Nasheman

India's largest selling Urdu weekly, now also in English

You are here: Home / Archives for Caste System

Raped Dalit girl battles for life

by

caste

Ghaziabad: A minor Dalit girl who set herself on fire after being raped in Ghaziabad is battling for life with 50 percent burns in a hospital here.

Police said Babloo Yadav, an MBA student here, barged into the victim’s house on Wednesday when she was alone and raped her. His accomplice, Rencho Yadav, stood guard outside.

The victim’s brother who returned home then tried the catch the two but they escaped after threatening him with a pistol. Her parents also reached the house and identified the two.

In the meantime, the girl bolted herself inside the house and set herself on fire by pouring kerosene over her clothes.

The parents broke open the door and rushed her to a hospital, from where she was taken to the government-run MMG Hospital where doctors said her condition was critical.

Superintendent of Police Salman Taj Patil said one of the two culprits had been arrested and a hunt was on for the other.

“I have asked the inspector to refer the victim to Delhi since her condition is grave and the family is not in a position to take her to Delhi,” Patil said.

(IANS)

Priests perform purification ritual after Dalit man takes bath in temple pond

by

temple-pond-purification

Kozhikode: A purification ritual was performed at a temple in Kozhikode by the priests after a Dalit man took a bath in the temple pond.

The incident happened at the Kondamvalli Ayyappa Temple, near Koyilandi in Kozhikode, on January 26, 2016.

“A committee was formed to renovate the temple pond, which was lying in a dilapidated state. A Dalit man was chosen as the president of the committee. The temple authorities later removed him from the post after the completion of the first phase of renovation works. Later, they finished the renovation work and dedicated the pond to the temple on October 17, 2015. The dedication ceremony was conducted by the priests. As part of the ceremony, it was the Dalit man who had given Dakshina to the temple Tantri and he had conducted the snanam (bathing),” Dalit leaders said at a press meeting.

“However, there were some people who were not satisfied with a Dalit man performing snanam (bathing). So, they organised a rededication ceremony on January 26. They organised a purification puja in the temple pond. The snanam (bathing) ritual was then conducted by an upper caste man.  Neither the temple committee nor the temple Tantri was aware of it,” they said alleging that it was part of a move to bring back the caste system in Kerala.

“The rededication ceremony was conducted by Koomulli Karunaakaran, president of Chengottukaavu grama panchayat. Former MLA P.Vishwan was also present at the event,” they said.

“Dalits and other social activists should come forward against such move,” they added.

Bharathiya Pattika Samajan leaders M.M Sreedharan, P.M.B Naderi and Saseendran Bappankaavu were present at the press meeting.

(Madhyamam)

AAP files police complaint against V K Singh over dog remark

by

ashutosh

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party today filed a police complaint against Union minister V K Singh over his controversial “dog” remark on the Dalit killing in Faridabad and demanded that an FIR be registered against him under the SC/ST Act.

Party legislators Saurabh Bhardwaj, Vishesh Ravi, Rakhi Birla, Hajarilal Chauhan and spokesperson Ashutosh met police officials at Central Delhi’s Prasad Nagar police station in this regard. “The police told us that they will first inquire into the complaint,” Bhardwaj said.

Ashutosh alleged that Singh’s remarks amounted to a violation of the SC/ST Act and said that the police “assured” the delegation of conducting an investigation into the matter that has snowballed into a major political row.

“The police told us that they need to take permission from the higher-ups as filing any case under the SC/ST Act requires approval from a DCP-rank officer,” Ashutosh said, adding that Singh’s status as a minister should not “affect it”.

He also rubbished the minister’s clarification as an after-thought in view of the Bihar polls. Singh had insisted a controversy has been created out of “unconnected sentences”.

“BJP and RSS are inherently anti-Dalit and anti-minorities and that’s why such statements are being issued,” Ashutosh said.

(Agencies)

Young Dalit writer attacked for criticizing caste system

by

Dalit writer Huchangi Prasad, who was attacked in Davangere.

Dalit writer Huchangi Prasad, who was attacked in Davangere.

Davanagere: In a fresh case of upper caste atrocity against lower caste Hindus, a young Dalit writer was attacked by a group of Hindutva activists for his writings against the caste system perceived to be “anti-Hindu” at Davanagere in Central Karnataka.

