Issue 30

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Police still evict us, say angry vendors

Volume 15 Issue 30

WEEKLY OBSERVER

THE

An IIJNM Publication

Page 3

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

Tibetans give a clarion call to ‘Free Tibet’ Page 4

Got burns? An emergency unit that works: 70 km away Laxmi Narayani Dozens of burns victims in Tumakuru had to travel over 70 km to Victoria Hospital due to poor facilities in the local general hospital.

Over 70 devotees had got injured while walking on burning charcoal as a part of a ritual at Maramma Temple on Wednesday. Of them, 44 are being treated at Victoria Hospital.

Lakshmi Narayan, whose 23-year-old son Abhilash is admitted in Victoria, said she spent Rs. 3000 to bring her son to Bangalore for treatment.

She said: “No ambulance turned up during the emergency at 5 am. After much effort we arranged a private vehicle and tried to shift him to the government hospital, only to find no doctors there.”

Dr. Ramesha KT, head of department at Victoria Hospital burns section, said, “44 patients have been admitted in the general ward, 14 of them are in the ICU. But none of them are in a critical stage.”

Narayan said: “At Tumakuru hospital, five medical personnels were taking care of around 60 patients. They didn’t have any medical equipment to manage the emergency.”

According to her, the mishap occurred because of a miscommunication between the devotees and temple authorities. The devotees jumped on to a fire-bed. The charcoal path was 20 feet long.

She said, “More than 20 people fell one after the other resulting in severe injuries.”

Rangarajan, father of Naveen, a 25-year-old victim, accused the doctors of a private hospital for not treating his son properly. He said: “My son is now in the ICU. Doctors said that he will be alright soon.

“The doctors at Sridevi Private Hospital in Tumakuru did not attend to Naveen

The burns unit at Victoria Hospital until they were forced. They even took my son’s wallet and belongings, which they never returned. They charged around Rs.4000 for useless treatments.”

He said that the Tumakuru Government Hospital does not provide efficient treatment. “Five doctors are working there. None of them are available mostly.”

BBMP cold towards the city’s old ‘We are dying anyway, let’s die here,’ say retired workers

Tanay Sukumar With many of them thrown out of home and ignored by the government, a large group of retired municipal employees from the city demanded free meals and medicines at a protest today at the BBMP office.

The Akhila Karnataka Vayovrudhhara Okkatta (All Karnataka Senior Citizens Council - United) demanding restoration of Bisi Oota scheme which provided free meals to aged and retired senior citizens.

The mid-day meal program was started in 2007 and was discontinued in February 2012 due to non-payment to Akshaya Patra, a scheme run by the ISCKON foundation.

Martin, 66, had asthma even when he used to wash cars of government babus.

Today, he is retired, and he says the government no longer supports him for his medicines.

“I get no money for my medicines or calcium tablets. I also have osteoporosis and a skin disorder. They stopped giving us meals too.”

All those who gathered

outside BBMP office today had similar issues. Some of them are dying of disease and starvation, according to those present. Often thrown out of their homes, they are retired government employees who are angry that the government stopped the Bisi Oota scheme four years back.

S. Mary, president of union, said: “So

many of us are dying anyway. Why give up our lives there, let’s give up our lives here at the BBMP office.”

On October 1 last year, Bangalore mayor BN Manjunath Reddy had promised Rs.35 lakh to resume the mid-day meal programme for elderly retired employees, and that within 15 days the hot meals scheme would start functioning again.

However, there was nothing done in the five months since then, according to Sebastian Devaraj, president of South India Federation of Trade Unions, which supported the protest.

He said: “Each meal

Martin, 66, is a former government employee demanding three square meals a day

Protestors in front of the BBMP office costs the government Rs.20, and they can’t give that for these people who have worked for 40 years. Why should they pay for their food? The corporation says there are no funds, and the Mayor has not even given any assurance.”

He added: “Many of them suffer from osteoporosis and diabetes.

