On Friday, a group of Mahila Morcha (BJP women wing) leaders conducted a purification ritual by sprinkling cow dung water at the venue where Congress leader and MP, Kodikunnil Suresh, carried out a 24-hour fast on the previous two days.
Following this, Dalit Congress leaders Pathala Raghavan, Perungulam Sajith and Congress Kottarakkara Block Committee, filed a complaint with police alleging that the purification ritual shows BJP’s intolerance towards scheduled castes and the party still follows the caste system.
Kodikunnil Suresh, who is from a Scheduled Caste, staged the protest against the poor condition of Punalur Kollam railway section. He had alleged that Madurai Railway Division has been neglecting the section.
Kottarakkara Police on Friday registered a case against the BJP workers under Sections IPC 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (punishment for rioting), 149 (section under unlawful assembly), 153A (promoting enmity between various groups on ground of race), and Sections under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989. Congress has alleged that BJP showed racism and casteism. They also alleged that BJP did it as Kodikkunnel Suresh belonged to a Scheduled Caste.
“The anti-Dalit approach of the BJP has been revealed through the heinous act. This took place at a time when it has become news that BJP workers are attacking and killing Dalits across the country. They should do this at the venue where Kummanam Rajasekharan speaks as part of his march,” O Rajan, Congress block president told Deccan Chronicle.
However, BJP made light of the incident and said that it was just a protest and Congress is playing caste card politics over it.
“Police have falsely implicated the BJP activists in a criminal case and this is highly condemnable. The Congress, on the other hand, quickly played the caste card to give a communal twist to the protest,” BJP district president G Gopinath told The Hindu.