Latest News Update: Mar 28, 2010

Sunday, March 28, 2010

No more reservations (Opinion)

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/No-more-reservations/596576
No more reservations
Tavleen Singh
Posted online: Sunday , Mar 28, 2010 at 0230 hrs
Whichever way I say this, it is going to sound wrong in these
politically correct times, so I am going to say it straight out. We
must stop all reservations. They have failed as a form of affirmative
action and have served mostly to create ugly little aristocracies of
supposedly deprived Indians and a false sense of entitlement among
those who believe that the state owes them a living.
Last week, no sooner did the Supreme Court declare that it was fine
for the Government of Andhra Pradesh to make a 4 per cent quota for
'backward' Muslims than demands rose from Muslim clerics and
politicians for a quota for all Muslims and a quota within the women's
quota for Muslim women. This sounds like madness but there is logic in
it. If there can be reservations for women, Dalits, Adivasis and other
backward castes, then why not for everyone who considers themselves
disadvantaged?
In this column two weeks ago, I pointed out that reserving 190 seats
for women in the Lok Sabha would weaken Parliament. I am happy to see
from your letters that most of you agree with me but, unfortunately,
we can do nothing because there are not enough people who are willing
to stand up and be counted. Then, there is the problem of appearing to
be on the same side as Mulayam in his new avatar as aged Roadside
Romeo and Lalu whose only contribution to women's empowerment has been
to impose Rabri Devi on the people of Bihar. Sonia Gandhi has done
serious harm to India's polity by lending her substantial might to
this foolish Bill, but she looks better than her ex-best friends.
Messrs Yadav.
Is there nobody around Madame who has the courage to tell her that
reservations as a form of affirmative action have not worked? If they
had, then in 60 years of reservations for Scheduled Castes and Tribes,
we should have at the very least seen a critical mass in these
communities who were educated enough to bring real change. Dalits
continue to be mostly poor and illiterate and they continue to live in
ghettoes on the edge of villages across India in a form of unspoken
apartheid. The situation of the Adivasis has not improved through
reservations either. It is so bad that the Government of India felt
the need to pass a law not long ago giving them ownership of land in
what is left of our forests.
If instead of reservations we had given these traditionally deprived
communities schools, hospitals, roads and job opportunities, I have
not the slightest doubt that they would today be competing with the
most exalted of Brahmins. As someone who is an outcaste by the rules
of the Indian caste system (and proudly so), I often wonder if
reservations are not a high form of casteism. Why else would we deny
deprived and underprivileged Indians what they really need, which is
an equal chance? If there are to be special measures, then they should
come in the form of urgent investment in districts where there are
high levels of deprivation.
Not only do reservations not work, they make people believe that they
are entitled to special privileges just because they are poor and
illiterate. It is a terrible legacy from our socialist era and if our
political leaders bothered to travel in their constituencies instead
of whizzing in and out at election time, they would find just how bad
a legacy it has been. On my travels in rural parts I have met people
who think a school three kilometres outside their village is too far
for their children to go. I have been in villages where people admit
that they stopped repairing the village pond and ended the ancient
practice of harvesting rainwater because they believed that the
'sarkar' owed them free piped water in their homes. Not long ago in a
court house in Haryana, when I complained about litter scattered
everywhere, a court employee said, 'The government should clean it up.
It's their job.'
This distorted mindset, I believe, comes from the idea born of
Nehruvian socialism that the Government would take care of everyone's
needs even if nobody lifted a finger to pick up a piece of waste
paper. Unless this mindset changes, we can reserve till the word merit
disappears completely and it will only make things worse and worse
still. Reservations do not work. Period.
If Muslims believe that the community has fallen behind, then its
leaders should demand schools, hospitals and jobs. These are the real
tools of empowerment, not reserved seats in Parliament and educational
institutions, because in those reserved seats will sit only those who
already have access to powerful people. That is how it has always
worked, that is how it always will.
Follow Tavleen Singh on Twitter @ tavleens

[ZESTCaste] Double tragedy for dalit family of Bicholim

http://digitalgoa.com/ca_disp.php?id=958

Double tragedy for dalit family of Bicholim

Digital Goa News Service
Bicholim, March 28 - Tragedy struck twice this dalit family comprising
of a 70-yr-old blind mother and two unemployed sons.

In the latest tragedy, the hut in which this Parwar family of three
was living at Harijanwada, Bicholim was completely gutted in fire last
night. The family lost each and every belonging in the fire.
Fortunately, the blind mother who was inside the house when fire broke
out was rescued by alert neighbours.

What is disheartening is the fact that the mud house of the family had
collapsed in the heavy rains and subsequent flooding on Sept 5, 2009.
No government agency came forward to provide them any financial
assistance to help rebuild this house till day and hence they were
living this hut since than.

With the latest tragedy, this family is completely devastated with no
roof on their head, no food to eat and even no clothes to wear.

Playing good Samaritans, Rotary Club of Bicholim has provided the
family with some clothes and food to meet their immediate needs. Our
reporter from Bicholim Vishant Vaze has taken initiative on behalf of
Bicholim Journalist Association to raise funds towards constructing a
small house for this unfortunate family. Those who wish to donate cash
or kind towards helping this family may contact Vishant Vaze on
9822582667

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[ZESTCaste] Chetan Bhagat preaches on Mayawati

http://getupdated.in/?p=718

Chetan Bhagat preaches on Mayawati

Mar 27

A confession first. Like all writers , amateurs or paid , pros or cons
, bloggers or editors ; we are insanely jealous of Chetan Bhagat. It
is disgusting that such a mediocrity who is so full of crap sells so
much. So he will continue to be our favorite bashing boy for some
time.

In his latest "editorial" Chetan Bhagat expressed his disgust at
obnoxious display of wealth by Mayawati. He was going on and on about
how ostentatious display of wealth is well ummm – ostentatious. He
cited Warren Buffett as a model of frugality for all the youth of the
country to imitate. But why exactly is Mayawati flaunting her
"wealth", if that is what one think it is.

We city bred , English speaking , coffee drinking , internet surfing ,
brand conscious , west imitating people love to scoff at the likes of
Lalu , Rabri , Mayawati and other buffoonish polticians. They do silly
things , we read editorials written on them on how silly they are. And
we think that we are above all the sillyness going around in the
country.

But of course the politicians know better. What is an obnoxious
display of wealth for Bhagat is a carefully crafted Machiavellian ploy
for Mayawati and a sign of arrival of Dalit prosperity for the
uneducated Dalit. It doesn't matter how silly it is. It only matter
how her voters perceive it. And her voters are not reading any
editorials, not even the primitively simple ones written by Bhagat.
And as long as they have the votes of those voters they control the
strings of lives of those scoffing at them and reading profound and
insightful editorials written by Chetan Bhagat.

It may sound too simple and obvious but think about it a little.
Politicians do things and all the journalists , thinkers ,
intellectuals gather round and say how disgusting it is. What has our
democracy come to that such politicians are doing such things in such
a great democracy ????. Well I would once again quote what a dead poet
said about democracy –

Is Raaz ka ek mard-e-firangi ne kiya hai faash,
Harchand ki dana (intellectuals) ise khola(disclose) nahin karate,
Zamhooriyat(Democracy) ek tarz-e-hukumat (way of ruling) hai jisme,
Bandon ko gina(counted) karate hain, taula(weighed) nahin karate.

- Amaresh

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[ZESTCaste] UP govt siphoning off funds: Rahul Gandhi

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/UP-govt-siphoning-off-funds-Rahul-Gandhi/articleshow/5733523.cms

UP govt siphoning off funds: Rahul Gandhi
TNN, Mar 28, 2010, 01.37am IST

LUCKNOW: The acrimony between Congress and ruling BSP escalated with
Amethi MP and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi hitting out at
Mayawati government for promoting corruption and lagging behind in
performance.

''We send you crores, but somewhere along the way the money simply
varnishes,'' Rahul remarked taking a dig at what he called ''UP
government's known penchant for diverting and siphoning off funds.''
He cautioned partymen to be alert and keep an eye on fund utilisation.

The Gandhi scion singled out the BSP regime for favouring the corrupt.
''Blacklisted NGOs out to make money are being given priority in the
state,'' Rahul said, quoting his experience of Amethi.

''All Centrally sponsored schemes such as NREGS, Indira Awas Yojana,
Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana and education for all show a poor
rating. Evidently at the farthest end of the development index, UP
figured much worse than other states I have travelled so far,'' Rahul
said, adding ''you all have a lot of catching up to do to make a
mark.''

Cong gen secy savours samosas
Ram Bharose, a 'samosa' vendor at Jais bazar in Amethi, on Saturday
had a surprise guest — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who could not stop
himself from savoring the hot snack. On his way from a workers'
meeting, Rahul's convoy was passing through Jais bazar when his
attention was drawn by 'samosas' being fried at a roadside kiosk and
he immediately stopped his car. Rahul bought about half a dozen
'samosas' and 'bread pakoras' and insisted on paying for the eatables
to Bharose. Bharose said he was taking the Rs 100 note as "Rahul's
blessings".

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati set to rename Gandhi bastion of Amethi

http://www.littleabout.com/news/85335,mayawati-set-rename-gandhi-bastion-amethi.html

Mayawati set to rename Gandhi bastion of Amethi
Published on : Sunday 28 Mar 2010 12:29 - by ANI

Following a Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court order to the
Uttar Pradesh Government to reconsider its earlier decision to carve
out a brand new district of Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj Nagar out of
Rae Bareli and Sultanpur, Chief Minister Mayawati is likely to take
her fight against Congress AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi to a
new level by renaming his parliamentary bastion Amethi.

Mayawati reportedly has to merely issue a notification to fulfill her
seven-year-old ambition.

The Uttar Pradesh Government's standing counsel Devendra Upadhyay has
made it clear that Mayawati's plans may well become reality through a
notification under Section 11 of the Uttar Pradesh Land Revenue Act.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit shot dead over drainage dispute in UP

http://www.ptinews.com/news/585511_Dalit-shot-dead-over-drainage-dispute-in-UP

Dalit shot dead over drainage dispute in UP

STAFF WRITER 19:51 HRS IST
Pratapgarh, Mar 28 (PTI) A Dalit was today shot dead allegedly by four
persons of an upper caste over a dispute related to a village drain in
Manikpur police area.

