The deteriorating social situation in the State of Odisha is a matter of grave concern and requires committed intervention of the Government in the context of the increasing violence against the vulnerable sections such as SC, ST, women, children and farmers during last few years. It has been reported by different Government agencies such as the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and the State Home Department that the crime rate in the State has increased; especially the vulnerable sections of society are feeling insecure in the absence of adequate State protection through enforcement of laws by available institutional mechanism.
The published data of Government agencies show a trend of growing violence against SCs, STs, women and children, labourers and farmers in various forms though a large number of cases remain unreported without registration by police and other concerned authorities.
The everyday media reports exhibit the hegemony of dominant forces with feudal mindset, patriarchy and caste-centred obscurity and fanatic ideas which still dominate social life. The Constitutional values of equality before law, human dignity, social justice and sense of respect for human being has not been practised much in ensuring justice to the weak and poor; rather, it appears that the State power has been used to protect the perpetrator rather than the victims of violence.
The NCRB’s Crime in India Report 2013 exposed that the crime rate against SCs has increased with Rajasthan has the highest crime rate followed by Goa, Bihar and Odisha. The crime rate in Odisha is 36.06 which is the fourth highest and about double the national average. Rape has increased by 32 per cent and murder by 4 per cent than the previous year. Rate of crime against SC means the number of crimes against SC per one lakh population based on Census 2011. The SC population in Odisha is subject to subjugation and inhuman practices of untouchability and caste-based violence which remains unabated in villages despite existence of strong protective Central legislations such as PCR Act, 1955 and SCs and STs (PoA) Act, 1989 since last 25 years to prevent untouchability and caste-based violence.
The Annual Reports published by the State Home Department show a consistent increase in the cases of atrocities against SCs and STs. The data show that in 2010 the number of cases reported was 1,589, 1,662 in 2011, 2,522 in 2012 and 2,298 in 2013. About more than half of the cases remain pending for investigation.
The crimes against women have increased with incidences of rape, murder, dowry torture, domestic violence, witch-hunting, honour killing, torture of girl child labour and trafficking of women, student suicide and many other forms of crime across the State. The statistics maintained by the State Commission for Women show a consistent increase in the cases of dowry death, dowry torture, suspected death, rape, kidnap, cheating and harassment. The Home Department data revealed that during 2013, 5,382 cases of dowry /non-dowry torture were reported in as it was 4,898 in 2012 and 4,085 in 2011 and 3,831 in 2010. There has been an increase in rape cases. It was reported that in 2013, there were 1,832 cases while in 2012 it was 1,458, 1,112 in 2011 and 1,025 in 2010.
Very recently, an incident of honour killing was reported from Ganjam district where Sulochana (22) of Daha village was killed by her family members to save the family’s caste pride. Many women are routinely harassed as witches and punished brutally by the community members; and many times they are killed in suspect. Districts like Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam and Puri are featuring in the news despite The Odisha Prevention of Witch Hunting Act, 2013.
The most vulnerable sections are the migrant labourers who are mostly from backward areas and belong to socially backward communities. Their conditions remain unchanged as the number of migrant workers has increased with an increase in labourer contractors. The labourers are used to all kinds of violence, humiliation, most heinous forms of physical and mental torture at workplaces by contractors and employers. The State labour Minister reported in the Assembly that more than one lakh migrant workers were sent to States like Tamil Nadu, AP, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa through 3,044 labour agents in 2014. A very insignificant number of labourers get rescued while others are forced to live in humiliating conditions at workplaces. Women and child labourers have a significance presence among migrant workers and they are more prone to violence in helpless situations.
The distress and disadvantage social conditions are forcing many innocent students and farmers in the State to kill themselves without any hope for life. A few month back, tribal students of Gajapati, Ganjam, and Nabarangpur committed suicide due to the State apathy; and it is known that many such cases are unreported. Added to this, many poor students are getting affected and dying because of casual implementation of Government welfare programmes in Agwanwadi Centres, hostels and schools, which shows a careless attitude of the departmental authorities in managing the programmes for poor children. The violence against child labour in hotels, household work as domestic servants and trafficking of women are often reported in media, and there has been very minimal action by the district administrations. A number of district-level monitoring bodies are almost unaware about their role and remain nonfunctional.
Farmer suicides have increased in the State, but there has been no effort to document the cases by the Government to avoid the truth. It is an established fact that many farmer suicide cases have been unreported though many farmers’ organisations have been reporting the truth to the Government. It is unofficially estimated that about 4,000 farmers have committed suicide during last ten years.
Many innocent people are harassed by police with custodial death, abuse and killing in encounters in the name of extremist forces and hundreds are in jail without a fair chance of trial and legal aid. A majority of jail inmates are from marginalised communities, poor and illiterate, and even many of them do not know why they are in jail.
The recruitment in police department has increased with special drives for STs. Tribal youths numbering 1,521 have been recruited for formation of the Odisha Auxiliary Police Force. Police personnel numbering 6,243 in different posts have been recruited in 2013 and the State has allocated Rs 622 crore for police modernisation to improve the efficiency of police. The Human Rights Commission in the State has become rehabilitation centres for retied bureaucrats and ruling party workers. The child and women desks in police stations and HRPC cells are almost nonfunctional. The victims are being harassed and discouraged to register their cases. The protective laws for women, SCs, STs, children, labourers are not being implemented as the conviction rate shows a discouraging trend. The State Government has also increased the number of liquor licences as well as the selling timing to get more revenue without caring for its impact on social life and violence, though many women groups and eminent citizens are protesting against the move of the Government on the ground of increasing violence.
It is matter of concern for all as to why in spite of laws, programmes and dedicated institutions, implementation of protective laws remains minimal. This needs a serious reflection by policymakers and law enforcing agencies. The concerned departments such as Home, ST and SC Development, Women and Child Development, labour and Agriculture should have a serious joint review and its further reflections should happen in State Assembly.
(The writer is a rights activist who can be contacted at ojaabbsr@gmail.com)