27.05.24.Untouchables News.Chennai.India.by Team Sivaji.
Why Dalits, with 32 pc population, fail in Punjab power politics?
Chandigarh, (IANS): Does the Dalit (scheduled caste) vote bank in Punjab, being the home turf of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder Kanshi Ram and having a Dalit population of 32 per cent — the highest among states — play a politically empowered role in the electoral outcomes in the agricultural economy state?
Political pundits say “no” as, despite their numerical strength, they have failed to translate into political influence owing to the “leadership crisis”. Another reason is that they are not a homogeneous community that votes in unison.
But for other parties, as per the past trends, they normally play spoilsport.
The four mainstream parties — the Congress, the BJP, the Jat-dominated Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which snapped its electoral ties with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the run-up to these polls, and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — are trying to woo the Dalits — a majority of them farm labourers or daily wage earners — by fielding candidates from their community for state’s 13 parliamentary seats.
Also, the caste-based BSP is contesting on all seats.
As per past records, BSP’s vote percentage over the years has weakened substantially, both in assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
From 1998 onwards, the BSP has not won even a single Lok Sabha seat in Punjab.
The BSP’s best performance in the Assembly polls was in 1992. At that time, the party had won nine seats in Punjab, but in the next elections in 1997, it was reduced to one seat.
In the 2002 Assembly polls, the party had got 5.69 per cent votes which decreased to 1.77 per cent in the 2022 polls, mainly due to the emergence of AAP.
Interestingly, a majority of Dalit legislators were elected from parties other than the BSP.
“After 1996, Dalits started shifting towards different parties, but before that the majority of their votes went to the Congress,” a Congress veteran leader told IANS.
In the 2019 parliamentary polls, the BSP, which contested on three reserved seats, had a vote share of 3.5 per cent. It had got 1.4 lakh votes in Anandpur Sahib, 1.28 lakh votes in Hoshiarpur and more than 2 lakh votes in Jalandhar, the hub of the Dalits.
With its declining popularity, the BSP may play spoilsport for the other parties mainly on these seats in these polls, the Congress veteran added.
The BSP has fielded its state President Jabir Singh Garhi from Anandpur Sahib, the seat currently represented by Congress’ Manish Tewari, who has been fielded from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat.
BSP candidate Rakesh Soman from Hoshiarpur joined AAP in the run-up to the polls. Congress defector legislator Raj Kumar Chabbewal is the AAP candidate from this seat where the BSP holds considerable influence. Party supremo Kanshi Ram had won this seat in 1996 with the support of the Akali Dal.
Balwinder Kumar has been fielded by the BSP from Jalandhar, a Congress bastion with the party winning 10 out of the 16 Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress has fielded Charanjit Singh Channi, the state’s first Dalit chief minister, while AAP has nominated Akali Dal turncoat legislator Pawan Kumar Tinu. The BJP has poached the sitting AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and the Akali Dal has reposed faith in former Congress MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee.
BJP’s Rinku is the most conspicuous party-hopper, having switched sides twice in a year.
In Dalit politics, the state witnessed a new dynamic with the BJP’s announcement in 2022 that it would appoint a Scheduled Caste chief minister if it came to power.
A 2018 report by the ministry of social justice and empowerment says there are 39 sub-castes among Dalits in Punjab.
Five sub-castes constitute more than 80 per cent of the Dalit population. Mazhabi Sikhs comprise the largest share of 30 per cent, followed by Ravidassias (24 per cent) and Ad-Dharmis (11 per cent).
Congress candidate Channi belongs to the Ravidassia community and is known for its proximity with Dera Sachakhand Ballan which has a strong presence in the Doaba region, the area between the Beas and the Satluj rivers often dubbed as the hub of Dalit politics.
The Doaba region comprises four districts — Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr that fall in two Lok Sabha constituencies — Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur.
The BJP has fielded incumbent MP Som Parkash’s wife Anita Som Parkash from Hoshiarpur, once a Congress bastion, while the Akali Dal has fielded Sohan Singh Thandal, and the BSP fielded Ranjit Kumar after its candidate Rakesh Soman left the party after two months of campaigning and joined AAP.
