[ZESTCaste] Alter process of quota admission, HC tells JNU
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Alter-process-of-quota-admission--HC-tells-JNU/678857 Alter process of quota admission, HC tells JNU Express News Service Posted online: Wed Sep 08 2010, 03:57 hrs New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the administration of the Jawaharlal Nehru University to change the way it admits students under quota, ordering that two petitioners before it be admitted after calculating the eligibility criteria differently. Two students from the OBC category, Apurva and Usham Rojio Singh, had approached the High Court after they failed to secure admission this academic year. Both argued they could not get admission because of the way JNU had designed its admission procedure. The court has asked the university to scrap the cut-off marks as it is being defined at present. JNU will have to prepare a separate OBC list and fill the 27 per cent reserved seats with students who pass the entrance test. While the HC order will affect only the petitioners, students are planning to use it to renew their agitation against the university’s model of admitting OBC students. The All India Students’ Association will hold a march on campus on Wednesday, asking the administration for a re-look at the way OBC students were admitted this year. “A lot more students have been kept out by the way JNU has admitted students this year. We want the university to remedy that,” said Sucheta De, JNU secretary of the AISA. Newsline had reported Monday that JNU had succeeded in filling only 15.9 per cent of its 27 per cent OBC reservation quota this year. Like last year, when the university succeeded in filling only 14.2 per cent of the total 18 per cent OBC reservation, the shortfall was caused not because eligible candidates were not available. JNU to negotiate with SG on student polls A general body meeting at the Jawaharlal Nehru University late on Monday resolved to negotiate with the Solicitor General (SG) of India to allow the university to conduct the students’ union elections. The resolution, supported by most student organisations, talks of obtaining maximum relaxations till the case in the Supreme Court is settled. The task of negotiating with the SG rests with the Joint Struggle Committee of the University, which is fighting the case on behalf of the students. “We have not got an appointment with the SG yet. The points we will be debating on have not been decided yet. Whatever we do, we will do it without changing the fundamental nature of the JNUSU constitution,” said Sandeep Singh, former JNUSU president. A resolution was also passed on holding elections to the Academic Council, Boards of Studies and the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Why Tamil Nadu suspended this IAS officer
http://news.rediff.com/interview/2010/sep/08/interview-why-tamil-nadu-suspended-this-ias-officer.htm Why Tamil Nadu suspended this IAS officer September 08, 2010 11:57 IST C Umashankar, a 1990 batch Indian Administrative Service officer from Tamil Nadu, has been acclaimed for his honesty. This did not always endear the 46-year-old bureaucrat to the powers that be. Fifteen years ago, he made the news when he pointed out the cremation shed scandal in Madurai [ Images ]. In 2008 he was the managing director of the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu when its subsidiary, ETL Infrastructure, worth Rs 700 crore (Rs 7 billion) went missing! For raising questions over this shocking episode, he was transferred before he could get to the bottom of that one. A year later he was the MD of the government-owned Arasu Cable Corporation, which was in direct competition with the Sumangali CableVision, owned by the politically powerful Maran family, when he alleged that Arasu's cables were being cut by the latter. He proposed the nationalisation of Sumangali, after which he was transferred out from his post. But this time, more action was to follow. On July 21, 2010, he was suspended by the Tamil Nadu government -- for having submitted a false community certificate when he joined the IAS 20 years ago. The civil servant, who was reinstated by the Tamil Nadu government in the first week of September, spoke at length to Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar in Chennai while still under suspension. While some people support you as an honest officer being victimised, others support you because a Dalit officer is being victimised. How do you see yourself? Both. The elite and the intellectuals including the Makkal Sakthi Katchi are supporting me as an honest officer. The poor Dalit people are supporting me because I am a Dalit. They are agitating spontaneously on my behalf. What is the controversy over your caste certificate? They say I am a Christian and that I have taken a caste certificate as a Dalit Hindu. My father Chellakani Sadayandi was a Dalit Hindu and my mother Suganthi Santhabai Victoria was a Christian. We are 12 children of whom 11 children are shown as Hindus. My mother admitted me to the Sarah Tucker School for primary education where the school authorities made the entry as Christian, judging from my mother's faith. When my father became aware of this in 1984, before I graduated, he took me to a Hindu mutt and got me converted. He got it notified this through the government gazette. This is the laid down procedure in law. Then he got my community certificate. We had two native villages, Mettupatti and Sathirakondan. Originally both came under Sankarankoil taluka but subsequently new talukas were created and that also brought about a change. The government attempts to distort it by saying that I have taken a false nativity certificate. My father and I had three options before us for obtaining the community certificate: Palayamkottai where I studied; Sankarankoil (native 1); or Mettupatti (native 2). My nativity cannot change my caste status. The question they have raised is on my caste and religion. Dalit Sadayandi Chellakani's son cannot be a forward caste. There are 10 million Dalit people in Tamil Nadu who belong to my subcaste (Devandra Vellalar). They are up against the government due to my suspension. The message is very clear -- my community considers me a jewel in their crown. What happened in the Arasu Cable-Sumangali matter that got you in so much trouble? They were cutting the optic fibre cables of the Arasu Cable Corporation. My officials lodged complaints and FIRs (First Information Reports) with the police but they did not take any action. Then I sent a series of reports to the government seeking high level intervention to protect government property, yet no action was taken. On January 5, 2009, I went to Coimbatore to safeguard the government company's cables. We went on a night patrol along with the press people and our cable operators to highlight the problem. Till then the police had not filed a single FIR. All the complaints which gave rise to cognisable offences were entered and kept in the community service register of the respective police stations. After I went there the Coimbatore commissioner of police registered five FIRs but not under the Destruction of Public Property Act. No follow-up action was taken. The culprits were not arrested, nor did the cable cutting stop. Rather, it worsened, a week after my visit. Arasu Cable people caught two criminals cutting the optic fibre cables red-handed and handed them over to the police. They let them go. The commissioner was helpless. On January 7, 2009, I sent a proposal to the state government to nationalise Sumangali Cable Vision, terming it a rowdy company. What happened as a result of your action? On January 22, 2009, I informed the cable operators during a meeting at Vellore at which the press was also present that
[ZESTCaste] 13-year-old Dalit mom forsaken by 'spouse' family
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_detailsnews_id=23084 13-year-old Dalit mom forsaken by 'spouse' family TEK NARAYAN BHATTARAI PALPA, Sept 8: Thirteen-year-old Nirmala Nepali of Gulmi, who gave birth to a daughter, now lies abandoned at the district hospital at Tamghas. The young mother was left high and dry after the family of the boy who made her pregnant fled from the hospital upon learning that they would have to accept her as their daughter-in-law. Although Nepali was discharged on Monday, she has been staying at the hospital as she has nowhere to go. Nepali, a sixth grader at Panchayan Higher Secondary School, said she had consensual sex with a ninth-grader Brahmin boy at the same school, with the understanding that they would marry in future. The new mother said she was in love with Ramchandra Pandey, 18, son of Tamlal Pandey of Dhurkot Bastu-3, and entered into a physical relationship. However, the Pandey family has locked their house and fled since Friday. Although Nepali had decided to go to her parental home, she´s been waiting at the hospital as police hoped to find the boy and his family. Nepali has been living on donations from some district organizations. Chief District Officer Parshu Ram Aryal himself provided Rs 2,000 and asked the Red Cross for clothing for the young mother. “We´re searching for the boy´s family and supporting Nepali because of her weak economic situation,” Aryal said. Aryal, who has been surrounded by organizations pressing to bring the boy in, is seeking help from the Dalit Rights Activists Association over legal issues. “Organizations come and surround me. How am I to bring the boy immediately,” Aryal said. In case the boy´s family doesn´t accept the newborn, Aryal said they would have to go to court to establish the relationship between the two, and if needed, a DNA test should be done. “If the boy´s family accepts the child, that´s fine. Otherwise, we´ll have to take the case to court. However, various associations are saying that the boy should be brought in by force,” Aryal said. Dr Bhesh Raj Pokharel of the district hospital said that although Nepali was discharged on Monday, they´ve allowed her to stay on in the hospital for some time. “The hospital has given her Rs 1,000, and Rs 1,000 more as maternity allowance,” Pokharel said. He said that both mother and child were in good health. At birth, the child weighed two kg. The district administrative office has directed Pandey´s neighbor Pom Lal Bhandari to bring Pandey and his family to the office within five days. Bhandari said that he did not know where the family had fled. “I´ve heard that Ramchandra is in India. However, I don´t know where the parents are,” Bhandari said. Human right activists and an NGO working for the welfare of the suppressed have said that if the Pandey family is not found within five days, they would make provisions for Nepali to stay at her new home itself. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Seven arrested for assaulting Dalit family in Gujarat
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_seven-arrested-for-assaulting-dalit-family-in-gujarat_1435150 Seven arrested for assaulting Dalit family in Gujarat Published: Wednesday, Sep 8, 2010, 12:26 IST By Satish Jha | Place: Ahmedabad | Agency: DNA The Sanand police have arrested seven people in connection with an atrocity case. The seven accused were held on Monday and produced before a magistrate on Tuesday. The magistrate sent them to judicial custody. Eighty year-old Danabhai Parmar of Bhavapura in Sanand, had filed a complaint a week back, alleging that Raman Thakore, Amrut Thakore, Kana Thakore, Raju Thakore, Kanti Thakore, Mahesh Thakore and Kama Thakore stormed into his house and assaulted him and his family members. According to the case details, Kanti Thakore had hired Parmar's nephew, Gautam, 30, as a driver some time back. Over time, Gautam had become intimate with Thakore's family members and had allegedly developed illicit relations with his wife, Maya (name changed). A source in the police said that the reason why Parmar's family was assaulted was that Gautam's alleged intimacy with Maya. When Maya's husband came to know of this, he, along with six other people, had assaulted the driver and his family, the source said.
[ZESTCaste] Iconoclast Periyar's heir now temple patron
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6521768.cms 9 Sep, 2010, 01.42 AM IST, Sangeetha Kandavel V Balasubramanian,ET Bureau Iconoclast Periyar's heir now temple patron CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian movement, built on the foundation of atheism and rationalism, is beginning to shake at its roots with founding member and chief minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi lavishing funds on temple renovation in a way not seen in at least a century. The movement — reformist for the untouchables and ruinous for the Brahmins — has come a full circle from the days of breaking idols of Hindu deities, especially the ubiquitous Ganpathy, to spending hundreds of crores renovating temples and encouraging its members to participate in them. Karunanidhi, 87, is the last of the atheist politicians left of the Dravidian crop who have ruled the state for 33 of the last 43 years. His predecessors, the late friend-turned-rival MG Ramachandran, and J Jayalalithaa, discarded the ‘rationalist’ plank decades ago. This Friday will mark the Kumbabishekam, or the consecration, of the centuries-old Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Sholinghur, about 100 kilometres north west of Chennai. Mr Karunanidhi has deputed colleagues to supervise the work. “Till date we have spent Rs 420 crore on temple renovation and this is a clear evidence to show the amount of interest that Kalaignar has shown in promoting temples in the state,” says KR Periakaruppan, minister for Hindu religious and charitable endowments. Spending on temple renovation, praying or even cozying up to religious leaders is hardly surprising for anyone in a country where prime ministers and presidents often disturb the silent prayers of the common man with their presence at prominent temples. But when Mr Karunanidhi, a self-proclaimed atheist who has been living next door to a Krishna temple for decades, attends to temple renovation, it is an irony. This change of heart can be attributed to several factors. A strategy to get votes as people throng temples and religious gurus to seek solace in a fast-paced material life. Or, a genuine desire on the part of someone in the evening of his life and worried about his legacy to connect with God. “Spending money on temple renovation would not help the DMK government fetch any votes,” says Cho Ramaswamy, political commentator and editor of Tamil magazine Thuglaq. Part of the change can be attributed to the state’s political landscape, which has transformed beyond recognition. The Congress is no longer the dominant party, many of the Dravida movement’s cherished goals, such as higher reservation for backward castes, have been met, and the beneficiaries have not only become prosperous, but have also started courting God and religion in a big way. Also, to be fair, the Dravida movement never tried to project itself as a comprehensive atheist party. While the anti-Brahmin rhetoric was strong, it took care to ensure that it did not hurt the religious beliefs and traditions of many of the state’s people, including their myriad gods and goddesses. So, while Karunanidhi would take time out and attack the Ramayana, he never spoke ill of Murugan, who was recognised and promoted as a ‘Tamil god’. Since Karunanidhi’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam returned to power in May 2006, it has spent around Rs 420 crore on temple renovations. This is a near threefold jump over Rs 147 crore spent in the five-year rule of rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, or AIADMK, led by believer J Jayalalithaa. There are 38,481 temples, mutts and trusts under state control. Karunanidhi, Jayalalithaa and Ramachandran have their roots in the Dravidian Movement. The seeds of the movement were sown in 1925 when EV Ramasamy Naicker, known as Periyar, or the elder, walked out of the Indian National Congress convention after the then Brahmin-dominated party refused to consider a resolution seeking proportional representation. Periyar’s reasons for seeking change were strong. In 1914, of the of the 650 graduates in then Madras Province, 452 were from the Brahmin community. Of the 15 elected for the All India Congress Committee, 14 were Brahmins. Periyar led the Self-Respect and the Anti-Hindi movements of the aristocrats-led Justice Party formed to further the non-Brahmin interests in the four southern states. The party was renamed Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944 with rationalism and atheism as its main planks and Karunanidhi and his mentor CN Annadurai among the top leadership. “The assets of a temple — land, buildings, jewelry, utensils, cash — should be used for the welfare of the people,” said its first manifesto, quoted in the book A History of the Dravidian Movement by another founding member, VR Neduncheziyan. Karunanidhi is not only devoting his energies to temples, but also to refurbishing their dilapidated cars, which are used during festivals and vital for the rural economy. “The main purpose of this is to promote temple tourism and portray
[ZESTCaste] Hurt, L Subramaniam may take legal route against Dalit outfit
http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_hurt-l-subramaniam-may-take-legal-route-against-dalit-outfit_1435100 Hurt, L Subramaniam may take legal route against Dalit outfit Published: Wednesday, Sep 8, 2010, 10:39 IST By MK Madhusoodan | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Violin maestro L Subramaniam, on Tuesday, said he was contemplating legal action against those who were spreading “false allegations” against him and his family. A Dalit organisation had petitioned the police that the musician had sexually harassed his former maid, Bhagya, 31. The Yelahanka-based outfit approached the police after Subramaniam and his wife, singer Kavita Krishnamurthy, lodged a police complaint of theft from their house.They had named Bhagya as a suspect in the complaint. City police commissioner Shankar M Bidari said that the police received a representation from the Dalit organisation, saying the musician had sexually harassed the maid. “The alleged victim did not register any complaint against the musician personally,” the commissioner said. The police considered the representation as a petition and were probing the case. Meanwhile, Subramaniam said he was planning to take action against all parties responsible for spreading false allegations against him and his family. He added that the allegations were levelled against him to divert the investigators’ attention from the theft case. Euros, Indian currencies and other valuables, all worth Rs6 lakh were found missing from Subramaniam’s house in RMV 2nd Stage between December 28, 2009 and September 2 this year. “Bhagya was engaged through Avon Facility Management Services Ltd. She had stolen cash and valuables valued about Rs6 lakh and the police are currently investigating the case,” the violinist said. According to the FIR registered by the Sanjaynagar police, 5000 euros, Rs55,000 and a gold chain were stolen from the house. In a statement made to the police, Subramaniam had stated that Bhagya’s lifestyle had changed over time, which made him suspect her in the case. The Dalit organisation made the representation against the renowned violinist after the theft case was filed. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] 'Remove casteist principal'
http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/sep/080910-casteist-principal-Dalit-leaders-DU-lecturer.htm 'Remove casteist principal' By: Vatsala Shrangi Date: 2010-09-08 Place: Delhi Dalit leaders, students and teachers up in arms against insult of DU lecturer There has been a public outrage against the principal of a Delhi University college who allegedly humiliated and insulted one of the teachers at the institution. MiD DAY had reported on Tuesday how Dr Vijay Sharma, principal, Ram Lal Anand College, allegedly passed casteist remarks against Dr Surendra Kumar, an ad-hoc lecturer in the Hindi department of the institution. Expressing shock at the incident, Udit Raj - Dalit leader and president of Indian Justice Party - said he would take up the matter with the Union HRD ministry. Caste system is inhuman and dangerous to the growth of the country. The principal should be suspended to set an example for others. I condemn the incident. I would take up the matter with the Vice-Chancellor and the education department, he said. Dr Sharma has already been facing an inquiry into charges of sexual misconduct against him. The staff association has been up in arms against the administrator, demanding his ouster. Dr Kumar had alleged that the principal targeted him for joining the protest against him. Newly-elected Delhi University Student's Union president Jitendra Chaudhary urged the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) to take appropriate action against the guilty principal. I think it's an insult to the entire Dalit community. Students from across the country come here to study and such incidents send a wrong message about the institution. A man holding as prestigious a position as that of a principal is not expected to behave in such an offensive manner. We would request DUTA officials to take necessary action in this matter, said Chaudhary. The SC/ST teachers association of Delhi University has planned a demonstration on the issue before the principal's office Wednesday. We have a right to live in a democracy respectfully. Caste cannot be a ground to target us. We cannot allow it to go on, said Amar Singh, general secretary the association. Refusing to comment on the issue, Gurmeet Singh, proctor Delhi University, says: It would only be fair on my part to give a reaction after verifying the facts from both sides. THE STORY SO FAR Dr Vijay Sharma, principal, Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University, has been charged with verbally abusing a Dalit teacher of his institution. On August 31, I was standing along with some teachers who were protesting against the principal on some issues. I reached the spot after taking my class and was standing with two of my colleagues when a peon told me that the principal has asked for me, Dr Surendra Kumar, ad-hoc lecturer, Hindi, said in a written complaint to the staff association, a copy of which is with MiD DAY. Rubbishing the allegations, Dr Sharma said: This is all trade union tactics to frame me. I just wanted to improve work ethics here, but the staff is opposing my reformist agenda.
