Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 19.03.14
Minor Dalit girl raped in UP- Business Standard
Minor kidnapped, raped during Holi- The Times Of India
Violent clashes mar Holi festivity- The Times Of India
SHO, 2 constables removed after man dies in communal clash on Holi- IBN Live
Social Justice Committee of MC taken cognizance of atrocities against Dalit woman : Himachal Pradesh- Himvani
Lopo villagers have no choice but to drink polluted water- Hindustan Times
Tsundur Dalit massacre case takes new turn- The Hindu
Dalit manifesto focuses on land rights, education- The Times Of India
Dalits’ consolidation: still a long way to go- The Hindu
Business Standard
Minor Dalit girl raped in UP
A 12-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a youth in Baksha area of the district today, police said.
The incident took place when the girl had gone to the field this morning.
Later, she told the incident to her family members, who registered an FIR in this connection.
Police said an investigation was on and they were trying to ascertain the identity of the youth.
The Times Of India
Minor kidnapped, raped during Holi
JAIPUR: A 15-year-old dalit girl, who resisted attempt of three youths wanting to put some Holi colours on her face, was allegedly kidnapped and raped by them. The incident took place during 'Holika dehan' at Raniwara village under Mandrayal police station area in Karauli district. The police have registered a case and launched a massive hunt to nab the accused.
The girl lodged a case of kidnap and rape against the youths who belong to her village a day after the incident.
According to the police, the girl was outside her home on Sunday evening and she suddenly went missing. The parents lodged a missing report at the police station.
On the next day, she was found at an isolated place outside her village. After her return, she said that three youths, who live in same village, raped her one after the another.
"The girl and her parents approached us and lodged a case of kidnap and rape against three persons. She was taken for medical examination on Tuesday," said Sita Ram, circle inspector, Mandrayal police station.
The girl in her statement named the accused as Narendra Singh (25), Prakash Jaatav (23) and Bhura (24) who are residents of her village. "All the accused are at large and we have constituted a team to nab them," said an officer.
The girl alleged that initially the youths attempted to put colours on her face which she resisted. Though the locals and parents claimed that the resistance of the girl actually provoked the youths to kidnap her, police maintained that it would only be clear in a medical examination.
Following the incident, villagers shouted slogans against police on Tuesday and demanded immediate arrest of the accused and suitable compensation to the girl.
The Times Of India
Violent clashes mar Holi festivity
BIHARSHARIF: Holi celebrations was marred by violent clashes at several places in Nalanda and Sheikhpura districts on Monday which left over 70 persons inured. Police in both the districts lodged FIRs and two persons were arrested in Sheikhpura in this connection on Monday.
Sources said that at Shazipur/Ghosrawan village under Giriak PS area in Nalanda some powerful villagers attacked houses of several dalit families and thrashed over a dozen persons in which Raju Ravidas, Kamlesh Ravidas, Rinku and Jitendra Ravidas and several others were injured, who are being treated at sadar hospital.
Confirming the incident Giriak SHO said an FIR has been lodged with Pawapuri outpost.
Late on Saturday evening inebriated persons attacked a vegetable vendor with knife and seriously injured him at Sabzi Bazaar locality of Biharsharf. SP Siddhartha Mohan Jain visited the place of crime and the police arrested the criminal and sent him to jail.
A violent clash between two groups had taken place at the same place during Muharram procession last year in which sadar SDPO Shams Afroz was injured.
A police post has been set up at this place after miscreants had tried to disturb communal harmony by burning religious flags of a community two year ago but even after this there in no check on criminal activities by miscreants there.
Violent clashes were also reported from village Mohni under Asthawan PS area, Mosepur, Harnaut and at least six other places in Nalanda district on Monday in which over 60 persons received injuries. Police have registered several complaints in this regard and action against those involved in the crimes is being initiated, said a police officer.
Eight killed: A woman was allegedly killed for dowry by her relatives, while another woman committed suicide and six other persons were killed in different accidents in the last 48 hours in Nalanda, while over 70 persons were injured, some of whom seriously, in group clashes during Holi festival celebrations across the district. In Sheikhpura village, at least five persons were injured when two groups clashed over loud playing of music system, two persons were also arrested in this connection.
