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27 Apr 2011

Introspect in Swabhiman Diwas


On the occassion of birth anniversary of Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das on 28th April 2011, the people from different walks of life in Odisha paid deep homage to the great son of Odisha. Madhusudan Das popularly known as Barister Madhu Babu who was the pioneer of separate Odisha State formation in 1st April 1803. He was a true Odia who not only did the strengthening of Odia language but also an architect of new Odisha. He was successfully convinced the then British govt. about the need of a separate state in language basis. Earlier Odisha, Bihar and Bengal was in one province. Though he accepted Christianity but he had done a lot for the preservation of the culture of Odisha perticularly Jagannath culture .
Today the leaders of different political party and civil society congregated in the statue of Madhu babu in Rajbhawan, Bhubaneswar at 7 am .The Utkal Sameelani staged a demonstration at Governor House demanding proper respect to him like setting of a musium in his works and memory, rename secretariat as Madhu Mantralaya, installing a statue in Parliament, official works in Odia language and many more.

Truly speaking, the leaders and State didn't done any sicererity towards preservation of his memories  like other state of India for their founding father. Let us introspect our vision for the state on  the occassion of Swabhiman Diwas.

10 Apr 2011

Torture and illegal arrest of women folk : A fact finding report


Listening from Victims

To
The Chairpaerson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House,Copernicus Marg
New Delhi-110001

Sub: Complaint to the NHRC and action solicited against the Perpetrators for torture and illegal arrest of women folk with their Male supporter

Respected Sir
                            We a group of fact finding team visited Kamagara Patna and Srirampur Villages under Rai Narasinghpur Gram Panchayat of Kamakshya Nagar Block in Dhenkanal District, Orissa on 6th April 2011 after came to know that a group of women jailed illegally in protesting for drinking water.
Discussing with Lady Sarapanch
 Throughout our mission, we met the women members along with male persons who were victimized, the witness, villagers and finally discussed with SP of Dhenkanal. Due to absence of Collector we could not able to meet him.

Plz follow the details of fact findings in below. Hope you will consider the matter as most serious and take necessary action from your end.
  
Your’s Faithfully

Mr. Manoj Jena , State Coordinator, Peoples Watch
Mrs. Namrata Chadha, Former Member, State Commission for Women
Mr Prashant Mishra, President, Dhenkanal Nagarika Manch
Mr Pradip Sahoo, President Dhenkanal District Sarvodaya Mandal
Mr Kalyan Ananda, Convenor, Odisha Socialist Front


A. COMPLAINANT’S DETAILS
1. Name: Manoj Jena
2. Sex: Male
3. State: Orissa
4. Full Address: 34, Laxmi Vihar PO: Sainik School, Bhubaneswar-30, Orissa
                                Ph: 094371 78921, Email: manojjena.speaks@gmail.com
5. District: Bhubaneswar
6. Pin Code: 751030
B. INCIDENT DETAILS
1. Incident Place (Village/Town/City): Collectorate
2. State: Orissa
3. District: Dhenkanal
4. Date of Incident:  26 March 2011



C. VICTIM’S DETAILS
1. Name of the victim:
Mrs Radha Khilar aged 75,
Mrs Jhunubala Khilar aged 27
Mrs Shantilata Rana aged 35
Mrs Babita Choudhry aged 25
Returning from Village after Fact Finding
Mrs Padmini Behera aged 40
Mrs Rashmita Behera aged 28
Mrs Tusi Choudhry aged 65
Mrs Mama Mallik aged 28
Mrs Kamala Nayak aged 60
Mr Hadibandhu Khilar aged 35
Mr Bidyadhar Nayak aged 42
Mr Ganeswar Baral aged 25

