08/12/05
Chennai: An eight-member Jury today assailed the Tamil Nadu Government for ''lacking political will'' to conduct elections in four Reserved Panchayat constituencies in the state where Dalits were being prevented by caste Hindus from contesting polls.
The panel, including former Supreme Court judge V Ramasamy, former Madras High Court judge M S Janarthanam and former National Commission for Women Chairperson Mohini Giri, conducted a National Public Hearing on denial of political participation of Dalits in Keeripatti, Pappapatti, Nattarmangalam and Kottakachiyendal on June 14, 2005.
Releasing the report of the public hearing at a press conference here, Mr Justice Janarthanam said it was a 'national
shame' that the political establishment had not found it necessary to draft a national policy for Dalits, promoting reservation, job opportunities, economic development, free education and ensuring political participation in all forms of Government.
Observing that the Dalits, who come forward to contest elections, were threatened by non-Dalits resulting in the resignation of the elected candidate in the four Panchayats, he said the dependence of Dalits on caste Hindus for employment was the major reason for the predicament.
In its recommendations, the jury urged both the Union and State Governments to strictly implement the right to equality and abolition of untouchability enshrined in the Constitution.
Exhorting political parties to evolve a strategy to conduct elections paving way for democratic governance, it also stressed that police officials and bureaucrats, who were found in connivance, should be prosecuted for dereliction of duty.
As many as 24 depositions, including ten Dalit victims and 14 representatives of various political parties, were made before the jury at the public hearing jointly organised by the Dalit Panthers of India, Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights and People's Watch-Tamil Nadu.
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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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