Mayawati slams PM Modi's silence, says don't be apathetic towards Dalits

In wake of the rising atrocities against Dalits in the states, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the issue and accused him of being apathetic to the concerns of the said community.

"Our party was expecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the Una incident given that he comes from Gujarat, but he remained silent," Mayawati told the media here.

"But his silent on the matter clearly indicates he is not concerned about the issue," she added.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the atrocities against the Dalits have been on the rise ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power at the Centre.

Narrating a series of events to justify her assertion, Mayawati alleged that the cow vigilantes have been targeting the Dalits for no valid reason in Una.

"Similarly in Maharashtra as well a couple of youngsters, who were driving a two-wheeler with Baba Saheb Ambedkar's picture on it where thrashed because of the picture," she said.

Mayawati also claimed that the Dalits were being harassed in the BJP-ruled states.

"The Prime Minister should have been strict with the BJP-led state governments where the Dalits are being harassed on a daily basis," she said.

She reasoned that the BJP-led state governments and the Centre do not wish to see the prosperity of the Dalits and accused them of harbouring discriminatory attitude towards the community.