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Science Matters by Anne Ying Der
 The
rights and well-being of India’s most disenfranchised strata
of society will be addressed at the International Dalit Conference,
2003, A Vision for the 21st Century, to be held in Vancouver this
month (16-18).
Dalit is the term preferred by India’s ex-Untouchables and refers
to a pan-Indian category that includes the scheduled castes and scheduled
tribes that, historically, occupied the lowest stratum of Indian society.
Untouchability was banned by the Indian constitution of 1949, however
prejudice and discrimination remains.
Several hundred international delegates have registered for the conference
and the former president of India, K.R. Narayanan, a Dalit himself,
has accepted an invitation to attend.
K.P. Singh the chair of the organising committee said, at a recent
press conference, the Government of India Planning Commission - which
is responsible for economic planning - is dominated by caste Hindus
who are not qualified to represent the more than 250 million Dalits
living in India today.
Singh a professor of South Asian studies at the University of Washington
said the conference will bring together Dalits from around the world
to draft their own Dalit economic plan to present to the Indian government.
The conference will also mobilize an international lobby to pressure
multinational companies operating in India to reserve 30 percent of
their jobs for Dalits, he said.
In the United States the fast food giant McDonald’s has a practice
of hiring 37 percent visible minorities, Singh said. Therefore McDonald’s
in India should follow the same standard by hiring 37 percent Dalits,
he continued.
Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC are also expanding into India and they
should reserve at least 30 percent of jobs for Dalits, he said.
Affirmative action in the food industry is a potent symbol of economic
inclusion for Dalits, who were historically banned from sharing food
and drink with caste Hindus. Many Fortune 500 companies have started
investing in India and all of these companies are targets for affirmative
action, Singh said.
Babasaheb Ambedkar a movie on the life of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
will be shown at Pacific Cinematheque on May 16 and 18.
On May 18 the noted Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans will lead the congregation
at Shri Guru Ravidass Temple, in Burnaby, in the singing of shabads
traditional religious songs.
Following this there will a session on Vision for Community Development
at the temple. In the evening there will be a celebration and conference
reception followed by a grand dinner with a live musical performance
by Hans Raj Hans at the Plaza of Nations in Vancouver. Invitations
are extended to the general public for this grand reception.
Call 604-250-5143. More details at www.dalitconference.com.
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