Book: Chittagong Hill Tracts The Secret History of its award to Pakistan in 1947

I have the pleasure to inform about my latest book, "Chittagong Hill Tracts: The Secret History of its Award to Pakistan in 1947". This book can be purchased from this link https://notionpress.com/read/chittagong-hill-tracts

PRICE: Rs 499/-

To get flat 30% discount, use this code: YOYOPARI

(This offer is valid for first 10 copies only). About the book: Why was the tribal district of Chittagong Hill Tracts with over 97% non-Muslim population awarded to East Pakistan during the partition of India despite the three Buddhist Rajas and people desiring to join India? This book is an investigation into this question. It unearths, for the first time, the circumstances under which the Chittagong Hill Tracts was unjustly awarded to East Pakistan and the actors who were involved in that decision. Was the Chittagong Hill Tracts victim of a British conspiracy? Were the Indian leaders involved in it?

Publisher: Notion Press
Date of publication: December 2021
Pages: 296

My presentation on problems and demands of ADCs of Mizoram

On 12 December 2021, I participated as a speaker in a webinar organised by the National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM) on "Governance, Resource Rights & Ethnicity in Sixth Schedule Areas of N-E" and on this episode Mizoram state was discussed. In case you have missed it, you can watch the entire episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t1XY_LMqk0&t=6749s

My speech can be watched from 1:23:00 onwards

My letter to the editor of Jagaran Tripura

 

To

The Editor, www.jagarantripura.com

jagarantripura@gmail.com

 

Subject: Complaint against disrespecting a martyred soldier of the Assam Rifles by branding him as a “militant killed” in an encounter with the security forces in Arunachal Pradesh in your article dated 22 May 2021

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

With reference to the subject mentioned above, I am writing to strongly object against your news portal’s senseless branding of a martyred jawan of the Assam Rifles Mr Avatar Chakma as a “militant” killed in an encounter with the Assam Rifles in Arunachal Pradesh on 22 May 2021.

 

Your article titled “অরুণাচলের চাংলাং জেলায় আসাম রাইফেলস-এনএসসিএনের গোলাগুলি, হত এক জঙ্গি, আহত দুই জওয়ান” is totally incorrect and misleading as the martyred person who is in fact a solider of the Assam Rifles who laid down his life for the motherland was branded as a “militant” by your news paper/portal. The said news article is available at

https://jagarantripura.com/2021/05/22/assam-rifles-nscn-shelling-in-arunachal-pradeshs-changlang-district-kills-one-militant-injures-two-soldiers/?fbclid=IwAR3kCGakPpH9Tm3sOo6xtUMK-eTd4RGBZaf7JsctmStpLRpVN7DpM66NpCY

 

A copy of the said news article is also attached for your easy reference.

 

Your misleading article branding an Indian Army soldier as a militant has left a deep wound in the hearts of the family members of the martyred soldier, his community and every Indian.

 

This is total breach of journalistic ethics and an offence against public taste. I therefore urge you to rectify the mistake immediately and publish an APOLOGY in the front page with a copy to the undersigned, within 24 hours, failing which I shall be constrained to complaint against you and your news portal before the Press Council of India, the Assam Rifles and such other appropriate authorities to restore the honour of an Indian soldier who sacrificed his life for the nation.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Paritosh Chakma

Social activist

Email: pchakma@gmail.com

My letter to the Editor of Tripura Jagaran

Petition No. 3: Only 1 teacher is teaching over 50 students at Government Primary School at Puankhai village in Lunglei District, Mizoram

Petition No. 3: Only 1 (One) Teacher is teaching over 50 students at Government Primary School at Puankhai village in Lunglei District, Mizoram. In a petition to the officials of the Directorate of Education, Government of Mizoram, Paritosh Chakma has called for urgent appointment of more teachers in this school.  

