Samatha India

Dalit activists stage rally demanding women’s rights

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/04/stories/2008080457531200.htm

Staff Reporter

Mumbai: Dalit activists from the National Campaign on Dalit Human
Rights (NCDHR) staged a rally here on Saturday demanding among other
things, women's rights, land and economic rights. "It is a declaration
rally to flag the initiation of four movements — the National Dalit
Movement for Justice, the All India Dalit Women's Rights Forum, the
Dalit Economic Campaign and the Land Rights Campaign.

We also want to reclaim the spirit of B. R. Ambedkar," said the
campaign convener Paul Divakar. Volunteers from Kerala, Tamil Nadu
Karnataka and Puducherry took part. J. Vincent Manoharan, general
secretary, NCDHR highlighted a new trend in caste discrimination in
Tamil Nadu.

He said that walls were being erected around temples to bar the entry
of Dalits, but it was being done in the name of protection. The
marchers wore blue bandanas sporting the slogan 'caste out caste'.

Public meeting

After the rally, a public meeting was held at the University of Mumbai
campus. Prakash Ambedkar, head of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangha
addressed the meeting.