Punjab Cong protest against atrocities on Dalits

Punjab Congress workers today protested against the SAD-BJP state government for "increasing" incidents of alleged atrocities on Dalits, including the gruesome murder of a 27-year-old Dalit at Abohar in the state.
Led by Punjab Congress SC Cell Chairman Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Congress workers held the protest outside the Punjab Congress Bhawan here and raised "anti-government" slogans.
Protesters were, however, not allowed to proceed towards the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as city police had put up barricades near the Congress Bhawan.
Police used water cannons to stop the protesters from jumping the barricades. Later they were rounded up by the police.

"Through this protest we wanted to ask the state government to stop atrocities on Dalits in the state," said Chabbewal.
The protesters cited the recent Abohar murder case in which a Dalit's limbs were chopped off by the assailants.

"The brutal murder of Bhim Sain in Abohar at the behest of an Akali leader and liquor baron was an example of the atrocities being committed against Dalits in the state," Chabbewal said, while questioning the police investigation in this case.
The Congress workers also mentioned the deaths of Dalit girls who were run over by private buses in Tarn Taran and Moga.

"The state government is hell bent upon suppressing the voice of poor and Dalits in the state by committing atrocities on them," he added.