The petition stated that there was a serious violation of the fundamental right to elementary education. (See Petition)

Petition No. 2: One teacher teaching 76 students at Government Primary School at Bandiasora in Lunglei District of Mizoram: Call for appointment of more teachers

One teacher teaching 76 students from Class I to IV at Government Primary School at Bandiasora in Lunglei District of Mizoram: Paritosh Chakma writes to Mizoram Education Department for appointment of more teachers 

Today (4 November 2020), I have submitted a petition to the Mizoram Education Department seeking appointment of more teachers at Government primary school at Bandiasora village under Hmundo village council in Lunglei District of Mizoram.

Currently, only one teacher is teaching 76 students of Class I to IV at this school and teaches all subjects from English to maths to social sciences.  

"Clearly, non appointment of adequate number of teachers is gross violation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act). As per the norms and standards of the RTE Act, there must be at least three teachers for number of children between 60-90 in the school" - stated Mr Paritosh Chakma. 

It is pertinent to stress here that the right to free and compulsory elementary education is a Fundamental Right under Article 21A of the Constitution of India which states, “21A. The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine.”

"As fundamental rights cannot be taken away under any circumstances and since education is a top priority of the state government, I urge the Mizoram Education Department to immediately appoint adequate number of teachers at Govt PS at Bandiasora village under Hmundo village council in Lunglei District as per the norms and standards of the RTE Act", Mr Paritosh Chakma demanded in his petition to the Mizoram Education Department. (See the petition)

One teacher teaching 80 students of Class I to IV in this school

Angered by the consistent denial of quality education at village school, this morning (3.11.2020) I wrote a petition to (1). Mrs. Esther Lal Ruatkimi, Commissioner & Secretary and (2). Mr. James Lalrinchhana, Director, Directorate of School Education, Government of Mizoram, asking them to appoint adequate number of teachers at Government Primary School at Samuksury Chakma village in Lunglei District of Mizoram. This government school is running with only one teacher for several years. The lone teacher teaches 80 students from Class I to IV. He has to teach all subjects, from maths to English to social sciences! This is not humanly possible.

When this lone teacher takes a particular class, the students of the other three classes have to simply sit idle or they make noise.

"How can a single teacher teach 80 students of four different classes? This is a total violation of the fundamental right to free and compulsory education upto elementary level guaranteed by the Constitution of India and the Right to Education Act. I therefore urge the Mizoram Education Department to immediately appoint adequate number of teachers at Govt PS at Samuksury as per SSA norms and the RTE Act" - I wrote to the Education Officials.

See the letter below.

National Commission for Women (NCW) takes note of my tweet, orders inquiry

NCW is disturbed to read the report of negligence and denial of service by the hospital officials to the pregnant woman. We've written to Pu Lalnunmawia Chuaungo, Chief Secretary @CMOMizoram for immediate inquiry.@paritosh_chakma @ZoramthangaCM @SosoShaiza @sharmarekha https://t.co/xOcH2KS07s

— NCW (@NCWIndia) May 6, 2020

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, 6 MAY 2020, https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/may/06/ncw-orders-probe-into-denial-of-child-delivery-at-mizoram-hospital-without-voter-id-2139923.html

GUWAHATI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has issued a notice to the Mizoram government over an order purportedly issued by the state’s health department to a hospital on March 1 that made “voter ID mandatory for every woman delivering a child at the Tlabung Civil Hospital”.

“NCW is disturbed to read the report of negligence and denial of service by the hospital officials to the pregnant woman. We’ve written to Pu Lalnunmawia Chuaungo, Chief Secretary, for an immediate inquiry,” the Commission tweeted.

Earlier, Paritosh Chakma, who is the president of Mizoram Chakma Alliance Against Discrimination, had tweeted tagging the NCW. He had written that the act of the Mizoram government was “bone-chilling, outright unethical, illegal, flagrant violation of the right to health.” He had demanded the withdrawal of the order.

On Wednesday, he said, “The notification issued by the State of Mizoram to make voter-ID mandatory for accessing treatment amounts to Mizoram government allowing those not having voter IDs to be left untreated even if they have COVID-19 and therefore, those without voter IDs shall be at liberty to spread the coronavirus in case of infections. This violates each and every guideline issued by the Government of India to combat COVID-19.”

