VIDEO: Dalit Man Beaten For Refusing To Bonded Labour; Gurjars Set His Shanty, Cattle Shed Afire In MP’s Morena
Bonded labor allegations surface; police investigation is underway Morena (Madhya Pradesh): A Dalit man was allegedly assaulted by a member of a Gurjar community after he refused to work without wages in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena. Not only the accused beat the victim, he also set his shanties afire. The incident happened in Malbasai village under Ambah police late Monday evening and is now under police investigation. Rinku Sakhbar, a Dalit resident of the village accused Ravi Gurjar, his father Punjab Gurjar and uncle Shri Krishna alias Bunty Pehalwan, of repeatedly pressuring his family into bonded labor without wages. Rinku claimed that his family had been resisting these demands for several months. On the night of the incident, Rinku’s sister and aunt were visiting for the Raksha Bandhan festival. According to Rinku, the accused was accompanied by several others, arrived with illegal firearms (katta) and threatened him. He was also beaten him when he resisted. According to the reports, the confrontation escalated near the cattle sheds, which were set on fire. Rinku’s family said the burnt huts were primarily used for sheltering their livestock, and their destruction has caused significant distress. SDOP Ambah Ravi Bhadauria confirmed a confrontation between the Sakhbar and Gurjar families. He admitted that a fire broke out in the cattle area but clarified that how it started is still under investigation. “Police have reached the spot and action will be taken based on facts,” he said. The incident has raised concerns over caste-based violence and bonded labor practices in the region. Courtesy : TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https:/thefreepressjournal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Tamil Nadu: ‘Untouchability wall’ built to stop Dalits from entering upper caste areas demolished after administrative intervention
Scheduled caste Arunthathiyar community members alleged that the wall was built to stop them from entering caste Hindu areas, while Thottiya Nayakar community members denied it and said the wall was intended to prevent chaotic activities by ‘outsiders’ under influence of alcohol. Karur- A controversial wall built by Thottiya Nayakar community (an intermediate caste) in Karur, Tamil Nadu, which was allegedly being called an ‘untouchability wall’ for the Dalit community, was demolished on Saturday in the presence of security forces. The wall was about 200 feet long and 10 feet high and was built on government Poramboke land in Muthuladampatti area of Karur. While the Scheduled Caste Arunthathiyar community members alleged that the wall was built to prevent them from entering the locality of caste Hindus, the Thottiya Naicker community denied it, saying the wall was meant to prevent unruly activities by ‘outsiders’ under influence of alcohol. Earlier, members of the same intermediate caste had blocked attempts by the Arunthathiyar community to erect a stage during the Sri Muthumariamman temple festival and construct toilets on the Poramboke land. According to a report published in The Hindu, the Revenue Department had a few days ago issued a notice to Thottiya Naicker community leader ‘Kothukarar’ ordering him to remove the wall within 15 days as it was built on government land and no permission was taken for it. However, representatives of the community refused to demolish the wall and reiterated their argument. The matter had triggered caste tensions in the area, with the Revenue Department issuing another notice on Friday night ordering the Thottiya Nayakar community to remove the wall by 11 am on August 9. Hundreds of people from the community staged a sit-in outside the Collector’s office in protest, but returned after the officials took a tough stand. On Saturday morning, revenue and police officials led by Karur SP K. Josh Thangaiah reached the disputed site. The intermediate caste leaders then decided to demolish the wall themselves and it was removed by noon. The media was not allowed to take photographs. Mohammed Baisal, Revenue Divisional Officer, Karur, told The Hindu that the wall had been completely demolished and its foundation would be removed by Sunday afternoon. Members of both communities have been urged to cooperate in the task. Courtesy : Hindi News
MP: Caste discrimination against Kanwariyas in Shivpuri, case registered against 6 accused under SC-ST Act
According to the victims, during the dispute, Hari Singh and Saidpal snatched the Kanwar from the hands of priest Rakesh Pandit and threw it on the ground. Meanwhile, all the accused threatened the Kanwariyas that if they complained about the incident to the police, they would be killed. Bhopal. A religious dispute has taken a serious turn in Richhai village of Khaniadhana police station area of Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, when the youth of Jatav community were stopped from offering water from Kanwar in the Shiva temple of the village. In the incident, allegations of using caste-specific abuses, snatching and throwing Kanwar and threatening to kill have come to light. Police have registered a case against six people in the case under various sections including SC/ST Act. Know what is the matter? This case is of August 6. Victim Jeetu Jatav and his companions had set out on the Kanwar Yatra after taking water from the famous temple of Aurchha. They returned to the village at around 10 am and at around 1 pm reached the Shiv temple located in the courtyard of the Peepal Wale Bade Baba temple of the village. To offer water, they called priest Rakesh Pandit from Kanjwaha village and started preparations for the puja. Meanwhile, Karan Singh alias Sedar Singh Bundela, Kispal Singh Bundela, Hari Singh Bundela, Saidpal Bundela, Manju Bundela and Narayan Singh Bundela of the village reached the spot. It is alleged that these people used casteist words and said that “we will not let the Kanwad of Jatavs be offered in this temple”. After this, they abused and stopped the Kanwadis from offering water. Snatched the Kanwad and threw it away, threatened to kill According to the victims, during the dispute, Hari Singh and Saidpal snatched the Kanwad from the hands of priest Rakesh Pandit and threw it on the ground. Meanwhile, all the accused threatened the Kanwadis that if they complained about the incident to the police, they would be killed. On getting information about the incident, District Panchayat member Siyaram Lodhi reached the spot. He discussed with the villagers and informed the police. After this, Khaniyadhana police station reached the spot and registered a case. According to the Khaniyadhana police station in-charge, a case has been registered against six named accused under IPC sections 294 (abuse), 506 (criminal intimidation), 295A (hurting religious sentiments), 34 (crime committed with common intention) and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police say that in view of the seriousness of the case, the search for the accused has been started and arrests will be made soon. Ankit Pachauri Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalits are doing the work doctors reject—‘No postmortem without a safai karmachari’
Thousands of Dalit sanitation workers across India are forced to perform autopsies in place of doctors. ‘This practice is even worse than manual scavenging.’ Delhi/Narharpur/Dharwad: Hidden in the forests of Chhattisgarh’s Narharpur is a small cement structure with black Hindi letters on the wall: Naveen Shav Griha, a house for the dead. More than 1,200 postmortems have been conducted here in the last 20 years. The person cutting open the bodies is Santoshi Durga, a sanitation worker. Her qualification is not an MBBS but her caste. There’s no running water or electricity in the dingy room. Just a worn-down cement slab and a paltry selection of knives. The town’s residents say the murda ghar is haunted, cursed. By extension, they look at 42-year-old Durga with suspicion. But to them it’s only natural that the distasteful job of dealing with the dead is relegated to a Dalit. “Townspeople say the mortuary is not auspicious, it is scary. So, they pressurised the hospital to make the mortuary outside the town,” said Durga, who works for the Narharpur Community Health Centre as a badli worker, a substitute or proxy. Sometimes, badlis sweep roads or clean drains for government safai karamcharis who don’t want to get their hands dirty. And sometimes, badlis like Durga fill in for squeamish doctors. For this, they don’t even get the pay or benefits of a permanent sanitation employee. The doctor never touches the body, he just keeps making notes. I have complete experience now. I know how to cut open the body and break open the skull. I open the body from the trachea to the navel. I show the doctor where the bones are broken, where injuries have been sustained -Santoshi Durga, contract sanitation worker Across India—whether in Narharpur or Gurugram, Dharwad or Delhi—thousands of Dalit sanitation workers are forced to perform autopsies. Called “cutters” by the medical fraternity, they get no formal training, protective gear, recognition, or additional compensation. Despite government regulations requiring an MBBS degree as the basic requirement to conduct autopsies, physicians at large do not want to go near decomposing bodies, much less handle the organs. They may supervise from a distance, but the dissection is left to sanitation workers, who are nearly always Dalit. The role is passed down generationally, turning risky medical labour into an inherited caste-based duty. The system continues to reinforce and strengthen age-old, stubborn notions of pure and impure, and lack of dignity is still ascribed to some jobs in modern India. “This practice is even worse than manual scavenging,” said Bezwada Wilson, convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan. Dalit sanitation workers doing postmortems Contract worker Rakesh Rajak at the postmortem room in Komal Dev District Hospital, Kanker. He has been conducting autopsies for around 15 years | Photo: Shubhangi Misra | ThePrint