[Reader-list] Fw: REPORT OF WORK DONE IN KASAI KI CHALI AND GASIRAM KI CHALI

[AJAY RAINA]

REPORT OF WORK DONE IN KASAI KI CHALI AND GASIRAM KI CHALI 
Dear Friends,

This is another report from Kasai Ki Chali in the series of e-mails we have been sending out to all our friends on the net. 

Kasai Ki Chali is a basti of 60 households near the Behrampura Police Chowki. Jain and Hindu societies surround the 60 houses on two sides. Adjoining on of the boundary walls is Gasiram ki Chali, a predominant Hindu basti that includes about 46 Muslim households. 

In the Gujarat carnage of 2002, on February 28, the 20 odd houses of 46 Muslim families in Gasiram ki Chali were totally razed to the ground. The Muslim residents escaped with no loss of life. 

Kasai ki Chali was attacked much later, after police discovered some bombs and acid bottles in a public toilet here (We came to know about this much later, though our knowledge of this fact should not make any difference to us in our intent). A few of the houses were burnt, some were destroyed partially. Whatever property was found was either burnt or looted, though most people had already emptied out their houses. 

The residents of both the chali's stayed in the Behrampura Relief Camp or in rented house in safer areas. (Bombay Hotel, Shah Alam, Allah Nagar etc).

The reconstruction of the damaged houses in both the Chali's was undertaken by a local NGO the 'Islami Relief Committee'. The reconstruction work in Kasai ki Chali is mostly over. The work in Gasiram ki Chali was first held up due to a Pan ka dukkan, which was constructed illegally on the way to the chali. This was demolished recently but the work is still held up due to a court stay order and other complications. The result is that the Muslims residents of this Chali are still not home. 

All the money collected has been in the name of Gujarat Education Society/ PRASHANT. Father Cedric Prakash was supportive enough of us to let two total strangers collect money in the name of his organization for working in a small chali in Ahmedabad.

All the work we have done in the chali would not have been possible without the help of friends in Delhi and Bombay. 

Besides monetary contribution and spreading our e-mails further, the collection, sorting and transportation of Relief / Rehabilitation material from Delhi was organized by Reena Mohan, Anshu Gupta, Loveleen, Afzal Mirza and others.

Jabeen Merchant, Swati, Punam, Gazala and others organized similar efforts in Bombay.

Manjushree in Ahmedabad collected money for kerosene stoves and also gave us about 15,000 in cash. She also helps the girls with the design of the hand made paper greeting cards. 

 RELIEF MATERIAL DISTRIBUTED

Note: This list does not include the relief material distributed by NGOs and other Organisations. (RED CROSS, UNICEF, SAATH, ACTION AID etc). When we started our work in the two chali's we were told that they had received no relief till then. 

1.      Stove

2.      Pressure Cooker, Tawa, Bucket, Mug

3.      Thali's and Bohugna's

4.      Bed Sheets and Towels

5.      Footwear (Hand me downs)

6.      Warm Clothes (Hand me downs)

7.      Utensils (Hand me downs)

8.      Sewing Thread

9.      Sanitary Cloth

10.  4 sets of cloth to each family member - more to different age groups according to           availability - (Hand me downs)

11.  Stationary for school going children 

·        10 notebooks

·         5 pens

·         Pencils

·         Pencil box/ Tiffin box/ Water Bottle/ School Bag

12.  Toys (Hand me downs)

13.  Material for infants

·        Set of Nappies

·        Bichana  

·        Clothes

The kitchen materials were not distributed in Gasiram ki Chali as they had already received a comprehensive set of kitchen utensils. 

We distributed 48 table fans made available by Sonia Rashid of Bhopal to the residents of Gasiram ki Chali only. 

