Macwan, Dalit rights activists light lamps, candles in memory of George Floyd

By A Representative
Even as Houston, US, said farewell to George Floyd in a rousing hometown funeral, with calls for justice for the 46-year-old Black man whose death ignited global protests against police brutality and racism, heeding to a call by senior Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, India’s human rights activists, too, lit candles and lamps in his honour to pay tribute to him.
Macwan, who is recipient of the prestigious Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Award in 2000, with the Human Rights Watch naming him one of the year's five "outstanding human rights defenders", lit candles and lamps with his colleagues at the Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK), which he founded in 1989 to impart employable skills and human rights awareness among underprivileged teenagers.
Earlier, in an open letter published in Counterview, Macwan said, “As Martin Luther King had said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’, we want to say that, Dalits, we can feel suffocation in India that the Blacks and the Coloured people do in US, as expressed in the final words of George Floyd, ‘We can’t breathe’.”

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Bihar’s land at ₹1 per acre for Adani sparks outrage, NAPM calls it crony capitalism

By A Representative The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has strongly condemned the Bihar government’s decision to lease 1,050 acres of land in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, to Adani Power for a 2,400 MW coal-based thermal power project.

An open letter to PM: Before you forgive, ask for forgiveness

By Martin Macwan* Respected Prime Minister, The first step toward true forgiveness is asking for it, and it is out of respect for the Constitution that the title "Honourable" is used for the office of the Prime Minister. Every abuse is "dirty" because almost all abuse is uttered with the conscious intention of publicly humiliating a woman, much like the disrobing of Draupadi in the royal court. This includes remarks like "Jersey Cow," used at public meetings on the Gujarati land of Gandhi and Sardar; comparing a female MP's laughter in India's Parliament to "Surpanakha's laugh"; and using a vulgar address like "Didi O Didi" for a Chief Minister who holds a respected position in a democracy—along with every other such remark. In the 79-year history of independent India, you are better placed than anyone to say which Prime Minister has used such language against women.

Women's groups, feminists hail wrestlers' courage, vow to continue fight after Brij Bhushan acquittal

By A Representative In a powerful show of solidarity, more than 250 prominent feminists and members of women's organisations across India have condemned the acquittal of former BJP MP and ex-Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the high-profile sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers. The signatories have expressed unwavering support for the wrestlers who have waged a courageous legal battle for justice against formidable odds.

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