SC ST of Rajasthan

changing the senario

2009-09-12T03:28:00.000-07:00

dear friends

i wanted to write in this blog long ago but i could not due to busyness without any business. today i am sharing this with you. the status of dalit rights movement is not going to any direction in Rajasthan. now even the dalits are being marginalized with the new ways of new days. now a days i fortunately mat with a few dalit leaders in western rajasthan, who are the flag leaders of dalit movement in this part of the world. i was very much surprised when they admitted that they are carrying this flag only to earn their livelihood and not for real changing the common dalit want to bring in his/her life.

more some other day

a report on mine workers leadership development

2008-06-18T22:25:00.002-07:00

Two days workshop on development leadership skills in mine labors

A Report

Date of workshop 11-12 June 2008

Place of workshop Youth Hostel Ratanada Jodhpur Rajasthan

Organized by

Supported by

Child Rights & Your New Delhi

India

Objectives of workshop

To development of leadership skills in the mine workers
To generate awareness among mine workers about the legal provisions for mine workers
Formation of a campaign core team and initiation of membership campaign

A two days workshop started in Youth Hostel Ratanada jodhpur on 11 June 2008 on the development of leadership skills in the mine workers so that they could put forward their demands for the basic rights of mine workers as given to them in the constitution of the country.

If we look behind and analyze the conditions of mine workers, it is just sympathetic. A mine workers work in a sand stone mine as a bondage labor, not only this, by taking advance from mine owner (Peshagi), he bound his son to work for the same mine owner. The average life of a sand stone mine worker is just 35-40 years.

The local administration, who is responsible for the implementation of the laws, is totally inactive and corrupted. No one ever goes to workplace to find out the implementation of laws in these areas.

This workshop was organized by the Jai Bhim Vikas Shikshan Sansthan, Mine Labor Rights Campaign and supported by the child rights & you New Delhi. More than 50 mine workers participated in this two days workshop.

After the welcome and introduction of the participants, convener of the Mine Labor Rights Campaign, started the session with explaining that what is a right. He said every one in this country at any position has some rights and duties. Further he said that district collector has some rights as like as sex workers in Mumbai have some right, similarly mine worker too have some rights. He said that mine workers face many problems in their daily life, we need to find out our problems in three major areas, such as social problems, economical problems and problems at workplace.

All the workers sit in three groups and each group discussed over one problems assigned to that group. During the discussions in the group one person from MLRC facilitated a group, after long discussions, all the groups prepared their presentation on the chart paper and each group one by one presented the problem areas assigned to the group.

the social problems

discrimination
no benefit from govt. policies
practice on untouchability
lack of social unity
problems related to ration card
child marriage
widow pension
problems related to education
bondage labor
atrocities on daughters and daughters in laws
Mratyu bhoj
Dowry system
Problems related to agriculture
Hand pumps are allocated to schedule caste and schedule tribes but other people encroached on
Mines are allocated in the names of SC and ST’s but other people encroach on it
Consumption of wine and tobacco
Problems related to electricity and water
Problems of transportation

economical problems

poverty and illiteracy
low income and high expanses
high rate of inflation
low wages
diseases like asthma, T.B silicosis
lack of appropriate land for agriculture
natural calamities
scarcity of cattle
addiction
wages are not distributed in time
load of debts
lack of awareness about govt. policies

problems at workplace

lack of proper wages
lack of means at the workplace
no arrangements for shed and drinking water at workplace
un unity on mine workers
differences in the wages of men and women
bad behavior of mine owner towards mine worker
exploitation of child labors
lack of weekly and monthly holidays
improper compensation by mine owner at the time of accident
no arrangements for the first aid
no maternal leave with wages
child labor
no insurance
no pension
laboring on contract
no proper wages

the major problems which came out post presentation discussions are

lack of unity among mine workers,
problems due to be form dalit community
bondage labor
old debts
illiteracy
discrimination
injustice and atrocities
no benefits from govt. policies

prashant mishra chief coordinator after the analysis of the problems said that primerly govt. and feudalistic mind set of the mine owners are responsible for these problems. Further he said that due to lack of common education system and free education, children of mine labor do not get proper education and they are forced to be child labor, to counter with these problems, mine workers needs to be integrated and struggle for their rights for a long time.

Mr. Tulsidas raj asked mine labors that Are they feel that they are free? If they are not free it means they are slave. If, they are slave then of whom? And if they are slave now then what they were in past? Why they are made slave and who made them slave? Further he asked the mine workers that you want to be free and independent?

Mr. Raj said that our constitution is prevalent in our country since 26 January 1950 and which says that every one in this country is equal and no one would be discriminated on the basis of religion or caste. Every one would have right to vote according to his/her will.

Mr. Vinod Rajoria an advocate told the labors about unknowingness and superstitions and religion. Said due to these reasons the people of SC and ST community are lacking behind.

He said that we have to be informed and if we are informed, we will develop a feeling of dignity in ourselves. If we are informed then we could analyze the reasons of our problems and jointly we can struggle for our problems. This way we can form our organization and could struggle for our basic rights. He said that superstitions will end with the information.

