A disturbing case of caste-based discrimination has emerged from Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, where Dalit men were allegedly forced to sit on the floor during an Independence Day celebration. Police have registered an FIR under the SC/ST Act following viral videos of the incident.

  • Dalit men in Bhakliya village were allegedly forced to vacate chairs during a school function.
  • Victims report being subjected to caste-based slurs and intimidation.
  • FIR registered against five individuals under the BNS and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In a stark reminder of the persistence of caste prejudices in rural India, the Rajasthan Police have initiated a criminal investigation after members of the Dalit community were allegedly humiliated during an Independence Day celebration. The incident took place on August 15 at a government school in Bhakliya village, located in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan.

The victims, identified as Rameshwarlal Bairwa (35) and Gopilal Bairwa (37), stated that they were sitting on chairs provided at the venue when a group of individuals approached them. According to the complainants, they were targeted specifically because of their caste and were told in a derogatory manner, 'You Bairwas, sit down below [on the floor]. If you sit on the chairs, where will we sit?'

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The situation reportedly escalated as the aggressors used caste-based slurs and intimidated the victims in front of schoolchildren, teachers, and other villagers. The victims further alleged that the perpetrators threatened to shut down the local Anganwadi center where two women from their community were employed, adding a layer of economic coercion to the social humiliation.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that such incidents are not isolated anomalies but symptoms of deep-rooted structural inequalities. When discrimination occurs within a government school—a space intended for equality and enlightenment—it sends a devastating message to the children witnessing the event. This systemic exclusion undermines the very essence of the Independence Day celebrations, which ostensibly honor the democratic values of the Indian Constitution.

"The persistence of 'spatial discrimination'—controlling who can sit where—is a classic tool of caste hegemony used to reinforce social hierarchies in public spaces."

The incident gained traction after videos recorded by a local resident, Badri Lal Bairwa, went viral on social media. In one clip, a verbal altercation is audible while children are seen sitting on the ground, highlighting the stark contrast between the celebratory nature of the day and the reality of social division. Rameshwarlal noted that while they usually sit on the ground every year, the teacher's invitation to use chairs this time triggered the backlash from dominant castes.

The Bagor police station SHO, Bachhraj Choudhary, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and has been handed over to Deputy SP Rahul Joshi. The FIR names five individuals and invokes sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for unlawful assembly and criminal intimidation, alongside the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Did You Know?: The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was enacted in 1989 to prevent crimes against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and to provide for special courts for the trial of such offences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What legal actions have been taken so far?
An FIR has been lodged against five people under the BNS and the SC/ST Act, and the case is currently being investigated by the Circle Officer for Bhilwara’s Mandal.

Q2: Who reported the incident?
The primary complaints were lodged by Rameshwarlal Bairwa and Gopilal Bairwa, supported by video evidence recorded by Badri Lal Bairwa.