28.09.24.Untouchables News.....अछूत समाचार.தீண்ட தகாதவர் செய்திகள்.by Team
The price of Poona Pact: How Gandhi’s fast altered Dalit political aspirations
“There was nothing noble in the fast,” wrote Dr BR Ambedkar, left to choose between the political future of the Dalits and Gandhi on his death bed amid the warnings of violence against the former.
Written by:Charan Teja
“History is the story of events, with praise or blame,” says American writer and politician Cotton Mather. No doubt but who gets praised or blamed are shaped by the social locations and power wielded by the characters involved.
The path of peace and nonviolence in the independence movement earned Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi the title Mahatma (the great soul), but allegations of racism against blacks during his two decades stint in South Africa, and charges of sabotaging the Dalit rights and their struggle for independent socio-political identity in India, continues to cast a shadow on his larger than life image.
In the backdrop of widespread protests over the Simon Commission report on constitutional reforms in 1930, the British government decided to hold discussions with leaders from India. They were seeking considerations pertaining to the changes to be adopted in “the Government of India Act in 1935”. The discussions held as part of the second round table conference in the city of London in 1931 are significant because it debated the need for separate electorates for religious minorities and for the untouchables (Dalits).
While arguing that mere religious reforms wouldn’t assure the safety and welfare of Untouchables (Dalits), who are out of the Hindu fold and a political minority, Ambedkar wanted the British to accord separate electorates for Dalits to help them elect their representatives on par with other religious minorities. Irked by the demand and arguments of Dr BR Ambedkar, Gandhi opposed separate electorates for the Dalits stating that “changing the heart of caste Hindus” is the only solution to their problem, and that his Congress party would advance measures in that direction.
Ambedkar saw Gandhi’s “Swaraj” as a project that aims for an independence to India while retaining the caste status quo. Their fierce encounter at the round table conference further positioned both of them as staunch political rivals.
Subsequently, in tune with the demands of Ambedkar, on August 4, 1932, the British government under Prime Minister Ramsey Mac Donald announced separate electorates for the Dalits, who were then officially referred to as the Depressed Classes.
Gandhi, who was already imprisoned in Poona (Pune) jail, expressed his dissent stating that the separate electorates for the Dalits would destabilise the Hindu social order and demanded its withdrawal. As the British expressed their intent to accord such political rights to the Dalits, at least temporarily, given the deserving conditions, Gandhi began a fast unto death. The deteriorating health of Gandhi caused concerns among his followers in the Congress party. They blamed Ambedkar for Gandhi’s situation and said he’d be responsible for the consequences in the event of his death. Parallelly, Congress also orchestrated a group against Ambedkar’ to put pressure on him to set aside his demand for separate electorates for Dalits.
Coming down heavily on Gandhi’s fast unto death and political developments surrounding it, Ambedkar wrote in What Gandhi And Congress Have Done to Untouchables: “There was nothing noble in the fast. It was a foul and filthy act. The fast was not for the benefit of the untouchables. It was against them and was the worst form of coercion against a helpless people to give up the constitutional safeguards (of which they had become possessed under the Prime Minister’s Award) and agree to live on the mercy of the Hindus. It was a vile and wicked act. How can the untouchables regard such a man as honest and sincere ?”
Ambedkar was left to choose between the political future of the Dalits and Gandhi on his death bed amid the warnings of violence against the former. He set aside his battle for separate electorates and entered into a pact with Gandhi’s followers at the Pune jail on September 24, 1932, relieving Gandhi not only from death but also from his fear of the fall of the Hindu social order. As a result, reserved electorates or constituencies ratified by the Government of India Act 1935., which we follow today, were established in place of separate electorates.