Mr. Vinod Rajoria told about the provisions of mining act 1952. he said that mining sector is an unorganized sector. The mining act 1952 has many provisions for mine workers and it is responsibility of govt. and mine owners to implement the provisions of this act.

The provisions of mining act 1952 are

facility of clean and cold drinking water at workplace
separate facilities for men and women at attend call of nature
facility of first aid box
information board and attendance register
no worker should be forced to work more than 6 days in a week, no worker would be forced to work more than 48 hours in a week and more than 9 hours in a day. A child labor will work only 5 hours in a day.
children, less than 14 years of age can not be employed
women cannot be forced to work in under ground mines, women can not be forced to work before 6 o’clock in the morning and after 7 o’ clock in the evening, women will get 3 months paid maternity leave.
there are provisions of similar wages for the similar work and on time wages
compensation should be given to the hurt labor or the dependents of the a labor who died due to mishap in the mine. If some labor get infected of occupational related disease, mine owner must provide compensation to the labor.
the compensation must be multiplied with the age of the labor with half of his salary or Rs. 80,000 which ever is more. Other than Rs. 2500 must be provided to the victims family for crimination.

In the case of permanent disability, 60% of salary of the victim must be multiplied with his age or Rs. 90,000 which ever is more should be provided.

The main issues of this workshop

attendance register
information board
shed at workplace
arrangements of drinking water
regular health checkups
face mask

according to section 23 of this act no mine owner can force a mine labor to work with out his/her consent

after this information sharing Mr. tulsidas Raj formed strategy with the mine workers, which includes

formation of a campaign committee
preparation of memorandum
preparation of demand latter
participation all the classes
membership campaign

a campaign committee formed in this workshop. The details of the members is as fallows

1. Keru village Khibraj Gander, Narpat and Dinesh

2. Beru village Hanuman Ram , Ashuram and Dhalaram

3. Kaliberi Khumbharam, Multanaram and Devaram

4. Bhuriberi Narpat, Jagdish, Ramnath and Vishnaram

5. Paladi Motiram lilad

6. Salodi Khiyaram and Genaram

The committee discussed on the fallowing issues

printing of demand letter and posters
preparation of chart paper of provisions of mining act 1952
mobilization of people of all classes
membership form
membership fee should be Rs. 10
a meeting of committee members and mine labors in Kaliberi on 20^th of june 2008

in the end of the second day after long discussions on various issues and taking decisions on several issue, Mr. Tulsidas Raj paid vote of thanks to all for their active participation in the workshop and asked for their similar support in the future.

Prepared by

Prashant mishra

Lucknow Uttar Pradesh

Mo. 8004673900

Email prashant.social@gmail.com

a report on mine workers leadership development

2008-06-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

Two days workshop on development leadership skills in mine labors

A Report

Date of workshop 11-12 June 2008

Place of workshop Youth Hostel Ratanada Jodhpur Rajasthan

Organized by

Jai Bhim

Vikas Shikshan Sansthan Jodhpur Rajasthan

Supported by

Child Rights & Your New Delhi

India

Objectives of workshop

To development of leadership skills in the mine workers
To generate awareness among mine workers about the legal provisions for mine workers
Formation of a campaign core team and initiation of membership campaign

the social problems

discrimination
no benefit from govt. policies
practice on untouchability
lack of social unity
problems related to ration card
child marriage
widow pension
problems related to education
bondage labor
atrocities on daughters and daughters in laws
Mratyu bhoj
Dowry system
Problems related to agriculture
Hand pumps are allocated to schedule caste and schedule tribes but other people encroached on
Mines are allocated in the names of SC and ST’s but other people encroach on it
Consumption of wine and tobacco
Problems related to electricity and water
Problems of transportation

economical problems

poverty and illiteracy
low income and high expanses
high rate of inflation
low wages
diseases like asthma, T.B silicosis
lack of appropriate land for agriculture
natural calamities
scarcity of cattle
addiction
wages are not distributed in time
load of debts
lack of awareness about govt. policies

problems at workplace

lack of proper wages
lack of means at the workplace
no arrangements for shed and drinking water at workplace
un unity on mine workers
differences in the wages of men and women
bad behavior of mine owner towards mine worker
exploitation of child labors
lack of weekly and monthly holidays
improper compensation by mine owner at the time of accident
no arrangements for the first aid
no maternal leave with wages
child labor
no insurance
no pension
laboring on contract
no proper wages

the major problems which came out post presentation discussions are

lack of unity among mine workers,
problems due to be form dalit community
bondage labor
old debts
illiteracy
discrimination
injustice and atrocities
no benefits from govt. policies

Mr. Vinod Rajoria an advocate told the labors about unknowingness and superstitions and religion. Said due to these reasons the people of SC and ST community are lacking behind.

The provisions of mining act 1952 are

facility of clean and cold drinking water at workplace
separate facilities for men and women at attend call of nature
facility of first aid box
information board and attendance register
no worker should be forced to work more than 6 days in a week, no worker would be forced to work more than 48 hours in a week and more than 9 hours in a day. A child labor will work only 5 hours in a day.
children, less than 14 years of age can not be employed
women cannot be forced to work in under ground mines, women can not be forced to work before 6 o’clock in the morning and after 7 o’ clock in the evening, women will get 3 months paid maternity leave.
there are provisions of similar wages for the similar work and on time wages
compensation should be given to the hurt labor or the dependents of the a labor who died due to mishap in the mine. If some labor get infected of occupational related disease, mine owner must provide compensation to the labor.
the compensation must be multiplied with the age of the labor with half of his salary or Rs. 80,000 which ever is more. Other than Rs. 2500 must be provided to the victims family for crimination.

