As these elderly persons can barely look after their own needs, these children get neglected. They do not go to school and roam around aimlessly. Tragedy struck twice recently as three such children of this hamlet were drowned, two in a pond and one in a canal. This caused widespread distress in the hamlet.

Urmila, a deeply sensitive dalit woman of this village was already involved with a voluntary organization Vidya Dham Samiti (VDS). With its help she decided to open an informal school in which these children could come get some education and care.

For over a year now she has been teaching these children for about two hours per day. Depending on the migration cycle, the number of children who attend this school can range from 20 to 35. The school hours were 4 to 6 earlier but with the onset of winter have been changed from to 3 to 5.

Urmila is one of the very few women here who is a graduate. She divides children according to age group and teaches them the basics of English, Hindi and Math. Saturday being sports day is eagerly awaited. Keeping in view the recent tragedies, children are alerted regarding safety precautions. They also learn about good health and hygiene.

Urmila has not yet been able to arrange a room or properly covered place for her small school, so rainy days sometimes become off days while occasionally someone provides a covered place. She hopes that some more durable solution can be found soon.

Meanwhile Urmila has already succeeded in integrating some of her students in the mainstream school, although problems caused by the frequent migration of their parents will persist.

Urmila gets a lot of affection from children, as is evident from the fact that those going to the mainstream school still insist on coming to her school too. Urmila does not believe in punishing children. When these children or their grandparents experience any serious health or other problems, Urmila tries to arrange some help from neighbours, or from VDS and its sister organization Chingari.

Several such schools have been started by VDS without having any project support for this by raising small donations. These can play a particularly important in villages where migration levels are high, or where there are very high levels of poverty and the nearest school is some distance away and the path is not safe. Such informal schools may not be adequate for meeting educational needs, but these fulfil an important need. To explore various options, in one such school nutrition is also provided, despite the difficulties faced in this due to the non-availability of any project funds.

For the school in Missouri village a beautiful small bamboo room has been created near a lotus pond for the children who assemble here for about two hours every day for education. Here some nutrition is also provided on daily basis. Jitendra, the teacher in this school, is a talented youth of this village. One of his arms was crushed in an accident, but several people say that this accident was deliberately caused by a dabang (ruthless person) of the village who was angry with Jitendra for being assertive. Jitendra remains very quiet but his mother was very agitated when I spoke to her. Jitendra is very committed to teaching children, even though only a small honorarium could be arranged for him. Coming to meetings and inter-acting with many people has given him a new confidence and he has also re-joined his own education along with teaching children.

Even at a very small scale, such efforts have given heart-warming results which testify to the eagerness of children themselves to have at least some access to education. One hopes that with more support becoming available, these efforts will be able to expand and improve in the near future.

Bharat Dogra is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine and A Day in 2071.  

Courtesy: CounterCurrents.org

The post Taking Care of Children of Migrant Workers appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“Every Indian is a citizen of the country first and thereafter only he becomes a member of the religion. When the Act 2006 prohibits child marriage, it supersedes the Muslim personal law, and every citizen of this country is subject to the law of the land, which is Act 2006, irrespective of his or her religion.” (Para 23)

Thus, through this judgment, the bench of Justice P. V. Kunhikrishnan held that a person’s primary standing as a citizen of the nation supersedes their religious beliefs. The Court declared that religion comes second and citizenship first. The Court so observed that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act applies to as well as binds all citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliation—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Parsi, or any other.

In the said 37-paged judgment of the Court, the bench also mentioned to the psychological impact that marriage has on the child, impacting their education, career and lives, making child brides are more vulnerable to domestic violence and abuse. As per the judgement, marrying a child invoking religious texts and norms denies the child the enjoyment of their basic and fundamental rights. The judgment further emphasised upon the duty of every citizen to see that there is no child marriage.

Background of the case:

An FIR had been filed against the petitioners on the complaint made by Integrated Child Development Scheme Officer (ICDS Officer), Vadakkencherry to the Circle Inspector of Police, Vadakkencherry, in which it had been mentioned that a child marriage happened within the jurisdiction of ICDS Alathur Additional on December 30, 2012. The FIR had been registered at the Vadakkencherry Police Station alleging offences punishable under Sections 10 and 11 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

As per the FIR, the 1^st accused had conducted the marriage of his minor daughter with the 2^nd accused as per the religious tenets and rites in Islam. Accused Nos. 3 and 4 are the President and Secretary of Hidayathul Islam Juma Masjid Mahal Committee. The 5th accused is the witness who signed the record regarding the conduct of the marriage. As per the FIR, all the accused were guilty of committing an offence under Sections 10 and 11 of the Prohibition Act.

The present case had reached the Kerala High Court as the petitioners urged the Court to quash proceedings against them for allegedly committing the offence of child marriage punishable under Sections 10 and 11 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

Arguments submitted to the Court:

By the petitioners (accused in the FIR) – The petitioners put forth two major arguments. Their first submission was that under Islamic law, a Muslim girl has the ‘Khiyar-ul-bulugh’ or ‘Option of Puberty,’ granting her the right to marry upon reaching puberty, typically at 15 years old. They claimed that the marriage of a minor girl is not considered void, it is voidable at her discretion once she attains puberty. It is stated that Muslim personal law prevails over the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and any marriages solemnised before or after the said Act is voidable only at the option of the married girl. Therefore, it is contended that a Muslim girl, who has attained puberty, that is 15 years, could marry and such a marriage would not be a void marriage.

