Jagdish Tytler News

In support of the Hon. Prime Minister of India

2010-11-27T04:58:00.000-08:00

The 2 G scam is already under scan through several investigating agencies but the way opposition is behaving and trying to pull down government and repetitive lament on PM is something to be condemned .UPA -1 has several landmark achievement to it's credit and it was under the supervision of our able Prime Minster Shri Manmohan Singh that even after the economic slowdown India proved it’s capacity as an stable economy. We should think that we as a democracy have a face which is taint less and is continuously putting India forward in all realm of global competition. We as a responsible citizen should take into account that BJP should look into their activities instead of raising finger towards PM or the present government . It is the UPA government which has given every citizen of this nation rights like right to information and right to education. The way opposition is behaving in parliament is against the democratic norms when government is ready to take up debate on all required issue why not the opposition allows the functioning of the parliament instead to daily hindering they should think that it run on the tax payer money. So they should allow smooth functioning of parliament which decides the fate of the nation.

Sarnas appear before Takht, submit reply

2010-08-16T17:14:00.000-07:00

The five Sikh high priests, led by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, have formed a committee to look into the Sarna brothers-advocate Phoolka tangle.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna and his brother Harvinder Singh Sarna along with their supporters appeared before the five Sikh high priests at Akal Takht today.

The duo submitted their clarification putting forth their stance regarding the controversy erupted over the alleged remarks made by the Sarna brothers against advocate HS Phoolka.

They had said the lawyer HS Phoolka, fighting the 1984 riot victims’ cases, had “wasted money” and made personal gains.

The Sarna brothers were summoned to Akal Takht on a complaint filed by Phoolka.

“We have formed a committee that will look into the entire episode. It will examine the issue and give its report within two months. Any action will be taken on the basis of the report of the panel, which will function under the direct supervision of the five Sikh high priests,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh.

Parmjit Singh Sarna, who was flanked by his brother Harvinder Singh Sarna and a large number of supporters, reached the Golden Temple complex. Advocate Phoolka also reached there along with journalist Jarnail Singh. All-India Shiromani Akali Dal president Jaswant Singh Maan was also present along with senior Akali leader Manjit Singh Tarantarni.

Parmjit Singh Sarna said he and other DSGMC office-bearers had full regard for Akal Takht and its verdict would be final. Giving account of the controversy, the Sarna brothers said they had never said anything objectionable about Phoolka and it was he who had leveled “serious and baseless” allegations against them in an interview on TV.

He also said the DSGMC had made a payment of Rs 99.94 crore to Phoolka for fighting the 1984 victims’ cases.

We examined all material to close case against Tytler: CBI

2010-08-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday claimed before a Delhi court that it had examined all material aspects before deciding to close a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case against former union minister Jagdish Tytler.

“CBI has considered all the aspects, which emerged during the investigation and a broad, balanced and independent decision has been taken in the case,” the probe agency told Additional Sessions Judge V. K. Khanna.

Seeking dismissal of a petition filed by the family of the riots victim challenging the CBI’s decision to file the closure report against Mr. Tytler, the agency said there was no evidence to prosecute him in the case.

“It is prayed that the revision petition filed on behalf of Lakhvinder Kaur be rejected as it is devoid of any merit and has been filed with a purpose to delay the matter,” the CBI said.

The investigating agency said the former union minister was present at the Teen Murti Bhawan, where the body of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was kept, at the time of the incident.

“The role of Tytler was investigated from all possible angles including the possibility of his being involved in conspiracy behind the incident. However, no such role of Tytler came to light,” the CBI said.

The investigating agency said it had made “concerted” efforts to locate and examine the witnesses to nail the culprits in the incident at Gurudwara Pulbangash here.

The CBI alleged the petitioner was trying to introduce new witnesses like Chanchal Singh in the case in order to “delay the matter by hook or crook“.

It said the witness, Jasbir Singh, who is residing in California (U.S.), was making a false and concocted statement which could not withstand the test of the truth.

The CBI cited the version of witness Surinder Singh, who died in AIIMS last year, to maintain that Mr. Tytler had no role in the incident.

The court, after going through CBI’s written submission, asked the victim’s family to file its response and posted the matter for further hearing on August 21.

Tytler Demands University Named after Guru Govind Singh

2010-01-04T03:42:00.000-08:00

Monday, January 4, 2010

Patna: December 20, 2009
Tytler Demands University Named after Guru Govind SinghA Congress delegate led by Bihar in-charge Jagdish Tytler on Sunday met with Governor Debananda Konwar and urged him to set up a new university in Bihar named after the 10th Sikh sage Guru Govind Singh.

Besides Tytler, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) President Anil Kumar Sharma, Ashok Chowdhary, Vijay Singh Yadav, Girish Sanghi, Prof. Dalveer Singh, Gurudayal Singh, Gurjit Singh, and All India Congress Committee secretary Sagar Raika also appealed to the Governor to take initiative to start Guru Govind Singh University in Bihar.

Tytler said the Governor gave him his word to apprise Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of their demands.

The Congress leader also ruled out removal of Sharma as the BPCC chief saying Sharma had proven himself to be very successful in handling Bihar affairs and the party did not see any reason to replace him with someone else.

