Thursday, February 23, 2012

[ZESTCaste] NEPAL: Proposed inclusion bill leaves the most vulnerable behind

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/sahara-india-boss-subrata-roy-buys-hotels-forays-into-real-estate-retail-despite-pressure-from-regulators/articleshow/12011511.cms

NEPAL: Proposed inclusion bill leaves the most vulnerable behind
February 24, 2012
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On 15 February 2012, a government cabinet meeting decided to table a
revised version of the Bill on Inclusion before the Parliament. The
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is concerned that the provisions
of the bill, as it stands now, fail to guarantee an equal
participation of all castes, genders, and indigenous peoples in the
public service of Nepal. On the contrary, they serve to sanction
existing discrimination against the most vulnerable communities, in
particular the Dalit communities, indigenous peoples and women.

The AHRC recalls that this bill is part of a process Nepal has been on
since the end of the conflict, aimed at guaranteeing greater
participation of traditionally excluded groups and communities in
state and political structures. It was expected to reduce the strict
structural inequalities in income or human development which have
persisted between castes, genders or indigenous peoples. As early as
2004, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in
its Concluding Observations on Nepal had expressed concern "over the
under-representation of disadvantaged groups in government,
legislative bodies and the judiciary".

Inclusion measures, guaranteeing equity and equality, are crucial in
the realization of fundamental rights of groups who have traditionally
been more exposed and vulnerable to abuses. One of the root causes of
the perpetuation of abuse and structural inequality has been the lack
of representation of these groups; in the administrative and political
systems that have the power and resources to design and implement
policies to improve the socio-economic equality in Nepal and realize
the fundamental rights of all, and in the judicial and policing
systems responsible for ensuring equal protection for all. In a report
on "Access to Justice for Dalits in Nepal", the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal identified
"under-representation of Dalits in the justice and law enforcement
system" as one of the reasons accounting for Dalits' lack of access to
the justice institutions and difficulties in claiming their rights.
Inclusion measures are therefore necessary not only for socioeconomic
uplifting, but also to guarantee vulnerable communities' access to
legal remedies and protection of their fundamental rights.

It is therefore very disappointing to note that the provisions of the
inclusion bill have been dictated more by political considerations
rather than concern for the reality of exclusion. In its current form,
the bill leaves 52 percent of the posts in the civil service open to
general competition, and reserves 48 percent for quotas targeting
specific groups. Of that 48, 33 percent are reserved for women. In
other words, women will only be reserved a meagre 15.8 percent of the
total civil service posts. Similarly, Dalits, who remain the most
excluded and discriminated community in the country, have been
reserved a 7 percent share of government jobs, down from 9 percent in
a previous version of the Bill. Indigenous people are awarded a
reservation of 25 percent of the posts, down from 27 percent in the
earlier version. On the other hand, the Madeshis, all castes included,
have obtained an increase to 26 percent of the civil service jobs,
under the general label of "Terai dwellers".

The changes are the fruit of a political bargain and were introduced
following a four-point electoral agreement reached between the Unified
Democratic Madhesi Front and the Maoist party on 28 August 2011, prior
to the election of Baburam Bhattarai as Prime Minister. Those quotas
are blind to the socioeconomic reality of Dalits in the country, and
reflect the relative political weight of each group, rather than their
actual needs. Once more in Nepal, concerns for human rights and
equality have been sacrificed in the name of a political decision.

A policy of inclusion, especially on an issue as delicate as quotas,
should be based on an accurate survey to identify the socioeconomic
situation of the targeted groups and their relative importance in the
total population. This has not been the case here. A preliminary
report of the 2011 population census of Nepal was published, but
disaggregated data in terms of communities and socioeconomic
conditions have not yet been made public. The latest population survey
with such data dates back to 2001. Its results have been contested,
notably by the Dalit civil society for not presenting an accurate
picture of the weight of their community. Even going with the 2001
figure of 13 percent of the population belonging to the Dalit
community--although unofficial estimates go up to 20 percent--the 7
percent reservation would fall short of guaranteeing their
proportional participation.

The quota set up for the Madeshi/Terai community does not include
distinctions for the different castes comprising that community,
although it is one of the communities in which caste-based
discrimination is the most deeply entrenched in Nepal. It further
reportedly includes indigenous peoples such as Tharu, who are also
facing high levels of discrimination within the Terai community. This
lack of distinction may result in the quota allocated to the Madeshi
community being monopolized by men from upper castes, embedding rather
than uprooting the existing discrimination.

The United Nations Development Programme Nepal Human Development
report 2009 draws a clear picture of the structural inequalities of
the Nepali society and of the persisting socioeconomic divisions
between castes and indigenous people, especially in the Madeshi/Terai
community. It reveals that in 2006 the Human Development Index (HDI)
of persons belonging to the Brahmin/Chhetri communities -considered as
high castes in Nepal- reached 0.552 while it was only 0.424 among the
Dalit community and 0.494 among all indigenous people, excluding the
Newars. The HDI takes into account three indicators: educational
attainment, health measured through life expectancy and income. The
gap among the HDI of the different castes is therefore mirrored by a
parallel gap in those different indicators. For instance, according to
the 2006 population survey, the life expectancy of a Hill Brahmin was
68.10 years while for a Hill Dalit it was of 61.03 years only. The
average income of a member of the Dalit community, USD 977, was less
than half the average income of all Brahmins/Chhetri at USD 2027. Last
but not least, those figures also show that structural differences in
access to education decide the Dalit access to economic, social and
political opportunities, with only 38 percent of all Dalit adults
literate, in contrast to 63.65 percent of Brahmins and Chhetris.

The contrast is sharper if we focus on the Madeshi/ Terai communities:
the Madeshi/Terai Brahmin/Chhetri community has a HDI of 0.625,
corresponding to a life expectancy of 63.89 years, an adult literacy
rate of 83.80 percent and a per capita income of USD 2333. However,
the Madeshi/Terai Dalits' HDI is 0.383, corresponding to a life
expectancy of 61.26 years, a literacy rate of 27.32 percent and a per
capita income of USD 743. Similarly, the Terai Janajati's HDI is
0.470, with a life expectancy of 61.55 years, a literacy rate of 48.11
percent and a per capita income of USD 1224.

All of this data speaks at length to the inadequacy of the provisions
of the bill as it stands. The most disadvantaged and isolated groups,
which should be the prime target of a bill aiming at inclusion, are
left behind. It makes little sense to reserve 26 percent of the jobs
to the Madeshis/Terai dwellers, without ensuring that this would
equally benefit all castes and indigenous peoples falling under that
term. The AHRC therefore urges the government and Nepal lawmakers to
revisit the methodology used to draw these quotas, by relying on a
thorough assessment of the reality of the exclusion in Nepal rather
than on a politically-motivated settlement.
Document Type :
Statement
Document ID :
AHRC-STM-035-2012
Countries :
Nepal
Issues :
Caste-based discrimination, Indigenous people, Women's rights


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[ZESTCaste] Congress leader jolts party; praises Mayawati, Vasundhra Raje

 

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/congress-leader-jolts-party-praises-mayawati-vasundhra-raje/articleshow/12003848.cms

23 Feb, 2012, 03.25PM IST, PTI
Congress leader jolts party; praises Mayawati, Vasundhra Raje

KOTA: In an embarrassmengt to his party, a senior Rajasthan Congress
leader cited examples of UP Chief Minister Mayawati and BJP's
ex-Rajasthan CM Vasundhra Raje as role models in a speech at a girls
college here.

Giraj Singh Malinga, parliamentary secretary of state Congress
government left party workers and local leaders red-faced while urging
girl students to emulate BSP supremo Mayawati and former chief
minister Raje on Wednesday.

The party later tried to explain that Malinga had spoken "in an ironic
tone", rather than actually praising Mayawati and Raje. Interestingly,
Malinga is an ex-BSP MLA who later joined the Congress. He declined to
comment.

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati snatching farmers’ land for builders: Mulayam

http://www.firstpost.com/fwire/mayawati-snatching-farmers-land-for-builders-mulayam-223860.html

Mayawati snatching farmers' land for builders: Mulayam

Feb 24, 2012

Agra: Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday accused
the Mayawati Government of snatching away farmers' land for builders.

"The present BSP government in the state is involved in land-grabbing.
It is snatching away farmers' lands for builders," Yadav alleged
addressing an election rally at Kheragarh, about 25 km from Agra.

Yadav farmers' has said that if he comes to power, farmers' loans of
up to Rs 50,000 would be waived off.

He promised that if his party came to power, farmers' interest would
be addressed on priority and their loans of up to Rs 50,000 would be
waived off.

He also attacked the Chief Minister for wasting public's money in
building parks and statues across the state to eulogize herself
instead of development.


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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati calls Ajit Singh opportunist

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Mayawati-calls-Ajit-Singh-opportunist/articleshow/12013110.cms

Mayawati calls Ajit Singh opportunist
TNN | Feb 24, 2012, 05.25AM IST

Mayawati has targeted Rashtriya Lok Dal president Chaudhury Ajit Singh
and said that he believed in the politics of opportunity.

LUCKNOW: Addressing an election rally here on Thursday, chief minister
Mayawati stated that Rashtriya Lok Dal president Chaudhury Ajit Singh
believed in the politics of opportunity. Using the same tool, she
said, he always stays close to power quarters. In this way, he
neglected the interest of the farmers whom Ajit Singh claims to
represent. It may be noted that it is for the first time that BSP
chief has launched a direct attack on the RLD leader. "He showed the
dream of Harit Pradesh but has failed to bring development in the
area," she said adding that the party is out to cheat the people once
again which stands proved in their alliance with the Congress Party.

The rally was held in Baghpat and Panchsheelnagar. Targetting the
congress Party she said, "Poverty, inflation and unemployment have
reached their maximum under the reign of Congress at the center. It is
also responsible for poor state of affairs in UP where they ruled for
40 years." Stating that Congress party's policy was chiefly
responsible for problems being faced by the common man she said it was
essential to keep them away from power. Citing the example of UPA's
policy for foreign direct investment, "the FDI would make survival of
small-scale industries, businessmen and entrepreneurs' difficult."

Mayawati said that BSP was the only party which made 'serious' efforts
to bring real development of Western UP. However, many projects failed
because of the centre held back a long due Rs 80,000 crore development
package for the state. Accusing the Congress of being corrupt,
Mayawati said the party was involved in scams worth Rs.20 lakh crore.
Enumerating another achievement, she said that UP government paid cane
purchase price which was two times of what the other states paid. She
added that introduction of a new land acquisition policy was also yet
another important decision taken by her government to ensure the well
being of the farmers. She also lauded herself for creating more
districts and proposing division of UP into smaller states to promote
faster growth.

The CM alleged that Samajwadi Party (SP) was a party of goons. "During
their rule, the poor were oppressed and women were afraid to come out
of their houses after dark," she said. Describing the BJP as a
communal party, Mayawati said her government deserved credit for
maintaining law and order in the wake of the high court verdict on the
Babri Masjid issue. She didn't even spare the Election Commission. She
alleged the poll panel was biased towards the Congress. This became
apparent from its order to cover the elephants - the symbol of the
BSP, she alleged. The symbols of all other parties were spared, she
said.

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[ZESTCaste] Akhilesh promises to fight corruption

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Akhilesh-promises-to-fight-corruption/articleshow/12011958.cms

Akhilesh promises to fight corruption
Aniruddha Ghosal, TNN | Feb 24, 2012, 03.07AM IST

GREATER NOIDA (DANKAUR): Akhilesh Yadav did not ride a cycle on his
latest visit to the Gautam Budh Nagar. However, he was quick to point
out that his mode of transportation may have changed to a helicopter,
but the issues remained the same. "I had previously come to the
district on a cycle to protest against Mayawati's corruption but my
determination to fight it hasn't changed," Akhilesh said while
referring to his 'cycle yatra' from Noida to Agra in 2011 in protest
against Mayawati's excessive spending.

While speaking about development and the corruption of the Mayawati
government, the SP leader said he promised the farmers who had lost
their land to 'forced' land acquisition in the area justice and
development, adding that he was one of them. "The land of Uttar
Pradesh gave birth to me and I understand the pain of the farmers.
Once land is gone, it is lost forever. There are farmers whose cases
are pending in courts and with this government in power they will
never get justice. If you vote SP to power, there will be no forceful
land acquisition and farmers will get six times the circle rate as
compensation if the land is acquired for development," promised Yadav.

Addressing a huge rally in Jaypee Sports City in Greater Noida,
Akhilesh accused the BSP government of cheating the farmers and those
living in rural areas while minting money in the name of development.
"Mayawati promised an airport in the district, but where is it? The
villages still have the same problems and the government has been
behaving like a property dealing agency," said the SP 'yuvraj'.

Akhilesh, who openly admitted that he wants to attract votes on the
lines of development and not merely caste equations, was quick to
point out the unemployment issue. "Once we come back to power, we hope
to bring back the big industrialists to help the state's economy grow
and create more jobs for everyone. There are many projects that have
been stalled as a result of bad governance," he said, citing the Dadri
power plant as an example.

SP's list of promises weren't limited to the farmers, but also to the
policemen who had come as a part of the security task force. "The
issues of the police in the district will also be addressed once we
come to power," he said.

