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Former manual scavengers demand apology from government
Vidya Subrahmaniam
They narrate their accounts of pain and humiliation
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"We will never again go back to that life of shame and indignity"
Provide quota for community in higher education: Aruna Roy
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New Delhi: The capital's Constitution Club resounded on Monday to
cries of "Jai Bhim" as a huge gathering of former manual scavengers
rose as one to demand an apology from the government for the wrongs
done to the community. "Apologise now for the violation of our
dignity," they said.
The choice of venue, with portraits of Babasaheb Ambedkar forming the
backdrop, was perhaps intendedly ironic. It was to remind the country
of its failure to redeem its pledge towards the most wretched of its
citizens — the Scheduled Castes, and among them, those condemned to
the obnoxious practice of manual scavenging. Sixty years after the
Constitution abolished untouchability and decreed all citizens to be
equal and free, one section continued to be subjected to the most
abhorrent of all human rights violations.
Expectedly the audience roared in approval, each time a liberated
"safai karamchari" narrated her personal story of sufferings and vowed
never again to go back to "that life of shame and indignity." The
speeches were punctuated by shouts of sukhi roti khayenge, maila nahi
uthayenge (it does not matter if we have nothing to eat, we will not
do manual scavenging) and "apologise, apologise." Each speaker spoke
in her native tongue but the accounts of pain and humiliation were
similar.
Anita, a former manual scavenger from Uttar Pradesh, said she and her
mother worked long hours, often without water, because they were
outcasts who could not touch any utensils. Anita wanted to know if
India had really gained Independence. "I will celebrate Independence
Day when we are treated as equals." Saroj from Haryana spoke of people
covering their noses and waving her away in disgust. Anita from Punjab
said she once slipped and fell while in an advanced stage of
pregnancy. As no one gave her a hand, she lay covered in excreta.
The star of the day was the spit-fire Umayal from Tamil Nadu.
Recalling her school days, she said she used to be made to stand in a
corner and was ordered to bring her own plate because her mother
cleaned human excreta. "This is happening even today. I want to ask
the government: You spend so much money on advertising on TV. Why
can't you use some of it to spread awareness about us? Why can't my
children study? Why can't they become Collectors? Why not? Why not?"
The tearful Umayal was led away to screams of "apologise, apologise"
from the audience.
Social activist Aruna Roy asked for reservation for the community, not
in sweeper categories, but in higher education and in the higher
bureaucracy.
Communist Party of India general secretary D. Raja said the clean-up
should begin from the Railways which was the largest employer of
manual scavengers. "If this is not a national shame, what is," he
asked, wondering at the paradox of a government willing to spend
Rs.70,000 crore on the Commonwealth Games but not mustering the will
to uplift the manual scavenging community.
The Safai Karmachari Andolan has demanded a comprehensive
rehabilitation package, including stringent punishment to those found
to be employing manual scavengers in violation of the Manual
Scavengers and Dry Latrine Construction (Prohibition) Act, 1993.
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