UID Number, a tool for holocaust in Bihar

Addressing a meeting of divisional commissioners and DMs on 21st January in Patna, chief minister Nitish Kumar asked them to concentrate on three programmes: census, unique photo identity card and upcoming panchayat elections.

It must be noted that seventeen eminent individuals have raised concerns on the manner in which Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI) has been constituted on basis of government notification and the risks it poses to civil liberties with the convergence of UID and NATgrid project.

Through a signed letter the activists working in different areas have asked the government to halt the project, initiate a feasibility study, analyze the constitutional implications, bring a privacy act, do a cost benefit analysis and initiate a public debate on the UID.  The signatories included Justice VR Krishna Iyer, Prof Romila Thapar, K.G.Kannabiran, Kavita Srivastava, Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, S.R.Sankaran, Deep Joshi, Upendra Baxi, Uma Chakravarthi, Shohini Ghosh, Amar Kanwar, Bezwada Wilson, Trilochan Sastry, Prof. Jagdeep S. Chhokar, Shabnam Hashmi and Justice A.P.Shah.

UID is direct opposite of the Right To Information (RTI) Act. The RTI enables citizens to know everything about the government and UID will allow government to know everything about citizen. Justice A P Shah, retired judge of Delhi High Court expressed his apprehensions that various actors of the state may misuse such information in case of state sponsored violence. 

Concerns about privacy, surveillance, profiling as a result of the UID Number led to countries like US, Australia and UK abandoning such Nazi projects.

जयपुर साहित्य उत्सव की जाँच करें

'नागरिक समाज' की पहल के बतौर 2006 में शुरू हुआ जयपुर साहित्य उत्सव पांच वर्षों में डी एस सी लिमिटेड द्वारा प्रायोजित साहित्य उत्सव का रूप ले चुका है. यह ज़रूरी है कि इस उत्सव के सहारे कंपनियों के जन-संपर्क प्रयासों और कॉर्पोरेट सामाजिक दायित्व के दावों पर विचार हो. इस उत्सव को प्रायोजित करने वाली कुछ कंपनियों की पड़ताल से चिंताजनक तस्वीर उभरती है-

• दिल्ली में हालिया संपन्न भ्रष्टाचार के आरोपों से घिरे राष्ट्रमंडल खेलों की जाँच कर रहे केन्द्रीय सतर्कता आयोग ने पाया है कि डी एस पी लिमिटेड को 23% से अधिक की दर से ठेके आवंटित किये गए थे.
• दुनिया की तीसरी सबसे बड़ी खनन कंपनी रिओ टिंटो समूह के सम्बन्ध कई फासीवादी और नस्लवादी सरकारों से रहे हैं और उस पर दशकों से दुनिया भर में मानवीय, पर्यावरण और श्रमिक अधिकारों के उलंघन के आरोप हैं
• दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी ऊर्जा कम्पनी और आय के हिसाब से सबसे बड़ी कम्पनी शेल तेल कम्वानी नाईजीरिया के लेखक और पर्यावरण कार्यकर्त्ता केन सारो वीवा की मौत की ज़िम्मेदार है

इस उत्सव में हिस्सा ले रहे प्रतिनिधियों के लिये क्या यह संभव है कि वे ओगोनी छात्र संघ के जनवरी 4, 2011 की उस मांग को नैतिक समर्थन दें जिसमें छात्र संघ ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ के आदिवासियों के अधिकारों संबंधी घोषणा की 18 वीं वर्षगांठ पर नीदरलैंड की सांसद से चुप्पी तोड़ते हुए शेल तेल कम्पनी को ओगोनी समुदाय के शोषण, उनके पर्यावरण की बर्बादी और नाईजीरियाई डेल्टा में रह रहे निवासियों की ज़िंदगी तबाह करने के लिये जिम्मेवार ठहराने और कम्पनी को नाईजीरिया से बाहर करने की मांग की है?

