http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/video/video.aspx?id=51081
Constable suspended for doing his duty
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Saturday, January 17, 2009, (Bhopal)
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Sometimes performing your duty efficiently can prove costly!Kudrat Ali, a police constable in Bhopal found himself in the line of fire for doing his job when he stopped the chief secretary's car from taking the route which had been blocked for the Chief Minister's security. His reward was a suspension letter.The chief secretary's gunmen threatened him but the constable stood his ground, pointing out that the car did not have a red beacon and in any case, the chief minister had almost reached the spot.When the constable returned to his police station at the end of the day, he was handed his suspension letter."I obeyed the orders of the senior officials and control room and efficiently carried out the responsibility of VIP security. I have not committed any mistake," said Kudrat.Sources told NDTV that after the incident, the chief secretary summoned the DGP and Bhopal SP and asked them to take action against the constable, following which Kudrat was suspended immediately.Neither the SP nor anyone in the police department wants to comment. However, the chief secretary, who is in Delhi, spoke on telephone."I have brought the matter to the notice of the Bhopal SP. He is taking further action," said the chief secretary.Kudrat, who has a wife and five children to take care of, will now have to manage on only half his salary.When the information was brought to the notice of the Madhya Pradesh government, this is what they had to say."I will speak with the SP and the constable to apprise myself of the incident. I will find a way out so that no harm is done to the constable," said Jagdish Deora, Home Minister, Madhya Pradesh.The policemen were not willing to speak on camera because the matter pertains to the chief secretary, but the incident has surely demoralised the police force.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Futile organ donation in Bhopal
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080047750&ch=633672276468178986
Futile organ donation in Bhopal
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Thursday, April 24, 2008, (Bhopal)
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In Bhopal, scores of people who have come forward to donate their vital organs find themselves completely disillusioned. The government has taken little interest in making arrangements to preserve the vital organs and it could be a donation gone waste.Scores of senior citizens followed the example of first couple to donate their organs and pledged their organs in a special camp. But it may all be a wasted effort.The city has no facility to preserve organs."The sacrifice of the people will prove futile if arrangements are not made to preserve the vital organs. Henceforth, no one will take the initiative in this direction," said SK Saraswat, President, Senior Citizens' Forum, Bhopal.So far, 137 people have come forward to donate their vital organs. But there is no facility in Bhopal to preserve organs like kidney, liver and skin."There is no facility to preserve vital organs as transplantations do not take place here," said Dr MC Songara, Surgeon, Gandhi Medical College.Concerned about future donations, the senior citizens' forum has written to the centre and the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan but so far there has been no response.
Futile organ donation in Bhopal
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Thursday, April 24, 2008, (Bhopal)
window.google_render_ad();
In Bhopal, scores of people who have come forward to donate their vital organs find themselves completely disillusioned. The government has taken little interest in making arrangements to preserve the vital organs and it could be a donation gone waste.Scores of senior citizens followed the example of first couple to donate their organs and pledged their organs in a special camp. But it may all be a wasted effort.The city has no facility to preserve organs."The sacrifice of the people will prove futile if arrangements are not made to preserve the vital organs. Henceforth, no one will take the initiative in this direction," said SK Saraswat, President, Senior Citizens' Forum, Bhopal.So far, 137 people have come forward to donate their vital organs. But there is no facility in Bhopal to preserve organs like kidney, liver and skin."There is no facility to preserve vital organs as transplantations do not take place here," said Dr MC Songara, Surgeon, Gandhi Medical College.Concerned about future donations, the senior citizens' forum has written to the centre and the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan but so far there has been no response.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Constable suspended for doing his duty
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20090080332&ch=1/17/2009%2012:41:00%20PM
Constable suspended for doing his duty
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Saturday, January 17, 2009, (Bhopal)
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Sometimes performing your duty efficiently can prove costly!Kudrat Ali, a police constable in Bhopal found himself in the line of fire for doing his job when he stopped the chief secretary's car from taking the route which had been blocked for the Chief Minister's security. His reward was a suspension letter.The chief secretary's gunmen threatened him but the constable stood his ground, pointing out that the car did not have a red beacon and in any case, the chief minister had almost reached the spot.When the constable returned to his police station at the end of the day, he was handed his suspension letter."I obeyed the orders of the senior officials and control room and efficiently carried out the responsibility of VIP security. I have not committed any mistake," said Kudrat.Sources told NDTV that after the incident, the chief secretary summoned the DGP and Bhopal SP and asked them to take action against the constable, following which Kudrat was suspended immediately.Neither the SP nor anyone in the police department wants to comment. However, the chief secretary, who is in Delhi, spoke on telephone."I have brought the matter to the notice of the Bhopal SP. He is taking further action," said the chief secretary.Kudrat, who has a wife and five children to take care of, will now have to manage on only half his salary.When the information was brought to the notice of the Madhya Pradesh government, this is what they had to say."I will speak with the SP and the constable to apprise myself of the incident. I will find a way out so that no harm is done to the constable," said Jagdish Deora, Home Minister, Madhya Pradesh.The policemen were not willing to speak on camera because the matter pertains to the chief secretary, but the incident has surely demoralised the police force.
