A woman belonging to the Mahadev Koli community in Maharashtra’s Nanded was denied caste validity certificates because she worshipped Hindu Gods, a report published in TV9 Marathi said.
On being denied the caste validity certificate, the Mahadev Koli community took to the streets to protest against the decision by surrendering the idols of the gods worshipped by them to the authorities. They carried out a march to the Nanded Collector’s office to surrender their idols.
The Koli community is classified as Other Backward Class by the Government of India in the Indian States of Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. But in Maharashtra, Tokre Koli, Malhar Koli and Mahadev Kolis are listed as Scheduled Tribe by the State Government of Maharashtra.
The unique protests started in Kharatwadi village in Hadgaon taluk of Nanded district. Mayuri Punjarwad, a young woman living in the village, has completed her MBBS education. The young lady is currently studying MD.
Interestingly, Mayuri’s father, who is in government service, got a caste validity certificate. But the committee refused to grant the validity certificate to Mayuri. The report given by the Caste Validity Committee has come to the strange conclusion that because she worshipped Hindu Gods, she was not a Mahadev Koli.
“If we are denied a caste validity certificate for worshipping a god, then we have taken the stand that we are abandoning our gods. For this, the Mahadev Koli Samaj will take out a grand march at the collectorate office of Nanded and hand over the idols, idols and images of the gods in the house to the administration,” said Mayuri Punjarwad.
