New Delhi: The Supreme Court today directed
the Haryana government to make all possible efforts to arrest
by September 10 all the accused involved in the killing of two
Dalits and destruction of 150 houses in Mirchpur village in
Hissar District on April 21 allegedly by upper caste people.
The Court also slammed the Haryana government for its
failure to provide relief and rehabilitation measures to the
affected families and directed the authorities to provide two
quintal of wheat to each affected families.
"Some people are not yet being arrested. They should be
arrested before the next date of hearing," a Bench comprising
Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said while posting the
next date of hearing for September 10.
The apex court perused the over 100-page report submitted
by the state government in a sealed cover along with the
fact-finding report prepared by a team of lawyers representing
the victims.
"We have seen the report (of state government) which
is contrary to the report of the other side," the Bench said
while expressing dissatisfaction over the steps taken by the
state government and directed it to file a fresh affidavit.
The fact-finding report submitted by senior advocte Colin
Gonsalves, who is representing the victims, said the state
government failed to keep its promise of providing adequate
relief and rehabilitation.
He said that in the report it is clearly mentioned that
the authorities have not properly implemented the MNREGA.
Further, the dwelling houses for Dalits in the village
are made of mud and not cement, the report said adding even
the District Collector did not visit the village and instead,
only met the victims at the Valmiki Temple in the capital
where they were given shelter.
The apex court had on June 2 warned that it would "take a
very serious view" if such incidents recurred.
"Such incidents of killings are taking place for the
last five years," the Bench said during the hearing while
expressing anguish that the administration was not doing
enough.
During the previous hearing, the court had pulled up the
state government for its failure to prevent the incident,
reportedly a fallout of a dog belonging to people of the
(Valmiki) Dalit community barking at some upper caste Jat
boys.
The apex court had recorded an undertaking from Haryana
government that it would rebuild some of the houses damaged in
the arson and provide employment to at least one member of
each affected family under the MNREGA or other
government-sponsored schemes by the next hearing.
Bureau Report
