Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Re: [ZESTCaste] The Dalit students Chargesheet against Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University

 

please send in englihs, iam publishing The Mster Key tamil and english news paper in tamilnadu

________________________________
From: INSIGHT MAGAZINE <insightjnu@gmail.com>
To: BuddhistCircle@yahoogroups.com; sakyagroup@yahoogroups.com; ZESTCaste@yahoogroups.com; bahujan <Bahujan@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sun, December 27, 2009 6:24:48 PM
Subject: [ZESTCaste] The Dalit students Chargesheet against Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University

 
महात्मा गांधी अंतरराष्ट्रीय हिन्दी विश्वविद्यालय के प्रशासन के खिलाफ दलित चार्जशीट
Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University is located at Wardha, near Nagpur, Maharashtra.  Formed in 1997 to promote and develop Hindi languague and literature, this University was established by Union government through Act of  Indian Parliament.  However, like any other educational instituion of the country, this university also has turn itself into a brahmanical space reverberating with nepotism and anti-Dalit/caste prejudices. Given below is the chargesheet prepared by Dalit students, who have been protesting against the University administration for quite some time. What is happening in this University is nothing peculiar but is just one reflection of the debasement of our university system. Is Pandit Ramchandra Guha listening?
The following peice has been taken from a blog [http://mgahv. blogspot. com/] run by the University students. We will shortly publish this peice in English too.
——–
देश भर में धर्मनिरपेक्ष प्रशासक की छवि निर्मित करने वाले पुलिस अधिकारी विभूति नारायण राय के महात्मा गांधी अंतरराष्ट्रीय हिन्दी विश्वविद्यालय में कुलपति बनने के बाद दलितों का उत्पीड़न तेजी के साथ बढ़ा है। क्या कोई धर्मनिरपेक्षवादी जातिवादी नहीं हो सकता है ? दलित उत्पीड़न की घटनाएं एक नई बहस खड़ी करती है।
——–
1. विश्वविद्यालय के अनुवाद विद्यापीठ में राहुल कांबले ने एम फिल की परीक्षा में टॉप ( स्वर्ण पदक) किया लेकिन पीएचडी में उसका नामांकन नहीं किया गया।अनुवाद विद्यापीठ में दो विद्यार्थियों का ही नामांकन करने का फैसला विश्वविद्यालय ने किया। पीएच.डी. के लिए चयनित विद्यार्थियों में राहुल कांबले को तीसरे नंबर पर दिखाया गया। लेकिन जब चयनित दो विद्यार्थियों में से एक
विद्यार्थी ने अनुवाद विद्यापीठ में पीएचडी में नामांकन नहीं लिया तो राहुल ने अपना दावा पेश किया। लेकिन लगातार तीन महीने तक उसे प्रताड़ित किया गया। उसने नामांकन की पूरी प्रक्रिया को समझने के लिए सूचना के अधिकार के तहत विश्वविद्यालय प्रशासन से जानकारी मांगी थी।
अनुवाद विद्यापीठ के डीन प्रो. आत्मप्रकाश श्रीवास्तव ने सूचना का अधिकार कानून का इस्तेमाल करने की आड़ लेकर राहुल का नामांकन लेने से मना कर दिया। राहुल कुलपति विभूति नारायण राय के समक्ष अपनी फरियाद लेकर गया। लेकिन कुलपति ने बजाय उसके साथ न्याय करने के प्रो. आत्म प्रकाश श्रीवास्तव से माफी मांगने का निर्देश दिया। राहुल ने प्रो. आत्म प्रकाश श्रीवास्तव से चार बार माफी
मांगी। उनके पैर तक पकड़े। लेकिन कुलपति ने नामांकन की स्वीकृति नहीं दी। आखिरकार राहुल ने आंदोलन करने की चेतावनी दी।

Read more… »Read the full post at www.blog.insightyv. com

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[ZESTCaste] India's silent prejudice

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/dec/29/india-caste-hinduism

India's silent prejudice

Caste permeates Indian society, even today. But its influence most
often lurks beneath the surface


Abhinav Ramnarayan
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 29 December 2009 15.00 GMT

Since I have been writing about Hinduism for Comment is free, I have
been inundated with comments asking about the caste system – some
people have been curious, others have just about fallen short of
demanding my blood.


