05.04.2024.UNTOUCHABLES NEWS.by.Sivaji.ceo.chennai.25
Dalit vote could give Congress a boost in 7 reserved seats in Karnataka
The Dalit vote is not a homogenous monolith chunk, but is divided into the Dalit Left and Right castes, which are further sub-divided into more than a hundred castes.
Bansy Kalappa
BENGALURU: A perceptible Dalit consolidation appears to be happening in Karnataka, which could give the Congress an edge in the Lok Sabha elections. Co-chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee former Rajya Sabha MP and Dalit leader L Hanumanthaiah said this consolidation could work in favour of the Congress in the five reserved seats of Gulbarga, Bijapur, Chitradurga, Kolar and Chamarajanagar, and two Scheduled Tribe seats of Raichur and Ballari.
The Dalit vote is not a homogenous monolith chunk, but is divided into the Dalit Left and Right castes, which are further sub-divided into more than a hundred castes. There are about 3.5 to 4 lakh votes in each parliamentary constituency.
Explaining the importance of the Dalit vote, Hanumanthaiah said for starters, the Madigas, which are a Dalit caste group, make up between 30,000 and 40,000 voters in more than 100 assembly constituencies.
There have been hurdles, though, for the Dalit unity move, with the recent standoff in Kolar, where Dalit leader KH Muniyappa battled former MLA Ramesh Kumar, a Brahmin. A supporter of Muniyappa, preferring to remain anonymous, said, “They need to hold a unity meeting to ensure all work together for the party. Can’t they solve a small problem like this? Muniyappa, a party loyalist, has been badly let down, and this could have an effect on the Dalit community.’’ When contacted, Muniyappa said he prefers not to respond to this.
Asked about the Dalit vote consolidation, former MP H Hanumanthappa disagreed. “I don’t see a Dalit consolidation happening. The Dalit vote used to be a solid single vote once upon a time but now it is badly divided on communal and caste lines, and also on sub-caste lines,” he said, and referred to the issue in Chitradurga, where there is a standoff between two Dalit BJP leaders.
Said political analyst BS Murthy, “Traditionally, the Dalit Right would vote Congress, and Dalit Left would vote for BJP. Most Dalits are Ambedkarites and adhere to the Ambedkarite thought process. This time, the major chunk of the Dalit vote is expected to go to the Congress. One of the tallest Dalit leaders, Srinivas Prasad, joining the Congress will give it a big boost.’’
Courtesy : TNIE
The issue of untouchability came to light: The oppressed sections of Jhamul village complained in Ajax police station, barbers do not even cut the hair of Dalit children.
The right to equality in the Constitution prohibits discrimination against all people on the basis of religion, origin, race, caste, sex or place of birth, despite this, discrimination against one caste group still exists in the society. In this era of modernity, incidents like discrimination on untouchability often come from rural areas. Where even today one caste group is discriminated against in social, religious and general activities.
Similarly, many families of the Scheduled Caste community residing in Jhamul village of Birsa tehsil, who are being harassed by the discrimination being done in social programs in the village on April 4, are becoming victims of discrimination and have filed a complaint in Ajax police station against those people who did so. Did.
It is said that there was a marriage ceremony in an OBC family in the village, invitation for which was not given to people of a particular caste due to the feeling of untouchability. Not only this but it has also been said that if they come then other people will not come to the wedding and when the Panchayat representatives said this then definitely a voice should be raised against it. This is the reason why Scheduled Caste village residents have complained about this at Ajax police station.
According to social worker Surendra Meshram, Scheduled Caste families are discriminated against in the village, he said that this was already happening but now it has started happening more, which is a matter of shame for us, we believe that caste based families are discriminated against. There should not be a feeling of untouchability on the basis.
Female Handicraft Meshram told that even today the elders of the village believe in it. Earlier this used to happen while filling water from public water source but now taps have been installed in homes, but discrimination has not gone away. Barbers do not even cut children’s hair in the village, due to which children have to go to other villages to get their hair done.
Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit leader expelled from Telangana Congress gives BRS ammo
A day after being suspended from the party, Bakka Judson alleged that the money to pay the bills for contracts was being released only after PV Krishna Reddy’s younger brother sends a note to the CM
By Vivek Bhoomi
Hyderabad: The expulsion of Bakka Judson, a Dalit leader, from Congress on Tuesday seems to have turned into an opportunity for the BRS.
