Congress disrupts MP assembly over Dalits seeking nod for euthanasia
Congress leader Jeetu Patwari sought an adjournment motion over reports that 50 Dalit families have sought permission to kill themselves.
The opposition Congress on Monday sought to corner the government in the Madhya Pradesh assembly on the issue of Dalit families seeking permission to kill themselves over their loss of livelihood.
The Congress also raised the issue of financial hardship being faced by contractual school teachers in the state.
After Question Hour ended, Congress leader Jeetu Patwari sought an adjournment motion over reports that as many as 50 Dalit families living in penury have sought permission to kill themselves. The Dalits hail from Budhni, the assembly constituency of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in Sehore district.
He also raised the issue of a Dalit woman committing suicide after killing her six-month-old ailing son in Budhni, apparently for want of treatment.
On July 18, a Dalit woman, Durgabai, 25, allegedly killed herself and her minor son, Devansh, by setting themselves ablaze in Talpura village in Budhni. Durga was allegedly depressed since the birth of Devansh, who had a hole in his heart.
In a memorandum sent to the Chief Minister’s Office in Bhopal three days ago, the Dalit families have sought his nod for ending their lives, alleging that the land granted to them 15 years ago by the government is occupied by musclemen, depriving them of their only source of livelihood.
Senior Congress MLA Ramniwas Rawat demanded a discussion on these issues under a Call Attention Motion.
In response, Speaker Sitarsharan Sharma said these issues have been brought to the notice of the assembly and they will be looked into.
Acting leader of Opposition, Bala Bachchan, said the contractual teachers in the state are in a financial distress “over not getting their wages and perks in accordance with the rules”, and will gherao the assembly on Monday.
Amid the ruckus, Bachchan and the Congress members staged a walkout. Outside the assembly, they shouted slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party: ‘Dalit virodhi sarkar nahi chalagi, nahi chalagi’.