Friday, March 30, 2018

Intervention of Shruti Nagvanshi of PVCHR played vital role for formulation of anti-trafficking law in Assam


A 19 year old girl was brought from Amlaigudi, District Udalguri, Assam to District Bhiwani, Haryana. Thereafter, she was handed over to another purchaser and all the persons committed rape on her. The name of first purchaser is Sandeep and Sandeep sold her to Madan. He sought intervention of the Commission. The Commission while taking cognizance of the complaint made number of recommendations to the Govt. of Assam for its compliance to stop the trafficking of women and children in Assam. Joint Secretary, Home & Political Department, Govt. of Assam vide communication dated 29.8.2017 has submitted an action taken report on all the nine recommendations made by the Commission. In the said report, it has been informed that an Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) have been created and operational in all the districts of the State to effectively combat crimes related to trafficking of persons specially women and children. All the field level officers under the control of State Labour Commission  have been instructed for proper enforcement and implementation of the provision of Inter-State Migration Workers Act, 1979. A bill namely, “Assam Private Placement Agencies for Recruitment of Workers (Regulation) Bill, 2017” to stop human trafficking has been initiated and is under process for finalization. The State Government in Social Welfare Department has State Run Homes, where women in distress, destitute, victims of exploitation are provided with free shelter, food and vocational training for rehabilitation. It has also been informed that the Labour Commissioner, Assam has already made correspondence with the counterparts of other states for better coordination and exchange of information regarding migrant workers. A MoUs with other states in respect of Inter-State Migrant Workers is also in process. The Commission has considered the action taken report on recommendations of the Commission submitted by the State Government and is of the view that the State Government has taken steps to control the human trafficking in the State and also hope that a bill initiated by the State Government to stop human trafficking in the state will be finalized shortly. Hence, no further intervention of the Commission is required in the matter. 

#trafficking #pvchr #assam

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

In support of survivors of Kasganj

Lenin Raghuvanshi
Kammal Faroqui Naveed Sahhab Pankaj Srivastava Abhishek Srivastava Sunila Singh
Survivor suffering
Nadeem Khan

