Latest News Update: Apr 3, 2010

Saturday, April 3, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Court says ‘victims’ misused SC/ST act

http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/newdelhi/Court-says-victims-misused-SC-ST-act/Article1-526440.aspx

Court says 'victims' misused SC/ST act
Sumit Saxena, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, April 03, 2010

A city court has discharged nine members of a family, who were falsely
implicated of making casteist remarks at their tenants.

The court noted that the tenants had misused the SC/ST (prevention of
atrocities) Act to seek revenge from their landlord.

Kanta Lata (30), a Master of Philosophy from Delhi University, had
alleged that her landlord Om Prakash Grover and his family had made
objectionable casteist remarks against her and her sister Manorama
(29) and brother Chander Bhusan (27).

Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said even the educated class have
started resorting to the misuse of the SC/ST Act merely to satisfy
their personal ego.

The court noted that Kanta Lata re-phrased her statement while
registering an FIR at Mukherjee Nagar police station, different from
what the police were initially told.

The court said it was only to ignite a caste related fracas and to
implicate the entire family of her landlord. The judge said the
complainants deliberately called up the media to increase the gravity
of matter and to flare up the SC/ST issue.

Referring to the phenomenon of misuse of the SC/ST Act, the judge
said, "Unfortunately one comes across growing instances of cases where
the provision of this Act have not so much been invoked for the
betterment of those to whom it seeks to protect."

Slamming the complainants, the judge said, "Law cannot be the
absolute property of a few."

The court observed that recently in the view of false complaints, the
state government of Uttar Pradesh had relaxed the stringent provisions
of SC/ST Act.

Rapping the police for registering the complaint in a hurry, the judge
said, "Senior police officials should supervise registering of
complainants in the cases related to SC/ST Act."

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[ZESTCaste] Maya sacks Brahmin officials to woo Dalits

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/91031/India/Maya+sacks+Brahmin+officials+to+woo+Dalits.html

Courtesy: Mail Today

Maya sacks Brahmin officials to woo Dalits
Piyush Srivastava
Lucknow, April 3, 2010

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati is switching the caste variables
in her political calculus, replacing Brahmins with non-Yadav backward
castes to consolidate her Dalit vote bank.

The early signs of a game-changing formula were visible in the sacking
of 68 Brahmin public prosecutors and the appointment of 20 new Dalit
ones a couple of days ago.

Call it the Rahul Gandhi effect on Dalit hamlets across the dusty
countryside or the sobering impact of the 2009 parliamentary elections
when 56 per cent of the Dalit electorate in UP did not vote. Mayawati
first sidelined Satish Chandra Mishra, the Brahmin face of her Bahujan
Samaj Party ( BSP). Top sources in the party insist she may not field
most of her 42 Brahmin MLAs in the assembly polls two years from now.

A BSP coordinator for eastern UP said party workers had finally made
Mayawati see the reality of an eroding mass base. "Behenji has
realised that she has alienated about 50 percent of the Dalits by
letting Brahmins run away with power and pelf. The Dalit-Brahmin
combination which had helped her to ride to power in 2007 failed in
2009. We had complained to her after the Lok Sabha polls that though
five out of 20 Brahmin BSP candidates won with Dalit votes, 15 out of
our 17 Dalit candidates lost because they didn't get Brahmin votes,"
he alleged.

The BSP supremo had put up 86 Brahmin candidates in the 2007 Uttar
Pradesh assembly elections.

Two years later, after the shock victory of 21 Congress candidates in
the Lok Sabha elections, the BSP has reportedly come to the conclusion
that Brahmins have refused to transfer their votes to the Dalit party
and have gone back to the community's original icons, the Gandhis.

In this politics of diminishing returns, Mayawati seems to be dumping
the Brahmins and seeking a new caste alliance.

Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh said Mayawati
was angry with the Brahmins for shifting their allegiance to the
Congress. "She is deserting the Brahmins because they are moving
towards the Congress," he said.

Of the 145 public prosecutors she sacked on Tuesday, 68 were Brahmins
and only three Dalits.

