It is Now Official, BJP Ruled States Outdo Others in Crime against Dalits

It has again come up prominently in the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) “Crime in India-2016” Report that BJP ruled States outdo other states in atrocities against Dalits (Scheduled Castes). As in 2015.

At present the BJP rules Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Jharkhand where Dalit atrocities cases are more than the non-BJP ruled states. In other states ruled by regional parties and the BJP--- Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar---the atrocities against Dalits are higher than the National Rate (Crime per one lac population).

Total Crime against Dalits during 2016

During this period the total number of crimes was 40,801 which exceeds the figure of 38,670 (during 2015) by 2,131. As such there has been an increase of 5.5% over the last year’s figure. During 2016 the National Average i.e. crime against one lac Dalit population was 20.3. Among these figures the number of cases relating to outraging modesty was 3,172 which was 7.7% of total crime against Dalit women. Similarly the total number of Rape cases was 2,541 which is 6.2% of total crime against Dalit women.

Similarly during 2016 the total of crime against Scheduled Tribes (Tribals) was 6,568 which was 4.7% more than the crime figures of 2015. There were 974 Rape cases on Tribal women which is 14.8% of total crime committed against Tribal women. The cases relating to outraging the modesty of Tribal women were 835 which was 12.7% of total crime. Thus it becomes clear that Dalit/Tribal women are not safe under BJP rule.

If we look at the number and rate of incidence of crime against Dalits in BJP ruled states it transpires that Madhya Pradesh stands first where the number of crimes was 5,134 and the crime rate was 42.0 which is just double of National Rate of 20.3. Similarly Rajasthan with total crime figure of 5,134 and crime rate of 42.0% which is again double of National crime rate stands second. After it Goa stands third with the crime rate of 36.7. Gujrat stands 5th with the crime rate of 32.3 which is just 1-1/2 times of National Crime Rate. From it, it becomes clear that in most of the states ruled by BJP the rate of incidence of crime against Dalits and Tribals is much higher than the National Crime Rate.

Crime wise State position is as follows:-

1. Murder: During the above period the crime figure of murder of Dalits was 786 and the rate per 1 lac population was 0.4%. Gujrat where 35 Dalits were murdered in 32 cases with 0.8 crime rate stood first in whole of the country. After this Madhya Pradesh with 81, Haryana with 34 and Uttar Pradesh with 274 murders in 271 cases with crime rate of 0.7 stood second. Rajasthan with 67 murders in 66 cases with crime rate of 0.5 occupied 5th position. From it, it transpires that the incidence of the crime of murder against Dalits in BJP states is higher than national rate.

2. Attempt to Murder: During the above period the total incidence of this crime in the whole country was 732 and the rate per lac was 0.4. In this crime Rajasthan with 106 and Gujarat with 35 cases with crime rate of 0.9 which is just double of National rate stood first. Maharashtra with crime figure of 60 which affected 71 persons and crime rate of 0.5 is higher than the national rate. It makes it very clear that Dalits are not safe in BJP ruled states.

3. Grievous Hurt: During 2016 there were 1,070 cases in the whole country in which 1,148 Dalits were grievously hurt and the national rate was 0.5. This rate in Gujarat was 1;6, 1.5 in Bihar, 1.3 in Orissa, 1.0 in Kerala and 0.8 in Madhya Pradesh which is much higher than the national rate.

4. Crime of Attempt to Outrage the modesty of Dalit Women: During this period the total number of cases under this category was 3,172 and the national rate was 1.6. Under this head the rate of incidence of crime in Madhya Pradesh was 6.0, 3.6 in Andhra Pradesh, 2.7 in Maharashtra, 2.0 in Haryana and 0.6 in Gujrat showing that this rate is higher than the national rate.

5. Crime of outraging the modesty of Dalit women: Under this head the total incidence of crime in the country was 1,268 and the national average was 0.6. The rate of this crime in Madhya Pradesh was 3.6, 1.1 in Chhattisgarh, and 1.3 in Maharashtra, 0.8 in Rajasthan, 0.7 Haryana and 0.6 in Gujrat which is higher than the national average.

6. Rape: Under this head total number of cases of Rape of Dalit women was 2,536 in which 2,540 Dalit women were victims and the national average was 1.3. The rate of incidence of this crime was 4.7 in Kerala, 3.9 in Madhya Pradesh, 2.9 in Chhattisgarh, 2.7 in Rajasthan, 1.9 in Haryana and 1.7 in Maharashtra which is much higher than the national rate. In fact rape is used as a weapon to demoralise the Dalits.

7. Crime under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act: The total incidence of crime under this head was 35,676 in which 36,855 persons were affected and the national rate was 18.0 per 1 lac population. The rate of this crime was 43.4 in Madhya Pradesh, 41.1 in Rajasthan, 32.9 in Bihar, 28.4 in Gujarat, 25.0 in Orissa, 23.7 in Kerala, 22.6 in Uttar Pradesh which is much higher than national rate of 18.0.

From the above analysis it is clear that most of the BJP ruled states are ahead of non-BJP ruled states in crime against Dalits and Tribals. These statistics show that Modi’s slogan “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” stands exposed. The recent incident of attack on Dalits in Koregaon also exposes the hypocrisy of BJP.

(S.R.Darapuri is retired from the Indian Police Service)