Addressing a press meet here recently, he said that more than 60 pc Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people in the State were living below poverty line and the State government, by formulating welfare schemes for namesake, is claiming to champion the cause of dalits. Attempts are being made to divide the dalits on caste and sub-caste lines. He disclosed that a massive protest has been organised at Bangalore on July 27 to condemn the ‘anti-dalit’ policies of the State and Union governments.
Shankar demanded that a system should be put in place whereby the benefits of State and Union governments’ scheme could be availed under a common roof. He sought introduction of single-window system for dalit welfare, filling up backlog vacancies, action against persons who have secured jobs on the basis of false caste certificate, constitution of land tribunals to allot lands under bagair hukum cultivation and reserving lands for dalits as provided under Land Reforms Act. He also urged the government to name the Law university being established at Dharwad after Dr Ambedkar. Privatisation of mid-day scheme should be halted and the services of workers of scheme should be regularised, he demanded.
