The BJP with its Hindutva agenda has now entered the fifth year of its “government with a difference.” Time to see what exactly is the difference, made. Has Hindutva improved the quality of life, at least for the Hindus? You may judge it from the following newsletter, from the BBC last week.
‘The Indian Dalits attacked for ‘wearing shoes’
Over the last month, Dalits (formerly untouchables) across India have been threatened, beaten and killed for seemingly mundane reasons, highlighting again how vulnerable the community is.
Threatened for riding a horse
On June 17, Prashant Solanki, a Dalit man in his late 20s, was on his way to his wedding riding a colourfully decorated horse, as is common practice, when he was ambushed by a group of upper-caste villagers. They insisted that riding a horse was an upper-caste privilege and threatened to attack Mr Solanki and his family.
Fearing for his life, Mr Solanki had the police accompany him to his bride’s home and also to his wedding.
This is not the first time a Dalit riding a horse to his wedding has been threatened. A similar incident occurred in 2015 when villagers hurled stones at a Dalit groom in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.
Killed for sitting cross-legged
Two Dalit men in the southern state of Tamil Nadu were killed by upper-caste Hindus after a Dalit man sat cross-legged in front of them during a temple ritual.
The upper-caste Hindus called it a “dishonourable and insulting” gesture. About 15 of them went to the Dalits’ neighbourhood and mounted an ambush. In addition to the two men killed, six others were injured and houses were damaged, according to police.
“The men who suffered injuries had deep cuts on their bodies made with sickles,” a senior police officer is quoted as saying in the Indian Express newspaper.
Stripped and beaten for swimming
Three Dalit boys were stripped, beaten and paraded naked by villagers in the western state of Maharashtra last week for swimming in a well that belonged to an upper-caste family, police said.
In a video that was posted online, two of the boys are seen covering themselves with leaves as a man hits them with a stick and a belt. Laughter can be heard in the background.
“We are still afraid of further attacks,” one of the victims’ mothers told BBC Marathi. She learned about the incident when she saw the video online. Police have arrested two of the men accused of involvement in the assault.
Beaten for wearing ‘royal’ shoes
Mahesh Rathod, a 13-year-old Dalit boy, was allegedly attacked in the western state of Gujarat for wearing a pair of “mojris” – leather shoes traditionally seen as royal footwear and worn by upper-caste members in some parts of India.
According to local media, he was approached by a group of men who asked him which caste he belonged to and when he said he was a Dalit, they abused him for “posing as an upper-caste member by wearing jeans, mojris and a gold chain”.
Violence over a Facebook name
Mr Jadav, a Dalit, changed his name to include “sinh” – a suffix that is traditionally used by an upper-caste community in the state.
“I changed my name from ‘Maulik’ to ‘Mauliksinh’ thinking we are free to keep the name of our choice,” Mr Jadav is quoted as saying in the Hindustan Times newspaper. He added that he received threats on Facebook and over the phone. “They told me to remove ‘sinh’ from my name or to face the consequences.”
The threats turned into violence when a group of men attacked Mr Jadav at his home the following day, leading to Dalit residents retaliating by storming the house of an upper-caste Hindu man.
Now, let us move from dalits to drug seizures, as reported in the press last week, in Goa and Manipur, both States ruled by BJP.”
“PANAJI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized 100 kg of the banned party drug ketamine being manufactured illegally at a factory in Goa, a senior police official said today……
The seized drug is estimated to be valued around Rs 5 crore, he said, adding factory officials were being questioned. Revenue intelligence officials conducted a raid at the factory in Pissurlem Industrial Estate, located 60 km from Panjim in Sattari taluka of North Goa district, on Monday night which continued in the early hours yesterday and seized the drug, the police official who accompanied the raiding party, told PTI.
PANAJI: The Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to BJP functionary Vasudev Parab, (emphasis added) in connection with a ketamine seizure from his factory unit at Pissurlem by the directorate of revenue intelligence last week…… (TNN)
IMPHAL: The Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) arrested seven people including Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Chairman (emphasis added) of an autonomous district council in Chandel district, Lutkhosei Zou, with drugs valued at over Rs 27 crore on Wednesday……”
The “difference” is palpably visible. Is anything left for me to say, or for you to conclude?
(Radharao F. Gracias is a senior Trial Court Advocate, a former Independent MLA and a political activist)
