Complaint of intimidation, threats of murder against HRD and Dalit Activist Mari Joseph by Executive Officer of Hassan Taluk Panchayat, Karnataka

 

Justice  S.R.Nayak

Karnataka State Human Rights Commission
4th Floor, 5th Phase, Multi Storeyed Buildings
Bangalore-560001
Karnataka

Sir / Ma’am,

Subject: Complaint of intimidation, threats of murder against human rights defender and dalit activist Mari Joseph by Executive Officer of Hassan Taluk Panchayat, Karnataka

Greetings from SICHREM!

We are now writing to express our grave concern regarding the denial of information and death threats faced by Mr. Mari Joseph in Hassan District, Karnataka.

Incident:

According to the information received Information (RTI) activist Mr. R. Mari Joseph has alleged that Hassan Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer threatened to kill him for seeking information about irregularities in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).

He said that the Dalit Vimochana Manava Hakkugala Vedike, under his leadership, had staged a protest on 29, December 2011 (Thursday) demanding inquiry into irregularities in projects under MNREGA in many gram panchayats in Hassan Taluk, Karnataka, India.

On 30^th December 2011, some people representing the Melgodu Gram Panchayat staged a counter protest to refute the allegations. The protesters were also there at Hassan Taluk Panchayat Office while the Executive officer Mr. Shive Gowda threatened Mr. Mari Joseph.

Background Information:

As per the information received, the Dalit Vimochane Manavahakkugala Vedike has alleged that a large – scale corruption is made in making payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act schemes in Hassan taluk.

Members of the Vedike staged a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on 29^th December 2011, demanding Lokayukta to inquire into the same. The protesters took out a procession from the Hemavati statue before staging the dharna. Mr. R. Mari Joseph told that machinery was being used to implement works taken up under the scheme and workers were not being paid for purchasing implements. He also claimed that attempts to get records pertaining to implementation of the job guarantee scheme under the Right to Information Act had failed the as the information officer concerned had demanded Rs. 17,000 as a fee to provide copies of the documents. The protesters demanded that the Government increase wages under the scheme to Rs. 300 a day and provide work for at least 300 days a year. They submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner K.G. Jagadeesh. B.P. Jayaram of the DSS and artiste K.T Shivaprasad were among those present. Artist K.T. Shivaprasad, district convener of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti B.P. Jayaram and other leaders at the press conference demanded that the officer be suspended immediately.

On 30^th of December 2011 on learning of the protest held the Executive Officer of the Hassan taluk Panchayat Mr.K.Shive Gowda in the presence of members of the public has told, if Mr. Mari Joseph comes to file RTI and seeking information he should be kidnapped in a car and to the forest and have his hands and legs cut and murder him, he has further stated that he would not mind to spend any amount of money (lakhs) for the murder of Mr. Mari Joseph.

After this, Mr. Mari Joseph has filed complaints seeking action and protection for himself with the Superintendent of Police, Hassan District, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Inspector of Police, City Station,Hassan,but till date no action(First Information Report(FIR)) has been  filed  and no action initiated.

In this context, we urge you to immediately take necessary steps to:

1. Direct immediate intervention of the police administration, necessary legal action for all the perpetrators to be brought to book;

2. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the incident with a view to bring those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

3. Take all necessary measures to guarantee, in all circumsatances, the physical and psychological security and integrity of Mr. R. Mari Joseph in order to carry out their legitimate human rights work peacefully;

4. Conform to the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, especially:

 - Its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”;

 - its Article 6(a), which provides that “everyone has the right, individually and in associations with others, to know, seek, obtain, receive and hold information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms”;

 - and its Article 12.2, which states that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

 5. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by India.

Looking forward to your immediate action in this regard,

Yours sincerely,

R.Manohar

Head of  Programs

 

RTI activist facing threat to life

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article2806849.ece

An RTI activist who tried to expose corruption in the implementation of schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in Hassan district is allegedly facing a threat to his life from a government official.

However, the police are yet to register the complaint lodged on December 30 by R. Mari Joseph, who is also convener of the Dalit Vimochana Manava Hakkugala Vedike.

Pro-Dalit organisations, in a press conference on December 30, had asked the district administration to take action against the official.

Later, they filed a complaint with the Hassan City police and met Superintendent of Police Amit Singh. The South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring has also taken notice of the incident and lodged a complaint with the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission.

Graft

However, Mr. Joseph alleged that the police were refusing to register the complaint.

He claimed that there was large-scale corruption in the implementation of works under MNREGA in the district. He said that through RTI applications, he had found that in Shettihalli Gram Panchayat in Hassan taluk and Magge Gram Panchayat in Alur taluk, MNREGA workers were not paid the extra component of Rs. 3 along with the daily wage of Rs. 125.

Complaint of alleged “sexual abuse and abortion” on women at the Beggars Rehabilitation Center at Dharwad District.

 

Justice S.R Nayak

Chairperson 

Karnataka State Human Rights Commission

4th floor, 5th Phase, M.S.Building,

Dr Ambedkar Vidhana Veedhi

Bangalore- 560001.

