UK
Supreme Court set to rule on Home Secretary Suella Braverman's Rwanda deportation plan

Tristan Kirk
Thu, 9 November 2023 

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been told that creating safe routes for refugees and dealing with a backlog in migrant claims is ‘worth dreaming about’ 

(Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

Judgement Day for the government’s controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda has been set for Wednesday next week. The Supreme Court is set to rule on the lawfulness of the Home Office policy, either killing off the idea in its current guise or paving the way for the first flights to the east African nation.

The decision will be a crucial moment for Rishi Sunak’s government in its pursue of its “Stop the Boats” pledge, having gambled that shipping asylum seekers to Rwanda would deter others from making the journey to the UK.

It has also been made a personal crusade by embattled Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who has championed the policy and said it is her “dream” to see the flights taking off. In June, the Court of Appeal ruled that the policy is unlawful, in a split decision with former Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett of Maldon siding with the Home Office.

Five justices at the Supreme Court heard the Home Secretary’s appeal and are due to give their decision on Wednesday morning.The Illegal Migration Act brought into law the Government’s policy of sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda.However, the policy announced in April 2022 has been held up in the courts, with no deportation flights having taken place.Speaking to Sky News during a visit to the island of Samos in the Aegean Sea on November 4, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said it was “impossible to give a specific timeline” on when deportation flights could take off should judges give the Rwanda plan the green light.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has set stopping small boats of asylum seekers from arriving in Britain as one of his five pledges to the electorate.But since the year started, almost 26,700 migrants have arrived via the English Channel, according to UK Government figures from earlier this month.During the three-day Supreme Court hearing, Sir James Eadie KC, for the Home Office, said the policy to remove people to “a country less attractive” than the UK, “but nevertheless safe”, is lawful.The Government has previously argued that a memorandum of understanding agreed between the two countries provides assurances that ensure everyone sent there will have a “safe and effective” refugee status determination procedure.However, Raza Husain KC, for several of the asylum seekers at risk of deportation to Rwanda,later described the country’s asylum system as “woefully deficient… marked by acute unfairness and arbitrariness”.The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, intervened in the Supreme Court hearing, with its barrister Angus McCullough KC telling the court the assurances were “no sufficient answer” to “basic and fundamental defects” in the Rwandan system.Lords Reed, Hodge, Lloyd-Jones, Briggs and Sales are set to hand down their ruling in a short televised hearing.

UK
Latest polling: Labour set to win biggest ever majority

The latest opinion poll by Survation indicates that if a general election were called tomorrow then Labour would be set to win a record 431 seats with nine cabinet members losing their seats

 by David Sefton
2023-11-12 


The latest opinion poll released by Survation and carried out on behalf of the UK Spirits Alliance indicates that if a general election were called tomorrow then Labour would be set to win a record 431 seats, with the Tories reduced from the 365 seats they won in 2019 to a mere 156 seats. That is a majority of 212 seats for Labour.

That result would surpass even Tony Blair’s landslide election victories in 2001 and 2005, where Labour won 418 and 412 seats respectively.

Survation’s poll recorded Labour support at 46% ahead of the Tories on 29%. Importantly, despite the Tories attempt to introduce divisive culture wars to shore up their vote, the issues listed as most important among voters were the cost of living, health and the NHS, and the economy.

It is a timely echo of President Clinton’s famous comment on what determines elections: “it’s the economy, stupid”. After 13 years which represent a nadir of both government competence and economic performance in the U.K. it is not a surprise that the swing is on.

Even worse news for the Tories is that seat by seat analysis by Survation shows all of the red wall seats in the North being regained by Labour and nine cabinet ministers losing their seats, including Penny Mordaunt (leader of the House of Commons), Grant Schapps (Defence), Mark Harper (Transport), Mel Stride (work and pensions), Alex Chalk (Justice) Simon Hart (Chief Whip), David TC Davis (Welsh Secretary), Victoria Prentis (Attorney General) and Greg Hands (Party Chairman).

Suella Braverman keeps her seat, presumably so she can become Tory leader, at least for a while until Nigel Farage bags a safe seat in a by-election and replaces her.

