Take action, crores of Dalits are watching: Rahul to PM & Haryana CM

CHANDIGARH: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met the family of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, and said it was a question of justice "not just for a family but for all Dalits".Calling upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to take action against officers in the case, Rahul alleged that Saini had not kept his promise of a fair and transparent inquiry into Kumar's death.The Wayanad MP spent around 50 minutes with the bereaved family. After stepping out, he told the gathered mediapersons that Puran Kumar's daughters are "under pressure"."As Leader of Opposition, I want to give a clear message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini — the promise made to the daughters of deceased IPS officer Puran Kumar should be fulfilled.

Let the last rites of the deceased IPS be performed peacefully. ‘Yeh tamasha bandh kijiye' (stop this drama). Crores of Dalit brothers and sisters are watching. Strict action should be taken against responsible officers in this matter," Rahul said.During their meeting, the IPS officer's wife, IAS officer Amneet Kumar told him that he was relentlessly insulted and driven to suicide, said Rahul."They were a Dalit couple. Discrimination against the deceased IPS officer wasn't a matter of 10-15 days but was systematically going on for several years to demoralise him, ruin his career and destroy his dignity and respect.

Other officers were conspiring for this," said the Leader of the Opposition, adding that "justice should be done"."This is not just a matter of one family, rather, it is a matter of crores of Dalit families living in the country. A wrong message is going out to Dalit brothers and sisters — that no matter how intelligent and sensible a Dalit is, he too can be suppressed and crushed," Rahul said.Rahul's sister, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, echoed him and said Puran Kumar's suicide was a "blot" on the country, "It's proof that Dalits are neither safe nor is there justice for them under the BJP govt," she tweeted.She alleged that Kumar died by suicide due to caste-based harassment. "His family is wandering in search of justice, but no one is paying any heed," she said.A few days ago, former Haryana CM and current Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda demanded an impartial investigation into Puran Kumar's suicide, and said "no culprit should be spared and no innocent should be harmed".After Rahul, Lok Jan Shakti Party MP and Union minister Chirag Paswan arrived at Puran Kumar's residence on Tuesday and consoled the bereaved family.Paswan later told the media: "Today, people are being harassed in the name of caste, which is very sad. An IPS officer was harassed. People live together in harmony in this country, but some people try to break this brotherhood."Every demand of the bereaved family will be fulfilled, he said. "If they don't get justice, then no Dalit family will ever push their children forward", said Paswan.Action would be taken against the accused officers, no matter how high a position they hold, he said, adding: "This is my family, and I will work to get them justice. Strict action will be taken in this matter." The Union minister said he has spoken with Haryana's chief minister and home minister.