Rajaram Saroj was shot dead over a dispute related to a drain
constructed under MNREGS in Panigo village this morning, official
sources said.

Tension prevailed in the village after the incident and heavy force
has been deployed, police said.

A case has been lodged against the accused on a complaint by his
brother Ramkumar, who is the village head.

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[ZESTCaste] All Dalits should be equal before the law

http://twocircles.net/2010mar27/all_dalits_should_be_equal_law.html

All Dalits should be equal before the law
Submitted by admin on 28 March 2010 - 4:53am.

By Madhu Chandra

The struggle between Upper Caste and oppressed communities of India
has reached its crucial juncture. The presidential reservation
facilities preserved in Indian Constitution is most precious gift
given to Indian oppressed class community. This legal framework to
protect and preserve the underprivileged communities of India has been
under attack again and again by high caste minority ruler of the
country.

This short write up is an attempt to bring awareness among the SC/ST
communities, particularly to those who have benefited from SC/ST
status facility yet failed to realize the importance of joint effort
to safe guard the constitutional right of the provision for Dalit
communities.

Who are Dalits and Dalit-Bahujans?

Three reasons why reintroduction of Dalit is needed at this hour:
First, there is strong feeling that the North East Indian Scheduled
Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) are different from the rest of
SC/ST of the country. Secondly, there is no difference between SC/ST
of North Eastern India with the rest of SC/ST communities in their
definition. Thirdly, the North Eastern SC/ST communities rarely know
the plights of being SC/ST communities in rest of the countries.

Dalit movement has been widely known today all over India. American
and European countries started to hear the plights of Dalit atrocities
in India. For the first time United Nations heard the issues of Indian
Dalits in 2002.

To understand clearly, what the Dalit movement is all about; it will
be essential to know what the word "Dalit" actually means. After
knowing the definition of Dalit, we may fully understand what is
happening among the SC/ST communities in Indian villages, towns,
cities and forests. This will also help the SC/ST communities in
northeast India to understand what means to be SC/ST in India society.

Dalit is the very term that Indian SC/ST communities named themselves
sometimes in 1960s when SC/ST of Maharashtra protested and left
Hinduism to get liberated from Hindus caste system. It is derived from
Sanskrit word "Dal" meaning for "Oppressed," "Crushed," or "Defiled."
Dalits are not included in Hindu's four Castes – Brahmins, Kshatriyas,
Vaishyas, and Shudras developed by Brahmin forces ever since Aryans
invented in Indian soils in 1500 BC.

All SC/ST communities in India including the SC/ST communities in
northeast India are known as Dalit Communities by definition in how
SC/ST communities are oppressed by Indian's upper caste communities.
To define it in larger term by including Others Backward Classes
(OBC), whole low caste and back class communities are politically
termed as Dalit-Bahujans (Bahujan means majority) which represent 85%
of Indian population.

Brahmins dominated whole Indian society by placing them on top of all
castes that also enjoy and control all temple power and temple
economic. The education is designed only for Brahmin societies.
Kshatriyas placed in second row of Hindu caste system designated to
enjoy and control over authorities and enjoy tax revenue collected
from whole society under the influences of Brahmins. Vaishyas placed
in third caste row designated to control, enjoy trade, and power under
the influences of their superior Brahmins and Kshatriyas. Shudras
placed in fourth caste row designated to serve their three superior
Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Shudras. They performed lowest works such as
removing the human waste from upper caste homes. The first three
castes are known as UPPER HINDU CASTE and the fourth as low caste.

Where the Dalit communities do falls within Hindu caste structure?
Dalits actually does not fall within any of Hindu's four caste system!
Dalits are casteless people because they are not counted as fellow
human beings. They are defiled communities. Their shadow on upper
caste is considered even defiled. To err their footsteps they were
forced to tight a broom on their backs. Dalits are not to learn
Sanskrit, if they happen to hear a Sanskrit phrase, theirs ears are to
be poured melted tines. If they happen to remember a Sanskrit phrase,
their tongues are supposed to be cut off.

People hearing the plights of being Dalits will not accept it in
twenty first century but it is still happening in far and near corners
of Indian societies. In 2002, five Dalits were skinned alive for
skinning a dead cow. It proved that a dead cow is more worth than five
Dalits. In 2005, fifty Dalits homes were burnt down in the presence of
police forces and district authorities in Gohana 70 km away from
Indian capital city – Delhi. In 2006 March, a Dalit man's both hands
and leg amputated in Punjab by upper caste when he fought back the
gang rapists of his minor daughter. The story like this never cease in
daily print and electronic media. Many of these crimes go unreported.

What Are The SC/SC Status Benefits?

British knew SC/ST known today as Dalit communities in India as
"Depressed Class" and "Untouchable" before independent. In 1937, for
first time, the British termed "Depressed Class" or "Untouchable" as
Scheduled Caste and Tribe. Special consideration for their social,
economical and educational uplift was considered even before the
independence of India.

After Independent, in framing of Indian constitution through
initiatives of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar gave special provision for SC/ST
communities and the Presidential Order of SC/ST was listed in 1950.

