Dalitstan.org facts for kids

Dalitstan.org was a website that worked to support and speak up for Dalit people. It was active until the middle of 2006. The website was one of 18 that the Indian government decided to block. This happened after some serious events in Mumbai in July 2006.

The website said it was run by an organization called Dalitstan. This group described itself as a "Human Rights Organization working for the Upliftment of Dalits." The Dalits are a group of people in India who have historically faced unfair treatment. The word "-stan" is a common ending in many place names in Central and South Asia. It means "place of" or "country." So, "Dalitstan" would mean "the place or country of the Dalits."

What Dalitstan.org Believed

The website shared ideas about the history of India. It claimed that Dalits were the first people to live in India. It suggested they were the ones who built the ancient Harappan civilization. The website also said that a group called Brahmins were descendants of invaders who came to India and took control.

A professor named Dibyesh Anand from the University of Westminster looked at Dalitstan.org. He described it as a group that supported Dalit nationalism. He also noted that the website was a place where different groups could share their views about India and Dalit rights.

Why the Website Was Blocked

In July 2006, the Indian government's Ministry of Telecommunications blocked Dalitstan.org. It was one of 18 websites that were made unavailable in India. The government took this action to try and stop messages that could cause fear or hatred online. This decision came after the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings.

About the Website's History

Dalitstan.org first started in 1999. The website's name, or "domain," was registered by a person named Helen Heklund. Her address was in Granbury, Texas. The website stopped being active sometime after May 2006. The registration for the website's name then ran out. After that, someone else bought the rights to use that name.