A series of attacks on Dalits in Andhra Pradesh is causing severe embarrassment to the YSRCP government. Several incidents of Dalits being subjected to beatings, tonsuring and other forms of violence have been making headlines in the recent months. There may be different factors behind these incidents, like personal grudges, over enthusiasm by police or arrogance of power on the part of ruling party leaders… but these incidents are tarnishing the image of the government.
A Dalit youth died in Chirala in Prakasam district when a police official thrashed him for violating lockdown norms. Before heat generated by this incident is gone, another incident of a Dalit youth being tonsured in police station at Sitanagaram in East Godavari district hit headlines. President of India himself had to intervene in the matter after the victim had written to him, though in a figurative manner, seeking permission to join Naxalites to get justice.
After this incident, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took a serious note of such incidents and announced that no one will be spared in case of attacks on Dalits. He also reminded that the home minister is a Dalit as also many senior police officials, while the DGP is from the Scheduled Tribes.
Soon after, a controversy broke out over the mysterious death of a Dalit youth in Chittoor district after his selfie video in which he was seen making derogatory comments against the Chief Minister was circulated in social media. After TDP raised a hue and cry, the state government, which initially declared the death as natural on the basis of his family members’ testimony, was forced to exhume the body for postmortem.
In fact, there is no direct role of the government in any of these incidents, yet it is a matter of perception. It would have averted later incidents if it had reacted seriously on the first incident itself. Analysts say that the YSRCP government will have to be in the defensive if SC/ST communities start to think that the government is not taking the attacks on them seriously though it was they who had contributed to its ascent to power.
Brutal act
The incident at Bigg Boss fame Nutan Naidu’s house created a sensation across the state. The perpetrators filmed the brutal attack and tonsuring of a Dalit youth in their own house. Footage of the entire incident was recorded in a CCTV camera kept on the upper floor. The victim Srikanth told the police that he was threatened he would be killed if he revealed about the incident to anyone. This indicates the confidence of the accused that nothing will happen to them even if the incident comes out.
Absence of fear about the system, especially police, is the main reason behind such incidents. If the government wants to prevent such incidents in future and not let its image be tarnished further, it has to make sure culprits are punished as fast as possible. Only by acting tough in these matters, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy can regain the confidence of Dalits towards him. Otherwise, they will look for alternatives.
