reports-aiimsGovernment constituted a committee headed by Prof SK Thorat to enquire into allegations of differential treatment of SC/ST students in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. This was in the wake of media reports and complaints to the Government about the said harassment and abuse. The committee was given the mandate to look into all matters connected with the said harassment.

click here for REPORT- AIIMS

There were 100 families living in a village near Palampur in north Gujrat. When one upper caste  Rajput tried to usurp a Dalit’s land , he filed a suit in the court . That Dalit man won the case . But after that he was murdered by the high caste people. And those people forced the dalits living in the village to leave the place .  Those Dalits then stayed in the quarantine camp . The shelter got available to these people , but their woes still continued here . In the month of September last year , the district administration declared them to be migrated . The district administration was giving them only  Rs. 15 /- for their maintaince . But it was stopped in March 2008. It was said by the district admininistration  that they can not continue the help beyond six months .

                                 The home is provided even to the unclaimed & vagabond animal , but nobody is ready to hear even through what condition we  are going . This was the heart breaking comment made by the widow , Maniben whose husband was assassinated by the the upper caste people for the land. The government says that it is not going to provide help for more than six months  , then why it is not making alternative arrangement for us , asks Maniben.

         In the meantime , the district administration said that the rehabilitation of the dalits will be done at the earliest , but Dalits are now living in the pathetic condition inside the quarantine refugee camp.

( source – Jantecha Mahanayak 8th May 200

Following is the observation cum fact sent by Atul Biswas from Calcutta  depicting nature of CPI leadership and politics in westbengal that only breeds caste based discrimination in every form of life.

With such naked dance of caste-virus, who is going to make that change where the % of SC crosses 15% of population of the state?  Offcourse people themselves. How? by treading the path shown by Dr Ambedkar and likes…

 In West Bengal, a federating State of Indian Union, caste discrimination and deprivation based on work and descent are rampant. The State Legislature is full of upper castes and particularly dominated by Brahmins in the main. 28% of the Member of the present Legislative Assembly (referred hereafter as MLA) elected from unreserved constituencies  are Brahmins. Three upper castes—Brahmin, Kayasth and Baidy—who make up mere 6.5% population have grabbed over 67% unreserved seats of the Assembly. They account for 69% Ministers, half of who are Brahmins.

Dalits have minister and MLAs who have no voice and been given insignificant port folios.
Sometime back, a dalit (Namasudra) medical officer in the district of Murshidabad, was humiliated in his office where two Brahmins had gone to submit a memoramdum. The Medical officer offered tea which they refused with tauntsthat “We don’t take tea from ntouchables.”A dalit Professor teaching English in the Jadavpur University, Calcutta,has been suspended because he had protested against some two dozen upper caste students, who had submitted answerscripts in examination full of sexual abuses targeting him. He brought the matter to the notice of the authorities of the ‘Versity for needful action. No action was taken against the students who were supported by upper caste teachers.

The dalit teacher has ultimately filed a case in the court of law against the university authorities, VC, registrar, some accomplices [teachers] included. Now he faces the prospect of dismissal. The Bengal Nobel leaureate Amartya Sen has reported widespread prevalence of untouchability in primary schools in his survey districts in West Bengal
sometime back.

Neo Buddhists are far ahead of Hindu Dalits
Dr. Shura Darapuri

Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, on 31st May, 1936, in his address to a public meeting at Dadar (Bombay) on the subject of “why go for conversion?” said, “I should like to impress this thing on your minds very clearly that religion is for man and not man for religion. If you want to organize yourself, change your religion. If you want to gain self respect change your religion. If you want to create a society which ensures cooperation, and brotherhood change your religion. If you want to
achieve power, change your religion. If you want equality, change your religion. If you want independence, change your religion. If you want to make this world happy in which you live, change your religion.” On 14th October, 1956 after converting to Buddhism at Nagpur Dr. Ambedkar remarked,” Today I have got a new birth.”
Now let us see as to what extent the objectives and gains of Buddhist conversion as outlined by Dr. Ambedkar have been achieved or have accrued to the new converts known as Neo Buddhists. First of all it will be proper to see the strength of the Buddhists gained so far. As per the figures of 2001 census report the total population of Buddhists in India stands at 79.55 lacs which is 0.8 percent of the total population of India. It includes a small number of traditional Buddhists. Maharashtra state has the largest Buddhist population of 58.38 lacs followed by
Karnatka (3.93 lacs) and Uttar Pardesh (3.02 lacs). The rate of growth of Buddhist population during 1991-2001 has been 24.56 percent which can be said to be quite encouraging. These statistics also show that Buddhist population has surpassed the Jain population.
Now when we look into the qualitative changes in the lives of Neo Buddhists vis-à-vis the Hindu Dalits we find that they are far ahead on many scores. As per 2001 census repot comparison of Neo Buddhists and Hindu Dalits on the following scores indicates a significant improvement in the lives of Neo Buddhist:-
1. Sex Ratio: the sex ratio of female and male among Neo Buddhists is 953 per thousand as compared with 936 of Hindu Dalits. It indicates that the position of women in Neo Buddhist families is far better than that of Hindu Dalits. It is quite in accordance with the high status of women in Buddhist society. This ratio is higher than Hindus (931), Muslims (936), Sikhs (8930) and Jains (940).

2. Sex Ratio of Children (0-6 years): According to 2001 census report the sex ratio of girls and boys among Neo Buddhists is 942 as compared with 938 of Hindu Dalits. This sex ratio is much higher than Hindus (925), Sikhs (786), and Jains (870). It shows that girls enjoy better care and protection among Neo Buddhists as compared with Hindu Dalit families.
3. Literacy Rate: Literacy rate of Neo Buddhists is 72.7 percent which is much higher than that of Hindu Dalits (54.70 percent). This rate is also much higher than that of Hindus (65.1), Muslims (59.1) and Sikhs (69.4).It shows that Neo Buddhists are more literate than Hindu Dalits.
4. Female Literacy Rate: The literacy rate of Neo Buddhist women is 61.7 percent as compared with 41.9 percent of Hindu Dalit women. This rate is also higher than that of Hindus (53.2) and Muslims (50.1). It is in accordance with the status of women in Buddhist society. It shows that females among Neo Buddhists are getting more educated than Hindu Dalit females.
5. Work Participation Rate: This rate for Neo Buddhists is 40.6 percent which is higher than 40.4 percent for Hindu Dalits. This rate is also higher than that of Hindus (40.4), Muslims (31.3) Christians (39.3), Sikhs (31.7), and Jains (32.7).It indicates that Neo Buddhists are more employed than Hindu Dalits.
The above comparative study of the status and conditions of Neo Buddhists indicates that they are far ahead of Hindu Dalits on various parameters e.g. sex ratio, girl and boy (0-6 years) sex ratio,
literacy, women literacy and work participation rate. It is definitely the result of change of religion which has liberated them from the bondage of caste and inferiority complex.
Apart from the above various studies have also shown that Dalits who have followed Dr. Ambedkar and got converted to Buddhism have progressed in all the fields of life as compared with Hindu Dalits. Neo Buddhists have changed their occupations by leaving low paid and dirty professions. Better education has opened for them new opportunities for advancement. They give more importance to the education of their children resulting in higher rate of literacy. They are more self respecting and assertive in their rights. They have become self makers, self dependent and competitive. They have grown intellectually. Their women and children enjoy better status in family and society. They have become enlightened and are saved from religious exploitation and bigotry. Thus Buddhism has definitely liberated them spiritually and materially.
This study shows that Buddhism is really a liberating philosophy for Dalits.. The Neo Buddhists have made more progress than Hindu Dalits. They should become good Buddhists and should become role models for Hindu Dalits.

Source: BuddhistCircle

Pic01 Savi Sawarkar, excellance beyond par

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Every time Savi Savarkar wanted to exhibit his paintings at the Ravindra Bhawan at the Lalit Kala Academy, Delhi, the hidden agenda of the Hindutva ensured that he does not get space for his paintings.  After many efforts he got permission to exhibit those wonderful paintings which are actually Ambedkar’s statements against brahmanical social order. As I write this, Savarakar’s paintings are in the last days of their exhibitions. When a friend suggested that we should go see Savarkar’s paintings at Ravindra Bhavan, the first thought that came in mind ( and that is our ignorance level about Dalit art) was Vir Savarkar. I felt, this friend was joking. May be Sangh Parivar has put some paintings but he confirmed to me about Savi Savarkar, a man from Maharastra and his wonderful work. Savi Savarkar fought many battle because of his caste and his paintings have challenged the brahmanical hegemony.

After visiting his painting exhibition, I remain spell bound and thank to our friend for opening me a new front of art. I am not an art critique yet always found that despite India’s art work were the creations of Dalit Bahujans, we never saw art as a mean of protest. Even when the Dalits created and constructed Indian art whether it is Madhubani paintings or elsewhere, they confined themselves with in the parameters of the brahmanical value system or their gods and goddesses. Art was mostly ‘godly’ which is actually unlikely of being a Dalit as God never really came for the rescue of Dalits particularly in India.

