Latest News Update: Feb 18, 2012

Saturday, February 18, 2012

[ZESTCaste] Women's panel slams cops, hospitals for callous treatment of Pipili victim

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Womens-panel-slams-cops-hospitals-for-callous-treatment-of-Pipili-victim/articleshow/11930640.cms

Women's panel slams cops, hospitals for callous treatment of Pipili victim
Rajaram Satapathy, TNN | Feb 17, 2012, 11.06PM IST

BHUBANESWAR: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has expressed
concern over the manner in which police and government hospitals
allegedly ill-treated the helpless 19-year old Dalit girl from Pipili,
whom miscreants had tried to murder after raping her.

The girl in coma since the incident in November is at present
undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack,
while investigation by the crime branch police is being monitored by
the high court.

"The most important factor is the failure of local police station to
register the case on the date of incident and even on November 30 when
the family lodged a written complaint. If the FIR was in place, then
all the medical institutions involved could have been alerted and the
girl would have a continuity of medical attention," the commission
said in a press release issued in New Delhi on Friday. The commission
had taken suo moto cognizance of the crime against the girl and sent
its member-secretary Anita Agnihotri to Odisha in the first week of
February to assess the situation and report back.

The commission observed: "There was complete lack of coordination
among different medical institutions beginning from Pipili primary
health centre, Capital Hospital to SCB Medical College, and the victim
of a serious alleged crime had to move several times back and forth
for her treatment. There was no system of monitoring of data relating
to transfer of a critical patient from one hospital to another leading
to complete disconnect where family had to make several journeys for
same reason." It further added: "It is not clear when the girl will be
able to resume a normal life."

The commission referred to the dismissal of the then Pipili police
station inspector and said "this should serve as a deterrent action".
It asked the state government to advise "senior most police officers
to ensure that all cases of violence against women, if reported, are
registered immediately and taken as FIR and medical evidence collected
without any delay so that the case leads to conviction". "Any delay or
inaction should be followed with immediate disciplinary action," the
commission remarked. The commission said there had been an 'increasing
tendency to refer cases relating to violence against women to Mahila
police stations. "This is against the spirit of law and should be
stopped forthwith. The directive may specifically mention that women
have their inherent right to get a case regtistered in the
jurisdictional police station and they cannot be sent anywhere else,"
it said, adding the mahila-sishu (woman-child) desk, initiated about a
decade back, should be strengthened.

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[ZESTCaste] Not caste in stone

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2012/Chunk-HT-UI-AssemblyElections2012-UP-ColumnsAndInterviews/Not-caste-in-stone/SP-Article10-813043.aspx

Not caste in stone
Barkha Dutt
February 17, 2012

Even though it makes for the perfect television shot, there's
something heartbreaking about the sight of village children excitedly
chasing a helicopter as it kicks dust in the faces of hundreds of men
and women who stand there transfixed and fascinated by the blinding
haze.

Election
season sometimes makes you feel that all that has changed over the
decades in the lives of India's poor is that many of them now have a
mobile phone to capture the image of the netas soaring to the sky. And
yet, despite the evident 'mai-baap' dimension to the high-flying and
seasonal visits of vote-seeking politicians, the electorate itself is
now driving some fascinating changes in the traditional paradigm of
politics.

Uttar Pradesh is witnessing one of its most keenly contested,
four-cornered elections. Much has been made of the fact that 60% of
the voters are under the age of 40 and at least two of the
most-prominent faces of the campaign — Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav
— are Generation Next politicians who are attempting to re-invent
their own parties. So, has the youth factor trumped caste and identity
politics? Not quite. The winnability of political strategy is still
being deconstructed in terms of who can claim the 21% Dalit vote or
the 18% Muslim vote in the state. In many ways, the absence of either
an over-arching emotive issue or an inspirational, hope-inspiring
leader means that there is no tidal wave that can wash over the
faultlines of caste and religion. But where caste was once rigidly
central to how people voted and how politicians plotted to win their
votes, today caste has become a fluid and moveable element in the
elections.

In other words, while some voter loyalty continues to form around
narrow caste affiliations, it is now fairly typical for ticket
distribution by all parties to reflect a rainbow coalition of
communities. Uttar Pradesh may not quite be ready yet for a Nitish
Kumar-led Bihar model where governance has the capacity to subsume
caste. But growing urbanisation, new technology and a generational
shift in thinking has ensured that while caste remains a key element
behind political choice; it's now a more malleable, mobile, and
flexible factor than ever before.

