Latest News Update: Nov 1, 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

[ZESTCaste] Gehlot warns against creating caste war in Raj

http://zeenews.india.com/news/rajasthan/gehlot-warns-against-creating-caste-war-in-raj_739137.html

Gehlot warns against creating caste war in Raj
Last Updated: Monday, October 31, 2011, 22:16

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday warned against
creating "caste war" in the state over reservation in promotion in
government services.

"No class - be it SC, ST, OBC or general - has the right to create
caste war. The government will take stern action against such
forces...We will not tolerate any effort to create caste-war," he told
reporters here.

A faction of the state government employees is fighting against SC/ST
reservation in service promotions.

On Gujjar community threat to revive its reservation agitation, Gehlot
said, "We respect Colonel Kirori Bainsla and in democracy everybody
has the right to protest. Their main demands are sub-judice and the
rest have been fulfilled."

"All communities in special backward classes in the state are happy
and satisfied," he claimed.

PTI

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[ZESTCaste] Court questions legality of special law to protect SC/ST

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/201557/court-questions-legality-special-law.html

Court questions legality of special law to protect SC/ST
New Delhi, Oct 31, (PTI) :

A Delhi court today questioned the legal validity of a special law
enacted to protect Dalit and tribal communities saying it
discriminates among offenders on the basis of caste.

Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau questioned the legality of
Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and
sought a re-look into it while sentencing 15 people, convicted on
September 24 for their alleged involvement in the April, 2010,
killings of a 70-year-old dalit and his physically challenged teenaged
daughter.

"The SC/ST (POA) Act, 1989 is one such legislation whose provisions
create a distinction on the ground of caste in matters of imposition
of sentence in case of certain offences, thereby creating an anomalous
situation," said ASJ Lau.

She added ".....where on the one hand, it (the Act) provides a
stringent punishment for imprisonment for life in case the victim of
atrocity is member of SC/ ST and the violator is not a member of SC/ST
but would let go a violator who is a member of the SC/ST (irrespective
of whether the victim is a member of the SC/ ST or not)".

The court said, similarly, in a case where the victim is not a dalit
or tribal member, the punishment to the offender for the same offence
would be under the general Indian Penal Code which provides for
judicial discretion in imposing sentence which could be lesser than
that provided under the SC/ST Act.

"Why this distinction when the crime committed is the same and the
victim suffers as much?," the judge said.

ASJ Lau argued "any distinction in implementation of penal provisions
on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth weakens
the secular democratic fabric, leading to polarisation and resulting
in division of the country."

While seeking a re-look into the legality of the SC/ST (POA) Act, ASJ
Lau directed that a copy of her order be sent to the office the Rajya
Sabha general secretary, saying the legislation came into existence
two decades ago and its efficacy needs to be evaluated in the
country's changing socio-economic scenario.

"This legislation in my view requires a re-look and an effective
debate. Atrocity is the wrong of the grossest kind and all atrocities
are a crime against humanity," ASJ Lau said.

The court said the Act deals with atrocities but restricts its
operation to the particular groups based upon caste.

It said instances of powerful members of a clan committing atrocities
against less fortunate members of the same clan/caste/ community are
not rare.

"Atrocities which deal with crimes against humanity should not be, in
my view, restricted to particular caste or groups," the judge said.

The court also counselled "interactive political process" to prevent
caste-based violence.

"Community and caste-based violence can be prevented by inclusive and
interactive political process to subdue the poisoning of fanaticism of
divisive and communal thinking," ASJ Lau said.

"Caste distinctions are often exploited by those wanting to cultivate
discontent and instigate violence and the only effective safeguard is
the bonds developed by national democracies and the vigour of the
democratic politics in generating tolerant values," the judge said
referring to Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen's celebrated work "Idea of
Justice."

The court also questioned the provisions of section 4 of the SC/ST Act
which differs while dealing with the offence of negligence in duties
by a public servant.

"The provision of the Act on one hand lets go a member of the SC/ST,
who commits the same crime, of non-performance or neglect his duties
in relation to provisions of the Act but punishes a person who is not
a member of the SC/ST. Why so? Is it not palpable discrimination?," it
said.

"It is this what has made me ponder if it was not time that the
'Atrocities Act' be made caste neutral with a provision for uniform
punishment for all violators, irrespective of caste distinctions," the
judge said.