When one goes through those paintings in complete Ambedkarite thoughts, it gives us enough hope that Modern art will now have to cope with the fiercely competitive Dalit protests which were not there earlier. Brahmins have always been shown as pious, poor but honest in all our art form. But thankfully, the first time, one can see how notorious they look when you see the painting ‘ Brahmin and Ganga’, oil on canvass-2006. Its interesting how Savi has used the most famous sacred river Ganga being used by the Brahmins to uphold their traditions. And this is an important factor even today that for the growth of brahmancal values, they have used every form whether it is nature or now science.

In the past, artists have made Devdasi paintings for purely arts sake, appreciating their beauty, curves and hair but Savarkar paints many forms of Devdasis. He is not satisfied with terming them as woman but look beyond that. Devdasi’s are victim of the caste system. The way he has described and painted them exposing the cultural values and big mutths which had Devdasis is worthy of mentioning here.

Artists always involved in not only introspections but also expertise themselves with comparative studies. One of the sketches made in 2002 named as Fish and Blue Face are a comparative study of Chippas tribal in Mexico with that of the Dalits in India. Both says Savarkar, work hard and are mentally strong, despite the fact that their bodies are overburdened with work and to him that the hands and legs work but body disappear.

Narrating an event which forced him to make ‘ Woman out of woman’, Savarkar says how he got frustrated when he saw the life experience of Joginis. He felt helpless that time. How paradoxical it is that Brahmin have sex with Devdasis but bring his own water to drink. Can there be any other system which is hippocratic, racist and abusive in nature? Says Savi, when Devdasis come to the street even there the people make her pregnant. It is a story which can make any ‘thinking’ person mad and frustrated. And that has reflected in the paintings where the naked face of Brahminism is exposed.

There are so many paintings and for an art lover they are a complete treat to observe. For a lay person like me, it is the intensity which is attractive. The colors that he chose to depict and the face of the Brahmanism which is not only intrusive but also intimidating are the real protests.

In fact, Gujarat-2002 was a blot on the face of democracy. Artists were against the communal carnage. We saw many exhibitions at the secular platform decrying the goons of Hindutva and lamenting on the decline of our ‘golden’ past. The Hindutva goons also attacked exhibitions of M.F. Hussain, who they claimed to denigrate the Hindu gods and goddesses. What makes Savi Savarkar different from others is his unambiguous war against Brahmanism. He portrays Gujarat carnage not exactly in terms of RSS verses the Muslims but in terms of Brahmanical intimidations and farce. Savi saw the majority of Muslims being attacked as hailing the Dalit community and hence the bias against them was more than being against an ordinary Muslim. Thus, his paintings have exposed that Gujarat violence was not just a communal carnage unleashed by the Sangh Parivar and their different offshoots but the brahmanical intimidations and annihilation of the Dalits and people like them. The most important factor of Savi’s artistic expression is expose of an order build and developed by Manu that degraded men not on the basis of their castes but also gender. And therefore, as an artist, he has not confined himself to the issue of caste violence but has shown more concern on the condition of women. He makes it clear how women are victim of caste prejudices, patriarchical system and religious values. Not only this, he is able to show how during the so-called communal violence in Gujarat, it is the women who face the victimization from the forces of the brahmanical social order.

Pic02 Brahmin and Ganga

It’s very rare to find such political statement through art. Savi Savarkar is going to exhibit his paintings in Paris soon. But before he could do that, all those who value art as freedom of expression and choice must support his cause. After much financial hardship Savi Savarkar was able to exhibit his works at the Ravindar Bhavan. All those who value art and feel that art has a political statement against brahmanical values and bramindom must survive and grow, should visit Savi’s exhibition and support the cause. One hope that you would be able to see this extraordinary man’s passion for the civilized society as demonstrated in Dr Ambedkar’s writing. It is therefore refreshing to see that art which had been a domain of brahmanical values, has now found Ambedkarite protest in the form of Savi’s imagination and expressions. And one must appreciate his work for that. One hope that many more artists from Dalit-Bahujan communities would learn and adopt this form of art against the brahmanical value system and hopefully they would be able to project and portray the real face of Dalit vision, which means freedom of expression, freedom of choice and a society based on equality of human being without any prejudice against women.

Pic03: Ambedkarite Monk

Savi’s work would be there at Ravindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Academy till May 8th, 2008. Those of you who wish to know more about his work can visit his website at www.savisawarkar.arttimes.in and he can be contacted at savisawarkar@yahoo.com

In a very shocking incident, the main Witness of the Khairlanji Massacre, Mr Rajendra Gajbhiye was dashed by an unidentified four-wheeler from bihind while he was goin to his village in order to attend a ceremony. Rajendra was brutally hurt by the dash and was admitted to  local hospital. He was accompanied by two Police Body-Guards who were also got injuried . After collision the four-wheeler vanished in no time leaving no clue. Rajendra, himself dalit, fears it as a part of series of attacks targetted to exterminate him so that he fails to attend the court.

Upper castes can take justice this way on their side which is not strange practice in Democratic India!

Pic01: Newspaper Samrat reports

Pic01 Ever compassionate-smiling Bodhi, brother Nitin Dongre

This  day marks 1st Death Anniversary of Lieutenant of humanity; Brother Nitin was indeed hero of generation. His fragnant qualities cross miles and avons!

WREAD MORE

‘Democratic Secular Republic of Nepal’ is an investigative write-up from  Vidya Bhushan Rawat who  is not only an activist but a thinker.

Cynics in India might feel offended as how the only ‘Hindu’ Rastra of the world has democratically sealed the fate of an over pampered as well as highly autocratic monarchy in the recently held elections. For them Hindu dharma epitomizes the democratic spirit in true sense, for that matter the reason of India’s being secular republic. Yes, the present elections in Nepal has thrown more challenges in front of the future leaders, for it is definitely a different world of agitational work and when you are in power and will have to see interest of various parties, communities as well as ethnicities. Nepal lost its tryst with democracy many times in the past as the political parties behaved in entirely undemocratic way as well as were thoroughly corrupted  and used their proximity to the Royal palace to settle their scores with each other, giving the over sized king enough ammunition to intervene whenever and wherever he wished.

Therefore when the Maoists made a clean sweep in Nepal, it raised many eyebrows in India, not because the Indian establishment will be threatened with Maoists power but for sure, the fear is in Delhi is that a Maoist democratic government will undermine New Delhi’s controlling mechanism in Nepal. And the indication from Nepal have clearly reflected in that it is poised for an independent foreign policy and want to remain a younger brother of India and not as a colony of India. Nepalese have often resented this despite the fact that Nepal and India share common cultural values and have close relationship but then so are India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Do we not have relations and common culture of language and food habits? Don’t Muslims in India have family relations with Pakistanis and Bangladeshis and Tamils in Tamilnadu with Sri Lankan people? Don’t the Pakistani Hindus have relations in India like the Bangladeshi Hindus? But this over emphasis on Indo Nepali friendship comes from Nepal’s Hindu background. This was used by the Monarchs in Nepal for their own benefits, strengthening their own positions and denying Nepal a truly democratic government. A rigid Hindu regime in Nepal not only denied people opportunity for social reform but in certain pockets Nepal follows outdated brahmanical values. That Brahmins and Kshatriyas remained too powerful in Nepal because of such crafty politics that Nepal’s governing castes played on various occasions. And while the change in Nepal is welcome yet it is the beginning of another order which will be democratic but the real transition of Nepal will only happen once the democracy reach the grassroots and the tribal and Dalit minorities in Nepal stand up against the corrupt social order which is patriarchical and feudal. One does not know how the so-called Maoists with red mark over their head will deal with this. Whether, their secularism will ever stop that the religious holidays in the government offices be reduced. Whether the form of rigid varnashram dharma that we witness in Nepal will end? Whether the Maoist government will have fair representative of various communities in Nepal or whether it will turn out another dose of brahmanical system that we have witnessed in India under secular garb.

