Special courts to handle cases related to atrocities case against Dalits will be set up in 16 districts of Gujarat, announced the State Government on Thursday.
The State Government issued notification mentioning that 16 courts would become functional from October 1, 2016. The courts would also have Government pleaders to help the victims. Gujarat’s Minster of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja said that the State Government has decided to set up special courts across the State keeping in mind the interest of the Dalit people’s long pending demand.
Gujarat Government has been facing a lot of criticism in the wake of public flogging of Dalit youths near Una in Gir-Somnath district. The incident occurred on July 11 this year. Several Dalit activists have been seeking justice for the victims and have raised voice against Dalit atrocities in the State. The community had even launched a State-wide stir since July and even stopped lifting carcass of dead animals in the State.
The State Crime Records Bureau has on record around 14,500 cases of attacks on dalits since 2001, making an annual average of over 1,000 cases or three cases every day in the Gujarat. The dalit activists in the State have attributed to high rate do sense of impunity rising from the fact that the conviction rate in these cases is as low as 3 to 5 per cent.
The statistics from neighbouring State of Rajasthan suggest that 25 of 33 districts in Rajasthan have special courts for cases related to atrocities and the conviction rate is also at 45 per cent.
“The need is to change the mind-set of police, so that cases are filed on time and conviction rate is more realistic,” Manjula Pradip, executive director, Navsarjan Trust, said.
Terming the development as moral victory for the agitating Dalits in Gujarat, the emerging leader of the community 36-year-old Jignesh Mevani said that he and other Dalit leaders would continue to agitate for the rights of Dalits especially land rights.