Indian Dalits Join Together to Fight against Their Poverty
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New Delhi May 29, 2006: For the first time in the history of India, more than 5 million Musahars - the most disadvantaged section of India's Dalit Population in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal – are joining hands to wage struggles against their miserable conditions in Independent India. Their first ever Rashtriya Musahar Mahasammelan will be held in Padrona, Uttar Pradesh – Bihar Border on 1st June 2006. A joint effort of National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) and Musahar Vikas Pahal, this Rashtriya Musahar Mahasammelan will discuss and deliberate on the widely prevalent poverty, hunger, untouchability, lack of education, under nutrition, landlessness, shelter, child-maternal mortality and socio-economic-cultural and political empowerment of the Musahars. The Musahars will declare their long-term and immediate action plans. Mr. Ashok Bharti, himself a Dalits and National Coordinator of NACDOR, championing their cause at national and international level will preside over the Mahasammelan.
Most of the Musahars are poor, living below the poverty line. Their literacy is lowest in the country. They face untouchability at the hands of upper castes and middle castes and even within Dalit community. They are compelled to live in isolation without any shelter or home and face brutal repression from police and administration. National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) has decided to put its energy to ensure they are brought at par with the rest of the Dalit community. Lowest literacy of the Musahars is a major concern for NACDOR. NACDOR feel there is a need of mission on the education of the Musahars. If government does not come forward on this, then NACDOR would mobilise Dalits and their supporters to come forward to work towards the education of this community. Being poorest of the poor, Musahars survive on digging and earth work, which is being fast replaced by earth excavators and other machines. In agriculture, their work has already been taken over by the tractors and other agricultural implements. Whereas other Dalit communities are moving from their traditional occupation to more diversified livelihood, Musahars due to lack of education, exposure and community leadership are unable to find newer avenue for the development, resulting in deterioration of their socio-economic conditions. Poverty and illiteracy coupled with lack of community leadership is compounding their vulnerability. Child and Maternal mortality is dangerously high. Almost everyone of the Musahar community suffer from under-nutrition and anaemia. This Rashtriya Musahars Masammelan is likely to give Musahars a direction so that they take communitarian action to fight their poverty and launch their action plan against it. Source: National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) |
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