CHHATAR/JIND: People belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) community, who have allegedly been facing social boycott since September 26, 2020, said they would be forced to leave the village if strict action against the accused is not taken soon.
Haryana police have booked 23 upper caste persons on the complaint of Gurmeet Singh (22) on October 13 when a dispute erupted over watching a kabbadi match being held in Ghogadiya village adjoining to Chhatar on October 11 and thereafter for allegedly announcing social boycott over 150 SC families of mangu mohalla here in Chhatar village of Uchana Kalan town, represented by deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, of Jind district.
When a team from TOI visited the Chhatar village on Friday, people from SC community said they might have to leave the village if all the accused are not arrested.
Uchana Kalan police have booked 23 persons of village, including two shopkeepers and Ishwar, Karmpal, Sita, Subhash, Ram Singh, Kuldeep, Rajesh, Kala, Pardeep, Ram Mehar-ex sarpanch, Krishan, Raj Singh, Sahil, Sonu, Anil, Prem, Lilu, Balwan, Rakesh Bansal and other under Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of IPC, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (Amendment 2015) 3(1) (S), 3(2)(VA) SC ST (POA) Act.
SC community people said they are facing difficulty, as ration, milk and even fodder for cattle are being denied for them, forcing them to sell cattle at very low price due to non availability of fodder.
Shopkeepers, including Rakesh Bansal said they closed their shops located in SC mohalla for two days on September 26 and 27 on seeing the tension between two communities and opened again after police and higher officials reached the village. The goods from shops are being given consistently now to SC people. It was observed that essensitail items from shops were being given to SC people on Friday and shops were seen open.
Gurmeet said the issue started on August 1, when some upper caste men who were drinking liquor at the chabutra of SC mohalla were stopped from doing so. “I and Sachin lodged a police complaint But villagers mounted pressure on Sachin and settled the issue. The accused, including Rajesh, have been harbouring enmity with me since the incident and used derogatory words and casteist remarks when I went to watch kabaddi match in nearby Ghogadiya village. Thereafter, I approached Uchana Kalan police, but upper caste people started mounting pressure to take the complaint back. The upper caste people again held a panchayat on September 26 in which a social boycott was announced saying that one will be fined with Rs 11,000 if found giving anything or speaking with SC people in the village,” he added. Thereafter, shopkeers stopped giving essential items to SC people and milk from upper caste people or milk diaries. SC people sought an arrest of all the accused, he maintained.
Sushil Kumar, another victim from SC community, said “I have sent my children to my in-laws’ home and sold cattle due to lack of fodder. We would be forced to leave the village if tension escalates. Police should take concrete action in the matter by arresting all the accused promptly. We gave a call for protest at Jind district headquarter on October 16 seeking fair action in this incident,” he added.
Several people including Karmpal Singh from upper caste and one of the accused said “SC people are also our brothers and efforts are being made to maintain peace and harmony in the village. We have not announced a social boycott of the SC community in the village,” he added.
BDPO Surender Singh told TOI: “We have found some facts in the complaint lodged by SC community and will speak with both sides in the village. However, there is no law and order situation in the village and police teams have been deputed. Now, shops in the village are open where SC people are getting necessary items. Statements from different people are being recorded and a detailed report will be submitted to higher officials.”
Meanwhile sources in Chhatar village said upper caste people held a panchayat in which they tendered apology to the SC community people for the incident, but matter could not be resolved and social boycott decision was taken later.
