Attracting Dalits has proved difficult for the BJP

Politics and violence in Orissa

Why have India’s tribal-majority districts witnessed the bloodiest anti-Christian attacks? The answer to this question indicates why at least 60 people were killed and more than 4,500 houses and churches destroyed in Kandhamal district of Orissa recently.

India saw its first large-scale attacks on the minority community in December 1998 in Gujarat’s Dangs district, where 93% of the population is tribal. In March 2004, anti-Christian violence broke out in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua district, where tribals constitute 85% of the population. Then followed the mayhem in December 2007, and again in August 2008 in Kandhamal, where nearly 52% of the population is tribal. These incidents took place during the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or its allies.  more

Social justice minister Meira Kumar: More laws to Protect Dalits and Tribals

'States must act on crimes against Dalits' 24 Sep 2008, 0358 hrs IST, Subodh Ghildiyal,TNN

The amendment proposed to the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/STs Act is serious as it is believed that it would push the states to act. Social justice minister Meira Kumar told TOI: "We have to make the PCR and POA Act more stringent."

According to the proposal mooted by the Union ministry, the states would have to submit reports for three types of crimes, which involve — fabricating evidence to implicate a Dalit in a crime providing for life sentence or death; using explosives or fire to damage property belonging to SC/STs, or commiting an offence which is punishable for a term of 10 years or more. The proposal is to insert a clause in section 21 of the POA Act dealing with "duty of government to ensure effective implementation of the Act".

In another key move, the Centre is seeking to cut down on the time of trial in crimes against SC/STs by completely doing away with the first level of scrutiny — the magistrate. The MSJ has proposed that special courts designated to try cases under the POA Act shall be "competent to try the offences as a court of original jurisdiction without the case having been committed to it by a magistrate under the said code (CrPC)". 


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