Rinkle Kumari was a typical teenager, growing up in Mirpur Mathelo in Sindh, Pakistan. Given the attacks against Hindus in the state, especially girls from the community, her parents were extra vigilant about their daughter. One day in late February, men broke into the house, kidnapped Rinkle converted her to Islam and then got her married off to a neighbour. Due to the tireless, thankless and courageous work of civil society and human rights activists in Pakistan the case did not die. It was revealed that there was an organised ring led by a leading politician from the area that was kidnapping and trafficking girls. The case went to court, but the politician and his mob filled the court and the neighbourhood. Rinkle’s family faced threats, and Rinkle did the only thing she could to keep her family safe — accepted that the kidnapping, and forcible conversion did not occur and her current state in life was of her ownaccord. The issue became a cause celebre, not just in Pakistan but in India and resonated across the world. Rinkle was not the first girl to be kidnapped and put through this torture, nor will she be the last. Women and religious minorities are particularly vulnerable in Pakistan because the state is unable protect their rights. The state is failing, if not already failed, which makes it open season on everyone who is not strong enough to protect themselves.

The question is what can India do? In Rinkle’s case, does India have a locus standi in taking the issue of criminal acts that take place in Pakistan against its citizens? Not really. Rinkle is a Pakistani citizen, crime against her has been committed in Pakistan’s sovereign territory. India could invoke the Nehru-Liaqat pact, but given the number of pacts and agreements that Pakistan has violated, it would be naiveto expect them to honour this. The maximum India can do is proactively offer asylum to her, her family and the remaining Hindus in Sindh. But why only Hindus, why not Sikhs, Christians, Ahmediyaas, Shias and the rest?

Civilisationally and culturally they all have links with India. Religion alone doesn’t define culture or civilisation, there are other factors like language, ethnicity, shared history. And why only Pakistan? Why not those in Bangladesh or in Sri Lanka? Also, should you only look at people being discriminated on the basis of religion, or do you look at it in a larger perspective — people being discriminated for their beliefs and ideals? But to do that India needs a coherent Asylum Policy.In 1951, most UN members signed the Refugee Convention. As per this convention a refugee was a person who, ‘owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality.’ In more recent times, civil war and targeted human right abuses have also formed the basis of declaring a person or a community as refugee. Neither India nor any of the South Asian nations are signatories to this convention or the 1967 protocol that abolished geographical barriers to seeking refuge. However, the Republic of India has traditionally provided asylum to those who cross her borders and ask for protection. In 1959, a large number of Tibetans crossed over to India and were granted refugee status. Many of them found jobs and settled here. Subsequent to that, India changed her policies. Refugees live in camps and have neither the right to free movement within India nor are they entitled to work. Most are in a state of suspended animation and have their lives at standstill. If Rinkle and her family escaped to India this is what they would face, and there is something terribly wrong and unjust about that.

From time immemorial, India has been a refuge for the persecuted. Kings granted asylum, people became citizens, and added to the diversity that is India. For the ancient Parsis, Jews, Siddhis from Africa, and Iraqis, India was the beacon of hope and freedom where people could make their homes, bring up their families and practise their beliefs without fear. For the modern Tamils, Tibetians, Afghans, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis seeking refuge — home is a camp, where they have little or no citizenship rights. To be considered a world power, you don’t just need a nuclear arsenal and growing prosperity. There needs also to be a measure of compassion, sharing and providing of refuge. India needs to start by offering asylum and citizenship to the persecuted minorities in its neighbourhood. There will be those who misuse this open policy, as they have in other countries. But the needs of the persecuted, the fate of one Rinkle far outweighs the misuse of an asylum policy.

SOURCE:DNA NEWS

NEW DELHI: Stepping away from the RSS stand, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday supported Muslim leaders in their demand for reservation for both Muslim and Christian dalits and sought their active participation in his black money campaign.

“I did not know till recently that Article 341 does not cover Muslims and Christian Dalits. This is not fair. dalit is a dalit, whether s/he is a Hindu, Christian or a Muslim. So, all Dalits should get equal rights. We will have to struggle to achieve this. We will launch a struggle (for this). I extend my whole-hearted support,” he said.

