BJP minister in UP Suresh Rana (second from right) allegedly ordered food from outside when he went to take dinner at a Dalit man's house. Photo: ANI

A BJP minister from Uttar Pradesh has come fire after he allegedly ordered food from outside instead of eating at the house of a Dalit man he visited on Monday.

According to Rajnish Kumar, Minister Suresh Rana, along with other BJP leaders, came to his residence late night on Monday.

"We were not informed about the minister's visit to my house. He came along with other BJP leaders and took meal ordered from outside. The food was prepared at a nearby government medical centre by cooks," Kumar, a resident of Lohgarh in Aligarh district, said.

The dinner was part of Bharatiya Janata Party's Dalit outreach programme. Under the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan launched in April, the BJP has asked its MPs and ministers to spend nights in villages dominated by the Dalit community.

Lawmakers have also been directed to conduct 'chaupals' in Dalit-dominated villages to hear their grievances.

Suresh Rana could not be reached for comments till the publication of this story.

"Some BJP workers went with the minister to the house of the Dalit and so food was ordered from outside. Rana took food made at the Dalit's house and our party believes in no discrimination," UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said.

The dinner was organised by a local BJP MLA.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also taken dinner earlier at the house of a Dalit and had conducted a 'chaupal' in a village in the Pratapgarh district of UP.

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