Tag: caste

Honor of Judiciary is paramount but Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha will not tolerate excesses of caste organizations: Mahendra Singh Tanwar

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A month-long protest by wrestlers at Jantar Mantar is being supported by multiple organizations, in response to allegations made by players. These allegations have led to the filing of cases against BJP MP Braj Bhushan Singh, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

On joining this movement of political and caste organizations, Kshatriya Mahasabha held an important meeting in Dharamshala established by Kshatriya Chetak Samaj. Workers of Kshatriya Mahasabha from all over the country participated in this meeting.

During a meeting, Mahendra Singh Tanwar, the National President of All India Kshatriya Mahasabha, expressed his concern regarding the current situation in the country.

He stated that when there are allegations made against a person, it is crucial to conduct a fair investigation in their context.

However, he also observed that several caste and regional organizations are supporting the movement, which may ignite further tensions and lead to the deterioration of brotherhood in the country.

He emphasized the need for caution and urged everyone to work towards promoting unity and harmony in society.

न्यायपालिका सर्वोपरि है लेकिन जातियों एवं संगठनों का न्याय प्रक्रिया पर आक्रमण लोकतंत्र के लिए घातक है ।
खिलाडियों को न्याय मिलना चाहिए लेकिन इस दरम्यान न्याय मरना भी नहीं चाहिए।#अखिलभारतीयक्षत्रियमहसभा #महेंद्रसिंहतंवर #डॉअशोकचौहान #ध्यानपालसिंहजादौन pic.twitter.com/FztPn1L2F9
— Badri Nath (@BadriNath081) May 4, 2023

Kshatriya considers Shriram as his role model and has been at the forefront of fighting against injustice. He has made significant sacrifices to ensure the safety and well-being of society. Most recently, the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha organized a Social Harmony Tour, a nationwide bus journey aimed at promoting unity across all sections of society.

The All India Kshatriya Mahasabha conducted three meetings in Noida, Delhi, and Gurugram to discuss the Brajbhushan and Anand Mohan incident.

The meetings were attended by several members, including National Vice President Dr. Ashok Chauhan and DP Singh Rithala, legal advisor Supreme Court veteran lawyer AP Singh, Media Advisor Badri Nath, Punjab Province President Dimple Rana, Delhi Pradesh President Dhyan Pal Singh Jadaun, Jabar Singh, Haryana Pradesh President Chhagan Singh Rathore, and Uttar Pradesh representative Dr. OP Singh, as well as officials from different parts of the country.

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#Honor #Judiciary #paramount #Akhil #Bhartiya #Kshatriya #Mahasabha #tolerate #excesses #caste #organizations #Mahendra #Singh #Tanwar
( With inputs from : kashmirpublication.in )

May 4, 2023
Honor of Judiciary is paramount but Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha will not tolerate excesses of caste organizations: Mahendra Singh Tanwar – Kashmir News

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Honor of Judiciary is paramount but Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha will not tolerate excesses of caste organizations: Mahendra Singh Tanwar – Kashmir News
In 2011, India had conducted a SECC but mostly to ascertain the number of people living below poverty line (BPL) and design targeted welfare measures or schemes for that group.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole raised the issue of a Caste-based Census in Dec. 2021, and soon the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) also joined the chorus.
“The decision for a Caste Census was taken unanimously (by Maha Vikas Aghadi), but after that the new government is reluctant to take it up,” said Patole recently.
Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said that the state government has brought the proposal to a standstill “with nothing moving ahead now”, and demanded that it should be immediately revived.
NCP President Sharad Pawar has made a strong plea for Caste Census owing to “strong sentiments linking it with social justice”, to create targeted development plans for various caste groups and help achieve an all-inclusive overall national growth.