The other argument raised by the petitioners was that the birth date of the minor girl in question had been incorrectly noted by the school authorities. Since the parents of the girl were illiterate and came from a very remote and economically backward village, the mistake was not rectified. It was submitted by the petitioners that the 1^st petitioner’s wife delivered his daughter on November 27, 1994, however, the child did not join the school at an appropriate age. Based on the abovementioned circumstances, the petitioners stated that the girl was admitted to the primary school by giving an incorrect date of birth by the school authorities, and therefore, the wrong entry of the date of birth in the school records occurred.

Lastly, the petitioners also highlighted the issue of there being a delay in filing the complaint, which showed that the same was filed with malafide intention. Based on these submissions, the petitioners urged the Court to quash the case against the petitioners.

By the Amicus Curiae- The Amicus Curiae filed a paper book containing the relevant provisions and also all the decisions of different courts, including the Apex Court on this issue of child marriage permitted under personal laws. The crux of the submission of the Amicus Curiae is that when the Act 2006 is in force, the same will override the personal law of the parties. The Public Prosecutor had also supported the argument of the Amicus Curiae and submitted that there is nothing to interfere with the final report.

Observations of the Court:

The bench discussed the objective and provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act in detail. Including the important provisions from the 2006 Act, the bench highlighted that the special legislation was brought in response to the mounting calls for strengthening the provisions of the erstwhile Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 by making it more effective and for making the punishment thereunder more stringent so as to eradicate or effectively prevent the evil practice of solemnisation of child marriage in the country.

The bench highlighted that as per Section 1(2) of the Act, the application of the said legislation extends to all citizens of India without and beyond India. Based on this, the bench provided that that the 2006 Act has extra territorial jurisdiction and is applicable to Indian citizens living abroad, regardless of their location. As per the bench, this further clarified that the Act is also applicable to all citizens irrespective of their religion.

“Section 1 (2) of Act 2006 says that, it extends to the whole of India and it applies also to all citizens of India without and beyond India. From the above provision itself it is clear that if a person is a citizen of India, Act 2006 is applicable irrespective of his religion, whether he is a Hindu, Muslim, Parsi, Christian etc. Therefore, from Section 1(2) of Act 2006, it is clear that it extends to the whole of India and it applies also to all citizens of India without and beyond India.” (Para 9)

The Court noted that every citizen, non-governmental organization etc. must inform the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer or Court about any information regarding child marriage.

“So, it is the duty of every citizen of the State to inform the Child Marriage Prohibition Officer if information is received about any child marriage in the State. The citizens of the State should be alert about the above provision and the Child Marriage Prohibition Officers also should be vigilant about their duties and powers as per Act 2006 and Rules 2008.” (Para 15)

The bench further noted that the special law specifies that Judicial Magistrates of the First Class or Metropolitan Magistrates can issue injunctions to prevent child marriages and, under Section 13 of the Act, have suo-moto powers to act on such complaints/information. The Court urged Magistrates to be alert about their powers to take suo moto cognizance on being informed about child marriages.

“Therefore, if any reliable report or information is received about a child marriage, it is the duty of the Judicial Magistrate of First Class/the Metropolitan Magistrate to suo motu take cognizance based on such reliable report or information. There are other procedures also mentioned in Section 13. Therefore, I am of the considered opinion that, all the Magistrate in the State should be vigilant to take cognizance, if any reliable report or information is received about any child marriage.” (Para 18)

The bench additionally pointed to the important role that that print and visual Media can play in spreading awareness regarding the evil of child marriage as well as the laws that exist in India that prohibit child marriages in the country. As per the bench, it is the duty of the print and visual media to publish articles highlighting the evils of child marriage, sharing stories of survivors and victims, creating awareness about the loss and consequences of child marriage, promoting education and empowerment of girls and exposing perpetrators and their actions.

“The visual media should also broadcast documentaries and shows on child marriage, creating public service announcements and awareness campaigns, depicting the negative consequences of child marriage in movies and TV shows, interviewing experts, survivors and activists. The print and visual media should be a platform for voices against child marriage, encouraging public discourse and debate, supporting and amplifying initiatives working towards eradicating child marriage, holding those in power accountable for enforcing laws and policies, educating the public about the physical, emotional and psychological harm caused by child marriage etc.” (Para 19)

Coming to the contentions raised by the petitioners in the present case through which the petitioners have provided that since the personal law of Muslims permits every Mohammedan of sound mind who has attained puberty to enter into a contract of marriage, the provisions of Act 2006 does not apply to Muslims, the Court said that even Mohammedans are not exempted from the applicability of Act 2006.