In the case of permanent disability, 60% of salary of the victim must be multiplied with his age or Rs. 90,000 which ever is more should be provided.

The main issues of this workshop

attendance register
information board
shed at workplace
arrangements of drinking water
regular health checkups
face mask

according to section 23 of this act no mine owner can force a mine labor to work with out his/her consent

after this information sharing Mr. tulsidas Raj formed strategy with the mine workers, which includes

formation of a campaign committee
preparation of memorandum
preparation of demand latter
participation all the classes
membership campaign

a campaign committee formed in this workshop. The details of the members is as fallows

1. Keru village Khibraj Gander, Narpat and Dinesh

2. Beru village Hanuman Ram , Ashuram and Dhalaram

3. Kaliberi Khumbharam, Multanaram and Devaram

4. Bhuriberi Narpat, Jagdish, Ramnath and Vishnaram

5. Paladi Motiram lilad

6. Salodi Khiyaram and Genaram

The committee discussed on the fallowing issues

printing of demand letter and posters
preparation of chart paper of provisions of mining act 1952
mobilization of people of all classes
membership form
membership fee should be Rs. 10
a meeting of committee members and mine labors in Kaliberi on 20^th of june 2008

Prepared by

Prashant mishra

Chief Coordinator

Lucknow Uttar Pradesh

8004673900

Email prashant.social@gmail.com

the other side of democracy of india in Rajasthan

2008-05-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

The other side of democracy of India

Police officials went behemoth, low closed its eyes

With heavy boozing and fogging police officers tortured four innocent youth with the army men.

The top management and different commissions are planning to change the face of police deportment more public friendly and pro people with the time using force from their head to tale. In this process there are many new acts came in to existence to turn the police as the worker of the innocent public and a fear factor for the criminals, but there are so many incidents happening daily with this deportment which clearly provides a simple message to the common people that they are not going free from the fear of these govt.’s official criminals in near future.

On the 7^th April 2008 what ever happened in the Balesar police station of Jodhpur district in the presence of Dy. Superintendent of police Mr. Devendra Sharma and other police officials, denotes that police deportment is in no mood to change itself.

This incident took place when soldiers of a mobile military canteen informed the police that, the money of the sales have been stolen by some one. The police without any investigation picked up four innocent college students from their homes and beaten them brutally in the police station for whole night and in next day the morning thrown them in their village without any medical assistance.

When we look in to the matter of theft, soldiers are them self come in to circle of suspicion. No FIR of theft lodged in any police station and the money which was stolen found in the very backyard of the military canteen. But still police officers jokingly played with the law in the very presence of military officers too.

Rajuram S/O Pratapram, Jetharam S/O Pratapram, Ramesh S/O Tejpal and Dhannaram S/O Ramchandra, all resident of Agolai village of Jodhpur district and a main bus stand on Jodhpur Jaisalmer Highway, faced third degree of police torture at Balesar Police station.

Dy. S.P Devendra Sharma, Constable Mnohar Singh , constable Sohan Singh, Constable Baburam, Constable Rajendra Kumar, Cornel Guneet Singh 204 Armed Battalion, Deputy Subedar 204 Battalion armed Ram Bhavan and constable Tejpal 204 armed battalion and some other soldiers of the same battalions very knowingly implied third degree torture on these four village youth, which is even banned for hardcore criminals.

The police officers and military men hanged these you boys by legs, tide their hands and legs and then beaten them with sticks (Danda) and belts (Patta), they even not allowed them to drink water. One boy got unconscious, then police sprayed water on the face and when he become conscious, they again beaten him, one boy urine in his pants, even then the police never stopped.

This is not an accident done by some lower class police man but a R.P.S officer who reached at Balesar police station, drunk fully, has a bottle of wine in one hand and a gloss full of wine in other hand, the youth told that Bade Shahab (Dy. S.P.) was drinking wine and after finishing one pag, he made another and in bet been beating to these youths. One of the constable brought “Afeem” (opium) and he offered it to every one, and every one had it.

Meanwhile the family member’s gathered out of the police station and they all were crying and weeping, inside the police station these young boys were cry and asking for pity.

The family members of these youths bowed on the feet of these police men to have mercy on their children but the police men thrown them out and never allowed them to meet to these youths.

One of the victim of this mishap Rajuram was student of Jai Narayan University Jodhpur and he has to appear in the examination in the next day, but these official criminals sent him to hospital instead of the examination hall.

In the same night at three o’ clock in the morning Dy. S.P devendra Sharma arrived in the Agolai Village at Pratap Ram’s and with out any search warrant he searched his house and thrown all the pots and other things in the courtyard. Not only this, these officers abused women of the family. The officer brought Rajuram along with him, when family members tried to offer water to Rajuram one of the policemen snatched the pot of water and thrown it away.

