More than 100 Dalits from Bukan village are camping outside the district collector's office in Palanpur since past seven months, have demanded shelter.
AHMEDABAD: More than 100 Dalits from Bukan village in Vavtaluka of Banaskantha, are camping outside the district collector's office in Palanpur since past seven months, have demanded shelter outside their village.
The members belonging to 19 families do not want to go back and have requested the collector to give them protection against the upper-caste members of their village.
"We do not want to go back as we don't feel secure there. The upper-cast members are very powerful and can do anything," Jodhabhai Manvar, representing the group told reporters here today.
"We have made many representations to the collector, but till date no action has been taken," he added.
The Dalit families were forced to flee after nine members of the upper-cast Rajput community of Bukna village killed one Kohyabhai Ukabhai in August 2007 over a piece of land they wanted from him. The Rajputs also threatened other Dalit families in the village of similar consequence if they raised their voice against them.
Similarly, Maniben Makwana and her family from Kasumbad village of Anand district also left the village after 12 members of the Rabari community brutally murdered her husband in January 2006 for launching a police complaint against them.
The deceased had made several complaints since 2003 to the local police about the caste-related remarks and harrassment by the upper-caste members.
"The upper-caste members of our village used to make caste related remarks at us and harass us. We had complained to the police several times, but they never listened," Maniben who still lives in the Kasumbad village said.
"After many complaints we were given police protection, but it was of no use. They refused to accompany us when we went to work in the fields," she said, adding, "the day my husband was murdered the constables were patrolling near our house instead of accompanying him."
She said the worst part was that people of their own community now refuse to support them.
"They fear for their lives. They don't want to end up like us," Maniben said.
Dalits in both the case have lost their family members and are still waiting for the perpetrators to be punished, Manjula Pradeep of an NGO Navsarjan Trust said.
Members of the Bukna village are still awaiting a response from the govenment despite the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issuing notices to the district authorities, she added.
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