Thursday, April 7, 2011

[ZESTCaste] Forwarded Statement: INDIA: A responsible government will listen to the people

 

Forwarded Statement

April 7, 2011

 

Dear friends,

Barak Human Rights Protection Committee (BHRPC) is pleased to forward the  Statement issued jointly by the Asian Human Rights Commission and (1) Madhya Pradesh Right to Food Campaign Support Group; (2) Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangthan; (3) Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Morch; (4) Sarokaar; (5) Baal Panchayat; (6) Nagrik Adhikar Manch; (7) Yuva Samvad; (8) Prasoon and (9) Vikas Samvad; human rights organisations working in India regarding the people's movement demanding the Government of India to legislate the Jan Lokpal Bill without any further delay.

INDIA: A responsible government will listen to the people

Veteran human rights defender and anti-corruption activist, Mr. Anna Hazare has started an indefinite fast in New Delhi, on 5 April, demanding the Government of India to legislate the Jan Lokpal Bill without any further delay. The Bill is a model law against corruption, drafted and proposed by the civil society in India to the government. The Bill, if enacted by the Parliament, would create two independent institutions in the country, the Lokpal in the centre and the Lokayuktha in the states, mandated to accept complaints from the general public concerning corruption, and to investigate and prosecute persons suspected of corruption. The Lokpal and the Lokayuktha, if constituted, are conceived to be independent bodies like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission and to remain immune from any form of external influences. Several civil society groups in India have joined Hazare in his struggle.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) along with the above named organisations expresses solidarity to the struggle and joins hands with the rest of the civil society in the country in the fight to create an environment to constitute a corruption free India. We believe that the civil society initiative in India will lead the way and will form the bedrock of inspiration for similar movements in South Asia.

Dealing with corruption is a taboo for governments that holds fort in New Delhi and at the state capitals. For the past 42 years, a draft Bill to constitute a Lokpal has been pending before the Indian Parliament. No government was interested in dealing with the subject, or if interested, was unable to get the law passed. Even though the country's economy advanced to become the fourth largest in the world in terms of GDP dollar estimates derived from purchasing power parity, India still does not have an independent functioning mechanism to deal with corruption. In that, India is one of the alarmingly corrupt countries of the world, being ranked 87 consistently for the past nine years, by global corruption monitoring agencies like the Transparency International.

Corruption and the concept of a socialist, secular and democratic republic cannot go together. Corruption undermines justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, the core values of India's constitutional framework. Freedom and sovereignty has no purpose or meaning should corruption remain the central cord with which the social fabric of a country is woven and if corruption determines the balance of power in interactions among the people and between the people and their government. Social evils like caste-based discrimination can be only addressed adequately in a corruption free environment. Rightly conceived social welfare measures will deliver timely results should corruption be brought under control. Effective control of corruption could be the silver bullet with which poverty can be eliminated. Corruption undermines fair trial and thus sustainable development and progress. A corruption free environment is thus the dream of every aam admi and in that perspective Hazare's protest represents the whole of India, including those who have formed the government and those who opposes it.

While having a legislation that envisages the constitution of independent and capable institutions is a prerequisite to contain corruption, it will be devoid of legitimacy, should it lack adequate consultation in the process and if the law does not receive the support of effective implementing entities.

A good law must ideally represent the will of the people, for which they must be heard. The collective wisdom of Indians must be thus held supreme and the civil society must take the lead to therefore consult the people, gathering opinion of what they wish to have as a corruption prevention entity in the country. The Parliament cannot and must not be held the sole representative body for this purpose, since many members of the Parliament lacks moral and legal legitimacy as they have benefited from the existing corrupt environment. It is thus for the civil society of the country to take the lead, in consultation with the government, to decide upon a transparent and mature process through which an all inclusive and time bound consultation could be held to deal with the subject.

The AHRC is of the opinion that having a law unaccompanied by an effective implementation framework is destined to fail. To begin with, the present entities in India that deals with corruption must be thoroughly scrutinised. Of particular importance are: (1) the Central Bureau of Investigation, (2) the Central Vigilance Commission, (3) prosecutorial agencies and (4) the local police. In any jurisdiction of the world where corruption has been successfully prevented, the police have been kept away from the entire process. Within Asia, like in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, where the governments have been successful in keeping corruption relatively low, the corruption prevention framework has completely excluded the police from playing any investigative role on allegations of corruption. On the contrary, it was the police who have been brought under the scanner and prosecuted in the first phase of controlling corruption in all the four countries. Even today, these countries keep a watertight separation between policing and corruption prevention. If the success in these countries could be emulated in India, which has been the case also in some of the western countries, the presence of police officers on deputation, irrespective of their ranks must be prevented in the whole corruption prevention apparatus. Once the corruption within the police is controlled, it is relatively easy to deal with the failing rule of law environment, that must be revived to effectively deal with corruption.

