Rajnath ticks off VK & Rijiju, advises caution
● In a public dressing down, he said, ‘ We can’t get away by saying the statement was misinterpreted’
After Union minister of state for external affairs V. K. Singh virtually compared the incident of dalits being burnt alive to the stoning of a “dog” and MoS for home affairs Kiren Rijiju criticised “north Indians”, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday disapproved of ministers and BJP leaders making controversial statements, saying extra caution has to be taken by those who are in power.
With the ongoing Bihar Assembly polls witnessing a close fight between the BJP and its rival, an alliance of the JD( U), RJD and Congress, the controversial statements by the two ministers caused much embarrassment to the Modi government with BJP ally Jitan Ram Manjhi of HAM, a former Bihar chief minister and mahadalit leader, terming Mr V. K. Singh’s remarks as a reflection of a “feudal” mindset.
Issuing a public dressing down, the home minister said, “We can’t get away by saying the statement was misinterpreted. We need to be extra careful while putting forth our views.”
“Both Gen. V. K. Singh and Kiren Rijiju have already given their clarification on their statements, but I feel as leaders of the ruling party we all must be extra cautious before making any statement and should also ensure that there is no possibility of our statement being interpreted in the wrong sense,” Mr Rajnath Singh said.
Mr Rajnath Singh said
Continued from Page 1 ministers and BJP leaders must ensure that their statements are reflected in the proper perspective and no wrong message is communicated through them. “We should also ensure that there is no possibility of our statements being interpreted in the wrong way or send an incorrect message,” he said. It is learnt that both Gen. Singh and Mr Rijiju were personally asked by the party leadership to be careful in future.
Refusing to let the controversy die, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in New Delhi filed a complaint with the Delhi police on Friday against the remarks, while the Congress demanded the sacking of the former Army Chief from the Cabinet.
As political heat mounted over the horrific incident, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday assert- ed that those responsible for the crime would not be spared and insisted steps have been taken to ensure the security of the community in the state. He also rejected the allegation that a 15- year- old dalit boy in Sonipat had died in police custody, saying he had committed suicide. He announced a job and compensation for the family of the boy whose death triggered fresh protests on Friday.
Mr Khattar also deplored attempts to give a casteist colour to “individual incidents” and insisted there was no problem with law and order, rejecting the Opposition’s charge in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Congress and BSP continued to mount attacks on Mr Khattar’s government, saying it was “insensitive” towards dalits and an “anti- dalit mindset” prevailed in Haryana. “Yes, small incidents do take place and it is always government’s intention not to let such incidents happen again and, if it takes place, efforts are made to nab the culprit and ensure suitable action,” Mr Khattar said at a press conference. Noting that the state government has handed over the probe to CBI, he said, “We cannot take any bigger step at present.”
Gen. Singh’s statement created an outrage when in trying to deflect the attack on the Modi government on Thursday he had said, “If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible.” Mr Rajnath Singh’s deputy in the home ministry, Mr Kiren Rijiju, also landed in a soup after he endorsed a statement that people of north India enjoy breaking the rules. Mr Rijiju had later tried to clarify, saying he was “not pointing at any region, religion or other group”.