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List of Indian American organizations who attended Narendra Modi’s reception at Madison Square Garden in New York

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Mr. Narendra Modi waves as he arrives to speak at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sept. 28, 2014. Photo by Lucas Jackson/Reuters

New York: The public reception for the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Madison Square Garden on September 28th, organized by the Indian American Community Foundation (IACF), attracted 19,000 cheering fans, apart from the staff and volunteers.

According to Communalism Watch, the resource website documenting the rise of the far right in India, Mr. Modi’s show at the iconic American indoor arena, was “Hindutva driven and inward looking, communally inclined circuits in the diaspora in the U.S were mobilised”.

Below is the full list of Indian American organizations who requested and were issued tickets by the IACF, and obtained by the India related US based website The American Bazaar:

  • Overseas Volunteer for Better India
  • Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA
  • OFBJP USA
  • Gujarati Samaj of New York
  • Indo American Seniors Organization of New Jersey
  • Param Shakti Peeth of America
  • Jain Center of New Jersey
  • US India Political Action Committee
  • NAMO BJP
  • Telugu Association of North America
  • Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America-National
  • BAPS SWAMINARAYAN SANSTHA
  • The Hindu Student Council of NYU
  • Global Indians for Bharat Vikas
  • Indian American Intellectuals Forum Inc.
  • India Association of Long Island Inc.
  • Indian Students Association at Columbia University
  •  Vaishnav Temple of New York
  • North America Telugu Society
  • Hindu Center Inc.
  • Hindi USA
  • Jain Temple of New York
  • North American Telugu Association
  • Network of Indian Professional
  • American Telugu Association
  • Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects
  • Indian Cultural Center of South Jersey
  • BMM North America
  • Graduate Indian Students Association
  • India Association of Rhode Island
  • IIT Bombay Alumni Association Greater New York Chapter
  • Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America
  • NYU Shruti
  • Long Island Gujarati Cultural Society
  • Rajasthan Association of North America
  • Asian American Senior Association of Sayreville
  • Bhartiya Senior Citizens of Chicago
  • Rana Samaj USA
  • Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA
  • Sanskriti of NJ SevaPgh.org
  • Vallabhdham Temple
  • VYOUSA, Inc.
  • Dawoodi Bohra Community
  • India Cultural Association of Central Jersey Capitol Area Telugu Society
  • Gujarati Literary Academy of North America
  • Maharashtra Foundation
  • Vedic Heritage Inc.
  • VHP of America CT chapter
  • Patidar Cultural Association of USA
  • Gujarati Samaj of Lehigh Valley
  • KCO-Brindavana
  • Indo American Pharmaceutical Society
  • Gujarati Samaj of Metropolitan Washington DC
  • New York Tamil Sangam
  • American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin
  • TLCA AIANA
  • Indo American Senior Citizens Association of Bucks County
  • Kannada Koota, New York Inc.
  • The American India Public Affairs Committee
  • Indian Cultural Group
  • Jai Bharat Dhol Tasha Pathak USA
  • Saurashtra Patel Cultural Samaj
  • Anjumane Badri NewYork (Dawoodi Bohra)
  • Telugu Fine Arts Society
  • America Tamil Sangam
  • Brahmin Society of New York
  • Lad Vanik Samaj of North America
  • The Hindu Temple Society of North America Gujarati Samaj of Delaware Valley
  • Divya Jyoti Foundation Inc.