क्या साहित्य को सत्य की परवाह नहीं होती? या वह उन मौकों की तलाश में रहता है जब विभिन्न ताकतें अपना वर्चस्व बनाये रखने की कोशिश में उसे अपने साथ जोड़ लेती हैं? क्या साहित्य उस झूठ के फेर में होता है जो एक आभासी सच गढ़ता है, लोगों के व्यापक हित के बारे में महज़ अवधारणात्मक उछाल-कूद करता है जबकि दरअसल वह व्यावसायिक मठों की चाकरी भर कर रहा होता है? अगर इस उत्सव में हिस्सा ले रहे लेखक मानते हैं की एक बेहतर जीवन संभव है और उसे हासिल किया जाना चाहिय, तो उन्हें यह भी समझना होगा कि यथास्थिति को बनाए रखने में उनकी मिलीभगत उनकी मान्यताओं के बिल्कुल उलट है. अनैतिक और पापपूर्ण व्यापारिक समूहों के सहयोग से आयोजित एक साहित्य उत्सव को एक खूबसूरत अवसर के रूप में प्रस्तुत करना क्या सिर्फ़ सम्मोहन कि कोशिश-भर नहीं है? क्या इस उत्सव और इसके प्रतिभागियों में संवेदनात्मक और बौद्धिक क्षमता है कि वे वर्तमान और आगामी पीढ़ियों पर 'सम्पूर्ण नियंत्रण' स्थापित करने वाली विचारधारा को ठीक से समझ सकें?

उत्सव में भागीदार लेखकों को सोचना चाहिए- नाईजीरियाई लेखक और पर्यावरण कार्यकर्त्ता केन सारो वीवा के हत्यारों से उत्सव को प्रायोजित करने का अनैतिक समकक्ष और क्या हो सकता है? पर्यावरण-संरक्षण के लिये सारो वीवा को मरणोपरांत संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ की सम्मान सूची में शामिल किया गया था. नाईजीरिया सेना द्वारा नियुक्त अदालत, जिसने सारो वीवा को फंसी दी, के सामने उन्होंने अपने आखीरी बयान में कहा था- 'इस मुक़दमे में शेल कठघरे में है...भले ही कम्पनी ने इसबार अपने को बचा लिया है, लेकिन वह दिन ज़रूर आएगा...ओगोनी समुदाय के ख़िलाफ़ कम्पनी के वीभत्स युद्ध के अपराध के लिये कम्पनी को सज़ा मिलेगी'.

क्या कोका कोला द्वारा प्रायोजित साहित्य उत्सव का नैतिक दायित्व नहीं है कि वह इस तथ्य को समझे कि केरल और राजस्थान के कम्पनी के सयंत्रों ने भू-जल और कुओं को सोख लिया है जिसके कारण वहाँ के निवासियों को बाहर से पानी ढो कर लाना पड़ रहा है? यही स्थिति देशभर में फैले कम्पनी के तकरीबन 52 सयंत्रों के आसपास के क्षेत्रों की है.

क्या नरसंहारों, गृह-युद्धों, युद्ध-अपराधों, आक्रमण, कब्ज़े, तानाशाहों को समर्थन और वित्तीय घोटालों की दोषी सरकारों द्वारा प्रायोजित इस साहित्य उत्सव के पास इस भयावहता को समझने का विवेक है कि क्यों वैश्विक महाशक्ति के दुनिया भर में फैले 702 सैन्य-ठिकानों में 8000 से अधिक सक्रिय और हमले के लिये तैयार परमाणु हथियार हैं? साहित्यिक मानस कैसे 'बचकाने पागलपन' के मनःस्थिति को समझ पायेगा जब वह स्वयं इसके प्रभाव में हो?

