Tuesday, October 19, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Fwd: A defining moment in the history of India!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shiva Shankar <sshankar@cmi.ac.in>
Date: Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 5:42 PM
Subject: A defining moment in the history of India!
To:

Samajik Parivartan Yatra
(For Eradication of Manual Scavenging in India)

Manual scavenging is the most obnoxious and inhuman practice violating
the dignity and human personhood of safai karmacharis. It involves the
engagement or employment of sections of people to manually dispose
human excreta from dry latrines with bare minimum aids such as
scarappers, brooms and baskets.

Manual scavenging is integrally linked with caste system and is
imposed on certain dalit sub-caste groups particularly on their women.
As a result all persons engaged in manual scavenging are dalits, and
of them 82% are women.

Manual scavenging continues to persist even today after it has been
banned 17 years ago through the 'Employment of Manual Scavengers and
Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993. A major reason
for its continuance is the attitude of state local body authorities
towards the condition and plight of safai karmacharis. They seem to
tacitly agree with the casteist ideology that assigns unclean
occupations to dalits and hence have totally ignored the 1993 Act. At
the same time they justify their inaction alleging that the safai
karmacharis are quite content doing manual scavenging.

Safai Karmachari Andolan

Safai Karamchari Andolan, is totally opposed to the casteist ideology.
It is a national campaign movement of safai karmacharis committed to
liberate all safai karamcharis from manual scavenging and restore
their dignity and personhood.

Since 1996, we the safai karmacharis are engaged in a protracted
struggle to eradicate manual scavenging and liberate all safai
karmacharis. We have been employing different strategies in our
campaign - taking surveys to identify dry latrines, users and those
forced into manual scavenging, filing petitions and complaints with
government officials at different levels, educating and sensitising
the civil society and dry latrine users, filing of public interest
litigation in the supreme court and networking with individuals, media
and civil society organisations to form solidarity and pressure
groups. Safai Karamchari Andolan has substantial evidence in 18 states
of India of the prevalence of manual scavenging.

We filed the PIL in Supreme Court in 2003 along with 18 other
organizations and individuals in which we named the state governments,
Central government ministries and departments as respondents. So far
there have been 21 hearings. There has been a noticeable pattern to
state official responses. First, a total denial of any existence of
manual scavenging in their respective jurisdictions, next partial
admission, when we produced sample photographic evidence and finally,
claiming complete compliance by dubiously destroying only those places
which we presented as samples. In some cases, they even misinterpreted
the Act to intimidate and threaten safai karmacharis. The state local
body officials have never used the provisions of the Act to take legal
action against the owners of dry latrines.

Such responses by state bodies and the Apex Court's order prompted us
to undertake an extensive sample survey which is essentially the
Government responsibility. We have conducted the survey in 274
districts of 18 states and have documented 7065 cases of persons
engaged in manual scavenging.

The survey process has added to the numerical strength of the SKA
movement with Community Resource Persons (CRPs) and volunteer
enumerators and a host of other community members dedicating
themselves and pledging eliminate manual scavenging in their
respective districts and states.

All in all our campaign over the last few years has built up
tremendous pressure on the government to implement the 'Employment of
Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act
1993'. It has opened a vision of a manual scavenging free India. And
since 2007 SKA is engaged in an intensive strategic programme called
'Action-2010' to eradicate manual scavenging completely from India by
December 2010. Our national bus yatra is part of this intensive
effort.

Samajik Parivarthan Yatra(Social transformation Rally) for Eradication
of Manual Scavenging

Today we are flagging off the historical 'Samajik Parivarthan Yatra'.
It is a strategic programme of Bus Yatra which starts from five
different corners of India, will traverse through several districts in
20 states and finally culminate in New Delhi with a large rally.

The Bus Yatra begins on 30th September from the following five points
and culminates in Delhi on 29th October:

1. Jai Bheem Marg : J&K,Punjab,HP,Haryana,Rajasthan,Gujarat,MP,UP and Delhi

2. Birsa Munda Marg : Assam,West Bengal,Jharkhand,Bihar,U P and Delhi

3. Periyar Marg : Tamilnadu,Karnataka,AP,Maharashtra,MP,UP and Delhi

4. Jhalkari Bai Marg : Odisha, Chattisgarh, M P, U P and Delhi

5. Savitri Bai Marg : Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi

The longest route travels for 30 days.

