Bhaiyyalal Bhotmange, whose family members were allegedly killed by non-Dalits in Bhandara district, sparking off widespread protests in Vidarbha region, has declined a job offered to him by the Maharashtra Government.

Bhotmange, who met Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at Navargaon helipad, during the latter's visit to the village on 10 November 2006, however, demanded stringent action against the perpetrators of the crime. "I don't want a government job but want the culprits to be hanged to death," he later said.

The State Government, in a communication earlier, had offered Bhotmange the job of a watchman at a government-run boys' hostel in Bhandara disrict. The order was signed by Deputy Secretary NN Bhadokar, which district social welfare officer RD Aatram conveyed to Bhotmange.

Minister for Social Justice and Rehabilitation Chandrakant Handole, who had visited the village on 12 October 2006, had assured to provide a job to Bhotmange on compassionate grounds.

Meanwhile a division bench of the Bombay High Court on 10 November 2006 issued a show cause notice to Maharashtra Government over the recent killing of four members of a Dalit family in Bhandara district.

The bench, comprising Justice AJ Rohi and CL Aangarkar, issued the notice on a PIL filed by a city lawyer. The notice is returnable within three weeks.

The killings at Khairlanji village in September 2006, allegedly by non-Dalits, had sparked off widespread protests in Vidarbha region.

(Source: The Indian Express)