Yamini Gomar, who had fought the 2014 elections on an AAP ticket, is the Congress nominee from Hoshiarpur.
Of the state’s 117 assembly seats, 34 (one-third) seats are reserved for the scheduled castes.
Though Dalits, both among Sikhs and Hindus, are seen as the Congress’ traditional supporters, the Akalis bank on the Jat Sikhs (comprising 25 per cent of the population), while the present AAP government led by Bhagwant Mann has prominent Dalit leader Harpal Singh Cheema in his Cabinet.
In 1996, the BSP forged an alliance with the Akali Dal (Badal) in the parliamentary elections, and they won three of the four seats.
Punjab will vote in the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on June 1.
(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at gulatiians@gmail.com)
Courtesy : Daiji World.
MP: Dalit girl dies under mysterious circumstances
Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), (Language) Anjana Ahirwar, from the Dalit community, who had filed a police case claiming the murder of her brother in August last year, died after falling from the ambulance carrying her uncle’s body in Sagar on Sunday. Died after.
Anjana had filed the case in August last year claiming that her brother was beaten to death by some people who were pressurizing him to compromise in a harassment case.
Police sources said that Anjana’s uncle Rajendra Ahirwar was beaten to death by some people on Saturday night over an old rivalry.
“Rajendra Ahirwar, 24, died of injuries sustained in a clash between two groups in the area under Khurai police station,” Additional Superintendent of Police Lokesh Sinha told reporters.
Anjana had alleged that some people who were harassing her had murdered her brother Nitin Ahirwar alias Lalu on August 24, 2023. After the incident came to light, Congress leader Digvijay Singh had staged a protest in Barodia Nonagir village.
Sinha said, “In Anjana Sagar, the body of Rajendra Ahirwar fell from the ambulance which was taking him to his village after postmortem. His family members were with the body.”
Asked whether Rajendra Ahirwar was murdered due to pressure to settle an old case, Sinha said the investigation would reveal all the facts.
Meanwhile, state Congress chief Jitu Patwari, in a post on ‘X’, claimed that Rajendra Ahirwar was attacked by five people who had pressurized him for a settlement in an old case.
He said, “In the dead body, the driver, Anjana Ahirwar and Rajendra’s parents left for Barodia Nonagir. Anjana fell from the hearse on Khurai bypass and died.”
Patwari claimed that Anjana’s brother was murdered in public in Barodia Nonagir in August and her family is still waiting for justice.
Attacking the state government, he said that law and order has deteriorated during the tenure of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who is also handling the responsibility of the Home Department.
Courtesy: Hindi News
Suryapet: Dalit HRF alleges scam worth crores in Bandhu scheme implementation
SURYAPET: Various agencies selected to help in implementation of Dalit Bandhu indulged in a scam worth crores, which also led to the state government losing Rs 30 crore revenue. According to Dalit Human Rights Forum, many irregularities occurred in the execution of Dalit Bandhu scheme in Tirumalagiri mandal of Suryapet district in 2022-23.
A Seshacharyulu
The then BRS government selected five mandals, including Tirumalagiri, for a pilot project to implement the scheme, which provides one time assistance of Rs 10 lakh to SC families to start their own businesses or entrepreneurial ventures.
Under the scheme, financial assistance was sanctioned to 2,230 Dalits in Tirumalagiri mandal and around 65 to 70 agencies were selected to provide vehicles and other material to the beneficiaries to start their own businesses.
However, some agencies did not supply vehicles and other material but gave cash to the beneficiaries. These agencies allegedly collected nine per cent CGST and equal amount of SGST besides some commission from the beneficiaries but this money was not given to the government.
The government had sanctioned Rs 9,90,000 for each unit, out of which Rs 1,78,000 (18 per cent) was deducted under CGST and SGST.
Speaking to TNIE, Dalit Human Rights Forum state general secretary Praveen said: “These agencies owe more than Rs 30 crore GST to the government.”
