Terming the offer by Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel to quit as a "cosmetic change", Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said this was meaningless in the context of the recent incident of flogging of Dalits by cow vigilantes in the state."The 'offer' by Gujarat Chief Minister is meaningless in the context of recent events in the state. Gujarat state government must instead take action and punish the culprits. Any change of face or offer to resign is only a ploy to distract from the absence of concrete state action against the guilty," Yechury wrote on his Facebook page."A cosmetic change will not alter the policies of the ruling party which have wreaked havoc on the weaker sections of the society in the state. This tokenism serves no purpose. Why has no immediate action been taken, as demanded by the massive rally of Dalits in Ahmedabad yesterday?" he added.
Yechury noted that the "malaise of vigilantes, mob-violence and fanning hate runs deeper and wider" than Gujarat and its Chief Minister. "What action is being taken by the BJP's top leadership and the union government to ensure that all Indians feel equal and secure in their homeland, as guaranteed by the Constitution? Why are people from certain sections of society not being allowed to exercise their choice of food or occupation?” he wrote.The Communist leader said that leading ruling party functionaries continue to make incendiary speeches against minorities and Dalits. “They incite mobs and fan prejudiced ideological hate, which have resulted in public lynching, hanging, flogging and beatings across the country. “How can one change of face be the answer to a problem emanating from the top? It is only a distraction. We await concrete action,” Yechury concluded.