Haj Subsidy, nothing but an eye-wash!

The Haj subsidy is an airfare subsidy given to Indian Muslim Hajj pilgrims. Pilgrims applying through the Haj Committee of India are offered the concessionary fare. The Government of India pays the subsidy to Air India. Basically Haj pilgrimage is ordained for or obligatory only on those who are physically and financially capable of performing the journey and the Hajjis do not need government financial subsidy. Secondly, Muslims do not like their Haj trip financed by any other person or by any Government body. Maulana Mehmood Madani, a member of the Rajya Sabha and general secretary of the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, declared that the Hajj subsidy is a technical violation of Islamic Sharia, since the Koran
declares that Hajj should be performed by Muslims using their own resources.
Then for what is this subsidy offered to the Haj pilgrims…It is only an eye-wash! But in reality it is an income offered to the loss-making Air India from going sick and thousand of its employees from being rendered jobless. The government gives some discounted amount to the Air India for their over-priced ticket. Hajjis receiving the supposed subsidy are only allowed to travel through Air India, thus filling the coffers of the Airlines considerably, since almost 1, 00,000 Hajjis are expected to go for Haj, every year. With lakhs of pilgrims every year going to Haj, any Airline in this world would gladly offer discount to such a huge number of passengers, should Hajjis be allowed to travel on their own as chartered trips could still be cheaper than the airfare charged by Air India. The Haj subsidy offered to Hajj pilgrims is nothing but a farce and the Government monopolized the Haj pilgrimage merely to protect the government run loss-making Air India. Since, Hajjis are actually providing Rupees 850 million to Rupees 900 million as revenue to Air India every year. That is why even the BJP Government during its 6 years tenure of
rule could not stop the supposed subsidy.
New Delhi’s subsidy for the Haj pilgrims began only in 1993, the year after the Babri Masjid demolition, when the then prime minister Narasimha Rao used it as soap in the hope of gaining over the sentiments of Muslim community. Indian Muslims did not demand the Hajj subsidy. In fact Muslim pilgrims have been performing Haj over 1000 years without hoping for any aid or help from others. Further, it was voiced by the community that the Haj Committees should be allowed to float a Global Tender to choose Airlines through bidding, which would result in still cheaper fares paid to them, without incurring a single paisa expense to the Government and away with the Haj subsidy. It is conceived that the Haj subsidy offered by the government to Indian pilgrims going through the Haj Committee is nothing but an imposition to travel by the Air India. Secondly, this subsidy is paid only to around 60 percent Indian pilgrims going through the Haj Committee, an official organization of the Indian government, while around 40 percent going through commercial operation are denied this subsidy.

We are also aware that the Government of India spends millions for the Kumbh Mela and for other pilgrimages of Hindus, in the name of facilities and securities arrangement done to them. The government spends crores of rupees on the internal administration of Hindu pilgrims like facilitating the Kumbh Mela, Vaishno Devi, Badrinath and other Tirth Yatras. The government also bears huge amounts to facilitate pilgrims belonging to Hindus and Sikhs going to Pakistan for religious pilgrimage. The BJP Government announced that it would begin paying monthly salaries to Hindu priests in the State. During the first phase, each priest of the 354 government-controlled devasthans, or temples, would be entitled to a monthly salary of about Rs 1200. As noted, Hindus do receive government subsidies for pilgrimages to Mount Kailash, and from a variety of other sources. First, the Ministry of External Affairs routes Rs 3250 to each Kailash Yatri. The Uttar Pradesh state government then adds Rs 5000 per pilgrim. The Delhi state government adds other Rs 5000 for any pilgrim from Delhi. Likewise, the Gujarat government gives a kit worth Rs 2500 to every yatri from that state. This kind of subsidy may well be given by other states as well, although such information is not publicly available.
Gujarat presents a particularly interesting case of state money being funneled towards Hindu causes. Is this not public money and subsidy….Then why the hue and cry? That Muslims are being given a motherly treatment and Hindus a step-motherly treatment by the government….

Bandhs against price rise - Are they justified?

The World Bank head Robert Zoellick warned that 100 million people in poor countries could be pushed deeper into poverty by spiraling prices. Prices have raised sharply in recent months, driven by increased demand, poor weather in some countries that has ruined crops and reduced production area, thanks to an increase in the use of land to grow crops for transport fuels. The sharp rises have led to protests and unrest in many countries all over the world, including Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, the Philippines and Indonesia. In Haiti, protests a few months ago turned violent, leading to the deaths of five people and the fall of the government

The BBC World Service global study said that while all nations had felt the burden of the higher costs, the problem was most acute in poorer countries. The Philippines was one of the worst hit of those nations questioned. And while demand grows faster than supply, it will be hard to replenish food stocks, which are currently still at a far lower level, though they have been much lower for almost half a century. Ordinary Indians are facing significantly increased hardship because of the rise in the cost of food.... means people on or below the borderline - hundreds of millions of people - are struggling to make ends meet. This does not mean our leaders resort to acts of hooliganism and take to the streets.

We have all these years only pampered our farmers with subsidies on fertilizers and the common man with subsidies on petroleum products at the cost of our economy. We cannot survive anymore and we have to apply the basics of economics and at the same time educate our ‘netas’ on the basics of economics. Economics is basically balancing two sides of the economy…i.e. Income v/s Expenditure. With the price of crude oil sky-rocketing and India heavily depending on imports, a huge amount of our expenditure goes on imports of crude oil. Now, we have to be very practical and not go on subisidising petroleum products just to satisfy the ‘vote bank’, which is putting our economy in a precarious situation. This has a cascading effect on price rise of all commodities and this price rise is a global threat and not only to India.

Hence our lumpen politicians by taking to the roads and causing grave loss to the economy is only further burdening the poor. Secondly the opposition of frequently stalling the normal functioning of the House and abuse of the Chair is nothing but a blatant subversion of democracy. The least one can expect is that the opposition clearly enunciate their political philosophies and take definite stands on points of principle. But, in the confused contemporary milieu, clouded as it is by pernickety personality problems, principle has been relegated to the backseat. Sobriety has been thrown to the winds.

Kripashankar suffers a further setback in scam probe

Mumbai’s chief of Congress and Kalina’s MLA Kripashankar Singh, for the past two years has been entangled into a heap of controversies. Last year raids were conducted by the Income-Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate into Kripashankar’s alleged involvement of the Rs 2,000-crore Madhu Koda scam. Investigators are examining, among his other assets, savings bank accounts of his family that show disproportionately large transactions between 2006-07 and 2008-09, and several discrepancies in documents that suggest forgery.

Eight savings bank accounts of his family members and close associates are under the scanner. Three of these accounts show cash deposits and transfers of nearly Rs 65 crore in two years by Kripashankar’s wife Maltidevi Singh and son Narendra Mohan Singh. These transactions unearth at a time when Kripashankar was All-India Congress Committee (AICC) observer for Jharkhand, exactly when Koda, an independent MLA then, was sworn in CM with Congress support. Further, at that time his son, Narendra Mohan married Ankita, daughter of Jharkhand politician Kamlesh Singh, in April ’08. Ankita’s dad Kamlesh Singh was then water resources minister in the Koda government and is a key accused in the scam.
Both Koda and Kamlesh Singh were arrested in November last year; the Jharkhand vigilance bureau filed preliminary charge sheets against them for holding assets disproportionate to known sources of income. Kamlesh Singh’s assets were estimated at nearly 130 per cent more than his sources of income. However, it is alleged that a considerable sum of scam money may have been diverted through his daughter, son-in-law and the latter’s father. Also, on investigations it is revealed that the Koda diary, incidentally, mentions a “Kripashankar a/c” with several entries against it. Kripashankar has denied it was him, but investigators have placed him and his family under scrutiny.
Kripashankar’s family owns properties in projects executed by one of the real estate companies which deposited huge amounts into his son’s account; the company also has infrastructure projects in Jharkhand. Also, there was a sudden rise in the wealth and property acquisitions of the Kripashankar family in Mumbai during the years Koda held sway in Jharkhand (first as mines minister in the Arjun Munda-led BJP regime, and later as CM). This includes a large duplex apartment near Mumbai airport, a bungalow on Bandra’s Carter Road, known as one of the costliest property prices of real estate in Mumbai, office spaces and shops at key locations in projects by either of the two real estate companies associated with the family, and land in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Also, Kripashankar appears to have acquired a second PAN card in complete violation of law. His election affidavit 2009 mentions number CFYPS989P as his PAN, but in the affidavit he filed in September 2004 for the assembly election, he gives his PAN as AVAPS1485L. Possessing two PAN cards is a crime and cannot possibly be an oversight, says an investigator. Was the second PAN card acquired to conceal transactions that take the trail back to Koda, Kamlesh Singh and others in the scam? However, Kripashankar says he has returned one of the cards and also denies any links with Koda and his associates, and insists his relationship with Kamlesh Singh is purely at a family level. He also terms the entire episode as fabricated without any truth in the allegations. It is nothing but a political conspiracy hatched by his political rivals.”

