http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_narendra-modi-s-dalit-remark-is-regrettable-buta-singh_1383331
Narendra Modi's Dalit remark is regrettable: Buta Singh
DNA
Saturday, May 15, 2010 11:52 IST
Gandhinagar: National Commission for Scheduled Caste (SC) chairman
Buta Singh and other members of the panel who were on a two-day visit
to Gujarat to review the status of the SC community in the state,
criticised chief minister Narendra Modi for his allegedly calling
Dalit community as 'Mandbudhi (mentally retarded). Singh in his media
briefing said, "I respect Modiji but his statement calling Dalits as
Mandbudhi is highly regrettable. Those who call Dalits as Mandbudhis
are Mandbudhis themselves. Lord Rama ate the fruits offered by Shabri
and our culture respects Shabri even though she belonged to the
backward class.''
Singh said that after meeting MP/MLAs, representatives of various SC
organisations, chief secretary, all the principal secretaries and DGP,
he has got a very sad picture of the status of SCs in the state. He
said that, "The status of the SC community is highly pitiful in the
state. UP, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan are ahead of Gujarat,
which stands fifth in atrocities against scheduled castes.''
"I have asked the state government to provide details regarding the
various issues pertaining to the scheduled castes. The main issue is
the ineffective implementation of atrocity law which has resulted in
very low rate of conviction in the atrocity cases. The conviction rate
in atrocity cases is very low in Gujarat with only 6% of the cases
ending in conviction in 2009," he said.
He added that 1,106 atrocity cases were registered in 2003 while in
2009 the number was only marginally down at 1,082.
"In Gujarat, SCs account for 7.5 % of the total population and given
this proportion, the number of atrocity cases is considered very
high,'' he said.
Singh said that when it comes to recruitment, promotions, allocation
of funds and implementation of various centrally sponsored schemes as
well as special component plan, grave injustice is meted out to the
scheduled caste by the government.
"Against the required 7% mandatory provision, Gujarat has allocated
between 2 and 5.5% maximum during 2002-03 to 2009 which is against the
law,'' he added.
Despite Gujarat high courts' clear order to use technology for
underground gutters instead of manhole workers,26 workers have died in
Gujarat, he said, adding "Despite the national ban, manual scavenging
in Gujarat is widely spared at places, including Mahatma Gandhi's
birth place Porabandar and Ahmedabad.''
Gujarat's Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Fakir Vaghela, gave
a detailed presentation on special steps undertaken by the Gujarat
government for the welfare of the scheduled castes.
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