Rajasthan panchayat bans mobile phones, market visits for women
Mukesh Mathrani, Hindustan Times Barmer, February 09, 2014
A panchayat in a Rajasthan village has banned the use mobile phones for Muslim women and ordered them to take a male member of the family along while visiting public places.
The panchayat in Gagariya village in Barmer district, about 600km from Jaipur, passed the diktat after the meeting it said was organised to discuss "social evils"
"Some members suggested tougher restrictions on women," said a villager who did not wish to be named.The panchayat also asked the Muslim women to wear burka not only during travel but even while stepping outside their homes."
Moulvi Habeeb, who headed the panchayat, told HT, "We have issued certain dos and don'ts and asked Muslim women to avoid going to public places alone. If there is some urgency, they should go with their male family members."
Habeeb said these measures have been taken after some villagers raised concerns about the "safety" of women.
It was learnt the pamphlets containing these "guidelines" were also distributed in neighbouring villages.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajasthan-panchayat-bans-mobile-phones-market-visits-for-women/article1-1182227.aspx?hts0021
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Showing posts with label Illegal ban. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Illegal ban. Show all posts
February 09, 2014
October 05, 2009
Haryana BJP takes a leaf out of the Taliban's book and proposes a ban on western music . . .
The Times of India
Editorial
Out Of Tune
5 October 2009
The BJP manifesto for the Haryana elections reflects the confusion in party ranks about what it is and what it wants to be. Hardly in a position
to influence the political outcome none of the major regional outfits wanted an alliance with the BJP the party has adopted an agenda to please the most conservative sections of the population.
Besides a few populist measures, the manifesto promises to "ban western music and obscenity on display in the name of culture by enacting a law". And, yes, the party will encourage and rejuvenate ancient Haryanvi culture, festivals, sports and melas. No doubt, Haryanvi culture needs to be encouraged even though culture is most likely to flourish when it is free of governmental interference.
But that apart, why does the BJP want a ban on western music? And how does the party plan to define "obscenity in the name of culture" against which it is hell-bent on enacting a law? If we go by the recent activities of fraternal saffron organisations like Sri Rama Sene and Bajrang Dal, the implications of the BJP's vision for Haryana are ominous. These groups believe that all activities, public and private, presumed to be of "western" origin ought to be opposed. So, pubs should be closed down, Valentine's Day celebrations must be attacked and unfamiliar music banned.
Can the BJP, a political party that aspires to gain office, support such a view of culture? Not many in today's India are likely to identify with the sangh parivar's vision of the West as the fountainhead of evil. Ours is a young country and Indian youth don't share the parivar's fear of or disdain for western influences. They welcome all forms of entertainment, irrespective of their origin, and prefer celebration to disruption. Unlike their elders, they are far less concerned about the 'purity' of their Indianness. If the BJP wants to tap the youth it needs to recognise their likings and aspirations, which are anything but those championed by parivar groups.
Any study of the influence of western music or western popular culture on its Indian counterparts is bound to show up how vain the search for cultural purity is. Is the BJP, then, going to take a leaf out of the Taliban's book and ban all music, or at least all popular forms of music? It needs to rethink its ideas of culture and nationalism if it wants to expand beyond a narrow conservative section of the electorate.
Editorial
Out Of Tune
5 October 2009
The BJP manifesto for the Haryana elections reflects the confusion in party ranks about what it is and what it wants to be. Hardly in a position
to influence the political outcome none of the major regional outfits wanted an alliance with the BJP the party has adopted an agenda to please the most conservative sections of the population.
Besides a few populist measures, the manifesto promises to "ban western music and obscenity on display in the name of culture by enacting a law". And, yes, the party will encourage and rejuvenate ancient Haryanvi culture, festivals, sports and melas. No doubt, Haryanvi culture needs to be encouraged even though culture is most likely to flourish when it is free of governmental interference.
But that apart, why does the BJP want a ban on western music? And how does the party plan to define "obscenity in the name of culture" against which it is hell-bent on enacting a law? If we go by the recent activities of fraternal saffron organisations like Sri Rama Sene and Bajrang Dal, the implications of the BJP's vision for Haryana are ominous. These groups believe that all activities, public and private, presumed to be of "western" origin ought to be opposed. So, pubs should be closed down, Valentine's Day celebrations must be attacked and unfamiliar music banned.
Can the BJP, a political party that aspires to gain office, support such a view of culture? Not many in today's India are likely to identify with the sangh parivar's vision of the West as the fountainhead of evil. Ours is a young country and Indian youth don't share the parivar's fear of or disdain for western influences. They welcome all forms of entertainment, irrespective of their origin, and prefer celebration to disruption. Unlike their elders, they are far less concerned about the 'purity' of their Indianness. If the BJP wants to tap the youth it needs to recognise their likings and aspirations, which are anything but those championed by parivar groups.
Any study of the influence of western music or western popular culture on its Indian counterparts is bound to show up how vain the search for cultural purity is. Is the BJP, then, going to take a leaf out of the Taliban's book and ban all music, or at least all popular forms of music? It needs to rethink its ideas of culture and nationalism if it wants to expand beyond a narrow conservative section of the electorate.
