Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 16.04.13
Dalits flee Haryana village after upper caste attacks - The Times Of India
'Less than 50 percent SC, ST funds are being spent' - The New Indian Express
Cries of discrimination reverberate - The Times Of India
HIMACHAL DAY
Govt to spend Rs 1,014 crore for SCs, STs - The Tribune
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130416/himachal.htm#1
The Times Of India
Dalits flee Haryana village after upper caste attacks
Deepender Deswal, TNN | Apr 16, 2013, 05.34 AM IST
More than 100 Dalits fled a small Haryana village after being chased by upper caste goons, angry that a Dalit man had dared to marry one of their girls.
KAITHAL: As politicians and administrators in many northern Indian states were preparing to celebrate Dalit icon B R Ambedkar's 122nd birth anniversary this weekend, more than 100 Dalits were fleeing a small Haryana village after being chased by upper caste goons, angry that a Dalit man had dared to marry one of their girls.
Meena and Surya Kant of Pabnama village in Kaithal were in a relationship for the past two years and they tied the knot on April 10. But their happiest moment in life turned tragic for the entire village. The marriage - with Meena, from a community called the Rods and Surya, a Dalit - led to a bloody clash on Saturday that forced Dalit men and women to flee, fearing violent reprisals. Members of the Rod community attacked Dalits, injuring 10 people, including seven cops.
The couple has been living in a Kaithal town under police protection following instructions from the Punjab and Haryana high court last week.
Even two days after the violence, Dalits are still in a state of shock and not ready to return to the village. Except a few youths and elders, no women and children were present in the village. Several have gone to their relatives' places and a few are living in dharamshalas in Kurukshetra.
Ram Swaroop, a Dalit, said, "We agree that the marriage was against social norms. But why is the family of the groom and the entire community being targeted as we have no role in their marriage?"
He said it had become difficult for their families to return to the village under the circumstances as they could be assaulted again.
However, peace brokers were trying to calm things down. The two communities have formed separate committees to hold talks to sort out the differences and to restore peace in the village. Realizing that the couple could not be separated, the villagers on Monday started compromise talks.
Sarpanch Husan Singh told TOI, "As the couple remained firm on their decision to stay together, the villagers, including their family members, have left them to their fate. Members of both the communities held peace talks and I am hopeful that both would reach a compromise soon," he said.
A villager, who had talked to the couple, said both of them ruled out any possibility of parting ways even though the Rods had been pressuring them to break off. During a meeting of village elders, 20-year-old Meena, a student of BCom final year in Kaithal College, made it clear that "she would prefer to die rather than separating from her husband."
The sarpanch said it was impossible for the couple to enter the village as they did not abide by the sentiments of the villagers. Recalling the violence on Saturday, he said, "Some youngsters have attacked Dalit houses in a fit of rage but the village elders have sorted out the issue now."
However, a Dalit youth, Lakhmi Chand, alleged that there was pressure on the Dalits to strike a compromise and not to press for arrest of the attackers.
"Both the communities have formed peace committees which met today to discuss the issue. The Rods are persuading us to withdraw the cases and assured that our security would be ensured in the village. But we are still unsure and our women and children are still away," he said.
Kaithal SP Kuldeep Singh said the situation was under control on Monday and police personnel were deployed in the village. "The villagers from both the communities are making efforts to sort out the issue. The administration is cooperating with them in this initiative," he said.
Related Story :
Dalit locality attacked, water supply cut after inter-caste marriage in Haryana
The New Indian Express
'Less than 50 percent SC, ST funds are being spent'
By Express News Service - HYDERABAD
16th April 2013 09:51 AM
To set the government machinery moving has been a challenge due to lack of powers in the Planning Commission, admitted Dr Narendra Jadhav, member of the Plan panel.
Speaking on 'SC/ST Sub-Plan: Issues and Perspectives' the noted economist outlined the stagnation of the policy for a period of 35 years and initiatives for revival of the allocations made under it from the 12th Five Year Plan.
Addressing students and faculty members at the third Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Lecture at Osmania University on Monday, Jadhav expressed anguish at the lack of powers to punish officials for failing to make allocations as per the guidelines laid down in the SC/ST sub-plan. "When I took over as a member of the Planning Commission in 2009, of the 68 ministries only ministry of social empowerment and justice had opened a financial sub-head for the allocations under the sub plan. It is a good scheme which has not been implemented properly for the past 35 years," he said.
The policy suffered from four major problems including reluctance of various ministries to open a separate financial sub-head for allocations, inadequate allocations by departments and ministries which fell short of the 16.2 per cent of the total expenditure for welfare of Scheduled Castes and 6.6 per cent mandated for Scheduled Tribes.
"Of the allocations not even 50 per cent was spent. The guidelines clearly state that the funds allocated under the sub-head should not be allowed to lapse and should be made non-transferable. The diversion of funds for non-welfare project is a major problem. Recently a report also quoted a figure of Rs 732 crore being diverted by the Delhi government towards Common Wealth Games," the economist said.
The Times Of India
Cries of discrimination reverberate
TNN Apr 14, 2013, 02.24AM IST
AHMEDABAD: "We are not allowed to get our hair cut at the barber's shop in our village even if we are ready to pay a few rupees more. If the barber agrees to cut our hair, he is beaten black and blue by the upper caste people of the village," said BhupatZala, a resident of Badarkha village near Dholka.
The same problem is faced by dalits in Bhat, Kashindera, Ranoda and several other villages of Dholka district. "The dalits are not allowed to have tea in hotels in the vicinity of these villages and they are also not allowed to enter the temples built for the 'upper classes' of the society."
