VCK leader hails NGO’s contribution to Dalits’ struggle
VCK founder and MP Thol. Thirumavalavan along with CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam releasing a book written by A. Kathir, executive director, Evidence, in Madurai on Saturday. VCK founder and MP Thol. Thirumavalavan along with CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam releasing a book written by A. Kathir, executive director, Evidence, in Madurai on Saturday. | Photo Credit: R. ASHOK Appreciating Madurai-based NGO Evidence and its executive director A. Kathir for his sustained contributions for over two decades in fighting for the Dalit victims in the region, VCK leader and MP Thol Thirumavalavan said that he was delighted to release a book titled – Karuppu Rakshagan – authored by Mr Kathir on Saturday. Speaking after releasing the book, the MP said that the VCK as a political party fought for the downtrodden in the legislatur, while organisations like the Evidence too struggled for similar cause in the society. The role of whistle-blowers was not only complex, but challenging. Sometimes, they are also under threat from dominant forces, which had on a few occasions, turned fatal too. CPI (M) State secretary Shanmugam, who received the first copy, said that he was overwhelmed by Mr Kathir’s immense contribution. He urged the doctors in Tamil Nadu to read the novel and wished the book brought in the much needed change to the society. Publisher Marudan, in his introductory remarks, said that the novel, which has 496 pages and priced at ₹600, is a socially realistic book. Hailing the author of the NGO, now as a novelist for his maiden launch of the book, he hoped that the writings would go a long way and set a tone for transformation of the Dalits in the society. He appealed to the next generation to read the book without fail. Presiding over the event, writer Semmalar said that she was excited to read the novel and described it as interesting. Offering felicitations, professor Panneerselvam, writer Bava Chelladurai, journalist Vinod, cine directors Vetrimaran and Saravanan and actor Sasikumar hailed Mr. Kathir for his new role as a novelist. They also acknowledged the role of Evidence in bringing out the criminals before the law and giving relief to the victims. Kousalya, whose husband was a victim to caste killing, also spoke. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Kathir said that his journey as an NGO over the last two decades had inspired him to write the book and thanked his well-wishers for the support during challenging times. Earlier, Muthu from Evidence welcomed the gathering. Rani Meenakshi proposed a vote of thanks. Following an appeal from actor Mr. Sasikumar, the publisher announced a discount of ₹100 for each purchase at the venue. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Communist parties should come closer with Dalits at national level, says Thol Thirumavalavan
The Communist parties should come closer with Dalits and engage actively in the national politics, said Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan here on Saturday. Speaking at a book release function, he said that by not working closely with Dalits, this had in a way encouraged the right wing parties (BJP, RSS) to get closer that leaders like Mayawati and Ramdhas Athawale and the late leader Ram Vilas Paswan among others were at a distance from the secular outfits. It was dangerous to be on the wrong side (BJP, RSS) as ‘they had a hidden agenda to divide and rule the nation.’ The ideals for which stalwarts like Ambedkar lived should be carried forward and not buried abruptly somewhere due to the bad influence of the right wing groups. In the larger interest of the nation’s unity, there was an urgent need to come closer and fight the upper class denomination. The BJP, RSS and their allies were determined to create confusion among the different sects of people in the society. Explaining the need for joining hands with the Communists, which would facilitate in defeating their political opponents, Mr Thirumavalavan said that when the real struggle was to have a casteless society, the divisive forces (right wing) misled the masses by using caste and community as a tool, he cautioned. Be it at national level or in regional level, by remaining closer, the BJP and their allies can be isolated. “Take for instance, the recent incident in Madurai, where the Sanatana forces attempted to create confusion over the Karthigai deepam row. Because, the secular parties and the Dalits were united, the attempts were foisted. Else, it may have turned for worse.” Likewise, he also clarified that the VCK never kept silent on issues and raised its voice, even if they were against the administration. Admitting that there were compulsions due to alliance, but maintained that he never compromised on the issues. Be it on Vengaivayal or any honour killing crimes, the VCK stood like a rock with the victims and demanded action by the government. The VCK, he said, had risen from a small group of 20 people since its inception and had grown tall today that it was a major force in Tamil Nadu. Still, Mr Thirumavalavan said that he fought for the depressed class carrying the ideologies of Ambedkar and asserted that he would never fall prey to money or power. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
“10,000 autopsies, never saw this violence; no part of body untouched”: Doctor on Dalit migrant lynching in Kerala; accused linked with BJP–RSS
