Latest News Update: Feb 1, 2010

Monday, February 1, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Dalit body plumps for smaller States

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?title=Dalit%20body%20plumps%20for%20smaller%20States&artid=OHm8ISWFSl8=&type=

Dalit body plumps for smaller States

Express News Service

First Published : 01 Feb 2010 05:01:02 AM IST

Last Updated : 01 Feb 2010 12:19:05 PM IST

HYDERABAD: The All-India Dalit Rights Federation (AIDRF) has extended
its support to the formation of smaller States if they helped achieve
social justice.

However, speaking at a press conference here in the city, AIDRF
national convener K Anand Rao said that the separate Telangana
movement was dominated by leaders belonging to the upper castes. ``We
are for separate Telangana if it means land for the landless and
education for SC, ST, BC and minorities children.

We would also like to see reservation in the private sector for all
backward classes,'' he said.

Federation State secretary Kancharla Mohan Rao said the ongoing
agitations -- whether for separate Telangana or unified Andhra Pradesh
-- were motivated by the vested interests of the uppercaste leaders.
``We want to see a Telangana where social justice is the objective,''
Mohan Rao said.

In the evening, AIDRF leaders organised a seminar on Formation of
Small States -- Empowerment of SC, ST, BC, Minorities -- Social
Justice. The meeting was attended by Kathi Padma Rao, Boja Tarakam, B
S Ramulu, J B Raju and others.

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[ZESTCaste] Call for review of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article98677.ece

Call for review of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act
Special Correspondent

Dalit activists here have called for an urgent review of the Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and
introduction of amendments to provide more teeth to the statute while
classifying acts such as discrimination, social and economic boycott
and blackmail as crimes under the legislation.

Making the demands at a symposium marking the completion of 20 years
of the SC/ST (PoA) Act here on Sunday, representatives of Dalit
organisations regretted that despite the law having been in force for
two decades, atrocities against Dalits were increasing and the
authorities responsible for implementing the Act were seen siding with
the perpetrators of crime.

The symposium was organised jointly by Jaipur-based Centre for Dalit
Rights, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights and the National Dalit
Movement for Justice.

The SC/ST (PoA) Act, which received the Presidential assent on
September 11, 1989 and came into effect on January 30, 1990, invests
the State actors with the responsibility to prevent atrocities and
provide protection, relief and rehabilitation to the affected people
belonging to SC and ST.

CDR Director Satish Kumar pointed out that the National Crime Records
Bureau's figures had revealed that 71 per cent of the atrocities
against Dalits and tribals reported between 1995 and 2007 were not
registered under the Act. Even in the matters where the Act was
applied, proper sections were not used, investigation took more than
30 days and compensation was not paid.

The participants noted with dismay that the rate of conviction under
the SC/ST (PoA) Act was less than that under the Indian Penal Code.
They said the criminals booked under the Act could be handed down
punishment commensurate with the crime after conviction only if the
legislation was strengthened through suitable amendments.

Dalit organisations have already submitted draft amendments to the
Union Government after wide-ranging discussions with a cross-section
of civil society. A National Coalition for Strengthening of SC/ST
(PoA) Act was also formed in September last year.

Dalit activists said the punishment for various crimes listed in the
Act should be enhanced in accordance with the gravity of offence and
special courts and public prosecutors appointed all over the country
to ensure speedy trial under the statute.

"Higher castes resorting to social and economic boycott of Dalits,
filing counter cases, refusing to pay wages to Dalit labourers,
ransacking houses of Dalits and discriminating against Dalit children
in schools do not constitute offences under the Act," said CDR
chairman R. K. Akodia and added that these discrepancies should be
removed.

The participants also said the definition of Scheduled Castes for the
purpose of the SC/ST (PoA) Act should be amended to include all the
persons whose ancestors belonged to Dalit castes in Hinduism and later
converted to Islam and Christianity.

The activists also suggested that a new chapter titled "rights of
victims and witnesses" be incorporated in the Act with the provisions
such as mandatory registration of FIR, investigation and inquiry,
protection, medical examination and reports, relief, compensation and
rehabilitation.

Among others, Dalit activists P. L. Mimroth, Toshita Verma, Anuradha
Gharti and Yamini addressed the symposium.

