In Bapu's Birthplace Of Porbandar, Dalits Are Being Kicked Out

Call it irony, but Porbandar in Saurashtra, the birthplace of Mahtama Gandhi, has recorded the maximum cases of forced Dalit displacement and migration in Gujarat. What's further ironical is that the displaced also includes an elected sarpanch too. Suman Chavda, 44, was elated when he got elected as the sarpanch of Vinzrana village of Porbandar in 2012. Out of the 1500 people living in this village, over 500 are Dalits. However, soon afterwards, according to Sumanbhai, 44, his problems began. "Not just the upper castes but even OBCs ganged up. I was constantly reminded by the panchayat members that I was a Dalit and hence my presence was only for cosmetic value. My being a sarpanch was immaterial."

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'Intolerance Has Gone Up'

"I had faced discrimination in the past, too. Unfortunately, of late, intolerance and bigotry towards Dalits has only intensified', he says. The population in Vinzrana comprises Dalits, Mers, Brahmins, Muslims and Rabaris (shepherd). Sumanbhai has not been allowed to enter the village since over a year. "I thought I had a chance at a better life after being elected the sarpanch. But when I refused to skin a dead cow, the non-Dalit community ganged up against me". Discrimination towards him, he says, aggravated after he filed an RTI to blow off the lid of financial discrepancies in the local school project. 'How can a non- Dalit question us?' was what got them furious.

Sumanbhai was beaten up by nine people on September 4, 2012. He does not know how many fractures he suffered but claims, "I am 60 per cent disabled. The fibula in both my legs has been broken". Even today, he can barely walk without help. After Sumanbhai registered a police complaint under the IPC and Prevention of Atrocity Act (PoA), he received many threats. He was also provided police protection, but it was "suddenly withdrawn" in 2015. Since then, he has not entered his village except on days when there are panchayat meetings. Today, all the accused are on bail.

'Constable Accompanies Me'

During panchayat meetings, he is provided a constable for his security. He attends the meetings and comes back to his tarpaulin tent in Sitaramnagar on Airport road where he lives with his aged parents. "I was hoping to live a life of dignity after becoming the sarpanch. Over 50 per cent population in my village are Dalits. Forget dignity, now I am a handicapped. All because I refused to skin a dead cow," he says. A few months ago, Sumanbhai converted to Islam after applying to the Collectorate, seeking to change his religion. He told Mirror, "I have approached all top officials, right from the mamlatdar to the governor, begging of them to provide my family safety and security back in Vinzrana. I go to the village only during the panchayat meeting as they would need me to sign on documents to initiate development work."

'He Lives Outside His Village'

When contacted, Tarun Duggal, Superintendent of Police, Porbandar, said that Suman Chavda's case was being investigated and that he was being provided police protection. "We have given him adequate police protection. However, since he has a house outside his village, he prefers to live there," said Duggal. Rebutting his claims, Chavda said, "If I enter my village, they would kill me. The SP's claims are absolutely false. It is a crime to be a Dalit." Talking to Mirror, Porbandar collector Dinesh Patel said, "I am not aware of these cases as many of them are old. I am posted here for only over a year now and will have to go through case papers before commenting."

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Porbandar has registered nine cases of forced migration involving 600 Dalits in the past 26 years, the highest in Gujarat. However, it is not just the ruling BJP that can be blamed for this. Even when the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Party (headed by Shankarsinh Vaghela) or Janata Dal Gujarat (headed by the late Chimanbhai Patel) was in power, it was Porbandar that topped the list. Ahmedabad and Banaskantha are close behind with seven and six cases respectively, according to data shared by Navsarjan, a human rights NGO.

Navsarjan carried out a detailed study of 1,589 villages in Gujarat with Robert F Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights. The Understanding Untouchability report highlights that despite growing domestic and international concern and a constitutional prohibition on untouchability, it not only survives but thrives. There are separates garbas, separate prayer places and burial grounds for Dalits in Gujarat.

