Nawada: Congress pledges to build houses for Mahadalit victims

The day after more than 80 houses belonging to a Maha Dalit community in Bihar’s Nawada district were set on fire, the Congress vowed to take matters into its own hands if the ruling NDA government in Bihar does not act swiftly to rebuild the victims' homes.

The party had already accused chief minister Nitish Kumar of gross negligence yesterday, 19 September, and deplored his failure to protect vulnerable communities.

Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, after spending a night with the displaced Dalit families said: “If the government does not repair these houses, the Congress will build homes for them. This is not a mere statement; we will ensure justice for these victims.”

Sharing a video of a press interview on X, Singh announced his intention to spend the night among them. In the video, he is seen saying, “We aren't doing anyone a favour. We consider this our dharma. The Congress party understands its responsibility. The Congress has always stood with the Maha Dalits, who have been left behind. Since the time of Gandhi and Nehru, the Congress has implemented policies to bring Dalits into the mainstream.”

The violence, which erupted late Wednesday night, saw more than 80 homes belonging to Dalit families set ablaze, with 21 houses reduced to ashes.

The attack, reportedly over a land dispute, has prompted widespread outrage, with opposition leaders accusing the NDA government of not just incompetence but also "sheltering anarchists" who perpetrated the violence.

Congress has been particularly scathing in its criticism, with Singh accusing the Nitish Kumar government of turning a blind eye to the atrocities against Dalits. "The ruling coalition’s apathy is evident. This is not just an issue of property damage; this is about the safety and dignity of an entire community," Singh added, calling the government’s response inadequate.

Speaking of the incident, Nawada superintendent of police Abhinav Dhiman said, “Police reached the spot immediately with fire engines, but it took time to control the blaze. Initial investigations suggest a land dispute as the reason, but further inquiry is underway.”

Opposition parties believe that the state‘s sluggish response has emboldened anti-social elements.

So far, 15 individuals, including the main accused, have been arrested and a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the incident further.

However, opposition parties remain unconvinced of the integrity and efficacy of the response, with many calling for a deeper investigation into why such violence could occur in the first place.

Nawada district magistrate Ashutosh Kumar Verma confirmed that efforts to apprehend remaining suspects were ongoing.

Rahul Gandhi also condemned the attack on X, describing it as a ‘horrifying example of the systemic injustice against Bahujans in Bihar’.

Gandhi wrote, ‘The cries of Dalit families whose homes were burnt and the terror of this violent act were not enough to wake up a sleeping government. The complicity of the state in ignoring such heinous acts cannot be overlooked.’

While there were no immediate casualties, the displaced families have been left without shelter, forced to rely on temporary arrangements with little to no assistance from the state government.

Local officials, facing mounting pressure, have deployed additional police personnel to maintain law and order, but critics argue this is a band-aid solution that does nothing to address the root causes of caste violence in Bihar.

The Congress party’s pledge to rebuild the homes of the Dalit victims has resonated widely, becoming a rallying point for the opposition, who see it as a direct challenge to the NDA government’s ability to safeguard the rights and livelihoods of marginalised communities.

As investigations continue, questions persist about the Nitish Kumar government’s handling of the violence.

With the Congress and other opposition parties sharpening their attacks, the state government finds itself under growing pressure to deliver justice and rehabilitate the victims — or face the political fallout of its inaction.