“I am of the considered opinion that, the provisions of Act 2006, which was subsequently enacted, is applicable to Muslims also as far as child marriage is concerned. This is because of the importance of Act 2006 and also because it is a special Act enacted with a great object. It is true that the Principles of Mahomedan Law by Mulla says that, every Mahomedan of sound mind, who has attained puberty, may enter into a contract of marriage. But, as I observed earlier, every Indian is a citizen of the country first and thereafter only he becomes a member of the religion.” (Para 23)

The bench also clarified that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act would also override the provisions of the Majority Act of 1875. This is because Section 2 of the Majority Act stipulates that the Act does not affect a person’s capacity to act in matters such as marriage, dower, divorce, adoption, and it also specifies that it does not apply to the religion or religious rites of Indian citizens.

In Para 27 of the judgment, the bench went on to state that it is in disagreement with the decisions of the Patna High Court in Md. Idris v. State of Bihar and Others (1980), Punjab and Haryana High Court in Kammu v. State of Haryana (2010), Delhi High Court in Tahra Begum v. State Of Delhi & Ors. (2012) which held that a Muslim girl can marry upon reaching puberty and that such marriages are not considered void.

In regards to the argument raised by the petitioner on the wrong age of the Muslim girl being mentioned in the school register, the bench provided that the Court cannot accept that version of the petitioners and quash the proceedings at this stage as this is a matter of evidence.

“The petitioners are free to adduce evidence on that before the trial court at the appropriate stage and the court concerned will consider the same in accordance with law based on the evidence adduced by the petitioners.” (Para 28)

The third contention raised by the petitioners was that there was a 1½ years’ delay in filing the complaint after the marriage. Upon this, the bench noted that while it was true that there was some delay in filing the complaint, the bench cannot ignore the purpose of Act 2006 which is to eradicate child marriage. Thus, when a citizen, that also a person belonging to Muslim community, submits a complaint stating that there is a child marriage in his religion, the Court cannot reject the same saying that there is a delay in submitting the complaint. With this, the bench rejected the third contention raised by the petitioner.

The bench underlined the detrimental effects of child marriage, pointing out that it violates fundamental human rights and results in the exploitation of minors. It stated that early marriage and pregnancy create health problems for victims of child marriage. The bench further highlighted that child marriage restricts girls’ access to the workforce, forces them to drop out of school, and keeps them in poverty. It was said that child brides are susceptible to emotional and psychological harm from domestic abuse. The bench continued by saying in its judgment that it is the responsibility of every citizen to stop child marriages.

“Let the children study according to their wishes. Let them travel, let them enjoy life and when they attained maturity, let them decide about their marriage. In the modern society, there cannot be any compulsion for marriage. Majority of the girls are interested in studies. Let them study and let them enjoy their life, of course with the blessings of their parents.”

Decision of the Court:

Based on the observations made by the bench as provided herein above, the bench rejected the contentions of the petitioner that their minor daughter can marry upon attaining puberty since she is a Muslim. Accordingly, the Court dismissed the case and stated that the petitioners had not made a case to quash the proceedings.

The complete judgment can be read below:

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The post Kerala HC reiterates that every Indian citizen, regardless of their religion, is bound to adhere to the law prohibiting child marriage appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The police made arrests after they received a complaint at the Mandawali Police Station from the family of the victim.  The harrowing incident occurred on March 20, at the home of a tuition teacher in Pandav Nagar, East Delhi, according to police reports.

The victim was referred to AIIMS for treatment. The following day of the incident on March 24, Delhi Minister Atishi had written a letter to Lt Governor V K Saxena and urged for strong and quick action against the perpetrator of the assault and to provide a safe environment for women in Delhi, “Today I am writing to you not just as a minister, but as a woman who lives in Delhi. Article 239AA of the Constitution gives you the responsibility of police and public order. Kindly ensure that swift and strongest possible action is taken against the perpetrators of this horrendous crime.”

दिल्ली के पांडव नगर इलाक़े में 4-साल की बच्ची के साथ बलात्कार हुआ है। इससे ज़्यादा वीभत्स अपराध क्या हो सकता है?

LG साहब: दिल्ली की महिलाओं और बच्चियों की सुरक्षा आपकी संवैधानिक ज़िम्मेदारी है। इन अपराधियों को तुरंत सज़ा होनी चाहिए, और सख़्त-से-सख़्त सज़ा होनी चाहिए।

एक महिला… pic.twitter.com/N3kwOrYL29

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) March 24, 2024

Following the news of the incident, a huge crowd of hundreds of people had gathered outside the accused’s residence the following day. The crowd started protesting for police action and soon the demonstration turned violent as protesters damaged vehicles in the vicinity.  The Delhi Police had to deploy additional police personnel to maintain law and order.

DCP East Delhi Apoorva Gupta has debunked rumours, and has claimed contrary to rumours saying that the victim’s health is critical, the child is doing well under recovery. Furthermore, on April 1, DCP Gupta told ANI that the local residents of Pandav Nagar had organised a Mahasabha, a public meeting, with the police officials’ presence and told them of their demands. The police have stated that they will consider the demands and undertake all necessary steps in the case.