As anticipated by Ambedkar, Gandhi’s assurance that the Congress would take measures to protect the interests of the Dalits soon faded away. In Madras, Congress leaders compelled the party’s Dalit representatives to raise voice against the legislation that seeks temple entry rights of the Dalits. MC Rajah, a Dalit and Congress leader who opposed separate electorates for Dalits in line with Gandhis’ wishes was quoted saying: “I am forced to think that our entering the joint electorate with the caste Hindus under the leadership of the Congress, led by caste Hindu leaders, to destroy our independence, and to use us to cut our own throats.” The quote appears in a history research paper titled “The Poona Pact and The Issue of Dalit Representation” by Swaraj Basu.
With his political clout, power over media and following Gandhi had an upper hand in swaying the opinion in favour of joint/common electorates but the promise of changing the hearts of caste Hindus was neither attempted nor delivered. Neither the Congress party nor the party, which is the ideological successor of those who assassinated him, have shown any interest in confronting the issue of caste. No mainstream political party has attacked caste or has shown commitment to uproot it.
The shackles Gandhi placed on Dalits 92 years ago, while he was in Pune jail, are still an impediment for their quest for liberation, self respect, identity and autonomous political representation. As a direct result of Gandhi’s action against separate electorates, till today, the candidates elected from the reserved constituencies have to remain loyal to their political parties and take care not to upset the sentiments of caste-Hindus as they decide their political future. They’re often expected to refrain from any action that hurts the caste-Hindus even if it is for the sake of the dignity and interests of Dalits.
The Poona Pact has doomed the future of Dalits by caging them in a fancy trap of Hindu fold. It has neither given legitimacy to the political representation of Dalits nor made any advancement in changing their social conditions.
Charan Teja is a journalist and researcher. He writes on rural affairs, caste, politics, and forest rights from both the Telugu speaking states.
Views expressed are the author’s own.
: TNM
Haryana: Reject anti-reservation, anti-Dalit parties
Haryana: Addressing a gathering to ensure victory of INLD-BSP alliance in the state, BSP supremo Mayawati accused Congress and BJP of trying to end reservation and adopting anti-Dalit and anti-poor policies. Demanding caste-based census, she said political change is needed to continue reservation.
Speaking at an election rally jointly organised by INLD-BSP alliance at Prithla here this afternoon, Mayawati in her speech focused on the issue of reservation and exploitation of Scheduled Castes and backward communities. Attacking both the parties, she said they are worried about the future of reservation after the recent Supreme Court verdict. She claimed that Congress and India Block succeeded in getting votes of Dalits and poor on the pretext of their slogans or assurances during the Lok Sabha elections this year,
but the party has been completely exposed as it did not take any step to bring a bill in Parliament regarding the Supreme Court verdict given on August 1. She said both the BJP and the Congress were still playing with the sentiments of Dalits and the poor and falsely claiming that they would not let reservation be abolished.
Mayawati said if the INLD-BSP government comes to power in Haryana, it can keep the matter hanging till the bill is passed by Parliament. She criticised Rahul Gandhi’s alleged statement on reservation and said the BJP was also trying to mislead people. She said problems like corruption, inflation, unemployment and poverty are prevalent in the country.
She said Haryana is no different as capitalist forces have taken over the administration and governance and due to this the majority population is suffering from exploitation and all kinds of atrocities. She announced that Abhay Chautala would be the chief minister if the alliance comes to power and said that he would have two deputy chief ministers, one of whom would be from the SC category.
Earlier, INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala in his address accused the Congress and BJP regimes of looting the state. He said the Congress turned Haryana from an agricultural to a CLU state while the BJP failed to fulfil its promises made in 2014 and 2019. Announcing an old age pension of Rs 7,500, he said two lakh government jobs, unemployment bonus of Rs 21,000, free electricity, water and gas as well as a special allowance of Rs 1,100 every month will be given to women. The alliance has fielded Surinder Vashisht from the Prithala assembly constituency.
