MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

opposed to the madarsa system of education, saying there was need for "greater surveillance" on such
institutions as some of them had "come under cloud". (Telegraph 17.5.02)
19 TH May
Modi wants compliant press (7)
GANDHINAGAR: May 18. The STATE government is insisting on compliant news services even as Mr
Narendra Modi asserts that he does not care for what is being printed in the press. The Ahmedabad
offices of UNI, PTI and Hindustan Samachar have received notices, issued by additional director Mr
Dalpat Paddyar, setting conditions for the government’s subscription to their services. The first condition is
that the agency has to prepare at least five articles on Gujarat. The selection of the subjects and the date
of release has to be planned in advance in consultation with the deputy director of the information
department. The second condition is that all press leases issued by7 the information department should
be released to all subscribers. (Statesman 19.5.02)
19 th May
In Gujarat, Panwad minorities told to return at their peril (7)
Panwad (Vadodara): Communal war clouds seem to be finally clearing from the Gujarat horizon after over
two months of bloodshed, but Panwad, about 15 km from Chhota Udepur town, still remains an island of
discontent. For, adivasis here have threatened to kill about 1,600 Muslim families if they return to their
roots. And the reason the adivasi community claims to have suffered a lot at the hands of Muslims in the
past. But is the hatred for Muslims simply an offshoot of tribals exploitation in the past or have such
feelings been stoked by some vested interests? According to sources, "Pan-wad is an example of how
economics has played a role in these riots. (Times of India 19.5.02)
19th May
European Parliament condemns Gujarat violence (7)
BRUSSELS, MAY 18. The European . Parliament has passed a resolu-I tion saying that it is appalled by
the sectarian violence in Gujarat, which has claimed more than 900 lives.
It adopted a resolution on Thursday "strongly condemning" all sectarian violence in India, which "followed
the burning to death of 58 Hindus on a train" in February. It called on the Central and State Governments
to continue to "investigate the killings" and resolved j to support efforts for the rehabilitation of the
refugees. It noted, "Most of the dead are Muslims and the escalation of violence was a direct
consequence of reprisals against the Muslims following the attack on the train. The Parliament had
expressed its concern over the violence in the State following its "general affairs council" meeting in
mid-April. (Hindu 19.5.02)
20 th May
Mental disorders on the rise in Gujarat (7)
Mumbai: Nearly three months after the blood-letting began, fresh wounds have surfaced on the scarred
face of Gujarat. Mental-health professionals say that they are now witnessing an increased number of
cases of insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorders, depression and other mental-health problems among
people in the riot-hit state. Psychiatrists who visited the relief camps estimate that at least nine out of 10
persons in the camps have one or
the other symptoms. Such is the trauma of watching a loved one being killed and homes being burnt that
30 per cent of the population could develop serious problems if immediate psychiatric help is not provided,
says Dr R Srinivasa Murthy, professor of psychiatry at National Institute of Mental Health and
Neurosciences, Bangalore. Dr Murthy had visited the relief camps in Gujarat last month. (Times of India
20.5.02)]
21 st May
Victim’s house taken over by temple (7)
Ahmedabad, May 20: Riot victim Waheeda Sheikh and her family members are forced to continue living in
one of the relief camps at Chartoda Kabrastan area in Ahmedabad as their house has been razed and two
temples now stand its place at Nagorini chali, hardly 100 m away from the Gomtipur police station. Riot-hit
20-year-old's father used to run a hair-cutting saloon form their house. With the house and the saloon