Even as the Indian law has officially “abolished” atrocities based on untouchability, both untouchability and ostracisation remains in practice, evident from the sharp escalation in violence against Dalits reported day after day, week on week. Daily incidents abound often escaping reportage in “mainstream: media.
Even today, a Dalit groom is not “allowed” to ride a horse to his own wedding, a practice which has somehow been appropriated by men of the privileged castes, even daring to do so can invite violence and abuse. Worse a thumb can be chopped off or a murder committed on grounds of casteist violence.
Dalit man’s thumb cut off for touching cricket ball:
In another such disturbing and horrendous incident, reported on June 4 from Gujarat’s Patan district, a group of people allegedly assaulted a Dalit man and chopped off his thumb after his nephew picked up a cricket ball during a match at a school playground. The incident took place in Kakoshi village in the district, as reported by the New Indian Express.
A police official has provided that an FIR has been filed in the said case, according to which the accused got angry and threatened the boy who had picked up the ball while watching a cricket match at a school playground in the village. They also allegedly hurled casteist slurs with the intention to insult and intimidate members of the Dalit community, the official further said.
The official added that when the boy’s uncle Dhiraj Parmar objected to this, the matter was settled for the time being, however, later that evening, a group of seven men armed with sharp weapons assaulted the complainant Dhiraj and his brother Kirti. It was then that one of the accused chopped off Kirti’s thumb and injured him seriously.
It has been provided that the FIR has been registered under sections 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 506 (criminal intimidation) and other relevant provisions of the IPC and the SC/ST Act. As per the police official, efforts are on to apprehend the accused.
Dalit man murdered for non-repayment of loan
In Renapur area of Maharashtra,s Latur district, the non-repayment of a mere Rs. 3,000 by a Dalit man resulted in him facing abuse and death. As per the report published by the Print, a 48-year-old Dalit man was allegedly murdered by a money-lender after throwing chili powder in his eyes for defaulting on payment of interest on a loan. As per the information provided, Giridhar Tabkale, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste, had borrowed Rs 3,000 from money lender Laxman Markand. Tabkale was allegedly attacked by Markand and his relative Prashant Waghmode again on June 2. They allegedly threw chili powder in his eyes before hitting him with a steel rod, causing him serious injuries on the chest and legs, the police official told the Print. Tabkale had died during treatment in the early hours of June 3.
It was also reported that Tabkale and Markand had had a fight over the issue of payment of interest previously too, on May 23, but the local police allegedly did not register a case. As per the information provided by the police, the accused persons have been arrested on the charge of murder and also under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and further probe is on.
Dalit man killed for celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti:
It seems that the brute anger of the privileged castes is not limited to the Dalit community performing acts which were historically “performed only by the upper caste”, but any celebration by the Dalit community is not tolerated by the upper caste.
On June 1, during the evening hours, a 24-year-old Dalit man was allegedly beaten to death at Bondhar Haveli village in Maharashtra’s Nanded district by nine men as they were angry at him for celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti in the village in April this year. The deceased was identified as Akshay Bhalerao, who lived with his family at the village.
As per the report by the Indian Express, an FIR was registered by the Nanded police on June 2. Shrikrushna Kokate, Superintendent of Police (Nanded), provided that a case of murder, attempt to murder, rioting and assault under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered, and seven persons have been arrested. The officer further provided that the accused have also been booked under relevant sections of the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. It has been provided that Sections 3 (1) (R), 3 (1) (S), 3 (2) (VA) of SC/ST Act have been invoked in addition to sections 4, 25 and 27 of Arms Act.
Aakash, the elder brother of the deceased Akshay, narrated the whole incident in statement to the police and stated that, “A person named Narayan Tidke, who belongs to the Maratha community, had gotten married. A group of people was celebrating on the road (on Thursday evening). They were dancing with swords, daggers and sticks in their hands. At around 7.30 pm, when my younger brother and I went to a shop to buy groceries, the group started passing comments against them”, the statement alleged.
The statement further provided that “One of them said that ‘these people should be killed for celebrating Bhim Jayanti in the village’. The group then started beating my brother. They assaulted my brother with sticks. At one point, they held my brother’s hands and legs, then two of the accused stabbed him in his stomach.” Aakash provided in his complaint that when he tried to intervene, they allegedly stabbed him too.
“Aakash also sustained injuries on his left hand. Their mother who tried to save them was also injured in the attack as the accused started pelting stones on them,” their elder brother Sandesh said. Aakash further provided that after the attack, he rushed Akshay to a nearby hospital in a rickshaw, but Akshay had stopped breathing on the way. The police had also stated that Akshay was declared dead before he could be admitted to hospital.
While an officer from Nanded Rural police station has said that the preliminary probe indicated “caste conflict” that led to the murder, it seems as a case of caste based violence over Dalit celebrating their identity, claiming their space and rights. The fact that Dalits tend to speak out more and be more visible is what can be understood as a reason behind these violent confrontations.
Stones pelted on Dalit groom
Only two days ago, on June 6, such an incident was reported from Chhattarpur area of Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh, where stones were pelted at a Dalit man riding a horse on the occasion of his wedding. A video has surfaced on the social media showing how police was present in the arena while the Dalit man was riding the horse. When Dalit grooms take to horses, something that the traditional elites see as their prerogative, it inspires not just resentment but also often, a violent backlashe.
The video can be viewed here:
मध्यप्रदेश : बुंदेलखंड में दलित दूल्हे के घोड़ी चढ़ने पर जातिवादियों का बवाल, बारात पर की पत्थरबाजी@ChouhanShivraj @CMMadhyaPradesh @MPPoliceOnline pic.twitter.com/3zIYoQT2d9
— Dalit Times | दलित टाइम्स (@DalitTime) June 6, 2023
Dalit man thrashed for wearing “good” clothes:
The situation has become so dire that Dalit people are lynched and killed by men from privileged castes for wearing good clothes. According to an incident reported from the Mota village in Palanpur taluka of the Banaskantha district of Gujarat, a group of upper caste people allegedly beat up a Dalit man named Jigar Shekhalia for wearing good clothes and sunglasses, said the police. On May 30, during the night hours, Jigar was beaten up for “wearing good clothes and sunglasses”, as has been reported by the ABP news. Police said that the victim and his mother, who was also assaulted by the group, were sent to a hospital for treatment.
It has been alleged by Jigar that the accused men involved in the incident of beating him and his mother were upset with him for wearing good clothes and goggles. According to the complaint copy, one of the seven accused approached the victim when he was standing outside his house in the morning hours of the day this crime was committed. Narrating the incident, Jigar provided that the accused started abusing him as well as threatening to kill him. The accused said that he was “flying too high these days”, as reported by the PTI.
The complainant also stated that on the same night the incident took place, six accused from the community with Rajput surnames came towards him as the complainant was standing outside a village temple. He purported that the accused were all armed with sticks and asked him why he was dressed up and wore sunglasses. Subsequently, they started thrashing and dragging him behind a dairy parlour.
The complainant added that when his mother came to save him, the accused people also started attacking her. After tearing the mother’s clothes, they later threatened to kill her, said the police as reported by PTI.
It was provided by the police that an FIR was filed against seven persons on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim Jigar at the Gadh police station, reported PTI. IPC provisions pertaining to rioting, unlawful assembly, outraging the modesty of a woman, voluntarily causing hurt, using abusive language, etc. have been invoked in the FIR. Furthermore, relevant sections of SC/ST Act have also been invoked. However, the police has informed that no arrest has been made in connection with the incident so far.
The post can be viewed here:
मामला गुजरात का है!
कुछ लोगों ने एक दलित व्यक्ति को अच्छे कपड़े व काला चश्मा पहनने की वजह से पीट दिया!
बेटे को पीटता देख जब मां बचाने गई तो उन लोगो ने मां को भी पीटा!
दबंगों ने दलित युवक से कहा– “अगर रुतबा बढ़ाने की कोशिश की तो जान से मार देंगे”
पीड़ित व्यक्ति ने 7 लोगों पर… pic.twitter.com/ODqRNpUj9u
— Sadaf Afreen صدف (@s_afreen7) June 3, 2023
Conclusion
Dalits have faced caste-based prejudice and oppression for generations. Caste discrimination is now so thoroughly embedded in Indian society that it has resulted in widespread exclusion, marginalization, and violence against the Dalit minority. This discrimination impacts all aspects of Dalit life, including education, housing and employment. The surge in crimes against Dalits in India is cause for alarm, indicating that the country still has a deep-seated social and cultural bias, where even the wearing of “good” clothes is a matter dictate by caste privilege.
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