Ranchi: Ram Vilas Paswan, Union minister of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs advised the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to tread cautiously on rising petrol and diesel prices in view of the coming general elections, but was evasive while commenting on violence against Dalits in a Bihar village in RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad's constituency.

Addressing the media to highlight the achievements in the four years of the Modi government, Paswan said, "I am not aware to what extent crude oil prices are going down in the international market, but the government should be very careful. It is election year. Petrol and diesel prices directly affect all sections of society," Paswan told the media during an interaction on the achievements of the Modi government that has completed four years in power.

Asked to comment on the attack on Dalits at Mallikpur village in Raghopur Assembly constituency on May 28, the Lok Janshakti Party president said he had spoken to the Vaishali district magistrate about it and would be going to Patna after a week, after which he would express his views on the issue.

Houses of 20 Dalits were allegedly torched as a fallout of a land dispute, but further allegations have surfaced the Tejashwi, who was apparently present in his constituency at the time, did not intervene.

"This news meet has been called to highlight achievements of Modi government. I am keeping an eye on the Raghopur incident. Lalu Pra-sad is ill and serving a jail te-rm. Tejaswi is there in his pl-ace. There is no point discus-sing these things here," he said.

Referring to a recent Sup-reme Court order asking the Centre to amend Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act of 1989, Paswan said that the Modi government had added 25 new clauses to make the law stronger. The Centre had also declared five sites related to B.R. Ambedkar, including the place where he stayed while studying in London, as heritage sites.

"Hence, the Modi government cannot be termed as anti-Dalit," he said, adding, "We have filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. We will be waiting for judicial orders. If need be, we may be bringing an ordinance to ensure reservations to SC / ST during job promotions."