Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 30.11.11
Commissionerate staff lodges complaint against Amit Garg - The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article2660368.ece
Scavenging rocks grievance meet - The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/article2667614.ece
Dalit activists complainof delay in investigation - The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/article2667747.ece
SC/ST atrocities case against MLC - The Hans India
http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=2&ContentId=21259
Plan commission pushes for Dalit empowerment - The Hindustan Times
Rs 10-lakh relief to father of victim- IBN Live
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rs-10lakh-relief-to-father-of-victim/206783-60-120.html
Mangalore: Devotees attack Dalit leader for protesting Madey Snana ritual - India Today
The Hindu
Commissionerate staff lodges complaint against Amit Garg
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article2660368.ece
Staff Reporter
A senior assistant, B. Umakanth, working in Hyderabad police commissionerate, lodged a complaint against Additional Commissioner of Police, Co-ordination, Amit Garg, on Monday, alleging that he had abused him in the name of caste.
In his complaint with the Narayanaguda police, he alleged that Mr. Garg had been harassing him in the name of extracting work for past three days and threatened him with dire consequences. The complainant requested the police to invoke relevant provision of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act against Mr. Garg. Narayanaguda Inspector G. Harish Rao however maintained that he had not received any complaint while Umakanth claimed that he got an acknowledgement too. Meanwhile, sources said that Umakanth was served with a charge memo accusing him of failing to furnish information to be presented at a meeting within hours of his lodging the complaint. Mr. Umakanth reportedly replied that there was no misconduct on his part as alleged in the memo.
The Hindu
Scavenging rocks grievance meet
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/article2667614.ece
MANGALORE, November 28, 2011
Dalit factions say the practice continues despite the ban in Dakshina Kannada Various factions of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) on Sunday alleged at a meeting called to hear grievances of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes at the Police Commissioner's office that the
practice of manual scavenging had continued in the city despite the ban.
DSS (Bheemavada) activist P. Keshav said 30 people were engaged in manual scavenging on contract basis.
"These people have to enter the tank and clear the blocks as the machines used by the Mangalore City Corporation only suck out the liquid." He said these workers worked without any protective gear and here paid a meagre sum.
"In the event of accident, the corporation washes off its hands saying they are not its workers." Mr. Keshav said services of these workers should be made permanent. DSS (Ambedkarwada) District Convener S.P. Anand said there were only two machines available with the corporation
for clearing septic tanks. Of the two, only one was working, he said. Corporation Commissioner Harish Kumar toldThe Hinduthat there were three machines used for cleaning sceptic tanks and all three were in working condition. Mr. Kumar said there was no question of allowing
manual scavenging in the city. "I held a meeting of officials and reiterated the Government's policy of using machines for cleaning septic tanks."
On Friday's incident, in which a corporation contractor had allegedly employed a person for cleaning a septic tank on Azizuddin Road, Mr. Kumar said show-cause notice had been issued to the Executive Engineer, the Assistant Executive Engineer, and the Junior Engineer.
Based on their reply and the factual report by the Joint Commissioner, he would take disciplinary action against the officials. He would send a separate report to the Deputy Commissioner in the next three days.
Their inquiry would be separately carried out in addition to the one being done by the police, Mr. Kumar said. Deputy Commissioner N.S. Channappa Gowda rejected the demand for regularising the services of the 30 workers who cleaned the septic tanks. "That is a banned
practice and we cannot make them permanent. But the Government is ready to help them if these people want to take up any other occupation to earn their living," he toldThe Hindu.
The Hindu
Dalit activists complainof delay in investigation
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/article2667747.ece
MANGALORE, November 28, 2011
Staff Correspondent
Representatives of Dalit organisations on Sunday expressed their displeasure over the delay by the police in investigating their complaints.
"We have not come here to just have tea and biscuits. We want our grievances addressed properly and in a time-bound manner. We can't be asking the same questions every time," Shekar, an activist, said at a meeting at the office of the Police Commissioner to hear grievances of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Mr. Suresh was referring to the delay by the Konaje police in tracing 40-year-old Sunita who has been missing for 90 days. Although the police had been informed about the person, who had allegedly taken away the woman, action had not been taken to arrest him and trace
Sunita.
The jurisdictional police officer said the police had watched the movement of the person accused of taking away Sunita.
"But there is something else to this incident. We are investigating into it," the official said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Mutturaya and other police officers participated in the meeting.
Another activist said the Mulky police were yet to take action against persons involved in harassing Sajini although the case was reported in September.
The perpetrators, including a former Mayor, had continued to harass the complainants and denied them water, electricity, and other basic facilities. "I do not know how police is sitting silent on this issue," he said.
Mr. Mutturaya said he would shortly call the Assistant Commissioner of Police, who was on leave and take action. "There is no question of buckling under pressure," he said.
Sukumar from Shaktinagar complained about attempts being made in their locality by some Bajrang Dal activists to convert Dalits into Hinduism. He complained about nuisance caused by a bar in the locality that was kept open beyond 11 p.m.
