Over 2,500 refugees from Myanmar have landed right in front of the 13th century tomb of Sultan Garhi — an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument — at Rangpuri area near Vasant Kunj. ..Registered as ‘asylum-seekers’ by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), these families from Northern Rakhine state of Myanmar landed in Delhi a month ago and had camped in Vasant Vihar.”Following complaints from people in Vasant Vihar, they voluntarily shifted to another location,” said Nayana Bose, associate external relations officer, UNHCR. They started reaching the tomb from Sunday evening and trickled in till Monday too. Zia-ur-Rehman, from the group, said, “We demand a valid ‘refugee’ status. There is a meeting on May 15 (and) we plan to stay here till then.“

I decided to dig deeper and found that the JNU Students Union has got involved and is demanding that “The issue of refugees languishing on the streets of Delhi for more than a month in the summer heat has to be addressed immediately. As of now, the refugees only have an asylum status. The government and the UNHCR must grant official a refugee status to them so that they can avail their basic rights with a sense of dignity”

I also learnt that:

Over 600 Rohingya Muslim families had fled from Western Myanmar to India about two years ago… They arrived in Delhi on April 9

Just how did these 600 families turn up one fine day in the heart of New Delhi after “travelling” for over 2 years in India? No one seems to know. I then discovered (via an email from Sh Mohan Sethi) that the shift to the site at Vasant Kunj (from the UNHCR office in Vasant Vihar) happened sometime on 7th May. Subsequently an all-party meeting of the local panchayats and RWAs was called, which was also attended by the local MLA and leaders from Congress, BJP and others. It appears that the refugees had been in Vasant Vihar for at least a week before the move to Vasant Kunj (how did no one notice?). They moved to Vasant Kunj on someone’s “invitation” (Were they promised some shelter/arrangement if they moved here?). It was not clear who was providing these refugees with food, water etc.  After a lot of deliberations, the meeting concluded with a decision to wait until 15th May and see what happens after that.

The local RWAs subsequently invited a few TV channels to cover this “news” and yesterday also met CM Sheila Dikshit who assured them that the refugees will bemoved by 16th May. A few questions still remain..

• Who is ensuring, taking care of basic hygiene and sanitation needs of these 2500-odd men, women and children?
• What about their basic needs (water, food, shelter)?
• Who is making sure that the conditions do not lead to an outbreak of disease or an epidemic?
• What about security concerns?
• Is a watch being maintained at the site?
• What about the risk of vigilante action?
• What about the security risk posed by the “camp” being just a few kms away from the airport?
• What about the risk to safety and security of local residents?

Now, a little bit more about who exactly are these refugees and why did they move out of Myanmar / Burma? To most of us who are blissfully unaware of India’s geography and the strategic vulnerability along the entire north-eastern region of India, the presence of Burmese refugees in New Delhi might look like an oddity. Elsewhere in India, it is anything but..

…According to local media reports, about 50,000 displaced Burmese have been living in different parts of neighbouring Mizoram, bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh, and working at various shops and factories after obtaining work permits.

While the Rohingya Muslims are being pushed out from Myanmar, their increasing numbers in the sparsely populated and heavily forested north-eastern Indian states are a cause of concern. Many of the local people have turned hostile to the steadily increasing numbers. The fear is that these people will slip into the general Indian population. [source]

The situation is not confined to Mizoram..In neighbouring Tripura, the situation might soon become equally grim..

Infiltration of Myanmarese nationals to Tripura through Bangladesh has emerged as a new problem in the frontier state that is surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides. Since July 2011, 95 Myanmarese, comprising Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist tribals, have been detained in Tripura after they sneaked into the state through Bangladesh. Myanmarese nationals illegally crossing over into India has also become a major problem in Mizoram, with unofficial estimates putting the number of such infiltrators at around 40,000.

The Indian Passport Act permits Myanmarese nationals, particularly Chins and Burmese Mizos, to travel up to 16 km inside Mizoram as they have relatives on both sides. But most people travel beyond the 16-km limit and stay back causing both population and law and order problems for Mizoram.

It is not clear why Rohingya Muslims do not cross over to Bangladesh but the reasons may be economic. However, India is not alone in terms of their destination. And here is an account of some of the “discriminations” they suffer in Myanmar.

