[sacw] SACW #1 | 16 Mar. 02

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #1 | 16 March 2002

* For daily news updates & citizens initiatives in post riots=20
Gujarat Check: http://www.sabrang.com
** Also see new information & analysis section on the recent Communal=20
Riots in Gujarat on the SACW web site: http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex/

__________________________

#1.Letter from Father Cedric Prakash in Gujarat
#2. Peace Plan In Pieces - Ayodhya needs a just solution (Praful Bidwai)
#3. SAHMAT coordinating artists for Gujarat relief; sale of art,=20
concert and photo exhibit (New Delhi, 20-23rd March)
#4. Seema Anil Sehgal will sing a special Concert For Peace &
Communal Harmony, on 22 March 2002, at Nehru Centre Mumbai.
#5. March For Religious Harmony & Social Justice In Gujarat (San=20
Francisco, March 23)
#6. Report from London protest against Gujarat massacres + Text of=20
Petition (11 March)
#7. 'YOU AND ME ARE WE - 5% seem to hold 95% at stake' - Signature=20
Campaign on events in Gujarat (Bombay Human Rights Activists)
#8. Press Release - The peace rally on Barabanki - Faizabad Border (15 Ma=
rch)
#9. India: Communalising Education - Resolution passed by the=20
workshop on NCERT's new syllabus for the social sciences, history and=20
languages held on March 3,2002 at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and=20
organised by the Delhi Historian Group

__________________________

# 1.

15th March 2002

Dear friend,

Greetings from Gujarat!

It's been one hell of a fortnight! Perhaps, the worst in living memory, for
most of us, living in Gujarat. Rampaging mobs indulged in arson, loot,
rape, murder. and laid waste a land, we believed was sacred. It was from
the shores of the river Sabarmati that Mahatma Gandhi preached peace and
non-violence! It is, in this very State, that the Jains, who followed the
teachings of Lord Mahavir that even the most insignificant of living
creatures should not be hurt, have a pre-dominance. We have never witnesse=
d
a carnage of such intensity. It is an ethnic cleansing with practically no
Muslims willing to resume their daily life. As I write this, their shops
and houses still continue to burn in rural Gujarat. This is insanity of th=
e
highest order. We really do not know when it will end.

As always, in a calamity-whether man-made or natural - we have responded.
Whilst some of our groups and collaborators are providing immediate relief
to the several thousands of victims and refugees we have been focussing on =
a
different yet very essential dimension. As a Centre committed to human
rights, justice and peace, we at PRASHANT, have been looking into aspects
like State complicity, the pre-meditated attacks, the injustices meted out
and the sheer horror of this current crisis. It is not possible for me
elaborate all that we are involved with, in this letter. However, I sugges=
t
that if you wish to know more about what is happening you may log on to
www.sabrang.com or http://bocs.hu/shanti/index.html.

Gujarat has been hit with a succession of disasters. In the last five year=
s
we have seen communal violence, plague, cyclones, droughts and a massive
earthquake. Infact, most of the victims have not yet recovered from the
earthquake of January 26th 2001. The discrimination which the poor and the
marginalised communities have faced, has been a cause of concern to all of
us who have been involved in the relief and rehabilitation work. In severa=
l
ways the current problems have defocused from the rehabilitation issues of
the earthquake.

[,,,]
The earthquake, the drought and this carnage definitely has a bearing on al=
l
our works. The children in our Chhatralayas are affected, because the
priority for their studies and their growth takes a back seat. Hopefully w=
e
will have exams as usual a few weeks from now and after that they will be
able to enjoy some holidays.

[...]

With warm wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

______

#2.

