‘Criminal’ tag makes us easy target of cops: Pardhis to tribunal

“Before Independence,we fought the British to shed our criminal tag. We still continue to be looked down upon. We are not asking for any new amendments or new law to govern our issues,just the implementation of existing law,” said Shiva Bapu Kale,an octogenarian activist.

There were other complaints too. “Most fundamental necessities,water and ration cards are difficult to procure. We have been discriminated against on the basis of our caste,” said Tulsi Bai from Jai Ambe Nagar.

According to a state Government Resolution passed in 2008,regardless of economic background,every community is bound to be provided with below poverty line ration cards. However,in a grim revelation procured under the RTI Act,the state does not have any statistical data available. “When we tried to find how many BPL cards were provided so far,the food and civil supplies department wrote back saying Mumbai has citizens falling under this category. Such is the apathy,” said Simpreet Singh form the National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM).

A study by students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences revealed that in almost 90 per cent instances,members of the community were wrongly implicated and arrested. The report also highlights how each time,the D K Basu guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court was violated. “Most fundamental issues like shelter and employment are of concern to the community,” reads the report.

A detailed report will soon be handed over to the Chief Minister’s Office and the Department of Social Justice in two weeks.