Date:10/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/10/stories/2006121001530300.htm

Karnataka - Bidar

`Order judicial probe into police excesses in Bidar'

Staff Correspondent

Probe panel should not be headed by IAS, IPS officials, say Dalit organisations

`Lathicharge on protesters was unnecessary'

`Dalit grievance meetings are not being held in Bidar'

Bidar: Various Dalit organisations have demanded an inquiry by a High Court judge into the defiling of the Mannaekhalli Ambedkar statue and the violence that followed including the alleged police excesses against protesters.

"We welcome the State Government's decision to appoint a commission to inquire into these issues. However, we are opposed to the Government's stand of appointing an IAS or IPS officer to head the commission," leaders of the coordination committee of Dalit organisations told presspersons in Bidar on Saturday.

"We have no faith in commissions headed by the IAS or IPS officials. We do not believe they will be fair to us," committee leader and Bahujan Samaj Party State general secretary Vaijanath Suryavanshi said.

Mr. Suryavanshi said the committee welcomed the Government's decision to investigate the violence following the incident. "If any of our members are found to have destroyed public property or assaulted people, they may be punished according to the law. We have no objections to this," he said.

He claimed that the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police were responsible for the police atrocities on protesters in Mannaekhalli and Bidar.

"The lathicharge and spraying of tear gas on protesters was unnecessary. Police took action against a peaceful gathering of people who had assembled to pray on the occasion of Dr. Ambedkar's death anniversary in Bidar.

Violation

They attacked people sitting in the Inspection Bungalow and the Horticulture Department office at the Ambedkar Circle. Police have violated the police manual in not warning protesters about the prohibitory orders in place," he said.

"Over 100 people, including onlookers, were injured in the incident. Rahul, a 14-year-old boy who received severe injuries is in serious condition and has been shifted to a private hospital in Hyderabad. Who should be held responsible if something happens to him?" he asked. The police have registered false cases against nearly 100 committee activists, he added. According to him, the district administration and the police were insensitive to the problems of the Dalits.

"The Deputy Commissioner is duty-bound to hold a Dalits' grievances meeting every month. But Mr. Moudgil has not done that since he took over 18 months ago. He has refused to meet representatives of the committee," he said. "Ambedkar statues have been defiled on nine occasions in the district since the official took over. And none of the cases have been solved," Mr. Suryavanshi added.

Target of anger

The Communist Party of India district general secretary Baburao Honna felt that the anger of caste Hindus against Dalits was being directed on Ambedkar statues.

"There are good people and miscreants in all communities. No community should therefore be branded as good or bad based on the actions of one or two individuals," he said.

Socialist leader Kashinath Rao Belure opposed the police action against the protesters.

He said the oppression of the deprived by the ruling classes was a threat to democracy. Committee leaders E.M. Sindhe, Basavaraj, Vithal, Manik and others were present.