Congress MLA Resigns, Says He’s ‘Deeply Hurt’ as Gehlot Govt Comes Under Fire

A Congress MLA in Rajasthan on Monday resigned from his Assembly membership over the death of 9-year-old Dalit student in Jalore district.

Panachand Meghwal, legislator from Atru assembly seat in Baran district, said that he hurt by the Jalore incident and added that dalits and deprived communities are being subjected to constant atrocities and torture, news agency ANI reported.

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“When we fail to protect the rights of our community…we have no right to remain on the post. After listening to my inner voice, I resign from the post of the MLA, so that I can serve the community without any position,” the MLA said in his resignation letter, according to news agency PTI.

“I am hurt looking at the atrocities. I cannot express my pain in words, the way my community is being tortured. Dalits are being killed for drinking water from a pot, sporting a moustache or riding a mare during a wedding. The judicial process is stalled and case files are passed from one table to the other. Cases of atrocities against Dalits are on the rise in the last few years. It seems there is no one to protect the rights of Dalits given by the Constitution,” he said.

“In most of the cases lodged by Dalits, the police submit the final report. Many a times, I have raised such cases in the state assembly but no action was taken by the police,” Meghwal rued.

A nine-year-old Dalit boy died on Saturday after he was beaten up allegedly by a teacher for touching a drinking water pot in a private school in Jalore district of Rajasthan, police said. The incident took place on July 20 at a private school in Surana village in Jalore district of Rajasthan. The injured child, Indra Meghwal, was taken to a hospital in Ahmedabad for treatment.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Babulal Bairwa said the atrocities against Dalits have increased in the state and demanded a special Assembly session to discuss the issue.

Also Read: Beaten by Teacher For Touching Water Pot, Dalit Boy Dies of Injuries in Raj’s Jalore; Internet Cut in Area

The teacher, Chail Singh, 40, has been arrested and charged with murder and under sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The internet has also been suspended in the area to prevent the situation from escalating.

Former deputy chief minister and Tonk Congress MLA Sachin Pilot said he will meet Indra’s family tomorrow.

“In Surana village of Jalore district, a student Indra Kumar lost his life after he was brutally thrashed by the teacher. I meet the family of Indra on August 16 to express my condolences,” he tweeted.

Superintendent of Police of Jalore Harsh Vardhan Agarwalla said the boy was beaten up badly and added that the reason cited for it — touching a drinking water pot — was yet to be investigated. “We have filed a case against the teacher, Chail Singh, under section 302 of the IPC and the SC/ST Act and have arrested him,” the police officer said.

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