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  1. Modi tells Sikhs to leave their property and Land and go back to the Punjab as they are not Gujarati. This is the man that could be next PM and a party that the Badal Dal are supporting. It show that the Congress and the BJp are the same with their hate for Sikhs. Meanwhile the Badals are to terrified to raise the plight of the Sikhs in Guarat forcefully , similarly to their silence on Police killings. A report by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), India's minority rights watchdog, has said the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government had "prima facie" discriminated against the state's 500-member Sikh community in Kutch by ordering them to sell their land and return to Punjab because they were not Gujaratis, citing the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1948. The commission has strongly disapproved of the Gujarat government's interpretation that only Gujarati farmers could own or buy land in the state under the Act, a move which could dispossess 500 farmers, while their land accounts have already been frozen. In his report, commission member Ajaib Singh, after a field visit on June 24-28, 2013, said, "There appears to be discrimination against Sikh agriculturalists by the Gujarat government". The report quoted Ajaib Singh's statement that "Modi, who has the habit of suppressing and terrorising the minorities of Gujarat, was in this case targeting and victimising the Sikh farmers of Kutch". The minority commission said the order of the state government, asking farmers to sell their land and return to Punjab, was struck down unanimously in the Gujarat high court unanimously, but the state government had now challenged this verdict in the Supreme Court. The commission itself could not do much since the issue was under judicial consideration, the report said. In a recommendatory letter to Modi, the commission has asked the Gujarat government to accept the verdict of the high court. He also requested him to administer a national minority scholarship programme and urgently set up a state minorities commission. Ajaib Singh has also written to Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to intervene in the matter. "This is indeed very discriminatory," said the NCM member. He said Sikhs told him during his field visit that the community had migrated to Kutch after being invited by former prime minister late Lal Bahadur Shastri, who felt these swathes of white marshy land should be inhabited as a buffer against invasion from the sea. [Courtesy: Hindustan Times.] July 31, 2013
  2. The protests against Proff Bhullar's execution have had success. The UK Govt is to raise its opposition with India. All those that have been involved in lobbies, camped out Downing St well done. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Will-ask-India-to-commute-Bhullars-death-UK-govt-to-Sikh-delegation/articleshow/21666075.cms? Will ask India to commute Bhullar's death: UK govt to Sikh delegation Kounteya Sinha, TNN | Aug 7, 2013, 03.16 AM IST LONDON: A British foreign office minister on Tuesday told Sikhs that UK will ask India to drop the death penalty against Davinderpal Singh Bhullar. Hugo Swire Britain's minister for India in the foreign office met Sikh representatives with Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon and discussed the case of Bhullar whose appeal for his death sentence to be commuted was rejected by India's Supreme Court on April 12. They said, "If India executes Bhullar it will signal to the world that it is backward and prepared to eliminate all Sikh prisoners." Swire told the delegation that UK was against the death penalty in all circumstances. Swire said UK will monitor the case of Bhullar closely "as we will in all cases where the death penalty has been given as a sentence". He further said that UK will call on the Indian government to reintroduce a moratorium on the death penalty, with a view to formal abolition. "We are against death penalty and we aren't changing that," Swire had told TOI recently.
