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Former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy felicitated for setting up a Banjara Development Corporation
A VOCAL FAN: A thrilled Lambani woman whistles while the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda arrives at the State-level Banjara conference in Bangalore on Tuesday. (A Photo by Bhagya Prakash K., With Thanks from "The Hindu")
BANGALORE, February 26, 2008 (Special Correspondent): The former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday alleged that the politics of hatred taken up by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka to keep its vote bank intact was the main reason for the youth taking to terrorism in the State.
Participating at a Banjara community convention here in which he was felicitated for setting up a Banjara Development Corporation when he was Chief Minister, Mr. Kumaraswamy referred to the episode of the arrest of several suspected terrorists in different areas of the State and said: “The BJP is trying to spread hatred between communities just for the sake of votes. But this is giving raise to problems like terrorism.”
Mr. Kumaraswamy referred to the above issue while taking exception to BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa’s reported statement that he was pained over community and caste-based politics being practised by some politicians in the State.
Doubting the concern of Mr. Yeddyurappa, he said: “Let him (Mr. Yeddyurappa) touch his heart and say if he has not come up by practising community and caste-based politics?”
Mr. Kumaraswamy ridiculed Mr. Yeddyurappa for attacking Governor Rameshwar Thakur for the tardy implementation of budgetary schemes especially the failure to release any money for some of the schemes like setting up of Banjara Development Corporation. “Mr. Yeddyurappa himself was the Finance Minister till September. If he had real concern towards the oppressed sections, he could have released funds for the schemes taken up for their development instead of making a hue and cry now. Who prevented him from releasing funds for development schemes when he was in power?,” Mr. Kumaraswamy asked.
Taking exception to Mr. Yeddyurappa’s statement that people had already forgotten the Janata Dal (Secular), Mr. Kumaraswamy asserted that it was not possible to distance his party from people as its leaders had taken up the cause of common people and the oppressed sections.
Referring to Mr. Yeddyurappa’s claims that the real contest in the State was only between the BJP and the Congress, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the BJP and the Congress were actually competing with each other regarding controversial issues like land scams. Pointing out that the two parties were accusing each other of involving in land scams and were holding protests in this regard, Mr. Kumaraswamy sarcastically remarked that: “Mr. Yeddyurappa is right. The real contest regarding land scams is only between the BJP and the Congress.”
He said the BJP had been making an issue about the 20-month deadline regarding his chief ministerial term right from the day he took over as Chief Minister. By making a big issue of it, the BJP had tried to prevent the bureaucrats from obeying his orders as Chief Minister.
He alleged that Mr. Yeddyurappa had abruptly included the names of several institutions in the Budget in the last minute. “He even picked up slips from his pocket during the Budget session and started listing them for providing financial allocation. My only objection was that we should not discriminate among communities while making financial allocations. Such benefits should be given to all the needy sections,” he said.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Janata Dal (Secular) was committed to the welfare of the oppressed sections and poor people. He said perhaps he was the only Chief Minister to stay in the house of a Banjara family as part of his village stay programme.
The former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and a host of the Janata Dal (Secular) leaders, including party State president Merajuddin Patel, M. C. Nanaiah and N. Cheluvarayaswamy attended the function. The party’s organising secretary Sheela Nayak thanked Mr. Kumaraswamy for the schemes taken up for the welfare of the Banjara community.
Folk artistes from the community presented a performance of different forms of folk arts, including Devara Kunita and Kolata, besides rendering folk songs on the occasion. (With thanks from "The Hindu")
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S. Rajendran
Governor promises action after being apprised of atrocities
Plea to set up police stations near major tandas
BANGALORE, February 1, 2008: The Banjara population in the State is gearing up for a major showdown with the authorities given the alleged increasing atrocities being perpetrated against the members of the community and the police reportedly remaining mute spectators.
This was brought to the notice of Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Thursday when leaders of the Karnataka unit of the All India Banjara Seva Sangha called on him to highlight the alleged atrocities against women of the community, particularly young girls.
Congress MLC and Banjara community leader Prakash Rathod led a delegation of the State Lambani leaders to draw the attention of the Governor to the instances of attacks against Lambanis in several parts of the State and in particular the rape and murder of two Lambani girls in Basavanabagewadi taluk of Bijapur district and another at a coffee plantation in Belur taluk of Hassan district.
The Lambanis have threatened to launch an agitation across the State if the authorities concerned did not take action.
The Governor, who heard the Lambani leaders, reportedly promised that he would take action in the matter. Among the other Lambani leaders who were part of the delegation were three former Ministers, M. Shankar Naik, B.T. Lalitha Naik and Babu Rao Chavan, and the former MLC Jalaja Naik.