As reported, a handful of disgruntled Congress leaders had earlier written to Congress President Sonia Gandhi to sack Sharma on charges of failure to revive the party in the state and failing to promote party agenda in Bihar.

"Previous state presidents either joined hands with Lalu Prasad Yadav or Nitish Kumar when they thought Congress was sinking. Sharma, on the other hand, stuck with the party through thick and thin and has proven his mettle as an effective leader in Bihar," Tytler said.

Akali Dal dumb: Role of BJP & RSS in 1984 Sikh riots

2010-01-03T23:42:00.000-08:00

Why Akali Dal is dumb on the role of BJP and RSS whereas they holding mass agitations against congress in the name of justice to Sikhs. Why are they protecting BJP and RSS? Looks Akali Dal is another political party trying to get political profits out of the 1984 riot issue. Now the big question is raised, Is Akali Dal fighting for Sikhs or fighting for it's own political interests?

The role of BJP & RSS is very clear in 1984 riots, still Akali Dal is making statements against congress in the name of Sikh justice whereas remains quite about the FIRs against BJP & RSS members during 1984 riots.

The news paper cuttings clearly shows the role of BJP & RSS, still Akali dal remains dumb in this regard, why?

Jagdish Tytler writes to Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad ji

2010-01-02T04:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad ji,

I was very much surprised to see your head-liner “Why is Tytler being ‘spared’ in 1984 riots, asks BJP” (Dated 31st December, 2009).

I resigned from Parliament as a Minister because your Party and Shri Advani ji said in Parliament, that the case should be handed over to the CBI. You knew very well that the CBI, after investigating for five years, came to the conclusion that it was a false case and there was no truth in the allegations and they had recommended to the Court for its closure. It is for the Court to decide on the CBI’s closure report.

Let me put the facts before you in truth: I have not been spared in the way the BJP has “shielded” the BJP-RSS workers. I have struggled against the fictitious affidavits, a frivolous Media, head-hunting members of the BJP and other similar-viewed parties. My only strength was my courage, my acceptance of all the help I received from my real friends, and my own desire to bring the truth of my innocence to light.

I am attaching herewith a news clipping from the Hindustan Times, dated 2rd February, 2002, which clearly shows what the the then Union Minister L.K. Advani deposed before the Liberhan Commission. He said the “1984 anti-Sikh riots of 1984 was a greater shame for the nation than the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya.” He, however, did not speak a word about the fact that the Delhi Police had registered criminal cases against the BJP and RSS top workers who were involved in the riots of 1984, regarding their direct involvement in arson, looting and murder. The number of these workers ranges round six hundred people. All these cases were withdrawn under the benign rule of the Home Minister, L.K. Advani.Is this not “caring”? Is this not “shielding”?

If you had courage and guts, you would have questioned yourself first about how the BJP has “shielded” and “spared” the BJP and RSS workers who had registered cases and FIRs against them for involvement in murder, arson and rape during the 1984 Riots.

You are a Member of Parliament, a spokesperson for the BJP and a rational, educated person. You should be able to stand with courage and stick to the truth, for truth cannot die. What ever truth you expose, it will stand the test of time and the rigid test of truth.

I am surprised that a person like you, who could have been truthful,has fallen from his truth to become an ordinary BJP runner; who is running after lies and wasting his valuable life in wasted insults and foolish remarks.

Still, with regards.

Yours sincerely.

(Jagdish Tytler)

Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad ji, M.P.(RS)
Spokesman
Bharatiya Janata Party
10 Ashoka Road
New Delhi.

Kindly go through:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_s7X1OnO3Jqk/SoZk7IrrDGI/AAAAAAAAAC8/10P7JriAJw8/s1600-h/clippling+against+BJP.jpg

P.S:
I would like you to get better information than you seem to have at
present and would recommend the following blogs which I feel could be
helpful to you:

http://www.groundreportindia.com/2009/11/open-letter-to-media-through-ground.html

http://surender-singh-statement.blogspot.com/

http://surender-singh-1984.blogspot.com/

http://surender-singh-1984-riot.blogspot.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrvGsairmNs&feature=player_embedded

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_s7X1OnO3Jqk/SoaF-i85aLI/AAAAAAAAADc/ Z61Ll6wd7xA/s1600-h/SUCHA+SINGH+AFFIDAVIT1.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_s7X1OnO3Jqk/SoaGfYC4S1I/AAAAAAAAADk/d-EkemI42dw/s1600-h/SUCHA+SINGH+AFFIDAVIT2.jpg

http://jagdish-tytler-the-truth.blogspot.com/

http://jagdish-tytler.blogspot.com/

Pending 1984 riots cases not against Tytler: Govt

2009-12-15T07:33:00.000-08:00

New Delhi: The Home Ministry on Tuesday said that four cases in connection with anti-Sikh riots cases in Delhi in 1984 are pending with the competent authority for sanction of prosecution and these do not relate to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler.

In a press statement, the Ministry said that in his statement in response to a Calling Attention Motion in Rajya Sabha yesterday and in his further reply Home Minister P Chidambaram had referred to the sole case against Tytler.

