Friday, July 9, 2010

[ZESTCaste] Life sentence for 4 confirmed in Dalits murder case

http://thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/article504763.ece


Published: July 8, 2010 00:47 IST | Updated: July 8, 2010 00:47 IST
MADURAI, July 8, 2010

Life sentence for 4 confirmed in Dalits murder case
Staff Reporter

The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday confirmed the conviction
and life sentence imposed on four Caste Hindus for murdering two
Dalits at Sennagarampatti near here on July 5, 1992 and acquitted 22
others.

Wrongly convicted
Partly allowing criminal appeals filed by 26 people against the trial
court verdict, a Division Bench of Justices M. Chockalingam and M.
Duraiswamy held that the trial court had wrongly convicted all the
accused though the prosecution had proved the case only against four
appellants.

The judges found M. Ramar (41), S. Devadas (51), K. Chokkanandi (39)
and N. Asaithambi (38) guilty of waylaying a bus in which the Dalits –
Ammavasi and Velu – were travelling and attacking them with deadly
weapons owing to enmity between them over taking a temple land on
lease.

It set aside the conviction and the double life imprisonment imposed
on 22 others, including C. Krishnan alias Veeranan (72), V. Andichamy
(68), V. Sivanandi (65), A. Ambalam (59), T. Ayyavoo (56), M.
Nagendran (50), R. Sethu (50), J. Sanmargam (50) and M. Ayub Khan (38)
for want of sufficient evidence.

The Bench said the trial court had rightly acquitted all the 26
persons of charges under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act because the police had included these
charges ten years after the murder by obtaining additional statements
from witnesses.

It was also pointed out that one of the prosecution witnesses had
filed a petition in the Principal Seat of the High Court in Chennai in
2002 to include the provisions of the SC/ST Act.

Consequently, the High Court directed the police to reinvestigate the
matter and include the provisions, if necessary.

One other prosecution witness had filed a petition before the Madurai
Bench in 2007 to transfer the case that was pending trial before an
Additional Sessions Court here to some other district on the ground
that the accused in the case were trying to win over the witnesses.

Case transferred
Allowing this petition too, the Bench transferred the case to a
Sessions Court in Karur on August 31, 2007. The Karur court on August
4, 2008 imposed double life sentence, to be undergone concurrently, on
26 people apart from one who died pending trial and hence the present
criminal appeals.


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[ZESTCaste] Govt divided on khaps

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Govt-divided-on-khaps/Article1-569491.aspx

Govt divided on khaps
Nagendar Sharma & Saroj Nagi, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, July 09, 2010

Sharp differences among ministers on Thursday forced the union cabinet
to defer a decision on how to rein in the caste panchayats (khaps) and
check the growing incidents of honour killings in the country. A group
of ministers (GoM) will be formed to look into the issue and the
government will also seek the views of all the states. The suggestion
to consult states came from PM Manmohan Singh, prompting other
ministers to speak up.

Though the cabinet was unanimous that the menace of "honour killings"
has to be dealt with, at least five ministers present in the meeting
did not agree with Home Minister P. Chidambaram's proposal to amend
existing laws and wanted more stringent measures.

Wondering what prevented one from acting within existing laws, Human
Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal reportedly suggested
incorporation of fresh provisions in the law to curb this menace.

Sources said Sibal was of the view that the government should consider
a new-stand alone law (like that on sati) to deal with such killings,
as the existing laws faced enforcement problems. Road and Transport
Minister Kamal Nath and Telecom Minister A. Raja supported him.

Sports Minister M.S. Gill is learnt to have pointed out that since
khaps do not have legal status, the government should not dilute the
issue of honour killings by trying to make all members in such
assemblies culpable for murder.

Kamal Nath and Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh also favoured inclusion
of views from all the state governments. Chidambaram is understood to
have stressed that strong measures were required.

The government, however, downplayed the differences. "There were no
differences, we want wider consultation. There is not only social and
media pressure, but within our own Cabinet and party, we feel 'honour
killings' have to be brought under the ambit of the law," said I&B
Minister, Ambika Soni.

She said the government hopes to move the amendments during the
Monsoon session of Parliament, beginning July 26. Chidambaram said
consultations with states would be completed before conclusion of
Parliament session.