Constable suspended for doing his duty
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Saturday, January 17, 2009, (Bhopal)
window.google_render_ad();
Sometimes performing your duty efficiently can prove costly!Kudrat Ali, a police constable in Bhopal found himself in the line of fire for doing his job when he stopped the chief secretary's car from taking the route which had been blocked for the Chief Minister's security. His reward was a suspension letter.The chief secretary's gunmen threatened him but the constable stood his ground, pointing out that the car did not have a red beacon and in any case, the chief minister had almost reached the spot.When the constable returned to his police station at the end of the day, he was handed his suspension letter."I obeyed the orders of the senior officials and control room and efficiently carried out the responsibility of VIP security. I have not committed any mistake," said Kudrat.Sources told NDTV that after the incident, the chief secretary summoned the DGP and Bhopal SP and asked them to take action against the constable, following which Kudrat was suspended immediately.Neither the SP nor anyone in the police department wants to comment. However, the chief secretary, who is in Delhi, spoke on telephone."I have brought the matter to the notice of the Bhopal SP. He is taking further action," said the chief secretary.Kudrat, who has a wife and five children to take care of, will now have to manage on only half his salary.When the information was brought to the notice of the Madhya Pradesh government, this is what they had to say."I will speak with the SP and the constable to apprise myself of the incident. I will find a way out so that no harm is done to the constable," said Jagdish Deora, Home Minister, Madhya Pradesh.The policemen were not willing to speak on camera because the matter pertains to the chief secretary, but the incident has surely demoralised the police force.
Monday, April 28, 2008
SWAC complains of nasty treatment
http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980615/16651304.html
Monday, June 15, 1998
SWAC complains of nasty treatment
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
AHMEDABAD, June 14: Even as Defence Minister George Fernandes warned the Civil Aviation authorities to make available air base facilities at the Ahmedabad airport `within 24 hours' starting from Saturday, the South Western Air Command (SWAC) officers complained of "nasty treatment from the airport authorities". The SWAC is present in a big in the state -- with a base at Vadodara and now at Gandhinagar -- they are being harassed by airport officials and some feel it was better at Jodhpur.
Senior SWAC officials aired the grievance that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has not provided them 20 acres of land near the existing airport even though the request had been made more than a year back.
Although the space is necessary for SWAC to carry out its functioning in an independent manner, some minimum requirements are a must till this land is provided. But even those have been denied to them here.
SWAC needs a permanent parking space for at least two transport aircraft and one helicopter to protect the important installations in the area, but the government has yet to decide about this. Whenever, the officials need an aircraft to fulfill a commitment, it has to be flown from its base at Vadodara and after operation is over the aircraft has to be flown back to Vadodara.
Besides extra expenditure on fuel, the process is time-consuming and it also leads to inconvenience to the SWAC staff. In case of emergency situations, which arise more often than not keeping in view the strategic location, the officials land in a tight spot.
Air Vice Marshal M S Brar said that SWAC needs shelter for the aircraft on a temporary but urgent basis as it is not possible for them to build one overnight when an emergency situation arises.
