Wednesday, October 27, 2010

[ZESTCaste] An Article - Will Kancha's "Post-Hindu India" be Possible?

 

Will Kancha's "Post-Hindu India" be Possible?

A Reflection on Kancha Ilaiah's book "Post-Hindu India"

 

By Madhu Chandra

 

This article attempts to reflect Kancha Ilaiah's "Post-Hindu India" published by Sage Publication, New Delhi in 2009 in specific reference to caste civil war, in which, he predicts, will bring an end to Casteism.

 

First, will Kancha's "Post-Hindu India" really be possible? If yes, then how? India has one Kancha now who has campaigned Dalit-Bahujans rights globally. India will have over 20,000 Kancha(s) in 20 years down the line across the nation. Then the campaign against casteism and Ambedkarites will be raised 20,000 times powerful!

 

Second, Kancha believes Hinduism is a dying religion and will die in India as it has in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indonesia. Brahmans and Hindutva fascist accused Islam and Christianity as major causes of Hinduism dying. He kept referring to Nepal, which is taken over by Maoist's, as a rejection of Hinduism from the Himalayan kingdom. In India, Hinduism is losing ground in the North East Indian states - Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and partially Manipur. In the Southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, a huge number of Dalits have left Hinduism and embraced casteless religions in recent years.

 

Third, Hindutva fascism, fanatics and militants hold responsibility for the down fall of Hinduism. Anti-democratic and anti-secular nature of these Hindutva forces has damaged the image of Hinduism. The upper castes attack Dalits and Shudras in the name of castes is termed as one of the highest violations of human rights. Attack on Muslim and Christian minorities are seen as attacks on Indian secularism. The Kandhmal episode has proven this. It was ethnic cleansing of tribals and Dalits converted to Christianity. Attacks were more on their socio-economic and educational which became better after embracing Christianity. Hindutva forces specifically targeted to uproot the economic, educational sources rendered by Christian missions so Dalits and tribals would remain in a backward condition as it has been for centuries.

 

Eruption of Civil War – then the end of Casteism

 

Kancha's last chapter before his conclusion of "Post-Hindu India" deals with civil war. This chapter on civil war is the end solution for Dalit-Bahujan communities to take in response to his preceding chapters – Unpaid Teachers, Subaltern Scientists, Productive Soldiers, Subaltern Feminists, Social Doctors, Meat and Milk Economists, Unknown Engineers, Food Producers, Social Smugglers, Spiritual Fascists and Intellectual Goondas. Kancha predicts that the civil war will turn into physical violence between upper castes minorities and majority communities of Dalit Bahujans.

 

Civil war is a violent conflict within a country fought by organized groups that aim to take power at the center or in a region, or to change government policies. In American Abraham Lincoln accepted Civil War as the only means to save the Union. The prediction of Kancha is civil war, which will bring about equality of Indian society by dismantling the caste hierarchical society, which will then bring an end to casteism. Reading the signposts around India, the symptoms of civil war have erupted in recent past and likely to erupt in the future.

 

What kind of civil war, is Kancha predicting rather desiring? It is a civil war of ideology in quest for equality among all sections of society against Brahmans and upper caste. It is also a civil war of spirituality between spiritual democracy, which Dalit-Shudras are longing and spiritual fascism in search of spiritual equality irrespective of caste, creed, religion, race and color. It is also a civil war of nerves and physical violence, which is desired to be avoided if the earlier form of civil war could resolve the caste base inequality among Indian societies.

