February 28, 2019 Justice. Liberty. Fraternity. Equality www.dalitpost.com Brick workers demand end to bondage In many cases, Brick kiln workers pass on their debt and poverty to their chil- dren, who end up working at the brick kilns and very often in inhuman con- ditions..... Dalit Post - page 8

What Dalits in India want... - page 2 I don’t want to be a

Divisive policies chowkidar... undermining growth - pg 3 - page 4

Image credit: Courtesy Satish Acharya

The BJP’s do A taste of his or die own return medicine? battle in - page 7 of the the Brahmin? Northeast... - Saeed Naqvi -page 11 - Sujit Chakraborty -page 12

Do facts As usual, BJP Poor add up to Athawale suppressed representation Yogi’s senses a Dalits, of women in claims? kill.... Backward NE politics... communities... - page 9 -page 13 -page 14 -page 15 Much, Much More Inside! For free private circulation Atrocities... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 2 What Dalits want... ‘You are Dalits, politics In Uttar Pradesh, there nate delay in courts while are around 65 Dalit castes seeking justice. And they is for us’ “You are Dalits. You all who fall under the Sched- see justice delayed as jus- are downtrodden. You uled Caste (SC) category. tice denied. So, they want belong to Scheduled In the districts of eastern this to change. Castes. Politics is for us UP, their population var- In UP, there are more (Kammas). The leader- ies between 16% and 40% than 40 Dalit communities ship posts are reserved of the total SC population. who have not yet able to for us. Then why the In every district of UP, at produce their community f*#k are you fighting? least 20 Dalit castes can leaders. These communi- Why do you need poli- be found. Among them, ties have not had any po- tics, instead of thinking the Jatavs are the largest litical participation. They about how to raise your kids with social group who consti- don’t have their own MPs, constituency. - Badri Narayan affection?” TDP MLA Chintam- tute more than half of the Dalit MLAs, etc. Many of them do not “Is it fair (to stop me)? Po- aneni Prabhakar is seen making population in eastern UP. Pasees even have village pradhans from litically you should remember “In spite of their this declaration in a video that has are second largest community their own caste. So, no one facili- something. You are Dalits. You all numbers, most gone viral in the last 48 hours. in the villages of eastern Uttar tates dissemination of democratic are downtrodden. You belong to The MLA was reported- Pradesh. Dalits here are fruits to such communities. Mush- Scheduled Castes. Politics is for us ly speaking in his constituency In spite of their numbers, most still landless. The hars, Haris, Beldars, Kuch Badhi- (Kammas). The leadership posts Denduluru in November last year, Dalits here are still landless. The yas, Nais, etc. among Hindus and are reserved for us. Then why the desire for a piece after a minor political scuffle. But desire for a piece of land is central Rangrejs, Nais, Jogis, Dafalies, f*#k are you fighting? Why do of land is central with the video surfacing now, to Dalit psyche in Uttar Pradesh. etc among Muslims fall in this you need politics, instead of think- Prabhakar is facing severe criti- One can find similar desire among to Dalit psyche” bracket. ing about how to raise your kids cism for the assertion that Dalits Dalits in the states of Madhya These communities want with affection?” he asked. don’t need to be involved in pol- Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh in the Indian society. Indeed ‘beti– space in democratic political Dalit groups across Andhra itics. Prabhakar was reportedly and other parts of India too. The roti’ relations have to be remapped domain. It will be interesting to are demanding action against the speaking in the context of a Dalit Congress, during the days of In- with establishment of inter-caste know that many of these com- legislator for his remarks, under leader, who had joined YSRCP, dira Gandhi, had promised to pro- marriages and inter-caste dining munities don’t vote for Mayawati relevant provisions of the SC/ST opposing Prabhakar’s visit to the vide land to Dalits. It was a part of relations for eradication of caste and the BSP. Even, the BSP has (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. the famous 20-points program but inequality from Indian society. not reached out to them. Many of this promise has yet to be fulfilled. Dalits, especially the educated them voted in the 2014 parliamen- The second key desire of Dalits ones, are very protective about the tary election and in the 2017 state 1,545 atrocity cases in is to get out of their condition and Constitution. They feel an emo- Assembly election for BJP can- secure their livelihood. Most Dalit tional tie with it because it was didates in different parts of Uttar 2018 in Gujarat communities have harnessed their formed and evolved by Babasaheb Pradesh. Now, many of them are own traditional caste based occu- Ambedkar. Secondly, the Indian not satisfied with the BJP and are pational skills. The Bansores were Constitution provides them relief looking for political alternatives. skilled in bamboo work, Mushhars from atrocities and oppression. It One can call them invisible know how to make beautiful pattal also provides promise of equality. and most marginalized Dalit from mahua leaves. They see the Constitution as an communities. Such communi- These communities drew instrument of Dalit emancipation ties are present in other states their sustenance from their artis- from oppression and atrocities. like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, tic skills which were the source of The demand for proper reli- Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, etc. their livelihood in the traditional gious space and religious equality The demand for proper religious society. Due to modernity, their is also there among the Dalits. If space and religious equality is traditional occupations are on the someone visits Dalit hamlets in also there among the Dalits. If verge of extinction. In the new interior UP and other parts of the someone visits Dalit hamlets in market economy, they have been Hindi heartland, one can find local interior UP and other parts of pushed to the periphery to become Dalit deities worshipped under the the Hindi heartland, one can find mere physical laborers in infra- pipal or neem tree. They desire for local Dalit deities worshipped structure and other sectors. There a temple, a defined space for their under the pipal or neem tree. Times of India says Gujarat has If the average of the figures of the is a deep urge amongst many Dalit own deities They desire for a temple, a de- registered a disquieting spike in entire state is considered, then communities for the revival of That is why many educated fined space for their own deities. cases of atrocities against Dalits crimes against Dalits remained their traditional artisanal occupa- Dalit hope that the new govern- The temple space for them is not with every passing year — 2018 at around 1,000 per year. The of- tions in modern form. ment, voted to power in 2019, only a religious space but also alone accounted for 1,545 cases, fences went below 1,000 between The Khadi Bhandar model will make public reading of the a space for social gatherings, a the highest since 2001. According 2003 and 2006, with each year may be one way for the revival and Preamble of Indian Constitution space which gives them a sense to the figures on atrocities against in that period reporting 897, 929, reorganization of their artisanal mandatory in schools. They, off of identity. Dalits also want to Dalits obtained through an RTI 962, and 991 cases. occupations. Dalit communities course, do not want any dilution be able to enter the temples of reply, the 1,545 cases include 22 In 30 villages in the state po- remained the biggest sufferers of in the provision of reservation. A mainstream Hindu deities. Any murders, 81 cases of grievous lice protection is given to Dalits the caste system of the Indian soci- section of Dalits shows its aggres- religious exclusion hurts them. hurt, 104 rapes, seven cases of after being attacked by the so- ety since time immemorial. Baba- sive complaint of growing atroci- The desire to emerge out of arson, and 1,331 other offences. called upper caste people. Dalit saheb Ambedkar proposed anni- ties on Dalits by upper and middle poverty and the need for supportive According to the daily, the rights activist Kaushik Parmar, hilation of caste for emancipation castes in various states. They want governmental schemes like pension figures show that in 2018 Ah- said that these figures are the tip of of Dalits. He also proposed promo- strong state intervention against yojana are constant demands of the medabad registered 140 cases of the iceberg. “When a Dalit is sub- tion of inter-caste marriage as one such cases atrocities. Many Dal- larger section of Dalit communities. atrocities — the highest in all of jected to atrocity, it is difficult for way to remove caste system from its desire that states and the new These points should be noted by po- Gujarat — against Dalits. him to lodge an FIR with police,” the Indian society. Many literate government at the Centre should litical parties while drawing up their In fact, Ahmedabad has re- said Parmar. “Besides, Dalits are and urban Dalits think that the ensure quick justice. As we know, election manifestos. They should be ported a constant rise in crimes sometimes killed. But the gov- government should promote and the marginalized, poor and weaker included in the election agenda. against Dalits: 59 in 2001, 62 in ernment still brags about Samajik encourage inter-caste marriages section of the Dalits face inordi- Courtesy: National Herald 2007, 68 in 2012, and 96 in 2016. Samrasta (social harmony).” Cover story... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 3 “I Don’t Want To Be A Chowkidar. Period” When I go to Delhi, from the airport Children of chowkidars, who to the inner city, the cabs take me via are hoping to avail of higher educa- Munirka. Almost no house in Mu- tion, are being robbed of that hope. nirka that I pass by has a chowkidar Hindi or other regional language at the gate. The semi-slum looks like school education in dilapidated a place that supplies chowkidars to schools to the chowkidars’ children the rich people of Delhi. As one and air-conditioned English-me- reaches the Greater Kailash area, dium school education to the sons however, every house has a chowk- and daughters of the sahukars, has idar at the gate, even in hot summer become the new normal of Arun or in the bitter cold, standing in a Jaitley’s economy. small box. The chowkidar everyday watch- In Hyderabad, the city where I es the difference between his chil- live, nearly every house in Jubilee dren’s lives and those of his master’s Hills has a chowkidar but all the children, as he stands at the gate of poor bastis supply the chowkidar the master’s house. This is not just labour so cheap that not a single heart burning, it is burning his belly chowkidar can be seen with a pot as well. belly. Two meals a day, just enough The best government institu- to help the family survive, seems to tions are slowly being killed and be difficult for them. It is a similar private schools, colleges and univer- situation all over urban India, par- even more miserable after demon- - Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd Where are such schemes for the sities which charge high fee for un- ticularly in the metropolitan cities. etisation. poor in the Modi government? In der-graduate arts courses are coming The smart city concept, under the However, when he claimed in fact, many of those youth are los- up all over the country. All the mas- BJP regime, enhances the econom- the last election that he was a chai- “A large number of ing jobs because of retrenchment ters’ children are studying in those ic gap between chowkidars and sa- walla, and that too an Other Back- chowkidars come by those industries? No govern- institutions whereas the chowkidars’ hukars (well-heeled). Now, Prime ward Class (OBC) chaiwalla, one ment jobs have been created by the children are being shown the pako- Minister Narendra Modi claiming would think that that designation from the lower castes Central government. Instead, both da selling market. Where does this that he is a chowkidar and the PM has had a transformative effect on — mostly Dalit, OBC, Modi and Shah are telling the edu- economy take India? and BJP president, Amit Shah, start- the Indian political discourse. After Adivasi and gurkha cated youth from the chowkidar and It is in this background that I ing a party campaign “Main Bhi all, when Congress intellectuals like or Nepalis, who chaiwalla families that they should find the “Main Bhi Chowkidar” Chowkidar”, gives us scope to look Mani Shankar Aiyar publicly insult- are again from the do “pakoda selling” jobs. campaign of the prime minister at the chowkidar system of India ed Modi with that jibe, he became What is significant in the chowk- reprehensible. No self-respecting and its caste-class character. a hero. lower castes in that idar economy is that a large number chowkidar would like to be in that The new malls and shops that The difference between the title country. No upper of chowkidars come from the lower job in India. If the RSS wants this sell gold and posh clothes all over of “chaiwalla” and “chowkidar” is caste person would castes — mostly Dalit, OBC, Adi- campaign to continue, it should first the country have chowkidars at the that the chaiwalla has self-respect like to serve as a vasi and gurkha or Nepalis, who employ its members as chowkidars gates. When we travel across the even on the street. But the chowk- are again from the lower castes in at the gates of industrialists and busi- country, no farmer’s house has a idar has no respect, no dignity. The chowkidar in India” that country. No upper caste person nessmen. Otherwise it has no right chowkidar at the gate. But you go rich who employ him not only do would like to serve as a chowkidar to give moral speeches to chowki- to any industrial complex, and every not pay well but do not even treat ment in Indian industries during in India. During the Modi-Shah rule, dars. industrial house has several chowki- him as a human being. Modi’s regime? the chowkidar economy suffered so I do not want to be a chowkidar dars. If you look at the industrial and Did the Indian economy show When Y S Rajasekhara Red- much that quality school and college as it does not allow any scope for big business houses, they employ any signs of change during the last dy, as the chief minister of united education, particularly in the Eng- human dignity and self-respect. It is several chowkidars at home, in the five years? In what way did the Andhra Pradesh, introduced the lish medium, has become a distant a job that needs to be abolished, as factories, in the business houses and OBC-chaiwalla’s status change af- total college and university fee commodity for them. Quality ed- it is spiritually, socially, morally and so on. ter Modi became the prime minis- reimbursement scheme in 2004, ucation has moved into air-condi- economically antithetical to humane The chowkidar is a protector ter? How many sons and daughters hundreds of children of chowkidars tioned private schools, colleges and employment. Let us all shout “We of the rich man/woman’s wealth of chaiwallas and chowkidars could and chaiwallas became engineers universities owned by the masters of do not want to be chowkidars”. and life but the rich never allow get dignified higher status employ- and got high-end jobs in industries. the chowkidars. any chowkidar to become rich. Did Modi, in any way, transform this system and ensure that some rich ‘It must be only to get votes’ industrialists became chowkidars M Aadimoolam, 71, works as a “I am earning Rs 7,000 per and some chowkidars became in- security guard for a Canara Bank month now,” said Aadimoolam. dustrialists, over a few years, after in Chennai. He travels for two “I have worked hard to educate he became “Chowkidar PM? The hours in the morning from his my three children. Once I mar- evidence shows that many farmers home to his workplace located ry off my son I plan to go back to in India have become chowkidars in the central part of the city. He my village. It is too difficult to of the urban rich but no industrialist starts work at 6.30 am and leaves travel and stand guard every day.” has become a chowkidar. at 5 pm every day. “By the time I Aadimoolam, who did not have In the last election, Modi reach home, it is 7.30 pm,” he said. the opportunity to get an education, claimed he was a chaiwalla. When a A Dalit migrant laborer from says he does not understand Modi’s chaiwalla becomes a prime minister, Milam village in Tindivanam dis- #MainBhiChowkidar campaign. “If all chaiwallas expect that their eco- trict in Tamil Nadu, he moved to he says he is a watchman, then it must nomic and educational status would Chennai in the early 1980s and start- be only to get more votes,” he said. change. At least a few chaiwallas of ed working as a coolie in the harbour “He made us suffer during demon- the street should have become res- for 10 years. Later, he worked with etisation and nothing has improved taurant owners over a period of time. a security agency before he be- in our lives in the past five years.” On the contrary, their lives became gan looking for work on his own. Source: Scroll.in News magazine... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 4 Divisive policies Eviction of tribals undermining growth put on hold The Supreme Court put on hold other forest dwellers”. While admitting that poverty has Her speech, which surveyed the global situation, its own order directing eviction of When Solicitor General fallen in India, UN Human Rights stressed the impact of inequality around the world tribals, including forest dwellers Tushar Mehta pleaded that there High Commissioner Michele whose claim over the forest land was no procedure for accepting Bachelet cautioned that divisive pol- was rejected. or rejecting claims, Justice Sinha icies will undermine the country’s Asking states to file details of pointed to Section 9 and 10 of economic growth. procedure followed for rejecting the Scheduled Tribes and Other Addressing the UN Human the tribals’ claims, a bench of Jus- Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights Council in Geneva recently, tice Arun Mishra, Justice Navin Forest Rights) Act, 2006. she said that there had been “signif- Sinha and Justice M.R. Shah put He told Mehta that there is icant poverty reduction in overall on hold its own February 13 or- a detailed procedure for decid- terms”, but added that “inequality der directing eviction of tribals in ing the claim over forest land, remains a serious issue”. unauthorised possession of forest including review of the decision She alleged that “it appears that land. including appeal against it. narrow political agendas are driving The court asked the Chief When lawyers representing the further marginalisation of vul- Secretaries of states to give de- states pleaded that they should nerable people”. tails of the procedure followed by be allowed to file sample orders “I fear that these divisive pol- them in deciding claims over the of rejection and eviction as the icies will not only harm many in- ginalised groups, such as Dalits and man rights issues that must be part forest land and also if the same cases could go into lakhs, the dividuals, but also undermine the Adivasis,” Bachelet added. of any solution to the conflict.” was monitored by the state-level apex bench said that states must success of India’s economic growth Turning to recent developments Bachelet, a former Chilean monitoring committees. file response in all the cases of story. on the sub-continent, Bachelet said President, was appointed High It also pulled up the Centre rejection. “We are receiving reports that that India and Pakistan should invite Commissioner for Human Rights for going into slumber and then The apex court reiterating its indicate increasing harassment and her “office to monitor the situation last September by Secretary-Gen- suddenly approaching the bench February 13 order asked the For- targeting of minorities - in particu - on the ground in Kashmir”, but did eral Antonio Guterres. advocating the tribals’ rights. est Survey of India to undertake lar Muslims and people from his- not bring up her predecessor Zeid Her speech, which surveyed the Stating that the entire exer- a satellite survey of forest lands. torically disadvantaged and mar- Ra’ad Al Hussein’s demand for an global situation, stressed the impact cise “can’t be left in the lurch”, the The February 13 order was international commission to investi- of inequality around the world, in- court said that those who are not applicable for the forest-dwelling gate alleged human rights violations cluding in developed countries. in authorised possession of forest STs and other traditional for- ‘5% Gujjar in the state. “Inequalities affect all coun- land must go. est dwellers whose claims were Bachelet said that she remained tries... Even in prosperous states, However, it made it clear that rejected under the Scheduled reservation concerned about the continuing ten- people feel excluded from the ben- “mighty people” must not “en- Tribes and Other Traditional sion in Jammu and Kashmir where efits of development and deprived of croach upon forest land under Forest Dwellers (Recognition of requires shelling across the Line of Control economic and social rights -leading the guise of Scheduled Tribes and Forest Rights) Act, 2006. (LoC) is causing loss of life and dis- to alienation, unrest, and sometimes CONST placement. violence. In recent months, we have “I encourage both India and Pa- seen people across the world take to Landmark amendment amendment’ kistan to invite my office to monitor the streets to protest inequalities and the situation on the ground, and to deteriorating economic and social Though the Rajasthan Assembly assist both states to address the hu- conditions.” for N-E tribes passed a bill granting five per cent The Union Cabinet has reservation to Gujjars, the commu- approved amendment to nity’s leaders are highly sceptical Article 280 and the sixth of this clearing judicial scrutiny as BSP in tailspin over schedule to the Consti- it has been shot down on two pre- tution to improve the vious occasions in 2009 and 2015. elephants financial resources and The Rajasthan High Court held An ‘elephantine’ crisis of administrative powers on both occasions that the five per over Rs 59 crore stares at of the autonomous dis- cent quota exceeded the 50 per cent BSP supremo Mayawati trict councils of Assam, limit laid down by the Supreme after the Supreme Court Meghalaya, Mizoram Court. Thereafter, a bill to grant 1 observed that she refund and Tripura. councils ensuring grass root per cent reservation was shot down money used in installation Union Law Minister Ra- democracy. in 2010 on grounds that it was tak- of statues of elephants, vi Shankar Prasad said “This “There will be reservations en up without conducting a proper BSP founder Kanshiram will be a game changer, as it of at least one-third of seats survey. and her own statues in will substantially enhance the for women in the village and Experts say the five per cent parks in Uttar Pradesh. funds available to these local municipal councils in the sixth quota would require a constitutional The ‘tentative view’ aired by government institutions for un- schedule areas of Assam, Miz- amendment to raise the limit. the court that “Madam Mayawati estimated to be around Rs 50 lakh. dertaking development works oram and Tripura and at least Gujjars currently enjoy a 1 per reimburse to the exchequer public The public interest litigation in these tribal areas,” Prasad two of the nominated members cent reservation in educational money” spent on these statues, has (PIL) filed by Advocate Ravikant said after the Cabinet meeting in all autonomous councils in institutions and government jobs sent the BSP in a tailspin and clos- in the Supreme Court said while chaired by Prime Minister Nar- the northeast sixth schedule ar- after a fourth bill was introduced eted with legal eagles. Even ally this was brazen use of public endra Modi. eas resulting in empowerment on this in 2017. The Gujjar Aar- SP has left her to fend for herself money to further political inter- A government statement of women,” said the statement. akshan Sangharsh Samiti is de- with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav ests while in power, it also was said the amendment provides Meghalaya has for the time manding that this be raised to 5 per ducking questions. in contravention of various rules for constitution of state fi- being kept out of the purview cent. Recently, the state Assembly There are 152 statues of el- of the Election Commission. The nance commissions in Assam, of the provision for elected vil- passed a bill granting the Gujjars ephants in the Ambedkar Park Lokayukta probe ordered by Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tri- lage and municipal councils five per cent reservations, with the in Lucknow and 56 in a park in Akhilesh Yadav has also inferred pura and will also provide for and one-third reservations for Governor okaying it. Noida. The cost of one statue of is a scam of Rs 1,400 crore. elected village and municipal women. Current affairs... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 5 Campaign to Ruling on minority institutions under review... highlight govt’s The Supreme Court has lation making AMU a uni- referred to a seven-judge versity was just a technicality Constitution bench the and this could not denude the failures question whether Aligarh AMU of its minority charac- Several civil society organisations Swaraj Abhiyan’s Yogendra Muslim University is a ter. have come together on one platform Yadav said the aim of the campaign minority institution as it The AMU argued that it to launch a nationwide campaign was to increase awareness about is- would relook at a 1967 was established by Sir Syed highlighting failures of the ruling sues like farm distress, hate crimes, Azeez Basha case that Ahmed Khan - long before BJP-led NDA government ahead unemployment and attacks against held AMU was not a mi- Parliament passed the law of the Lok Sabha elections. Dalits, women journalists and hu- nority institution as it was making it a university. Hav- Titled “Desh Mera, Vote Mera, man rights activists. set up by Parliament. ing said this, Dhavan said the Mudda Mera”, the campaign “Just when substantive and The 3-memebr bench han- matter needs to be sent to a larger launched hundreds of simultaneous inconvenient issues had begun to dling the case referred the matter whether a university, distinct from bench instead of being heard by programmes across the country on surface in this election, the focus to the seven-judge Constitution a college, can be treated as a mi- the current bench. March 23, which is also commem- suddenly shifted to issues of nation- bench as senior counsel Rajeev nority institution. The current issue arose in the orated as ‘Shaheed Divas’ or the al security that allows the current re- Dhavan appearing for the AMU In 1981 the question of mi- wake of an Allahabad High Court martyrdom day of freedom fighters gime to avoid critical scrutiny of its told it that the judgment in the nority institution was referred verdict holding that AMU being a Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukh- record,” he said. Azeez Basha case was bad in law to a seven-judge bench, which Central university was not a mi- dev. Salil Shetty of the No Voter Left and needed a relook. in turn referred it to an 11-judge nority institution. The organisations, which in- Behind Forum said, “This cam- The larger bench would decide bench but the question continues The UPA government had clude the Swaraj Abhiyan, the Na- paign aims at bringing the focus on the parameters for granting the to hang fire. moved the top court challenging tional Alliance of Peoples’ Move- back to real issues like unemploy- minority status to an educational The seven-judge bench would the High Court verdict, but later ments, the Pension Parishad and the ment, growing inequality, attacks institution, what a minority insti- also look into the amendment to the Modi government withdrew All India Kisan Sangharsh Saman- against Dalits and minorities; the tution is, how it is established and Minority Educational Institutions. the UPA government’s appeal vay Samiti, a joint platform of more condition of marginal communi- how it would run. Senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan which had asserted the minority than 200 farm organisations, said ties and deficits in the basic welfare The bench will also decide told the court that Central legis- status of the AMU. on Monday the campaign will aim provisions.” to bring “real issues back into elec- AIKSCC Convenor V.M. Singh toral focus” and increase awareness stressed the two pending pro-farmer Ordinance Will Nyay help tackle about issues like farm distress, hate bills -- freedom from debt and guar- crimes and unemployment. anteed remunerative prices -- must on teacher “At a time when the narrative of be passed at the earliest. poverty? elections is being hijacked under the Hannal Moula of the All India jobs The Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay) the latest being Socio-Economic garb of nationalism, it has become Kisan Sabha (AIKS) also raised the The Union Cabinet has ap- promised by the Congress ahead Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011). imperative that civil society organ- issue of land rights to the landless. proved an ordinance for con- of 2019 Lok Sabha elections could Based on Suresh Tendulkar isations, social movements and Representing unemployed sidering the university as the make a difference to its fortunes in panel’s recommendations in 2011- groups who share a commitment to youth, Sucheta De of Young India recruiting unit for faculty mem- most of what have been identified 12, poverty line figure was Rs 27 our constitutional values co-ordi- Adhikar March and Anupam of bers. as aspirational districts. The party per day for rural India and Rs 33 nate their energies to restore dem- Yuva Halla Bol exposed the current The Central Educational claims it to be the “ultimate cure” per day for urban India. ocratic balance,” said activist Harsh regime’s shoddy record on employ- Institutions (Reservation in for poverty in the country. Nyay As per Rangarajan report, Mander addressing the media here. ment. Teachers’ Cadre) Ordinance promises an income support of poverty line is monthly per capita will circumvent a 2017 Alla- Rs 6,000 a month to every family income of Rs. 1407 in urban areas habad High Court decision among the poorest 20 per cent. and Rs. 972 in rural areas. which had made department The poverty line has been de- The promised income support Amit Shah’s wife’s the recruiting unit. fined differently over the years and under Nyay is much more than the The ordinance was enacted a large section of the poor live in official definitions of poverty line. income grew 16-fold after the Supreme Court reject- 115 aspirational districts in India. He said the Supreme Court Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ed a Special Leave Petition and Identification of poor is done had asked it how they calculate President Amit Shah’s wifes a review petition filed by the based on information from Below the poverty line and they had giv- Sonal Shah’s income grew University Grants Commis- Poverty Line (BPL) censuses, of en factual explanation. from Rs 14 lakh annually to sion, an autonomous body in Rs 2.3 crore in the last five charge of making recruitment years, which is a 16-fold in- norms. Commission to identify crease. nomadic tribes for DEV The declaration was Dalit Post printed by The Finance Minister has an- nomadic and semi-nomadic made by Shah while filing Elegant Offset Printers, Im- nounced the forming of a com- communities not yet formally his nomination papers for pressions Building, 3360/4, mission to identify de-notified, classified.” the Lok Sabha elections Gondhalli Galli, Belgaum nomadic and semi-nomadic “Our government will also from the Gandhinagar constitu- 41,93,218. 