SURKHET: Local Dalit activists urged the police to establish a ‘Dalit Help Desk’ after realizing that Dalit victims of discrimination, insults, and violence were not lodging complaints with the police. After a lot of efforts, a help desk was finally established on the premises of the District Police Office, Surkhet, one and a half years ago. However, not a single individual has approached the help desk so far.
Assistant Sub Inspector Sangita Rasaili, the head of the women’s cell at the District Police Office, Surkhet, said that not a single individual has approached the help desk in the past one and a half years. “The help desk was established after a lot of pressure lobbying by the local activists. However, not a single individual has approached the help desk since its inception,” Rasaili said.
The help desk was set up with the hope that victims of discrimination would find it easier to access legal services. The police were optimistic that people would utilize the help desk. But no one has come to seek help at the help desk.
Rasaili said there is a need to disseminate information about the help desk to the Dalit community. “We have been spreading awareness about the help desk through various campaigns that we conduct regularly,” Rasaili stated.
Manju Sunar, chairperson of the Dalit Women’s Association, Surkhet, said that the help desk was not proving effective as it is not Dalit-friendly. She believes that victims are not approaching the help desk because it is located within the police office premises. “Although the establishment of the help desk is a positive step, Dalit people are finding it uncomfortable as it is not Dalit-friendly,” she added.
Sunar further noted that Dalit people were also reluctant to approach the help desk due to various incidents of caste-based discrimination. “Since victims find it difficult to approach the police, perhaps the help desk would have been more effective if it were located outside the police office premises,” she suggested.