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[ZESTCaste] Row over plan to buy books for SC/ST girls

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_row-over-plan-to-buy-books-for-sc-st-girls_1341711

Row over plan to buy books for SC/ST girls
Neeta Kolhatkar / DNA

Monday, February 1, 2010 3:04 IST

Mumbai: A controversy surrounds a proposal worth Rs13,54,50,000 to
purchase books for girl students belonging to the schedule caste and
tribes in primary section passed by the primary education department.

According to rules, the department has to put out a tender calling for
bids from government and private publishers. However, the first phase
of this proposal was carried out without informing any party. Four
Marathi publishers — Mouj, Majestic, Jyotsna and Lok Vangmay —
independently filed for queries under the Right to Information Act
(RTI), in which the official has admitted to lapses.

"We asked for the names of the people in the selection committee but
got no reply," said Mukund Bhagwat, Mouj publishers. "The RTI reply
says that the executive committee took the decision to purchase books
on December 21, 2009."

The publishers said that they wanted to ascertain the criteria used to
select books. "Even if the students are from schedule castes and
tribes, the government needs to have parameters for selecting themes
and books," said Vikas Paranjpe of Jyotsna publishers.

In his reply, the officer for government proposals department said,
"Under the proposal head for the new education programme, the
government is required to buy books and for this no advertisement was
put in any newspaper."

According to the publishers, many of the subjects seem redundant.
"There are books on radio repair, not to take dowry, it must be a son,
child bride, Indian music and its science and also on the management
of education. It reflects that the government has taken no effort to
select good quality books for children," said Paranjpe.

However, the government said that there are more books to be purchased
and they will follow the tender process. The secretary of primary
education said that there is a S branch which approves the list of
books every year.

"We will be putting an advertisement and calling for tenders when
these publishers can apply. We cannot keep everyone satisfied and it
seems they are upset because they may have been overlooked," said
Sanjay Kumar, secretary school education department.

This weekend there is a Bal Kumar Sahitya Sammelan in Sangam Nair,
where the members will pass a resolution asking the government to
scrap this project. The All India Marathi Publishers Association has
also sent a letter of protest to the education department.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit student commits suicide in UP

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Dalit+student+commits+suicide+in+UP&artid=adbm7BKw0Ao=&SectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&MainSectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&SEO=SC/ST+Act,+Sushil+Chaudhary,+Dhruva+Nath+Chaudhary&SectionName=pWehHe7IsSU=

Dalit student commits suicide in UP

Anand Raj Singh

First Published : 01 Feb 2010 01:35:00 AM ISTLast Updated :

LUCKNOW: An FIR under provisions of the SC/ST Act and Section 306 of
the IPC has been lodged against three professors of the Chhatrapati
Sahu Ji Maharaj Medical University following suicide by a Dalit
student, who was allegedly failed for three consecutive years in the
subject of pharmacology.

The student, Sushil Chaudhary of Gorakhpur, failed in pharmacology
three times in a row, and after sending an SMS to his father, consumed
poison on Saturday night.

The incident came to light on Sunday.

In the SMS, Sushil had written that there had been sustained
discrimination against him and the failure in the same subject had
left him tired and he was ending his life.

His father Dhruva Nath Chaudhary said that Sushil had claimed several
times that the professors, Dr S K Das, Dr S P Singh and Dr K K Pant,
had conspired to fail him in the subject by giving three to five marks
only because of being a Dalit. Several of his friends corroborated the
allegation.

However, kin of the deceased and Dalit sympathisers held sit-in at the
residence of the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Saroj Choonamani Gopal, alleging
caste discrimination as the reason behind the suicide and threatened
not to perform the last rites of the victim until the arrest of the
missing professors. Dr Gopal, however, denied any discrimination
against the student.

The police had been accused of dillydallying the matter while the kin
were initially demanding registration of an FIR but by the time it was
registered, the protest had grown louder.

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[ZESTCaste] New hostel for SC/ST college girls coming up

http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/01/stories/2010020158590300.htm

Tamil Nadu

New hostel for SC/ST college girls coming up

Staff Reporter

Tiruvannamalai: A new hostel has been sanctioned for SC/ST college
girls in Tiruvannamalai, which will come up on the taluk office
campus, Collector M. Rajendran has said.

He was speaking at the valedictory function of 'Manitha Neya Vaara
Vizha' conducted by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department
here on Saturday.

Mr. Rajendran said that Tiruvannamalai district stood second in the
State in population of STs, next only to Salem. "While Salem district
has one lakh tribal population, Tiruvannamalai has 70,000.

"In the last couple of years, Jawadu Hills has witnessed a lot of
development activity.

"A new road has been laid between Paramanandhal and Amirthi via
Melpattu at a cost of Rs.55 crore; Beema Falls development works and
park work were carried out at a cost of Rs.6 crore; steps were taken
to renovate Arunachaleswarar temple, Kovilur, belonging to 14th
Century B.C. with the help of the Department of Archaeology," Mr.
Rajendran said.

"Kal Nattuputhur, Sathanur and Mel Puzhuthiyur were chosen last year
for development works in Adi Dravidar hamlets.

Roads were laid and community halls constructed at a cost of Rs. 45 lakh.

Sanction

A sum of Rs. 50 lakh has been sanctioned this year for construction of
houses in Adi Dravidar colonies of Paramanandhal and Somasipadi," he
said.

Member of Parliament T. Venugopal, District Revenue Officer S.
Viswanathan, District Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer K.S.
Vaasan, tahsildars P. Subramanian, K. Elangovan and Viswanathan were
present.

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[ZESTCaste] Lives of Dalits have improved: Minister

http://www.thehindu.com/2010/02/01/stories/2010020157200300.htm

Kerala - Thrissur

Lives of Dalits have improved: Minister

Staff Reporter

Dr. Ambedkar National Awards presented

AUSPICIOUS START: Union Minister of State for Agriculture K.V. Thomas
inaugurating a meeting held in Thrissur on Sunday to present the Dr.
Ambedkar National Awards.

Thrissur: Union Minister of State for Agriculture K.V. Thomas has said
that Dalits are increasingly enjoying their rightful share of power in
society. He was addressing a meeting here on Sunday to present the Dr.
Ambedkar National Awards, instituted by the All-India Confederation of
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Organisations.

"The lives of Dalits have improved considerably. Still, a lot more
remains to be done for the empowerment of Dalits," he said.

K.V. Babu, preventive officer with the Excise Department; Anil
Pottakattu, president of the Workers' Cooperative Bank, Nadathara;
Nandanan Kannattuparambil, agricultural assistant, Erumapetty; and A.
Narayanankutty, vice-president of Thrikkur Grama Panchayat; received
the awards.

P.C. Chacko, MP; Therambil Ramakrishnan, MLA; T.V. Chandramohan and
M.K. Paulson, former MLAs; were present.

Earlier, Punnala Sreekumar, State general secretary of the Kerala
Pulayar Maha Sabha, inaugurated a seminar on 'Ambedkarism and
Ranganath Misra Commission report'.

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[ZESTCaste] Madiga releases poster on Kakatiya Polikeka

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?title=Madiga%20releases%20poster%20on%20Kakatiya%20Polikeka&artid=20GPZMVTVQA=&type=

Madiga releases poster on Kakatiya Polikeka

Express News ServiceFirst Published : 01 Feb 2010 04:38:33 AM ISTLast Updated :

HYDERABAD: A Poster on `Kakatiya Polikeka', scheduled to be held at
Kakatiya University in Warangal on February 7, was released by MRPS
leader Manda Krishna Madiga at the Osmania University here today.

Th e S t u d e n t Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Kakatiya University
announced that it would organise a massive public meeting on the
campus demanding separate Telangana and the OUJAC extended its support
to the meeting. A group of OU JAC leaders are on a padayatra in the 10
districts of the region and their padayatra will culminate in Warangal
on Feb 7. Thousands of students from the OU are likely to attend the
Polikeka.

Krishna Madiga asked students not to believe politicians but to take
forward the separate Telangana movement.

KUJAC leader Vanitha, whose elder brother Suman committed suicide for
Telangana at Sayampet in Warangal a few days ago, appealed to the
students not to take their lives but to fight for Telangana.

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