"In one case after completion of investigation, charge-sheet was filed in the court on September 28, 2007 and final report, under Section 173 of the CrPC, was filed in the court on March 28, 2009, which is under consideration of the court", the statement said.

The Ministry statement said the other cases do not relate to Tytler.

"In his statement as well as the clarifications, the minister had said that four cases are pending with the competent authority for sanction of prosecution. These cases do not relate to Jagdish Tytler and, in fact, no reference was made to Jagdish Tytler while referring to these four cases," the ministry statement said.

PTI

Updated on Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 17:04 IST

Jagdish Tytler: Update of 1984 case

2009-12-02T05:44:00.000-08:00

Date: 2nd Dec’ 2009

I have been all along been telling through the media and through all other source available to me that I am not involved in the 1984 riots. Now the CBI who was enquiring that did I have any role to play or not, yesterday in the court of CBI this is what the conclusion drawn by CBI.

As appeared in the Indian Express (page 3, dated: 2nd Dec’2009) in which the CBI sited statements of witnesses including an eye witness Surinder Singh who claim there was nothing incriminating against the congress leader to indict Jagdish Tytler. The CBI justified its closure report in favour of Tytler before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit at the Karkardooma court.

The CBI referred to three separate affidavits submitted by Surinder Singh to term him as “unreliable”. The CBI agency contended that the witness, in his latest statements, had clearly said he was not present near the Gurdwara Pulbangash on the day of incident. And that he has signed the first affidavit against Tytler to avail compensation but it was tempered by the lawyer.

It also read out the statements of Surinder Singh’s father and son corroborating the claims that Surinder Singh had lied in his first affidavit and further that Tytler was not a part of the rioting mob.

CBI also played a compact disc, in which Surinder Singh was shown to have denied making any allegation against Jagdish Tytler.

On the last date, the CBI produced a CD before the court to claim that Jagdish Tytler was present at the residence of Gandhi and not at the riot site.

Affidavits which have been produced in the court have all blamed phoolka who supposed to be helping the people who lost their lives. Have been found to be actually tempering with the records and this has been revealed in the affidavit by surinder singh to CBI, to the Court and to the PM.

Jagdish Tytler
Former Union Minister

Bihar Human Rights Report 2006

2009-11-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

1. Overview

Bihar had been infamous for being the most lawless state in India. There was little improvement of the security situation after Janata Dal United and Bharatiya Janata Party coalition took over power in capital Patna.

The vulnerable groups i.e. the Dalits, the lower caste Hindus continued to be deprived of their rights. The Dalit women remained extremely vulnerable to the violence perpetrated by the upper caste Hindus. Extreme poverty and atrocities against the Dalits had been spreading the Maoists conflict in the State. On 5 January 2005, the Munger Superintendent of Police, K.C. Surendrababu, and six other police personnel were killed in a Maoist-triggered landmine blast at Lakshmipur village in Jammui district while returning from a joint operation against the Maoists.[1]

The violence and killings by the criminals and the armed opposition groups like Ranvir Sena, Peoples War (PW) and Maoists Communist Centre (MCC) in Bihar could be considered at the same level as the violence caused by the armed opposition groups elsewhere in India. Yet, the Central government and Bihar government continued to maintain double standards. While the Centre had declared the MCC and PW as “terrorist organisations” under section 18 of the Prevention of Terrorist Act, 2002 and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2004, the Ranvir Sena, private army of the landlords, which was allegedly involved in 33 massacre cases claiming over 280 lives, was never banned.[2]

Prison conditions remained deplorable. As of April 2005, Bihar had over 38,000 prisoners against the capacity of 21,750 prisoners. Overcrowding caused food and lodging problems.[3] The conditions of about 55 prisoners lodged in jails at Bhagalpur, Gaya and Muzaffarpur who had been awarded death sentence but not executed, remained most inhuman.[4]

Children continued to be victims of atrocities by the security forces. On 3 November 2005, a police officer, Kishore Yadav of Meskaur police station shot dead a 16-year-old boy Pawan Kumar during a raid at Bijubigha village in Nawada district.[5]
2. Human rights violations by the security forces

The security forces, mainly the Bihar Police, were responsible for gross violations of human rights including arbitrary deprivation of the right to life.

The National Human Rights Commission of India registered 153 cases of custodial deaths – 3 deaths in police custody and 150 deaths in judicial custody – during 2004-2005.[6]

Bihar Police continued to resort to indiscriminate use of fire-arms. On 16 August 2005, three persons identified as Sudhir, Shailesh, and Rajneesh were killed and several others injured in police firing allegedly without warning at a mob in Maharajganj in Siwan district. They were protesting the tragic death of a schoolboy who was crushed by a private bus early in the morning of the same day.[7]

On 26 October 2005, a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on election duty shot dead 25-year-old Santosh Singh, son of Surendra Singh near Pakauli High School at Pakoli village on the Hajipur-Biddupur road under Raghopur constituency in Vaishali district. Santosh Singh was reportedly shot twice in the head while walking home after a bath in the Ganges. The BSF jawan who fired the shots said the youth did not heed a call to stop and he perceived him to be a ‘‘criminal'' or a ‘‘booth grabber'' going to loot the polling booth which was situated just 100 metres away from the school building, which had been converted into a BSF camp for the elections. Bihar Chief Secretary G S Kang described the killing as a ‘‘freak incident'' and ordered a magisterial inquiry.[8]

