Latest News Update: Apr 26, 2011

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Re: [ZESTCaste] 18 percent of Corporate Sector employees are Dalits, says CII chief

Dalt Office Retires, 3 Held For "Purifying" His Office........www.hindustantimes.com of 22.4.2011

This news was published on 22.4.2011 in Hindustan Times and also in Times of India.:

CAN GROUP FRIENDS HELP/ADVISE, HOW TO GET JUSTICE FROM "NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SCHEDULED CASTES" IN SIMILAR CASES OF CASTE HUMILIATION IN THE GOVT OFFICES, WHEN THE VICTIM HAS NO MONEY POWER, NO POLITICAL POWER, NO ADMINISTRATIVE POWER, NO MEDIA POWER & NO SOCIAL POWER (DUE TO BELONGING TO VERY WEAK DALIT COMMUNITIES) :- ... In the above case of Kerala's dalit officer, police acted only after the case got publicity after coming into newspapers (before that there was no action either by Police or by any other authority). Same caste based humiliation has happened against me in the govt office in New Delhi (Puja (purifying rituals due to caste hatred) was performed by the casteist group of govt bureaucrats, to purify the office place used by me, also breaking open my room for the puja), but no action has been taken either by police or by other higher authorities of Govt, despite my complaints (with evidence) to Police & National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Instead of taking action against the perpetrators, the oppressor bureaucrats have been given the liberty & encouragement to harass & harm me increasingly. Not only that, my complaints of caste harassment by the the group of influential casteist bureaucrats, are pending with NCSC's APCR Wing since September,2008; where the casteist oppressors are inflicting one harassment action after other repeatedly for last many years, because they have not been tolerating me in the government organisation due to my being a highly qualified & being the senior most SC/ST officer at the organisation's head office (hence they also removed me from the Delhi head office by transferring me to Hyderabad in December,2009, after my complaints to NCSC against their caste harassment & after getting encouraged by NCSC taking no action against them). . ........Although NCSC is highest authority for protection of scheduled castes, but in actual, NCSC only helps the perpetrators to increasingly harass & harm the victim repeatedly, after his complaints to NCSC (by not controlling the perpetrators). ............... Clearly, the reason for inaction & injustice in the caste atrocities & caste hatred motivated humiliating act of puja-purification in my case, is that Police & NCSC follow some unfair criterea not based on justice. .............. What are the critirea, NCSC & Police follow for taking action in caste atrocities cases? .......... Do police & NCSC take the action only on those cases which get publicity in the media & come in the newspapers & television? Or there are some monitory considerations ? Or there are political considerations ? Do they act only against those atrocities where they get directions from politicians ? Do they act according to the influential position of the perpetrators ? (do they ignore or suppress the case when the perpetrators are in influential position having money power ? ) ............. For my case, I have no money power, no political power, no media power. .................. So, does that mean that there will be no action & justice by NCSC in my long pending case & casteist oppressors will be continued to be encouraged by NCSC, Police & other authorities to repeatedly harass, harm & humiliate me because I have no money power, no political power, no administrative power, no media power, no social power (belonging to a very weak dalit sub-caste). With great pain I regularly go from Hyderabad to NCSC's Delhi office, but NCSC people always reply that they will look into my case when they will get time. ..................... Can facebook friends advise/help how I get justice from NCSC / Police OR how a victim get justice against caste atrocities in govt offices, when he has no money power, no political power, no influential position etc !! ............................ MANISH K BAINIWAL, GENERAL MANAGER (in a GOVERNMENT OF INDIA'S PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKING) , PHONE: 91-9701698882

From: CHITTIBABU PADAVALA <afchittibabu@gmail.com>
To: "humanhorizons@yahoogroups.co.uk cc Vidyadhar Landge" <vidyadhar.landge@gmail.com>; sakyagroup <sakyagroup@yahoogroups.com>; mulnivasibahujans <MulnivasiBahujans@googlegroups.com>; bodhisatva_group-subscribe <bodhisatva_group-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>; bahujanstudentnetwork <bahujanstudentnetwork@googlegroups.com>; ZESTCaste <ZESTCaste@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 26 April 2011 3:48 AM
Subject: Re: [ZESTCaste] 18 percent of Corporate Sector employees are Dalits, says CII chief

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/economy/article1766906.ece

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One more pathetic fellowship program for Dalit students!! Re: [ZESTCaste] Fwd: Scholarships for dalit university fellows: please spread the word

Whoever formulated this scholarship idea are either ignorant (if honest) of
basic facts about Dalits and Higher Education or downright NGO-type business
people planning to eat money with ineffective programs (if they are not).
These semi-literates want to work in the area of Higher Education and those
who cannot compose a decent announcement want to organize an intense writing
program for Dalit students along side their university or professional
education!

