Guna Suicide Bid: ‘Fight is Against This,’ Rahul, Scindia React

“What is then the difference between Congress and BJP? Dalits should think about this,” Mayawati said.

As the videos from and the news of this heartbreaking incident floods social media, various public figures, including Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi and MP JM Scindia have come forward to express dismay.

(Photo: Accessed and Edited by The Quint)

A Dalit farmer couple consumed pesticide in front of their children in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna because the police tried to destroy their crops and evict the couple’s family from a piece of “government-owned land.” Following this, videos emerged on the internet in which the police can be seen clearly thrashing locals, including children, in that area.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others, have condemned the incident.

This is What Our Fight is Against: Rahul Gandhi

In a tweet on Thursday, 16 July, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared the video of the police thrashing the locals, and said “humari ladai is soch aur anyay ke khilaph hai (our fight is against this thought process and injustice).”

(Tweet: Rahul Gandhi)

The Collecter and SP Have Been Removed: Scindia

Jyotiraditya Scindia, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP, first took to Twitter to share that he has requested MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to take strict action against the officers. He later tweeted that Shivraj Singh Chouhan had directed the removal of Guna Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) with immediate effect.

(Tweet: Jyotiraditya Scindia)

(Tweet: Jyotiraditya Scindia)

‘What is the Difference Between BJP and Congress,’ Asks Mayawati

National President of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and former chief minister of UP (Uttar Pradesh), Mayawati, on Thursday, alleged that the actions of the Guna police and administration were extremely cruel, as well as shameful.

(Tweet: Mayawati)

Further, she said that while on one hand the Bhartiya Janta Party, as well as the MP government claim to be pro-Dalits, on the other hand the attempts at their eviction are just as common as they were during the Congress party’s reign.

“What is then the difference between the two parties? Dalits should think about this,” she said.

(Tweet: Mayawati)

Clarify the Purpose of the Batons: Chandrashekhar Azad

Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad referred to the behaviour of the MP Police as utterly shameful. He also asked the government to clarify whether the batons in the hands of the cops are for the protection of people or for inflicting atrocities on them.

(Tweet: Chandra Shekhar Aazad)

Others React

Other public figures such as Swati Maliwal, Sonam Kapoor and Avinash Das have also come forward to share their thoughts and express outraged.

(Tweet: Swati Maliwal)

(Tweet: Avinash Das)

(Tweet: Anubhav Sinha)

(Tweet: All India Parisangh)

(Tweet: Sonam K Ahuja)