  3. A study centre is being planned at Oxford University UK named after Indira Gandhi. This is a deplorable act to use the name of mass killer at a reputable British University that gets Government funding. As the university is paid for by British tax payers it is something we all have a right to object to . Can the various Sikh organisations and Sikh Council take this up. It will also bring the Sikh Genocide out in the UK if Sikh objections hit the media. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130530/main6.htm Special to the tribune Study centre named after Indira to come up at Oxford Shyam Bhatia in London An Oxford University project to create a new graduate studies centre named in honour of Indira Gandhi has attracted a contribution of Rs 25 crore (approximately £3 million) from the Government of India. India’s contribution, which has been matched by a similar sum from Oxford, will help fund scholarships for postgraduate students from India to study at the centre - the Indira Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development. Details of the unique project have been revealed by the head of the college where Indira Gandhi herself was briefly enrolled as an undergraduate student studying history back in 1937. Dr Alice Prochaska, Principal of Somerville College, explained: “The idea is we are offering these scholarships to students from India who have been offered places on master’s courses at Oxford.” She added: There are several master’s courses that we’ve identified as relating to the first of the themes we wish to develop through the Indira Gandhi Centre. That theme is food security. There are several courses that students have applied for, which relate in one way or another to food security and policies surrounding food security. Each one of the courses has a slightly different design, but essentially they are a mixture of teaching and research.” Since Oxford wants to attract the brightest and the best from India, including those who could emerge as future leaders, all applicants have been subjected to a rigorous screening process. “What we did was to identify the eligible pool of candidates who are all from Indian universities, they are all of Indian nationality ordinarily resident in India and these candidates have been through the very rigorous Oxford University applications process and have been offered places on courses that they chose”, Dr Prochaska explained. “Academically, we already know that they are very highly qualified. We wrote to all of them, to those who indicated they do not yet have funding and invited them to apply and asked them to write a letter explaining what they would like to do in the future when they have got their degree. How they see themselves bringing benefit to India in the future.” Asked how the project will have a “transformational impact “on the lives of future leaders, Dr Prochaska said: “First of all we will identify those we think are future leaders through their applications. That is we’ve asked them to submit a personal statement which not only sets out their chosen course of study , but to say how they think it will equip them to respond to the challenges of sustainable development faced by India. And then to give an example that demonstrates their leadership and entrepreneurship potential. So we hope we are identifying people who see themselves as future leaders in whatever their chosen field of activity. And then we will give them a mix of mentoring and special seminars and, since it’s a small number of students in the first instance, we will be able to respond personally to their interests in developing their own leadership qualities. “We want to select the finest students from India who want to come to Oxford, regardless of their financial means. They will be supervised by some of the best scientists in their respective fields in the world and this will make a huge difference to their opportunities in the future.” Honouring an icon The Indian government has contributed Rs 25 crore for the Indira Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development at Somerville College India’s contribution will be matched by a similar sum from Oxford and help fund scholarships for postgraduate students from India to study at the centre Indira Gandhi was an undergraduate student of history at Somerville College in 1937
  4. One of the Generals responsible for the massacre of thousands of men , women and children during the 1984 has been shunned by Gurdwaras evenafter his death. This man carried out Bluestar and Woodrose with enthusiasm when other sensible Generals refused, Its good that the SGPC and Sukbir Badal have said Bluestar was an outrage against Sikhs and thats why the Bhog was refused. It sends a strong message that the Genocide paticipants are immensely disliked by Sikhs for the Gurdwara to take this action http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Chandigarh/P-kula-gurdwara-refuses-to-hold-prayers-for-1965-war-hero/SP-Article1-995938.aspx A gurdwara in Sector 7 of Panchkula refused to hold prayers to mark the death anniversary of 1965 war hero Lt Gen RS Dyal on December 30, citing his participation in Operation Bluestar, the 1984 army action by which Sikh militants seeking a separate country (Khalistan) were flushed out of theGolden Temple in Amritsar. The refusal has shocked the defence community of the region. A devout Sikh who was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the country's second highest war gallantry award, for the capture of the formidable Haji Pir Pass in J&K in the 1965 war with Pakistan, Lt Gen Dyal was chief of staff, Western Command, at the time of Bluestar. He retired as army commander of the Southern Command, then served as lieutenant governor of Pondicherry (Puducherry) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and passed away on January 29 last year. "When I went to the gurdwara to ask them to conduct the rituals, they (the management) said he (Lt Gen Dyal) should have resigned over Bluestar. I was shocked. I