Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch’s Delhi unit had organised a protest near Uttar Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi on October 14. Activists who had gathered near the UP Bhavan for a sit-in were arrested by the Delhi police and taken to Chanakyapuri Police Station. After strong protests against this undemocratic step of the Delhi police, the DSMM was allowed to hold a protest demonstration at Teen Murti Circle. The demonstration was addressed by V Srinivas Rao, G Mamatha, Nathu Prasad, DSMM leaders and AIDWA Delhi secretary, Sehba Farooqui. Later a delegation of the DSMM went to the Uttar Pradesh Bhavan and submitted a memorandum seeking action against the culprits and against the police officials responsible for the stripping incident.    

Earlier, in a statement issued on October 10, the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch had strongly condemned the brutal attack on the dalit family by the police at Dankaur Police Station in Uttar Pradesh. When the family had gone to the police station for complaining against the loot of their motor bike, the police instead of filing an FIR and registering a case, had stripped the family in front of the police station.

In the evening on October 6, Sunil Gautam, a dalit and resident of Atta Gujran village went to police station to file a complaint against the loot of his motor bike. Police refused to book a case. The next day they visited the police station again along with their family members and sat on dharna demanding immediate filing of an FIR.  It was shocking that the police beat and stripped them on the road and booked false cases against the dalit family who are the victims and sent them to jail. This is a heinous crime committed by the police.

The DSMM has demanded that all the charges against Sunil and his family be withdrawn and they be immediately released from jail.

The SHO of Dankaur should be suspended immediately and should be booked under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

The family must be adequately compensated and the looters of their bike should be arrested.

DSMM CONDEMNS ATTACK

ON DALIT STUDENT IN JODHPUR

The Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, in a statement issued on October 9 has condemned the attack on a dalit student at a village in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. The 12 year old boy was severely beaten up by a teacher belonging to the upper caste for touching a plate meant for “non-dalits” during the mid-day meal at his school. There have been many instances of caste discrimination and oppression on dalit students and workers in this school. But the administration never acted to see that this social evil is put an end to.

A delegation of Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) had met the IGP (Jodhpur Range) and demanded quick action against the teacher. State convener of DSMM, Kishan Meghwal, said that the local police refused to register the complaint earlier and it was only after they took up the matter with senior officers, the complaint was registered by the local police.

After the complaint was lodged against the said teacher, the upper castes in the village have threatened the boy’s family with dire consequences if the complaint is not withdrawn. The family is living in fear. The DSMM demands the state government and the local administration to intervene immediately and take steps to provide security to the family. It also demands strict punishment to be given to the teacher. The family of the dalit student should be given adequate compensation.