Saturday, 04 June 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
Accusing the ruling BJP government of the exploitation of Dalits, the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya has said he felt this exploitation many times during his association with the BJP. Arya told mediapersons at Congress Bhawan on Friday that there were many instances when he felt the anti- Dalit stance of BJP and its leaders. He said that the reduction in budget of the special component plan and tribal sub area plan are examples of this mindset of the BJP. Arya said that in the Uttarkashi rape and murder case of a Dalit girl who had a mentally disturbed father, he was the only minister to visit the family and the then chief minister paid no heed to his suggestion to visit the household of the victim. Arya said that in the Jaunpur rape case, the accused and the victim were brought to the court in a single vehicle by police. Arya said that he was the only minister who visited the families of Bhagwanpur illegal liquor tragedy in which majority of deceased were dalits. He said that the apathy towards Dalits is clearly visible in the appointments of state ministers, position holders and the government counsels. Arya claimed that he raised the issue at various levels in the party forum and even discussed it with the party president J P Nadda but nothing happened.
It is pertinent to mention here that during his speech in Udaipur conclave, former president of Congress Rahul Gandhi said that Arya had told him about the exploitation he faced in BJP.
