Gursimran Singh It has been the popular demand of Sikhs since long that there is a need to amend Article 25 (2) (b) of the Constitution as it denies to them a separate distinct religious identity. The controversy is primarily around Explanation II to this article which states that “…..the reference to the word …
The eternal relevance of Dr. Ambedkar and his philosophy
Sirra Gagarin “Time is infinite and the earth is vast. There will be born a man who will appreciate what I say” (Bhavabhuti) is the hope expressed by Babasaheb Ambedkar referring to his mission and philosophy. In India primordial loyalties are too strong to recognise the intrinsic worth of an individual unless s/he belongs …
Polluted Minds and ‘God’s Own Country’
N Sukumar and Shailaja Menon One of Kerala’s enlightened souls, Sree Narayana Guru, had proclaimed, “One Caste, One Religion and One God” for mankind, thus ushering in a radical transformation of society. The state also witnessed momentous struggles to liberate society from the shackles of caste and untouchability. The Vaikom Satyagraha of 1924-25, a historic …
Harnessing Counter-Culture to Construct Identity
Workshop Report on‘Harnessing Counter-Culture to Construct Identity: Mapping Dalit Cultural Heritage in Contemporary India’,7-8 December, 2012, Convened by Ronki Ram Ronki Ram 1. The topic and the goal The workshop entitled Harnessing Counter-Culture to Construct Identity: Mapping Dalit Cultural heritage in Contemporary India was organized by International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) and Leiden …
Attacks on Dalits in Kalappatti
Findings of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Team that visited Kalapatti village, Tamil Nadu, in May 2004 1. Caste Discrimination and Untouchability practices Kalapatti is a village which is located in the Coimbatore district under the Kovilpalayam police station limits. It is 14 km from the Coimbatore-Avinashi road. This village consists of nearly 2000 families …