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[ZESTCaste] Gehlot cautions OBC/Gen category employees against opposing promotion quotas

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Gehlot-cautions-OBC/Gen-category-employees-against-opposing-promotion-quotas/articleshow/10561370.cms

Gehlot cautions OBC/Gen category employees against opposing promotion quotas
TNN | Nov 1, 2011, 02.39AM IST

JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday cautioned the government
employees from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and the general
category against segregating their colleagues belonging to the
Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST) on the issue of
quota in promotions.

"The SC/ST people are more backward than the OBC ones. Be it the OBC
or the general category people, they need to take more care of the
SC/ST people," chief minister Gehlot said, advising the non-reserved
category employees to stop opposing the quota benefit of their
reserved category colleagues.

Gehlot was speaking in response to reporters' query on the
demonstrations being held by OBC/general category employees'
organisations to demand execution of the Rajasthan High Court judgment
that struck down the SC and ST employees' quota in promotions. The
local administration prevented one such organisation-the Samta Andolan
Samiti-to take out a 'silent rally' in support of their demand on
Sunday.

The chief minister, who too belongs to the OBC category, reiterated
that a division between the state government employees on the quota
issue would lead to a class conflict, which his administration would
not let happen. Referring to instances where mere road accidents led
to communal violence when people linked these to the religious
identities of the persons involved, the chief minister said, "The same
tendency is now creeping among the government employees."

"Be it the SC/ST people, the general category people or the OBC, no
one will be allowed to create conditions for a class war. Instead of
taking to the streets, let the judiciary interpret its decisions," the
chief minister said, pointing out that the quota issue was under
consideration by the high court.

Gehlot also referred to an observation made by the Supreme Court in
July this year that quota for the OBC students was a 'hard reality'.
"Justice Raveendran said he understood how the general category
students' sentiments were hurt when their counterparts from OBC or
ST/ST got admissions in educational institutions despite scoring
comparatively less marks. But, as Justice Raveendran said then, we
need to accept our social and constitutional setup that allows such
benefits," the chief minister reasoned.

Almost two years ago, the high court decreed that SC/ST employees in
Rajasthan cannot be granted the constitutional provision of quota in
promotions since the state government failed to fulfill the
preconditions laid down the Supreme Court.

On Monday, the ruling party president Chandrabhan blamed the previous
BJP government for failing to fulfill the conditions. "Our government
will support the quota in promotions for SC/ST employees. The present
legal hurdle has occurred due to the Vasundhara Raje government that
did not bother to full the preconditions," Chandrabhan told reporters
at the PCC.

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[ZESTCaste] Mirchpur killings: Life term to 3, 5 years for 5, 7 let off

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mirchpur-killings-Life-term-to-3-5-years-for-5-7-let-off/articleshow/10558008.cms

Mirchpur killings: Life term to 3, 5 years for 5, 7 let off
PTI | Oct 31, 2011, 09.44PM IST

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court today awarded life sentence to three persons
for their role in the April 2010 killings of a 70-year-old Dalit and
his physically-challenged daughter at Haryana's Mirchpur village.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Kamini Lau sentenced Kulwinder,
Ramphal and Rajender to life imprisonment after holding them guilty
under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)
Act.

"For the offence under provisions of SC/ST (POA) Act, they (Kulwinder,
Ramphal and Rajender) are sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life
and fine to the tune of Rs 20,000 each," the court said.

Besides them, the court sentenced five others -- Baljeet, Karambir,
Karampal, Dharambir and Bobal, convicted for rioting, voluntarily
causing hurt, mischief and putting ablaze victims' houses and
provisions of SC/ST (POA) Act, to five years jail along with a fine of
Rs 20,000 each.

The court said the fine recovered from the convicts would be given to
the victims as compensation.

The court, however, released seven convicts on probation of good
conduct for a period of one year with supervision after furnishing of
personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.

ASJ Lau freed Sumit, Pradeep, Rajpal, Sunil, Rishi, Monu and Pradeep
on probation of good conduct under the provision of Probation of
Offenders Act taking into account that most of them were first time
offenders and were young.

The court observed that these seven convicts were not held guilty for
the offences under the SC/ST (POA) Act.

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[ZESTCaste] Namma Ambedkar

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/201591/namma-ambedkar.html

Namma Ambedkar

''The statue needs to be shifted immediately.''

