Congress accuses BJP of distancing itself from attack on Dalit family in Haryana

Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) of distancing itself from the attack on Dalit family in Ballabhgarh, Haryana , adding that some action should be taken against Haryana Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar.

"It is extremely unfortunate that all the BJP spokespersons are defending the incident, instead of standing with the family and trying to get justice for them," she said.

"We saw a very shameful remark coming from Meenakshi Lekhi and V K Singh has gone a step further and made undignified comments on the incident. It is unfortunate how the BJP distances itself without realising that they are in power in Haryana as well at the Centre. Some actions should have been taken against the chief minister, but nothing has been done till now," Chaturvedi told ANI here.

She further said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) came into the picture only when Rahul Gandhi visited the family in Haryana and family requested him to ensure that the justice is done to them.

Chaturvedi's criticism of the BJP came two days after a group of upper caste Rajput men allegedly poured petrol on and set on fire a Dalit family of four, killing two children and leaving their parents with serious burns in Sumped village of the Ballabhgarh region on Tuesday morning.

The children, two-and-a-half-year-old Vaibhav and nine-month-old succumbed to burns, while their parents Jitender and Rekha had to be admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi for treatment of their injuries.

Reports said that early Tuesday morning, a group of men, allegedly acquainted to the Thakur families of the village, entered the Dalit family's home, doused the victims with petrol and set them on fire. Preliminary police inquiries indicate that a piece of property was the cause of rancour between Jitender and the Rajput men.

Police have been deployed in the village in large number to maintain law and order. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a compensation of Rs.10 lakh for each of the dead children.