[Reader-list] JOINT STATEMENT ON ATROCITIES ON CULTURAL ACTIVISTS AND DALITS.
Asit Das
asit1917 at gmail.com
Thu Sep 5 00:40:14 CDT 2013
*JOINT STATEMENT ON ATROCITIES ON CULTURAL ACTIVISTS AND DALITS.*
We the undersigned are extremely appalled and outraged by the arrest of
Kanwal Bharti eminent Dalit writer for his comments on Face book. If one
looks seriously at the banner headlines of the Corporate media, the Indian
ruling classes have been boasting India as the new economic power house of
the world and being the largest democracy. Various clauses of the Indian
constitution guarantees the fundamental rights of its citizens ie right to
expression, right to choose ones cultural and political views. The
pretensions of the Indian state about it being a liberal democracy has
proved to be a total mockery of the very meaning of the words like
liberalism, democracy and rule of law. Since the past six decades under
draconian laws like AFPSA, UAPA, National security act etc. Tens of
thousands of people have died in face encounters, thousands of youth have
vanished from Kashmir and Punjab. There are genocides happening on the
struggling people of oppressed Nationalities, thousands are tortured, there
are thousand of unknown mass graves in Kashmir. Thousand of woman are
raped, tortured and killed in police custody. When it comes to writers and
cultural activists the Indian state has always bared its fascist and
castist fangs again and again. There glaring examples are the false
prosecution of the members of Kabir Kala Manch, (Eminent Revolutionary
Balladeer Ghadar who is a living legend in the revolutionary peasant
resistance struggle was fired upon by Andhra Police and was seriously
injured had to be hospitalized for quite a long time and had to be
hospitalized for months. Jiten Marandi an eminent radical cultural activist
from Jharkhand was jailed for years on trumped up false criminal charges.
Progressive poet and writer Savyasachi Goswami is still languishing in Jail
on false criminal charges, and the ruthless murder of comrade Gantiprasadam
of RDF who was a famous revolutionary writer. The above facts prove that
dalit writers and cultural activists are ruthlessly oppresses and
persecuted by the Indian state. In this context one has to look seriously
at the dialectics of the rise of identity politics in Indian via the Mandal
and Kamandal debate. The rise if identity politics in late 80’s and early
90’s which has created an opportunity for the rise of a thin strata of OBC
kulaks, who join hands with upper caste landlords to commit atrocities on
Dalits. The Vanniyar Sangham hooliganism clearly proves this. However one
has to look at the identity question in a dialectical prism.**
There are identities and identities some are oppressed some are oppressors.
We should discern the democratic content of the identity struggles we
should firmly stand with the oppressed identities. History has shown it is
only the oppresses can break their own chains. We appeal to the left and
democratic organizations, and the progressive intelligentia to join hands
and fight together against the right to expression and atrocities on
Dalits.
The very logic of Predatory Neoliberalism accentuates the class
differentiation within the endogamous caste group further creating class
polarization and exploitation. On one hand it pauperizes vast masses of
Dalits, OBC’s pasmanda muslims on the other hand a handful of minorities
rich peasantry and the kulaks elements of the OBC’s join hand with upper
caste land lords to perpetuate atrocities. With the rise of identify
politics in late eighties and early nineties especially in Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar these elements have become the subsidiary part of the Indian
Ruling Classes. We draw attention of another danger in contemporary
Identity discourse, the rise of Slogans like Dalit Capitalism and formation
of neoliberal clubs like DICCI, its ideologues conveniently forget the fact
that 90% of the super exploited agricultural labourers are predominantly
dalits and the dalit female agricultural laboures are also sexually
exploited.
These stooges of wall street simply over look the fact that under the
Neoliberal regime it’s the Dalits, Adivasis, Poor OBC’s and Muslims form
that vast mass of Super exploited mobile insecure “foot loose labour” which
forms a bulk of the contractual, informal workers in the post fordist
production relations and labour process. Therefore this dubious notion of
Dalit capitalism is an albatross in the neck of every exploited Dalit.
Because it is the very logic of capital which produces wealth and
prosperity at one pole and poverty, destitution and despair at the other
pole.
1. We demand the withdrawal of all criminal cases on Jiten Marandi,
Aparna Marandi, Savyasachi Goswami, Members of Kabir Kala Manch and Kanwal
Bharti, Jayeeta Das, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, Seema Azad and two Adivasi
Youths arrested from Aheri, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.
2. Immediately and unconditionally release Savyasaachi Goswami,
Jayeeta Das, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, Two Adivasi Youths arrested from
Aheri, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra and Kabir Kala Manch Members.
