A Dalit lawmaker from the Bharatiya Janata Party has criticised the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of failing to deliver on the promises made to the community, The Times of India reported on Saturday. He is the second lawmaker to have complained about the government in less than a week.
Yashwant Singh, who represents Uttar Pradesh’s Nagina constituency in the Lok Sabha, said that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the party’s lawmakers to explain to Dalits why the government was not doing more to stop their harassment. Singh urged Modi to enact laws for quotas in promotion, introduce reservation in the private sector and fill the thousands of vacancies in posts reserved for Scheduled Castes, NDTV reported.
Singh said that he became an MP because of reservation. “Being a Dalit, my capabilities have not been put to use, I only became an MP because of reservation.” Reservation was an essential lifeline for Dalits, he added.
The letter came days after his party colleague Chhote Lal Kharwar wrote to Modi, accusing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath of scolding and throwing him out of meetings. In March, the party’s MP from Bahraich, Savitri Bai Phule, said that there was a conspiracy to end reservations and the Centre was doing nothing about it.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!