Congress claims BJP’s anti- dalit mindset revealed

● ‘ We condemn the statement of the chief minister. It is not a one- off incident, Haryana has witnessed a series of such incidents.’

Growing attacks on dalits in BJP- ruled Haryana and attempts to create communal polarisation across the country are not good developments for the ruling front, which is facing a tough challenge in the Bihar polls. The main Opposition Congress on Friday demanded immediate sacking of Union minister V. K. Singh for his dog remark on the dalit killings in Faridabad and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise for the controversial remarks of his minister.

Former Union minister Selja Kumari alleged that the way incidents were happening in Haryana, it reflected a pattern and showed “anti- dalit mentality” of the BJP, RSS, Haryana government as also the Centre. She said at the AICC briefing that what was surprising was that the Prime Minister has not spoken a word on Gen. Singh’s dog remark.

She said the “failure” of the Prime Minister to take action against any minister who have made controversial statements to fan forces of hate and violence showed how much sympathy he has for the oppressed, including the dalits.

Ms Selja, who hails from Haryana, was also harsh on the state chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for dubbing the incident at Faridabad as an individual incident. “We condemn the statement of the chief minister. It is not a one off incident and Haryana has witnessed a series of such incidents,” she said while demanding that a case under Sections 3& 4 of SC/ ST Act be immediately lodged against Gen. Singh.

Targeting the Prime Minister, Ms Selja claimed that it was not mere coincidence that his government has not promulgated any ordinance on the Atrocities Act concerning the Scheduled Castes while it has done so on all other matters.

She said another example of the “anti- dalit” mentality of the government was the “drastic cut” in the allocation of the sub- plan for Scheduled Castes.

Meanwhile, amid ongoing discussions over restructuring of Punjab Congress, former chief minister Amarinder Singh met party vice- presidednt Rahul Gandhi and discussed the current political situation with him here during the day.