“This issue was brought to the attention of authorities several times in the past. But they took no action,” he added.
“The official did not take any action because BRS leaders and people’s representatives were involved in the irregularities that took place in the implementation of Dalit Bandhu scheme,” he said.
Praveen, who collected the details through an RTI, said: “After the Congress formed the government, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is focussing on the issue of GST collections and arrears. I have faith in the government and officials.”
He also said that he has already submitted a petition to Suryapet District Collector S Venkat Rao, demanding that a probe be conducted into this scam, collect all the outstanding GST amounts, including fine, and take action against the culprits under Section 122-128 of GST Act, 2017.
“If the Collector conducts an investigation, the government will get more than Rs 30 crore. Considering the current (financial) situation, the government can use that amount for other purposes,” he added.
Courtesy : TNIE.
my mother.Ramabai.
Dalit women who lodged harassment case dies mysteriously in MP’s Sagar
A Dalit woman, Anjana Ahirwar, faced severe backlash after accusing four upper-caste men of molestation in her village. Her brother and uncle were killed, and she died under mysterious circumstances.
A Dalit woman accused four men in her village of molestation and faced a backlash that resulted in her brother and uncle being killed. She died under mysterious circumstances on Sunday, capping a saga of alleged caste harassment and retribution.
Anjana Ahirwar, 24, filed a complaint in August 2023 accusing four upper-caste men of molesting her in Barodia Nonagir village. The aftermath was brutal – her brother Nitin was beaten to death, her mother was disrobed in public, and the family faced relentless pressure to withdraw the case.
On Saturday night, her uncle Rajendra Ahirwar, the key eyewitness against the accused, was killed by a mob. Just a day later, as Anjana accompanied Rajendra’s body for the final rites, she fell off the ambulance and died.
Anjana’s brother asked reporters how someone died in the ambulance during a road mishap and why the ambulance took an unusual route.
What happened? How did the car have an accident? It was going well, how did it fall suddenly? If you had to take her, you should have gone to Jhaladi. Who knows where she was going, what was the old matter with uncle for minutes, whom was he taking with him, there was testimony, he called him and killed him and what did he do with our sister? What is Raj doing, with whom the jokes are going on? It had happened, there was a talk, from this it seemed that she might commit suicide, there was nothing like that,” he said.
Lokesh Sinha, ASP Sagar District, stated the matter is under investigation and the full facts are yet to emerge. “This double case happened yesterday in Gaya police station area where a dispute took place between two people at night,” he said.
“We have initiated that the postmortem here, the four-wheeler was being taken where the incident happened today. The police was carrying the dead body and this woman was sitting. In this incident, the woman died after falling from the vehicle,” Sinha added.
“We’re investigating to determine the circumstances and pressure behind the incident, then collecting witness statements and evidence,” he stated.
Police registered a case, but opposition leaders alleged a collapse of law and order that emboldened the perpetrators.
“Rajendra Ahirwar was attacked by five people pressuring him to compromise on an old case. Seriously injured, he died while being taken to Bhopal for treatment,” claimed Jitu Patwari, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief.
“Anjana’s brother was publicly murdered in Barodia Nonagir in August and her family is still awaiting justice. The law and order has deteriorated under CM Mohan Yadav, who holds the home portfolio,” Patwari said.
When the harassment complaint made headlines in August 2023, leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Digvijay Singh demanded action. Police arrested 9 men under the SC/ST Act, but the victim’s family alleges they faced pressure to withdraw the case.
Courtesy : Ground Report
FIR registered in the case of kidnapping and attempt to rape a minor Dalit girl. Father and son arrested.
According to the information received from Bareilly district, a case of Dalit oppression has come to light. Here, 4 accused from the Muslim community have been accused of kidnapping and attempting to rape a minor girl belonging to the Scheduled Caste. Police have arrested 2 accused. The absconding accused are being searched. The matter is under investigation.