The post-mortem examination of Ram Narayan, a Dalit migrant worker from Chhattisgarh who was lynched by a mob at Walayar in Kerala’s Palakkad district, has revealed the extreme brutality of the attack, with the doctor stating that there was not a single part of the body without injury. Thrissur Government Medical College Hospital doctor Hithesh Shankar, who conducted the autopsy, said Ram Narayan’s body bore injuries from head to toe. His ribs were shattered, his spine was broken, and most of the wounds were inflicted using sticks. The doctor said the assault continued even after death. “I have conducted more than 10,000 post-mortem examinations, but I have never seen a body subjected to such severe violence,” he said. According to the post-mortem report, the cause of death was severe head injury. Ram Narayan is survived by his wife, two young children, and his mother. He had arrived in Walayar about a week earlier in search of work and to meet his cousin Sasikanth, a mason working in the area. Sasikanth said Ram Narayan was planning to return home as he was struggling to stay away from his family. “He left for the railway station on December 17. We came to know about his death only on December 18, when the Walayar police called me,” he told reporters, adding that the deceased had his name and address with him. Ram Narayan’s wife, mother, and children have since travelled from Chhattisgarh to Kerala. Human rights activists in Kerala have alleged that there is a deliberate attempt to trivialise the killing and demanded that the crime be officially registered as mob lynching. Addressing a protest meeting in Thrissur on Saturday, activists said Kerala’s collective conscience had been deeply scarred by the spread of hatred. Activists and family members have made it clear that they will not allow the body to be taken home unless the case is formally recorded as mob lynching and adequate compensation is announced. They said the State must take responsibility for ensuring justice and dignity in death. The activists pointed out that the victim was a Dalit youth who had come to Kerala in search of work from Chhattisgarh, where marginalised communities, including Adivasis, are often targeted. “The virus of communalism has entered Kerala’s public mind. This is a frightening reality,” they said. Referring to a video that showed the mob assaulting Ram Narayan and asking if he was from Bangladesh, writer and Gandhian thinker K. Aravindakshan said: “This is a clear case of Islamophobia spreading rapidly in Kerala and of religious intolerance propagated by the Sangh Parivar.” “That such a brutal killing could happen here, and that only a handful have spoken out against it, is deeply disturbing. Kerala today seems to be a place where dialogue itself has become impossible,” he added. Human rights activist I. Gopinath described the killing as “a Sangh Parivar-led act of mob violence that reflects the growing Islamophobia in Kerala.” He said, “When a man who does not even know the language is beaten to death, the most painful truth is that he may not have even understood why he was being killed. This shows how the politics of hatred operates.” Activists alleged that authorities were attempting to portray the Walayar incident as an ordinary crime. “This is unquestionably a mob lynching, and it must be recorded as such. Only then will Ram Narayan get justice,” they said, demanding the formation of a special investigation team. They also condemned the police for allegedly collecting ambulance charges from the victim’s relatives when the body was brought from Walayar to Thrissur for the post-mortem and for asking the family to bear the cost of transporting the body home. The activists demanded ₹25 lakh as compensation and that the government cover the expenses of taking the body to Chhattisgarh. On Thursday night, police arrested Anu (38), Prasad (34), Murali (38), Anandan (55), and Bipin (30), all locals engaged in various jobs. A court remanded them to judicial custody on Friday. Four of the accused are associated with the BJP and the RSS. Investigators also found that two of them, Murali and Anu, were earlier named in a violent attack case around 15 years ago involving assaults on workers linked to the DYFI and CITU. Murali is also an accused in another case related to an attack on Stephen, a CITU headload worker, which is currently pending before the Kerala High Court. Courtesy : Maktoob Media Note: This news is originally published on https:/mktoobmedia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
CI suspended over custodial death of Dalit youth in Telangana
The police claimed Rajesh had respiratory issues and died during treatment in Gandhi Hospital, Hyderabad. SURYAPET: Kodad rural Circle Inspector Pratap Lingam was suspended on Friday while Chilkur Sub-Inspector Suresh Reddy was attached to the SP office for their alleged negligence in ensuring timely medical treatment to a Dalit youth, Karla Rajesh, an accused in the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) scam. The action comes in the wake of demand from the parents of Rajesh and Dalit organisations for stringent action against the police officials. The police claimed Rajesh had respiratory issues and died during treatment in Gandhi Hospital, Hyderabad. However, the parents and relatives of the victim alleged that he was arrested on November 4 and subjected to third degree torture in the custody resulting in his death on November 16. MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga even led a protest alleging that the youth died due to police torture and demanded an ex gratia of Rs 50 lakh. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Tamil Nadu SIR: Election Commission deprived 1857 Dalit people of voting rights in Mancholai
