People react to the passing of an ordinance to add caste to Seattle’s anti-discrimination laws in the Seattle City Council chambers, on February in Seattle (Picture for representational purpose only). (AP)
In a historic move, Canada is taking steps towards addressing caste-based discrimination, as the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) considers implementing an anti-caste law in its schools. The proposed law aims to prevent caste-based discrimination and promote inclusivity among students. This is the first of its kind in North America.
Caste-based discrimination has been an ongoing issue in South Asian communities, with some students experiencing bullying and harassment due to their caste status.
According to The Globe and Mail report, Vijay Puli, executive director of the South Asian Dalit Adivasi Network (SADAN), says that even though Dalit immigrants departed from India, in Canada, caste evil has followed them. “There is a lot of caste discrimination in Canada. Not just in schools, but in workplaces too. Casteist slurs are regularly used in schools. It happens through cultural practices, social settings, and in rituals and traditions,” he said.
The TDSB’s initiative has encountered stiff opposition. A petition to stop the motion has been established by the Canadian Organization for Hindu Heritage Education (COHHE). The group claims that it is anti-Hindu to include caste on the list of protected identities.
The anti-caste law would provide a formal framework for the TDSB to address caste-based discrimination and promote inclusivity. It would also send a message to other institutions in Canada and around the world that caste-based discrimination is unacceptable and that steps must be taken to prevent it.
The implementation of an anti-caste law would be a positive step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society. It is hoped that the TDSB will take this opportunity to show leadership on this issue and create a safe learning environment for all students, regardless of their caste status.
A family belonging to the Scheduled Caste was brutally attacked by members of an upper-caste community over a disputed farmland in Kalva village of Gautampura, Indore on Friday night. Sadly, the attack led to the death of a 60-year-old man, Mayaram Singh, while seven others sustained injuries.
As per the report by TOI, DIG Chandrashekhar Solanki stated that the injured victims were identified as Shantilal (40), Meherban (35), Sanju Bai (40), Sangeeta (35), Hukum (55), and Ramesh (62). The group had gone to their farmland when a group of men, including Babu Rajput, Tufan, Pawan, Nagu, and Jitendra, arrived there and started a quarrel with them. The situation worsened when over two dozen more men arrived at the scene and attacked the family members.
All the injured were immediately taken to the MY hospital for treatment, where Mayaram Singh passed away due to his injuries on Friday night. The family members claimed that Babu Singh had illegally encroached on Mayaram’s land.
Following the incident, a relative of the victims, Lakhan Solanki, informed the police about the incident, and a case of rioting was registered against the accused on Thursday. After the death of Mayaram Singh, sections of murder were added to the case.
The incident highlights the age-old problem of land ownership disputes and caste-based violence that still prevails in India. Shockingly, the recent 2011 census shows that 71% of the scheduled caste population in the farming sector does not own land and instead works as bonded labor on dominant castes’ farms.
RS Praveen Kumar, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader.
Post Views:24
RS Praveen Kumar, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader who had announced a fast-unto-death protest over the recent TSPSC paper leak case, has ended his hunger strike after the Telangana government decided to cancel all the leaked exams.
Telangana has won over corrupt @TSPSCofficial today. I ended my ‘Fast Unto Death’ following the decision to cancel all the leaked exams. But #BSP will continue to fight till the all real culprits in TSPSC are arrested and the inefficient chairman is removed from the post. pic.twitter.com/3Mk4FeJW8p
In a tweet, RS Praveen Kumar said, “Telangana has won over corrupt TSPSC today. I ended my ‘Fast Unto Death’ following the decision to cancel all the leaked exams. But #BSP will continue to fight till all the real culprits in TSPSC are arrested and the inefficient chairman is removed from the post.” RS Praveen Kumar had been leading a campaign against the TSPSC paper leak and had demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. He had also alleged that the paper leak was a part of a larger nexus involving politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen.
He had accused the state government of not taking adequate measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The TSPSC examination is conducted for the recruitment of various government posts in the state, and the paper leak case has caused widespread outrage and anger among the people. Several political leaders and activists had demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and action against the culprits.
The state government had formed a special investigation team to look into the matter, and several arrests had already been made. However, many activists and leaders had criticized the government’s response and demanded stronger action. While the decision to cancel the exams has been welcomed by many, RS Praveen Kumar and the BSP party have demanded that the government take stronger action against the culprits and ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. They have also called for the removal of the TSPSC chairman and for a thorough investigation into the matter. The BSP party has called for a statewide protest against the TSPSC paper leak and demanded justice for the candidates who had been affected by the incident.
Four individuals lost their lives due to suffocation inside a drainage chamber in Baramati tehsil in Pune district of Maharashtra, India on March 15, 2023. The deceased included Praveen Atole, who had entered the chamber to clean a motor pipe clogged with cattle dung and urine. While working, he lost consciousness and his father went in to save him, but also collapsed. Two more people then entered the chamber and also suffocated.
This tragic incident highlights the prevalence of manual scavenging in India and the deep-rooted issue of caste discrimination. Manual scavenging is often performed by members of the Scheduled caste community, despite being prohibited by law in India since 1993.
According to the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, an estimated 2.5 million people still engage in manual scavenging in India. Many individuals are forced to take on this dangerous profession due to their caste status, poverty, lack of education, and skills.
The deaths of these four individuals in Baramati serve as a stark reminder of the hazards faced by manual scavengers on a daily basis.