[ZESTCaste] Dalit boy cremated on the road in absence of common cremation grounds
http://sikhsangat.org/2010/09/dalit-boy-cremated-on-the-road-in-absence-of-common-cremation-grounds/ Dalit boy cremated on the road in absence of common cremation grounds Posted on September 6, 2010 under caste problems Mehma Bhagwana (Bathinda), September 6: Residents of this cancer-affected dusty village of Bathinda district today lit the pyre of a four-year-old Dalit boy in the middle of a road ruing that in the absence of a common cremation ground, they had no other option. The boy, Vijay Pal, was reportedly suffering from cancer for the past few months and passed away last evening. Since then, his kin were not only grieving over his death but also worrying about finding a place to cremate him. The bereaved kin asked the sarpanch to make some arrangements for his cremation. Unable to do so, the sarpanch offered that they light the pyre in the middle of the road outside his house. Before the bereaved kin could light the pyre, policemen from the Nehianwala police station reached the spot and the SHO, Gurpreet Singh, brought the matter to the notice of the Bathinda SDM, who assured to send an executive magistrate soon. Meanwhile, the police installed barricades on both sides of the road and diverted the traffic to an alternate route. To prevent villagers from cremating the body, the SHO kept them engaged in negotiations. However, when even after over two hours the executive magistrate did not reach, the villagers lit the pyre on the road at 10.30 am. The deceased’s grandfather, Bhola Singh, said: “It is our ill fate that we could not bid him a decent farewell. We are poor daily wagers who possess no land. The village too has no common cremation ground, which forced us to cremate him on the road.” Gurcharan Singh, a villager, said: “Earlier, the village had its own cremation ground but about three years ago, the former panchayat passed a resolution to transfer the land for the cremation ground to construct waterworks with a hope that the village would get potable water to save us from the deadly disease of cancer.” Sarpanch Gamdoor Singh said: “It was also decided that the village would get an alternate land for the cremation ground. Though the administration earmarked a piece of land for the purpose, it was within the boundary wall of the village gurdwara, which we are not ready to use for this purpose.” He added that according to the revenue record, the village had one more chunk of land measuring three kanals and two marlas, which was the best suited for the cremation ground. “But despite our repeated representations, the administration is not allowing us to go ahead as the land is located near the houses of some landlords, who are close to leaders of the ruling parties,” the sarpanch said. Villagers said since the authorities had started the construction of the waterworks, which was being taken up under a World Bank scheme, nearly six deaths had taken place. In some cases, landlords offered their fields to perform the last rites but in most of the cases, villagers cremated their kin even inside their courtyards. Executive magistrate Avtar Singh said” “The land earmarked for the cremation ground is best suited for the purpose, but the villagers are not willing to use it. They are saying that it should be located on the land near the houses of landlords, but they have objections over it. Despite this, we are trying to find an amicable solution as more sites are being considered for the purpose.” Source: Tribune india INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Caste in motion (D Shyam Babu, Lant Pritchett, Chandra Bhan Prasad, Devesh Kapur)
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Caste-in-motion/677985/ Caste in motion D Shyam Babu, Lant Pritchett, Chandra Bhan Prasad, Devesh Kapur Posted online: 2010-09-07 20:36:55+05:30 Popular media and academic descriptions of India’s rapid economic transformation in the era of market reforms often come with a ‘but’: “But development has also disrupted existing ways of living. It has strained the social and cultural fabric of the villages.” If any post-Foucauldian social scientist has any insight to offer, surely it is that the nostalgia of elites is an unreliable guide to the actual experiences of marginalised social groups. As Ambedkar recognised more than 6 decades ago: “The love of the intellectual Indians for the village community is of course infinite if not pathetic… What is the village but a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow mindedness and communalism?” Precisely those people and groups the ‘cultural fabric of the villages’ pressured into social inferiority generally lack access both to media outlets and to the technical tools of academia for structuring discourse, both of words and numbers. Do Dalits’ own assessments of the era of market reform come with a ‘but’ or with an ‘and’? We add to the existing literature on the evolution of wellbeing during the era of market reforms using a survey constructed by Dalits, implemented by Dalits, administered to all Dalit households in 2 blocks of Uttar Pradesh. The blocks chosen are Bilaria Ganj in Azamgarh District in eastern UP and Khurja in Bulandshahar District in western UP (hereafter eastern block and western block respectively). The instrument, uniquely among existing large-scale surveys, asks specifically about changes since 1990 in a variety of caste practices at the household and social level. With this data, we can document 3 massive changes in the areas surveyed. First, there have been major changes in the grooming, eating and ceremonial consumption patterns of Dalits, signalling their higher social status by adopting higher status consumption patterns. Dalits shifted out of low status (but highly calorie intensive) foods like sugar cane juice and roti chatni into diets containing (unbroken) rice, fresh vegetables and spices and increased use of high status foods in social occasions like weddings. Second, respondents report changes in the accepted behaviours between castes, with rapid erosion in discriminatory processes that stigmatised Dalits. By and large in these blocks Dalits are less likely to be seated separately at weddings, they no longer are expected to handle the dead animals of other castes, there is a noticeable increase in births in Dalit households that are attended by non-Dalit midwives and non-Dalits increasingly accept hospitality in Dalit homes. None of these practices were common in 1990. Third, there have been large shifts in the pattern of economic life both away from and within the villages. There has been a considerable increase in (mostly) circular migration to distant cities to work, with nearly half of Dalit households in the eastern block having a member in the cities. In the villages, Dalits have shifted into professions (e.g. tailors, masons and drivers) and businesses (e.g. grocers, paan shop owners). Agricultural relations have changed such that almost no Dalits participate in bonded economic ties (halwaha) and many fewer Dalits even perform agricultural labour on upper caste lands as Dalits now are much more likely to contract in factors from high caste groups (e.g. tractors, land) than sell their labour to them. Inequality in what? For whom? India’s socially marginalised populations suffer from 2 key forms of disadvantage—social indignity and material poverty— which emerge from intertwined socially and economically perpetuated inequalities. Empirical assessments in India tend to conflate the two into measures of material wellbeing (e.g. poverty or inequality) or ‘neutral’ social indicators like education, health or nutrition outcomes. Even if the distinction between indignity and economic status arises, it is treated as axiomatic that the first is completely dependent on the second. Even when attention is turned to ‘caste’, often the data compare outcomes on standard indicators (consumption expenditures, education) across castes, but with almost no attention to how caste markers, behaviours and practices themselves may have changed. Many have expressed concern that growth of the market economy in India unleashes “inequality-increasing” forces. S Mahendra Dev and C Ravi reach a “clear conclusion” that inequality “increased significantly in the post-reform period”, a conclusion shared by other researchers. But the exclusive use of consumption expenditures or differences across castes in a few outcomes as measures of inequality cannot be adequate in the many parts of rural India where social inequalities—servility, humiliation, lack of self-respect—are important. Comparing consumption
[ZESTCaste] Introspect why Dalits left party, Shevale tells RPI workers
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/introspect-why-dalits-left-party-shevale-te/673451/ Introspect why Dalits left party, Shevale tells RPI workers Express News Service Posted online: Thu Aug 26 2010, 23:25 hrs Pune : Republican Party of India (RPI)leader MD Shevale today urged party workers to introspect why the Dalit or minority class, which is considered the base of the party, has moved away from the party in recent years. He was speaking at a workshop arranged for party workers. “ It is necessary to do the introspection if RPI wants to make inroads in the next PMC elections,” he said. Parshuram Wadekar, who presided over the function, said the RPI will focus on issues of slum dwellers, unemployed, workers, rickshaw and taxi drivers. “The party will soon start a campaign such as ‘RPI worker at your doorsteps’. The party will form booth committees in the wake of PMC elections upcoming in 2012,” he said. State president of Matang Front of RPI Hanumant Sathe, Navnath Kamble, Siddharth Dhende, M B Waghmare were also present on the occasion. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Ghatampur suicide, rape case: No action yet against ‘guilty’ cops
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Ghatampur-suicide--rape-case--No-action-yet-against--guilty--cops/678290/ Ghatampur suicide, rape case: No action yet against ‘guilty’ cops Express News Service Posted online: Tue Sep 07 2010, 06:46 hrs Kanpur : Four days after the suicide by a 17-year-old Dalit girl in Ghatampur following her alleged rape, the authorities are yet to take any action against police personnel who had not only refused to lodge an FIR in the case but also allowed the accused to get away. The authorities said no action could be initiated as the team formed to probe into the role played by Station Officer Kalu Ram Dohrey and Constable Virendra Singh is yet to submit the report. Kanpur DIG Prem Prakash said: “Both Singh and Dohrey have been attached to lines. If found guilty, they would be suspended and a case will be registered against them.” The investigation is headed by Circle Officer of Ghatampur PP Singh. “Until I get the investigation report, it will not be possible to comment further,” he said. Moreover, the DIG said the girl’s family has not made any official complaint against the SO or the constable. Prakash said three teams have been formed to arrest the accused. “The neighbours, relatives and locals are being contacted by our teams to trace the absconding persons,” he said. The victim, a resident of Parauli village of Ghatampur block, immolated herself on the terrace of her house on September 3. She was a class XI student of Pandit Deen Beni Singh Bharat Inter College of Bheetargaon Block. According to the postmortem report, the girl died of burn injuries and a head injury. The girl’s father, Ashok Kumar, had alleged that a villager, Sunil Singh Bhadoria, had raped his daughter on September 2. According to him, the Station Officer of Ghatampur police station refused to register a case when he approached him. After a protest in the village on Friday, a case on the charges of kidnapping, rape, provocation for suicide and SC/ST Act was registered against Sunil and his parents. He said he could not lodge a formal complaint against the policemen because he had been running around since the death of his daughter. According to him, his daughter would not have committed suicide if the SO had registered a case on Thursday and arrested the accused “The SO and the constable are equally responsible for my daughter’s death,” he said. A group of BJP leaders, including former legislator Bal Chandra Mishra, visited Parauli village on Monday to meet the victim’s family. Mishra blamed the police for the Dalit girl’s suicide. Senior state BJP leaders are expected to visit the village on September 10. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Maid trouble for L Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthy
http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_maid-trouble-for-l-subramaniam-and-kavita-krishnamurthy_1434541 Maid trouble for L Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthy Published: Tuesday, Sep 7, 2010, 9:45 IST By MK Madhusoodan | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Violin maestro L Subramaniam and his wife, playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy are facing a different kind of music. Their maid, with support from a few Dalit organisations, accused the couple of harassing her. She complained to the police of harassment after the celebrity couple named her as a suspect in a theft case. Police confirmed receiving the complaint from the maid, Bhagya, 22. No case has been registered. The couple had earlier lodged a complaint after Rs55,000 in cash and a gold chain worth Rs75,000 had gone missing from their home at the High Income Group Housing Colony in Rajmahal Vilas 2nd Stage. “The couple suspected Bhagya in the theft. This turned out to be trouble for them with some Dalit organisations lending support to the maid, who accused the couple of harassment,” assistant commissioner of police (JC Nagar) C Munirathnam Naidu said. The outfits wanted the couple to withdraw the case against the woman. Kavita, meanwhile, denied the allegation of harassment. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Bilaso - owner of six goats and future dreams
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/danchaid/cb016744357d0b5b4269b43065d966d7.htm Bilaso - owner of six goats and future dreams 06 Sep 2010 14:14:51 GMT Source: DanChurchAid - Denmark Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone. 37 year old Bilaso Naik, single mother of two children used to work 25 km from home doing back breaking road construction the entire day. Bilaso Naik stands with her son near her mud home Now with the help from DanChurch Aid’s partner Nari Surakha Samiti (NSS) in Orissa she has recently started a new life rearing goats. The animals was bought with money from financial aid received from the government. A big hurdleEntitlements and access to rights for Dalits, Adivasis (tribal), women and other vulnerable communities have been a long drawn struggle in India with many legislations and orders passed by the Government since Independence. Yet, accessing these rights and entitlements in a timely manner seems to stand forth as the biggest hurdles for vulnerable and marginalized masses. 37 years old Bilaso Naik is one who overcame this odd. Abused by husbandA resident of the Dalit hamlet in the village of Bimal Beda in the Angul district of Orissa, Bilaso was a single mother at twenty two with two children after her partner abandoned her. Her relationship was not a legal marriage, but a commitment to a man who made a false promise of marrying her. He beat her, abused her after consuming alcohol and had multiple relationships. Returned to her mother Fed up, she left it all to return to her widowed mother. Today her family consists of her ailing mother and two young sons. “I have accepted this as my destiny. For so long I have heard people’s scorn, the taunts on my character. But what can I do? I have a larger and bigger struggle- to earn a living, to feed my family,†says Bilaso. Patriarchal valuesIn India, patriarchal norms define the woman’s “place†in society, her identity always attached to a male- a father or a brother or a husband. Even with the most progressive legislation on the subject, India’s hinterlands continue to be dominated with overarching patriarchal values. The situation is made complex by the multiple layers of vulnerabilities - a single Dalit poor woman abandoned by her husband faces multiple levels of discrimination and abuse. First Single Women Survey in Orissa, IndiaIt is this group of marginalized and exploited women that was identified by NSS in the first ever single woman survey conducted in the district. The outcome of the survey was the identification of more than 150 unwed mothers, mostly Dalits who were victims of the false promise marriages. A list was drawn of all the women and sent to the District Collector. 25 km to work “I was working as a wage labourer under the government programme, NREGA, constructing roads. There was no work in my area†, tells Bilaso. Last year one of the big multinational companies was taking up work widening a road, so Bilaso had to travel 25 km to work at that site. “An entire day of back breaking work and I used to earn 90 INR (Indian rupees) a day. Last year I got work only for 4 months,†says Bilaso. Accessing Government Schemes with Advocacy Sustained advocacy at all levels of governance by NSS has ensured that a number of women in this area get access to housing and a means to earn their livelihood. Bilaso has recently received the first installment of money from the Government scheme with which she has bought 6 goats. She is the only earning member of her family and dreams of having a bigger business rearing goats in the future. By Priyanka Mukherjee Mittal Regional Information and Documentation Officer, DanChurch Aid, India INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via
[ZESTCaste] OBC leaders from T have good chance
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/hyderabad/obc-leaders-t-have-good-chance-837 OBC leaders from T have good chance September 8th, 2010 DC Correspondent Hyderabad/New Delhi, Sept. 7: Since the ministers of state, Ms Purandeswari, Ms Panabaka Lakshmi, Mr A. Sai Pratap and Mr M.M. Pallam Raju belong to the Seema-Andhra region, the chances of MPs belonging to the Telangana region, that too from OBC communities, to be made ministers of state have increased. There has been no representation for these sections in the Union Cabinet both in UPA-I and UPA-II regimes. But there are some delicacies involved. For instance, Congress sources wondered if it would be fair to offer a minister of state post to a veteran like Mr V. Hanumantha Rao, three-time MP and former PCC chief. Similarly, Dr K. Kesava Rao, though a first time MP, was also a PCC chief. Youngsters such as the Secunderabad MP, Mr Anjan Kumar Yadav, and the Nizamabad MP, Mr Madhu Yashki Goud, are also eyeing Cabinet berths. Mr Nandi Yellaiah, who belongs to the Madiga subset of scheduled caste community, is also dreaming big. However, chances are not bright for Mr Kavuri Sambasiva Rao (Eluru) and Mr Rayapati Sambasiva Rao (Guntur) who belong to the Coastal Andhra area, since Ms Purandeswari from the same social grouping is already in the Cabinet. The Prime Minister’s comment that he would reduce the average age of the Cabinet has enthused young MPs but has given sleepless nights to the senior ministers. If Dr Singh goes strictly by the performance of young MPs in the Lok Sabha, then Mr Manish Tewari (Punjab), Dr Jyoti Mirdha (Rajasthan), Ms Meenakshi Natrajan (Madhya Pradesh) and Mr Raj Babbar (Uttar Pradesh) may get a chance. Mr Rajeev Shukla is another name doing the rounds and there are also chances of Mr Shashi Tharoor’s return as a minister. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Towards caste majoritarianism? (S Anand)
http://www.himalmag.com/Towards-caste-majoritarianism_nw4672.html Towards caste majoritarianism? September 2010 By: S Anand With the Census of India set to count caste for the first time since the colonial era, the focus shifts to the ramifications of doing so. I was recently forced to overhear a conversation between strangers, two Indian women, who met on the Bhopal-Delhi Shatabdi Express. They quickly zeroed in on each other’s caste. One was a Kayastha (a privileged non-Brahmin) and the other, the younger woman, a Brahmin. Both were happy to discover that they had a Kayastha connection – the Brahmin woman revealed that she had married a Kayastha man. Then they dwelt briefly on the many subcastes and hierarchies within the Kayasthas – Mathur, Sinha, Saxena, Nigam and Shrivastav. The Brahmin woman, employed in the information-technology department of an insurance company, stated with distinct pride that, when all is said and done, Brahmins had ‘sharper minds’ and were born more ‘intelligent’. To substantiate, she talked of how her Brahmin brother always outwitted her non-Brahmin husband in decision-making. The Brahmin brother, it seems, could always convince his Kayastha brother-in-law of his point of view, whether on a financial matter or where to go on holiday. The quieter Kayastha woman did not protest any of this. Even when the diminutive Brahmin woman later concluded – with her own theory of caste eugenics – that her children had developed a ‘better physique’ owing to the Kayastha father, she underscored that she did not compromise on a vegetarian diet. Now, what would be the caste of the children of this Brahmin-Kayastha marriage, with its own power dynamics? Surely, given an option, it is unlikely they would register as ‘no caste’ in the forthcoming Census of India – the first to include a section on caste in nearly seven decades. Even in such mixed-caste offspring, the importance of caste in their minds would not be discounted. That caste inflects almost every aspect of life in India, and large parts of Southasia, is a fact, as highlighted in Himal’s April 2010 issue on its pervasiveness. In a society where caste is an overwhelming reality, it would seem that counting castes would have begun long ago. Surely it is not as though India will now become a caste society when caste is, finally, counted; but when every caste does get counted, there would be official recognition of what post-Independence India has been trying to ignore for decades, seeking to present a homogenised identity to the rest of the world. So far, since only the Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes have been getting counted, debates around caste have tended to focus on issues of reservation and atrocities against Dalits. For long, questions of ameliorating the disabilities forced upon people owing to the practice of caste or its utopian annihilation (which someone like B R Ambedkar dreamed of) have been jettisoned. Among the Brahminical castes, the question of caste has been reduced to a skewed debate around quotas – wherein the incursion of the Dalits and Backward Classes into hitherto-reserved public spaces is equated with the loss of ‘merit’ and therefore lamented. While maintaining the ideological bulwark, a majority of urban Brahmins also deny the very existence of caste, and behave as if they have ‘exited’ caste. While conceding the need to count castes, what might be the political fallout of such an exercise – especially in terms of how it might affect the polarisation between Dalits and the ‘Backward’ and ‘Other Backward’ Classes (BCs and OBCs, as a bulk of the Shudra castes are designated by the Indian Constitution)? For the moment, let us set aside what could be characterised as the Brahminical objections to counting castes – represented by a medley of both liberal and neo-con voices that includes Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Barkha Dutt, Dipankar Gupta, Nandini Sundar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi, among others. That ‘empirical’ need for this ostensibly comes from the fact that in 2007 the Supreme Court of India stayed the order against the admission of OBCs to educational institutions citing lack of ‘reliable data’. The demand for this, however, predates the reservations-related recommendations of the Mandal Commission, of 1980, or more recent debates around the issue. Calculus of backwardness It is often believed that Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, was opposed to reservation for the Backward Classes, and he limited himself to being concerned with Dalits and Adivasis (the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, in official parlance). However, while resigning from Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet in October 1951 (primarily over the failure of the Hindu Code Bill), he referred to ‘another matter’ that had left him ‘dissatisfied’ with the government of the day. ‘It relates to the treatment accorded to the Backward Classes and the Scheduled Castes,’ Ambedkar said. ‘I was very sorry that the Constitution did not embody
[ZESTCaste] Caste discrimination — U.K. Dalits win the argumen t, nearly
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article611931.ece Opinion » Op-Ed Published: September 4, 2010 00:48 IST | Updated: September 4, 2010 00:48 IST September 4, 2010 Caste discrimination — U.K. Dalits win the argument, nearly Hasan Suroor There's a palpable mood of optimism among Britain's 2,00,000-strong Dalit community as it waits for the Government to take a decision on its long-standing campaign for caste discrimination to be recognised as racism. The buzz is that, barring a last-minute hiccup, Britain could soon become the first European, indeed Western, country to declare caste prejudice unlawful under its race laws — a move which will not please New Delhi which has consistently opposed caste being clubbed with race. Britain's new Equality Act already empowers the Government to declare “caste to be an aspect of race” without seeking fresh parliamentary approval. Clause 9 of the Act says: “The fact that a racial group comprises two or more distinct racial groups does not prevent it from constituting a particular racial group. A Minister of the Crown may by order — (a) amend this section so as to provide for caste to be an aspect of race …” Much will depend on the findings of a study it has commissioned to determine the extent of caste discrimination. The report of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a leading independent research body which is conducting the research, is expected in the autumn and campaigners are confident that it will back their own claims about how “widespread” caste prejudice in Britain, really, is. CasteWatchUK, Britain's oldest Dalit campaign group, says it is no longer a question of “if” but “when” an official announcement is made. “We have provided enough evidence to researchers and have no doubt in our minds that their report will be positive. Besides, we have full faith in the fairness of the British state. The fact that they have included it in the equality act is half the battle won. It is not a question of ‘if' but ‘when' it happens,” claims its general secretary Davinder Prasad. There has been widespread cross-party support for the campaign, the “only reluctant voices being those of Asian MPs,” according to Lekh Pall, general secretary of the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance (ACDA), an umbrella group. Leads to division The issue has divided Britain's Indian diaspora and right-wing groups such as the Hindu Forum of Britain have launched a counter-campaign arguing that the Government has no right to intervene in what they claim is the community's internal affair. Ramesh Kallidai, secretary-general of the Forum, says it is “not right for the U.K. Government to take a position on the rites, beliefs or practices of a particular religion”. “Social interactions and personal choices are an expression of people's freedom, and any barriers should be removed through education and awareness, not through legislation,” he argues. In a report, “Caste in the U.K.”, the Forum denied claims of caste discrimination saying its own research had found that it was “not endemic in British society”. However, a study — “Hidden Apartheid, Voice of the Community, Caste and Caste Discrimination in the U.K.” — by ACDA in collaboration with academics from the universities of Hertfordshire and Manchester and the Manchester Metropolitan University, concluded that there was “clear evidence” of widespread caste-based discrimination. “There is clear evidence from the survey and the focus groups that the caste system has been imported into the U.K. with the Asian diaspora and that the associated caste discrimination affects citizens in ways beyond personal choices and social interaction. There is a danger that if the U.K. government does not effectively accept and deal with the issue of caste discrimination the problem will grow unchecked,” it said. The report claimed that “tens of thousands of people in the workplace, the classroom and even the doctor's surgery” suffered discrimination because of their caste. Forty-five per cent of the respondents alleged they had either been treated negatively by co-workers or had comments made about their caste. Nine per cent felt they were been denied promotion, and 10 per cent that they were paid less because of their caste. Some also claimed that they faced “threats”. One woman, who worked for an Indian-run radio station, complained that she was demoted after her manager discovered her caste background, while an elderly woman alleged that her care worker discriminated against her on caste grounds. One transport company reorganised its duty roster so that a “higher caste” inspector would not have to work with a “lower caste” bus driver. Caste-related name-calling was one of the most commonly-reported complaints. More often than not, incidents of discrimination go unreported as people are reluctant to talk about them, activists claim with one activist saying that “there is a silent majority out there that we never hear about”.
[ZESTCaste] Development, not caste, will be Nitish’s card
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Development-not-caste-will-be-Nitishs-card/articleshow/6509368.cms 7 Sep, 2010, 02.10AM IST, Ashok K Mishra,ET Bureau Development, not caste, will be Nitish’s card PATNA: In a state where politics is mainly driven by caste considerations, chief minister Nitish Kumar is flaunting the development card which, he firmly believes, will place NDA in an advantageous position in the coming electoral battle. “The ruling NDA has done enough by way of development and this should make sense with the electorate. I am sure they will shun caste loyalty and vote for development this time. Those believing in the credo of caste-based politics will get a rude shock in the elections ” the chief minister told ET. The installation of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government on November 24, 2005, led to significant changes which are visible across the spectrum. The road sector started buzzing as never before, resulting in tremendous improvement in the road network. New life was breathed into the moribund health care and education sectors. The ‘kidnapping industry,’ the only flourishing industry during the Rabri-Lalu era, saw its demise. Bihar was scripting a turnaround story, the message was clear for the experts to acknowledge the development story of Bihar. No wonder, Mr Kumar is not hesitating to play out the development story before the electorate this time, something which no politician had done in the recent past. At the same time, a wily Mr Kumar has also played the role of a hard core politician who would get his social engineering acts right by carving new constituencies, which, in his case, saw the creation of extremely backward caste (EBCs) and Maha-Dalit vote banks. First, he announced reservation for EBCs in the panchayati raj and local bodies, a decision which led to the grouping rooting for the ruling NDA in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The creation of Maha-Dalits, accounting for the poorest of the poor among the larger Dalit community, will also come in handy for Mr Nitish Kumar, who, apart from doling out largesse, has also made provision for allotting land to them. Both EBCs and Maha-Dalits account for nearly 40% of the electorate and they will constitute the core vote bank of Nitish Kumar. As for Muslims, who would have felt more comfortable with Mr Kumar, were he to sever his ties with BJP, a section of them will still be inclined to support at least JD(U) candidates on the basis of ‘good work’ done by the Nitish government for minorities. The reopening of the 1989 Bhagalpur communal riot cases leading to conviction of some accused, payment of life-long pension to the kin of those killed in the riots, fencing of graveyards, his aggressive take on Mr Narendra Modi and the fact that not a single communal riot happened during his tenure are highpoints which are likely to influence the voting-pattern of the minority community. The upper castes, who had backed Mr Kumar to the hilt in 2005, and later in the Lok Sabha elections, however, may be open to the idea of supporting Congress now that it has completely distanced itself from RJD. All this may, however, opens up the possibility of Mr Lalu Prasad being pitchforked back to centre stage, a prospect which is expected to convince a majority of the upper castes to back the JD(U)-BJP combine eventually. What is more, there will be voters from among the upper castes who’d be ready to support the development plank of Nitish Kumar. All in all, Mr Nitish Kumar will serve before the electorate a political menu which is going to be a heady mix of politics and development. The chief minister, however, will vouch that the development plank alone will help win a second term for the ruling NDA. “Last time, people voted for us because they wanted to get rid of RJD. But this time people will vote for us because of our performance. It will be positive vote for us,“ remarked Mr Nitish Kumar. His clean and honest image is a bonus. The soft-spoken leader, to many, stands in sharp contrast to the controversial RJD supremo, who has been tarred with the corruption and nepotism taint. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia:
[ZESTCaste] Dalits to gherao CM house
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=46655 Dalits to gherao CM house Category » Bhopal Posted On Monday, September 06, 2010 By Our Staff Reporter Bhopal, Sept 6: For demand to simplify the process of issuing caste certificates and eliminating mandatory requirement of revenue records of 1950, the Bahujan Hitaya Samajik Jan Chetna Samiti, Bhopal is going to Gherao the Chief Minister on September 27. The decision was taken after organisation conducted a meeting. TR Ahirwar, Secretary said that massive demonstration would be organised in front of CM house. He further said that they would continue their protest until the demands are fulfilled. Anti encroachment drive by BMC Bhopal, Sept 6: Under ongoing anti encroachment drive, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished more than 30 illegal constructions including various marriage halls at Bairagarh main road, which were hurdles in the path of BTR road construction. The drive was conducted under direction of Dy Commissioner APS Gaharwar and City Engineer Sunita Singh.
[ZESTCaste] Untouchability still practised in Gandhi's land
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Untouchability-still-pratised-in-Gandhis-land/articleshow/6502937.cms Untouchability still practised in Gandhi's land Radha Sharma, TNN, Sep 6, 2010, 05.50am IST AHMEDABAD: Rajniben, a village panchayat member from Ahmedabad district, does not have a chair to sit in the panchayat office. Unlike the other members, who all have a chair, there is a gunny sack reserved for Rajniben which she uses to sit on the floor when the panchayat meets. This is because Rajniben is a dalit and is not allowed to sit on par with panchayat members belonging to upper castes. The untouchability factor remains high in Gujarat, the land of Gandhi. A survey on discrimination in offices has revealed that nearly 65 per cent dalit sarpanchs report they have separate cups to drink tea or water in their own office. About 40 per cent are not allowed to sit on chairs. The survey, Dalit Women's Right to Political Participation in Rural Panchayati Raj', has been conducted on 200 dalit women sarpanches and panchayat members in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Carried out by an NGO, Navsarjan Trust, in Gujarat 100 dalit women of these, 86 were sarpanchs, while the rest were nominated for the office but could not contest the elections following political or social pressure were studied. The survey was released at the women's tribunal, organised by Waada Na Todo Abhiyan along with other members here where nearly 200 women from marginalised sections like tribals, dalits and Muslims have participated. The survey revealed that assuming office did not mean an end to discriminatory practices for dalit women. A good 64.5 per cent dalit women reported that they were not able to drink tea from the same cups used by other representatives and 38 per cent said that they could not eat food or snacks in the same plate or utensils used by others. A dalit woman may become the sarpanch, holding the highest office in the village, but is still forced to drink from a separate cup because of her caste, said Manjula Pradeep, director of Navsarjan Trust.
