NCDHR is an Advocacy Platform committed for Dalit Human Rights at the Grass root, National and International levels. Dalits In News aims at sensitizing Civil societies, HR Mechanisms and providing updates of HR violations on Dalits for their Intervention.
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON DALIT HUMAN RIGHTS NCDHR Dalits In News Tuesday, August 22, 2006 Newkerala.com- Bihar Seven Bihar women victims of rape seek justice http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews <http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=10509> &id=10509 Patna, Aug 22: Seven Dalit women of a Bihar village were allegedly raped by powerful landed upper caste men of their village last week, but the police have refused to register their compliant. The women, from very poor families of Ramnagar-Gopalpur village in Lakhisarai district, were raped at gunpoint on Aug 6 night by a local land owner and his goons to teach them a lesson for refusing to vote for a woman candidate - the wife of an upper caste landowner - during the panchayat (village council) elections in June. The local police turned away the women when they went to file a complaint and the local administration behaved indifferently too, they allege. The women have come to Patna to seek justice, but their efforts to move the state administration during the last four days has yielded no results so far. "They approached us when the local police refused to take action against the accused," said Manju Prakash, chairman of the Bihar state women commission. The women told Prakash that they were raped because they had refused to cast their votes in favour of a particular candidate. Even their men were beaten, humiliated and threatened with being killed when they rushed to save them. They have named Bipin Singh and his henchmen for the rape. "What shocked us is that police refused to register a case against Singh and forcibly drove us away," one of the women told IANS here. The Dalits of the village protested the rape by blocking the roads but were assaulted by the Block Development Officer, who ordered that the protestors be arrested, including an 80-year-old man. When the women approached a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe police station, the police only registered a case of assault, not of rape, they alleged. Along with their children, the women came to Patna and met Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, both central ministers from Bihar, to seek justice. While Lalu Prasad has assured he would raise their case and fight for them, Paswan too promised them help. They also met former chief minister and leader of opposition Rabri Devi. Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) have criticised the failure of police to register a rape case. The LJP staged a sit-in to protest the rape and inaction of police and accused the state government of patronising the landed class. The RJD charged that the morale of the state police as well as of the landed upper-caste in the state was high ever since Nitish Kumar came to power. --- IANS Newkerala.com-Bihar Bihar legislator jailed for molestation http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews <http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=10349> &id=10349 Patna, Aug 22: A Bihar legislator has been sent to jail for molesting a Dalit woman, an official said Thursday. Ram Swaroop Prasad, a Janata Dal-United legislator from Islampur in Nalanda, was sent to jail by the Hilsa court. Nalanda is the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. --- IANS Express India-Gujrat Dalit activist summoned in 10-yr old case http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=197762 <http://www.expressindia.com/about/[EMAIL PROTECTED] a.com> Mahesh Langa Ahmedabad, August 21: A VERAVAL trial court has summoned well known Dalit activist Valjibhai Patel to take chargesheet filed against him in more than a decade old case. According to the case details, in 1994, a police complaint was lodged against Valjibhai and two others for translating, publishing and distributing a booklet called "Riddles of Ram and Krishna" during the inaugural function of a Dr B R Ambedakar statue in Veraval. The booklet was taken from "Riddles in Hinduism" the volume eight of collected works of Ambedakar published by the Maharashtra government in 1987. In volume eight, chapter 33 was "Riddles of Ram and Krishna" wherein both heroes of Hinduism were shown in poor light and derogatory language was used in description. Ironically, the Gujarat government itself had published the collected works of Dr Ambedkar, including the "Riddles of Hinduism" in 1997, during the RJP-Congress government in the state. However, in 1999 the BJP government sanctioned the prosecution of Valjibhai for translating, publishing and distributing the very book the previous government had published. Valjibhai Patel had translated the chapter in Gujarati and thousands of copies were distributed in the state. But in 1994, the booklet provoked uppercaste Hindus who launched an agitation against the booklet. Several saints and priests also joined the agitation along with local political leaders from BJP and Congress. Bajarangdas, a priest, registered a complaint against Valjibhai, who had translated the book, Muljibhai Solanki, a local leader of Republican Party who had distributed the booklet and Mansukhbhai Raja, in whose press the book was printed. The case was registered under IPC 153-A, 295, 501, 502 and 114. However, under CrPC provision 196, a sanction from the state government was required to prosecute anyone under IPC 153-A and it was granted in 1999. In August 2006, the trial court in Veraval issued a summon to Valjibhai. It may be noted that the other two persons named in the complaint have already died. Newindpress.com- Kerala Victoria Hospital in trouble over baby's death http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20060822012504 <http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20060822012504&Page=R&Title= Kerala&Topic=0> &Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0 Tuesday August 22 2006 11:46 IST KOLLAM: Following the death of the baby during the Caesarean section conducted at the Victoria Hospital here, tension mounted for a while at the hospital on Monday. Relatives and friends of