“If V K Singh has compared the incident of burning of Dalits with (stoning of) dogs, the PM should take cognisance of it and initiate appropriate action against him”, Manjhi said. “We reject such unwarranted interventions”, he said.
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His remarks triggered outrage from Opposition and Congress and other parties demanded removal of Singh as a minister.
He said the protests and forcible closures of markets organized by a few forces were of no use as they harassed the general public. “We have strong objections to his comments”, said BJP’s Dalit leader Bijoy Shankar Shastri.
Ashutosh also rubbished the minister’s clarification as an after-thought in view of the Bihar polls. “The matter is being inquired into”, Singh said in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, the constituency he represents in Parliament, while referring to the burning alive of the Dalit family in Haryana’s Faridabad which left two toddlers dead earlier this week.
After visiting the Dalit family on Wednesday, Congress Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for the intercaste violence in Haryana.
Ms Mayawati said, “It clearly indicates that BJP is not at all concerned or sensitive towards Dalits”. However being offering an “unqualified apology”, the apex court dropped the contempt case against him.
After the Pakistan National Day reception at its high commission in New Delhi this year, Singh, in a series of tweets, used the words “disgust” and “duty”, indicating his apparent unhappiness at being deputed to attend the function.
In Bihar, Nitish Kumar told a rally, “The people voted for them (the BJP) in Haryana and helped them form the government. My men & I put our lives on the line 4the nation irrespective of caste, creed & religion”. This reflects the mindset of the government.
Police have so far nabbed seven accused in connection with the attack, while four are still on the run.
He was meeting the family of the victims and villagers who had gathered here.
While tensions between the Dalit and upper castes has been palpable in Haryana for a few time, all the dots are yet to be joined in the Sunped case.
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“We can’t get away by saying the statement was misinterpreted. What you are seeing is the result of this attitude!” he added. “Five Special Investigation Teams have been constituted under Deputy Commissioner of Police Puran Chand”, Faridabad Police Commissioner Subhash Yadav said.
