On Vijaya Dashmi 'Kheda Bachao aandolan' kicks off in Jaunsar Bawar

DEHRADUN: On the auspicious day of vijaydashmi ‘Kheda bachao aandolan’ to accord the status of revenue villages to dalit-dominating khedas of Jaunnsar Bawar has kicked off. The revolution is being spearheaded by dalit leader Daulat Kunwar to get the rights of dalits in place and also to apprise them regarding their rights, especially their right of vote in wake of upcoming elections.The dalit leader along with his youth brigade plans to visit all the different khedas which are awaiting their merger into revenue village.
As per the claims of dalits participants of the aandolan, 55 khedas have qualified to be a part of revenue village after a survey was conducted in 1991 by then patwari but still these khedas are devoid of their rights. A kheda is a village comprising less than 250 population hence, not entitled to enjoy benefits of government schemes.
The tribal region, Jonsar Bawar, has around 369 villages and 256 khede which have special schemes by ministry of tribal affairs, GOI. Jaunsar Bawar has acquired the status of Tribal area in the constitution of India on June 24, 1966 due to which array of national and international schemes are bestowed upon residents of Jonsar Bawar. The area has Jaunsari tribes.
The regions has some exclusive schemes for everyone born their such as national overseas scholarship scheme for schedules tribes, schemes of strengthening education among ST girls, institutional support for development and marketing of tribal products, schemes of Centres of Excellence etc.
Meanwhile, these 55 khedas are dominated by people from low cast thus, dalits are alleging, “Upper caste ensured that their khedas doesn’t become part of revenue village, thereby, lower caste people of Jonsar Bawar remained underdeveloped, uneducated and cut off from rest of the world. We couldn’t enjoy schemes meant for everyone who is part of Jonsar Bawar because we were ignorant but now we are determined to avail all the schemes and perks that are crafted by our constitution for us and our next generation.” said Reso Devi (48), one of the agitating dalit in the aandolan from Taletha kheda from Jaunsar Bawar.
Their kheda doesn't have basic infrastructure in place such as water and roads, “We are having indefinite number of schemes for Jonsar Bawar but still we don’t have water and road connection. Similarly, there are other facts such as our kids are still not educated or getting facilities at par to villages which are dominated by upper caste people in the same region. All the scholarships and marketing of products grown locally are being sold out by these upper caste lobby and we are left as bonded-labours in Jonsar Bawar. The caste discrimination has deep roots in this regions.” said, Dalip Chandra (28), a resident of Ghoona kheda in Jonsar Bawar.
Now the dalit youth of Jaunsar has woken up to claim their rights and alleging that all the different government formed in the state in past 20 years never took any action this long-pending issue of making their khede a revenue village, but now “they will not sit quietly until justice to is done to them.” added Chandra.
Meanwhile, TOI tried to divulge more details regarding the stratergy of dalit leader in connection to upcoming assembly elections in Uttarakhand for which he said he would open his cards on October 30, the concluding day of his kheda bachao aandolan.
Daulat Kunwar, said, "I would lay stress on the fact that he would like Jonsar Bawar region to be developed as top tourist region of Uttarakhand along with upgrading of education and health services which is in shambles currently. My top priority is to educate these unfortunate lower caste people of Jaunsar Bawar about their rights so that they take seasoned decision in life's each sphere."