Press release – Rajasthan Police lathi-charge protesting school girls #WTFnews

Press release – Rajasthan Police lathi-charge protesting school girls #WTFnews

Posted by :kamayani On : October 1, 2015

There is an ongoing campaign using the RTI to monitor and improve the quality of education in Rajasthan called Shiksha Ka Sawaal. The campaign was began after student protests at the Bhim Girl's school in Rajasthan. A number of similar protests began taking place all over schools in Rajasthan and the campaign spread. Yesterday a number of young girls on protest in the district of Tonk were lathi-charged by the police.

Activists demand lodging of FIR against concerned police officers
A series of protests against the state of education and teacher shortages have been ongoing by students of government schools across Rajasthan. Today on the 30th of September, girls from Chauru (Aligarh), district Tonk, Rajasthan were lathi-charged by police persons while on protest. Some of the girls were seriously injured and have been hospitalised.

Representatives of people's movements in Rajasthan report that police were sent to lathi charge the girls at the time at which they were supposed to meet the District Collector and the District Education Officer to discuss their problems. Activists asserted that the girls have the right to protest the dismal situation and quality of education in their schools. All children have the right to quality education. The girls had come out to protest the lack of teachers in their school and I instead of responses to their rightful demands, the girls faced physical and psychological violence.

This is a shameful incident for the Rajasthan Government and its Department of Education. The present BJP government, the district administration and the police, collectively responded to the protesting girls with violence and cruelty. According to the Right to Education no child must face any kind of corporal punishment. The actions of the police are unconstitutional and illegal.

A delegation of activists went to meet the DGP who admitted that the operation the police carried out was wrong and also spoke of taking action.

Activists have made the following demands:
1. An FIR be immediately registered against the policemen who carried out the operation
2. The girls who have been seriously injured must get free medical care and compensation
3. The District Collector and the District Education Officer must go meet the girls in hospital and those in the school in order to help stabilise the situation and help build trust and alleviate the legitimate fears of the girls
4. The criteria and standards laid down for education must be immediately met including sanctioning adequate teachers and providing adequate infrastructure

The following persons went to submit a memorandum to the Director General of Police: Renuka Pamecha, Nisha Sidhu, Kavita Srivastava, Kamal Tak, Mukesh Goswami, Bishambar.

We are:
the Shiksha ka Sawaal Abhiyan, PUCL, Soochna evum Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan, Rajasthan Shiksha Vimarsh, NFIW, Mahila Poonarvas, Samuh Samiti, Dalit Adhikar Kendra, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti

स्कूली बालिकाओं के साथ पुलिस की बर्बरता के खिलाफ जनसंगठनों का विरोध
एवं
मुख्य सचिव एवं डीजीपी से दोषी पुलिस कर्मचारियों के खिलाफ एफआईआर दर्ज करने की मांग