I am – pardon the refrain – no expert on religion, but I thought I
would put down some of my thoughts on the caste system, and how it has
affected my life.


It may surprise some to learn that I actually don't remember hearing
any open caste-ist statement until I was in my early twenties. I was
visiting a distant, elderly relative, and we were chatting comfortably
of this and that, when he leaned forward and said: "You know, the dean
of students at Anna University [in Chennai] doesn't wear a poonal?" He
was referring to the sacred thread worn across the body by Brahmins,
the highest denomination in the Hindu caste system.


At first, I was a bit befuddled by the gentleman's apparent interest
in what the dean of students at the engineering institute chose to
wear under his shirt (I almost said, maybe he finds it itchy?) but I
realised soon enough that he was saying that the said official was a
non-Brahmin, and he clearly disapproved.


I was quite taken aback by his comment, and I was telling a distant
aunt of mine that I was surprised at this caste-prejudice, and she
responded: "Oh, Iyengars are all like that," referring in turn to my
relative's denomination. I don't think she saw the irony. Generally
speaking, this is how the caste system works in practice in urban
India. On the surface, it does not necessarily seem to exist, but it
always lurks beneath the skin.


You can spend your whole life being unaware, until it's time to get
married, when it suddenly assumes importance. The more conservative
families would just lay down the law in this respect, and the more
liberal ones would say something along the lines of, "I don't mind any
caste, but I think you would have a better married life if you chose
someone of a similar cultural background … "


In terms of education, the government-imposed quota system for lower
castes means it is quite hard for higher castes to get a university
seat, and in terms of employment, many companies are suspiciously full
of people from a particular caste or denomination.


From what I gather, the caste system originated in the concept of
division of labour – people were divided into priests, warriors,
merchants and the serving class. But this simplified division does no
justice to the complexity and the hundreds of subdivisions within
those. I am a Brahmin myself, and we are subdivided into Iyers,
worshippers of Shiva, and Iyengars, worshippers of Vishnu. Within
other castes, there are hundreds of subdivisions, and the protagonist
of Mulk Raj Anand's pioneering novel The Untouchable, refers to the
lowest of the low in the caste of Dalits – the toilet cleaners.


The sad thing about caste in India is that it transfers across
religions. One of my professors once told us a story – the rector of
the institution had organised a trip for students to the villages in
order for the kids to "observe the caste system". This professor
immediately asked the rector, "Why not just ask them to observe the
church congregation this evening, Father?"


And even amongst the most liberal families, it does play an important
part in your upbringing if nothing else. Many Indians I meet here in
the UK, for example, are Brahmins like myself; they are often well
educated, either making good money as engineers or pots of money as
bankers and lawyers. Hence the general perception that Indians are
vegetarians: it is actually only my members of my caste – originally
priests – that are supposed to be vegetarian. But in discussing my own
experience of caste, I am leaving out a vast majority – more than 60%
of India's population is in rural areas, where the caste system is
much stronger. I once visited a farm owned by my school, which had
appointed a Harijan to take care of the property. There was much
consternation in the village because a Harijan had been allowed to set
foot inside a farmhouse. Petty acts of retribution followed, such as
the stealing of the water pump that irrigated the fields. It can get
much, much worse.


In fact, the more I read about it, the more depressing it gets. But
there are positives.


Unlike some other countries where violation of human rights is part of
the constitution, there is official recognition in India of the need
for change. We can argue the merits and demerits of positive
discrimination, but the fact is that 69% of university seats are
allocated for disadvantaged castes.


When will we see a caste free society? Probably never. But can it
possibly change for the better?


It is changing already. India is a country in flux – two years ago, I
could never have imagined that the ludicrous law banning homosexuality
would ever be lifted, and yet that process has started.


What the country will look like a decade on is anybody's guess.


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[ZESTCaste] Dalits enter temple, offer prayers

 

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/12/29/stories/2009122957871200.htm

Dalits enter temple, offer prayers

P.V. Srividya

SIRKAZHI: Dalits at Maathur village in Semmanarkoil here entered a
Mariamman temple on Monday afternoon.

