Purity, Prejudice and Conversion

Purity, Prejudice and Conversion

Indian Holocaust My father`s Life and Time- One Hundred SIXTY FIVE

Palash Biswas



Late last night I vied NDTV progrramme,WE the People anchored by Barkha Dutt.The topic was:Do temples have a right to restrict entry? Have we to discus this issue after six decades of freedom? Why? The answer came erlier in the day with conversion of over a lac dalits to Buddhaism. Dalits also convergted enmasse in New delhi and elsewhere. After UP results and a new equation emergingwhy the Hindu society is so divided?
I had a long discussion with dalit Bengali writer manohar mauli Biswas on phone today and he happened to be distressed as no Bengali newspaper published the conversion news from Mumbai. He regrets that Dalits have no space in West Bengal. he told me that he is going to Bhuvneshwar to participate Dalit Voice Readership conference to be organised on 10th June. Manohar Babu is a fan of Raj shekhar Reddy and Chandrabhan Prasad. He is also distressed to find the dalit movement hijaked by ruling Left in Bengal and dalit intellegentsia and activists are so tamed! Whatever happens elsewhere, Brahminical dominance in Bengal has to stay. if Pranab or somnath manages to become next President, the scenerio won`t change in decades!
Nandigarm is a Dalit Uprisning I told Rajendra Yadav erlier and sent him a write upon post modern Manusmriti and the role of the red horses. he agreed but did not publish my article. It is very hard to convince outsiders what goes in Bengal and what actually means by the Capitalist Marxist developmet. Pranab has already set the agenda with Citizenship Amendment Act and the agenda is total eviction of Dalit Refugees from India which suits Eviction Rural India and rearrangement of Demography progrrammes of the UPA government.
We have witnessed the OBC drama nd know all about JOB Market and SENSEX reality. We have been seeing the reality show infinite on reservation presented by Indian Brahminical polity!
Nandigarm is not an isolated event. It is an anti dalit phenomenon continued for thusands and thousands years!

Pl See:
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videos.aspx
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videos.aspx


"You must have firm belief in the sacredness of your mission. Noble is your aim and sublime and glorious is your mission. Blessed are those who are awakened to their duty to among those whom they are born." Dr. B. R. Ambedkar


"For the ills which the Untouchables are suffering, if they are not as much advertised as those of the Jews, and are not less real. Nor arc the means and the methods of suppression used by the Hindus against the Untouchables less effective because they are less bloody than the ways which the Nazis have adopted against the Jews. The Anti-Semitism of the Nazis against the Jews is no way different in ideology and in effect from the Sanatanism of the Hindus against the Untouchables.The world owes a duty to the Untouchables as it does to all suppressed people to break their shackles and set them free."

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in a preface to his book, "Gandhi and the Emancipation of Untouchables" - 1st September 1943
Pl see:
http://ambedkar.org/
See the articles byChandra Bhan Prasad
http://www.ambedkar.org/chandrabhan/

The hypocrisy with which the Government of West Bengal acted at Nandigram this March is a serious cause of disillusionment and has opened the door to further radicalisation of the dispossessed.Whereas,In Mumbai ,on May 27, Over half a lakh backward class Dalit people converted to Buddhism in a mass ceremony held here Sunday, in the hope of "escaping the rigidity of caste system and finding a life of dignity".The adoption of SEZs in West Bengal is concurrent with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Battacharya's reformist stance, whereby rhetoric is wholly outdated when compared with actions and policy. The 1 April 2007 issue of People's Democracy, the weekly organ of the CPI (M), states: "The Bengal CPI (M) is of the firm opinion that the strong agricultural and agrarian base of Bengal should be further consolidated and extended and the state's economy taken further forward and to newer heights through a process of pro-people industrialisation."

It is clear that the majority of victims did come from the Scheduled Castes – not surprising as in the area and most parts of India the most economically vulnerable are the dalits. Lip service is all that these vulnerable communities receive in place of rehabilitation and compensation, and the same has happened in the case of land seizures too. As villager Santosh Patro reiterated to our team of the former residents of Haldia "…all those who left their land are selling cucumber and cleaning shit."

Effectively the local residents were claiming political autonomy of the area, ridding it of party cadres and asserting themselves.