Article 341 of the Constitution excludes Muslim and Christian Dalits from reservation.

He made this statement, while addressing a convention organized by the All India United Muslim Morcha. The advocacy for extending quota benefits to Dalits belonging to the minority communities comes ahead of his much-hyped dharna at the Ramlila Maidan on June 3. The move is being seen as a comeback opportunity for Ramdev, who lost some of his sheen at the same venue last year, when he had cloaked himself as a woman in a futile bid to escape a police crackdown.

Muslim outreach can confound his critics as well as supporters. Members of Team Anna have been averse to partnering him in anti-graft campaign because of his strong Hindutva leanings. Conversely, his saffron tilt is the reason why he seems to enjoys sympathies among RSS and other Hindutva outfits.

A puzzled BJP made plain its disagreement with Ramdev on whether Christian and Muslim Dalits are eligible for quota benefits, although it spared him the vehemence that it has shown to others holding a similar position. BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, “Ramdevji has a right to his own opinion but the BJP wants Muslims to prosper as Indian citizens and does not view them through a religious prism.”

He added, “Our Constitution makers had taken all aspects in to account to reject religion based reservation. The Mandal Commission has already included the backwards in its ambit. People were considered Dalits on the basis of caste and both Islam and Christianity do not recognize untouchability. ” Whether the Dalits among Christians and Muslims are eligible for reservation benefits on par with those from the majority community has been a polarizing issue, with RSS and BJP stoutly opposing for the fear that extending quota to other communities will open the floodgates for conversion. Hindu Dalits are also against it as they don’t want other communities to usurp their quota.

Extending his support to Dalits in minority communities, Ramdev appeared keen to woo Muslim organizations pointing out that the minority community continued to be impoverished because of corruption. Announcing that he would launch a major campaign in August, Ramdev said that the government could act if it wanted to. He claimed that the government told the Supreme Court that he was removed from Ramlila Maidan last June as there were “anti- national elements” in the surroundings of the venue.

“What are they trying to say? There is a mosque outside and their argument was that that you people are out to kill me. I never believed. I consider you (Muslims) as my brothers,” he said.

SOURCE:THE TIMES OF INDIA

KOLKATA: Bhangar College professor Debjani Dey, who had accused former Trinamool Congress MLA Arabul Islam of throwing a jug at her on April 24, surrendered before the Baruipur additional chief judicial magistrate’s court on Friday and was granted bail on a personal bond of 1,000. The former legislator had filed complaints against her to counter the ones she had lodged against him. She was directed by the court to appear before it again on May 24.

Debjani was charged under Sections 341 (Wrongful Restraint), 500 (Defamation) and 506 (Criminal Intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Though all the sections are bailable, the professor had to surrender before a court to prevent the issuance of an arrest warrant against her.

Trouble broke out at Bhangar College on April 24 when Islam, president of the college governing body, allegedly barged into the staff room with outsiders and started an altercation with Debjani over the forthcoming West Bengal College and University Teachers Association (WBCUTA) elections. The professor and her colleagues alleged that Islam hurled a water jug at her, injuring her on the chin. This led to public outrage and even chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed displeasure with Arabul’s behaviour. Islam was subsequently arrested and released on bail. The former MLA, however, claimed that he was being framed and filed a counter complaint against her before the Alipore CJM’s court.

On Thursday, Debjani reached the Bariupur ACJM’s court around 1.30pm and appeared before magistrate Surateswar Mondal. She was accompanied by a battery of teachers from the college and WBCUTA members. The professor looked weary and disturbed. “I still shudder on thinking about the incident. Even now there is an atmosphere of terror in the college. It is difficult to go to the college under such conditions,” Debjani said.

Though Islam had filed the counter complaint only against her, other teachers accompanied her to provide moral support and rally behind her to get justice.

“The assault by the Trinamool leader is not against professor Dey alone. It was an assault on the entire teaching community. We are here to support her. That women constables have been posted at Bhangar College reveals the tension that still prevails there,” said Subrata Goswami, member of WBCUTA’s South 24-Parganas district branch.

SOURCE:THE TIMES OF INDIA