Atrocities against Dalits are on the rise in Maharashtra. Official figures for the districts of Nagpur, Chandrapur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia and Gadchiroli show that in 2005, 101 cases were registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Months before the murders at Khairlanji an incident took place in Koholgaon, a village in Gondia district with a population of about 800 Kunbis and Other Backward Classes and about 100 Dalits. The village has no history of caste-related tension but the recent actions of panchayat samiti member, who claims the support of local Member of the Legislative Assembly resulted in the Dalits being deprived of the land allotted to them.
Less than an acre of land was given to 22 Dalit families by the panchayat in 1997. Panchayat records say the land was given "because [Dalits] have been using it for their celebrations and prayers since 1970". The Dalits were planning to build a Buddha vihar on the land and started collecting funds. Bordering the land was a mud road leading to the forest. In February preliminary work began on building a new road through the land. The Dalit's protests were ignored and they took their case to the district authorities. On June 6, the Block Development Officer sent a letter asking the panchayat to stop work. However the work continued. Angered at this the Dalits met other villagers. An argument ensued and resulted in a physical fight. The Dalit women complained to the police. On September 24, three inspectors from three different police stations (a clear indication that they knew this could be a serious situation) arrived at Koholgaon and asked the Dalit women to come to the station and give a written complaint. On the way the women were stopped by other villagers and assaulted. The policemen present did not intervene. About 40 villagers assaulted other Dalits in the village but thus far only one person has been booked under the Atrocities Act.
There is now a rift between the two communities. Tribal and Kunbi children are told not to play with the "dheds" (a derogatory word meaning untouchable) and other caste women taunt the Dalit women at the panchayat water source.
The village sarpanch, Shakuntala Donadkar, denied that there was a problem and stated that the land was legally acquired for the road. Frontline learnt that the sarpanch, incensed at the visit of reporters and a photographer, retaliated by lodging a complaint against four young Dalit men of the village, accusing them of sending "goondas" to intimidate her. The inspector at Navegaon police station is trying to work out a compromise and says he is willing to act as a mediator between the Dalits and the rest of the village. It remains to be seen if the bullying will cease.
Lyla Bavadam
