Struggle · 5 to 15 Aug 2016

Una Dalit Asmita Yatra (Chalo Una)

Ahmedabad to Una, Gujarat

Sources differ on some details.

Four young Dalits were flogged in public. Gujarat's Dalits answered by walking.

On 11 July 2016, vigilantes publicly flogged four Dalit youths in Una for skinning a dead cow. The Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti answered with the Dalit Asmita Yatra, a 400 km march from Ahmedabad, joined by Muslims, that reached Una on Independence Day. There the marchers pledged never again to pick up dead cattle, and Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohit Vemula, raised the flag.

Its example inspired Chalo Udupi.

See it on the map and the timeline

What the sources record

The Dalit Asmita Yatra was flagged off in Ahmedabad on 5 August 2016. (1)
It was to end at Una on Independence Day, 15 August (Counterview, during the march). (1)
It was organised by the Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti in protest against the incident of 11 July in Una, a town in Saurashtra. (1)
The ten-day march ended in Una on 15 August, with a pledge to seek freedom from atrocities and caste discrimination. (2)
Al Jazeera gives the march as 400 km, from Ahmedabad; Muslims also joined it. (2)
It began after four Dalit youths were publicly flogged by vigilantes in Una on 11 July for skinning a dead cow. (3)
Nearly 10,000 people took part at Una on Independence Day. (3)
Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohit Vemula, raised the national flag at the rally. (3)
The Samiti demanded an end to the practice and at least five acres of land for each Dalit family, as most are landless. (2)
Jignesh Mevani, a lawyer and former journalist, became the face of the uprising. (2)
He gave the government 30 days to meet the demands, or face a Rail Roko. (2)
Manisha Mashaal, a Dalit woman activist, took part. (2)

Linked records

In answer to: The public flogging of four Dalit youths by cow vigilantes in Una on 11 July 2016 (victims not named here). (3)

People in this record

Jignesh Mevani, convener and leader
Radhika Vemula, unfurled the national flag at Una
Manisha Mashaal, participant
Deepak Parmar, participant

Sources

Shadow. Counterview. Gujarat Dalit rally to reach Una amidst wide support to stop scavenging dead cows, retaliation from upper castes. August 2016 (exact day not shown in the page as read).
Press. Al Jazeera (photos and captions by Javed Iqbal). India's Dalits demand freedom from caste discrimination (photo gallery). 16 Aug 2016.
Press. Newslaundry (Shuchi Kapoor). Chalo Una: See the protest that big media ignored (photo essay). 18 Aug 2016.

On the map at the centre of Gujarat.