Party’s Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said that the government’s reluctance is confusing as with passing time, increasing population and aspirations, even welfare measures and policies need to be modified to suit the current situation.
According to Shiv Sena (UBT) National Spokesperson Kishore Tiwari, the BJP government is worried about a Caste Census ahead of the 2024 elections as it would “reveal a lot and expose them”.
“There are a lot of caste imbalances, those who are less in number are enjoying the maximum fruits of developments, while the huge majority of the deprived at the lower levels of society in all castes-communities, continue to be ignored and their economic status keeps degrading,” said Tiwari.
Tapase feels that a Caste Census will throw up exhaustive, scientific data that can enable policy-makers to formulate special policies, reservations and implementation for each equitable representation to each caste or community, depending on their actual needs.
Presently India is largely relying on the data thrown up in the 1931 Caste Census, but the socio-economic situation has undergone a sea-change in the past 90 years compelling the need to ‘refresh’ the figures and caste components in the 21st century.
Replying to the demands, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month stated that the government will send a team to study the Bihar pattern where a caste-census is being carried out.
Admitting that there is a near-consensus on a Caste-based Census in the state, Fadnavis also cautioned for care as such an exercise could potentially create caste conflicts, and hence the need to analyse the Bihar experience on this count before taking a final decision here.
Urging for a well-researched scientific approach, Fadnavis referred to the 2011 SECC and claimed that the data was not made public owing to several issues, errors and discrepancies, and adopting such wrong statistics could lead to a fresh social crisis as all communities would object.
Stressing the need for a proper Caste Census, Janata Dal (U) MLC Kapil Patil said it would help determine not only the OBC population in the state but also provide data of all communities in Maharashtra.
Tapase said that when the latest authentic data is available, the government can ensure that welfare schemes reach the intended sections and remove the existing glaring socio-economic disparities.
Incidentally, Maharashtra announced in the Budget 2023-2024 that it will set up caste-wise development corporations for Lingayat, Gurav, Vadar and Ramoshi communities in the state, further spurring the demand for a Caste Census.
A couple of years ago the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes (MSCBC) had given the finishing touches to the empirical data collection format and norms for a proposed SECC, estimated to cost around Rs 435-crore, but as state Opposition leaders rue, nothing has moved ahead.
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#Caste #Census #demon #haunts #Maha #BJP #ahead #Lok #Sabha #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023

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Eyeing national role, KCR pushes for caste census but not Bihar model

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Hyderabad: While Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has been supporting the demand for caste-based census, its government in Telangana may come under pressure from the backward classes (BCs) to conduct a survey in the state on the lines of the exercise being undertaken in Bihar.

Backward classes groups are demanding the K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR)-led government to issue an order to conduct the caste census of BCs in the state as the BJP-led government at the Centre is refusing to undertake the exercise at the national level.

As KCR has changed Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) into BRS to expand the party activities across the country, the BC groups feel that by taking an initiative for a caste census in Telangana, can send the right message to BCs across the country.

These groups have even offered to extend help to BRS in other states if it comes out with an order to conduct the BC caste census in Telangana.

BC Sankshema Sangham national president Jajula Srinivas Goud has urged the KCR to take the initiative in Telangana as this would help him win the hearts of BCs in other states. “If a GO (Government Order) is issued for caste census in Telangana, we are ready to enlighten BCs and OBCs in states where BRS wants to contest,” he said.

He believes that by conducting a caste census KCR can build a national image. “He is trying to project the Telangana model before the entire country to expand BRS in other states. The caste census will further consolidate this Telangana model,” he said.

However, BRS has not yet reacted to this demand. Political observers say that the party has taken a stand in support of the caste census but it will tread cautiously on taking any step on its own which may politically boomerang.

The ruling party may skirt the issue in the run-up to Assembly elections scheduled later this year. Some leaders have already mentioned that the power of conducting the census rests with the Centre.

Chairman of Telangana State Commission for Backward Classes, Vakulabarnam Krishna Mohan Rao has demanded that the Centre transfer the subject to the concurrent list. He claimed that the state government is committed to conducting a caste census of BCs but it is for the Centre to facilitate this.

In October 2021, Telangana Assembly passed a resolution seeking caste wise census of the Backward Class to be conducted while holding the general census for 2021.

KCR had told the Assembly that BCs constitute nearly 50 per cent of Telangana’s population. He pointed out that various political parties and State Assemblies in the country had passed resolutions seeking caste census.

While introducing the resolution, the Chief Minister had said: “In view of the upliftment of poorer sections of the society, it was necessary to maintain accurate statistics for taking up various welfare measures for benefitting the poorest of the poor.”

“…Second Telangana Legislative Assembly hereby with a view to ensure that provisions of clause IV of Article 15, clause V of Article 15 and clause VI of Article 16 regarding the socially and educationally backward classes of citizens as also the provisions of clause VI of Article 243 D and clause VI of Article 243 E regarding backward classes of citizens urges the Central government that the caste wise census of backward classes of citizens be conducted while holding the general census for 2021,” reads the resolution.

KCR argues that the caste census, as part of the Census, is necessary to identify socially, economically, and educationally backward communities and increase reservations proportionate to their population.

