PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal has said that Bharatiya Janata Party’s silence on the insult of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the statement of State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt defending the ‘ purification’ incident exposes anti-Dalit mindset of BJP.
He said that ‘purification’ of the ground after the address of a man who dedicated his entire life to protecting the country’s democracy and Constitution is highly objectionable to any civilized and democratic society.
Godiyal said that Kharge had himself raised the issue in Rajya Sabha and termed it as humiliating for him. “ At that time the leader of the house JP Nadda had also described the incident as unfortunate and had said the BJP had no involvement in it. He had also assured action and investigation into the matter,’’ he said.
The PCC president said that even after assurance of Nadda no action on the issue has been taken.
“If the BJP has no connection to this entire incident, why does BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt feel the need to defend purification,’’ Godiyal asked. He said that Bhatt’s statement that the Ramlila ground was ‘contaminated’ and that it had to be ‘purified’ further aggravates the issue.
He said that the country’s Constitution abolishes untouchability, guarantees equality and prohibits discrimination based on caste. Therefore, defending a ‘purification’ ceremony after a Dalit leader’s event by calling it a routine religious or cleansing activity is an affront to the Constitution’s fundamental spirit, Godiyal said.
The PCC president said that the people involved in the incident should be identified and action should be taken against them. He also demanded an impartial and timely investigation in the matter.