Democracy is not just ’secular’ government or government of ‘proletariat’. Unfortunately, both democracy and, communism rarely went together and we have seen various example. We might boast some of these great in Latin America and elsewhere where they ‘take on’ the ‘mighty’ George Bush. It is the double standard when we cry for the freedom of expression at one place and keep quiet in our own place. Clearly, it is the ideology which has become powerful than the people. People have to be slaughtered for ideology, a very similar exercise that the religious thugs did in the past world over where religion became a tool to slaughter the people.  Comerade Prachanda and his company must not repeat the same. Democracy in Nepal should mean end of not only Monarchy but also hegemonies that exists in Nepal’s village. And for that Nepal can take a few lessons from India, for its constitution was drafted by a true republican called Ambedkar. The man who came from the formerly untouchable communities, championed the cause of freedom and dignity, decried the much romantic Indian village system. ‘Indian villages are den of corruption, nepotism and feudalism,’ he said. Castes live in Indian villages. Every caste is a village and Indian republic is failing in dismantling it. The 9% growth rate does not help if these caste republics in India are not destroyed. I am sure the Maoists know it well that Nepal’s villages are not heaven as the rigid caste system that pervades in Nepal lives in villages predominantly. And how will that end. It will not end with just upper caste leaders of the Nepali dalits. No doubt, we need ideologically committed people and I am sure Nepal’s Dalits and ethnic communities will throw some great leaders in future who will not participate in democracy just as a Dalit but as leaders of the society. Change makers of society, if I could say them. Some time construction of these identities creates further middlemen who sale communities interest for their own one and equate both as happened in the case of India. But democracy strengthened with the participation of people. It will learn from mistakes, as in India, the Dalit and other minorities are learning. It is a new phase where people would not question their own party and leaders because the ‘others’ have rarely helped them, so some time leadership which manipulate survive because of the absence of an alternative. But today, if we see growth of the politics and groups of the marginalized in India right from Panchayats to every political party, there is a lesson, that the communities will challenge every one, even the so-called own leaders. Ultimately, it is the people who have to be benefited. People can not remain happy to see one former milk seller riding helicopter or becoming chief minister. That is a great thing but you can not exploit that sentiments for next twenty years and that question would always come. Hence Prachanda’s ‘revolutionary’ leaders have brought many hopes to millions of the people in Nepal, but it need to be seen how revolutionaries are they. Whether they have guts to challenge the status quo in Nepal or not or they will be another instrument in maintaining the status quo ante in the social system, it will be the biggest questions for all of to observe.

As the future head of Nepal, Prachand’s demand to reevaluate the Indo-Nepalese treaty is welcome. Nepal is an independent country and its people have a right to decide about its relationship with India and any country in the similar way as India has a right to plan its strategic interest in Nepal but Indian establishment must not shy away in welcoming the change in Nepal. When Nepal become a republic, it will have to shed many burden of its past. The migration is growing phenomenon world over and Nepal is not new. The only thing is that Nepal’s politicians and monarchy did everything to kill the spirit of the Nepalese. Nepal is at the threshold of a new era when in democracy its citizens will take pride and in return democracy would provide equal opportunity to every one which theocratic Nepal never did to its untouchable population. If democracy remained caged to gimmickries and rhetoric’s of imperialism and capitalism, then contradictions in the Nepalese society would deepen. Every body wants freedom. We all enjoy it and aspire for it hence when Nepal enjoy political freedom, how can it deny social-cultural and economic freedom to a vast segment of Nepali population which are treated as unequal. Nepal’s future leaders will have to keep that in mind and resolve it. Often the ruling elite create an enemy to suppress the internal contradictions and one hope that the dispensation which take over Nepal would not do the same to retain its power and position by creating false enemies. They will have to deliver and now when they have the power with them, further pretence would not work. Anti Indian sentiments in Nepal are some time used for political purposes which ignore the vital factor of genuineness of the grievances that the Nepali people have towards India and its ruling establishment which never supported democratic movements any where despite people protest, popular uprisings, under the pretext of ‘internal’ problems of the country. It is also interesting that Prachanda has spoken against the recruitment of the Nepalese soldiers in Indian as well as British army but one does not know whether those who join the forces as a lucrative profession would take such a stand lightly. Nepalese as brave fighters are well known and as long as they get good salaries should not have that concern but Prachanda should focus more on agrarian reform, pending land reform, land entitlements to ethnic minorities, Dalits and also the pathetic conditions of the Nepalese migrants in India. That is an image which hurt Nepal a lot and it has reflected in the Nepalese middle class and intellectuals as they have to go through that image problem created by the Indian middle classes and media about Nepal due migrants laborers in various Indian cities. When the Indians tourists travel to Nepal, this image of immigrant Nepali workers again force them think of not just a big brother but big boss of Nepal and that baggage of past must go. Yes, India and Nepal will have to sit together and sort out their issues and strengthen their legacy.

These results of the elections in Nepal and its transformation to democracy, secular republic can be a lesson to India’s right wing elements who considered the Monarch of Nepal as the true symbol of Hindu pride. Nepalese do not take pride in an autocratic king which the political formations in the name of Hindus in India do. Modern nation need modern ideas and secular inclusive constitution which have no place for old fashioned monarch who consider himself as the sole representative of Vishnu. We need true representative of the people who can serve them and not enjoy on the fruits of the poor. Nepal must shun the values of an old kingdom which was religious based. It must ensure not only political representation to all sections of Nepali population and ethnicities but also special arrangements should be made to bring these people into the mainstream of the country, in the government jobs, in judiciary, in the police and army. Unless, each section is represented in government and power structure, Nepal transition  to democracy and secularism would just proves hollow and people will rise against those in power. Once people taste freedom and democracy, it would be difficult for any regime to suppress their ideas and aspirations. One hope that the would be prime minister of Nepal and his government would understand that people of Nepal have huge expectations from them. They have decided to do away with a Monarchy which is a good step though it will be seen when they are able to do so and then they need to deliver to the people and dismantle the feudal and casteist structure prevailing in the Himalayan kingdom and first step in that direction would be to admit the problem that Nepal’s problem does not lie in economic issues only but deep rooted socio-cultural prejudices. Hence many observers might claim that Nepal has won a class war but it will always be superficial and hollow without the participation of Dalits and ethnic minorities in the power structure as well as in village republics that the new democracy will throw. One sincerely hope that democracy does not strengthen the old feudal structure where the marginalized, the Dalits, religious and ethnic minorities and women, just remain the vote banks and the elite become ‘revolutionaries’. Nepal’s tryst with democracy has just begun and one hope the present dispensation on whose soldier people have highest hope will not fail it.

he Uthapuram wall with the fence that was electrified by caste Hindus.

A SINISTER electrical device attached to a wall that segregates Dalits from caste Hindus was removed by government officials at Uthapuram village in Madurai district on April 17. The device, it is said, was meant to warn Dalits against crossing the wall.While the 10-foot-high (three metres) Uthapuram wall, symbolising untouchability in one of its worst forms, is nearly 20 years old, the dangerous device, a sort of electric fence connecting the overhead live wire to iron rods positioned at the top of the wall, was just a fortnight old when it was removed.The existence of the dividing wall was brought to light by a study group of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Elimination Forum (TNUEF) in March (Frontline, March 28). This was identified as one of the many forms of untouchability still practised by caste Hindus in many districts of Tamil Nadu. Located in a region known for rigid casteism, Uthapuram in Peraiyur taluk has seen several incidents of caste-related violence.

In the early 1990s, after a series of clashes between caste Hindus and Dalits, sections of the aggressive caste-Hindu group erected the wall to deny Dalits access to public places and facilities in the village. The raising of the wall was only one of the many forms of untouchability practised in the village.When the TNUEF gave wide publicity to the report and pressed the District Collector to take action against those who practised untouchability, some caste Hindus could not tolerate it. They made the wall even more threatening by electrifying the fence on top of it.

They have constructed another wall in the village with the intention of preventing the authorities from providing, in response to a representation from the TNUEF, a bus shelter for Dalits. When The Hindu, in its issue dated April 17, exposed the threat to the lives of Dalits, the matter was raised in the State Legislative Assembly by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) member N. Nanmaran.Electricity Minister Arcot Veerasamy told the House that the power line above the wall would be shifted to a distant place and that the government would see to it that no harm comes to anybody because of it.Welcoming the government’s prompt response, P. Sampath, TNEUF State convener, told Frontline that the government should also take steps to remove the wall itself as it symbolised untouchability. He also called for a thorough inquiry into the electrification of the wall.

The irony of it all is that about 2,000 Dalit families live in the village and the village panchayat is headed by a Dalit.
Source: FrontLine
by S. Viswanathan

An article of the day from Tehelka

To know the course India could have taken, we only need to take a look at our neighbourhood. Nepal, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan all have Manuvaadi social hierarchies similar to India, but in the absence of an Ambedkar and his socio-political philosophy, which found superb articulation in the Constitution, they continue to be in turmoil. Not that India can remain unaffected; possibilities exist, and both Naxalism and jehadi outrage are pointers to this. It’s time the upper castes, their media and academics perked up, and re-examined the institution that was Babasaheb, and the ideals he stood for..

H. Mohan Kumar writes this article with free wisdom . Fore More Read here..

CNN-IBN echo Ambedkar as designer of civilization

Watch Video here

Report by  Pradeep

People wouldn’t do this job for a million pounds and untouchable sweeper is doing just for two times meal!!!

The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act was enacted in 1993, but has proved ineffective in eliminating manual scavenging. The Act prohibits the employment of manual scavengers or construction of dry latrines not connected to proper drainage channels and violations of the provisions of the Act can lead to imprisonment for up to one year and/or a fine of up to 2000 rupees.

In 1989 there were 600,000 scavengers while by 1995-96 the number had increased to 787,000 (a 31.6 % increase in less than a decade). Similarly, there were 720,500,000 dry latrines in 1989, but by January 2000 the number had increased by 9,600,000. With the increase of urbanization, manual scavenging is increasing. More and more Dalits are compelled to take the job as the changing economic scenario is offering less and less jobs for them.

Narendra Modi few months back in his book “Karmayog” has said, “Scavenging must have been a spiritual experience for the Valmiki caste”.

