DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2013 - Indian Social Institute

Dalit body slams Govt for silence on atrocity plaints (2)Bhubaneswar: Coming down heavily on the State Government for its lackadaisical attitude towardsatrocities on Dalits, hundreds of people under the banner of the National Confederation of DalitOrganisation (NACDOR) on Wednesday staged a demonstration in front of State Assembly demandingimmediate Government intervention in the issues. “More than 200 Dalit employees working atBhubaneswar Infosys are being subjected to both mental and physical tortures since last 15 years byInfosys Regional Manager Vaibhab Patel and others. Though an FIR was lodged at the Infosys policestation in this regard, the police instead acting against Patel are forcing the complainants to withdraw thecomplaint,” rued NACDOR State president Ashok Kumar Mallick. Giving an instance of police inaction,Mallick said though a complaint was registered against some villagers of Patana Sahi under the Lingarajpolice station for attacking a Dalit boy, Jitu Kandi, and his sister on December 5, the police are yet toarrest them. “It is seen that political persons like Ministers, MPs and MLAs belonging to the present partyin power in the State, besides influential persons and even police personnel are involving themselves inheinous atrocities against Dalit people,” said Mallick. Seeking Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’sintervention, the organisation urged him to directly look into the matter, thereby ensuring a normal life withfull dignity to Dalit people in the State as per the provisions in the Constitution. (Pioneer 19/12/13)Prejudice, injustice against Dalits still exists: President (2)Kochi: Prejudice and injustice against scheduled castes still exists in India, President Pranab Mukherjeesaid here on Friday. Kicking off the celebrations on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of renownedsocial reformer Ayyankali here this evening, the President pointed out that the change in status and livingconditions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes since the adoption of the Constitution wasenormous, yet "far from sufficient"."Disabilities have been removed in law. But, unfortunately prejudice,inequality and injustice still persists vis-a-vis Scheduled Castes in our country. We must invest ourenergies to remove all vestiges of disabilities from the lives of SCs, STs and BCs," he said. "We mustcreate a society in which minorities can live in peace and not have to fear or suffer deprivation." Notingthat inclusion and equal opportunity for all communities was the foundation of free, progressive andmodern India, Mukherjee said members of all castes, religions and regions were equal partners in thenation-building. Paying tribute to Ayyankali, the President said his life was an "incessant struggle" and hecould be called the first labour leader of India. Like Jyotiba Phule and B R Ambedkar, Ayyankali dedicatedhis life to the struggle against casteism and to achieve equality among all people. It was because ofreformers like Ayyankali and Sree Narayan Guru that people of Kerala were able to develop theirprogressive outlook, which is admired across the country today, he noted. Kerala Chief Minister OomenChandy, Union ministers Vayalar Ravi, K V Thomas, MLA Ramesh Chennithala and others were presenton this occasion. (Zee News 20/12/13)Naxalites eye educated but unemployed Dalits (2)NAGPUR: State Anti-Naxal Operations (ANO) cell has issued a confidential message to all the policeunits, including Mumbai and rest of western Maharashtra, across the state alerting them regarding amassive countrywide plan of the rebels to revive their movement with the help of Dalit, especiallytargeting the educated but unemployed youths in their community. ANO, referring to Naxal's 'Strategy andTactics of Indian Revolution', underlined the rebels' ultimate goal of destroying country's existing political,economic and cultural fabric to replace with system embodying their ideology. The ANO alert, a copy ofwhich is in possession of TOI, states that Naxalites are aiming at rebuilding their strengths and formbases across cities like their jungle strongholds following the setbacks they suffered in the recent timesfrom the aggressive operations of the central and state forces. The Naxalites have expressed concernover their receding manpower owing to recruitment crunch and government strategies. The Naxalites, intheir ninth unity congress, have urged their cadres to use the Dalit base to boost the movement across