The Opposition in Rajya Sabha today launched a frontal attack on the BJP over growing attacks on Dalits and other sections, saying a "Taliban-like attitude" was prevailing in some parts of the country and the 'Gujarat model' had been thoroughly exposed.
Participating in a discussion on recent incidents of atrocities on Dalits in various parts of the country, the members also said the situation in Gujarat was "explosive" as Dalits were attempting to commit suicide.
The debate came amid large-scale protests after the recent case in Una in Gujarat, where four Dalit youths were brutally beaten up in public by some cow vigilantes.
Initiating the discussion, senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav sought a ban on 'Gau Rakshaks' (cow vigilantes) operating in some parts of the country.
He said there was a "Taliban-like attitude" and it was matter of shame that even after 70 years of independence, atrocities against dalits, especially women, were increasing.
"Who created these 'Gau Rakshaks'? Why doesn't the government ban them? What is this tamasha? .... We talk about Taliban ... Our caste system has a Taliban-like attitude, we need to discuss that," Yadav said.
Congress and other members joined him, saying the incident only exposes the real face behind the "Gujarat model" being propagated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Observing that the youths were joining such groups because of rising unemployment, Yadav said "in Gujarat, these Gau Rakshaks say 33 crore gods and goddesses live in the cow. Such superstitions are being spread in this country."
Congress leader Ahmed Patel said the situation in Gujarat was "explosive" as Dalits were attempting suicide.
He warned that the Centre should ensure that the recent "shameful" incident does not turn into a communal one ahead of next year's Assembly elections in the state. "You have talked about Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, but the situation is just the opposite."
Patel said the real face of the Gujarat model of development was being exposed now. "We have always said that Gujarat model worked for the benefit of few industrialists. They (BJP) have always divided the society and ruled."
Terming the situation as "very explosive" in Gujarat, he said if urgent steps are not taken to control it, then the situation might explode.
He said the centre should not have "arrogance" of having absolute majority" and steps should be taken to reach out to people. He also questioned why Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel met the victims only yesterday even though the incident had taken place over a week ago.
Senior CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury charged the
government with inventing "new avenues for attacks on Dalits" ever since it rose to power in 2014.
Terming the mindset of the ruling party as "worrisome" and that of bolstering "obscurantism", he said "I keep wondering that when it came to Dalits, there is diarrhoea of words and constipation of action. There are voluminous speeches but no action."
Observing that India of the last two years was not the India he remembered, Yechury said cow is venerated here but absurd charges are framed against people who skin the dead cow. "New avenues of persecution and repression are brought about with Ministers comparing Dalits to dogs."
"Last year, of the 25 students committing suicide in the country, 23 were Dalits", he said, adding that a mindset was being created against them with some Ministers abusing them and RSS top brass seeking review of reservation policy.
Yechury said there has been 19 per cent increase in cases of attacks on Dalits in 2014 with the number touching to 47,064. Besides 1.23 lakh cases are in trial stage while conviction rate was less than 5 per cent at 5,102 as against a high conviction rate of 43 per cent in 2013.
He said it was shocking to note that in the recent case while the Gujarat government failed to provide any panel of lawyers to Dalits to defend themselves, the state government has expressed reservations against implementing the sub-plan for them saying it is very difficult.
Urging the government to encourage "spirit of scientific temper" and getting rid of obnoxious and atrocious frame of mind, Yechury it should stop promoting Hindu societal ideology where 'khap panchayats' prevent inter-caste marriages and manual scavenging continues.
Asking BJP to embrace a "change of heart", he said time has come for Dalit empowerment as he also condemned a BJP leader's attack on BSP chief Mayawati.
Derek O'Brien (TMC) too condemned BJP leader Dayashankar Singh for use of derogatory words against Mayawati and said he was deeply embarrassed over it.
On Gujarat incident, he said "Let us all venerate the cow, but then why mock the cow-worker. Superficial symbolism is BJP's style. I think that PM Modi is trying to translate Ambedkar's work, but sometimes the meaning is lost in the translation."
Lashing out that how can one oppress a cow worker, he sought to know how many members in Rajya Sabha were wearing leather shoes and said 2.5 lakh people are employed in tanneries and India was a leading exporter of leather.
O'Brien said he came from of a community of 75,000 people
and "I can eat whatever I want and drink whatever I feel...This is the power of democracy."
He also read a line from Rohith Vemula's suicide note, "Every time a Dalit student joins a university, supply him with a nice rope so that he can hang himself with it."
"The problem is with the mindset. In the past, there are people from the ruling parties who have made obnoxious statements" regarding Dalits and said "unless we punish the mindset, whole system will get rotten."
