‘Ghurchari’ row rocks House
: The issue of police inaction after a clash between upper caste youths and Dalits over the use of disc jockey (DJ) during ‘ghurchari’ of a local youth in Sagga village of Karnal district rocked the state assembly on Tuesday.
Congress MLA Kuldeep Sharma raised the issue during the Zero Hour of the state assembly, drawing the attention of the House to protest by members of the Dalit community at the district headquarters.
The ruling BJP members responded by reminding the Congress legislators of the atrocities on Dalits in Mirchpur and Gohana during their regime, triggering a verbal duel.
Health minister Anil Vij said the Congress members should not speak on the subject as the state president of the party (Ashok Tanwar) who is a Dalit was mercilessly beaten up at a party programme in Delhi last year.
Backed by finance minister Capt Abhimanyu and state BJP chief Subhash Barala, Vij had heated exchanges with Sharma and Geeta Bhukkal (Congress). Sharma passed a remark which was expunged by speaker Kanwar Pal after loud protests by members on the treasury benches.
However, much of what legislators of the two sides said to each other could not be heard in the din.
Later, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar intervened to inform the members that he had rushed minister of state for social justice and empowerment Krishan Kumar Bedi and MLA Bhagwan Dass Kabirpanthi to the village to ease tension after a clash between upper caste youths and Dalits over the use of DJ during the ‘ghurchari’.
The CM said that as per the information, the villagers had unanimously decided to do away with the “ghurchari pratha” in the village. “In the latest instance, when members belonging to the Dalit community wanted to perform ‘ghurchari’, they were stopped by members of another community, leading to tension. ‘Ghurchari’ was performed in the presence of police, but there was tension and stone pelting in which some police personnel and others sustained injuries,” he said.
Khattar said two cases were registered, one filed by police personnel and another under the SC/ST Act, and the community which had earlier opposed the ‘ghurchari’ ceremony apologised. “Whenever such incidents occur, politics begins and people of even Delhi and Uttar Pradesh get involved and others are also provoked. Both groups had agreed to sort out the issue, but then things did not work out,” he said
DALITS END PROTEST AFTER ASSURANCE
After camping outside the mini-secretariat for more than 24 hours, Dalit community members of Sagga village finally ended their protest and agreed to return to their homes after assurance from Haryana minister of state Krishan Bedi.
Bedi, who was accompanied by minister of state Karan Dev Kamboj, assured to give police protection to the Dalits and also take action against the accused.
Earlier, Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale also reached out to the protesters and assured them of full support from the government.
During the meeting, Bedi assured that a temporary police post will be set up in the village and police deployment will continue to ensure the safety of the Dalits.