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[ZESTCaste] Will govt act fast to stop khap terror?

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Will-govt-act-fast-to-stop-khap-terror/articleshow/6128240.cms

Will govt act fast to stop khap terror?

Dhananjay Mahapatra, Jul 5, 2010, 12.18am IST

After terrorising the youth not to cross the obscurantist social
boundaries on marriage drawn through their deadly diktats, the khaps
are now having a grand congregation at Meham Chaubisi Chabutara in
Rohtak on July 17. The point of discussion -- seeking lowering of
marriage age for a girl from a legally prescribed 18 years to 15 years
and for a man from 21 years to 17 years.

The mahapanchayat will be attended by representatives of around 600
khaps of all castes and communities, including Jats, Rajputs, Sainis,
Gujjars and Dhanaks, claimed Om Prakash Mann, who is the Haryana
president of All India Jat Mahasabha. The social expert in him also
felt that lower marriageable age would help prevent young couples from
eloping. That is, they would be married off by their parents even
before they were mature enough to choose someone as their life partner
and think of eloping.

For Mann and his ilk, here is a brief sketch of the history of the
gradual increase in the marriageable age of girls:

In 1884, 22-year-old Rukhmabai waged a lone battle against child
marriage and refused to go to her much older husband Dadaji Bhikaji to
whom she was married off in 1873. She even wrote in Times of India
attacking obscurantist elements and built up public opinion. Her
efforts and the death of 11-year-old Phulmonee of marital rape in 1890
forced the colonial government to raise marriageable age of girls from
10 years to 12 years in 1891.

Social reformers realised the grave danger to women from child
marriage and pregnancy-related problems. Led by Harbilas Sarda, they
campaigned relentlessly and succeeded in making the government enact
the Child Marriage Restraint Act in 1929 (popularly called Sarda Act
after the chief campaigner) that made marriage of a girl below the age
of 14 years an offence. The 1929 Act underwent amendments in 1940 and
1978 raising the age bar to 15 years and 17 years respectively.

But these did not protect girls from being married off much earlier
than 17 years, especially in the hinterlands, as a National Family
Health Survey of 2005-06 told us that 45% of women aged between 20-24
years were married before the age of 18. In 2006, the government
enacted the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act providing stringent
punishment to anyone who married off their children before the
prescribed age -- 21 years for a man and 18 years for a woman.

It's hard to expect the gotra, community, village and caste hardened
Mann and khap elders to spare a thought and understand the wrenching
struggle of Rukhmabai, the mortal agony of Phulmonee and the singular
efforts of Sarda. But would the government not be regarded as
insensitive if it doesn't stop such mahapanchayats from even
discussing ways and means to lead society to the dark ages when men
used to be masters of their wives.

The government has been preparing drafts of a law to deal with khap
panchayats which seldom flinch in ordering killing of youngsters who
elope and get married. The ministries headed by P Chidamabaram and
Veerappa Moily even had a close look at the idea of bringing an
ordinance to rein in khap panchayats.

True, a law or an ordinance needs to be discussed and debated before
being put in place. But it is not always possible to have a wider
discussion when the problem is getting out of hand. So why not
immediately bring in a law that would deter khaps from signing death
warrants? One can always keep debating the provisions and if necessary
amendments can be made.

Prevention of child marriage was one of the objects which had made the
Supreme Court on February 14, 2006 (in the case Seema vs Ashwani
Kumar) direct compulsory registration of marriages. The objects, which
the government will do well to consider, were:

* prevention of child marriage and ensuring minimum age of marriage

* prevention of marriage without the consent of parties

* checking bigamy and polygamy

* enabling married women to claim their right to live in the
matrimonial house, maintenance etc

* enabling widows to claim their inheritance rights and other benefits
and privileges which they are entitled to after their death of their
husbands

* deterring men from deserting women after marriage

* deterring parents/guardians from selling daughters/young girls to
any person including a foreigner, under the garb of marriage

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[ZESTCaste] Vested interests and musclemen rule khap panchayats: Swami Agnivesh

 

http://sify.com/news/vested-interests-and-musclemen-rule-khap-panchayats-swami-agnivesh-news-national-kguokdhgecb.html

Vested interests and musclemen rule khap panchayats: Swami Agnivesh

2010-06-20 14:10:00

Calling honour killings diabolical, social activist and former Haryana
minister Swami Agnivesh says khap panchayats must end violence
unleashed in the name of ancestral lineage. He admits that he was
backed by caste councils in the past, but at that time these 'were
credible bodies'.