 

Symptoms of Civil War

 

The physical civil war has been attempted by upper caste time and again, particularly when any affirmative initiative steps are taken by either Union Government of India or State Government. The implementation of Mandal commission during the time of Prime Minister of India, Vishwanath Pratap Singh in 1990 and the United Progressive Alliance Government's OBC reservation in higher technical institutions in 2006 have witnessed a civil war like violence by upper caste against the Dalit Bahujans communities. Shudras and Dalits refrained from any physical form of civil war until today, yet no one should underestimate the volcanic boiling underneath as reaction against the caste oppression. Kancha testifies Gujarat 2002 carnage, Kandhmal 2007-2008 and red corridors of Maoists uprising in tribal dominated regions of India are the symptoms of civil war between upper caste and Dalit Bahujans. The momentum of the anti-reservation movement in 2006 shows the same arrogance demonstrated by upper caste as in 1990.

 

The highest form of civil war is the war of nerves, which will lead to the war of weapons causing massive causalities, damage and destruction; perhaps it will kill caste. Spiritual civil war will erupt before the eruption of civil war of the nerves and physical violence. The spiritual civil war will erupt between the spiritual democracy and spiritual fascism. To fight the spiritual fascism and get rid of caste oppression in search of spiritual equality, a spiritual civil war in the form of spiritual migration from one religion to other will erupt. Indeed this migration began with Ambedkar when he renounced Hinduism and embraced Neo Buddhism in 1956 along with a half million Dalits at Nagpur. Ever since, this migration never ceases in small and large scale. This spiritual migration will leave Hinduism as a micro minority religion and it will suffer the most if they continue to hold on their caste practice even then.

 

The Brahmans and upper caste forces will retaliate against this spiritual migration through the might of political and legislation by attempting to establish the anti-conversion bill which is already law in eight different states of India. Kancha believes that spiritual liberation is much harder than the physical liberation but it eradicates casteism permanently.

 

What Causes Civil War and who is Responsible?

 

Unquestionably, the oppressive and destructive nature of Brahmanic religion is leading the exploited poor and Dalits to challenge and rise against the very religious system that has been keeping them under bondage for centuries. Hinduism teaches untouchability, inequality and designates degrading caste based jobs to oppressed societies. Doctrines of creation taught by the Law of Manu, in which Brahman are created by God from the head to dominate all human beings and to control all temple economics, Kshatriyas from the shoulders to rule and control the tax economy under the instruction of Brahmans, Vaisyas from the thigh to control market economies under the supervision of Brahmans and Kshatriyas, and Shudras the lowest caste created from the feet to enjoy oppression and serve the preceding caste hierarchy. Dalits who represent one fourth of Indian population are taught in the Law of Manu that they are not created by God, meaning they are outcaste or casteless, considered less than human beings and polluting communities. The Law of Manu sanctioned highest form of human rights violence meted to Sudra and Dalits thus Manu's doctrine of creation is the solemn responsibility for causing civil war.

 

Unwillingness to do away with caste in Indian society and upper caste will be responsible for Shudras and Dalits in search of equality and liberation from oppression, migrating out of Hinduism to other religions. Unwillingness of the policy makers to provide and implement affirmative actions along with the anti-reservation movements will cause civil war.

 

Anti reservation propaganda in All India Institute of Medical Science during Mandal Commission 1990 and OBC reservation 2006 provokes the breakout of civil war. The campaign against anti-reservation in Jawaharlal Nehru University is today a symptom of civil war between students belonging to upper caste and lower caste communities.

 

What can avoid the Civil War? Civil war could be avoided, if Brahmans and upper caste communities are willing to do away the casteism in Hinduism, but it is next to impossible because Hinduism can not survive without casteism and visa versa. Affirmative actions and programs for Dalits and Shudras both in educational and employment arenas could help avoid civil war.

 

Madhu Chandra is a research scholar and social activist based in New Delhi. He works as Regional 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] It's shortlived rehabilitation for scavengers in Ambala

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article848910.ece

It's shortlived rehabilitation for scavengers in Ambala

Vrinda Sharma

Back in May 2010, sixty Dalits, who had worked their entire lives as
manual scavengers, burned the baskets they used for collecting human
excreta outside the District Collector's office here. They had just
been employed as sweepers by the local administration under a
rehabilitation scheme. Five months later, all of them are without
work, having been suspended, astonishingly, for not working hard
enough.