February 06, 2007
Gujarat will see Parzania if Bajrangi says OK!
(The Times of India
5 Feb, 2007)
Gujarat will see Parzania if Bajrangi says OK!
Radha Sharma
[ 3 Feb, 2007 2105hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
AHMEDABAD: It is left to one person to decide whether Gujarat gets to see 'Parzania', the film based on the 2002 riots, which has hit a roadblock in the state after its smooth release in the rest of the country 10 days back.
Babubhai Patel, who goes by the name Babu Bajrangi because of his affiliation with the saffron outfit, is the one the Gujarat Multiplex Owner's Association would like to invite at a special screening to be held early next week before they take a decision on whether to release it in cinema halls and multiplexes.
Sources said film-maker Rahul Dholakia was aghast when he was told by association president Manubhai Patel that a go-ahead from Bajrangi was necessary if the cinema halls have to protect themselves from mob attacks.
The special screening was meant only for exhibitors interested in the film but it appears that a green signal from Bajrangi, who has threatened to use force to prevent the screening of the film, is of critical importance here.
When contacted, Bajrangi, told TOI "I got a call from the theatre owners on Friday asking me to remain present at a special screening.
They told me that we will see the film together and then decide if it was fit for release in Gujarat.
"Dholakia, who is expected to arrive here from Mumbai with prints of the film on Monday, has so far refused to allow the presence of Bajrangi during the special screening and has instead told the association to invite Ahmedabad police commissioner J Mahapatra, if they perceived a law and order problem. Whether Mahapatra takes the bait or not is unclear because even his boss, the present director general of police PC Pande,who was the Ahmedabad police commissioner in 2002, has been portrayed in a poor light in the film, based on the real-life story of a Parsi couple whose son went missing after the massacre in Gulbarg Society.
5 Feb, 2007)
Gujarat will see Parzania if Bajrangi says OK!
Radha Sharma
[ 3 Feb, 2007 2105hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
AHMEDABAD: It is left to one person to decide whether Gujarat gets to see 'Parzania', the film based on the 2002 riots, which has hit a roadblock in the state after its smooth release in the rest of the country 10 days back.
Babubhai Patel, who goes by the name Babu Bajrangi because of his affiliation with the saffron outfit, is the one the Gujarat Multiplex Owner's Association would like to invite at a special screening to be held early next week before they take a decision on whether to release it in cinema halls and multiplexes.
Sources said film-maker Rahul Dholakia was aghast when he was told by association president Manubhai Patel that a go-ahead from Bajrangi was necessary if the cinema halls have to protect themselves from mob attacks.
The special screening was meant only for exhibitors interested in the film but it appears that a green signal from Bajrangi, who has threatened to use force to prevent the screening of the film, is of critical importance here.
When contacted, Bajrangi, told TOI "I got a call from the theatre owners on Friday asking me to remain present at a special screening.
They told me that we will see the film together and then decide if it was fit for release in Gujarat.
"Dholakia, who is expected to arrive here from Mumbai with prints of the film on Monday, has so far refused to allow the presence of Bajrangi during the special screening and has instead told the association to invite Ahmedabad police commissioner J Mahapatra, if they perceived a law and order problem. Whether Mahapatra takes the bait or not is unclear because even his boss, the present director general of police PC Pande,who was the Ahmedabad police commissioner in 2002, has been portrayed in a poor light in the film, based on the real-life story of a Parsi couple whose son went missing after the massacre in Gulbarg Society.
January 30, 2007
PUCL condemns the "ban" on film 'Parzania' declared by Sangh Parivar's groups
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: 30th JANUARY 2007
PUCL CONDEMNS THE "BAN" ON FILM 'PARZANIA' DECLARED BY SANGH PARIVAR'S GROUPS AND THE "SUPPORT" OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT BY KEEPING MUM.
We are also very much disturbed when the viewpoints of few groups like Bajrang Dal is considered as the viewpoint of 5 crore Gujaratis. ˆ People‚s Union for Civil Liberties
It is time for sensible people not to be silent spectators but to speak out against such fascist attitude of groups like Bajrang Dal.
We the common people of Gujarat always get disturbed on the issue of violence, whether it is domestic violence within the family, caste violence, communal violence or violence by State and Government on the working class. We are also very much disturbed when the viewpoints of few groups like Bajrang Dal is considered as the viewpoint of 5 crore Gujaratis. It is time for sensible people not to be silent spectators but speak out against fascist attitudes of groups like Bajrang Dal.
On 28th January 2007 an important meeting of PUCL discussed in detail regarding the unlawful "ban" on film Parzania declared by the Sangh Parivar groups. By keeping mum on the issue, the Government of Gujarat has endorsed the "ban" declared by them. We, the activists of PUCL condemn the Sangh Parivar's unlawful "ban" on 'Parzania'.
Parzania is a film by the Ahmedabad-based director Rahul Dholakia, which portrays the shocking story of a Parsi family caught in the vortex of violence unleashed on innocent people of Gujarat in 2002. This is not the first time that groups like Bajrang Dal, backed by the BJP, have gotten away with such undemocratic and unconstitutional actions in Gujarat.
