Marathi Colonists Terrorise Newcomers
Shiv Sena Derails Recruitment Drive
Bombay. Times News Network. Times of India, 19 Nov., 2003: Members of the Indian Student's Army (Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena or BVS), a front of the Marathi terrorist organisation, the Shiv Sena, ransacked the office of the Railway Recruitment Board at Bombay Central on Tudesay morning to vent their "anger" agains the Board's hiring of non-Maharasthrians. The mob demanded that the Class D recruitment examinations, currently underway, be postponed since 40 % of the applicants were non-Maharashtrians.
When Board Chairperson, Anil Mittal, stated that he could not concede to the demand since this was an all-India examination, about a hundred hooligans of the BVS/Shiv Sena ransacked his office, smashing the window panes and damaging the furniture and computers. Mr. Mittal suffered a cut on his forehead.
"Biharis and UPites keep pouring into Bombay for jobs in central government establishments such as the railways. Marathi jobless youth can't be expected to twiddle their thumbs," said Raj Thackeray, BVS chief and Sena leader, pointing out that Assam too was facing a similar situation.
The Railway Board received some 6,50,000 applications for the 2,200 vacancies for gangmen, khalasis and other categories which come under Class D. The examination for the first batch was held on November 16, while the exams for the other batches were scheduled for Nove., 23, Dec. 7 & 14. Most of the applicants in the first batch were from outside Maharashtra, a fact that seems to have angered the ABVS. The Sainiks fled when calls on their cellphones warned them that the police had arrived downstairs. Homever, the hooligans vandalised the place before the cops arrived, even though the office of the Railway Police and of the Agripada Police Station are next door to the Board Office.
"Security Tight For Railway Exams"
"Shiv Sena Leader Warns of Trouble During Sunday's Paper"
"Binoo Nair" <[email protected]> Mid-Day, Thursday, 20 November 2003 Bombay Edition.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF), the armed wing of the Indian Railways, is the only armed force of the Indian Union that does not come under the Home Ministry. Over the next few days, they will have to strive to prove that it is not the only reason for them being special.
The Railway Recruitment Board examinations for Class D employees are to be held on Sunday (23rd November 2003) in various parts of the country, including 120 centres in Bombay. Railway officials say that hordes of outstation employment seekers, who are to appear for the exams, will be arriving in the city over the next couple of days.
But the Shiv Sena-powered Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS) has announced that they will not allow outsiders to appear for the exams. In fact, a Sena leader issued a veiled threat that outstation applicants could be attacked to prevent them from appearing for the exams. The BVS has already revealed its intention by attacking the RRB office at Bombay Central on Tuesday, damaging furniture and injuring the RRB Chairman, Anil Mittal.
"We have made elaborate security plans for Sunday. And we are coordinationg with the city police and the railway police to maintain law and order. The protesction of railway property is our concern and we are prepared for that," said R.K. Sharma, the Chief Security Commissioner, RPF, Western and Central Railway divisions.
According to Sharma, while the exam centres, railway personnel and students appearing will be protected by his force, the city and railway police will have to ensure the aspirants are not attacked.
"There will be huge crowds at railway stations with close to a hundred thousand people expected to appear for the exams. RPF personnel will be deployed at every station to maintain safey," affirmed Vinod Dhaka, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner of the Western Railway division.
Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry has postponed Sunday's exams to be held in Assam and Bihar after tension mounted due to Assamese youth not preventing Biharis from appearing for the exams in Guwahati, Assam's capital city, on 9th November 2003.
Biharis Assaulted, Intimidated
Indian Express, 22nd November 2003, Bombay edition.
Express News Service, 21st November 2003: Kalyan became the locus of the Sena's latest violent campaign on Friday, as baton-wielding, saffron-clad men and women went on a rampage against largely indigent "Northerners" (aka Uttar Baratis, Bhaiyas or Biharis) pouring in to take the Railway Recruitment examination for employment in the state-owned Indian Railways as petty labourers.
