In rural Haryana, the conundrum of Dalits goes beyond classification
In Kharkhoda, Dalits face challenges amid political promises ahead of October 5 polls, with subclassification stirring mixed feelings and hopes for change.
On its best day, Kharkhoda is a shadow of its bigger cousin Sonepat. The hamlet of 40,000-odd people is a frustrating mess of cratered lanes where overloaded auto-rickshaws manoeuvre at unimaginable speeds round impossible corners, sometimes grazing the wares and vegetables displayed on either side of the road. The cacophony has only gotten sharper over the past month as street-corner canvassing has taken up whatever little space was left in this dense hamlet, and motorbike rallies are zipping through its
Terrorised by the violence perpetrated by Jat mobs, scores of Dalit families spent the better part of the next decade on the streets. (HT achives)
Dhrubo Jyoti is Deputy Executive Editor at Hindustan Times, where they help oversee the newspaper’s daily news and opinion coverage. They are part of the leadership team of the newspaper and their daily responsibilities include news selection, commissioning and editing, apart from planning and executing special projects. Apart from this, they write on national affairs at the intersection of caste and sexuality, with a focus on elections, politics and the lifeworlds of the caste marginalised. Formally trained in physics from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata and Bose Institute, Kolkata, they made a switch to studying journalism from the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai. Over the past decade at Hindustan Times, they have worked at the National Desk, Page 1 team, Integrated Copy Desk and Special Stories Team, before running the opinion page as views editor for two years, and then moving back as Senior Editor of News Operations. In the past 12 years, they have reported on numerous national and state elections, specialising on caste-informed coverage of major moments in India’s history, and focussing on leading investigations into government accountability and social inequities. Their narrative non-fiction work aims to put Dalit voices at the core of India’s LGBTQIA+ movements.
Leena Dhankhar is the Bureau Chief of the Gurugram bureau at Hindustan Times, where she covers crime, excise, civic agencies, forests and wildlife, real estate, and politics. With over a decade of experience at the organisation, she has reported some of the region’s most impactful stories, known for her deep investigative work and on-ground reporting. Leena has extensively covered major crime cases, systemic lapses and financial irregularities, often exposing civic agency failures and prompting administrative action. Her journalism is driven by accountability, public interest, and a commitment to highlighting issues that shape everyday life in Gurugram.
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