Next day morning when family members of the victims, brought them to govt. hospital for the cure, the doctors of the hospital deniyed to cure, when some social activist interfere in the matter then only the doctors admitted them in the hospital and provided them some medication, but without much cure, the doctors relived them from hospital and even did not perform the medical checkup.

When activists of Dalit Adhikar Network approached higher officials and made pressure on them, even then no FIR lodged against any police men or military officers, only two constables sent to police line and no other action was taken against any one.

This entire drama of police and military cruelty absolutely raised some questions like

Why the FIR of the matter is not lodged in any Police station?

With out any FIR and warrant why these boys arrested and how?

Why these youths kept in police lock up with out any entry any where?

Why without any reasons these youth were beaten brutally?

These questions raised some critical issues which should be tackled at larger levels. The police officers who are responsible for the security of the common innocent people and if these officers are behaving so brutally to the common people and escaped clean

Who is the responsible for these non responsible officers in a democracy of India?

Prahsant Mishra

Regional Activist

Dalit Adhikar Network Rajaasthan

a dalit of Rajastha beaten badly by feudalistic Rajpoots

2008-05-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

A Dalit school teacher beaten by the feudals of the village for opposing teasing with a female school teacher

Our country is free, the people of the country are free and every one is free to do anything with any one, the condition is only that one must have power of money, political leaders and Mafia. Only dalits in this country is a community which is not free to live life like a common human being. Every one is free to do any atrocity on this community, because according to the hindu social order, dalits are service providers for all other castes. Even if a member of dalit community is well educated, has good knowledge of law and a govt. employee, providing education to the future leaders of the society in a primary school, is after all a dalit and people of higher order of hindu social hierarchy should behave with him just like a dalit and not as the future maker of the society.

What ever happened with Idanram Meghwal, is the evidence that everyone in this country is free but dalits.

When Idanram posted some months ago in Nedan village of Pokaran revenue circle, he never imagined that after few months of his posting he will be made handicapped for entire life. The poor family members have just celebrated the happiness of the new job of Idanram, and after a few days they found idanram admitted in hospital handicapped for entire life.

One day some of the feudalistic Rajpoots were misbehaving with a female staff of the same school where Idanram working, Idanram opposes of this misbehave and filed an FIR in the police station, when police took some action against those criminal minded Rajpoots, they pressurized Idanram’s family members and other powerful people of the village and settled a compromise out of the police station. But this was a mistake done by Idanram, he should not be agreed for the compromise, because of this compromise, Idanram suffered with a life long disability.

On 4^th April when Idanram was sleeping with two other school teacher in his home, some body from out side called him and asked for mobile phone on which he pretended to talk with some one. When Idanram came out of his home, he found at least 10 people were waiting for him with chains and sticks in their hands.

These people made the one teacher runaway because he belonged with other village, but they took Idanram and one other teacher Chhaganlal on chains and sticks. First Idanram protested though his hand, but those people broke his both hands then Idanram tried to save with his legs, but very soon he came to know that inside the room he can not escape from these people, so with his will power and well built body he run out of the room, the people followed him out of the room too, but out of the room in open Idanram cried for help. Some villagers came out of their rooms and run towards the place, when attackers realized that now they can not do anything, they runaway from the place. When people came both the victims, Idanram and Chhaganlal fall unconscious.

Villagers and family members of Idanram brought him to the near by govt. hospital, but there doctors, after investigating the situation referred him to Pokaran community hospital, at Pokran community health centers doctors denied to cure and referred him to Mathura Das Mathur hospital Jodhpur.

The power played its role here too. The doctors admitted both the victims in the hospital and provided some initial medical care and then asked the family member to bring back the victims to their home and said that the matter is not critical and he will be well soon.

When Dalit Adhikar Network activists with other social activists created pressure on the doctors of MDM through additional district magistrate and other officers, the doctors at MDM admitted them again. Idanram’s hands operated after ten days and doctors even did not produce the medical examination report so that FIR against attackers could be lodged.

When father in law of Idanram visited the hospital to see him, he fall unconscious, after medical checkup doctors declared that it was an heart attack and by pass surgery need to be done, after spending Rs. 2.5 lacs life of kewalram’s could be saved.

The case of Idanram is not unique, every one or two such cases came in the news, but the people in power never let punish the criminals because criminals secure the vote banks of political leaders.

Idanram is punished for his good work and the criminals moving free, even the FIR which is lodged in the police station is registered under section 151 of Indian panel code.

The area where even a life of a govt. employee is not secured, what would be life of illiterate common people who even do not know that there is a book in India which is called constitution of India and govern the all the systems of the country.

After the 60 years of the political freedom at 75% people who are dalits are being compelled to struggle for their basic human rights.

By Prashant Mishra

Regional activist

Dalit Adhikar Network Rajasthan

Mo. 9929206353

ओर्गानिज़शन profile

2008-05-07T22:54:00.000-07:00

1. The Organisation

Introduction

The Geographical area of state Rajasthan is 3, 42,214 Km. It is situated in the western side of the country with the population of 3, 42, 61,861. Geographically it is the second largest state and regarding population it has got tenth position in the country. Main occupation of the people of area is agriculture where 78.5% male and 84.71% female population is involved. The second largest population is working in stone mines.