कासगंज दंगे के पीडितो की स्व व्यथा कथा

कासगंज दंगे के पीडितो की स्व व्यथा कथा

नई दिल्ली | मानवाधिकार जन निगरानी समिति (पीवीसीएचआर) और मीडियाविजिल के संयुक्त प्रयास से 21 मार्च 2018 को दिल्‍ली के प्रेस क्‍लब ऑफ इंडिया में उत्तर प्रदेश में हुए कासगंज में हुए दंगे मी पीडितो के सहयोग व समर्थन में लोक विद्यालय का आयोजन किया गया |
कार्यक्रम की रूपरेखा रखते हुए मानवाधिकार जन निगरानी समिति के संस्थापक और सीईओ डा0 लेनिन रघुवंशी ने बताया कि यूपी के कासगंज में दंगे को दो महीने होने जा रहे हैं | गणतंत्र दिवस की सुबह 26 जनवरी 2018 को भड़के इस दंगे की चर्चा शुरुआती हफ्ते भर तो समूचे मीडिया में होती रही लेकिन जल्‍द ही इस प्रकरण को भुला दिया गया | किसी ने फॉलो अप करने की कोशिश नहीं की कि जो लोग पकड़े गए थे उनका क्‍या हुआ | जिनकी दुकानें जला डी गई थीं उन्‍हें मुआवज़ा मिला कि नहीं मिला | जो लोग अपने घर छोड़कर भागे थे वे लौटे या अभी नहीं लौटे | अब जबकि दंगे की धूल बैठ गई है तो कासगंज के पीडि़त अपनी स्व व्यथा कथा बयां करने दिल्ली आये और खुले मंच से अपनी बात और कासगंज की सच्चाई सबके समक्ष रखे |
        आगे बताते हुए उन्होंने कहा कि ऐसे समय में जहां वकील, पुलिस या राजनेताओं द्वारा उन्हें शायद ही सुना जाता है, उनकी कथा और उनके साथ किए गए अन्याय को जानना जरूरी है | उन्होंने बताया कि जैसे ही हिंसा फैल गई, जों युवाओं ने इसे उकसाया था, वे तो भूमिगत हो गए लेकिन पुलिस ने करीब 120 लोगों को पकड़ा, जिनमें से 80 हिंदू समुदाय के थे जबकि 30-40 मुस्लिम समुदाय के थे |
आगे उन्होंने बताया कि कासगंज के दंगे पर सबसे शुरुआती रिपोर्ट मीडियाविजिल ने ही चलाई थी जबकि पीवीसीएचआर के कासगंज दफ्तर से संस्‍था के कुछ कार्यकर्ताओं को पुलिस उठा ले गई थी, जो दंगे रुकवाने की कोशिश कर रहे थे | जिस पर पीवीसीएचआर ने अर्जेंट अपील जारी करके विभिन्न संबंधित अधिकारियों को शिकायत की | जिस पर राष्‍ट्रीय मानवाधिकार आयोग  ने मीडियाविजिल की स्‍टोरी और पीवीसीएचआर की याचिका (केस न०  2399/24/78/2018)के आधार पर प्रशासन को नाटिस भेजकर जवाब तलब किया था |
कार्यक्रम के मुख्य अतिथि नवीद साहब ने कहा कि कासगंज के दंगे की कहानी मोटे तौर पर छुपी ही रही, पूरी तरह खुल नहीं सकी | इस मामले में जो लोग वास्‍तव में दोषी थे वे कैद से बचे रहे जब कि कई बेगुनाहों को जेल में डाल दिया गया। इस लोक विद्यालय में दोनों पक्षों के लोग अपनी खुदबयानी की जिससे  कासगंज की दुर्भाग्‍यपूर्ण घटना को समझा गया की अभी भी “आपसी भाईचारा बरक़रार है, लेकिन लोग ख़ौफज़दा है | इसके साथ ही उन्होंने इस पर भी जोर दिया कि हमें नवजवानों को सोशल मीडिया को इस्तेमाल करने के लिए शिक्षित करना होगा |
        मीडिया विजिल ट्रस्ट के महासचिव अभिषेक श्रीवास्तव ने कहा कि दिलचस्प हैकासगंज हिंसा भारत में सांप्रदायिक दंगों में एक नया स्वरूप स्थापित करती है। इस दंगा वास्तव में 26 जनवरी से पहले महीनों उकसाया था कासगंज  के हिंदू और मुस्लिम समुदाय दोनों के कुछ युवा पुरुषों ने कुछ महीने पहले सोशल मीडिया पर एक ऑनलाइन बहस शुरू कर दी थी। यह कासगंज में गोरखनाथ मंदिर का मंदिर भी एक माध्यम बन गयाजिसके माध्यम से हिंदू युवाओं ने उत्तर प्रदेश के वरिष्ठ एबीवीपी राजनीतिक अभिजात वर्ग के साथ जुड़ने की कोशिश की। वास्तव मेंयह मंदिरजो एक बार छोड़ दिया गया था और जीर्ण परिस्थिति में पाया गया थामरम्मत की गईपुजारी आत्मविश्वास में था और आखिर में योगी आदित्यनाथ भी शामिल थे जो मंदिर के संरक्षक थे। सोशल मीडिया पर बहस शुरू होने से पहले ही यह छह महीने की प्रक्रिया थी। इस प्रकारसमुदाय के दोनों तरफ से युवा पुरुषों द्वारा दंगा की अनुमति दी गईजो मुख्य रूप से बेरोजगार थे |
