While there is doubt as to how the boy died, it is true that there is a practice of untouchability in the villages of Rajasthan.
While there is doubt as to how the boy died, it is true that there is a practice of untouchability in the villages of Rajasthan.
Nine year old boy Inder Meghwal passed away recently In a village in Jalore district of Rajasthan. The family says he died due to injuries sustained by an attack by a teacher at their school, who was outraged that the young boy drank water from a water pot meant for the ‘upper castes’. The accused, Chail Singh, who is in custody, says that he slapped the boy – not because of the reason given, but because Inder had a fight with another student. Inder’s family members say that the boy was brutally beaten up because of his caste.
an unusual place
Several evidences and personal claims have been made that neither the school nor the Rajput teachers hold any prejudice against the Meghwals, a community considered “untouchable” in Rajasthan. Some reports state that Inder suffered from an ear infection and probably died of septicemia, or sepsis (the clinical name for blood poisoning by bacteria) rather than a brain hemorrhage due to the teacher’s slap. Doctors have feared that the infection may have increased due to the assault. The report also states that there are no upper caste utensils in the school premises; All the students and teachers, some of whom are from ‘lower castes’, drink water from one source – a cement tank. It is the most unlikely source of drinking water in the scorching heat of Rajasthan. People usually drink from an earthen pot ( Pitcher), Nevertheless, Inder’s village (and school) must be an unusual place in Rajasthan as it does not have caste practices.
I went to a similar school where Inder studied. It was a poorly maintained building. There were no benches or chairs; The students sat on the floor. Everyday life at home, school and village was governed by caste rules. Untouchability was practiced in the villages of Rajasthan and is still there today. People from the upper castes consider it normal and desirable as they believe that it is the right way to follow Hinduism. People from lower castes like Meghwal consider it an integral part of their life. They are forbidden from the main temple of the village; They are not invited to weddings and festivals of the upper castes; And they do not match the upper castes. Sometimes when the whole village gathers on Holi or Diwali or during elections, they sit separately and not on the same carpet. Usually they sit next to the place where upper caste men take off their slippers.
In one such village between Jodhpur and Jalore, I saw the world as a child. There were many Meghwal boys in the school I attended and I befriended some of them. The students did all kinds of work – they cleaned the floor every morning and brought potable water from the main water tank in the village. By the decade I was in school, there were separate water vessels for upper and lower castes. We knew and followed the norms of caste. The Meghwal boys were exempted from one job, which was to make tea for the teachers. Most of the teachers belonged to the upper castes and used to drink tea twice a day. The work of making tea belonged to the boys of upper caste and other backward classes.
Although I was best friends with some of Meghwal’s boys, I could not call any of them home or even tell my family that I had gone to their house. I still have a vivid memory of my first visit to a friend’s house. Everyone was amazed that I accepted his offer to drink water and tea. I once tried to bring a friend home, was caught, and was sternly told not to do it again.
political views
Inder’s village seems unique without the rotten custom of the Surana caste. I saw villagers and some local politicians on TV and YouTube videos claiming that there was no incident of caste discrimination around them. I’m surprised. Not long ago, I read a report impression That “weddings for Dalits in Rajasthan are nothing less than a tragic suspense thriller”, as the groom’s family does not know whether they will reach the bride’s home without being beaten up by the dominant castes. Discriminatory caste practices are often not accepted or addressed because of political considerations and vote-bank politics. Instead of social change for a better and just society for all, leaders have narrow political interests in their minds. The police are few in number, prejudiced against the lower castes, and often not given the freedom to present all the facts.
Now there is doubt about the cause of Inder’s death. Was it the infection, aggravated by the slap, that took his life? Was it uncontrolled behavior rather than untouchability? Who will get the benefit of doubt is also an important point in this sad case. Lastly, I am deeply saddened that teachers still beat up students. This is a great pain for me, a teacher, to bear.
Khinvraj Jangid is Associate Professor and Director, Jindal Center for Israel Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University and currently adjunct faculty at Ben-Gurion University, Israel.