Not only are sanitation workers engaging in a hazardous, traumatising job without prior consent, they’re also stuck in tenuous contract work, forced to labour all seven days of the week. They depend on tips from relatives of the dead to meet their basic needs. Durga is no stranger to the murda ghar. She learnt the job of dissections from her father, who drank himself to death to cope with the pressures of the work. “My father used to conduct autopsies here earlier, but he used to get drunk and do it. I wanted to prove to him that this work can be done without alcohol. I learnt the ropes alongside him,” she said. Yet though the practice is rampant in government hospitals, the work is either invisible or it brings ignominy. Or both. “No postmortem in this country happens without a safai karmachari,” said Bhim Basfore, member of Assam’s Safai Karmachari Aayog and the son of a postmortem worker himself. “Nobody wants to do this work, and so it is handed over to the sanitation workers. Sanitation workers do three types of jobs: working on the roads, manual scavenging, and cutting dead bodies. There is a lack of awareness about the third.” Caste disguised as contingency A hammer and a couple of blades kept neatly in a black bag, along with aprons, masks, and gloves are the only tools at Durga’s disposal for her autopsy work. She doesn’t even know what bone saws, rib shears, or specialised autopsy knives are. Her kit is kept in a far corner of Narharpur Community Health Centre and is labelled with khatra (hazardous) warnings. If further testing is needed, she transports body parts back to the hospital in a basic plastic container. “Here is the box I keep organs in,” she said, pulling out a blue-lidded Pearlpet box, which she washes and reuses. Durga is the one doctors and even police call when a decaying body is found, or the victim of a murder or suicide has to be examined. She has to work with whatever she gets. The bodies might be infested with maggots, bloated, or mangled beyond recognition. The sight and stench can be unbearable. She says the state provides her hepatitis shots every quarter. Usually, bodies are brought to the mortuary in a van, with the doctor and Durga travelling together to carry out the work. “The doctor never touches the body, he just keeps making notes,” she said. “I have complete experience now. I know how to cut open the body and break open the skull. I open the body from the trachea to the navel. I show the doctor where the bones are broken, where injuries have been sustained.” The people I cut open visit me in my dreams. Earlier I was scared of them. Now I have made my peace with it, but it is still difficult to fall asleep at night – Sanitation worker in Gurugram Calling on sanitation workers for mortuary work is just the normal division of labour here. It even happens in Raipur, according to Naharpur block medical officer Bhupendra Kumar. “The autopsies always happen under the supervision of doctors. We are always present there,” he said. A
Dalit left groups to start protest from August 11 seeking immediate implementation of Nagamohan Das panel report on internal quota
Amid pressure on the Karnataka government to hand over the H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission report on internal reservation to a Cabinet sub-committee to study it, several Dalit organisations, under the banner of Federation for Social Justice for Scheduled Castes, will start their indefinite protest from Monday morning, seeking immediate implementation of the report. Amid pressure on the Karnataka government to hand over the H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission report on internal reservation to a Cabinet sub-committee to study it, several Dalit organisations, under the banner of Federation for Social Justice for Scheduled Castes, will start their indefinite protest from Monday morning, seeking immediate implementation of the report. The government has postponed a decision on the committee report to the next Cabinet, asking Ministers to study the report before initiating the discussion. Dalit right not happy While the Dalit right (Holeyas) is understood to be unhappy with the report’s findings, and have pointed out at their reduced population and flaws in distribution of internal reservation, the Dalit left (Madigas) and other groups have welcomed the report and have sought immediate implementation. The commission has sliced the 17% reservation matrix with 6% given to the Dalit left and 5% to the Dalit right, besides 4% to touchable groups, As much as 1% each has been given to microscopic communities and those who have identified themselves as AD, AK, and AA. Sources in the Dalit left groups said that the report should not have the same fate as the A.J. Sadashiva Commission report submitted earlier but not implemented. If there are flaws, it could be rectified and implemented, sources said. “Every community will work to protect its interest and it was expected also. But government should not yield to such pressure to stall the implementation.” CM should take a stand Basavaraj Kowthal, convener of