Majority of SC/ST communities of North East India see SC/ST status
facilities in the terms of employment and educational reservation
privileges. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Acts 1989 amended in
1995 seem to be not fully understood by SC/ST communities of northeast
Indian which is much beyond educational and employment provisions.
Special Acts under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Acts 1995 has been
provided to prevent atrocities against SC/ST communities anywhere in
the country. The provision given to any SC/ST communities includes
some of the followings:

Special provision of employment in Central and state sectors,
educational provisions by seat reservation and monetary helps, SC/ST
land protections, Atrocity prevention Acts and remedies to the
victimized SC/ST communities such as legal punishments, compensations
etc. (SC/ST Prevention of Atrocity Acts 1995 is available in concern
offices)

Who Struggles For SC/ST And Who Benefits?

Many SC/ST communities take the SC/ST Status beneficiaries for granted
that it naturally came to be included in Indian Constitution. It is
included in Indian Constitution not without somebody struggling for
that. Dr. Ambedkar was one of many who struggled for SC/ST communities
in India and many others after him. For the service Ambedkar has done
for Indian SC/ST society, he could have been equally given the "Father
of the Nation" title as it is given to Mahatma Gandhi.

Therefore in this short write up, a question is being asked, "Who
benefits from SC/ST status facilities provided in Indian Constitution
on who have struggled for it?" Those who get the SC/ST status benefits
must realize the need of helping those who are involved in the
struggle to ensure SC/ST cause.

Differences between being SC and ST!

Scheduled Caste communities are at the receiving end of Hindu caste
system. They are considered to be part of Hindu caste system but Upper
Caste did not allow them to worship their gods in the same temples,
they are considered defiled. They are socially, economically,
educationally, politically oppressed. The freedom to choose their
faith and religions is denied. The movement they convert to any other
faiths and religions different from Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism,
they are denied all the Presidential Order of SC status facilities.

But Scheduled Tribes are little bit different in the nature they are
oppressed. They are mostly oppressed in the form of education and
economic facility to them for being geographically far away in
forests. ST communities are not oppressed like SC when they change
their faiths and religions. They are given the SC/ST status benefits
even if they convert to other religions different from Hinduism,
Sikhism and Buddhism.

Scheduled Caste origins converted to other faith and religions
different from Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism are fighting for their
birth, fundamental and constitutional rights to enjoy SC status even
after conversion. ST communities will need to realize that their same
brothers and sisters of SC communities, who are oppressed under the
same stigma of Hindu caste system, need the constitutional rights to
be included in presidential order list of SC/ST 1950 even after their
conversion to any of their choice.

What is the SC/ST Situation in India?

There is huge lie against SC/ST from general and upper caste
communities that reservation provided to SC/ST communities has not
done any good to them. It is open fact that without SC/ST status
provision provided in Indian Constitution and reservation facilities,
SC/ST communities could never have come up to what they are today. If
the reservation facility provided to SC/ST today are denied then they
will pushed back to what it was before.

The debate by Sangh Parivar (basically upper caste) on reframing of
Indian constitution is the greatest challenge to all SC/ST, OBC and
minorities. The content of Indian constitution has been charged an
anti Hindu thus they want to change it by removing all the facilities
and provision given to SC/ST and non-Hindus. The constitution of India
is biggest gift to every SC/ST, OBC, Minorities and every citizen of
India. It should be preserved and protected from all communal forces.

Mushrooming of private sectors is another great challenge for SC/ST
because once all the governmental sectors converted into Private
Sectors, they will not be any post left for SC/ST communities because,
the Private Sectors do not have the reservation system in employment.
Mushrooming of private sectors may not be able to stop from it's ever
growth. However, there can be one possible hope for SC/ST that legally
and politically challenges the private sectors to provide reservation
for SC/ST communities, which is deadly protested by Private Sector
owners.

Conclusion

Although SC/ST communities do not realize who struggled for very
benefits of SC/ST, there is a group of people like Dr. Ambedkar and
his followers who still struggle to ensure SC/ST status benefits.
Educated and empowered SC/ST often forgets their SC/ST brothers and
sisters who are still in the need of help for their total liberation
from caste oppression.

SC/ST status beneficiaries must be guarded even after mushrooming of
private sector. It is high call from SC communities to ST communities
to stand united especially against constitutional denial of SC status
facilities when they are converted to other faiths and religions
different from Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism.

---
Madhu Chandra is a social activist and research scholar based in New
Delhi. He works as Public Relation Secretary of All India Christian
Council (www.indianchristians.in), Spokes Person of North East Support
Centre & Helpline (www.nehelpline.net) and National Secretary of All
India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations
(www.scstconfederation.org).

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[ZESTCaste] House approves Goa Commission for SC, ST Bill

http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/house-approves-goa-commission-sc-st-bill

House approves Goa Commission for SC, ST Bill

Published on: March 27, 2010 - 00:48
More in: News
PANAJI: The state legislative assembly on Friday approved five bills
including the Goa Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
Bill, 2010, aimed at setting up the commission to safeguard the
interests of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the state.

The commission would have powers of a civil court and would be able to
inquire suo motu or on a petition presented to it by a victim or by
any person on his behalf into complaints of violation of any rights
provided in the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989,
both central acts.

The commission would also be empowered to inquire in cases of
negligence in prevention of such violations, by a public servant, and
also have powers to investigate and monitor all matters to the
safeguards provided for the SCs/STs under the Constitution of India or
under any other law and also to evaluate the working of various
safeguards and civil rights accruing to a person as stipulated in the
Protection of the Civil Rights Act.

The House also gave its approval to Goa Co-operative Societies
(amendment) Bill, 2010. However, one of the proposed amendments in the
form of clause 28A (aimed at restricting holding of shares by the
members other than government or any other society) was dropped
following an amendment proposed by Congress MLA, Mr Aleixo Reginaldo
Lourenco.

The passed bill would enable any person or persons on whom all or any
of the powers of the registrar were conferred under Section 4 of the
Act, to exercise the powers of the registrar. The government has also
amended Section 52 of the Act so as to provide that a sum not
exceeding 20 per cent of the net surplus should be transferred to a
deficit fund for meeting unforeseen deficits.

The assembly also passed the Goa Animal Preservation (amendment) Bill.
The amended Section 6 of the Act would bestow power on the competent
authority to enter, search and seize property without warrant. The
bill also would allow the government for manner of disposal of the
seized property.

The Section 8 of the Act has been amended to make provision regarding
punishment on conviction to a period of three years, while amended
Section 9 of the Act provides for making offences under the Act as
cognizable and non-bailable.

The House also approved amendment to the Goa Administrative Tribunal
(amendment) Bill, 2010, through which a new sub-section (4) in Section
3 of the Goa Administrative Tribunal Act, 1965, has been inserted to
fix maximum age up to which the president of the tribunal could hold
office.

As per the amendment the president and additional president of the Goa
Administrative Tribunal would hold office until they attain the age of
65 years.

The assembly also passed the Goa Municipalities (amendment) Bill,
2010, through which a new section (13A) has been inserted in the
original Act to make provision for the use of electronic voting
machines in lieu of ballot paper at an election
to a council.

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[ZESTCaste] A flawed and wishful thesisMarch 28th, 2010

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/supplementary/flawed-and-wishful-thesis-520

A flawed and wishful thesisMarch 28th, 2010
Chennuru Anjaneya Reddy

Post-Hindu India
by Kancha Ilaiah
Sage Publications, Rs 295

Kancha Ilaiah is well known for his book Why I am not a Hindu which
attracted a lot of attention all over the country as the other view on
contemporary Indian society. The book presents the anguish of those
sections, notably the dalit-bahujan communities, which, according to
him, do not have much in common culturally with the so-called upper
classes, notably the banias and brahmins and perhaps the land-owning
shudra communities. The basic flaw in this view is that the learned
author mistakes Hinduism for brahminism whose cultural practices are
somewhat visible among the so-called upper castes. Hinduism is a
conglomerate of several belief systems and cultural practices, with
each community following its own; Brahminism is but one of them.
Hinduism is neither brahminism nor is it one way of life as is widely
quoted, but several ways of life with some commonality. In rejecting
Hinduism in his contempt for upper castes, Ilaiah is disowning his own
culture which is part of it.
In his present work, Post-Hindu India — A Discourse in Dalit-Bahujan,
Socio-spiritual and Scientific Revolution, the author examines the
situation emerging in what he calls the "post-Hindu India". The author
says that Hinduism is now a dying phenomenon in the face of the
dalit-bahujan resurgence. According to him "people who identify most
with religion (i.e. Hinduism) are the brahmins, banias and kshatriyas,
constituting 10 or 12 per cent of the population. The shudras, who
fall below these castes in social hierarchy, have ambiguous
relationship with Hinduism. Once they realise that the religion is
dying, they will abandon it as mice abandon a sinking ship". This is
wishful thinking at its wildest. While the author's assumption may be
true of some, it's certainly not true for all sections of dalits;
there is no visible evidence of this among those whom the author calls
"bahujan communities". It is unfortunate but true that it is these
communities that have sustained the Hindu society, not so much out of
love for it but to secure their own subculture or, if possible, to
move up the social hierarchy.
The larger framework called the Hindu society created a stake for each
one of them in the "graded inequality" as Ambedkar called it; the
drive among them has been only to claim a status equal to a brahmin or
a kshatriya and not to question the hierarchy itself. This is clearly
seen in the anxiety of many ruling communities of agricultural or
bahujan background assuming the status of kshatriyas and in the effort
of many lower communities among shudras claiming the status of "upper
caste shudras". The struggle of one of our prominent social
revolutionaries of the last century, Tripuraneni Ramaswamy Choudhury,
in coastal Andhra Pradesh ended with creating a priestly class within
his own community rather than rejecting the caste system itself!
According to the author, the main reasons for the decline of science
in India and consequent dependence on the "borrowed" Western science
are that "brahminical Hinduism" has kept the scientific knowledge of
our productive communities out of modern science; the belief that
Vedas are the ultimate repositories of all wisdom has killed the
spirit of enquiry; and the stratified society that the brahminical
culture has created prevented cross-fertilisation of ideas between
communities.
The author holds the Hindu culture responsible for the situation where
we have come to survive on borrowed science rather than build on the
scientific skill available among the productive communities of our
society.
While we can accept that there is an element of truth in this
assertion, we cannot take it for the whole truth as the author does.
If the author's contention was entirely true, all those magnificent
monuments with wondrous sculptural embellishment would not have been
built or the fine textiles for which this country is known would not
have been woven. Nor would it have been possible to bring such
sophistication to our performing or fine arts. It was the colonial
status of this country at the time of the Industrial Revolution rather
than the Hindu culture that is responsible for the decline of
"scientific knowledge".
The author also says that excessive dependence on Sanskrit and
over-sanskritisation of languages like Telugu have only contributed to
carrying forward the "casteist cultural essence" resulting in the
perpetuation of old inequities. According to him, the remedy lies in
putting the dalit-bahujan children through English education as that
would help them escape this cultural tyranny. The author believes that
even our business suffers seriously from the Hindu ethos. The evil
practice of accumulation of black money by our bania class flows from
the age-old practice of "guptadhana" or "hidden money" usually tucked
away from the society by the banias in ancient India.
The book goes on in this strain for over 300 closely-printed pages,
blaming the Hindu culture for all the ills of this country.
In a poignant citation the author dedicates the book to his parents
"who were born unequal, lived unequal and died unequal". While one can
understand the anguish of the author who has suffered the inequities
of an unjust society, many of his thesis seem to stem from a
fragmented view of matters and most of his inferences seem to be
little more than wishful thinking. Books like this only add a few more
prejudices to the already prejudice-ridden Indian society.
Notwithstanding all the invectives of Ilaiah, Hinduism will survive.
It may not be in the present form and may adapt itself to the new
challenges from within and without — because it is flexible and will
put up not only with dissent but abuse!
No one holds a brief for a discriminatory culture like brahminism. But
Hinduism is not mere brahminism; it is much more than that. That is
where Ilaiah should do some re-thinking before he lambasts it again in
his next book.

