diktat taint hitting Sankrod youths hard. Dalits Media Watch - English News Updates 10.09.15

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

Brinda slams DMK, AIADMK for failing to stand up for dalits - The times of india

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

Caste panel holds review meet: Huge spurt in crime against Dalits in UP - The Indian express

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/Indian_Express/400x60/0

UoH on the boil as varsity suspends 5 dalit students - The times of india

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

Compliant filed on Guru assaulting injured shishya after video goes viral - The times of india

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

NHRC to start probe into public, private healthcare providers - The Indian express

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/Indian_Express/400x60/0

The times of india

Rape diktat taint hitting Sankrod youths hard

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

Meerut: The Baghpat incident, in which a khap panchayat allegedly ordered two Dalit sisters to be raped as punishment for their brother's elopement with a married woman from upper caste, is causing unspeakable misery to the villagers. Two prospective marriages in the village were recently called off as outsiders felt too embarrassed to have relatives in Sankrod village, which has been in international news for all the wrong reasons. The locals and district officials have, however, denied that such a khap panchayat was never held, let alone passing of the rape diktat

Around three months ago, a family from Panipat chose a suitable boy for their daughter and fixed the marriage. However, following the incident, they abruptly called off the wedding. They informed the boy's family that they did not feel like sending their daughter to a "village not safe for women". 

The boy's family later met additional superintendent of police Vidyasagar Mishra and told him about the incident. The ASP confirmed the incident to TOI and added that it was unfair on the family's part since such a panchayat had never occurred. 

In a second incident on Monday, a family from Meerut visited the village in search for a bride for their son. However, when the family arrived at the village, they witnessed a heavy contingency of police here and decided against the marriage. 

On Sunday, it had come to light that the Dalit man who allegedly eloped with a married Jat woman from Sankrod village is still behind bars even after the Allahabad high court issued his bail orders on June 25. According to sources, his family couldn't arrange the two guarantors that were needed for him to be freed. Besides, he also fears a threat to his life and feels safer in prison, sources said.

The matter has gained international attention with Amnesty International publishing an online petition to save the man's sisters who were allegedly sentenced to be raped and paraded naked in the village by a khap panchayat. Villagers as well as the district administration have denied that such a panchayat took place or such an order was ever passed.

The times of india

Brinda slams DMK, AIADMK for failing to stand up for dalits

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

COIMBATORE: Slamming the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu for failing to stand up for the dalits, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesdayquestioned the silence of these parties regarding the alleged atrocities perpetrated against them.

Addressing the public at a meeting organized by Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) in Coimbatore on Wednesday, organized to mark the 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, CPM polit buro member Brinda Karat charged that DMK, AIADMK and other Dravidian parties, have buried the principles of social justice in opportunistic politics.

What is the attitude of Dravidian parties in the fight against untouchability? Why are they silent when young couples are lynched to death in the state?'' she asked referring to alleged honour killings in Tamil Nadu. Only the red flag and the TNUEF stands by the dalits, when there are honour killing, when dalits are denied entry into temples, when a discriminatory wall is built or when they are not permitted to bury their dead in the local cemetery,'' she added.

Brinda Karat also came down heavily on backward castes resorting to caste discrimination. It is a matter of great shame and regret that castes that themselves claim to be oppressed are killing people who marry outside the caste,'' she said. She said that such caste atrocities were only strengthening the Hindutva forces. She also took the opportunity to slam RSS, alleging that Hindutva elements were sabotaging the legacy of Ambedkar.

Accusing the BJP government for failing to convene a special session of the Parliament to discuss a welfare plan for dalits, Brinda Karat demanded a special law to provide reservation for dalits in the private sector. She said that reservation for dalits in the context of the present economic policies, where even the public sector is increasingly privatized, is becoming too far and few in the government sector. The government should extend reservation in private sector for dalits and adivasis,'' she said.

She also sought a SC/ST special component plan for direct allocation of funds for the welfare of dalits.