When she appointed 75 new prosecutors the next day, she made sure that
20 of them were Dalits. The number of Brahmins was just 18. Though she
has brought in only 10 backward caste prosecutors, party insiders said
she was searching for more.

Mayawati had earlier let Mishra farm out these jobs, which command
immense local clout and social prestige to Brahmins, as a thanksgiving
gesture for their support in 2007. But not any longer.

From the role of prime troubleshooter, Mishra has now been reduced to
monitoring her cases in the Supreme Court. Additional cabinet
secretary Vijay Shanker Pandey, the man who ran her bureaucracy, was
shifted from the state capital to Allahabad as member of the revenue
board.

Instead, Netram, a Dalit additional cabinet secretary, is now assigned
to tame errant bureaucrats.

Mishra has been replaced by four second-rung leaders - PWD minister
and party general secretary Nasimuddin Siddiqui, the party's Muslim
face, mining minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, a backward caste leader,
social welfare minister Indrajit Saroj and rural development minister
Daddu Prasad, both Dalits.

Mayawati even sacked her Karnataka unit spokesman Y.N. Sharma,
alleging that he let the details of her "cash garland" out by speaking
out of turn. Sharma insists his dismissal too is part of a pattern.

"She used me as a Brahmin face in Karnataka during the Lok Sabha polls
because I am a member of the All-India Brahmin Federation. She
expelled me when she realised that the Brahmin-Dalit combination would
not succeed in my state. She has decided to dump about 40 Brahmin MLAs
in 2012 and increase the ratio of Dalits, Muslims and backward
castes," Sharma claimed.

Dalits form approximately 21 per cent of the state's population, but
the BSP cannot win polls with just Dalit votes. It will need the
support of at least two more communities. If the Brahmins, supposed to
be about 13 per cent, abandon her, she needs to look at the
conglomeration of non-Yadav backward castes like Lodhs, Kurmis,
Kushwahas and others, who add up to 20 per cent.

Sharma said Mayawati has been "terrified" of Rahul's visit to Dalit
houses because this could lead to Dalits abandoning her and the
Brahmins shifting to the Congress. Political analyst A.K. Verma said
her only option now is to forge a Dalit-Mulsim-backward alliance.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit icons now get special security

http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/03/stories/2010040359840100.htm

Front Page

Dalit icons now get special security

Atiq Khan

Mayawati goes ahead with constitution of special force without Governor's nod

Special protection: Monuments like this one dedicated to Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar will now get special security in Uttar Pradesh.

LUCKNOW: Not waiting for the Governor, B.L. Joshi's approval for the
Uttar Pradesh Special Zone Protection Force Bill (SZPF) and the
Ordinance of the same name meant for constituting a force for guarding
the monuments of Dalit icons, the Chief Minister, Mayawati on Friday
decided to constitute a special force of ex-servicemen with immediate
effect.

The SZPF Bill passed by both the Houses of the U.P. Legislature on
February 18 was sent to the Governor for his approval. But with Mr.
Joshi sitting over it, the Mayawati Government sent an Ordinance to
Raj Bhavan on March 26 with some amendments. Still there was no
response from the Governor.

The proposal submitted before the Cabinet on Friday was granted prompt
approval. The recruitment of ex-servicemen would begin from Saturday
with the Principal Secretary (Home) given the authority of completing
the formalities. The Cabinet meeting was presided over by the Chief
Minister.

To be named as Special Zone Protection Force (SZPF), the proposal
envisages the constitution of a battalion, comprising about 1200
security personnel, headed by an ex-army officer of the rank of a
Colonel.

Recruitment process

The recruitment process of ex-servicemen and their service rules would
be the same as applicable elsewhere in the country. About Rs 8 to 9
crore would be spent on constituting the force in the first year and
it is likely to be set up by April-end.

Describing the move as an executive decision of the State Government,
which implied that there was no confrontation with Raj Bhavan on this
issue, the Cabinet Secretary, Shashank Shekhar Singh told reporters
here that the Bill and SZPF were two separate issues. Mr. Singh
clarified that there have been no discussion with the Governor on this
issue.

