HimVani
Shimla (Nov 13): The Himachal Pradesh state committee of CPI (M) will hold a mass rally on Dalit rights’ issue on November 15 in Shimla. This will perhaps be the first-ever rally of any political party on the issue of social discrimination in the state.
CPIM claims to have conducted a survey in the state to access different forms of social discrimination being practiced in the state covering more than 35,000 houses in over 1,000 panchayats. The party claims that different forms of discrimination ranging from cultural, economic, lingual, religious and even aesthetic are prevalent in the state.
“After Punjab, the state has the second largest ratio of scheduled castes population (24.7%). Nearly 70% of Dalit households either own no land or very less land. They live in abject poverty with their strength even according to government estimates reaching over 40% below poverty line. 97.86% Dalit kisans are either small or marginal in their capacity. Their education status is also quite dismal with just 0.53% having industrial education, 5% up to secondary and just 2% graduates. 15% have completed matric,” the survey states.
CPIM has decided to submit a memorandum to the government to seek implementation of land reforms and land for the poor; implementation of 85th constitutional amendment in letter and spirit; special plan for Dalit households and villages with respect to infrastructure development; tap water supply for every Dalit house; steps to deal with unsociability; and reservation in private sector.
