Relatives of victim crying after the house of a dalit was set on fire. (Press Trust of India Photo)
As Home Minister
Rajnath Singh admonished his colleague
VK Singh for his "dog" comment linked to the killing of two Dalit children, in Bihar, which is in the middle of an intensely-fought election, the BJP today took a combative position.
Reacting to the sharp criticism of allies Jitan Ram Manjhi and Ram Vilas Paswan, Dharmendra Pradhan, a central minister in charge of the BJP's Bihar campaign, hit out at the media.
"There is no question of this being an electoral issue in Bihar," Mr Pradhan told NDTV.
"I think you have selective amnesia. I saw your interview with Mr Paswan 10 times. You are deliberately putting imaginary ideas in his mouth. It is unfortunate. Already, (General Singh) has apologised after Mr Paswan and Mr Manjhi's comments and the matter has ended. Any indecency in democracy is wrong and already none else than (General) Mr Singh has clarified on record," the minister fumed.
A two-year-old boy and his 11-month-old sister, belonging to a Dalit or underprivileged family, were burnt alive on Monday after their home in Haryana was set on fire, allegedly by upper caste men.
Yesterday, General VK Singh, junior foreign minister and a former army chief, responded to criticism of Haryana's BJP government, saying: "If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible."
Among those who have ripped into the minister are several Bihar politicians, allies and rivals included. The criticism has rattled the BJP at a time it is seen to be fighting a tough election in Bihar, a state where caste is a key deciding factor.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is leading the anti-BJP front, called the remark "totally insensitive" and said: "Comparing the killing of Dalit children to pelting dogs with stones...you can only imagine what kind of mentality they have."
The BJP's allies in Bihar, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan had also criticized the comments in the strongest terms.