Congress 'using' Dalits as 'vote bank': Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: BJP president Rajnath Singh today hit out at Congress for doing "nothing for Dalits" in the country and "using" them as mere "vote bank".

"Congress ruled the country for 54 years out of the 65 years since independence. This is not little time, but it made no effort to lift your status," Singh said while addressing a gathering on the occasion of B R Ambedkar's 122nd birth anniversary.

The BJP president said the Congress used Dalits as vote bank and came to power with their votes but took no steps to solve their problems.

"I wanted to tell Dalit brothers that Congress always used you as a vote bank and never tried to take any steps to solve your problems," he said.

Singh also talked at length about the contributions of Dr B R Ambedkar, including empowering the underprivileged.