Demonstrators in Sweden rally in support of Palestinians

Protestors criticised Swedish government's support to Israel, accusing it of complicity in Israel's war crimes

Atila Altuntas |12.11.2023 -

Thousands of people gather at the Odenplan plaza to demonstrate the bombings in Gaza as they chant slogans and hold Palestinian flags in Stockholm, Sweden on November 5, 2023.

 ( Atila Altuntas - Anadolu Agency 

STOCKHOLM

A large number of people in Stockholm took to the streets to show solidarity with Palestine on Sunday.

The protestors gathered near the Swedish parliament to protest Israel's attacks on Gaza and to support Palestine.

They chanted "Freedom for Palestine" and carried banners drawing attention to the killing of thousands of children in Gaza.

They also backlashed the Swedish government's support for Israel, accusing the government of complicity in Israel's war crimes.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip -- including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship -- since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

The number of deaths in the ongoing Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has surpassed the grim figure of 11,100, including more than 8,000 children and women, the government media office in Gaza said on Sunday.

The Israeli death toll is more than 1,400, according to official figures.

'Freedom for Palestine' rally held in Cologne, Germany

Protestors say Palestinian people have been subjected to 'persecution' for years

Mesut Zeyrek |12.11.2023 

People take part in a pro-Palestine demonstration in Heumarkt Square of Germany's Cologne on November 01, 2023. ( Mesut Zeyrek - Anadolu Agency )

COLOGNE

Freedom for Palestine rally held in Cologne, Germany, in solidarity with the Palestinian people on Sunday.

Participants gathered at the square between the historic Cologne Cathedral and the train station carried Palestinian flags and banners with messages criticizing Israel.

The rally was attended by citizens of different countries as well as Turkish people.

In the speeches made during the demonstration, the "persecution" that the Palestinian people have been subjected to for years was underlined, and the attitude of the Israeli government was criticized.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip -- including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship -- since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

The number of deaths in the ongoing Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has surpassed the grim figure of 11,100, including more than 8,000 children and women, the government media office in Gaza said on Sunday.

The Israeli death toll is nearly 1,600, according to official figures.

Greeks protest relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza, express solidarity with Palestinians

Palestinian flags displayed by participants, spectators during 40th Athens Maraton

Ahmet Gencturk |12.11.2023 

People gather as they carry Palestinian flags stage a demonstration in support of Palestinians during Athens Classic Marathon in Athens, Greece on November 12, 2023. ( Costas Baltas - Anadolu Agency )

ATHENS

The Greeks protested on Sunday the relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza and expressed solidarity with Palestinians.

Hundreds of spectators, who gathered at the Panathenaic Stadium in central Athens on the occasion of the 40th Athens Marathon opened Palestinian flags and chanted pro-Palestinian slogans.

Some participants of the marathon also displayed smaller size Palestinian flags to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, as reported by the Greek Communist Party’s (KKE) news outlet 902.gr, hundreds of people rallied around Souda Bay in Greece, used by the US Navy and Air Forces, to protest the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the NATO and US polices in the conflict.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip -- including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship -- since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.
The number of deaths in the ongoing Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has surpassed the grim figure of 11,100, including more than 8,000 children and women, the government media office in Gaza said on Sunday.

The Israeli death toll is more than 1,400, according to official figures.

Ripple CEO States Why US Financial Institutions Have Not Started Using XRP Despite Legal Victory

By Adedoyin Aka

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently shed light on the underlying factors that have led to the reluctance of US banking institutions to fully adopt cryptocurrencies, particularly XRP, despite Ripple’s significant legal victory against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Speaking at the DC Fintech Week conference, Garlinghouse emphasized that US banks remain cautious about engaging with digital assets due to the broader governmental stance towards the crypto industry.

He specifically pointed to the prevailing hostility from authorities, including the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), which has made banks hesitant to embrace crypto despite Ripple’s legal success.

Read Also: Brad Garlinghouse Recent Teaser for Ripple Swell Sparks Curiosity Within XRP Community

Governmental Hostility Hinders Meaningful Engagement

Garlinghouse highlighted the concerns raised by banks, stating, “Even though you won the case, the United States government is still hostile towards crypto. The OCC is hostile towards crypto.” This sentiment has resulted in a lack of meaningful engagement by US banks in the crypto space, as they remain skeptical of the regulatory environment.

