Sidhi urination on tribal youth: Madhya Pradesh CM washes feet of victim; Mayawati calls it 'theatrics'

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan apologised to the Tribal victim stating that it was his small measure to share the victim's pain.

Bhopal/New Delhi/Lucknow:In an attempt to counter the Opposition narrative in the urination case Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan washed the feet of a tribal labourer, who had been subjected to an appalling act of humiliation, on Wednesday. He shared the images from the event on his Twitter handle along with a short video.

The honouring event incident took place at the Chief Minister's official residence on Thursday, where Chouhan personally apologised to the labourer for the incident and sought to convey his sincere remorse. The Chief Minister proceeded to wash the labourer’s feet and reverently placed his hand on his forehead, symbolising an act of profound humility and acknowledgment of the labourer’s dignity.

Additionally, a tilak was applied on his forehead, and he was garlanded, further signifying the expression of respect and honour. The Chief Minister also presented the labourer with an idol of Lord Ganesha, as a symbolic token of goodwill and blessings. “The mind is sad; Dashmat ji, this is an attempt to share your pain, I also apologise to you, for me the public is God!,” Chouhan said.

"Serving the people is equal to worshipping God. We believe that God resides in every human being. I was pained by the inhuman incident that happened. Respect and security are important for the poor," news agency ANI quoted Shivraj Singh Chouhan as saying.

Meanwhile, the perpetrator, Pravesh Shukla, was arrested during the wee hours on Wednesday. The incident gained widespread attention after a video of the inhuman act went viral, leading to public outrage and condemnation. CM Chouhan took immediate cognizance of the video, asserting that the accused would face severe consequences and "strict punishment" for his actions.

Consequently, an FIR (First Information Report) was lodged against Shukla under Sections 294 (related to obscene acts) and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with provisions under the SC/ST (Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes) Act. Furthermore, Shukla has been charged under the National Security Act (NSA), underscoring the gravity of his offense.

Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati lashed out at Shivraj Singh Chouhan and dubbed his act as 'theatrics'. "The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh calling the victim of urination incident in Sidhi district to Bhopal, about 600 kilometers away, and washing his feet in the CM House under the camera circle, seems less like government remorse and more like theatrics and politics of electoral interest. Is such an exhibition appropriate?" Mayawati said in a Tweet in Hindi.

"Since the general elections to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly are round the corner, it is natural for the government to be so restless. But in the entire state, especially the SC, ST, backward, and Muslim communities, as well as the people of the entire society, they will definitely demand an account of the extent to which their lives have been troubled by inflation and unemployment," added Mayawati, a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.