Monday, 12 December 2011
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Terrorism in India
Terrorism in India is primarily attributable to religious
communities and Naxalite radical movements.
The regions with long term terrorist activities today are Jammu and Kashmir, Mumbai, Central India (Naxalism)
and the Seven Sister States (independence and autonomy movements).
As of 2006, at least 232 of the country’s 608 districts were afflicted, at
differing intensities, by various insurgent and terrorist movements.[1] In
August 2008, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan has said that there are as
many as 800 terrorist cells operating in the country
Since its independence in 1947, India has
been facing the problem of insurgency and terrorism in different parts of the
country. For the purpose of this column, insurgency has been taken to mean
an armed violent movement, directed mainly against security forces and
other government targets, to seek territorial control; terrorism has been taken
to mean an armed violent movement directed against government as well as
non-government targets, involving pre-meditated attacks with arms, ammunition
and explosives against civilians, and resorting to intimidation tactics
such as hostage-taking and hijacking, but not seeking territorial control.
India has faced exclusively
terrorist movements in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, bordering Pakistan, and
part insurgent-part terrorist movements in the northeast, bordering Myanmar and
Bangladesh; in Bihar, bordering Nepal; and in certain interior states like Andhra
Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa that
do not have international borders.
India has also faced terrorism of
an ephemeral nature, which sprang suddenly due religious anger against either
the government or the majority Hindu community or both and petered out
subsequently. Examples of this would be the simultaneous explosions in Mumbai on
March 12, 1993, which killed about 250 civilians, and the simultaneous
explosions in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, in February 1998. Tamil Nadu has
also faced the fallout of terrorism promoted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam in Sri Lanka in the form of attacks by LTTE elements on its
political rivals living in the state and in the assassination of former prime
minister Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.
The causes for the various
insurgent/terrorist movements include:
Political causes: This is seen essentially in Assam and Tripura. The political
factors that led to insurgency-cum-terrorism included the failure of the
government to control large-scale illegal immigration of Muslims from
Bangladesh, to fulfil the demand of economic benefits for the sons
and daughters of the soil, etc.
Economic causes: Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and
Bihar are prime examples. The economic factors include the absence of land
reforms, rural unemployment, exploitation of landless labourers
by land owners, etc. These economic grievances and perceptions of gross
social injustice have given rise to ideological terrorist groups such as
the various Marxist/Maoist groups operating under different names.
Ethnic causes: Mainly seen in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur
due to feelings of ethnic separateness.
Religious causes: Punjab before 1995 and in J&K since 1989.
In Punjab, some Sikh
elements belonging to different organisations took to terrorism to demand
the creation of an independent state called Khalistan for the Sikhs. In
J&K, Muslims belonging to different organisations took to terrorism
for conflicting objectives. Some, such as the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation
Front, want independence for the state, including all the territory presently
part of India, Pakistan and China. Others, such as the Hizbul Mujahideen [ Images ], want India's J&K
state to be merged with Pakistan. While those who want
independence project their struggle as a separatist one, those wanting a
merger with Pakistan project it as a religious struggle.
There have also been sporadic
acts of religious terrorism in other parts of India. These are either due
to feelings of anger amongst sections of the Muslim youth over the
government's perceived failure to safeguard their lives and interests or
due to Pakistan's attempts to cause religious polarisation.
of American journalist Daniel
Pearl in Karachi in January last year, had earlier kidnapped some Western
tourists near Delhi. They were subsequently freed by the police.
The role of the diaspora
Religious as well as
non-religious terrorist groups draw moral support and material sustenance from
the overseas diaspora. The Khalistan movement was initially born in the
overseas Sikh community in the UK and Canada [ Images ]
and spread from there to Punjab in India. The indigenous Kashmiri organisations
get material assistance from the large number of migrants from
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, called the Mirpuris, who have settled in Western
countries. The Marxist groups get support from the Marxist elements in the
overseas Indian community.
The following are the main
sources of funding for terrorist and insurgent groups:
Clandestine contributions from
Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.
Contributions from religious,
fundamentalist and pan-Islamic jihadi organisations in Pakistan.
