Dalit Men Brutally Assaulted In Odisha: Rahul Gandhi Calls It “An Attack On Babasaheb’s Constitution”
New Delhi: In a deeply disturbing incident that has sparked nationwide outrage, two Dalit men were brutally assaulted, humiliated, and tortured by a mob in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Sunday. The victims, Bulu Nayak (52) and Babul Nayak (43), both residents of Singipur, were falsely accused of cattle smuggling while transporting livestock for a family marriage ceremony.
According to reports, the men were intercepted by a group of locals who accused them of illegally transporting cattle. The mob seized their mobile phones and cash, and demanded ₹30,000 for the release of the animals.
When the victims refused to pay, they were tied up, beaten, and forcibly taken to a local salon where their heads were partially shaved. The ordeal escalated further as they were made to crawl nearly two kilometers to a neighboring village, Jahada, where they were allegedly forced to eat grass and drink drain water in public.
Despite severe injuries, the two men managed to escape and reach their village, where they received preliminary medical treatment and later lodged a complaint with Dharakote police. However, the FIR was reportedly delayed due to police engagement in VIP security duty.
Reacting sharply to the incident, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the atrocity, calling it “inhuman” and “a mirror to those who believe caste discrimination is a thing of the past.” He demanded swift and strict action against the perpetrators, stating, “Every attack on the dignity of Dalits is an attack on Babasaheb’s Constitution, a conspiracy against equality, justice, and humanity.”
Gandhi also criticized the law and order situation under the BJP-led state government in Odisha, noting the alarming rise in crimes against Dalits, Adivasis, and women. “The country will be governed by the Constitution, not by Manusmriti,” he asserted.
Following the incident, members of the Dalit Mahasabha staged a protest in Singipur, demanding the arrest of the accused and the immediate release of the cattle still in the attackers’ custody. They also expressed concern over what they described as a rising climate of fear and lawlessness in the region under the BJP’s one-year rule in Odisha.
The incident has reignited debate around caste-based violence in India, especially in rural areas, and calls for urgent administrative and legal reforms to protect vulnerable communities.