'The Hype Is Deliberate'

Dushyant Gautam, BJP's national president for Scheduled Caste (SC) Morcha, told Mirror, "There is a deliberate hype like Dadri being created in Gujrat. Dalits are in fact very safe in the state. Look at UP. The hype is created for political purpose. The anti-nationals, award-wapsi gang, pseudo seculars, the Dadri gang and anti-Modi brigade is active here. This is a deliberate attempt to defame Modiji who has done phenomenal work for Dalit welfare. With UP polls around, I see a pattern in how things are unfolding."

He added, "Just go to UP, There are 30,000 complaints of atrocity on Dalits and over 1,000 Dalits have been killed in Mayawati's regime. Compared to this, Gujarat has seen nothing. Even Una pales in comparison. Still, Gujarat has become the epicentre of Dalit issues." Gautam asserted that he believed PM Narendra Modi was above any class or caste. "However, Mayawati, who has used Dalits, is now trying to become the Messiah of the downtrodden. No nationalist and secular Indian can digest the fact that Dalits are being discriminated against in Gujarat," he said, adding that the forces playing up Dalit issues in Gujarat want to tear up the country's social fabric.

'Figures Manipulated'

Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Atmaram Parmar, however, maintained that there were no incidents of forced migration in the state. "The figures are manipulated by Navsarjan NGO to defame the state at national and international level," he said. He said that there may be some cases where Dalits face problems and leave villages, but the state government ensures that all help is provided to them. However, Martin Macwan, a leading Dalit rights activist from Gujarat disagrees.

Macwan, 54, winner of the 2000 Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Award, recipient of Gleitsman Foundation's Activist of the Year Award and Human Rights Watch awardee says that the recent spate of incidents against Dalits in the state indicated the growing intolerance against the community. Macwan, who has been honoured for his work by Human Rights Watch, says Gujarat government has failed in protecting the Dalits.

'600 Dalits Ousted'

In the past few years, over 600 Dalits have been ousted from Vanana, Nagka, Drafa and Boddar villages of Ranavav taluka; Khristi, Vinzrana and Bhomiyavadar, Sodhana villages of Porbandar taluka and Shegras in Kutiyana taluka of Porbander. "Gujarat lacks a political will to tackle Dalit issues. Discrimination is a major issue. I wish all political parties in Gujarat unite to fight this issue," says Macwan, adding, "Today, Dalits are more aware of their constitutional rights. About 12 per cent of total Dalit population in Gujarat lives across Saurashtra, which is dominated by Kshatriyas and Patels. Hence, there are more incidences of Dalit-Kshatriya and Dalit- Patel conflicts." Meanwhile, Ambalal Rohit, president of BJP SC Morcha, refused to comment on the migration issue of Dalits in the state. He said he could comment only after he went through the details of each case.

Ahmedabad Close Behind

In Ahmedabad, Dalits have been forced out of Aniyali (Dhandhuka taluka), Vanthal (Viramgam), Kundal (Sanand), Goraj (Sanand), Alav (Ranpur), and Kesharadi and Bhayla villages of Bavla taluka. Six Dalit families were displaced in Sambarda (Palanpur taluka), Ramun (Deesa), Dhada (Deesa), Rachiyana (Vav) and Lalpur (Vav) and Adrana (Vadgam taluka) villages of Banaskantha.

In 1990, Popatbhai Chanchiya, 45, aresident of Khristi village, was forced to migrate after he refused to engage in forced labour. Khristi, with a population of 1,300, has around 80 Dalits residing here. Recounting his tale, Chanchiya said, he and fellow Dalits were beaten up by the Mer community, which owned all the agriculture land in the village. About 125 Dalits from the village then sat on fast outside collector's office for 15 days. Following their representation, the government rehabilitated them to Dharampur village where they were also given farm land.

Parmar said they have lost touch with Khristi village and don't even visit it. Senior Congress leader Arjun Modhvadia, who has represented Porbandar in Gujarat Assembly, said, "Discrimination and atrocities against Dalits is on an all- time high time in Gujarat. The cases of forced migration of Dalits in the district is worrisome and immediate action should be taken. Even though there are instances of some people misusing the Prevention of Atrocity Act, we largely have people who are real victims and need immediate help from the government. The BJP government is anti-Dalit."