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Thursday, March 1, 2012

[ZESTCaste] No escape for Dalits from caste discrimination

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/andhra-pradesh/article2953263.ece

Andhra Pradesh
HYDERABAD, March 2, 2012
No escape for Dalits from caste discrimination
K. Venkateshwarlu

A gritty fighter, Dalit cloth vendor, Ammulu and her two teenaged
daughters managed to escape from the ferocity of the tsunami that
swept away her humble dwelling and a wayside shop in Andamans.

When they reached Sarpavaram in Kakinada after a long arduous journey
from the islands they heaved a sigh of relief having survived nature's
fury, though it meant picking up a shattered thread of life. The
relief proved to be short-lived as they soon found themselves caught
in tsunami of the caste kind.

"After six years of hard work, when we started building a house in
2010 on a six-cent site, we faced the wrath of the Kapus," she
narrated at a public hearing organised by Dalit Shree Sakthi here on
Thursday. They started harassing her, denied her access to a common
pathway, saying it belonged to Kapus. After holding out threats they
demanded Rs. 30,000. She managed Rs. 10,000 but the harassment and
hurling of abuses naming her by caste continued leading to assault on
June 2. A case of atrocity was registered but there was no further
progress.
Suicide

Another Dalit, Hanumanthu of Miyapur, Ranga Reddy district, recounted
how his long cherished dream of seeing his 14-year-old daughter,
Renuka becoming an IAS officer was shattered when two upper caste
teachers humiliated her so much that she set herself ablaze. Miyapur
police registered it as a case of suicide and not under Prevention of
Atrocities Act. G. Jhansi of DSS recalled that police in RR district
showed no interest in investigating cases of atrocities on Dalits as
the perpetrators often brought pressure invoking name of the Home
Minister.
Raped by relative

A modest crowd of families of victims, activists and the jury members
was stunned when Chellapu Sesha Rao of Devavaram in Visakhapantam
district narrated how his mentally challenged daughter was raped by a
relative. When the case came to light, the 18-year-old was three
months pregnant. She delivered a baby boy but does not know how to
take care of him now.

The jury members included former Supreme Court Judge K. Ramaswamy,
former IAS officers -- K. R. Venugopal and K. Madhava Rao -- and
president of RPI Bojja Tharakam.

------------------------------------

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[ZESTCaste] Film on dalit atrocities kicks up hot debate on Modi

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GUJ-AHD-film-on-dalit-atrocities-kicks-up-hot-debate-on-modi-2930356.html

Film on dalit atrocities kicks up hot debate on Modi

Source: DNA | Last Updated 04:52(02/03/12)

Ahmedabad: A discussion launched on Chief Minister Narendra Modi
during the question and answer section after the screening of the film
'Jay Bhim Comrad,' saw vitriolic attack about the portion of the film
which showed Modi's visit to Mumbai for election campaigns. The film
is mainly focused on the cultural movement by dalit youths called
'Kabir Kala Manch' and deals about atrocities on dalits and their
struggle to sustain cultural revolution in Maharashtra.

However, the acrimonious attack on Modi soon ebbed to allow discussion
on the dalit atrocities. The film, made by award winning documentary
filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, was screened at The Ravi Matthai
Auditorium at IIMA on Thursday under the programme 'Insaf Ki Dagar
Par' to mark the decade of Gujarat Carnage-2002.

The film is focused on the songs, poems, ghazals written and performed
on Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar in Maharashtra and his increasing acceptance
among the dalits. The film is focused on three main aspects of dalit
politics - the case of suicide of Vilas Ghogre, a dalit poet; delayed
justice to the Kherlanji mob lynching case of Maharashtra; and the
police pressure on a cultural group run by dalit youths, Kabir Kala
Manch (KKM).

Disturbed with illegal police firing on dalits at the Ramabai Colony
in Mumbai, Ghogre committed suicide. The poet felt: 'The country is
not worth fighting for anymore' as had been witnessed by his friend,
singer Sambhaji Bhagat.

"When I learnt that the members of KKM were under police scanner and
are threatened to be declared as Naxalites, I decided to complete the
film as soon as possible and screen it across the country," Patwardhan
said while answered a question. "Raising a voice, does not mean
Naxalism, the members of KKM are forced to remain underground," he
lamented. KKM members, mainly educated dalits and professionals, were
working to raise awareness among people on various social issues
through their forceful street plays, songs and sahiris. "They are
harassed by the police for doing nothing, the group members have not
seen their houses since many months," Patwardhan said.

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[ZESTCaste] Anand Patwardhan’s docu on Dalits to compete at 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival

http://dearcinema.com/news/anand-patwardhans-docu-on-dalits-to-compete-at-36th-hong-kong-international-f/5254

Anand Patwardhan's docu on Dalits to compete at 36th Hong Kong
International Film Festival
By NewsDesk | Thursday, March 1st, 2012

Jai Bhim Comrade, a 198 minute documentary directed by Anand
Patwardhan will compete at the 36th Hong Kong International Film
Festival.

