According to an official report on prisons released this month, Muslims, adivasis and dalits— three of the most helpless sections of Indian society — make up more than half of India’s prison population.
Even if the percentage of these three communities in India amounts to about 39%, their share amongst prisoners is very much higher at 53%.
It means that they commit more crimes. “NO”- it arises because they are socially and economically under-privileged, fail to pay money to fight their pricey cases or often even pay for bail. Some states that these communities are targeted with false cases.
Rajinder Sachar, Former chief justice of Delhi High Court who headed the committee that brought out a report on the circumstance of Muslim community in India in 2006, indicated that there had been a number of cases of Muslim youths being acquitted after years in prison.
In 2013, India had 4.2 lakh people in prison. According to Census 2001, nearly 20% of them were Muslims although the share of Muslims in India’s population is about 13%.
As per Census 2011, Dalits make up 22% of prisoners, almost one in four. Their percentage in population is about 17%. Whereas adivasis make up 11% of prisoners, their portion in the general population is 9%.
“Poverty is more preva lent among these three communities and that becomes an obstacle in dealing with the legal system, “said Colin Gonsalves, human rights activist and lawyer.
The percentages of Muslims, dalits and adivasis have remained almost unchanged over the past 15 years pointing out that this is a systemic problem.