04.02.2020/ Motion of Thanks / 1714 hours
* SHRI D. RAVIKUMAR (VILUPPURAM):
Hon. Chairman I am thankful to the Hon. President for mentioning in his Address that the Constitution remains as the guiding light. The Constitution ensures us the equality, democracy and freedom. On the basis of this Consultation , we have acquired all the rights including the citizenship rights.
Hon. President has mentioned in detail about different sections of the society in his Address. He has also highlighted the achievements of this Government. But only a few lines appear about SC and ST people who constitute 25 per cent of the population of this country. Particularly, there is no other information in the Hon. President’s Address about the Scheduled Caste people than the mention about extension of reservation to SCs and STs for another 10 year period.
Some days ago, our Government released the report of the National Crime Records Bureau for the year 2018. The Statistics relating to the atrocities against the Scheduled caste people throughout the country have been provided in that Report. This Government cannot take pride in expressing the real status as regards the economic development of the Scheduled caste people of this country. They cannot also take pride in mentioning the educational status of Dalit people in this country. That’s why these details have not become part of the Hon. President’s Address.
Atrocities against SCs have been on the rise. This has been mentioned in the Report of NCRB. In the year 2016, 40,801 violent attacks took place against Scheduled Caste people of the country. This has risen to 42,793 violent incidents in the year 2018. During the year 2018, as many as 821 Dalit people have been killed. Also 1283 Dalit people have been grievously injured. The Dalit women do not have protection in this country. As many as 1530 Dalit women have been harassed in this country. As many as 2957 women have been raped. Dalit minor girls also do not have protection. As many as 871 Dalit minor girls have been raped in the year 2018. I want to ask whether the Hon. President is not aware or concerned of these atrocities against Scheduled Castes in the country?
If Dalit people are considered as Hindus in this country, there will not be complete silence after witnessing so many killings of Dalit people. This deafening silence indicates that Dalit people are not considered as Hindus as they are targeted time and again. Although we have so many laws to bring down the number of these atrocities against SCs, they are not being implemented properly which has resulted in an increase of such atrocities. If violence takes place in the name of a religion, the National Investigation Agency takes up the case as a terrorist act and starts investigating the matter. The culprits are punished immediately. Capital punishment is maximum punishment given to those who involved in such terrorist activities. But even though 821 Dalit persons are killed in one year, it is not considered as a terrorist act. If the crimes based on religion are considered as terrorist acts and why the crimes based on Castes are not considered in those lines. The killings that are booked under the Prevention of atrocities against SCs and STs Act, should be considered as terrorist crimes. And NIA should come forward to investigate these cases. Only then the number of such violent incidents against SCs can be reduced.
Now the Citizenship Amendment Law has been passed and the National Population Register is being prepared. These things remind me of British rule. When census method was introduced during the British rule in India, only after that the Dalit people became landless. In Madras Presidency, 100 years before the introduction of Census, a person named Mr Bernard did a survey in the year 1772 in about 1900 villages. As per the survey undertaken in Chengalpattu district, there were Dalit people who were large in numbers having lots of land in their names. When British rule insisted to get the land ownership rights on the basis of documents, all these Dalit people became landless. Those who gave fake manuscripts and copper plates showing the ownership rights to British rulers became land owners. Today also we face a similar situation. If it is said that one should ascertain his citizenship on the basis of the documents he possess, this will lead to a dangerous situation where 90 per cent of Dalit people will be losing their citizenship rights in this country. I strongly accuse that NPR is aimed to take away the citizenship rights from the Dalit people adding disregard to the Constitution framed by Revolutionist Dr. Ambedkar.
While introducing the Constitution of India revolutionist Dr. Ambedkar said those who consider their religious beliefs above the interests of the country, come to power, our freedom will face severe crisis. He also gave a caution that if we lose our freedom we can never get it back. There is such a pathetic situation prevailing in this country. We have to ensure protection of freedom in the country. We all have the duty to protect the Constitution of our country. I request the people in the Government should also come forward to fulfil such duties. Thank you so much. (ends)
* Original in Tamil.
