Friday, July 03, 2009

[Hindu Vigil] Hindus Attacked, Girl Molested in Belgachhia, Kolkata (Rajeev Srinivasan)

jul 3rd, 2009

please protest. 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amit Singh <hindu.vigil@vhs-net.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 3:55 AM
Subject: [Hindu Vigil] Hindus Attacked, Girl Molested in Belgachhia, Kolkata



Dear Shri Rajeev Srinivasan ji,
Namaskaar


You are requested to send e-mails / postal letters to protest the attack on the Hindu
community in Kolkata that occurred on April 21st, 2009. All relevant documentation is
included in the attached document.

Your protest letters will go a long way in establishing the case of human rights of Hindus
being violated in India despite it being a so-called Hindu majority country. In fact
prejudiced and partisan human rights bodies such as Amnesty, HRW and USCIRF never take up the
case of violations of human rights against HIndus, because lack of primary data and the
overall Hindu complacency.

If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at
hindu.vigil@vhs-net.com or leave me a voice mail at 206-426-5363.

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,


(Amit Singh)
Hindu Vigil
E-Mail: hindu.vigil@vhs-net.com
Voice Mail: +1 206-426-5363

=============== attachment included as plain text ===========



                               HINDU VIGIL

       HINDUS ATTACKED IN KOLKATA, HINDU GIRL MOLESTED IN BELGACHHIA

RECORDED INCIDENT

On 21st April evening, Belgachhia area of North Kolkata felt the communal
heat. Hindu houses and a market was attacked, a Shiva temple was severely
damaged, another temple attacked and some Hindus were beaten up
mercilessly.

Kundu Lane of Belgachhia area is a mixed population area. The Hindu
inhabited Kundu Lane Slum and Muslim inhabited Belgachhia Slum are
adjacent. Hindu women and girls always have to face eve teasing, indecent
gestures from the Muslim youths. There is a small tea- shop owned by one
Hindu Sri Nilu Banerji in Kundu Lane where both Hindus and Muslims drink
tea. On last 21st April evening, Sri Banerji went out of his shop for some
work. His 17 year old daughter Soma Banerji was running the shop. Six
Muslim youths came to the shop, ordered for tea, and started to disturb
the girl with indecent gestures. At first the Soma tried to ignore those.
But ultimately the boys started molesting her by touching her body. This
Soma could not tolerate and raised an alarm. Some Hindu youths rushed
there, protested, but the Muslim boys ignored them and told them that it
is no business of them. Then the Hindu youths beat the Muslim boys and
locked up three of them to hand over to police. The other three fled and
reported to Muslim locality. Hearing this, Muslims came back in large
numbers. Hindus too became ready. Stone throwing started. By this time the
police showed up. Somehow controlled the situation and took charge of the
three Muslim boys. The police posting is continuing in the area.

At 11 pm. night, it was dark due to usual power cut in Kolkata. Taking
advantage of the darkness, Muslims of neighbouring area on the other side
of a railway line joined the Muslims of the Belgachhia slum and they
attacked Hindu area in Kundu Lane. First they attacked the local market of
Kundu Lane, stoned and demolished some shops. Then they attacked 5/6 Hindu
houses. They broke window panes and furniture and beat the members of the
houses mercilessly. Then the Muslims attacked a small Shiva-Temple and
destroyed it partially. Then they started attacking the famous
*Yasho-Madhav Temple* of the area. By this time, some Hindus gathered
courage and unitedly started to resist them. The Hindus threatened the
Muslims that if they do not stop attacking the Yasho-Madhav Temple, then
they will demolish the nearby Mosque. The threatening worked and the
Muslims retreated in the dead of night.

Everyday evening, the women Metro Rail commuters of this area have to face
the misbehavior and indecent gestures by the Muslim youths. It has become
a practice for them. So, Hindus of the area are already perturbed and
aggrieved.

The eve-teasing and molestation of women is not confined to Belgachhia
alone in Kolkata. It is a common practice by the Muslim youths in many
areas of Kolkata.


