Bant Singh is a Dalit singer and social activist who lives in Jhabhar village of Mansa district in Punjab. After loosing both his lower arms and a leg, this courageous man continued his fight, demanding justice for the way Dalits are treated. This is his inspiring story.
Bant Singh is a Dalit singer and social activist who lives in Jhabhar village of Mansa district in Punjab. In 2000, some men belonging to upper-caste families raped his eldest daughter — then a minor studying in Class 9. The culprits tried to bribe the family, asking them not to take the case to court. They even threatened Bant Singh, but he ignored them and pursued the path of justice.
Finally, in 2004, three culprits were convicted. This was the first time a Dalit was able to achieve justice in a case against upper-caste violence.
But on the evening of January 7, 2006, he was assaulted by seven men who beat him and broke both his arms and legs. He was barely alive when the villagers found him. While he survived, both his lower arms and a leg had to be amputated.
But nothing could hamper this brave man’s spirit to fight against injustice. Even today, he continues to demand justice for the way Dalits are treated – and for that, he uses music.
Bant Singh has been singing since he was a 10-year-old boy. Today, his songs of revolution and change have reached far and wide, inspiring many in different parts of India. Bant Singh has emerged as an agricultural labour activist who fights against the wrong-doings of landowners, and spreads his message through his songs.
In the first episode of ‘Chords of Change’, a new online series by Ditto TV, Bant Singh spoke about his amazing journey.
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