In the past few days, news has been coming in from Satara district of Maharashtra of the gruesome attack on the Ghadge family in the Kulakjai village on the 22nd of January 2013 (see a report from The Hindu here). The CPI (M) and the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) have been following up on attacks on Dalit households in Satara for a while. Below, we reproduce three reports put together by the CPI (M) and AIDWA along with others on these cases, including the earlier 2007 attack on the Ghadge family itself.
1) Report of the fact-finding committee (dated 10th May 2007) of the Dalit Intellectual Collective (DIC) and Peoples Media Initiative
(PMI), in which Comrade Subodh More of the CPI (M) was a member. This report pertains to the murder of a Dalit at the same Kulakajai village.
FACT FINDING REPORT OF THE MURDER OF A
DALIT AT KULAKJAI, MAN TALUKA, SATARA
The background
Madhukar
Ghadge, 48, a dalit of Buddhist faith, was brutally murdered at Kulakjai
village of Man taluka of Satara
district on 26th April, 2007.
The second son of Abaji Ghadge, he worked with western railways at Parel
work shop as a black smith and lived at Ulhasnagar, Thane district. His elder brother Divakar is also with
railways and he, too, lives in Mumbai. His younger brother Prabhakar is in
police and posted at Dhebewadi, Patan taluka,
Satara. The youngest of the siblings Sudhakar lives at Kulakjai and is a deputy
sarpanch of Kulakjai village panchayat. Madhukar has two sons, Tushar
is a 2nd year student of LLB at Satara and Suraj is in 12th
standard, studying at Ulhasnagar. He also has a daughter, Asmita, studying in 9th
standard.
In
spite of living out of their native village the brothers had a strong family
tie and were closely linked to their community. Regular gatherings during
festivals and vacations were a commonplace. They also made regular remittances
from the city and saw to it that their agricultural farm gets developed and
also had personal involvement in the matters.
The
family is fairly educated and the younger generation are doing well in studies.
They are fairly well-off vis-à-vis the rest of the village. These parts of
western Maharashtra are highly drought prone and as such dependence on
agriculture as the sole means of income generation reduced families to misery.
There is a high amount of migration from Man taluka for economic reasons and a large number of people are also
inscribed with the army. The Ghadge family was not dependent on agricultural
incomes and their migration for government jobs, facilitated by reservations
for Dalits and other oppressed castes of the Indian society explains the
reasons of their relative affluence.
Details of village
Satara
district, in western Maharashtra is known for sugarcane production and the
development of co-operatives. The district has mixed features as some areas
gets good rainfall and thereby also has irrigation facilities while others like
Man and Khatau talukas depend on rainfall
which is extremely irregular and has hardly one crop. Man taluka is extremely
drought prone and one is greeted with vast vistas of dry and barren landscapes hardly
finding any greenery, so connected with western Maharashtra. The river Man from
which this taluka derives its name has been perennially dry for the last number
of years. Not only the agriculture takes a toll but, the conditions of life are
also difficult with very arid hot summers. Matters are complicated beyond
control with long hours of power cuts ranging from 6-14 hours.
In
the Kulakjai village one can witness a little bit of greenery only around the percolation
tank; otherwise, its barren lands in all directions. The area is scarce of
water and the people are struggling for water for a very long period.
Man
legislative assembly is a reserved constituency and Sampatrao Avaghade of Nationalist
Congress Party – NCP- represents this constituency in the State Legislature.
Laxmanrao Patil of NCP is the Member of Parliament of the area.
Kulakjai
has a population of more than 2,000. Marathas constitute around 200 households, about
50 household are of Ramoshi community, Mali 10 – 12, Brahmins10-15, 18 Dalits
including one Matang family. 10-12 Muslim families.
As
the village is in drought prone area, government had constructed a percolation
tank in 1981 under Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS). Facilitated by this landless
labourers get some work in village as agricultural labourers. However, there
has been no work under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) this
year and as reported earlier large numbers of rural folks migrate to nearby
towns and cities for their livelihood.
