NEW DELHI: Replying to the opposition concern against Dalit atrocities in various parts of the country, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha on Thursday that his government is committed to helping the community but the political blame-game will not help resolve the issue.

“This issue must not be politicised, it is a challenge for all of us. But charge and counter charge won’t help,” Singh said during a debate in the lower house of the parliament.Invoking the statements of Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand and BR Ambedkar’s against the evil practice of casteism, the home minister said, “after 70 years of Independence, we still require a discussion on attacks on Dalit”.

He admitted there are atrocities against Dalits but the government alone can’t solve the issue.He said, “What happened in Una is painful and condemnable and the state government has taken whatever steps it deemed fit.”Allaying fears of alleged increase in Dalit atrocities in BJP ruled states in the country, Singh said, such incidents were reported from other states (non-BJP ruled states) as well. For instance, there were reports from Karnataka as well.

Stressing his government’s commitment to helping the Dalit community, he said, “We have run many programmes for the socio-economic development of Dalits. Such programmes were not present earlier.“If there had been socio-economic development in the past or during the reign of previous governments, such incident won’t have happened.”

“We need to rise above castesism and the discrimination against Dalits must end,“ he added.Anybody blaming the government for not doing enough to stop the atrocities against Dalits must back their claim with facts, Singh said.He said his government will soon send out advisories to the states for strict action against crimes committed in the name of “gau rakshaks (cow protection)”.

“Whether its Centre or state governments, I expect everyone to take stern action in case of atrocities against Dalits,” he said.”We can’t make progress until the poor and downtrodden are empowered. And all political parties must cooperate.”He said the Dalit community has contributed richly not only in nation building but also for the development of the Indian culture as a whole.

“Untouchability is a major social problem in the country and we need to fight this menace,” he added.The home minister also defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on Dalit atrocities, and asked the opposition what more should be done. The Congress staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha during Singh’s reply in the house on atrocities against Dalits.

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