A day after the party’s disciplinary committee took action against Judson for ‘anti-party’ activities, former MLA and BRS leader Balka Suman tweeted a poem in Telugu titled “a poem not written by Bakka Judson“.
The poem is highly critical of Congress and its state leadership.
The poem talks about how Dalits have been excluded since time immemorial, and how the same treatment was being meted out towards Judson. “The Congress has stood on the sacrifices of Bahujans, and for destroying those roots the Bahujan son’s curse will fall upon you,” the poem reads.
“The tri-coloured flag, which brought freedom and liberated the people, has fallen into the hands of a feudal landlords’ community,” the poem goes on, criticising the Reddy community to which Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy belongs, concluding that the party will have to pay the price for expelling a Dalit leader.
A day after being suspended from the party, Judson alleged that the money to pay the bills for contracts was being released only after PV Krishna Reddy’s younger brother sends a note to the CM. “Only after deducting ‘R-tax’ and ‘B-tax’, money was being deposited in the bank accounts of the contractors,” Judson alleged.
Addressing the media at Somajiguda Press Club on Wednesday, April 4, he demanded explanation from Revanth Reddy on how Rs 7,200 crore meant for Rythu Bandhu in Rabi season was diverted for other purposes.
He also questioned why none of the political parties were starting a debate on Megha Krishna Reddy in the Assembly, though they have used the issue of corruption in Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme to improve their own prospects.
Pertinent to mention, Megha Krishna Reddy co-owns Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), a firm which has been recently in news for making the second largest donation (Rs 821 crore) to political parties under the electoral bonds scheme.
Judson, a Congress loyalist since 1989, is a physically-challenged Dalit leader. He has been at loggerheads with Revanth Reddy since he was made the chief of TPCC three years ago.
Shortly after his expulsion from the party, Judson took to micro-blogging site X, and called CM Revanth Reddy a ‘wolf’. Tagging Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in a post, he said: “Your leadership has kept Telangana Congress under a Wolf [who is] eating original Congress worker.”
According to sources, Judson wanted to contest as graduate MLC from Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda constituency. a demand to which state Congress leadership did not agree. Now Judson has announced that he will contest on his own.
It remains to be seen whether Balka Suman’s overture is a welcoming gesture towards Judson to join the pink party, has been losing many of its leaders to Congress in recent days.
Courtesy : TSD
RIn Rajasthan, the magistrate shamed the dignity of the post, ordered the Dalit rape victim to take off her clothes, know the whole thing
Deputy SP (ST-SC) Cell Meena said that the victim refused to obey the order given by the magistrate. After this, the woman filed a complaint against the magistrate after recording her statement in the court on March 30.
Rajasthan rape victim. A magistrate has behaved shamefully with a Dalit rape victim in Karauli district of Rajasthan. According to police, the magistrate ordered the Dalit rape victim to remove her clothes to show her injuries. After this matter came to light, the police took action and registered a case against the magistrate. On this, Deputy SP (ST-SC) Cell Meena said that the victim had lodged a complaint on March 30 that the Hindaun court magistrate had asked her to take off her clothes to see her injuries.
Deputy SP (ST-SC) Cell Meena said that the victim refused to obey the order given by the magistrate. After this, the woman filed a complaint against the magistrate after recording her statement in the court on March 30. A case has been registered against the magistrate at Kotwali police station on charges of outraging modesty. The magistrate has been booked under IPC section 345 (false imprisonment) and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Woman raped on March 19 in Karauli district
According to the police, the woman was allegedly raped on March 19 and an FIR in the case was lodged at Hindaun Sadar police station on March 27.
Courtesy: Hindi News
{Dalit History Month Special} Empowering ‘SANIPRENEURS’: Leaders & Communities Join Forces to Address Sanitation and Scavenging Challenges
The key distinction between manual scavengers and sanitation workers lies in the fact that scavengers are typically self-employed individuals involved in the cleaning of septic tanks and latrines without adequate protective gear. They predominantly hail from the Dalit community, and this work further perpetuates their status of untouchability.
Ayanabha Banerjee
New Delhi- In New Delhi, the lives and challenges of sanitation workers and manual scavengers have rightfully gained attention. While sanitation workers are legally recognized and employed, the caste-based practice of manual scavenging has been outlawed. However, this social evil persists.
Data from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment reveals that approximately 246 districts have not yet declared themselves free of manual scavenging or provided details of insanitary latrines and scavengers on the Centre’s app.
Conversely, 520 districts have achieved the status of being free from manual scavenging. Despite repeated reminders sent between August 2020 and July 2023, progress has been sluggish. States such as Maharashtra, Telangana, and Odisha still have multiple districts awaiting declaration as manual scavenging free zones.
Two surveys conducted in 2013 and 2018 identified 58,098 manual scavengers across 17 states, with Uttar Pradesh having the highest count at 20,884. Uttar Pradesh has requested the inclusion of additional scavengers who were not identified in the previous surveys.
A 2018 study by Dalberg Associates estimated that around 5 million sanitation workers are employed in various urban areas across India.
The key distinction between manual scavengers and sanitation workers lies in the fact that scavengers are typically self-employed individuals involved in the cleaning of septic tanks and latrines without adequate protective gear. They predominantly hail from the Dalit community, and this work further perpetuates their status of untouchability.
{Dalit History Month Special}
Empowering ‘SANIPRENEURS’: Leaders & Communities Join Forces to Address Sanitation and Scavenging Challenges
The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, in collaboration with its partners, organized a multi-stakeholder dialogue on sanitation work and manual scavenging on April 3 at the Indian Social Institute.
The event brought together leaders and community members, with many sanitation workers displaying expressions of burden and frustration directed towards those in positions of power for their failure to create a level playing field.
Building upon a previous dialogue held in New Delhi on April 26, 2023, which convened government and non-government stakeholders along with representatives from sanitation workers unions, this event emphasized the ongoing marginalization faced by Dalits, particularly in their pursuit of alternative livelihoods beyond sanitation work.
Instances of denied opportunities and limited access to constitutionally guaranteed rights were highlighted, emphasizing the urgent need for government intervention.
The primary objective of the dialogue was to present grassroots findings, amplify diverse voices from different states, and formulate actionable recommendations for the Government of India to address these issues and ensure justice for sanitation workers nationwide.
In addition to discussions, book and stationery stands were set up in a corner of the hall to promote the distribution of Dalit literature. Notably, Hindi translations of the constitution were prominently displayed to encourage individuals to enhance their understanding of their rights.
{Dalit History Month Special}
Empowering ‘SANIPRENEURS’: Leaders & Communities Join Forces to Address Sanitation and Scavenging Challenges
The meeting objectives were as follows:
Deliberate on existing socio-economic schemes, budget allocations, and their applicability to Dalit communities, with a particular focus on sanitation workers and their children.
Identify and address challenges encountered by sanitation workers, sewage handlers, and septic tank cleaners, aiming to devise actionable solutions.
Evaluate the effectiveness and benefits of initiatives such as NAMASTE, exploring their potential impact on target beneficiaries.
The event commenced with discussions centered on policies and government initiatives regarding sanitation workers. Esteemed government officials and MLAs took the stage to shed light on initiatives such as the Manual Scavenging Survey and the NAMASTE Scheme, as well as the current status of policies and schemes for sanitation workers, along with challenges in implementation.
The NAMASTE initiative aims to rehabilitate Manual Scavengers (MS) and individuals engaged in hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning, while promoting safe mechanized cleaning practices.
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) or Private Sanitation Service Organizations (PSSOs) will directly engage Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs), providing them with linkage to AB-PMJAY, safety training, PPE kits, and capital subsidies for sanitation-related equipment procurement. The initiative aims to empower these workers as ‘SANIPRENEURS,’ as termed by the Ministry.
Among the speakers were Mr. Rajendra Pal Gautam, former Cabinet Minister for the Department of Social Welfare, Delhi; Mr. Ashok Sakarwal, from Delhi SC/ST/OBC Finance Development; Mr. Rohit Kakkar, Deputy Advisor at the Ministry of Urban Development; and Mr. Santlal Chawariya, former Chairman of the Delhi Safai Karamchari Ayog.
Ms. Beena Pallical, General Secretary of NCDHR, moderated the discussions, and Mr. Prabhat Kumar Singh, Managing Director of NSKFDC, shared insights on the matter.
The event, which also had community members and primary stakeholders in the audience, raised pertinent questions after the talk. Social activist and grassroot worker Rihana Mansuri stood up to take over the microphone and asked, “All of the schemes sound good on paper, but where is the implementation? There are so many workers who are lacking the basic documentation required for these schemes.”
She further added that due to absence of permanent residences of the community members due to their “unhygienic” deemed occupation and caste, are also unable to get the basic caste certificates made which deters them from accessing the benefits of the welfare programmes made for them.
