BJP faces united Opposition fire over attacks on Dalits

The ruling BJP was attacked by a united Opposition in the Rajya Sabha over rising instances of atrocities against Dalits. The Centre urged the Opposition not to politicise the issue — the thrashing of members of the Dalit community in Gujarat and the disrespect shown to BSP supremo Mayawati by a BJP leader — and said the situation was little better when the Congress was in power.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who replied to the six-hour-long debate, said the Congress-led UPA had not fared any better in dealing with similar instances. Urging political parties to stand together against the anti-Dalit mentality, he said the Opposition should rise above politics to deal with the situation.

Initiating the debate, senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said the attacks against Dalits had risen in the last few years. He urged the Centre to immediately ban the “Taliban-like” cow protection vigilantes. “In Gujarat, these outfits say 33 crore gods and goddesses live in the cow. Such superstitions are being spread in this country,” he said.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said young Dalit protestors were trying to commit suicide by consuming pesticides, and such steps should open the eyes of the governments. He said the Una incident was a blow on the so-called Gujarat model propagated by the BJP during election campaigns.

“We have always said that Gujarat model worked for the benefit of few industrialists. The BJP has always divided the society and ruled,” he said.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said Dalits should be economically empowered and urged the Centre to stop curtailing the Dalit sub plan. He said the mythological mindset that considered Dalits as lower caste should be challenged, accusing the government such ideas.

BSP supremo Mayawati, distancing herself both from the Congress and the BJP, said the parties had always tried to politicise violence against Dalits. She said issues such as privatisation and a lack of reservation in the higher judiciary were hampering the socio-economic progress of Dalits.

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