The Southasian supports a request for support for a Dalit Sikh laborer who was beaten up for filing cases against landlords who raped his daughter. His limbs had to be amputated and now funds are being sought for artificial limbs.

Please look at the following appeal we have received from the Forum for Democrative Initiatives in New Delhi. It reminds us of the courageous man Bant Singh, a Dalit and an activist for the Agricultural Labourers Association in Punjab. Back in July 2002 his daughter Baljit Kaur was gang-raped. Bant Singh and his daughter Baljit decided to decided to wage a struggle against the rapists. For a whole month the police would not even file a case; the village panchayat (council) dominated by powerful upper-caste locals put pressures on the father and the daughter, not to press for legal cases. They persevered. Ultimately they won the legal battle. The rapists were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

But the village powerfuls didn't leave Bant Singh alone. Three times he was assaulted by their hit-men, in August 2005, December 2005, and on January 5, 2006. The last one was a deadly one. Both his arms and one leg had to be amputated. But Bant Singh is holding out. "They have taken away my limbs, not my spirit and not my voice". He still holds rallies and sings peoples songs.

For details on the incident, petition and protests, newspaper reports following it, please see

www.punjabdalitsolidarity.blogspot.com

Holding on to his spirit of justice Bant Singh continues to courageously act. Amrita Dhaliwal reported for Tribune News Service, Chandigarh, on March 3^rd at a massive rally, organised by the Bant Singh Jabar Kand Virodhi Action Committee, “They cannot cut through my spirit till I am alive,” stated Bant Singh. The rally was attended by thousands of workers from all over Punjab in support of Bant Singh and his crusade. “My limbs have been cut, but not my tongue and till I am alive, I will fight for the cause of the poor,” he stated.

Talking to TNS, he said while earlier his fight was only for his family and daughter, now he was fighting for his fellow brothers. “I will now work for my fellow brothers till I live,” he stated. Not concerned about the compensation given out by the government he said, he would not rest till the guilty were punished. “They can take back their money, the compensation I want is justice,” he said.

Bant Singh, farm worker, was brutally attacked in January by seven armed men for avenging a legal battle fought by Bant Singh against certain influential persons from Jat families. Bant Singh lost both his arms and one leg in the incident. The incident was in retaliation against the conviction of those who are guilty of rape of his daughter.

The rally saw workers raising slogans against the Punjab Government for not fulfilling the demands made by the Bant Singh Jabbar Kand Virodhi Action Committee constituted by 14 organisations of agricultural labourers, industrial workers, brick-kiln workers, etc.

The members of the organisation demanded the fulfilment of their demands, which included a job for victim’s wife, allowance for his minor children, Rs 1 lakh compensation for his daughter, action against the corrupt doctor of Civil Hospital, Mansa, and SHO, Joga police station, the arrest of sarpanch Jaswant Singh for hatching the conspiracy.

The speakers also used the opportunity to stress the problems of dalits and poor peasants. They demanded that the living standard of the rural poor be improved and they should be guaranteed eight hours working day and adequate minimum wages.

The rally was addressed by among others by Mr Tarsem Jodhan (Lal Jhanda Bhatha Majdoor Union), Mr Bhagwant Singh Smaon (Majdoor Mukti Morcha), Mr Malkiat Singh (All India Centre of Trade Unions), Mr Lachman SeveWala (Punjab Khet Majdoor Union), Mr. Sukhdarshan Nat (AICCTU), Kanwaljeet Singh (All India Centre of Trade Unions), Jai Singh (Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan) Mr Atma Singh Atma, TUC Mansa, Jora Singh Nasrali (All-India Kisan Co-ordination committee among others.

Similar protests were also held today at the outside the Indian High Commission, London, UK. The protests were held by the UK based organisations, including the South Asia Solidatory groups, Indian workers’ Association, Asian women United, Punjab Human rights groups. Apart from being endorsed by a number of UK-based organisations, the petition is online and has been signed by more than 600 individuals. They have sent a letter regarding the same to the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh.

St. Stephen's Hospital in Delhi is willing to medically rehabilitate Bant Singh, with artificial limbs. This needs big funds.

We urge you to salute this courageous and indomitable fighter by giving what you can. All the details are in the message below. There are pictures of him and also of his daughter, with her own statement, in the link above.

For more contacts: fdidelhi@gmail.com , fdi_delhi@yahoo.co.in

9868038981/ 9811625577 / 9910074470 / 9818416968/ 9818514952