Public health centres are not available for them because they are so far and they can’t walk for that long.

Later in the day, the group was given a fresh assurance.

Devaraj said: “The BBMP commissioner G Kumar Naik has told us today that it

will definitely be done in one month. So we have stopped the protest for now.”

An activist, Fatima, who works with some of the retired employees, said: “There are so many sad stories here, one would get tears. They all are not even here protesting because they are not in a state to come.”

According to Mary, many of those who protested were construction workers, maids and sweepers. After a similar protest in October on World Elders Day, the mayor had assured them of action in a month, but a spokesperson from the BBMP mayor office said, “Today, the mayor has ordered the commissioner to solve these disputes as fast as possible.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

OUTLOOK: When sport and politics collide

We cannot play cricket if you play with terror Oindrila Sarkar

Politics should not influence sports Maqsood Maniyar

NK Kalia, father of Saurabh Kalia, who was kidnapped when on patrol and tortured to death by the Pakistani army in Skardu expressed that the World Twenty20 Asia Cup venue in Dharmshala should be changed. Pakistanis, he said, could not be allowed to play under the shadow of the martyr’s memorial near the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virabhadra Singh also announced his inability to provide security. The extent of bereavement of families of soldiers who have lost their loved ones to Pakistani bullets is visible.

Pakistan cannot send us one group with cricket bats and another group with AK-47 rifles, grenades and ammunition.

The Pathankot and the Pampore encounters in the first two months of the year claimed the lives of many of India’s best and brightest defence personnel.

It has become a trend since 1999 to plot a stab in the back while displaying bonhomie as a facade. We resumed play in 2004 and were paid with 26/11 in 2008. Those hooting

about the security of Pakistani players on foreign soil must remember how unsafe Pakistan is for players. In March, 2009, terrorists attacked the Sri

Following concerns over security, the highly anticipated World T20 match between India and Pakistan was shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata.

Predictably, the first reaction of the hawks was to spit “Why do they want to play here? Send them home! Do they think Pakistan is safer than India?”

These are self righteous proclamations. Note that India refuses to play cricket in Pakistan citing the very same reason ‘security concerns’. Pakistani cricket fans may react the same way as India’s.

Clichéd but true, sports and politics don’t mix too well.

Despite everything, players on both sides have by and large been respectful to each other.

Indo-Pak cricketing ties have had a bitter competitive edge to them and have produced some classics.

Who can forget Javed Miandad hitting Chetan Sharma for a six on the last ball and winning Pakistan the match?

Which Indian doesn’t get puffed up with pride when India’s perfect record against their neighbours in the world cup is mentioned? To deny this thrill to an Indian or Pakistani

or indeed any cricket fan is criminal.

This has provided the two countries an opportunity to get some perspective. It has

Pakistan cannot send us one group with cricket bats and another group with AK-47 rifles, grenades and ammunition.

It has become a trend since 1999 to plot a stab in the back while displaying bonhomie as a facade.

Lankan cricket team in Lahore.

Since antiquity, international sports has provided a symbolic arena for polities to demonstrate various types of superiority from athletic prowess to the ideology of a particular system of state. Sports has always been used as a form of conflict resolution to unite

Shiv Sena has shamed Indian cricket on multiple occasions. Thrice, they damaged pitches, invaded the BCCI and damaged India’s 1983 World Cup among other disgraceful acts. It damaged India’s reputation before the world.

allowed us to explore our cultural similarities and of course, our love for cricket.

Instead, we have right wing organizations like the so called “Anti-Terrorist Front of India” (ATFI) that want to dig up the pitch at the awesome venue that is Eden Gardens. It is no

estranged people and nations.

When sports provides a useful function it is usually co-opted by politics. Those talking about goofing up sports with politics need to flip through the pages of history.

