Latest News Update: Mar 10, 2012

Saturday, March 10, 2012

[ZESTCaste] UP results 2012:: Don’t give, teach us how to fish

Don't give, teach us how to fish

A review of the data reveals that BSP lost 10 seats by less than 1,000 votes, 11 seats by 1,000-2,000 votes and four by 2,000-3,000 votes; going by the political thumb rule, less than 3,000 votes is considered a narrow margin

Capital Calculus | Anil Padmanabhan

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In the euphoria of the dramatic win of the Samajwadi Party (SP), the margin of which was unprecedented, in the election to the Uttar Pradesh state assembly, it would be extremely contrarian to suggest that it was not so one-sided. But then, that is what the facts tell us.

It is true that SP won a record 224 seats and so is the fact that the incumbent Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ended up with 80 seats (compared with 206 in the 2007 assembly election). But, it is also true, and something that has missed the headlines, that BSP ended up second in 211 seats. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came second in 55 seats and the Congress party in 31 seats—effectively third and fourth in the assembly election; both national parties were in serious contention in less than 100 seats each.

In contrast, BSP clearly emerges as the party to beat. Taking its second place standing, it is clear that BSP was in contention in about 300 seats. A review of the data reveals that BSP lost 10 seats by less than 1,000 votes, 11 seats by 1,000-2,000 votes and four by 2,000-3,000 votes; going by the political thumb rule, less than 3,000 votes is considered a narrow margin.

This nugget of information reveals a lot. First, BSP was not, despite the strong anti-incumbency mood, a pushover. Second, and more importantly, the core Dalit vote of BSP has largely, despite a sustained effort by the Congress party, remained loyal to Mayawati. Since the Dalit community is spread out across the state, it provides a very enviable electoral foundation for BSP. What has probably happened is that BSP lost out on the increment votes that had accrued to it in 2007 when it forged the rainbow coalition of castes by roping in the upper castes and sections of the Muslim community. Finally, the trend, which endured in the 2007 assembly election too, indicates that UP has veered around to a two-party race, leaving Congress and BJP as fringe players.

Clearly, identity politics has worked for BSP.

However, what has also come through in this election is that the other arm of identity politics—religion—has weakened. The Muslims, who account for a little less than a fifth of the population of the state, have tended to vote tactically to defeat the BJP. This time, for a combination of reasons, this has not necessarily played out. It was partly due to the aspiration factor taking root—anecdotally apparent in the spurt in the number of first-generation Muslim students. Also, the BJP conducted a very under-the-radar campaign (in fact, a colleague who mapped the campaign observed that the party was almost invisible at the ground level). With BJP not playing up its aggressive Hindutva card, the fear of militant Hinduism has receded. As a result, the Muslim vote was most likely cast on winnability—where they saw SP as a clear winner.

The Congress clearly misread the mood. While SP chose to address aspirations through the promise of laptops—seen as the next tool of empowerment, where earlier it was through affirmative action in government jobs—the Congress, in its wisdom, chose to dwell on identity defined through religion. The party promised reservations for Muslims and made a big deal about tokenism—all of this of course premised on the fact that the Muslims, going by tradition, would vote en bloc. This is exactly where it erred. Not only did the Congress end up not rallying the Muslim vote, but may have actually ended up alienating some Muslims through this presumptuous view of the community.

To sum up then, it is clear that BSP was not a walkover, unlike what the final outcome would suggest. At the same time, the paradigm shift—don't give us fish, teach us how to fish—in the Muslim vote suggests that in Uttar Pradesh the business of identity politics may have peaked. Will the glue of caste politics be able to resist aspirations?