There
has been especially, a sizeable migration of Dalits for work to Mumbai and
other cities since the members of this community do not possess big farm. They
are comparatively advanced in education than the middle-castes and hence, they
prefer to go to cities to work. They facilitate good remittances in the
villages and having realized the importance of education, the young boys and
girls of the dalit community are sincerely pursuing their education in search
of better future. The Ghadges epitomised one such family.
Kulakjai
is 16 km away from Pusegaon, the village of Dhananjay Jhadav, Commissioner of
Police, Mumbai. One is greeted by huge hoardings of D N Jhadav while entering
the village.
Immediate cause
The
Ghadge family in order to irrigate their agricultural lands sought permission
from the government and other authorities to dig a well near the percolation
tank and other wells situated there. This was sanctioned under Jawahar Vihir (well) Yojana and
they were provided a financial assistance of Rs. 60,000. There are four other
wells in that area including a public well for the village owned by the village
panchayat which is incidentally the
largest one.
The
digging of the well begun on April 26th with Madhukar Ghadge being
physically present in the village and the digging work. They used wheeled
excavators for this purpose which was owned by local MLA’s family. The work continued
for the whole day and after the day’s work Madhukar asked his son and other
relatives to fetch some food for the workers from their place. At around 7.45 pm,
when they were returning to the fields screams were heard. Vaibhav, son of Divakar,
saw around fifteen people attacking his uncle with weapons. They ran to save Madhukar,
seriously injured by the assault and in the mêlée, attackers ran away but not without
threatening Ghadge family. They also threatened to hurl a huge stone on Madhukar.
The
contention of attackers was that with the digging up of another well by the
Ghadges, the water flow will reduce and especially water to the village well
will shrink. However, we found that though the immediate reason was nothing but
of water however, the whole concern stretches much beyond that.
As
the attackers were from the village itself, the Ghadges immediately identified
them. They were known to Ghadge family. In fact, they used to come to Ghadge’s
house also on some occasion. The persons identified are:
- Bhivaji Shankar Kapse
- Dadasaheb Bhivaji Kapse
- Bhimrao Rajaram Shedge
- Tukaram Bhiku Nikam
- Appasaheb Dhondiba Wagh
- Sambhaji Shivaji Wagh
- Akil Allabaksh Sikalgar
- Ravindra Namdev Pandekar
- Shivaji Namdev Wagh
- Shankar Bhagwan Chauhan
- Narayan Bhagwan Chauhan
- Navnath Bhivaji Kapse
- Amar Sudhakar Kulkarni
- Krishnarao Gangaram Shedge
Ghadge
family thought of owning a well and they started efforts in that direction and
also purchased land for the purpose so in order to develop their farm land. Locating
the source of water in the proximity of the percolation tank, Ghadges procured
seven gunthas (1acre = 40 gunthas) of land near the tank from
Vitthal Sahebo Jadav, in the name of Popat Jairam Ghadge in February 2006. They
as well applied for the sanction of the well under Jawahar Vihir (well) Yojana. In the Gram Sabha no one
objected to the well and hence, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) was issued. Later,
some people raised objections about the well citing problems of water supply and
how the village well will be affected if Ghadges dig a new well. Though, there
was no written objection on this matter.
Wagh
and Kapse, who owned well themselves, misled others by raising bogey of the
possible impact on the village well. In the real sense, they did not agree to
any new well coming up near their wells and that too by a Dalit. However, they covertly
tried to gain sympathy by raising the issue of village well. A key role was also played by Amar Kulkarni,
who as well owns a well.
Political affiliations
Western
Maharashtra is a pinnacle in the politics of the state especially, with the
sugar lobby and NCP led by central agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has strong
influence in the region. Sadashiv Pol, MLC and leader of Man taluka, has strong hold in this area. Currently,
the Congress is trying to make in roads in Man by splitting NCP, Shiv Sena and
others.