Solan News: Detailed discussion on Dalit, women, transgender and tribal discourse
Arki (Solan). A two-day national seminar started at Government Excellence College Arki. The event was organized under the joint aegis of Government Excellence College Arki and Central Hindi Institute Agra. The seminar is being organized on the topic of various discourses in contemporary literature. Dalit, women, transgender and tribal discourse in contemporary times has been mainly kept at the center of the seminar.
The chief guest was Regional Director of Central Hindi Institute Delhi Center Prof. Aparna Saraswat, as the keynote speaker Prof. Rajendra Singh Badgujar from Mahatma Gandhi Central University Motihari Bihar and as the keynote speaker was critic and critic Dr. Hemraj Kaushik.
College Principal Sunita Sharma welcomed all the academicians and researchers. In the seminar, researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Banaras Hindu University, Delhi University and Mahatma Gandhi Central University Motihari presented their research papers. On the first day of the seminar, two technical sessions were organized in which about 17 research papers were presented.
The book Hamare Gaon Mein Hamara Kya Hai, edited by Dr. Rajan Tanwar, was also released. Principal Sunita Sharma in her address underlined the relevance of literature in society. Prof. Rajendra Singh Badgujar, in his speech, considered discussion as the democracy of literature and said that one who does not believe in discussion does not believe in democracy either. Dr. Hemraj Kaushik expressed his views on how literature is important for the individual and the society. Prof. Aparna Saraswat said that in the present time, along with women’s discussion, men’s discussion should also be considered.
Dr. Rajendra Verma was the chairman in the first technical session. While the main speakers included Dr. Amit Dharm Singh, Dr. Satyanarayan Snehi, Prof. Vandana Srivastava and Dr. Virendra Singh. Dr. Bhavani Singh was present as the chairman in the second technical session. Raghuveer Singh and Sandeep Kumar were present as the main speakers in this session. All the speakers presented their detailed views on literature and the state of debate in contemporary times, and the concept of history.
Courtesy : Hindi News
Dalit man claims police thrashing caused leg fracture, cops deny.
Meerut: A 50-year-old Dalit man from the Siwal Khas region in Meerut was allegedly assaulted by local police under the Jani jurisdiction during a clash between the Valmiki and Dalit communities on Thursday evening.
Anil Kumar said he and another accused were taken to the Siwal Khas police outpost, where the police thrashed him. When locals and his family gathered at the outpost, police released them but used force to disperse the crowd, resulting in a fracture in Kumar’s leg.
A video of Kumar crying outside the outpost circulated online, bringing attention to the incident.
Jani police station SHO Pankaj Singh denied the allegations, calling them baseless. He said the clash began as a verbal confrontation between two groups and escalated into a fight, during which Kumar was injured.
Singh added, “Cross-complaints were filed, and an FIR for rioting was registered at Jani police station. A further investigation is ongoing.”
Courtesy: Times Of India
UP: Two booked for thrashing, threatening to kill Dalit worker
The FIR was registered at Aurai police station against Anurag Baranwal, the carpet exporter, and an unidentified person.
Bhadohi: Two persons, including a carpet exporter, have been booked here for allegedly beating a Dalit worker and threatening to kill him, police said on Friday.
The FIR was registered at Aurai police station against Anurag Baranwal, the carpet exporter, and an unidentified person under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on Thursday, they said.
Baranwal got carpet finishing and packing work worth Rs 7,80,000 done by the complainant, Om Prakash Gautam, 34, and his 20 labourers in his export firm from May to August. Initially, Baranwal paid them Rs 2,14,485, Superintendent of Police (SP) Meenakshi Katyayan said, citing the FIR.
On August 30, Baranwal called Gautam to his office to pay the outstanding amount of Rs 5,65,515. When Gautam went to his office, Baranwal and another man closed the office and beat him up. They tore the complainant’s clothes and threatened to kill him by pouring acid on him, the SP said.
Hearing Gautam’s cries, some factory workers got the door opened. Later, he was taken to the hospital for treatment, she said.