It was an impromptu move by the district administration after the two
days of unsuccessful peace meetings held between the Caste Hindus and
the Dalits.

The Dalits in the village were not allowed to enter the temple as a practice.

The Democratic Youth Federation of India had inspected the village in
mid- December and filed a memorandum with the district administration
on the prevalence of the practice.

Later, CPI (M) had tentatively proposed a temple entry for December 30.

On hearing the news of their arrival, Caste Hindu people reportedly
locked the doors of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and left the
village.

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[ZESTCaste] Critic turns bitter at Dalit poet’s book launch

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Critic+turns+bitter+at+Dalit+poet%E2%80%99s+book+launch&artid=8XTzuXw2TAw=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=

Critic turns bitter at Dalit poet's book launch

Express News ServiceFirst Published : 29 Dec 2009 03:59:00 AM ISTLast
Updated : 29 Dec 2009 10:15:23 AM IST

TUMKUR: A debate over poets and religious heads allegedly striving to
engineer political influences for material gain overshadowed a book
release function, which also witnessed a personal attack noted dalit
poet on K B Siddaiah, here on Monday.


At the launch of Siddaiah's poetry collection 'Gallebaani,' the critic
Nataraj Huliyar from Bangalore University's Kannada department turned
against Siddaiah's use of political motifs in his poetry. Countering
the poet's claim of his poetry being a reflection of a socio-spiritual
journey, Huliyar charged that the poetry had nothing new.

"Starting from his first book, all including the new one sound the
same and the poet has been using his skills for political gain. His
poetry is a political journey," he said.

In the presence ZP president Jayamma Danappa and newly elected MLC Dr
M R Hulinayker in the function, Nataraj accused Siddaiah of
transforming into a politician.

"I was skeptical about whether he is a poet or a politician," he said.
Poet-activist Du. Saraswathi praised Siddaiah. Noted critic Ki Ram
Nagaraj interpreted Siddaiah's poetry as a spiritual journey. He
alleged the religious heads of selling spirituality.

Writers Agrahara Krishnamurthy, Tumbadi Ramaiah, Mudnakudu Chinnaswami
and artist K T Shivaprasad, who designed Siddaiah's book cover, were
present.


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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati asks officials to ‘expedite’ action against corruption

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/mayawati-asks-officials-to-expedite-action-against-corruption_100296324.html

Mayawati asks officials to 'expedite' action against corruption
December 29th, 2009 - 9:29 pm ICT by IANS -

Lucknow, Dec 29 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Tuesday
asked officials to expedite action in all pending cases of corruption.
Chairing a law and order review meeting at the Yojana Bhawan here, she
expressed deep concern over the long pendency of corruption cases
against government officials.

"The vigilance department needs to gear up its working so that all
pending corruption cases could be expeditiously taken to their logical
conclusion," she told top officials attending the meeting.

The chief minister also expressed her displeasure at the slow working
of the state Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where scores of cases
including one of fraud and money laundering against Samajwadi Party
general secretary Amar Singh were pending.

Mayawati further asked officials to prepare a blueprint for improving
the living conditions of police personnel, particularly those of the
Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), who had to carry out duties in
inhospitable and hostile conditions.

She also stressed the need to strengthen the police force in the
Maoist-affected areas and issued directives for early filling up of
vacancies in various wings of the state police.

Mayawati also called for strict enforcement of the provisions related
to fire security, particularly in high-rise buildings, and also
emphasised the need for construction of proposed fire stations in a
time-bound manner.

Among other things, she asked officials to improve the purchase system
for buying various articles and equipment required for modernisation
of the state police force.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Cabinet Secretary Shashank
Shekhar Singh, Additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey and
Principal Secretary (Home) Kunwar Fateh Bahadur.

Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/mayawati-asks-officials-to-expedite-action-against-corruption_100296324.html#ixzz3otcgQ4Yx


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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati's 54th b'day to be celebrated as People's Welfare Day

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mayawatis-54th-bday-to-be-celebrated-as-Peoples-Welfare-Day/articleshow/5392300.cms

Mayawati's 54th b'day to be celebrated as People's Welfare Day
PTI 29 December 2009, 07:44pm IST

LUCKNOW: The 54th birthday of Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati
will be celebrated as People's Welfare Day on January 15, a party
spokesman said. A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting
of senior party functionaries, which was chaired by party president
Mayawati, held here today, he said.

"Welfare programmes to extend financial support to poor, elderly,
widows, handicapped and students will be organised across the country
on this day as per the appeal of the BSP supremo," the spokesman said.

Addressing the meeting Mayawati urged leaders to strengthen party in
the New Year, so that it emerges as a strong alternative at national
level.

"Common people have appreciated the policies of the BSP government, as
it had abolished jungleraj and established rule of law in the state,"
she said.

Urging the partymen to make BSP strong and better as per the
expectations of the people, she said that party's membership campaign
would start from January and should be completed with full dedication
and honesty.

"To counter the canard being spread by rival parties, especially
Congress, it is necessary that BSP should communicate with people
directly and extensively through its various programmes," Mayawati
said.

The BSP national president discussed about her future visit to other
states with the party functionaries.

After meeting, she interacted with party leaders from other states and
inquired about the BSP's organisational preparedness.

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[ZESTCaste] 'Sonia, Mayawati, Nooyi among 50 people who shaped decade'

 

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/--Sonia--Mayawati--Nooyi-among-50-people-who-shaped-decade--/561070

'Sonia, Mayawati, Nooyi among 50 people who shaped decade'

Agencies Posted online: Tuesday , Dec 29, 2009 at 1632 hrs

London : Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Mayawati are among the four Indians named in the Financial Times list
of '50 People Who Shaped the Decade'.
NRI billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and India-born Pepsico Chief Indra
Nooyi are the other two Indians in the league of 50, which among
others also features Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden and US President
Barack Obama.

About the 50, the UK daily said "not all are heroes, some are
villains, and many fall somewhere in between". People from fields as
diverse as politics and business, economics and culture have made to
the list, which includes legendary investor Warren Buffett, Apple
chief Steve Jobs, golfer Tiger Woods, Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation's co-chair Melinda Gates and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"... the men and women on our list should be seen as representative of
the larger themes of the decade. There are some striking omissions,
because we felt that a historic event or trend had been captured by
someone already on our list," it added.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, German Chancellor Angela
Merkel, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, former US President
George Bush, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, US Fed Chairman
Ben S Bernanke, inventor of famed television programme format 'Big
Brother' -- John De MoI.

On Sonia Gandhi, the publication noted that as Congress party's leader
since 1998 she has rebuilt India's largest political party.

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[ZESTCaste] KG Balakrishnan: People's advocate

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/kg-balakrishnan-peoples-advocate_432734.html


KG Balakrishnan: People's advocate
KG Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of India, was once a member of the
downtrodden class. Today, he is their voice

In 1997, the Kerala High Court created ripples across the nation by
ruling that state-sponsored lock-outs, or bandhs, were illegal as they
interfered with individual liberties and caused substantial economic
loss to the nation. Until then, several state governments have behaved
as if it was within their right to shut down the society whenever
their political masters wished. The ruling broke that cruel comfort. A
decade later, the Supreme Court used the judgement in its own ruling
against bandhs.
The man who delivered the Kerala judgement was none other than K.G.
Balakrishnan, who later became India's first chief justice from the
Dalit community. The judgement not only empowered the silently
suffering masses to rise against the culture of forced bandhs, but
also showed the sensitivity of a man who had come from an
underprivileged background and used the judiciary as a tool to fight
for civil rights.


It was quite natural, then, for the present dispensation in Delhi to
pick Balakrishnan to lead the most ambitious reforms of the judiciary
in independent India. The law ministry has come out with a roadmap to
reduce the average span of litigation from the current 15 years to
three years, and entrusted Balakrishnan with the task of achieving
that.


