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ladystylestores · 4 years ago

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India Rounds Up Critics Under Cover of Virus Crisis, Activists Say

NEW DELHI — After spending several anxious days in prison, Natasha Narwal, a student activist accused of rioting by the New Delhi police, thought her ordeal was nearing an end.

A judge ruled that Ms. Narwal had been exercising her democratic rights when she participated in protests earlier this year against a divisive citizenship law that incited unrest across India.

But shortly after the judge approved Ms. Narwal’s release in late May, the police announced fresh charges: murder, terrorism and organizing protests that instigated deadly religious violence in India’s capital. Ms. Narwal, 32, who has said that she is innocent, was returned to her cell.

“I felt like crying,” said her roommate, Vikramaditya Sahai. “We are grieving the country we grew up in.”

As India struggles to quell surging coronavirus infections, lawyers accuse the authorities of seizing on the pandemic as an opportunity to round up critics of the government who are protesting what they see as iron-fisted and anti-minority policies under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In recent weeks, Ms. Narwal and nearly a dozen other prominent activists — along with potentially dozens of other demonstrators, though police records are unclear — have been detained. They are being held under stringent sedition and antiterrorism laws that have been used to criminalize everything from leading rallies to posting political messages on social media.

India’s coronavirus restrictions, some of which are still in effect, have blocked pathways to justice, lawyers and rights activists say. With courts closed for weeks, lawyers have struggled to file bail applications, and meeting privately with prisoners has been nearly impossible.

Law enforcement officials in New Delhi, who are under the direct control of India’s home ministry, have denied any impropriety. But rights groups say the arrests have been arbitrary, based on scant evidence and in line with a broader deterioration of free speech in India.

In a lengthy report released this month, the Delhi Minorities Commission, a government body, accused the police and politicians from Mr. Modi’s party of inciting brutal attacks on protesters and supporting a “pogrom” against minority Muslims.

Meenakshi Ganguly, the South Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said cases against the activists appeared to be “politically motivated,” and that the police have devised a formula for keeping people like Ms. Narwal in jail: When a judge orders the release of a prisoner for lack of evidence, new charges are introduced.

“The urgency to arrest rights activists and an obvious reluctance to act against violent actions of the government’s supporters show a complete breakdown in the rule of law,” she said.

Before the pandemic hit, Mr. Modi was in the throes of the most significant challenge to his power since becoming prime minister in 2014. After Parliament passed a law last year that made it easier for non-Muslim migrants to become Indian citizens, millions protested across the country.

To critics, the citizenship law was more evidence that Mr. Modi’s Hindu nationalist government planned to strip the country’s Muslims of their rights.

Tensions peaked in February when sectarian violence and rioting broke out in New Delhi. The vast majority of people killed, hurt or displaced were Muslim, and the police were involved in many of those cases.

After Mr. Modi announced a nationwide lockdown in late March to contain the coronavirus, shutting down businesses and ordering all 1.3 billion Indians inside, the protests disbanded. Lawyers said the police then moved to detain demonstrators while skirting complaints against government allies.

Among those in custody are a youth activist who raised awareness about police brutality against Muslims; an academic who gave a speech opposing the citizenship law; and Ms. Narwal, a graduate student who co-founded Pinjra Tod, or Break the Cage, a women’s collective that organized some of the largest rallies.

Nitika Khaitan, a criminal lawyer, said the crackdown has also pushed beyond higher-profile critics to include ordinary residents living in riot-hit neighborhoods. She recently challenged those arrests in a jointly signed letter to the Delhi High Court.

Lawyers have tracked a few dozen such arrests under the lockdown, though Ms. Khaitan said the true figure could not be verified because police reports have not been made public. Many detentions were “not in compliance with constitutional mandates,” she said.

In a recent interview, Sachidanand Shrivastava, the police chief in New Delhi, said his officers were conducting fair investigations.

In May, the authorities said they had detained about 1,300 people for involvement in the protests and riots, including an equal number of Hindus and Muslims. Recently, the police arrested a group of Hindus for forcing nine Muslim men to chant “Hail Lord Ram,” a reference to a Hindu god, before killing them and throwing their bodies into a drain.

“It is very important that the police force remain impartial,” Mr. Shrivastava said. “And we are following this principle from Day 1.”

But members of India’s judiciary have questioned the official numbers, accusing the police of withholding information about the arrests under national security protections and singling out Muslims for many of the harsher charges.

In court proceeding notes reviewed by The Times, a judge hearing a case against a Muslim protester wrote that the police appeared to only be targeting “one end” without probing the “rival faction.” During the riots, the police were accused of abetting Hindus and, in some cases, torturing Muslims.

