-Ramesh Chander
(Asian Independent)- I wrote in my blog – Halla Bol on Castiest Mindset which I posted today, August 19, in the morning. By the evening, I got more perturbed. While getting supportive messages on the social media from many of my readers, I came across today itself at least three cases which sent shivers to my not so strong spine. Where are we heading? God save my Bharat. I share here the three cases:
In the Tribune (E-paper of August 19), I read a story around mid-day that a dalit boy was beaten by the school teacher in Bahraich district of UP for not paying on time the school fee of Rs.250 and later succumbed to the injuries and died. Now by the evening, when I made my mind to write about it, I could not find that story in the esteemed Tribune. It seems it has been removed. Obviously, it seems, the so called ‘free and fair’ media is at work. Hopefully, the likes of Anjana Om Kashyap may come up with a TV debate on the Bahraich incident too as she did on the Jalore case in Rajasthan. But it seems unlikely as UP is UP. No further elaboration is needed.
A story in the Hindustan Times of today, August 19 further perturbed me. This time, the holy and sacrosanct judiciary is at work. A lower judge in Kazhikode in Kerala, S. Krishna Kumar, adjudicated in a case of sexual harassment of a dalit woman and granted bail to the accused. Hon’ble Judge said that charges under SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act wouldn’t, prima facie, didn’t stand against Chandran (accused) because it “is highly unbelievable that he will touch the body of the victim fully knowing that she is a member of Scheduled Caste.” It was also reported in the story that the same Judge in another judgment on the sexual harassment case commented that the offence of sexual harassment wasn’t made out if the woman was wearing ‘sexually proactive’ clothes. Less said the better. Demands of reservation in the judiciary are not without basis, I think. The likes of Anmol Rattan Sidhu, the former Advocate General of Punjab who opposed reservation of dalits as Legal Officers should read and understand.
- By the evening yet another gem appeared in a story in the Tribune – Piped water to all rural houses will end discrimination: PM after Jalore incident –The media story further stated, “Noting that top global institutions had predicted water scarcity as a major challenge of the 21st century, the PM said lack of water could become a major hurdle in the way of developed India too” and further added, “To tide over this crisis, we need to work 24 hours with the spirit of service.” This is how we want to deal with the Caste System and glaring social discrimination and injustice. Yes, Hon’ble PM, we need to work 24 hours to kill the monster of Caste and Social discrimination. There is no political will and social motivation to eradicate caste system. Instead of hitting the nail in the head, we are interested in defending the indefensible, the Manuwad. It is not a matter of water, food, clothes, house; it is a matter of respect and dignity.
Ai tā.ir-e-lāhautī us rizq se maut achchhī
Rizq se aatī ho parvāz meñ kotāhī
O ethereal bird! It is better to starve to death,
Than to live on a prey that clogs thy wings in flight.