Belongs to Devarniya police station area of Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Here the victim’s father has lodged a complaint in the police station. In his complaint he told that there was a program at his house on 20th May. The same night, their 16-year-old daughter was going to her uncle’s house at around 11:30, when the victim met Rashid on the way. He showed the gun to the minor and took him with him to the garden after suppressing his face. Here he pressed the victim’s private parts and tried to rape her by opening her salwar. It is alleged that Rashid had also called Ashfaq and Ishaq’s son Nanne.
According to the information received, all the kidnappers were trying to take the victim to some other place. It is further stated in the complaint that Rashid’s father Nanhe also reached the spot. He started asking the victim to take her somewhere far away as soon as possible. Meanwhile, after not finding the victim at her home for a long time, the family members and the relatives who had come to the program started searching for her. Some people went towards the forest while searching. Before the accused could succeed in taking the victim somewhere else, the girl’s family reached there.
Let us tell you that the accused became enraged after seeing the family members of the victim. While abusing him he said, “You bastards, what is your status?” If you take any action, we will kill you.” The victims took the help of dial 112 and somehow rescued the minor. Seeing the police being called, the accused fled from the spot. While leaving, he showed the gun to the victim’s father and said, “If you open your mouth anywhere, we will kill you.” The complainant described himself as scared and demanded strict action against the accused.
On this complaint, the police have registered an FIR under sections 363, 354 (b), 504 and 506 of the IPC along with POCSO and SC/ST Act. Rashid, Ashfaq, Nanhe and Nanne have been named in this case. On Friday (24 May 2024), the patrolling police force received information about the presence of the accused at one place. They raided and arrested Rashid and his father Nanhe. Both have been sent to jail in judicial custody. The search is on for other absconding accused.
Courtesy: Hindi News
Bullies blocked the way to Dalit colony, ruckus
A large number of villagers created a ruckus in the police station and complained against the blocking of the road leading to the Dalit settlement. The police asked the villagers to go with the revenue team to open the common road.
The matter is of Katoghan village of Kotwali area. Interlocking road is being constructed by the village head. Meanwhile, some people of the village stopped the construction of the common road leading to the Dalit colony. Angered by this, a large number of men and women reached the police station on Saturday. Village residents Mohan, Nathuram, Pittu Raidas, Shyamlal, Kajal, Rani, Rajpati etc. told the police that last one month ago, there was an agreement between the two parties at Majhilgaon police post regarding the construction of a common road, but after a few days again the construction of the road was done. But has been banned. Village head Khushboo Devi said that construction is being done on the common road but some people are forcibly creating obstructions.
Courtesy: Hindi News.
> Business OBCs left behind in India’s affirmative action journey.
Rajeev R Hans News Service | 26 May 2024 12:29 PM IST x
Reservation affirmative measure has surprisingly taken a centre stage in the run up to the General Elections-2024. It is a matter of much relief as well to see all political parties being aligned in reiterating their resolve to continue using quota as an affirmative tool to empower those on socio-education and economic margins for decades. At present, there is a provision of quota of 15 per cent, 7.5 per cent, 27 per cent and 10 per cent for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) respectively in Central government jobs and admissions in academic institutions.
In private sector jobs and academic institutions, there is no uniformity in the implementation of quota policy even now while in many States and Union Territories, 27 per cent OBC reservation is not being implemented. It is, in fact, more than obvious that SC, ST and OBC reservation policy is not being honoured the way the EWS quota is being executed in the country. Also Read - Goldman Sachs ups India’s GDP growth forecast ADVERTISEMENT India’s reservation policy is rooted in its Constitution. Article 15 (1) says: “The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.” Article 15 (4) further adds: “Nothing in this Article or in Clause (2) of Article 29 shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.” Similarly, Article 16 (1) reads: “There shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State.” Article 16 (4) states: “Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services.. The
The quota for OBCs came much later, thus further delaying their holistic development. The Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), headed by BP Mandal, was set up on January 1, 1979. Its formation had been announced on December 20, 1978, by then Prime Minister Morarji Desai of the Janata Party. The Kaka Kalelkar Commission of 1953, the first Commission for backward classes, had proved a futile exercise. The Mandal Commission did its job with due diligence. On December 31, 1980, the Mandal Commission chairman BP Mandal, also a former Chief Minister of erstwhile Bihar, submitted its report to then President Giani Zail Singh. The recommendations included among others 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in government jobs and educational institutions. On August 7, 1990, then Prime Minister VP Singh of the National Front coalition announced the implementation of the Mandal Commission’s 27 per cent OBC quota recommendation. On November 16, 1992, the Supreme Court upheld the decision, and the recommendation was gradually enforced.
