A Dalit couple consumed poison after they were allegedly manhandled by the police (File)
The Guna incident, in which a Dalit couple consumed poison after they were allegedly manhandled by the police during an anti-encroachment drive, has led to a slugfest between the BJP and the Opposition parties.
The BJP leaders have said the senior officials have been removed after the incident but Congress is saying that mere transferring officers will be of no use.
BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia has said the senior officials of the government have been removed in the wake of Guna incident.
"The Guna SP and Collector have been removed and inquiry has been sought into the incident. I am confident that action will be taken against all those who are responsible for this heinous act," Mr Scindia tweeted on Thursday.
Similarly, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday said as soon as the government got to know of Guna incident, the Collector, IG and the SP were removed.
Congress leader Kamal Nath who formed a Committee to inquire into the incident, has said, "It is very sad that the state is now recognised for atrocities on Dalits. This government is business-minded. It only announced that land will not be taken from the poor. But, the same is not followed. This is the real face of the government," Kamal Nath told ANI.
"The incident is very upsetting. Transferring officers is of no use, these tactics are only part of a show but building a good environment is what matters. Officers removed today will be given a good post someplace tomorrow," Mr Nath added.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi tweeted a video of the incident and said, "Our fight is against this kind of thinking and injustice."
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi''s tweet, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister said, "When it was Rahul Gandhi's government in Madhya Pradesh then officers were posted under prepaid system. There were problems at the time of such officers. As soon as we got to know of the incident, Collector, IG and SP were removed."
"In Madhya Pradesh, we have Rule of Law. People who will not abide by the law will be sent to jail. During Kamal Nath''s government criminal was never caught and was given protection. Today we take immediate action and even big officers are also not spared," Mr Mishra said.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has demanded strict action from the government in the Guna incident.
"It is very cruel and shameful that in Madhya Pradesh''s Guna, police and administration in the name of an anti-encroachment drive with JCB machine destroyed the crop of a Dalit couple, which they have grown by taking a loan and also to make them so helpless that they tried to commit suicide. The nationwide condemnation of this incident is natural. The government should take strict action," Mayawati tweeted (translated from Hindi).
"At one end the BJP propagates that it is settling Dalits, on the other hand, these kinds of incidents are getting common in the same way as it was during the Congress government. Then what is the difference between the two governments, the Dalits should think about this," she said.
The mother of the victim in Guna incident on Thursday said she and her family requested police to allow them to reap agriculture produce, but the police personnel started abusing and beating them.
"70 policemen came and asked us to vacate the land saying it belongs to the government. We requested them to let us reap agriculture produce first. But they started abusing and beating us. My son took poison in anger but the police ignored. We admitted him to hospital," said the mother of the victim in the Guna incident.
The incident in which a Dalit couple consumed poison after they were allegedly manhandled by the police during an anti-encroachment drive that took place on Tuesday when the police tried to remove people who had encroached land allotted for college in the district.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)