Congress slams wedding rules for Dalits in Madhya Pradesh 

Denouncing the new government order in Madhya Pradesh that asks Panchayat representatives to inform the police in advance if there is a wedding in a Dalit family, Congress on Saturday said that Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has inherently an anti-Dalit mindset.

Mahidpur tehsil officials in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district have asked panchayats to inform the police of any weddings involving members of the Dalit community three days before the event to prevent “any untoward incidents” in the wake of growing attacks on Dalits.

Reacting to the government order, AICC spokesperson PL Punia said: “It’s the latest attack on the constitutional rights, as indeed the very basic dignity that any human being is entitled to…”

Apprehending that the new order would further discriminate, isolate and terrorise an already marginalised community, he wondered: “Police will remain present to supervise Dalit marriage processions. One is forced to wonder as to what the police will do. Will it ensure that the Dalits behave themselves by not being overtly celebratory? Will it ensure that the roads are cleared so that a Dalit does not inadvertently touch or spite an upper caste person? Or will it ensure that the Dalit groom sits on a horse only after paying a hefty bribe?”

Punia also trained his guns on the Union Government and PM Narendra Modi for remaining mute spectator over growing incidence of atrocities against Dalits, wondering if this is the “New India” that the ruling party talks about. “PM Modi chants Dr Ambedkar’s name, but his party’s goons vandalise Babasaheb’s statues,” he said, adding that “the BJP Chief Ministers seem to be hell bent on proving that Dalits and Adivasis second class citizens of India”.

Quoting NCRB figures, he added that under BJP’s watch, a Dalit suffers an atrocity every 12 minutes and at least 6 Dalit women are raped on daily basis in the country.