The harried citizens of Bangalore, patiently awaiting a solution to
the horrors of daily commute on its grid-locked roads, have
wholeheartedly welcomed the opening of a small section of Namma Metro
which promises to make their lives easier.

The 6.7-km stretch from Baiyappanahalli to MG Road, now operational,
may serve a limited purpose at the moment, but the quality of service
and the enthusiasm with which the people have taken to it indicates
that the Metro will be a huge success once it connects the outlying
areas with the City centre.

The delays caused by political uncertainties and problems in acquiring
land have already pushed the completion schedule by about two years,
and it is incumbent upon the state government to expeditiously remove
the hurdles the project is facing.

The underground tunnelling in front of Vidhana Soudha and the state
High Court is the most challenging part of the work, as the safety of
the landmark buildings was a matter of concern. The engineers of
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) were able to convince
the authorities that the Metro would pose no danger and this
particular link was vitally important to create the network.

Strangely, though the tunnelling work began about a year ago, the
controversy surrounding the shifting of a statue in front of Vidhana
Soudha has all but spooked the project. The statues of Jawaharlal
Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose have been shifted without much ado, but
for over two years, the government has not permitted the shifting of
the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar, on the pretext that some dalit
organisations have been opposing it.

Last week, BMRCL managing director N Sivasailam wrote to the
government that unless it took a decision soon on shifting the
Ambedkar statue, the Metro work will come to a halt and even a few
months' delay would entail an additional cost of Rs100 crore.

Considering that BMRCL has promised to put the statues right back in
their places once the project was complete, the government should
immediately call the protesters and convince them that their objection
was untenable.

Dr Ambedkar, the father of the Constitution, is as venerable as our
other national icons, and nobody should see a 'conspiracy' to take
away a pride of place for his statue in front of Vidhana Soudha. It's
the government's responsibility to take administrative decisions in
the larger interest of the people, and it cannot allow itself to be
cowed down by some unreasonable organisations. The government must act
now.

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[ZESTCaste] Sakkarakottai gets its first Dalit woman VP

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sakkarakottai-gets-its-first-dalit-woman-vp/198121-60-118.html

Tamil Nadu | Posted on Nov 01, 2011 at 10:48am IST
Sakkarakottai gets its first Dalit woman VP
indianexpress Express News Service , The New Indian Express

RAMANATHAPURAM: A Dalit woman has made it to the vice-president post
in Sakkarakottai panchayat in the district, thanks to the magnanimity
of the panchayat president Noor Mohamed, who recommended her name
instead of his own daughter, who was originally chosen for the post.

The local body election has brought a major change in the district,
with the AIADMK making a clean sweep in the poll that was conducted on
October 17 and 19.

The Sakkarakottai panchayat comprises 15 wards, with a population of
more than 10,000.

Fifteen ward members were elected from the villages, while Noor
Mohamed was elected as president of the panchayat. The 15 members,
including four Dalits, were to select the vice-president. Meharaj
Banu, the daughter of Noor Mohamed, was also elected from ward 14.
However, Noor Mohamed recommended the name Ponnuthai of Gandhi
Nagar-Vani, of the Arunthathiyar community, who was elected from Ward
15.

Following this, Ponnuthai was elected unopposed as vice-president of
the panchayat. She was backed by the other 14 ward members, including
caste Hindus.

It is said, MGR Nagar, Mela Sothu Oorani, Gandhi Nagar and Mullai
Nagar are devoid of basic facilities for many years now and the new
members and president now have a major task before them.

Ponnuthai (35), a spinster, had already served as councillor in the
panchayat. She alleged that she could not carry out any remarkable
work due to a local dispute in the panchayat office.

Sivaraman, the ward 9 member, felt that Ponnuthai would work hard to
promote the panchayat.

It may be recalled that the result for the Sakkarakottai panchayat
president election was declared late in the night due to some problem
in counting of postal votes.

Ponnuthai said that she was eager to carry out various development
works in the panchayat, including street lights, water connection and
road facilities.

Noor Mohamed told Express that AIADMK party general secretary and CM J
Jayalalithaa treats all section of people equally.