Coming back to Delhi, who might be providing these “refugees” food, shelter and such other basic necessities? This report has a clue (“Refugees claiming to be ‘Burmese’ at Delhi; Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal):

..The refugees numbering more than five hundred lives in small tent camps, thought(sic) the lad claimed that the number would be even more than that. They came all the way by road , train, most of them have scattered in different parts of the country Sajjid said.

He further explained that Muslim communities in Delhi support and help them and provide their basic food and water. Speaking in fluent Hindi, the lad further explained that they are applying for refugee status from UNHCR..

On asked what they would do after that , the lad explained that they would demand for basic rights and facilities to be provided under the refugees status.

But the fundamental questions remain: How and why did these “refugees” trek across thousands of kilometres to camp in New Delhi? Who was leading them? Who guided them? Who is providing for them? And what exactly does the government plan to do about it? Is it really hoping that they will simply go back if asked politely?

And how many are they? No one appears to know for sure (in keeping with the great tradition in Indian media). The HT report mentions “over 2500“; Indian Express (re. JNU students) mentions “600 families“; the E-pao report above mentions “500″ or more and this report mentions “..700 people“. Questions and more questions…

Finally, guess what – according to “The Hindu” – is the most important dimension to this situation?

The controversy over the camping of Myanmar refugees in a protected area in Delhi has several dimensions, the most important being that the land is home to a 13th Century mausoleum for Altamash’s son, the second to be built in the Indian subcontinent [source]

Truly “MerA BhArat MahAn” मेरा भारत महान !

P.S. The Rohingya (Rohingiya) Muslims are not the only refugees from Myanmar in India..There are Christian refugees too (- not that you would notice this if you simply read the news-reports; Most simply mention “refugees”).

Recommended Readings: 1 un-named leader, 1000 illegal settlers and vote-bank politics…Notes from North-East: Indigenous Cultures, Demographic Invasion and A story about British vote-banks..

Also read: Some startling stats from the eastern front…, North-East  “burning” and “India Breaking” – Read this and Weep

Update: Just came across this odd-statement from CM Sheila Dikshit:

..DDA, chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Saturday said that a way would soon be found to relocate them. “Earlier it was thought that the land belonged to Waqf Board, but it is not so. The land belongs to Delhi Development Authority (DDA),” Dikshit said.

So it is OK to encroach on Waqf land? or is it OK to encroach on Waqf land by Muslims from the Ummah? Just wondering.

* Title inspired by John Le Carre; Image courtesy: E-Pao.net

*** “Rahul Gandhi’s Assets and Education” – Guest Post Anjana Bhartia ***

There are many in the Congress party who believe that their leaders are above reproach particularly the Gandhi family. Indians are made to believe that Rahul Gandhi is a highly accomplished individual by way of his educational qualifications. Today we wish to put this to test not by floating rumours or false allegations but simply by attempting to question the sworn statements given by Rahul Gandhi himself in his affidavit filed for his Lok Sabha election. In the 2004 election Rahul Gandhi furnished the following details about his education:

• Senior School Secondary from CBSE 1989
• MPhil in (Development Economics), Trinity College, Cambridge University in 1995

No details of his Graduation were deemed necessary to be declared.  However in 2009 election the following details were declared:

• Senior Secondary from Central Board of Secondary Education 1989
• Bachelor of Arts from Rollins College, Florida in 1994
• MPhil in (Development Economics), Trinity College, Cambridge University in 1995

Please note the subject of specialisation. It says “Development Economics”. According to the official website of Cambridge University there is no such course as Development Economics. Now, agreed that ten years is a long time. But is it long enough to make a person forget the stream they studied in college? Rahul Gandhi’s subject for MPhil was Development Studies not Development Economics which is something entirely different. Was this an unintentional mistake or deliberately misleading, meant to create a false illusion of academic accomplishment?

Educational qualifications aside, Rahul Gandhi’s possessions seem to present an even more curious case .According to what is largely believed Rahul has dedicated himself to the welfare of this country and its people therefore his only job is being a responsible MP.  Tabled below is a very modest calculation of his said income (with many generous assumptions to give him the benefit of doubt).

Following are some of the assets declared by him in 2004 in his own sworn affidavit for MP elections:

After 5 years RG has declared the following assets in his 2009 affidavit:

The analysis which shows a massive growth in assets (Rs 1 crore, 43 Lakhs (203%!) in spite of a somewhat modest income/earnings during this period (Rs 25 Lakhs). This raises numerous questions, to say the least.

