Ambedkar Action Alert: Kangaroo court backtracks on rape diktat, family still in hiding, moves Supreme Court.Dalits Media watch

COIMBATORE: Imagine seeing a picture of yourself in an advertisement to promote the use of public toilets and curb open defecation. This is exactly what happened to a group of people living in the slums of Kamarajapuram.

Their picture had been pasted next to the Namma Toilets in VOC Park and Kavundampalayam. The slum dwellers, who were seen removing the poster on Monday, have accused the Coimbatore Corporation of using their picture surreptitiously, without seeking their permission.

Thirty-eight-year-old Santhi Dinesh's daughter, Revathi, has not attended college for the past week, because she is being teased by her classmates and friends. "They have been making fun of her because her mother's picture has been stuck in front of all the public toilets in the city. They have been asking her how we relieved ourselves before 'Namma Toilets' came up. And they ask if the government has finally taught us to be clean,"

aid Santhi.

The picture features a group of people, including women and children, from various families residing in the slums of Kamarajapuram. "Many of these children who attend the SRB Ammani Ammal School in R S Puram have not been going to school for the past one week too, because of all the teasing and bullying," said T Ranganthan, a member of a Dravidian group fighting for Dalit rights.

The residents have submitted a petition to the district collector requesting removal of these posters. "Corporation officials came to our slum one year ago claiming that they were taking a census, to give us alternate housing, and made us pose for a picture. We were never told that it would be used for advertising 'Namma Toilets'. They lied to us," said Santhi.

"How can you expect the public to treat us dalits well, if the government insults us in this way," said Ranganathan.

DNA

Kangaroo court backtracks on rape diktat, family still in hiding, moves Supreme Court

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kangaroo-court-backtracks-on-rape-diktat-family-still-in-hiding-moves-supreme-court-2120560

Tuesday, 1 September 2015 - 7:20am IST | Place: Lucknow | Agency: dna | From the print edition

In news: The incident is making headlines in the global media after human rights organisation Amnesty International made a petition demanding action

Almost a month after it had decreed the rape of two sisters, a 'khap panchayat' (kangaroo court) in west UP has backtracked under mounting pressure from authorities and said that the Dalit girls aged 23 and 15, who had fled the village after the diktat, were free to return and would not be harmed.

The girls have approached the Supreme Court praying for their safety and a CBI inquiry into the incident. They have been hounded out of their native Sankrod village in Baghpat district of west UP and have been hiding in Delhi for the past three months for no fault of theirs. They have been under constant threat ever since their brother eloped with a married woman from the upper caste.

Furious over the Dalit youth's indiscretion, the native panchayat, called 'khap' and dominated by the upper caste Jats in west UP, decreed that his two sisters should be raped and paraded naked through the village with their faces blackened to avenge the dishonor.

The shocking incident has gained international attention with Nadhim Zahawi, a Conservative MP in the UK taking up the issue, asking the British foreign office "to make immediate representations to Indian authorities for action to be taken to protect the two sisters."

With the Supreme Court and the Centre virtually breathing down its neck, the state government has been jolted into action. Baghpat superintendent of police Sharad Sachan told reporters that the two Dalit girls and their family had been provided adequate security.

The authorities' pressure has also compelled the panchayat to withdraw its outlandish order. In fact, the "chaudhrys" (leaders) of the panchayat are saying that no such order had been passed. "This is an attempt by elements bent upon creating tension and disrupting law and order to garner votes in the coming panchayat election," said Rameshwar Chaudhry, one of the 'panchayat' representatives.

Several prominent Jat 'Chaudhrys' interviewed in the area by 'Zee Sangam' channel said the girls and the family were "welcome" to return, and that they would not be harmed.

"They are like our own daughters," one of them said, adding that there was no casteist tension among Jats and Jatavs (Dalits) in the area. However, the tension and uneasy calm prevailing in the village might prevent the harassed family's return indefinitely.

Meanwhile, the incident is making headlines in the global media after human rights organization Amnesty International made a petition demanding action, which has already garnered about 20,000 signatures.