The Indian express

Caste panel holds review meet: Huge spurt in crime against Dalits in UP

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/Indian_Express/400x60/0

Pointing out to the rise in incidents of "atrocities" against Dalits in the state, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) expressed dissatisfaction over functioning of the UP government in dealing with the issue. It also criticised the government for non-utilisation of the Special Component Plan funds and bringing in the High Court order cancelling promotions under the 'reservation in promotion' policy, among other issues that concern the community. Around 51,000 cases of "atrocities" against Dalits were reported in 2014 across the country of which 9,112 (nearly 17 per cent) were from UP, NCSC chairman P L Punia told mediapersons, after holding a review meeting with state government officials on Thursday.

The times of india

UoH on the boil as varsity suspends 5 dalit students

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

HYDERABAD: The ongoing agitation at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) intensified on Wednesday after the varsity administration, based on a report by the proctorial board, suspended five dalit student members of the Ambedkar Students Association for one semester.

Last month, an altercation that started off in cyber space, had led to a physical fight between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) at the university. The administration had then referred the issue to the proctorial board for a thorough probe.

The report by the board was submitted to the administration on Tuesday, in which it recommended suspension of the five students who reportedly beat up ABVP's campus president Susheel Kumar. The board also issued a warning letter to Susheel against posting any kind of controversial comments on Facebook.

Angry students on Wednesday termed the suspension as yet another example of the nexus between the university administration and right wing forces inside and outside the campus. Rejecting the findings of the board, they gheraoed the registrar's office on Wednesday evening and decided to sit there until the decision is revoked. Students also threatened of mass protests on campus if the decision is not revoked immediately.

However, the administration backed the findings of the committee and said the decision was taken after several deliberations. "Post the altercation between the students' groups, we received several complaints and counter complaints. All of them were immediately referred to the proctorial board. Only after several deliberations was the decision taken," M Sudhakar, registrar of UoH, told TOI.

"If the students are disappointed by the board's decision, they can always urge for a review. They can also submit a representation to the vice-chancellor in this regard," said Sudhakar.

The times of india

Compliant filed on Guru assaulting injured shishya after video goes viral

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Times_of_India/400x60/0

MANGALURU: An undated video of a boy with a bandage being assaulted by a `guru' went viral on social app and has prompted a person to lodge a complaint at Vittal police station on Wednesday. 

The complainant Shesappa Bedradka of a Dalit Organisation lodged a complaint at the police station and urged them to investigate the matter and take action against Somasundara Shastri, who is seen allegedly beating and abusing the boy. The complainant stated that the boy, probably with a fracture on his right hand, was being held and beaten up and when he tries to run away, the teacher gets hold of him again and question his caste.

Police said the incident may have occurred at Veda Adhayana shale at Panchalingeshwara Temple, Vittal, during holidays. ``We too don't know when it happened. The officials will investigate the matter,'' said a police. 

The police have registered the complaint under IPC Sections 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).

The Indian express

NHRC to start probe into public, private healthcare providers

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/Indian_Express/400x60/0

The National Human Rights Commission is undertaking a national-level enquiry into people's rights violations in public and private healthcare providers across India. Speaking to media persons Tuesday, Dr Anant Phadke, one of the coordinators at Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), a national network of civil society organisations working on health rights, said that the enquiry will include checking the status of existing regulatory structures and systemic factors contributing to patient's rights violations. The NHRC would look into health rights violations in context of publicly funded health insurance schemes and public-private partnership healthcare arrangements. The main objective of the proposed public hearings would be to review human rights violations in the context of public and private healthcare services, and to draw attention towards key systemic and policy related issues. The first public hearing, which will cover the regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Goa, will be held at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai on November 18 and 19. This hearing would be followed by hearings at Chennai, Raipur, Guwahati, Lucknow and Chandigarh. Each public hearing would be of two days duration, consisting of a series of six sessions. The sessions will include testimonies, case studies of institutions or services or programmes and presentations by experts, activists, members of the NHRC Core Group on Health and Special Rapporteurs. The hearings will be attended by: State Health Secretaries, Mission Directors, Directors of Health Services and Medical Education, National and State Medical Councils, Consumer Protection Councils, Chief Medical Officers of Municipal Corporations, officials involved with publicly funded health insurance schemes, officers responsible for regulation of public and private run hospitals. Sessions on Public Health System will also concern healthcare-related issues of women, dalit, adivasi and workers. Denial of benefits under Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojana will also be probed.

News monitored by AMRESH & AJEET