By Amit Bhelari
CPI(ML) legislator Gopal Ravidas has lodged a complaint accusing locals of not allowing him to inaugurate a building of a government school because he belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
The incident took place on Republic Day (January 26, 2025) under the Parsa Bazar police station limits in Patna district of Bihar. Based on the complaint, police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) and imposed several sections of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
As soon as Mr. Ravidas reached Kurthaul to inaugurate the school building, some locals reportedly started protesting against him. The MLA representing Phulwarisharif Assembly constituency alleged that the group of people not only used casteist remarks against him but also pushed him to the side. Due to the manhandling, he said there was no other choice except returning from the spot.
While speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Ravidas said: “I along with my supporters went 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 p.m., around 50 people from the dominant caste started protesting against me. In the crowd, some people said that dome chamar and dusadh (Scheduled Caste communities) will not inaugurate the school building and rather it would be inaugurated by the people from their caste.”
He further said: “I was not only denied the right to inaugurated the school building but also not allowed to hoist the national flag. The situation was turning worse and if I would have not left the premises, then there would have been a bigger fight. So, I left the premises. Those who humiliated and insulted me were supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (United). From the school, I directly went to Parsa Bazar police station and lodged the complaint.”
Mr. Ravidas became MLA for the first time after defeating Arun Manjhi of JD(U) with a margin of nearly 15,000 votes in the 2020 Bihar Assembly election. He had earlier contested from Masaurhi seat in 2010 and 2015 polls. He is the son of a railway coolie and his wife Kamlavati Devi is a health worker. Before becoming MLA, he used to rear goats when he was a member of Indian People’s Front (IPF).
This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.