There have been so many debates on Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan.But to which extent it is working? And what is the situation of the people who actually clean India? This episode follows the story of Kiran bhai, who is fighting for the rights of scavengers. He himself has worked as a sweeper and understands the pain and plight of the scavengers personally. Know more about him and the situation of the scavengers of the region in which Kiran bhai is working.
Filed under Caste, Caste Discrimination, Dr Ambedkar Books, Dr B R Ambedkar, video
SAFEGUARDS IN THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION FOR SCHEDULED CASTES
AND SCHEDULED TRIBES
The important Constitutional safeguards for SCs & STs are mentioned below:
(a) Directive Principles of State Policy
Article 46 is a comprehensive article comprising both the developmental and regulatory aspects. It reads as follows:
“The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections, of the people, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation”.
(b) Social Safeguards
Article 17. “Untouchability” is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of “Untouchability” shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.
To give effect to this Article, Parliament made an enactment viz., Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955. To make the provisions of this Act more stringent, the Act was amended in 1976 and was also renamed as the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. As provided under the Act, Government of India also notified the Rules, viz., the PCR Rules, 1977, to carry out the provisions of this Act. As cases of atrocities on SCs/STs were not covered under the provisions of PCR Act, 1955, Parliament passed another important Act in 1989 for taking measures to prevent the atrocities. This act known as the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, became effective from 30.1.1990. For carrying out the provisions of this Act the Govt. of India have notified the SCs and the STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 on 31.3.1995.
Article 23. Prohibits traffic in human beings and begar and other similar forms of forced labour and provides that any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law. It does not specifically mention SCs & STs but since the majority of bonded labour belong to SCs/STs this Article has a special significance for SCs and STs. In pursuance of this article, Parliament has enacted the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. For effective implementation of this Act, the Ministry of Labour is running a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for identification, liberation and rehabilitation of bonded labour.
Article 24 provides that no child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment. There are Central and State laws to prevent child labour. This article too is significant for SCs and STs as a substantial portion, if not the majority, of child labour engaged in hazardous employment belong to SCs and STs.
Article 25(2)(b) provides that Hindu religious institutions of a public character shall be thrown open to all classes and sections of Hindus. This provision is relevant as some sects of Hindus used to claim that only members of the concerned sects had a right to enter their temples. This was only a subterfuge to prevent entry of SC persons in such temples. For the purpose of this provision the term Hindu includes Sikh, Jaina and Budhist.
Educational and Cultural Safeguards
Article 15(4) empowers the State to make any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for SC and ST. This provision has enabled the State to reserve seats for SCs and STs in educational institutions including technical, engineering and medical colleges and in Scientific & Specialised Courses. In this as well as in Article 16(4)the term ‘backward classes’ is used as a generic term and comprises various categories of backward classes, viz., Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Denotified Communities (Vimukta Jatiyan) and Nomadic/Seminomadic communities.
Filed under Caste Discrimination, Casteism, Dalit, Dalit-Bahujans, Dr B R Ambedkar, Equal Rights
M V Nadkarni’s recent article “Is Caste System Intrinsic to Hinduism?: Demolishing a Myth”, (EPW, November 8, 2003) comes as a follow-up to his earlier article “Ethics and Relevance of Conversions: A Critical Assessment of Religious and Social Dimensions in a Gandhian Perspective”(Januay 18). Both articles show the fundamental stamp of Hindutva ideology, primary of which is shoddy methodology, selective quotation (for example, his references to my work are to a 10-year old book and selectively at that), and illogic.
The illogic in the ‘Caste System’ article begins with a basic, unexamined premise: that there is some entity called ‘Hinduism’, a religion which has lasted 4,000 years and which comprehends ‘classical’ as well as ‘medieval’ and ‘modern’ forms. This is the most historically unjustified premise, since the term ‘Hindu’ to refer to a religious belief was never used until the establishment of Muslim regimes (and then only in some parts of India; for instance, Tukaram – who Nadkarni takes as one of the ‘Hindu’ bhakti
sants, never in all his 4,700 abhangs used this word) and it never came into generalised use throughout India until the 19th century. This has been documented by numerous scholars and I will not cite them here. The illogic is that Nadkarni assumes, and documents, changes in the caste as a socio-historical structure (which I think is correct) but does not question the supposedly unchanging character of an essential ‘Hinduism’. (Incidentally, Nadkarni is silent on whether Buddhism, Jainism and the shramanic traditions should be considered as part of ‘Hinduism’).
Other mistakes pale before this basic point, but I will take up a few issues.
