Dalits' social boycott: Guj DyCM visits village in Mehsana

After a social boycott call in a village in Mehsana in Gujarat following a Dalit groom's act of riding a horse in his wedding procession, the state's deputy chief minister Nitin Patel Friday visited the area and held talks to get the issue resolved.

Some people of Lhor village in Kadi taluka were allegedly unhappy with the groom Manu Parmar's move, on Tuesday, of riding a horse, police had said.

Village sarpanch Vinuji Thakor had then issued a diktat asking villagers to boycott Dalit community members, police had said.

Thakor had even imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 on anyone violating the diktat, with Dalits claiming that shopkeepers had stopped selling even milk and essential items to them following the incident.

Thakor, along with four others, was later arrested under relevant sections of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

However, members of the Schedule Caste (SC) community in the village Friday said the boycott was still in place despite Patel's visit and assurance.

"Nothing changed after Nitin Patel's visit today. He talked about arriving at a compromise formula and held meetings with various communities, including Dalits. However, the boycott call has not been lifted even after his visit. We are still denied food and other items by shopkeepers," said Manu Parmar, whose son Mehul Parmar's wedding procession had led to the boycott.

Deputy CM Patel, who hails from Kadi town, first met Dalits at Lhor village and then held another round of talks with members of other caste groups.

Blaming "outsiders" for the incident, Patel said, "All the communities have agreed to arrive at a compromise formula and establish peace and harmony in the village. All the five accused, including the sarpanch, have been arrested. The issue will be resolved soon if outsiders don't interfere in this matter or incite people."