February 7, 2013
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Editor-In-Chief : Prem Kumar Chumber Contact : 510 - 219 - 8920 Fax : 916 - 238 - 1393 E-mail : [email protected] Editors : Takshila & Kabir Chumber VOL - 4 ISSUE No. - 12 February 7, 2013 www.ambedkartimes.com www.ambedkartimes.org www.deshdoaba.com MAKING SENSE OF DALIT IDENTITY IN CONTEMPORARY PUNJAB Japanese Institute Honors REVIEW ARTICLE OF A RECENT STUDY IN PUNJABI BHAGAT SINGH THIND unjab has the highest pro- `monopolized by the so-called Sacramento : The Fred Korematsu Institute for Civil Rights and portion of Dalits (29 per- dominant/upper castes. This is Education, a program of the Asian Law Caucus, held the Fred Pcent, Census of India what forced them to look for Korematsu Day Heroes Celebration on 2001) in India and this whopping alternative ways of social mobili- Sunday, January 27, 2013 in the numerical presence has further ty and empowerment. Herbst Theatre, San Francisco. increased with the inclusion of The story of Dalit identity, Despite a $25 ticket, this 900-capacity Mochi and Rai Sikh/Mahatam emancipation, empowerment and theatre was full. In all, 16 civil rights castes into Scheduled Castes cat- DR. RONKI RAM mobility is quite different in heroes were honored . These included egory in the state. Despite having number of professions, which Punjab from that of the rest of a Sikh, Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind. He was one of the three heroes in the cat- the highest proportion of Dalit were traditionally considered to India. There happened to be two egory of "Race in the Courts Heroes". He was honored for fighting for percentage in the country, Dalits be the mainstay of the business main models of social mobility U.S. citizenship in the U.S. Supreme Court, in Punjab, however, are exten- and artisan castes. This has led to available to the socially excluded In their landmark decision of Feb.10, 1923, the Supreme sively deprived of agricultural a sharp decline in the number of sections of the Indian society. Court conceded that he was a Caucasian (A requirement for citizen- land. Among them less than 5 Dalit landless agricultural work- These two models are: Conversion ship, then), but unfortunately for him, the Court declared him "alien percent (Census of India) are cul- ers in Punjab whose strength has and Sanskritisation. Conversion ineligible to citizenship", saying that he was not "white". At the cele- tivators. They shared only 4.82 and Sanskritisation aim at seeking brations, he was represented by his son, David Thind, who has percent of the number of opera- Surinder Dalit emancipation by crossing published his many manuscripts, and maintains an excellent web tional holdings and 2.34 percent Singh over to something new/external site. Dr Thind was a great orator and delivered numerous lectures of the total area under cultivation that would facilitate them to quit on Sikh philosophy and the right of freedom of India from British (1991 Census). Consequently, Junior their centuries-old entrenched Rule. He could get citizenship only in 1936 under the New York Research State's law new law that allowed citizenship to World War I veterans. their landlessness rendered a subordination [Ram 2012: 639]. Fellow Readers will enjoy the music and the information at http://www.bha- large number of them into agri- But as far as Punjab is concerned, gatsinghthind.com/military_thind.php The Korematsu Institute dis- cultural labourers and made come down from 24 percent in Dalits seem to have avoided this tributes Free Korematsu Teaching Kits to any teacher who requests them subservient to the landown- 1991 to 16 percent in 2001. two fold way of social mobility for one on their web site (www.korematsuinstitute.org). This writer is ers. However, a significant However, the dissociation of the reasons best known to them. happy to note that, the sponsor of the celebrations included the change has taken place over the Dalits from the menial and agri- They prefer to improve their social Sikh Coalition, Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund, last few decades. Dalits in Punjab cultural work in Punjab and their status through highlighting their and South Asian Bar Association of Northern California. However, have improved their economic relatively better economic condi- caste identity. he did not see any Sikh among the 900 attendees at the function. position through hard work, job tions have probably failed to get What distinguished caste in For further details, the readers may e-mail info@korematsuinsti- diversification and emigration them entry into the local struc- Punjab from the rest of the coun- tute.org or pone. 415-848-77370. Dr. Onkar Singh Bindra ([email protected]) abroad. They have entered into a ture of power, almost totally contd. on page 3 LATE COMMISSIONER LAHORI RAM’S FOURTH BARSI CELEBRATED Senator Jerry Hill presents Jagdev and Assemblyman Bill Quirk's representative presents Ajaipaul Ram with a Certificate of Recognition Ajaipaul Ram, Roger Dicikinson & Jagdev Ram the Ram Family with a California State Legislative Honor “Time is not measured by On January 20, 2013 the The Ram family hosted the ed the fourth anniversary of the People traveled from all over the the years that you live but by the Ram Family hosted a religious Akhand Path at the Shri Guru passing of Mr. Lahori Ram. Over United States to attend the func- deeds that you do and the joy function celebrating the life of Ravidass Temple in Pittsburg , 1000 friends, family and well- tion. Many people traveled that you give.” Late Commissioner Lahori Ram. CA . The function commemorat- wishers attended the memorial. contd. on page 9 Income Tax Preparatioin Amrik Chand (CPA) (Individual, Corporation & LLC) Payroll Services & Bank Keeping Services Phone : 510-490-8200 Fax : 510-490-8202 • We are in this business since 1989. Email : [email protected] Your satisfaction is our goal. • Please call us for 959 Corporate Way, Fremont, CA. 94539 Professional & reliable services at reasonable rates. www.ambedkartimes.com 2 Vol. 4 Issue No. 12 February 7, 2013 Editorial ✍ SOCIAL JUSTICE, POLITICAL WE the PEOPLE of INDIA POWER AND DALIT EMPOWERMENT The text of the Preamble of the Indian constitution reads: The key to Dalit empowerment is to first hold politi- "WE, THE PEOPLE OF cal power (master key) and then to deploy the same for INDIA, having solemnly resolved bring social justice. It is through this way, as meticu- to constitute India into a SOVER- lously emphasized first by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and later EIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR on by Babu Kanshi Ram, that the lot of the Scheduled DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), the other secure to all its citizens: Backward Castes (OBCs) and the minorities can be JUSTICE, social, economic improved and that they can be brought into the main- and political; stream to reap the fruits of the fast globalizing Indian LIBERTY, of thought, expres- economy and polity. On 25 January 2013, India has cel- sion, belief, faith and worship; ebrated her 64th Republic Day. It was on this auspicious EQUALITY of status and of day in his national address the Hon'ble President of opportunity; India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, asserted that "India has and to promote among them come a long way but still we have changed more in last six decades than in six previous all to go a long way. We need to work centuries. This is neither accidental nor providential; FRATERNITY assuring the and strive in unison. history shifts its pace when touched by vision. The great dignity of the individual and the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar rightly dream of raising a new India from the ashes of colonialism unity and integrity of the Nation; said in his last speech in the reached a historic denouement in 1947; more important, IN OUR CONSTITUENT Constituent Assembly on independence became a turning point for an equally dra- ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day November 25, 1949 and I quote matic narrative, nation building. The foundations were of November, 1949, DO HEREBY "….. I shall not therefore enter laid through our Constitution, adopted on 26 January ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO into the merits of the 1950, which we celebrate each year as Republic Day". OURSELVES THIS CONSTITU- Constitution. Because I feel, During his engaging speech, the Hon'ble President TION." RAMESH CHANDER however good a Constitution of India, also made a special reference to the The constitution came into Ambassador (IFS Retd.) may be, it is sure to turn out bad Constitution of Independent India as a "second libera- force on January 26, 1950. The gramme happens, Indian democ- because those who are called to tion" from the "stranglehold of traditional inequity in January 26 became the Republic racy would be the most vibrant work it, happen to be a bad lot. gender, caste, community, along with other fetters that Day of India. Let us look back with and successful. However bad a Constitution may had chained us for too long". He further refereed to the some sense of introspection and The Bad - Could we secure for be, it may turn out to be good if "unflinching commitment of leaders like Jawaharlal consider whether we have lived up ourselves Justice, Liberty and those who are called to work it, Nehru and Babasaheb Ambedkar" to help bring social to the lofty ideals of the Preamble Equality and promote Fraternity, happen to be a good lot. The justice through the enactment of the Hindu code bill in of the constitution of the Republic as visualized by the founding working of a Constitution does 1955. It is to be boldly underlined here that Babasaheb India. It is a mixed bag, to my fathers? The answer, most proba- not depend wholly upon the Dr.