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August 2016 Gujarat Protests

The August 2016 Gujarat Protests were a series of demonstrations held by Dalit organizations across India, particularly in the Indian state of Gujarat, following the public beating of a Dalit family by a Hindu crowd in and around Una, Gujarat on July 11, 2016.

Incident
At approximately 10 AM on July 11, 2016 seven members of a Dalit family were beaten with iron pipes, sticks, and a knife by members of the Bhartiya Gau Raksha Dal in Mota Samadhiyala village. The members of the organization also stole the cell phones belonging to the family members. Following the assault in the village, the attackers kidnapped four of the seven family members and drove them to Una, Gujarat, where they stripped them, paraded them in the streets, chained them, and beat them in full view of the public. Nobody who witnessed the event intervened. The incident itself was recorded in part and the video thereafter shared on social media.

Response
The assault prompted a major political response, with the issue being discussed in state parliaments around the country, as well as the national parliament. The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, announced on July 19, 2016 that nine people had been arrested and four political officials had been suspended in connection with the attack.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/9-arrested-in-connection-with-attack-on-Dalits-in-Una-Rajnath-Singh-tells-Lok-Sabha/articleshow/53298399.cms

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, issued a statement wherein he called upon those involved in violent attacks against Dalits to direct their anger at him. His speech was poorly received by Dalit organizations, which considered it melodramatic and ineffective.

Following the public beating, Dalit community leaders began to organize a response.