Mere bombastic words won't stop atrocities on Dalits: Yechury

In hard-hitting remarks targeting the NDA government, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Thursday that mere bombastic words uttered loudly will not stop atrocities against the Dalits and minorities in the country.

"Often during discussions (on atrocities against the Dalits), there is a diarrhoea of words and constipation of action," the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) leader said while participating in a discussion in the Rajya Sabha.

The discussion pertained to atrocities committed against the Dalits in the country. It came in the wake of flogging and an assault on four Dalits by cow protection vigilantes in Gujarat's Una town on July 11.

Taking a jibe at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, whose leaders have been quite vocal in condemning the Una incident, the CPI-M leader said: "Loud words have to be matched with concrete action."

"Ever since this government has come to office in May 2014, new avenues of attacks have opened up against the Dalits," Yechury said.

"The conviction rate has dropped; it is less than five per cent. In 2008, the conviction rate was 48 per cent.

"We can voluminously speak, but then what is the action? What is the action that should follow? If the conviction rate has dropped, what is the action that the government proposes?" he said.

He said the onus of taking action in such crimes was on the government.

Blaming the mindset that encourages atrocities against the Dalits and other marginalised groups of society, Yechury said there was a need to fight this mindset.

"Worst atrocities are being committed against the weaker sections on the basis of allegations," he said.

--IANS

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