From: Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC <pmarc2008@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, May 28, 2010 at 4:13 PM
Subject: [PMARC] Dalits Media Watch - News Updates 28.05.10
To: Dalits Media Watch <PMARC@dgroups.org>
Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 28.05.10
Couple stoned to death for caste defiance - The Telegraph
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100528/jsp/nation/story_12496072.jsp
Remembering Sarat - Express Buzz
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/remembering-sarat/176913.html
Cong targets non-Jatavs to expand base in Maya bastion - The Economic Times
Speedy disposal of SC, ST cases stressed - The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/28/stories/2010052853660300.htm
Narayana's free offer for SC/ST students - The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/28/stories/2010052860700600.htm
The Telegraph
Couple stoned to death for caste defiance
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100528/jsp/nation/story_12496072.jsp
G.S. RADHAKRISHNA
Nizamabad, May 27: A Dalit father of two and his upper-caste lover were allegedly stoned to death in an Andhra village in a suspected honour killing case being dubbed the state's first.
The bodies of S. Sunkari Srinivas, 32, and Swapna Reddy, 22, bearing injury marks caused by stone hits, were found on the outskirts of Krishnajiwadi village in Nizamabad district last night, police said. The attackers were alleged relatives of Swapna, who could not accept her relationship with a married man from a lower caste.
The couple had got married this January in Tirupati, apparently on the sly, but returned to the village a couple of days back in the hope of being able to convince their relatives to accept the relationship, the police said.
According to neighbours, there were a lot of arguments and heated exchanges at Swapna's home all of yesterday. At one point, the relatives of the girl dragged the couple out of their house and allegedly started stoning them as the villagers watched in horror. "Show no mercy and kill them," one of Swapna's brothers was heard telling the attackers.
The bodies were found late in the night, dumped on a roadside on the outskirts of the village. Sub-inspector V. Vijay Kumar confirmed the bodies bore injuries caused by stone hits and that the couple had died almost immediately.
Nizamabad police chief K. Venkateshwara Rao said Swapna's relatives had stoned them to death and that a probe was on. No arrests have been made so far.
Strangely enough, Srinivas's first wife Padma, 27, appeared to have accepted his relationship with Swapna. "He had always been a wayward husband and beat me whenever I asked him (about his affairs)," the police quoted Padma as saying.
The killings were said to have sparked tension between the Dalits and upper castes in the village. A police picket has been posted.
Although the incident is possibly a first in Andhra, social tensions are not new in the state's rural areas, dominated by the land-owing upper castes such as the Reddys, Kamma and Velamas. Inter-caste marriages are almost taboo.
Only last week, an inter-caste couple were invited by relatives and served poisoned sweets in Karimnagar, the police said. The pair survived as friends were quick to suspect foul play when the two collapsed and rushed them to hospital.
Earlier, an upper caste groom was beaten unconscious by his relatives at the wedding venue before his Dalit bride and scores of guests.
Express Buzz
Remembering Sarat
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/remembering-sarat/176913.html
Last Updated : 28 May 2010 01:15:41 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It's a void which has filled the minds and works of a large number of documentary-makers and film-makers in Kerala with unbearable silence. The loss of a man - a comrade, documentary maker, social activist and above all a passionate humanbeing - C Saratchandran to a train mishap two months back.
But shaking themselves from the grief, Sarat's friends have gotten together to pay him a befitting tribute. A one-day documentary fest at Kalabhavan on May 30 will witness like-minded people who loved Sarat and his works, meet and revive his memories.
Named 'Remembering Sarat', the event will screen almost all the works done by Sarat, alone and with his long-time friend P Baburaj. The screenings will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It will kick off with a film on Saratchandran (8 min) and the inaugural session will be attended by film-maker K P Kumaran.
The first of the documentaries to be screened would be 'Chaliyar-the final struggle', about the toxic pollution caused by Mavoor Gwalior Rayons directed by Sarat. It would be followed by a discussion attended by P K M Chekku, Hamid and Baburaj.
'The Dream', one of Sarat's earlier efforts, told the story of the children of Kanavu, the alternate tribal school at the adivasi area of Wayanad. The documentary '1000 days and a dream' co-directed by Baburaj, had won the duo recognition from almost 12 international film festivals across the globe.
The documentary by Sarat on the land-struggle by Dalits in Chengara, 'To Die for the Land' would be screened at 2.30 p.m. Half an hour later, 'Only an Axe Away', which was about the people's campaign against the conspiracy to destroy the unique Silent Valley eco-system in the disguise of Pathrakadavu hydel project, would be shown.
The presentation of John Abraham award would be held at 6 p.m., followed by the screening of 'I have ignored this love for long' which is a film by R V Ramani. 'Yours truly John,' one of Sarat's last released documentaries, would be screened at 7.15 p.m.