He said, "SWAC needs minimal accommodation to function the basic infrastructure of small aircraft detachment."
However, senior airport officials when contacted said the proposal to provide 20 acres of land and other infrastructure facilities to SWAC is "under active consideration of AAI and a decision would follow shortly."
When reminded that Defence Minister George Fernandes had, on Saturday, given a deadline of 24 hours to Civil Aviation authorities, the airport officials said that today being Sunday no communication has arrived from their Delhi headquarters.
But this is not the end of the travails of SWAC staff. They do not even have an office or a store-room at the airport. They have to ferry the equipment from Gandhinagar and take them back after use. There would have been no need to take so much of useless pain if there was an office here, the officials said. Even worse, the crew after landing at the airport cannot change or take rest in the absence of any separate room for them.
They also feel they are being `harassed by the airport authorities' when it comes to letting them inside the airport. Every time they have to go to receive or see a VIP or VVIP off, they have to write a letter to the airport director (AD) seeking permission to allow the staff and the vehicles in the apron.
They complain that if the AD allows two vehicles inside, the gateman says he has been asked by him to allow only one. Or, on reaching the front gate the gateman asks them to go through the rear gate from where again they are sent back. And this happens when the distance between the front and the rear gate is about 5 km.
A senior SWAC official said that "this kind of harassment is very nasty and in the poorest taste and we do not deserve such a treatment from the airport authorities."
But, he said even the AD is not to be blamed because the civilian system is like that.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
Monday, June 15, 1998
SWAC complains of nasty treatment
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
AHMEDABAD, June 14: Even as Defence Minister George Fernandes warned the Civil Aviation authorities to make available air base facilities at the Ahmedabad airport `within 24 hours' starting from Saturday, the South Western Air Command (SWAC) officers complained of "nasty treatment from the airport authorities". The SWAC is present in a big in the state -- with a base at Vadodara and now at Gandhinagar -- they are being harassed by airport officials and some feel it was better at Jodhpur.
Senior SWAC officials aired the grievance that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has not provided them 20 acres of land near the existing airport even though the request had been made more than a year back.
Although the space is necessary for SWAC to carry out its functioning in an independent manner, some minimum requirements are a must till this land is provided. But even those have been denied to them here.
SWAC needs a permanent parking space for at least two transport aircraft and one helicopter to protect the important installations in the area, but the government has yet to decide about this. Whenever, the officials need an aircraft to fulfill a commitment, it has to be flown from its base at Vadodara and after operation is over the aircraft has to be flown back to Vadodara.
Besides extra expenditure on fuel, the process is time-consuming and it also leads to inconvenience to the SWAC staff. In case of emergency situations, which arise more often than not keeping in view the strategic location, the officials land in a tight spot.
Air Vice Marshal M S Brar said that SWAC needs shelter for the aircraft on a temporary but urgent basis as it is not possible for them to build one overnight when an emergency situation arises.
He said, "SWAC needs minimal accommodation to function the basic infrastructure of small aircraft detachment."
However, senior airport officials when contacted said the proposal to provide 20 acres of land and other infrastructure facilities to SWAC is "under active consideration of AAI and a decision would follow shortly."
When reminded that Defence Minister George Fernandes had, on Saturday, given a deadline of 24 hours to Civil Aviation authorities, the airport officials said that today being Sunday no communication has arrived from their Delhi headquarters.
But this is not the end of the travails of SWAC staff. They do not even have an office or a store-room at the airport. They have to ferry the equipment from Gandhinagar and take them back after use. There would have been no need to take so much of useless pain if there was an office here, the officials said. Even worse, the crew after landing at the airport cannot change or take rest in the absence of any separate room for them.
They also feel they are being `harassed by the airport authorities' when it comes to letting them inside the airport. Every time they have to go to receive or see a VIP or VVIP off, they have to write a letter to the airport director (AD) seeking permission to allow the staff and the vehicles in the apron.
