Wednesday, February 22, 2012

[ZESTCaste] Litmus test for Yadav clan in Etawah

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Litmus-test-for-Yadav-clan-in-Etawah/articleshow/11999600.cms

Litmus test for Yadav clan in Etawah
Ravi Krishna & Faiz Rehman Siddiqui, TNN | Feb 23, 2012, 05.03AM IST

ETAWAH/KANPUR: Etawah's one election which Yadav patriarch Mulayam
Singh Yadav could not afford to take lightly. Checkmated on his home
turf in the 2009 by-elections when his arch rival Mayawati wrested two
of the three assembly seats from the Samajwadi Party , the Yadav trio
of Mulayam, brother Shivpal and son Akhilesh are eager to salvage
their pride in 2012.

In the 2007 Assembly elections , the SP had won three of the four
constituencies in Etawah district: Etawah Sadar, Bharthana (where SP
chief Mulayam Singh Yadav contested and won) and Jaswantnagar. The
fourth, Lakhna, then a reserved constituency , was won by Mayawati's
Bahujan Samaj Party. Lakhna has now lost its existence after being
scrapped in the delimitation exercise.

Meanwhile, a lot of water has flown down the Yamuna. As the equation
stands drastically altered post-delimitation , Etawah goes to the
hustings in 2012 with only three seats, two of which, Etawah Sadar and
Mulayam's Bharthana (which fell vacant after he was elected to the Lok
Sabha) were wrested by the BSP in the 2009 by-polls . Only
Jaswantnagar, represented by Shivpal Singh Yadav, remains with the SP
as far as Etawah is concerned. Like elsewhere in the state, a strong
anti-incumbency wave is sweeping this rugged but picturesque land too
as the region has seen practically no development under the BSP rule.
"Even the four big projects worth over Rs 10 billion launched under
the SP rule are yet to see the light of the day," said Abhigyan
Shukla, a local businessman. Seconding his opinion, another
businessman , Radheyshyam Gupta, said that "though Maya fared well on
the law and order front, during Netaji's (Mulayam) rule, there was
development and stability. "

Perhaps the wily Yadav chieftain has sensed the mood. Both the SP
supremo and Akhilesh are now trying to re-connect emotionally with the
voters , particularly in the Etawah Sadar and Bharthana assembly
constituencies, to ensure a comeback in their hometown. During his
campaign tour in Etawah on Sunday, Mulayam began his speech on a very
emotional note at nearly a dozen-odd public meeting that he addressed.

"It's your responsibility not only to protect Etawah but make it
stronger as this is my 'karmabhoomi' that I represent in Parliament,
says our leader Mulayam Singh ji. Besides, he is also trying to convey
the message to the party that Akhilesh is the new leader of the SP and
the party is contesting the Assembly elections under his young
leadership," said Ishwar Shakya, an SP worker.

Apart from having failed to win a single Assembly seat, the two SP
strongholds of Bharthana and Etawah had also slipped out of the
party's grip in the 2009 by-polls . As both went in the BSP kitty,
political pundits had cited the SP debacle as desertion by Muslim
voters following SP chief's proximity with Kalyan Singh SP's efforts
to win back its citadel could be gauged from the fact that besides
wooing the Muslim voters, the SP is also trying to make inroads among
the Dalit vote bank.

"For the first time, Shivpal has been doing the rounds of
dalit-dominated areas in Jaswantnagar to seek their support . He does
not want the segment to alter his calculations as the Congress and the
BSP too are clamouring for the Dalit votes," said a local SP supporter
Rajesh Chauhan. Shivpal, meanwhile, is quite "elated" at the support
he is getting from the Dalit voters.

However, Shivpal's opponent and BSP candidate Manish Yadav sees this
change in strategy as an indication of the "panic" in the SP camp.
"This changed approach of Shivpal is an indication of the fact that he
has now understood that the Dalits have sensed a taste of empowerment
during the BSP rule. Dalits are not going to vote for any other
party," said Jaswantnagar BSP candidate Manish Yadav.

"My sole motive is to put an end to the dynastic rule of Mulayam Singh
Yadav, besides bring the area on development plank," said SP rebel
Manish Yadav while talking to TOI.

On Etawah Sadar seat, BSP's Mahendra Singh Rajput, SP's Raghuraj Singh
Shakya, BJP's Ashok Dubey and Congress party's Komal Singh Kushwaha
have been pitted against each other.

Similarly, from Bharthana (Reserved), BSP's Raghvendra Gautam, SP's
Sukhdevi Verma , BJP's Savitri Katheria, and Congress party's
Rajeshwari Jatav are in fray.

When the BSP candidates were asked what their party's main poll plank
was, sitting MLA Mahendra Singh Rajput, who had deserted SP in 2009
and is contesting the Etawah Sadar seat on BSP ticket, said it "is
development and wiping out SP's `goondaraj' in Mulayam's den" .

"Our efforts would definitely bear results and help me in retaining
the Etawah Sadar seat."

"The BSP government worked with the single-minded aim of developing
the state. The results of steps taken by us, especially in countering
SP, are already visible. We are asking for votes on the basis of our
performance," he added.

His claims are countered by SP candidate Raghuraj Shakya (Etawah
Sadar): "The BSP government didn't add a single development project to
the ones already started by Netaji. But once we would form government
in the state, all projects initiated during the SP regime will be
operationalized and the region will become developed as it was
earlier," he said. SP is not taking any chances in Etawah.

Keeping in mind the increased number of young electors , while
Akhilesh had been criss-crossing the state in his Kranti Rath alone,
he has roped in young Yadav brigade, comprising of his cousins and
nephews, for campaigning. The clan has brought its GenNext to hit the
campaign trail, further ensuring a smooth turf for them to play a
major role in the future politics . Tej Pratap Singh (grandson of
Mulayam), Aditya alias Ankur Yadav (son of Shivpal Singh Yadav),
Anshul Yadav (son of Mulayam's younger sibling Rajpal Singh Yadav) and
Akshaya Yadav (son of party spokesperson Prof Ram Gopal Yadav) are
latest from Mulayam's family to canvass in support of their party
candidates , making polls to the state assembly a wee bit interesting.
While Aditya is a BTech, Tej Pratap has a management degree from
abroad. Likewise, Anshul has secured a management degree from a
prominent institute of Noida.

Akshaya Yadav looks after his seeds business. They took up the task of
campaigning in absence of Mulayam Singh Yadav , Shivpal Singh Yadav
and Akhilesh, who were busy campaigning across the state.

SEEKING A NEW LEASE OF LIFE

ETAWAH SADAR

Total voters 3,32,715

Female voters 1,49,293

Male voters 1,83,422

BHARTHANA (RESERVED)

Total voters 3,59,098

Female voters 1,57,592

Male voters 2,15,006

JASWANTNAGAR

Total voters 3,31,041

Female voters 1,45,282

Male voters 1,85,769

KEY ISSUES

Kickstarting the stalled development in the region. Reviving the
1,200-odd cotton mills that have seen a rough patch since 1962
Boosting the local produce of potato and lehsun which are mainly
exported to Delhi and Gujarat

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[ZESTCaste] Never called Mayawati stone-hearted: Sushma

 

http://twocircles.net/2012feb21/never_called_mayawati_stonehearted_sushma.html

Never called Mayawati stone-hearted: Sushma
Submitted by admin4 on 21 February 2012 - 10:18pm

By IANS,

New Delhi : Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj Tuesday denied
calling Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati a "stone-hearted woman".

"I have never said Mayawati is stone-hearted or Sonia Gandhi has no
heart. A report attributing these words to me is false," Sushma Swaraj
wrote on social networking site Twitter adding that all her speeches
were recorded and that she could never use such words.

According to media reports, addressing an election meeting in Uttar
Pradesh's Jalaun recently, the BJP leader had said that Mayawati's
expenditure of people's money on memorials and parks proved that she
was a stone-hearted woman.

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[ZESTCaste] Jairam terms Mayawati ‘former’ Chief Minister

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article2920780.ece

NEW DELHI, February 23, 2012
Jairam terms Mayawati 'former' Chief Minister
K. Balchand


His criticism may indicate the unlikelihood of a post-poll alliance

Carrying on with the Congress offensive against Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Mayawati, Union Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh
dubbed her "former Chief Minister" even as three phases of election to
the Assembly remains to be conducted.

Mr. Ramesh shot down a reporter's question on Ms. Mayawati's
objections to the manner in which MGNREGS was being conducted by
saying that "she is now former Chief Minister."

He was interacting with mediapersons while releasing a Planning
Commission report on reforming the MGNREGS.

Asked who the next incumbent would be, he said there was no dearth of
candidates and there were several aspirants in the Congress for the
top job in Uttar Pradesh — obviously assuming that his party would
secure the majority notwithstanding the fact that the party had won
just 20 seats in the last Assembly polls in a House of 403.

Mr. Ramesh happens to be the first Union Minister to launch an
offensive against the Bahujan Samaj Party chief by raising the issue
of corruption in the implementation of MGNREGS and proposing a CBI
enquiry into the alleged embezzlement of funds.