As head of the State it is the Governor's prerogative to take any
decision on the pending Bill and ordinance, the Cabinet Secretary
said. To begin with, the security force would be responsible for the
security of nine sites including memorials, museums, parks, statues
and galleries built to Dalit icons in Lucknow and Noida (Gautam Buddha
Nagar).

In fact, the urgency and reasons given for constituting the special
force of ex-army personnel were interesting. Stating that the
monuments built in the memory of Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Kanshi
Ram and other eminent persons were the BSP Government's tribute to
their contribution, Mr. Singh said the security of these sites was a
matter of concern for the government.

There was a fear that these might be vandalised by casteist and
anti-Dalit elements which is why there was a pressing need for
constituting a special security force, the Cabinet Secretary said. He
added that any damage to the monuments would have created a furore in
the country and caused a law and order problem.

"These things were kept in mind before taking the decision to form a
separate force", Mr. Singh added.

Moreover, recruitment from the police would have caused a heavy strain
on the police force and there would have been a shortfall in their
numbers.

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[ZESTCaste] Columbia Univ to have an Ambedkar Chair

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Columbia-Univ-to-have-an-Ambedkar-Chair/articleshow/5756105.cms

Columbia Univ to have an Ambedkar Chair
PTI, Apr 3, 2010, 03.17am IST

NEW YORK: Columbia University has instituted a chair in constitutional
law in the name of B R Ambedkar and two Jagdish Bhagwati Fellowships
after India's renowned economist who presently teaches at the
university.

"This initiative adds an important dimension to Columbia University's
long and illustrious association with India," Meera Shankar, India's
ambassador to the US, said.

"This chair commemorates one of the great leaders of India in the 20th
century and one of this university's eminent alumni, Ambedkar," she
added.

Ambedkar was a student of the renowned philosopher and psychologist
John Dewey at Columbia University, where he came after receiving a
scholarship from the Maharaja of Baroda.

He earned an MA and a PhD from Columbia and obtained a DSc at the
London School of Economics. Ambedkar later recounted that at Columbia
he experienced social equality for the first time, according to the
school records.

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[ZESTCaste] Agra gears up for biggest Dalit empowerment show

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/agra-gears-up-for-biggest-dalit-empowerment-show_100342884.html

Agra gears up for biggest Dalit empowerment show

April 3rd, 2010 - 2:54 pm ICT by IANS -
Agra, April 3 (IANS) Agra is gearing up for the annual three-day
Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations starting April 14 that are seen as a
demonstration of Dalit empowerment over the past decades.
Each year, a Bheem Nagri - the venue of the celebrations - comes up in
a different area, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Arvind Pushkar told
IANS.

"The main focus is on the Bheem Manch that has a new theme each year.
Last year, it was the Parliament House. This year, the theme is
Buddhist culture and trends," Pushkar added.

Towards this, new roads are being built, water and power supply lines
being laid, and civic amenities in six villages behind the Taj Mahal
are being updated and streamlined.

The Agra Development Authority, the Municipal Corporation, Awas Vikas
and half a dozen other agencies are pouring in their resources to
provide upgraded facilities as lakhs of visitors are expected, along
with a host of politicians.

The organising committee members said the whole 14-km stretch would be
flood-lit with "attractive display of lighting".

The main dais will be 120 feet long, 80 feet high and 75 feet wide
with the Kanshi Ram Memorial in Lucknow as the backdrop, flanked by
pillars with Buddhist motifs, according to Devi Singh Azad, a senior
member of the committee.

The state culture department, Uttar Pradesh Tourism and the
Information and Public Relations department would arrange for artistes
and programmes.

Organising committee members are upbeat as Chief Minister Mayawati is
expected to announce a package of special developmental schemes for
this Taj Mahal city, gearing up for the Commonwealth Games rush.

Dalits constitute more than one-third of the 20 lakh plus population
of Agra, described often as the Dalit capital of north India.

"The city was a favourite of both B.R. Ambedkar and (Bahujan Samaj
Party founder) Kanshi Ram," Dalit activist Netra Pal Singh said.

