From: Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC <pmarc2008@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 10:15 PM
Subject: [PMARC] Dalits Media Watch - News Updates 03.01.11
To: Dalits Media Watch <PMARC@dgroups.org>
Dalits Media watch
News Updates 03.01.11
Dalits allege attack by Congress workers - Express Buzz
http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/dalits-allege-attack-by-congress-workers/236389.html
Dalit Millionaires Hold Biz Meet - The Wall Street Journal
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/01/03/dalit-millionaires-hold-biz-meet/
Christian leaders distressed over conviction of Binayak Sen - DNA
Naxals 'recruiting' SC/ST students in urban areas - Indian Express
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxals-recruiting-sc-st-students-in-urban-areas/732351/0
SC, ST farmers to go for commercial crops - Deccan Chronicle
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/rajahmundry/sc-st-farmers-go-commercial-crops-917
Punia: SC-ST panel can probe backward girl rape case - The Times Of India
CII turns down govt advice on ombudsman for SC/ST jobs - Business Standard
Kiran urged to settle SC categorisation issue - The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/03/stories/2011010355400900.htm
Kiran urged to settle SC categorisation issue - The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/03/stories/2011010355400900.htm
Dalits plan to perform 'samathuva pongal' - The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/03/stories/2011010355150700.htm
Express Buzz
Dalits allege attack by Congress workers
http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/dalits-allege-attack-by-congress-workers/236389.html
First Published : 03 Jan 2011 03:52:51 AM IST
GADAG: Political rivalry came to the fore just after a day of zilla and taluk panchayat polls in Benthur village of Gadag taluk. A group of Congress workers allegedly attacked dalits who are said to be BJP supporters. A complaint has been filed against 10 Congress workers in Gadag rural police station on Sunday.
After polling, some hoteliers of the village denied dalits entry to their hotels. On Saturday night, some Congress workers allegedly attacked dalit houses and abused them. To protest the Congress workers' extortion in the village, on Sunday morning a group of dalits started an agitation in front of the Durgadevi temple in the village. They alleged that Congress leaders who belong to the upper caste have imposed a social boycott on them.
Senior BJP leaders of the district rushed to the village to help their party supporters and asked the police to provide them security. When the incident came to light, Superintendent of Police Ravikumar Naik visited the village and promised that an inquiry would be conducted. Gadag tahsildar DB Konnur also rushed to village and questioned the villagers on the social boycott.
SP Ravikumar Naik told Express that there was no social boycott of dalits in the village. Some miscreants attacked dalits and some minor injuries were reported, he said. An atrocity case has been filed against 10 persons, but the accused have escaped. "I hope they will be arrested within the next 24 hours," he said.
District Minister CC Patil visited the village and requested the villagers to maintain social harmony and peace.
The minister promised that the miscreants would be punished.
The Wall Street Journal
Dalit Millionaires Hold Biz Meet
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/01/03/dalit-millionaires-hold-biz-meet/
By Tripti Lahiri
At a dinner Sunday night for Dalit entrepreneurs, Montek Singh Ahluwalia—the man who sets India's spending priorities in its five-year plans—looked on benignly as Dalit businessmen (and at least one businesswoman) were called forward by name to meet him.
He asked one young man, Harsh Bhasker, who runs a coaching institute in Agra that preps students for engineering and medical college exams, what his institute's success rate was.
He asked Sanjay Kshirsagar, who makes audio equipment but is also involved in real estate development, about a slum renewal project he's working on in Mumbai.
He then crowned two businessmen with tinsel crowns, including one who was billed as "the youngest CEO" at the gathering although the young man in question was quick to clarify that actually he heads a nonprofit.
"This definitely shows that with the new economic policies, which have led to new opportunities, there are social changes taking place that are not negative for Dalits," said Mr. Ahluwalia.
The people at the gathering agreed, praising India's economic liberalization and globalization for giving them new opportunities. Historically Dalits fall at the bottom of India's caste totem pole, and were confined to hereditary jobs considered menial or dirty by other caste groups.
"These are products of after globalization," said Milind Kamble, who runs a construction firm. In 2005, he started a business forum for Dalit entrepreneurs like himself. "In the open market everybody can enter provided he has competency."
The dinner Sunday was organized by Mr. Kamble and activist and writer Chandra Bhan Prasad.
On Monday afternoon, the group of Dalit entrepreneurs—the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industries—is set to visit Mr. Ahluwalia at his office. Folks at the gathering Sunday night said this was the first time a Dalit business forum was meeting formally with a government official ahead of the budget in February, and that they intended to ask for help—though not quotas for employment in private sector firms, they were quick to add.
"I expect to have a very full interaction with them," said Mr. Ahluwalia, adding that he planned to ask them what government policies they had found beneficial. The commission will soon be beginning work on its next five-year plan.
