Posted on 05/28/2007 9:51:42 PM PDT by TBP
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I introduced a resolution calling for the United States to address the ongoing problem of untouchability in India . Last December Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recognized the similarities between untouchability in his country and Apartheid in South Africa. It is now time for this Congress, Mr. Speaker, to speak out about this ancient and particularly abhorrent form of persecution and segregation, even if it is occurring in a country many consider to be one of America's closest allies. This Congress must urge an end to the social discrimination and injustice faced by the nearly 250 million people known as Dalits and Tribals in India .
Although the Indian constitution guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for all Indians, the untouchables continue to face widespread social and caste injustices. Article 17 of the Constitution outlaws untouchability. However, despite numerous laws enacted for the protection and betterment of the Dalits and Tribals, they are still considered outcasts in Indian society and are treated as such.
At best, untouchability involves social segregation, including separate educational facilities and drinking water and restaurants. This is a sad and familiar tune to many of us familiar with the history of our own country. At worst, untouchability entails widespread violence against untouchable women, especially in the form of rape with impunity, being targeted for abortions, and comprises the majority of temple prostitute and women trafficked from India .
The untouchables are poor, Mr. Speaker. Their most basic needs are not fulfilled, and they face great difficulties in accessing employment, education, food, and health care. Most are among the poorest people on the face of the Earth, living on less than $1 per day. Moreover, Dalit women are often sold into bondage, prostitution, and there is an increasing religious persecution against the Dalits and untouchables who change their faith. In 2005, USAID stopped funding an organization after it was revealed that they were preventing many of these women from leaving prostitution. In a recent instance, a whole Dalit village was forced to leave their tribal land because they had converted to Christianity in a state that had laws against conversion.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a direct statement by the United States Congress that untouchability is an unacceptable practice on the part of America's largest trading partner and close ally. We appreciate that Prime Minister Singh and many others have recognized that this is a serious social problem that needs to be confronted, and we urge the rest of Indian society and American diplomats, aid workers, and businesses working in India to do the same and to work toward the eradication of casted discrimination in India .
This resolution encourages our government to work with India to find new approaches to an age-old problem. Moreover, Mr. Speaker, this resolution will ensure that we as a government and we as an American people in no way encourage or enforce caste discrimination and untouchability through our policies with India or through foreign aid or direct aid in any way.
And I urge my colleagues to join me in calling on the Indian government and the world community to look with compassion upon India's untouchables and reach out to one of the poorest and most oppressed peoples on the face of the Earth.
Many of them are converting from Hinduism to Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc. They need an escape from teh caste system. India's response in several states has been to pass laws prohibiting anyone from converting to any religion (except, in practice, Hinduism.)
I feel kind of dumb asking this question. Can one tell an untouchable simply by physical appearance? I always thought it was just poverty that caused this separation.
ping
They are generally darker in complexion than most of the other people in the subcontinent.
BTW, just for perspective, here is the kind of person who tends to support India:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r110:7:./temp/~r1102080zg::
JOINING THE CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON INDIA AND INDIAN AFFAIRS — (Extensions of Remarks - May 01, 2007)
[Page: E905] GPO’s PDF
-—SPEECH OF
HON. KEITH ELLISON
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2007
Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, Indian Americans have contributed greatly to the vibrancy, creative thought, and diversity of our Nation. The large and growing population of Indian Americans in Minnesota has enriched our neighborhoods and communities and continues to play an important role in improving the lives of all Americans. It is with these advances in mind that we celebrate the growth of relations between the United States and India and look forward to promoting a closer friendship amongst our two countries.
I’m proud to join the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Affairs and look forward to working with my fellow Members of Congress through the promotion of our shared values and concerns. I stand with India and Indian Americans in promoting peace, prosperity, and happiness for all the world’s people.
Note that Rep. Ellison is the America-hating Nation of Islam Congresscritter who took his oath on a Koran. He has been outspokenly anti-American in his public utterances.
Ok. I truly didn’t know. I remember learning about the caste system way back in elementary school. I’m not sure why I asked. There was just something in the article that made me wonder.
I’m looking at these photos.
http://www.woophy.com/news/index.php?publication_date=2006-09-03
A couple of examples of what happens to Dalits:
A Dalit constable went into a temple on a riany day and the Brahmins worshipping there stoned him to death.
A Dalit girl was hit across the eyes and blinded by her teacher for teh ofense of drinking from teh community water pitcher.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070511-1728-india-stateelections.html
Low-caste politician sweeps to power in India’s largest state
ASSOCIATED PRESS
5:28 p.m. May 11, 2007
LUCKNOW, India – India’s most powerful low-caste politician swept into power Friday in the country’s largest state, dealing a political blow to the scion of the powerful Gandhi clan.
Mayawati, a fiery 51-year-old woman who goes by one name, was set to become the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a vast, poor state that encompasses more than 180 million people and often sets the political agenda for the rest of the country.
“I thank people of all castes and communities who supported my party to achieve this overwhelming victory,” Mayawati, a dalit, or “untouchable,” at the bottom of India’s complex social ladder, said at a news conference.
With results final in all but six of the 403 seats in the state assembly on Friday, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party had won 202 seats, enough to form a government without a coalition, according to the Press Trust of India news agency which cited state election authorities.
