BJP, RSS behind Pune violence: Maya

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, January 3

BSP national president Mayawati today hit out at the BJP-RSS for “orchestrating” violence against Dalits during the Bhima-Koregaon Vijay Diwas in Pune. She alleged the violence by the “bhagwa jhanda-dhari (saffron flag-bearers)” was yet another effort by fascist forces to crush the self-esteem of Dalits, which deserved to be condemned.

Comparing the violence in Pune with the atrocities against Dalits in Shabbirpur village in Saharanpur in April-May 2017, Mayawati said that both incidents were attempts to crush the Dalits sense of self-worth by the fascist forces.

Mayawati charged the BJP government of Maharashtra of failing to provide basic civic amenities and security to the large number of Dalits who had gathered to pay their tributes to the memory of the brave Mahars.”The incident could have been prevented by the Maharashtra Government. It should have made adequate security arrangements. The BJP government in the state let the violence take place, exposing its casteist mindset,” she said, adding that such atrocities were on the rise in BJP-ruled states. “What is more troubling and painful is that in none of the cases have the Dalits got justice.

She described the attitude of the BJP top leadership towards the Dalits as “ irresponsible and apathetic.”