The Arya Samaj leader said khap panchayats should 'realise the
exigencies of modernity and stop interfering in the private lives of
villagers using violent tactics'.

'I was also backed by the khap panchayats in my political career in
the state in the 1970s,' Agnivesh told IANS in an interview. 'But
then, the khap panchayats were credible and influential bodies with a
social outlook.'

The Arya Samaj leader alleged that the khap panchayats lost direction
in the past 10 years or so.

'They have been highly politicised. Vested interests and musclemen are
holding sway. These panchayats have become highly male-dominated.
Forget about women, even young men have no say at the khap meetings,'
he said.

Agnivesh condemned the effort by khaps to defend and glorify people
sentenced to death for honour killings in the Karnal case in which a
young couple from Kaithal district in Haryana had been brutally killed
in 2007 for marrying in the same 'gotra', or sub-caste.

Khap panchayats should instead cooperate in ensuring the rule of the
law and strive for social reforms, he said.

Agnivesh pointed out that honour killings have become an all-India phenomenon.

'Recently, disturbing reports of honour killings have come from
Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Worst, in the national
capital, a couple was tortured throughout the night and electrocuted
last week. If this happens in New Delhi, one can imagine the situation
in remote rural areas,' he said.

However, he said the 'epicentre' of such killings remains Haryana,
western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

'Nowadays, no village is a completely isolated entity. Villages are
not cocoons. The divisions and boundaries between a city and the
villages have been blurred as several villagers go to city for work,'
he said.

'Like that, many city people have strong links with the rural areas.
So, the ban on marriages among people from the same village is neither
logical nor practical,' he argued.

While emphasising that honour killings were no answer, Agnivesh said
there was some merit to the objections to same gotra marriages.

'Medical science is against marriage between close relatives. Arya
Samaj founder Dayanand Saraswati advocated marriage between people
belonging to distant places. But this does not mean an Arya Samaj
priest has the right to refuse to conduct a same-gotra marriage. Nor
is killing the answer to a same-gotra marriage,' he stressed.

Will the Arya Samaj initiate steps to create social awareness in
khap-dominated regions? Agnivesh claims moves are afoot.

He has already addressed 600 college girls in Rohtak in Haryana,
calling upon them to strive for social reforms.

Agnivesh said he could understand why political leaders of the region
were adopting a 'meaningful silence' or indirectly supporting the khap
panchayats.

'As far as khap panchayat leaders are concerned, I am ready to meet
them without any fear at any place or time they propose. I am
confident of convincing them to stop causing social tension in the
name of honour of the gotras,' Agnivesh said.

(George Joseph can be contacted at george.j@ians.in )

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[ZESTCaste] Cabinet sends bill on khaps to GoM

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cabinet-sends-bill-on-khaps-to-GoM/articleshow/6144531.cms

Cabinet sends bill on khaps to GoM
Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN, Jul 9, 2010, 01.25am IST

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday referred a standalone law to
deal with "honour killings" to a group of ministers, after several
members found fault with the proposal to amend the existing law to
deal with the menace.

The GoM will submit its recommendation after getting inputs from
states in the next 3-4 weeks so that a bill designed to deter "honour
killings" can be introduced, as planned, in Parliament during the
month-long monsoon session beginning on July 26.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided to refer it to a GoM after
several ministers questioned the efficacy of the home ministry-drafted
bill, which proposed slapping murder charges on all those participting
in khap panchayats' decisions to kill couples marrying against social
norms.

The objections raised by ministers with sound legal background were
not about the desirability of treating connivance and support for
khap's sanction for "honour killings" as murder, liable to be punished
with death penalty.

The resistance was more because of doubts that the objective could be
best served by amending Section 300 of IPC to include participation in
khap's calls for "honour killings" as an additional criterion of what
constitutes murder.