Sports events have been used earlier to export terror as well.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) took advantage of the 1972 Munich Olympics in vengeance and assassinated 12 Israeli players. The US did not participate in the 1980 Moscow Olympics because of diplomatic estrangement. Even South Africa faced cricket boycott because of apartheid. Pingpong diplomacy is famous for the resumption of ties between China and USA in 1972 when the Chinese invited a US pingpong team to play in China.

Not playing with Pakistan hurts them. Shahryar Khan was willing to share revenue with the BCCI in exchange for a cricket match which he wanted to be played between India and Pakistan in the UAE. A cricketing series will generate a huge revenue for Pakistan, a country suspected of funding terror.

An opinion poll conducted

by indiatvnews.com on Facebook and Twitter in November 2015 showed an overwhelmingly negative response with 87% of the people in India feeling that the time had not arrived to resume cricket ties with Pakistan.

Pakistan has not honoured its commitment to help India with 26/11 investigations.

They released Zaki-ur Rahman Lakhvi, second-in-command in the attack after a farce of a trial and decided that evidence given by India is not concrete.

The sight of Hafiz Saeed of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leading the Eid namaaz at the Gaddafi stadium does not help Pakistan earn the trust of world cricket.

Pakistan cannot keep building secret tunnels to India, export terror and turmoil. If they have decided to cut India through a hundred wounds then India should not help Pakistan in collecting revenue through cricket. Those who have their sole agenda as the destabilisation of the country cannot be welcomed as guests.

Sports is very much a diplomatic stick to beat Pakistan with.

secret from where the ATFI draws its inspiration.

Shiv Sena has shamed Indian cricket on multiple occasions.

Thrice, they damaged pitches, invaded the BCCI offices and damaged India’s 1983 World Cup among other disgraceful acts. It damaged India’s reputation before the world.

True, great harm has befallen India and the genesis of this was found to be Pakistan. Border skirmishes near the border with Kashmir, the 26/11 terrorist attacks in which 166 people died and the relatively recent attack on the Pathankot air base by an armed group that sneaked in from the Pakistan border.

Many here would find it difficult to accept but in the tensions between India and Pakistan, it is not all Pakistan’s fault. Kashmir remains an unresolved issue, in large part thanks to the fact that India refuses to accept that it is a disputed region.

In the 2007 Samjhauta Express train blasts, 68 people, most of them Pakistanis, lost their lives. So, for us to say that it is all Pakistan’s fault is rather hypocritical.

Both countries should renew diplomacy and sort out the issues with a spirit of sincerity.

Innocent lives on both sides should be respected and investigations into terrorist attacks should be expedited. Also, the Kashmir issue should be solved on equitable terms.

The relationship between sports and politics is a complex one. Every issue should be looked at separately. One may argue that the sporting boycott of apartheid South Africa was justified as it isolated a brutal and racist regime. Also, it dealt a serious blow to segregation in sports.

But what would one say to UAE denying visa to Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer so that she could not participate in the Dubai Tennis Championships. Some offered reasons like – she too is a settler, she has also stolen Palestinian land and oppressed the natives of the land.

One can only say that political issues should be settled in a political manner. Fair solutions should be found, especially with the help of third parties such as the United Nations, and let sports be.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

Police still evict us, say angry vendors Protestors seek justice, mayor agrees for meeting

Tanay Sukumar With the laws on their side, street vendors from across the city demanded on Thursday an end to continued evictions by police.

A protest by Beedhi Vyapari Sanghatanegala Okkoota (Federation of Street Vendor Unions of Bangalore) saw vendors from Kaverinagar, Yeshwanthpur, Koramangala and Shivajinagar at the BBMP office. No street vendor can be evicted under the Street Vendor Act 2014.

“They come to us and take away all our stuff, even gas cylinders and stoves. Since we are from the north east, they ask us to go back to our place and not Street vendors to come here,” said Pushpa, who came from Darjeeling seven years ago and sells momos in Koramangala. Pushpa is one of over a hundred street vendors who gathered at BBMP office today seeking a stoppage on the harassment from police officials which they say they have been facing for the last six years or so.

