Senior Bihar JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary today said the state government would provide full protection to residents of Malikpur village in Vaishali district where 10-12 houses and shops belonging to dalits were set ablaze.
About a dozen houses and shops in the village in Raghopur assembly constituency belonging to dalits were burnt by unknown persons on May 28 last, he told reporters here adding the incident took place following a land dispute.
Raghopur assembly constituency which is represented by Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.
Choudhary, who visited Malikpur village, alleged that about 10-12 houses and shops belonging to dalits were burnt by some influential people. "They (dalits) are scared that the incident may recur. I have assured them that there is no need to panic as the government will protect dalits in every possible manner ... I have also apprised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the ground realities."
Police are investigating the incident and strict action will be taken against those involved in it, he said.
Coming down heavily on opposition RJD, Choudhary, who is also an MLC, said that not a single RJD leader visited the village even after the 72 hours of the incident.
"On the one hand, former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi incites dalits to take up arms aginst police while on the other hand the leader of a political party did not bother to visit the village which falls in his assembly constituency. This shows his ideas and feelings for dalits," Choudhary said.
He said that opposition RJD wants to divide the society along the caste lines for vote politics and push the state into the situation of the 1990's when party chief Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi were the CM.
Later replying to a query, state Road Construction Minister Nand Kishore Yadav said that the Vaishali district superintendent of police is camping in the village.
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