590001 for proprietor and communities for their welfare set up a Welfare Development ency. His wife’s income grew from publisher Oliver D’Souza, and devising “development pro- Board under the Ministry of So- The BJP President’s total mov- Rs 14,55,637 in 2013-14 to over Rs Sri Radha Apartments, Flat grammes” for them. cial Justice and Empowerment able and immovable assets are 2.3 crore in 2017-18. 201, Plot 2076, Sector 9, Ra- Addressing the Lok Sabha specifically for the purpose of im- worth over Rs 31 crore. Shah has In 2014-15, Sonal Shah’s in- ni Chenamma Road, MM while presenting the Interim plementing welfare and develop- also shown that he inherited over come was Rs 39,75,970, which Extn Belgaum -590016 Kar- Budget 2019-20, Union Finance ment programmes,” Goyal said. Rs 23 crore from his late mother grew to over Rs 1 crore in 2015-16. nataka State. All rights re- Minister Piyush Goyal said “A “These communities are Kusum Shah in 2013. Income sources have been shown served. News agency cred- committee under NITI Aayog hard to reach, less visible, and Shah’s income for 2017-18 has as income from rent and agricul- its: IANS. Provisional Title. will be set up to complete the therefore, frequently left out,” he been shown as Rs 53,90,970. In ture and dividends from share in- Editor: Oliver D’Souza 2013-14, Shah’s income was Rs vestments. task of identifying de-notified, added. Current affairs... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 6 Bluff, bluster, intimidation Congress promises to is BJP’s governing philosophy scrap Citizenship Bill distress. The youth is of all freedoms - has been sought staring at the abyss of to be curtailed and silenced. Peo- despair with jobs being ple with opinions different from destroyed on a scale that the ruling establishment have been has never happened be- victimized,” she said. fore. Bluff, bluster and Gandhi said Parliament itself intimidation have been had been immeasurably weakened the governance phi- as debates and discussions were losophy of the Modi muzzled. government. Truth and Attacking the BJP for mis- transparency have been leading people, she said: “There UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi brazenly tossed aside,” she said. is now near-universal recognition spot nailed it when she accused Gandhi also said that the Modi that the mandate of 2014 has been the Modi government of having government had hounded political betrayed. I look upon this slightly bluff, bluster and intimidation as opponents and institutions had differently. That mandate itself was the governing philosophy. been subverted. obtained by deceit and dishonesty, Addressing the Congress “The very foundations of our by misleading the people. It was in- democratic republic, of our secular evitable that it would be found out Parliamentary Party (CPP) Gen- Launching his party’s Lok Sab- longer the criteria to select the republic, have come under system- and exposed sooner or later. That is eral Body, she said “There is an ha campaign for the northeast, vice-chancellors. The deter- atic assault by the Modi govern- exactly what has happened.” all-pervasive atmosphere of fear , Congress President Rahul mining criteria is their prox- ment. The very values, principles “We must remember that uni- and strife across the country. The Gandhi said the Citizenship imity to the RSS. The Planning and provisions of our Constitution ty, self-sacrifice, and self-discipline Northeast is burning. Alienation (Amendment) Bill would be Commission was replaced by have come under continued attack are vital at all times. They are of in Jammu and Kashmir has scaled scrapped if his party came to the Niti Aayog, no one knows by the Modi government. even greater importance today - at new heights. Dalits, Adivasis and power. what this Aayog does,” Gandhi “Dissent has been suppressed. this crucial moment of our nation’s minorities are being targeted. “The BJP has said it will said. Freedom of speech - the most basic history,” she said. Farmers are facing unprecedented bring the Citizenship (Amend- Slamming the five years ment) Bill 2016 if it comes to of the National Democratic power. But we are against it. Alliance government, he said, Principal with courage PM-KISAN We are not going to allow this “Prime Minister Modi wants Bill. It is against the interests of a Congress-free India. Just see of conviction an insult to the people of northeast. We will how much hatred he has in his scrap it forever,” said Gandhi at heart. We do not want to spread and other areas. farmers? a public rally in the Arunachal hatred. We don’t want to de- The function was cancelled Pradesh capital. stroy the BJP and the RSS. But before Shah sent his resigna- The Bill was passed in the we will not allow them to im- tion and Vice Principal Mohan Lok Sabha on January 8. The pose their ideology on people.” Parmar followed suit. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Accusing the BJP of polit- The trustees of the college, however, failed to get it cleared icising the martyrs’ sacrifice, headed by internationally cel- by the Rajya Sabha due to op- Gandhi said, “Modiji talks ebrated architect Balkrishna position by some of its own about patriotism, but he was Doshi, succumbed to threaten- allies. busy in shooting (film) for over ing calls from some BJP lead- BJP President Amit Shah 3 hours after the Pulwama at- ers, including some members and Prime Minister Narendra tack took place.” of the University senate, and Hours after it was rolled out by Modi have defended the Bill “Before that, a few years withdrew permission to hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and have said their party would ago, when the Chinese Presi- In a strongly-worded emotion- the annual day function at the BSP chief Mayawati trashed the am- revive it on return to power. dent came to India and Modiji al letter, the Principal of HK college auditorium if Mevani bitious PM-KISAN scheme -- which The Congress chief also was sitting with him in Guja- Arts College, Hemant Shah, was to be a part of it. aims at giving Rs 6,000 annually to promised to restore the special rat, the Chinese army entered an economist and a rights ac- According to Shah, some small and marginal farmers -- as category status of north-east- Doklam. But Modiji did not ut- tivist, who quit his post after BJP leaders threatened to dis- “inadequate and humiliating”. ern states. “Some states require ter a word. On the contrary, he the college refused permission rupt the annual day celebra- “Giving @ Rs 17 per day to few special status due to unique is- went to China after that without to let Dalit leader and legisla- tions if Mevani entered the col- farmers just before Lok Sabha elec- sues of connectivity, terrain and any agenda. This is Modi’s pat- tor Jignesh Mevani to be part lege campus. “In fact, the trus- tions is pure hoodwinking,” the Ba- infrastructure. We will restore riotism,” Gandhi said. of the institute’s annual func- tees of such eminence should hujan Samaj Party leader tweeted. the special category status of Criticising death of three tion, expressed his shock that have provided strength to me “The Rs 500 a month to poor Arunachal Pradesh and oth- people in February during pro- the college whose trustees were to go ahead with the innocuous farmers under PM Kisan Samman er north-eastern states,” said tests against grant of permanent luminaries of Gujarat would function instead of themselves Nidhi is an insult to the farmers. Gandhi. residence certificate (PRC) to kneel down to pressures from shrinking with such misplaced Farmers believe in their labor and Launching a scathing attack the non-Arunachal Pradesh some sundry BJP leaders and fear,” Shah told IANS. want remunerative price of their on the BJP, he said the RSS and Scheduled Tribal (APST) com- refuse permission to allow Me- He said: “For me, there is produce but BJP mentality to give the BJP wanted to push one munities of Namsai and Chang- vani on the campus. nothing more sacred and big- them little monetary help is atro- political, cultural ideology and lang districts, he said why the Shah had invited Mevani, ger than my independence and cious and arrogant. BJP has failed one thought process across the government didn’t talk to the himself an alumnus of HK Arts freedom of expression. I am to fulfill their promise,” she added. country, thereby destroying the agitators. College, to be the chief guest at putting in my papers since I Launching the scheme, Modi unique cultural heritage and Large-scale violence against the college annual function to won’t be able to compromise said the opposition was rattled with history of northeast. PRCs had resulted in death of felicitate students and alumni with these.” the initiatives being announced by “Just look at universities three youths and a huge loss of who had excelled in academics - Counterview.net his government for farmers. of the country. Merit is no public and private properties. States... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 7 A taste of his own medicine… Extend reservation Kerala BJP expressed concern over alleged attempt by a section of media to converts propagating a negative picture of the In a move to woo the minorities, Sachar Committee to treat the BJP in connection with the ensuing Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK Christian converted Scheduled Lok Sabha elections. said it will urge the Centre to pass Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes Y Satyakumar, BJP election in- laws to extend job quotas to those (STs), Backward Classes (BCs) charge in Kerala, inaugurating state who convert to Christianity and and Most Backward Classes executive meet at Palakkad cau- Islam. (MBC) as well as Muslim-con- tioned the party cadres not to be car- Releasing the party’s Lok Sab- verted SCs, STs, BCs and MBCs ried away by media manipulations. ha election manifesto here, Depu- as regular SCs, STs, BCs and Alleging manipulation by CPI ty Chief Minister O. Panneersel- MBCs and provide them with all (M) in media, he said the detractors vam said the party would urge the the concessions now provided for of the party were behind the negative central government to pass a new these regular categories. campaign against the BJP. law whereby those who have con- Pannerselvam said the par- The fact is that the BJP itself is verted to Christianity and Islam ty would also urge the Centre to the one who uses fake news the most. can retain their caste and claim bring a new law enabling reserva- It also has an IT cell that puts out fake reservation benefits after conver- tion of jobs in the private sector. stories, using photoshopped images sion. The party said it will also to prop up the image of BJP and of The BJP is part of the AIAD- urge the central government to Modi which is rapidly plummeting MK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu. introduce the Hovercraft Scheme due their incompetence, corruption The AIADMK said it will for improving coastal tourism and communalism, and to polarize urge the Centre to accept the and the economic status of coast- people. recommendation of the Justice al people. For instance, (see image right) The BJP used social media The fact is that, currently, social Kerala BJP leader K Surendran extensively during 2014 elections, media has become a more reliable shared a Facebook post in May, perpetrating fake news and lies. But source of correct information than Demand for probe into 2017 condemning cow slaughter in when other parties started catching the TV channels and many newspa- the state. Corpses of cows are seen up on social media and started circu- pers. This has affected the BJP all lying on the side of the road. The fact lating information about BJP-scams over the country. matriarch’s death is that the boards behind are written and fake news, BJP President Amit One supposes that BJP never in Bengali and the pic is from Ban- Shah called upon the youth not to considered the adage “What goes galdesh. believe social media. around comes around”. Implement Forest Act, get our votes Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, aganas -- have not been included,” dwellers of the mangrove forest of Nagarik Manch’s Secretary Naba the Sundarbans on Monday de- Datta said. manded immediate implementation According to activists, imple- of the Forest Rights Act in the islands mentation of the Act in other forest and declared they would vote for bearing districts of the state was candidates who support their cause. questionable. A day after Dalit Matua com- Boroma’s death. A central med- They also said non-implemen- “There was no concept of rejec- munity matriarch Binapani Devi ical board should be formed to tation of the Scheduled Tribes and tion of claims of the forest dwellers passed away, her youngest grand- determine whether her death was Other Traditional Forest Dwellers in the Forest Rights Act. But the son and All India Matua Ma- natural. If needed, a CBI inquiry (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act data, presented before Parliament in hasangha leader Shantanu Thakur should be initiated,” Thakur, lead- 2006 poses a threat to their liveli- August 2017, had suggested that 68 wrote to Prime Minister Narendra er of the BJP-aligned faction of hood. per cent of individual and commu- Modi demanding a high-level in- Matua Mahasangha, told IANS. “We demand immediate imple- nity claims was rejected,” All India quiry into her death. He also claimed that he and mentation of the Act. We would vote Union of Forest Working People Binapani Devi, famously his elder brother were not in- for candidates who will support our General Secretary Ashok Chowd- known as Boroma, died following formed when their grandmother demand. Forest-dependent commu- fishing are “harassed in the name hury said. multi-organ failure at the state-run was taken to the JNM Hospital nities do not destroy forests as it is of law by the forest department”, Activists, however, condemned SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. She in Nadia district’s Kalyani and their only source of livelihood,” said although, the Forest Rights Act em- the Supreme Court’s February 13 will be cremated at the Matua were stopped from entering the Pabitra Mandal, Secretary of the Ja- powers them to control activities of order directing eviction of tribals, Mahasangha headquarters known hospital. na Sramajibi Manch, an organisation forest through locally elected bodies including forest dwellers. as ‘Thakurbari’ in North 24 Par- “We were not allowed to enter of fishermen and forest dwellers. called gram sabhas, activists said. Later, the apex court put on hold ganas district’s Thakurnagar. the Kalyani JNM Hospital initial- About six lakh forest-depend- The Forest Rights Act 2006 rec- its order and it asked the state Chief Considered Bengal’s second ly. Later we forced our way in. ent people in the islands are facing ognises the rights of forest-dwelling Secretaries to submit details of the most influential Scheduled Caste Then she was quickly shifted to daily challenges in getting access to people to live or pursue a livelihood procedure followed by them in de- community comprising primar- SSKM, where suddenly she was forests, the Manch’s organiser Tapas in forests. ciding claims over the forest land ily low-caste Hindu refugees declared dead. We are suspicious Mondal said. “Although the Act was imple- and also if the same was monitored from Bangladesh, the Matua over the entire episode. It should He alleged they were required to mented in many parts of the country by the state-level monitoring com- Mahasangha has over one crore be probed,” he said. pay fines arbitrarily and illegally de- and also in West Bengal, surprising- mittees. members spread across various Admitted to JNM Hospital tained and charged with false cases. ly, it has not yet been implemented “Even though the apex court has southern Bengal districts, espe- in Nadia district’s Kalyani on Their collection of the forest produce in the Sundarbans, the most well- suspended its February 13 order, we cially North 24 Parganas. February 28 following shortness are often confiscated, he added. known forest area in the state. We want the Centre should bring ordi- “I have written to Prime of breath and fever, Boroma was Forest-dependent people who want to know the basis on which two nance to set aside the order,” Chow- Minister Modi requesting him to shifted to the SSKM after her con- collect honey, crabs and involve in districts -- North and South 24 Par- dhury said. conduct a high-level inquiry into dition deteriorated. Roving eye... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 8 How online memes Brick kiln disturb India’s social fabric workers demand With the number of Smartphone countries and political agendas users steadily growing and da- have already started making the ta packs getting dramatically rounds in the country. end to bondage cheaper in India, the “meme “While for Gen-Z, it is a culture” on social media plat- means to provide a healthy nu- forms seems to be losing its anced critique of the times we harmless and light humor value. live in, it also has the potential Now, comical or satirical to spread disharmony in the so- representation of social issues cial fabric, if left unchecked,” -- memes -- have emerged as Ram added. flag-bearers of dark humor and Thankfully, recognizing the untraceable digital revenge that damage that memes are capable can spread within fractions of sec- - Radhika Parashar of causing, social media platforms onds and potentially cause irrevers- have started to enforce strict meas- ible damage to the targeted people “To earn profits, ures against pages that promote de- and organizations. maximize engage- rogatory memes on serious issues Experts are now warning that ment, some creators like rapes, casteism, sexism, por- unchecked use of memes could dis- spread fake or nography, drugs and politics. turb the social fabric in India, saying provocative news, To identify and track notorious Most of the 12 million workers in - Roli Srivastava that the “meme culture” in the coun- harmful content users who enjoy creating public up- India’s brick kilns are victims of “If they want to leave early, their try seems to have blurred the line be- and social nega- heaval through threads and memes, debt bondage, labour rights cam- wages are deducted forcing them tween harmless light jocularity and tivity via memes” Twitter is planning to add a feature paigners said, as they appealed to to pay back a huge amount to em- insensitive detrimental mockery. that will show the origin of a viral all major political parties to help ployers,” Katiyar told the Thomson Shared in massive volumes, it is are now sparing none, no cause, no content on its platform. crack down on the middlemen Reuters Foundation. “We want this virtually impossible to determine the event, whatsoever. Based on pubic reviews, Insta- who trap them. mode of recruit- number of memes that are created Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, gram and Facebook have warned Labour advo- “In many cases, ment abolished.” and circulated in one day. along with messaging platform admins or block questionable pages cates met mem- they pass on India abolished Fuelled by digitalization, memes WhatsApp, have emerged as the fa- that use supposedly funny memes bers of five major bonded labour in also help to keep over 250 million so- vorite platforms for bulk circulation to promote drugs, self harm or po- political parties their debt and 1976 but it remains cial media users in India updated on of meme-content in the country. litically incorrect ideas. this week, ahead poverty to their widespread and the news on day-to-day happenings. “Memes are influencing us in This has led admins of contro- of general elec- children, who country announced “With the rise of Generation-Z, our social spheres and given that versial meme pages on Facebook tions in April, to end up working three years ago it we have seen the birth and evolution they are ambiguous and need visual as well as on Instagram to increase demand legisla- would free 18 mil- of meme culture and since they can interpretation, it is tough to trace, layers of account-security, requir- tion for brick kiln at the brick lion people trapped be created, shared, consumed and and hold their creators to account,” ing people in some cases to first workers is includ- kilns and very in bondage by 2030. disseminated wittily, they can spread Ram said. request access to the locked pages ed in their political often in inhuman Brick kiln swiftly into popular culture due to It is observed that to earn profits before they could view the content. manifestos. conditions” workers are often the ease in sharing,” Prabhu Ram, and maximize engagement on their Given the persuasive power, They also trafficked from Head-Industry Intelligence Group, pages, some creators spread fake or unending reach and mostly nega- called for a ‘re- their villages, lured CyberMedia Research told IANS. provocative news, harmful content tive agendas associated with a large cruitment board’ to be set up for by the prospect of a good job and Howeer, not everything is funny. and social negativity via memes. number of memes, stricter the con- brick kiln owners looking to hire cash advances. From representation of a young beg- With the cricket World Cup just trols around harmful memes be- workers, which would eliminate In many cases, they pass on gar-boy addicted to drugs to homo- months away and India gearing up come -- without going to the extent labour contractors who offer cash their debt and poverty to their chil- phobia, celebrity babies, animals tied for its general elections, memes with of censoring free speech -- better it advances to marginalised farmers dren, who end up working at the to explosives -- sadistic dark memes debatable statements against other would be for the society. in remote Indian villages only to brick kilns and very often in inhu- trap them in bondage. man conditions, Katiyar said. “Nearly all workers in brick While a handful of major build- Saudi sisters hope for bright future kilns fall under the category of ers in the country now use light- Two Saudi Arabian sisters families and at a shelter for bonded labour,” said Sudhir Kati- weight concrete blocks, a large are hoping for a “bright, abused women. yar of the National Struggle Com- part of the construction industry beautiful future” after be- They feared being mittee of Brick Kiln Workers. still leans on traditional burnt clay ing granted asylum, flee- intercepted by Saudi offi- “They are recruited against bricks, said industry expert Sameer ing what they describe as cials or relatives and forced advances and are then bound for Maithel. an abusive family and a to return home, where they the entire brick making season,” A good part of the brick-mak- repressive society. believe they could be pun- said Katiyar, whose group was ing process remains manual as it is The sisters fled from ished for renouncing Is- formed last year to represent 11 a cheaper option to machines. their family last Septem- lam, which is punishable nationwide trade unions working Despite their numbers, the de- ber while on holiday in by death under the Saudi to improve the welfare of brick mands of brick kiln workers are Sri Lanka and have been system of Islamic law.. kiln workers. often ignored by politicians. stranded in Hong Kong The sisters said they India, which is the sec- “The demands are genuine but since an aborted attempt to get to gone. were treated harshly, at times ond-biggest brick producer in the many of the workers are unable Australia, where they hoped to se- “Oh my God, I was so happy,” beaten, by their brothers and father. world with output at nearly 250 to vote during elections as they cure asylum. the curly haired younger sister told They were also critical of Saudi billion bricks annually, has an es- are working,” said migrant rights For reasons of safety, the sis- Reuters recently, describing how Arabia’s male guardianship system timated 200,000 brick kilns. But expert Umi Daniel, regional head ters, aged 18 and 20, who say they she felt when told asylum had been that requires women to have a male the industry is largely unregulat- of Aide et Action International, a were beaten by their father and secured. relative’s permission to work, trav- ed with cases of abuse and child Swiss-based non-profit. brothers, asked that their names They said they had lived in fear el, marry, and even get some medi- labour reported often in local “They are not really significant and faces not be revealed, nor the for six months, shuttling between cal treatment. “Women are just like media. for political parties.” - Trust.org country to which they have now 15 safe houses, staying with a nun, slaves,” said the older sister. Women... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 9 “I dream of a world without Poor representation of caste, discrimination”... women from NE in politics Later, it may be re- leased nationally, Women are almost a “We have to fight a lot but the producer is non-entity in the electoral for women’s rights, due yet to tell me about politics and governance representation of women his plans,” said in India’s north-eastern in policy making bod- Sarkar. region, albeit an incredible ies, change the mind-set The Iron Lady gender ratio in the elector- of men about women, had gone on a fast- al rolls of the region. establish the equality of unto-death for 16 The average gender men and women in all years till mid 2016 ratio in the electoral lists spheres of society,” said demanding repeal of the north-eastern states Bhattacharjee, who runs of the Armed Forces is 971 females to 1,000 a social body, “Chetana”, Manipur’s legendary human (Special Powers) Act. She then males against the national for the upliftment of wom- rights activist Irom Sharmi- joined politics, but secured a gender ratio of 958. en in both economic and la said she dreams of a world meagre 90 votes In the Mani- In four north-east- societal affairs. without caste, discrimination pur assembly polls in 2017. ern states -- Arunachal Pradesh -Kushagra Dixit The Congress-led United Pro- and dictatorship. She then married Desmond (women 401,596, men 392,566), gressive Alliance government “I want to leave for my chil- Coutinho and faded from the Manipur (women 990,960, men “In 2014, of the had proposed reservation for dren a world without caste, dis- limelight. 939,926), Meghalaya (women 25 Lok Sabha women in May 2008 as the Con- crimination, and dictatorship, Sharmila, now on the fam- 956,135, men 936,579), Mizoram seats across eight stitution (108 Amendment) Bill. and where all people would ily way, was asked how her (women 402,408, men 381.991) -- north-eastern It was passed by Rajya Sabha in have equal status,” Sharmila married life was different from women electors outnumber their states, only two March 2010, but lapsed as it could told media persons in kolko- her days as a spinster. “Well, male counterparts. not clear the Lok Sabha before its ta at the trailer launch of the these are separate chapters of In four north-eastern states, the women were elected dissolution in 2014 ahead of the ” docu-feature “The Turning life. That’s how I see it.” gender ratio ranges from 1,021 in to the Lok Sabha general elections. Point” based on her life. “Everybody sees Sharmi- Meghalaya to 1,023 in Arunachal Patricia Mukhim, a teacher The docu-feature is being la as an Iron Lady. But I have Pradesh, 1,053 in Mizoram and nipur or the Naga Mothers As- turned social activist, writer and made primarily for some for- brought to the limelight only 1054 in Manipur. In two states - sociation, besides the matrilineal journalist, said that women are still eign television channels, said the lady. And during our pro- Nagaland (983) and Tripura (973), society in Meghalaya,” she added. living in a non-inclusive, unequal, the director indranil Sarkar. ject, I have found her to be a the gender ratio is higher than the What’s unique about the Ima violence-ridden, gender-discrim- “Initially, we want to reach very good human being. She national average and in other two Market or Ima Keithal (meaning inating world and heaven knows out to a global film audience. still is very much rooted,” said states - Assam (955) and Sikkim ‘mother’s market’) is that it’s en- for how many more decades. (958) - the sex ratio is equal to the tirely managed by women - all “Women are discriminated national percentage. 