Historic ruling, no more fooling

23rd July 2025

DSN UK hopes this will spread worldwide

DSN UK rejoices as the U.S. Federal Court Delivers Landmark Judgment Affirming Civil Rights for the Caste Oppressed. We hope justice will be brought to every corner of the world where people bear the brunt of Caste-based Discrimination and wait for justice for centuries together.

Annapurna Waughray, a long time friend of DSN UK and Professor of Human Rights Law, Manchester Metropolitan University says, ““On 18 July California’s District Court (Eastern District) held that the Plaintiffs, HAF (represented by former CISCO employees Kompella and Iyer) and a group of individual plaintiffs, lack legal standing on the grounds they assert to pursue their claim against California CRD (represented by its director Kevin Kish) in federal court, and are refused further leave to amend.

In its discussion on the Plaintiffs’ claim of violation of the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment and its finding of lack of standing pursuant to this clause, the court commented on the illogicality of the Plaintiff’s claim that CRD’s enforcement action against CISCO is injurious to Hindus and Hinduism, noting that CRD is taking action against caste discrimination, which the Plaintiffs maintain is conduct contrary to their religious convictions and which they do not engage in.”

Read the full article on U.S. Federal Court’s Landmark Judgment here.

Join in for changing mindsets and building perspectives

18th July 2025

Songs of Justice with Sambhaji Bhagat

📅 Sunday, 20 July · 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM

📍 Leicester Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate, LE1 1WB

Join us for an unforgettable cultural evening with Sambhaji Bhagat, a renowned Ambedkarite singer, poet, and performer known for his powerful anti-caste and social justice songs. Blending traditional folk rhythms with sharp political commentary, Bhagat brings the spirit of resistance alive through music that speaks to both the heart and the conscience.

Performing primarily in Hindi, his songs confront inequality, injustice, and oppression—offering messages of hope, dignity, and solidarity. Sambhaji Bhagat’s performances are stirring, thought-provoking, and deeply rooted in the Basava-Shiv-Shahu-Phule-Birsa-Ambedkar-Periyarite value system.

This is a rare opportunity to witness music that transcends entertainment—music that challenges, inspires, and calls for change.

For details and tickets, please visit https://tinyurl.com/bdrkct5h

For pay-at-the-door or bank transfer, please contact: secretary@lsec.org.uk

An opportunity to walk through…

18th July 2025

What does it mean to live in a society where the doors look open—but aren’t? Who gets to belong, and who gets to be left outside?

Join us for an unflinching conversation with cultural theorist and educator Professor Ravikant Kisana, widely known as the Buffalo Intellectual, as we discuss his groundbreaking new book, Meet the Savarnas.

The book turns the spotlight on India’s privileged upper-caste millennials and how their unexamined advantages have shaped the country’s institutions, culture, and future. In this event, we’ll explore themes of caste privilege, mediocrity disguised as merit, and the quiet ways exclusion operates in everyday life—from education to media to personal relationships.

Zoom ID: 856 6301 7127

Pass: 019219

For Eventbrite details, please visit https://tinyurl.com/487nz333

Inclusion of Caste as a Category in the Equality Act 2010

14th July 2025

As we reflect on DSN UK’s response to Equality law call for evidence which was submitted on 28th June 2025, we realise more that unless caste is included as a protected category in the UK’s Equality Act 2010, there is very little hope to experience equality for the South Asian Diaspora especially from India in UK. The diaspora remains to be divided based on the age old caste pyramid structure for more than 2500 years. However, Dr Elizabeth Joy feels there is hope in a few MPs like Warinder Juss (Time to outlaw caste discrimination – MP | Dalit Solidarity Network), and Nadia Whittome asking ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make caste-based discrimination illegal, and Minister Seema Malhotra speaking out, saying, “No one should suffer prejudice or discrimination on any grounds, including any perception of their caste.” raise our hope in combating Caste Based Discrimination (CBD) here in the UK. The intensity of the negative impact due to CBD in India which is reflected as a mirror image here in UK. Recently, on 2nd July, the voice heard powerfully from Lord Richard Harries, Chair of APPG for Dalita and Adivasis, along with Warinder Juss MP and others at the Portcullis House on ‘Why the UK must ban caste discrimination’ organised by Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance (ACDA) which Dr Elizabeth Joy the Director of DSN UK attended enables the stakeholder group to march forward in hope.

Dr Elizabeth Joy

https://www.ft.com/content/b0a7eb5e-2f03-4855-81ea-3d8fd07e4b26