The Congress party Monday accused BJP-ruled states of witnessing a surge in crimes and atrocities against Dalits, alleging that the perpetrators are being protected and patronized by the ruling governments. Uttar Pradesh has been cited as a glaring example.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, Congress SC Department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam alleged that the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh is indifferent and discriminatory towards Dalits, backward classes, and minorities.
Gautam pointed to a recent incident in the Meerut district where a Dalit girl was abducted and her mother brutally killed when she tried to save her. He claimed that when he and his party colleagues tried to meet the affected family, they were stopped by the local administration and police. “The entire area was converted into a police cantonment to prevent us from meeting the victims’ family. Had the UP government shown this kind of resolve against criminals, there would not have been so many atrocities against Dalits in the state,” he said.
He alleged that the Yogi government’s crackdown on crime is selective and based on caste identity. “When the accused belongs to Dalit or minority communities, bulldozers are immediately rolled out. But when the culprits are from upper castes and the victims are Dalits or minorities, no such action is taken. Yogi’s bulldozers rust when the crime is against Dalits,” he remarked.
Gautam also accused the Union government of treating crimes against Dalits lightly, saying official data on atrocities has not been made public since 2022. “This lack of transparency itself shows the seriousness – or rather the lack of it – with which the issue is being handled,” he pointed out.
The Congress leader stressed that atrocities on Dalits can be curbed only through time-bound investigation, speedy trials, and strict punishment of the guilty. “Justice delayed is justice denied, especially for the most vulnerable sections of society,” he added.
Gautam criticized the Delhi Police for denying permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar against the Meerut incident, calling the restriction unreasonable and insensitive.
The Congress said it will continue to raise the issue on the streets and in Parliament, demanding accountability from BJP governments and concrete measures to ensure Dalit safety and dignity.