V K Singh shown black flags over Dalit remarks

Union Minister V K Singh, who kicked up a controversy by his remarks on the Faridabad Dalit burning incident, today refused to speak on the subject during the release of a book penned by him, as the Leftists staged protests and showed black flags against him.

"I will speak only about the book and the weather," Singh said when reporters tried to ask him questions on the incident on the sidelines of the release of the Hindi version of his book 'Courage and Conviction', named 'Sahash aur Sankalp' by West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi at the Raj Bhawan here.

Governor Tripathi, a former Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, was all praise for Singh and claimed that the former Army chief had thought about the welfare of all irrespective of rank and position.

Singh was greeted with protests and shown black flags by Left Front supporters at different places over his comments since his arrival in the city for the book release.

A group of around 60 protesters waved black flags in front of the Raj Bhavan south gate and shouted slogans of "V K Singh go back" a short while before the book release function in the afternoon.

Earlier, in the morning, Left Front supporters waved black flags and raised slogans against Singh as he arrived at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

According to airport sources, Singh's convoy got stuck on its way to the city due to the demonstration held by around 150 Left Front supporters.

The Left supporters also burnt an effigy of Singh and demanded his resignation over his alleged anti-Dalit remarks at a protest at Esplanade in the heart of the city.

Singh had kicked up a huge political row when he tried to shield the government from blame in the Faridabad Dalit burning incident, saying the "government cannot be held responsible if somebody stones a dog".