A drive against corruption must also reflect its seriousness within the prosecutorial service. The hard work and labour of an investigation will be futile should the prosecutor fail in her job. The existing standard of prosecution in the country is not capable in discharging its legal mandate. The practice of appointing special prosecutors in selected cases must be dropped. Instead, the entire prosecution service must be reviewed and its standards improved drastically, to fit a justice system that guarantees fair trial. In the excuse of easing the job of the prosecutor, processes once suggested by shortsighted government committees like the one that was headed my former judge, Mr. Malimood, must not be adopted.

The appointment of the members for the proposed Lokpal and Lokayuktha must be open, transparent and practical. It must not be based on the sheer pleasure of the government or of seniority in service, as it is the case for the CVC, nor should it be cumbersome as suggested by the Jan Lokpal Bill. A simple, transparent process must be devised. In most jurisdictions where independent and capable corruption prevention agencies exist, such processes also have been devised. Similarly, both institutions must have its own independent staff to function, appointed not on deputation from other government services as it is currently the case concerning the human rights commissions, but selected on the basis of merits and trained and equipped to discharge their job.

Indeed such processes would entail heavy expenses, which could not become a tenable excuse for a country like India, nor can the government deny such spending since it would smother the very functioning of an essential institution that the country need for its very survival and if it respects democracy as one of its founding norms. Indians might be poor India is not.

In addition to the above suggestions, an effective law against corruption must also guarantee time-bound investigation and trials. One of the curses of India's justice apparatus is the inordinate delay in investigation and adjudication, which together can take more than 20 years. In cases concerning corruption, the experience so far is that the investigation itself could take more than two decades. The law could also consider providing a wider interpretation and definition to the term 'corruption'. In today's context, corruption need not necessarily be limited to financial corruption. The country's governments are notorious for formulating polices with corrupt or otherwise malicious intentions. In that, policies that illegally profits any government or entities therein implemented through corrupt means or with malafide intentions must also be brought within the scope of corruption. Contrary to the mistaken perception that such wider definition of corruption would defeat the law, it has been successfully implemented in many countries, that has helped to bring in added responsibility and accountability within governments.

Contrary to what has been repeatedly projected by some of the political parties in the past few months, corruption in the country and its magnitude today cannot be held as the fault of any single government. Every political party in the country has an unshakable responsibility in deteriorating the conditions in India to the levels as it is today. Those political parties that pledge support today to the movement led by Hazare, understandably for sheer political mileage, have their own rotten skeletons inside their wardrobes. Yet this does not mean that these entities must not be consulted during the people's consultative process. As a citizen of the country, everyone, including those who are part of the ruling coalition today, has a right to be part of the consultation, as individuals. Preventing corruption, for that matter is not the vested agenda of any particular political party. It is a decisive cause for the country, in which every political party that believes in democracy has a responsible role to play.

The AHRC wishes Hazare good health and supports him and his colleagues in this unique movement, which has the potential, not only to change the destiny of Indians, but also that of the region for a better tomorrow. It is also the responsibility of all civil society groups inside and outside India to join the campaign and extend support to Hazare and his friends.

The AHRC call upon the government of India to ensure that all necessary steps are initiated to ensure that Hazare's fast finds a meaningful end. By doing so, the government is not succumbing to the sloganeering of the political opposition, but is respecting its people and thus fulfilling its mandate.

http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-050-2011

 



--
W A Laskar
Freelance Reporter and Human Rights Defender
with Barak Human Rights Protection Committee,
http://bhrpc.wordpress.com
15, Panjabari Road, Darandha, Six Mile,
Guwahati-781037, Assam, India
Cell: +919401942234
Visit my blog at www.rightspeaks.blogspot.com
Skype: rights.defender

Overall rating
 

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
.

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] NREGS, PDS failed to benefit poor Dalits in Bundelkhand, says survey

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/nregs-pds-failed-to-benefit-poor-dalits-in-bundelkhand-says-survey/772349/

NREGS, PDS failed to benefit poor Dalits in Bundelkhand, says survey

Tarannum Manjul Posted online: Wed Apr 06 2011, 02:15 hrs
Lucknow : z 63 per cent of poor Dalit families in region have no
access to PDS grains

The much lauded schemes like MGNREGS and Public Distribution System
(PDS) have failed to benefit the poorest Dalit households in
Bundelkhand region. According to a survey, over 52 per cent of the
poor and needy households in the backward region of Bundelkhand did
not get a single day of employment under the MGNREGS last year. The
average number of days of work under MGNREGS in Bundelkhand is barely
20. This number is 21 days in Chitrakoot district, 19 days in Banda, 9
days in Mahoba, 26 days in Hamirpur and 31 days in Lalitpur district.
In PDS scheme also, 63.5 per cent of the poor Dalit families in the
region have no access to PDS grains in any category.

These are the findings of a performance audit survey of the food
security schemes, conducted by the Centre for Environment and Food
Security. The survey covered implementation of 10 schemes like the
MGNREGS, Public Distribution System, Integrated Child Development
Scheme (ICDS), Mid-day Meal (MDM), Old Age pension, National Family
Benefit Scheme, Annapurna Yojna, National Maternal Benefit Scheme and
Swarn Jayanti Grameen Swarozgar Yojna. The survey was carried out
across 130 villages in 12 districts of Bundelkhand. According to CEFS
director Parshuram Ray, the findings have also been submitted in the
Supreme Court, which is hearing a PIL filed by the centre on
misappropriation of funds under MGNREGS.

Talking to The Indian Express, while presenting the report in the
state capital on Tuesday, Ray said, "While the much publicised schemes
have failed to support the poor Dalits, the lesser-known schemes
hardly have any takers." According to the findings, there are only 3
beneficiaries of the National Maternity Benefit Scheme, two in Mahoba
and 1 in Lalitpur. The scheme, launched in 2001, aims at providing
nutrition support to pregnant women and provides a one-time payment of
Rs 500 to the beneficiary, 12 weeks before the delivery date. In 2005,
NMBS was merged with Janani Suraksha Yojna but its benefits were
retained.

Another scheme, the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) too does not
have many beneficiaries in the region. The scheme, which provides
one-time assistance of Rs 10,000 to a family in case of death of the
primary bread-earner, too has only 24 beneficiaries. "The region was
known for its suicides and hunger deaths and this number is surely
nothing compared to those," said Ray.


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

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] ‘Atrocities against dalits haven’t stopped’

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/151406/atrocities-against-dalits-havent-stopped.html

'Atrocities against dalits haven't stopped'
Mysore, April 5, DHNS

Expressing disappointment at group clashes that occurred at Alagudu in
T Narsipur Taluk recently, MLA V Srinivasa Prasad bemoaned that
atrocities against Dalits hadn't stopped as yet.

He was speaking at the 104th birth anniversary celebrations of Babu
Jagjivanram organised jointly by the Babu Jagjivanram Research and
Extension Centre and Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe Special Unit at
the EMMRC auditorium, here on Tuesday.

Questioning the crime committed by dalits at Alagudu, Prasad bewailed
that dalits were treated in the most inhuman manner. He said that even
though we are in the 21st century, dalits are still ill-treated.

He said that Babu Jagjivanram had immense concern about marginalised
sections of the society. Commending the late leader for his
administrative skills, Prasad said that Jagjivanram had performed
exceedingly well in his duties during his tenure at various
ministries.

Prasad said: "It is very important for the University of Mysore to
translate the work of Babu Jagjivanram into Kannada." He commended the
Babu Jagjivanram Research and Extension Centre for bringing out a
book on the challenges faced by the caste system in the country.

Addressing the audience, litterateur Prof De Javaregowda said that all
mutts in the State are keeping the caste system alive for their
personal interests.

He said that even now the country is facing problems such as casteism
and untouchability. Mentioning that the oppressed classes should be
given education, he warned the audience against falling into the trap
of a few seers who visited Dalit localities, but avoided eating at the
houses of people belonging to the caste classified as 'lower'
according to them.

Prasad released the book 'Challenges of the caste system in India',
written by Prof T Y Bhoothaiaya and Prof Gowramma.

Prasaranga Director Prof C Naganna, former vice chancellor Prof O
Anantharamaiah, former MLA C Ramesh, Vice Chancellor Prof V G Talawar,
Registrar (Evaluation) B Ramu and centre Director Prof Myla Halli
Revanna and others were present.


