Archive for March, 2007
Just after the court proceddings in pre-lunch session, a press conference was called for. Adv.Nikam was special invitee at the venuw; circuit house of Bhandara. Following are the relevent excerpts for readers of Atrocitynews. A Newspaper Reporter: How do u evaluate the chargesheet by C.B.I.? Adv.Ujwal Nikam: Being a lawyer with C.B.I.,it would not be appropiate to […]
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Amidst high security becouse of sensetive nature of the case and due to presence of senior Adv. Ujwal Nikam who is sort of celebrity public prosecutor in Maharastra, Atrocitynews correspondent could manage to enter into the courtroom.Barring one or two Journalists none from media was allowed to enter. During the pre-discussions inside the courtroom, probable dates […]
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Britain is this week highlighting contemporary forms of slavery following Sunday’s 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. “Despite legislative advances rendering the practice illegal, caste discrimination remains a tragic day-to-day reality, particularly in South Asia,” Foreign Office Minister Ian McCartney said. Pic1: MacCartany; Foreign office minister “Individuals and communities are segregated […]
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Hearing on Caste Discrimination in India was done before British Parliament by Stephen Crabb MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission held a hearing in Parliament yesterday (March 29) on the plight of the Dalits or “untouchables” in India, in the week that Britain marks the 200th […]
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A court in Bhandara district will conduct the trial of the Khairlangi Dalit killings case from May 3. Special judge S S Das of a Bhandara district court today fixed the date of hearing after conducting the proceedings on the chargesheet filed by the CBI against 11 accused. Special Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam appeared before […]
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Misrepresenting caste and race
Days of self proclaimed social scientists in India are not over yet. Apart from administrative sector and private sector, caste virus still finds its ways in higher echelons in Academic and research circles. These are the people who uphold the graded inequality in their minds and then silently introduce it in their professional practices. Here is one of the best article from Balmurli Natrajan who spares […]
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‘UN Human Rights Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has controverted India’s stand at its recent Geneva hearings that the caste system is not racial discrimination based on descent’, says Shaila Mathrani from Times Group. In its concluding observations, CERD, which consists of reputed international experts in international law, academics, sociologists and diplomacy, […]
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Caste away
Following article was written by Smita Narula, Senior Researcher, Human Rights Watch for TOI long way back. In `Racism, Name Changing and Toilets'(March 4) Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee joined the ranks of Indian government officials to argue that caste is not race, that the inclusion of caste-based discrimination in a UN-sponsored World Conference Against Racism, Racial […]
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It is learnt that Government of Maharastra has woken up to the cry of Bhotamnge and appointed a new public procecutor Mr Ujwal Nikam (1991 Bombay explosion fame) in Khairlanji Massacre trials which are held in Bhandara session court from last few days. Today, 30th MArch, the court procedings are scheduled. Our correspondant reports that Mr […]
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An upper caste family has been denied access to wells and shops in an Orissa village after their daughter married a Dalit man, the distraught family said Thursday.'(Villagers) are not allowing us to draw water from the village well and tube wells for the past one month. We are forced to depend on the water […]
Filed under: dalit atrocity | 2 Comments
House of Lords Monday, 26 March 2007. 26 Mar 2007 : Column 1434 India: Dalits 2.46 pm Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty’s Government: What representations they have made to the Government of India about human rights and exploitation of the Dalits in India. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, officials at the British […]
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“Haryana’s Dalits face upper-caste ire yet again, this time at Saalwan in Karnal district”, reports T.K. Rajalaxmi from Frontline. Pic1: At Saalwan, a gathering of Anganwadi workers, mostly caste Hindus, and helpers, mostly Dalits, anxious about Dalit children who have stopped coming to the centres AT Saalwan, the largest village in Haryana’s Karnal district, an […]
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With a recent study by National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) pointing to various inadequacies in its implementation, Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 and rules 1995 has come under the scanner. According to information obtained by NCDHR from Directorate, Scheduled Caste Welfare, Gandhinagar, a number of gaps have surfaced […]
