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"It is very encouraging to know that this has
raised the level of debate in the state and many other parts of
the country to mass level and many leaders at the rural areas and
Panchayat level are questioning the stand of the Government re
the Caste discrimination."
Paul Divakar, NCDHR
AP had an overwhelming mobilisation for the Global Protest
day. In 18 districts, 500 to 1000 people gathered at the district
headquarters, the state capital and had sit-ins, rallies, protest
marches and submitted memorandums to the PM and President through
the District Collector and Magistrate and the Governor. Two major
mass organisations mobilised this protest under the overall
leadership of the NCDHR-AP chapter. DBVVU (Dalitbahujan
Agricultural workers and farmers Union which has a membership of
about 150,000) and the Dalit Bahujan Front (another major Dalit
mass organisation in AP) joined their forces together with many
other human rights organisations and mass movements to protest
against the stand the Government of India in blocking discussion
on Caste discrimination in the WCAR. It is very encouraging to
know that this has raised the level of debate in the state and
many other parts of the country to mass level and many leaders at
the rural areas and panchayat level are questioning the stand of
the Govt. re the Caste discrimination.
Protest rallies were carried out in 18 cities and district
headquarters. The following is a brief summary.
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Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy Districts 1000
people from the Dalitbahujan Vyvasaya Vruthidarula Union,
Dalit Bahujan Front and other Dalit movements, mass
organizations and the National Campaign on Dalit Human
Rights took a protest march from the Sundarayya Bhavan to
the Indira Park protesting against the stand of the
Government to block the issue of caste discrimination
being addressed in the WCAR, Durban, South Africa, to be
held in Aug-Sep, 2001. Memorandum was submitted to the
Governor, and the District Magistrate & Collector of
Ranga Reddy District.
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Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
A large procession was held in Guntur city, the headquarters
of Guntur District in AP, protesting against the stand taken by
the Govt. of India to block the issue of caste discrimination
being raised at the WCAR. They questioned the validity of the
decision when it was neither put before the public nor was it
discussed in the Parliament nor was any consultation held with
the Dalit leaders or any political leaders. The district
Collector was challenged to address the gathering of the
activists and promised to convey the concerns to the governor and
the Chief Minister of AP.
Chittoor
About 3000 Dalit activists, mass leaders and human rights
activists marched the streets of Chittoor town the headquaters of
the Chittoor district with about 30 Dalit drummers, questioning
the decision of the Government not to include the Caste
discrimination in the WCAR agenda. The angry protesters blocked
the traffic for about an hour in the town centre and handed over
the memorandum to the District magistrate & Collector
demanding inclusion of Caste discrimination in the WCAR and for
strict implementation of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Other Cities/Towns of Andhra Pradesh
Also, in the following cities/towns there were protests, and
rallies and memorandums were submitted to the concerned
officials:
- Mahabubnagar
- Ongole, Prakasam District
- Kurnool
- Vijayawada, Krishna District
- Nalgonda
- Warangal
- Khammam
- Kakinada, East Godavari District
- Eluru, West Godavari District
- Vijayanagaram
- Vishakapatnam
- Nizamabad
- Adilabad
- Karimnagar
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Paul Divakar and friends at a rally in Andhra Pradesh |
Posted on 2001-07-18
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