Collection of funds from Dalits for the celebrating the upcoming consecration of Lord Ram’s idol at Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 is causing controversy in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar, reported The Mooknayak.
Dalits in Mundla village, which is under the jurisdiction of Khanpur police station, were first asked to participate in the celebrations, which included processions, kalash yatras, and the distribution of prasad (sacramental food).
But things took a worrying turn when the people who were collecting donations allegedly gave them back to the Dalits, saying that Dalits’ money would not be accepted for the temple rituals and that the prasad they made with their donations would be deemed impure. A formal complaint alleging bias and discrimination was filed with the Jhalawar district administration in response to this act, which was considered an insult to the Dalit community.
The publication spoke with Mundla village resident Mukesh Meghwal about an incident in which people from different communities—including those belonging to the Scheduled Caste category—were asked for contributions. Some people collected cash contributions from Dalits. They did, however, return the money the next day.
“On the night of January 9 around 9 PM, these individuals approached the locality of our Scheduled Caste community. They called us outside our homes. Ramswaroop, son of Khemraj Dhakad, Chhotulal alias Chandraprakash, Jagdish, son of Bhairulal Ghakad, and Mahaveer, son of Hemraj Dhakad, insulted us using caste-based slurs. They claimed that the money collected from us would not be accepted as an offering to God, and even the prasad prepared with that money would be considered impure. Consequently, they returned the funds they had collected, ” Mukesh stated.
This story was originally published in deccanherald.com. Read the full story here .