A young woman, who was married recently was allegedly killed by her husband and his relatives for dowry at village Choti Milki under Parwalpur PS area on Monday. A relative of the deceased, a resident of Chabilapur in Nalanda, lodged a complaint that Ranju Devi 20 was married with one Mantu Prasad recently and the greedy husband and his relatives started demanding dowry and when the girl's side showed its inability in obliging them they killed her by slitting her neck on Sunday night.
Confirming the incident, Parwalpur SHO Alok Kumar said on reaching the site of crime they found the victim's neck slit.
He added that including the husband of the deceased, his relatives had fled before police reached there and said that raids are being conducted to nab the culprits.
Another woman, identified as one Pooja Devi committed suicide by setting herself ablaze at village Gangaura under Chandi PS area late on Sunday.
A police officer of Chandi PS said the deceased, a resident of village Danara under Telmar PS area stayed with her grandparents at village Baburbanna in Biharsharif before she was married with one Ramesh Paswan a resident of village Gangaura.
Ramesh works in Chennai and in his absence Pooja often came to her maternal grandparents place.
Ramesh, who recently returned from Chennai was reluctant to bring his wife to his home, so within minutes after arriving from her relatives place, she poured kerosene and set herself ablaze and died before being taken to hospital late on Sunday evening, said the police officer.
One Pintu Bind son of Alakh Bind died after falling from Islampur- New Delhi Magadh Express near Kake Bigha on Sunday while Hilsa police recovered an unidentified body from Mahadevsthan and Ongari police in Nalanda recovered the body of one Hullas Choudhry .
Both are alleged to have died after excessive consumption of country liquor.
IBN Live
SHO, 2 constables removed after man dies in communal clash on Holi
One person was killed in a clash between two communities on Holi, following which the Kerakat police station SHO and two constables wereon Tuesday removed from duty from the police station.
The clash took place yesterday morning between members of Dalit and Rajput communities at Kusaila village in Kerakat area following some dispute over burning of bonfire on Holi the previous night, police sources said.
Over half a dozen persons were injured in the clash, and of them Shivdutt Ram (65) died in a hospital late yesterday night.
Taking note of the incident, Jaunpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Bharat Singh on Tuesday removed SHO Satyendra Tiwari and the two constables from the police station for dereliction of duty and recommended their suspension to the Election Commission. At present, they had been attached to the Police Lines. As the Model Code of Conduct is in force in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, an officer could be suspended only after permission of the EC.
Himvani
Social Justice Committee of MC taken cognizance of atrocities against Dalit woman : Himachal Pradesh
By : Mohan Verma
Social Justice Committee (SJC) of Municipal Corporation Shimla headed by Deputy Mayor Tekinder Singh Panwar had taken cognizance of atrocities being committed against a Dalit woman who was killed in the outskirts of this capital town after ramming her naked under a vehicle.
Addressing media persons, Mr. Panwar said that six members team of SJC had taken suo-moto action as 21 years old woman named Chitra who had one month and 15 days baby recently, was murdered brutally after ramming her under a vehicle in naked condition.
He said that team comprising of two women members visited the spot recently and interviewed more than 26 people including the victims family and her relatives who presented different story of incident, while the matter was being brushed aside as mere incident of heresy under the pressure of some flash trade racket involved in the crime against Dalit women.
A seven page report compiled by the SJC after visiting the spot was sealed yesterday in front of media, to hand over it to Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh high court demanding probe under the HC scanner as all the members of committee were not satisfied with the findings of police in the matter which is of grave concern.
The crime seemed some systematic revelations as two suicides had occurred in the same cottage where the deceased woman had been reportedly pushed to prostitution according to eye witnesses. Mr. Panwar said that the story of heresy seemed planted and cooked up by the police for the attention of this team, who intervened immediately to it and visited the spot.
He said that the concerned aganwari worker had been directed by the committee to look after one month and 15 days baby of deceased regularly after weighing its weight.
