Gujarat Government | Newsroom24x7

Newsroom24x7 Desk

CCTV footage shows Police vandalising private property in Gajarat. Gujarat Government will submit in this matter a report before the High Court — CCTV footage shows Police vandalising private property in Gujarat. The State Government will place a report about this incident before the Gujarat High Court

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court has directed the Gujarat Government, in particular, the state Chief Secretary and Home Secretary to abide by the declaration made before this Court and restore
peace and the law and order situation in the State.

Responding to a Writ Petition (PIL) NO. 174 of 2015 on Friday, 28, August, a two judge bench of Gujarat High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice JAYANT Patel and Justice N.V.Anjaria passed an orrder which says: “Considering the facts and circumstances, we find that restoration of peace in the State and resumption and return of normalcy in the life and affairs are of the prime concern and it should stand on priority of the State Officials, and people at large of the State should appreciate all actions on the part of State to restore the peace.”

On the grievance of the petitioner about the commission of police atrocities and more particularly pertaining to the police high-handedly and police pefrsonnel entering the houses of the residents and resorting to lathi charge; use of force inside a housing complex and breaking of glasses of the cars and causing damage to the private properties of the citizens; and the submission for Court direction for taking appropriate action against the police personnel and officials who had indulged in such activities, the Gujarat High Court order says that action can can wait for some time for response and report of the State government in this regard.

However the Court has emphasised that the State Government should convey to all police personnel and officials about the limits of their power. While restoring peace they shall not cross the limits of the law, attracting other further penal and deterrent consequences, the order says.

In this regards, the State Advocate General submitted that the State would look into the matter and what actions are taken against such police officials, shall be reported to this Court by the next hearing.

The Gujarat High Coourt has suggested to the Advocate General to get the instructions for formation of team of the high officials and for taking other requisite steps to restore peace and law and order situation in the State.

A day after the High Court order, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader Hardik Patel, who is leading a massive movement demanding reservation under the other backward community (OBC) quota for the Patidar community, on Saturday visited the house of Shwetang Patidar, who allegedly died of injuries inflicted by Police when violence broke out after Hardik’s rally here on 25 April.

Shwetang’s mother filed a petition in court on Thursday accusing the Police of beating her son to death.

Hardik asked Shwetang’s sister to tie him a Rakhi and said that the Gujarat Government will face the consequences. Shwetang’s last rites have been scheduled for Sunday since it was Rakshabandhan today.

The State Advocate General has tendered before the Gujarat High Court broad points for appropriate arrangements including formation of team of high ranking officers to restore law and order. The arrangements are as follows:

1. A team of High Ranking Officers consisting of
(i) Chief Secretary
(ii) Home Secretary
(iii) D.G. & I.G.P.
(iv) D.G.P. (Intelligence), and
(v) D.G.P. (Law and Order)
is holding meetings for three times a day for taking stock of the situation in the entire State and for issuing requisite instructions/orders for getting the needful done as per the requirement.
2. For quick dissemination of information, the following Control Rooms are fully functional:
(i) State Control Room, at the office of D.G.P. and I.G.P.
(ii) Control Room at the Home Department
(iii) Control Room at each of the offices of Commissioner of Police in the cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda and Rajkot.
(iv) Control Room at each of the offices of Superintendent of Police in all the Districts in the State.
3. Peace appeal to the people of Gujarat by CM being telecast on various media channels.
4. Review meeting held by Hon’ble CM around 2 PM on 26th August, 2015 to review the law and order situation in the State and decisions taken with respect to the following:
a) Shanti Samiti/Mohalla Samiti/Ekta Samiti Meetings to be held by all district collectors/Commissioners immediately.
b) Peace appeals by various religious saints and other prominent leaders to be telecast on various media channels.
5. At the District Level, District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police have been instructed to keep a close vigil for taking care of any emergent situation. They have also been instructed to conduct the meetings of Shanti Samity and Akta Committee, consisting of the representatives of the respective communities, so as to maintain peace.
6. Similarly, at Sub-Divisional Level, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (i.e. Prant Officer) and Deputy Superintendent of Police and at Taluka Level, Mamlatdar and Executive Magistrate and Police Station In-charge have been accordingly instructed.
7. Arrangements are being made for conveying peace messages through religious leaders and social leaders in TV and Radio.
8. Ten senior officers of the rank of SP and above including two ADGP rank officers were deputed at sensitive locations across the State post 25th August incident.
9. At present, there are 162 Armed Police Force Companies (i.e. 53 companies of CRPF and 109 companies of SRP) are deployed throughout the State towards maintenance of law and order.
10. Further, 11 companies of Army have been called in (i.e 5 companies in Ahmedabad and 2 companies each in Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana) for aiding civil
administration.
11. Prevailing situation is being continuously reviewed by the high ranking State Officials headed by the Chief Secretary.