Members of the Cabinet like HRD minister Kapil Sibal, highways
minister Kamal Nath and sports minister M S Gill expressed doubts that
the proposal in the draft Indian Penal Code and Certain Other Laws
(Amendment) Bill was the best way to go about the task.

However, as the PM acknowledged the need for wider consultation and
decided to send the matter to a GoM, his colleagues like information
minister Ambika Soni, urban development minister Jaipal Reddy and
telecom minister A Raja stresssed that government could not afford to
be seen as doing nothing in response to a problem that has, while
revulsing many sections, threatened to become a trend and could
inspire copycat crimes.

Talking to media, Soni talked of the presence of public opinion as she
stressed that the task of bringing a bill would be accomplished during
the mosoon session itself.

The emphasis was necessary in view of the impression, generated by
support for and ambivalence over "honour killings" by those like
Congress MP Navin Jindal, that sections of the political class may be
sympathetic of khaps viewing inter-caste and intra-gotra marriages as
"dishonour" to the community.

In the meeting of the Cabinet, ministers with a legal background, like
Sibal, questioned the desirability of the home ministry's proposal to
add "fifthly" clause to Section 300 saying that the most it could
achieve was to make the participants in a "honour killing" decision
liable as conspirators or abettors of the murder.

Sibal, according to sources, pointed out that this was redundant since
the IPC already provided for roping in a person as a conspirator or an
abettor if he had played some role in planning and/or facilitated
execution of the murderous plan. Gill termed it as impractical, Kamal
Nath said all options needed to be explored and the approach should be
cautious, pointing out that while people may turn out for a meeting of
the caste panchayat, they may not have any role in the decision taken
by the body. He also cautioned that a law that was loosely defined
could be misused and, hence, could prove to be counter-productive.

Sibal, according to sources, said for the social menace of honour
killings to be stopped, it would be better to have a specific law on
the lines of Prevention of Corruption Act or Dowry Prohibition Act --
which were brought in to deal with crimes which were not expressly
mentioned in the IPC.

It was also pointed out that even existing laws could be strong enough
a deterrent, if state governments had the necessary will -- an
argument made outside also by Congress general secretary Digvijay
Singh.

Why not make a law that would punish a politician if he participated
in khap panchayats or supported their views -- was one of the
arguments that was put up during the discussions to drive home the
point on the "political will of the state governments" to deal with
the social evil.

Since law and order is a state subject, the Cabinet felt the bill
should be referred to a GoM which would consult state governments and
take their suggestions on the need for a specific law.

The preparation to draft a bill to amend IPC to make honour killings
distinct from ordinary murders gained speed after attorney general G E
Vahanvati gave an opinion answering in the affirmative the home
ministry's query `whether legislative intervention was necessary to
make honour killings a specific offence'.

The push for the possible amendment of IPC to make honour killings a
separate offence and make it distinct and wider from ordinary murders
came from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which in the recent past
had been flooded with applications from young couples seeking
protection from khap panchayats. The HC had said it was time society
protected such harassed couples.

The Supreme Court also had recently issued notices to the Centre,
Haryana and seven other states asking what steps had been taken to
curb honour killings and protect terrorised young couples.

dhananjay.mahapatra@timesgroup.com

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[ZESTCaste] GoM to look into ‘honour killings'

http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/09/stories/2010070963400100.htm

Front Page

GoM to look into 'honour killings'

Smita Gupta

Differences in Cabinet on tackling the issue

NEW DELHI: United on the need to deal with the pernicious practice of
"honour killings," but facing division in the Cabinet on how to tackle
the issue, the Centre on Wednesday decided to consult the States and
set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to suggest changes in the law to
deal with the matter.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said after a Cabinet
meeting: "We do feel the pressure to bring amendments [to the law] in
the monsoon session of Parliament. There is not only social pressure
[and] media pressure, but within our own Cabinet and party too; we
feel the so-called honour killings have to be brought under the ambit
of the law of the land."

At the Cabinet meeting, there was agreement on the fact that the
current laws simply cannot deal with such killings. But that was it.
Home Minister P Chidambaram's fervent plea to expeditiously amend the
Indian Penal Code, the Indian Evidence Act and the Special Marriages
Act in the monsoon session did not find favour with many of his
Cabinet colleagues.

