Dalits attacked for deciding to boycott panchayat polls

Eleven Scheduled Caste Buddhist families at Ansurda village in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra have been attacked by upper caste men as they decided to boycott the August 4 gram panchayat elections in protest a social boycott on them.

In a report headlined “Dalit families in Maharashtra want to relocate” in The Hindu , June 5, the families had demanded that they be relocated because of the social boycott and threat of physical violence. The social boycott started after they took out a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar on April 28 and played songs dedicated to the Dalit icon.

A few weeks after the police protection given to them was lifted, the Dalit households were attacked on Friday night. Six of the injured have been admitted to a hospital in Osmanabad for treatment.

District Collector Prashant Narnaware and Superintendent of Police A.B. Trimukhe have sought a report on the attack.

The police have registered a complaint against the upper caste villagers. The first information report, however, does not invoke sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

“I have asked for a detailed report and posted a special officer to see that social harmony remains intact in the village,” Mr. Narnaware said.

The sarpanch’s post is reserved for the Scheduled Caste category, and each of the two panels contesting the elections has chosen a candidate from the Chambhar caste for the post.

“Despite the police protection, the social boycott continued. As a mark of protest, we decided to boycott the gram panchayat election and that angered the upper caste households,” Babasaheb Gharbudwe of one of the families told The Hindu on the phone.

Another person, Anita Humbe, said: “They started beating us without provocation. We were secure till a police van was parked in the village. Their [upper caste] activities have begun as the police left here,” she said.

“We know that this is a sensitive village. We will ensure that no untoward incident takes place,” Mr. Trimukhe said.