[ZESTCaste] Proud to be a Dalit
http://ww.telegraphindia.com/1100905/jsp/7days/story_12898243.jsp Sunday, September 5, 2010 Proud to be a Dalit A quiet revolution is underway in the Dalit world — assertiveness is replacing defensiveness. Many Dalits, buoyed by prosperity, are flaunting their caste on their sleeves and celebrating it in rap and pop albums. Seetha and V. Kumara Swamy look at how Dalits are changing the way the world looks at them STANDING TALL: Cars with a defiant chamar or chamar da munda scrawled on windshields are common in Jalandhar; (below) P. Nagrare started an engineering college along with other Dalits; (bottom) H. Bhaskar, who set up Kota Tutorials, says he is proud to be a Jatav Sons of chamars are six feet tall Riding bikes at the speed of bullets And making headlines everywhere Upcoming Punjabi singer Lovely Bhatia’s Chadadh Chamaran Di (Rising Chamars) is a big hit in parts of Punjab. That’s not surprising, for the song is the anthem of the young Dalit. You can be imprisoned, under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for using the word chamar — a term for a scheduled caste community that traditionally worked with leather — as an abuse. In parts of Punjab, though, rap and pop albums celebrating the chamar identity are the new rage. Cars and scooters sporting a defiant chamar or Chamaran da Munda (son of a chamar) stickers are a common sight in Jalandhar. “When I was young, I feared saying that I was a chamar, thinking that my colleagues would look down upon me. But now I say that I am proud to be a chamar,” says Sriram Prakash who, after retirement from the Punjab police, has been working with a Dalit religious group, the Ravidasias. It isn’t just in Punjab. Agra’s Harsh Bhaskar, 32, who set up the multi-city Kota Tutorials and the Edify Institute of Management and Technology, outside Agra, declares he is “proud” to be a Jatav. J.S. Phulia, who runs a Delhi-based shipping and logisitics firm, says: “We don’t want to be servile.” Alongside atrocities by upper castes in villages and discrimination in the work place, another chapter is being written in the Dalit story — assertion is replacing defensiveness. In Punjab, the assertion is in your face; in other parts of the country, it is quieter, but palpable. “Dalits are sick of taunts about their poverty, their so-called unclean habits and their dependence on reservations for education and jobs,” says Dalit writer and activist Chandrabhan Prasad. “They want to change these impressions.” What is more, Dalit entrepreneurs are expanding, and even have their own apex body — the Pune-based Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dicci), which has over 400 members. Dalits are also setting up schools and colleges — often as an avenue for helping the community. Pradeep Nagrare, secretary of the Nagpur-based Nagarjuna Institute of Engineering Technology and Management , says the idea for the institute, where 60 per cent of students are Dalits, came from the Babasaheb Ambedkar National Association of Engineers, a group of scheduled caste engineers. “If we have to take Babasaheb Ambedkar’s mission forward, it can only be through education,” he says. Dalit movements seeking to change lives have taken various forms, says S.S. Jodhka, professor of sociology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Political mobilisation saw the rise of the Bahujan Samaj Party, human right struggles focused on atrocities and discrimination while socio-economic development dealt with education and business. Religious movements have ranged from Dalits embracing Buddhism to the recent Ravidasia assertion in Punjab, spearheaded by followers of Ravidas, a 15th century saint who belonged to the chamar community. The hub of the Ravidasia movement is Dera Sachkhand, near Jalandhar. A huge Ravidas temple is being built in Jalandhar, young men sport T-shirts and headbands with the Hari symbol of the Ravidasia community. Dalits in Punjab — Sikhs and non-Sikhs — are being encouraged to list Ravidasia as their religion in the 2011 census. The movement grew as a reaction to years of discrimination. Dalits, who tilled the fields of Jat Sikhs, were not allowed inside the latter’s gurdwaras. So small gurdwaras mainly for Dalits cropped up. “The Jats of Punjab have been asserting their identity for long; it’s our turn now,” says Manohar Lal Mehey, an industrialist who proudly displays the Ravidasia symbol on his Mitsubishi Lancer. The movement got a fillip after the killing of a sect leader by upper caste Sikhs in Vienna, Austria, last year led to widespread violence. The trigger wasn’t so specific in the case of Dalit entrepreneurship, which is mainly a post-1990s phenomenon. The shrinking government sector, after liberalisation was launched, reduced regular job opportunities. Simultaneously, as companies began outsourcing activities to become more competitive, avenues opened up for non-business communities. Phulia, for instance, started as a
[ZESTCaste] Two huts of Dalits set ablaze
http://hindu.com/2010/09/05/stories/2010090555090400.htm Karnataka - Mysore Two huts of Dalits set ablaze Muralidhara Khajane These families were boycotted for refusing to beat drums during a festival The police were forced to register complaint against 13 people Dalits reportedly decided not to beat drums some 20 years ago MYSORE: An uneasy calm prevails at Ankahalli village of Gundlupet taluk in Chamarajanagar district, where “upper castes” allegedly torched two huts of Dalits early Friday for having complained to the police about the social boycott imposed on them. Foodgrains and other belongings in the huts of Rachaiah and Chikkasiddaiah were reduced to ashes in the incident. According to Superintendent of Police, Chamarajanagar district, B.S. Prakash, the situation was under control with two platoons of the District Armed Reserve (DAR) and senior police officers guarding the village. “Cases have been registered against 13 people in connection with the incident, but no arrests have been made so far. The accused will be arrested soon,” he told The Hindu. Chikkasiddaiah (46) said that “caste” Hindus imposed a social boycott on Dalit families for refusing to beat drums during the Mahadeshwara Swamy festival 15 days ago. Dalit leaders of the village had resolved not to beat drums during the festival some 20 years ago after a clash with “caste” Hindus. Nobody forced them to reconsider their decision till recently. However, when the new village head asked them to change their decision, the Dalits refused to do so. Irked by this, “caste” Hindus conducted a panchayat and fined the Dalits for disobeying the decision, and imposed a social boycott on them. The “caste” Hindus even warned people in the neighbouring villages of dire consequences if they helped the Dalits. The Dalits had been prevented from praying to the village deity even from outside the shrine, he said. When the Dalits complained to the police, they refused to register the complaint. The police were forced to register a complaint against 13 “caste” Hindus, who were instrumental in imposing the social boycott, after the intervention of the Dalit Mahasabha on August 20, said mahasabha president Venkataramana. Accusing “caste” Hindus of torching the houses of Chikkasiddaiah and Rachaiah, another Dalit leader of Chamarajanagar Arakalavadi Nagendra alleged that the houses were locked from outside before being torched. “But timely intervention of other Dalits, who doused the fire, saved the lives of two families,” he said. Had the police arrested the accused, the incident would not have occurred. “Interestingly, although the police were deployed in the village in view of the tension, they were not present when the huts were torched”, he alleged. Chamarajanagar MP R. Dhruvanarayan and Gundlupet MLA H.S. Mahadeva Prasad visited Anakahalli on Saturday and consoled the victims. Mr. Mahadeva Prasad attributed failure of the police to the torching incident. “Although a complaint was registered against the 13 accused on August 20, the police failed to arrest the culprits. The police are directly responsible for the incident,” he said. Angered by the apathy of the district administration in protecting the interest of Dalits in the district, Mr. Nagendra cautioned against launching district-wide agitation in case of not arresting the accused by Monday. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Absence of vettiyans pose problem to residents
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/absence-of-vettiyans-pose-problem-to-residents/204265.html Absence of vettiyans pose problem to residents U Tejonmayam First Published : 06 Sep 2010 03:04:59 AM IST Last Updated : 06 Sep 2010 09:14:13 AM IST CHENNAI: It is not an easy end, both for the dead and their relatives who arrive at the graveyard located at Ambedkar Nagar in Tambaram as there is no employee or vettiyan to do the final rites there for many years. The graveyard, located in the 20th ward at Tambaram, is more than five decades old and is under the control of the Tambaram municipality catering to the needs of both Hindus and Christians. Absence of a vettiyan had raised many problems among the residents as the relatives have to make the pyre or bury the body themselves that sometimes leads to improper cremation or burial. Residents claim that the bodies were cremated in odd hours especially between 4pm and 1 am, as there is no one to maintain the yard or question the people. The five-acre site is used for cremation by over 10,000 families of Ambedkar Nagar, Bharathi Nagar, Avvai Nagar, MGR Nagar, Indra Nagar and Rajaji Nagar. According to the residents, at least two to three bodies were cremated a week there. “There has been no vettiyan or a watchman to maintain the graveyard for more than 20 years. We should bury the bodies ourselves and cannot obtain a burial certificate. The worst is, at times, stray dogs drag parts of bodies even as it is in the pyre,” said 40-year-old Prakash, a resident. “Sometimes, we won’t even know if the person being cremated had a natural death or committed suicide,” the resident quickly added. Many local youth offer to cremate the bodies and take Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 but they don’t stay there till it burns completely, complain people. Repeated requests to the municipality to come up with halls to perform final rites and meditation have not been yielded any result. “We have invited applications for both watchman and vettiyan job, but none approached us. But another ground with all facilities for funeral rites is under construction at West Tambaram. That will solve the issue once it’s ready,” said Lion E Mani, President, Tambaram Municipality. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] UP to regularise services of daily wage work charge workers
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/up-to-regularise-services-of-daily-wage--work-charge-workers/293150.html UP to regularise services of daily wage work charge workers PTI | 04:09 PM,Sep 04,2010 Lucknow, Sep 4 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government today decided to regularise services of daily wage and casual workers appointed by it before 1991.The decision to rergularise those appointed in various departments, local bodies, housing board and development authorities will put an additional burden of Rs 80 crore on the state exchequer.In a meeting held this morning, the cabinet chaired by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati approved a proposal to regularise services of daily wage and work charge appointed before 1991, Principal Secretary Information Vijay Shanker Pandey told reporters here.The decision will benefit 26,800 part time employees and will create an additional financial burden of Rs 80 crore on the state exchequer, he said.Pandey said that additional posts will be created to accommodate work charge and daily wage employees.At present there are 10,000 work charge and 9,800 daily wage employees in different departments, who were engaged before 1991, the principal secretary said, adding that their regularisation will create an additional financial burden of Rs 20 crore on the government.Similarly, there are 3,000 daily wage employees in the local bodies and 4,000 daily wagers and work charge employees in housing board and development authorities.The decision will create an additional financial burden of Rs 60 crore on the local bodies, housing board and development authorities, which will be borne by these institutions, he said.He said that employees of local bodies, housing board and development authorities were already getting salary equivalent to class four as per the court order.The decision will solve a big problem as thousands of cases related to regularisation of service were pending in the courts. While the employees were spending money on these cases, the government had to make extra efforts, Pandey said.He said that the government had already banned appointment of daily wage and work charge employees from June 29, 1991.
[ZESTCaste] Seer to campaign against untouchability
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Seer-to-campaign-against-untouchability/articleshow/6502171.cms Seer to campaign against untouchability TNN, Sep 5, 2010, 11.02pm IST MYSORE: Vishweshwarateertha Swamiji of Pejawar mutt on Sunday said he will continue his crusade against untouchability and is planning to convert his visits dalit colonies in the state into a movement. At a press meet here, he said he will involve even the seers of others mutts in the state who are inclined to join him. I will start staying in villages and this will begin from coastal districts, he added. The swamiji said he will build a free hostel at Mysore for poor students of all communities and castes and preference will be given to dalit and OBC students during admissions. The seer said he will visit Naxal-affected areas of Orissa and Chhattisgarh next month and meet both victims of Naxal attacks and the Naxalites. I will try to assuage the feelings of the victims' families and appeal to the Naxals to join the mainstream, he said. When asked about keeping the dalits and OBCs from mass-feedings done at Brahmin mutts in the state, the seer said: Not only Brahmins even the other vegetarians will not like to eat meals with non-vegetarians. We cannot compel the people to sit together and have a meal, he added. But this does not mean that there are no mass feedings involving all castes and communities at Brahmin mutts, he added.
[ZESTCaste] Dalit outfits accuse police of inaction
http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/06/stories/2010090659740300.htm Karnataka - Mangalore Dalit outfits accuse police of inaction Staff Correspondent Accused in a case of atrocity over daily wage worker still to be booked: leaders A daily wage earner was assaulted by four persons in 2009 Dalit leaders seek compensation, job for the victim MANGALORE: Dalit organisations have alleged that members of Bajrang Dal, accused of stripping and assaulting Sridhar (27), a Dalit daily wage-worker from Peraje village of Kodagu district, in Bantwal taluk on July 5, 2009, were still to be arrested. The police registered a case against four persons after The Hindu brought the atrocity case to light. But all of them are now out on bail. Speaking at the monthly grievance meeting for SCs/STs organised by the district police here on Sunday, leaders of various Dalit organisations said that the police had failed to book cases against six more persons, who allegedly played a crucial role in the atrocity against the same victim. Expressing fears about the safety of Mr. Sridhar, they said that unless the police moved the court and got the bail order cancelled, the accused would try to harm or bring pressure on the victim again. The leaders demanded that Mr. Sridhar be paid compensation, provided medical care for the permanent deformities he sustained during the attack, and a Government job .
[ZESTCaste] Dalit woman's plea alleging rape dismissed
http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/05/stories/2010090553460300.htm Tamil Nadu - Madurai Dalit woman's plea alleging rape dismissed Staff Reporter Court says she filed case with mala fide intention She had signed agreement that she would not interfere with life of rape accused Police had conducted probe following complaint by petitioner and matter was settled: judge MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here has dismissed a petition filed by a Dalit woman post-graduate from Madurai seeking a direction to register a rape case against an employee of the Police Department. Justice R. Mala refused to entertain the case on the ground that the petitioner had approached the court, with a “mala fide” intention, a month after signing an agreement that she would not interfere with the life of the rape accused. The judge pointed out that the police had conducted an enquiry following a complaint lodged by the petitioner and the matter was settled by signing the agreement in the presence of a Dalit leader, a notary public and an advocate. “Even though the petitioner belongs to a depressed class, she is well educated and an M.A. graduate and knows the consequences of the agreement. The occurrence is alleged to have taken place in 2007, but she has come forward with this complaint only after a lapse of three years. Hence, I do not find any merits in the petition and the same deserves to be dismissed,” the judge said. According to the woman, the accused, a caste Hindu, came into contact with her when she was undergoing her second-year in the post-graduate course. He had a physical relationship with her on the promise of marrying her by convincing his parents. However, he did not keep up his promise and married another girl. A complaint was lodged with the Superintendent of Police to register a case against the accused under Sections 376 (rape), 313 (causing miscarriage without woman's consent), 506 part II (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, besides a few other provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The complaint was referred to T. Kallupatti police station but no case was registered and hence the present petition. Filing a status report before the Bench, the police claimed that both the victim as well as the accused had entered into an agreement in the presence of C.M. Periyasamy, the State president of Ambedkar Jana Sakthi, on June 3 stating that they would not interfere in each other's life. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Will India Become a Caste Society if Caste is Counted? (K. Satyanarayana)
http://casi.ssc.upenn.edu/iit/satyanarayana India in Transition Will India Become a Caste Society if Caste is Counted? K. Satyanarayana 08/02/2010 Why is there so much opposition and anxiety among some sections of the Indian elite – particularly among its upper-caste intellectual class – on the question of enumeration of caste in the Census of India 2011? My answer is simple: India would legally become a caste society. The formal recognition of caste as a national category implies that the Indian state is going beyond the constitutional recognition of caste as a category to measure disability (i.e., untouchability, atrocity, and social backwardness). The Indian constitution views caste as a source of disability or discrimination, and laid down a set of clauses to root out these practices of inequality. It assumes that caste is an exception to Indian social life and will fade away. In other words, the constitution conceives the Indian citizen to be a casteless individual and it bars acknowledgment of ascripitive ties. Though the constitution is categorical about eliminating disabilities caused by caste, it is vague about the status of the caste groups in Indian social life. However, the decision to enumerate caste would mean a legal acceptance of caste groups – especially lower caste groups such as Other Backward Classes (OBC) – as legitimate political actors. This implies that India would legally become a caste society; the Indian elite are shocked by this implication and the larger social transformations that might follow this legal acknowledgment of caste. The view that Indian society is a caste society is not a new perception. The Dalit and other anti-caste social movements asserted the centrality of caste in Indian society. It was Phule and Ambedkar, the two prominent voices in the colonial period, who argued that caste determines status, wealth, knowledge, and power in Indian society. It was again in the post-emergency period, that a new generation of dalit writers, critics, scholars, and activists not only reiterated that India is a caste society but also articulated a new notion of caste. They critiqued and rejected the elite view of caste as a singular entity that causes divisions in society and advanced a new concept of caste as a source of everyday experience of violence as well as an identity for mobilization. In fact, the tremendous pressure to recognize caste as a national category begins with the rise of the contemporary Dalit movement in the context of mass killings of Dalits in the 1970s and 1980s. In the context of atrocities on Dalits, the Congress Government enacted the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. This Act signaled an important change in the legal view of caste. While the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 recognized “untouchability” – not caste – as a cause of disability, the SC/ST Act, 1989 identified “caste” as a cause of atrocity, and caste related atrocities as national crimes. The Supreme Court also came under public pressure during the Mandal agitation during the period of 1991 to 1993, and accorded legal sanction to the category of caste as a national entity (Indra Sawhney vs. Union of India, 1992). Therefore, the demand for enumerating caste in the Census 2011 is a demand of the Dalits and the OBCs who are consolidated as social groups and operate as a force in contemporary society. The Indian elite are defending the idea of India as a homogeneous entity and neutral space beyond ascriptive identities. They represent themselves as a special group of Indian citizens (“meri Jaati Hindustani”). This group is a small minority of English-educated urban elite – mostly upper caste intellectuals and some politicians – who view caste as divisive and evil. This group includes yet another small section of liberal and left-oriented intellectuals who advance the view that enumeration of caste in the Census will prevent a meaningful and complete transformation of India as a democratic society. They view the debate on caste only as an issue relating to reservations or other policy issues related to SC/ST/OBCs. Both of these sections of the elite represent themselves as casteless people (i.e., true Indians) and stigmatize Dalits and OBCs as caste people. They never concede that the recognition of different castes and therefore, the existence of different social groups in the country is an important decision in and of itself. One must take note of the Dalit critique of the dominant conceptions of caste. The literary and activist writings and academic scholarship of Dalits underscore the view that caste is a source of everyday discrimination, brutal forms of violence, dehumanization, and inequality. This scholarship, drawing on experience, simultaneously brings to light the role of caste as a marker of privilege, caste arrogance, social worth, and power, and dismantles the view that secular/modern Indian citizens are casteless. It
[ZESTCaste] Fwd: A Report on Dalit Adivasi Students and Foreign Universities (Insight Study Circle Meeting held on 22nd August)
-- Forwarded message -- From: anoop kumar anoopkh...@gmail.com Date: Fri, Sep 3, 2010 at 11:00 AM Subject: A Report on Dalit Adivasi Students and Foreign Universities (Insight Study Circle Meeting held on 22nd August) To: Opportunities for Dalit and Adivasi Students for Higher Education in World’s Premier Educational Institutions: A Report Insight Study Circle Meeting held on 22 August 2010 (Sunday) at Indian Social Institute, Lodhi Road, New Delhi Speakers 1. David Vumlallian Zou (from Manipur) teaches at History Department, Delhi University and did his doctorate from Queen’s University, Belfast with full scholarship from Academic Planning Grant (Northern Ireland). 2. Abhay Xaxa (from Chhattisgarh) is currently working with Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi and did his Masters in Social Anthropology from University of Sussex, UK (2008) as one of the recipient of International Ford Fellowship Programme. 3. Bhawani Buswala (from Rajasthan) is currently in the country for his field research. He is pursuing his PhD in Anthropology from Brown University, Rhodes Island, USA on full university scholarship. 4. Rama Devi Hansraj (from Andhra Pradesh) completed her Post Graduation in Human Rights from University of London (2004) as one of the International Ford Fellow. She is currently based in Kolkata and is working with Catholic Relief Service. Given below are the excerpts from the speeches from our panel of speakers followed by a brief interaction session with our audiences. Rama Devi Hansraj I did my MA from University of Hyderabad, Department of Mass Communication. I am the first generation educated person in my family. After completing my studies in Hyderabad, I worked with some small Human Rights groups in Andhra Pradesh. Through that network I came to know about International Ford Foundation Fellowship programme that was meant exclusively for students from marginalised background. I applied and was selected after going through its rigorous selection process. With that fellowship, I did my Masters in University of London in Human Rights. As I was part of Dalit students’ movement in Hyderabad University, I was very conscious of caste discrimination that we all go through both subtle and direct. Perhaps that made me to opt for my study in the area of Human Rights. Also I felt that articulation on the issues is a major problem. I have heard many Dalit women who were able to articulate and share their personal experiences in their vernacular language so well but doing so in English was a big challenge. They are being represented by people who are only good at articulating in English and so people coming from the grass root realities could never talk for themselves at a bigger platform like UN. These reasons led me to opt for a course in human rights. What I liked about Ford Foundation was their entire interview process. The whole process was very comforting and gave us enough breathing space and to remain confident as applicants. They appointed one panel member to each applicant to interact at personal level. The one who was interviewing me, later, in the interview actually spoke on behalf of me which was very encouraging. This gave me lot of confidence and helped me face whatever question they asked. -- Rosa sat so Martin could walk; Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so your children can fly INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Fwd: Caste Discrimination roves in Chhattisgarh [1 Attachment]
*[Attachment(s) from Siddhartha Kumar included below] -- Forwarded message -- From: Goldy George goldymgeorg...@gmail.com Date: 2 September 2010 18:46 Subject: [INDELHI:484] Caste Discrimination roves in Chhattisgarh To: dalit-movement-association- dalit-movement-associati...@googlegroups.com, indiancurre...@gmail.com, editor edi...@countercurrents.org, gudduda...@gmail.com, bharat-chintan bharat-chin...@googlegroups.com, Sudha Bharadwaj advocatesudhabharad...@gmail.com, inde...@googlegroups.com, justpeaceina...@yahoogroups.com, adv sudha advsudha...@yahoo.co.in, chhattisgarh-...@yahoogroups.com, hu_governa...@googlegroups.com, human-rig...@uchicago.edu, ihro i...@yahoogroups.com, PUCL CG pucl...@gmail.com, puc...@gmail.com, pucl...@yahoo.com, kavita nirmalawaman adv.kavit...@gmail.com, Rajendra Sail rajendras...@gmail.com, rajendras...@rediffmail.com, vijendra Aznabi vij...@gmail.com, Gerard Oonk g.o...@indianet.nl Dear all, On 17th August 2010 there was an incident of mob violence in Balaudi village near Palari tehsil of Raipur district. On 18th the newspapers reported it as an issue between two groups in the village. Followed by this Dalit Mukti Morcha and People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Chhattisgarh jointly constituted a Fact Finding Investigation team to investigate the entire issue. I am herewith attaching the report of the fact finding team. The team has come up with vital observations and recommendations. Please forward it to groups and individuals concerned. Looking forwards to your support and solidarity Goldy -- - Goldy M. George PhD candidate TISS, Mumbai Founder Dalit Mukti Morcha Chhattisgarh -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Invites Delhi group. To post to this group, send email to inde...@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to indelhi+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indelhi?hl=en-GB *Attachment(s) from Siddhartha Kumar: * 1 of 1 File(s) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/attachments/folder/2089169668/item/list * Caste Untouchability and Discrimination led to the Balaudi Incident.doc INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Dalit women reaping the benefits of community pond
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article607622.ece News » States » Tamil Nadu PUDUKOTTAI, September 1, 2010 Dalit women reaping the benefits of community pond Special Correspondent A group of women members of Thalinji have started reaping the benefits of a community pond developed jointly by the Agricultural Engineering Department, Thalinji village panchayat besides the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). The pond was set up to check the wastage of rainwater in the village every monsoon with a focus on generating livelihood assistance to the women members, all belonging to the Dalit community. Prior to the setting up of the pond, it was causing havoc to the residents of Thalinji colony. The Agricultural Engineering Department dug out the earth for setting up the community pond which is 160 metres in length and three metres in depth. Its water spread area is 1,600 square metres. The pond has been ensuring assured livelihood assistance to the women members. They have raised the buffalo grass in the periphery of the pond and raised vegetables on the bunds. Poly fish culture activity has also been taken up at the site. “The villagers have been harvesting fish and vegetables periodically,” says M. Nageswaran, Project Co-ordinator, MSSRF. The villagers have been adopting eco-friendly techniques for realisation of run off water. The residents have been using the pond for supplying drinking water to the cattle. The villagers have christened the pond after the MSSRF. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] UP renames awards after dalit icons
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/UP-renames-awards-after-dalit-icons/articleshow/6493664.cms UP renames awards after dalit icons TNN, Sep 5, 2010, 12.24am IST LUCKNOW: It is now turn for renaming awards for small industrialist, craftsman and export promotion after dalit icons in Mayawati-ruled Uttar Pradesh. Till now, this practice was confined to parks and monuments, still under construction and refurbishment at a whopping cost, which is estimated to have already crossed Rs 10,000 crore. A decision to this effect was taken by chief minister Mayawati at a cabinet meeting held here on Saturday. As per the cabinet decision, the small industrialist state award scheme will be renamed as Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Small Industrialist State Award Scheme. Similarly, the state award given to special craftsman will be renamed as Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Special Craftsman State Award Scheme. Export award has been named after BSP founder Kanshiram. These personalities had made an important contribution towards the uplift of the country and the society. The decision taken by the cabinet will not only enhance the prestige of the awards but also the persons getting them will feel proud, said a government spokesman. The cabinet also approved setting up of UP Forest Development Tribunal under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The body will implement and monitor the scheme launched with the help of the Centre for increasing forest area and starting an affroestration drive with the support of villagers under a national programme.
