New Delhi: The National Human Rights
Commission today directed the Gujarat government to submit a
report on the "migration" of over 1000 nomadic herdsmen from a
village in the state allegedly due to harassment by an upper
caste community.
The rights body took cognisance of the matter
following a complaint filed by lawyer and right activists
Radhakanta Tripathy who alleged that the state had remained a
"mute spectator" to the harassment of tribals. The NHRC
directed the state secretary to submit a detailed report
within six weeks from the date of the receipt its notice.
According to the complaint, over 1000 Maldharis, who
are nomadic herdsmen in Gujarat, were "forced to leave their
village in Surindernagar district by people from upper caste
and are waiting in makeshift tents for justice", the rights
body noted.
The complainant referred to media reports which
claimed that Maldhari women were harassed by the upper
castes.
"Hundreds of lower caste villagers (Maldharis) of
Gujarat's Surindernagar district request this Commission to
protect human rights....women face eve teasing and sexual
harassment from upper caste men and government remains mute
spectator of all the ordeals faced by the victims," the
complainant charged.
Tripathy urged the Commission to intervene into the
matter and take necessary step "to stop caste based atrocities
and protect the human rights of hundreds of these tormented
and tortured villagers".
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 19, 2010, 17:42