Expressing his concerns, Garlinghouse highlighted the potential consequences of the United States failing to provide a conducive regulatory environment for the crypto industry.

He pointed to other countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, which are actively advancing their market share by adopting clear policies and attracting significant crypto-related investments.

“I don’t think the window has passed for the US to be a leader. But I think every day that goes by, these other markets, they want the entrepreneurs there, they want growth,” Garlinghouse cautioned.

Ripple’s Strategic Focus Shifts Outside the US

Despite the challenges faced in the US, Garlinghouse expressed optimism about establishing a beneficial regulatory framework for crypto within the next decade. In the meantime, Ripple intends to redirect its growth efforts outside the United States, where the operational environment is more favorable and supportive.

“Why would I want to hire more and more people in the United States when the US is making it hostile for me to operate here?” Garlinghouse questioned.

Read Also: Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Takes Photo Outside SEC Building

Yassin Mobarak, founder of Dizercapital, echoed Garlinghouse’s sentiment, suggesting that widespread crypto adoption may not occur under the current US administration.

Mobarak believes that a different administration in the White House may be necessary to witness substantial adoption of XRP and cryptocurrencies as a whole within the United States.

Clear and Supportive Regulation Crucial for Crypto Growth

Garlinghouse’s comments underline the critical importance of clear and supportive regulation for the growth and adoption of cryptocurrencies.

The United States has a unique opportunity to position itself as a leader in the global crypto economy. However, to achieve this, it must provide the industry with the much-needed clarity and regulatory certainty it requires to thrive.

Russia Turns Out For Dubai Airshow: Here Are The Aircraft It’s Bringing

BY VYTE KLISAUSKAITE

The Dubai Airshow 2023 is among the few international shows still open to the Russian aviation industry.

SUMMARY

Russia's aviation industry is participating in the Dubai Airshow 2023.

Rostec plans to showcase over 200 products, including military, dual-use, and civilian aircraft.

The lineup includes the Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A, Kamov Ka-52, Ka-32A11M firefighting helicopter, and Mi-171A3 among other aircraft.


Russia has unveiled its lineup of aircraft set to take the spotlight at this year's Dubai Airshow. The Dubai Airshow 2023 is among the few international shows still open to the Russian aviation industry, despite the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent sanctions imposed by the West.

Rostec, the major state corporation overseeing Russian aviation, plans to exhibit over 200 products—ranging from military and dual-use to civilian aircraft—at the Dubai Airshow 2023. Organized by the Rosoboronexport arms export agency, the Russian pavilion in Dubai will showcase aircraft from various entities, including the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), Russian Helicopters, and Ruselectronics, among other companies under Rostec.

Photo: Arnold O. A. Pinto | Shutterstock

Commenting on the participation, Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of the Rostec State Corporation, said:

"Dubai Airshow is one of the main international exhibitions for Rostec, where we traditionally demonstrate the achievements of the domestic aviation industry. Participation in the event gives us a valuable opportunity to directly interact with potential partners and clients from the Middle East."
Military aircraft in the spotlight

This year, Russia will place a greater emphasis on showcasing its defense aviation capabilities. Taking center stage in the Russian aircraft lineup is Rostec's domestically manufactured heavy transport aircraft, the Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A (E). According to Rostec, Russia has not presented this class of aircraft internationally since 1994. In the statement, Artyakov said:


“This year at the event we will present a number of new products, one of which will be truly large-scale. We are talking about the Il-76MD-90A(E) heavy transport aircraft, which will certainly attract the attention of visitors.”



The four-engined Il-76MD-90A, manufactured by the United Aircraft Corporation, signifies a major modernization of the earlier Il-76MD aircraft, with over 70% of its systems and components upgraded. The upgrades include the installation of more powerful Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 engines. Furthermore, the manufacturer modernized the aircraft's chassis, reinforced the wings, and equipped it with a glass cockpit.

