Naxals cannot mobilise Dalits: BJP MP Udit Raj on Bhima Koregaon violence | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Naxals cannot mobilise Dalits: BJP MP Udit Raj on Bhima Koregaon violence

Press Trust of India, New Delhi | ByPress Trust of India
Jun 10, 2018 04:57 PM IST

BJP MP and Dalit leader Udit Raj says there is frustration and anger in the community that had voted for the BJP with a lot of expectations in 2014.

BJP MP and Dalit leader Udit Raj on Sunday questioned the claim that Naxals were behind the violence in Bhima Koregaon, saying it amounted to “insulting” Dalit icon BR Ambedkar’s followers gathered there and instead blamed some Hindutva leaders for vitiating the atmosphere prior to the incident.

BJP MP from North West Delhi, Udit Raj, said there could be infiltration by some Naxals but to suggest that they were behind the mobilisation of lakhs of Dalits was wrong.(Sonu Mehta/HT File Photo)
BJP MP from North West Delhi, Udit Raj, said there could be infiltration by some Naxals but to suggest that they were behind the mobilisation of lakhs of Dalits was wrong.(Sonu Mehta/HT File Photo)

Days after the Pune police arrested five people with alleged Maoist links for the Bhima Koegaon violence, Udit Raj said he wondered if Naxals are capable of mobilising lakhs of Dalits.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

There is frustration and anger in the community that had voted for the BJP with a lot of expectations in 2014, he said, adding the party needs to identify the reasons behind this so that it can make amends before the next Lok Sabha polls in 2019. He said he had recently met party president Amit Shah over Dalit issues and given his suggestions.

He accused Hindutva leaders like Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote of vitiating the atmosphere for weeks prior to the incident. 

Large number of Dalits had gathered to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Koregaon in which forces of the East India Company had defeated the Peshwa’s army. Dalits believe that Mahars, a scheduled caste, formed a major part of the company’s army.

Read: SC/ST under-represented in govt jobs, says BJP lawmaker Udit Raj

The BJP MP said there could be infiltration by some Naxals but to suggest that they were behind the mobilisation of lakhs of Dalits was wrong.  

“There could be naxal elements but can lakhs of Dalits who had gathered there be Naxals or be mobilised by naxalites?.. It amounts to insulting Ambedkar and Ambedkarites,” he said.

Asked if blaming Naxals for the violence amounted to insulting Ambedkarites- a term for the followers of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar’s principles- he said, “Of course.”

Naxal elements may be there and a thorough probe should be done, he said.

To a question about perceived anger among the Dalits, Udit Raj, a former IRS officer who also heads All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, said the BJP leadership should look into it.

Only those who are accepted by the community as its leader can convey the party’s and the government’s views to it, he said, adding that a leader empowered by the party but not seen as their representatives by Dalits cannot do the job.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Mukhtar Ansari Death News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On