Ironically — the one politician in the state who is most defined by
identity politics — is also the architect of a social engineering
churn that has now become the accepted political formula employed by
almost every party. Mayawati — unapologetic about positioning herself
as a "Dalit ki beti," adamant about why she needed to pour in crore of
rupees into memorial parks that mark Dalit pride — is also the same
politician who first understood that India's politics no longer has
any inbuilt pariahs. In 2007, she was able to successfully stitch
together an unlikely patchwork of support with Dalits, Muslims and
Brahmins. That successful experimental model has now become the
reference point for every party's electoral arithmetic. And while the
rest of the country may identify Mayawati as a Dalit leader, a close
reading of the ticket distribution by her party this time illustrates
her continued and assiduous courtship of other castes and communities
— a higher number of Brahmin and Thakur candidates, for example,
against the 88 Dalit candidates who are contesting, and nearly an
equal number of tickets for Muslim candidates.

That Mayawati's rainbow is in danger of being rained upon this time
has much less to do with the rigidities of caste hierarchies and more
to do with other complex issues of anti-incumbency and a perceived
aloofness in political style. The criticism of the second aspect is
another significant change that an assertive electorate has pushed on
the polity. Despite all the helicopter-hopping, politicians across
parties are being forced to abandon a talk-down and top-down approach.

The village voter may show fascination for your flying machine but he
expects to be able to meet you, talk to you, shake your hand and
petition you directly about the absence of drinking water, electricity
or a functional primary school. Both arrogance and shyness now have a
shrinking space in the politics of the heartland. Akhilesh Yadav may
use the iPad to navigate his campaign routes, but he also needs to
clamber on an ordinary cycle and establish mass contact with voters.

Rahul Gandhi may have limited time for journalists but after every
speech he jumps off the stage, shrugs off his security ring and walks
straight into the rally grounds to mingle with the crowds. Uma
Bharti's once famous rhetorical extremity is of much less value now
compared to her earthy political style that is able to establish an
easy communication line with the people.

There are some contradictions of course. Mayawati — who set the social
engineering ball into motion — remains the only exception to this
emerging norm. The red carpet laid out to receive her is swept many
times before her arrival; her ministers swiftly leave their footwear
at the base of the stage as they stand by to receive her and she
rarely, if ever, steps down to mingle with the crowds. And yet her
rallies — even today — draw the most staggering numbers. In part, the
well-oiled organisational infrastructural machinery of the BSP makes
this possible. But it's also the record of historic injustices towards
India's most marginalised community that provide her a great deal of
latitude that most other politicians simply cannot afford.

Yet, once the Dalit community gradually moves towards economic
betterment and social assimilation, even Mayawati will be forced to
re-invent her style. Despite the dramatics of the helicopter landings
in dusty barren village fields, political largesse can no longer be
dropped from the skies like manna from heaven. Not unless you want the
ground beneath your feet to shake dangerously.

(Barkha Dutt is Group Editor, English News, NDTV)

The views expressed by the author are personal

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[ZESTCaste] Bihar minister’s husband 'beats' Dalit women

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bihar-ministers-husband-beats-dalit-women/913606/

Bihar minister's husband 'beats' Dalit women
Santosh Singh Posted online: Sat Feb 18 2012, 01:36 hrs
Patna : Bihar minister Renu Kumari's husband, also a JD-U leader,
Friday allegedly beat up four Dalit women who were demanding houses
under Indira Awas Yojna at Uda Kishanganj in Madhepura.

As Renu Kumari holds the disaster management portfolio, the four women
of Piprakarauti panchayat had gone to see her husband, Vijay Kumar
Singh, on Friday.

Police said Kajati Devi, Ruma Devi, Gita Devi and another woman, whose
houses were destroyed in the 2008 floods, alleged that Singh and his
bodyguard and Piprakarauti mukhiya Chhotelal Poddar beat them.

As the police did not register a case, the women's relatives blocked
the road for two-three hours. The Uda Kishanganj sub-divisional
magistrate then asked the police to register the case against the
minister's husband and two others under provisions of Prevention of
Atrocities Act and IPC. No arrest has been made so far.

Singh, however, told The Indian Express: "All allegations against me
are baseless and part of political conspiracy. As my wife is disaster
management minister, it could be an attempt to tarnish her image."

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit party fails to win over vote bank

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Dalit-party-fails-to-win-over-vote-bank/Article1-813153.aspx

Dalit party fails to win over vote bank
Zeeshan Shaikh, Hindustan Times
Mumbai, February 18, 2012

Dalit voters, who have historically swayed between the Congress and
the Republican Party of India (RPI), appear to have played a role in
propelling the Shiv Sena-BJP combine into the numero uno position in
the civic body this election.

The biggest sufferers of Dalit antagonism
seem to have been the Congress and the RPI.

Dalits constitute nearly 15-18% of Mumbai's electorate. Their vote
plays a decisive role in nearly 60 constituencies in the city.

"The Congress-NCP combine seemed to have been taking Dalit voters for
granted. Many thought it made sense to give the Sena-BJP a chance,"
said Dalit activist Pramod Sakhare. The Sena appears to have done well
in the Dalit pockets of Wadala, Worli and Mankhurd.

"Dalit votes played a decisive role in getting us where we are," Sena
executive president Uddhav Thackeray admitted. He had taken a gamble
when he got Ramdas Athawale's RPI on board, but the Sena will now look
at a long-term alliance with the RPI.

