Umar's murder in Rajasthan: Protect Meos of Alwar and Bharatpur targeted by cow vigilantes, CM urged

By A Representative
A joint memorandum by several civil rights organizations addressed to Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje has sought immediate arrest of the cops and so-called Gau Rakshaks -- cow vigilantes -- allegedly involved in the "brutal murder" of Umar Mohammed of Kaman Pahadi Bharatpur, even as withdrawal of the case of cow smuggling against Umar and his fellow travellers Tahir and others.
Asking Raje to come up with a complete plan to stop the attack on Muslims in Rajasthan by cow vigilantes and others, even as initiating a safety measures espcially "for Meos in Alwar and Bharatpur district as they are all dairy farmers", the 20 odd organizations reminded her that the "ghastly murder" took place on November 10, when she was in Alwar campaigning for bye elections.
The comes amidst Meos' refusal to take the body till FIR was lodged against the culprits who are claimed to have been identified, specifically mentioning that Umar was killed due to bullet fire and on getting crushed by train. Meos sat in protest in favour of their demands.
The letter said, "Umar was a resident of Ghatmatika Pahadi, near Pahadi Kaman, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, and a dairy farmer", and when he was "returning from Ramgarh with a few cows" his "pickup vehicle was stopped by means of a patta, the tyre punctured and then attacked."
"Facts show that the police of Ramgarh was equally involved with the Gau Rakshaks in killing Umar", the letter said, adding, "What is shocking is that the police and the Gau goondas tried to destroy evidence by throwing his body on the railway track."
Pointing out that the "present state of his body shows the brutality that the police and the so-called Gau rakshaks can indulge in", the letter said, "Even the running over of a train/trains could not hide the exit wounds of the bullet. Tahir who is very serious and being treated in a hospital is an eye witness to the whole thing."
Signed, among others, by Kavita Srivastava of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Rajasthan; Nikhil Dey of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanfathan (MKSS); Sumitra Chopra of the All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA); Nisha Sidhu of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW); Mohammed Iqbal of the Jamait Islami Hind, Rajasthan; and Mukesh Goswami of the RTI Manch, the letter accused the state government of "complete failure" on the law and order front.
Umar's is the fifth murder in Rajasthan by cow vigilantes and others after the BJP took over in the state. The first murder took place on May 30 2015, of Abdul Gaffar Querishi, Birloka, Didwana tehsil, Nagaur district. On April 1 this year, Pehlu Khan was lynched to death in Behror thana, Alwar district. On June 16, Zafar Khan of Pratapgarh town was killed. And on Pratapgarh district September Bhagtaram Meena was killed in Neem Ka Thaana, Sikar district.
In the context of Umar's murder, the letter demanded immediate transfer of investigation to an independent agency, like an SIT or under the IG, adding, compensation, including cash of 25 lakhs, government job to his kin and land to the family, should be announced, and Tahir be given protection and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.
It also demanded suspension of superintendent of police, Alwar, for "failing to prevent" the incident also locating the body for two days, for 2 days not locating the body.

Comments

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Political misfires in Bihar: Reasons behind the Opposition's self-inflicted defeat

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The Bihar Vidhansabha Election 2025 verdict is out. I maintained deliberate silence about the growing tribe of “social media” experts and their opinions. Lately, these do not fascinate me. Anyone forming an opinion solely on the basis of these “experts” lives in a fool’s paradise. I do not watch them, nor do I follow them on Twitter. I stayed away partly because I was not certain of a MahaGathbandhan victory, even though I wanted it. But my personal preference is not the issue here. The parties disappointed.

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

From fake interviewer to farmer’s advocate: Akshay Kumar’s surprising role in 'Jolly LLB 3'

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah* At the luxurious INOX theatre in Sky City Mall, Borivali East, Mumbai, around seventy upper-middle-class viewers attended the 10:45 a.m. screening of Jolly LLB 3. In the film’s concluding courtroom sequence, Arshad Warsi’s character asks the judge whether he would willingly surrender one of his own homes to the government for a development project in Delhi.

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Search This Blog