Mangalore: Ruling parties using Dalits as mere vote banks: CPI(M) leader GN Nagaraj

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 17, 2013: The  various governments that ruled the nation have utterly failed in creating a just society where Dalits are free from exploitation, said GN Nagaraj, State Secretariat Member of CPI(M) and Vice President of Dalita Hakkugala Samithi.

He was speaking after inaugurating a Dalit Rights Awareness Convention 2013 organised at the NGO Hall in Mangalore on November 17, Sunday. Continuing, Nagaraj said mere caste based reservations will not bring about social equality and stressed the need for distribution of land to landless. Such a step will go a long way in establishing social equality and welfare of Dalits, he said. Giving statistics, he said  70 per cent of Dalits residing in rural areas do not own lands while  80 per cent out of the 52 per cent children who do not have access to education are Dalits.

He further alleged that the ruling parties were using Dalits merely as vote banks.

Sunil Kumar Bajal, CPI(M) city unit Secretary  who also spoke, accused  the Mangalore City Corporation of misusing funds released for the welfare of Dalits.

Sanjeeva Balkur, city unit chief of the Dalit Rights Committee, presided over the meeting which was attended by several CPI(M) leaders including Shanker, Narayan Talapady, Lingappa Nantur and Prashanth.