Under attack over the recent Dalit incident in Gujarat, the government on Thursday asserted in the Rajya Sabha that it would not tolerate such incidents at any cost and rejected the Opposition charge that atrocities against the lower caste community had increased during the NDA regime.
Replying to a debate in the House, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Gujarat government had taken prompt action in the case, involving the thrashing of some Dalits by cow protection activists and had arrested 16 accused and suspended four police officials, including an inspector.
He added that the state government was working to set up a special court to try this case within six months.
The Opposition blasted the government over attacks on Dalits and minorities, alleging that a “Taliban-like attitude” was prevailing in some parts of India and questioned PM Narendra Modi’s silence over such issues. Singh said: “Our government will not tolerate any physical violence or verbal abuse against Dalits.” He rejected the Opposition charge that cases of atrocities against Dalits had increased in last two years and said he could reel out figures of such incidents that took place under Congress rule.