Courtesy : TSD
Kesariya, in Bihar, is a semi-excavated Buddhist stupa with immense potential, akin to Indonesia’s Borobudur. Despite its historical significance and the Buddha's connections, it remains underfunded and overlooked, contrasting sharply with Borobudur’s thriving tourism and UNESCO status. India's untapped potential is worth pondering on World Tourism Day
By Arjun Kumar
It took the visitor a few minutes to realize that he was being followed, by a policeman, no less. The visitor was on foot, the policeman on a slow-moving bicycle, watching every move made by the former. Every ‘suspicious’ move, such as taking a photograph or stopping to examine something, was closely monitored. At this point, a reader may imagine that the visitor was walking through a nuclear reactor or a facility important to the defence of the realm. Perish those thoughts!
The setting was Kesariya in East Champaran district, Bihar. The location of a gigantic stupa, this site has the potential to be one of the foremost Buddhist monuments of India, almost on par with Bodh Gaya. Instead, it is semi-excavated, visited mostly by history students, trapped in a seemingly never-ending wait for its share of glory. The only others who wander into its precincts are local folk coming to offer prayers at a small shrine close by. Which explains why policemen tend to view solitary visitors with suspicion.
+ + + Home NewsChennai Meal fund kept pending for 22,521 Adi Dravidar Welfare hostel students As a regular practice, a meal allowance is given to
https://www.dtnext.in/news/chennai/meal-fund-kept-pending-for-some-adi-dravidar-welfare-hostel-students-805276
Senior VCK leaders regret the ‘setback’ to the ties with DMKPublished /
Updated- September 28, 2024 00:13 ISTUDHAV NAIGVCK leader Thol.Thirumavalavan | Photo Credit: Venkatachalapathy C Listen to articleAfter the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s ideological pitch for a ‘share in power’ triggered a row, party seniors feel the DMK-VCK alliance has suffered a setback, especially when the elections to the rural local bodies are due in many districts.A senior leader told The Hindu that the VCK got several policies and schemes implemented for the Scheduled Castes only because of the close relationship between its founder Thol. Thirumavalavan and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and between the second-line leaders of both parties.“After what happened recently, I doubt whether we would be empowered as much as we have been by the DMK. Representation in the local bodies is important for a party like the VCK. If the DMK feels that the VCK wants to move out of the alliance, why should it accommodate our demands? Furthermore, the DMK will start thinking about how to contain the damage that would be done by the VCK leaving the alliance,” the senior leader said.Important demandsADVERTISEMENTVCK floor leader in the Assembly Sinthanai Selvan said the government had conceded three important demands of the party. They were the establishment of the Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; the passing of the SC/ST Sub-Plan Act; and reservation of 5% of the government procurement contracts for the SCs and the STs.“First, the SC/ST Commission will exist for ever. Second, the SC/ST Sub-Plan Act will ensure that the funds meant for the development of these communities cannot be diverted and the unused funds would be carried over to the next year. The VCK had urged the government to pass the Sub-Plan Act, going by how the Dalit families had benefited in Telangana. In that State, each eligible Dalit family was given ₹10 lakh under the Dalit Bandhu Scheme to start businesses. So, with the Sub-Plan Act, funds set aside for the betterment of the Dalits can be monitored. The Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme to help Dalit entrepreneurs and the Iyothee Thass Pandithar Habitation Development Scheme to help build infrastructure in Dalit neighbourhoods are the other noteworthy schemes,” Mr. Selvan said.Good rapportHe also added, “All these were possible only because our leader and the Chief Minister share a good rapport. We are a party that had rejected elections once. Now, we have achieved so much by being in this alliance.”Another VCK leader said the party would not be able to bargain a better deal with the AIADMK because the DMDK and the Naam Tamilar Katchi — assuming that they would join the AIADMK-led alliance — would vie with each other to be the main ally of the AIADMK. “The NTK has 8% vote share and the DMDK will insist that it is a bigger party than the VCK. Where would the VCK be in the pecking order,” he asked.