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

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] Sidelined, Dalits struggle for political survival

http://www.dailypioneer.com/329462/Sidelined-Dalits-struggle-for-political-survival.html

Sidelined, Dalits struggle for political survival
April 07, 2011 7:13:15 PM

Swati Das | Chennai

To save former Telecom Minister A Raja and the DMK, party president M
Karunanidhi has been playing the Dalit card, but the scene here in
Tamil Nadu is different. In a society where the Dalit issues have lost
focus essentially because of the Dalit leaders' individual political
agendas, Karunanidhi's game plan is hardly a sell-out.

Dalits in Tamil Nadu form the largest community in the State,
comprising 20 per cent of the population, and yet they are unable to
consolidate their numbers into a single party. They still need
alliances with other groups to find the political space necessary for
freeing themselves from their socio-economic situation. Dalits here
have now become just an instrument to garner votes by other parties
during elections. Even in alliance, despite being the largest
community, they get far too few seats.

Of course, one of the reasons is that there are caste divisions among
Dalits, based on both hierarchy and geography. Some of the sub-groups
are more disadvantaged than others, and for this reason, on issues
such as separate reservation quotas, different groups take different
positions.

The discrimination against the Dalits in this State goes beyond the
upper and lower caste divide. Even backward communities like the
Vanniyars in the north and Thevars in the south are perpetrators of
discriminating practices like untouchability and social exclusion.
Even to this day there are roads that are walled to deny the Dalits
access to certain areas in the villages. They are not allowed to walk
wearing their footwear in front of a Thevar. They cannot draw water
from the same well and in tea shops they are not allowed to have
tea/coffee from the same steel cups as the others. They are often
relegated to a cluster in one corner of the village called colony.

The Dravidian parties – DMK and AIADMK – and the Congress before them
have used the Dalits for their vote bank policies. Recently, while
Karunanidhi cried hoarse over A Raja's indictment in the 2G spectrum
scam saying that he has been a victim of upper caste politics as Raja
is a Dalit, it was the Communist parties that took the initiative, a
year ago, to break a walls put up by Thevars in Madurai district to
stop the Dalits from using the road in their area. In reserved
Panchayats the Dalit presidents are hardly allowed to function or
Panchayat polls are boycotted by the Thevars. There have been cases
were a Dalit Panchayat president has been beaten up for daring to
hoist the national flag in the village on Republic Day.

Under such circumstances, the DMK or the AIADMK are reluctant to take
action as neither parties want to antagonise the Thevar community and
lose the vote bank.

Both DMK and AIADMK have alliance with Dalit parties – DMK has the
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) led by Thol Thirumavalavan, while
the AIADMK alliance has the Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) of K Krishnaswamy.
Though these leaders fought the social issues to achieve the position
they have, they are now hardly seen when such issues crop now. The
suffering Dalits now have no option but to depend on social activist
to sort out their issues.

Unfortunately for the Dalit community lack of unity has prevented them
from emerging as a force. VCK represents the Parayars of the north.
Until recently this community was known one of the more advanced of
the Dalit sub sects. They had the pre-Independent British support to
be more educated, and found Government jobs easier to get.

PT led the Pallars of the south against social injustices and
discrimination by Thevars in the south. Yet again as a political party
PT was lured by political ambitions and thus exploited by the
Dravidian parties.

Arundhathiyars are called the Dalits among Dalits – the most oppressed
of the Dalits. They mostly live in the western districts of Tamil Nadu
and in Madurai in the south. They are mostly scavengers and bonded
labourers. Sometimes, even other Dalits treat them as untouchables. No
clear leader has emerged among this sect.

The Dalit organisations enter political arena in the hope that the
social issues and the needs of their lot would get the attention. But
in most cases the issues get hijacked by the dominating political
parties and finally diluted. The Dalit political parties get absorbed
into the mainstream, without the issues being sorted out. Though the
key Dravidian parties claim to be champions of the Dalits, they do
little to help in crisis, especially when it comes to opposing the
Thevars or Vanniyar for fear of losing their votes.

For the April 13 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections VCK was given 10 seats
by the DMK, while the PMK representing the Vanniyar community was
offered 31 seats. The PT in alliance with AIADMK got just two seats.
This will only ensure that the party workers of the Dalit parties work
for the alliance partners to garner the Dalit votes.


