Dalit students abused, beaten up for not cleaning toilets

COIMBATORE: Over 50 students, mostly Dalit girls, of Vilankurichi Panchayat Union Middle School near here were up in arms against a teacher who allegedly punished two students for refusing to clean the school toilets.The incident came to light when SFI activist Kareen brought the the students to the collectorate on Thursday to highlight the plight of the Dalit girls.This website's newspaper spoke to two girl students -- Tamilselvi and Jeeva -- who said that their teacher Umamaheswari forced them to clean the school toilets on July 28.When they refused, the teacher along with headmistress of the school, Philomena, allegedly beat the girls.

The teacher is understood to have sent them out of the school on Tuesday and abused them by their caste name, the students claimed.Tamilselvi and Jeeva said that the headmistress and the teacher threatened to dismiss them from the school if they failed to apologise for their behaviour.The District Collector, V Palanikumar, spoke to the students and assured them that action would be taken. DRO, S Prabhakaran said that CEO, DEO and district Adidravidar welfare officer were conducting an enquiry into the incident on the school premises at Vilankurichi.Refuting the students claim, assistant elementary education officer, R Rajendran, said that the students were imparted training under the Total Sanitation Programme that is being implemented in rural areas.

Under the programme, students are to clean toilets and the school premises in order to familiarise themselves with sanitation and hygiene practices. Rajendran said that a group of students failed to turn up for training.

Vilankurichi panchayat president, Aarukutty, said it was a small issue that was being blown out of proportion. He blamed certain activists who were trying to derive mileage using the incident.

A social activist said the school authorities under the guise of the sanitation programme in schools, should not ill-treat the students, more so the Dalit students.

Ostracised Dalit Christians threaten stir

PUDUCHERRY: The Eraiyur incident, where the Dalits were ostracised, is still fresh in the memory of the Dalit Christians.After the incident, both caste Christians and Dalits were allowed to use the common path to the church and cemetery.There was also a call for a separate church for the Dalits, but during all these developments, the Archbishop never met and interacted with our community, alleged the Dalit Christian Confederation of Vadalur(DCC) during a press meet in Puducherry.They also alleged that despite being a part of the Christian faith for the past 25 years, the Dalit Christians continued to be treated as second class citizens.

The state president of DCC, M S Raj, said that Ananda Rayar, Arch Bishop of Puducherry, failed to resolve the problem that arose recently. “If our problems are not addressed by August 15, we will be forced to conduct agitation,” he added.If everything failed, they would be forced to return to the parent religion that they hailed from, he said.To date, no Dalit Christian was allowed to take up covetous jobs like minister, MP, M L A, IAS, IPS, doctors, engineers etc. We have been deliberately deprived of these benefits, he said.

Source: Neindpress.com

COUNTER VIEW: Animal sacrifice is kosher

Many of us might find Samajwadi Party MLA Kishore Samrite's act of sacrificing animals at the Kamakhya temple abhorrent. But that does not take away the right of Samrite, or indeed anybody else, to sacrifice animals as long as the law doesn't ban it. Assam — where Kamakhya temple is located — is one of many states in India where animal slaughter is not forbidden. There are indeed several reasons not to enforce a blanket ban on animal sacrifices in temples. First, it interferes with the right to freedom of religion of many Hindus who believe animal sacrifice is an integral part of their faith. It's not for a secular state to meddle in religious practices as long as they aren't a threat to public order.

Contrary to what some animal rights groups, such as PETA, assert, animal sacrifice has been very much a part of different religions in India, including Hinduism and Islam. This is particularly true for groups that believe in Shakti worship as well as for Dalits. Thus, in states like Tamil Nadu — where a legislation banning animal and bird sacrifices has been in place since 1950 — the ban has been there only in name. A few years ago, when the Tamil Nadu government under Jayalalithaa tried to enforce the ban, there was a backlash from Dalit groups.

They argued that for several centuries, goats and chicken have been sacrificed as offering to their deities and the meat distributed to devotees. Second, there is a flaw in the argument of activists to ban only animal sacrifices. If animal sacrifice is to be banned, there is no reason why any animal slaughter should be allowed. That would mean enforcing vegetarianism on the entire population, which is absurd. And if cruelty to animals is the issue, slaughter of animals for food is no more humane than sacrificing them at places of worship. This does not mean that people like Samrite should be encouraged. The idea of a mass sacrifice of animals reeks of a medieval mindset. This mentality should be changed through campaigns. A ban on animal sacrifices, that infringes on religious freedom, is not the answer.

Source: TOI

Assembly principal secy booked under SC/ST Act

LUCKNOW: In an unprecedented move, principal secretary of the UP Vidhan Sabha Rajendra Prasad Pandey was on Wednesday forced to quit his office in an unceremonious manner after being booked under the SC/ST Act for harassing one of his subordinates, who later committed suicide by consuming poison. This is the first case of its nature, and is likely to have widespread ramifications. In this backdrop, the case has assumed a political overtone.

Much because it is viewed as an assertion of the government's dalit agenda, especially at a time when chief minister Mayawati has geared up to go in for a show of strength by organising a massive rally here on August 9 in retaliation to the Congress-led coalition government at the Centre.

