Members of Dalit community facing ‘social boycott’ move apex court

NEWDELHI: Dalit community members from a Haryana village have knocked the doors of the Supreme Court against the “social boycott” they are facing for over two years due to a dispute with the “dominant” community over drawing water from a hand-pump.

Terming the issue as “serious”, the apex court on Tuesday said it was a matter related to social boycott and atrocity and the police had to take action.

“There are allegations about social boycott and atrocity. Police have to look into it. This is a serious matter,” a bench of justices NV Ramana, R Subhash Reddy and BR Gavai told the counsel appearing for Haryana government. The bench told the counsel that it had called for his presence in the case so that he could take proper instruction from the authorities concerned.

The top court asked the state counsel to call a senior police officer associated with the case on November 8 and also file a status report in the matter. The bench was hearing a petition which has raised the issue of social boycott of Dalit community in a Hisar village from July 2, 2017.