http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?679585
Some Leaders Visit Dalits For Media Popularity: BJP New Delhi | Apr 16, 2010 In an apparent attack on Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party today said media popularity was the reason politicians made a beeline for Dalit homes and charged the ruling party with not having done much for deprived sections. "Some leaders with political legacy are just visiting Dalit households to gain media popularity," BJP president Nitin Gadkari said at a ceremony here to unveil a statue of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar. "Many political leaders, who are on top because of nepotism, visit dalits' houses in media limelight to gain popularity. They believe in votebank politics but BJP does not mock dalits," Gadkari said. He said the BJP was not hypocritical and that during his recent visit to Indore "I visted dalit homes and asked the party workers not to publicise it. The media came to know only when my hosts circulated photographs of me 3-4 days after my visit." Gadkari also charged the Congress with not having done much for dalits and minorities. "I was going through Planning Commission report prepared after findings of Tendulkar Committee and Sengupta Committee. After Independence, the number of BPLs increased to 41 crore, with the major chunk comprising of SC/STs and minorities. I ask the Congress party, why there is such an increase when it ruled India for 55 years?" The BJP President also referred to the party's planned rally against price rise in the national capital on April 21. "BJP will organise a national rally on April 21 to protest against price rise and show apathy of the government towards the people. The number of people attending this rally will be such as has never been seen in Delhi." Gadkari insisted sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities were a result of "the wrong economic policies of Congress party and bad governance." Sources said BJP state units have been assigned the responsibility of bringing in supporters in large numbers to the capital to make Gadkari's first rally as party president a success. The main opposition also plans to bring cut-motions in the ongoing session of Parliament on increase in prices of petroleum products and other products.