Ten days after the incident, the ANI reported the name of the alleged rapist as Appu. However, apart from this no other information about the identity of the teacher and accused has not been disclosed by the media so far. It has been observed that if the accused is of a minority community, then the entrenched commercial (especially television and social) media is noted to publish the name of the accused in its reports immediately after an incident which often leads to social media becoming rife with stereotypes about minority groups as a whole. However, no online campaign has followed the incident against the accused in this case.

According to the latest yearly report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released in December 2023 titled Crime in India 2022, crimes reported against women and children have increased exponentially over the years. Around 445,256, cases were registered in 2022 alone for crimes against women, which averaged at about nearly 51 FIRs every hour, as per a report by The Hindu’s Frontline. Meanwhile, cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012 have witnessed a huge rise, of about 94 % in the past six years, from 2017 to 2022, according to reports. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of reported offences under the POCSO Act with 8136 out of 63414 total cases.

In relation to crimes against women, Delhi was ranked at number one among 19 metropolitan cities in India with regards to reported rape cases and fifteen percent of the total cases come from Uttar Pradesh, which borders Delhi. On a daily average, the city witnessed three rape cases daily and reported having a total of 1,212 registered sexual assault cases.

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The post Four-year-old raped in New Delhi, locals protest and organise public meeting appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Adieu Sheela Barse- Salutes

I was informed last night of the passing on of Sheela Barse. I am fully aware that this name may not mean a lot to the new generation of activists. Law researchers may have heard of her and referred to orders with her name.

But for me, I am feeling a sense of loss. I have not met Sheela for over 30 years and yet I feel I never quite lost touch with her in my heart and mind. Every time I think of or mention juvenile justice, Sheela’s is the name that comes to my mind. I was delighted to find an interview with her in Live Law which was feisty as she has always been. I recall her as I think child labour- because that’s why I got to meet her in 1986!

It is impossible to write on children’s issues without citing Sheela Barse and all her PILs. Her work on women prisoners in the early eighties could be considered path breaking. A simple internet search is enough for that. But like many feisty fighters of peoples rights , she remains unknown to most of the larger public. I doubt that whether my own children or even my spouse recognise the significance of her life, despite their relationship with me. I realised as I spoke to many young activists, they were unable to recall her. How do we make people like Sheela Barse as much a national heritage in the minds of the public she spent her life fighting on behalf of, as the sportspersons and actors or even other ‘celebrities’? My yoga teacher, with whom I was talking about Sheela said, how come we do not know her….our children of course never will. That is so sad indeed!

It was 1986 and the draft child labour law was under way. Rajeev Gandhi was the Prime Minister and P.A Sangma the Labour Minister. The new terms – Prohibition and Regulation were to be added to the amended child labour law. My friend Neera Burra and I met at the Indian Social Institute, Delhi, where we both worked. Neera introduced me to Vasudha Dhagamawar, who had just set up Multiple Action research Group (MARG), and whom I worked with for 10 years. Neera and Walter Fernandes, the Director of Indian Social Institute, were busy with a research project on child labour. I knew nothing on the issue. But, as my first assignment with MARG, I was roped in to coordinate a huge national conference on child labour. I was given an assistant, a typewriter and a room. The mandate of the conference was to argue the draft law.

The luminaries who co-convened this conference were Tara Ali Baig (SOS Children’s Villages), Sharadchandra Gokhale (CASP) and of course Walter Fernandes and Vasudha Dhagamwar. I only remember being totally overawed by them all to begin with. Sadly except for Walter, we have lost all of them.

Among the invitees was Sheela Barse. She was already quite a legend. Even before she arrived there were stories about her – how she had jumped over factory walls in Bhiwandi to discover children working there, travelled alone into ‘dangerous’ spaces and filed cases in court.

When she arrived, she was direct and outspoken – and told off anyone she was unhappy with. She was a tall and imposing woman with a quicksilver mind and oozed confidence and stature. As co-ordinator of the national conference, I was expected to ‘deal’ with her. Anyone can imagine how overwhelming it can be for a 25-year-old to meet such person. I cannot remember, what she was annoyed with, but do recall the feeling of terror when she stamped her feet in irritation!

India would not have had a juvenile justice law had it not been for Sheela Barse who filed for children to be treated differently in criminal cases. She was relentless. (PIL on rights of children in custodial institutions Sheela Barse v. Children’s Aid Society & Maharashtra 1987 AIR 1987 SC 656, (1987) 3 SCC 50; Children below 18 years kept in jail, this Hon’ble Court called for complete information and directed strict compliance Sheela Barse (I) v. UOI (1986) 3 SCC 596; Physically and mentally retarded children and abandoned or destitute children kept in jails. Sheela Barse (II) v. UOI (1986) 3 SCC 632; PIL on behalf of children in police lock-ups (1986) 3 SCC 596 PIL against minor children in jail. Sheela Barse v. UOI (1987) 1 SCC 76; PIL against jailing of mentally ill children in West Bengal. Sheela Barse v. UOI (1993) 4 SCC 204; PIL against lodging delinquent children in regular jails. Sheela Barse v. UOI 25 ACC 370).

