IndiaTomorrow.net,
Ahmedabad, Oct 2: Nothing could hurt the soul of Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his birthday more than the killing of a Dalit for manufactured ‘inferior’ social status. The incident becomes more hurtful if it takes place in Bapu’s own state.
As per media reports, Jayesh Solanki, 21, was sitting with his cousin Prakash Solanki and two other Dalit men near a temple in their Bhadrania village in Anand district of Gujarat. It was around 4 am on Sunday and a garba dance and other Navaratri festivities were being celebrated there. The Dalit youths were not mingling with the garba crowd of the upper caste Patel community, but were sitting at a distance near the temple. A Patel man emerged from the garba crowd and moved towards the Dalit youths. He allegedly made derogatory remarks about the caste of the Dalit youths. He also allegedly told them that Dalits “do not have the right to watch garba and made casteist remarks,” an unnamed police officer at the Bhadran police station was quoted as saying. The Patel man called in others from his community and they began thrashing the Dalit youths. Jayesh Solanki was pushed to a wall causing severe injuries in his head. He was rushed to the local hospital where he died later in the day.
The incident took place on 1st Oct, just a day before Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd Oct that the nation celebrates as the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. Today is 148th birthday of the Mahatma.
Meanwhile, police have arrested eight people for the killing.
