Tag: Caste

  • NCBC to hold hearing on demand of WB government to include 87 castes in OBC list

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Backward Classes will be holding a hearing on November 3 on the proposal of the West Bengal government to include 87 castes in the OBC list.

    In a notice to the West Bengal government, the NCBC has also sought information from the state government under various heads.

    Among the information sought are caste-wise details of the candidates selected in the 87 OBC castes, caste-wise details of Class III, Class IV and Safai Karmacharis, details of scholarships disbursed to the students belonging to the 87 OBC castes in the educational institutions run under the state during the last three years and the current year and the caste-wise details of the beneficiaries thereof.

    The NCBC said it had recommended that the reservation of OBCs in the state should be increased from 17 per cent to 22 per cent, but to date, no positive action has been taken on the recommendation of the commission. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Backward Classes will be holding a hearing on November 3 on the proposal of the West Bengal government to include 87 castes in the OBC list.

    In a notice to the West Bengal government, the NCBC has also sought information from the state government under various heads.

    Among the information sought are caste-wise details of the candidates selected in the 87 OBC castes, caste-wise details of Class III, Class IV and Safai Karmacharis, details of scholarships disbursed to the students belonging to the 87 OBC castes in the educational institutions run under the state during the last three years and the current year and the caste-wise details of the beneficiaries thereof.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The NCBC said it had recommended that the reservation of OBCs in the state should be increased from 17 per cent to 22 per cent, but to date, no positive action has been taken on the recommendation of the commission. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • Allahabad HC asks Centre, UP govt, CEC to file responses on banning caste-based rallies

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has directed the Centre and the state government along with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to file a counter affidavit within four weeks on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a complete ban on caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh.

    The division bench, comprising Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi, granted two weeks’ time to the petitioner for filing a rejoinder affidavit to the counter affidavit to be filed by the respondents. It has directed the court registry to list the case after six weeks for the next hearing.

    A bench passed the order on an old Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by one Motilal Yadav in 2013 after reopening it.

    Hearing the PIL on July 11, 2013, the bench had issued an interim ban on organizing caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh. The bench had also issued notices to the main political parties to submit their response in the matter.

    The bench, on Dec. 5, 2002, issued notices to the four major political parties — BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP and Congress — seeking their response as to why a complete ban should not be imposed on caste-basedrallies in the state forever.

    The bench had also asked the chief election commissioner as to why the poll body should not take action against those holding such rallies.

    In its order passed in 2013, the High Court bench had observed, “The unrestricted freedom to hold caste-based rallies, which is to the total disliking and beyond the comprehension of the modern generation and also being contrary to the public interest, cannot be justified. It will rather be an act of negating the rule of law and denying the fundamental rights to citizens.”

    The bench had also observed that the political parties, in their quest to seek a political base in the caste system, had “seriously disturbed” the social fabric and cohesiveness. “It has rather resulted in causing social fission.”

    The petitioner had submitted that caste minorities in the country have been reduced to “second-class citizens” in their own country owing to such ‘anti-democratic’ activities of political parties designed to woo the votes of majority groups.

    “Despite the clear constitutional provisions and the fundamental rights enshrined therein, they are feeling disillusioned, dismayed and betrayed because of being placed in a disadvantageous position in thenumber game of vote politics”, the petitioner had added.

    LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court has directed the Centre and the state government along with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to file a counter affidavit within four weeks on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a complete ban on caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh.

    The division bench, comprising Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi, granted two weeks’ time to the petitioner for filing a rejoinder affidavit to the counter affidavit to be filed by the respondents. It has directed the court registry to list the case after six weeks for the next hearing.

    A bench passed the order on an old Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by one Motilal Yadav in 2013 after reopening it.

    Hearing the PIL on July 11, 2013, the bench had issued an interim ban on organizing caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh. The bench had also issued notices to the main political parties to submit their response in the matter.

    The bench, on Dec. 5, 2002, issued notices to the four major political parties — BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP and Congress — seeking their response as to why a complete ban should not be imposed on caste-based
    rallies in the state forever.

    The bench had also asked the chief election commissioner as to why the poll body should not take action against those holding such rallies.

    In its order passed in 2013, the High Court bench had observed, “The unrestricted freedom to hold caste-based rallies, which is to the total disliking and beyond the comprehension of the modern generation and also being contrary to the public interest, cannot be justified. It will rather be an act of negating the rule of law and denying the fundamental rights to citizens.”