They complain that if the AD allows two vehicles inside, the gateman says he has been asked by him to allow only one. Or, on reaching the front gate the gateman asks them to go through the rear gate from where again they are sent back. And this happens when the distance between the front and the rear gate is about 5 km.
A senior SWAC official said that "this kind of harassment is very nasty and in the poorest taste and we do not deserve such a treatment from the airport authorities."
But, he said even the AD is not to be blamed because the civilian system is like that.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
Birds put up for sale at the Nal Sarovar sanctuary
http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990520/ige20091.html
INDIAN EXPRESS FRONT PAGE
Thursday, May 20, 1999
Birds put up for sale at the Nal Sarovar sanctuary
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
NAL SAROVAR, May 19: A pelican for Rs 200. A Greyleg Goose for Rs 150. A flamingo for Rs 50. A Common Pochard for Rs 40. Small Egrets for Rs 10. And a variety of other water-birds for even less.
Welcome to the Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary! Here, poachers trap and sell rare birds to villagers for meat. From October to May, the season during which the migratory birds stay here, some 25 birds are daily caught, sold and killed for meat. All this at a sanctuary which is protected by the forest department.
Except for pelicans, the other birds are eaten by the villagers. Pelican meat is roasted to extract the fat, which is believed to cure arthritis.
The poachers belong to villages such as Shahpur, Nani Kathechi, Ranagadh, Darji, and Durgi, which are around the sanctuary. Generally, they sell the birds to other villagers, but they also pass the birds on to some trusted pheriwalas, who sell them in nearby talukas at much higher prices.
This is how the poachers catch the birds, mostly by night. They erect poles fitted with nets in the lake. One pole in the middle is tied to a cord, the other end of which is with a poacher, who sits, some 500 metres away, on one of the 360 islets in the lake. Some men drive resting birds towards the nets. Once some birds enter the net, the man on the islet pulls the cord. The pole falls. The birds are in the net.
This goes on from midnight to early morning. The captive birds, their wings entwined, are first kept in a boat and then packed in large sacks and taken to the villages for sale.
Poachers trap a few birds by day, too. This they do by placing nooses in the marshes. When a bird walks into a noose, the poacher pulls it tight and catches the bird, as it flutters its wings in frustration.
The Express Newsline team met two poachers carrying sacks stained with blood. They said there were four live flamingoes in the sacks. They agreed to part with the birds for Rs 40 each. They also revealed that they had caught 17 flamingoes and already sold 13 to villagers and pheriwalas. Ironically, this happened just a few yards away from the Flamingo Inspection Bungalow set up here by the Forest Department.
Flamingoes are listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Cruelty to these birds is punishable under section 51 of the Act which amounts to three years' imprisonment or a fine of Rs 25,000 or both.
But poaching is rampant in the sanctuary. It has been going on for a long time. Forest department officials make cursory patrols around the lake from December to March, when bird population is at its highest and tourists throng the place. Once the tourist season is over, the officials disappear.
When contacted, G.A. Patel, chief conservator of forests, Gandhinagar, who is in charge of the sanctuary, said migratory birds like flamingoes aren't found at this time of the year. He seemed oblivious of the fact that at least 10,000 Lesser Flamingoes, 2,500 Greater Flamingoes, 5,000 Little Egrets, 1,500 Painted Storks, and 1,200 spoonbills, to name a few, still inhabit the sanctuary.
Patel also said he had never heard of poaching at the sanctuary, even though he had served as district forest officer of the area in the past. On being told about what the Express Newsline team saw, he said, ``I don't deny that a few stray incidents could be taking place once in a while in some remote corner. But we are vigilant too.''
Patel said there was no water in the lake and, therefore, no migratory bird was to be found. But when reminded that there was knee-deep water in the lake, most suited for the birds to inhabit and mate, he said he would inquire into the poaching. He said he wondered how poaching could take place when an assistant conservator of forests, two range forest officers and other foresters are camping at the site.
The fact, however, is that no forest department official has been staying in the forest department bungalow in the sanctuary for the past few months.
