Thursday, October 14, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Dalit remarks: Case filed against RU prof

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Dalit-remarks-Case-filed-against-RU-prof-/articleshow/6744361.cms

Dalit remarks: Case filed against RU prof
TNN, Oct 13, 2010, 11.41pm IST

JAIPUR: Students have filed a case against Rajasthan University
professor P D Sharma, for allegedly making derogatory remarks on Dalit
community during a special lecture, at Gandhi Nagar police station on
Wednesday.

Meanwhile, vice- chancellor AD Sawant issued an order to immediately
relieve director of Social Science Research Center (SSRC), Sangeeta
Sharma from her assignment while deputy director of SSRC, Ashok Singh
has been transferred to public administration department.

Students demonstrated for the third day as they are agitated over P D
Sharma's remarks on the Dalit community and had called a "university
bandh" on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Dalit students had held a mock
funeral procession for professor Sharma.

According to reports, students were furious over an alleged statement
made by Sharma in a seminar that "Dalits shouldn't be allowed to ride
a horse". Though the professor had expressed regret over the incident
and tried to talk to the students, he failed to persuade them to
call-off their agitation.

Student leader Sunil Khatik said students had gathered at university
main gate for a dharna but the administration called the police who
took into custody the agitating students. He said all agitating
students were forced into a bus and taken to NRI colony, where they
were set free.

A university official said around 20-25 students barged into the
central library and administrative block to disrupt work so the
authorities informed the police. Police and senior administrative
officials convinced them about the action against guilty persons after
which they went away

SHO, Gandhi Nagar, Aas Mohammed said that a case has been registered
against RU professor on the complaints of students Lal Chand Verma and
Raj Tepan and matter is under investigation.

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[ZESTCaste] Several Dalits to convert to Buddhism - mark 54th anniversary of Ambedkarji's similar act

http://persecution.in/content/several-dalits-convert-buddhism-mark-54th-anniversary-ambedkarjis-similar-act-0

Several Dalits to convert to Buddhism - mark 54th anniversary of
Ambedkarji's similar act

GULBARGA: A large number of Dalits will convert to Buddhism here on
Thursday to mark the 54th anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar converting to
Buddhism at Nagpur in Maharashtra along with his followers.
International Bouddha Yuva Sanghatane and the Buddhist Society of
India would jointly organise the fifth mass 'Buddha Dhamma Deeksha'
programme at the MSK Mill Grounds here on Thursday.
October 14 was an important date in the annals of India as it was on
this day that Ambedkar had embraced Buddhism in protest against the
oppressive caste system that prevailed in the country.Global council
of Indian Christians(GCIC) wished all success for the Dalits
converting for liberating from the clutches of oppression


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[ZESTCaste] Maya allowed to keep her party symbol

 

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/116275/India/maya-allowed-to-keep-her-party-symbol.html

Maya allowed to keep her party symbol

Mail Today Bureau
New Delhi, October 13, 2010

The Election Commission (EC) has rejected three petitions demanding
that the symbol of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) be frozen and party chief
Mayawati be debarred from contesting elections and disqualified as an
MLA.

The petitioners had argued that the statues of Mayawati and the
elephant (the BSP's election symbol) at various parks and public
places in Uttar Pradesh could disturb the "level playing field" that
is necesary for conducting free and fair elections.

The EC did not elaborate on what it meant by taking "appropriate steps
and measures" at the time of elections, which are due in 2012. The
three petitions were filed in June-July last year by Atul Kumar Singh
of Rashtra Nirman, Kamal Kant Jaswal of Common Cause, and advocates
Ravi Kumar and Sukumar.

The matter had travelled to the Supreme Court, which directed the EC
to take appropriate decisions on the petitions. The petitioners and
the BSP submitted several rejoinders and clarifications in the matter
before the EC.

The prayer for disqualifying Mayawati as an MLA was rejected by the EC
because the grounds for disqualification of a candidate have been
clearly laid down in the Constitution. The petitioners had pressed for
her disqualification because as chief minister, she allegedly misused
government funds for getting her statues installed.

But the poll panel ruled that this was not covered under the grounds
for disqualification specified in the Constitution. The EC gave
detailed reasons for rejecting the other main contention related to
freezing the BSP's election symbol of elephant.

It said the BSP is a recognised "national party" with a "reserved"
election symbol across the country (except Assam) assigned to it on
the basis of its electoral performance as per the Election Symbols
(Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

"One contingency that can result in the withdrawal of recognition and
the subsequent withdrawal of the reserved symbol is the failure of the
party to come up with the poll performance as required under the
rules.

