Why Caste Groups in Jharkhand Are Refusing To Buy The Official Claim Of ‘No Discrimination’ At Hazaribagh Quarantine Centre

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Snapshot


A group of caste organisations in Jharkhand have questioned the “contradictory statements” made by Hazaribagh deputy commissioner (DC) on alleged caste-discrimination at a quarantine centre in the area, asking for the official report in the matter to be re-examined.

A few days ago, several publications reported that five men from the Brahmin community, housed at a state-run quarantine facility in Banaso Panchayat in Bishnugarh Block of Hazaribagh, had refused to eat the food prepared by a cook belonging to a Scheduled Caste.

The report first appeared in the print edition of Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar on 25 May.

The report carried a quote by Hazaribagh DC Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh saying that dry ration had been arranged for those men.

Other publications also reported the matter and similarly quoted DC Singh.

A Times Now report said, “Following consultation with the local “mukhiya” (village head), the five inmates were given dry ration kits by the district officials and were asked to cook for themselves. The incident was confirmed by Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh, deputy commissioner, Harazibagh. He said that the five inmates should not have raised the issue and should rise above religious and caste affiliations amid these testing times of the pandemic.”

The reports created furore on the social media, with people and organisations demanding action against the discriminating group.

The same evening, DC Singh, through his verified Twitter handle, said that the allegations were found to be “baseless”.