READ MORE:Russian Airlines Have Imported Over $1 Billion In Parts For Airbus & Boeing Aircraft Since May 2022

When it comes to its defense lineup, Russia will demonstrate its Kamov Ka-52 combat reconnaissance and attack helicopter in a flying display.

Photo: Andrey Kryuchenko | Shutterstock

Alongside heavy transport and defense aircraft, Russia is set to unveil the Ka-32A11M firefighting helicopter for the first time on the international stage. The helicopter is equipped with the latest domestic fire extinguishing system and is able to be filled with four tons of water in less than a minute.

Participants will also be able to get acquainted with Russia's Mi-171A3 helicopter, designed to support the offshore energy industry. Alongside Mi-171A3, Russia will demonstrate the ambulance version of the Ansat light helicopter.

The Dubai Airshow, held biennially, stands as one of the world’s largest aerospace exhibitions. Russia has been an active participant since 1993. This year, the Dubai Airshow will feature 20 national pavilions showcasing over 180 aircraft. Dubai Airshow 2023 will run from November 13 through 17.

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Caribbean sales slump rocks Diageo: Shares in biggest fall since 1987Drinks giant said sales in region to fall by 20% in six months to end of December

Bruising setback for new boss Debra Crew

Diageo expects profits over period to rise by less than previously anticipated

By HUGO DUNCAN
11 November 2023


Diageo shares suffered the biggest fall for nearly 40 years after it warned tumbling sales of Scotch whisky in Latin America and the Caribbean will hit profits.

In a bruising setback for new boss Debra Crew, the drinks giant, behind brands including Johnnie Walker and Guinness, said sales in the region are set to fall by more than 20 per cent in the six months to the end of December.

As a result, it expects profits over the period to rise by less than previously anticipated.



Struggle: The drinks giant, behind brands including Johnnie Walker and Guinness, said sales in the region are set to fall by more than 20 per cent

The unscheduled update sent Diageo down as much as 16 per cent – the biggest one-day drop since 1987 – before the stock closed down 12.2 per cent, or 395p, at 2850p.

The rout wiped nearly £9billion off the group's value, leaving it worth £64billion.

Sophie Lund-Yates, an analyst at broker Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Diageo has long been a favoured steady-Eddie thanks to its seemingly impenetrable brand power and dividend paying ability, and there will now be concerns that the change in appetites could translate to other, larger markets.'

Diageo, whose brands also include Smirnoff, Don Julio, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and Baileys, sells drinks all over the world with Latin America and Caribbean accounting for 11 per cent of its business.

Brazil and Mexico are its biggest markets in the region followed by Central America and the Caribbean.

Business there was boosted last year by booming demand for Scotch, including Johnnie Walker Black Label and Johnnie Walker Red Label, as well as Don Julio tequila and Smirnoff vodka.



Diageo also owns Grand Old Parr, Colombia's number one whisky brand, Cacique, the leading rum in Venezuela, and Ypioca, a traditional Brazilian spirit called cachaca.

But business has been hit by economic woes in the region with drinkers trading down to cheaper brands. 'Macroeconomic pressures have worsened and that caused lower consumption and really more consumer downtrading than what the team was expecting,' said Crew, a former US army captain who succeeded Sir Ivan Menezes as chief executive of Diageo when he died in June.

While its other four trading regions – North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa – continue to trade well, Crew said there has been a slowdown in the Middle East due to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Crew said: We have seen an impact since the tensions and it is weighing on consumer sentiment a little bit more broadly, but this has just been the last few weeks.'

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'It's a rarity to see Diageo issue bad news, yet no business is immune to setbacks and the drinks giant has confirmed that life is not going well.'

He added: 'The idea that luxury goods companies are immune to an economic downturn isn't stacking up.

THEY FINALLY ADMIT IT
Israeli minister describes situation in Gaza as 'Nakba 2023'

'We are now rolling out the Gaza Nakba,' Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, member of right-wing Likud party, tells Israeli media

Abdel Raouf Arnaout and Samar L. Kasim |12.11.2023 - 

Palestinians including injured people leave their homes to escape Israel's bombardments to reach southern part of the city in Gaza City, Gaza on November 11, 2023.

