People of Daspara in Gidhagram in Bengal are denied entry in the two centuries old, Gidheshwar Shiv temple, which is the single temple in the area. This instance is a clear violation of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which in the form of fundamental right, guarantees its citizens equal right to worship without any discrimination.
This instance is a clear violation of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which in the form of fundamental right, guarantees its citizens equal right to worship without any discrimination.
But as per locals of the area, they have been denied access to the temple ever since the establishment of the temple.
While talking to The Indian Express , a farmer named Ekkori said, ‘For years, we have not been allowed to climb the steps and enter the temple. They call us ‘choto jaat (low caste) and ‘muchi jaat’ (cobbler caste). It’s either the temple committee or the locals who stop us.’
The village concerned about the incident is part of Purba Bardhaman district, comprising 130 Dalit families with 550 people. Almost all of them share the surname ‘Das’ and belong to traditional cobbler and weaver communities.
Inability of administration in safeguarding rights of common people in West Bengal
On 24th February, six Das families informed the Katwa Sub-Divisional Officer, through a complaint, about their plan to pray at the temple on Shivratri and requested protection.
The complaint which was written in Bengali mentioned, ‘We are abused, mistreated, and thrown out of the temple whenever we go to pray. A section of villagers say we are untouchable cobblers belonging to low castes and, as such, have no right to visit the temple. Lord Mahadev will turn impure if we worship him at the temple.‘
Later, the police urged them to delay their temple visit because it could cause unrest during the Shivratri fair to avoid potential tension. People reluctantly agreed.
Later, the police urged them to delay their temple visit because it could cause unrest during the Shivratri fair to avoid potential tension. People reluctantly agreed.
A meeting was convened by the SDO on February 28th. The temple committee members, BDO, the Mangalkot and Katwa MLAs, residents, and police were involved in the meeting and as a result, a resolution was passed that stated:
‘Racial discrimination has been banned through our Constitution. Everyone has the right to worship. Therefore, Das families will be allowed to enter Gidheawar Shiv Mandir in Gidhagram,’ it also emphasised that, ‘Currently, India is a secular nation, and the Constitution has erased all discriminations based on caste, color, or race. All citizens of all castes and religions in this country are equal, and everyone has equal rights to enter a temple to pray.’
Well, these words largely remain in theory.
Lakkhi Das who lives in the same village told The Indian Express, ‘We were told that from March 1, two of our community members will be allowed to enter the temple with police escort. But on the night of February 28, local police told us there will be deterioration of law and order and we cannot visit the temple.’
The villagers were assured of a smooth visit on March 7, but when they arrived at the temple, with the Block Development Officer (BDO), the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) and police personnel, the temple gates remained locked, despite the security presence, to refrain from any unpleasant event, and they could not visit.
This protest resulted in the economic boycott of Dalits by the upper-caste villagers companies, following villagers’ directives. Upper caste people have halted milk collection from the village dairy, affecting 30-40 Das families’ livelihoods.
Justifying discrimination in the name of traditions
The hypocrisy of the so-called upper castes becomes apparent in their contradictory approach to religious practices. While they have no hesitation in collecting donations from Dalits for religious occasions, they deny them the right to participate in worship. When confronted with this inconsistency, they justify the exclusion by invoking age-old traditions, highlighting the deep-seated discrimination that persists despite claims of equality. A farmer Subhas Das said, ‘When they collect money for puja at the temple every year, we all pay. But they don’t allow us in. Our fathers and mothers could not offer puja.’
A temple committee member named Ram Prasad Chakravorty reacted on the issue as, ‘I don’t want to talk on the issue. One should not hurt the feelings of the majority in the village.’ This remark reflects the reality of contemporary politics, where actions are often justified in the name of the majority’s sentiments, while the constitutional rights of minorities are increasingly disregarded.
The temple committee in order to vindicate their inhuman and discriminatory actions gave explanations like ‘age-old traditions cannot be broken in a moment‘.
