Dalit_Bahujan_Shramik_Union

Dalit Bahujan Shramik Union

DalitBahujan Shramik Union (DBSU) is a Dalit-Bahujan community-based rights organisation in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, South India.

Words of Dr.Ambedkar

His words, "My Final words of advice to you is educate, agitate and organise; have faith in yourself. With justice on our side I do not see how we can lose our battle. For ours is a battle not for wealth or for power. It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of the human personality."

Dedication

to Andhra Pradesh's fifth Chief Minister Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah - Born on Valentine's Day in 1921, he was a brilliant student. He rose high in Congress Party to become its President (of AICC) and later the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh - all by sheer dint of hard work and personal efforts. He happened to be a Dalit.

to Sri Shyam Sundar, the forgotten leader of the Dalits patronized by the erstwhile Nizam's.

Local background

Andhra Pradesh is a southern state in India. Its capital city is Hyderabad. Like in other places in India, casteism is well-entrenched for deep behind the veil of this 'glorious' state lies the sham of caste bringing to fore all its dehumanizing forms. Untouchability is existent to this day at varying levels.

Politically speaking although there is reservation for the Dalits the contestants are at the mercy of the political party which sponsors them.

Organisational Background

DBSU was previously known as the Andhra Pradesh Dalit Bahujan Vyavasaya Vruthidharula Union (APDBVVU). It was a conglomeration of various Dalit-Bahujan owned and managed community-based organisations across Andhra Pradesh.

Vision

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.

About

DBSU works in 16 districts of Andhra Pradesh with 550,000 DB families who have established an efficient structure with equal participation of women, have ownership right to 25,000 acres (100 km²) of land and who have accessed government programmes and schemes, increased life security, protecting their rights and in panchayati raj have become a political decision making force, thus living with self 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 by at least one acre of land assigned with ownership rights and development.

Using the available Government schemes including Supreme Court directions on right to food, one lakh DB families assured of additional 100 days of employment per year with minimum wages.

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

In 16 districts DB are 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 networks with movements and other organizations, from mandal to state and national levels, influencing policies related to livelihoods, political rights, self-dignity and life security.

Slogans

Shrama madha panta madhe, bhoomi medha hakkula mave - The toil is ours the harvest is ours - the rights of the land are ours too - Sri N.Paul Diwakar?.

Administration

The DBSU is headed by a State Committee which operates through a General Secretary and an Organising Secretary who are elected for a term of two years.

Wings of DBSU

Community-based wings

Andhra Pradesh Differently-Abled Peoples Collective (APDAPC)
Andhra Pradesh Jogini Vyavastha Vyathirekha Porata Samithi (APJVVPS),

Safai Karmachari Andolan,

Resource-support wings

Bhavitha, , (education)
Chindu, , (cultural)

References

NotesFurther reading

Chandrakanth, W. (3 Sept 2004). "Crime against dalits on rise in State". The Hindu
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
Clarke, Sathianathan (1997). "Dalits and Christianity: Subaltern Religion and Liberation Theology". Oxford University Press, Delhi

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Diwakar, Paul "Interview with Paul Diwakar - The SC & ST Prevention of Atrocities Act is whitewashing continuing atrocities against Dalits". ambedkar.org
Kancha Ilaiah, Sri (Sept 2000). "Ambedkar, Hedgewar and Laxman". The Mail Archive
khojhyderabad.com "DBSU demand priority in land distribution".
National Commission for Women (2005). "Report of the National Workshop and Public Hearing on "Women's Right to Adequate Housing, Land and Livelihood"".

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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

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