PETITION TO FREE SUDHIR DHAWALE, DALIT ACTIVIST

To sign the petition, please go to:  http://www.petitiononline.com/sudhir/petition.html

Sudhir Dhawale protesting the arrest of Binayak Sen

THE PETITION:

To:  PRESIDENT OF INDIA, GOVERNOR OF MAHARASHTRA

Sudhir Dhawale, a Dalit activist, writer, journalist, and editor of a Marathi magazine “Vidrohi”, was arrested by police personnel of Durgapur Police Station (district Gondia) on 2nd January, while he was returning to Mumbai after attending ‘Dalit Yuva Sahitya Sammelan’ and a meeting on Dalit Atrocities in Wardha. He has been booked for waging war against the state under section 121 of the Indian Penal Code and charged with sedition (Sec 124) and booked under Sections 17, 20 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

From 1995, Sudhir Dhawale has been actively working to resist atrocities against Dalits and for effective implementation of the Prevention of Atrocities against SCs/STs Act (POA). He has tirelessly worked, within the democratic framework, towards ensuring justice in cases of Dalit atrocities such as Ramabai Nagar Dalit Hatyakand (massacre) in Ghatkopar in Mumbai in which 10 Dalits agitating against desecration of Dr. Ambedkar’s Statue were gunned down by police (11 July, 1997), the infamous Khairlanji massacre of Dalit family in 2006 and many cases such as Rohidas Tupe hatyakand in Palgaon near Aurangabad, Baban Misal massacre in Ahemadnagar district, Sadashive Salve Guruji Hatyakand in Beed distrct, the Manorama Kamble gang rape and murder case in Nagpur, the brutal murder of Sahebrao Jondhale in Marathwada, and many more cases of Dalit atrocities (atrocities on Dalits) in Maharashtra in recent times. As a writer, poet, playwright, freelance journalist and editor of Marathi magazine ‘Vidrohi’, Sudhir Dhawale has tried to bring the issues of injustice and atrocities against Dalits in the public domain so as to make democracy a substantive force and movement in the country. It is necessary to point out that he engaged in these activities not as a smartly paid cultural worker of NGO-based civil society initiatives, but his efforts were supported by funds drawn from small donations from fellow activists, concerned citizens, and the poor and oppressed masses themselves. He lives a simple life with limited needs which were looked after by his wife Darshana (who was an activist in women’s movement before their marriage). Darshana looks after the Dhawale family of four through her work as a nurse and supports her husband’s efforts Ambedkarian movement for justice and freedom from oppression.

On 3rd Jan a team of 15 policemen arrived at Dhawale's house and barged in, his wife Dasrshana, who is a nurse at the Ambedkar Hospital in Byculla, was away on duty, and their 2 children- Kshitij, aged 15 and Prithvi, aged 10, were alone at home. Darshana, Sudhir's wife, received a frantic call from their traumatised and terror-stricken children about the policemen rummaging through each nook and corner of the house and asking menacing questions regarding the whereabouts of their father. She immediately rushed home, when she, in the presence of her children, was interrogated, with a clear intention on the part of the police to coerce her into saying something which would help them implicate her husband.

The minimum legal requirements of carrying out search and seizure- the presence of independent credible witnesses, sealing in a safe container all the articles seized, and affixing the stamp of the police station on the seizure memo- were blatantly disregarded. At 10.30 pm, before leaving, the police ordered Darshana to sign the list of seized articles. She refused, because it was prepared in her absence- she was being interrogated in one room, while the list being prepared in another. She was threatened with immediate arrest and custody and hence she had no option but to obey.

WE DEMAND

1)-All charges against the Dalit activist, writer, editor of "Vidrohi' magazine and active member of the Republican Panthers, Sudhir Dhawale, should be immediately dropped and he should be released immediately.

2)-The Police officers who conducted illegal search and seizure, fabricated the Panchnama should be punished.

3)- The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Section 124 A of the IPC which relates to the offence of sedition should be immediately repealed.

4)-State should work vigorously to end the atrocities against Dalits and Advasis and toward effective implementation of the 1989 Prevention of Atrocities (POA)Act and speedy justice to the victims of atrocities, strict and harsh punishment to the perpetrators of violence against dalits within the purview of the POA Act.
Sincerely,

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

Photograph Courtesy of Frontlines of Revolutionary Study 

DR. BINAYAK SEN CONVICTED - The True Story

This is a simple and complete explanation of the case against Dr. Binayak Sen.  With Hindi subtitles.

Mirwaiz assaulted in India

Sheikh Imran Bashir

Srinagar: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference moderate Mirwaiz Umar 
Farooq and Bilal Lone were on Thursday manhandled by a group of Kashmiri Pandits and Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP) supporters, who were part of the audience, were behind the fracas in Punjab’s Chandigarh region.