 HELP RENDERED TO INDIVIDUALS: 

  1.. Raiz Babu Bhai is a 12-year-old boy with a medical condition involving his nervous system and heart. This is a terminal genetic disorder. His condition was not diagnosed though he had been undergoing treatment for more than 4 years. Though this has nothing to do with the riots, we gave financial assistance for a complete diagnosis and a long-term treatment plan. The tests cost Rs 1900 only. The treatment will increase his life span to his 20s. Though with motor disabilities, he is a very intelligent, cheerful and naughty child. 
2.      Chand Bibi:   Chand Bibi is a childless widow who lives alone in a one-room house in Kasai ki Chali. Her house was totally burnt and looted. She lives on the goodwill of her nephew who has spent a considerable sum of money to help her rebuild her home. (Door, flooring, plastering the walls, whitewashing, curtains, clothes, etc)
Along with the general list above, we have given her in addition:

  1.. Gas stove 
  2.. Ceiling fan 
  3.. Comprehensive utensil set 
  4.. Matka 
  5.. One suitcase 
  6.. One steel Trunk 
  1.. Munna Bhai: Munna Bhai is the resident 'shayar' of Kasai ki Chali. He was married twice but both his wives left him. In his old age he lives alone in Kasai ki Chali. He works as a manual laborer whenever he can find work. His house is among the row of houses adjoining the boundary wall with Gasiram ki Chali. His house was totally burnt, but he received a compensation cheque for Rs 1000 only. In his case we have given him double sets of every material according to the availability. He has been living on the kindness of Farooq Kale Khan. Farooq's wife Raisa cooks a little extra each time for Munna Bhai. Munna Bhai has promised to pay back whatever that must have cost once he starts working. We gave him Rs 100 only on one occasion when he had no money to buy essentials.  
  1.. Hasan Ali was given Rs 1250 only in cash to buy implements to restart his door-to-door plumbing business. 
  1.. Zakir was given Rs 1270 only in cash to buy implements to re start his roadside puncture repairing shop. 
  1.. Shakeel Bhai was given Rs 800 only to buy a bicycle. His cycle was burnt during the riots. He works at Naroda, which is approximately 20 Kms from Kasai ki Chali. He used to walk to work.  
  1.. Batul Bibi was give Rs 400 only in cash to buy utensils to start selling fried items again. 
  1.. Raisa appa was given 1600 in cash to buy a wheel chair for her handicapped child. The earlier wheelchair was burnt during the recent riots. 
  1.. Dilip, a Hindu boy in Gasiram ki Chali was helped in his educational needs. His house is one among the few houses that form the cluster of Hindu houses within the stretch of 46 Muslim houses that were destroyed. (This is one small stretch within the much larger mostly Hindu Gasiram ki Chali). These few Hindu houses were also looted but not burned. Dilip's family had run away to their native village in Uttar Pradesh and his father was out of work till the local businesses started working. (4 months after the riots.)  
  1.. Kanti Bhai is the Hindu who owns a Provision Store in the Chali. He saved some of the women of the Chali and his shop was fully destroyed in the backlash. All the relief / rehabilitation material distributed was distributed to him also. Other than the second hand items, which were distributed, he acknowledged and received all the other items. He has asked for nothing.
 REHABILITATION MATERIAL DISTRIBUTED  

  1.. Hand operated sewing machines.
Khalid Ibraim

Mobin Walli Mohammad

Toto Bhai

Shaira Bibi

Sharifabibi Yakub Bhai

Ali Hussain Fazal 

2.      Motor Sewing Machines
2 Machines to Showkat Ali Imtiaz Ali (We were told later by Chand Bibi that he never had motor sewing machines. He is only a dealer; he does not stitch the clothes himself.)

2 Machines to Khwaja Mian, which he returned. (We had pledged him four machines if he was agreeable to the idea of starting sewing classes for the women of the chali in his spare time. He refused the proposal; he wanted to get his younger brother started in independent business. We eventually gave him 2 new motor machines and asked him to exchange his old motor machines with us. He refused and instead returned the new machines to us.