Khalid Saifi, a member of United Against Hate, a group that works with victims of hate crimes, was arrested after he tried to mediate between the police and protesters, according to his lawyers.

The police charged him with being a “key conspirator” of the riots. His wife, Nargis Saifi, said he was tortured in custody.

“His only crime is he is a Muslim,” she said.

M.S. Randhawa, a police spokesman, denied that Mr. Saifi had been tortured, adding that he has regular opportunities to speak to a judge if abuse occurs.

“These are just allegations,” Mr. Randhawa said. “He would have told the magistrate if he had been tortured.”

But rights advocates accuse Mr. Modi’s government of shielding party officials — and more broadly, of Hindus involved in the violence.

Ms. Narwal, who was detained in May, could face at least several years in prison for helping organize demonstrations that blocked a busy road in northeast Delhi, where February’s bloodiest battles between Hindus and Muslims broke out.

The police have accused her of playing a leading role in the riots, charging her with murder, attempt to murder and being part of a “criminal conspiracy.”

At the same time, the police have been accused of ignoring complaints against Kapil Mishra, a local politician with Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party who gave a fiery speech threatening to forcibly remove Ms. Narwal and other protesters if the authorities did not take action.

Kapil Mishra addressing a crowd in New Delhi last year.Credit…Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times

Hours after the ultimatum, the streets erupted. But charges were never filed against Mr. Mishra, who has denied a role in starting the riots.

A New Delhi police superintendent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said some officers had wanted to act against Mr. Mishra, but they were pressured by the force’s leadership not to touch “the warriors of the government.”

“We did not even try,” the superintendent said. “The directions were clear: Don’t lay your hands on him.”

Through an intermediary, Mr. Mishra declined to comment.

Ms. Narwal’s father, Mahavir Narwal, said the government was moving India closer to authoritarianism and demonizing anybody who questioned their policies.

For weeks, prison officials ignored his calls and emails to Tihar Jail, where Ms. Narwal is being held. With coronavirus restrictions in place, she was moved into an isolation ward at one point, where she stayed for 17 days, said Mr. Narwal, a retired scientist.

Lately, communication has smoothed out. But Mr. Narwal said the subtext of his daughter’s arrest seemed clear: “If you protest, you will be called a terrorist.”

“All she did was fight to keep the soul of India alive,” he said.

Karan Deep Singh contributed reporting.

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global-news-station · 5 years ago

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NEW DELHI: As dusk fell on Sunday, police smashed their way into the main library of New Delhi’s Jamia Millia University, firing tear gas shells as scores of terrified students barricaded doors and hid inside bathrooms to protect themselves.

Video footage shot by a student inside the library and reviewed by Reuters shows dozens of young students – including several women – scrambling for cover, cowering beneath desks, and jumping over metal and broken glass dividers as they attempted to flee.

More than 600 students sought shelter inside the building as violence raged around the university in southeast Delhi, after thousands gathered to protest a controversial new citizenship law that has sparked days of violent unrest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government insists the Citizenship Amendment Act is necessary to help persecuted minorities from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who settled in India before 2015.

But the move has triggered a severe backlash, with widespread clashes in the country’s north and a rash of protests across universities – including in Jamia.

On Sunday, some protesters set buses alight and battled stick-wielding policemen on a major thoroughfare nearby.

In a statement, the student community of Jamia said they disassociated themselves from the violence, which was perpetrated by some elements to discredit their peaceful protests.

Asad Malik, a lecturer in Jamia’s law department, said school officials had stood by the campus gates, checking ID cards to ensure only students entered the nearly 100-year-old public university amid the chaos on Sunday.

However, police said some vandals did manage to enter Jamia and officers only followed them into the campus after they were pelted with stones from inside the university.

“Miscreants and rowdy elements had entered the university and police went inside the campus chasing this crowd, to pull them out,” M.S. Randhawa, a police spokesman told reporters on Monday.

Malik, however, said when police started shooting tear gas inside the university, there were only students inside.

Saliha P.P., a 22-year-old master’s student, said she was on the Jamia campus when she saw more than 100 policemen storm the campus, fire tear gas and charge students with batons.

“There were continuous sounds of tear gas,” she said. “They were just beating any students they saw so cruelly.”

On Monday morning, sections of university library lay in ruins. Windows were smashed, chairs lay broken and scattered. Crushed glass covered corridors and tables.

Reuters witnesses saw tear gas shells and blood splattered on the library floor. At least two surveillance cameras had been smashed.

