Rajkot: 11 dalit grooms set to defy no-horse-riding ‘diktat’ in Dhoraji

RAJKOT: Enraged by the boycott diktats and violent objections to dalits riding horses in north Gujarat, as many as 11 grooms of the community will ride horses in a mass marriage to be held in Dhoraji town, 80 km from Rajkot, on Sunday.
The organizers of the mass marriage said they want to give out a loud and clear message that such unwritten diktats that ban the community from the pleasures of a simple social ritual won’t be tolerated. The 11 bridegrooms will tie the nuptial knots in a mass marriage organized by dalit organizations — Dhoraji Meghval Samaj and Rashtriya Dalit Mahasangh.
When mass marriage function was firmed up on April 14, there was no plan that grooms would ride horses too in the processions to the venue. This was an afterthought and a conscious decision by the organizers after dalit grooms had to face violent protests by upper castes in Aravalli, Sabarkantha and Mehsana districts recently.
On May 12, stones were hurled at a dalit’s marriage procession for the same reason in Khambhisar town of Aravalli district, leading to clashes between the locals and police. Before that, upper caste members in Lhor village near Kadi town of Mehsana district had announced complete boycott of dalits after a groom rode a horse in his marriage.
President of Mahasangh’s youth wing, Yogesh Bhasa said, “We planned the procession on horses after the Khambhisar incident and have also informed the police about our intention. Cops have granted us permission.”
Cops to stay vigilant during dalit grooms’ procession
Yogesh Bhasa further said that though Dhoraji won’t see a Khambhisar-like incident, though the grooms here never ride a horse in the areas dominated by the upper caste. “Their ride remains confined to dalit areas only. However, the situation in the villages are not that good,” he added.
According to the wedding organizers, these grooms’ procession on horses will first go to the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, garland the statue and thereafter will go through the town’s main areas for nearly two kilometres. The brides and grooms belong to nearby villages and are engaged in agriculture as labourers.
When contacted, Rajkot rural superintendent of police Balram Meena said, “The situation is not as serious in Dhoraji like in Khambhisar, but I have instructed my staff to stay vigilant. We have not received any opposition till now, but will increase police force on that day to avoid any untoward incident.”