21.02.2024.The Indian Untouchables Atrocity News.collected by Sivaji.ceo.chennai.26.
https://thefederal.com/category/the-eighth-column/caste-divides-why-upper-caste-hindus-are-abandoning-temples-in-tamil-nadu-110762
Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/buddhas-bone-fragments-to-be-sent-from-india-to-thailand-sacred-relics-to-be-treated-as-state-guest-2902830
Rajasthan: Dalit Govt Officer Dies by Suicide After Filing Corruption Case Against Sarpanch
Lalit Kumar Beniwal, a 25-year-old village development officer, took his own life on February 18, just three days after he had filed an FIR alleging corruption against the sarpanch of Cheeplata village, where he was stationed.
Deep Mukherjee
Jaipur: A somber scene unfolds outside a house in Jharli village of Rajasthan’s Neem Ka Thana district, where a group of men sits in silence, their heads bowed and faces marked by grief.
Their discomfort is palpable amidst the mournful cries emanating from within the house. It is here that Lalit Kumar Beniwal, a 25-year-old village development officer (VDO) hailing from the Dalit Regar community, tragically took his own life on Sunday, February 18.
“The sarpanch and other officers kept putting pressure on Lalit to get work done. Manoj Gurjar, the sarpanch, his father and former sarpanch, Birbalram Gurjar, and the then Gram Sevak, Narendra Pratap Singh, were also harassing him a lot because he filed a report on embezzlement by Singh and Gurjar in the gram panchayat,” read the FIR lodged by Lalit’s family after his death.
His family members allege that ever since Lalit got his first posting in Cheeplata, after securing the government job of the village development officer in April 2023, he was stressed as he was being harassed by the sarpanch and local panchayat officials because of his honest nature.
“Due to his honest nature, Lalit never agreed to do anything illegal and would stop others from doing wrong. Ever since he had started working [as the village development officer], he was being harassed by the accused. Recently, it was found that the incumbent sarpanch and previous gram sevak in Cheeplata were allegedly involved in corruption to the tune of more than Rs 5 lakh,” they said.
“On February 15, Lalit went to meet the Block Development Officer of Ajeetgarh and said he wanted to resign. But the BDO pressured and told him that before resigning, he will have to register a corruption FIR against the sarpanch of Cheeplata and others,” Pramod Kumar Regar, Lalit’s cousin, told The Wire.
“After Lalit registered the FIR, the sarpanch, his father and others started threatening him. They even threatened to kill him if he didn’t take back the case. As a result of the stress, Lalit took his own life,” said Regar.
The FIR lodged by Lalit on February 15 says that the local fund audit department had discovered that Rs 5.2 lakh was siphoned off in 2022 from the funds allocated for the gram panchayat development.
The FIR was registered under sections of cheating and criminal breach of trust by a public servant under the Indian Penal Code.
Cheeplata sarpanch Manoj Gurjar and Narendra Pratap Singh were named as accused in the FIR filed by Lalit.
A scene from outside Lalit’s house, where villagers have assembled. Photo by Special Arrangement.
A brilliant student with dreams of becoming an IAS officer
Lalit’s relatives say that ever since he registered the FIR, Lalit was stressed as he started receiving threats to withdraw the case. He also told his family about it.
“Lalit, a brilliant student who attended IIT and aspired to become an IAS officer, hailed from a family where his parents worked as labourers to sustain the household. On Saturday night [February 17], his mother observed him writing on a piece of paper and assumed he was studying. Unaware, she didn’t realise that Lalit was writing his suicide note,” said Regar.
“Early on Sunday morning [February 18], when his sister looked through the window of his room, she saw Lalit hanging from the ceiling fan. My cousin has been a victim of caste-based oppression. When someone like Lalit, who comes from a poor Dalit family, excels in their career, it doesn’t go down well with people. He was subjected to mental torture. Lalit was an inspiration for the Dalit families in our village,” he said.
Lalit was the sole breadwinner of his family, which now stares at an uncertain future, Regar added.
He said that the family is demanding a compensation of Rs 50 lakh and a government job for a family member.
Dalit rights activist Geegraj Jodli, along with local villagers, staged a dharna on February 18 in Neem Ka Thana, demanding justice for Lalit, whose last rites were conducted later that day.
