He went to Rajkot to inquire about the condition of those admitted to hospital who consumed poison to protest the Una incident before leaving the State.
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Shaileshbhai Shankarbhai, a community leader present at the protest site reportedly said, “We raised the hai-hai slogan on goal”.
On July 12, four Dalit youths who were skinning a dead cow were thrashed with iron rods, chained to a vehicle and dragged to a police station in Una, a small town in Gujarat.
The bandh was observed in Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Amreli and some small towns in Saurashtra, and also at Patan town and Aravalli district in North Gujarat.
Almost half a dozen of state transport buses were damaged while scores of youths attempted suicide. Later, the agitators were dispersed by the police. Meanwhile, the stream of high profile political visitors to Mota Samadhiyala village to meet family of victims of July 11 continued. Her government had acted promptly to ensure justice for victims, she said.
The situation remained tense in Porbandar city during the day, as a violent mob attacked a police station near Collector’s office and torched several vehicles. He added that nine persons have been arrested in this connection.
All across Gujarat, thousands of people from the scheduled caste community have come out in the streets to protest against what they call the high-handedness of self-styled cow protectors and governmental apathy.
Coming down hard on the attack on Dalits in Gujarat and taking strong objection to a BJP leader’s remarks against BSP supremo, Mayawati, the state Congress has chose to stage a protest against the saffron party’s “anti-Dalit” sentiments.
“This issue is increasingly becoming a political issue but it’s a social issue”.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday hit out at his Gujarat counterpart Anandiben Patel while accusing the BJP-led government in the state of preaching anti- Dalit propaganda and creating divide between the police and people.
The police and the state administration were unwilling to take action, apart from filing a few FIRs.
“Violence is RSS agenda”. RSS is trying for “dalit-mukt Bharat” (dalit-free India).
“Gujarat being the home state of Mr Modi, it is critical for the BJP to win next year”. What is going on? Is it the Gujarat model?
He said Dalits had faced lot of atrocities in the state during 1991-99.
Mann said that the party will ask Chief Minister Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal to immediately suspend and register a case against Akali MLA and Chief Parliamentry Secretary, Virsa Singh Valtoha for his alledged statement against Baba Sahib Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
The Congress members were not satisfied with the Home Minister’s reply and staged a walkout.
Patel, whose visit nearly followed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, said the beating up of Dalit youth was unfortunate and shameful. Flanked by a young girl and boy from Sarvaiya’s family, Kejriwal demanded government jobs to all the kin of the flogging victims.
“Dalits in Vadnagar have always loved its most famous son (Modi)”.
A three-member Trinamool Congress parliamentary delagation would visit Rajkot and Una on Saturday.
“I am not talking about atrocities against Dalits in Haryana. All cases against you booked by the government will be withdrawn by the new government”. “Ban the army, and if they do not agree, put them in jail”, he said. “We have to condemn those elements”, he said while asking members to rise above partylines to fight against such injustice.
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I am not supporting the killing of cows, but once it’s dead, how can it be used as an excuse to torture the weaker sections of society? “This is a social problem. This has become a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party governments (in the country)”, she said.
