http://sikhsangat.org/2010/09/dalit-boy-cremated-on-the-road-in-absence-of-common-cremation-grounds/
Dalit boy cremated on the road in absence of common cremation grounds Posted on September 6, 2010 under caste problems Mehma Bhagwana (Bathinda), September 6: Residents of this cancer-affected dusty village of Bathinda district today lit the pyre of a four-year-old Dalit boy in the middle of a road ruing that in the absence of a common cremation ground, they had no other option. The boy, Vijay Pal, was reportedly suffering from cancer for the past few months and passed away last evening. Since then, his kin were not only grieving over his death but also worrying about finding a place to cremate him. The bereaved kin asked the sarpanch to make some arrangements for his cremation. Unable to do so, the sarpanch offered that they light the pyre in the middle of the road outside his house. Before the bereaved kin could light the pyre, policemen from the Nehianwala police station reached the spot and the SHO, Gurpreet Singh, brought the matter to the notice of the Bathinda SDM, who assured to send an executive magistrate soon. Meanwhile, the police installed barricades on both sides of the road and diverted the traffic to an alternate route. To prevent villagers from cremating the body, the SHO kept them engaged in negotiations. However, when even after over two hours the executive magistrate did not reach, the villagers lit the pyre on the road at 10.30 am. The deceased’s grandfather, Bhola Singh, said: “It is our ill fate that we could not bid him a decent farewell. We are poor daily wagers who possess no land. The village too has no common cremation ground, which forced us to cremate him on the road.” Gurcharan Singh, a villager, said: “Earlier, the village had its own cremation ground but about three years ago, the former panchayat passed a resolution to transfer the land for the cremation ground to construct waterworks with a hope that the village would get potable water to save us from the deadly disease of cancer.” Sarpanch Gamdoor Singh said: “It was also decided that the village would get an alternate land for the cremation ground. Though the administration earmarked a piece of land for the purpose, it was within the boundary wall of the village gurdwara, which we are not ready to use for this purpose.” He added that according to the revenue record, the village had one more chunk of land measuring three kanals and two marlas, which was the best suited for the cremation ground. “But despite our repeated representations, the administration is not allowing us to go ahead as the land is located near the houses of some landlords, who are close to leaders of the ruling parties,” the sarpanch said. Villagers said since the authorities had started the construction of the waterworks, which was being taken up under a World Bank scheme, nearly six deaths had taken place. In some cases, landlords offered their fields to perform the last rites but in most of the cases, villagers cremated their kin even inside their courtyards. Executive magistrate Avtar Singh said” “The land earmarked for the cremation ground is best suited for the purpose, but the villagers are not willing to use it. They are saying that it should be located on the land near the houses of landlords, but they have objections over it. Despite this, we are trying to find an amicable solution as more sites are being considered for the purpose.” Source: Tribune india ------------------------------------ ---- INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to zestmedia-dig...@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to zestcaste-subscr...@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: zestcaste-dig...@yahoogroups.com zestcaste-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zestcaste-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