 ( Belal Khaled - Anadolu Agency )


JERUSALEM

Israeli Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter described the displacement of large numbers of Palestinians from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip as the "Gaza Nakba 2023."

"We are now rolling out the Gaza Nakba." Dichter, a member of the right-wing Likud party, told Israeli Channel 12 on Saturday evening.

He added: "From an operational point of view, there is no way to wage a war – as the Israeli army seeks to do in Gaza – with masses between the tanks and the soldiers."

When asked about comparing the situation in Gaza to the Nakba, Dichter said again: "Gaza Nakba 2023. That’s how it’ll end."

He added, "I do not know how the war will end. Gaza City occupies a third of the Strip's area and contains half of the Strip's population, but this is only a third of the Strip, and there are the other two-thirds of the Gaza Strip and six refugee camps."

Palestinians use the word "Nakba" in reference to the events of 1948, when armed Zionist militias forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to leave their homes and villages under the pressure of bombing and mass massacres in the historical lands of Palestine, pushing them further into the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and neighboring countries, in a major ethnical cleansing move prior to the announcement of the independence of Israel.

Following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is "at war," calling the Israeli war on Gaza a "second war of independence."

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a press conference on Saturday evening that tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced in recent days from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip.

For more than a month, the Israeli army has been attacking all parts of the Gaza Strip, while its ground operation focuses on isolating the north of the Strip and establishing a heavy military presence.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip -- including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship -- since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

The number of deaths in the ongoing Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has surpassed the grim figure of 11,100, including more than 8,000 children and women, the government media office in Gaza said on Sunday.

The Israeli death toll is nearly 1,200, according to official figures.

At least 40 Indian workers trapped in tunnel collapse

Published: 12 Nov 2023 

AFP

Dehradun, India: At least 40 construction workers were trapped Sunday after the road tunnel they were building collapsed in northern India, with rescuers scrambling to reach them beneath piles of debris.

The collapse occurred early Sunday morning in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand when a group of workers were moving out and replacement workers were going in.

"About 200 metres (218 yards) of the tunnel have collapsed," Durgesh Rathodi, a state disaster response official, told AFP from the site.

"About 40 to 41 workers are trapped inside. Oxygen is being supplied through the debris, but more rubble is coming down as rescuers try to remove the obstruction."

The 4.5-kilometre (2.7-mile) tunnel is being constructed between Silkyara and Dandalgaon to connect two of the holiest Hindu shrines of Uttarkashi and Yamnotri.

Photographs released by the government rescue teams showed huge piles of concrete blocking the wide tunnel, with twisted metal bars on its broken roof poking down in front of the rubble.

"Pray to god that those workers trapped inside the tunnel are brought out safely," Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami wrote on social media platform X.

A local police officer told the Press Trust of India news agency they were "very optimistic" the men would be rescued safely, but added it was "difficult to say how long it will take".

The tunnel is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's favourite Char Dham Road Project meant to improve connectivity for some of the most popular Hindu shrines in the country, as well as areas bordering China.

Accidents on large infrastructure construction sites are common in India.

In January, at least 200 people were killed in flash floods in ecologically fragile Uttarakhand in a disaster that experts partly blamed on excessive development.

 

ILO Report Highlights Global Occupational Gender Disparities, Senior Management Gender Gap

Newsclick Report | 10 Nov 2023

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“Notably, only about one-fifth of managing directors and chief executives are women. These findings reflect not just a gap in numbers but, more importantly, in opportunities, empowerment, and perceptions,” said the report.

The recent insights from the new ILO database Worker and Sector Profiles have revealed that traditional gender roles continue to exert a profound influence on occupational distributions with only 36% of senior and middle management roles held by women.

The analysis of gender dynamics in the global workforce has shed light on prevailing challenges and progress in achieving workplace equality.

On the brighter side, however, the analysis reported that in the traditionally male-dominated STEM occupations, marked progress was discernible, with two in five STEM workers globally now being women.

The ILO report confirmed the influence of gender roles on occupational distributions, as evidenced by high female representation, exceeding 90%, in roles such as nursing, childcare, teaching, and clerical positions. Conversely, sectors involving high-risk occupations, including locomotive engine driving, heavy machinery operations, and ship deck crews, remained bereft of female representation. The gendered nature of certain industries, exemplified by male dominance in mining, quarrying, and construction, persisted, while a more balanced gender distribution was observed in retail, said the report.

It read: “The stubborn gendered nature of care work has had severe implications for women’s labour market outcomes, economic independence, and broader gender equality. As the global demand for care increases due to factors like changing family structures, population ageing, and climate change, there is an urgent need for adequate and gender-transformative care policies to address the growing care demands and to mitigate constraints on women’s labour force participation and equal representation in society and decision-making. Failure to address these evolving needs might further accentuate gender inequalities in the workforce and place an additional burden on the already strained care workers, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

On the other hand, the paradigm shift in the traditionally male-dominated STEM occupations has been led by countries such as Mongolia, Belarus, and Lesotho, where women constitute more than half of STEM employment.

However, formidable challenges persist in the advancement of women's careers with only 36% of senior and middle management roles being held by women, exposing a significant void in professional opportunities.

The report added, “Furthermore, women predominantly hold management roles in areas traditionally viewed as female-centric. For example, 89% of childcare service managers and 78% of aged care service managers are women. Conversely, a mere 1% of mining managers are women, unsurprisingly given the mining sector is male-dominated.”

Gender representation was more balanced in public relations, human resources, finance, and business services, where women held almost half of these managerial positions. “Notably, only about one-fifth of managing directors and chief executives are women. These findings reflect not just a gap in numbers but, more importantly, in opportunities, empowerment, and perceptions,” said the report.

“Navigating the global gender dynamics in the workforce reveals both progress and challenges. Professor Claudia Goldin’s Nobel recognition emphasized the importance of women’s roles in labour markets. From our exploration of occupational and sectoral trends, the narrative is clear: there are fields where women lead, areas where they’re just stepping in, and somewhere they’re still largely absent. Remarkably, traditional views and patterns persist, with limited signs of change – be it in STEM occupations or managerial positions. As we navigate towards a more equitable future, it’s vital to keep the dialogue alive, challenge norms, and most importantly, celebrate every stride towards gender parity. Every figure, every statistic, and every story holds the potential to inspire change and set new milestones in our collective pursuit of equality,” the report concluded.

INDIA

Looking at Scavenging Communities Through Ambedkar’s Lens

Raj Valmiki | 09 Nov 2023

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A book review of ‘Outcasts of the Margins: Exclusion and Discrimination of Scavenging Communities in Education’.

Exclusion and discrimination are widely discussed topics in the field of social science. Many books and articles have been written on the subject. However, most of these studies are based on either Marxian or Gandhian perspectives. There is a lack of research on discrimination and exclusion from the perspective of Dr B R Ambedkar.

Ratnesh Katulkar's recent book, Outcasts of the Margins: Exclusion and Discrimination of Scavenging Communities in Education, attempts to fill this gap. The author has used Ambedkar's writings to deal with the issue of exclusion and discrimination of scavenging communities in education in a concise manner. It is observed that Ambedkar, in academics as well as in general writings, is restricted to mainstream dalit problems, while his thoughts and ideas on extreme vulnerable sections often remain under the carpet. An exception is his much-referred quote: “In India, a man is not a scavenger because of his work. He is a scavenger because of his birth, irrespective of the question of whether he does scavenging or not”. This book not only incorporates Ambedkar's quotes in almost every chapter but also presents it through Ambedkar's perspective.

This book is based on the insights gathered through an empirical study undertaken by the author in Indian Social Institute from 2014 to 2019, to gather evidence of discrimination in education, the causes and consequences on the attainment of education of children from households engaged in a range of occupations considered ‘unclean’.

Over more than six years, Katulkar was in direct contact with the scavenging and allied communities across the states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, and was indirectly associated with communities in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh through field investigators and research partners.

Combining the methodology of sociology and history, the book explores the roots of exclusion and discrimination faced by the scavenging communities in India. It draws on both historical writings and contemporary literature on the subject to provide a comprehensive analysis.

The role of dominant religious and social ideologies in the marginalisation and exclusion of Dalits in ancient India is discussed, as well as the subsequent role of Buddhism, Islam and Christianity in propagating mass education.

