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If You are a Dalit, Take Your Sandals off or... 18/01/2009

India is again in the top news with a discrimination and torture incident. Discrimination along casts is again alive in different cities of the country. The last incident happened in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu on January, 7th. A young Dalit wearing sandals was beaten and forced to eat human dejection by Christian upper class members.

After this incident Young Dalit Sadayandi reported those attackers to the closest police station. He said when he was walking through the street where mostly upper class members live 10 people wanted him to take his sandals off and when said refused to do it they attacked him and one of them forced him to eat human dejection. Police is trying to find those attackers.

This incident remind us a part from Neşet Ertaş' book “Heart Mountain” ; In an example in the book peripatetics were forced to dress up different from the other people whoever don't obey this rule would be treated badly. Below is a part from Ertaş' book to make the picture clear. Ertas is a member of one of the Turkish peripatetic groups, Abdals; and also a famous Turkish griot.

“Let me give you an example ; I went to İstanbul when I was 14-15. I worked in night clubs for 1-2 years. I observed İstanbul, and people were not wearing hats. I got used to not wearing hats and then I returned backed to my hometownn Kırşehir Bağbaşı Mahallesi. And that day I went to Kırşehir’s big bazaar, everyone wearing their hats but I am not because I am used to not wearing hat. There were old people sitting in front of the café and passed by the cafe. When i was going back they were still sitting there. And at the time little children started to stone me. Because an ” Abdal” was not wearing his hat; I didn’t say anything bad or swear, i was just passing by... Anyways, Abdal people had to wear hats and hats have to go down to the eyes, have to look down. It was always like this and would always be."

Resource : www.ptinews.com
*Gönül Dağında Bir Garip, Neşet Ertaş , page 24, İş Bankası Yayınları, 2006.