“They made toilets for us, but women have to pay Rs.20 if they use the toilet four times in the day. We could easily get a meal for that,” said Durga Charan, another female trader from Rajasthan, who works in Koramangala.

Gulab Jan, a trader from Yeshwanthpur, said: “I have been here since my mother was

during the protest at BBMP office 16, but we never faced problems except for the last few years.”

In December 2015, the Bruhat Bengaluru Beedhi Vyaapaari Sanghatanegala Okkoota had organized another such protest against the forced evictions of street vendors by police and BBMP authorities.

Babu Mathew, professor at National Law School of India University, Bangalore, had then said: “This issue is a question of attitude towards street vendors, they are treated like dogs. People should read the Supreme Court’s judgement to help them get rid of this attitude.”

Charan said: “They won’t agree, we have to make them agree to us.”

Geeta Rai, also a momos seller from Darjeeling, said: “We are all human beings, we may look different, but we are earning rightfully. This is also our country.”

Rangaswamy CE, general secretary of Bruhat Bengaluru, said: “In December, BBMP officials and police evicted around 50 vendors in Kaverinagar. The courts have already ruled in our favour, so this is illegal.”

Sheikh Ibrahim, a trader from Shivajinagar, said, “We want them to do a survey of street vendors and give us ID cards, so that they stop harassing us.”

The organization also demanded that one per cent funds should be allocated in the forthcoming BBMP budget and free public amenities should be provided to markets.

They also asked for a grievance redressal cell, as required in the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

The mayor assured them of a meeting on Saturday at 4 pm, after which the group dispersed.

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Two nabbed for peddling ganja Parvathi Benu The Bagalur police have arrested two men for peddling 12.5 kg of Ganja near the Bagalur government hospital.

The two indentified as Ibrahim Pasha and Mazhar of Chikaballapura district, was nabbed in a police raid. Both the arrested are in judicial custody and are charged under section 20(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The police have confirmed the involvement of a third man in the group believed to be absconding.

“Pasha and Mazhar have said that they do not know the third man’s identity,” said ShivappaNaikar, SI, Bagalur Police station.

He said that that the investigation in still going on and they are yet to find the sources of ganja.

Stating that the raid was based on information that police received, Dr PS Harsha, DCP North-East of the City Police said, “We do not suspect involvement of any big racket.”

In a similar incident yesterday, the City Crime Branch had arrested two men in possession of 15 kg ganja.

In another incident, the police seized 20 kg of ganja from a dealer.

No fence around forests, says court order Maqsood Maniyar Construction of the fence surrounding the B.M. Kavalu forest which prevents wild animals from entering villages has been suspended due to litigation.

Devaraj, an officer from Kagalipura forest department said that construction was stopped because some people have taken the matter to court claiming that their private land was being encroached upon.

Bhairava, Range Forest Officer from Kagalipura forest department, said that B.M. Kavalu was a 7,000-acre forest and that their department owned only 1,380 acres of it.

Villagers say that the nearly five-feet-tall wall that covers about 12 kilometres does offer protection against most wild animals but leopards can jump over it and sneak into villages.

The halt in the building of this wall has allowed human-animal conflict to continue unabated in nearby villages – Gangasandra, Kamayanpallya, Siddanapallya, Doddipallya, Anepallya, Devagiri and the like.

Farmers say that their crops are destroyed by wild boar, deer,

peafowl and rarely even elephants. They also claim that their livestock – cattle, goat and sheep are killed by leopards. In rare cases, people get killed.

Ashwathappa, who farms on nearly five acres of land in Siddanapallya, said: “We live near the edge of the forest. We are troubled people. Three of my sheep have been killed by leopards, so was my dog. These leopards have no fear; they come right up to our house.”

Gram sabha member from Kamayyanapallya, Muniraju owns nearly 10 acres of land. He said: “Wild boars sneak into farmland every night. Elephants show up every two or three months.

Leopards turn up every now and then too. About two years ago, a young man was crushed to death by an elephant.