Dalit voters also seemed to have found a new alternative in Raj
Thackeray's MNS. Pockets such as Kannamwar Nagar, Kamraj Nagar and
Ramabai Nagar voted resoundingly in favour of the party. "People are
tired of the old options. Many felt it was time we backed a fresh,
dynamic entity like Raj," said Santosh Sonawane, an activist from
Ramabai Nagar.

The RPI, which contested 29 seats, managed to win only one. In 2007 it
had won three seats. Putting up a brave face, Athawale claimed the
alliance had come to power despite RPI's poor show. "Ambedkar
followers played a huge role in ensuring the defeat of the
Congress-NCP. We need to contemplate on why we performed so badly."

Political analysts believe people turned their backs on the RPI as
they thought it was compromising on its ideology.

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[ZESTCaste] 'State govt callous on welfare of SC/ST welfare'

http://zeenews.india.com/news/jammu-and-kashmir/state-govt-callous-on-welfare-of-sc/st-welfare_759017.html

'State govt callous on welfare of SC/ST welfare'

Last Updated: Friday, February 17, 2012, 20:01

Jammu: With reported delay in submission of tribal sub-plan to the
Planning Commision by the NC-Congress government in the state, BJP
today accused it of being callous towards the welfare of SC/ST
communities.

"Non-submission of the tribal sub-plan to the plan panel in time is a
very serious issue and the delay shows that the present NC-Congress
coalition is not committed towards the welfare and uplift of the SCs
and STs in the state," state BJP chief Shamsher Singh Manhas told
reporters here.

The most unfortunate part of the whole issue is that such things are
happening in the state at a time when the deputy Chief Minister
himself belongs to the Scheduled Caste, he said.

Not only this, the state cabinet also has ministers who represent the
ST majority constituencies, he said.

PTI

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati misused funds for rural health: PM

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mayawati-misused-funds-for-rural-health-pm/231210-37-170.html

Elections | Posted on Feb 17, 2012 at 05:31pm IST
Mayawati misused funds for rural health: PM
IANS

Kanpur: Attacking the Mayawati government ahead of the fourth phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday charged it with misusing the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) funds as well as neglecting development.

Addressing an election rally in this Uttar Pradesh city, Manmohan Singh said the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government was facing many allegations of corruption.

Noting that the central government had provided assistance to the state government under the NRHM so that health facilities reach villages, the prime minister said: "It is very sad that the important scheme has been misused in Uttar Pradesh."
Mayawati misused funds for rural health: PM

The Rs.10,000 crore NRHM scam in Uttar Pradesh involving alleged financial irregularities in the supply of medicines and medical equipment is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Two chief medical officers, a deputy chief medical officer and a project manager linked to the scam were found dead and police said on Thursday that a health department official, missing since Feb 7, had also been found dead.

Manmohan Singh said only the Congress, under guidance of Sonia Gandhi, could provide a government in Uttar Pradesh which improves agriculture, employment and educational facilities.

He said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had provided all possible assistance to Uttar Pradesh for its development.

Citing examples, he said Rs.9,000 crore were provided to the state under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for building and improving rural roads and another Rs.24,000 crore for road projects.

He said new rail services had been added connecting Kanpur.

Referring to special package by the central government for Bundelkhand, the prime minister said Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had played an important role in its implementation.

He, however, alleged that the state government had not fully used the package.

The prime minister also charged the government with not paying attention to problems of farmers.

The fourth phase of assembly polls in the state across 56 constituencies will take place Feb 19.

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati rubbishes surveys showing BSP faring badly

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_up-polls-mayawati-rubbishes-surveys-showing-bsp-faring-badly_1651579

UP polls: Mayawati rubbishes surveys showing BSP faring badly
Published: Friday, Feb 17, 2012, 21:22 IST
Place: Kanpur | Agency: PTI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today rubbished media surveys
that projected BSP to be in bad position in the Assembly polls and
reminded voters that her party had got majority in 2007 despite
similar predictions.

"I want to tell the people that the surveys being shown on TV channels
and in the media are showing BSP winning only a few seats. They should
not be misled by these as in the 2007 polls too, BSP was not shown in
surveys, yet we formed government with absolute majority," the BSP
supremo said.

At an election rally here, she said, "We will prove all such claims by
the media as wrong this time as well and achieve absolute majority,"
he said.

"When the Election Commission ordered draping of statues of elephants
in the state, the media kept showing it for 15 days thinking that we
will get negative publicity. Instead, we got very good publicity free
of cost," she said.

More than anything else, this has helped in the party's symbol being
recognised all over the country, she said.

Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark that he had a lot
of respect for Kanshi Ram, she posed, "Where did all this go when he
died and the central government did not even declare a holiday. Our
community will never forgive the Centre for this."

She said that in spite of "limited resources" from the Centre, her
government had helped the Dalit, backward and very backward sections
to progress.