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[ZESTCaste] I hold master key to power, thunders Mayawati

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2012/Chunk-HT-UI-AssemblyElections2012-UP-TopStories/I-hold-master-key-to-power-thunders-Mayawati/SP-Article10-814852.aspx

I hold master key to power, thunders Mayawati
Indo-Asian News Service
Agra, February 21, 2012

Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati gestures as she addresses an
election rally at Sitapur, near Lucknow. India's biggest state, Uttar
Pradesh, will be choosing its state assembly in elections starting
next week. AP/Saurabh Das
"I hold the master key to power," thundered Uttar Pradesh chief
minister Mayawati at an election rally in Agra on Tuesday in which she
blasted Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing thousands at Kothi Meena Bazar ground in Agra, the Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) chief called
upon Agra's Dalits to vote for her if they wanted a Dalit 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
Dalit ki beti (Dalit'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 Dalits
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.

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[ZESTCaste] Complete works of Ambedkar handed over

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/complete-works-of-ambedkar-handed-over/366235.html

Complete works of Ambedkar handed over

Express News Service
Last Updated : 23 Feb 2012 09:25:58 AM IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Institute of Languages has contributed 40
volumes of the works of B R Ambedkar to the research centre at the
Kesari Journalists Trust here on Wednesday. Presenting the books,
Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph said in spite of various
amendments to the Constitution, the fact is that the basic structure
of the Constitution had not been affected.

This is a reflection of the stature of B R Ambedkar who is known as
the architect of the country's Constitution.

He said the country's Constitution was a model to the whole world.
Joseph said Ambedkar's works unravelled the sufferings of oppressed
classes like Dalits.

He said efforts were on to establish the Malayalam university and get
classical status to the Malayalam language. The government is also
keen on implementing the decision to take over the house of late
Sukumar Azhikode and make it as a museum. Information and PRD
director A Firoz received the complete works of Ambedkar for the
research centre. Speaking on the occasion, State Institute of
Languages Director M R Thampan said as Kerala was the first state to
get all the works by Ambedkar translated into Malayalam, the Ambedkar
Foundation had offered to consider granting an Ambedkar Chair at the
State Institute of Languages.

KUWJ district president Siby Kattampally presided over the function.
District secretary Suresh Vellimangalam welcomed the gathering and
treasurer N P Jasheer proposed a vote of thanks.


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[ZESTCaste] Dalit stabbed for friendship with caste Hindu

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dalit-stabbed-for-friendship-with-caste-hindu/232927-60-118.html

Tamil Nadu | Posted on Feb 23, 2012 at 08:28am IST
Dalit stabbed for friendship with caste Hindu
indianexpressExpress News Service

MADURAI: Sivaganga police have arrested two caste Hindus for
attempting to murder a Dalit youth for befriending a caste Hindu
youth.

Karmegakannan (21), a native of Periyakottai village in Sivaganga, was
stabbed with a dagger at Kovanur village and admitted to the GRH last
week.

On his complaint, the police arrested Thavam alias Muthuramalingam
(34) of Keelakulam, Balamurugan (19) of Periyakottai.

Karmegakannan, in his complaint, said he was attacked by the accused
who abducted him. "Muthuramalingam was not happy about Karthigaisamy,
a caste Hindu, being friend with me, a Dalit," said Karmegakannan.

The accused, Muthuramalingam, is the brother of Karthigaisamy's
younger sister's husband.

Karthigaisamy, in an affidavit to Evidence, an NGO, reaffirmed his
friendship with Karmegakannan.

A Kathir of Evidence, said Sivaganga police should give protection to
Karmegakannan, his family and also to Karthigaisamy.


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[ZESTCaste] Mohali Dalit Chetna Manch chief in court

 

http://www.dayandnightnews.com/2012/02/mohali-dalit-chetna-manch-chief-in-court/

Mohali Dalit Chetna Manch chief in court

Moving on, President of Dalit Chetna Manch, Mohali, Shamsher Singh
Purkhalwi was produced in the Mohali District Court where he was
remanded in judicial custody till February 27.

He was arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly opening fire at his
neighbor. Purkhlawi claims to possess three licensed weapons, of which
he submitted two.

He said he took one weapon back after having submitted it with due
permission from authorities because he apprehended an attack. A case
has been registered under the Arms and Ammunition Act and further
investigations are on.

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[ZESTCaste] Star cast vies for popular choice award in UP

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Star-cast-vies-for-popular-choice-award-in-UP/articleshow/11999333.cms

Star cast vies for popular choice award in UP
Arindam Sen Gupta, TNN | Feb 23, 2012, 04.29AM IST

Rahul is a distinct presence in UP polls. Apart from the fact that
he's a likely PM, young, good looking, and scorching UP with his
campaign blitz, he's invariably a subject of discussion and ridicule
at every BSP, BJP and SP meeting .

UP is in the midst of a democratic churn and will vote in the fifth
phase today. Arindam Sen Gupta captures the colours of the pollscape
as he scours the countryside taking a ringside view of the dramatis
personae hard selling dreams.