"It took us a lot of courage to set those baskets on fire and announce
that we were free. But now, for many of us the only way to feed our
family is to pick up the same basket again," said a disheartened
worker.

Difficult, demeaning

The district administration's charge against the suspended Dalits is
that they were "not working properly, being non-serious and lazy." But
the fact remains that they had spent the better part of their lives in
one of most difficult and demeaning occupations — the inhuman practice
of manually disposing of human excreta from dry latrines with brooms
and baskets, work which violates human dignity and which is today
banned by the statute.

"It is amusing that some time ago the government claimed that the
district was free of manual scavenging. Now they say that no one in
the administration is lazy except the manual scavengers! At least now
they accept that the obnoxious practice still exists and by not
eradicating it they are violating the Employment of Manual Scavengers
and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993," said
Rajkumar, State president of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA).

Collector S.P. Srow said that even though over 200 manual scavengers
were offered jobs on a salary of Rs. 4,400 a month, they did not work
properly and hence had to be fired. "It was ensured that they were
rehabilitated even though the Supreme Court gave only guidelines and
not directions. I made sure that they were employed as sweepers but
they were not working at all and it would have been wrong to waste
government money on them anymore."

The Collector said he condemned manual scavenging and wished that the
practice were eradicated. "Even today if they give an affidavit saying
they will work wholeheartedly, I will happily make arrangements for
their employment."

A few women who had left scavenging after decades started the
degrading work again because they are the sole breadwinners. "But we
talked to them, made them realise that resuming the inhuman act will
lead to greater health problems for themselves and be an impediment to
a thousand others who are trying to end this practice once and for
all. Finally, they pledged that they would die rather than contemplate
manual scavenging as a job option," said another woman, who had left
the job.

Asked why the manual scavengers were employed only as sweepers, the
Collector said: "There is an obvious lack of education and skill among
the women but they were employed as sweepers because the
administration needed more sweepers at that time." He did not respond
to a query how the need for sweepers was being met in their absence.

Occupational dignity

"The least that can be done is to provide a dignified occupation for
them. A few months as sweeper can only be a temporary relief, not a
sustainable rehabilitation package for the entire family," said Wilson
Bezwada, president of SKA, who has spearheaded the fight against
manual scavenging and is now leading the Samajik Parivarthan Yatra, a
strategic programme of bus trips from five different corners of India,
through 20 States, culminating in New Delhi.

The aim of the yatra is to motivate and inspire others who are still
engaged in manual scavenging to free themselves.

"Apart from a rehabilitation package to ensure a dignified livelihood,
free education should be provided to those many generations of a
scavenging family in order to ensure that the coming generations do
not fall into the trap of poverty and caste," said Mr. Bezwada.

"Instead of giving them grants for permanent employment, the
administration employed them [the Dalits] before floods hit the area,
made them clean the gutters and the sewerage system, which is as bad
as manual scavenging. Then it claims that they are not working," said
Mr. Rajkumar. "For the satisfaction of the Collector, I gave an
affidavit taking responsibility that the women would work. Also,
residents signed that they were working properly, but none of the
submissions helped. We met the Haryana Chief Minister, who gave us a
patient hearing, but nothing was done," he added.

"There is a law which makes this work illegal but the world gives
enough reasons for an uneducated poor Dalit to still do scavenging,"
said Mr. Bezwada." Manual scavenging is integrally linked with the
caste system and is imposed on certain Dalit sub-caste groups.
Invariably, women, comprising 82 per cent of the caste, carry the
burden.

Apology demanded

The andolan demands an official apology from the Government of India
for having violated human dignity and human rights of safai
karamcharis for so many years. Other basic demands include demolition
of dry latrines and punishment to dry latrine owners and all those who
forced safai karamcharis to clean those latrines under the SC/ST
Atrocity Prohibition Act, 1989.


