Bhubaneswar: Top Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi has strongly condemned the brutal treatment of two Dalit youths in Odisha’s Ganjam district, where they were allegedly forced to crawl on their knees, eat grass, and drink dirty water by a group of men.
Gandhi described the incident as “barbarism of Manuvadi thinking” and an attack on Baba Saheb’s Constitution, emphasizing that such incidents are a conspiracy against equality, justice, and humanity. He further alleged that atrocities against SC, ST, and women have increased alarmingly in BJP-ruled states, including Odisha, due to politics based on hatred and discrimination.
The incident occurred when the two Dalit men were transporting cows as part of a dowry for their daughter’s marriage. They were stopped by a group of men in Kharigumma village, accused of being cow smugglers, and subjected to merciless assault, including partial tonsuring and forced to crawl nearly two kms along village roads.
Gandhi demanded the immediate arrest and severe punishment of the culprits, asserting that the country will be run by the Constitution, not Manusmriti. The victims managed to escape and filed a formal complaint at the Dharakote police station.
