Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 06.04.12
Students refuse meal cooked by dalits - The Times Of India
Love marriage goes haywire - The Tribune
Poverty rate fell due to liberalisation, say experts - Business Standard
TN Outfit Seeks PM's Help in Restoring Land to Dalits - Out Look
Legislator criticised for skipping meeting - Deccan Herald
Dalit groups' creamy layer swamps backward brethren - The Times Of India
Demo against rise in atrocities on women - The Times Of India
Leaders of Dalit staff urge Punia to intervene against govt order quashing quota provisions in promotions - The Pioneer
Guntur: Tension at varsity - Zee News
The Times Of India
Students refuse meal cooked by dalits
TNN | Apr 5, 2012, 11.01PM IST
HAZARIBAG: Nearly 500 students (both girls and boys), studying at the Pahar Middle School in Keredari block of Hazaribag district, boycotted the midday meal served to them on Wednesday as they were prepared by two dalit cooks.
Reports reaching the district headquarters on Thursday said the two new cooks - Anita Devi and Jitni Devi - both dalits, were selected during a general meeting of the Gram Shiksha Samiti on March 27. Tulsi Sao, the headmaster as well as the secretary of the managing committee, said, "At the meeting, 12 members of the samiti, including the panchayat samiti member Umera Khatun, were present. Khatun, along with the other members, approved of the appointments."
But on Wednesday when the students were asked to collect their meal from the kitchen, they reportedly refused to consume the food as it was cooked by two dalits. Surprisingly, Khatun joined the agitating students supporting the boycott. It, however, could not be ascertained how the students came to know that the cooks were dailts. Sao said, "I am trying to identify the guardians who influenced the students to boycott the meal. After that I will submit a report to the district collector and the police so that action can be taken against those who propagated casteism and untouchability in the village."
DC Manish Ranjan described the boycott as a serious issue and said he has constituted a three-member probe team headed by the DDC, Debar Joko, district education officer(DEO) and the district superintendent of education (DSE). They will submit a report to him within three days. He also directed the DEO and DSE to create awareness, both among teachers and students, about the evils of casteism and untouchability.
The Tribune
Rohtak, April 5
A 22-year-old woman, who married the boy she loved against the wishes of her parents and others members of her family, seems to be broken and in distress considering that her husband has made a move to divorce her just after three years of their marriage. The victim has now approached the women's cell of the Police Department here to get justice. The girl, a resident of Ambedkar Colony here, who hails from the Scheduled Caste category, had come into contact with the boy, Pawan, a local resident from an upper caste in 2008. The duo soon fell in love and decided to get married in 2009 against the wishes of their family members.
Business Standard
Poverty rate fell due to liberalisation, say experts
BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore Apr 06, 2012, 00:42 IST
Rising per capita income and growth have reduced poverty among all classes, including socially-disadvantaged classes. Though there are skeptics who argue that growth has bypassed the socially disadvantaged classes, the analysis of National Sample Survey (NSS) data proves otherwise. But, high prevalence of poverty in the states where more SC, ST populations are living still remains same.
A Columbia University, USA, study that had analysed the NSS figures from 1988 to 2005, found poverty steadily declining across every social class. The study also observed that India has neglected labour-intensive manufacturing sector, which otherwise would have play a huge role in reducing poverty compared to services sector, which mainly offers employment to semi-skilled and highly skilled people. Arvind Panagaria, Professor of Economics and Indian Political Economy, Columbia University, said, "In the next 15 years, India can eradicate poverty and even redefine it. Young workforce proportion is the highest in Indian population compared to other countries and Indian workforce will be everywhere in the world." He added that the analysis of NSS figures showed that poverty declined in every group across the country from 1983 to 2004-05. So growth has not bypassed the socially disadvantaged.
"Ten states with largest SC and ST populations have also witnessed a decline in poverty," he dded at a conference on 'Reforms, Poverty and the Socially Disadvantaged' organised by CII and Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs in Bangalore.
Rishikesha T Krishnan, Professor, Corporate Strategy and Policy, IIM-Bangalore, felt that India would not have enjoyed many facilities of today without growth. "But it also led to more inequalities," he added.
Trade liberalisation increases growth and efficiency of an economy. Free trade leads to higher wages for unskilled workers in poor and labour-abundant countries. It was the opinion of Rana Hasan, Principal Economist, Asian Development Bank, that according to the NSS's region level poverty data from India from 1987-88 to 2004-2005, the labour market institutions had grown when there was a financial growth and good road connectivity.
"The states that were more open to outside world have avenues for more employment. States with developed financial markets and liberalised tariff rates achieved reduced numbers in poverty," he added."
Out Look
TN Outfit Seeks PM's Help in Restoring Land to Dalits
PTI | New Delhi | Apr 05, 2012
Samuga Samatuva Padai, a little-known political outfit in Tamil Nadu, today sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention in restoring over 12 lakh acres of 'Panchami' land in the state to its "legal custodians", the Dalits.
Founder President of SSP P Sivakami called on the Prime Minister and apprised him of the situation of Dalits in Tamil Nadu and sought his intervention over the issue of restoration of 'Panchami' land.
"Between 1918 and 1931 over 12 lakh acres of cultivable land were distributed to Dalits in Tamil Nadu. But over the years a major portion of these lands, approximately 10 lakh acres, are under illegal occupation by non-Dalits. Dalits are now dispossessed of what is rightfully theirs," Sivakami said after the meeting.
"The land was distributed under the condition that the Dalits could not transfer it to non-Dalits by way of sale, lease or mortgage. However, these lands have been snatched by the upper caste over the years," alleged the former bureaucrat.
The Prime Minister has taken cognisance of the issue and said he would discuss it with Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh, she added.