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[ZESTCaste] How dalits have actually fared in Uttar Pradesh

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/how-dalits-have-actually-fared-in-uttar-pradesh/articleshow/10562987.cms

1 Nov, 2011, 05.58AM IST, Ashish Tripathi,TNN
How dalits have actually fared in Uttar Pradesh

A giant statue in a Lucknow square made 12-year-old Rashi curious.
Whose statue is this, she asked her father. Although a BSP worker,
Jhanki Ram couldn't go beyond the name, Jyotiba Phule. But not wanting
to show his ignorance, he added, "He was a Mahatma who did a lot for
the dalit community".

Both had come from Etawah to take part in Kanshiram Parinirvan
functions this month. For them, the tour of dalit memorials raised by
Mayawati was empowering. "It shows that we also have a history," said
Ram, especially impressed by the massive memorial of dalit icon
Bhimrao Ambedkar.

The memorials, built at a cost of more than Rs 3,000 crore, are
described as places of dalit pilgrimage by the BSP, UP chief minister
Mayawati's party. Dalit aspirations and assertions have increased
manifold during her regime. They now have a 'history' to be proud of
and icons to follow. It's reflected not only in the statues of
Ambedkar installed in almost all villages with a dalit population but
also in the increase in dalit outfits such as Valmiki Samaj, Pasi
Mahasangh and Charmkar Parishad.

Vital parameters, too, have changed for the better in UP. The recent
Human Development Index report reveals that its Net State Domestic
Product (NSDP) grew by 76% in the last five years, almost at par with
Gujarat. The planning ministry revealed that UP was among five states
which had higher growth rates than their 11th Plan (2007-12 ) targets.
Its GDP grew to 7.28% as against a target of 6.10%. It was also
awarded "best performing state in agriculture" by the UPA this year.

But all this wasn't achieved in a jiffy. Political observer Sudhir
Panwar said the condition of dalits started changing only from the
'50s with land reforms, followed by loan waivers for schedule castes
by Indira Gandhi in the '70s, abolishing of bonded labour and
development of urban centres. This opened new avenues for landless
dalits who were dependent primarily on farm labour. Reservation in
government jobs added a much-needed impetus to dalit empowerment.

Mayawati, in a way, has taken forward this movement. In the last five
years, she has pumped over Rs one lakh crore into various schemes,
particularly for dalits and the marginalized. These include
development of Ambedkar villages, giving more than two lakh free
houses for the urban poor, Rs 400 monthly pension for those deprived
of the benefits of BPL, and scholarships and free bicycles for girls
in class XI and XII.

In addition, there's 23% quota for SCs and 27% for OBCs in industrial
units under a public-private-partnership, 23% quota for dalits and
tribals in government contracts, land for those living in slums for at
least five years and filling up more than a lakh vacancies reserved
for dalits and backward communities.

Economic growth has also been spurred by heavy investment in real
estate in the National Capital Region, in expressways, in the power
sector and in small and medium enterprises.

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[ZESTCaste] Mirchpur killings: Court quotes Tagore, Amartya Sen

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_mirchpur-killings-court-quotes-tagore-amartya-sen_1605796

Mirchpur killings: Court quotes Tagore, Amartya Sen
Published: Monday, Oct 31, 2011, 21:51 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI

A Delhi court today quoted Rabindranath Tagore's famous poem "where
the mind is without fear and the head is held high" while pronouncing
its order on sentence in the April 2010 Mirchpur Dalit killings in
Haryana.

Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau quoted Tagore's poem while
sentencing three to life imprisonment each, five others to five years
jail term each and letting off seven other convicts on probation.

"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, where
knowledge is free;.....Into ever-widening thought and action, Into
that heaven of freedom, my father, let his country awake," the judge
quoted Tagore.

ASJ Lau referred to the stanzas in which Tagore had drawn a picture of
free India and his dream of a country with no boundaries.

The judge also quoted Noble Prize winner Amartya Sen's celebrated work
'Idea of Justice' in her order.

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[ZESTCaste] Is Mayawati pilloried because she is a Dalit?

http://churumuri.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/is-mayawati-pilloried-because-she-is-a-dalit/

Is Mayawati pilloried because she is a Dalit?
By churumuri

With the Uttar Pradesh electoral joust not too far away, the
shadow-boxing has begun. The Congress is going to town questioning the
hundreds of crores spent by chief minister Mayawati on statues. In the
other corner, Mayawati is being credited for uplifting Dalits and
tribals and the success of India's formula one debut is being placed
at her door.