Akhilesh Yadav: The inheritor

One Yuvraj has hogged the media attention, the other oozes easy
confidence. Akhilesh Yadav appears disconcertingly like what his
father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, looked like 30-35 years ago. The same
nose, eyes, high cheek bones and smile. When we met him late at night,
he had done a dozen meetings and was still happy to talk - about the
BSP, the Congress and the SP's "impending victory" . How many seats?
"At least 207 seats (the majority mark is 202)," he said with a grin
broad enough to indicate he isn't completely serious.

Next morning we saw him in action at Salon, 40 km south of Lucknow. He
reached the qasba in erstwhile Amethi district (now a mouthful
Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj district) at 12.10pm, 10 minutes late, his
chopper raising a storm of dust and cheers from around 15,000 people.
The speaker before him was comparing the two 'yuvrajs' : "One yuvraj
(Rahul) has a cup of tea and jalebi with villagers. The media talks
about it for a month. Our yuvraj eats and stays with us. No one writes
about it." It's difficult to deny the charge.

Akhilesh's message was direct. If the SP wins, "false cases" against
the poor would be withdrawn; culprits in the NRHM scam punished;
farmer loans up to Rs 50,000 waived, free irrigation would be
provided, cycles would be cheaper, computer tablets too, and education
to girls would be free. Salon would move back from Chhatrapati Sahuji
Maharaj to Rae Bareli district. This drew the loudest cheer, must be a
big local issue.

The next morning, we met Mulayam, who too smiled. He smelt power, he
said, on being asked which way this election was going. Really,
despite people still recalling UP's lawlessness when he was the CM?
"Bogus," said Mulayam, "since they had nothing to attack my government
with, they concocted this thing about goonda raaj." Akhilesh differed.
He said the "image" must be corrected.

Over the next four days, we went from Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Kanpur, to
Urai and Jhansi, travelling around 500 km in central UP's Awadh region
and then to poverty-stricken Bundelkhand down south. Increasingly , it
became clear that local issues were likely to play a big role in this
election. Unless, the reality is very different in east and west UP
and Rohilkhand , areas we didn't visit.

There didn't seem to be a pan-state issue , barring, if you will,
Rahul Gandhi, who is seen as earnest. The goodwill for him doesn't
necessarily travel to his candidates . Rather, Rahul and Priyanka
appear to be marketing products (Congress candidates) in whom they
themselves don't have faith.

Corruption agitates people, but no party is seen as taint-free .
Hence, there isn't a clear political beneficiary of this. You can
sense at times an anti-incumbency sentiment against the BSP, but at
other times, enthusiastic support for it. It would be risky to imagine
a BSP meltdown. Support for SP is more vocal, perhaps more numerous,
but given that the BSP's lower-caste voters are usually subdued in
front of city journalists, it might be a folly to conclude that the SP
will romp home. It does appear to have an edge. But just an edge.

Dynamo called Priyanka

Priyanka Gandhi was campaigning 40 km away, in Rae Bareli. She is a
bundle of energy. She sets out at 10am and returns to the guest house
12 hours later. The day we saw her addressing a nukkad sabha
(street-corner meeting ) in Rae Bareli town, Priyanka had done 32
street-corner meetings/ jan-samparks , which mean whistle-stops to
shake hands, wave at supporters and speak a few lines. Nukkad sabhas
are 10-minute addresses to small gatherings. The schedule is
gruelling-no rest, no lunch break. You wonder what magic potion
energizes politicians during elections.

To say Priyanka is a "natural" is to repeat a cliche . She isn't awed
by crowds, doesn't stumble on her lines or appear uneasy in the bustle
of jostling humanity . She draws energy from crowds. She looks
radiantly happy, laughs easily, tackles over-enthusiastic workers,
breaks the security cordon to shake hands and impart advice. She
doesn't play the role; she seems to have been born into it.

Her motorcade drew into the bazaar an hour late. The crowd was still
there. Priyanka was up on the front seat window of her SUV, waving at
people, beaming like a victor. She apologized for the delay and got
down to business. She exhorted people to change the rules of local
politics: "You shouldn't be scared of the MLAs. They should be scared
of you. If they don't perform, boot them out." The speech was long on
gyan, short on what her party/candidate stood for. But people
listened, despite the swarm of dusk-time mosquitoes that came out
looking for dinner.

It isn't a cakewalk for the Congress in Rae Bareli, though. The seat
in which the town falls, seems to be going to Peace Party's Akhilesh
Singh, the sitting MLA. "He's one of us," said a dalit at Kallupura ,
a low-income district on the town's fringes. Elsewhere, too, it's a
tough ask for the party: It's said Congress MLAs have put up a dismal
show in the last five years. The estimate is that the party might win
three of the seven Rae Bareli seats and perhaps none in Sultanpur.

In the Congress, there's a growing sense of realism. You can sense it
in its talk. It's no longer talking as much of a jump in the number of
seats from the 22 it won last time as it is about an increase in vote
share. Last time, it got 9%; this time it will be happy with 14-15 %.
"Only when you reach 19-20 % does the vote share increase begin to
show up as higher number of seats. This will happen in the LS
election," explained a party neta.

Maya mystique

Kallupura is an unlikely colony. Dalits , Kurmis, Kayasthas, and
Brahmins live here side by side. They have pucca houses, but different
stories. A dalit widow stood before her two-storied house on land that
seemed less than 50 sq yards. "They've put us at the amiri rekha
because of this wretched house my husband-a cobbler in the chowk
area-built ," she complained. "We no longer get subsidized food,
although we've very little income now that he's dead."

Anil Verma, a Kurmi, lives in a bylane. He's a goldsmith. Business, he
said, was good. His wife Vidya said the kids go to a private
English-medium school. Some years back, goons beat up and robbed Anil.
"It's safer now, thanks to Behenji. I know the boys who threatened us.
There was a crackdown on them. They have moved out and some are doing
honest work now," she said. The Vermas will vote for BSP and the dalit
widow's family for Peace Party's Akhilesh Singh.

Such political inversion isn't the norm. Most dalits are solidly
behind Behenji . The day after we saw Mayawati's mammoth meeting in
Kanpur on Friday, some dalits in Erich, Jhansi district, explained
their support for Maya: "Our daily wages have gone up from Rs 50-60 a
day to Rs 120 in the last five years (possibly an impact of NREGA but
the credit went to Behenji ). Our streets are paved. We've electricity
. The BSP is good for us." A yadav standing next to them said: "That's
why we want Mulayam. If we pay them Rs 120 a day, our crop must fetch
a higher price. How else will it work?"

The reasoning is consistent both ways. The fault line lies in group
interests which often overlap with caste interests. The interesting
thing about the Erich chat was there was no apparent rancour between
the dalits and yadavs. The dalits had come from a Maya meeting in
Jhansi and were waiting to hitch a ride on a tractor to their village.
The yadav had come from an Akhilesh Yadav rally in Gusarai and was
similarly waiting for a ride back home.

Mayawati's Kanpur meeting was the biggest we saw in UP: Over 60,000-70
,000 people, intense, determined, enthusiastic , committed, different
from the crowds at the Congress or BJP or SP meetings. Maya doesn't
address too many rallies - two or three a day, one in a district ,
unlike Akhilesh or Rahul. The crowd gathers from different parts of
the district for Maya.

Her speech was a boring monotone. It's said all her addresses are
around 40-minutes long, read out from sheets. It was heard in rapt
attention. The content is lucid: that the SP, BJP and Congress will
trick dalits and other lower-caste groups of the gains they've made
(like with a Muslim quota within the OBC quota); how some of these
elements had infiltrated the BSP and given it a bad name (they've been
weeded out); and what she'll do in the next five years. In between,
there are barbs for Rahul, the BJP, SP and the Centre - for dragging
its feet over UP's fourway division which, she said, would give more
power to people.

"Chalega hanthi, udegi dhool/Na rahega cycle, na rahegi phool,"
shouted the crowd. (BSP's elephant will raise dust, drowning out SP's
cycle and BJP's lotus.) It's not a new slogan which possibly explains
why Congress's 'hand' doesn't figure in it. Speech over, Mayawati
greets journalists, gets into a car for the helicopter 100 metres away
in a large fencedoff field. Along the fence and on rooftops, people
had collected, waving at her. She got out of her car near the chopper,
waved back, and climbed on to the helicopter. Slogans ring out again.
A BSP worker taunts us: "Have you seen such support for any leader?
But you will write about Rahul Gandhi, not her."

Reckoning Rahul

We reached Rahul's meeting at Bhognipur in Kanpur Dehat on Saturday
just as his helicopter was landing, raising a churn of dried leaves,
polythene scraps and dust. He was an hour late, apparently because of
a meeting with journalists in Delhi that lasted two hours instead of
one. The beard was gone. Rahul was shaven clean, energetic , waving at
the crowd, a spring in his step. He briskly climbed the ramp leading
to the stage. "Rahul Gandhi zindabad," shouted party workers.

