Strongly condemning the incident, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "very sad and hurt" after he came to know of the incident and hit back at Congress citing the data on incidents of atrocities under its rule.
The government was ready to debate in both the Houses of Parliament, he said and accused the Congress of not being serious in addressing the issue of atrocities on dalits.
He was speaking after the issue was raised in both houses of the Parliament by many opposition parties including BSP and Congress, which staged a walkout along with TMC in Lok Sabha.
"It is an unfortunate incident. No words are enough to condemn it but it is not the first time that such atrocities have been committed.
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"There is no place for such actions in a society which supports justice and equality... To target the most deprived and exploited sections. In fact we need to protect them in every possible way," Singh later said outside Parliament.
The state government, the Minister said, was planning to have a special court for the trial in the case. "I congratulate the state government for its swift and effective action."
Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot said that state authorities have arrested 17 people so far in this incident.
"The state government was very fast in taking all the necessary action in this case. And so far 17 people have been arrested. Cases have also been registered against them. As far as my ministry is concerned, we will provide Rs 5 lakh compensation to the affected dalit families," Gehlot told reporters here.
In aftermath of this attack, the state has witnessed violent protests in which a head constable was killed and state transport buses attacked. Some members of the dalit community also allegedly attempted suicide.
Speaking on the issue, Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the state government has been taking all necessary steps in this case and alleged that "Congress is shedding crocodile tears on this issue and haven't done anything for dalits so far".
Talking to reporters, BSP Chief Mayawati said "Only BSP is concerned about dalits. While parties like Congress alongwith BJP try to suppress this issues."
"No government in India has done so much for the poor and dalits as the Modi government has," Rajnath Singh claimed as he spoke about schemes like Jan Dhan and Start-up India aimed at their financial inclusion.
"I am not talking about atrocities against dalits in Haryana. I have all details. You seemed to have made up your mind to walk out," he said before reeling out figures of such cases during the UPA government to make his point.
"I request all political parties to commit themselves to eradication of such atrocities," the Home Minister said.
It was an irony that such incidents targeting the weaker section were happening so many years after the country's independence. "This is a social problem. It is a social evil," Singh said.