The Hindu : Rashtriya Mahasabha to contest six seats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 29, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Rashtriya Mahasabha to contest six seats

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 28. The Rashtriya Mahasabha, the recently-formed Adivasi-Dalit political party, has decided to field its candidates in Kannur, Kozhikode, Kottayam, Idukki, Muvattupuzha and Adoor in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

This was announced at a press conference here today by M. Geethanandan, member of the State council of the Mahasabha.

The party would take an anti-UDF stand in the coming polls. A sympathetic attitude would be adopted towards the CPI which, according to the Mahasabha, had taken the "most honourable stand in the post-Muthanga days," Mr. Geethanandan said. The JSS too had supported the Adivasis, he added. The CPI(M), on the other hand, had adopted a most deplorable position and had even gone to the extent of seeking to discredit the Mahasabha president, C. K. Janu, in the columns of the party newspaper, Desabhimani, he said.

"The CPI(M) has collected Rs. 30 lakhs in the name of the Adivasis. But, except for a few thousand rupees, that money has not reached the Adivasis. The CPI(M) should make public where the money is and how it has been spent," he said.

The Mahasabha would also target those candidates who have adopted an anti-Adivasi stance in the past and work publicly to defeat such candidates in the elections. This was to try and correct the anti-Adivasi stand of various political parties, he explained.

"We are prepared to side with any party that supports our cause. Our aim is to get into the Government," Mr. Geethanandan said. The activities of the Sangh Parivar posed the "most dangerous" threat to the Adivasis and Dalits in the country, he said.

Ms. Janu told the press conference that the statue of Dr. Ambedkar would be installed on the premises of the Legislative Assembly complex by Dalit-Adivasi activists if the Government did not take steps to do it by April 14.

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