DALIT GIRL'S FINGERS CUT-OFF
HER CRIME - STEALING SPINACH
No, this didn't happen under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan but in very democratic Bihar where attrocities are on the rise . What can be more painful than this news from Bhagalpur.....a five year old girl Khusbu Kumari was simply plucking spinach at Bhavnathpur-Baijar village when the farmer caught her, assaulted her and then cut her four fingers and thumb.
Khushbu has been taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital but her life will never be the same again.
A case has been registered with the Akbar Nagar police station but so far no arrests and the farmer Pankaj Rai is absconding.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
APPEAL AGAINST SAMADHI TO CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA
Media Action Forum appeals to the Chief Justice of India to inquire on how a dalit man Ram Das Prasad was buried alive in Bihar and why the Bihar government is not filing cases against the villagers who murdered the dalit man. A copy of the CD has also been sent.
Media Action Forum appeals to the Chief Justice of India to inquire on how a dalit man Ram Das Prasad was buried alive in Bihar and why the Bihar government is not filing cases against the villagers who murdered the dalit man. A copy of the CD has also been sent.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
DALIT COMMISSION NOTICE TO BIHAR GOVT
GOVT SAYS DALIT MAN DIED AND NOT BURIED ALIVE
The National Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Commission issues notices to the Bihar government on whether a dalit man was buried alive in Supaul district and now the Bihar government tells the commission that the dalit sadhu (holyman) died two minutes before he was buried.
Thats exactly the statement the villagers have given on pressure from the police and state administration.
Mr. Sharma, chairman of the Commission in Bihar, says he will further probe the issue.
GOVT SAYS DALIT MAN DIED AND NOT BURIED ALIVE
The National Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Commission issues notices to the Bihar government on whether a dalit man was buried alive in Supaul district and now the Bihar government tells the commission that the dalit sadhu (holyman) died two minutes before he was buried.
Thats exactly the statement the villagers have given on pressure from the police and state administration.
Mr. Sharma, chairman of the Commission in Bihar, says he will further probe the issue.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
BIHAR CM CALLS AN INQUIRY BUT NO ARRESTS
MEDIA ACTION FORUM, set up in 2000 to fight against growing incidents of assaults against journalists during their course of duty, takes up the assault of Aaj Tak journalist and other mediapersons when they went to cover the Samadhi story, and meet Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and demand a full probe into the Samadhi and the assault on journalists.
The chief minister first says he has no sympathy for journalists who do stories on supersitions like a Ganesha appearing on a tree near the State secretariat but on having a closer look the MAF resolution plus the CD of the samadhi, he asks the chief secretary to look into the matter.
MEDIA ACTION FORUM, set up in 2000 to fight against growing incidents of assaults against journalists during their course of duty, takes up the assault of Aaj Tak journalist and other mediapersons when they went to cover the Samadhi story, and meet Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and demand a full probe into the Samadhi and the assault on journalists.
The chief minister first says he has no sympathy for journalists who do stories on supersitions like a Ganesha appearing on a tree near the State secretariat but on having a closer look the MAF resolution plus the CD of the samadhi, he asks the chief secretary to look into the matter.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
MAN BURIED ALIVE
BIHAR'S DALIT MAN BURIED ALIVE
BLIND FAITH & BLIND GOVERNMENT
By Manuwant Kumar Choudhary
In a shocking incident a dalit man Ram Prasad Das claiming to be a sadhu...is buried alive in village Karhaiya in Supaul, Bihar, India, on November 28. Fifteen days earlier its alleged he announced he would be taking a samadhi (an ancient Hindu way of taking one's own life)...and true to his claim he was buried alive with all festivities by his followers and for the first time ever the 'SAMADHI' is on video CD.
Shockingly, everyone including the Bihar government is aware of this social practice in Bihar's villages but do nothing to stop this man from ending his life or even prevent the villagers of committing murder.
All night the dalit man gives blessings to his bhaktas (followers) and by morning he is lifted and placed in a wooden box, the lid covered, and the box lowered into the open grave in full public view with followers seeking his personal blessings as he departs on his heavenly journey...
The video CD is taken by one of his followers and by some chance it falls into the hands of local stringers of TV news channels. Aaaj Tak carries the story...but two days later when their reporter Kumar Abhishek visits the Supaul village....angry villagers attack him and his crew including a CNN - IBN representative with bamboo sticks. The TV crew just about manage to escape.
What is shocking that a man buried alive does not make headline news in Bihar's newspapers or even national newspapers and such is the media competition these days that even other TV channels don't think its a story. Sahara TV a few days later carry the footage on the samadhi followed by footage on attacks on journalists.
