State Congress leaders on Monday sat on day-long fast to protest against the BJP’s ‘anti-dalit’ stance and growing cases of caste and communal conflicts in the country.
In Lucknow, the fast was held at state Congress headquarters at Mall Avenue and was led by state party chief Raj Babbar. Several other senior leaders including former MP Pramod Tiwari, legislators Aradhana Mishra and Deepak Singh along with others joined the fast which ended at 5 pm. The fast was however disrupted for some time in mid-afternoon due to a sudden hailstorm that lashed different parts of the state.
Addressing party workers, Babbar alleged that the BJP was working against the interest of Dalits and trying to withdraw reservation.
“Atrocities against Dalits have increased many fold during the Modi regime and now they are trying to snatch the rights given to the community in the Constitution,” he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP alleged that in Uttar Pradesh too, the condition of Dalits was very bad and they were being harassed by the police and government officials regularly.
Babbar said that their charges have been vindicated when almost all Dalit MPs of the BJP have endorsed the charges made by the Opposition against their government.
Meanwhile, state Congress spokesperson Amarnath Agarwal said that the day-long fast by party leaders an workers was successful and similar programmes was organised in all district headquarters across the state.