Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 12.09.15
3 labourers die while cleaning septic tank in Moga village - The Tribune
Tension in Khattar's native village - The Times Of India
Woman constable accuses superior of 'sexual harassment' - The Times Of India
Congress questions govt appeal in SC against quota for bank jobs - The Indian Express
Scholarship eludes Dalit students - The Hindu
CAG raps Haryana for deficient subsidy disbursal - The Times Of India
Dalits demand equal rights at Huliwana - The Hindu
Hundreds pay homage to Dalit leader - The Hindu
40 Percentage SC Aged 30-60 Never Went to School - The New Indian Express
National Commission seeks details - The Hindu
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BJP leader surrenders in UP in SC/ST Act case - Zee News
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The Tribune
3 labourers die while cleaning septic tank in Moga village
It was reportedly constructed without govt permission
Tribune News Service Moga, September 11
Three Dalit labourers died while cleaning a septic tank at a marriage palace in Fatehgarh Korotana village in the Dharamkot sub-division of the district today.
The victims have been identified as Jagsir Singh, Jujhar Singh and Jugraj Singh of Ghal Kalan village. The owners of the marriage palace had hired them to clean the septic tank.
The septic tank was reportedly constructed without any permission from the government or the district administration. Moreover, the labourers were given poor equipment to clean the tank.
Dharamkot Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Jaspal Gill said the local administration would take legal action against the marriage palace owners. He said they would also survey marriage palaces to detect any violations of the existing laws.
The SDM, who rushed to the spot to monitor the rescue operation, said the police had begun investigating the case. He said first one of the labourers slipped into the tank. But when the other two climbed down the rope to save his life, it snapped. The rope was reportedly worn-out.
The local administration called JCB machines to pull out the bodies. "The labourers were possibly asphyxiated by the poisonous gases in the septic tank," the SDM said.
The bodies have been sent for a postmortem. Till the filing of the report, the police had not registered a case.
The Times Of India
Tension in Khattar's native village
TNN | Sep 12, 2015, 09.31 AM IST
CHANDIGARH: Alleged eve teasing of an upper caste school girl by her Dalit classmate in Baniyani - native village of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Rohtak district - led to tension after the accused was assaulted during a panchayat on Thursday.
Heavy police force has been deployed in the village after stone pelting between both the groups following the scuffle. Senior police officers, including Rohtak superintendent of police Shashank Anand, visited the village to know the situation of law and order. Anand told TOI that they had registered an FIR against 15 persons on the complaint of the Dalit boy.
Both the girl and the boy are students of Class XI in a local school. In her complaint, the girl has alleged that the boy had been harassing her for the past many days. "He teased and abused me during the recess on Wednesday also," she told the police. An FIR has been lodged against the boy for assault and under provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act), 2012.
A panchayat was called in the village on Thursday, a day after the alleged incident of eve teasing. But the people from the girl's side became angry when they saw the boy in the panchayat and this led to a fight between both the groups. The scuffle left more than six persons injured. On Friday, a delegation of Dalits reached Rohtak to meet senior officers to seek protection apprehending that they could be targeted again. "We have assured them nobody would be allowed to take law into hands," said the SP.
The village having a population of around 9,000 is headed by a Dalit. While the villagers say peace has been restored because of presence of heavy police force, a villager seeking anonymity said tension prevails.
However, the SP claimed that the situation was totally under control and the villagers have started their routine works. The police have been deployed even in the school, where the girl and boy are enrolled as students, to avoid any dispute. The current tension in the village is also being linked to an inter-caste marriage which reportedly took place 10 years back.
CM Khattar was born in Nindana village in 1954, but later his family had shifted to Baniyani. About three months after he took over as chief minister of the state, Khattar had visited Baniyani and Nindana to announce various development activities.
The Times Of India
Woman constable accuses superior of 'sexual harassment'
G Sambasiva Rao,TNN | Sep 12, 2015, 09.59 AM IST
VISAKHAPATNAM: A 29-year-old woman constable of the city police commissionerate has alleged sexual harassment by her superior. According to sources, the victim works in one of the City Armed Reserve (CAR) wing while the accused is one of the reserve inspectors (RI).
The victim has lodged an SC/ST atrocities case against the RI and also approached city police commissioner Amit Garg along with her husband a week ago, following which the police chief gave an assurance that he would look into the matter.
The victim has alleged that the RI showed her a photograph of him in a compromising position with a woman a few months ago and demanded that she maintain such relations with him.
Though the victim first raised the alarm in June this year and also approached higher-ups at the commissionerate earlier, the authorities allegedly turned a blind eye to the issue, said sources, pointing out that with her complaints pending, the concerned officer has increased his torture.
Another woman constable from the commissionerate said that at a time when the department was busy checking crime against women, it was ironic that one of their own staff was facing sexual harassment.
A Visakha Rural Armed Forces personnel alleged that they too had faced severe harassment from the same officer, who served there six years ago. "He used to demand money for any favour, be it approving leave applications or relaxation from duties. We are not like the other wings where we get easy money. It was really difficult for us to bear with the harassment," he said.
