Latest News Update: Jan 19, 2012

Thursday, January 19, 2012

[ZESTCaste] Govt puts off decision on Ambedkar statue

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/220672/govt-puts-off-decision-ambedkar.html

Govt puts off decision on Ambedkar statue
Bangalore, Jan 19, 2012, DHNS:

The State Cabinet on Thursday failed to take any decision on the
controversial issue of shifting the Dr Ambedkar statue from near the
east gate Vidhana Soudha temporarily to pave the way for Metro rail
work.

It has, however, authorised Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to take
an appropriate decision after consulting all sections. Briefing
reporters about the Cabinet decision, Minister V S Acharya said the
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has sought permission
to shift the statue to complete underground work of Metro rail. "There
is no option but to shift the statue if work has to go ahead. The
Cabinet has authorised the chief minister to take an appropriate
decision in this regard after consulting a core-committee comprising
the Social Welfare Minister A Narayanaswamy," he added.

Work on Namma Metro has almost come to a standstill for the last six
months due to the controversy surrounding shifting of the statue.
While the BMRCL had informed the government that it has no option but
to shift the statue to take up the underground work, some Dalit
organisations have been vehemently opposing it. Delay in
implementation had escalated the project cost by an estimated Rs 100
crore, sources said.

The BMRCL has to blast rocks that are about 800 meters deep inside the
earth as part of the underground work. It is feared that the statue
would develop cracks if it is not shifted. The BMRCL had also
constructed a pedestal near the west gate of Vidhana Soudha to shift
the statue there about six months ago. But the government did not give
permission to shift the statue in view of protests, sources added.

Statues of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose have
already been removed from the Vidhana Soudha premises for the purpose.
The shifting of these statues, however, would be temporary and they
would be re-installed after the construction work is complete,
official sources said.

Sources said the government had recently sought the technical opinion
of experts at IIT, Madras, on the need for shifting the statue.

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[ZESTCaste] The UP voter's angry, and not afraid to voice it

http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/report_the-up-voter-s-angry-and-not-afraid-to-voice-it_1639926

The UP voter's angry, and not afraid to voice it
Published: Friday, Jan 20, 2012, 9:30 IST
By Seema Mustafa | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Traveling through Uttar Pradesh, one is struck by the wisdom of the
voters who see through one and all, and yet know they have to cast
their vote as democratic and discerning citizens of India. One is also
struck by the political class' disinterest in the state's development,
where towns have become dumps of garbage and sewage.

Development is the issue in most parts of western UP as voters are
busy sizing up political parties and candidates. Be it Jat, Muslim,
Dalit or Brahmin, they are clear that the only way forward is
development without corruption. So they are looking at which party
will stay the course and be available when required. In long
discussions at tea stalls, roadside shops and mohallas, voters share
their concerns.

Look at us, there is not a single industry here, they point out. The
candidate is not concerned, the political powers do not bother, and
now they are coming back for our vote, making the same promises they
are not going to keep.

We look around in Meerut, Moradabad, Bareilly, Bulandhshahr — all big
towns and cities. The roads are, without exception, broken.

The pavements are full of garbage as the municipality does not exist.
Electricity remains a luxury, with power available in the best case
for six hours a day. The sewage is overflowing. There are no red
lights, no traffic policemen. Hospitals are filthy and overflowing
with patients. Education is more private than primary, with not a
single industry in most of the belt. Employment avenues are
non-existent, with schemes remaining only on paper. An old wise man
tells us how he has been running from pillar to post to claim dues
owed to him, and is now going to move the high court as all the
officials were demanding huge bribes.

Bulandhshahr is as it was when I visited it 15 years ago, remaining
untouched by economic reforms. In fact, it has become more of a dump
than it ever was. Badaun has not seen a single industry come up in the
area for decades now, with glitzy boys like Saleem Sherwani
contesting, winning and leaving without making an iota of difference.

The people are left to fend for themselves until elections, when the
campaign meetings take on the hue of a carnival, and voters rush from
one to the other, in an effort to recognise the right candidate who
will stay and make a difference to their lives.

Parties have sensed this and the issues being raised in the campaigns
are to do with employment, livelihood and a better future. The secular
parties are no longer using the communalism bogey to bring together
the Muslim vote, or caste to isolate a particular community. The
scramble in this very tightly contested election is for all possible
votes, so Rahul Gandhi insists that development can be possible only
under a Congress government; Mulayam Singh is busy announcing various
waivers and schemes for the youth and the farmers; Mayawati is listing
out her achievements; with perhaps only the BJP still a little
confused, as it vacillates between communalism, which its leaders
admit is not working, and development.