Rahul is a distinct presence in these polls. Apart from the fact that
he's a likely PM, young, good looking, and scorching UP with his
campaign blitz, he's invariably a subject of discussion and ridicule
at every BSP, BJP and SP meeting . The opposition attacks have only
added to the Brand Rahul buzz. Everyone we met had a view on him, good
or bad, but never indifferent. That's probably why a crowd of
20,000-25 ,000 waited for him at Bhognipur , a crowd possibly larger
than what we saw for Sonia the next day in Jhansi.

Rahul's pitch was for a higher morality and accountability in
politics. He attacked the SP, BSP and BJP - parties that have been in
government in UP for the last 22 years - for doing nothing for people.
"You've the same problems, don't you? No water, electricity, school or
hospital," he asked. "Your brothers are still migrating to Bombay and
Delhi for work, right? I want to change this. I want to make UP
India's best state. They say I'm being theatrical when I talk to you,
eat with you, stay with you. I promise to continue this drama."

There's fluency in his speech, practised pauses, rhetorical questions,
sarcastic references to opponents - the young man has worked hard on
his oratory. This carries the crowd along as he speaks. But you wonder
how long the impact would last. Won't people see the contradiction
between his promise of political morality and the tainted Congress-led
UPA government at the centre? Won't that Rahul's team in UP isn't
exactly lily white or has an edifying record?

Frayed lotus

The BJP says more or less the same about Rahul's campaign. That
despite his enormous effort, it isn't washing. People realize Rahul
won't stay in UP. The lot he'll leave behind are pathetic. Therefore,
the disaffected voters-mostly upper casteswill vote the BJP. Rajnath
Singh took time off from a nukkad sabha to talk to us. Is Babulal
Kushwaha's induction hurting the party? "Not really ," said Rajnath.
"People think corruption of Rs 5 crore, 10 crore or 100 crore isn't
big. It can be done by ministers without the CM getting to know. But a
scam worth thousands of crores like 2G is different."

It's another matter the 2G scandal is rarely discussed publicly. The
only reference we heard was an imaginative description of it by
Akhilesh Yadav at Salon: "Hawa mein theka kar ke bech diya" (They sold
off contracts in thin air.) It's a moot point whether smaller scams,
the ones Rajnath Singh spoke about, will be ignored. The thumb rule is
if corruption hurts, it'll agitate people, never mind its size.

The BJP's suave and articulate Arun Jaitley was in town. He said
Congress's support was scattered, organization weak. This wouldn't
help the party. "This election would've been different had the two
national parties, BJP and Congress, stuck to the development plank.
But Congress spoilt it by bringing in Muslim quota and going back to
caste and community politics . We were forced to react," he said. He
was sure BJP would gain the most from the voter disillusionment with
BSP.

Neither Rahul nor Sonia had referred to Muslim quota in their
speeches. But the message has been amplified by Salman Khurshid and
Beni Prasad Verma for it to be talked about. Some Muslim students at
Derapur, in Sikandra constituency, said they would vote Congress .
"The job quota will help us," said 20-year-old Mohd Aamir. A straw
poll at the Derapur haat (market), however, indicated that the SP was
ahead, followed by the BSP.

Sonia's speech in Jhansi was combative : "When you were in the grips
of a drought, when people weren't getting enough to eat, Rahul wrested
a Rs 7,000-crore package for you in Bundelkhand. Most of that money
hasn't reached you. There's theft even in NREGA, the scheme for the
poorest. Neither the BSP nor SP cares for you. You must teach them a
lessponsive . Sonia waved and left. As the cheers grew louder, a
Congress version of 'Jai Ho' began to blare from loudspeakers , and
some young supporters broke out in a dance.

Epilogue

Despite EC's crackdown on poll expenditure, cutting the colour out of
elections, the carnival lives. The dancing boys in Jhansi, animated
dalits at Erich, discussions at Kallupura, packed campaign meetings,
indicate a vibrant engagement with the dance of democracy. It's
perhaps not so in-yourface, but it's intense. People see elections as
a rightful process to wrest a greater share of political power. That,
they feel, would have a positive impact on the lives (unlike the
chatterati of south Mumbai). But where is it all leading to in UP?

Four days, 500 km later, it didn't seem much clearer than what it
looked when the journey started. But still some strong impressions: No
party seems to be headed for majority (this much was, in any case, the
given wisdom); even the party placed the strongest, the SP, could get
stuck at 150-155 seats, a good 50 seats short; BSP doesn't seem a
washout-far from it, the distance between the cycle and the elephant
may not be more than 10-20 seats. BJP and Congress could get stuck at
50. What does that add up to?

A truly hung house.

