From jothiraj12@rediffmail.com Tue Oct  5 07:08:57 2004
Date: 21 Sep 2004 07:13:08 -0000
From: jothiraj mcraj raj <jothiraj12@rediffmail.com>
To: anitaandedwin@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [anitaandedwin] Dalit Resurgence

22-09-04

Friends

This is no appeal to action. It is an information on how Dalit resurgence is taking place in a micro situation. It can happen also across the country.

On 19 September 2004 at Veerabommanahalli in Sira Taluk of Tumkur District the entire dominant caste people and ploughed the cultivated land of the Dalits as Dalits refused to join the dominant castes in their celebration of Ganesh (the elephant faced god). The Dalts rang up immediately both of us and asked us to rush to the village and save them. We refused to go. We told them to contact our local leaders in Sira and resolve the issue. We made it clear that if he was unable to deal with the problem we would go. The District President of DJS also rang us up saying she wanted to be there with all the other DJS leaders. We advised her not to do so and allow the local leader to deal with the issue and do something only if he found it difficult. The Local leader Thippeswamy mobilized all hyman resources that he could and succeeded in the entire struggle. In the police station the Dalits demanded that the local MLA (who is a former minister and who won this time with our support) must come to the police station and listen to them. The police brought him. He tried to pacify the Dalits in order to save the dominant caste people who are of his caste. But Dalits refused to budge in. They insisted on registering a case and the MLA had no other option. The Consequence: 27 dominant caste fellows are languishing in prison at the timel writing this. Thippeswamy who has taken up leadership in the Taluk only a month ago had loose motion (10 times during the day as he mentioned) out of the initial fear but ultimately he has become a more accepted leader not only among the Dalits but also a recognition from the dominant castes. Instead of Jyothi ringing up the police the Thippeswamy called Jyothi from the phone in the police station and made the Inspector talk to Jyothi.

A few reversals must be noted:

1. There is no Dalit Panchayat and DJS in this village. There is one volunteer trained in our four months training.

2. Touble was because Dalits asserted their Dalit identity as Dalits and refused to celebrate a Hindu festival.

3. Dominant caste people found this an excuse to lay their hands on the land of the Dalit people, which is becoming a major issue of discussion among them.

4. The founders of REDS who are almost cult figures among the Dalits took a strong stand that the issue must resolved by the people and by a leader who has emerged from them.

5. Arrest of 27 dominant caste fellows is no mean achievement though the Dalits here are getting more and more used to such things.

6. However, there was no repercussion on the Dalits after the arrest, which usually takes place in other parts of the country. Only a few years ago this was just unimaginable. But today sending dominant caste fellows to prison by the Dalits is rather common news in Tumkur.

7. When they are released REDS and DJS will take special efforts to call for a peace meeting and on the recognition of the human dignity of the Dalit people there will be a compromise. This is the usual practice.

8. The role of the police is also a reverse.

9. The role of politicians has seen a complete reversal in the past two years. Not only here, but in the entire District politicians are keen to register the support of DJS and Booshakthi Kendra and would not do a thing to antagonize them.

The media, both English and Kannada has given coverage of this incident. After a gap of one year we have seen an atrocity on our people. The task ahead is very important.

Warm regards Jyothi and Raj

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