Sirmaur: A video is going viral from Himachal Pradesh where food was served on the basis of caste. The video shows a wedding ceremony where the announcement of serving food on the basis of caste is being made over a loudspeaker.
As the video went viral, The Dalit Shokhna Mukti Manch (Office of vital records) demanded the police inquire into the matter for appropriate action. Ashish Kumar, district coordinator of Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch said, "the video of a marriage ceremony in which an announcement is being made over a loudspeaker that the arrangement of food has been done on the basis of caste which is unfair and discriminatory," he laments.
Reacting to it, ASP Babita Rana sought a written complaint from the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch. Heeding to it, a written complaint has also been given to the Shillai police station on behalf of the Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission. "People belonging to Scheduled Castes were asked to sit separately for food and we demand legal action by registering a case under the SC-ST Act," the complaint read.
DSP Veer Bahadur confirmed the receipt of a complaint and said, "We have received the complaint regarding discrimination of caste. We will investigate the matter and take appropriate action."
When the ETV Bharat correspondent spoke to the youth who posted the matter, he told that this video is from Pota Manal Panchayat in the Shillai area and this marriage ceremony was organized on 12 May. Madan Ranta who posted the video on Facebook said, 'This is the plight in our Hati region and it is said that we are all one community, but here even bread is given based on caste," he said and added, "When people say that we are all one, then we should all eat the same food. We should also sit together and eat during celebrations and festivals." The young man further wrote that "you all see in the video how there is untouchability inside Shillai. Caste and untouchability are in full swing in the area of Giripar."