The Praful Bidwai Column (March 18, 2002)

Peace Plan In Pieces
Ayodhya needs a just solution

By Praful Bidwai

Postscript/Update: The Supreme Court order affirming secularism is a=20
slap in the face of the VHP and the Vajpayee government, which to its=20
disgrace, pleaded the Hindutva case. This vindicates the argument=20
below and reinforces the case for a just, balanced, solution.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
--------------------------------------------
With the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (MPLB) rejecting the=20
Kanchi Sankaracharya's proposal to allow symbolic shila pujan leading=20
to temple construction at Ayodhya, it is clear there will be no=20
negotiated settlement of the contentious Ramjanmabhoomi issue. At=20
best, or at worst, depending on one's predilections, there could be=20
an underhand shila pujan deal between the VHP-Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas=20
(RJN) and the government. But this will lack the imprimatur either of=20
the Muslim community, or of India's secular opinion, including the=20
majority view within the National Democratic Alliance.

Although one may have reservations about the representative character=20
of the MPLB, it is hard to fault its rejection of the Sankaracharya's=20
formula as "incomplete and inchoate". The Sankaracharya is not some=20
"neutral" third party, but a signatory of the pro-temple demand. His=20
formula is one-sided, involving transfer of a 42-acre "undisputed"=20
plot to the RJN and temple construction--without relocation of the=20
garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) away from the spot where the mosque=20
stood. The MPLB has put the onus back on the government to ensure=20
peace and maintain the status quo in Ayodhya till the land-title suit=20
is settled. By contrast, the VHP has held out a nasty threat, namely,=20
to forcibly acquire land to begin construction, and turn "the whole=20
country [into] Ayodhya, " as well as to punish Muslims.

This talk of a militant "sustained" agitation in defence of "the=20
fundamental rights of Hindus to perform puja" on land not belonging=20
to them puts a huge question-mark over the credibility of the VHP's=20
undertaking to abide by the legal judgment in the title suit even if=20
the verdict goes against the RJN's pleas. As for the RJN, its leaders=20
such as Ramchandra Paramahans reject even the possibility of=20
respecting an adverse court verdict.

Clearly, Mr Vajpayee has failed to persuade the VHP and RJN of the=20
cardinal importance of respecting legal rulings and giving up their=20
insistence that Ayodhya is a matter of "faith", not law, history or=20
facts--regarding the prior existence of a Ram temple, construction of=20
the mosque in 1528, the complex 22-item property dispute, political=20
mobilisation from the mid-1980s leading to frenzied mobs tearing down=20
the mosque in one of India's most shameful episodes of mass madness.=20
That Mr Vajpayee has failed to restrain fanatics like Mr Togadia from=20
threat-mongering and hate-speech is a poor comment on his leadership=20
and his eroding authority within the sangh parivar.

After the BJP's latest electoral rout in four states, Mr Vajpayee is=20
under pressure from within the party and the sangh to revive=20
"divisive" issues like Ayodhya, which had been omitted from the NDA=20
agenda. His government cannot be expected to handle the VHP-RJN's=20
militant mobilisation in Ayodhya competently and fairly, while=20
upholding the law. There is a significant likelihood that the present=20
opportunity for a good consensual out-of-court settlement will be=20
squandered. The danger lurks that horrible violence will break out in=20
Ayodhya and elsewhere, thanks to communal machinations. After the=20
organised massacre of Muslims in Gujarat, this will inflict=20
unbearable, unacceptable, damage upon India.

This makes it imperative that the Ayodhya issue is treated with the=20
utmost decency, balance and fairness, while totally eschewing guile,=20
deception, pressure, and devious means, as well as parochial and=20
sectarian goals. Such an approach would bear sharp contrast to the=20
past--whether in 1949, when fanatics were permitted to sneak into the=20
Babri mosque and install Ram idols; in 1986, when the temple's gates=20
were unlocked, but the mosque was closed for prayer; in 1989, when=20
"shilanyas" was illegally permitted; or in 1992, when the mosque was=20
torn down, and an illegal makeshift temple was constructed, which has=20
been preserved since.

Only an approach based on worthy principles of justice can rectify=20
the anomalies and flaws in the 1993 Act acquiring Ayodhya land and=20
providing for its transfer to two trusts. As one of our great=20
jurists, H.M. Seervai, has argued, this Act "violates the fundamental=20
rights of Muslims and Muslim denominations to the freedom of religion=20
conferred on them by Articles 25 and 26". Seervai says: "The Supreme=20
Court has held in cases too numerous to mention that any law which=20
extinguishes a religious trust or removes the trustees or managers of=20
properties =85 belonging to a religious trust is void =85It follows that=20
=85 provisions =85 empowering the government to create two trusts and =85=20
appoint new trustees to manage the trust property on such terms as=20
government may impose are also void."