He said thousands of Chakmas, deleted from the voter list during 1995, were never enrolled and their existence in the electoral rolls prior to 1995 has no bearing. He said as the result of an unofficial ceiling imposed on the Chakmas during electoral revisions, people belonging to the community cannot get enrolled in the voter list every year. Obviously, there are hundreds of Chakmas who were not issued Voter IDs and do not have one. The notification by the health department is part of the continuing discrimination against the minority Chakmas, Paritosh alleged.

He lamented that despite the Chakmas being Indian citizens with Mizoram’s entire western belt having been included under the Lushai Hills in 1898 by the British and the Chakmas accorded Chakma Autonomous District Council under the Sixth Schedule of Constitution since 1972, they continued to face “serious discrimination” in Mizoram.

Open letter to Mizoram CM Zoramthanga on literacy rate

My "Open letter" to Shri Zoramthanga, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Mizoram on where the focus of his government to achieve 100% literacy should lie.

I suggested him to invite the Chakma NGOs for discussion on improving literacy rate and implement those suggestions.

Open Letter to Mizoram Chief Minister, Mr Zoramthanga

Background of my open letter:

The Mizoram Post, 18.02.2020

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar interacts with Chakma community in Delhi

Book Review: Chakmas: Indigenous Peoples of Mizoram

BOOK REVIEW:

Chakmas: Indigenous Peoples of Mizoram by Paritosh Chakma

This book, for the first time, challenges the traditional narrative on the Chakmas of Mizoram and their history, largely created by the Mizo scholars, which the author has described as "false narrative." The existing popular narrative claims that Chakmas of Mizoram are not indigenous to Mizoram but had come to Lushai soil as "coolies" of the British during Lushai Expedition of 1871-72. This book, however, claims that it is the other way round, that is, it was the Chakmas who had invited the Kukis, precursors of Mizos, to their land to fight the British in 1777 AD. The book traces the settlement of the Chakmas prior to the Kukis/Mizos in the western frontier of the state and digs out convincing historical facts to establish the Chakma-lived territories of Mizoram as being part of Chakma kingdom (or what the British called 'Chakma Circle') till April 1898.

If you are interested on the book, do order it NOW from:

Amazon

Flipkart

History of the Chakmas: Descendants of Sakya

History of the Chakmas: Descendants of Sakya

The Chakmas belong to Tibeto-Mongoloid race, just like the Mizos and majority tribes of the Northeast, but speak a language which is Indo-European. They are one the rarest tribal groups having their own script called Ajha Path which has been found to be closely linked to the Burmese scripts. The community is divided into 46 gozas (clans).

The history of the Chakmas is obscure. They are the descendents of the Sakya race to which Lord Buddha belonged. Some centuries before Lord Buddha was born, a Sakya king/prince named Abhi Raja had left Kapilavastu on the foothills of the Himalayas (in present-day Nepal) and founded the Tagaung kingdom, the first Burmese kingdom, on the banks of Irrawaddy in Upper Burma. Burmese histories namely Maha Rajaweng (or, Great History of Kings) and The Glass Palace Chronicle of the Kings of Burma confirm the arrival of this Sakya king/prince from Kapilavastu. The Burmese chronicles handed down names of three original tribes namely Kanran, Pyu or Pru, and Sak or Thek. Sir Arthur P. Phayre, former Chief Commissioner of British Burma and authority on the Burmese history, opined that “The last [Sak/Thek], however, is not an original native term, but probably an abbreviation of Sakya, and may have been retained by at least a portion of the earliest Indian settlers and their descendants for some time”. A few centuries later and a few years before the death of Lord Buddha, another migration of Sakyas to Burma occurred, this time under the leadership of prince Daza Raja. Both these two great migrations happened because of murderous attacks on Kapilavastu by the ruler of Kosala, a powerful kingdom in north India. Sakyas’ pride which did not allow to marry off their pure-blood women outside the community was responsible for these attacks on them. The second attack had brought near total annihilation of the Sakyas as Kosala king Virudabha had ordered massacre of every Sakya including infants to avenge deceit committed by the Sakyas upon his father, Pasenadi or Prasenajit. King Prasenajit wanted to marry a Sakya princess but the notorious Sakyas thought it beneath their dignity to marry off a pure-blooded Sakya princess to anybody outside their clan. Therefore, Sakya raja Mahanama, a cousin of the Buddha, deceitfully sent his illegitimate daughter Vasabha, born from a slave-woman called Nagamunda, whom king Prasenajit married and Queen Vasabha gave birth to a son named Virudabha. Sir Phayre claimed that the modern Burma race are descendants of Sakyas who had migrated to the valley of Irrawaddy from Kapilavastu.

