Says, it is not just law and oredr issue, it is moral failure
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Union Government, citing the recently released National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for 2023, which reveals a disturbing surge in crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), particularly in states governed by the BJP.
The Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema expressed grave concern over the NCRB report, Crime in India 2023, which documents a staggering 28.8% surge in crimes against Scheduled Tribes (STs) nationwide, with cases jumping from 10,064 in 2022 to 12,960 in 2023. While crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) also saw an increase, with 57,789 cases registered in 2023, the geographical distribution of these crimes points a clear accusatory finger at the BJP's governance track record, he added.
Turning to crimes against Scheduled Castes, Finance Minister Cheema said that three BJP-led states top the list for the highest number of registered cases. "The heartland of BJP power, Uttar Pradesh, leads the nation with 15,130 cases against SCs," the Minister said. "It is closely followed by Rajasthan with 8,449 cases and Madhya Pradesh with 8,232 cases. These numbers are a damning indictment of the BJP’s priority, their focus is on divisive politics, not on securing the safety and dignity of Dalits", he added.
Expressing deep concern over the shocking statistics related to crimes against STs, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the report shows that a single BJP-governed state, Manipur, recorded the highest number of crimes against STs in the entire country with 3,399 cases, most of which were related to the devastating ethnic violence, including rioting and arson. Furthermore, the abysmal justice delivery system in the state was brought into sharp focus, with a shocking 99.3% of cases of crimes against STs pending trial in Manipur by the end of 2023, said Cheema
"The BJP's rhetoric on social justice is exposed as hollow and hypocritical by their own government's crime data," said Finance Minister Cheema while adding, "The spiraling violence against our most vulnerable communities is a direct result of the toxic social environment and administrative apathy fostered in BJP-ruled states. This is not just a law and order issue; it is a moral failure."
The Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema concluded his remarks by demanding immediate and transparent action from the Union Government. "The Union Government must stop issuing press statements and start ensuring the protection of SCs and STs. The NCRB report is not merely a statistical document; it is a desperate cry for help from communities whose lives are increasingly at risk under BJP rule. We will not allow the BJP to sweep this issue under the rug of political convenience."