New Delhi: Hours after he stirred a controversy by saying that "Central government can't be held responsible if someone throws stones at a dog" while commenting on the death of two Dalit children in Faridabad, Union Minister VK Singh has apologised and has been forced to issue a clarification.
To shield the Centre from criticism for the Faridabad Dalit burning incident, he said, "Never associate local incidents with the Central government (sarkar). There is an inquiry going on. There was a dispute between families. The dispute...how did it turn out...where did the administration fail, after these it come to the Centre. For everything...like if somebody throws a stone at a dog, then the government is responsible...it is not like that."
His comments prompted the opposition parties to demand for his ouster. Facing flak from all quarters, he issued a clarification and claimed that he was misquoted. "If anyone feels I have called Dalits dogs is out of his mind. I am sorry if I have hurt any sentiments," he said.
In a statement he said, "Our society is made up of many individuals, and the act of every sick mind cannot be put at the door of the government, regardless of which party is in power. It does not matter who or what the political affiliations are, the perpetrators have to be dealt with without mercy. I appeal to the media not to deliberately twist my words out of context. What I have said and continue to say is very clear, and there is no ambiguity about it."
"The dastardly and cowardly act that led to the killing of two innocent children in Haryana – two-and-a-half-year old Vaibhav and 11-month old Divya – is a shocking reflection on the state of our society. From all indications, the horrific incident was triggered off by a feud between two families," he added.
Singh, said he had not intended to draw an analogy between the Faridabad incident and stoning of a dog. "My statement wasn't intended 2draw an analogy. My men & I put our lives on the line 4the nation irrespective of caste,creed & religion," he tweeted. "As citizens of this gr8 nation v r sensitive but also responsible.Agenda of India is bigger than any single neighborhood or individual," he said in another tweet.
However, opposition partied seemed to be in no mood to accept his explanation. Launching an all out- attack, the Congress demanded his immediate sacking.
"It is condemnable, it is shocking, it is inhumane to say the least. General V K Singh has insulted not only the entire Dalit community of this country but all Indians. It reflects the mindset of the Modi government which insults Dalits, which insults the minorities and looks down upon the people who are poor and downtrodden," Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala said. He demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sack him and tender an apology on Singh's behalf.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also demanded that action against Singh should be taken soon. "VK Singh's statement is shameful and prosecutable under SC/ST Act. A case should be registered against him immediately. If Modi indeed wants to celebrate Vijayadashmi then he should sack VK Singh by the evening," he said.
Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari described the dog analogy used by Singh as preposterous and abominable. "Comparing the death of two little children who were burnt alive to possibly the stoning of a dog, what could be more preposterous and abominable than that. This reflects the mindset of the government. To recall the Prime Minister of India made a similar analogy about two years back when he said that if a pup gets crushed under the wheels of a car that needs to be emphasised too. That remark was in the context of the Gujarat pogrom," he said.
CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat described Singh's remarks as "arrogance of casteism" and demanded registration of a criminal case against him.
"His statement is a clear casteist statement and it comes under the provisions of the prevention of crime against SC Act. Therefore, this gentleman has to be booked under the Act for casteism and casteist comments. Secondly, how can such a man remain in the Central Cabinet. Of course, we all know that Modiji at one time had talked about puppies in relation to a particular community. But at least now that he is Prime Minister, hopefully he will get over his own prejudices and take action against his person," she said.
Hitting out at Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said, he was "speechless".
Former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said, "This is as if the government has nothing to do with the incident whereas the family had written to the government."
Two children of a Dalit family were burnt alive and their parents suffered injuries allegedly after some persons from upper caste set their house afire while they were sleeping. The shocking incident occurred at around 2.30 AM on Tuesday at Sunped village on the outskirts of Delhi.
Vaibhav, who was two-and-a-half years old, and his sister, 11-month-old Divya, died after the attackers allegedly poured petrol from the window and set the house ablaze while the family was sleeping inside. A religious programme was being held nearby in the village at that time.
Their mother Rekha, 28, suffered serious burns and has been referred to Delhi for treatment while their father Jitender, 31, too suffered injuries while trying to save his family.
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