• • •

http://www.livemint.com/2012/03/09223856/Don8217t-give-teach-us-how.html?google_editors_picks=true

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit youth found murdered

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/wire-news/dalit-youth-found-murdered_678579.html

Dalit youth found murdered

Published on Fri, Mar 09, 2012 at 23:12 | Source : PTI

Ghaziabad, Mar 9 (PTI) A 24-year-old Dalit youth was found murdered in
his house in Asalat Nagar village of the district, police said today.
The body of Mulas was found in a pool of blood yesterday by his family
members, said R P Sharma SHO of the area. Stab wounds were seen on his
throat, Sharma said. Body has been sent for post mortem. PTI Corr

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[ZESTCaste] Babus on fast track to open Dalit Park

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Babus-on-fast-track-to-open-Dalit-Park/articleshow/12202966.cms

Babus on fast track to open Dalit Park
TNN | Mar 10, 2012, 01.11AM IST

NOIDA: Amidst speculations on the fate of Mayawati's 'dream projects',
the Noida Authority has decided to fast track opening of the Dalit
Prerna Sthal to the public. Senior Authority officials have scheduled
a meeting with the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam, the agency co-responsible
for the maintenance of the park, next week to decide on the date of
opening.

While Authority CEO Capt S K Dwivedi remained tight-lipped, sources
informed that the authorities have decided to "do away with the
erstwhile proposal to charge an entry fee to the park."

"The STF especially constituted to guard the park might be disbanded,
but once the new government takes over we will arrange for alternate
security arrangement to prevent vandalism," an official said.

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[ZESTCaste] Spadework starts for next presidential polls; minority or dalit nominee may be put up

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/spadework-starts-for-next-presidential-polls-minority-or-dalit-nominee-may-be-put-up/articleshow/12208141.cms

10 Mar, 2012, 12.41PM IST, TNN
Spadework starts for next presidential polls; minority or dalit
nominee may be put up

NEW DELHI: With it becoming clear than no one political formation can
dictate the next presidential poll, sounding out exercises have begun.

The presidential election is still some time away as it is due only in
July, but the long political season has begun with the conclusion of a
significant round of assembly polls. The stunning victory of the
Samajwadi Party in UP and the NDA wins in Punjab and Goa have only
heightened the fractured nature of the political scenario in the
states and the Centre.

With the next president needing the support of political coalitions,
the networking has begun as the possibility of a minority or dalit
candidate who would enjoy backing across partylines is being actively
discussed. This has seen non-Congress and non-BJP CMs being sounded
out.

There are indications that sympathizers of vice-president Hamid Ansari
are linked to the subedars who will corner a large chunk of the
electoral college, although Ansari lost the goodwill of a significant
section of the Opposition after his conduct as the chairman of Rajya
Sabha during the tussle over the Lokpal bill.

His supporters feel that he could still be an attractive proposition
for the secular bloc outside Congress. He may also find Congress's
favour. Ansari's name has been doing the rounds for a while now.

It is not clear whether Ansari authorized any such outreach, but the
possibility of a Muslim candidate has gained ground in the light of
the ascendance of leaders like SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and West
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Both can be expected to be key players in
the presidential election.

The government is aware that it cannot have the sole say in the next
president and can hope that the vice-president will be an acceptable
figure with even BJP finding it hard to oppose him beyond a point.
There are other names in circulation as well such as power minister
Sushil Kumar Shinde and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. But their
candidatures have not proceeded beyond speculation.

In 2007, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's name had found the
support of the Left and the leader himself was not averse to moving to
the Rashtrapati Bhawan. But Congress did not find the proposal worth
considering as Mukherjee was firmly established as a key
trouble-shooter for the ruling coalition.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalits, atta-dal scheme doomed Cong chances

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dalits-atta-dal-scheme-doomed-Cong-chances/articleshow/12205523.cms

Dalits, atta-dal scheme doomed Cong chances
Ramaninder K Bhatia, TNN | Mar 10, 2012, 06.36AM IST

CHANDIGARH: The shift in dalit vote and the atta-dal scheme did the
Congress in during the Punjab assembly elections. This is the analysis
of the recent poll debacle done by the party, which will be submitted
to AICC president Sonia Gandhi by Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder
Singh on Saturday.

"Our initial assessment that Manpreet Badal's People's Party of Punjab
had done most of the damage, is not the only reason. We have analyzed
the results in details now. The shift in BSP vote, particularly in
Doaba, and popularity of the atta-dal scheme, are the main reasons for
SAD-BJP win. Ironically, the atta-dal scheme is being run mainly with
Centre's help, but they (SAD) appropriated the credit," Amarinder told
TOI.

