'Manuvadi Thinking’: Rahul Gandhi Slams BJP Over Dalit Man’s Police Custody Death in Madhya Pradesh

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Monday condemned the death of a 35-year-old Dalit man in police custody in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas district, accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of fostering a climate of "barbarism" against marginalised communities. Gandhi attributed the incident to the state's "Manuvadi thinking" and alleged that such violence would not be possible without the tacit support of the government.

Mukesh Longre, a Dalit man, died on Saturday after being called to the Satwas police station for questioning in a case filed by a woman. While the police claim that Longre died by suicide, his family has raised serious doubts, alleging that he was murdered inside the station.

Gandhi's Strong Condemnation

In a statement on social media, Rahul Gandhi linked the incident to a broader pattern of violence against Dalits and tribals in BJP-ruled states. He said, “On one hand, a Dalit youth was killed in police custody in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. On the other hand, tribal women were tied to trees and beaten in Balasore, Odisha. Both these incidents are sad, shameful, and highly condemnable. Due to the Manuvadi thinking of BJP, such incidents are happening one after another in the states ruled by them. This is not possible without the support of the government.”
Gandhi further emphasized, “Such barbarism against the Bahujans of the country will not be tolerated at any cost. We are with them, and we will fight with full force for their constitutional rights and to get them justice.”

The Death of Mukesh Longre

Longre, a resident of Satwas in Dewas district, was called to the police station to record a statement in connection with a complaint filed by a woman on December 26. Police authorities claim that Longre committed suicide by hanging himself with a towel tied to a window grill in the lock-up.
However, Longre’s family disputes this account, asserting that he was killed in police custody. In response to these allegations, the Madhya Pradesh government has launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death. Judicial Magistrate First Class Nandani Uikey is leading the investigation, and a panel of three doctors has been assigned to oversee the post-mortem process. Inspector Ashish Rajput, who was in charge of the police station at the time of the incident, has been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry. “While inspector Ashish Rajput was reading his statement, Longre made a noose around his neck with a gamcha (towel), tied it to a window grill in the lock-up and began yanking his neck. Police stopped him and rushed him to a hospital where doctors declared him dead,”, Superintendent of Police Puneet Gehlot said

Disturbing Incident in Odisha

In a separate incident, horrific visuals surfaced from Odisha’s Balasore, where two tribal women were tied to trees, beaten, and forced to chant religious slogans by members of the Hindu outfit Dev Sena. The brutal assault has sparked widespread condemnation and further fuelled concerns about caste-based violence in BJP-governed states. Gandhi condemned the attack, saying, “These incidents reflect a systematic attack on Dalits and Adivasis, fuelled by the BJP's divisive ideology. Such violence cannot happen without the tacit approval of those in power.”