Social Actions during the Yatra :

§ Street meetings

§ Community meetings

§ Public meetings in state Capitals and all prominent locations on the
basis of existence

§ of manual scavenging

§ Rallies

§ Dharnas

§ Burning the Baskets

§ Meetings with local, District and state officials

§ Press meets

The historical Samajik Parivartan Yatra would be significant for the
following reasons:

The yatra, mainly liberated safai karmacharis will for the first time
be linked with one another and journey together.

The yatris will in district after district motivate and inspire others
who are still engaged in manual scavenging to free themselves from the
obnoxious practise and regain their sense of dignity.

Along the way, the yatris will reach out to the civic body
administration and authorities appealing for the last time to fulfil
their duties of implementing the provisions of the 1993 Employment of
manual scavengers prohibition Act.

At the point of culmination in New Delhi, the yatris will in large
numbers raise their voices to demand the government of India to
demonstrate its will to liberate and rehabilitate all those engaged in
manual scavenging by ordering the administrative structures to do the
needful immediately.

Our Demands

An official apology from the Government of India for violating the
human dignity and human rights Safai Karmcharis for over 3 thousand
years.

Eradicate Manual Scavenging

Ø Demolish Dry Latrines

Ø Implement the 1993 Act Strictly.

Ø Punish Violators of the Act 1993

Ø Punish Dry Latrine Owners and all those who forced safai karmacharis
for cleaning shit under the SC/ST Atrocity Prohibition Act 1989.

Rehabilitation Package

Ø Release Immediate relief of Rs. 10,000 for safai karmacharis

Ø Provide minimum 5 Lac rupees to safai karmacharis to take up
dignified occupations.

Ø Provide 5 Acre fertile land to safai karmacharis for dignified livelihood

Ø Give Antyodaya Card to safai karmacharis

Ø Provide houses to safai karmacharis

Ø Provide special pension for single safai karmachari women.

Ø Provide special pension for aged safai karmacharis

Ø Provide free education with monthly scholarship to all
safaikarmachari children for as many generations as their parents had
worked as safai karmacharis.

Ø Provide job oriented technical education with residential facility
and Job placements to the dependent youth of safai karmacharis .

Ø Provide support for dignified livelihood to safai karmachari women
in accordance with their choice of livelihood schemes.

Ø Register the assets created for safai karmachari women in their name only.

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

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Monday, October 18, 2010

[ZESTCaste] 2010: Request for donations

No response from donors (execpt one or two) since I posted this request couple of weeks ago. Only 2 moths left in 2010. Please come forward with your pledges. 
 
Please circulate it widely to your colleagues, friends, relatives, organizations, and social and email groups.
-----------------------------------------
Dear donors, friends, and well-wishers,
It has been over a month since I came from India. I am still busy with my personal matters (my brother's death is still bothering me a lot) and so I could not devote time to give information on my Indian trip or work on FFEI projects. I have yet to finalize the accounts for 2009. I will complete it ASAP.
 
Please check 2009 accounts here http://www.friends4education.org/scholarship/0YrActs/2009activities.htm .
 
So, I am appealing for donations for 2010. Please send them as early as possible so that we will make arrangements. You have been patronizing FFEI (Ambedkar Scholarships) since 2003 and I expect the same this year as well. Our responsibility has greatly increased as we have adopted kids for education at 5 different states and we need your help. Please come forward with whatever you can spare. We need your help. 
 
In the past one month, the following activities have been taken place:
 
We sent advertisement to all schools in AP and expecting to get the applications by the end of October.
 
We disbursed Rs. 1,00,000 to Sakya Hostel for its maintenance.  As the funds are running out, its maintenance is worrying its managers. I was very impressed of its working when I visited the hostel. Thanks to Prof Shiva's initiative, the donation was made by Prof David Mumford of US. Thanks to both.
 