Dear Sir,

Subject: Complaint of alleged “sexual abuse and abortion” on women at the Beggars Rehabilitation Center at Dharwad District.

The contents for this complaint are drawn from, the electronic media, Suvarna News 24×7 channel who aired the news today, the 9^th of January 2012 in a their “Nera Prasara”, regarding the alleged “sexual abuse and abortion” on women at the beggars rehabilitation center at Dharwad District.

The channel reported that, there are allegations of sexual abuse and a case of abortion too, and the footage also showed one Mr. Muthanna who was alleging that these acts of abuse were taking place in the centre at Dharwad and that he has footage of the inmates sharing their stories. Rebutting the story of Mr. Muthanna was Mr. Raju, (do not know his designation but is from the government) on the channel where he has promised for action.

Considering the gravity of the issue of sexual abuse on inmates in the custody of the state, it is urgent and important that, your good offices intervene immediately to ensure that action to punish the guilty in this incident as well as the other incidents being mentioned, and also to direct the state the government to take appropriate action and render protection and justice to the victims.

Thanking You,

Yours Truly,

R. Manohar 

Head of Programs

Petition demanding the ban of Made Snana ritual in Karnataka

SICHREM has initiated an online campaign demanding the Chief Minister of Karnataka to ban the Made Snana ritual.

The Made Snana ritual involves people from lower castes rolling on the leftovers of food eaten by upper castes. This inhuman ritual is being practiced in many temples across Karnataka, despite protests from various quarters. Many social activists, progressive thinkers, political heads and religious heads have demanded the ritual be banned. The Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University, G. Rajashekar, Prof G K Govinda Rao have publicly condemned the ritual. Activists protesting about this issue like K.S. Shivaramulu have been attacked and manhandled.

Here is the link for the online petition demanding the Chief Minister of Karnataka to immediately ban the ritual across the state: http://www.change.org/petitions/chief-minister-of-karnataka-ban-made-snana-ritual?share_id=IeZMIpWbwv&

Please sign it and circulate it among your contacts.

Complaint against the alleged attack by the mob on journalist K.K.Shahina.

 

Justice S.R.Nayak

Chairperson

Karnataka State Human Rights Commission

4^th Floor, 5^th Phase,

M.S.Building,

Dr.Ambedkar Vidhana Veedhi

Bangalore – 560001

Dear Sir,

Sub- Complaint against the alleged attack by the mob on journalist K.K.Shahina.

The matter for this complaint is drawn from the daily newspaper, The Deccan Herald dated 12the December 2011 and is placed here for consideration and action from your good offices.

It is stated that, Shahina K K, 37, a journalist from Kerala, who had to visit the Somwarpet Tahsildar’s office to fulfil a legal procedure was allegedly attacked by a ‘right wing’ organization, even as she was inside a police van escorting her to ‘safety’, on Friday.  It is to be noted that,Shahina, who is facing charges of criminal intimidation after she had interviewed K K Yogananda, one of the eye-witnesses in the Madani case, and reported that the witness had actually not seen Madani, had to appear at the Tahsildar’s office for the identification parade.

Shahina, a journalist was there as part of fulfilling a legal procedure and the police is stated to have behaved rudely wit her as alleged by Shahina.

The paper further states that, Shahina was welcomed by a large group of people, including one Yogananda, with black flags, but she had not expected that they could cause her any problem. However, after the Inspector’s warning, she had sought security, but in vain. Inspite of this the police officer as quoted by Shahina is to have stated that, “Your security is not my responsibility,”

Her attempts to persuade the officer were not heeded to and the, investigating officer in Bangalore Mr. Mohan Das had to be contacted and in turn who spoke to the local police and later was provided with security.

Ms Shahina’s lawyer, Venkatesh’s colleague was present on the spot and has claimed that as the van neared the exit, people from the Hindu Jagarana Vedike attacked the van and pelted stones at the van and tried stopping it. They also pushed her around before she got into the police van and that the van barely escaped from the barrage.

This incident of an attack on a journalist is to be viewed very seriously on the transparency and accountability of the actions of the police as well as organizations that are mentioned. It was the duty of the police to provide her full security and assure her of protection since she was called in by the police to fulfill investigation procedures. If the police had to be asked by Shahina and he refusing it, we wonder what was on the minds of the police. The life and security of Ms. K.K.Shahina is at risk and danger.

In this context, we seek that your good offices initiate strict action against the commission and omission of the police and State and seek an explanation of the actions that have been undertaken in the incident. And that your good offices issue strict guidelines to the state as well as the police department, so as to initiate confidence and protection to Shahina and also to prosecute the culprits.

Thanking you,

Yours truly,

R.Manohar.                                                                                                                          

Head Programs 

 

Link for the news covered by Deccan Herald after the press meet on the issue by People’s Solidarity Concerns addressed by Mr. Mathews Philip, Executive Director, SICHREM: 

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/211600/complaint-shrc-over-attack-shahina.html