The Thursday’s attack comes barely three months after the shooting of writer M.M. Kalburgi – barely 100 km away – and at a time when numerous writers across the country have raised their voice against rising intolerance.

According to the complaint filed by 23-year-old Huchangi Prasad, a journalism student at Davanagere University who had published a ‘controversial’ book a year ago, an unidentified man came to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe hostel at the university in the early hours, claiming that Mr. Prasad’s mother had been hospitalised following a heart attack.

Apparently in “shock”, the student followed the man who promised to take him to the hospital. Midway, in an isolated corner of APMC Yard, a group of eight to ten people ambushed him.

“They surrounded me and started to push me around. They said my writings were anti-Hindu as I talked about the caste system. They even put kumkum all over my face. They pulled out a knife and said they will cut my fingers off so I can never write again,” Mr. Prasad told The Hindu.

He pushed his way through the group and ran into the nearby woods, where he hid. Hours later, when sure that the group had left, he fled to the hostel. He later filed a police complaint.

Following the attack, police have registered a case against “unknown persons” under attempt to murder (IPC 307) and under sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The student had published his first book in April 2014 and had since then faced threats. The book comprised prose and poetry revolving around treatment of Dalits in the country.

At the book launch, Kannada writer K.S. Bhagwan — who has recently received threats — spoke inviting the ire of right-wing organisations who had filed a complaint for provocative speech at the local police station. Mr. Prasad had been threatened since then.

(Agencies)

Lynching, killing cannot damage Hindu culture: Mohan Bhagwat

by

Mohan Bhagwat

Nagpur: With Dadri-like incidents triggering outrage, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said such “small episodes” cannot damage “Hindu culture” and praised the Modi government for ushering in hope and confidence in the country and enhancing India’s standing abroad.

 

In his annual Dussehra address at RSS headquarters here, Bhagwat hailed Dalit ikon B R Ambedkar for making provisions in Constitution to remove social and economic inequality faced by the weaker sections, a reference to the quota system, whose review he had recently suggested that pushed BJP on the backfoot in Bihar polls.

In his 55-minute speech, telecast live by Doordarshan for the second consecutive year, he also called for a holistic discussion on population, saying its continuous rise becomes a burden.

“Small episodes happen. They get exaggerated and presented in a big way… Small incidents keep happening but it does not distort Indian culture, Hindu culture. Since time immemorial, it respects diversity, coordinates among diversities to establish unity… This is Hindutva,” he said.

“Our country has stood as one and will stand as one. The Sangh has been doing the work of keeping the nation one on the basis of Hindutva for the last 90 years,” he said.

Bhagwat, however, refrained from making any direct reference to recent incidents of communal and caste tensions.

With several fringe Hindutva elements repeatedly demanding a curb on Muslim population, Bhagwat, without naming any community, favoured a “uniform population policy which is applicable to all”.

He deplored that no holistic discussion has taken place in the country on controlling population.

“With rise in population, the burden on the country will grow. Population growth can be an asset too. If we have more mouths to feed, we will also have more hands to work. We have to plan for 50 years hence. How to provide for the education and health of the people,” he said.

Praising the Centre, he said it had brought about hope and confidence among people that had hit rock bottom under the previous government and spoke about the pet schemes of the Modi government like Jan Dhan, Swachh Bharat and Mudra bank.

(Agencies)

If a dog is stoned, don’t blame govt: VK Singh on Dalit children’s killings

by

vk singh

New Delhi: The government has nothing to do with the murder of the two Dalit children in Haryana, Union Minister VK Singh said today. And in an afterthought that is expected to land him in controversy, added, “If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible”.

Asked if the government has failed in view of the Monday’s killings on the sidelines of an event in Ghaziabad, Mr Singh said, “Don’t connect the government with it. It was a feud between two families, the matter in under inquiry.”

The administration failed there, the minister said, then added the controversial comment. Haryana is ruled by the BJP, Mr Singh’s party.

The children — two-and-a-half year old Vaibhav and 11-month-old Divya – had died after their house was set on fire, allegedly by members of an upper caste community at a village in Haryana near Delhi, on Monday. Their father — who sustained burn injuries to save them — said petrol was poured through the window and the house was set on fire.

While Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar put off his to Sonped yesterday in view of the escalating protests in the area, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had met the family and launched a scathing attack on Mr Khattar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and their party, the BJP.

“This is an attitude shared by Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, the BJP and the RSS — If somebody is weak, they can be crushed. What you are seeing is the result of this attitude,” he said. “They are weak and poor, that is why they are being treated like this. This is not the government of the weak.”

Under attack from the opposition, the Haryana government has asked for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the deaths. Seven people have been arrested in the case so far.

The children were cremated on Wednesday evening, after daylong protests by the locals and the blockade of a national highway.

(Agencies)

Protests in Faridabad over Dalit children’s killing

by

Faridabad Dalit

Faridabad: Sanped in Haryana’s Faridabad, where a Dalit family was burnt alive leading to the death of two toddlers, Wednesday erupted in grief and indignation, with the locals blocking Delhi-Agra highway with their bodies in protest as politicians joined them in mourning the horrific killings.

As the bodies of two-and-a-half-years-old Vaibhav and 11-month-old Divya, wrapped in white shrouds, arrived, the village, about 35 km from the national capital, plunged into grief.

Wailing soon gave way to anger and scores of villagers, walking hand in hand and shouting slogans, carried the bodies and placed them on the Delhi-Agra highway, blocking traffic.

As tempers ran high, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi visited the village where he accused the Prime Minister, Haryana Chief Minister, the BJP and RSS of practicing “politics of crushing” those who are weak which results in such incidents.

“This is an attitude shared by the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of the state and the entire BJP and RSS. The attitude is if somebody is weak, he can be crushed. What you have seen is the result of this attitude,” Gandhi said after meeting the distraught family members.

“In Haryana, there is no government for the poor and poor people are being targeted here which is totally wrong. I have assured the victims’ family that I would do whatever they want from me including pressuring the government.

Asked whether he was doing politics over the incident, Rahul angrily retorted: “This is insulting when someone says it when someone comes here. It is not insulting to me. It is insulting to these people. What is a photo op. What you mean? People are dying. I will visit (such places) again, again and again.”

While Vaibhav and his sister Divya had perished in the blaze allegedly set off by some upper caste people of the village who had a running feud with their family, their mother Rekha, 28, suffered serious burns and is battling for life in a Delhi hospital. Their father Jitender, 31, also received injuries while trying to save them.

The killers were alleged to have poured petrol into their house from an open window and set it alight after locking the doors from outside.

11 persons, including a father-son duo, have been booked on murder, rioting and other charges, a police spokesman said.

The incident happened despite the presence of a police post at the village. The police contingent was deployed following the murder of three upper caste people by Dalits some time ago.

The incident came in for sharp criticism by the government as also BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan of LJP, who termed it as the failure of the saffron party-ruled state government.

(Agencies)

Dalit family set afire; two kids burnt alive

by

dalit

Faridabad: Two children of a Dalit family were today burnt alive and their parents suffered injuries after a group of terrorists from so called upper caste set their house afire while they were sleeping.

The shocking incident occurred at around 2.30 AM at Sunped village on the outskirts of Delhi, police said, adding two persons have been arrested.

11 persons, including a father-son duo, have been booked on murder, rioting and other charges, a police spokesman said.

Vaibhav, who was two-and-a-half years old, and his sister, 11-month-old Divya, died after the attackers allegedly poured petrol from the window and set the house ablaze while the family was sleeping inside. A religious programme was being held nearby in the village at that time.

Their mother Rekha, 28, suffered serious burns and has been referred to Delhi for treatment while their father Jitender, 31, too suffered injuries while trying to save his family.

Concerned over the attack on the Dalit family, Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar over phone asking him to ensure security to everyone and prevent any recurrence of such incident, officials said in Delhi.

The Union Home Ministry also sought a report from the state administration.

A compensation of Rs 10 lakh has been announced for the family by the Haryana government, state officials said.

Jitender alleged that the attackers were from Rajput caste and the family had a confrontation with them over a murder in October after which a case had been registered.