During summers this region gets very hot due to sandy soil. The mercury rises to 48 Celsius, and in winters it goes down to 0 Celsius. The average rain fall in the area is 120mm per year. Every second year people of the area face drought and famine like conditions. Due to drought and famine people always struggle for food and water and millions lives suffers every year.

The social system of the area is full of inequalities and ill traditions. Caste, creed and gender based discrimination is still in practice in this area. Un touch ability, atrocity and injustice is in the routine life of the people of the area. Ever lasting famine conditions, making lives of, Dalits and other backward communities miserable, due to unemployment and poverty, Dalits and other communities undesirably face slavery of the feudal attitudes and beliefs. This social slavery made the Dalits indifferent and they never thinks even in their dreams to get rid of it. This is because that if somebody try to raise voice or try to revolt, he is punished socially, physically and economically, that’s why nobody dare to get out of the situation.

About the organization :

Jai Bhim Vikas Shikchhan Sansthan is a non govt., non political, non religious and non profitable organization registered under society’s registration Act 1958 and eligible to work in entire Rajasthan state, which came in to existence by a group of human rights activists in 2005. the organization is illegible to get funds through FCRA too.

The organization is working on the philosophies of Dr. Ambedkar, which means fighting against the social evils through the weapons of law.

Target area

The organization is working in Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jalor districts of Rajasthan for the most marginalized communities, such as Dalits, women and children and for livelihood of the marginalized.

Vision

Formation of the society based on Justice and Equity.

Mission:

To aware and organize venerable and marginalized section of the society, especially Dalit and women. So that they can empower there living standard by asserting there control over all the processes affecting there lives.

Our objective

To organize and aware disadvantage and marginalized people of the society against violence based on caste, sex and class, initiate development work, training and advocacy regarding fundamental right (Education, Health and Livelihood).objective are as follows:

1. To promote women empowerment

2. To link vulnerable people (especially women and Dalits) with government schemes.

3. To increase awareness, build capacity on local governance (PRIs) support in panchayati raj system

4. To extend humanitarian support to people during disaster.

5. To carry out research work on gender and rural development.

6. To aware weak and deceived people about their right in the society and develop leadership activity.

Organizational Structure:

JBVSS work directly with rural community. Presently there is a team of 25 members out of which 9 are female members having expertise of different subjects.

Besides secretary, there is a program coordinator, program officer, and community organizer. There are 13 volunteers also working for the development program in rural area.

JBVSS governing body constitutes of seven members of which four are female members. The secretary closely monitors the functions of the organization on daily basis and is accountable to governing body and funding agency.

Contact details

Include postal address, telephone, fax and email where possible

Jai Bhim Institute of Development Education, By Pass Road near Krishi Mandi Shergarh, Post- Shergarh, District- Jodhpur, State Rajasthan India

PIN- 342022, Phone-+91-02929- 243709, +91-09414704546, +91-09460530462, +91-09413061095 Fax-+91-02929-243709, Email-jbvsss@yahoo.com

Regional office

Near Roadways workshop, Opp. Kamal Dharma Kanta Bhadasiya road Jodhpur Rajasthan

Phone- 9799499121, 9799499123

Contact person

Smt. Premlata Rathor, Prashant Mishra

Other projects

List the projects currently or recently (last two years) carried out by your organisation, including location and how each one is funded.

Details of current projects implemented by the organization

Sr. no	Project name	Location	Funding source
1	Dalit Rights Campaign	Jodhpur	UNNATI Jodhpur
2	Women Rights & Violence against Women	Jodhpur	Oxfam GB
3	Self Help Group Formation	Jodhpur	Govt. of India
4	Child Rights	Jodhpur	CRY New Delhi & Govt. of India
5	Integrated Rural Development Program	Jodhpur	Oxfam GB
6	Vocational Training Program for Women	Jodhpur	Govt. of Rajasthan
7	MLRC (CRY)	Jodhpur mining area	CRY New Delhi

Staff

State the number of staff, indicating whether paid or voluntary, and percentage of male and female staff.

Total Staff Member	Female staff	Paid	voluntary	% of Male staff	% of Female staff
26	11	26	0	58	42

Achievements of the organization

1. mobilized marginalized communities of Shergarh and Balesar blocks

2. Reduction in the rate of atrocities and exploitation against dalits in both the blocks

3. provided clean drinking water in three villages through construction of rain water harvesting structures.

4. more than 500 women are trained in different skills and now they are self employed in Jodhpur city and in Shergarh Block.

5. formed more than 150 self help groups of women and provided govt. assistance to more than 30 groups.

5. freed more than 12000 hectares of encroached land of dalits in Balesar and Shergarh blocks

6.pressurized the Rajasthan govt. from abolishing section 42- B of Rajasthan tenancy act 1955 through a state wide initiative.

Challenges faced by organization in the starting

1. low awareness level in the targeted communities

2. traditional system practiced in the area.

3. low education status among women in the area

4. pressure from powerful feudal community as well political pressure.

5. lack of resources for implementing programs

current programs

1. integrated rural development program

this program aims to uplift the living standard of the poor marginalized thorugh providing them new means of livelihood generation based on local available resources.