"For the last one month, I had been having sleepless nights, thinking
about the financial mess that they have landed Punjab into. The Rs
8,000 crore that TOI mentioned in its report on Thursday (the
estimated cost of meeting some manifesto promises made by SAD) is just
the tip of an iceberg. The Rs 1,000 allowance for unemployed graduates
would not have to be given only to the 4.3 lakh registered with
employment exchanges; there are 47 lakh unemployed in the state. They
will all have to be included in this scheme."

SAD, he said, made the promises safe in the belief that they were not
coming back, "but now, the first thing required of them would be to
clear the Rs 2000 crore worth of treasury bills," he said.

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[ZESTCaste] HC declines CBI probe into dalit boy's death

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/HC-declines-CBI-probe-into-dalit-boys-death/articleshow/12205008.cms

HC declines CBI probe into dalit boy's death
TNN | Mar 10, 2012, 05.18AM IST

MADURAI: Declining to order a CBI probe into the murder of a dalit
boy, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court, on Friday directed
the state police to expedite investigation relating to the killing of
Palanikumar, which occurred prior to the death anniversary of dalit
leader Immanuel Sekaran, and file the final report expeditiously.

Disposing the petition filed by Thangavel, the father of Palanikumar,
the bench comprising Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice P
Devadass said, "Unless it is established in a given case that the
local police is not conducting investigation in a proper manner, probe
cannot be transferred merely on the request made by the complainant."

According to Thangavel, his son Palanikumar was residing in
Pallapaacheri, near Kamudhi where about 600 dalit families are living
along with other caste Hindus.

The dalit people from M Pallapacheri village have to cross the
Mandalamanickam main street to reach their village as the said street
is the only option available to them.

The petitioner alleged that there used to be friction between the
dalits and the Maravar community, which was the majority in
Mandalamanickam main street.

Several times the dalits were humiliated and they approached the
district collector and SP to provide an alternative pathway to their
village. Since no action was taken, the Pallapacheri village people
boycotted the recent local body elections.

On September 9, 2011, Palanikumar was murdered by some persons
allegedly belonging to the Maravar community while he was returning
home after watching a play, which was performed in a nearby village.

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[ZESTCaste] India Eyes Muslims Left Behind by Quota System

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/10/world/asia/india-eyes-affirmative-action-for-muslims.html?_r=1

March 9, 2012
India Eyes Muslims Left Behind by Quota System
By JIM YARDLEY

MUZAFFARNAGAR, India — Along the narrow lane known as Khadar Wallah,
Muslims and low-caste Hindus have lived side by side for years, bound
by poverty, if not religion. Yet recently, Muslims like Murtaza
Mansuri have noticed a change. Their neighbors have become better off.

Many of the Dalits, the low-caste Hindus once known as untouchables,
have gotten government jobs, or slots in public universities,
opportunities that have meant stable salaries and nicer homes. And to
Mr. Mansuri the reason is clear: the affirmative action quotas for
low-caste Hindus, a policy known in India as reservation, which is not
explicitly available to Muslims.

"We are way behind them," Mr. Mansuri, who repairs rickshaws for a
living, said on a recent afternoon. "Reservation is essential for
Muslims. If we don't get education, we will remain backward, while
others move forward and forward."

For decades, the issue of affirmative action for Muslims has been a
politically fractious one in India. Many opponents, including
right-wing Hindu groups, have long argued that affirmative action
policies based on religion violate India's Constitution and run
counter to the country's secular identity. Quotas, they said, should
be strictly reserved for groups that have suffered centuries of
caste-based discrimination.

But these arguments have been steadily countered by an undeniable and
worrisome byproduct of India's democratic development: Muslims, as a
group, have fallen badly behind, in education, employment and economic
status, partly because of persistent discrimination in a
Hindu-majority nation. Muslims are more likely to live in villages
without schools or medical facilities, a landmark government report
found in 2006, and less likely to qualify for bank loans.

Now, the issue of Muslim quotas has bubbled to the surface in the
recent election in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where the winner, the
regional Samajwadi Party, has promised to carve out a quota of jobs
and educational slots for Muslims, an idea first raised by the Indian
National Congress Party. Legal and political obstacles remain, and
some Muslims are skeptical that leaders will muster the political will
to push through a quota, even as many consider such preferences
justified and long overdue.

