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 Sunday, August 27, 2006 Govt move on SC reservation stirs controversy Manu Sharma http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?category=National <http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?category=National&slug=Govt+ move+on+reservation+stirs+controversy&id=92183> &slug=Govt+move+on+reservation+stirs+controversy&id=92183 Sunday, August 27, 2006 (New Delhi): The government proposes to extend reservation benefits to children of scheduled caste women even if they are married to non-scheduled caste men. Up till now, the father's caste has decided the child's. The Scheduled Caste commission which has to submit its recommendations on the Centre's proposal says it needs a lot more time and justification for this move. The commission has asked the government to give more details and documents. They also want to meet community leaders and authors who've worked on this subject for their views. "We need to study the judgement. There are letters stating concerns that the women will be exploited. People will only marry them for their uses. There's more to this complex issue," said Fakibhai Vaghela, Vice Chairman, NCSC. Murmurs of protest Just how controversial such a move can be is clear from the fact that the first murmurs of protest have originated, ironically from within the government. Shibu Soren, Minister for Coal, has written to the commission saying this move could backfire as it would be used to exploit Dalit women. But there's a sneaky feeling that tribals being left out of this proposal may have something to do with it. "I agree about the problems women could face but the problem of tribals is very different. We are talking about discrimination that the SC face, the untouchability which the tribals don't have to face," said Udit Raj, Dalit leader. But is it really welfare or politics that's driving the debate? Sociologists say votebank politics makes this socially productive move controversial. "You'd taken the first step and could easily go the distance. But marrying outside: what should be a sign of upward mobility will now get caught up in politics and controversies," said Dipankar Gupta, sociologist. What's in a name? A lot, if you look at the political calculations in the run-up to assembly elections next year. Chennai On Line PT march to demand retrieval of land http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7BA5C823AE-C28D-42 FA-B00C-4DE4247D70D6%7D&CATEGORYNAME=Chennai Coimbatore, August 27: Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT), a Dalit-based political party, will take out a march to the Secretariat in Chennai on August 30 demanding that steps be taken to reclaim land 'forcibly' taken from Dalits over a period of time. After the culmination of the procession, a delegation would meet Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and submit a memorandum, PT president Dr K Krishnasamy said in a press release here today. Members of various Dalit organisations, NGOs and women's organisations would participate in the march, he added. Claiming that more than eight lakh acres of land, including three lakh acres of panchami (depressed class) land, had been with Dalits, he alleged that about 90 per cent of them were forcibly taken or grabbed from the downtrodden and poor farmers by misusing political power over a period of time. His party would request the Chief Minister to expand the terms of reference of the commission, constituted to look into the Siruthavur land issue, and include the issue of grabbing of lands owned by Dalits and tribals during the pre and post-Independence period, Krishnasamy said. (Agencies) The Pioneer- Columnists Where's the cream? Chandrabhan Prasad http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnist1.asp?main_variable=Columnist&file_name =prasad%2Fprasad174.txt&writer=prasad Were there Dalit royals, zamidars and tallukdars who negotiated land rents with the British, lived on surpluses and sent their children to study in England? Were there Dalit/Tribal ICS officers, judges and kotwals reporting to the British officials and building mansions for their children? Were there Dalits trading in salt, running textile mills and breeding horses for the British Army? Are there Dalit businessmen? Are there Dalit/Tribal owned company traded publicly? Are there Dalit corporate houses congratulating the Prime Minister for the soaring Sensex? If the answer is in the negative, then, where is a Dalit/Tribal creamy layer? The CII-ASSOCHAM's Task Force on Affirmative Action for SC/STs has however, fictionalised the personality of Dalit mass when it threatens: "The proposed programme shall not be applicable for the so-called 'creamy layer' of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Castes." As we have been hailing the Action Plan of the CII-ASSOCHAM as a historic move in the right direction, this one liner has become a cut lemon in a barrel of milk. If at all there could be a creamy layer from within SC/STs, it would the class of them employed in Group A Services of the State. But, does that become a layer? To become a layer, there must a substantial amount of cream to form in order to float on the surface of the larger milk mass. How big is that number which can form a layer? According to a report of the National Commission for SC/STs (1997-'98), the total number of Dalits/Tribal officers in Group A service was just 67,079, which also includes officers from nationalised banks, and public sector enterprises. Dalits/Tribals are over 250 millions, from whom, 67, 079 have got into Group A services. Does this number become big enough to form a layer- creamy or otherwise, in the huge mass of Dalit/Tribal populace? The other section of Dalits/Tribals which can be accused of being cream, are MP/MLAs the community possess. Some of them have made their fortunes, a truth no doubt. But, how big is that number - 121 odd MPs, and few hundred MLAs. Do they become big enough to form a layer. Also, in most societies, politicians are often considered dust of the society. If that being the truth, how can Dalit/Tribal politicians be treated as cream? In the CII-ASSOCHAM report, there is a contradiction. The plan promises to "provide for more executive positions through appointments/promotions from SC/STs." Now, the question is: will CII/ASSOCHAM outsource Dalit/Tribals for executive positions? To become an executive, a candidate must be a graduate in engineering or management, preferably comfortable in English. Must these candidates belong to the middle class with resources and modern educational facilities? The CII-ASSOCHAM report has misunderstood the Dalit/Tribal mass completely. The more enlightened Dalits are asking for a creamy layer from within to evolve, and hence, the slogan of Dalit capitalism. Because there is no such layer the Dalit/Tribals mass are in no talking terms with the larger society. Creamy layer in any society plays the role of a moderator. Since that class hasn't as yet evolved, there are many problems. A Tribal/Dalit speaking in his organic dialect would be considered an ideal Tribal/Dalit. Should the same set of Tribal/Dalit speak in an accent, they are despised - "look that guy, he speaks in that accent, and yet claims a Dalit/Tribal status." In the extended wisdom of the larger society, Dalit/Tribals should be instantly recognisable. That's a problem, and the problem belongs to the caste India. The caste India is not used to seeing modern Dalits. But why should industry bodies like CII-ASSOCHAM undergoing change, fall victims to the age old repressive wisdom of the caste India? The way the America's White bourgeoisie is creating a Black bourgeoisie, the CII-ASSOCHAM too should think of creating a Dalit/Tribal bourgeoisie. 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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