The planning official said he wanted to know: "What was it government did when they were younger, which they now find was really crucial?"
The entrepreneurs at the gathering, many of whom seemed to hail from families that were already educated or in some way ahead of many others in the community, said one of the big challenges for Indian business—financing—is even harder for them.
"We are from a community where we don't have any assets and we are first-generation businessmen," said Mr. Kamble, who started the chamber in 2005. Mr. Kamble's father was a primary school teacher but the 43-year-old said that he saw the earnings in a job like that as too limited. He carried out the construction work on his first contract by borrowing money from friends.
Just as Dalit political organizers have done in the past (there was once a Dalit Panthers organization, named after the Black Panthers), Dalit businessmen look to the African-American civil rights movement for inspiration.
"The black man in the White House…this did not happen overnight," said Mr. Kamble as the evening drew to a close. "It is the result of 40 years of struggle."
DNA
Christian leaders distressed over conviction of Binayak Sen
Published: Sunday, Jan 2, 2011, 19:08 IST Place: Shillong | Agency: PTI
The All India Christian Council (AICC) today expressed "deep distress" at the "systematic targeting and persecution" of human rights activists Binayak Sen and Teesta Setalvad by government agencies as well as by organised groups.
In a statement, the AICC regional secretary Madhu Chandra, said, "India's future as a vibrant secular democracy requires an abiding commitment to civil liberties and human dignity of its citizens."
The AICC also listed "erosion of freedom of faith and disregard of special rights for vulnerable sections" such as tribals and dalits as "major issues" facing the nation.
The Christian Council wished all fellow citizens' peace, security, and a share in the national prosperity. "Freedom of faith and human rights were special victims last year and the last decade. We recall the anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat in 2002 and the pre-planned mass violence against Christians in Kandhamal and other districts of Orissa as well as Karnataka," oseph D'souza, AICC president said.
D'souza urged the Union government to "proactively resolve the unprecedented prison term" for humanist physician Binayak Sen and bring to an end the "harassment of brave activist" Teesta Setalvad who, according to him is "currently targeted" by both state and rightwing undamentalist organisations.
"We call upon the government to ensure that a bill against communal violence is brought before Parliament which fully addresses the fears of micro-minorities such as the Christians in India. The Christian Council fully supports the demands of dalit Christians and Muslims and we hope the government and Supreme Court grant them justice in 2011," the release read.
Indian Express
Naxals 'recruiting' SC/ST students in urban areas
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxals-recruiting-sc-st-students-in-urban-areas/732351/0
As Naxalites shift focus from rural to urban and semi-urban areas, investigations reveal that for the past two years, the outlaws have started concentrating on students' hostels and slums in towns and cities, including Mumbai.
Targeting mainly young Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe teenagers, they have already started recruiting them into their dalams (squads), investigations reveal.
Between 10 and 15 hostellers from Chandrapur city and slum dwellers from Mumbai, including 3-4 girls, have already been recruited, sources said. The information came to light during the interrogation of some senior Naxals arrested recently in Vidarbha, sources said.
The Indian Express had last month reported about the Naxal plan to recruit youths from urban areas.
"While most are from backward class students' hostels in Chandrapur, some were picked up from Mumbai slums," sources said.
"They attended a lecture on Marx, Lenin and Mao's philosophy at a remote place in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh, delivered by state committee members, including senior cadre Milind Teltumbdein," sources said.
"It's easy to lure these fellows when they are young... They are first inducted into front organisations and then slowly indoctrinated before being recruited into dalams," sources said.
Some students belonging to a local organisation in Chandrapur were apprehended a few years ago. "Some of these new recruits actually belonged to this organisation that had come under the scanner then," sources added.
Some recruits are from Wani area of Yavatmal.
"The Naxals have started focusing on students' hostels in places such as Rajura, Brahmapuri, Mul, Saoli and Nagbhid in Chandrapur district and Wani in Yavatmal," sources said.
The sources said the parents of the boys and girls have no idea that their children are being trained and recruited as members of the Naxal army.
Deccan Chronicle
SC, ST farmers to go for commercial crops
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/rajahmundry/sc-st-farmers-go-commercial-crops-917
January 3rd, 2011
Jan. 2: The AP Micro Irrigation Corporation (APM-IP) has adviced the SC, ST farmers to take up commercial crops for its financial viability and long-term returns in East Godavari. In the wake of occurrence of natural disasters like cyclones and floods affecting the farming community, it was found that commercial crops like flowers, oil palm and guava will generate good returns for these sections.
With most farmers from these sections in the below poverty line and cultivating lands provided to them under various schemes by government, the authorities have decided to extend this mode of facility as it provides 100 per cent subsidy on the costs of installation of the system, both drip and sprinkler irrigation.