In the book, he goes on to say, “At some point in time somebody must have got enlightenment in scavenging. They must have thought that it is their duty to work for the happiness of the entire society and the Gods.”

Pic 01: Pride of India !

Narendra Modi should also take this Manual Scavenging job & should get enlightenment as soon as possible!!! Its shameful our leaders shows such a stupidness by commenting like this…

Source: BuddhistCircle@yahoogroups

The Accused in Khairna Massacre Aquitted……read more ..

In the jolt to the justice of the Dalits , the session court here in Bhandara has aquitted the accused , Subhash Pachare due to the lack of evidence . In its judgement order of 33 pages the Hon. Special Judge , S.S. Burdkar said that the prosecution failed to produce sound evidence against the accused . So , all the charges of murder and  atrocity were quashed against the accused & he was set free.

The readers might remember  that in the sensational murder case of the Dalit girl Sapna Ghutke (19) who was twelth standard student learning in Pajabrao Deshmukh College of Brahmpuri was murdered in Khairna by the accused Subhash Pachare  when  she had gone to wash the clothes on the riverside in the morning of 26th Octomber 2006.As told by the ladies present there , she was stabbed & stoned at about 10:30 in the morning by the accused . The case received much attention by the masses as it had happened within a month of Khairlanji Massacre. The charge sheet was submitted on 17th February 2007 . In the case running over for one year & 26 days , the statements of 12 witneesess were recorded in all.  The Public Prosecutor who is also the P.P. in case under trial of Surewada Cow’s Urine Sprinkling Case , Mrs. U.K.Khati took care(lessness) of the work from the side of the prosecution while Adv.M.G.Harade argued from the side of the defence.

This is one among many caste-atrocity cases where the accused is honoured with aquittal. Statistics tells how much Indian soceity is in the clutches of prejudice when seen Conviction rate in caste-atrocity cases is less than 5% while in criminal cases it’s over 48% (all India avg.)

Because the status of  special court has not been given to the court where the present case of Khairlanji massacre is going on , the court is taking  its own course in the proceedings. Since today the court has recorded only the statements of the the accused , Gopal Binjewar & it has just  started questioning the accused , Sakru Binjewar . As the Hon. Judge S.S.Das  has to hear a lot of different cases , the court is taking long time to record the statements of the accused u/s 313 of Cr.P.C. It is learnt that , the accused  Gopal Binjear was asked 350 questions in all & the last question today  put to the accused Sakru Binjewar was whether he told to the investigation authority that he was ready to show the place where he had hidden his stick.Of course, the accused answered in the negative. The next date for proceeding to be slated is on Tuesday since tomorrow is the second Saturday & the next day is Sunday and on Monday it will be the Birth Anniversary of the great man Babasaheb Ambedkar . It is hoped that the court will give prime importance to this case & set aside or hearing on other cases sparingly . 

 Today  the statements of the accused were being recorded . The court’s clerk was asking the accused questions in a very hushed voice which ATN correspondant was not able to hear properly. He was asking the questions from the statements of the witnesses which  accused was answering in mechanical way like- either ‘ It is false’ or ‘ I don’t know’.

The first accused who is being questioned is Gopal Binjewar. It was said by the Court-Clerk that each accused was going to be asked minimum 450 questions. ATN correspondant thinks it will be difficult for him to send details of the statements which are the nothing but the repetitions of the depositions of the witnesses.

  Days after a widow was paraded naked in a village here for entering a temple, two Dalit widows have been forced to swallow human excreta by villagers who blamed them for being responsible for an outbreak of chicken pox.

Police arrested four people on Sunday for violating the Jharkhand Anti-Witchcraft Act, 2001 and Prevention of Atrocities on SC/ST Act after they tortured Rashmi Devi (60) and Samri Devi (65) in Manaydih village, 15 km from Dhanbad. Samri Devi is a sweeper in a local branch of a nationalised bank.”It was because of superstition. The villagers, including the son of one of the victims, believed the elderly women were practising witchcraft,” said Vinod Kumar, an officer at Barwaadda police station.

The trouble started after the four-year-old son of Koleshwar Das, one of the villagers, died two days ago. The family of Das suspected it was because of the “witchcraft” of the two elderly women. The villagers caught the women on Saturday forced them to eat human excreta. They alleged that the women were a “curse on the village” and chicken pox had spread in the area because of them. Last Thursday, another widow from a backward community was paraded naked in Ranwatand village, 35 km from Dhanbad, for entering the village temple. The culprits said a widow had “no right to enter a temple”   

Source: TNN

NO COURT PROCEEDINGS TODAY
Now, it is the turn of the court to delay the proceedings which is very unfortunate quality of Indian judicial system and people within.

On the last date on 31st March , the prosecution finished their evidence interrogation & pushed the ball in the Hon. Judge’s court . But till today , the Hon.Judge is not ready with the questions to accused. The accused statements are proceedural must and has to be recorded in accordance with u/s 313 of  Cr.P.C. It is hoped that he will be ready with the framed questions by tomorrow on 8th April.

In yet another gruesome incident, a 65-year-old Dalit woman and her 19-year-old granddaughter were allegedly hacked to death by a local BJP leader at Sirsi village under the Ghatampur police station on Saturday. Senior police officials, including SSP Ashok Kumar Singh, were camping at Sirsi village where the situation was stated to be tense.

The deceased have been identified as Raj Rani, wife of Cheda Lal alias Chiddu and Sunita, daughter of Ram Babu Kori of Sirsi village.An old enmity between Ram Babu Kori and Vijay Sachan over agricultural land was stated to be the reason behind the killing. The SSP said the police were yet to nab the assailants. Raids have been conducted at possible hideouts.

Source: TOI

A family of farmer has recently written a letter to President of India to privilage them a wishfull death. This strange incident happened in MP, Dist. Pilbhit , near Gajrola Police station, Diyura village.

Farmer, Shivpal who comes from Dalit caste (Popi Pasi), and his family  dragged out of their farm by the local; upper caste goons. This is not unusual for uppercaste villagers. But now as the land gone which  was sole source of income and subsistance, the family has no other way but to survive on hunger. In the absense of any action from Government officials who are considered under influnce of such goons,  leaves less hope for the family. Hence they have demanded a favour from President of India to commit suicide. Which is absolutely question for the democratic mindset..

Source:http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/national/general/5_1_4322776.html

