Dalits 145;forcibly146; enter temple

Two months after a Dalit was allegedly thrown out of Chawanda Mata Mandir in Sulia village in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan...

Two months after a Dalit was allegedly thrown out of Chawanda Mata Mandir in Sulia village in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan, a large number of Dalits from across the state today forced their entry into the temple.

The call to enter the temple was given by the Dalit Adivasi Adhikar Abhiyaan DAAA and Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan MKSS to protest the treatment meted out to Hajari Bhopa, a Dalit, on October 1 when he was beaten up by upper caste Gurjur residents of the village and thrown out of the temple.

The Dalits claim that traditionally they were allowed to worship in the temple but after the October 1 incident their entry was banned by the Gurjur community.

The DAAA, MKSS and several human rights activists, including Aruna Roy, former member of Parliament Than Singh Jatav and Director of Centre for Dalit Rights PL Meemroh, had called upon Dalits to gather at Sulia today. They entered the temple at around 1.30 pm raising slogans like Hum hamara adhikar mangte, nahi kisi se bheek mangte. Subsequently, Bhopa offered worship and distributed prasad among the fellow Dalits.

Though the authorities insist that the entry of Dalits is not restricted at the temple, Bhanwar Meghvanshi, regional co-ordinator of DAAA, said Bhopa was targeted because he is a Dalit. 8220;The entry of Dalits is restricted in this temple and every time a Dalit goes there, he or she is manhandled or beaten up,8217;8217; Bhanwar said.

On November 26, another group of Dalits had entered the temple along with state Panchayati Raj Minister Kalu Lal Gurjar. They had claimed that there was no restriction in place and rumours that Dalits were not allowed to entre the temple were baseless.

Bhanwar called this an attempt by the Government to cover up the issue. 8220;No local Dalit had participated on that day and it was a move by the minister to cover up the truth,8217;8217; he alleged.

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When asked if any arrest was made after Bhopa filed a complaint with the local police station in October, Bhilwara SP Govind Gupta said, 8220;Investigation is on. However, it was not a case of Dalit atrocity but a fight between Bhopa and a group of Gurjurs.8217;8217;