IN a memorandum submitted to the chairperson of the National Commission for Women on April 30, the national women’s organisations demanded immediate action into the shocking incident of abduction and gang rape of four dalit girls in Bhagana village of Hissar district in Haryana on March 23. The memorandum noted that the perpetrators who have been arrested are sons of highly influential jat families with strong political connections with ruling party. There are several reasons which strongly indicate the possibility of a deeper conspiracy behind this incident involving powerful people which may not be a sporadic act by the perpetrators alone. The village has witnessed a two year long struggle over the right of dalits to use common lands which has been denied by the upper castes under the leadership of the sarpanch Rakesh. The all-powerful extra-constitutional khap panchayat declared dalits out of bounds of the village and initiated a social boycott in May 2012. Many dalit families fled the area out of fear. Despite several dalit persons fleeing the village, the police and administration in a partisan manner has filed false cases and even arrested 8 year olds and 10 year olds under serious sections like sedition or 124(A) of the IPC. The upper caste khap panchayat, abetted by the sarpanch (Rakesh), has created an atmosphere severely hostile to dalits and just a few days prior to the incident of abduction and gang rape, the father of one of the survivors Devasingh was assaulted by the sarpanch. It seems reasonable to suspect that this incident too may be one in a series of intimidatory acts. What finally seems like conclusive evidence that there was indeed a larger conspiracy behind this incident is the fact that this sarpanch knew the exact whereabouts of the girls within a few hours of the abduction and reportedly even accompanied the families to Bhatinda Railway Station to recover them, said the memorandum. Apart from the recent history of heightened oppression and attacks on dalits, the gang rape and abduction incident comes on the heels of persistent harassment of dalit girls by Jat boys without any corrective and preventive measures by the panchayat or administration. The highly partisan and anti-dalit character of the police too comes to the fore when the events of the past few years – social boycott, attacks, forcible eviction and the gang rape of the girls – and their response in providing security and justice to the dalits is concerned. The women’s organisations comprising the All India Democratic Women’s Association, National Federation of Indian Women, Joint Women’s Programme, Guild of Service, Young Women’s Christian Association, Muslim Women’s Forum Centre For Women Development Studies, All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch, All India Women’s Conference, demanded the setting up of an independent and objective fact finding committee that includes representatives from well established women’s organisations, which will unravel the entire incident in light of the highly charged environment and background of caste violence and threats to dalits, that will give its report within one month. In case influential persons are found to have a role in the conspiracy, they too must be charged and arrested. Safety and security of the concerned families should be ensured. Effective and appropriate rehabilitation of victims should be initiated immediately, demanded the organisations.