Finally Vaidus liberated in independent India

Finally Vaidus liberated in independent India

Strap: Dissolution of Vaidu Caste Council that was known for delivering brutal punishments on its people is a significant event steering path of liberation for 20 lakh people living middle age nomadic lives.

Varsha Suman

No wailing as no delivery of barbarous punishments, no worries to pay hefty fines and no fears of getting dispelled from the society. Dissolution of the caste council of Vaidu community, a scheduled tribe in Maharashtra this month by its judges has unshackled the community from brutal atrocities and inhuman traditions forever. And first time in the history, lakhs of Vaidus in true sense celebrated the yearly fair of god Kanifanath at Madhi that is preceded by the council’s yearly meeting known for offering inhuman verdicts.

Five chief judges of the council have not renounced the godlike status just like that. Relinquish the post equivalent to that of kings that their families have been enjoying since six centuries was not voluntary act. People’s movement for the last one and half year, insurgency from the society and apprehension of law mounted pressure on the judges to dissolve the council. Chief of the community Chandarbapu Dasyogi and president Shamling Shinde announced the decision March 20.

The event is of utmost significance as Vaidu Caste Council is second most powerful among hundreds of such councils that govern their respective tribes. Already a couple of few council have followed the suit with not holding yearly meetings and giving in to the rule of Constitution. Thus the process of liberation of 20 lakh Vaidu population has begun, sadly after 67 years of Independence.

Vaidu is one of the major 43 major scheduled tribes in Maharashtra apart from hundreds of sub-tribes with its head at Madhi in Pathardi Tahsil of Ahmadnagar district. 20 lakh Vaidus are spread across the Maharashtra and they sell Ayurvedic medicines at roadside shacks in villages, towns and cities.

The population still lives middle age nomadic life without having voter’s cards and hence no ration cards and other government schemes benefits. Nobody is allowed to mingle with people from other communities. It’s mandatory to follow community norms and seek help or justice from only cast council. Despite 67 years of Independence, no government authority has ever tried to get the society in mainstream life.

Inhuman traditions like marriage of girls when she in womb or in cradle or child even to a man of age 40-50 were practiced. On failure to follow society rules, council punished offenders with punishments like women’s purity/virginity test in public, cutting noses and ears, putting hands in boiling oil or simply hefty fine of few lakh rupees. By and large women were at receiving end with no right to voice against council, have to get humiliated publically and to get physically abused.

What leave poor tribal helpless is hefty fine of thousands or few lakhs rupees when two meals a day is a luxury. Judges on the other hand also credit loan to repay fine by back door. It was mandatory for people to offer liquor and meat to judges regularly. Cruelest punishment was dispelling families from the society making their lives hell.

But people especially youth and women have been quite unhappy with caste council’s inhuman verdicts for few years now. The voice raised by Durga Gudellu one and half years ago against the council accelerated the dissolution process. The young woman from Beed rejected to marry her 18 years old sister to man of 50 years old. The marriage was decided when her sister was yet to born. The caste council dispelled her family from the society on failure to pay fine to its chiefs. Police rejected to get in and she had to seek help from Maharashtra Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti.

Activists of Samiti under the guidance of rationalists Dr Narendra Dabhlolkar started the movement against criminal nature of judges and judges themselves. “We used three ways to increase pressure against judges. Their counseling with explaining laws and their criminal behavior, registering FIRs in police stations on receiving complaints from people and increasing awareness among public to not to treat them like gods,” says Krishna Chandgude, an activist who lead the movement.

“The challenge was to change the mindset of people who had no problem to follow inhuman traditions and verdicts by judge,” says Mukta Dabholkar. But incidences like police handcuffing judges, scared judges made poor people aware the reality that judges were not god. People started to raise voice against them openly and repeatedly. Then judges had no choice but announce the dissolution of the council.

The council now is converted in a social reform panel with representation to women and dispelled families. Process will be started to give them voters ID card and introduce them with government schemes.

Hopefully this will lead to liberate more than one crore of tribal population in Maharashtra that is still governed by caste councils.