साहित्य के नोबेल पुरस्कार से नवाज़ा गए हेरॉल्ड पिंटर ने 2005 के अपने स्वीकृति-भाषण में कहा था- 'लेखक की ज़िंदगी अत्यंत खतरनाक होती है, लगभग नंगी प्रक्रिया. इसके लिये हमें रोने की ज़रुरत नहीं. लेखक यह ख़ुद चुनता है और जीवन भर उसपर कायम रहता है. लेकिन यह भी सच है कि हर तरह की हवाएं आपको निशाना बनायेंगी, कुछ उनमें बर्फीली भी होंगी. यहाँ आप अकेले हैं, अपने हाथों-पैरों के सहारे. आपको कोई आश्रय नहीं, कोई सुरक्षा नहीं -जबतक कि आप झूठ ना बोलें- और तब आप अपनी सुरक्षा ख़ुद बनाते हैं, तब यह कहा जा सकता है कि आप राजनेता बन जाते हैं'. पिंटर ने यह भी कहा था कि 'हमारे जीवन और समाजों के वास्तविक सत्य को पारिभाषित करना हमारी जिम्मेवारी है. दरअसल ऐसा करना जरूरी है'.

जयपुर साहित्य उत्सव से उम्मीद है कि वह पिंटर की बात पर ध्यान देगा और अपनी कारगुजारियों से तौबा करेगा. हम उत्सव में शामिल लेखकों से अपील करते हैं कि वे मानवता के ख़िलाफ़ जारी कॉर्पोरेट अपराधों और राज्य के दमन की मुखालिफत करें

Round Table on "World Bank Group in Bihar"

Round Table on "World Bank Group in Bihar"

This is an effort to initiate the process of critically examining the impact of Bank's investments in Bihar.

Recently, World Bank Group and Bihar government have signed a new agreement for the Bihar Kosi Recovery Project, worth $220 million, which aims to support flood recovery efforts, reduce risks from flooding, and boost emergency responses in the event of future disasters. The project falls under the theme Natural disaster management.

The new project aims to help Bihar’s flood-affected people by supporting the reconstruction of about 100,000 houses, and the rebuilding of 90 bridges and 290 kilometers of rural roads. Of the total cost of $259 million, Government of Bihar would contribute $39 million for the project. The documents were signed on January 12, 2011. The project was approved in September 2010 and it will close in 2014.

The credit is from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest, which is providing an interest-free loan with 35 years maturity and a 10-year grace period.

The Bank is also assisting the state government with technical assistance through a grant from DFID for the Bihar Flood Management Implementation Support Project–II, which seeks to strengthen the institutional framework for flood management and to improve flood warning and preparedness for people living in the affected areas of Bihar.

Bihar is also a priority state for the World Bank Group’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). IFC’s work with the state includes the design and implementation of a tax reform program to save cost, time and enhance ease of paying taxes for small and large businesses. Although IFC normally works with private sector companies, it is providing advisory services to Bihar government.

Earlier, the Bank had published a report "Bihar: Towards a Development Strategy" in 2005. The Bank’s support to Bihar began in the mid-2000s.
Dr D K Mishra, a well known river basin expert will share his insights into Bank's investments in Bihar and the responses from civil society and political groups. The meeting is held at a very short notice because we wished to benefit from Dr Mishra's presence in Delhi for a meeting of a Planning Commission's committee.

The participants presence and submissions on the subject will enable us to comprehend World Bank Group's monetary and non-monetary role in Bihar.

Date: 20 January, 2011
Time: 6 PM
Venue: INSAF Office, Opposite Indian Statistical Institute
124-A/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi

Supreme Court slams conduct of criminal trials in Bihar

Criminal trials by some of the subordinate courts in Bihar are conducted in a "neglectful" way, a concerned Supreme Court has said and asked the Patna High Court to take corrective measures. "It is our experience that in criminal trials in Bihar no proper attention is paid to the framing of
charges and the examination of the accused under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the two very important stages in a criminal trial," said a bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam, who earlier was a judge in the Patna High Court.