Regrettably, the Act was declared valid by the Supreme Court by a=20
majority of three against two in 1994. This verdict tragically saw=20
the bench split along religious lines. Flawed as it is, the ruling,=20
nevertheless has some safeguards: The 67 acres can only be=20
transferred as part of a package deal after a settlement is arrived=20
at, and that too to a trust to be created after 1993, unlike the=20
pre-1993 RJN. The Act's purpose is not to build just a temple, but "a=20
Ram temple, a mosque, amenities for pilgrims, a library, museum and=20
other suitable facilities."

It would thus be absurd to parcel the land into different bits,=20
including the 42-acre "undisputed" plot, and transfer them piecemeal.=20
In reality, the 42 acres ceased being "undisputed" in 1993. In the=20
first place, it never belonged to, nor was owned by, the RJN. It was=20
leased to it by the Kalyan Singh government in March 1992 for=20
purposes of "tourism"to "develop and maintain" the Ram Katha Park and=20
other sites within the Ayodhya complex, to do which the government=20
lacked funds. It would ludicrous to gift the land to the RJN as if it=20
was its valid "owner"in contravention of the scheme of building both=20
a temple and a mosque for which the plot was originally acquired.

The declared premise of the scheme was to rebuild the mosque--an act=20
of restitution of what was wrongly destroyed. This was promised by=20
Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and reiterated in the 1993 Act and the=20
1994 judgment. An out-of-court settlement of the dispute is indeed=20
possible, but the Kanchi Sankaracharya didn't attempt one. His=20
formula is one-sided and biased in favour of the VHP-RJN; it has=20
nothing to offer to the Muslims. Needless to say, any fair settlement=20
cannot be coercive or manipulative of the Muslims. However, the=20
political motivation behind the revival of the temple agitation at=20
the time of the UP elections, and even more important, the communal=20
pogrom in Gujarat, gives the present "negotiations" all the=20
characteristics of a coercive enterprise.

There are only two ways in which the Ayodhya issue can be resolved=20
today. Either there is an equitable mosque-plus-temple solution,=20
based upon strict adherence to legality and morality, which secures=20
the informed consent of all. Such consent cannot be confined to=20
self-appointed sadhus and imams who represent little in their own=20
communities. Alternatively, there should be a radical, non-religious,=20
non-denominational solution, to build secular structures which serve=20
the Ayodhya-Faizabad community.

The course has an added advantage: an opportunity to break the=20
stranglehold of "identity politics" and assert the real priorities of=20
the people. What the masses of eastern UP--one of India's most=20
backward regions--need is a patient-friendly good-quality hospital=20
and a solidly secular school. The first should be a model for the=20
kind of healthcare that people want and deserve, but don't get,=20
including free primary and preventive treatment, all the way to=20
affordable super-specialities. The school could offer an alternative=20
to the cocktail of hubris, superstition, irrationality and half-lies=20
doled out in NCERT and madrassa syllabi as "education". Learning here=20
would be about opening the mind and letting in free, fresh, ideas.

However, this can only happen if secular forces, including political=20
parties, civil society organisations and NGOs, launch a spirited=20
counter-campaign among ordinary people. This means collecting bricks=20
from every village and ward for the hospital/school. It means=20
confronting Hindutva's advocates in the streets.

This is certain to evoke infinitely greater resonance than the tired,=20
shop-worn, temple issue. The sants' chetavani yatra enthused nobody.=20
Even going by India Today's conservative opinion poll, issues like=20
employment, high prices and corruption rate five to 19 times higher=20
in people's concerns than "religious and caste issues" (two percent=20
rating). The temple has been tomtommed, manufactured and contrived=20
into a major "popular" concern.

