The National Commission of Schedule Castes on Friday took suo moto cognisance of Union minister VK Singh's controversial remark on the deaths of two Dalit children in Faridabad. It issued notices to the Director General of Police in Uttar Pradesh and Superintendent of Police, Ghaziabad, in the matter.

The Commission called Singh's dog analogy unfortunate and NCSC chairman PL Punia said, "We have sought to know from the police whether action under the Indian Penal Code and Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act can be taken in the case, and what action has been taken so far".

AAP leaders Saurabh Bhardwaj, Vishesh Ravi, Rakhi Birla, Hajarilal Chauhan and spokesperson Ashutosh demanded that an FIR be registered against Singh under the SC/ST Act earlier in the day, before filing a complaint against Singh in the Commission.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Sonkar Shastri accused NCSC chief Punia of speaking like a Congress spokesperson. "Punia must explain whether he wants to act like a Congress spokesperson or somebody in a constitutional post. Can he act as a party leader while holding the NCSC chief post? We have strong objections to his comments," he said.

When asked if the Centre was liable for the murder of the Dalit children, who were set ablaze on Monday, the former Army chief had said on Thursday that the government was not responsible if someone throws stones at a dog. Singh later insisted a controversy has been created out of “unconnected sentences”.