MP: Dalit Man Denied Funeral Rights, Family Protests on Road as Upper Castes Block Cremation

Bhopal: A shocking incident of caste-based discrimination has exposed the administration's apathy and the fragile social fabric in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district. On Monday, tensions flared in Leelada village under the Vijaypur assembly constituency when members of the Rawat community prevented the cremation of Jagdish Jatav, a Dalit youth, forcing his grieving family to stage a protest by placing his body on the road. The situation escalated to stone-pelting, with authorities struggling to restore order despite intervention.

Jagdish Jatav, a resident of Leelada village who worked a private job in Bengaluru, died in a road accident. Five days later, his body was brought back to the village on Monday morning. When his family attempted to perform the last rites in the afternoon, members of the dominant Rawat community objected, sparking a violent confrontation.

The Jatav community claims their traditional cremation ground was acquired for a railway project, leaving them with no alternative site. Though the local patwari (revenue official) allocated government land for the funeral, the Rawat community resisted, arguing the land was near their farms.

"This is government land, not privately owned. Yet, the Rawats won’t let us bury our dead," said Suresh Jatav, a villager. In contrast, Rawat women asserted, "We won’t allow cremation near our fields. They must find another spot."

Furious over the obstruction, Jatav’s family and supporters blocked the road with his body, leading to clashes. Stones were hurled, prompting the SDM, Abhishek Mishra, and other officials to rush to the spot. Collector Arpit Verma admitted, "The situation is not fully under control. We are trying to maintain peace."

The incident violates the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989:

• Section 3(1)(zc): Preventing an SC/ST member from performing last rites is punishable with 6 months to 5 years in jail and a fine.

Political Outrage

• Congress MLA Mukesh Malhotra demanded strict action, warning of protests if an FIR isn’t filed.

• State Congress chief Jitu Patwari accused the BJP-backed Rawat supporters of "hooliganism," calling it a failure of governance.

• Ex-CM Kamal Nath slammed the BJP, tweeting, "Dalits face discrimination even in death under this regime."

The incident raises grave questions about constitutional rights for Dalits in MP. Denial of funeral rights blatantly violates Article 17 (abolition of untouchability) and principles of social justice.

Former SC Commission member Pradeep Ahirwar (now with Congress) accused the Mohan Yadav-led BJP government of enabling caste atrocities. "Top officials infected with Manuvadi ideology are denying Dalits equality. Police inaction proves complicity," he told The Mooknayak.