Kulakjai
gram panchayat election took place two and a half year ago. Sudhakar Ghadge got
elected unopposed and bargained for the post of sarpanch reaching an understanding with others that he will be made
sarpanch after two and a half year.
Sudhakar and others were part of Congress. It is important to note that normally
at the village panchayat level political affiliation are of a different type.
It’s a matter of adjustment and compromise where changing loyalty is not a big
issue.
Zilla parishad (district council) elections were held in last March and
differences arose between them since Sudhakar supported the NCP candidate while
others opted for Congress’s Jay Kumar Gore, who got elected. This also strained
the relationship between them. Ghadges state that in spite of Sudhakar supporting
the NCP candidate, he did not join NCP.
Amar Kulkarni
runs a fertilizer and pesticide shop apart from owning farm land. He was earlier
with Shiv Sena and was a Shakha Pramukh of village. Later on he joined
congress and after that Shiv Sena was literally finished in the village. At the
moment, the prominent players are congress and the NCP.
Administration's role
The nearest
police station is at Dahiwadi, the taluka
head quarter of Man, around 20 km from the village. Vaibhav reported the matter
at the police station at around 11.15 pm. The First Information Report (FIR)by
the police mentioned 12 accused and all
of them were arrested under section
302, 143, 147, 148, 149 of Indian Penal Code and section 3(1)(5) and 3(2)(5) of Prevention of
Atrocities Act (POA),1989 and section 4(7) of the Protection of Civil Rights
Act,1955.
Names
of four others including Amar Kulkarni were given in the supplementary FIR but
are not yet arrested. When we met Arvind Gaikwad, the Deputy Superintendent of
Police in-charge of Man and Khatau talukas
and asked about it, he replied that they will only arrest them when they have
evidence since they are not mentioned in the first FIR. We pleaded that they
should be interrogated at least to get some evidence, to which he replied that
it was not necessary. In fact, Amar Kulkarni and others are absconding.
We
met Hemant Nikam, tahsildar of Man taluka at Dahiwadi and enquired about
wells owned by Wagh and Kapse. His contention was that these wells were built
30-40 years back. When we brought to his notice, that the percolation tank was
built only in 1981 and how could the possibility of wells exist before after he
kept on repeating the same arguments. It is important to recall that the Maharashtra Ground Water
(Regulation for Drinking Water Source) Act, 1993 was enacted on 16.8.1993 for
the purposes of regulating the exploitation of ground water for the
protection of public drinking water sources in the State.
The Act seeks to protect
drinking water sources by:
- Preventing the sinking of any well for any purpose within 500 metres of a public drinking water source (although exceptions are allowed and applications submitted under these provisions must be processed within 120 days or the permission applied for is deemed to have been granted);{Section 3}
- Regulating the extraction of water from any well that is within one kilometer of a public drinking water source in any area that is declared “water scarce”,{Section5}
- Preventing the sinking of new wells in any watershed that is declared “over–exploited” (although, exceptions are allowed); {Section 7}and
- Prohibiting the extraction of water from existing wells in any watershed that is declared “over-exploited” during the months of February to July inclusive. {Section 8}
When we brought the above Act
and its provisions to his notice he claimed that the other two wells belonging
to Kapse and Wagh were constructed before the very implementation of the Act
and hence, he is helpless in these cases.
However, there was a marked
variance when we talked to Gaikwad who told us that one of the wells is not old
and have been dug sometimes back.
The cause
“The backward classes have come to realize that after all education is the greatest material benefit for which they can fight. We may forego material benefits, we may forego material benefits of civilization, but we cannot forego our right and opportunities to reap the benefit of the highest education to the fullest extent. That the importance of this question from the point of view of the backward classes who have just realized that without education their existence is not safe.”
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
In Maharashtra
and especially in the western parts of the state, Dalits have become a force to
reckon with. Progress through education has been a key to it and in some areas
they are more educated than middle castes. Their exposure and earning
capacities have also increased significantly with increased education.