      The court assembles at 11: 15 A.M.The Hon.Judge S.S. Das first disposes off the other cases in his court. The Public prosecutors , Ujwal nikam & Ezaz Khan are sitting on their respective chairs waiting for the arrival of the defence lawyer Adv.Khandewale. At 1 P.M. he along with other defence lawyers , Adv.Bedarkar & Adv.Lakhanikar  arrives in the court . He first apologises to the court for his delayed arrival. Then he rises to say his submission to the court for granting the permission to summon the collector of Bhandara , Tahsildar of Mohadi & social welfare officer.
Adv.Khandewale: My only submission before the honourable court is that the concerned officers should be called in the court to verify the corresponding documents related with the proposal of rehabilating the witnesses , PW1 Mukesh Pusam &  PW3 Suresh Khandate .
Judge: But why at this stage you want them to be produced in the court. They can be produced as the defence witnesses at the proper stage of the trial.
Adv.Khandewale: Sir , no harm will be done if those are called in the court at this stage.
Judge: Not this court but you require that.What is the necessity of calling them?
Adv.Khan: Sir, it should be first made clear how these witnesses are essential as the court witnesses.
Judge: The witnesses that you want to produce are subsequent to the inceidence & not directly connected with it.The court can acquit or convict the accused  even without calling these witnesses. The burden stands on your shoulder to prove their relation with the incident.
(Now , the special P.P. Adv.Nkam rises to have his say)
Adv.Nikam: Sir , under the criminal procedure code , four forums are available for the defence to prove the innocence of the accused (1) Cross-examiantion (2)Statement of the accused (3) Recorded statements of the accused & (4) Defence witnesses. This application is unnecessary & liable to be quashed. Now, sir u/s 311 of the criminal procedure code the court can summon the witnesees  in two ways - (A) By Disretionary power of the court by which the witness can be recalled , can be summoned for the examination or re-examination .
(B) Unnder Mandatory Provisions . It is the onrous duty of the court to  issue summons to recall or examine  or re-examine the witness after being satisfied that those are neccesary for justice. The application by my collegue is totally silent on in what manner they are essential for the delivearance of the justice. At this stage recourse to section 311 is futile.The defence can call them as defence witnesses. In the application it is said that these witnesses should be called in the interest of justice. There is the world of difference between the interest of justice & affirmation by the Hon. court to take cognisance of the  just neccessity of  calling the witness . Is it relevant to examine these witnesses or is to only to prolong the case?
Now , I will put forward my  request of calling a witness who is relevent to the case & whose name is not included in the charge sheet. PW3 Suresh Khandate in his statement had said that the power was restored 7:30 in the evening. But my question is if the power was restored at 7:30 in the evening, then when did it go off?So, I want to examine the concerened officer of M.S.E.B.C.L. the agency supplying the power to the village Khairlanji. This evedence is necessary to reveal when the power went off in the village.
Adv.Khandewale: Sir, interst of the justice & court’s just trial are one & same thing . Mr.Nikam had reffered the judgement of the Supreme court in which nowhere the Hon . S.C.has abridged the power of the defence. About Mr.Nikam’s request for calling the concerned officer from M.S.E.B.C.L. , that recourse was avilable soon after Suresh Khandate’s deposition before this court. It was not ours but their wanton duty to clarify that fact . The whole incident happened in darkness. By calling the witness ,they just want to fill the lacuna.
Adv.Nikam: ( after reading from an excerpt) : Lacuna can be a fall out from the prosecution . Even if the prosecution does negligence or mistake , the S.C. permits the prosecution to examine the witness to clear the matter of fact & to arrive at a just conclusion. Sir, we have already called  the witness .He can depose if the Hon.court permits.
Adv.Khandewale: No, No…
(The court is adjourned at this stage for lunch break . After the lunch break , the court passes order rejecting the application of the defence & allowing the prosecution to examine the new witness saying   that the documentry  evidence is the best evidence & such important documentry evidence can not be overlooked  to arrive at the truth. On this the defence lawyer Adv.Khandewale says that he would challenge  it in the high court , but neverthless he would cooperate reserving his right to protest. Since two witnesses , S.S.Bansod & J.C. Kamble has already been called , Adv.Nikam calls the former & rules out the necessity of examining the latter since it will be superflous to have statements of both  being recorded.)
Judge: What is your name?
Wit: Sushil Sudhakar Bansod.
Judge: Age?
Wit: 39yrs.
Judge: what is your educational qualification?
Wit: I have done my certificate course in I.T.I.
(Now , Adv.Nikam begins his examination of the witness)
Adv.Nikam: What do you do?
Wit: I am Junior operator in  Jamb  in M.S.E.D.C.L.(Maharastra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited)
Adv.Nikam: Since from when you are working as junior operator in M.S.E.B.C.L.?
Wit: From April 1994.
Adv.Nikam: What was the duration of the certificate course of I.T.I.?
Wit: It was of two years.
Adv.Nikam: Since from when you are working as junior operator in Jamb substation?
Wit: From 2002.
Adv.Nikam: From where does Khairlanji get its electricity supply?
Wit: From Jamb.
Adv.Nikam: Where does Jamb get its power supply from?
Wit: From 132 KV Mansar substation.
Adv.Nikam: In case the power supply gets disrupted from Mansar, then from where do you get power supply?
Wit; From Tumsar substation.
Adv.Nikam: How many villages do get the power supply from your center?
Wit: 35-40 villages.
Adv.Nikam: Where do you  put the information regarding the load - shedding?
Wit: In Charge hand over register.
Adv.Nikam: Do you do the load shedding in different villages in turn or do you note in your register about the the disrruption of power supply to your substation?
Wit: I note down the input & output supply of electricity in the register.
Adv.Nikam: Have you brought the original register with you?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: Did you put down the notes on time in this register?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam:  On 29/9/06 , what was the timing of load shedding?
Wit: On that day , there was no load shedding.At 10:45 there was sudden disruption of power supply from Mansar substation.
Adv.Nikam: Did you put down such fact in you register?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: Is it in your own handwritting?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Nikam: Then ?
Wit: Then I took power supply from Tumsar substation at 5:00 P.M.
Adv.Nikam: When the power supply got disrrupted from Mansar substation , the village Khairlanji had no power supply.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: When the power supply was taken from Tumsar , the village Khairlanji too got the electricity . Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: Is there any entry in your register about taking power supply from Tumsar?
Wit:Yes.
Adv.Nikam: When did the power supply from Mansar was resumed?
Wit: At 6 in the evening.
Adv.Nikam: Then when did you resume the power suppy from your center?
Wit; At 6:30 P.M.
Adv.Nikam: That means you stopped the power supply from Tumsar & resumed the supply from Mansar.Right?
Wit: Yes. Within two minuted I stopped the power supply from Tumsar & resumed the supply from Mansar.
Adv.Nikam: Did you make such entry in your register?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: What was the duration of this change over of substations , means for what duration the power supply was stopped ?
Wit: Only fot two minutes.
Adv.Nikam: That means there was no power supply in Khairlanji for two minutes.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: Then after that power supply was resumed.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: Was there any disrruption of power supply after 6:30 P.M.? That means was there any interruption in the supply of electricity to Khairlanji village?
Wit: No,  There wasn’t.
Adv.Nikam:  Are the entries that you have  made in this  register true?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam:  Do  these photocopies  of the pages of this register  match the original?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Nikam: Whose scribe is this?
Wit: Mine.
Adv.Nikam: What is the reason of taking the power supply from Tumsat late?
Wit; The transformer of Tumsar substation got burnt , so I was waiting for its repair.Therefore , It took  long to take the power from Tumsar.
(Adv.Nikam finishes his examination . Now, the defence lawyer Adv. Khandewale rises to cross-examine    the witness. )
Adv.Khandewale: Do the photocopies of the register bear the seal of your office?
Wit: No.
Adv.Khandewale: Does it bear your signature?
Wit:No.
Adv.Khandewale: You are not lineman by post.Right?
Wit:Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: Therefore you can not give information about the disrruption of electricity caused by the things other than load shedding . Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: Did you make any entry anywhere about receiving the message by phone call from Mansar
concerning the resumption of power at their substation ?
Wit: No , I didn’t.
Adv.Khandewale: Who gave you the instruction to be present in the court?
Wit: C.B.I.
Adv.Khandewale: According to the rule of  power supply company where you are presently working , you have to make entry about the power supply in KV in a particular register.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: It is possible that for changing over the power supply , it can take more that 2 minutes say for instance 2-3 hours . Right?
Wit: No.’
Adv.Khandewale: If in any of the villages the electric phase goes off then in that case you don’t get any information . Right?
Wit:Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: In the rainy season , it is possible that due to strong winds & rain , the disrruption of electricity ensues .Right?
Wit;Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: If due to these causes the power suply fails , then in that case it takes longer to restore it.Right?
Wit;Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: On the page at  back of the back side of the register  there is some private thing written.What is it?
Wit: Those are the calculations of the load-shedding .
Adv.Khandewale: In this register , there is also the name of Gomaji Dhyaniram Dhande and 100 rupees.What is it?
Wit: It is the credit due from this person.
Adv.Khandewale: You have scribed your personal matter here.
Wit; No, I had received a phone call from Mohadi sub-division that this fellow has the credit of 100 rupees of electric bill due from him.
Adv.Khandewale: My assertion is that you have written in this reigister later  & you are deposing falsly in this court on its basis.Right?
Wit; No, it is false.
Adv.Khandewale: Are you on leave today?
Wit: No, I have done my shift from 12 midnight to 8 in the morning.
Adv.Khandewale: My assertion is that you are giving false statement for being pressurised by C.B.I.Right?
Wit: No, I am giving statement on the basis of the entries made by me in this register.
Adv.Khandewale: Does you always keep this register with you ?
Wit: No , it is kept in the drawyer of the substation.
(Adv.Khandewale finishes the cross-examination of the witness. Now, Adv.Nikam submits the application to the court for the closure of the evidence from the prosecution  side called ‘pursis’ which is immediately allowed. Then the court is  adjourned  for the next date i.e. Monday 7th April when the statements of the witnesses by the Hon.Judge wil be recorded. Adv.Nikam seems elated for  accomplishing his job coming out of the court . It was told later by the defence lawyer , Adv.Bedarkar that they would challenge the decision of the trial court in rejecting their plea for calling the three govt. officers & allowing the calling of  new witness of the prosecution not previously given in the charge sheet.)

Today , there was to be  hearing on the application filed by the defence lawyers, Ninad Bedarkar & Sanjay Lakhanikar.The court had ordered the C.B.I. to file the reply . Since the P.P Adv. Khan is  away in New Delhi , his reply by fax reaches into the court late after 3P.M. It is learnt that in the reply it is said that to call the collector, Tahsildar & Social Welfare Officer is not maintainable & it is only a delaying tactics played by the defence to prolong the case.  They can be produced only as the defence witnesses , but at  a proper stage & not at this juncure of the case. The prosecution  asked for the adjournment till 31st March when probably it will submit for the ‘pursis’ (closure of witness by the prosecution). It was granted by Hon.Judge.Till then the court is adjourned!

Time and again, statutory SC/ST commission has been seen silently observing blatant castiest dance  in democratic set up. In India interestingly the rule of land negates discrimination of any kind. This is high time for people of progressive India,  Parliament should think over either scrapping this powerless Commission or empowering it further and see how its neutrality is maintained.  Very nasty singals utmost clear in the recent UP Tikait drama when CM had to file a compalint under Atrocities Act.

The hope is very less for common man who sufferes due to caste prejudices when we see ultra-castiest Tikait being supported by all National parties. UP CM being dalit will always be at receiving end.  Even former President of India for that matter. How can  High caste  leaderships see her taking lead at Centre in coming times? 