Mr. Chidambaram's point was that the government could not afford to
waste time in more discussion, unless it was prepared to see many more
girls summarily killed. But his colleagues felt that it was too
complex an issue to be dealt with hastily, especially as 'khap
panchayats' — which exerted pressure to act against the marriage of
young men and women of the same 'gotra,' village or outside the caste
— often had social sanction.

Minister for Youth and Sports M.S. Gill pointed out that there could
be problems in implementing any changes in the law, given that the
Centre was dependent on the States to do so. He wanted to know whether
when a whole congregation of villagers was involved in issuing orders
to kill someone, all of them could be held accountable.

Others who spoke of the need to exercise caution included Surface
Transport Minister Kamal Nath and Human Resource Development Minister
Kapil Sibal, who suggested some changes in the law to deal with such
killings specifically.

Sources in the government told TheHindu that the crux of the changes
proposed focus on placing the onus of proving innocence on the "khap
panchayat" members — and this includes not just the charge of murder,
but of being an abettor, or having instigated any other sort of
humiliation, including stripping, social boycott, etc. The amendments,
if made into law, would also make all 'khap panchayat' members
associated with a death accountable.


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[ZESTCaste] Caste divide follows dalit Christians even in death

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/caste-divide-follows-dalit-christians-even-death-608

Caste divide follows dalit Christians even in death

July 9th, 2010
DC Correspondent

June 8: Humiliating discrimination on the basis of caste does not
spare some even in death. In the heart of Tiruchy city, a huge wall
separates the burial grounds of dalit and non-dalit Christians at the
Warehouse Cemetery in Palakkarai. Though they are all Roman Catholics,
the mortal remains of dalit Christians from areas like Uppuparai,
Sengulam Colony, Mallikaipuram, Kemps Town, Kooni Bazaar and Kajapet
are buried on the left half of the burial ground while upper caste
'Pillai Christians' are buried in the other half.

"We have appealed to the authorities to raze the obnoxious wall but
there has been no action yet," said Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam
president Kolathur Mani. "We will lock the office of the civil rights
protection wing in Tiruchy on August 15 to protest against the
inaction."

While the state police maintains that untouchability is not prevalent
in the state, the PDK has co���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ubscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

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[ZESTCaste] 17 held in dalit woman murder case

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/17-held-in-dalit-woman-murder-case/articleshow/6144323.cms

17 held in dalit woman murder case
TNN, Jul 8, 2010, 10.58pm IST

TUMKUR: Tumkur police on Thursday arrested 17 persons accused in the
alleged murder of a dalit woman, Honnamma, at Gopalapura village.
Nanjundaiah, Thimmaraju, Nagaraju, Rajappa, B C Hanumanthaiah,
Gangadhar, Chandrashekar, Dasappa, Bulle Hanumanthaiah, Rangaraju,
Srinivas along with six others were arrested.

SP P S Harsha said that the police are keeping a strict vigil in the
village. The district police formed two squads to investigate into the
incident. "We have arrested 27 members in this case so far," he added.

Honnamma was stoned to death at Gopalapura village on June 28th.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit Woman humiliated and victimised in Uttar-Pradesh

http://www.mynews.in/News/Dalit_Woman_humiliated_and_victimised_in_Uttar-Pradesh_N69584.html

Dalit Woman humiliated and victimised in Uttar-Pradesh

Posted On: 09-Jul-2010 03:03:04 AM By: Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Dalit Woman humiliated and victimised in Uttar-PradeshHer one eye is
completely turned red at the moment as the upper caste goons threw
slippers at her. The entire body bears the brunt of the brahmanical
violence on July 3rd, 2010 at the Sheetalpur Tikari village under
Tharwai police station in Allahabad.

Her cloths were torn and the goons tried to pee on her mouth but the
police kept her in the police station for 24 hours and try to deny
anything like that happened.

This is the story of Lalli Devi, 45, who was constructing a house
allotted to her under the Indira Awas Yojna when Devi Sharan Mishra, a
local money lender and well connected person came along with some
other members and demolished the house.

As Lalli tried to reason with the man, she, her husband Gulab and her
son aged 12 years were beaten mercilessly by these goons. Her huts
where she used to sleep and cook were completely razed to the ground.

