Delhi BJP eyes Dalit vote bank; promises slew of schemes

In a bid to muster public support for the upcoming Assembly polls, Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel today led a foot march in several areas resided by Dalit community and promised a series of welfare measures for them if the party comes to power after the election.
Goel has also decided to spend tonight at the residence of a Dalit family in Pandav Nagar area as part of his plan to reach out to the community.
On April 14, BJP had organised a grand feast at Burari in north Delhi to celebrate the Ambedkar Jayanti which was participated by BJP president Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, and Goel among others.

Delhi BJP had claimed that the feast was attended by more than 16,000 people from the Dalit community.
Elaborating on BJP's vision for the Dalits, Balmikis and other backward communities, Goel said, "After coming to power, the BJP will run special time bound programmes to support and encourage higher education, skill building and employment oriented training for the youth from the disadvantaged communities."
Addressing corner meetings during his foot march today, the BJP leader accused the Delhi Government of doing nothing for the community during the last 15 years.
He even alleged that funds meant for welfare schemes for people from Scheduled Caste community were diverted in the run up to the Commonwealth Games. "Dalits, Balmikis and Scheduled Castes have been left in the lurch as the policies of the Congress government in Delhi have benefited only vested interests who have pocketed most of the money meant for welfare of Dalits," he alleged.

"Rs 744 crores were diverted from Special Component Plan (SCP), meant for the welfare of Dalits, to projects directly or indirectly linked to Commonwealth Games by Delhi government," he said.