*NREGS Wages for Mayawati's Birthday?* *http://www.tehelka.com/dotnet/mainheadline.asp?id=1* *As the rest of the state was preparing for Mayawati's birthday celebrations, dalit labourers were beaten up by her party men for demanding their rightful wage *
Under Mayawati, dalits in UP are gifted with a few blows of lathis for making her the Chief Minister and contributing to her personal wealth.* In a bizarre incident on January 15 2009, a day before her birthday, about 50 National Rural Employment Gurantee Scheme (NREGS) workers were severely beaten by her own party men for demanding wages* in Village Aira Kake Mau, Bharawan Block in Hardoi district, 110 kms from Lucknow. The incident is learnt to be related with the donation collection drive on Mayawati's birthday. Ghanshyam, BSP treasurer, Sandila district and also husband of Block Pramukh Urmila Devi, had denied wages to some and underpaid other dalit NREGS workers. "Funds were diverted to the birthday donation collection drive at the behest of the Minister of Science and Technology Abdul Mannan," rues a NREGS worker wishing anonymity. NREGS workers alleged that many of them were paid less than what was mentioned on their job cards. Arbitrary entries were made on their job cards against the actual work done and actual payments made. The BSP treasurer had also forcibly seized their job cards to hide his actions When the Magasasay Awardee Sandeep Pandey hauled up the BSP treasurer for this, he refused to oblige and threatened to lodge cases against NREGS workers. Pandey took up the issue with the BSP treasurer on 8 January when NREGS workers also held a demonstration outside his residence in the village. A meeting was scheduled for 14 January at the village to sort out the payment issue and correct anomalies. Sensing trouble, Pandey had informed the Manoj Singh, Commissioner, Rural development about the irregularities. The SDO of the area was also requested to send the police for peaceful settlement of the dispute. During talks on 14 January, Ghanshyam claimed that payments to a few NREGS workers were not made as they were below 18 years and above 60 years of age. He said that payments to such workers were made informally. But NREGS workers refused to buy into his theory and demanded that the seized job cards be returned to verify his claims. When Pandey and his NREGS social audit team were examining the job cards, the BSP treasurer's men suddenly rained blows on them with sticks. Job cards were forcibly taken from team members. NREGS workers and many of them, including women and those belonging to Mayawati's community suffered injuries in the hands of Ghanshyam and his goons Medai, who sustained serious head injuries, said it was unfortunate the dalits were being denied their rights in Mayawati's regime. "We voted her to power and now we are being harassed under, supposedly, our rule, that too by goons close to a BSP minister", he fumes. Another injured, Ram Bharose alleged that police remained a mute spectator during the entire incident with the BSP treasurer enjoying patronage from the BSP Minister. "The police refused to register cases against the BSP treasurer arguing that they were looking into it. What is to be inquired when the entire incident happened before their own eyes," says he. Only when, enraged over the attack, Pandey, his social audit team members and NREGS workers sat on a fast in the village till late night, did the police agree to register cases after Chief Minister's 15 January birthday celebrations. Now, a case stands against Ghanshyam and his men under Sections 323, 420, 427 and 467 of the IPC. A counter FIR has also been lodged by Ghanshyam and his men. "Injustice to dalits in BSP rule is unfortunate. We will continue to fight for their cause till the culprits are booked and wages paid to NREGS workers," asserts Pandey. A case has also been lodged under Section 25 of the NREGA against the accused. Manoj Singh, Commissioner, Rural Development, has ordered an inquiry into complaints of NREGS irregularities in the village. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
