Haryana labelled ‘balatkar Pradesh’ for crimes on Dalits by Scheduled Caste commission

Drawing a parallel between Odisha and Haryana,Punia said while 19 rapes were committed in a month in the northern state,there was over 18 per cent rise in crimes like rape,murder and arson against dalits in this eastern state.

The NCSC Chairman pointed out that criminal cases had been filed against Odisha’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Damodor Rout. “A person facing criminal charges should not be in the ministry. However,it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to decide who will be in his Cabinet,” Punia said.

Rout had been accused of making casteist remark against dalits at a public meeting in his home district of Jagatsinghpur in 2010. Recently,the minister allegedly made a similar anti-dalit statement during “Ravan Podi” celebration during the Dusshera festival a Paradip.

Punia said,”It is is up to the Chief Minister whether to allow Rout to continue.”

On former minister Pradip Maharathy case,Punia said the commission was not happy over the Odisha police investigation which concluded that the prime accused in the Pipili rape and murder case Prasant Pradhan was not taking shelter at the MLA’s farm house.

While police gave clean chit to Maharathy,who resigned from the ministry in wake of Pipili rape case,the NCSC Chairman alleged that the local police did not register the victim family’s FIR due to pressure from the then minister.

“Doctors at the local hospital also did not treat the victim who died after remaining in coma for over six months. The local doctors also denied treatment to the girl due to Maharathy’s pressure,” Punia said.

Punia made the comments while replying to a question about situation in certain Congress-ruled states in the country.

The NCSC Chairman is a Congress MP and participated in campaign for his party candidates in Uttar Pradesh elections.

Stating that incidence of atrocity is a major concern for the state,Punia said while the conviction rate is very low in Odisha,acquittal rate on the contrary was very high.

“This implies that atrocity cases are not being dealt with the highest attention,” Punia said adding the rate of conviction was only eight per cent in the state.

Claiming that dalits were denied proportionate representation in government jobs,the NCSC observed that only 9.85 per cent get placement in Group-A service followed by 12.74 per cent in Group-B and 14.60 per cent in Group-C against the community’s population rate at 16.53 per cent.

Though there had been provision of stringent punishment for violation of Orissa Reservation of Vacancies Act,no action has been taken against any one despite the fact that Act is existing since 1975.

Similarly,Punia claimed that only four to five per cent expenditure are found out of the total state plan outlay under Scheduled Castes Component Plan.

The NCSC team also met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik before winding up its two-day visit here.