Kumari Selja, Sirsa MP and Congress national general secretary.
Sirsa MP says incidents raise serious questions over dignity, safety and constitutional rights of Dalits; seeks accountability and strict legal action wherever violations are established
CHANDIGARH / PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
Sirsa MP, former Union minister, Congress national general secretary and CWC member Kumari Selja has expressed serious concern over what she described as growing questions surrounding the dignity, safety and constitutional rights of Dalits in BJP-ruled states. Referring to the reported custodial death of 28-year-old Dalit youth Rajesh in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, and the alleged ‘purification’ of a stage after Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s programme in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, Selja said both incidents were deeply disturbing and called for impartial investigations.
Selja said the two incidents, although different in nature, had brought issues of social justice, equality, dignity and protection of constitutional rights back into public debate. She stressed that every citizen, irrespective of caste or social background, is entitled to dignity, security and equal protection of the law.
Referring to the Badaun incident, Selja said the family of the 28-year-old Dalit youth had alleged that he was brutally assaulted while in police custody. She said such allegations could not be ignored and demanded that the circumstances surrounding the death be investigated impartially.
“If a person enters police custody alive and does not return alive, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure a fair investigation and fix accountability,” Selja said, adding that any official found responsible after a proper investigation should face strict action under the law.
She said custodial deaths are particularly serious because people held in official custody are under the direct responsibility of the state machinery. According to her, allegations of custodial violence should be investigated through a transparent and credible process so that the family of the deceased receives justice and public confidence in the administration is maintained.
Selja said reports of violence, discrimination, humiliation and atrocities against Dalits from different parts of the country were a serious challenge to the principles of social justice. The Constitution, she said, guarantees equality and dignity to every citizen, and caste-based discrimination has no place in a democratic and civilised society.
She emphasised that social equality cannot remain limited to constitutional provisions or political speeches. It must be reflected in the everyday functioning of government institutions and in the treatment of citizens. According to Selja, law enforcement agencies and public authorities have a special responsibility to ensure that vulnerable communities are protected and their complaints are taken seriously.
The Congress leader also referred to the controversy surrounding the alleged ‘purification’ of a stage following an address by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge in Haldwani. She said the reported incident had once again brought the issue of untouchability and caste discrimination into public focus.
Selja said that if such a mindset was indeed displayed towards Kharge, a senior Dalit leader and the national president of a major political party, it raised questions about the kind of discrimination that poor Dalit families could potentially face in villages and small towns.
She said the issue should not be dismissed as an isolated incident if the allegations were found to be true. Instead, the matter should be examined impartially and responsibility fixed according to law.
Selja also referred to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the incident and said the issue was directly connected with the dignity of crores of Dalits across the country. She said political differences could never justify discrimination based on caste and that democratic institutions must remain committed to equality and social justice.
The Congress leader demanded an impartial probe into the Haldwani episode. She said that if violations under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act or any other applicable law were established, strict legal action should follow.
According to Selja, the larger issue was not merely about one political programme or one individual but about the constitutional values that govern Indian society. Equality before law, dignity of the individual and freedom from caste-based discrimination, she said, were fundamental principles that must be protected irrespective of political affiliation.
Selja alleged that the BJP frequently invokes the legacy of Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar and the Constitution, but repeated incidents raising questions over the safety and dignity of Dalits point towards a contradiction between political assertions and governance.
She said the government should demonstrate its commitment to the Constitution through concrete action rather than political statements. Protecting the rights of Dalits, ensuring impartial investigations and taking action against those responsible for violations, she said, were essential to maintaining public confidence.
Selja maintained that the Congress would continue to oppose caste discrimination and raise the voice of Dalits through democratic and constitutional means. She said social justice required continuous vigilance and collective action, particularly when allegations emerged involving institutions responsible for protecting citizens.
She further stressed that Dalit communities should not be made to feel that their social status or caste could affect their access to justice. Any citizen approaching the police or administration, she said, should be able to do so without fear or discrimination.
The Congress leader said impartial investigation was the first requirement in both cases. She cautioned against reaching conclusions before the facts were established, but maintained that allegations involving custodial death or caste-based discrimination warranted serious attention from the authorities.
She said the government must ensure that investigations are conducted in a manner that satisfies the victims’ families and the wider public. Transparency, accountability and adherence to law, she said, were essential for preventing such controversies from deepening social divisions.
Selja’s remarks come amid a wider political debate over social justice, the protection of constitutional rights and the treatment of Dalit communities. She said political parties and governments may differ on policies, but there should be no disagreement over the basic principle that every citizen deserves dignity and equal protection.
She also appealed to citizens to remain committed to social harmony and reject caste-based prejudice. According to her, strengthening social unity requires respect for every community and strict opposition to discrimination in any form.
Selja said the Constitution provides a framework for equality and justice, but its values can only be meaningful when implemented in everyday life. She urged governments and administrative institutions to ensure that vulnerable sections receive effective protection and that complaints involving discrimination or violence are dealt with promptly.
She reiterated that the Congress would continue to raise issues concerning Dalit rights and social justice through democratic and constitutional platforms. The objective, she said, was not to create confrontation but to ensure accountability, uphold constitutional values and protect the dignity of citizens.
The Congress leader said the allegations emerging from Badaun and Haldwani should therefore be examined with seriousness and without political bias. If wrongdoing is established, those responsible must face appropriate legal consequences, she said.
She concluded by stressing that India’s democratic strength lies in equality, dignity and constitutional safeguards for all citizens. Any incident that raises questions over these principles, she said, must be addressed firmly and transparently.
Selja Seeks Direct Haryana Roadways Bus Service to Ramdevra Dham
Kumari Selja has written to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini seeking the introduction of a direct Haryana Roadways bus service to Ramdevra Dham in Pokhran, Jaisalmer, via Bikaner, to facilitate devotees travelling from Haryana’s Sirsa region and adjoining areas.
Selja said thousands of devotees from Sirsa, Fatehabad, Tohana, Hisar and neighbouring areas travel to Ramdevra Dham to pay obeisance to Baba Ramdev Ji. She pointed out that the absence of a direct bus service requires passengers to change buses at multiple locations, creating inconvenience during the journey.
She said the problem was particularly significant for elderly devotees, women and children, who may face additional difficulties when changing buses at different points. A direct roadways connection, she said, would provide a more convenient, safer and affordable travel option.
With Ramdev Jayanti scheduled for September 12, Selja said a significant increase in the number of devotees travelling to Ramdevra Dham was expected around the occasion. She urged the chief minister to issue directions to the concerned department to initiate the proposed direct bus service on priority.
Selja said the service would not only benefit devotees but could also provide better public transport connectivity for other passengers travelling between the region and Ramdevra Dham. She appealed to the Haryana government to consider the demand sympathetically and take timely action ahead of the festival.
