Bharti skips event organised for meals with dalits

Union Minister Uma Bharti skipped an event organised for having a meal with Dalits near here in Madhya Pradesh, saying she was not Lord Rama who would purify people by having food with them.

Later, she apologised, claiming that she was not aware that she was supposed to have food with them.

At the event held at Dadri village near here two days back, the senior BJP leader had said she does not take part in such community meals as she doesn't consider herself Lord Rama, who would purify people by having food with them.

"I don't go to the houses of Dalits to have meals, though I support this trait (breaking bread with the people of scheduled caste category)," said the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister while addressing a function in the village.

She said that instead, she invites Dalits to her home to have food.

"I want to share a secret with you. I don't take part in 'samrasta bhoj' (community meals) because I do not consider myself Lord Rama, who went to Shabri's home and the Dalits became purified," she said.

Since the last couple of months, the RSS and the BJP are promoting 'samrasta bhoj' (community meals) to spread across the message of social harmony and to eradicate casteism.

"I am not Lord Rama that if I sit with them, they will be purified...instead if they come to our home and sit in our kitchen, we will be sanctified," Bharti said.

She added that she believes that when she serves food to Dalits on her dining table, "her place ... utensils will attain purity."