Why this below-25 age condition? This age condition is one that prevents
most of our Dalit students applying for most of the scholarships,
particularly for studying abroad. Given the peculiar information deprivation
of the students from state universities and rural institutions, by the time
our students get to know about scholarships and grasp the intricacies of
applying for scholarships, they are over-aged already.

One small essay in most of the English dailies is enough to fetch 2000/- or
more. This organization wants to give the same amount for two to four
articles per month!! On top of that, the beneficiary has to attend not only
NAD's workshops but also those directed by it. One hopes Dalit students
don't have to borrow more than 2000/- per month to fulfill these
obligations.

Thank god, they didn't ask for "consistent good academic record" and first
class from SSC onward and such shit.

See this: "write 2-4 articles every month on "different aspect of "Dalit and
education-Primary and Higher" around the world specially focus to South
Asia...."

Oh, even as these students are busy pursuing their studies with NAD
scholarship, they have to reflect and write nearly every week a new article
on Dalits and education!

Either these NAD guys are not serious about their aims or will force their
beneficiaries into some sort of slave labor of letters.

And, do the NAD people, offering this paltry 2,000/-per month, which barely
covers your mess charges, know what they are talking about? How this money
is going to ensure "high quality professional education" for Dalits? If you
studied in your childhood with less money, then open your eyes to today's
campuses and realize that nobody can do an MBA or M.Tech with your alms.

This seems to be caricature extreme of what NGOs do and think and how they
really see Dalit students as beggars and also speak a bombastic language.

If NAD people are serious about helping Dalit students with some financial
help it is a good thing, however uninformed NAD is about relevant matters
such as monthly expenses of a university student or quality of higher
education. But, asking for the impossible and then either trying to
implement it strictly or not taking it seriously, bad for both the students
and NDA. And, going by the quality of this announcement, if these people
monitor the essay/paper writing of these students, it would be a disaster.

On 26 April 2011 17:31, Siddhartha Kumar <mailsiddhartha.k@gmail.com> wrote:

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Aswathy Senan <aswathypsenan@gmail.com>
> Date: 6 April 2011 11:18
> Subject: Scholarships for dalit university fellows: please spread the word
> To:
>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: National Academy for Dalit <nafordalit@gmail.com>
>
> Dear All,
>
>
> Greeting from NAD,
>
>
> NAD Invites application for University Fellow see below for detail.
> You are requested to circulate it.
>
>
> About organization
>
> National Academy for Dalit (NAD) is a voluntary organization started
> by diversified field of young professional in the year 2008. Its main
> objective is to provide the high quality professional education to the
> Dalit students.
>
>
> Profile: University Fellow
>
>
> No of Position: one in each state of India.
>
>
> Duration: Two year
>
>
> Stipend: Every University Fellow will receive Rs 2,000 per Month for two
> years
>
>
> Role and responsibility
>
> The University Fellow will have to write 2-4 articles every month on
> different aspect of "Dalit and education-Primary and Higher" around
> the world specially focus to South Asia (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh,
> Pakistan, Sri lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan). He may be asked to attain
> the workshop, seminar organized by NAD or directed by NAD.
>
>
> Eligibility
>
> 1. University Fellow must be from Dalit community.
>
> 2. University Fellow Must be Completed or appeared in Bachelor degree
> from any stream by 2011.
>
> 3. University Fellow must take admission in PG/MA/MBA/M.Tech any
> stream in any Indian university in coming session 2011-12.
>
> 4. University Fellow must be below 25 year.
>
> 5. University Fellow Articulate and ability to write in any Indian
> language (Preferably Hindi and English)
>
> 6. Understanding of dalit issue is desirable.
>
>
>
> Selection Process
>
> Candidates will be screened on the basis of their 1 page write-up i.e
> max 1000 words and resume for telephonic interview followed by
> personal interview.
>
> How to apply
>
> Interested Candidate send us their resume along with one page write-up
> at hr.nafordalit@gmail.com on or before 1st June 2011. Women
> candidates are encouraged to apply.
>
>
> --
> National Academy for Dalit
> Email: nafordalit@gmail.com
> http://nationalacademyfordalit.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
> --
> Thanks & Regards
> Sikander Kushwaha
> Email: sikanderkush@gmail.com
>