One Machine to Karim Khan of Gasiram Ki Chali

One Machine to Salim Khan of Gasiram ki Chali

3.      Hand Lorries

A local NGO, SPRAT, Society for Protection of Rational Thinking, had a re- employment scheme running. SPRAT gave handcarts to the following residents of Kasai ki chali and Gasiram Ki chali. 

  1.. Jaffar Bhai Sugrati 
  2.. Gulam Mohammad Ramzani Bhai 
  3.. Sukha Bhai Mewati 
  4.. Gisa Bhai 
  5.. Nooru Bhai 
  6.. Liaqat Ali Imtiaz Ali 
  7.. Sheikh Allauddin 
  8.. Riyasat 
  9.. Allahrakkha Jamal Bhai 
  10.. Sakira Bibi 
  11.. Imamudin 
  12.. Bodhubahi
Some claimed that their handcarts were also destroyed, but they had no FIRs as proof. In these cases we provided them with handcarts.

1.      Jaffar Bhai

2.      Mohammad Rafiq

3.      Sharifa Bibi

4.      Barkat Bano

5.      Ali hussain Fazal Hussain

6.      Sahira Bano

7.      Batul Bibi

8.      Mohammad Atiq Nannubhai

9.      Shariffuddin Rasulmiya 

RE-EPLOYMENT MEASURES
Kite Making
As part of the re-employment project we made 2 rounds of 10,000 and 20,000 kites respectively. The women and children of the chali work in the unorganized sector of the kite making business in Ahmedabad. The first round of 10,000 kites was made for the occasion of AZADI DIVAS. The cost price of the kites was Re 1 per kite. The cost price was Rs 5 per kite. Transportation charges came up to another Re 1 per kite. The kites were sold out (to schools in Bombay, Delhi and to organizations and individuals in Bombay, Delhi, Bhopal and Bangalore). We actually ran short of kites. The profit of Rs 3 per kite (Rs 30,000 only) was put back into our efforts in the chali. The kites to Delhi and Bombay were hand delivered by people from the chali. This gave rise to some politics within the chali. The persons who delivered the kites tried to voice personal un-employment grievances. The other chali people were resentful of any help/ opportunity that went to only some of the chali residents.

The success of the first round of kites prompted us to make a second round of 20,000 kites for the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. However, this time orders were not forthcoming. We have managed to sell 3300 kites only.

The distribution of the motor sewing machines and handcarts caused a lot of bad temper and tension in the chali. The machines cost around Rs 3400 each. The hand carts Rs 1150. Suddenly most houses claimed that they also had sewing machines (of various kinds, the pedal operated one being the most popular.) and handcarts. Fights broke out within the people of the chali. Many came to fight with us. 

This is one of the reasons why we eventually discontinued distributing anything to individuals. We decided that anything that was distributed had to be distributed to the entire chali. That effectively ruled out the re- employment scheme.

 NON FORMAL SCHOOL

The distribution of material was becoming more and more complicated. It was also increasing their dependency on us. However, we felt our work was still incomplete. The hatred and resentment needed some counter measures. We thought the best thing we could do for them would be to create a positive and creative space for the children of the chali. With this in mind we explored the possibility of a non-formal school in the chali. We have one paid teacher Sulekha on our rolls.

Since this was new territory for us we took all the help available. Everyone has been most supportive of the idea and has helped us in whatever way possible.

The Bombay based NGO SAATHI visited the school twice, in last two months. They give Sulekha whatever guidance possible. Raja and Bindu (Bindu is from Bangalore) are favorites with the children. So are Namita and Shah Rukh from Meljol, Bangalore who also visit the school and the children. This gives Sulekha much needed ground support.

Jenny Pinto from Bangalore did a hand made paper work shop with the children. The workshop was quite therapeutic. The children enjoyed the whole process immensely. Tearing paper into bits, making pulp out of it, making paper out of the pulp, creating designs on the wet paper, and finally painting on the dried hand made paper.

            Jenny suggested that we could try this project as an employment-generating scheme for some women in the chali. She             agreed to sell the greeting cards made till December/ January in Bangalore as part of one of her own projects for                         creating awareness of communalism among the school children of Bangalore.

