Madhya Pradesh Castes Clash Over Woman Sarpanch

A police complaint has been filed by BJP in Satna district, Madhya Pradesh, against Congress for allegedly spreading false information about the caste of a woman sarpanch, Shraddha Singh. The dispute arose from allegations that she was not allowed to hoist the national flag or given a chair during a meeting, with conflicting claims on her caste identity.

A police complaint has been filed by the BJP in Satna district, Madhya Pradesh, against the Congress for allegedly disseminating false information about the caste of a woman sarpanch, Shraddha Singh. The controversy stems from allegations that Singh was prevented from hoisting the national flag and was not provided a chair during a village meeting.

The BJP asserts that Singh belongs to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, contrasting Congress claims that she is a Dalit. The opposing statements follow Singh's accusations that she was mistreated during Independence Day celebrations and a gram sabha meeting, leading to calls for stern actions against the accused.

Satna BJP's general secretary, Keshav Kori, filed a police complaint asserting Congress had misled the public by misidentifying Singh's caste on social media. In response, state BJP's general secretary, Hitanand Sharma, emphasized that the sarpanch and village secretary belong to the same caste and dismissed caste-based motives.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Satna District Panchayat, Sanjana Jain, issued a show-cause notice to Akouna panchayat's secretary. An investigation revealed that Singh arrived late for the flag-hoisting event and was offered a chair, conflicting with her allegations.