Gujarat Dalits demand freedom from atrocities and discrimination

August 15, 2016

Una (Guj), Aug 15: Vowing to intensify their agitation at a protest rally on Independence day, the Dalit community in Gujarat today said they will launch a mega rail roko stir if their demand for granting five acres of land for each family is not met by Gujarat government within one month.

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As thousands of Dalits gathered in Una on the occasion of the country's 70th Independence Day where Prime Minister Narendra Modi also came under fire, their leaders sought freedom from atrocities and discrimination, amid chants of "Jai Bhim".

The tricolor was jointly unfurled by Radhika Vemula, mother of dalit scholar Rohith Vemula who had committed suicide in Hyderabad and Balu Sarvaiya, father of one of the victims of Una dalit flogging incident, in the presence of JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar.

The week-long rally which started from Ahmedabad by Una Dalit Atachiyar Ladat Samiti (UDALS), culminated in Una, the place where some dalits where brutally beaten by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow last month sparking outrage.

"You take cow's tail, give us land," Jignesh Mavani, a lawyer-turned politician who established the UDALS and led the march, told the huge gathering.

"We have presented our demand before the state government. If you do not accept our demand of giving five acres land to each dalit family in next one month, we will launch a rail roko agitation," Mevani said.

He also made those who were present there to take a pledge not to be in the business of skinning of cows.

Targeting Modi, Mevani said, "The sheer scale of protests had forced him to speak out on the issue. Modi did not speak a word when three youths were killed in police firing in Thangadh town in 2012, another incident of Dalit atrocity," Kanhaiya said the hype of Gujarat Model of development has been punctured by dalits of the state.

"We want freedom from castesim. We will not tolerate any more atrocities on dalits anywhere in the country. Everybody has to come together to fight against such atrocities."

Radhika Vemula in her address said, "I have not got justice for my son. He had to commit suicide just because he was dalit.

"But it is good to see that Dalit movement in Gujarat has forced the chief minister Anandiben Patel to resign. I have come here so that no other Dalit children face what my son had to suffer."

Muslim community members came in large numbers to support the Dalit community in their campaign. Slogans like "Dalits-Muslims bhai bhai" were heard at the gathering.

As many as seven members of Dalit community from Mota Samadhiyala village in Una taluk in Gir Somnath district were on July 11 brutally assaulted by some self-styled cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow.

Comments

Mangalory
 - 
Tuesday, 16 Aug 2016

Amit Shah have dumped Gujrath people and Cheddis in Mangalore are calling him for development of same thing in mangalore... Think before U attend this cheddi invitation... Future is all Mangaloreans will end up like this dalit brothers in Gujrath.

YOur EVIL stratergy will not work in MANGALORE...

Rikaz
 - 
Monday, 15 Aug 2016

See whats happening.....It is better Amit Sha go there rather then Mangalore....BJP situation very bad.....bad to worst.....

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News Network
January 1,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 1: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here on Tuesday that the State government will think about making policy on giving compensation to the families of those who have died in police firing.

Speaking to newsmen here on Tuesday, he said that the government withholding compensation to the families of two persons who died in police firing in the city on December 19 after a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act turned violent and even in 2006 when two persons had died in police firing at Mulky in Dakshina Kannada the then State government had not given any compensation to their families.

In the latest case, the First Information Report (FIR) has named the two persons who had died in the firing as the accused. After the incident, there were demands to provide compensation to the families of the victims.

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News Network
May 20,2020

Bengaluru, May 20: Karnataka Congress leaders held a protest against the state government against amending of APMC Act, at the premises of Vidhan Soudha here.

Few days ago, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had said that the new amendment in the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act will substantially aid the farmers in getting remunerative price for their produce.

"Amendment will not dilute the powers of the work of the APMCs. All these marketing activities will be monitored by the Directorate of State APMC. This new amendment Act will benefit farmers in improving their income & suffering from losses due to market fluctuations," the Karnataka CM tweeted.

Yediyurappa further said that the amendment will indirectly help farmers in doubling their income by 2022.

"This amendment will indirectly help farmers in doubling their income by 2022. I want to clarify that we have not removed the APMC Act, we are only amending 2 sections of the APMC Act which enable farmers to sell their produce at the markets where they intend to," he tweeted.

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January 15,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 15: Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Bengaluru has decided to remain shut for two days after a group of BJP workers wiped out graffiti on its outer walls claiming it as anti-Modi and allegedly warned them against any anti CAA agitation there.

According to sources, the group led by Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath allegedly even towed away some vehicles of students and faculty parked in front of the institute alleging that they were blocking the road and causing inconvenience to the local people.

Some students have alleged that they were threatened by BJP workers and also the institute's authorities regarding the graffiti and the blocking of the road using traffic police.

They even claimed that BJP workers warned them against organising any anti-NRC or CAA protests.

A few local residents are also said to have joined the BJP workers and raised complaints about the conduct of the institute's students.

According to local BJP workers, the MLA and a few party men had gone near the institute on receiving complaints from locals about vehicles parked there blocking the road, and when they came across the graffiti they painted it with saffron paint to avoid any controversy, and there was no altercation as being alleged.

However, there is no clarity on who drew the graffiti regarding Modi, which according to BJP workers allegedly depicted the PM in poor light.

The institute has declared holiday on Thursday and Friday to avoid any further escalation, keeping the interest and safety of students in mind, sources said.

Interestingly, on Tuesday graffiti had appeared overnight on the shutters of some shops and walls on the Church Street against Modi, CAA and NRC, following which the city police have launched an investigation.

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