Mr. Prakash Rathod told The Hindu that there were nearly 300 major Lambani tandas in the State and that the Government could either set up full-fledged police stations or at least police outposts for each major tanda.
The Lambani population in the State was around 40 lakhs and their economic condition had led to their exploitation at the hands of other communities.
With reference to the Hassan and Bijapur incidents of rape and murder, Mr. Rathod told the Governor that the kin of the victims should be immediately paid a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each. Both the families were in shock and distress.
In the Hassan case, Deepa, daughter of a coffee estate employee, was raped and murdered allegedly by the owner of a coffee plantation. The 14-year-old girl was killed as she initially resisted the rape attempt.
The poor plantation workers family has been running from pillar to post seeking help but action has not been taken by the authorities against the culprits, he alleged.
The Banjara community has said that a case should be registered against the owner of the plantation under the Child Labour Regulation Act as he had engaged the services of the girl as a maid while her parents were employed as plantation workers. (With Thanks from The Hindu)
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Demand for Tanda Development Corporation
BANGALORE, January 24, 2008 (Staff Reporter): The Banjara Janajagruti Abhiyana Samiti will hold a ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ during the first week of February demanding that the Government set up the Tanda Development Corporation.
It would also stage a protest against atrocities on Lambani labourers on the occasion. The convenor of the Samiti Raghavendra Nayak, told presspersons here on Thursday that the Lambani labourers had been exploited by the coffee estate owners in Malnad area. They were not given facilities as per the Labour Act and there was no security for them in the workplace, he said.
He added that the Government should set up the Tanda Development Corporation to take up development of the community. Citing the alleged incident of rape and murder of a minor girl by a coffee estate owner in Arehalli in Hassan district recently, Mr. Nayak said that a judicial commission should be set up to probe the incident. (With Thanks from The Hindu)
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Krisnappa Nayaka was Innocent
Wednesday December 19 2007 09:10 IST
Express News Service
MYSORE: The death of a undertrial who was arrested on charges of looting forest resources sparked a protest here on Tuesday.
Farmers and tribals from Saragur, H.D. Kote taluk staged a demonstration, seeking action against forest and police officials, whom they held responsible for the death.
Krisnappa Nayaka, who was arrested about four months ago on charges of involvement in cutting trees in N. Begur forest limits in H.D. Kote died at K.R. Hospital on Monday noon.
He was arrested by the Saraguru police and shifted to K.R. Nagar jail after being produced in Court. His health worsened during the jail term and he was shifted to K.R. Hospital on Sunday.
"Krishnappa was innocent. The police and forest officials framed him on false charges," the family members said.
On Tuesday, the family members and activists of the Lambani Association staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office seeking suspension of forester Lokesh Murthy and police officials.
Probe promised: Meanwhile, HQA Jayanna has said that the administration has ordered for an investigation into the case.
He told the protesters that the DC's office has directed the forest department to provide a watchman job to one of the family members of the deceased.
Immediate compensation of Rs 10,000 has been sanctioned, he said. While, transferring forester Lokesh Murthy, the administration has also ordered a probe in to Krishnappa's death.
The family members will be paid a higher compensation after the probe, he said and assured the tribals of proper security. (With thanks from newindpress.com)
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Bangalore, January 30, 2008 (Special Correspondent): Economically backward communities such as the Banjara community should make concerted efforts to draw maximum benefits from the schemes announced by the Union Government under the Eleventh Five Year Plan, Union Minister of State for Planning M.V. Rajasekharan has suggested.
He was speaking after inaugurating the State unit of Akhila Bharata Banjara Sangha here on Wednesday. The Union Government, in its 11th Plan document, has chalked out a comprehensive programme for the development of economically backward communities with a focus on education, health and self employment.
The Banjara community, which is popularly known as Lambani community in the State, should exploit the opportunity for its overall development, he added.
He said that it was unfortunate that the Congress had not considered the community’s leader Jalaja Naik’s candidature for the Legislative Council for the second term despite her excellent track record.
The former Chairman of the Backward Class Commission Ravivarama Kumar said the welfare schemes of the Union Government and other funds had not been reaching the deserving beneficiaries owing to administrative anomalies.
There were over 29, 000 villages and over 30,000 tandas or hattis, which were neither villages not hamlets, in the State.
Right from time immemorial Lambanis had been living tandas or hattis.
The community had been deprived of their rights all these years, he said. In his report to the Government, he had recommended that creation of revenue villages would help the effective implementation of programmes and schemes for achieving social justice. The Government was yet to respond, Mr. Kumar added. (With Thanks from "The Hindu")
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BANGALORE, January12, 2008 (Special Coresspondent): The Karnataka Pradesh Lambani Banjara Kalyana Sangha has condemned increasing atrocities perpetrated on the members of the community by the police and Forest Department officials in Mysore district and urged Governor Rameshwar Thakur to order a judicial probe into the killing of two persons of the community in the district recently.