Tales of discrimination tore through the tag of 'developed' state as hundreds of members of the dalit community poured on to the streets of the city to raise voice against injustice meted out to them on the eve of 123rd birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar. Thousands of people from 16 states of India and 18 districts of Gujarat participated in the dalit rally organized by Navsarjan and Jan Vikas.
The rally started from Aanand Ashram in Sarkhej and ended at Sanskar Kendra, Paldi. Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar, Mallika Sarabhai, the former Chairman of UGC Sukhdeo Thorat, member of planning commission Dr Sayeeda Hameed, founder of Hamal Panchayat Baba Adhav remained present in the rally to support dalit rights. The cultural groups from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh performed special art of drum beating in the rally.
People from different states who arrived in the city to stand for dalit rights unanimously said that untouchability still prevails countrywide. Suresh Kumar, a member of Dalit Foundation, Himachal Pradesh, said, "The dalits of Santoshgarh village of Himachal Pradesh are till date not allowed passing from the streets where Brahmins and Rajputs reside. If a dalit touches the house of an upper class man, he is beaten cruelly. A small boy who mistakenly entered a temple built for upper class communities was beaten to death." The dalits who came to participate in the rally from Himachal Pradesh also agreed that the police and legal system do not support or protect them.
In Rajasthan, Mamgilal Meghwal's 30 bigha land was seized by the upper class people. His land was allotted to him on three different names Magga, Mangiya and Mamgilal which is a common tradition in dalits. Taking benefit from that, his land was seized. "Even after submitting identity proofs provided by Gram Panchayat and Jilla Panchayat, I was denied. I registered a complaint against them and also filed a court case, but no actions were taken by the authorities," said Mamgilal.
Anju Saha, a student from Manjali village of Uttarakhand, said, "Dalit ladies are not allowed to cook food in our village school. If they touch it, the Brahmin and Rajput kids won't eat it. These upper class students don't sit with the dalit students. We are even asked to leave seats empty in the busses."
Ray of hope
This proves that the problem of untouchability is ubiquitous in India. However, Satara district of Maharashtra and Karmabhoomi of Dr B R Ambedkar has a different story. According to Chandrakant More and Ujjavala Bhandare from Satara, even though the district is dominated by upper class people, no need has emerged to fight for dalit rights in recent years.
The Tribune
HIMACHAL DAY
Govt to spend Rs 1,014 crore for SCs, STs
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130416/himachal.htm#1
Tribune Reporters
Kullu, April 15
Promising an all round development of a common man, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh announced that over 1,000 unemployed youth would be trained as ambassadors of village and rural tourism at village level, while another 3,900 youth would be trained with driving skills. He further announced a tehsil and tourist information centre at Bhuntar to facilitate tourist arrivals in the Kullu valley. Greeting people on the 66th Himachal Day today, the Chief Minister unfurled the national flag at the historic Dhalpur Maidan, inspected the parade in an open jeep, took the salute of an impressive march past presented by the police, Home Guards and NCC contingents.
Addressing a large gathering, Virbhadra said there was a time when six villages had electricity and 331 villages had drinking water facility, but today every household had electricity and 70 per cent piped water.
Virbhadra said the focus of the government was on socially weaker sections, including the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled tribes (STs), for uniform development of the common man. He added Rs 1,014 crore would be spent for the welfare of Scheduled Castes under the SC sub-plan and Rs 369 crore under the tribal sub-plan. The social service sector was the top priority with Rs 1,371 crore (34 per cent) budget for this, he added.
He recounted the budget announcements like 80 per cent subsidy on the anti-hail nets to save fruit crops from hailstorms, Rs 10 lakh each for improving agri-infrastructure in all 68 selected gram panchayats under the Mukhyamantri Adarsh Krishi Gaon Yojana, Rs 1,000 skill development allowance for youth, Rs 1,500 per month for persons with disabilities and Rs 75,000 grant under the Rajiv Awas Yojana and other housing schemes under which 10,000 houseless would get houses this year.
He reiterated that Rs 363 crore would be spent on improving power distribution system to give reliable and quality power to all consumers. The domestic consumers were getting Rs 270 crore as subsidy on electricity charges, and Rs 175 crore subsidies on three dals, edible oil and iodized salt to all ration card holders under the food subsidy scheme.
He said schoolchildren diagnosed with critical or congenital illness were getting free treatment under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram under which Rs 10 crore was being spent this year.
Virbhadra said the welfare and empowerment of women was getting top priority and the CCTV cameras would be installed in Shimla and other important towns for ensuring safety of women. "20 per cent women will be recruited as constable and sub-inspector level in the police," he added.
He conferred the Himachal Gaurav Purskar, Civil Service Award and Prerna Strotra Award, respectively, on Padma Shri Vijay Sharma, an artist and historian from Chamba in art and culture, Rs 2.5 lakh Civil Services Award to 38 BRTF (GREF) of Deepak Project (Border Road Organisation) for keeping open roads in Lahaul-Spiti, Prarena Sarotra Award (NGO category) to Hamirpur-based NGO for rendering humanitarian services by providing free dead body van service in the state and gave a cash award of Rs 2.5 lakh, received by Hem Raj Chadda, its coordinator and Abdul Gani, a philanthropist from Chamba, who had donated blood over 175 times. He got Rs 21,000 as cash prize.
Rural Development Minister Anil Sharma, Kullu MLA Maheshwar Singh, Banjar MLA Karan Singh, Anni MLA Khub Ram, Vikramaditya Singh, chairman HP State Sports, Cultural and Environment Organisation Chief Secretary Sudripta Roy, DGP, B Kamal Kumar and other officials were present.
--
.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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