Vishwambhar Prasad Nishad (SP) said there was a need to restrain Gujarat Police and added that "dalits are unsafe there...Only industrialists are flourishing in that state".
A Navaneethakrishnan (AIADMK) said "abolishing untouchability is the only way to empower dalits" and demanded that the BJP leader who had abused Mayawati should be dealt with in accordance of law.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, in his intervention, said the issue should not be made a subject to politics and all parties should work together to abolish caste system.
"No politics is needed on this subject. If there were 46,000 cases of atrocities on Dalits in 2014, the number was over 45,000 in 2013," he said.
On the Gujarat incident, he said the Chief Minister has
Economically supported the victims and suspended the guilty police officials.
Congress member P L Punia said incidents of atrocities
against dalits have increased in recent times and that is a "matter of concern".
He said that incidents against dalits have increased by over 7,000 during 2015 to 54,355.
On the Una incident of Gujarat, Punia alleged the incident took place because of complicity and negligence of police and action should be taken against them. He said there was delay by the Gujarat government in taking action.
Punia claimed the government has cut the budget for SC sub-plan by Rs 20,000 crore and also for social welfare scheme by Rs 66,000 crore.
BJP member Shambhuprasad Tundiya strongly condemned the incident in Una and said chargesheets would be soon filed in this case.
Terming the incident as "heinous crime", he said the conditions of dalits in Una is very pathetic.
Tundiya said the state government has taken prompt action and also announced compensation for the affected dalit families. He said this matter should not be politicised.
Narendra Jadhav (nominated member) said this Una incident is "most despicable and horrific" and demanded that strongest action should be taken on fast-track basis.
Quoting NCRB data, he said the incidents of atrocities against dalits have risen.
During 2014, he said Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar were the top three states in the list of crime against dalits.
The conviction rate in crime against scheduled castes is 22 per cent as against the national average of 45 per cent, he said, adding that the conviction rate is very low in Gujarat.
To deal with this issue, Jadhav said there should be enforcement of law, provision of inter-caste marriage, non- usage of surname and proper implementation of SC/ST sub-plan.
Referring to the derogatory remark against BSP supremo Mayawati, DMK member Kanimozhi said: "If she has been targeted because she is following the path of BR Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram, then she should be proud of that. We are standing with her and she should contine this great work."
On Una incidents, she asked why the government was not banning those organisations which were taking law in their hands.
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When Athawale was speaking about the dalit issue, the Opposition accused him of trivalising the serious matter.
Pramod Tiwari (Cong) said, "It is shameful for the Government of India that he is speaking in such lighter vien." He also accused Athawale, also a dalit leader, of congratulating the BJP member for such remark.
Immediately, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien intervened to stop Tiwari and asked him not to attribute what the Minister has not spoken.
"I have heard his speech. He congratulated the party for taking action against the BJP member," Kurien added.
Dilip Kumar Tirkey (BJD) said atrocities on dalits are continuing despite laws in place. The situation has aggravated as nobody fears the laws.
The laws to protect adivasis and dalits are only on paper and not being implemented at the ground level, he said, and suggested the Centre to create a separate fund for them.
Echoing same views, Majeed Memon (NCP) said the laws to protect dalits are not implemented by local officers while expressing concern about growing inequality in the society.
D Raja (CPI) said dalits in the country do not enjoy "equality, liberty and fraternity" guaranteed in the Constitution and it is shocking to see attempts been made "subvert and replace" with the idea of Manusmriti.
He also said that in 2004, the Madhya Pradesh government had issued an ordinance banning cow slaughter.
Demanding the government to take steps to stop lynching of dalits, Raja alleged that "there are organised right wing forces in the country" and "there are people in political sphere and those close to them who are influencing bunch of thoughts" by cow protecting groups.
"This is the challenge we are facing. The government will have to take action. The government should explain whether it will act or not," he sought to know.
Raja also expected the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Upper House during the debate on such a sensitive issue.
"I was hoping PM was here. In the US Congress, he (PM) spoke that Constitution is holy book of India. He took names of Ambedkar and Gandhi. PM should have come and listened to the anguish of members...." he said.
In the midst of the debate, Jaya Bachchan (SP) requested
the Chair to give more time to NCP leader Majeed Memon to talk about the dalit issue.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said he was not differentiating between male and female members and was allotting time fairly.
To this, Bachchan said, "We are not debating on that (gender issue). You had stopped me a minute before the allotted time earlier. I remember. You did it when Nirbhaya issue was debated. I felt atrocity was on me at that time."
Kurien said, "I don't know what you mean by that. ...Usually, I try to be fair irrespective of female or male. Error is human". He said he did not do any such thing intentionally.
