Latest news with #DNTs
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Political leaders pay homage to Perumpidugu Mutharaiyar
Leaders from across the political spectrum paid tributes to Emperor Perumpidugu Mutharaiyar in Tiruchi on Friday, marking his 1,350th birth anniversary. A steady stream of visitors from various political parties, organisations and youth groups from Tiruchi and neighbouring districts gathered near the Mutharaiyar statue on Bharathidasan Salai to offer floral tributes. Deputy Chief Minister and DMK Youth Wing Secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin led the party's delegation, accompanied by Ministers K.N. Nehru (Municipal Administration), S. Regupathy (Law), and Siva V. Meyyanathan (Backward Classes Welfare). Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi paid his respects earlier in the day. From the BJP, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan, and State President Nainar Nagendran also paid their respects along withformer Minister Natham R Viswanathan from the AIADMK, and AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran and visited the memorial complex near the Central Bus Stand. Addressing the media, Mr. Murugan said a memorial for Mutharaiyar would be constructed at a location worthy of his legacy once the National Democratic Alliance forms government in Tamil Nadu. He also announced that the Centre would release a commemorative postal stamp next year in Mutharaiyar's honour. Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam general secretary were also among those who paid homage. Traffic snarls were reported across several parts of the city, including, Head Post Office junction, Bharathidasan Salai, TVS Tollgate, Sanjeevi Nagar, Cauvery Bridge, Chathiram Bus Stand, and Ponmalai G Corner as a large number of people converged in the city for the occasion. More than 1,200 police personnel were deployed for security. As per the order of District Collector M. Pradeep Kumar, 26 TASMAC liquor outlets and three recreation clubs in and around the city were closed until 6 p.m. to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, Mutharaiyar Ezhuchi Sangam, has welcomed the Union government's decision to conduct a caste-based census. In a press statement, the organisation's honorary president, S. Pannerselvam, urged the government to hold prior consultations with caste-based organisations, citing complexities in classification. He alleged that the State government was issuing caste certificates to Mutharaiyars under various names and demanded that they be issued under the Denotified Tribes (DNT) category. He further urged that DNTs, who currently fall under the Most Backward Classes (MBC) category, be given a separate reservation quota based on their population.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bawankule sets July 15 deadline for document distribution to all DNTs
Nagpur: Maharashtra revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday issued strict instructions to all district administrations to complete comprehensive door-to-door survey of de-notified and nomadic tribes (DNTs) across the state by July 15. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is part of a broader govt effort to provide these historically marginalised communities with official documents such as caste certificates, ration cards, Aadhaar cards, and other essential identification papers. In a state-level review meeting held in Mumbai under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj revenue campaign, Bawankule emphasised that revenue officials must organise cluster-wise camps to identify eligible DNT members and facilitate issuance of their documents efficiently. "It is crucial that not a single individual from these communities is left behind. In case documentary evidence is missing, home verification must be conducted to ensure proper identification," the minister said. This initiative aims to bridge the gap in documentation that often prevents DNT members from accessing welfare schemes, govt benefits, and social security programs. The lack of formal identity proof was a major barrier for these communities, denying them their rightful entitlements. The meeting was attended by state-level tribal council representatives, district collectors, and revenue officers who shared progress updates through videoconferencing. The minister reiterated that the deadline of July 15 must be strictly adhered to, underscoring the govt's commitment to empowering the de-notified and nomadic tribes by providing them official recognition and facilitating their integration into mainstream welfare programs.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Indian Express
After SC red-flagged custodial death in MP's Guna, report finds most arrests there from oppressed castes, tribal communities
Last month, a division bench of the Supreme Court castigated the Madhya Pradesh police over the alleged custodial death of a man — who was from a denotified tribe (DNT) — in Guna district. A new report studying policing in that district between 2019 and 2024 has found that nearly three-fourths of the arrests were of people from oppressed castes or tribal communities. The Criminal Justice and Police Accountability Project (CPAP), which works in areas relating to the criminalisation of marginalised communities, studied a set of 20,705 online arrest records uploaded between January 2019 and July 2024 across 18 police stations of Guna district. The report on the findings, released on May 3, found 'overarresting' of persons from DNTs, particularly for petty offences, with data indicating that 'incarceration is more likely for caste marginalised communities'. DNTs are communities that, during British rule, were 'notified' as being 'born criminal'. The report found that around 15% of the arrests (3,126) were of people from DNT communities — more than half of the arrests (1,721) were of DNT OBCs, 1,233 arrests were of DNT SCs and 104 arrests were of DNT STs. While the number of arrests plunged from 7,263 in 2019 to 536 in 2024 (see chart), a single police station in the district, Aron, reported 15% of the total arrests in these six years. Of the 20,705 arrests, 14,852 (71.7%) were of people from oppressed castes or tribal communities. Muslims made up nearly 11% of the total number. On April 29, the Supreme Court had slammed the Madhya Pradesh police for not making any arrest in the alleged custodial torture and death of 25-year-old Deva Pardhi, who was arrested in Guna district in July last year. The court had described it as an example of 'favouritism' where the state police was 'shielding' its own officers. Asked about the findings of the report, Guna SP Ankit Soni told The Indian Express: 'Traditionally, some communities such as Pardhis, have been associated with crimes such as dacoity, but there are now efforts underway for the newer generation to equip them with soft skills and focus on development, a multipronged strategy. There have been instances where during police raids, they have inflicted casualties on police.' The CPAP report said that 'the excessive arrests, disproportionate share of oppressed communities, specifically of individuals belonging to Denotified Tribes, and variations within police stations all show the inequitable and unaccountable ways in which policing is practiced.' The DNT OBC arrests were primarily made up of two communities, Banjara and Lodha, the report said. 'Persons from Banjara communities are the biggest target of police action, contributing to 28.6% of the arrests amongst DNT communities, while Lodha communities constituted 16.4%,' the report said. CPAP's analysis also found that there are 'over-arrests of DNT/SCs compared to their population in Guna' (see chart). Soni, however, said the data could be skewed owing to the Rajasthan border being less than 30 km away from Guna. 'Many of the communities' relatives live across the border in Rajasthan and Gujarat, and there have been instances when they band together and commit crimes. Some of these might be registered in Rajasthan, some here in Guna, so the overarresting data as a proportion of the population may not be accurate,' said the police officer. The report also said that SCs were the second highest community to be arrested in most police stations after OBCs. 'Four police stations of Aron, Guna, Guna Kotwali and Raghogarh accounted for 60% arrests of SC communities,' the report said. The Supreme Court's remarks had come while it was hearing a bail plea by Gangaram Pardhi, Deva's uncle and the sole eyewitness to his death. The court had even remarked to Gangaram's counsel that he was safer inside jail than out. 'Presently being in custody is better for his own health and safety. He comes out, he is run over by a lorry and it will be an accident and you'll lose the single witness. Instances are not uncommon,' the court had remarked. Type of offences Close to 51% of the arrests were relating to bailable offences, and of the 8,400 arrests under non-bailable offences, a fifth were attributable to excise laws, theft, aggravated theft with house-breaking and hurt caused during a robbery. 'Section 34(2) of the MP Excise Act, 1915 (615 arrests) and Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code (548 arrests), 1860 are punishable by a mere imprisonment of up to three years and are yet classified as non-bailable, despite falling within the ambit of petty offences. That these are offences members of Denotified Tribes are particularly vulnerable to being prosecuted for given their historic association with dacoity and traditional liquor, explains the huge preponderance of these cases in the data set,' the report said.
