Facing constant harassment and threat from upper castes, Dalits in 17 villages of Gujarat have been dependent on 24X7 police security for years — but that's hardly a relief as it takes away their freedom.

"Dalits who raised voice against the upper castes were either killed, assaulted, threatened or even socially boycotted. Many Dalits have to take the police help to live in their own villages," Shankar Shenva, a Dalit who was boycotted for several days, told DNA. These are families who have been living under threat for decades.

Banaskantha, Rajkot, Junagadh, Sabarkantha and Anand are few districts wherein Dalit families in 17 villages are forced to live with the police escorts, an RTI application has revealed. The numbers of such villages was 20 before December 2011, however the security provided to two villages in Jamnagar and one in Sabarkantha was withdrawn, due to a settlement among the communities.

Speakingto DNA, Navsarjan programme director Kirit Rathod, who had filed the RTI plea, said the security to the Dalit families cannot be withdrawn because the upper caste members are still not ready to accept them. They didn't even allow them to live in their villages. He said some families have been provided security for since 1997.

In most of the cases, the security has been provided when the Dalits were attacked by other community members more than once. "There have been cases wherein a Dalit is killed by the upper castes and the family members of the victim's family are later harassed by the same people," Rathod said.

For instance, the Gagabhai Dalit,living in the Kundaliya village of Banaskanta district, was killed because he had filed a police complaint under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the influential people of the village. His son, Bhagwanbhai Dalit, filed a complaint when he was harassed and threatened by the same people. The family has been provided police protection by the Banaskantha district police. Banaskantha district has four villages where Dalits have been provided security.

Speaking to DNA, district superintendent of police, Banaskantha district, Ashok Yadav said the problem of Dalit discrimination is still a social issue. The Banaskantha police has recommended not to withdraw the security in these villages as it could result in the law and order problem.

The Hindu

09_nd_ambedkar periscope

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article3613702.ece

P. G. Ambedkar

Websites that track atrocities against marginalised sections such as women, dalits and children are keeping authorities on their toes

Alternative media via the Internet is having a huge impact by connecting and providing up-to- date information on issues of social concern. In order to create a handy database of human rights violations and challenge repressive social norms such as the caste system and patriarchy, civil society organisations and those born out of progressive social movements have launched web sites collating atrocities against women, children and dalits.

India is the fourth most dangerous country in the world for women, says the recent Trust Law Women Poll. About 213 gender experts from five continents evaluated countries on the parameters of health, sexual violence, discrimination, cultural, trafficking, non-sexual violence and access to resources. The top three countries deemed to be most dangerous by the poll are Afghanistan, Somalia and Pakistan - affected by political and social uncertainties. The poll indicated, quoting former Home Secretary, Madhukar Gupta, that in India around 100 million people, largely women and girls were victims of trafficking. It also said that up to 50 million girls 'disappeared' either due to infanticide or female foeticide. And, about 44.5 per cent of girls below the age of 18 years were married off.

There's a similar trajectory on the dalits as well: 27 atrocities are committed against dalits every day; 13 dalits murdered every week; five dalits' homes or possessions burnt every week; sexual assault (rape) on three dalit women every day, according to National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights.

These mind-boggling statistics are being collated by a few websites and e-groups so that the issues can be addressed with more depth and detail. Peoples Media Advocacy & Research Centre (PMARC) and Violence Against Women Help (VAWH) are two such examples.

Reports concerning dalits that are carried in the media are maintained by PMARC, an initiative supported by journalists, academics and activists concerned with human rights. Started in 2007, it endeavours to create proper and adequate space for a dalit perspective in the mainstream national as well as international media on issues around the community.

"All national commissions (NHRC, NCSC, NCW) closely monitor our news updates and often make interventions," says Arun Khote, Chief Executive of PMARC. Last year, based on PMARC news updates, NHRC issued 500 notices to different states, resulting in victims being compensated, cases registered and police taking prompt action against the accused. Secretariats of chief ministers from six states directly monitor news update of PMARC and issue directives to concerned officials, claims Mr Khote. They have also uploaded about 25 short films on the net covering various issues on dalits. PRAMC news updates are viewed by about 10,000 regular members and nearly 3 lakh people across 35 countries.

Similarly, VAWH maintains a web page that tracks news related to violence on women and children published by the news agencies. This web page is supported by Ushahidi Platform, a non-profit technical company that specialises in developing free and open source software for information collection, visualisation and interactive software. Ushahidi means 'testimony' in Swahili.

