Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 15.10.11
Dalits and Kashmiri Muslims – Similarities- Truth Dive
http://truthdive.com/2011/10/14/dalits-and-kashmiri-muslims-similarities.html
Dalits plan boycott of election- The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2538324.ece
Dalit candidates threaten to withdraw from contest- The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/article2538078.ece
'Dalit icons not honoured, so BSP doing task'- The Times Of India
Truth Dive
Dalits and Kashmiri Muslims – Similarities
http://truthdive.com/2011/10/14/dalits-and-kashmiri-muslims-similarities.html
DALITS
Dalits are traditionally branded as 'impure' and conveniently type-cast as 'chamars, latrine and sewer cleaners and not allowed to socialise or be a part of Hindu society. An accidental bodily contact with upper castes can seriously go wrong for Dalits. Mahatma Gandhi preferred to call them 'Harijan' (the people of god). Dalits developed an allergy and hatred with this sinister conspiracy as sincerity of Gandhi became a question mark. The question raised was, an objection, the way Dalits were given a different name to identify them differently for all times to come. The question asked was; why couldn't they simply be called and accepted as Hindus like other Hindus? Not in the distant past, the news of dead dogs being thrown in the wells owned by generally suppressed Dalits in South Delhi was reported and for many quarters it was not a surprise. The memories are still fresh with India's erstwhile Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Babu Jagjivan Ram's visit to Birla Mandir when the temple was thoroughly washed and cleaned; an insult in a brazen manner to the visiting dignitary. There are unending stories that are recorded to depict the atrocities committed on weak, poverty stricken Dalits from times immemorial and even continue today in twenty first century suffering humiliation at the hands of upper-caste privileged Brahmans.
Late Bhim Rao Ambedkar, reverently and popularly known as Baba Saheb, father of Indian constitution, was influenced by Buddhism and embraced the new faith after disillusionment with caste-system and other inequalities in Hinduism. Baba Saheb was grieved to see his people in deprivation living a life in humiliation below subsistence level and not even able to dream of getting basic education as learning was a reserved prerogative of the upper castes. Though now Dalits perform in an outstanding manner in all fields of education and are spread throughout the world. Since October 26, 1947 Kashmiris have been pressing hard to impress upon India to heed their cries to restore them their legitimate rights. In this connection, Kashmiris initially started of their struggle peacefully represented by their leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah who chose to be a friend of Pandit Nehru expecting him to be a trusted friend who promised him in private and in public on several occasions to respect the rights of Kashmiris and safeguard the right to be an independent nation like it existed before 1947. But that was not to be and people came on the roads to fight with bricks and stones resulting in the death of nearly fifteen hundred people on August 9, 1953. People were crushed with an iron hand and powers that be managed to impose governments of puppets from New Delhi giving them power through rigged elections. The story continued till October 1989 when people resorted to violence picking up guns and getting training in handling arms from across cease-fire line that again resulted in the death of more than one hundred thousand men, women and children, rapes, disappearances, random killings in torture chambers. This all was done with the help and disinformation campaign led by Kashmiri Pandits who initially fed Nehru with wrong information and misled him in believing that 4% Kashmiri Pandits would not be safe if India did not occupy Kashmir.
In this fight India also lost an estimated twenty five thousand army men and officers. It is worth noting that the army men who died in the fight, a majority of them, unfortunately, were Dalits who were used to face the brunt of war as these people were thought to be dispensable.
"Gandhi was a so called "high caste". High castes represent a small minority in India, some 10% of the population, yet dominate Indian society in much the same way whites ruled South Africa during the official period of Apartheid. Dalits often use the phrase Apartheid in India when speaking about their problems."
KASHMIRI MUSLIMS
Kashmiri Muslims are considered impure and low-caste; referred to as "mussarman" though Pandits living amongst them for centuries have not intriguingly learnt the name to be spelt and pronounced as "Mussalman". If any Muslim inadvertently walks into their lodgings; the action is considered blasphemous and the whole lodging has to be cleaned and made pure by "disinfectant" water mixed with cow dung and urine.
