Latest News Update: May 25, 2010

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Visiting India from May 26 thru June 12, 2010

Dear friends,
Due to sudden demise of one my brothers I am visiting India from 05/26/10 thru 06/12/10. We are three brothers and the last one is first to go. That is life.
 
I will try to meet as many people and projects as possible during my visit. 
 
I will be attending Ambedkar Scholarships function on May 29. If anyone wants to meet me, that is one of the best places to meet.
 
I keep you informed of my schedule whenever I have an opportunity to use internet.
With regards
Ben Kaila
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An educated man without character and humility was more dangerous than a beast. If his education was detrimental to the welfare of poor, he was a curse to society. 
-Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar
Please visit www.friendsforeducation.org or www.ambedkarscholarship.org

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[ZESTCaste] In pursuit of honour

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/dc-comment/pursuit-honour-254

In pursuit of honour

May 24th, 2010
By Jayanthi Natarajan

The structure and extra-constitutional authority of khap panchayats,
who recently declared that their rulings could not be fettered even by
the Constitution of India or the law of the land have been the subject
of considerable national debate. Khaps are geographically confined
mainly as old systems of social administration in villages of
north-western India, including Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh,
Haryana, National Capital Region and parts of western Uttar Pradesh.
Traditionally, one unit of a khap would take care of the social
affairs of about 84 villages from the same caste and was intended to
promote bhaichara or brotherhood, among the community. In some cases
they were instrumental in controlling or prohibiting the sale of
liquor. However, in many other cases they have become a collection of
caste lords who perpetuate their own law and diktat in village society
and assume the custodianship of the "honour" of the women belonging to
the area.

Khaps claim that sagotra marriages, or marriages between young persons
who belong to the same gotra, cannot be sanctioned as they are
considered incestuous. On some particularly brutal occasions, khaps
have been known to force a wife to tie rakhi to her own husband,
thereby accepting her husband as a "brother". At the same time, khaps
are adamantly opposed to inter-caste marriages as they are committed
to the rigid maintenance of caste divisions in village society and the
infinite perpetuation of those divisions.

Needless to say, the khaps and other similar village social
arrangement such as even the Dorbars in Meghalaya, are comprised
solely of adult males, usually village elders. Women are not eligible
or worthy of being members of this peer group. Inasmuch as these
social khaps encourage brotherhood (note: NOT sisterhood or social
harmony) they were a time-honoured part of the social structure of a
village. They settled land disputes between families and other feuds
regarding inheritance and property. They were courted by political
formations because they represented the collective strength of that
community and hence a powerful votebank.

However, the recent spate of violence and khap-ordained "honour
killings" are a cause for dismay in the minds of right thinking
citizens. The fact that village life is governed by caste is a reality
that every Indian lives with. The fact also that we dream of a society
free of divisions of caste and creed is a goal which we constantly
struggle to attain while grappling every day with the might and power
of the feudal mindset that perpetrates caste. If we are thinking about
a caste census today, it is only at this point a mere collection of
data without analysis because while there can be no harm in collecting
data to ensure for example benefits reserved by the state for backward
sections of society reach their target group, the analysis of the data
should be done after a national debate, a national consensus and
considerable thought in order to avoid the danger of creating a
permanently divided society. Thus when khaps promote bhaichara or
fraternity, they serve a social purpose. However, when the selfsame
khaps assume unto themselves extra-constitutional powers and decree
death for those who indulge an sagotra marriages or inter-caste
marriages, they challenge the Constitution and the criminal laws of
this country and that can never be tolerated in a democracy which
reveres the rule of law.

Thus when the Karnal sessions court awarded the death penalty to five
persons who had ordered the "honour" killing of Babli and Manoj, khap
leaders in Kurukshetra declared themselves to be more bound to the
khap than the Indian Constitution and announced that no law or court
in the land could deter them from their murderous intent. This is a
direct challenge to the rule of law in our country and cannot be
tolerated by any democracy. The political system urgently needs to
join hands to put down this challenge to our Constitution and ensure
that no feudal group challenges our Constitution with impunity. This
is a problem which is bigger than caste or society and goes to the
root of the sustainability of our legal and constitutional system.