[ZESTCaste] Let’s fight together: Kashmiri Gujjars to Jats
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/lets-fight-together-kashmiri-gujjars-to-jats_100423531.html Let’s fight together: Kashmiri Gujjars to Jats Sunday, September 05, 2010 1:56:14 PM by ANI ( Leave a comment ) By Tahir Nadeem Khan Jammu Sep.5 (ANI): The Scheduled Tribe Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir today offered their full support to Jat community in their current struggle for grant of Other Backward Class (OBC) status. In a letter addressed to different Jat organizations and community leaders sent through Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, the Gujjars of the state asked Jat community to come forward in response to their offer for a United Gujjar-Jat struggle front. Giving details Dr. Javaid Rahi, Secretary Tribal Foundation, said we are ready to join OBC struggle of Jat if they moblize their community in Gujjar struggle for tribal status going in different state including in Rajasthan. He said we have written to both Gujjars and Jat leaders and organizationstoins working for social upliftment to unite on one stand to take up all ongoing struggles jointly till theirs logical end. Dr. Javaid also asked both community of the state to revive pre-1947 relations and renew Gujjar-Jat Conference which were the leading organization and United Platform of Gujjars and Jats in state before partition.The letter reads: In Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Gujjars (ST ) constitutes over 20 per cent of total population of the state which can play a key role in Jats struggle for grant of OBC status. The letter reads that the Gujjars of Rajasthan are struggling hard for grant Scheduled Tribe (ST ) status and around one 71 people of Gujjar tribe were killed in this historic struggle, the Jats should come forward and support Gujjars in their struggle.The letter further reads historically, culturally and socially Gujjars and Jats share many similarities and now its need of the hour that we should join hands together for a united struggle for rights of both communities . The Gujjars and Jats together can do wanders in changing social scenario of India, the letter said. (ANI) INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Two cops face action for dereliction of duty
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Two-cops-face-action-for-dereliction-of-duty/677459 Two cops face action for dereliction of duty Express News Service Posted online: Sun Sep 05 2010, 05:07 hrs Kanpur : On the charges of dereliction of duty in the alleged rape and suicide case of a 17-year-old Dalit girl in Parauli village, Station Officer Ghatampur Kallu Ram Dohrey and Constable Virendra Singh have been relieved of their duties. The family members of the deceased minor had alleged the SO and Constable of favouring the alleged persons and not arresting them. Taking a serious note of the complaint, DIG Kanpur, Prem Prakash relieved Dohrey and Singh off their duties and attached them to police line on late Friday night. The DIG has also formed a team to probe into the role of Ghatampur police in the matter. District Magistrate Mukesh Kumar Meshram has instructed Joint Magistrate Muttu Swami to prepare a report on the role of Station Officer and Constable in the case. However, even a day after the suicide, no arrest has yet been made by Ghatampur police. A Class XI student of Pandit Deen Beni Singh Bharat Inter College of Bheetargaon block was allegedly kidnapped and raped by village youth identified as Sunil Singh Bhadoria on Thursday morning. Her father Ashok Kumar claimed that he made several efforts to convince SO Kallu Ram Dohrey to register his case, but the police official denied lodging the complaint. Meanwhile, on Friday morning, the minor girl set herself on fire at her Parauli village residence. Before the family members could rush to her rescue, the minor died on the spot. The villagers in a large number held a protest in the village and demanded the arrest of the accused persons. Keeping in mind the large-scale protest, the case was registered on Friday afternoon. DIG Prem Prakash said: “Strict departmental action would be initiated against the Station Officer and the Constable if they are found guilty of having favoured the accused persons.” The DIG has instructed ASP Kanpur Rural area Lal Bahadur to set up an inquiry in the role of Dohrey and Singh in the matter. “Meanwhile, police teams have been formed to arrest the accused persons at the earliest,” he added. The senior police official pointed out that on the complaint made by Ashok Kumar, a case under the charges of kidnapping, rape, provocation for suicide and SC/ST Act has been registered against Sunil Singh Bhadoria, his father Shivveer and his mother. Meanwhile, the girl’s father said his daughter would not have died if Ghatampur police had supported them. Ashok Kumar said: “Both Sunil and his father Shivveer repeatedly threatened us on Thursday night and Friday morning and the entire family was scared.” He was disappointed that a day after the suicide, police team has failed to make any arrest. Kumar said: “On Thursday morning, Sunil kidnapped my daughter from village outskirts and raped her in the farming fields.” Kumar also accused Sunil’s family members of supporting him in the crime. DM Mukesh Kumar Meshram said the family members have leveled serious allegations against the SO and the Constable. “I have asked district officials to present their report on the issue at the earliest,” he added. Meanwhile, the first postmortem report could not confirm the rape charges, following which a slide of genital organs of the minor has been prepared. IG, Kanpur Range, G L Meena, said the slide of genital organs of the minor has been prepared and will soon be sent for the lab test. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] After parks, statues, awards named after Ambedkar, Kanshiram
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/111465/India/after-parks,-statues,-awards-named-after-ambedkar,-kanshiram.html After parks, statues, awards named after Ambedkar, Kanshiram PTI Lucknow, September 4, 2010 Updated 19:50 IST Mayawati to put up more of her statues Editor-in-chief on Mayawati Mayawati talks of a secret successor Now, Mayawati is a Goddess Mayawati's Noida park hits hurdle SC raps Mayawati govt again Caste politics: Cong slams Mayawati Maya's Rs 1,000-garland upsets LS Mayawati rally: 2 held for bee attack After christening parks in the name of Dalit icons and installing their statues, Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday decided to name state awards for small industrialist, craftsman and export after Bhimrao Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshiram. A proposal to name these awards given by the government was passed during a meeting of the state cabinet which was chaired by Chief Minister Mayawati. The small industrialist state award scheme will be renamed as Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Small Industrialist State Award scheme. Similarly, state award given to special craftsman will be remaned as Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Special Craftsman state award scheme. Export award has been named after BSP founder Kanshiram. These prominent personalities had made an important contribution to upliftment of the country and the society. The decision taken by the cabinet will not only enhance the prestige of the awards but also the persons getting them will feel proud, a government spokesman said.
[ZESTCaste] 'BSP most corrupt govt UP has had'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/BSP-most-corrupt-govt-UP-has-had/articleshow/6493666.cms 'BSP most corrupt govt UP has had' TNN, Sep 5, 2010, 12.25am IST LUCKNOW: State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Surya Pratap Shahi came down heavily on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government during the first meeting of the state BJP's working committee on Saturday. The Mayawati government is the most corrupt government UP has ever had, he said in his address. Right from the 'thana' and tehsil levels to the state level, the only thing which puts the official machinery into motion here is bribe, he alleged. He further said, The only qualification for government jobs today is the capacity to pay. The sate is in the grip of education mafia, copy mafia and mineral mafia. The sugar mills worth thousand of crores have been sold off to a favoured company for a pittance. The public in UP wants to know the reason why all the big projects in the state are being handled by JP and Chhadha groups alone, he said. The Yamuma Expressway and Ganga Expressway have also been designed to benefit the favourites. The forcible land acquisition is, therefore, an exercise to usurp the prime land to make the rich richer, he charged. The BJP president slammed the BSP regime for having spent a whopping Rs 20,000 crore on setting up memorials, parks and statues. The money could have been better utilised on welfare schemes for the poor, he said. Flaying the poor law and order situation in the state, Shahi drew attention to the murder of the wife of senior party leader Hukum Singh. Attack on minister Nandi also testifies to the grim fact that law enforcement agencies have become totally ineffective in UP, he added. Shahi said, The BJP is emerging as a viable option in UP. The BSP has failed to deliver on its promises, and the common man is highly disappointed with the 'Mayaraj'. He would neither like to have a repeat of the 'jungle raj' as witnessed during the reign of Mulayam Singh Yadav, nor would support the Congress which has cheated the public with its anti-poor policies. He added, The party needs to work hard to fulfil the people's expectations.
[ZESTCaste] Congress wants Maya to give more power to panchayats
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Congress-wants-Maya-to-give-more-power-to-panchayats/articleshow/6494209.cms Congress wants Maya to give more power to panchayats Subodh Ghildiyal, TNN, Sep 5, 2010, 04.26am IST NEW DELHI: Congress will launch a campaign aimed at pressing UP's Mayawati government to empower panchayats as envisaged by Panchayati Raj, in a political gambit pitting the BSP chief against the Rajiv Gandhi legacy to woo the rural electorate. The party campaign for devolution of powers to panchayats will coincide with culmination of three-tier panchayat elections due to start later this month in UP even though the party has decided to skip local body elections this year. While panchayat polls are not held on a party-basis, political outfits have been issuing support to individuals through letters, advertisements and party flags. Aware that it was still some distance from regaining organisational muscle to emerge a key player in the state, Congress is trying to turn its handicap into a weapon. While a defeat of party candidates in panchayats would have spoilt the perception about a rising Congress, selection of nominees from among many aspirants at local levels risked stoking infighting. Instead, Congress has hit upon a plan to apply pressure on the state government for power to panchayats. The idea is to ask Mayawati to work on panchayati raj as envisaged by Rajiv Gandhi. It will not be an easy demand for Mayawati to fulfill as transferring powers to panchayats will significantly prune the state's authority. Rajiv Gandhi's name, it is hoped, will refresh people's memory about the leader's dream about devolution of power to villages, besides drawing a connect between them and Rahul Gandhi who is leading the party campaign. But larger objective is to polarise panchayats against BSP by telling them the Constitution envisages a bigger role in governance for them. It is hoped the campaign will mobilise panchayats in favour of Congress. The sarpanches are crucial to poll campaigns owing to their clout in village-level decision making.
[ZESTCaste] To instil consciousness on Dalit human rights, legal rights
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/article589666.ece To instil consciousness on Dalit human rights, legal rights Staff Reporter Share “History shows that where ethics and economics come in conflict, victory is always with economics. Vested interests have never been known to have willingly divested themselves unless there was sufficient force to compel them.” - B.R.Ambedkar It is a well known fact that the consciousness about Constitutional provisions and law enforcement agencies among the Dalits is indeed low and that is one of the reasons which remains as a stumbling block to their emancipation. Moreover, startling evidence reveal that the empowerment of Dalits has always resulted in a concurrent increase in their opposition as well. Atrocity cases happen when Dalits try to avail themselves of legal resources; assert their right over common property resources, their occupation, right to participate in cultural life, their right to vote etc. This being the reality, Dalit Foundation, India and Peoples Watch (NGOs which work among Dalits) have been for so many years organising a National Training Programme on Dalit Human Rights Monitoring. It is one such effort to instil and inculcate the legal as well as human rights aspects among grassroots activists and campaigners of Dalit cause. The ten-day training programme is under way at PILLAR centre in Nagamalai Pudukottai here in Madurai where 56 members from Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka Orissa Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are participating. All the members are basically Dalit activists who are working at a grassroot level in theor respective states and this training programme provides them a chance to become “informed Dalit activists,” said Pandian, Coordinator, Dalit Foundation, India. The members had interactive sessions on Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. However the salient feature of the training programme is going on a fact finding mission to get experienced in a professional way to handle atrocity cases. Sisir, from Orissa, went to Namakkal district to investigate an alleged case of forceful displacement of Dalits where the local panchayat council had decided to socially ostracise a Dalit family which questioned their rights over land. Sisir says, “Cases have been filed under SC/ST POA, 1989 but there has been no progress.” Swaranjali, of Maharashtra, went to Goundanallur village in Erode district to investigate a case of a murder of dalit youth. She found how the victim's mother fearing backlash has restrained herself from even filing a complaint. Indira of Tuticorin district went to Nedungulam in Virudhunagar to investigate an alleged case of caste clash between Dalits and caste Hindus. Using her gained experiences as a trainee she was able to gather information from the police and question them on the sections under which cases have been filed. Murugesan, Jessintha, Esakkimuthu, Jegadeesan (from Tamil Nadu), Prakash (Maharashtra) and Manjula (Karnataka) also shared their experiences of being part of this training programme and how significant is it for the Dalits and Dalit activists to be conscious about the legal aspects. Many activists shared that “Even if they lodge a complaint under the S.C. /S.T. Act, the police ask the caste Hindus to lodge a counter complaint so that a criminal case is filed against the Dalits, too. Henri Tiphagne, Executive Director, Peoples Watch, who imparts training to the members, said that the essential aspect of this training is to make ‘human rights defenders out of Dalit activists.' Dalit activists are members who have experienced some sort of discrimination and the protest element is there within them but the effort is to make them think beyond their own experience and to form a pattern where they could think about discrimination from a wider perspective. This includes documenting the discrimination and human rights violation, handling cases in a professional way, fact finding experiences and recording the statements of victims and perpetrators, which would provide a broader understanding. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list,
[ZESTCaste] Mayawati Vs Rahul: Amethi likely to get a new name
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Mayawati-Vs-Rahul-Amethi-likely-to-get-a-new-name/articleshow/6477764.cms 2 Sep, 2010, 04.38AM IST,ET Bureau Mayawati Vs Rahul: Amethi likely to get a new name NEW DELHI: The Mayawati government’s efforts to ‘erase’ the Nehru-Gandhi family’s ‘imprint’ on Amethi got a big boost when the Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the go ahead for the creation of a district carved out of Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency. UP CM Mayawati wants to rename the district after Dalit icon Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj. SC decided the issue in favour of the Mayawati government on the ground that a similar petition was dismissed by the HC on August 11. A Bench comprising Justices R V Raveendran and H L Gokhale said the HC Bench, which passed the interim order on August 18, should have considered the order of August 11 of its own bench. “Judicial propriety demanded that the high court should have considered the final judgement of August 11. It could not have taken a different stand,” the Supreme Court Bench said. UP had moved the apex court, challenging the August 18 interim order of the Lucknow Bench of the HC which stayed restoration of the new district till March 31 next year or till further orders. The new district is being carved out of three tehsils of Sultanpur district, Amethi, Gauriganj, Musafir Khana, and two tehsils of Rae Bareli, Salon and Tiloi. The Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency, which is represented by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, along with Amethi and Sultanpur constituencies form the famous Gandhi bastion. In December 2002, when BSP controlled the state, Ms Mayawati had made the first attempt to rename the district. Addressing a rally in Amethi, she announced her government’s decision to rename the constituency, then represented by Sonia Gandhi. The district came into existence with Gauriganj as its headquarters six days after Ms Mayawati made the announcement. However, her successor Mulayam Singh Yadav scrapped the decision in his very first cabinet meeting. A writ petition challenging Mr Yadav government’s move was filed in the Lucknow bench of the HC by Uma Shankar Pandey. The court in March 2010 directed the petitioner to submit his case before the state government, which was asked to take a final view on the issue within three months. This paved way for the Mayawati government’s latest action. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] 'There is need for Brahmins to change too'
http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/interview_there-is-need-for-brahmins-to-change-too_1434050 'There is need for Brahmins to change too' Published: Monday, Sep 6, 2010, 10:33 IST By M Raghuram | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA He has been known as a crusader for the unification of the Hindu sects. He is renowned for breaking old customs, and opening the doors of temples to dalit devotees who were earlier barred entry. As the senior swamiji of Udupi Pejavar Math, Vishwesha Thirtha, celebrates the Chaturmasya at Mysore, DNA had a word with him. Is conversion of Hindus to other faiths a matter of worry for you? You have been campaigning for the unification of the Hindu sects since 1952; and you have courted the wrath of hardliners by opening temple doors to dalit worshippers. A major portion of Hindu society has been alienated from mainline Hindu culture. Dalits have been marginalised for centuries. This discrimination has led many dalit worshippers to other religions, where they have been promised greater dignity. My endeavour is to empower the dalits, so that they do not, anymore, need to seek recourse to any other religious group. I am a sanyasi, and I have no means of politically or economically empowering anyone. I hope that the people who hold the reins of power will understand the need for granting the dalits greater dignity. How will you integrate the dalits into mainstream Hindu society, when political parties have been using dalit issues just to garner votes? I have no illusions about being able to usher in changes in the political culture. But I do have a clear vision of what is possible for me to do. I will take up padayatras in every dalit colony in the country. We will go and appeal to them to come to the temples. I will appeal to them to actively take part in every temple festival, and so ease dalits into the mainstream. The upper castes too should be part of this process. How would you respond to the issue of whether dalits need to be forced to accede to a Brahmin viewpoint? The dalits should retain their own identity. They have a religious identity that is integral to the larger Hindu social structure. Brahminism is one aspect of Hinduism, which is itself part of a larger entity. There is need for the dalits to feel better integrated into the Hindu religious and social fabric, and for upper caste Hindus to look at dalits with a changed heart. What are your views on cow slaughter? The framers of our constitution, headed by Dr BR Ambedkar, who championed the cause of dalits, enshrined the need for banning the slaughter of milch animals for meat. Those who advocate the slaughter of milch animals should understand the religious sentiment of the majority community. If there is a livelihood issue here, I would appeal that other animals be slaughtered for meat instead.
[ZESTCaste] ‘Dalits denied their forest pie’
http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/09/03/nation/dalits-denied-their-forest-pie/212348/ Nation» ‘Dalits denied their forest pie’ KATHMANDU, SEP 03 - Participation of the underprivileged Dalit community has been largely ignored in forest management and sharing of benefits of natural resources, experts said. Speaking at a two-day workshop on Climate Change and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) that concluded on Friday, Sunil Pariyar, Chairperson of Dalit Alliance for Natural Resources (DANAR) Nepal, said inclusiveness of Dalits in community forestry was minimal. According to a study report published on Thursday, representation of Dalits in community forestry programme is only 17 percent in the country. Presenting the findings, Pariyar said, “Though the REDD programme provisions empowering indigenous communities to ensure them benefits over natural resources, it will not benefit the Dalit unless they have ownership over water, forests and land.” REDD is carbon-funding mechanism that seeks to provide incentives for developing countries from the developed nations for reducing emissions from forests. Posted on: 2010-09-04 08:12 INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Social Justice Empowerment Ministry invites Proposals from Institutions for Providing free Coaching to SC OBC Students
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=65532 Friday, September 03, 2010 Ministry of Social Justice Empowerment Social Justice Empowerment Ministry invites Proposals from Institutions for Providing free Coaching to SC OBC Students 17:4 IST The Union Ministry of Social Justice Empowerment has invited proposals from reputed coaching institutions/centres for providing free coaching to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the ratio of 70:30. The programme would cover coaching for: i) Group A and B examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the various Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB); ii) Group A and B examinations conducted by the State Public Service Commissions; iii) Officers’ Grade examinations conducted by Banks, Insurance Companies and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and; iv) Finishing courses/job-oriented courses for employment in the private sector like IT, Bio-technology etc. in need of soft skill as well; The details of the Scheme (including the eligibility conditions) and application format may be downloaded from the website www.socialjustice.nic.in/index.html of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The coaching institutions/centrers may send their complete proposals in the prescribed format addressed to the Joint Secretary (SCD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, Room No. 610, A Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110 115 latest by 20.9.2010, along with all prescribed documents mentioned in the application format. Applications received after 20.9.2010 will be rejected. VBA/RS INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Bhabha Hospital doctor blamed for Dalit mum’s deat h in Mumbai
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_bhabha-hospital-doctor-blamed-for-dalit-mum-s-death-in-mumbai_1433297 Bhabha Hospital doctor blamed for Dalit mum’s death in Mumbai Published: Saturday, Sep 4, 2010, 0:59 IST By Linah Baliga | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA In yet another case of a deceased person’s kin blaming a hospital for the death, relatives of a 25-year-old Dalit woman have alleged negligence on part of a gynaecologist lecturer at Bhabha Hospital as the reason for her death. Snehal Mohite, who died on Friday morning at the KEM hospital after developing renal complications post delivery, was admitted to Bhabha Hospital in Bandra (West) on August 23. Mohite underwent a forcep delivery on August 26 at the Bhabha Hospital and was immediately admitted operated on and moved to the intensive care unit (ICU) as she was profusely bleeding. However, as the hospital did not have a dialysis facility, Mohite was moved to KEM as she had developed renal complications. On Friday as Mohite died, her relatives held the gynaecologist lecturer at Bhabha Hospital, who conducted the forcep delivery, responsible for her death. The relatives also alleged that authorities at KEM were willing to discharge Mohite’s body only on the condition that they agree to not raise objections over her sudden death. “We were not even told about the seriousness of her condition and that she would be operated on. The forcep was wrongly used and half an hour after her delivery she was operated on for five hours. She also suffered a kidney failure. Bhabha Hospital’s gynaecologist lecturer was negligent, which is the cause of her death,” said Mahendra Jadhav, Snehal’s uncle. “Also, KEM hospital was not ready to hand over the dead body to us. We fear they will create a problem in the post-mortem report.” However, Dr Sulbha Chirmule, medical superintendent, Bhabha Hospital, said, “Since it’s a maternal death, we’ll inquire in to the matter. Only a post-mortem report can ascertain the real cause of her death,” said Chirmule. While Dr Sanjay Oak, director (medical education and major hospitals) and dean, KEM hospital, said, “She was brought in a critical state and was already operated upon.We are waiting for the post-mortem report.” INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Caste discrimination — U.K. Dalits win the argumen t, nearly
http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/04/stories/2010090454531300.htm Opinion - News Analysis Caste discrimination — U.K. Dalits win the argument, nearly Hasan Suroor There's a palpable mood of optimism among Britain's 2,00,000-strong Dalit community as it waits for the Government to take a decision on its long-standing campaign for caste discrimination to be recognised as racism. The buzz is that, barring a last-minute hiccup, Britain could soon become the first European, indeed Western, country to declare caste prejudice unlawful under its race laws — a move which will not please New Delhi which has consistently opposed caste being clubbed with race. Britain's new Equality Act already empowers the Government to declare “caste to be an aspect of race” without seeking fresh parliamentary approval. Clause 9 of the Act says: “The fact that a racial group comprises two or more distinct racial groups does not prevent it from constituting a particular racial group. A Minister of the Crown may by order — (a) amend this section so as to provide for caste to be an aspect of race …” Much will depend on the findings of a study it has commissioned to determine the extent of caste discrimination. The report of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a leading independent research body which is conducting the research, is expected in the autumn and campaigners are confident that it will back their own claims about how “widespread” caste prejudice in Britain, really, is. CasteWatchUK, Britain's oldest Dalit campaign group, says it is no longer a question of “if” but “when” an official announcement is made. “We have provided enough evidence to researchers and have no doubt in our minds that their report will be positive. Besides, we have full faith in the fairness of the British state. The fact that they have included it in the equality act is half the battle won. It is not a question of ‘if' but ‘when' it happens,” claims its general secretary Davinder Prasad. There has been widespread cross-party support for the campaign, the “only reluctant voices being those of Asian MPs,” according to Lekh Pall, general secretary of the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance (ACDA), an umbrella group. Leads to division The issue has divided Britain's Indian diaspora and right-wing groups such as the Hindu Forum of Britain have launched a counter-campaign arguing that the Government has no right to intervene in what they claim is the community's internal affair. Ramesh Kallidai, secretary-general of the Forum, says it is “not right for the U.K. Government to take a position on the rites, beliefs or practices of a particular religion”. “Social interactions and personal choices are an expression of people's freedom, and any barriers should be removed through education and awareness, not through legislation,” he argues. In a report, “Caste in the U.K.”, the Forum denied claims of caste discrimination saying its own research had found that it was “not endemic in British society”. However, a study — “Hidden Apartheid, Voice of the Community, Caste and Caste Discrimination in the U.K.” — by ACDA in collaboration with academics from the universities of Hertfordshire and Manchester and the Manchester Metropolitan University, concluded that there was “clear evidence” of widespread caste-based discrimination. “There is clear evidence from the survey and the focus groups that the caste system has been imported into the U.K. with the Asian diaspora and that the associated caste discrimination affects citizens in ways beyond personal choices and social interaction. There is a danger that if the U.K. government does not effectively accept and deal with the issue of caste discrimination the problem will grow unchecked,” it said. The report claimed that “tens of thousands of people in the workplace, the classroom and even the doctor's surgery” suffered discrimination because of their caste. Forty-five per cent of the respondents alleged they had either been treated negatively by co-workers or had comments made about their caste. Nine per cent felt they were been denied promotion, and 10 per cent that they were paid less because of their caste. Some also claimed that they faced “threats”. One woman, who worked for an Indian-run radio station, complained that she was demoted after her manager discovered her caste background, while an elderly woman alleged that her care worker discriminated against her on caste grounds. One transport company reorganised its duty roster so that a “higher caste” inspector would not have to work with a “lower caste” bus driver. Caste-related name-calling was one of the most commonly-reported complaints. More often than not, incidents of discrimination go unreported as people are reluctant to talk about them, activists claim with one activist saying that “there is a silent majority out there that we never hear about”. According to Dr. Gurnam Singh of the department of social and community studies
[ZESTCaste] Lawyers protest against PSI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Lawyers-protest-against-PSI/articleshow/6488206.cms Lawyers protest against PSI TNN, Sep 3, 2010, 11.06pm IST HASSAN: For the second consecutive day, district lawyers boycotted court work demanding Holenarsipur police sub-inspector Chikanna be arrested and suspended immediately. The decision to boycott court work was taken after a meeting in the Advocates Association office here on Friday. The lawyers said PSI Chikanna insulted Ashok, a dalit lawyer, when he went to register a complaint in Holenarsipur police station. Officials have not arrested or suspended Chikanna yet. From Saturday, we will fight the issue in court till Ashok gets justice,'' they said.