During the day, Sarat's counterparts and friends like K J Baby, K P Sasi, T V Chandran, K R Mohanan, Beena Paul, Saleena, Sunderraj, Ravindran, Neelan, P K Prakash, Surendran and Shaji Pattanam would share their memories about the film-maker.
''With the departure of Sarat, we have lost a dear friend and comrade, companion and chronicler, who travelled with us yet gave added dimensions to our strides and stumbles,'' his friends say. The documentary screening has the support of Federation of Film Societies of India and Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
The Econimic Times
Cong targets non-Jatavs to expand base in Maya bastion
28 May 2010, 0457 hrs IST,Urmi A Goswami,ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: Taking a leaf out of the Mahadalit experiment being carried out by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Congress has decided to target the non-Jatavs among the Dalits in an attempt to expand its social base in Uttar Pradesh.
Dalits comprise a little less than a quarter of the electorate in the politically crucial state of UP. Jatavs, the community to which Uttar Pradesh chief minister Ms Mayawati belongs, are not only numerically most significant (11-12%) but also very aggressive and organised. Over the past couple of decades, they have emerged as the most loyal vote bank of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Aware that it would be difficult to wean the Jatavs away from Ms Mayawati, Congress has identified a dozen sub-group within the Dalits, including Pasis (3%), Valmikis, Koris and Dhobis (1% each) for special attention. The party is seeking essentially to mop up the allegiance of those who feel slighted by the Mayawati regime. Interestingly, over the past year and a half, all of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's overnight stays in Dalit villages have been in non-Jatav homes.
The party leaders have been reaching out to senior members and leaders of these communities as well. Congress has attempted to build partnerships with Justice Party chief Udit Raj and R K Choudhury, a close associate of Kanshi Ram. These leaders have an influence across sub-groups of the Dalit community. It has also activated local leaders like former Congress MP Ramnihor Rakesh, who has a stronghold among the Paswan community. These leaders have been holding meetings across the state in a bid to drive a wedge in Mayawati's Dalit vote bank.
Another prong of its mission to woo the Dalit vote is its participation in the Dalit Mahapanchayat. This meeting is expected to be held in Lucknow in September. Testing the waters, the meeting will not be a direct Congress initiative though several of its senior and prominent leaders will be participating in this gathering.
During the elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in Uttar Pradesh, Congress had secured the support of Muslims and the upper castes. It now wants to fortify its position by getting a section of the Dalits to its fold.
For Congress party, Uttar Pradesh is a politically crucial state. Congress has traditionally viewed the state as a Nehru-Gandhi bastion. Consolidating its position in the state would represent a huge psychological boost for the grand old party.
In Bihar, chief minister has been wooing the poorer among the Dalits, including the Chamars, as part of his project to widen his electorate. To this end, Mr Kumar had, in 2007, set up the Mahadalit Commission to identify these communities and earmark them for special focus.
The Hindu
Speedy disposal of SC, ST cases stressed
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/28/stories/2010052853660300.htm
Special Correspondent
KHAMMAM: Speedy disposal of cases pertaining to atrocities on the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes was stressed by the Collector, N. Nageswar Rao here on Thursday.
Addressing the district level vigilance monitoring committee meeting, he said justice could be meted out to the aggrieved if the cases were resolved on time.
The complainants were ending up with a compromise where in the duration of pendency stretched beyond two years or more.
He said the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have a role to play in prevention of atrocities.
The NGOs should work with dedication in educating people on the provisions of the atrocities act and the need to treat the disadvantaged sections on an equal footing in the society.
Progress of investigation into cases pertaining to atrocities should be reviewed from time to time even at the divisional level by the officers concerned.
Some 77 cases of atrocities against scheduled castes and tribes were reported in Khammam district last year. In all 15 of them proved to be false one while the investigation was in progress in 48 cases. In respected of seven cases, the enquiry was also completed.
The Superintendent of Police Kanti Rana Tata, the district revenue officer, Prakash Kumar and the deputy director of social welfare department, Sunil Raj were among those who took part.
The Hindu
Narayana's free offer for SC/ST students
http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/28/stories/2010052860700600.htm
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: P. Narayana, chairman, Narayana group of educational institutions in the State, has offered to provide every year Intermediate education along with coaching for IIT-JEE to 200 students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes free of cost.
He made this offer during his meeting with Chief Minister K. Rosaiah here on Thursday. Mr Rosaiah complimented the Narayana group of educational institutions for bringing glory to the State.
A student from the group, A. Jithender Reddy, bagged the first rank in the IIT-JEE 2010.
Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Narayana said he had decided to help students from the backward sections following a plea by the Chief Minister. However, it would be the responsibility of the government to identify 100 students each year for the first -year Intermediate course and another 100 for the second year.
--.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")
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Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit issues is primary objective of the PMARC.
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