He slammed the BJP government at the Centre for submitting an affidavit in the Supreme Court, expressing its inability to take up the caste-based census in the country. He found a mismatch between the population and the reservation extended to Scheduled Caste (SCs) and said there was a need to increase the existing reservations for SC communities from the existing 15 per cent owing to a rise in the communities’ population.

He invoked Dr B.R. Ambedkar and said that the Centre must continue with the aspirations of the architect of the Indian Constitution to ensure social justice to the SCs

He pointed out that people belonging to the backward classes and scheduled castes (SCs) are also demanding a caste census. “The SC population was fixed at 15 per cent long back but with authority, I can say that it has now crossed 17 per cent. In some states it even crossed 19 per cent,” he said.

KCR had said that the population of SCs in Telangana was 17 per cent of the total state population, with about 18 lakh Dalit families living across the state.

“But in some districts such as Mancherial, the SC population is 26 per cent. It is 22 per cent in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, 21 per cent in Jangaon, Khammam, Rangareddy, and Vikarabad, and 20 per cent in Karimnagar. Hyderabad has the lowest SC population with about 11 per cent,” he said, quoting the Samagra Kutumba Survey or comprehensive household survey, conducted by the state government in 2014.

The BRS leader has also found “fault” with the Modi government for not holding the census exercise in the country. He pointed out that the process of census began way back in 1871 and it continued uninterrupted till 2011.

He pointed out that even during the two world wars, it didn’t stop. KCR said that it’s only through census does a government know what the situation is in the country. He alleged that the Modi government is not conducting a census because it was afraid of people knowing the facts.

KCR argued that caste census of backward classes would help in evolving appropriate policies and programmes for their welfare.

“The Centre is saying it’s a sensitive issue. Why it’s a sensitive issue. We have a caste system in the country. Why should we be ashamed of it? Are the governments not issuing caste certificates,” he asked.

With the Congress party aggressively taking up the issue of caste census, KCR is also likely to be under pressure to come out with a strategy.

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#Eyeing #national #role #KCR #pushes #caste #census #Bihar #model

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023

Ram Rajya possible only through caste census: Akhilesh Yadav

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Lucknow: In a dig at the ruling BJP, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said socialism is at the root of the great concept of “Ram Rajya” and it is possible only through a caste census.

Yadav’s statement comes days after several opposition parties, including the Congress and the JD(U), demanded a caste census and sought reservation according to the population of SC, ST and OBC communities.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge even wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding an updated caste census. He said meaningful social justice and empowerment programmes are incomplete without such data. Bihar Chief Minister and JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar supported the demand by the Congress party.

In a tweet in Hindi, Yadav said, “Socialism is the root of the great concept of Ram Rajya. Socialism implements in a true manner on the ground principles like treating everyone equal without discrimination, embracing (one another) with love, giving equal opportunity to everyone and social security.”

“Ram Rajya is possible only through caste census, which will deliver true social justice,” he added.

The demand for a caste census is likely to test BJP’s outreach to the backward classes.

While the Bihar unit of the BJP had supported a resolution for a caste census in the state, the party’s central leadership is yet to respond to the demand for it.

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#Ram #Rajya #caste #census #Akhilesh #Yadav

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023

SC agrees to hear on April 28 plea against caste survey in Bihar

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on April 28 a fresh plea against the Bihar government’s decision to conduct a caste-based survey in the state.

A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submission of an advocate seeking an urgent hearing of the matter.

The lawyer told the bench that the caste survey began on April 15 and is scheduled to end on May 15.

The bench said it would post the matter for hearing on April 28.

The apex court on January 20 had refused to entertain a batch of pleas challenging the Bihar government’s decision to conduct a caste survey in the state.

It had said there is no merit in the petitions and dismissed them with liberty to the petitioners to approach the high court concerned.

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#agrees #hear #April #plea #caste #survey #Bihar

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 21, 2023

Is Caste census oppn’s ‘Brahmastra’ against BJP’s Hindutva in 2024?

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New Delhi: The opposition parties are yet to firm up an alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but their unanimous demands for a caste census and the removal of the reservation cap could be a binding factor and hand them what a section of leaders feels the “Brahmastra” to counter the BJP and its Hindutva plank.

The issues of caste census and reservation not only put all opposition parties on the same page but leaders feel it could also help them win back many backward classes who have veered towards the BJP in the recent past.

Tejaswi Yadav in Bihar

At a DMK-convened conference, RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav summed it up for opposition parties when he had said that the best way to beat the BJP’s politics of “polarisation” was through social justice-based politics.

