Gujarat Dalits face social boycott at religious function in village adopted by head of state administration

Dalits gather to prepare anti-untouchability representation

By Our Representative
In incident which will embarrass Gujarat administration, the Dalits of a village "adopted" for development by its head, chief secretary D Jagatheesa Pandian, have faced social boycott during a function in the village temple. The village is just 25 kilometres from Gujarat's capital Gandhinagar, and, say local Dalits, despite their complaint to the district collector, a copy of which was sent to the chief secretary, the government has "not cared to look into the matter."
In their written complaint, a copy of which is with Counterview, the Dalits said, the village, Vasnarathod, situated in Dahegam taluka of Gandhinagar district, saw a religious function from May 9 to 11 in honour of Neelkanth Mahadev and Amba Mata. "While the entire village was invited, only Dalits were not allowed in. This way, the dominant castemen have socially boycotted us", the complaint said.
Pointing out that this is not an isolated incident, the complaint said, none of the three barber shops in the village accept Dalits to enter in for hair dressing. "The two tea stalls in the village offer tea or coffee in separate cups", the complaint points out, adding, "What is worse, the Dalits are allowed to be cremated in the common cremation ground, forcing us to cremate our dead elsewhere."

The temple where the function was held

The complaint says that the cultural festivals invariably see the dominant castes of the village adopt a discriminatory attitude towards the Dalits. "The Navratri festival is held on the common village plot, yet we are not allowed in", it said, adding, the latest in the series of discrimination is refusal to allow us in for the religious function. Earlier, in a function honouring Meldi Mata, the Dalits were similarly discriminated against", it adds.
The complaint further said that, in accordance with the Supreme Court direction, the village should have a Dalit cook for midday meal in school, yet the dominant castes refuse to comply by it despite demands. A village with a population of 3,000, about 10 per cent of it is of Dalits. The rest are Rajputs, Brahmins, Thakores and a few other other backward classes (OBCs).
Demanding early legal steps against those who are seeking to encourage untouchability practices in the village, the complaint -- written in the name of Gnyati Nirmulan Samiti (Committee to Eliminate Caste) -- says, "Immediate action should be taken on our complaint."

Comments

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Where’s the urgency for the 2,000 MW Sharavati PSP in Western Ghats?

By Shankar Sharma* A recent news article has raised credible concerns about the techno-economic clearance granted by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for a large Pumped Storage Project (PSP) located within a protected area in the dense Western Ghats of Karnataka. The article , titled "Where is the hurry for the 2,000 MW Sharavati PSP in Western Ghats?", questions the rationale behind this fast-tracked approval for such a massive project in an ecologically sensitive zone.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Structural retrogression? Steady rise in share of self-employment in agriculture 2017-18 to 2023-24

By Ishwar Awasthi, Puneet Kumar Shrivastav* The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) launched the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017 to provide timely labour force data. The 2023-24 edition, released on 23rd September 2024, is the 7th round of the series and the fastest survey conducted, with data collected between July 2023 and June 2024. Key labour market indicators analysed include the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR), which highlight trends crucial to understanding labour market sustainability and economic growth.

Venugopal's book 'explores' genesis, evolution of Andhra Naxalism

By Harsh Thakor* N. Venugopal has been one of the most vocal critics of the neo-fascist forces of Hindutva and Brahmanism, as well as the encroachment of globalization and liberalization over the last few decades. With sharp insight, Venugopal has produced comprehensive writings on social movements, drawing from his experience as a participant in student, literary, and broader social movements.

Authorities' shrewd caveat? NREGA payment 'subject to funds availability': Barmer women protest

By Bharat Dogra* India is among very few developing countries to have a rural employment guarantee scheme. Apart from providing employment during the lean farm work season, this scheme can make a big contribution to important needs like water and soil conservation. Workers can get employment within or very near to their village on the kind of work which improves the sustainable development prospects of their village.

'Failing to grasp' his immense pain, would GN Saibaba's death haunt judiciary?

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The death of Prof. G.N. Saibaba in Hyderabad should haunt our judiciary, which failed to grasp the immense pain he endured. A person with 90% disability, yet steadfast in his convictions, he was unjustly labeled as one of India’s most ‘wanted’ individuals by the state, a characterization upheld by the judiciary. In a democracy, diverse opinions should be respected, and as long as we uphold constitutional values and democratic dissent, these differences can strengthen us.

94.1% of households in mineral rich Keonjhar live below poverty line, 58.4% reside in mud houses

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak* Keonjhar district in Odisha, rich in mineral resources, plays a significant role in the state's revenue generation. The region boasts extensive reserves of iron ore, chromite, limestone, dolomite, nickel, and granite. According to District Mineral Foundation (DMF) reports, Keonjhar contains an estimated 2,555 million tonnes of iron ore. At the current extraction rate of 55 million tonnes annually, these reserves could last 60 years. However, if the extraction increases to 140 million tonnes per year, they could be depleted within just 23 years.

Search This Blog