‘Sit on the floor’: Dalits allege they were forced off chairs at Rajasthan school Independence Day function

An FIR was lodged by the Rajasthan Police after Dalits were allegedly forced to vacate their chairs during an Independence Day function at a government school in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, on August 15. Rameshwarlal Bairwa, 35, and Gopilal Bairwa, 37, filed a complaint alleging they were discriminated against due to their caste. The Bairwas claimed they were insulted with caste-based slurs and threatened with the closure of their Anganwadi, where two women from their group worked.

The incident occurred in front of schoolchildren, teachers, and other villagers, causing mental trauma and damaging their self-respect and social standing.

Badri Lal Bairwa, a local who recorded the incident, stated that some individuals objected to them sitting on chairs, saying, "You educated people... this is the condition." The Bagor police station SHO, Bachhraj Choudhary, confirmed that the investigation into the incident is ongoing, with Deputy SP Rahul Joshi, the Circle Officer for Bhilwara’s Mandal, leading the probe.

The FIR has been filed against five individuals under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Criminal Intimidation Act, and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.