Fact Finding
Team: M. Madhu Chandra, Pastor Mansing, Mandali
along with two Dalit Leaders from Punjab. (Jose
M.D. could not join as he had oversea visitors.)
Fact finding team left Delhi on 5th April evening
and reached Mansa noon next day. Team met Bant
Singh and his half paralyzed wife attending him
at Mansa Civil Hospital. Latter team went to Bant
Singh village where seven of his minor children
are struggling without enough food and care.
Two toes on right leg were left to prove to
the government of Punjab that Bant Singh - a
Mazhabi Sikh Dalit activist and singer from
Burj Jhabbar village under Joga Police station
in Mansa district of Punjab was attacked by
high cast Jat when Bant Singh fought for justice
to his daughter who was gang raped by his villagers
in June 2002. Bant Singh is left to live depending
his whole life on his half paralyzed with and
minor children. He will not able to walk alone,
eat, go toilet, dress up etc without someone's
help.
Bant Singh told the fact finding team that
attack on his life from Jat community was to
prove that no Dalits should dare to rise voice
when a crime is committed against Dalits by
high caste Jat. "They could break my three
limbs but could not touch my soul and spirit"
Bant Singh says.
Background History:
Bant Singh about 45 years old man hails from
a village called Burj Jhabbar (800 population),
22 km away from Mansa town (Mansa is 450 km
from Delhi) and he is a Dalit Activist. He is
married to a lady who is half paralyzed. They
have four sons and four daughters.
Night mire story of Bant Singh starts with
the gang rape of his eldest 17 years old daughter
by two of his villagers - Mandhir Singh and
Tarsem Singh with the trick of a lady - Gurmel
Kaur in June 2002. Initially the First Information
Report (FIR) was refused to register in local
police station, which is usual to most of the
Dalits cases. However Bant Singh being the bold
Dalit activist never stops seeking justice for
his daughter. Later on, after constant fight
for justice, three of the culprits were arrested
and the sentence of life imprisonment to three
of the culprits was announced on 19 July 2004
by Additional Session Judge of Mansa after two
years of trial.
Sukhdarshan Nat - another Dalit activist report
to fact finding team that Jaswant Singh - the
present Sarpanch (Village Head) and his brother
Niranjan Singh (former Sarpanch) could not take
the verdict of Judge sentencing life imprisonment
to three of the culprits for the crime committed
to a low caste Dalit minor girl. Ever since
the high caste Jat community under the connivance
of Jaswant Singh and Niranjan Singh wanted to
give revenge to Bant Singh and Dalit community
so that no Dalits will dare to rise voice when
atrocities takes place on Dalits. That is exactly
happen to Bant Singh and his family.
Preplanned Attack on Bant Singh's life
Sukhdarshan Nat reported further that the attack
on Bant Singh by seven Jat villagers (High caste)
was well plan with local police and administration.
On 5 January 2006 evening when Bant Singh was
alone in the field, eight Jat persons - Navdeep
Singh s/o Amrik Singh, Sandeep Singh s/o Amrik
Singh, Harpinder Singh s/o Inderjit Singh, Japinder
Singh (Aka Bubbly) s/o Jaswant Singh, Gurdit
Singh s/c Balbit Singh, Yadavinder Singh s/o
Santokh Singh and Deedar Singh s/o Bikkar Singh
attacked Bant Singh. He was chased for miles
in the field before his arm and legs were smashed
by iron rods until be become unconscious and
fell flat. They did not attempt to kill him
but to make him life living worthless by breaking
hands and legs. He was thrown out in the field
and latter Niranjan who is accused to be man
behind whole episode reported to Bant Singh's
family members to take him to hospital if Bant
Singh's life is to be saved.
Attack was so well plan that no blood was found
in his body so that police while registering
the case will have very little impact on those
who attacked him. Bant Singh was taken to Mansa
Civil Hospital within one and half hours after
attack, where Dr. Prasatham Goel was in-charge
of Civil Hospital, Mansa. Dr. Prasatham Goel
asked Rs. 1000 from Bant Singh as bribe if proper
treatment was required to be given.
Sukhdarshan Nat reported to fact finding team
that Dr. Prasantham Goel after knowing the fact
that attack was carried out by high caste on
Dalits, he twisted the report. Police on the
basis of twisted medical report, did not frame
the charges of attack and allow culprits to
go free. No medical attention was given to Bant
Singh for first thirty six hours even after
Dr. Prasantham Goel personally knew the seriousness
of Bant Singh. Delaying 36 hours in giving medical
attendance led amputation of his both hands
and left leg. The right leg with just two toes
with rips broken still under the medication.
