The Hindu : National : Taking caste issue to U.S. panel defended

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2005

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National

Taking caste issue to U.S. panel defended

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Kancha Ilaiah, noted writer on Dalit issues, has defended his act of highlighting caste and untouchability issues as human rights violations in India, at the U.S. House Committee on International Relations.

Also a spokesman of the Dalit Freedom Network (DFN), Prof. Ilaiah told presspersons here on Tuesday that the objective was to make the oppression of millions of people in the country on account of caste and untouchability a global issue. These lower castes had no share in the massively globalised economy and the DFN wanted the problem of the caste system and its economic implications "registered in the minds" of the American ruling class and civil society.

Prof. Ilaiah had testified before the panel's sub committee on Africa, global human rights and international operations headed by Senator Christopher Smith on October 6. This was along with Joseph D' Souza, president of DFN; Udit Raj of All India SC, ST Employees Federation; and Indira Athwale of the University of Pune.

The writer said the DFN wanted to impress upon the U.S. Government and industry there that the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes should get reservation in U.S. companies and collaborative companies set up in India.

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