Along with dozens of BSP supporters, Jaunsar Babar Parivartan Yatra member Daulat Kunwar sat on demonstration outside Gandhi Park in Dehradun on Thursday. The protesters again alleged that the Dalits are not being allowed to enter the Kukushi temple in Gabela village area. However, an administrative officer said that Daulat Kunwar belongs to Scheduled Tribe not scheduled caste.
Meanwhile, Kunwar said that he along with other association members had sat on demonstration at Kukushi temple for the past many days. “I launched a parivartan yatra from October 5 to October 15 raising social issues and demanding empowerment of Dalits living in the tribal-dominated Jaunsari area. The yatra is apolitical the objective of which is to create awareness among the Dalits about their rights and the welfare schemes being launched by the Central and the State governments for their betterment,” he said.
He claimed that the Dalits comprise around 40 per cent of the population of Gabela area. “But they are being deprived of many things. The fruits of the welfare schemes envisaged for them are not reaching them. Even they are not being allowed to enter the local temple. The majority tribal people are blocking our entry,” he said.
Kunwar alleged that late Wednesday evening, he along with his supporters was arrested and later released at Vikasnagar hospital.
Vikasnagar CO SK Singh said that around 16 protesters had been arrested on the charge of taking laws in their hands and creating law and order problem there. “later, they were released on personal bonds,” he added.
The self-proclaimed Dalit leader said it is a matter of regret that despite over six decades having passed since independence, the Dalits are still not being allowed to enter a temple in the tribal- dominated areas. “State government and the district administration are not supporting the Dalits,” he said, adding that the State home minister Pritam Singh has proved a failure on the emotive matter.
In another development, Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch members brunt the effigy of the State government at landswone Chowk in Dehradun on Thursday, venting anger against the State government on the same issue. This aside, Narendra Modi Vichar Manch activists assembled at Collectorate and protested over the incident, sloganeering against the district administration and State government for their alleged apathy to end the impasse.
Meanwhile, DM Dehradun Ravinath Raman said things are fully under control in the village.