‘Sister of caste violence victim entitled to government job’

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court has directed the Home Secretary to provide a government job to a Dalit woman, whose elder brother was murdered by a group of Caste Hindus. 

The petitioner was entitled to a government job on compassionate grounds in terms of Clause 21 of Annexure I of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995, said Justice D Hariparanthaman while disposing off a writ petition filed by the Dalit woman Sudha. 

The petitioner’s brother Muthukumar was murdered by four Caste Hindus at Manapparai Taluk in Tiruchirapalli district on April 26, last year. 

The Judge said Rule 12 (4) of the statutory rules mandated the District administration to provide immediate relief in cash and kind, including food, water, clothing, shelter, medical aid, transport facilities and other essential items to victims of atrocities, their family members and dependents. 

Further, Clause 21 of Annexure I lists out other reliefs to victims of murder, death, massacre, rape, mass rape, gang rape, permanent incapacitation and dacoity and those benefits include paying pension to dependents or providing a government job, agricultural land or a residential house. 

Citing the rules, the Judge said employment to one member of the family of the deceased should be provided within three months of the atrocity. As such, the writ petitioner was fully entitled for a suitable government job as more than three months had passed since her brother was murdered.