THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has taken a suo motu case on the basis of media reports that Youth Congress workers sprinkled cow dung water to ‘purify’ the venue where CPI MLA Geetha Gopi staged a sit-in protest in Thrissur. The Commission said it views the incident as a casteist insult on a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste. As per Article 17 of the Constitution, untouchability has been abolished in India and its manifestation in any form is a punishable offence.
By indulging in sprinkling of cow dung water, a woman elected representative was insulted on casteist lines and an attempt has been made to practise untouchability. The Commission directed registering of cases against the perpetrators under IPC and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Commission also directed the District Police Chief, Thrissur, to submit a report on the action taken within a week. Women’s Commission chairperson M C Josephine, who visited the MLA on Monday, also directed to file a suo motu case on the incident.
Trouble deepens
The Commission said it views the incident as a casteist insult on a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste. Women’s Commission has also directed to file a suo motu case on the incident.