22 October,2010 01:45 PM IST | | Agencies
Passing through the interior of Tuem village in Pernem taluka, one cannot miss a tiny house within a cluster of houses, which explicitly manifests the scourge of untouchability that still persists here.
Living in this pocket, Kale's family speaks the tale of how untouchability still shamefully prevails in rural Goa. Sadashiv alias Shambhu Kale, his wife and three minor children were literally ostracised from Poraskaden village in Pernem taluka. Wonder what their fault was? Despite being Brahmins, they had given their blessings to a Harijan couple at their wedding.
Kale, who was eking out a living by performing puja at Shree Mauli Devasthan, had to abandon his house in Poraskaden and run for a cover. Entire village was against him. He was thrown out of the temple and later forced to leave the village. Shattered by the incident, his wife committed suicide. Kale, who has two teenaged daughters and a four year-old son, was forced to take up a rented accommodation in the nearby village.
The issue hogged limelight, after local MLA Jitendra Deshprabhu raised it in the state Legislative Assembly forcing the then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to given an assurance of help to this family. Seven years down the line, the same Harijan community because of whom he lost his house and was declared social reject, joined hands to give him another house in the nearby village of Tuem.
Getting a piece of government land sanctioned, to raising funds, the Harijan community stood by him. This month, the house was completed and formally handed over to the family. Kale's own society, Purohit community, too contributed for this shelter, which was handed over to him, this month.
"Untouchability still exists in Pernem taluka. When we realised that Kale is left to fend for himself, many felt that he should be helped out to rise from the injustice," said Nivrutti Shirodkar, a journalist and social activist.
Harijan community, Purohit community, social workers and Goa-based Dhavalikar Trust came together for the project. "Any politician would have been ready to construct shelter for Kale family but we decided that only non-political contributions would be entertained," Shirodkar said. Shirodkar said it's a rule that no Brahmin can bless Harijan's wedding.
Former Deputy Superintendent of Police Apa Teli, who was the part of fund raising team, said that unprecedented help poured in for Kale. This tradition also exists in Morjim village, a tourist hotspot famous amongst Russian visitors. The constituency is represented by BJP's Goa Unit President Laxmikant Parsekar.
"Harijan couples have to go outside the state or in some undisclosed locations to get their weddings blessed. If a Brahmin is caught participating in the wedding, he is shunted out of the temple and socially banned," Shirodkar added.
