I/II. [“I have seen the torture. The tribal girls were given electric shocks on their breasts and wrists. I have seen the marks and I was horrified. Why are such small tribal girls being subjected to third-degree torture? Our constitution and law system do not allow such inhuman torture. It’s time for us to introspect and the truth will come out. The people getting killed on both sides (during the Maoists-Security forces conflict in Bastar) are Indians. The capitalistic system is being forced into Bastar, villages are being burnt, tribal women are being raped. Is it really being done to end the Maoism?” Ms. Dongre had alleged in her post after the Maoist attack on the CRPF in Sukma which had led to the death of 25 CRPF men.]
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/deputy-jailer-suspended-in-chhattisgarh-for-social-media-post-on-tribals-torture/article18401172.ece Deputy jailer suspended in Chhattisgarh for social media post on tribal’s torture Pavan Dahat RAIPUR: MAY 06, 2017 20:01 IST UPDATED: MAY 06, 2017 20:06 IST The suspended deputy jailer Varsha Dongre. A deputy jailer, posted at the central jail in Chhattisgarh’s capital city Raipur, was suspended on Saturday for a social media post alleging torture of a tribal women by the security forces in the state’s Maoist insurgency-hit Bastar region. Varsha Dongre, the deputy jailer of Raipur central jail, had claimed in a social media post last week that she had seen tribal girls being stripped at police stations in Bastar and tortured. ***“I have seen the torture. The tribal girls were given electric shocks on their breasts and wrists. I have seen the marks and I was horrified. Why are such small tribal girls being subjected to third-degree torture? Our constitution and law system do not allow such inhuman torture. It’s time for us to introspect and the truth will come out. The people getting killed on both sides (during the Maoists-Security forces conflict in Bastar) are Indians. The capitalistic system is being forced into Bastar, villages are being burnt, tribal women are being raped. Is it really being done to end the Maoism?” Ms. Dongre had alleged in her post after the Maoist attack on the CRPF in Sukma which had led to the death of 25 CRPF men.*** [Emphasis added.] Ms. Dongre had deleted the post after it went viral on social media. However, the jail department of Chhattisgarh police had ordered an inquiry against her. “Ms. Varsha Dongre has been suspended and charge-sheeted after it was found in a preliminary inquiry that her conduct was in violation of service rules and other rules,” Giridhari Nayak, the Director General of Police, Jail administration, Chhattisgarh police, told The Hindu. An officer of the same department revealed on the condition of anonymity that it was Ms. Dongre’s social media post which led to her suspension as its language was “extremely offensive”. Known to be an upright officer, Ms. Dongre had also opined that the fifth schedule of the Indian constitution should be applied in tribal areas and the “so-called development” should not be imposed on tribals. “The tribals do not want the Maoists. They want the Maoism to end but the way our country’s security forces are targeting the dignity of their women and daughters, burning their houses and slapping false cases against them, where will they go for justice?” the suspended deputy jailer had alleged in her post. Ms. Dongre could not be reached for her reaction despite repeated attempts. II. https://thewire.in/132869/chhattisgarh-jail-official-suspended/ Chhattisgarh Suspends Jail Official Who Alleged Sexual Abuse of Adivasi Minors By Police BY THE WIRE STAFF ON 07/05/2017 Officials said Varsha Dongre was suspended because her Facebook post alleging human rights violations by the state was in ‘violation of service rules’. New Delhi: The Chhattisgarh government on May 6 suspended state prison official Varsha Dongre, who had posted on Facebook about gross human rights violations by the state, on charges of indiscipline. The deputy superintendent of Raipur central jail, in a Facebook post which she deleted later, had alleged that state security personnel indulged in widespread torture and sexual abuse of minor Adivasi girls inside prisons. At a time when the April 24 Maoist attack on Central Reserve Police Force personnel stationed in Bastar’s Sukma had meant that most political parties preached a solely military strategy to handle the conflict in Adivasi-dominated Bastar, Dongre had dared to be different. She called for “introspection” on the part of state authorities and had raised critical questions about government’s role in handling the conflict between Maoists and the state. While the video news agency ANI first tweeted about her suspension, state officials later confirmed the government’s decision. “Ms. Varsha Dongre has been suspended and charge-sheeted after it was found in a preliminary inquiry that her conduct was in violation of service rules and other rules,” Girdhari Nayak, the director general of police (jail administration) was quoted as saying in The Hindu. Immediately after Dongre’s social media post, the state police had ordered a probe under DIG (Jail) K.K. Gupta. Gupta, who confirmed her suspension, said that Dongre was asked to provide an explanation for her social media post within two days but had failed to do so. He also said that she remained absent from duty without taking permission to go on leave. He said that Dongre had violated the state government’s directions, which prohibits all officials from sharing personal opinions on state policy. Twenty-five CRPF personnel were killed in the Maoist ambush on April 24, which drew heavy criticism from all sides. However, saffron right-wing groups have since then used the incident as a ruse to target human rights activists. In this context, Dongre’s post, which made serious allegations of human rights violations by the state in Bastar, may have riled the government. Her post said (translated from Hindi): “I believe we all need to introspect and the truth will come out. In any incident, those who are getting killed on either side are our own people. They are all Indians. And that is why, whoever is killed, it hurts all of us. But the capitalist system is being forced in Adivasi areas. Entire villages are burnt and women are raped to push the tribals out of their land and to take control of the forests. If tribal women are suspected to be Naxals, their breasts are squeezed to check if they are lactating. In the name of tiger projects, tribals are being strategically forced out of their lands and forests even when the constitution’s fifth schedule prevents the military government from taking control of their tribal lands. Is this being done to end Naxalism? Not really. The fact is that the forests are rich in natural mineral resources and in order to sell them to industrialists and capitalists, the forests need to be vacated. But the tribals will not vacate them because it is their home. They too want Naxalism to end but the way the protectors of the country rape their daughters, burn their houses and send them to prison in false cases, who do they turn to for justice? The CBI says it, the Supreme Court says it. This is the reality. If any human rights activist or journalist attempts to find a solution, they are implicated in false cases and thrown in jail. If everything is fine in the tribal areas, why is the government so afraid? Why is nobody allowed to go there to find out the truth? I have witnessed 14- and 16-year-old tribal girls being stripped naked in police stations and tortured. They were given electric shocks on their wrists and breasts. I have seen the marks. It horrified me to the core. Why did they use third degree torture on minors? I have given directions for their treatment and necessary action. Our constitution does not allow anyone the right to harass or torture someone. We must wake up. The fifth schedule must be implemented in the state. A particular kind of development must not be thrust upon the Adivasis. The Adivasis are preservers of nature. We too must become protectors and not destroyers of nature. Understand the two-faced policies of the pimps of capitalism. Farmers and jawans are brothers. Killing each other will neither bring peace nor development. The constitution is for everyone and everyone must get justice. I too fell victim to the system but fought against injustice. They tried to break me with their conspiracies. They offered bribes. One may see para 69 of the decision dated 26.08.2016 by Hon’ble Chief Justice of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. But their plans were foiled and the truth won. It will always win. We still have time. But if we fail to stand for truth, the capitalists will use us as pawns and efface all humanity from this country. Let us vow neither to carry out injustice nor to tolerate it. Long live the constitution. Long live India.” -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
