Dalits Media Watch
NewsUpdates 04.07.13
Girl married to Dalit refuses to go back to husband- The Indian Express
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/girl-married-to-dalit-refuses-to-go-back-to-husband/1137325/
The plight of dalits women: Why it's time to end the caste system both in India and the UK- The Independent
Bihar rolls back case against DGP- The Hindu
Industrial corp for SC/ST entrepreneurs on cards- Business Standard
Hassan: Dalits Protest Pouring Cow-dung into Heads seeking Justice to Distressed Families- Bellevision.com
http://www.bellevision.com/belle/index.php?action=topnews&type=6407
Sadashiva panel suggestion ignites raging fire over caste- Deccan Chronicle
Fair probe sought into Dalit woman's rape, murder- The Hindu
NOTE : Please find attachment for Hindi News Updates (PDF)
The Indian Express
Girl married to Dalit refuses to go back to husband
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/girl-married-to-dalit-refuses-to-go-back-to-husband/1137325/
The girl, whose marriage to a Dalit boy triggered anti-Dalit violence in three villages of Dharmapuri district in
November last, today said she would never go back to her husband. Speaking to reporters outside the High
Court, Divya said she has been under tremendous pressure all these days. She said she is unable to forget
her father who committed suicide after her marriage and now she does not want to live with her husband, but
wants to stay with her mother.
The matter pertains to a Habeas Corpus Petition filed by the mother of Divya to produce her before the Court
and set her at Liberty. On July 1, she had told Madras High Court that she would go with her mother "for the
time being". She had also said she had no problems in the house of her husband or with her mother-in-law,
but was being haunted by incidents of her father's death who committed suicide after her marriage with
Ilavarasan of Natham village.
Divya's mother too had opposed the inter-caste marriage which was held on October 14. Three villages of
Dharmapuri district-- Natham, Kondamapatty and Annanagar-- witnessed violence and about 296 huts
belonging to Dalits were torched on November 7 after the girl's father committed suicide.
Several writ petitions were filed and the Court has ordered a probe into the rehabilitation measures taken in
Dalit colonies under the committee headed by IAS officer Vaski which submitted a 5000-page report to the
High Court. Earlier, when the petition came up for hearing, the bench comprising Justices M Jayachandran
and M Sunderesh reserved the orders for Friday.
The Independent
The plight of dalits women: Why it's time to end the caste system both in India and the UK
By Anand Kumar the Indian Representative for Christian Aid
Caste-based discrimination remains a wide-spread practice across the globe, with an estimated 260 million
people considered to be 'outcastes' (dalits) worldwide. This deep-rooted discrimination causes
marginalisation, social and economic exclusion, severely poor work conditions, and limited access to basic
services such as water, sanitation and employment.
In many countries, including India, caste systems divide people into many social groups (castes) where their
rights are determined by birth and are fixed. Unequal and hierarchical, those at the top enjoy comfortable
social positions, while those at the bottom struggle without any rights. This unjust system operates on principles of purity and pollution, influenced by the notion that dalits are impure. In India, 'untouchables' as they
are formerly known, have chosen to be known as dalits, meaning 'broken people'. Officially named 'scheduled
castes (SCs)', they constitute beyond 16 per cent of India's population.
Dalits face daily discrimination, including segregation in villages and schools; limitation to roads, public spaces
and temples; limited access to public services such as health care and access to safe drinking water; and
difficulties in access to, and ownership of, land.
And although such discrimination has been outlawed in India since 1955 – consequently leading to the
introduction of the Prevention of Atrocities Against SCs and Scheduled Tribes (STs) Act 1989, as well as
safeguards in education, public employment and legislature within the Indian Constitution – unfortunately most
of this legislation is poorly implemented and the country's dalits continue to suffer discrimination and
exclusion. Additional sub-caste discrimination further divides lower castes into numerous sub-castes, making
the caste system rather complex.
I was therefore overjoyed to hear UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay call upon member
states to address caste-based discrimination and global human rights violations that affect dalit women
worldwide, as well as the prohibition of caste-based discrimination in the UK being added to existing
legislation.
Speaking at the 23rd session of the UN's Human Rights Council in Geneva, Navi Pillay said: 'There should be
no place in our day and age for the degrading practises of caste and discrimination and untouchability, further
amplified by the intersection of discrimination based on caste and gender.'
Historically, dalits have no employment opportunities other than forced and bonded labour (where their labour
is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan), depending on wage labour. They are at the mercy of
dominant caste landlords just to make ends meet, consequently keeping them in a vicious cycle of poverty.
Although, thanks to changes in the Indian constitution to protect their rights, a small number of dalits have
emerged as middle class and some as successful entrepreneurs, fighting against all social and economic
barriers.