Secular India has far too long condoned Hindutva's fanatical politics=20
and its self-appointed sadhus, antics. Some people mistakenly assume=20
this society is less welcoming of modern, liberal, rational ideas=20
than of "tradition", religiosity or superstition. This passivity must=20
give way to active opposition to mixing religion with politics, thus=20
degrading both. Judicial intervention too must play its part. The=20
appeasement-prone Vajpayee government must be restrained by legal=20
means. But that's not enough. There is no substitute for a mass-level=20
campaign.--end--

_____

#3.

Subject: SAHMAT coordinating artists for Gujarat relief

Relief and Rehabilitation for the victims of

GENOCIDE IN THE LAND OF GANDHI

SAHMAT is organising a sale of art being contributed
by artists from across India on March 20th and 21st
2002, at The Academy of Fine Art and Literature, Siri
Fort Institutional Area, New Delhi. he display and
sale opens on Wednesday, 20th March at 6 pm, and
continues through the 21st from 11am to 8 pm.

SHUBHA MUDGAL SINGS

Accompanied by projected video footage of the carnage
in Gujarat

and a photo exhibition

Saturday, 23rd March, 2002 Vithal Bhai Patel Bhawan Lawns
Rafi Marg, New Delhi lawns at 7 pm,
free and open to all

Contributions can be made at the venue. We are requesting all to=20
join and every one to contribute as much as they can for the=20
survivors of the mayhem in Gujarat .

PLEASE JOIN US TO DEFEND OUR SECULAR TRADITIONS

_______

#4.

SEEMA SINGS SPECIAL CONCERT TO PROMOTE COMMUNAL HARMONY

To promote communal harmony and to underline the message that communal
violence has no place in a progressive and secular society that India=20
is, renowned
singer and composer Seema Anil Sehgal will sing a special Concert For Peace=
&
Harmony, on 22 March 2002, at Nehru Centre Mumbai.

The concert titled Lahoo ka Rang Ek Hai comprises of the choicest poetry
written on the subject of communal harmony by some of the best-known poets
of the sub-continent like Sant Kabir, Guru Nanak, Baba Bulley Shah, Faiz Ah=
med
Faiz, Ali Sardar Jafri, Sahir Ludhianvi, Qateel Shifai, Ahmed Faraz,=20
Nida Fazli,
Abdul Ahad Saaz, Ismail Mansoor, Yash Sharma and Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Seema Anil Sehgal has herself composed the entire concert.

Renowned poet Javed Akhtar will be the Guest of Honour at this special

Concert organised by Greater India Friendship Trust.

Seema Anil Sehgal would love to sing her peace concerts in any part=20
of the world.
Those interested to invite her and host the concert may e-mail her at=20
<mailto:monk@v...>monk@v...
Tele: 91-22-631 45 43.

_______

#5.

** COALITION AGAINST COMMUNALISM **
Appeals to you to stand up against bigotry threatening India
-------------------------------------------------------------
MARCH FOR RELIGIOUS HARMONY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN GUJARAT
-------------------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2002, 12-2 PM, SAN FRANCISCO
START: GADAR MEMORIAL (5 Wood St.)
ENDS: INDIAN CONSULATE (540 Arguello Blvd.)
VOICE YOUR PROTEST! URGE THE INDIAN GOV'T TO SAFEGUARD HUMAN
RIGHTS AND ENSURE JUSTICE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF GUJARAT!

We gather to condemn the Gujarat Government's shameful behavior
in failing to curb the worst outbreak of rioting in Gujarat in
over a decade. The violence has officially claimed over 650
innocent lives and the death toll is expected to reach 2000.
In addition, several more thousand people have been injured
and over 35,000 have become displaced.

For directions and more info, visit
<http://www.ektaonline.org/cac/actions/>http://www.ektaonline.org/cac/actio=
ns/
---------------------------------------------------------------
PETITION TO PROTEST GOVERNMENT'S BEHAVIOR DURING COMMUNAL RIOTS
---------------------------------------------------------------
To: National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi
Re: GUJARAT GOVERNMENT'S BEHAVIOR DURING COMMUNAL RIOTS We, the=20
undersigned, strongly condemn the recent spate of violence
in Gujarat and the Gujarat government's shameful behavior during
these riots. Having lost confidence in the capacity of the Gujarat
government to deal with the current crisis, we call upon the National
Human Rights Commission to safeguard human rights and ensure justice
for all residents of Gujarat.