"We also fought against the British for Indian independence," said
Hafiz Aftab, president of the All-India Muttahida Mahaz, an
organization that has led protests on behalf of Muslim preferences.
"We lost so many of our brightest people. But after freedom, the
government didn't make any efforts to uplift Muslims."

In Uttar Pradesh, the country's poorest and most populous state, all
of India's caste and religious demarcations are on vivid display. It
was here that one of India's most searing acts of religious violence
occurred in 1992, when an ancient mosque was destroyed by right-wing
Hindu activists who claimed that it had been built on the site of the
birthplace of Ram, the Hindu deity.

Indians in Uttar Pradesh have also witnessed the political rise of the
Scheduled Castes, as the Dalits and other "backward" caste Hindus are
legally called. Before losing the recent election, Mayawati, the
state's powerful Dalit chief minister (who uses one name), dominated
Uttar Pradesh and used her position to reward many of her supporters
with jobs, housing and other benefits. Dalits still remain
overwhelmingly poor and marginalized in many parts of India, but Ms.
Mayawati's extensive use of the reservation quota system and other
preferential policies in Uttar Pradesh provided opportunity to many
Dalits.

"These Scheduled Castes were the most deprived people socially and
economically in Uttar Pradesh," said Mr. Aftab in an interview before
the state elections. "Now they are the ruling class. This is the
result of 64 years of reservation."

India's original reservation policies were codified during the
drafting of the national Constitution as quotas for Scheduled Castes
and tribal groups. Over the years, other Hindu castes were added at
both the state and national level, as different groups agitated for
inclusion and politicians saw opportunities to carve out new vote
banks. India's modernization, rather than erasing caste, was codifying
it.

"In India, the deepening of democracy will not happen by erasing all
caste-community boundaries," said Yogendra Yadav, a leading political
scientist in New Delhi. "I see it as the next stage of social justice
in India."

Most Muslims in India are the descendants of low-caste Hindus who
converted over the centuries, often to escape the deprived status to
which Dalits were consigned. Yet those caste affiliations never fully
disappeared, meaning that a hierarchy lingered among Muslims in India.
Two government commissions sought to include "backward" Muslims in the
quota system by using their former Hindu caste identity, along with
educational and economic indicators.

India's four southern states have managed to extend some affirmative
action benefits to Muslims, if not explicitly along religious lines,
but elsewhere Muslims have largely been excluded. The 2006 report,
known as the Sachar Committee report, found that Muslims who should
have qualified for affirmative action were not getting it, even though
they were living in greater poverty than some groups that were getting
the benefit.

"Our Constitution says we should not provide reservation on the
grounds of religion," said Mufti Julfiquar Ali, a Muslim leader in
Uttar Pradesh. "But basically, reservation was given on the grounds of
religion. A Muslim washerman got no reservation, but a Hindu washerman
got one. Hindu carpenters will get reservation, but the Muslim
carpenter will not."

Along the lane of Khadar Wallah, Muslims and Dalits last month voiced
starkly different opinions about the need for creating a quota to
benefit Muslims. Some Muslims had doubts about whether political
leaders would fulfill the pledge and whether such a policy could be
tailored to truly help them.

But Badruddin, an older Muslim man who uses one name, wanted the
benefit. He said affirmative action had enabled many lower-caste
Hindus to secure government jobs that provided stability so that their
children could remain in school. In many Muslim families, he argued,
children must often drop out of school to earn money.

"The Scheduled Castes are better off than we are because they are in
government jobs," he said. "Once you have a government job, you will
be uplifted."

Several Hindus said quotas for Muslims were unnecessary and would
dilute already scarce opportunities for lower-caste Hindus. "Without
reservation, we would not have progressed very much because of
discrimination," said Boharan Lal, 71, a Dalit, adding: "I do not
believe that Muslims are more backward. They are doing better."

Mr. Mansuri, the rickshaw repairman, dropped out of school in the
eighth grade, but is still the most educated person in his extended
family. "Our only source of income was from my father," he said,
explaining why he went to work.

He has watched as his Dalit neighbors have gotten jobs, or college
slots, through quotas that, over time, brought better jobs and
salaries. He pointed to the renovated homes of some low-caste Hindus
as evidence of what affirmative action can bring, and what Muslim
families struggle to afford. He said Muslims were also to blame
because for too long they did not push their children to stay in
school. But that has changed, he said.