It is nobody's case that the BSP has failed in its poll performance to
measure up to the prescribed standards for continued recognition as a
national party," the EC order said.

Under the rules, the other reasons for which the EC can suspend or
withdraw the recognition of a political party are its failure to
observe the model code of conduct or follow the lawful directions and
instructions of the poll panel.

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[ZESTCaste] Punia is new NCSC chairman

 

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/punia-is-new-ncsc-chairman/697450/

Punia is new NCSC chairman

Express News Service Posted online: Thu Oct 14 2010, 06:05 hrs
Lucknow : UP Chief Minister Mayawati's bete noire P L Punia has been
appointed chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
The post had been lying vacant since Buta Singh's term ended five
months ago.
A retired IAS officer and now a Congress MP, Punia confirmed that he
has received a communication from the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Wednesday,
appointing him the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled
Castes "from the date I take charge". He said he will take the charge
on October 15.

As an IAS officer, Punia had served Mayawati thrice as her principal
secretary and was one of her trusted officers. Relations between them
turned sour during the investigation of the Taj Heritage Corridor case
by the CBI.

After his retirement in 2005, Punia joined the Congress and contested
the Assembly elections from Fatehpur in 2007, but Mayawati put in all
efforts to ensure his defeat. However, in the Lok Sabha elections held
last year, Punia had the last laugh when he was elected from Barabanki
with a record margin. Rahul Gandhi himself had addressed a rally in
Barabanki.

Punia's appointment as chairman of the Commission is part of the
Congress strategy to make him the Dalit face of the party to counter
Mayawati who has openly criticised him in her public speeches and had
even called him "a traitor".

The post is equivalent in rank to a cabinet minister. None of the
Congress ministers from UP, including those who have been in the party
for decades, enjoys the cabinet rank. Punia said his priority in UP
would be to examine the utilisation of funds under the special
component plan, which is meant for the welfare of Dalits.

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[ZESTCaste] Forget khap panchayats! Haryana women make waves

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/editorial/Forget-khap-panchayats-Haryana-women-make-waves/articleshow/6745360.cms

14 Oct, 2010, 05.26AM IST,ET Bureau
Forget khap panchayats! Haryana women make waves

In the 2007 movie Chak De! India, the Indian women's hockey team
returns from Sydney after defeating favourites Australia in the finals
of the World Cup.

At Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the stars of
India's victory in the movie is asked by her boyfriend (Abhimanyu
Singh — a take-off on the glamorous cricketer Yuvraj Singh) to marry
him, and she refuses , saying, "Our relationship was always about you
and you. Now I have also emerged as an individual in my own right."

Last Monday, in real life as opposed to the reel variety, Indian women
overshadowed their male counterparts by winning India's first-ever
Commonwealth Games gold medal in athletics in 52 years since the
legendary Milkha Singh scorched the track in the 440-yards event at
Cardiff in 1958.

The Flying Sikh, as Milkha was known, was sceptical of India's chances
in the track-and-field events of the current Games.

However, 2010 is not 1958, and Indian women athletes were determined
to prove Milkha wrong. Which they did in style, with two village girls
from Haryana and one from Punjab — Krishna Poonia, Harwant Kaur and
Seema Atil — creating history by sweeping the gold, silver and bronze
medals, respectively, in the discus event. The Hissar girl Krishna won
the gold with a back injury.

"We will tell him (Milkha) that we can win gold medals too," the three
winners said. Haryana may have made dubious headlines of late through
its khaps and honour killings. But the state's discus-throwers have
proved that Haryana women can not only overcome that medieval mindset
but shatter it!

Some 26 years after P T Usha narrowly failed to win a medal at the
1984 LA Olympics, Krishna Poonia, Harwant Kaur and Seema Atil have
demonstrated that "the woman of today is faster than the man in every
way," to quote from the calypso song by the legendary Harry Belafonte
. Bravo!


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[ZESTCaste] Fwd: A tribute to S.R Sankaran

 


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: wilson bezwada <skandolan@gmail.com>
Date: 11 October 2010 17:54
Subject: A tribute to S.R Sankaran
To: wilson bezwada <skandolan@gmail.com>


Dear Friends,

We grieve the loss of our beloved leader, mentor and co-founder of Safai Karmachari Andolan, Sri SR Sankaran, on 7 Oct 2010 in Hyderabad. It is not only a loss for the whole of "rights family" in India but a immeasurable and irreplaceable loss to the whole movement of Safai Karmachari Andolan which has privileged 16 years of journey with him. He was with us from the beginning of this movement, giving his all for the rights and dignity of the safai karmacharis till his last breath.

