Coordination Committee for Dalit Rights to conduct nationwide movement on Dalit issues from September 15 to 30
These decisions were taken during a meeting held in Delhi on Wednesday under the collaborative efforts of Dalit Soshan Mukthi Manch, Centre for Dalit Studies, All India Dalit Rights, Agriculture Labour organizations, along with other voluntary groups
Hyderabad: Raising concern over increasing atrocities against dalits and injustice meted out to them under the BJP government at the Centre, the Coordination Committee for Dalit Rights has decided to conduct a nationwide movement on dalit issues from September 15 to 30, besides organizing marches to the Parliament, State Assemblies and Governors’ offices.
These decisions were taken during a meeting held in Delhi on Wednesday under the collaborative efforts of Dalit Soshan Mukthi Manch, Centre for Dalit Studies, All India Dalit Rights, Agriculture Labour organizations, along with other voluntary groups.
Right from the injustice to Dalits in budget allocations to atrocities against them under the BJP government since 2014, the organizations raised concerns about the violation of Dalits and constitutional rights by the union government.
Experts at the meeting demanded budget allocation based on population, with the implementation of the SCSP Act, reservations for dalits in the private sector and an end to privatization, reservations in promotions for dalits, immediate cessation of atrocities and untouchability against dalits, provision of social, economic, and political rights to dalits as per the constitution and ensuring educational rights, land rights, and a favorable working environment for Dalits.
They also recommended holding special Parliament sessions to address the above issues.
Agricultural production in India heavily relies on dalits, who work in villages as agricultural labourers.
Despite this, they are neglected by the government. Furthermore, while Dalit families manage to secure some jobs through limited education, the government’s privatization of public sector organizations undermines their efforts.
The Sub-Plan motive was to allocate a special budget to Dalits, who are not socially recognized with dignity. However, the government was diverting these funds to general programmes instead of focusing on Dalit-specific initiatives.
Some States had implemented the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP) Act due to the persistent efforts of various organizations over the years, but the Central government was neither ready to implement the SCSP Act nor properly allocating SCSP funds, the experts pointed out at the meeting, calling for a National Act for SCSP to be introduced in the Parliament session.