According to Pamela Gutman, the Saks ruled the Central Burma in the 9th century while the Burmans (Mranma) ruled the plains. The Saks were a powerful and fearful nation but for some reasons they further migrated to Arakan in very ancient times. They had attained “a higher cultural level than any of the other minority peoples in Arakan.” Their descendents, the Loi conquered people of Manipur.

Reading a chapter from Paritosh's "Chakmas: Indigenous Peoples of Mizoram"

The period of migration of the Saks, who came to be known as Chakma in modern sense, to their present territory in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and adjoining parts of Mizoram is not accurately known. But their Arakanese roots are beyond any doubt. All modern historians-scholars tend to agree that at some point of time the Chakmas had lived in Arakan where they are still known as “Daingnets”. Captain TH Lewin stated, “Whatever opinion may be formed of the primal origin of the Thek, or Chukma tribe, no doubt can exist as to their having been at one time inhabitants of the province of Arracan, from whence they have migrated to these hills (Chittagong Hill Tracts).” H.H.S. Hutchinson held that “The Chakmas are undoubtedly of Arakanese origin.  They immigrated into the Chittagong District where they intermarried largely with the Bengalis, whose language they speak.” According to H.H. Risley, “The evidence at present available does not appear to warrant any more definite conclusion than that the Chakmas are probably a people of Arakanese origin, whose physical type has been to some extent modified by intermarriage with Bengali settlers.” Satish Chandra also held the opinion that “That at one point of time they had lived in the Arakan there is no doubt about it. They have been using the scripts imitated (from Arakanese) since then.” Dr Francis Buchanan and B.H. Hodgson also called the Thek (Chakma) “aboriginal” of Arakan.

The Saks (also spelt as Tsak) were also known to the Burmese as “Thet” or “Thek” as the Burmese sometimes pronounced “S” as “Th”. The name “Chakma” is a modern appellation of the tribe name “Sak”. As Lewin stated, “The names of Chukma, Tsak, Thek, and Doingnak, may all therefore be taken as names representing the (Chakma) tribe”. Risley also identified the Chakma as Tsakma, Tsak, and Thek. In 1798, Dr Buchanan stated that “the Sak are the same people with those, who in the Northern parts of the province are called Sakma, or Chakmas.” Dr Buchanan further mentioned, “They call themselves Saksa, which word corrupted has, I suppose, given rise to their Bengalese name Sagma or Chakma.”

In Burmese, “tha” or “tsa” means “son”. Therefore, the literal translation of “Saksa” would be “son of Sak”. Since “Chakma” has been derived from “Saksa”, the accurate meaning of “CHAKMA” is “CHILDREN OF SAKYA”. Or, in other words, they are the descendants of the Sakya tribe to which Lord Buddha himself belonged. Chakmas still call themselves “Sakma” or “Sangma”.

Sadly, the Chakmas do not have a written history. They, however, have carried an oral tradition till today which claims that they are the descendents of Sakya who had ruled a legendary kingdom called “Champaknagar” whose location has yet to be accurately identified. Oral traditions of Chakmas say a prince of Champaknagar named Bijoygiri marched southwards to conquer parts of Chittagong and Arakan with the help of his military commander Radhaman. When he decided to return home after the victorious expedition, news about the death of his aged father and usurpation of the throne by his younger brother Samargiri reached him. Prince Bijoygiri was against the idea of bowing down to his younger sibling who was now the king, and hence decided to settle in the conquered land with his army. Bijoygiri had snapped all the communications with Champaknagar and its people who sank into the oblivion and the modern Chakmas are believed to be the descendants of Bijoygiri and his dewans (chiefs). In 1909, Hutchinson termed the Bijoygiri story as “a myth” but Risley had opined in 1892 that Bijoygiri had invaded the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) about the end of the 14th century. The Chakmas strongly believe that Demagiri (now in Mizoram) abutting the hills of CHT was founded by Chakma prince Bijoygiri.