In a significant development, not often seen in the past, voters are
quite happy to denounce or praise a candidate for the work he or she
has done regardless of the party. In Badaun, Muslim voters were full
of praise for the local BJP candidate who was described as a 'good
man' and as they put it, 'a leader who will rush here on his cycle
within minutes if we call him.' Their dislike for the BJP will prevent
them from voting for him directly, they say, but they will be quite
happy if he wins on his own as he did last time. In Moradabad, Muslims
and Hindus join hands to denounce Azharuddin, who did nothing for the
people. He betrayed us, was the common consensus with the people
exhibiting a strange bonhomie for these parts. On a crowded Moradabad
street, Sikh residents spoke of the Punjabi part of the street, and
the Muslim part of the street, and while embracing a Muslim shopkeeper
— clearly a friend — the Sikhs laughed, 'Well we fight when they
(political parties) make us but we love each other.'

The tension and fear often palpable among the voter before an election
is missing. Dalit and Muslim voters are quite vocal about their
preferences. Close to Baghpat, where the Dalit voter has always been
at the receiving end, it was interesting to find the BSP supporters
quite vocal in public. A group of rickshawallas pointed out that the
BSP's Dalit base was intact. Why? Because Mayawatiji has done so much
for us, was the response. Others who were critical of the BSP gathered
around and there was a debate with the BSP supporters, who turned out
to be Jatavs, not yielding ground. Earlier, the Dalits were always
reticent about their voting choice. The Dalit vote has definitely
acquired a voice, at least in the towns of UP.

The writer is a senior New Delhi-based journalist

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[ZESTCaste] Dalits oppose shifting of Ambedkar statue

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Dalits-oppose-shifting-of-Ambedkar-statue/articleshow/11559870.cms

Dalits oppose shifting of Ambedkar statue
TNN | Jan 20, 2012, 02.00AM IST

BANGALORE: The Metro Rail underground work in front of Vidhana Soudha
ran into rough weather when some dalit organizations opposed shifting
of Ambedkar statue from the secretariat premises.

The statues of Jawaharlal Nehru and Subash Chandra Bose were shifted
some time ago. The state cabinet on Thursday decided to shift the
Ambedkar statue, but minister A Narayanaswamy was conspicuous by his
absence. He had set up a technical committee to look into the pros and
cons of shifting the statue. "We have no clue about the committee's
report. Narayanaswamy couldn't attend the meeting as he was
preoccupied with a public function in Tumkur," higher education
minister V S Acharya said. Some ministers at the meeting advised the
government against any hasty move on the shifting.

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[ZESTCaste] EC slams Mayawati for calling it anti-Dalit

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2811538.ece

New Delhi, January 18, 2012
EC slams Mayawati for calling it anti-Dalit
J. Balaji

EC order one-sided, says Mayawati "Why should Mayawati object, when
BJP, Congress accepted our earlier decisions?" Order to drape statues
justified, Commission tells BSP Are you going to break lanterns next,
asks Lalu EC order on statues violation of law, reconsider it: BSP
Round-the-clock work on covering statues completed No violation of
Model Code of Conduct, says Khurshid

The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati for calling the EC
"anti-Dalit" for its January 8 order to drape statutes of her and of
her party symbol – elephant – put up in the State at the government's
expense.

The EC "regrets" that such an allegation was made and "rejects" it.

"It expects a higher sense of responsibility and constitutional
decorum from major political parties and their leaders. It notes with
concern such statements coming from those holding senior
Constitutional positions," the Commission said in a release.

While the EC took all views about its working in its stride, it was
disturbed that Ms. Mayawati cast serious aspersions on it, in public,
by attributing anti-Dalit and casteist motives to its order (on
statutes) and also by alleging that the order was inspired by pressure
from some political parties.

"The EC needs to reiterate that it takes its decisions and enforces
them within the provisions of the Constitution and that does not
include considerations of religion, race, caste and community in the
manner alleged. Rather it is one of the assigned responsibilities of
the EC to ensure that these aspects are not allowed to vitiate the
election process."

The order was in conformity with the EC's consistent practice to
remove photographs and pictures of active political leaders at all
public places, put up at the cost of public exchequer, so that there
was no undue advantage or disadvantage to political parties and the
candidates.

