Freedom from Discrimination received ofviolent caste clashes in certain parts ofthe country, namely Bihar,some areas of Uttar Pradesh,Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.The clashes have,in pardcular,taken the shape ofviolence against Dalit women and social boycotts. 2.34 The Commission has been acdvely engaged,since its inception,in the protection and promotion ofthe human rights ofSCs and STs.In 1996,a Nadonal Workshop was organised in Chennai by the Dalit Liberadon Education Trust with the help of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties(PUCL)and the NHRC.The two day workshop focussed on issues of social, policy and societal changes with reference toDaliis, appraisal oflegisladve measures for the upliftment ofDalits, religious and social practices affecting the human rights oiDalits and the need for a national movement that would radically alter the circumstances facing Dalits ofthe country.Itwas the first major dialogue that the NHRC had inidated in respect ofsocietal violations of human rights of an important and pardcularly vulnerable section of the populadon of this country. One of the important issues taken up by the NHRC since then has been the campaign to end manual scavenging.The Commission has pursued this issue with the State Governments and with the Centre, seeking to bring this deeply demeaning pracdce to an early end. 2.35 From the complaints received by the Commission over the years, however,it is clear that in many parts ofthe country, discriminadon against Dalits continues.The Commission has been informed of the violation of their rights through social boycott, as was the case in Devalia village in Amreily district ofGujarat. Other reports include those ofphysical violence against members ofthe Dalit community by the upper castes from the southern districts of Tamil Nadu in 1997 and later from other parts ofTamil Nadu;retaliatory killings ofcastebased illegal outfits owing allegiance to landlords in Bhojpur district of Bihar in 1996, Jehanabad districtin 1999,Rohtas district and Nalanda districtin the year 2000;exploitadon ofDalits and STs through forcible occupation of their lands and the carrying out ofillegal miningfrom Mirzapur, Chitrakoot and Allahabad districts of Uttar Pradesh.In addition to the above, numerous individual cases ofhuman rights violations have been reported from many parts of the country. 2.36 In this respect itwould be appropriate to recall here the Commission's observations dated l7March 1999 inits proceedings in CaseNo. 1794/30/98-99where the complainant was Mr. V.T Hirekar, Director, Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace, London: "The Commission has given Mr.Hirekar's letter the mostcareful consideration as itraises issues ofutmost gravity in respect ofthe role and responsibility ofthe State in redressing what the Commission has itselfdescribed as ancientsocietal wrongs perpetrated against the vulnerable sections of society, and most particularly against Dalits." "The Commission would like to observe that the letter and spirit of the Constitution are clear and unambiguous. Under Article 17, the concept of'Untouchability'is itself abolished and its practice forbidden in any form; further, the enforcement of any 13