Madhya Pradesh "misbriefed" Supreme Court on Narmada oustees, said just 1038 oustee families left out: NBA

By Our Representative
In a clear indication of failure to get any positive indication in the wake of a Supreme Court hearing on Narmada dam oustees on May 13, the country's premier anti-dam organization, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), has said that the Madhya Pradesh government has “successfully” misbriefed the apex court on Narmada dam oustees.

The NBA alleged, the Madhya Pradesh government sent so far as to resort to “awful tactics, including unreliable affidavits", in order to show full rehabilitation, for ensuring that the Narmada dam is completed at the earliest.
The “briefing”, believes top social activist Medha Patkar-led NBA, has helped push the dam to “its ultimate height, moving towards closure of gates of the dam”, adding, this would “submerge all its black deeds that have cost the oustees a great deal.”
The apex court, even as allowing the dam to be completed up to 138.64 metres, had earlier ordered that gates of the dams should remain open the completion of the rehabilitation of all dam oustees. The Modi government has told the governments of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra -- all BJP ruled -- to work out ways so that the dam work is over before Gujarat goes to polls in December 2017.
“Madhya Pradesh government and its Narmada Valley Development Authority have given another blow to the process of eliminating corruption, preventing irregularity and illegality in rehabilitating the people affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project”, the NBA said in a statement.
Referring to the seven-year-long inquiry by the Justice Jha Commission, appointed by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh to look into allegations of corruption in the oustees' rehabilitation. The NBA said, while the Jha Commission report is with the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh since April 2016, “there seems to be no action taken” by it.
“What happened at the Supreme Court on the May 13 also indicates the same”, the NBA said, adding, “The apex court, while allowing the payments in cash/cheque, maintained that they cannot be disbursed without thorough scrutiny of the Jha Commission.”
The Madhya Pradesh government, against this backdrop, maintained that there are just 1038 families “yet to receive disbursement of some grant” for rehabilitating them, claiming, this figure which is an “underestimated since the Narmada Control Authority's {NCA’s) figure is 2,143.”
Disputing this, the the NBA said, the figure of those who have not been rehabilitated runs in “thousands”, the NBA has denied the allegation of the Madhya Pradesh government that it wants to “create barriers in the rehabilitation process.”
Seeking an independent authority to look into the rehabilitation of the oustees, instead of allowing things to be left to the Grievances Redressal Authority (GRA), a government body, the NBA regretted that the apex court granted “freedom” to the Madhya Pradesh government “to design the mechanisms of scrutiny”, allowing it to appoint a retired High Court judge as chair the GRA.”
“NBA feels this will open a Pandora’s box and expresses disappointment at the latest turn of events”, the NBA said, in a statement jointly prepared by Patkar, Ashwini VS, Rahul Yadav, Kamla Yadav and Kailash Awasya.

Comments

Missed call drive for VVPAT verification follows online plea to "pressure" poll panel

By Our Representative
Several political activists have begun a new campaign, asking concerned citizens to give a missed call on 9667655855 to “support the demand that 2019 Loksabha elections must be declared only after verification of 50% electronic voting machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) receipts.” The effort, supported by civil society networks across India, is meant to "further pressure" India's election machinery to ensure that the poll outcome becomes more transparent.

Now, top Gujarat "litterateur" close to Modi says: Godse was patriot, so was Gandhi

By Rajiv Shah
A little over a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized BJP candidate from Bhopal Pragya Thakur for calling Nathuram Godse a patriot saying he would never forgive her for the remark, a top Sangh Parivar ideologue, known to close to Modi in Gujarat, has supported her, saying her statement should be seen “within a context.” Thakur won from Bhopal by more than 3.5 lakh votes defeating her nearest rival, veteran Congressman and ex-Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh.

Opposition refuses to legally challenge EVMs amidst plans of "back to ballot" protest

Counterview Desk
Even as opposition to the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) allegedly to rig polls is growing, a group of prominent citizens who have come together to form the EVM Virodhi Rashtriya Jan Andolan has controversially called for a national protest against EVMs on May 30, demanding future elections should be held only on ballot paper.

When a Pak scribe said Modi has 'proved' Jinnah’s two nation theory right...

By Zafar Agha*
It was around nine in the morning on May 24, 2019, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stormed the Lok Sabha with 300-plus MPs. It was a call from a journalist friend, Muzamal Suhrawardy, from Lahore, Pakistan. I ignored the call. We liberals had a depressing day the previous evening as the opposition to Modi and BJP collapsed. The results belied reports from the ground and even assessments made by colleagues.

It's now official: Akshay Kumar has not been conferred honorary Canadian citizenship

By Our Representative
It is now official. Super-star Akshay Kumar has not been conferred any honorary citizenship by Canadian authorities, as claimed by him ahead of the 2019 elections. In reply to a query by Roshan Shah, who is a Canadian citizen living in Waterloo, Ontario, and belongs to Ahmedabad, the country’s authorities dealing with issues related with immigration, refugees and citizenship in Canada have said that only six persons have so far been granted honorary citizenship.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad "declared support" to two-nation theory in 1937, followed by Jinnah three years later

By Our Representative
One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

If EC's credibility is under question, shouldn't one "assume" EVMs might be tampered?

Counterview Desk
Gauhar Raza, scientist, documentary film maker and poet; senior human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi of the Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD); military veteran Major Priyadarshi Chowdhury (retd); and Sucheta De and Sandeep Saurav of the All India Students' Association (AISA), have asked “individuals, organisations and people's movements” to send their endorsement to an appeal they have prepared on Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

Govt of India overestimated GDP by 2.5%, must restore reputational damage: Ex-CEA

By Rajiv Shah
Top economist Arvind Subramanian has said that changes brought about by the Government of India in data sources and methodology for estimating the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) since 2011-12 “has led to a significant overestimation of growth”. While official estimates place annual average GDP growth between 2011-12 and 2016-17 at about 7 percent, the actual growth may have been 4½ percent, ranging from 3 ½ to 5 ½ percent during the period, he adds.

Common thread of Modi, political Hinduism, nationalism? 'Contest' of ideas isn't over

By Salman Khurshid*
Losing the 2019 election and that too in a somewhat extreme manner has confronted us with unexpected challenges: Our leadership has naturally taken it very hard and to heart but with suggested options that we cannot imagine or contemplate. Hopefully the emotions will settle soon and give us the direction to pick up the pieces and march again.

Will minorities in India be 2nd class citizens? Wake up call: Be a 'communicating' Church

By Fr Cedric Prakash sj*
India today is at a defining moment of her history. There is so much that has taken place in the past five years (and particularly in the last ten days)- that several citizens of the country are genuinely concerned about the future of the country! Will democracy survive? Will key elements of the Constitution be changed?

Counterview

Search This Blog