यूनाइटेड अगेंस्ट हेट के सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता नदीम अहमद ने कहा कि यह एक पारंपरिक दंगा नहीं था अल्पसंख्यक पर हमला करने वाले बहुसंख्यक समुदाय में चयनित युवाओं द्वारा यह हमला था। लेकिन दिलचस्प बात यह है कि दोनों हिंदू और मुस्लिम समूहों ने इसे आगे बढ़ने से रोकने के लिए एकजुटता दिखायी। कासगंज हिंसा से पता चलता है कि हिंदुओं के युवाओं ने एक आक्रामक हिंसा अभियान में कैसे बदल दिया।
        एक गोली कांड के लिए 23 एफआईआर शुरू किए गए थेलेकिन बिना किसी सबूत के। कासगंज हिंसा के तीन दिन के भीतर गिरफ्तार युवाओं के घरों को लूट लिया गया । दरअसलयह हिंसा नहीं बढ़ पाता यदि शुरुआत से ही पुलिस व प्रशासन से सुरक्षा मिला होता। लेकिन दुर्भाग्य सेहम 2019 तक आने वाले महीनों में ऐसे बहुत सारे प्रयोग को देखेंगे
कासगंज के निवासी अतुल सक्सेना ने कहा कि हमारे कासगंज में दोनों धर्मं के लोग मिलकर रहते है | 26 जनवरी 2018 से पहले तक कासगंज में कही कोई सांप्रदायिक नहीं हुआ | उदाहरण के लिए, कासगंज के मुस्लिम बहुमत वाले इलाके में चामुंडदेवी मंदिर है, लेकिन इसके संवेदनशील स्थान के बावजूद,कभी भी कोई कष्ट नहीं आया है और न ही कभी भी कोइ छोटी से घटना ही घटित हुई सभी आपस में मिलकर बहुत प्यार और सौहार्द्य से रहते चले आ रहे है | । यह दंगा नहीं था बल्कि दो पक्षों की लडाई थी जिससे मीडिया ने दंगे का रूप देने का काम किया |
        रिहाई मंच के राजीव यादव ने कहा कि एफआईआर दर्ज करने में जातिगत अनुक्रम बहुत स्पष्ट होता है। वास्तव में, इस पूरे कासगंज हिंसा, सांप्रदायिक निर्वाचन क्षेत्र के निर्माण का प्रयास है। इसलिए, पीड़ितों को कानूनी समर्थन देने के लिए बहुत जरूरी है।
हिंसा के शिकार हुए कई मुस्लिम महिलाओं ने भी इस कार्यक्रम में भाग लिया। उनमें से ज्यादातर ने इस भयंकर हिंसा में अपने बेटों, भाइयों या पिता को खो दिया है, जिसने अब उनके जीवन पर नकारात्मक प्रभाव डाला है और उन्हें असहाय बना दिया है। महम, एक युवा मुस्लिम महिला ने “मेरे 72 वर्षीय पिता को अपने 18 वर्षीय भाई के साथ गिरफ्तार कर लिया। भावनात्मक आघात से 15 दिनों के भीतर मेरी मां का निधन हो गया। हम तीन बहनें हैं जो लगातार पीड़ित हैं,न्याय या आर्थिक सहायता की कोई उम्मीद नहीं है। कासगंज की एक बूढी औरत अपनी खुदबयानी करते हुए रोने लगी और  बेहोश  हो गयी
राहुल यादव ने कहा कि मुझे, मेरे भाई और पिताजी को तीन दिन जेल में रखा गया|  मेरे पिता 29 जनवरी रात को अपने ढाबे पर जा रहे थे हमारे मुस्लिम पड़ोसी की एक पास की दुकान किसी ने आग लगा दी, मेरे पिता और अन्य लोग आग बुझाने में तुरंत मदद कर रहे थे। ” जेल में अपने दिनों की जानकारी देते हुए, राहुल को बेहद भावुक हो गया, खासकर जब पुलिस ने अपने करियर और परिवार को नष्ट करने की धमकी दी थी।
अखिल भारतीय मुस्लिम पर्सनल लॉ बोर्ड के कमाल फारुखी ने कहा कि यह हिंदू-मुस्लिम हिंसा नहीं है लेकिन राजनीतिक सत्ता के लिए एक कार्य है। यहां तक कि मुजफ्फरनगर में जो भी हुआ, वह एक बहुमूल्य नहीं था। समय हम जानते हैं कि देश खतरनाक चौराहे की तरफ जा रहा है।
        मानवाधिकार कार्यकर्ती सुनीला सिंह ने कहा कि महिलाये दंगे का सबसे ज्यादा शिकार होती है “महिलाओं और बच्चों को पीड़ित नहीं होना चाहिए। यह खतरनाक प्रवृत्ति है कि मीडिया हिंसा का सही ढंग से विश्लेषण करने में असमर्थ है।
इस लोक विद्यालय में 100 से अधिक कार्यकर्ता, वकील, प्रोफेसरों, छात्रों व कासगंज हिंसा से पीड़ित शामिल थे जिन्होंने यह दिखा दिया कि आज भी हम एक है और हमारी एकता और बहुलतावाद को कोइ भी ताकत भी खंडित नहीं कर सकती |
 http://gaongiraw.com/2018/03/25/15463

