Demand to ensure safety of oppressed sections

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 16

Accusing the state government of failure to protect the rights of Dalits, resulting in rise in cases of atrocities against them, Akhil Bhartiya Harijan League has demanded President’s rule in the state to ensure safety and security of Harijans and other oppressed sections.

In a memorandum submitted to the President of India through Additional District Commissioner, Shimla, vice president of Akhil Bhartiya Harijan League, Kedar Singh Jindan has alleged that more than half a dozen cases of atrocities against the Dalits have been witnessed in the past three months and the community was living under fear.

Citing a recent example of Titiyana village in Sirmaur district, Kedar Singh Jindan said that one Chamel Singh belonging to lower caste was in love with Raveena Sharma of upper caste. Both were adults and wanted to get married. The couple informed the Shillai police on November 10 about their plan to get married but the police instead of proving security, informed the villagers, he alleged.

Chamel and Raveena, who were accompanied by Balbir, brother of Chamel, were intercepted and beaten up by villagers. They were kept with animals and their father was asked pay Rs 1 lakh in cash, ration costing Rs 50,000 and four goats to save his sons from being killed.

Jindan further alleged that the girl was forcibly married in Haryana and Chamel has been banished from the village for five years.

In another incident, two college students Bhawan Singh (lower caste) and Manisha (upper caste), both residents of Nera Amber in Sirmaur, who were keen to tie the nuptial knot, approached the police. The police initially helped the couple but later kept them in a room in Nahan with directions to the house owner not to allow anybody to meet them.

But after a few days some people accompanied came to the house where they were held in captivity, thrashed the boy and forced the girls to go with them, Jindan said adding that the family tried to get the girl married forcefully but she managed to escape, a day before her wedding and approached him for help.