Jayasree, 23, wife of VS Anil Kumar of Palottutharayil, Karalimukku, thronged the hospital demanding action against the duty doctors. Jayasree, a Dalit woman, who had been admitted to the hospital on Friday was complaining of pain all through out Sunday night. Though she had been shifted to the labour room, no duty doctor had attended on her, it is alleged. She was under the treatment of gynaecologist Jayasree. However, it is alleged that no duty doctor had intimated Dr Jayasree about the woman's condition. They were waiting for the doctor's arrival on Monday morning to conduct the operation. Though the doctor conducted the Caesarean at 9 am the child had died by then. Superintendent of the hospital Elizabeth John Zakaria told mediapersons that complaints of the duty doctor's negligence would be looked into and she was ready to cooperate with any type of probe into the matter. Protesting the incident, Kerala Dalit Federation workers led by state president P Ramabhadran staged a dharna in front of the Superintendent's office on Monday evening. Ramabhadran said that despite the Health Minister's assurance of service to the poor, poor people were still neglected in the Government hospitals. The Hindu- TN Democratic forces must unite to abolish caste system: DPI http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082216670600.htm Special Correspondent Thirumavalavan says it is the main stumbling block to Dalits' development CHENNAI: Only when the caste system is abolished can the nation claim that Independence has been achieved, Dalit Panthers of India leader Thol.Thirumavalavan said on Monday, and urged democratic forces to unite for achieving the objective. Delivering a special lecture on `Dalit prospects and problems in Tamil Nadu,' organised by the History Association at Loyola College here, he explained the caste structure was the main stumbling block to development of Dalits. Tracing the history of the caste system and the societal structure that ignored Dalits without giving them recognition, he said no one was born with a caste tag. Only after birth, did society attach the caste name to the newborn. He said reservation was not a dole but an entitlement. It was to ensure social justice. In all elections from 1952 to 2006, the Dalits were not considered a political force to reckon with. The Hindu- AP SC action plan pegged at Rs. 276 crores http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/21/stories/2006082114060400.htm Special Correspondent August 21, 2006. HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has asked the Andhra Pradesh State Scheduled Castes Cooperative Finance Corporation to identify schemes that will provide quick returns to the beneficiaries. "Don't go by the numbers of schemes sanctioned under various programmes. What is needed is the income the beneficiaries earn out of such schemes," Dr. Reddy said at the valedictory programme of two-day training programme for Dalit entrepreneurs jointly organised by the National Institute of Small Industry Extension Training (NISIET) and the corporation here on Sunday. Dr. Reddy released the SC corporation action plan for 2006-2007 with an outlay of Rs. 276 crores to assist 1.90 lakh beneficiaries. Replying to a plea that the AP State Finance Corporation was reluctant to extend loans to Dalits and was insisting on security, Dr. Reddy directed Social Welfare Minister D.S. Redya Naik and SC Corporation chairman R. D. Wilson to hold talks with the SFC officials and get back to him. However, he reminded the gathering that only when the beneficiaries promptly repaid the loans, further loaning could be arranged. Mr. Redya Naik explained how the Government had enhanced budgetary allocation for the Social Welfare Department and said a lion's share was provided to the Scheduled Castes welfare. Mr. Wilson wanted the unused funds of various departments for SC welfare to be diverted to the APSCFC. The APSCFC vice-chairman, D. Jagdeeshwar, NISIET director, U.B. Raju and registrar G.U.K. Rao were present. Newkerala.com- New Delhi Quota for SC, ST students demanded http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=10434 New Delhi, Aug 22: A strong demand for making available reservation to Scheduled Castes and Tribes in minority educational institutions was made by BJP members in the Lok Sabha today. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Ratilal Verma accused the UPA Government of committing injustice by not ensuring reservation to SC and ST students in minority educational establishments. He was supported by several members of the BJP. Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi dismissed the charge and said the Government was paying highest attention to problems of SCs, <http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=10434> STs, OBCs and minorities. The Hindustan Times- Editorial Freedom's just another word <http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1769048,00120002.htm> http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1769048,00120002.htm DEMOCRACY WALL | Harsh Mander August 15, 2006 Velmurugan and Ramesh, who study in high school in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district, are good friends. Yet, Ramesh can never visit his classmate's home because Velmurugan lives in the Dalit colony. Velmurugan's hut has no electricity, so he often goes to his upper-caste friend's home to study. He is the brighter student, and helps Ramesh in his school work. But he is never permitted to proceed beyond the verandah, and is rarely offered food. The few days that he does eat in his friend's home, it is on a separate plate earmarked for the Dalit house servant. Children in rural India learn early the rules of caste, even as their country races into the 21st century. A survey of practices of untouchability in 565 villages in 11 states reveals that in as many as 38 per cent government schools, Dalit children are made to sit separately while eating. In 20 per cent schools, Dalit children are not permitted to drink water from the same source. The recently released report of perhaps the first nationwide survey of the continued prevalence of untouchability, jointly authored by Ghanshyam Shah, Sukhadeo Thorat, Satish Deshpande, Amita Baviskar and myself, finds such untouchability in all local state institutions. A shocking 