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Justice is challenging to impunity

On 14th March, 2018 Hon’ble court ordered for non – bail able warrant against the involved police officials in the extra- judicial killing of Shyamu.  In this regard the Superintendent of police from Hatras, Aligarh, Kasganj and Firozabad were informed for the presence of the involved police official on 5th April, 2018 in the court.  Shri Manveer Singh (the brother of the deceased Shyamu) lodged FIR against the police officials of SOG, Aligarh in crime no. 364/12 U/S 147/342/302 IPC in Kwaras Police Station. After investigation of this case, FR was filed in the Court which was rejected by the Hon’ble Court of CJM, Aligarh.

Shyamu along with his brother Ramu went to village Rustampur to meet his sister. They were picked up on 15.04.2012 at 11.30 a.m. by the SOG, Aligarh team and taken to Police Station Kwarsi for investigation.  Both were taken to Police Outpost / Police.

Shyamu Singh died in police custody at Kwarsi police station on April 15, 2012, in Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh state, police said that Singh had committed suicide. But his brother, Ramu Singh, who was arrested with him, said that after being arrested they were both stripped down to their underwear and tortured:

[The police officers] put us down on the floor. Four people held me down and one man poured water down my nose continuously. I couldn’t breathe. Once they stopped on me, they started on Shyamu. Shyamu fell unconscious. So they started worrying and talking among themselves that he is going to die. One of the men got a little packet and put the contents in Shyamu’s mouth.

Family members filed a police complaint against seven police officers alleging death due to torture. Since that time, the police have repeatedly stalled efforts to ensure accountability. Ramu told Human Rights Watch that he faced threats and harassment by the police for pursuing his brother’s case:

The police used to tell me I have become a sore wound for them that needs to be cut out: “You have become that for us. Beware or the same thing that happened to Shyamu will happen to you.”

In the case no 1270/24/3/2012-ad Hon’ble Commission directed for CD/ CID (UP) an enquiry into this mater. But, before the receipt of CB/CID enquiry report from the DGP/UP or the Government of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi (the complainant to NHRC) has sent the CB/CID enquiry report (signed by the Divisional Officer, CB/CID, Agra Division on 15.05.2014) to the Commission which reveals that enquiry officer concluded that alleged police officials picked up deceased Shyamu and his brother Ramu from house forcibly, took them to Police Post Talangri, tortured them, poured water into the nose of deceased Shyamu and even administered him poisonous substance due to which Shyamu died. The enquiry officer recommended that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the alleged police officials U/S 147/342/302/328 IPC. 

https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2017/06/breaking-of-impunity-in-custodial-death-of-shyamu-singh-uttar-pradesh-in-india/


#Pvchr #Extrajudicialkilling #Nhrc #Aligarh #Justice #police #U4humanrights #Standwithsurvivor

Friday, March 23, 2018

A Tale Without End: The Trauma of The Victims of Kasganj Violence


No justice in sight

 NEW DELHI: The blatant outrage, bloodshed and chaos that India witnessed during Kasganj violence on January 26, 2018 still continues.

The egregious manner in which the trauma continues to haunt the victims and their families reveals a new emerging image of communal violence in today’s time. Mostly unheard by police, politicians, activists and even lawyers, the victims have innumerable stories haunting them, making it treacherous for them to accept their new identity, reality and mayhem.