While we grieve his loss, we also celebrate his life and contribution to shape the movement. He was very much looking forward to see the liberation of the last Safai Karmachari Woman and was eager to witness the Yatra being steered by the safai karmacharis. In this final Yatra for the liberation of Safai Karmacharis we invite you once again join hands in this challenge and participate in his dream of 'manual scavenging free society'.

Regards

Wilson

A Legacy of Goodness

By Harsh Mander 

 

Crowds surged to join his funeral procession, as it wound its way through the busy streets of Hyderabad, on a warm afternoon on 8 October, 2010. Senior civil servants and human rights workers jostled with tens of anonymous indigent men and women, each of whom wished the privilege to carry his body in its last journey for a few moments. Uniformed policemen lowered their eyes in tribute after offering an incongruous gun salute to a man the crowds extolled as a messenger of peace. Slogans continuously rent the air, hailing him to be the beloved son of dalits, tribal people, the poor and disabled persons. Few eyes were dry when his niece set aflame his funeral pier. 

I doubt if there has ever been such a funeral of any civil servant before him. The diverse multitude which surged to bid this diminutive, frail, under-stated man his final farewell, represented the extraordinary range of people whose lives he had touched. SR Sankaran set standards of integrity and service to the most disadvantaged, for a whole generation of public officials. His courage of convictions inspired human rights activists. Despite his uncompromising opposition to violence, he was revered by Maoists as much as by Gandhians. And a lifetime of egalitarian compassion bound him to masses of India's poorest people, disadvantaged by indigence, caste, gender and disability. 

Sankaran firmly believed lifelong that the foremost duty of the state was to uphold the dignity, rights and freedoms of India's most oppressed people, and his life's work demonstrated what a democratic government could indeed accomplish if it included persons like him. He drew up laws for land reforms, and pushed governments to implement these. He conceived of the Tribal Sub-Plan and Special Component Plan, to compel governments to set aside significant proportions of the state budgets for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. He designed many programmes for justice and welfare of these socially most deprived communities, including thousands of residential schools for the education of tribal boys and girls. It was he who helped craft laws to release bonded workers.

Among the many legends which have grown up around his life's work, the story is often recounted of how a powerful Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh was furious when, as Secretary Social Welfare, Sankaran organised campaigns to release bonded workers from generations of debt bondage. The Chief Minister announced in a cabinet meeting that Sankaran was a trouble- maker, who went from village to village, held meetings with poorest people seated on the ground under trees, instigated them by declaring that they had the right to be free, and mobilised them to rebel against a lifetime of bondage. Soft-spoken Sankaran retorted that this indeed is what he did, and this was his duty. This enraged the Chief Minister further, and he asserted in the cabinet meeting itself that such subversives had no place in his government. Sankaran replied in his customary low voice that he too did not want to work in his government, and proceeded on long leave.

This proved a fortuitous turning point in his life. The legendary Marxist Chief Minister of Tripura, Nripen Chakravarthy, invited him to shift to Tripura and serve there as Chief Secretary. Both austere bachelors, fiercely honest, had few worldly belongings, and even washed their own clothes. They formed a unique partnership, leading the state for 6 years. Few governments in India earned such a reputation of integrity, service and justice for the under-privileged.

Sankaran gained national fame when he was kidnapped by Naxalites from the jungles of Andhra Pradesh. After his retirement from government, he constituted a Concerned Citizens Committee, to mediate with government to end its human rights violations in its military-like offensive against the armed rebels, and its policy of 'encounter' killings of alleged Naxalites, which he condemned as 'targeted extralegal executions'. Many tribal or dalit youth, or their loved ones, would desperately contact Sankaran when they were in danger of being eliminated in fake encounters, and it was Sankaran's mediation which saved several of them. He reminded government tirelessly that it was decades, indeed centuries, of injustice against tribal people – their brutal dispossession from their lands and forests - which was the true source of the insurgency in the jungles of the state.

But Sankaran was equally unsparing in condemning the violence of the Naxalites, and their focus on 'military actions rather than on the mobilisation of people for social transformation'. He was convinced that this contributed to 'further brutalise the society and lead to the shrinkage of democratic space for mobilisation and direct participation of the people, impairing the very process of transformation that the movements claim to stand for'.