  • India First Alliance
  • Indian Business Association of NJ
  • Society for Promotion of Indian Culture and Experience (United Nations Staff Recreation Council)
  • OFBJP Sewa International
  • IASCAOHC
  • Kashmiri Overseas Association
  • New England Marathi Mandal
  • SAIDATTAPETHAM
  • Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York
  • Sardar Patel Gujarati Samaj
  • Tricity India Association
  • Albany, NY VIBHA-Help Them Grow
  • Aapi Brahmin Samaj of USA
  • Indian American Forum Inc.(IAF)
  • Shree Umiya Parivar of USA
  • Asian Indian Heritage Association
  • Humvatan
  • Sindhi Association of New Jersey
  • South Gujarat Patel Pragati Mandal
  • Asian Indian Americans of Central Pennsylvania
  • Hindu American Foundation
  • Indo-American Arts Council
  • Isha Foundation
  • Bhavsar Samaj of North America
  • Sewa International USA
  • Dada Bhagawan Schchidanand Songh
  • Lead India
  • 2020 Foundation,Inc.
  • Marathi Vishwa NJ
  • Indo-American Cultural Foundation of Central Jersey
  • India Society at Stony Brook
  • Indian Diamond and Colorstone Association
  • National Federation of Indian American Associations
  • OFBJP Canada Toronto
  • The Indo American Senior Citizen Association of Pa.
  • Jain Samaj of New York
  • Pennsylvania Telangana Association
  • NCAIA
  • Orissa Society of Americas NY/ NJ Chapter
  • Sanskar
  • Global Organization of People of Indian Origin
  • Indian American Forum for Political Education
  • International Swaminarayan Satsang Organization
  • Lions Clubs International
  • Rutgers Indian American Students
  • Gayatri Chetna Center of New Jersey
  • Jackson Heights Indian Merchants Association
  • Federation of Jain Associations in North America
  • Konkani Sabha KPCA
  • Shri Navagraha Devasthanam of NA, Inc
  • Friends of India Society Inc.
  • Hindu Temple of Tristates
  • Saurastra Samaj of Toronto
  • South Asian Association of Lancaster
  • The Association of Indians in America-NEC
  • Federation of Indo Americans of N. California
  • Indo American Senior Citizens of Atlantic County
  • People for Loksatta
  • Uplift Humanity India
  • Albany Telugu Association
  • Federation of Asian Indian Association
  • Shri Sanatan Mandir
  • Sri Aurobindo Yoga Foundation of North America
  • Central Jersey Indian Lions Club of Iselin
  • Ekal CT
  • India Cultural Society
  • Indian SA
  • Indo American Cultural Society of North America, Inc.
  • National Federation of Indian American Associations
  • New Jersey Tamil Sangam
  • India American Cultural Association
  • Indo-American Festivals, Inc.
  • Kalabharathi PMVS-VRAJ
  • Sikh Association of Baltimore
  • AAANA
  • Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
  • Ayyappa Seva Sangam New York
  • Indian Jewish Congregation of USA
  • Samskrita Bharati, USA
  • Shibaranjani, Inc.
  • Vegetarian Vision Inc.
  • Arya Samaj of NJ
  • CLPSS
  • Cultural Organization of Bengal
  • Indian Association of Greater Somerset County
  • N.AJ.C. Chamber of Commerce
  • NIAPPI
  • Art of Living
  • Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, USA
  • DwarkamaiI nc
  • India Association of Virginia
  • Jeevan-Jyoti Inc.
  • Prashanthi Charitable Services
  • Bridgewater Seniors Council Canada India Foundation
  • Gujarati Association of Western Mass.
  • Indo- Canada org
  • Jalaram Sevasamaj
  • Sai Temple PA
  • Shradhaa Foundation
  • Shree Rang Avdhoot Parivar (Nareswar)
  • USA Association of Indian in Construction Industry
  • Edison Cricket Club
  • NAMAM
  • Om KriyaYog
  • Rajasthan Association of Jains in America
  • Saptak Music
  • Saraswati Cultural Association of Jersey City
  • Shree Siddhi Dham Mandir. Inc.

