BJP's casteist attitude has stabbed our nation: Rahul Gandhi on caste labeling of MP police candidates

NEW DELHI: Reacting over the recent episode where candidates were labelled with their respective caste on their chest during the medical examination, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took to Twitter lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“BJP's casteist attitude has stabbed the country in the heart. By writing SC/ST on MP youth's chest they have attacked the country's constitution. 

"This is BJP/RSS's ideology. This thinking sometimes makes Dalits tie handi around their necks, broom on their bodies and stops them from entering temples. We'll defeat this ideology,” wrote the Gandhi scion.

BJP सरकार के जातिवादी रवैये ने देश की छाती पर छूरा मारा है। MP के युवाओं के सीने पर SC/ST लिखकर देश के संविधान पर हमला किया है।

ये BJP/RSS की सोच है। यही सोच कभी दलितों के गले में हांडी टंगवाती थी, शरीर में झाडू बंधवाती थी, मंदिर में घुसने नहीं देती थी। हम इस सोच को हराएँगे। pic.twitter.com/ycqt1nEp0E

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 30, 2018

Aspirants for the post of constables in Madhya Pradesh Police recruitment 2018 drive were labelled with Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) on their chest during a medical examination in the district hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar. 

A probe has been launched into the incident. 

“It is a serious matter and we have ordered an investigation,” said Superintendent of Police Birendra Singh. “Such an incident is an insult to SC/ ST. I'll write to MP CM over the incident. Appropriate action should be taken against officials responsible for it,” said Union minister Ramdas Athawale. 

This isn’t the first such incident in Madhya Pradesh. In October 2016, students were handed over schoolbags which helped identify their castes. The bags were distributed among 250 of the 600 undergraduate and post-graduate SC/ST students, mentioning that they have been distributed under the "SC/ST scheme".