Flamingoes migrate from Siberia during winter to Pakistan and India. In India they stay in Kutch and Nal Sarovar. They mate here and fly back home in April-May with their chicks. This could well stop if the poaching continues.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
INDIAN EXPRESS FRONT PAGE
Thursday, May 20, 1999
Birds put up for sale at the Nal Sarovar sanctuary
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
NAL SAROVAR, May 19: A pelican for Rs 200. A Greyleg Goose for Rs 150. A flamingo for Rs 50. A Common Pochard for Rs 40. Small Egrets for Rs 10. And a variety of other water-birds for even less.
Welcome to the Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary! Here, poachers trap and sell rare birds to villagers for meat. From October to May, the season during which the migratory birds stay here, some 25 birds are daily caught, sold and killed for meat. All this at a sanctuary which is protected by the forest department.
Except for pelicans, the other birds are eaten by the villagers. Pelican meat is roasted to extract the fat, which is believed to cure arthritis.
The poachers belong to villages such as Shahpur, Nani Kathechi, Ranagadh, Darji, and Durgi, which are around the sanctuary. Generally, they sell the birds to other villagers, but they also pass the birds on to some trusted pheriwalas, who sell them in nearby talukas at much higher prices.
This is how the poachers catch the birds, mostly by night. They erect poles fitted with nets in the lake. One pole in the middle is tied to a cord, the other end of which is with a poacher, who sits, some 500 metres away, on one of the 360 islets in the lake. Some men drive resting birds towards the nets. Once some birds enter the net, the man on the islet pulls the cord. The pole falls. The birds are in the net.
This goes on from midnight to early morning. The captive birds, their wings entwined, are first kept in a boat and then packed in large sacks and taken to the villages for sale.
Poachers trap a few birds by day, too. This they do by placing nooses in the marshes. When a bird walks into a noose, the poacher pulls it tight and catches the bird, as it flutters its wings in frustration.
The Express Newsline team met two poachers carrying sacks stained with blood. They said there were four live flamingoes in the sacks. They agreed to part with the birds for Rs 40 each. They also revealed that they had caught 17 flamingoes and already sold 13 to villagers and pheriwalas. Ironically, this happened just a few yards away from the Flamingo Inspection Bungalow set up here by the Forest Department.
Flamingoes are listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Cruelty to these birds is punishable under section 51 of the Act which amounts to three years' imprisonment or a fine of Rs 25,000 or both.
But poaching is rampant in the sanctuary. It has been going on for a long time. Forest department officials make cursory patrols around the lake from December to March, when bird population is at its highest and tourists throng the place. Once the tourist season is over, the officials disappear.
When contacted, G.A. Patel, chief conservator of forests, Gandhinagar, who is in charge of the sanctuary, said migratory birds like flamingoes aren't found at this time of the year. He seemed oblivious of the fact that at least 10,000 Lesser Flamingoes, 2,500 Greater Flamingoes, 5,000 Little Egrets, 1,500 Painted Storks, and 1,200 spoonbills, to name a few, still inhabit the sanctuary.
Patel also said he had never heard of poaching at the sanctuary, even though he had served as district forest officer of the area in the past. On being told about what the Express Newsline team saw, he said, ``I don't deny that a few stray incidents could be taking place once in a while in some remote corner. But we are vigilant too.''
Patel said there was no water in the lake and, therefore, no migratory bird was to be found. But when reminded that there was knee-deep water in the lake, most suited for the birds to inhabit and mate, he said he would inquire into the poaching. He said he wondered how poaching could take place when an assistant conservator of forests, two range forest officers and other foresters are camping at the site.
The fact, however, is that no forest department official has been staying in the forest department bungalow in the sanctuary for the past few months.
Flamingoes migrate from Siberia during winter to Pakistan and India. In India they stay in Kutch and Nal Sarovar. They mate here and fly back home in April-May with their chicks. This could well stop if the poaching continues.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
VHP's self-help way to end conversions
http://www.expressindia.com/news/ie/daily/19990208/ige08028.html
INDIAN EXPRESS FRONT PAGE
Monday, February 8, 1999
VHP's self-help way to end conversions
KUMAR SHAKTI SHEKHAR
AHMEDABAD, FEB 7: Realising that self-help is the best help, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has decided to tackle the problems of illiteracy, ill-health and unemployment in backward areas of India, bypassing the Government and opening schools, hospitals, food distribution centres and sanskar kendras in 100 districts. The programme of social reform is also aimed at eradicating inequality, stopping conversions and speeding up reconversions.