The basic philosophy of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was that the
political parties, particularly the parties in power at the Centre and
in the States, did not use their official power and official machinery
in a manner which might lead to complaints of misuse to influence the
voters. "This basic philosophy of MCC has met with the approval of the
Supreme Court in a catena of cases."

On the BSP's contention that the elephant statues were in welcome
posture with trunks raised and were different from the party's symbol
wherein the elephant was seen with its trunk down, the EC said it was
not acceptable. "In that case, other political parties would seek
allotment of the Elephant symbol in different postures."

While enforcing the level playing field, the EC did not take into
account statues raised with private funds, whether of political
leaders or election symbols or otherwise.

The EC pointed out that in the implementation of the MCC, it did not
engage in prior consultations every time, but tried to take early
remedial action in order to keep the electoral process on the track.
In any case, here the EC was covering a government property, hence the
need to consult any political party did not arise.

Looking from whatever rules, facts and reasoning, the step to cover
the statues was the most appropriate and available option before the
EC, it said.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi told The Hindu
that the EC wanted to put an end to the controversy as allegations had
been levelled against it on a daily basis. "We wanted to make the
facts clear and end it as we have a lot of other work to do," he said.

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[ZESTCaste] Pakistan: Local organisations unite for Dalit rights

http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=88319&Cat=4

Local organisations unite for Dalit rights

Jan Khaskheli
Thursday, January 19, 2012

A dozen organisations working in Sindh for the rights of the
marginalised segments of society, have united to express solidarity
with Ekta Parishad, a movement for the protection of the land
ownership rights of Dalits in India.

A 350 kilometre walk from Gwalior to Dehli, called the Jan Satyagraha
or the 'march of justice', planned to begin in October, is being
dubbed as the biggest march in history by a federation of 900 Indian
associations.

Such groups in Pakistan recently held a meeting to plan rallies and
mobilise masses for the same cause. They discussed in the meeting that
Dalit land rights were non-existent despite the fact that they lived
in the same area for generations. Landlords force them to abandon
their lands on a short notice and those who resist face severe
persecution.

In Thar and Kachho areas of Sindh, farmers spend months under the
scorching sun to cultivate lands but are not allowed to build shelters
on the same expanse. The meeting concluded that an alliance of
different organisations was necessary to root out the oppressive
system which frequently usurped the rights of the poor.

Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research's (Piler) Karamat
Ali said they were striving to raise the issue on South Asian level as
the obstacles faced by them were 'huge' and needed a stronger backing.

He suggested retrieval of the large chunks of land allotted to people
for different reasons. "Politicians must become sensitive to the
issues of these marginalised farmers before it's too late."

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah said all those
who cultivated lands must have the "legal ownership rights" of the
land upon which they work. The meeting expressed dissatisfaction with
the PPP-led government's land reform policies as specific figures
about state land to be given away had still not come to the fore.

It was also pointed out that despite the looming food insecurity, no
steps were taken for allocation of the promised eight million acre of
land for corporate farming. It was concluded that meetings would be
held with key figures in district headquarters and legislators in
support of the campaign to be launched soon.

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[ZESTCaste] BSP to go it alone in BMC polls

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_bsp-to-go-it-alone-in-bmc-polls_1639434

BSP to go it alone in BMC polls
Published: Thursday, Jan 19, 2012, 8:45 IST
By Amberish K Diwanji | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Contrary to the various Republican Party of India factions, who have
teamed up with one or the other party for the upcoming BMC polls, the
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) plans to contest in 50 of the city's 227
wards, albeit sans any ally.

Moreover, in keeping with the formula that swept it to power in Uttar
Pradesh in 2007, the BSP while releasing its nominee list on Wednesday
said it comprises Dalits, north Indians, and Muslims to represent the
weakest segments of the city, a sentiment echoed by the Republican
Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athavale on the same day.

Stating that north Indians have realised that the Congress was backing
the MNS, which had attacked north Indians a couple of years ago to win
votes, BSP Maharashtra unit president Vilas Garud said, "North Indians
realise the Congress is using them and want to move away." While
flaying the various RPI factions for dividing the Dalit votes, Garud
came out strongly against Ramdas Athavale for "shifting from the
Congress-NCP camp to the Sena-BJP". "This kind of shifting only helps
the major parties, and not the Dalit parties or society," he added.