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Caste dies hard
“In the case of enlightened people who reject the caste system as evil, consciousness of caste subtly translates itself into consciousness of social status”, says Khushwant Singh You must have noticed how peoples’ visiting cards and letter-heads mention their academic degrees (M.A.D. Ltt., etc.) and past achievements (ex. governor, ex. minister, ex. MP, IAS, […]
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Dalits and land
About 70 per cent of Dalits are yet to get rightful claim over the homestead land they have been inhabiting on for long. This despite the fact that almost 60 years have lapsed since the Bihar Homestead Land Privilege Act came into being. This came to light following a survey conducted by the Deshkal Society, […]
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French Radio airs Khairlanji
Please click on the link below and listen to the Saga of Khairlanji in `french’ (partly in English). Just a one among many atrocity cases happening in India. The commonest of the common incidence like Kherlanji massacre got most needful attention from International community with due efforts from activists on intenet media. Blogosphere has heralded a new dawn of alternative media […]
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‘Mr XYZ’ (name removed) coming from ex-dalit background has proved in himself a research genious by innovating a bio-metal. His efforts have shown world that Dalit intellect is a part of potetial creativity that if released can increase world creativity; multiplying betterment of many. It should be noted that Mr XYZ has done it despite many structural odds. However it is also true that the deep commitment towards eliminating […]
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The legacy of the early Aryan invasion on the Indian subcontinent, much like chattel enslavement has left a legacy of obsession with skin colour. Tudu told Black Britain that Unilever markets a skin bleaching cream called: Fair and Lovely which he noticed on a recent visit to Bangladesh in a television advertisement: “They show this […]
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In an another development, Government of Maharastra, which had promised to appoint 3 advocates on the panel in prosecution side, has not done so till date. MCP MLA Mr Narsayya Adam has forwarded a no-privilege motion against Chief Home Secretary Maharastra recently. It is learnt from close sources that there was such an intimation notice sent from Law and Judicial department Maharashtra to Home ministry. When asked […]
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Abhinaya Ramesh, Research Scholar, Lancaster University, UK takes stock of the situation of violance against Dalits and a doubtful silence among academicians on it UN/HDR 2004: ‘Final Draft [Regional Paper] Caste, Ethnicity and Exclusion in South Asia: The Role of Affirmative Action Policies in Building Inclusive Societies’ is compiled by D.L.Sheth. This report is on subjugating practices […]
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“Earlier I remarked that it was unfortunate for the economics profession that Ambedkar decided to ‘changeover from economics to law and politics’ as he remarked in the preface of the Indian edition of The Problem of the Rupee in 1947”, says Mr. S. Ambirajan I am deeply touched by the honour bestowed upon me by […]
Filed under: Ambedkarite economics | 27 Comments
A Dalit youth has moved the Judicial First Class Magistrate court here stating that he was illegally detained and manhandled at the Sreekariyam police station on March 18. The complainant, R.K. Rajeev, 24, of Mavarathalakonam, has also accused the police of making defamatory comments on his caste status. In a criminal miscellaneous petition filed before […]
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The Bhagwan Valmiki Trust (BVT) is a community organisation based in London which aims to promote development, education and awareness among the Valmiki community in the UK. A Dalit sub-caste, Valmikis are descendants of the sweeping class from the Punjab region of Non-Aryan groups including Greeks that came into the sub-continent. Because of their non-Aryan […]
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Because of the centuries of privilege that upper caste Hindus have enjoyed in India, they dominate every sphere of society “Therefore, what can we expect from these commissions?” Doss said. His concerns are valid. Dalits have no legal or political power and therefore are not able to challenge the upper caste hegemony in India. Doss […]
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Delhi: Parliamentarians today staged a demonstration at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences alleging caste-based discrimination against medicos at the institute. The premier healthcare institute had been rocked by student protests a few months back after a group of medicos claimed that some of them were failed in examinations because they belonged to a […]
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UN report last week on the plight of indigenous peoples and untouchables underlines the parallel between caste discrimination and apartheid. But instead of moral outrage, campaigns and sanctions there is a deafening silence. The International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination outlaws caste discrimination, yet the Indian government has persistently argued that it falls […]