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

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] Orphans to be included in SC, ST lists

 

http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-182210.html

Orphans to be included in SC, ST lists

Warangal, April 3 : Orphans in the state who are under the care of
government orphanages and whose parents cannot be identified would be
henceforth listed among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

This was revealed by Backward Class Welfare Minister Basavaraju
Saraiah on Sunday who said that these orphans would be issued SC/ST
certificates.

Mr Saraiah was speaking to media persons after participating in a Bala
Vikas Programme in Hanmokonda in Warangal district on Sunday.

Mr Saraiah said that the government will also provide primary
education to these orphans up to the tenth standard. "Such a
revolutionary and historical decision is perhaps the first in the
country, and it has been taken considering the orphans' welfare and
future," he stated.

--INN

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
MARKETPLACE

Find useful articles and helpful tips on living with Fibromyalgia. Visit the Fibromyalgia Zone today!


Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now.

.

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] Julakanti writes to Kiran on SC, ST sub-plan

 

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/article1604140.ece

Julakanti writes to Kiran on SC, ST sub-plan

CPI (M) MLA Julakanti Ranga Reddy has written to Chief Minister
N.Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday urging him to constitute an expert
committee for proper implementation of SC, ST Sub-Plan without delay.

Mr. Ranga Reddy said that following indefinite fast undertaken by CPI
(M) State secretary B. V. Raghavulu and members of State executive,
seeking implementation of the SC, ST sub-plan and formulation of
special plan for development of SC and ST colonies, the government had
promised in the Assembly on March 22 to convene a meeting with
officials and appoint an expert committee, but even after 14 days, no
measures were initiated, he said.

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
.

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] Dalits must take advantage of welfare schemes: MLA

 

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=231251

Dalits must take advantage of welfare schemes: MLA

Print this articlePrint article | Send this article to a friend
E-mail article | Post comment

Share |

Udupi, Apr 6 (The Hindu): Raghupati Bhat, MLA, said on Tuesday that
Dalits should give up inferiority complex, take advantage of
government schemes and become financially self-reliant.

He was presiding over the 104th anniversary of the former Deputy Prime
Minister and Dalit leader Babu Jagjeevan Ram, organised by the
district administration here.

Referring to the practice of untouchability in some remote villages,
he said it was the duty of the authorities concerned to prevent it.

It was essential for the people especially the youth to follow the
ideals of Babu Jagjeevan Ram, Mr. Bhat said.

Delivering the keynote address, Narayan Mannur, teacher at Sri
Durgaparmeshwari High School at Mandarti, said that untouchability
still prevailed in many villages of the State. People who had attained
government positions through reservations were being looked down upon.

It was essential for non-Dalits to understand the hardships which the
Dalits had to face to get employment, he said.

They had to overcome social discrimination and poverty to come up in
their lives, he said.

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
.

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] Pucca roads, drains in SC, ST colonies under NREGA

 

http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/06/stories/2011040661860400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Pucca roads, drains in SC, ST colonies under NREGA

Special Correspondent

Convergence between NREGA and ACDP to benefit 1,500 ST/ST habitations
spread over 22 districts

HYDERABAD: The inclusion of rural connectivity as one of the
permissible categories of works under the National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) will be a boon for rural development in the
State, said Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy here on Tuesday. The
convergence between the NREGA and the Assembly Constituency
Development Programme (ACDP), will facilitate providing all-weather
connectivity to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other remote
habitations, including pucca internal roads in the SC/ST habitations.

Officials of the Rural Development department informed the Chief
Minister that the convergence would benefit 1,500 ST/ST habitations
spread over 22 districts in the State at a total cost of Rs.1,000
crore during 2011-12.

Public assets

This project would ensure that the State, apart from being the highest
user of NREGA funds, would be able to create durable public assets in
the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes colonies and aid their
development.

Better hygiene

Mr. Reddy hoped that construction of concrete drains in the low-lying
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes colonies would improve overall
hygienic conditions of the areas and prevent outbreak of diseases like
malaria, cholera and diarrhoea in these areas.

Gram panchayats had been requesting the government to sanction
all-weather rural connectivity to hygienic conditions localities by
allowing convergence with other developments' programmes. They had
proposed to implement the internal roads in the localities by
completing formation, gravelling, and single-layer metalling along
with the pucca drains with NREGA funds, and later take up such roads
for cement concrete from constituency development funds. Such a
facility would transform the Dalit colonies for the better.