Rahul, a young native from Kasganj reveals the extent of Hindu-Muslim unity in his area, “I was jailed for three days. My father was going to our dhaba on January 29 night. A nearby shop of our Muslim neighbor was set on fire.. My father and others started immediately helping in putting out the fire.”

While recounting his days in jail, Rahul got extremely emotional, especially on how police had threatened to destroy his career and family. Nevertheless, he was not alone while recounting the trauma during the “Folk School in the support of survivor of communal violence and torture in Kasganj” event held on March 21, 2018 at the Press Club of India.

There were several women clad in hijab, who were attending the event. Accompanied by men from their families and cuddling little children in their arms, these women retained their silence, trying to understand if this platform could do justice to their past. Unfortunately, the quest for justice for Kasganj violence is not easy, and the path tumultous.

For young Maham, a simple Muslim woman from Kasganj, the days following January 26 were more shocking. One early morning, the police entered her home and arrested her 72-year-old-father who can’t even walk. Even her brother, who is hardly 18 years of age, was jailed. But the trauma did not end for her family then. Within 15 days, her mother passed away. Now, Maham and her two other sisters are completely alone, helpless and forgotten. “Our family has been destroyed. We no longer have any economic assistance,” said Maham as she broke down in tears.

The impact of this abysmal tragedy can be easily gauged from the fact that the reports filed by the National Human Rights Commission in regard to the Kasganj violence have yet not been heeded. The fact finding missions by MediaVigil and People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) have revealed how most of the arrested youngsters involved in the Kasganj violence were unemployed. Those who are still in jail are facing torturous conditions.

“More than 11 FIRs are filed on those jailed which makes it very difficult for them to be free in the near future. No one is ready to listen to us. Those who actually caused the riot are free but the innocent ones are jailed,” complained Shanu, a young victim of Kasganj violence.

Just after January 26, the homes of those arrested were ransacked and their meagre belongings thrown/destroyed by the police. One of the victims, an old lady from Kasganj, while narrating the trauma fainted with grief, after trying to speak and breaking down in loud sobs in front of the media.

Though the event did endow a platform for these victims and activists to come together and understand the aftermath of the Kasganj violence, the empathy needed for rekindling their lives is a long, difficult and unknown process. The ambiguity between police action, state-mediated silence and dementia of the media makes it even more menacing in its impact.

Kasganj Violence: Insight into a "New Age Riot"

http://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/2/13341/Kasganj-Violence-Insight-into-a-New-Age-Riot

Hindu-Muslim solidarity also on display

 NEW DELHI: In an attempt to commemorate the bloodshed at Kasganj that took place on January 26, 2018, MediaVigil and People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) organized an event at the Press Club of India. “Folk School in the support of survivors of communal violence and torture in Kasganj” received support from United Nations Human Rights Commission and International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims.

More than 100 activists, lawyers, professors, students participated in the event which included victims from Kasganj violence who came to narrate their trauma and how the violence has uprooted their family, identity and economic life. The event aimed to stand up for Hindu-Muslim unity, create a narrative of togetherness in the current vulnerable, fragile and easily polarized discourse in India.

“As soon as the violence broke out, the young men who had instigated it went underground. Around 120 were caught by the police, out of which 80 belonged to Hindu community while 30-40 were Muslims. Mostly, the Hindu participants hailed from Sankalp Foundation,” revealed Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, Founder and CEO of PVCHR. Along with his team, he visited Kasganj after two days of the violence breaking out in January.

“Interestingly, Kasganj violence sets up a new pattern in communal riots in India. This new era riot was actually instigated months before January 26th. Young men from both Hindu and Muslim Community from Kanganj started an online debate on social media few months back. The Gorakhnath Temple in Kasganj was made a medium through which the Hindu youth tried to connect with senior ABVP political elites in Uttar Pradesh. In fact, this temple, which was once abandoned and found in dilapidated condition, was repaired, the priest was into confidence and finally the custodian of the temple who is Yogi Adityanath was involved. It was a six month process, even before the social media debate started. Thus, the riot was allowed to take place by young men from both sides of the community, who were primarily unemployed,” he said.