“The Regar community is traditionally engaged in shoe making and is considered to be among the most marginalised Dalit communities. It is not easy for a youngster from such an underprivileged section of the society to enrol in the IIT or to appear for the UPSC. Lalit’s death shows us the cruel face of the feudalism ingrained in the society as he died because of caste oppression,” said Neem Ka Thana-based activist Kailash Mina.
“I’ve been subjected to mental torture”
In the alleged suicide note reportedly written by Lalit, it has been mentioned that he wanted to clear the UPSC examination.
Deputy superintendent of police Rajendra Singh, circle officer Ajitgarh, and the investigating officer in the case told The Wire that the suicide note has been sent to the forensic science laboratory (FSL) to confirm whether it has been written by Lalit.
“I am an IIT graduate but while doing UPSC, I got trapped in this village development officer job, and now I am not able to do UPSC or anything else. Above all this, they pressurise me too much and nobody supports me,” read the alleged suicide note written in Hindi and English.
The note mentioned several instances wherein Lalit was reportedly harassed in the course of his work. It said that BDO Ajitgarh pressurised him to register the corruption FIR against the sarpanch and others.
“I have not engaged in any corruption, not even a rupee’s worth, yet I was subjected to mental torture. Birbal ji (the father of the current sarpanch of Cheeplata) has created such a hostile environment in this panchayat that anyone wishing to work is unable to do so, and he has never allowed any work to progress,” read the note.
“Chaar mahine ho gaye mujhe depression, anxiety se jeete hue, ab nahin jeene. Sab jhuthe hain yaar, koi saath nahi deta. I am sorry, main haar gaya (It’s been four months living with depression and anxiety, I can’t go on anymore… Everybody is a liar. No one supports me. I am sorry, I have lost),” read the note.
FIR registered against sarpanch, his father
After Lalit’s death, his relatives registered an FIR under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, on February 18 at the Thoi police station under Neem ka Thana district.
Seven accused persons have been named in the FIR, including Cheeplata sarpanch Manoj Gurjar, his father Birbal Ram, Narendra Pratap Singh, Jagdev, Pokhar, Panchayat Samiti BDO, and Mangal.
When The Wire contacted Ajay Singh Nathawat, BDO, Ajitgarh Panchayat Samiti, who has been accused by Lalit’s family of pressuring him to register the corruption FIR, he denied the allegations but accepted that Lalit had met him on February 15 and expressed his desire to resign.
“Lalit had met me on February 15 and said he wanted to resign. As the BDO, it is my duty to provide counselling to my staff and find out what is the reason. After I counseled him, he withdrew his resignation and I assured him I alone cannot take the decision of transferring him and told him that once the standing committee of the Panchayat Samiti meets, we will ensure that he is transferred to another gram panchayat. I promised him a solution by Monday. As for Lalit filing the corruption FIR, it is part of the general course of work of the village development officer to register FIRs in matters relating to corruption in gram panchayat,” said Nathawat.
The police said that no persons have been arrested so far.
“The family members of the deceased have alleged that Lalit died by suicide because ever since he had filed the corruption FIR, he was being threatened. Among those booked are the present sarpanch of Cheeplata and his father, who are accused of threatening the deceased. The BDO has also been booked in the FIR because Lalit’s relatives allege he pressured him to register the FIR. So far, no arrests have been made. We are investigating the matter. The family has given us an alleged suicide note, which has been sent to the forensic lab to ascertain whether it was written by Lalit,” said Rajendra Singh, deputy superintendent of police, and circle officer Ajitgarh, who is the investigating officer in the case.
Courtesy : The Wire.
MP: Dalit Youth Brutally Assaulted In Dewas, Video Goes Viral, 7 Booked
The victim was identified as Ramsingh Makwana of Ujjain.
Dewas (Madhya Pradesh): Seven people have been booked in connection with the brutal assault and caste abuse of a Dalit youth in Dewas over some financial issue. The video of the whole incident has gone viral on social media platforms.
On the pretext of celebrating a friend’s birthday, accused Shubham and his associates, invited Ramsingh to a motel on bypass road. Under the influence of alcohol, the accused demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh, falsely accusing Ramsingh of wrongdoing. The accused also subjected him to verbal abuse and offensive language.
A case was registered under relevant sections of the SC-ST Act. However, the perpetrators remain at large. The victim has denied being involved in any financial transaction with the accused. He said that he befriended Shubham around six months ago. On being denied to pay the ransom, they brutally assaulted and humiliated which led to injuries. They even snatched his jewellery and destroyed his mobile.
Courtesy : TFPJ
BJP is weakening democracy, suppressing voice of Dalits: Rahul Gandhi
Lucknow/IBNS/UNI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Tuesday alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is weakening democracy by suppressing the voices of Dalits, poor and backward people.
After reaching Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow for the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’, the Congress leader said that Dalits, backward people, and tribals are being suppressed and threatened.
“There is not a single person from OBC, Dalit or tribal community among the owners and management of 200 big companies of India. There is no place in India for 50 percent backward people, 20 percent Dalits, minorities and tribals,” he said.
Raising the issue of paper leaks in government job recruitment, he said that after spending lakhs of rupees on studies, when children take the examination, the paper gets leaked.
“Youth spend money to study, but when the time of examination comes, one percent people steal the paper in advance,” he said.
Describing the Agneepath scheme as a betrayal to the youth, Rahul said that Agniveer will neither get pension nor will he get the status of martyr. “Agniveer will be fired after four years,” he said.
He said that the caste census was a revolutionary step.
“We have included caste census in our manifesto and as soon as our government comes to power, we will implement caste census, this will help us to know how much population is there and how much money is in whose hands,” he said.
The Congress leader said, “Until the caste census is conducted, OBCs, Dalits, and tribals will have to wander on the streets carrying posters. The OBC-Dalits and tribals of the country have to take their rights. The first step to claim rights is the caste census.
“The Congress party has placed caste census at the number one position in its manifesto,” he said.
He said that small traders were ruined due to GST and demonetisation and this was done deliberately by the BJP government only to benefit Modi’s industrialist friends.
“PM Modi is creating two Indias, one for billionaires and one for the poor. It is an injustice that even a billionaire is paying the same tax as the poorest of the poor in India. So that is why we added the word justice in Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.
Courtesy : India Blooms
Missed opportunity to uphold equality
Unfortunately, there were no priests from the Dalit, Adivasi, or Shudra communities in the new Ram temple, as temple entry for them is still an elusive privilege in many parts of rural India.
Karamala Areesh Kumar
India holds the distinction of being the birthplace of major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Historically, religion has played a significant role in Indian society and politics.
Temples and places of worship were not only regarded as sacred places but also entwined with power dynamics and wealth generation. However, Dalits, tribals, and other marginalised groups were denied entry into temples based on the caste hierarchy, and only dominant communities were allowed in temples for worship. Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, considered outcast people, were alienated from mainstream society. Dalits were denied access to not only temples but also to schools, roads, offices, and holy books such as the Vedas The temple entry movement, led by prominent people like Sri Narayana Guru, Gandhi, Periyar, and Ambedkar, emerged as a response to discriminatory practices. Instances like Vaikom satyagraha (1924), Amaravati Ambabai temple (1928), Parvati temple in Pune (1929), and Kalaram temple satyagraha (1930) highlighted the exclusion of Dalits from Hindu temples, even though they worshipped Hindu gods. Despite being given the right to religion under the constitutional provisions of fundamental rights (Art. 35–38), Dalits were subjected to exclusion.
The recent Ram Mandir pran pratishtha ceremony, celebrated nationwide, drew international attention. The Prime Minister had categorically stated that the Ram Mandir would reflect justice. One of the greatest travesties of justice in India is the way Dalits and other minority groups have been treated for thousands of years. Ram Mandir presented an opportunity to correct this historic injustice if only the organisers, more so the Prime Minister, had intervened and shown the magnanimity to invite the President or the former President as a symbolic gesture to one of the most celebrated events in recent times.
Inviting the President would have gone one notch higher, as she, besides being the first Adivasi to hold the office, also represents women, 50 per cent of India’s population, who have been battered, bruised, and suffered under Brahminical hegemony. The gesture could have marked another sign of social change towards respecting women and allowing them into the sanctum of sanctorum.
Unfortunately, there were no priests from the Dalit, Adivasi, or Shudra communities in the new Ram temple, as temple entry for them is still an elusive privilege in many parts of rural India. Even now, mantras and slokas are in Sanskrit, known as the language of gods, which only the privileged classes were allowed to learn. It is also the official language at temples all over India, except in a few regions, like Tamil Nadu.
There was also a controversy in Rajasthan where the money collected by the Dalits to prepare prasadam was rejected by casteist Hindus because the sanctity would be lost. In Karnataka, the Mysuru MP Pratap Simha was stopped by locals from offering prayers at the village from where the stone for the Ram Lalla idol was sourced for his alleged anti-Dalit stand. These controversies could have been put to rest if a member of the marginalised community had presided over the consecration ceremony.
While Ramrajya is envisioned as an egalitarian state, an idea close to Mahatma Gandhi’s heart, the stark reality, as revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau, is that Dalits and Adivasis, particularly their women, continue to face increasing atrocities and marginalisation. The Human Development Indices also indicate that these communities do not receive the benefits of government schemes, and all indicators point towards the discrimination they face at various levels. Under such circumstances, Ramrajya remains a mirage to the voiceless. There is a need to change this fact as well as the image of the country.
The recent Ram Mandir consecration could have been a transformative moment, promoting inclusivity and correcting historical injustices. However, vested interests and political considerations took precedence over addressing the grievances of marginalised groups.
There is no point in filling executive posts with people belonging to marginalised communities; to truly uphold constitutional values, the newly constructed Ram Mandir must embody secularism, brotherhood, and equality, transcending differences based on caste, race, gender, language, religion, and region.
(Newman is the Principal of St. Joseph’s Evening College (Autonomous) and Associate Professor, Dept of History, St Joseph’s University. Kumar is the head of the Dept of International Relations, Peace and Public Policy, St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru)
Courtesy : DH
Telangana: After two Dalit girls die by suicide in hostel, school takes steps to bring back students
Regional Coordinator Arunajyoti emphasised their ongoing efforts to convince parents to send their children to school and college regularly
A Seshacharyulu
In the Immampeta Social Welfare Residential School/Junior College, in Suryapet Mandal, Nalgonda District of Telangana, the school authorities are taking steps to address students’ apprehensions and encourage their return to school. As part of these efforts, counselling sessions have been provided to students, and the hostel building, including the dormitory where the student died suicide on February 10, has been temporarily closed to dispel their fear, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
This initiative comes after the tragic suicide of two Dalit girl students, which instilled fear among the students, stopping them from attending school.
Currently, the institution’s office and classrooms are being converted into hostel rooms for the night.
Regional Coordinator Arunajyoti said that along with dressing rooms, bathrooms are also available in this building, ensuring no problems are faced by girl students. She said that, by Monday evening, February 19, 100 students had already returned and an additional 23 joined on Tuesday, February 20. Arunajyoti noted that students who return to school/college respond to the questions posed by their parents.
Staff members said that 80 intermediate (Class XI-XII) students have resumed their studies and 60 more Class X students are expected to return. However, a few parents refrained from sending their children to school due to substantial reasons.
Meanwhile, when The New Indian Express questioned a Class X student who came to school on February 20, she said that she resumed her studies as the school authorities communicated a change in the building.
Narsaih, a father of another student, said that they live three km away from Imampet and prefer their daughter to attend as a day scholar.
Courtesy : Edex Live
ASIA/INDIA - The synod with the outcasts
Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) - The "outcasts", known as Dalits or "casteless", are those excluded from Indian society, marginalized by a caste system rooted for thousand of years. Although the Constitution has formally abolished this system, its influence persists in culture, mentality and daily practice. Since the arrival of the Christian message to the Indian subcontinent, the Catholic Church has constantly proclaimed the liberation, salvation and dignity of Dalits as children of God, maintaining this commitment today. Today, the Indian Catholic community wishes to integrate Dalits into the synodal process, seeking to hear their voices and walk alongside them. In recent days, the Indian Social Institute in Bangalore has organized the "synod of outcastes", an event jointly coordinated by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), Office for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, and the Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council, Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Dalit representatives from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana took part in this meeting.
In light of the 2016 "Dalit Empowerment Policy" of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, the national conference addressed the phenomenon of marginalization of Dalit Christians within the ecclesiastical and societal spheres.
The Dalit Christians become the victims of a system that refuses to recognize their dignity, respect and protection, and their representation is marginal even in the Catholic Church. In this context, Cardinal Anthony Poola highlighted that "all should be included in the mission of the Catholic Church so that no one is left behind in this process, especially the voice of the marginalized, who should be heard and participate in the Church". Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak, President of the CBCI Office for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, has expressed his intention to revitalize the concept of synodality, which "involves sharing, dialogue, communication, communion, respecting each other, and giving dignity to all human beings. The time has come to discuss the policy of Dalit empowerment in the context of synodality," he said.
