Mumbai, July 19: Rattled by the opposition onslaught over the spate of Dalit atrocities across Maharashtra, the Congress-led Democratic Front (DF) government has dispatched a high-level delegation for an on-the-spot assessment to Marathwada where maximum instances of attacks on Dalits have been reported. Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has deputed Minister of State for home Kripa Shankar Singh for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Singh, who will be visiting Jalna, Beed and Parbhani areas of Marathwada today, told a news agency that he will submit a detailed report to the chief minister. Singh is accompanied by MPCC office bearers Sanjay Dutt and Subhash Chavan, giving a clear signal that the government and the party plan to deal with the situation unitedly. Party office bearers would submit a separate report to MPCC Chief Ranjit Deshmukh and the Chief Minister, Dutt said.

Shiv Sena-BJP saffron combine opposition had created a ruckus in the state assembly on the opening day of the monsoon session earlier this week over growing incidents of attacks on Dalits.

Shinde, the first Dalit Chief Minster of Maharashtra, at a meeting of ruling DF legislators, had offerred to step down saying "if my resignation can stop attacks on Dalits, I am willing to quit the office".


Bureau Report