Sunday, July 4, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Re: Invite to join a discussion forum on Chhattisgarh

 



On 4 July 2010 21:01, Shubhranshu Choudhary <shu@cgnet.in> wrote:



Dear Chittibabu Ji

Trust this finds you well.

Chhattisgarh Net is an online discussion group on issues related to Chhattisgarh and its people. (  www.36garh.notlong.com)

We think we would benefit from an exchange with concerned people like you  who are interested in Chhattisgarh/tribal/people living in forest and would share their experiences with us.

We think Dalits and tribals should get together

To join please reply to this mail

May we also request you to forward this request to whoever you think may be interested.

Please also have a look at People's Website of Chhattisgarh at
www.cgnet.in which is an outcome of the discussion group.

We look forward to an enriching experience for all of us.

With regards
Shubhranshu
for Moderators, CGnet


















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[ZESTCaste] Why are we afraid of the caste census? (Opinion)

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article498535.ece

Published: July 3, 2010 16:50 IST | Updated: July 3, 2010 16:50 IST
July 3, 2010

Why are we afraid of the caste census?
BHANWAR MEGHWANSHI

The entire debate is centred on removing the caste column in the
census questionnaire while the real problem is caste itself. Why is no
one talking about annihilating caste?

In rural India, even today, the first words uttered by way of
introduction when two persons meet are — "what is your caste….?"; a
piece of information people seem most enthusiastic to elicit from each
other before anything else. Political parties have caste-based cells
and caste arithmetic becomes the basis on which tickets are allotted.
Every caste recognises jati panchayats, has its mahasabhas and often,
caste-based armed forces (senas) are constituted. Thousands of
publications are brought out across the country to invoke caste
sentiments in people. Whether Haridwar or Pushkar, the bathing ghats
are segregated on the lines of caste. Who can offer archana in
temples, bridegrooms of which caste can sit on the horse — caste
governs even such specifics practised till date in our country. Even
today, khap panchayats based on castes, sub-castes and further,
gotras,flourish and decree inhuman decisions.

In our country, caste hounds us from the moment we are born to our
death. Whether birth, marriage or last rites, caste dictates how all
these rituals should be conducted. Every government document asks us
our caste category. People are instated on jobs and reserved seats
during elections based on their caste identity certificates. People's
names are complete only with their caste names. Even the so-called big
people hang on to their caste pride; making their achievements look
small.

In simple words, there is no escaping the fact that castes exist in
our society today, and if they exist, what is wrong in counting them
and bringing to light the true figures in front of the whole country?
Just as there are houses, land, roads, schools, cows, forests, there
are also castes – and just as how they are counted, so will be castes.

Great opportunity

Around 25 lakh employees are undertaking this massive exercise of our
15th Census. This is a historic opportunity and they will easily be
able to collect information on caste along with other information from
our entire population. Then these figures can be analysed to tell us
what is the population of each caste and who has control to what
extent over the country's resources?

This very straightforward attempt has generated much noise across the
country. Everyone from ministers in the ruling government to the media
houses and intellectuals seem to be divided on the issue. Right-wing
thinkers have put it down to a "ploy to deface the Hindu society"
while some elites feel a caste-based census will halt India in the
tracks of becoming a global superpower. Many others are being eaten up
by the worry that this will lead to social fragmentation and increase
caste enmities. The upper echelons of Indian society, which like to
pretend that caste doesn't exist, are suddenly gripped with
nationalistic fervour. They fear the demand for quota-based
reservations will catch momentum and castes will get legal
recognition.

Reality is different

There is another group which has started a campaign "Meri Jati
Hindustani" of which prominent persons like Arif Mohammad Khan, J.C.
Sharma, Ved Pratap Vaidik, Shravan Garg, Amitabh Bachchan, Alka Madhok
and Ram Jethmalani among others are a part. These people are in favour
of declaring their caste in the census as "Hindustani". It is true it
sounds good, like an ideal situation, but the country is not running
on ideals but on realities. If they are indeed so proud to be
"Hindustani" why have they not yet removed their caste names and
replaced them with "Hindustani" instead?.

