NHRC issues notices to the Chief Secretary, DGP in Chhattisgarh over social boycott of tribal families in Korba

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that two tribal families have been facing social boycott in their Village Dhaurabatha for the last fourteen months following a diktat of the Ghunghutti Rampur Panchayat, in Korba district of Chhattisgarh.

Due to this, nobody talks to them; they are prevented from grazing their cattle; they cannot shop from the shops in the village; and their children cannot go even to Aanganwadi centre.

According to the media report, the local police did not take any action in the matter. The Collector and Superintendent of Police of Korba were approached and a police team visited the village on the 15th April, 2014 only to level allegations against the affected families.

Allegedly, a youth accompanying the police team received a sum of Rs.2 thousand from the affected families after threatening them.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, amount to serious violation of human rights of the families of these tribal people. It has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Chhattisgarh to submit a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.

Reportedly, the first family was subjected to social boycott on the 25th February, 2013 when on charges of abusing the Sarpanch, it failed to pay the entire fine of Rs.10 thousand. The other family was made to suffer the same fate when one of its members was seen talking to another member of the socially boycotted family against the diktat of the Panchayat.