No sense of respect for woman and for a human, is only quality of bastards.

——

TOI reports…

Despite BKU chief M S Tikait finding the support of SP, Congress and BJP, he chose not to take on the might of the state. This points, on the one hand, to the respect that the Dalit CM of UP has grudgingly extracted from her rivals. It also means that the time when abusive references, which SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s brother Shivpal called as “normal village language”, could be used with impunity have gone, perhaps for good.

Jat-Jatav equations in western region — extending from glitzy Noida, passing through prosperous Meerut and extending upto Moradabad — have never been easy, with the socially superior caste treating dalits as adjuncts. In the 1990s, in a much-reported case, dalits of a village near Agra were beaten and had to abandon their habitat for daring to seat a groom on a mare — a privilege restricted to higher castes. With the entire non-BSP political bloc having thrown its weight behind Tikait as it saw an opening in the confrontation to corner Mayawati, the state government’s victory is seen to mean that the rampaging elephant that emerged from EVMs in May last year is yet to lose steam. Sums up sociologist Mahesh Rangarajan, “It reflects the social erosion of the power of the landed castes coupled with the political ascendancy of Mayawati.”

But the BSP supremo has done well by shrewdly seizing a rare chance to play the ‘dalit leader’ after 14 months of championing the cause of ’sarvjan’. It was seen as crucial since her strident ’sarvjan’ call was giving occasion to political rivals to question her commitment to the dalit cause. The lead on this front has been taken by Rahul Gandhi. Canny as she is, Mayawati has turned the Tikait episode into an exhibition of her resolve to implement the SC/ST Atrocities Act, following up a victorious press conference to lambast previous regimes for not implementing the Act while asking National Commission for SCs chairman Buta Singh to resign for not taking up Tikait’s remarks. Her determination in bringing Tikait to heel will help convince her followers that claims that SC Act was being diluted to barter the dalit cause for power is incorrect. In May, UP government directed police to make preliminary inquiries in case of heinous crimes before lodging an FIR under the Act. Rivals saw it as a bid to gain confidence of her new constituency of upper castes, who have been resentful of the Act’s “draconian” provisions. Buta Singh had called the “dilution” a betrayal of dalits and forced the state onto the backfoot.

The Act’s place in BSP’s evolution is significant, with the party having held it up as the symbol of social empowerment of dalits in its early years. So much so, former BJP CM Kalyan Singh’s directives to police to soften the law after taking up the top job from Mayawati under a rotational CM pact, led to her pulling out of state government. While Mayawati played her cards well, observers feel other political parties seem to have faltered in throwing their lot behind Tikait. All the more so when Tikait proved to be a damp squib.

A 21-year old Buddhist girl, who was married to a Bengali, committed suicide on Saturday following a tiff with her in-laws. The girl’s parents alleged that she was ill-treated and taunted over her Dalit background by the husband and his family. The husband, Akshay Bhattacharya (25),a call centre employee in Andheri, and his family have been booked by the Vakola police for abetment of suicide, mental and physical harassment and conspiracy.

The police said they were making efforts to arrest members of the Bhattacharya family, but they were untraceable. Before taking the extreme step, Varsha Bhattacharya (21) called her cousin in Nerul saying she could no longer take the insults the in-laws had been hurling at her as well as her family. “Varsha told me that she had taken a ‘tough and final’ decision regarding the marriage as she could not tolerate the mental torture inflicted on her day in and day out,” said Vinayak Patil, the cousin. “She asked me to take care of her mother. After that, she cut the call and switched off her mobile,” he recounted.

Alarmed by the phone call, Varsha’s family rushed to Borivli, where the Bhattacharya family stays. Meanwhile, Varsha was dropped at her father’s residence in Vakola, by an unknown woman, in an unconscious state. She was declared dead at Durga Nursing Home around 4 am. The post-mortem showed a fracture in the rib. “We are investigating the case, as there are a lot of angles to it,” said sub-inspector Deepak Gurjar. “We are also trying to trace the woman who dropped the victim home,” he added. Police officers said once concrete evidence was established, they could also book the Bhattacharya family under the Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. “Though clear evidence is still awaited, it looks like a case of excess mental torture, which drove the girl to suicide,” an officer said. Varsha’s parents alleged that the girl’s in-laws had been harassing and taunting her over her caste and family ever since she got married in November 2007. Her husband, Akshay, too started doing so after a couple of months.

The couple had a love marriage, much against their families’ wishes. Varsha’s parents said their caste was always an issue with the Bhattacharyas, who were Brahmins. The in-laws insisted that Varsha snap all ties with her parents. “Her husband and in-laws would hardly let her interact with us. She was taunted again and again over her caste and was asked to be grateful to them as they had ‘pulled her up the social ladder’,” said Babasaheb Sonawane, Varsha’s father. The girl’s parents said the situation worsened when her husband started checking the call log on her mobile phone every night. “He would repeatedly call her even during office hours and fume with anger if she didn’t answer the calls,” said Sonawane. “Once he even banged my daughter’s head against the wall only because she hadn’t wished his mother before going to sleep.”

Varsha and Akshay started dating each other two years ago. They used to work at a call centre in Andheri. A relative said, “The boy’s family just refused to mingle with us at that time (the marriage).” The Sonawane family had hosted a party for relatives and friends two days before the marriage, but the Bhattacharyas had refused to participate in it. The Bhattacharyas refused to speak when contacted over phone. “We are in a state of shock,” said an unknown relative.

Source: TOI

The court assembles at 11 :10 A.M. It is learnt that C.B.I.Will be submitting for ‘PURSIS’(closure of evidence by the prosecution) The hearing on another case goes on till 12:30 P.M.Then Hon.Judge S.S.Das calls for the C.B.I.prosecutor , Adv.Khan . On this , a constable from the C.B.I.camp Mr.Talmale appears in the court to submit the application on behalf of C.B.I. for the adjournment of the case.Hon.Judge asks the whereabouts of Adv.Khan on which he says that he has gone out to C.B.I.’s headquarters in New Delhi . Then he expresses his ignorance about his coming back when asked by Hon.Judge. Later, the defence lawyers, Sanjay Lakhanikar & Ninad Bedarkar submits the application to summon , Sambhajirao Sarkunde, the District collector, Alka Shingade, Tahsildar of Mohadi & Mr.Mohbanshi, District Social Welfare Officer. It is sought by submitting the application that these three officers be called & examined in the court to verify the corrospondence between the recalled witnesses, Mukesh Pusam & Suresh Khandate & these three officers. Hon.Judge accepts the application & fixes 27 th March for its decision & 28th March as the next date of hearing. The court is adjourned till then.