Ms. Mayawati had objected to it in her letter to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and accused Mr. Ramesh of indulging in politics.

Mr. Ramesh has been instrumental in drafting the party's vision
document for the State, besides the manifesto. His offensive may well
be indicative of the stiff relations between the two parties and the
unlikelihood of a post-poll alliance in forming the next government in
case of a hung House.

He, however, refused to speak on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee's visit to the national capital to hold discussions with the
Prime Minister, saying that both the Prime Minister and Congress
president Sonia Gandhi would resolve the issues.

He maintained that there were no problems with Ms. Banerjee regarding
proposals relating to his ministries.


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[ZESTCaste] CBI inquiry recommended against Mayawati minister for corruption

 

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cbi-inquiry-recommended-against-mayawati-minister-for-corruption-178728

CBI inquiry recommended against Mayawati minister for corruption

Reported by Anant Zanane; Written by Shamik Ghosh, Updated: February
22, 2012 19:01 IST

Lucknow: In the midst of the elections in Uttar Pradesh, a close
confidante of Mayawati's has been accused of corruption.

Naseemuddin Siddiqui is a cabinet minister in Mayawati's government.
The state's Lokayukta or ombudsman, Justice N K Mehrotra, has
recommended a CBI inquiry to determine whether the minister has
collected assets that cannot be accounted for.

Mr Siddiqui allegedly set up an educational society in Barabanki in
central UP, for which he was granted land at a massive discount. On
paper, the land's worth is recorded as 32 lakhs; it was originally
valued at 16 crores. Mr Siddiqui allegedly appointed dummy members to
the educational society and raised three crores in funds. Many of
these transactions have been found by the Lokayukta to be
questionable.

Also in the income tax returns filed by Siddiqui, his income is shown
at a little over two crores in the last four years. But the family has
acquired several acres of land almost worth 50 crore rupees in
Barabanki and the Fatehpur districts.

Since the Lokayukta in Uttar Pradesh does not have powers to prosecute
ministers, Justice N K Mehrotra has written to Ms Mayawati urging her
to initiate a probe by the CBI and the enforcement directorate.

In recent months, a series of Mayawati's ministers have been sacked by
her over alleged corruption. Based on the Lokayukta's indictment she
has axed more than a dozen ministers.
Uttar Pradesh is voting in seven phases - four have been completed.
Today's developments couldn't have come at a worse time for Mayawati,
who wants to return for a fifth term as Chief Minister.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cbi-inquiry-recommended-against-mayawati-minister-for-corruption-178728&cp

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit girl gets scholarship after studies

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dalit-girl-gets-scholarship-after-studies/232606-60-118.html

Tamil Nadu | Posted on Feb 22, 2012 at 11:43am IST
Dalit girl gets scholarship after studies
indianexpressExpress News Service

COIMBATORE: A college student, from a scheduled community, who
completed her studies in a city college waited for nearly a year after
completing her studies to avail the government's scholarship. G
Karunya, who took an UG course in a city college, applied continuously
for three years through the college principal to get a scholarship
from the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department. However, she was
not given the scholarship even though she completed her studies last
March. She approached the Coimbatore District Legal Services Authority
which helped her to get a cheque for Rs 7,640 from the college.


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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati finally starts playing caste card

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/north/mayawati-finally-starts-playing-caste-card-558

Mayawati finally starts playing caste card

February 22, 2012
DC
Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has finally started playing the
caste card after claiming that her party has adopted the "sarvjan"
concept.

Addressing a rally in Agra on Tuesday, Ms Mayawati said, "If you want
a dalit chief minister, you will have to vote for the BSP. If you vote
for the Congress, all the poor and unemployed will have to migrate to
other states to earn their livelihood and if you vote for the
Samajwadi Party, you will get goondaraj in UP."

This is the first time that Ms Mayawati has played on dalit emotions
and has evoked dalit pride to seek votes for her party. In all her
election meetings till now she has harped on how she has turned the
BSP into a "sarvjan" party that caters to all including the upper
castes.

On Tuesday, in a visible shift of strategy, she also announced that
irrespective of the results, she will continue to hold the "master key
to power".

She accused the Congressled UPA government of creating hurdles in
Uttar Pradesh's development and said that a high court bench in
western UP was being held back by the centre.

The issue of a high court bench in western UP has been a major demand
of the local people who have to travel to Lucknow or Allahabad for
their cases in the high court. She also warned that small shopkeepers
and businessmen will be without work if the Congress came to power
since it will allow foreign direct investment in the retail sector.

Ms Mayawati said the Election Commission had hurt the feelings of
dalits by ordering the veiling of elephant statues across the state
because the animal was the election symbol of her party. She also
mocked at the media and thanked them for giving the elephants and her
party so much publicity for free.

The chief minister ended her speech with, "Agar aap dalit ki beti ko
phir chief minister dekhna chahte hain to BSP ko vote dijiye. (If you
want to see a dalit's daughter become the chief minister, then vote
for the BSP)."


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[ZESTCaste] Three policemen booked as Dalit youth goes missing

 

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/wire-news/three-policemen-booked-as-dalit-youth-goes-missing_671621.html

Three policemen booked as Dalit youth goes missing

Published on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 18:32 | Source : PTI

Bikaner, Feb 21 (PTI) Three policemen have been booked in connection
with disappearance of a Dalit youth after he was allegedly detained by
cops. A case was registered against Head Constable Shaukat and
Constables Krishna Lal and Subhash of Chatargarh police station after
villagers held protest yesterday demanding immediate steps to trace
the youth, Kishan Lal, who villagers claimed was detained by police on
Friday night along with his brother Naurang. The father of the missing
boy alleged that his two sons were detained by police on Friday night.
After one was released on bail the next day, he inquired about the
second boy but the police claimed that he was not detained. The
relatives alleged that the youth had been murdered and his body was
thrown into a canal. Police have stepped up efforts to trace the
missing boy and have engaged divers to carry out search operation in
Indira Gandhi canal but no recovery has been made so far. PTI CORR SDA

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[ZESTCaste] Big Two’s caste politics on test

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/big-twos-caste-politics-on-test/915400/

Big Two's caste politics on test
Ravish Tiwari Posted online: Thu Feb 23 2012, 03:17 hrs
Agra : Few regions will test Mayawati's Dalit politics and governance
record as sternly as Agra, the province the British had unified with
Oudh to form United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh.

This is one region where Mayawati has not replaced her incumbent MLAs
as she has done elsewhere. To meet the challenge from a resurgent
Congress-RLD alliance and the Samajwadi Party, each striving to
register its presence in Agra district, she will bank on the way her
government has developed Agra city, though such measures have upset
some voters as deeply as they have pleased others.

These include the soon-to-be-opened Yamuna Expressway that will
provide another fast link to Delhi; power reforms with distribution
handed over to a private company, Torrent Power Ltd; an upcoming, Rs
1,000-crore, 20km ring road; a leather park; and a leather shoe mandi.

Measures born out of Dalit politics have included strengthening the
Bhim Nagari Samaroh Samiti that not only observes Bhimrao Ambedkar's
birth anniversary but also undertakes various projects in bastis that
are predominantly Dalit.

"When we started the Bhim Nagari project in 1996, we got projects only
worth Rs 1 lakh. Thanks to Behnji, the work done last year was worth
Rs 70 crore," says Dharmendra Soni, organising committee treasurer.
"Work in Naripura locality this year has been suspended because of the
election code of conduct."

Soni admits, however, that the event is seen as a BSP fest, largely
because of the leaders who take the stage. This has, in turn, has
endeared mayawati more than ever to Dalit voters.

"I will vote for the BSP," says Sanjay Prajapati of Naripura. "They
will get all our votes," echoes Jyoti Prasad. "The Congress has broken
our backs with inflation."

Non-Dalit voters, on the other hand, cite the government's projects to
express their disillusionment. "This Torrent, they have sent power
bills climbing," says Mohammed Haroon, a daily wager in Deveretha, a
Bhim Nagari locality developed in 2010.

Though he agrees his area has developed, he says, "Last time we voted
for the BSP; this time will go with either the SP or the Congress."
Such a mood was reflected among many voters in neighbouring Azampada
locality, dominated by Muslims.

As of now, the resentment does not appear consolidated enough to
challenge Mayawati. The Muslims are still divided between the Congress
and the SP, and the Brahmins between the BJP and the Congress, at
least to an extent.

Agra has nine seats, six with the BSP, two with the BJP and the ninth
with a Jan Morcha candidate, then backed by Raj Babbar but now with
the BSP.

Going by the renomination of all but one of her legislators — the
exception was prompted by the conversion of that seat from reserved to
general — Mayawati appears confident as ever in the work done. Outside
of Agra, she has replaced over half her legislators to beat
anti-incumbency.

The BJP has been asserting its presence within the city, challenging
the BSP in Agra Cantonment, Agra South and Agra North. The
Congress-RLD's challenge is in rural Fatehpur Sikri and Kheragarh. The
SP has "borrowed" local BJP faces, Raja Aridaman Singh (Bah), his wife
Rani Pakshalika Singh (Khergarh) and MLA Rajendra Singh (Fatehabad).

