Anna Bhau Sathe

Telangana CM has expressed a desire to see social reformer, writer, and folk poet Anna Bhau Sathe honoured with the prestigious Bharat Ratna award.

Who was Anna Bhau Sathe?

Anna Bhau Sathe, born Tukaram Bhaurao Sathe on August 1, 1920, in Maharashtra’s Wategaon village, emerged as a prominent figure in the field of literature, poetry, and social activism.

His journey from humble beginnings in a Dalit family to becoming a prolific writer and folk poet is a testament to his indomitable spirit and commitment to social reform.

Early Life and Struggles

Mumbai Sojourn: In 1930, Sathe’s family moved to Mumbai, where he worked as a porter, hawker, and cotton mill helper, enduring the hardships of working-class life.

Labour Activism: His participation in the 1934 workers’ strike, led by the Lal Bawta Mill Workers Union, marked the beginning of his engagement in labor and social issues.

Learning to Read and Write: Denied schooling due to his Dalit identity, Sathe joined labor study circles where he learned to read and write.

Evolution as a Writer

Early Poetry: His first poem, focusing on the menace of mosquitoes in the labour camp, laid the foundation for his future creative endeavours.

Cultural Group: Sathe formed the Dalit Yuvak Sangh, a cultural group that composed poems reflecting workers’ protests and agitations.

Influence of Progressive Writers: The Progressive Writers Association’s national formation, with writers like Premchand and Faiz Ahmad Faiz, exposed him to translated Russian works, inspiring him to write plays, stories, and novels.

Wide-ranging Impact of His Work

Spreading Awareness: Together with his group, Sathe travelled across Mumbai, raising awareness about workers’ rights and social issues.

Prolific Output: Over 49 years, he authored 32 novels, 13 collections of short stories, four plays, a travelogue, and 11 ballads (povadas).

Cinematic and International Recognition: Several of his works were adapted into films, and some were translated into other languages, including Russian. His “Bangalchi Hak” was presented at London’s Royal Theatre.

Depiction of Social Realities: Sathe’s literature delved into the caste and class realities of Indian society during his time.

Left-leaning Ideology and Russian Connection

Influence of Marxism: While influenced by Marxism, he also depicted the harsh realities of the caste system in his work.

The Lal Bawta Kala Pathak: In 1943, Sathe founded this group, which toured Maharashtra, performing programs on caste atrocities, class conflict, and workers’ rights.

Dedication to Dr. Ambedkar: His most famous novel, “Fakira,” was dedicated to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, reflecting his commitment to the Dalit cause.

Russian Inspiration

Maxim Gorky’s Influence: Often referred to as the “Maxim Gorky of Maharashtra,” Sathe drew inspiration from Gorky’s work “The Mother” and the Russian Revolution, evident in his writings.

Visit to Russia: In 1961, Sathe travelled to Russia with a group of other Indians, fostering his connection with Russian culture.

New GI Tags Awards

The Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai recently granted the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag to many distinctive products from across India.

GI Tags for Rajasthani Crafts

Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft: This traditional craft involves ornamenting weapons with intricate designs, gold and silver wire embedding, and polishing. The process results in exquisite and finely crafted metalware.

Bikaner Kashidakari Craft: Traditional craftspeople from the Meghwal community in Bikaner and nearby districts create this craft on cotton, silk, or velvet. The intricate fine stitches and mirror-work are mainly used for marriage-related objects and are believed to ward off the ‘evil eye.’

Jodhpur Bandhej Craft: Known for its vibrant and colorful appeal, Bandhej is an ancient Rajasthani art of tying and dyeing textiles. The fabrics, including muslin, silk, and voile, are tied with cotton thread before dyeing.

Bikaner Usta Kala Craft: Also known as gold nakashi or gold manauti work, this craft is characterized by the use of untreated raw camel hide. The skilled Dapgar community of leather craftspeople meticulously processes and molds the leather to create durable and golden-hued products.

Other GI Tagged Products

Jalesar Dhatu Shilp (Uttar Pradesh): This craft from Jalesar in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district involves making decorative metal craft and brassware, including ghungrus (anklets) and ghantis (bells). The Thatheras community, residing in the Hathuras locality, is responsible for creating these beautiful metal products.

