Caste away: Scheduled caste Hindus in Sindh are facing floods as well as discrimination (The News International (Pakistan), September 19, 2010)
“According to a report, scheduled caste Hindus were even denied shelter and food at a Dharmshala in Larkana where local management had made arrangements for 500 upper caste Hindus displaced due to floods from upper Sindh and Balochistan.
“Nisar Khokhar, a BBC correspondent from Larkana, says that arrangements at Dharmshala were very impressive, but unfortunately there was no place for scheduled castes. ‘Milk and other food items were available in huge quantity, but the entry of scheduled caste Hindus inside Dharmshala was banned,’ he tells TNS.
“He says that he was impressed by the efforts of local Hindu Panchayat, which did not take money from the government and was managing flood relief facility inside the Dharmshala on self-help basis. But, unfortunately, those who were in the most need were denied access to the facility just because they belonged to lower caste.
“The attitude of government officials is no different. In Makli, Prithvi Raj and other scheduled castes are denied registration as displaced persons. This registration will entitle them for government aid in cash and kind. The government had already started distribution of cash (Rs20,000) through “Watan” card scheme.
“‘DCO office in Thatta has refused our registration and told us to go to Hyderabad because our NIC is from Hyderabad,’ complains Pirthvi Raj. ‘Yes, we have NIC from Hyderabad, but when flood came we were settled in Thatta District,’ he argues.
“The official plea that they should go and register themselves in Hyderabad will deny these poor people compensation because Hyderabad is not included in the list of affected districts.
““We have received nothing, be it ration or cooked food,’ says Sono Bagri at Sabzi Mandi Camp in Hyderabad city. ‘When we try to reach them, we are told to go away because we are “Bagri” schedule caste.’
“An NGO activist tells TNS she has been asked by her boss not to focus on Bagris because they are not affectees, but beggars. Even provincial ministers are on record saying that Bagris and other schedule castes are beggars and have gathered in and around camps to receive aid.”
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