The election will likely slow the rise of Rahul Gandhi – the son, grandson and great-grandson of Indian prime ministers. By Friday afternoon, Gandhi’s Congress party had gained no additional seats in the state assembly despite his relentless campaigning. Gandhi holds a seat in the Indian Parliament, representing a rural district in Uttar Pradesh.
The election was the first serious political test of Gandhi, 36, who is a rising power in the Congress party and – despite his youth and inexperience – already is mentioned as a possible future prime minister. Though the Congress party is not a major force in the state, Gandhi’s campaigning was expected to help boost its political power.
Mayawati forged a powerful coalition that brought together low-caste and Brahmin voters and candidates to force out Mulayam Singh Yadav, the state’s outgoing chief minister whose own support was rooted among middle-caste farmers.
Mayawati, who has been chief minister of the state twice before, lost power in 2003 amid controversy over her government’s approval of a $40 million-dollar tourism complex near the Taj Mahal.
The Uttar Pradesh elections are unlikely to have an immediate impact on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Congress-led government in New Delhi, though the state often plays a key role in shaping national political alliances. The next national elections are due in 2009.
TBP, you obviously have no agenda, therefore, please answer this:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1826324/posts?page=53#53
India’s RSS urges war against ‘evil’ of casteism
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1271540.cms
NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over caste-based political and social conflicts, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has urged Hindus to “get rid of this evil at the earliest”.
“Hindu society should take all necessary measures to ensure entry and access to every Hindu, irrespective of his caste, to their homes, temples, religious places, public wells, ponds, and other public places,” a resolution adopted at the three-day national executive meeting of the RSS said.
Around 350 RSS volunteers met in Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh to brainstorm on several issues, including its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been dogged by infighting.
After discussing the issue of casteism on Friday, the first day of the meeting, the organisation concluded that “caste-based untouchability” and “feelings of high caste and low caste” were the main evils haunting the Hindu society.
“Unfortunately, such incidents occur in society even to this day, manifesting the worst form of caste discrimination,” the resolution posted on the organisation’s website said.
“Hindu society will have to get rid of this evil at the earliest,” it said.
Appealing for social harmony and Hindu brotherhood, the organisation warned the community against the political parties, which it said had been drawing “political benefits” out of casteism.
“Inventing caste based new conflicts in the Hindu society for the sake of political benefits has become a trend of many politicians these days.”
“Treacherous elements are also joining hands in this. To create the vote banks, these politicians are encouraging caste-based rivalries, which result in creation of various caste based clashes,” the resolution said.
The RSS also has urged the political parties to keep away from “caste politics” which caused “deep divisions” in the society and to give an “Indian culture” to the democracy.
Citing instances from the Hindu epics it said the religion always stood for lower caste people.
“No religion or sect is inferior to others. The whole society should be aware that every sect and caste of Bharat has a glorious history.”
The national executive has appealed to all sects and castes that they should not look down on other sects and castes. “The entire society should fully realize the essence of ‘Na Hinduh Patito Bhavet’ (No Hindu shall ever come to grief),” the resolution said.
Interestingly, the RSS has been criticised by secular Indians for its Hindu supremacist philosophy and its frequent campaign against other religions, particularly Islam and Christianity.
Yes, it's quite, umm, apparent. BTW, how is it like in Pakistan these days? Any updates from there? I bet the people are living up to their fullest, like you make it a point to mention, a million or so times here.
If the RSS said that, the RSS is a bunch of hypocrites.
The RSS was founded in support of the Fascists in Europe. it is the parent organiztion of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, among many others under its umbrella.
It’s the organization that published a booklet on how to implicate Christians and other minorities in false criminal cases.
Are they afraid of competition in the caste/religion/ethnic hate market?
I perused the whole article, and I don’t see any mention of a single corrective step that needs be taken, that’s not already taken by the Indian government. Care to educate us on how what is essentially a problem of the mindset can be solved by legislation?
While at it, please answer the query earlier. Or will you selectively ignore this again?
Care to read the last line of that article? Oh that, and you're mixing issues.
When are you going to stop spreading Hidustani disinformation on every thread? What are you getting out of it?
Narendra Modi: He was born in Vadnagar, a town in the northern Mehsana district of Gujarat, to a Hindu family belonging to the Ghanchi OBC community. As a young man, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He became a full-time worker and organiser for it, and was later nominated by it to be a representative on the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the year 1974 and was involved in the anti-corruption New Beginning Movement.
He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the early 1980s. He helped maintain the relations between the RSS and the BJP. In 1988 he became the General Secretary of the Gujarat State BJP unit. He is believed to be a protégé of Lal Krishna Advani, who is a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party himself. Advani has praised Modi on numerous occasions, referring to him as "a leader who, after being subjected to a malicious and prolonged campaign of vilification, has been able to impress even his critics with his determination, single-minded focus, integrity and a wide array of achievements in a relatively short time".
He was believed to be a back-room operator for the political party in the beginning, but during the elections he portrayed himself as a pro-Hindu leader and campaigned on a platform of Hindutva.
Rise to leadership
In 1995 he was made the National Secretary of the party, in charge of five major states in India.
In October 2001, he was asked by the party to head the government in Gujarat. In 2001, Gujarat was facing problems because of several natural calamities having struck in the preceding years, including the massive Gujarat Earthquake in January 2001. Modi re-organised the government's administrative structure and embarked upon a massive cost-cutting exercise in order to compensate for economic losses.
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