Lathi Charge On Dalits Condemned

Condemning the lathi charge on Dalit activists late on Saturday night, Rashtriya Lok Dal President Ajit Singh on Sunday demanded strict action against the police personnel who had caned the protestors.

The Dalit activists were conducting a peaceful march to the state Assembly as part of their agitation to pressurize the government over the issue of categorization of scheduled castes.

Talking to media persons at Telangana Vimochana Samiti party office at New Nallakunta, Ajit Singh demanded that the police personnel wield lathis against the protestors be punished.

Trouble had broken out late on Saturday night after Dalit activists who had participated in the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi rally at Nizam College Grounds had tried to march up to the state Assembly building to press for their demand of categorization of the SCs. Some of the activists who had attended the MRPS rally had proceeded to march to the Assembly when the police stepped in and lathi charged.

Ajit Singh said, "In a democracy, all people have the freedom to express their views. The agitation cannot be crushed by lathi-wielding police."

The former Union minister also demanded that the government introduce a bill in Parliament immediately over the categorization of scheduled castes, and do justice to their demands.

He pointed out that despite the Usha Mehra Commission submitting its recommendations in 2008 over the categorization of SCs, the centre was unnecessarily delaying the introduction of a bill in Parliament.

He demanded that the centre explain the reason for delay in the introduction of the bill.

Describing the setting up of the Srikrishna Commission as an 'eye-wash', Ajit Singh charged the centre of adopting an indifferent attitude towards the issue of a separate Telangana state.

"Except the setting up of the Justice Srikrishna Commission, which by itself is an 'eye wash', the centre has not shown any commitment towards finding a solution to the problem," he said.

Before the submission of the commission's report by December 31st, the centre should find a solution to the issue of division of state , the RLD leader stated.

Singh also expressed fears that the Telangana activists would be forced to take law into their hands if the centre did not find a permanent solution to the issue.

Turning his attention to the 2G spectrum allocation scam, Ajit Singh criticized the centre for its failure in taking action.

Courtesy: INN