However, a look at the larger picture is truly scary. Khaps have been
in the news and so has the recent death of educated young journalist
Nirupama Pathak, who was allegedly murdered for having dared to love a
boy from a different caste.With the family's role in the death being
alleged, it is appalling that this was not a khap but a normal family
that reacted violently to the idea of their young daughter wanting to
marry a man they disapproved of. Thus it is not just the khaps, but
even a single educated family which is intolerant of their daughter
choosing her own husband, which is provoked into brutally killing her.
It is time now for us to ask ourselves what is wrong with our society.
Have we forfeited the right to call ourselves civilised?

The single thread that runs through the whole frightening violence
related to so-called honour killings is the notion prevalent in every
single section of society — rich or poor, urban or rural, educated and
otherwise — is that the "honour" of a caste, family or even religion
depends upon the sexuality of its women. In the modern context, this
deep-held belief is discriminatory and unfair and is the reason why
the wars of present-day India are fought upon the bodies of women.

For example, if a woman belonging to one religion is raped by some
criminals who happen to belong to another religion, instead of taking
urgent steps to ensure exemplary punishment of those criminals, a mob
belonging to the victim's religion gathers and rapes women belonging
to the religion of the attacker. Thus all the women are blameless but
they are the greatest sufferers. We fail to see that the wrongdoer
should be punished, not women belonging to the other religion who are
absolutely innocent. Similarly, in caste wars, it is again the
"chastity" and "honour" of women which are often the cause for
dissension, often leading to the death of the woman.

Modern India has no place for gender chauvinism and "honour" killings.
Caste and religion have to be viewed as distinct from crimes against
women and above all, the Constitution of India should reign supreme.
Our credentials as a civilised society depend upon this.

- Jayanthi Natarajan is a Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha and AICC spokesperson.

The views expressed in this column are her own.

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[ZESTCaste] ‘Cell phone helped Mayawati win UP polls’

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/-Cell-phone-helped-Mayawati-win-UP-polls-/622967/

'Cell phone helped Mayawati win UP polls'
Agencies Posted: May 24, 2010 at 1647 hrs

New Delhi The ubiquitous nature of the communications device, and its
presence in the poorest of households has helped Dalit leader Mayawati
surge to the forefront of Indian politics, researchers claim and back
it up with data.
Mobile phones are big business in India, and according to two
Australian researchers evidence has emerged that this instrument
played a very key role in helping the Bahujan Samaj Party and its
Dalit leader Mayawati achieve a resounding electoral victory in the
country's biggest state – Uttar Pradesh – in 2007.

In the three years since, Mayawati has entrenched herself as a
powerful player in national politics, according to Australian
researchers Robin Jeffrey and Assa Doron, who are exploring how
India's mobile phone boom has helped parties representing the bottom
rung of the caste system do well at the ballot box.

Check out the facts:

The number of mobile subscribers has surged from just 1.2 million in
1999 to almost 600 million.

About 20 million new subscribers are being added every month, making
India the world''s fastest growing phones market.

In 1987 there were only 0.3 phones for every 100 Indians, now there are 51.

Fierce competition between telephone companies has driven down the
prices of handsets and calls and allowed millions of poor families
access to a phone for the first time. Call tariffs dipped below one
cent per minute in the past year, analysts say.

The growth in mobile phone use has caught authorities by surprise. A
30-year numbering plan drawn up in 2003 is already outdated and
analysts say the number of digits in all Indian mobile phone numbers
will soon have to be increased from 10 to 11. Subscribers have doubled
since August 2008 and there are now 10 times more mobiles in India
than fixed lines.

Analysts say mobile phones have affected every strata of Indian
society like few tools ever have. Advertisers have portrayed the
mobile phone as a household essential for the poor - alongside
shelter, food and clothing.

Studies have shown how mobiles have helped poor Indian farmers to
avert losses and improve yields.

With buyers just a phone call away, they can adjust their production
to suit demand; easily accessible weather forecasts help with crop
planning.

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[ZESTCaste] TRS Joins Dalit Outfit; Backs Andhra State Demand

http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?683123

TRS Joins Dalit Outfit; Backs Andhra State Demand
Hyderabad | May 24, 2010

In a significant development in the Telangana issue, TRS tonight
joined hands with a Dalit outfit demanding formation of separate
Andhra state and both sides decided to launch a joint fight to achieve
their goals.

"Formation of two states by dividing Andhra Pradesh is in the interest
of Telangana as well as coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. Dalit
Mahasabha and TRS would jointly fight for formation of separate
Telangana and separate Andhra states," TRS President K Chandrasekhar
Rao told reporters after a meeting with Dalit Mahasabha leaders led by
Katti Padma Rao.

