The Lahaul and Spiti police have registered an FIR against a woman, Yashika Thakur, for making derogatory remarks against residents of Lahaul and Spiti, a Scheduled Tribe (ST) community. Commenting on a social media post related to the death of a young woman after childbirth at Regional Hospital in Kullu and the subsequent protests by local residents, the woman claimed that members of the tribal community get jobs “through a cakewalk” and deserve no respect. Alluding to the reservation benefits available to Scheduled Tribes, she used derogatory language in her post. She made the quota references because the doctor, who has been placed under suspension in connection with the woman’s death, and the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) hail from Lahaul and Spiti.
The derogatory comments triggered widespread outrage among Lahaul and Spiti residents, leading to the registration of an FIR against her. Anuradha Rana, the Lahaul and Spiti MLA, said people were deeply upset and hurt by these comments. “Before making any comment on reservation, one should understand the historical background of Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Scheduled Caste (SC) communities. Besides, one shouldn’t cross the limits of decency and make remarks that harm goodwill and harmony,” the MLA said.
Meanwhile, the woman tendered an apology through a video posted on social media following the backlash over her comments. In her apology, she said she got carried away in her rage over the Kullu hospital incident and made the unwarranted comments.
However, many of those offended by her comments felt the apology lacked sincerity. The MLA said it was for the people to decide whether to accept her apology or not.