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[ZESTCaste] Dalits in Kangeyam allege denial of temple entry

 

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article849224.ece

Dalits in Kangeyam allege denial of temple entry
V. S. Palaniappan

The Uthamapalayam temple entry struggle committee has alleged denial
of temple entry for Dalits and discrimination by caste Hindus at
Uthamapalayam in Kangeyam, Tirupur district.

In 2005 January, when the Dalits demanded right to enter the
Uthamapalayam Mariamman temple, Revenue and HR&CE officials held talks
ensured the entry of dalits into the temple.

Convenor of the Committee S. Karuppiah said that the caste Hindus,
claiming that the temple had lost its sanctity because of the entry of
Dalits had constructed another temple on a common site and named it
New Uthamapalayam Mariamman Temple. The kumbabishegam took place on
October 21.

When the Dalits from Velampalayam, Uthamapalayam, Dasavanaickenpatti,
Nagamanaickenpatti numbering nearly 500 tried to enter the temple with
materials for abishegam, they were intercepted and attacked.

Meeting held
In order to end the caste-based discrimination and practice of
untouchability, representatives of 13 organisations conducted a
meeting at Vellakoil on Saturday.

At the meeting, it was decided to condemn the official machinery for
supporting the caste Hindu outfits, which resorted to discrimination
of Dalits and practice of untouchability. An 18-member executive
committee was constituted for the purpose of ensuring temple entry
rights for Dalits.

The New Uthamapalayam Mariamman Temple was a symbol of shame depicting
the practice of untouchability.

The meeting also resolved to seek registration of cases against caste
Hindus for the attack unleashed on Dalits under the Protection of
Civil Rights Act and arrest of those responsible for the attack.

The meeting also demanded the withdrawal of the case registered
against the Dalits in Vellakoil police limits.

The meeting decided to represent to the District Collector and
Superintendent of Police in connection with the attack.

It also resolved to hold a public meeting at Vellakoil on November 9
to highlight the rights of the Dalits to enter the Uthamapalayam
Mariamman temple.

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[ZESTCaste] SC seeks report from Haryana on Mirchpur

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101026/main4.htm

SC seeks report from Haryana on Mirchpur
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, October 25
The Supreme Court today directed the Haryana government to file a
fresh status report within three weeks giving details of the relief
and rehabilitation measures undertaken in Mirchpur, the scene of
violence against Dalits in April this year.

A Bench comprising Justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly passed the order
after senior counsel Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the victims
comprising about 150 families which had fled the village following the
incidents, pointed out the shortcomings in the state government's
response.

The victims have sought expeditious settlement of their claims and
action against the perpetrators. Two Dalits were killed in the village
in Hissar district and several houses were torched allegedly by upper
caste men.


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[ZESTCaste] Dalits being prevented from voting in Bihar

http://www.ndchronicle.com/news/Dalits_being_prevented_from_voting_in_Bihar_1288002096/

Dalits being prevented from voting in Bihar

25 October, 2010

By NDChronicle.com correspondent,

A large number of Dalits of Bochcha and some other assembly
constituencies of Muzaffarpur district were prevented from casting
their votes in the second phase of polling in Bihar.

If the reports coming from the district are to be believed the Dalits
were denied their voting rights both by the supporters of the ruling
Janata Dal (United)-BJP alliance and RJD-LJP combine.

Though a local private television channel is repeatedly highlighting
the news of denial of voting right to about 250 Dalits the authorities
have done little in this regard.

The cases of denial of votes to the Dalits are coming in from places
where homeguards are being deployed instead of the central
para-military forces.

Similar reports are pouring in from Minapur and Gaighat assembly
segments of Muzaffarpur district.

It needs to be recalled that the brother of Veena Devi, the BJP
candidate from Gaighat, Anil Kumar Singh, was caught red-handed while
distributing money to voters late on Tuesday night.