Bihar Police also resorted to arbitrary arrest and detention. On 30 June 2005, two doctors – Dr Qamru Zamman and Dr Ajay were arrested in West Champaran and Muzaffarpur districts respectively for treating alleged Nepali Maoists in their clinics. The doctors were charged with sedition.[9]

Torture was rampant. In 2004-2005, the NHRC received 954 complaints of police excesses.[10] On 6 December 2005, Ranjit Kumar was brutally tortured in full public view by Ravindra Ram, the officer-in-charge of Nimchak Bathani police station in Gaya district for eloping with his maternal aunt, Ms Rekha. The officer-in-charge allegedly dragged Ranjit Kumar and Rekha out of the police station and directed other policemen to hang Ranjit Kumar from the branch of a tree while Rekha was made to pull the rope. Though Rekha was released later, Ranjit Kumar was charged with kidnapping and sent to judicial custody in Gaya jail.[11]

There was virtual impunity for the excesses. On the night of 20 March 2005, Special Task Force (STF) personnel reportedly molested and thrashed sex workers and their family members in Sasaram under Rohtas district. An on-the-spot inquiry conducted by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Sasaram, Mr Rajendra Prasad reportedly found the charges levelled by the sex workers against the STF jawans to be true. Mr Prasad reported that at the time of the incident, the jawans were in an inebriated condition and that they carried their weapons. But an FIR lodged against the security personnel on 22 March 2005 did not name any STF personnel even though the DSP's report disclosed the names of about half a dozen STF personnel.[12]
3. Violations of the international humanitarian laws by the AOGs

The Maoists were active in many parts of Bihar and were responsible for violations of international humanitarian laws.

In February 2005, the Maoists issued death sentence to Rajindra Sao of Parariya village in Gaya district for rescuing and then taking Bharatiya Janata Party leader Venkaiah Naidu to the local police station after his helicopter ran out of fuel and made an emergency landing in Paraiya. The Maoists had later attacked the helicopter. Rajindra Sao went into hiding but his brother Surindra Sao was kidnapped by the Maoists to force him to surrender.[13]

On 5 April 2005, suspected Maoists shot dead Government Railway Protection (GRP) official Nawal Kishore Mishra and seriously injured another GRP guard on Patna-Jha Jha DMU train near Jamui station.[14]

The Naxalites were also responsible for destruction of economic infrastructure. At around 11 pm on 26 September 2005, around 20 Maoists reportedly surrounded Chakand railway station on Patna-Gaya section of the East Central Railway and blew it up by detonating dynamites.[15]

The Maoists carried out extortion. On 8 March 2005, suspected activists of the CPI (Maoist) kidnapped 10 villagers – 2 from Sadokhar village under Chenari police station, and 8 from a Shivratri Mela near Gupta Dham in Rohtas district after they reportedly refused to pay “tax”. A boy, among those kidnapped, was later set free.[16]
4. Violence against women

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of the Government of India recorded 6,019 cases of violence against women in Bihar during 2005 which included, among others, 1,147 cases of rape, 451 cases of molestation, 929 cases of abduction, 1,014 dowry deaths and 1,574 cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives.[17]

Women in Bihar continued to suffer from discrimination, violence and cruel cultural practices under which the victims were held guilty.

In September 2005, the panchayat of Muslim-dominated Padhyar village in Banka district allegedly forced a rape victim to publicly lick the spit of her husband Mohammad Farooq, who had instantly pronounced talaq (divorce according to Sharia) when she told him that she had been raped by one Mohammad Ajaz on 28 August 2005. The rape victim was also thrown out of the house by her husband. On the other hand, the rapist was let off by payment of a paltry fine of Rs 15,000 after he refused to marry the victim. The victim filed a case in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate and the court directed the Dhoraiya police station to lodge an FIR against Ajaz and his father.[18]

Illiteracy and superstitions are widespread in rural Bihar where women were killed in the name of “witch-hunting”.

On the night of 17 April 2005, a mentally retarded woman identified as Savitri Devi was beaten to death by the villagers in Gulabbag village under Sadar police station of Purnea district declaring her of being a witch. The incident took place after the 3-year-old daughter of one Heera Oraon had died in the village after blood oozed out of her mouth and nose. Later the parents of the girl consulted a local “ojha” (exorcist) who accused Savitri Devi of causing the untimely death of their child with the power of her witchcraft. The infuriated villagers demanded that Savitri use her powers to bring the dead girl back to life. She was lynched to death when she could not do so.[19]

In late October 2005, a 35-year-old woman was beaten up and paraded naked in front of her husband for allegedly practicing “witchcraft” by three persons at Phulwarisharif area of Patna district. The assailants first tied her husband to a chair and forced him to watch his wife being stripped naked and tortured. They sprinkled water on the woman and beat her up to “free her of any kind of evil spirit”. The incident occurred after the granddaughter of one Meera, a government high school teacher, got ill as soon as the victim's family shifted to their new house in the locality where Meera resided. Meera accused the victim of performing black magic on her grand-daughter.[20]

