Congressmen today staged "silent protests" across UP against increasing atrocities on dalits, specially in Gujarat, and attacked the BJP alleging that in all the states ruled by the saffron party violence against dalits were on the rise.
Raj Babbar, the newly-appointed president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC), led partymen in Lucknow in staging the "maun dharna" before a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, a party spokesman said.
After the nearly two-hour-long 'dharna', Babbar alleged that in all the states where the BJP was in power, cases of atrocities and harassment of Dalits were on the rise.
"Most condemnable incident has taken place in Gujarat where youths were publicly beaten up on roads...In Haryana cases of rapes on dalits were reported," he said.
Both Gujarat and Haryana are ruled by the BJP.
"In the name of 'swachchta abhiyan', the BJP government is out to clean the dalits out of the country," he said.
Babbar said that Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi will fight "this thinking" of the BJP the 'Gandhian way'.
Condemning the derogatory remarks against BSP chief Mayawati, Babbar said such comments of BJP activists make clear the party's stand towards the dalits.
He said that action should also be taken against leaders who encourage such elements, also in the BJP.
The Congress party spokesman said 'dharnas' were staged in in various districts of the state.
