The two-day conference for Dalit community leaders, organised by the Odisha Dalit Adhikar Manch (ODAM), concluded here on Saturday.
Odisha has a huge population of Dalits and tribals, but they are still second class citizens of the State. The State Government has not fulfilled their basic necessities, the speakers said.
They also discussed the Dalits’ problems like water scarcity in slums, land rights, poverty, migration of labourers and casteism.
A movement on the plights of Dalits and tribals would be held soon throughout the State, informed ODAM chairperson Manas Jena.
The conference was organised to mark Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary. About 500 Dalits and tribals living in various districts of the State along with ODAM members participated.
Former Minister Surjya Narayan Patro, Congress leader Jayadev Jena, CPI(M) leader Santosh Das, CPI(Ml) liberation’s Yudhisthir Mohapatra, Prof Manoranjan Mohanty and Prof B Ramachandra CST Voltaire were present as guests, among others.
A five-member group of the ODAM submitted a 10-point charter of demands to the Revenue Department Secretary and discussed with him the problems of landless families.