Chennuru Anjaneya Reddy is a former IPS officer

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[ZESTCaste] The Mayawati bashing was unprofessional

http://thehoot.org/web/home/story.php?storyid=4419&mod=1&pg=1&sectionId=1&valid=true

The Mayawati bashing was unprofessional

True professionals stick to facts, avoid contemptuous language and let
viewers and readers draw intelligent conclusions. Experience and
seniority cannot erase upper caste bias among media professionals,
says ANAND KUMAR.

Posted Sunday, Mar 28 11:42:02, 2010

Once again, Mayawati's candidness evoked a nationwide uproar, not
merely a debate. All the news channels and newspapers were trying to
expose the 'scandal' behind the act of BSP workers garlanding their
leader with currency notes on the occasion of the silver jubilee
celebrations coinciding with the BSP founder Kanshi Ram's birth
anniversary on March 15, 2010. Parliament was stormed by political
parties who took a holier than thou stand on 'corruption' being
perpetrated by Mayawati and her party. The renowned Yogi, Baba Ramdev
was taking vows to eradicate such evil 'Ravans' from the Indian
political scene. He even declared he would enter active politics and
floated his own political party. The entire middle class, as usual,
was enraged at the 'vulgar display' of wealth by 'corrupt, 'dishonest'
and uncouth Mayawati.

All the news channels presumed that it was an act of corruption that
was being flaunted openly by Mayawati with scant respect for law and
morality. They declared that the garland of currency notes was made
from money raised forcibly or through corrupt means and not from
donations of her supporters as Mayawati and her Ministers and
supporters claimed. They kept daring her to disclose the source of the
money but gave her hardly any time to do so. Instead they continued to
propagate their own belief that it was ill gotten money without citing
any proof to substantiate the charge. Each reporter or channel had its
own estimate of the amount of cash woven into the garland and the
figures quoted ranged from Rs. 2 crores to 51 crores when Mayawati's
supporters kept claiming that it was worth Rs 21 lakhs. None of the
channels would accept their word, but neither did they give any
reasons to dispute their claim.

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh even tried to evolve a formula
for calculation of the exact amount and declared it worth Rs.22.50
crores. Mulayam Singh claimed in the Lok Sabha that it was worth Rs.51
crores. Many live debates were organized among leaders of the
political parties and other intellectuals sometimes even without any
one from the BSP to reply or offer any defence. All the political
opponents of Mayawati saw a great opportunity in the episode and
pontificated on moral standards that should be maintained by a
political leader.

News channels at some point suddenly realized that other leaders have
also been weighed in gold, silver and currency. They may try to use
that as a fig leaf of objectivity but, unluckily for them, it is this
late realization and the manner in which they handled it, that
revealed their bias. They started adding that information to the
stories but more like an addendum or fine print, without using it to
focus on the larger issue of the conduct of our politicians in general
and their supporters' brazen display of financial support. It was
clear, they were not interested in the issue, only in Mayawati
baiting. It all went on feverishly till next day Mayawati came out
and wore another garland made from currency notes offered by her
supporters. That acted as a shock treatment and the frenzy began to
subside. And the debate lost focus. But to not lose an opportunity to
bash Mayawati, which most of the Indian middle and upper classes
relish, debates continue on anything against Mayawati and Dalits.

Here it is not being asserted that Mayawati is a very clean, flawless
and ideal politician. But reason demands that she should be judged
objectively and fairly. Why is she always subjected to ridicule and
contempt? Is it because she is a lower caste woman that the media and
the middle classes have reserved all their scorn for her? Why are
other politicians never targeted in the same fashion? Is this a
democratic tradition? Here are certain aspects of the debates and
reports that reflect subjectivity full of prejudices, being taken up
one by one.

