Police in India’s Madhya Pradesh Use Batons Against Protesters Demanding Jobs – Video

The police used similar tactics against members of Congress' youth wing last week as they rallied against inflation. The state is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while Congress is the main opposition party in the region.

Videos posted online of Indian police beating protestors with batons to disperse them as they rally against unemployment in the state of Madhya Pradesh has drawn harsh criticism. 

Hundreds of young people took to the street in Bhopal, the state capital, to protest against the government freezing recruitment for jobs – Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The rally was organised by the Movement Against Unemployment and about 300 people are reported to have been involved. 

Nearly 75 people were detained and sent to open jails in different parts of the city. One protester told the media: “The youths were brutally beaten up by police. They forced many of us to sit in a van and left us in a forest area which is 30 km away from Bhopal city.”

Later, Police Superintendent Rajesh Singh Bhadauriya explained to the media that the protesters blocked the road so officers were left with no choice but to use force.

The state's opposition party Congress has heavily criticised the police's actions.

Srinivas B.V., president of Congress' youth wing stated through a tweet in Hindi: "The crime of those who are taking the blows of the batons is that they are demanding jobs from Madhya Pradesh state chief Shivraj Singh Chouhan. People will remember every blow of the baton."

जिन पर लाठियां भांजी जा रही है,
इनका अपराध है कि वो बेरोजगार है
और शिवराज से रोजगार मांग रहे थे..

एक-एक लाठी का हिसाब होगा कंस मामा... pic.twitter.com/CSU5hSW02G

— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) August 18, 2021

The Madhya Pradesh state unit of Congress stated: "People in Madhya Pradesh are being beaten for demanding jobs." It also called state chief and BJP member Chouhan a "dictator."

मध्यप्रदेश में-
बेरोज़गारों पर लाठियाँ बरसाई जा रही है।

शिवराज तुम तानाशाही याद रखना,
जनता एक-एक लाठियाँ याद रखेगी। pic.twitter.com/B2yTNHjVUv

— MP Congress (@INCMP) August 18, 2021

​In another tweet, Congress slammed the state government for the barbaric police action. Footage posted online shows that policemen forcing protesters onto a bus.

शिवराज की बर्बरता,
—बस में बैठे बेरोज़गारों को भी बर्बरता से पीटा जा रहा है।

शिवराज,
ये भी किसी के बच्चे हैं,
तुम रोज़गार नहीं दोगे और जान अलग लोगे..?

“बेशर्म मुख्यमंत्री, निर्लज्ज सरकार” pic.twitter.com/KRr8UD13oe

— MP Congress (@INCMP) August 18, 2021

"The Madhya Pradesh police used batons on youths protesting in Bhopal. When the government is formed after poaching the members of other parties then they treat the people like this only," Chairman, MP Youth Commission Abhay Tiwari tweeted. 

भोपाल में युवाओं पर बर्बरता से लाठीचार्ज,
—जब सरकारें विधायक ख़रीदने से बनती हैं, तब उन सरकारों के लिए जनता सिर्फ़ लाठी खाने का सामान होती है। pic.twitter.com/92rGYScLg8

— Abhay Tiwari (@AbhayIndia) August 18, 2021