The horrendous massacre of the passengers of the Sabarmati Express
at Godhra is a reprehensible act and should be condemned in the
strongest possible terms. Instead of apprehending and bringing to
trial the perpetrators of this criminal act, the Gujarat state
machinery has decided to punish an entire community by letting loose
reign of terror on the minority community. We strongly condemn the
Gujarat State Government for failing to act responsibly on this issue,
and indeed, encouraging the violence against the Muslim community in
Gujarat. We also condemn strongly the role of the various religious
factions in escalating the violence in Gujarat, for vitiating the
communal milieu in the entire nation and creating the polarized
atmosphere where such large scale riots are possible.

OUR DEMANDS:
* We call for the immediate setting up of an independent and impartial
judicial enquiry into the cause of these riots and the government's
inability to maintain law and order.
* We call for immediate government assistance, both material and
psychological, to people affected by the riots.
* We demand that the amount of money accorded to the families of the
dead in the riots should be equal to that granted for the victims of
the Sabarmati Express fire.
* We call upon the Gujarat State Government to immediately issue a
strong condemnation of those responsible for the violence in the state.
* We seek the immediate dismissal of police commissioners in cities
worst affected by violence.
* We call for the resignation of the Gujarat Chief Minister,
Mr. Narendra Modi.
* We demand that the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO)
not be applied in the state.
* We demand an immediate end to all measures to curb the
freedom of press.
------------------------------------
PLEASE SIGN PETITION AT
<http://www.petitiononline.com/nhrc/>http://www.petitiononline.com/nhrc/
---------------------------------------------------------------
CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS RELIEF AND REHABILITATION OF RIOT VICTIMS
---------------------------------------------------------------
Please donate for the surviving victims of this tragedy by sending=20
your contributions to India Relief and Education Fund
to be forwarded to volunteer relief groups working in Gujarat.
Send your tax-deductible contribution to
India Relief & Education Fund
P.O. Box 14360
Fremont, CA 94539
---------------------------------------------------------------
COALITION AGAINST COMMUNALISM
website: <http://www.ektaonline.org/cac>http://www.ektaonline.org/cac
email: <mailto:cac@e...>cac@e...

_____

#6.

Fri, 15 Mar 2002 13:00:31

London protest against Gujarat massacres

Nearly 100 people participated in a protest outside the Indian High=20
Commission in London on 11 March, demanding 'Stop the Killings',=20
'Dismiss the Gujarat Government' and 'VHP Out of Ayodhya'. The picket=20
was organised by South Asia Solidarity Group and Asian Women Unite!,=20
an umbrella group of Asian women's organisations in Britain, and=20
attended by members and supporters of SASG, Newham Asian Women's=20
Project, Southall Black Sisters, Newham Monitoring Project, the Asha=20
Project, National Civil Rights Movement, and students and teachers=20
from SOAS, LSE and University College London.

The organisers stated 'we have called this protest to express our=20
grief and anger at the terrible events in Gujarat during the last=20
week, and to add our voices to the demands of progressive and=20
anti-communal people across India for those responsible for the=20
killings - including those in government - to be brought to justice.=20
We are also coming together to oppose and resist the growing=20
influence of communal organisations, in particular the Vishwa Hindu=20
Parishad (VHP) who are using these events to poison relations between=20
South Asian communities in Britain'.

Despite police attempts to keep us penned in well away from the High=20
Commission, we moved up to the main entrance of India House and=20
remained there for about an hour. The mood was angry and=20
demonstrators shouted slogans and held placards including 'Narendra=20
Modi - istifa do!' 'BJP-VHP-Bajrang Dal -RSS Murderers' 'Murderers=20
off the Streets, Fascists out of Government'. The picket continued=20
for more than 2 hours despite pouring rain.

A petition from nine organisations working with Asian communities in=20
Britain including Indians of all faiths has been sent to the=20
President of India. The text is given below.

