Congress alleges AAP of being 'anti-Dalit', stages protest outside Kejriwal's residence

New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Congress on Monday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of being "anti-Dalit" and claimed that by getting its Dalit leader Udit Raj arrested for protesting outside AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's residence, the ruling party's mindset has been exposed.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the Dalit community understands AAP's "fake politics" and will teach them a lesson "for the betrayal" in the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi.

In a post on X in Hindi, Ramesh said, "Arvind Kejriwal recently announced to pay salaries to priests and granthis but he did not make any such announcement regarding Buddha Vihar, Valmiki and Ravidas temples. This once again exposes the anti-Dalit thinking of Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal." "Their anti-Dalit mentality is not hidden from anyone. Many examples of this have come out earlier also," the Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP said.

He said in the post among the more than 10 Rajya Sabha MPs of AAP, not even one is from SC/ST or OBC category. Arvind Kejriwal, while being the Chief Minister, had humiliated and removed Dalit leader Rajendra Gautam from his cabinet.

"AAP is weakening the reservation system in Delhi by promoting the practice of contracting. In the last 10 years, the share of SC, ST, OBC in the consultants hired in various departments has been negligible. Arvind Kejriwal maintains silence on the issue of caste census," he said.

Ramesh alleged that on Monday, when Congress leader and former MP Udit Raj was protesting against the injustice being done to Dalits by the Aam Aadmi Party, he was arrested.

"But the Dalit community is now understanding their superficial politics very well and is going to teach them a lesson for the betrayal done to them in this election," he said.

Former Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Udit Raj, along with several priests staged a protest on Monday near the residence of Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal's residence demanding a monthly salary for Buddhist monks and priests of Guru Ravidas and Lord Valmiki temples.

The protesters alleged that the protest was scheduled at Jantar Mantar, but police did not allow the gathering.

They said Kejriwal has announced salary for granthis and Hindu priests, but why not for Buddhist monks, priets of Valmiki, Guru Ravidas and even the Church? "Under the leadership of Udit Raj, a protest was scheduled at Jantar Mantar for a monthly salary of Rs 18,000 for Buddhist monks, priests of Guru Ravidas and Lord Valmiki, but the police did not allow the gathering," a protester claimed.

The protesters further said that they rescheduled the demonstration near Kejriwal's residence at Ferozshah Road. The Congress said that the protesters were detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station.

Police said permission was not given for the the protest as the model code of conduct (MCC) is in force due to the election and therefore they were removed.

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav alleged that the Kejriwal government, whether it was in Punjab or Delhi, were harming the interests of Dalit.

Yadav, along with party workers and leaders, rushed to the Mandir Marg police station where the protesters were held.

Congress will not allow the strategy of Kejriwal and BJP to suppress the voice of the Dalits and the backwards. Congress will intensify its fight for social justice, as it was ingrained in the party's culture and ideology, unlike Kejriwal, who remembers Dalits and backwards only during election time, Yadav said.

On Sunday, Raj accused Kejriwal of being "anti-Dalit", saying that while his party announced a scheme to provide a monthly honorarium to temple priests and gurdwara granthis, it left out priests of Valmiki and Ravidas temples.

On Monday, 'bhikshus' and priests of Valmiki and Ravidas temples will protest against the AAP to demand that they be covered under the party's proposed scheme, the former MP had said.

On December 30, Kejriwal announced that the AAP would give a a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 to temple priests and gurdwara granthis under the 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana' if it returns to power in Delhi in the upcoming assembly polls. PTI NIT SKC NIT SKC OZ OZ