TW: Violence, assault, harassment
"A Right to Information (RTI) activist, who belongs to the Dalit community, was allegedly beaten up and forced to drink urine by several people at Panihar village, in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district, after he purportedly sought information under RTI about a village panchayat."
- Police personnel
On 23rd February 2022, Shashikant Jatav, a 33-year-old RTI activist belonging to the Dalit community, was called to the panchayat office by the sarpanch's husband, panchayat secretary, and others. He was then locked up in a room and beaten up by several people, making casteist remarks against him.
In her complaint, Shashikant’s wife, Renu, stated that her husband was also forced to drink urine filled in shoes after he sought information related to Bahri village panchayat, which made some people in the panchayat angry and triggered the attack.
"Shashikant sustained multiple fractures due to the assault and was initially taken to the district hospital, but due to blood clotting in his legs, he was subsequently moved to AIIMS in Delhi, where he is undergoing treatment."
–Shashikant’s's family
This is outrageous! The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to prohibit discrimination, prevent atrocities and hate crimes against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Yet time and again, we encounter repeated such incidents of caste-based violence in the country. According to Article 46 of the Indian Constitution, "The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker section of the people, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation."
It's time that we all unite and fight such caste-based violence cases and ask Dr. Virendra Kumar, Minister, Social Justice and Empowerment to intervene. We demand that-
1) All the seven people mentioned in the FIR should be immediately arrested.
2) The Bahri village sarpanch and secretary should be immediately suspended from their position.
3) A special committee should investigate this matter and punish the offenders.
Stand in solidarity with the victim, and demand an end to caste-based violence. Sign the petition!
Sources-
MP: Dalit Man Beaten Up and Forced to Drink Urine for Filing RTI Application- The Wire
In MP, Dalit RTI activist beaten, forced to drink urine: wife in FIR- The Indian Express
TW: Violence, assault, harassment
"A Right to Information (RTI) activist, who belongs to the Dalit community, was allegedly beaten up and forced to drink urine by several people at Panihar village, in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district, after he purportedly sought information under RTI about a village panchayat."
- Police personnel
On 23rd February 2022, Shashikant Jatav, a 33-year-old RTI activist belonging to the Dalit community, was called to the panchayat office by the sarpanch's husband, panchayat secretary, and others. He was then locked up in a room and beaten up by several people, making casteist remarks against him.
In her complaint, Shashikant’s wife, Renu, stated that her husband was also forced to drink urine filled in shoes after he sought information related to Bahri village panchayat, which made some people in the panchayat angry and triggered the attack.
"Shashikant sustained multiple fractures due to the assault and was initially taken to the district hospital, but due to blood clotting in his legs, he was subsequently moved to AIIMS in Delhi, where he is undergoing treatment."
–Shashikant’s's family
This is outrageous! The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to prohibit discrimination, prevent atrocities and hate crimes against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Yet time and again, we encounter repeated such incidents of caste-based violence in the country. According to Article 46 of the Indian Constitution, "The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker section of the people, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation."
It's time that we all unite and fight such caste-based violence cases and ask Dr. Virendra Kumar, Minister, Social Justice and Empowerment to intervene. We demand that-
1) All the seven people mentioned in the FIR should be immediately arrested.
2) The Bahri village sarpanch and secretary should be immediately suspended from their position.
3) A special committee should investigate this matter and punish the offenders.
Stand in solidarity with the victim, and demand an end to caste-based violence. Sign the petition!
Sources-
MP: Dalit Man Beaten Up and Forced to Drink Urine for Filing RTI Application- The Wire
In MP, Dalit RTI activist beaten, forced to drink urine: wife in FIR- The Indian Express