http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/world/asia/17briefs-indiapolitics.html?_r=1

July 17, 2009
World Briefing | Asia
India: Politician Arrested Over Remark
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A leading politician of the governing Congress Party was arrested
Thursday and her house set on fire by activists after critics say she
suggested that a rival leader be raped.
Ms. Joshi said the women should “throw the money at
Mayawati’s face and tell her, ‘You should also be raped, and I will
give you 10 million rupees,’ ” about $210,000.

http://economictime
s.indiatimes. com/News/ PoliticsNation/ I-prevented- anarchy-after-
Joshi-remarks- Mayawati- /articleshow/ 4788864.cms

I prevented anarchy after Joshi remarks: Mayawati

17 Jul 2009, 1346 hrs IST, IANS



LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati said on Friday that she

prevented Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers across India from

“reacting violently” to the state Congress chief’s remarks which she felt were

insulting to her as a woman and a Dalit.



“I can assure you that if my party members had come out on the streets

across the country to express their anger against (Rita Bahuguna

Joshi), there would have been anarchy everywhere,” Maywati told

reporters here.



Joshi, the Uttar Pradesh Congress president, was arrested late

Wednesday and jailed for giving a speech against Mayawati and charged

under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of

Atrocities) Act.


 
The BSP denied its involvement in the arson.



“If I had not restrained my party members from reacting violently to

Joshi’s remarks, the entire country would have been on the boil. The

Congress should be grateful to me for that.



“I can tell you for sure that but for me, the law and order situation

would have worsened to a stage where the central government would have

been compelled to impose President’s Rule in all states,” she said.



Thanking all political parties for condemning Joshi’s remarks,

Mayawati said: “I was surprised that initially Congress president

Sonia Gandhi did not tender an apology. It was only on second

thoughts, after she realised that many MPs had disapproved of Joshi’s

remarks, that Sonia expressed her regret.



“I do not mind healthy criticism but use of un-parliamentary, obscene

and derogatory remarks cannot be condoned,” she said. “It is high time

the Congress party realises that and tells its leaders and workers to

behave.



“Joshi’s act was unpardonable and the law will take its course. Like

Varun Gandhi, she may also get bail but I am sure that sooner or later

she will definitely get punished,” Mayawati added.

http://ptinews. com/news/ 179685_Buta- refuses-comment- on-Mayawati- issue

Buta refuses comment on Mayawati issue



19:23 HRS IST

Chandigarh, July 17 (PTI) The National Commission for Scheduled Castes

today refused to comment on the controversy over alleged derogatory

remarks by UP Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi against Uttar Pradesh

Chief minister Mayawati by saying the matter was subjudice and it

cannot intervene.



“I cannot comment on this issue as the matter is subjudice and we

cannot interfere,” Commission’s chairman Buta Singh told reporters

here when he was asked about what action the Commission can take in

the matter.



Referring to the case involving BKU leader Mahendra Singh Tikait

passing remarks against Mayawati last year, Singh said “In this case

we immediately intervened well before the issue went to court and

asked Tikait to tender an unconditional apology which he did.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=Cricket&id=6628350a-b122-4041-a597-8f0a682300a2&Headline=UP+Cong+chief%e2%80%99s+remarks+against+Mayawati+spark+all-out+caste+battle

UP Congress chief’s remarks against Mayawati spark all-out caste battle
Sunita Aron, Hindustan Times

Moradabad, July 17, 2009
First Published: 01:38 IST(17/7/2009)
Last Updated: 02:53 IST(17/7/2009)

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s remarks against
state chief minister Mayawati on Wednesday evening have ballooned into
a major political battle for the SC/ST and Brahmin vote banks.

It took a violent turn within hours when Joshi’s house in Lucknow was
set on fire late on Wednesday night.

In the speech at Moradabad, 150 km west of Delhi, Joshi, 60, daughter
of former UP chief minister H.N. Bahuguna, said: ..
You should throw this money at Mayawati’s face and tell her that if
she is raped, I will pay her Rs 1-crore compensation.”

The Congress quickly distanced itself from the comment.

“Whatever happened in UP is very unfortunate. The Congress president
has expressed her deep pain and anguish,” said spokesman Janardan
Dwivedi. “Joshi could have expressed herself without using the words
she did,” he said.

But the uncalled for provocation gave Mayawati, whose core SC/ST
vote bank had moved partially to the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha
elections, just the opportunity she needed to win some of it back.

She started by having Joshi arrested later on Wednesday night in
Ghaziabad for her remarks.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow on Thursday, Mayawati used
Joshi’s comment to attack Sonia Gandhi.

“The Congress has not taken any action against Joshi. This indicates
that what she said was at the instigation of Sonia Gandhi,” Mayawati
said.

Mayawati, however, condemned the attack on Joshi’s house. “BSP workers
were not involved,” she said, adding Congressmen may have been behind
the attack.

