Rahul Gandhi highlights Vemula suicide to woo MP dalits

Bhopal: On the second day of his campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi continued visits to shrines and raised the issue of suicide by Hyderabad research scholar Rohit Vemula in 2016 to strike a chord with dalit voters, while targeting governments in BJP-ruled states for their alleged failure to protect the weaker sections and minorities who are living in perpetual “fear”.

During his public meetings in the Gwalior-Chambal region, which has a sizeable dalit population, Mr Gandhi recalled the misery of Vemula that purportedly forced him to commit suicide.

“All Rohit Vemula wanted was to study. But, he was put under pressure and forced to commit suicide,” he said while addressing a series of roadside meetings.

Vemula, a dalit research scholar of the University of Hyderabad (UoH), hanged himself to death 15 days after he was expelled from his hostel along with four other researchers over due to alleged casteist excesses.

Mr Gandhi said weaker sections and minorities are living in perpetual fear in many parts of the country such as Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat following attacks on them. “An atmosphere of fear rules the whole country,” he said.

Mr Gandhi staged a 71 km-road show in the region after paying beisance at the Data Bandi Chhor Gurudwara, located in the Gwalior Fort, before winding up his two-day tour to the state on Tuesday.

During his public meetings, Mr Gandhi criticised the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh for not addressing the problems of malnutrition, farmers’ distress and youth unemployment plaguing the state.

He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi while apparently referring to the allegations of sexual harassment against minister of state for external affairs M.J. Akbar.

“Modiji says ‘Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao’ but it so happens that when complaint against his minister comes, he keeps quiet,” Mr Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting in Joura area of Morena district.“When an Uttar Pradesh MLA rapes a woman, UP CM Yogi (Adityanath) keeps quiet and the Prime Minister keeps quiet. Their true slogan should be ‘Beti padhao aur beti ko BJP ke neta, mantri aur MLA se bachao,” he said.

Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Mr Gandhi said that Mr Modi had “claimed that he wants to be a ‘chowkidar’ (watchman of the country) but he actually proved to be a ‘chowkidar’ of Anil Ambani, Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi and has been working for them since last four years.”

Significantly, Tuesday’s public meeting in Joura was attended by senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who had been conspicuous by his absence during most of the programmes and rallies addressed by Gandhi in Madhya Pradesh over the last few weeks.

Earlier in the day, a video went viral in which Digvijay Singh is heard saying that his party’s votes get reduced if he campaigns for it.

Meanwhile, chief minister Chouhan took a potshot at Mr Gandhi over his temple visits during election times, saying, “Shrines are not places to do politics for votes.”

“Rahul Baba should realise that one cannot get votes by moving around sporting ‘tilak’ on one’s forehead during election times. One has to be with people all the time and work for them tirelessly to win their confidence,” the chief minister said at a public meeting in Vidisha district.

“I have absolutely no objection if Mr Gandhi visits a temple or a mosque. But, he is seen making temple visits only during elections. People are aware of his tricks. He should not think people are fools,” Mr Chouhan said.

He dared the Congress to give an account of the works done during the party’s 10-year rule from 1993-2003 and said the state was made sick  during the period because of non-performance of the then Digvijay Singh government.

The chief minister also took a swipe at Mr Gandhi for promising to waive farm loans if the Congress returns to power in MP, saying that farmers were given loans at 18 per cent interest during the Digvijay Singh government, whereas the current BJP government has made loans interest-free.