Towards the end of 2011, the DMK government had appointed a one-man commission under the chairmanship of a retired judge of High Court of Madras to assess the extent of displacement of 'Panchami' land and restore them to their legal custodians.
"Now the AIADMK government under the leadership of J Jayalalithaa has been silent on this matter in spite of our repeated requests. The commission has now become defunct. This must be revived," said Sivakami, who is also a prolific writer.
Currently, the SSP is on a 30-day state level protest at Kanchipuram from March 14 to April 12 demanding restoration of the Panchami land to Dalits.
Deccan Herald
Legislator criticised for skipping meeting
Mulbagal, Apr 5, 2012, DHNS :
Dalit leaders have criticised legislator Amaresh for failing to attend the atrocity meeting at Dr B R Ambedkar Bhavan in the town on Wednesday.
The meeting was called to discuss the birth anniversaries of Dr B R Ambedkar, Babu Jagjivanram and the problems faced by the dalits in the taluk.
Hour-long wait
The meeting started at 11 am. All the taluk-level officers were present at Ambedkar Bhavan for the meeting.
When the legislator didn't turn up even after an hour, this angered the dalit leaders, who boycotted the meeting.
Gollahalli Venkatesh, one of the leaders present at the meeting on Wednesday said, "Amaresh himself belongs to a dalit family. He had been elected from a reserved constituency. But he has still failed to respond to the problems of fellow dalits."
Dalit leaders Sangasandra Vijay Kumar, Keeluhollali Satish, Cholanagunti Chalapati, Narayanappa, Muniyappa, Shekhar, Byrkuru Shashi and others were present on the occasion.
The Times Of India
Dalit groups' creamy layer swamps backward brethren
Hitesh Chavda, TNN | Apr 6, 2012, 02.44AM IST
NADIAD: For years, a large chunk of 37 lakh Gujaratis belonging to the lowest strata in the scheduled caste community have never found representation in the legislative assembly.
Even MLAs elected to the 13 seats reserved for SCs in the state have not bothered to raise issues relating to these communities. These startling details emerged in response to an RTI application filed by Nadiad-based Maulik Shrimali last year.
The lowest strata among the SCs in Gujarat comprise communities such as Bava Sadhu, Valmiki, Bhangi, Mahetar, Olagana, Rukhi, Malkana, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Zadmalli, Garo, orada, Nadiya, Matang, Thori, Teergadh, Teerbandha, Dedh Barot, Turi-Barot, Haadhi, Senava, Sedhama, Ravan, and Senma. Shrimali learnt that the state, through a January 2003 resolution, had recognized the communities as "very backward classes" among the SCs.
The same year, the Bechar Swami Very Backward Class Development Board was formed. Till 2009, the budget of the board did not exceed Rs 6-7 lakh per annum to pay salaries of the five-odd members. In 2010 and 2011, a total of Rs 63 lakh was allocated. "The board is just a recommendation board and has no powers of executing schemes," says the board's RTI reply.
"The Gujarat assembly has the representation of only the creamy layer of the SCs, Vankar and Chamar castes," says Shrimali. "I will join the PIL of O P Shulka which was filed in the Supreme Court in August last. The Gujarat government has been given notices."
The Times Of India
Demo against rise in atrocities on women
TNN | Apr 6, 2012, 03.05AM IST
BHOPAL: Two NGOs--Yuva Samvad and Nagrik Adhikar Manch-- working for women, issued a white paper on "rise" in crime against women in Madhya Pradesh, at a press conference on Thursday. They also announced a demonstration at Jyoti talkies on April 6 against the rise in atrocities on women.
Referring to the Betma rape case, gang-rape of a Dalit girl in Multai, Berasia gang-rape and other incidents in the recent past, the two NGO's termed it as a failure of the BJP-ruled government.
The NGOs said the government agencies responsible for the protection of women should be made answerable. The laws made for the protection of women should also be implemented strictly, they demanded.
Releasing statistics of crime against women, Upasna Behar of the Nagrik Adhikar Manch, said the crime against women was rising in the state and the government was not initiating steps to curb the crime.
"It is the responsibility of the government to provide proper safety and security to the women and girls in the state. However, the government has failed in its duty," they alleged.
They told media that the demonstration would be held at 6 pm at Jyoti talkies square.
The Pioneer
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 21:39
Pioneer News Service | Lucknow
A delegation comprising of leaders of Dalit employees under the aegis of Arakshan Bachao Sanghrash Samiti (ABSS) visited the Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes PL Punia on Wednesday and urged him to intervene in to the situation caused by the state government's order of quashing quota provisions in departmental promotions.
The delegation led by ABSS convenor Avadhesh Kumar Verma, in talks with Punia pointed out as the quota in promotion was a constitutional right which could not be ended just through an order of the state government even when a case in this regard was also pending in the Supreme Court.
Terming the order of quashing the previous government's provision of consequential seniority as a matter of contempt of the Apex Court, members of the delegation demanded action against Chief Secretary Javed Usmani. The NCSC chairman assured them that he would take all related information from the chief secretary and would ensure that the interests of Dalit employees were not compromised.
Meanwhile, ABSS has appealed to all state employees to wear black arm bands from April 5 to 10 in order to protest against the state government's order of quashing quota in promotions.
Zee News
Guntur: Tension at varsity
Last Updated: Friday, April 06, 2012, 00:26
Guntur: Tension prevailed at the Acharaya Nagarjuna University here on Thursday after a portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar was found damaged.
Some students gathered at the administration office and shouted slogans protesting the incident.
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As varsity authorities failed to pacify the students, Deputy Superintendent of Police P Annupurna Reddi went to the spot and assured that the culprits would be caught, after which the protest was called off. PTI
.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")
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Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit issues is primary objective of the PMARC.
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