After the revision, out of a total of 1,906 voters, only 49 persons have been retained on the rolls. The remaining voters have been classified by election officials as having migrated out of the area. In Manjolai, a hill settlement falling under the Ambasamudram Assembly constituency in Tirunelveli district, the Election Commission of India has removed 1,857 voters from the electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. After the revision, out of a total of 1,906 voters, only 49 persons have been retained on the rolls. The remaining voters have been classified by election officials as having migrated out of the area. However, a field investigation by South First found that the permanent residence of the affected residents continues to be Manjolai. Residents told South First that while many of them have temporarily moved to the plains in search of work following the closure of the tea estate, they have not changed their permanent address and still consider Manjolai their home. Local residents have questioned how their voting rights can be taken away when their permanent address remains unchanged, arguing that temporary migration for livelihood cannot be treated as grounds for deletion from the electoral rolls. They have warned that the mass deletions effectively disenfranchise an entire community that has lived in Manjolai for generations Subash Chandra Bose Courtesy : TSF Note: This news is originally published on https:/thesouthfirst.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit woman makes serious allegations against police in viral video, says she fears for her safety
In Moradabad, a Dalit woman has released a video alleging that some people are constantly pressuring her and trying to intimidate her by sending offensive messages through Instagram. The police say that the woman’s allegations will be investigated and action will be taken. Moradabad, A video from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, is rapidly going viral on social media. In this video, a Dalit woman is making serious allegations against some people of harassment, constant torment, and mental torture. The woman has appealed for justice through social media. She says that if anything happens to her, the police will be entirely responsible. Regarding the woman’s allegations, the police say that the allegations will be investigated and strict action will be taken against the culprits. What allegations has the Dalit woman made? The woman alleges that some people are constantly pressuring her and trying to intimidate her by sending offensive messages through Instagram. The woman claims that she complained to the police about this entire matter, and a case was also registered, but no strict action was taken against the accused. The woman also says that despite the serious allegations, the police released the accused after filing charges under minor sections. Because of this, she fears for her safety. The woman has clearly stated that if anything untoward happens to her, the police and administration will be responsible. In this matter, the police have called the allegations baseless and assured an impartial investigation. Moradabad SP City Ranvijay Singh said, “The woman whose video is going viral is the sister of a man against whom a case was previously registered, and he was sent to jail. She is related to the people involved in that case. On June 2nd, the woman submitted a written complaint. The police are reviewing the entire matter. Technical evidence and available proofs are being thoroughly investigated. No concrete basis has been found for the allegations made in the video so far, but despite this, the matter is being seriously investigated.” Further action will be taken based on the facts that emerge during the investigation. Reported by: Ranveer Singh Courtesy: Hindi News
MGNREGA dilution an attack on Dalits rural poor and federalism Bajwa
Chandigarh, Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on Friday said, with the VB-G RAM G Bill, Centre will have “another tool” to discriminate against Opposition-ruled states by cutting funds arbitrarily. He criticised the BJP-led Union government over the Bill — aiming to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) — calling the decision “ideologically driven”. Bajwa said the move was aimed at weakening the statutory right to work embedded in MGNREGA and dismantling one of the most important social security schemes in the country. He termed it an attack on the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The LoP opposed the proposal to change the funding structure with the new scheme — from 100 per cent central assistance to 60:40 cost-sharing between the Centre and the states — saying it would put an additional financial burden on the already-stressed states. “This will give the Centre another tool to discriminate against the Opposition-ruled states by cutting funds arbitrarily. It undermines cooperative federalism and threatens a crucial employment support system for rural India,” Bajwa said. Highlighting Punjab’s financial situation, the Congress leader said the Centre has repeatedly squeezed Opposition-ruled states by withholding the rural development fund and delaying GST compensation. Imposing extra financial responsibility would further weaken state finances, the LoP said. According to Bajwa, the policy shift would hit Dalits, landless labourers and marginalised rural workers the hardest. “This is not a reform but an attack on social justice,” he added. He said MGNREGA, enacted by the Congress-led UPA government under former prime minister Manmohan Singh, had gained global recognition for providing a rights-based framework to address rural unemployment. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit man dies in hospital days after ‘casteist’ attack in UP’s Mau SHO shunted