Its said that after the first media leak of the samadhi the local police on orders from higher ups went to the village and threatened the villagers that if they did not give a signed undertaking that the dalit man died before he was buried they would all be charged with murder. So all the villagers did as the police asked them to....and when the media team visited to make full inquiries they were attacked in full presence of the police.
Later the District Magistrate of Supaul Mr. Shareef Alam instead of arresting the villagers..threatens the mediamen. Even the Bihar Home Commissioner Mr. Afzal Amanullah tells Aaj Tak that they would naturally be attacked if they do such stories.
And in Bihar most say journalists who do stories against the sentiments of villagers will naturally be attacked.
So far there is no condemnation of the samadhi from any political party and no word from Bihar's Chief Minister Mr. Nitish Kumar who perhaps only believes in image make-overs for Bihar.
A sad story for `samajik nyay' or social justice that when a dalit man is buried alive there are no protests. But when miscreants damage a B.R. Ambedkar statue in Uttar Pradesh....the Dalits burn the Deccan Queen train in Maharashtra.
BLIND FAITH & BLIND GOVERNMENT
By Manuwant Kumar Choudhary
In a shocking incident a dalit man Ram Prasad Das claiming to be a sadhu...is buried alive in village Karhaiya in Supaul, Bihar, India, on November 28. Fifteen days earlier its alleged he announced he would be taking a samadhi (an ancient Hindu way of taking one's own life)...and true to his claim he was buried alive with all festivities by his followers and for the first time ever the 'SAMADHI' is on video CD.
Shockingly, everyone including the Bihar government is aware of this social practice in Bihar's villages but do nothing to stop this man from ending his life or even prevent the villagers of committing murder.
All night the dalit man gives blessings to his bhaktas (followers) and by morning he is lifted and placed in a wooden box, the lid covered, and the box lowered into the open grave in full public view with followers seeking his personal blessings as he departs on his heavenly journey...
The video CD is taken by one of his followers and by some chance it falls into the hands of local stringers of TV news channels. Aaaj Tak carries the story...but two days later when their reporter Kumar Abhishek visits the Supaul village....angry villagers attack him and his crew including a CNN - IBN representative with bamboo sticks. The TV crew just about manage to escape.
What is shocking that a man buried alive does not make headline news in Bihar's newspapers or even national newspapers and such is the media competition these days that even other TV channels don't think its a story. Sahara TV a few days later carry the footage on the samadhi followed by footage on attacks on journalists.
Its said that after the first media leak of the samadhi the local police on orders from higher ups went to the village and threatened the villagers that if they did not give a signed undertaking that the dalit man died before he was buried they would all be charged with murder. So all the villagers did as the police asked them to....and when the media team visited to make full inquiries they were attacked in full presence of the police.
Later the District Magistrate of Supaul Mr. Shareef Alam instead of arresting the villagers..threatens the mediamen. Even the Bihar Home Commissioner Mr. Afzal Amanullah tells Aaj Tak that they would naturally be attacked if they do such stories.
And in Bihar most say journalists who do stories against the sentiments of villagers will naturally be attacked.
So far there is no condemnation of the samadhi from any political party and no word from Bihar's Chief Minister Mr. Nitish Kumar who perhaps only believes in image make-overs for Bihar.
A sad story for `samajik nyay' or social justice that when a dalit man is buried alive there are no protests. But when miscreants damage a B.R. Ambedkar statue in Uttar Pradesh....the Dalits burn the Deccan Queen train in Maharashtra.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Dear Friends,
indiavikalp is a new entrant into the world of blogs but what brings it into existence is quite different from most other blogs. I live in Bihar and have been a journalist for many years first in Bombay then a TV journalist in Bihar....having seen the corrupt and the violent from close quarters for many years...but all along there is also a dream I have had ...I have a dream for a peaceful and prosperous India...and the more I see our politicians the more I am convinced that India needs a liberal alternative...an alternative that believes in giving India a chance. Hence, vikalp - which means an alternative. Anyone who believes in India can get in touch and even if you do not agree as liberals we believe in debate so this blog is a great place.
yes my name in manuwant choudhary.
indiavikalp is a new entrant into the world of blogs but what brings it into existence is quite different from most other blogs. I live in Bihar and have been a journalist for many years first in Bombay then a TV journalist in Bihar....having seen the corrupt and the violent from close quarters for many years...but all along there is also a dream I have had ...I have a dream for a peaceful and prosperous India...and the more I see our politicians the more I am convinced that India needs a liberal alternative...an alternative that believes in giving India a chance. Hence, vikalp - which means an alternative. Anyone who believes in India can get in touch and even if you do not agree as liberals we believe in debate so this blog is a great place.
yes my name in manuwant choudhary.
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