Now that there were small owmens groups all over the country more and more examples of the problems face by women were being investigated .....
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Hostel girls-used & abused
JUST what is going on in government-run girls’ hostels? This question is being asked in reference to the mysterious death of a DALIT GIRIJAN HIGH SCHOOL student.
A women’s group, the Mangalore based Stree Jagruti, investigating the case, reported that Sitha, daughter of a poor agricultural labour family in Puttur Taluk of South Kanara, after finishing her primary education locally went later to the nearby high school at the government hospital for scheduled caste girls.
She was rarely allowed to go home…the last her family saw her home was in October 1980 for the divali vacation. She stayed only for two days as a letter from the warden called her back, and she dutifully returned.
On March 5, 1981 Sitha’s parents were informed that she was missing. A search was organized and the next day her body fished out of a well. She had only a skirt on; her face had a bruise, what looked like a slap mark of violence.
THE body was cremated immediately. The post-mortem result was not made known. But police maintained her death due to “suicide”.
SUICIDE! Why would a teenage girl jump into a well only with a skirt on?
SHE was rarely allowed to go home……the last her family saw her at home was in October 1980 for divali vacation. She stayed for only two days as a letter from the warden called back, and she dutifully returned.
ON March 5th, 1981. Sitha’s parents were informed that she was missing. A search was organized, and the nest day her body was fished out of a well. She had only a skirt, on her face had a bruise, what looked like a slap mark of violence.
THE body was cremated immediately. The post-mortem result was not made known. But police maintained her death was due to “suicide”.
SUICIDE! Why would a teenage girl jump into a well only with a skirt on?
Girls terrorized
FURTHER investigation into the case has been difficult. The girls in the hostels are living in constant fear and terror. They all had to swear on coconut to say that they had seen Sitha on the fifth morning. BUT what has come to light is that Sitha was called by the Warden at 9.00 p.m. the previous night when the Social Welfare Inspector was also present.
AFTER some time a cry of hootho (meaning gone) was heard. After midnight of the 5th the girls believed they saw a heavy object being carried out of the hostel.
ON SEPTEMBR 1st, 1980, the local Marathi Sangha had filed a case against the alleged immoral activities of the Warden to the Deputy Commissioner. Mangalore.
IT HAD been found that trafficking of Harijan women and girls residing in government hostels was common in South Kanara District.
THE Karnataka Chief Minister had an enquiry into Sitha’s death, but its result has still to be known.
SITHA’S mother says. “Where will the girls of Puttur do their higher studies if such crimes take place? My daughter had died. Are they waiting for more deaths before any action can be taken?”
IN 1971, it was officially estimated that barely 10 per cent of girls in 147-17 age group went to school. Given the urban-rural contrast, the number from rural areas who attend school is probably 1 in 100. And when it comes to daughters of the poor, the number is negligible.
Immediate action
IF THIS is the treatment girls are even, would any poor girl want ‘education’—even if free and government-subsidized?
IS THE government serious about its intention to provide education for poor girls? Or is this their way of keeping girls in their place. Come for education and be used by those in power!
THIS is the case of one girl, in one hostel. Most government hostels for Harijan or Dalit girls are in small towns—it is primarily girls from neighboring villages who live there. Alone, insolated, poor.
IT IS essential that women’s organizations unite with Dailit organizations to investigate just what is going on in these so-called hostels, to expose, and also develop alternatives to ensure that Dalit women are not used and abused by the machinery which is supposedly providing “education”.
THE “Stree Jagruti” is also demanding the immediate dismissal of and legal action against the hostel warden and Social Welfare Inspector, and steps to ensure that no official be allowed to enter the women’s hostel, after 6 p.m.
August 22, 1981
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