BJP to observe fast on 12 April to protest impasse in Parliament; Congress to respond with its own on 9 April

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Opposition particularly the Congress of divisive politics and said that BJP MPs will observe a fast on 12 April to protest the impasse in Parliament. Quick to hit back, the Congress also sought to preempt the BJP event by announcing that the party would observe a fast on 9 April to promote communal harmony in the country.

At a BJP parliamentary meeting, the prime minister said that the ruling party was involved in inclusive politics, while the Opposition was involved in divisive and negative politics due to the saffron party’s rising strength, Union Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters.

With Opposition parties targeting the government over Dalit protests, Modi said BJP MPs and other leaders will spend a night between 14 April and 5 May 5 in over 20,844 villages with over 50 percent population of scheduled castes and tribes to inform the masses about the Centre’s various measures aimed at their welfare.

The party will also take out ‘Sabka saath sabka vikas yatra’, Kumar said.

On a day the BJP is celebrating its 38th foundation day, Modi said it has become the largest party due to people’s blessings and tireless efforts of its workers and also paid tributes to many of its late leaders and workers.

The foundation day is dedicated to those who sacrificed their lives for the party’s growth, the prime minister said.

The Congress has decided to observe a day-long fast to ‘protect and promote communal harmony across the nation’, following widespread violence during protests over the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

On 20 March, the Supreme Court banned automatic arrests of public servants under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989, triggering widespread criticism and outcry from the Dalit community.

Several persons were killed in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in the violence that erupted during protests by Dalits in April against the Supreme Court order, which was seen as diluting the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Violent protests were also reported in Gujarat and Bihar.

While the administration in Punjab took preventive measures on Sunday in the wake of the “Bharat Bandh” called by Dalit organisations, including shutting down schools, deployment of paramilitary forces and suspension of internet services, efforts in other states failed as a large number of protesters showed up.

With inputs from PTI