Aridaman Singh, who lost as a BJP candidate last time, is now the SP
candidate in Brahmin-dominated Bah, where he is banking on swinging
the Lodh-Rajput and Gaderia votes to challenge the BSP's Brahmin
candidate, who still looks well placed.

Etmadpur, the seat de-reserved, is seeing a spirited battle between
the BSP and the SP, with the latter's hopes pinned on the sizeable
presence of its candidate's Gaderia community, on Yadavs, and on those
disgruntled with the BSP. The ruling party's candidate, Dharampal
Singh, is wary also of the Congress-RLD's Thakur candidate, who might
poach on his own Thakur base, and has therefore been wooing Other
Backward Classes like Kushwahas and Teli-Baniyas.

The RLD candidate is its state president Baba Hardev Singh, a former
bureaucrat who served in the region years ago. He is hoping the
goodwill he earned then will translate into votes across the SP, BSP
and BJP bases. "Baba is a very nice and honest man, but not having a
vote bank will leave him trailing a bit," says Ram Prakash Rathore, a
Teli-Baniya in Etmadpur town.


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[ZESTCaste] Non-Dalit voters hold the key in Bundelkhand

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article2920103.ece

February 23, 2012
Non-Dalit voters hold the key in Bundelkhand
Aarti Dhar

Mayawati's social engineering of 2007 seems to be unravelling

Often referred to as the backyard of Uttar Pradesh, Bundelkhand is
only occasionally in the news. But on occasions such as Rahul Gandhi's
visit, and the subsequent announcement of a Rs 7,000-crore package,
this drought-prone, poverty-ridden region, bordering Madhya Pradesh,
makes it to the headlines.

Even when fields go dry for lack of irrigation or when farmers commit
suicide after a failed crop makes them unable to repay loans, which
has become an annual feature, the region doesn't seem to attract
attention. For, no matter how much money is allocated, nothing ever
reaches the region.

However, of late, Bundelkhand is a media hot-spot. Four major
political parties are doing their best to make inroads into this
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bastion; the party had swept 14 Assembly
seats out of 19 from the region last time. The remaining seats were
shared between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress while the Bhartiya
Janata Party (BJP) drew a blank.

Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav of the SP and Uma Bharti of the BJP are
the key campaigners. But the outcome is likely to hinge on the voters,
who split from the BSP.

Rahul Gandhi made several visits to this region from 2007 onwards –
travelling to backward districts, meeting people, criticising the BSP
for failing to develop the region and eventually making the Planning
Commission announce a huge Bundelkhand package to win over the people
who had voted for the BSP in the previous elections to be rid of the
"terror" unleashed by Samajwadi Party supporters.

"But this time the situation for the BSP is not going to be easy. Her
social engineering of bringing together the Other Backward Classes and
forward classes is falling apart," says Mukund Mehrorta, a social
worker. There is a general feeling that Mayawati only helped the
Dalits, and that too, at the cost of other castes, which has not gone
down well, explains Mehrotra. And the result: non Dalits are moving
away from the BSP this time.

The dispersed non-Dalit, particularly the Kushwaha votes, will be a
loss to the BSP but they are unlikely to vote en bloc for any one
party. The Muslim vote will be divided between the SP and the Congress
while the presence of Uma Bharti in the region could attract some OBC
and Kushwaha votes to the BJP in addition to the BJP's existing
voters.

Another factor that could go against the BSP is large-scale
re-shuffling of candidates and discontinuation of schemes such as the
'Kanya Vidya Dhan Yojana' under which girls who passed Class XII would
get Rs 20,000 and unemployment allowance of Rs 500 a month to the
youth. While the Congress' prospects are damaged by infighting, Uma
Bharti's presence has livened the election mood. For Congress and the
BJP, every seat is crucial as both strive to build up their strength.
The SP is projecting itself as a young party with Akhilesh Yadav being
the star campaigner promising jobs, higher educational institutions
and a clean administration. "Akhilesh is popular among the masses. He
is a home grown lad and we can relate to him," the villagers say. When
asked about Rahul's frequent visits to U.P., in particular
Bundelkhand, the response is: "He comes but nothing happens on the
ground. He came with a package but who benefited from it?" farmer Des
Raj asks.

"Akhilesh is a regional leader but Rahul Gandhi is a national leader.
You have to keep this difference in mind before making any assessment
of popularity," says Birendra Bundela, Congress candidate from
Lalitpur, who was until recently with the Samajwadi Party.

"It is difficult to say who the people will vote for," says Dr Vijay
Khaira, an NCP candidate who is banking on 'aggarwal' votes in Jhansi.
Caste is an important factor in the State and a bulk of the votes are
decided on the basis of caste.


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[ZESTCaste] Caste Hindu fights for dalit friend

 

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=ohhl4rw8mbn4

Caste Hindu fights for dalit friend
TNN | Feb 23, 2012, 04.26AM IST

MADURAI: Unlike cases of dalits being attacked by non-dalits, a caste
Hindu has risen up to protect his dalit friend who was attacked by his
relatives for their 10-year friendship. Karthigaisamy (23), a youth
from a dominant backward caste in Periakottai village near Manamadurai
in Sivagangai district, is a close friend of Karmegakannan (21), a
dalit youth from Sunnambu Kalavasal, Sivaganga. They had developed a
thick friendship, though they belonged to different communities.

However, their friendship irked relatives of Karthigaisamy, who
decided to do away with Karmegakannan. Thavam alias Muthuramalingam, a
relative of Karthigaisamy, abducted Karmegakannan on February 16.
Along with his accomplice, Balamurugan (19), Thavam lured
Karmegakannan in the guise of taking him to his friend who was waiting
for him in a place. The duo took him to a secluded place near Kovanur
village and attempted to hack him to death. Karmegakannan sustained
serious cut injuries in his throat, head and thighs due to the attack
and was admitted in GRH on February 17. A case has been filed at the
Sivaganga taluk police station against Thavam and Balamurugan under
sections 307, 342 of IPC and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,
1989. Thavam and Balamurugan were arrested and remanded in custody.

The important part in the case is Karthigaisamy coming out in support
of his friend in spite of earning the ire of his relatives and
villagers of the dominant caste.

He had given a statement to police accusing Thavam and Balamurugan of
attacking Karmegakannan, clearly stating all the facts.

In his statement, he had narrated how Thavam was threatening
Karmegakannan to break his friendship with him. He had warned us not
to go ahead with the friendship, warning of dire consequences if we
continued our friendship, Karthigaisamy stated. On February 16,
Karmegakannan called him from a mobile phone stating that he was
attacked by Thavam and Balamurugan who left him to die after causing
him serious injuries. He had reached a poultry farm in Kovanur village
and alerted his friend about the incident. Karthigaisamy rushed to the
spot and found his friend in a pool of blood, and rushed him to
hospital, he told the police.

A Kathir, executive director of Madurai-based NGO Evidence who had
sent a fact finding committee in this incident, stated that
Karthigaisamy, in spite of hailing from a dominant caste, was leading
the legal battle to seek justice for Karmegakannan.

By doing so, he had earned the enmity of his relatives and villagers,
and hence the government should protect him as well as the victim,
Karmegakannan and his family. The persons who attacked Karmegakannan
should be booked under Goondas Act. Government should provide solatium
of Rs 3 lakh to Karmegakannan who has sustained serious injuries, he
said.

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[ZESTCaste] Ascetic prince, dalit duchess (Shiv Visvanathan)

http://www.asianage.com/columnists/ascetic-prince-dalit-duchess-309

Ascetic prince, dalit duchess
Feb 21, 2012

Shiv Visvanathan

Mayawati is a populist but her populism now seems distant... One
wonders how long she will continue as the dalit face of dalit
politics.

Uttar Pradesh is not just a geography, a state having the largest
number of parliamentary seats, it is also a metaphor for political
style. Its political characters are larger than life and none is
larger than Mayawati.
Mayawati is a creation of electoral democracy and its arithmetic. She
was raised within the electoral numeracy of Kanshi Ram, where
alignments were pragmatic. She has had alliances with the BJP and the
Congress, and yet as an electoral Machiavelli, she has a permanent
interest in herself. She understands politics as markets and knows
that she controls the formidable dalit market.

