When Christians all over the world engage in prayer this coming week (18-25 January), their thoughts will be with India’s Dalits – millions of whom share their faith, but are, nevertheless, still subjected to caste discrimination.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on violence against women in India. The document contains several references to caste discrimination and the situation of Dalit women.
The winner of the Dutch Human Rights Tulip 2012 is barred from traveling to the Netherlands to receive his award. Marimuthu Bharathan, a Dalit human rights defender from Tamil Nadu, has been refused a passport by the Indian authorities.
PRESS RELEASE: A strongly worded resolution on caste discrimination in India was debated and adopted today by the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The Parliament condemned the high number of atrocities committed against Dalits in India and the Indian government’s insufficient action on the issue of caste discrimination.
A national march – the Maila Mukti Yatra - will cross India with a call for the total eradication of ‘the slavery of manual scavenging’. It happens at a time when prominent campaigners have expressed scepticism towards new legislation against this banned, but continuing, practice.
Thousands of Dalits and Adivasis gathered in Delhi on Friday to demand amendments to the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The government may bring in these amendments early next year.
Approximately 1,000 non-Dalits launched a coordinated attack on three Dalit settlements in Dharmapuri District, Tamil Nadu, on 7 November. Hundreds of houses were burnt and looted – ostensibly because of an inter-caste marriage.
A coalition of 150 Indian NGOs is demanding amendments to - and proper implementation of - the laws that are supposed to protect Dalits and Adivasis from atrocities. The campaign is gathering momentum.
The Indian government is ready to introduce new legislation to end manual scavenging. The proposed bill includes tough penalties for those who continue to employ people as scavengers.
In a recent episode of his popular talk show, Satyamev Jayate, the actor Aamir Khan focused on caste discrimination and declared it a ‘mental illness’.
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery