New Delhi: The long-pending demand of Dalit Christians of the country would be accepted soon as Union government is going to provide Scheduled Caste status to them.
It is learnt that Union law minister, Mr Veerappa Moily is keen to settle this long pending issue very shortly. He is working overtime with his officials to settle the demand of Dalit Christians. Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and UPA chairman Mrs Sonia Gandhi are also interested to see this issue settled once and for all.
After providing SC status to Dalit Christians of the country, they would be entitled for all the benefits reserved for schedule caste people.
Sources say that Moily has recently assured the delegation of National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) that the UPA government would not take much time to provide SC status to Dalit Christians. Welcoming the decision of government, eminent Christian scholar and writer RV Smith said that in villages Dalits Christians are still not allowed into some areas where the upper caste population lives. They are offered menial labour, and most of the time not paid for it. At tea shops there are separate utensils for us just like for Hindu Dalits.
Statistics show that more than 70% of the Christians in India are Dalits. When Christian missionaries began their work in India in the decades before Independence, their promise of equal treatment and opportunity for all castes became the prime reason for Dalits - who find themselves at the socio-economic lowest rung of Hinduism’s hierarchy - to embrace the missionary message. But as is now well documented, conversion offered no escape from caste prejudices.
Now the population may worship Maria instead of Maariamma (a manifestation of goddess Kaali) but the discrimination continued. Conversion to Christianity did not automatically bring equal treatment, says Y Marisamy, Convener of Dalit Christian Federation (DCF).
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Dalit Christians to get SC status soon
New Delhi: The long-pending demand of Dalit Christians of the country would be accepted soon as Union government is going to provide Scheduled Caste status to them.
It is learnt that Union law minister, Mr Veerappa Moily is keen to settle this long pending issue very shortly. He is working overtime with his officials to settle the demand of Dalit Christians. Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and UPA chairman Mrs Sonia Gandhi are also interested to see this issue settled once and for all.
After providing SC status to Dalit Christians of the country, they would be entitled for all the benefits reserved for schedule caste people.
Sources say that Moily has recently assured the delegation of National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) that the UPA government would not take much time to provide SC status to Dalit Christians. Welcoming the decision of government, eminent Christian scholar and writer RV Smith said that in villages Dalits Christians are still not allowed into some areas where the upper caste population lives. They are offered menial labour, and most of the time not paid for it. At tea shops there are separate utensils for us just like for Hindu Dalits.
Statistics show that more than 70% of the Christians in India are Dalits. When Christian missionaries began their work in India in the decades before Independence, their promise of equal treatment and opportunity for all castes became the prime reason for Dalits - who find themselves at the socio-economic lowest rung of Hinduism’s hierarchy - to embrace the missionary message. But as is now well documented, conversion offered no escape from caste prejudices.
Now the population may worship Maria instead of Maariamma (a manifestation of goddess Kaali) but the discrimination continued. Conversion to Christianity did not automatically bring equal treatment, says Y Marisamy, Convener of Dalit Christian Federation (DCF).
It is learnt that Union law minister, Mr Veerappa Moily is keen to settle this long pending issue very shortly. He is working overtime with his officials to settle the demand of Dalit Christians. Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and UPA chairman Mrs Sonia Gandhi are also interested to see this issue settled once and for all.
After providing SC status to Dalit Christians of the country, they would be entitled for all the benefits reserved for schedule caste people.
Sources say that Moily has recently assured the delegation of National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) that the UPA government would not take much time to provide SC status to Dalit Christians. Welcoming the decision of government, eminent Christian scholar and writer RV Smith said that in villages Dalits Christians are still not allowed into some areas where the upper caste population lives. They are offered menial labour, and most of the time not paid for it. At tea shops there are separate utensils for us just like for Hindu Dalits.
Statistics show that more than 70% of the Christians in India are Dalits. When Christian missionaries began their work in India in the decades before Independence, their promise of equal treatment and opportunity for all castes became the prime reason for Dalits - who find themselves at the socio-economic lowest rung of Hinduism’s hierarchy - to embrace the missionary message. But as is now well documented, conversion offered no escape from caste prejudices.
Now the population may worship Maria instead of Maariamma (a manifestation of goddess Kaali) but the discrimination continued. Conversion to Christianity did not automatically bring equal treatment, says Y Marisamy, Convener of Dalit Christian Federation (DCF).
