Latest News Update

Monday, February 22, 2010

[ZESTCaste] HC asks authorities to follow provisions of SC,ST Act

http://www.ptinews.com/news/530726_HC-asks-authorities-to-follow-provisions-of-SC-ST-Act

HC asks authorities to follow provisions of SC,ST Act

STAFF WRITER 18:58 HRS IST

Madurai, Feb 22 (PTI) Madurai bench of the Madras High Court today
directed authorities to follow the provisions of the SC and ST
Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 in the case of a Dalit youth who
alleged that some youngsters thrust human excreta into his mouth.

A Division Bench, comprising Justices Prabha Sri Devan and B
Rajendran, gave the direction after counsel for Sadayandi said
provisions of the Act had not been followed by Dindigul District
Collector and the victim had not been provided immediate relief.

The Collector did not visit the place of occurrence nor was an inquiry
held by an official in the rank of Additional District Collector, the
counsel said.

Earlier the Judges asked the Nilakottai DSP if he can directly probe
the incident, to which the police officer replied in the affirmative.
The DSP has been asked to submit his report next Wednesday.

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[ZESTCaste] New schemes in MP for SC, ST development

http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-56819.html

New schemes in MP for SC, ST development

Bhopal, Feb 22 : Madhya Pradesh's Bharatiya Janata Party government
has indicated initiation of new schemes for development of Scheduled
Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in 2010-11.

''My government is paying special attention to overall development and
welfare of such families,'' Governor Rameshwar Thakur said in his
address on the inaugural day of the Assembly's Budget Session.

Twenty ashrams, as many pre-matric hostels and two post-matric hostels
will be opened for ST while the number of seats will be hiked by 3,000
in existing hostels and ashrams. A massive programme for bettering
secondary and high schools besides constructing hostels, ashrams and
school buildings is proposed.

''The time limit for issuing caste certificates to SC, ST and Other
Backward Classes' candidates has been reduced from half a year to a
month. The deadline for a special recruitment drive for filling
backlog posts has been extended to June 2010,'' he said.

Such categories' candidates are being trained as airhostesses and
flight stewards.

--UNI

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[ZESTCaste] Sorcery: 5 of family paraded naked

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Sorcery:+5+of+family+paraded+naked&artid=sF32Vj%7COOsY=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

By Express News Service
20 Feb 2010 08:46:27 AM IST

Sorcery: 5 of family paraded naked

BALASORE: Five members of a Dalit family in Chaturipada village under
Nilagiri block here were allegedly stripped and paraded naked before
being beaten up mercilessly by a group of villagers who suspected them
of practicing sorcery.
Police today have initiated an investigation into the allegations.
Though the incident took place on Wednesday night it came to the fore
only last evening when the victims lodged a complaint with police
seeking justice.
The victims Ramachandra Tudu (46), wife Chudamani (40), daughter
Basanti and sons Bhima and Bishnu have sought police protection.
Ramachandra alleged that a group of villagers accused him and his wife
of practicing witchcraft and dragged them out of their home at about
10 pm.
"We were stripped naked and paraded before being beaten mercilessly.
They were armed with our traditional weapons and though we pleaded
innocence, none came forward to help," he said. The family later took
shelter at a relative's house in nearby village before coming to the
police station.
Police said it all started when the villagers came to know that
Ramachandra was cutting wood in his orchard when a group of persons
from a nearby village were on a visit to one Dulla Hembram's house to
finalise his daughter's marriage.
"People in Santali tribe believe it a bad omen if someone does any
activity like cutting wood when a marriage is being finalised.
They don't allow cattle to graze and stop speaking to each other. They
also ban plying of bikes, vehicles or even a cycle as they consider it
bad omen," said OIC of Berhampur police station SN Das. The villagers
had imposed a fine of Rs 5000 and ostracised the family when they
failed to pay the amount.
On the day of the incident, Ramachandra conducted a puja in his house
which added fuel to the fire leading to the attack. Police have
registered a case. The accused are absconding and efforts are on to
nab them.

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[ZESTCaste] A Dalit Woman's Fight Against Bias

http://www.countercurrents.org/bhaskar200210.htm

A Dalit Woman's Fight Against Bias

By BRP Bhaskar

20 February, 2010
Gulf Today

Payyanur in Kannur district boasts of a rich and glorious heritage.
The town's website says, "Payyanur is one of the ancient civilised
places in Kerala." It has a place of pride in the history of the
freedom struggle and the Communist movement. Lately, however, it is
making news for the wrong reasons.

Last month, Paul Zacharia, noted writer and social critic, was roughed
up by activists of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)
affiliated Democratic Youth Federation of India, as he was leaving the
town after making a speech which met with their disapproval.

