Dalit Bahujan Shramik Union

Dalit Bahujan Shramik Union - AP
DBSU-AP
Type	Rights organisation
Director	Smt J.Sasikala (General Secretary)
Location	Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Affiliations	dappu
Data as of May 2008

The Dalit Bahujan Shramik Union (DBSU) is a Dalit-Bahujan civil rights organization locally coordinated from Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, South India.

Origins

The name "Dalit" refers to a group of people traditionally regarded as low caste. The term expresses their "weakness, poverty and humiliation at the hands of the upper castes in the Indian society."^[1] The DBSU was previously known as the Andhra Pradesh Dalit Bahujan Vyavasaya Vruthidharula Union (APDBVVU)^[2]. It was a conglomeration of various Dalit-Bahujan owned and managed community-based organisations across Andhra Pradesh. It is dedicated to Damodaram Sanjeevaiah (former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and President of AICC) and Shyam Sundar. Its vision is "equal opportunities for all to identity, security, livelihoods and future."

Kartavyam (Task)

To defend and expand dalit bahujan (DB) right to land, livelihoods and self-respect through sustained public action ensuring equal participation of women.

The previous General Secretary, Sri G.Sudhakar^[3][4] cutting the ribbon at an inaugural function in Prakasam District. To his right is Sri A.Chennaiah (smiling in white shirt), the Secretary-in-Prakasam

About

DBSU works in 16 districts of Andhra Pradesh with 550,000 DB families, establishing an efficient structure with equal participation of women. They possess legal ownership of 25,000 acres (100 km²) of land, while utilizing government programmes to further public safety and secure civil rights. In panchayati raj DBSU has become a viable political force, working so others can live with dignity.

Interventions

• Efficient structure established with equal women’s participation and effective leadership from Village to State, protecting rights of the DB, supporting livelihood opportunities and self dignity.

• Food security of 25,000 DB families established with at least 1-acre (4,000 m²) of land assigned and ownership rights and development.

• Using available Government plans, including Supreme Court directives regarding basic food rights, one lakh DB families were guaranteed an additional 100 days of employment per year with minimum wages.

• DBSU members of the 16 districts are asserting and protecting their rights by raising awareness of the various Acts related to child labour, bonded labour, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989^[5] and other right protection Acts like right to information, etc.,

• In 16 districts DB is politically aware of their rights and responsibilities, gained political authority and positions and supporting the socio-economic and political development of the DB.

• DBSU has established connections with many movements and organizations, from mandal to state and national levels, influencing policy on employment, political rights, self-dignity, and public safety.

Administration

The DBSU is headed by a State Committee, operating through a General Secretary and an Organising Secretary elected for a term of two years.

Wings of DBSU

Community-based wings

• Andhra Pradesh Differently-Abled Peoples Collective (APDAPC)^[6]
• Andhra Pradesh Jogini^[7] Vyavastha Vyathirekha Porata Samithi (APJVVPS)^[8],^[9]

• Safai Karmachari Andolan^[10],^[11]

Resource-support wings

• Bhavitha^[12],^[13],^[14](education)
• Chindu^[15],^[16],^[17] (cultural)

See also

• Dalit (outcaste)
• Peoples Action for Rural Awakening, Punarnirmaan, Navnirmaan
• Sri N.Paul Diwakar, Past General Secretary, DBSU
• Fr.Thomas Pallithanam, Past Organising Secretary, DBSU

