NHRC asks for factual report from District Collector Madurai on the auctioning of a Dalit woman Panchyat President
New Delhi November 21, 2006
NHRC has asked for factual report from the District Collector Madurai, Tamilnadu on the alleged auction of a Dalit woman Panchyat President in the district. Taking suo-motu cognizance of a news report, the Commission said, if the contents of the report are true, they raise serious issue of violation of human rights of a dalit woman. The report which appeared in the Indian Express on November 19, 2006 said that a Madurai village, Kodikulam auctioned its president, a poor illiterate dalit woman, for Rs. 2.16 lakhs. The report said that the woman Balamani Veeman was elected, as the Panchyat President post was reserved for dalit woman. She was auctioned off despite pleas that she would handover her earnings to the village committee.
The report also said that the village had decided that the highest bidder could use Balamani as a rubber stamp for signing agreements and contracts for the village and take the commissions for himself. Balamani was reportedly auctioned on the 18th of this month by upper caste elders, though she and her husband protested the auction.
The Commission has directed, that the news report be forwarded to the District Collector Madurai, for factual report within two weeks.
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NHRC has asked for factual report from the District Collector Madurai, Tamilnadu on the alleged auction of a Dalit woman Panchyat President in the district. Taking suo-motu cognizance of a news report, the Commission said, if the contents of the report are true, they raise serious issue of violation of human rights of a dalit woman. The report which appeared in the Indian Express on November 19, 2006 said that a Madurai village, Kodikulam auctioned its president, a poor illiterate dalit woman, for Rs. 2.16 lakhs. The report said that the woman Balamani Veeman was elected, as the Panchyat President post was reserved for dalit woman. She was auctioned off despite pleas that she would handover her earnings to the village committee.
The report also said that the village had decided that the highest bidder could use Balamani as a rubber stamp for signing agreements and contracts for the village and take the commissions for himself. Balamani was reportedly auctioned on the 18th of this month by upper caste elders, though she and her husband protested the auction.
The Commission has directed, that the news report be forwarded to the District Collector Madurai, for factual report within two weeks.
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