    The bench had also observed that the political parties, in their quest to seek a political base in the caste system, had “seriously disturbed” the social fabric and cohesiveness. “It has rather resulted in causing social fission.”

    The petitioner had submitted that caste minorities in the country have been reduced to “second-class citizens” in their own country owing to such ‘anti-democratic’ activities of political parties designed to woo the votes of majority groups.

    “Despite the clear constitutional provisions and the fundamental rights enshrined therein, they are feeling disillusioned, dismayed and betrayed because of being placed in a disadvantageous position in the
    number game of vote politics”, the petitioner had added.

  • Caste-based headcount begins in Bihar; Tejashwi terms it ‘historic step’ 

    By PTI

    PATNA: Terming the caste-based head count that began in Bihar on Saturday as a “historic step”, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said the exercise will provide scientific data for carrying out welfare schemes for weaker sections of the society.

    Noting that all the parties of the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’ were in favour of the exercise, the RJD leader claimed that the BJP was “critical” about the survey.

    “The enumeration exercise began in Bihar today. It is a historic step taken by the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government in the state.

    Once the exercise is completed, it will provide scientific data to the state government for carrying out developmental work for people, including those who are deprived,” Yadav said, while speaking to media persons here.

    He also said, “The BJP is an anti-poor party which always opposed this exercise and has always been critical about the caste-based headcount.”

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Friday said that the caste-based enumeration exercise could be beneficial for all.

    The caste-based headcount process has been a major issue in Bihar, as Kumar’s JD(U) and all constituents of the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’ were demanding that the exercise be undertaken at the earliest.

    The state government embarked on the exercise in the wake of the Centre expressing its inability to undertake a caste-based enumeration other than SCs and STs.

    The exercise will be conducted in two phases across Bihar, an official said.

    “All households will be covered in the first phase, which will continue till January 21. In the second one which will start in March, data on people, belonging to all castes, sub-castes and religions, will be collected. Enumerators will gather information about the financial status of all people,” Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh told PTI.

    Earlier in the day, he inspected the ongoing exercise being conducted by the state government employees in the Bank road area in Patna.

    “The exercise is being conducted in all 12,696 blocks in Patna district,” he said.

    The caste-based survey will be completed by May in 2023, and the state government will spend Rs 500 crore from its contingency fund for the exercise.

    The general administration department is the nodal authority for the survey.

    PATNA: Terming the caste-based head count that began in Bihar on Saturday as a “historic step”, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said the exercise will provide scientific data for carrying out welfare schemes for weaker sections of the society.

    Noting that all the parties of the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’ were in favour of the exercise, the RJD leader claimed that the BJP was “critical” about the survey.

    “The enumeration exercise began in Bihar today. It is a historic step taken by the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government in the state.

    Once the exercise is completed, it will provide scientific data to the state government for carrying out developmental work for people, including those who are deprived,” Yadav said, while speaking to media persons here.

    He also said, “The BJP is an anti-poor party which always opposed this exercise and has always been critical about the caste-based headcount.”

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Friday said that the caste-based enumeration exercise could be beneficial for all.

    The caste-based headcount process has been a major issue in Bihar, as Kumar’s JD(U) and all constituents of the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’ were demanding that the exercise be undertaken at the earliest.

    The state government embarked on the exercise in the wake of the Centre expressing its inability to undertake a caste-based enumeration other than SCs and STs.

    The exercise will be conducted in two phases across Bihar, an official said.

    “All households will be covered in the first phase, which will continue till January 21. In the second one which will start in March, data on people, belonging to all castes, sub-castes and religions, will be collected. Enumerators will gather information about the financial status of all people,” Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh told PTI.

    Earlier in the day, he inspected the ongoing exercise being conducted by the state government employees in the Bank road area in Patna.

    “The exercise is being conducted in all 12,696 blocks in Patna district,” he said.

    The caste-based survey will be completed by May in 2023, and the state government will spend Rs 500 crore from its contingency fund for the exercise.

    The general administration department is the nodal authority for the survey.

  • No one is made CM on basis of caste: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot 

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Monday said he has not become the chief minister of Rajasthan on the basis of caste as he is the lone MLA from his community.

