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'Do not ignore Dalits, do not ignore me'

Last Updated 10 January 2015, 20:22 IST

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, G Parameshwara on Saturday rued about the conditions that Dalits in the country have had to endure.

Speaking during the release of a book by Additional Regional Commissioner, M R Ravi titled, ‘Yaarannu Nirlakshisabedi please...’, which loosely translates to ‘do not ignore anybody’, he said that it was difficult for an outsider to understand the pains of being a Dalit in the country.

Referring to the title of the book, he said that he should too not be ignored. It can be noted that Parameshwara has been with logger heads with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over DyCM post.

Retracts
However, following the programme, responding to media queries, he said that he had made the comments without any political connotations. “I just made a reference to the conditions of the Dalit community as a whole, and said that Congress should not ignore Dalits,” he said.

On ministers, V Srinivas Prasad and H Anjaneya expressing hopes of a Dalit becoming chief minister of the State, Parameshwara said that the opinions expressed by the ministers were their personal opinions, but nobody in the Congress was against a Dalit becoming the CM. However, it is not the time to discuss such issues, he said.

Equal opportunity
“Everyone should be given equal opportunity and Dalits should be ensured social justice. However, the final decision regarding the same wrests with the High Command of the party,” he added.

Earlier during the day, Sreenivas Prasad said that only Congress party could appoint a Dalit as Chief Minister. He however clarified that this did not mean that Siddaramaiah should step down.

He said that parties such as JD(S) and BJP who came to power, appointed members of dominant  communities as CMs. However, only the Congress had appointed CMs from backward communities too, he added.

DH News Service

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(Published 10 January 2015, 18:29 IST)

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