On 28 November 2005, three members of a family identified as Karuna Devi, her husband Marari Singh and son Kaushal Prasad were shot dead by their relatives, who suspected Karuna Devi of performing witchcraft at Pyarepur village under Giriak police station in Nalanda district.[21]
5. Violations of the rights of the Dalits

The National Crime Records Bureau recorded a total of 1,824 cases of violence against the Dalits which amounted to 7% of all the cases of violence against the Dalits in India during 2005. As many as 5,213 cases were pending trial in courts and 2,428 cases were pending investigation by the police in Bihar by the end of 2005. The conviction rate for the crimes against the Dalits in the state was 30.6% during 2005.[22] The Dalits faced all forms of discrimination from being targeted as criminals by the law enforcement personnel to denial of entry to places of worship, schools and denial of participation in the elections by the upper caste Hindus. Any protest by the Dalits might warrant branding them as “Maoists”.
a. Atrocities

The “Musahars” (who are considered the lowest category among the Dalits) had been landless and their forefathers were branded as criminals. The present generation of Musahars continued to be regarded as criminals and targeted by the police. The social stigma was so great that it was reported that whenever a dacoity took place in the neighboring areas, the police raided the Musahars-inhabited Telra village in Sasaram district and arbitrarily arrested the Musahars! As a result, there was hardly any person in Telra village who had not been jailed at least once.[23]

Arbitrary killings of the Dalits were common. On the night of 13 January 2005, a Dalit youth was shot dead and another seriously injured when twelve gang members of Sanjay Yadav attacked Bhorsaha village in Saharsa district. The gang also set on fire 10 Dalit huts.[24]

The Dalits cannot even demand their wages from the upper castes. On 19 July 2005, a Dalit autorickshaw driver, Sanjay Paswan was beaten up and blinded by five passengers when he demanded Rs 50 as his fare in Maner near Patna. The local police allegedly refused to lodge a complaint fearing retribution by the five men who were said to be powerful and enjoying political patronage. Initially, Paswan was allegedly refused admission in two government-run hospitals in Patna.[25]

In many parts of Bihar, the Dalits were denied access to education. In June 2005, a Dalit youth identified as Premhansh Sah of Koudiya village in East Champaran district was beaten up by the upper caste men for joining a college against their dictat to discontinue his education. The upper caste men also branded him as a Maoist and handed over to the police. But the police found him innocent and released him. Many Dalit youths were reportedly forced to leave the Koudiya village after they had enrolled in colleges because of the terror created by the upper caste people.[26]

The Dalits continued to face atrocities for exercising their right to franchise. On the night of 15 October 2005, Rashtriya Janata Dal activists allegedly beat up some Dalits and threatened to kill them if they did not vote in favor of RJD candidates in Dahnpura village in Ara district. They also set a house and cattle on fire killing three cows.[27]

Even when Dalit women were elected to public positions, they continued to suffer discrimination. Ms Deomanti Devi, a Dalit woman, who was elected as the chairperson of the Bodhgaya Nagar Panchayat in August 2002 continued to be “deprived of allowances and other entitlements privy to a civic body head”. Since becoming chairperson in August 2002, she reportedly knocked on many doors including that of the Urban Development Department in Patna for her allowances but she was allegedly not paid even the travel allowances.[28]
b. Violence against Dalit women

The Dalit women remained extremely vulnerable to abuses by the upper caste men. Any attempt to access justice often warranted brutal retaliation.

On the night of 10 April 2005, a Dalit woman, wife of a Dalit policeman from Begusarai, was allegedly abducted and gang raped by four alleged upper caste men in a local hotel in Munger. According to the police, the rapists were powerful men of the area, including a petrol pump owner. The victim later filed a complaint with the police at the Jamalpur railway station.[29]

On 28 April 2005, a Dalit woman Nirmala Devi was allegedly beaten up, tonsured and paraded naked after blackening her face by the upper caste men in Paswan Tola in village Dhameli under Mirganj police station in Purnia district for refusing to work as a domestic maid. An FIR (no. 63/2005) was lodged with the Mirganj police station on 2 May 2005. In the FIR she identified two accused — the village headmen of Dhameli, Amit Chowdhary and his associate Rajiv Chowdhary. The police also registered a case under Sections 341, 342, 323, 354, 427 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 34 and 3 of the Harijan Act.[30]

On 2 August 2005, a young, pregnant Dalit woman identified as Manju Devi, wife of Binod Sada, was allegedly hit with rifle butt by former RJD MLA Sunil Kumar Pushpam because she failed to move out of the road quickly when his jeep started honking at her on the muddy road at Beethan village in Samastipur. Angry at her slight delay, the MLA got off his vehicle and began to hit Manju Devi with his rifle butt. Manju Devi was badly injured and had a miscarriage on the spot. She was left bleeding profusely. Later, she was admitted to a nearby hospital in Begusarai district, where she died on 6 August 2005. According to hospital sources, Manju died because of internal haemorrhage and rupture of veins.[31]

