NHRC notices to Divisional Commissioner, Chambal and DM, Morena, Madhya Pradesh on reports of a Dalit woman Sarpanch being denied the right to hoist the National Flag (30.07.2014)

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, 30th July, 2014

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance media report that a dalit woman Sarpanch had been deprived of the honour of hoisting the national flag on the Independence Day and the Republic Day at her village Puravas Kalan in District Morena, Madhya Pradesh for the past four years. Instead, a former Sarpanch, who belonged to an upper caste, hoisted the flag. Even if she attended the programme, she was not offered a chair.

Reportedly, the husband of the woman Sarpanch had lodged a complaint before the Commissioner of Chambal Division. She also staged a dharna in Bhopal alleging that administration was supporting the upper caste lobby which not only deprived her right to hoist the National Flag but also got stalled the opening of a middle school in Harijan basti of the village.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of dalit woman and issued notices to the Divisional Commissioner, Chambal and District Magistrate, Morena, Madhya Pradesh calling for factual reports within two weeks.

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