Mayawati urges Gujarat to challenge Una flogging case acquittals

The Story in Brief

BSP chief Mayawati has urged the Gujarat government to pursue the Una Dalit flogging case in the high court and seek strict punishment for those found guilty. A special court in Veraval convicted five people and acquitted 35 of the 40 accused on March 16. Four Dalit men were assaulted in 2016 while skinning a dead cow, triggering protests across India.

Mayawati alleged that the acquittals reflected government bias and negligence towards Dalits. She said victim families faced financial difficulties in challenging the verdict and asked Gujarat to provide them legal counsel of their choice at the state’s expense. She also said she had met the victims after the assault.

The Indian Opinion

The case should not be reduced to either a political attack or a routine legal setback. Claims that every acquitted person is guilty ignore the trial court’s findings, while treating five convictions as closure ignores the victims’ demand for accountability. The high court’s assessment of the evidence, and whether the state provides effective legal support, will matter more than political statements. Its eventual ruling on the 35 acquittals is the concrete test.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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