(Excerpts from Chakmas: Indigenous Peoples of Mizoram, by Paritosh Chakma, ISBN: 978-93-5382-993-3, Price: Rs. 699 INR, Pages: 148)

To buy the book, please click HERE

Buy: "Chakmas: Indigenous Peoples of Mizoram" by Paritosh Chakma.

"Chakmas: Indigenous Peoples of Mizoram" by Paritosh Chakma.

Now available for purchase!

About the book: 

This is the first-ever book on the "Chakmas" of Mizoram (India) exploring the history of their ancient settlement in the western belt of this tiny northeastern state of India, bordering Bangladesh. The book answers both historical and contemporary questions that have been lingering in the minds of the general public, politicians, academicians and activists both in and outside of Mizoram about the indigeneity of the Chakma tribe and their settlement in the state, and other issues.

The book is indispensable for anyone who is interested to know about the Chakmas of Mizoram. It is remarkable for its originality and in-dept research on the subject.

Price: INR 699/-

Pages: 148

ISBN: 978-93-5382-993-3

Publisher: Self-published by the author

Year of publication: 2019

The book is now available for purchase across India. To purchase, kindly contact the author via Email: pari.mizoram@gmail.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ParitoshChakmaOfficial/

NOTE: Buyer's address should be serviceable by "Speed Post" of India Post

News Clipping: Supreme Court dismisses Mizoram's SLP

Supreme Court dismissed Mizoram's SLP on state's quota, The Mizoram Post, 16th July 2019

Supreme Court dismisses Mizoram Government’s SLP in STEE Case

15 July 2019

PRESS RELEASE

Supreme Court dismisses Mizoram’s SLP, Mizoram must not commit contempt of court

New Delhi: The All India Chakma Students’ Union (AICSU) has welcomed the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the Special Leave Petition filed by the Government of Mizoram against the judgment of the Guahati High Court in PIL No. 49/2016 (popularly known as “STEE Case”) in the Mizoram Chakma Students Union Vs State of Mizoram.

Today, a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice S A Bobde observed that the judgment of the Guahati High Court dated 22.2.2019 in PIL No. 49/2016 was such a well-reasoned judgment that it required no interference and dismissed the SLP(C) No. 014537/2019 filed by the Mizoram Government.

Vide its judgement dated 22.2.2019, the Gauhati High Court quashed the Mizoram (Selection of Candidates for Higher Technical Courses) Rules, 2016 notified in the gazette on 22.04.2016 which put the “Zo-ethnic people” (Mizos) under Category-I and “non-Zo ethnic people” under Category-II and further reserved 95% seats for Category I, 4% seats for Category II and 1% seats for Category-III (Children of non-permanent residents of Mizoram). The Mizoram Chakma Students’ Union (MCSU) challenged the constitutional validity of this Rule.

The Gauhati High Court held that “the impugned Rule placing children of non-Zo-ethnic people of the State of Mizoram in Category-II cannot be sustained. It is further observed that they have to be placed along with Zo-ethnic people of the State of Mizoram.”

However, on 8^th July 2019, the State Government of Mizoram stated that in the allotment of medical seats to students selected through the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) this year, Category-I would be reserved only for “Zo ethnic people” (Mizos).

“We heartily welcome the dismissal of the Special Leave Petition filed by the Mizoram Government. If the State of Mizoram violates the judgment of the Gauhati High Court in view of the Supreme Court’s latest order, it shall be considered as contempt of the court”- stated Mr Dilip Kanti Chakma, president of the All India Chakma Students Union (AICSU).

Chakma Council Chief rejects MZP version as “purely concocted and misleading”

On 28^th March 2019, a news report appeared in media, including The Mizoram Post, Vanglaini, and Eastmojo, which published the alleged version of the Mizo Zirlai Pawl, a students body, regarding the private discussions held between the MZP and the Chakma Autonomous District Council chief Mr Rashik Mohan Chakma at CADC headquarters Kamalanagar, in Southern Mizoram on 27^th March.

