Uma Bharti: I will be purified if Dalits come to my home, eat food I serve

“I never take part in social harmony lunches because I don’t consider myself Lord Ram,” Uma Bharti said.

“I don’t consider myself Lord Ram that I can purify Dalits by eating at their homes. Instead, I prefer inviting Dalits to my home and serving them personally — that makes me purified,” Uma Bharti was heard saying in a video.

Union minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday said that she does not feel dining at Dalit homes would “purify” them but that inviting them to her home and serving them food personally would make her “pure and pious”.

Bharti, who was to take part in a community lunch at Naugaon’s Gadhmau village in Madhya Pradesh, said she did not believe that such “samajik samrasta bhoj” would bring honour to Dalits, or give rise to social harmony. “I don’t consider myself Lord Ram that I can purify Dalits by eating at their homes. Instead, I prefer inviting Dalits to my home and serving them personally — that makes me purified,” Bharti was heard saying in a video. “I never take part in social harmony lunches because I don’t consider myself Lord Ram,” she said.

She later clarified that she did not take part in the lunch since she had to rush to another programme in the afternoon. She told The Indian Express: “That time is gone when Dalits were considered untouchables and having a meal with them was supposed to make them happy and empowered. Today, Dalits want economic empowerment, (and) participation in the government and administration.”

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The Lok Sabha MP from Jhansi, in MP, also said that she did not mean to ridicule the Dalit outreach programmes initiated by the BJP or the government. “I just said that Dalits want equal participation in the government and administration and social equality,” Bharti said.

Bharti said she meant social harmony has to be achieved by removing discrimination against Dalits in politics and by ensuring their economic development and social equality.

Liz Mathew

Have been in journalism covering national politics for 23 years. Have covered six consecutive Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in almost all the states. Currently writes on ruling BJP. Always loves to understand what's cooking in the national politics (And ventures into the act only in kitchen at home). ... Read More

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