She speaks the language of exploitation as a genealogy building
exercise. She articulates the genealogy of reform from Swami Haridas
to Jyotirao Phule, from Bhimrao Ambedkar to Kanshi Ram only as a
backdrop. Hers is not a reformist story; it is a love affair with
power. Mayawati has converted dalit currency into the language of
power. While she is interested in the status of dalits, the
universalism of rights does not appeal to her.
She captures one aspect of the dalit style of politics — it is
particularistic, obsessed with itself and yet is pragmatic enough to
align with the Brahmin. She is singular in that sense, a monumental
figure who has constructed tributes to her own monumentality. She is
not waiting for a statue at Madame Tussauds. She has flooded Lucknow
with Roman replicas of herself.
She is formidable, yet it is the enormity of her presence that has
become a disadvantage. She appears historic but it is this very
history that puts doubts on her continuity. Let me put it this way:
Mayawati is a monument to electoral politics but her sense of
governance is abysmal.
She is a populist but her populism now seems distant. She looks like a
fixture — distant and imperious, waiting for acclamation rather than
election. As far as she is concerned, she has created history and her
politics is the reward for that. But history might be more cunning and
ironic than her.
One can articulate one's doubts by comparing Mayawati to Rahul Gandhi
and Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mayawati's dalit politics is particularistic.
It uses universal frameworks like rights and electoralism to make
particularistic gains. Dalits vote her in, but have little role in
governance. Her idea of governance has no sense of reform. In fact it
is normless and blatant in stating that what is good for Mayawati is
good for Uttar Pradesh. She is like an electoral oligarch
consolidating a market. Her dalit politics invokes Ambedkar but evokes
very little of his universalist or modernising vision. It is not
Ambedkar's voice we hear, but Mayawati playing his ventriloquist.
She is shrewd but jaded. She is more like a party boss computing
numbers and interest groups than the ideologist of equality. One
wonders how long she will continue as the dalit face of dalit
politics. The new generation might have a different memory. It might
see Rahul as a fresh possibility and not even recollect years of
Congress misrule.
While Mayawati practises her magic from a distance, Rahul is
traversing Uttar Pradesh, learning politics at the ground level. The
dalit hare can no longer watch the Congress tortoise with contempt
because the latter has discovered a speed it did not originally have.
Maybe politics is hormonal, catalytic — suddenly, Rahul feels
different. By constant presence, by walking the talk from village to
village, Rahul had emerged as an ascetic ideal, a well-intentioned
young man who deserves a chance.
There is no cynicism in his appearance. The Boy Scout has grown up and
has smelt the elixir of politics. His style is open. He has come to
learn, not to lecture. His modesty makes him a good listener. People
have begun to feel that he has empathy and that he works hard. An
ascetic prince might one day be preferred to the "Dalit Duchess".
There is a possibility that Rahul might for the time being be an
extra-curricular interest. I think the voter senses his commitment,
his dedication and his hard work. There is the making of a new
Nehruvian incarnation here, toughened by the tandoor of everyday
politics. Rahul can speak to many interests because his is a more
universalist perspective. He can talk of the poor, not just dalit
poor. He can talk development, not just casteist politics. Maybe
India, for all its particularism, is yearning for the competence of
the universal. Yet, his is a promise of a future victory.
The third style of UP politics is the OBC style and it's a hybrid one.
It is more content with electoral politics, more competent in blending
feudalism and populism, speaking the language of the dominant caste
and the emerging dialects of modernity. One sees it in the transition
from Mulayam to Akhilesh Yadav. Mulayam is old world; Akhilesh is
ready to speak new dialects, from computer talk to caste politics.
Electoral politics is a forgiving exercise and the old Samajwadi Party
constituencies might congeal into a winning arithmetic.
Mayawati might be singular but she is no longer the hegemonic
electoral figure she appeared to be. The electorate appears to be
nibbling at other possibilities, determined to keep politics open and
plural.
Suddenly, the possibility of three political dialects, three body
languages, and three styles of electoral rhetoric is making politics a
more open playground. Maybe the emergence of this is still new. The
politics of memory in the dalit mind might trump the politics of
possibility. But if Uttar Pradesh is a rehearsal for the future,
Mayawati better hear the warning bells.
A new generation and new combinations in politics might wreck her
old-style politics. It is a tremor of intent but earthquakes,
especially in politics, often begin that way.

The writer is a social science nomad


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Re: [ZESTCaste] 9 months on, Dalits yet to return home

 

The only hope and alternative to overcome these difficulties is to empower BSP in the state and in the Centre. People should work in that direction.

22 02 2012 LESSON 532 The Dhammapada Verses and Stories Dhammapada Verse 78
Channatthera Vatthu In The Company Of The Virtuous
FREE ONLINE eNālandā Research & Practice UNIVERSITY & BUDDHIST GOOD NEWS LETTER  Through :http://sarvajan.ambedkar.org

THE BUDDHIST ON LINE GOOD NEWS LETTER
COURSE PROGRAM
 LESSONS 532
Practice a Sutta a Day Keeps Dukkha Away
Verse 78. In The Company Of The Virtuous
Don't go around with evil friends,
with rogues do not resort.
Spend your time with noble friends,
and worthy ones consort.
Explanation: Do not associate with people who have evil ways. Avoid the company of wicked, evil people who are mean and bad. Associate with worthy friends. Keep the company of noble persons who are superior in quality and virtue and who will be able to elevate you.
Dhammapada Verse 78
Channatthera Vatthu
Na bhaje papake mitte
na bhaje purisadhame
bhajetha mitte kalyane
bhajetha purisuttame.
Verse 78: One should not associate with bad friends, nor with the vile. One should associate with good friends, and with those who are noble.

1. namayanti: to bend, to incline a person's heart or will. In the case of fletchers, to make the arrows straight; in the case of carpenters, to make the timber into things that people want, by cutting, sawing and planing.

The Story of Thera Channa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (78) of this book, with reference to Thera Channa.
Channa was the attendant who accompanied Prince Siddhattha when he renounced the world and left the palace on horseback. When the prince attained Buddhahood, Channa also became a bhikkhu. As a bhikkhu, he was very arrogant and overbearing because of his close connection to the Buddha. Channa used to say, "I came along with my Master when he left the palace for the forest. At that time, I was the only companion of my Master and there was no one else. But now, Sariputta and Moggallana are saying, 'we are the Chief Disciples,' and are strutting about the place."
When the Buddha sent for him and admonished him for his behaviour, he kept silent but continued to abuse and taunt the two Chief Disciples. Thus the Buddha sent for him and admonished him three times; still, he did not change. And again, the Buddha sent for Channa and said, "Channa, these two noble bhikkhus are good friends to you; you should associate with them and be on good terms with them."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 78: One should not associate with bad friends, nor with the vile. One should associate with good friends, and with those who are noble.
In spite of repeated admonitions and advice given by the Buddha, Channa did as he pleased and continued to scold and abuse the bhikkhus. The Buddha, knowing this, said that Channa would not change during the Buddha's lifetime but after his demise (parinibbana) Channa would surely change. On the eve of his parinibbana, the Buddha called Thera Ananda to his bedside and instructed him to impose the Brahma-punishment (Brahmadanda) to Channa; i.e., for the bhikkhus to simply ignore him and to have nothing to do with him.
After the parinibbana of the Buddha, Channa, learning about the punishment from Thera Ananda, felt a deep and bitter remorse for having done wrong and he fainted three times. Then, he owned up his guilt to the bhikkhus and asked for pardon. From that moment, he changed his ways and outlook. He also obeyed their instructions in his meditation practice and soon attained arahatship.
The Economic Times

UP elections: I hold master key to power, thunders Mayawati

AGRA: "I hold the master key to power," thundered Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati at an election rally here on Tuesday in which she blasted Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing thousands at Kothi Meena Bazar ground here, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief called upon Agra's SC/STs to vote for her if they wanted a Scheduled Caste to remain at the helm of affairs.

Calling Rahul Gandhi a "Yuvraj", she said: "If you vote for the Congress, all the poor and unemployed would have to go to other states to earn their livelihood."

A victory of the Samajwadi Party in the ongoing assembly elections would only usher in "goonda, badmash and mafia-run jungle raj", she warned.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), she said, would only bring back communal and feudal politics.

"The state under BSP has been free of communal tensions and people have lived in amity," she said, referring to the five years since 2007 when the BSP took power on its own.

In her 50-minute speech, she made fun of the claims of other political outfits.

She accused the Congress-led central government of creating hurdles in Uttar Pradesh's development.

"The high court benches in Meerut and Agra have to be cleared by the centre. Many of our financial problems are the result of centre's lack of support," Mayawati charged.

Ending her speech on an emotive note, Mayawati said: "If you want a Scheduled Caste ki beti (SC's daughter) as your chief minister again, vote for the BSP."

And she added to thunderous applause: "Today I hold the master key to power."

Mayawati said the BSP did not believe in election manifestos.

She warned that small shopkeepers and businessmen would be without work if the Congress allowed foreign direct investment in retail sector.

Mayawati said the Election Commission had hurt the feelings of SC/STs by ordering the covering up of elephant statues across Uttar Pradesh because the animal was the election symbol of her party.

And in a mocking tone, she thanked the media for giving the elephants and her party so much publicity for free.

In 2007, the BSP won six of nine seats in Agra district.

