Kishanganj (Bihar): The plight of Dalits in India came to fore again on Tuesday after it was discovered that ‘higher castes’ in village of Kishanganj district including the panchayat head himself had issued a diktat ordering Dalits not to use village water.
Bihar Police lodged a complaint on Tuesday against fifteen persons for causing mental torture to Dalits.
The social boycott of Dalits was effected after one of them complained that money meant for welfare schemes was being siphoned off by the panchayat members.
According to locals, even children of Dalit families were warned of dire consequences if they attended village schools.
The accused panchayat head, Anwar Alam, denied ‘having doing anything wrong’.
Dalits, though, constitute around fifteen percent of the total population in the state, but still are the most repressed community. The funds in question entail the special package of Rs 3,000 crore announced by Nitish Kumar government for the emancipation of Dalits in Bihar.