First, it was presumed that the garland was made of 'dirty' money,
that is, ill gotten cash. Then it was said that by wearing a garland
of cash Mayawati was taking a bribe openly. From politicians to the
press and TV news channels (Star News, IBN7, CNN-IBN, NDTV India,
NDTV24x7, Aaj Tak and Zee News) and from intellectuals to common
people, everyone immediately concluded that this was the highest
example of corruption Mayawati had indulged in before the public. Some
speculated on the amount the garland represented, some on this form of
presenting cash and others on the brazenness of Mayawati accepting it
on a public platform. Those who objected to the form cited guidelines
of the RBI against stitching currency notes into a garland and
declared it an act of treason. Those who stressed on taking money in
public preached moral standards and maintenance of the dignity of the
office.

Do these comments stand the test of objectivity? No. There is no limit
set by any law on the amount of donations that can be taken by a
political party or any other social organization provided its source
is not illegal. To examine the legality of an act is the concern of
law courts. How can the media take it upon itself to declare that it
was a bribe or the money taken had been raised through extortions? As
regards the form of felicitation, Mayawati is not the first, nor the
only one, to be garlanded with currency notes. The country has a long
tradition of wearing garlands of cash. Moreover what is wrong in
giving donations in an artistic or creative manner? As to the
preachers of public morality who kept saying that she was accepting
the 'bribe' openly, they seemed to imply that taking bribes secretly
is all right. Perhaps they do it secretly! How hypocritical? Are
they feeling threatened by Mayawati's transparency?

The media truly blew the issue out of all proportion. There have been
cases of leaders being weighed in gold, silver and coins. No one ever
made such a hue and cry. Then, why do so in Mayawati's case? It is an
open secret that all political parties get huge amounts of funds from
various sources including industrialists. The president of one of the
major political parties was caught on camera accepting bribes in a
sting operation. The president of another political party advocated
the case of a leading industrialist on the issue of pricing of gas in
the Parliament which is highly unconventional and raised many doubts.
Now, to come to the media, it has been accepted by them that they are
catering to the needs of the politicians and others by planting
stories. Such people have no right to preach morality.

Some specific comments made during TV debates were very striking. One
was made by the BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad on NDTV and other
channels. When asked why Mayawati was being singled out, he said that
with a stated agenda for development of dalits she should not be
indulging in such activities. Well, firstly, every political party has
a stated agenda for development of dalits! He should have been asked
whether his party has given up the agenda of the development of dalits
but the media certainly cannot be accused of thinking on its feet.
Secondly, it implies that if one does not have the stated agenda for
development of dalits one can indulge in corruption! Further, he went
on to complain that Mayawati paid Rs.14 crore as income tax. Did he
mean that paying taxes is crime? If he is hinting at the accumulation
of wealth by Mayawati it is the job of government agencies to verify
its legality not his.

Another striking comment was made by the Congress spokesperson Jayanti
Natarajan on IBN7. She was trying to shout down the BSP MLA from
Rampur(UP) and said "UP was handed over to Mayawati not for this….."
Does that not reflect arrogant and feudal mindset of the Congress.
Natarajan seems to have clearly forgotten that she is sitting in a
democratic country or perhaps she was simply blinded by the arrogance
of power which the Congress has begun to display frequently these
days. Who handed over UP to Mayawati, Madam? We all were under the
impression she had been elected by the people of that state. We did
not hear anyone from the media pointing out this minor fact to her.

Only recently, another spokesperson of the Congress used abusive
language for a senior minister from an allied party (in the UPA). In
this debate Natarajan was well advised by the young BSP MLA that UP
had not been 'handed over to Mayawati' and was democratically elected
by the people and that the Congress was booted out from UP. The
channel let her go. No hullaballoo on a statement that insults the
people and the Constitution. Such hullaballoos are raised and loose
comments are made by politicians and the media only when they talk of
dalit leaders.

Not just political leaders, but TV anchors and reporters and
commentators keep making derogatory remarks against dalit leaders.
Vinod Dua, NDTV's very senior journalist in his show -Vinod Dua Live-
has many times said that all the statues being erected by Mayawati
should be bundled up and sent to a storage space like the statues of
Britishers in India were consigned to the coronation garden in Delhi.
Had he been talking only of Mayawati's statues it would have been
tolerable. But these statues include that of Dr. Ambedkar and other
highly respected dalit leaders. This is how they treat dalit icons!

In another debate on NDTV ( The Big Fight) one of the panelists, Suhel
Seth, was making anti democratic and anti people statements without
being restrained by the anchor of the prgramme Vikram Chandra, and he
was being applauded by the audience in the programme. He asserted that
people like Laloo Yadav, Mayawati and some others like them have no
place in politics, they should not be in power and it is sad for
Indian democracy that they are there. He went on in his elitist snooty
vein and tried to humiliate the co panelists - Vivek Kumar, a dalit
professor and Nazmi, BSP MLA from Rampur (UP) - by making personal
comments on their capabilities. The anchor did not object and the
middle class audience as usual applauded him. In the first place such
a person who has no understanding of our complicated social structure
should not have been invited to speak on such sensitive issues.