Now, once again Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh suffered a setback after the Bombay High Court reviewed the status of investigations by three investigating agencies into corruption allegations against him and directed them to continue their probe. The Bombay High Court asked Anti-corruption Bureau, Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate to continue their probe against city Congress chief Kripashankar Singh in an alleged disproportionate assets case and for violation of various laws.

The court also set a deadline for these investigating agencies to complete their probe by March 3, 2011, and asked them to file a comprehensive report by then. The court is hearing a PIL alleging that Singh, MLA from Kalina and former Maharashtra minister of state for home, was possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income and that he had violated various laws.

All the three agencies submitted reports on progress of the probe in a sealed cover to Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice SV Kathawala who perused the papers and directed the authorities to continue with the investigations.  The next hearing of the case would be on March 3 next. The PIL, filed early this year by social worker and RTI activist Sanjay Tiwari, had linked Singh with the Madhu Koda scandal and raised questions about his assets. The petitioner was represented by senior counsel Mahesh Jethmalani and Mihir Desai. The petitioner contended that in 2006 when Singh was an AICC observer for Jharkhand, he was instrumental in installing the Madhu Koda government. Koda was arrested along with his then ministerial colleague Kamlesh Singh. Incidentally, Kamlesh Singh's daughter Ankita is married to Kripashankar's son Narendra alias Sanjay Singh.

He also pointed out that Singh used chartered flights often and it was "obvious that large sums of money were paid for this purpose and this needs to be investigated". The petitioner further alleged that he has not declared his wife's property details when he stood for elections in 2009. The petition alleged that Singh's daughter Sunita has two ration cards and her husband Vijay Kumar Singh was a resident of UP and a government employee there till April 1997. Yet, Vijay Kumar was allotted a house in Maharashtra in joint name from CM's discretionary quota on the basis of fake documents.

Are Dawri Nagar Slum dwellers taken for a ride?

The SRA proposal initiated by the government has become a haven for unscrupulous builders, smugglers, goondas, land grabbers, politicians, unemployed and many. All in the name of SRA re-development they have been harassing the innocent slumdwellers and compelling them sign documents or face the consequences. Last month, a chaos and mass protest was demonstrated by the slum dwellers of Ganesh Krupa Society, Khar (E), against the developer Shivalik Ventures. An area spread across 140 acres, Jawahar Nagar in Khar (West) is one of the biggest areas open for redevelopment under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s (SRA) jurisdiction. But after two incidents of debates between residents and the developer for the area, resident Datta Mane was beaten up by unknown miscreants and a police complaint was lodged.

Similarly, last week a slumdweller, Sadan Shah residing at Adarsh Lane Chawl, Gate No 1, Dawri Nagar was stabbed at Vakola Bridge since he objected against signing of any agreement or handing over his documents to the society which has been collecting documents from slum dwellers on pretext of development of slums at Dawri Nagar.

It is learnt that a Saidham Co-Op Hsg Soc, Dawri Nagar was formed in 2005 for the development of Dawri Nagar. Now, it is understood that the name has been changed to Saidham Co-op Madhyavarthi Samiti. It is alleged that since the past couple of months the society has been collecting documents and getting forms signed from the slum dwellers of Dawri Nagar on the pretext that a builder has received NOC for the development of Dawri Nagar. It is learnt that many slum dwellers have signed documents and alleged that others who have not signed are forcibly made to hand over documents and accept the proposal.

Last week, a slum dweller Sadan Shah, who has been residing at Dawri Nagar, has been selling tomatoes on handcart opposite Saidham Co-op Hsg Soc office. It is learnt that society members/agents have been torturing him since July to sign the documents accepting the proposed of development scheme. But, Sadan has been reluctant and was unwilling to accept the scheme. While speaking to Santacruz Patrika, Sadan admitted and said, “In October Mukhtar Patel and Abdul Razzak Nagani came over to me and asked me to hand over chawl documents to the society. Since I was reluctant they threatened me that if I do not submit my documents to the society, I will not be allowed to continue my business of selling tomatoes. Also, Farida Chappan Mastan Sheikh, Gate No4, Dawri Nagar threatened me and told me that I will have to deposit documents in society office”

Fearing threat Sadan lodged a police complaint against Mukhtar and Razzak vide NC No 5775 dt 19.11.2010. However, on 3^rd December, while Sadan was finalizing his business dues with his creditor it is alleged that an unknown person approached Sadan and asked him if he recognizes Mukhthat and Razak. “Since I spoke in the negative, this unidentified person removed a knife to stab me. Since I turned I was brutally stabbed in the back, “admits Sadan.