5,000 of them. Located in the against at the workplace and even Notwithstanding, this, in 2014, heart of Imphal, this sprawling, their homes - the domestic space,” Her crimes finally of the 25 Lok Sabha seats across 500-year-old market, has long Mukhim, the editor of leading eight north-eastern states, only been an important meeting ground English daily Shillong Times in caught up... two women (8 per cent) - Bijoya and trading hub of Manipur. Meghalaya, told IANS. A Chinese woman, nick- Chakravarty (Bharatiya Janata The Ima Keithel is believed to “Coming to other aspects of named the “Queen of Ivo- Party) and Sushmita Dev (Con- be the largest all-women market women’s welfare which is essen- ry” and thought to be one gress) - had elected to the Lok in Asia, and possibly in the world. tially their health, the absence of of Africa’s most notorious Sabha. Congress MP from Silchar gender sensitive and gender nu- traffickers, has been sen- Octogenarian Bijoya Chak- Sushmita Dev said: “For better anced health indicators is a prob- tenced to 15 years in pris- ravarty and others - among them and due representation of wom- lematic factor. on in Tanzania, authorities All India Mahila Congress Pres- en in the Parliament and in the Maternal and infant mortality told CNN. ident Sushmita Dev, veteran writ- assemblies in all states, we have rates and the percentage of insti- A Tanzanian court re- er Patricia Mukhim, senior cen- been struggling for passing the tutional births are very poor in cently found Yang Feng tral government official turned women’s reservation bill.” Meghalaya, despite the state being Glan, 70, guilty of smuggling 860 Tanzanian investigators told CNN. renowned social worker Pancha- Dev, a former member of the traditionally a matrilineal society,” elephant tusks that authorities say Ynag came to Tanzania in li Bhattachrjee and India’s gym- Assam assembly and Chairperson Mukhim pointed out. are worth $6.45 million. Yang was 1975 as a translator for a Chinese nastic sensation Dipa Karmakar of the Silchar Municipal Corpora- The eight north-eastern states, sentenced along with her Tanza- company that was building a rail- have expressed their deep agony tion, told IANS: “The (ruling Tri- home to 45.58 million people as nian co-accused Salivius Francis road linking the port of Dar es over the poor representation of namool) Congress in West Bengal per the 2011 census, 28 per cent of Matembo and Manase Julius Phi- Salaam to Zambia. She was one women from the northeast in and Odisha’s (ruling) Biju Janata whom are tribals, present a truly lemon. of the first Chinese people to learn important bodies and urged the Dal have fielded a large number contrasting picture when it comes Tanzania’s Director of Public fluent Swahili. Before her arrest, political parties to give them due of women candidates. This is not to its women. Prosecutions accused Yang of run- she also served as the secretary importance. possible for big parties like the Dipa Karmakar, who creat- ning a sophisticated supply chain general of the Tanzania-China Af- “Women in the northeast dom- Congress and the BJP.” ed history by becoming the first between East Africa and China, rica Business Council. inate societal and domestic affairs, Strongly advocating laws for Indian woman gymnast to com- using her ties to the Chinese and Tanzania, which some have but political domination is not in women’s reservation in all con- pete at the Olympics and the first Tanzanian elite to move ivory called the ground zero of elephant their hands,” Chakravarty, who stitutional and non-constitution- Indian gymnast to do so in 52 across the world. poaching in the last decade, has has represented Guwahati in the al bodies, noted social worker years, said “Except in Assam and Yang was arrested in Dar es been heavily criticised by conser- Lok Sabha since 2009, told IANS. Panchali Bhattachrjee, wife of Tripura, women’s representation Salaam on September 28, 2015, vation groups for its inability to “Women should be given at former Tripura Chief Minister in parliament, assemblies, local after a year-long manhunt. stop the mass killing of its tuskers. least their due rights and privileg- Manik Sarkar (1998-2018), told government bodies and differ- The landmark ruling marks The East African nation lost 60 es if not more. Women are play- IANS that BJP led government ent governing bodies in other six one of the harshest sentences ever per cent of its elephant population ing incredible roles all across the headed by Prime Minister Naren- north-eastern states either always handed down to such a high-pro- from 2009 to 2014, according to north-eastern states. You take the dra Modi has remained been silent negligible or nothing,” Karmakar file and well-connected Chinese data released by the Tanzanian example of Ima Market in Ma- about this. told IANS. national living in East Africa, government. Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 10 Editorial Johnson and Walker proved right Reducing gender inequalities Samuel Johnson, the man of ployment hit unprecedented levels letters about politics of his time leaving the population aggreived. in education wrote ‘Patriotism is the last As a result of all this, the BJP -Amit Kapoor refuge of a scoundrel’. It is not lost power in its core support re- The benefits of diversity in the for just one-third of the male talent known in what context he made gion - the Hindi heartland. To workforce are known to give com- It is essential to ad- pool. However, education is also one the statement, but it is generally counter its waning political for- panies a competitive edge and this, “ of the few sectors where the number concurred that it applies to pol- tunes, pouncing on the opportu- in turn, enables higher growth. A dress the issue of gen- of women working are greater than iticians who use the concept of nity presented by the Pulwama 2018 McKinsey & Company Re- der disparity in educa- the men. patriotism to escape the wrath of attack, it subsequently resorted to port, “Delivering through Diver- If the current trend of male dom- the people for their failures. the Balakot strikes in which bombs sity”, found out that companies in tion as this sector helps ination in STEM disciplines at the In the Indian context we have allegedly hit trees and failed to the top quartile for gender diversity in developing profes- college level or in acquiring emerg- have seen the words patriotism garner for it any susbstantial favor on their executive teams were 21 sional capacities in ing skills at the workplace contin- and nationalism being inter- with the aggreived population. It per cent more likely to experience ues unabated, it can lead to wider changed to mean the same thing, then resorted to the basic income financial returns above their na- both men and women” gender disparities across industries and nationalism is in turn being scheme for farmers which was tional industry means than due to the rising demand for presented as adhering to the Hin- outdone by Rahul Gandhi’s Uni- the companies in the fourth the AI skills, irrespective of dutva ideology and the diktats of versal Income Scheme. Therafter, quartile. being a traditionally male or the Modi government. If you op- it jumped to national security as its While the research a traditionally female orient- pose either of the two, then you election plank, using the Pulwama findings point towards pos- ed sector. are unpatriotic and anti-national attack as a backdrop, coopting the itive correlation between Efforts towards achiev- and should be moving to Pakistan DRDO’s space program into its financial performance and ing gender parity in educa- This has not happened over- political agenda to keep this plank greater inclusion of women tion beyond enrolments, to night. The BJP came to power afire, even as MNS Chief Raj in leadership roles, it is es- take account of equality in promising Achhe Din but before Thackeray has asked us to expect sential to address the issue choosing skills which are long it was obvious that the Modi another Pulwama before the Lok of gender disparity in edu- a gateway to employment led government was functioning Sabha elections that would lead to cation as this sector helps opportunities, will help in in consonance with its ideologi- another Balkot or so. in developing professional creating a gender-equal cal fountainhead and master - the Clearly, all of BJP’s current capacities in both men and workforce in the future and RSS - which wants to turn India talk about national security, that women. greater financial gains. into a theocratic nation. Evidence too at election time, is nothing but As the world moves closer to countries where the majority of Addressing the gender dispar- of Modi pursuing this agenda has a ploy to hoodwink and divert the covering the gender gap in edu- STEM graduates are females are ity issue in education not just re- been adequately demnstarted by attention of the people away from cation, with only 5 per cent of the Algeria, Tunisia and Albania. sults in financial improvements for the targeting of the Dalits, Tribals its monumental policy failures and gap remaining, one of the issues In the era of the 4th Industrial businesses, and greater growth, but which mask under gender parity in Revolution, when the in-demand also helps in achieving better devel- Whether or not patriotism is the last refuge of the scoun- education is the lower participation skills in the job market include opment outcomes. of both men and women which is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ma- For instance, in the health sec- drel, national security is the last refuge of the tyrant... preventing the world from fully uti- chine learning, these gender gaps tor, there is a global shortage of 17.4 lising the human capital. in STEM studies, if left unchecked, million healthcare workers, includ- and minorities. All kinds of crim- even worse administrative perfor- The Global Gender Gap Report, will broaden gender disparities ing 2.6 million doctors, 9 million inal gangs under direct patronage mance that has all but left the na- 2018 (WEF, 2018) points out that across the industries. Currently, nurses and midwives (WHO, 2016). of the Modi government and in- tion in tatters economically, social- globally, there were on average 65 per there is a significant gender gap While women form the majority of dividual BJP state governments ly and politically- all of it happen- cent girls and 66 per cent boys who among the AI professionals, with the sector’s workforce, they are pri- have unleashed violence against ing under a tyranical government. were enrolled in secondary education only about 22 per cent of them being marily clustered in the lower-level these people in the name of reli- In the process, the BJP has and only about 39 per cent girls and 34 female and 78 per cent being male. positions, with senior positions be- gion. National crime records re- proved right not only Samuel John- per cent boys who were participating Regional analysis across the globe ing held by men. veal that there has never been such son right, but also Baron Robert in tertiary education. Thus, the gen- reveals that the top three countries Efforts to attract more males extensive targeting of the minori- Walker of Gestingthorpe who said der gaps cannot be completely closed where AI talent is the most prom- to nursing courses and elevating ties and the low castes and tribals “Whether or not patriotism is the until the participation increases in ed- inent are United States, India and the status of care related work can in a single five year period as has last refuge of the scoundrel, nation- ucation at all levels. Germany - along with a signifi- help to break the feminisation of occurred in the last five years of al security can be the last refuge of Further, to the issue of the low- cant gender gap in AI skills biased the nursing profession and address Modi rule. Hindurashtra envisag- the tyrant.” er overall participation, particularly against women (WEF, 2018). the shortage of workforce to some es a caste based society and gov- However, unlike what the BJP in the tertiary sector, is the fact that Industry-level workforce data extent. For women to move up to ernance in full flow as was the would like to believe and what it although there are more females for the gender gap indicates that the senior positions amidst the rapidly case a thousand years ago, and in refuses to accept, the Indian elec- graduating than males globally, top three sectors where the propor- digitising technology, efforts to- modern times such a society can torate is no more a naive and un- when it comes to the skills for the tion of men is much greater than wards reskilling them can close the be restored only through violence informed one, even though a size- lucrative jobs, women tend to lag women are manufacturing, energy gender gaps in senior positions. and suppression. able chunk of it is illiterate. The behind men. and mining sector and software As for improvements on other Then came the catastrophic over 400 million smartphones in According to the Global Educa- and IT services. Out of these, the fronts, the water and sanitation sec- demonetization which devastat- the country, alongwith word of tion Monitoring Report Gender Re- third sector employs about 40 per tor, for instance, faces a significant ed the entire economy and hit mouth have ensured that the pat- view (UNESCO, 2018), in countries cent of the AI professionals in total shortage of qualified professionals. the poor and the low castes and riotism-nationalism and national such as Chile, Ghana and Switzer- workforce, with women accounting While the importance of involving tribals the worst. Subsequently, security ploy of the BJP is exposed land, women account for less than for just 7.4 per cent of the AI talent both men and women in manage- the wealth of the nation is large- to the voter. The voter is seeing that one-quarter of all STEM (Science, pool. The other two sectors have a ment of water and sanitation facil- ly concetrated in the hands of the national security is being hyped Technology, Engineering, Mathe- very low percentage of AI-skilled ities has for long been recognised upper castes. Those who benefit- up as a political issue when there matics) degrees. Among the South workforce. globally, mostly men are still seen ted from the over 3.5 Lakh NPA is no unusual and real threat to our Asian countries, India has about 42 Another sector where the share as the primary decision makers. writeoff are also mostly upper borders. The voter who is more per cent tertiary graduate females of professionals possessing AI skills Thus, alleviating gender ine- castes. This was followed by the concerned about unemplpyment, pursuing a STEM programme, is high is education, accounting for qualities in education can bring out poorly implemented GST, even as social peace and equality will vote which is much higher than many about 19 per cent of the total work- more qualified female professionals the plight of farmers and unem- accordingly developed countries. The only few force - of which women account in the decision-making roles. Comment... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 11 The return of the Brahmin? We need to keep tabs In 1996 my book “The Last on well-Being Brahmin Prime A recent research indicates they individual is doing)”. Minister” was Indians are not feeling very hap- There are two old proverbs. on the stands. py. India ranked as 133 out of 156 One states: “What is measured The title was countries on the UN 2018 World matters.” The other says: “What so controversial Happiness Report (Happiness Re- gets measured gets managed.” that friends like Dilip Padgaonkar port). This was 11 spots lower than By putting a well-being measure- stopped talking to me - but only for a India’s 2017 ranking. A well-being ment system in place, India would short while. He was too dear a friend. study by social science researchers demonstrate that the happiness of And now that my mind is work- at the end of 2018 revealed that life its citizens matter and provide the ing in the reverse direction I am satisfaction in India dropped by platform for developing and im- going to miss Dilip’s call as soon as 10 percent from 2006-17. What plementing policies for enhancing this article appears. “The Return of accounts for India’s poor perfor- their life satisfaction. the Brahmin?” Why has this thought - Saeed Naqvi mance? I recommend the development germinated in my mind? Well it than one in a coalition of unequals. dra Modi is the only non-Brahmin There is no simple explana- of monthly Well-Being Index. was Congress spokesman Randeep Before this nasty thought could be Prime Minister to have completed tion. It is instructive, however, Such an Index could be the defin- Surjewala’s emphatic description dispelled, came Dikshit’s statement his full term. So long as Modi is to consider the factors that have itive source for information on the of Rahul Gandhi as a “janeudhari” describing Narendra Modi as being committed to the RSS ideology, the greatest impact on achieving well-being of the Indian citizenry. Brahmin which first caused me to more effective in fighting terror - abides by Manusmriti, which visu- good scores on them. As noted Social scientists, economists and wonder why a questionable label witness, Balakot - than Manmohan alizes a stable order of unequal cat- in the Execu- statisticians can was being thrust upon Rahul. The Singh. At the time of writing Dikshit egories, he is a good advertisement tive Summary “Study revealed that decide