By Subhasish Chaudhuri
Members of the Dalit muchi (cobbler) community of Gidhgram in East Burdwan’s Katwa I block, fighting for their right to enter a local Shiv temple, are now allegedly facing a retributive social boycott by the so-called upper castes.
Since the 130 Dalit Das families united to challenge an archaic tradition that bars the “lower caste” community from entering the temple, members of the “upper castes” — around 800 families — have allegedly begun denying them daily-wage jobs and warning them not to use a village thoroughfare in a bid to ostracise them.
Following an appeal by the Das community, the East Burdwan district administration convened a meeting on February 28 and passed a resolution affirming no individual or community could be denied the right to practise their religion. Last Friday, the administration instructed police to ensure safe passage of Dalit families into the temple, but the “upper caste” group blocked their entry and locked the temple.
So far, the Das community remains unable to enter the temple, as the so-called upper caste families, which make the temple’s rules, continue with their rigid stance.
“It has become extremely difficult for those who raised their voice against discrimination. Protesters are being coerced into a compromise with the upper castes. Most of these people rely on daily-wage work for livelihood, but ever since joining the movement, they have been systematically denied work,” said Rishi Ramprasad Das, general secretary of Rabidasia Mahasangha, an organisation representing Dalit communities.
“Those who work as farmhands have not been given jobs for days, milk suppliers have lost customers and many others have even been denied outstanding wages they had rightfully earned,” he alleged.
This story was originally published in telegraphindia.com. Read the full story here.