The 'Untouchables' fight back

Sunday, 26. August 2007, 15:37:45

article, Dalit, south asia, media, injustice, India, untouchables, news, BBC, newspaper

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6958213.stm

Here's a little story by the BBC on a man, a Dalit, who's started his own grass-roots newspaper to battle injustice and social inequality.

BBC Have Your Say (HYS) Debates - Stickied and updated

Comments

It is really an inspiring story,Saf.I thank you for bringing it forth.I recommend every body to please read it.Despite of the lack of resources and casteist attitude of the local bureaucracy a so called low caste man has managed to run a newspaper in a village for 21 years and brought about a positive change in the lives of the people in his village.If you now wathch the mainstream Indian news media you would wonder whether you are watching a film gossip channel or a national news channel.The system that causes more than 160 million people in India to live a life full of humiliation is often negleted by the mainstrem news media.Mr Rajak's efforts are really commendable.Given the fact that an atrocity in the name of caste takes place every 2 minutes in India(see Human Rights Watch Rerpot) it will take a worldwide revolution to abolish the caste system.

By KYren, # 27. August 2007, 07:47:46

It's a pleasure finding such news. It even says in the article tht Mr.Rajak himself approached a media outlet only to be rejected by them b'coz it wasn't 'news'.

U r so right abt how everything is turned into a gossip column. Partly because of the inheritance of an awesome Bollywood movie industry that has pretty much the entire population awe struck. Sadly in both India and Pakistan there's a sad shallowness on appearance, especially amongst the younger generation. Here are two more articles that viewers might want to read, to explain wht I mean.

This one deal with a BBC editor who keeps receiving ridiculous resume's that show the thought process of many of the applicants.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5187242.stm

This one is abt movie star Sanjay Dutt's release on bail. He is shown a lot of luv from the prison guards! I don't hv an opinion on Sanjay Dutt's guilt or not. I do hv an opinion on Salman Khan's though...oh look! now i've gone on the gossip...!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6965314.stm

Despite such culture of thinking, there's really no excuse not to hv teh Caste system abolished...there's still room for such talk in every1's lives...I don't talk Hollywood 24/7, I've got time for other important issues...

By ss_ali, # 27. August 2007, 15:42:15

Thank you Saf for bringing forth the news about the present Indian media.It's really riduculous the way indian news channels recruit their reporters.The news papers in India are casteists also.A few days ago a so called low caste girl was raped and burnt to death in Parbhani district in Maharashtra state and a so called low caste colony was attacked in Osmanabad,Maharashtra; but there was not even a mention of the news in the mainstream newspapers and news channels.Should such media be regarded as one of the main pillars of a democracy?

By KYren, # 28. August 2007, 01:08:37

Seriously? raped AND burnt? Entire Colony? There's also news of a Cholera outbreak in one of the provinces (can't remember which) causing at least 50 deaths. is tht noted? I don't think the media hv put forward Goals or a Mission Statement and are driven by market forces and powerful party lobbyists.

I hv to tell u though, I'm glad the Pakistani Media hv moved away from bad dramas to specializing in every programmable TV items. I really think their news media is one of the best...this is thnx to Musharraf and some serious philanthropists...who's a dictator yet better than any of the democratically elected politicians we had on media freedom. GeoTV was so strong for their campaigning to get the hudood law abolished which,was ridiculously anti-women,the parliament actually passed a legislation! Tht was huge, after 2 horrible decades of mis-justice. It takes just one channel to push an agenda, so I can see it happening in India...after all corruption DID come to light which scared the govt tremendously...

By ss_ali, # 28. August 2007, 02:58:28

No,the residents of the colony were severly beaten,there was no rape case.But in Parbhani district in Maharashtra a so called low caste girl was first raped and then burnt to death.These two news got not even a cursory mention in the news channels in India like NDTV,IBNlive,Star news,Ajtak,Sahara.And the cholora outbreak was negected as well.Nowadays if you wacth these channels you'll see hours and hours of programs on astrology,TV serials and film gossip.I think that every important news should get it's due place in all news media.In any country its media should constantly report all the evils in the society untill the evils are abolished.There's no support for any caste system in the Quran but Islam in India and Pakistan has become casteist.See the Human Rights Watch 2001 report you'll find that there's still castebased discrimination in Punjab and Sindh province of Pakistan.I hope the media in Pakistan will address this issue also.