Mayawati baulks at Centre’s Bundelkhand authority idea
LUCKNOW: The battle between Mayawati and Rahul Gandhi for drought prone Bundelkhand region is set for some more acrimony, with the UP chief minister calling the initiative to set up a centrally-controlled Bundelkhand Development Authority against the federal structure and constitutional provisions with a motive to impose an indirect central administration in the state. Shooting of another letter to the prime minister on the second consecutive day, Ms Mayawati said that some media reports suggest that the inter-state Bundelkhand Development Authority/Council has already been constituted despite seeking any approval from the state, which was against constitutional provisions that defines Centre-state relationship. Ms Mayawati has said that indulging in politics over the condition of people in Bundelkhand was unfortunate and setting up the authority was aimed at curtailing the role of the state government in the region. She pointed out that special packages have been sanctioned in the past for areas like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Vidharbha etc but they were never under the direct control of the central government, as is being said about the Bundelkhand Development Authority. She said that the administrative mechanism of Uttar Pradesh could effectively tackle the problems related to the region’s development and any comparison with North-Eastern Council was not warranted. The chief minister in the letter asked the prime minister to sanction a special area incentive package for Bundelkhand and also a Rs 80,000 crore package. Cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, while detailing the contents of the letter written by the chief minister, said he has not yet received any communication regarding the constitution of the authority/council. The proposal to set up an authority first came up after a delegation of MPs from the Bundelkhand region falling in both UP and MP, led by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding a comprehensive package for the region’s development, which saw Ms Mayawati shooting letter to the prime minister. Besides the tussle over cornering the credit for any special funds that may come for the region both Congress and BSP are locked in a fierce battle to capture the region electorally. The Bundelkhand region has traditionally been a BSP stronghold which started showing signs of breach during the recent Lok Sabha elections. Mr Gandhi had started touring the area extensively in 2008 highlighting the lack of development in the region as well as the drought conditions.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
NU gets Rs 16cr UGC grants
NAGPUR: Here is some good news for Nagpur University that is grappling with a funds crunch and lacklustre attitude of top bosses.The University Grant Comission has sanctioned Rs 16.35 crore of the Rs 41 crore demanded under university’s eleventh five-year plan. The apex body for higher education had delayed the release of funds by two years. The UGC has also approved three posts each of professors and readers and 35 posts of lecturers. The posts will get salary grants from UGC for the first five years and then from the state government. According to vice-chancellor SN Pathan, the funds received under eleventh plan are four times higher than in tenth five-year plan. Of the total, Rs 11.60 crore have been sanctioned as general funds and another Rs 4.81 crore for merged schemes. The tenth plan gave only Rs 4.42 crore. Under the merged schemes, Rs 46.50 lakh will be given for improvement of university’s health centre which is in a pathetic condition. Now, the UGC has also allotted a doctor and two nurses for the centre. Another Rs 30 lakh were received for constructing a full-fledged Buddhist study centre, Rs 20 lakh for faculty rest house, Rs 45 lakh for girls' hostel, Rs 35 lakh for a boys' hostel and Rs 10 lakh for computer training centre. The master of education (MEd) and physical departments have received combined grants of Rs 1.10 crore along with posts of one reader and three lecturers. The UGC has sanctioned Rs 3.50 lakh for establishing a separate department for commerce faculty. Posts of a reader and two lecturers were also granted for the department. The university received apex body's nod for setting up department of biology and molecular engineering at a cost of Rs 70 lakh along with one reader and two lecturers' posts. Another Rs 10 lakh were sanctioned for nanotechnology that will be combined with physics department. Moreover, Rs 30 lakh were given for a swimming pool and Rs 5 lakh for conference hall in humanities department. The UGC has also provided Rs 50 lakh as first instalment for construction of the university's new administrative in the campus on Amravati road at a total cost of almost Rs 20 crore.
Bihar Dalit girl stripped naked in classroom
A class III girl student from Dalit community studying in a government middle school was stripped naked in the presence of the school teacher by some boys of the same school in Bihar, according to a late-reaching report.
The incident which relates to an upgraded middle school in Mohanpur block of Samastipur district took place on July 25 but came to light when the Dalit girls stopped attending the schools.
Later, the angry villagers reported the matter to the Divisional Commissioner, Darbhanga Dr Rana Avadhesh who ordered for a through probe.
“We found the incident true during the inquiry and have recommended for stern action against the school principal and disciplinary action against the accused boy students”, said a police official who conducted the probe said wishing not to be quoted. He is not authorized to talk to the Press.
This is the third incident of stripping of females in the last one fortnight in Bihar. Earlier, a woman had been stripped in the streets of Patna while in Sitamarhi, a Dalit woman had been stripped by some upper caste members when her goat strayed into their field.
The incident which relates to an upgraded middle school in Mohanpur block of Samastipur district took place on July 25 but came to light when the Dalit girls stopped attending the schools.
Later, the angry villagers reported the matter to the Divisional Commissioner, Darbhanga Dr Rana Avadhesh who ordered for a through probe.
“We found the incident true during the inquiry and have recommended for stern action against the school principal and disciplinary action against the accused boy students”, said a police official who conducted the probe said wishing not to be quoted. He is not authorized to talk to the Press.
This is the third incident of stripping of females in the last one fortnight in Bihar. Earlier, a woman had been stripped in the streets of Patna while in Sitamarhi, a Dalit woman had been stripped by some upper caste members when her goat strayed into their field.
Unesco, archaeology dept urged to save Buddhist stupa
TAXILA: Officials of the regional department of archeology and museums have urged the Unesco and federal department of archaeology to save the Buddhist stupa and monastery from the illegal digging and excavations.
The request was made after the two officials of the federal department of archaeology and museums sub-regional office, Taxila, found illegal excavation and theft of the ancient artifacts from the Buddhist monastery.