Since the SJC had taken cognizance of the matter on the late stage, therefore, it did not like to effect police investigation at this stage as it would bring the report in front of Chief Justice so that it could be probed from other angles too.
Deputy Mayor said that all the members of committee would meet with Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh high court today with the report of their finding and demand probe of this murder under supervision and monitoring of HC.
He said that SJC had power to take action into atrocity against any women and Dalit under section 13 of Social Justice Act 1957 within MC limit and police station falling under jurisdiction.
Mr. Panwar said that it was first case of atrocity against the woman and Dalit before it, since inception of this commitee in 1994.
Hindustan Times
Lopo villagers have no choice but to drink polluted water
Over 3,000 residents of Lohatbadhi dalit colony and Nangal Basti of Lopo village under Nihal Singh Wala subdivision in the district have been facing a huge shortage of drinking water for the last two years.
They have no alternative but to use water of some hand pumps in the area also, whose water has been declared unfit for human consumption, thus exposing themselves to various water-borne diseases.
Besides, to meet the shortage of drinking water, most of the residents have also resorted to illegal way of digging holes to turn them into water tanks to store water stolen from underground water pipelines by puncturing them. This practice has been leading to contamination of water in pipelines.
Ravinder Singh Ravi, local Congress leader and panchayat member, told Hindustan Times that over 2,000 residents of Lohatbadhi colony and about 1,000 residents of Nangal Basti have been facing shortage of drinking water for the last two years and have no choice but to use polluted water from hand pumps.
Baldev Singh Lopo, district vice-president of Kirti Kisan Union, alleged that reverse osmosis (RO) water filtration plants are of no use for them. During the summer, the problem gets aggravated.
Sarpanch Kaka Singh of Lopo village said, “The public health department had set up three waterworks in different areas of the village and panchayat is controlling these waterworks. But many villagers are also responsible for their plight as they never pay water bills, and prefer to use water lifted illegally.”
According to information, to get to underground water, people have dug up holes outside their homes and puncture the main pipeline running below, all for a little more volume of water than the trickle in their taps.
Most families, are yet to pay their fine for fitting pumps to steal water from supply lines, so the authorities concerned have declined to act on their complaints.
Arshdeep Singh Thind, deputy commissioner, said, "I had written to the government to look into the problem.”
The Hindu
Tsundur Dalit massacre case takes new turn
Special Public Prosecutor pleading for change of a Bench in the name of victim’s feelings is a contempt of court, HC told
Additional Solicitor General of India Wilson told a Bench of the A.P. High Court on Tuesday that a Special Public Prosecutor can’t plead for change of a Bench hearing a criminal case in the name of feelings of victims and this amounts to committing the contempt of court.
The Additional Solicitor General was appearing upon the request made by the court to assist it in the case pertaining to the Tsundur Dalit massacre case. A Division Bench of the court comprising Justice L.Narasimha Reddy and Justice M.S.K. Jaiswal heard the arguments earlier on behalf of the persons convicted for over a week and then the Special Public Prosecutor, Bojja Tarakam, appointed by the State government to pursue the case, requested the Bench not to adjudicate the matter further. An affidavit was filed citing the feelings of the victims in this regard. The Bench asked for the appearance of either the Attorney General of India or any other senior law officer deputed by the Attorney General of India to answer serious questions of law arising in this case in such situation.
Mr. Wilson told the Bench that the Special Public Prosecutor can’t take the assistance of anyone other than the State. It was also brought to the notice of the court that the State government has taken a stand that it has not authorised the special public prosecutor to resort to asking for change of the Bench.
Mr. Bojja Tarakam said this was a unique case and he had been requested by the government to be the public prosecutor involving cases arising out of the SC /ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Times Of India
Dalit manifesto focuses on land rights, education
KOCHI: Even as major parties are fine-tuning their political manifestoes for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Kerala will get a dalit manifesto, drafted by four young dalits, following a successful Facebook campaign.
The final version will be available online (https://www.facebook.com/
In its approach (relying exclusively on social media) and focus this would be a rare step in Indian electoral arena.