Meanwhile, a gloom descended over the Secretariat on Wednesday after this development, as it sets to increase the caste divide within the Secretariat employees and grips them with a sense of insecurity. The future outcome would depend much on the manner in which the case is handled and the justice is dispensed. It may be recalled that Pandey, who retired in 2007, was currently on a one-year extension till November 30, 2008.

Source: TOI

Here, Dalits are still denied water

JETPARDA (WANKANER): People particularly in Saurashtra rejoice after the second spell of the long awaited rain. But this fresh water can't quench thirst of the Dalits in the Jetparda village of Wankaner taluka in Rajkot district. Caste discrimination still haunts Dalits in this village, where many a time they have to go thirsty as they are left with no option.

"We have drinking water pipelines in our village and most of the villagers fetch water from the water tapes. But for Dalits there is a separate water tap, which is being blocked many time. Also we are allowed to take water only when others have got enough to quench their thirst,'' says Damaji Parmar, a Dalit and a member of the Gram Panchayat . "Just a month ago, during my daughter's marriage I had to purchase water from a private supplier as I did not get sufficient water from village,'' adds Parmar . "Villagers have to rely only on government for their drinking water needs as ground water is extremely saline here.

But we often prefer drinking the saline water or have to go at least 2 km to fetch drinking water. Also if there is water in a well, Dalits have to wait for other villagers as we can't touch their wells," says Mina Parmar, who is one of the 2,000 odd villagers of Jetparda.

According to Parmar, many Dalit families are suffering from water related disease as they end up drinking contaminated water. Dalits from the village say that they have even given applications to the concerned government authority over the discrimination done to them but still no action has been taken so far. When contacted, said work assistant, Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Wankaner ) P N Chikaliya, "The drinking water problem of Dalits in Jetparda will be solved shortly. We have already mooted a proposal so that Dalits get a proper water supply.''

Source: TOI

Seminar on Dalit women

More research was needed into the Dalit concept and life and an exclusive Dalit university which was being demanded would help this cause, Adjunct Professor of Acharya Nagarjuna University and a Dalit writer Katti Padma Rao said here on Tuesday.
He was delivering the key note address at the one-day seminar on ‘Dalit women: issues and perspectives’ organised by the Dr. Durgabhai Deshmuk Centre for Women Studies, Andhra University and the Millennium Software Solutions on the occasion of the 99th birth anniversary of Durgabai Deshmukh.
Vice-Chancellor B. Satyanarayana was the chief guest.
The Centre felicitated founder Director of the Centre for Women Studies Ila Rao and former Director V. Pramila Bose.

Source: the hindu.com

Relatives refuse to cremate man who married Dalit woman

RAIPUR: Relatives of a man who died July 22 in a Chhattisgarh village refused to cremate his body because he had married a Dalit woman. Later, the body of Durga Sahu, 45, was handed over to a social organisation based in at the state capital here for cremation. Sahu died after a long illness at his native village Tendua, dominated by the backward Sahu community. He was socially boycotted by his own family and other villagers after he married a Scheduled Caste Satnami Samaj girl, Meena Bai, nearly two decades back.

The couple did not have any children.The village is right on the outskirts of Raipur."Sahu was living in social isolation since his marriage and was doing labour work along with his wife but his earnings were hit two years back when paralysis affected him," village sarpanch (head) Savitri Sahu told IANS Thursday."When he died Tuesday, July 22, majority of his relatives and villagers thronged his house but all refused to cremate him and attend his funeral as he was a socially boycotted person.""Anyhow we contacted the police and then the police telephoned a Raipur-based social organisation - Mukti Sardhanjali - that cremates unclaimed bodies," the sarpanch said.As per reports, some senior residents of Tendua did request the villagers to respond to the plea by Durga's widow and ensure his cremation, but none came forward.

Source: Newindexpress.com

Principal suspended for discrimination against Dalit

Kanpur, 24 July: A primary school principal in Kanpur Dehat district was suspended today amid allegations of discrimination by students of the Dalit community.Shailendra Yadav, principal of a primary school in Thakuran Gadeva village was suspended on charges of discrimination while distributing scholarships to students.Kanpur District Magistrate OPN Singh said an FIR will soon be filed against Yadav.

An inquiry will also be conducted against Mahipal Singh, a temporary teacher in the same school in connection with the matter, Singh said.According to the district magistrate, Yadav has been suspended on charges of partiality and cheating during distribution of scholarships to students.Around two dozen students of the Dalit community in Thakuran Gadeva village staged a demonstration in front of the district magistrate's office yesterday, complaining of discrimination by the principal.