She was also one of the early activists to have reported and fought sexual exploitation of children. Remember the Freddy Peats Case in Goa? Her PIL against international organised Child Sex Exploiters Sheela Barse v. Goa & UOI, exposed the pedophilias in India. This led to the prosecution of the foreign perpetrators who were extradited and the German Police Tape recorded her evidence in Frankfurt where she was invited. She was part of drafting of several of the policies and laws in her life time and continued to fight for the causes she so believed in.

I remember you Sheela Barse! You are not forgotten ! zindabad!

Advocate Anurag Bhaskar did this interview on LiveLaw with Barse in 2020

(The author of the blog is Co- Founder and Former Co- Director of HAQ: Centre for Child Rights. I am an Honorary Professor- National Law University, Odisha. Ashoka Fellow. (2003).

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The post Sheela Barse, a gutsy champion for child rights, juvenile justice and rights of women prisoners appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Thakur’s third son, Piyush, was also attacked by accused Sajid with a knife, however he managed to escape the attack. As per a report of Livemint, the surviving brother has now become an eyewitness in the double murder case.

A report of ANI provided the narration that the surviving brother, namely Piyush, gave of the incident that took place and how he was able to save his own life. In the report, he has been quoted as saying, “The man from the salon had come here. He took my brothers upstairs; I don’t know why he killed them. He tried to attack me, too, but I pushed away his knife, pushed him away and ran down. I suffered injuries in my hand and head…Two people (accused) had come here.”

The video can be viewed here:

#WATCH | Budaun (Uttar Pradesh) Double Murder Case | Surviving brother of the two deceased children and eyewitness to the incident says, “The man from salon had come here. He took my brothers upstairs, I don’t know why he killed them. He tried to attack me too, but I pushed away… pic.twitter.com/GlNfJkRfKC

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2024

From the morning of March 20, Wednesday, as reports were published in different sections of the media, communally inflammatory posts flooded social media. Since the accused was a Muslim while the victims were Hindu, it did not take much time for ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to see hashtags such as #रमजान_हॉरर (Ramzan Horror) and #HindusUnderAttack start trending.

Official reaction

As per the report of Hindustan Times, SSP Badaun Alok Priyadarshi narrated the said incident by stating the following: “The accused Sajid entered the house yesterday at around 7:30pm and went to the terrace where the children were playing. He attacked the two children and murdered them. He then came down where the crowd tried to hold him back but he escaped…Police teams swung into action when they got to know that the accused had escaped.”

Accused encountered, no reason behind the killings ascertained:

The tragic double murder led to an uproar by the local residents. As per multiple media reports, the residents set shops on fire as they demanded immediate arrest of Sajid. Later, as the police tried to apprehend the accused, a retaliatory firing reportedly ensued, as a result of which the accused was shot dead in a police encounter.

The statement of Bareilly Inspector-General of Police Rakesh Kumar was provided by ANI, wherein he had stated “Today evening, an unfortunate incident took place in which two children were killed. The police reached the spot, and the accused tried to escape. We chased the accused. He fired at the police and was killed in retaliatory fire. The accused died on the spot. The police are investigating the case.”

It is essential to note that the reason behind the accused Sajid attacking the three children has not been ascertained yet. As per a report in Livemint, the father of the victims has provided that he is not aware why the accused had attacked his sons. However, SSP Badaun Alok Priyadarshi said that accused Sajid demanded money from the father.

“In the FIR, the family of the deceased children has also named the brother of the accused, Javed. Teams are working to find him, and he will be arrested soon. According to the family, the accused had demanded ₹5,000 from the father of the deceased children,” the SSP Badaun told ANI.

Communal colour given to criminal incident:

As soon as the news of the double murder and the name of the accused came forth, communally inflammatory posts started doing round on social media. Since the accused was a Muslim while the victims were Hindu, it did not take much time for ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to see hashtags such as #रमजान_हॉरर (Ramzan Horror) and #HindusUnderAttack start trending. The religious backgrounds of the parties involved served as the perfect opportunity for the bots and faceless trolls on ‘X’ to spread their divisive ideology, which was then picked up by far-right influencers and IT cells. A polarising environment was once more created wherein the criminal deeds by one Muslim was used to bash the entire religious minority community.

Calls for boycott of the Muslim community and provocative statements encouraging violence against the community started doing rounds. Some examples are as follows:

“Completely Boycott- Muslim barber, Muslim cobbler, Muslim (vegetable) vendor, Muslim fruit-seller, Muslim plumber, Muslim electrician, Muslim driver, Muslim maid, Muslim tailor, Muslim shop, Muslim Friend. They’re monsters, don’t endanger your life.”

The post can be viewed here:

Disclaimer- the original post contained the faces of the minor children, which have been blurred by our team in view of the law.

“The difference between us and them is clear. Wake up Hindus, Wake up #Badaun #bloodbath #HindusUnderAttack”

Disclaimer- the original post contained the faces of the minor children, which have been blurred by our team in view of the law.

“A Hindu can’t kill anyone like this while they will be fasting or during any of their festivals and then drink the blood. Are we living with Animals? Gandhi this is all your mistake, which these 2 innocents repaid as an interest.”

“She helped Javed and Sajid when one of the wife was pregnant. She even gave money to them for the delivery. But Islamists slit the throat of her kids (Piyush(14) and Honey(6)). All this is happening when Ramzan is going on. #HindusUnderAttack #Encounter”

She helped Javed and Sajid when one of the wife was pregnant. She even gave money to them for the delivery.

But Islamists slit the throat of her kids ( Piyush(14) and Honey(6) ).
All this is happening when Ramzan is going on.#HindusUnderAttack #Encounter pic.twitter.com/5r41V47G3y

— Farrago Abdullah Parody (@abdullah_0mar) March 20, 2024

Even Muslim women were bashed for their clothes by some.

“This photo is enough to explain why incidents like Badaun are happening. There is still time, get into the habit of voting otherwise these three women will also be seen in burqa. Can anyone tell me, what kind of brotherhood this is? #HindusUnderAttack #Encounter”

This photo is enough to explain why incidents like Badaun are happening.

There is still time, get into the habit of voting otherwise these three women will also be seen in burqa.

Can anyone tell me, what kind of brotherhood this is?#HindusUnderAttack #Encounter pic.twitter.com/1Ds1B2bmnU

— Akanksha Parmar (@iAkankshaP) March 20, 2024

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The post Badaun, UP: Heinous instance of murder of 2 minors given communal colour to bash a religious minority appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In Maharashtra’s Akola a young 15-year-old Muslim child named Altamash has committed suicide after he was reportedly beaten, humiliated and abused by his school principal and teachers on account of his being a Muslim. As per a report, the family of Altamash has claimed that there were two teachers who would regularly and consistently beat him and psychologically abuse him.

The distraught father of the child, who studied at Guru Nanak Vidhyalaya, spoke to the media stating that his child had been fine. “It was only after he was humiliated in school by his teachers and principal that he was extremely disturbed and took the step to kill himself. Yesterday, the principal and teacher beat him and humiliated a lot that made him depressed. He returned home from school, went to tuition, and did his homework, after which he killed himself.”

The father says the child told them of the humiliating words his teachers told him and how deeply they impacted the young child, “The teachers words have been stuck in his head. The teachers have said, ‘I will kick you out of school, give you TC (transfer certificate). You Muslims students are harmful. Muslim’s children are not worthy of studying.” The parent has asked the authorities to ensure that the culprits are strictly punished after strict enquiry. According to Navbharat News, the Khadaan police have filed a case of suicide and that they will examine the CCTV footage from the school.

A 15 year old #Muslim boy, who was student at #GurunanakVidyalaya in #Maharashtra‘s #Akola, committed suicide hours after he was reprimanded allegedly by the principal at the school.

Family alleged that the boy was being tortured by teachers at school because of his Muslim… pic.twitter.com/4TydXvD4Ch

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) March 12, 2024

In Jharkhand’s Giridih, a young Muslim boy was seen being humiliated and harassed by a group of cow vigilantes. The incident was caught on camera of the incident. There was even a woman on the scene, whom the cow vigilantes can be seen asking questions and also they can be heard accusing her of lying, as per the video posted by Hate Detectors, a social media account on X that documents hate crimes.

In #Jharkhand‘s #Giridih, Cow vigilantes harassed and assaulted a #Muslim cattle trader. pic.twitter.com/qdQkaqTsNU

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) March 12, 2024

Amethi, Uttar Pradesh

In Amethi, Uttar Pradesh,  a young man named Anas from Unchgaon was reportedly busted and assaulted severely with sticks in the Shukul Bazar area. Approximately two months ago, Anas had been taking his mother, Parveen Bano, to a local medical store to buy medicines and he was just leaving the medical store and heading to an ATM to withdraw money when he was forcibly taken away by a group of unidentified men and taken to a secluded location, where he was subjected to severe beating. The  video recently went viral on social media platforms and was posted on Hate Detectors’ X account. Anas’ mother has reportedly lodged a complaint with the police.

In #UttarPradesh‘s #Amethi, Anas s/o Vakil Khan of #Unchgaon, #ShukulBazar area had been to medical store two months ago with his mother Parveen Bano to buy medicines and as he went to ATM to withdraw money he was abducted and taken to an isolated place and beaten by a group of… pic.twitter.com/RjdSh2xVrF

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) March 11, 2024

Solapur, Maharashtra

Hate Detectors on X reported that on March 6th in Solapur, Maharashtra, a 19-year-old Muslim boy named Ayan Murtuza Bagwan severely beaten by a group of 12 to15 men. A report by The Quint reveals that Bagwan was not only beaten and humiliated but he was also stripped naked and  urinated upon.

According to the police, Bagwan, who earns his living as a vegetable vendor had several complaints of eve-teasing and towards women, including a minor, against him after which he was reportedly beaten. The authorities also confirmed that he was forcibly taken to a secluded area and beaten by people. The police have reportedly arrested six of the accused involved in the alleged abduction and assault of Bagwan.