"The examination of the accused are mostly done in the most unmindful and mechanical manner," said the bench, which also included Justice R M Lodha.
"We wish that the Patna High Court should take note of the neglectful way in which some of the courts in the state appear to be conducting trials of serious offences and take appropriate corrective steps," the bench said. It also directed that a copy of its judgement be sent to the High Court registry and state's judicial academy.
The bench made the critical observation over the functioning of the state's subordinate judiciary, while acquitting a murder convict Sajjan Sharma, sentenced to life imprisonment by a Naugachia session court in Bhagalpur district of Bihar. The trial court ruling had also been upheld by the Patna High Court.
The apex court's observations came after it detected that Sajjan was falsely implicated in the murder case at a later state by the victim's family despite his having no role in the offence. His father and brother were among those allegedly involved in the case.
"We are constrained to say that this is not an isolated case but it is almost a stereotype," the bench said while referring to cases where a member of the assailant's family, who has been left out in the First Information Report, is implicated at a later stage.
"It is endemic that some other innocent persons or even such of the members of the family of the accused who might not be present at the time of commission of offence are also roped in and falsely implicated," said the court. The court gave its ruling while adjudicating the appeal of Sajjan, whose father Satto Sharma and brother Shambhu Sharma were involved in the November 1994 killing of one Naraion Kunwar by an armed gang of his co-villagers over old enmity.
The others in the gang included Bodhan Rai, Sukesh Kunwar and Paro Kunwar. Though Sharma's father and brother died during the course of trial, Naugachhia's session court convicted Sajjan along with two others. "Let a copy of this order be placed before the judge of the Patna High Court, in-charge of the State's Judicial Academy," the apex court said.

HT

Nitish Orders CBI Probe in Purnia MLA Murder Case

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 8th January decided to recommended a CBI probe into the killing of Purnia MLA Raj Kishore Keshri, who was allegedly stabbed to death by a woman in full public view.
The Bihar government has decided to recommend the CBI to launch an inquiry into the killing of Keshri, sources at the chief minister's office told PTI.
The move followed Kumar's deputy Sushil Kumar Modi urging him in a letter to order a CBI inquiry into the case earlier in the day.
Modi had ruled out a CBI probe into Keshri's murder three days back saying, "There is no possibility of the state government handing over an inquiry into the Keshri murder case to CBI at the moment."
Editor's arrest questioned in Bihar legislator murder case
Journalists in Bihar have termed the arrest of Navlesh Pathak, editor of Purnia-based English weekly 'Quisling', in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Raj Kishore Kesri's stabbing case as an attempt to suppress press freedom.
Kesri, a BJP legislator from Purnia assembly constituency, was knifed Jan 4 in his home by a woman teacher Rupam Pathak, who alleged the politician had raped her for over three years.
Navlesh Pathak had first reported about Rupam's sexual harassment complaint.
Police arrested Navlesh Thursday after an FIR was registered in the case against three accused, including Rupam, by Kesri's nephew. A Bihar court Friday sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.
'I was really shocked and failed to understand the arrest of Navlesh Pathak. Is it a crime to report the truth? Police have arrested him under political pressure to suppress his voice,' said Irshadul Haque, Tehelka magazine's senior correspondent in Bihar.
Another journalist Santosh, a reporter for ETV Bihar, said Navlesh's arrest was done in haste.
'Navlesh Pathak is a responsible man. Editing an English weekly newspaper in a small town like Purnia, he dared to expose a big story but was arrested after being named as a mere accused. There are hundreds of prime accused in serious crime cases who are roaming free in Bihar,' he said.
Nikhil Anand, political editor of News India, Bihar said it was shameful that a journalist was put behind bars for exposing a scandal.
'It is unfortunate that leaders who led the anti-Emergency movement during mid-1970s in Bihar are at the helm of affairs... when a ruling party legislator is stabbed to death, it exposes the relation between power and sex. It appears to be the biggest sex scandal involving politicians. Navlesh should be rewarded but he is being punished,' Anand told IANS.
'Bihar media is facing its biggest test in recent times. It is torn between constant praise for the state government led by Nitish Kumar and professional excellence as shown by Pathak,' said Anand S.T. Das, a senior journalist working with Asian Age.
Amit Kumar, chief reporter with Bihar's leading Hindi magazine Tapman, said it was unfortunate that no journalist union had raised its voice against Navlesh's arrest.
'It appears that for journalist unions, Navlesh Pathak's arrest is not an issue,' he said.
A senior journalist who did not wish to be named said that Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, soon after Kesri's killing, shrugged off the editor's arrest by saying that his weekly was a small, insignificant publication.
Earlier, Ruma Pathak, Navlesh's wife, alleged that police was biased in its inquiry and apprehended a threat to him in custody.
The news of Kesri's killing spread rapidly across Bihar, where the BJP is the junior ally of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United (JD-U)-led government.
Rupam Pathak, around 40, went to Kesri's home in Purnia and stabbed him to death in the presence of a number of people.
'He died soon after being stabbed because his vital organs were badly damaged,' an employee at Kesri's house said.
Rupam was badly beaten up by Kesri's security guards and supporters following the murder. She alleged Kesri, 51, had raped her for over three years, a charge refuted by the party.
A Bihar court Thursday sent Rupam to judicial custody for 14 days, officials said.
IANS

