NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of a media report on the banishing of new mothers and menstruating women to distant and isolated huts in the Bisadihalli area of the Tumakuru district of Karnataka

Press release

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi, 5th June, 2024

NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of a media report on the banishing of new mothers and menstruating women to distant and isolated huts in the Bisadihalli area of the Tumakuru district of Karnataka

NHRC issues notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka calling for reports within four weeks

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 19-year-old woman, who underwent a caesarean operation, was banished to a distant and isolated hut, as per the tradition for new mothers and menstruating women in Bisadihalli area of Tumakuru district of Karnataka. The hut did not have a bed or toilet.

Reportedly, this practice still persists even today in rural areas of several States and in Karnataka among the people belonging to the Kadu Golla community. During this stay, the women and the newborn children are exposed not only to the vagaries of nature but also to the grave risks posed by the unhygienic conditions and the street dogs, scorpions and snakes which enter these huts.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of the human rights of innocent women and young babies. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks. The report should include data reflecting the places where such evil practices are still prevalent in the State and details of the steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the government authorities to deal with the subject.

Issuing the notice, the Commission also recorded that in the year 2013, it had received a complaint raising a similar grievance concerning the women belonging to Scheduled Tribes in Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra. The State Government of Maharashtra had submitted a comprehensive report elaborating that it was making sincere efforts to eradicate this inhuman practice of ‘Gaokor/ Kurma’.

According to the media report, carried on 27th May, 2024, the young people do not want to continue with this practice but the elders are supporting it and justifying that the huts provide much better conditions to the women and babies than their own houses. Though the government agencies conduct inspections in the village regularly, however, they were not successful in putting an end to this practice.

*****