Father Cosmon Arockiaraj, a Dalit theologian, shared his thoughts and experiences, highlighting: "Building an inclusive community means children, women, and men from marginalized communities should be included and create opportunities and avenues for their inclusion with an open mind and spirit of synodality".
This spirit should not accept discrimination based on caste, ethnicity or social class, added theologian Father Arul Raja, and this is even more true for the church, noted Sister Sujata Jena, who lives on Odisha.
At the conclusion of the Synodal Conference, a "Memorandum" was drafted to be sent to the Indian Bishops' Conference and the Holy See, reiterating the urgency of using the opportunity of the Synodal process to include Dalits. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 20/2/2024).
NEWS
Santa Fe County Declares 21 February “Serene Mountain Day at the Upaya Zen Center”
- By Justin Whitaker
- February 20, 2024
The Board of Commissioners of Santa Fe County in New Mexico has unanimously voted to declare 21 February 2024 as “Serene Mountain Day at the Upaya Center” in recognition of Upaya Zen Center’s contributions to racial, economic, and environmental justice, compassionate care for vulnerable populations, and land preservation efforts on Cerro Gordo Mountain and the Santa Fe River wildlife corridor. The proclamation acknowledges the center’s achievements since its establishment by renowned Zen Buddhist teacher, pioneer in end-of-life care, and social activist Roshi Joan Halifax.
Present at the county chambers during the vote on 14 February were Upaya Zen Center abbot, Roshi Joan Halifax, director Sensei Noah Kodo Roen, priests Dr. Wendy Lau and lawyer James Bristol, and board members Christopher Howson and David Cantor, among others.
The celebration of “Serene Mountain Day,” will be held on Wednesday from 5–6:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. At that time, a dedication ceremony for Upaya Zen Center’s new building will feature Halifax and Roen, along with Upaya Zen Center president Sensei Matthew Kozan Palevsky, county commissioner Anna Hansen, Santa Fe mayor Alan Webber, Santa Clara artist and farmer Roxanne Swentzell, writer Natalie Goldberg, Canyon Neighborhood president Jim Gollin, renowned landscape designer Donna Bone, Upaya Zen Center board member Hoshi Troy Fernandez, and other local and national luminaries, including writer Terry Tempest Williams, Zenju Osho, Dharmacarya Valerie Brown, Dharmacarya Cynthia Jurs, Senseis Cynthia Kear from the San Francisco Zen Center, artist and activist Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi, Sensei Ulricke Greenway, Sensei Monshin Overley, Sensei Seigan Overley.
During the event, there will be a special acknowledgement of the late Nancy Driscoll, wife to Tom Driscoll of Driscoll Berries, whose care for Upaya Zen Center drove the current construction project forward. The building underway was designed by architect Mark Little, who has a lengthy and close relationship with Upaya Zen Center. The beauty of the center has garnered accolades from many who have visited and stayed there, and several of its buildings have won prizes for their unique architecture, which combines the area’s southwestern style with Japanese aesthetics.
Also planned is an unveiling of a large painting for the Serene Mountain Hall by the renowned Japanese calligrapher and social activist 90-year-old Kazuaki Tanahashi Sensei.
Halifax continues the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh and Roshi Bernie Glassman. She started Upaya Zen Center and monastery create a home for dedicated Zen practitioners to cultivate their abilities in social and ecological activism. According to the Upaya Zen Center website:
We are a global community for those working to create racial, economic, and environmental justice, compassionate care for the most vulnerable, and a place of committed, daily contemplative practice and learning through its retreats, trainings, and programs, free Dharma podcasts and community services.
(Upaya Zen Center)
Since its creation, Upaya Zen Center has grown to cover a large area at the base of Cerro Gordo Mountain, to the east of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It has acquired much of the mountain face in an effort to preserve wildlife and prevent further development as the city expands through the area. Below the center, more land has been set aside to provide a wildlife corridor along the Santa Fe River. Adjacent to the center’s property is the 2.3 hectare Adam Gabriel Armijo Park, formerly known as the Cerro Gordo Park, offering added buffer from the growth in the surrounding area.
Several homes around the main center buildings have been renovated to act as residences for practitioners and developed a zendo. Five years ago, the center began work on an ambitious building project including more residences, a Serene Mountain Hall, a library, kitchen, and more.
Justin Whitaker
Comments
Post a Comment