[ZESTCaste] Schemes bring ray of hope for SC, ST farmers
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/25/stories/2010082557410300.htm Karnataka - Bijapur Schemes bring ray of hope for SC, ST farmers Pradeepkumar Kadkol 1,119 farmers utilised benefits in Bijapur, Bagalkot last year 43 projects were taken up in Bagalkot, 24 in Bijapur under Special Component Plan for SCs Beneficiaries provided irrigation facility by constructing ponds, drilling borewells Facility:A well constructed under the Special Component Plan in Kengalgutti village of Bijapur district. Bijapur: Over 75 per cent of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes families in Bijapur district depend on agricultural activities for a livelihood. These families with small land holdings have remained below the poverty line owing to lack of proper facilities for agricultural activities, including irrigation facilities. Though the Union and State governments have launched several schemes for the uplift of their socio-economic condition, their benefits have not reached all owing to lack of awareness. However, irrigation facilities being provided by the Minor Irrigation Department under the Special Component Plan (SCP) for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Sub-plan (TSP) for Scheduled Tribes from the last financial year have given a ray of hope for such families in both Bijapur and Bagalkot districts. Identification Executive Engineer of the department R.B. Patil told The Hindu said that officials were instructed to identify beneficiaries in the twin districts of Bijapur and Bagalkot and ensure that benefits of the schemes reached actual beneficiaries. During 2009-10, the officials took up 43 projects in Bagalkot district and 24 in Bijapur district under the Special Component Plan, benefiting 494 farmers and 17 projects in Bagalkot and four in Bijapur under the Tribal Sub-plan, benefiting 625 farmers. The beneficiaries were provided irrigation facility by constructing ponds, drilling borewells and drawing pipelines from nearby wells. The total area that was irrigated under the SCP is 595 acres — 480 acres in Bijapur and 115 acres in Bagalkot district. The total area that was irrigated under the TSP is 741 acres — 148 acres in Bijapur and 593 acres in Bagalkot district, he said. On learning about the benefits being drawn by these farmers, over 1,000 people have submitted applications to the department so far during the current financial year, seeking benefits under the schemes. The work on providing irrigation facilities to their fields would begin after the applications were approved, Mr. Patil added. Mahadevappa Madar and Yamunappa Shinge, small landholders at Kengalgutti village in Bijapur tauk, said that owing to financial constraints to take up agricultural activities in their fields, they used to migrate to nearby districts and the neighbouring Maharashtra to earn a livelihood. Last year, officials of the Minor Irrigation Department approached them and asked them to avail of the facilities under the schemes. After the works were approved in three months, three borewells were drilled and an open well was dug up in the village for irrigating 28 acres of land belonging to 17 beneficiaries. With adequate water available for agricultural activities, the Madar and Shinge families decided not to migrate to other places in search of work, they said. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] ST commission to recommed for reservations for SC,ST in private sector
http://indiaeducationdiary.in/Shownews.asp?newsid=3992 ST commission to recommed for reservations for SC,ST in private sector Friday, September 03, 2010 Hyderabad: National ST commission would recommend to centre for provision of reservations for SCs and STs in private sector also ,said K Kamala Kumari ,member, national ST commission She reviewed the development works and implementation of rule of reservations to STs in various government departments at sub collectors office Rajahmundry in east godavari district on Friday . After review ,while speaking to the media she said that STs need reservations in private sectors also on par with public sector and necessary efforts would be made for such reservations .She further said that ST commission would work for implementation of welfare and developmental works for the tribes in the nation and commission possesses rights to summon the agencies who failed to implement the recommendations properly .she further said that there were some petitions relating to atrocities on tribes and also on injustice caused in promotions and the commission had initiated action on these complaints . speaking on the raising alarm on fevers in agency areas she said that necessary directions were issued to attend for the medical needs of the tribal and to provide more mobile vehicles if required She said that rule of reservations for the tribals were satisfactory and directed the officials to provide local and and other resources to the tribals only and to control the non tribal to enjoy in the name of tribals. District incharge collecotr K Sashidar Rampachodavaram MLA T Kasi viswanath ,In charge PO ITDA rampachodavaram M Jyothi ,ASP Duggal were also participated.
[ZESTCaste] SC/ST, OBC get 3 chances for IPS
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/national/scst-obc-get-3-chances-ips-255 SC/ST, OBC get 3 chances for IPS September 3rd, 2010 Age Corespondent Share Buzz up!The Centre has decided to give one more chance to SCs, STs and OBCs to crack the special examination proposed by the Union home ministry to fill the shortfall of IPS officers in the country. The move has come after the Prime Minister’s Office raised concern over the shortfall of SC/ST officers in the IPS. Government sources said that there is a shortfall of at least 30 officers in the reserved category in the elite police services every year. The ministry had proposed “limited recruitment’’ to the IPS by holding special examinations, by the UPSC, for officers belonging to the state police forces, central police organisations (CPOs) and central paramilitary forces (CPFs). Following a review, fresh changes have been incorporated by the MHA to give three chances to officers belonging to the SC/ST and OBC category against the two attempts given to officers belonging to the general category. Apart from this, the home ministry has also decided to incorporate the standard quota provisions giving reservation to SCs, STs and OBCs in the proposed lateral induction into the elite services. After the UPSC turned down the proposal, the MHA approached the PMO to overrule the UPSC decision which directed it to consult the law ministry on the issue. As per the MHA proposal, the competitive examinations would be open to assistant commandants or deputy superintendent of police with at least five years experience in the five major CPOs and CPFs like the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and CISF and state police who are less than 35 years of age. The ministry has sent the reworked proposal to state governments for their comments. However, facing resistance from the IPS officers who fear a dilution of the elite services, most states have not responded yet. The MHA has given an extention of 30 days to the states to reply. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Raped Dalit teen immolates herself over police inaction
http://www.indiatalkies.com/2010/09/raped-dalit-teen-immolates-police-inaction.html Raped Dalit teen immolates herself over police inaction Lucknow, Sep 3 – A teenaged Dalit girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district Friday immolated herself after police refused to register her complaint of rape against a youth of her village, officials said. The 15-year-old set herself ablaze in her house in Parauli village in Kanpur, some 80 km from Lucknow. The girl’s family alleged that she was forced to take the extreme step by some of the policemen who had connived with the youth and were mounting pressure on her not to register the complaint against him. ‘An enquiry has been initiated against a Station House Officer (SHO) Kalu Ram and a police constable Virendra Kumar in connection with the case. The two have been transferred to the police line till the enquiry is completed,” Deputy Superintendent of Police P.P. Singh told reporters in Kanpur. According to police, the girl was allegedly raped Thursday night by a youth of her village. ‘As of now no arrest has been made. But, we have received information about the accused and he would soon be arrested soon,” said Singh. IANS INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Panel favours quota for SC/STs in private sector
http://hindu.com/2010/09/04/stories/2010090460620300.htm Andhra Pradesh - Rajahmundry Panel favours quota for SC/STs in private sector RAJAHMUNDRY: The National ST Commission will recommend the Centre to extend reservation for SCs and STs in the private sector also, says its member K. Kamala Kumari. She reviewed the development works and implementation of the rule of reservation for Schedule Tribes in various government departments in East Godavari district at the Sub-Collectors Office here on Friday. Later, speaking to the media she said that STs needed reservations in the private sector also and efforts would be made in that direction. The commission would work for implementation of welfare and developmental works for the STs in the nation, she said.
[ZESTCaste] Discrimination against Dalits in Rajasthan
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/discrimination-against-dalits-in-rajasthan/54510 Discrimination against Dalits in Rajasthan Published On: February 10, 2009 | Duration: 1 min, 17 sec
[ZESTCaste] Houses of dalits set on fire
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/93840/houses-dalits-set-fire.html Tension prevails in Ankahalli; dalit families declared ‘outcast’ Houses of dalits set on fire Chamarajanagar, September 3, DHNS: Tension gripped Ankahalli village in Gundlupet taluk near here when two huts belonging to dalit families were set on fire on Thursday evening. Miscreants burnt down the houses of Chikkasiddaiah and Rachaiah following clashes between dalits and people belonging to other castes a few days ago. According to reports, tension was brewing between two groups for the past few days following an argument over dalits beating ‘tamate’ (drums) on the occasion of Mahadeshwara festival. The dalits had stopped playing the instrument over two decades ago when fight ensued between two communities over the ‘tamate’ issue during Ganesha festival. The villagers placed a ban on dalit families using the instrument on any occasion. However, a few days ago people belonging to another community asked dalit families to beat tamate during the festival. But, the dalits refused to do so and this led to the trouble. The police who have registered a case against 13 persons believe that the refusal angered the upper caste group who burnt down the houses in revenge. District Social Welfare Officer Prathibha, Inspector Ashok Kumar visited the village and took the account from the aggrieved. The victims said they were declared outcaste in a meeting three days ago. “Our family members were prevented from going to jobs outside the village. A group of more than 12 people arrived near the huts and put the houses on fire,” they alleged. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] IAS officer denies fudging certificate
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/ias-officer-denies-fudging-certificate-571 IAS officer denies fudging certificate September 4th, 2010 DC Correspondent Chennai, Sept. 3: Dalit IAS officer C. Umashankar, whose suspension has been revoked by the DMK government, appeared before the media on Friday and stoutly denied that he had produced a false SC certificate. “My father is a Hindu Pallar. I was a dalit when I joined the IAS about 20 years ago. I have not fudged anything,” he explained. Mr Umashankar said he was constrained to explain his position as serious charges had been made against him. He also said the UPSC and the Union government had the power to enquire the genuineness of the community certificate. He also vehemently denied the allegation that he had amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. He said he would prove his integrity through the process of law. The government’s climbdown revoking Mr Umashankar’s suspension is seen as an attempt to placate the agitating dalit community ahead of elections for the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The government’s action has come despite the fact that the aggrieved officer did not seek legal remedy challenging the suspension. Chief minister M. Karunanidhi tried to justify the suspension only a fortnight ago saying Mr Umashankar had deprived the chance of a dalit aspirant getting into IAS. But his explanation that the dalit officer had allegedly produced a false community certificate did not find takers in the community. “There was no truth in the government’s claim. The suspension has been revoked mainly because they could not prove the charge since they found no evidence against him.” “The wave of protests in support of Mr Umashankar, across the state, not only by dalits but also by all who have faith in probity, must have compelled the government,” remarked Mr Punithapandiayan, editor of dalit magazine, Dalit Murasu. Mr C.K. Tamilarasan, Republican Party of India president, said the suspension was in haste and baseless. “The outcome of the final enquiry has not come yet. But they chose to revoke it. The government understands the anger of dalits over the way it had treated a senior dalit officer,” he said. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Arrest SI for abusing Dalit woman: KVPS
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/27/stories/2010082752700600.htm Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad Arrest SI for abusing Dalit woman: KVPS Staff Reporter HYDERABAD: The ‘Kulavivaksha Vyathireka Porata Samithi' (KVPS) has demanded suspension and arrest of a Sub-Inspector of Police in Mahabubnagar district alleging that he had attempted to rape a dalit women after confining her in illegal custody in Nagarkurnool recently. KVPS state secretary John Wesley and Nagarkunool division secretary K. Bharath told mediapersons here on Thursday that a 30-year-old dalit woman, a widow, was picked up by SI Habeebullah Khan on August 14 from Telakapalli village in Mahabubnagar district on the suspicion that she was involved in a theft that took place in a house opposite to her tea-vending shed. She was beaten up badly to own the responsibility for theft, but was let off later. Narrating her ordeal, the victim, a mother of two children, explained that the SI had picked her up again on August 15 and took her to Nagarkunool police station. She alleged that the police officer had beaten her up, used filthy language in the name of caste, disrobed her and attempted to outrage her modesty. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Reforms helped UP Dalits, says study
http://www.livemint.com/2010/09/03191143/Reforms-helped-UP-Dalits-says.html?atype=tp Posted: Sat, Sep 4 2010. 1:00 AM IST Published on page 3 Home Reforms helped UP Dalits, says study Pallavi Singh, pallav...@livemint.com Economic liberalization since the 1990s has helped Dalits in Uttar Pradesh (UP) overcome caste inequalities, according to a research paper that argues against the view that reforms have exacerbated such disparities. The study by Devesh Kapur, Chandra Bhan Prasad, Lant Pritchett and Shyam Babu titled “Rethinking Inequality: Dalits in Uttar Pradesh in the Market Reform Era”, and excerpted last week in the Economic and Political Weekly, finds significant changes in patterns of consumption, agriculture and occupation among Dalits since the 1990s, reflective of a higher social status for the community. The study, conducted in two blocks of UP—Bilaria Ganj in Azamgarh district in eastern UP and Khurja in Bulandshahar district in western UP—reflects two significant changes in economic activity: More and more Dalits are working as sharecroppers on farm land rather than as labourers, and fewer among them are handling animal corpses, traditionally an occupation limited to the community. “Dalits are now becoming sharecroppers because upper-caste landlords won’t find labourers in the village. Earlier, all they would get to till the land was a small share of the cereals,” said Prasad, a Dalit writer and one of the co-authors of the report. In three-quarters of the villages in the western block in 1990, only Dalits disposed of dead animals belonging to non-Dalits. By 2007, the study says, this was only true of 5% of villages. Around four-fifths of the Dalit households in the two blocks surveyed had at least one family member, and sometimes more, who was a migrant worker by 2007. They would be working as tailors, masons and drivers or be running a grocery or paan shop. “Migration is key to this change. Economic growth has led to opportunities in the urban informal sector, driving enhanced migration, which has meant more money flow into rural Dalit households,” said Prasad. The percentage of houses with at least one sharecropper stood at 31% in Bilaria Ganj and 11.4% in Khurja in 2007. Among other things, important shifts in consumption and social behaviour have also been noticed. Almost none of the respondents in the study recalls using shampoos, toothpastes and oils in 1990, while today, over half the people in both blocks surveyed report someone in the household using each of the two. “There was a time when Dalits only ate cereals and couldn’t afford rice and pulses. They were seated separately in weddings and even upper-caste men wouldn’t accept food in their homes. Caste for Dalits has traditionally limited their choices in food, social and occupational activities,” said Prasad. The study also documents changes in ownership of basic goods such as cellphones and television sets among Dalits as a means to assert their social aspirations. “The market provides a space to Dalits to assert themselves. For them, this rise in social status is more important than the money they might be making,” said Prasad. However, not everything has changed, said Surinder Jodhka, professor of sociology at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. “This is something that has happened but where do they go from here? Is everything open for them? I would say: yes and no.” In his paper titled “Dalits in Business: Self-employed Schedule Castes in Northwest India”, Jodhka found that most Dalit entrepreneurs ventured into basic businesses such as small shop-keeping, contracts and dealerships, and skilled services, but hardly 1-2% entered more capital-intensive enterprises such as hotels, factories and educational institutions due to discrimination. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required)
[ZESTCaste] Honour Killing: Newly-weds seek police protection
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/09/03/honour-killing-newly-weds-seek-police-protection.html Honour Killing: Newly-weds seek police protection Friday, September 3, 2010, 14:17 [IST] Ghaziabad, Sep 3: Fearing that they would also be killed in the name of honour, a newly-wed couple here on Thursday, Sep 3 sought police protection. Buzz up!The couple are learnt to have married outside their caste. While the boy is a Brahmin by caste, the girl is a Rajput. The two fell in love when they were studying in a local professional college. The couple have cited threat from girl's family for seeking police protection, SSP Raghubir Lal informed, adding that Kavi Nagar police has been asked to lodge their complaint. OneIndia News
[ZESTCaste] Flooding hits ten million people in India's most populous and poorest state
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/218275/128352885295.htm Flooding hits ten million people in India's most populous and poorest state 03 Sep 2010 15:45:00 GMT Source: Christian Aid - UK Jo rogers Website: http://www.christianaid.org.uk Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone. Christian Aid is launching an immediate appeal for the people hit by the devastating India floods. More than 800,000 people have had their villages submerged by severe flooding in Uttar Pradesh, Northern India. More than 30,000 people have taken shelter in government-run relief camps while thousands have fled to local schools and community centers for safety. 150 villages are marooned, cut off from all relief efforts. The flooding is the result of heavy rainfall over the last three weeks in Nepal, which caused the river Ghaghra to burst its banks, a steep rise in water levels in rivers throughout Uttar Pradesh and has affected up to 10 million people. Sajjad Mohammad Sajid, Christian Aid's Regional Emergency Manager for South Asia, said: 'The disaster in Uttah Pradesh has not gained the attention needed to scale up the necessary emergency response from the government and international community. 'We are very concerned for those affected by the floods, many of whom are from the Dalit communities, India's oppressed class, who have nothing to depend upon during an emergency situation other than relief assistance from the government and humanitarian agencies.' Christian Aid and its partners are already responding by delivering food and other relief supplies to the worst affected communities. The local partners, CASA and PGVS, have long experience of acting quickly in humanitarian emergencies.' Said Sajjad Mohammad Sajid. Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state and nearly 40 % of its 140 million people live below the poverty line. Many are from the Dalit communities, formerly known as untouchables. Exclusion based on caste and religion is rampant in these areas. Most are landless labourers and small-scale farmers who work on land belonging to people from upper castes, which leads exploitation by the landowners. The destruction of crops in the field means they will not have any work for months to come. This means they are particularly vulnerable in this kind of disaster. ends To donate to Christian Aids India floods appeal, please visit India floods If you would like further information or to speak to a spokesperson based in India please contact Jo Rogers on 020 7523 2460 and Jo Rogers or the 24 hour press duty phone - 07850 242950 Notes to Editors 1. Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in nearly 50 countries. We act where the need is greatest, regardless of religion, helping people build the lives they deserve. 2. Christian Aid has a vision, an end to global poverty, and we believe that vision can become a reality. Our report, Poverty Over, explains what we believe needs to be done - and can be done - to end poverty. Details at Poverty Over report 3. Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of 100 churches and church-related organisations that work together inhumanitarian assistance and development. Further details at Act Alliance 4. Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: caid_newswire 5. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit Christian Aid [ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
[ZESTCaste] Zardari orders probe into discrimination against Hindus in relief camps
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/zardari-orders-probe-into-discrimination-against-hindus-in-relief-camps_100422131.html Zardari orders probe into discrimination against Hindus in relief camps Thursday, September 02, 2010 5:08:06 PM by ANI ( Leave a comment ) Sukkur, Sept 2 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has ordered a probe into the reports of discrimination in the flood relief camps. Media reports said flood victims were being treated on basis of ethnicity. Hindus and dalits were denied flood relief assistance and some of them were even thrown out of the relief camps. The Daily Times quoted the president as saying,”Discrimination on ethnic grounds will not be tolerated.” The President has also called for an immediate action against the guilty officials, if any. The president’s spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said that the president called for an inquiry following the media reports that a protest rally was held in Hyderabad on Monday to bring such discrimination against the minority community to notice. (ANI) INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Madigas’ bid to obstruct PM’s convoy foiled
http://expressbuzz.com/states/andhrapradesh/madigas%E2%80%99-bid-to-obstruct-pm%E2%80%99s-convoy-foiled/203282.html Madigas’ bid to obstruct PM’s convoy foiled Express News ServiceFirst Published : 02 Sep 2010 04:12:31 AM ISTLast Updated : TIRUPATI: Police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse a group of Madiga Students Federation (MSF) activists to prevent them from disrupting the Prime Minister’s convoy to Tirumala today. The students led by Chittaranjan, mingled with the public standing at the Town Club circle to have a glimpse of the Prime Minister. They suddenly hurled pamphlets at the motorcade and raised slogans in support of SC categorisation taking the police by surprise. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse them. Some of the pamphlets landed on the vehicles in the convoy, which proceeded to Tirumala without any obstacle. Chittaranjan was taken into custody while others managed to gave the slip to the police. According to sources, the activists, including Chittaranjan, were mostly from Anantapur district and some from other places in Chittoor district. The Prime Minister entourage was on its way to Tirumala after he landed at the helipad on the Veterinary University grounds around 12:50 p.m. MRPS leader Giridhar Madiga urged the police to release the detained MSF activist and not file any cases against them. Police officials are tightlipped as to whether cases were registered or not. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Quick action on relief cases under SC.ST Atyachar Nivaran Adhiniyam
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=46332 Quick action on relief cases under SC.ST Atyachar Nivaran Adhiniyam Category » Bhopal Posted On Thursday, September 02, 2010 By Our Staff Reporter Bhopal, Sept 2: Tribal Welfare Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah said that there should be no delay in giving relief to the victims of cases under Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe Atrocities Eradication Act. He said that the district officer should ensure that meeting of the committee constituted in the districts should be held regularly. Kunwar Shah issued these instructions at a review meeting of district officers of Bhopal and Narmadapuram divisions held at Satpura Bhavan here on Wednesday. It was informed at the meeting that in Bhopal Division during this year as on end of July Rs 94 lakh 76 thousand were given as relief to victims of 356 cases. Under the provisions of the Act, if head of the family is dead, appointment on compassionate ground is also being done. The Minister instructed the officers to fill up the vacant posts of backlog latest by September 15 without fail. Kunwar Shah told the officers to prepare a calendar of tour and visit the Ashrams and Hostels with night halt. For the sake of personality improvement of hostel inmates, lectures of subject specialists should be arranged regularly. The meeting also discussed about installation of motor pumps at the wells dug under 'Kapildhara' Scheme in the districts of the division. Minister of State for Tribal Welfare Shri Harishankar Khatik stressed the need to make available quality motor pumps to the farmers. Under the scheme 181 diesel pumps were made available to beneficiaries in Bhopal division and 47 diesel pumps to beneficiaries in Narmadapuram division during last year. Information about physical progress of projects being carried out in Bhopal and Narmadapuram divisions under section 275 (1) of the Constitution was given at the meeting. The officers were asked to complete the incomplete works of the years 2008-09 and 2009-10 without further delay. Kunwar Shah expressed displeasure over the fact that the district officers are not taking active part in selection of place of construction works. He said that the construction works are being done at such places where the people of reserved category are not fully benefited. The meeting also discussed in detail about the construction works undertaken by the Public Works Department, Housing Board, R I S, and Laghu Udyog Nigam. Principal Secretary (Tribal Welfare) Shri Devraj Birdi has issued strict instructions to the district officers to complete the construction works within the stipulated time. He asked them to inform the directorate the names of the construction agencies which are causing delay to the works. The meeting also discussed about the process of preparing caste certificate, distribution of scholarship and long pending problems of the employees. * Take quick action on relief cases * Inform to the directorate names of agencies delaying construction * Fill up vacant posts of backlog by September 15 * Officers should visit Ashrams, Hostels regularly
[ZESTCaste] Indian Temple Brands Dalits Untouchables, Bars Entry
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/indian-temple-brands-dalits-untouchables-bars-entry Indian Temple Brands Dalits Untouchables, Bars Entry by stellasglobe | September 3, 2010 at 01:00 am In what is one of the ugliest practices in Indian society, temples in a village in India's Haryana state bars people of Dalit communities from entering and worship. A local community reporter Amit Kumar, a Dalit himself reports this in a video showing how his community is forbidden to enter a temple. In Barot village of Ludwa, Haryana, Dalits are not allowed to enter the village temples. The temples allow only the villagers who belong to upper castes to worship. Amit talks to several other youths like himself in his community who share the pain and indignity that they face every day. The Constituion of India ensures equal rights to all citizens. These include the right to ‘opt, embrace and practice any religion”. However, in Barot village of Ludwa the Dalits have always been denied this right. They have been treated as ‘dirty’ and asked by both the upper caste and the temple priest to keep away from the temple. Amit says that though the older generation has accepted this denial of rights as a fate, youths in his community are angry and bitter to be treated as untouchables and being barred from having simple joys such as worshipping in a temple. Though such discrimination violates the basic human rights and causes a lot of indignity to Dalits, no effort has been made to end this till now. In fact the govt only acts when the prejudice sparks violence and a Dalit family is physically attacked by the upper caste. Amit who has been reporting on this discrimination since he joined IndiaUnheard - a news service dedicated to community news, did this video to share with the viewers the humiliation that he experiences every day as a Dalit youth. He wants them to condemn this, so that people like him can live with dignity. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Law for SCs, STs could be strengthened: PC
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Law-for-SCs--STs-could-be-strengthened--PC/674682 Law for SCs, STs could be strengthened: PC Express news service Posted online: Tue Aug 31 2010, 01:32 hrs New Delhi : Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Monday called for institutionalising of oversight mechanisms at the grassroots level to prevent atrocities against Dalits and tribals even as he asserted that laws dealing with the issue could be strengthened. Responding to a debate on increasing atrocities against SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha, he said regular monthly meetings on the specific issue between the SP, DM, Public Prosecutor and judges of lower judiciary would go a long way in curbing such crimes. Admitting that the number of cases against SCs and STs had increased in the last three years — from 26,665 cases in 2006 to 29,875 in 2007 and 33,365 cases in 2009 — Chidambaram added that the number of convictions, on the other hand, was only around 30 per cent. The disturbing low percentage of convictions, he said, was largely because of the high number of acquittals that was, in turn, caused by delay in justice. “The delay has resulted in disappearance of evidence, which forces witnesses to turn hostile,” he said, adding that speedy justice was hence required. He added that pendency of cases was also very high. Asserting that there had been historical injustice against SCs and STs because of divisions in society, he said the country should not only address the atrocities but also the divisions. Without naming the Mirchpur incident in Haryana where Dalits were allegedly driven out of the village, he said the recent incident in a “neighbouring state” was an example of the manner in which the wealthy and powerful inflict atrocities on these communities and how deeply entrenched the problem was. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Mayawati wins case, robs Gandhis of brand Amethi
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_mayawati-wins-case-robs-gandhis-of-brand-amethi_1432347 Mayawati wins case, robs Gandhis of brand Amethi Published: Thursday, Sep 2, 2010, 2:38 IST By Deepak Gidwani | Place: Lucknow | Agency: DNA Rahul Gandhi’s constituency Amethi is once again caught in political crossfire between the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). On Wednesday, while the Congress leader on a three-day tour of Amethi assured two sisters, allegedly hounded by BSP-supported land-grabbers, of all support, the Mayawati government won a legal battle over Amethi. It got an all-clear from the apex court to its decision to rename the Nehru-Gandhi family’s VIP borough after BSP icon Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj. Shahuji was a 19th century ruler of Kolhapur known as a pioneer in granting reservations to the deprived in employment. Onlookers at Sarwan village in Amethi were stunned as the two sisters from Lucknow, Shivani and Sonia Chauhan, browbeat the special protection group (SPG) security ring to bring Rahul’s motorcade to a halt. The women, wailing in grief, narrated their story to a patient Rahul who played the good samaritan, assuring them justice. The sisters’ tale of woes took on political connotations as Shivani Chauhan alleged that BSP-backed goons were helping her family members, including her brother, to grab her parental property. “I have been framed in false cases and sent to jail twice,” she screamed before TV cameras after Rahul’s cavalcade left. “If they want to kill me, let them do it once and for all instead of harassing us with false criminal cases, threats and attacks,” she howled. Shivani and her sister told reporters that they had also met Priyanka and Sonia Gandhi on separate occasions last year, after which the case had been handed over to CB-CID and they finally got a clean chit. “But even now the police are siding with the land-grabbers… on August 15, I was beaten up… I suffered head injuries but the police did nothing,” Shivani said. “I even met Behnji (Mayawati) but she spurned me saying ‘you are from the opposite party’,” she added. Even as the sisters hurled the allegations, Mayawati virtually squared the score with Rahul as the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the state government’s decision to rename and reorganise Amethi as part of a new district called Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court had recently struck down the Mayawati government’s decision to that effect, saying the reorganisation could not be done as the census was in progress. Sources say the SC decision was conveyed to Mayawati while she was addressing a meeting of top BSP leaders in Lucknow. The BSP leader, the sources shared, could barely suppress her joy and told party leaders that justice had finally been done. She reportedly touted it as a major moral victory in BSP’s political battle against the Congress. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Delegation of SC/ST MPs meet Manmohan Singh
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article605572.ece Delegation of SC/ST MPs meet Manmohan Singh PTI A delegation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe MPs, including some union ministers, on Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand that an order providing reservation in government jobs be replaced by an act to bring greater benefits to them. “Members of the SC/ST Parliamentary Forum met the Prime Minister today to demand that an Act is necessary to provide reservations to SC/ST which is done through a government order,” LJP Chief Ram Vilas Paswan said. The MPs also demanded that the Bill in this regard, which was passed in Rajya Sabha in the last session of Parliament, be amended as it excluded some government establishments in providing reservation to the two categories. “We demanded that there should be no exception. Section 4 of the Bill, passed by Rajya Sabha, should be deleted. The Bill should be prepared immediately and passed in the next session of Parliament,” Paswan said. The delegation included union ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde, Kumari Selja, Namo Narayan Meena and Vincent Pala, and MPs from other political parties. “The Prime Minister gave us a patient hearing and said he will hold consultations on this issue,” Paswan said. Meena, who is minister of state for Finance, also brought up the issue of job reservation for Scheduled Tribes by the Delhi government. “7.5 per cent reservation in jobs to STs in the Delhi government is being provided under a Home Ministry notification of 1955. But a recent Supreme Court order said a Presidential notification is required for this reservation in jobs and education. The Prime Minister assured us that he would take up the matter,” Meena said. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Law to prevent SC, ST atrocities to be made more stringent
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article604163.ece Law to prevent SC, ST atrocities to be made more stringent PTI Assuring the Lok Sabha that the government would make law more stringent to prevent atrocities against SC and ST, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the principal responsibility was with the states to implement these laws. “We will make the law more stringent and if needed, bring amendments in the Act (SCST Prevention of Atrocities Act),” he said replying to a discussion on situation arising out of increasing atrocities against SC and ST. He said, “In my view, the principal responsibility is with the state governments to implement these laws. The state government must post SC and ST officials where the people are vulnerable.” About reservation in jobs for SC and ST, the minister said, “Since 1950...government is totally committed to reservation of SC, ST and OBC in jobs. In UPA—I, we have cleared a backlog of 54,000 vacancies. We would come up with another drive to fill the vacancies reserved for SC and ST.” He said, “This is the most vulnerable country (as far civil rights of SC and ST are concerned)...we can’t call ourselves civilised...how we treat our SC, ST and women.” About fund allocations for the welfare of SC and ST, he said, “The ministries give details of funds allocated for SC and ST and the schemes under which they partially benefited.” “Some ministries are not doing so. The Planning Commission has constituted a committee for the purpose. Once the committee submits its reports, all ministries would follow the same pattern of giving details of funds allocated for SC and ST.” The minister pointed out that one of the reasons for atrocities against SC and ST is that they are getting prosperous day by day. “This has also created problems,” he said. He also said the delay in justice results in disappearance of evidence and forces witnesses to turn hostile. Thus speedy justice is required to ensure civil rights of vulnerable classes of society, he said. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] MPs unite to protest atrocities against dalits
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/MPs-unite-to-protest-atrocities-against-dalits/articleshow/6462965.cms MPs unite to protest atrocities against dalits TNN, Aug 31, 2010, 03.52am IST NEW DELHI: In a debate that saw MPs from almost all parties registering their strong protests over rising incidents of atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Tribes, home minister P Chidambaram said district judges needed to ensure proper and speedy disposal of such cases in their jurisdiction. Chidambaram pointed to a high pendency of more than 70% for cases relating to dalits and tribals and said these were adversely affected by delays, witnesses vanishing or turning hostile or indifference of police investigators. The role of the district judge in holding monthly meetings to assess progress of cases and pushing DMs and SPs to ensure quick disposal was necessary, the minister said. Replying to a debate in Lok Sabha on Monday, Chidambaram pointed out that cases of atrocities against SCs/STs had risen over 2006-08 and while this could be because of higher registration as these sections assert themselves, 33,000 cases in 2008 was a matter of deep shame. Some of this crime is aimed at crippling SCs economically, the minister said. Though he refrained from naming states, he alluded to a recent incident in a neighbouring state, clearly Haryana, where dalits had to flee from the village they inhabited. He pointed to a circular issued by the home ministry on April 1, 2010 outlining guidelines on how such cases were to be dealt with, pointing out that the will and intent of state governments was crucial. Congress president Sonia Gandhi was present through the discussions on Monday as the home minister responded to MPs who said district administrations often lacked the will to pursue accused, often powerful local upper castes. It is not a matter of pride that so many cases are registered, it is deeply disturbing, Chidambaram said. The minister also said there were some lacunae in the public order act as courts did not take cognizance of a case until a magistrate committed it to trial. He said some states had set up special courts but these also looked at several other cases apart from those relating to dalits and STs. Often there is nothing special about these cases. Some states had been better than others, like Andhra Pradesh has set up 22 mobile courts, Tamil Nadu has focused on districts where caste violence is severe while West Bengal has asked district judges to double up as special judges.