The then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao of the Congress Party announced widespread implementation of the recommendation in September 1993. There was little or no public resistance. However, reservations for OBCs in Central and state governments educational institutes did not take place till 2006 uniformly when then Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh took a bold decision to facilitate the higher intake of students from backward communities. It was a revolutionary step, hailed by all political parties. It is, however, said that many leaders cutting across party lines, had expressed their displeasure over the move of Singh in private conversations, but his step was in sync with the country’s collective urge to chart the path of inclusive development together so that no one is left behind. It was certainly a landmark leap. It served a massive blow to the forces inimical to the idea of equality.
Unfortunately, even today the share of OBCs in Central government jobs is not in commensurate with the quota policy. Their condition is quite pathetic in many States. For want of foolproof data, the actual position is not in the public domain.
On August 9, 2023, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while submitting the data as of July 1, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha, said that
(1) over 42 per cent of the teaching posts reserved for the candidates from SCs, STs and OBCs across 45 Central universities were lying vacant. The non-fulfillment of vacant posts meant for quota castes across different departments in central and State governments is defeating the very purpose behind embracing the policy of affirmative measures.
(2)Their share in the judiciary is next to nil.
(3) So far as well-paid jobs in the private sector are concerned, the share of SC, ST and OBC is also estimated to be nominal. Authentic official data are not available in this regard.
(4)According to the Annual Report-2022-23 of the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, the data received from 75 Ministries/Departments, updated information on representation of SCs, STs and OBCs in the posts and services of the Central Government as on 1.1.2022 suggest that in
(A)Group A, the share of SC, ST and OBC employees out of a total of 77887 employees were 10290 (13.21 per cent SC), 4678 (6.01 per cent ST), 14074 (18.07 per cent OBC) respectively.
(B)In Group B, there were 156623 employees out of which the number of SCs was pegged at 24051 (15.36 per cent), ST 11580 (7.39 per cent) and OBCs 27344 (17.46).
(C)In Group C (excluding Safai Karamchari), there were a total of 1622439 employees out of which SCs were 271510 (16.73), STs 119931 (7.39), and OBCs 368101 (22.69 per cent).
(D)Among Safai Karamchari, there were 35110 employees out of which 12404 (35.33 per cent) were SCs; 2474 (7.05 per cent) STs, and 6280 (17.89 per cent) OBCs.
In all, out of 1892059 employees, SCs were 318255 (16.82 per cent), STs 138663 (7.33 per cent), and OBCs 415799 (21.98 per cent). The official figures speak volumes for themselves.
The participation of SCs and STs in the Central Government jobs is much better than that of OBCs, who are not getting even 27 per cent of their share as stipulated in the government policy, though their population is much higher than that of SCs and STs in the country. It is high time to set up a Quota Cell in every department and university to ensure that no irregularity takes place with regard to the implementation of quota policies. In every decision-making body including interview boards, we must have representatives of SCs, STs and OBCs.
Affirmative measures like quotas serve as essential tools in this pursuit, enabling progress that benefits everyone. Reservation is neither a tool to fight poverty nor a matter of convenience but a great means to achieve socio-economic and political resilience and inclusivity. Let us be responsible and inclusive for the well-being of all. That is what will lead to the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Email ArticlePrint Article ๐ฃ The Hans India is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@thehansindia) and stay updated with the latest headlines More On BusinessOBCsdata collectionScheduled Tribes.
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