3. We demand a high level judicial enquiry on the murder of Com Ganti
Prasadam and the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for this
tragedy.
4. We demand Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav apologise to the
Dalits of this country
1. Arjun Prasad Singh PDFI
2. Anand Teltumbde CPDR, Mumbai
3. Prof. Uma Chakrabarty Women Against Sexual Violence
4. Subhash Gatade New Socialist and state repression
(WSS)
5. Javed Akhtar Eminent Initiate Urdu Poet and Film Lyricist,
Mumbai
6. Shirisha Naidu SANHATI, Chennai
7. Kaveri Rajaram SANHATI, Bangalore
8. Swati Birla SANJATI, Mumbai
9. Shiv Sethi SANHATI, Bangalore
10. Shamsul Islam Nishant Natya Manch, Delhi
11. Neelima Sharma Nishant Natya Manch, Delhi
12. Srirupa Revolutionary Cultural Front (RCF), JNU
13. Sudhir Suman Jan Sanskrit Manch (JASAM), Delhi
14. Brahma Prakash Janrang Radical left cultural group, JNU
15. Hadi BAHROOP Progressive theatre group, JNU
16. Katyayani Eminent Marxist Feminist Poetess
17. Martand JASAM, JNU
18. Anil Chamadia Journalist, Delhi
19. Kamayani Bali Mahabal Lawyer, Social Activist, Mumbai
20. Vivek Sundara Human Rights Activist, Mumbai
21. Anirban Kar SANHATI, Delhi Chapter
22. Prof. Subodh Malakar Professor SIS JNU and ex-president JNU teachers
Association (JNUTA)
23. Anirban Democratic Student Union
(DSU), JNU
24. Sucheta dey Research Scholar and Ex-president , JNU Student
25. Ravi Prakash Research Scholar and Ex-Secretary JNU Students
Union (JNUSU)
26. Piyush Raj Joint Secretary Union (JNUSU)
27. Prof. Nivedita Menon Professor School of Intervention studies, JNU
28. Nayanjyoti Krantikari Naujawan Sabha (KNS)
29. Wilfred D’costa
30. Rakesh Ranjan Nowroj, Delhi
31. Vir Bharat Talwar Professor, Center for Indian
languages, JNU
32. Vivek Kumar Professor, Centre for study of Social Systems, JNU
33. Yagati Chinna Rao Centre for Study of Discrimination and
Exclusion, JNU
34. Abhijit Pathak Professor, Centre for Study of Social Systems, JNU
35. Arun Kumar Professor, Centre for Economic and Social Planning,
JNU
36. Anand Kumar Professor, Centre for Study of Social Systems, JNU
37. Papori Bora, Asst. Professor, Centre for Women’s Studies, JNU
38. Bimol Akoijam Professor, Centre for Study of Social Systems, JNU
39. Ajay Gudavarty Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU
40. Mahindranath Thakur Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies,
JNU
41. Amir Ali Asst. Professor, Centre for
Political Studies, JNU
42. Rinku Lamba Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU
43. Shefali Jha Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies,
JNU
44. A. k. Ramakrishnan Professor, School of International
Studies, JNU
45. Suraj Beri The New Materialists, JNU
46. Mahatab Alam Civil Rights Activist, JNU
47. Students for Resistance (SFR), Delhi University and JNU
48. Vira Sathidar Republican Assistant Professor, Centre for study
of Social Science, Kolkata
49. Rita Jyoti Bandpadhyay Assistant Professor, Centre
for Study of Social Science, Kolkata
50. Susovan Dhar Radical Socialist, Kolkata
51. Achin Vanaik CNDP, Delhi
52. Praful Bidwai Eminent Eco-Marxist Thinker, Delhi
53. Sumit Chakrabarty People together, Kolkata
54. Nisha Biswas WSS
55. Kiran Shaheen WSS, Delhi
56. Sudha Reddy social activist, Bangalore
57. Seema Mustafa Centre for Policy Analysis, Delhi
58. Malem Ningthouza Campaign for peace and democracy, Manipur
59. Tripta Wahi Professor, Delhi University
60. Jyotsna Critical Quest, Delhi
61. Reyazul Haque Student, JNU
62. Trisha Agarwal Focus on Global South
63. Mansi Sharma Social Activist, Delhi
64. Benny Kuruvila Social Activist, Delhi
65. Susana Baria Social Activist, Delhi
66. Kamla Bhasin Eminent Feminist Activist, Delhi
67. Ajit Singh Yadav All India People Front
68. C. Laxmanan Dalit Intellectual Collective, Chennai
69. Rajni Tilak Rashtriya Dalit Mahila Andolan, Delhi
70. Chinmay United Dalit Students Front (UDSF)
71. Aryama Teacher, Delhi University, JNU
72. Pravin NSI, Delhi
73. Ankur Rai JASAM, Mumbai
74. Rohit Ranjan Progressive Student Activist TISS, Mumbai
75. P.K. Sundram Research Scholar, JNU
76. Bhuvi Gupta Research Scholar, JNU
77. Mayur Chetia Research Scholar, JNU
78. Asit Das Contributing Editor, India
Resists.com
79. Usman Research Scholar, JNU
80. Imran Radical left Activist, Delhi
81. Ambedkar Research Scholar and United Dalit Student Front
(UDSF), JNU
82. Laxman Singh Research Scholar and Dalit Activist, Delhi
83. Bhupen Singh Faculty, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi
84. Ashish Bharadwaj Faculty, Indian Institute of Mass
Communication, Delhi
85. Bhasha Singh Deputy Editor, Outlook, Hindi, Delhi
86. Vaishali Patil Eminent Antinuclear Activist Konkan, Maharashtra
87. Vidya Dinkar Citizens Forum, Mangalore, Karnataka
88. Ashish Kumar Research Scholar, Centre for Russian Studies, JNU
89. Mujibur Rehman Research Scholar, JNU
90. Kushal Singh Research Scholar, JNU
91. Neha Thakur Research Scholar, JNU
92. Akash Bhattacharya Krantikari Naujawan Sabha (KNS), JNU
93. Koyal Verma Research Scholar, JNU
94. Anubhuti Research Scholar, JNU
95. Shweta Research Scholar, JNU
96. Archana Research Scholar, JNU
97. Shasank Research Scholar, JNU
98. Suvaid Research Scholar, JNU
99. Fauzan Research Scholar, JNU
100. Vismay Basu Research Scholar, JNU
101. Saptarshi Chaudhury Research Scholar, JNU
102. Arvind Yadav Research Scholar, JNU
103. Tara Shankar Research Scholar, JNU
104. Chandra Sen Research Scholar, JNU
105. Brijesh Research Scholar, JNU
106. Badre Alam Research Scholar, Delhi
University
107. Dhirendra Bahadur Singh Asst.
Professor, Delhi University
108. Dinkar Singh Asst. Professor, Delhi
University
109. Snehi Student and Activist DSU, JNU
110. Rajarshi Dasgupta Asst. Professor,
Centre for Political Studies, JNU
111. Prangya Joshi PUCL, Rajasthan
112. Jitendra Kumar Journalist, Delhi
113. Deb Research Scholar, JNU
114. Shruti Jain Research Scholar, JNU
115. Preeti Research Scholar, JNU
116. Krithi Research Scholar, JNU
117. Shastri Ramchandra Journalist, Delhi
118. Dawa Singh Research Scholar, JNU
119. Nitin Kumar Student, Indian Institute of
Mass Communication, Delhi
120. Afiya Khalid Student, JNU
121. Azizur Rehman Asst. Professor, Osmania,
University, Hyderabad
122. Dr. Neeraj Hatekar Dept of Economics,
Bombay University
123. Prabhu
Guptara University of St Gallen, Switzerland
124. Aradhana Sharma Proferssor, Wesleyan
University, USA
125. Sirohi Nandan Forum for
Democratic Right (FDR) Jammu
126. Ahmed Sohaib Jamia Teachers
Solidarity Association (JTSA), Delhi
127. Mary Mathai
128. Laltu Eminent Hindi Poet International
Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad
129. Divya Trivedi Journalist, Delhi
130. Dwajendra Dhawal
131. M.C. Raj Writer, Karnataka
132. Dr. Anil Sadgopal Eminent
Educationist
133. Rajan Kurci Krishnan Academic, Delhi
134. Satyam R Verma Professor,
Emeritus McGill University, Canada
135. Nalini Nayak Associate Professor, Delhi
University
136. C.K. Purandare Artist,
art.deco.com
137. Himanshu Kumar Vanvasi Chetna Ashram
138. Goldy George Dalit Mukti Morcha, Chhatisgarh
139. Sourav Shome Mumbai
140. Rossi D’souza Research Scholar, TIFR, Mumbai
141. Amalendu Upadhyay Editor, Hasthkhep.com
142. Pravin Patel Activist, Gajapati
143. Raju Nayak Social Activist, Gajapati,
Odisha
144. N. K. Jeet Lok Morcha, Punjab
* *
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