Formation of two states out of Andhra Pradesh would specially benefit
Dalits, backward classes and minorities who have remained backward so
far, Chandrasekhar Rao claimed.

The TRS chief said he would address a public meeting at Vijayawada, an
important city in coastal Andhra, soon. Date of the meeting would be
announced in two or three days.

The joint fight from Vijayawada would lead up to Delhi and the goal is
to achieve two states, he said.

Though his visit to Vijayawada was initially planned to be held this
week, it was postponed to June due to cyclone Laila that hit coastal
Andhra, Chandrasekhar Rao said.

About the opposition of Telangana students to his visit, he said there
were no objections to it. "There is no controversy over my visit to
Vijayawada. Of course, I will talk to all before going there," he
said.

Alleging that only forward castes dominated all others in united
Andhra Pradesh, Padma Rao said the Dalits, backward classes and
minorities would get political power only if the state is bifurcated.

He said his outfit has told the Srikrishna Committee, appointed by
Centre to examine the situation in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana
issue, that bifurcation of the state is in the interest of all
sections, especially the downtrodden.

The proposed public meeting at Vijayawada would mark the beginning of
a new phase in the fight for Telangana and separate Andhra states, he
said.

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[ZESTCaste] Statehood for Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema demanded

http://www.ptinews.com/news/666730_Statehood-for-Coastal-Andhra-and-Rayalaseema-demanded

Statehood for Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema demanded

STAFF WRITER 22:38 HRS IST
Hyderabad, May 24 (PTI) Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have lagged
behind in development and formation of separate states for the two
regions would facilitate focused growth, the Centre-appointed
committee on Telangana was told today.

"People of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have lost a lot due to the
special concessions given to Telangana, like those related to
government jobs," Andhra Joint Action Committee told the Srikrishna
Committee here.

"We demanded formation of a separate state for Rayalaseema and coastal
Andhra with Vijayawada as its capital," S Krishna Murthy, convener of
Andhra JAC, told reporters after a meeting with the Srikrishna panel
members.

Andhra Dalit Mahasabha, a Dalit outfit, also demanded a separate state
for Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra.

"Only two castes are dominating all others in the two regions.
Formation of separate Andhra state by excluding Telangana would herald
equitable development," Katti Padma Rao, leader of Dalit Mahasabha,
claimed.

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[ZESTCaste] Caste as social capital (Opinion)

http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/column_caste-as-social-capital_1387350

Caste as social capital

R Vaidyanathan / DNA
Monday, May 24, 2010 23:22

Caste is back. It is likely to be part of the 2011 census. It was part
of the decennial censuses between 1881 and 1931.

Of the 1929 castes aggregated in the 1881 census, 1126 [58%] had
population of less than 1000; 275 less than ten. A large number of
them were single member castes. The British had created a social
"hierarchy" on the basis of caste in that Census.

The alienated metropolitan rootless wonders (AMROWs) and other
assorted experts are upset since they have concluded that caste is
bad. They want to be counted in the census as "Indian".

Every Indian is expected to feel guilty, whenever caste is mentioned
and talked about. In international fora, caste is used as a stick to
beat anything connected to Indian religions, customs, and culture. In
other words, caste for Indians has been turned into what "holocaust"
is for Germans and Austrians.

We have an uncanny ability for self-flagellation. But more tragic is
our enthusiasm to convert all our strengths into weaknesses since some
white men and missionaries started denigrating Indians on the issue of
caste.

We fail to recognise that it is a valuable social capital, which
provides cushion for individuals and families in dealing with society
at large, and more particularly the State. The Anglo-Saxon model of
atomised individuals in a contract-based system and forcing him to
have a direct link with the State has had disastrous effects in the
west where families have been destroyed and communities have been
forgotten.

Every person is standing alone, stark naked with only rights as his
imaginary clothes to deal directly with the State.

The State also does not have the benefit of concentric circles of
cushions to deal with individuals. Caste has been made a curse by our
intellectuals based on the half-baked knowledge and acceptance of the
Euro-centric individual-based model, which is based on rights and
contracts rather than relationships and duty.

At a basic level, caste promotes heterogeneity. Heterogeneous and
distributive systems are more stable and long-lasting than homogeneous
and centralised systems. Caste is a major bulwark against
homogenisation tendencies of systems like Marxism, Maoism or
Savarkarism or the Semitic faiths. We should realise that "our
strength is our diversity" and acceptance of the "other". It is much
more than "multicultural tolerance".