The New India express

Dalit, Caste Hindu Clash over Devotee's Bid to Click Deity

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Dalit-Caste-Hindu-Clash-over-Devotees-Bid-to-Click-Deity/2015/09/01/article3004038.ece

By Express News Service Published: 01st September 2015 04:08 AM Last Updated: 01st September 2015 04:08 AM

VILLUPURAM: Weeks after the caste clash in Sethusamudram village near Villupuram left many injured and several huts gutted, another clash broke out between the Caste Hindus and Dalits at Alathur village near Marakkanam during a temple festival on Sunday night.

Sources said the 15-day long festival was being held at the Draupadi Amman temple in Alathur village. Villagers, belonging to different castes and communities, were taking part in the festival. On Sunday night, the fire-walking ceremony was conducted and next to the fire pit, an Amman idol was placed. At that time, a few local Dalit youth started taking photographs of the idol. On seeing this, a section of the Caste Hindus objected to this and tried to clear them from the spot. Soon, an argument broke out and it degenerated into a clash with the members of Dalits and Caste Hindus attacking one another with wooden logs. Twenty villagers, 10 from both sides, sustained minor injuries.

As the situation turned tense, police resorted to a lathicharge and dispersed the mob. More than 100 policemen, headed by ASP Nisha Sekar, rushed and held peace talks. Security has been tightened in the area to prevent any further untoward incident.

The Times Of India

Yadav Singh among 83 babus facing demotion from today

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Yadav-Singh-among-83-babus-facing-demotion-from-today/articleshow/48751381.cms

TNN | Sep 1, 2015, 02.22 AM IST

NOIDA/GREATER NOIDA: Yadav Singh, the suspended former engineer-in-chief of the three Authorities in Gautam Budh Nagar, is among 83 Noida officials facing demotion with effect from Tuesday.

With the Noida and Greater Noida Authorities drawing up a final list of officials to be demoted on Monday, details of action taken in the matter are required to be submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government on September 3. According to officials, while 83 officials are likely to be reverted to designations they held before November 15, 1997, in Noida, in the Greater Noida Authority the figure is seven. The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority does not have a single official facing demotion.

The move follows a Supreme Court verdict in April 2012 when it had upheld the Allahabad high court's decision to scrap the policy of reservations in promotions introduced by the Mayawati government. The Allahabad high court on January 4, 2011, had dubbed it "unconstitutional" and struck it down following at least 50 petitions by employees' associations from across the state.

In cognizance of the directions of the apex court, the Uttar Pradesh government had earlier this month approved a proposal to withdraw the promotion of all government employees who had been elevated under the 'controversial' reservation in promotion policy.

Thereafter, the state government had issued a government order (GO) on August 24 to draw up a list of gazetted officers as well as B and C-class employees who were promoted through the reservation provisions after November 15, 1997, and before April 28, 2012.

A committee had then been put into place in Noida and Greater Noida to scrutinize the files of all SC/ST employees who had taken advantage of reservation in promotion during the said period. The promotions that they received in the last 18 years were studied and the notches they are to be brought down from their current posts verified and designations notified.

Though demoted officials will not face a reduction in salary, no salary hike will be due to them until the salary of officials they had superseded do not get higher salaries, officials said.

The Statesman

Karat meets convicts of Swami Laxmananda

http://www.thestatesman.com/news/odisha/karat-meets-convicts-of-swami-laxmananda/86683.html

SNS

Left party leader Brinda Karat along with Suresh Panigrahi and Adhikant Singh social activist visited the district jail here to meet four tribals and three dalits who have been convicted in the case relating to murder of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati in 2008.

Talking to reporters Karat said " this is a case where the law has taken a totally wrong course. Innocent adivasis and dalits have been punished to assuage the threats that were made at the time for arrests.

The administration had failed to arrest the real killers and when the anger of his followers grew, the seven were arrested wrongfully. "Everyone in the district knows they are innocent, I was told by the innocent people who have been in jail for the last seven years that even the " babas" sent them messages that they know they are innocent.