CASE ASSESSMENT

The incidents related to violent attacks on Hindus are increasing day by
day in West Benga. Ironically media blacks out such news under the pretext
of keeping peace. In the recent years Islamic expansionism has gripped
almost the whole of Kolkata. Barring a very few areas, every place has
become sensitive due to Hindu-Muslim tension. The patronage given by the
state government under the policy of appeasement is further emboldening
the disruptive and anti-social elements.



SOURCE OF INFORMATION

www.hindusamhati.org

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

Write a letter to the highest authorities in central and state governments
bringing the issues to their notice and demanding immediate action:

1. Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil
President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi, INDIA
Email: presidentofindia@rb.nic.in

2. Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
24 Race Course
New Delhi, INDIA
Pull the URL: http://pmindia.nic.in/
Click on the "feedback" and then register your protest under "Grievance" section as per the
given guidelines

3. Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi
Governor of West Bengal
Raj Bhavan
Kolkata 700 062
Phone: 033-2200 1641
Fax: 033 - 2200 2444 / 2200 1649
Email:governor-wb@nic.in

4. Shri Buddhadev Bhattacharya,
Chief Minister, West Bengal
Writers' Building
Kokata, INDIA
Email: cm@wb.gov.in
Phone: (O) 22215555, 22145588
Fax: 22215480


5. National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi, INDIA
 PIN 110001
Tel.No. 23384012
Fax No. 23384863
E-Mail: covdnhrc@nic.in, ionhrc@nic.in

6. West Bengal Human Rights Commission,
Bhabani Bhavan, Alipore, kolkata-27
Std: 033 fax: 24799633
Phone no. 24797727/1629
E-mail: wbhrc@cal3.vsnl.net.in
Pull URL: http://wbhrc.nic.in/ and click on "complaint" and follow the guidelines

7. Send a copy of your letter to the UNHRC bringing raising the issue at international forum:
 Postal address:
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

8. You may send register your protest at the following number:
Telephone: +41 22 917 9000
Also E-mail your queries in this regards to: InfoDesk@ohchr.org




SAMPLE LETTER
(Please do NOT use the sample letter verbatim)
Honourable ________________,

It has come to my knowledge that on the evening of April 21st, in
Belgachhia area of North Kolkata Hindu houses and a market was attacked, a
Shiva temple was severely damaged, another temple was attacked and some
Hindus were beaten up mercilessly. It is also very unfortunate to note
that a Hindu girl was molested with impunity. The local people are facing
day to day problem of eve-teasing, molestation and threat to life,
property and dignity. The local administration has so far not acted
appropriately in the matter and the culprits are not booked accordingly.

I request you to kindly examine the matter by taking personal interest so
that immediate action is taken in the matter. Kindly inform me of the
actions taken in this regard and the step you propose to take so that such
incidents are not repeated in future. I can be reached via e-mail at
_______________and/or via phone at _____________.

Thanking you.
Sincerely yours,

Contact Information

Amit Singh
Hindu Vigil
Email: hindu.vigil@vhs-net.com
Voicemail:  1-206-426-5363


APPENDIX I. ORIGINAL SOURCE

http://hindusamhati.blogspot.com/2009/04/communal-clash-in-kolkata.html


Appendix II. Guidelines for Writing Protest Letters

The following are guidelines for writing letters of protest. Please note
that these should not be considered as requirements. This is meant as an
instrument of learning and effective capability building.

The Protest Letter Checklist

___ [REQUIRED] The protest letters should be either neatly hand-written or
type-written or computer-printed (black and white), signed (in blue ink),
and mailed via regular postal service.

___ [OPTIONAL] Send the text of the same letter in e-mail to the recipient

___ [OPTIONAL] Send a copy of the letter to the local media (via postal or
e-mail)

___ [OPTIONAL] If you run a personal blog (e.g. on blogspot.com), post the
letter there.

___ [OPTIONAL] If you have myspace.com / facebook.com / twitter.com /
orkut.com profiles, post the letter there.

___ [RECORD-KEEPING] Send the text of your protest letter to Hindu Vigil
(via e-mail): hindu.vigil@vhs-net.com { hindu DOT vigil AT vhs DASH net
DOT com } ; your letters will be archived.