Also last month, Chithralekha, a young Dalit woman making a living as
an auto driver, came under renewed attack from a trade union which has
been harassing her ever since she ventured into the male-dominated
profession.

She was trained as an auto driver under the officially sponsored
people's planning programme in 2004. She then obtained a loan under
the Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana (employment scheme) and bought an
auto-rickshaw. The pro-CPI-M auto drivers union was not ready to admit
her into the fold.

As Chithralekha persevered, the union had to give in. However, male
colleagues at the auto stand made things difficult for her. They
abused her with caste appellations and cast aspersions on her
character. But she refused to be cowed down.

One of her colleagues then broke the windscreen of her auto-rickshaw
and tore its hood. When she remonstrated, she was beaten up. Since the
union did not act on her complaint against the man who damaged her
vehicle she lodged a complaint with the police.

This infuriated the union leaders, who filed a counter complaint
accusing her of drinking and using drugs and insinuating that she was
a sex worker. The man who had damaged her vehicle later attempted to
run over her with his auto-rickshaw. She filed yet another complaint
against him, and the police arrested him.

The union then launched a vicious poster campaign against her in the
town. A few days later, her auto was set on fire. But the union could
not destroy her never-say-die spirit. Forced to leave Payyanur, she
and her husband, Shreeshkanth, who is also a trained auto driver,
worked as wage labourers.

Carmel Christy and Jenny Rowena, two researchers who studied l'affaire
Chithralekha at that stage concluded that it was not merely a case of
conflict between a woman and a trade union. The union, they pointed
out, was dominated by the backward Thiyya community and its hostility
towards Chithralekha was based on untouchability and gender.

They viewed the union's campaign against Chithralekha as part of an
attempt to maintain caste hegemony. The union, which did not approve
of the marriage between Chithralekha, Dalit, and Shreeshkanth, a
Thiyya, had become an instrument for maintaining caste and gender
boundaries in the Malabar region, they said.

In June 2008 a Kannur-based action committee presented Chithralekha
with a new auto-rickshaw bought with public contributions. Following
this, she resumed life as an auto driver in Payyanur and the union
resumed harassment.

On January 20, she lodged a complaint with the police alleging she was
assaulted at the auto stand. Union activists lodged a counter
complaint alleging she was drunk. The police wanted to take her for an
alcohol test but she refused. She said later that the police had
assaulted her too.

A fact-finding team consisting of Professor Gail Omvedt of the Indira
Gandhi National Open University, Professor Nivedita Menon of Delhi
University and two local activists, V Geetha and KK Preetha, visited
Payyanur and gathered evidence from her, the auto union, the police
and some other witnesses. It found inconsistencies in the versions of
the union and the police.

The team, in its preliminary report, said, "The January 20 incident is
not an isolated one. Other Dalit women auto drivers in this region
have faced intense intimidation, sexual harassment, caste-related
abuse, accusations of promiscuity and immorality and damage to their
autos."

It noted that the union's statement regarding Chithralekha's behaviour
used metaphors that insultingly linked her caste status, gender and
sexual immorality. It also sought to cast doubts on her marital
status.

It observed that the union leaders' unease with Chithralekha and
characterisation of her as a woman 'living outside the track' revealed
their inability to tolerate this Dalit woman's assertiveness, stubborn
courage and confidence despite her caste and gender.

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[ZESTCaste] Does Cong have a patent in visiting Dalit homes, asks BJP

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/article110236.ece

Does Cong have a patent in visiting Dalit homes, asks BJP
PTI

Taking strong exception to Congress' remark that its chief Nitin
Gadkari was "aping" Rahul Gandhi by visiting Dalit households, BJP
today asked if any particular party has a patent to do so.

"Is it the patent of the Congress? But what is truly disturbing is
that they have alleged that we are aping Rahul Gandhi. Congress
spokesperson needs to learn that the real leader who worked for uplift
of Dalits was Mahatma Gandhi. If they don't do their homework, at
least don't insult Mahatma Gandhi," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar
Prasad said here.

He also wondered why Congress was "so cagey" about Nitin Gadkari
having lunch with Dalit workers and supporters of the party.

Referring to Gadkari's visit to Dalit households in Mhow - the
birthplace of Dr B R Ambedkar - Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi
had yesterday said that "imitation is the best form of flattery and
BJP is indulging in flattery without limitation."

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Monday, February 22, 2010

[ZESTCaste] HC asks authorities to follow provisions of SC,ST Act

[ZESTCaste] New schemes in MP for SC, ST development

[ZESTCaste] Sorcery: 5 of family paraded naked

[ZESTCaste] A Dalit Woman's Fight Against Bias

[ZESTCaste] Does Cong have a patent in visiting Dalit homes, asks BJP

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