Latest News Update

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Fellowships for Dalit Professionals

Fellowship for Dalit Professionals
Dalit Foundation, New Delhi
Location: Anywhere in India
Last Date: June 20, 2010
Email: fundraising@dalitfoundation.org

About Dalit Foundation: Dalit Foundation is a non-government
organization, the first grant-making institution in south Asia working
for the empowerment of Dalit communities. Established in June 2003,
the Foundation's mission, vision and programme objectives focus
exclusively on empowerment of Dalit communities and eradication of
caste based discrimination. It is committed to support individuals,
community-based organizations, and networks that work to secure social
change and protect the rights of Dalits.

Dalit Foundation provides small grants and fellowships to individuals
and organizations working among Dalits in India. The focus areas are
combating caste violence, eradication of manual scavenging, building
leadership among Dalit women and youth, rights over natural resources,
health and education, etc. The aim is to build the capacity of our
partners in order to execute effective grass-root level interventions.

We are also committed to building a strong line of leadership for the
Dalit movement and promoting Dalit art and culture through our various
other programmes including the Fellowship Programme for Dalit
Professionals.

About the Fellowship
In order to increase the participation of Dalit students and
professionals in the Dalit Movement, Dalit Foundation awards
fellowships to dynamic Dalit professionals from the fields of
engineering, law, medicine and journalism. As part of the fellowship,
the selected candidates will be required to carry out the following
activities:

• Development of a comprehensive data base of Dalit Professionals from
all across the country and from leading professional fields
• Establishment of support and counselling groups for Dalit students
in leading professionals institutes of the country
• Establishment of a network of professionals in each of the four
zones (North, South, East and West), with a cadre of 20 professionals
for each zonal group
• Formation of a national level core group

Criteria for selection:
1. The person who has completed Master's studies from the respective field.
2. The person who has strong motivation and record of such initiative
during the campus life.
3. The person who is not an office bearer of any political party.
4. The female candidates to be given priority.
5. The person has the capability to do such work.

Period of fellowship: Shall be one year and it can be continued based
on performance.

Fellowship amount: Rs. 10000/- per month

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[ZESTCaste] Despite order, devotees can’t enter temple

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Despite-order--devotees-can-t-enter-temple/630763/

Despite order, devotees can't enter temple

Zahid Rafiq Posted online: Tue Jun 08 2010, 01:19 hrs

New delhi : For the thousands of worshippers who gather at the temple
in Majnu Ka Tila each week, a fistful of wrestlers have been a
headache for some time. Though the court passed a restraint order on
June 4, directing the Akhara, which is next to the temple, not to
interfere with religious gatherings and prayers in the temple, the
muscle flexing wrestlers seem to be in no mood to back off.
Civil Judge Dheeraj Mor passed the order on a suit filed by Gobind
Biswas, managing trustee of Hari Om Ashram Hanuman Mandir, restraining
the wrestlers' training centre from interfering in religious
activities at the temple, run by Matuas, Bengali Dalits. "But when the
worshippers went to the Mandir on June 6, the wrestlers stood in the
way armed with sticks and other weapons," said Ambika Ray, counsel of
the worshippers. The court, taking into consideration an new petition
filed by the temple, passed an injunction order and has posted the
matter for hearing on July 28.

Ray alleged that they called the police, who came to the scene after
40 minutes and after seeing the court order, dismissed it as an "ex
parte order". "We couldn't offer our prayers and are now waiting for
the next court hearing when we can complain against the police who are
clearly helping the wrestlers," Ray said.

During the June 4 hearing, the Sanjay Pahalwan Akhada were not
represented in court. "It is evident that the plaintiff (Biswas)
through the trust is in the settled possession of the suit property
and he is carrying out puja and other religious activities in the suit
property. If the plaintiff is dispossessed from the suit property
without following due process of law, it shall cause irreparable
injury to him... I deem it appropriate that the defendant (the akhara)
be restrained from interfering," the judge said.

The temple had been set up by Ram Kishan Dass, who was in the settled
possession of the property since 1977, and then executed a will in
favour of Biswas on March 4, 2005. Biswas alleged that the Akhara has
been trying to disturb the faith of the devotees and constantly
threatening the community to stop them from offering puja there.

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[ZESTCaste] Violence against Dalits on the rise

http://www.thehindu.com/2010/06/08/stories/2010060855820500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Salem

Violence against Dalits on the rise

R. Ilangovan

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'Special act needed to stop discrimination against Dalits'

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SALEM: Violence against Dalits who want to worship in village temples
and participate in festivals, is on the rise.

The sudden spurt in violent incidents, particularly in Tamil months of
Masi, Chitrai and Vaikasi when a majority of the temples in the State
celebrate festivals, is being viewed by activists including the
CPI(M)'s Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, as a disturbing
attempt.