Now let's talk about those fears revolving around the caste census and
see how many of them are real. Was there never any discord between
castes in the country before and if so what do we have to say about
the dalit genocides at Gohana, Jhajjar, Mirchipur, Lakshmanpur Bathe,
Kumher, Khairlanji and Kambalapalli? What about the thousands of cases
of caste-based discrimination and crimes that are reported or never
come to light in our country year after year? It is being touted as
though the minute the caste column is introduced in the census the
problems will explode. Then why is it that when the whole country has
been partitioned on the basis of religion, we never forget to ask the
question "which religion" in every single official paper or document,
and there seems no opposition to this? Why are we not able to
comprehend that the true problem is caste itself and not a census of
castes, and if caste is annihilated, caste-based problems will
self-resolve. But instead of searching out the deeper malaise, we are
sweeping the dirt under the carpet to make a show of cleanliness which
is illusionary.

A good part of the academic intelligentsia feel that enumerating caste
presents 'practical' and 'operational' difficulties. The presence of
thousands of castes and sub-castes have suddenly sent some of them in
a tizzy, while others deem the enumerators as being incapable of
collecting such data. In India, to ask a person his/her caste name is
as simple as asking the person his/her name. Obviously the enumerators
should only record and not be expected to classify caste names at the
time of the survey. In other words, these academicians seem to confuse
data collection and data analysis. The latter can be done at a later
stage with much careful thought and after wide consultations whereas
the first step of data collection can be done without problems with
trained enumerators. To doubt their capacity to elicit a caste name
would implicitly throw doubt on their capacity to do the entire census
survey.

Some have even gone to the extent of saying that it is "too costly" to
enumerate castes. Maybe they should try to quantify the 'cost' of the
disrespect, the lack of opportunities, identities, the untouchability,
the rapes, the killings and the atrocities borne by the dalits and
so-called lower castes in our society over all the years since
Independence. Then it may not seem so costly after all.

The truth is that if such a caste census provides figures on caste and
these are analysed objectively, the hypocrisy of India's upper castes
and their disproportionate claim over the country's resources will
stand exposed. Whether this will or not lead to a demand for more
reservation, it will certainly spark a people's campaign for an
equitable stake in resources and entitlements.

A caste census would, on the one hand, bring forward anthropological
facts, and on the other, provide the basis for framing sound
development policies required for social justice.

Necessary data

A caste census is also important because there are hundreds of such
castes which are nomadic and even today, deprived of an identity and
development. Obtaining factual information about them would make it
possible to design programmes for their security and growth. The
country will also come to know about those castes which have profited
a lot already and those which our so-called development hasn't even
been able to touch.

The opposition to the caste census is not only from the Hindus;
Muslims, Christians and Sikhs are also scared, since there exist
castes even in these communities and the dalit Muslim, the dalit
Christian and the dalit Sikh are catching up on the fight for their
rights.

Many people have linked the caste census to the mindset of the British
era of "Divide and Rule", but are they aware that some 200 years
before British rule, between 1658 and 1664, the Home Minister Munhata
Nainsi of the Marwar kingdom ruled by Maharaja Jaswant Singh Rathod
conducted the first caste census? So how does it become the design of
a foreign mind?

It is unfortunate that all the arguments are centred around removing
the caste column in the census questionnaire. The whole debate is on
whether or not there should be a caste census when we should actually
be debating about whether or not we need castes in this country. The
day caste is obliterated, untouchability, discrimination, inequality,
casteist hatred, caste genocides and the fight for reservations will
automatically get wiped out and nor will politicians be able to play
politics on the basis of caste. There are campaigns to say 'hide your
caste, don't tell your caste in the census' but how many of us are
saying, 'let's do away with caste'?


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[ZESTCaste] Tumkur Tragedy: 10 held for Dalit woman's murder

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Tumkur-Tragedy-10-held-for-Dalit-womans-murder/articleshow/6125684.cms

Tumkur Tragedy: 10 held for Dalit woman's murder
TNN, Jul 3, 2010, 10.56pm IST

TUMKUR: Honnamma (45), a dalit woman and an upcoming politician, was
murdered in Gopalapura of Tumkur district on Monday by alleged
supporters of the JD(S). Honnamma had unsuccessfully contested the
gram panchayat elections twice.

Tumkur police arrested 10 JD(S) members on Friday, including JD(S)
gram panchayat member and president of Choula Kattae panchayat
Manjula, in connection with the murder. Ranganatha, Channamma,
Rangaiah, Jayamma, Swamy, Ramaiah, Manju, Ramaiah and Satish are the
others who were arrested. Two SIs have been suspended for dereliction
of duty.

Honamma incurred the wrath of a section of the villagers with her
plans to construct a temple in Gopalapura village. On Monday night,
the miscreants lay in wait for her when she was returning from
Huliyar. Nearly 20 villagers of Gopalapura attacked her with stones
and left her to die in the drain. When Honamma pleaded for water, the
attackers realized she was not dead after all. They then picked her up
from the drain, attacked her further and killed her.

The police arrived on the scene an hour later but refused to move the
body until the next day.

Fearing for her life, Honamma had approached the police for protection
15 days ago. She submitted a memorandum to Handhnkerae police station,
the SP, the CM and the chief secretary saying her life was in danger.

SP P S Harsha has formed a special team to nab the other accused in
the murder. Speaking to STOI, Harsha said the murder was a political
and caste-based killing. He also claimed that the supporters belonged
to the JD(S).

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit woman allegedly stripped, beaten up in UP village

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Dalit-woman-allegedly-stripped-beaten/Article1-566963.aspx

Dalit woman allegedly stripped, beaten up in UP village

Allahabad, July 03, 2010

A Dalit woman was on Saturday allegedly dragged out of her house,
stripped and beaten up by a group of upper caste people over a land
dispute at a remote village of the district.

The incident took place in Tharwai police station area in the
district's trans-Ganga region, around 30km from the city, where Lalli
Devi (50) alleged that a group of influential villagers, with whom her
family has had a long-standing land dispute, barged into their house
this afternoon, according to the police.

The attackers vandalised her house and beat up Lalli Devi's husband
and son and when the woman protested, she was allegedly pulled out,
stripped and beaten up, police said.

None of the woman's neighbours, however, has testified to the incident
so far and no arrests have been made in this connection, police said.

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[ZESTCaste] Pray, it’s Goddess English

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/82/201007042010070401502576272ca721d/Pray-it%E2%80%99s-Goddess-English.html

Pray, it's Goddess English
In Uttar Pradesh, ABCD has found an unmatched reverence with a temple
being built in its name

Vikas.Hotwani

Posted On Sunday, July 04, 2010 at 01:50:25 AM


When a Dalit baby is born in the Lakhinpur Kheri district of UP,
someone from the family whispers ABCD in his left ear and 1,2,3,4 in
the right. Amusing as it may sound, this is the newborn's first brush
with the 'alchemist' language. In a society where caste difference
rears its ugly head every now and then, the language of science has
risen to a level worthy of veneration.

It's not just a passport to success, but a 'Goddess' who stands
witness to nuptials where couples pledge English education for their
future children. The latest show of appreciation is an
under-construction temple dedicated to the Goddess.

"Once a mother starts worshipping Goddess English, her child will
embrace the language too. And when there's a demand (for English and
education at large) from parents, the schools are bound to improve as
well," says Dalit activist and sociologist Chandra Bhan Prasad, the
man behind this endeavour.

In a country where Gods and Goddesses are seldom questioned, devotees
feel that attaching a pious identity to the modern language is the
easiest way to slip it into the realms of everyday life. Thereby,
comes into play the meticulously scripted idol of the Goddess. Holding
a pen in one hand and the Indian Constitution (crafted by a Dalit Dr
Babasaheb Ambedkar himself) in the other, the two-and-a-half feet
bronze idol stands atop a computer whose screen bears the Dhamma
Chakra.

The temple's blueprint echoes the importance of technical knowledge to
accompany the language of science. "The front two pillars will stand
on computer-shaped blocks, the steps will replicate a keyboard and the
roof shall unfold like a book," explains Prasad. The construction that
started a fortnight back aims to be completed by October 25, the
birthday of late Lord Macaulay, the man who initiated English into
India.

