http://www.merinews.com/article/social-tension-between-dalits-and-jats-on-the-rise-in-mirchpur/15825204.shtml
Social tension between Dalits and Jats on the rise in Mirchpur The dalits are demanding that they may be allotted land at Hisar stating that in the village they fear attack from the Jats who are pressing them to withdraw the criminal cases registered in connection with burning death of two Dalits. CJ: Pawan Kumar Bansal Sat, Jul 03, 2010 16:02:18 IST THE VISIT of Parliamentary Committee for welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes at Mirchpur village in Hisar district of Haryana to assuage the heart feelings of dalits recently has further widened the tension between dalits and jats which may have long term remifications on social fabric of the state. Mirchpur village has become epicentre of caste tension following clash between both the communities which resulted in burning of few houses of dalits by jats and burning alive of aged dalit Tara Chand and his polio ridden girl Suman. Jats were agitated as the committe members only listned to the viewpoint of dalits and when their repeated efforts peacefully to put their version failed they inluding a large number of females laid before their air conditioned bus in which they were going back to Delhi. Drama continued for about ten minutes and ultimately on persuation of a scribe D.Raja , member of the committee came down from the bus and received a memorandum from them. The committee members asked them to come to Hisar to to put their viewpoint which they refused .The thirteen members of the thirty member committee headed by Gobinda Chandera Nasker spent about three hours in the village meeting the victims . They visited the house of Tarachand where his wife Kamla told them that although they have got compensation and her three sons have got government job but even then they feel insecure in the village fearing attack from the powerful Jats. Earlier the committee members had refused to listen to jats on the plea that they have come to listen to victims. Many persons of the village belonging to both dalit and jat communities shared with this scribe that tension was easing in the village but the frequent visit of politicians is spoiling the atmosphere. Even Swrrop Singh president of the peace conmmittee constituted by the govrnment comprising representatives of both the communites did not turn up to meet the committee members as he was reprotedly advised by some politician who do not want that peace should prevail in the village. Jats complain that everybody be the Union Minister Kumari Selja , All India Congress Committee General-Secretary Rahul Gandhi or chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who had visited the village met only dalits. The police had tough job in keeping media at bay. Team members gave dressing down to Haryana, Director General of Police Ranjeev Dalal when he tried to reply their queries from the victims asking him to keep quiet and the victims shuould be allowed to speak. Later Dalal directed his team not to go so close to team members least they got offended. But the cops failed to keep media particularly electronic media at bay despite their best efforts. Hisar Deputy Commissiner Yudhavir Khayliya who has taken over only last fortnight was heard boasting before the committee members that after his taking over as reins of the district there is complete peace in the village and dalits are feeling secure. Jats also blamed media particularly electronic media for not giving their point of view and giving only one sided version of the incident. They are demanding C.B.I.enquiry into the incident whereas the Haryana Government has ordered judicial enquiry. Politial observeros feel that had Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja and chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda jointly toured the area then situation would have come under control. The dalits are demanding that they may be allotted land at Hisar stating that in the village they fear attack from the Jats who are pressing them to withdraw the criminal cases registered in connection with burning alive of Tara Chand and his polio ridden daughter Suman whereas jats allege that the Police has arrested several innocnet youth under pressure from the dalits. Kumari Selja during her visit to Mirchpur has added fuel to fire by promising dalits that they will be allotted plots at Hisar. In fact on her directions the district administration has even started the paper work . This demand was outrightly rejected by chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda . Haryana 's Health Minister Geeta Bhukal protege of Hooda and belonging to dalit community even publically fired Selja for advocating the demand of allotment of plots at Hisar. If this tension is not controlled then it may escalate causing major law and problem in the state. The committee chairman told this scribe that they have seen the actual situation prevailing in the village and had interactions with the affected people as well as the state administration and will lay report in this regard in the Parliament during the ensuing monsoon session.