Pointing out that RPI (A) has allied with the Shiv-Sena-BJP, RPI
(Kawade) with the Congress and Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dalit
icon Dr BR Ambedkar, is allied with the NCP, Garud said his party's
aim was grab power in the long run. "And this could be only achieved
by contesting independently. (Dr Babasaheb) Ambedkar had said this
party (the original Republican Party of India) would take time to bear
fruit. We are willing to wait," Garud said.

Meanwhile, Athavale declared that his party too would be fielding
non-Dalit candidates from its allotted 29 seats.He said about half his
candidates would be non-Dalits. Incidentally, 22 of the 29 wards with
Athavale are in the non-reserved category.

And seeking to take on the BSP on its home turf, UP, he announced that
the RPI (A) wouldbe contesting the state elections in Uttar Pradesh,
Punjab, and Manipur. Interestingly, Athavale is playing the Dalit card
in UP. "In UP, Dalit voters have turned away from the BSP which is
fielding non-Dalit candidates and we expect to get their votes," he
said.

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[ZESTCaste] Govt treads cautiously on shifting Ambedkar statue

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_govt-treads-cautiously-on-shifting-ambedkar-statue_1640005

Govt treads cautiously on shifting Ambedkar statue
Published: Friday, Jan 20, 2012, 10:51 IST
Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

It will take a little longer for Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation
Limited(BMRCL) to start tunnelling work beneath the Ambedkar statue
opposite Vidhana Soudha.

The state cabinet on Thursday preferred to play safe by authorising
chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda to take "appropriate decision" to
end the impasse in consultation with social welfare minister A
Narayanaswamy.

The cabinet failed to take a decision on shifting the statue
temporarily to a safe place to allow the BMRCL to start work. The
statues of Jawaharlal Nehru and Subash Chandra Bose near Ambedkar's
statue have already been shifted to facilitate metro tunnelling work.
BMRCL faced resistance from several Dalit organisations in shifting
Ambedkar's statue.

Higher education minister VS Acharya said that while the government
has, in principle, decided to shift the statue temporarily to a safe
place, it was treading cautiously because of resistance from
organisations.

"We are treading cautiously as any decision to take up the work
without shifting Ambedkar's statue could lead to serious consequences
in the event of the statue developing cracks due to blasting for
tunnel works," Acharya said.

When his attention was drawn to Narayanaswamy's statement that a
technical committee has been set up to explore the possibility of
executing the work without shifting the statue, Acharya said he had no
information if the committee had submitted its report.

Rs16crore for HC guest house
The state cabinet has approved a grant of Rs16crore for constructing a
high court guest house complex. Two sites, one at the Judicial Academy
premises on Crescent Road and the other at Judicial Quarters near
Hebbal, have been identified for the complex. A final decision on the
site would be taken soon.

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[ZESTCaste] Orissa Dalit gangrape: Charged with sheltering accused, agriculture minister resigns

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/orissa-dalit-gangrape-charged-with-sheltering-accused-agriculture-minister-resigns/901494/

Orissa Dalit gangrape: Charged with sheltering accused, agriculture
minister resigns

Debabrata Mohanty Posted online: Thu Jan 19 2012, 11:42 hrs
Bhubaneswar : Controversial Orissa agriculture minister Pradip
Maharathi, who was embroiled in the alleged gangrape of a Dalit girl
from Puri, resigned today on moral grounds following increasing
pressure from Opposition parties and women's organisations here.

Maharathi, who became minister for the first time in May last year,
has hung like an albatross around chief minister Naveen Patnaik's neck
over allegations that he sheltered the rape accused. "I resigned to
save my party and the image of my chief minister... like Lal Bahadur
Shastri resigned after the rail mishap," Maharathi told the ledia
after putting in his papers this morning.

Maharathi's resignation was an inevitability as the issue had heated
up just ahead of next month's panchayat polls that would determine
where Patnaik's political popularity stands after 12 years at the
helm.

The 18-year-old Dalit girl of Arjunagoda village in Pipili block of
Puri district was allegedly gangraped by some local youths on November
28 last year. After the gangrape, the assailants allegedly tried to
strangulate her which left the girl in a state of coma. The girl is
still in coma and admitted in the intensive care unit of SCB Medical
College and Hospital, Cuttack. Doctors from Bangalore's National
Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences are also treating her.