There is talk that Mayawati could emerge as a prime minister candidate
if not as a kingmaker if the Bahujan Samaj Party does well in the
assembly elections and repeats the show in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Which is why apparently the Congress is said to be pushing Lok Sabha
speaker Meira Kumar as a potential PM to steal Mayawati's thunder.

But, as always, the spectre of corruption hangs over her abrasive
figure. Former civil servant Amitabha Pande writes in Mail Today:

"Mayawati's corruption or the growth of her private wealth through
the use of political power has a political, cultural dimension which
is often ignored. It does not justify it, but it may offer a possible
explanation for the blatant manner in which it is done.

"Purely in terms of scale Mayawati will rank quite low in the
gallery of rogues in comparison with many members of the Union
Cabinet, many present and former chief ministers, sundry progenies and
sons in law of prominent political dynasties, and other shadowy
denizens of Indian political life. Yet, while most others will evoke
nary a reaction from the chatterati, Mayawati's conduct invariably
evokes voluble expressions of revulsion. Caste prejudice is
undoubtedly at work here.

"There is also no doubt that as much as the upper classes hate
her, her own constituency adores and admires her despite or maybe even
because of the growth of her wealth. Her identification with her own
lot is so complete that her growth is their growth and a form of
retribution for centuries of servitude and exploitation."

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[ZESTCaste] Mirchpur killings: Three out of 15 convicts get life term

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/life-term-convicts-mirchpur-killings/1/158137.html

IANS New Delhi, November 1, 2011 | UPDATED 13:41 IST
Mirchpur killings: Three out of 15 convicts get life term

A court in Delhi on Monday awarded life sentences to three of the 15
people convicted for burning alive a 70-year-old man and his
physically challenged daughter in the arson attack on a Dalit
settlement at the Mirchpur village in Haryana's Hisar district last
year.

Pronouncing the life term to three convicts- Kulwinder, Ramphal and
Rajender, Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau sentenced five others
to varying jail terms up to five years, along with a fine of Rs.20,000
each.

The five, who were sentenced to lesser jail terms up to five years are
Baljeet, Karamveer, Karampal, Dharambir and Bobal.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 20,000 each on the three convicts
who were awarded life sentences. The money will be given to the family
of the victims as compensation.

Judge Lau also released seven convicts on probation of one year along
with a fine of Rs. 10,000 each. Their behaviour would be observed by
the court over one year.

"I accordingly direct that the convicts Sumit, Pradeep, Rajpal,
Pradeep, Sunil, Rishi and Monu be released on probation, on their
furnishing a personal bond in the sum of Rs.10,000 each with one
surety of the like amount and to appear and receive sentence when
called upon during such period and in the meantime to keep the peace
and be of good behaviour," said the court.

The Supreme Court had earlier directed that the case be transferred to
a Delhi court to ensure a free and fair trial.

"I may further observe that community and caste based violence can be
prevented by inclusive and interactive political process to subdue the
poisonings and fanaticism of divisive communal thinking," she said.

"Caste distinctions are often exploited by those wanting to cultivate
discontent and instigate violence and the only effective safeguard is
the bond developed by national democracies and the vigour of the
democratic politics in generating tolerant values," the court said.

Tarachand, 70, and his 18-year-old physically challenged daughter
Suman were killed in the April 21 arson attack on their house and a
row of other Dalit houses in Mirchpur village, about 300 km from
Chandigarh.

A total of 15 accused, belonging to the Jat community, were tried and
held guilty in the case on September 24.

The court earlier acquitted 82 out of 97 accused in the case, saying
the allegations levelled against them were not proved beyond
reasonable doubt.

The attack followed a dispute between members of the Jat and Dalit
communities of the village.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/life-term-convicts-mirchpur-killings/1/158137.html

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit dawn

http://week.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/theWeekContent.do?programId=1073754900&contentId=10344536

OUTLAW
Dalit dawn
By Kanhaiah Bhelari
Story Dated: Monday, October 31, 2011 14:52 hrs IST

Dhulu Mahato, the 35-year-old MLA from Baghmara, Jharkhand, likes to
watch gangland movies on the big television screen in his residence in
Chitahi. The villains appear to have influenced Mahato, who, many say,
is fast emerging as the don of the coal belt around Dhanbad, 30km from
his village.

