Dalits' assertion and aggression

The way Dalits all over the country showed their anger on streets against Supreme Court order regarding the dilution of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act amply reflects their assertiveness. Their assertion to protect their rights in the society is absolutely justified, but the violence and the damage of public property during their protests must not be allowed by the administration in different states of the country. There must not be any modification in SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act for its dilution, but at the same time violence has no taker. In all 9 innocent lives were lost in the clashes between Dalit protesters and the police in different parts of the country. Our Constitution doesn't allow violence at any cost. Political colours were also given to the call of Bharat Bandh by Dalit activists and the ruling BJP was pushed on the back foot. Supreme Court rightly said that mere filing case against anyone under SC/ST act will no longer allow the police to arrest him or her. There cannot be instant arrest the moment the case under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act was filed. The arrest will only be possible after investigation and that the charges were proved to be true. Dalits account for more than 20 percent of the country's population. That is why they political significance in the politics of our country in a major way. But the matter of the fact is that Dalits were blackmailed by their own community leaders. They have also been exploited as a vote bank by the political parties since Independence. All claim to the Messiah or Champion of Dalits. All political leaders for the sake of building votes claim to be the true followers of Dalit icon Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar. No so-called Dalit leaders of our country are less than the worth of crores. Mayawati, Ram Vilas Paswan, Jitan Ram Majhi and others claim to be the true representatives of Dalits, but all of them are very solvent in every respect. The violent Dalit protest that witnessed the country yesterday damaged BJP's credibility among them. A perception has been created in the minds of Dalits since the BJP came to power that it is anti-Dalit. The incidents of Rohit Vemula's death in Hyderabad, flogging of 4 to 5 Dalit young men in Una of Gujarat and several other heinous and sexual crimes against Dalits are enough shreds of evidence to corroborate the charges that the BJP is anti-Dalit. The law and order is a state subject. Yesterday, most of the state government failed to act against the lumpen elements. Though all opposition parties have condemned the violent acts during the Bharat Bandh, it appears that they provided overt or covert political support to their violent protests. The coming together of all the opposition parties against the Narendra Modi-led NDA govt over Dalit protest has worsened the situation. All have constitutional right to protest, but peacefully. Whether there is Dalit or no Dalit, no one can take the law into one's own hands. The violent Dalit protests caught the police off guard. Dalits' assertion and aggression with violence on streets have no takers. Protests must be sans violence. Violence has no place in our Constitution.