DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2009 - Indian Social Institute

Rajya Gram Panchayat Samajik Nyay Samiti Manch. A week ago, the group had organised a
demonstration programme in Ahmedabad to protest against the discriminatory provision. “It is the gram
panchayat’s duty to remove the unattended dead animals and it should make arrangements for the same.
It cannot be the responsibility of the Dalit committee,” said Joseph Pateliya, who is a programme
manager at the Behavioural Science Centre and who helped form the voluntary group. Pateliya said a
memorandum has been given to the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Fakir Vaghela, in this
regard. “We are also considering the option of getting legal remedy for the discriminatory provision if the
Government does not do the needful,” he added. Meanwhile, Vaghela said he has received the letter from
the Dalit group and will consider the demands after going through it. He, however, refused to comment
when asked if he finds anything objectionable in the legal provision of assigning the task of removing
dead animals to the Dalits. Earlier, the group had protested against the unavailability of burial grounds for
the Dalits in rural areas, which even the government has recognised as their right. (Indian Express
9/2/09)
Raped girl sets herself ablaze (2)
KANPUR: A 16-year-old Dalit girl, reportedly unable to stand the agony of rape, attempted suicide by
setting herself on fire at Rastampur village under the Sachendi police station on Monday. The victim,
Rekha (name changed), was allegedly raped by her neighbour, identified as Virendra Singh, on Monday
morning. The accused is absconding. Rekha who received 90 per cent burns was admitted to the burn
unit of Lala Lajpat Rai hospital, where the doctors stated her condition to be critical. The girl, along with
her nine other siblings, including six sisters and two brothers, lives with her parents in Rastampur village.
Her father and brothers are daily wage labourers. Though it was said that people were present when
Rekha set herself ablaze, no one rushed to her rescue even though victim's siblings cried for help. The
victim, after reportedly running around in agony for some time, collapsed and went unconscious. She was
later rushed to the LLR hospital. Rekha's family said that she took the extreme step because she was
unable to bear with the agony of rape. A case has been filed against the accused Virendra Singh and
investigations are underway, informed SO, Sachendi, Charan Singh. Another police official, however, said
that the girl was apparently caught in a compromising position with a youth following which she was
thrashed by her family members. As a result of this she attempted suicide. But this theory was denied by
the victim's family. According to reports, Rekha had gone to answer nature's call in the fields on Monday
morning where she was allegedly raped by Virendra. The accused threatened her with dire
consequences if reported the matter to the police. Later Rekha reached her home and narrated the entire
incident to her sister. Meanwhile, shocked members of Dalit community at Rastampur village demanded
immediate arrest of the accused. Attempts are on to arrest Virendra. (Times of India 10/2/09)
Cop dismissed for assault on girl (2)
LUCKNOW: Feb. 10: The Mayawati government has dismissed yet another sub-inspector for allegedly
assaulting a dalit girl in Ferozabad district. Satyendra Sheel, senior sub-inspector (SSI) of Fariha police
station in Ferozabad, was placed under suspension on Monday, following reports that he had outraged
the modesty of the girl inside lock up. Additional director general (law and order) Brijlal had said in a
statement that the medical report of the girl had not confirmed rape. According to reports, the girl had
gone missing on February 6 when she was reportedly kidnapped by two persons. She was rescued from
the clutches of the kidnappers two days later. The police kept her in the lock up on Sunday night after
rescuing her, and it was here that the senior sub-inspector sexually assaulted her. The state government
apparently took serious note of the reports appearing in the local newspapers and initiated action against
the accused police official immediately. It may be recalled that last week, the Mayawati government had
dismissed a sub-inspector in Etawah district after he was shown on many television channels, ruthlessly
beating a minor dalit girl who had been wrongly accused of stealing money. (Asian Age 11/2/09)
UP govt earmarks 104 cr for Dalit statues, 270 cr for Ambedkar Sthal(2)
Lucknow: After spending thousands of crores on several memorials in Lucknow, the UP Government
needs another Rs 685 crore for these projects, of which Rs 104 crore is proposed to be spent on the
construction of the statues of Dalit icons alone. The supplementary demand presented in the Assembly
by Finance Minister Lalji Verma on Friday disclosed the above statistics. This, when the state’s finances
in the next fiscal (2009-10) are already strained owing to an additional expenditure of Rs 18,000 crore
due to implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendation and a host of populist schemes,