Nadeem Khan, a social activist from “United Against Hate” said “It was not a traditional riot. It was an attack by the selected youth in the majority community attacking the minority. But interestingly, both Hindu and Muslim groups showed solidarity to prevent it from further escalating. Kasganj violence reveals how Hindu youth were turned into an aggressive violence mob.”

“There were 23 FIRs launched for one bullet fired, but without any evidence. The homes of the arrested youngsters were ransacked and looted within three days of Kasganj violence. In fact, this violence and how it escalated reveals that it had police/state protection right from the beginning. But unfortunately, we will see more such experiments/riots in the coming months till 2019,” he further added.

Explaining how media further acted as a devil’s advocate and created a hyper-reality regarding the Kasganj violence, Atul Saxena ( a native from Kasganj) revealed, “Media played the riot. Till 26th January 2018, there has been no single act of communal violence in Kasganj ever. For example, there’s Chamundadevi Temple in a Muslim majority area in Kasganj, but in spite of its sensitive location, there has never been any discord reported ever.”

Further delving deeper into the hierarchy of FIRs and the power play involved, Rajiv Yadav from Rihai Manch stated “The caste hierarchy in the FIRs lodged is very evident. In fact, this entire Kasganj violence is an attempt for creation of communal constituency. So, it is very necessary to give legal support to the victims.”

Several Muslim women who were victims of the violence had also participated in the event. Most of them had lost their sons, brothers or fathers in this egregious violence which has now negatively impacted their lives and rendered them helpless. Maham, a young Muslim lady revealed “My 72-year-old father was arrested along with my 18-year-old brother. The emotional trauma led to the passing away of my mother within 15 days. We are three sisters who are continuously suffering, have no hope for justice or economic assistance.” One more lady from her community fainted while explaining the insurmountable pain caused by the violence, right in front of the audience.

Kamal Farooqui from All India Muslim Personal Law Board said “It is not Hindu-Muslim violence but an act for political power. Even what happened in Muzzafarnagar was not an extempore. It’s time we realize that the country is going towards dangerous crossroads.”

Explaining how women are the largest victims in any riot, Sunila Singh, a human rights activist stated “Women and children should never be the victims. It is a dangerous trend how media is unable to analyze the violence correctly.”

In a nutshell, the event was able to create a platform for the victims of the Kasganj violence and narrate the trauma that they were suffering. In a time where they are hardly heard by the lawyers, police or politicians, it is essential to know their narrative and the injustice done to them.
 

Friday, March 09, 2018

PVCHR annual human rights work published in newspaper

मानवाधिकार की दिशा में सालो से काम कर रहा हूँ| लोगो को न्याय दिलाने के लिए समय- समय पर जागरूक भी किया जाता है| इसके चलते पिछले साल की तुलना में इस वर्ष मानवाधिकार से जुड़े मामले में काफी कमी आयी है, लेनिन रघुवंशी, महासचिव, मानवाधिकार जन निगरानी समिति

Thursday, March 08, 2018

Shruti Nagvanshi: icon of hope to women empowerment

https://youtu.be/NT3kFZnSYEw




 Happy and honoured to be nominated as an Advocate on board by social media team at Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India for the #NariShakti Campaign in lieu of the upcoming International Women's Day 2018!! The motivation and recognition from the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India has inculcated in untiring energy and indomitable spirit in me to relentlessly work for the causes of Special Women and children for the past twenty six years in five states of north India , which has made a difference in the lives of thousands of survivors as a change maker. Hegemonic masculinity is one of main reasons of war and violence. For elimination of hegemonic masculinity, we need women and girls empowerment.

#womenpower #MinistryWCD #ManekaGandhi #MinistryOfWomenAndChildGoi #100WomenAchieverOfIndia #shrutinagvanshi #pvchr #InternationalWomensDay2018 #NariShakti