Just a day after a case of atrocity on dalit mother and son was reported from Central Gujarat, another such incident has come to light from the same region.
Shailesh Vankar, 24, was beaten up by a group of rabaris on August 15 in Padaj village of Anand district. According to Sarojben Mackwan, a social worker associated with Navsarjan Trust, Vankar was assaulted after he did not allow cows of the rabaris to enter the crematorium belonging to dalits. Navsarjan Trust works with dalits of Gujarat.
Mackwan said Vankar has a stall near the crematorium belonging to the dalits and he often prevented the cows from entering the place. On August 15, rabaris had and altercation with Vankar and he was beaten up, she said.
A complaint has been lodged under Atrocities Act. Arrests are yet to be made.
On August 12, a 22-year-old boy and his middle aged mother were thrashed allegedly by a group of more than 15 upper caste men. The mother-son duo had skinned a dead cow near crematorium instead of skinning at the designated place in the village. The incident happened at Kasor village of Kheda district, near Anand.
Though the victim agreed that he would skin the dead animal at the designated place, he was thrashed following an altercation. Six persons have been arrested and many are still at large.
Mackwan said in Padaj, rabaris had beaten up the sarpanch after he had helped dalits to get a crematorium. The sarpanch is from thakore community.
Martin Mackwan, founder of Navsarjan Trust, told THE WEEK that the incidents are shocking, more so, considering the fact that central Gujarat region is generally progressive. The education level is higher as compared to Saurashtra region and there are many dalits who have taken to Christianity.
The incidents, he said, also reflect that the people are not afraid of the law and feel that they can do whatever they want to.
The latest episodes of thrashing of the dalits have happened just over a year after Una flogging incident that attracted nation-wide outrage. In Una, near Junagadh, four dalits were beaten up and paraded in the town for skinning a dead cow.
