Jaipur: Riding a horse for wedding celebrations is a tradition in India, but the same is still unacceptable for Dalits, who are often assaulted if they dare to do so. The latest case has come to light from Jhalawar district of Rajasthan.

In a shocking case, which took place at Jhalawar, the police had to deploy their armed men to ensure that a Dalit groom can hoist himself on a horse for his wedding rituals, with people cheering.

The marriage ceremony took place under police surveillance last Friday night in Gurdiya Bharta village under Bhawani Mandi police station area. 

Since the cops stationed at the police station were not numerically strong to prevent a possible untoward situation, additional force was called in from nearby Mishroli police stations so that Giriraj could ride a horse for his pre-wedding rituals and wedding procession.

Why did the groom’s family have to call the police?

The groom’s father, Mangilal Meghwal, said stones were pelted at the wedding procession of his nephew, Kamlesh Meghwal, who got married two years ago (February 9, 2022).

“Several of my relatives and guests had suffered injuries in the attack,” he told The Mooknayak.

Kamlesh, who serves the Indian Army, was threatened that he would have to face consequences if he rode a horse for his wedding rituals. His marriage too was solemnised under police watch.

Later, a case was registered on the groom’s father’s complaints. Some arrests were made, and the matter is under trial in a court.

“Scared of that experience, I had to inform the police and seek their protection for my son’s wedding procession,” he said.

Mangilal said the influential people of his village consider him to be belonging to an untouchable backward caste.

“These people call themselves Rajputs (a traditional ruling class in India). They do not want the people of our community to ride horses in front of them. They treat us as their slaves even today,” he said, adding that the marriage went on peacefully as a result of the deployment of armed policemen.

His fellow villagers said the ‘upper’ caste men had protested against Kamlesh sitting on a mare. When his family refused to budge, they said, his wedding procession was attacked with stones.

The incident followed an unrest in the village to the extent that the then Superintendent of Police and the District Collector had to rush there to douse down the situation. The then station house officer of the Bhawani Mandi Police station, Mahavir Singh Yadav, was suspended for his negligence - allowing the attack to take place.

Mohanlal Meghwal, former ‘sarpanch’ (village head) of Gurdiya Mana Gram Panchayat, said the so-called ‘upper’ caste men do not want them to live a happy life and celebrate occasions. 

“We living a happy life does not go down well with the people belonging to the so-called ‘upper’ caste people. The extent of their hatred against us is such that they do not like even an Army soldier,” he said, asking the police to take “strict action” against such people. 

“Only then will this kind of social discrimination end,” he said. 

He said the accused in the Kamlesh’s case are attempting to influence them for a compromise.

Krishna Mehra, who is associated with the Bhim Army, an Ambedkarite and Dalit rights organisation, said incidents of discrimination and atrocities against Dalits occur in more than 90 percent of the villages in Jhalawar. Be it a wedding ceremony or the birth anniversary of their icons, he alleged, Dalits have to seek police protection before such events. 

“Influential people always try to disrupt our celebrations,” he said.

Ironically, the politicians belonging to the marginalised community, according to him, also maintain distance from their society. 

“We want strict enforcement of the laws in place to stop discrimination against Dalits,” he demanded.

Advocate Shailesh Gautam, Alwar district coordinator of the Dalit Adhikar Kendra, Rajasthan, said there has been caste discrimination in the state for centuries, and the reason behind it is that the Rajputs have held higher positions in the corridor of power.

“Even today, they are in power and administration that make them influential. These people talk about equality but are unable to get out of the casteist mentality. They are unable to tolerate the people, whom they enslaved for centuries, now sitting on a horse. They consider it as a challenge to their social status,” he said.

He further claimed his organisation is making every possible effort to ensure social equality. 

“We hold meetings with the leaders of the communities, which discriminate against Dalits. We convince them to end their bias - citing our legal rights,” he said, explaining that in many places, discrimination is visible, but at other places, it happens indirectly.

The Mooknayak spoke to the Jaipur unit of the Rajput Sabha for its reaction on such incidents of caste bias.

“People of the Rajput community never commit atrocities on anyone. Yes, some anti-social elements who call themselves Rajputs may be involved in such violence. We are ‘Kshatriya’ (warriors), who are supposed to act as protectors. We neither commit atrocities, nor do we tolerate it,” he said. 

Educating the society in villages, according to him, can only put an end to such violence. 

“The main reason behind social inequality is illiteracy. It should also be looked into which community has a problem with a Dalit groom sitting on the mare,” he said.

Modernity does not just mean that men and women wear jeans, use smartphones and watch marvel movies on YouTube and OTT platforms. While clothes and smartphones have been easier to adapt to, beliefs have not. The lives of many Dalits are still marked by things they cannot do.

Inequality persists even in death. At burial grounds, separate enclosures are marked for the lower-caste groups. Only laws are not enough, the change of mindset is necessary for eradication of such discrimination.

In Rajasthan, where such instances continue to take place, government officials have had to run special drives to encourage Dalit grooms to ride horses.

Story Translated by Tarique Anwar.

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