Dalit burning: Upper castes hold mahapanchayat

Decrying the arrests in the Dalit children burning case, a 'mahapanchayat' held here by upper castes today accused the authorities of bias and "bowing to the pressure of caste politics".
The meeting attended by members from different associations of Kshatriyas, Brahmins and Rajputs claimed that the case was not about "inter-caste fight" but was a "feud between two families".
The upper caste members demanded that the seven arrested persons be released till the probe is completed.
The meeting also asked the authorities to first complete the investigation into the earlier killing of three persons from the family of the accused allegedly by relatives of Jitender, father of the deceased children.

Two-and-a-half-years-old Vaibhav and 11-month-old Divya had died after their assailants allegedly poured petrol through one of the windows of their house in Sanped village here on the intervening night of October 19-20.
While the children perished in the blaze allegedly set off by some upper caste people who had a running feud with the Dalit family, their parents suffered severe injuries in the attack.

The mahapanchayat also voiced for a compensation for the accused family as "the family is not left with any source of income and is in a difficult financial condition".
Accusing the establishment of "bowing down to the pressure of caste politics", the upper caste families said that the government is siding with the Dalits "just because they are Dalits".

"While the Dalits are united in terms of following the call of their leaders, the upper castes are divided within their self made limits," they said.
The families also requested the authorities to shift the accused from Bhondsi prison to Neemka, so that their family members can meet them more frequently.
Deepak Gaur, member Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Sabha said that they would come out with a rally soon if their demands are not heeded to.
Meanwhile, the women members from the accused family also met Assistant Commissioner of Police Vishnu Dayal today and asked for a detailed and unbiased probe into the case.