DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2009 - Indian Social Institute

the Government to fill up these vacancies as soon as possible so that the hostels could function
smoothly. Mr. Kumbaiah admitted that in several cases, undeserving people had been chosen to receive
benefits of government schemes. This was done in collusion with corrupt officials and influential people,
he alleged. The member said the Rs. 66 lakh released by the B.R. Ambedkar Development Corporation
for the purchase of computers was also not utilised properly. “We will submit details of all malpractices to
the Government urging action against corrupt officials. We hope the Government ensures that funds are
not misused hereafter,” Mr. Kumbaiah added. (The Hindu 1/2/09)
Behenji bets on Dalits, Brahmins (2)
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati has asked all the functionaries of
Brahmin Samjaj Bhaichara Committees to hold meetings at various levels before the announcement of
the dates for the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing the state-level conference of the Brahmin Samaj Bhaichara
at her party office in Lucknow, the CM said it would not be possible to hold such caste-based
programmes after the announcement of poll dates. She also asked BSP’s national general secretary
Satish Chandra Mishra, who is the party’s Brahmin face, to undertake tour across the state and make
people aware about the BSP’s policies. The party had also invited its Lok Sabha candidates to participate
in Sunday’s conference. Giving a pep talk about the success of her party’s “social engineering theory” in
the last Assembly elections, she said it was the same combination of Dalit-Brahmins that had enabled the
Congress party to rule in the country for such a long period. “Congress ruled at the Centre for 48 years
after Independence. Brahmins and Dalits were the main base of the party. You got separated and this led
to the age of coalition government. No Government could get absolute majority to rule the country,” she
said. She told them that the Opposition parties in the state, like the Congress and the BJP, always tried to
keep both the Brahmins and Dalits separated from each other. “They not only ignored you people but also
stopped you from getting united by sowing hatred in Dalits for the Brahmins,” she said, referring to a
similar divide-and-rule policy of the British. “The Brahmin Samaj is the first to get associated with the
BSP. Rest of the upper-caste members also felt it is the BSP that can take care of their interest and they
also got associated. This sent the Opposition parties into a tizzy,” she added. The BSP chief said the
Opposition parties wanted to stop the Brahmins from joining her party. Explaining the party’s theory of
“Sarvjan Hitay and Sarvajan Sukhay,” she said her party wants to care the interest of Sarva Samaj.
(Indian Express 3/2/09)
Policeman sacked for beating up Dalit child (2)
Etawah/Lucknow: In a shocking case of police brutality, two policemen beat up a six-year-old Dalit girl for
allegedly stealing Rs. 280 from a woman. The Uttar Pradesh police chief on Tuesday sacked one of the
policemen, suspended the other and filed criminal cases against both. “Senior sub-inspector Shyamlal
Yadav has been sacked, SHO Chandrabhan Singh has been suspended and criminal cases have been
filed against both,” Director-General of Police Vikram Singh told reporters in Kanpur. He said the Etawah
SP had been directed to personally apologise to the child. The girl was beaten up on Monday after one
Anju Katharia took her to the Jaswantpur police station alleging that the child stole Rs. 280 from her
wallet and gave the money to another boy in a market near Lohamandi in Jaswantpur area. Yadav then
beat her up. The victim’s mother claimed in an FIR that the girl was innocent. “My daughter saw
somebody running away with a wallet in the market, but the police caught my daughter.” Television
channels showed Yadav grabbing the girl by the ears and hair, threatening and asking her to admit that
she stole the money, even as six other policemen, including SHO Chandrabhan Singh, looked on.
Initially, the district police justified the action, saying the girl confessed to having stolen the money and it
was also returned to the owner. But after the news reached the DGP, stern action was taken against the
two policemen involved. Terming the incident “unfortunate,” the U.P. police chief said that keeping in mind
the seriousness of the incident, quick action was taken even as he accepted that police had been “highly
negligent” and the matter would be investigated thoroughly. Asked if any case has been registered
against the girl, he said the police had been instructed to proceed cautiously while using Section 107 of
the CrPC (which deals with preventive detention) against women, children and the elderly. But Additional
Director-General, Law and Order, Brijlal told reporters in Lucknow that a case had been filed against the
girl on the complaint of the person whose money was stolen. He said cases had been filed against the
policemen as well under the SC/ST Act. — PTI (The Hindu 4/2/09)
Teacher bans Dalit students during Saraswati puja (2)