The Dalits also continued to be denied access to public places. On 24 June 2005, Dalits filed a case with the police after their women were allegedly denied entry into the temple and beaten up by upper caste people at the Ganni Bhojpur village in Muzaffarpur district.[32]

On 5 May 2005, the upper caste villagers rejected the inaugural meal cooked by two Dalit women, Shruti and Kamla, for the school children in a primary school under Central government sponsored mid-day meal scheme at Patheri village under Atari police station in Gaya. A few upper caste villagers reportedly entered the school at meal time and abused the Dalit cooks for their “audacity” to cook for the children from higher castes. They threatened every one who dared to touch the kheer, a kind of sweet dish, prepared by the Dalit women.[33]
6. Violations of the rights of the child

The National Crime Records Bureau recorded 115 cases of crimes against children, which included, among others, 25 murder cases, 8 rape cases, 72 kidnapping cases during 2005.[34]

The children continued to be victims of atrocity by the security forces. On 19 January 2005, a teenaged boy Ravi of Manpur locality in Gaya was critically injured when a CRPF jawan fired at a truck driver following an altercation. The bullet missed the target and hit Ravi in the head.[35]

In another incident, on 3 November 2005, a police officer, Kishore Yadav of Meskaur police station shot dead a 16-year-old boy identified as Pawan Kumar during a raid at Bijubigha village in Nawada district. The police team reportedly got information about the presence of some criminals in the village. When the villagers allegedly resisted the police team from carrying out its duty, Mr Yadav fired a few shots from his revolver, killing Pawan Kumar and critically injuring another. The Nawada district authorities suspended Kishore Yadav and ordered a magisterial inquiry in the incident.[36]

14-year-old Salim Ansari alias Chand Ansari, who sold tea in the train, was pushed out of the running Delhi-bound Saryu-Yamuna Express train on 11 October 2005 allegedly by some policemen near Hajipur after they snatched away his day's earnings. The boy lost one of his legs in the incident and died on 15 October 2005 while undergoing treatment in Hajipur Sadar Hospital.[37] Three railway policemen, including the officer-in-charge of the Hajipur Railway Police Station, K. K. Verma, were suspended for their alleged involvement in the tragic incident following a report submitted by the Deputy Superintendent of Police who investigated into the case.[38]

Bihar also continued to be a transit point for trafficking of girls from Nepal. On 28 April 2005, the railway police rescued five Nepalese girls and arrested the pimp Twango Tamang, a citizen of Nepal, from the Raxaul-Delhi Satyagraha Express at Narkatiaganj railway station. The pimp reportedly confessed his involvement in trafficking of girls for international prostitution markets, including India and Kuwait.[39]

Govt yet to crack down on corruption in electricity board

2009-11-24T03:05:00.000-08:00

Gyan Prakash, TNN 24 November 2009, 01:31am IST

PATNA: Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) seems to have become a money-spinning machine. Although crores have been siphoned off by the BSEB
mandarins, they are yet to be taken to task. The BSEB's vigilance cell has reported huge malpractices in the rural electrification scheme to the energy department.

The vigilance cell has reported that rural areas of the state have been electrified and hundreds of crores already paid to the concerned companies. Of course, this is on paper. The ground reality speaks otherwise, though. All this came to light just days before the Nitish Kumar government completed four years in office on Tuesday and the chief minister boasting the turnaround of a failed state.

Two public sector undertakings Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) and National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) were awarded contracts for rural electrification. While PGCI was given the contract for electrification of rural areas in 24 districts, NHPC got six and BSEB the remaining eight.

The rural electrification scheme was launched by the Centre as part of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana in April 2005. This project was, in fact, initiated to provide electricty to rural areas and thereby bridge the rural-urban divide. This scheme was scheduled to be completed by 2008.

The BSEB vigilance cell, in its report to the energy secretary, mentioned that not even 10% of the electrified villages have been handed over while payment for 90% work on rural electrification was already made to two PSUs.

In its defence, PGCI as reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), blamed the state government and the BSEB for not making land available for setting up power stations and the list of BPL families, etc. PGCI has also alleged that 1,700 km of conductors were stolen, forcing them to reinvest in setting up infrastructure. When the vigilance cell sought details from PGCI, it was told that those were with the contractors (sub-letted ones).

CAG also mentioned that PGCI has also not deducted the Rs 86 crore by way of liquidity damage from its sub-letted contractors. The BSEB vigilance cell has reported that PGCI's project cost has shot up to Rs 589 crore. BSEB did not care to check even one of the several bills worth Rs 1,400 crore submitted by PGCI. Though PGCI was paid 90% of the cost of the original project, not even 10% fully electrified villages could be handed over to BSEB.

NHPC, on the other hand, claimed to have handed over 277 villages, fully electrified, to BSEB. GM (supply), BSEB, in his report dated September 9, however, mentioned that not even a single electrified village has been taken over by BSEB.

Tytler to stay at Sadaquat Ashram

2009-10-26T00:12:00.000-07:00

TNN 20 October 2009, 06:12am IST

PATNA: The otherwise deserted state Congress headquarters at Sadaquat Ashram will remain abuzz with party activities at least till Jagdish Tytler
is the AICC's incharge, Bihar affairs.

