Civic society groups in Mumbai organized a public tribunal to expose the conditions in which members of the tribes that had been categorized as 'criminal' continue to live. While the Government of India had 'denotified' the criminal status of these tribes, they continue to be stigmatized by communities as well as by government agencies.

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They are usually picked up by police, tortured and forced to agree to have committed crimes. Male members usually have had a number of fake cases ascribed to them. They find it difficult to get ration cards and various government aids that are aimed at communities in dificult economic situations.

Organized at the Main Hall in St Xavier's College, the panel at the tribunal included Shri Anna Renke, Ex-Chairperson, National Commission on Status of DNT’s, Govt. of India, Shri S.S Suradkar, Ex-IGP-Maharashtra Police, and Prof. Ajay Dandekar, Institute of Rural Management-Anand(IRMA)-Gujarat. National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) leader Medha Patkar was also present.

The Indian Express and the Hindu carried articles on the tribunal – it is hoped that the articles will create broader awareness about the conditions in which fellow citizens continue to live even in a city like Mumbai. (This note is a collation of the reports by the two newspapers.)

“Back home in Pimpri, police used to arrest me every crime there was a crime in my neighbourhood. Fed up, I decided to come to Mumbai. But the situation hasn’t changed. I have five fake cases lodged against me and I was tortured by police for each. My only crime is that I belong to a community branded as criminal,” said Bhanudas Kale, one of the several hundreds from the denotified ‘Pardhi’ tribe according to the Indian Express report.

“If one person commits a crime, everyone is picked up, everyone is thrashed. I ask, if someone commits a crime in some lane, do the police beat up all the residents of that area?” Shivababu Kale hailing from a local Pardhi settlement asked at a public hearing as per the Hindu report. “Before Independence, we fought the British to shed our criminal tag. We still continue to be looked down upon. We are not asking for any new amendments or new law to govern our issues, just the implementation of existing law,” said Shiva Bapu Kale, an octogenarian activist.

A study by students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences revealed that in almost 90 per cent instances, members of the community were wrongly implicated and arrested. The report also highlights how each time, the D K Basu guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court was violated. “Most fundamental issues like shelter and employment are of concern to the community,” reads the report.

There were other complaints too. “Most fundamental necessities, water and ration cards are difficult to procure. We have been discriminated against on the basis of our caste,” said Tulsi Bai from Jai Ambe Nagar.

Another plaintiff, Prabhu Kale said the community was spread over 43 locations in Mumbai. Many had migrated from the rural hinterland to escape police brutality. Steeped in poverty, with no education or social support, they are part of the large underbelly of Mumbai. In the city, the community lives in squalid quarters and are mostly at the receiving end of the Municipal Corporation’s demolition drives. “They throw away the plates when we eat, take away our clothes and the school stationery of the children,” Mr. Kale said.

“The municipality says, you can’t stay here, go back to your village. But we don’t have a village,” said Arunatai Kale. Basic facilities like water, food and hygiene are beyond their means. One can of water costs Rs. 20. For an average family size of five, this comes up to Rs. 100. This is just the expense on water, when most of the Pardhis work as construction labourers earning around Rs. 50 a day. Those who put forth their grievances on Saturday said they had to wash clothes and often bathe with drain water.

As per information gathered under a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by the NAPM’s Simpreet Singh, the government does not have data on the population of the Pardhis. Despite a September 9, 2008, Government Resolution (GR) sanctioning temporary ration cards for the community, RTI replies arriving at the end of last year, from three different parts of the city, clearly state that the cards have not been issued, said Simpreet Singh.

A detailed report will soon be handed over to the Chief Minister’s Office and the Department of Social Justice in two weeks.