The software was first developed in 2008 in Kenya to map "incidents of violence and peace reports submitted via web and mobile phones." Since then it has become available to many activist groups for free. Maintained by maps4aid.com, VAWH covers about eight categories - crime/murder, rape, dowry, abuse, foeticide/infanticide, sexual harassment at work, street harassment and others, plotted on an interactive map. When one clicks on a particular category, reports related to it appear on the map of India. One can access the reports listed against each category. This database is valuable for various organisations, activists and academics involved in this domain.

Easy availability of information and support linkage to where the problem could be addressed has made the websites a needy tool for the agents of social change.

The Hindustan Times

HC notice to state on PIL against manual scavenging

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/HC-notice-to-state-on-PIL-against-manual-scavenging/Article1-885512.aspx

Mohan K Korappath, Hindustan Times

July 09, 2012

The Bombay high court recently issued notices to the state government and others in a public interest litigation seeking to eradicate manual scavenging in the state, especially in Pandharpur district. The petition filed by Campaign Against Manual Scavenging in Maharashtra through its

chairman Sandeep Jedhe has sought for the implementation of Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993.

The petition filed through advocate Asim Sarode states that the degrading system of manual scavenging is in place even in some parts of Pune and Nagpur, Parbhani, Solapur and Paithan.

The practice is particularly common in Pandharpur, the petitioners said, and they also placed on record video documentation to support this claim. One of the reasons for this is the inflow of pilgrims into the area, which puts a great strain on the sanitary infrastructure, a problem yet to be addressed by the Pandharpur Municipal Council.

The court has issued notices and the matter is set to come up for hearing on July 27.

According to an RTI application reply received by the petitioners last year, the state government had granted Rs. one crore — later increased to two crores — to the PMP during the Pandharpur Yatra.

The petitioner points out that "it is not impossible to maintain cleanliness using various techniques and machines, but the government were appointing men and women as scavengers without even trying to adopt other methods."

Deccan Herald

'Dalit atrocity contribution of British era'

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/262832/dalit-atrocity-contribution-british-era.html

Mangalore, Jul 8, 2012, DHNS :

DSS organises seminar on 'Life of Dalits in independent India'

People believe even to this day that British were good towards Dalit community. But the fact is that Dalit atrocity is nothing but contribution of the British.

Dalit discrimination was made a common issue during British era. Hence, there is a need for people belonging to upper castes and Dalits to solve the problem together through discussion than complaining each other, opined Hampi Kannada University Professor Dr Madhava Peraje.

Speaking at a seminar on 'Swatantra Deshadalli Dalitara Baduku' organised by Karnataka Dalita Sangharsha Samiti (Bheemavada) at University College here on Sunday, he said though there was universal education in the country ever before the British rule, surprisingly the records show that in some universities the number of Dalit students was more than the number of Brahmins or other community students.

In his inaugural speech, Income Tax department former officer Dharmanna Naik said that though Dalits work in hectares of land for the last many years, many Dalits don't have a piece of land of their own.

He hoped that the education can bring the change and he urged those who are educated and living in cities to help the less privileged. District BJP Vice President Jagadish Adhikaari cursed corruption for the problems of Dalits.

"Corruption is like partnership between officers and people's representatives. The government funds are not reaching poor and the caste system has further worsened the situation," he opined. Meanwhile, State-level award-winning Teacher Shridhar Ullal and Mogera Samaja Seva Sangha District President Krishnappa Derebail were felicitated.

SC/ST Development and Research Committee President Mohanaangaiah Swamy presided over the function. Federation of Koraga organisations former president K Balaraj, Mundala Samaja Seva Sangha President Honnaiah T, Nalike yane Panara Sangha District President M D Venkappa, Udupi district Federation of Dalit Progressive Assciation District President Shivananda Shirthadi, Karnataka Dalita Sangharsha Samiti State Committee Member P Keshav and others were present.

The Times Of India

Indira Awas distribution camps deferred to July 28

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Indira-Awas-distribution-camps-deferred-to-July-28/articleshow/14757937.cms

TNN | Jul 9, 2012, 03.59AM IST

PATNA: The rural development department (RDD), which was to hold camps for allotment of dwellings under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) across the state on Saturday, deferred the programme due to some hurdles. "The main reason for deferment is non-availability of the required number of scheduled caste families in the IAY waiting list with the officials. Under the scheme, 60% of the dwellings are allotted to SC/ST, 15% to minorities, 3% to physically challenged people and remaining 22% to the backward castes and general category people," said RDD minister Nitish Mishra on Saturday.

The next date for holding camps in all the 534 blocks is July 28. "Since 2011, we are holding one-day camp to give housing units to all the beneficiaries. Last year, 9.13 lakh dwellings, including a backlog of 85,000 units, were allotted and this time target is to cover over nine lakh families," said Mishra.