Naveen had handed the case to the Criminal Investigation Department,
Crime Branch of the Orissa police and three of the four accused have
been arrested. He also ordered a parallel judicial probe by a retired
High Court judge, but that has not calmed the uproar with students,
Opposition parties and women's organisation demanding a CBI probe and
Maharathi's resignation. The case had got murkier with the brother of
the victim alleging that Maharathi was sheltering the accused.

Naveen Patnaik was left embarrassed after a group of students from the
Jawaharlal Nehru University staged a demonstration in front of his
Aurangzeb Road residence in New Delhi on January 16. In Bhubaneswar
too, Opposition political parties, civil society organisations, human
rights activists, lawyers, journalists and writers took out a huge
rally under the banner of Odisha Gana Samaja and demanded a CBI probe
into the incident.

Two days ago, former Union coal secretary and 1966-batch IAS officer
Prasanna Kumar Mishra in an open letter to Naveen Patnaik had demanded
the inspector of Pipili police station be dismissed under Article
311(2) (b) as he did not lodge an FIR despite the pleas of the
victim's family.

The condition of the alleged gangrape victim seems to be improving
with the girl spontaneously opening her eyes and moving her chin. The
Orissa High Court which is hearing a PIL on the issue, was told by the
SCB Medical College and Hospital authorities that the girl is now
trying to open her mouth and all her vital organs are stable.

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[ZESTCaste] National seminar on ‘Representation of Woman and Dalit: Perspective of Sikhism’ organized in PU

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/national-seminar-%E2%80%98representation-woman-and-dalit-perspective-sikhism%E2%80%99-organized-pu/35847

National seminar on 'Representation of Woman and Dalit: Perspective of
Sikhism' organized in PU

Punjab Newsline Network
Thursday, 19 January 2012
CHANDIGARH: One-day National Seminar on 'Representation of Woman and
Dalit: Perspective of Sikhism' opened with an overwhelming response at
P.U. Campus here on Thursday. The seminar was organized by the
Department of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies, Panjab University in
collaboration with the Punjabi Academy Delhi.

The Seminar began with spiritual invocation of Deh Shiva Var Mohe,
Shubh Karman te Kabahoon na Tarron. Prof. Jaspal Kaur Kaang,
Chairperson, Department of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies while welcoming the
participants said that today there is a need to hold on to the Sikh
traditions of Langar, Pangat and Sangat and stop being in the blind
race for material pursuits. She stated that Gurbani should not only be
read but should be practiced in real life. She further emphasized the
need for more such seminars and discussions to awaken the masses and
to bring them back to the values enshrined in Gurbani.

Prof. R. C. Sobti, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University complimented
Prof. Kaang for her competence, leadership and organizational skills.
While delivering his Inaugural Address, Prof. Sobti questioned the
technology driven development process at the cost of human values and
relations and expressed his anguish over the general concern with the
Self today's world. He further raised the issue of women's equality
and pointed to their lower representation in leadership positions. He
concluded by calling for the need to end the dichotomy between theory
and practice especially on the issues of women and dalits.

Prof. Jagbir Singh, Former Head, Department of Punjabi, Delhi
University, while delivering the keynote address touched upon our
historical treasures in the form of knowledge in the Rig Veda and the
re-emergence of those thoughts in Medieval Literature. He emphasized
that literature contains truth and therefore connects immediately in
comparison to history and philosophy. He asserted that colonialism
repressed our traditional knowledge by dismissing it as illogical
which has now resurfaced as alternate body of knowledge.

Prof. Gurnek Singh, Vice Chancellor, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Vishav
University, Fatehgarh Sahib, reiterated that the Vision of Sikhism is
unifying in nature. By following the same he added, casteism and
discrimination against women automatically gets eliminated. Prof.
Dalip Kaur Tiwana, Eminent Punjabi Writer, started her discourse by
pointing that women in the west measure their value from the eyes of
their male counterpart. She dwelt upon female Sikh ideals from her
novels, 'Teen Lok Se Nyari' and 'Tumhari Katha Kahi Na Jaaye' in which
powerful women characters have spent their lives in spiritual
relations or for a cause.

Prof. Jaspal Singh, Vice Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala,
began his Presidential Address by stating that a process of
exploitation of certain categories has been going on throughout India
comprising three stages of discrimination, followed by marginalization
and finally exclusion. He further stated that once these categories
are excluded, an attempt is made to make sure that they do not come
back into the mainstream. He viewed Dalits and Women as two major
categories, which have suffered the most on account of this process.
He gave several examples from Sri Guru Granth Sahib to point out that
the Sikh tradition has made an attempt to bring back these excluded
categories not only to the mainstream, but to the corridors of power.

