After Congress MLA, 12 party councilors resign over death of dalit boy in Rajasthan

KOTA: At least 12 of 25 Congress councillors in Baran municipal council sent their resignations to Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday, expressing support to party MLA Panachand Meghwal, who resigned a day earlier, over the death of a dalit boy allegedly due to beating by a private school teacher in Jalore district.
The minor boy was allegedly beaten on July 20 but he died during treatment on August 13.
Yogendra Mehta, councillor of ward number 29, who is among those who resigned, said the resignations were made to express distress over atrocities against dalits and the deprived sections of society in Rajasthan.
Mehta claimed that other councillors who resigned included Rohitashva Saxena, Rajaram Meena, Rekha Meena, Leeladhar Nagar, Hariraj Erwal, Piyush Soni, Urvashi Meghwal, Yashwant Yadav, Anwar Ali, Jyoti Jatav and Mayank Mathodia.
"We will submit copies of our resignations to the Kota divisional councilor on Wednesday," Mehta added. With 25 party councilors and six others, Congress has a governing board in Baran municipal council, which is headed by Jyoti Parashar.
Baran-Atru constituency MLA Panachand Meghwal sent his resignation to the CM on Monday over the same issue. "While the nation is celebrating 75th year of Independence, the dalit and the deprived are still being killed through torture for drinking water from pot, mounting mares and flaunting mustache," Panachand Meghwal said in his resignation.
"The process of judiciary is halted by moving the files from one place to other in the name of investigation and most cases are closed with final report," he further said, adding the administration did not swing into action even after he raised the matter in the state assembly.