Federation for Social Justice for Scheduled Castes, said that they will not withdraw their protest unless the government issues an order to this effect. “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has to take a stand. If he goes on seeking consent from all caste groups, there will be no end to it. The report prepared after a scientific survey and robust data collection should not be wasted. Our demand for internal reservation has been three decades old and the Supreme Court has cleared it. The survey has been done according to the Supreme Court order. Not only have the caste numbers been considered, but also the extent of backwardness. We will not abandon the protest site until the government takes the report to its logical end,” he said. H.N. Nagamohan Das. Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Pattabhi Alleges Bhumana Family’s Role In Dalit Youth Assault Case
Pattabhi alleged that Abhinay’s close aides, Anil Kumar Reddy and Jagadish Reddy, abducted Pavan Kumar, a Dalit youth from Pulicherla in Chittoor district, and tortured him. “After videos of the assault surfaced, the victim was forced to make a statement that his own brother had attacked him,” he said TIRUPATI: Swachh Andhra Corporation chairman and Telugu Desam leader Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram on Sunday sought legal action against former TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy and his son Bhumana Abhinay for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping and assault of a Dalit youth in Tirupati. Addressing the media, Pattabhi alleged that Abhinay’s close aides, Anil Kumar Reddy and Jagadish Reddy, abducted Pavan Kumar, a Dalit youth from Pulicherla in Chittoor district, and tortured him. “After videos of the assault surfaced, the victim was forced to make a statement that his own brother had attacked him,” he said.The TD described the incident as an example of inhuman behaviour by YSRC leaders. Pattabhi said that after the video went viral, chief minister Chandrababu Naidu directed the police to immediately trace the victim and ensure justice to him. This led to the arrest of the main accused. The TD leader accused the Bhumana family of large-scale corruption and land encroachment. “They illegally occupied nine acres in the Swarnamukhi river area and registered 21 properties in the names of the family members during Karunakar Reddy’s tenure as TTD and TUDA chairman,” he said. Pattabhi referred to Bhumana’s past, saying that he had risen from the level of running a photocopy shop to owning assets worth thousands of crores. “He must explain his huge source of wealth.” Meanwhile, police traced the whereabouts of Pavan, who went missing after the alleged assault by Anil, the YSRC’s Tirupati social media in-charge, and his aides over a rented two-wheeler dispute. According to the complaint, Pavan was confined in an office room for about 12 hours and beaten with a police baton. They continued this despite his bleeding and pleadings with them to stop the assaults. The gang sent a video of the attack to his father along with a demand for the pending rent payment for the vehicle. The victim’s parents lodged a complaint saying his whereabouts were unknown. Dalit organisations sought police action. His mother, Sunitha, posted a video appeal on social media. Four police teams were formed and Pavan was found in Chittoor. He was shifted to SVR Ruia government general hospital in Tirupati, where doctors confirmed a fracture below his left knee. He remains under treatment in a special ward and a police investigation is under way. Courtesy : Deccan Chronicle Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanchronicle.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Dalit Christians seek SC status, hoist black flag at St Mary’s Cathedral in protest
Madurai: A black flag was hoisted at St Mary’s Cathedral here on Sunday as part of a protest demanding the inclusion of dalit Christians in the Scheduled Castes (SC) list. The demonstration was led by Archbishop of Madurai Antonysamy Savarimuthu and Bishop Jeyasingh Prince Prabhakar. Addressing reporters, Archbishop Savarimuthu said the demand was not for any special favour but for rightful entitlements. “This is not a protest of dalit Christians or Christians alone; it is not a minority protest. Every citizen must get their rights,” he said. He noted that dalit Sikhs and Buddhists were included in the SC list after protests, but dalit Christians have been denied the same for 75 years on religious grounds. The protest was joined by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s Ellalan, Madurai South MLA Boominathan, Untouchability Eradication Front Madurai district president Balasubramanian, Tamil Nadu Women’s Movement representative Arokia Mary, and Dalit rights NGO Evidence director Kathir. They urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure constitutional safeguards and reservation benefits for Dalit Christians. MSID:: 123218931 413 | Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Deadly attack on Dalit youth: Goons attacked due to old enmity, youth injured due to head injury