A senior police officer told TOI that Garg had asked the victim to lodge a detailed complaint. However, after learning about the issue, women's organisations in the city were planning to stage a dharna at the police commissionerate to protest against the incident.
The victim's husband, who is a small businessman, said they would go for legal action if the commissionerate authorities failed to give them justice. He alleged that the RI had a reputation of harassing even male constables for money. "He has had a bad reputation wherever he has worked. The police commissioner should take stringent action against him and ensure the safety of women constables," he said.
The Indian Express
Congress questions govt appeal in SC against quota for bank jobs
Congress leader Kapil Sibal said the move reflected the BJP's "anti-reservation, anti-SC/ST" mindset.
By: Express News Service | New Delhi | Updated: September 12, 2015 1:43 am
The Congress Friday launched an attack on the NDA government at the Centre for filing a review petition in Supreme Court demanding a stay on its judgement allowing reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in promotions in higher grade posts in public sector banks. Apparently pointing to Bihar elections, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said the move reflected the BJP's "anti-reservation, anti-SC/ST" mindset.
Sibal said five PSU banks had approached Supreme Court against a Madras High Court judgment that there should be reservation for SC/STs in "Grade scale 1 to Grade scale 7 posts in government jobs as well as in banks." The banks, he said, filed an appeal in the Supreme Court which upheld the Madras High Court verdict saying SC/ST employees in public sector banks were entitled to reservation in Grade scale 1 up to scale 6 and dismissed the petition
The Hindu
Scholarship eludes Dalit students
After repeated protests, State government says Centre has not released funds
While educational scholarship to students belonging to the first generation and backward classes has been disbursed, Dalit students are waiting their turn. The delay could affect the prospects of 1.5 lakh students in the State.
Organisations working for the benefit of SC, ST students say that despite repeated representations to the government nothing has changed. "Every year students have to protest before they receive the scholarship," said M. Bharathan, president, Ambedkar-Kalvi Centenary Movement.
Students suffer as the post-matric scholarship scheme is delayed interminably. According to him, since 2011-12, thousands of students have not received the scholarship. Each year that number has only increased. In 2012, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa issued a Government Order paving the way for free education of Dalit students. Yet, not once the government allocated funds for scholarship.
In 2014-15, the government should have allocated Rs. 1,147 crore in its budget for the scholarship. Instead Rs. 334.77 crore from the current year's budget was allocated to tide over last year's deficit, Mr. Barathan claimed.
"There was hope that the flow of funds for the scholarship would be smooth as a provision of around Rs. 250 crore was made. In around 100 colleges, more than 50 per cent of the admission was for SCs, but they were subjected to pressure during the semester exams as they could not pay the exam fees. This was because the government had not released the funds for scholarships," said Christodas Gandhi, a retired IAS officer.
After repeated protests, the State government admitted that the Centre had not released the funds. "Unfortunately the trend is repeated in 2015-16 also," Dr. Gandhi said. The budget estimate for the current year for the scholarship is Rs. 696 crore, sufficient only to pay the arrears of past years. The dues for the current year have not been taken into account.
The Times Of India
CAG raps Haryana for deficient subsidy disbursal
Sukhbir Siwach,TNN | Sep 12, 2015, 09.27 AM IST
CHANDIGARH: Comptroller of Auditor General of India (CAG) has rapped Haryana government for deficiencies in disbursement of subsidy to women particularly Dalits under different schemes, including education loan. CAG auditors have found that Haryana Women Development Corporation did not evolve any system to disburse the grant-in-aid to the Dalit beneficiaries. The auditors have also unearthed cases of loss of interest apart from a suspected case of embezzlement of funds in Panipat.
The corporation had received grant-in-aid of Rs 10 crore from the state government during 2009 to 2014 and Rs 2 crore out of it was meant for disbursement to the scheduled caste beneficiaries. When the auditors pointed out why no system was evolved to disburse funds among SC beneficiaries, the state officials replied that they were taking steps in that direction apart from making efforts to propose new schemes.
The corporation has been providing subsidy on education loan extended by banks to women students of the state since 2007. The corporation pays the interest to the tune of 5% per annum on behalf of the beneficiary. In this scheme also, the auditors detected a case of suspected embezzlement involving around Rs 11 lakh belonging to 47 beneficiaries in Panipat.
The government informed auditors that the district manager of the corporation had already been chargesheeted in this connection. The auditors also found that the corporation failed to invest over Rs 6 crore to the fix deposit account leading to loss of more than Rs 10 lakh to it. The corporation had kept this amount in the saving-cum-sweep account for around nine months."Company failed to disburse funds received for SC beneficiaries. It violated the state government guidelines for investment of surplus funds," concluded the auditors in their report tabled in the state assembly recently.
The Hindu
Dalits demand equal rights at Huliwana
The Dalits of Huliwana village in the taluk have urged the district administration to provide equal living rights to them.
The village recently witnessed a clash between Dalits and 'upper caste' people.
On Friday, under the banner of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, they staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner's office here, alleging that the 'upper caste' people in the village had been harassing and exploiting Dalits for a long time.