This shows that experience and seniority cannot erase upper caste bias
among media professionals. In fact we can ask if they are true
professionals at all. True professionals stick to facts, avoid
contemptuous language and let viewers and readers draw intelligent
conclusions.

Baba Ramdev is suddenly feeling concerned for the poor dalits who are
being exploited by Mayawati. His heart aches for them. But one is yet
to see any poor person in his yoga camps and ashrams. He never thought
of floating a political party when the country witnessed several major
scams involving astronomical sums. He too has vowed to eliminate
'Ravans' from the Indian political system now that Mayawati was being
bashed in the media. Traditionally he belongs to the community of
Shambuk and not of Ram. He should not forget that the agricultural
caste he belongs to was a 'Shudra' though a touchable caste. How far
his dream of eliminating Ravans is realised and who all qualify as
'Ravans' for him is yet to be seen.

Apart from the prejudice against dalits in general and Mayawati in
particular one still wonders what sparked this particular controversy.
Why this hoopla was created to spoil Mayawati's silver jubilee
celebrations? Was it jealousy against the grandeur? Was it the threat
perceived by the numbers and strength of the people at the rally? Or
was it another case of a story planted by powerful parties? Was it
part of a 'package' that channels offer to people seeking publicity,
another paid news that one hears so much about nowadays?

The author is a Delhi-based social activist.

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[ZESTCaste] An Inspiration

Dear All,

Jai Bheem,

http://www.dailypioneer.com/245048/An-inspiration.html

Sunday, March 28, 2010

An inspiration

Chandrabhan Prasad

Wearing an impeccable suit, he is quick at measuring distances. At 48, he is the Editor of Marathi daily Janchetna Mahanayak. With 25,000 in circulation, Mahanayak claims to be a proud page in Dalits' history. Founder editor and owner, Sunil Khobragade is a craze amongst the Dalit youth. A successful entrepreneur, Sunil deals in web offset printing and share trading. He speaks English well. A multi-millionaire, Sunil also owns a fleet of cars.

I was in Mumbai in mid-March on the invitation of the daredevil Sunil. The occasion was to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Mahanayak on March 15, which coincidentally is also the birthday of Kanshi Ram, the modern day Ambedakar of India. The gala event was celebrated till late at night.

The next day, Sunil came to my hotel along with his dynamic colleague Santosh Nana Pagare. The CEO of four companies, Santosh has joined Sunil in his mission. "Dalit entrepreneurs in mission other than making money," I thought for a few moments.

"We are running a Financial Literacy Program for the Dalit youth," he told me when I asked him about his mission. A music to my ears, I requested for details. I, too, want Dalits to dive into the money market.

Sunil narrated to me how he, along with his young team, would explain to aspiring Dalit entrepreneurs about the essentials of opening new businesses. What are the licenses one requires in opening a grocery shop, setting up a manufacturing unit, turning into a builder, or becoming a share trader. They would give details about the tax regimes of the State. They would explain how to do a market survey before launching a new business. The group trains Dalit youth into basics of banking, and last but not least, the business trends prevailing at present.

"This is a movement of Economic Freedom for Dalits," Sunil told me. When asked the why he started the mission, he narrated his own story to explain the importance of the economic freedom.

Sunil was born to illiterate parents in a remote village named Gobardhan in Gadh Chiroli district of Maharashtra. Sunil faced gruelling poverty as both his parents were farm workers. "I grew up eating field rats," he told me. Growing with a poster of BR Ambedkar in his tiny house, he made a slogan, "Educate, Organise and Agitate." Hunger for alphabets was in place. He would cover a distance of 7 Km each day to attend the nearest school. He completed his seventh class in the village. His hunger for education expanded even more. He moved over to Chanderpur town where his elder brother worked as a tailor. He passed his 10th standard with a first division while working part time in a roadside hotel. He then moved to Nagpur where his uncle, an architect, lived for further studies. While perusing his 12th standard, he worked as a newspaper vendor, and also as a dabbawala carrying tiffins. He failed the 12th standard. On the basis of his 10th standard certificate, he joined a diploma course in Veterinary Science. Later, he joined as a Livestock Supervisor in a Government department.

High in ambition, Sunil was now unstoppable. While in Government service, Sunil completed his MA. He gave the State Civil Service examination and finally made it to a Class II officer rank. But, something very special awaited for him. The ex-newspaper vendor had a dream of becoming an editor of a newspaper.

Sunil quit his risk-free Government job to chase his dream. With a bank loan and his savings, Sunil launched his printing business from where his newspaper started. Sunil also tried his hands as a share trader, an art he mastered well. His income from the share trade supports Mahanayak.

Sunil Khobragade is known and respected in the Maharashtra. That was evident at the Shivaji Mandir, a famous auditorium in Mumbai's Dadar West, which was packed to capacity on March 15.

"I got to wear shoes at the age of 18," tells Sunil while explaining the role of money in life. "My parents could not arrange a car in my wedding," he adds. "I want Dalits to turn into employers as well," Sunil remarks.

Why doesn't the Governments pick up self made role model Dalits like Sunil Khobragade for Padma or other State awards?

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