It is also assumed that caste is a rigid hierarchical system which is
oppressive. But as observed by the renowned sociologist Dipankar Gupta
that "In fact, it is more realistic to say that there are probably as
many hierarchies as there are castes in India. To believe that there
is a single caste order to which every caste, from Brahman to
untouchable, acquiesce ideologically, is a gross misreading of facts
on the ground" The truth is that no caste, howsoever lowly placed it
may be, accepts the reason for its degradation"(Dipankar Gupta in
Interrogating Caste; pp1; Penguin Books 2000)

History does not support the thesis of caste discrimination. If it
were as oppressive as it is portrayed then there should have been
massive and regular caste wars in the last thousand years. There have
not been any. If it has survived thousands of years then there is some
inherent strength in it. The renowned Gandhian, Dharampal has
demonstrated that data for Madras, Punjab and Bengal Presidency for
1800 to 1830 shows that the majority enrolled in the schools were from
OBC and SC categories.

Caste has played an important role in the consolidation of business
and entrepreneurship particularly in the last fifty or so years. The
World Bank suggests that the remarkable growth of Tirupur is due to
the coordinated efforts of Gounders, many of whom not even
matriculates. "(World Development report, 2002 pp175; The World Bank).
In a financial sense caste provides the edge in being a risk taker
since failure is recognised and condoned and sometimes even encouraged
by the group.

We have the exhaustive Economic Census of 2005, conducted by the
Central Statistical Organization (CSO) which covers 41.83 million
enterprises engaged in different economic activities.The survey finds
that more than 50 per cent of the enterprises are owned by SC/ST/OBC
categories.

As MN Srinivas, doyen of sociologists, pointed out that "An important
feature of social mobility in modern India is the manner in which the
successful members of the backward castes work consistently for
improving the economic and social condition of their caste-fellows.
This is due to the sense of identification with one's own caste, and
also a realisation that caste mobility is essential for individual or
familial mobility"(Collected Essays; pp196-197, OUP2005).

Caste should be counted in 2011 census for all religions since every
religion has caste even though we pretend it does not exist. It is
required for policy planners and experts to work on a road map to
calibrate changes based upon the census. We may have to enumerate a
new caste called "Indian" consisting of the AMROWS mentioned above.

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[ZESTCaste] Wasnik expresses concern over atrocities against SC/ST in Orissa

http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-113925.html

Wasnik expresses concern over atrocities against SC/ST in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, May 24 : The Union Minister for Social Justice and
Empowerment Mukul Wasnik today expressed concern over the large number
of atrocity cases against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
pending in the court in Orissa.

Reviewing the implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act,
1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
atrocities) Act, 1989 here, the Union Minister said he had requested
the state government to hold the state-level vigilance and monitor
cell meet in every six months and the district-level meeting in every
two months to expedite the cases.

Mr Wasnik said the last state-level meeting was held in 2008 but no
meeting could be held in 2009 due to the elections and the enforcement
of the model code of conduct.

He said though as per the rule, action could be taken against the
officers not holding any meeting, but so far no action had been taken
against any officer.

Replying to a question, the Minister said he would discuss with the
state government as to why district-level meetings in many district
were not held.

Mr Wasink said in 2008 as many as 1,036 atrocities cases against SCs
and 508 cases against STs were registered. But as per the National
Crime Record Bureau as many as 1,852 cases were filed in connection
with the atrocities against the SCs and 387 cases against STs during
2008.

--UNI

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[ZESTCaste] Ban same-gotra marriage or pay anna fine: Khaps

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ban-same-gotra-marriage-or-pay-anna-fine-Khaps/articleshow/5966751.cms

Ban same-gotra marriage or pay anna fine: Khaps

Manveer Saini, TNN, May 24, 2010, 05.05am IST

CHANDIGARH: Pressing ahead with their demand for amendment in the
Hindu Marriage Act, the Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat on Sunday resolved to
slap a token fine of "ek aana" (currency unit formerly used in India)
on MPs and MLAs if they failed to meet its demand by June 19.

In a meeting held in Jind, which was attended by around 2,000
representatives of khap panchayats, they also ruled out establishing
any matrimonial ties with the law-makers' kin if their demand is not
fulfilled within the stipulated time period.

Besides, the congregation of khaps or caste councils, notorious for
their diktats prohibiting marriages within same sub-castes, also
threatened to launch a stir and stop all kind of supplies to the
National Capital Region of Delhi on June 20.

Not stopping at that, the leaders announced to stop repayment of bank
loans, water and electricity bills if their demands are not accepted.
Prominent among those who attended the meeting was BKU president
Mahendra Singh Tikait.

"We have been forced to take these decisions against MLAs and MPs
because their silence (on same-gotra marriage ban) clearly endorses
the government's stand of not making any changes in the Hindu Marriage
Act. Besides, since they believe that they are comfortable in the
present system, let them marry off their children within their
families. It is a social boycott," said Satbir Singh Chahal, the
president of All India Jat Swabhiman Sabha.

Justifying their stand, Dada Baljit, the president of Maliks khap,
claimed, "We are here to protect our age-old tradition and culture.
The defaulting MLAs and MPs shall have to deposit the fine with their
village priests and obtain a receipt before going out to attend a
social or political function.... One thing is for sure, we wont allow
any social wrong under the garb of changing trends."

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[ZESTCaste] Khaps adamant on their demand, threaten stir

http://www.ptinews.com/news/665165_Khaps-adamant-on-their-demand--threaten-stir

Khaps adamant on their demand, threaten stir

STAFF WRITER 20:12 HRS IST
Jind (Haryana), May 23 (PTI) Khap Panchayats or caste councils,
notorious for their diktats prohibiting marriages within same
sub-castes, today threatened to launch a stir if their demand for
amending the Hindu Marriage Act was not met by June 19.

A congregation of Khaps here also threatened social boycott of MPs and
MLAs if their demand was not fulfilled within the stipulated time.

The meeting, attended by over 300 Khap representatives from Haryana,
UP and Delhi, resolved to slap a token fine of "one anna" (equivalent
to six paise) on the lawmakers besides launching a non-cooperation
movement.

Maintaining marriages within the same "gotra" are against social
norms, the self-styled community councils reiterated their demand for
amending the Hindu Marriage Act to prevent wedlocks within the same
clan.

Satibir Shastri, vice-president of the Haryana Arya Pritinidhi Sabha,
presided over the meeting attended by BKU president Mahendra Singh
Tikait.

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[ZESTCaste] Khap body threatens to block Delhi

http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/khap-body-threatens-to-block-delhi-27404.php

Khap body threatens to block Delhi

Indo-Asian News Service, Monday May 24, 2010, Jind (Haryana)

A "Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat" (all community council congregation) held
on Sunday threatened to boycott all MPs and assembly members from the
state of Haryana if they did not support the khaps' call for a ban on
the same-gotra marriages. They also threatened a blockade of Delhi.

At the meeting, which only a few hundred leaders and their supporters
attended, various khaps sought support from all quarters for a ban on
marriages within the same 'gotra' (ancestral lineage) and demanded an
amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act.

"If all MPs and MLAs (members of legislative assembly) in Haryana do
not support us in this matter, we will start their boycott from next
month," a khap leader announced.

Congress MP from Kurukshetra and billionaire industrialist Naveen
Jindal landed in a controversy earlier this month after he extended
support to the demands of the Khap panchayats.

Farmers' leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, who belongs to western Uttar
Pradesh, was also present at the meeting.

The khap leaders also gave an ultimatum to the central government to
amend the Hindu Marriage Act by June 19, failing which various khaps
in Haryana will block roads to New Delhi and also block supply of
water, vegetables and other wares to the national capital.

Khap Panchayats have been in the news for the wrong reasons in the
last five years after they started annulling the marriages of young
couples saying that they are "brothers and sisters" being from the
same 'gotra'. Khap decisions declaring several such marriages void
have led to murders of young couples by their families or other
community members - a clear case of honour killing.

Many couples and their families have also been socially boycotted and
forced to leave their homes and lands.

The demand of khap panchayats comes after a Haryana court gave capital
punishment in March to five people for an "honour killing".

A Karnal court sentenced the five people to death and one person to
life imprisonment for killing a couple who had married despite
belonging to the same gotra.

The murdered couple, Manoj, 23, and Babli, 19, were married in 2007
against the wishes of their families.

They were murdered by members of Babli's family.

Defiant khap leaders are headed for a confrontation with the state
government and the Punjab and Haryana High Court which has given
rulings over illegal decisions on marriages announced by various
panchayats.

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