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Separate electorate demanded for
Dalits, Adivasis, Women
WSN Network
 New
Delhi: The National Confederation of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR),
which has about 1200 Dalit groups under its umbrella, has demanded
that the Indian government should introduce separate electorate for
Dalits, Adivasis and women to ensure their real representation in
Lok Sabha.
At a massive
rally organized in New Delhi on December 5, NACDOR also demanded
constitutional amendment “to introduce reservation in Rajya Sabha
and make this mandatory to elect members of Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes as per their share in population in the state.”
At the end of
the daylong rally at Jantar Mantar, the group presented a charter of
demands to the Prime Minister.
Some major
demands in the charter include 15% and 7.5% quota for SCs and STs
respectively in public sector undertakings, corporate and private
sectors; establishment of monitoring and vigilance committee in each
district to ensure proper implementation of Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989); publication of
annual report by NHRC on violation of human rights of SCs and STs;
establishment of grain banks for food security in all Dalit and
adivasi villages; special housing scheme for Dalits all across the
country and representation of Dalits in Radio, TV and print media
through modifications in HR policies.
The NACDOR
opposed restrictions on conversion and demanded religious freedom to
Dalits as well as all citizens of the country. “Religious freedom is
the corner stone of India’s constitution and citizens are free to
choose any religion as and when they like. This fundamental right of
the people must be protected and all laws made to nullify this
freedom by different states must be repealed.”
Another major
demand of the group is proper compensation to SCs and STs affected
by climate change including changing patterns and reduction of
rainfalls, floods, droughts etc.
The Sachar
Report has already pointed out that the whole Muslim community is
marginalized. Dalit Muslims do not get the status of Scheduled
Castes which is availed of by Dalit Sikh and Buddhist Dalits.
9
December 2009
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