Garba Nightmare: Dalit Student Brutally Attacked, Dragged by Hair for Attending Event in Gujarat

In a deeply disturbing incident that has once again cast a harsh light on persistent caste discrimination in India, a 20-year-old Dalit student in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, was allegedly subjected to brutal physical and verbal assault for the 'crime' of attending a Garba event. The young woman, Jayesh Bhailalb Solanki, was reportedly abused and dragged by her hair by four 'upper caste' women who brazenly questioned her right to participate in the traditional dance festival.

The horrifying ordeal unfolded on October 18, 2023, near a public toilet in the Bopal area of Ahmedabad.

Jayesh was enjoying the festive atmosphere of the Garba event with her boyfriend, a friend, and her sister when their evening took a sinister turn. Four women – identified as Vaishali Patel, Divya Patel, Leena Patel, and Rinku Patel – allegedly confronted Jayesh, launching into a tirade that exposed the ugly underbelly of caste prejudice.

According to the police complaint filed by Jayesh, the attackers hurled casteist slurs at her, demanding, "Are you not a Dalit? You are not equal to us.

Why have you come here to perform Garba? Are you not ashamed?" Their words were not merely insults; they were a direct challenge to her dignity and her fundamental right to participate in public life, simply because of her birth.

The verbal abuse quickly escalated into physical violence. The complaint details how the four women allegedly assaulted Jayesh, physically dragging her by her hair, inflicting pain and public humiliation.

This wasn't just an argument; it was a targeted act of aggression designed to assert dominance and enforce social segregation based on archaic caste hierarchies.

Following the traumatic incident, Jayesh bravely lodged a complaint with the Bopal police. Acting swiftly, the authorities registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the four accused women.

They have been booked under multiple stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 323 for voluntarily causing hurt, Section 504 for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, Section 294 for obscene acts and songs, and Section 506(2) for criminal intimidation.

Crucially, they have also been charged under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which addresses crimes against members of the SC/ST communities, recognizing the casteist motivation behind the attack.

This incident is not an isolated anomaly but rather a chilling reminder of the deep-seated prejudices that continue to plague Indian society.

Disturbingly, reports of similar caste-based discrimination during Garba events have emerged from Gujarat in the past, highlighting a systemic issue where individuals from marginalized communities are denied equal access and participation in cultural spaces. Such acts of discrimination and violence undermine the very spirit of unity and celebration that festivals like Garba are meant to embody.

The incident serves as a stark call to action for stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and a societal introspection on eradicating caste-based prejudice.