DALITS/SCHEDULED CASTES - 2013 - Indian Social Institute

old girl was allegedly kicked by the police following which she sustained serious spinal injury threateningto cause permanent disability. The incident of atrocities was reported to police but no action was takenagainst the responsible officers, it has been alleged. The injured girl was shifted from Rajkot toAhmedabad Civil Hospital, where authorities registered a medico-legal case and informed the Rajkotpolice. The police, however, allegedly did not register her statement. Following this, Dr Jayanti Mankadiyaand another person wrote to the Chief Justice about the police atrocities and sought his intervention. Theletter was enclosed with photographs and a video CD on the alleged police atrocities. (Indian Express18/1/13)Where Dalits have ostracised Dalits (2)Tumkur: As many as 21 Dalit families of Heggare village, near here, allege that they have beenostracised by their own community people for the past one-and-a-half years. They are among the 80families residing in the Dalit Colony. Most of them work as labourers and construction workers, andstruggle to get two square meals a day. The problem started when a meeting was convened by a fewDalit community leaders to choose a person to head the community. R. Narasaiah, a Dalit who retired asvalve man in Tumkur, opined that all people belonging to the community should be invited. However,Basavaraju — a government school teacher and husband of Heggare panchayat memberSoubhagyamma — and his supporters ignored the suggestion and went ahead with the meeting. Thistussle ended in the ostracism of Mr. Narasaiah and his family. They were not allowed to enter theMaramma temple, following which he built a temple for goddess Lakshmi on his land. The families whichare facing ostracism alleged that Mr. Basavaraju and his supporters ordered the rest of the community toboycott Mr. Narasaiah and his family. The announcement, made to the accompaniment of drumbeats,also said violators would be fined Rs. 1,001. Subsequently, 20 families which interacted with Mr.Narasaiah and his family were also boycotted. They were not even allowed to collect water from thepublic tap. These Dalits alleged that the supporters and son of Mr. Basavaraju were picking up a fight withthem over trivial matters, and also hurled abuses at them. The two groups clashed on January 13 nearthe Maramma temple. Rajanna and Mr. Basavaraju were injured and admitted to the government hospitalin Tumkur. Cases have been registered against both groups under IPC sections 143, 147, 323, 324, 504and 506, read with 149 in the Tumkur Rural police station. Gowramma, a resident, told The Hindu, “Mr.Basavaraju’s son and his group have openly threatened us that they will rape our young girls and spoiltheir lives if we go against them”. Jayamma, another resident, said: “Mr. Basavaraju and his group havethreatened us that they would kill us if we do not cast our votes in favour of the persons they suggest.”Mr. Basavaraju, however, refused to comment on the issue. But his family members and supporters,including Nagaraju, alleged that false cases had been booked against them. District convener of the DalitSangharsh Samiti M.D. Doddegowda said that earlier also complaints had been booked against bothgroups. They were called to the police station and a compromise was arrived at, following which thecases were withdrawn. Mr. Doddegowda urged officials to take action against the people who boycottedthe 21 Dalit families. District Social Welfare Officer B.S. Pradeep said the matter had not come to hisnotice, adding he would send his officers to the village to find out what was happening. Tahsildar B.Ahobalaiah also said, “It has not come to my notice, I will find out.” (The Hindu 21/1/13)Dalits ostracised for singing bhajan (2)Bhopal: A Dalit family has been ostracised in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district because one of them daredto sing a bhajan at a religious programme in front of people from upper castes. Tailor Rajesh Uvnare, 40,on Thursday said strongmen from the dominant upper castes asked him to cut short his devotional songand get off the dais at his village, Mathni, last month. “A group belonging to the upper castes then askedvillagers to stop all contact with our family.” The family is not able to buy food in the village any more.“Villagers have stopped talking to us and I have been jobless for more than a month.” Uvnare’s wifeUsha said, “I sent my son for grains from the local mill, but the staff refused to sell him any.” The Madhya