[ZESTCaste] Decision taken on including caste in census: Pranab
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article605592.ece?css=print Published: August 31, 2010 14:29 IST | Updated: August 31, 2010 14:33 IST New Delhi, August 31, 2010 Decision taken on including caste in census: Pranab PTI What is in a name? Caste census: GoM to write to parties Caste in census: Cabinet to decide on modalities GoM approval for caste-based census Congress, BJP still divided over caste census Siddaramaiah for caste enumeration TOPICS demographics population and census politics national politics The Finance MInister said the decision will now have to be endorsed by the Cabinet, which he hoped would be done at the next meeting. It is now a matter of formality, he said Bowing to demands by several political parties, government today said it has decided to include caste in census and the formality of endorsing it is expected at the next Cabinet meeting. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha that all political parties had supported the idea of including caste in census and there was no need for any “apprehensions” over the issue. His statement came after leaders of BJP, JD(U), BSP and Samajwadi Party wanted to know as to what happened to the government’s promise on caste census, particularly since today was the last day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The Group of Ministers, which examined the issue, has decided that caste census should be carried out during house enumeration exercise, the Leader of the House said. It will be limited to collection of information with regard to caste and biometric exercise will go on simultaneously, he said about the issue which had earlier divided the Cabinet and even the GoM headed by Mr. Mukherjee. “The government has more or less decided (to include caste in census),” Mr. Mukherjee said. Noting that the 11-member GoM was not an empowered body, he said its decision will now have to be endorsed by the Cabinet, which he hoped would be done at the next meeting. “It is now a matter of formality,” he said. Mr. Mukherjee recalled that after suggestions for inclusion of caste in census were received, he had written to political parties and most of them have responded “positively”. Earlier, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav raised the issue, saying the government had sought views of political parties which had responded in writing. However, nothing was heard after that, despite assurances by Mr. Mukherjee who held three meetings with leaders of various political parties on the issue, Mr. Yadav said. “There is unease in the country,” he said, demanding early response from the government. He was supported by SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, BJP Deputy Leader Gopinath Munde and Dara Singh Chauhan (BSP). Mulayam Singh Yadav said there was consensus in the House over inclusion of caste in census and there was “no party which did not support it.” He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr. Mukherjee had promised to implement it at the earliest but despite that it had not happened. “What is the reason for this? What should we do? Where should we go? We want the House to function but there should be a response from the government,” he said. Mr. Munde also asked the government to spell out its intentions. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Centre admits Sheila diverted SC/ST fund for Games
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Centre-admits-Sheila-diverted-SC/ST-fund-for-Games/articleshow/6471707.cms 1 Sep, 2010, 04.37AM IST,ET Bureau Centre admits Sheila diverted SC/ST fund for Games NEW DELHI: The Centre has admitted that the Sheila Dikshit government violated guidelines to divert funds meant for Schedules Castes and Tribes to finance its pets projects for the Commonwealth Games. “In view of the guidelines of 2006, these appear to be wrong,” home minister P Chidambaram said in the Rajya Sabha during a discussion on the diversion of nearly Rs 678 crore from the funds for Scheduled Castes and Tribes for the Commonwealth Games. The admission comes at a time when the Delhi government is under attack from the rivals for its reluctance to conduct governance in an ethical manner. The Rajya Sabha witnessed disruptions by BSP MPs over the issue, which came to light through a Right to Information application. According to the information given by Delhi government to an RTI petitioner, nearly Rs 678 crore from Delhi’s special component plan, which was meant for improving the standard of living of the poor sections of the community through various government schemes and programmes, was diverted for Games projects. In his reply, Mr Chidambaram said that Delhi government had got around Rs 8,000 crore for five years from 2006-7 to 2009-10, under the special component plan. “As is common practice with various other state governments, Delhi had divided this fund into two categories — divisible and indivisible.” The divisible category was for schemes which affected the Scheduled Castes and Tribes directly. “While Rs 983 crore was in the divisible category, the rest — Rs 7,100 crore — was in the indivisible category. Out of that (indivisible category), Rs 678 crore was contributed to CWG projects,” the home minister said. “This seems to be prima-facie wrong,” Mr Chidambaram admitted, but added: “This happens not just in NCT, but in all states.” He said that Delhi government had told him that the amount diverted will be added to the Plan funds for the next financial year. The minister said that the Planning Commission was seized of the matter and had set up a committee to look into the diversion of funds in all states. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Dalit ends life after questioning by police
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=localnewsid=194976 Mangalore: Dalit ends life after questioning by police MANGALORE AUG 31: A 30-year-old Dalit from Kerala, who was staying at a relative's house at Kulai 20 km from here, committed suicide by hanging. The body of the victim, who has been identified as Bijulal, was discovered at around 6 a.m. on Monday and his relatives alleged that he was pushed to take the extreme step because of harassment by the police. On Friday a joint investigation team comprising officers from Bangalore's Peenya Police station and Surathkal police station had picked up and allegedly assaulted members of a Dalit family. The police team was in search of a youth named Subhash from Mangalore who was charged with kidnapping a Hindu girl from Bangalore. The family maintains that the couple is in love and eloped fearing retribution. Nevertheless, the police team allegedly forced its way into Subhash's relative's the house and dragged Bijulal (30), Somu (16) and Shaina (19) to the Surathkal police station. While Shaina and Somu alleged that they were assaulted by the police, Bijulal did not make any such claims. “But the police tortured him mentally and threatened him with dire consequences during interrogation,” said an inconsolable Shaina who spoke to The Hindu on Monday following Bijulal's death. Sajani, another relative of the deceased, said: “Biju was a very timid man and was prone to depression. His psychological State was not very stable after his father's death last year. We told this to the police when they were dragging him away but they would not listen.” She blamed the police for his death. According to her, Bijulal began sulking and was in a petrified state after coming back from the police station. “He kept saying that the police would kill him and that they would find him wherever he went,” said Ms. Shaina. On Sunday evening he left home saying that he would return to Kerala as he would feel safe there. “The next morning our neighbours found his body hanging from a tree,” she said. Incidentally, the man's death comes a day after the monthly SC/ST grievance meeting at the city police headquarters, where Assistant Commissioner of Police S. Girish insisted that his subordinates had not acted outside the purview of the law in the incident. However, despite the death, Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh told The Hindu that Bijulal was called to the police station only for questioning. “He was mentally disturbed for the last 10 days. His uncle told us that that he was mentally disturbed even before he was picked up for questioning,” he said. But he denied allegations that the police action had acted as the final trigger. However, he assured a fair and impartial probe. The Dalit family is now worried about the future of the missing couple. “If something happens to them the police will be responsible,” said Ms. Sajani. Hindu INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Incest: Haryana's shameful social heritage
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Incest-Haryanas-shameful-social-heritage/articleshow/6451268.cms Incest: Haryana's shameful social heritage Sukhbir Siwach, TNN, Aug 28, 2010, 02.05pm IST It was a national debate on a news channel. Tempers were running high, so were the decibels. The subject was explosive - Haryana's khaps and their diktats. In the midst of this charged atmosphere, a voice rose above the rest, silencing them all. Seema, a law graduate and resident of Karora village, made an allegation that changed the course of the debate. Her brother had been executed for marrying a woman from the same gotra, but that was not what Seema wanted to talk about on the primetime show. It was another shameful reality of Haryana villages she wanted to expose - incest. Khaps should look into their homes before passing fatwas on lovers and crying hoarse about honour. Incest is rampant in the state and virtually every home is affected. Where is the honour anyway ? she screamed. Early this week, the state was shocked when a pregnant girl was strangled by her parents and her body dumped on the outskirts of Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district. Her crime: she was reportedly having an affair with her brother-in-law and her vengeful elder sister had complained to their parents. In another embarrassing case earlier this year, a farmer in his early 50s developed a sexual relation with his 30-year-old daughter-in-law in a village in Kaithal district. Their liaison continued for almost a year. The matter even reached the village panchayat, which ordered separation of the two unlikely partners so that the woman could go back to her husband. And only last month, Sonepat was jolted by the gruesome murder of two minor girls, just 12 and 14. They were killed and their bodies flung in a canal by their uncles and grandmother after their affair with a cousin was exposed. The police said the kin of the victims were enraged when they allegedly caught the minors getting intimate with their cousin. In Yamunanagar, a girl complained to the police that her father-in-law had raped her just a few months after her marriage. These are not isolated incidents: incest is reportedly a real part of life in rural Haryana. It's a menace nobody wants to talk about. Even the elders are setting a bad example, says D R Chaudhary, member of the Haryana Administrative Reforms Commission. The elders, predictably, blame this perversion on the growing sway of the west over the state's youth. When Kurukshetra-based Ramesh Kumar's daughter married a close relative, he blamed it on urban influence. Now he is fighting a legal battle to have the marriage declared null and void, terming it a contravention of the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The mothers of the newly-wed couple were apparently related, being granddaughters of the same person. The incidence of incest may be higher in rural areas. Social mores in villages are different. People here are very conservative and there is no scope for interaction between men and women and boys and girls outside their homes. So, they often end up having relationships with members of their accessible, extended family, says Balbir Singh, a social activist in Fatehabad district. Experts believe that such relationships have survived behind closed doors for many years. But given the modern means of communication and the proliferation of the media, the skeletons are now tumbling out of family cupboards. The youth, interestingly, believe that incest is a traditional practice and not a new reality. Yeh to hame virasat mein mili hai (incest is a part of our tradition), says Naresh Kumar, a villager in Rohera in Kaithal district. Sociologists, in turn, say that the ethnic history of the region is full of such instances. In the pre-Independence era, in some parts of north India, the father-in-law almost had the right to physical relations with a daughter-in-law, and in most cases the female was not in a position to resist much. The very young husband also had no say in the matter. Widows would routinely be married to a brother of the dead husband. Sharing of the wife by brothers was also not uncommon, says Ravinder Kaur, a professor at IIT-Delhi. What adds to this problem in Haryana is its skewed sex ratio caused by rampant female foeticide. Its effects are now being felt on intimate relationships within and without the family. The shortage of marriageable women can have many unintended consequences, especially when only one out of four men find a bride (as in the case of Haryana) in their own community, adds Kaur. Kumar's 35-year-old nephew, Roshan, is yet to get any offers for marriage. We are at a loss, wondering what to do, says Kumar. A growing army of bachelors has become a problem in the state, leading to more illicit relations. Yet, there seems little the government and social organisations can do about this. Haryana has not seen any strong social movement in recent years and there are
[ZESTCaste] House panel slams Haryana police
http://www.hindustantimes.com/House-panel-slams-Haryana-police/Article1-594007.aspx House panel slams Haryana police HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times New Delhi, August 31, 2010First Published: 00:39 IST(31/8/2010) Last Updated: 00:41 IST(31/8/2010) A parliamentary panel on Monday slammed the Haryana police for its negligent attitude and inaction on the issue of atrocities against Dalits in Mirchpur village of Hisar district in April. A 60-year-old Dalit and his handicapped daughter were burnt alive and 18 houses were set on fire allegedly by Jats on April 21 following a scuffle between the two communities. The parliamentary panel rap for the police comes four days after the Supreme Court had slammed the state government, for its failure to arrest all the accused. The negligence and lackadaisical attitude of the state police in apprehending and taking proper action against all the accused justify the fear psychosis that has engulfed the affected people, said the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, in its report presented to both Houses of Parliament. The panel, which visited Mirchpur, concluded that the dominant Jat community continues to threaten the Dalits. During interaction with affected people, the committee was informed that they were being asked by the dominant Jat community to withdraw the FIRs filed against the culprits, the report said. The Congress brass had taken the issue seriously and party general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, had visited Mirchpur on April 30. A rattled state government had swung into action. It announced a compensation of R20 lakh to the family of the deceased and Rone lakh damages to those whose houses were burnt. It also informed the SC on Thursday that 52 accused had been arrested and 71 others were yet to be arrested.
[ZESTCaste] Dalit woman gangraped in Greater Noida
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/dalit-woman-gangraped-in-greater-noida_100421245.html Dalit woman gangraped in Greater Noida Tuesday, August 31, 2010 11:10:59 PM by IANS Greater Noida, Aug 31 (IANS) A 20-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gangraped at gunpoint in the Jewar area of Greater Noida, police said Tuesday. The incident came to light Tuesday when the woman complained to the police. “Shalini (name changed) was sleeping on the terrace of her parents’s house in Karoli locality of Jewar area Monday night when two neighbourers, identified as Bunty and Bhura, raped her at gunpoint. She was sleeping alone as her parents were away and her siblings were sleeping inside the house,” said Superintendent of Police Atul Saxena. She narrated the ordeal to her parents when they returned home. The woman, married about two years ago in Haryana’s Palwal district, had come to her parents’ home for the Rakshabandhan festival. “The victim approached us this (Tuesday) evening. We have registered a case of rape and have sent her for medical examination,” said Station House Officer Har Pal Singh. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] BJP must lure dalits into party: SC Morcha
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/BJP-must-lure-dalits-into-party-SC-Morcha/articleshow/6458103.cms BJP must lure dalits into party: SC Morcha TNN, Aug 29, 2010, 11.06pm IST MYSORE: BJP SC Morcha chief and chairman of B R Ambedkar Development Corporation A R Krishnamurthy on Sunday asked the government to give prominence to dalits while appointmenting chiefs to various boards and corporations. This will empower the dalit communities and help the party, he stated. The SC Morcha has also sent a resolution it adopted to nominate dalit leaders from each of the 224 assembly constituencies to the government bodies. Speaking to reporters, the former MLA from Santhemarahalli in Chamarajnagar said the SC Morcha state executive meeting will be held in the city from Monday. The two-day meeting will discuss the strategies to attract dalits to the party, he said. BJP national SC front chief Dushyant Kumar Gautam will inaugurate the meet. Tuesday's SC Parishat meeting will be attended by BJP state president K S Eshwarappa and social welfare minister Govind Karjol.
[ZESTCaste] Dalit woman branded a witch, thrashed in Rajasthan
http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/dalit-woman-branded-a-witch-thrashed-in-rajasthan-47993 Dalit woman branded a witch, thrashed in Rajasthan Indo Asian News Service, Updated: August 29, 2010 13:50 IST Tonk, Rajasthan: A Dalit woman was labelled a witch and beaten up badly in Rajasthan's Tonk district, police said Sunday. Kamla Bairwa of Jhalra village in Tonk district, over 100 km from Jaipur, stated in her First Information Report (FIR) filed with the police Saturday that some villagers tagged her as a witch, insulted her and then beat her up. The villagers, especially the women, call me a witch. They insult me, torture me and beat me up. They wanted me to leave the village, Kamla, a labourer, told IANS. She added: A couple of days back they tied me around a tree and I was beaten badly. I am scared. How can I live in such a place where people are after my life. A policeman of Uniara police station in Tonk district said: Kamla Bairwa has filed an FIR against five people, including two women. Police have started investigations. We will record the statements of both the parties. We may conduct a medical examination of the complainant and, if need be, arrest the culprits, the police official said. Rajasthan is one of the states in the country where women, who exhibit abnormal behaviour, are often called witches and ill-treated by the society, causing them to commit suicide. In a bid to curb this, the women's commission in Rajasthan has prepared a draft bill that has been sent to the state government. According to the draft bill, called Rajasthan Prevention of Witch (Dain) Practices Bill, a crime would be considered to have been committed when any person or community intentionally or inadvertently abets, conspires, aids and instigates the identification of a woman as a witch, leading to her mental and physical torture and humiliation. The bill advocates severe punishment for the guilty. However, the draft bill sent to the state government over three years back, is still to see light of the day.