We disbursed Rs.50,000 to a microloan project (called "Centring" in building construction), thanks to Prof Anandswarup of Australia.  A group of 10 construction workers will become owners with this donation in a year or so. I met them, listened carefully the proposal, and requested help. Prof Anandswarup, as usual came forward. Thanks Professor.
 
We also planning to buy a computer for the library in Veluru, again with the donation of Rs.20,000 by Prof Anandswarup. 
 
We are pleased to announce that Dr Siddoji Rao, Director, AP Study Circle (IAS coaching center run by AP Government) is willing to associate with FFEI. He is a young and dynamic. He studied in JNU, USA, Australia and gold medalist all through his academic career. He was a dean in an Australian university before coming to India to do social work.  I saw his dedication and sincerity from close quarters. We may officially induct him at a later date. Thanks, Dr Siddoji for coming on board.
 
I have been in dialogue with individuals and organizations I visited during my trip on how we can work together to help the most needy children.
 
So, friends, please come forward with you generous donations for 2010. We have 501(c)(3) in USA and your donation is tax deductible. We are hoping to get Income Tax exemption in India as well, most probably by the end of this year.
 
We are planning to wind this drive by Dec 31, 2010. Please rush your donations.
 
Please send your donations to one of the following methods:
Online donation: http://www.friends4education.org/scholarship/0Main/html/donate_address.htm
 
USD donation: 
  In favor of :FFEI (Friends for Education International)
Bank        : US Bank, La Crescenta, CA 

Benjamin P Kaila
2755 Sanborn Ave
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: 818.248.5889  

Indian rupees:
In favor of: Friends for Education International (India Chapter)
Bank: Corporation Bank, Nampally, Hyderabad

Mr K L Paul
Gayatri Apartments,
Block 1, Flat 407, APIIC Colony, Jidimetla
Hyderabad, India 500 055
 
With regards
Benjamin P Kaila
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An educated man without character and humility was more dangerous than a beast. If his education was detrimental to the welfare of poor, he was a curse to society. 
-Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar
Please visit www.friendsforeducation.org

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[ZESTCaste] Abusing Dalit by his caste in private interaction not an offence: Delhi court

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Abusing-Dalit-by-his-caste-in-private-interaction-not-an-offence-Court/Article1-613503.aspx

Press Trust Of India

New Delhi, October 15, 2010

First Published: 20:43 IST(15/10/2010)

Last Updated: 21:56 IST(15/10/2010)

Abusing Dalit by his caste in private interaction not an offence: Delhi court

Abusing a Dalit by his caste in private interaction is not an offence, a Delhi court has said. The court's observation came while acquitting a principal of a government school of charges of passing some derogatory remarks against his junior, belonging to a Scheduled Caste.

To drive home the guilt of the accused, such incidents should happen in full public view, it said.

"The presence of principal (accused) and the teacher (complainant) alone during the dispute resulting in any abuse, insult or humiliation by virtue of caste does not constitute 'within public view' within the meaning of Section 3 (i) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act," Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma said.

Deepak Singh, working as a teacher at Government Boys Senior Secondary School at Roop Nagar in New Delhi, had accused that Pal Dhama insulted and humiliated him by calling him with the name of his caste.

Later, the accused also abused him for lodging an FIR against him at Roop Nagar police station on May 14, 2007.

The court trashed the allegations that the accused also called him nikamma which also constituted an offence under the Act. "Mere fact that the accused once remarked that complainant was a nikamma is no offence which only mean that the complainant was not taking his teaching assignment seriously and the accused being principal had a duty to remind the complainant to improve his commitment to work," it said.

The complainant further alleged that the principal allotted him class VI for teaching mathematics despite the fact that he was a teacher of natural science.

"Much grievance is sought to be made by him... but this cannot be accepted in view of the guidelines of the Directorate of Education proved on record that empower the principal of a school to depute a graduate teacher for imparting class in mathematics and science to students up to class VIII," the court said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/613503.aspx

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[ZESTCaste] ‘Refund Dalit funds if diverted to CWG’

http://expressbuzz.com/nation/%E2%80%98refund-dalit-funds-if-diverted-to-cwg%E2%80%99/215644.html

'Refund Dalit funds if diverted to CWG'

U Anand Kumar

Express News ServiceFirst Published : 16 Oct 2010 03:15:51 AM ISTLast
Updated : 16 Oct 2010 10:54:12 AM IST

NEWDELHI: Taking serious note over the reports of alleged diversion of
funds meant for the welfare of the Dalits to Commonwealth Games by the
Delhi Government, National Commission for Scheduled Castes Chairman P
L Punia on Friday demanded refund of funds in case it happened.

