Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav on Saturday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of usurping the rights of Dalits.
He asserted that only the Congress works to protect the Constitution and the rights of Dalits.
Attacking the AAP, the Delhi Congress chief said, “The AAP is usurping the rights of the Dalits was evident from the manner in which Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi is clinging to her position to deny a Dalit a chance to become the Mayor as her term expired on 31st March, 2024. It is the turn of a Dalit to occupy the Mayor’s chair in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).”
He alleged that for SC/ST/OBC education, under the Mukhyamantri Pratibha Yojna, the AAP government has reduced the expenditure amount by almost half to Rs 1.56 crore for 3,599 students in 2023-24 as compared to Rs 11.23 crore for 15491 students in 2022-23.
The Delhi Congress chief further said, “Under the Merit Scholarship for College/University students for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities, the Congress government had given Rs 5.80 crore for 7163 students in 2013-14, which has now been reduced to 1,563 students by allocating a paltry sum of Rs 1.61 crore in 2023-24, which was further reduced to 815 students (0.74 crore) up to December, 2023.”
“The Kejriwal government has also reduced funding for tuition fee reimbursement for Dalits, and for financial assistance to SC students for pursuing higher education abroad. Dalits have been totally marginalized in the Kejriwal government’s scheme of things, and no wonder, two Dalit Ministers quit the AAP party,” Yadav said.
He said the Congress is the only party which tries to protect the Constitution and works for the upliftment of Dalits.
Referring to Rajendra Pal Gautam joining the grand old party, Yadav said, “Dalit leaders like former Delhi Minister and AAP MLA Rajinder Pal Gautam joined the Congress as he was confident that only the Congress can save the Constitution and protect the rights of Dalits. Many more Dalit leaders are in line to join the Congress.”