said he had just followed orders," said the late officer's wife Barinder Kaur Dyal. "He was the hero of Haji Pir Pass. They don't remember his contribution in the 1965 war, but rake up Bluestar. This should end now." The religious service was then organised at the family residence with the help of the army's priest, and the langar (community kitchen) was organised at the Khetrapal Officers' Institute (KOI) in Chandimandir. Reasoned Harbans Singh, secretary of the Sector-7 gurudwara management, "When we had conducted the bhog (prayer) on Lt Gen Dyal's death, the Sikh sangat (community) raised a lot of questions. So this time we decided to go with the sangat." "Even during the bhog, the gurdwara management was hesitant," said Col Iqbal Singh (retd), a former aide of Lt Gen Dyal, "Arrangements were lacking, and they appeared to be handing us a favour." When HT contacted Avtar Singh Makkar, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC), he praised the gurdwara management. "Lt Gen Dyal was involved in the attack on the Akal Takht (the Sikh temporal seat in the Golden Temple complex). Artillery and tanks were used. He never apologised." Asked whether he recognised Lt Gen Dyal's role in the 1965 war, Makkar said, "What he did in 1984 remains unacceptable." Lt Gen Raj Kadyan (retd), chairman of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM) and former vice-chief of army staff, reacted, "It is a sad incident. An incident like Operation Bluestar should not be used against the army, which is a secular institution. Lt Gen Dyal was a great soldier who deserves respect. We are all proud of him as he did what was required." Terming the incident unfortunate, Lt Col SS Sohi (retd), president of the Ex-Servicemen Grievance Cell, said, "The army fights for the nation, not for a religion or caste. Soldiers like Lt Gen Dyal are rare." Lt Gen Dyal is considered one of the main officers during Bluestar along with Lt Gen K Sunderji, who was the army commander (Lt Gen Dyal's immediate superior) in the Western Command, and Lt Gen Kuldip Singh Brar, who led the troops inside the Golden Temple. General AS Vaidya, the then army chief, was assassinated in Pune in August 1986, while Lt Gen Sunderji died of natural causes in 1999. Lt Gen Brar was injured in an attack by pro-Khalistan Sikh radicals in London last year. Maj Gen KS Bajwa (retd), author of five books on wars, said, "Lt Gen Dyal does not deserve such treatment. Operation Bluestar was a Gen Sunderji's show. Lt Gen Dyal just executed what was ordered
  5. http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2013/01/19/sfj-seek-arrest-warrants-from-swiss-court/ SFJ & MMR lodged criminal complaint against Kamal Nath in Switzerland; Seek arrest warrants from Swiss Court By Parmjit Singh Published: January 19, 2013 Related Sikh genocide 1984: US Court reserves decision regarding plea to re-instate case against Indian minister Kamal Nath Case against Indian Minister Kamal Nath in US Federal Court US State Department Considering Immunity Sikh Genocide case: Kamal Nath attempts to find escape route, denies the service of summons Rights Group condemn Indian Governments silence over rape of Sikh women in 1984 Indians should also stand with hundreds of Sikh women who were raped in November 1984: Sikhs for Justice Switzerland (January 18, 2013): Ahead of Kamal Naths trip to Switzerland right groups Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and a Swiss NGO Movement Against Atrocities & Repression (MAR) filed a preliminary indictment with Attorney General of Switzerland urging prosecution of Nath for his role in genocide of Sikhs during November 1984. Kamal Nath, Who faces the accusations of 1984 Sikh Genocide Minister Nath is leading Indias delegation to attend World Economic Forum Annual Meeting-2013 from January 23-27 being held in Davos, Switzerland. The eleven page criminal complaint filed with Michael Lauber, Swiss Attorney General is based on provisions of Swiss Penal Code which provide jurisdiction over genocide offenders and on the ratification of the UN Genocide Convention by Switzerland and India. Under Article 1 of the Convention, Swiss authorities are under obligation to prosecute and punish the individuals who participated in Genocide. Articles 6 and 264 of the Swiss Penal Code give jurisdiction to the Swiss authorities over the individuals who participated in genocide if they are present on Swiss soil. The complaint alleges that on November 1, 1984, Nath lead an attack on Gurudwara Rakab Ganj in Delhi. Nath was leading and in control of a death squad comprising of thousands. On the instigation, orders and directions of Nath, many Sikhs were burnt alive and the Temple was put on fire. Police was present at the scene of occurrence at all times but instead of preventing the attack, the police upon Congress leader Kamal Naths instructions joined the attackers and fired several rounds at the Gurudwara. According to attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who practices human rights law in the United States, filing of indictment is a first step towards prosecution of genocide offenders in Switzerland. On January 23rd while Kamal Nath will be present on Swiss soil, an application will be moved before the Cantonal Court of Davos for issuance of arrest warrants against Nath on the charges of inciting, participating, conspiring, aiding, abetting and carrying out genocidal attacks on Sikh population of India in November 1984, added attorney Pannun. According to Harminder Singh Khalsa spokesman for MAR, a rally will held on January 26th in Davos to protest against Naths presence in Switzerland. In February 2011, Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) a human rights NGO filed a similar complaint against Bush for allowing torture of detainees. Fearing prosecution and possible arrest, President Bush had to cancel his Geneva Trip. The complaint against Nath is endorsed by All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) President Karnail Singh Peermohammad.