Ask people why I am confident, says Mayawati

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ask-people-why-i-am-confident-says-mayawati/232365-37-170.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ask-people-why-i-am-confident-says-mayawati/232365-37-170.html

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has claimed that her government has done more for the state than the Congress, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) put together.
Speaking exclusively to CNN-IBN, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo has said that she is asking for votes in the assembly elections on the issue of development.
However, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister refused to answer a question on Rahul Gandhi, who is spearheading the campaign for the Congress in the state.
Here's the full text of the exclusive interview:
Bhupendra Chaubey: You look very confident in all your rallies. What's the basis of this confidence in you?
Mayawati: If you talk to people who come to my rallies, you will understand the reason for my confidence.
Bhupendra Chaubey: In your rallies, you talk about development and the steps you have taken over the last five years. Will development be a core election issue?
Mayawati: I have accomplished in the last five years what no government in Uttar Pradesh has done since independence. We don't talk, just act.
We have brought to Uttar Pradesh law and order, and development to all sections of the society.
Bhupendra Chaubey: Is this the core issue in these elections?
Mayawati: Everyone knows that the BSP believes in equality and development for all.
Bhupendra Chaubey: Is this election about you building an umbrella of social alliances?
Mayawati: You should ask the people who come to my rallies to see how I am working for development of all communities.
Bhupendra Chaubey: Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav are campaigning against you…
Mayawati refuses to answer and walks away. 
Assembly Elections
Mayawati accuses Centre of depriving UP of funds
Aligarh: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today accused the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre of "starving the state of much needed central funds" for different development projects.

Addressing an election rally at the Exhibition Grounds here, Mayawati said had the centre conceded to the state government's repeated pleas for funds, the state of UP would have been marching ahead in different fields.

Refuting the allegation of corruption against her party's government in Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister said, "in the last Assembly elections, a number of infiltrators had managed to sneak into our party and get elected.

"Some of them became ministers. When we detected their wrong doings we immediately removed them from their respective posts", she said.

Taking a dig at the Bhartiya Janata Party, Mayawati said, "When we removed certain corrupt elements from our party, other parties who championed the cause of honesty accepted them with open arms".
Mayawati said, "the Bhartiya Janata Party has no moral right to speak of corruption after the track record of their party's government in Karnataka has come before the country.

The track record of the NDA government which ruled in the centre for about seven years also reflects the BJP's fickle commitment to the cause of fighting corruption", she said.

Hitting out at the UPA government, the Chief Minister said, "the UPA government's numerous scandals just in the past three years should expose the true face of the Congress Party on the issue of corruption".

Referring to the reservation issue and the Congress Party's "ambivalent stand" on the matter, the Chief Minister said, "by indiscriminately adding other groups to the OBC list, the Congress Party is depriving the existing beneficiaries in the quota list".
The Chief Minister said, "By promising 9 per cent reservation to Muslims in government jobs, the Congress Party is trying to trick both the Muslims and the other OBC groups who are already in the quota ambit".

Referring to the slow pace of development in some sectors in the state, she said, "Our target is to provide 24-hour electricity per day if we are given further chance to serve the state and if the Centre cooperates with us".

She said that the Centre had been very stingy in releasing funds for the state and "whatever development has taken place in UP during the past five years has been achieved with our own meagre resources and in some cases with the help of private sector".

The Chief Minister said that the state has done more for farmers during the past five years than had ever been done by governments who claimed to champion the cause of the farmers.

She cited the example of "doubling of the minimum purchase price for sugarcane in the state" during her tenure.

The Chief Minister said that her party was determined to maintain communal peace and harmony in the state. This was reflected by the manner in which her government succeeded in maintaining peace in Uttar Pradesh in the aftermath of the declaration of the High Court case on the explosive Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhhomi Issue.

Maya questions Cong's silence on graft, price rise
Agencies Posted online: Mon Feb 20 2012, 15:56 hrs
Hathras : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday attacked the
Congress on the issue of corruption asking why the party was not
uttering a single word on graft and price rise.

"The Congress is not uttering a word on corruption and price rise in
its regime. If you all made a mistake while exercising franchise, you
all have to face life of insult and hooliganism," she said while
addressing an election meeting.

Attacking the Congress for defaming her government on the issue of
corruption, Mayawati alleged 62 scams of Rs 20 lakh crore took place
in the Congress-led government at the Centre. Promising to provide
24-hour electricity, Mayawati said contrary to Oppositions' claim, BSP
would get absolute majority in the state.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today rubbished media surveys
that projected BSP to be in bad position in the Assembly polls and
reminded voters that her party had got majority in 2007 despite
similar predictions.


"I want to tell the people that the surveys being shown on TV channels
and in the media are showing BSP winning only a few seats. They should
not be misled by these as in the 2007 polls too, BSP was not shown in
surveys, yet we formed government with absolute majority," the BSP
supremo said.


At an election rally here, she said, "We will prove all such claims by
the media as wrong this time as well and achieve absolute majority,"
he said.


"When the Election Commission ordered draping of statues of elephants
in the state, the media kept showing it for 15 days thinking that we
will get negative publicity. Instead, we got very good publicity free
of cost," she said.

More than anything else, this has helped in the party's symbol being

recognised all over the country, she said.


Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark that he had a lot
of respect for Kanshi Ram, she posed, "Where did all this go when he
died and the central government did not even declare a holiday. Our
community will never forgive the Centre for this."


She said that in spite of "limited resources" from the Centre, her
government had helped the SC/ST, backward and very backward sections
to progress.

BSP will win 303 seats according to FREE ONLINE eNālandā Research & Practice UNIVERSITY & BUDDHIST GOOD NEWS LETTER  Through :http://sarvajan.ambedkar.org

Mayawati confident of winning more seats


 
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati comes out of a polling station in Lucknow on Sunday after casting her vote. Photo: Subir Roy
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati comes out of a polling station in Lucknow on Sunday after casting her vote. Photo: Subir Roy
High turnout indicates people's anger at Congress, BJP, SP regime
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Sunday said her Bahujan Samaj Party would win more seats now than in 2007, pointing to the response to her rallies.
In 2007, the party bagged 206 seats.
Ms. Mayawati was speaking to journalists after voting at the Lucknow Montessori Intermediate College in the fourth phase of the Assembly elections.
Ms. Mayawati reached the polling station at noon and cast her vote at booth number 235. She was accompanied by party general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Satish Chandra Mishra and Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh. Mr. Mishra and the Cabinet Secretary also voted at the same centre, though at different booths.
Ms. Mayawati then left for rallies at Hamirpur and Firozabad, where voting will take place on February 23 in the fifth phase.
(Uttar Pradesh chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati addresses an election rally in Rai Bareilly.)
JHANSI: Firing a salvo at the Congress, chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati has alleged that the Congress is responsible for backwardness of UP. She wondered how the party could change the face of the state in five years, when it had done nothing during its long rule at the Centre. Most of the time, it was the Nehru-Gandhi family which had ruled the country, she said adding, "When they could not do anything during this period, how can they develop the state in five years."
Addressing a series of election meetings in Orai (Jalaun) and Jhansi, Mayawati blamed all the opposition parties for neglecting the Bundelkhand region. She said that the BSP government had demanded a package of Rs 80,000 crore from the Centre for all-round development of the region, but the latter did not sanction even a single paisa. In this package an amount of Rs 11,000 crore were for the construction of roads, development of health facilities and improving agriculture in Bundelkhand region, she added.
"Whatever the Congress leaders are saying about development of Bundelkhand region is nothing but a 'political drama'. This is a fact that Bundelkhand is a backward. It remained backward because the Congress party, which ruled the state for more than four decades, did nothing for its development and now its leaders are shedding crocodile tears over the plight of its inhabitants," she alleged. The BSP government with its meagre resources and without getting any financial assistance from the Centre tried to remove backward of Bundelkhand, she claimed.
                                   
Blaming the Congress for starting 'corruption culture' in the country, the BSP chief has alleged that the maximum black money in foreign banks was that of Congress leaders.
Maya shoots another letter to PM in middle of polls
LUCKNOW: The BSP has strongly reacted to the statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh alleging that the state (BSP) government was not paying any attention towards development of UP. Taking exceptions to the PM's statement, BSP spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that chief minister Mayawati on Saturday wrote a letter to the prime minister regarding release of Centre's share under Right to Education Act.
"It was pointed out in the letter that the ministry of Union HRD had approved Rs 9,408.05 crore as annual scheme for 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' for 2011-12. Out of the Centre's share is about 4,969.05 crore, but only Rs 2,452.68 crore has so far been made available to the state," the spokesperson informed.
Centre is giving stepmotherly treatment to the BSP government in UP. "The Centre is not making available funds to the state. The Centre's share for repair and strengthening of national highways to other states has already been released by the UPA government, but the same have not been made available to the UP government till date. Similarly, the centre has not released the amount for completing several ambitious schemes of the BSP government." said the spokesperson.
Congress is bracing for the possibility of defeat in Uttar Pradesh
Congress and Rahul Gandhi are getting in ahead of the game to reposition the narrative since the Congress will  fare considerably worse than expected.
He appeared to concede that with such a performance – that will come about – will not be enough for the Congresss to secure a large enough chunk of Assembly seats.
According to Rahul Gandhi, the electoral arithmetic of UP dictate that only when a party secures in excess of 20 percent of the popular vote will it translate into substantial representation in terms of Assembly seats.
He now argues that his effort is to revive the Congress in UP over eight to 10 years.
Congress will fares badly and  it will be construed as a personal defeat for Rahul Gandhi, who has invested far more of his time and energy in this campaign than any central-level Congress leader has in any previous elections in UP. Doubts will increasingly be raised about his ability to be a "game-changer" for the party.
Just as important, a poor verdict for the Congress in UP will render the Manmohan Singh government even more of a lame duck than it is currently.