"Their appeal is pending in the High Court, she added while referring to the worst ever communal riots that had rocked Kandhamal district in 2008 as a backlash to the murder of Laxmananda Saraswati who was a VHP leader.

Karat was here to address a rally organized at Raikia by the Justice and Peace for the Kandhamal Survivors Platform. Mani Shankar Aiyar, Kavitha Krishnan and the local MLA Jacob Pradhan participated and along with Brinda Karat addressed the public meeting.

The speakers strongly criticised the biased approach of the union and state governments towards the survivors.

Out of 38 recognized murder cases most have either been acquitted or given sentences for minor crimes. Only two have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Survivors of Kandhamal riots await justice, they said.

The Times Of India

3 labourers die of asphyxiation in sewer line

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/3-labourers-die-of-asphyxiation-in-sewer-line/articleshow/48754718.cms

Rajendra Sharma,TNN | Sep 1, 2015, 11.38 AM IST

ALWAR: Three labourers died of asphyxiation after they entered into a sewer line in Alwar on Monday.

The incident brought to light the apathy of authorities as the rescue operation could not be started for an hour, leading to resentment among the victims' family members.

The labourer admitted to the hospital risked his life to pull the bodies out. Officials said that one man had climbed into the sewer line, while the other two victims had gone into it to rescue the first one, but didn't come out.

According to the police, the deceased were identified as Sahrun (27), Ishaq (35) and Daulat (25). One Alifan is struggling for life at hospital.

The work for laying a sewer line is being undertaken by RUIDP. The mishap occurred near Kali Mori railway crossing in the afternoon.

The eyewitness said that when one labourer didn't come out or responded to calls for him, another labourer climbed got inside the sewer line.

When he too didn't come out, the third labourer also entered into the sewer line. Once inside, all the three died of asphyxiation.

Alifan then risked his life and pulled out the trio.

Meanwhile, people kept calling police and district officials but no one arrived. The local SDM reached the spot almost an hour after the incident.

People started shouting slogans and when police tried to intervene and save the officials from their ire, they manhandled policemen. The police handed over the bodies to family members after post-mortem examination.

Officials said that an investigation has been launched against the contractor who had employed these labourers. If negligence was found on his part, action will be taken against him.

Ahmedabad Mirror

GU TO FINALLY GET AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CELL

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/ahmedabad/education/GU-to-finally-get-an-equal-opportunity-cell/articleshow/48748291.cms

Ahmedabad Mirror | Sep 1, 2015, 02.00 AM IST

University Grants Commission may have asked varsities to have an Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC) long ago but it is now that Gujarat University has woken up and decided to have one such centre on its campus. On Thursday, the university will launch a nodal cell for creative interaction and promotion of equality across all sections of the society and to frame a policy for the deprived sections.

The initiative is aimed at spreading awareness across these sections. GU Vice-Chancellor M N Patel said, "The university is all set to initiate an awareness programme this month. Under the programme, we will also launch an EOC website." The cell's target groups are individuals belonging to SC, ST and OBC category, religious and linguistic minorities, the differently abled, women and poor, underprivileged children, and the youths living in the varsity's surroundings, said officials at GU.

As per the plan, the cell will have an advisory council that will include academicians and experts from fields like law, social work, gender studies, medicine, disability, equality, and human rights. Coordinator of the cell Sujatha Sony Onattu said, "We have tried to incorporate three types of programmes keeping in mind the cell's objective and our target groups' requirements. Our focus is on the programmes that will help the groups to develop into more competent individuals and better citizens. We will provide them coaching, training and counselling to help them grow in their career and handle their personal problems."

"We also aim to make them industry- ready and groom them to enter the job market by enhancing their skills," she added. The cell also plans to focus on orientation in community development and well-being through 'Joy of Giving' programmes. "The responsibility of providing coaching to the underprivileged children and youths in the localities near GU campus will be undertaken by our student volunteers," Onattu further said.

News monitored by AMRESH & AJEET

.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")

arun.khote@gmail.com

pmarc2008@gmail.com

Dalits Media Watch

News Updates 01.09.15

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