2. No. of victims: 12
3. State: Orissa
4. Full Address:  Kamagara Patna and Srirampur Villages under Rai Narasinghpur Gram Panchayat of Kamakshya Nagar Block
5. District: Dhenkanal District, Orissa
6. Pin Code: 759026
7. Religion: Hindu
8. Caste: General, OBC and Dalit
9. Sex: Female and Male
10. Age: 25-75 yrs
11. Whether Disabled: No
12: (SC/ST/OBC/General) person:  General, OBC and Dalit
D. Brief summary of facts/allegations of human rights involved
On 26th March 2011, the women folk of different self help groups of both Kamagara Patna and Srirampur Villages under Rai Narasinghpur Gram Panchayat of Kamakshya Nagar Block in Dhenkanal district of Odisha were going on a peaceful protest near Kamagarh Patna village on the way of Dhenkanal-Kamakshya Nagar road to pay heed of their long standing demand for supply of drinking water into their villages. The problem of drinking water has been more acute during summer particularly this year due to scanty railfall.

Incidentally, On the same day the District Magistrate Mr Girish SN and Superintendent of Police Mr Satish Gajbhaiye were passing the road and saw the large number of women protesting on the road with their empty pitchers. They came out their vehicle and discussed with the members of their problem, persuaded to refrain from protest and promised to solve the matter soon.

On 2nd April 2011 following invitation from the office of collector, the representatives  visited the collectorate to meet the collector but surprisingly they were told to wait three hours as to pay cost for stopping the vehicle of  collector on the protest day. Finally the Collector met the delegates, instead of patiently hearing their grievances, the Collector threw the petition and abused strongly. After then the Collector called SP and ordered to send them to jail without informing the cause of arrest and serving the memo of arrest. In custody, the women were not allowed to convey their arrest message to their families, their mobile phones were taken up, and they were not provided drinking water or any food. Even children were snatched away from their mothers and sent them into police van. Following the arrest, the SP threatened make the village maleness.

In the late evening, they were taken to Kamakhya Nagar police station where the Office-in Charge Mr Linaraj Lenka misbehaved like anything, scolded the women in filthy languages as now onward you will be provided drinking water in jail through big pipe and will teach you hard lesson and make you realize the consequences of protest.

Even one male person who came for bail also put forwarded to SDJM court Kamakshya Nagar, finally at night 1 AM the magistrate granted bail.The IPC act of offence leveled against them are under  section  143, 341, 294, 186, 283,506,149 and 7 criminal law amendment act.

It is our solemn view that the police and the administration have grossly misused its power with a motive to terrorize the peace-loving people which amounts to a case of blatant violation of their fundamental rights and related legal guidelines.


E. Whether complaint is against Members of Armed Forces/ Para-Military
Yes. Against the District Magistrate cum Collector, Superintendent of Police, Office In charge of Tumusingha Police Station and Pandua outpost in charge.
F. Whether similar complaint has been filed before any Court/ State Human Rights Commission:
No
G. Name, designation & address of the public servant against whom Complaint is being made:
Mr Girish SN, Collector cum District Magistrate of Dhenkanal
Mr Satish Gajbhaiye, Superitendent of Police Dhenkanal
Mr Lingaraj Lenka, the Office In Charge of Tumusingha Police Station , Dhenkanal
Mr Pramod Kumar Panda, the In Charge of Pandua Out Post
H. Name, designation & address of the authority/officials to whom the public servant is answerable:
The Home Secretary
Govt. of Orissa
State Secretariat
Bhubaneswar

I. Prayer/ Relief if any, sought
The commission may immediately
  1. Intervene and impartially investigate the incident
  2. Intervene to stop further arrest that the Collector and SP intentionally fabricated false cases against the other villagers.
  3. Recommend for criminal proceedings against the DM, SP, OIC and Outpost Incharge.

8 Apr 2011

Supported Anna Hazare's Satyagraha Against Corruption




5th April, the Youth and civil society members of  different walks of life in Odisha sat in dharana from 10 am to 5pm at Loknayak Jayaprakashnarayan Statue in Bhubaneswar to pay solidarity to Anna Hazare's satyagraha against corruption by demanding to bring Jan Lokpal bill in Parliament.

From 6th onwards the dharana is being continuing at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar. Everyday hundreds of peoples are joining  in dharana across various civil society background.