Fwd: Serious Alert

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: M C Raj <mcraj.reds@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 17, 2011 at 10:11 AM
Subject: Serious Alert



Friends

With the recent gaining of 300 Acres of land at Ankanalli in Chamrajanagar District, REDS has made history. Now it is 10,003.24 acres of land that REDS has either gained or regained only through the efforts of the Dalit Panchayat Movement. We have gone through court cases largely, but our hands have often been also filled with mud, slush and blood in this entire path of finding sustaining life and dignity for our people. At the end of the road both of us stand very proud along with hundreds of our Dalit leaders who have even dared pointed guns at their chests. 

We are now celebrating this achievement with our people on 10 January 2012 in Tumkur. It is also the Dalit New Year Day. We are alerting you already now to join us in this celebration. Some cases will be presented to visitors as to how this is possible to regain land. What strategies were used and how determined the entire operation was through many years. It will be interesting to interact with our people on that day. Please mark the day 10 January 2012 to be in Tumkur. We have also accommodation for those who want to stay for a night or two. No problems. It will also give many an opportunity to visit the Dalit Ashram. 

Here below you can also read our struggle at Ankanalli and its monetary value.

Warm regards

Jyothi and Raj, TEAM REDS, Booshakthi Vedika and Dalit Panchayat Movement.

ANKANALLI

The Superintendent of Police calls up Sunder Raj at 11.30 in the evening and warns him that if he dared to go to Ankanalli at that part of night he would arrest him on the way.  Sunder Raj reaches Ankanalli daring the SP to arrest him, if had the guts. That brings Ankanalli to the centre state of our action-cum-struggle-cum success.

 

'Hey, you fellows come with your drums. We are celebrating our deity today.' The Lingayats (dominant caste) sent out their usual message to the Dalits.

 

'If you are celebrating your deity, you can as well beat your drums. Last time around when we came, you insulted us. This time we shall not come.' The Dalits dared to rebel.

 

'These bloody sons of a bitch have to be taught a fitting lesson. Close all public places for them. No shop should sell anything to any Dalit in the village. No drinking water. Any mother fucker who sells things to them will meet with a fine of Rs.500/-' The village leader pronounced his judgement without any proceedings. Courts in India were put to shame for the number of years they take for passing judgments. Efficiency of caste courts, eh?

 

Innumerable complaints to the police met with deafening silence. No action please, we belong to Lingayat caste, the police stations seemed to resound.

 

Ankanalli! Gundlupet Taluk! Chamrajanagar District in Karnataka. 07-08-2010

 

It is now becoming a habit also in Karnataka. Dalits gave a copy of their complaint to the Dalit Panchayat, to Susheela and Sunder Raj to be precise.

 

Phone Calls to the Minister responsible for the District from Sunder Raj. The caste citadels began to shake in the bottom.

 

'Set fire to their houses. Bloody bastards! How dare they make a complaint to the police against us? We should teach a lesson to these bloody assholes. Collect all the kerosene in our houses.' Common dialogue among the Lingayats!

 

Four houses set on fire. The flames carried SOS to Sunder Raj and Susheela without delay. The heat carried the messages to the MLA, MP, DGP, DIG. Mobile revolution!

They descended on the village with the MP in forefront. He is a strong supporter of the Dalit Panchayat. 

 

Good time to take up the issue of land grant to 43 Dalit families in the year 1960. The forest department took the land away and did not allow the Dalits to cultivate in their own land. Re-captured the land from the Forest Department @ 4 acres of land each family. Wow!

 

The consequence:

 

Immediate Relief to 6 Families – Rs. 3000 x 6                        =            18,000

Houses to 6 families  - 70,000 x 6                                          =            420,000

Loans to 99 individual Dalits – 25,000 x 99                             =            2,475,000

Grant to 8 Women SHGs  100,000 x 8                                   =            800,000

Re-capturing of land 300,000 x 4 x 43                                    =            51,600,000

Tube Wells for 43 Families            100,000 x 43                     =            4,300,000

Fresh grant of 4 acres to 32 landless Dalit

Families @ 4 acres each – 300,000 x 4 x 32                          =            38,400,000

 

Total achievement measured by money                                 =            98,013,000

 

Plus immeasurable amount of Dignity, self-confidence and courage. The monthly investment of REDS on Chamrajnagar District is only a maximum of Rs. 15,000/- But the dividend for the Dalit people only in this one struggle is over 98 million rupees. Incomparable result, outcome and impact! Kudos Sunder Raj and Susheela! People like you are the real heroes.

 

--

M C Raj

REDS, REDS Road
Shanthinagar
Tumkur 572102
Karnataka, India

Phone: ++91-816-2277026
Fax:     ++91-816-2272515
Mobile: ++9845144893

Vist my blog: http://dalitashram.blogspot.com

Please visit my Blog at: http://www.authormcraj.com

Email for electoral reforms: ceri.reds@gmail.com

Email for REDS: jyothi.dalitreds@gmail.com

--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/