Click to play videoBhopal: Believe it or not, Dalits are not allowed to enter into temples in the native village of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Untouchability is still a way of life despite the tall claims of the chief minister about working towards social justice and harmony in the state.
The 40-odd Dalit families of the village Jait are still denied entry into the village temple.
"I'm not allowed to offer my prayers at the temple. I'm being told I'm a Dalit 'chamar'. What wrong have I done? How am I different from others," asks Vijayanti Bai.
But now Vijayanti Bai and others have decided to raise their voice against this discrimination. They have complained to the district administration. Opposition Congress meanwhile has been quick to take up the Dalit cause.
Suresh Pachauri, president of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, says: "It is very unfortunate that untouchability is still being practiced here. If this is the case in the chief minister's village you can well imagine what is happening in other places."
With the heat on them, upper caste villagers are now on the backfoot. Sher Singh Chauhan, a villager says, "people come here from all across the state and no one is denied entry into any temple. All these allegations are motivated."
Untouchability and discrimination on the basis of caste is a common practice in many parts of Madhya Pradesh. But this place is the birth place of MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan who himself is an OBC and talks about Dalit uplift and social harmony in every public meeting.
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