References

Notes

1. ^ Victor Premasagar in Interpretive Diary of a Bishop: Indian Experience in Translation and Interpretation of Some Biblical Passages (Chennai: Christian Literature Society, 2002), p. 108.
2. ^ Attack on Dalits at ChristianAidConnect.org Retrieved April 22, 2006.
3. ^ Khojhyderabad.com [1] DBSU demands priority in land distribution. Retrieved April 23, 2006.
4. ^ Watershed Support Services And Activities Network (WASSAN) - CLDP status report - nov 05 -booklet inner pages.pdf Indira Prabha Land Development Scheme. Retrieved April 23, 2006.^{[dead link]}
5. '^ UNHCR Article (1990)jghjkk RSDLEGAL&id=3ae6b52a1c Research/Evaluation - Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (No.33 of 1989)]. UNHCR.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.^{[dead link]}
6. '^ The Hindu (Tuesday, Nov 30, 2004 [2] Violence against women. The Hindu.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
7. '^ NCDHR [3] MY STORY AS DEVADASI: ENTRENCHED FORCED PROSTITUTION. NCDHR.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.^{[dead link]}
8. '^ Boloji.com [4] Society - "Married" to a Goddess. boloji.com.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
9. '^ OUTLOOK india.com (1 Jul 2002) [5] In AP, joginis see a way out from a centuries-old damning tradition . OUTLOOK.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
10. '^ The Hindu (15 Oct 2000) [6] Squalor beneath the glamour. The Hindu.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
11. '^ Human Rights Features (31 Oct 2005) [7] Manual scavenging: Time to clean up our act . Human Rights Features.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
12. '^ Velugu [8] Voices of Women. Velugu.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.^{[dead link]}
13. '^ UNDP [9] Towards Women’s Empowerment and Poverty Reduction: Lessons from the participatory impact assessment of South Asian Poverty Alleviation programme in Andhra Pradesh, India. UNDP.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.^{[dead link]}
14. '^ GLOBAL ORGANIZATION OF PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN [10] Community Radio - Mana Radio. gopio.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
15. '^ ambedkar.org [11] Pillar of Dalit art forms. ambedkar.org.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
16. '^ countercurrents.org [12] (8 Sept 2004)Despair And Hope Of The Mahadiga. countercurrents.org.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.
17. ^ independent catholic news [13] (27 Sept 2002)First Christian album to focus on Dalit community in India . 'independent catholic news.' Retrieved April 22, 2006.

Further reading

• Chandrakanth, W. (3 Sept 2004). "Crime against dalits on rise in State". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/03/stories/2004090307520400.htm. 
• Clarke, Sathianathan (2001). "Dalit Religion: Resisting and Contesting the Encompassing Hindu Identity". Conference on Religion in South India, Department of Religion, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia - Comparative Theologies in South Asia. http://www.religion.emory.edu/crsi/papers.html#clarke. 
• Clarke, Sathianathan (1997). "Dalits and Christianity: Subaltern Religion and Liberation Theology". Oxford University Press, Delhi. http://www.fetchbook.info/Dalits_&_Christianity.html. ^{[dead link]}
• Diwakar, Paul. "Interview with Paul Diwakar - The SC & ST Prevention of Atrocities Act is whitewashing continuing atrocities against Dalits". Ambedkar.org. http://www.ambedkar.org/News/Interviewwith.htm. 
• Kancha Ilaiah, Sri (Sept 2000). "Ambedkar, Hedgewar and Laxman" (– ^{2000&as_yhi=Sept 2000&btnG=Search Scholar search}). The Mail Archive. http://www.mail-archive.com/[e-mail]/msg00666.html. ^{[dead link]}
• khojhyderabad.com (8 April 2005). DBSU demand priority in land distribution. http://www.khojhyderabad.com/News/WFullstory.asp?D=&q=56013. 
• National Commission for Women (May 2005). Report of the National Workshop and Public Hearing on "Women's Right to Adequate Housing, Land and Livelihood". http://www.escr-net.org/WorkingGroupDocs/allahabad_report.pdf. ^{[dead link]}
• Simon Charsley, University of Glasgow, I. Narasaiah, University of Hyderabad. "Jamba Puranam: a preliminary reading of a published ‘caste myth’". Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences, University of Glasgow, England. http://www.gla.ac.uk/sociology/units/anthrop/dalit/jamba_puranam.htm. ^{[dead link]}
• Sowmya Kerbart Sivakumar, Smt. (Dec 18 – 31, 2004). "A battle for information". Frontline 21 (26). http://www.flonnet.com/fl2126/stories/20041231002009600.htm. 
• Victor Premasagar (2002). Interpretive Diary of a Bishop - Indian Experience in Translation and Interpretation of Some Biblical Passages. http://www.mergingcurrents.com/book.php?BookSKU=2928. ^{[dead link]}
• Prabhakar M.E. (1995). ""Dalit Education and Youth," in Bhagwan Das and James Massey, eds". ISPCK. http://www.saxakali.com/southasia/bibliography1.htm. ^{[dead link]}
• Massey, James (1997). Down Trodden: The Struggle of India’s Dalits for Identity, Solidarity and Liberation. http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1121. 
• Massey, James (1995). Dalits in India: Religion as a Source of Bondage or Liberation with Special Reference to Christians. http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1121.