By KYren, # 28. August 2007, 20:10:47

u r right abt the casteism in Pakistan...though newspapers here use a different word--feudalism. It doesn't necessary hv to be between feudals and their servants, but even villager to villager. And u might find it interesting, Lashkar-i-Jhangavi were peasants or workers(not necessarily uneducated) who r now a bane for both countries, originated from Punjab. They were suppressed by a feudal,who happened to be Shia but don't make up the majority of any system, and stood up united against him and started targeting the Shia community under God. Then of course when u use Jihad, Kashmir comes to mind, the 'original' struggle. And so on, infiltration continues.

Wht I'm pointing out here is this...now the feudalism factor was not the sole reason, but it certainly was the geographic location of their rise. Other factors of extremists Saudi's and ethnic tensions had to do with it. But all in all, had tht suppression via fuedalism i.e. Caste not hv happened...we would be one less terrorist organization in the world.

There's also Military vs. Civilian. Tht's a whole different caste all together... :roll:

I must admit reading those abuses on the 2001 report...it could hv been worse...it is slightly better now...just slightly...

Is there a legal framework where a Dalit can simply put a charge of discrimination against non-Dalit's?? Don't worry, I know abt the legal system there, i'm not oblivious...i just mean has there ever been severe punishment for a crime against a Dalit?

By ss_ali, # 29. August 2007, 00:18:54

Most of the FIRs(First Information Reports) of the castebased crimes are not registered at all by the castiest Indian police.Though some cases reach the courts most of the times the criminals are not punished due to the casteist mindset of the judges.If you read the United Nation's and Human Rights Watch's reports in my blog you'll find that the legislations against castebased discrimations are not properly implemented in India.

By KYren, # 2. September 2007, 13:32:09

This was very interesting, but I'm close to information overload I see democracy is still alive in both India and Pakistan, (as I think it is in other countries which US call undemocratic) Reading your discussion makes me happy

Ali I miss you on my new blog

By Arnekrilu, # 4. September 2007, 20:42:44

Many so called low caste people in India had to suffer from disenfranchisement.Media which is called one of the pillers of a democracy deliberately niglects the castebased atrocities in India.People are killed if they do a so called intercaste marriage.India can't be called a democracy because the perverted caste system still exists in India.More than 160 million people live life full of humiliation because of the gross caste system,India can't be called a democracy.

By KYren, # 4. September 2007, 21:43:26

OK caste system is a much bigger problem than democracy, but so is hunger, e.g. leprosy etc.

By Arnekrilu, # 5. September 2007, 09:48:52

Did you know that so called low caste people didn't have the right to education for centuries? Becoz of the caste system so many people are marginalized and this leads the people to inhuman living conditions and poverty.

By KYren, # 5. September 2007, 12:04:25

Yes. i know

By Arnekrilu, # 5. September 2007, 13:51:19

4th RAMADANOOL KAREEM ALI

By trading , # 19. September 2007, 01:40:37

Great man! God(s) - whichever - bless Mr. Rajak.

By tabatakayoko, # 19. September 2007, 06:28:27

By KYren, # 19. September 2007, 19:19:43

To day Norway gave a mini peace prize called the Rafto prize to the National Campaign on Dalit Humane Rights

By Arnekrilu, # 20. September 2007, 18:15:33

Norway rocks!!

By KYren, # 20. September 2007, 19:38:49

By outlandesh, # 24. September 2007, 00:02:55

Long timwe no see ?
ramazan me roja kaesy calta hai .hojoor apki eid ka shoping finesh howa ki nahi .pakistan my acca panjabi melta hai .sandel vi .kharidegy mere liya vi size 40.
wish you a fantastic ramazan mubaruk

By outlandesh, # 24. September 2007, 00:05:57