Question

Read the following news item.

Nimone is a village on the Chauphula-Shirur Road. Like many others, this village has also been facing a severe water shortage for the last few months and villagers depend on tankers for all their needs. Bhagvan Mahadeo Lad (35) of this village was beaten with sticks, iron rods and axes by a group of seven men. The incident came to light when some villagers brought a badly injured Lad to the hospital for treatment. In the FIR recorded by the police Lad said that he was attacked when he insisted that the water in the tanker must be emptied into the storage tanks constructed as part of the water supply scheme by Nimone Gram Panchayat so that there would be equal distribution of water. However, he alleged that the upper caste men were against this and told him that the tanker water was not meant for the lower castes.

Adapted from Indian Express, May 1, 2004

a. Why was Bhagvan beaten?

b. Do you think that the above is a case of discrimination? Why?

Answer 1

(a) Bhagvan was beaten for insisting that the water in the tanker be emptied into the storage tanks constructed as part of the water supply scheme by Nimone Gram Panchayat so that there would be equal distribution of water. However, the upper caste men were against this idea as they believed the tanker was not meant for the lower castes. As a result of this difference in opinion, a group of seven men beats Bhagvan with sticks, iron rods, and axes.

(b) The above is a classic case of discrimination based on caste. Because the upper caste men try to suppress the genuine demand of the lower castes. They look them down upon and ignore their existence.