The Hans India
SC/ST atrocities case against MLC
http://www.thehansindia.info/News/Article.asp?category=1&subCategory=2&ContentId=21259
Nalgonda: Kattamguru police in Nalgonda district registered a case under the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act against MLC and Deputy Chairman of State Legislative Council Neti Vidya Sagar Rao on Friday. Police registered the case based on a complaint lodged by CPI dalit
leader Nune Venkataswamy.
According to reports, Mr Neti Vidyasagar Rao allegedly criticised Mr enkataswamy in the name of caste for obstructing Rachabanda at Kattamgur village on November 23. Condemning the alleged remarks, the CPI lodged a complaint with the police.
The Hindustan Times
Plan commission pushes for Dalit empowerment
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Plan-commission-pushes-for-Dalit-empowerment/Article1-774848.aspx
Prasad Nichenametla, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, November 27, 2011
As the Congress scion Rahul Gandhi campaigns in Mayawati' s bastion asking UP's downtrodden to think big, a planning commission panel has shown the UPA government how to walk the talk.
A working group on welfare of the Schedule Castes (SCs) has asked the government to set up a National Bank for Inclusive Development to support businessmen from the backward sections.
The move is to encourage Dalits and other weaker sections with entrepreneurial skills to realise their business potential rather than depend on reservations or other government doles.
The initiative will come at a price tag of Rs 2,000 crore, proposed as a share capital from the government. The 12th plan working group mentioned no upper limit, but loans could be up to or more than Rs 1 crore.
The government might act a guarantor for such loans to build medium to large-scale enterprises - an area where Dalits foothold is said to be minimal.
The panel also recommended financial assistance to one lakh SC youth for acquiring land/ built up space to set up industries etc.
The move would mark advancement from the present support to Dalits limited to setting up of small businesses like a retail store or self-help avenues like sheep or sewing machines.
It is also based on reports that flow of credit to SCs through banks is not commensurate with their population and requirement.
There are an estimated 19.5 crore SCs in the country forming over 16% of total population. At present, the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation established two decades back, provides loans for income activities but is limited to SCs living below double
the poverty line.
"Development paradigm from 12th plan should be such that the SCs do not remain passive recipients of schemes … the goal is to empower SCs to participate in society and nation building on an equal basis with others," the group headed by secretary, ministry of social justice and empowerment with other department and state secretaries said.
The report setting the road map for SC empowerment in next five years, also recommended that all surplus government land be allotted to landless among the SC, STs and other priority roups.
IBN Live
Rs 10-lakh relief to father of victim
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rs-10lakh-relief-to-father-of-victim/206783-60-120.html
Express News Service , The New Indian Express
CHENNAI: The Kanchipuram District Collector has been directed by the Madras High Court to pay Rs 10 lakh towards compensation to the father of an 18-year-old boy, the only son murdered in a hostel for SC/ST students in Kanchipuram district on October 1, 2010.
According to K Saminathan, he admitted his son S Logeswaran in Kamatchi ITI in Sekkupettai in Kanchipuram district during 2010-11 and he was staying in the Adi-Dravidar Welfare Hostel in Kayarkulam.
However, Logeswaran's body was found by the cook on the hostel premises at 6 am on October 1, last year. A complaint was lodged with the Kanchi taluk police for an offence under Sec 302 (murder) of the IPC and the police arrested Purushothaman, another inmate of the hostel. The case was pending before the XII Metropolitan Magistrate, Chennai. Alleging that his son was murdered due to the sheer negligence of the warden and other authorities, the father sought to be compensated with `15 lakh.
Restricting the claim to Rs 10 lakh, Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar observed that the facts in the case were not disputed. Logeswaran's body was found by hostel cook in a pool of blood. The fact that the two students -- Logeswaran and Purushothaman -- were staying in the hostel the previous day was admitted. In the criminal case registered, Purushothaman was cited as an accused. Further, no watchman was posted in the hostel and the warden was not staying on the hostel premises. Thus, there was sheer negligence on the part of the authorities concerned in maintaining the hostel, which caused the death of the petitioner's only son. If anything happended to the inmates within the hostel premises, the warden/officials alone could be held responsible for the negligence in protecting the life of petitioner's son.
India Today
Mangalore: Devotees attack Dalit leader for protesting Madey Snana ritual
If the ritual of Dalits rolling over left over food was not bad enough, a man protesting the bizarre Madey Snana ritual at Mangalore's Kukke Subramanya temple was attacked on Wednesday.
The Dalit leader, Shivaramu, was attacked for protesting the medieval ritual. Ironically, he was assaulted by the devotees themselves.
Shivaramu had urged devotees not to perform ritual. However, his intervention enraged the devotees, who attacked him at the temple.
While the ritual itself was sickening, Karnataka Chief Minister Sadanand Gowda's response clearly indicted that he would not be the one to crack down on such inhuman practice.
Instead of condemning the practice, Gowda said it was typical ritual that has been going on for several years. He said he would look into the matter and a decision on discontinuing it would be taken only after consultations.
--
.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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