As organisations working with Asian communities in Britain, including=20
Indians of all faiths, we welcome Wednesday's verdict delivered by=20
the Indian Supreme Court prohibiting any kind of religious ceremony=20
on any land held by the Central government in Ayodhya. But we are=20
deeply concerned that the BJP-led Central government does not appear=20
to have the will to make sure that this verdict is not violated on=20
the ground.

Meanwhile the issues raised by the recent horrific events in Gujarat=20
which have left up to 1,000 dead and tens of thousands homeless and=20
dispossessed remain to be addressed. In the context of the silence of=20
the British government and the 'international community' generally,=20
we wish to express in the strongest possible terms our condemnation=20
of these orchestrated communal killings, and of the active collusion=20
of the Government of Gujarat and the police in the State. While we=20
unreservedly condemn the killings of train passengers in Godhra, we=20
feel that it is completely unacceptable for Gujarat Chief Minister=20
Narendra Modi to attempt to justify the systematic massacres of=20
Muslims that followed as a 'reaction' and we believe that this only=20
further exposes the communal character of his government.

In a petition submitted to the Indian President , we are demanding:

- the immediate resignation of the Gujarat government and of Union=20
Home Minister L.K. Advani

- the dismissal of the police commissioners in the cities worst=20
affected by violence

- immediate measures to prevent any further VHP activities in=20
Ayodhya. Ayodhya remains the core issue behind all the violence that=20
has gripped Gujarat and rocked the entire country. Instead of=20
brokering any deal with the VHP, the government must ban it, arrest=20
its leaders, and seize all the stones and other building materials=20
that have been amassed in Ayodhya for the proposed construction.

- immediate assistance to all those affected by the riots. The state=20
must immediately rush medical and food aid to those affected, make=20
arrangements to shelter those displaced, and extend monetary=20
assistance to rebuild the homes and businesses of those who have been=20
affected by the riots.

Prafula Vadgama, Asha Project,13 Shrubbery Road, Streatham SW16 2AS

Simi Woodwal, Hounslow Asian Women's Refuge, PO Box 358, Hounslow,=20
Middlesex TW3 1TJ

Suresh Grover, National Civil Rights Movement, c/o14, Featherstone=20
Road, Southall, Middlesex UB2 5AA

Anjum Mouj, Newham Asian Womens Project, 661 Barking Road E13 9EX

Asad Rehman, Newham Monitoring Project, Suite 4, 63 Broadway, Stratford E15=
4BQ

Mukhtar Rana, Peace and Human Rights Trust, 36, Gadsbury Close, London NW9 =
7EZ

Iqbal Singh, Punjab Human Rights Group Internet, 34 Fulmead Road,=20
Reading RG30 1JX

Amrit Wilson, South Asia Solidarity Group, c/o 299, Kentish Town=20
Road, London NW5 2TJ

Hanana Siddiqui, Southall Black Sisters, 52 Norwood Road, Southall, Middles=
ex
UB2 4DW

_______

#7.

[Recieved from Human Rights Activists in Bombay (15 March 2002)]

I do not know if this will come in the papers tomorrow as I am very late

YOU AND ME ARE WE - 5% seem to hold 95% at stake.

The individuals who initiated this signature campaign would like it=20
to be represented by all the people who have signed it. All=20
individuals are neither affiliated to any party or organisation, nor=20
funded, doing this on voluntary basis.

This Campaign is in relation to Godhra Incident - that being the most=20
recent. Also the Bombay riots, the Partition and all that is done in=20
the name of religion but with ulterior motives; and one could add=20
Americans constant bombing of Afghanistan and using words like=20
"crusade" for it; and various others. But we are doing it for the=20
people, who get killed and become numbers in the process and trying=20
to avoid anything sinister on March 15th and in future.

We have written the slogan in Hindi -
"Hum jeena chahte hain - dharm ke naam par hame "PHIR SE" ( this in=20
red) mat ladao.
Kya aap "hum' me shamil hona chahte hain?" (the rest in black)
on a plane foolscap paper diagonally and taken signatures all around.

