Dalit wedding processions row: Rights leaders question Gujarat CM's silence, cop inertia

Martin Macwan, Jignesh Mevani

By A Representative
Addressing media in the wake of a series of incidents -- in which dominant rural castes stopped Dalit wedding processions to pass through village streets -- rights leaders Jignesh Mevani, an independent MLA of Gujarat state assembly, and Martin Macwan, founder of Gujarat’s biggest Dalit rights organization, Navsarjan Trust, have accused the state administration’s alleged indifference towards what they described as clear examples of untouchability prevailing in a state, whose rulers claim to have overcome discriminatory practices.
If Mevani criticised Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani and other senior officials for failing to condemn the incidents and keeping mum, Macwan said, when the authorities insist these should not be politicised, but their refusal to take action against the officials for failing to take protect the Dalits itself is nothing but political. They said, the police refused protection despite prior pleas, and the cops are now busy instituting false charges against Dalits.
The five incidents*, which shook the state, especially Dalits who form seven per cent of the population, involve village Khambhisar, taluka Modasa, district Aravalli; village Sitvada; taluka Prantij, district Sabarkantha; village Boriya, taluka Prantij, district Sabarkantha; village Lhor, taluka Kadi, district Mehsana; village Boriya, taluka Prantij, district Sabarkantha; and village Gajipur, taluka Vadali, district Sabarkantha.

A note by Dalit rights leaders:

The state had prior information about the possibility of such incidents. Police was intimated in writing about the actual threats Dalits had received for planning a wedding procession in all the five incidents taking place in past week. Hence, the police could have prevented such incidents as they are duty bound by law. A warning by the chief minister’s officer (CMO) of stern action would have acted as a deterrent.
The Chief Minister has maintained silence. He has not visited a single village to even appeal for harmony. He has stayed away from condemning such incidents. Is he in agreement with the people who have openly defied the law or he thinks it is beyond his capabilities?
An appeal not to politicize the issue too is misplaced. This is a political issue. A state with intimation on possible defiance of law cannot remain a mute spectator.
These are not cases of caste-based violence; rather these are clear cases of untouchability practices where Dalits are told in no uncertain terms that they have no right to sit on the horse, play music, seek blessings of the village deity and take out wedding processions like them on the public road.
The Dalits know they have a right, and hence they do not require to be informed about their rights. It is the social groups who commit such crimes need to be told that they have no right to prevent wedding processions of Dalits.
These incidents have happened due to utter state of lawlessness where people have no fear either of the police or the law itself of openly defy the law. The people who prevented wedding processions too knew that Dalits have given prior notice to the police about the apprehended trouble and yet, they had the courage to defy law openly.
In Khambhisar, therefore, the police officer ended up abusing and assaulting Dalits as if they were the law breakers while protecting the people who were abusing the law.
The police appeal in these villages for harmony or the visit of deputy chief minister to only Lhor in his constituency and appeal for peace in misplaced. In none of the incidents Dalits have defied the law. More than an appeal, dealing with heavy hand with law breakers is required.

What next?

A meeting of Dalit-Adivasi-civil society leaders will take place on May 18, Buddha Purnima, at Dalit Shakti Kendra, Nani Devti village, Sanand taluka, Ahmedabad district, to decide on next steps. All Dalit MLAs are invited.
A petition will be filed with the National Human Rights Commission on the willful negligence of the state.

***

*Details of the incidents
In village Khambhisar, after apprehending that they would be stopped, Dalits sought police protection. The Patidar women at several places held yagna and Ramdhun to not allow the wedding procession to proceed on May 12. The Dalit procession was stoned with it reached the Patel faliya of locality. Police arrived on the scene but it could not help Dalits to proceed.
The procession was stalled for five hours. It was only on May 13, with a large police force, a simple procession took place, after the father of the groom was forced to cancel the grand ceremony. Dalits have accused the police officer of abusing them instead of helping them.
In village Sitvada, Anil Rathod's family sought police protection after elders of Sitvada village, belonging to the Thakor community, objected to the wedding procession, also on May 12, to pass through the village and his plans to offer prayers at the Bhikhabhai Vaniya temple. The objection was on the bridegroom riding a horse.
Significantly, the Dalit family intimated the police in writing. Due to threats during the procession, Dalits were forced to halt the procession. The DJ group ran away due to fear of assault. It was only with the police protection was provided that the DJ could return and the groom could visit the temple and complete the wedding procession, though the plan to ride the horse had to be abandoned.
On May 11, in village Boriya, a Dalit policeman, Sanjay Rathod, serving for 27 years serving at Jadhar police station, could ride a horse during his wedding procession only after around 150 of his uniformed colleagues made a security ring around him and his family members and invitees. The executive magistrate too remained present. The police force remained in the village till the wedding was over.
On May 7 in village Lhor, Dalits faced boycott by upper castes for two days as a groom from the community rode a horse during his wedding procession. They had in intimated in writing intimated to the police about the threats they had received. Mehul was the first ever Dalit bridegroom in the village who rode on horse with the procession.
Five persons, including the sarpanch, the deputy sarpanch and the husband of the taluka panchayat member were taken in custody. Muslims of the village joined others in the social boycott of Dalits. The call to assemble to declare social boycott was delivered from the temple microphone.
On May 12, in village Gajipur, Mehul Bhambhi too faced similar hurdles following the wedding procession.

Comments

The silencing of conscience: Ideological attacks on India’s judiciary and free thought

By Sunil Kumar* “Volunteers will pick up sticks to remove every obstacle that comes in the way of Sanatan and saints’ work.” — RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat (November 6, 2024, Chitrakoot) Eleven months later, on October 6, 2025, a man who threw a shoe inside the Supreme Court shouted, “India will not tolerate insults to Sanatan.” This incident was not an isolated act but a continuation of a pattern seen over the past decade—attacks on intellectuals, writers, activists, and journalists, sometimes in the name of institutions, sometimes by individual actors or organizations.

'Violation of Apex Court order': Delhi authorities blamed for dog-bite incidents at JLN Stadium

By A Representative People for Animals (PFA), led by Ms. Ambika Shukla, has held the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) responsible for the recent dog-bite incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, accusing it of violating Supreme Court directions regarding community dogs. The organisation’s on-ground fact-finding mission met stadium authorities and the two affected coaches to verify details surrounding the incidents, both of which occurred on October 3.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Citizens’ group to recall Justice Chagla’s alarm as India faces ‘undeclared' Emergency

By A Representative In a move likely to raise eyebrows among the powers-that-be, a voluntary organisation founded during the “dark days” of the Indira Gandhi -imposed Emergency has announced that it will hold a public conference in Ahmedabad to highlight what its office-bearers call today’s “undeclared Emergency.”

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

From seed to soil: How transnational control is endangering food sovereignty

By Bharat Dogra In recent decades, the world has witnessed a steady erosion of plant diversity in many countries, particularly those in the Global South that were once richly endowed with natural plant wealth. Much of this diversity has been removed from its original ecological and cultural contexts and transferred into gene banks concentrated in developed nations. While conservation of genetic resources is important, the problem arises when access to these collections becomes unequal, particularly when they fall under the control of transnational corporations.

Counterview

Search This Blog