New Delhi, Jan. 12 -- The Congress on Sunday alleged that crimes and atrocities against Dalits are rising in BJP-ruled states, accusing governments of shielding perpetrators and displaying selective enforcement of the law.
The charge was made by Rajendra Pal Gautam, Chairman of the Scheduled Castes Department of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), who questioned what he described as the "indifference" of the Uttar Pradesh government towards crimes against Dalits.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Gautam cited a recent incident in Meerut, where a Dalit girl was allegedly abducted and her mother brutally killed while trying to protect her.
He said that when he and other party representatives attempted to meet the affected family, the local administration and police prevented them from doing so, turning the area into what he described as a "police cantonment". He argued that had the State shown similar resolve against criminals, such crimes would not be recurring.
The Congress leader alleged that the government led by Yogi Adityanath was discriminatory in its response to crime. He claimed that bulldozer action was swiftly taken when the accused belonged to Dalit or minority communities, but not when victims were Dalits, and the accused were from upper castes. "Yogi's bulldozers rust when the crime is against Dalits," Gautam remarked, alleging a pattern of selective justice.
Extending his criticism to the Centre, Gautam said crimes against Dalits were being treated lightly, pointing out that official data on atrocities had not been made public since 2022. He maintained that transparency in data and accountability in governance were essential to addressing caste-based violence.
He also criticised the Delhi Police for denying permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar over the Meerut incident.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.