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A delegation of Indian activists on behalf of the Dalit (formerly ‘untouchable’) community are visiting London, Brussels, Edinburgh and Oslo this month during the UK commemorations of the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade. They will be highlighting the plight of the 250 million-strong Dalit and tribal communities in India, who are the […]
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Caste virus kills merit
Mr A.K. Biswas is a prolific writter and a historian in the area of Buddhism and caste system in India. Till date, he has undertaken many studies in and off the field. This is one of his long time research effort that makes us available with the picture of caste infested situation and caste mentalities ; how it operates […]
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Mata cult and India
The picture below shows the gross disrespect and insult to the Indian National flag by a so called “spiritual leader” and self proclaimed “GOD” Mataji Nirmala Devi. Shokingly, such an act (not uncommon) was committed within a public view. It reflects on us,how the constituional principles that gives freedom of thought, expression and action can be […]
Filed under: Indian values | 5 Comments
Speakers at a seminar on Monday called for a more enlightened approach to breaking the caste barriers that hampered social progress. They said social movements should be inclusive to take women and the Dalits with them in their fight for social justice and equality. Presiding over the seminar on casteism held as part of the […]
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Fusing Caste in political way
Following article is a critical observation of Uttar Pradesh State politics, where Bahujan Samaj Party is poised to take advantage by demonstrating flexibility and urge to bridge the caste diffrences at election level; good for future of India. However in fighting caste virulant Indian system ; recognsiing caste as notion of mind is first important step and after […]
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Unidentified miscreants looted at least six dalit houses in Ghaziabad’s Meerapur village following which they sexually assaulted the women in the house. One of the women was raped in the presence of her family members. The village is tense after the gory incident. The local people have complained of police apathy. They alleged that despite […]
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Yet another article written By Vidya Bhushan Rawat which takes cue from life philosophy of Bhagat Singh and Dr Ambedkar that asks for a rejunivation of interest among new age Indian youth in restructuring Indian society ; aiming a Just society free from any dogmas related to God or Varna. On 23rd March 1931 the […]
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Despite having the largest proportion of scheduled caste population in India, Punjab has rarely been seen as a relevant case for conceptualisation of the caste system and the changes taking place therein. Though some aspects of caste in Punjab have been studied, there has virtually been no detailed empirical documentation of the practice of untouchability […]
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Shashi Tharoor is a writter and a columnist who was an Indian nomination for United Nation`s Secretary General’s post, in this article he offers, in his own way, a quick checklist of the major dangers that could still retard country’s march into the 21st century. Caste prejudices and skewed distribution of resources is significant among them! “YOU are becoming known as a champion […]
Filed under: Indian values | 1 Comment
Appalled at slack investigations into the latest case of Dalit atrocity in Salwan village of Karnal, the National Campaign on Dalit Human Right (NCDHR) today demanded that Haryana be declared an atrocities-prone area under Section 21 (VII) of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. The demand came in the wake of five cases of […]
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SHIMOGA: Globalisation process should be used as the effective means to curb caste system in India, opined Vice Chancellor of Tumkur University Prof O Anantharamaiah. He was speaking after inaugurating a symposium on ‘Caste system and Globalisation’ organised by Dr B R Ambedkar Study Centre of Kuvempu University at Jnana Sahyadri in Shankaraghatta recently.Many people […]
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Three members of a Dalit family, two of them women, were hacked to death in the district, police said today. Unidentified persons entered the house of the victims at Dhelmau village last night when they were sleeping and killed them allegedly due to a feud, police said. Senior officials reached the site of incident and […]
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Double standards
‘In February 2006, Randall Tobias, administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) briefed the media in Washington DC that ‘US has decided to cut aid to India’ because India has become a donor country’ examines Chandrabhan Prasad. Please go through the article and comment! On February 28, 2007 India’s Finance Minister P Chidambaram proved […]
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