Jamia’s Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar said police had entered the campus without permission, injuring around 200 students. The university, which has a large number of Muslim students, plans to seek a government enquiry into the violence.

“The brutality with which they behaved with students is not acceptable,” she told media on Monday.

At least five students told Reuters they did not see any women police personnel among the force that stormed the campus, as is required by law in India when females are on the scene.

A police spokesman did not respond to respond to multiple requests for comment on the allegations of brutality or the reported absence of female officers.

‘DEATH IS ON THE OTHER SIDE’

Madiha Aziz, a postgraduate student, was on the first floor of the library, sitting under a desk in the darkness after other students switched off the lights.

“We thought we will be safe inside the library, the college authorities will protect us,” she said, speaking with Reuters at her home a few kilometres away from Jamia.

From a window, looking down, Aziz said she saw dozens of police pounce on students and beat them up. Three other students also told Reuters they had seen police thrash students in and around the library.

Petrified, some tried to barricade themselves inside using library cupboards.

“The police beat us a lot, they did a lathi charge inside the library,” said law student Mohammad Anas, using the Hindi word for a baton.

With tear gas canisters exploding inside, second-year student Mohammad Shahzad said some ran to the washrooms to hide or wash their eyes with water.

“But police dragged them out and beat them up,” he said.

Some bathroom doors inside the library building lay smashed on Monday, seemingly kicked in from the outside.

Still cowering under a desk, Aziz thought it was all over, when police stormed in after banging loudly on the doors.

“I thought my death is on the other side,” she said. “It was a night of horrors.”

It was after 7 p.m. local time when police began clearing the library building, said three students who had sought refuge inside.

“Outside the central library staircase around 200 students were asked to sit down. Then we were asked to keep both our hands on our heads and we were asked to get out,” Anas said.

Others, who sought shelter in surrounding buildings, met a similar fate.

Hisham Siddiqui, a doctorate student, said he was inside a mosque on the university campus when more than a dozen police burst in.

“They smashed the glass doors and entered inside,” he said, heavily bandaged and seated in a wheelchair outside Alshifa hospital late on Sunday night.

After being beaten and falling unconscious, Siddiqui said he managed to hobble out, before being taken to a hospital.

“Our faith is strong, we will continue fighting,” he said, as he was wheeled out of the hospital.

Others were left shattered though, and many students were seen wheeling suitcases and leaving the campus on Monday.

“I’m a student here. I study law here. I was to answer an exam on the constitution today, but what’s left of it?” Anugya Jha told media as she was leaving the campus on Monday.

“What constitution do I go back and study now? Have they left any of it?” said Jha, tears streaming down her face. “I do not feel safe in this entire country anymore. I do not know where I may go and be lynched today, by the police itself.”

The post “Night of horrors”: Inside the Indian university stormed by police appeared first on ARY NEWS.

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eclecticdreamchopshop-blog1 · 6 years ago

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Commonwealth games essay for kids 508 Words Essay on Commonwealth Games Baton relay Launched

It will be relayed to base station in the accompanying vehicle and to the Commonwealth Games website. Words Essay on Commonwealth Games: Baton relay Launched. It was a memorable day at the imperious grounds of the Buckingham Palace on October 29, 2009 when India formally took charge of Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 with President Pratibha Patil receiving the Queen’s Baton from Queen Elizabeth- II at a star-studded ceremony. The baton, packed with high-tech cameras, sound recorders and LED Lights-all made in India, contains a message to the athletes from the queen that will be opened and read out at the launch of the Games in New Delhi on October 3, 2010. When President Patil received the Queen’s Baton, the imperious grounds of Buckingham Palace reverberated with the beat of ‘bhangra’ dancers. The event conducted with the precision of a military drill, saw the Queen receive the high-tech baton from the Chief of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Mike Fennell, and hand it over to the Indian President. Image Source : s.ndtvimg.com. Who then passed it to Sports Minister M.S. Gill? Finally, it ended up in the hands of Suresh Ivalmadi, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Delhi Games, who set the Baton Relay rolling by handing it over to bearer Ahbinav Bindra, India’s only Olympic gold medalist, and the first of the 11 sports persons including Kapil Dev and Sania Mirza-who took turns to carry the Baton around Victoria Memorial. Others sports persons were Olympic medalist Vijender Kumar and Sushil Kumar, Milkha Singh, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Prakash Padukone, Karnam Malleswari, Misha Grewal and Dilip Tirkey. Ms. Patil is the first head of state to receive the Baton from the Queen. The Relay, signaling the formal countdown for the Delhi Games, would pass through all the commonwealth countries during its 240-day journey, before concluding at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi for the opening of the Games on October 3, 2010. The Baton which is fitted with sensors to detect and monitor the runner’s pulse, has the Queen’s message engraved onto a miniature 18-carat gold leaf symbolizing the ancient India Palm leaf patras. The Baton is capable of lighting up the flag colors of all the 70 countries it passes through. The Light Emitting Diodes (LED) embedded in the baton will transform into the colors of country’s flag in which the Baton arrives. The baton weighting 1900 grams is powered by a nine-volt rechargeable battery that can run up to eight hours. Athletes carrying the Baton can also record their messages and images and sounds to the blue tooth enabled Baton. The location of the baton can also be tracked throughout its journey the Global Positioning System (GPS) embedded in it.... View more ...