27.6 per cent Dalits are prevented from entering police stations and 25.7 from ration shops. Thirty-three per cent public health workers refuse to visit Dalit homes and 23.5 per cent Dalits still do not get letters delivered to their homes. Segregated seating for Dalits was found in 30.8 self-help groups and cooperatives, and 29.6 per cent panchayat offices. In 14.4 per cent villages, Dalits weren't permitted to enter the panchayat building. They were denied access to polling booths, or forced to form separate lines in 12 per cent of the villages surveyed. Despite being charged with a constitutional mandate to promote social justice, various local institutions of the Indian-State clearly tolerate and even facilitate the practice of untouchability. Dalit settlements are most often segregated from the main village. Such traditions are reproduced by government, when building Indira Awaas housing colonies for Dalits, or by NGOs such as in the post-2001 earthquake reconstruction programmes in Gujarat. In nearly half the surveyed villages (48.4 per cent), Dalits were denied access to water sources. In over a third Dalits were denied entry into village shops. They had to wait some distance from the shop, the shopkeepers kept the goods they bought on the ground and accepted their money similarly without direct contact. In teashops, Dalits were denied seating and had to use separate cups. There was found to be great, and at times violent, intolerance of displays of well-being, or public celebrations by Dalits. In many villages, bans operated on wedding processions on public (arrogated as upper-caste) roads. In 10 to 20 per cent villages, Dalits weren't allowed even to wear fashionable clothes or sunglasses. They could not ride their bicycles, unfurl their umbrellas, wear chappals on public roads, smoke or stand without head bowed. Restrictions on their entry into Hindu temples averaged 64 per cent in 11 states, ranging from 47 per cent in UP to 94 per cent in Karnataka. The research established that such restrictions endured even after conversion of Dalits to egalitarian faiths. In punjab, 41 of the 51 villages surveyed reported separate gurdwaras for Dalit Sikhs. Dalits who worshipped in gurdwaras frequented by upper-caste Jats were served in separate lines at the langar and were not permitted to prepare or serve the sacred food. In Maharashtra, despite mass conversions of the Mahars to Buddhism, Dalits were denied temple entry in 51 per cent villages. In Kerala and Andhra, there are divisions in the church between Dalit converts and others, and discrimination even against ordained Dalit priests. Untouchability persists even into death. In nearly half the villages, Dalits were debarred from access to cremation grounds. In Maharashtra, Dalits have their own cremation grounds but these are permitted only on the eastern side of the village, so that the upper-castes aren't polluted by the winds that pass from west to east. The study reports discrimination against Dalits in the labour market. Although normally Dalits are coerced into agricultural labour in unfavourable conditions, sometimes even of bondage, they are excluded in the lean agricultural season, when work is scarce for all, and therefore upper-caste workers are preferred. In 25 per cent of the villages, Dalits were paid lower wages than other workers. They were also subjected to much longer working hours, delayed wages, verbal and physical abuse, not just in 'feudal' states like Bihar but also notably in Punjab. In 37 per cent of the villages, Dalit workers were paid wages from a distance, to avoid physical contact. The study also found evidence of discrimination between non-Dalit and Dalit workers, evidence of caste surmounting proletarian solidarity. The large majority of Dalits is landless. In the few cases where they were landowners, they were denied access to water for irrigation in more than one-third of the villages. In 21 per cent villages, they were denied access to grazing lands and fishing ponds, and violent upper-caste opposition was reported when Dalits encroached onto or were allotted government lands for cultivation or housing. Untouchability was found to extend to consumer markets. Dalit producers in 35 per cent villages were barred from selling their produce in local markets. Instead, they were forced to sell in the anonymity of distant urban markets where caste identities blur. This imposes additional burdens of cost and time and reduces their competitiveness. Caste taboos apply particularly to products like milk - in as many as 47 per cent of the villages with cooperatives, Dalits were not allowed to sell milk to the cooperatives or private buyers. In a quarter of the villages, they were prevented from buying milk from cooperatives. Dalits are therefore not only disproportionately burdened with poverty to start with; caste discrimination in labour and consumer markets condemns them to lower wages with harder work in uncertain employment and restrictions on their access to natural resources as well as the markets for their products. Even more than in secular and religious public spaces, the practice of untouchability endures most in upper-caste rural homes, in what people regard to be their private sphere. Our survey confirmed that in as many as 73 per cent of the villages, Dalits were not permitted to enter non-Dalit homes, and 70 per cent would not eat together. Even Dalit researchers in this study were denied entry into upper-caste homes. With untouchability thus persisting unashamedly in state institutions like schools and police stations, in public spaces like temples and shops, in farms and markets, and in homes and hearts, the Dalit still lives in India waiting hopelessly, and sometimes in anger, for the long-betrayed dawn of equality. The writer is the convenor of Aman Biradari, a people's campaign for secularism, peace and justice. ARUN KHOTE Secretary-Media National Campaign On Dalit Human Rights-NCDHR 8/1,2nd Floor, South Patel Nagar NEW DELHI-110008 ( INDIA) Ph/ Fax-91#11-25842249/ 25842250 Mobile:0-9350183802 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: dalits.org -- Subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a BLANK email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join Yahoo! 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