“When elephants enter the villages, forest department shows up and bursts crackers and chases them away. They may even help with the leopards. Wild boars are a common problem. They don’t bother with such things.”

Govindaraju, a farmer who lives in Devagiri said: “I own over four acres of land. I mostly farm Ragi and I also have a coconut orchard.

To keep the wild boar away, we build fences made from clothes and threads, burn tyres and play

radio all night long. For the most part, it works.”

Resident veterinarian at Bannerghatta biological park, Dr. Manjunath argues that human-animal conflict has not increased but rather human population has.

“The people in these villages (Kammayanpallya, Doddipallya,etc.) must have been living there for hundreds of years.

They and the generations have experienced human-animal conflict. They have gotten used to it.

“Earlier, leopards used to get

plentiful amount of prey. Now they don’t because humans have destroyed their habitat. So, they end up looking for food near human settlements.It is a case of human goals affecting animal’s needs.”

No relief yet after animals ate away crops Gram sabha member Muniraju, whose crops destroyed by an elephant four years ago is yet to receive compensation from the forest department.

Muniraju is a gramasabha member from Kamayanpallya near Kumbalgodu. He also lives in the village. He owns about ten acres of land. He mostly grows millets, corn and coconuts.

“About four years ago, an elephant rampaged through my farmland which is about ten acres of land.

The forest department’s procedure by which one receives relief is quite tedious. We don’t get the desired amount either.”

Ashwathappa, a farmer who resides in Siddinapallya also has a similar complaint. “I own about five acres of land and I farm corn, millets, tomatoes and even silk.”

He said that much of his crop was destroyed by deer and boar. “We have to go their offices a hundred times, demand ten thousand rupees and in the end, we get two thousand.”

He also said that three of his sheep were killed by a leopard.

Govindaraju who owns farmland in Devagiri said, “The wild boar is so commonplace that we don’t even bother to apply for relief when our crops are destroyed.”

He said that instead of applying for relief, he makes a makeshift fence to protect his crops.

G.S. Kariappa is the (CCFO) chief conservator of forests, forest department. She said that while delivery of compensation takes time but there is a procedure by means of which the system works.

“Many people don’t apply for compensation, they should. Anyone can fill one of our forms and write to us that things aren’t functioning smoothly and we will take remedial measures.” She said.

Forest department can fix relief

In September 2014, the Karnataka state government had authorized field officers to fix relief. This meant that forest department officials could investigate and adjudge the amount of relief by themselves.

They had also revised the scale of compensation.

Previously, the minimum amount to be paid for loss of livestock was Rs2,500 and the maximum was Rs.3,000.

The amount fixed for death of a sheep or a goat was Rs.5,000. The same for cattle was Rs10,000.

Earlier the maximum amount payable for complete loss of crop was Rs.50,000. It was revised to Rs10,000.

Muniraju says that little has changed on the ground and that for people living near forests this was the norm.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

Tibetans give a clarion call to ‘Free Tibet’

A little girl holding a candle along with her mom and aunt at Bannappa Park before marching to town hall

Regina Gurung Over 500 Tibetans from south India gathered in Bannappa Park on March 9 and 10 to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising.

The occasion was meant to draw attention to the issue of Tibetans living under Chinese rule. The gathering was organized by four Tibetan associations from all over South India, particularly from Karnataka, to highlight the issues of Tibetan people, casualties of war and refugees.

On March 9, the protest was held at 6pm in Bannappa Park.

A candlelight vigil was undertaken from Banappa park to Town Hall with security provided by the state government. Slogans like “Save Tibet for Indians’ security”, “China, stop killing, marginalization and cultural genocide in Tibet” were raised.

Groups that organized the protest were Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC). Also, involved were the Tibetan Regional Women’s Association (TRWA). Protestors came from Bylakuppe, Mundgod, Hunsur, Kollegal and Bangalore.

