World-wide Protest Apartheid In India
Washington: There was a world-wide action on July 4 to support the UN Conference Against Racism (WCAR) which is slated to take up the Indian Black Untouchables’ complaint against Brahminical rulers for practicing racism inside India.
A very vociferous, high-spirited people protested in front of Indian Embassy in Washington DC and Indian Consulates in New York city, Chicago and San Francisco on July 3, 2001, which was chosen as a Global Day Action against Caste.
In Washington DC, there were about 20-25 people, in f New York City there were 40-50 demonstrators, and Chicago had a gathering about 400 protestors, San Francisco had about 10 demonstrators. They were Dalits, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, African- Americans, White Americans, men, women and children.
They voiced their protest the Indian Government’s efforts to block caste-based persecutions from being discussed at the WCAR at Durban in August.
Human Rights Watch: The Washington demonstrators went to the Indian Embassy and submitted a copy of press release and memorandum addressed to the Indian Ambassador, Lalit Man Singh.
In New York, the main organizers of the protest rally against Indian Government were Mr. & Mrs. Prince Singh, both from the DSF (Dalit Solidarity Forum of USA) and Smita Narula of Human Rights Watch, New York. After demonstrating and shouting slogans for a couple of hours they sent their representative, Ms. Roja Singh, who met the Deputy Counselor for an extended meeting and submitted their demand letter along with over 4,000 signatures from all around the US to reiterate the fact that the Indian Government cannot brush aside the Dalit issue any more. The Deputy Counselor agreed to meet with a group from DSF for further engagement.
Indian cancer: In Chicago, Dr. Rahul Deepankar, who “is a noted Dalit leader and Chairman of New Republic India International, and his friends organized an impressive gathering of 400 people who submitted a memorandum to Surendra Kumar, Consul-General of Chicago.
Some of the slogans chanted by the demonstrators were: Indian caste system is racism, Indian Apartheid must go, caste out caste, casteism is racism, no one is free until everyone is free, Dalit abuse has got to go, Indian Government – shame, shame Every Dalit knows your name and game etc.
Atrocities on Dalits: Overall, it was a very good day of action with a clear message to the Government of India that people outside India (Indians and others, Dalits and non-Dalits) are not going to sit and watch the Indian Government ignore the Dalit issue and keep atrocities against Dalits under cover. A bold step forward has been taken, signaling more actions to come.
What was the demand of all these protestors? Indian Government has been trying very hard to block caste- based persecutions from being discussed at Durban. The protestors want that the Indian Government should stop their effort to block the spotlight on the Indian cancer of caste-based discrimination and atrocities against Dalits.