Bahujan Samaj Party

A crowd listens to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati during a rally in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh state, on February 6, 2012. With Uttar Pradesh going to the first phase of the Assembly polls on February 8, key... 


I, Me and My party: Terming the Congress as anti-SC/ST, Mayawati said
only her party can ensure that 'people from all communities are on their feet'.

Cong enacting drama on Batla House encounter: Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati KumariChief minister Mayawati Kumari.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati

india flag





"kanoon ki devi" Maha Mayawati JI
UP elections important for Anil Ambani, Manoj Gaur, Subrata Roy, Kushagra  Bajaj





A BSP supporter wore a hat bearing the BSP party symbol and Ms. Mayawati's poster during a rally in Lucknow, March 15, 2010.


Bahujan Samaj Party will form the government this election, but with a thumping majority.

Voters line up at a polling booth in Uttar Pradesh.

BSP emerges as an alternative to RPIs in Vidarbha polls
Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times
Nagpur, February 19, 2012

The increasing might of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the virtual fall
of Republican Party of India (RPI) in its stronghold in Vidarbha,
particularly in Nagpur have raised many eyebrows in the region after
the local bodies' elections.
Nagpur has been the citadel of RPI where Dr
Babasaheb Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in 1956 but the BSP has dealt
a severe blow to their vote bank in the recent elections.

BSP earned 12 seats in the Nagpur Municipal Corporations alone while 6
seats in the neighbouring Amravati municipal corporation and their
candidates finished second in 30 wards, giving a threat to the RPI
politicians. Moreover, the party got one seat in Akola Municipal
Corporation elections.

In Nagpur, it got 10 seats from north and south Nagpur assembly
constituencies—predominantly dalit areas  which are considered as RPI
citadel and dalit voters are the deciding factor for the state
elections.

In Akola, where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's grandson Dr Balasaheb Ambedkar
has a considerable clout, the party could manage to win only seven
seats and the BSP also made its presence felt in the elections.

The BSP also fared well in entire Vidarbha's Zilla Parishad elections
and emerged as the top party for Dalits and backward classes by
winning eleven seats while all RPI factions could manage to win only
nine seats.

Milind Pakhale, chief of RPI (Ambedkar) in Nagpur, admitted that the
traditional RPI factions have lost their credibility among the voters
because of their hobnobbing with the ruling class as well as the
saffron combine which was cleverly used by the BSP in the region.

"We are assessing the entire issue and would rectify our mistakes.
This was lesson for us in our stronghold and we would certainly work
to reclaim our share of votes in the next elections," he said.

Nagpur has been a significant power base of RPI where they ruled the
civic body for several years but all the three RPI factions could
manage only four seats.  RPI (Kawade ) failed to win a single seat
while Prakash Ambedkar faction got two while former state Maharashtra
minister Sulekha Kumbhare and Ramdas Athavale factions received a seat
each.