His own house was recently refurbished, with smooth concrete walls
painted bright green, and is easily as nice as the homes on the alley
owned by Dalit families. Asked about it, Mr. Mansuri explained that
the house was an example of how his family had benefited from
preferential treatment: An agent had contacted him saying that banks
were seeking to loan money to Muslims after the 2006 Sachar Committee
report detailed discrimination in banking.

"Earlier, if we had applied," Mr. Mansuri said, "we would not have
gotten a loan."

Hari Kumar contributed reporting.

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati's officials out to taint Samajwadi Party's image, Akhilesh says

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mayawatis-officials-out-to-taint-Samajwadi-Partys-image-Akhilesh-says/articleshow/12197575.cms

Mayawati's officials out to taint Samajwadi Party's image, Akhilesh says
PTI | Mar 9, 2012, 04.23PM IST

LUCKNOW: In the backdrop of incidents of violence allegedly involving
Samajwadi Party supporters, party leader Akhilesh Yadav today that
there is an attempt to defame SP by creating law and order problem
after its massive victory and promised to take strict action against
all those involved.

"No one from the Samajwadi Party (SP) is involved in these
incidents.... You can get it verified from your own sources as well...
but if anyone from the party is found involved, stern action would be
taken against them, however strong they might be," Akhilesh Yadav told
reporters here.

Blaming officers for these incidents, Akhilesh said that as they know
they would be removed after the formation of the SP government, they
were not taking interest in maintaining law and order.

"Law should take its own course....The party will not be defending
anyone involved in violent incidents.... We will also not hesitate to
expel party workers involved in such incidents if they are found
guilty," he said.

The SP was routed in the 2007 assembly elections amid allegations of
spurt in crime and its 'gooda raj' image.

Akhilesh said that the incidents could be the handiwork of the
frustrated elements who have faced defeat in these elections.

A BSP worker and former village head was lynched in Agra while two
houses were set ablaze in a clash between two communities in Sitapur.

In Jhansi, supporters of SP clashed with some TV cameramen during
which some of their equipments were broken.

A youth died of bullet injuries during a clash between supporters of a
defeated SP candidate and police in Firozabad.

About Jhansi incident, Akhilesh it was clash of two groups while
Firozabad incident was fallout of misformation that spread regarding
victory of SP candidate, who actually lost.

The party will be strictly dealing with such activities, he said.

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[ZESTCaste] How They Made The NRHM Sick

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main52.asp?filename=Ne170312HOW.asp

From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 9, Issue 11 Dated 17 Mar 2012
CURRENT AFFAIRS
UTTAR PRADESH

How They Made The NRHM Sick

With the Mayawati government now out of power, will the NRHM scam
probe be taken to its logical conclusion, asks Abhishek Bhalla
Former family welfare minister Kushwaha

MINUTES AFTER polling concluded in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election
on 3 March, Babu Singh Kushwaha was arrested in connection with the
multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam. Standing with
folded hands in a Ghaziabad courtroom, the former family welfare
minister told the judge he was innocent.

In court, Kushwaha pinned the entire blame on former chief minister
Mayawati, claiming she took all crucial decisions relating to NRHM,
whereas he did not have much say. "I was just a minister, not the
supervisor of the scheme. All major decisions were taken either by the
chief minister or the chief secretary," he said.

The CBI is probing whether the money trail reaches the top. Along with
Kushwaha, BSP leader Ram Prakash Jaiswal was arrested. The agency
alleges that Jaiswal, a close aide of Kushwaha, helped him invest the
spoils of the crime.

It's not just the CBI. In a scathing attack, the Comptroller and
Auditor General (CAG) has strongly indicted the State Health Mission,
saying it was responsible for the NRHM scam. The audit done by the CAG
pertains to the period April 2005 to March 2011, and was conducted
between August and November 2011.

According to the CAG report, the State Health Mission did not
discharge its responsibilities adequately, resulting in Rs 5,754 crore
going unaccounted for. The total amount spent on NRHM by the state is
Rs 8,657 crore.

