04, Jul 2015

Updated: Jul 04, 2015 09:05 IST
Showing deep concern over separate crematoria for Dalits in Haryana villages, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) member Ishwar Singh has demanded that this practice be made a criminal offence.
Ishwar Singh, who was here on Friday to convene a meeting with the district officials, said that Haryana had the dubious distinction of being a state committing a large number of violations of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
“Of the total crimes registered in Haryana, 9.52% cases relate to Dalit atrocities. It is higher than the national average of 7%. This data reflects a biased mindset, leading to curtailment of the basic human rights of Dalits. It is a matter of worry that such violations are routine and the state must take serious note of it,” said Singh, a former member of Rajya Sabha from Haryana.
He said that he had got several complaints from Haryana where it was alleged that members of the Dalit community were not being allowed to cremate bodies at places where the last rites of upper caste people are performed.