He admitted that the Dalits were skinning a dead cow, and that the government was monitoring the medical treatment being given to the victims.
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The attack on Dalits and the violent backlash gave the opposition parties an opportunity to unite in Parliament and accuse the Narendra Modi Government of allowing cow vigilante groups to terrorise Dalits in Gujarat. Later in a statement in th House, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Prime Minister had been very upset and hurt about the incident, and listed out the action being taken against the accused, and compensation paid.
He said that nine people have been arrested so far in connection with the case, out of which seven were sent to judicial custody while two others were remanded in police custody. Police said Dalits groups clashed with police teams at several places.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief minister also instructed the local administration to arrange police protection for the families of the victims. As a part of the protest, members of the community also dumped cow carcasses in front of the Collector’s office in different districts. “Is this the Gujarat model”, Suresh said, as tempers ran high in the Opposition benches.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the state Congress led by its President Bharatsinh Solanki and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela presented a memorandum to Governor O.P. Kohli to condemn the government’s “failure” to prevent atrocities on Dalits.
Dalit community members have been protesting the brutal assault on some community members on July 11 for allegedly skinning a cow at Una in Gir-Somnath district.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said Rahul Gandhi will meet the Dalit victims and their family members during his visit to the state tomorrow.
Various organisations such as the Jan Sangharsh Manch and Dalit Movement of India have supported the call.
“Atrocities against Dalits are a social evil”, he said.
The Gujarat government has suspended four police officers for negligence, and ordered a Criminal Investigation Department probe into the matter. Crime Branch of state CID is investigating the case. Later, Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) members walked out of the Lok Sabha. “When I raised this issue two days ago in the Rajya Sabha the Congress paid no heed to it. My party charged right into the well but the congress stayed put”.
The CM later visited Rajkot Civil Hospital and made inquiries about the treatment of four victims and directed hospital authorities to provide best possible medical treatment to them.
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He also defended the state government, saying it had acted “swiftly and effectively”.
