Leaders of Bihar, including the BJP’s alliance partner Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, have condemned Union Minister General V.K. Singh’s controversial remark that the Centre could not be held responsible if “someone threw a stone at a dog.” Mr. Singh made the remark while airing his view on the recent killing of Dalit children in Haryana.
As Gen. Singh’s remark drew barbs from the Opposition, Mr. Paswan, a known Dalit leader, said: “I don’t descend to such low level in my speeches…have never done so with any issue,” adding that he had not heard the statement himself or seen it on TV.
“If there is any attempt to divide society I’m totally against it. I believe there should be no bayaanbaazi (politicking) over it, ” said Mr. Paswan.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar too reacted strongly. “Aghast at the senseless comment made by some BJP leaders including Union Minister on the tragic Dalit killings in Haryana,” tweeted Mr. Kumar.
In a tweet in Hindi, Mr. Kumar’s alliance partner Lalu Prasad said: “What V.K. Singh has said is the BJP’s core ideology. Whoever abuses dalits and backwards the most, the RSS and the BJP looks at them as big leaders.”
PTI reports:
Observing that India was standing at crossroads, the RJD supremo said he had made a prophetic statement last year telling people that it was for them to decide whether the country would stay together.
“Desh kis muhane par khara hai? maine 2013 mein kaha tha desh tutega ya rahega, nirnaya aapko karna hai; meri baaton ko ansuna karne ka nateeja samne hai (Where is the country headed to? I had said in 2013 that it is for the people to decide whether or not the country should disintegrate. You ignored my pleas and the results are there before you),” Mr Prasad said.