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Re: [ZESTCaste] Crisis Of Ambedkarites And Future Challenges

Dear anand

thanks this is indeed useful .

would like to know what you think ambedkar may have said about the neo liberal paradigm that exists today, what inter-state bodies should look like?

what did he feel about non dalits writing on their behalf?

ranjani

--- On Tue, 26/4/11, Ck Das <ckdpkd@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Ck Das <ckdpkd@yahoo.com>
Subject: [ZESTCaste] Crisis Of Ambedkarites And Future Challenges
To: tmkkutty@gmail.com, "c kd" <ckdpkd@gmail.com>, "c k" <ckdpkd@yahoo.com>, "Namasivayam Kurien Jose" <dalitbandu@yahoo.com>, econfab@gmail.com, gayahariwtr@yahoo.co.in, "raghunath kanhiyoor" <raghu_iti@rediffmail.com>, "Karthik Navayan" <navayan@gmail.com>, prabhusrambiyil@yahoo.com, zestcaste@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, 26 April, 2011, 4:47 PM

Crisis Of Ambedkarites And Future Challenges

By Anand Teltumbde

22 April, 2011
Countercurrents.org

Ambedkar Memorial Lecture at Ambedkar Habba, Spoorthi Dham, in
Bangalore on 14 April 2011

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[ZESTCaste] Dalits lay siege to municipal office

http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/26/stories/2011042665720300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Dalits lay siege to municipal office

Staff Reporter

Tirupur: Dalit Liberation Movement members laid siege to the Vellakoil
municipal office on Monday demanding improvement of basic amenities in
the wards where Dalit population is predominant.

Dalit Liberation Movement state joint general secretary S. Karuppaiah
said the demands for toilets exclusively for women and better drinking
water supply and sanitation in Wards 1 and 4, in which 98 per cent of
the population was from the Dalit community, had been ignored by the
authorities concerned since 2008.

Likewise, requisitions to construct public toilets and improvement of
drainage in Choriankunnathupalayam area, falling under ward 11 of the
municipality, too had not been addressed till now.

The crowd moved away after the municipal officials promised to redress
their grievances before May 15.

Mr. Karuppaiah told The Hindu that the Dalits would observe fast on
May 18 if their demands for better living conditions were not met
before May 15.

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[ZESTCaste] No job reservations, says CII

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/156587/no-job-reservations-says-cii.html

Projects 8 to 8.5% growth for the economy in fiscal year 2011-12
No job reservations, says CII
New Delhi, April 25, DHNS :

The apex body of industry—the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII)—is not in favour of mandatory reservation of jobs in private
sector through legislative measures.

B Muthuraman"We feel that compulsory reservation of jobs is not the
solution. We are for affirmative action on voluntary basis to enhance
the representation of candidates belonging to underprivileged sections
in wide spectrum of industry," the newly elected CII President B
Muthuraman told newspersons.

Stressing the need for engaging in affirmative action by the industry
to target inclusive growth he said "the industry is inclined to
recruit more number of candidates belonging to SC, ST and backward
classes. There is no bias."

Quoting latest data complied by the CII, Muthuraman said candidates
belonging to weaker sections like SC and ST constituted 18 to 20 per
cent of total recruitment made by the industry in the last year.

Encouraging response

"The CII Code of Affirmative Action is receiving encouraging response.
We are aiming to make nearly 2000 of our member becoming signatories
to the Code," Muthuraman, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Tata
Steel, said.

"We have also decided to submit a quarterly report on progress on
affirmative action to the government this fiscal onward," he said. In
a bid to promote SC and ST entrepreneurs, he indicated that the CII
would persuade its members to procure components and input materials
from enterprises run by "dalit" entrepreneurs.

Replying to volley of queries on corruption, Muthuraman said the
industry is opposed to corruption and stand steadfastly against any
sort of corrupt practices.

Amnesty scheme

On black money he said "the CII is of the view that there is a need
for an amnesty scheme ...If somebody does not declare (black money)
the government must punish."

However, he suggested "the amnesty scheme can only be announced once.
You cannot have two. Only by an absolute carrot and stick approach
this issue can be solved," Muthuraman said.

He also suggested for transparency in public governance the CII would
press for removal of discretionary powers of government functionaries
which are often "misused".

