Skip to main content

Caste 'discrimination' of Dalits, Adivasis in quarantine centres: Demand for inquiry

Quarantine centres in Jharkhand: Representative image
Counterview Desk
A civil rights organization, Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch (JMM), has taken strong exception to what it calls “contradictory statements by government officials in caste-based discrimination case in the Hazaribagh Banaso Panchayat quarantine centre, demanding the state authorities must seek clarification from officials concerned as to “why the dry ration was arranged in the quarantine centre and why confirmation regarding the incident was given to media.
In a statement, JJM said, the whole matter should be re-investigated, and if found guilty, action should be taken against all those concerned people, and there should be strict monitoring in the entire state that there are no instances of discrimination in the quarantine centres.

Text:

On May 25, 2020, Prabhat Khabar reported that four Brahmin migrant labourers staying at the quarantine centre of Hazaribagh, Banaso Panchayat, Bishnugarh Block, refused to eat food cooked by a Scheduled Caste (SC) person. The Brahmins demanded the administration to give dry ration instead of cooked food. Thereafter, separate dry ration was arranged for these four by the Mukhiya.
In the report, the deputy commissioner (DC), Hazaribagh, Bhuvnesh Kumar Singh has been quoted as confirming that he talked with the block development officer (BDO) and for the four Brahmin migrant labourers, who had refused to eat dry ration was arranged. This news was also published in the "Times of India", along with the same statement by the DC confirming the incident.
When the administration arranges for separate ration rather than taking action in such a situation, it encourages discrimination and casteist thought and behaviour and is also complicit in the same and is as much of a culprit.
The issue was tweeted by the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha and it was demanded that action should be taken on those who refused to eat, as well as on the administration, that was complicit in the discrimination, as it arranged for separate dry ration in the quarantine centre.
Other journalists, social workers, and aware citizens also raised this issue on Twitter. After this, the Jharkhand Police tagged Hazaribagh Police and asked to take cognizance of the case and to take action. On the same day, a video of the cooks in the quarantine centre of Banaso Panchayat also made rounds, in which they are saying that the newspaper report is concocted, and no such incident took place.
In that video, it is also clear that someone is dictating from behind the camera what to say. By the evening, the DC, Hazaribagh retweets Mahasabha’s tweet saying that the matter was investigated by the Additional Collector, after which the case was found to be baseless.
The next day, on May 26, 2020, "Prabhat Khabar" reported that everyone is having food in the quarantine centre, along with DC's statement that the situation is normal there and the caste discrimination issue has been found baseless in the Additional Collector's investigation.
Information has been received about caste-based discrimination in quarantine centres  of Bishnugarh, Simdega and Bolba blocks
Question arises: What was the foundation of the statement by DC on the previous day confirming the incident and stating that dry ration was arranged. The “Times of India” report also clearly stated that DC Bhuvnesh Kumar Singh had confirmed the incident. If the situation was normal, on what basis were the newspapers given the confirmation of the incident?
Information has also been received from other areas in Jharkhand about discrimination against Dalit/Adivasi people in quarantine centres (e.g. in Karbeda Panchayat of Simdega and Bolba Block). The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha is against any kind of discrimination and strongly condemns it. In this event where the facts do not match, and the matter seems doubtful, Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha demands the following:
  • Clarification should be provided by the DC, BDO, and the Mukhiya as to why the dry ration was arranged in the quarantine center and why confirmation regarding the incident was given to the newspapers? Deputy Commissioner, Hazaribagh should provide clarification for his contradictory statements.
  • The information about the procedures adopted in the investigation by the Additional Collector should be made public. 
  • This case should be re-investigated, and if found guilty, action should be taken against all concerned people. 
  • There should be strict monitoring in the entire Jharkhand state that there are no instances of discrimination in the quarantine centres, and strict action should be taken if found. In any case, the constitutional and human values of equality should not be violated.

Comments

TRENDING

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas*  In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023. 

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative  Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

'Ambiguous policy': India late in advocating EVs as energy storage in national grid

By Shankar Sharma*  This is regarding the points raised by the Chief Electricity Authority’s (CEA's) advocacy for usage of electrical vehicles (EVs) as energy storage technology, and few associated issues . An objective reading of what he states should reiterate the enormously growing importance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in our need to transition to a net-zero carbon scenario for the country.

Union Health Ministry, FSSAI 'fail to respond' to NHRC directive on packaged food

By Our Representative  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the adverse health effects caused by packaged foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats. Recognizing it as a violation of the Right to Life and Right to Health of Indian citizens, the quasi-judicial body called for a response from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding its selection of front-of-pack labels aimed at providing consumers with information to make healthier choices.