To implement this plan, sadhus have been allotted areas -- mainly in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Manipur and Arunachal -- to adopt as their own; VHP workers will coordinate with the sadhus in their work.
Swami Chinmayanand Maharaj, MP, told The Indian Express that a study was being conducted by the VHP to identify the villages where the plan would be executed. Food distribution, he said, was a short-term solution; in the long run, only the employment generation programmes would pay off.
Chinmayanand, who has chosen to work in the predominantly adivasi Bastar area of Madhya Pradesh, said the advantages of fertile land and temperate climate had been wiped out by the lack of any Government programme to make the adivasis self-dependent.
He acknowledged, however, that the sadhus and the VHP had realised too late that a large chunk of society was illiterate and hungry. ``We thought that after Independence, it would be the Government's responsibility to help the downtrodden, but it neglected illiteracy and unemployment -- the main reason behind conversions -- in 70 per cent of the villages,'' he said, and added,``Yeh sab sarkar ki laparwahi aur hamari galatfahmi ki wajah se hua,'' (it was because of the Government's carelessness and our misunderstanding). The VHP was now certain, he said, that the Government would not be able to improve the condition of the downtrodden.
There are also plans to eradicate untouchability and inequality, under which the sadhus will eat with the Dalits and the adivasis. The intention is that the upper castes will be motivated bythis action.
Pravin Togadia, VHP's international general secretary, said the sadhus would now work to their full potential and on a large scale, to bring about social reform, especially eradication of untouchability. ``Till a few centuries ago, it was considered a sin for a Hindu to cross the sea. But it has changed. In the same manner, inequality will be removed,''he said.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
INDIAN EXPRESS FRONT PAGE
Monday, February 8, 1999
VHP's self-help way to end conversions
KUMAR SHAKTI SHEKHAR
AHMEDABAD, FEB 7: Realising that self-help is the best help, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has decided to tackle the problems of illiteracy, ill-health and unemployment in backward areas of India, bypassing the Government and opening schools, hospitals, food distribution centres and sanskar kendras in 100 districts. The programme of social reform is also aimed at eradicating inequality, stopping conversions and speeding up reconversions.
To implement this plan, sadhus have been allotted areas -- mainly in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Manipur and Arunachal -- to adopt as their own; VHP workers will coordinate with the sadhus in their work.
Swami Chinmayanand Maharaj, MP, told The Indian Express that a study was being conducted by the VHP to identify the villages where the plan would be executed. Food distribution, he said, was a short-term solution; in the long run, only the employment generation programmes would pay off.
Chinmayanand, who has chosen to work in the predominantly adivasi Bastar area of Madhya Pradesh, said the advantages of fertile land and temperate climate had been wiped out by the lack of any Government programme to make the adivasis self-dependent.
He acknowledged, however, that the sadhus and the VHP had realised too late that a large chunk of society was illiterate and hungry. ``We thought that after Independence, it would be the Government's responsibility to help the downtrodden, but it neglected illiteracy and unemployment -- the main reason behind conversions -- in 70 per cent of the villages,'' he said, and added,``Yeh sab sarkar ki laparwahi aur hamari galatfahmi ki wajah se hua,'' (it was because of the Government's carelessness and our misunderstanding). The VHP was now certain, he said, that the Government would not be able to improve the condition of the downtrodden.
There are also plans to eradicate untouchability and inequality, under which the sadhus will eat with the Dalits and the adivasis. The intention is that the upper castes will be motivated bythis action.
Pravin Togadia, VHP's international general secretary, said the sadhus would now work to their full potential and on a large scale, to bring about social reform, especially eradication of untouchability. ``Till a few centuries ago, it was considered a sin for a Hindu to cross the sea. But it has changed. In the same manner, inequality will be removed,''he said.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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