Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal ends 9 day fast.
New Delhi, April 22: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her fast she launched nine days ago after President Ram Nath Kovind approved an ordinance to grant the death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.
Maliwal, 33, went on an indefinite hunger strike at Rajghat and refused to break it till such time the government acted seriously against those who sexually assault young girls.
On Sunday, the President promulgated The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, which was approved by the cabinet on Saturday.
Maliwal began her fast following the widely condemned rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Jammu and Kashmir in January and similar crimes elsewhere in the country.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Dalit officer of Kumta Municipality traced in Belagavi after alleging harassment by chief officer
Bhatkal: The 25-year-old Dalit Revenue Inspector (RI) of Kumta Town Municipality, who went missing earlier this week after accusing his senior officer of harassment and caste discrimination, has been traced in Belagavi.
The officer, Venkatesh Ramesh Harijan, a resident of Harijanakeri in Koteshwara, Bhatkal taluk, had reportedly left his home on Tuesday night without informing anyone. Before going missing, he had sent a WhatsApp message to a group of municipal members and staff, alleging that M.R. Swamy, the Chief Officer (CO) of Kumta TMC, had been mentally and caste-wise harassing him for a long time.
Venkatesh’s mother, Asha Ramesh Harijan, later filed a missing person complaint at the Bhatkal Town Police Station, stating that her son was under severe mental pressure due to humiliation and misconduct by his superior. She alleged that Swamy often used insulting and casteist language towards her son, targeting him because of his Dalit background.
In a letter believed to have been written before his disappearance, Venkatesh accused the CO of misusing the name of Kumta MLA Dinakar Shetty to justify illegal activities. He further alleged that Swamy had tried to force him into corrupt practices, including demanding a bribe of Rs 4 lakh and manipulating official documents by altering government building records from the ‘B account’ to the ‘A account’.
The letter was reportedly sent to a colleague on WhatsApp shortly before he went missing.
Following the complaint, Bhatkal police began an intensive search operation. According to reports, Venkatesh later contacted his family from Belagavi and informed them that he was safe. Acting promptly, a police team from Bhatkal travelled to Belagavi, where they located him at the Market Police Station.
The incident has stirred strong reactions among Kumta Municipality staff and local residents, who have condemned the alleged misconduct of the Chief Officer. The employees’ association has submitted a memorandum to the Municipal President, demanding the immediate transfer of M.R. Swamy and a probe into the allegations.
Police sources said a detailed inquiry will be conducted into the claims of mental and caste-based harassment made by the Revenue Inspector.
_vb_38.jpeg)