Many Dalits
of Kulakjai and surrounding villages are working in cities like Mumbai, Pune,
etc. since being educated gave them better job and livelihood opportunities. This
has resulted in a certain degree of autonomy and independence from the clutches
of upper castes. Asserting this autonomy is a bone of contention between them
and the upper castes where the upper castes perceive this affirmation of rights
as a challenge to their age-hold hegemony and monopoly over power. In a large
number of cases the upper castes find it difficult to oppress the Dalits with
the traditional practices of untouchability, open and naked discrimination or
other direct tyrannical customs or methods. It has been increasingly observed
that the oppression is at a different plane and there seems to be a vector
change of the manners and methods.
A
fairly relative autonomy from caste oppressions exists in the cities or areas
of industrial production. However, the Dalits do not sever their ties with
their roots even while being well-settled in cities. The organic relationship
exists with their villages and families. They make remittances to help their
kiths and kins progress by developing their farm lands, setting up small
enterprises also taking benefits of various government schemes since being educated
raises their awareness and their self-organisation.
Education
and economic upliftment has an important function in their roles in village affairs.
They try to utilize there knowledge and plays important role in social and
political sphere of village. This is precisely the area where conflict begins.
The
problem of the upper caste villagers with the Ghadges had never surfaced till they decided to dig the well. As we understand that well
in drought prone areas is of utmost importance and hence, control of wells is
also a symbol of power since these water sources function as one of the most
important means of livelihood. It is also at times a more important means of
production than the land. By deciding to dig a well they had challenged – indirectly
- the monopoly of upper castes over water which stings them the most.
The
caste oppression in this case is not as direct as in other cases of atrocities
against Dalits where untouchability and other savage treatments exist
comfortably; however, the issue is transparent if go deep into it and
understand the manner in which the physical manifestation of this oppression
has transformed.
The
report cannot be substantial without mentioning a very important fact. Madhukar
was attacked around one and a half kilometres from the village. His relatives
brought him back on a two wheeler from the site and as there was no road on
farm lands it was a difficult journey taking around thirty minutes. There are
four to five vehicles in the village whose owners the family requested in order
to take Madhukar quickly to the nearest hospital. But, no one came forward to lend
their vehicle forcing them at last, to take Madhukar on two wheelers. He was
bleeding profusely and was declared dead before admission.
Ghadge
family informed us that when they were taking Madhukar to the hospital they
were threatened by villagers on the road. They also approached the nearest
health centre at Malavali for their ambulance on the way to Dahiwadi; however,
their plea was refused on flimsy grounds.
The
case exposes a clear cut issue of an atrocity on dalit. Madhukar was killed
because he being a dalit challenged the monopoly of water of the savarnas. It was well planned and Madhukar
was attacked when hardly anybody was with him. This was beyond any wild
nightmare of the Ghadge family.
Demands
- Dalits have lost confidence on police investigation since they feel police that the police are trying to shield Amar Kulkarni and others and not attempting to arrest them. They are behaving like a defence lawyer and in such circumstance; investigation should be handed over to CID
- Amar Kulkarni and other main accused should be arrested immediately.
- The Government should provide protection to Ghadge family to complete well as the well has become a symbol of equality.
On
behalf of Dalit Intellectual Collective (DIC) and Peoples Media Initiative
(PMI)
Sushovan Dhar
Jatin Desai
Subodh More
Shivaji Raut
=======================
2) AIDWA Demands Severe Action in case of Atrocity on Dalit Woman in Satara District; press release dated 12th January 2012
PRESS RELEASE (English version)
The Maharashtra unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana strongly condemns the severe and merciless assault on a Dalit widow resident of Mulgaon village in Patan block of Satara district. This is one more incident in which a poor woman has become the target of feelings of revenge and resentment by upper castes. It is to be noted that the victim is the grand daughter of the revolutionary poet Comrade Annabhau Sathe, whose songs mobilized the people of the state in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement.