He was rushed to V.N.Desai Hospital and given treatment and discharged. A complaint was lodged at Vakola Police Station. Sadan received about 14-15 stitches. However, on 6^th December as he was vomiting and a severe pain near the stab wound, Sadan was admitted at V.N.Desai Hospital for treatment. A case No 533/10 u/s 324,504,507 IPC has been registered by Vakola Police.

It is further learnt that Dawri Nagar Bachao Samiti has been formed in October to raise protest. While speaking to Santacruz Patrika, Subash Sawant said, “Since the past few months the slum dwellers are being fooled and compelled to sign documents. As far as my understanding goes Dawri Nagar is situated on Central government land and no NOC has been granted by Central government for development. The innocent slum dwellers are taken for a ride and forced to part with documents on the pretext that the builder has got an NOC and the documents have to be submitted to the builder. On two earlier occasions forms have been signed and the innocent have been fooled.” Adding further Sawant said, “Last week a slum dweller has been stabbed and is in hospital. In this regard an NC had been lodged at Vakola Police Station and a written letter has been submitted to DCP.” “In the interest of the slum dwellers the culprits have to be booked as their agents despite giving threats and committing crimes are not arrested. To raise protest against these illegal activities our Dawri Nagar Bachao Samiti will fight to the last”, concludes Sawant.

EDITORIAL

Who is responsible for Maoist Rebellion? 

Seeing the condition in some areas it persuades me to think whether the rise of Maoist rebellion is really unjustified. If some body is deprived the very basic needs like food , water and shelter in a democratic system for as long as long as six decades, even a sensible man would lose its faith in democracy system. The same has happened with simple, peace loving tribal people of Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Orissa and some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Why are we not seeing the root cause of rebellion? In state like Chhattisgarh which is rich in good quality raw mineral, is being leached out by mining industries, resulting in the annihilation of the tribal people and depriving them the natural resources. Maoist rebellion is result of fear of annihilation among the tribals. It’s totally imperative that growth of India is necessary and mandatory but the bigger question is at what cost. Do not the tribals in India have the same rights as people like us who consider our selves as educated, enlightened and responsible citizens? Aren’t they the citizens of India? When will our system recognize the very root cause of this issue? Will it take some more Dantewada events for the system to understand the ground reality? The 76 CRPF solders who died in the massacre are martyrs, but they were slayed not by some foreign terrorist organizations, but by our own citizens of this country. If a mother has more than one kid and if she cares and adores one of them most of the times, the other siblings are bound to get rebellion as they are not getting fair share of caring and affection which is their right. The governments forcibly possess fertile agriculture lands for diversion to SEZs, mining and industries thereby caring more for the industrialists than tribals….which retaliates into rebellion acts... One such case is the Mahuva region in the District of Bhavnagar of Gujarat which has arguably among the most fertile land where farmers grow three crops per annum, and also export mangoes, coconuts and other fruits. The abundance of farm produce has spun off agro processing units such as vegetable dehydration plants and cotton ginning units. The 51 dehydration plants reportedly employ 10,000 people churning a turnover of Rs.3 billion; whereas the corresponding figures for 18 ginning plants are 3000 people and Rs.35 billion. The region thus provides livelihood opportunities to about 10,000 farmers, 13,000 agro-industry employees and another 30,000 or odd farm labourers and artisans taking the total over 50,000 people. Recognising the agri-potential of this region the Gujarat government had invested tens of millions of public money during the last decade to build structures for water conversation and to prevent ingress of salinity in this coastal region. Contrary to its own earlier wisdom, Gujarat government decided to give 8,200 acres (720 for factory + 7,500 for limestone mine) of land in this very area for Nirma’s cement factory that would employ less than 500 people instead of the 50,000. Naturally, people of this region were horrified when they taught of this new development devoid of any thought for the welfare of the people whose interests the government is supposed to represent. For over one year people from at least 15 villages have been peacefully resisting the Gujarat government’s move for the ‘enclosure’ of their fertile lands just to benefit a corporate house. This project will destroy the livelihoods of over 50,000 people and eventually pauperize them and force them migrate to cities to eke out a miserable existence. Nobody would acquiesce in being pushed into beggary quietly and neither are these people silent about the assault on their livelihoods. .After a year long non violent protest and efforts to make the Government see reason failed 11,500 people signed a petition with their blood requesting it to desist from dispossessing them described as a frontal assault on democratic and human rights of these people. From Dantewada (Chattisgarh, Lalgarh (West Bengal), Jaitapur (Maharashtra), Narayanpatna (Orissa), to Mahuva (Gujarat); or from BJP, Congress, CPM, BJD, to DMK; it doesn’t matter which state or political party is ruling. The message is ominously the same. Mining and Industry is more important than people’s welfare or food. State cares about feeding hungry corporates having bottomless appetites with minerals, raw materials, land, water, forests and other common resources at the cost of the people in whose name they rule. While the talk is of development and progress for the poor and common people, the deeds are aimed at fattening the corporate, the legal persons, by pauperizing the citizenry, the real persons. The duplicity of the state is writ large everywhere. Time to act is now.

