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The Congress condemned the move of sending soaps and shampoo to dalit families ahead of meeting Yogi Adityanath, calling it an act of untouchability. Picture courtesy ANI
Congress on Sunday demanded to invoke the provisions of the stringent SC/ST Atrocities Act against Yogi Adityanath and his officials for asking Dalits to “clean up and smell good” before meeting the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
“The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and his callous officers have practised a very low level of untouchability,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here.
On May 25, DH had reported that government representatives had asked members of a Dalit community to clean and wash with soaps and shampoos before Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's scheduled visit to their village.
The Congress claimed that the Chief Minister had insulted the entire community and must apologise forthwith.
“Appropriate case must be registered against the Chief Minister and the officers under the stringent SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act,” Singhvi said.
The Congress also said that the incident should be seen in the context of repeated attacks on Dalits as witnessed in Una in Gujarat, the suicide by Rohit Vemula, the ban on Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle and the recent attacks in caste conflict in Saharanpur.
“The incident has shown the true face of the BJP and particularly the RSS. I have clearly said that the chief minister does not appear to be a yogi (renouncer) but a bhogi (materialistic),” Singhvi said.
“The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and his callous officers have practised a very low level of untouchability,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here.
On May 25, DH had reported that government representatives had asked members of a Dalit community to clean and wash with soaps and shampoos before Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's scheduled visit to their village.
The Congress claimed that the Chief Minister had insulted the entire community and must apologise forthwith.
“Appropriate case must be registered against the Chief Minister and the officers under the stringent SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act,” Singhvi said.
The Congress also said that the incident should be seen in the context of repeated attacks on Dalits as witnessed in Una in Gujarat, the suicide by Rohit Vemula, the ban on Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle and the recent attacks in caste conflict in Saharanpur.
“The incident has shown the true face of the BJP and particularly the RSS. I have clearly said that the chief minister does not appear to be a yogi (renouncer) but a bhogi (materialistic),” Singhvi said.
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