  6. http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2013/01/19/sfj-seek-arrest-warrants-from-swiss-court/ Switzerland (January 18, 2013): Ahead of Kamal Nath’s trip to Switzerland right groups “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) and a Swiss NGO “Movement Against Atrocities & Repression” (MAR) filed a preliminary indictment with Attorney General of Switzerland urging prosecution of Nath for his role in genocide of Sikhs during November 1984. Kamal Nath, Who faces the accusations of 1984 Sikh Genocide Minister Nath is leading India’s delegation to attend World Economic Forum Annual Meeting-2013 from January 23-27 being held in Davos, Switzerland. The eleven page criminal complaint filed with Michael Lauber, Swiss Attorney General is based on provisions of Swiss Penal Code which provide jurisdiction over genocide offenders and on the ratification of the UN Genocide Convention by Switzerland and India. Under Article 1 of the Convention, Swiss authorities are under obligation to prosecute and punish the individuals who participated in Genocide. Articles 6 and 264 of the Swiss Penal Code give jurisdiction to the Swiss authorities over the individuals who participated in genocide if they are present on Swiss soil. The complaint alleges that “on November 1, 1984, Nath lead an attack on Gurudwara Rakab Ganj in Delhi. Nath was leading and in control of a death squad comprising of thousands. On the instigation, orders and directions of Nath, many Sikhs were burnt alive and the Temple was put on fire. Police was present at the scene of occurrence at all times but instead of preventing the attack, the police upon Congress leader Kamal Nath’s instructions joined the attackers and fired several rounds at the Gurudwara.” According to attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who practices human rights law in the United States, filing of indictment is a first step towards prosecution of genocide offenders in Switzerland. On January 23rd while Kamal Nath will be present on Swiss soil, an application will be moved before the Cantonal Court of Davos for issuance of arrest warrants against Nath on the charges of inciting, participating, conspiring, aiding, abetting and carrying out genocidal attacks on Sikh population of India in November 1984, added attorney Pannun. According to Harminder Singh Khalsa spokesman for MAR, a rally will held on January 26th in Davos to protest against Nath’s presence in Switzerland. In February 2011, “Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)” a human rights NGO filed a similar complaint against Bush for allowing torture of detainees. Fearing prosecution and possible arrest, President Bush had to cancel his Geneva Trip. The complaint against Nath is endorsed by All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) President Karnail Singh Peermohammad.
  7. Please sign the petition to UNO to have the Sikh Massacre of 1984 as Genocide. Click on the URL below for instructions for signing http://www.1984yesitsgenocide.org/join-the-fight Administration, please make it sticky.
