Why so many people from 'model' Gujarat risk money, life, seek to illegally enter US

By Sandeep Pandey*
Narendra Modi’s United States visit has made big news. In his seventh trip to that country as the Prime Minister he has been able to get himself invited as a state guest for the first time, riding on the back of a proposal from an Indian private company Air India to buy 220 aircrafts from another U.S. private company Boeing.
However, just as Narendra Modi was preparing to travel to U.S. there was news about the Gujarati couple Pankaj and Nisha Patel, who in exchange for Rs. 1.5 crores were promised by middlemen Abhay Raval and Pintu Goswami an illegal entry into the U.S. through a circuitous route of Hyderabad-Iran-Mexico, kidnapped in Iran and released only when a ransom of Rs. 10 lakhs was paid by Pankaj’s brother Sanket to the abductors through the middlemen using the Hawala channel.
In December 2022 Brijkumar Yadav, resident of Kalol taluka in Gandhinagar district died from a fall trying to scale the ‘Trump Wall’ on the U.S.-Mexico border in his attempt to illegally enter the U.S. with his family. His wife fell on the U.S. side of wall and son on the Mexico side.
In April 2023 a farmer from Manekpura in Mehsana district, Pravin Chaudhary with wife Dakha, son Mit and daughter Vidhi was drowned when the boat carrying them capsized in St. Lawrence river trying to illegally enter New York state from Quebec in Canada. In May 2022 in a similar incident 6 men from Gujarat were rescued from capsized boat in St. Regis river also on the New York border.
The most heart rending incident happened in January 2022 when Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishali, 11 years old daughter Vihangi and 3 years old son Dharmik, hailing from Dingucha village in Kalol, Gandhinagar, froze to death on the road in Manitoba province of Canada close to Minnesota in U.S., again in an attempt to cross over illegally into the U.S., unable to withstand a temperature of minus 35 degrees centigrade. The agent had charged Rs. 75 lakhs per adult and Rs. 25 lakhs per child for facilitating illegal entry into U.S.
Gujaratis are an enterprising people, a number of them with desire to migrate to the U.S., but it is tedious to acquire a passport and visa. Narendra Modi’s wife Jashodaben has failed in getting a passport made for herself. In such a situation a normal aspirant Gujarati falls victim to the network of middlemen who openly advertise their offer to send people abroad in exchange for huge sums of money. The rates have gone up about 1.5 times across the Covid period.
It is surprising that in spite of claims of a successful Gujarat model of development, so many people from Gujarat are willing to risk their money and life to seek illegal entry into the U.S. and other such countries. It exposes the hollowness of claims of growth and an economy doing well. It also points to the abject situation of unemployment. According to an estimate 28.6 crores of youth are looking for employment in this country. It is the desperation which drives people to take risks such as attempting illegal migration.
Not only illegal migration but people taking up foreign citizenships is also on rise. The nationalist government is not able to convince people to stay back. They are fleeing in large numbers. 1,83,741 people renounced their Indian citizenship in 2022 choosing an option to permanently settle abroad.

In PM’s home state an illegal network of human trafficking, with connections beyond Gujarat and India, exists and thrives

This includes many High Net Worth individuals who do not find atmosphere in India conducive enough for their business, whose number, according to Henley and Partners, a UK based global citizenship and residence adviser, could be as high as 8000.
Secondly, it is shocking how in the Prime Minister’s state an illegal network of human trafficking, with connections beyond Gujarat and India, exists and thrives. Needless to say it has the patronage of authorities. And it has gone on for long, even during the period when Modi was Chief Minister here.

Equally bewildering is the operation of drug racket in Gujarat. In recent times 56 kg cocaine worth Rs. 500 cr. and 75 kg of heroin worth Rs. 375 cr. have been seized from Mundra port owned by Adani in May and July, 2022, respectively.

Earlier, 3,000 kg of heroin worth Rs. 21,000 cr. was seized from Mundra port in September 2021. In State Assembly the government has admitted that over the last two years Rs. 4,058 cr. worth of charas, ganja, heroin and other drungs and Rs. 211 cr. worth of liquor has been seized from 25 districts of Gujarat. It almost appears that the entire state is in the grip of human trafficking and drug mafia.
Recent arrests of conmen Kiran Patel and Sanjay Sherpuria, both claiming to have associations with the PM office, paints a picture of lawlessness around the persona of Narendra Modi. While Kiran Patel was impersonating as an ‘additional secretary’ in the PMO and making ‘official’ visits to Jammu and Kashmir, Sanjay Sherpuria has defrauded State Bank of India to the tune of Rs. 349.12 cr.
All these stories stand in stark contrast to the picture of PM presented as a strong leader intolerant of corruption. In reality they create an impression of a highly compromised administration which is dispensing favours to its chosen few with many a murky operations and deals behind the scenes.
---
*Magsaysay award winning social activist-academic, General Secretary of Socialist Party (India)

Comments

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das* India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

- राज कुमार सिन्हा* जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए।

Censor Board's bullying delays 'Phule': A blow to India's democratic spirit

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* A film based on the life and legacy of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule was expected to release today. Instead, its release has been pushed to the last week of April. The reason? Protests by self-proclaimed guardians of caste pride—certain Brahmin groups—and forced edits demanded by a thoroughly discredited Censor Board.

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

Incarcerated for 2,424 days, Sudhir Dhawale combines Ambedkarism with Marxism

By Harsh Thakor One of those who faced incarceration both under Congress and BJP rule, Sudhir Dhawale was arrested on June 6, 2018, one of the first six among the 16 people held in what became known as the Elgar Parishad case. After spending 2,424 days in incarceration, he became the ninth to be released from jail—alongside Rona Wilson, who walked free with him on January 24. The Bombay High Court granted them bail, citing the prolonged imprisonment without trial as a key factor. I will always remember the moments we spent together in Mumbai between 1998 and 2006, during public meetings and protests across a wide range of issues. Sudhir was unwavering in his commitment to Maoism, upholding the torch of B.R. Ambedkar, and resisting Brahmanical fascism. He sought to bridge the philosophies of Marxism and Ambedkarism. With boundless energy, he waved the banner of liberation, becoming the backbone of the revolutionary democratic centre in Mumbai and Maharashtra. He dedicated himself ...

Why crucifixion is a comprehensive message of political journey for the liberation of the oppressed

By Vijayan MJ Passion week is that time of the year when Christians all over the world remind themselves about the sufferings, anguish, pain and the bloody crucifixion that Jesus Christ took on himself, as part of his mission of emancipating the people and establishing the kingdom of god. The crucifixion was not just a great symbolism of the personal sacrifice of one person, but it was a comprehensive messaging of a political journey for the liberation of the oppressed; one filled with struggle, militancy, celebration of life, rejection of temptations, betrayals, grief, the long-walk with the cross, crucifixion and ultimately resurrection as a symbol of victory over the oppressors and evil.

CPM’s evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor* A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPM’s reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

Akhilesh Yadav’s boycott of Dainik Jagran: A step towards accountability or political rhetoric?

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat Akhilesh Yadav has called for a total boycott of Dainik Jagran, a newspaper owned by the Gupta family. He also declared that the Samajwadi Party will no longer participate in any panel discussions organized by a media channel allegedly controlled by the family or relatives of the omnipresent Rajiv Shukla. Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party are well aware that Dainik Jagran has long been antagonistic to Dalit-Bahujan interests. The newspaper represents a Bania-Brahmin corporate and ideological enterprise.

Implications of deaths of Maoist leaders G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya in Chhattisgarh

By Harsh Thakor* In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.

Search This Blog