People's Democracy

HARYANA

Attack on Dalits in Hissar Condemned

THE All India Agricultural Workers Union has condemned the violent criminal attack on a Valmiki hamlet by criminals belonging to another community in Mirchpur village of Hissar district in Haryana, on April 21. This terrible attack led to the burning of over 20 dalit houses and the death of a physically disabled class XII student, Suman, and her father, Tarachand.

According to the information collected by a joint team of the CPI(M) and AIAWU, led by CPI(M) state secretary Inderjit Singh and AIAWU state secretary Ram Avtar, the terrible tragedy could have been avoided if only the police had come down upon the criminals with a heavy hand. In fact, the police did not come forward even to prevent the carnage even when it went on for two to three hours. Given the growing nexus between the police and criminals in Haryana and the history of caste oppression in Hissar, in retaliation to the growing consciousness among dalit people and the assertion of their rights, the AIAWU had demanded that a commission headed by a High Court judge must probe the incident.

Issued on April 22, the AIAWU statement asked the government of Haryana to immediately restore peace to the area, end the insecurity of the dalit community with proactive action against both criminals and the police personnel who did not prevent the carnage, provide immediate compensation to the families of the dead at Rs five lakh each and Rs two lakh compensation for rebuilding the houses destroyed. It said that the government must therefore act at once, as the CPI(M)-AIAWU team had learnt that the affected families were refusing to cremate the dead until action was taken.

Condemning this incident of arson and violence in strongest words, the Haryana state committee of the CPI(M) has termed the gruesome attack as yet another instance of caste reprisals being perpetrated in Haryana by local powerful elements who often go scot-free due to lack of political will and inaction of the administration.

The party has demanded full protection to the dalit families of Mirchpur village who are living in utter insecurity as the incidence took place in the presence of the police force. The real culprits behind the heinous crime must be immediately arrested and awarded severest punishment, the party�s statement issued by its state secretary, Inderjit Singh, said..

The party has appealed to all sections of people to condemn this inhuman attack and express solidarity with the victims. It also asked the common people to remain vigilant against attempts of the vested interests to polarise the situation on caste lines and restrain from any retaliatory activity.