Opposition Leaders React to Narendra Modi's Interview to Network18

New Delhi: Several Opposition leaders and social commentators reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive interview to Network18 on Friday and said that the BJP has been late in reacting to the atrocities against Dalits.

JD (U) leader KC Tyagi said the the BJP's reaction to cow vigilantism across the country has been late and whether the vigilantes will ever be reigned in once and for all is the bigger question.

Reacting to Modi's comment about the Opposition, Tyagi said, "We are just doing our job as a responsible Opposition. If we don't highlight the wrongs committed by the government, then who else will. There is a lot that needs to be done and his noble words need to be implemented on the ground."

BSP leader Sudhindra Bhaduria said that it is unfortunate that he has reacted after almost a month considering that the Dalit flagging in Una happened in his home state.

"Compared to that Mayawatiji has been seeking justice for the Dalits right from the day when the incident happened. The government has been silent on gangrape of dalit woman to," Bhaduria said.

Dalit Scholar Kancha Illaiah said the PM speaks about the right things but hat whe speaks is not being implemented.

Gaurav Bhati SP said the development pitch ahead of the UP elections in 2017 is good, who will rein in the fringe elements and motor mouths of the BJP.

"UP has been boiling with the remarks made by several BJP and RSS leaders and the PM needs to tell us how he plans to tackle such people," Bhatia said.

Well known social commentator Ajay Bose said that BJP is a party with many disparate sections and because it has represented upper caste interests for many years, they had many prejudices and that needs to go with time.

"The general perception amongst Dalits is that the BJP has not reacted sharply to issues on the ground and the BJP is against them. It is difficult for Modi to rein in everyone. But it looks like the entire political agenda of the BJP is to unify the Hindus," Bose said.

"Prime Minister Modi will have to discipline the party and he needs to punish anybody who take a party line different from the government, Bose added.