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
.

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] Andhra to use NREGS funds for roads in SC/ST areas

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Andhra-to-use-NREGS-funds-for-roads-in-SC-ST-areas/772695/

Andhra to use NREGS funds for roads in SC/ST areas

Sreenivas Janyala Posted online: Thu Apr 07 2011, 02:51 hrs
Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh will be the first state to use National
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) funds to provide road
connectivity and improve hygienic conditions in remote areas inhabited
by Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people.

Rural connectivity has now been included in the permissible category
of works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
Act (MNREGA).

Following this, the state government decided to spend Rs 1,000 crore
from NREGS funds to construct roads and concrete drains in remote
SC/ST colonies.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said on Wednesday at least 1,500
SC/ST areas in 22 districts — including some of the remotest locations
in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West
Godavari, Khammam, Warangal and Adilabad districts — will benefit.

Every year, a large number of deaths are reported from these locations
due to malaria, diarrhoea and cholera caused by poor hygienic
conditions. Medical care does not reach these areas due to lack of
connectivity.

According to Panchayati Raj officials, many SC/ST colonies in villages
do not have even connecting roads, leave aside drainage systems. Reddy
said the inclusion of rural connectivity under the MNREGA would be a
boon for rural development.

"The construction of concrete drains in low-lying areas will improve
hygiene conditions. Many SC/ST colonies are prone to diseases like
malaria due to poor sanitation,'' the CM said.

District Collectors can now sanction concrete internal roads and
concrete drains in selected localities.

NREGS offices in 22 districts, excluding Hyderabad, have been asked to
identify exclusive SC/ST-dominated areas as well as villages with a
sizeable population from the two backward sections.

The CM said many gram panchayats wanted to build internal roads in
SC/ST localities along with concrete drains with MGNREGS funds and
later concretise such roads with Assembly Constituency Development
Programme funds.

"The gram panchayats are of the opinion that such a step would lead to
the creation of high quality assets under MGNREGA that would have wide
ramifications on the state of public health,'' the CM said.


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

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] Parliamentarians asked to work for uplift of Dalits

http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/06/stories/2011040656080300.htm

Karnataka

Parliamentarians asked to work for uplift of Dalits

Staff Correspondent

'Babu Jagjivan Ram launched several welfare projects for Dalits'

Several Dalits embracing other religions due to ill-treatment by
'caste' Hindus: lecturer

PAYING TRIBUTE:A book on the life of Babu Jagjivan Ram written by
Lingappa, lecturer, being released at a function in in Chitradurga on
Tuesday.

Chitradurga: Lingappa, lecturer in the Government First Grade College,
said on Tuesday that 1,700 Dalits had so far become MPs and wanted to
know from them how much they had worked for the welfare of the fellow
Dalits.

Speaking on the life of Babu Jagjivan Ram at his 104th birth
anniversary function organised by the district administration here,
Mr. Lingappa urged the Dalit parliamentarians to think of contributing
to the uplift of Dalits.

Describing Jagjivan Ram as a socialist politician, Mr. Lingappa said
that the former had launched several welfare projects for Dalits
during his tenure as Union Minister.

"One such initiative was the announcement of the policy of 'land to
the tiller' following which hundreds of Dalits became owners of
agricultural land," he said.

Madanayakayanahalli Rangappa, Dalit leader, said that several Dalits
were embracing other religions such as Islam and Buddhism because of
the ill-treatment by 'caste' Hindus.

Caste system

G.H. Thippareddy, MLC, said that while persons like Nelson Mandela and
Martin Luther King fought against racism in their countries, Jagjivan
Ram, Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar fought against the caste system
in India.

A book on the life of Babu Jagjivan Ram written by Mr. Lingappa was released.


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

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] 29 children rescued from illegal confinement

http://www.sahilonline.org/english/news.php?cid=1&nid=10717

Coastal News

29 children rescued from illegal confinement

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 - 16:31:56
S.O. News Service

Mangalore: A group of Dalits and Christians staged a protest against
Women and Child Welfare Department in front of a hostel named balakara
Mandira in Bondel here, on Wednesday. According to the protesters, 29
children aged between 6 and 15 were forcibly kept in illegal
confinement for many days claiming their protection and education.