The officials: while agreeing to the ground reality, did not seem to have much to add. Instead, they focused on talking about the need to do better for the communities and asking them to reach out to their local bodies for help, shifting the accountability to the victims.
The subsequent session focused on International Mechanisms & Frameworks concerning sanitation work and manual scavenging. Speakers included Ms. Elena Gerasimova, a specialist in Labour Law and Labour Standards from the International Labour Organization (ILO), Ms. Baishali Lahiri, the National Project Coordinator at the ILO, and Mr. N. Paul Divakar, the Convenor of GFOD (Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent).
Many community members were losing interest in the talk by then as it focused on international frameworks, which did not feel like an important topic for them. Most do not have access to the locally available welfare services so having hopes from international agencies such as the International Labour Organization felt like a far-fetched dream.
But an interesting point raised during the session was the absence of any framework around manual scavenging at the global scale while the practice was observed not only in India but in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh too.
While the Constitutions of India and Nepal have abolished untouchability and ensure the right to equality and non-discrimination, including on the basis of caste, they stand out as the only countries with specific legislation aimed at protecting Dalit and Tribal communities from caste-based atrocities.
In Bangladesh, an anti-discrimination draft law has been pending approval by the Law Ministry since 2014. Both India and Nepal have implemented special measures or affirmative action policies in areas such as education and public employment for these communities.
Moreover, the Constitutions of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan all prohibit forced labour, with additional provisions in India, Nepal, and Pakistan against child labour in factories and hazardous work. Nepal’s new Constitution even includes provisions for the identification and rehabilitation of liberated bonded laborers.
Towards the conclusion of the event, community members were finally given the opportunity to share their perspectives on the challenges they face. Sunita Pawar from Pune, Satish from Delhi, and Rihana Mansuri working in Madhya Pradesh bravely voiced their concerns, ranging from difficulties in accessing healthcare to the lack of essential protective gear for sanitation workers.
Unfortunately, by this time, a significant portion of the audience had already left the event. This raises a crucial question about the organization of such events and prompts us to reconsider the sequence of agenda items.
Perhaps, events dedicated to the voices of workers should prioritize community input at the beginning, allowing policymakers and officials to hear directly from those affected before engaging in policy discussions. This approach ensures that community voices are not sidelined or overlooked, and it holds government officials accountable for addressing the concerns raised by frontline workers.
Courtesy : The Mooknayak
Will not support either BJP or YSRCP: VDDUF
Visakhapatnam : Representatives of Visakha District Dalit Unity Forum (VDDUF) announced that Dalits will not encourage the BJP at the Center and the BJP alliance TDP-JSP parties in the State.
Addressing a press conference held at Ambedkar Bhavan in the city on Wednesday, VDDUF convener Boosi Venkata Rao accused the BJP, which has been in power at the Center for 10 years, for violating the Constitution of India.
He said that there is no protection for Adivasis, Dalits and Christian, Muslim minorities in the country. He opined that there is a conspiracy to turn India into a religious country by removing the word secularism from the constitution and there is a need to save the country from the BJP.
He said that the YSRCP should be defeated with a huge margin in the ensuing elections. He reminded that the VDDUF fought for Kodi Kathi Srinu’s bail and for the continuity of the halted welfare schemes. Sudhakar appealed to the people to extend support to the INDIA bloc to save the country from the saffron party.
What Bijnor was for Mayawati, will Nagina be for Akash Anand?
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/what-bijnor-was-for-mayawati-will-nagina-be-for-akash-anand-101712168743992.html
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Awe and dread: How religions have responded to total solar eclipses over the centuries
Throughout history, solar eclipses have had profound impact on adherents of various religions around the world. They were viewed as messages from God or spiritual forces, inducing emotions ranging from dread to wonder.
Ahead of the total solar eclipse that will follow a long path over North America on Monday, here’s a look at how several of the world’s major religions have responded to such eclipses over the centuries and in modern times.
Buddhism:
In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, it is believed that the energy of positive and negative actions is multiplied during major astronomical events such as a solar eclipse.
According to the late Lama Zopa Rinpoche with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, both lunar and solar eclipses are auspicious days for spiritual practice. He has said that the merit — which represents the positive karmic results of good intentions and actions — generated on lunar eclipses is multiplied by 700,000 and on solar eclipses by 100 million. Some of the recommended spiritual activities on these days include chanting mantras and sutras.