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The episode began when Faizaan found that he did not have a pencil during class. Following this, he asked his classmates if he could borrow one thinking that he had left it at home. However, as no one offered assistance, Faizaan went back to searching through his school bag and finally found a pencil.

However, to his dismay, his peers who witnessed the incident began saying derogatory and biased comments about Muslims. As per the report, the classmates even stated, “Musalman sab aise hi hote hai” (All Muslims are like this). Faizaan heard this and urged his classmates to not make such remarks and to let this be behind them, however the students did not listen and continued. Some of them even said, “Humne tumhe is desh me rehne diya hai nahi to tum katora le kar kahi bheek maang rahe hote” (We allowed you to live in this country otherwise you would be begging somewhere else with a bowl). This made Faizaan leave the classroom, being distraught and feeling helpless. He also reported the incident to the school coordinator. However, the incident was not addressed immediately. According to the report, the school coordinator was involved with another issue.

Struggling with the distressing encounter, Faizan told his parents about the incident and even asked them whether they would cut his throat. According to his paternal uncle, Sagir Ahmed Ansari, the episode has left Faizan traumatised, and his family is now seeking professional assistance from a doctor who has at this point advised Faizan to stay at home.

The students who abused Faizaan have reportedly confessed, and the school has promised to give them counselling. However, the report stated that even though the school had reassured the parents of Faizaan’s safety, he was also reportedly hit on his head during recess by a bottle. The report also says that the school has reportedly seen similar such discriminatory incidents in the past.

Similarly, an incident of disturbing discrimination had taken place in August in 2023 in Gujarat. A school was under media scrutiny after it did not give the first prize to the higher ranking student, but awarded the one who came second on its Independence Day celebrations. . Reports revealed that Arnazbanu, A Muslim girl student who secured the top position in her class 10 examination, was left in tears during the prize distribution event when the award was instead conferred upon the second-ranking student.

Arnaz’s father Sanwar Khan also expressed his disappointment and even claimed that his daughter was overlooked for the award due to their religious identity, stating, “We have to face discrimination because we follow Islam.”

Related:

Rajasthan: Muslim students barred from school, called ‘Chambal ke Daaku’ for wearing hijab

Maharashtra Mob Violence: Muslim student and a fruit vendor, forced into chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’

Muslim student denied to sit for UGC-NET due to hijab

Denial of access: number of Muslim students shows sharp decline: India

UP: Muslim student, 19 left critically injured, police officers under investigation for alleged custodial torture

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It has been alleged that the 5 boys belong to the Dalit community and are being hit with sticks for drinking water from a well. A crowd can also be seen in the video, standing quietly as the man goes on to abusing the 5 children. At one point in the video, a boy from the group of five can be seen running towards the crowd of people standing and watching the brutality unfold, only to be pushed towards the man beating them with the stick, who goes on to beat the child.

The video can be viewed here:

Five #Dalit minor kids were tied with rope and beaten with sticks for drinking water from a well in #MadhyaPradesh‘s #Jabalpur. pic.twitter.com/E2alwHjhuW

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) February 17, 2024

It is essential to note that in accordance to Article 15 of the Constitution of India, discrimination amongst people on the basis of their caste attracts severe consequences and punishments. Article 15(2)(a) of the Indian Constitution provides that citizens should not be prevented from accessing public places, such as shops, restaurants, hotels or any other place which is open to the general public solely because of their religion, race, caste, gender, place of birth, or any other similar basis. Article 15(2)(b) of the Constitution states that no individual can restrict another individual on the basis of religion, race, caste, gender, or place of birth from using septic tanks, wells, roads, or any other public facility maintained by the state funds or specifically designated for public use.

Last year too, in November of 2023, a number of Dalit people were assaulted by the Parmar community in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena over the issue of cutting trees. Members of the Dalit community had then been attacked by axes and sticks.

Related:

Dalit groom attacked, threatened, and beaten off a horse at his wedding in Gujarat

Temple abandoned by worshippers due to Dalit being allowed to enter

Dalit boy humiliated, forced to drink urine and liquor in Ajmer, Rajasthan

January 2024: Alarming surge in attacks targeting Dalit women

Systemic Discrimination: Dalit students in Tamil Nadu endure abuses, segregated meals, and forced to clean toilets

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Phulo Devi was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Chhattisgarh as a member of the Indian Nation Congress in the year 2020. These questions were presented to Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, currently serving as the minister of Health and Family Welfare and is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.

Notably, infant mortality is the death of an infant before their first birthday, i.e. the infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. As per the data provided, India stands at an infant mortality rate for SC community of 40.7. The highest infant mortality rate amongst the SC is in that state of Uttar Pradesh, presenting at a rate of 57.8. The data further shows the lowest infant mortality rate amongst the SC community to be in in Jammu and Kashmir with a rate of 13.8.

It is crucial to note that the data provided by the union is incomplete as information regarding 9 states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, was either is not available or had been taken in the form of an unweighted mean. Hence, the data provided in the response by the government could not be deemed to be accurate as the infant mortality rate for 9 out of 30 states is not accurate.