Journalists should accept 'packages', says Nitin Gadkari

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nitin_gadkari

Mumbai: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has courted a controversy asking journalists to “keep the packages (money) they get during the election season”.

“In the next 10-12 days, you journalists will have ‘Laxmi darshan’,” Gadkari said at a poll rally in Sawantwadi in coastal Konkan on Saturday. “Be it reporters or editors, there are separate packages for reporters, newspapers and their owners,” Gadkari said.

“Diwali has come. I have one request, keep whatever you get. Eat whatever you can,” he said. The state secretariat and legislature journalists association flayed Gadkari’s remarks. “Gadkari’s comments are highly objectionable,” president of Mantralaya Vidhimandal Vartahar Sangh, Pravin Puro said.

“Gadkari has said journalists accept ‘packages’ (for election coverage). Due to such statements, the image of journalists gets dented,” Puro said.

(PTI)

Jayalalithaa's bail plea rejected

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jayalalithaa

Bangalore: In a huge blow to the AIADMK, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday denied bail to former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case.

Denying bail to the convicted leader, the court said there wasn’t sufficient ground for awarding bail to her.

“The High Court has correctly rejected the bail for Jayalalithaa,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy, who has been leading the campaign against her, said.

Supporters of the AIADMK had earlier begun celebrations in Tamil Nadu after the prosecution in the case told the court that it had no objections to conditional bail to the AIADMK chief. Swamy said he was “surprised when I heard that the prosecution had agreed for a conditional bail for Jayalalithaa”. “The Karnataka government has something to explain on this,” he said.

Jayalalithaa has already spent ten days in the Bangalore jail where she was lodged immediately after her conviction on 27 September.

Ahead of the hearing, posters were spotted in Chennai with purported threats to kidnap natives of Karnataka staying in Chennai. The posters, reportedly from local AIADMK leader KC Vijay, carried the threat to hold the Kannadigas captive until Jayalalithaa is granted bail, Hindustan Times reported.

Jayalalithaa has been in jail ever since a special court in Bangalore sentenced her to four years imprisonment in September under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PoCA). She was also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore in connection with the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case.

AIFRTE condemns Rajasthan government for closure of government Schools

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Closure of government educational institutions most adversely affects children of disadvantaged sections, says AIFRTE. Photo: Daily Mail.

Closure of government educational institutions most adversely affects children of disadvantaged sections, says AIFRTE. Photo: Daily Mail.

Jaipur: The All India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) has condemned the move of Rajasthan government to close 17,000 government schools in the state under garb of merger and rationalisation.

According to AIFRTE, “the justification offered by the state government that the step is being taken due to low enrollment of students in these schools is misleading and cynical.”

They said the move, “betrays complete apathy of the present regime to actual conditions of government schools and their students coming mostly from disadvantaged sections.”

AIFRTE allege the enrollment in government schools has come down due to the fact that students and their parents/guardians are forced to migrate to profit-mongering and often low-grade private schools because the government school system has been systematically downgraded by the state government over the last two decades and more by a series of anti-education and anti-child policies.

The move of Rajasthan government the Forum say, “is not in benefit of the students or the government schools at all but only in benefit of the profit-hungry private school sector.”

“Closure of government educational institutions most adversely affects children of disadvantaged sections including girls, Dalits, minorities and the disabled. Instead of rectifying the misconceived policy framework, that is increasingly jeopardizing the educational rights of these already disadvantaged sections, the state government is altogether abdicating its Constitutional obligation of providing equitable and fully-free education to every child without discrimination and in doing so it is also violating the Right to Education Act, 2009.”

According to AIFRTE, what is happening in Rajasthan is not an isolated phenomenon. “Government schools are facing a systematic policy assault across the country. In name of merger, rationalisation and other such pretentions, governments schools are being closed or auctioned to private players in Maharashtra (more than 13,000 schools), Karnataka (more than 15,000 schools), Andhra Pradesh (more than 7000 schools), Uttarakhand (more than 2200 schools), New Delhi (55 schools), Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and many other states. Closure of government schools across the country on such a vast scale is an outcome of a long-drawn withdrawal and policy-led negligence by successive governments (at the centre and states).”

“The crisis of government school system has been particularly exacerbated by the diktats of ‘Structural Adjustment Policy’ imposed by World Bank since economic reforms of 1990s. In the last nearly two and half decades, government school system has been systematically starved of funds, teachers, and infrastructure except a handful of Central Schools, Navodaya Vidyalayas and elite schools run by state-governments. This has been done with a clear intent of discrediting and ultimately destroying the government school system altogether so that an unbridled market for private schools is established. It is ironical that instead of reversing this trend and strengthening the government school system, the much hyped but misconceived Right to Education Act, 2009 has only sped up this decline by legitimising multi-layered school system and profit-oriented private schools.”

AIFRTE has appealed all pro-people organisations, activists and individuals to join hand against the alleged assault on government schools, and have also demanded the Rajasthan government to.

  1. Immediately withdraw its alleged anti-education decision.
  2. Upgrade all existing government schools of the state, minimum to the standards of Central Schools (in terms of educational infrastructure and other norms) within a time-bound schedule.
  3. Ensure that no child in the state is deprived of education on any ground whatsoever or is forced to pay money in any form for getting education either in government or in private school.