    Gehlot’s statement has come amid demands from a section to make his bete noire Sachin Pilot as the chief minister, who belongs to the Gujjar community.

    Gehlot and Pilot have been at loggerheads over chief ministership ever since the Congress won the Rajasthan polls in 2018.

    ALSO READ | Traitor Sachin Pilot will never be accepted as Rajasthan CM, says Ashok Gehlot

    Reiterating that he is the chief minister because of the affection and blessings of all sections of the society, Gehlot said he is the only MLA from the Mali community in the Rajasthan Assembly and still people have made him the chief minister thrice.

    “Today I am the chief minister. I want to serve every community, be it Jat, Gujjar, Rajput, Kushwaha, Jatav, Brahmin, Baniya, Meena. Because, I know that no one is made the chief minister on the basis of caste,” Gehlot said in a tweet.

    In a series of tweets, the CM shared the Sunday’s event in Nadbai of Bharatpur district where he addressed a gathering after laying the foundation of various development projects.

    “If all the communities do not love me, do not bless me, then how can I be made the chief minister 3 times and the biggest thing is that my caste is called Saini, it is called Kushwaha, it is called Mali.”

    ALSO READ | Both leaders assets to Congress, says Rahul Gandhi on Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot

    “There is only one MLA of my caste in the assembly, and that is myself. Sometimes, I think that what a lucky person I am, I am so fortunate that the people of Rajasthan have made me chief minister thrice,” he said.

    He said that he has been party’s national general secretary three times, chief minister three times and the high command is showing so much faith in him because of the love, affection and blessings of the people of Rajasthan.

    The CM said that it will be his endeavour to wipe the tears of every poor of Rajasthan, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

    JAIPUR: Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Monday said he has not become the chief minister of Rajasthan on the basis of caste as he is the lone MLA from his community.

    Gehlot’s statement has come amid demands from a section to make his bete noire Sachin Pilot as the chief minister, who belongs to the Gujjar community.

    Gehlot and Pilot have been at loggerheads over chief ministership ever since the Congress won the Rajasthan polls in 2018.

    ALSO READ | Traitor Sachin Pilot will never be accepted as Rajasthan CM, says Ashok Gehlot

    Reiterating that he is the chief minister because of the affection and blessings of all sections of the society, Gehlot said he is the only MLA from the Mali community in the Rajasthan Assembly and still people have made him the chief minister thrice.

    “Today I am the chief minister. I want to serve every community, be it Jat, Gujjar, Rajput, Kushwaha, Jatav, Brahmin, Baniya, Meena. Because, I know that no one is made the chief minister on the basis of caste,” Gehlot said in a tweet.

    In a series of tweets, the CM shared the Sunday’s event in Nadbai of Bharatpur district where he addressed a gathering after laying the foundation of various development projects.

    “If all the communities do not love me, do not bless me, then how can I be made the chief minister 3 times and the biggest thing is that my caste is called Saini, it is called Kushwaha, it is called Mali.”

    ALSO READ | Both leaders assets to Congress, says Rahul Gandhi on Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot

    “There is only one MLA of my caste in the assembly, and that is myself. Sometimes, I think that what a lucky person I am, I am so fortunate that the people of Rajasthan have made me chief minister thrice,” he said.

    He said that he has been party’s national general secretary three times, chief minister three times and the high command is showing so much faith in him because of the love, affection and blessings of the people of Rajasthan.

    The CM said that it will be his endeavour to wipe the tears of every poor of Rajasthan, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

  • In UP, children feel the heat of state’s caste-driven politics

    By IANS

    LUCKNOW: In Uttar Pradesh, ‘C is for children and ‘C is also for caste. It is school children who bear the brunt of the prevailing caste politics in the state.

    There are innumerable cases of children being discriminated against in government schools on the basis of caste. Most of them either go unreported or do not invite any action.

    Last year, in Amethi, the principal of a primary school in Gaderi in Sangrampur area was accused of allegedly forming a “separate queue of Dalit children” when they were served the midday meal.

    An FIR was registered against the principal Kusum Soni, under sections of the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act and she was suspended.

    The case was also reported to the district magistrate who ordered a probe by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari.

    There was also the case of segregation of utensils used by Dalit students in a government school in Mainpuri district.