Some of Mayawati's decisions are being closely scrutinised as part of
the criminal investigation. Among them is the creation of a new post —
that of Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Family Welfare. So every district
now had two CMOs. The move, carried out in a hurry, was not only
opposed by CMOs but also upset the top brass in the state, including
some ministers.

The creation of this new power centre, reporting directly to the
family welfare minister, completely changed the dynamics of the health
sector. Kushwaha, already a powerful political figure, now had 72 CMOs
in the state under his control, responsible for almost Rs 3,000 crore
on average every year. "The move to have a CMO to handle NRHM funds is
definitely under the scanner," reveals a CBI officer on condition of
anonymity. How the new posts were filled in an unseemly hurry also
violated all procedural guidelines.

The separation of health from family welfare for NRHM funds was a move
that was against the guidelines laid down by the Union health
ministry, which had specified in a circular that the two should not be
separated.

'I was just a minister. All major decisions were taken by the CM or
the chief secretary,' says Kushwaha

The CAG report, yet to be made public but accessed by TEHELKA, says,
"There was absence of structural integration and convergence within
the health department."

The CAG report blames the state government's decision to appoint two
ministers for family welfare and health as a move away from
integration. "Consequently, two parallel posts of CMOs became
operational in districts. However, the government had to withdraw the
earlier orders due to institutional problems arising out of the two
posts. This indicated that the issue of integration of funds,
functions and functionaries even within the department was not
resolved as of March, 2011," the CAG report states.

It is interesting to note that the state government recalled its order
of two CMOs after the murder of two CMOs from Lucknow, Dr Vinod Arya
and Dr BP Singh.

It is in this backdrop that the CBI carried out a series of searches
and questioned CMOs across the state. Investigators believe the new
bunch of CMOs were instrumental in siphoning off huge amounts at
Kushwaha's behest, as it was the minister himself who took interest in
appointing of many of them.

"The freedom that Kushwaha enjoyed under Mayawati at one point of time
cannot be ignored in the probe. Most of the people posted as CMOs were
close to Kushwaha," says a CBI officer.

However, so far, there is little material evidence to establish the
exact money trail. The system of having two CMOs itself does not
establish criminal culpability.

The CBI is also inquiring into records of middlemen and contractors
who might have paid kickbacks to get people of their choice posted as
CMOs in their district to benefit from contracts related to NRHM
projects.

But one handicap for the investigators is gathering material evidence.
Account books, details of transactions are all tampered with.

The CAG report mentions that a lot of information required for the
audit was not made available. "The audit has been constrained due to
non-productivity of records at different tiers of the government. At
many units, it was informed that records are either not available at
all or are not available in full. In quite a few instances, original
records had not been maintained, particularly relating to accounts,"
the CAG report says.

Another reason why BSP supremo Mayawati's role cannot be ignored is
the fact that the goals of NRHM were to be achieved by the State
Health Mission, which was directly under the former CM.

Even the CAG report directly blames the State Health Mission for
various anomalies in the mega health project. The report states, "The
management of the mission, especially financial and accounts
procedures, suffered from systemic weaknesses. The improper and
deficient maintenance of books of accounts resulted in accounts not
reflecting the true and fair picture of NRHM in the state, apart from
resulting in serious financial irregularities."

THE CAG has also found anomalies in releasing of funds; the method
adopted was once again in complete violation of the NRHM guidelines.
"The State Health Mission, instead of directly releasing funds to the
executing agencies, released more than Rs 1,500 crore through the
programme management society, an unregistered society introduced by
state government," says the report.

These are not the only violations of the guidelines by the state
government. According to the CAG, the selection and awards of
construction works to agencies on nomination basis is not only a
violation of NRHM guidelines but also rules laid down by the Supreme
Court and Central Vigilance Commission. The CAG points out that
agencies were paid money for construction without even ensuring the
availability of land resulting in money lying with the agencies
without work starting and benefiting them as interest.

Fatal fallout of a scam

Even the CBI is struggling to solve the mystery of the NRHM-related deaths
Police examine the body of slain CMO BP Singh

Crime scene Police examine the body of slain CMO BP Singh

Photo: Pramod Adhikari

AS THE CBI tightens the noose in the NRHM scam, the crime scene has
been bloodied by a handful of suspicious deaths. After the murders of
two CMOs, Dr Vinod Arya and Dr BP Singh, and the mysterious death of
deputy CMO Dr YS Sachan in jail, two more government employees have
died in mysterious circumstances.