Christianity:
Some Christians have believed that an eclipse portends the coming of the “end times” that will precede Christ’s return to Earth as prophesized at various points in the Bible. One such passage is in the second chapter of Acts: “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.”
There also has been a persisting belief among some Christians that an eclipse occurred during the crucifixion because three of the Bible’s four Gospels mention a three-hour period of darkness as Jesus died.
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining,” says Luke 23:44.
It’s been noted that a three-hour period of darkness doesn’t suggest a solar eclipse, which produces only a few minutes of darkness.
But a recent commentary on ChurchLeaders.com — a website supported by numerous prominent evangelical pastors — said the darkness depicted in the three Gospels “represents a profound spiritual transition.”
“The temporary obscuring of the sun, juxtaposed with the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, offers a powerful metaphor for the transient nature of despair and the eternal promise of salvation and rebirth,” the commentary says.
Hinduism:
The origin of eclipses in Hinduism is explained in ancient legends known as puranas. In one legend, the devas and asuras, who symbolized good and evil respectively, churned the ocean to receive the nectar of eternal life. As one of the asuras, Svarbhanu, posed as a deva to receive the nectar, the Sun god (Surya) and Moon god (Chandra) alerted Mohini, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who then used a discus to behead Svarbhanu.
But because the asura had already consumed a portion of the nectar, his immortal but detached head and body lived on under the names Rahu and Ketu. Legend has it that Rahu occasionally swallows the sun and the moon because of the gods’ part in his misery, causing solar and lunar eclipses.
Hindus generally regard a solar or lunar eclipse as a bad omen. Some observe fasts before and many do not eat during the period of the eclipse. Observant Hindus ritually bathe to cleanse themselves during the first and final phases of an eclipse. Some also offer prayers to ancestors. Most temples are closed for the duration of the eclipse. Devotees gather for prayers along pilgrimage sites near holy rivers during the onset of an eclipse. The event is considered to be a good time for prayer, meditation and chanting of mantras — all believed to ward off evil.
Islam:
In Islam, a solar eclipse is a time to turn to God and pray. The eclipse prayer is based on narrations of sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad.
Kaiser Aslam, Muslim chaplain at the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University, said one narration cited the prophet as saying: “The sun and the moon are two signs amongst the signs of Allah and they do not eclipse because of the death of someone. ... Whenever you see these eclipses pray and invoke (Allah).”
On April 8, Aslam will lead the “kusuf” prayer on campus. Customarily, there’s a brief sermon after the prayer to explain the lessons behind it and dispel any superstitions around it, he added.
“It is a beautiful and meaningful prayer that emphasizes our relationship with God’s creation, making sure to give our devotion to God, instead of incidental occurrences in God’s creation,” Aslam said.
Mahmoud Alhawary, an official with Al-Azhar’s Islamic Research Academy in Cairo, said it’s better for the eclipse prayer to be performed in congregation at the mosque, but that Muslims may also pray individually elsewhere.
The wisdom “is for the individual to seek refuge in God, requesting the lifting of this affliction,” Alhawary said. “People should know that the occurrences of the whole universe are in God’s hands.”
Judaism:
The Talmud — the collection of writings compiled more than 1,500 years ago that constitute Jewish religious law — offers specific blessings for many natural phenomena, but not for eclipses. Instead, it depicts an eclipse as “an ill omen for the world.”
On Chabad.org — a website serving an Orthodox Jewish audience — Chicago-based Rabbi Menachem Posner sought to view the Talmud passage in a modern context, given the consensus that eclipses are natural events that can be predicted centuries in advance.
“Eclipses should be opportunities to increase in prayer and introspection — as opposed to prompting joyous blessings,” Posner wrote. “It is a sign that we really could and should be doing better.”
Writing in early March for the Orthodox Jewish education organization Aish, Rabbi Mordechai Becher noted that Judaism has longstanding interconnections with astronomy. He said there are three craters on the moon named after medieval rabbis with expertise in astronomy.
As for eclipses, Becher — an instructor at Yeshiva University — suggested they were made possible by God for a profound reason.
“He created a system that would remind us regularly that our choices can create darkness, even at times when there should be light,” he wrote. “Our free will choices can create a barrier between us and the Divine light, but can also allow Divine light to be seen here.”
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Looking at a solar eclipse without glasses can be dangerous, here’s what to know.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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