Rahul Gandhi in Kolar

This formula has been adopted by the Congress with much enthusiasm with Rahul Gandhi making an aggressive pitch for a caste-based census and the removal of 50 per cent cap on reservation in his recent speech in Karnataka’s Kolar, in a bid to turn the tables on the BJP that had been gunning for him over his 2019 “Modi surname” remarks alleging that he insulted OBCs.

The BJP has hit back at Gandhi for his remarks, alleging that he is being “disingenuous” with his claim on the issue of social justice when the erstwhile Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka did nothing to address long-pending demands of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

The Opposition has spoken with unanimity on general issues such as inflation and rising employment but lacked cohesiveness on specific issues like the Adani matter.

However, with the issues of caste-based census and removal of reservation cap, opposition parties have found an arrow with which they can hit multiple targets at one go — it forges instant unity in the opposition ranks, puts the BJP on the back foot as it is yet to spell out its stance on them categorically, and prepares a counter for the Hindutva push expected closer to the polls.

With Congress aggressively taking up the issue, it is likely to endear the party to regional outfits which have till now been circumspect of the grand old party fearing that it may play the “big brother” by superseding their agenda with issues of its own.

Asked about the Congress’ strong pitch, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told PTI, “The demand for a caste-based census was articulated forcefully by many civil society groups to Rahul Gandhi during Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress is following through on that demand.”

A socio-economic caste census was conducted by the end of 2012 covering some 25 crore households but the data could not be published for various reasons, he pointed out.

AAP joins the voice

An example of how the issue of caste-based census could be the glue for the Opposition unity is how even the Aam Aadmi Party which does not see eye-to-eye with the Congress on most issues has joined the caste-based census chorus.

The JD(U) and the RJD, which are part of the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’ alliance in Bihar, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have also been vociferously demanding caste-based census for a long time.

The caste census and the removal of the cap on reservation are also likely to put the BJP in a quandary and test its own outreach to the backward classes.

Bihar BJP supports caste census, central BJP yet to respond

The BJP unit in Bihar had supported a resolution at an all-party meeting convened by Nitish Kumar and later a unanimous resolution was passed in the Bihar Assembly on caste census. However, the BJP’s central leadership is yet to respond to the demand for a socio-economic and caste census.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said the “doublespeak” of the BJP is clear from its “ambivalent position” on the Opposition demand for publishing the figures of the caste-based census of 2011.

“It (BJP) seeks the votes of the forward classes while it engages in doublespeak on backward classes,” he alleged.

Sibal added that just being on the same page on this issue was not enough and that the Opposition unity requires much more than this.

RJD MP Manoj Jha, another prominent voice in the Opposition ranks, also underlined the importance of the caste-based census issue.

“We have been demanding caste-based census, it started in 2010-11 when Lalu ji, Sharad ji and Mulayam ji raised this question and the then UPA government agreed to it. Subsequently, 2014 heralded (Narendra) Modi ji’s victory and myself and other MPs raised the question as to what happened to the data and we were told that the data got corrupted. Don’t know whether the corruption was of the data or somewhere else,” Jha told PTI.

“The Kolar speech of Rahul ji provided a further impetus to the demand made by several state governments and leaders from diverse political parties. It is important to see that it is not a political issue, it involves deepening of democracy, who would not want deepening of democracy, it involves psychological, social and political empowerment of communities, it involves ensuring of representation in accordance with their population,” the RJD leader said.

Having said that, it is important to collectively raise this issue and tell the prime minister and his party that politics cannot be rhetorical, one has to come down to the ground and look at what are the critical issues, he said.

“The critical issue is that in the governance structure and bureaucracy, the representation of SCs, STs and OBCs is negligible. Can a democracy live with such anomalies that is our question and that is how we will take it up forward,” he asserted.

Political commentator Sanjay Jha, who was once a spokesperson for the Congress party, alleged that India has been devastated by a double whammy — unemployment crisis and extreme inequality — under the current government.

“The biggest sufferers are those from underprivileged communities and the backward classes. No amount or number of social welfare programmes being propagated by the BJP can neutralize the deprivation and the economic destitution of millions of Indians. Therefore the Opposition is completely justified in focusing on social justice as its key political message,” he told PTI.

“That’s why a nervous BJP is prevaricating on the caste census, as at core, it remains an upper caste party. Further, it is a party of the rich, by the rich, for the rich,” he claimed.

A leader on condition of anonymity said that with the BJP likely to use its Hindutva plank to consolidate its vote bank, the demands for a caste-based census and the removal of the reservation cap could be the Opposition’s “Brahmastra” ahead of the 2024 elections.