NOTE-1-Since the formation, in 1995 of the first government of Hon'ble Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati Ji in Uttar Pradesh, its priority has been the total development of the poor and the backward SC/ST, other backward classes,Religious minorities and disables persons-who had remained neglected for centuries and during earlier governments. By separately creating Uttar Pradesh Welfare Department and other ministries, there has been considerable improvements in their condition at every level and\ every sphere.
1.    This government in the last four years has undertaken several activities at a total cost of Rs. 37,000 crore (Rs. 36,795 crore), outlay of 21.21 and 100% expenditure on the development of "SC/ST" under special component plan which are chiefly – increase in the rate of post matric for (Scheduled Castes), eligibility level of income increased from 1lakh to Rs.2 lakh,, scholarships fora all students (girls and boys) from class 1 to 8, establishment of 'bhagidari bhavan' at Lucknow and Agra, including Training institutes at Aligarh and Rae Bareli to coach SC/ST youth for recruitment to high-level services like I.A.S and P.C.S; recruitment in Government posts through a drive to clear the backlog; for the first time Reservation in contracts upto Rs.25 lakh for SC/ST, so far, contracts worth Rs.1,623 crore allotted; about 4 lakh S/C families allotted more Than 3,500 hectares of land.; 16 Mahamaya Polytechnics for Information Technology set up for these categories of students; regularisation of Landless SC/ST people in possession of gram sabah land upto13May, 2007;  formal right of possession letters (pattas) awarded to 9,431 persons; about 3000 genuine lease-holders benefited by removing illegal usurpers from their land; creation of employment totalling 5,945 lakh man- days for men and 2,089 lakh for women belonging to SC/ST classes created in rural areas; about 8 lakh S/C families benefited by writing-off debts amounting to Rs.120.28 crore of Uttar Pradesh SC/ST Development Corporation; electrification on large-scale of SC/ST bustees /majras and appointment of 23% from these classes only of SOs in police stations; provision of reservation also in state government-aided private enterprises; allotment of more than 4,000 fair price shops; together with the establishment of a Rs.100 crore "leather park and shoe mandi": in Agra, exemption from VAT of Agra Footwear Industry.
2.    "Other Backward Classes" – in the last four years 2 lakh landless people allotted lease of about 50,000 hectares of agricultural land; effective implementation of 27% reservation for OBSc in the allotment of fair price shops in the urban and rural areas under the public distribution system; computerisation of the entire procedure of scholarship under the backward classes Welfare department; more than 50 lakh students (girls and boys) benefites by scholarships under the scheme of aid to the poor families of backward classes on account of marriage and illness about Rs.50 crore spent every year; apart from increasing the "creamy layer" annual income limit of these classes from Rs.3 lakh Rs.5lakh, about Rs.250 crore spent to reimburse the admission fees of students studying in post matric classes
3.    In the matter of Religious Minorities especially the Muslim community, mention may be made of the establishment of Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Urdu, Arabic-Persian University; inclusion of 10 new Arabic-Persian Madrasas in the grant-in-aid list; as much as 486.73 crore approx, on account of scholarships to 1,28,35,824 minority students (girls and boys); elegibilty income limit for scholarships increased to Rs.1 lakh in respect of, minority students; grant of Rs. 3,745 lakh for the marriage of 37,445 daughters from minority BPL families; reimbursement of fees amounting to Rs.2,049 lakh of 49,166 post matric students; construction of well-equipped "Haj Houses" at
Ghaziabad and Lucknow for the convenience of the Hajis; "direct Haj
flight" from Varanasi to Jeddah; abolition of the pre-condition of police verification in the appointment of "Mutawallis"; arrangement of advance coaching to prepare for competitive recruitment examinations; the amount of grant for Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy more than doubled to Rs.3 crore; establishment of 58 government secondary schools in minority-dominated areas of 22 selected districts as well as mformation of a commission to provide the atatus of minority institution to 'taleemi idaar' (educational institutions) besides, the distribution of Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Handloom Weavers awards.
4.    "Disabled" – establishment of 'Uttar Pradeesh Dr. Shakuntala Misra Rehabilation University' at a cost of Rs.400 crore to provide quality education to the differently-abled students; with 1% reservation for the visually impaired and 2% other disabled, so far, 677 and 1320fair shops allotted, respectively; disabled pension rate increased to Rs.300 per month from Rs.150- the total number of disabled pensioner during 2009-10 increased to 708077.
5.    Several welfare schemes implemented for Sarv-Samaj "women" also, notable being amendment of the zamindari kanoon to ensure equitable share of women in patriarchal landed property; the amount of dole for destitute women increased to Rs.300 per month from Rs.150 apart from construction of shelter homes etc for them in Mathurs and Vrindavan; "alertness and sensitivity" on the part of government has resulted in considerable "decline" of criminal cases against "women".
NOTE-II- In addition, many significant and historic steps wre taken for the uplift of the poor and the helpless belonging to sarv-samaj besides, Farmers, labourers, lawyers, employees, traders and people engaged in other professions, with all government departments also contributing to the development of the people of the state viz.:
1.    Uttar Pradesh Mukhyamantri Mahamaya Gharib Arthik Madad Yojna benefits about 31 lakh families in Uttar Pradeshwhich have not been able to avail of the benefits of the BPL list or antyodaya, by providing an assistance of Rs.400 per month.
2.    Savitribai Phule Shiksha Madad Yojna benefitted a total of 6,86,953 girl students, so far, with Rs.15,000 and a bicycle given to class 10 students and an additional assistance of Rs.10,000 on promotion to class 12.
3.    Mahamaya Gharib Balika Ashirwad Yojna provides for Rs.1lakh to be given to the girl child immediately on birth, which has benefitted about 3,25,000 girl children.
4.    Dr. Ambedkar Gram Sabha Samagra Vikas Yojna benefitted abount 5,598 gram sabhas.
5.    Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Sheri Gharib Awas Yojna provides for free housing facilities, benefiting about 1lakh families.
6.    Sarvjan Hitay Gharib Awas (Slum Area) Maliqana Haq Yojna benefited about 7,232 families.
7.    BPL card-holders of Sarv-samaj and beneficiaries of Mahamaya Gharib Arthik Madad Yojna being provided free of charge legal aid by government lawyers to plead their cases in courts.
8.    Under Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Sheri SC/ST Bssti Samagra Vikas Yojna, 250 bustees selected for development.
9.    Lease-hold of 55,000 hectares of agricultural land for about 2.5 lakh poor and unemployed landless people.
10.  About "3.5 lakh families" allotted residential plots measuring 3,500 hectares.
11.  Allotment of 30,000 hectares of land to about 36,000 agriculturists.
12.  16,000 sites allotted to 19,000 people engaged in the pottery craft.
13.  Allotment of 12,000 hectares of land for free plantation to 42,000 farmers.
14.  Insurance provided to 18,67,835 heads of families under the General Public Insurance Scheme.
15.  Under the enforced Uttar Oradesh Janhit Guarantee Quanoon 13 essential services relating to revenue, urban development, medical and food and supply guaranteed within a specified time limit.
16.  Brilliant BPL students (girls and boys) of the newly established Gautam Buddha University belonging to sarv-samaj sent to Europe for higher studies on state expenses.
17.  The maximum sickness allowance increased from Rs.2,000 to 5,000 in the case of S/S and those eligible from the general category.
18.  The amount of grant-in-aid doubled in the event of marriage/sickness in Bundelkhand.
19.  As many as 897 child development projects under operation.
20.  Daily wages of "labourers/wage earners" of unorganised sector increased to Rs.100 from Rs.58.
21.  More than 18 lakh government employees in the state provided benefit of the sixth pay commission, causing an additional financial burden of Rs.21,000 crore.
22.  As many as 35,000 daily wage employees, appointed till 29 June, 1991 regularised.
23.  Generation of 10,586 lakh man days in the rural areas at a cost of Rs. 16,995 crore.
24.  Self-employment made available to 13.58 lakh families with a grant of Rs.800 crore.
25.  Recruitment of 1.9 lakh 'safai-workers (Aroghya Rakshaks)" in the state in one go besides, 88,000 primary school teachers, 5,000 Urdu teachers and massive recruitment in other departments together with employment opportunities provided to "lakhs" of people in non-governmental sectors as well.
26.  Infrastructural Development: construction of 165 Km long, 6-lane Yamuna express-way at a cost of Rs. 9,935 crore between Noida and Agra.
27.  Rs.30,000 crore –construction project of 1,047 Km long, 8-lane entry controlled express-way from Greater Noida to Ballia.
28.  Costing Rs. 8,911 crore, 148-km long Sanauta-Purkazi Express-way project along the upper Ganga canal bank.
29.  In the Taj city, Agra, construction of a 20.5 km long 6-lane ring road at a cost of Rs.1,100 crore.
30.  Delhi-Noida-Greater Noida Metro Rail Link, first phase, from Delhi to Noida completed.
31.  PPP process activated to establish ab international airport at Kushinagar for the development of Buddhist circuit.
32.  Energy development; with an amount of Rs. 28,796 crore incurred by the government led by the Hon'ble Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati Ji, a "new trust" born among the general public to meet its electricity needs, during its four-year term,; the government seriously engaged at the ground level about its promise to offer 24-hourelectricity by 2014, Begining of about 30,000 MW new projects. Investment of Rs. 1,20,000 crore. In the field of transmission, thye largest ever investment of Rs.10,000 crore through PPP in the country.
33.  Road construction – construction/reconstruction of more than 50,000 km long roads with an expenditure of about Rs.9000 crore.
34.  About 13,000 km long CC roads and KC drains constructed in 5,480 gram sabhas/villages at a cost of Rs. 3,569 crore.
35.  Construction of 319 bridges at a cost of Rs.1,369 crore as well as 16 over-bridges, entailinf an expenditure of Rs.363crore.
36.  Irrigation – Strengthening of irrigation works/activities at a cost of Rs.22,097 crore.
37.  Additional irrigation capacity of about 1.5 lakh hectares generated with the construction of 2,975 tube wells.
38.  Tail-feeding of more than 9,000 canals ensured.
39.  Irrigation arrangement of 32 lakh hectares of land.
40.  Agriculture and Allied services – about Rs. 19,50 crore spent in the last four years.
41.  Drive to bouble the income of the farmers.
42.  Weather-based crop insurance scheme started.
43.  Rain water storage project in Bundelkhand.
44.  Unprecedented increase in sugarcane price (SAP).
45.  Uttar Pradesh tops the country in milk production.
46.  Dr.Ambedkar Agricultural Improvement Scheme of feeder separation for uninterrupted power supply to farmers.
47.  Establishment of new agricultural university in Banda.
48.  Education and Sports Development – about 65,000 crore (Rs.64,997 Crore) were spent on account of education in the last four years.
49.  As many as 12,160 new senior primary schools and 4,654 new primary schools established
50.  13 private universities established.
51.  Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Research Chair established in 6 universities.
52.  As many as 41 new government polytechnics  set up.
53.  In Gautambuddha Nagar, a second technical university established under the name of Mahamaya Technical University.
54.  Commencement of 'Manyawar Shri Kanshiram Ji Kala Samman Puraskar' and Sant Ravidas Kala Samman Puraskar'.
55.  Medical and Health services – About 22,000 crore (Rs 22,190 crore) spent in the last four years.
56.  Decision to operate medical colleges in Kannauj, Jalaun and Saharanpur districts as wellas a para-medical college in Jhansi.
57.  Decision to open state of the art super specialty 500-bed hospital with participation of private sector, costing around 140-150 crore each in Lucknow, Agra, Jalaun, Bijnur, Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar. And Saharanpur.
58.  For the first time in the country a separate unani directorate established by  Uttar Pradesh.
59.  Urban Development – About Rs.13,156 crore spent on account of housing and urban development as wellas Rs. 4,090 crore spent on hygene and cleanliness schemes.
60.  Projects worth about Rs.8,000 crore completed in Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Meerut, Allahabad and Mathura on development of urban infrastructural facilities and providing housing to the poor besides, fulfilling their basic needs.
61.  Provision of about Rs.1,000 crore for drinking water projects in 7 metropolitan towns. Completion of projects of Rs.400 crore in other 37 towns and plying of 1,310 modern buses started.
62.  Implementation of solid waste management schemes in 26 cities.
In additionto the above, the government has, through other departments , taken several important and notable  decisions, a detailed account of which is given in a government published listing its achievements of four years.
In order to see for herself the ground reality of the activities stated in the booklet, the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Ms Mayawati Ji, from 1st February, 2011 to 2nd March 2011 i.e., for full one month, made surprise inspections to take stock of law and order situation and creime control in all the 72 districts, together with development and public welfare activities, with strict action taken against authorities, if anything wanting was detected. Necessary directions and guidance for improvement were also given.
In a nutshell, the four years of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Hon'ble Ms Mayawati Ji led government has been " highly promising and the best" in the area of "development and public welfare".
Every policy of Uttar Pradesh Govt. is based on 'Sarvajan Hitay – Sarvajan Sukhay'
Important and Historic Initiative for Law & Order and Crime Control
1.    Since the formation of the present government in Uttar Pradesh, on 13 May, 2007 till date, an Unprecedented
environment of "peace and order and communal harmony, free from injustice, crime and fear" has been created by giving "top priority" to "law-order and crime control" for which several important decisions had to be taken with iron resolve at the different levels e.g:
2.    Rigorous and effective action taken against more than 1 lakh known notorious criminals/Mafiosi.
3.    1.707 notorious criminals detained under the most stringent "National Security Act (NSA)".
4.    Strict action taken under the "Gangster Act" against about 40,000 professional offenders.
5.    A total of 8.013 notorious delequents, carrying reward on their heads, were arrested, including those "carrying on the head a reward" upto Rs.5 lakh.
6.    Another 374 notorious criminals carrying reward, between Rs.50,000 – Rs. 5,00,000 were "killed" by the police in self defense.
7.    Also, thousands of anti-social elements/goondas and white-collar criminals were sent to their right place i.e. behind the bars in the "jail".
8.    For the first in the state, action was also taken against " influencial people and those occupying high positions" found guilty of breaching the law, establishing the motto "all wequal before the law" under which several ministers, ex-ministers, MPs and legislators were proceeded against leagally with due strictness.
9.    "Historic action" continues, without let or hinderance, against arrant criminals and Mafiosi to "confisticat their
ill-gotten wealth" in order to break the economic backbone. Property worth more than Rs. 443 crore forfeited so far.
10.  Elimination of fierce dacoits – synonymous of terror, Rs. 5 lakh rewardee bandit chief Shivakumar alias Dadua, Ambika Patel i.e. Thokia, Mussafir Yadav, carrying a reward of Rs.2lakh from Bihar State and Santosh alias Kittu Gupta with a reward of Rs. 1.5 lakh besides, several other offenders carrying rewards between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 50,000 were killed by police in encounters inself-defence.
11.  In the terrorist attack on CRPF group centre at Rampur by 4 terrorists of HUJI – Harqat UI Jehad Al Islami as well as an active member of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) together with ISI agents were also apprehended.
12.  Noor Baksh, a shooter belonging to the gang of international criminal, Dawood Ibrahim was shot daed while trying to escape from police custody.
13.  To secure justice to prosecuted people under the previous government, 10,000 cases filed through a "special campaign" and action taken against 31,136 persons. "Legal" action also initiated against those trying to register "fake" reports.
14.  The area of 'jungle raj', goonda tax, 'mafia rule' and 'anarchy' inherited in legacy, ends, entirely due to the "missionary and struggling" efforts of Hon'ble Chief Ninister Ms. Mayawati JI. People, coming out of the suffocating "jungle raj", breathing in, today, the wiff of fresh air of the "rule of law by law".
15.  The result of such strict action was that an environment of " communal harmony" continued to exist and no untoward incident occurred in the whole of the state, in light of the court decision on the very sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi/Babri Masjid "case". The peaceful conditions prevailed in Uttar Pradesh, there was calm and quiet in other states of the country as well.
16.  So also Common Wealth Games 2010, three-tier panchayat elections, Mahakumbh fair, Haridwar-2010, Allahabad Magh Mela-2011 passed off peacefully. Lok Sabha-2009 general elections were also conducted without violence, with peace and impartiality.
17.  In order to ensure "justice" to the general public and create "trust" towards the law and order system in them,
strict instructions issued to record the First Information Report (FIR) in the thanas from victimized persons without the slightest difficulties.
18.  Instructions to all district, division and tehsil level authorities to be available to the people, as a must in their
offices from 10 to 12 in thye morning.
19.  Observance of "thana divwas" on every 1st and 3rd Saturdsy of the month with the object of taking effective
action against victimization of poor people of the sarv-samaj.
20.  As a result of these special efforts made by the government, remarkable "decline" in the rate of all kinds of crime against "SC/ST" in the state. Eqally notable has been the percentage of disposal of crime enquiries which stands at 92.
21.  Appointment of a special public prosecutor" for prosecution of cases under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities
Act.
22.  "Considerable reduction" in incidence of all crimes against "women" in the state.
23.  The percentage of action was 94.1, last year against those accused of crime against "women" and 91.9 of cases disposed of, which is a "record" in itself. Consequently, the rate of crime against women in Uttar Pradesh is much less than even the national average.
24.  The effort to secure "justice" in every matter and at every level  to every segment of the society and the sarv-samaj, the poor people, farmers, labourers, businessmen, lawyers, service-class and non-service-class people as also students in accordance with the policy of "Sarvajan Hitay Sarvajan Sukhay".
25.  Together with the arrest of more than two dozen hard core naxalites, a strategy of  "tatal development (samagra vikas)" in identified areas adopted in order to deal with the "naxal" problem so that a feeling of trust towards the administration in kindled in the public psyche in the affected areas and they do not go astray. Efforts to provide the various basic amenities under Dr. Ambedkar gram sabha yojns to the 423 naxal affected villages.
26.  Many important and historic decisions taken to establish "rule of the law by law" in the state  in order to "modernize and strengthen to make the police administration alert and vigilant".
27.  More than double the increase in police budget with about Rs. 7,740 crore sanctioned. For the first time in Uttar Pradesh a service manual for different sections of the police force promulgated.
28.  Formation of "Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment Board" for transparency in view of complaints of corruption in
police recruitment.
29.  In a "historic" decision about 2.04 lakh new posts for policemen created, in one stroke. Already 35,000 constables selected in a transparent procedure – a step which has been praised at the national also.
30.  Constitution of two new zones Viz. "Poorvanchal and western Uttar Pradesh" to further strengthen the "Special Task Force (STF)".
31.  "National Capital Police Zone" formed for effective control over law and order and crime control in western Uttar Pradesh.
32.  Establishment of "women police stations (mahila Thana)" in all districts together with "mahila helpline", "family planning Centre" and "mahila sahayta prakoshtha" at the state level.
33.  "Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS)" set up in November, 2007 itself.
34.  "SIT" constituted to investigate serious economic offences.
35.  For proper security and up keep of the newly constructed sites/memorials  etc
formation of "Uttar Pradesh Police Special Zone Security Battalian" under which 1,233 new posts created.
36.  "state level committee constituted" inder the chairmanship of Director General, police to prevent circulation of
"counterfeit / fake currency notes".
37.  Sevearl proposals for necessary cooperation pending with the centre about inclusion of naxal-affected districts
into "focus" districts under the "integrated development plan" for development of the local surroundings and modernization of the police.
Apart from these, many more important steps were taken, a detailed account of which is given in a booklet published by the government, highlighting its achievements during the last four years.
In brief, to get the correct feel of ground realities, the Hon'ble Chief minisre Ms. Mayawati Ji herself made surprise inspections of "Law-order and crime control:, for one full month i.e. from 1 February – 2 March, 2011, visiting police stations in all the 72 districts in the state,taking strong action against authorities found wanting in performance and issuing guidelines for improvement.
Every policy of Uttar Pradesh Govt. is based on 'Sarvajan Hitay – Sarvajan Sukhay'