    “This has now become a way of life, especially in rural areas. The caste feeling is so dominant now that it is the children who refuse to eat food cooked by a Dalit or sit with children belonging to Dalit castes. We try to sort out the matter in the school itself and it is only when a TV channel highlights the incident that action is taken,” says Ram Prakash Srivastava, a retired school teacher in Ballia.

    Vinay Kumar, the head of a village in an eastern UP constituency, says, “The caste system has gained strong roots and unless the local MLA or MP belongs to a marginalised caste, Dalit children are victimised in schools. Teachers, while beating them or scolding them, use cuss words and caste shame them. I belong to the Dalit community but there is little I can do to protect the children because the local MLA belongs to the upper caste and so do the local officials.”

    Sangita, a class four student who belongs to a Dalit community, says that the school teacher tells her to sit in a separate row and she is also asked to sit away from others when the midday meal is served.

    “Big (read upper caste) children do not play with me and they also get the food first,” she says.

    Sangita says that the only time she is given ‘VIP aur accha kaam (treatment)’ is when ‘mantri ji’ comes to school.

    Her mother, Asha, says that the teacher asks her to put oil on Sangita’s head and comb her hair and she is taught how to speak to the guest. In return she gets candies but once the visit is over, things are back to being worse.

    Radhika Saxena, who works with children belonging to marginalised communities, says that the caste discrimination in schools remains a major factor in keeping the kids, especially girls, away from school.

    ‘The drop-out rate increases as children start growing up and begin to realize that they are being subjected to abusive behaviour. Some male teachers even derive sadistic pleasure by not allowing girls to relieve themselves during school hours and this kind of behaviour is only for Dalits,” she says.

    Radhika says that the problem lies with the social and political system which has become highly caste-oriented and teachers are a part of it.

    “De-sensitizing teachers does not work and now even children are becoming caste conscious which is a highly dangerous trend for the future. I have seen some upper caste children refer to Dalit children with abuses,” she adds.

    A retired IAS officer, who served in the state education department for a long time, admits that government schemes exist mainly on paper and the reality is different.

    “We provide uniforms, shoes, books and other incentives but who checks whether the children are actually getting the benefits. There is no system to check if teachers behave well with children. The human resource factor is missing from the system and books alone will not make schools a better place,” he says.

    LUCKNOW: In Uttar Pradesh, ‘C is for children and ‘C is also for caste. It is school children who bear the brunt of the prevailing caste politics in the state.

    There are innumerable cases of children being discriminated against in government schools on the basis of caste. Most of them either go unreported or do not invite any action.

    Last year, in Amethi, the principal of a primary school in Gaderi in Sangrampur area was accused of allegedly forming a “separate queue of Dalit children” when they were served the midday meal.

    An FIR was registered against the principal Kusum Soni, under sections of the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act and she was suspended.

    The case was also reported to the district magistrate who ordered a probe by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari.

    There was also the case of segregation of utensils used by Dalit students in a government school in Mainpuri district.

    “This has now become a way of life, especially in rural areas. The caste feeling is so dominant now that it is the children who refuse to eat food cooked by a Dalit or sit with children belonging to Dalit castes. We try to sort out the matter in the school itself and it is only when a TV channel highlights the incident that action is taken,” says Ram Prakash Srivastava, a retired school teacher in Ballia.

    Vinay Kumar, the head of a village in an eastern UP constituency, says, “The caste system has gained strong roots and unless the local MLA or MP belongs to a marginalised caste, Dalit children are victimised in schools. Teachers, while beating them or scolding them, use cuss words and caste shame them. I belong to the Dalit community but there is little I can do to protect the children because the local MLA belongs to the upper caste and so do the local officials.”

    Sangita, a class four student who belongs to a Dalit community, says that the school teacher tells her to sit in a separate row and she is also asked to sit away from others when the midday meal is served.

    “Big (read upper caste) children do not play with me and they also get the food first,” she says.

    Sangita says that the only time she is given ‘VIP aur accha kaam (treatment)’ is when ‘mantri ji’ comes to school.

    Her mother, Asha, says that the teacher asks her to put oil on Sangita’s head and comb her hair and she is taught how to speak to the guest. In return she gets candies but once the visit is over, things are back to being worse.

    Radhika Saxena, who works with children belonging to marginalised communities, says that the caste discrimination in schools remains a major factor in keeping the kids, especially girls, away from school.