In a report submitted to highups of Ministry of Culture, the officials said the stupa and the monastery had been badly damaged by the excavator s digging the sites with heavy equipment.
‘And, most probably they have also taken away two or three small statues of Buddha,’ the officials reported.
The officials said if the proper excavations under official patronage were carried out, it would not only help to preserve the cultural heritage but also promote tourism in this area where researchers, students of archeology, tourists and scholars from across the world come to visit the ancient civilisation.
It has been learnt that the police were informed by the local people about illegal digging and excavations and a police party reached the spot but did not stop the illegal activity.Also, the sub-divisional police officer and SHO Hazro also reached the site and arrested 15 diggers but freed all of them after two hours without taking any legal action against them.
The report said SHO Hazro police station had misguided officials of the archeology department and did not tell the exact location where illegal digging was being done by the land grabbers.
They said the police were protecting the illegal diggers and asked the police highups to take action against those officials responsible for this situation.
When contacted, Muhammad Bhadur Khan, deputy director federal department of archaeology and museums, confirmed the massive destruction of the Buddhist site. He said a report of the illegal digging by influential mafia in league with the police had been submitted to the department headquarters and police authorities.
He strongly advocated for the preservation of the site from the illegal diggers who, he said, were bent on destroying the national heritage
The request was made after the two officials of the federal department of archaeology and museums sub-regional office, Taxila, found illegal excavation and theft of the ancient artifacts from the Buddhist monastery.
In a report submitted to highups of Ministry of Culture, the officials said the stupa and the monastery had been badly damaged by the excavator s digging the sites with heavy equipment.
‘And, most probably they have also taken away two or three small statues of Buddha,’ the officials reported.
The officials said if the proper excavations under official patronage were carried out, it would not only help to preserve the cultural heritage but also promote tourism in this area where researchers, students of archeology, tourists and scholars from across the world come to visit the ancient civilisation.
It has been learnt that the police were informed by the local people about illegal digging and excavations and a police party reached the spot but did not stop the illegal activity.Also, the sub-divisional police officer and SHO Hazro also reached the site and arrested 15 diggers but freed all of them after two hours without taking any legal action against them.
The report said SHO Hazro police station had misguided officials of the archeology department and did not tell the exact location where illegal digging was being done by the land grabbers.
They said the police were protecting the illegal diggers and asked the police highups to take action against those officials responsible for this situation.
When contacted, Muhammad Bhadur Khan, deputy director federal department of archaeology and museums, confirmed the massive destruction of the Buddhist site. He said a report of the illegal digging by influential mafia in league with the police had been submitted to the department headquarters and police authorities.
He strongly advocated for the preservation of the site from the illegal diggers who, he said, were bent on destroying the national heritage
High level Chinese Buddhist delegation to visit Sri Lanka
The Most Venerable Shi Yie Chang, Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China who is also the Chief Abbot of the Lingguang Temple in Beijing, will lead a 102-member Buddhist delegation to Sri Lanka from August 2 to 9, 2009.
The visit is organized to enhance the bilateral Buddhist cultural relations of over 1,000 years between China and Sri Lanka.
This would be the second visit to Sri Lanka by the Lingguang Temple which coincides with the 'Kandy Esala Perahera'. The first visit was in 2007 which was initiated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his State Visit to China. President Rajapaksa was accompanied by a high level Buddhist delegation from Sri Lanka in 2007 where they gifted a stone replica of Samadhi Statue in Anuradhapura, to the Lingguang Temple. The visiting delegation includes the most senior Theras held in high esteem in China and officials from China Buddhist Association, the umbrella organization for Buddhist activities in the country. The delegation will witness the Randoli Pageant on August 5 and will also tour Kandy, Dambulla, Sigiriya rock fortress, Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, a Dutch Fort and a Catholic Church in Negombo.
The delegation will also pay courtesy calls on President Rajapaksa, the Most Venerable Maha Nayaka Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters and other Buddhist leaders of Sri Lanka. The visit is coordinated by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing together with the Foreign Ministry in Colombo and the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.
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The visit is organized to enhance the bilateral Buddhist cultural relations of over 1,000 years between China and Sri Lanka.
This would be the second visit to Sri Lanka by the Lingguang Temple which coincides with the 'Kandy Esala Perahera'. The first visit was in 2007 which was initiated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his State Visit to China. President Rajapaksa was accompanied by a high level Buddhist delegation from Sri Lanka in 2007 where they gifted a stone replica of Samadhi Statue in Anuradhapura, to the Lingguang Temple. The visiting delegation includes the most senior Theras held in high esteem in China and officials from China Buddhist Association, the umbrella organization for Buddhist activities in the country. The delegation will witness the Randoli Pageant on August 5 and will also tour Kandy, Dambulla, Sigiriya rock fortress, Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, a Dutch Fort and a Catholic Church in Negombo.
The delegation will also pay courtesy calls on President Rajapaksa, the Most Venerable Maha Nayaka Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters and other Buddhist leaders of Sri Lanka. The visit is coordinated by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing together with the Foreign Ministry in Colombo and the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.
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