Shot over 14 years, this documentary follows the music and the
tradition of activism of the Dalits in India. It won a Special Mention
at the Dubai International Film Festival 2011 followed by an award at
the 12th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and
Animation films.

Bitter Seeds, a documentary by Micha X. Peled of USA on the plight of
a cotton farmer in India will be screened at the festival. The
documentary questions how crops are grown and how they reach the
consumers and the real human cost involved.

Lucky (South Africa) directed by Avie Luthra will also be screened at
the festival.

The 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival will be held from March
21-April 5, 2012.

------------------------------------

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[ZESTCaste] Move to sack 22 ministers before assembly polls laughable: Rajnath

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Move-to-sack-22-ministers-before-assembly-polls-laughable-Rajnath/articleshow/12091918.cms

Move to sack 22 ministers before assembly polls laughable: Rajnath
TNN | Mar 1, 2012, 06.06AM IST

LUCKNOW: Hitting out at the feeble attempts by chief minister Mayawati
to project a clean image, former Bharatiya Janata Party president
Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that the "transparent exercise to dupe
masses" would not continue any longer. The public is too clever and
seasoned to be misled by the image- building exercise he said.
"Mayawati headed the gang that looted and plundered Uttar Pradesh for
last five years and now her desperation to appear honest is nothing
short of pathetic," said Rajnath.

Every one knows that no one in Mayawati's cabinet had the courage to
do anything without taking due permission from the CM first, therefore
the move to sack 22 ministers before the assembly election is
laughable. Each of the ministers shown the door by Mayawati was only a
small cog in the wheel and has only carried out what she had ordered,
Rajnath said. He also questioned Mayawati's bid to give a clean chit
to her closest and most trusted associate Naseemuddin Siddiqui who
continues to preside over more than half the departments in the state
despite recommendation of a CBI probe by the Lokayukta. The BJP he
promised will set up a special investigation commission to probe all
scams committed during the BSP regime.

Rajnath also claimed that the number of atrocities against dalits had
registered an all time high during Mayaraj. "Maya government had also
failed on the front of law and order as its own MP, MLAs and ministers
turned out to be the biggest law breakers," the BJP leader said. He
also put the Congress in the dock for its minority appeasement and
said that it only shows the dangerous streak of divide and rule. The
quota within quota poses a grave threat to the unity of the nation and
therefore BJP is committed to oppose it with all its might.

Meanwhile, national vice president of the BJP Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
charged the Congress with "plotting to come to power not by democratic
means, but by sneaking in through the back door". The party's latest
strategy and slogan "Yuvraj nahi to governor raj" shows it's
desperation to force their way to force themselves on the people of
UP. "The move would not pay off and the party will eventually be
ousted from Delhi throne as well," said Rajnath.

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[ZESTCaste] Tension prevails as Dalits demand equal rights

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Tension-prevails-as-Dalits-demand-equal-rights/articleshow/12091822.cms

Tension prevails as Dalits demand equal rights
TNN | Mar 1, 2012, 05.52AM IST

COIMBATORE: Tension prevailed at Ammapalayam near Uthukuli in Tirupur
district on Wednesday as caste Hindus remained adamant against local
dalits burying their dead in the same village. With conciliatory talks
initiated by district collector and district SP proving to be
unsuccessful, the body of 70-year-old C Maral, who died on Tuesday, is
yet to be buried. Over 1000 dalits from the Tirupur region remained
awake on the road side with the body.

Early on Wednesday morning, thanks to the efforts of Tirupur sub
collector, the dalits agreed to cremate the body at the electric
crematorium in Tirupur. However, the Gounder who owned the ambulance
was reluctant to provide his vehicle to transport the body to Tirupur.
This created further tension. Eventually, the dalits managed to avail
an ambulance from Tirupur to transport the body.

According to Adi Thamizhar Peravai leader NSA Parameswaran, the
district administration had promised to allocate a burial ground for
the dalits within seven weeks. A burial ground proposed two km away
from the village was rejected by them as they did not have the
resources to carry their dead for such a long distance. Parameswaran
accused officials of dancing to the tunes of the upper caste Gounder
community. He questioned the rationale behind permitting the burial of
a Gounder last week on government owned land.

For decades, dalits have been burying their dead on the roadside.
However, last week, they got some relief when the Madras High Court
ordered the allocation of a permanent burial ground in their village.
The village has been in the news for several months because of the
oppression and untouchability that dalits are subject to. They have to
walk more than ten kilometers just to get a hair cut. Local barbers
are prevented from servicing dalits by caste Hindus.

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

[ZESTCaste] No escape for Dalits from caste discrimination

[ZESTCaste] Film on dalit atrocities kicks up hot debate on Modi

[ZESTCaste] Anand Patwardhan’s docu on Dalits to compete at 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival

[ZESTCaste] Move to sack 22 ministers before assembly polls laughable: Rajnath

[ZESTCaste] Tension prevails as Dalits demand equal rights

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