Bihar: Dalit MLA on whose recommendation the school was built was prevented from inaugurating it, case filed

“Some people in the crowd said that no Chamar and Dusadh (Scheduled Caste community) will inaugurate the school building and it will be inaugurated by people from their caste.”

Published on: 28 Jan 2025, 10:32 am

Phulwari Sharif- On the occasion of Republic Day, while Baba Saheb’s statue was broken in Amritsar, on the same day in Bihar, a Dalit MLA had to face humiliation due to caste.

CPI(ML) MLA Gopal Ravidas has lodged a complaint that locals prevented him from inaugurating a government school building because he belongs to the Scheduled Caste.

The alleged incident took place in Bihar’s Parsa Bazar police station area on January 26. Based on the complaint, the police have registered an FIR under several sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

As soon as Ravidas arrived to inaugurate the building at Kurthaul, some people reportedly started protesting.

The MLA, who represents the Phulwari Sharif assembly constituency, alleged that the group not only made casteist remarks against him but also pushed him aside. Due to the jostling, he had to return from there.

Ravidas told local media, “I went with my supporters to inaugurate the new building of the government school (higher secondary), which has been built on my recommendation. As soon as I reached there at 3 pm, around 50 people from the dominant caste started protesting against me. Some people in the crowd said that no Chamar and Dusadh (Scheduled Caste community) will inaugurate the school building and it will be inaugurated by people from their caste.”

He added: “I was not only denied the right to inaugurate the school building but was also not allowed to hoist the national flag. The situation was getting worse and a big fight could have broken out if I had not left the campus. So I left the place. Those who insulted me were supporters of the BJP and Janata Dal (United).”

In the complaint, the MLA has mentioned the names of three people who allegedly made casteist remarks against him. An FIR has been lodged against 4 named and 10 unidentified people at the Parsa Bazar police station.

SHO of Parsa Bazaar police station Maneka Rani told the media that an FIR has been registered based on the MLA’s complaint and investigation is underway. Right now I cannot say whether casteist remarks were made against him or not.