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Bartan: NHRC summons Puri Collector, officials

Staff Reporter

They have to appear in open court in New Delhi on April 10

Human Rights activist moves NHRC over plight of barbers in Puri district
He says ‘bartan’ is a contemporary form of slavery

BHUBANESWAR: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) summoned secretaries of Labour and Panchayati Raj departments and District Magistrate of Puri to explain customary practice associated with barbers and its legal implications by remaining present in an open court in New Delhi on April 10. NHRC’s direction came in the wake of ‘no follow up action’ by the Puri district administration for three years even as it was handed over a list of persons working as bonded labour.

Human Rights activist Baghambar Pattanaik, who brought matter to the notice of NHRC, said persons belonging to barber caste were leading lives of bonded labours through the custom called ‘bartan’ which was in vogue in areas of the district.

Custom

“Under the custom the upper caste families give an advance of about 15 kg of paddy per head for each married male at a particular time of the year and in consideration of such advance the sewak renders service to all members of the family throughout the year without any remuneration,” the NHRC proceedings said quoting Mr. Pattanaik.

According to the proceeding, “not only this, sewak is also required to wash the feet of guests visiting the family and he has to perform many other menial jobs on the occasions of death and marriage in the family.”

Community services

“In addition, he is also required to perform community services like spreading banana leaves at the time of community feasts and lifting the leaves with leftovers,” he said.

The human rights activist pointed out that ‘bartan’ was a contemporary form of slavery.

In response to the direction of NHRC, the Puri District Collector submitted that the administration had held several coordination meetings and arranged joint visits of the tehsildar and police officers to village.

“Panchayati Raj department clarified that the barbers and washer men working in rural areas cannot be identified as bonded labour,” the Puri collector further submitted.

As the issue appeared a bit complex, the NHRC directed that, “the Commission is of the opinion that in order to understand the true nature of customary practice of ‘bartan’ and its legal implications, it is absolutely necessary to hear all the parties concerned in open court.”

Mr. Pattanaik said he was also asked to substantiate his allegations and could question the top officers at the open court.

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