ITS MORE THAN A MURDER
PURNIA: Whether the local tabloid Quisling's editor Nawalesh Pathak abetted or conspired in the killing of BJP MLA Raj Kishore Kesri is still under probe, but his proximity with the assailant, Rupam Pathak, is now beyond any iota of doubt.
Purnia SP Nayyar Hasnain Khan made this observation while speaking to TOI on Saturday after a prolonged interrogation of the journalist on Friday.
The journalist, who was arrested on Thursday, has since been remanded to judicial custody till January 18.
The SP said Nawalesh Pathak, whose revelation of the charges of sexual exploitation of Rupam allegedly by the BJP MLA and his aide created a political storm some months back, was constantly in touch with the principal of Rajhans Public School and often talked to her over her cellphone.
Nawalesh had a long conversation with Rupam Pathak the night before the killing, i.e. on January 3, barely 12 hours before she stabbed her alleged tormentor Kesri at his residence on Chunapur Road in full public view, police sources said.
Besides, Rupam, who bore serious grudges against Kesri, had gone over to Nawalesh's village home at Bhatotara under Barharakothy block in Purnia district in her school Maruti van only a week before the gruesome killing, it was revealed during the interrogation. Nawalesh, son of a retired judge and brother of a senior government servant, also conceded that Nawalesh often called Raj Kishore Kesri for financial aid to sustain his fledgling tabloid, police sources said.
The journalist's proximity to Rupam was further corroborated by the fact that his wife, Rama Pathak, also worked in the same school, the SP said.
Responding to the allegations levelled by Nawalesh's wife Rama Pathak that the slain BJP MLA was harassing and targeting Rupam's 17-year-old daughter, the SP said the charges were unsubstantiated and that even Rupam had been requesting not to drag her children into the matter.
The arrested journalist had confessed during interrogation that Rupam had filed the protest petition in the court after her retraction only after he prevailed upon her to do so, police sources said.
The SP informed that the school Maruti van in which Rupam went to the MLA's house on the fateful morning has been recovered and seized. The van's driver is, however, absconding, Khan added.
Meanwhile, a forensic team has reached Purnia which will not only visit the site of the incident, but also examine other evidences collected during the investigation, the SP said.
When asked why Kesri's aide Bipin Rai, who had also been charged with sexually abusing Rupam as mentioned in her FIR lodged with the Khazanchihat police station, was not being arrested for which different women organisations were crying hoarse, the SP said, "We have already submitted the report in the court. Action will be taken only after the court's direction."
Meanwhile, Nawalesh Pathak, during his short interaction with the media, remarked, "It is not just a murder case... There are far too many things behind it."
The Times of India

