BJP candidate from the city Satya Pal Jain charged the Congress of “mercilessly exploiting the Dalits for over 50 years”.

“The Congress has always used them as a vote-bank during elections and then conveniently forgotten about them after coming to power. This is the main reason why Dalits remain a marginalised community even today,” alleged Jain. He asserted that instead of new schools in Dalit colonies, liquor shops have been opened at every nook and corner.

He also alleged that Dalit dwellings are being repeatedly demolished and their residents being rendered homeless. President of the state unit of the party Kamla Sharma said, “As the Dalit families are not being issued SC/ST certificates, their children cannot even avail of proper education, let alone jobs. Satya Pal Jain will take up the problems being faced by the Dalit community after coming to power.”