Rahul attacks Maya, BJP over Dalit issues

Taking on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, a key contender for power in Uttar Pradesh, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused her of not “encouraging Dalit leadership” in a bid to keep her “firm grip on power”.

He also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Narendra Modi government, accusing it of “killing” Rohith Vemula, a Dalit scholar from the Hyderabad Central University, whose suicide triggered a nationwide outrage.

“Mayawati did not utilise the platform provided by Kanshiram...she did not encourage Dalit leadership in the party in a bid to keep her firm grip on power,” he said, addressing a ‘Dalit concalve’ at party office here. He alleged that the BSP supremo, in fact, “crushed and suppressed” emerging Dalit leadership.

"Mayawati failed to ensure proper benefit to the Dalits. She did not promote young Dalit leadership when she became the Chief Minister. She tried to crush and suppress Dalit leadership and attempted to concentrate all power in her hand,” Gandhi said.

Claiming that the Dalit youths are now “frightened” by Mayawati’s leadership, he said this presents an opportunity before the Congress. The Congress wants to give them the space to transform Uttar Pradesh, he said. “Congress has a big opportunity since Dalits have now started raising questions as to why they have not got any benefits in the last 10 years. We want to invite you (Dalit youths) to Congress and give you power because you have not progressed the way you should have,” he said.

Notably, the Congress, is trying to regain the solid Dalit vote base of Dalits, which was eroded after the BSP’s emergence on UP’s political landscape.

Speaking about his Hyderabad visit after Vemula’s suicide, Gandhi said: “Rohith was killed by the Government of India. He was supressed by the government and forced to commit suicide. An RSS man is heading the institution there and voice of Rohith was not heard.”  The Congress has kept the heat on the NDA government over Vemula’s suicide with its Scheduled Caste department raising it in several places across Uttar Pradesh during the party’s ongoing Bhim Jyoti yatra.

He said: “Dalits are asking themselves whether Congress could give a place to Dalit youths and leaders in the party. We want to take Dalits with us as they did not get desired progress in UP and in the country.”

On his visit to Dalit homes, Gandhi said: “BJP men termed my visit as ‘dhong’ (drama) but I want to tell them that a true Congressmen has concern for the poor...they (BJP) will not understand it.”