Karnataka recorded the highest rate of cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the country during 2014.
Though the State stands third in terms of the number of atrocity cases registered, preceded by Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the rate of atrocity cases — number of cases per one lakh population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes people — has given Karnataka the dubious distinction. The State stood third in terms of the rate of atrocity cases and fourth in terms of the number of cases during 2013.
This indicates the dual process of increasing number of caste conflict cases in the State and also increased awareness and resistance by Dalits, argued Indhudhar Honnapura, a Dalit activist and editor of Samvada , a monthly magazine.
Officials in the Social Welfare Department and the Police Department, however, said greater awareness among these sections of society had led to increased reporting of atrocity cases in the last few years.
“Not that these atrocities were not committed earlier. But incidents like denial of haircut in Koppal, Ballari and Tumakuru districts, and stigma towards Dalit cooks in a school in Mysuru district were confronted with resistance from Dalits and these cases were widely reported,” an official said.
However, Mr. Honnapura said, “Caste conflict cases in the State are on the rise and so is the apathy of the State machinery. Recently, two Dalits were allegedly sacrificed in Chamarajanagar district. But till now no action has followed,” he said, and added that accused in atrocity cases were easily getting bail of late and the conviction rate in such cases was the lowest, and this had made the law ineffective and those with such a bent of mind to act with impunity.
He, however, agreed that reporting of atrocity cases in Hyderabad Karnataka districts and other backward districts of north Karnataka had steadily increased over the recent years as the communities have become organised and more aware.
State | Population of SCs and STs (as per NCRB) | |||
Incidents | Victims | Rate | ||
Karnataka | 1.047 crore | 1,802 | 2,094 | 12.2 |
Bihar | 1.657 crore | 1,946 | 2,498 | 10.9 |
Uttar Pradesh | 4.136 crore | 1,860 | 1,910 | 4.4 |
