Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Dalit minor set on fire in Gujarat after dispute

Dalit minor set on fire in Gujarat after dispute

Dalits Media Watch
News Updates 18.06.14

Dalit minor set on fire in Gujarat after dispute - The Hindu
Karnataka CM gives Rs 2 extra subsidy to SC, ST milk producers, angers many - IBN Live


The Hindu

Dalit minor set on fire in Gujarat after dispute

Rahi Gaikwad

Fight began among neighbours over disposal of dirty water

A spat with neighbours over disposal of dirty water resulted in a minor Dalit girl from Gujarat being set ablaze on Sunday.

Chandrika Parmar (15) suffered 70 per cent burns when her neighbours, also Dalits, launched a sudden attack on her and her family. She is battling for her life at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
The incident took place in Syla village in Surendranagar district. Chandrika had complained to her neighbour, Suneeta Vaghela, about throwing dirty water outside her house, leading to an argument. Ms. Vaghela’s father Motibhai Sumera then slapped Chandrika’s younger brother Milan and threatened the family.

When Chandrika’s mother Manjuben Parmar lodged a police complaint, the neighbours were infuriated. “That afternoon, Mr. Sumera, along with his immediate and extended family members, barged into the Parmar home and started beating everyone,” Chandrika’s cousin Mahendra Parmar told The Hindu.

“They were carrying sticks, red chilli powder and kerosene. There were nearly 10 of them. They were trying to douse Chandrika’s younger brother with kerosene when she rushed to his rescue. The assailants then turned on her. While three women held her down, the men poured kerosene and set her on fire,” the cousin said.

Chandrika suffered severe burns. “She is still in a critical condition,” M.M. Prabhakar, medical superintendent of the Civil Hospital, told The Hindu.

“Had the police acted on Manjuben’s complaint, the matter would not have escalated to this extent,” said Anand Parmar, Chandrika’s elder brother. “Instead, the local police used abusive words. They threatened to put me behind bars. When we went to the police station, we were made to wait for hours.”

The police have registered a case of attempt to murder, house-trespass and criminal intimidation against Mr. Sumera, a civil engineer; Sangeeta Vaghela, a school headmistress, and six other members of the Sumera family, based on Chandrika’s statement.

“Such a violent reaction to such a trivial issue is quite unexpected. There is no history of animosity or violence between the neighbours, except for occasional arguments over petty issues,” P.N. Momaya, Deputy Superintendent of Police, told The Hindu. She denied the family’s allegations that the police was lax in acting on the family’s complaint. “We took prompt action,” she said.

IBN Live

Karnataka CM gives Rs 2 extra subsidy to SC, ST milk producers, angers many

IBNLive.com
Jun 17, 2014 at 11:55am IST

Bangalore: It seems Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah does not think that all farmers and villagers are equal. He thinks that poor among some castes are more equal than the others. Siddaramaiah, who openly practises the AHINDA (minorities, other backward classes and Dalits) brand of politics, has gone a step further. He has now announced that the milk produced by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe milk producers will get Rs 2 extra subsidy.

This decision has attracted statewide criticism. Even many leaders among the ruling Congress party are openly attacking the Chief Minister for dividing the state on caste lines. They claim that this exclusive subsidy for the SC and ST milk producers is a very bad practice and it will finally create a rift among the farmers and villagers across the state.

The main opposition BJP has also attacked Siddaramaiah for his blatant caste politics and his 'hatred' for upper castes. Former chief minister and MP BS Yeddyurappa said that he would write a letter to chief minister asking him to extend the same subsidy to all milk producers irrespective of their caste and religion.

Another BJP leader KS Eshwarappa has described the decision as a very dangerous one. He said, "We are happy if the SC and ST get more subsidy for their milk. But what crime the other castes have committed? The chief minister has set a very bad example and such a decision should not be taken in the first place."

Siddaramaiah extending monitory benefits to a few select castes is not new. A few months ago, he had started a government sponsored state tour only for the Muslim and OBC children. After it led to a statewide protest, he was forced to extend it to all poor children.

His critics argue that Siddaramaiah has a prejudice against all upper castes and hates them for no reason. They say that his decision is aimed at strengthening his vote bank by promoting only a few castes at the cost of other castes, which are also equally poor.

News monitored by Girish Pant-PMARC
.Arun Khote
On behalf of
Dalits Media Watch Team
(An initiative of “Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC”)

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Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and  intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit issues is primary objective of the PMARC.

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