Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Monday said that the attacks on Dalits were increasing every day under the BJP rule and said, “Dalits are being treated as slaves in the country.” 

The former Speaker faulted the BJP for failing to protect the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, which was diluted by the Supreme Court recently citing its ‘misuse’.

Meira Kumar was addressing the media in Hyderabad. She had partook in a conclave with Congress leader J Geeta Reddy in Warangal, calling for a Dalit unity against the TRS government.

She also slammed the TRS-led government in Telangana, calling the recent expulsion of two Congress MLAs—Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Sampath Kumar, as undemocratic and said that it was “murder of democracy in broad daylight,” reported Deccan Chronicle. 

Both the MLAs were expelled on grounds of violent behaviour in the Assembly. 

However, in a major embarrassment to the government, the High Court dismissed the decision of the House after the government failed to provide evidence for their ‘violent behaviour’ which allegedly left the Council chairman K Swamy Goud injured.         

Talking about the plight of Dalits in the state, Meira reminded that Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, before coming to power, had stated that a Dalit would be made the Chief Minister. However, after coming to power, he went back on his statement and further sacked the then Deputy CM, T Rajaiah, who is a Dalit. 

She said that Dalits are tortured by the sand mafia in Nerella, while the government remained a mute spectator and failed in protecting the rights of Dalits. 

She said that her party—Congress---would not be a silent spectator but will fight for the justice of Dalits in the state.

Claiming that the TRS regime is like a dictatorship, she said, “Telangana achieved statehood after a number of struggles, but today the situation is very disappointing. The administration is like a dictatorship and there is no freedom of speech for people in the state.”