The dalit manifesto sets a six-point agenda for political parties in Kerala. It broadly focuses on land, education, housing, health and entrepreneurship. The key demands of the dalit community are:
1. Land for agriculture in villages and commerce and industry in urban areas.
2. Educational stipends and grants should be increased not merely nominally, but corresponding to price index and inflation.
3. Wherever government, semi-government and private organizations set up industrial and commercial shopping complexes on land given free by the government, dalits should be given a stake in real estate
4. In IT parks and corridors, there should be an exclusive incubation park for dalit entrepreneurs.
5. Extend reservation rights to dalits among Christian and Muslim communities.
6. Make Ambedkarism part of the curriculum, deviating from the current practice of treating Ambedkar as the architect of the Constitution.
The campaign is the brainchild of V B Ajay Kumar, a rights activist; Jeevachaithanyan, a software engineer; P S Pradeep, a multi-media student; and Prashant Koliyoor, an activist.
"A manifesto is an important document in governance even though the common man as well as political parties tend to disregard them. When we began this, we wanted to collate the aspirations of the dalit community. This has been an encouraging exercise. It's the first campaign among Kerala's online dalit community and we have received overwhelming response, close to 5,000 daily," said Ajay Kumar.
Kerala has two reserved Lok Sabha constituencies for dalits - Alathur and Mavelikkara.
Both LDF and UDF, the two leading political alliances in the state, have fielded dalit candidates in these mandatory constituencies but have ignored dalit community in the remaining 18 parliament seats.
Ajay Kumar, director of RIGHTS, an NGO based in Thiruvananthapuram, said the project has not been carried out with the backing of dalit organizations. "We will not hold a press meet (since it costs a minimum of Rs 3,000), but will release the document online. It will be interesting to watch the response of frontline parties such as Congress, CPM and BJP," he said.
The Hindu
Dalits’ consolidation: still a long way to go
Dalit consolidation in Tamil Nadu remains a difficult task despite their significant population strength—21 per cent as per the 2011 census—because the major political parties are still not well disposed towards the Dalit parties, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said.
In an interview to B. Kolappan in Chennai on Tuesday, he responded to critical issues affecting the Dalits, including the social engineering experiment of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh. Here are the excerpts:
Why do you think the major political parties that lead alliances refuse to part with more seats for Dalit parties?
First, they fear that emergence of Dalit parties will not augur well for their future. Secondly, they feel that a pro-Dalit stand will alienate caste-Hindus, who form the social base for these Dravidian parties and other caste outfits masquerading as political parties.
Dalit political parties are targeted even at the grass root level and other political parties do not even allow them to hoist their party flags in a public place.
Our efforts to hoist flags are resisted or in many cases dealt with violent means. We lost three cadres in attacks when they hoisted our party flags. We are prevented from entering the mainstream at the very primary level.
What is the way out then?
Ensuring social security for Dalits is the first step towards consolidating the community for political empowerment. More seats allocated to us in any alliance will attract Dalits towards political parties espousing their cause.
But we are not able to move towards mainstream politics because of the attitude of the major political parties.
Why are you unable to replicate the social engineering successfully implemented by Kanshi Ram and Mayawati in U.P., given that Dalits are the single largest community in Tamil Nadu?
Population alone is not enough for social engineering experiments. Both Kanshi Ram and Mayawati contested alone in the elections, aimed at consolidating the Dalit vote bank in U.P. They aligned with the BJP only later. The substantial presence of Brahmins in the State and their mission to settle scores with Mulayam Singh, who was pursuing anti-Brahmin politics, brought the Brahmins and Dalits together.
In Tamil Nadu, the Brahmins are not in adequate numbers to replicate the U.P. formula.
Moreover, we do not have a proper Dalit leadership. VCK and Puthiya Tamizhagam became aggressive only in the last fifteen years and it will take some more time to make their presence felt. Unlike in U.P., the process of consolidation began very late in Tamil Nadu.
Do the sub-divisions among Dalits prevent their mobilisation in the State?
Such divisions are inevitable in a society like ours. People in the beginning identify themselves with such sects and establish themselves as a powerful force before coming under one roof.
News Monitor by Girish Pant
.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of “Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC”)
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of “Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC”)
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