Casteist Abuse In Kerala Advocate General's Office: State SC-ST Commission Initiates Suo-Motu Proceedings

The Kerala State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has initiated suo motu proceedings in relation to the incident involving two senior staff of the office of the Advocate General of the state allegedly assaulting and hurling casteist slurs at a staff in the office belonging to a Scheduled Tribe.

The Commission has sought reports from the Secretary of the Advocate General's office as well as the city Police Commissioner within a week, said a press release yesterday by the Information and Public Relations Department of the state.

Initially, a complaint was lodged by the victim who works as an attendant, but the same was withdrawn after the accused put pressure on pressure on the victim, as per the report of TNIE.

Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup has told TNIE that the issue between the staff members has been 'settled' and that a departmental inquiry has been initiated.

As per the TNIE report, Section Officer Ajesh P. B. and PRO Dayal K. K. have been charged under Sections 341 and 323 of the IPC and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Ajesh allegedly threatened the complainant, Nandu K for failure to attend to his phone calls and slapped him.

It is also alleged that Nandu was insulted stating that he secured the job on account of reservation and that Nandu could not lodge a complaint earlier as the accused are influential persons.