Joshi’s fate now hangs in balance, but Sonia will decide after hearing
her version of the story.

The Congress president has also reportedly asked Parliamentary Affairs
Minister PK Bansal to make a statement on the issue in Parliament. The
UP issue, which derailed proceedings on Thursday, is likely to come up
again on Friday.

“The Congress stands for the highest standards in public debates… the
party regrets the personal element” in Bahuguna Joshi’s remarks on
Mayawati, read a carefully drafted press statement issued by the
party, which alternated between offence and defence.

It is hoping that its efforts at controlling the damage, along with
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s aggressive wooing of SC/ST,
will control the fallout from the UPCC chief’s gaffe.

Meanwhile, a section of UP Congressmen are hoping for a double
bonanza. They are counting on sympathy for Joshi among Brahmins (she
is one) to hasten the consolidation of the Brahmin vote behind the
party. The Brahmin vote is currently split between the Congress, BSP
and BJP.

This no-holds barred political battle is expected to get more intense.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jpbH6R5DdT7WIzJNPlptRCN6N2KwD99FLV080

Female Indian politician arrested for rape comment
By VIJAY JOSHI (AP) – 20 hours ago

NEW DELHI — It was supposed to be the high point of her speech — to
applause from her audience, a leading member of India’s ruling
Congress Party suggested that a rival leader be raped.

The remark by Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Wednesday drew outrage: within
hours her house was burned down by protesters. On Thursday, she was
put behind bars for 14 days pending investigations.

Joshi’s comments — targeting Uttar Pradesh state’s chief executive
Mayawati who uses only one name — may have been meant to score
political points. But it took on casteist color as she was arrested
for insulting a person of lower-caste, an offense punishable by up to
10 years in jail, in addition to a minor charge of “insulting a
woman’s modesty.”

The charge demonstrates that deep divisions remain entrenched in
modern India — on the basis of caste, religion, language and even
physical features — even as it tries to claim a high place on the
world economic stage.

Joshi, a 60-year-old veteran who belongs to the top Brahmin caste.

“throw the money at Mayawati’s face and
tell her ‘you should also be raped, and I will give you 10 million
rupees ($210,000),’” she said. The speech was broadcast by several
television networks.

Mayawati heads the Bahujan Samaj Party that draws its support from
members of the Aboriginal Inhabitants of Jambudvipa, that is the Great Prabuddha Bharath (SC/STs) who for centuries have been treated with
disdain and contempt by the upper three castes, but more so by
Brahmins.

A historically disadvantaged people, the SC/STs have gained
enormous political clout in recent years by banding together during
elections and voting along caste lines. The strategy brought Mayawati
to power in Uttar Pradesh in May 2007.

Kumari, the social scientist, noted that politicians have increasingly
used caste as an easy way to garner votes.

“Politics of caste is being reinforced continuously. It is harming the
society by polarizing it, dividing it,” she said.

“It works at counter-purposes in a democratic society. … It is
breaking the society from within,” said Kumari, the director of the
New Delhi-based Center for Social Research that mostly handles women’s
issues.

Mayawati called Joshi’s comments “extremely objectionable and vulgar.”

On Thursday, police arrested five people for allegedly setting fire to
Joshi’s house and four cars. Additional Director General of Police
Brij Lal said the five were “hoodlums” and not connected to any
political party.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090717/jsp/nation/story_11247780.jsp

Frown for policy of rape compensation

CHARU SUDAN KASTURI AND JAYANTH JACOB

Brinda Karat
New Delhi, July 16: Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s alleged comments against
Mayavati are unacceptable.

Joshi, the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, has been arrested on the
charges of violating a woman’s modesty and under the SC/ST (Prevention
of Atrocities) Act for comments allegedly made at a public rally in
Moradabad yesterday.

Joshi is accused of saying: “ throw the money
back at Mayavati’s face. When Mayavati gets
raped, I will pay her Rs 1 crore,”

“If she has made the comments she is accused of having made, it is
completely unacceptable.

Syeda Hameed, Planning Commission member in charge of women and
children, agreed that compensation was no substitute for security. Hameed said.

CPM leader Brinda Karat too said Joshi’s (alleged) remark was unfortunate.

“A woman has made such a comment on a women-sensitive issue. Women
leaders should not be making such comments and should be sensitive to
the issue of rape,” Karat said.

“We condemn Joshi’s statement.” CPI leader D. Raja said.

http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/NEWS- India-BSP- looks-to- revive-its- pro-Dalit- image/articlesho w/4786789. cms



BSP looks to revive its pro-SC/ST image

Subodh Ghildiyal, TNN 17 July 2009, 04:27am IST

MORADABAD: t.

