PM never stood up for Dalits: Congress

After a fierce slugfest in the Rajya Sabha over the ongoing Bhima-Koregaon violence in Pune, the Congress on Wednesday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for never taking a stand in support of Dalits in the parliament.

Speaking to ANI, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be present in Parliament so that we could discuss the reasons behind the ongoing violence in Koregaon and an investigation is conducted. Also, the atrocities being faced by Dalits in the country should be taken into consideration by the Prime Minister and he should give a strong message in that context. He has always spoken outside the Assembly and has never pointed out the violence against Dalits in the Assembly."

He added that there is a need to figure out who is behind the Koregaon violence and which organisations are taking part to exploit the law and order through this ruthlessness.

"The ignorance towards Dalit violence by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reflects the difference between their doing and saying. Therefore, we want an impartial inquiry in this issue," Kharge asserted.

Meanwhile, speaking on the Bhima Koregaon violence, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the politicians should also take notice of the hatred that is being spread through hate speeches in Maharashtra.

Earlier in the day, a large number of the police personnel were deployed in Aurangabad as vehicles were vandalised by protestors in the wake of the ongoing protests and bandh across Maharashtra against the Bhima-Koregaon violence.

The Dalit activists had called for a bandh in Maharashtra to protest against violence in Pune that left a man dead.

Authorities have beefed up security in several cities, including Mumbai, as tension prevails in the state.

Protests were held in Nagpur, Pune and Baramati and arson was reported from several areas.

The tension began on Monday when lakhs of Dalits gathered in the village of Bhima-Koregaon, about 30 km from Pune, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of a battle that saw Dalit soldiers fighting with the British, defeating the army of the upper caste Peshwas or rulers.