Wednesday, December 23, 2009

[ZESTCaste] Read the latest interview of one of the leading Dalit activists Manjula Pradeep from Gujarat at www.blog.insightyv.com

"Why the Dalits only should take the entire burden and responsibility in fighting against caste system?"

An Interview with Manjula Pradeep

By Gomathi Kumar & Sanjay Kabir

manjula-11

Manjula Pradeep is the Executive Director of Gujarat-based Dalit organisation Navsarjan. After receiving her Masters in Social Work (MSW) she joined the organisation in 1992 and has been working on different issues since then. Apart from leading organisation's legal cell on Dalit atrocities, she has been in forefront of the movements for agricultural labourers, bonded labourers and developing women cooperatives in the rural areas of Gujarat. In 1997, she completed her law degree to be able to take up cases related with caste and gender atrocities. Leading Navsarjan since 2004, Manjula Pradeep has trained hundreds of grassroots activists and has represented Dalit and Dalit women issues at various national and international fora.

Recently, your organisation has been in news for the study on untouchability practices in Gujarat? What are the findings of this study?

Our study on untouchability practices covered 1655 villages in Gujarat and took three years to complete. We have shared some of its findings with the media to create awareness. In the study, we found 99 forms of untouchability practices and have tried to identify the specific regions where these are practiced. Most prevalent practices are related to right to equality in religion and religious affairs. In more than 90 % of the villages, Dalits are not allowed temple entry or to touch the idols and worship articles. They are not allowed in the religious processions and other rituals.

Then comes the issue of touch. Dalits are not allowed to sit on the chair or cot before any non-Dalit. They necessarily have to sit on the ground. The other practice that comes out very prominently is on food. Dalits are never invited in the community meals or if invited they are seated separately and have to carry their own vessels. They are served tea in cups, ironically called Ram patras, that are kept separately in non-Dalit households. Then we find untouchability being practiced against Dalits in providing basic amenities like drinking water, use of ration shops, postmen not providing their services, not allowed to touch the vegetables in shops etc.

www.blog.insightyv.com

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[ZESTCaste] HC denies bail to DHRM activists

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=HC+denies+bail+to+DHRM+activists&artid=2R%7CjwJQpC80=&SectionID=1ZkF/jmWuSA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=X7s7i%7CxOZ5Y=&SEO=

By Express News Service
23 Dec 2009 01:29:00 AM IST

HC denies bail to DHRM activists

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail application
filed by eight activists of Dalit Human Rights Movement (DHRM), who
are accused in the case registered in connection with the damaging of
the statue of Sree Narayana Guru at Chavadimukku and attacking the
people gathered there.
The bail application was submitted by Madhu alias Shaji, Rajeev,
Rajesh, Sunil, Babu alias Chembu, Joy, Unni alias Kochumon and Anil
Kumar alias Anil.
The incident occurred at 1.30 am on September 21.
The prosecution case is that the accused formed an unlawful assembly
with arms and attacked and damaged Sree Narayana Guru statue.
Dismissing the petition, Justice K T Sankaran said that there were
enough materials to link the accused with the crime. The Magistrate
Court, Varkala, and the Sessions Court, Thiruvananthapuram, had
earlier rejected the bail application submitted by the accused.

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[ZESTCaste] Ranganath report to be implemented after talks: Khurshid

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Ranganath-report-to-be-implemented-after-talks--Khurshid/557944

Ranganath report to be implemented after talks: Khurshid

Express news service Posted online: Wednesday, Dec 23, 2009 at 0834 hrs
New Delhi : The government on Tuesday dropped broad hints at the fate
awaiting the Ranganath Misra Commission report — which has suggested
15 per cent reservation for minorities besides Scheduled Caste status
for Dalit Muslims and Christians — with Minority Affairs Minister
Salman Khurshid pointing out that every recommendation could not be
accepted.
Days after tabling the report of the National Commission for Religious
and Linguistic Minorities in Parliament, Khurshid indicated that the
UPA government would weigh all options and take its own time before
arriving at a decision on whether to implement the report, which could
upset the existing quota equations.

"This is a matter of great seriousness but also of great sensitivity.
We have to consult widely and this is what we are going to do," he
said. Several Muslim and Christian outfits have begun a clamour for
implementation of the report while there is no consensus at the
political level with the BJP rubbishing the suggestions.

Khurshid said the government was serious about the report but made it
clear that it could only accept such recommendations that are
"sensible".

Meanwhile, the Minority Ministry launched the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
National Fellowship for atudents from minority communities and started
a project for computerisation of records of state wakf boards. The
fellowship, to be implemented by UGC, will help 756 students annually
to pursue MPhil and PhD degrees.

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[ZESTCaste] Night attack on sleeping sadhus at Siddhivinayak

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/night-attack-on-sleeping-sadhus-at-siddhivinayak/557946/

Night attack on sleeping sadhus at Siddhivinayak

Express News Service Posted online: Wednesday, Dec 23, 2009 at 2326 hrs
Mumbai : A group of masked men, suspected to be MNS supporters,
attacked sadhus sleeping outside Siddhivinayak Temple on Monday night,
beating them up with bamboo sticks, calling them drug addicts and
telling them they should not be seen in the vicinity any more "if they
valued their lives".
The assault followed the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasangh's alleged
announcement of a Rs 1-crore award to anyone who could slap MNS chief
Raj Thackeray. The Dadar police suspect a connection but the MNS has
denied any involvement.

The police detained some suspects and registered a case of rioting,
assault and criminal intimidation against unknown persons. They said
the sadhus are frequent visitors but not affiliated to any religious
or North Indian outfit.

"They tie sacred threads on the wrists of devotees and earn dakshina.
Tuesdays being auspicious, they would arrive on Monday night and sleep
on the open ground. Around 12.30 am, around seven to eight men,
handkerchiefs tied around their faces, suddenly arrived and beat them
up with bamboo sticks," said DCP (Zone V) Milind Bharambe. The sadhus
suffered minor bruises.

"It is too early to say the attackers definitely belong to the MNS but
there is obviously a connection between the MNS and the background to
the incident," said JCP (Law and Order) Himanshu Roy.

While denying his party's role, the MNS's Dadar vibhag pramukh,
Yeshwant Killedar, still saw a justification for the attack. "Some
local youths were fed up with the sadhus smoking in the area and dealt
with it their own way. These sadhus are frauds who come here from
villages up north to earn easy money," he said.

The police are also contemplating legal action against two TV
cameramen who had been allegedly informed in advance by the attackers,
and who captured the entire incident, Roy said. The footage is helping
identify absconders.

Sunil Shastri, one of the16 attacked sadhus, said, "We earn our meagre
livelihood by tying holy threads on wrists. When they woke us we
thought they were robbers, but before we could ask they began beating
us all up, calling us 'charasis' and 'beggars' and telling us not to
return here."

It was Shastri who filed the police complaint.

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[ZESTCaste] Mysore to get a Buddhist religious site

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Mysore-to-get-a-Buddhist-religious-site/articleshow/5367147.cms

Mysore to get a Buddhist religious site
TNN 22 December 2009, 09:40pm IST

MYSORE: Fifteen years after it was planned, the Mysore City
Corporation is all set to inaugurate the Buddha Stupa. Ever since the
works were completed four years ago, the stupa has been awaiting
installation in Chamarajpuram adjacent to Ambedkar junction (Ballal
Circle). The MCC has spent Rs 25 lakh.

After Purushothama took charge as the mayor, he completed minor
pending works and the monument will be launched on December 27.

According to the mayor, a Buddhist monk has been appointed to conduct
daily prayers at the Stupa and the religious site will be open for
worshippers every day. Over 6,000 Buddhist monks will attend the
inaugural session and conduct mass prayers. This will help over 25,000
followers of Buddhism in the city, the mayor explained on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, he has asked the JnNURM special officer and DC, P
Manivannan, and corporation commissioner K S Raykar to provide the
details of the expenditure for the renovated city bus stand, which was
opened for public on November 1. This follows complaints of misuse of
JnNURM funds for the construction of the CBS. The mayor admitted that
the KSRTC's plans to complete the works will be delayed because the
plot next to the CBS from where the public transporter operates buses
to rural areas is under litigation.