Contributions from ostensibly
charitable organisations in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Contributions from trans-national
criminal groups, such as the mafia group led by Dawood Ibrahim [ Images ] who operates from Karachi, Pakistan.
Extortions and ransom payments
for releasing hostages.
Collections -- voluntary or
forced -- from the people living in the area where they operate.
Narcotics smuggling.
The funds are normally
transmitted either through couriers or through the informal hawala channel.
Rarely are funds transmitted through formal banking channels.
Sanctuaries
Religious terrorist organisations
have their main external sanctuaries in Pakistan and Bangladesh, while
non-religious terrorist organisations look to Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. Some
northeast non-religious terrorist groups also operate from Bangladesh, while
certain religious groups get sanctuary in Nepal.
Since 1956, Pakistan has been
using its sponsorship of and support to different terrorist groups operating in
India as a strategic weapon to keep India preoccupied with internal security
problems. Before the formation of Bangladesh in 1971, the then East Pakistan
was the main sanctuary for non-religious terrorist groups operating in India.
Since 1971, the present Pakistan, called West Pakistan before 1971, has been
the main sanctuary for all Sikh and Muslim terrorist groups.
Pakistan has given sanctuary to
20 principal leaders of Sikh and Muslim terrorist groups, including hijackers
of Indian aircraft and trans-national criminal groups colluding with
terrorists. Despite strong evidence of their presence in Pakistani territory
and active operation from there, its government has denied their presence and
refused to act against them. It has also ignored Interpol's notices for
apprehending them and handing them over to India.
Consequences of Child Labour
In
general, the overall contribution of child labour in developing countries is so
substantial that whether it would harm the economy is still under continuous
debate.
The
presence of a large number of child labourers is regarded as a serious issue in
terms of economic welfare. It is evident from India ranking at lowest quarter
(122th) in World HDI (Human
Development Index) rankings; in spite of its rapid economic growth. India
compares very poorly against countries with high level of human development on
all indicators such as life expectancy, education and per capita income. Bonded
or not, when children are working, they are put apart from the necessary
education. Moreover, large number of
low-paid Child labours lowers India’s per capita income. Their hazardous
working condition lowers India’s welfare level too.Furthermore, high illiteracy rate
puts long-term economic growth at risk.
Diamond industry
Further information: Child
labour in the diamond industry#India
In
1997, the International
Labour Organization published a report titled Child Labour in
the Diamond Industry, claiming that child labour is
highly prevalent in the Indian diamond industry, as child labourers constitute
nearly 3% of the total workforce and the percentage of child labourers is as
high as 25% in the diamond industry of Surat.
The ICFTU further claimed that child labour was prospering in the diamond
industry in Western India, where the majority of the world's diamonds are cut
and polished while workers are often paid only a fraction of 1% of the value of
the stones they cut. Pravin Nanavati, a Surat-based
diamond businessman argued that, since high cost diamonds could easily be lost
or broken while cutting or polishing, employing a child labourer would mean
risking "lakhs of rupees"
and “Around 8-10 years back, some western countries deliberately created the
impression that child labour is prevalent in the Indian diamond industry"
and called the boycottfor monopolising in the sector. The South
Gujarat Diamond Workers Association secretary Mohan Dhabuwala, argued that
while child labour is highly prevalent in the construction and hotel
industries, there are few child labourers in the diamond industry of Surat,
less than 1% according to their surveys, mainly because of stern punishments
and penalties for violation of child labour laws.
Silk
manufacture
Human Rights Watch estimates
that at least 350,000 bonded children are employed by the silk industry in
India. As per Human Rights Watch,
children as young as five years old are employed and work for up to 12 hours a
day and six to seven days a week. Children are forced to dip
their hands in scalding water to palpate the cocoons and are often paid less than Rs
10 per day.
Domestic
labour
Official
estimates for child labour working as domestic labour and in restaurants is
more than 2,500,000 while NGOs estimate the figure to be around 20 million. The Government of India expanded
the coverage of The Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act and banned the
employment of children as domestic workers and as workers in restaurants, dhabas,
hotels, spas and resorts effective from October 10, 2006.