All the children including one girl identified as Chandana (11) were
from different places of the State, including Tumkur, Halebid, Hassan
and Chikmagalur. Seven of them were also from Patna in Bihar. All of
them were brought to the hostel last Saturday after a raid carried out
by a team led by Child Welfare Committee Chairperson Asha Nayak on a
"congested" hall in Pakshikere near Haleyangady.

Asha Nayak claimed that the children along with around ten other
people, including the family which looked after the children were kept
in a hall, measuring around 250 sq. ft., which had only one bathroom
and a toilet for all of them.

Nayak had said that while interrogating the man in charge of the
so-called hostel, he said that they were brought here for education.
When asked for documents showing parental consent for allowing the
children to be under his care, or financial records, the man claimed
that they were with the chartered accountant, she added.

On Tuesday, the department had asked the parents of all the children
to be present at the remand home but did not hand over the children to
them as they did not bring relevant documents to prove that they are
indeed the parents.

Asha Nayak alleged that the Christian Guru K J Joy, his wife
Elizabeth, and their children Joel and Jobi had kept the 29 children
under illegal confinement. She claimed that the children were also
being forced to convert their religion. Asha Nayaka asserted that
Chandana had complained about Joy molesting her, which provoked the
locals, who thrashed him. Later police took him into custody for
interrogation.

However while confronting the media on Wednesday, the eleven year old
girl changed her statement and asserted that she was neither molested
nor was ill treated by Joy. She added that she was compelled to say
such things against Joy.

Christian Federation of India, Dalita Sangharsha Samiti and KMN staged
a demonstration for over an hour condemning the raid and demanding
justice to Joy. A leader of Christian Federation of India, Prashant
Jattan averred that the incident was a conspiracy against committed
social workers. He stated that the girl has disclosed the truth and
Joy has been proven innocent. DSS leader Keshav was also present.

K J Joy refused the allegations against him and his family and said
that he was running just a children's hostel for children below the
age of 15, so that he could provide them with education. He also
claimed that he received financial support for the cause from foreign
countries. However, he couldn't produce any documents to support his
claims.


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

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] Retired dalit officer''s room ''cleansed'' using cowdung water

 

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/retired-dalit-officers-room-cleansed-using-cowdung-water/640465.html

Retired dalit officer''s room ''cleansed'' using cowdung water
PTI | 03:04 PM,Apr 07,2011

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 7 (PTI) In a shocking incident, the office
room and furniture used by a senior government official belonging to a
Scheduled caste community here were 'cleansed' by sprinkling cowdung
water, allegedly by some employees shortly after his retirement from
service. A K Ramakrishnan, who retired as Inspector General of
Registration on March 31, has moved the State Human Rights Commission
seeking an inquiry into the incident. He said in the complaint that he
had reliable information that some employees in the office sprinkled
'cowdung water' over the tables, chairs and even inside the office car
used by him while in service. He said he believed that the 'cleansing'
was performed as he belonged to an SC community and it amounted to
violation of his human rights and civil liberties. After registering a
case based on the petition, SHRC Chairman Justice N Dhinakar sent a
notice to the Secretary Taxes, seeking a report on the allegation by
May 7, SHRC sources said. Asked about the incident, Ramakrishnan said
he would vigorously pursue the case as he considered it as an insult
to the socially depressed class. "I take this not just as a personal
insult. This is a humiliation heaped on the socially depressed classes
as a whole. If this is the experience of a person who had held the
topmost post in a government department, what would be the situation
of ordinary people belonging to the lower rungs of social strata?"
Ramakrishnan told PTI. "All these five years when I worked as IG of
Registration I had bitter experiences. But I have suffered them
without getting worked up. But what has happened even after my
retirement is really painful," he said.

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
.

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] Odisha: After police intervention Harassed Dalit woman Aganwadi worker to prepare cooking for children

http://orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=25817

Odisha: After police intervention Harassed Dalit woman Aganwadi worker
to prepare cooking for children
Thursday, April 07, 2011

Report by Amarnath Parida; Paradip: Some upper class people in Paradip
port city have not only assaulted and insulated one Dalit Aganwadi
worker but also forced her to give resignation from this post as she
is 'harijan' by caste. Meanwhile, harassed Dalit Aganwadi worker has
sought the intervention of police and higher authority of women and
child welfare department to give justice.