Framework for Writing Protest Letters

Do protest letters work? Yes they do. Governments, institutions and
politicians pay careful attention to letters, because they are seen as
markers of public opinion. Statisticians and pollsters quite often use a
mathematical formula of 1 protestor to 10 letters of protest (can be
substituted by phone calls) to 10,000 concerned citizens. Meaning 10
letters of protest can substitute for 1 protestor protesting (being
physically present), representing at least 10,000 persons who feel
strongly about the issue at hand. Thus, your single letter of protest is
statistically representing at least 10,000 Hindus.

Is writing a protest letter too trivial? No. It is not. Whether you are
working on minimum wages or a multi-millionaire dollar businessperson, or
an awfully busy doctor or a lawyer, or homemaker trying to manage a
chaotic household -- it does not take that long to write a protest letter.
Hindu Vigil staff has already done your homework for you. All you have to
do is to spend 10 minutes and write this letter, and make yourself heard.

Format and Style

Letters of protest need not be long or compare with professional writers.
They should be crisp and clean. They must be genuine and the message
should come from the heart. Just be yourself and do your best. You need
not be an expert. Just speak your mind as a citizen on clean paper in neat
print. For your letter to make an impact, all you have to do is express
your sincere concern about something that troubles your conscience -- and
end the letter with a strong request for action. Tell the recipient of
your letter you know that many of your friends and neighbors feel
likewise. Be brief. Be clear. Be done.

Write to a person

Letters are more likely to be read and answered if they are addressed to a
name rather than to the government in general. Get the spelling of the
name and the address right.

Use titles

It shouldn't matter, but it does. Most people happen to be vain. Use the
appropriate salutation. Present and former prime ministers are addressed
as "The Right Honorable." Premiers and cabinet ministers are "Honorable."
Heads of States, such as presidents, are "Your Excellency." Kings, Queens
and other monarchs are "Your Majesty." Judges are "Your Honor."

Be polite

Always be respectful. Maintain the high moral ground.

Be brief

A short letter is far more effective than a long one. Limit your message
to 2-3 paeagraphs, or one that fits about 3/4th of a normal page. Get to
the point.

Be personal

Use personal examples that support your case. Make references to your
background, interests, training or occupation.

Cite facts

Briefly give the background facts. Enclose relevant URLs off the Internet
or send scanned newspaper clippings. Be specific about your concern.
Mention victims of persecution or abuse by name if possible. Separate
facts from opinion.

Write neatly

Handwritten letters do make a bigger impact. Printed letters are second best.

Don't generalize, be specific

Write about one message at a time. Spend some brief quality time thinking
about just what the kernel of your message ought to be.

Request action

This is extremely important. Underline what you want the person, the
government or the institution to do. Always, always get the recipient of
your letter to do something. Ask them when you can expect a change. State
clearly you intend to follow up.

Close properly

Close your letter with polite words. Thank the person for the things you
know he or she will do right. Be sure to include your mailing address.

Categories of Protest Letters

There are two categories of letters that are of interest to HV.

a. A letter to an oppressive or unsympathetic government

A government may cloak itself in democratic terms and yet be viciously
destructive to the interests of the citizens. A letter to an oppressive
government or an abusive government official should make it clear that
many people are clearly unhappy.

b. A letter to an institution

Human rights institutions are set up around the world. Some do their work
better than others. Human rights organizations are specifically biased
against Hindus and Hindu Dharma (due to historical factors, and going into
those is out of the scope of this document). Former communists and
socialists have reinvented themselves as champions of human rights during
the post-Soviet phase, and these are least expected to give an ear to
human rights violations against Hindus. For the purposes of Hindu Vigil
you may accept this at face value. HR organisations are concerned about
the image they present. Their funding depends on their image. If its
officials are seen as rubber stamping nefarious forces within oppressive
governments, they cannot be effective and serve the people properly. They
know that. So do you. You should appeal to HR institutions or organization
in the name of principles they profess to uphold.

Some Final Considerations

If you do not receive a reply within a reasonable time, send a polite
query. Although state officials fail to acknowledge most of the appeals
that are written to them, don't be discouraged. Repeated messages get
noticed, processed and filed.  Every letter, whether acknowledged or not,
makes an impact. It tells the offenders that Hindus are watching their
actions and recording them. When you do receive a reply, acknowledge it
immediately as a matter of courtesy.



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