Kashmiri Muslims believe that they lived in darkness and centuries back in 1372 A.D. Abdul Rehman known as Bulbul Shah and later Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, Sufi Saints of Iraq with their spiritual and intellectual powers converted the Kashmir king Rinchen followed by a huge majority of Pandits to Islam. These Sufi Saints were armed with a Staff and accompanied by few disciples. All Sufi Saints of Kashmir are held in very high esteem by Muslims and Pandits alike. Kashmiri Muslims are known for 'Kashmiriat' that includes communal harmony. During and after transfer of power to India from British, the sub-continent was on fire and both Muslims and Hindus were engaged in a bloodbath. Kashmir was busy marching on the roads in Kashmir with simulation guns made of timber to chant slogans "hamla awar khabardar, hum Kashmiri hein tayaar". Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah an M.Sc. Graduate from Aligarah revered and popularly known as "Sheri Kashmir" gave a hope to his people by befriending Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who promised him and people of Kashmir a right to live a life free of subjugation and bondage. History had something else in store for Kashmir and Pandit Nehru taking a somersault betrayed his bosom friend to create a history of conflict.
Sheikh Abdullah mesmerised by Pandit Nehru kept people sedated and most importantly to save 4% Pandits from any harm. In comparison, Jammu beyond Udhampur was committing crimes against humanity to indulge in a massacre that saw two hundred thousand Muslims butchered by Dogra Rajputs assisted by Maharaja Hari Singh's army. Kashmir housing good human beings kept its tradition of good human values. It did not take long for Pandit Ji to give measure by measure to Sheikh putting him behind bars for years on several times till Sheikh died a political death. Pandit Nehru, as is believed, was initially inclined to help Sheikh Abdullah fulfil his dream but the caucus of Kashmiri Pandits reminded Nehru of the duty towards his fellow Pandits to save them from annihilation at the hands of Kashmiri Muslims. Nehru listened and fell a prey to the intrigues of Pandits rather than respect heart to heart talk he had with his friend Sheikh Abdullah who had demonstrated to the world at large that he was a secular leader who guaranteed the safety and rights of all minorities which he had proved to the world by action and deeds.
One hundred percent white collar jobs of the Babu culture were and are monopolised by Pandits and one hundred percent municipality jobs like cleaning latrines, sewers, lanes and roads reserved for Kashmiri Muslims. Learning was the birth right of Pandits and Muslims, though in majority, were to serve Pandits and their families. Muslims at the moment are spread throughout the world doing wonderfully well in education, business and all fields of science and technology.
The State of Kashmir had a few battalions of its army which after occupation were merged with Indian army. With the passage of time, in 1962 war with China; all these Kashmiri battalions were consumed on NEFA border fighting Chinese with not a word mentioned anywhere.
"Gandhi obtained the cure for his anxiety, but the people of Kashmir have suffered anxiety ever since. Gandhi, the man of peace, brought misery to the men of Kashmir."
The Hindu
Dalits plan boycott of election
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2538324.ece
P. V. SRIVIDYA
Dalit families of North Poigainallur have proposed a poll boycott seeking reconstruction of poor quality permanent shelters allotted to them under tsunami relief and rehabilitation. The families have called for boycott of local body polls protesting non-reconstruction of their shelters that were alleged to be of poor quality and unfit.
Speaking to The Hindu, Uthaman, one of the protesters, pointed out that the construction of over 42 tsunami permanent shelters in North Poigainallur were handed over to Salvation Army, an NGO, in 2006. However, a few houses had collapsed within months, and the beneficiaries had moved the High Court. According to Mr. Uthaman, the High Court had ruled that the shelters constructed by the NGO were of poor quality and therefore not fit for residing. The High Court had directed the NGO to have all the houses demolished and reconstruct, Mr. Uthaman said.
The Hindu
Dalit candidates threaten to withdraw from contest
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/article2538078.ece
D. KARTHIKEYAN
Photo: G. MoorthyThe four candidates who are contesting for the Keeripatti panchayat president post. (from left) B.Chinnasamy, P. Palani, N. Subban and A.Subban.
Four candidates who are contesting for the post of panchayat president in Keeripatti coming under Usilampatti taluk have threatened to withdraw from the contest alleging undemocratic practices followed by caste Hindus in the village. Keeripatti is one among the four reserved panchayats, the others being Pappapatti and Nattarmangalam in Madurai district and Kottakachiendal in Virudhunagar district, which saw severe opposition from the dominant castes to conduct elections, and when held the Dalits were asked to resign, thus making a mockery of democracy.
However, concerted efforts during the previous DMK government saw the restoration of a democratic setup in these panchayats.
