Congress MP and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday made a direct attack on the BJP government. He alleged that hatred, discrimination and atrocities against Dalit and tribal communities are continuously deepening in Gujarat. Gandhi expressed his solidarity with the victims of the 2016 Una incident and said that even after 10 years, they have not got justice. They pledged that they will continue to raise their voice until they get justice, because this is not just a matter of a few incidents, but a deep systemic problem.
Rahul Gandhi has also shared a video on social media, in which he is seen interacting with a group of representatives of Dalit and tribal communities of Gujarat. The victims of Una incident were also included in this group. Gandhi described this meeting as ‘extremely painful and thoughtful’. He said that when he listened to the delegation, it became clear that instead of improving, the situation in Gujarat has become even worse. Dalit and tribal communities are still forced to live in an environment of fear and injustice.
That tragic incident of Una incident took place on 11 July 2016 in Mota Samdhiyala village near Una town of Gir Somnath district of Gujarat. On this day, four Dalit youths, as part of their traditional profession, were skinning a cow which had died some time ago in another village. After seeing the cow being skinned, some accused who claimed to be cow protectors had brutally whipped these youth in public. The incident did not end here, these youths were later illegally put into jail, where the policemen also beat them up. After this cruel incident, there was a huge uproar in the entire country and the issue of Dalit oppression once again came into limelight.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on social media that about 10 years ago the Una incident had shocked the entire country. At that time some Dalit youth were publicly stripped and beaten brutally. Rahul Gandhi told that even at that time he was standing with the families of these victims. He described it as ‘extremely unfortunate’ that even after a decade, these victims have not got justice, nor have their wounds been healed. According to Gandhi, instead of improving, the situation has become worse, increasing the sense of insecurity among these communities.
Referring to the information received during the conversation with the delegation, Gandhi said that he himself was shocked to see the magnitude of the situation. He told that a person was beaten so brutally that he suffered 19 fractures in his body. Another man’s brother was burnt alive ‘just on a whim’. Rahul Gandhi stressed that these incidents are not just ordinary crimes, but are the reality of an environment filled with fear and injustice, where vulnerable and marginalized communities are constantly being targeted and denied justice.
Rahul Gandhi said that the most worrying thing is that those who raise their voice for their rights are suppressed. They alleged that their voices are silenced forever, sometimes through threats, sometimes through violence and sometimes even through murder. Rahul Gandhi directly blamed the BJP government, saying, “The atmosphere of hatred, discrimination and atrocities against Dalits and tribal communities is continuously deepening under the BJP government in Gujarat.” He reiterated that the victims of Una are still waiting for justice, and their hopes are fading.
Rahul Gandhi termed this long wait as a big injustice in itself. He said that this long wait for justice in 10 years is not good for any just society. He did not call it a case of just a few incidents, but termed it a ‘failure of the system’. According to Gandhi, this is a system where the voice of the weak is being suppressed and criminals are being openly protected. He reiterated that he had stood with these families earlier also, is standing with them even today and will continue to raise their voice till they get justice, so that these communities can get their rights.
MP Rahul Gandhi, while sharing the video of the conversation with the delegation on social media, once again wrote, “Una’s scream is still knocking on the door of justice.” He said that for the last 10 years, these victims have been wandering from door to door for justice, but they have only been disappointed. Gandhi alleged that humiliation, violence and murder have become the bitter reality of Dalits and tribals in BJP-ruled Gujarat. In the end, he said that this ‘unconstitutional and unjust model’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being imposed on the entire country, which is worrying for the weaker sections of the society.