     The court assembles at 11:30 A.M.In the beginging C.B.I. counsol Adv.Khan opens discussion on the question of examination of the witness.He requests the court that since the court has allowed the recall & cross-examination of the witnesses, Mukesh Pusam & Suresh Khandate , he be allowed to re-examine these witnesses.Hon.Judge hears both the sides & orders that since there is no objection from the defence side against the re-examination of the recalled witnesses ,the prosecution is allowed to do the same.Now, first the prime eye-witness in Khairlanji , Mukesh Pusam is called in the witness-box.Adv.Khan is ready to re-examine him.
Adv.Khan:Did you make an application to the collector of Bhandara district requesting him to rehabilate you?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan:Why you made such an application?
Wit: Because there was imminent danger from the relatives of the accused to mine &  to my family’s life.
Adv.Khan: How many days after  deposing in the court , you submitted the application ?
Wit; I don’t remember. But 15-20 days after the deposition I made such application.
Adv.Khan: Those people came when you gave the application.What did they do?
Wit: I don’t remember.
Adv.Khan:What work did they do?
Wit: The collector’s people showed me the cultivable  land , but I did not like it.After that I tired of going to the collector frequently.
Adv.Khan:Then?
Wit: Thereafter they asked me to give that application to the Social Welfare Officer.
Adv.Khan: (showing a paper)Is this the same application?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan: What did he say?
Wit: He said that instead of wandering here & there in search of the land , deamand 10 Lacs rupees.Then he asked me to make the application to that effect.
Adv.Khan:(showing a paper)Is this the same application?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan: Did you tell the Magistrate , Mr.Ladekar that there was the danger to your life?
Adv.Khan: What did he say then?
Wit: I don’t remember.
Adv.Khan:To whose life the danger is ?
Wit: To mine & my family’s life & all.
Adv.Khan: But from that time you are given the body guard .Right?
Wit:Yes.
Adv.Khan:Have you brought the application that you gave to the collector?
Wit; yes.
(Witness produces the document & submits to the court.)
Adv.Khan: Is there any other  reason behind your application apart from the danger to the life?
Wit: I gave application only because of danger to the life.
Adv.Khan: (showing him another application)Are its contents correct?
Wit: Yes.
(Adv.Khan finishes his examination . Hon.Judge asks accused no.s 1, 2, 8 & 9 whether they would cross-examine the witness since their counsol Adv.Jaiswal is absent.They all decline.Now, another defence lawyer Adv.Khandewale rises to cross-examine the witness.)
Adv.Khandewale: Mukesh , is the date & place written in the application is correct  when you submitted the document ?
Wit: Yes.     
Adv.Khandewale: How many persons in the Khairlanji have computers ?
Wit: Nobody.
Adv.Khandewale: Is it right that except Mohadi or Bhandara , there is no computer nearby?
Wit: There are computers in Andhalgaon.
Adv.Khandewale: After submitting any application to the officer , you have to take the receipt of that.Right?
Wit:Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: Do you have the receipt of the application of the collector?
Wit: No.
Adv.Khandewale: Mukesh , in the election of 2007……
Judge: (intevening)The questions pertaining  only to the document  you submitted in this court are to be allowed.All other questions are disallowed. 
Adv.Khandewale:  You just told that by giving application to the collector , you petitioned him  that instead of giving agricultural land etc. , 10 Lacs rupees be given to you and you will see as to what to do with that money.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: On whose exhortation you gave the application marked as 274?
Wit: I gave it myself.
Adv.Khandewale: On which computer you typed it?
Wit: I don’t remember.
Adv.Khandewale: My assertion is the  C.B.I. made it on the computer , you merely signed on it?
Wit: No, false.
Adv.Khandewale: My assertion is that it is false that there is danger to you & your family from  relatives of the accused.  Right?
Wit: No, false.
Adv.Khandewale: My assertion is that due to allurement by C.B.I. you gave false testimony before & now too  you are deposing falsly.Right?
Wit; No, it is wrong.
(Adv.Khandewale finishes his cross-examinaton of the witness.Now, another defence lawyer Adv.Bedarkar rises to cross-examine)
Adv.Bedarkar: Can you read & write?
Wit: Yes. I can.
Adv.Bedarkar: Is it right that you submitted this application before the commencement of this case?
Wit: No, false.
Adv.Bedarkar: Who was there with you at the time of submitting the application?
Wit; At the time of submitting the application I was under police protection.
Adv.Bedarkar: You were under police protection before you statement.Right?
Wit; No.
Adv.Bedarkar: C.B.I. personnel made the applicaton for you & you sent it to the collector.Right?
Wit:No, false.
Adv.Bedarkar: You gave false statement due to the pressure & allurement by C.B.I.Right?
Wit: No, false.
(Adv.Bedarkar finishes his cross-examination of the witness.Now, the next recalled witness, Suresh Khandate is called into the witness-box.Adv.Khandewale first begins his cross-examination)
Adv.Khandewale: Suresh, you have given applicatiion on 17/7/07.It bears your signature.Right?
Wit:Yes.
Adv.Khandewale:  (showing a paper)Its contents are correct.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: In the same way you had given application to the District collector on 1/11/2007.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale:  That also bears your signature.Right?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: You had shown two applications .Before that you submitted one application.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: (showing a paper) Are the contents right in it?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: This application is of 16/4/07 . Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: After submitting the application , you gave testimony in the court.Right?
Wit:Yes.
Adv.Khandewale:  According to the letter  numbered as 276, you demanded Rs.10 Lacs instead of cultivable land.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Wit: The social welfare officer Bhandara showed me the  land  to be affected by the Gosekhurd Dam, we did not like the land .Then he told us to ask for 10 Lacs rupees from the collector  & he wrote a letter to that effect himself.
Adv.Khandewale: You agreed because of his say & then you signed on the application.Right?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: Can you operate the computer yourself?
Wit: No.
Adv.Khandewale: Did you & Mukesh submit the letter jouintly or separately?
Wit; The applications were separate , but were submitted jointly.
Adv.Khandewale: Do you know that if application is submitted to any officer , you should take the receipt of it?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: Do you have any such receipt on this  application?
Judge:(interveening)Adv.Khandewale, you can  not dispute veracity of  the same document  you submittd to this court.
(Adv.Khandewale realises his mistake & moves to next question.)
Adv.Khandewale: Is it right that C.B.I. put  a proposal for your rehabilitation as you are a witness?
Wit:No, false.
Adv.Khandewale: My assertion is that because C.B.I.gave allurement to you ,  you  are deposing .Right?
Wit: No, false.
Adv.Khandewale: You are still living in Khairlanji.Right?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: You are getting the employement ,  work & daily wages.Right?
Wit; I am getting the threats . We are in state of starvation , because nobody is giving us any employment or work.
Adv.Khandewale: This you are telling for the first time in the court.Right?
Wit; I had told it earlier too that I am getting the threats.
Adv.Khandewale: Did you give any written complaint to the police.
Wit: I told it orally many times. That’s why I got the police protection.
Adv.Khandewale: Is my assertion right that after submitting the application , you  made frequent inquries to the Tahsildar(Revenue officer of Tahsil) & collector.Right?
Wit:No.
Adv.Khandewale: My assertion is that you deposed falsly due to allurement by C.B.I.
Wit: I have given true testimony.
(Adv.Khandewale finishes his cross-examination . Adv.Khan begins his examination after the interval of lunch break)
Adv.Khan: Is there any other  reason behind your application to collector apart from the danger to the life?
Wit: I gave application only because of danger to the life & because of the threats from the relatives of the accused.
Adv.Khan: Did you express  threats to your life in any of the applications?
Wit: I have expressed such threats in my both the appliactions to the collector.
(Since the examination & cross-examination of these two witnesses is complete , the court is adjourned till the next date i.e.24th March)

PROCEEDING ON 15TH MARCH
The court assembles at 11:00 A.M.At 12:30 A.M. Adv.Nikam arrives.The defence side had already submitted  the application before the court for the recall of the witnesses Mukesh Pusam & Suresh Khandate on the question whether they were lured by C.B.I. by offering them rehabilitation.The prosecution side objects for it saying it is not a proper stage. Since whatever the documents the defence has produced before the court , are the defence documents & they can be produced only at the stage of conviction to prove the innocence of the accused.Moreover the request for the rehabilitation by the witnesses to the collector of the district is made after they made the statement & not before it.So , there is no question of allurement.Since the witnesses were in danger for their life. they made the request. Hearing both the sides the court orders the recall of the witness , Mukesh Pusam & Suresh Khandate & directs the serving of summons to make their presence before the court on 17/3/08.The court is adjourned till that date.