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[ZESTCaste] UP polls: 59.2% vote in Yadav belt & Bundelkhand in fifth phase

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/UP-polls-59-2-vote-in-Yadav-belt-Bundelkhand-in-fifth-phase/articleshow/12012911.cms

UP polls: 59.2% vote in Yadav belt & Bundelkhand in fifth phase
TNN | Feb 24, 2012, 05.01AM IST

UP polls: 59.2% vote in Yadav belt & Bundelkhand in fifth phase
The fifth phase of polling followed the trend of the past four, with a
robust 59.2% turnout which will make this a tough fight for both SP
and BSP.

LUCKNOW: The fifth phase, too, followed the trend of the past four,
with a robust 59.2% turnout which will make this a tough fight for
both SP and BSP as Thursday's poll covered the Yadav belt in the west
and Dalit-dominated Bundelkhand in the south. In 2007, the same
districts saw 47.57% polling.

Polls were held in 49 constituencies across 13 districts. While five
districts of Bundelkhand saw a four-cornered fight among BSP, SP,
Congress and BJP, the prestige of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is at
stake in the four districts of Etah, Etawah, Mainpuri and Firozabad.
The three Central UP districts - Kanpur, Ramabainagar and Auraiya --
have substantial Brahmin and Dalit population and the contest here was
mainly between BJP, BSP and Congress.

Like in the first four phases, women and youth came out in large
numbers this time too. Although deep-rooted caste and community
factors influenced voters to some extent, a strong anti-incumbency
against the state and central government as well as local MLAs and MPs
was also felt. The issues widely discussed were lack of basic
amenities like bijli, sadak, pani, price rise, law and order, 4.5%
sub-quota for Muslims and rampant corruption.

The factors responsible for the high turnout are said to be
comparatively fewer anomalies in the voters' list, anti-incumbency,
pleasant weather and 100% turnout of the cadre of various political
parties. All the major parties claimed that the increase in the
turnout went in their favour. But people had a different take. Ranjit
in Kanpur said that people in his locality are voting against the
sitting MLA who could not solve the drainage problem of the area
during his five-year term. But for Shahi in Hamirpur, law and order
was the major issue.

Political pundits pointed out that in 2007, the Yadav turnout was low
in the SP stronghold because the community was angry with Mualayam
Singh Yadav for not fulfilling his promise of providing jobs.
Similarly, in 2009, voting percentage of Dalits came down because they
were not happy with the prominence given to Brahmins in the
administration by the Mayawati government. But this time, political
analysts felt, both the communities seem to have come out in large
numbers to vote for their parties in elections which are heading for a
photo-finish.

Of the 49 assembly constituencies, Lalitpur assembly seat recorded the
highest 72.16% turnout and Govindnagar saw the lowest polling at 50%.
District-wise, Lalitpur topped with 70.58% polling followed by 62.25%
in Ramabainagar, 61.57% in Firozabad, 60.38% in Jhansi, 60.25% in
Etah, 60.07% in Kanshiramnagar, 60% in Jaulan, 59% each in Auraiya and
Etawah, 57.25% in Mainpuri, 57% each in Hamirpur and Mahoba and 54.60%
in Kanpur.

Prominent candidates in the fray included Uma Bharati of the BJP, who
is making her maiden foray in the UP electoral politics from Charkhari
in Mahoba district and leader of the opposition in the outgoing
assembly, Shivpal Singh Yadav, from Jaswantnagar, Etawah. The
elections are also crucial for Congress as Rahul Gandhi has been
focusing on Bundelkhand area for the past five years. BSP had swept
the region in the 2007 assembly elections but lost miserably in the
2009 Lok Sabha polls. This time, it is trying to regain lost ground.

"Today's turnout was an impressive. In fact, it would have been higher
had more voters stepped out of their homes in Kanpur, where polling
was comparatively low," state chief electoral officer Umesh Sinha
said.

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[ZESTCaste] Woman ‘gangraped’ in Ludhiana, 7 booked

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Woman--gangraped--in-Ludhiana--7-booked/916058/

Woman 'gangraped' in Ludhiana, 7 booked
Express news service Posted online: Fri Feb 24 2012, 03:50 hrs
Ludhiana : The Moga police has booked four youth for allegedly raping
a 35-year-old Dalit in Ludhiana's Vishva-karma Nagar. Three women have
also been booked.

An FIR has bee registered under Sections 376, 34 and 109 of the IPC
against the accused, all of whom are absconding, said ASI Malook
Singh.

The victim had alleged that on February 20, three women — Manjit Kaur,
Nanni and Manju — invited her to their residence to help solve a
dispute that she had with the four youth in question. She was offered
a cup of tea. After she had the tea, she lost consciousness.

The victim added that after regaining consciousness, she realised that
the four youth — Manna, Shaama, Roshan Singh and Kewal Singh — had
gangraped her.


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