In regards to the infant mortality rate for STs, India’s rate is 41.6. The state of Chhattisgarh has a rate of infant mortality rate of 58, the highest amongst the ST community. On the other hand, the lowest infant mortality rate amongst the ST community was reported from the north-east state of Manipur, with a rate of 23.2. Similar as before, the said data on infant mortality rate for STs did not provide accurate information for a total of 14 states/Union Territories.

Data had also been provided on child mortality rate prevailing in both the SC and ST community. It is to be noted that child mortality is the death of a child before reaching the age of 5 years, i.e., the child mortality rate is the number of child deaths for every 1,000 live births. The data table provides that the child mortality rate for SC and ST stands at 8.6 and 9.0 respectively.

For child mortality rate for the SC community, the highest was 13.8 in the state of Jharkhand, while the lowest was the rate of 1.5 in West Bengal. Here too, the information regarding nine states was missing. It is important to point out that these nine states are the same states for which there is no information or inaccurate information regarding the infant mortality rate amongst the Scheduled Castes.

Based on the data, the highest child mortality rate amongst the Scheduled Tribes was in Madhya Pradesh at 13.9. Meanwhile, the lowest child mortality rate was in West Bengal with 0 deaths. Here, information regarding 13 states was not found.

The data provided in the response by the union government was based on the state-wise figures of NFHS-5 (2019-21).

The table is as follows:

It can be deduced that while significant strides have been made through initiatives like the National Health Policy 2017 and the National Health Mission (NHM) to enhance accessibility, affordability, and quality healthcare for all, there remains considerable room for improvement for the SC and ST community. As highlighted above, gaps persist in achieving true universal health coverage and addressing the diverse needs of the population, particularly the marginalized and economically disadvantaged groups. Further concerted action and innovative strategies are essential to bridge these gaps and ensure that no individual faces financial hardship or exclusion from essential healthcare services. Continued commitment to the principles of equity, affordability, universality, and quality care, along with sustained collaborative efforts between the government, healthcare providers, and communities, will be pivotal in advancing towards comprehensive and inclusive healthcare for all.

The complete answer can be read here:

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MOE: Alarming dropout rates among SC, ST, and OBC students in premium institutes of India since 2018

Displacement due to Airport Expansions? Union Response in Rajya Sabha Leaves Questions Unanswered

Union government data shows increasing employment, decreasing unemployment rate since 2018

Union data shows increasing beneficiaries of scholarships for OBCs in the past 5 years

Over 5 years, 1033 serious coal accidents reported, 717 took place in Telangana alone

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Rosary School in Vadodara (Baroda) Gujarat is one of the premier educational institutions of the state of Gujarat. It is co-educational and run by the Society of Jesus. It caters to about 2,300 students from all walks of life. The school that was begun in 1935, provides quality education to make students women and men for others. It also boasts of alumni, who have contributed significantly to the nation- in public service, sports, and academia and research engagements and in other important spheres. It is therefore, not without reason, that Rosary School, is much sought -after by parents, for the education of their children.

On November 4, 2023, 19 days ago, the school had its Annual School Day celebrations. The first part, which lasted for about an hour, was devoted to customary items like lighting of the lamp, prayer dance (performed beautifully by the school staff), the Principal’s report, the Chief Guest’s speech, the prize distribution etc. Then one would naturally have expected the traditional items of song, dance and playlets to hold fort the normal stage presentations so typical on such Annual Days in most schools.

But NO! The massive gathering: parents, alumni, well-wishers and friends of the institution were treated to a performance, which few will ever forget.

The theme of the Annual Day was ‘Promoting and Safeguarding Constitutional Values. The huge backdrop catchingly emblazoned the theme with a picture of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the father of the Constituent Assembly and a picture of the Constitution of India. The entire programme, which went on for a non-stop two hours, highlighted the four non-negotiable values of the Constitution: justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. It was a moving spectacle in song, dance and mime. Class after class (from the KG to Std. XII) they came; they regaled, engaged and conscientised the audience in meaningful ways. More than seven hundred students participated in a performance, which was simply brilliant, touching and heart stopping.

The tiny-tots of the kindergarten set the ball rolling. They were all beautifully dolled up in the image and likeness of those who fought for India’s freedom and ensured India’s independence from colonial rule on 15 August 1947. The children confidently paraded in royal style, to the cheers of the audience and with the commentator highlighting the significant role each of these played in making India a free nation.  From a mini Mahatma Gandhi to Jhansi ki Rani: they were all there! It was an out- of this world performance by tiny tots, who helped bring back memories of those who sacrificed so much for our freedom.

The audience was then transported to August  29, 1947, with the appointment of the seven members to be on Drafting Committee for the new Constitution .The members of this Drafting Committee were certainly look-alikes of the original. The student who played the role of Ambedkar was certainly a chotta version of the original. The accents and articulations of each of these members, besides their names, magnificently communicated their cultural and ethnic backgrounds, which spoke volumes of the wealth of diversity in India. They were the link that bonded the entire programme. It was evident that painstaking research was put in, to ensure that this group of students would create the necessary impact.

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