BJP, Centre reach out to Dalits, say they stand shoulder to shoulder

The BJP and the Centre today reached out to Dalits in the aftermath of their violent protests asserting that at every juncture they stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the community and accused the Congress of fuelling tension in the society with an eye on elections.

The remarks by BJP president Amit Shah and Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Thavarchand Gehlot expressing their commitment to protect the interests of the Dalit and the tribal community came even as Congress chief Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "not uttering a word" on dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Dalit protests against the softening of the provisions of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court erupted in large-scale violence in different parts of the country yesterday leaving nine dead, many injured and property worth crores destroyed. Several dalit organisations had given a call for 'Bharat Bandh yesterday.

In a series of tweets, Shah said a "microscopic minority of dejected and rejected political parties" made the people suffer and sought their apology to "Dalit sisters and brothers".

He also blamed "vested interest groups" for spreading the panic on the issue of reservation for Dalits, saying it is done before every election and asserted that the government will do everything to protect their rights.

Right from the day the apex court gave its judgment on the SC/ST atrocities act, the central government acted in an "immediate and informed" manner and has filed an effective review petition to protect the Dalits' rights, Shah said.

He pointed out that Prime Minister Modi had met MPs belonging to the Scheduled Castes and had assured them that the government was doing everything to protect the rights and wellbeing of "our Dalit sisters and brothers."
Gahlot claimed that history suggests it is the Congress which is anti-Dalit and treated them like a vote bank. "You are trying to make political benefit by fuelling tensions in society but it is not good. You are doing so with an eye on elections."