• What is the source of this very significant increase in wealth?
• Did Rahul Gandhi invest the amount in the intervening years in shares/assets that appreciated very significantly and sold these off before the 2009 election (since they do not appear on this statement)?
• Is this increase in wealth the result of income of inheritance from a Trust Fund that paid out?
• Does this amount include gift(s) by family members or friends or well-wishers)?

Leaders are expected to lead by example. Rahul Gandhi has declared the value of 6 acres of his (undivided) ancestral property in a prime area in Delhi at a meagre Rs 28 Lakhs. A farmhouse with farmland of 4.6 acres is valued at a paltry Rs 9Lakhs and 80Thousand Rupees. Is this really the true value? If it is, I would happily fork over twice of his estimated/declared price for such a prime piece of land (and I am sure there are others who would be happy to get on this “bargain” too!). Is he a fool or does he take us to be fools? And what is the source of these assets? Did he inherit the land? From whom? And when? Of course he can always say he is not bound to declare  the source of these assets but that would not really be setting an example, would it?

If this how Congressmen value their assets no wonder 2G spectrum and coal blocks were sold off at throwaway prices!

*** End ***

About Anjana (in her own words):

I am an Economics Grad who somehow managed to do an MBA inMarketing… Till about a year ago I was living happily in my own cocoon. I like many youngsters believed that politics did not affectmy day to day life. However over the past one year I have started noticing the things around me and come to the realization that it isbecause of bad politics and our poor leaders. I’ve read somewhere that in a democracy people get the government they deserve. I however believe that India deserves better.

Comments, thoughts welcome as always. Pl do share among friends and family. This is the kind of “news” that not many channels and newspaper would cover or report. Thanks Anjana, for this great piece of painstaking and thorough research. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!

Related: A few inconvenient questions for the “Youth Icon“ and  Open Letter to Rahul Gandhi from a “not-so-Aam” Aadmi*

Somewhat Related: Was Rahul Gandhi really arrested at Boston in 2001?

Bonus: 6 Questions that Rahul Gandhi still hasn’t answered

P.S. Note that Anjana has made several assumptions in this post that give RG the benefit of doubt. His actual declared assets in 2004 and 2009 are reported here (emphasis added):

• In 2004, he declared total assets of Rs 22 lakh. In five years, the assets of the first-time MP have shot up 10 times to 2.25 crore.
• In 2004, he held bank deposits of Rs 11 lakh, £30,000 and $19,200; shares of Rs 3.9 lakh; LIC and other savings certificates in Rs 3.80 lakh; jewellery worth Rs 1.25 lakh; and a farm house worth Rs 9.8 lakh.
• In 2009, he holds bank deposits of about Rs 20 lakh, LIC and other savings certificates of Rs 10.2 lakh; land worth Rs 40 lakh, jewellery worth Rs 1.5 lakh; and two shops in a mall worth Rs 1.63 crore.

*** Excerpts from Religious Apartheid in Modern India by Moorthy Muthuswamy ***

…For any emergent or modern nation, it would indeed be downright shameful, and even outright inconceivable to blatantly discriminate against its citizens, especially its majority community. This reminds one of the white apartheid-rule in South Africa.

One may be surprised to learn that in India, of all nations, similar practices are taking place.

Recently, St. Stephen’s College, an elite Christian missionary-controlled higher education institution located in New Delhi shocked many by declaring that it was setting up a quota system that allots 50 percent of its student enrolment for the Christians.

…A stunning fact: About 95 percent of the college’s expenses are paid by the taxpayers, with the majority community contributing most of it.[4] Interestingly, according to the 2001 census figures, Christian population in New Delhi constitutes just one percent.[5] Indeed, Indian taxpayers appear to be subsidising the selective empowerment of Christians in St. Stephen’s College at the expense of deserving non-Christians.

A Supreme Court ruling based on Article 30 of the Indian Constitution was used by the St. Stephen’s management to justify these religious discriminations.[6] In 1993, the Government of India notified that the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) are considered “minority.”[7] Article 30 of the Indian constitution allows religious minority communities regardless of their socio-economic status to allot up to 50 percent of student enrolment and employment for members of their own communities in educational institutions administered by them even if the institutions are getting aid from the government.[8] The definition of minority applies at the national level — meaning that in the Indian states of Mizoram and Punjab where Christians and Sikhs are majorities respectively, and the Hindus are a minority, Article 30 still applies to the Christians and Sikhs in these states as minorities, and the Hindus there as majority.