A case of intimidating poll official was also lodged against a Janata
Dal (United) MLA in the first phase of polling on October 21.

Voting percentage in the first few hours are not as high as in the
first phase of polling for 47 seats which took place on October 21.
The Maoists' diktat and denial of votes to Dalits seem to be working
at least in some places.


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[ZESTCaste] Convention of Dalit writers

 

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/26/stories/2010102662970600.htm

Karnataka

Convention of Dalit writers

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Karnataka Dalit Sangarsha Samiti (Ambedkar Vada) along with
Prof. B. Krishnappa Trust will organise a two-day second State-level
convention of Dalit writers and artists from October 29 at Kuvempu
Ranga Mandira in Shimoga.

Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, State Chief Convenor of the
Karnataka Dalita Sangarsha Samiti Mavalli Shankar said poet and former
president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat Chandrashekar Patil, would
inaugurate it. The inaugural day's programme will feature three
seminars, an art exhibition, folk art exhibition and release of eight
books. The second day's programme will have poet's and music meets.
Several progressive leaders will attend.

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[ZESTCaste] Nepal: New budget to declare secondary education free

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=24571

BUDGET 2010/11
New budget to declare secondary education free
MILAN MANI SHARMA

KATHMANDU, Oct 26: The government is declaring education up to
secondary level free for all under the budget for the current fiscal
year, said Finance Minister Surendra Pandey. It is also providing
incentives to all enrolled students to discourage dropouts.

The new program under the upcoming budget, if it comes into force,
will directly benefit some 6.5 million students studying up to 10th
grade in public schools across the country. So far, public schools
have been providing financial support for books to students who cannot
unafford them.

The incentives for students from dalit and underprivileged groups will
be even higher; for others it will be nominal.

Under the program targeted specially at developing human capital, the
government has settled on providing Rs 70 per month to all dalit
students to encourage them to continue their studies.

All girl students will get Rs 60 per month and others, Rs 50 per month.

If the legislature-parliament allows him to present the budget and
endorses it, Pandey will spend as much as Rs 5 billion for
implementing the new program.

"We have worked out the financial burden it will create. But as
education holds the key to the development of the country, we are
ready to bear the cost," Pandey told Republica.

Ministry of Finance (MoF) officials, however, said that they have not
yet worked out the modality for issuing the incentive to students.

"We want to make sure that the incentive is not misused, but have not
finalized the modality," said a source. He indicated that the
government could decide to hand over the incentive amounts to the
mothers of students to make sure of their proper use.

He stated that the government has sought the support of donors to
implement the program. So far, donors have been contributing Rs 17
billion a year in the development of Nepal´s education sector. Apart
from that the government spends around Rs 40 billion a year on
education.
All students to get incentives to attend school
Dalit students to get Rs 70, girls Rs 60 and others Rs 50 per month
Govt plans to entrust incentives to mothers
Program to cost Rs 5b annually
The government will also continue to spend on an incentive system at
schools on the basis of admission rate, dropout rate and pass
percentage, in order to improve the quality of school education.

"A special incentive to check dropout is necessary, especially if we
want to retain students from poor and underprivileged groups in the
schools," said Vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission
Jagadish Chandra Pokharel.

He noted that the new program could make a meaningful contribution in
attaining universal primary education, one of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). Currently, enrollment in primary education
stands at 93.7 percent and the government has set itself a target to
raise that to 97 percent in the next three years.


Published on 2010-10-26 03:00:06


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[ZESTCaste] Lalu asks Dalits to cast their caste

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/lalu-asks-dalits-to-cast-their-caste/412771/

Lalu asks Dalits to cast their caste

Saubhadra Chatterji / Kolkata/ Sonpur October 27, 2010, 0:40 IST

A loyal supporter offers him a chair at an impromptu meeting in
Ballitola village. He refuses it aggressively, hurls a mouthful at the
poor soul, pushing him aside.

