VIJAYAWADA: Admitting that there are discrepancies in the implementation of different Acts meant to address cases pertaining to atrocities against Dalits, officials said that measures would be initiated for effective implementation of those Acts.
Participating in the ‘Round Table Conference on Atrocities Against Dalit Women and Girl Children’ organised by Dalit Sthree Sakthi (DSS) in Vijayawada on Friday, Director of Prosecution B Ramakoteswara Rao, retired judge Satyanarayana Reddy and Social Welfare department director Raghu Ram acted as Jury to hear the complaints of victims in 24 different cases of atrocity against Dalits during the day long session took notes of the individual cases and assured to strive for early disposal of the cases and justice to the victims.
Some of the cases that were discussed during the round table conference was attack and attempt to murder of one Jaya Sri Sumalatha of Dwaraka Tirumala in West Godavari that happened in October, 2015, the case of Narendra Devi, who was cheated in the name of Love, Veeramma, a minor girl who was raped and murdered in Janaki Ramapuram village of Krishna district in 2013, Vakapalli Mahalakshmi, victim of social boycott in Tallarevu, East Godavari district in 2016, social boycott of dalits in Garagaparru in May 2017.
Leaders of Dalit organisations including general secretary of National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights N Paul Diwakar, founder president of Ambedkar Mission PSN Murthy, SC ST IAS IPS Forum in charge Siddoji said that in a certain time frame, the functioning of different departments has to be monitored with regard to implementation of laws and acts meant for safeguarding rights of Dalits.
“There is need for non official groups comprised of various Dalit organisations to study incidents of atrocities against Dalits, especially dalit women and children, in an unbiased manner and submit a report to the government for initiating action,” PSN Murthy said while others acceded with his suggestion.
In the concluding session, dalit women from Garagaparru explained that they feel that they are being cheated and denied justice, with ongoing negotiations of truce between Dalits and Upper Caste people of Garagaparru.
Gaddam Jhansi, the national convener of the Dalit Sthree Shakti (DSS) said the main objective of the round table conference is not address every case, but to bring the root cause of such incidents to the notice of officials and policy makers so that existing laws and acts can be effectively implemented for protection of Dalit rights.
Cases of Dalit atrocity in AP
Veeramma who was raped and murdered in Janaki Ramapuram village of Krishna district-2013
Attack and attempt to murder of Jaya Sri Sumalatha of Dwaraka Tirumala in West Godavari-2015
Vakapalli Mahalakshmi, victim of social boycott in Tallarevu, East Godavari district-2016
Social boycott of dalits in Garagaparru-2017