The Madhya Pradesh High Court has expressed strong concern over the growing number of caste-based attacks and discriminatory acts in the state, calling the trend “deeply disturbing.” The court cautioned that if caste divisions and assertions continue unchecked, those calling themselves Hindus might “cease to exist” within a century and a half.
The observation was made on October 14 when the court took suo motu cognisance of an incident reported from Damoh district on October 11. In that case, a man from the OBC community was allegedly humiliated by upper-caste villagers, who forced him to wash another man’s feet after he shared an AI-generated meme.
A division bench comprising Justices Atul Sreedharan and Pradeep Mittal criticised the police for the sections they had initially applied in the FIR and directed both the police and district administration to invoke the National Security Act (NSA) against all individuals seen in the video of the incident.
Referring to previous caste atrocities in the state, the court remarked that Madhya Pradesh had earlier witnessed a similar case where a man from a dominant caste urinated on the head of a tribal person — an incident that led the then Chief Minister to publicly wash the victim’s feet as an act of remorse.
The bench noted that caste-based identities were being increasingly flaunted by different communities in ways that, it said, were harmful to the unity of Hindu society, Indian Express reported.
The Court remarked that caste consciousness had reached alarming levels across communities, noting that many individuals now openly and aggressively display pride in their caste identity. The judges said such behaviour was fueling a surge in caste-related violence, often targeting those who are the least educated and economically weakest.
The bench pointed out that recent incidents including a shoe being hurled at the Chief Justice of India and the suicide of a senior police officer in Haryana reflected how caste tensions were becoming increasingly visible across the country.
The court further observed that caste divisions had overshadowed a shared Hindu identity, remarking that on social media and in news discourse, “the Hindu is conspicuous by his absence.”
According to the judges, people now identify primarily as Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, or Shudras, each asserting their separate identity. They warned that if such divisions persist, Hindus could “cease to exist” as a unified community within the next 150 years due to internal conflicts.
While acknowledging that invoking the National Security Act (NSA) typically falls under the executive’s discretion, the court said the circumstances of this case warranted immediate action. It reasoned that any delay could heighten resentment among members of the victim’s community and potentially trigger violence, undermining public order.
To prevent such escalation, the bench directed the Damoh police and district administration to promptly invoke the NSA against everyone identified in the video — particularly those present at the temple where the victim was humiliated. Officials later confirmed that the NSA had been invoked against the accused.