Dalits reject VHP's temple politics
September 13th, 2010
Narayan Bareth
Hindu outfits may dismiss him as one misguided by the anti-Hindutva
forces but Harishankar Bairwa says he suffered a setback when he tried
to break the centuries-old tradition of keeping dalits away from
common pond. "I was a karsewak and went to Ayodhya, but when dalits
requested VHP leaders to help share water from the pond, they did not
take any interest," says Bairwa who is now a dalit activist in
Chakwada village under Jaipur district.
Located 60 km from Jaipur, Chakwada saw a conflict between dalit and
upper-caste Hindus over the sharing of water from the village pond in
2002. "As a Hindu nurtured by the RSS, I went to Ayodhya at the risk
of my life. There was violence and many of my fellow karsewaks were
injured, but I struggle for a temple at Ayodhya," Harishankar Bairwa
says. "But the moment I knocked the doors of VHP leaders there was no
response. We were greeted with stones by upper-caste Hindus. Are we
not Hindu too?" he asks.
Bairwa was part of a team of karsewaks, who went to Ayodhya during the
temple movement. "I took part in several meetings of Hindu
organisations and it seemed there that all Hindus are equal. But that
was not true. When I raise issue of untouchability no one paid
attention," he says.
"Now none of the dalits will like to become karsewak," he says. The
dalits of Chakwada fought on their own and were allowed to use water
from pond as others. "The problem remains in other forms. We are not
allowed to temple. In the wedding season, the wedding procession of
dalits greeted with opposition. We are not even free to use the band
party," he said.
"When dalits were targeted in village in 2002, there were over 50 VHP
supporters in my village but none of them came out to help us," he
laments.
"They all the time talk about Hindu-Muslim unity but never like to
discuss the plight of dalits. We are still unequal and face
discrimination at every step," Bairwa said.
"Why our saints remain silent when a dalit is victimised?" he asks.
VHP leader Narpat Singh Shekhawat however, refutes these charges. He
says the VHP had organised a meeting for sambhav [harmony]. ''We
provided all help and support to them. I do not know why Harishankar
saying this," Mr Shekhawat said.
''If such humiliating practices continue to harass dalits, we will not
hesitate to drift away from Hindu religion," he says.
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