Newsroom24x7 Desk

NBA leader Medha Patkar campaigns for Tribals' land rights (Representative Photo-May 2004) — NBA leader Medha Patkar campaigns for Tribals’ land rights (Representative Photo-May 2004)

Gandhinagar: At least seven adivasi families have been kept under house custody by the Gujarat Police and administration, since yesterday charged Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar late Sunday night.

In a statement Ms. Patkar said, in Kevadia village which is just 7 kms from the Sardar Sarovar Dam site and already affected by the project since the decade of 60’s, women asserting that their agricultural land and houses should not be grabbed for Bharat Bhavan, without they getting the package of alternative land and an amount of Rs.5 lakhs for each adult major son in the family were arrested by the police and taken to Tilakwada about 50 kms away. While the women were released after a pressure was mounted by the crowd and media media covering the incident, JCB machines were brought to carry on the eviction work by destroying even the standing crops of ‘Tuvar’. The destructive action continued through the night, trampling upon the rights of the adivasis (tribals) who have been fighting for their survival since 1970’s and loss of livelihood since 1961 itself.

Ms. Patkar has pointed towards the plight of the people from six villages, including Kevadia, stating they lost their land that was acquired for the Sardar Sarovar and the project colony at a meager rate of compensation in 1961 and all the adivasi (Bhil Tadi) families either became landless or were left with small chunks of land. The land they lost was used for nine kinds of government guest houses, staff quarters, and colony, bazaar as well as tourism centers while some of it has been used for storage of material of the contractors, illegally diverting the purpose of acquisition itself.

Originally there were 300 families struggling against the injustice in the Kevadia area but the number of such families gradually went up to 900. Only a few of these have got work at the dam site or the project office – mostly as temporary wagers. A package of Rs. 36,000 in lieu of has been given to only 300 families, many of whom have rejected this meager amount since it is grossly inadequate for purchasing alternative source of livelihood, Ms. Patkar has asserted.

According to the NBA leader, the Gujarat government in 2013 took cognizance of the opposition to any further acquisition of land amongt the adivasis in the Kevadia region and promised land for land as a package for the Bharat Bhavan project in Kevadia. However, these families who have already lost more than 100 acres in the 1960’s and another 20 acres for Bharat Bhavan were shown land at a few sites but they refused to accept alternate land since what was being offered was scatetred and in small patches. Suddenly, in these circumstances, the police and administration chose to adopt oppressive action to grab the tribals’ land

Ms. Patkar has alleged that the Gujarat government with the support of the Centre, is behaving in an unjust manner and committing atrocities on the tribals. The fight for the tribals’ rights will continue till justice is attained, she has asserted.

Bharat bhawan project — On October 31, 2014, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel laid the foundation stone of Shrestha Bharat Bhawan

On October 31, 2014, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel laid the foundation stone near Sardar Sarovar dam on Narmada River near Kevadia Colony for the construction of the “Shrestha Bharat Bhavan”, which will be a multidimensional centre for research and tourism and is part of the Statue of Unity project – #StatueOfUnity project.