We are looking at several consumer-friendly initiatives: Ram Vilas Paswan

Interview with Union Food Minister

Ram Vilas Paswan, dalit leader and Union minister for food, public distribution and consumer affairs, talks to Archis Mohan and Sanjeeb Mukherjee on the Saharanpur violence and some matters pertaining to his own charge. Edited excerpts:

Your assessment of the recent anti-Dalit violence in UP's Saharanpur?
I have asked my Dalit Sena (an outfit he commands) activists to visit and prepare a report. It is a serious incident and my party (Lok Janshakti, part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling coalition) will act once we get the report. We feel the local administration should have been more alert on the events