"Misuse of discretion and standards, lack of transparent rules and
procedures and lack of transparency in public procurement are the key
challenges for governance," he said.
Projecting 8 to 8.5 per cent growth for the economy in 2011-12 the CII
Chief outlined a five-pronged strategy for over 10 per cent growth in
coming years.

The strategy suggests putting as many as 100 mega projects on the fast
track and pushing forward tax reforms like introduction of Goods and
Services Tax (GST). It aims at doubling the contribution of
manufacturing sector in GDP to 25 per cent from 12 per cent, create a
common market and improve investment climate.

It also suggested project monitoring and implementation agency with
specific timelines in order to keep the growth momentum at high
levels.

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[ZESTCaste] Maya’s concern for Dalits a sham: BJP

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mayas-concern-for-dalits-a-sham-bjp/781460/

Maya's concern for Dalits a sham: BJP
Express News Service Posted online: Tue Apr 26 2011, 05:50 hrs
Lucknow : Calling the BSP government "anti-Dalit", the Bharatiya
Janata Party on Monday alleged the community in the state was facing
maximum problems during Mayawati's regime.

"The BSP calls itself the party of the Dalits. But we have all details
as to how Dalits have been the worst sufferers in the four-year rule
of the BSP," said BJP general secretary Ravi Shanker Prasad who
inaugurated a cartoon exhibition in Lucknow today on alleged
corruption cases of the BSP government.

"Mayawati should tell people how many Dalits were given employment by
the BSP government. If babies and mothers are dying because of lack of
proper medical care, specially among the Dalit communities, how can
the government claim that it has worked for Dalit welfare¿," he said.

Prasad added, "We will tell the people the BSP government is totally
anti-Dalit and it should be voted out of power." He alleged rampant
corruption and breakdown of law and order have hit the state hard.

"Even a month after CMO B P Singh was killed, no arrest has been made.
Riots in Meerut were also due to lack of proper police action," he
said.

"BSP and SP are two pillars of the corrupt UPA government at the
Centre," he alleged. Prasad said the BJP would continue to expose the
scams. He said BJP's "Mahasangram" rallies held to create awareness
among people on these issues were getting an overwhelming response.

Referring to Mayawati's demand for Dalit representation in Lokpal Bill
drafting committee, he said the BSP should first answer some questions
related to the governance in the state. "We have no objection to the
demand for Dalit representation in Lokpal bill panel, but we would
like the Centre to take a decision on this," said Prasad.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit representative should be a Minister: Hegde

http://news.oneindia.in/2011/04/24/dalitrepresentative-should-be-a-ministerhegde-aid0126.html

Dalit representative should be a Minister: Hegde
Sunday, April 24, 2011, 14:30 [IST]

New Delhi, Apr 24: Amid Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's demand
for inclusion of a Dalit in the Lokpal Bill drafting committee,
Justice Santosh Hegde said if someone from the community should be
included in the panel, then it should be one of the Dalit ministers.

"If at a Dalit is to be included in the panel, it should be one of the
Dalit Ministers from the government," he told reporters.

His comments came in the backdrop of Mayawati's demand for inclusion
of a Dalit representative in the Lokpal drafting committee Hegde, who
is a member of the committee, had on Apr 23 said, "if you have to have
any caste-wise representation, then this committee can never be
constituted." Another panel member Arvind Kejriwal also said the
government could replace one of the five ministers with a dalit
representative.

PTI

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit kids: 'Untouchables' and uneducated too

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-25/bhubaneswar/29471167_1_mid-day-meals-dalit-kids-dalit-children

Dalit kids: 'Untouchables' and uneducated too
Ashis Senapati, TNN, Apr 25, 2011, 03.21pm IST

KENDRAPADA: Dalit children at a school in Jagatsinghpur district do
not know where they went wrong with their studies because teachers
refused to check their notebooks. "Ame achuta (We are considered
untouchables). The teachers refuse to touch our books and our homework
is never corrected," said Bijaya Mallick, a student of Class IV at the
school at Keutapala in Balikuda block. "If we even touch our teachers
by mistake, they scold us for polluting them," he added.

The 40 odd Dalit students in the school were allegedly singled out and
made to clean classrooms and toilets. "I clean toilets at school,"
said Samir Mallick, a Class V student. He looked puzzled when asked
why he agreed to do so. "The teachers tell me to do it," the
11-year-old boy said. "We are not even allowed to take water from the
drinking pot at school," he added.

Several students and their parents complained that they were victims
of caste discrimination by the school staff since long. The final
straw, however, was when teachers refused to serve mid-day meals to
the children. This prompted incensed parents not to send their wards
to school for the past one week.