प्रेस नोट

टोंक जिले के चोरु(अलीगढ) गाँव की छात्रों द्वारा की जा रही शिक्षकों की मांग पर बालिकाओं के साथ हुए लाठीचार्ज पर अनेक जनसंगठन पुलिस महानिदेशक से मिले साथ ही मुख्य सचिव को ज्ञापन भेजा गया. संगठनों का कहना था कि जब जिला कलेक्टर या जिला शिक्षा अधिकारी द्वारा बालिकाओं के साथ बातचीत का समय था उस वक्त पुलिस भिजवाकर बालिकाओं के ऊपर लाठी चलवाई गई. संगठनो का मानना है कि स्कूली बालिकाएं शिक्षा के अधिकार के तहत शिक्षकों की कमी की पूर्ती के लिए अगर सड़क पर भी विरोध करने उतर आईं तो यह उनका जायज हक़ था क्योंकि गुणवत्तापूर्ण शिक्षा हर बच्चे का अधिकार है. बालिकाओं की इस मंशा की सराहना करने के बजाय उनके साथ शारीरिक और मानसिक हिंसा की गई जो किसी भी रूप में स्वीकार्य नहीं है और निंदनीय है.
यह राजस्थान सरकार और शिक्षा विभाग के लिए शर्मनाक बात है. अच्छी शिक्षा मांगने के लिए प्रदर्शन कर रही छात्राओं पर वर्तमान भाजपा सरकार, जिला प्रशासन और पुलिस ने क्रूरता एवं संवेदनहीनता दिखाई. बाल न्याय कानून के अनुसार बच्चों के प्रति किसी भी सूरत में किसी भी तरह की यातना नहीं दी जा सकती है इसके बावजूद पुलिस का यह बर्ताव किशोर न्याय (देखरेख) एवं संरक्षण अधिनियम के तहत दंडनीय है. जब विभिन्न जनसंगठनों का एक प्रतिनिधिमंडल पुलिस महानिदेशक से मिलने गया तो उन्होंने माना कि पुलिस की यह कार्यवाही गलत थी उन्होंने समुचित कार्यवाही करने बात भी कही.
समस्त जनसंगठनों की ओर से निम्न मांग की गई:-
दोषी पुलिसकर्मियों के खिलाफ तुरंत एफआईआर दर्ज कराइ जाये.
गंभीर रूप से घायल बालिकाओं का मुफ्त इलाज करवाया जाये एवं उन्हें मुआवजा दिया जाये.
अस्पताल में भर्ती बलिकोँ एवं स्कूल में अध्ययनरत बकिलाओं से जिला कलेक्टर, जिला शिक्षा अधिकारी मिलने जाए ताकि स्थितियों पुनः सामान्य हो सकें और बालिकाओं के मन में भरोसा कायम हो सके और पुलिस का खौफ भी निकल सके.
स्कूल की गुणवत्तापूर्ण शिक्षा के लिए जरुरी मापदंडों को पूरा किया जाये. शिक्षकों की उपलब्धता तुरंत सिनिश्चित की जाये, मूलभूत सुविधाओं को अति शीघ्र पूरा किया जाये.
निम्न लोग पुलिस महानिदेशक को ज्ञापन देने गए: रेणुका पामेचा, निशा सिद्दू, कविता श्रीवास्तव, कमल टाक, मुकेश गोस्वामी, विश्वम्भर
हम हैं:-
शिक्षा का सवाल अभियान, पीयूंसीएल, सूचना एवं रोज़गार अधिकार अभियान, राजस्थान, शिक्षा विमर्श, एनएफआईडब्ल्यू, महिला पुनर्वास समूह समिति, दलित अधिकार केंद्र, मजदूर किसान शक्ति संगठन, भारत ज्ञान विज्ञानं समिति
JOINT MEMORANDUM OF ORGANISATIONS

Jaipur,
30th September, 2015

Sh, CS Rajan,
Chief Secretary,
Government of Rajasthan,
Jaipur 302001

Sh. Manoj Bhatt,
DGP Rajasthan Police,
Jaipur: 302015

Subject: Immediate lodging of FIRs against the police in the matter of lathi charge of young students in Aligarh, Tonk District

Dear Sirs,

Please find enclosed the the press cutting which shows how the local police in Tonk lathi charged the young girls who were protesting rightfully for teachers in their school as they wanted to study.

This protest should have heartened the district administration and instead of sending the police, the District Collector or the District Education Officer should have gone to the place and dialogued with the girls. They should have been encouraged in their quest for good education and not beaten up.

Many of them now are in the hospital, physically injured and traumatised. Many were abused physically, touched and pushed. Is this the gift that the Government of Rajasthan and the Rajasthan police wishes to give its girls who are keen on education.

We are keen that some steps are taken immediately the suggestions are as follows:
· Suspension is not good enough, criminal cases must be lodged against the police officials who carried out lathi charge.
· The District Collector, Education Secretary (primary)must make a visit to the area and console the girls and help them come out of the trauma of police action.
· Sufficient teachers should be appointed and quality education be delivered.

With regards,
Kavita Srivastava ( PUCL, General Secretary)

Renuka Pamecha (Women's' Rehabilitation Group)

Nisha Sidhu (NFIW)

Mukesh Goswami (Shiksha ka Sawal)

Vishwambhar (Digantar)

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