NCP seeks Modi's resignation
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has sought the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Modi's resignation for allegedly making derogative comments against the prime accused Rupam Pathak and trying to influence probe in the BJP MLA Raj Kishore Kesri murder case.
"Modi should resign from the post of deputy chief minister for making derogatory comments against Pathak and seeking to influence the investigation in the matter by giving a character certificate to Kesri," NCP national General Secretary, Tariq Anwar told reporters at Patna.
The deputy chief minister had been casting personal insinuation against Pathak - the main accused in Kesri murder case - ever since the incident took place on Janaury four last and sought to malign her character, he said.
The NCP leader, however, expressed satisfaction that the state government had recommended a CBI probe into the sensational murder case and hoped that the truth would come out to the satisfaction of all.
Anwar sought to blame the Bihar police for its failure to impartially investigate the woman's complaint in the past and said that the BJP MLA's murder might not not have taken place if her grievances could have been sorted out earlier.
The NCP leader, who was in Patna to review his party's performance in the Bihar assembly polls held late last year, said that the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's projection as the chief ministerial candidate by the RJD-LJP combine was the main reason behind the ruling NDA's landslide victory.
The fear of Lalu worked pyschologically among the electors who closed ranks in the last minute and voted for the NDA to scuttle the remotest chance of the former's comeback in power, Anwar said.
The NCP leader said that he was satisfied with the performance of his party as its vote percentage increased to 2.58 per cent as against about one per cent votes in October 2005 assembly polls.
Anwar warned the NDA Government, headed by the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, against going overboard on its massive victory and said that it should not not forget that the opposition put together had polled 61 per cent votes in the same assembly polls.
The NCP leader also sought to poke holes in the mantra of good governance by the NDA by saying that 41 per cent of its MLAs faced serious criminal cases like that of murder, kidnapping and ransom.
SAMAY LIVE
Rupam Pathak's husband backs sexual abuse claim against BJP MLA
The husband of Rupam Pathak, the woman who stabbed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Bihar's Purnea district Raj Kishore Kesri to death on Tuesday, has backed her allegation that the politician had raped her on different occasions over the last three years.
Buzz up!Ashok Kumar Pathak, who lives here, said that Rupam had lodged an FIR against Kesri at the Khazanchihat Police Station on April 18 last year, but was forced to withdraw it after they received death threats from the MLA.
"As the threats continued and became stronger, Rupam was forced to withdraw the FIR," Ashok said.
Kesri was stabbed to death by Rupam on Tuesday morning when he was meeting visitors at his residence.
Rupam, a teacher in a private school, is currently in hospital in critical condition after she was assaulted by Kesri's bodyguards and others present at the scene of the attack.
Ashok also insisted that his wife's action was an act of revenge, and "an outburst of her pent up anger".
"The killing of the MLA was shocking, but I strongly feel it was an outburst of her pent up anger, which had escalated to such a level that she avenged his sordid crimes on her in such a manner," Ashok said. (ANI)

Bihar Ministers Decalre Assets

All 30 ministers in Bihar have submitted the details of their assets to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, after he asked his cabinet colleagues to place records of their properties. Its available here: http://gov.bih.nic.in/Scripts/DocList.asp

In a bid to weed out corruption, Kumar had asked his ministerial colleagues earlier this month to submit the details of assets that they possess by today so that the records can be put on the websites for public. Circulars were issued to officials, including IAS and IPS cadre, besides other public servants from Grade I to Grade III ranks to declare their assets, official sources said. The details of assets owned by Chief Minister would also be placed on the government's websites.

The ministers who declared their assets include Road Construction Minister N K Yadav, Urban Development Minister Prem Kumar, Cooperative Minister Ramadhar Singh, Animal and Fishery Resources Minister Giriraj Singh, Arts and Culture Minister Sukhda Pandey, Health Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, PHED Minister Chandramohan Rai, Mines and Geology Minister S N Arya, Labour Resources Minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Tourism Minister Sunil Kumar Pintoo (all from BJP).

The JD(U) Ministers who declared their assets, include P K Sahi (HRD Minister), Vijendra Yadav (Energy Minister), Vijay Choudhary (Water Resources Minister), Brishen Patel (Transport Minister), Hari Prasad Sah (Panchayati Raj), Ramai Ram (Land Reforms and Revnue), Bhim Singh (Rural works Minister), Nitish Mishra (Rural Development Department), Praveen Amanullah (Social Welfare Minister), Jitan Ram Manjhi (SC welfare Minister) and Shyam Rajak (Food and consumer affairs).

Other Ministers from JD(U) are Renu Kushwaha (Industry Minister), Narendra Narayan Yadav (Law Minister), Gautam Singh (Science and techonology Minister), Damodar Rawat (Minister for Building construction and Housing), Sahid Ali Khan (Minority Welfare Minister), Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha (Sugar Cane Industry and Minor irrigation).