY
GOVERNMENT OF UTTAR PRADESH 101, LOK BHAWAN, U.P. CIVIL SECRETARIAT,VIDHAN SABHA MARG LUCKNOW
UTTAR PRADESH UTTAR PRADESH
226001

THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
OFFICE OF D.G.P., POLICE HEADQUARTERS, 9TH FLOOR, TOWER 2, GOMTINAGAR EXT., SHAHID PATH LUCKNOW.
UTTAR PRADESH UTTAR PRADESH
226001

 
Sub : Complaint from

LENIN RAGHUVANSHI
SA 4/2 A DAULATPUR, VARANASI
VARANASI , UTTAR PRADESH
221002
Email- cfr.pvchr@gmail.com , Mob No- 9935599331

 
Subject: Action Taken Report Called for(ATR) -19674/24/37/2020.
 
Sir/Madam,
 
         The complaint dated 01/10/2020, was placed before the Commission on 13/10/2020. Upon perusing the complaint, the Commission directed as follows:
 
 
         Transmit a copy of the complaint to the concerned authority calling for a report within four weeks.

In case, the report is not received within the stipulated time, the Commission shall be constrained to invoke coercive process u/s 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 for personal appearance of the concerned authority.
 
 
2.         Accordingly, I am forwarding herewith a copy of the complaint as an attachment for taking appropriate action in the matter as per the directions of the Commission. It is requested that an Action Taken Report be sent to the Commission within 4 weeks from the date of receipt of this letter.
 
 

Your’s faithfully

Sd/-

Mukesh Kumar

ASSISTANT REGISTRAR (LAW)

M-1 Section

Ph. No. 011-24663285

CC to

Complainant Details

Case No. 19674/24/37/2020

LENIN RAGHUVANSHI

SA 4/2 A DAULATPUR, VARANASI

VARANASI , UTTAR PRADESH

221002

Email- cfr.pvchr@gmail.com , Mob No- 9935599331

https://junputh.com/open-space/nhrc-serves-notice-to-up-dgp-and-chief-secretary-on-misbehaviour-with-rahul-gandhi/

#RG #NHRC #HRD #Hatras #RahulGandhi

Saturday, October 10, 2020

Mental Health awareness week

 दूसरोंं से अपनी खुशियाँ बाँटो,बढ़ जाएंगी।
दूसरोंं  से अपने  दर्द  बाँटो, घट जाएंगे।।

On World mental health day PVCHR is going to organize a week long program for creating awareness on mental health of adolescence, youth, survivors of gender based violence and torture and people of marginalized communities.

In 2008 PVCHR along with Dr. Inger Agger , Psychologist, DIGNITY: Danish Institute Against Torture developed Testimonial Therapy as brief narrative therapy  in local context and published manual “Giving Voice”. https://www.academia.edu/11316245/Manual_on_testimonial_therapy

 

In spam of 12 years organization provided support to more than thousand survivors and the two researches was published in torture magazine.  https://irct.org/assets/uploads/1018-8185_2015-2_22-33.pdf, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20065539/

The scientific paper wrote TT as an effective method for reducing psychological distress and increasing well-being and social participation in Indian survivors of TOV. Sharing their trauma story through the testimony process improved the survivors’ psychosocial functioning and enabled them to advance on the path to recovery, accepting new responsibilities and regaining satisfactory functioning in their families and environment. Furthermore, it appears that TT has a positive impact at the community level by promoting community empowerment.

#Mentalhealth #Awareness #Standwithsurvivors #worldmentalhealthday #youcandoit #takecare  #youarenotalone #worldmentalhealthday2020  #MentalHealthMatters


Nobel Peace Prize 2020 to World Food Program

 Thanks to Norwegian Nobel Committee for Nobel Peace Prize 2020 to the World Food Program. NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR 2020 IS AWARDED TO THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict. Congratulations to #WFP. Link: https://www.nobelpeaceprize.org/Announcements/Nobel-Peace-Prize-for-2020-is-awarded-to-the-World-Food-Programme-WFP

We at #PVCHR always with value of elimination of hunger for elimination of conflict and war situation. We are fighting for elimination of hunger and facing criminal conspiracy by non-state actors with an alliance of corrupt part of state actors. Please read follows stories:

India’s Narendra Modi government and many of its state governments have responded to the economic impact of Covid-19 by lifting or deregulating labour laws in moves that have led to “more conflicts and [an] increase [in] slavery,” according to People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights convener Lenin Raghuvanshi.
#Food #MultipolarWorld #NobelPeacePrize2020