Unlike Dhanbad's pyjama-clad dons of yore, Mahato likes wearing
T-shirts and jeans. That he is spreading his income among his
supporters has made him popular. Says a leader of his Jharkhand Vikas
Morcha (JVM): "He distributes half his earnings among his supporters,
who are well below the age of 40." It is said that Mahato makes about
020 lakh a day from illegal activities, an allegation that he does not
deny outright. "Bhagwan kare meri kamee 20 lakh per day ho jai [May
God help me make that much money]," he says. Mahato's rise has been
spectacular. In 1994, after he completed his Intermediate, the dalit
joined the Sinidih colliery of Bharat Coking Coal Limited as a general
labourer. Soon, he became the leader of the labourers who loaded the
railway wagons and trucks at the colliery. In early 2000, Samresh
Singh, a minister in the Rabri Devi government in Bihar, recognised
Mahato's 'potential' and made him head of the Tiger Force, a group
which Singh had formed to collect 'tax' from the coal belt. Seven
criminal cases were registered against Mahato during his stint as the
Tiger Force chief. "Whenever we arrested Tiger Force members involved
in collecting rangadari tax, Mahato would force us to release them,"
says a police officer.

In 2005, Mahato contested the Assembly election from Baghmara as
Jharkhand Vananchal Congress candidate. Though he lost, he surprised
poll pundits by securing 25,000 votes. Just before the 2009 elections,
he joined the JVM, led by former chief minister Babulal Marandi. He
contested from Baghmara again and won by a margin of 30,000, felling
Jaleshwar Mahato, former minister who had twice represented the
constituency. "With the help of local administration and the police,
Mahato is bankrupting BCCL," says Jaleshwar.

Local people say Mahato's supporters have since grown manifold. When
he moves around in his Toyota Fortuner, a dozen vehicles carrying his
supporters follow. "At least, 30,000 bikers participated in a
procession when his wife [Savitri Devi] filed her nomination for the
post of mayor of Dhanbad," says Aftab Alam, a fruit seller. Savitri's
nomination, however, was rejected because she was too young—below
30—to be mayor.

Sources say if Mahato's influence continues to grow—senior police
officers and businessmen say it will—Suresh Singh, the present don of
Dhanbad, will lose his hold. And for the first time in the coal belt's
rich mobster history, a dalit will be ruling Dhanbad. Says local BJP
leader Kumar Abhishek: "Out of 50 coal loading centres in Dhanbad, 25
are under Mahato's control. In the days to come, he will take control
of the remaining, too." Abhishek claims Mahato has purchased a dozen
AK-47s and AK-56s from Nunoo Naushad, an arms dealer of Kolkata.

Mahato's influence in the coal belt can be gauged from the fact that
Sanjiv Singh of the Singh Mansion, house of the erstwhile dons of
Dhanbad, had to seek Mahato's permission to take delivery of coal
allotted to him by BCCL last year. Says a BCCL employee: "Every month,
Mahato grabs nearly 20,000 tonnes of coal at floor price from the
mines in his constituency. He has been doing this for the past two
years for companies belonging to his close aides. He makes at least
Rs:1,200 per tonne."

When BJP MP P.N. Singh complained to the deputy commissioner about the
illegal toll collection from heavy vehicles by Mahato's men at several
centres in Dhanbad, an enraged Mahato allegedly dared him to stop the
collection. Allegedly, Mahato also makes money by overloading trucks
carrying coal.

The police say Mahato, a teetotaller, has never been involved in any
case of murder, rape or kidnapping. According to a senior income tax
officer, Mahato is an aspiring don who wishes to win the hearts of
Dhanbad's poor and the downtrodden. Mahato, too, insists that he is
not a criminal. "I am a very simple human being and have nothing to do
with the money-making strategies my opponents say I indulge in. I do
not have any desire to become the don of Dhanbad. But I would like to
say that my Tiger Force will teach a lesson to people who try to harm
the poor."

Reportedly, Mahato's growing influence has brought his enemies
together. Before Suresh, the Singh Mansion's Suryadeo Singh was the
don of Dhanbad. Suryadeo died of a heart attack in 1991, and Suresh
grabbed his mantle. The police say Suresh engineered the killing of
Rajiv Ranjan Singh, the eldest son of Suryadeo. The Rajputs, who have
been warring since, have now come together to stop Mahato's ascent.
But a top police officer in Jharkhand says they are unlikely to
succeed. "No one can stop Dhulu Mahato from becoming the first dalit
don of Dhanbad,"

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