Filed under Caste Discrimination, Casteism, Dalit, Dr B R Ambedkar, Equal Rights
Dr. Ambedkar’s Perspective on Restructuring Indian Nation in the context of Dalit Question
Written by – Sukhadeo Thorat
Introduction
The Caste System in its classical form is an unique institution of social governance of the Hindu society. It is based on some specific principles and rules which make it an unique one. Foremost of them is that it involve a division of persons in various social groups called castes The division is created and maintained through institution of endogamy. The duties and the rights, (civil, cultural/religious, political and economic) are assigned to each of these castes by birth in advanced but in an unequal manner . The duties and rights are thus pre-determined by birth in to the specific caste and are hereditary ,not subject to change by deeds of the individuals . The social position or standing of each caste is hierarchically arranged , in the sense that the rights gets reduced in descending order, that is , from the Brahmin( who are located at the top of hierarchy) to the untouchable ,who are placed at the bottom of the caste hierarchy .The caste are hierarchically arranged in a manner that they are interlinked with each other such that rights and privileges of the high castes become the disabilities of the lower castes .In this sense caste does not exist in single number but only in plural , and interlinked (or made interdependent) with each in an unequal measure of relationship. Therefore one has to look at castes as “system” and not caste as single entity in isolation. Another distinguish feature of this system is that it laid down a systematic machanism for enforcement in the form of social and economic ostracism involving penalties and punishments against the violation of the system in practice. But above all the system is sanctified and supported, directly or indirectly by the philosophical elements in Hindu religion. Therefore for generality of Hindus the caste system is religiously sanctified institution to be practice as system of divine creation and matter of religious faith. It is this religious foundation and sanctity, which provide enduring strength and stubbiness to the institution of caste (Lal Deepak, 1984, Ambedkar 1936 and 1987 )
Filed under Dalit, Dalit-Bahujans, Dr B R Ambedkar
Some 500 protesters in Mumbai’s Dharavi protesting for justice for Rohith Vemula were beaten up by goons of RSS. Several protesters sustained injuries including students. Around 10 protesters were admitted to hospital. We demand strict action against RSS goons.
“We were protesting peacefully when 15-20 people attacked the front lines of our rally with lathis,” said Ajmal Khan, a student at the rally, who suffered a head and chest injury. Others, he said, were injured on their head, back and hand. “There was one slogan they were shouting, saying, ‘Jai Bhim walon ko maaro’. Attack the Jai Bhim people.”
Shyam Sonar, a representative of the Republican Panthers organisation, said that 25-40 attackers tore the clothes of women and “misbehaved with them”. He, along with reportedly hundreds of others, are now holding a protest at the Dharavi police station to ensure that all the attackers were detained.
Photo Credit: Sreejith Murali via Facebook, Source – Scroll
Filed under Caste Discrimination, Casteism, Dalit, Dr B R Ambedkar
Today, once again staff at Facebook India office proved that they are also Brahmins! Sanghis have occupied every space. Facebook India removed my post named ‘Welcome to Brahmin India’ and removed the same post from my Facebook page ‘Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s Caravan’, claiming these don’t follow Facebook Community Standards! Wow! What standards, Facebook India is claiming? What happens to those standards when Sanghi leaders name Dalits as Dogs and Muslims as Terrorist or Dalits as Terrorist Sympathizers? I can still see 1000s of posts against reservation and calling minority communities with all sorts of names. Where are Facebook Community Standards, Sanghis?
Facebook India is asking me remove anything that is against Brahmin lords from my facebook page – ‘Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s Caravan’!
To stop Dalits expressing their views, Facebook Sanghis are you gonna write letters to Brahmin leaders that Facebook has become a den of anti-national and casteist activities? So much pressure on Facebook India Sanghis to quickly delete any post that is against their Brahmin lords! I must acknowledge that Facebook Sanghis are doing a great job on that – keeping Facebook clean of any post that is against their Brahmin lords so that not many Dalits, Muslims or other minority communities get to know the real face of Brahmin lords!
So much so on the name of Freedom of Speech and claims that Arab Spring showed the power of Facebook. In reality, Dear Facebook Sanghis if you have problem with any point in ‘Welcome to Brahmin India’ post, then why don’t you search on Facebook and you will find the answers whether Dalits are not labeled as Terrorist Sympathizers or hasn’t founder of terrorist organisation, RSS, written that wherever Christians have gone they have proved to be ‘Blood Suckers’. If Facebook Sanghis think my posts are anti-national or inciting hatred then why not they go to court and sue me? Babasaheb have given enough legal provision to everyone, including Sanghis, no matter Sanghis follow those legal provisions or not but they are there for Sanghis also.
Where is the spirit of open discussion and debate in Facebook India Community Standards or it just follows rules set out by leaders sitting at Nagpur? Read your books properly before deleting any message, it shows how much you care about Freedom of Speech! Shame on you Facebook India Sanghis.
Here is the ‘Welcome to Brahmin India’ post that Facebook deleted.
Filed under Caste Discrimination, Casteism, Dalit, Dr B R Ambedkar
भारत के कैंपस में असंतोष सतह के नीच अरसे से खदबदा रहा था. हैदराबाद सेंट्रल यूनिवर्सिटी के पीएचडी स्कॉलर रोहित वेमुला की सांस्थानिक हत्या ने तापमान को बढ़ाकर वहां पहुंचा दिया, जहां यह असंतोष फट पड़ा. आज पूरे देश में, हर यूनिवर्सिटी में छात्र और तमाम अन्य लोकतांत्रिक और न्यायप्रिय जमातों के लोग जिस तरह सड़को पर उतर आए हैं, उसकी बुनियाद पुरानी है और बेहद सख्त भी. इसलिए उसमें किसी भी तरह की लहर या दरार पैदा करने के लिए किसी बड़ी घटना की जरूरत थी. अफसोस की बात है कि रोहित की जान जाने से पहले तक इस ओर ज्यादातर लोगों का ध्यान नहीं गया. यह सवाल सिर्फ कैंपस का न होकर भारतीय लोकतंत्र से जुड़ा है.
भारतीय राष्ट्र ने 1950 में गणतंत्र बनने के दौरान नागरिकों से कुछ वादे किए थे. उन्हीं वादों के आधार पर नागरिकों ने खुद को यह संविधान आत्मार्पित किया था. उन वादों में समानता, स्वतंत्रता और बंधुत्व प्रमुख हैं. क्या राष्ट्र राज्य उन वादों पर खरा उतर पाया, जिनका वादा उन्होंने अपने सबसे छोटी मगर सबसे महत्वपूर्ण ईकाई यानी नागरिकों से किया था? मुझे संदेह है. संविधान की ड्राफ्टिंग कमेटी के चेयरमैन और राष्ट्रनिर्माता बाबा साहेब डॉ. भीमराव आंबेडकर ने 25 नवंबर, 1949 को संविधान सभा के आखिरी भाषण में जब संविधान पर उठाए गए तमाम सवाल सवालों का जवाब दिया, तो साथ में यह चेतावनी भी दी थी कि 26 जनवरी,1950 को भारत अंतर्विरोधों के युग में प्रवेश करेगा, जहां राजनीतिक समानता होगी लेकिन सामाजिक और आर्थिक गैरबराबरी होगी. उन्होंने चेताया था कि अगर इस गैरबराबरी को खत्म नहीं किया गया, तो असंतुष्ट लोग संविधान के उस ढांचे को तबाह कर देंगे, जिसे संविधान सभा ने बनाया है. हम और आप आज जानते हैं कि वह असमानता घटने की जगह बढ़ी है.
अगर शिक्षा क्षेत्र को देखें, तो बाबा साहेब की चेतावनी के संदर्भ में हम समझ सकते हैं कि वहां क्या हो रहा है और क्यों हो रहा है. भारत में पारंपरिक रूप से शिक्षा पर चंद सवर्ण जातियों का वर्चस्व रहा है. यह शायद वैदिक काल से चला आ रहा है, जब महिलाओं और शूद्रों के लिए शिक्षा निषिद्ध थी, गुरुकुलों के द्वार बंद थे. अंग्रेजों के आने के बाद बहली बार शिक्षा के द्वारा तमाम जातियों के लिए खुले. 1848 में सावित्रीबाई फुले ने भारत में लड़कियों का पहला स्कूल पुणे के भिडेवाड़ा में खोला, जिसके लिए उनपर पत्थर और गोबर फेंके गए. आजादी के बाद से हालांकि कहने को, शिक्षा के द्वार सबके लिए खुले थे, पर शिक्षा क्षेत्र में सामाजिक वर्चस्व काफी हद तक जस का तस बना रहा.
Filed under Caste Discrimination, Casteism, Dalit, Dr B R Ambedkar
Few days back AAP wanted Dalits to be REFORMED, today BJP wants Dalits to suffer silently! Both upper castes casteist parties. When Dalits start asserting for rights, it becomes CRYING for so called upper castes! Today, Modi Murdabad slogans were raised at Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow when PM began addressing students. And then Modi advised Dalits to suffer silently!
Modi, BJP, RSS, VHP want Dalits to remain silent and suffer in their hands. Dalits should stop studying and start serving your Brahmin lords then only Brahmin lords will be happy! But let me remind these casteist people that we will fight and we will write against the injustice, you can’t stop our pens.
Suffer silently and suffer with dignity that’s what the message of our KillerOfMuslims-RSSParcharkar-OBC-Dalit-Who-Knows-What PM is!
Modi at Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow – Mother India has lost a son. Yes, mother India has lost a son, a Dalit. Can Mr. PM punish his ministers for Rohith’s murder?
Let’s check some other facts –
Modi’s ministers – Rohith was not Dalit.
Modi’s minsters forced him to suicide.
Modi’s ministers – Rohith was terrorist sympathizer.
Modi’s ministers – He was anti-national.
Modi’s supporters – Rohith was Jihadi communist dog, Not even a Dalit.
Then Modi advised Dalits to suffer silently, don’t dare to raise voice against injustice!
Shame on such a PM!
Filed under Caste Discrimination, Casteism, Dalit, Dr B R Ambedkar
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