NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that the environment of hatred, discrimination and atrocities against Dalit and Adivasi communities in Gujarat has steadily intensified under the BJP government.
The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha also expressed solidarity with the victims of the 2016 Una flogging case and vowed to continue amplifying their voices until justice is served.
Gandhi made the remarks on social media while sharing a video of his recent interaction with a delegation of Dalit and Adivasi representatives from Gujarat, including those affected by the Una incident, in which self-proclaimed cow vigilantes flogged four youths.
“This meeting was deeply distressing and gave me much pause for reflection,” he said in his post accompanying the video.
The flogging incident occurred in Mota Samadhiyala village near Una town in Gir Somnath district on July 11, 2016, when four Dalit youths, as part of their traditional occupation, were skinning the carcass of a cow that had died earlier in another village.
The accused, self-proclaimed cow vigilantes, flogged the youths, who were later illegally detained and allegedly beaten by police personnel as well.
“About 10 years ago, the Una incident shook the entire nation to its core. Dalit youths were publicly stripped and brutally beaten. At that time, I stood in solidarity with their families,” Gandhi said in his post in Hindi.
However, it is deeply unfortunate that even a decade later, they have yet to receive justice; their wounds remain unhealed, and, on the contrary, the situation has only deteriorated further, he said.
“As I listened to the delegation, it became evident that, far from improving, the situation has become even more alarming. One individual was beaten so brutally that he sustained 19 fractures across his body. Another man’s brother was burned alive on a mere whim,” Gandhi said.
These incidents are not merely isolated crimes; they represent the grim reality of an atmosphere rife with fear and injustice, he added.
He said the most concerning aspect is that those who raise their voices to demand their rights are systematically suppressed — sometimes through threats, sometimes through violence, and often through murder.
“Under the BJP government in Gujarat, the environment of hatred, discrimination and atrocities against Dalit and Adivasi communities has steadily intensified,” Gandhi alleged.
The victims of the Una incident are still awaiting justice, the former Congress chief said, adding that this prolonged wait — spanning nearly 10 years — constitutes a grave injustice in itself.
“This is not merely a matter of a few isolated incidents; it represents the failure of a system in which the voices of the vulnerable are stifled while perpetrators enjoy impunity,” he said.
“I stood with these families in the past, I stand with them today, and I will continue to amplify their voices until justice is served,” Gandhi added.
Posting the video of the interaction on X, the LoP said, “The cry of Una still knocks at the doors of justice. For the past 10 years, the victims have been wandering from door to door in search of justice.”
“Humiliation, violence and murder have become the reality for Dalits and Adivasis in BJP-ruled Gujarat,” he said.
“It is this very unconstitutional and unjust model of Modi ji that is now being imposed upon the entire country,” Gandhi claimed.
