Cong leaders raise with Prez issue of 'atrocities' in Gujarat

Attacking the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress today said he has time to think about people of Balochistan but cannot meet the dalit victims of "atrocities" in his home state Gujarat even as it demanded time-bound and concrete action against perpetrators.

A delegation of Gujarat Congress comprising PCC Chief Bharatsinh Solanki, Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress President, Congress Legislative Party leader Shankar Sinh Vaghela, AICC General Secretary Madhusudan Mistry met President Pranab Mukherjee, requesting his intervention in the matter through Governor of the state.

Claiming that the law and order situation Gujarat has "collapsed", the party also accused the BJP government there of not doing anything despite the attacks on dalits, Patidars, adivasis and minorities.

The delegation said the communities particularly dalits were facing atrocities which is "inhuman and barbarous" and didn't take place took place even during the "British Rule".

"The Prime Minister thinks about people of Balochistan, but when dalits are being persecuted in his home state... the Patidars, minorities and adivasis are being harassed and he doesn't even get the time to meet the victims," Solanki said.

It said changing the Chief Minister was only a face-saving exercise by BJP and a strong action against perpetrators is needed.

"The state government is not doing anything. The law and order has collapsed in the state. All sections are tired and the BJP government is trying to save its face," Solanki claimed.

The delegation, in its memorandum, claimed that total number of atrocity cases against dalits stand at 14,613 over the last 13 years of BJP rule in the state.

The leaders also demanded that the real mastermind of the Una incident, where dalit youths were assaulted for skinning a dead cow, be arrested and charge-sheet be filed in 30 days.

It also demanded setting up of special courts to fast track over 500 pending cases of violence against dalits and appoint special public prosecutors in all cases pertaining to atrocities in dalits.