Page 66 - JAN2020E2

From Tehelka Archives
January 31, 2001

Upper castes hog all the

food and relief supplies

Khawda village is split strongly along caste lines and while the upper caste Hindus are
well-provided for, the Dalits, Muslims and tribals in the region are starving and shivering out in
the cold just a few metres away, says varghese k george

hough the earthquake did However, more than 15 trucks went ways lived in areas segregated accord-
not discriminate between to Khawda and 30 neighbouring vil- ing to their caste. The Muslims and Dal-
Dalits and upper castes, Mus- lages today, all from different voluntary its complain that even a water supply
lims or Hindus, the people organisations. “Khatau Dhanji and Ya- scheme of the government was termi-
T of Khawda village, 70 kms davji Meghji, local Bharatiya Janata Party nated at the point where the
from Bhuj, are sticking with their caste (BJP) leaders, ensure that the trucks are Lona households end. As one reaches
and religious prejudices. While there is unloaded and materials are distributed the village of nearly 5,000, the houses
a well-equipped relief camp for the up- only in the Lona camp,” says Haji Allah before the police station belong to the
per caste Lonas in the village, the major- Rakha, a resident of the Muslim mohal- Lonas. Beyond the police station, there
ity Muslims starve and sleep in the little la, which has 100 households. The 100 are Muslims, and after that, the Dalits
open space there is between the and tribals.
debris of their small houses and In this village, just 40 kms
the Koli tribals beg on the roads, short of the Pakistan border,
hardly 300 metres from the Lona Muslims have always been sus-
relief camp. pect in the eyes of the police for
“We care for our people, you their alleged support to infiltra-
fend for yourself. We can’t be tors. There are instances of police
bothered,” say the Lonas chas- catching huge consignments of
ing away those seeking food at RDX from Pakistani nationals
their camp, says Shambhu Ran- trying to cross the border.
jan, who went this morning to “On the surface, the Hindus
the Lona camp, where the relief maintain a harmonious relation-
trucks carrying food arrived. ship with us. But when it comes
The nearly 400 Kolis camping to action, we are always discrimi-
beside the road have only 25 kg of nated against,” a Muslim resident
grains left and have not eaten an- says. Within the Muslims also,
ything today. “With this rice, we there is strict caste hierarchy.
will have supper,” says Shambhu. The Lonas have managed
Tomorrow? “God knows,” he says, to put up decent tents in the
resigned to his fate. grounds of the local school. The
At the Lona camp, things are tarpaulin roofs that the Kolis car-
different. One sees huge stocks of ried from their previous houses
food material — roti, dal, rice and were great help — they are using
buttermilk for lunch — the best it to make crude tents beside the
food this correspondent has seen in the households received 100 kgs of rice and road. The Dalits and Muslims have no
past one week. “We don’t steal anyone’s 15 kgs of dal after the quake. “We keep all roof over their heads, no quilt to prevent
food. We don’t get anything from the that we have and get in the masjid, and the night’s cold and no relief has reached
government. We receive material only people take according to their needs,” them. In this illogically casteist village,
from the Akhaya Purushottam Swami says Khan. The masjid is ready to fall Jogesh Bagchi, the provision merchant, is
Narayan Trust,” says an organiser, shrug- any moment and the pious are offering an exception. A higher caste, he offers the
ging off uncomfortable questions about namaz in the open grounds. If ever they little stock he had in his shop on credit to
the starving Kolis nearby. What he said is needed divine intervention, it is today. those who cannot afford to pay.
partly correct. No government relief has Not that life was easy for them before
reached the village at all. the quake struck. The villagers have al- LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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