The temple committee in order to vindicate their inhuman and discriminatory actions gave explanations like ‘age-old traditions cannot be broken in a moment‘.
Bengal: a so-called progressive state’s hidden reality
The existence of the caste system is often dismissed but it remains deeply rooted in the consciousness of the so-called upper-caste community in West Bengal. Recent studies, have begun to uncover the caste-based discrimination, revealing significant divides on the levels of economic, religious, and cultural differences between the bhadralok and marginalised communities. The evident social and ideological divides between the “bhadralok” and “chotolok” persist, underscoring a deeply rooted hierarchy that continues to influence the state’s social structure.
The research paper, The Visible ‘Caste Gaps’ amid an ‘Invisible’ Caste System in West Bengal, India: A Study of Discrimination in Bengali Society published in November 2024, argued that the caste system in Bengal, though not overtly visible like in other regions, but deeply entrenched in society, especially within the Bengali Bhadralok (elite) community. Despite claims that caste has little impact on Bengal’s social or political landscape, scholars like Uday Chandra, Kenneth Bo Nielsen, and Sekhar Bandyopadhyay have demonstrated that caste-based divisions persist, especially between the Bhadralok and the marginalised “chotolok” communities.
This study also mentioned an interview of Sekhar Bandopadhyay, with The Wire, in which while addressing the Bengali Bhadralok’s reluctance to acknowledge the caste system within Bengali Hindu society, he cited John Bloomfield, stating that the Bhadralok championed liberal, democratic ideals, but only as long as their own privileges remained intact.
The persistence of caste discrimination in Bengal is highlighted by the fact that, although the state is often considered a progressive outlier, it continues to function within a graded hierarchy, where occupational divisions remain strictly assigned and inherited.
The rigid caste-based occupational divisions limit upward mobility, with communities like the Karmakar, Tati, Kumor, and others confined to specific, often menial, professions. Even migration to urban areas offers little respite, as these groups tend to be relegated to low-skilled, stigmatised jobs.
This hierarchy is reinforced by systemic barriers such as unequal access to education. For instance, the literacy rate among marginalised groups in Bengal is only 48%, compared to a significantly higher 90.9% among upper-caste communities. The rigid caste-based occupational divisions limit upward mobility, with communities like the Karmakar, Tati, Kumor, and others confined to specific, often menial, professions. Even migration to urban areas offers little respite, as these groups tend to be relegated to low-skilled, stigmatised jobs.
What’s next—justice or just promises?
For generations, Dalits have been denied access to the temple, yet no one stepped forward to challenge this injustice. It remained invisible to the ruling class and wider society. Even after seventy-seven years of independence, the fundamental rights of citizens in their own country continue to be denied. When, after years of exclusion, the people themselves took a stand to reclaim their rights, seeking support from the police, the administration, and their elected representatives, they received nothing but empty assurances and hollow promises.
Their struggle, instead of being met with justice, is brushed aside, leaving them with hope unfulfilled and justice still out of reach.
The up-pradhan of Gidhagram Gram Panchayat, in West Bengal, Pulak Chandra Konar says, ‘People of Daspara are a Scheduled Caste from the cobbler community. They are not allowed in the temple. They want to worship, others will not allow them. We are caught in between. We want to avoid a clash and a law and order problem. We are ashamed. As a public representative, we cannot allow discrimination to continue.’
Apurba Chowdhury, MLA of the state’s ruling party, who has also attended the meeting to resolve the issue, said, ‘Such practices cannot be allowed in this age. We are talking with all those involved. But you must understand it is a sensitive issue.’
Over fifteen days have passed but the people of Daspara could not enter the temple, as the issue continued to be labeled too sensitive to resolve. But on 12th March, the centuries old discrimination ended, when five members of the Das community of Daspara in Gidhagram village offered prayers and performed rituals without obstruction at the temple in the presence of local officials and police.