The signatures were collected from Universities, Slums, Platforms,=20
trains and buses of Mumbai for the past three days and villages of=20
South Gujarat and will be continued for a week's time.

Out of the people contacted 75% gave signatures very=20
enthusiastically, 5% refused to give and 20% asked questions.

The total number of signatures from Mumbai are 3492 in three days and=20
from South Gujarat villages 195 in a couple of hours. The youngest to=20
give to signature is a three year young and the oldest to be=20
affirmative is 87 and there were quite a few old women, angootha=20
chaap, whose grandchildren are married. It was started by two women=20
and then people kept joining in and presently we do not have count of=20
people. When people asked, who are doing this, the answer given was=20
you and me are we.

This is a list of people who have supported us through email.

Geetanjoli Gangoli from University of Sutherland, UK
Ajay Javekar from Pune
Dhiraj R from Mumbai
Bharati and Ravi from Mumbai
Baba C.K from JNU, Delhi
Naziema Jappie, Dean: Student Affairs, University of Witwatersrand,=20
South Africa
Syeda from Muslim Women's Forum
Indranee Chatterjee from Rutgers, New Jersey, USA
Sanjay Barbora and Dolly Kikon from Gauhati
Deepak from Mumbai
Mamta Aswal from The Other Media, Delhi
Tapoti Bardwaj from Chicago
Arvind Ojha from Bikaner
Chibogu Obinwa from Nigeria
Satish Singh from Mumbai
Kamalakar and Shalini Aloni from Nagpur
Shaileja and Usha from Betul, MP
Roshan Mistry from Mumbai
Deepa from Mumbai
Mathew from Manipal University
Dr. Archana Sharma from Women's Stucies Centre, Gauhati University
Women of Chattisgarh, Chattisgarh Murti Morcha.
Shankar Narayan from Germany
Ulpa Shukla and Amit Shukla from Singapore
India Centre for Human Rights and Law
Mani Mala
Prof Bhaskar Dasgupta from London
Sushma from Bangalore
Shahid Fiaz from Kathmandu
Bina Sarkar Mumbai

_______

#8.

Press Release [Lucknow, 15 March]

Today the 15th March was marked as the national day for communal=20
harmony and peace. The marchers took their message of peace to the=20
people of Barabanki through songs in the form of a rally, today=20
morning at 8 O'clock. The peace rally was led by Ms. Nirmala=20
Deshpande, the well-known Gandhian and disciple of Vinoba Bhave. The=20
rally was also joined by many ordinary citizens of Barabanki, as well=20
as many activists from Delhi including the famous feminist activists=20
Ms. Abha Bhaiyya and Ms. Kalyani Menon Sen, Ms. Sonia Jabbar,=20
Movement for Nuclear Disarmament, Ms. Malini Ghosh, Nirantar, Ms.=20
Farha Naqvi, freelance journalist, Mr. Ashok Chaudary, Dalit right=20
activist and Mr. John Dayal, the chairperson of the Catholic=20
Association.

During the peace rally, the marchers received information that=20
Acharya Giri Raj Kishore, Vice-President Vishwa Hindu Parishad, had=20
started moving towards Ayodhya and it was also said that a religious=20
ceremony in relation to the Ayodhya controversy would be held at 2:15=20
in the afternoon today. On receiving the news, the marchers=20
unanimously decided that they will peacefully march to the border of=20
Barabanki and Faizabad and request all people going that way to not=20
participate in any such religious ceremony which might plunge the=20
country into violence yet again.

Raising the slogans for fraternity and humanity, the rally reached=20
the border of Barabanki, which they crossed symbolically and then,=20
sat down on the road blocking the way for the people bound towards=20
Ayodhya. As the very aim of the rally is peace and communal harmony,=20
therefore it had been decided that none of the marchers would engage=20
in any violent act or slogan. As such the marchers quietly sat on the=20
road and conducted a peace assembly.