This project is currently being stream lined. The raw material supply is being made regular. We have approached SEWA and MANAV SADANA who run similar projects to help us with marketing once the Dec/ Jan project is over.

Junuka, Manjushree from National Institute of Design and Prayas, a visual artist, are helping the women with design support.

Another project for employment generation for women is the sewing classes, which Sulekha has started. 18 girls attend the lasses. We have recently bought 3 pedal operated sewing machines for the class.  

Simantini Dhuru of AVEHI ABASCUS, Mumbai has sent us one of their comprehensive kits. This will help Sulekha to organize the everyday activities of the school.

Sulekha visited the Surjen School in Juhapura (Run by Ahmedabad Study Action Group). Sulkha has also visited the Manav Sadhana School in Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram premises. We are exploring the possibilities of child-to-child contact programmes with Surjan and Manav Sadhna schools.

We were in the process of arranging an outing to a magic show to be held in Darpana Dance Academy, when the Ashardan temple incident happened. This has, for the time being, frozen our child-to-child exchange activities with respect to our school.

In fact, when the people of the chali started shifting to safer places, we were quite apprehensive about the future of he school. If this insecurity and circle of violence persists it will not be long before the people of Kasai ki Chali fully shift out and sell out. The ghettoisation, which has accelerated will further gather momentum. The activities of the non-formal school in Kasai ki chali and our own work in Kasai ki Chali will depend on these developments over which we have no control.

To end this mail, we would like to quote from one of our contributors, A Kashmiri Pandit living in USA who sent us the following mail along with a cheque for Rupees 10,000.

Dear Ajay,

Thanks for the mail. I was wondering how you are doing so I am glad to hear from you.

Gujarat and Kashmir represent two faces of the same coin. When Pandits were killed and thrown out of Kashmir, no one in India gave a damn. Now Muslims were butchered in Gujarat, and no one in India gave a damn. By and large the rest of the country with its Hindus and Muslims remained unaffected. And yet there are differences between the situation with Pandits and hapless Muslim victims in Gujarat - not in what happened, but in the manner how the social conscience in India reacted. Very few humanists in India came to the aid of KP's, no one linked militant Islam to growing fundamentalism in the National Conference, and almost no one blamed the State government for its ineptitude or demanded the CM should be declared a criminal. Gujarat, on the other hand, has become the hollowed ground for Indian humanists, who are eager to link berserk Hindus to the Party in power, want CM's head on a platter and see the "dubious hand" of the Center in the tragedy. In the end, however, Indian traditions of fate, indifference, passivity and burdens of day-to-day living have again triumphed in keeping the silent majority silent, whereas Hindu and Muslim criminals and humanists keep busy dispensing justice by tools of their trades.

Having said all that, I do feel that as a true brave fool you are setting a disturbing example for your fellow travelers in the journey to Gujarat - because while you are eager to help those who are in the same situation as KP's were a decade back, none of your compatriots showed the same courage then. I hope that bothers their conscience.

 I think you are doing a great job. In fact, to show my support of your efforts, I want to send some financial contribution towards the two precincts that you have adopted. It will not be a lot (Rs. 10,000), but that is all that I can afford at this time. I will send it to your Mumbai address as stealing of mailed envelopes is becoming a big problem for overseas people. I will make the check to Gujarat Education Society. It will be mailed in the first week of September.

Regards, Vijay

People wishing to contribute in cash can send us their Cheques and DD's in the name of: "GUJARAT EDUCATION SOCIETY / PRASHANT", Addressed to:

AJAY RAINA.

C/O RAIS SHEIKH,

ELITE FLATS,

OFF NARAYAN NAGAR ROAD,

NEAR JETTABHAI PARK,

PALDI, AHMEDABAD 380 007.

AJAY RAINA / LEYA MATHEW
ajayraina at vsnl.com
rainaajay at hotmail.com
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