Tribal man assaulted, forced to pose as "murga" in Madhya Pradesh
text_fieldsIn Madhya Pradesh's Betul, a tribal man, Raju Uikey, was brutally attacked and humiliated, being forced into a demeaning pose termed as "murga."
The assailants, led by Chanchal Rajput, an alleged Bajrang Dal member, subjected Raju to physical violence and casteist slurs near Subhash School in the city. The disturbing incident was captured on video, leading to widespread condemnation.
The footage reveals Raju Uikey being coerced into a degrading pose and subsequently beaten by Chanchal Rajput and three others. Even in the face of bleeding, the attackers persisted in their brutal assault.
Narrating the traumatic experience, Raju, who works as a DJ, stated, "At around 11:30 pm, while I was on my way home, I was picked up near Subhash School by Chanchal Rajput and his Bajrang Dal friends. They assaulted me physically and verbally, and used casteist slurs against me."
State Congress President Jitu Patwari brought attention to the incident by sharing the video on social media, prompting swift action from the police. An FIR has been filed against Chanchal Rajput and the three other accused. Betul Superintendent Of Police (SP) Siddharth Chaudhary confirmed the incident occurred on Saturday, and efforts are underway to apprehend the perpetrators.
Expressing his dismay, Patwari highlighted the contrast between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent speeches on tribal upliftment and the harsh reality of tribal discrimination in the state.
"On one hand, the speech of PM Narendra Modi in which lies were being told about the elevation and respect of tribal people! On the other hand, Betul Bajrang Dal supporters torturing tribal brother Raj Uike! The Prime Minister is gone! But, now you see with your own eyes the truth of tribal honour of BJP! Don't commit so much oppression that you lose faith in justice!" Patwari wrote on X.
The police have initiated a thorough investigation to locate and apprehend the accused.