State data on atrocities against SC/ST has discrepancies: Wasnik

He added: “We have observed that figures of atrocities registered against the SC/ST persons in the state vary with our records. We are doing a tally with the government and finding out the reasons behind it.”

Contrasting the Gujarat government’s claim of having no manual scavengers in the state,the Union Minister said scavengers from Gujarat were rehabilitated through various self-employment programmes. Wasnik revealed that nearly 149 manual scavengers out of 8,740 (as per the state government data) are yet to be rehabilitated under the scheme.

Wasnik told The Sunday Express that as the instances of manhole workers’ deaths were reported in the state,the Centre has asked the state government to provide social security to workers.

He said: “A Central committee has also spoken to Mallikarjun Kharge,the Minister of Labour and Employment,to look into the death of manhole workers. As for manual scavenging,the state needs to look into the matter deeply.”

Wasnik,who is also a member of the special committee set up by the Centre to work on the Protection of Civil Rights Act,1955 and the Prevention of Atrocities Act,1989,came up with some solutions to the problems faced by sanitation workers in Gujarat.

He said the state government has been asked to update workers’ details including their number,education,work profile,income and death on the social justice and empowerment department’s website.

According to Wasnik,the Central government is working to start a toll-free number for the workers of the backward communities to address their problems. The government would also introduce subjects of civil rights and atrocities against backward communities for public service examinations and train the workers on the laws related to them.

The committee members including Wasnik and Additional Secretary of Social Justice and Empowerment Sangita Gairola

appealed to the state government to sensitise policemen and civil servants towards the atrocities against the backward class workers.