Caste Discrimination In Bundelkhand: Dalit Villagers In Tikamgarh Lodge Complaint Against Barbers

Caste-based prejudice is common in Bundelkhand even today manifesting in various ways of exclusion. A police complaint has been lodged in one such instance

Tikamgarh (Madhya Pradesh) : The roots of untouchability is entrenched so deep into the layers of Bundelkhand that despite several efforts, people belonging to the Dalit community continue to bear the raw deal meted out to them even after seven decades of Independence. In one of the many instances, several villagers in Hiranagar village of Tikamgarh district lodged a police complaint on January 29, urging authorities to act against the discriminatory practice.

It so happened that, barbers in the village refused to cut the hair or shave the beards of people belonging to the Bansakar community. This forced the community members to travel 10 kms to the district headquarters Tikamgarh town to get the service done. Irked with the discrimination stemmed from practices of untouchability, they decided to register a complaint with the police.

A woman from the village said this is not the first time. “Our children and family members are never served by the village barbers. This has been the practice for generations. Even during weddings or death rituals, no barber comes to shave us. We have no choice but to go to the district headquarters.”

A barber from the village Saurabh Sen said it has been a practice that we do not serve those belonging to the Bansakar community. "The practice is continuing since ages and our forefathers too never served the Bansakar community, so how can we? This has been a tradition in our village since ancient times. We cut hair for everyone in the village except them,” he stated.

After receiving the complaint, SDPO Rahul Katre assured an inquiry. “I have asked for the application and will investigate the matter. A police team will visit the village to speak with all concerned and resolve the issue,” he said adding, this matter will soon be sorted out amicably.

It is pertinent to mention that some time back, to curb any such practices, the Peethadheeshwar of Bageshwar Dham Dhirendra Krishna Shastri has started a Hindu Ekta Yatra. The aim was to promote unity and end caste discrimination. The march, which began at Bageshwar Dham in Chhatarpur and concluded at Orchha’s Shri Ram Raja Sarkar Dham, saw participation from thousands, including political leaders. During the yatra, Dhirendra Shastri appealed to everyone to rise above caste divisions and live harmoniously.

Earlier too, there have been instances of discrimination, some of which led to violence, reported from across the country at regular intervals. In 2023 in Madhya Pradesh, Dalit students in a government school were allegedly segregated during mid-day meals. Similarly Rajasthan reported a case in 2022 from Alwar where a Dalit boy was beaten to death for drinking water from an upper-caste landlord’s pot. Even a Karnataka case had come to the fore in 2022 when a Dalit family was fined Rs 60,000 for touching a pole that was associated with a deity.

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