Puri family votes after NHRC ruling

BHUBANESWAR: Eight Scheduled Caste voters, who were ousted from their village in Puri district by some upper caste people for refusing to wash their legs last year, cast their votes amid tight security on Thursday.
They exercised their franchise in a booth under Satyabadi assembly constituency. They had moved the National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday, seeking protection.
"Soon after receiving their complaint, the commission took up the matter expeditiously with the special secretary of Odisha home department and superintendent of police (Puri) to ensure that SC voters get police protection. Police escorted the eight voters to the polling booth," said human rights activist Baghambar Pattnaik, who has been fighting for the cause of the bonded labourers in Odisha.
Three families, consisting of 15 members, of Birakesharipur village were socially ostracized by their higher-ups when they allegedly refused to perform an old and ignominious practice of washing legs of upper caste people during social functions. "Since our ancestors had been performing the practice and getting paddy, the upper caste people insisted us to carry forward the tradition. But we wanted to get rid of the embarrassing practice and live a dignified life," said Surendra Sethi, an ousted lower caste villager.
"One day, I refused to perform the practice. I was beaten up. When I approached the police and registered complaint, the villagers threw my family out of the village," Sethi told TOI.
"Two other families were subsequently ousted from the village when they supported Sethi. The upper caste people forced them to carry heavy lamps on their heads during marriage procession in night," said Pattnaik, adviser of Odisha Goti Mukti Andolan, a voluntary organization.
Sources said, four other voters of the three families did not cast their votes. "Notwithstanding police arrangements, the four members were apprehensive of their security in the booth. They feared the upper caste people might settle scores with them in the future," Sethi said.
Pattnaik said he recently held a meeting and invited leaders of different parties to highlight the issues of the bonded labourers in Odisha. "Odisha has more than 10 lakh bonded labourers, who are harassed by upper caste people. Puri district has the maximum number of 45,600 bonded labourers. The district administration has given "release certificates" to a few of them," Pattnaik said.
He expressed displeasure after political parties did not make the issue of "bonded labourers" their poll agenda. "We have been demanding abolition of the bonded labour system in Odisha. The state government should enhance the existing rehabilitation grant of Rs 20,000 to nearly Rs 2 lakh for the rescued bonded labourers," Pattnaik said.