Soaps to dalits- 'Cruel' example of cast system: JD(U)

Lashing out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the Kushinagar incident, where dalits were asked to shower before meeting him, the Janata Dal (United) on Monday said there cannot be more "cruel" example of cast system than this.

"There cannot be more cruel example of cast system than this that to meet their CM they have to take bath with soaps and shampoos and smell good. I totally condemn it," JD (U) leader K. C. Tyagi told ANI.

Another party leader Sharad Yadav said this incident clearly depicts the true face of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"It shows how poor our country is that people don't have soaps to take bath. This is the true colour of this country," he added.

Meanwhile, the Congress yesterday demanded an unconditional apology from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

Addressing the media, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, Yyesterday's incident at the village of Mushahar community's gathering has depicted the true face of BJP, the RSS and in particular of their CM. The true face, thought process, thinking, actions are reflected in the way soaps were distributed to the Dalit community by the officials on the instructions of Yogi Adityanath."

Earlier, the District Administration in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar asked the residents to have a bath before attending a meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, so that they 'smell good'.

To ensure the instructions were followed, soaps, shampoo and perfumes were distributed among the villagers.

The members of the Mushahar community were called to attend a vaccination program for the eradication of Encephalitis, a campaign started by the Chief Minister in Kushinagar's Kasiya division.

Five children from the community were to be vaccinated under the campaign from the area.

Ahead of the event, local officials distributed the soaps and shampoos to those attending the event, in order to make them "look clean and smell good."

Ahead of the event that the Chief Minister was going to attend, roads were paved, toilets were fixed overnight and streets were cleaned up in the village.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched Encephalitis vaccination campaign in the state from Mainpur village in Kushinagar.

Earlier, the administration in Deoria had received much flak for placing air conditioners, sofas and carpets at the house of a Border Security Force (BSF) martyr when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath went to his place to give the compensation cheque.