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“My husband is dead. He won’t come back to life. Whoever has to come to power will come. Nobody is going to help us,” says Ramavati, who lost her husband during the Dalit protests earlier this year.
On 2 April, the country saw a nationwide protest called by the Dalit community against the Supreme Court’s verdict on the SC/ST Act. Nearly 10 people were killed in stone pelting and other incidents of violence, and most of the casualties were reported from Madhya Pradesh.
The Quint reached Gwalior’s Thatipur area, where two people were killed during the protests. It has been months since the incident, but the memories are still fresh. This can create troubles for Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The Quint spoke to the families of two victims, Rakesh Tamotiya and Deepak Mittal, to know if they had received any assistance from the government.
‘My Husband Won’t Come Back to Life’
Rakesh Tamotiya, father of three children and a daily-wage worker, lost his life during the protests.
“There are three children. How will I educate and feed them? People say they will help but there is no one to help. Once the elections are done and leaders come to power, what would happen to us? Nothing. My husband would not come back to life. “Ramvati, Rakesh’s Wife
Rakesh’s daughter Kajal Tamotiya recalls how her father used to help her study and laments over his demise.
“My father passed away when I was trying to submit a form for Class 10. I could only study till 8th grade. I want to study further but who will help me now? How will my mother run the house alone? She can only feed us. Who will help me in my education? The government can only give us money, not bring back my father.”Kajal Tamotiya, Rakesh’s Daughter
'Neither Congress Nor BJP Helped Us’
Apart from Rakesh, Deepak Mittal was also killed in the 'caste war'. Deepak’s father Mohan narrates the horror of the incident. “The Thakurs shot Deepak thrice. They still pressurise us. They practice casteism and don’t even buy tea from us. Businesses have shut down. We are dying of hunger. Neither the Congress nor the BJP has helped us.”
Deepak’s mother, too, questions the compensation given to the family and says it’s not sufficient.
“Rs 4 lakh is not sufficient. I have lost my son. He was 20 years old. He was the bread earner of the family. He was shot dead when he went to see the shop. The government says they have given Rs 4 lakh. So what? I have lost my son.”Draupadi, Deepak’s mother
After listening to the people’s issues, the questions that arise are: Which party will be affected by the ‘Dalit Andolan’? Will the BJP bear the brunt or will the community support Mayawati in Madhya Pradesh?
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