Vivek Tiwari murder: Om Prakash Rajbhar fuels controversy; alleges govt of giving compensation on caste basis

Rajbhar said that if somebody belonging to Pandit community dies then the compensation announced is of Rs 30 lakhs , in case of Thakur’s death the compensation is of Rs. 25 lakhs, but the government has nothing to offer when somebody of Rajbhar or Vaishya community dies.

Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar. File Photo

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar provided fuel to controversy with his divisive statement in connection with Vivek Tiwari murder case that had left the entire state shocked. While addressing a rally in Tikri Jungle village of Mankapur in Gonda of Uttar Pradesh, Rajbhar raised questions over law and order situation of the state in the wake of shooting of Vivek Tiwari at the hands of a police constable. He however criticised the government for offering compensation with respect to the caste of the person. He said that whenever somebody dies, the compensation announced by the government depends on the caste of the deceased. He said that if somebody belonging to Pandit community dies then the compensation announced is of Rs 30 lakhs , in case of Thakur’s death the compensation is of 25 lakh, and is Rs 15 lakh in case of a Yadav’s death , but when people belonging to Rajhar and Vaishya community die the government has no money to offer to their poor relatives as compensation. He said that BJP government is ignoring the needs of the scheduled and backward castes. Recently a person belonging to the Yadav community died in Noida, but nobody even enquired about it.  He accused the BJP government of doing “caste-politics” and said that it is least bothered about the backward and the scheduled castes. Rajbhar's statement came after chief minister Yogi Adityanath offered Rs 25 lakh compensation in Vivek Tiwari murder case,  fixed deposits worth Rs 5 lakh each for Vivek's daughter and mother as well as accommodation for the family. Apple executive Vivek Tiwari was shot dead early Saturday morning by a policeman when he allegedly refused to stop his car.