The last such death took place on 12 February in Lakhimpur district.
The body of Mahendra Sharma, a clerk with the community health centre,
was found 10 days after he reportedly went missing from home. The
post-mortem report revealed that the death was caused due to
smothering leading to asphyxia — a clear indicator that it was a
murder. But the police came up with a suicide theory claiming they
recovered a suicide note.

Sharma's family is not buying the police theory. "We have not even
been shown the original suicide note. I saw a photocopy and it's not
too clear," says Sharma's 23-year-old son Neeraj.

The family claims that Sharma, who handled accounts at the health
centre, was constantly under pressure from his bosses to fudge account
details of NRHM projects. "When my father did not succumb to the
pressure, he was transferred," claims Neeraj.

Although the case has been transferred to the CBI, sleuths have not
been able to establish the family's claims.

In another mysterious death, Sunil Verma, a project engineer with the
Jal Nigam, allegedly shot himself on 23 January. A suicide note was
found saying the CBI was harassing Verma by constant questioning on
the NRHM scam. It is not clear whether he was a suspect or a witness
for the agency.

"We have been questioning many people, especially employees who were
part of NRHM and understood its functioning to get leads. He was just
one of them," says a CBI officer.

However, Lucknow-based lawyer Prince Lenin, who filed a PIL in the
high court asking for a CBI probe in the murders of the two CMOs, says
none of the deaths should be seen in isolation. "It appears to be an
attempt to silence whoever wants to raise a voice. Even if it's a
suicide, it must be probed what led to it. It's possible that the
person was forced to kill himself," he says.

While probes are at a nascent stage, the CBI has not got any major
leads in the earlier cases. In Sachan's case, it is working on the
suicide theory despite a judicial probe indicating otherwise. On 22
June 2011, his body was found hanging in the jail premises. This was a
day before he was to be produced in court for further remand. The
police declared it a case of suicide.

The police, who claimed to have solved the murders of Singh and Arya,
implicated Sachan in the murders and arrested three shooters. The
chargesheet filed by the police was found to be unreliable and the
high court stayed any proceedings on it.

The CBI is closely following all these findings of the CAG in their
probe. According to the CBI, largescale bungling took place in the
implementation of NRHM. The modus operandi for siphoning off state
wealth included overpricing, fake supply of medicines and hospital
equipment by fictitious firms as well as huge kickbacks in
construction activity to improve health services in government-run
primary health centres in rural areas.

The CBI also discovered how some persons acted as middlemen between
contractors and influential bureaucrats and ministers to supply
medicines and equipment under the programme.

The NRHM scam surfaced just ahead of the Assembly election in Uttar
Pradesh and along with the subsequent mysterious deaths of three CMOs
and two other state employees associated with NRHM became a major
political flashpoint.

In her defence, Mayawati maintained during her election meetings that
she had nothing to hide and it was her government that recommended a
CBI probe in the multi-crore scam and the five killings that are seen
as direct fallout of the scam. But her political opponents attack her
directly, saying that since the former chief minister was at the helm
of affairs of NRHM, she should be answerable.

ACCORDING TO Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's brother
Shivpal Singh, not only is Mayawati responsible for all the
wrongdoings, she has also managed to delay the investigation. "It's
been more than a year when the first murder took place and the scam
surfaced. By not allowing a CBI probe immediately they have ensured
that by now a lot of evidence has been destroyed," Yadav told TEHELKA.

The politics over NRHM will not end with the elections. Now with the
arrest of Kushwaha on the concluding day of polling in Uttar Pradesh,
political clamour over NRHM has again started raising doubts on the
timing of the arrest.

'By not allowing a CBI probe immediately, a lot of evidence has been
destroyed,' says Shivpal Yadav of the SP

Not surprisingly, the BJP has come out in support of Kushwaha, who
joined the party after being expelled from the BSP. "It appears they
were waiting for elections to get over. Why did the CBI have to wait
all through the elections if they had evidence against him? It seems
CBI is working under pressure," says BJP leader Kalraj Mishra.

