The latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) may give the Opposition a shot in arm for the Gujarat Assembly election. The latest data for 2014-16 reveals that the BJP ruled states recorded highest crime rates against scheduled castes.

The NCRB data, released today says that the five states that recorded the highest crime rate in the category of "crime/atrocities against scheduled castes" during 2014-16 were all ruled by the BJP directly or in alliance with other parties.

Madhya Pradesh occupies the top position in crime against scheduled castes in terms of crime rate, which is defined by the incidence of crime recorded per one lakh population. Madhya Pradesh registered 3,294 incidents of crime against scheduled castes in 2014 followed by 3,546 in 2015 and 4,922 last year.

Madhya Pradesh reported 12.1 per cent of total number of crimes against scheduled castes registered in the country last year. Madhya Pradesh is followed by Rajasthan, which recorded 12.6 per cent of total number of crimes recorded against scheduled castes in the country in 2016.

OTHER BJP STATES

Rajasthan recorded 6,735 incidents of crime against scheduled castes in 2014, which declined to 5,911 in 2015 and 5,136 in 2016. Goa holds third position in terms of crime rate against scheduled castes. However, in terms of numbers, Goa recorded only 13 such cases each in 2014 and 2015 while the number of crime against scheduled castes declined to 11 last year.

With 5,701 incidents of crime reported against scheduled castes last year, Bihar stood fourth in the table. Bihar's share in the all India figure for crime against scheduled caste was 14 per cent for 2016. The

BJP is in alliance with the JD-U in Bihar, which had voted for the grand alliance (including RJD and Congress) in 2015. But, early this year, Nitish Kumar walked out of the grand alliance and stitched an alliance with the BJP to form government.

WILL NCRB DATA IMPACT GUJARAT ELECTION?

Election-bound Gujarat was at the fifth rank in terms of crime rate against scheduled castes. Gujarat has seen an increase in the number of incidents of crime against scheduled castes since 2014.

The NCRB data shows that Gujarat registered 1,094 incidents of crime against scheduled castes which increased to 1,322 in 2016. In 2015, Gujarat recorded a minor dip in the number when 1,010 incidents of crime against scheduled castes were registered in the state.

During this period, Gujarat has seen several agitations over rising crime against Dalits in the state. The crime against Dalits took political turn in 2015 when a family was attacked by cow vigilantes at Una.

The issue of crime against Dalits is one of the major poll issues for Gujarat Assembly election. Dalit leaders including Jignesh Mevani and the Congress have been raising the issue of crime against scheduled castes in the state for past couple of years.

According to the NCRB data, atrocities or crime against scheduled castes increased by 5.5 per cent in 2016 over 2015. A total of 40,801 cases of crime against scheduled castes were registered in the country in 2015 compared to 38,670 cases in 2015.

With 10,426 incidents, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cases of atrocities against scheduled castes accounting for 25.6 per cent followed by Bihar with 14 per cent and Rajasthan with 12.6 per cent in 2016.

In 2016, the rate of crime against scheduled castes of total cognisable crimes in Madhya Pradesh was 43.4 per cent followed by 42 per cent in Rajasthan, 36.7 per cent in Goa, 34.4 per cent in Bihar and 32.5 per cent in Gujarat. The all-India crime rate against scheduled castes was 20.6 per cent last year.