It is an irony that "Bala", as a young Balakrishnan was known to
family and friends, was supposed to become a doctor and not a lawyer.
His father, K.J. Gopinathan, desperately wanted one of his eight
children, preferably Bala, the second one, to take up medicine. This
was his hope of emancipation for the family, which belonged to the
ostracised "Pulaya" caste and had little access to education.
But fate made Balakrishnan a healer of a different kind. He studied
law because he saw that as an opportunity to cure social ills. A
successful stint in practice elevated him to judicial ranks and
throughout his career, Balakrishnan's rulings have restored the
equality of people wherever it had been damaged.


India's courtrooms are littered with examples of delay and dithering.
And this tardy legal process with its current backlog of over 30
million cases has already taken a huge toll. The old adage "justice
delayed is justice denied" rings truer nowhere else. "We cannot have
this much of delay at any cost. It should be reduced," a very worried
Balakrishnan had said at a recent conferene in Bangalore. He warned
policymakers that people will revolt if the delays continued and the
legal system would collapse under the pressure. Not the kind of words
that any judge would make. And that passion is what sets apart Justice
Balakrishnan.


However, the task ahead is immensely difficult. The initiative
provides for a National Arrears Grid to compile accurate data about
pending cases. It also includes temporary appointment of more
high-court and lower-court judges to ease the congestion. But
convincing everyone will be a tortuous affair. "The vision statement,
it is good as a set of goals and expectations – it helps fix your
sights a bit – but one should not only be content with vision
statements," says constitutional expert Fali S. Nariman. "You have to
have a way to implement those goals."


From the backwaters
His poor background and the lack of schools willing to take a Dalit
child in, young Balakrishnan would walk five kilometres to the
government school every day. He was a good student. In the 4th grade,
he got a double promotion and went straight to the 6th grade. His
father, a humble clerk in the district court, was delighted. He earned
just Rs.15 each day, but he wanted his children to have the best
education, and his son's academic success was a step toward fulfilling
that goal.


"Though my father was only a matriculate and my mother had her
schooling up to the seventh standard, they wanted to give their
children the best education," Justice Balakrishnan recalled in an
interview.


Balakrishnan worked his way up without the benefit of reservations; in
educational institutions or in government jobs. "In fact, when I
joined the service, I didn't deserve any sort of reservation. At that
time, the benefit of reservation was not even available. But there
were many people who helped me when the caste prejudice was at its
peak," he says in an interview published in 2007.

By: Shloka Nath/ Forbes India


__PAGEBREAK__
Balakrishnan earned his bachelor's degree in law in 1968. He went on
to secure the first rank at the master's course in law from the
Government Law College at Ernakulam. His teacher, T.P. Kelu Nambiar,
remembers Balakrishnan vividly. "He was a very quiet student. You
couldn't always feel his presence in the room. But I soon realised it
was not because he was lost in his own world but because he was very
attentive and studious."


He steadily rose through the ranks to be appointed a judge of the
Kerala High Court in 1985 and to the Supreme Court in 2000, after
serving stints as Chief Justice of the Gujarat and Madras high courts.


GENTLE GIANT
One of his landmark judgements came in 2001, when Justice Balakrishnan
ordered that the mid-day meal program in schools become a statutory
requirement. This order brought relief to millions of poor children
who had to discontinue their studies due to poverty.


"He is very soft-spoken and his judicial acumen is very good, very
firm. The softness should not be taken as an example of his weakness.
And generally he has [a] smiling face, even in court. He is a very
pleasant person. Even foreign lawyers and judges who meet him are very
impressed with his simplicity and softness and clear vision," says
Lalit Bhasin, former chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi and managing
partner of law firm, Bhasin & Co.


At the same time, Justice Balakrishnan has had his share of
controversies. He was criticised of having dithered in the affair of
Justice Dinakaran, the chief justice of Karnataka High Court. This is
a case about allegations of corruption against Justice Dinakaran and
the protest against his elevation to the Supreme Court. Now an apex
court collegium is looking into the matter, but some say Justice
Balakrishnan should have acted quicker. For former Chief Justice of
India J.S. Verma, Balakrishnan's indecision has "reduced the
credibility of the judiciary." Similarly, Prashant Bhushan, a civil
liberties lawyer, doesn't think Justice Balakrishnan has any interest
in judicial reforms at all. "If he had, he would not pushed for
appointment of Mr. Dinakaran. That's all empty talk for political
misuse." (Justice Balakrishnan did not talk to us for the story)


Then, Justice Balakrishnan chose to challenge the verdict of the High
Court which had held that the office of the Chief Justice of India
comes within the purview of Right to Information Act and details of
judges' assets should be revealed. He has consistently maintained
judges cannot be put under public scrutiny as it would hamper their
functioning and independence. It was a stand not many have taken
kindly to.


Manu Verghese, a Mumbai lawyer, says the real Balakrishnan isn't
remotely controversial. Vergheseinterned as a junior clerk under him
at the Supreme Court in 2005. He says his mentor was humble,
approachable and "carried no airs about him at all, qualities which
should stand him in [good] stead as he looks to reform India's
judicial system.


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[ZESTCaste] Human trafficking & the caste system in India: something's gotta go

http://www.examiner.com/x-24740-Norfolk-Human-Rights-Examiner~y2009m12d28-Human-trafficking-in-India-its-the-caste-system-people

Human trafficking & the caste system in India: something's gotta go
December 28, 6:13 PM

Norfolk Human Rights Examiner
Youngbee Kim

Highly developed IT industry, nuclear weapon, and fast developing
economy with rich culture and resources are what one think of, when he
or she thinks of India in 21 century. Also, when reading articles on
Bollywood stars traveling to Africa to fight against human
trafficking, the readers are led to think that the victims are never
Indian themselves, but those who are trafficked from its neighboring
countries. Furthermore, the democracy in India is well established
enough that Indians, including the Bollywood stars, have a great
understanding of a person's fundamental human rights.

Scholars have pointed out corruption, bureaucracy, and high
illiteracy rates as the three main factors causing human trafficking
in India. However, unless one is familiar with the Indian culture and
the society, he or she would have hard time recognizing the connection
between human trafficking and the three causes behind such atrocity in
India. In fact the causal relationship between human trafficking and
the three factors is possible solely because caste system in the
country allows Indians to accept such issues causing human trafficking
as part of the tradition or custom. Further, caste system allows many
Indians to believe that human trafficking of low caste class members
is fact of life, rather than a flawed tradition.

The Castes system & Dalits, the untouchables in India

Until now the Indian reality has been interpreted and articulated
within India and around the world through the worldview of the
dominant castes in larger society. For all practical purposes, the
dominant castes rule, control and articulate the Indian reality.

Dr. Joseph D'souza[1]

According to The Dalit Freedom Network, Dalit people are the lowest
class in the Indian Castes system. The population of Dalit retains
nearly 67% of the entire Indian population, which amounts to 250
million Indian citizens. [2] Though the Indian constitution outlawed
the mistreatment of Dalits solely based on their social status, it has
not officially abolished the cast system from the society as a whole.
Therefore, in practice, their status in the lowest castes class
continues to control their lives with a rare chance of climbing up the
social ladder.

The lives of Dalit people: ?

As castes affect every aspects of a person's life in India, Dalits
have faced all sorts of discrimination against them. In the past, the
society expected them to "use separate water taps, temples and
graveyards in the cities." [3] Their caste class status also affected
their chances of getting a job or finding a place to live. Moreover,
Dalit students were told to arrive earlier to clean the classroom for
other students. They were also expected to sit in the back of the
classroom. [4]

Poverty and slavery of Dalits

Some people say that such extreme forms of discrimination mentioned
above no longer exist. However, the castes discrimination is severe
enough for Indians to justify the modern day slavery. Even if they try
to work hard to rise above the poverty line, their social status
perpetuates the maintenance of their life styles under the poverty
lines.

What is hindering Dalits from rising above the poverty line?

Corruption & Bureaucracy

Bribery is a necessary step for any businessman to take when taking up
a part of the economy in India. A scholar provides a great example of
how corruption and bureaucracy hinder poor people or small business
owners from prospering their business. [5] Because of the numerous
unnecessary regulations within the bureaucracy, one can only prevent
delay of any process by bribing the government officials.

