Going all out to woo the Dalit community ahead of Assembly polls in the national Capital, BJP leaders, on Monday, took part in a rally promising to dedicate the year 2015 for the upliftment of the community. While BJP national President Amit Shah gave the rally a miss, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Central Government was not only committed to social equality for Dalits but also economic justice for them.
Gadkari lashed out at Opposition parties for projecting BJP as anti-Dalit and anti-minority. Addressing a rally organised by his party MP Udit Raj at Ramlila Maidan, Gadkari said Narendra Modi Government should be judged on its policies and work and not on the “propaganda” spread by other parties. Party supremo Amit Shah had to cancel his plans at the last moment. “The Prime Minister called for an urgent meeting after his rallies in Jammu & Kashmir. So, Amit Shah had to rush,” said a BJP official.
“Wherever and whenever BJP gets a chance to rule, we work for your rights and respect... Nowadays economic justice is also being discussed along with social justice. let me assure you we are committed to social justice for you as well as economic justice. This poison is spread against us that we are anti- Dalits, anti-minority or anti-backward caste. It is completely wrong. Our Government must be judged on our policies and work,” said Gadkari.
His comments came following demands by several speakers that SCs and STs be given reservation in private sector and judiciary and reservation in promotion should also be ensured to them. Raj, whose All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations held the rally, demanded reservation for the community in contractual employment, saying a large number of recruitments is being done by contract and no reservation policy is followed.
Apna Dal MP Anupriya Patel, whose party is also a BJP ally, said the benefits of reservation have still not reached these communities completely and demanded quota for them in private sector.
Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay and BJP’s Chief Whip in lok Sabha Arjun Ram Meghwal also spoke during the rally. “The BJP does not indulge in caste and religious politics and we do not mislead the Dalit community with our deceptive politics. Prime Minister Modi has himself said that the next decade will be Dalit Samman Dashak. This community will never doubt our practical honesty and after coming to power BJP will fill all the posts reserved for SC community and curb the contract system in services,” said Upadhyay.