Goa Mankurad Mango (Goa): Also known as malcorada, cardozomankurad, corado, and Goa mankur, this variety of mango was granted a GI tag. The All Goa Mango Growers Association filed the application for this mango, which holds historical significance with its Portuguese-inspired name.

Goan Bebinca (Goa): Known as the ‘queen of Goan desserts,’ Bebinca is a traditional Indo-Portuguese pudding. The All Goa Bakers and Confectioners Association filed the application for the GI tag.

Kanniyakumari Matti banana (TN): It is a banana variety grown in the Kanniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is known for its unique sweet taste and small size. It is cultivated in the southernmost part of India, and its retail market value has increased. The variety is in high demand, especially in the Thiruvananthapuram region of Kerala, where it is exported to Gulf countries. The banana is used in the making of “panchamirtham.”

Justice Rohini Panel on OBC Sub-Categorisation

The Justice G. Rohini-headed Commission for the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBC) caste groups on July 31 submitted its report on the issue to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

This is nearly 6 years after the Union government first assigned the task to it — a task that was initially meant to be finished in 12 weeks.

Who are the OBCs?

The Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are a group of socially and educationally disadvantaged castes in India.

They constitute a significant portion of the population and have been granted 27% reservation in jobs and education under the central government.

To ensure equitable distribution of benefits among all OBC communities, the idea of sub-categorization within the OBCs was proposed.

The Rohini Commission, established in 2017, was tasked with examining this issue.

Understanding Sub-Categorization

Concept: Sub-categorization aims to create sub-groups within the larger OBC community for the purpose of reservation, addressing the issue of some affluent communities securing a major share of the reservation benefits.

Legal Debate: The concept of sub-categorization has also been a subject of legal debate for other reservation categories, such as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs and STs).

Establishment of Rohini Commission

Purpose: The Rohini Commission was constituted on October 2, 2017, to examine the extent of inequitable distribution of reservation benefits among different OBC castes or communities.

Terms of Reference: Its primary terms of reference included evaluating the need for sub-categorization, working out a scientific approach for it, and identifying any discrepancies or errors in the Central List of OBCs.

Timeline and Progress

Timeframe: Initially given 12 weeks to submit its report, the Commission has since been granted 10 extensions.

Draft Report: The Commission was ready with a draft report on sub-categorization.

Data Challenges: One of the challenges faced was the lack of data for the population of various OBC communities, making it difficult to compare their representation in jobs and admissions.

Multiple Extensions: The Commission’s report was submitted on the last day of its functioning after it had received up to 14 extensions from the government in the last six years.

Reason for Delays: At first, the government said that the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down its working. However, after the second wave, the government has been saying that the Commission has been working on finalising its report.

Findings of the Commission

Categorisation of Caste Groups: According to sources, the Commission has suggested breaking the caste groups into broad categories, with the dominant castes (with the most access to benefits) getting the smallest share of the 27% reservation, and the historically crowded-out caste groups getting the largest share of the reservation pie.

Unequal Distribution: The Commission’s analysis of 1.3 lakh central jobs and OBC admissions to central higher education institutions over a few years revealed that 97% of all jobs and educational seats were concentrated among just 25% of sub-castes classified as OBCs.

Dominant Communities: A significant portion of these opportunities (95%) went to only 10 OBC communities.

Underrepresented Groups: Nearly 37% (983) of OBC communities had zero representation in jobs and educational institutions, while 994 OBC sub-castes had a total representation of only 2.68% in recruitment and admissions.

Implications and Future Steps

Census Enumeration: The Commission proposed an all-India survey to estimate the caste-wise population of OBCs, but the government has been silent on this while OBC groups demand the enumeration of OBCs in the Census.

Pending Decision: The report’s recommendations and findings will require careful deliberation by the government before any implementation.

Data Protection Bill 2023: What the law must do for children online

As a reworked version of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 (DPDP Bill) reaches Parliament, it is prudent to talk about one demographic that often receives less attention in the conversation on data privacy — children

Central idea

With children constituting over 15 per cent of active internet users in the country and their online activities evolving rapidly, protecting their safety and privacy online has become a critical concern.