In the first phase Burrilanka village in Kadiyam mandal, Ravulapalem village in the same mandal and Rampachodavaram mandal in the Agency area were selected. In total, 271 farmers were identified in all three areas and cultivation will be taken up over 185 acres. As many as 171 farmers in the first two places are SCs and the remaining are STs.
The APMIP extends `50,000 per hectare towards equipment installation cost and extra cost is borne by the farmer. Micro irrigation benefits farmers as it eliminates weeds and waterborne diseases. The East Godavari APMIP project officer (PO), Mr K. Saja Naik, said that these crops were selected after consultations with these sections. "We will extend sprinkler irrigation as per crop need with 100 per cent subsidy on the costs of installation of the equipment. Commercial crops are selected on the basis of long term interests of these sections for regular income," the PD said. The process of land identification was over and the process of installation of equipment was also taken up, Mr Naik added.
The Times Of India
Punia: SC-ST panel can probe backward girl rape case
TNN, Jan 3, 2011, 08.18am IST
UCKNOW: Reacting to cabinet secretary, Shashank Shekhar Singh's statement at that the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes had no right to investigate the Neelu rape case as the girl was an OBC and not the SC or ST, Punia said that the commission was well within its rights to probe the case.
Once the principal secretary to Mayawati, Punia said that the commission was empowered under article 338(10) of the Constitution to investigate cases of atrocities against the backward castes including the OBC.
Taking a pot shot at the cabinet secretary, Punia said that Singh was acting like a BSP spokesperson. "He is a government functionary. If at all he wishes to act like a BSP spokesperson, then he should first resign," Punia said.
The Congress MP from Barabanki, termed Shekhar's allegations as highly offensive and misleading.
Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, Shashank Shekhar had said that Punia was indulging in petty politics regarding the case. He said that Punia's demand of a report from the state government was not under the purview of the commission, since the victim was an OBC.
Business Standard
CII turns down govt advice on ombudsman for SC/ST jobs
Press Trust of India / New Delhi January 1, 2011, 0:05 IST
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) today turned down a direction of the government for appointing an ombudsman to track job creation for scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs). It said it cannot create such an institution.
However, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) had appointed noted industrialist Y K Modi as an ombudsman for overseeing employment generation for the weaker sections. Due to his pre-occupations, Modi had since vacated this post and Ficci was looking for an alternative, chamber sources said.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has nominated heads of four regional chambers — Madras Chamber of Commerce, Bombay Chamber of Commerce, Merchant Chamber and PHDCCI — as ombudsmen.
"The Assocham president will be an arbitrator at the apex level. We have conveyed this to the Prime Minister's Office," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.
But CII maintained that it had no mandate to create such an institution. "A formal position of ombudsman was not created since industry associations like CII do not have the legal mandate to create and empower such a person, since discharge of duties of an ombudsman could need semi-judicial powers," CII said in a statement.
CII said "its decision" had already been made known. In a recent letter to the industry bodies, the government had sought the status from the chambers on the issue.
The Hindu
Kiran urged to settle SC categorisation issue
http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/03/stories/2011010355400900.htm
Special Correspondent
HYDERABAD: President of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), Manda Krishna, on Sunday reiterated his demand that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi to bring pressure on Centre to introduce a bill in Parliament for categorisation of the Scheduled Castes.
Kiran's promise
He recalled that on December 11, the Chief Minister had made him break his indefinite fast by promising that he would lead an all-party delegation. He wondered why it was not happening and what factors were working against it when most political parties had even offered letters in writing to the Centre in support of such a move.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has passed an unanimous resolution and apart from the Usha Mehra Commission having submitted its report, all the political parties had specified in their election manifestoes supporting categorisation.
"What else is the Centre waiting for ?", Mr. Krishna wondered.
The Hindu
Dalits plan to perform 'samathuva pongal'
http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/03/stories/2011010355150700.htm
Staff Reporter
Tirupur: Dalits from the Vellakoil block, who have been fighting for their rights to enter the new Uthamapalayam Mariamman temple, have decided to perform 'samathuva pongal' on the adjoining original Mariamman temple premises on January 15.
Uthamapalayam Temple Entry Agitation Committee convener S. Karuppaiah said people belonging to Dalit, Mudaliar, Gounder and, Nadar communities, among the few other socially suppressed sections, would be involved in the 'samathuva pongal'.
Ritual
The decision to observe the ritual was taken at a meeting of the Temple Entry Agitation Committee held on Thursday. "We are performing the ritual at the old temple since the new Mariamman temple is closed following the order of Dharapuram Revenue Divisional Officer," Mr. Karuppaiah said.
Closure order
The RDO, exercising his powers as sub-divisional magistrate, issued the closure order following allegations of caste suppression raised by the Dalits in the locality and the subsequent tension between them and caste Hindus.
Mr. Karuppaiah said the Collector and Superintendent of Police would be invited for the 'samatuva pongal' function.
--
.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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