"It was the incident at around 8 am on Saturday when I was cleaning my
chulha", said Lalli. '

Eight members lead by Devi Mishra just entered in with lathis and
thrashed me after beating my husband and son. Sir, they put me on
ground, put their feet on my chest and tried to pee on my mouth. I
resisted but they torn my cloths, hit at me and threw slippers at me
which hurt my eyes. It is aching now and has turned red. I am still
not able to breathe properly', said Lalli when I visited her.

There is no place for them to sleep. Its rainy season and given the
nature of our villages, Lalli and her family has no way to save them
from the fury of nature.

According to police officials, there was a land feud between the two
which was in the court and there was a stay on it. When Lalli Devi was
constructing her house given to her under Indira Awas Yojna, Devi
Mishra and his gangsters demolished it and also razed her other huts
to ground, beat up her husband and thrashed her when she reacted. She
was humiliated and her body bears the mark of the thrashing.

This incident happened about 30 kilometers from Allahabad town on July
3rd, 2010 in the morning hour around 8 am. This nondescript village
resembles the old structural villages of India which Baba Saheb
Ambedkar described as 'den of feudalism, nepotism and corruption'.

The village in darkness. The village has 5 families of Yadavs, 10
families of Patels (OBCs), 25-30 families Passies (Dalits) and nearly
20 families of Brahmins. Nearly 10 families belong to Telis i.e.
Guptas and one family belong to Dhaikar, a Dalit community which is
engaged in bamboo weaving work. They make bamboo baskets and other
related things.

And see the tyranny of the caste system in the village, none of the
communities coming to her rescue. The Brahmins, as master manipulators
are using all techniques to disturb her. They are in power structure
every where. She is alone. The Kurmis near her do not feel for her,
the Pasis are known to resist yet not a single person is ready to
speak.

The terror of these Brahmin is so high that a Dalit woman says, 'why
do you speak to us. Are you not able to see our faces and judge as
what is the situation here'? Lalli Devi know this situation as she
says, ' Most of the people saw me being dragged on the ground and my
cloths torn but no body want to speak as they fear the powerful'.

A police Jeep is picketing in front of her house. She went to police
station to lodge her complaint but she was not only hounded but kept
at the police station for 24 hours. Daily Amar Ujala and Hindustan
reported it on July 6th and later the local news channels started
running the story on their prime time which suggested that Lalli Devi
was attacked and her cloths were torn but police deny she was paraded
in the village.

However, the question is whether hiding things make the grave incident
less grave? For the police officials, it is like any other land
dispute. They term it as a fight between two leaders for lording over
the Dalits and other communities in the region. The Brahmin politics
of Allahabad is well known to be explained here.

But for the information of the readers, the Member of Parliament is a
former pracharak of BJP but now his 'heart' is changed and hence is a
man of 'social justice' in the BSP, though his brother's heart still
beat for BJP and hence he is MLA from that party. The other brother
has just achieved victory for MLC on BSP ticket. None of them had
visited so far. But the leaders from other political parties are also
visiting her. I do not know but Lalli Devi tells that she was given
support of Rs 3000/- by one politician and Rs 1000/- by the other.
That is the cost of the dignity and respect of a Dalit woman in India.

The police officers on duty are mostly agreeing that she was beaten up
and 'sab kuchch galat hua' but they are not ready to accept that 'her
dignity' was attacked. When I ask them whether any case has been
filed under Prevention of SC-ST Atrocities Act, they answer in
affirmative but that has to be verified at later stage and action need
to be seen. The culprit Devi Mishra's supporter charge that the Lalli
Devi is working on behalf of village Sarpanch Yogesh Tiwari who
function as a Sarpanch pati, defecto Sarpanch of the village.

Antecedents of the culprits

Most of the villagers say that the Brahmins play power politics in the
village and that Devi Mishra is a moneylender. As we know well that in
Uttar-Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, the moneylenders suck your blood more
than even the corporate. Here the interest rates are exorbitantly very
high. According to the villagers, it very according to the 'favor'
done by the moneylenders but nonetheless it starts from a minimum
interest of 5% per month but normally is 10% month. Most of the
villagers actually mortgage their papers and the problem is that at
the time of receiving the money, they do not really bother to check
the contents of the agreement and later are trapped in the game and
therefore lost their land or other immoveable assets.