Popular Front of India condemns airing of RSS chief’s speech on Doordarshan

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PFI

Bangalore: Popular Front of India (PFI) today joined the chorus of individuals and organisations to condemn the telecast of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s annual address on Doordarshan. It called, the airing of the speech, a “dishonorable day” to the country.

Referring to RSS, as a “fascist” organization, it alleged that the Modi government is “controlled by the RSS and the government is trying all tactics to promote the ideology of RSS.”

PFI further alleged the speech was broadcasted only to present RSS and its chief as the leader of all Hindus, who they say, has always tried to position itself as the symbol and representative of Hinduism.

“Since the day of assuming power the Modi government has failed to deliver its promises of being a government for all Indians. The propagation of RSS and its leaders from the platform of government owned channel shatters the tall claims made by prime minister to protect pluralism during his Independence Day speech,” PFI said.

“We ask the government to stop promoting the Sangh ideology and understand its responsibility and prove itself to be unbiased government,” O.M.A Salaam, General Secretary of Popular Front of India demanded.

Muslim bodies condemn Markandey Katju’s remarks on Muslim Personal Law

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Markandey Katju

New Delhi: The country’s largest Muslim socio-religious organization, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has condemned Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju’s statement on Sharia Law, which he termed as barbaric and degrading for women in his recent blog post.

Eliciting his views on Muslim Personal Law, Mr. Katju had written that, “at least 60% Muslims oppose the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat). About 50% Muslims are women. Almost all of them are opposed to shariat.” He advocated for a Uniform Civil Code in the country.

JIH said Mr. Katju’s statement is unjustified, improper and emotive and asked him as to how Uniform Civil Code could be just for a multi-religion and multi-culture country like India of over one billion people.

Opining that most Muslims oppose the Sharia law, Mr. Katju asked “can any just, modern minded and fair person support such a barbaric law which prescribes stoning to death ( as was done recently in Somalia ) for adultery, or cutting off a thief’s limbs ? I refuse to believe that there are no just, modern minded and fair males in the Muslim community ( even if they be in the minority ).”

In a media statement on Thursday, Mr. Nusrat Ali, Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said that some statements of former Supreme Court judge Katju are “indeed useful, reasonable and moderate.” But it seems that “from his days in judiciary, he has held one-sided, illogical and unjustified viewpoint about Muslim Personal Law.”

“He has once again expressed this view and thus has not only hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community and millions of other fellow countrymen but also raked up an impracticable, useless and unnecessary debate,” said Ali.

The Jamaat leader further said that Mr. Katju has described the Muslim Personal Law as barbaric and backward. This is completely against facts. By making such statement, he seems to have fallen prey to the conspiracy for distorting the history of Islam. Personalities of his stature should save themselves from the conspiracy.

The Jamaat has challenged Mr. Katju to analyse just last one year’s data about crimes against women like brutalities, domestic violence, murder, rape and sexual harassment etc. and he “will surely know the truth that Muslim women are least affected and they are happily living under Muslim Personal Law.”

“Yet, if some Muslim women have faced violence and injustice it is not because of Muslim Personal Law but the weaknesses of the Muslim society. A responsible person and expert like Mr. Katju should understand the difference,” said Jamaat leader.

Mr. Umar Shariff, president of Discover Islam Education Trust (DIET) and spokesperson for the Bangalore based human rights group, Mission Possible for Justice and Rights (MPJR) asked, “If ‘Muslim Personal Law’ is termed as ‘barbaric’ by Justice Markandey Katju, then we conclude that he has violated the Indian Constitution by attacking the sentiments of the religious values of one section of India’s populace. Since he is supposed to be a learned man of the Indian Law, could he very well tell us the article under which we can file a case against him?”

Responding to criticism against his remarks, Mr. Katju said, “some people have sought to infer from my recent criticism of Muslim Personal Law that I am against Muslims or Islam. This is totally incorrect. Many of my best friends are Muslims, and I respect all religions including Islam, as I have repeatedly said. I am totally secular.”

For the first time, Doordarshan airs RSS chief's Vijaya Dashami address

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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

New Delhi:  An annual address to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by the chief of the organisation, was telecast live by national broadcaster Doordarshan this morning for the first time, provoking strong reactions from political opponents and some commentators.

