The video, showing two Dalit youths in Rajasthan’s Nagaur being thrashed, stripped and assaulted with a screwdriver being inserted into the private parts of one of the victims, has snowballed into a political controversy.
While former Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the incident “horrific and sickening” and urged his party-led Rajasthan government to take immediate action, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said seven people have been arrested so far. Gehlot assured that “nobody will be spared. The culprits will be punished according to the law and we will ensure that the victims get justice.”
Meanwhile Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal said that this incident flouts all norms of human rights.
"The case registered is under sections of normal violence while the video shows that the they had tried to kill the victims," he said.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties including the BJP and its alliance partner RLP led by Beniwal questioned the police functioning which failed to take immediate cognisance in the matter as the video went viral on 16 February when the incident was reported.
The three RLP MLAs on Thursday entered the state Assembly holding placards demanding a stop to atrocities on Dalits. It being the Budget day, the Speaker had to intervene and three of them staged a walkout and then staged a 'dharna' at the entrance of the Assembly.
BJP state president Satish Poonia told IANS that state government should open its eyes at least after Rahul Gandhi's tweet. Despite incidents such as when a Dalit woman was raped and filmed in presence of her husband, the police in the state is yet to learn a lesson, he said.
"Why did the police lodge a case on 19 February and not on 16 February when it was reported?" he asked.
‘Reminds of Una Flogging’
On the other hand, Samajwadi Party president Mayawati tweeted saying the video reminded her of the Una flogging incident.
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad blamed the Congress government of being “anti Dalit” and said it is no different from its political rival BJP. Aazad asked Bhim Army’s Rajasthan team visit the victim and call for a protest on 23 February.
Several others took to social media to condemn the incident and ask for accountability from the Gehlot government.
(With IANS inputs)
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