Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 09.09.13
Dalit ex-sarpanch 'beaten up' by her rivals at gram sabha meet- The Indian Express
Dalit women narrate heartrending stories at public hearing- The Times Of India
Chidambaram seeks action against police- The Hindu
Note: Please find attachment for HINDI DMW (PDF)
The Indian Express
Dalit ex-sarpanch 'beaten up' by her rivals at gram sabha meet
A former woman sarpanch was allegedly beaten up by her rivals as she asked questions during a gram sabha meeting in Waghe-Bhabalgaon (Kaig) village in Beed district on Saturday. The police have registered a case against 14 persons under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The meeting had been convened by sarpanch Chhaya Mane at a village temple to discuss a water scheme. According to reports, former sarpanch Kalavati Sopan Jadhav, a Dalit, and her supporters asked the gram sabha to give details on the expenditure related to schemes for Dalit residents of the village. Kalavati's rivals asked her to keep quiet as they had other items on the agenda to discuss. This led to an altercation between the two groups, said the Kaig police.
Senior inspector Nandkumar Patil said: "We have lodged a complaint against 14 persons under SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act." In their complaint, Kalavati and her supporters said they were beaten up and confined inside the temple, adding that chutney powder was sprayed into their eyes and abusive words were used against them.
However, the Mane group came up with a counter complaint against Kalavati and her supporters for "outraging the modesty of women", said the police officer. He said: "Mane's supporters have said the rivals sprayed red chilli powder on them. Claims and counter claims are going on."
The police said none of the villagers was severely injured, adding that the situation was under control.
Confirming the fight between the women workers from both groups, eyewitnesses said the women hurled abuses and pulled hair of each other. According to sources, most of the gram sabha members represent the ruling NCP.
What triggered the ugly fight between the two women groups supported by their male colleagues was an issue related to a water project.
Kalavati, during her term as the sarpanch, had brought a Rs 1.27-crore water project to the village. A water committee was formed to undertake work on the project. Eight months ago, the gram sabha passed a no-confidence motion against her and defeated her. On Saturday, they wanted to dissolve the water committee to take control of the funds and appoint new members.
According to Mane group, of the total Rs 1.27 crore, Rs 57 lakh was already spent and there were irregularities, which was why they were planning to reconstitute the new committee. But the rival group said it was "injustice to Kalavati". "It was her hard work that paved the way for the Rs 1.27-crore scheme. But when it came to its implementation, the rivals passed a resolution to dismiss her from the post. And now they wanted to wrest entire control on the funds as they don't want to give her credit for the good work," said one of her supporters.
The sarpanch post comes under a reserved category and both Kalavati and Mane belong to backward castes.
The Times Of India
Dalit women narrate heartrending stories at public hearing
AJMER: A family tried to force abortion on a woman just because her husband suspected her of having an illicit relationship with someone. The woman was forcefully taken to Chaksu hospital of Jaipur district but she fought for her right and she later gave birth to the baby but lost her family. The semi-literate woman is now fighting for her rights in the court and she is worried about the future of her baby.
There were eighteen such cases of dalit womenwho came out with their woeful tales during the state level public hearing on Sunday at Pastoral Social Centre, Naka Madar, organized by the Dalit Mahila Manch of Rajasthan and the Mahila Jan Adhikar Samiti.
Narrating her story at the hearing, the 20-year-old woman came from Jaipur district stated how she was harassed by her in-laws just because her husband suspected an illicit relationship. "Now my condition is that I have a two-year-old child and no place to live. No money to eat or to give my advocate's fees. My family also went to the community panchayat but no one came to help," she said.
In another case, 65-year-old Anguri of Bharatpur was beaten up and thrown out from her house by her own son and his wife on allegations of witchcraft. "I have to beg for bread on the roadside despite the fact that my husband left me a big house and a land. My son and his wife took everything. When I went to police, the asked my son to keep me but after sometime they again throw me out. My son's wife alleged me to be a witch," said Anguri, who shared her story at the public hearing.
Similarly, a woman from Bharatpur said she was harassed just because her father had not given a buffalo as dowry. She alleged that she was thrown out from the house and her in-laws kept the children and do not allow her to meet them. She went to police but nothing happened.
In another interesting case, a woman from Ajmer not only filed a case of harassment against her in-laws but also against her parents. The woman alleged that her husband beat her up with a helmet and forced her to live with him in a graveyard. "I refused to live in the graveyard and returned to my parents but my parents started harassing me so much so that I have to seek police help," the victim said.
In another case, a 19-year-old girl said she was harassed by her husband. She now wanted a divorce and to pursue studies so as to be able to stand on her feet. "From the first day of my marriage, my husband wanted me to talk to his friend on phone at night. He was mentally sick and tortured me. When I realized the problem, I left my house. Now I want a divorce and study," she said. Her father also supported her to be independent and continue with her studies.
"The major problem these women had were that they married early and they are not educated," said Ruth Manorma, national coordinator of NFDW. She asked these women to get back their confidence and continue their her fight through education.
"It is not easy to break a family on small issues. Besides, we suggested them to get legal aid from the legal cell of every district court," said D L Thripathi, vice president of PUCL . "The motive is to provide legal and social help to these women on issue of domestic violence," said P L Mimroth ofDalit Right Centre. He added that these cases were referred to proper government bodies for disposal and "we also requesting the state government to make the police department sensitive on such issues".
The Hindu
Chidambaram seeks action against police
Union Finance Minister P.Chidambaram has demanded action against police personnel and revenue officials who were responsible for the demolition of Dalit houses at Pappankulam, near here. Over 25 concrete houses, including four houses built under the Indira Awas Yojana and the remaining built during the late Chief Minister Kamaraj's period, on patta land, were pulled down on August 15 and 18 by the Sirukudi panchayat administration on the ground that they were built by encroaching the road.
Visiting the affected families on Sunday afternoon, Mr. Chidambaram expressed shock on hearing that the houses were pulled down in the presence of a police official in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). "Illegal demolition has taken place in the presence of the husband of local panchayat president (T. Amsavalli who has been arrested) with the patronage of the police," he said. Mr. Chidambaram, who represents Sivaganga constituency went around the lanes and by lanes as the affected people narrated their experience. He said it was unbelievable that the Collector, top police official and revenue officials were unaware of the illegal act, which was carried out on two days. Quoting the affected people, he said on August 15, a DSP was present when the demolition took place and it was surprising that no action was taken against him. The people have named the DSP but he did not want to disclose the name, he said and wanted the State government, Director General of Police and Home Secretary to intervene and place under suspension all the police personnel, right from constable to the higher official who were present when the houses were being demolished. The Collector should take action against officials responsible for the incident, he said.
Thanking the State government for distributing a relief of Rs. 60,000 each to the affected families, Mr. Chidambaram said "this is not enough and the government should rebuild the houses." He said he was initially told that the houses were demolished to clear a public way, but a visit to the area revealed that the houses were pulled down in an act of vengeance.
Mr Chidambaram wondered why the affected people did not bring it to the notice of the Superintendent of Police or Collector when the panchayat administration began the demolition.
He also flayed a local Congress leader for failing to bring the incident to the notice of higher authorities when the demolition was being carried out on August 15.
News Monitor by Girish Pant
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On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of "Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC")
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Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit issues is primary objective of the PMARC.
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