On the other hand, the CBI has made it clear that this arrest relates
only to one case. It is alleged that Kushwaha allotted work of
upgradation of 134 hospitals to a company without any bidding. There
are 12 cases registered in the NRHM scam till date and the
investigating agency says there might be more cases registered soon
and more arrests are likely.

Abhishek Bhalla is a Senior Special Correspondent with Tehelka.
abhishek.bhalla@tehelka.com

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[ZESTCaste] UP: SP workers set Dalit huts on fire (video)

http://video.in.msn.com/watch/video/up-sp-workers-set-dalit-huts-on-fire/24slbqyr0

UP: SP workers set Dalit huts on fire
Despite repeated claims by Akhilesh Yadav to improve lawa and order in
Uttar Pradesh, incidents of violence involving Samajwadi Party workers
show no signs of abating after the assembly poll results.

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[ZESTCaste] A Dalit’s murder in wake of SP victory

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/a-dalits-murder-in-wake-of-sp-victory/922070/

A Dalit's murder in wake of SP victory

Express news service Posted online: Sat Mar 10 2012, 04:59 hrs
Lucknow : The newly elected Samajwadi Party MLA from Bah, Aridaman
Singh, and nine supporters were today booked for the murder of the
husband of a Dalit village pradhan.

Munna Lal — who virtually ran the show in the name of his wife Guddi
Devi, the actual pradhan of Parvati Purva village — was beaten to
death in Agra on Thursday reportedly for refusing to vote for the
Samajwadi Party candidate during the elections.

This is the latest in a series of incidents of violence, allegedly by
SP men, since the announcement of Assembly poll results on March 6. SP
chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today called a meeting of police officers to
direct them to check the violence while son Akhilesh Singh saw a
conspiracy to defame the party.

Munna Lal, 40, was attacked by more than 20 men while sitting at the
panchayat ghar. MLA Singh has been booked on the charge of hatching a
conspiracy for murder.

Munna Lal's nephew Daya Shankar claimed the murder was the fallout of
a dispute during Singh's visit to the village seeking votes. He was
accompanied by the Thakurs of the village.

"The Thakurs asked the pradhan to ensure that the people of his
community cast vote in favour of Singh. Munna Lal refused. Aridaman
and others threatened to deal with him after the election," said
Shankar. Circle officer Siddharth said the postmortem report was
awaited.

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[ZESTCaste] SAD’s Mix Of Hindu And Dalit Candidates Leads To Win For Seven Hindus-Dalits

http://thelinkpaper.ca/?p=14810

SAD's Mix Of Hindu And Dalit Candidates Leads To Win For Seven Hindus-Dalits

SANGRUR – Shiromani Akali Dal is no more solely a party of Sikhs even
while a Sikh majority remains at the party's forefront.

The party cleverly used a mix of Hindu and Dalit candidates and has
given seven of the Hindu candidates a win on the SAD ticket.

Parkash Chand Garg, Prem Mittal, Sarup Chand Singla, Deep Malhotra, NK
Sharma, Pawan Kumar Teenu, Shiv Ram Kler, Avinash Chander have won the
election.

Parkash Chand Garg has won from Sangrur, Prem Mittal from Mansa, Sarup
Chand Singla from Bathinda urban, Deep Malhotra from Faridkot, NK
Sharma from Dera Bassi, Pawan Kumar Teenu from Jalandhar and Shiv Ram
Kler, Avinash Chander from Phillaur has won from Jagraon assembly
constituency.

The win of Sarup Chand Singla is being projected as the biggest win as
he was pitted against Harminder Singh Jassi, who is closely associated
with Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Dera was
presumed as a big factor in Punjab elections.

SAD secretary general Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said "SAD is no more
associated with any particular caste or religion. By throwing away the
tag of party termed associated more with Sikhs, SAD had provided
tickets to Hindus and electorates too have put its seal of approval by
returning all of them as victorious. The change of tag has turned out
beneficial for SAD and labeling SAD not only the party of ruralites
but also of urbanites". Dhindsa said SAD believes more in universality
and this change of tag is here to stay.

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Saturday, March 10, 2012

Capital Calculus | Anil Padmanabhan

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