It was due to his unique moral stature that both government and the Maoists felt compelled to respond to his appeals, and defend to him their policies. It is another matter that neither altered their basic approaches to the conflict, and the unabated blood-letting by both sides of the conflict caused him great anguish. The efforts of this Committee dominated a decade of Sankaran's life, and he grieved until his end that he could not free his people from the mutually reinforcing cycles of violence, and reclaim for them enduring peace and justice. 

Another task which to which he devoted a significant part of his time after he retired was to lead the Safai Karmchari Andolan, an exceptional campaign for ending the humiliating age-old practice of people of particular castes being forced to clean dry latrines with their bare hands, and carry human excreta in baskets on their heads. He regarded this to be the most dreadful manifestation of untouchability and caste. A decade of Sankaran's leadership of the Andolan led to the substantial decimation of this centuries-old evil in many parts of India. This was through a combination of judicial interventions, compelling accountability of public officials, and a non-violent mass campaign for self-respect by people engaged in this vocation in which they burned their baskets and demolished dry latrines. But those Sankaran led to a life of dignity will mourn that will not be by their side to witness the historic final end of this scourge.

Sankaran set aside a significant portion of his salary, and his pension after he retired, to educate dalit children. He never spoke of this to anyone, but when he first suffered a heart attack, many young men competed to keep vigil at his bedside. We learnt later from this assortment - of doctors, civil servants, engineers and teachers - that whatever they achieved in their lives was due to Sankaran. He never married, but clearly several who loved and revered him like a father.

He was an intensely ethical person, but never didactic or judgemental. He displayed an unexpected impish sense of humour and mischief. After he retired from government, he lived in a small unpretentious and sparsely furnished apartment, which looked more like the home of a retired school teacher than a senior civil servant. Even the few pieces of furniture and gadgets in his house were forced on him by those who loved him. When he received his pension arrears, he was alarmed by this very modest swelling of his bank balance, and quickly distributed the money to street children's homes, and an organisation for disabled persons.

Sankaran's life and work illuminated the lives of literally millions of India's most dispossessed people with dignity, justice and hope. His compassion, simplicity and lifetime of public service will continue to light the way, both of those who work within government, and others who choose to struggle against it. His enduring legacy will be to demonstrate what true and authentic goodness in public and personal life can accomplish, to make this world a better, kinder place.  

DSC00910

Shri S.R Sankaran with SKA team members

 

 

 




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[ZESTCaste] Fwd: Eradicate Manual Scavenging

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shiva Shankar <sshankar@cmi.ac.in>
Date: Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 8:53 AM
Subject: Eradicate Manual Scavenging
To:

'... A hitherto voiceless people have rallied together from the nooks
and corners of India and have made tremendous progress within a short
span of time to achieve near total eradication of manual scavenging.'

           Launching of Samajik Parivartan Yatra
     (For Eradication of Manual Scavenging in India)

                       Press Release

The Samajik Parivartan Yatra has been flagged off on Wednesday 29th
Septmber, 2010 in New Delhi. The liberated safai karmacharis Saroj,
Maya Goutam, Anita, Neetu and Mamata from various states released the
route maps and demands to symbolise the beginning of Yatra.

Speaking on the occasion, Saroj and others shared their own
experiences of pain and suffering associated with manual scavenging.
They narrated how they were inducted into the degrading jobs by their
mothers or mother-in-laws, who were doing the same jobs from
generation to generation. They explained how the dry latrine owners
and users and the general public practised untouchability on them. Now
that they have stopped doing the manual scavenging work, they feel
liberated and are determined to carry the message to all other safai
karamcharis in their respective districts and states. Saroja vowed not
to rest until the last person is liberated from manual scavenging in
this country. They are proud of their participation in rallies,
dharnas and burning the baskets, the symbols of the shame of manual
scavenging.

Mr. Harsh Mander, renowned intellectual, Social Activist and member of
the National Advisory Council commended SKA for mobilising the safai
karmacharis and inspiring them to accomplish their liberation and
simultaneously enabling the country as a whole to envision a manual
scavenging free India. He appreciated SKA for taking the path of
persuasion and adopting the legal route to achieve their noble goal,
in a non-violent way.

Ms. Usha Ramanathan, an accomplished legal expert and Legal Reform
Activist felt that the struggle of Safai Karmacharis under the
leadership of SKA will go down in history as phenomenal. A hitherto
voiceless people have rallied together from the nooks and corners of
India and have made tremendous progress within a short span of time to
achieve near total eradication of manual scavenging.

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