Stricter measures demanded against untouchability, caste discrimination

The Shoshan Mukti Manch today staged a massive protest outside the premises of Deputy Commissioner’s office against atrocities on the Dalit community, especially rising cases of rapes and murders. The manch demanded that the state government should opt stricter measures to stop untouchability, caste-based discrimination and oppression of Dalits as well as crime against them.

Through the Deputy Commissioner, the manch submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding an end to social evils, while highlighting the issues and demands of the Dalit community.

During the protest, Jagat Ram, state co-convener of the manch, alleged that the state was witnessing a significant rise in incidents of untouchability, caste-based discrimination, assaults on Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, rapes and murders over the past few months.

He said in Rohru, a 12-year-old Dalit boy identified as Sikander, was subjected to such an extreme harassment that he was compelled to die by suicide. Also, in one of the schools in Rohru, a Dalit student was stripped naked by a teacher, and beaten and tortured with a stinging nettle. Similarly, in Kullu district’s Sainj Valley, a woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered, he said.

During the Kullu Dussehra festival, a government officer was assaulted and humiliated, an incident that brought shame to the entire state, he said.

“Cases of physical violence and rape of women by politically influential individuals and their families are on the rise. In Hamirpur, an attempt was made to rape a woman. She was attacked violently, leading to her death in the hospital,” he said.

Jagat Ram further stated that the policies of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation adopted by the state government were rapidly affecting both the nation and the state. “These policies are resulting in attacks on the rights of the common people and withdrawal of their essential facilities, creating widespread public anger. To divert attention from real issues and retain power, the ruling side is inciting divisions among people on the basis of caste and religion,” he claimed.