The violence during the car festival of Sri Sakthi Kaliamman Temple at
Pottireddipatti village, in Namakkal district on May 24, had left
eight Dalits seriously injured.

A Dalit woman, Pappathi, who sustained a deep cut in the forehead in
the violence, says that Arunthathiyars built a temple of their own
since they were denied entry to the village temple by upper caste
Hindus.

Similarly, violence broke out on May 26 during the annual festival of
Sri Periya Mariamman Temple at Kannankurichi, near Salem. G. Suresh, a
Dalit was the chairman of the temple controlled by the HR and CE.

The police had to disperse upper caste Hindus and bring the temple
under lock and key.

Mr. Subash, a former headmaster, says the violence was unleashed by
people who could not tolerate him as the board chairman. "The entire
village, however, support me," he says.

Houses damaged

On March 28, houses of 10 Dalits were damaged following clashes during
the festival of Sri Santhapettai Selliamman Temple at Sankagiri.
Dhandapani, a Dalit, was attacked when he attended the Samabandhi
bojan at a temple at Karamadai, near Mettupalayam.

Huts of Dalits were burnt when violence broke out at the temple
festival in T. Edayapatti village in Karur taluk during 2008.

A recent study on Dalits being discriminated against in temples in 85
village panchayats in southern districts by the Madurai-based
'Evidence' says that since May 2009 Dalits are being denied entry into
temples in 69 village panchayats.

Temple cars would not be drawn inside Dalit colonies in 54 panchayats.
Clashes were reported from 49 panchayats during festivals.

'Evidence' wants the government to enact a special act to end the
discrimination against Dalits at places of worship and ensure them the
right to worship.

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[ZESTCaste] BSP MLA's kin kill Dalit

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/BSP-MLA--s-kin-kill-Dalit/631004/#

BSP MLA's kin kill Dalit
Agencies
Posted online: Jun 08, 2010 at 1219 hrs

BalliaThree persons, including the relatives of a BSP MLA, were on
Monday arrested here for allegedly beating a Dalit youth to death
after he attended a wedding function, defying a diktat, police said.

Tribhuvan and Laxman, cousin brothers of BSP MLA and former minister
Ghuraram, and Shobha Devi were held on the charges of killing Direndra
Kumar on Saturday night, Deputy Superintendent of Police B N Tiwari
said.

Dhirendra's family, which had been "socially boycotted" some years
ago, had earlier lodged a complaint accusing the BSP MLA of conspiring
in the murder, he said.

Earlier, police said the victim went to attend a marriage function
Saturday night and some villagers attacked him in order to teach a
lesson.

However, some persons had lodged a complaint alleging that the attack
was in retaliation to rape of a 15-year-old girl allegedly by
Dhirendra and his two associates.

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[ZESTCaste] Indian Village Burned by Upper Caste and Police: Two Dead

http://www.groundreport.com/World/Indian-Village-Burned-by-Upper-Caste-and-Police-Tw/2924565

Indian Village Burned by Upper Caste and Police: Two Dead
by William Watt June 08, 2010

"Do the poor have no right to live?" exclaimed Jaswant, a local Indian
of the village Mirjpur. Mirjpur recently had 20 houses burnt to the
ground by the Jat Community and experienced zero support from local
officers.

In fact, local officers were seen that night lounging in the houses of
the Jats. Some even stood aside as the houses were burned before
their eyes. There is great speculation that the police might have
actually deployed several of the groups responsible for the carnage.

Having said that, the Jats have been increasingly more violent in the
Hissar district of India. As of late, they burned houses in Dulina,
Salvan, and now Mirjpur village. Of the three burnings only Mirjpur
has experienced fatalities.

Two people died in the last carnage. A man and his disabled daughter
were burned alive in their home. A survivor of the incident, the
deceased man's son, was interviewed by IndiaUnheard correspondent,
Amit Kumar.

The man describes the means by which the Jats burned the houses, and
his despair is felt through the screen as he shows the wreckage of his
old home.

Jaswant explains that the Jats have been acting increasingly violent
to try and prevent the Dalit and Valmiki communities (lower castes)
from gaining equal rights. "They want us to be their slaves. This is
the only reason for this carnage."

The Dalit and Valmiki communities aren't experiencing relief from the
government, who makes false promises of justice to silence their cries
for help.

Standing tall to the camera, Jaswant speaks, "We want the government
to punish the culprits, and book the officers under section
302-SC/ST."

Knowing your rights is a first step, but in a society that depends on
the authority of a lackadaisical government, it is hard to imagine
Jaswant or Mirjpur village will ever see proper justice for this
incident.

To learn more about this story and to explore the hidden truth's
behind India's caste system, watch this short video.
http://indiaunheard.videovolunteers.org/amit/caste-violence-in-haryana/