The book also critiques the British education system, which was initially inclined toward sustaining Brahmanic hegemony. The author argues that Macaulay's Minute speech, despite being praised by present-day dalit intellectuals, reflects only the arguments of contemporary progressive Brahmins and fails to insist on mass education or inclusive policies. The policy was based on the 'downward filtration theory,' which aimed to educate a few persons from the upper and middle classes, resulting in keeping marginal communities away from the education system.

Moving to the present time, this book attempts to understand the life of a poor dalit in educational institutes and the broader society and to expose the practices and socio-cultural pre-conditions of society that keep scavenging and allied communities in the trap of occupational immobility. It explores the processes that have created and fostered vulnerability and marginality for a section of society.

The cases of the hard practice of discrimination, such as denying school admission, harsh punishments and forcing scavenging students to clean toilets, and discrimination in mid-day meals and other activities which often appears in media reports, is also depicted.

But, some of the unique cases of soft form of discrimination, for instance, in some cases, the forward caste students visit the homes of their scavenging community friends and accept water and food in their homes without hesitation. On the face of it, there seems to be no existence of purity-pollution customs among them. Yet, this relationship has strict limitations and self-defined rules. In such cases, it is always the entitlement of forward caste friends to visit their scavenging community friends but never vice-versa. The poor dalit friend simply cannot visit the homes of their forward caste counterpart.

Such a practice shows that among the younger generation in some instances, caste may not matter much but its sanctity continues to hold at a broader level. It is noticed that such inter-caste-friendly relations are confined to males; no case of fraternity between forward-caste girls and scavenging girls was found in the field study.

Another aspect that makes this book different is that, unlike in research papers, it does not study the scavenging community in isolation, but attempts to understand its problems as situated in the wider caste system.

The castes engaged in the lowest ladder of the hierarchy are thus bound to be the victims of discrimination even by the castes that are a little higher in the caste hierarchy. For instance, the castes such as Chamar, Dusadh and Mahar treat the castes such as Valmiki, Bhangi, and Mehtar as lower to them, and there are instances of untouchability practised against them.

Such treatment of the castes engaged in scavenging rightly resulted in the coining of a new phrase ‘dalits within dalits’. Yet, one striking feature of the discrimination is that there is not a single case of mass clashes between two dalit castes which, on the contrary, is common between dominant castes and dalits.

There is an exclusive chapter on the problems of women and girls who face triple discrimination due to their caste, class as well as gender. In many parts of India, girls from the scavenging communities are being admitted to schools. But they are also burdened with the responsibilities of the family. In this tussle, education becomes secondary while household responsibilities become their main liability. It is known that the work participation rate of women in sanitation work is quite high. Therefore, the responsibility of taking care of younger siblings, in most cases, becomes the prime responsibility of the elder daughter. In the case of a newborn, the responsibility becomes her burden. In the beginning, the elder daughter tries to manage the responsibilities with the discontinuation of her classes and attempts to manage both school and household chores. Soon, however, caring for the newborn sibling becomes her full-fledged responsibility. With continued absence from school, this eventually leads to her dropping out of school. 

The last part of the book critiques the existing policies and programmes of the government and suggests an alternative approach. The focus of the book is on exclusion in education, yet education is not looked at in isolation but in conjunction with larger systemic factors that are beyond the control of students but affect their educational prospects greatly.

The life of scavenging community students is challenging on campus. The multiple layers of discrimination and exclusion alongwith poverty and lack of a support system, create so many hurdles that very few of them manage to fight and continue their education. A large chunk of such students is bound to discontinue their education, mainly middle school onward. School education has failed to address issues of self-worth, dignity and livelihoods and, therefore, has undermined students’ confidence in education as a vehicle for social mobility. 

Overall, this book is a complete elaboration of the problems of scavenging communities in accessing education. This is a must-read not only for academicians and policymakers but also for laypersons who wanted to understand the hidden reality of society. 

Title: Outcasts on the Margins: Exclusion and Discrimination of Scavenging Communities in Education by Ratnesh Katulkar. Published by GenNext Publication. Paperback ‏224 pages.

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