    ‘The drop-out rate increases as children start growing up and begin to realize that they are being subjected to abusive behaviour. Some male teachers even derive sadistic pleasure by not allowing girls to relieve themselves during school hours and this kind of behaviour is only for Dalits,” she says.

    Radhika says that the problem lies with the social and political system which has become highly caste-oriented and teachers are a part of it.

    “De-sensitizing teachers does not work and now even children are becoming caste conscious which is a highly dangerous trend for the future. I have seen some upper caste children refer to Dalit children with abuses,” she adds.

    A retired IAS officer, who served in the state education department for a long time, admits that government schemes exist mainly on paper and the reality is different.

    “We provide uniforms, shoes, books and other incentives but who checks whether the children are actually getting the benefits. There is no system to check if teachers behave well with children. The human resource factor is missing from the system and books alone will not make schools a better place,” he says.

  • Rajasthan: Cook arrested for asking students to throw midday meal served by Dalit girls in Udaipur

    By PTI

    UDAIPUR: A cook was arrested for allegedly discriminating with two Dalit girls in a government school in the state’s Udaipur district, police said on Saturday.

    The Dalit girls had reportedly served midday meal cooked by one Lala Ram Gurjar in a government upper primary school in Barodi area on Friday.

    Lal Ram objected to this and asked the students, who were having the meal, to throw it away because it was served by Dalits, police said.

    The students followed the instruction and threw the meal.

    The victim girls told about the incident to their family members following which they, with some of their relatives, reached the school and demanded action against the cook.

    “A case against the cook was registered with Gogunda Police Station under the prevention of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) act,” police said.

    “A prompt action was taken as the matter was found true. Food was thrown by students because Dalit girls served it.

    “The cook used to get the food served by the students of his choice who are from upper castes but yesterday, a teacher asked the Dalit girls to serve the food because they were complaining of not being served well,” they said.

    UDAIPUR: A cook was arrested for allegedly discriminating with two Dalit girls in a government school in the state’s Udaipur district, police said on Saturday.

    The Dalit girls had reportedly served midday meal cooked by one Lala Ram Gurjar in a government upper primary school in Barodi area on Friday.

    Lal Ram objected to this and asked the students, who were having the meal, to throw it away because it was served by Dalits, police said.

    The students followed the instruction and threw the meal.

    The victim girls told about the incident to their family members following which they, with some of their relatives, reached the school and demanded action against the cook.

    “A case against the cook was registered with Gogunda Police Station under the prevention of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) act,” police said.

    “A prompt action was taken as the matter was found true. Food was thrown by students because Dalit girls served it.

    “The cook used to get the food served by the students of his choice who are from upper castes but yesterday, a teacher asked the Dalit girls to serve the food because they were complaining of not being served well,” they said.

  • Caste-based count will be foolproof, beneficial for all sections of society: Nitish

    “Once completed, it will be model for other states interested in conducting similar exercise. We will do proper headcount so that no one is missed. It will be beneficial for all sections of society.”

  • Dalit students made to queue up separately during mealtime, UP principal booked

    By PTI

    AMETHI: An FIR was registered against the principal of a government school here Wednesday for allegedly forming a separate queue of Dalit children while serving them midday meal.

    The FIR was registered against Kusum Soni, Principal of primary school in Gaderi in Sangrampur area, under relevant sections of the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act after the matter was reported to District Magistrate (DM) Arun Kumar.

    When the matter came to his knowledge, he ordered a probe by Basic Siksha Adhikari (BSA), who suspended the principal.

    The DM had received a complaint against Soni for discriminating against kids on the basis of their caste during mealtime by making them stand in separate queues.

    A detailed probe is on in the matter.

  • No proposal at present to release 2011 caste census data: Government

    Rai said the SECC 2011 data, excluding the caste data, had been finalised and published by the MoRD and the HUPA.

  • Maharashtra man claims caste panchayat troubling him over marriage

    By PTI
    NASHIK: A 20-year-old man from Nashik in Maharashtra on Sunday filed a police complaint claiming the caste panchayat that he belongs to is not allowing him to marry a girl of his choice and was also threatening to ex- communicate him.

    The Sinnar resident said the 18-year-old girl he wants to marry is from another caste due to which the ‘jaat panchayat’ was creating problems.

    He said he had filed a complaint with Sinnar police station.