BJP MP Udit Raj alleges Dalits in UP, MP, Rajasthan being harassed after Bharat Bandh

Dr Udit Raj, BJP MP for North West Delhi, put out a series of tweets on April 7, Saturday alleging Dalits are being tortured and slapped with false cases in several places in BJP-ruled Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Udit Raj had said that “Reports are pouring in that those Dalits who participated in agitation on 2 April are being tortured and it must be stopped. Dalits are tortured at large scale after April 2 country-wide agitation. People from Barmer, Jalore, Jaipur, Gwalior, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Karoli and other parts calling that not only anti reservationists but police also beating and slapping false cases.”

Barmer, Jalore and Jaipur are all in BJP-ruled Rajasthan, Gwalior is in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Meerut and Bulandshahr are in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. It was unclear whether Udit Raj was referring to Karoli in BJP-ruled Haryana or Karauli in Rajasthan.

Dr Udit Raj also said “My confederation worker in Gwalior is being tortured whereas he had not done anything wrong . He is crying for help.”

Below are Dr Udit Raj’s tweets:

On Sunday, Dr Udit Raj claimed his tweets were being "misconstrued" as “harming BJP” when in fact these, he claimed, would strengthen the party. He said “My tweets are misconstrued that its harming BJP rather it strengthens that at least there are people like me in BJP who are concerned with Dalit atrocities after 2 April agitation. It will convince Dalits and they will remain with party. Govt will check anti-Dalit officer/ people.” The tweet can be seen below.

It remains to be seen whether Raj’s statement that at least there are people like him in the party who are concerned about atrocities against Dalits—with the implicit suggestion that there are others in the party who aren’t—will harm BJP further.

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BJP MP Udit Raj: “I have ideological differences with my party”