By Waquar Hasan,
New Delhi, 20 Oct 2015: Eminent leaders from the Dalit and Muslim communities on Tuesday strongly condemned the burning of a Dalit family in Haryana allegedly by members of a Hindu upper caste community. Two children were killed while their parents were critically injured when their home was set afire Sonped village in Faridabad district of Haryana. They expressed serious concern over the rise in attacks on Dalits and Muslims in the country.
“The incident is highly condemnable. Whatever be the issue, setting afire people including children in revenge must be strongly condemned. This is gruesome and utterly inhuman act,” said Intizar Naeem, Assistant Secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind while leaving for the Safdarjung Hospital where the Dalit parents are under treatment. The Jamaat leader was accompanied by his aide Inamur Rahman. The incident occurred this morning.
He urged the government to take serious note of the rise in attacks on Dalits and minorities.
“There has been a spurt in attacks on Dalits and religious minorities including Muslims in the country in the recent past. These incidents are distorting the image of the country. The government must take strong measures to check it,” said Intizar Naeem.
(L-R) Bala(sister) and Gita (sister-in-law) of Rekha who is undergoing treatment at Safdarjung hospital after her house was set afire in Haryana. Her two children were burnt alive. (Photo – IndiaTomorrow.net)
Eminent Dalit leader Bhai Tej Singh said Dalits and Muslims are being attacked as they are getting political empowerment.
“As Dalits are going ahead for political empowerment, the Brahminical forces want to suppress them. They are trying to terrorize Dalits. In the wake of the Dadri lynching of Muslim man over beef rumours and attacks on Dalits, we have called a meeting in Lucknow on 25th Oct. After that, we will launch a program against the government,” said Bhai Tej Singh, national president of Ambedkar Samaj Party.
According to The Indian Express, Jitender, 27, a registered medical practitioner, his wife Rekha, 24, and their two children Vaibhav (2) and Divya (1) were inside their home in Sunped village when it was set on fire 9 people belonging to the upper-caste Thakur community. While the children succumbed to the burn injuries, their parents are being treated at the hospital.
Commenting on this suspected inter-caste violence, Mohammad Manzoor Alam, General Secretary, All India Milli Council termed such attacks as attempts to enforce Manusmriti law on the country.
“Manusmriti law is being tried to be enforced in the country. In the Manusmriti law, it is clear that all humans except upper castes are for their service and slavery. They are not better than animal. Now that they have come to power, the whole society will be gradually converted into Manusmriti system,” said Alam.
“They are attacking on Muslims also. Muslims are the second majority of the country and if they get successful in demoralizing the second majority, then they will not hesitate to act against Dalits,” he said.
Eminent civil rights activist Kavita Krishnan blamed both the government and police for attacks on Dalits.
“Haryana, Punjab, Western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the entire NCR region of Delhi have always been a place of great violence against Dalits, with no Govt taking responsibility for protecting Dalits and their rights. The Samajwadi Party government of UP, BJP governments of Haryana and Rajasthan, and Akali-BJP government of Punjab are all failing to protect the Dalits’ lives and dignity. Police are also deeply casteist and collude in these atrocities,” said Kavita while reacting over the Haryana Dalit burning.
Meanwhile, taking strong note of the burning incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar to ensure security to everyone and prevent any recurrence of such incident. He has also reportedly sought a report from the state government.
