Bharat Bandh: Amit Shah says parties who made people suffer should apologise to 'Dalit sisters and brothers'

New Delhi: A day after the violent ‘ Bharat Bandh ’ protests, BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday said a “microscopic minority of dejected and rejected political parties” made the people suffer and sought their apology to “Dalit sisters and brothers.” [caption id=“attachment_4413281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of BJP president Amit Shah. PTI[/caption] In a series of tweets, Shah reached out to the community, which has been protesting a Supreme Court order on a law on atrocities against it and sought to turn the tables on the Congress by raking up its treatment to Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar. He also blamed “vested interest groups” for spreading the panic on the issue of reservation for Dalits, saying it is done before every election and asserted that the government will do everything to protect their rights. Right from the day the apex court gave its judgment on the SC/ST atrocities act, the Central government acted in an “immediate and informed” manner and has filed an effective review petition to protect the Dalits’ rights, Shah said.

Right from the day the Honourable Supreme Court gave a judgment on SC/ST Atrocities Act, Central Government acted in an immediate and informed manner. An effective review petition has been filed that will protect rights of Dalits.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 3, 2018

He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met MPs belonging to the Scheduled Castes and had assured them that the government was doing everything to protect the rights and well-being of “our Dalit sisters and brothers.”

PM @narendramodi met MPs belonging to the SC communities and assured them that the Government is doing everything to protect the rights and wellbeing of our Dalit sisters and brothers.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 3, 2018

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Through the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015, the NDA government had actually strengthened the provisions of the Act and this was in line with the BJP’s commitment to the welfare of the SC & ST communities, he said.

Through the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015 the NDA Government has actually strengthened the provisions of the Act. This was done in line with our commitment to the welfare of SC & ST communities. https://t.co/2LCmNeMOoP

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 3, 2018

“Due to the politically driven manifestations of a microscopic minority of dejected and rejected political parties, crores of innocent people suffered. These parties owe our Dalit sisters and brothers an apology for their misdeeds,” he said. Shah, whose party has often accused the opposition of fuelling unfounded campaign against it before elections, said the script had now become old and that vested interest groups started spreading panic about reservations before polls. The BJP is locked in a keen fight with the Congress in the Karnataka assembly elections, scheduled for 12 May. “The BJP’s stand is clear, which I am once again stating — we fully believe in the Constitution given by Babasaheb and the rights it has given to the SC/ST communities. At every juncture and in all possible ways, the BJP stands shoulder to shoulder with the Dalit community,” he said. The Modi government’s commitment to fulfilling Ambedkar’s vision was unwavering and all its efforts were aimed at transforming the lives of Dalits, Shah claimed. Attacking the Congress for “mocking” Modi’s DNA, he said the party had defeated Ambedkar in Lok Sabha polls twice and made “flimsy excuses” to ensure his portrait was not placed in Parliament’s Central Hall.

Congress, which is mocking the DNA of PM @narendramodi is the same party which:
Defeated Dr. Ambedkar not once but twice.

Made flimsy excuses to ensure his portrait was not placed in Central Hall.

Denied him a Bharat Ratna. 
India has seen through their negative politics!

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 3, 2018

It also denied him a Bharat Ratna, he said, claiming that India had seen through its negative politics. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had said in a tweet that the DNA of the BJP and RSS was anti-Dalit. Shah said, “We will continue our efforts to make our Dalit sisters and brothers the makers of New India. We will fulfil their aspirations and dreams. Jai Bhim! Jai Hind!”