Following the shocking video of a man urinating on a tribal youth, the Congress hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging atrocities against tribals are increasing under the saffron party’s rule.
In a tweet, Congress leader and former party president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said, “Atrocities on tribal brothers and sisters are increasing in the BJP rule. The entire humanity has been put to shame by the inhuman crime of a BJP leader in Madhya Pradesh.”
“This is the disgusting face and real character of BJP’s hatred towards tribals and Dalits!,” he added.
The accused, identified as Pravesh Shukla, was arrested on Tuesday, after the video went viral, and has been booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). According to police, the incident took place at the Kubari market of Sidhi district on June 26.
An FIR has been registered against him under Sections 294 (Obscene acts) and 504 (Intentional insult to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the SC/ST Act.
In the video, Shukla can be seen in an inebriated state and smoking a cigarette, as he pees on the youth sitting on the stairs.
The Congress alleged that Shukla is an associate of Sidhi BJP MLA Kedarnath Shukla. However, the MLA’s spokesperson told The Indian Express that the accused is not a representative of the MLA, and is not even a BJP member.
Reacting to the video, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he has instructed the Sidhi district administration to take action against the accused and invoke NSA against him.
Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath has also condemned the incident saying that the “incident has brought shame to the entire state”, and demanded that the guilty be punished.