Punia, who has taken over as Chairman of the Commission, said that money

meant for the Dalits welfare should not be spent for any other
purposes. "The commission has taken this matter seriously. I don't
have full information, but, in my opinion the money that is meant for
the Dalit welfare schemes should not be spent for any other purpose.
If it has been diverted, I demand that it should be returned."

"As a Chairman of the Commission, I would not allow any government,
whether of the Congress ruled states or the Opposition ruled states,
to divert the funds meant for the Dalits to other purposes," he added.

Taking a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Punia pointed
out that the state government had set up a medical college from the
funds meant for the Dalits welfare. Indicating a pro-active role of
the commission, Punia said that the commission would monitor and
evaluate the spending of the funds earmarked for the development and
welfare of the Dalits and make sure that the money.

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

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[ZESTCaste] States diverting funds meant for Dalits’ welfare

http://www.hindustantimes.com/States-diverting-funds-meant-for-Dalits-welfare/Article1-614029.aspx

States diverting funds meant for Dalits' welfare
Vikas Pathak, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, October 16, 2010First Published: 23:51 IST(16/10/2010)
Last Updated: 00:08 IST(17/10/2010)

The Delhi government may have invited sharp criticism over the
diversion of R744 crore funds meant for Scheduled Castes' — or
Dalits' — welfare to the Commonwealth Games over five years, but many
states have routinely been guilty of flouting norms when it comes to
earmarking funds for Dalits.
Planning Commission guidelines mandate that each state allocate funds
for the development of Scheduled Castes in proportion to their
populations in their annual plan, and place the allocations under a
separate budget head. This is technically called the Scheduled Caste
Sub Plan (SCSP).

However, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and
Empowerment expressed concern in 2008-end that Kerala, Bihar and
Rajasthan had not earmarked any funds specifically for Scheduled
Castes' development. The scale of funds Dalits may have missed out on
can be gauged from the fact that the Dalit population of the three
states is 9.8 per cent, 15.7 per cent and 17.2 per cent, respectively.

This violation of Planning Commission guidelines was happening at a
time when Delhi was indulging in the said diversion, which has made
the new Scheduled Caste Commission chairman P.L. Punia condemn the
diversion "if" it has actually taken place.

The same parliamentary panel said that Andhra Pradesh with an SC
population of 16 per cent had allocated just 7 per cent of funds for
SC development, Himachal Pradesh with an SC population of 24 per cent
just 11 per cent and Punjab with an SC population of about 29 per cent
just 26 per cent.

"We regularly take up such matters with states and ask them to ensure
compliance," said a Social Justice Ministry official.

In 2006-07, the amount actually allocated for SCSP for 14 states and
Union territories across India was R3,223 crore less than what it
should been as per their SC populations, meaning it was R21,461 crore
instead of the required R 24,684 crore.

For the previous two years, the corresponding deficit in allocation
was R5,688 crore and R5,591-crore, respectively.

The government has told the Rajya Sabha that the percentage of funds
allocated for SCs by all states and Union territories was just 11.2
per cent in 2005-06 and 12.9 per cent in 2006-07. It came up to a more
respectable 15.8 per cent in 2007-08. Ideally, it should be equal to
the SC population of the nation, which is 16.2 per cent.

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

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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Fwd: A defining moment in the history of India!

Monday, October 18, 2010

[ZESTCaste] 2010: Request for donations

[ZESTCaste] Abusing Dalit by his caste in private interaction not an offence: Delhi court

Abusing Dalit by his caste in private interaction not an offence: Delhi court

[ZESTCaste] ‘Refund Dalit funds if diverted to CWG’

[ZESTCaste] States diverting funds meant for Dalits’ welfare

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