The woman has been a resident of the village for the past 30 years. Ever since her son married the daughter of her upper caste neighbour a month ago, she has been targeted with verbal casteist abuse. On Monday the 9th of January 2012, members of the Desai family brutally assaulted her. When she managed to reach the Patan police station the constable on duty refused to entertain her complaint. We strongly demand that the policemen on duty who failed to understand the gravity of the situation and turned her away should be suspended forthwith, and strong action be taken against them. Moreover, there have been earlier incidents of attacks on other members of her family, one of which has been registered with the Patan police station. We also demand that the village level Tanta Mukti Samiti at Mulgaon should be dissolved forthwith since it failed to intervene to prevent the build up of tension and pre-empt this serious incident of assault.
A delegation of the Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana (AIDWA) consisting of State President Kiran Moghe, Satara District President Anandi Avghade, along with Satara District CPI(M) Secretary Com. Manik Avghade, Com. Saleem Attar , Com. J.S. Patil and others met the victim at Karad late last evening (11 January 2012) and spoke to her at length. It is shocking that the District SP and Collector have not even bothered to visit her and make enquiries about her situation. It appears that the State Government has learnt nothing from the Khairlanjee incident and the state administration and police department remains as insensitive and discriminatory when it comes to atrocities against Dalits. The latest crime statistics for the state of Maharashtra reveals that the number of crimes recorded under the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Act increased by 9.62% in 2010 as compared to 2009. Of these the maximum number have been in the districts of Western Maharashtra. It appears that the law is no longer deterrent for crimes against Dalits and women because rarely anyone is punished.
The delegation also went to meet the Dy. SP Patan Shri F.A. Nayakawadi at the Patan Polis Station late last night and enquired about the progress in the investigation. He immediately agreed to their demand to give police protection to the victim while she is in the hospital. They also demanded that the police independently verify the age of the young girl and not rely on the parents’ version. They also asked for police protection to the couple. A memorandum of demands has been submitted to the SP and Collector.
Kiran Moghe Sonya Gill Anandi Avghade
President Secretary Satara District Secretary
9422317212 9869392157 9763713371
PRESS RELEASE (Marathi version)
मुख्यमंत्र्यांच्या जिल्ह्यात क्रांतिकारी लोकशाहीर कॉ. अण्णाभाऊ साठे ह्यांची नात असलेल्या दलित महिलेवर झालेल्या अत्याचाराचा तीव्र निषेध. दुर्लक्ष करणाऱ्या पोलीस अधिकाऱ्यांवर कडक कारवाई करण्याची अ. भ. जनवादी महिला संघटनेची मागणी
मुळगाव, तालुका पाटण, जिल्हा सातारा येथील विधवा दलित महिलेवर झालेल्या अत्याचाराचा अ.भा. जनवादी महिला संघटनेने तीव्र निषेध केला आहे. विशिष्ट समाजघटकावरचा राग काढण्यासाठी त्यातील महिलेला लक्ष्य बनवण्याची ही आणखीन एक अमानुष आणि संतापजनक घटना महाराष्ट्रात घडली असल्याचे दिसून येते. विशेष म्हणजे पीडित महिला ह्या क्रांतिकारी लोकशाहीर कॉ. अण्णाभाऊ साठे ह्यांच्या नात असून, ३० वर्ष त्या गावाच्या रहिवासी आहेत. त्यांच्या मुलाने शेजारी राहणाऱ्या उच्चजातीय कुटुंबातील मुलीशी लग्न केल्यापासून ह्या महिलेला डोळ्यावर धरले होते. सोमवार दिनांक ९ जानेवारी रोजी त्यांना देसाई कुटुंबियांनी जबरदस्त मारहाण केली होती. त्यानंतर त्यांनी पैठण पोलीस स्टेशन मध्ये तक्रार केली असताना त्यांना स्थानिक हवालदारांनी हाकलून लावले. त्यांच्या तक्रारीकडे दुर्लक्ष करणाऱ्या पोलिसांना निलंबित करावे अशी मागणी संघटनेने केली आहे. तसेच ह्या प्रकरणामुळे गावामध्ये ताणतणाव निर्माण झाला होता. संबंधित महिलेच्या इतर काही नातेवाईकांना मारहाण झाल्याच्या घटना घडलेल्या असताना व त्याची नोंद पाटण पोलीस स्टेशन मध्ये असताना गावाची तंटा मुक्ती समिती काय करीत होती असा सवाल संघटनेने उपस्थित करून ती त्वरित बरखास्त करावी अशी मागणी केली आहे.
