Dalits From UP, MP and Rajasthan Still Remain in Police Custody For Bharat Bandh Protests

More than 1,500 Dalits are in police custody in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh states for protesting during April 2 Bharat Bandh against the dilution of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court.

As violence erupted during Bharat Bandh, eleven persons – eight from Madhya Pradesh, two from Uttar Pradesh and one from Rajasthan were killed either due to the attacks by Upper Castes or by police firing on that day. According to numerous reports, six Dalits from Madhya Pradesh were killed due to the attacks by upper castes, and the remaining persons, including two Upper castes and three Dalits, died by police firing.

The state police have booked a case against Raja Chauhan, BJP leader from Gwalior, for leading a mob and firing gun on the Dalit protesters. The act was caught on a video which went viral and Chauhan has been absconding since then.

“Dalits are terrorized after the violence unleashed by the upper caste members during Bharat Bandh and are migrating to other states leaving away their own towns,” said Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(M) secretary from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. All the causalities took place in the state’s Chambal belt - Gwalior, Bhind and Morena districts. Yadav further added that nearly 300 Dalits are still behind bars who were arrested during Bharat Bandh in Madhya Pradesh. “Demanding the release of the arrested Dalits, CPI(M), AAP will be organizing a protest demonstration on May 3 in the State,” Yadav told Newsclick.

In Rajasthan’s Karauli District, on April 3, a day after Bharat Bandh, houses of two Dalit leaders – Rajkumari Jatav, BJP MLA, Bharosi Lal Jatav, a former minister of the state, were set on fire by a mob led by upper caste groups. The State police claimed to have arrested forty-five persons for the violence. However, while all of the upper caste members are said to be out on bail, on the other side, nearly 1,200 Dalits who were arrested during Bharat Bandh across Rajasthan, are still under judicial remand by the police.

Bhanwar Meghwanshi, PUCL Activist in the state, said that the nexus between Upper Castes and the state government has become evident after the Bharat Bandh. “Police do not find any violence done by the mob led by Upper Castes while false cases against thousands of Dalits are booked which reveal the anti-Dalit character of the state government,” Meghwanshi told Newsclick.

In Uttar Pradesh, while the state police had lodged cases against more than 5,000 unidentified persons during Bharat Bandh, only Dalit activists were arrested on that day, more than 30 of them, who still remain in judicial custody. Responding to the April 2 protests across the country, Bahujan Samajwadi Party Chief Mayawati claimed that the Bharat Bandh was “largely successful”. Attacking the BJP-ruled states, Mayawati said “Now things have come to such a phase that Dalits can't even protest. Dalits are being targeted for protesting and video footages show authorities implicating them deliberately.”