Policemen lie around the village lazily chatting and playing cards, and the Balmikis say they don’t trust the administration but at least its presence prevents them from summary violence from the Rajputs. But there are more police than residents in the three dalit bastis where Balmiki houses and even some of other dalit communities were torched. Malik says a total of 40-50 houses but a casual walk through the village lanes reveals his administration’s incompetence with statistics. Compensation cheques began to be distributed starting from Rs 200 and as pressure has built up the amount has gone up to Rs. 5,000. But 80 years old Kasturi says that the jewellery for her granddaughter’s forthcoming marriage is missing, even as she shows you the wedding invitation card. Rajkali’s husband is invalid and the jewellery she had was the only hope for her to marry her three daughters off. Sheela’s jewellery is missing too. So is Ramdari’s, who breaks down, asking what was her fault? Wasn’t it somebody else’s dispute? Prakashi has the same question; they even took away her telephone; now her son in the army, posted in Sikkim, can’t get in touch with her.
In an article which appeared at Tehelka, Shivam Vij reports on Haryana’s latest Dalit atrocity.
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