Dhenkanal: Around 40 Dalit families in Dhenkanal district in Orissa allegedly face social boycott after a girl plucked flowers from the farm of an upper-caste man, but the village head says the matter has been resolved.
According to the villagers, a Dalit girl had plucked the flowers two months ago. The girl's parents apologized and begged the village panchayat for pardon but there was no response.
As a punishment, the families in Kantio Kateni village are barred from taking part in rituals and are not allowed to talk to anybody in the village. Government ration shops have been told not to give provisions and the teachers from the community are being forced to obtain a transfer, they allege. However, the matter is resolved now.
"Due to plucking of a sunflower, we Dalits were boycotted and a case was registered at a police station. Police had called the two groups to resolve the matter. But they did not obey, so after some days, we complained again. Now the matter has been resolved in front of officials," Bijay Kumar Naik, villager and member of Dalit community told.