what goes penny dropped when I remembered was trying to back track: her state- for the RSS. He stands for a strong, of the Happi- life satisfaction in into the Index. The K. Karunakaran’s untiring efforts ment has been twisted. Clarifications militarized, unitary India, united ness Report, India dropped by 10 important thing is to Brahminize Rahul’s father, Rajiv count for little when perceptions uncompromisingly on the issue “All the top percent from that the Index be Gandhi. have gone viral. of national security. Manto’s line: countries tend 2006-17” developed and put A high caste Marar (a caste of “Khali pet ka mazhab roti hota hai” to have high into place as quick- (Bread is the religion of a hungry values for all ly as possible. The temple drumbeaters), Karunakaran - Frank W Islam held a special office at South India’s “Janeudhari” Rahul stomach), does not figure in Modi’s greatest Krishna temple, Guruvayur, must have a game framework. where he frequently invited Rajiv plan. He could be in In opposition to Modi and his for “Ang pradarshan”, a ceremony competition with cohorts is a federal India, fight- of lying flat on the ground in abject Mamata Banerjee, ing him from their trenches in the supplication. How many notches Ra- Nitin Gadkari and states. All these regional forces have jiv climbed up the caste order is less Pranab Mukherjee” issued from the Congress womb, quantifiable. What can be confirmed which once contained all the inter- without any shadow of a doubt is Was Congress participating in ests federated behind a programme something more delicious: Rajiv fell the coalition in good faith? That for freedom. That was 72 years ago. six of the key variables that have reason for this is that the available so wildly in love with Guruvayur’s would have been the general sus- Except in 2009 when the Congress been found to support well-being: data and evidence shows that India famous “payasam”, or rice dessert picion had Dikshit’s tantrums been won 209 seats, the party has not risen income, healthy life expectancy, is moving backward rather than that Karunakaran was obliged to allowed to stand. I gather Ahmad from 142 seats since 1996. In 2014 social support, freedom, trust forward in terms of enhancing the ferry vast quantities of the stuff to Patel has been asked by the high it was 44 seats. The party will have and generosity.” The well-being happiness and life satisfaction of Lakshadweep where the young PM command to intervene in the interest to think out of the box and weld a study disclosed that “The life sat- its people. Minister was spending New Year’s of an equitable distribution of seats. new coalition. It could well be a left isfaction of individuals worldwide The Index results and findings Eve with his extended family. I have not been able to confirm the of centre group with CPI-M help. correlates with income, health, should be released at the same So, this time round, a “Janeu- exact seat sharing but the story has This alas, is what the authors of cro- employment, education as well as time as GDP reports, so that all dhari” Rahul must have a game been “pigeoned” to me by a usually ny capitalism resident in Mumbai with positive moods, freedom and concerned individuals and organi- plan. He could well be in competi- reliable source: that seat share could will not stomach. The media, which beliefs about the benefits of work.” zations can determine whether the tion with Mamata Banerjee, Nitin be 4:3 in favour of AAP. they control, and Modi have done India does not score well on economic growth and progress of Gadkari and, surprise of surprises, In Lucknow, the plaint in both everything in their power to trans- most of those factors. Various the country as a whole is translat- Pranab Mukherjee. Folks who know the SP-BSP camps is similar: to talk form 2019 into a Presidential contest. studies have highlighted major de- ing into well-being for its citizens. the former President say: “Barkis is to us is infra dig for the Congress. The concept does violence to a multi ficiencies in areas such as income, With this information in hand, de- willing.” This kind of contingency Akhilesh Yadav has picked enlight- ethnic, multi lingual, multi regional, health, education and employment. cision makers can take the actions planning has surfaced because of the ened advisers. They are unanimous: multi religious polity. There is not a systematic method necessary to ensure that when In- hesitant manner in which the Con- in its guts, the Congress is an upper What was to have been a contest in place, however, to assess the dia does well, all Indians do well. gress President has been playing the caste party. That it is today more between two formations, unitary and well-being of India’s citizenry on Research shows though that coalition game. of a Brahmin party is because of a federal, has begun to look a circular an ongoing basis. extrinsic factors such as income First, he allowed Sheila Dikshit context: the BJP placed Thakurs on combat movement, where every India puts considerable em- inequality and an inadequate ed- to poke her fingers in the eyes of the gaddis in UP, Uttarakhand, Him- party has its eye on a post poll main phasis on measuring GDP growth ucation can reduce an individual’s AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal. This sent a achal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhat- chance. That is going to be a melee. and tracking other economic indi- potential for achieving happiness. shiver down the spine of the “gath- tisgarh, inviting a Pandit response. Money bags from Mumbai will cators regularly. The assumption is Improving the conditions and the bandhan”. AAP was guaranteed to It must never be forgotten that, descend to stir up more confusion. that moving the needle positively setting for well-being by address- down all seven of the BJP candidates of the 72 years since independence, BJP is not getting an absolute major- on those metrics will cause bene- ing those factors will enhance a in Delhi. By pitching her flag in all the Prime Ministerial seat has been ity - not by a long shot. Yes, largest fits to flow through to citizens. person’s ability to exercise choice the seven seats, Dikshit was only en- occupied by Brahmins for almost 51 single party status is possible. This That is not the case. As Nobel and free-will in order to be happy. suring a BJP revival in Delhi. years. In fact the 10 years of Manmo- will need a supple leader. Should Prize winning economist Joseph A Well-Being Index would be That this game plan of hers was han Singh were, in Karunakaran’s the regional parties score heavily, Stiglitz explains, “No single meas- a starting point for focusing atten- not openly criticized by the party framework, because of a Brahmin- the game will be thrown even wider ure can capture what is going on tion on a happier India and bring- high command sent out a signal that ical consensus - he was in lieu of open. That will the situation custom in a modern society, but the GDP ing Indians together on being the the party was more instinctively Sonia Gandhi. made for the Brahmin quartet men- measure fails in critical ways we change that will be necessary to liable to play an upper caste game It is a history of sorts that Naren- tioned above to be brought into play. need measures on how the typical achieve that end. Analysis... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 12 BJP’s do-or-die battle against Congress in Northeast in the past three years, will have a tough time. The tribals, who constitute 27- 28 per cent of the population in the northeast, always play a significant role in the politics of the mountain- ous region. According to Manipur Univer- sity Professor and political observer Chinglen Maisnam, the Citizen- ship (Amendment) Bill 2016 has changed the mind-set of the people in the region during the past two months. “The Citizenship Bill has completely changed the political By -Satish Acharya landscape,” he said. “The state governments have limited power on migrant and in- The Bharatiya Janata Party has (AIUDF) won 3 seats while the filtration issues. Meghalaya and Corporate NPAs cost more embarked on a do-or-die battle to Communist Party of India-Marxist other north-eastern states tried to win as many of the 25 Lok Sabha (CPI-M) secured 2 seats in Tripura. enact acts to deal with these issues seats as it can in eight north-eastern Independent candidate Naba Ku- but subsequently retreated when than farm loan waivers... states. For its part, the Congress par- mar Sarania (Hira) won from As- the constitutional experts expressed ty has set off a determined attempt sam’s Kokrajhar constituency. views against such moves,” Mais- to regain its lost ground in the re- nam told IANS. gion. The academician said that Some political forecasters in the “Stiff opposition to non-publication of the contents of northeast feel that since all the eight the contentious Cit- the Naga peace talks agreement and states in the region are now ruled izenship Bill 2016 in the agitations for hiking salaries and either by the BJP or its allies, the the entire NE region allowances of the government em- saffron party holds the advantage. could upset the BJP’s ployees as per the recommendations However, other political ana- bid to win the target- of the 7th Pay Commission and few lysts are of the opinion that the stiff ed number of seats” other local issues would affect the opposition to the contentious Cit- electoral prospects of the BJP and izenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 Political analyst Samudra Gupta somewhat help the Congress. in the entire north-eastern region Kashyap observed that the scenario Tripura (Central) University - home to 45.58 million people as in the Northeast was heavily tilted teacher and political commentator per the 2011 census - could upset the in favour of the BJP and its allies. Salim Shah observed that in As- BJP’s bid to win the targeted num- “However, the Citizenship sam and few other north-eastern ber of seats. (Amendment) Bill 2016 has had states, the political parties might Assam’s 14 constituencies will some negative impact on the BJP’s utilise public sentiments over the see polling in three phases on April overall image. The Asom Gana Citizenship Bill, the National Reg- 11 , 18 and 23. Manipur and Tripura, Parishad (AGP) quitting the BJP- ister of Citizens (NRC), protection The scale of the corporate over time, with a share in total which have two seats each, will vote led alliance two months ago over of indigenous people, jobs, develop- non-performing assets (NPA) advances (lending by banks) of in two phases, on April 11 and 18. the bill could cause some damage. ment and other local issues. problem is of a higher magnitude, 40%, and a share in total stressed Meghalaya (two seats), Nagaland “That is exactly why the BJP “Growing unemployment and corporate defaults have cost assets (including NPAs, restruc- (one), Arunachal Pradesh (two), Mi- has reopened its channels with the might be a crucial issue for the the public exchequer more than tured loans and assets written-off zoram (one) and Sikkim (one) will regional party. It has to carry out youth of the north-eastern region. farm loan waivers. If recapital- by banks) of 70% at the end of go to the polls on April 11. some exercise to avert the erosion in Unlike other states in the country, ization of banks is welcomed, a March 2017. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, support base triggered by the Citi- the ethnic identity issue is a vital farm loan waiver should be as Among NPAs in the banking the BJP-led National Democratic zenship issue,” Kashyap told IANS. concern in the electoral politics of acceptable. sector, the top 12 which make up Alliance (NDA) allies, including While Neiphiu Rio’s National- the northeast. The identity of north- In the financial year 2017-2018 approximately 25% of total NPAs Naga People’s Front (1), Megha- ist Democratic Progressive Party east is somewhat different from and to date, 10 state governments were identified and referred to the laya’s National Peoples’ Party (1) (in Nagaland) and Zoramthanga’s other regions of the country,” Shah have announced farm loan waiv- National Company Law Tribunal and the Sikkim Democratic Front Mizo National Front (in Mizoram) told IANS. ers totalling Rs 184,800 crore. (for resolution and recovery) by (1), together won 11 seats with the would obviously not leave the lone Of the 25 Lok Sabha constituen- In contrast, the total debt of the RBI in 2017. Of these, four dominant party bagging 8 seats. seats in Nagaland and Mizoram cies in the northeast, two seats, one India’s top 10 corporate borrow- have been resolved within a year The BJP had won 7 seats in Assam to the saffron party, it would be each in Nagaland and Meghalaya, ers alone was nearly four times with about 52% of their dues re- and 1 in Arunachal Pradesh. difficult to convince Conrad K. are lying vacant after Neiphiu Rio that amount, at Rs 731,000 crore covered. This recovery represents The Congress, which since 1952 Sangma’s National Peoples’ Party and Conrad K. Sangma became the as of March 2015, and of the top only 14%, or Rs 48,300 crore, of has had a stronghold in the north- (NPP), a member of the North East chief ministers of the two states, re- 12 NPAs nearly twice, at Rs the total Rs 345,000 crore owed east, also managed eight seats in Democratic Alliance (NEDA), to spectively. 345,000 crore. Data also show from all 12 NPAs. Thus, about Rs 2014 -- 3 in Assam, 2 in Manipur share even one of the two seats in The resource-rich region shares that the percentage of impaired 3 lakh crore remains outstanding and 1 each in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, he said. borders with China, Myanmar, Bhu- loans in agriculture has been far from just eight corporate NPAs-- Meghalaya and Mizoram. Kashyap said that Congress, tan and Bangladesh and has trade lower than that in industry. nearly double the total farm loan Five years ago, the Assam-based which has almost been wiped out of ties with some of these countries, es- The share in NPAs of large waivers announced by the 10 All India United Democratic Front the region by the BJP and its allies pecially Bangladesh and Myanmar. borrowers has been increasing states. Image: Counterview.net Moot points... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 13 PM can’t bury Do facts add up to Yogi ’s claims? In the last two years, Adityanath on the there has been “no police: There was no reality in communal incident,” political interference in Uttar Pradesh, in police work since he Chief Minister Yogi took office and the law nationalism’s garb Adityanath told re- and order in the state was porters on complet- under control. The Congress hit out at PM Modi his colossal failures, bogus claims ing two years office. Reality: According for “cynically exploiting national se- and persistent falsehoods,” it said. Reality: The to the National Hu- curity to hide his colossal failures” The Congress said the five years Home Minister told man Rights Commis- and resolved at its CWC meet here of Modi-BJP government had been Parliament on March sion (NHRC), in the to defeat the “RSS and BJP’s ideol- a period of false promises and be- 13, 2018 that the rise 10-month period after ogy of fascism, hatred and divisive- trayal of people’s trust. in communal violence was the Adityanath assumed office, UP ness”, saying it would not let Modi “This government has been a highest in Uttar Pradesh - 822 inci- “Home Minister topped the list of states with fake divert the country from real issues failure on all fronts and has inflict- dents and 111 people killed in 2017 told Parliament encounters and custodial deaths. in the guise of nationalism. ed pain and misery on the people itself - the highest in four years. “As far as death in judicial The meeting of the Congress through its reckless decisions of de- The first incident, in fact, oc- on March 13, 2018 custody is concerned, UP again Working Committee, the party’s monetization and hasty imposition curred soon after Adityanath as- that the rise in ranks top of the NHRC list. The highest decision-making body held of a flawed GST,” it said. sumed office. On May 5, 2017, a communal violence state recorded an astounding 365 in Modi’s home state Gujarat for the It said demonetization and GST group of Rajputs entered a Dalit was the highest judicial deaths out of a total 1,530 first time in 60 years, was attended disrupted the economy, trade and colony in Saharanpur while head- in Uttar Pradesh - deaths recorded in the country,” by top party leaders including Pres- industry, led to closure of lakhs of ing to garland a statue of Maha- NHRC said. ident Rahul Gandhi, UPA Chair- factories and tens of millions of rana Pratap, for which they had 822 incidents and According to MHA data, UP’s person Sonia Gandhi, former Prime workers lost their jobs and liveli- been denied permission. In the 111 people killed Bareilly recorded the highest num- Minister Manmohan Singh and hood. violence that followed one Rajput in 2017 itself” ber of custodial deaths at 25, fol- newly appointed General Secretary “The unprecedented jobless- was killed and some 25 Dalit hous- lowed by Agra (21) and Allahabad Priyanka Gandhi among others. ness, agrarian crisis and distress of es were torched. (19). Prime Minister Narendra “The CWC resolved to defeat farmers and agricultural laborers Kasganj in western UP wit- UP has emerged as the deadliest Modi’s Varanasi constituency the RSS, BJP ideology of fascism, are issues of grave national concern. nessed communal violence on for bovine-related hate violence recorded nine custodial deaths, hatred, anger and divisiveness. No The Modi government is guilty of January, 26, 2018. 22-year old and reports more attacks than any while Adityanath’s Gorakhpur sacrifice is too great monumental misman- Chandan Gupta, died of a gunshot other state,” FactChecker said constituency recorded two deaths. in this endeavour, no “Janeudhari” agement of the Indian wound and 44 people were arrest- “Before March 2017, when Communally sensitive Kasganj re- effort too little, this Rahul must economy. National sav- ed. The violence erupted over an Adityanath came to power, UP re- ported five custodial deaths. battle will be won,” have a game ings and investments unauthorised march on Republic corded five incidents of bovine-re- In his first 10 months in office, the party stated. plan. He could have sharply declined. Day. lated hate violence. After that, up there have been more than 1,100 “It is sad to say be competiing “Banks are bur- There has been a 69 per cent to December 3, 2018, the state re- police encounters in the state, that our Prime Min- with Mamata dened with NPAs and rise of cases of bovine-related vi- corded 11 cases of bovine-related NHRC said. ister, in a cynical Banerjee, Nitin credit off-take of the olence since Adityanath assumed hate violence.” On assuming office, Adit- manner, is taking ad- Gadkari and industry has reached a office, according to a FactCheck- The latest attack was the mur- yanath had said that the police vantage of the emo- Pranab Muk- record low. Exports are er.in database that tracks such der on December 3, 2018, of police would have full freedom to deal tions and sentiments herjee” stagnant and industrial crimes. inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, with rising crime in the state. of the public to gain production has been “With four deaths in 21 at- who was shot in the head - likely The police launched ‘Opera- political mileage in falling continuously tacks in 2018 - with the lynchings with his own firearm - by cow vig- tion Clean’ and it came with its al- the backdrop of terror attacks. He is notwithstanding government’s of 45-year-old Qasim Qureshi ilantes on a field in Bulandshahr in legations of extra-judicial killings. also creating a divide in the socie- boastful and misleading claims,” in Hapur, western UP, 20-year- western UP, who were apparently Thus, it’s little wonder that ty. This is an attempt by Narendra it said. old Shahrukh Khan in Bareilly, incensed by the discovery of cow Congress General Secretary Pri- Modi and the BJP to divert the pub- “The Prime Minister has be- northern UP, and the murder of a carcasses. Singh was shot as he yanka Gandhi has termed Adit- lic attention from accountability and trayed the public and he has failed. police inspector and a bystander - tried to restore peace. yanath’s report card an “illusion”. real public issues. We will not allow the PM to mis- “We want to remind the govern- lead and fool the people of India. “We have prepared a road map ment about the poll promises made The Indian public has repeatedly to address the issues of farmers, un- during the election rallies in 2014,” shown the maturity and are alert employment the sliding economy,” said spokesman Anand Sharma af- about public issues and problems,” said Sharma. ter the meeting. added Sharma. The CWC endorsed the promise “The PM has betrayed the pub- “Despite the country experienc- made by the Congress President to lic and he has failed. We will not ing two famines during the period ensure minimum income support allow the PM to mislead and fool of five decades, there never was to the poor, weak and marginalised the people of India,” added Sharma. such a situation which is prevailing sections when the Congress comes In its political resolution, the right now with the unemployment to power. CWC said that Modi and the BJP at its lowest in 45 years. Anand Sharma said an atmos- were insulting the sacrifices and “The BJP government is also phere of fear and insecurity was all contribution in nation-building by destroying the democratic institu- pervasive particularly among wom- leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, tions,” said Sharma. en, students, academics, writers and Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel “After the public mandate given the business community. by “brazenly seeking to hijack their to us, which we firmly believe will “There are deliberate attacks legacy”. happen in the general elections, we on the Constitutional and other “Congress expresses its strong will give the nation a government safeguards for Scheduled Castes, disappointment that the Prime Min- which will fulfill its promises. the Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and mi- ister is cynically exploiting the issue country saw that happened during norities; and there is subversion of of national security, on which we are the three Assembly Elections held all institutions of governance,” he all united, to divert attention from recently,” said Sharma. said. Politics... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 14 PM burying reality in Athawale senses a ‘kill’ NDA ally and Union Minister for A senior RPI leader pointed out Social Welfare Ramdas Athawale how Athawale enjoys a great rapport nationalism’s garb? senses an opportunity to wrest the with both Chief Minister Devendra bourers are issues of grave nation- Mumbai North-East Lok Sabha seat Fadnavis and Shiv Sena President al concern. The Modi government in the ongoing tussle between Ma- Uddhav Thackeray and allotting the is guilty of monumental misman- harashtra’s ruling Bharatiya Janata seats to the RPI-A could a win-win agement of the Indian economy. Party-Shiv Sena coalition over the situation for all sides. National savings and investments constituency, party sources indi- “If the BJP re-nominates So- have sharply declined. cated. maiya, it could be in danger of “Banks are burdened with Due to huge differences with losing that seat as Sena will work NPAs and credit off-take of the the Shiv Sena, the BJP has so far against him. Athawale can be a industry has reached a record low. not announced the candidature for formidable candidate as both par- Exports are stagnant and indus- Mumbai North-East - currently rep- ties will work with RPI-A and the trial production has been falling resented by Kirit Somaiya - though huge Dalit population in that con- continuously notwithstanding it retained and declared the names stituency will help,” a party leader government’s boastful and mis- of Poonam Mahajan (Mumbai explained, requesting anonymity. leading claims,” it said. North-Central) and Gopal Shetty It maybe recalled that prior to “The Prime Minister has (Mumbai North). the alliance; Somaiya had been a betrayed the public and he has The Sena has made it clear that bitter critic of the Sena and once The Congress hit out at Prime failed. We will not allow the PM if Somaiya is nominated, it would even threatened to throw its top Minister Narendra Modi for “It is sad to say that to mislead and fool the people of not only campaign for his defeat but leadership in jail if voted back to “cynically exploiting national India. The Indian public has re- this could also hamper its statewide power. security to hide his colossal fail- our Prime Minister, in peatedly shown the maturity and alliance with the BJP. The Sena hit back by opposing ures” and resolved at its CWC a cynical manner, is are alert about public issues and The cat-fight between the two Somaiya’s nomination and warned meet here to defeat the “RSS taking advantage of problems,” added Sharma. allies is considered ‘fortuitous’ by of heavy costs to the BJP, including and BJP’s ideology of fascism, “Despite the country expe- Athawale, who has been clamour- losing the seat and even the alliance. hatred and divisiveness”, saying the emotions and sen- riencing two famines during ing for at least two seats for his Re- In this scenario, another senior it would not let Modi divert the timents of the public the period of five decades, there publican Party of India-A. aide said that Athawale could be country from real issues in the to gain political mile- never was such a situation which He has been lobbying hard for an effective counter to the Prakash guise of nationalism. is prevailing right now with the getting at least one seat in Mumbai Ambedkar’s Bharipa Bahujan The meeting of the Con- age in the backdrop unemployment at its lowest in 45 and another elsewhere in the state Mahasangh and AIMIM’s Owaisi gress Working Committee, the of terror attacks” years. from the BJP-Sena’s quotas, but brothers which will contest elec- party’s highest decision-making “The BJP government is also both have rejected his demands. tions for all 48 seats in the state body held in Modi’s home state destroying the democratic institu- “While Shiv Sena feels the RPI under the banner of the Vanchit Gujarat for the first time in 60 India,” added Sharma. tions,” said Sharma. should contest Mumbai North-East, Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). years, was attended by top party In its political resolution, the “After the public mandate the BJP wants to give us Mumbai The major opponent in Mumbai leaders including President Ra- CWC said that Modi and the BJP given to us, which we firmly be- South-Central seat,” Athawale North-East will be former MP San- hul Gandhi, UPA Chairperson were insulting the sacrifices and lieve will happen in the general claimed last fortnight, on the seats jay D. Patil of the Nationalist Con- Sonia Gandhi, former Prime contribution in nation-building by elections, we will give the nation held by BJP and Sena, respectively. gress Party, which has only one seat Minister Manmohan Singh and leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, a government which will fulfil its However, both parties are re- in Mumbai, with the remaining five newly appointed General Sec- Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Pa- promises. the country saw that luctant to give up their seats in the going to the Congress quota. retary Priyanka Gandhi among tel by “brazenly seeking to hijack happened during the three As- country’s commercial capital repre- Patil could have an edge with others. their legacy”. sembly Elections held recently,” sented by Poonam Mahajan (BJP) campaign support from Raj Thac- “The CWC resolved to de- “Congress expresses its strong said Sharma. and Rahul Shewale (Sena), or else- keray’s Maharashtra Navnirman feat the RSS, BJP ideology of disappointment that the Prime “We have prepared a road where in the state to the RPI-A in Sena, which is not contesting the fascism, hatred, anger and di- Minister is cynically exploiting map to address the issues of farm- the high-stakes elections. Lok Sabha polls this time. visiveness. No sacrifice is too the issue of national security, on ers, unemployment the sliding great in this endeavour, no ef- which we are all united, to divert economy,” said Sharma. fort too little, this battle will be attention from his colossal fail- The CWC endorsed the prom- Poll scheduled for Modi’s won,” the party stated. ures, bogus claims and persistent ise made by the Congress Presi- “It is sad to say that our falsehoods,” it said. dent to ensure minimum income convenience? Prime Minister, in a cynical The Congress said the five support to the poor, weak and Accusing Prime Minister Naren- Elections spread over two months manner, is taking advantage of years of Modi-BJP government marginalised sections when the dra Modi of planning the election in West Bengal would mean all de- the emotions and sentiments of had been a period of false prom- Congress comes to power. schedule for his convenience, West velopment projects stalled for that the public to gain political mile- ises and betrayal of people’s trust. Anand Sharma said an atmos- Bengal Chief Minister Mamata long,” Banerjee said. “And what age in the backdrop of terror “This government has been phere of fear and insecurity was Banerjee has questioned the logic will be the weather by the time the attacks. He is also creating a a failure on all fronts and has all pervasive particularly among behind the seven-phased elections elections end on May 19?” she said. divide in the society. This is an inflicted pain and misery on the women, students, academics, for 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in She also reiterated her earlier attempt by Narendra Modi and people through its reckless deci- writers and the business commu- the state. accusation that the Modi govern- the BJP to divert the public at- sions of demonetization and hasty nity. Banerjee alleged, “Modi babu ment was planning another strike tention from accountability and imposition of a flawed GST,” it “There are deliberate attacks planned it (the election schedule) in (like the air strikes in Pakistan’s real public issues. said. on the Constitutional and other a manner that he can go to every Balakot) and indicated the long- “We want to remind the gov- It said demonetization and safeguards for Scheduled Castes, state as per his convenience.” drawn Lok Sabha poll process was ernment about the poll promises GST disrupted the economy, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and mi- “We have seen the BJP’s ven- intended to facilitate this. made during the election rallies trade and industry, led to closure norities; and there is subversion detta. In Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil The TMC President said the in 2014,” said spokesman Anand of lakhs of factories and tens of of all institutions of governance,” Nadu, there is just one day of poll- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gov- Sharma after the meeting. millions of workers lost their jobs he said. ing. Some other states will go to