Dalit violence: Sonia rap for Hooda

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has expressed her displeasure over recent violence against Dalits in the Congress-ruled Haryana and has asked the state government to act against the perpetrators and send in a report.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has expressed her displeasure over recent violence against Dalits in the Congress-ruled Haryana and has asked the state government to act against the perpetrators and send in a report.

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In an April 28 letter to Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Gandhi said it was a "matter of shame and horror'' that the burning of Dalits in Mirchpur (in Hisar district) should have taken place at all.

Two of a family were killed when 18 Dalit houses were set ablaze in the village on April 21.

Gandhi directed Hooda to take “firm and severe action” against the perpetrators and submit to her a report on the action taken by the government.

Expressing concern that incidents of violence against Dalits “unfortunately have increased recently”, she asked the state to check them effectively.

On Thursday, Congress general-secretary and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi reached Mirchpur unannounced and spent time with affected families. Rahul’s visit is being seen as a reflection of the leadership’s anguish over the failure of the state to check caste violence.