Christian minorities are also, not surprisingly, getting preferential employment in missionary-controlled educational institutions, again justified on the basis of Article 30. For example, the percentages of teaching staff belonging to the Christian faith in missionary-controlled, but taxpayer-funded American College, Union Christian College and St. Xavier’s College are 66, 83 and 42 respectively.[9] But the percentages of Christians in the state of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra, where these colleges are located are just 7, 19 and 1 respectively,[10] clearly suggesting the role of religious discriminations in hiring. It appears that these lawful discriminatory practices encompass just about all Christian denominations and cut across the nation. The temptation to discriminate is driven by the highly beneficial manner of the reservations as well as by their lawful nature.

If the percentage of missionary-controlled educational institutions is proportional to the Christian minority population percentage, these discriminations, while hardly justifiable for a nation that calls itself “secular,” are unlikely to have an adverse impact. However, here’s the gist of the problem: the 2.3 percent (2001 census figures)[11] Christian minorities control over 22 percent[12] (almost ten times their population percentage) of all educational institutions in India (i.e., over 40,000 of them[13]).
In combination with Article 30, the above statistics state the obvious: The Christians are a privileged minority in India, with the government’s resources — inadvertently, it seems — allocated for their preferred empowerment. Not surprisingly, literacy rate of the Christians in India stands at 80 percent,[14] compared to 65 percent[15] overall. With the missionaries providing nearly 30 percent of the healthcare services in India,[16] employment possibilities for those who convert to Christianity are significantly more than those of non-Christians. In addition, the minority status of missionary-controlled institutions helps them get tax, land allotment and many other benefits.[17]

…The magnitude and scale of these discriminations are staggering. If each missionary-controlled institution has on the average a total of 300 students and staff, and if it discriminates on the average against 10 non-Christian student enrolments and youth employments every year, it translates to about a quarter million discriminatory acts every year. For instance, St. Stephen’s, which has an incoming class of about 400 students every year,[19] allots nearly 200 of these seats exclusively for Christians — i.e., nearly 200 acts of discrimination every year.

…It is useful to quantify the implications of this decision. Assuming on the average a total of 300 students and staff in an institution, for the 40,000 institutions controlled by the missionaries, a grand total of 12 million seats is reached. Hence, a disturbing possibility has arisen as a result of the honoured court’s decision: It has empowered the missionaries to lawfully deny non-Christians from a few millions to about 6 million student enrolments and staff employments every year in institutions likely funded by the government.

…Post 1990s, the religious apartheid practices permitted by Article 30 of India’s constitution have played a primary role in devastating the majority community economically in the southern Indian state of Kerala by marginalising their educational opportunities. The article has given minority-controlled institutions in Kerala legal power to discriminate and to regulate educational access at the expense of the taxpayers. According to Indian academic C. Issac:

“[The] 55 per cent of Hindu population of Kerala controls 11.11 per cent of the state’s bank deposits. On the other hand, the 19 per cent Christian community commands 33.33 per cent and 25 per cent Muslim population retains 55.55 per cent…. The education is one of the major sectors where the organised strength of the minorities in Kerala is used in a covert manner. In this sector the majority [Hindu] community as well as the government together control only 11.11 percent, on the other hand, the church controls 55.55 percent and Muslim religious organisations 33.33 percent of all institutions. At present the professional education sector of Kerala is almost under the full control of the minorities. About 12,000 engineering enrolments and 300 medicine enrolments are in the minority institutions and they are fully controlling the admissions. At present 60 percent of the enrolments in paramedical courses are controlled by the organised minority religious leadership…. In this situation the successive governments are functioning as mere onlookers…. A lion’s share of these aided [government-funded] schools is under minority management.”[44]

Can a parent belonging to the majority community expect his/her sons and daughters, even if they are well-qualified, to receive college education in Kerala? Difficult as it is to get admission in a college, it is unlikely to be lost on many Hindus that they stand a much higher chance, should they convert to one of the privileged minority faiths.

…Clearly, modern and “emergent” India has to do away with Article 30 in the present form.

