Mayawati seeks strict action against BJP MP for assaulting Dalit officer

BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday demanded strict action against a BJP MP who had allegedly beaten up a Dalit officer, saying such behaviour was "shameful".

Revenue officer Arvind Kumar was allegedly beaten by the BJP's Kannauj MP Subrat Pathak and his supporters on Tuesday.

"Manhandling and misbehavior with a dalit 'tehsildar, who was discharging his duty honestly, by the BJP MP in Kannauj recently is very shameful," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.

In a separate tweet she said, "It's saddening that instead of going to jail, this MP is roaming outside due to which dalit employees are agitated. In such circumstances, the chief minister should initiate strict action against this MP so that he does not repeat such an incident in the future."

"BSP demands strict action against the MP so that such behaviour is not meted out to any other Dalit employee in the state," she said.

Kumar had alleged that Pathak was pressurising him to sanction some projects which flouted rules and when he refused, the leader verbally abused him on the phone and later arrived at his residence along with his supporters and beat him up.

Pathak, however, said the official had failed to properly distribute food among the poor and also misbehaved with his supporters.

"I was continuously getting complaints from the poor regarding distribution of food and when I took up the matter with him (Kumar) he reacted indecently," Pathak had said.

The MP had also alleged that the Kumar misbehaved with his supporters and beat them up.

A case has been registered against the MP under the SC/ST Act and other sections of the IPC and a probe is on.