Desperate to return to the 'gaddi' (chair) of the Chief Minister, Lalu
Prasad is not ready to settle for anything less - least of all a red
plastic chair in a village in Sonpur!

"I don't have time to sit. I have come to you to say I am going to
become the chief minister again. But you have to vote. Only shouting
Zindabad won't work. Remember, I have come to you after attending 11
public rallies today," he addresses the crowd in a commanding voice.

This is vintage Lalu - the Yadav chieftain on the mission to mobilize
his vote bank in the Yadav-dominated areas after the first two phases
of polling witnessed a high turnout. Scores of men and women greet him
with lanterns in hand as Prasad's convoy roams inside the villages and
stops to talk to them after every 50 meters. The former CM is
self-assured and can afford to be angry here. At Sabbalpur village,
his supporters got into a brawl with each other to get Prasad to
another venue for an impromptu rally which Prasad refused.

Just an hour ago, on view is a different Lalu Prasad: He gets down
from his Toyota Qualis and walks into Ambedkar Nagar village off the
highway, a departure from his scheduled tour programme.

This is a Dalit-dominated village and Prasad needs to woo them back.
He was the undisputed king of Dalits and other backward castes once.
Today, Nitish Kumar is in power with their support and has coined the
term Mahadalit to appeal to the caste equations.

The village, bereft of electricity, falls under Sonpur assembly
constituency where Lalu's wife Rabri Devi is contesting. Under a sky
lit only by the moon, Lalu Yadav addresses the Dalits in front of a
mud hut, with two supporters each holding a lantern and a torch.
"Ensure not a single vote is wasted. Rabri Devi needs to win. All your
problems will disappear," he says.

In his own caste bastion, Lalu Prasad is still the king of hearts.
"Whatever grudges we have against him are gone, now that Laluji has
visited our village," say villager in places like Rahar Diara,
Jaitiya, Shahpur Diara. In his public rally at Parsa Village of Saran,
the crafty politician stokes this caste pride: "Lalu made the
backwards sit on the chairs. You used to take on the SPs and DMs. Now,
you can't even enter government offices. You have to salute officers
now. As Lalu has become weak, there is no one to ask about Biharis in
Delhi and Mumbai," the CM says as the crowd roars.


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[ZESTCaste] Fwd: invitation for the culmination of the Samajik Parivarthan Yatra

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shiva Shankar <sshankar@cmi.ac.in>
Date: Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 4:53 PM
Subject: invitation for the culmination of the  Samajik Parivarthan Yatra
To:

Dear Friends,

This is just a reminder requesting you to participate in the 2
important programmes related to the historic Samajik Parivarthan Yatra
of Safai Karmacharis. They are:

1. Reception Programme on Sunday the 31st October 2010 at Vishva Yuvak
Kendra,Chanakyapuri, at 5-7pm

- The National Bus Yatris coming from 5 different corners of India
will be warmly welcomed. Prominent personalities will do the honor of
receiving them and recognize their contribution to social
transformation. At this time, a representative section of the Yatris
will also share their views and experiences of interaction with local
communities during the long journey. This would be a time for
community celebration as well as raising demands for eradication of
manual scavenging and rehabilitation.

2. A Public Rally and Meeting at Mavalankar Hall in the Constitution
Club,Rafi marg New Delhi on Monday the 1st November 2010 at 10:30am
to2pm

In addition to the large gathering of safai karmacharis from all over
India, leaders and representatives of several social movements,
renowned social and political activists, and intellectuals will join
the meeting to express solidarity greetings and encourage campaign
struggle to free this country from the shame of manual scavenging.

We invite you to attend both the programmes. Your presence and
participation will be a great source of inspiration and encouragement
for the assembled safai karamcharis.

Please confirm your participation so as to help us schedule your turn
for solidarity expression.

Looking forward to hearing from you, Yours sincerely, Bezawada Wilson
On behalf of National Core Team of SKA

__._,_.___
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