RSS is a Hindu nationalist group, which is the ideological parent of the ruling BJP. The annual Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra speech by its chief articulates the organization’s vision and agenda for its 4.5 million volunteers, who played a pivotal role in the electoral victory of Narendra Modi in May.

“DD is run by public money. So how is government using it to broadcast RSS Chief’s speech? Very unfortunate,” said Rashid Alvi of the Congress. Historian and writer Ramchandra Guha said on Twitter, “Heads of religious organizations: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, must not be patronized by state TV. They are free to run their private channels.”

Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that the decision was unacceptable, adding that the Congress refused to accept the RSS as ‘above board’ in the national discourse of India.

“What they (the RSS) want and what they believe in is not in tune with the values of this country”, he said in comments to the media.

The CPI-M also said it was an instance of the “public broadcaster being misused by the Modi government”.

In his speech, the RSS cheif lauded Narendra Modi government for its initiatives, which have led to positive signs’ on several fronts in less than six months of its tenure, while expressing the hope that the momentum is maintained in a determined and well organised’ manner.

In the usual right-wing rhetoric, he talked about a `serious surge in jihadi activities’ in southern parts especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala going on to blame the state government for not making effective policy interventions to curb them. However, he was silent on the violence perpetrated by individuals and organisations ideologically affiliated to his own organisation.

Doordarshan’s decision has sparked a massive reaction on Twitter with those for and against it clashing on the social network.

Mr. Modi preaches a clean India, but his record on Waste Management and pollution in Gujarat is dirty

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Modi_Swachh_Bharat

– by Rohit Prajapati, SACW

Mr. Modi must read ‘Report of the Task Force on Waste to Energy (In the context of Integrated MSW Management)’ and ‘Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index’ (CEPI) Report of 2009, 2011 & 2013 of CPCB

Mr. Modi launched the “Swachh Bharat Mission” on 2 October 2014 and in his message on his website, he says, “A clean India is the best tribute we can pay to Bapu when we celebrate his 150th birth anniversary in 2019. […] Today, I appeal to everyone, particularly political and religious leadership, mayors, sarpanchs and captains of industry to plan and wholeheartedly engage in the task of cleaning your homes, work places, villages, cities and surroundings.”[1]

I want to remind Mr. Modi that earlier as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Narendra Modi had also launched similar campaign ’Nirmal Gujarat – 2007’[2] and made tall claims during that campaign. But reality is best seen in Ahmedabad at illegal solid waste dumping site, the ‘Gyaspur-Pirana Dumping Site’ – a Waste Mountain near Sabarmati River adjacent to the main road.

Mr. Modi should know the basic facts as revealed in the ‘Report of the Task Force on Waste to Energy’ dated 12 May 2014 by the Planning Commission of India. This report states “As per CPCB report 2012 – 13 municipal areas in the country generate 1,33,760 metric tonnes per day of MSW, of which only 91,152 TPD waste is collected and 25,884 TPD treated.”[3]

The report further states “Further, if the current 62 million tonnes annual generation of MSW continues to be dumped without treatment; it will need 3,40,000 cubic meter of landfill space everyday (1240 hectare per year). Considering the projected waste generation of 165 million tonnes by 2031, the requirement of land for setting up landfill for 20 years (considering 10 meter high waste pile) could be as high as 66 thousand hectares of precious land, which our country cannot afford to waste.”[4]

Mr. Modi, things are not as simple as you say. This waste generation figure covers only 31.15% population of India. Considering the waste generation figures of all of India, these figures will be even more daunting. The Planning Commission (which Mr. Modi wishes to abolish) of India’s report further states “A study, of the status of implementation of the MSW Rules 2000 by the mandated deadline by the States, was carried out in class 1 cities of the country. It revealed that in 128 cities except for street sweeping and transportation, compliance was less than 50% and in respect of disposal compliance was a dismal 1.4 %.”[5] What about the government’s major roll in policy making for the reduction of waste and implementation of ‘The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules 2000’? Your track record in the implementation of these rules in the Gujarat is worst.

The consistent follow up by the pollution-affected people, people’s organisations and NGOs regarding the increasing pollution levels in the industrial areas of India forced the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State Pollution Control Board in 1989 to initiate the process of indexing the critically polluted areas. At that time 24 industrial areas, including Vapi, Ankleshwar, Ludhiana, were declared ‘critically polluted’. In 2009 the CPCB and IIT-Delhi, in consistence with the demands of the people’s organisation’s working on environmental issues decided to use a new method of ‘indexing the pollution levels’ of these areas, which is now known as the ‘Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index’ (CEPI). The CEPI includes air, water, land pollution and health risks to the people living in the area. However, our demand has been to include the health of the workers, productivity of land and quality of food / agriculture produce in the index since the presence of high levels of chemicals and heavy metals in food produce has severe health implications. This is affecting not only people living around the industrial area but anyone consuming it – hence not restricting the impact to the particular industrial area.

In December 2009 the CEPI of 88 polluted industrial clusters was measured; it was then that the CPCB and the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) of Government of India were forced to declare 43 of those as ‘critically polluted clusters’ and another 32 industrial areas as ‘severely polluted clusters’.[6] Following this study the MoEF on 13 January 2010 was forced to issue a moratorium (prohibition on opening new industries and/or increasing the production capacity of the existing industries) on the 43 critically polluted areas. Similar reports were prepared by CPCB in 2011 and 2013 but these reports are completely ignored by past government and also by Modi Government.

As the very first step after assuming power as the PM, Instead of improving the environment of these 88 industrial clusters and taking the remedial measure in these area for clean up after moving to the Capital, Mr. Modi Government instead started lifting of the moratorium of industrial cluster like Ghaziabad (UP), Indore (M.P.), Jharsuguda (Orissa), Ludhiana (Punjab), Panipat (Haryana), Patancheru – Bollaram (A.P.), Singrauli (UP & MP) and Vapi (Gujarat) as a first order of business on 10 June 2014. Mr. Modi, Vapi’s track records demand more ‘stringent action’ against the polluting industries of Vapi & concerned officers of Gujarat Pollution Control Board and definitely not lifting of moratorium from Vapi.[7] The murky politics and economics of ‘GDP growth’ continue to prevail over the cause of ‘life and livelihood’ of ordinary people and ‘environment & conservation.

In 2009, the Ankleswar’s industrial area, with 88.50 CEPI, topped the list of ‘critically polluted areas’ of India.

In 2011 and 2013, Vapi industrial area, with CEPI of 85.31, topped this list.

Thus Gujarat is able to top in 2009 in ‘critically polluted areas’ in India and continues to maintain its position in 2011 & 2013.

The Government of Gujarat deliberately ignored to comment or engages ever on these issues.

Mr. Modi what about the clean up of these industrial clusters of India? Do you have any plan to clean up this CRITICALLY and SEVERELY POLLUTED INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS OF INDIA?

[1] http://inbministry.blogspot.in/p/canvas.html

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2iXFAIOtVo

[3] Report of the Task Force on Waste to Energy (Volume II) (In the context of Integrated MSW Management) –http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/genrep/rep_wte1205.pdf

[4] Report of the Task Force on Waste to Energy (Volume II) (In the context of Integrated MSW Management) –http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/genrep/rep_wte1205.pdf

[5] Report of the Task Force on Waste to Energy (Volume II) (In the context of Integrated MSW Management) –http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/genrep/rep_wte1205.pdf

[6] As per the agreed upon measures, industrial areas with a CEPI of 70 and above are considered ‘critically polluted’ areas while those with a CEPI between 60-70 are considered ‘severely polluted’ areas. In our opinion, those industrial areas with CEPI between 40-60 ought to be labelled as ‘polluted areas’.

[7] The Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar decision to lift the moratorium of 8 critically polluted clusters of the country is inexplicable. The ministry took the decision on June 10 2014 but announced it publicly on July 24 2014 – Rohit Prajapati – http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/industrys-behest

Vadodara’s BJP leader Manish Wagh arrested in connection with burning of Hindu houses

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A member of Rapid Action Force fires a tear gas shell to disperse a mob in Vadodara (Photo: Reuters)

A member of Rapid Action Force fires a tear gas shell to disperse a mob in Vadodara (Photo: Reuters)

Vadodara: Navgujarat Samay which is Times Of India group’s Gujarati daily has reported in its October 1st issue that Manish Wagh, BJP Baroda’s Ward Pramukh (Chief), has been arrested in connection with burning of several houses of Hindu families in the Navapura area of Baroda. Along with Manish Wagh, 36 other officer bearers of BJP were also arrested in this connection. It is also reported that besides the aforementioned arrests, a few Muslim rioters were also arrested.

It is also reported that Manish Wagh’s arrest has led to several doubts regarding the entire modus-operandi of Baroda riots.

The four days of violence that continued unabated here last week was allegedly triggered by an image posted on Facebook. Muslim groups said the image was offensive to Islam. However, according to some media reports, prior events, marked by inflammatory statements in the run-up to the Navaratri festival, prepared the ground for a volatile communal situation.

Residents of Yakutpura – one of the worst affected neighbourhoods in the city — have alleged police complicity in the violence. In the Taiwada area, where the police conducted raids at night, residents claimed that a team of police personnel arrived with nearly 30 men in plain clothes, whose faces were covered with a cloth. They accused the police of assaulting women and setting a motorbike on fire.

Throughout September, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad gave several statements in the media saying that Muslims would not be allowed at ‘Garba’ events. The Hindutva outfit planned to launch a campaign against ‘love jihad’ and beef consumption during Navaratri.

The violence which has left with the stabbing of two, and loss of properties of many others, coincides with Mr. Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States. In his first ever international interview since assuming office, Modi, when questioned about the patriotism of Indian Muslims, told that, “Indian Muslims will live for India and die for India.” However, since assuming office, he has done nothing with regards to containing the raging communal violence in the country, perpetrated by elements part of and affiliated to his party.

With inputs from Truth of Gujarat and The Hindu.

U.S citizens court indicts Modi for Gujarat Pogrom

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The Citizens’ Court in session at Lafayette Park in front of the White House, Washington DC.

The Citizens’ Court in session at Lafayette Park in front of the White House, Washington DC.

– by Kaleem Kawaja

Washington, D.C: The US-based Sikh Foundation for Justice (SFJ) in coordination with the American Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (AGPC), Tuesday held a citizens’ court in Lafayette Park, a small park in front of the White House to indict PM Narendra Modi for the human rights violations in 2002 in Gujarat. The hour-long trial was conducted following US legal procedures. SFJ organized a grand jury of 24 citizens comprising of people of various colors, white, black and Indian etc.

The proceedings began at 1:30 PM on Tuesday (Sept 30) when PM Modi was actually in the White House building, that is right in front of the citizens’ court and ended at 2:30 PM.

The prosecutor read out the charges against Modi and said that the charge sheet was handed over to an official of the Indian embassy in Washington DC a few days ago, and that Mr Modi has been given an opportunity to defend himself. But he has chosen not to attend even though right at this time he is in the White House building, just a couple of hundred yards away. The charges included abetting murder of more than 2000 Muslims, raping of a large number of Muslim women, destruction of their houses in February and March 2002.

The charge sheet filed in the Citizens’ court listed crimes of genocide; first degree murders; rapes and sexual assaults; torture; tempering with the witnesses, victims and informants; and obstruction of criminal investigations. The woman judge then turned the matter over to the grand jury and asked them to give their opinion by writing on pieces of paper in front of them.

The judge then polled the grand jury members and with their concurrence announced that Mr Modi has been indicted of all the charges leveled against him by the prosecutor.

The judge was a white American woman lawyer. An effigy of Mr Modi stood in the dock on the left side of the bench. The prosecutor was an Indian-American lawyer. The court was set up in the Lafayette park and it looked like a proper trial. The audience of about one thousand people consisting of men and women of all races and colors, but mostly Sikhs, stood behind the prosecutor’s desk in the park. Lots of TV cameras and media people were in attendance.

Explaining the reasons for the convening Citizens’ Court, attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal adviser to SFJ stated that starting from 1984 political leaders in India have a long history of organizing massacres of religious minorities with impunity.

Pannun said that on the one hand, the Citizens’ Court indicted Indian judicial system for its failure to convict a known human rights violator and on the other hand, it highlighted the plight and concerns of religious minorities in India, particularly victims of 2002 Muslims massacre.

Pannun said that on the one hand, the Citizens’ Court indicted Indian judicial system for its failure to convict a known human rights violator and on the other hand, it highlighted the plight and concerns of religious minorities in India, particularly victims of 2002 Muslims massacre.

Kaleem Kawaja, is an Indian Muslim scientist and community activist. He lives in the US.

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