Devi Mishra's supporter say that Lalli Devi does not own that land in
which she was constructing her Indira Awas as the land was legally
belong to him as he bought it from him, while Lalli Devi says that her
father in law was a habitual drunk and nobody ever took him seriously.
She also says that her husband also is not keeping well and has
hearing problem. The fact is that she lives in the Abadi i.e. human
settlement side which is never recorded and on the ground the grave
reality is that Mishra and his goons assaulted her. Even if everything
that Lalli Devi was saying wrong, that does never justify the grave
violence inflicted on her by the arrogant brahmanical forces of the
region and the dubious role played by the local police which was
unable to arrest the culprits.

Though nobody is verifying things yet some of the dalits on the
condition of anonymity informed that Devi Mishra is a Junior Engineer
with some government department. According to them, he does not go to
his office. Probably, it is a common decease in UP and elsewhere that
the upper caste benami officers. It is up to the government to think
over it and take action against him if it is proved that he is a
government servant. Not only should his job records be produced to the
court but also all those who connived with him in this misdeed should
be arrested.

The village and the lonely woman

As Baba Saheb Ambedkar said that the caste system has never provided
any unity of the oppressed and hence annihilation of caste is
essential for social justice but how and who would be interested in it
as annihilation of the caste itself mean elimination of the
brahmanical social order? This hierarchical structure keeps people
isolated and it is the biggest obstacle in the unity of the oppressed
people ghettoized in their own shells. Here also if one see the
isolation of Lalli Devi, one only realize how prophetic Ambedkar was
in his analysis of our 'great' 'villages' which has ascending order of
respect and descending order of contempt as the community that Lalli
belong to does not serve any political purpose for those for who vote
matters the most. Just adjacent to her huts are people, who are not
ready to share her pain and agony. Women are inside their house. In
the local PDS shop, I meet an old man who refuses to answer my
question. I ask him Baba just tell me what happened to Lalli and this
man says ' sab karmo ka phal hai', everything is the result of her
karma'. I ask Baba, what is your caste and this man inform me that he
is a 'Kurmi' which is a powerful backward community. Yes, she does not
belong to your caste and hence you are not bothered about her, I scold
him. Near him, is a lonely woman who brick house is just adjacent to
Lalli. Yes, Uma Devi is a Teli by caste. A single woman, she narrates
her plight as how her land was snatched and converted by the powerful
Brahmin in the village and she was thrown here. Uma is a lonely woman,
left by her husband and rejected by her family, she live a life of
pain and agony. She does not speak. The villagers speak for her as if
she can not speak. The cruelty of village life is reflected in the
eyes of Uma. Even a child can scold her in front of every one to the
'delight' of all the elders.

She shares the pain of Lalli but only say that she was not at home.
Every one is speaking the same language of not being there. How is it
possible in the village where you can see huge crowd on a small issue,
that a woman is being robbed, molested and none of them has seen it.
The police will work for a few days and after some time when
'situation' comes back to normalcy. Villagers know it well that they
will have to respond again and as there is no 'witness' to the case,
Lalli Devi may not get justice.

The only possibility is that a few politicians and administration
would try to 'compensate' her honor in a few thousands rupees. But
Lalli Devi says,' Sir, I was born here. My parents and grand parents
lived her for so long. I can not leave this place. This is my home. I
want to die here only' But the pressure is on her to leave as none is
ready to cooperate with her and we all know after several years the
judiciary would not be able to give her justice. Lalli Devi knows that
politicians are coming; media is highlighting the issue but just for a
few days. After that she will remain alone along with her husband and
a child. 'Politicians promise a lot but I know they never come back',
says Lalli.

While Lalli says she did not face any caste based discrimination but
the fact is isolation and ghettoisation is a way of life in the
villages and accepted norms. As her opponents are charging her as a
close associate with Pradhan she says categorically that she neither
knows the Sarpanch nor wants to get involved in their activity. How
will he be interested in us, she asks.

