Shimla: Communist Party of India Marxist today held a protest rally over discrimination being meted out to the dalit community in the state.
Addressing the gathering Rakesh Singha, general secretary CPI(M) said that because of religious sanction, social discrimination had become legitimized.
On the basis of a survey of dalit households conducted by the party, he said that more than 50 forms of social discrimination were being practiced in the hill state.
The protester after marching from Panchayat Bhawan to Ambedkar Chowk were addressed by other CPI(M) leaders also.
The party has drawn up plans of submitting a memorandum to the government over implementation of land reforms by seeking allotment of fresh land to the poor, with dalits being the majority among the poor.
The party also sought that 85th constitutional amendment be implemented in letter and spirit and the state draw up a special plan for dalit households and villages with respect to infrastructure development such as roads, education, drinking water and irrigation and MNREGA.
Speakers also sought extension of reservation to the private sector.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
Strange to see how Communists in the hill state are playing caste based politics. A true communist neither believes in God nor in any caste.. Perhaps vote bank politics of 21st century is forcing these commies “pinkos” to adopt this policy.
It is not caste based politics, but the question of struggle against the social atrocities in the name of castes. We must be concerned over the 50 types of atrocities committed against the Dalits in Himachal Pradesh. This has nothing to do with belief.
Before commenting vaguely people should understand, think and learn that who stands for whom? The caste and class overlaps in India to a very big extent…the lower caste are also lower class in the society. The real representative of lower classes in Indian political scene is undoubtedly the communists and not the caste representative parties like the BSP or others…
But unfortunately the CPI-M also took too long to understand this… they should have jumped into supporting this polarisation immediately after the Mandal Commission politics. It has cost them a lot and delayed the process of their advent on national political scene and especially in the Hindi heartland.
But still it is good if they have understood it now. The questions of religion and caste are unkind realities of Indian social and political milieu; they have to be dealt with headlong and at the earliest. One can’t shut one’s eyes or suppress and ignore the problems, like my friend is saying a true communist doesn’t believe in caste and religion and he should not talk about it at all.
The dalits have to be given their social and economic identity first and only afterwards they their political consciousness could be raised. Those who speak of not talking of caste system are the real opportunists and the status quoits’ in our society, my friend.
One who took side of week and vulnerable truly deserve the appreciation.
The welfare of Dalit is remained issue of concern for those who be-lives in equitable growth and development.
Those who would keep the welfare torch up in the sky would be closer to the heart of victims of such discriminations. It is not the question who would get the mileage out of keeping up the cause but the fruit of inclusive growth would be rear by the next generations belong to us.
Communists fighting for social issue of such urgency is showing the self-less service to humanity is not to be discourage.