In spite of India's strong economic growth and development, it remains home to the practice of manual
scavenging, the removal of human excrement from dry toilets (there are 794,390 dry latrines nationwide) and
sewers using basic tools like thin boards, buckets and baskets lined with sacking, carried on the head.
Although abolished by law in India in 1993, it continues today, with the majority of workers being dalit women. They're paid meagre wages, sometimes just one rupee per day, and are forced to work in often dangerous
conditions – sometimes life-threatening.
Dalit women and girls are especially vulnerable, experiencing not only the discrimination of caste, but also of
class and gender – 'triple discrimination' as it's called here in India – leaving them in a vicious cycle of
marginalisation and exploitation. National crime statistics indicate an average of over 1,000 rape cases
against dalit women are reported annually, the highest of any social group.
Many dalit girls are also dedicated as Devadasi or Jogini. Once reported to be a sacred, religious practice, the
Devadesi or Jogini dedication of girls to temples has morphed into an organised system of abuse of young
dalit girls by men from dominant castes. These girls are prohibited from marrying and are stigmatised by their
community. Children born to them have to suffer discrimination as they don't have a recognised father.
The continuous effect of these practices, and the sexual abuse of dalit women, is that dalits and other
'untouchable' groups are kept powerless, separate and unequal. Although there are occasional small flickers
of hope, with the election of a female dalit leader as Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh state and another
prominent dalit woman as Speaker of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament). But this is not
sufficient when compared with the status of millions of fellow dalit women.
Christian Aid's work in India aims to address this injustice that keeps people in poverty through no fault of their
own. Partner organisations such as Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA) work to eradicate manual scavenging in
India, and support the rehabilitation of manual scavengers in dignified alternative occupations. Others are
helping socially excluded communities to get non-discriminatory access to welfare programmes implemented
by the state, as well as working to protect dalits from caste-based atrocities and exclusion.
Caste-based discrimination cannot be seen as just a problem of dalits, or a problem of any specific country. It
is a human rights problem affecting millions of people in India, South Asia or wherever the Indian diaspora live
worldwide, including the UK. The fight against the caste system is crucial for equality, and needs global
support in order to promote equality and social justice for everyone.
The Hindu
Bihar rolls back case against DGP
Suspended DIG says DGP has passed "casteist remarks" against him in public
Sunday saw swift developments for the Bihar Police, with a suspended Deputy Inspector General filing a caste
atrocity case against DGP Abhayanand and two other officers, and the police changing the heads and
"cancelling" the case claiming that it was registered under pressure.
Suspended DIG Alok Kumar went to the SC/ST police station in Chapra, Saran district, to register a case
under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Mr. Abhayanand; Inspector General (Operations) Amit
Kumar; Praveen Vashisth (Economic Offences Unit); and liquor trader Tunnaji Pandey.
However, late in the night, the police "cancelled" the case with Chapra Superintendent of Police Sujeet Kumar,
alleging that the DIG "forced ASI (Chandramauli Prasad) to make an entry in the FIR register."
Mr. Sujeet Kumar told The Hindu on Monday that the case never came into existence as there was no
signature of the station house officer Vinod Ram who had not been present for two days. "So I suspended the
SHO by 8 p.m. and appointed a new one Sanjay Tiwari in his place. Mr. Tiwari took charge at 11 p.m."
On taking charge, Mr. Tiwari "cancelled" Mr. Alok Kumar's case. The ASI filed a complaint against the DIG for
wrongful confinement and use of force which were cognisable offences.
"No case has been registered against any of the senior officers. There will be an investigation into the case
against Mr. Alok Kumar. As for his complaint, a preliminary inquiry would be conducted since there are serious
allegations against high-level officers. If prima facie there is any evidence, the police will register a case
against the officers," the SP said.
The DIG termed the police cancelling the case "unfortunate" and his right to file an FIR had been violated. In
his complaint, he alleged that the DGP passed "casteist remarks" against him in public. He had also
approached the National Commission for SC/STs.
Business Standard
Industrial corp for SC/ST entrepreneurs on cards
Major industries minister J Geetha Reddy said the state was planning a separate SC Industrial Corporation
that would facilitate necessary approvals starting from land allotment to bank credit for SC/ST entrepreneurs
.
AP has 2,600 units promoted by entrepreneurs from SC/STs, up from 178 in 2004.
To promote entrepreneurship among them, the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Investment Corporation (APIIC), in
collaboration with industry bodies Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Dalit Indian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (DIICI), has also announced special incentives like land allotments, tailor-made credit
facilities, training programmes .
