Sathy Angamali

Poet and Dalit Activist

Kerala

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on 22^nd June, regarding the intimidation, insult and assault of poet and dalit activist Sathy Angamali by the staff of Kerala State Youth Welfare Board. She is an anti-caste activist and is involved in the gender politics movement, the organiser of Dalit women's collective, a trainer for personality development of children, associate editor of a cultural Magazine.

On May 7, poet and Dalit activist Sathy Angamali was invited to participate in a programme titled ‘Public’s Signature for Freedom of Speech and Expression’ in Trikkakara in Kerala. A government officer named Mr. Shanthan and Mr. Ajith of the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board, an autonomous body incorporated under Government of Kerala invited her to participate. She was told that she would be invited to the stage late, and she waited for a long time but was not acknowledged. She then contacted Mr. Ajith and asked him about the delay and he said that he had informed the person conducting the event and they would soon call her. Since even after a while she was not called, she told him that she would leave but was forced to wait again. Mr. Ajith then tried to board an auto to go away but was stopped by Ms. Sathy who asked him to apologise. He came out of the vehicle and talked about the issue for about 40 minutes and agreed for a written apology from the organisers which she learnt later that he was pretending.

Mr. Ajith then called one Dr. Ajith and Sakeer and they shouted at Ms. Sathy and threatened her. They called an auto for Ajith and allowed him to go. Soon Dr. Ajith and Sakeer pushed her on the shoulder, raised their hands to beat her and when she tried to block, they twisted her finger. She managed to run into an auto and asked the driver to go to the police station. Dr. Ajith entered the auto at the same time and asked the driver to get out and threatened him not to go to the police station. Soon the place was crowded with people who had noticed the issue and stood with her and they called the police. Ms. Sathy’s hand was injured and she had to go to a hospital for treatment. The police have registered a case against the perpetrators.

HRDA prayed for thorough investigation and to take immediate actions on the perpetrators of the case.