SC/ST/OBC students stage protest against poor condition of hostels
The Reservation Debate: Balancing Equity and Merit
Some students are suicidal because if they have eighty points they don't get selected but if one has reservation if they have less than that they get selected, it's these students
Today my topic is about students who work hard, dedication and sweat but still unfortunately some students are not selected in the exam and reserved ones are ahead of them and more capable, intelligent than reservation kids. Children are not selected because of reservation and they are treated unfairly.
Today I want to present my views, today I want to talk about the reservation, which the government has kept 70% and 30% on open merit basis, it is going wrong with our students who are doing double day and night. Chagni works hard and sweats hard but there is injustice with them, reservation is fine to some extent, I think forty percent reservation should be kept and sixty percent should be kept on open merit basis so that our students are not treated unfairly. Don't be wrong and don't be wrong with those who have the right of reservation.
Some students are suicidal because if they have eighty points they don't get selected but if one has reservation if they have less than that they get selected, it's these students. There is injustice with those who work hard, blood and sweat but are not selected and then the only thing in the mind of students like them is suicide, and no one else is responsible for suicides like them. It is our government. Some are involved in depression due to such things and some students are forced to take drugs.
Caste-based reservation has become an opium pill in our state. At this time, there is a lot of commotion about reservation in India. And the poor also get reservation, which should be to some extent, but seventy percent is not appropriate. I think forty percent is fine.
Those who give reservation in the name of Jati, I think no Jati is a word anymore. In my opinion, reservation should not be given to private people, but to those people who are weak in terms of merit.
Students may not think much about this thing now but our students will know when the counseling starts when you get good marks in NET exam even if you are not selected, when you clear JEE. I will not get a seat even after scoring well or no matter how good you perform you will not get a job but reservation people will get a job. This is totally unfair to our students first open merit people. It was forty-two percent, but now it is only thirty percent, which is completely wrong. It is more open merit people, keeping this in mind, I appeal to the government to at least distribute with open merit people and sixty percent. I will keep it for those with open merit and 40% for those with reservation, so that whether they are with reservation or open merit, everyone should work equally hard.
If we talk about the old reservation, first eight percent for Scheduled Castes, ten percent for Scheduled Tribes, four percent for Other Backward Classes, ten percent for residents of backward areas, line of actual control and international Four percent for border residents, ten percent for economically weaker sections, six percent for horizontal reservation such as ex-servicemen and four percent for disabled persons were selected but now as per the new reservation policy, the list is now listed. 8% for scheduled castes, 20% for scheduled tribes, 8% for other backward classes, 10% for residents of backward areas, line of actual control and international border. Four percent is reserved for residents, ten percent is reserved for economically weaker sections, six percent is reserved for horizontal reservation such as ex-servicemen and four percent is selected for persons with disabilities, which is at par with our open merit ones. It is going wrong, that's why I appeal to the government to make a new policy keeping open merit holders in mind so that there is no injustice with open merit holders because most of the people are open merit holders.
The government has made many scholarships available for poor people which benefit them a lot, like scholarships. Yes, don't give to the poor, my point is, if the government has many schemes for the poor, which are not for the rich children, but for the poor, there is a special thing that is reservation, which is a good thing, for the poor. So there should be reservation but 70% is too much I think it's unfair to rich kids, it's unfair to students who work hard (double day and night) but still they don't get selected in exam but Reservations are selected in the exam. What is the fault of rich kids that they are rich, they have money, no we should not look at these things but we should also look at the things that are true like something. Rich kids work so hard, maybe some poor kids don't work so hard but still rich kids don't get selected as much as poor kids get selected, it's unfair to those kids who work hard day and night, if someone gets reservation The problem arises from, if someone goes into depression due to reservation, if someone suffers from addiction due to reservation, if someone takes any step due to reservation which may endanger his life. If so, no one else is responsible for it.
Comments
Post a Comment