Sangha president Krishna Naik alleged that the Forest Department staff allegedly shot Kala Naik, resident of H.D. Kote, when he was grazing his cows.
But the Forest Department officials held community members responsible for the death and lodged a complaint with the local police.
The police have arrested eight persons, he said. (With thanks from "The Hindu")
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BIJAPUR, January 26, 2008 (Staff Correspondent): Deputy Commissioner in-charge D.B. Naik on Saturday said drinking water problems in 97 villages in the district will come to an end by June with the completion of multi-village drinking water schemes.
Unfurling the Tricolour on the 59th Republic Day at the District Stadium, he said that most of these villages were in Bijapur, Basavanabagewadi and Muddebihal taluks.
Mr. Naik said that 77 villages and 90 Lambani tandas would be covered in the next phase of the scheme and Rs. 69 crore had been earmarked for the purpose.
To improve the drinking water system in Bijapur, he said the Centre had sanctioned Rs. 55 crore under the Urban Water Supply Improvement Scheme.
Bijapur would get Rs. 10 crore for the same purpose under the North Karnataka City Infrastructure Development Project, the work on which was expected to commence soon.
President of the zilla panchayat Sangeetha Dinni, vice-president Babusahukar Metri, Superintendent of Police Arun Chakravarthy, Assistant Commissioner Y.S. Patil and Mr. Naik honoured achievers in various fields. National throw-ball team member Mohammad Ali Maniar, national gold medallist in cycling Arunsingh Rajput and senior athlete Vaijnath Samagonda were among those felicitated. (With Thanks from "The Hindu")
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Nine people, including three children, have died
AHERI TANDA (BIJAPUR DISTRICT), KARNATAKA (Staff Correspondent): For the people of Lambani hamlet here, this Deepavali is not an occasion to celebrate because of a suspected malarial attack and the series of deaths that followed in the last few days. Two or three persons in every household in this village, which has a population of 1,700, are said to be suffering from malaria.
Though the symptoms had been surfacing intermittently since August, it had become epidemic in the last two weeks. According to the villagers, nine persons, including three children, have died of malaria so far. Dharmu Jemlu Jadav (40), the first victim, died at a private hospital in the first week of October. After that there was a brief pause. Since October 26, eight people have died of the disease, said Sanju Jadav, the village leader and president of Shreevitthal Yuvak Manda, a youth organisation. According to him, those who died of malaria were Daku Ramesh Rathod (10), Sunita Madu Rathod (6), Gangaram Kasnu Jadav (30), Jeevlabayi Lalsingh Jadav (65), Donchu Keeru Chavan (60) and his wife Ranibayi (54), Sheelabayi Neelu Pawar (70) and Sulochana Ashok Rathod (4). Initially, the Health Department did not take the issue seriously as all the blood samples tested negative for malaria, allegedly because of a faulty test at the primary health centre (PHC) of Honnutagi.
The department swung into action on Thursday following reports of deaths. However, officials refused to attribute them to malaria. Temporary hospital: The tanda school has been converted into a temporary hospital, where over 200 patients have been treated so far. This is in addition to around 150 persons admitted to the district hospital with suspected malaria. Also, a number of patients have undergone treatment in private hospitals. According to L.S. Lakkannavar, District Malaria Officer, as many as 1,462 blood samples have been collected, and out of them, 172 had tested positive for malaria. Because of the heavy rain this year, water had stagnated in and around the tanda, creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Anti-larval chemicals had been sprayed and larva-eating fish (gambufia variety) had been released into the water bodies. On the reported deaths, Mr. Lakkannavar asserted that none of them was due to malaria.
Some of them died due to old age and some due to renal failure, he said. However, villagers said that the department doctors were not ready accept the “fact”, because of the fear that the mass causalities would cost them their jobs. They did not take the matter seriously though Labnthe villagers had been complaining about the disease for weeks, they alleged. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports say that the blood samples tested earlier in Honnutagi PHC have been destroyed. As per norms, the tested blood samples should be preserved for six months for re-examination. When contacted, Deputy Commissioner V.B. Patil told The Hindu that he had ordered suspension of Savita Dyapur, a laboratory technician attached to the Honnutagi PHC, for dereliction of duty. Sources said that on Wednesday, a two-member team from the Union Health Department’s regional centre for malaria and filaria, Bangalore, arrived in Bijapur to take stock of the situation. The team members had asked for blood slides for cross-verification, the sources added. (With Thanks from "The Hindu")
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