"The cook and some teachers, who were entrusted to provide mid-day
meals, abused some Dalit children and refused to give them food. Our
children were also compelled to sit at a distance from upper caste
children during meal time," said Babaji Mallick, the father of a Dalit
student. "We have therefore decided not to send our children to that
school," he added.

The school headmistress, Joshnarani Swain, rubbished the allegations
of discrimination. "We have been regularly providing mid-day meals to
all students and never discriminated against any Dalit child," she
said.

When contacted, BDO (Balikuda) Niranjan Chanda said, "I have asked the
school inspector and welfare extension officer to conduct an inquiry
into the matter. The authorities will take proper action against the
culprits after getting the report," he said.

Expressing concern over the continuation of the obnoxious practice,
social activists in the area said it was unfortunate that caste
discrimination still prevailed in rural areas.

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[ZESTCaste] Medical camp in Ranchi to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti

http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=395&page=17

2011 Issues > May 01, 2011

Medical camp in Ranchi to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti

AKHIL Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) organised a medical camp at
a village under Kankhe block in Ranchi to celebrate the birth
anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on April 14.

Block Medical Officer Dr Surendra inaugurated the camp. Dr Satish Mida
was the chief guest and ABVP national executive committee member Shri
Swarna Singh was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Surendra said the health problems in
India is the biggest problem. He lauded the services of the ABVP in
mobilising the youth in rural areas. Dr Satish Mida said Dr.Ambedkar
was a saint of social consciousness. So, throughout his life he worked
for social harmony. Dr Satish appreciated the commitment of the ABVP
towards the society. A total of 142 people underwent free health check
up in the one-day camp. (FOC)

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[ZESTCaste] Ambedkar’s ideology

http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/04/ambedkars-ideology.html

Ambedkar's ideology
Uploaded by admin Baba Saheb Ambedkar, feature, Social 11:47:00 PM

India should have a Capitalistic approach that suits it the best

by Chandrabhan Prasad

(April 25, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) In the I950s, people lived
in a world that was divided. Torn ideologically, the Communist world
was led by the former Soviet Union. The US was the leader of the
Capitalist world. It was also the time when anti-colonial struggle was
at its peak. Once free, they chose a new identity for themselves —
they called themselves the Third World country.

The Soviet Union claimed leadership of the Third World countries. With
Communist Party of China taking over country, a major part of the
world had turned Red. Many leaders believed that the days of
Capitalism were numbered. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin's book Imperialism is
the highest stage of Capitalism was extremely popular during that
time. The Lenin's thesis argued a logical fall of Capitalism. It was
based on a simple arithmetical calculation — once the Third World was
free from Imperialism, the contradictions between the Proletariats and
Capitalism will sharpen to a point of a breakdown. To Lenin,
Proletariats in the Capitalist world were not revolting because they
wanted to benefit from the loot brought from the colonies.

In India, as elsewhere, Lenin's slogan Road to London and Washington
goes via Calcutta and Peking had millions of takers. That meant, after
triumph of Communism in China in 1949, India was next in line to turn
Red. Even Jawaharlal Nehru was all in praise of Marxism. No wonder
then many Brahmins would turn Communist which would mean triumph of
Communism in the country. What was Dr Ambedkar's stand and ideology
during this time? The Dalits need to debate over this. Through this
column, some insight can be gathered.

Ahead of the first Parliamentary Elections in 1952, Dr Ambedkar
decided to write a manifesto of his party — All India Scheduled Caste
Federation. On October 6, 1951, a meeting was held at his residence.
The manifesto outlined following policies to be implemented — for
agriculture in case federation won elections:

* Agriculture must be mechanised. India can never become
prosperous so long as the method of cultivation remains primitive

* To make mechanised farming possible, cultivation on small
holdings must be replaced by large farms

* To increase the yield, there must be provision of for adequate
manuring and supply of healthy seeds

This was penned by Dr Ambedkar 60 years ago. What was the ideological
position of Communism in India then? Wasn't land to the tiller the
main slogan of the Communist party? Is land to the tiller slogan
possible on large farms? To whom does the idea of large farms belong?
Doesn't it belong to Communists?

In 1951, Dr Ambedkar wanted mechanisation of agriculture. Have the
Communist parties in India ever supported mechanisation of
agriculture? In fact, Communists along with Socialists were the first
to oppose introduction of tractors on the ground that machines will
create more unemployment.