“We were sleeping when they poured petrol from the window. I smelt the petrol and tried to wake up my wife but by then the fire had started. They locked the door from outside. My children died in the fire…,” said an inconsolable Jitender.

“They had threatened that they will finish my family, that I should never return to the village… I won’t but please give me back my children,” he said.

The incident has led to tension in the area and security has been tightened. Subhash Yadav, commissioner of police of Faridabad, reached the village and is monitoring the situation.

“Sunped resident Balwant and his son Dharm Singh are among 11 persons booked under IPC sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object).

“Two persons have been arrested,” the police spokesman said. An SC/ST Commission team met the victims’ family and assured them that they will get justice.

(Agencies)

‘1,000 Hardiks will rise’: 22-year-old challenges BJP chief Amit Shah

by

hardik-patel

Ahmedabad: Hardik Patel, Gujarat’s 22-year-old politician, has in a message shared on WhatsApp, asked BJP chief Amit Shah to “stay away” from the agitation he is leading for reservation in government jobs and colleges for the Patel community in the state.

“I request Amit Shah to stay away from the Patel community’s agitation to get reservation. We will not stop it just because you want it. The agitation will not stop till I am alive. And if you still want to crush the stir by force, then you will have to kill me,” Hardik Patel said.

In Ahemdabad, also Amit Shah’s home-town, Hardik Patel said he had “learned from sources” that Amit Shah has been tasked with mediating to end the Patel agitation. “Since we will not end the stir merely on his request, we know that he will use other tactics and force our movement to finish. So I have issued that open message asking him to stay away,” Patel said.

BJP leaders here did not react to Patel’s comments and said they do not know of any plans for Amit Shah to visit Gujarat to resolve the reservation row. In Patel’s challenge to the BJP chief, they see a new attempt to draw attention.

“Even if you kill me, thousand other Hardiks will rise. Try to accept our demands and give us justice. Otherwise, do whatever you can do,” said Patel, who has alleged that he is being prevented from holding rallies and public meetings in Gujarat at the behest of Shah, whose party governs the state.

Hardik Patel is demanding that either the Patels, wealthy and politically influential, be included among the castes that benefit from affirmative action in Gujarat, or then all quota be scrapped. He has also repeatedly reminded the BJP that the Patels have played an important role in powering its political ascent in Gujarat.

The Anandiben Patel government has said it will be unable to meet Patel’s demands and has also prevented the young politician from gathering crowds and addressing public meetings ever since his brief detention after a rally in Ahemedabad led to two days of violence in several cities.

(PTI)

Hardik Patel was never abducted: Gujarat govt to HC

by

Hardik Patel

Ahmedabad: Challenging Hardik Patel’s abduction claims, the state government today told the Gujarat High Court that the Patel agitation spearhead’s close aides were in constant touch with the young leader when he allegedly went missing last month.

After the state government filed its affidavit before the Gujarat High Court, division bench comprising justices M R Shah and K J Thaker directed Hardik’s advocate to file an affidavit by October 19 to substantiate claims made in the petition about his alleged abduction by “police-like persons”.

The High Court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by two aides of Hardik, when he allegedly went missing after the public meeting in Tenpur village of Bayad taluka of Aravali village on September 22.

“It was a sheer figment of imagination on the part of the petitioners to allege that corpus – Hardik Patel was ever abducted. In fact, he was never abducted by anybody, much less by police-like persons in plain clothes,” said the affidavit filed by Sub inspector Y J Rathod of Ambaliyara police station of Aravali district on behalf of the state government.

“It is not true that the captioned petition had to be filed out of fear, since none of the companions were able to contact Hardik on September 22, 2015 as alleged or otherwise.

In fact, petitioners in particular and few others were in close and constant contact with Hardik Patel all throughout right from September 22, 2015 afternoon till about 11 am on September 23, 2015, when Hardik was alleged to have been released on highway somewhere near Surendranagar, it said.

“There was no question at all about the safety of Hardik as alleged or otherwise, more particularly, he himself on his own eloped, putting not only the entire administration, but also this court in a very awkward situation,” it said.

All these were “deliberate and intentional acts on the part of the petitioners to create sensation at the cost of disturbing public peace and tranquility,” said the affidavit.

(PTI)

KNOW US

GET INVOLVED

PROMOTE

Archives