The court assembles at 11:30 A.M.The next witness , J.F.M.C.(Judicial Magistrate of the First Class)of Mohadi reaches court late . The court statrts working at 12 Noon when he is called in the witness-box to depose.
Judge: What is your name?
Wit; Pradip Ladekar.
Judge: Age?
Wit; 43yrs.
Judge: What is you occupation?
Wit; I am J.F.M.C. now at Yaval Jalgaon district.
(Now, the C.B.I.lawyer Adv.Khan rises to examine the witness)
Adv.Khan: Since from when you are working as J.M.F.C.?
Wit: From 6th August , 2001.
Adv.Khan: During this time , there might have been various occasions to record the statements of the witnesses u/s 164.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan: From 6/12/06 to 18/12/06, you had recorded the statements of 6 witnesses.Right?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Khan: Why you recorded the statements?
Wit; These  statements were recorded on the application made by C.B.I. to that effect.
Adv.Khan: What was the reason of not recording the statements of witnesses on the same day on which it gave the application?
Wit: (refers the record , but do not answer)
Adv.Khan: When did C.B.I. move application for Mahadev Zanzad?
Wit: On 15/12/06, C.B.I. moved application for the witnesses Mahadev Zanzad, Premlal Walke & Bhagvan Dakhane.
Adv.Khan: When did you record the statement of Mahadev Zanzad?
Wit: I sent an order to C.B.I. on 16/12./06 to present the witness , Mahadev Zanzad before myself. But since I was absent on that day , that case was reffered to Tumsar court. That court directed them to present the witness on 18/12/06 to my court.
Adv.Khan: Did you record the statement of Mahadev Zanzad as per his say?
Wit; I recorded the statement of Mahadev Zanzad on 18/12/06 as per his say. On the same way , I also recorded the statements of Premlal Walke acccording to what he said.
Adv.Khan: (showing him document)Is this the same recorded statement of Mahadev Zanzad?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan: Who wrote it?
Wit: My senior clerk.It bears my signature as well as the signature of  witness, Mahadev Zanzad.
Adv.Khan: Is this statement  recorded as per your direction?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Khan: Is the foot note as per your instruction?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Khan: Did you read it over to witness?
Wit: After  dictating  the foot note , I gave it to the witness for reading , then it was read by my clerk  over to him.Then the witness signed on it.Thereafter I signed on it.
Adv.Khan: Did you administer the oath of truth?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan: Was the statement recorded in the open court & whether there were persons sitting in the court ?
Wit; It was open court and barring advocates all the persons connected with the case & all the investigation officers of C.B.I.  were asked to go out .
Adv.Khan: Did you put restriction on other persons than C.B.I.?
Wit: No, there were hundreds of people coming in & out of the court.
Adv.Khan: Did you follow the routine procedure in recording the statements?
Wit: Yes, except in case the witness is unable to read & write . In that case , I myself read out the statement to the witness & write the footnote myself.
Adv.Khan:  Did Mahadev tell you that since he had gone to his sister’s house in Nagpur , he did not know whether there was clash between Sakru & Sidhhartha?
Wit:  I wrote exactly what Mahadev Zanzad told me.
Adv.Khan: Did you also record the statement of Mahadev Zanzad as per his say?
Wit: Yes. It bears mine & witnesse’s signature.
Adv.Khan: Did you on 15/12/06  record the statement of Dinesh Dhande  & Anil  Chirkut Lede, too?
Wit: On that day I recorded the statement of three witnesses namely , Dinesh Dhande, Suresh Khandate & Anil Chirkut Lede .
Adv.Khan: Those statements of the witnesses you wrote as per their say.Right?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan: Did you read those over to them?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khan: When did you record the statement of Mukesh Pusam?
Wit; On 11/12/06.
Adv.Khan:  Did you feel any pressure from C.B.I. , Dalit organisations , Political persons or other people ?
Wit: There was no sort of any pressure by anybody.
(Adv.Khan finshes his examination . Now , the defence lawyer Adv.Khandewale rises to cross-examine the witness)
Adv.Khandewale: Sir, I will start with Mukesh Pusam. Did you record the portion marked as ‘A’ ‘B’ C’ as per his say?
Wit: Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: Did Mukesh tell you that Jagdish shouted to Surekha that she told their names to Sidhhartha Gajhiye & got lodged  complaint to the police?
Wit: He did not say that she got Sidhhartha Gajbhiye to lodge complaint to police.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that Surekha ran towards the compound behind her house which is in the direction opposite to the road?
Wit: He said that she ran towards behind her house. He did not say literally the word compound which is in the direction opposite to the road.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that some persons hit Surekha by the blows of hands & feets & some by cycle chain & sticks and she was beaten on legs , hands & the back?
Wit: He did not mention on what of the body she was beaten up.
Adv.Khandewale: Mr.Ladekar , did he tell you that  accused Jagdish , Ramu, Prabhakar, Gopal , Shatrughana , Sakru & Vishvanath chased Roshan ?
Wit: (with displeasure) It is not right to call me by mentioning my name.I am deposing here not in my personal capacity , but in official capacity .
Adv.Khandewale:  Sorry, I tender my apology.
Wit: Now, repeat the question.
(Adv.Khandewale repeats the question)
Wit; Mukesh told me that Shatrughan , Sakru & other five persons which he had already reffered  , asked him (Roshan ) not to run on which he stopped.Then those people ran towards him.That means all the names were uttered by him. The next para as well in this related para Mukesh had said that Shatrughna, Jagdish & other 5 persons then chased Roshan. It so follows that he had mentioned names of everybody.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he say that when Roshan was beaten up by the assailants, he was shouting as to what wrong he had done to them ,but no efffect it had upon them?
Wit: He did not precisely say that it had no effect  upon them , but he said that but in spite of that they ran after him.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that then they searched for Priyanka?
Wit: He told me that he heard the shouts of as to  where the girl was.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that Priyanka was crying”Aai ga Meli ga”(oh, mother I  died)?
Wit: He told me that Priyanka cried”Aga Maa Va”(Oh mother).
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that when Roshan was dragged to the other 3 dead bodies , he was alive & screaming as ’save , save’?
Wit: He said that when all the dead bodies were brought together , he was wathing that from the distance of about  8 feets then he heard Roshan was  crying”Are Baap Re, Maa va”(Oh father , oh mother).He did not precisely said that Roshan was shouting as ’save, save’.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that Ramu gave threat that if anyboby told about it , he/she would meet the same fate as they have done to those 4 persons?
Wit: It was not Ramu , but Jagdish was giving such threat.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that there is the distance of around 10-15 feets between his  & Bhotmange’s house.
Wit:  Yes, he did tell in the begining itself.
Adv.Khandewale:  Sir,  questions about Mukesh Pusam’s statement are over . Now, I would like to ask about Suresh Khandate’s statement. Tell me, did  he tell you that he heard  Jagdish Mandalekar’s voice who was saying to search the other memers of the house & to kill them?
Wit: No he didn’t tell.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that then all the accused searched for Roshan?
Wit: Suresh Khandate did not specifically told me so , but he did tell me that the accused were searching for the  other members of the family.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that Shatrughna beat Roshan by cycle chain?
Wit; No, he didn’t.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that accused Shishupal by cycle chain, Sakru , Jagdish & Ramu by sticks &  Gopal & Prabhakar by blows of hands & feets , beat Surekha & killed her?
Wit: He told me that Jagdish by chain & Vishvanath by stick on her back beat her.Other names are not there.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that Jagdish Mandalekar & Vishvanath Dhande said  to banish the Mahar Caste people?
Wit: No, he didn’t.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that Surekha came out of her with burning stick & gave fire to the hut near her house?
Wit: He told me that Surekha came out of her house , but he did not tell me that she came out with the burning stick & then gave fire to the nearby hut.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that all the accused ran after Surekha?
Wit: He told me that Jagdish , Shatrughna ,  Prabha , Ramu & Vishvanath ran after her but did not prcisely said ‘all the accused’.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that after killing Surekha all the accused were saying as to where were the other members of the family, to search them & to  kill them too?
Wit;    He did not explicitly said so , but he said that after killing Surekha & Sudhir , those persons were searching for the other members of the family.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that that  he saw  the incident by standing on the  mound over the sewage canal of his house?
Wit: No, he did not tell.
Adv.Khandewale: Did he tell you that Ramu & Shatrughna dragged the dead body of Roshan & Shatrughan dragged the dead body of Priyanka to the other dead bodies?
Wit: He did not specifically mentioned so , but he maid general statement that accused dragged the dead bodies of Surekha & Priyanka to where the dead body of Roshan was lying.
Adv.Khandewale: Now sir, about the statement of Dinesh Dhande. You have said that you recorded the statement of six witnesses . My question is that as the court was a open court , was there  coming in  & going out of the court  of the people as always?
Wit: No.I had already restrained C.B.I. persons not  to enter the courtroom at  that time.
Adv.Khandewale: But is my assertion right that other persons were not prevented to enter the courtroom?
Wit; Yes.
Adv.Khandewale: Sir , can you tell with confidence that you know all the C.B.I.presonnels by their faces?
Wit: I asked the C.B.I. personnels who were with the accused to go out of the court.
Adv.Khandewale: When you took the statements , the witness was standing in the witness-box & you were sitting as the Hon.Judge is sitting now.Right?
Wit: Yes.’
Adv.Khandewale: When you took statement in the Bhandara court , witness could see outside since the witness box was in opposite to the door of the courtroom.Right?
Wit: No, false.
Adv.Khandewale: Is it right that when C.B.I. submitted  the application on 11/12/06 , no witness was examined on that same day?
Wit: No, their examination was to be on 13/12/06, but C.B.I.took the adjournment .Then on 15/12/06, their statement was recorded u/s 164.
Adv.Khandewale: Is it true that C.B.I.did not submit any application for recording of statement of witnesses before 11/12/06?
Wit; Yes, true.
Adv.Khandewale: Did you ask them whose pressure was upon them?
Wit: It is presumed that after administration of oath u/s 164 , the witness speaks the truth.So it is not needed to inqure  under whose pressure he/she was making the statement.
Adv.Khandewale: Did you scribe from the witness with his signature that he has read the statement himself & the statement was read over to him & it was written correctly? 
Wit:No,
(Adv.Khandewale finshes his examination of the witness at 6 P.M.Now, the P.P. Adv.Khan request the court to allow him to ask a question as whether he clarified from the witness about the statement or  he  merely recorded what was told by the witness.But first the defence side object but then relent after Hon.Judge gives permission  to such re-examination.)
Adv.Khan: Did you ask any proactive question to the witness such as who those 2-3 persons chasing Surekha  or who was the girl?
Wit: The  statement recorded u/s 164 is very important document on  which the superiour courts rely.I know my responsibility & I did my job with diligence.
Adv.Khan: Mr.Ladekar, I am practising lawyer from last 25 years , I have book before me .Don’t teach me the the law.Give the straightforward answer to my question!
Wit:(taking a long pause)In the  statement of Mahadev Zanzad  some persons chased can be made clear by refering the whole statement . So, I did not explicitally asked about who those 2-3 persons were chasing  since it is self-explanatory.
(The court is adjourned till the next date i.e.15th March)  

 Proceeding on 13th March
The court assembles at 11 A.M.The court waits for the arrival of witness, the investaigation officer of the C.B.I. , Mr.Narendrakumar(47)who has taken volunatary retirement recently. Afer 45 minures, he arrives in the court.At 12:05 , C.B.I.’s lawyer , Adv. Khan begins his examantion .
Adv.Khan:  When & where were you posted & on what post?
Wit: I was posted as Deputy S.P. in Special Crime Branch of C.B.I. in Chennai in December 2006.
Adv.Khan:  When were you posted  in Bhandara Branch R/C No.11/S/06/ ?
Wit:  On 11/12/06.
Adv.Khan:  When did you take over the charge of Investaigation Offic