Amit Shah has food at Dalit's house, but not water

Varanasi: Bharatiya Janata Party lost few brownie points when party national president Amit Shah refused to drink water in a Dalit household during his much-hyped lunch with them at Jogiapur village in Sevapuri under parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

The visit, being seen as the part of new strategy of the BJP to woo Dalit voters, ended into a disappointment for the party trying to strike new bonhomie with this section. Shah reached Varanasi as per his schedule and proceeded to a pre-decided Dalit Girija Prasad Bind and Iqbal Bind's house. He had food their but when it came to drinking water, the BJP national president preferred bottled water being carried by his aides on the occasion.

Soon after, the murmuring among the people gathered there started who were critical of this saying it was symbolically an act of discrimination as Amit Shah refused to drink water at Dalit's house.

It may be recalled that this practice, more out of political compulsions, was started by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who on acouple of occasions stayed with the families from deprived sections and had food with them. BJP, new to this, more because of coming Uttar Pradesh assembly eletions,planned this in the PM's constituency.

A BJP leader present with Shah ,however, downplayed it saying it was a normal thing for anyone who is on the move all the time. The frequent travellers always keep pacakged water with them and no politics should be seen in this.