DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2013 - Indian Social Institute

computer's hard disk and claim that it was loaded by me," he said. About Kanwal's desktop, the RampurSP said it had been sent to Lucknow for forensic examination. (Times of India 12/8/13)'Dalits can't wear footwear in Salem prison' (2)SALEM: An outfit has claimed that the Dalits are being discriminated against inside the Salem CentralJail. The activists alleged that while Dalits were being denied entry into prison offices wearing footwear,prisoners from the non-Dalit intermediary castes were being pampered by the prison administration.Condemning the discrimination and demanding an official inquiry into the caste-based discrimination, theTamilaga Vazhakaringargal Manavar Kootamaippu conducted a protest demonstration here on Monday.According to Santhiyur Parthiban, state president of the outfit, in Salem Central Jail except non-Dalitprisoners, others, including minorities, were not allowed to wear foot wear inside the prison office.Prisoners of caste-based political party were better treated by the jail authorities, he said. He further toalleges that the Prison Vigilance Police, who should inform higher officials about such practices, wereturning a blind eye. He said, the police were tacit supporters of discrimination. He said denial of entry intoa government office amounted to contravention of the law that prohibits anyone being denied entry into agovernment office with footwear and he added that, Dalit prisoners were only being relegated to isolationcells in the jail. While the cells occupied by Dalit prisoners have no basic amenities like drinking water,non-Dalits were provided better care. Human rights violations abound inside the prison with Dalits beingforced to take up harsh work like cooking without being paid for it, he said. When contraband was seizedin the prisons, they were being charged, he alleged. In the name of checks, Dalit prisoners were strippedand often put in isolation cells and were subjected to mental torture, he added. Apart from prisoners, Dalitprison staff were also facing discrimination, he said, and added, recently a woman staff was transferredon the basis of false charges. While others can get whatever they want for money inside the prison, Dalitscannot even have a minute extra during visiting hours with their kin or friends. Salem PrisonSuperintendent, however, denied that Dalit prisoners were discriminated and said prisoners werepunished equally when they misbehave in the prison. He said, discrimination charges were being made tojustify their mistakes. He also denied charges that Dalit prisoners were not allowed to wear footwear inthe prison office. A Sipson, state convenor, Odukkapattor Vidudhalai Munnani, a special invitee to theprotest said, as a prisoner himself for years, he knew for sure that discrimination existed in prisons inTamil Nadu; Salem prison in particular being notorious for such practices. But, more than caste-baseddiscrimination, the Prison Manual is seldom followed, leading to a host of human rights violations againstprisoners, he said. Unless intermediary community officials in Salem Prison are transferred there wouldbe no real change in the state of affairs, he said. (New Indian Express 13/8/13)Doors of disputed Namakkal temple opens for Dalits amid tight security (2)NAMAKKAL: Several residents, mostly members of Scheduled Caste communities, of Oduvankurichivillage near Rasipuram in Namakkal district entered into the Kashi Viswanathar temple and offeredworship amid tight security on Tuesday. The temple, which was sealed on Thursday night followingtension after a group of caste-Hindus opposed the entry of Dalits into the shrine, was reopened onTuesday morning. “We removed the seal and opened the temple at 7.30 am. Members of SCcommunities entered the shrine and offered offered worship peacefully,” S Suryaprakash, Namakkal Sub-Collector (in charge), told Express. Heavy police security was posted around the temple as a group ofcaste-Hindus vehemently opposed the decision to allow Dalits into the temple, which was under thecontrol of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) Department. Top police officers,including Sanchay Kumar, DIG, Salem Range and SPs P Kannammal (Namakkal) and Sakthivel (Salem)camped at Oduvankurichi when the temple was opened for Dalits to offer worship on Tuesday, sourcessaid. However, caste-Hindu members belonging to seven different communities, strongly objected to theentry of Dalits and stayed away from visiting the temple on Tuesday. Officials expressed the hope that thesituation would become normal in a few days as a majority of the members of caste Hindu communities