Central and State Authorities urged to Prevent Atrocities against SCs
NHRC releases Report on Atrocities against SCs
New Delhi, 19 October 2004
Dr. Justice A.S.Anand, Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission has called on the Government to adopt a Rights based approach and not a welfare one in addressing the conditions of Scheduled Castes. Speaking at a function organized in Delhi to release the `Report on Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes authored by Shri K B Saxena, Justice Anand said, it is shameful that even today members of the Scheduled Castes are marginalized and atrocities perpetrated on them despite provisions outlined in the Constitution prohibiting discrimination. He said one of the main reasons for the exploitation of the Scheduled Castes is the indifference of society and refusal on its part to change its mindset to deal with the problem squarely. Justice Anand drew attention to the lopsided implementation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 and the lack of political will in removing the historical injustices faced by this section of society.
Shri R.S, Kalha, Member of Commission in his speech said there is a need to combat age-old biases and entrenched attitudes through education and through a public information campaign. The challenge of combating and changing deeply entrenched attitudes is enormous, he said.
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The NHRC has sent a copy of the report to the Prime Minister on 3 August 2004. In the interest of protection of human rights of one of the most vulnerable sections of the population, the Commission urged the Prime Minister to institute an appropriate monitoring mechanism at the Centre to monitor the steps being taken to prevent atrocities against persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes.
The Chairperson, NHRC, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, also addressed letters to 13 Union Ministers and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and requested them to take action on recommendations contained in the report. In a separate letter to the Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories, the Chairperson, NHRC drew their attention to the following important recommendations from the Report for their consideration and to initiate appropriate action: -
- Identify atrocity and untouchability prone areas and prepare a plan of action;
- Appointment of exclusive special courts where volume of atrocity cases is large and appoint competent and committed special public prosecutors
- A 3-tier Training programme for police and civil functionaries;
- An annual workshop of District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police on implementation of laws in this regard;
- Women officers should be assigned to all atrocity prone areas, with cells established to entertain complaints;
- Self-help groups of Scheduled Caste women should be given elementary legal training along with sessions on confidence building;
- Identify in each district a NGO which can be approached in case of custodial violence or any other atrocity;
- Panchayats may be sensitized about the issues concerning the Scheduled Castes and various De-Notified Tribes;
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- Institute annual awards for the police stations and districts, which emerge as the most responsive to the complaints of the Scheduled Castes.
The National Human Rights Commission has been deeply concerned about the Human Rights violations faced by persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes in general and Dalits in particular. Despite the Constitutional safeguards and protective provisions in a number of legislations enacted by the Parliament, the persistence of these violations is a matter of grave concern to the Commission. The regularity with which such instances are being reported in the media underline the need for addressing them without any further delay.
The Commission, therefore, requested Shri K.B.Saxena, a retired IAS officer, to go into the entire gamut of issues related to atrocities against the Scheduled Castes and submit a report.
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Dr. Justice A.S.Anand, Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission has called on the Government to adopt a Rights based approach and not a welfare one in addressing the conditions of Scheduled Castes. Speaking at a function organized in Delhi to release the `Report on Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes authored by Shri K B Saxena, Justice Anand said, it is shameful that even today members of the Scheduled Castes are marginalized and atrocities perpetrated on them despite provisions outlined in the Constitution prohibiting discrimination. He said one of the main reasons for the exploitation of the Scheduled Castes is the indifference of society and refusal on its part to change its mindset to deal with the problem squarely. Justice Anand drew attention to the lopsided implementation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 and the lack of political will in removing the historical injustices faced by this section of society.
Shri R.S, Kalha, Member of Commission in his speech said there is a need to combat age-old biases and entrenched attitudes through education and through a public information campaign. The challenge of combating and changing deeply entrenched attitudes is enormous, he said.
-1-
-2-
The NHRC has sent a copy of the report to the Prime Minister on 3 August 2004. In the interest of protection of human rights of one of the most vulnerable sections of the population, the Commission urged the Prime Minister to institute an appropriate monitoring mechanism at the Centre to monitor the steps being taken to prevent atrocities against persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes.
The Chairperson, NHRC, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand, also addressed letters to 13 Union Ministers and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and requested them to take action on recommendations contained in the report. In a separate letter to the Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories, the Chairperson, NHRC drew their attention to the following important recommendations from the Report for their consideration and to initiate appropriate action: -
- Identify atrocity and untouchability prone areas and prepare a plan of action;
- Appointment of exclusive special courts where volume of atrocity cases is large and appoint competent and committed special public prosecutors
- A 3-tier Training programme for police and civil functionaries;
- An annual workshop of District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police on implementation of laws in this regard;
- Women officers should be assigned to all atrocity prone areas, with cells established to entertain complaints;
- Self-help groups of Scheduled Caste women should be given elementary legal training along with sessions on confidence building;
- Identify in each district a NGO which can be approached in case of custodial violence or any other atrocity;
- Panchayats may be sensitized about the issues concerning the Scheduled Castes and various De-Notified Tribes;
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- Institute annual awards for the police stations and districts, which emerge as the most responsive to the complaints of the Scheduled Castes.
The National Human Rights Commission has been deeply concerned about the Human Rights violations faced by persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes in general and Dalits in particular. Despite the Constitutional safeguards and protective provisions in a number of legislations enacted by the Parliament, the persistence of these violations is a matter of grave concern to the Commission. The regularity with which such instances are being reported in the media underline the need for addressing them without any further delay.
The Commission, therefore, requested Shri K.B.Saxena, a retired IAS officer, to go into the entire gamut of issues related to atrocities against the Scheduled Castes and submit a report.
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