As I move around in the Pasi locality, lot of signs boards are there
putting slogans of NREGS, promising bright future for the villagers.
'Why should you leave village when the work is at home', portray a
slogan. The question one must ask these people as why migration is
increasing. Is it just for work or it is for dignity also. What do we
expect from people like Lalli Devi? Will she be allowed to live a life
peacefully in the village by the feudal structure?

There is scarcity of water in the village. In the hamlet of Pasis, for
over 25 families, they have just one water connection. So it is war
among the poor. One family pay Rs 18/- a month apart from basic
investment of Rs 3000/- yet no water on time. 'Of course, water will
be here for a few days as Netas come here and TV cameras roam around,
but once things die down, nothing happen. It will again be the same
politics of Mishras and Tiwaris, says a villager. None of them have
land and yet less than 10% of them have the BPL card. It is shameful,
say an old man that all the landless people have APL card. As far as
the job card is concern, they do not get any work. Poor people do not
even know that they have to apply for the job. They feel it is a favor
by the village Pradhan or some political party.

Conclusion

Lalli Devi's honor was violated at Sheetalpur Tikari. Her house has
been demolished. Even the police admit that she was beaten mercilessly
though they do not agree with everything that Lalti Devi speak. The
issue is much bigger here. Is the crime against her less serious? What
is the police doing. Has it really taken investigation to a
conclusion? How will it destroy the nexus of the money lending upper
castes who are illegally grabbing lands of the Dalits in these areas?
Our experience shows that the police and authorities try to shut your
mouth by compensating the person. They know well that after some days
the issue would close down.

Human Rights are meant for each citizens of the country. A truly
democratic governance structure should ensure that the most
marginalized and tiniest minority must feel safe and secure. Our
villages do not provide that confidence where the women like Lalli
Devi feel secure and can live a life with freedom and dignity. The
goons can come any time and assault her and our structure try to
compensate it in a few thousand rupees while condoning the racist
nature of our society. Though the police can not fight such violence,
it can best do the work impartially and take the case to a logical
conclusion. It will take long time. How can we ensure justice to Lalli
Devi. Can our Human Rights bodies take any action against the
authorities and follow it up? But if it takes years to get justice
then how will Lalli and her family remain free and safe from the
violence of the village and that of the goons? Will the police act
against its own officers who denied that nothing happened and Lalli
was lying?

Indian villages need radical changes. India administration needs
bigger changes so that the democratic thought can flourish and women
like Lalli Devi do not live in constant fear and humiliation. Can we
grow and ensure that each one in the country live in dignity and self
respect? Right now, we can only wait for justice to Lalli.


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[ZESTCaste] Stand alone law needed for 'honour killing' cases: Brinda Karat

 

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_stand-alone-law-needed-for-honour-killing-cases-brinda-karat_1407175

Stand alone law needed for 'honour killing' cases: Brinda Karat
PTI

Thursday, July 8, 2010 22:24 IST

New Delhi: Demanding a "stand alone" law to tackle 'honour killings',
senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat today termed the government's
decision to constitute a GoM to suggest changes in the law to tackle
such incidents as a "worst example of vote bank politics" practiced by
the UPA.

Her comments came after a visit to two villages here after a panchayat
ordered that all girls belonging to Dalit communities would be "picked
up" from their homes if Priyanka, a Brahmin girl who had eloped with
Sanjay, a Dalit boy, did not return home immediately.

"This is unfortunate. The government should have come out
with a comprehensive law to deal with the issue. They have now
come up with a GoM. The GoI (Government of India) has become
GoM. They say they will consult states. They don't have a
draft and what are they going to consult," she told PTI.

"This is the worst example of vote bank politics of UPA," she alleged.

On her visit to the houses of Sanjay and Priyanka along with other
women leaders, she said it appeared that the girl's family was not
being aggressive against the boy's family but other villagers were.

"I went there to plead to them to allow the couple to lead a normal
life. They were not that aggressive. It is the other villagers who
are," she said.

She said Sanjay's father had to mortgage his land for Rs 1.5 lakh to
try and trace the couple.

"He is facing pressure from his village as well as the girl's village.
Locals of the Dalit village are pressurising him to locate the
couple," she said.

Villagers of the Dalit hamlet apprehend that the locals from
Priyanka's village will carry out the threat that they will take away
their women if Priyanka does not go back to her home, she said.

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