Injured Kalina lady is finally compensated by BMC

About a month ago, we had reported about a Kalina resident, Annie Fernandes (37), who sustained grievous injuries when a tree fell on her. The BMC drew flak for the incidents and it decided to take action on the housing societies. Prior to that, a month ago, Annie Fernandes, a widow residing at Kolivery Village, Kalina while crossing the road a tree fell on her. She was grievously injured and was lying at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Hospital where she underwent treatment. Annie being a widow lost her husband about 3 months ago and has a 2 year-old child. Her father works as an employee in the office of Our Lady of Egypt Church, Kalina.

After the accident, the Asst. Commissioner and Engineer, Garden dept visited the site. But when the time came to paying the injured lady compensation it is alleged that the Asst. Commissioner showed reluctance. However, Rev. Fr. Adrian Ferreira, Parish Priest, Our Lady of Egypt, Kalina intervened and shot a letter to the Corporator, Alice Therattil. After a lot of persuasion and follow-up by Alice Therattil with the Mayor, garden Dept of BMC, Municipal Commissioner, Anand Walhalkar, AMC and C.B.Rokade, DMC she finally managed to get an amount of Rs 50,000 cleared by BMC.

It was on 6^th December; Corporator Alice Therattil  finally handed over  a cheque of Rs 50,000 from BMC to Annie at her residence since she is still not in a movable condition. Being a widow Annie is still in financial difficulties since for no fault of hers she had to undergo huge medical expenses and liability. However, corporator Alice Therattil taking into consideration of her huge financial liability has requested the BMC to provide further assistance through other funds of Mumbai Mahanagarpalika.

Santacruz Patrika had also raised the question - When BMC is ready to pay Rs one Lakh compensation to relatives of dead and Rs 50,000 to injured. Hence, in this case - Why should Annie Fernandes not be compensated by BMC? While elaborating Alice Therattil spoke to Santacruz Patrika and said, “After a lot of persuasion with BMC I finally managed to get compensation paid to Annie Fernandes.” 

‘What the Church & School needed, we provided’ - Therattil

The Catholic community of Kalina badly needed a beautiful access to the Church and School.  The question that was left unanswered for long was - A new entrance to the Church, the School, an entrance keeping in time and tune with 2010’s needs.  We all know that for many decades a shop existed just outside attached to the OLEP church/school gate, selling unhygienic and non-essentials. A shop that threw a spanner in all of BMC’s plans.  It stood in the midst of school programmes, church festivities, processions, free movement of school buses, school children activities and was an eye sore.  The School, the Church, the mighty and the meek all wanted its removal, but the shop managed to challenge the powers, and overcame several odds to remain unfazed, and posed a challenge to everyone.  People were resigned to our fate and for several decades accepted our fait accompli.  But ultimately their prayers were answered. During conversations immediately after Mrs. Alice Johnson Therattil became BMC Corporator of Ward 84, she and her husband Mr. Johnson G Therattil, both regular visitors to the institution were against the shabby entrance to these glorious Institutions, on several occasions they asked the authorities if both of them could serve the School and Church’s special needs.

And lo and behold – the shop, the eyesore, dominating the entrance, became the focal point once again as a thorn to the Institution. However, they got an assurance from the Therattils that they would help to remove this thorn that has been causing a nuisance to the institution.  Their sentiments were upbeat – the scenario changed - from the depths of despair and depression to a sea change in the approach – they had assured the shop’s life was but short-lived.

Soon, action took its root and all the concerned authorities - the traffic police, the corporation personnel’s and all seemed to spell the death knell for the shop owner who was adamant.  And on 27^th March 2010, the shop was ultimately and finally demolished.  The hard work and persuasion of the Therattils brought results. A wish had been fulfilled.