By Abu Zafar, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, 11 July 2014: Despite government’s claim to empower Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the country, they are still paying heavy cost for belonging to lower caste in the Indian caste hierarchy. The latest government data shows that crimes against SCs have risen across the country.
According to ‘Crimes in India 2013’ report released last week by National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB), a total of 39408 crimes against SCs were registered across the country by the end of year 2013. It is 17% rise as in the year 2012, a total of 33655 crimes against SCs were registered in the country.
NCRB is an agency which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs, and is officially responsible for collecting crime data in India.
Like previous years Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state which also has maximum number of SC population, witnessed maximum number of crimes against SCs in the year 2013. Some 7078 crimes against SCs were recorded in UP in 2013. The figure was 6202 in the state in 2012. UP, which is home for more than four crore SC people as per Census 2011, has topped in crimes against SCs since 2005.
Crimes against SCs
Top 5 states
2013
2012
Uttar Pradesh
7078
6202
Bihar
6721
4821
Rajasthan
6475
5559
Andhra Pradesh
3270
3057
Madhya Pradesh
2945
2875
Bihar where 1.65 crore SC people reside, witnessed 6721 such crimes, which is second largest in the country. In 2012 some 4821 crimes against SCs were reported in Bihar.
Compared to 2012, crimes against SCs increased in Rajasthan also. In 2012 some 5559 such cases were registered but in 2013 it went up to 6475.
Rape leading crime against SCs
The number of rape incidents was highest among all cognizable crimes against SCs in 2013.
Out of total 39408 crimes against SCs in 2013, some 2073 rape cases were reported across the country. In 2012 some 1576 rape cases were reported. Maximum number of rape cases reported in Madhya Pradesh. In 2012 and 2013 some 367 and 397 rape cases were registered in MP respectively.
The gang-rape and murder of two minor cousin sisters of a Dalit family in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh on 27 May 2014 had shocked the entire nation. Even the world community including the United Nations had expressed sorrow and dismay at the ghastly incident.
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