2. Dalit Resource Center

The organization is running two DRC’s in Shergarh and Balesar blocks of Jodhpur district. The main functions of these centers are

a. organize the marginalized communities

b. provide legal and other support in case of atrocity, exploitation

c. free encroached land of dalits

d. organized manthaly meetings in villages and two meetings on male and female members at block level in each of the center

e. collect membership fee from the members of the center.

f. Provide the benefit of govt. policies to marginalized communities.

3. Mine Labors Rights Campaign

The mine labor campaign aims to prepare the mine workers of the Jodhpur district initially and then mine workers of entire rajasthan state for the struggle for the basic rights at the work place so that they could lead a healthy life and could uplift their living standard.

This project also looks after the child of mine workers in 10 villages of Mandor block of Jodhpur district. The program ensure quality life of the children through activation of health, education, ICDS facilities in the rural areas viz. a viz. activation of PRI’s and making it accessible to the common population of the project area.

4. Dalit Adhikar Network Rajasthan

The Dalit Adikar Network Rajasthan (DAN) is a plateform for the small organization working towards the basic rights of the marginalized and depressed communities. The network has its presence in all the districts of the state and a major hub for state level and policy level advoacay.

The network build the capacity of the small organization and provide them with the resource material so that these organization could successfully do advocacy at village level and block level.

5. Mahila Adhikar Manch

This forum is of the volunteers of Shergarh and Balesar block, mainly formed by the activist women of the area. This Manch provide assistance in the case of atrocities against women, domestic violence and exploitation. This is a self fuctioning group and function on the membership fee collected by its members.

6. District level women forum

This is an initiative of dalit adhikar network aims to form an association of women of district level. In this association women from all the black participate and fight for the basic rights of the women.

List of Employees of the organization

S.N.	Name of Employee	designation	Education	Experience
1	Premlata Rathor	Secretary	12^th	10 Years
2	Tulsidas Raj	Activist	B.com	20 Years
3	Prashant Mishra	Chief coordinator	MBA	2 Years
4	Punam Rai	IRDP	B.A	8 Years
5	Apurva chudhari	SHG Shergarh	9^th	6 Years
6	Chetanram	SHG Balesar	12^th	3 Years
7	Shukshdev	BPN	12^th	3Years
8	Narpat Punad	DRC Shergarh	M.A	8 Years
9	Neelam Singh	DRC Shergarh	B.A	2 Years
10	Bhikharam Bose	DRC Balesar	B.A, B.Ed	2 Years
11	Jassu devi	Organizer Shergarh	Literate	5 Years
12	Shobha devi	Organizer Shergarh	5^th	2 Years
13	Ganagaram	Organizer Shergarh	12^th	3 years
14	Chainaram	Organizer Shergarh	10^th	2 Years
15	Ramuram	Organizer Balesar	12^th	3 years
16	Mumal devi	Organizer Balesar	5^th	4 years
17	Shayar devi	Organizer Balesar	8^th	3 years
18	Madan lal pannu	Child labor	12^th	5 Years
19	Hanumanram	Child labor	B.A	7 years
20	Dinesh Kumar	Child labor	B.B.A	3 Years
21	Jarina Bano	Office Assistant Child labor	literate	2 Years
23	Hardev Panwar	Field activist Mine labors	M.A	8 years
24	Baburam	Field activist Education Activist	M.A	4 Years
25	Rajuram	Field activist Mine labors	B.A	3 Years
26	Minakshi	Field activist Health	B.A	5 Years
27	Phoolwanti	Office assistant	B.A	2 Years

2008-04-10T03:21:00.001-07:00

४२ बी की सफलता की स्टोरी

2008-04-10T02:36:00.000-07:00

Success story of the efforts of the organization working to protect dalit land rights

A Report

Cases filed on more than one thousand and five hundred people for purchasing land of dalits on border areas.

Dear friends,

This is time to cheer up for all those who are working on the issues related to land rights of the marginalized communities in Rajasthan.
The campaign started on 28th of May 2007 when a news in Dainik Bhashkar published regarding the abolition of the section 42-B of Rajasthan tenancy act. 1955. Jai Bhim Organization for Development Education and its initiative Dalit Rights Network and other allies took the initiative and started finding out the truth behind it. During the fact findings regarding the land issues it came in knowledge that big business men and land Mafioso’s are purchasing thousands of acres of land in different districts of the state like Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalor, Pali and Jodhpur.

For this purpose a quick action committee named dalit bhoomi bhachao sangharsh samiti formed including all the organizations and activists working towards protection of the land of the marginalized communities and serial rallies, demonstrations, press conferences and Dharna organized in the entire Rajasthan state. In total 17 districts, district level and block level such rallies and demonstrations organized. Jan Morcha Rajasthan, Dalit Adhikar Network, Dalit Adhikar Abhiyan and other such organizations supported this campaign in their best efforts.

People from all the interest areas mailed asked for help on the issue. Memorandums sent to Prime Minister, the President of India, Governor, Human Rights commission, SC/ST commission and chief minister of the state stating the destructive situation developing in the state.

A state wide signature campaign held and more than 50,000 signatures and five thousand post cords sent to the different authorities.

When a permanent parliamentary committee visited the border area and the district collector accepted the fact, very first time that two lackh Bhighas of land of the border area being sold to some unknown people. This news published in Rajasthan Patrika on 2nd November 2007 and this was the time for us for the final blow. We mailed this news to all the partners asking them to take quick action.

We sent this news and memorandum to Prime minister, the home minister, defense minister, speaker of the parliament, defense secretary, the president, chief minister of the state, chief secretary of the state and media people too.

This effort started a discussion inside the govt. of India and in the state govt. regarding the issue and then the district collector of Barmer district, instructed by the authorities to take a quick and strict action against such people and finally on 30th of November 2007 the district collector ordered to file cases against all the people who purchased land of the marginalized in the border area.

We pays our sincere thanks to all the people, partners, organizations, activist and media who supported this campaign honestly and put forward their best efforts.

But this is the success must not relax us because in other districts such scruples people are still active and still purchasing land of our poor people. We need to initiate a more organized campaign against all such people who are working to through back the marginalized from their lands.

Again a sincere thank to all of you.

With kind regards
The land Right campaign Team
Jai Bhim
Organization for Development Education
Jodhpur Rajasthan

Contact
Office 02929-243709 MO: 9414704546, 9413061095, 9460530462, and 9929206353

Dalit issues

2007-07-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

What?
The Rajasthan state Govt. is planning to bring a bill in assembly to amend the provision of 42-B of Rajasthan tenancy Act. 1955. Which barred the people of other than SC/ST community to purchase the land of SC/ST communities.

Why?
For your consideration, during the last 8 months some unknown people of other than SC/ST communities have purchased thousands of hectares of land of SC/ST communities in almost all the districts of Rajasthan.

The cities of Rajasthan are getting populated every day due to the every day findings of petroleum and mineral products and ever increasing tourism industry. Alike the findings of minerals, new construction houses are also coming to the state to en cash the everyday increasing demand of houses for newly rich of the area. The share of SC/ST communities in the land around the small and big cities is about 30%. In the presence of bar 42 B this land can not be purchased by any person other then SC/ST community. The builders are lobbying in side the Govt. to bring amendment in the bar 42 b so that these builders could purchase this land to earn millions of bucks.

The effect
If the bar 42 b is eliminated, the builders then freely can purchase the land of SC/ST communities, not only this the upper caste people, because of whom this act came in the existence are ready with the money to purchase their agricultural and residential lands.
There are thousands of cases are pending the different courts under this bar, if it is eliminated, the SC/ST community would loose millions of hectares of lands.

Due to this bar the land of SC/ST community is speared from sell. This is well known that this community owns very small portion of land only and this is the basis of livelihood for them.
People of these communities are very poor and suffer with stark conditions in their daily life. They always remain in the need of money due to persisting diseases and debt.
This is to sensitize the community on the issue so that all the people show there objections and pressurize the Govt. for not take this step.

2007-07-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

PROMOTING DALIT RIGHTS THROUGH CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES
In Western Rajasthan

PRESENT STATUS OF DALITS IN RAJASTHAN
The population of dalits in the state of Rajasthan is 17.29%, which is higher than all India population of around 15%. Rajasthan, having a feudal past, the target groups, the dalit men and women are the worst sufferers of Indian caste system which not only perpetuates social hierarchy but also institutionalised discrimination and social exclusion, The key issues are untouchability, susceptibility to physical violence, barriers to participate in decision making process and access to basic services. All these lead to extreme level of marginalisation and dehumanisation of the dalits and women.

India’s social structure has kept a vast majority of its population under utterly sub-human conditions. That is why human rights in India cannot be just restricted to rhetoric of the international conventions and constitutional provisions. In this context, Dr. Ambedkar’s remarks in the Constitutional Assembly must be kept in mind. “On 26 January, we are going to enter into a life of contradictions. In politics, we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality. In politics we will be recognising the principle of one man, one vote and one vote one value. In our social and economic life, we shall, by reason of our social and economic structure, continue to deny the principle of one man one value. How long shall we continue to live this life of contradictions? How long shall we continue to deny equality in our social and economic democracy in peril? We must remove this contradictions at the earliest possible moment or else those who suffer from inequality will blow up the structure of political democracy which is assembly has so laboriously built up”.

Following are some of the issues of dalits in Western Rajasthan;

Discrimination and atrocities
Violence against “untouchables” is growing, according to Human Rights Watch Report (1999). This can perhaps be attributed to a growing awareness amongst dalits leading to more reporting of the cases and/or increase retaliation by the caste forces. Western Rajasthan is also witnessing growing incidences of caste violence. The violence ranges from verbal abuse to rape to even murder. Dalits continue to suffer discrimination, harassment and victimization in public and private domains including state controlled institutions and community managed organizations. There is discriminatory access to basic services like water points, health centres, schools. There is complete denial for access to religious places. Non conformity to these invites violent reaction including atrocities. This exemplifies the deep rooted bias in society’s attitude to dalits, which not only negate the existence of the community but also stigmatizes them.

