‘U will keep cleaning toilets’: Shokat Ali and Rashid use derogatory, casteist slurs against Dalit BJP leader Hari Manjhi

Former BJP MP from Gaya, Hari Manjhi (courtesy: traptown.com)

The former BJP MP from Gaya, Hari Manjhi has taken to Twitter on Monday to write to the Uttar Pradesh police, seeking action against one Shokat Ali for humiliating him using casteist slurs. Tagging the Uttar Pradesh police and chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Hari Manjhi, who belongs to the Scheduled caste community, sought action against Shokat Ali for targeting him over his caste and religion.

Manjhi mentions that previously another person named Rashid Mian had also humiliated him for being a Dalit, but he had forgiven him. But this time he sought action against his detractors, wrote the BJP MP.

Hari Manjhi had sought action against Shokat Ali for a Tweet in which Ali wrote in Hindi: “How much ever you wish you cannot become a priest, you will keep doing what you have been for all these years. No one can change your Karma and religion”, insinuating that he is a Dalit and no matter how hard he tries his destiny cannot change.

One Rashid Mian had referred to Hari Manjhi as a “toilet cleaner”

In a now-deleted tweet, a user named Rashid Chilawalia had written to Manji that he will forever remain a manual scavenger, an insult against his Dalit caste.

Replying to Rashid, the BJP MP had written that his ancestors may have been manual scavengers, but they never gave up their religion for the fear of sword. He added that Rashid’s casteist slur is a legal offence and can land him in jail but he is willing to forgive him.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia