Why Madhya Pradesh was on boil during the Bharat Bandh

BHOPAL: The high death toll in Madhya Pradesh during the nationwide bandh on Monday has put the spotlight on simmering caste tensions in the Gwalior-Chambal region.
Though intelligence and police seemingly failed to anticipate and contain the violence, this region has always been volatile. Sources said that while Dalit groups decided to take to streets, a section of Right-wing groups circulated messages on the eve of bandh to oppose the shutdown.
A clash was therefore inevitable. The video below shows a man openly firing with his pistol in Gwalior. Meanwhile, pitched battles broke out all over Chambal — in cities and in smaller towns.

The stage was set for this confrontation since a while. Dalit groups were believed to be upset over the increasing cases of violence against SCs, dilution in the Prevention of Atrocities on SC/ST Act and desecration of Ambedkar statues. Upper castes, of late, have been more vocal against quotas.

The Gwalior-Chambal region, which is known for hot-headed ‘baaghis’ (rebels) and gun culture, has witnessed atrocities against Dalits but in urban areas, Dalits have been fighting back.
Two years ago, Gwalior University witnessed clashes between right-wing and Ambedkarite students. Then on April 4, 2017, more than 200 students of Jiwaji University, Gwalior were detained after tension on campus. Students wanted to organise the quiz as part of Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14. Initially some law students approached their head of department Dr Ganesh Dube for permission.

Students alleged Dube denied permission and misbehaved with them. Later, a protest was launched under the banner of Dr Ambedkar Students Front of India (DASFI). Trouble began after ABVP members supported professors. Police had to be deployed on campus to prevent violence.
In February 2016, Gwalior witnessed a clash between the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists and members of the Ambedkar Vichar Manch (AVM) during a discussion on Ambedkar, which later snowballed into a political row. BJYM and AVM members clashed when the former interrupted an address by a JNU professor, forcing police to use force.

In January this year, the Gwalior bench of the HC banned the use of the word ‘Dalit’, especially in official communications and government documents.
The order was issued while hearing of PIL by one Dr Mohan Lal Mahour who raised strong objections on the usage of word ‘Dalit’ citing that there was no such word mentioned in our Constitution. People belonging to different categories have been termed as either ‘scheduled caste’ or ‘scheduled tribes’. In such situations, the use of word ‘Dalit’ in government documents, schemes and plans is against the Constitution of India, he said. The HC subsequently ordered that the word ‘Dalit’ should not be used in government documents.