Congress questions move over Dalit weddings in MP

Congress on Saturday raised questions over authorities in a part of Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district asking sarpanches to inform police in advance if there is a wedding in a Dalit family, saying the move "further isolates" an already marginalised community.

In a statement, Congress leader P. L. Punia also accused the BJP-led government of bias against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, saying that some Dalit members of the ruling party had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with their complaints.

Questioning the order in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh concerning advance information about Dalit weddings, he said: "One is forced to wonder as to what the police will do. Will it ensure that the Dalits behave themselves by not being overtly celebratory? Will it ensure that the roads are cleared so that a Dalit does not inadvertently touch or spite an upper caste person? Or will it ensure that the Dalit groom sits on a horse only after paying a hefty bribe?

"In either case it is a move that further discriminates, isolates and terrorises an already marginalised community," he said.

Punia was referring to media reports that authorities in the Mahidpur tehsil of Ujjain district in Madhya Pradesh had asked the local panchayat representatives and officials to inform police three days in advance if there was a wedding in a Dalit family in villages.

The authorities, who had termed the step as a precautionary measure, had cited a showdown between Dalits and upper castes.

--IANS

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