Left, JD(U) leaders to visit Una tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Leaders of CPI, CPI(M) and JD(U) would visit Una tomorrow to meet members of the Dalit community who have been protesting the brutal assault on four youths for allegedly skinning a cow in the town in Gir-Somnath district 11 days ago.

Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, CPI's D Raja and CPI(M) Lok Sabha member P K Biju would reach Una tomorrow and meet the family members of the youths who were allegedly beaten up by a group of right-wing 'gau rakshaks' (cow vigilantes).

"The situation in Gujarat is worsening. We are going there to express solidarity with the Dalit community as well as understand the ground situation," Raja said, adding the government should take steps to protect members of the downtrodden and minority communities.

He said the delegation would spend a night at Una to hold interactions with the protesting members of the community.

Their visit follows those by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

During a debate on growing attacks on Dalits in Rajya Sabha yesterday, Yadav had hit out apparently at the BJP-RSS saying "who created these 'Gau Rakshaks'? Why doesn't the government ban them? What is this tamasha? .... We talk about Taliban ... our caste system has a Taliban-like attitude, we need to discuss that."

In his speech, Raja too had sought steps to stop atrocities against dalits, saying "there are organised right- wing forces in the country and there are people in political sphere and those close to them" who were backing them. "This is the challenge we are facing. The government will have to take action," the CPI leader had said.