People's Democracy

‘Strengthen Struggle For Social Justice’

Symposium On Dr Ambedkar’s Birth Anniversary

COMMEMORATING the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, a symposium on ‘Social justice, Social Revolution and Dr B R Ambedkar’ was organised in Agartala Town Hall on April 21, 2007. Brinda Karat, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP, Kanti Biswas, ex-minister and writer of West Bengal, Anil Sarkar, Tripura minister, Jitendra Sarkar, former speaker of Tripura assembly, Jharna Baidya, chairperson of state’s Social Welfare board, Sukumar Barman and Bidhu Bhusan Malakar, MLAs participated in the symposium.

Brinda Karat inaugurated the symposium by kindling the lamp. Speaking on the occasion, she said that in order to strengthen the struggle for social reform, the movement against caste, creed, religious superstitions and colour-based discrimination should be converted into a mass movement involving people from all walks of life and stressed that as a part of this programme, dalits should be rescued from social discrimination by organising a nationwide movement. Karat pointed out that backward classes have not developed even after 60 years of independence because the ruling classes have chosen the path of capitalism. And it is impossible to think of the advancement of the country without involving this great majority. She said it is meaningless to beat the drums of 10 per cent growth in economy when such social evils persist. This reflects the status of a handful of people only. The very fact that the nation is governed by capitalism based on feudalism has led to such a catastrophe. Karat said that it is the duty of the policy makers of the nation to spell out how Dr Ambedkar’s dream of having a classless society would be achieved. A headmistress of the school of Bhandare belonging to the dalit community would not bear the brunt of caste discrimination in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. According to her, the only way in which the caste system could be eradicated was by the economic development of the dalits and by providing them land. However, in the Left Front ruled states, the governments are trying to guarantee the rights to the dalits and to make them economically self-reliant.

Brinda Karat pointed out that though reservation is not a magic wand, yet it is useful in bringing the dalits and other backward classes into the mainstream development. Therefore, the Left Front is in favour of the reservation policy. In the case of OBC reservation, benefit should be given to the non-creamy layers, she said.

Kanti Biswas in his speech, presented the caste-infected picture of the nation with facts and figures. In spite of having abundant human and natural resources, their proper utilisation was retarded because of such factors as caste, religion, race etc. He said, the 2005 UN report on Human Resource Development reveals that out of 126 crores of people living below poverty line 30 percent are Indians, 36 percent of the country’s population resides below poverty level whereas in China it is only 6 percent. Out of the 78 crores of illiterate people in the world, 27 crores are Indian. Though the literacy rate in India is 79 percent, yet in the case of SCs and STs it is 54 percent and 47 percent respectively. China has been able to eradicate poverty by proper utilisation of its resources. United Nations has prepared a list of 101 poor countries in which India ranks 55. According to the latest crime report of the Home Department 26,887 deadly crimes have been committed against the SCs all over the country, out of which one took place in Tripura, 14 in West Bengal, 4488 in Madhya Pradesh. In case of STs, this number is 5535, out of which one took place in Tripura, 9 in West Bengal and 1700 in Madhya Pradesh. Kanti Biswas said that for the development of the nation, dalits have to be uplifted. They should be treated with sensibility and fellow feeling and all social injustice to them should be brought to a stop.

In his presidential address, Anil Sarkar said the very name Ambedkar symbolises a consciousness – a battle for the rights of the unprivileged and the dominated, the untouchable and the disrespected in the society. It’s a battle against caste discrimination. Reservation is a ladder to the advancement of the backward and for bringing in equality reservation was significant, he said. (INN)