Ms.Nirmala Deshpande was the first to address the peace assembly and=20
she said that it is imperative that we rise above our individual=20
identities and say in one voice that we don't want either a Temple,=20
Mosque or a Church or a Gurudwara, all we want is peace and=20
development. Mr. Sandeep Pandey, the Convenor, National Alliance of=20
People's Movement said that he would like to invite the VHP leaders=20
to conduct a religious ceremony right here at the barrier along with=20
all the marchers and pray for peace, so that the message of communal=20
harmony and unity goes out to the entire country. A Sarvodaya=20
activist, Ramesh Bhaiya addressing the peace assembly said that the=20
spot being claimed as Ram's place of birth actually belongs to women=20
as they are the mothers and as such that entire land should be handed=20
over to the women to do with as they please. He regretted that the=20
VHP's temple construction movement has isolated Ram and separated him=20
from Sita, a proof of which is the present usage of 'Jai Shree Ram'=20
as a greeting as opposed to 'Jai Sia Ram'. Ms. Farha Naqvi said that=20
the temple is merely an excuse, as the construction of one more=20
temple makes no difference. The real motive is to take the country=20
back by thousands of years towards a social system, which is based on=20
caste and anti-women values.

The marchers learnt at about 1:30 pm that Acharya Giri Raj Kishore,=20
Vice-President Vishwa Hindu Parishad who had set out for Ayodhya had=20
been arrested at Chinhat and also that a team of about 30 people=20
trying to go to Ayodhya was arrested from the nearby fields. The=20
marchers decided to continue with the peace assembly till 3 O'clock=20
so as to register their protest against the entire temple=20
controversy. They specially wanted to be out on the streets at the=20
time appointed for the religious ceremony, registering their=20
opposition to the same.

The peace assembly concluded with the passing of a resolution that=20
all the oraganisations and individuals will continue to work together=20
as one front as well as in their own areas for peace, communal=20
harmony and protection of the Constitution.

15th March, 2002

Contact:
Arundhati Dhuru / Tulika Srivastava
AALI, 407, Dr. Baijnath Road, New Hyderabad Colony,
Lucknow
Phones: 782066, 782060

_____

#9.

Lettter to Editor
Economic and Political Weekly
March 9, 2002

Communalising Education

Resolution passed by the workshop on NCERT's new syllabus for the=20
social sciences, history and languages held on March 3,2002 at the=20
Jawaharlal Nehru University and organised by the Delhi Historian=20
Group:

We, the undersigned, would like to protest against the attempts to=20
communalise our education system, which has been carried on for quite=20
some time by various communal organisations of the majority and=20
minority communities. In recent years, these attempts have reached=20
alarming proportions, with state power being used by sections of the=20
government for this purpose. The ministry of human resources=20
development, taking a cue from the RSS has pressurised the NCERT and=20
the CBSE to distort thehistory and other social science syllabus at=20
all levels of school towards a dangerous Hindu communal angle,=20
besides deliberately underplaying and ignoringthe contributions made=20
by diverse groups in Indian society. Arbitrary deletions have been=20
made from existing history textbooks written for school children by=20
some of the best historians of our country, on grounds that=20
sentiments of sections of Indian society were being hurt. In fact it=20
is now asserted that in future religious leaders will be consulted=20
before any reference to religion is made in the textbooks. We are=20
thus seeing a throwback from the major advances made in Indian=20
historiography in recent decades towards an obscurantist,=20
unscientific, communal historiography which was promoted in the=20
colonial period. Moreover the changes were made without acquiring the=20
approval of the only historically mandated body for deliberating on=20
major changes in educational policy, the Central AdvisoryBoard of=20
Education (CABE), a view endorsed by the Supreme Court onMarch 1,=20
2002, which issued a directive staying the union of India from=20
implementing the national curriculum framework on secondary=20
educationwithout the express approval of the CABE.

We believe that communalising our educational system will poison the=20
minds of our young students. It is this which creates the base for=20
the brutalisation of our consciousness, which enables the kind of=20
inhuman massacres that we are witnessing in Gujarat today, and which=20
we condemn in the strongest possible terms.

Bipan Chandra, Yogendra Singh,
Namwar Singh, G S Bhalla,
Annie Koshy, Kamala Menon,
Sumit Sarkar and a large number of others.
Delhi.

--=20
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