Raebareli: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met the family of Hariom Valmiki, the Dalit man lynched earlier this month in Raebareli, highlighting alleged intimidation by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gandhi said the family had been threatened and instructed not to meet him. “The family did not commit the crime. A crime has been committed against them, and it seems as if they are the criminals. They are not being allowed to go out of their house. They are being threatened,” he stated.
Gandhi also raised concerns over the hurdles faced by the family, including access to medical care for a daughter awaiting surgery. He condemned the growing atrocities against Dalits across the country, urging the UP government to ensure justice. “They should be respected. Action must be taken against the perpetrators, and they should not be protected,” he added.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also voiced support on her official X account, emphasizing that the party stands for justice for victims of caste-based atrocities nationwide. She wrote, “Hariom Valmiki ji’s family has stated that they were threatened by the government not to meet Rahul Gandhi. But this is not important. The essential point is that action should be taken against those who committed this crime. Our effort is to provide whatever help we can to Hariom ji’s family. Wherever there is atrocity against Dalits in the country, the Congress party will stand there and fight for justice.”
