BHOPAL: A newly married Dalit couple were allegedly denied entry into a Hanuman Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district on Friday when they went to offer prayers.
The couple later entered the temple and offered prayers after police intervention. However, a panchayat of other castes, mostly from OBC communities, later declared a social boycott of the Dalit family and two other Scheduled Caste families associated with them.
The panchayat also announced that anyone engaging with the three families or selling anything to them would have to pay a penalty of Rs 11,000.
The incident began on Friday afternoon when the newly married SC couple went to the Hanuman Temple in the village.
“I went to the Hanuman Temple with my wife to offer prayers, but the temple was locked and we were not allowed entry. We were asked by the people of other castes to offer prayers from outside. We informed the matter to the police, after whose intervention we were allowed entry into the temple followed by prayers there,” the newly married youth Nirmal Kanade alleged in the video posted on social media.
“Just a few hours after we entered the temple and offered prayers there, the Panchayat of elders from other castes, including the Banjara and Patels, decided to socially boycott our family and two other families associated with us. No one is doing any transaction with these three families, including us. I appeal people to share this video as much as possible to render us justice,” Kanade was seen saying in the video.
Police later held multiple discussions with all sides on Saturday and Sunday and resolved the issue.
According to a senior Khargone district police officer, “The issue has been resolved following talks between all sides related to the matter. Restrictions imposed on the three families have been lifted and normalcy is back.”
Sources said the Hanuman Temple usually remains closed during afternoon hours due to past theft incidents and to prevent stray dogs from entering the premises.
“After the couple offered prayers inside the temple, those related to at least three SC families, including the newly married couple’s family, abused the other caste villagers, which prompted the calling of the panchayat of the other castes the same day. The same village houses around 40 SC families, recently another newly married Dalit couple had without any restriction offered prayers inside the same temple, as that couple was there in those hours when the temple remains opened. Even some SC families had supported the call to boycott the three Dalit families, particularly as members from those three families used abusive and intimidating language for the other castes people on Friday,” an informed source said.
Recently, in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district, a Dalit groom was allegedly assaulted and pulled from a horse by OBC Lodhi caste men during his pre-wedding rituals. Four men were later booked by police on a complaint filed by the groom’s uncle.