Today, adequate manuring and healthy seeds mean the use of chemical
fertilizers and hybrid seeds.

Dr Ambedkar's manifesto lay emphasis on tackling poverty. "Looking at
the intense poverty of the people of this country, no other
consideration except that of greater production can be the primary and
paramount condition," wrote Dr Ambedkar in his manifesto.

But under what kind of system would the production will increase? The
manifesto has an answer for this. "For the purpose of increasing
production, the Scheduled Caste Federation (SCF) will not be bound by
any dogma or any pattern," says the manifesto (pg 39). What did Dr
Ambedkar mean when he wrote this?

Was he against the private sector? "The pattern of industrial
enterprise will be a matter regulated by the needs of the time and
circumstances. Where national undertaking of an industry is possible
and essential, the SCF will support national undertaking. Where
private enterprise is possible and national undertaking not essential,
private enterprise will be allowed," manifesto reads.

Dr Ambedkar strongly opposed Marxism. By the time he wrote the
manifesto, the idea of State Socialism lost its appeal. Did Dr
Ambedkar then stand for a Capitalistic social order? Nowhere does he
praise Capitalism. In his life time, horrifying results of Communism
had not been revealed. For many enlightened scholars belonging to the
Third World and upholding Capitalism was blasphemous.

Yet, Dr Ambedkar's manifesto virtually endorses Capitalism, with a
difference though. Today, we know that Capitalism can have many
shades. Capitalism in Scandinavia countries — Denmark, Norway and
Sweden is not the same as Capitalism in the UK and the US.

In other words, Dr Ambedkar's ideology was Ambedkarism — a Capitalism
that best suited India.

------------------------------------

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[ZESTCaste] INLD not to support illegal orders of khap panchayats

http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/26/stories/2011042660040300.htm

Other States - Haryana

INLD not to support illegal orders of khap panchayats

Chandigarh: The Indian National Lok Dal on Monday said it would not
support any illegal orders of khap panchayats, which have come under
attack from the Supreme Court recently.

"We never support anyone giving diktats to murder or doing something
which is illegal...," INLD secretary-general Ajay Chautala told
reporters here.

He was replying to question on the khap panchyats' decision to file a
review petition after the Supreme Court's observation that kangaroo
courts were "barbaric and illegal".

He said khaps were part of Indian culture and doing a good work. "If I
recall, I don't remember a single instance where khap panchayats have
issued an order to kill anyone or said something that was illegal.
Khaps are part of our culture and tradition since the Mahabharata
times," the INLD leader said.

------------------------------------

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[ZESTCaste] Fwd: death in a manhole

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shiva Shankar <sshankar@cmi.ac.in>
Date: Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 9:33 AM
Subject: death in a manhole
To:

The law against 'manual scavenging' is not enforced even in the
capital of this country.
Shiva Shankar.
-------------------

Two safai karamcharis die while cleaning manhole

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Two-safai-karamcharis-die-while-cleaning-manhole/articleshow/8021153.cms

TNN | Apr 18, 2011, 11.21pm IST

NEW DELHI: Two safai karamcharis died after inhaling poisonous gases
while cleaning a manhole in Bawana in northwest Delhi on Monday. The
victims have been identified as Harvinder (25) and Anil (26). The
incident was reported around 10.45am in DSIDC industrial area, said
cops.

The two were working for a private contractor hired by Delhi Jal Board
and were clearing a blocked sewer in the area when the incident took
place, said police. Cops said, Harvinder had climbed down the sewer
when he lost consciousness after inhaling the poisonous gases.

Police said Anil decided to go after Harvinder when he stopped
responding to his calls, but met with a similar fate. "When Anil
descended into the gutter , he too lost consciousness and subsequently
died. Another labourer Joginer was found lying unconscious," said a
cop.

While Anil and Harvinder were declared brought dead, Joginder is
reportedly critical.