• Rights denuded in wordy forest
• Riots and wrongs of caste


The decision to act with such force and brutality must be seen as pre-meditated and could also be related to caste or the perceived status or lack of, of those living in the area. Effectively the local residents were claiming political autonomy of the area, ridding it of party cadres and asserting themselves. This can be seen to reflect a deeper tension that the SEZ issue finally inflamed. The response was a decidedly brutal one, in order to put residents 'back in their place'. Terror is one of the most effective tools to manufacture submission and in this instance has already been effective; the mere sight of police was enough to disperse a crowd that had gathered after the discovery of charred remains in the area.


Observers spoke to some of the survivors and relatives in hospital. Kajili, attending to her badly beaten son in Nandigram hospital, told amidst tears, "I saw a child being beheaded. I could not see it anymore, and ran from there." Other accounts taken by our team highlight wide ranging incidences of beatings and sexually harassment including that of a 55-year-old woman, who on all accounts was not a threat to 'law and order' or to practically anything or anyone. So traumatised was she that her relatives had to recount her tale for her. "She had fallen down on the spot; bahini (party cadres) people beat her badly, later because they did not prefer raping her, they put a stick in her genitals and mutilated them." The team also visited a building where women had been gang raped, still littered with items of clothing.

Yogendra Yadav, senior fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi, wrote in an article in The Indian Express: "This gap between the CPI(M)'s preaching and practice did not surprise me." Yadav refers to Christophe Jaffrelot's research on the social profile of MLAs in India, which shows that the proportion of upper caste MLAs is on the decline all over the country since the 1960s except in West Bengal. Here, the proportion of upper castes has increased in the state assembly after 1977, after the Left Front came to power. He points out the caste composition of successive Left Front ministries: about two thirds of the ministers come from the top three jatis (Brahman, Boddis, Kayasthas). Yadav also points to an earlier occurrence of a similar nature in West Bengal, in Alipurduar, in 1987 where CPI (M) goons attacked a peaceful, Dalit march. The peaceful protestors were then victimised by the police.
For further reading please see:
http://www.india-seminar.com/2006/558/558%20further%20reading.htm

Amid beating of drums and blowing of pipes at the sprawling Mahalaxmi Racecourse ground, about 50,000 people belonging mostly to 42 nomadic tribes and Dalits chanted the sacred "Buddham Sharanam Gachchami" to embrace Buddhism.The vast racecourse resonated with the chants as Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand led the initiation rituals, which were repeated by the followers of B.R. Ambedkar - a champion of the Dalits and a founder father of the Indian constitution - and Buddhists from across the country.

See the NDTV Video:
Hindu tribals convert to Buddhism
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videos.aspx?id=14008
Faith unleashed: Dera Sauda 'hurts' Sikhs

Religion turned into ugly politics as the faithful crossed swords with the apostates on the streets of Punjab. Orthodoxies were manipulated for political ends even as tensions between Sikh organisations and the Dera Sacha Sauda sect simmered dangerously, forcing bandhs in several towns and causing ...

Quota row: Rhetoric dominates politics

Ever since the recommendations of the Mandal Commission for 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward classes (OBC), the quota debate continues to dominate Indian politics. And to an extent, this emo...
http://www.ndtv.com
CPI(ML) Rally in Uttarakhand
An impressive state-level rally was held by the CPI(ML) in Dehradun on 5 November to protest against the State Government’s failure to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the new state. The rally’s charter of demands included implementation of pro-poor land reforms, implementation of Land Ceiling Act, pro-people environment protection policy and smaller Hydro-electric projects, BPL cards to all agricultural labourers, people’s rights over natural resources, education and employment to all, inclusion of the Bangla speaking community of the Namoshudra caste of the terai region in the scheduled caste list, rehabilitation of people displaced by the Tehri dam project, ban on liquor sale in the state, halting of the privatisation drive, declaration of Gairsain instead of Dehradun as the State capital, punishment to the perpetrators of police atrocities at Khatima, Mussourie and Muzaffarnagar during the Uttarakhand movement, besides many other demands.

Hundreds of agrarian labourers, peasants, students, youth and women thronged the state capital to march in the rally which was the concluding event of the month-long ‘Save Democracy, Save Uttarakhand’ campaign which was organised by the Party against the ND Tiwari Govt’s misrule. A memorandum was sent to the President through the State Governor.

The rally was led by the Party’s CC member Prabhat Kumar, while CC member and incharge of Uttarakhand, Rajendra Pratholi was the chief guest. The incharge of the Uttarakhand Leading Team, Raja Bahuguna, was the main speaker. Com. Raja Bahuguna reminded the audience of present Chief Minister ND Tiwari’s role during the Uttarakhand movement, when he had staunchly opposed the struggle for a separate state. Previously, the BJP Government had distorted the very concept of a hill state by altering its geographical boundaries, and refusing to make Gairsain its capital as demanded by the people. He appealed to all left and democratic forces in the state to unite against the politics of Congress and the BJP to provide a strong and viable alternative, simultaneously criticizing those organisations and parties who are unable to shed their leaning towards the Congress, as well as those of an anarchist persuasion, abstaining from elections and ultimately helping this or that bourgeois alliance.

The state government’s harassment of CPI(ML) leaders in the name of tackling ‘Maoism’, as well as the local media’s mischievous branding of ‘Maoism’ and ‘Naxalism’ as anti-national was also vehemently condemned in the rally.

The rally was also addressed by CPI(ML) State Committee members Kailash Pandey, Girija Pathak, Purushottam Sharma, KK Bora, Bahadur Singh Jangi and AIALA Secretary Sanjay Sharma. AISA State President Indresh Maikhuri conducted the meeting.


CPI(M) Holds State Level ‘Dalit Hakka Sammelan’
THE CPI(M) Maharashtra state committee organised a state level ‘Dalit Hakka Sammelan’’ (Dalit Rights Convention) in Nashik in Maharashtra on May 19, 2007. This is the first ever convention organised by the Party in Maharashtra on dalit issues. 400 delegates from 24 districts covering the entire state participated in the convention. The convention gave a clarion call to observe July 11, 2007 by organising district level ‘Dalit Hakka Sammelans’ after conducting a thorough and detailed survey of discriminating practices in the districts and to organise a mass campaign to build a broad based class unity of dalits, adivasis, nomadics, workers and peasants .
http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:HNwKEyVA_P4J:www.cpiml.org/liberation/year_2004/December/report_uttarakhand.htm+Namoshudra&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13&gl=in
All of you know and admit the burden of partition has been borne by both Punjab and West Bengal. No other State in India has gone through the burden of partition like Punjab and West Bengal. When the country was divided the displaced persons from the other side came and settled both in Punjab and West Bengal. Some displaced persons in West Bengal were sent to Dandakaranya, Mana camp, Andaman, Pilbhit and some were sent to present day Uttaranchal. These displaced persons comprised of both SC and non-SC. A large number of displaced people whom we later called refugee settled down in North Bengal. Both Hindu Muslim communities live there peacefully and still that culture is present there. But some information proved the fact that the allocated fund in 6th, 7th 8th and 9th Five Year Plans for the welfare of the SC & ST was not spent properly and timely. Due to this failure on the part of the administration, a gap, a vacuum has been created among them. This area in North Bengal is the most sensitive area in India. Terrorists pour in both from Nepal and Bhutan border. These terrorists are threatening these people and taking advantage of their frustration, deprived lives are trying to make them terrorists. An organisation known as KLO want separatism, violence and terror, are playing with fire in North Bengal. All the people in West Bengal are against this terrorism, are against this violence. But at the same time we should discard the step motherly treatment meted out to SC, the Rajbanshi community of North Bengal. We must listen to their grievances. I have written to the Home Minister about this issue. I have also written to our Chief Minister Budhadev Babu requesting to interact with the people associated with the agitation who want to fight their cause not through violence but through democratic means. We must try to understand the cause behind their agitation. They have a distinct culture, they have a dialect, a distinct style of expression. They want that their dialect, their style of expression, their script, though that is also Bengali should be taught with dignity in North Bengal University. This community should not be made prey to separatism. More than 400 young men and women of their community are in the jail. More than 100 women have been oppressed. More than 10 qualified teachers of this community have been beaten up in the jail. If these people are treated with force then they will be in the hands of the terrorists from outside. They will definitely play in their hands.
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI (RAIGANJ) Spoke thus in Loksabha.
http://164.100.24.208/debate/debtext.asp?slno=3944&ser=&smode=

Vithhal More, state secretariat member of the Party welcomed the delegates. K Varadarajan, Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) inaugurated the convention. He said “the fight against atrocities on dalits and inhuman discrimination based on the caste system has to be militantly waged under the leadership of Communist Party of India (Marxist). This is an inseparable task of the peoples’ democratic revolution in India. The struggle for socialism, for society based on equality has two dimensions in our country. The economic exploitation and social discrimination can be eradicated only by a united strength of all the working masses regardless of caste, creed or religion. The age old caste system and the inhuman practices of social boycott persist till today. We have to identify them and consciously try to wipe them out. ‘I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim, nor of any other religion; I am a human being’ that should be our slogan.” Varadarajan expressed confidence that this state wide Dalit Hakka Sammelan will definitely give a vigorous boost to the all round class struggle in Maharashtra.
http://pd.cpim.org/2007/0527/05272007_maha.htm



The Hindi word 'Dalit' has entered the international lexicon in recent years as an evocative reminder of the unique cruelty and injustice of India's caste system. To be Dalit in India means to live on the margins of society (literally, often outside the village boundary); to face unequal and humiliating treatment at the hands of caste Hindus; to be denied access to community and public resources, including water; to suffer from malnutrition and illiteracy at rates twice higher than the national average; and worst of all, to have to internalise the idea that injustice and discrimination are your fate, your karma, ordained by God.

The last two hundred years have seen the emergence of a new consciousness and a new identity among the 200 million people who have been considered “outcaste” or “untouchables”. Today they call themselves Dalits, a new name they have coined for themselves, and demand aggressively their share in the shaping of the destiny of the nation. It is not a mere name or title, in fact it has become an expression of hope and identity.
Mass Dalit conversions in Mumbai

Dalits (meaning the broken) who comprise roughly 15 percent of the country's billion plus population, are the true Wretched of the Indian Earth: dirt poor, discriminated against, disadvantaged in social and educational terms, and demonised as "impure" by virtue of birth, and hence untouchable. No comparable group barring African slaves during the colonial era has faced the magnitude of oppression and discrimination the Dalits suffer to this day. This side of Dalit existence has had increasing exposure to the global and Indian public. Sustained Dalit activism before, during and after the 2001 United Nations-sponsored World Congress against Racism at Durban, South Africa, has put the Dalit issue on the world agenda.
However, nothing could be as dramatic an expression of the Dalit struggle for self-emancipation as their political self-organisation, which culminated last week in an unambiguous, emphatic victory for a Dalit-dominated party in the legislature of Uttar Pradesh.

With a population of 170 million, Uttar Pradesh is India's largest state and the world's seventh largest political entity. It now has a government led by Mayawati (51), herself a Dalit and a single woman. Mayawati, who grew up in a slum and had to struggle hard to acquire an education, now heads the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (party of the broad masses, excluding the elite castes).

Even Mayawati's opponents concede this is history in the making. Unlike other Dalits who rose to the top within elite services (such as former president K.R. Narayanan and the present Chief Justice of India, K.G. Balakrishnan), Mayawati has won a mass mandate, through grassroots campaigning which created and expanded her support-base.

Buddhist monks blessed thousands of new converts, BBC reports:
Several thousand tribal and Dalit Hindus in India have converted en masse to Buddhism at a ceremony in Mumbai.The ceremony was billed as the largest religious conversion in modern India, but far fewer converted than had been predicted by the organisers.The converts hope to escape the rigid caste system in which their status is the lowest.

Right-wing Hindus have often opposed conversion, pushing some Indian states to restrict legal changes of faith.

The ceremony, which was held to mark the 50th anniversary of a leading Dalit leader Bhimrao Ambedkar's conversion to Buddhism, was attended by delegates from several countries with large Buddhist communities, including Sri Lanka, Thailand and Japan.

Conversion controversies

"We estimate that close to 5,000 Dalits have chosen the path towards Buddhism by the end of the day," said Shravan Gaikwad, representative of the Samatha Sainik Dal, a Dalit group.


Dalits came to Mumbai's racecourse for the ceremony

Even though the number of people converted was much less than the 100,000 expected, the organisers said it sent out a strong message of an awakening among the Dalits, says the BBC's Zubair Ahmed.

"Whatever may have been your religion until now, from today you will take refuge in the teachings of the Lord Buddha," one of the monks conducting the ceremony told the crowd.

Once known as Untouchables, the Dalits hope the conversion will give them dignity and equal rights.

"Once they convert themselves to another religion, the minimum they will get is treatment as human beings," Arun Khote of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights told the BBC.

About one-sixth of India's 1.1bn people are classed as low caste.

Commentators say that despite the reservation of jobs for the Dalit and tribal communities, their social status and economic conditions have not greatly improved.

They say that Dalits still face widespread prejudice and discrimination.

Conversion is a controversial subject in India, especially if it involves Hindus converting to Christianity or Islam.

Two weeks ago two Catholic priests were publicly beaten after being accused of trying to bring a group of local people into the Catholic faith.

But converting to Buddhism does not evoke much adverse reaction, as many in India believe Buddhism is an extension of Hinduism.