Commotion broke out when the group barged into the seminar hall and dashed towards the dais where the separatist leaders were seated, eyewitnesses said.

During the pandemonium, some of the activists manhandled the two separatist leaders, they said, adding police immediately stepped in and cordoned off the dais. The incident took place when the Mirwaiz started addressing a seminar on Kashmir and Indo-Pak relations.

Reports reaches to Agence India Press says that Farooq was attacked by displaced Kashmiri Pandits and right-wing Hindu activists who objected to his anti-India comments at the seminar.

At least a couple of protestors jumped on the conference table and attacked him. He was sharing the ideas with leaders of other political parties, including the general secretary of Shiromani Akali Dal Prem Singh Chandumajra, reports said.

The organisers immediately jumped in to save Mirwaiz. There was total chaos inside the hall for close to 30 minutes as the protestors shouted slogans against Mirwaiz, Hurriyat Conference and Pakistan.

The police later detained 20 activists, including some women.

Even after the seminar concluded, police had a tough time escorting Mirwaiz to his car. A police Gypsy escorted his car.

Meanwhile, tension gripped parts of Srinagar as the news of attack on Mirwaiz spread here on Thursday with groups of youth taking to streets shouting pro-Mirwaiz slogans.

As the word spread shopkeepers in Rajouri Kadal, Nowhatta and areas adjacent to Nallahmar, downed their shutters and soon traffic too went off the roads,” reports said.

Situation in these areas was tense when this report last came in.

Meanwhile a police spokesman said the 'rumor that Mirwaiz has got injured at a function in Chandigarh is totally false'. He said the Mirwaiz is safe and the miscreants have been arrested.

"I am not hurt. I am totally fine. We were sitting here to discuss things. If they had something to share, then they could raise the issue and it can be debated. For every problem there is a solution and it was the main aim of this round table conference," Mirwaiz said.

While on the situation Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told Agence India Press over on phone that there are many forces who are trying to mislead people but we will continue our efforts. People of India have big stake in the issue of Kashmir and they have to come up to solve this problem. We would go to various places and present the real picture of Kashmir.

"I cannot comment on anything about the security arrangements as it is the duty of the organisers. But here in Chandigarh, I am quite satisfied with the security part. See, you cannot stop anybody if he is coming with some wrong intentions," he added. (AIP)

QUOTES FROM MANUSMRITI PART ONE

Eris Kaveri has come across a website containing quotes from the book of sacred law of Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism), Manusmriti.  She will from time to time publish some of them here, so readers can become familiar with the provisions of this sacred text.


The site, for those interested is Manusmriti. 

Note:  On December 25th 1927,
Dr.Ambedkar burnt Manusmriti

Manu divides Hindus into four varnas i.e. casteism. He not only divide Hindus into four varnas, he also grades them. Besides prescribing rank and occupation Manu grants privilege to swarnas and imposes penalties on the shudras.The status of the Shudras in the Hindu society as prescribed by Manu the Law-giver and the Architect of Hindu society.

PART ONE:  SHUDRAHS 


1. For the welfare of humanity the supreme creator Brahma, gave birth to the Brahmins from his mouth, the Kshatriyas from his shoulders, the Vaishyas from his thighs and Shudras from his feet. (Manu's code I-31,)

2. God said the duty of a Shudra is to serve the upper varnas faithfully with devotion and without grumbling. (Manu 1-91) Manu is not satisfied with this. He wants this servile status of the Shudras to be expressed in the names and surnames of persons belonging to that community. Manu says:

3. Let the first part of a Brahman’s name denote something auspicious, a Kshatriya’s be connected with power, and a Vaishyas with wealth but a Shudra’s express something contemptible. (Manu II. 31.)

4. The second part of a Brahmin’s name shall be a word implying happiness, of a Kshatriya’s (a word) implying protection, of a Vaishya’s a term expressive of thriving and of a Shudra’s an expression denoting service. (Manu II. 32.)

5. A hundred year old Kshatriya must treat a ten year old Brahmin boy as his father. (Manu 11-135)

6. The Brahmin should never invite persons of other varnas for food. In case, the latter begs the Brahmin for food, the Brahmin may give them some left-over. Even these left-over must be served not by the Brahmin but by his servants outside the house. (Manu II2).

7. He who instructs Shudra pupils and he whose teacher is a Shudra shall become disqualified for being invited to a shradha. (Manu III. 156.)

8. A Shudra is unfit of receive education. The upper varnas should not impart education or give advice to a Shudra.It is not necessary that the Shudra should know the laws and codes and hence need not be taught. Violators will go to as amrita hell. (Manu IV-78 to 81)
 
9. "Let him not dwell in a country where the rulers are Shudras." (Manu IV. 61)

10. He must never read the Vedas in the presence of the Shudras. (Manu IV. 99.) 

To be continued...