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Mr. Justice
A S Anand
Chairman
National Human Rights Commission
Sardar Patel Bhawan
Parliament Street
New Delhi-110001
Subject:
Complaint atrocities against Dalits pertaining to the beating
of Mr K. Raju (50), President of Sottathatti panchayat, near
Tiruppuvanam in Sivaganga district of Tamilnadu with "chappals"
for hoisting the national flag on 15 August 2003.
Dear
Justice Anand,
I
am writing to seek intervention of the National Human Rights
Commission against the beating of Mr K. Raju (50), President
of Sottathatti panchayat, near Tiruppuvanam in Sivaganga district
of Tamilnadu for hoisting the national flag on 15 August 2003,
Independence Day. Mr Raju is a Dalit. His wife, Meena has
also been beaten up with slippers.
Braving
opposition from a section of the villagers, the two-time Sottathatti
panchayat president, K. Raju (50), unfurled the tricolour
in a local school. And, even as he was presiding over a `gram
sabha' meeting, a group assembled in front of the panchayat
office in an agitated mood. Soon after the meeting, K. Subbiah
(45) and S. Muthu (50) of the village, confronted Mr. Raju
and his wife, Meena (40), abusing them on caste lines. Even
as Mr. Raju tried to explain, they beat him up with chappals.
His wife was also attacked when she tried to intervene. The
accused then threatened the couple with dire consequences
and left the scene.
An
injured Ms. Meena was rushed to the Tiruppuvanam Government
hospital. Mr. Raju lodged a complaint with the Tiruppuvanam
police
The
fact that 56 years after independence, Dalit leaders still
cannot hoist national flag is a matter of national shame.
I
shall be grateful if the NHRC could kindly make an urgent
intervention and take the following measures:
-
Direct the State government of Tamilnadu to register a complaint
under the relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989;
-
Direct the State government of Tamilnadu to take necessary
measures for prosecuting culprits through Special Courts established
under the relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989 and
inform the NHRC on quarterly basis;
-
Direct the State government of Tamilnadu to pay an interim
compensation of Rs 100,000 (one lakhs) to the victim's family
and that the same be recovered from the culprits; and
-
Take any other measures that the NHRC deems fit.
With kind
regards,
Yours
sincerely
Suhas
Chakma
Director
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