The problems of the indigenous that are
existing in India is the result of racial discrimination. We had tried our best
to highlight the issue of caste discrimination at international level. The
caste discrimination present in India is not the recent development but the age
old one. During the emergency period in 1970 Indira Gandhi was heading the
nation and it was followed by Morarji Desai. When Morarji Desaiji went to
American tour. He was shown the black flags by the NRI’s there in America.
They want to protest the arya-brahminical behavior with the indigenous. His was
the first attempt by Indians to Highlight the issue of caste discrimination in
India at international level. But it is not highlighted to the extent required.
For the last four-five years there is an attempt to highlight the issue of
caste discrimination. Mrs. Smita Narula who is associated with America's Human
Right Watch Institute had written
a book "Broken People". She visited six to seven states of India and
contacted the indigenous people. She saw with her naked eyes what behavior is
observed with ladies and others. She also saw what type of animal like behavior
is observed with the backward class. Since the book was in English and the
Human Right Watch has its network worldwide, the book was in the hand of
thousands of people within a couple of days. Thus for the first time the matter
of broken people in India was highlighted at International level. The Dalit
Human right Committee members are trying to highlight the issue at national and
international level. Even we collected signatures of about twenty five lakh
people and handed over the memorandum to the President and Prime Minister. Due
to these activities our Organisation's name was highlighted at national and
international level. During this period, preparation for Durban conference was
in full swing and we were called to attend the same. This conference is
organised regularly to hear the grievances of people and find solutions over
it. We made up our mind to take advantage of the conference and highlight the
issue of caste discrimination. When there was a preliminary round meeting in
May 2000 at Geneva, in which representatives of different countries were going
to participate, we collected all the relevant information’s and data bank of
atrocities and also the broken People book and went to the meeting and handed
over the information to the authorities. They were shocked to hear the news of
discrimination on the ground of caste and the atrocities figures. We also
approached to the Human Rights commission before handing over the facts and
figures at Geneva and stressed them to highlight the issue at Durban. Three
times meeting was organised by India's Human right Commission on our proposal
and one of the Human Right Commission member
highlighted the issue in his speech in one of the open session at
Durban. So definitely this was our success. In his speech he stressed on
how the atrocities are done on SC/ST
people and law is not followed. The Indian Constitution Committee constitutes
of SC/ST parliamentary committe. We also approached to this committee and make
them aware about the facts. Now it was the duty of all those MP's to react
back, that the norms of the constitution are not implemented properly. But they
keep mum on the issue.
There were two hundred delegations from our institute. Among these, forty
five were from Northern India and others from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh , Punjab and other states. But at Durban the Indian Govt. delegation
propagated against us claiming that whatever our institution is doing is only
the play of Christians. Friends, when we saw the atmosphere of the Durban conference, we were
really glad to see the Dalit atmosphere all over. We got support from the oldest
organisation among them called as Roma. We were also seconded by African
Organisation. They all were of the opinion that whatever is going on
in India is an stain to India's image and it should be abolished totally.
The behavior which the Nigro's of Africa are facing, is also happening with the
Dalits of India.
After the
inauguration of the conference on behalf of Indian Govt. Mr. Omar Abdullah, who
is the Cabinet Minister and Muslim minority, came up with the views that
whatever is propagated here about the India's image is nothing happening in
India. These all are stories. None in India is targeted on the ground of caste
and if there is any case like caste discrimination, we have enough domestic law
to resolve the issue at that place itself.
At Durban caste
was equated with decent and work and this was done with the help of Indian Govt.
Many organisations refused the statement. Before any discussion or voting Israel
and America walk out the conference. On 3rd September, they gave their reaction
that they will not participate in the conference. Due to this the Para no 73,
which was having 60 points, was not discussed at all. All were busy to convince
America as it was a mega power. Points in Para 73 includes implementation of all
the constitutional laws. Even today the
Indian Govt. is trying to keep caste issue out of the conference. For excuses
they are saying that the convention is on racial discrimination which is not
observed in India. But in 1996 the SIR
committee came up with the decision that SC/ST communities problem came under
racial discrimination.
Further he said that in the 16th national President's meeting the issue
was highlighted and there was elaborate discussion on the same. Thus we
succeeded in highlighting the discrimination on the ground of caste in India and
the problem faced by SC/ST/OBC community.
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