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#Caste #census #oppns #Brahmastra #BJPs #Hindutva

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 18, 2023

Congress president Kharge writes to PM Modi demanding caste census

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New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded an up-to-date caste census.

In his letter, Kharge said in the absence of an updated caste census, a reliable data base so very essential for meaningful social justice and empowerment programmes, particularly for OBCs, is incomplete.

“I am writing to you to once again place on record the demand of the Indian National Congress for an up-to-date Caste Census. My colleagues and I have raised this demand earlier in both House of Parliament on a number of occasions as have leaders of many other Opposition parties,” the Congress chief said in his letter.

“You are aware that for the first time the UPA Government conducted a Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) during 2011-12 covering some 25 crore households. For a number of reasons, however, the caste data could not get published even though Congress and other MPs demanded its release after your government came to power in May 2014,” he said.

“In the absence of an updated Caste Census, I am afraid a reliable data base so very essential for meaningful social justice and empowerment programmes, particularly for OBCs, is incomplete. This Census is the responsibility of the Union Government,” Kharge said.

In the letter dated April 16, he also pointed out that the regular decennial census was to be carried out in 2021 but it has not yet been conducted.

“We demand that it be done immediately and that a comprehensive Caste Census be made its integral part,” Kharge said.

Sharing Kharge’s letter to the prime minister, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted “Jitni aabadi, utna haq! Congress President @kharge -ji has written to PM demanding that the decennial Census that should have been conducted in 2021 be done right-away, and a Caste Census be made its integral part. This will put social justice & empowerment on a firmer footing”.

Addressing a rally in Katnataka’s Kolar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday had also dared Prime Minister Modi to release the 2011 caste-based census data in public domain and also demanded the 50 per cent cap on reservation be removed.

“UPA in 2011 did the caste-based census. It has the data of all the castes. Mr Prime Minister, you talk of OBCs. Make that data public. Let the nation know how many OBCs, Dalits and tribals are there in the country,” Gandhi had said at the Congress’ ‘Jai Bharat’ election rally in Kolar in the run-up to the May 10 Karnataka polls.

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#Congress #president #Kharge #writes #Modi #demanding #caste #census

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 17, 2023

SP tweets list of criminals’, claims gangsters belonging to Yogi’s caste active in UP

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Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party on Friday came up with a list of alleged criminals claiming that they are “still alive, committing crime and running gangs” as they all belong to the same caste as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The SP also alleged that it was the BJP people who got Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 killing of then Bahujan Samaj Party legislator Raju Pal, murdered.

In a tweet in Hindi, the media cell of the Samajwadi Party, said, “The murder of Umesh Pal has been done by the BJP people. The BJP may have got an immediate opportunity to polarise the votes in the (ongoing) urban local bodies’ elections and to (indulge in) communal frenzy, on the pretext of this murder. But, any BJP leader, no matter how big he is, will not be spared.”

The SP “list” comes a day after gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad and his accomplice, accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, were gunned down in a shootout with the Uttar Pradesh Police, which the party alleged was a fake encounter.

The list of alleged criminals with a claimed number of cases includes names of Kuldeep Singh Sengar (Unnao, 28 cases), Brijesh Singh (Varanasi, 106 cases), Dhananjay Singh (Jaunpur, 46 cases), Raja Bhaiyya (Raghuraj Pratap Singh) (Pratapgarh, 31 cases), among others.

Referring to the list, the media cell of the Samajwadi Party, in a tweet in Hindi, said, “Are they special to Yogi? Actually, they all belong to the same caste as that of Yogi, hence, they are still alive, committing crime, running the gangs and indulging in murder, rape, loot, dacoity and extortion.”

The party also added a note in the tweet saying “the list is old, but most of the criminals in it are BJP-supported and are active”

In another tweet, the SP’s media cell said that the alleged encounter will be probed one day and the truth will be revealed.

The party also referred to the allegation made by Atiq Ahmad’s sister Ayesha Noori last month that Prayagraj Mayor Abhilasha Gupta Nandi had conspired to kill Umesh Pal.

According to the allegation, this was done so that the gagster-politician’s wife Shaista Parveen would not be able to contest the next mayoral election.

Reacting to the allegations levelled on him, Nandi in a tweet in Hindi had said, “The baseless allegations are only an unsuccessful attempt to divert attention from the main issue and mislead….Linking this with the mayoral elections is not only irrelevant but also laughable,” he said in another tweet.

In another tweet, the SP said, “Yogi Adityanath was very happy with Atiq Ahmad in the Phulpur Lok Sabha by-election (in 2018). Atiq was helping the BJP and the party was helping him.

“A minister in the Yogi government borrowed money from Atiq’s family and to do away with him, Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’ took the support of the government in a bid to grab the borrowed money/partnership,” the tweet read.

Umesh Pal and his two police security guards were shot dead on February 24 outside his home in Prayagraj’s Dhoomanganj.

Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered on February 25 against Atiq Ahmad, his brother Ashraf, Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others.

On March 28, an MP/MLA court held Atiq Ahmad and two others guilty in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case and sentenced them to life imprisonment. That was Ahmad’s first conviction even though more than 100 cases have been registered against him.

The 60-year-old former Samajwadi Party MP was brought from Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat by road for a hearing in the case in Prayagraj.

In 2006, Atiq Ahmad and his aides abducted Umesh Pal and forced him to give a statement in court in their favour. Umesh Pal had registered a complaint in this regard.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023

Right-wing Hindu Americans now seek to stop California from banning caste bias

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Washington: After failing to prevent the city of Seattle from outlawing caste-based discrimination, right-wing Hindu Americans are girding up to stop the state of California from going down that route.

The Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective USA (HinduPACT USA), an initiative of Vishwa Hindu Parishad America, has launched a campaign to collect signatures to a petition asking the California Senate “to Reject SB-403 to Protect Hindus from Discrimination”.

The Hindu American Foundation, an advocacy body, has opposed the bill in a letter to Democratic state Senator Aisha Wahab, said in a statement it looks forward to “educating” her on the acecomplex issue of caste”.

SB-403 is a legislation introduced by Wahab last week, which according to a press announcement, seeks to clarify California civil rights law to explicitly include protection against discrimination based on a person’s position in a caste.

Wahab is not exactly new to the issue of caste. “I’m familiar with the impact of caste discrimination from witnessing what friends and their families experienced when growing up in Fremont,” she said. “Prior to assuming office, people in my district shared with me their stories of caste discrimination, and I felt they deserved appropriate protections.”

Afghan-descent Wahab announced the bill last week at a press conference, accompanied by activists and long-time campaigners, who were also at the forefront of the effort led by City council member Kshama Sawant that made Seattle the first city in the US to outlaw caste-based discrimination. It has passed in the Seattle city council 6-1, defying a high-decibel campaign launched by right-wing Hindus Americans from around the country.

California could now become the first US state of ban caste-based discrimination if Senator Wahab’s legislation is enacted.

“This bill is about workers’ rights, women’s rights, and civil rights,” Wahab said, announcing the bill at the news conference. “To ensure organisations and companies do not entrench caste discrimination in their practices or policies our laws need to plainly state that discrimination based on caste is illegal.”

The first case of caste-based discrimination to catch make national headlines in the headlines came from California in 2020 when the states’ civil rights department sued Cisco, the networking gear and business software company, on a petition from an Indian-descent employee that the company’s human resources department did not take cognizance of his complaint of caste-based discrimination by two of his Indian-descent seniors.

In 2022, California State University, which is America’s largest public university system, banned caste-based discrimination after years of activism by Dalit students, including Nepalese-descent Prem Pariyar. Several other US universities are said to be planning the same.

Right-wing Hindu Americans oppose the ban arguing, first, that though caste-based discrimination is appalling, any law banning it here in the US puts a target on the backs of the entire South Asian community, specially Hindus, by portraying them all as purveyors of this practice.

Second, they have argued that discrimination based on caste is covered by existing laws that outlaw all kinds of bias and discrimination and there is no need for a new ban.

Their third, and final, argument is that caste bias in the US is rare and not as rampant as it has been made out to be. They have questioned data cited by supporters of the ban.

“We share the admirable goals of standing up for civil rights and eliminating all forms of prejudice and discrimination, including based on caste,” the Hindu American Foundation said in its letter to Senator Wahab the day after she announced the bill.

It added: “So the question is not whether we should deal with any allegations of caste discrimination, but how. As such, if and when incidents of caste discrimination occur, they should be brought to light, thoroughly investigated and rectified under existing law in its current form.”

Wahab has been expecting this pushback, as has happened in the past to all legislative initiatives regarding civil rights.

“My office has already begun to field opposition inquiries to this bill. What the opposition would have you believe is that this bill’s effort to provide clarity of language in state law and protection to caste- oppress Dalits in particular, or formerly known as the untouchables is in turn targeting a different group of oppressed people. That is not the case.”

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 31, 2023