Tytler has announced he would not stay at 5-star hotels during his visits to Patna. "I am going to stay at Sadaquat Ashram and so will other central leaders of the party coming to Bihar," he said.

He said he has already shifted some of his belongings to a room at Sadaquat Ashram. "When Bihar Congress leaders call me up for an appointment at my house in Delhi, I tell them they are welcome to have a cup of tea with me. But if they want to talk about party affairs, they should meet me at Sadaquat Ashram," Tytler said.

Tytler said Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajendra Prasad and several other tall leaders of Congress stayed at Sadaquat Ashram during their visits to Bihar. "However, senior congress leaders later developed the bad habit of staying in posh hotels. The country is facing bad times and we should observe austerity," he said.

Earlier, Tytler had announced installation of video-conferencing facility at Sadaquat Ashram to facilitate direct interaction with partymen from his Delhi residence.

No exclusive police station for women in state

2009-10-01T00:23:00.000-07:00

Pranava K Chaudhary, TNN 1 October 2009, 01:55am IST

PATNA: Women in Bihar still fear lodging a case with a male-dominated police station. To date there is no exclusive police station for women in

Bihar where they can lodge their complaints.

Out of the 881 police stations in Bihar, there is not a single separate police station for women. CM Nitish Kumar had initiated a number of measures to ensure women's empowerment, the first being reservation of 50 per cent posts for them in the Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies.

In a RTI query, state police headquarters admitted there is not a single women police station in Bihar. Out of the 881 police stations, there are only 10 separate police stations for scheduled castes in the state.

The proposal for setting up separate women police stations one each at Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Gaya are still under consideration. The home department, in its annual report tabled in the state legislature in the last monsoon session, said that the government is committed to set up separate police stations for women so that they could lodge their complaints without any fear.

The government was also committed to set up psychological support centre and helpline exclusively for women and children.

Incidentally, the government report suggests that incidents of atrocities on women in Bihar witnessed a rise in 2008 especially in the cases related to abduction, dowry-related deaths, molestation, eve-teasing and rape.

According to the figures compiled by the state police headquarters, as many as 6,186 cases of atrocities (1,041 incidents related to rape, 1,494 kidnapping, 1,233 murder for dowry, 2,230 dowry harassment and 188 cases of eve-teasing and molestation) were registered against women across Bihar in 2008.

A comparative study of the figures available clearly indicates there was increase in such incidents in 2008 compared to the corresponding period the previous year. While 1,012 cases were registered in connection with kidnapping of women in 2007, the number went up to 1,494 in 2008.

The number of dowry death rose from 1,226 in 2007 to 1,233 in 2008. Similarly, cases of atrocities perpetrated on women for dowry rose to 2,230 in 2008 from 1,493 in 2007.

Cases relating to eve-teasing and molestation shot up to 188 during 2008, 20 more than the previous year. The recent disrobing of a woman in Patna in full public view on the busy Exhibition Road had put the NDA government on the back foot. CM Nitish Kumar had described the stripping of the woman in public view as a slur on a civilized society.

Now Taslim berates Lalu, deserts RJD

2009-09-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Dipak Mishra, TNN 29 August 2009, 05:00am IST

PATNA: In a major blow to RJD chief Lalu Prasad's bid to rejuvenate the party after its debacle in the last Lok Sabha polls, former Union
minister and RJD vice-president Mohd Taslimuddin on Friday quit the party, spitting venom against Lalu.

He charged Lalu with "fooling Muslims" and using "the party as personal property". "You do not respect leaders and party workers," Taslimuddin said in an open letter to Lalu.

Talking to TOI, Taslimuddin described the RJD as a party of "Saheb, bibi aur ghulam". He said he has offers from Congress, JD(U) and Trinamool Congress. "

Taslimuddin's followers, however, hinted that `Chacha Taslim', as he is known among his supporters, may join the JD(U).

Calling Lalu a `dagabaaj' or betrayer, Taslimuddin said Lalu has betrayed everybody and all sections of Hindus and Muslims. He even betrayed the Yadavas. "RJD is finished. How long can one stay beside a dead wife's body at his in-laws' house?" he said and added he saw no future for Lalu and his party in politics.

In his letter, Taslimuddin accused Lalu of making RJD a family affair. "All the decisions of the party are taken by you. Though the party's vice-president, I was never consulted before a decision was taken," he said.

The former Union minister also charged Lalu with scaring Muslims into voting for the RJD. "But you never bothered to protect the interests of the Muslims," he alleged, recalling his plea to send a party delegation to Gujarat after communal violence there was ignored.

He also accused Lalu of `honouring' one of the main accused of Bhagalpur riots, Kameshwar Yadav. "You have not learnt any lesson from the RJD's defeat in the Lok Sabha polls," Taslimuddin said.

Taslimuddin has been in Bihar politics for the last four decades and has had his share of controversies. He once enjoyed considerable influence over Muslims in Purnia division. However, he miserably lost the last Lok Sabha poll to the Congress nominee. He in fact finished third behind the JD(U) candidate in Kishanganj, which was said to be his stronghold.