Even so, several Indian states, especially the ones governed by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, have made laws severely restricting conversion.
See also:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/6198341.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6210554.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6159541.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4998274.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4580732.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1831106.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4216290.stm
The National Commission for Religious & Linguistic Minorities presented its long-awaited report to India's government. If the government follows the Commission's recommendations, millions of Dalit Christians and Muslims will receive the same affirmative action benefits as those who choose to remain in the country's majority Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh faiths.


The report took more than two years, but President and Founder of Gospel for Asia, KP Yohannan says, "Now we wait patiently with prayer that the Supreme Court will affirm this, and this will become a law. It means millions of Dalits will have the freedom to embrace Christian faith for hope for this life and the life to come."

Studies conducted by the Commission concluded that Dalits who choose to follow Christianity continue to endure caste-based discrimination. In response to the findings, the Commission recommended that Dalit Christians, Muslims and other religious minorities receive several affirmative action benefits. One of those benefits would be that 15 percent of the seats in non-minority institutions would be reserved for the religious minority Dalits. Currently, affirmative action benefits are only awarded to Dalits who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist.

If the Supreme Court affirms this, many Dalits will begin openly practicing their Christian faith. "There must be endless millions (now I don't use those words casually) of people that have embraced the Christian faith, which gave them hope and life and forgiveness of sin, but they continued to be secretive. But now you can just imagine from everywhere people will be coming out and saying, 'Yes, we believe in Jesus.'"


Dalit Platforms in caste affected countries, solidarity networks in Europe and USA and international human rights and development organisations have joined forces in the International Dalit Solidarity to work globally for the elimination of caste based discrimination and similar forms of discrimination based on work and descent.
More than 260 million people worldwide are daily subjected to the dehumanising practises linked to untouchability and caste discrimination. They are considered lesser human beings and are prevented from participating in political, economic, social and cultural life on an equal footing with other citizens.

IDSN regards caste discrimination as one the most severe human rights problems in the world today and aims to ensure global recognition of the problem and global action for its eradication.
http://www.idsn.org/

Sunset over Dalit world? Editor seeks permission to close down Dalit Voice
V.T. RAJSHEKAR
The organisers of the silver jubilee function, Brother V.B. Rawat and Sister Rajni Tilak, have formally welcomed the DV family members to this historic function. Yes. This also is the first event of its kind and knowing the way the country is drifting we can say this will be also the last of its kind. Over six years back, we wrote an Editorial on “Sunset over India” (DV Edit March 1, 2000). Now we have become more pessimistic.

Why we say today’s event is historic in every sense because no Indian daily or periodical, either English or language, invites its readers for a meeting with the Editor or holds an event exclusively for its readers.

ENEMY INFILTRATION
For today’s event, we did not invite any politician or VIP. It is confined exclusively to our esteemed subscribers and readers whom we call as our family. No paper calls its readers as its family. This is the greatness of Dalit Voice because Dalit Voice is a product of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s dreams and aspirations.

I request you to exercise utmost discipline and make the day a supreme success. At the same time I request you to note that our enemy, Brahminical agents, might have infiltrated. We welcome them also. They are free to take notes and pass it on to their bosses so that the enemy would know what we think of them. But we should see that the enemy does not create any problem.

This is the Dalit Voice family world-wide and as its Editor I want to tell you how we are bringing out DV converting our blood into sweat.

BONE IN THE THROAT OF BRAHMIN
The publication of DV continuously for the past 26 years is a miracle, nothing short of miracle.

That the Brahminical rulers of India did not ban DV itself is another miracle. But we can’t rule out this possibility as DV has become a bone in their throat.

Before expanding on the subject, I want to tell you that but for the initiative taken by Brother Rawat and Sister Rajni Tilak this function would not have taken place. Last year we tried our best to have our silver jubilee here but we failed. So on behalf of the Editor of Hindi DV, Dr. (Mrs.) K.K. Sidhu, and myself and all of you I thank our hosts for making our dreams come true.
http://www.dalitvoice.org/Templates/may_a2007/editorial.htm

Dalits Ask For Justice In West Bengal


By V.B.Rawat



“ If I speak untruth, I can survive,
If I speak the truth,
It will be Explosive’

Bulleh Shah



The Baul singers famous for love songs provide a musical odyssey to otherwise lackluster journey from Kolkata to Shantiniketan. The chaotic Howarah station wherefrom the train Vishwabharati Express left for Shantiniketan, reflected the old glory of Kolkata, the financial capital of the country. Today, thanks to the 30 years rule of the progressive left, Kolkata just live in its past. It is a city unlike other metros where the poor can afford to live, they say in their support of existing system yet failed to answer as why the man-pulling rickshaw is still one of the most familiar sights in this ‘city of joy.’


Old trams, pot holed roads added with unimaginable road traffic with heavy congestion and pollution are the hallmark of Kolkata’s road. A crude reminder of where it stand. Yes, they say that they stand for the poor and hence Kolkata ‘welcomed’ every one with open arm. After the genocide of Muslims in Gujarat, it was Kolkata which invited the ‘terrorised face’ of Gujarat who was asking for his life. The entire country reciprocated that it is Bengal where the communal forces can be kept at bay. A very sensitive state and yet no communal riots are other hallmark of the left front’s rule in West Bengal apart from the land reform which it claims to have done though in reality in the first two years of its coming to power. Later on, the government just getting on the interest of the old good work that it claimed to have worked during its earlier period.


Despite all this, Kolkata does not look a city of freedom. At every nook and corner, you may feel somebody from the Marxist party is spying to you. ‘ Diwaron ke bhee kaan hote hain’ is a saying in Hindi but it could be well said about the cadre of the CPM in west Bengal where political dissent is just a blasphemy and you can ask nothing more than that. The highly intoxicated police force and administration can teach you a lesson. Everything is done in a very peaceful and systematic way in Bengal.
http://www.countercurrents.org/dalit-rawat071204.htm


What's New:



Conference Voilence against on Dalit Women , 7-8 th March 2006

National Consultation on Dalit Land Right

ISF New Delhi 2006

WSF Karachi 2006

National Public Hearing Patna - Bihar

National Public Hearing Balglore - Karnataka

Adjournment Debate on Caste Discrimination and Dalits in London

International Advocacy in UK and USA

NCDHR Condoles the Death of Shri. K.R.Narayanan

Public Hearing in Kerala on Tsunami Hit Dalit Victims on 30th November 2005

National Public Hearing on Tsunami Hit Dalit Victims, Chennai - Report

Planning for Public Hearing on Atrocities against Dalits - Hyderabad

Monitoring Atrocities - Training for Dalit Women in Bangalore

National Summit on Reservation In Private Sector in New Delhi

National Council in Rajasthan

NCDHR:The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) is part of a wider struggle to abolish "untouchability" and to "cast out caste". "Untouchability" and caste discrimination continue to be a brutal reality for more than 160 million Dalits living in India today, despite the fact that more than half a century has passed since India was born as a "democratic" and independent state.
Twin: The twin figures lined up along the margins symbolise the community of Dalits gathered around the twin drums (shaded background at centre), the age old musical instruments of the Dalits. The beating of the drum symbolises for us here all that is expressed above- anguish, anger, protest, assertion, appeal, demand and proclamation.
http://www.dalits.org/

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For 3,000 years, I have been oppressed
This boy represents the 250 million Dalits (doll-leets) , formerly called Untouchable, who have been told by the upper castes of India that they are less than human. If even a Dalit’s shadow falls on an upper caste person, that person is polluted according to caste rules. The Dalit Freedom Network partners with the Dalits in their quest for religious freedom, social justice, and human rights by mobilizing human, information, and financial resources. Take a moment and learn about the most oppressed people of all humankind.
http://www.dalitnetwork.org/
The Dalit Foundation is a registered trust under Indian charity law, and is governed by an honorary Board of Directors who are representative of the Dalit community. The Foundation was established in June 2003 and is the first grant-making agency in South Asia whose mission, vision and programme objectives focus exclusively on social change and justice for Dalit communities. The Foundation supports individuals, small community-based organisations, and networks that work to secure social change and protect the rights of Dalits in South Asia.
http://www.dalitfoundation.org/
See also:
http://www.dalitchristians.com/
http://www.geocities.com/indiafas/Dalit/dalit.htm
http://www.indiatogether.org/society/caste.htm
http://dalits.blogspot.com/
http://www.goethals.org/rdiden.htm
http://www.dalitsolidarity.org/
http://www.countercurrents.org/dalit.htm
http://www.indiatogether.org/dalit/articles/bidwai1002.htm
http://www.gla.ac.uk/sociology/units/anthrop/dalit/intronet.htm
http://www.fedonepal.org/
http://www.dwo.org.np/
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/02/13/india15303.htm
http://technorati.com/tag/Dalit
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables.html
http://www.dalit-awakening.org/home