Atrocious Ignorance of a Chief Minister

Three innocent Dalit youths, including two minor, were killed by police in Thangadh where police denied lodging a simple complaint against upper castes people who had beaten Dalits over a minor scuffle. Had the police lodged the complaint, the tragedy would have been averted. In Gujarat chief minister is directly responsible for the non-implementation of the Atrocity Act.

Under The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, it is the duty of District Superintendent of Police (DSP) to appoint an officer not below the rank of DySP as an investigating officer for the offenses registered under the same act.

On 16 April, 2004, a question was asked to chief minister Modi in Gujarat legislative assembly: “Honorable chief minister [Home] may oblige us to tell, is it true that the DSP is responsible for the appointment of an officer not below the rank of DySP as investigating officer in the offenses under atrocities act? The answer of our chief minister was shocking. He said: “No, but there is a provision under rule 7 (1) of SC/ST act, 1995 to appoint officers not above the rank of DySP to inquire into all cases booked under atrocities act. It is not the responsibility of DSP.”

“The officer not above the rank of DySP” means he may be a PSI or PI and in most of the atrocities cases courts acquit the accused because the investigation officer is either PSI or PI. Over 150 such judgments collected by the Council for Social Justice revealed that in 95% of the cases, the accused have been acquitted because of negligence on part of the authorities. In number of these cases, while the accused has been convicted under IPC section for murder and attempt to murder, has gone scot-free on the atrocity charge.

In one judgment, an honorable judge even went on to say that, “the government of Gujarat has in the year 1999 passed a resolution amending the Atrocities Act 1989, whereby the investigation can be undertaken even by a police officer not below the rank of P.I.” The Atrocities Act was enacted by parliament of India. No state government can pass any resolution to amend the act. When the chief minister and a judge both possess utter ignorance about an important act, what can we expect from an ordinary constable or clerk of this machinery?

Goldmine in the land of gods

The system of untouchability has been a goldmine for the Hindus. This system affords 60 millions of untouchables to do the dirty work of scavenging and sweeping to the 240 million Hindus who are debarred by their religion to do such dirty work. But the work must be done for the Hindus and who else than the untouchables?

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Guns meant for terroists used against Dalits

carbine gun

In Thangadh three Dalits (including two minor) were killed by .303 (point three not three) and automatic carbine rifles. This was mentioned in the FIRs filed by police against the Dalits. How fatal these rifles are! The moment you know about it, you would not last to talk about it!  .303 rifles have been used since decades.

In 1956 during MahaGujarat agitation (for separate Gujarat from erstwhile Bombay state) when .303 killed one Vinod Kinariwala, Morarji Desai said, “cartridges don’t have addresses of victims." Chiman Patel’s government killed more than 100 youths in famous Navnirman movement of 1975. The police used to shot the youths in the chests. Now, .303 have become obsolete against the terrorists as it is heavy having weight of 4.3 kg and it fires only 20 rounds in a minute. Kasab and his friends visited Mumbai with automatic rifles and within hours left 166 Indians floundered in blood pools. After Mumabi terrorist attack Indian Government decided to give 2000 automatic rifles to states having border with Pakistan. (see article of Dilip Patel in Times Mirror, 3 December, 2008).

Gujarat police were given these rifles and in Thangadh on 23 September, 2012, police used this carbine gun to kill Dalit boys. Carbine Gun is light weight (only 3.2 kg) and fires 650 rounds in a minute. Police used this gun in Thangadh without using water canon, lathicharge and tear gas. Now, it time Dalits defeat their docile, useless representatives who have become pet dogs of Modi in coming assembly elections.

when "chalo than" call was given

when everything was shattered, political parties were competing for sympathies, people were frustrated, a call was given, which united weeping Than and then Dalits of entire Gujarat. in a meeting at Sardar Bag, Lal Darwaja, Ahmedabad on 23 September, 2012 'Sabak Sammelan' was organized more than one hundred activists from various community based organizations and NGOs attended the meeting and in the meeting the call 'chalo than' was given and a team was formed and the team visited Than on 25 September, 2012. The members of the team were Raju Solanki, Mahesh Chauhan, Mahesh Parmar, Gunvant Rathod, D K Rathod, Naranbhai Vaghela, KD, Tanushree Gangopadhyay, Rajendra Vadhel and GB.

 

the deserted streets of Than on 25 September, 2012.

the stones thrown on the road....

it was battlefield, where some unarmed people fought against the butchers of state

it was battle of stones versus carbine guns; resistance versus brutality, 

state versus people

the railway crossing that divides Than on caste line. This road leads to dalit basti

blood of martyr, who was killed by Jadeja, the killer PSI on 23 September, 2012. 

even after 48 hours, the blood stains had not been faded 

the meeting at one of the martyr's home, where activists from Ahmedabad convinced Than people to give the call Chalo Than

weeping widow of Prakash.

Prakash (26)

Mother of Mehul

Mehul (16)

Valjibhai, the valient father of Mehul.

We saw Dalit Women were protesting in the streets. Some so-called Dalit leaders were trying to stop them, but they continued their protest

They were ferocious and angry, because their kids were killed

Gujararti media was not interested in their protest, but they