Eating food with Dalits not enough, address their aspirations: BJP MP

May 04, 2018 19:10

BJP MP Udit Raj today disapproved of party leaders having food at homes of Dalits as part of an outreach campaign, saying such gestures are not enough to address the aspirations of the community and cited the Congress' poll defeats despite its leader Rahul Gandhi having meal in Dalit households.

He warned that those who do not understand the aspirations of the community will face "consequences". Raj said that he "failed" to understand why politicians, academicians and intellectuals are not able to grasp the issues of Dalit community.

Observing that just dining with dalits will not "satisfy" them, Raj said there is a need to address their aspirations which include respect, equality and rights.

"Having night stay and food at houses of Dalits neither empowers the Dalit families nor benefits the politicians. Rahul Gandhi is an example of it," Raj said.

The Dalit leader, who represents North-West Delhi in Lok Sabha, said having food at a Dalit household is similar to a doctor giving medicines to treat fever to a patient who has a problem in his stomach.

Citing the Congress's defeat in elections despite Gandhi having food with Dalit families and the Bharat Bandh organised by Dalit outfits last month, Raj said that a "lesson needs to be learnt from the protest".

However, he clarified that he supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi's outreach programme 'Gram Swaraj Abhiyan' as a leader of the Bhartiya Janta Party.

The MP had earlier opposed his party's outreach programme 'Gram Swaraj Abhiyan', saying it would not bring any electoral gains to the party and instead it makes Dalits feel "inferior".

-- PTI

ALSO READ: The 5 BJP Dalit MPs who are upset with Modi

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