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aestheticgymholic-blog · 8 years ago

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THE CREATOR

The Rock Garden has become almost a heritage site. Artists and connoisseurs from all over the world flock to see this unique and amazing creation. The Concept is daring, the appeal perennial. Visitors leave in admiration, only to return again. The creator of the rock garden, Nek Chand was a Road Inspector in the Engineering Department of the Chandigarh Capital Project. He roamed the Shivalik foothills and picked up stones resembling bird, animal, human and abstract forms. He brought them on his bicycle. The first seven years (1958-65) were spent collecting natural material, urban and industrial waste. Gradually his collection mounted to a staggering twenty thousand rock form of amazing beauty. These were deposited around a hut which he had built for his work and contemplation. He built the Rock Garden from this improvised hut which was located by the side of a stream.

On 24th February, 1973, the Rock Garden was accidentally discovered by Dr.S.K.Sharma who headed an Anti-malaria party a vector reconnaissance duty in the forest in the forest in which the garden is located. Soon thereafter late Dr. M.S Randhawa (the first Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh) visited the place and place the matter before the Chandigarh Landscape Advisory Committee, as its chairman, at a meeting held on 23rd June, 1973 suggesting that this garden of rocks, stone and scrap was the most unusual and it should be preserved in its Present form, free form the interference of architects and town planners. The Rock Garden was thus inaugurated in 1976.

COLLECTION

Since the site where Rock Garden stands today was also used as a dumping ground for urban and industrial waste, Nek Chand picked up Pieces of foundry for urban and industrial waste, Nek Chand picked up pieces of foundry lime-kiln and metal workshop wastes and shaped them with his creative genius into human, animal or abstract forms. These Pieces have been innovatively displayed as sculptures in the garden.

Also on display as shapes sculptured by using a verity of discarded materials such as frame, mudguards, forks, handle bars, metal wires, play marbles, pieces of state, burnt bricks and even hair recovered from barber shops’

Nek Chand salvaged a variety form demolished structures, waste from lime kilns, discarded street lights, electrical fittings, broken sanitary ware, crockery etc. thus demonstrating how urban and sanitary were, crockery etc. thus demonstrating how urban and industrial waste can be fruitfully recycled and used in creative pursuit.

KINGDOM

The layout of the garden is based on the fantasy of a lost kingdom. The moment one enters the garden, the small entrance doors which make the head bow, not only creative an ambience of royal but also impart humbleness. One has to pass through a verity of doorways, archways, vestibules, streets and lanes of different scales and dimensions, each one opening into a new array of display or courtyards and chambers lending an air of suspense and curiosity at every corner, at every turn.

In the true sprit of make-believe ‘kingdom’ the Rock Garden has fourteen different chambers like the forecourt housing natural rock-forms, a royal; poet’ sand a musician’s chamber complete with a pond and a hut; the main court (Durbar) where the king’s throne adorns the place with natural stone forms depicting gods and goddesses lining the place; a swimming pool for the queen etc .the third phase of the garden comprises the grand place complex miners ,water falls, an open air theatre, a village, mountains, over-bridges, pavilions and areas for royal pleasures. The tree and root sculptures offer a powerful counterpoint to the existing vegetation.

An open air theatre and a vast pavilion with a center stage are the other highlights of the rock Garden where art and culture blend amidst rustic and exotic environs of the garden.

The Teej festival, when the Rock Garden assumes a festive look, holds a special attraction for tourists. Young damsels partake in the fun and frolic by swaying on the giant wings, while others adorn their hands with traditional Mehandi (henna),amidst joyful song dances.

As you stroll though the rock Garden, enjoying the awe inspiring creation, you may find yourself face to face with the unassuming down to earth artist Nek Chand himself, in flesh and blood, working at or supervising his ‘kingdom’.

#chandigarh #rock garden #haryana #india

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