BSP says govts have casteist mindset, AAP seeks fair probe

NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW: Both the Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have lashed out against the administration for the attack on a Dalit family in Haryana.

Terming the attack on the family in Faridabad as most unfortunate, BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday threatened to take to the streets over delay in arrest of the culprits. She also said that the weaker sections are feeling “insecure” under the BJP government.

“The manner in which four members of a Dalit family were set ablaze in Faridabad leading to the death of two children is most unfortunate and condemnable... if the victims are not provided proper security and compensation by the Haryana government and prompt action is not taken against the culprits, BSP will @ArvindKejriwal

Burning of 2 kids alive in Haryana is shameful for the whole country.

take to the streets there,” the BSP chief was quoted as saying in a party release in Lucknow.

Mayawati regretted that even after so many years of independence, “atrocities” on the weaker sections and Dalits have not stopped.

“At the Centre and in many states, governments are still working with casteist mindset and discriminating against these sections”, she said.

She alleged that people of these sections are “feeling insecure especially under the BJP government at the Centre and states and this is very serious.”

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also demanded a fair and time-bound investigation into the death of two toddlers in Haryana.

A two-member delegation of senior AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh visited the bereaved family in Faridabad. Ashutosh blamed the incident on the “callousness and ineptness” of the Haryana police.

Ashutosh also rubbished the BJP’s claim that opposition was politicising the issue by visiting the venue.

“This is not the first time that such an incident has happened in the state. Such incidents keep on happening. We demand a free and fair investigation into this matter in a time-bound manner. The matter should also be tried in a fast track court so that justice is dispensed in six months,” he said.

“We are not politicising the issue when we rake up the issue of people being killed in the name of caste and religion,” he said.