Monday, December 20, 2010

NEW DELHI ARTIFACTS: The lost treasures campaign

Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions

ASI makes efforts to bring back artifacts held abroad

The Archaeological Survey of India has joined international network of various countries to give a fillip to effort to bring back precious Indian artifacts held abroad.

Many other countries such as Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Chilie, Cyprus and Bolivia are working together with India to reclaim their lost treasures. Also, they are getting support from the UNESCO. Each of these countries are trying to prepare a database of such artifacts. It's understood that once it is ready they will make a concerted effort through diplomatic and legal channels to reclaim their antiquities.

Of late, India has launched a campaign for the return of iconic Kohinoor and Sultanganj Buddha statue that were taken away during the British rule. But, chances of bringing these rare artifacts back are really dim as British Museum Act-1963 doesn't allow items acquired through authentic process to be removed, according to experts. In order to get these artifacts, India and other countries will have to mount pressure on the UK to change its antiquities law.

Even ASI officials are apprehensive about the move. They believe that their efforts may not yield positive results in particular cases. A senior ASI official told TSI on the condition of anonymity: "We have successfully brought back many lost and stolen artifacts in the past. But Kohinoor is a different case altogether. There are many complex issues involved in the process. We are studying the antiquity law of the UK and trying to collect the necessary facts." ASI chairman Gautam Sengupta has stressed on the need to be realistic on the chance of getting back these most-talked about treasures.

Earlier, the ASI had succeeded in bringing back many stolen artifacts such as Atru Tehsil of Rajasthan and a Buddha statue of Bodhgaya, Bihar. Indian-origin people lobbied in the UK for the return of these stolen items. Besides, the ASI also raised the issue with UK Ambassador and ultimately the artifacts were returned. Can the ASI repeat its success story again? It seems difficult with Kohinoor, say experts. They said the Britishers took it after the treaty of Lahore was signed following two wars with Sikhs. However, the ASI is trying to push the matter on case-to-case basis as the list of artifacts held abroad is too long to handle.

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Saturday, December 11, 2010

KERALA CUSTODIAL DEATH: Cops in the dock

Prof Rajita Chaudhuri follow some off-beat trends like organizing make up sessions

Father says police killed his son, but cops rubbish charge

The image of Kerala police took a beating after reports surfaced of the death of Sampath, 26, in police custody on March 29. He was the main accused in the sensational Puthoor Sheela murder case. She was killed on March 22, 2010, in the day light at her house in Palakkad and her mother Karthiyayani (70) was also brutally attacked.

The police claimed that Sampath developed chest pain and was taken to Palakkad District Hospital where he was declared dead. However, people are not willing to believe the police story. They accused the cops of killing him. The cops rubbished the charge. However, the High Court has asked the police to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigatoin (CBI).

Based on a petition filed by Sampath's brother and father, the court doubts the police version. Besides, Justice V Ramkumar feels that the cops are hiding the role played by then Superintendent of Police P. Vijaya Sakhare in this case. The Crime Branch of police had taken over the Sheela murder case days after the incident.

Justice Ramkumar expressed shock at lock ups being converted into killing chambers. He said he could not believe that 14 officers accused in the Sampath case are absconding and could not be arrested. He ordered the immediate handing of the related documents to the CBI Kochi Unit superintendent.

The counsel of Sampath's family members alleged that since Sheela was the sister of a top IAS official in Tourism Department, a high-level interference resulted in the custodial death.

The court pointed out that according to post-mortem report there were 63 injuries on Sampath's body. It is alleged that reports showed that electric shock was applied on the victim during interrogation. After this incident the credibility of the state police force, which is supposed to be the protector of people's life and properties, is at stake.

But Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan lost no time in stating that the judge has taken a biased view of the case while handing over the case to the CBI. Kerala Home Ministry boasts of police reforms and of late many police stations have been converted into Janamaithri (people friendly) police stations.

But with such cases coming to the fore, people will stop trusting the police force, according to activists. They said the police still used third-degree methods to divulge information from alleged culprits. Several custodial deaths during the Left Democratic Front (LDF) have tarnished the image of the police in the state.


An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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