What is the truth behind the casteist uproar outside Vandana Kataria’s house – Ground Report
Indian hockey player Vandana Kataria
A person has been arrested by the Haridwar police for creating a casteist ruckus outside player Vandana Kataria’s house after the Indian women’s hockey team lost to Argentina in the Tokyo Olympics.
The SSP of Haridwar told the BBC that the arrest was made under the SC/ST Act.
Vandana Kataria’s house is in the narrow streets of Roshanabad village. The streets are so narrow that it is not possible to reach his house by car.
To reach his house, a car has to be parked on the main road outside. Then walking about 300-400 meters can be reached to his house. People of low income group live in the surrounding area.
On asking the address of Vandana Kataria’s house in this area, most of the people were found unaware of her name.
Did the firecrackers go off?
Vandana Kataria’s mother told the BBC, “It was around 5 o’clock in the evening and we were watching the match, when the sound of bursting of firecrackers was heard. We went downstairs. When we asked, we were told that firecrackers were burst. went.”
Vandana’s mother is a blood pressure patient. When we met him, he was not feeling well. He declined to talk further.
Lakhan Singh Kataria, one of Vandana’s elder brothers, says in a conversation with BBC, “We all were watching the match here at home, along with many media people were also present. As soon as Team India lost the match, near our house. There is only one house, firecrackers were started bursting there. Our elder brother heard all this and said, “Look who is it?”
Lakhan says, “When we went down, we saw that there was a huge crowd there. Many people there asked that these people are bursting firecrackers, bursting firecrackers, what to do with them? Then two constables came there. They told them. Was told that such a thing happened here. Then the policemen took Vicky Pal (full name Vijaypal) with them.
second party
Vijaypal’s house is about 40 meters away from Vandana Kataria’s house. His two sisters were present in the house at that time. Both of them were very scared. The door was not opening. When we tried to talk to her, the younger sister refused to talk saying, “You guys have also come from her (Vandana Kataria) house. I have seen you coming from her house. We will talk to you. will not do.”
But after sometime the elder sister of the arrested Vijaypal agreed to talk to us.
He said, “My brother is being framed. Vandana Kataria’s brothers have fought, even scuffled before with my family.” She also shows us some videos of the beatings.
Vijaypal’s sister also says that no media person has come to her house to know her side yet. According to him, all the media persons go to Vandana Kataria’s house and then return from there.
Vandana Kataria family
Vijaypal’s mother Kavita Pal reached home from the court after completing the legal formalities.
In response to the allegation of bursting firecrackers, she says in a conversation with the BBC, “My son was unwell that day, he was complaining of fever and sore throat, so he was lying inside the room. Then suddenly there were firecrackers on our terrace. There was a sound of explosion. We ran to the roof.
She says that Vijaypal’s father was just being informed about this, “Then the police reached our house and took my son away. Have you ever seen the police come so early?”
We asked Vijay Pal’s mother that who can burst such firecrackers on your roof, if the roof is yours, then how can someone else burst crackers?
In response, she says, “Our roofs are mixed in the surrounding. We have an old enmity with Vandana Kataria’s family. More fights may increase between us, because of this also someone may have done this act.”
When we tried to get information about this from the people of the neighborhood, most of the people were seen avoiding speaking on this matter.
Racist abuses?
In this case, Vijaypal has been arrested under the SC / ST Act. Vijaypal is accused of using casteist words as well.
Vandana’s brother Lakhan says about the word being casteist, “There is no point in the SC/ST Act and there is no question of the word casteist here. Some people have made it an issue. The matter is only about bursting of firecrackers.”
But in this whole matter, Chandrashekhar Kataria, the eldest brother of Vandana Kataria, has given a written complaint that casteist words were said. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Haridwar himself has confirmed this to the BBC.
Haridwar SSP’s Take
Haridwar SSP Senthil Avudai Krishna Raj S said in a conversation with BBC, “Written complaint was received by Chandrashekhar Kataria, brother of Vandana Kataria. Taking action under the same, we have registered an FIR under section 504 (Provocation of Provocation) and SC-ST Act. One person has been arrested in this case. Further investigation is on.”
Vandana Kataria’s eldest brother Chandrashekhar Kataria was not present at home throughout the day. When he came home in the evening, we tried to inquire from him that from where did the matter of using caste words come from?
Responding to this, Chandrashekhar Kataria says, “We come from the Dalit caste, this is known to all. We cannot change our caste, it is not only us who are saying this by saying or abusing caste words, other people are saying this. You go and ask them. Slogans like ‘Vandana Kataria Murdabad’ are being raised. Why is this being done, what is the enmity about?”
Many people raised slogans in support of Vandana Kataria’s house carrying poster banners.
Old enmity and two way sloganeering
When asked about the videos of fights shown by Vijaypal’s sisters, Chandrashekhar says, “These people are from outside, they are domineering people. They say that we are not afraid of anyone. We are from Muzaffarnagar. We are going to do the same here as we have done there. These people have also threatened to kill me.”
On the other hand, Vijaypal’s mother Kavita says that caste words were not used on her part, she alleges that Vandana Kataria’s brothers raised slogans of Murdabad by taking caste name outside their house.
When we spoke to a brother of Vandana’s relative to get information about this, he admitted that ‘we also raised slogans outside the house of the accused.’
Not only this, he also showed a video in which some people are seen shouting slogans in front of Vijaypal’s house.
BJP MLA Deshraj Karnwal from Jhabreda in Haridwar also reached Vandana Kataria’s house.
Dalit organization also active
Meanwhile, many people associated with Dalit organizations continue to visit Vandana Kataria’s house. Many people were seen shouting slogans in support of Vandana Kataria at Vandana Kataria’s house carrying poster banners.
These people were demanding sedition and action under NSA against those who burst firecrackers while raising slogans.
BJP MLA Deshraj Karnwal from Jhabreda in Haridwar also came to Vandana Kataria’s house and he also talked about taking action on this matter in case of sedition along with SC-ST Act.
BJP MLA Deshraj Karnwal says in a conversation with the BBC, “He has done such a heinous act, although it is a matter of investigation. No innocent should be trapped, no innocent should go to jail, but the guilty should not even escape.”