[ZESTCaste] Nepal: Dalit in Federalism Discourse
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=8190 Nepal: Dalit in Federalism Discourse M. Bishwakarma A district level Dalit woman in Ilam expressed her grievances over recent discourse on Federalism stating Dalits are always Dalits, any form of system will not address their issues. I do not think Federalism will be supportive for us. In her quote, there is clear meaning that Dalits are not assured that they have not found any justifiable reason of future federal mechanism which will be supportive for them. Federalism is one of the main issues of discourse in the Nepalese political arena which has not only created confusion but also given rays of hope for certain community. There seems division among the Nepalese people in understanding the federalism though the Interim constitution has clearly provisioned that Nepal will be a federal country henceforth. A section of the people are in favor of federalism especially Madhesi and ethnic communities. However, except the ethnic and Madhesi people, other people are seen reserved especially on the formation of ethnicity based provinces in Nepal. In this context, large number of people are in a dilemma whether the country will be disintegrated if there is implementation of a federal republic. Mostly self explanatory fears and suspicion is playing role among larger section of people that Federalism is unfavorable in the context of Nepali economical and social situation. Moreover, the recent proposal of CA’s State Restructuring Committee on the identity based 9 provinces and prime rights to the ethnic groups have added more troubles to the acceptance of establishing federalism. And, this has fueled other caste groups to deny the ethnicity based federalism. In this discourse, some community like Chhetri is demanding that they are also indigenous marginalized groups and they need equality while deciding over the rights of indigenous group in Nepal. Dalit is also one of the communities who are mostly in the state of confusion in this federalism discourse. Mainly, Dalits are not assured by two reasons. One, Dalit community is not considered as the separate identity that deserves separate Dalit province or sub autonomous province and second, whether their rights is guaranteed or not? Referring this, Dalit community observes reluctance over extending blind support to the recent proposal and efforts for the federalism process in Nepal. As professor Krishna Khanal refers that “the federal model of Nepal as proposed by CA won’t directly address the concerns of Dalit and women in Nepal despite these groups are in bigger size in population.” This is a glimpse for the future of Dalit and women in federal structure despite there is still a way of negotiating with political parties. Dalit community in proposed some province can bargain for their political representation considering their second larger population. Nepalese politics is only for those who have power, link and are from higher class of society, in this reality, Dalits can’t fight for the rights in provincial level unless the constitution ensures all the rights clearly. Dalit Demands? Dalit are demanding non-territorial province in case CA denies in providing separate Dalit identity based province. Reason behind demanding non territorial federal unit is to establish an institution which can exercise democratic power and can play vital role for the policy making for Dalit. In the context of world, among 28 federal countries, there are only two countries like Belgium and Ethiopia where non-territorial federal practice exist. Some political party proposed informally non-territorial federal unit; however, later it could not reflect into the CA preliminary draft papers. Besides, Dalit leaders of political parties and civil society organization attempted to establish their agenda of demanding three sub-autonomous units considering the density of Dalit population like Sahalesh sub-autonomous province in eastern Tarai, Bhagat Sarbajit sub-autonomous province in western hills and Bhul sub-autonomous province in Mid-Far western hills. In these places, Dalit come in a second position demographically speaking. If there is provision to establish the sub autonomous provinces; Dalit could easily get some sub-autonomous provinces. The demographic composition in far western region shows that they have strength for the political bargain. However, Dalits are divided by political ideologies and caste hierarchy that can hinder them for taking united efforts to establish their rights. That is why Dalits are demanding that they should be clearly written provision of special rights for certain period of time unless they are equal to other caste groups. Unfortunately CA state re-structuring committee did not come with the idea of sub-autonomous provincial structure. Leaders and representatives of Dalit community are raising their strong voice in favor of either non-territorial unit or sub-autonomous province. CA progress to
[ZESTCaste] U.K. set to recognize caste discrimination as racism
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article602136.ece Published: August 29, 2010 16:59 IST | Updated: August 29, 2010 16:59 IST LONDON, August 29, 2010 U.K. set to recognize caste discrimination as racism Hassan Suroor Britain is set to become the first European country to recognise caste discrimination as a form of racism and declare it unlawful under the race laws following a long campaign by the country’s estimated 200,000 Dalits and a report last year alleging widespread caste-based prejudice. A provision has already been made in the new Equality Act adopted recently empowering the Government to declare “caste to be an aspect of race’’ without having to resort to fresh legislation. Clause 9 of the Act says: “The fact that a racial group comprises two or more distinct racial groups does not prevent it from constituting a particular racial group. A Minister of the Crown may by order—(a) amend this section so as to provide for caste to be an aspect of race…” The Government will be guided by the report of a study it has commissioned to determine the extent of alleged caste discrimination. The report by the National Institute of Social and Economic Research, a leading independent research body, is expected in the autumn. CasteWatchUK, Britain’s oldest Dalit campaign group, claims that it is no longer a question of “if” but “when’’ an official announcement is made. “We have provided enough evidence to researchers and have no doubt in our minds that their report will be positive. Besides, we have full faith in the fairness of the British state. The fact that they have included it in the equality act is half the battle won. It is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ it happens,’’ Davinder Prasad, general secretary of CasteWatch, told The Hindu. Campaigners claim cross-party support pointing out that MPs from all parties backed the move during the debate in Parliament. “The only reluctant voices were of Asian MPs,” said Lekh Pall, general secretary of the Anti-Caste Discrimination Alliance (ACDA), an umbrella group. India’s official position is that casteism cannot be equated with racism and it has opposed such moves at international forums. Any British move could set a precedent for other countries to follow suit. The issue has divided Britain’s Indian community and right-wing groups such as the Hindu Forum of Britain have launched a counter-campaign questioning the right of the Government to intervene in what it claims is their internal affair. There has been some criticism against the caste system with regards to the treatment of Dalits in the Britain. However, it is not right for the UK Government to take a position on the rites, beliefs or practices of a particular religion. Social interactions and personal choices are an expression of people's freedom, and any barriers should be removed through education and awareness, not through legislation, said the Forum’s Secretary-general Ramesh Kallidai. In a report, “Caste in the UK’’, the Forum denied claims of caste discrimination saying its own research had found that it was “not endemic in British society’’. However, a study—“Hidden Apartheid, Voice of the Community, Caste and Caste Discrimination in the UK’’-- by ACDA in collaboration with academics from the universities of Hertfordshire and Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, concluded that there was “clear evidence’’ of widespread caste-based discrimination. “There is clear evidence from the survey and the focus groups that the caste system has been imported into the UK with the Asian diaspora and that the associated caste discrimination affects citizens in ways beyond personal choices and social interaction. There is a danger that if the UK government does not effectively accept and deal with the issue of caste discrimination the problem will grow unchecked,” it said. The report claimed that “tens of thousands of people in the workplace, the classroom and even the doctor’s surgery’’ suffered discrimination because of their caste. Forty-five per cent of the respondents alleged they had either been treated negatively by co-workers or had comments made about their caste. Nine per cent felt they had been denied promotion, and ten per cent said they had been paid less because of their caste. Some also claimed that they faced ``threats’’. Campaigners have threatened to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights if the British Government fails to act. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to
[ZESTCaste] Mayawati favouring only her community, claim Dalit leaders
http://sify.com/news/mayawati-favouring-only-her-community-claim-dalit-leaders-news-national-ki3nugfddaa.html Mayawati favouring only her community, claim Dalit leaders 2010-08-29 13:20:00 Dalit leaders have accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of favouring only a particular backward community to which she belongs. We have gathered Dalits here and are creating awareness among them to fight for their rights. For example the issue of reservation in private sector, or the Dalits who are being exploited in Uttar Pradesh, or about the issue of jobs that are disappearing, or the issue of land acquisition, we are discussing all such issues here, said Udit Raj, an activist of the Justice Party. The leaders, who held a meeting in Allahabad on Saturday, said the benefit of reservation is only available for Mayawati's community. The benefit of reservation is being availed by Mayawati's community. Those who do not belong to her community are exploited with cruelty. The crime is on full flow. In every 18th minute a boycotted Dalit woman is raped, they are being killed in the whole state, said Nihare Rakesh, a former state deputy. I demand that the Central Government should immediately take action against Mayawati's rule, he added. Numbering 160 million, Dalits represent 16 percent of India's population of more than one billion. Officially, caste discrimination is banned in India and special quotas exist for Dalits in Parliament, state legislatures, village councils, government jobs and educational institutions. (ANI)
[ZESTCaste] Police assault Dalits in Kulai
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/28/stories/2010082854560500.htm Karnataka - Mangalore Police assault Dalits in Kulai Staff Correspondent A relative of the victims eloped with a ‘caste' Hindu girl from Bangalore MANGALORE: A joint investigation team comprising officers from Bangalore's Peenya police station and Mangalore City Commissionerate's Surathkal police station allegedly assaulted two teenaged Dalits at Kulai village, 20 km from here, on Friday. The police team was in search of a youth named Subhash from Mangalore who is charged with kidnapping a “caste” Hindu girl from Bangalore. However, the boy's relatives maintain that the couple was in love and eloped fearing retribution. Nevertheless, the team arrived at Subhash's relatives' house in Kulai and demanded to know his whereabouts. “They were abusive from the moment they entered the house,” said Subhash's elder sister Sajani. Ms. Sajani told The Hindu that the police particularly targeted Subhash's 16-year-old nephew Soma. “He pleaded with them that he did not know Subhash's whereabouts. But they would not listen and beat him with lathis,” she alleged. The young boy, whose most visible injury was a bleeding nose, was later treated at a private hospital. The policemen also allegedly assaulted Subhash's sister, Shaina (19), who tried to come to Soma's rescue. However, she did not sustain any serious injuries. “They then dragged her to the Surathkal police station,” Ms. Sajani said. The police finally let her go when sections of the media reached the police station. Alleging that the entire incident had casteist overtones, Ms. Sajani said, “Even as they were beating the young boy, they kept telling him that he should advise Subhash to stick to women of his caste.” Responding to the allegations, Assistant Commissioner of Police S. Girish said that the Surathkal police had nothing to do with the assault. “They were only helping the team from Bangalore with directions to the house,” he said. He also said that Ms. Shaina was not dragged to the police station as alleged. “We only took the boy along for questioning. She insisted on tagging along,” he said even as he assured a through investigation into the case. The victims have registered a complaint against the alleged police atrocity at the Surathkal station. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Dalit Cong worker assaulted
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4315875 28/08/2010 Dalit Cong worker assaulted Kapurthala, Aug 27 (PTI) A Dalit Congress worker was severely beaten up allegedly by Akali activists in the presence of police in Ibrahimwal village in the district. Protesting the incident, members of the Dalit community led by Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira today demonstrated in front of the SSP office. The protesters alleged that the police had slapped a case of theft against Congress worker Shaukina, who had been admitted to the civil hospital at Begowal. According to family sources, Shaukina was being harassed by the police at the behest of an Akali leader, who had allegedly given the former a loan of Rs five lakh. Shaukina was severally beaten by the Akali workers yesterday in the presence of a police team and later a case of theft slapped against him, they alleged. Dalits brought the incident to the notice of SP (Security) S K Agnihotri who assured to inquire into the matter.
[ZESTCaste] Swami to stop Dalit religious conversion
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Swami-to-stop-Dalit-religious-conversion/articleshow/6447694.cms Swami to stop Dalit religious conversion TNN, Aug 27, 2010, 09.55pm IST MYSORE: Seeking to curb religious conversion and encourage Dalit communities to join the mainstream, Pejawar mutt seer Vishwesha Teertha Swami on Friday visited a Dalit colony and promised to champion their cause. The seer told them he will observe a fast and offered them deeksha as a weapon to stop conversion. The seer asked them to quit alcoholism, but remained silent on their food habits stating non-vegetarianism is part of their culture. Buoyed by the seer's promise, the Dalit families said they would follow the seer's words. This is the first time a religious leader has visited their houses. The seer's visit aimed at ensuring social harmony and protecting Hindu Dharma. When the seer, who will be in the city for over a fortnight performing Chaturmasya vratha, arrived there was celebration at the Devaraj Urs colony, predominated by pourakarmikas. The colony was swept clean and decorated. The residents lined up to receive the seer and offered floral tributes as he came. The seer visited a couple of houses, lit lamps and offered prayers before he went to Pattadalamma temple where he addressed them calling Hindus to be united. According to him, religious conversions normally target Dalits as they rae alienated from Hindus. Hindus should be united, he said decrying untouchability. He offered to give them deeksha even as he advised them to quit alcohol. He asked them to contact him in case they have any message or demand to be heard by the state government. I will approach the elected representatives, he told them.
[ZESTCaste] Whose agitation?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/whose-agitation/673470/ Whose agitation? The Indian Express Posted online: Sat Aug 28 2010, 23:51 hrs Rahul Gandhi kept a two-year-old date with the inhabitants of Orissa’s Niyamgiri hills on Thursday. In what became a highly charged visit to Lanjigarh, site of Vedanta’s controversial refinery, he set out the timeline at a Congress-organised rally for tribal rights: “This is your victory. You saved your own land. Two years ago you had come to me saying the Niyamgiri hill is your god. I told you I would be your sipahi (soldier) in Delhi. I am happy that I have helped you in whatever way I could.” He did not get into details of Vedanta’s now cancelled bauxite mining project. The message was delivered in a disarming manner now associated with Rahul Gandhi — sentences scrubbed down to remove the stock, and therefore false-sounding, words from the rallyist’s phrasebook; a spontaneous connect with those gathered without fawning intermediaries. But the Niyamgiri visit does mark a change in his way of political mobilisation. Rahul Gandhi is perhaps the most powerful general secretary in the Congress’s history. He is powerful in part for being seen to be his party’s future. As he has criss-crossed the country, connecting with the “aam aadmi”, it has been seen to be an effort at including various constituencies in a forward-looking way. So he has flummoxed his political opponents by casually taking a local train in Mumbai, having a meal in a Dalit household, chatting with university students — how do they counter the charisma of a man unhurriedly telling folks there’s a future to be built? Now, at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district he has taken responsibility for winging a government action a certain way — if not for the actual decision by the Union environment ministry against the bauxite project, at least for advocating a certain point of view. The decision came two days before Rahul Gandhi visited Orissa, when preparations for the visit had already been made. The government is the right authority to take a call on the legitimacy of the bauxite project. But the message that the Congress’s mobilisation in opposition-ruled states is backed by the Centre’s actions has unsettling implications. Also, at Lanjigarh, the Congress appears to be unbundling the “aam aadmi” on a case-by-case basis. This carries the danger of it then having to balance different constituencies with competing agendas. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Brahmins on margins remain outside widening welfare net
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Brahmins-on-margins-remain-outside-widening-welfare-net-/articleshow/6448640.cms Brahmins on margins remain outside widening welfare net B Sivakumar, TNN, Aug 28, 2010, 01.14am IST CHENNAI: A group of men, both young and old, some even close to 80, huddle in a corner of a street leading to the ancient Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore on a rainy evening. They are waiting for a senior priest (purohit) to hand out assignments for the next day. These may vary from assisting in a marriage ritual to chanting funeral prayers. Most of them eventually will come away with a couple of token payments of Rs 200-300 made by householders for such poojas or ceremonies. Given the irregular nature of their income, not many earn more than Rs 2,000 to 3,000 per month. Traditionally associated with learning and education, the Brahmins of Tamil Nadu, who constitute roughly 4-5% of the six-crore population, are perceived to be a socially and economically advanced elite, but not many realise that today a large section of the community lives precariously close to the poverty line. According to the Tamil Nadu Brahmin Association (Tambras), about 30% of Brahmins in the state can be described as economically backward and they number close to 10 lakh. However, they are denied aid by the government as they are seen to belong to a traditionally affluent community. Efforts by legislators such as S Ve Shekher to have them included in welfare schemes for housing and education have not succeeded so far. Their only source of income is what senior priests part with from their share of offerings made by householders and devotees during Hindu rituals. Ravi Sastrigal, a purohit in Mylapore, says, The chief priest gets Rs 2,000-3,000 for a marriage. His juniors get Rs 500-600, plus free food, for reciting mantras. And then there are those who accompany them as mere helpers they get about Rs 150-200.
[ZESTCaste] SC flays Haryana govt for not protecting Dailts
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sc-flays-haryana-govt-for-not-protecting-dailts/129650-3.html?from=tn SC flays Haryana govt for not protecting Dailts CNN-IBN Posted on Aug 26, 2010 at 17:12 New Delhi: The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Haryana government on Thursday for not doing enough to protect Dalits. The court made the stinging observation while hearing the case related to the attack on Dalits in Mirchpur village of Haryana on April. The court said that the state government had been protecting those involved in attacking the Dalits instead of arresting them and warned that if the police did not take any action in 48 hours, the paramilitary would step in. The court also slammed the state Director General of Police, saying he had no right to continue in his post if he cannot protect the Dalits. If police do not arrest the accused in next 48 hours we will to ask paramilitary force to arrest them. What is the DGP doing if the police cannot execute non-bailable warrant what right does he have to continue as the DGP. Should we ask neighboring states to accommodate them because you are not able to protect them, the court observed. An 18-year-old physically challenged Dalit girl and her 70-year-old-father were burnt to death when some men reportedly belonging to the Jat community set their home on fire on April 21, 2010. At least 15 Dalit homes were also set on fire in the riot exposing the deep rooted caste tension in Haryana.
[ZESTCaste] Comrade, whither goest thou? (Kancha Ilaiah)
http://www.asianage.com/columnists/comrade-whither-goest-thou-027 Comrade, whither goest thou? Aug 27th, 2010 - Kancha Ilaiah The extended central committee meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, has not thrown up any radical formula to revitalise the party. This is disappointing since the battered and bruised Communists of India are in the worst shape possible in their entire history. The Communists occupy a political space that is totally opposite to the one occupied by the Right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party and its mother organisations, such as the Hindu Mahasabha and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The CPI(M) apparently works on the scientific theory of Marxism. In accordance with this, it should have played a sterling role in modernising the country. But in the last 80 years of its existence, it has not done anything of the sort. In fact, the Communist leadership now looks as if they are a feudal lot. The fragmentation within its ranks, and the irrational and unnecessary breaking up of the movement into three streams — CPI(M), Communist Party of India, and the Maoists — could be because of its leadership’s feudal and casteist mindset. Caste as an institution is basically divisive and the Communists too seem to be victims of such a divisive mindset. That they neither programmatically nor practically recognise caste does not mean that they have not become victims of the caste system itself. Right-wing forces in India are united while the Left-wing is divided. The Right-wing forces at least respond to criticism, while the Left-wing does not even bother to respond. For instance, Left leaders are not able to explain properly the “big differences” between the CPI(M), the CPI and the Forward Bloc that prevents them from merging. They got divided in the context of Soviet power and the Indo-China war. These issues are now passé but they still do not bother to review their decision. In fact, one CPI(M) leader of Kerala said two years ago that a merger with the CPI was impossible since there was no agreement on the attitude towards other parties after the revolution! Speak about people living in ivory towers. The cultural conditioning of the Left leaders is such that they do not want to criticise their own understanding and actions. Ideally, the Left should have worked as one party in a parliamentary democracy to demonstrate their strength and influence politics. But the Left leaders do not want to do so for no valid reason that the people of India can understand. The lack of corruption in their leadership does not make the Left democratic or responsive to the day to day sufferings of masses that need solutions. The Communist leaders have proved that they can be Marxist, feudal and casteist simultaneously. They also impose a discourse that the social masses of India do not understand. Their Oxford-educated leaders such as the late Jyoti Basu came back to live in the “dhoti culture” with one agenda of agrarian reform. But this agenda has reached its saturation in West Bengal and to some extent in Kerala also. For the last 80 years, Communist leaders have been saying that India is a class society. But there are now enough studies to prove that in India caste is more important than class. Neither the Communist leaders nor the intellectuals around them want to face this question squarely. Recently, there was a fierce debate in Kerala on whether the CPI(M) should accept caste/religious identities as legitimate. Though some fellow travellers felt that the party should do so, the leadership did not agree. According to them, though such identities do have their place, they are divisive in the long run and the need is to transcend them and evolve a humanist ethic. But the Left has consistently refused to explain why they have no existence in big states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh where there are toiling masses. The Communists should have repositioned their agenda and mobilised the masses around caste and other cultural questions in these places. So far they have no clue how to do that. Likewise, industrialisation did not take root in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura which the Left has been ruling for years. Their single-point programme of land reform did not take the West Bengal society out of semi-feudal living modes. While Left leaders lived wearing dhoti and kurta, they kept the peasants semi-naked. While the world has surged to a post-capitalist globalisation phase, Left leaders have remained stuck in their feudalism-capitalism discourses. And to add to their troubles, their present JNU-educated leadership has no idea of the rural masses and their changing aspirations. They messed up their programmatic agenda during their UPA-I days and now the masses seem to think that they are incapable of creative renewal. The truth is that nowadays classical socialism does not inspire even the working class masses who are enchained in their own caste-cultural
[ZESTCaste] Rape, torture by landlords forces Karnataka villagers to flee
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rape-torture-by-landlords-forces-Karnataka-villagers-to-flee-/articleshow/6436053.cms Rape, torture by landlords forces Karnataka villagers to flee Senthalir S, TNN, Aug 26, 2010, 03.42am IST BUDIHALLI (KARNATAKA): It's the untold tale of a village in the grip of the feudal system, and a quiet revolt brewing. Budihalli village of Karnataka's Chitradurga district is a glaring example of caste discrimination and bondage, with a yawning gap between communities. Here, landlords hold sway. They allegedly rape and torture women of lower castes while the men work as bonded labourers, paying off debts accumulated over generations. Breaking the stranglehold, 25 families of Madiga (scheduled caste) community left the village to look for self-respect and a new life. They reached Venkateshwaranagar in Chellakere taluk, 30 km from Budihalli, and set up tent. The exodus took place a fortnight ago. Women, men, children and the elderly took their possessions and began walking until they reached a settlement abandoned by nomads. For now, they are living in thatched huts. For them, this migration is symbolic: a breaking away from sexual harassment, rape and torture by the Gollas and Nayaks. The penniless families had no money to even buy bus tickets to their destination. Sitting cramped in the huts — two families in each — they recounted the horrors of their life in Budihalli. We didn't know where to go. We left our village without taking our belongings. We don't have jobs or money to send our children to school. We are struggling for two meals a day. The government has not helped us in any way. We have lost hope, and have no place to go, cries Kollamma T, a Madiga woman. Savithramma (name changed), fighting back her tears, said, Every day, drunk landlords would barge into our houses. They harassed and raped us. All these years, we were scared to talk because of social stigma. They abused us. Our men went to work in the fields of the landlords as bonded labourers to repay the loans taken by our grandparents. We were unable to bear the harassment, and wanted to work independently. So we began to sell firewood and cultivate government land, she said. When the Madigas began earning independently, the Golla and Nayak landlords socially boycotted them. H N Shivamurthy, state organizing convener of the Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation in Karnataka, said, The families of the dalit community had protested several times. One woman, Palakka Durgappa, lost her life while protesting. She sat in the rain for three days, protesting. But it hasn't helped them. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] New investment promotion scheme announced
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/New-investment-promotion-scheme-announced-/articleshow/6435639.cms New investment promotion scheme announced TNN, Aug 26, 2010, 01.21am IST JAIPUR: The state government has announced a new Rajasthan Investment Promotion scheme (RIPS) 2010 in the form of a package of financial incentives and subsidies. For the first time investment and employment generation subsidy has been introduced in the new scheme. The new RIPS 2010 provides better benefits to investors compared to the existing one. The new scheme gives concession for setting up of new enterprise, enterprise going for expansion, modernisation and diversification, and projects set up for social good. According to finance department officials, the new scheme gives more emphasis on employment generation, uplift of women, SC/ST and people with disability. The government has offered a subsidy of Rs 10,000 per annum for each employee, while this subsidy would be Rs 12,000 for employees belonging to women, SC/ST and people with disability. Similarly, for women, SC/ST and entrepreneurs with disability an additional 10% subsidy will be given on taxes as against 50% to the general category. Again 50% excemption from land tax has been given for the first time in the state. Subsidy and excemption for micro, small and medium enterprise in the notified area has been extended to 10 years compared to seven years for other categories under the new scheme. The policy states all kinds of investment are eligible for subsidy, including self-finance, to motivate investors. The cheme also simplifies the procedure for grant and disbursement of subsidy and provides transparency in the system by introducing on-line disbursement of subsidy.
[ZESTCaste] Haryana told to arrest all Dalit attack accused by Monday
http://sify.com/news/haryana-told-to-arrest-all-dalit-attack-accused-by-monday-news-national-ki0ukojiecg.html Haryana told to arrest all Dalit attack accused by Monday 2010-08-26 20:10:00 The Supreme Court Thursday slammed the Haryana government for its failure to arrest all those who looted and burnt Dalit houses in Mirchpur village in Hisar district April 21 and told it to arrest by Monday all accused who are on the run. If those responsible for committing atrocities could not be arrested then what right does the director general of police have to continue in office, asked an apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly. If Haryana police is incapable of arresting those wanted in the Mirchpur case, 'then we will ask some paramilitary force to arrest them', the court said. The court also wanted to know what the chief secretary of the state was doing. The court said that all those wanted in Mirchpur attack on Dalits should be arrested by Monday. The court said that all those who have committed the crime should be brought before the law and be made to account for their sins. It may be recalled that April 21 this year people from the dominant caste attacked and burnt the houses of Valmiki community in Mirchpur in which 70-year-old Tara Chand and his disabled daughter Suman were burnt alive. This led to an exodus of Dalits from the village. Taking note of the failure of the government to rehabilitate the Dalit victims, Justice Singhvi told the Advocate General of Haryana H.S. Hooda: 'You do not allow them to live then should we direct the neighbouring state to accommodate them.' The court also took note of the fact that things have come to such a pass that Dalit children of Mirchpur were not going to school. Senior counsel Colin Gonsalves told the court that a 14-year-old Dalit girl died of shock after she was scolded and humiliated in the school. Directing the government to provide two quintal wheat to each of the Dalit family in the village within seven days, the court asked the state to furnish all the records in support of its claim that it had given 65 people hundred days' employment under a central government scheme. Justice Singhvi told Haryana's advocate general that 'apart from legal issues we are concerned with the humanitarian aspect of the plight of the victims'. Justice Singhvi further said that 'all the people who are uprooted should be settled and protected. They should not live under threat'. The court was told that 52 people involved in the Mirchpur incident have been arrested and remaining would be arrested soon. This prompted Justice Singhvi to ask if the remaining accused have gone to Dubai or fled to other states in the country. The court was also given a report by the advocates from the office of the advocate general on Mirchpur incident. The court said that the copies of the same should be given to all the parties in the case.
[ZESTCaste] SC slams Haryana for not arresting Hissar culprits
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sc-slams-haryana-for-not-arresting-hissar-culprits/672567/ SC slams Haryana for not arresting Hissar culprits Agencies Posted online: Thu Aug 26 2010, 19:09 hrs New Delhi : The Supreme Court today directed the Haryana government to make all possible efforts to arrest by September 10 those involved in the murder of two Dalits and the destruction of 150 houses in Mirchpur village, Hissar on April 21. The violence was allegedly orchestrated by people belonging to the upper castes. The Court also slammed the Haryana government for its failure to provide relief and rehabilitation measures to the affected families and directed authorities to provide two quintal of wheat to each affected family. Some people are not being arrested. They should be arrested before the next date of hearing, a Bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said while posting the next date of hearing for September 10. The apex court perused the over 100-page report submitted by the state government in a sealed cover along with the fact-finding report prepared by a team of lawyers representing the victims. We have seen the report (of state government) which is contrary to the report of the other side, the Bench said while expressing dissatisfaction over the steps taken by the state government and directed it to file a fresh affidavit. The fact-finding report submitted by senior advocte Colin Gonsalves, who is representing the victims, said the state government failed to keep its promise of providing adequate relief and rehabilitation. He said in the report it is clearly mentioned that the authorities have not properly implemented the MNREGA. Further, the dwelling houses for Dalits in the village are made of mud and not cement, the report said adding even the district collector did not visit the village, and instead, only met the victims at the Valmiki Temple in the capital where they were given shelter. The apex court had on June 2 warned that it would take a very serious view if such incidents recurred. Such incidents of killings are taking place for the last five years, the Bench said during the hearing while expressing anguish that the administration was not doing enough. During the previous hearing, the court had pulled up the state for its failure to prevent the incident -- reportedly a fallout of a dog of the (Valmiki) Dalit community barking at upper caste Jat boys. A paraplegic girl was burnt to death, trapped inside her burning home. Her father, who tired to save her, later succumbed to injuries. The apex court had recorded an undertaking from the Haryana government that it would rebuild some of the houses damaged in the arson and provide employment to at least one member of each affected family under the MNREGA or other government-sponsored schemes by the next hearing.
