DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2013 - Indian Social Institute

footing. It was Barla's first public appearance since her release in December after spending nearly twomonths behind bars. She was arrested for leading a protest against the Jharkhand government's allegedacquisition of fertile land to build a Law university. (Indian Express 20/2/13)Dalits barred from taking part in temple function (2)AJMER: The old and evil order of casteism and untouchability refused to die down and recently reared upit's ugly head with dalits being prevented from taking part in a yagna for a temple inauguration, for whichthey too have contributed. The incident happened in an interior village, Dhaulat Khera, of Pisangan blockin Ajmer district on Wednesday. Daulat Khera has about 450 households dominated by Jats, Rawats andNats. There are also 25 houses of Meghwals and three from the Raiger community. The village is mostlydependent on rain harvesting and cattle farming. When the need of a Tejaji temple was discussed, thevillagers decided to collect contributions from every household and each house has to pay Rs 2,500. "Wecontributed for the temple and therefore we too have the right to participate in every ritual there," amember of the dalit community preferring anonymity said. The inauguration of the temple was organizedWednesday morning and when the members of the dalit community reached there to take part in theyagna, they were denied entry by the powerful groups of the village. "They told us that only 51 coupleswill sit in the yagna and that we would not be allowed in it," he added. Congress MLA Mahandera SinghGujjar and other local representatives participated in the inauguration but said they were not aware ofsuch an incident. Sub-divisional magistrate Rajesh Goyal went to the spot upon receiving the informationand asked the community members to come out to register a complaint but none came forward. "I haveno idea if any member from the dalit community was banned from participating in the yagna," theCongress MLA said. Even sarpanch Chagan Lal Prajapat denied any orders on banning anyone fromparticipating in the yagna. "It is a tradition that only those who give money for sitting in the yagna areallowed and the dalits had not paid of it," he said. Meanwhile, a meeting was also called in which it wasdecided that a police complaint must be made but no one agreed to stand against the powerful groups ofthe village. "I got the call from the village of the ban and rushed to the place. I told everyone that if theyhad any problem they could contact immediately but no one came forward. I even asked them to come toa nearby government school if they are afraid of speaking in the village but in vain," said Bewar SDMRajesh Goyal. Goyal had deputed patwaris and other officials in the village to look into the issue. "I havetold them that if anyone comes forth in this regard, he or she should be brought to my office for furtheraction," the SDM added. Officials said if any dalit has a complaint regarding inequality, action will betaken as per law. "There is anxiety in the village and we are trying to convince people of the community tospeak out so that action can be taken," said Ramesh Bansal, coordinator of the Dalit Rights Center.(Times of India 21/2/13)Even minor offences against dalits may invite harsher penalty (2)NEW DELHI: Soon, even minor offences against dalits will come with higher costs. The government isplanning to include under the Prevention of Atrocities Act offences that attract less than 10-year jail term,a move that would compound the punishment since offences under the Act are non-bailable and are triedunder special courts. Presently, only crimes with more than 10-year term under IPC, with someexceptions, fall under the atrocities Act. The 10-year bar had left serious violations like rape, kidnappingand grievous hurt out of the purview of the stringent law. The inclusion of rape and other offences underthe atrocities law would eliminate the possibility of police diluting the intensity of the crime by claiming thatcaste was not the ground for the offence. According to sources, all the offences mentioned in the CriminalLaw Amendment Bill, being brought as part of beefing up laws on crimes against women post-Nirbhayacase, would also attract the atrocities law if the victim is a dalit. Union social justice ministry is mullingchanges to the atrocities law that were discussed by social justice minister Selja with state ministers onWednesday. "We plan to bring the amendments in the budget session," she said. The atrocities Act willnow include violations like criminal conspiracy with victim being dalit (Section 120), unlawful assembly to