19.11.2023....UNTOUCHABLES OF INDIA TODAY.By.IDTNS.Sivaji.GS.Dr Ambedkar Ambulance Association.Chennai.26

Sc.st.News...1.

On the sub-categorisation within castes | Explained

Why are the Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes against sub-categorising? What are the legal challenges?

November 16, 2023 11:00 pm | Updated November 18, 2023 04:20 pm IST

ABHINAY LAKSHM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi leader Manda Krishna Madiga during a public rally in Hyderabad on November 11. | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal

The story so far: In an election rally in Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to look into the sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) to identify and help the most backward among them — a move that has been read as an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to woo the Madiga community. 

The Madigas are the most populous of all SC communities in the State but have claimed that their share of representation was being taken up by another SC community, the Malas.

In the last two decades, multiple States like Punjab, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu have tried to bring in reservation laws at the State level in a bid to sub-categorise SCs and decide on a separate quantum of reservation for these subcategories within the umbrella of Scheduled Castes. However, all plans are held up in courts as the Supreme Court forms its larger Constitution Bench to decide the matter.

News 2.

Mallikarjun Kharge meets Dalit engineer, slams BJP for fielding MLA accused of assaulting him

After the ruling Congress denied a ticket to the three-time MLA, Girraj Malinga joined the BJP on November 5 and was fielded as its candidate from Bari late in evening on the same day

November 19, 2023 05:16 am | Updated 05:16 am IST - JAIPUR

THE HINDU BUREAU

COMMENTS

SHARE

READ LATER

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at Tijara. | Photo Credit: ANI

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, accompanied by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, met a Dalit engineer, who was allegedly assaulted by a party MLA in 2022, at Sawai Man Singh Government Hospital in Jaipur on November 18. Mr. Kharge slammed the BJP for fielding the MLA, Girraj Malinga, who has since defected to the Opposition party, from his Bari seat in the upcoming Assembly election.

Harshadhipati Valmiki, 28, an engineer in the Energy Department, has been undergoing treatment at the hospital after he was allegedly beaten by Mr. Malinga and his associates with casteist slurs in his office on March 28, 2022. Mr. Malinga was angry with the engineer because of his visit to a Rajput-dominated village in his (Mr. Malinga’s) constituency in Dholpur district to enquire about non-payment of electricity bills by a large number of people.

News 3.

Lifer to man for killing Dalit woman in 2017

TNN / UPDATED: NOV 19, 2023, 10:19 IST

A 32-year-old man in Meerut has been sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a 22-year-old Dalit woman in 2017. The victim's father had filed a complaint against the man, who had molested his daughter and referred to their caste. The man later entered the victim's house and strangled her to death. The court found the man guilty of murder, molestation, and criminal intimidation. He had been in jail since the crime was committed.

MEERUT: The special Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe court in Bulandshahr sentenced a 32-year-old man, identified as Saurabh Yadav, to life imprisonment on Friday for killing a 22-year-old Dalit woman, a graduation student, in 2017.

The special judge, Vijay Pal, also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Yadav, of which Rs 30,000 will be given to the deceased’s father as compensation.

The victim's father said, "Yadav molested my daughter at a bus stop in the city in November 2016. He fled after my daughter started screaming. He also swore at her, referring to our caste.”
The woman's father filed a complaint with the Anupshahr police station against Yadav, who tried to influence the complainant to settle the matter outside the court, but they refused to do so.

“Around nine months after the molestation, in August 2017, I was in court for a hearing while my wife and brother were working in the field. My daughter was alone at home when Yadav entered the house through the terrace around 1pm and strangled her to death. My family, who were coming back from the field, saw Yadav escaping through the terrace,” he added.
While speaking to TOI, ADGC Vipul Raghav said, “The police lodged another FIR under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sent the body for postmortem.

The autopsy report later confirmed ‘strangulation’ as the cause of death.”

The court found Yadav guilty under sections of murder, molestation, criminal intimidation of the IPC, and relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The convict had been in jail since committing the crime, ADGC Raghav added.

News no 4.

 TAMILNADU

Winds of change: Tamil Nadu Dalit woman’s fight for gender justice

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2023

---

Since her college days, Vedhanayagi has been actively involved with various NGOs, contributing to social activities across Tamil Nadu, operating in diverse roles.

By Rajalakshmi Sampath, (Edited by Amal Raj)

RANIPET: ‘Pengal nam naattin kangal’ in Tamil roughly translates to ‘we women are the eyes of our country’, but in an era darkened by patriarchy, the prospect of gender equality often finds itself relegated to the sidelines. Women in India continue to face significant challenges in their personal and social lives. Their pursuit of gender equality remains an uphill battle.

In 2006, P Vedhanayagi, an agro-feminist who has taken issues of gender equality and land reforms to international conferences held in South Korea, Sweden, Italy and Sri Lanka, laid the foundation for Thendral Movement in Ranipet. This ‘Thendral’ (meaning a pleasant breeze in Tamil) aimed at empowering the modern woman and take steps to realise a more harmonious coexistence with men.

