The politics started over setting ablaze a Dalit man in Sagar district, reached New Delhi and now the State capital on Tuesday.
Deputy Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) called on the victim here, while the BJP accused the Congress Government of shielding the accused involved in the murderous assault on the Dalit man.
Amid reports of insufficient action in the matter and improper treatment extended to the victim, deputy chairman of NCSC L Murugan visited Bhopal on Tuesday and met the victim recuperating at a hospital.
Accompanied by Murugan, family of the victim, natives of Sagar, told the media that around 15-20 men from a particular community had attacked their house on Jan 14. Five of them entered the house and set the 24-year-old Dalit man Dhan Prasad Ahirwar on fire.
The family identified five persons and claimed they could not recognise the rest of them.
The accused also have attempted a similar assault three years ago, they said.
Murugan told mediapersons that he has instructed the Sagar Superintendent of Police to include unidentified accused in the FIR lodged in the case and also book policemen for slackness in registering victim’s complaint under section 4 of the ST/SC (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
After not being satisfied with the treatment offered to Ahirwar with 60-65 per cent burn injuries at a local hospital in Bhopal, Murugan offered to send the victim of Safdarjung Hospital New Delhi on government expenses.
Ordering disbursement of compensation to the victim as per norms, Murugan also urged the state Government offer adequate compensation to the victim from CM’s Relief Fund.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and the former minister Lal Singh Arya, while speaking to the media on the issue accused the ruling Congress of shielding the accused involved in the ghastly incident claiming only five persons have been named in the FIR lodged in the matter.
“Unless the victim is offered justice, the BJP would not sit in comfort,” affirmed Arya.
Alleging that no senior Congress leader visited the critically injured victim as of now, Arya alleged that forget about offering sending the victim to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, the victim despite his serious burn injuries has been admitted to a non-AC room in Bhopal hospital.