EFLU Students for Justice “If I find the Constitution being misused, I shall be the first to burn it.” ~ B.R. Ambedkar We, the students of the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, strongly condemn the administration’s gross manipulation of procedures in rusticating PhD scholars Mohan Dharavath and Satish Nainala and M.A student Subhash Kumar …
Once Upon A Time in an Ocean: A Review
Gee Imaan Semmalar In Kerala, a new political and cultural assertion is happening amongst Dalit communities, filmmakers and intellectuals that radically questions the deafening mainstream silence and denial of caste. In the field of filmmaking, Rupesh Kumar and Ajith Kumar A.S have emerged as voices who bring power to a certain kind of representational …
The uniqueness of the Tsundur struggle
Anoop Kumar & Ashokan Nambiar [Published in INSIGHT, a Dalit students’ magazine, Jan-Feb 2005 issue, with the title ‘Following Tsundur: Taking stock of path to justice’] While preparing the last issue of Insight [Nov-Dec 2004] that was based on caste atrocities we were shocked at the poor conviction rate in the massacres of Dalits. …
Revolver Rani is not Phoolan Devi
Atul Anand The film ‘Revolver Rani’ is about a Chambal based female dacoit/politician Alka Singh (Kangna Ranaut). She takes up arms after her father is killed by his upper caste brethren. She dresses up like a cross between Michael Jackson and Phoolan Devi. Unlike Phoolan Devi she wasn’t compelled to take up arms because …
We have cleansed our eyes and tongues: On diasporic denials and revisionism
Sinthujan Varatharajah He sat down in the crammed living room of a flat in a low-income suburb in Toronto, Canada. Every weekend he would travel to the other end of the city to enter the 12th floor of a high rise complex in the immigrant area. He would arrive at 11 AM and sit …
Chithralekha’s dharna draws wide support
April 24, 2014 Today Chithralekha, the Dalit woman autodriver, who has been fighting the CPM/CITU in Kannur from 2005, entered the fifth day of her dharna, in front of the Kannur collectorate. Her sit-in dharna in front of the collectorate was able to draw the attention of various Dalit, Muslim and Human Rights Organizations …
Savarna Progressive, a Mischievous Misnomer
Raj Kumar The Savarna progressive as a writer, activist, politician, articulator or academician is increasingly under social scrutiny for his role and position in the movement aiming to annihilate caste in contemporary India. A great deal of enthusiasm and perseverance is required to extricate the caste convert from the ambiguity of purpose and intent …
The Hindu BANS Non-Vegetarian food in its Canteens & Dining Halls
Dalit Camera: Through Un-Touchable Eyes C. Sreetharan, Vice-President – HR, issued a notice dated April 10, 2014 stating that non-veg. food is banned (‘not permitted’) in all canteens and dining halls of The Hindu offices. He cited complaints from employees of The Hindu. He says “All are aware” that non-veg food causes “discomfort to …
Introducing Arundhati Roy and Friends
Karthik Navayan (On 9th March, 2014, Navayana had planned to launch its ‘annotated critical edition’ of Dr BR Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste with an introduction by Arundhati Roy, in Hyderabad city. The event was cancelled because of distribution issues according to the publisher. But the spin put on the cancellation, especially by the corporate …