Construction
The
misuse of adult labour can be found in the construction industry too. Adults
are found in construction of both home and office buildings. In 2011, for the
construction of the Asian Games care house, the contractors had employed adults,
for they had to be paid more, making it a small issue.
Brick kilns
Each
year, thousands of children are rescued from brick kilns, working in awful
conditions. Some of the children are actually sold to the brick kiln owners,
and are not paid.
CHILD LABOUR IN INDIA
Definition
Child
labour, as defined by the International Labour Organization, refers to work
that leads to the deprivation of one’s childhood and education opportunities.
Effects include a loss of potential and dignity in self, which is harmful to a
child’s physical and mental development.
Causes
Many
Indian families are sending their children to work, with some even living away
from home. Reasons behind are often associated with poverty, keeping up with
the large-size family subsistence and inadequate public education
infrastructure.Families generally are also unable to
afford their children’s education.
“Families
will have to go without their children's income for several years, a choice
many poor parents will be unable to make without help.” -BBC news
As
the above quote suggests, poor families are unable to make the right decision
for their children’s education as the child’s income plays a role in sustaining
the family’s livelihood. Attending school would also mean forgoing a source of
income for the family. This is a common sight, especially in the low caste and
minorities of India.
kids are raped
Friday, 18 November 2011
3. Coalmine engineer, 45, based in a remote district of Madhya Pradesh
Generally a contractor or a supplier who supplies goods for the heavy machines or any kind of supplies which you need in coalmines has to pay 20% to 30% of the total cost to the officials at his client's head office. First he needs to pay to get the work and then to get his fees and costs paid from the finance departments. Or, as is often the case, he needs to pay to get them to turn a blind eye to the substandard materials he is using.
When I needed a passport we had to pay a certain amount to the agent who is in hand-in-glove with the passport officers. Next step is when the verification reaches the nearest local police station of wherever we live. The officers are meant to visit us to verify the application but instead they just call us to the police station and – if they know you are at all comfortable in terms of money – ask for cash. They just say: "You are earning well. Give us some money for tea." This is a regular practice.
2. SCHOOL TEACHER, 38
I was beaten up by my husband regularly two years back and whenever I went to file a case against him, my husband would bribe the police officers. They even changed my witness statements. [So when I went to court] I had no evidence to get him behind bars. My husband left me with two kids of seven and 13 years and I had to try to go to court to get our maintenance. So far I have had no luck. Whenever there is a hearing I have to pay up to 500 rupees to get the written orders from the court. They are supposed to cost only a 10th of that. But if I wait for the court to give it to me then it will take months. If I want to, I can even pay the assistant of the judge to give me an early date of hearing. I feel corruption is everywhere. You can even bribe judges to get the judgment in your favour. My husband was arrested because he left home with my jewellery, my car, and whatever cash I had at that time. But he was released from the court after he bribed our lawyer and the judge. Today he boasts that he can buy the judge or my lawyers if he wants and is not afraid of any law that can catch him.
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Empowering ourself against corruption is OUR RIGHT !!
Empowering ourself against corruption is OUR RIGHT !!
AGAINST
CORRUPTION
CHILD LABOUR
TERRORISM
ILLITERACY
But somehow we neglect it... we take it as a part of our life. There are thousands of examples which shows us that on what fundamentals our country is running on.....
I NIKHIL KAPOOR impulsively creating this blog to show you the reality of CONTEMPORARY INDIA
by the people of nation in their own words.
1. Vegetable vendor in Ashok Vihar, north Delhi, 45
Every week I pay 100 rupees (£1.40) to the police so that they let me put my cart in the market. The police constable comes every Saturday to collect the cash from all the vendors and if I do not pay then he will not allow me to sell my vegetables. I also have to pay the municipal corporation of Delhi whatever they ask. It can be any amount from 200 to 500 rupees a month. They also come to collect it. If the municipal corporation seizes our cart then to get it released from their main office is more troublesome. The man who collects money from us informs us beforehand that their vehicle will come today to pick up the carts if we are selling somewhere without authorisation.
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