The organisation's general secretary told U.S. Consul General that it was facing the ‘wrath' of the State government for ‘resisting' the pressure
Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party Government in Gujarat tried to use the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), the respected Ahmedabad-based non-governmental organisation, as a “conduit to disseminate communal ideologies”; and when the group resisted there were attempts to “obstruct” its work by withholding grants, “ostensibly over financial irregularities.”
This is revealed in a United States diplomatic cable accessed by The Hindu through WikiLeaks.
The cable (41091: unclassified), sent by the U.S. Consul General (CG) in Mumbai, Michael S. Owen, on September 22, 2005, quoted SEWA general secretary Reemaben Nanawati as telling him that the organisation was facing the “wrath” of the State government for “resisting” pressure.
Mr. Owen wrote: “The general secretary of SEWA, a large and well-respected union and self-help organization for poor women, claimed that the GOG [Government of Gujarat] was hoping to use the group's reach and extensive membership as a conduit to disseminate communal ideologies. SEWA was resisting fiercely, the CG was told, and feeling the wrath of the GOG as a result.”
The State government, Ms. Nanawati alleged, was being “vindictive” and “obstructing” SEWA's activities in the Kutch region.
‘Withheld grants'
“The GOG was withholding grants for state projects being implemented by SEWA in the (Kutch) region, she said, ostensibly over financial irregularities…SEWA was resisting…since communal harmony among its members was an important factor for its success, she said. The resistance was making the GOG more vindictive and causing it to step up its pressure on the organization, she added. Due to lack of funds, over 12,000 extremely poor SEWA members have not received wages for over five months, Nanawati claimed,” Mr Owen said.
Ms. Nanawati said the State government was trying to project an air of “normality” after the 2002 communal killings, but “politically” it was still pursuing a “divide and rule” agenda: a claim, Mr. Owen wrote, he heard from a number of Muslim and Christian activists he met.
Mr. Owen's own take on the situation in Gujarat was: “peaceful on the surface, yet state government continues its policies of communalization.”
“In the longer term,” he added, “the state government's clearly visible attempts to marginalize the Muslim minority and its discreet attempts to further communalize public life can only increase the risk of heightened tensions and renewed bloodshed in a state with a history of communal rioting.”
Gujarat Chief Secretary Sudhir Mankad “lost his patience” when asked how many people had been convicted for their role in the 2002 riots, Mr. Owen wrote.
‘Why the obsession?'
“He asked the CG why the U.S. was ‘so obsessed' with the riots. ‘You always express concern about the riots, but look what else is happening in the world,' Mankad complained…Reps of other diplomatic missions visited Gujarat to discuss the economy, education or cultural issues. The U.S. was always different. ‘When I saw your schedule I asked myself why you need to talk to all these groups', he said, referring to the CG's NGO interlocutors…,” Mr. Owen wrote, adding that he “underlined the importance the USG attached to human rights, and said we would continue to follow this issue closely.”
(This article is a part of the series "The India Cables" based on the US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.)
Keywords: The India Cables, cablegate, WikiLeaks, cable41091, Self-Employed Women's Association, Gujarat, communal propaganda, BJP Government, Narendra Modi's government, U.S. embassy cables
It's amusing to see Rohit's comments on the credibility of 'The Hindu'. in fact, the first major wikileaks scandal was about the cash for votes scam - 'The Hindu' had, in fact, given it far more coverage than this article. Advani had then quoted the report in parliament and lauded the newspaper for the expose (obviously, he didn't know what was to come!). Sainath of 'The Hindu' was the one (and only) reporter to report the 'paid news' scam that named Congress leaders in Maharashrta (this when all newspapers found it oh-so-uncomfortable)
Now that the same cables say something the reader (and the BJP) don't want to hear, it suddenly becomes 'biased'? Grow up! The truth is bitter - and it's bound to come out someday, whether the likes of 'Rohit' like it or not.
I believe, people should double check before saying that 'The Hindu' should come up with neutral editorials. According to me its only this newspaper that has kept balance, published news that a civilized society needs, a specific section will find hard to find Poonam Pandey or any other cheap publicity at least on the front page of this daily. Talk to any scholar or well wisher of our society, you will get one name first 'The Hindu'. I am not getting deep by elaborating the the daily's contribution for making us aware towards all political, socio political, naxal, extremism numerous other issues can be mentioned. I appreciate and congratulate 'The Hindu' for keeping my zeal for social upliftment of underprivileged alive.
Many of us prejudice mind and have closed their minds - Read the article in DeshGujarat as why GOG stop funding. At least have that much guts to read the article on JEEVIKA PROJECT. It has all accounting detail as well. And then stop that non-sense anti-Gujarat/anti-Modi rhetorics.
http://deshgujarat.com/2011/04/03/something-on-what-was-sewas-real-trouble-with-modi-government/
The self style nationalist leaders are indirectly helping the enemy of the nation by dividing the country on religious lines.
for our nation to be super power it should be united like America(black and white) but some our self style nationalist leaders agenda seems to be against united development of India which in turn is leading us backwards. This was proved by this and a recent cable which talks of using hindutva as poll gimmick.
This article is a real jewel - it lends proof and credence to what most of us have known and suspected all along, but, are always rebutted by the supporters of clandestine communal agendas by asking for 'proof'. This needs to be publicised widely. Also, I think there is no harm in US inquiring about the human rights issues.
I find it extremely paradoxical that if the US inquires about the human right issues, people say that 'Hah, they are being preachy and should introspect' while if they just talk about the economy and mutually beneficial opprtunities, people say 'Hah, they are being opportunistic. They only care about the profit'
And as for Mr Rohit and his likes above - just because 'The Hindu' has not used words with arithmetical precision for BJP and Congress doesn't mean it's being partial. I recommend that you go through all the already published wikileaks disclosures to get a measure of the impartiality. 'The Hindu' was the one which exposed the parliament bribery scandal.
Sir, The story reminds me of a conversation I had with Dr.Gauri Shankar Rastogi, a prominent sociologist,several years back. During an international conference he asked the US representative as to why they always projected dissimilarities in the people of different regions of India often highlighting their outward differences with people of other regions. To this US representative replied that it was so because there existed glaring differences among people of different regions in India. Dr. Rastogi said that in US itself there are vast differences among people belonging to different cultural backgrounds then why US never highlighted those differences. To this US representative replied that they cannot encourage fragmentation of US society.When Dr. Rastogi retorted that then why do you encourage fragmentation or vivisection of Indian society which may look different from outside but had a common chord running throughout the country US representative became silent.
Communalisation of institutions are continuing strongly in Karnataka.
@ Rohit: Narendra Modi's act of complicity and perhaps even collusion in the genocide and the sheer barbarity of the mass orchestrated killing that happened in Gujarat dented India's image a hundred times more than Kalmadi corruption scandal which is nonetheless condemnable, but can never be equated to the mass murder by any stretch of imagination.If you were a regular reader of 'The Hindu', when Tytler was indicted for the 84 riots, the paper began describing him as 'senior Congress leader'. Hence your allegations are unfounded and baseless.
Very biassed style of writing as usual. I also agree with Rohit. The first thing that occurred to me too was the way the article started. Looks like these writers have no original mind. It is high time for 'The Hindu' to publish editorials from a neutral standpoint. In the long run, this will seriously cost in terms of the journal's reputation/esteem.
Let us ignore how the news is reported, but to see the contents which itself speaks the truth. Gujarat is a lost state, it is not a part of 'secular india' as it becomes a lab for BJP to test their ideology and the poor minorities especially Muslims are subjected to be just the 'subjects' in the lab. The tendency of comparing the crimes with Congress or any other political parties are nothing but minimizing or hiding the real issues.
I agree with Mr. Rohit...already we lost faith in TV news channels...
No doubt the happenings in Gujurat are deplorable. Nevertheless, it would be better if US explores itself and its own politics (the most recent example being Libya). We as a nation are enough concerned about ourselves and our brothers and sisters.
We are sovereign and do not need others to heal or rather rub salt in our wounds.
See how this article started, "Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party Government in Gujarat...". The writer tried to have maximum negative impact on BJP, Modi, Gujarat. But Kalmadi has been kept away from Congress. I have never seen a single article like, "Congress MP and OC Chairman Kalmadi..." As if Kalmadi has dropped from the sky and landed in CWG games village. As if he has no association with any party. I think media should be fair in reporting news. This will only reduce readership and people will loose faith in media. Media should realize that people now questions the validity of the news the way it is reported. They are not fools and they that most the medial have become the mouthpiece of Congress.
People in the corporate world and the corporate media must explain their stand. The fact that a respected women's organization had been targetted speaks volumes in itself but kudos to SEWA for standing up for the truth. It is only to be expected that peace prevails only on surface but underneath it is actually fear than anything else.
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