काल दिनांक ११ जानेवारी रोजी संध्याकाळी अखिल भारतीय जनवादी महिला संघटनेच्या राज्य अध्यक्ष किरण मोघे, सातारा जिल्हा सचिव आनंदी अवघडे, मार्क्सवादी कम्युनिस्ट पक्षाचे जिल्हा सचिव कॉ. माणिक अवघडे, कॉ. सलीम अत्तर, कॉ. जे. एस. पाटील इत्यादि कार्यकर्त्यांच्या शिष्टमंडळाने कराड येथे जाऊन पीडित महिलेची कृष्णा जनरल हॉस्पिटल मध्ये भेट घेतली. जिल्ह्याचे एस.पी. व जिल्हाधिकारी ह्यांनी त्यांची विचारपूस करण्यासाठी
साधी भेट सुध्दा घेतलेली नाही ह्याबद्दल संघटनेने तीव्र नापसंती व्यक्त केली. खैरलांजी सारखे प्रकरण महाराष्ट्रात घडून गेले असताना राज्य शासन व त्याची पोलीस यंत्रणा अजूनही दलित अत्याचारांच्या बाबतीत अतिशय असंवेदनशील व निष्क्रीय असून त्यांचा भेदभावपूर्ण व्यवहार चालूच आहे. नुकत्याच प्रसिद्ध झालेल्या शासकीय आकडेवारीनुसार २००९ च्या तुलनेने -२-महाराष्ट्रात २०१० मध्ये दलित-आदिवासी अत्याचार प्रतिबंधक कायद्याखाली नोंदवलेल्या तक्रारींमध्ये ९.६२% वाढ झाली. पैकी सर्वाधिक गुन्हे प. महाराष्ट्रात घडले आहेत. पूर्वीच्या गुन्ह्यांमध्ये अत्याचार करणाऱ्यांना शासन होत नसल्याने कायद्याचा धाक उरलेला नाही. सर्व प्रलंबित प्रकरणांचा आढावा त्वरित घेऊन पीडितांना न्याय मिळण्यासाठी शासनाने पावले उचलावीत अशी मागणी संघटनेने केली आहे.
शिष्टमंडळाने रात्री उशीरा पाटण येथे जाऊन डी.वाय.एस.पी श्री नायकवडी ह्याची भेट घेऊन तपास कार्याबद्दल चौकशी केली. पीडित महिलेला पोलीस संरक्षण देण्याची मागणी त्यांनी त्वरित मान्य केली. तसेच आंतरजातीय विवाह केलेल्या तरुणीचा वयाचा दाखला पोलिसांनी अधिकृत रित्या मागवून घ्यावा ह्या व दांपत्याला सुध्दा पोलीस संरक्षण देण्यात यावे अशी पण मागणी करण्यात आली. संघटनेच्या वतीने साताराचे एस.पी. व जिल्हाधीकारी ह्यांना सर्व मागण्यांचे निवेदन आज सादर केले जाईल.
किरण मोघे सोन्या गिल आनंदी अवघडे
अध्यक्ष सचिव सातारा जिल्हा सचिव
९४२२३१७२१२ ९८६९३९२१५७ ९७६३७१३७१३
==================================
3) AIDWA's demand for a separate law for honour killing in the backdrop of honour killings in Satara, dated 21st February 2012:
See our earlier post at: http://jeevanmarg.blogspot.in/2012/02/satara-honour-killing-aidwa-demands.html
