Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 6: In a massive gesture, the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday washed the feet of the tribal man who was allegedly urinated upon by an upper caste youth in Sidhi district. The incident had provoked massive outrage in the state and outside leading to youth’s arrest and being slapped National Security Act for his heinous inhuman act.
To rectify the wrong, the tribal was invited at the chief minister’s official residence in Bhopal and was given special attention from the Chief Minister who washed his feet, apologized to him and called him his friend. He also discussed tribal welfare measures of his government with the person wronged. Pravesh Shukla, the youth arrested on the charge of urinating on the tribal, allegedly in an inebriated condition, is believed to the mandal vice-president of the BJP Yuva Morcha.
A video showed the Chief Minister conversing with Dasmat Ravat, a 36-year-old tribal from Karaundi, before washing his feet in a gesture of respect. Chouhan asked Dasmat Ravat many questions, including how he earned a living and whether he and his family are beneficiaries of government schemes.
Referencing “Sudama”, the impoverished childhood friend whom Lord Krishna showered with gifts, the Chief Minister said: “Dasmat, now you are my friend.” Chouhan also shared photos on Twitter and wrote: “Dasmat ji, this is an attempt to share your pain, I also apologise to you, for me public is God.” The CM and the Dasmat also together planted a sapling at the Smart City Park in Bhopal.
After meeting the Chief Minister, Dasmat Ravat said, “He called up my family and spoke to my family, I felt good. I am now returning after meeting him.” In a viral video, Shukla was seen smoking a cigarette while urinating on Dasmat, sitting on the ground. The disturbing video has fueled a political row in the state where polls are due later this year. Dasmat Ravat had earlier called the video fake in a statement that was allegedly prepared under duress.
“A video of atrocity of (a man) urinating on a tribal youth from Sidhi district of the state has surfaced. There is no place for such a heinous act with the youth of the tribal community in civilised society,” said former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The backlash has prompted the Chief Minister to order tough action against Shukla, a part of whose home has been demolished.
