By Matters India Reporter
Ranchi, July 6, 2023: The incident of an upper caste Hindu urinating on a tribal man in a central Indian state has been widely condemned by indigenous people in the country.
Amrit Horo, a youth leader of the Ranchi archdiocese, says the incident has brought shock, anger, and a sense of injustice to the tribal community in India.
“The already marginalized Adivasi community, who face many social challenges, might feel further marginalized and discriminated against as a result of this incident. It could reinforce existing concerns about the mistreatment and exploitation of the Adivasi people,” Horo told Matters India.
A viral video shows a drunken man, identified as Pravesh Shukla, is seen smoking a cigarette as he urinates on the face of a tribal man sitting by a roadside on July 4 in Madhya Pradesh state.
The state police on July 5 night arrested Shukla under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. On the same day, the administration demolished Shukla’s house, allegedly built on illegal land.
Shukla is an alleged member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that heads the federal coalition in Madhya Pradesh as well as in New Delhi. The party has denied any links with the man.
Sister Lalita Roshni Lakra, a lawyer in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, termed the incident as “definitely derogatory to human dignity.” She said she felt pain, embarrassment and anger when she watched the video. “But I didn’t know how to express those sentiments. So, I shared the video with many people and groups with my comments,” she told Matters India July 6.
Santosh Kiro, a writer on Adivasi matters based in the Jharkhand capital of Ranchi, regrets that the incident has taken place when a tribal member occupies the highest position in the country as President of India.
“One can only hope that the incident opens the eyes of the Adivasi community towards groups and parties that don’t recognize human dignity,” he adds.
Kiro claims the foundation of Hinduism is based on the philosophy and religion of Tribes. “They know it, but would never acknowledge it,” he regrets.
The Adivasi writer says the BJP and its parent body, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are confused as to how to deal with the Adivasi groups. “They do not want to leave them, but do not want to give them commendable places in their system. They want the Adivasis just as an adjunct,” he regrets.
He also says the urinating incident betrays the BJP RSS approach towards the tribes. “The incident is condemnable but more than that it just tells how much BJP RSS respect the tribes in reality,” he adds.
Horo wants the authorities to conduct a thorough probe into the incident and take appropriate action against those responsible.
“The incident should not be taken lightly, and steps should be taken to ensure justice and accountability. It is also crucial to foster dialogue, understanding, and tolerance between different communities to prevent such incidents and promote social harmony,” he added.
Sister Lakra, a member of the Daughters of St Anne of Ranchi, says someone had the presence of mind to make a video of the “heinous crime” that in turn helped the public to know about and to be noticed by many, including the Madhya Pradesh chief minister.
“Let the culprit who dared to do this act be punished under the law and let his name be defamed,” she said and added that the man could have felt the protection from the party to do such an act.
“This cannot be tolerated. There should be zero tolerance for such a heinous act. Let him be behind the bar and regret what he has done,” Sister Lakra asserted.
According to her, what the alleged BJP man has done was not just against a particular Adivasi youth but the whole tribal community of India.
Dayamani Barla, a social activist in Jharkhand, too wants stringent punishment against the man, who she says has violated the dignity and human rights of a tribal youth.
Ratan Tirkey, former member of the Former Tribal Advisory Council of the Jharkhand government, has urged President Draupadi Murmu to take suo motu cognizance of the matter and summon the Madhya Pradesh governor.
“The incident in Madhya Pradesh is not just an incident but an attack on the Tribal, Dalit and Backward society. Political parties have made the act an issue, but what guarantee is there that their people with this sick mentality would not do so,” he asks.
Tirkey says tribals are harassed in every government department, public undertaking and administrative department.
“The incident of urination is definitely condemnable. It must be opposed so that in the coming days the so-called civilized people would not do such things to the poor backward Dalit tribals,” he asserted.