Dalit activists to organise ‘rail-roko’ protest in Gujarat

A renowned Dalit organisation, Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch, headed by Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani is planning to organise a ‘Rail-Roko’ protest in Gujarat on coming October first. The activists are preparing to block the trains running through the Maninagar railway station situated at Gujarat. Those protesters, who are expected to conduct a furious demonstration at the railway station, reportedly believe that the Gujarat government is irresponsibly denying all basic rights demanded by the Dalit community. They claim that the Gujarat government led by the BJP party is more enthusiastic to grand unnecessary privileges to the upper-class community like Pataidar community, which is one of the most powerful upper-class communities of the state. Recently, the Dalit activist organised several demonstrations across the state protesting the growing atrocities against the Dalit community. A memorandum submitted by the Dalit activists to the Gujarat government states that the government is always insensitive to the Dalit’s demands. It added that the government has blindly denied land for the landless Dalits, who are living in shabby slums across the state. Moreover, it further added that the government authorities are treating Dalits in a step-motherly fashion. It is said that the preponderance of the Dalit people living in the state does still not possess a BPL card. It is a clear indication that the upper cast dominated BJP government are least bothered about the Dalit’s problems. However, the new crisis has ignited a possibility for an indirect confrontation between marginalised group and the privileged group in the state, which is long being ruled by the upper class dominated BJP party.

Vignesh

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