‘Deepening social poison’: Rahul Gandhi claims caste bias behind Haryana cop's ‘suicide’
Rahul Gandhi alleged caste-based discrimination behind the death, saying the 'suicide' of the Haryana IPS officer is a symbol of "deepening social poison".
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reacted to the death of Haryana inspector general of police (IGP) Y Puran Kumar, who was found with a gunshot wound at his house in Chandigarh on Tuesday.
Gandhi alleged caste-based discrimination behind the death, saying the 'suicide' of the Haryana IPS officer is a symbol of "deepening social poison".
"The suicide of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar is a symbol of the deepening social poison that is crushing humanity in the name of caste," Gandhi said in a post on X.
He further claimed that the IPS officer had to "endure humiliation and oppression" because of his caste.
"When an IPS officer has to endure humiliation and oppression because of his caste — imagine the circumstances in which an ordinary Dalit citizen must be living," the Congress leader said.
Also Read: Haryana cop ‘suicide’: IGP Y Puran Kumar’s wife seeks FIR against DGP, Rohtak SP on abetment charges
Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch Haryana-cadre officer, was found dead with a gunshot wound in a reported suicide case at his house in Sector 11, Chandigarh, leaving behind a purported suicide note.
His wife, Amneet P Kumar, an IAS officer, on Wednesday filed a police complaint against state’s DGP Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, accusing them of caste-based discrimination and abetment to suicide.
She alleged that a “conspiracy was being hatched on the directions of DGP Haryana Shatrujeet Singh Kapur” to falsely implicate him in a complaint by fabricating evidence.
Rahul Gandhi also invoked the recent murder of Hariom Valimiki in Raebareli and the attempt to hurl shoe at Chief Justice of India BR Gavai at the Supreme Court, saying the injustice against the marginalized has reached its peak. He also attacked the BJP and the RSS, saying their “hatred and Manuvadi mindset” have filled venom in the society.
Also Read: Haryana IPS officer’s family not to allow autopsy, last rites till FIR registered
Valimiki, Dalit man in Raebareli, was reportedly lynched by villagers who mistook him for a thief on October 2. Meanwhile, in the case of BR Gavai, a lawyer tried to hurl a shoe at the Chief Justice during court proceedings on Monday. The lawyer, Rakesh Kishore, has not been arrested as the Supreme Court refused to take action against him. However, he was made several remarks defending his action.
Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Randeep Singh Surjewala have demanded an impartial investigation into Puran Kumar's death.
Hooda, the leader of opposition in the Haryana assembly, said in a statement: "The culprits should not be spared and no innocent should be harmed. It is the state government’s responsibility to ensure justice in this case. Suicide of such a senior police officer is a very tragic incident…If such a senior police officer is not safe today, one can imagine the plight of ordinary citizens.”
Rajya Sabha member Randeep Surjewala said the case of “forced suicide was both shocking and deeply tragic”.
In a post on X, Surjewala said though chief minister Nayab Singh Saini remains silent, it is hoped that the Chandigarh administration and the Union home ministry will listen to the plea of Puran Kumar’s wife and ensure justice is delivered.