Pictures of 152 Tibetan ‘martyrs’ were displayed as well. The pictures of Dorjee Tsering, 16, and Kalsang Wangdu, 18, who immolated themselves to free Tibet, were displayed in the first row.

The protestors said that the Chinese army brutally killed thousands of men, women, monks and

nuns. They also said that Tibetans were subjected to torture, oppression, imprisonment, hard labour and starvation under the Chinese autocratic rule since 1959.

On March 10, 1959, thousands of Tibetan people had carried out a protest against the Chinese illegal invasion of Tibet and what they said was an attempt to abduct Dalai Lama by inviting him to a Chinese military show.

This Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959 which is regarded as illegal by many has caused the death of over 1.2 million Tibetans and at least 143 have immolated themselves to express their dissent. The protestors said that they wanted the world to acknowledge the situation prevailing in Tibet under Chinese occupation.

Tibetian Youth Congress (TYC) and Tibetian Regional Women’s Association (TRWA) issued an open letter today to Narendra Modi. In the letter, protestors urged the government “to play a dominant role in finding a solution to Tibetan issue based on Middle Way Approach initiated

by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama which is mutually beneficial to both Tibet and china.”

Former Minister Ramachandra Gowda was the chief guest of the event. He announced that the letter would be personally handed by him to the prime minister.

“Many of you were not born here but you treat India as your home because you have better freedom here than anywhere else. Tibet is the roof of the world where the sun is visible and time stands

still.” Gowda said. sulate from Surinam and South their respective colleges. Tenzin “Why should China occupy America, Mrs Gyari Dolma, Tselha, vice president of Tibetan Tibet? Dalai Lama is called the Home Minister of Central Ti- Youth Congress and a first year mobile messenger of peace and betan Administration and Mrs student of St. Joseph’s College, he has also met the Prime Minis- Bhumo Tsering, member of Par- said that the college administrater. You have our support and the liament were the three others tions have excused all the Tibetan support of the rest of the world” among the chief guests. students for today’s protest. said Gowda assuring the Tibetans Dolma Tsering, President of Dorjee Tsering’s mother is rethat “their voices and struggle will Regional Tibet Women’s Asso- ported to have said that there are be heard.” ciation Mundgod said, “We have other ways to protest apart from Thinlay Chukki, Kannada trans- been organizing this day in Ban- giving your life. Tsering had imlator of Dalai Lama, said, “People galore for 50 years. The Chinese molated himself. are discouraged from thinking will never allow Tibetans to raise Thinlay Chukki agrees with that there is hope for Tibet to be voices against injustice back in her as she said, “Not discounting free from China’s rule but this Tibet. Overtime we have been the fact that his sacrifice is paraprotest march is to remind the getting support and that feels mount and has impacted me perpeople of the world that we are good.” sonally. I still feel self-immolation alive and we are struggling.”

Tibetan Youth Congress Presi- is not yielding results. That is our Thinlay Chukki, a legal consul- dent, Tsering LhakyapJanyeal ad- last resort and enough martyrs tant by profession was born and dressed the crowd saying “Tibet have emerged for the cause. The brought up in Bangalore. Though ki Raksha,Bharat ki Suraksha.” world turns a deaf ear, so I’d like an Indian national, she does not Majority of the Tibetans present to ask the world what kind of proexercise the right to vote. were the college-going-students test will let you to see what is hapShe said, “Simple things like who were excused today from pening to us.” filling an insurance form demand that you to fill your nationality. I cannot say I am a citizen of India, since the Refugee Treaty has not been signed by the Indian Government.

I tag myself as a refugee and people do not understand that.”

Asif Iqbal, Young Tibetans observe the anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising, holding slogans in front of Honorary Tibetan Con- Town Hall on March 9

Team Observer Editor: Mouli Shree | News Editor: Irien Joseph, Sanskriti Talwar | Chief Sub-Editor: Maqsood Maniyar | Sub-Editors: Parvathi Benu, Akshaya N Asokan | Picture Editor: Aparajita Khandelwal