Dalit
killed for not selling Fish to dominant caste men

He was the
only son of his landless parents in a village named as Udaypura in district
Deoria. When the brick kiln season is off, most of the people musahar
community in Uttar Pradesh who live on the river bank are engaged in
fishing as they have no other source of food. This time, with so much of rain,
all communities on river bank are enjoying a good fish. But October 28th i.e.
Diwali day came as a devastation for Chhotu who was just 27 years old when he
refused to share his fish catch with a local Brahmin who was determined for the
same. The altercation happened between Chhotu and the local bully who happened
to be Brahmin as he was thrashed, beaten up mercilessly and thrown in the
river.

When he did
not turn home, Chhotu’s pregnant wife Rinku and mother got worried about. They
started looking for him but did not find. They went to the police but was of no
help. Nobody was willing to speak that time. He has three small children and
his wife is due for delivery again. The family live in a small house granted by
the government under Indira Aawas Yojna. Chhotu was barely literate. He had passed
fifth exam and like many others he was at home as there was no much of work
hence fish remain the main source of their livelihood. Musahars just fish to
feed themselves.

Two days
later, Chhotu’s body was recovered from the river Gandak.

Well-built
Chhotu had lost to the Brahmanical arrogance.

Mushahars
are the most exploited community, a thoroughly landless, they are
political unrepresented and have no space in the popular movements so far. The
literacy rate is very low. People did not reach them and those who go now just
for the sake of ‘social work’, too treat them shabbily. It is not that the
fight would have been for ‘fish’ alone. The Hippocratic thing is that the
Brahmins and other of their social order dont ‘eat’ meat or non-vegetarian
things during this festive season. It shows the absolute thuggish character
that you want to snatch his catch which poor Chhotu was having for his family.
The fact is Mushahars are maltreated and looked down upon in contempt.

The powerful
and dominant communities of all varieties hate to see any person with
marginalised sections ‘rejecting’ their ‘order’. Chhotu paid a price for his
‘rejection’ as Mushahars dont sale fish but are depended on it for their
survival. Most of the government schemes are trap in deep corruption and rarely
reach them.

But in the last one decade because of various initiatives Musahars are standing and speaking up. They are demanding their rights and are uniting too.

When the
police did not file the FIR, the villagers went to the District Headquarter and
lodged a protest with the district magistrate.

The police
officers, though, were supportive yet, had their hand tied for the two days
‘Chhuth Festival’ when people worship Sun. The rivers will be crowded tomorrow
with devotees. Chhotu’s father had actually given a written complaint against
the two persons of the village but the police did not act. After much effort of
local activist Sangeeta Kushwaha, the administration promised to act after the
festive season is over.

Most of the
time, our administration and police are busy in arranging the things in the
name of ‘festivities’ and hence the lives of human being, particularly those
who are not even considered human, does not matter.

We hope the
administration will act on the complaint and bring justice to the family of
Chhotu. His family must be duely compensated.

We will be
steadily monitoring the case so that the criminals are punished.

Vidya Bhushan Rawat

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