How To Tackle Caste Related Violence?

[Jeevan]

http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/sep/01haryana3.htm

'Gohana is Haryana's shame today'

Onkar Singh in Gohana | September 01, 2005 19:00 IST

The bylanes at Samta Chowk in Gohana, where over 50 houses belonging to Dalits were looted and torched on Wednesday, wore a deserted look a day later.

The damage was done by a 1,000-strong mob wielding lathis, sambals and carrying petrol tins. Barring a handful of policemen sitting on makeshift chabootras (platforms), hardly a soul was in sight.

Although the houses were burnt on Wednesday and the fires been put out since, pungent smoke continues to spiral from the embers.

Littered all over are broken water-coolers, washing machines, televisions, refrigerators, and other household goods that once adorned the houses that were burned down.

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50 Dalit homes burnt in Haryana

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Bhajan Lal forced to leave gutted Dalit colony

Usha, daughter of Dharampal, could not believe her eyes when she saw her father's house in flames on the national television channels. "I have come from Fatehabad. All the three houses belonging to our family members have been looted and set afire. I have not been able to meet any of my relatives so far," she wept.

Babu Lal, 60, was lucky that his gate of his was strong enough to withstand the ferocious attack of the hoodlums. "I and my wife were hiding in a room on the top. They came and tried to break the gate but they did not succeed. That is why you can see us alive. We would not have lived to tell the story otherwise," he said.

According to him the violence began around noon. Looting and arson continued till 4 p.m. "Looto, maaro, kisi ko na chhodo (loot, kill, don't let anyone go)," the frenzied mob bellowed even as it poured petrol on the houses and set them on fire. Some of the arsonists dragged gas cylinders out of the houses and lighted them, causing huge explosions, an eyewitness told rediff.com. "The police came after they (the mob) had left the place," he said.

Vinod Kumar, who works with New India Insurance Company, was still in a state of shock as he stood amidst the ruins of his house. "I have lost everything I had. We had always felt secure here, but it would be impossible to feel safe ever again," he said, as he took journalists around the remains of his smouldering home.

"This roof can come down any time," he said. Fortunately, he said, he had sent his wife and two children away to a relative's place a day before the attacks.

Pawan, a youngster, alleged that the administration knew the Jats would resort to violence, but precious little was done to take preventive measures.

"On Wednesday, at around 11 a.m., shopkeepers shut their shops anticipating violence. Over 1,000 Jats, including women, from 12 villages marched down Gohana roads to the Dalit localities, in protest over the killing of one their community members the week before. They demanded that the police arrest the culprits, thought to be troublemakers from the Dalit locality. But when the police failed to do so, the Jats lost their cool and retaliated. Today Gohana has become Haryana's shame," he said.

The state administration had pressed block development officers to take stock of the losses and recommend compensation to be given to every household.

"We know how corrupt these officials are. Who is going to give us compensation for the gold and jewellery lost in the violence? Some of them were preparing to get their daughters married off," said a safai karmachari (a municipal worker), who did not wish to be named.

[Mehtab Singh]

This was really sad. I saw it on TV. Poor people wailing at their burnt houses

[Laadli Fauj]

thats hecka shady. peepl call themselvz Sikhs, and then go around killing people because of their caste. this brings up another issue - creating Khalistan. We are fighting for Khalistan - not Jatistan :nihungsmile:

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

we had a meeting at our university last year in which different faiths got together to discuss their faith, i asked the hindu representatives of the caste system and they said caste system doesn't exist in India anymore and that it is just a cultural thing not a religious thing, i was like whoa, that's news to me..India and Indians try so hard to hide the ugly side of indian society....unfortuantely sikhi was supposed to end the caste system forever in india, and thsi explains why brahminism has tried so hard to destroy sikhi because people in india want to keep this evil aprtheid alive.

[Sabre Sword]

thats hecka shady.  peepl call themselvz Sikhs, and then go around killing people because of their caste.  this brings up another issue - creating Khalistan.  We are fighting for Khalistan - not Jatistan :nihungsmile:

117963[/snapback]

I dont think that fiasco had anythin to do with sikhs, they are dalit and jat hindus

[MajhelSoorma]

thats hecka shady.  peepl call themselvz Sikhs, and then go around killing people because of their caste.  this brings up another issue - creating Khalistan.  We are fighting for Khalistan - not Jatistan :nihungsmile:

117963[/snapback]

There was no sikh involved in this incident. The Jats who attacked were Hindus & those who were targetted were also Hindus.

[Prem]

A couple of years ago there were clashes between Jat Sikhs and Dalits in Jalandhar - to claim that Sikhs are immune to this evil is to not face the truth - and Sikhi is all about facing the truth - I dont know what the point is of cursing Brahmins and Hindus and India for this apartheid system when Sikhs practice it in their hearts themselves - lets be honest and tackle it inside us.

[randip singh]

A couple of years ago there were clashes between Jat Sikhs and Dalits in Jalandhar - to claim that Sikhs are immune to this evil is to not face the truth - and Sikhi is all about facing the truth - I dont know what the point is of cursing Brahmins and Hindus and India for this apartheid system when Sikhs practice it in their hearts themselves - lets be honest and tackle it inside us.

117995[/snapback]

I agree! Let us get our own house in order!

Also let get rid of terms like Khatri-Sikh, Jat-Sikh, Tarkha-Sikh, Ramgharia-Sikh, Bhatra-Sikh. A Sikh is a Sikh!

If I do need to describe a Sikhs origins, I say, Sikh of Jat oringin, or Sikh of Khatri origin etc indicating, that were the origins, but they don't matter now.

Also I think we should have a campaign to get rid of caste identification on Gurudwara's eg get rid of Ramgarhia, Lubana, Bhatra, Ravidasia, etc Gurudwara titles! Also get rid of Jatha titles, eg Namdhari, etc

Instead of invading peoples weddings, why don't the Sangat persue this? This is disresspecting Guruji more!

[S.S.F]

A couple of years ago there were clashes between Jat Sikhs and Dalits in Jalandhar - to claim that Sikhs are immune to this evil is to not face the truth - and Sikhi is all about facing the truth - I dont know what the point is of cursing Brahmins and Hindus and India for this apartheid system when Sikhs practice it in their hearts themselves - lets be honest and tackle it inside us.

117995[/snapback]

I agree! Let us get our own house in order!

Also let get rid of terms like Khatri-Sikh, Jat-Sikh, Tarkha-Sikh, Ramgharia-Sikh, Bhatra-Sikh. A Sikh is a Sikh!

If I do need to describe a Sikhs origins, I say, Sikh of Jat oringin, or Sikh of Khatri origin etc indicating, that were the origins, but they don't matter now.

Also I think we should have a campaign to get rid of caste identification on Gurudwara's eg get rid of Ramgarhia, Lubana, Bhatra, Ravidasia, etc Gurudwara titles! Also get rid of Jatha titles, eg Namdhari, etc

Instead of invading peoples weddings, why don't the Sangat persue this? This is disresspecting Guruji more!

117997[/snapback]

:wub: wiked point bhajee

[Mehtab Singh]

I saw with my own eyes on TV and was shocked!

Riots in Amritsar! Dalits attacking cops (Sikh cops)

I also saw a turbanned "Sikh" cop beating with a stick a 7-8 year old Dalit girl.

Punjab Police is messed up :wub: