Atrocities against Dalits in BJP-Ruled States

 Atrocities against Dalits in BJP-Ruled States

Atrocities against Dalits (members of Scheduled Castes) remain a persistent issue in India, with official data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showing a troubling rise in reported cases. Under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments at the center and in several states, critics, including opposition leaders and human rights organizations, have highlighted a pattern of increased violence, often linked to caste discrimination. BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh (UP), Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh (MP), and Odisha consistently top the charts for such crimes. While the government attributes higher reporting to greater awareness and better enforcement of laws like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (PoA Act), activists argue that the surge reflects systemic failures and a permissive environment for caste-based violence.

Key trends:

• National Increase: Crimes against Scheduled Castes rose by 46% from 2013 to 2023, per NCRB data cited by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. In 2023 alone, 57,789 cases were registered nationwide, up marginally from 2022.
• BJP-Ruled States Dominate: These states account for a disproportionate share (over 50% of national cases in recent years), with UP leading at 23.78% of total PoA Act cases in 2022.
• Vulnerable Groups: Dalit women face heightened risks, with sexual violence cases surging in states like UP and Rajasthan. Human Rights Watch's 2025 report notes ongoing discrimination against Dalits, including extrajudicial abuses in counterinsurgency operations in Chhattisgarh.

NCRB Data: Crimes against Scheduled Castes (2020–2023)

The table below summarizes reported cases in top BJP-ruled states (as of 2025), based on NCRB reports. Note: Bihar and Maharashtra had NDA (BJP-led coalition) governments during these years; Odisha joined BJP rule in 2024.

Year	Uttar Pradesh (BJP)	Rajasthan (BJP until Dec 2023)	Madhya Pradesh (BJP)	Odisha (BJD until 2024; BJP since)	National Total
2020	12,714	~7,500	~6,500	~800	~47,000
2021	13,146	~8,000	~7,000	~900	50,900
2022	15,368	8,752	7,733	~1,000	57,582
2023	15,130	~8,500	~7,500	~1,200 (pre-BJP data)	57,789

Sources: NCRB via , , , . Figures are approximate for some states based on partial reports; UP consistently ranks #1.

The charge-sheeting rate (cases leading to trial) hovers around 81% nationally but dips below 50% in Rajasthan, indicating implementation gaps.

Recent Incidents (2024–2025)

High-profile cases in BJP-ruled states underscore the issue's urgency. These often involve vigilante groups, police inaction, or alleged BJP affiliates:

• Uttar Pradesh (October 2025): Dalit youth Hariom Valmiki lynched in Raebareli on theft suspicion; attackers claimed ties to CM Yogi Adityanath. Congress called it a "collapse of law and order." [post:62] Similar: 19+ attacks since April 2025, per Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP).
• Haryana (October 2025): Dalit IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar died by suicide, citing caste-based harassment by seniors. Kharge linked it to a "Manuvadi mindset" in BJP-RSS ideology. [post:30]
• Delhi (October 2025): Shoe hurled at Dalit CJI B.R. Gavai in Supreme Court by a lawyer shouting anti-"Sanatan" slogans; BJP-linked social media celebrated it. [post:58]
• Madhya Pradesh (2023–2025): BJP worker urinated on a tribal man's face (July 2023); elderly Dalit man beaten and urinated on by BJP leader's gang (September 2023). Custodial deaths rose in 2025. [post:58]
• Odisha (June 2025): Bajrang Dal members assaulted Dalit men, forcing them to eat grass, drink sewage, crawl on knees, and half-shave heads. Video went viral. [post:59]
• Rajasthan (2025): Elderly Dalit woman Kamla Devi Raigar assaulted in Sawai Madhopur; three Dalit families fled Muzaffarnagar-like attacks in UP but similar patterns reported.
• Other: In Bihar (NDA-ruled), a Dalit village burned in Nawada (September 2024) with gunfire; Haryana saw a Dalit girl's suicide over exam fees (December 2024). [post:11]

Political and Social Context

Opposition figures like Akhilesh Yadav (SP) and Rahul Gandhi (Congress) accuse BJP of fostering a "feudal, anti-Dalit mentality," citing symbolic Dalit representation without real power. Yadav noted UP's #1 ranking in Dalit atrocities under BJP, questioning why BJP states (UP, Rajasthan, MP, etc.) lead in crimes against Dalit women. Gandhi linked recent cases to "BJP-RSS hatred." [post:31]

BJP counters that higher numbers reflect better reporting and awareness, not policy failures. Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar emphasized capacity-building for police under the PoA Act. However, UN Human Rights Committee reviews (July 2025) raised concerns over discrimination in BJP states.

Broader analyses, like NewsClick's, tie the rise to BJP's alleged promotion of "Brahmanism," economic marginalization of Dalits, and dilution of reservations. On X, discussions range from outrage (#DalitVirodhiRSS) to defenses claiming misuse of atrocity laws. [post:34]

Government Response and Legal Framework

• PoA Act Enforcement: Over 67,000 cases registered in 2022; conviction rates 30–40%. Special courts exist, but delays persist.
• Initiatives: National Commission for Scheduled Castes monitors issues; schemes like Stand-Up India aid Dalit entrepreneurship.
• Criticism: HRW and CJP report police bias, low convictions, and vigilante emboldenment via anti-conversion laws targeting Dalit Christians.

Addressing this requires stronger implementation, education, and cross-party commitment to Ambedkar's vision of equality.Atrocities against Dalits in BJP-Ruled States

Atrocities against Dalits (members of Scheduled Castes) remain a persistent issue in India, with official data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showing a troubling rise in reported cases. Under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments at the center and in several states, critics, including opposition leaders and human rights organizations, have highlighted a pattern of increased violence, often linked to caste discrimination. BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh (UP), Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh (MP), and Odisha consistently top the charts for such crimes. While the government attributes higher reporting to greater awareness and better enforcement of laws like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (PoA Act), activists argue that the surge reflects systemic failures and a permissive environment for caste-based violence.

Key trends:

• National Increase: Crimes against Scheduled Castes rose by 46% from 2013 to 2023, per NCRB data cited by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. In 2023 alone, 57,789 cases were registered nationwide, up marginally from 2022.
• BJP-Ruled States Dominate: These states account for a disproportionate share (over 50% of national cases in recent years), with UP leading at 23.78% of total PoA Act cases in 2022.
• Vulnerable Groups: Dalit women face heightened risks, with sexual violence cases surging in states like UP and Rajasthan. Human Rights Watch's 2025 report notes ongoing discrimination against Dalits, including extrajudicial abuses in counterinsurgency operations in Chhattisgarh.

NCRB Data: Crimes against Scheduled Castes (2020–2023)

The table below summarizes reported cases in top BJP-ruled states (as of 2025), based on NCRB reports. Note: Bihar and Maharashtra had NDA (BJP-led coalition) governments during these years; Odisha joined BJP rule in 2024.

Year	Uttar Pradesh (BJP)	Rajasthan (BJP until Dec 2023)	Madhya Pradesh (BJP)	Odisha (BJD until 2024; BJP since)	National Total
2020	12,714	~7,500	~6,500	~800	~47,000
2021	13,146	~8,000	~7,000	~900	50,900
2022	15,368	8,752	7,733	~1,000	57,582
2023	15,130	~8,500	~7,500	~1,200 (pre-BJP data)	57,789

Sources: NCRB via , , , . Figures are approximate for some states based on partial reports; UP consistently ranks #1.

The charge-sheeting rate (cases leading to trial) hovers around 81% nationally but dips below 50% in Rajasthan, indicating implementation gaps.

Recent Incidents (2024–2025)

High-profile cases in BJP-ruled states underscore the issue's urgency. These often involve vigilante groups, police inaction, or alleged BJP affiliates:

• Uttar Pradesh (October 2025): Dalit youth Hariom Valmiki lynched in Raebareli on theft suspicion; attackers claimed ties to CM Yogi Adityanath. Congress called it a "collapse of law and order." [post:62] Similar: 19+ attacks since April 2025, per Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP).
• Haryana (October 2025): Dalit IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar died by suicide, citing caste-based harassment by seniors. Kharge linked it to a "Manuvadi mindset" in BJP-RSS ideology. [post:30]
• Delhi (October 2025): Shoe hurled at Dalit CJI B.R. Gavai in Supreme Court by a lawyer shouting anti-"Sanatan" slogans; BJP-linked social media celebrated it. [post:58]
• Madhya Pradesh (2023–2025): BJP worker urinated on a tribal man's face (July 2023); elderly Dalit man beaten and urinated on by BJP leader's gang (September 2023). Custodial deaths rose in 2025. [post:58]
• Odisha (June 2025): Bajrang Dal members assaulted Dalit men, forcing them to eat grass, drink sewage, crawl on knees, and half-shave heads. Video went viral. [post:59]
• Rajasthan (2025): Elderly Dalit woman Kamla Devi Raigar assaulted in Sawai Madhopur; three Dalit families fled Muzaffarnagar-like attacks in UP but similar patterns reported.
• Other: In Bihar (NDA-ruled), a Dalit village burned in Nawada (September 2024) with gunfire; Haryana saw a Dalit girl's suicide over exam fees (December 2024). [post:11]

Political and Social Context

Opposition figures like Akhilesh Yadav (SP) and Rahul Gandhi (Congress) accuse BJP of fostering a "feudal, anti-Dalit mentality," citing symbolic Dalit representation without real power. Yadav noted UP's #1 ranking in Dalit atrocities under BJP, questioning why BJP states (UP, Rajasthan, MP, etc.) lead in crimes against Dalit women. Gandhi linked recent cases to "BJP-RSS hatred." [post:31]

BJP counters that higher numbers reflect better reporting and awareness, not policy failures. Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar emphasized capacity-building for police under the PoA Act. However, UN Human Rights Committee reviews (July 2025) raised concerns over discrimination in BJP states.

Broader analyses, like NewsClick's, tie the rise to BJP's alleged promotion of "Brahmanism," economic marginalization of Dalits, and dilution of reservations. On X, discussions range from outrage (#DalitVirodhiRSS) to defenses claiming misuse of atrocity laws. [post:34]

Government Response and Legal Framework

• PoA Act Enforcement: Over 67,000 cases registered in 2022; conviction rates 30–40%. Special courts exist, but delays persist.
• Initiatives: National Commission for Scheduled Castes monitors issues; schemes like Stand-Up India aid Dalit entrepreneurship.
• Criticism: HRW and CJP report police bias, low convictions, and vigilante emboldenment via anti-conversion laws targeting Dalit Christians.

Addressing this requires stronger implementation, education, and cross-party commitment to Ambedkar's vision of equality.