[ZESTCaste] Dalits take out procession, stage dharna in Bijapur
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/14/stories/2010081452250300.htm Karnataka - Bijapur Dalits take out procession, stage dharna in Bijapur Staff Correspondent IN PROTEST:Members of Karnataka Rajya Dalit Sangharsh Samiti staging a dharna in Bijapur on Friday. Bijapur: Members of the Bijapur district unit of the Karnataka Rajya Dalit Sangharsh Samiti staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Friday urging the authorities to fulfil their various demands, including a hostel for all eligible Dalit students in the district. The agitators took out a procession from Gandhi Chowk through the main streets of the city to the Deputy Commissioner's office. They raised slogans against the State Government and Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa for not fulfilling their demands even after their repeated pleas. The agitators demanded that the authorities concerned should take steps to construct new hostel buildings in the district depending on the increasing strength of Dalit students and provide them with necessary facilities. The loans taken by Dalits from the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Development Corporation should be waived and all backlog posts be filled in the State, they said. The other demands of the agitators include providing permanent below poverty line cards to all Dalits in the district, construction of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Bhavans in all Assembly constituencies, municipality limits, city municipal council areas, town panchayats and gram panchayats and handing over the illegal mining issue to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The agitators submitted a memorandum to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj through Deputy Commissioner S.S. Pattanshetty. The agitation was led by district convener Suresh Mannur, Harish Natikar, Ravut Talakeri and Kamesh Bhajantri.
[ZESTCaste] It's mostly Dalits
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/22/stories/2010082253240400.htm Karnataka - Bangalore It's mostly Dalits Special Correspondent Bangalore: Karnataka State Human Rights Commission chairperson S.R. Nayak was shocked by how strongly the factor of caste is linked to destitution on Friday. He asked the warden of a section at Beggars' Relief Centre, which had 108 people, what the caste composition was. he was told 94 of them belonged to Scheduled Castes while 14 to Scheduled Tribes. He had sought a report on caste-wise break up of the number of inmates at the centre.
[ZESTCaste] Fwd: film on Narayan Surve on youtube
-- Forwarded message -- From: Shiva Shankar sshan...@cmi.ac.in Date: Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 7:31 PM Subject: film on Narayan Surve on youtube To: rediff NEWS Well-known Marathi poet Narayan Surve, who passed away on Monday at the age of 83, was a social activist who put the voice of Mumbai's working class in Marathi literature. Aisa Ga Mee Brahma (1962), is his first collection of poems followed by Majhe Vidyapeeth, another collection that hit stands in 1966. His poems described the world of urban population that lived in a metro like Mumbai, who did whatsoever work they could lay their hands on to eke out a living. He brought before the world the bitter truth of those whose life was a mess in search of a mere morsel and also the lives of toiling workers whose life was filled with the struggle to make a living. In his words, Bhakricha chandra shodhnyaatach jindagi barbaad (Wasted a lifetime in search of the moon of a Bhaakri (flat bread). He is mostly known for his poetry collection Majhe Vidyapeeth (My University). Born on October 15, 1926, Surve grew up in the streets of Mumbai and raised by a mill worker. He had slept on the pavement and earned a meagre livelihood by doing odd jobs. He taught himself to read and write. Surve actively took part in the workers' union movement in Mumbai and supported himself as a schoolteacher. In 1998, Surve was honoured with Padma Shri for excellence in Literature and Education. He received the prestigious Golden Lotus Award for his poetry and Kabir Samman in 1999 from Madhya Pradesh government. He was Convener of the Marathi Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi and had presided over Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Parbhani in 1995. Apart from Majhe Vidyapeeth, compilations of Surve's poems and essays include Jahirnama, Aisa Ga Mi Brahma, Sanad, Manush Kalawant and Ani Samaj. Surve would describe his struggle in his early years as Kalu laagle tevhaa paasun dabba gheun saachyaavar gelo, ghadavto lohaar haatodyaalaa, tasaach ghadavlaa gelo (I went to the mill with my lunch box since my childhood, just as a hammer is moulded by an ironsmith, my life was shaped there among the mill workers). Influenced by Marxism and comrades Dange and Mirajkar, Surve proclaimed social revolution through his poems. He narrated the life of a worker through his poems, using the colloquial language of workers. His poems brought Marathi poetry out of the circle of the middle class. He experimented with reading out his poems before an audience in Maharashtra as well in the entire country. His poems reached the pinnacle of popularity with all classes of the society. He describes his own emotional world as, Kaamgaar Mee Aahe, Mee Talpati Talwar (I am the worker, the flashing sword) Maazhe hi ek swapna hote re, je malaa pure kartaa ale naahi, Rojchyaa damgirine tevdhi usantach dili nahi, pan pudhche jag tuzhe aahe (I too had a dream, my dear, which I could not fulfil, the everyday routine did not leave me any leisure, but the world ahead is yours) Without being backed by great wealth, high education or family heritage, his intellect and high level of thinking as revealed through his poems, is a miracle of his genius. Surve was awarded the Janasthan Award by Kusumagraj Foundation in 2004. His Jahirnama, Sanad and Navyaa Maansaache Aagman (The coming of the new man) were some of his more popular works. - For those who did not know Narayan Surve, there is not much that one can find on the web. I think the best publicly available documentation of the poet's life is Narayan Gangaram Surve, a Marathi film by Arun Khopkar. It had noted theatre/film actor Kishore Kadam playing the poet, and had touching visualizations of his poetry. Apparently, this was also the first Marathi film to win the national award for the best film in Short film category. Narayan Gangaram Surve : Part 1 (25 min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Y6-xmNm3s Narayan Gangaram Surve : Part 2 (20 min). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKkqURDOAD4 Surve grew up in the streets of Mumbai and was raised by a mill worker. He did not have the privilege of going to school. Yet he learnt to read and write, and wrote poetry on the life around him. He passed away this Monday. Just like the mills and mill workers, just like Bombay, the poet of Bombay has also faded away into the world of memories. K.S.Sudeep.
[ZESTCaste] Vedanta issue: A few disturbing questions
http://business.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/aug/25/slide-show-1-a-few-disturbing-questions-in-the-vedanta-issue.htm Vedanta issue: A few disturbing questions Last updated on: August 25, 2010 20:24 IST Nilmadhab Mohanty The decision of Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh not to grant Stage II forest clearance to the proposal of the Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) for bauxite mining in Niyamgiri in Orissa has been welcomed in many circles, in particular by the environmental activists, for the protection it will provide to an ecologically sensitive area of the country and to the Kondh tribes (and Dalits) living in the area. There are, however a few disturbing questions that need to be answered by the ministry in order to buttress the minister's claim that the decision was an objective one with no prejudice or politics influencing it. First, the manner and time-line followed in the decision-making. The Orissa state government seems to have applied for final clearance in August 2009. The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has been deliberating the proposal at least since November 2009. In addition to the information submitted by the State and the central government's own agencies, it had the benefit of the recommendations made by a three-member expert group which submitted its report in February 2010. FAC then asks for yet another committee under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which is the nodal agency in the central government for tribal rights. The environment minister, however, appoints his own committee (the Saxena Committee) in the last week of June 2010. Then the pace quickens: The environment minister writes to the law ministry on July 19 to obtain the Attorney General's opinion if the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) apply its mind and decide in the light of the Supreme Court's earlier decision giving forest clearance.
[ZESTCaste] Alleged casteist remarks by minister spark row in Orissa
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/alleged-casteist-remarks-by-minister-spark-row-in-orissa/261172.html Alleged casteist remarks by minister spark row in Orissa PTI | 09:08 PM,Aug 25,2010 Bhubaneswar, Aug 25 (PTI) Alleged objectionable and casteist remark made by Orissa Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout triggered a row today with Congress as well as Scheduled Caste and Dalit leaders demanding his immediate resignation.Chairman of State Congress Scheduled Caste (SC) cell, Ripunath Seth told reporters here that Rout should resign forthwith for making derogatory remarks about Jagatsinghpur MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai, local MLA Bishnu Das and Additional District Magistrate Upendranath Mallick.Rout, a senior leader of the ruling BJD, was accused of making objectionable remarks at a public meeting in Kujang in Jagatsinghpur district last week about these three and referring to them as Harijans. If Rout fails to step down, he should be dismissed as he has used derogatory remarks about leaders and a government official by making casteist remarks despite holding a constitutional post as Minister, Seth said.When contacted, Rout said he has already expressed regrets for his remarks. What else can I do now. I am sorry for the remarks made by me inadvertently, he said.A case has also been registered against the minister in Kujang police station under provisions of SC and ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act and investigation launched into the matter, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) G D Pradhani said adding three separate complaints had been lodged against Rout in this regard.Orissa State Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Youth and Students' Council has also demanded dismissal of Rout for his remarks, while Dalits staged a dharna in Jagatsinghpur seeking his resignation.
[ZESTCaste] Grant for 200 more schools having 50% SC students
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Grant-for-200-more-schools-having-50--SC-students/664105 Grant for 200 more schools having 50% SC students In pursuance of its Dalit agenda, the Uttar Pradesh government has undertaken an exercise to select 200 private management-run primary schools with an enrollment of 50 per cent SC students for giving each of them annual financial assistance of Rs 6 lakh. The financial assistance will be considered for those schools that are recognised and exist for over a decade, said officials. Sources in the government said 578 schools in the state fulfilling the condition of 50 per cent enrollment of SC students are already given grants by the Social Welfare Department depending. “The state government spends about Rs 40 crore annually on schools which are required to enrol 50 per cent SC students,” an official said. Earlier, in 2006, Mulayam government had decided not to give such grants to any more schools. To select schools for this new scheme, the state government has asked district magistrates to complete the formalities at the earliest. A three-member committee, headed by the district magistrate, and including the district basic education officer and the social welfare officer, will advertise the scheme in every district and invite proposals within a month. Ads by Google IND - SL -NZ Cricket Tour Play exciting Prediction Fantasy Games and win Rs.10 lakhs. Play NowSportshero.com/CrickLuxury Villas Hyderabad Your Perfect Haven at Pocharam. Villas @ Rs.23.95 Lakhs. Book Now!ArthaHaven.com/HyderAir India Flight Tickets Air India Tickets At Rs. 99 Only Offer Limited. Book Today, Hurry!MakeMyTrip.com/Air-I “Besides having permanent recognition for past 10 years, the selected school must possess own land and building. It must have at least five teachers and 200 students. The teachers must have been be appointed as per the existing reservation system. The society running the school must be registered,” said an official. The government has also undertaken an exercise to verify the status of 578 non-government schools already receiving government grant. Sources said the feedback the government has received about these schools is not very good. “In a recent inspection of 12 such schools in Lucknow district, it was found that none of them fulfilled the preconditions stipulated by the state government for getting grants. It is possible there are many such schools in other parts of the state,” said an official. Principal Secretary (Social Welfare) Balwinder Kumar said these 578 schools are under watch. “I have asked the Director of Social Welfare to get these schools inspected,” he said. INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Nepal: First Dalit Sagarmatha expedition campaign ends
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=First+Dalit+Sagarmatha+expedition+campaign+ends+NewsID=255000 First Dalit Sagarmatha expedition campaign ends Added At: 2010-08-24 10:41 AM Last Updated At: 2010-08-24 10:41 AM The Himalayan Times - Saved Articles(s) KATHMANDU: Preparations for the first Dalit Sagarmatha Expedition campaign have been completed. The expedition is led by Climbers Club Nepal and is being organised to mark the Visit Nepal Year 2011. The Club President Dagombu Sherpa had successful organised the inclusive women Sagarmatha expedition in 2008. Youths from the Dalit community with sports background and physically and mentally strong have been targeted and training on mountaineering shall be organised for them, the Club has said. The entire campaign is expected to cost around Rs. 30 million. Speaking at a program organised to shed light on the campaign here on Monday, Chairperson of National Dalit Commission, Bijul Kumar Biswakarma, CA member Santoshi Biswakarma and Vice-Chair of the National Committee for the upliftment of the Depressed, the Oppressed and the Dalit Community, DB Pariyar were of the view that the expedition campaign to the world's highest mountain would give a very positive message to draw the attention of the world towards the plight of the Dalits in Nepal, and called for cooperation of all sides concerning in making the campaign a success.
[ZESTCaste] Justice, at last
http://www.frontline.in/stories/20100910271803400.htm THE STATES/HARYANA Justice, at last T.K. RAJALAKSHMI Seven persons have been awarded life imprisonment in the Dulina Dalit lynching case, but the battle for justice may not be over. MANOJ DHAKA Some of those convicted, outside the court. THE long wait for justice by the families of the five Dalit youth who were lynched on October 15, 2002, at the police post in Dulina village in Jhajjar district of Haryana is finally over. On August 9, a district court awarded life imprisonment to seven convicts in the case. The Dalits were taken to the police post by a group of people who accused them of slaughtering a cow on Dasara day. The crowd soon swelled into a murderous mob and it beat them up in the presence of senior police officers and officials of the district administration. The police personnel did not fire a single shot to disperse the assailants ( Frontline, January 18, 2003). The case should have been long settled as the crime happened in front of law-enforcers. But because of the caste identities of the victims and the perpetrators of the crime, it was clear that the road to justice was going to be a long one. The State government set up a commission headed by R.R. Banswal, the then Commissioner of Rohtak range, to inquire into the circumstances that led to the incident. The commission report, submitted in December 2002, summed up the sequence of events and castigated the police. It concluded that the five Dalits were murdered at the police post. The exhaustive, 383-page report recommended action against the police officials concerned for dereliction of duty. According to Jhajjar District Special Judge A.K. Jain, the crime was “well planned and premeditated”. A total of 30 persons were accused initially in the lynching case. On August 7, the court found seven of them guilty under Sections 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 449 (house trespass in order to commit offence), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault or criminal force), 302 (punishment for murder) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Indian Penal Code. On August 9, the court awarded life imprisonment to them and imposed on them a fine of Rs.20,000 under Section 302. The accused were also awarded rigorous imprisonment (RI) for two years under Section 148; seven years' RI and a fine of Rs.5,000 under Section 449; two years' RI under Section 332; and two years' RI under Section 353. All sentences will run concurrently. However, they were acquitted under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The court acquitted the rest of the accused. On the basis of the evidence on record, the judge noted in his order that the seven accused (six Jats and one Dalit) – Ranbir, Om Parkash, Satbir, Ramesh, Shishupal, Jagbir and Sube – dragged the five people out after breaking open the door of the police lockup, killed them on the spot and threw the bodies of two into a fire. The order, however, noted that there was no cogent evidence to prove that the accused set on fire any building or hut or that the crime in question was motivated by the caste of the victims. The order said: “On the contrary, it is apparent that the accused were not even aware of the caste of the victims…. In this background, no offence is made out under the S.C. and S.T. (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the accused.” On the day the judgment was pronounced, a huge crowd gathered outside the Jhajjar court in support of the accused, reminiscent of the huge mobilisation on October 16, 2002, to put pressure on the administration against their arrest. Not a word was uttered in support of the massacre victims either then or now. Slogans were raised in support of the cow. According to the report of the then Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar, various social and religious organisations conducted meetings and took out processions through the bazaars of Jhajjar town and submitted memoranda to the authorities demanding that no action be taken against the people who had killed the “cow slaughterers”. The mood on August 7 was no less different. All shops in Jhajjar town downed their shutters protesting against the sentence. At a meeting held in support of those found guilty, the Jhajjar Gurukul Pradhan Vijaypal and Haryana Gaushala Sangh president, Acharya Baldev, gave a call to protect the cow. On August 10, the Jhajjar Gaushala organised a panchayat to decide a future course of action. It was decided to hold a bigger meeting in which representatives of khaps, gurukuls and gaushalas were expected to participate. At least two of the seven convicts had connections with the Shiv Sena or the Bharatiya Janta Party. One of them is a former municipal councillor and president of the district unit of the Shiv Sena. The other, the pradhan of the Jhajjar Gaushala and a former member of the BJP, is now associated
[ZESTCaste] Fwd: Online Exhibition on Kandamal by Dalit Artists
-- Forwarded message -- From: Anivar Aravind ani...@movingrepublic.org Date: 16 August 2010 12:57 Subject: [Reader-list] Online Exhibition on Kandamal by Dalit Artists To: Reader List reader-l...@sarai.net, foil foi...@insaf.net, in-kera...@googlegroups.com, Invites invi...@yahoogroups.com Dear friends, Perhaps you are aware that even after two years, the Christian adivasi and dalit survivors of the Kandhamal http://orissaconcerns.net/kandhamalviolence are still struggling for justice. Thousands of people cannot go back to their own lands and many are still living in tents in Kandhamal. Education of children is disrupted and their trauma is still continuing. The culprits of communal violence are getting acquitted without any punishment from the courts. In this context, the National Solidarity Forumhttp://www.nationalsolidarityforum.org/, a coalition of over 50 organisations from different parts of the country have given a call for protests, public meetings or any other civil society action on August 25, 2010 as `Kandhamal Dayhttp://orissaconcerns.net/2010/08/kandhamal-day/'. Since the attacks on Christians have taken place in over 10 states in India, the local issues may also be taken up along with the event. As part of the call for protesthttp://orissaconcerns.net/2010/08/kandhamal-day/on August 25th two dalit artists, Shashi Memuri and Venkatesh have completed a series of paintings and sketches for an exhibition on the situation in Kandhamal after visiting more than 50 villages in the area recently. These can be downloaded from the http://orissaconcerns.net and print outs can be taken in A/3 size. We request all secular groups and organizations to make use of this exhibition before, during or after Kandhamal Dayhttp://orissaconcerns.net/2010/08/kandhamal-day/, in colleges, schools, institutions and public places. If the exhibition is organized in your area before Kandhamal Day it may also be contribute to the public action on August 25th. We plan to cover your solidarity actions/protest reports and news in OrissaConcerns.net. Please send reports and photographs of your actions to ani...@movingrepublic.org and nptkandha...@gmail.com so that other groups will also be informed and inspired by your action. Download Posters From Here http://orissaconcerns.net/2010/08/kandhamal-exhibition/ Tune http://orissaconcerns.net/kandhamal for Updates from Kandhamal from Peoples Tribunal happening in Delhi Details about National People’s Tribunal on Kandhamal, 22-24 August 2010 http://orissaconcerns.net/2010/08/national-people%E2%80%99s-tribunal-on-kandhamal-22-24-august-2010/ In Solidarity Dhirendra Panda Coordinator National Solidarity Forum Anivar Aravind (Editor , OrissaConcerns.net) Moving Republic -- [It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from other kinds of precise information. - Donald Knuth -- [It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from other kinds of precise information. - Donald Knuth _ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-requ...@sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/ INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[ZESTCaste] Dalit woman beaten to death in Aurangabad district
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/dalit-woman-beaten-to-death-in-aurangabad-district/257582.html Dalit woman beaten to death in Aurangabad district PTI Aurangabad(Bihar), Aug 24 (PTI) A 40-year-old dalit woman was today beaten to death by some people, suspecting her to be a witch at Belai village in Aurangabad district, police sources said. The deceased, identified as Binda Devi was beaten with lathis till she breathed her last, the sources said. An FIR has been registered at the local police station against several people, four of them by their name, in connection with the brutal killing of the dalit woman, they said. Her body has been sent for post-mortem, they added.PTI CORR KDK RG
[ZESTCaste] FIRs against minister for anti-dalit remarks
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/FIRs-against-minister-for-anti-dalit-remarks/articleshow/6429476.cms FIRs against minister for anti-dalit remarks TNN, Aug 25, 2010, 03.29am IST KENDRAPARA: Agriculture minister Damodar Rout will be interrogated for the anti-dalit remarks he allegedly made last week. We will soon interrogate the minister after two dalit leaders filed FIRs against him with Kujang (Jagatsinghpur) police. After examining the contents of the FIRs, police filed case against the minister on Monday under Section-3 of SC and ST (Atrocity Prevention) Act, 1989. Police are also examining the videotape of the statement made by the minister at a public meeting, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Paradip Santun Das said. Last Wednesday, Rout had allegedly levelled Jagatsinghpur MP and CPI leader Bibhu Prasad Tarei, Jagatsinghpur MLA and former minister Bishnu Das and additional district magistrate Upendra Mallick as Harijans, who hatched a conspiracy against him.
[ZESTCaste] The caste factor
http://www.frontline.in/stories/20100910271810500.htm CENSUS 2011 The caste factor VIKHAR AHMED SAYEED in Bangalore A conference on caste-based enumeration comes up with valid arguments in support of the exercise. RAJEEV BHATT DIGVIJAY SINGH, AICC general secretary, and D. Raja, CPI national secretary, at the release of Caste Census: Towards an Inclusive India, in New Delhi on August 5. THE inclusion of caste in Census 2011 has been a vexed question for the polity. The uncertainty over the issue has now come to an end with the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Caste Census giving its consent for the exercise. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who led the GoM, announced in the Lok Sabha on August 12 that only the modalities remained to be sorted out. In the past few months, caste-based enumeration has been the subject of opinion columns of newspapers, talk shows on television and discussions on the Internet. A conference on “Caste Census: Towards an Inclusive India”, held on July 23 at the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore, provided another forum to discuss the issue at length. The participants consisted of a multidisciplinary academic group involved in research on caste and public policy. Justice M.N. Rao, Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes; Dr M. Vijayanunni, former Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India; Prof. Sukhdeo Thorat, Chairperson of the University Grants Commission; and Prof. S. Japhet, Director, CSSEIP, NLSIU, were among the distinguished personalities who participated in the conference. The group generally was of the opinion that caste-based enumeration was unavoidable in the Indian context. However, in a letter to the GoM (published in the Opinion Column of The Hindu dated August 14), the participants of the conference objected to its recommendation to conduct caste enumeration at the biometric data capture stage. Saying that outside agencies are likely to be involved at this stage, they argued strongly that The Census of India (or the Office of the Registrar General of India) “is the only competent agency in the country with the necessary expertise and experience to undertake this gigantic task”. History of caste census The last time an Indian census included caste data was in 1931. According to Vijayanunni, caste data were collected in 1941 as well, but their tabulation was dropped as a money-saving measure during the Second World War. Several historians have argued that the inclusion of caste in the Indian census by the British was an anthropological exercise to learn about the colonised. In his well-known book Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, Benedict Anderson has said that the ‘census', the ‘map' and the ‘museum' were ways in which the colonialists learnt about the colonised. Some historians say that the manner in which caste and religious data were collected rigidified the otherwise nebulous caste and religious identities in South Asia. The 1871 census (the first census exercise in British India) shows how the colonial census operations categorised certain castes as superior, intermediate, trading, pastoral, and so on (Memorandum on the Census of British India 1871-72, page 21, available on the website of La Trobe University). This clearly legitimised certain caste notions of superiority and inferiority by the state itself. Census 1901 reveals an interesting feature: a fall in the number of ‘lower castes' compared with past censuses. This was because of a severe famine in the 1890s. The census report states: “The diminution in the lower groups is doubtless due to the excessive mortality of 1897 when the administration had to face, and admittedly failed to solve, the difficult problem of forcing relief upon people who were reluctant to accept it until they had been reduced to a state of debility which could end only in death.” This is an example of how caste enumeration can be useful; the 1901 census helped identify which castes were affected most severely by the famine. Idea of a casteless society When India became a republic and adopted its Constitution in 1950, it was recognised that the nation needed to move towards a casteless society. But the very fact of ‘untouchability' being accepted as a reality in the Constitution implied that caste was pervasive in society. The issue came up for a vociferous debate in the Constituent Assembly. Several members argued that untouchability could be abolished only if the caste system was done away with. Promatha Ranjan Thakur, a member of the Constituent Assembly from Bengal, said on April 29, 1947: “I do not understand how you can abolish untouchability without abolishing the very caste system. Untouchability is nothing but the symptom of the disease, namely, the caste system. It exists as a matter of caste system. I do not understand how this, in its
[ZESTCaste] Take measures to avoid Khairlanji-like incidents in future: Ashok Chavan
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_take-measures-to-avoid-khairlanji-like-incidents-in-future-ashok-chavan_1427744 Take measures to avoid Khairlanji-like incidents in future: Ashok Chavan Published: Monday, Aug 23, 2010, 21:21 IST Place: Mumbai | Agency: PTI Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan today said that an independent institution like Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) should be asked to study the root cause of social tensions and suggest remedies to avoid incidents like dalit killings in Khairlanji in future. Chavan had convened a meeting to discuss the Khairlanji issue and incidents of injustice meted out to scheduled caste citizens. He said that the CBI which investigated the case of the murders of four members of a Dalit family in Khairlanji, has decided to appeal against the high court judgment of converting the death sentence of the six accused to 25 years imprisonment, in the Supreme Court. The chief minister also stressed the need to examine how the state government can successfully put forth its stand in the apex court. He felt the need of the hour was to understand the reasons behind atrocities on dalits and find lasting solutions.
