Uninvited, BJP minister barges into a Dalit man's house
Rajnish Kumar, a Dalit man from Aligarh, alleged that a BJP minister barged into his house, uninvited, with his own food, mineral water and cutlery. Rajnish was surprised to see minister Suresh Rana and his associates troop inside his house at around 11 pm on Tuesday. "I didn't even know they are coming for dinner, they came suddenly," Rajnish said.
A feast to remember
Notably, the feast included dishes like dal makhni, palak paneer, chhole, pulao, tandoori roti, and gulab jamun. Rajnish and his family remained bewildered.
Dalit outreach gone wrong
The BJP top brass, earlier this month, had asked its ministers from the centre and states to spend at least one night in a village where Dalit population is over 50%. Keeping in view the intent of this programme, it seems unfair and outrageous to barge inside somone's house just to prove a point. The outreach may get them votes, but will the mindset change?
Outrage over dilution of the SC/ST Act
BJP is already facing the heat from Dalits over the apex court's recent decision to dilute the SC/ST Act. The group has blamed the party for failing to stand up for them in court and protecting them from discrimination.
Are Dalits being reduced to mere voting numbers?
From Rahul Gandhi to Amit Shah, numerous politicians have eaten in Dalits' houses, it makes one wonder if there is any value to this act other than a good photo op. Citizens must ask themselves whether such pseudo events would help in Dalit upliftment. The ground reality, though, is every 15 minutes, crime against a Dalit is committed and every day, 6 Dalit women become a victim of rape in India.