It was all perfectly planned and executed. The violence was even honoured with a name by the local Shiv Sena men—the Bihari ani Bhaiya Baher Kada Mohim ("Movement for the Expulsion of North Indians"). And as the candidates for the Railway Recruitment Board Examination arrived aboard various long-distance trains, slogan-shouting Sena members mounted a full assault and physical intimidation campaign - kicking, punching, pulling their hair and shouting expletives.
| Newspeak: "I do not confine myself to any region, I belong to the Shiv Sena. Biharis can come here but should not take away jobs at the cost of the sons-of-the-soil." — Sanjay Nirupam, a Bihari and Shiv Sena's Member of Parliament |
As television cameras rolled, they snatched identity cards, tore examination hall admission tickets and hauled several students back into outbound trains. The women took the lead. As victims made a desperate run for it, women activists screamed, grabbed their hair and pulled them back.
"We will not let a single Bihari or a Uttar Pradeshi step out of any train. We have told our boys to beat up every Bihari or Bhaiya who dares step into this city to take the examination. This is our warning. Later, we won't be responsible for the action of our activists," said Ravi Kapote, Kalyan city chief of the Shiv Sena, adding that about 250 of the 300 odd candidates at Kalyan station were attacked.
Even passengers waiting to board long distance trains were searched. Those unable to "answer satisfactorily" were beaten up and chased out of the station.
Senior Inspector of the Kalyan Railway Police, Narayanrao Rajguru said that no case was lodged against any Sena member, since no one had come forward as a complainant. "It was not possible to take action as there was a huge crowd on the platforms," he said.
Exam Postponed
The Railways have indefinitely postponed the Railway Recruitment Board Examination scheduled for this Sunday. The exam was for the positions of gangmen, khalasis and helpers.
The thousands of candidates who have come to Bombay to take the exams from all over India are uncertain about what they should do next.
Divisional Railway Manager of the Central Railways, Madhav Pathak said that the exam had to be postponed due to the severe damage caused by the vandalisation of the Board's office and computer systems on 18th November by the Shiv Sena. The Assistant Secretary of the Board, D.R. Joykutty said, "We do not know when the next date will be announced." |
A weary Railway Recruitment Board had to postpone its examination (see box) but hundred of candidates are still huddled on railway platforms—and incoming trains are still full of them.
Confused, too scared to even disclose their identities and with no money for proper accommodation, they are preparing for a long battle.
And Kapote has another warning: The Sena will intensify its anti-North Indian campaign in Kalyan from midnight on Saturday. "Our activists have been divided into groups and have been given batons. They will keep watch at the examination centres. They know what to do if they spot a Bihari or a Bhaiya," he said.
Railway Examinations Derailed
Times of India, 22nd November 2003, Bombay edition.
Bombay, Times News Network: The Railway Recruitment Board announced on Friday that it was postponing the Group D Exams scheduled to be held on Sunday in Bombay, Pune, Solapur and Nagpur because crucial data it had stored on its computers had been destroyed when Shiv Sena activists ransacked the RRB office at Bombay Central on Tuesday morning (18th November).
| Irked by the vandalisation of the RRB offices by Shiv Sena hoodlums, the Railway Ministry on Tuesday threatened to shift out the Exam Centres out of the province if the government failed to provide enough security. Reacting to this, Deputy Chief Minister, Chhagan Bhujbal said, "We have assured the Railway authorities that adequate arrangements will be made in future."—Indian Express, Bombay, 20/11/2003, page 1. |
A mob of Shiv Sainiks also manhandled North Indians, mainly from the Bihar and UP provinces and robbed them of their call letters at Kalyan on Thursday night and Friday morning. There are two examination centres in Kalyan.
The violence involving railway recruitments—which have sparked an ethnic conflict in Assam following an assault on Assamese passengers passing through Bihar, and revived the "outsider" issue for the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra—was also discussed on Friday in New Delhi at a meeting between the Prime Minister and the Railways Minister, Nitish Kumar.
In Bombay, the RRB's decision to postpone the Group D Exams was treated as a victory by the Sena. In a statement issued soon after the RRB put off the exams, the Sena Supremo, Bal Thackeray said that his organisation would continue to guard the "legitimate rights" of the Marathi "sons-of-the-soil."
Violence in AssamVipan Nanda, General Manager of the North-Eastern Division of the Indian Railways expressed helplessness in the face of demands by Assamese parties for quotas for Assamese, pointing to a 1999 Supreme Court ruling which said that every Indian citizen had "equal opportunity" to apply for all categories of jobs in the Indian Railways. -Indian Express, Bombay, 20/11/2003, page 2 |
"The Marathi "Bhoomiputras" should get their legitimate rights. Actually, the Centre should ensure that each province gets its fair share in employment opportunities under the provincial reorganisation formula," Thackeray said and "thanked" Mr. Nitish Kumar for his wisdom in putting off the exams. "The Sena is opposed to none. We believe in live and let live," he added.
On Thursday, Thackeray had come out unequivocally and strongly in favour of the anti-RRB and anti-Northerner campaign launched by the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, the Shiv Sena's student wing, which is headed by party leader Raj Thackeray, who is also the Sena Supremo's nephew.
On Friday, Raj Thackeray had said in a statement, "Whenever the Central Government of India or other establishment conduct interviews for prospective employees in Bombay or elsewhere in Maharashtra, we will insist on a fair quota for Marathi youth." He urged the Maharashtra government to stop the influx of job aspirants form other provinces into Bombay.
Indian Express, 25th Nov., 2003. Express News Service: A belligerent Shiv Sena may not atone for the violence at Kalyan — in fact, they simply took their terror squads elsewhere on Sunday and Monday. But Commissioner of Railway Police Shrikant Savarkar says he's sorry.
Apologising on behalf of the Railway Police personnel who simply stood and watched th surral scene unfold, Savarkar says: "This was a major lapse ont eh part of the Railway Police, who made no attemtp to spare anyone from the Sainiks' wrath. We have registered offences against the Sainiks and also instituted an inquiry against the policemen who wer on duty and present at the time of the incident."
Deputy COmmissioner of Police, Subhash Rathod, who is conducting the inquriy against the charged policemen, told Express Newsline that television footage and newspaper reports are bing collected as evidence. "Police Inspector Rakhpasre, who is among those facing the inquiry, had filed a First Information Report against the Sainiks. Hence we are inquiring into why he did not take action against the guilty," Rathod added.
Meanwhile, after driving job-aspirants from Bihar and UP out of the Kalyan Railway Station, the Shiv Sena is still not short of targets.
The North Indian Welfare Council, a city based association of various North Indian communities which is not protesting their victimisation by the Shiv Sena is the latest victim of the terrorists.
On Sunday evening, the terrorists disrupted a protest meeting of the organisation near the Andheri Railway Station.
"Almost a hundred Sainiks had gathered at the venue. They assaulted four of the our workers," said Mungleshwar "Munna" Tripathi, an office-bearer of the organisation.
An injured Bhim Sahani, 35, one of the four victims of the terrorists, was later admitted to the Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle. Tripathi and others later filed a police complaint at the Andheri Police Station.
But Tripathi's tryst with the terrorists wasn't over.
On Monday morning, Tripathi was on his way to the Bombay High Court to file a Public Interest Litigation "in which Sena chief Bal Thackeray, his nephew and ABVS leader Raj Thackeray are to be made the respondent," when he was targetted again.
A dozen Sena terrorists pounced upon Tripathi at the Chinai College Road and assaulted him. A bruised and angry Tripathi marched back to the police station.
Senior Police Inspector, Anand Bhillari said that no arrests have been made as yet, although investigations are on.
Kalyan Whitewash
Newreport in the Mid-Day, Wednesday, 26th November 2003, Bombay Edition:
Railway Police Commissioner Shrikanth Savarkar may have apologised for the inaction of the railway police during the Sena violence at Kalyan, but he doesn't think it has tarnished the image of the entire department. "It was a one-off incident, which was unfortunate, but it doesn't indicate that the entire railway police department is ineffective," Savarkar said.