Mau (UP), A 35-year-old Dalit man who was injured in an assault in the Ramapur police station area of Mau district last month has died during treatment at Lucknow’s King George’s Medical University, police said on Friday. Following the death, additional police force has been deployed at the Ramapur police station as a precautionary measure. The deceased was identified as Sameer Kumar, a resident of Azad Nagar in the Ubhaon police station area of Ballia district, according to officials. Sameer’s brother Sumit Kumar alleged that on the evening of November 25, four named persons and two unidentified men travelling in a four-wheeler brutally assaulted Sameer near a canal close to Mayari village. He alleged that the attackers used caste-based slurs and left Sameer critically injured. On receiving information, family members rushed to the spot and admitted Sameer to the district hospital in Mau. As his condition deteriorated, he was referred to a trauma centre in Varanasi and later shifted to King George’s Medical University in Lucknow for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday. Police said a case was registered on December 7 — around 12 days after the incident — against four named and two unidentified accused under relevant sections, including provisions of the SC/ST Act, based on the complaint of the victim’s family. Additional Superintendent of Police Anoop Kumar said Sameer was allegedly attacked by Robin Singh and members of his gang. He also said complaints were received against the station house officer for not taking prompt action in the case. “Ramapur SHO Kanchan has been removed with immediate effect and a probe has been ordered against her. If she is found guilty during the inquiry, strict action will be taken,” the ASP said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit woman’s video goes viral in Moradabad, police make shocking claim regarding molestation allegations
Moradabad News: In the viral video, the woman alleges that the accused were let off with minor charges instead of serious ones, which has increased her fear. The woman has questioned the police. In Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit woman from the Majhola police station area has made sensational allegations of molestation and harassment by some influential men. She has also released a video, which is now viral on social media. In the initial investigation, the police have claimed that the woman’s brother is an accused in a rape case, and she made this video under pressure to save him. The matter is currently under investigation. In the viral video, the woman alleges that the accused were let off with minor charges instead of serious ones, which has increased her fear. The woman has clearly stated that if anything happens to her, the police and administration will be responsible. She has also questioned the working of the Majhola police. Currently, this matter has gained significant attention at the local level. What is the whole matter? The woman, a resident of the Majhola police station area, released this video on Thursday. In the viral video, the woman says that some people are forcibly pressuring her and trying to intimidate her by sending objectionable messages through Instagram. The woman claims that she complained to the police about the entire matter, and a case was registered, but no strict action was taken against the accused. She has demanded intervention from senior police officers. Claim of making the video to save her brother In this matter, SP City Ranvijay Singh says that a case was previously registered against the woman’s brother, in which he was sent to jail. Following this, the application given by the woman and the viral video are being investigated along with technical evidence. Further action will be taken based on the facts that emerge. By: Obaidur Rahman Courtesy: Hindi News
Kodad Rural CI Suspended in Dalit Youth’s Custodial Death
The police department has also taken a serious view of the incident and placed Pratap Lingam under suspension while transferring Suresh Reddy and attaching him to the district police headquarters Hyderabad: Kodad Rural Circle Inspector Pratap Lingam was placed under suspension while Chilukuru Sub-Inspector Suresh Reddy was transferred in connection with the alleged custodial death of one K Rajesh, a Dalit, recently. The Dalit associations alleged that Rajesh died while undergoing treatment due to harassment by the police. Rajesh bore the brunt of the police for lodging a complaint related to irregularities in CMRF cheque. The police took Rajesh into custody for four days and tortured him. He died while in police custody. Taking a serious note of the incident, several dalit organizations staged a protest alleging that Rajesh died because of the police torture. The police department has also taken a serious view of the incident and placed Pratap Lingam under suspension while transferring Suresh Reddy and attaching him to the district police headquarters. Courtesy : Deccan Chronicle Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanchronicle.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights