NDA questions Rahul Gandhi's silence over caning of Dalit youths in Bihar, stage protest

Opposition NDA in Bihar have questioned the silence of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi over the caning of Dalit students in Bihar last week. The incident took place on Wednesday in Patna when hundreds of Dalit students were staging a protest march against the reduction in their post-matric scholarship money from Rs. 1 lac to Rs. 15000/-. Six Dalit students were grievously injured in the police action. All of them are undergoing treatment at the hospital.

After raising the issue in the Bihar Assembly during the just concluded monsoon session, the Opposition NDA on Saturday staged a Mahadharna at the BJP's state office in Patna to corner the government. Leaders from BJP, LJP, RLSP and HAM participated in the dharna. Sushil Modi and Nand Kishore Yadav from the BJP and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan from LJP who were present at the dharna slammed Nitish Kumar government for baton charge on Dalit students. They alleged that both Nitish and Lalu's silence over the incident has exposed their real face. NDA leaders alleged that both Nitish and Lalu considered Dalits simply as their vote bank.

Jamui MP Chirag Paswan categorically attacked Congress VP Rahul Gandhi questioning his silence on the matter. He questioned why Rahul who went to Una, Gujarat when Dalit youths were beaten up is now shying away from coming to Bihar in support of the Dalit students.

"I want to ask why Nitish and Lalu are silent over the Dalit students caning. Why is Rahul Gandhi silent? Rahul has time to go to Hyderabad over the death of Rohith Vemula but despite their government in the state why is the Congress VP not coming to Bihar? Why doesn't he meet Dalit students beaten up in Bihar," questioned Chirag Paswan.

BJP leader Sushil Modi alleged that there have been several incidents of Dalit atrocities reported from across the state in last few weeks but the government remained mum on them. In fact last month, two Dalit youths were beaten and urinated upon by the powerful men of the area on charges of theft. Raising these issues, Modi warned that their agitation would continue until action is taken against the guilty police officials who lathi charged the Dalit students.

"There has been massive cut in scholarship money given to Dalit student. When these students protested, they were beaten up by police. In next 3-4 days we will continue to protest at various places in the state. Despite several Dalit atrocities neither Rahul Gandhi nor any Congress leader went to meet the victims", said Sushil Modi.

The Opposition demanded CBI probe into Dalit youths lathi-charge case.

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