question_answer 6)

Read the following news item. Nimone is a village on the Chauphula-Shirur Road. Like many others, this village has also been facing a severe water shortage,or the last few months and villagers depend on tankers for all their needs. Bhagvan Mahadeo Lad (35) of this village was beaten with sticks, iron rods and axes by a group of seven men. The incident came to light when some villagers brought a badly injured Lad to hospital for treatment. In the FIR recorded by the police Lad said that he was attacked when he insisted that the water in the tanker must be emptied into the storage tanks constructed as part of the water supply scheme by Nimone Gram Panchayat so that there would be equal distribution of water. However, he alleged that the upper caste men were against this and told him that the tanker water was not meant for the lower castes. Adapted from Indian Express, May 1, 2004   (a) Why was Bhagvan beaten? (b) Do you think that the above is a case of discrimination? Why?  

Answer:

(a) Bhagvan Mahadeo Lal was beaten because he wanted the water tanker should be -emptied into storage tank built by the Nimone Gram Panchayat, so that there could be equal distribution of water. But some of the people of upper class did not tolerate it. So, he was beaten by them. (b) Yes, this is a case of discrimination because from the above news we came to know that the people of upper castes were against the equal distribution of water. The people of upper cast think that the water in tanker was only for them and not for the lower caste people.