When entire nation would be celebrating Dalit scion, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar birth anniversary on Tuesday, dozen of members of Valmiki Community in Rampur district would convert into Islam just in the hope that turning into minority community would help them to save roof above their heads.
The hapless residents felt that both the central as well as the state governments are more concern towards welfare of the minority community (read Muslim) so they would also spare demolition of their Rsunauthorised colony’, just like the hamlet adjacent to their locality, has been kept untouched though the residents there are too living illegally.
It may be also mentioned here that the residents also hope some Rsmercy’ from powerful cabinet minister Azam Khan, after their conversion to Muslims as the number too in Akhilesh’s cabinet reportedly surprised everyone when he joined Samajwadi Party activists during a protest against the unnecessary delay in demolition of the above Rsunauthorised colony’, housing 80 Dalits families last week. Giving it political colour, the leaders of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee not just condemned the move of removing the poor just to pave way for a luxurious Multi-Storey Mall in the area, but also critised State government for sending a minister just to turn some poor families Rsshelterless’.
Sources said that district police chief of Rampur, Sadhna Goswami, who along with local district magistrate had reportedly aplogised before cabinet minister Azam Khan last week, had appraised the police directorate that the members of the Valmiki Community, who were agitating and are on fast against the demolition order of their locality, had now announced to celebrate Dr BR Ambedkar birth anniversary as RsParivartan Diwas’. RsRsA dozen of members of the Valmiki community had pledged that just like Dalit scion converted into RsBaudh’ we would observe his anniversary as RsParivartan Diwas’ and convert ourselves to Islam at Ambedkar Park, in wake of present move of state government to remove from their houses”, pointed Sadhna Goswami in her letter.
District police chief of Rampur, who was reportedly seen as close confident of Azam Khan, further mentioned that the members of the Dalit community disclosed to the local media that they decided to convert into Islam, just in hope that it would melt down Azam Khan as well as central and state governments in their favour and they would spare them just like they not initiated any move to demolish another locality (just opposite to the Valmiki basti)which houses Muslim families. Sadhna Goswami also added that the agitated members of the community had decided to fight against the government order of demolition till the end as after being uprooted from the locality, they were left with nothing but to die so instead they would prefer to give their life fighting to save their houses.
Sources said that apprehending any move such move by the Valmiki community might spark a communal tension in the area, local administration had strengthened the security arrangements and a close eye has been kept on the move of the agitated Dalit families.
Earlier, the above issue took political colour when not just Azam Khan joined the SP activists in their protest against delay in demolishing of the RsUnauthorised Colony’, Congress came to the rescue of Dalit families and threatened to protest any such action. Interestingly, Azam’s presence with SP workers left the red-faced officials squirming, and relented only when the collector "apologised". The SP leaders stated dharna at Gandhi memorial in Rampur on last Friday which continued till late night. SP leaders were protesting against administration's alleged "dilly-dallying" tactics in razing the unauthorised colony inhabited by people of a Dalit community in Topkhana area.
The inhabitants of the colony have also started a hunger strike to protest against the demolition plan of the administration. Congress leaders also grabbed the opportunity and accused that the State government of adopting double standard on the issue. RsRsOn one hand the SP government is planning to celebrate Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti in a grand way to woo dalits on coming Tuesday and on the other hand, just under the pressure of Azam Khan, the entire administration and the government had joined hands to remove the poor dalit families leaving them homeless”, alleged spokesman of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC), Siddharth Priya Srivastava, while threatening to join the poor Dalit families in their fight to save their houses.