Another BJP MP, Yashwant Singh, Writes to PM Modi, Says 'Govt Did Nothing For Dalits in Past 4 Years'
The Dalit lawmaker claims the NDA government has failed to take adequate steps towards the betterment of the community in its tenure so far.
New Delhi, April 7: In the wake of Dalit anger seen across the nation on Monday, three BJP MPs from Scheduled Caste community have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mark their dissent. The latest to join the fray is Yashwant Singh, the party's lawmaker from Uttar Pradesh's Nagina.
Singh in his letter to the PM said the government has did "nothing for Dalits in the past four years". He claimed the community is rapidly losing hope in the current government, which had fueled their aspirations after coming to power in 2014.
The Nagina MP demanded the Modi government to move a legislation in the next session of Parliament which could make provisions for reservation in promotion of government employees.
He also asked the PM to take steps towards reservation in the private sector - a demand earlier raised by Union Minister and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan.
Singh appealed Modi to consider the lack of Dalit representation in the judiciary, which leads to "judicial orders which adversely impact the community". He was referring to the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which allegedly diluted the law.
Here is the letter which Yashwant Singh wrote to PM Modi:
Earlier in the week, two party MPs wrote to PM Modi alleging atrocities on Dalits under the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh.
The lawmaker from Etawah, Ashok Kumar Dohre, claimed the Dalit youths in the state were being booked under frivolous charges following the Bharat Bandh called by the community on Monday.
The police is taking the youths out of their houses, "beating them up and hurling casteist abuses against them", Dohre said in his letter.
Meanwhile, the BJP MP from Robertsganj, Chhote Lal Kharwar, alleged mistreatment by UP CM Yogi Adityanath to whom he reached out citing the alleged corruption in his home-district Chandauli.
The letters by the BJP MPs comes as an embarrassment for the Prime Minister who stressed on multiple occasions during his public address earlier on Wednesday that his government is committed towards the Dalits. In a jibe at the Opposition, Modi had also said, "No other government before honoured the legacy of Dr B R Ambedkar as much as we have done."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 07, 2018 11:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).