By looking to play on the controversial statement from Bahuguna Joshi,

BSP has made the most visible attempt to refurbish its image as a
 SC/STs 
outfit which, insiders feel, had dimmed in the high-pitched

`sarvjan’ slogan post-assembly polls.

The case against Bahuguna Joshi is a perfect way to round off the new

gambit. The bringing to fore of her SC/ST identity and an attack on

Congress’s anti-SC/STs mindset is likely to intensify in coming days

when BSP takes on the lead UPA player.

If Mayawati is reverting to the old slogan and Congress is wary, the

reasons on Thursday were not far to seek.

AICC’s fears were governed by the threat of Mayawati consolidating her

grip on SC/STs just when they saw a hope.

Tikait’s case is significant. Mayawati, when she booked the Jat leader

and virtually sent an army to arrest him, was still enjoying a

honeymoon with voters, less than a year in the CM’s office. She had

aimed to tame Jats in the sensitive Jat-Jatav equations of western UP.

And she did appear successful.

The trouble started when the year leading to the LS polls coincided

with an erosion of faith in her governance. Congress, RLD and SP were

quick to tap the sentiment and dent a social consolidation in BSP’s

favour. Her hopes of `sarvjan’ were dashed.

Now, she is only hoping to consolidate SC/STs. The bar set this time

is low as the target audience is her old supportbase crafted by Kanshi

Ram. It is more likely to be successful but would at best fetch her a

votebase which kept BSP a party of around 90 MLAs, a far cry from the

206 of 2007.

No wonder, with BJP downhill, and upper castes and Muslims restive,

Congress is eager not to take a wrong step. The anxiety to rebuff

Bahuguna Joshi is triggered by the hope it sees from BSP’s new

strategy.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090717/jsp/nation/story_11247834.jsp

BJP backs BSP boss to spite rival
SANJAY K. JHA
New Delhi, July 16: The BJP today slammed Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s
alleged remarks about Mayavati as an insult to womanhood at a time the
party feels threatened by the Congress’s rise in the heartland state.

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj also asked for an apology from Sonia Gandhi
for the Uttar Pradesh Congress president’s remarks, which have landed
her in jail.

The BJP’s position does not stem from any desire for a tactical
alliance with Mayavati. Rather, the party, being gradually pushed out
of the frame in Uttar Pradesh owing to the Congress-Bahujan Samaj
Party tussle, is worried about the Congress grabbing the main state
Opposition’s slot.

The BSP’s decline has been evident over the past few months and the
BJP has been dreading that the Congress would be the main beneficiary.
All of a sudden, Joshi has provided a spark with the potential to
trigger a fresh churning in state politics, allowing the BJP to fish
in troubled waters.

“Rita had crossed all limits of political attack against a rival and
in the process forgotten the dignity of women,” Sushma, deputy leader
of the BJP in the Lok Sabha, said.

The BJP stands to gain if the SC/ST and Muslim votes remain divided
between the Congress and the BSP, and strengthening Mayavati can be a
way of ensuring this split.

Sushma’s party would prefer to have in the fray a stronger regional
party with a limited caste vote bank, such as the Samajwadi Party or
the BSP, rather than the Congress with its wider social appeal.

By painting Sonia and her colleagues as anti-SC/ST, the BJP also hopes
to strengthen itself in states where it is locked in a direct fight
with the Congress. Although siding with Mayavati may cost it some
upper caste votes, the BJP’s immediate agenda is to prevent the
Congress from running over a weakened BSP.

http://www.newstrac kindia.com/ newsdetails/ 112063



Sonia Gandhi regrets Joshi’s statement against Mayawati


New Delhi, Thu, 16 Jul 2009 ANI



New Delhi, July 16 (ANI): Congress President Sonia Gandhi expressed

regret over the remarks made by UP Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi

against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.



Earlier in the day, Mayawati condemned Gandhi for remaining silent on

the Joshi incident, and said it was shameful that she had not taken

any action against Joshi.



Mayawati also accused that Gandhi of being behind the statement issued

by Joshi against her.



Mayawati said the comments by Joshi were unpardonable and it was wrong

to blame the Bahujan Samaj Party for the attack on Joshi’s house. She

alleged that Congress workers were behind the arson attack. (ANI)

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/compensation-to-dalit-rape-victim-as-per-law-mayawati_100218946.html

Compensation to SC/ST rape victim as per law: Mayawati

July 16th, 2009 - 8:23 pm ICT by IANS  -
Lucknow, July 16 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati
Thursday claimed that the monetary compensation being paid to a SC/ST
rape victim was strictly in accordance with the provisions of the
SC/ST Act and the amount had been determined by the Congress party
when it was in power.

Speaking to mediapersons, she said: “Whatever we are paying to SC/ST
victims of rape was determined by none other than the Congress party,
whose government was responsible for drafting the provisions of the
SC/ST Act.”

