JOIN USState-wide dharna for dalit cause in Kolar today
The organisations, as part of statewide agitation, will take out a protest rally and stage dharna in front of the office of the deputy commissioner in Kolar.
Their demands include withdrawal of charges against the Dalit leaders in the State, grant of site and title deeds for slum-dwellers in Bangalore, dropping the move to privatise Akshara Dasoha scheme, implementation of Devadasi welfare schemes, constitution of a corporation for the welfare of eunuchs, right to cultivation slips for bagair-hukum farmers; protection of civic workers’ rights; renovation of dalit students’ hostels; and waiving off loans availed by dalits.
Leather industries
Besides, they also demanded that attempts should be made to give new lease of life to LIDKAR, the umbrella organisation of leather industries in Karnataka.
Their demands also include issuing licences for he snake-charmers across the State ; regularising services of the dalits working as guest faculty in Bangalore Rural, Ramanagar and Bellary districts; hi-power committee meeting should be convened regarding prevention of atrocities on dalits, said the party district unit General Secretary Chittibabu.
A rally was held in Bangalore on July 1, condemning the Government’s apathy towards dalits and the exploited classes of the society.
This is the second such rally to be held in front of the offices of deputy commissioners across the State.
Chittibabu criticised the Government stating that if the cases against the mining barons can be withdrawn, why cannot the Government resort to a similar measure in case of the dalit leaders as well?, he questioned.
Mid-day meal
Chittibabu further termed the Government’s move on entrusting ISKCON and other private organisations with the responsibility of providing mid-day meal scheme as an anti-people policy.
He demanded that the cooks under the mid-day meal scheme should be given 30 per cent hike in their remuneration.
Other demands are that those working in leather industries should be given facilities including houses; services of the civic workers who are working on contract basis should be regularised.
The backward community students’ hostel buildings are in a dilapidated condition and they need to be repaired and renovated immediately.
The organisations have also urged that loans obtained by the dalits under various schemes of the Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation should be waived.