Source: Sahara Samay

US should work with India to solve Dalit problems: lawmaker

Washington, Jul 18 (PTI) A top democratic lawmaker has asked the United States to work with India to find "new approaches" to solve the problems of the Dalits in the country.In a resolution introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman from Pennsylvania Robert Brady, it has been pointed out that more than 160 million in India are considered untouchable and dehumanised by the caste system and that most of the "untouchables" are among the poorest people in the world, living on less than USD 1 per day."They live in constant fear of being "publicly humiliated, paraded naked, beaten, and raped with impunity by upper caste Hindus seeking to keep them in their place." "...(the) caste-based discrimination is institutionalised throughout India and that its corrosive influence on the Indian people must be effectively addressed," the resolution says.It also recognises the caste system's debilitating influence on the daily lives of millions in India "and encourages the United States to work with India to find new approaches to this age-old problem." PTI

Source: PTI News

Dalit leader’s commitment to social equality hailed

In rapt attention: (From left) Journalist N.S. Shankar, former Kannada professor M.B. Nataraj, chairperson of B. Krishnappa Trust Indira Krishnappa and writer D. Saraswathi at a seminar on ‘Dalit women and movement’ in Shimoga on Sunday.

SHIMOGA: M.B. Nataraj, former Kannada professor, on Sunday hailed Dalit leader Krishnappa for his commitment to social equality.
Speaking at a seminar on “Dalit women and movement”, organised jointly by B. Krishnappa Memorial Trust and Srishti Samskratika Vedike, he said that Krishnappa gave a new dimension to the fight for the well-being of Dalits though poetic expression of his feelings.
He referred to the contribution of women writers to the cause of Dalit movement.
Journalist N.S. Shankar said that Krishnappa made a significant contribution in converting the struggles by farmers and Dalits for justice into effective social movements. He, however, regretted that the Dalit movement, which was effective in the early 1980s, became weak because of power politics. Indira Krishnappa, chairperson of the B. Krishnappa Trust, presided over the function.

Dalit Muslims oppose Mallick Muslims in backwards list

Patna, July 17 : Dalit Muslims in Bihar have demanded that Mallick Muslims should be withdrawn from the backward caste list of the state government.
A delegation of Dalit Muslim leaders comprising the newly-formed Federation for Minorities Rights, Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad and All India Backward Class-Scheduled Castes-Minority Federation met the chairman of the Bihar State Backward Class Commission here Thursday to protest the government decision to declare upper caste Mallick Muslims as a backward caste.Dalit Muslim leaders made it clear to the commission that the state government's decision was against the reservation policy and the constitution."We have expressed our protest against declaration of Mallick Muslims as backwards and demanded that this caste should be withdrawn from the backward castes list of the government," said Irshadul Haque, federation vice-president.Earlier in July, hundreds of Dalit Muslims from various groups protested the decision to declare upper caste Mallick Muslims as backwards and threatened a state-wide agitation and challenge the government decision in a court of law.

Untouchability is shameful: Guilty should be punished

The practice of untouchability continues with the people even today. It is a shocking and unbearable fact in this advanced age. Hundreds of years before, on the question of social discrimination, it was said that `Jaat-Paat Lakhe Na Koi, Hari ko Bhaje So Hari Ko Hoi.'

But, a dalit of Rampura village of Chhatarpur district had to pay a heavy price for worshipping in the temple. Dalit Maiyyadeen had committed the only mistake that he followed the instructions of a brahmin that his poverty would go away if he performs pooja in the temple and offers "Prasad'. Maiyadeen called a brahmin (pandit) and performed pooja in the Hanuman temple of the village.

The Yadav community people could not bear this news when it reached them. They put pressure on Maiyyadeen to arrange Rs 16,000 and the temple was purified with the same money through Havan-Poojan. On this occasion mass feast was organised.
The powerful people said that he belongs to low caste. Temple had become impure as he worshipped in it. Dalit Maiyyadeen accepted their instruction to save his life. In the fast developing country and community how can such a conduct is justified. God is equal to all and there is no meaning of low caste and high caste, with him. If this type of discrimination is happening in any part of the country then it is a matter of great concern.

Even after strict laws to eradicate discrimination such injustice with dalits is shameful. The administration should keep eye on such discrimination happening in the society. The people who committed such injustice and discrimination with dalit Maiyyadeen should not be spared.

Source: Central chronicle

Give reservation to Dalit Muslims: Ejaz Ali

New Delhi, July 15, 2008: Member of Parliament and national president of All India United Muslim Morcha, M Ejaz Ali said that he is hopeful that after the inclusion of Samajwadi Party in the UPA government reservation for Muslim Dalit may become a reality.
He said that for the first time in the year 2000 the Bihar government had passed the resolution in the assembly and recommended the centre to arrange reservation for Muslim Dalits. At that time Rabri Devi was the chief minister of the state.
In 2006 the UP government led by Mulayam Singh Yadav recommended the same thing. Now both RJD and SP will be the part of Government in centre and

TRS to back Mayawati as first dalit PM: Rao

Hyderabad (PTI): With less than a week left for the trust vote in Parliament, the TRS on Wednesday declared that it will be the first party to back Mayawati for Prime Ministership.
"If and when the situation comes, we will be the first party to present Mayawati's name for the post of dalit woman Prime Minister. Any progressive party will be happy to support her," TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao told NDTV.
Rao is slated to meet Mayawati in Delhi on Saturday ahead of the July 22 confidence vote in the Lok Sabha.