NCCL completes project “Rainbow Hills” in village VANAJ in North Gujarat

My NGO, National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) on 21.11.2014 launched its new Project “Rainbow Hills” from village VANAJ, in Taluka Vijayanagar, District: Sabarkantha in North Gujarat.

In a simple Ceremony, Taluka Mamlatdar,  Mr Prajapati, in the presence of NCCL Volunteers started the work of re-construction and modernization of houses in the picturesque Vanaj village which is situated on a small hillock facing a huge lake. Project completed in three months time.

After necessary survey, NCCL selected 12 houses in village: Vanaj, for reconstruction and repair.  The selected houses are on the hillocks constructed by the Adivasis using mud for walls and local wood for ceiling.  Adivasis in  Vijaynagar Taluka are living in dilapidated  dusty houses  in an unhealthy conditions and uncontrolled element of their routine misery.

Under the scheme  the NCCL has done  Repair of walls, floor, roof, Varendas etc, Plastering of mud walls & floor with Cement , Laying Cement Sheet on the roof for protection from rains, heat etc and putting tiles (Nadiya) on it for long lasting roof protection  including colouring of roof top and Construction of toilets. Transparent PCV sheets have also been fixed in each house in the middle of the roof top for providing natural light during the day. 

Since the tribal people cook food inside the room,using local wood, PVC pipes of 6" diameter have been fixed as Chimneys in the room's roof to provide enough air circulation.

NCCL is helping local Adivasis of the selected houses and guiding them to maintain clean & hygienic surroundings and also to stop using plastic products, causing maximum damage to the Environment. The entire cost of repair/reconstruction is borne by the NCCL. The total budget for this project was Rs 15 lacs however work completed in      Rs 12 lacs only.

The aim of this scheme was to provide basic amenities to the poor Adivasis, without disturbing their lifestyle, traditions and surroundings. Further, these Adivasis will also be guided to rent out one room in these neatly repaired and Re-constructed houses to the tourists interested in eco-tourism, which will generate income for them.

NCCL in the past successfully implemented Mission ENDURE, in Ahmedabad City to reduce dust pollution by constructing footpaths from pre-cast Cement Concrete blocks, which was a unique practical, positive and participatory project  implemented in association with Ahmedabad Muncipal Corporation (AMC).

News Links: 

1. The Poineer:

http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/12-houses-repaired-in-vanaj.html

2. Hindu Business Line:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/blink/know/true-to-their-roots/article7035981.ece

3. Deccan Herald:

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/471136/changing-lives-tribals-gujarat.html#

V K Saxena

President 

NCCL

Ahmedabad

Foreign funding of Indian NGOs - a hidden pathway of foreign interference

The action of the Government of India in cancelling licenses of 9000 NGOs that have been violating FCRA is an act of judicious law enforcement.  And suspending FCRA permission of Green Peace and putting Ford Foundation on the watch list is an act of safeguarding the political and socio-economic sovereignty of the nation.  It is disappointing that world powers like USA and Germany are voicing concern on this matter, thereby interfering in the internal matters of our Republic.  It should not be conceivable by any stretch of imagination that India would allow foreign influences to ride on the back of NGOs to enter our sovereign space and begin eroding us from within, colluding with internal betrayer individuals and organizations. Our nation has to march ahead and not fall behind.

The very countries that have voiced against India's action on NGOs have very stringent view on NGO activities in their own country.  For example, it is not possible in the USA for either a local NGO or a multi-national NGO to engage itself in political activism or polarized political support.  And any violation of financial rule would be heavily dealt with and people sent to jail for inordinately long years.  For example Gulam Nambi Fai, founder of “Kashmir American Council” (KAC) , an NGO, was arrested by the FBI from Virginia, Washington DC and later sentenced for 4 years Jail by a US Court in 2012 on the charges of receiving money from Pakistan and its spy agency ISI to influence American policy on Kashmir. Political activism by foreign NGOs is perceived in the USA and Germany as acts of war against the nation, while financial irregularities would be dealt as money laundering for dubious purposes. 

But when it comes to India, thanks to the inaction and spineless silence portrayed for years by the previous Govt, foreign NGOs such as Ford Foundation were accorded respect similar to what the diplomatic missions command.  And it has been proven over and over again that these NGOs had their political masters in the countries of their origin, who had strong interest in influencing the political process and impeding the national development of India.  Colluding with them, their Indian partners have worked as termites, wrecking India from within. We all know that foreign funds are always attached with hidden condition.

It is time that this anomaly is set right once and for all.  It is time that a self respecting India stands tall against these medieval machinations.  It is time that we as Indians feel proud that at last, we have a leader and a Government that is immensely patriotic and is dedicated to the integrity and development of the nation.

