NEW DELHI: While the Madhya Pradesh government has initiated action against a man, alleged to be a BJP worker, on a tribal youth in Sidhi district of the state, the opposition has demanded stricter action against the culprit.
Taking cognisance of the matter, MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in a couple of tweets, said, “A viral video of Sidhi district has come to my notice. I have instructed the administration to arrest the culprit and take strict action and also impose NSA (National Security Act).”
Chouhan further said, “A criminal is only a criminal, he does not have any caste, religion or party. I have given instructions regarding the direct case, the accused will be punished in such a way that it becomes an example. We will not leave him at any cost.”
The incident is believed to have taken place several days or even months ago. The accused, Pravesh Shukla, was arrested on Tuesday and several provisions of IPC, including NSA and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been imposed on him.
However, the incident happening just a few months away from the assembly election in MP will pose a worry for the ruling BJP which is facing anti-incumbency sentiments and is trying hard to woo the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.
MP Congress president Kamal Nath demanded strictest punishment to the alleged BJP worker Pravesh Shukla. “A video of the brutality of urinating on a tribal youth from Sidhi district of the state has come to the fore. There is no place in a civilised society for such a heinous and fallen act with the youth of the tribal society. It is alleged that the person urinating is said to be associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party.”
Nath went on to say: “Madhya Pradesh is already number one in tribal atrocities. This incident has put the entire Madhya Pradesh to shame. I demand from the chief minister that strictest punishment should be given to the guilty person and the atrocities on tribals in Madhya Pradesh should be ended.”
MP Congress alleged that Pravesh Shukla, was the representative of the ruling party’s Sidhi MLA Kedarnath Shukla. The BJP and Kedarnath Shukla have denied that the accused was the MLA's representative.
The MP Congress accused the MLA of denying that the culprit was his representative even though the proof was present everywhere. “Terror of BJP leaders at its peak… Shivraj ji, leave shamelessness, take action… Why are all the miscreants in BJP only?” it added.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati also condemned the incident and demanded a more strict punishment for the guilty person.
In a series of tweets in Hindi, she said, “In Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district, the incident of a local domineering leader urinating on an Adivasi/ Dalit youth is very shameful, the inhuman act which is condemned is the least. The government waking up only after its video went viral proves their involvement, this is also very sad.”
She also said, “In this regard, the BJP government of Madhya Pradesh should take action against that criminal not only by NSA but by confiscating/ demolishing his property, leaving aside the idea of saving the criminal and not telling him that he belongs to his party. Such incidents bring shame to everyone.”