Mayawati was referring to the remarks made by state Congress president
Rita Bahuguna Joshi on the payment of compensation to rape victims
belonging to the SC/ST community.

Moradabad: “ I would be ready to offer her a compensation of Rs.1
crore.”

Joshi’s remark infuriated Mayawati.

“Personally, I am not satisfied with the provisions for punishment
under the law. Left to me I would recommend nothing short of life
imprisonment or death sentence to a rapist, and that too irrespective
of caste and creed,” the chief minister pointed out. “If the Congress
is so much against the existing provisions, why doesn’t it change the
law through suitable amendments or by bringing in a new enactment,”
she asked.

http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/NEWS- City-Allahabad- Govt-to-spruce- up-Ambedkar- villages/ articleshow/ 4781771.cms



Govt to spruce up Ambedkar villages

TNN 15 July 2009, 11:23pm IST



ALLAHABAD: Around 38 Ambedkar villages identified in the year 1995-96

will once again be decked up in addition to the complete coverage

which is to



be provided to the villages identified in the year 2007-08, following

directions from the state government.



Presiding over a review meeting of district officials, the district

magistrate informed that a special drive for settlement of disputes

related to revenue realisation will be undertaken under the

supervision of SDMs and tehsildars.



Taking a serious view of the lapses in lease allotment to ineligible

persons, the SDMs have been directed to personally ensure that the

lease was allotted only to the deserving persons and in cases where

the lease had been obtained by the influential, they should be

cancelled forthwith.



Directions were also issued to carry out a survey of landless villages

and extend the facility of landless insurance scheme. Under the

scheme, it would be incumbent upon the villager to be a BPL (below

poverty line) card holder as the scheme was only meant for the

economically downtrodden sections of the society.



He stated that there was an urgent need of making the Tehsil Diwas

more effective in terms of redressal of grievances of villagers.

http://www.indianex press.com/ news/mayawati/ 490251/



Maya resents Sonia’s ’silence’ over Joshi’s slur

Agencies Posted online: Thursday , Jul 16, 2009 at 1829 hrs

New Delhi : BSP supremo Mayawati questioned Congress President Sonia

Gandhi’s “silence” over the UPCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s

alleged derogatory statement against her and alleged that it was done

at the instruction of Congress High Command.

“The most painful thing is that Sonia Gandhi has remained silent over

the issue. She has neither condemned this humiliating, uncivilised and

derogatory statement nor has she taken any action against her at the

party level. This clearly shows that the humiliating statement by

Joshi was made at the instance of Congress High Command,” the UP Chief

Minister said at a press conference adding the comments were “not at

all pardonable”.



Denying that her party workers were involved in the attack on Joshi’s

house in Lucknow, Mayawati said, “there is a doubt of the hand of

Congress itself in the incident”.



The government has ordered an impartial enquiry into the incident, she said.



She also sought to put Congress in the dock over the SC/ST act saying

the provision of compensation for rape and murder victims of Scheduled

Castes and Scheduled Tribes was made by the Congress government at the

Centre and not the BSP government.



The BSP chief said if her party comes to power at the Centre it would

repeal the existing SC/ST law and will bring a new law which covers

women victims of all sections and ensures stringent punishment like

death sentence or life imprisonment to perpetrators.



Maintaining that her party does not agree with the existing Act’s

provision for monetary compensation, she said that it hurt the

sentiments of SC/STs but added that the states had to follow the

provisions of a central law.



Accusing Congress of having an “anti SC/STs” mentality, the BSP supremo

said, “Had they not be having anti  SC/ST smentality and not been a

victim of inferiority complex towards SC/STs, it would have made

similar provision for women of Sarva Samaj (all sections), who face

such crimes as well…”



Referring to a book “Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna” penned by Joshi about

her father, Mayawati said that in her book she had used very strong

terms against Gandhi family and alleged that Sonia Gandhi ignored all

this for “political opportunism” and made her the party chief for UP.



She said that there was strong resentment among BSP workers over her

comments and they wanted to hold protests across the nation but she

intervened to stop them as she did not want public to suffer because

of law and order problems.



Mayawati said Thursday night’s incident at Joshi’s house was done to

divert the attention of the people from her remarks.

http://www.zeenews. com/news547439. html



Rita Bahuguna jailed for Maya slur


Updated on Thursday, July 16, 2009, 15:01 IST

Moradabad: UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who was arrested for

allegedly making derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati,

was on Thursday remanded in judicial custody .

Joshi, who was arrested last night in Ghaziabad district while she was

on her way to Delhi, was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate K K

Shrivastava who remanded her in judicial custody for 14 days.

She was taken to the district jail. She has been booked under section

153 A (delivering inflammatory speeches) and section 109 of IPC (using

abusive language) besides provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of

Atrocities) Act for making remarks allegedly defamatory to Mayawati.


 
Officials said the offences registered against her were non-bailable.

Bureau Report