ernment failed to bring back black “The Prime Minister has and livelihood. Sharma also blamed Modi polls for two days. money, over two crore jobs were betrayed the public and he has “The unprecedented jobless- and the BJP for political discourse “But my state will keep voting destroyed in the year after demon- failed. We will not allow the PM ness, agrarian crisis and distress becoming bitter. for two months. What is the logic etisation and over 12,000 farmers to mislead and fool the people of of farmers and agricultural la- - IANS behind such polling schedules? committed suicide. Dalit politics... Dalit POST www.dalitpost.com February 28, 2019 15 BJP suppressed Dalits, Tribals, Dalits brace backward communities for Bihar showdown Launching a blistering at- promised to bring ‘achhe Hundreds of Dalits, Other Back- new 13-point roster system that tack on the BJP, Samajwa- din’, but they brought ‘bu- ward Classes (OBCs) and tribal will reduce jobs for Scheduled di Party chief and former re din’ for the people.” outfits halted rail and road traffic Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Min- On when he will file across Bihar on Tuesday as they Other Backward Classes. ister Akhilesh Yadav said his nomination papers joined a nation-wide call for The tribals were protesting the party suppressed the for the Azamgarh parlia- shutdown demanding the Cen- a Supreme Court order evicting Dalits and the backward mentary constituency, he tre to promulgate ordinances to more than 10 lakh families of Ad- communities and the peo- said, “Will do that soon secure forest rights to Advasis, ivasis and other forest-dwellers ple are ready to give their if people are demanding. job security for ad hoc teachers from forest lands across 16 states. reply in the elections. And will also decide on and protest the anti-reservation The shutdown is supported Yadav’s comments Dimple Yadav’s (his wife) policy of the central government. by the Rashtriya Janata Dal, came soon after Prime candidature from Kan- The protesters stopped over Congress, Rashtriya Lok Samta Minister Narendra Modi nauj as people are asking a dozen long-route trains in Ara, Party, Hindustani Awam Mor- on Saturday accused political par- her to contest.” Jehanabad, Patna, Darbganga, cha, Left parties and other op- ties that claim to be followers of so- strikes by the Indian Air Force, he He added that the candidate for Bhagalpur, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, position members. cialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, said: “The BJP cannot issue the Varanasi will be announced soon and Begusarai railway stations. “The state administration of betraying his (Lohia’s) principles. certificate of nationalism to people. along with the candidates for the Various important arteri- has made elaborate security ar- “They (BJP) should remember For the sacrifices and valour of the other parliamentary constituencies. al roads were blocked as the rangements in view of the shut- that the Dalits and the backward armed forces, we always have re- On Chief Minister Yogi Adit- groups protested against Uni- down,” said a senior government community are aware of their spect.” yanath kicking off the BJP cam- versity Grants Commission’s official. mindset. And people are now ready The Samajwadi Party leader paign in the state, he said: “Don’t to give their reply in the Lok Sabha also asked for the reason behind tell me about the CM. polls. the intelligence failure in Jammu “We have heard that he (Yogi Alpesh Thakor says “When the BJP came to power and Kashmir’s Pulwama. “When Adityanath) played Holi wearing it said it will hug the backward com- the Opposition parties want to a rain coat. Holi is the festival of concerns settled munity. But they have suppressed know how there was such a big in- colours, and if the colours are not Congress’ maverick OBC law- the Dalits and the backward com- telligence failure, the government smeared on your face then it is not maker Alpesh Thakor, who had munity,” he said. does not want to answer. And Holi. been keeping the party on tenter- Referring to the incident of that’s why I have said a number Commenting on the many pub- hooks amid speculation that he burning his and BSP chief May- of times that the BJP knows how lic meetings of the Uttar Pradesh was headed for the ruling BJP, awati’s photos during the Holika to divert the attention of people Chief Minister in the state, he said: cleared the air that his concerns dahan ceremony in Barabanki from real issues.” “We want him to go to the people had been settled for now. district, Yadav said: “In a democ- He also said that earlier the en- and tell them about the work of his Thakor’s announcement came racy to oppose (against something), tire debate was on ‘chaiwala’, but government in the last two years.” as a respite for the Congress, which effigies are burnt, but by burning now it is on ‘chowkidaar’. The SP leader described the faced the twin shocks of two of its ship after his meetings with Chief someone’s picture on the day of a He added that the BJP has failed social media team of the BJP as MLAs joining the Bharatiya Jana- Minister Rupani and Gujarat BJP festival, I want to ask the BJP, what to keep its promises. “Internet terrorists” and demanded ta Party in a day on Friday, with president Jitubhai Vaghani. kind of nationalism and social jus- Accusing the BJP of not giving action against them. one of them being rewarded by a Addressing a press conference tice was that.” employment to the youth, he said “The kind of language they use cabinet berth in the Vijay Rupani in Ahmedabad, Thakor said “If I On Sam Pitroda’s controver- that due to demonetisation and GST is not good and we do not want to government within 24 hours. had to go to the BJP, I would have sial statement over the Balakot air crores of youth lost their jobs. “They use such language,” he added. For nearly a fortnight, Thakor gone at least six months ago.” He who had joined the Congress in admitted he was unhappy with the the run up to the 2017 assembly way of functioning of some Con- elections, had been giving sleep- gress leaders in the state, but this PM hiding failures with publicity less nights to the Congress leader- was now a matter of the past. says Mayawati Bahujan Samaj Party added. Guj Tribals demand (BSP) supremo Mayawati The ruling party at the has accused Prime Min- Centre, which is also at the IMP of FRA, MNREGA ister Narendra Modi of helm in her state has “mis- Hundreds of tribals from Gujarat testers’ demands. wasting public money for erably failed to address gathered at the Sabarmati river- According to Eklavya Sanga- self-promotion. serious issues like unem- front in Ahmedabad demanding than, only 40 per cent or 73,921 The former Uttar ployment and poverty”, implementation of Forest Rights tribals have been given Jamin Pradesh Chief Minister she said. “They run away Act (FRA), Food Security Act Adhikar Patras. Whereas, rightful tweeted: “Modi was busy from any kind of public (FSA) and MNREGA. claims under Forest Rights Act of mostly in laying foun- debate,” she added. They handed over a memo- as many as 1,08,948 others have dation stones for various Cautioning people randum to the Ahmedabad collec- been rejected for various reasons. projects. He has spent Rs from falling into the BJP’s tor, seeking land ownership under A total of 73921 (40.4%) farm- 3,044 crore on publicity. trap, Mayawati said these Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. ers have been given such Adhikar “Instead, this govern- were mere tactics to divert Leading the protest march of Patras, according to the Gujarat ment could have used this money than on itself.” people’s attention from the real is- around 7,000 to 8,000 tribals, who government data. for education and better medical The tweets of the 63-year-old sues in public discourse. came from the eastern belt dis- The protesters also demanded facilities in every village of back- Dalit leader was in Hindi. “BJP The BJP was also “digging up tricts of Banaskantha, Sabarkan- their rights under Mahatma Gan- ward states like Uttar Pradesh. and PM are hell bent on deflecting all sorts of skeletons in cupboards” tha, Aravalli, Mahisagar, Dahod dhi National Rural Employment “However, for the BJP, there is the attention of people from the of opposition parties, she pointed and Panchmahals, the Eklavya Gurantee Act (MNREGA) and no greater emphasis that is needed failures of their government,” she out, and condemned the ploy. Sangathan threw light on the pro- Food Security Act (FSA). Wide Angle... www.dalitpost.com Dalit Post The only monthly of its kind February 28, 2019 16 Child marriages still Padma Shri for promoting rare musical prevalent in India... instrument Although child marriages ographies that have high Poverty has not stopped in India have declined, a (50 per cent) and medium nonagenarian Thanga few states like Bihar, West (between 20 per cent to Darlong -- all of 91 years -- Bengal and Rajasthan 50 per cent) prevalence of from playing the rosem, a continue to carry on with child marriage,” it said in a flute-like tribal musical in- the harmful practice and statement. strument made of bamboo. there is nearly 40 per cent The report revealed This labour of love saw him prevalence in these states, that worldwide, an esti- nominated for the Padma the Unicef said. mated 650 million girls Shri, India’s fourth highest A new report ‘Fact- and women alive were civilian award, in the Re- sheet Child Marriages married before their 18th public Day honours list. 2019’ released by the birthday and globally, the The unlettered musical geni- Shri award,” a hearing-impaired United Nations Interna- School students form a human chain to protest total number of girls mar- us, who hails from the remote Mu- Thanga Darlong told IANS. tional Children’s Emer- against dowry and child marriage ried in childhood is estimated raibari tribal village in northern “It is extremely regrettable gency Fund (Unicef) this at 12 million per year. Tripura’s Unakoti district, learned that the young generation of our month stated that while in Tamil ments in adolescent girls, and strong “South Asia is home to the to play the rosem from his father Darlong community and other Nadu and Kerala child marriage public messages around the illegali- largest number of child brides with and was later groomed by his un- tribal communities do not play prevalence was below 20 per cent, ty of child marriage and the harm it more than 40 per cent of the global cle. It’s been a journey that has this instrument and this could they were pockets of disparity con- causes were among the reasons for burden (285 million or 44 per cent lasted for over eight decades. cause its demise,” he said. centrated in tribal communities and the shift, it pointed. of the global total), followed by “I am greatly honoured Darlong is a sub-tribe of Kuki amongst particular castes, including It also showed that the preva- sub-Saharan Africa (115 million or that the central government an- community and its over 9.000 the Scheduled Castes. lence of girls getting married before 18 per cent globaly),” it noted. nounced my name for the Padma members are largely Christians. Child marriage threatens girls’ 18 years of age in India has declined In Latin America and the Carib- lives, well-being and futures and if from 47 per cent in 2005-2006 to 27 bean, there was no evidence of pro- efforts were not accelerated, more per cent in 2015-2016. gress, with levels of child marriage Exploring human cost than 150 million girls would be “While the change is similar as high as they were 25 years ago. married off before their 18th birth- with all states showing a declin- However, there is a silver lining of war through dance day by 2030. ing trend, the prevalence of child as well, the report stated that the The plight of refugees and Improving rates of girl educa- marriage continues to be high in practice of child marriage has de- their constant state of move- tion, proactive government invest- some districts. The focus is on ge- clined around the world. ment and instability became the central theme of “1 Sq Ft”, a contemporary dance From tribal hamlets to Art from act by Manipuri choreogra- pher Surjit Nongmeikapam, world markets plastic trash who was first inspired by the also chairman of Naandi horrors of the World World Foundation, introduced the II wreckage in Manipur. coffee in Paris with a flag- The 30-minute act enunciat- his act builds a powerful case for ship store in 2017. Araku ed the human cost of war and the the reality of war and violence. Originals, a social enter- displacement it caused worldwide. The act’s title “1 Sq Ft” is a prise formed by him along Using the metaphor of his props sharp elocution of how even a with three other life trustees -- bamboo for boundaries, oars for square foot, the space needed to of Foundation, is now look- crossing water bodies and chairs stand, is not available for the refu- ing to take the unique brand “For one sip of water, we create for comfort and seats of power -- gees in a foreign land. to New York and Tokyo. permanent plastic junk,” artist A month ago, the com- Arunkumar H.G. remarked about pany started selling the cof- 100-ml bottles that are part of our fee online in India and plans high-consumption lifestyle. The scheme encourages to open cafes in Bengaluru Sourced from households and people to participate in the con- and Mumbai this year. schools, hundreds of them are servation of wildlife, especially From tribal hamlets to Paris, Ar- Famous for delicious fruit crafted into his massive installa- endangered species. aku coffee has come a long way flavour intertwined with caramel tion made entirely out of everyday Animals listed for adoption and is set to lure the taste buds of and a finish of bittersweetness, plastic trash, that reminds citizens are lion, crocodile, clouded leop- New York’s coffee aficionados Araku coffee scores 88-90, the of the harmful and lasting carbon ard, Himalayan black bear, bintu- this year. world’s highest rating on a scale of footprint small actions generate. rong, hornbill, peacock, common Started as a livelihood project 100 in quality marking by Special- His installation “The Toxic leopard, hoolock gibbon, slow for tribals by Naandi Foundation, ty Coffee Association, a non-profit Chamber”, a large cave-like struc- According to a senior Tripura loris, pig-tailed macaque, pelican, a non-governmental organization, organisation that represents coffee ture with a huge mouth, is created wildlife official, any institution capped langur, spectacled langur, it has given to the world a top- professionals, from producers to out of waste like automobile parts, or individual can adopt an ani- leopard cat and even a vulture. notch coffee with a distinct aroma. baristas all over the world. discarded plastic chairs, containers, mal by annually paying between The Sepahijala Wildlife The picturesque valley, about The region’s unique environ- PET bottles, and e-waste. A satire Rs 5,020 and Rs 2,81,000 for its Sanctuary and Zoo, home to 655 100 km from Visakhapatnam, is ment, bio-dynamic agriculture on how easily today’s consumers upkeep at the Sepahijala Wild- animals belonging to 55 different a synonym for world-class coffee. and involvement of world’s top shirk responsibility of the vast waste life Sanctuary and Zoo, located species, is the first zoo in eastern Mahindra & Mahindra Chair- coffee experts in every stage of generated, the “chamber” allows in western Tripura’s Sepahijala and north-eastern India which man Anand Mahindra, who is production makes it a world-class. visitors to stand inside and reflect. District. allows adoption of animals. For free private circulation