Skip to main content

Social boycott, forced migration of Gujarat's rural Dalits continues

By Rajiv Shah 
One of most naïve arguments on rural areas, including those of Gujarat, has been regarding their homogeneous characteristic — the existence of “harmonious” social relations in which “self-sufficient” village communities live in a peaceful atmosphere. Based on this type of thinking, the Gujarat chief minister began his now famous “samras” experiment, under which village panchayats elected uncontested should be rewarded. However, sociologists have long demonstrated that in areas of strong homogeneity, there is a general tendency to repress controversy. As a result, when disagreements arise, they can result into serious crises.
Well-known human rights organization Navsarjan Trust’s documentary evidence, collected from several villages of Gujarat, recorded in several of its reports (click HERE to see them) has long suggested how such homogeneity in a caste-ridden society is a sham. Despite efforts by Dalit NGOs to fight discrimination against Dalits, as evidenced during their representation to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and a public hearing organized jointly by Navsarjan Trust and Gujarat Human Rights Commission, cases of social boycott, even forced migration, continue.
In 2009, a Navsarjan study, “A Legally Immune form of Discrimination: Report on Socioeconomic Boycotts of Dalits in Gujarat”, noted, “As Dalits become increasingly educated and aware, they have begun to demand the enforcement of their legal rights. These efforts have been met with staunch resistance by other castes, whose members have a stake in maintaining the existing status quo. By deterring attempts to access the law through complete ostracization from the social and economic life of the village, boycotts have become a major tool through which upper castes have stemmed the Dalit struggle for equality.” Updated information by the NGO has found that there is little sign of improvement in the situation, though the number of protests has evidently gone up.
About 26 families of Ghada village in Deesa taluka of Banaskantha district are failing to return to their village ever since they were forced to leave their homes for a “safer” haven, which they found 27 kilometres away from the village – in the open area front of Deesa mamlatdar’s office. Living in makeshift tents since 2009, their case has reached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and representations about their plight have been made to the Gujarat governor, apart from senior officials in Gandhinagar Sachivalaya. Begun with a small brawl, which led to a Dalit being overrun with a tractor, a riots-like situation in the village forced the villagers to leave Ghada.
According to Kantibhai Parmar, a senior activist, “The Gujarat government officials are refusing to recognize the 26 families as internally displaced, as it would mean a loss of face to them. Instead, they have promised to give these villagers land and housing in the village where they lived. The offer has been repeated by principal secretary, social justice and empowerment department, Sanjay Prasad, apart from local officials like district development officer and taluka development officer. The Dalits have refused on the ground that there is no guarantee for their safety. Meanwhile, they continue living in their makeshift tents, made of bamboo and polythene sheet. While they have been issued ration cards to buy food and police protection has been provided, children cannot go to school, and they live under unhygienic conditions.”
In a gruesome case, a Dalit youth, Lalji Kalabhai Sarvaiya of Akolali village of Una taluka in Junagarh district, was burnt alive on September 13, 2012 by a village mob of 150 persons. His house and along with that of a neighour, along with their belongings, were all set on fine by upper caste people, who suspected that Sarvaiya had a love affair with a girl belonging to a non-Dalit caste. After the ghastly incident, the family, which included Sarviaya’s parents and five brothers, were forced to shift to the Ambedkar colony in Una taluka, where they live today. While the case is pending in Junagarh sessions court, complaints have been made to the NHRC, and there has been a demand to for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation. Living unprotected, the family members and relatives of the deceased have no permanent source of livelihood after they fled from their home, leaving behind 14 bighas of land they owned.
In yet another case of Junagarh district, social boycott of Dalits has been continuing in Baman village, just 10 km from Junagarh town, since April 2013. It all began with a right to information (RTI) application by one of the Dalit youths about the “misuse” of the neighbouring open land being used by upper caste people as a dumping space for all the dirt of the village. The open space, which is actually common village land, is situated next to the Dalit houses. The health department asked the sarpanch of the village to remove the dirt from the place where it was being dumped.
This angered the upper castes, and a complete ban on keeping any contact with the Dalit families of the village was imposed. The Dalits are not being allowed to use the local flour mill to grind cereals; they can’t get their hair cut in the village; they can’t even get drinking water from the local village source. They must visit a neighouring village to fulfill their requirements. Thought a complaint has been lodged with the NHRC as also local government officials, the situation has not changed.
The Dalits of Rampar village of Muli taluka in Surendrangar district face a similar social boycott. Their only crime was, they tried performing puja in the local Meldi Mata temple, in whose construction they had also constructed. Now, the Dalits of the village cannot buy milk or vegetables or food items in the village shops, as they had “impured” the temple. A Rs 5,000 fine is in force on those who seek to “cooperate” with the Dalits in violation of the decision, arrived at by village elders belonging to non-Dalit castes. “While social boycott is on, the Gujarat government has been doggedly denying that any such thing exists in the village”, alleges activist Kantibhai Parmar.
A similar social boycott can be found to be existing in Jhaspar village in Padra taluka of Vadodara district, where the Dalits objected to a separate entrance and a separate sitting arrangement for them during a religious function, Navchandi Yagna. They also protested against paper dishes for food that was being served to them, while others were offered steel plates. “If you do not accept meal as is being offered, you are free to leave”, the Dalits were threatened. This made the Dalits to lodge a complaint with the local police, leading to beginning of social boycott against them. The Dalits are not only, not allowed to buy up anything from the village shops; they are not offered any work, too.

Comments

TRENDING

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Sunil Gavaskar, G Viswanath rated Andy Roberts best fast bowler they ever faced

By Harsh Thakor  The West Indies pace quartet or battery of the 1970’s and 1980’s truck terror to deliver a knockout punch, like never in cricket history. One was reminded of bomber raiding an airbase or a combing operation. Andy Roberts was the pioneer in orchestrating or propelling the most fiery and lethal pace bowling attack ever in the history of the game. Simply the godfather of Modern West Indies fast bowlers. He spearheaded the pack from the mid 1970’s .Without Andy the talent of Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft would never have blossomed.Michael Holding credits Andy for shaping his great bowling career, by infusing vital elements.

Adivasi land rights question in Telugu states: Digitization process without transparency?

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  This paper examines whether the Land Records Modernization Program initiated by the successive governments in Telugu States is beneficial to tribals in the Scheduled Areas in the light of special protective Land laws that are in force there. Digitization process or regularization of land records or land surveys without transparency will result in disempowerment of Adivasis. This can be tested in the case of Adivasis in the Scheduled Areas of Telugu States. British colonialism, through its land revenue policy and elaborate exploitative bureaucratic structure, made land alienable on a large scale especially in tribal areas. 1 Land and the forest produce remain the main source of tribals’ livelihood; but availability of land is restricted by forest reservation on the one hand, and non-tribal encroachment on the other. 2 In the Andhra Area, there were certain laws including the Agency Tracts Interest and Land Transfer Act, 1917 that existed before the inaugurati

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor  In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as  someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava**  Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team  On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien