To call my visit a photo-op an insult, says angry Rahul in Faridabad

NEW DELHI: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday lashed out at the media for calling his visit to the house of a murdered Dalit family in Faridabad a photo-op.

"What do you mean it's a photo op? It is insulting to hear that this is a photo opportunity. It is an insult to the victim's family. I will continue to visit them," Gandhi told reporters after his visit to the Sunped village in Faridabad where a Dalit family was set on fire on Tuesday.

"People are dying left right and centre in this country," Gandhi said.

Two children of the family were burnt alive and their parents suffered injuries after an upper caste group allegedly set their house afire while they were sleeping.

Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister, Harayana Chief Minister, the BJP and RSS of practicising "politics of crushing" those who are weak which results in such incidents.

"This is an attitude shared by the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of the state and the entire BJP and RSS. The attidute is if somebody is weak, he can be crushed. What you have seen is the result of this attitude," Gandhi said.

Angry villagers blocked the Ballabgarh-Faridabad highway demanding the arrest of all the accused in the incident. Eleven persons, including a father-son duo, have been booked on murder, rioting and other charges, a police spokesman said.

Earlier in the day, CPM leader Brinda Karat also visited the village and met relatives of the victim family.

(With inputs from PTI)