This unlawful "ban" on ŒParzania‚ in Gujarat, is a slap on the face of all those who uphold the values of free speech and justice. We express our compassion and solidarity to Dara Modi and family, whose son has been missing since the massacre in 2002 and on whose experience the film is based, and to the hundreds of other families in Gujarat and elsewhere who have suffered immensely because of mindless violence and hatred.
We strongly feel that this film needs to be screened in Gujarat more than any other State in India. The State Government, instead of tacitly supporting the unlawful "ban", should encourage the screening of this film and ensure total protection to cinema owners, distributors and the viewers.
We demand that the Government of Gujarat take stern legal action against those who have gone on record saying that they will not allow this film to be screened. Those who oppose the screening should be made to realize that they and their methods cannot be tolerated in a democracy. The litmus test of a democracy is the right to dissent. It is easy for majoritarian views to be tolerated. Democracy needs the right to differ, debate and dissent like we need the air we breathe. The rule of law needs to prevail and that means respecting differences.
Surely, a State that wants to project itself as a place that welcomes free enterprise would not want to give the impression of encouraging lawlessness and intolerance. Diversity needs to be appreciated not merely tolerated. In that lies our collective welfare. And safety.
FOR People‚s Union for Civil Liberties
Dr. J. S. Bandukwala
Rohit Prajapati
Chinu Srinivasan
Bharati Pramar
Johannes Manjrekar
Dr. Sujat Vali
Raj Kumar Hans
Trupti Shah
Maya Valecha
Mukesh Semwal
Tapan Dasgupta
Naginbhai Patel
Ziya Pathan
Jagdish Patel
Amrish Brahmbhatt
Manzur Saleri,
Yusuf Shaikh
Dhriu Mistry
Shivani Patel
DATE: 30th JANUARY 2007
PUCL CONDEMNS THE "BAN" ON FILM 'PARZANIA' DECLARED BY SANGH PARIVAR'S GROUPS AND THE "SUPPORT" OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT BY KEEPING MUM.
We are also very much disturbed when the viewpoints of few groups like Bajrang Dal is considered as the viewpoint of 5 crore Gujaratis. ˆ People‚s Union for Civil Liberties
It is time for sensible people not to be silent spectators but to speak out against such fascist attitude of groups like Bajrang Dal.
We the common people of Gujarat always get disturbed on the issue of violence, whether it is domestic violence within the family, caste violence, communal violence or violence by State and Government on the working class. We are also very much disturbed when the viewpoints of few groups like Bajrang Dal is considered as the viewpoint of 5 crore Gujaratis. It is time for sensible people not to be silent spectators but speak out against fascist attitudes of groups like Bajrang Dal.
On 28th January 2007 an important meeting of PUCL discussed in detail regarding the unlawful "ban" on film Parzania declared by the Sangh Parivar groups. By keeping mum on the issue, the Government of Gujarat has endorsed the "ban" declared by them. We, the activists of PUCL condemn the Sangh Parivar's unlawful "ban" on 'Parzania'.
Parzania is a film by the Ahmedabad-based director Rahul Dholakia, which portrays the shocking story of a Parsi family caught in the vortex of violence unleashed on innocent people of Gujarat in 2002. This is not the first time that groups like Bajrang Dal, backed by the BJP, have gotten away with such undemocratic and unconstitutional actions in Gujarat.
This unlawful "ban" on ŒParzania‚ in Gujarat, is a slap on the face of all those who uphold the values of free speech and justice. We express our compassion and solidarity to Dara Modi and family, whose son has been missing since the massacre in 2002 and on whose experience the film is based, and to the hundreds of other families in Gujarat and elsewhere who have suffered immensely because of mindless violence and hatred.
We strongly feel that this film needs to be screened in Gujarat more than any other State in India. The State Government, instead of tacitly supporting the unlawful "ban", should encourage the screening of this film and ensure total protection to cinema owners, distributors and the viewers.
We demand that the Government of Gujarat take stern legal action against those who have gone on record saying that they will not allow this film to be screened. Those who oppose the screening should be made to realize that they and their methods cannot be tolerated in a democracy. The litmus test of a democracy is the right to dissent. It is easy for majoritarian views to be tolerated. Democracy needs the right to differ, debate and dissent like we need the air we breathe. The rule of law needs to prevail and that means respecting differences.
Surely, a State that wants to project itself as a place that welcomes free enterprise would not want to give the impression of encouraging lawlessness and intolerance. Diversity needs to be appreciated not merely tolerated. In that lies our collective welfare. And safety.
FOR People‚s Union for Civil Liberties
Dr. J. S. Bandukwala
Rohit Prajapati
Chinu Srinivasan
Bharati Pramar
Johannes Manjrekar
Dr. Sujat Vali
Raj Kumar Hans
Trupti Shah
Maya Valecha
Mukesh Semwal
Tapan Dasgupta
Naginbhai Patel
Ziya Pathan
Jagdish Patel
Amrish Brahmbhatt
Manzur Saleri,
Yusuf Shaikh
Dhriu Mistry
Shivani Patel
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