Rahul Gandhi accused of 'poll code violation'

A case has been registered against him alleging that his road show in Kanpur city breached the time limit and the route map set by the authorities.
Violations
"The district administration had allocated time till noon and fixed a 20km (12.5 mile) route for Rahul Gandhi's road show but he violated it and stretched it beyond the permitted time," Press Trust of India quoted district magistrate Hari Om as saying.
"He also did not stick to the prescribed route for the event... There could have been a security breach or a clash," he said.
Authorities said Mr Gandhi had sought permission to cover 38km, but he was allowed a shorter route because of the Hindu religious festival of Shivratri on Monday.
 Congress has been bogged down with criticism of bad governance and corruption scandals involving its government in Delhi.

The Congress Government ruling the country for 60 years could have created favourable condition by generating employment opportunities to them and could have avoided migration to other states for jobs.Had the central government allocate funds for development Bundelkhand region could have also progressed. I was the congress which diverted funds meant for SC/STs to CWG. Lakhs of crores of money in Central government did not reach the right place but it has reached foreign banks by way of black money.
 
MAY YOU BE EVER HAPPY, WELL AND SECURE
MAY YOU LIVE LONG
MAY ALL SENTIENT AND NON-SENTIENT BEINGS BE EVER HAPPY
MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE CALM, QUIET, ALERT,ATTENTIVE AND
EQUANIMITY MIND WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT
EVERYTHING IS CHANGING
 
MAY YOU BE EVER HAPPY, WELL AND SECURE
MAY YOU LIVE LONG
MAY ALL SENIENT AND NON-SENTIENT BEINGS BE EVER HAPPY
MAY YOU BE ALWAYS HAVE CALM, QUIET, ALERT,ATTENTIVE AND
EQUANIMITY MIND WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING THAT
NOTHING IS PERMANENT


From: Siddhartha Kumar <mailsiddhartha.k@gmail.com>
To: zestcaste <zestcaste@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 22 February 2012 11:59 AM
Subject: [ZESTCaste] 9 months on, Dalits yet to return home

 
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/9-months-on-dalits-yet-to-return-home/232251-60-118.html

Tamil Nadu | Posted on Feb 21, 2012 at 09:43am IST
9 months on, Dalits yet to return home
indianexpressExpress News Service

MADURAI: Nine months after 35 Dalit families fled from their native
Vembathur village of Sivagangai district fearing for their lives after
the murder of two persons, fear still stalks the community as they are
yet to return home. Even a police post in the area has failed to
instil confidence among the Dalits.

It all began on January 29 last year when S Muthukrishnan (28), a
Dalit youth from Vembathur, was murdered in the same village. The
alleged motive was revenge as two caste Hindus from the nearby V
Pudukulam village had been arrested following a complaint from
Muthukrishnan's brother S Murugan.

Three months after Muthukrishnan's murder, one of the accused,
Karuppusamy, a caste Hindu from V Pudukulam, was murdered on May 4,
for which 11 Dalits from Vembathur were arrested. Fearing retaliation,
all 35 Dalit families of Vembathur deserted the village on May 4.

Despite two rounds of peace meetings held by revenue authorities,
normality is yet to be restored.

The Dalit families are living scattered in various towns, including
Sivaganga, Thirumancheri and Melur.

Deprived of their livelihood as small farmers and agricultural
workers, members of the families are working as construction workers
and daily wage workers in nearby towns and Madurai city. The schooling
of about 20 children too has been affected.

The latest peace meeting held at Sivaganga on Saturday was inconclusive.

Those who represented the caste Hindus of V Pudukulam village said
since the Dalits were divided into three groups after the local body
elections, the other two groups should be taken on board.

They promised peace and requested the revenue administration to
convince the other two groups to participate in a future peace
meeting.

Durga Murthy, the Revenue Divisional Officer of Sivaganga, who
presided over the peace meeting, told Express, "We will hold another
peace meeting soon. Revenue officials visited the village. Police post
is there."

A team from Evidence, an NGO, visited the affected village and the
people. A Kathir, director of the NGO, said:� "Chief Secretary and
Director General of Police should ensure the security for the Dalit
people of Vembathur. Those threatening the Dalits should be
apprehended. And `3 lakh should be given as compensation to each
family who were forced to desert their villages."


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