A video of a man tied to a tree and force-fed from a bottle was shared on social media. Social activist Kush Ambedkarwadi tweeted the video on July 30 claiming that a Dalit youth was forced to drink urine in Rajasthan. He wrote, “राजस्थान में दलित उत्पीड़न चरम पर है। बाढ़मेर में एक दलित समाज के व्यक्ति को खम्बे से बांधकर पेशाब पिलाने की घटना स्तब्ध कर देने वाली है लेकिन न्याय की उम्मीद किससे करें?” As of this writing, the video drew nearly 3 lakh views and over 2,000 retweets.
राजस्थान में दलित उत्पीड़न चरम पर है। बाढ़मेर में एक दलित समाज के व्यक्ति को खम्बे से बांधकर पेशाब पिलाने की घटना स्तब्ध कर देने वाली है लेकिन न्याय की उम्मीद किससे करें ? @Mayawati @BhimArmyChief @ReallySwara @anubhavsinha @anuragkashyap72 pic.twitter.com/e5pIhfTXlL
— कुश अम्बेडकरवादी (کش) (@Kush_voice) July 30, 2020
Twitter handle @ambedkariteIND tweeted the video and similarly wrote, “Some dominate caste mob torturing a dalit, man tied with rope and forcing to drink urine publically.”
Dalit oppression is at a peak in Rajasthan.
Some dominate caste mob torturing a dalit, man tied with rope and forcing to drink urine publically.#DalitLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/g0UjCuklZA— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) July 30, 2020
Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mewani also shared the video and questioned Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government.
What the hell? This is absolutely obnoxious, inhuman and horrendous. @ashokgehlot51 government must act now, like right now. Not only all the accused be arrested but an explanation be sought from concerned DM and SP as to what preventive measures did u take to stop such violence? https://t.co/1EKsgMtyo2
— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) July 30, 2020
The clip is widely circulating on Twitter and Facebook.
Fact-check
People can be heard speaking in a Rajasthani dialect in the video. We performed a keyword search based on this information and found a Dainik Bhaskar report from July 31, 2020. According to the report, a person was beaten up and tied to a tree on the suspicion of an illicit relationship with a woman in Konar village of Chohtan police station area, Barmer district, Rajasthan. The victim hails from the Bhil caste and is a resident of Mogawan Bakhasar. As per the report, he entered a woman’s house in Ratanpura and stayed the night. When locals in the area learned in the morning, they tied the youth to a tree, beat him up, shaved off his hair and forced him to drink urine. The case did not reach the police as the village panchayat helped both parties reach an agreement. But after a video of the incident went viral on social media, Chohtan police took cognisance of the matter and registered a case against the accused. The report quotes Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ajit Singh who said that both sides hail from the Bhil caste.
Jagran also published a report on the incident on July 31.
We spoke with Barmer SP Sharma who informed that the case does not depict Dalit oppression but a family issue. The youth who was thrashed belongs to the Bhil community (Scheduled Tribes) and the people who attacked him also hail from the same community. Sharma said that this incident is from Chohtan police station area, Barmer district. He was caught with a woman and subsequently beaten up. His hair was also shaved off. SP Sharma said that no complaint was lodged with the police as this was a family issue. But the cops took cognisance of the matter after a video went viral and filed a case. The names of the accused can be seen in the complaint attached below.
After Barmer police noticed that the video was circulating with false context, they clarified on Twitter that the incident was related to a family dispute. The tweet also stated that six people have been arrested so far.
https://t.co/BqqRSWsnrV
इस वीडियो में गलत बताया है कि एक दलित व्यक्ति को वर्चस्वी जाति द्वारा प्रताड़ित किया गया। जबकि वास्तविकता यह है कि यह घटना 5 दिन पहले पारिवारिक विवाद को लेकर घटित हुई थी। पुलिस ने प्रसंज्ञान लेते हुए अपनी तरफ से FIR दर्ज कर 6 लोगों को गिर. किया है— Barmer Police (@Barmer_Police) July 31, 2020
An incident where a youth from the Scheduled Tribes Bhil sub-caste was thrashed by people from his own community was shared on social media with the false claim that a Dalit man was tortured in Rajasthan.
Print
Kinjal | Radio Free (2020-08-01T12:10:01+00:00) Video of youth forced to drink urine in Rajasthan viral with false ‘Dalit oppression’ claim. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2020/08/01/video-of-youth-forced-to-drink-urine-in-rajasthan-viral-with-false-dalit-oppression-claim/
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