Sukhdarshan Nat reports that Dr. Prasatham Goel
took bribe of Rs. 25,000 from culprits to twist
the report.
Latter on he was shifted to Patiala Civil Hosptial,
100 km away from Mansa on 8th January 2006,
later he was again shifted to PGI, Chandigarh
on 12th January 2006 where amputation of his
both hands and left leg was done.
Police have recorded the statement of Bant
Singh on 6th January 2006 and a case against
those seven culprits and Sarpach Jaswant Singh
and Niranjan Singh alleged to be men behind
the attack on Bant Singh under SC and ST Atrocity
Prevention Act 1989. Seven of the culprits are
arrested by police and one among them has been
bailed out. The alleged men behind the attack
- Jaswant Singh and Niranjan Singh still remain
out of police hand.
The present Situation of Bant Singh
The moment fact finding team enters the medical
ward where Bant Singh is hospitalized in Civil
Hospital, Mansa, Shukhdarshan Nat and his team
was getting toes impression on documentation
paper. Two toes were left only to prove that
he was attacked by Jat community for being a
Dalit and protest of his daughter who was gang
raped by two youths from Jat community.
Bant Singh knows for sure that his life left
will have to depend on his half paralyzed wife
and minor children yet no shadow of sadness
and sorry reflected on his face. So much bold
for the cause he has been fighting. "They
(Jats) wanted to make me a living icon in the
eyes of Dalit world, not to raise the face against
Jats even when atrocities like rape take place
on their daughters and women. But I want to
live a living icon so that Jats will remember
what will happen when Jats (High Caste) touch
on the life of Dalits" Bat Singh says.
Under the leadership of Sukhdarshan Nat has
constituted Bant Singh Jabra Kranti Birodhi
Action Committee with 14 different organizations.
The action committee has take all possible measure
to fight the legal rights as per as SC and ST
Atrocity Prevention Act. Red Cross Mansa has
promised to bear all the medical expenses. However,
Bant Singh has medical bill due of Rs. 20,000.
He still will need more financial assistance
for medical expenses.
Although most of the legal and medical helps
are assisted by different well wishers, the
daily living expenses for Bant Singh's family
and children remain sad story without any financial
assistance. Young Children are at village, 22
km away from the Hospital where both parents
are away from them. Bant Singh does not own
any cultivation field. He has two buffalos and
one cow, his family depends on their milking.
Dr. Prasatham Goel after the intervention of
state administration and mounting of pressure
from Human Right organizations has been suspended
from his job.
Legal Provisions
1. Bant Singh eldest daughter who was gang
raped has been married. Sentence is given to
culprits but there are legal provisions eight
in the form of employment or grant from government
are not still fought for. The fact finding team
has informed the Action Committee to seek the
legal provision for Bant Singh's daughter.
2. Mansa Magistrate has written to Punjab Government
to grant legal provisions as per as the SC and
ST Prevention Act. A grant of Rs. 10 lakhs for
Bant Singh and his family has been forward to
Punjab Government from the office of Magistrate,
Mansa. Magistrate has sought immediate release
of Rs. 2 lakhs from Punjab Government.
3. The sympathy from district administration
seems to come out as Bant Singh's case has been
reported far and wide through Human Right Commissions
and many other Human Right Organizations.
Some Proposals to get Involved from AICC and
DFN
1. AICC and DFN should mount up the pressure
to arrest Jaswant Singh and Niranjan Singh who
are alleged to be men behind in engineering
the attack on Bant Singh.
2. Accused culprits should be ensurred that
the the court to take its course in rending
justice to Bant Singh.
3. AICC and DFN should get involved in ensuring
the legal provision for Bant Singh daughter's
rape case and himself.
4. Helping Bant Singh in a visible way will
be good gesture of Christians in India. The
medical bills seem to be covered from Red Cross,
if so we may not need considering helping for
medical.
5. The immediate need of family like food,
clothing, and education should be considered
helping them.
6. Most important part of our help will about
making a future for Bant Singh and his children.
If the government grant, Mansa Magistrate is
seeking from Punjab Government, then it will
be a great future. Otherwise, to help their
future could be through buying a plot for him
or some income generating sources.
7. Huge propaganda in Media on Bant Singh but
practically very few have responded apart from
the Action Committee. We should change this.
Report prepared by Madhu Chandra and submitted
to All India Christian Council and Dalit Freedom
Network. Dated April 8, 2006