…This article shouldn’t be viewed as an attack on Christian minorities or a call for undermining their rights, or an effort to stop conversions altogether. The focus of this analysis is about the egregious human rights violations of the 80 percent majority community. By tracing these violations to Article 30 of the Indian constitution, this piece offers ways of addressing this issue objectively and fairly without infringing on anyone’s rights.

*** End of Excerpts ***

The original is a long piece but worth reading in full…Comments & thoughts welcome, as always…

P.S. A relevant excerpt from a recent piece in FirstPost:

The spirit of Article 30 is that it is intended to ensure that minorities are not discriminated against or denied equal treatment. But in practice, it has begun to mean that non-minority institutions can be denied the right to “establish and administer” institutions in their own way.
Article 30 and various court judgments related to it, including the recent one by the Supreme Court on exempting unaided minority institutions from the purview of the 25 percent quota for the poor prescribed under the Right to Education Act, clearly need to be rewritten or even abolished.
It can be abolished for the simple reason that the right of minorities to establish their own institutions is inherent in human rights and citizenship rights. Since any Indian citizen has the right to set up any institution under extant laws of the land, minorities can do so too.

Additional Reading: Why Did The Ramakrishna Mission Say They Are Not Hindus?

Also read: “Pseudo-secularism” at its best?

The ‘cartoon’ that led to JU professor’s arrest. From top to bottom: 1. Mamata Banerjee points to Indian Railways’ logo and tells Mukul Roy: “See Mukul, the Golden Fortress”; 2. Mukul Roy points to former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi and exclaims: “That’s an evil man!!!”; 3. Mamata says: “Evil man, vanish!”

Apparently, this “image” – or to be more precise circulating this “image” via email has landed a person in jail.

Professor Ambikesh Mahaptara of Jadavpur University was arrested this morning (Fri) for forwarding derogatory cartoons about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee.

The cartoons are based on Sonar Kella, the famed movie by Satyajit Ray, showing two peple in a dialogue. The mail forwarded by Professor Mahapatra allegedly shows Mamta Banerjee and Mukul Roy, Central Railway Minister of plotting together to get rid of former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. The professor is supposed to have forwarded the mail to atleast 65 people.

…“Professor Ambikesh Mohapatra has been arrested for spreading derogatory messages against respectable persons,” said Sujoy Chanda, Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata, without divulging the names of those who are supposed to have been defamed. Subrata Sengupta, Professor Mahapatra’s neighbour has also been arrested…reports state that in retaliation to this (i.e. “spreading derogatory messages“), he was (also) attacked by workers of Trinammol Congress, as he returned home from work.

The chemistry professor..has been booked under Section 66 of Information Technology Act, 2000 and Section 500 of Indian Penal Code, which mounts up to punishment for defamation. [link]

There is no doubt that the Professor has been arrested although the charges are not yet clear.

…Police sources say Subrata Sengupta, a neighbour of Mahapatra, has also been arrested. Among the charges slapped against the two are some sections of the IT Act. The cartoon in question has been doing the rounds in West Bengal after Mamata forced Trivedi out of the rail ministry and put Roy in his place. Apparently, the cartoon is a caricature of Satyajit Ray’s detective masterpiece on celluloid Sonar Kella. The police have come to know Mahapatra has sent the mail to about 65 people. However, it is not yet clear what are the charges that the police has slapped against the professor. [link]

This NDTV clip suggests that he was arrested for insutling the modesty of a woman, humiliating women, defamation and sending offensive messages through a computer. He has since been released on bail and apparently after writing a “letter”. Unbelievable, right? If you share my outrage (and I do hope you do), please share this post/ link with all your friends and family…Make sure this is widely read..and make sure that Didi understands that India has moved far beyond censorship.

P.S. At least some of you may remember Mamata-Di’s recent move to “limit” the number of newspapers in state-libraries. So much for “Poribartan”.

IMPORTANT: I am waiting for independent verification of these reports. If it turns out that the Professor was *not* arrested for sharing/spreading this image, I will delete this post and publicly apologise on this  blog to Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress. As of now, I am standing by this post.

By the way, defamation laws are a major “risk” in India. To understand better, please read: On Scandalous Information and “high-profile” people

Somewhat Related: Retiring to become an Imam in Paschim Banga*.. and On Blogs, Comments, Liability and Being Sued

Images Attrribution: Professors’s photograph, courtesy IndiaWires; “Cartoon” courtesy, BharatKalyan97