For instance, the sugar cane market in India is controlled by the
government agency called "Sugar Cane Society. [6] Supply slips is one
of many bureaucratic regulations, by which the Indian government
controls the sugar cane market. Farmers must apply for supply slips at
the Sugar Cane society in order to enter the market or supply sugar.
[7] Unless the farmers bribe the officials at the Sugar Cane society,
the officials will delay issuing the supply slips that rightly belongs
to the farmers.

Therefore, poor farmers have to borrow money from the wealthy people
in order to stay in the market. However, since the banks in India are
also highly bureaucratic and corrupted, they have to borrow the money
from the wealthy people with an exorbitant interest. Sometimes,
farmers use their children or wives as collaterals for the loan,
which, in turn, encourages sexual exploitation, and child labor
exploitation. [8]

Castes system: in direct contradiction to the principles of democracy

The Indian culture seems to embrace the practice of the modern day
slavery since they are accustomed to enslave some people like Dalits.
Though the incidents of sex trafficking has been greatly decreased in
the country, the U.S. Department of States 2009 reports states that
the bonded labor remain very much rampant in India. Let's face it. The
only ones who benefit from the caste system is the Indian government
officials and wealthy individuals. Needless to say, it not only delays
the development of the country but also justifies all forms of
exploitation of low caste people in the country.


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[ZESTCaste] Dalits enter Mariamman temple, offer prayers

 

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/12/29/stories/2009122952390400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Dalits enter Mariamman temple, offer prayers

P.V. Srividya

SIRKAZHI: Dalits at Maathur village in Semmanarkoil here entered a
Mariamman temple on Monday afternoon.

It was an impromptu move by the district administration after the two
days of unsuccessful peace meetings held between the Caste Hindus and
the Dalits.

The Dalits in the village were not allowed to enter the temple as a
practice. The Democratic Youth Federation of India had inspected the
village in mid- December and filed a memorandum with the district
administration on the prevalence of the practice. Later, CPI (M) had
tentatively proposed a temple entry for December 30.

However, the district administration intervened to hold peace talks,
which were held unsuccessfully since Saturday. On Monday, a peace
committee meeting was held with Caste Hindus and Dalits in the
presence of the Mayiladuturai RDO, Deputy Superintendent of Police,
Sirkazhi, and Tahsildar. The Caste Hindus were made to sign a peace
agreement and it was impromptu decided to lead the Dalits into the
temple immediately.

On hearing the news of their arrival, Caste Hindu people reportedly
locked the doors of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and left the
village. The locks were later broken in the presence of the RDO to
facilitate the Dalits to offer their prayers.

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[ZESTCaste] Nitish Kumar's love for Mahadalits 'eyewash': Paswan

 

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_nitish-kumar-s-love-for-mahadalits-eyewash-paswan_1328427

Monday, December 28, 2009 6:23:00 PM

Nitish Kumar's love for Mahadalits 'eyewash': Paswan

PTI

Describing as 'eyewash' the Nitish Kumar government's 'love for
mahadalits', Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan today said an
LJP panel had highlighted the miseries facing the dalits and
mahadalits in Bihar.

"Kumar's love for mahadalits is nothing but an eyewash...Our party
probe team has uncovered the plights of the dalits and Mahadalits in
Bihar," Paswan told reporters.

"No relief has reached the mahadalits and their condiion is
deteriorating day by day in the name of measures taken to uplift
them", he said.

"No transistors have been distributed...roads are in dilapidated
condition in the areas dominated by mahadalits and dalits... there is
no proper school and they struggle hard for managing two square
meals", Paswan alleged and wondered "what kind of love for
dalits/mahadalits" was all this about.

Turning to Kalyanbigha, the ancestral home of Nitish Kumar which has
been converted into a model village by the state government, he said
the fact-finding team found that the names of 300 mahadalit houeholds
were missing in the list of BPL, no house had been constructed under
Indira Awas Yojana, and old-age people had been deprived of social
security pension.

"People can well imagine what will be plight of the mahadalits in
other parts of the state," he commented and blamed Kumar "of doing
politics in the names of dalits and mahadalits keeping an eye on the
2010 assembly poll."

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