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[ZESTCaste] Minister quits over dalit gangrape case

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/220455/minister-quits-over-dalit-gangrape.html

Minister quits over dalit gangrape case
Bhubaneswar, Jan 19 2012, DHNS:

Agriculture minister and senior Biju Janata Dal leader Pradip
Maharathi, whose name cropped up in the recent case of alleged gang
rape of a dalit girl in his Assembly constituency of Pipli in coastal
Puri district, resigned from the Cabinet on Thursday.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sent his resignation letter to Governor
M C Bhandare for acceptance. "This morning, Maharathi came to me and
submitted his resignation letter, which I have forwarded to the
Governor," Patnaik told reporters at the secretariat.

The Opposition parties and women's organisations had been pressing for
Maharathi's resignation after the family of the victim revealed that
the perpetrators of the crime were close associates of the senior
minister. The Opposition had also charged the minister of protecting
the accused persons.

Maharathi, however, refuted the allegations and insisted that he
resigned from his post to protect the prestige and image of his party
and leader, and to pave the way for a free and fair investigation into
the incident. The state government has already ordered a judicial as
well as crime branch probe into the sensational case.

"I am innocent and prepared to face any kind of investigation. The
truth must come out and culprits involved in the crime must be
punished," he told reporters soon after submitting his resignation
letter to the chief minister at the latter's residence.

Opposition parties who continued to demand a CBI probe and resignation
of the chief minister, who heads Home department, on moral grounds.

"The minister's resignation is not sufficient. The chief minister
should resign and hand over the case to the CBI for a free and fair
investigation", state Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik said.

The crime branch arrested Sukanta Pradhan, the fourth and final
accused on Thursday.

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[ZESTCaste] Why CPM leadership eludes backward & Dalit sections?

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-19/hyderabad/30642911_1_dalits-koratala-satyanarayana-tdp

Why CPM leadership eludes backward & Dalit sections?
TNN Jan 19, 2012, 04.27AM IST

KHAMMAM/VIJAYAWADA: Ahead of the crucial state general council
meeting, a serious debate is going on in the CPM party circles as to
why a leader from backward and Dalit sections has never been made the
party chief.

The discussion is significant as the party's state general body which
is slated to meet at Khammam from February 2-4 will elect a new
secretary to the state committee. While a majority of the leaders
prefer incumbent secretary B V Raghavulu to continue till the next
general elections, he himself has expressed his wish to relinquish the
charge.

Raghuvulu has been holding the post for almost 15 years since he was
first made the party chief in 1997. According to sources, party's
state secretariat member and senior leader from CITU, S Veeraiah, is
likely to replace Raghavulu. Incidentally, Veeraiah is from Telangana
and belongs to the BC community. Though CPM has only one
representative (Julakanti Ranga Reddy) in the state Assembly, the
party's strong base among the working classes and rural Dalit sections
is intact. This was the reason why Congress and TDP continue to seek
CPM support during the elections.

Despite staking claim to the support of oppressed sections, the
party's failure to hand over the reins to a leader from such sections
seems to have slowly alienated it from the masses. in spite of such
defense, the party leadership has never been comfortable in facing
such awkward questions as its record in giving due share to the Dalits
or BCs has been poor. "We never take caste of a leader into account
before giving him responsibility. It is only ability that matters,"
explained another veteran of the party.

But a cursory glance at all those who have occupied the secretary post
presents a different picture as they all hail from upper castes. To be
precise, except for stalwart Puchalapalli Sundaraiah (a Reddy leader),
all the other state secretaries since the party's formation in 1964
belonged to one single community - Kamma.

While Moturu Hanumantha Rao held the position for four terms since
1964, Lavu Balagangadhar Rao (LBG) was secretary for two terms between
1985-1991. Subsequently, a senior leader from Guntur, Koratala
Satyanarayana held the position for two terms between 1991-95 till he
handed over the reins to Raghuvulu at the party's 19th conclave at
Nalgonda in 1997.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit girl gangrape: Odisha minister compares self to Lal Bahadur Shastri

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/dalit-girl-gangrape-odisha-minister-compares-self-to-lal-bahadur-shastri/901930/

Dalit girl gangrape: Odisha minister compares self to Lal Bahadur Shastri

Debabrata Mohanty Posted online: Fri Jan 20 2012, 12:13 hrs
Bhubaneswar : When Odisha agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy,
invoked the name of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri as the
"inspiration" behind his resignation on moral grounds yesterday, there
were loud guffaws in the state's political circles.

