Will launch protests for Dalit rights, says Cong
Wednesday, 20/01/2016
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CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress will launch agitation in every assembly constituency for protection of Dalits’ rights.
This was announced by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Charanjit Singh Channi, who along with a delegation of Congress MPs and MLAs, submitted a memorandum to Punjab governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, pointing out the alleged discrimination being meted out to the Dalits in the Akali Dal-BJP regime.
“Even as the Dalits constitute about 35% of the population in the state, their condition has become miserable. They are denied benefits of various central and state government schemes, meant exclusively for them. Their basic right is persistently being disregarded because of sordid misdoings and bad intentions of the present regime,” Channi said. He said funds allocated under special component plan must be released without any delay. Channi said of the total share of 29% in the funds, only 14.92% was being spent for welfare of the scheduled castes.
The memorandum listed recent cases of atrocities against Dalits such as killing of 27-yearold Bhim Tank at the farm house of Abohar’s Akali leader Shiv Lal Doda, who is still at large.
The delegation included Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni, Lok Sabha MP Santokh Singh and Amarpreet Singh Lally, president Punjab Youth Congress.