Even as the temple comes up in the premises of the Nalanda Public
School, the Goddess that rests in the principal's office already has
worshippers making a beeline for darshan. The success stories of those
who were 'blessed' by this language are there for everyone to see.
Each one wants a share of the aspired life. The veneration is visible
in the humble donations that keep trickling in. "Some even donate
small quintals of wheat," says Prasad.

In the presence of handful activists, scholars, teachers and many
locals, the foundation stone of the 800 sq ft temple was laid with a
simple ceremony. The women got together and sung praises to their new
Goddess. "The idea is to not get caught in rituals. Not that they are
any measures of devotion any way," adds Prasad.

The temple is slowly turning into a flag-bearer of awakening, a
standing 'instruction' for the 500-odd children of the school (and
their parents) of the tried-and-tested formula of success — study
English. As Prasad sums it, "To us, native languages such as Hindi and
Marathi are like night soil. We don't want to carry night soils on our
heads any more. After all, even the government has banned that
practice."

Once a mother starts worshipping Goddess English, her child will
embrace the language


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[ZESTCaste] Celebrating Diversity And Inclusiveness In The Age of Consent

http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=19557

Celebrating Diversity And Inclusiveness In The Age of Consent
Sunday, July 04, 2010

One year ago, on July 2nd 2009, a Delhi High Court division bench of
Chief Justice AP Shah and Justice S Muralidhar said "We declare that
Section 377 IPC, insofar it criminalizes consensual sexual acts of
adults in private, is violative of Articles 21, 14 and 15 of the
Constitution." It upheld one of the primary principles of natural
justice, 'right to consent' and restored the dignity and rights of
millions of those whose existence in the society was not even
acknowledged. Needless to say that while it was a result of a long
struggle by a lot of people that a judgement of this kind came in, and
that is not a mean achievement, however, implementation of this is
important. Just having a law is not enough.

In this one year we have seen many changes in the society and do hope
this will go a long way in ending the life-long harassment and
discrimination in schools, colleges, workspaces, homes, the streets
and everywhere. The fight against the discrimination in the name of
caste, class, patriarchy and religion has to be led at this front too
and everybody will have to come to the fore of it. After all in this
age of consent, the cardinal principles of liberty, equality, and
fraternity has to be upheld not only by states but also by the civil
society.

We need to note that inspite of having a law to prevent the atrocities
and discrimination against the dalits and tribals still they are being
subject to all kinds of discrimination and face violence in everyday
life. What is needed is a political will for enforcing the law and
people recognising the value of dignity and a societal acceptance of
these values. With dignity, the right to life and dignified livelihood
of everyone has to be respected and that is why it becomes important
that queer community joins hands with dalits, adivasis, farmers,
workers, fisher folks, forest dwellers and others in their struggle
for a better life. These struggles are not of one community alone but
are linked and is a struggle of everyone. This would make the true
rainbow alliance and ensure diversity and plurality within the
movement.

Justice shah and Muralidhar cited Dr. Ambedkar's notion of
"constitutional morality" and Pt. Nehru's idea of equality, and
recognized that: "If there is one constitutional tenet that can be
said to be underlying theme of the Indian Constitution, it is that of
'inclusiveness'." And further that, "It cannot be forgotten that
discrimination is antithesis of equality and that it is the
recognition of equality which will foster the dignity of every
individual."

The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) joins hands with
the queer movement in celebrating a year since this judgement and
urges the movement to also come forward in tune with the struggle of
millions for a dignified livelihood and to end continuing violence
unleashed by the neo-liberal policies of the government on the people.
The challenges are many and we have to spread far and wide and lend
our shoulders with struggling people everywhere and take the movement
to hitherto unreachable places in villages and smaller towns as well.
As a movement let us make sure that round the year we are on the
streets fighting the injustice everywhere not only when our individual
freedom and rights are at stake. As a movement we have to stand with
everyone and everywhere against discrimination, oppression and
injustice.

Celebrating diversity, plurality and for a rainbow of resistances
against injustice and violence ... (CNS)

Medha Patkar – CNS
(The author is a noted social activist in India, leading the Narmada
Bachao Andolan (NBA), National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
and is globally acclaimed for her absolute commitment to strive for
human rights and social justice)


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