BeyondHeadlines News Desk
Lower castes in India have a history of sufferings at the hands of upper castes. Time and again, cases of violence and torture against SCs, STs and Tribals came out in public. In a recent such incident, Mr. Kirankumar Premchand Johare, a Schedule Caste person and a Scientific Assistant in Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune alleged that he and his lower caste colleagues were insulted by his Brahmin boss.
Mr Johare wrote a letter to Chief Minister of Maharashtra, requesting him to take cognizance of the caste based insults and humiliation directed towards him and his family. BH reproduced the letter for its readers. – Editor
To,
Chief Minister of Maharashtra,
MaharashtraState, Mantralaya, Mumbai.
Subject:- Complaint regarding insults directed towards the complainant.
Sir/Madam,
I, Mr. Kirankumar Premchand Johare, am a Junior Scientific Officer [demoted as Scientific Assistant Grade B], at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology [IITM, Pune]. It is an Autonomous Body under Ministry of Earth Sciences. I am working there since 2004. Prof. B. N. Goswami became the Director of IITM in the year 2007. And right since 2008, the harassment at the hands of said Director began.
I am a member of “Mochi” caste, which falls under Scheduled Caste. And the said Director is an upper caste Brahmin and know my caste “Mochi”. I have suffered from insults and harassment for being a Scheduled Caste Member. Few of the incidents are as follows:
On August 15, 2007, I was present at IITM Flag Hoisting Function. The said Director told everybody that one Mr. T. Dharmaraj has complained against the Director regarding harassment as a Scheduled Caste person and denying him the promotion. The Director publicly warned everybody that “He will teach a lesson to whole Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Community.” By making such statement he publicly and intentionally insulted the SC & ST employees of IITM and intimidated them using his position as a Superior.
On April 18th 2008, I was called for an interview for the post of “Scientist B” [Post reserved for Scheduled Caste]. I was called at 07.00AM in the morning and made to wait till 06.00PM in the evening, without food. On enquiry I was told that the interview will be conducted at any time and hence was asked to wait. At 06.00PM, the interview started and the Director along with panel of judges asked questions till 07.00PM. I answered all the questions and hence it took so long to finish the interview. At the end of the interview, the Director said “You are Mochi, and an outcaste person.” He and the panel appreciated the performance but told me to “Come next time.” Even when the post was reserved for the Scheduled Caste, the Director called me an Outcaste. He publicly insulted and humiliated me. He also used his position as a Director to intimidate me.
Mr. T. Dharmaraj had filed an application under R.T.I Act. And there was an appeal regarding the same at Chief Information Commission. The Director first threatened Mr. T. Dharmaraj, who is also a member of Scheduled Caste, to take back the complaint. The Director used his position to pressurize Mr. Dharmaraj. On Mr. Dharmaraj’s refusal, on March 24, 2010 the Director called me, Mr. Dharmaraj, Mr. Kiran Salunke, and Mr. Ravi Waghmare. After we reached there, the Director came out of his cabin and asked for a letter to withdraw complaint. The Director publicly threatened Mr. Dharmaraj and all of us and said-
“I will get you thrown out. What is C.I.C? What do you think of yourself?? I will get you out of this Institute in one minute using my power and position, and will put n number of charges using the Institute Resources and you cannot do anything. What is Commission? (National Commission for S.C. and S.T.) I keep ministry in my pocket. I can purchase Supreme Court with Government money.”
The Director told me “Mr. Johare, you resign and then file R.T.I. I will spoil your career using Rules and Regulations of the Institute”
On March 26, 2010, at the time of CIC hearing, around 1.30PM, the Director threatened me, and Mr. Dharmaraj in public place at National Information Centre, Ganeshkhind, Pune. After the result of Commssion, which was against the Director, the Director again threatened and insulted me and Mr. Dharmaraj on the road. He used unparliamentary language and shouted “Bastards, I will teach you a lesson and your whole community will remember it.” He threatened me using his position that he will transfer me to some remote location where I will have to beg for my life. He also told me that he will throw me and my family on road.. At the time of this incidence Mrs. Chhabi Bardhan, P.A of the Director and Mrs. Shiralkar, L.I.P Division Head of IITM were present, and I felt humiliated and insulted in front of other people.
On October 24, 2010, the Director informed in writing in my Annual Performance Appraisal Report that my performance was average, whereas the Reviewing Officer Dr. S.D. Pawar had given a “Good” remark on June 30, 2010 and he also mentioned that there is nothing adverse to report. The Director using His power and position commented in writing that “The Reporting Officer is also Scheduled Caste (SC) Scientist”, whereas in reality the Reviewing Officer is not an SC. This shows the Director’s bias against Scheduled Caste specifically.
On February 3, 2011 the Director forcefully ordered me to go on deputation to New Delhi. Due to family problems I was unable to go to New Delhi, so I went to request him to cancel the deputation on February 18, 2011. While standing outside his office, he told me “I don’t care if your parents die. You resign or go to New Delhi. You go, I will throw your family outside. If you don’t go I will spoil your ACR and terminate you. Now you have learnt the lesson.” At that time also he insulted me in front of people from Accounts Dept. He forcefully made me write a letter requesting to postpone the deputation.
On June 6, 2011 the Director gave a false remark to Mr. M Shivkumar, Director of National Commission for Scheduled Caste and made false allegations saying that I do not obey his orders. Whereas, in reality he was using his power and position to pressurize me.
In July 2013, the Director filed false and malicious complaint against me and my wife Mrs. Sonali Kirankumar Johare, stating that we caused nuisance in his office.
Such incidents continue to happen. On every given opportunity, the Director has publicly and intentionally humiliated me based on my caste. Such conduct of the Director has hurt my feelings and that is why I and my family are emotionally disturbed and now he is taking personal vendetta using his position and Government Resources. Thus, I request you to take cognizance of his caste based insults and humiliation directed towards me and my family, and to file an FIR or NC or take necessary action as you find appropriate.
Yours Sincerely,
Sd/-
Mr. Kirankumar Premchand Johare
Address: IITM Colony, Type 3/6,
Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan,
Pune – 411008