“During an interaction with leaders of Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) at Chawngte in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district bordering Bangladesh, Chakma said there are some illegal villages in the CADC area and the government will make concerted effort with the MZP to demolish them.”, Eastmojo and The Mizoram Post reported.

The Mizoram Post, 28.3.2019

But Mr Rashik Mohan Chakma refuted the MZP’s version as reported in the media. A press statement released by Mizo National Front, Youth Wing, on behalf of Mr Rashik Mohan Chakma on 28th March 2019 rejected the MZP’s version as appeared in the media as “purely concocted and misleading”.

Press Release by MNF, Youth Front dt 28.3.2019

The Mizoram Post, 30.3.2019

Eastmojo also reported on 30th March 2019:

"Denouncing such reports as “purely concocted and misleading,” Rasik Mohan Chakma asserted that the media had misreported about the proceeding of the meeting and misquoted him on illegal villages issue, the statement added. “I refute these mala fide and mischievous out of context reports attributed to me in the newspapers”, Chakma was quoted as saying."

Earlier, on 13 March 2019, while responding to question from opposition Congress MLA KT Rokhaw, Minister of district council and minority affairs R Lalzirliana told the Assembly House that “No unauthorised villages have been established by illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in Chakma area since the formation of the new government.”

Hence, the question now is, will the Chakma Council Chief and Chakma leaders trust MZP anymore and will be willing to hold discussions with them since facts were allegedly distorted and put out in the media to mislead the people?

Impact of my letter to the Editor

On the morning of 20th December 2018, I was shocked to read the editorial of The Hindu titled "Change in Mizoram" which was about the recent election outcome in the Northeastern state of Mizoram. 

The editorial had a line "The BJP managed to mark its first and only victory in the State by winning the Chakma refugee-dominated Tuichawng seat in south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district." (italics are mine)

Referring the indigenous Chakma tribe as "refugee" was a shocker for every educated person who is acquainted with Mizoram and one who respects The Hindu as one of the most credible media institutions. Because, Chakmas are Scheduled Tribes in Mizoram and for the protection of their distinct ethnicity, three minority groups were given political autonomy in the form of Autonomous District Council established under Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India. These three ethnic communities are Chakma, Mara and Lai. Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) was established under the Constitution of India in 1972, together with the Mara and Lai.

The "Tuichawng seat" referred to in the editorial comprises of the entire territory of the Chakma Autonomous District Council. How come a tribe who have constitutional status and protection be refugees? So, how can The Hindu err so much? Calling the Chakmas of Mizoram as "refugees" is an assault on their dignity as citizens of India.

As a duty bound citizen, I wrote a letter to the Editor, pointing out the mistake, at the same time lodging the strongest protest and seeking a rectification of the mistake. 

The next day, 21 December, The Hindu made the necessary correction in the editorial and ran a line of regret below it, read as "An earlier version of this article inadvertently used "refugee" to refer to the Chakma tribe. The error is regretted."

The Hindu (original editorial), 20.12.2018

The Hindu editorial after correction, 21.12.2018

The Hindu offers a regret for the mistake

Brief report on Chakma Bizu 2017 celebration with Gandhian institute in Delhi

For the first time the Chakma Buddhist Society (CBS) has organised Bizu Miloni programme in partnership with Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti (GSDS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The programme was held on 13th April 2017 on the auspicious occasion of Phul Bizu at Satya Graha Mandap in the premises of Gandhi Darshan at Rajghat, New Delhi.

The Bizu is the most important festival of our Chakma Tribal community. Over 350 members of the Chakma Tribal community residing in Delhi and NCR attended the programme.