It may be recalled that on 21st November, Shiv Sainiks wento on a rampage at Kalyan railway station, attacking Biharis. Railways police personnel who were present at the site were reportedly mute spectators to the entire incident, not coming to the rescue of the victims.
"Officials were posted at Kalyan railway station that day as the Shiv Sainiks had warned that they were planning to do something of that sort. However, we have to enquire why the officials chose not to act and smply stood and watched the incident," said Savarkar.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Subhash Rathod is conducting an inquiry on the role of the police personnel present during the incident.
Savarkar said that evidence has been collected through the photographs published by the media, but a detailed inquiry will reveal which officials were at fault. "Strong action will be taken once we get the names of the erring officials, who chose to just stand and watch. They were on duty and should have done more than that," added Savarkar.
However, no arrests have been made so far though offences have been registered, he said.
Times News Network, Times of India, Bombay. 6th December 2003: The Railway Recruitment Board, Government of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and his nephew Raj Thackeray havebeen named respondents in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) or SLP (Special Leave Petition) filed in connection with the recent terrorist attacks on North Indian candidates for the RRB exams in Bombay.
The petition was filed on Tuesday by Mangleshwar Tripathi, an activist of the Nationalist Congress Party and founding president of the North Indian Welfare Council. Last week, Tripathi had alleged that he was assaulted by the Sena terrorists when he was on his way to the court to file the petition.
The PIL stated that candidates who came to Bombay to appear for a written test for the RRB were assaulted by the terrorists at the instance of the Sena leaders. "There certificates and other documents were robbed and destroyed," it said.
"The Bharatiya VIdyarthi Sena's agitation is aimed at safeguarding the job prospects of the local youth. We hope that the honourable Court will understand the genuine grievances of the Marathis who suffer as jobseekers from the north keep invading Bombay," said Raj Thackeray, the terrorist leader, reacting to the report of Tripathi's PIL.
The PIL statedthat boththe Sena leaders gave statements to newspapers that they would not allow northerners to attend the written examinations.
The PIL states: "It appears that the RRB in consultation with the Government of Maharashtra cancelled the examination, which were scheduled to be held on Nove 23, without any prior intimation to the candidates."
As a result, these candidates not only had to incur the cost of travelling to Bomaby, but were also put to inconvenience after the RRB cancelled the exams.
The PIL claimed that the RRB's action was "illegal, unlawful, unjustifiable, unconstitutional and atrocious." The petitioner also submitted that the Government of Maharashtra turned a deaf ear by ignoring the activities of the Shiv Sena.
"Thackeray Offers To Hold Talks With North Indians"
Times News Network. Times of India, Bombay. 10th December, 2003.
Bombay: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has urged North Indians domiciled in Bombay not to be swayed by the Samajwadi (Socialist) Party's counter-campaign against the Sena's "sons-of-the-soil" campaign.
The statement, which was vintage Thackerayspeak, suggested mutual talks as a way out of the impasse and was frong-paged by 'Saamna', the Sena's mouthpiece, on Tuesday.
There are no plans to send the pre-1995 North Indians back to their homes," Thackeray clarified, adding, "The Sena is not opposed to any ethnic or linguistic community. We only want the North Indians to stop grabbing our meal. Priority to local citizens in jobs was the formula on which linguistic provinces were organized. The Indian Constitution too has given this guarantee." He said that "the Sena has nothing against those who have been living in Bombay before 1995. The issue is open for discussion."
Thackeray reacted sharply to the Samajwadi Party's 'lagaam' (Control) rally in Bombay on Sunday. SP leaders Amar Singh Yadav and Abu Asim Azmi had made strong speeches at the meeting and had flayed the Sena for targetting North Indians.
Mr. Azmi had even threatened to "dismantle the hand" that was raised against the North Indians who had been living in Maharashtra.
"If you are going to talk of confrontation, Shiv Sainiks are well-prepared to serve a 'mooh-tod' (jaw-breaking) answer. This will cost you dear," Thackeray said.
"Before challenging Maharashtra, these leaders should dare to hold a similar rally in Guwahati, where Assamese have killed Biharis who have gone there to seek jobs," the Sena chief said.