Maharathy, who was accused of harbouring some of the rape accused in
the alleged gangrape of a 18-year-old dalit girl, finally put down his
papers amid increasing demand of Opposition parties and women's
organisations for his scalp.

The 18-year-old dalit girl of Arjunagoda village in Pipili block of
Puri district was allegedly gangraped by some local youth on November
28, 2011 when she had gone out for morning ablutions. After the
gangrape, the assailants allegedly tried to strangulate her, which
left the girl's cerebral cortex damaged leaving her in a state of
coma.

"I resigned to save my party and the image of my chief minister like
Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned after rail mishap. I am not a coward, I
am a stalwart. I am ready to face any inquiry," Maharathy said after
his resignation.

Politicians and political observers said Maharathy comparing himself
to Shastri could not be more ludicrous considering that Maharathy has
the maximum number of criminal cases pending against him among all the
147 MLAs.

"It is the most laughable comparison I have heard in long time. How
can Maharathy compare himself to Shastri? Maharathy has the maximum
number of criminal cases pending against him among all the sitting
MLAs. Shastri resigned on moral grounds immediately after the railway
mishap in Mahboobnagar while Maharathy had to be forced out by CM. If
at all anyone has to resign, it is the CM who should resign," said
state BJP vice-president Ashok Sahu.

Noted political commentator Rabi Das also questioned the comparison to
Shastri. "What moral ground is he talking about? It would have been
more appropriate had he resigned from the membership of Odisha
Assembly as he failed in his duties to protect a hapless Dalit girl,"
said Das.

Though at one point he had 57 criminal cases against him, Maharathy
had 20 cases pending against him under several sections of Indian
Penal Code and Criminal Procedure by the time he filed his nomination
for 2009 Assembly election. He has been accused of offences like
attempt to murder, molestation, rioting, theft, criminal intimidation
and dacoity but yet to be convicted in any of the cases.

Pipili, a picturesque rural area of Puri district known for its
applique work, from where Maharathy has won 5 Assembly elections is a
scene of blood and gore. In 1986, Maharathy's principal opponent and
Congress candidate Judhistir Samantray, a tall man with looks of a
feudal lord, lost his left eye allegedly at the hands of Maharathy's
men.

As Samantray, then the chairman of Pipili Panchayat Samiti, was coming
back home on a rainy day in 1986, a men alleged to be Maharathy's men
chased him with arms and swords. Though Samantray escaped with his
life but he lost his left eye to the attack. Over the years Pipili has
seen violence between Maharathy and Samantray spiral over the years.

A year after Samantray lost his left eye, his supporters gouged out
the eyes Maharathy's two supporters while they were going to watch a
village fair. Maharathy's supporters hit back in 1991 when they threw
country-made bombs on Congress functionary of Delang block killing him
on the spot. A year later, on April 18, Maharathy's brothers allegedly
threw bombs on Samantray's younger brother Surendra who died on the
spot immediately. In 2004, Maharathy escaped with his life when two
armed youths threatened to assault him at an official meeting of
panchayat samiti.

His criminal activities have gone beyond the geographical boundaries
of his constituency. He has committed crime in Khurda, Bhubaneswar,
Bargarh, Cuttack and Puri. In the late 90s, he was jailed for six
months.

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[ZESTCaste] Central funds eaten up by Mayawati: Rahul

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/central-funds-eaten-up-by-mayawati-rahul/222438-37-64.html

Politics News | Posted on Jan 19, 2012 at 09:28pm IST
Central funds eaten up by Mayawati: Rahul
Press Trust of India

Hamirpur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday fired a fresh salvo
at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, saying funds sent by the
Centre for development of the state were "eaten up" by her government.

"Whatever money is being sent from the Centre, the magic elephant in
Lucknow eats it up. It never reaches the beneficiaries," he told a
rally at Sumerpur in Hamirpur Assembly constituency.

Elephant is the election symbol of the ruling BSP.
Rahul slammed all opposition parties and promised all-round
development of the state if Congress was voted to power.
Central funds eaten up by Mayawati: Rahul

Rahul slammed all opposition parties and promised all-round
development of the state if Congress was voted to power.