Vulnerability of children online

Limited Understanding: Children often have limited understanding of the potential risks and consequences associated with sharing personal information online. They may not fully grasp the permanence and public nature of their digital footprint.

Trust and Naivety: Due to their trusting nature, children can be easily deceived by online predators or malicious individuals who take advantage of their naivety.

Lack of Experience: Many children lack the experience to recognize scams, phishing attempts, or deceptive content, making them more susceptible to online fraud and misinformation.

Cyberbullying and Harassment: Children can become victims of cyberbullying, harassment, or online abuse, which can have severe psychological and emotional effects on their well-being.

Inappropriate Content Exposure: Without proper supervision, children may stumble upon inappropriate or harmful content online, impacting their mental health and development.

Social Media Pressure: Children may face pressure to conform to certain social media standards, leading to self-esteem issues and the desire to share personal information or engage in risky behaviors to fit in.

Data Privacy Concerns: Children may unknowingly share sensitive data, such as location information, contact details, or pictures, making them potential targets for privacy breaches or data misuse.

Lack of Parental Guidance: In some cases, parents may be less tech-savvy or unaware of their children’s online activities, leaving them exposed to online risks without proper guidance

How DPDP Bill ensures online safety for children?

Definition of Minors: The DPDP Bill defines individuals under the age of 18 as minors. This definition acknowledges that children are particularly vulnerable and deserve additional safeguards for their personal data.

Data Processing Obligations: The bill places three specific conditions on data processing entities when handling children’s data:

Obtaining verifiable parental consent: As mentioned above, entities must ensure they have proper consent from a parent or guardian before processing a child’s data.

Not causing harm to children: Data processing activities should not harm or exploit children in any way.

Not tracking or targeting ads at children: Entities are prohibited from tracking children’s online behavior for targeted advertising purposes.

Exemptions: The bill allows the government to exempt certain entities from the requirement of parental consent and tracking and targeting ads for specific purposes. However, such exemptions must be for the best interests of a child.

Why a graded approach is necessary?

Age Diversity and Developmental Stages: Children’s maturity levels vary across different age groups. A rigid age requirement may not consider the developmental stages of children, leading to over- or under-protection of their data.

Balancing Access and Protection: A graded approach allows for a balance between age-appropriate access to digital services and data protection. It enables children to access educational platforms while imposing stricter age-gating for services with higher privacy risks.

Promoting Digital Literacy: Gradually exposing children to digital platforms with age-appropriate content fosters digital literacy and responsible online behavior from an early age.

Preventing Misrepresentation: A strict age-gating requirement might encourage children to misrepresent their age to access certain services, defeating the purpose of data protection measures.

Adapting to Technological Advancements: The digital landscape is dynamic, with new services constantly emerging. A graded approach allows for flexibility in adjusting age requirements as technology evolves.

Way forward

Graded Approach Implementation: Adopt a graded and risk-based approach to age-gating for accessing different digital services. This approach allows the government to set varied age thresholds based on privacy risks, ensuring age-appropriate access while protecting children’s data.

Clear Guidelines for Age Verification and Consent: Provide clear and reliable mechanisms for age verification and obtaining parental consent. Ensure that these mechanisms adhere to data protection principles like data minimization and purpose limitation to prevent unintended data collection.

Defining Verifiably Safe Manner: Articulate core principles of what qualifies as a verifiably safe manner for processing children’s data to avoid ambiguity. This will guide data processing entities in ensuring children’s safety and privacy.

Promoting Digital Literacy: Develop and implement digital literacy programs that educate children about online risks and responsible behavior. These initiatives should be integrated into school curricula, and awareness campaigns for parents and guardians should be conducted.

Parental Guidance and Involvement: Encourage active parental involvement in their children’s online activities. Provide resources and workshops to help parents understand the digital world and support their children in using digital services safely.

Collaboration with Tech Companies: Engage with technology companies to develop age-appropriate interfaces, privacy settings, and content filters. Prioritize child safety in the design and features of digital platforms.

Robust Reporting Mechanisms: Establish accessible and user-friendly reporting mechanisms for inappropriate content, cyberbullying, or any other online harm targeting children. Promptly address reported issues and take appropriate actions.