Mumbai | Terming the assault and parading naked of two minor boys from a backward community in a Maharashtra village as “shameful”, state Minister for Water Resources Girish Mahajan today said strict action will be taken against the accused.
Two minor boys from a backward community were allegedly beaten up and paraded naked in Wakadi village in Jalgaon’s Jamner taluka for swimming in a well that belonged to a person of a different caste.
A video if the incident went viral on social media on June 10.
The police have already arrested two men, identified as Ishwar Joshi – the well owner and his farm worker Prahlad Lohar, in connection with the incident.
Mahajan, in whose Assembly constituency the incident happened, clarified that the accused were not from an upper caste.
He claimed that they were “Gosavis”, a community that earns its livelihood through palmistry.
“The incident is shameful. Strictest action will be taken against the accused,” Mahajan told reporters.
Minister of State for Social Justice Dilip Kamble said both the accused, Ishwar Joshi and Prahlad alias Sonya Lohar, have been arrested.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Social Justice, Ramdas Athawale will be visiting the village tomorrow.
Reacting to the incident, Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “If we do not raise our voice now, then history will not spare us.”
He further blamed the BJP and RSS’ “Manuvadi” thought process for the incident.
State NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik claimed that one of the victims has been pressured by the government to take back the charges against the perpetrators.
Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar accused the government of trying to discriminate between people on the basis of caste.
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