Dalits facing most atrocities, BJP using them for votes: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday lashed out at the BJP over the Hathras incident alleging that the saffron party only pretends to stand by Dalits when elections were approaching and after elections Dalits were subjected to most atrocities.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo also said that the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh secretly burnt the body of the Dalit woman who was allegedly gang-raped under the cover of night. Addressing the gathering at the conclusion of a protest march by TMC against the incident at Hathras the Chief Minister accused BJP of using Dalits for publicity ahead of elections.

“When elections are near they (BJP) bring food from outside and eat it at Dalits’ home for publicity. But after elections are over then Dalits are subjected to atrocities. They only pretend to be Dalits’ friend,” said Mamata.

Criticising Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Mamata said that instead of taking swift action after the woman was brutalised his government locked her family members in their house and burnt her body secretly at night.

“Even after she was brutalised, her family members were locked in their house and the Yogi Government burnt her body undercover of the darkness of night. For how long such things will go on?” said Mamata.

Alleging that Dalits, minorities, and farmers were being subjected to suffering Mamata said that there was no democracy in the country and dubbed the BJP government at the Centre as an “ of the dictatorship, by the dictatorship and for the dictatorship".

"One nation, one leader and political party. The country is heading towards a presidential form of government. There is no democracy in India,” said Mamata. Indicating that she will go all out against BJP over the issue the TMC supremo instructed party workers to campaign in Scheduled Caste dominated villages. TMC will also hold protest demonstrations at every block in the state.