***

Dear Friends, here is mail from Stalin K, the director of the award
winning film 'India Untouched'.
       Please join the fight against manual scavenging.
       Shiva Shankar.
                       -----------------
Hi Shiva, This video made by our community correspondent in Ludhiana
may interest you. Please feel free to circulate widely.
http://indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org/jai/lives-wasted-in-gutters/
Two manual scavengers were killed while working without any safety
masks or gloves which necessarily have to be provided by the
government. Men – particularly from the Chuhar, Mehathar, Halalkhor,
Lalbaghi, Bangi, Thotti and Jamadar lower castes – are commonly
employed as manual scavengers and sewage cleaners in India. These
caste subgroups are generally referred to as Valkimis. A Valmiki is
considered to be the lowest of the low in the caste hierarchy. In
Ludhiana, 90-95 percent of the Valmiki community are engaged in this
horrendous work; everyday their lives are under threat and their
dignity is taken away.
In this video our community correspondent, Jaikumar, highlights the
dangers of this work. He urges the government to make safety
provisions for these cleaners who work in sewers; the drains often
contain abnormally high percentage of carbon dioxide, varying amounts
of methane, hydrogen & hydrogen sulphide and a low percentage of
oxygen. When cleaners are directly exposed to these gases they fall
sick and even, as this video shows, die immediately.
Jai Kumar speaks about his community, "Members of my community are
poor and there are high levels of illiteracy. They aren't aware of the
dangers attached to these jobs or of other opportunities available. It
is crucial that they educated about the risks involved. Only then will
they be empowered to demand safety equipment and even an end to this
practice all together."
- Show quoted text -

On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 9:33 AM, Shiva Shankar <sshankar@cmi.ac.in> wrote:
     The law against 'manual scavenging' is not enforced even in the
     capital of this country.
            Shiva Shankar.
                            -------------------
     Two safai karamcharis die while cleaning manhole
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Two-safai-karamcharis-die-whi
     le-cleaning-manhole/articleshow/8021153.cms
     TNN | Apr 18, 2011, 11.21pm IST
     NEW DELHI: Two safai karamcharis died after inhaling poisonous
     gases while cleaning a manhole in Bawana in northwest Delhi on
     Monday. The victims have been identified as Harvinder (25) and
     Anil (26). The incident was reported around 10.45am in DSIDC
     industrial area, said cops.
     The two were working for a private contractor hired by Delhi Jal
     Board and were clearing a blocked sewer in the area when the
     incident took place, said police. Cops said, Harvinder had
     climbed down the sewer when he lost consciousness after inhaling
     the poisonous gases.
     Police said Anil decided to go after Harvinder when he stopped
     responding to his calls, but met with a similar fate. "When Anil
     descended into the gutter , he too lost consciousness and
     subsequently died. Another labourer Joginer was found lying
     unconscious," said a cop.
     While Anil and Harvinder were declared brought dead, Joginder is
     reportedly critical.

--
Stalin K.
Director
Video Volunteers - Empowering Community Voices
Phone : (W) 0832-2281032 (M) 99235-94635
Skype: stalink1234
www.videovolunteers.org/
http://twitter.com/videovolunteers
Watch our videos: indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org

------------------------------------

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[ZESTCaste] Fwd: Scavenging Profession - EPW article

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shiva Shankar <sshankar@cmi.ac.in>
Date: Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 6:44 PM
Subject: Scavenging Profession - EPW article
To:

"... The scavenging profession is a direct mockery of India's status
as a developing global power because the scavengers continue to be in
the same state in which they were during the pre-independence days.
The scavengers have not received anything from either India's
independence or from the affirmative reservation policy implemented
for their uplift. Rather, their condition seems to be worsening. For
example, recently, some people belonging to the 'Bhangi' community
smeared human excreta to protest the Karnataka government's plan to
evict them from their homes. This act, in one sense, can be seen as a
political opposition to mainstream India's stereotypes on scavenging
which has, along with the government, always shown some vague
reformist intent with regard to the scavenging profession. As against
the reformist agenda, this protest was about reclaiming the legitimate
space of the scavengers and keeping the 'reformers' at bay. ..."

Scavenging Profession: Between Class and Caste?
B.Ravichandran http://www.epw.org.in/epw/uploads/articles/15869.pdf

A recent incident where some people belonging to the 'Bhangi'
community smeared human excreta to protest the Karnataka government's
plan to evict them from their homes brings out in stark relief the
failure of reformist initiatives to end the manual clearing of human
excreta. This article argues that part of the reason for these
failures has been the inability to imbue the 'Bhangi' with political
agency, while our ideological and literary imaginations have only
tried to see this issue in terms of caste or class. ...