The industry bodies had jointly organised industrial motivation campaigns in Tier-II cities like Tirupati,
Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Warangal over the last one month.
Close to 200 individuals applied for opening up new industrial units across various industrial zones and SEZs
in the state, said Jayesh Ranjan, vice chairman and managing director of APIIC.
Addressing a gathering here today, Ranjan said the government was ready to work with all the stakeholders to
double the share of SC/ST entrepreneurs in the state from the present 1 per cent. Srini Raju, DIICI mentor and
managing director of Peepul Capital Advisors said efficiency in industry was possible only through intense
competition and an effective bottom-up approach in production.
To increase employment in the manufacturing industry, focus should be on education and learning via industry
interaction and training programmes, he said.
As part of its policy to encourage young SMEs in the country, Peepul has been making investments only in the
first generation firms, he added.
Bellevision.com
Hassan: Dalits Protest Pouring Cow-dung into Heads seeking Justice to Distressed Families
http://www.bellevision.com/belle/index.php?action=topnews&type=6407
Hassan, 3 Jul 2013: The Dalits staged a protest by pouring cow-dung-mixed-water into their heads, urging
justice while the policemen tried to manhandle the protestors, here on Tuesday July 2.
The villagers of Doddahalli in Beloor taluk staged this protest by pouring cow-dung-mixed-water into their
heads, led by Ambedkar Yuva Sangh at the premises of Deputy Commissioner, here on Tuesday morning.
The protest was held over the atrocities on 8 Dalit families and 2 Lingayat families, farming on state allotted
landholdings who are assaulted by a certain Shivashankar, D L Chandrashekar, Dharmappa, Nanjappa,
Rudre Gowda and others. The families are regularly paying their taxes and also availed bank loans for
farming, alleged Dalit leaders.
Despite the distressed families plead for security with Arasikere DySP, it seemed that he had denied to do so.
At the backdrop of the distressed families led by Dalit leaders protested in the city in this regard, circle
inspector Srikant and sub-inspector Arehalli agreed to provide security to them.
The Dalit leaders urged the district administration to provide security to distressed families in farming their
landholdings and suspend the Arasikere DySP from the service, besides take action on Beloor Tahsildar who
is heeding to the pressures form vested interests in making their life miserable.
The Dalit leaders cautioned of half-naked protest and aggravated protest shortly, if their demands are not met
at the earliest.
Hundreds of Dalits including Ambedkar Yuva Sangh president Shiva Kumar, N K Kantaraj, Tirumalanahalli
Pradeep and Harish, Kumar were present at the occasion.
Deccan Chronicle
Sadashiva panel suggestion ignites raging fire over caste
Bengaluru: The visit of National Commission for SC and ST chairman, Panna Lal Punia, to the city was
marred by noisy scenes, with pro and anti Justice Sadashiva Commission groups engaging in arguments in
his presence over the acceptance of the commission's recommendation.
While groups backing Bovi, Koracha, Korama, Lambani and Banjara communities urged Punia to reject the
recommendations, other Dalit groups urged him to implement them.
Finally, Punia asked all groups to submit memorandums and promised to present it before the Union ministry
for social welfare.
The Sadashiva Commission had recommended the deletion of five communities from the SC/ST category. A
Dalit organisation filed a PIL in the High Court, seeking a direction to the Centre to implement the
recommendations of the commission.
The Karnataka High Court then directed the National Commission for SC and ST to look into the
matter. Confusion prevailed when representatives supporting and opposing the commission recommendations
arrived at Ambedkar Bhavan, presuming that Punia would take a decision on Tuesday itself.
The groups headed by legislator Aravind Limbavali, K.B. Shanappa and Shivamurthy urged Punia not to
delete the five communities from the list of SC/STs as the members were still living in difficult social
circumstances, which was opposed by other Dalit organisations.
The Hindu
Fair probe sought into Dalit woman's rape, murder
A delegation of Dalit leaders has urged Prakasam district Collector G.S.R.K.R.Vijaykumar to ensure a free and
fair probe into the alleged gang-rape and murder of a Dalit woman in K.V. Palem village near Chimakurthi last
week.
They tried to impress upon the Collector, who is also Chairman of the SC/ST Vigilance and Monitoring
Committee, to ask the Superintendent of Police to handle the sensitive case personally and render justice to
the victim's family.
Briefing newsmen on Wednesday, Dalit Hakkula Parirakshana Samiti district president N. Nagendra Rao said
the police should move the court seeking custodial interrogation of the seven persons arrested to unravel the
conspiracy and book all the persons behind the attempts to set the woman's body ablaze to suppress
evidence.
News Monitor by Girish Pant
--
.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")
...................................................................
Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit issues is primary objective of the PMARC.
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