Apart from its poetic tone, Thendral stands for ‘The Holistic Eagerly Nature Development-Related Alternative Life’. Thendral Movement’s programmes and activities are all directed towards the welfare and empowerment of underprivileged women. The organisation’s ultimate goal being the establishment of a social order free from violence where the poor, deprived and disadvantaged can find support and mobility.

Hailing from a financially-disadvantaged Dalit family, Vedhanayagi’s formative years exposed her to the stark reality of domestic violence, with her sisters and friends bearing witness to its harrowing effects. The deaths of her two sisters in 1995, both due to domestic violence incidents, fuelled Vedhanayagi’s commitment to address the political and material complexities of gender. She resorted to extensively reading works by Ambedkar, Periyar, Luxemburg and other leaders who furnished Vedhanayagi with the profound realisation that women cannot be liberated from within the confines of caste, capital and religion.

Since her college days, Vedhanayagi has been actively involved with various NGOs, contributing to social activities across Tamil Nadu, operating in diverse roles. Her decision to return to Ranipet, her nativity, was driven by a desire to care for her sister’s children who had been orphaned. Under her guidance, one of her sister’s daughters, Ilakkiya, pursued a career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). She is currently serving as a joint collector and additional district magistrate in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. It was during this period Vedhanayagi conceived of the idea to establish an NGO specifically focused on women in Ranipet district.

Over the years, Thendral Movement has confronted various forms of violence against women and children in Ranipet. Regarding the discourse of liberal gender equality, “Men continue to tactically deploy gender-based violence against women to this day. For instance, in households with a single daughter, men marry and subject the woman to abuse, exploiting her vulnerability, and by extension, her family. Hence, it is not accurate to claim that violence has ceased,” says Vedhanayagi.

Recently, Thendral Movement, in collaboration with the District Child Welfare Committee, rescued a girl from parental abuse and diligently pursued the case, resulting in 22 years of imprisonment for the accused.

Moreover, Thendral Movement has also advocated for equal pay for women employed in footwear manufacturing units in Ranipet, successfully bringing about a pay hike of Rs 10,000 for every woman employed in the industry.

Over the past 17 years of its existence, Thendral Movement has positively impacted 26,333 direct beneficiaries through its many initiatives. From rescuing bonded labourers, to aiding female workers from various industries, the organisation offers a spectrum of services, including family counselling, empowerment programmes for female college students, and leadership training for women in 288 panchayat villages.

Looking on ahead, Vedhanayagi and her organisation envisage a impactful future full of relevant initiatives, including strategic partnerships with various groups to amplify programs for women and children. Thendral Movement can be reached at 94430 37394.

Courtesy : TNIE

News no 5.

TAMILNADU

‘Ambedkar tattoo on chest’: Dalit man, who accelerated his two-wheeler, and his friend beaten up by gang in TN’s Vellore

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2023

---

Saravanan’s shirt got damaged in the assault, revealing an Ambedkar tattoo on his chest. On seeing it, the accused realised that Saravanan belonged to the SC community, and seriously assaulted him.

VELLORE: Three persons were arrested and remanded on Saturday for allegedly assaulting two SC men in Vellore district.

The incident happened on November 14 when Diwakar (26), son of Thulasiraman from Kaniyambadi, was verbally abused by two men when he accelerated his two-wheeler while halting briefly near Sathumadurai railway gate. The men who were behind his bike verbally abused him and then overtook him.

Diwakar followed them and sought an explanation for the verbal abuse. An argument broke out, and the two men, accompanied by two other friends, assaulted Diwakar causing head injuries. Diwakar’s neighbour Saravanan, who saw the fight, tried to intervene. However, he was also attacked with beer bottles and stones. Saravanan’s shirt got damaged in the assault, revealing an Ambedkar tattoo on his chest. On seeing it, the accused realised that Saravanan belonged to the SC community, and seriously assaulted him and Diwakar.

When Saravanan lost consciousness, the four assailants fled the scene. People in the vicinity rushed both the victims to Vellore Government Medical College and Hospital. The victims later filed a complaint against the four individuals at Vellore taluk police station in Kaniyambadi. An FIR was filed under Sections 294b, 324, and 506 (2) of the IPC.

Saravanan, who received 13 stitches on the head, said, “They assaulted me severely after noticing the tattoo on my chest. They also hurled casteist slur at us and said assaulting people like me was justified. I find it difficult to walk now, and Diwakar received seven stitches.”

VCK cadre staged a protest on Tuesday when police initially did not register an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Subsequently, an FIR under IPC Section 294b, 324, 506 (2), 3 (1)(r), 3 (1)(s), and 3 (2)(va) of the SC/ST Act was registered against four Akash, Vijay, Sathishkumar, and Tamizhselvan.While three of them were arrested and remanded on Wednesday, a search is on to nab Tamizhselvan.

Courtesy : TNIE

....end.