They were being denied basic rights and property worth several lakhs of rupees belonging to Dalits was destroyed during the recent clash, the protesters alleged.
They also alleged that such atrocities on Dalits were rampant in other parts of Mandya.
DSS leader Guruprasad Keregodu, Mandya City Muncipal Council (CMC) member Mahesh Krishna, Mahadevappa, Kiran, M. Krishnamurthy, S. Santosh, Ravimohan and others were present.
The Hindu
Hundreds pay homage to Dalit leader
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
State Ministers, leaders of various political parties and hundreds of Dalits from across the district and neighbouring districts paid floral tributes to Dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran on the occasion of his 58th death anniversary here on Friday.
After villagers from Sellur, the birth place of the Dalit leader, paid homage followed by the Devendra Panpattu Kazhagam, which organised the event, Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare S. Sundararaj and Cooperation Minister Sellur K Raju placed wreaths and paid tribute the leader.
On behalf of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) former Assembly Deputy Speaker V P Duraisamy, former Ministers Suba Thangavelan, A Tamilarasi and V Sathiyamoorthy and former MP Bavani Rajendran place wreaths at the samadhi.
They were followed by TNCC President E V K S Elangovan and former Union Minister Su Thirunavukarasar. Mr. Elangovan said the Congress regime at the Centre had honoured the Dalit leader by releasing a commemorative stamp and assured that the party would be in the forefront in protecting the interest of the oppressed people.
Vidhuthalai Chiruthaial Katchi (VCK) leader Thol Thirumavalvan and Tamizh Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) leader John Pandian, visited the samadhi according to the time schedule, appealed to the State to organise the event on behalf of the government.
Pointing out that they had been making the demand for several years, Mr Thirumavalavan wanted the government to make an announcement to this effect during the current Assembly session. Mr. Pandian exuded confidence that the government would make an announcement soon in this regard.
Puthiya Tamizhagam leader Dr. K. Krishnasamy was the last to pay homage, well beyond 4 pm, the deadline fixed by the police for political leaders.
Police had registered a case against him last year for failing to stick to the time schedule and the trial is pending.
Amid a massive security cordon, hundreds of men and women walked down from far off villages. Women took out 'Mulaipari' and milk pot processions, while men carried 'jyothis' as a mark of respect to the leader.
The New Indian Express
40 Percentage SC Aged 30-60 Never Went to School
By Siddharth Prabhakar Published: 12th September 2015 05:30 AM Last Updated: 12th September 2015 05:30 AM
CHENNAI:The latest census data on education shows that two out of every five dalits (40 per cent) in the age group 30-60 in Tamil Nadu never went to school. This is worse compared to the overall State population, where only 26 per cent in the same age group never went to school.
Compared to the corresponding figures for the entire country, the figures are better. Across India, almost every second Dalit (48.37 per cent) in the age group of 30-60 has never attended any educational institution.
The urban-rural divide is stark in Tamil Nadu and the country. Thirty per cent of the State's rural population has never attended school or college, while the corresponding figure for the urban group is 18.67 per cent.
Even here, the Dalits seem to lose out, as 34 per cent of the rural SC population and 25 per cent of the urban has never attended an educational institution.
The Hindu
National Commission seeks details
HTTP://WWW.THEHINDU.COM/NEWS/CITIES/MADURAI/NATIONAL-COMMISSION-SEEKS-DETAILS/ARTICLE7643833.ECE
National Commission for Scheduled Castes has sought details from the Director, Adi Dravidar Welfare Department, on a complaint that over 200 Dalit students pursuing higher studies through correspondence course in Tamil University in Thanjavur were not given scholarship through the department.
In his letter, dated September 7, Assistant Director of the Commission P. Ramasamy, sought reply on a complaint of B. Pandiaraj of Madurai, who is pursuing Master of Social Work.
In his complaint, Mr. Pandiaraj, who is also a member of the Madurai district Vigilance and Monitoring Committee, said he had submitted to the university the relevant application seeking scholarship. When he made enquiries at the District Adi Dravidar Welfare office in Thanjavur about the scholarship, he was directed to approach the Director of Adi Dravidar Welfare at Chennai.
The officials did not give information. Scholarship for over 200 students had not been disbursed since 2014-15 academic year. He said this was also the case with Madurai Kamaraj University. "Only poor students opt for correspondence course and denying scholarship amounted to discouraging them from pursuing higher students," he said.
Zee News
BJP leader surrenders in UP in SC/ST Act case
Last Updated: Thursday, September 10, 2015 - 11:38
Muzaffarnagar: A court here has rejected the interim bail plea of a local BJP leader and three others and sent them to jail in connection with a two-year-old case registered under the SC/ST Act.
According to prosecution, the four accused, among them BJP leader Sudhir Saini, Wednesday surrendered in a court here dealing with cases under the SC/ST Act and submitted an interim bail application which, however, was rejected.
A case had been registered against several people, including Saini under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act at Badsu village in the Ratenpuri police station area two years back in connection with a clash between two groups.
Saini had contested the 2012 Assembly elections on a BJP ticket from Khatauli assembly constituency. PTI
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