In this poll season, books are coming handy for both the BJP and Congress in attacking each other. After two recent book releases attacking the weak leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the UPA rule, the Congress on Monday retaliated by digging up skeletons from the past when BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi mocked at the Dalits.
After days of the BJP attacking the Congress calling the PM weak and dwarfed, the Congress on Monday took potshots at Modi calling him and his policies as the Gujarat CM “unconstitutional” and “anti-Dalit”.
Citing references from a book titled ‘Karamyog’, authored by Modi himself, the Congress read excerpts to point out he was mocking at the Valmikis (Dalits).
“This job of cleaning up could continue as an unintentional spiritual activity for centuries. This should have continued generation after generation. It is impossible to believe that their ancestors did not have the choice of adopting any other work or job.”
“In April 2010, at a function for the release his book titled ‘Samajik Samrasta’, Modi drew parallels between ‘mentally-retarded children’ and ‘Dalits’. He stated that just as people give special treatment to ‘mentally-retarded children’ when they visit their houses, the ‘dalits’, too, ought to be treated the same way,” said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
“This shows a shameless and a deplorable mindset emanating out of RSS ideology, in which Modi has been born, bred and brought up,” he said. The Congress also attacked Modi for not holding a meeting of Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) as also Scheduled Tribe Sub Plan (STSP) in the last 10 years.
“The policy has not been intentionally implemented on account of malafide and malicious intent of Modi and his Government,” said Surjewala.
“As per the Planning Commission, of the total budget of the State, percentage equivalent to proportionate population of SCs is to be earmarked for their welfare. In Gujarat the population of SCs is 14 per cent while budget allocation for them is 5.42 per cent,” he said.
The Congress attacked Modi saying that this was a reflection of his mindset, which was completely anti-Dalit. “It is a shameless rejection of adherence to provisions in the constitution on the welfare of SCST,” said Surjewala. The Congress also pointed to the backlog of 27,900 vacancies of SCs and STs in present day Gujarat.