While SC ant ST communities have not yet got justice on anti-dalit
remark of Minister, another controversy erupted out of dalit aganwadi
worker's preparing food for the children at Integrated Child
Development centre at ward no 18 of Sandkuda area under Paradip
municipality. Some upper class people including councilor of Paradip
Municipality and others have not allowed to one dalit woman aganwadi
worker as she is harijan by caste other wise guardians have threatened
not to send their children to this centre to receive food from harijan
woman worker.

Nearly 58 ICDS centers have been opened at 18 different wards of
Paradip Municipality to provide nutritional support to children up to
six years from impoverished parental background on the occasion of
Utkal Divas. As per the decision of women and child welfare
department, each ICDS centre should form Mothers committee to monitor
supply of cooked and dried food for these children.

One Aganwadi worker Manorama Jena who is working as aganwadi worker at
Gaudapada area in ward no 18 in Paradip Municipality called Mother's
meeting to expedite special nutrition programme in this ICDS centre.
She also invited councilor Mr Askhya Parida and others to supervise
this programme for proper implementation of SNP.

Before start of Mothers committee meeting, locals including guardians
restricted the entry of aganwadi worker Mrs Jena to this meeting as
she is 'harijan' by caste. She was vehemently restricted by the
guardians and councilor not to provide cooked food or to touch the
dried food to upper class boys and girls in this centre.

It is found that department has not yet appointed helper to cook the
food or to provide dried food in which aganwadi workers are doing both
activities including care to children and to cook food for them at 58
ICDS centers in Paradip Municipality.

This has lead chaos and conflict between two groups in Mother's
committee meeting in which aganwadi worker threatened not to stop
cooking food at any cost whether boys and girls come or not to this
centre.

Being aggrieved on the threat of worker Jena, councilor Mr Parida and
another one Tiki Patra scolded her in filthy language by saying as
'harijan'. They also threatened to nude her on the street if she will
attempt to come this ICDS centre. They have forced to stop the supply
of food or to give her resignation from this post otherwise single
child would come to this centre.
Jena has brought the matter before the notice of the IIC of Paradip
police station and officials of women and child welfare department.
She has also lodged an FIR in police station to take action against
councilor and others for anti dalit remark and restriction the supply
of cooked food.

IIC of Paradip police station Mr Anil Mishra has expressed that police
has registered a case against councilor and another one under section
3 (I) (X) Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) Act, 1989 and 294, 354 & 34 IPC. Police is investigating
the case so no one has yet arrested so far- he added.

Coordinator, District Ambedkar SC and ST association Mr Pitamber Tarai
has expressed that government should instruct the Paradip police to
arrest all the accused persons without delay and provide security to
the victim Jena.

District Social Welfare Officer Mrs Kumuduni Sahu has expressed 'no
helpers have yet appointed at 58 ICDS centers in Paradip so workers
are preparing food for children. There is no question to stop the
supply of cooked food at Gaudapada centre on caste issue' she added.


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

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] Nitish out to finish dalits, says RJD

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Nitish-out-to-finish-dalits-says-RJD/articleshow/7886799.cms

Nitish out to finish dalits, says RJD
Gyan Prakash, TNN | Apr 6, 2011, 11.12pm IST

PATNA: State RJD president Ram Chandra Purbey on Wednesday charged
that Murlichak Musahar Toli incident at Patna has amply proved that
chief minister Nitish Kumar, who calls himself the messiah of dalits
and Mahadalit, was out to finish them ironically in the name of
development.

Comparing Nitish with RJD chief Lalu Prasad, the state RJD chief said
that while Lalu gave voice to the poor and downtrodden and did a lot
for their welfare, Nitish has indulged in removing Dalits from their
home.

Mushar Toli has hogged headlines for the last two days following
pitched battle between the police and dalits who reside in Murlichak,
off Bailey road as builders, who forcibly encroached upon their land,
also fired shots allegedly in the presence of police personnel. The
firing led to killing of a dalit woman, Buti Devi, and injury to five
others on Tuesday.

A team of RJD leaders, including former MLA Ramanuj Prasad, Udai Kumar
Manjhi, Patna district RJD president Devmuni Singh, led by Purbey
visited the trouble-torn area and talked to the victim families.
Purvey, later said, that about 50 Mahadalit families are residing
there for the past 100 years and they bury the body of dead persons in
the nearby field.

Trouble brewed

when builders started encroaching the graveyard land for constructing
multi-storeyed buildings. This infuriated the local dalits who
vehemently opposed this and as a result the builder fired at them in
the presence of the police personnel, Purbey mentioned.

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
.

__,_._,___

Blog Archive