  8. Jaspal Singh, an 18 year old Sikh Boy, was an Engineering Student and was killed by Punjab Police, while he was peacefully protesting against hanging of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana. In a related video on what is going on in Punjab, one can clearly see bunch of Punjab Policemen brutally beating and firing gun shots at unarmed Sikh youth who are running away to save their lives. And what is more appalling is that these Police Officers are themselves turbaned, and so at the least they look Sikh. So that leads me to the question - Why was an 18 year old Sikh Engineering Student shot dead by State Police, while he was clearly unarmed and was peacefully protesting? In an oppressive regime, there are broadly 2 ways in which a minority can survive. For the ease of understanding, let us classify the people belonging to the minority faith into Type 1 and Type 2 people. Type 1 people wake up every morning, and then make an effort to prove their allegiance to the Majority led State Establishment in every possible way. A simple example would be to sit in the middle of your friends, and crack jokes at your community, and show them that even though I am a Sikh and look different, but I am a harmless, spineless creature and hence, you don’t need to fear me. In return, these people are rewarded by the State, sometimes even offered leadership positions in the Government. Case in point is Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has proved that he is the weakest Prime Minister that India has ever had. I can go on and on about Manmohan, but that would be digressing from the point. Type 1 people come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes, these people in their urgent and desperate need to appease the majority would commit the most heinous atrocities on people belonging to their own faith. The name of Prakash Singh Badal, the Punjab Chief Minister immediately comes to my mind. Other names include the so-called Butcher of Punjab, the super cop – KPS Gill and ex-Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh. It is not surprising that whenever Badal is in position, even peacefully protesting Sikhs are attacked and murdered ruthlessly in broad day light. This phenomenon is not new. Two Sikh boys were killed on March 29, 2012; however in the past also, 13 peacefully protesting Sikhs were shot dead in 1978, during Badal’s regime. How Badal protected the murderer of 1978 Sikh victims would be a topic of another discussion. One of the video very clearly shows the Punjab Police chasing and attacking peacefully gathered Sikh youth. They are firing as if they are at war, at war with the Civilian Sikhs, who are all hiding and running away for their lives. On their return, these so called police officers are hugged and cheered by the Shiv Sainiks, who are shouting slogans and chanting “Har Har Mahadev”; and hence these Type 1 Sikhs feel comforted by the precious approval of Shiv Sena that they have attained by attacking and firing gun shots at unarmed protestors. For me, the face of Type 2 Sikhs is people like Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, as well as the people who are protesting to show solidarity with him. Such people would rather die than accept an oppressive regime, where the mass-murderers of Sikhs are protected and rewarded, while innocent Sikh civilians are killed in a State Sponsored Genocide. For me, the face of the Type 2 Sikhs is a young boy shown in one of the videos. This boy is clearly unarmed, but he is not even running away or hiding for protection, when the policemen attack him. He is just standing their quietly and taking pride in being beaten brutally by the Police Officers because he does not expect anything else but gross injustice from the Indian Justice System. These Type 2 Sikhs are not irrational or stupid; instead they just want to live with their head held high. They demand justice. They want to see the perpetrators of 1984 genocide convicted and punished. They want to see the people who killed thousands of innocents in Punjab during 1990’s through fake encounters and illegal abductions being punished; and until that happen there cannot be any sustainable peace.
  9. An appeal to all my friends taking the videos and pictures of Punjab Police committing atrocities & firing gunshots against unarmed Sikh protestors. WE NEED TO TELL THE WORLD WHO THE REAL TERRORISTS ARE! Please upload your videos on any or all of the following links: (there might be other great channels as well, but these were the few resources I could find) BBC http://bbcnewsupload.streamuk.com/ CBC http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourvoice/yourvideo/upload.html CNN http://ireport.cnn.com/ If you have trouble uploading them, please email them to whoever you think can upload or to us at: sikhbroadcast@gmail.com
  10. Source: Times of India timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Why-Balwant-Singh-Rajoana-never-appealed-against-his-death-sentence/articleshow/12458451.cms Balwant Singh Rajoana was to be executed on March 31. This would have been the first execution in India since 2004. His execution has been stayed - for the time being - in response to the rising whirlpool of politics that's engulfed Punjab on this issue. That India should sully its record again after 8 years with state sanctioned murder is a matter of distress, but this consideration seems largely removed from the politics of Rajoana's execution. However even in addition to principled opposition to the death penalty, the cynical considerations swirling around his execution, the specifics of the case itself are significant. Opposition to capital punishment is removed from the specifics of the case, basing the argument on human rights, the range and extent of power given to the State, citizen's right to equality before law, the inherent arbitrariness in the exercise of power by individual state functionaries, and irrevocability of the punishment especially given the possibility of wrongful conviction. In contrast, the proponents of capital punishment argue on the specifics, seeking justification in the heinousness of the crime, recidivism, retribution, and deterrence. In this the proponents are almost vigilante in their perspective, with their preoccupation with punishment for the alleged lawbreaker than the state, its powers and processes, and civil liberties Nevertheless in this instance, the specifics too raise some disturbing questions. Balwant Singh is on death row for his role in the suicide bombing of the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Beant Singh in 1995. 