Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari has levelled serious allegations against the supporters of the state’s Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana, holding them responsible for the fatal shooting of a Dalit youth during Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations in Morena district. The incident occurred in Hingona village, where a peaceful rally to mark Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary turned into a scene of violence over a dispute regarding DJ music.
According to the victim’s father, Mr. Chimbhan Singh, his son Sanjay Semil was shot dead by the minister’s loyalists amidst the clash. Two other Dalit youths were also injured—Ranu Dauneria sustained a bullet injury, while another young man was critically wounded. Speaking to Chimbhan Singh via video call, Patwari condemned the attack in the strongest terms and described it as a brutal reflection of the BJP government’s anti-Dalit mindset. He said this was not an isolated incident, but part of a dangerous and growing pattern of atrocities against Dalits under the BJP’s rule.
Citing official government data, Patwari pointed out that states governed by the BJP or its allies—such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra—have consistently reported the highest number of crimes against Scheduled Castes. He highlighted that Madhya Pradesh ranks third in the country, with 3,876 cases of atrocities against Dalits reported in 2022 alone. There has been a 4.2% increase in such crimes across the country, and on average, 58 crimes against Dalits are registered in India every single day. Despite this, Patwari said, the BJP-led government in Madhya Pradesh remains silent and inactive.
Recalling past incidents, Patwari reminded the media that in 2021, a Dalit youth named Rohit was murdered in Sagar district for the “offence” of sitting in front of upper-caste men. In another shocking case in 2023, a Dalit school student in Chhatarpur district was beaten simply for sharing a meal with students from a so-called upper caste. Patwari also referred to an incident in Rajasthan where BJP leader Gyandev Ahuja ordered a temple to be “purified” after it was visited by Congress Dalit leader and Leader of Opposition, Tikaram Julie — calling it a disgraceful act that exposed the BJP’s regressive views on caste and religion.
Highlighting the scale and proximity of caste discrimination, Patwari narrated yet another recent episode from Betma, located near Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow), Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birthplace. A Dalit groom and his wedding procession were stopped from entering a Shri Ram temple despite repeated pleas. The temple authorities and local villagers not only denied entry but also subjected the groom’s family to humiliation. Patwari called this a chilling example of how caste bias continues to thrive, even near the very birthplace of the man who fought his entire life to eradicate it.
