Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Fight for rights, Dalits told

Special Correspondent

Reservations sought in private sector

ONGOLE: Dalit Rights Struggle Committee State president G. Mallesh has exhorted dalits to wage a united struggle to put an end to exploitation and achieve social justice.

Addressing a district-level meeting of the committee here on Tuesday, Mr. Mallesh said that successive governments had failed to provide even basic needs to dalits. Members of the community were being deprived of human rights and treated as slaves, Mr. Mallesh alleged.

The ruling parties were conspiring to ensure dalits did not grow economically, socially or politically. The economic reforms further marginalised dalits, he said.

The public sector was denying dalits employment opportunities. He demanded that dalits fight for reservation in the private sector.

Atrocities

Atrocities on dalits continued in spite of the Atrocities on Dalits (Prevention) Act, 1986. The guilty were not being brought to book, he charged.

Mr. Mallesh called upon dalits to sink differences and put up a united front to protect their rights.

He said some political parties, which were interested in using dalits as vote banks, were dividing them on reservation issue.

He wanted dalits of all denominations not fall prey to such designs.

Mr. Mallesh urged the government to distribute surplus land to dalits.

He also demanded that the government implement the recommendations of the Koneru Ranga Rao Committee.

Cine actor Madala Ranga Rao felt that economic growth would not be possible by neglecting the development of dalits.

Vyvasaya Karmika Sangham leader J. Poulas, CPI district secretary M. Venkaiah and Praja Natyamandali State president Nalluri Venkateswarlu spoke.

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Fight for rights, Dalits told

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