Success Story: 200 Dalit families were facing caste discrimination and social boycott for 4 months, the harassment stopped when they raised their voice

For the last 4 months, around 200 Dalit families were facing caste atrocities and social boycott by upper caste people in a village in Aska block of Ganjam district of Odisha. Under the Motorcycle Diaries campaign, the youth of Dalit society resolved this issue through public hearing with the help of police and administration. It was reported that the harassment was happening because the Dalits did not support the upper caste candidate in the election.

In fact, there was anger among the upper caste people due to reservation of scheduled caste seats in the elections. The upper caste people together fielded a person from the Dalit community as their candidate. Still he had to face defeat. Ruckus broke out because the Dalit community did not get full support of the person fielded by the upper caste people. About 200 Dalit families were socially boycotted and started torturing them. Sometimes they were sold expensive goods at the village grocery shops and sometimes they were not allowed to enter the temple. Children were banned from taking tuitions in private institutions. And on the way to go to the public pond, even stones and glass were laid.

Learn about the case in detail?

Haridapadar village in Aska block of Ganjam district in Odisha has a mixed population. About 600 families live in this village. Brahmin, Yaduvanshi (Gaur) and Dalit families live in these families. There are more than 200 Dalit families in the village. Gram Panchayat elections were held in last April 2022. In this election, unreserved seats were changed to reserved seats for Dalits at many places.

Dalits put up their claimant

The Panchayat seat of Haridapadar village was reserved for Dalits. This seat was unreserved for the last several years. As the seat was unreserved, it was dominated by upper caste people. He used to win the election every time. When the seat was reserved for Dalits, Dalits fielded a person from their community.

The upper castes fielded their Dalit candidate

As the seat in this village of Aska block was reserved, only Dalit candidates could participate in the elections. According to regional people, upper caste people also fielded their Dalit candidate. But the Dalits supported the candidate standing by them.

Public boycott started due to lack of support in elections

Narayan Nahak (65), a resident of Haridapadar village, says, “They started discriminating against us because we did not support the upper caste candidate. Started. They wouldn’t let us cross the street. When we did go, we were turned away.”

prevent children from going to school

Narayan Nahak says, “After the elections, we had to face a lot of problems. Our children were not allowed to go to school. Even if a child reached school, he was made to sit separately from other children. We were forbidden to talk to our children. was done.”

Glass and stones were thrown on the way to the pond and in the pond

Jhumar Nahak lives in Haridapadar village since childhood. He is a farmer by profession. Jhumar Nahak says, “My whole life has passed, but I have not seen such caste harassment till date. The opposing side put glass on the way to the pond where we used to take bath. We had to walk about 3 km to take bath. Was. Complained to the police, but there was no hearing.”

Madhusudan of Motorcycle Diaries raised his voice

Regarding this matter, social worker Madhusudan started raising voice for the rights of Dalits by going from village to village on Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s Mahaparinirvan Divas. Madhusudan complained about this matter to the IG and the District Magistrate. According to Madhusudan, “We complained about this matter to the higher authorities. After which the regional police station made an agreement between the upper castes and the Dalits. After that, to some extent, the upper castes stopped boycotting public like this.”

Caste harassment continues even after police agreement

Madhusudan says, “When we raised the voice of the people of the village, the matter was resolved to some extent. But after some time, the people of the village told that they were forced to buy goods at a price higher than the original price when they bought goods from the shop of upper castes. Used to do. However, after this harassment, a Dalit man has opened a shop in the village. Now Dalits do not go to the upper class shop to buy goods.