As we headed for the hottest February in eight years, 35 year-old Ratan Navgire, two sisters and their two children began to walk from Pune to Mumbai with Rs 70 rupees and one goal: to meet the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and ask for the justice that leaders in a democracy are elected to ensure.

The family from Thergaon belong to the Matang caste, a caste historically discriminated against. Two years ago, their 14-year old son Karan was attacked by upper caste men in their village, when he reacted to caste-related insults. Constant caste-based harassment followed—abuses, physical assaults and threats. After several months of complaining, the municipality and the police finally did something. They cut off the family’s water connection without notice. When they tried to fetch water from the public tank, locals threw dead rats in their pots.