Mevani targets govt over stalling of Dalit wedding processions

Dalit MLA Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday accused the Gujarat government of being "casteist" and failing to ensure the safety of Dalits after some of their marriage processions were targeted by members of other communities.

He said the Vijay Rupani government in the state was a "mute spectator" while Dalits were facing discrimination.

"A serious situation has arisen in Gujarat where Dalits cannot take out their marriage processions. Chief Minister Rupani has not uttered a single word on the incident," Mevani told reporters here.

He said it was Rupani's responsibility to appeal to people to stop behaving in a "hateful manner" against Dalits.

"The Rupani government has become a mute spectator of the entire incident. Whatever happens to Dalits, we were going to do nothing, such is the casteist, callous and indifferent attitude of this government," he said.

On Sunday, a Dalit wedding procession was blocked by members of an upper caste community at Khambisar village in Aravalli district, after which stones were pelted, leading to tension in the village.

In a similar incident at Sitvada village in Sabarkantha district, the wedding procession of a Dalit groom had to be provided police protection on Sunday after members of the OBC Thakor community opposed it.

Last Friday, the Thakor community members objected to a wedding procession as the groom was riding a horse on way to the marriage venue at Lhor village in Mehsana district.

Dubbing such incidents as "shameful and painful," Mevani said, "In all such five incidents, Dalits had informed the police in advance. But despite that, the police, the BJP government could not ensure peaceful procession and that the Dalit groom could ride a horse."