V K Saxena

President

National Council for Civil Liberties

Ahmedabad.

Yemen Rescue Operation: Time to Rejoice in National Pride

The struggle for dominance in Yemen between the Sunni and Zaidi Shia sects has accentuated into a civil war and has now turned into a Regional conflict.  Fearing Iranian dominance on the situation, Saudi Arabia launched an extensive air raid, killing people indiscriminately.  When the danger to life escalated, most western embassies closed shop and left the country with their staff.  By mid March 2015, Yemen had become a lawless land and the fate of thousands of Indians working in the country hung in a delicate balance.

The Government of India made a historic decision of risking the odds and attempting to rescue the compatriots.  On March 31st, Gen. V.K. Singh was sent to Yemen to coordinate operation 'Rahat'.  Air India, Indian Air Force, two merchant vessels, warships Destroyer Mumbai and stealth frigage Tarkash, INS Sumitra and Indian Shipping Corporation's Kavaratti and Corals were all pressed into service to save the lives of Indians caught in the conflict.  Prime Minister Modi called the King of Saudi Arabia to halt the air strikes at the time of critical rescue.  Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj monitored the situation minute by minute.  Gen. V.K. Singh roamed the streets in Yemen personally to locate and pull out Indians in trouble. Looking at Indian determination, 26 nations reached out to India, including USA, Germany and France to help rescue their citizens.

While a host of commercial airlines in India were vying to book profits, Air India carried 488 people through special flights from Sana'a to India on April 5th.  On one haul, it evacuated 574 people from Sana'a to Djibouti, described as the single largest evacuation by air anywhere in the world in a single day.  Indian Air Force helicopter C-17 on April 2nd, brought back 358 Indians.  The lifeboats of the ships went into the harbour under constant cross-firing and bombing to ferry thousands of Indians into the ships, so that they could be brought to India.  At the end, Indian Railways offered free trips to the evacuees to reach home safely, besides receiving appropriate financial support.

This is a matter of immense national pride and is unprecedented in the history of free India.  Most nations took a bow at the courage, valour, determination and timely action of India.  But it is a crying shame that sections of Indian media and the political opposition would not celebrate this grand display of patriotism and humanitarian concern.  It is a shame that many of them continued to bathe in negativity and trivial pursuits of populism, even in this situation of grave concern and commendable nationalism.

Most of India has felt honoured to share the historic national pride. But some in the Media and in the Opposition have shamed themselves with their irrational neglect.

V K Saxena

President 

National Council for Civil Liberties

Ahmedabad

AAP's AALAAP of ANARCHY‏

 It is very rare that in the books of history you find someone who is both a protester and a successful administrator of societies.  It is rather easier to protest and oppose than take upon oneself the silent responsibility of social governance. .  

 I am talking about the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) and its reigning high priest,  Arvind Kejriwal.  His chronically hoarse throat amply suggests what he is good at and where he should draw the line upon his personal ambitions.   At the first instance of accepting power, he ran away into wilderness within 49 days, disowning publicly the responsibilities he fought for and secured.  And now within a month of occupying the office, he has made this shocking decision of not holding any portfolio, besides running away for 2 weeks into a naturopathy centre for rest and relaxation.  He is the only administrator in the world who has this luxury of an office without responsibility and a leave of absence of 2 weeks within the 4 weeks of securing a job.

 The opportunism and irresponsibility of the AAP starts from its high priest and trickles down through his coterie to every part of its organizational set-up.  As a first step of establishing internal unaccountability, chaos and anarchy, AAP has easily done away with its own conscience keepers like Prashanth Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav.  Mayank Gandhi is also now on his way out.  The internal coterie of Kejriwal will now consist of those voices that are brash, anti-social and anti-development like that of Medha Patkar, Ashish Khetan and the like.  The 70 point programme promised in the Manifesto has become an orphan and the second in command Manish Sisodia is clueless of how to implement it.  The office bearers of AAP, including the topline leaders are engaged in securing for themselves the luxury of escort, VVIP status, bungalows and all those privileges that they raised their voice against.

 Delhi has to brace up itself for a tough time of anarchy that is lurking around the corner.  A couple of  journalists and poets have taken over the Government without a clue as to how to govern and how to manage the high offices in democracy.  Come summer, power cuts and water shortages will galore.  Come rains, the floods will devastate the capital.  Kejriwal will remain unattached and unbound by any portfolio of office in his ploy to remain a high priest and holy cow of politics.  The thinkers and ideologues will remain increasingly marginalized.  The loud speaking coterie will rule recklessly and ruin the city.

But unfortunately, the people are bound to this unfolding and agonizing aalaap of anarchy for the next five years in Delhi.

V K Saxena

National Council for Civil Liberties,
Ahmedabad