The availability of less than the required number of SC families in the waiting list prepared in 2009 in all the districts alarmed the government. In Sitamarhi district, where the target is to allot 20,000 SC families, only 1,800 names were found in the waiting list.

In a letter to all the DMs, principal secretary, RDD, Santosh Matthew, secretary, welfare department, Ravi Parmar and secretary, revenue and land reforms, Hukum Singh Meena, had jointly directed them to include the SC/ST families in the BPL as well as IAY waitlist who had been left out due to different reasons. The DMs have been asked to carry out this exercise in all the blocks. Even after this exercise, if the quota of the SC/ST is not achieved, the allotment would be made as per the rules prescribed in the scheme.

For construction of a new house under the IAY, the assistance per unit is Rs 45,000 and Rs 48,500 in Naxalite-hit areas. After the selection of beneficiaries, their accounts are opened in a bank or post office and fund is transferred into their accounts. The opening of bank accounts is another handicap, Mishra said.

The minister said for transparency in the scheme, camps are being held at each block headquarters where beneficiaries are photographed, affidavits filed and bank accounts opened. For this, district officials are asked to coordinate with bankers and ensure their presence at the camps.

The IAY has come under sharp criticism for rampant corruption and large-scale misuse of huge funds by the local level bureaucracy and middlemen. In a bid to check corrupt practices, which denied housing facility to the targeted sections, the government has come up with several corrective measures, so that genuine beneficiaries get the benefit.

Deccan Herald

40 SC, ST aspirants still hold on to hope

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/262898/40-sc-st-aspirants-still.html

New Delhi, Jul 8, 2012, DHNS :

At least 40 aspirants from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes categories are hoping that their requests for admissions in various undergraduate courses in Delhi University will be accepted by DU officials.

On Friday, activists working for reserved category students met union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal, asking for a directive to be given to DU to allow late admissions.

"A majority of students of these 40 are from outside Delhi, and some are from remote villages, where getting information immediately is difficult and time consuming.

Since we put up this matter on Friday, we are hoping that something will be worked out for them by Monday. But there has been no directive yet by the ministry," said Sujit Kumar, member of Kranti Kari Yuva Sanghathan, an organisation working for SC and ST students.

Other problems cited by the students that delayed their admissions were less counters to get admission slips and paucity of time to finish the whole process.

"With just one counter being open at the SC and ST admission venue and the time till 1 pm, even after standing for one full day, I could not get the admission slip," said Satish Kumar, a student.

"Then paying fees also takes one full day. So when admission is open for only three days and then the next cut-off admissions start, there are several students who could not get admitted due to all this," said Kumar.

Of 24,000 students who applied for various courses in DU from SC and ST categories this year, only 12,000 students were allotted seats.

"We have been asking DU officials and Sibal to help students who make the cut-offs.

They should not be denied admissions. In general category there are always more number of admissions; however, when it comes to reserved category students admissions are restricted to the sanctioned strength," said another member.

Members who went for talks with Sibal said the admission process for the 40 students are expected to start soon. "Talks are on in this matter," he said.

Zee News

ST-SC body demands 38pc reservation in Odisha

http://zeenews.india.com/news/odisha/st-sc-body-demands-38pc-reservation-in-odisha_786116.html

Last Updated: Saturday, July 07, 2012, 20:28

Bhubaneswar: Samajika Nyaya Abhijan Mancha (SNAM), a platform of tribal and dalit people, had raised question on the sincerity of the Odisha government in implementation of reservation rules for the scheduled tribe, scheduled caste and Other Backward Caste (OBC) population in the state.

"Though there is provision of 38 per cent reservation for the ST and SC candidates in government jobs, the same ratio of reservation is not maintained in education," alleged SNAM president Akshya Kumar Mallik.

While ST and SC candidates get 38 per cent reservation in jobs, the ratio of reservation in educational institutions including engineering colleges is only 20 per cent, Mallik alleged adding that 12 per cent seats are meant for tribal students and only eight per cent go to dalit candidates.

Mallik claimed that though the former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik on August 3, 1992 ordered the government to make provision of 38 per cent reservation for ST and SC students in educational institutions, it was yet to be implemented.

"The BJD government in 2006 had also agreed to implement 38 per cent reservation for ST and SC students in education. But, the students of the two communities are yet to get benefit," he said. PTI

--
.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")
...................................................................
Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit issues is primary objective of the PMARC.

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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Threatened, Gujarat Dalits get 24x7 police cover

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