Sonia’s team blames NCP, BJP for Khairlanji

Says Congress has done its bit in the matter and takes no blame

• The local bodies in Bhandara are ruled by NCP and BJP, and the Home Ministry belongs to the NCP. Hence, they are to blame for the Khairlanji Dalit carnage

• The issue is humanitarian, hence shouldn’t be politicised (read against the Congress)

• The Congress has done its bit for the Dalits — its MLA was the first to visit the village, followed by the Social Welfare Minister Chandrakant Handore and CM Vilasrao Deshmukh. We have no complaint against the Maharashtra government

Story continues below this ad

• The whole Khairlanji village is involved in the killing of the four members of Bhaiyyalal Bhotmange’s family

These are some of the findings of the AICC team led by party general secretary Yogendra Makwana.

The team comprising 11 members was sent by party president Sonia Gandhi to probe the September 29 killings. The team visited Khairlanji, spoke to the villagers, district officials and the police before addressing a press conference here this evening. “We will submit our report to the party president within 2-3 days,” Makwana said.

While Makwana was putting the onus on NCP and BJP, Bhola Pande, party secretary and a member of the team, said: “It’s basically a humanitarian issue. So, it shouldn’t be politicised. The Maharashtra government had, in a well-intentioned manner, done everything necessary in the matter. The Congress has always been for the Dalits.”

Story continues below this ad

Asked if the incident had dented Congress’ image, Makwana said our MLA, minister and the CM had visited the village and have done everything possible. “It’s clear that the police connived with the offenders and it is with their help that the murders took place. The offenders could do it because the police didn’t arrest them under the Atrocities Act for assault and caste abuse of Bhotmanges’ supporter Siddharth Gajbhiye earlier in the month. They got immediate bail and committed the murders immediately thereafter,” he said.

The villagers had vented their ire on Bhaiyyalal’s wife Surekha, sons Roshan and Sudhir and daughter Priyanka for testifying against Gajbhiye’s assailants. Makwana alleged that even the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch of the village were involved in the incident, but haven’t been arrested till date.

“The first post-mortem was done on September 30, and the second on October 5. But the report of the first post-mortem was given on October 6,” Makwana said.

While Bhaiyyalal himself has been claiming that there were 50-60 villagers that attacked his hut on September 29, Makwana said the entire village was involved in the act. Khairlanji, incidentally, has a population over 700.