A Dalit youth was attacked by goons late Friday night in Pasia Bazaar of Raebareli district. The youth has suffered serious head injury in this attack due to old enmity. The victim Abhishek somehow saved his life by running away and recognized the attackers. He immediately informed the police about the incident. The police reached the spot and brought the injured youth to the police station. Abhishek told that he is a resident of Pasia Bazaar village and he has a bicycle store there. The accused also has a hotel in the same village. There is an old enmity between the two. According to the victim, the accused had beaten him last year too, a case of which was registered in Unchahar police station. Abhishek alleged that the accused and his companion attacked him with a potato sowing hoe. On the other hand, Vipin says that he has no quarrel with the accused. He alleged that the accused is trying to implicate him in a false case and is taking advantage of his belonging to the Scheduled Caste. On this matter, Unchahar Kotwali in-charge Sanjay Kumar said that a case of assault has come to light. Complaints have been received from both the parties. At present, the police have challaned both the parties under section 151. The matter is being investigated and further legal action will be taken after the investigation. Doctors have refused to do a normal medical after seeing the injury on the youth’s head, from which the severity of the injury can be estimated. Mehtab Ahmed | Dinshah Gaura, Courtesy: Hindi News
Mangaluru: Attack on media personnel in Dharmasthala condemned by Dalit Sangharsha Samiti
Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada district unit of the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) has strongly condemned the assault on media personnel, including YouTubers and private TV reporters, during the ongoing SIT-led excavation and investigation in Dharmasthala village following an anonymous complaint. Addressing a press conference at the city’s Press Club on Saturday, district leader S.P. Anand said that Abhishek, a cameraman from a private channel who belongs to the Dalit community, was among those attacked. He demanded strict legal action against those involved and called for a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to be registered. “This is not merely an attack on individuals; it is an attempt to undermine the democratic process of bringing the truth to light. Violence against those who question and present facts to the public undermines transparency and accountability. The SIT must be allowed to complete its investigation so that the truth can emerge,” Anand stated. He added that halting the SIT probe midway would only increase suspicion about the accused. Referring to a video in which one of the attackers used the word “Dhani” (Boss) while threatening the YouTubers, Anand urged police to investigate who was behind such acts of intimidation and rowdy behaviour. DSS leaders Anil Kumar, Taluk Convener Satish Moodbidri, and members Naveen Moodbidri, Sujith Moodbidri, and Suresh Moodbidri were also present at the press conference. Get all the latest, breaking news from Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Mangaluru. Courtesy : Vartha Bharati Note: This news is originally published on https:/varthabharati.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Dalit basti stuck between two gram sabhas: 500 people from 60 houses deprived of government schemes in Azamgarh
A Dalit basti located between Mohammadpur and Rani ki Sarai blocks in Nizamabad area of Azamgarh is deprived of development. Located between Aseelpur and Fariha gram sabhas, this basti has 500 people living in about 60 houses. Local people know it as Aseelpur Dalit basti. Being between two different gram sabhas, this basti is unable to avail the benefits of government schemes. Aseelpur gram sabha has 40 houses and Fariha gram sabha has 20 houses. The biggest problem of the basti is the lack of drains. Due to the absence of drains, people have made arrangements for the drainage of dirty water by digging pits in front of their houses. Aseelpur Pradhan Rajinder Yadav has constructed only twenty meters of drain. This drain is completely blocked and due to the absence of drains ahead, water accumulates on the road. The one kilometre long Khadanja from Lucknow-Ballia road to Sharda Sahayak Khand 32 was built 20 years ago. Now it has become dilapidated and it is difficult to walk on it. Village residents Suresh, Tilak, Rajkumar Ram, Sharda Devi, Saroji, Rajesh, Ram Milan, Santosh and Akhilesh said that due to lack of drainage during the rainy season, they have to stay awake all night and remove the water accumulated in the houses. They also told that only a few rich people have got the benefit of the housing scheme. Villagers have applied online several times for the construction of toilets. They also met the Pradhan and requested, but no action has been taken so far. Thus, this Dalit colony is deprived of development work by being trapped between two blocks and two Gram Sabhas. Shah Alam Courtesy: Hindi News