At a meeting organised by police and attended by both dalits and Muslims, the boycott is withdrawn; dalit families celebrate.
Two days after DNA reported about the boycott of dalits by Muslims in Andej village of Sanand taluka, government officials thronged the village and eventually brought the boycott to an end.
Residents of Andej village said that after DNA published its reports about the boycott of dalits in the village and the
official apathy towards their plight, police teams spent the whole day at Andej on Thursday and held meetings with residents.
Shankar Shenwa, a resident of the village, said that the police were told about the boycott by the Muslims who are in a majority in the village. Shankar also said that a meeting of Muslims and members of backward communities, including dalits, was organised by the police and other government agencies in the village.
Suresh Jadhav, the local activist, told DNA that members of the Muslim community had been told to give it in writing to the government agencies that they will not boycott dalits or members of the backward communities.
A police team headed by deputy superintendent of police, RK Patel, held a meeting with people from both the groups and eventually resolved the matter on an amicable note. As many as 150 members of the Muslim community were present at the meeting.
“Members of the Muslim community were told to end their hostility toward the dalits. It was amicably decided that they will not boycott dalits or any member of the backward communities,” Jadhav told DNA. A committee of six members, including three dalits and three Muslims, has been formed to ensure that the agreement was observed. Sources said members of this committee will keep watch on mischievous elements and keep the police sub-inspector as well as the police inspector of Sanand police station informed about the situation.
Vigilance officer, schedule caste and tribes, MR Rahver, also visited the village and prepared a report on the reality of the boycott of the dalits by Muslims. However, late in the evening on Wednesday, members of dalit families were celebrating the resolution of the issue.
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