Caste body in J'khand announces boycott of state minister and family

Ranchi, Dec 7

A caste organisation in Jharkhand has announced the boycott of state minister Satyanand Bhokta and his family.

According to sources, Kharwar Bhokta Samaj Vikas Sangh issued the decree in view of Bhokta's son marrying outside his caste.

The organisation strongly objected to this and stated that the minister was breaking caste traditions.

Bhokta termed the announcement as ridiculous and said that those announcing the boycott were outcasts from the society themselves.

Bhokta, a member of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), is a resident of Chatra. He is the minister of Labour Planning and Skill Development in the Jharkhand government.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren will attend the ceremony on Wednesday to bless Bhokta's son, Mukesh before the marriage which will take place on December 8.

The Sangh held a meeting before the wedding programmes and said that the marriage was to destroy the traditions of the caste society.

Darshan Ganjhu, who describes himself as the central president of the organisation issued a written order saying that the people of Kharwar Bhokta caste will not have any relations with the minister and his family.

Adding that the people of the caste would not participate in any marriage or shradh in the family, he said that those found violating the decree would be expelled from the society.

The minister said that some people wanted monopoly over the society in the name of caste and that people of all castes and religions including the Bhokta Samaj were participating in the ceremony.

The central government recently issued a notification to include the Bhokta caste of Jharkhand in the Scheduled Tribes, which earlier had the status of Scheduled Caste.