17 persons, including the Chief Minister were killed. The history has some relevance. Punjab had been racked by insurgency since the seventies, with the regional autonomy movement progressively hardening into a secessionist movement over the decades. President's Rule was established in 1987 in the aftermath of Operation Bluestar and the Sikh pogrom in Delhi in 1984. After five years of President Rule checkered by militancy and heavy police crackdown, elections were called in 1992, but were postponed twice. Protesting that the elections were unlikely to be "free and fair", the Sikh parties boycotted the elections. With voter turnout in the low twenties, Beant Singh's ascendancy was widely disparaged by the Sikhs as lacking legitimacy. Militancy and consequent police clampdown continued unabated. Beant Singh was assassinated in 1995 by suicide bomber Dilawar Singh, aided by Balwant Singh and others. During trial, Balwant Singh refused counsel, asking instead to be allowed to represent himself. He did not cross-examine witnesses. He was awarded the death penalty. In 2009, when his death sentence came for conviction in the High Court [as part of the legal process], he again refused counsel and asked to be allowed to argue his own case. His intent in each instance was not to seek acquittal. In the 14 years that the case made its way from the trial court to the High Court, Balwant Singh held to his story, claiming that he strapped the bomb on to the body of Dilawar Singh. The High Court, noting that there was no evidence in favour of Balwant Singh in order to "have a second thought on the murder reference of Balwant Singh, coupled with his three confessional statements, there is no other alternate with us but to confirm" the death penalty. Balwant also refused to appeal against the death penalty administratively through mercy petition to the Governor and/or President. In a letter to the Chief Justice of the High Court, he writes, "legal system, judicial system of this Country and the rulers of this Country have been discriminating" [and that] "slavery of such system is not acceptable to me". In embracing 17 years of imprisonment including solitary confinement and ultimate execution, Balwant Singh is making a political statement. In his letter and statements, he brings out his search for justice in the democratic framework, his feeling of marginalization and his desire for rebellion. He sees the injustice of the swiftness of response when a five star hotel in Mumbai is under siege and the dilatory tactics of commissioning enquiry committees without any accountability for the thousands who perished in the 1984 Sikh pogrom. He writes, "thousands of Sikhs were massacred. It is submitted that these murderers have neither been punished nor been punished by any Court of law of the country even after 25 years [...] Here I would like to ask your Lordship that the persons who have killed thousands of innocent xxxx, xxxx, and xxxx [redacted] are not the terrorists. Why not the law of the nation, [redacted] try to interfere in the matter. On the contrary, when the hotels of Mumbai are attacked then the military of the country immediately interferes. The commandos of Delhi initiate immediate action after reaching Delhi. This is made to known as to which in which village the assailants reside in [redacted]. Contrary to it, the [redacted] of [redacted] of people in Delhi could not be identified. How the security can be assured without the law when everybody knows the killers" [sic]. He locates the justification for the suicide bombing in this persecution by the state (as per his contention) and the lack of accountability saying in a statement to the District and Sessions Judge, Patiala, "conscience of a person have self respect refuses to accept the authority of callous rulers. Such feels instigate a person for becoming human bomb rather than to become a human being [sic]" The purpose of this article is not to romanticize Balwant Singh or terrorism. But surely some introspection is required when an obviously bright individual seeks political expression in the rejection of the "democratic" government itself even at the cost of his own life? Our democratic systems are discriminating - on class, caste, and religious lines. After 64 years of democracy, which by definition means people's control over the state to ensure propagation of their interests, more than 3 quarters of our country still ekes out a living on just Rs 20 per day. In our ostensibly secular state, all significant minorities have been persecuted (1984, 1992, 2002, 2008) without any accountability. Likewise the constitutional promise of equality before rule of law is flouted routinely. The poor are routinely displaced, their rights violated, their very being often declared illegal. The poor overwhelmingly populate our jails; around 70% are under-trials, not convicts. The death penalty too is disproportionately administered to the poor. Balwant Singh's execution is now embroiled in cynical politics from all sides, however whatever the outcome, we all share some blame in perpetuation of a system where meaningful political expression, redress and justice is denied to all but a small minority. (Ruchi Gupta works in a think tank in Delhi. The views expressed are her own.)
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