#AmbedkarJayanti Short thread on Dalit autobiographies and writings available in Hindi. Jhoothan by Om Prakash Valmiki. Small glimpse that stayed: even when he's well established, he continues to be treated badly because his name gives away his caste.
His wife suggests dropping the surname to prevent the hurt associated with this. After a discussion, he decides he will keep it. His argument: people must learn to accept him fully; his work and his caste identity.
Dr. Tulsiram's two-part autobiography: Murdahiya (school years) and Manikarnika (BHU days onwards). In Murdahiya, the struggle to study. Esp the part when he appears for high school exam.
Another disturbing discussion was around economic exploitation & cheating Dalit workers during a drought year, 1958-9 (see pp. 62-63). And hunger.
Sharan Kumar Limabale's Akkarmashi is a classic. But the collection "Dalit Brahmin" documents the struggles of the second generation of Dalits who are able to get a good education, jobs, etc. How to fit in? Should they fit it? The struggle seems endless.
Cheating now, switching to one available in English, originally in Bangla. Manorajan Byapari. Interrogating my Chandal life. He learnt to read and write while in prison (in his 20s perhaps). If ever you feel someone doesn't appreciate the value of literacy, give them this book.
Going back to Dr. Tulsiram. Part 2, Manikarnika. BHU in late 60s-early 70s. Vietnam war, Bangladesh, Naxalbari. His infatuation with violence, pulling back in time. Mild complaint about how non-violence was the path of Buddha, yet Gandhi never mentioned Buddha when he spoke of it
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The hardships endured by rural women during #pregnancy & #childbirth tend to go unnoticed. A recent survey (JABS) sheds light on this hidden ordeal. The findings were released today (18th Nov) at the Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi.
India gets credit for generous #maternitybenefits (see UNICEF infographic), but that’s only for a small minority of women in the #formalsector. There was nothing for other women in #unorganized sector until .... [3/16]
1/ The SC may have given it a green light, but #AadhaarFail TERROR continues unabated in #Jharkhand.
Exclusion, disruption, and disempowerment is what Aadhaar has brought to the lives of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. Case studies from a recently concluded survey.
2/ A census of all PVTG households was conducted in 2 blocks, Manika & Satbarwa, in Palamu district. Despite a small sample, we encountered a plethora of #AadhaarFail issues.
If you still think Aadhaar is "fixing-up" welfare, please follow. Select survey findings appended.
3/ Sukni Devi could not enrol for an #AadhaarFail as she is blind.
About a year ago, she stopped receiving her pensions.