Dalit sarpanch skips flag hoisting

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Jan 28 2016 : The Times of India (Ahmedabad)
Ashish Chauhan
Ahmedabad:
The dalit sarpanch of Nortol village of Kheralu taluka in Mehsana who sought enhanced police protection for the flag hoisting ceremony on Republic Day af ter being threatened by mem bers of the Thakor communi ty, refrained from attending the event as he apprehended a threat to his life. The flag hois ting was performed by the daughter of one of people he had accused.

Chandu Makwana, sarpanch of Nortol village, said he skipped the ceremony as he didn't have enough police protection. “By the time I dared to go at the venue, I learned that the flag had been hoisted by Aarti Baghaji Thakor, the daughter of one of the people I had accused,“ he said.

Makwana's daughter alleged that the authorities gave directions that the flag be hoisted by an educated girl in the village. “There are so many educated girls in the village, but only Thakor's daughter, who is a Class 12 graduate, was selected over other girls, with bachelors and masters' degrees,“ she said.
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