‘Zero tolerance’: Sachin Pilot demands action from own govt over Dalit boy’s death

India

pti-Deepika S

Jodhpur, Aug 16:
The
death
of
a
dalit
student
in
Rajasthan’s
Jalore
has
become
the
latest
flashpoint
in
the
Gehlot
vs
Pilot
war
in
the
state.
In
veiled
criticism
of
the
Ashok
Gehlot
government
on
Tuesday,
Congress
leader
Sachin
Pilot
called
for
zero
tolerance
to
incidents
like
the
recent
killing
of
a
Dalit
boy
and
called
for
action
against
local
officials
for
an
alleged
lathi-charge
on
the
victim’s
family.

“We
will
have
to
instill
confidence
among
Dalits
that
we
stand
with
them.
There
is
no
other
option.
The
government
should
work
on
the
shortcomings
to
change
the
system,”
he
said
after
visiting
the
victim’s
family.

Nine-year-old
Indra
Meghwal
died
Saturday,
nearly
three
weeks
after
being
allegedly
beaten
up
by
a
teacher
for
touching
a
water
pot
used
by
the
upper
caste
at
his
school
in
Surana
village
in
Jalore
district.

The
teacher,
Chail
Singh,
has
been
arrested
and
the
state’s
Congress
government
is
taking
action
against
the
private
school
as
well.
But
it
remains
under
flak
over
the
incident.

Pilot,
a
former
deputy
chief
minister
who
staged
a
rebellion
against
CM
Gehlot
in
2020,
visited
the
family
with
a
group
of
local
leaders.

“Such
discrimination
is
taking
place
in
our
system
even
after
75
years
of
independence.
This
is
a
matter
of
self-introspection
for
all
of
us,”
he
told
reporters
after
the
visit.
“His
death
raises
several
questions,”
the
Congress
leader
added.

He
also
recalled
the
murder
of
a
Dalit
man’s
in
Pali
in
March,
allegedly
for
sporting
a
moustache.

He
said
the
child’s
body
was
buried
during
the
night
and
the
family
members
have
alleged
that
police
lathi-charged
them.
“They
are
naming
the
SDM
and
Deputy
SP
and
immediate
action
should
be
taken
against
them,”
he
added.

Pilot
said
it
is
not
appropriate
to
say
that
such
incidents
happen
in
other
states
as
well.

“There
should
be
zero
tolerance
to
such
incidents.
We
should
not
wait
for
the
next
incident
to
take
action.
We
have
to
take
steps
to
defeat
such
ideology.
No
one
can
escape
after
committing
atrocities
on
Dalits,”
he
said.

The
former
deputy
CM
said
there
should
be
fear
of
the
law
and
a
feeling
of
confidence
needs
to
be
instilled
among
Dalits.

Pilot
said
the
child
cannot
be
brought
back
to
life
“but
an
example
can
be
set”.

He
said
the
child’s
family
is
scared
and
the
government
should
ensure
their
security.
He
said
one
should
speak
against
injustice
wherever
it
is
found.

He
was
accompanied
by
Rajasthan
Forest
Minister
Hemaram
Choudhary,
party
MLA
Ramniwas
Gawriya
and
other
local
leaders.