He said it was only the Congress that had reached Bundelkhand region
and tried to feel the problems of the people here.

Rahul also said his party would ensure that youths did not go out of
the state for jobs.

The Congress leader spoke at length about central schemes like MGNREGS
and told the people how it has helped in securing employment.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak told reporters in
Lucknow that Rahul's statement on the loot of Bundelkhand package was
nothing more than politics on the helplessness of the people of Uttar
Pradesh's most backward region.

"If Rahul knew this then he must tell people what steps Congress-led
UPA government took to check this loot and why BSP government was
allowed to plunder the package amount for four-and-a-half years,"
Pathak said.

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[ZESTCaste] 'Mayawati's done nothing for women'

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2012/Chunk-HT-UI-AssemblyElections2012-UP-TopStories/Mayawati-s-done-nothing-for-women/SP-Article10-799591.aspx

'Mayawati's done nothing for women'
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Varanasi, January 20, 2012

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav addresses a public rally at
Balliya in Uttar Pradesh. HT Photo by Vinay Pandey
Samajwadi Party state president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused CM
Mayawati of doing nothing for women despite being a woman and of
diverting development funds to putting up her statues. "The state has
spent Rs 400 crore on installing statues. The time has come to remove
this corrupt
government from power," Yadav said at a rally in Saidpur tehsil of Ghazipur.

Commenting on local problems, Yadav said, "The CM also diverted funds
meant for the Sakaldihya-Chandauli setu on river Ganga towards
installing statues."

Yadav had something for every section of society.

He assured youth of an unemployment allowance. Addressing farmers, he
said, "If the SP forms the next government then it will ensure regular
power and water supply to farmers."

Yadav also promised a sport complex and a stadium in the region.

Later, at another rally at Keshra Pokhra, Yadav alleged that farmers
had got a raw deal under the BSP regime. He also accused the BSP
government of stopping all development projects, which had been
started by the SP government.

Yadav inducted more than 100 BJP workers in the SP.

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[ZESTCaste] 'Mayawati only believes in the policy of minting money'

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-an-interview-with-mulayam-singh-yadav/20120120.htm

'Mayawati only believes in the policy of minting money'
Last updated on: January 20, 2012 08:45 IST

Mulayam Singh Yadav, the old political warhorse, in conversation with
Sharat Pradhan and Sheela Bhatt.

Mulayam Singh Yadav turned 72 last November, recovered from an
undisclosed serious illness, and now expects a fresh lease of
political life as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

His old political adversary, Uttar Pradesh's current Chief Minister
Mayawati, confronts the anti-incumbency factor in the coming state
assembly election, and may well see her dream of ruling the state for
another five years crumble at the hustings.

Mayawati -- who has the rare distinction of ruling unmanageable UP for
nearly five uninterrupted years, the first time any chief minister has
done so in more than 40 years -- is increasingly seen as a leader who
misused this power and ruled with an iron fist from her high-walled
palatial home while her Bahujan Samaj Party leaders and bureaucrats
run amuck.

Mulayam Singh founded and nurtured the Samajwadi Party.

During the evolution of India's regional parties, Yadav -- an early
adherent of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia's Socialist credo -- was one of the
leaders who changed the one-party tenor of national politics.

The Samajwadi Party is today a strong alternative to the BSP and its
grassroots presence in villages across a huge state like Uttar
Pradesh, a lesson to the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, which
flounder in UP due to the lack of a pan-UP party infrastructure.

The so-called national parties are desperate to win anti-Mayawati
votes, but neither the BJP nor the Congress have the kind of presence
Yadav's party enjoys in the state.

Mulayam Singh, Union defence minister in the H D Deve Gowda and I K
Gujral Cabinets, and his elder son Akhilesh Yadav address more than a
dozen political rallies each day. Crowds throng to these rallies to
listen to their promises of free water, education and medicine if the
Samajwadi Party is voted back to power.

The Samajwadi Party is banking on votes from the Muslim community and
trying to ensure that the Congress does not succeed in its efforts to
woo the community.

In an interview with Sharat Pradhan and Sheela Bhatt at his sprawling
bungalow on Vikramditya Marg, Lucknow, Mulayam Singh Yadav discussed
the pitfalls of caste-based politics and his son's political
evolution.

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

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