Dalit body wants Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker booked over alleged anti-Dalit remarks

The anti-Dalit face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was again exposed, following controversy over the remarks passed by Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker and senior BJP leader Prem Chand Aggarwal.

Aarakshan Bachao Sanghrash Samiti, a body of Dalits, has given a representation to the Haridwar Police to take action against Prem Chand Aggarwal for his alleged anti-Dalit remarks made at a function held at Haridwar on August 13.

The Aarakshan Bachao Sanghrash Samiti charged that a case against the Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker be lodged for his casteist remarks as quoted in the media. Prem Chand Aggarwal, reportedly addressing a convention of Akhil Bharatiya Aggarwal Sammelan at Haridwar, said that caste- based reservations were the biggest hindrance for talented students.

The Speaker reportedly quoted the example of his own daughter who he claimed could not enter the civil services due to caste-based reservations.

Haridwar city police officials acknowledged that a complaint has been made but also added that no FIR has been lodged. “We have asked the complainant to provide video evidence of the charges,” said Chandrabhan Singh Adhikari, Station House Officer of Haridwar city police station.

After this came to light, the Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker has completely denied that he had made such anti-reservation remarks. He said that he was not against caste-based reservations as it was provided by the Constitution of the country. He further said that the matter should be investigated.

On the other hand, Bhanpal Singh, president of the Aarakshan Bachao Sanghrash Samiti, said that the Speaker who holds a constitutional office should not have uttered any anti-Dailt words. He said that Dalits were suppressed for centuries and that the Constitution has provided the right to reservation. He sought action against the Speaker for his alleged remarks.