The Rajasthan police have booked five persons from the upper caste community for allegedly refusing to give prasad (blessed food) directly in the hands of Dalits and for asking them to sit separately for a community feast at a local temple in Pali district.
According to the first information report (FIR), complainant Sujaram Meghwal (55) said that the incident had happened at the Mamaji Temple in Dhamal village under Marwar Junction police station on August 29. He also alleged that the accused had hurled casteist slurs at Dalits.
Explaining the sequence of events, he said that on August 19, a meeting of the village people was called by the temple committee in which they invited all community members to discuss the preparation for the communal feast and prasad (blessed food) distribution programme. During the meeting some upper caste people asked the Dalits to sit separately during the feast. Following which they boycotted the meeting.
He further claimed that on August 25, committee members approached them and assured that no discrimination will be made with the Dalits and all will have the feast and prasad together, after which they give their consent for the programme.
However, Meghwal alleged, when Dalits reached for the programme on August 29, they found out that there were two sitting arrangements– one for the upper castes and another for the Dalits. He alleged that when they opposed the arrangement, the upper caste people warned them not to sit with others during the feast.
According to the complainant, when the Dalit community members objected to this discriminatory behaviour, the accused began using derogatory caste-based slurs.
Police have booked five people under 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace.) and relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