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[ZESTCaste] Ambedkar Chair at Columbia

http://www.asianage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7593:-ambedkar-chair-at-columbia-&catid=36:international&Itemid=61

Ambedkar Chair at Columbia

Friday, 02 April 2010 17:20

NEW YORK , April 2: Columbia University has instituted the B.R.
Ambedkar Chair in Constitutional Law and two Jagdish Bhagawati
Fellowships after India's renowned economist who presently teaches at
the university.
"This initiative adds an important dimension to Columbia University's
long and illustrious association with India," Meera Shankar, India's
ambassador to the US, said at the varsity.
"This chair commemorates one of the great leaders of India in the 20th
century and one of this university's eminent alumni Dr Ambedkar," she
added. Dr Ambedkar was the student of philosopher of John Dewey at
Columbia where he came after receiving a scholarship from the
Maharajah of Baroda. He earned his M.A. in 1915 and then obtained a
D.Sc. at the London School of Economics before being awarded his
Columbia Ph.D. in 1927.
Dr Ambedkar later recounted that at Columbia he experienced social
equality for the first time, according to the school records. In 1930,
he told the New York Times, "The best friends I have had in my life,
were some of my classmates at Columbia and my great professors." In
1952, Columbia presented him with an honorary doctorate for his
service as "a great social reformer and a valiant upholder of human
rights."
The first holder of the Ambedkar Chair is Akhil Reed Amar, a visiting
professor from Yale University.
—PTI
BETWA SHARMA
***
T-shirts turn into armour
Washington, April 2: Believe it or not, an ordinary cotton T-shirt
could be converted into a flexible full-body armour which will protect
not only from bullets but also from radioactive materials.
A team led by researchers at the University of South Carolina have
turned cotton T-shirts into a tough lightweight fabric of boron
carbide, the same material used to protect tanks, that could lead to
more comfortable body armour.
To create the material, they combined the carbon in the cotton with
boron and said it could even be used to produce lightweight and fuel
efficient cars and aircraft.
"The current boron carbide armour is strong, but its not flexible and
it is very heavy," said co-author Xiaodong Li. "We tried to solve this
problem but with a different approach.
In our approach, we used cotton T-shirts," Mr Li wrote in the journal
Advanced Materials. Boron carbide is the third hardest material on
earth, after diamond and another boron-based material. In bulletproof
vests and tanks, thick, heavy ceramic plates of dark grey boron
carbide protect soldiers and the police. The team took cotton T-shirts
and cut them into thin strips and dipped those white cotton strips
into a black solution of boron. After an hour, the strips were removed
from the solution and baked in at oven at more than 1,000º Celsius for
an hour.
—PTI

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[ZESTCaste] Fwd: Davis-Putter Scholarship for student activists

---------- Forwarded message ----------

ATTENTION STUDENT ACTIVISTS!

The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund has applications available
for student activists who are building the progressive
movement and will be enrolled in school during the 2010-11
academic year. Our website provides answers to questions
about the Fund, the application process, and the students we
support. If you know of students working for peace and
justice, or if you have a list of activist contacts, please
send this announcement along and refer potential applicants to
the Fund's website: www.davisputter.org.

Since 1961 the Davis-Putter Fund has provided need-based
grants to students who are involved in building movements for
social and economic justice and are able to do academic work
at the college level. Grantees are both graduates and
undergraduates enrolled in accredited schools for the period
covered by their grant. Although citizenship is not a
consideration, applicants must be participating in activities
in the US and plan to enroll in an accredited program in the
US in order to qualify.

The maximum grant is $10,000 and may be considerably smaller
depending on the applicant's circumstances and the funding
available. All the funds come from individual donors and
there are 25-30 grants awarded each year. Grants are for one
year although students may re-apply for subsequent years.

Applications and the supporting documents -- transcripts, a
personal statement, two letters of recommendation, a
photograph, financial aid reports -- must be postmarked by
April 1, 2010. Those selected to receive a grant will be
notified in July.

Carol J. Kraemer
Director
Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund
www.davisputter.org

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