The programme was graced by eminent social worker Shri Basawaraj Patil, Honb’le Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, as the Chief Guest and Smt Simmi Jain, Councillor of Municipal Corporation of Delhi, as the Guest of Honour. Special Guests of the programme were Dr Gautam Talukdar, Chief Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, Shri SA Jamal, Administrative Office, GSDS, Shri Ramesh Shiledar, Former Northeast Incharge (RSS), Shri Pramod Petkar, Pramukh, Vanavashi Kalyan Ashram, Delhi and Shri Suhas Chakma, Director, Asian Centre for Human Rights. The Convenor of the Programme was Shri Lal Mohan Chakma, General Secretary, Chakma Buddhist Society and Shri Rajdeep Pathak, Programme Officer, GSDS was the Mentor of the Programme.

The programme started with the lighting of lamps by the Chief Guest, dignitaries and special guests and followed by prayers of Buddhist principles of Panchasheela for peace and harmony by Buddhist Monks. Then, the dignitaries were honoured with Chakma “haadi” and the GSDS also presented miniature “Gandhian Charka” to the chief guest and other special guests.

Shri Paritosh Chakma, Co-Convenor of Bizu Organising Committee welcomed all the dignitaries, guests and members of the Chakma community and shared warm greetings on the occasion of Phul Bizu and best wishes for the new year. He also briefly explained what is Bizu.

Shri SA Jamal, Administrative Officer, GSDS also welcomed all the guests on behalf of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti on the occasion of the Chakma Bizu Festival and presented with the audience a short presentation on Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samity the message of peace and harmony.

This was followed by a refreshing and colourful traditional dance by representatives of Chakma residents from NOIDA which set the festive mood of the audience.

Chief Guest, Shri Basawaraj Patil enlightened the audience with his speech and shared the message of unity and harmony among the communities across the country. He appealed to the audience that the spirit of peace, togetherness and harmony during the Bizu Festival should not be limited just during the festival time but the same spirit of joy and harmony should be celebrated and extended throughout the rest of the year.

Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Mr Baswaraj Patil ji speaking at the progrmame 

School children of Class V from Sewa Bharati Sewa Dham from Mandoli performed a beautiful dance displaying the spirit of happiness and joy and dancing to the music of Bizu.

Guest of Honour Smt Simmi Jain in her speech shared her pleasant experience of working with the Chakma community in Delhi. She emphatically observed that Chakma’s festivals are getting better and better each year.

This was followed by a lively Bizu dance was performed by Miss Genia Chakma from Gurgaon to cheer the audience.

Shri Suhas Chakma in his speech highlighted the connection of Chakmas with Gandhian philosophy of non violence in their struggle for fundamental rights including citizenship. He said Chakmas are among the few community in the North East which have practiced the Gandhian method of struggle for rights.

In the end, a colourful traditional fashion show led by Miss Rabina Chakma showcased the beautiful traditional attires of the Chakma community which blended at ease with modernity.

The programme was concluded with vote of thanks by Shri Suhas Chakma on behalf of the Chakma community and Shri Rajdeep Pathak on behalf of the GSDS.

Mizoram Hindi teachers begin another round of fight for their rights

By Paritosh Chakma

Hundreds of Hindi teachers recruited under the Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS) in Mizoram have once again gathered at a place in the heart of Aizawl and launched another round of indefinite hunger strike from the midnight of 22 March 2017 demanding regularization of their jobs. A total of 1305 CSS Hindi teachers have not been paid their salaries for the last 10 months i.e. upto February 2017 when their employment contracts expired.

Their organization, Mizoram CSS Hindi Teachers Association (MCHTA), has claimed that at least 17 Hindi  teachers have died in the last several months due to their inability to afford treatment due to non-payment of salaries. The MCHTA has put up a list of 15 of their deceased colleagues on the wall of the CM's Bungalow.

At the time of writing this report, a total of 107 Hindi teachers are being attended by doctors after their health deteriorated for not taking food. At least six teachers have been hospitalized and a pregnant lady has reportedly suffered miscarriage during the protest fasting.

The Hindi teachers are resolute to carry on their indefinite hunger strike. It is pity to see the visuals of their sufferings and certainly Mizoram government and Govt of India should look into their demands and fulfill them without lose of time. 

Background:

For those new to this issue, a background report is available here: http://paritosh-chakma.blogspot.in/2017/02/government-of-india-listen-to-heartbeat.html