:: NAVAYANA :: - Publishing for Social Change -

Navayana Publishing invites you to a
Panel Discussion to commemorate the launch of
CHANDRA BHAN PRASAD’s book "DALIT DIARY: 1999–2003. REFLECTIONS ON APARTHEID IN INDIA"

on Thursday 26 August 2004 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

at School of Social Sciences–I Committee Room Jawaharlal Nehru University.

NIVEDITA MENON Reader Department of Political Science University of Delhi
VIVEK KUMAR Assistant Professor Sociology Dept JNU will speak about the book
RAMNARAYAN S. RAWAT SEPHIS Fellow (IISH Amsterdam) and research scholar Delhi University will chair the discussion.

Author CHANDRA BHAN PRASAD will respond.

For further details visit www.navayana.org email: navayana@ambedkar.org

‘‘Untouchability is such a doctrine that it does not fully liberate even the most rational, most emancipated, progressive-minded person from practising it, howsoever unconsciously. Contrary to the popular perception that untouchability is a ‘social evil’, it is in essence a doctrine of exclusion... if there is not a single dalit who is an editor of a national daily, an anchor on TV channels, or a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry, it is not by accident, but because of the doctrine of untouchability,’’ explains Prasad in the book.

Dalit Diary is a column that Prasad writes for The Pioneer. It is the only column by a dalit in a mainstream newspaper. The book is a collection of Prasad’s columns that examines the rights of dalits, and the reality of their existence in India today. In many of the columns, he draws parallels and contrasts between the African Americans in USA and dalits in India.

The book was launched at the Asian College of Journalism on Monday by Navayana, a publishing house that exclusively focuses on caste. The first copy was presented to M Jeyarani, a journalist with the Ananda Vikatan who is also a dalit. Consul General of US Consulate Richard Haynes, Sashi Kumar from the Asian College of Journalism and chairperson of the State Women’s Commission Vasanthi Devi spoke about the book.

Sashi Kumar said that although the book revealed a lot about the plight of dalits, such as – ‘‘there isn’t a single dalit millionaire and not the prospect of one in the future’’ – there were some aspects of the book he did not agree with. For instance, Prasad says the dalit situation can only be seen with dalit eyes. Sashi Kumar says Prasad points out that there is a dalit society, and then there a varna society ‘‘and never the twain shall meet. It seems to be a stalemate’’, something he does not agree with. Vasanthi Devi said although the book was enlightening, she wished it included more on the ‘‘non-empowering’’ dalit education. Moreover, she expressed her disappointment about the absence of dalit women in Prasad’s column. ‘‘If there is one person more wretched than the dalit male, it is the dalit woman,’’ she said, expanding on the sexual exploitation they face even today. She also said, ‘‘Chandra Bhan celebrates the coming of the second empire, American globalisation. He looks forward to it, which is naive.’’ Vasanthi Devi said masses of dalits could be badly hurt by this, as globalisation adversely affects the most defenseless and vulnerable.

Prasad’s reply to this last point was compared to the dalits in India, the blacks in America were much better off. He backed this with examples of American institutions who had taken steps to combat discrimination against the African Americans. ‘‘It is all a theory of relativity, nothing can be seen in isolation,’’ he said.

Chandra Bhan Prasad’s book is priced at Rs 225. Contact Navayana Publishing for more details; 094440 61256 or email navayana@navayana.org.

`Writers must address problems of Dalit children'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 9. More research in education of Dalit children and problems of Dalit women should be carried out, Vasanthi Devi, educationist and State Women's Commission chairperson said today.

The Dalit children in Tamil Nadu generally received poor quality education and "totally non-empowering education." Dalit writers should pay attention to this aspect, she said.

Ms. Vasanthi Devi was participating in a function here to release a publication, `Dalit Diary: 1999-2003. Reflections on Apartheid in India.'

Turning to the author, Chandra Bhan Prasad, she pointed out that the Dalit women were the most vulnerable section and their sufferings should also be highlighted by the Dalit writers.

Releasing the book, Richard Haynes, United States Consul-General in Chennai, said the work was an evidence of how India, like the United States, was engaged constantly in integration of different communities and social groups.

Sashi Kumar, Chairperson, Media Development Foundation, commended the author for taking a "refreshingly different" approach to issues and problems concerning the Dalits.

Mr. Prasad said the country would never become a superpower or a developed nation, if the Dalits, one-fourth of its population, were not given their due in the media, academic institutions and in the private sector.

M. Jeyarani, a journalist working for Ananda Vikatan, received the first copy of the publication, brought out by Navayana, a Chennai-based organisation.