The Opposition on Monday demanded a probe into the alleged incident of police aspirants in Madhya Pradesh having caste categories written on their bare chests.
While Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP Government of “knifing” the nation’s heart with its “casteist attitude”, BSP chief Mayawati alleged that the “criminal act” is the new and fresh example of BJP Governments’ “new found love” for Dalits for their political gains. The NCP asked the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to probe the incident, calling it “shameful”.
Taking to Twitter, Rahul put out a picture of two youths with the words ‘SC’ and ‘ST’ written on their chests respectively. An inquiry has been ordered after photos showed aspirants for the post of police constables with their caste categories written on their bare chests in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district.
Slamming the BJP over the issue, Rahul tweeted, “BJP Government’s casteist attitude has knifed the heart of the country. By writing SC/ST on the chest of youths in Madhya Pradesh, they have attacked the country’s Constitution.
“This is BJP/RSS thought. This same thought sometimes ties a vessel around the neck of Dalits, or a broom on their bodies, and stops them from entering a temple. We will defeat this thought,” he tweeted. He however, did not specify if he was referring to the BJP-led government at the Centre or the BJP government in that state.
lashing out at the BJP, Mayawati claimed the incident was just a fresh example of the saffron party’s new found love for Dalits. Mayawati also questioned the “silence” of top leaders including the Prime Minister on the issue.
“This is the new and fresh example of BJP governments’ new found love for Dalits for their political gains,” Mayawati said in a statement released in lucknow. “Does it suit the BJP and company, and the prime minister himself, to remain silent, (and) not to condemn such a casteist incident,” she asked.
Mayawati demanded that the officials responsible for the incident be punished while the Centre needed to issue strict orders to check recurrence of such incidents anywhere in the country.
Describing the process as “insensitive”, NCP lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule said this act deserved strong condemnation. “The PMO should probe the incident,” she added alongwith her father and party chief Pawar. “It is extremely shameful that during police recruitment in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, the candidates were marked as SC, OBC, ST on their chest,” NCP MP Supriya Sule tweeted.