The National Crime Records Bureau reports 1.89 lakh crimes against SCs in the country registered under different laws during 2011-2014 and the conviction rate has been consistently low.
In the current scenario, Odisha witnesses a series of atrocities against the poor and the marginalized by the dominant castes in various forms. It is not just limited to the ordinary poor people in villages but also includes the elected representatives from these communities who are under attack with false and fabricated cases and even physical violence against them in public is perpetrated.
Sociologist Prof Ashis Nandy in January 2013 at Jaipur literature festival said that the OBCs, SCs and STs are most corrupt but sooner than later, he apologized for his statement and said corruption is an equalizing force and SCs, STs and OBCs do not have the means to save themselves unlike the people from upper caste.
Any criminal act or offence including corruption regardless of caste identity should be condemned and opposed at any cost and no one should support any crime in the plea of caste but it creates doubt when elected representatives of SCs and STs are being targeted for media hype and political interest. The SCs and STs are being targeted not because they are more corrupt than others but they belong to a defenceless community without any source of strength in upper caste dominated media and political parties.
Though BJD has been enjoying support of maximum SC and ST MlAs but these leaders are not treated equally with dignity in the party. Bedabyasa Nayak, BJD MlA, Telkoi, was beaten by fellow party workers in a party workers meeting held at Harichandanpur block of Keonjhar. The victim met the Chief Minister and alleged the direct involvement of a Minister from the district. Dr Pramod Kumar Mallick, a BJD MlA from Nilai in Cuttack district, was seriously beaten in public during last Prime Minister’s visit to Paradip and there was no one for his rescue though the incident was broadcasted by electronics media. The most recent so called sting operation against targeted SC and ST MlAs has been highlighted in both print and electronic media and the Chief Minister has ordered Vigilance inquiry to the matter. Simarani Naik ,
Susanta Behera, Anama Naik and Bijaya Nayak were caught in a sting operation by a private agency and later prominently highlighted by a particular media house having clout of political and industrial empire in the State. There have been media reports about upper caste MlAs who are openly expressing casteist remark and engineering atrocities against SCs and STs and senior Ministers of ruling parties have no sense of respect for other SC leaders.
Take the case of Minister Dr Damodar Rout and MP Bishnu Das of Jagatsinghpur. SC and ST MlAs and MPs are not allowed to freely operate in their constituencies without the approval of dominant caste leaders. They have to consult others before disbursement of their MP and MlA lAD funds and for organizing any meetings or even visiting constituencies for public function. Kashinath Mallick, former MlA of BJD was humiliated by the other dominant caste leaders of the district. The matter was taken to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and with the interference of the Chief Minister, the issue was resolved. It is being complained that in ruling parties the decent SC and ST leaders were not preferred for party tickets because of their independent attitude and open view in defence of SCs and STs. A few months backs in the last Assembly, SC and ST MlAs from Congress and BJP were begging before the Chief Minister and bowing down on his feet to listen to their demands.
They were demanding for implementation of SCSP and TSP and implementation of reservation as per their population for the development of SCs and STs of the State. It was unfortunate that 58 SC and ST MlAs did not get support of others. George Tirki, MlA Biramitrapur, complained that there are 112 cases against him mostly instigated by the State because of his struggle for Adivasi rights.
It is not just limited to MlAs but also the elected representatives of PRIs and municipalities who were driven out of post due to power conflicts that such harassment is meted out. long back Bangaru laxman was caught up in sting operation when he was the National president of BJP and he was removed from the office son. Bimbadhara Kuanr who was one of the important members of Odisha BJP was humiliated and removed from the party with caste-based abuses and later he joined the BJD. In 2015, Union Minister VK Singh’s remark over Dalit atrocity drew media attention and the recent BJP vice president of UP made derogatory remark against Mayawati but BJP has well managed the issues with damage repairing.
The leadership of SCs and STs in Congress has not been well accepted by many of its prominent leaders and last time the leadership of Jayadev Jena as PCC president was opposed by many leaders.
The left parties are in paucity of leaders from these communities and mostly dominated by upper caste in their Central committee and State polity bureaus. Kanti Biswas, long time Education Minister of CPI (M), in his autobiography has narrated his experience as a Dalit in Bengal CPI (M), the party that ruled for more than 30 years.
It is fact that the Hindu social order based on caste systems with upper caste supremacy has denied everything to SCs and STs for centuries together. The hundreds of years of exploitation and deprivation made them untouchables and they are forced to live in indignity and sub-human condition. The social and religious life has not changed much with continued hegemony and supremacy of the dominant castes and communities in public life.
It is only during British rule and after independence that the SCs and STs have a minimal representation due to reservation in education, post and services and Assembly and lower House of the Parliament. The leaders of dominant caste ruling parties have to choose the candidates from among SCs and STs for the reserve constituencies and usually they prefer such loyal and obedient persons who can serve them better and stand in defence of their parties by sacrificing the interest of the community to whom they represent. Many MlAs from these communities expressed their anger that the decent or dignified voices are not recognized in party circles and they are not being treated as equals.
Odisha has no leaders of national stature such as Mayawati of UP, Ram Vilas Paswan of Bihar, Udit Raj of Delhi, Prakash Ambedkar or Ramdas Athawale of Maharashtra, Thirumavalam in Tamilnadu and D Raja in CPI to dictate an equal term to other caste leaders.
(Email-manasbbsr15@gmail.com Mob-09437060797)