Backward caste boys paraded naked, penalise villagers, says Ambedkar

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Friday said that those people of the Maharashtra village should be ‘penalised’ after two boys from a backward community were forced to parade naked.

Apparently, two minor boys from a backward community were allegedly forced to parade naked after beaten up in Wakadi village in Jalgao’s Jamner taluka from swimming in a well that belonged to a person of a different caste.  

The police have already arrested two men, identified as Ishwar Joshi and his farmworker Prahlad Lohar, in connection with the incident.

"There is a saying "Jaisa raja waisi praja". This government is discriminatory towards people on the basis of their caste and hierarchy, and people are being victimised.

People of a certain caste believe they are superior to others," Ambedkar told reporters here.

Ambedkar claimed that atrocities on a section of society have continued unabated for the last four years, adding that it wouldn't stop till the government changed its attitude.

"The government has to change its mindset over people from the weaker sections of society. While the accused should be given the harshest punishment, what about the villagers who remained mute spectators and recorded the incident on their mobile phones?" he questioned.

"They too should be penalised. This will create sensitisation among them, that they should act against such horrific incidents," he added.

Meanwhile, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik claimed that the father of one of the victims had been pressured by the government to take back charges against the perpetrators.

"(Minister for Water Resources) Girish Mahajan was in Jalgaon today. He has to answer what has he done there that the father of the victim now wants to take back the case?" Malik asked.

"This tactic of the government, to save the culprits, is as horrendous as the actual crime committed," Malik said.

(With inputs from agencies)