The Hindu carried a news item on September 29 stating that the situation is dicey in Keeripatti after dominant caste members called for an 'oor (village) panchayat' (an assembly of elders, wealthy and influential persons, mostly belonging to the predominant caste group) and chose A. Mokkakaalai (33), a conservancy worker, as candidate.
FOR LINEAGE GOD This being the situation, on Friday, they again called for an 'oor panchayat' meeting for which Mokkakaalai, the candidate chosen by the Piramalai Kallars, was seen beating the 'thamukku' (traditional drum) to announce the meeting.
The villagers said that the meeting which took place from 6.30 a.m. till 7.00 a.m. saw the Piramalai Kallars make promises and take vows on flames of camphor to their lineage god Vangaru Thevar Samy that they will not vote for others but only Mokkakaalai.
It was also said that people who voted for others would be ostracised from the village. The Dalit candidate Mokkakalai fielded by the Kallars have been assured of three sovereigns of gold and Rs.1 lakh in cash if he wins the election. The Dalit candidates, B. Chinnasamy (35), N. Subban (50), P. Palani (41) and A. Subban (55), told The Hindu that the administration was biased towards caste Hindus. Higher officials, including the Collector and Revenue Divisional Officer, did not visit the Dalit areas in the village to hear their grievances but only met the caste Hindus.
They also alleged that the policemen who accompanied the candidate, M. Baluchamy, during the campaign were the kinsmen of villagers and it was nothing but mere tokenism on the part of the administration. The other Dalit candidates have not been able to campaign at the caste Hindu areas. "Once the election is over, we all could be under threat as there is a precedence of the entire village ostracising Dalits who disobey the prevailing practices," said A. Subban. They urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to either postpone the elections or ensure proper security and allow them to campaign and conduct the elections in a democratic manner.
A. Kathir, Executive Director, Evidence, said that there was no doubt that there existed a kind of uncertainty in Keeripatti over the realisation of empowerment of Dalits, which was one of the declared objectives of decentralisation of power. The SEC should take stringent measures to restore democracy in its fullest form.
The Times Of India
'Dalit icons not honoured, so BSP doing task'
Ayesha Arvind & Vandana Keelor, TNN | Oct 15, 2011, 04.13AM IST
NOIDA: Inaugurating Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden in sector 95 on Friday,Mayawatidelivered a lengthy speech that was clearly aimed at the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh early next year. The chief minister spent a good 40 minutes addressing the audience, using every opportunity to take on the Congress and all other opposition parties. She even challenged the Congress at one point, claiming that irrespective of whatever antics it employs ahead of the 2012 assembly elections or the 2014 Vidhan Sabha elections, "not a single Dalit vote, either from UP or from any part of the country will go to it." Mayawati began her speech by justifying the need for the ostentatious park though there were several similar memorials in Lucknow, claiming that it was the Congress party's sheer neglect of Dalit leaders that prompted her in the first place to commemorate them. "This memorial is for the many Dalits who now live in the capital and also for the people of western UP who can't visit Lucknow," she said. "The western banks of the Yamuna in Delhi are dotted with statutes and memorials dedicated to Gandhi and Nehru families but there is nothing to honour the memories of Dalit leaders like B R Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram in spite of the fact that the latter died in Delhi," she said. "Hence, the BSP has taken it upon itself to do the needful."
Mayawati said that contrary to reports, she had spent only one per cent of the state budget on her dream projects. A majority of the funds, she said, were mobilized from donations, adding that even that one per cent amount would be recovered through ticket fees.
The chief minister lashed out at the Congress for doing little for the poor that, according to her, had forced thousands of residents of UP to migrate to other cities. Dubbing the Congress as an "anti-Dalit" party, Mayawati blamed the Centre for failing to introduce quotas for Muslims and the poor from upper castes. She targeted Congress president Sonia Gandhi, alleging she had not kept her promise in the disproportionate assets case. "When the BJP government at the Centre ordered a CBI raid in 2003 at my residence and at the houses of my aides and relatives, at a time when our leader Kanshi Ram was battling for his life in a Delhi hospital, Congress presidentSonia Gandhi had called me to assure that when the Congress returned to power I would be granted justice. But from 2004 till date, nothing of that sort had happened," Mayawati said. The CM also attacked the central government for not taking any decision on Poorvanchal, Harit Pradesh and Bundelkhand. Then she turned her guns on the BJP. Alleging that the BJP was misusing CBI to its advantage, Mayawati commented tongue-in-cheek that L K Advani's rathyatra should have begun from Karnataka.
.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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