"It is difficult for power-hungry persons to continue in a party which is in opposition," RJD leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan said, dismissing the development as "an event which will have no political fallout".

Paswan hits out at Bihar CM for 'wasting' public money

2009-09-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

Patna, Sept 16 Lok Janashakti Party president Ramvilas Paswan today accused the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of spending "hard-earned people's money" to beautify his official bungalow.

"Around Rs four crore has been spent on special repair works/provision/construction works to spruce up the bungalow at the 1, Anne Marg, during the past over three-and-a-half years' rule of Kumar," Paswan alleged in a statement.

Paswan said the "wasteful" expenses on the bungalow had exposed the "hollow claim" of Kumar of working for poor people in Bihar.

Meanwhile, state Building Construction Minister Chedi Paswan said, "Leader of a five-star culture has no right to speak against a man (Nitish) committed to the cause of poor people."

"People are well aware of the quantum of money being spent by Paswan on his luxurious lifestyle," he said. - (Agencies)

Sep 16, 2009

Congress' roadmap ready for Bihar : Tytler

2009-09-13T04:51:00.000-07:00

SIFY NEWS


2009-09-07 12:30:00

Samastipur: Congress is ready with a road map to strengthen the organisation and regain its lost glory in Bihar, its in-charge of the state Jagdish Tytler said.

Tytler told newsmen here on Sunday evening that he along with other senior Congress leaders will intensively tour Bihar on 15 and seek the people's support for strenghtening the party's organisation and regaining its moorings under the 'gaon ki aorchalo' programme.

The former union minister is on a campaign trail to mobilise votes for his party nominees contesting the by-poll to 18 assembly seats in Bihar. Criticising Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar, he alleged that it was a 'total failure on all fronts'.

''Whatever development has taken place in the state is only because of the funds provided by the Congress-led government at the Centre ... The state government has, however, been able to spend less than 48 per cent of the assistance on different welfare schemes,'' he said.

The Bihar government had also failed to properly utilise funds allocated under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,he said adding '' The callous attitude of the government towards reaching benefits under NREGA to unemployed persons can't be tolerated.''

Alleging that Kumar-Lalu Prasad-Ramvilas Paswan trio were involved in caste politics in the state, Tytler said it is deterimental to the growth of a state.

State Cong now has a lot to cheer about

2009-09-13T04:04:00.000-07:00

THE TIMES OF INDIA
Dipak Mishra, TNN 6 September 2009, 05:39am IST

PATNA: "Patna will be my home for the next two years," declared AICC in-charge, Bihar affairs, Jagdish Tytler. Tytler means business and the

state Congress leaders are feeling the `Tytler effect'.

The state unit of the party, which had been ignored and forgotten for years by the AICC, has a lot to cheer about. For campaigning for the 18 assembly seats, Tytler has lined up as many as eight Union ministers, including Congress's `youth brigade' Sachin Pilot, Salman Khurshid, Jyotiraditya Schindia and Jatin Prasad, to campaign for the party candidates.

"Earlier, it was difficult for us to get any Union minister apart from those hailing from Bihar for campaigning," remarked a senior leader.

It is not just confined to getting Union ministers for campaigning. The state unit of party, which has been suffering from infighting for a long time, has for the first time assigned clear-cut jobs to leaders who were virtually sulking or kept in the cold. Old Congress war horses like former speaker Sadanand Singh, Mahachandra Prasad Singh, Shyam Sundar Singh Dheeraj, Ram Jatan Sinha, Kumod Ranjan Jha, V S Dubey and others have been asked either to stay in assembly constituencies going to polls and co-ordinate the election campaigning or accompany Union ministers during their electioneering in Bihar.

"Make sure that the list is followed strictly," ordered Tytler in his letter to the state leadership. Even party new comers like Aniruddha Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav, Vijay Singh Yadav, Ranjit Ranjan and Desai Choudhary have not been left out. "After a long gap every faction has been accommodated in the party's affair," conceded a former Congress MLA. The importance given to `borrowed players' during the Lok Sabha polls had created a lot of heartburn among the traditional Congressmen.

Congress leaders point out that Tytler has also introduced `financial discipline' in the state unit. "Funds are going directly to the organisational heads at the grassroots, even to the block presidents and not via somebody else. There will be optimum use of our limited resources and leaders are not unlikely to accuse each other of gobbling the money meant for elections," remarked an office-bearer.

Tytler has promised installation of a video-conferencing system at state party headquarters Sadaquat Ashram so that he can talk to Congress leaders and workers on a daily basis even when he is in Delhi. "I have known Jagdish Tytler ever since the day the late Indira Gandhi visited Belchi in Bihar on an elephant back to console Dalit families whose kin had been killed. He is basically a man who builds organization and knows how to deal with workers and leaders," remarked former minister Dheeraj.

However, even hardcore Congress leaders concede that Tytler has a tough task as far as revitalising the party is concerned as it has been organisationally dead for the past over one decade and the vote bank too has diminished. "But for the first time there is an honest effort," remarked a senior Congress leader.