... And as we know, since every caste has a 'hereditary' profession
according to the Hindu shastras, scavenging definitely qualifies as a
caste profession. In north India, scavengers are addressed largely as
Bhangis and in the southern states as Arunthathiyars, Rellis, Madigas,
Mehtars, Pakis, etc, depending upon the region in which they reside.
However, we should not forget that although scavenging is done, with
regional variations, by one particular community or caste, the
majority of the people within those particular communities are not
scavengers. Among the scavenging castes there are large numbers of
daily-wage labourers and those who get monthly salaries by working in
factories. However, whatever work they may do, they have to bear the
stigma of the profession associated with the caste and the consequent
backwardness. Here I quote from report of the National Commission for
Safai Karmacharis (2001):
"... the other Safai Karamcharis, who are perhaps not directly
engaged in manual scavenging, namely, the safai karamcharis employed
in municipalities, are also not faring any better. A large number of
them are indirectly involved in manual scavenging. ..."

While discussing the issue of scavenging, this invisible majority and
their problems remain under-represented. I claim this is due to the
profession being reduced to governmental categories and not seen as a
structural problem of the caste system in India.

In this context it is important to look at the history of how the
profession has been perceived. I would like to refer to two prominent
nationalist responses to the issue, that of Mahatma Gandhi and of B R
Ambedkar. Ambedkar, while critiquing Gandhi.s stance on scavenging in
'What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables', quotes
Gandhi:
"I love scavenging. In my Ashram, an eighteen year old Brahmin
lad is doing the scavenger's work in order to teach the Ashram
cleanliness. The lad is no reformer. He was born and bred in
orthodoxy. But he felt that his accomplishments were incomplete until
he had become also a perfect sweeper, and that if he wanted the Ashram
sweeper to do his work well, he must do it himself and set an
example."

Ambedkar then proceeds to critique Gandhi's position thus:
"What is the use of telling the scavenger that even a Brahmin
is prepared to do scavenging when it is clear that according to Hindu
Shastras and Hindu notions even if a Brahmin did scavenging he would
never be subject to the disabilities of one who is a born scavenger?
For in India a man is not a scavenger because of his work. He is a
scavenger because of his birth irrespective of the question whether he
does scavenging or not."

It is not surprising that many dalits who talk of facing
discrimination still look at this profession from a Gandhian
perspective, because Gandhian paternalism most resembles governmental
reformism. However, as I indicated above, governmental reformism is
not strictly Gandhian or Ambedkarite in nature due to historical
changes in the nation's journey from imperialist subjugation to high
capitalism. ...

... While everyone argues that the profession is the cause for their
socio-economical backwardness, they forget to bring up the issue of
caste. I want to foreground the news of dalits smearing human excreta
on their body as a shield against the so-called modernisation drive of
the Government of Karnataka (the government wanted to evict the
untouchables from their homes, probably on the basis that they do not
have proper legal claims). I would like to argue that the act of
pouring shit on their own body in protest against the State.s forceful
eviction is a political act, not only against the civil society, but
also against the contemporary dalit movement in the country. However,
as usual, attempts have been made by the mainstream media and civil
society alike to divert the metaphorical intervention of scavengers
trying to politicise shit from its political context.

The protesters poured excreta on themselves not to claim they are
still scavengers, instead, in the eventuality of a displacement or
other such unwelcome intrusion, excreta is the only protection for the
bodies/families of the scavenging community. The act was an act of
politicising shit, after which the government had to give back the
homes to the scavengers. This very act has similarities to the way the
black movement politicised colour, after which the word black could
not be divested from the political uses to which it was put by those
movements. I argue that, this politicisation of the event and the
profession is what is lacking in this drive towards modernisation and
the urge to civilise, which is just another facet of the displacement
drive of the Karnataka government. It is the same arm which cleanses,
that invokes the discourse of rights to displace as well!

Recovering Agency

Usually what comes to our mind when we speak of the scavenging
profession is a bucket and yellow coloured shit, which invokes pity
and repulsion at the same time, without any room for political angst
or agency. It is presumptuous to assume that anybody would relate to
the plight of a scavenger at the level of pity or revulsion. I am not
appealing to reduce the distance of the .other. with the plight of the
scavenger, but rather politicise this distance, through the agency and
consciousness of the scavenger. This in effect disrupts and disturbs
the creation of an illusion of equality, which is the basis of any
political action. The social disabilities that come with scavenging
can only be eradicated by a large-scale reformation of the society. I
argue that, as of now, the only way to work with the gigantic
apparatus of the governmental machinery and simultaneously maintain
the politicisation project of the community is through reservation,
which adequately converts the unbridgeable gap of the disposed from
the elite, as a political gap, and provides enough agency for the
subaltern to work his way through the tenuous struggle of his
existence.

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