Issue of Dalits seeking euthanasia over loss of livelihood rocks Madhya Pradesh Assembly

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly witnessed noisy scenes on Monday with opposition Congress seeking to corner government on the issue of some Dalit families seeking permission to kill themselves over loss of livelihood. The party also raised the issue of financial hardship being faced by contractual school teachers in the state. [caption id=“attachment_2914568” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. AFP[/caption] After Question Hour ended, Congress member Jeetu Patwari sought an adjournment motion on 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 suicide committed by a Dalit woman in Budhni recently, who also killed her six-month-old ailing son apparently for want of treatment. In a memorandum sent to Chief Minister’s office in Bhopal three days back, the Dalit families concerned had sought his nod for ending their lives alleging that the land granted to them 15 years ago by government is occupied by musclemen, depriving them of the source of livelihood. Senior Congress MLA Ramniwas Rawat demanded that the discussion on these issues be held under a Call Attention Motion. In his reply, 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 of schools 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 bedlam, Bachchan and Congress members walked out of the House. Outside Assembly, they raised slogans against BJP, saying ‘Dalit virodhi sarkar nahi chalage, nahi chalagi’. On 18 July, Dalit woman Durgabai (25) allegedly killed herself and her minor son, Devansh by setting themselves ablaze in Talpura village in Budhni, police had said. Durga was allegedly depressed since the birth of Devanash who had a hole in his heart.