Press Note Eng Dt: 09/08/2016 Exposed double standards of Modi on the issue of atrocities on dalits
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Office of Shaktisinh Gohil
National Spokesperson, AICC & MLA, Abdasa
Press Note 09/08/2016
National spokesperson and Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil exposed double standards of Prime Minister on the issue of atrocities on dalits saying that he preached one thing while practiced another. Referring to the recent statement of PM that people should kill him instead of dalits, Gohil reminded him of Thangadh incident in which three dalits were killed in police firing in Gujarat.
Gohil said that at that time Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat holding charge of Home department. But he did not ask police to kill him instead of dalits, Gohil said. Many leaders visited Thangadh to share victims sorrow, but Modi did not utter even a single word. Later, Gohil said, Modi ordered a judicial probe under pressure from Congress. The commission submitted its report long back but Modi has not allowed the report to be tabled in the Assembly till the date. Dalits of Thangadh have not got justice.
People want justice from a person holding important post of Prime Minister and not crocodile’s tears. He pointed out that there was a provision of a committee under the leadership of Chief Minister for the review of cases of atrocity on Dalits. Leader of Opposition and some MLAs are members of this committee. During 2007-12, when Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat, this committee had met only once, he said. It should meet once in six months. It shows anti dalit mind set of BJP and Modi, Gohil said.
He pointed out that a district- wise study of atrocity cases revealed that in 91 to 97 per cent cases accused were acquitted which showed that BJP was not serious in getting justice to dalits. It did not go for appeal in these cases. Poor dalits and landless labourers were given land earlier, but no land was given after Modi coming to power in Gujarat. In reply to a question in the Assembly government has accepted that in many temples in 8 districts dalits are not allowed to enter.
The report on atrocity on dalits in Thangadh on 1/5/2013 and CEPT report on untouchability are ready but BJP government in not tabling them in Assembly. Giving another example of anti dalit psyche of BJP, he said that in five years, 2010 to 2014, there were 9526 cases of atrocity were registered. However, there is conviction only in 29 cases, in 1135 accused have been acquitted while 8360 cases are pending. Thus conviction rate of 2.97 percent only. There is a wide gap between the national average of conviction in atrocity cases, which is 22 percent, and the conviction rate in Gujarat, which is 2.97 percent.
Dalits never kill a cow is a known fact. Despite this referring to Una incident BJP whip T Raja had said that dalits were killing cow in Una and showered filthy abuses on them. BJP did not take any action against T Raja. On the contrary, he was on the airport to receive Modi when he went to Telangana recently. This is an example of contrast of Modi’s preaching and practice, he said.
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