Loss of livelihood and landlessness
Due to the stigma associated to certain occupations of dalits, the community is tending to disassociate itself from there hereditary occupations. Although dalits have started to explore alternative livelihood opportunities such as agriculture, their comparative disadvantage at not being adept to the profession leaves them with few opportunities. Further, land available to them is usually of the poorest quality and situation get aggravated due to recurrent droughts in the region. Local influential caste forces in communion with political elements have also played a significant role in grabbing lands belonging to the dalit community. The Rajasthan Land Tenancy Act, 1955 created to regularise the land possession and collection of revenues was also routinely manoeuvred to by the influential people to gain control of lands owned by the dalit community.

During the last several years, there has been increasing trend of automation and mechanisation of public work. Although it increases efficiency, such practices do not create employment for local people. The main sufferers as a result of this trend are the dalits. In such a situation they are left with few opportunities apart from hard physical labour to earn their livelihoods. Globalisation and free market big industries have also reduced the meagre income that dalits could make from small scale and home based industries. Notable are the leather and handloom sectors.

Double Marginalisation of dalit women
The situation of Dalit women is characterised through double marginality. Their situation is marked by a double oppression: they experience an oppression of society, based on caste discrimination, and an oppression committed by men at family level, which is based on the patriarchal values. Dalit women’s oppression is related to all existing levels: social, cultural, political, economic, religious, etc. Especially in the rural scene a lot of prejudices concerning Dalit women are still predominant and they turn everyday life of women into a daily survival struggle. In the dominant social context, there are prescribed expectations and role models for an ideal woman. Women’s lives are determined and regulated by these cultural as well as religiously influenced rules or expectations. Right and control over women and their lives lie in the hands of male family members.

Women are virtually absent from decision-making positions in the society as well as in the political, administrative and academic sphere. This can be seen as due to various factors, like insufficient knowledge, lack of experience, inadequate support, sense of duty regarding their families and last but not least the influence of a patriarchal system that doesn’t want to see women in this kind of positions.

The prejudice concerning dalit women’s “loose morality” is due to the fact that the women in dalit community enjoy more freedom than in other caste groups. Due to the fact that they work they are more tuned to the public sphere. In an economic way they are more independent than other women and thus in the perception of other caste seem to be failing to adhere to the norms of society. Dalit communities in their attempt towards upward social mobility also tend to demand similar behaviour patterns from women of their community, thereby curtailing their freedom.

Barriers to access to basic services – education , health and water
Due to the practice of untouchability dalit communities are not allowed to access basic services in equal terms. Even when village level plans are developed, needs of the dalit communities are not give due consideration. As a consequence dalit communities do not have adequate access to facilities and services. In villages, dalits are not allowed to sit with the rest of the community in the panchayat or in schools. There are incidences when dalit women have to wait for hours to fetch water from community wells as they are not allowed to use the facility on their own. Because of this dehumanising practice dalit children drop out from schools, dalit elected representatives do not attend meetings. In tea shops dalits are not allowed to use the cups, and they have stopped drinking tea to maintain their dignity. Though government has fixed reserve quotas in government jobs and educational institutions, very little has been reached to the dalits.

Almost same condition can be found for the other facilities like health and water. Dalits because they are working in extremely bad conditions (especially in mining), lack of nutritious food, inaccessible good drinking water and harsh climatic conditions are vulnerable to health related problems. They can not afford private means of health care and government centres are not always accessible because of both discrimination and physical distance.

Restricted Political participation
Even though the 73rd and 74th amendment to the Constitution of India provides for reservation to dalit communities for representation in panchayats and municipalities, their leadership has not achieved social acceptance. In many places, dalit sarpanches are not allowed to function as the leader of the panchayat and the up-sarpanch from other castes continue to play the lead roles. The matter becomes more serious in the case of women dalit elected representatives. Such cases do not even get reported as there is high coercion on the dalit leaders. There are many instances where dalit men and women are not allowed to hoist the National Flag, or even sit in their designated chairs.

ORGANISATION’S EXPERIENCE ON DALIT ISSUE
Jai Bheem Vikas Shikshan Sansthan is a voluntary organisation working in the blocks of Sheragarh and Balesor to organise and build capacities amongst dalit. The organisation is a part of Western Rajasthan level campaign on dalit issue, ‘Dalit Rights Campaign’, which is a collaborative initiative of local NGOs and dalit community leaders in the region. Focuses of our activities are as follows;
To organise dalit men and women at village, block and regional level.
To build leadership of dalit men and women through capacity building on issues of legal understanding, local advocacy, social analysis and facilitating process of evolving dalit ideology at all the levels.
To support men and women victims of dalit discrimination, atrocities and land alienation through legal support, counselling and mobilising local dalits on the issue.
To promote participation of dalit men and women in local self governance so that they can effectively participate in the decision making process.
To strengthen livelihoods of dalits through promotion of income generating activities.
To support dalits in accessing services of government and non government institutions.
To develop linkages with like minded institutions and individuals for promotion of dalit rights.
The present proposal has been written in light of our experience working with the dalits of the region for the last ten years. Though we and other NGOs working in the region have done tremendous work at grassroot level, there is a need of strengthening such initiative through macro level activities at regional and state level. Such holistic approach would complement the existing micro initiatives in the region, which at present is missing.