The Hindu : National : Paswan for stringent action

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Friday, Dec 01, 2006
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National

Paswan for stringent action

Atiq Khan

"Insult to Ambedkar will not be tolerated"

LUCKNOW: As the reaction to the desecration of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's statue in Kanpur on Tuesday night gathered further momentum in Maharashtra, the Union Minister for Steel, Chemical and Fertiliser, Ram Vilas Paswan , on Thursday justified the outpouring and described it as a good sign --- of Dalits becoming aware of human rights violation.

On a visit to Lucknow in connection with a conference on ` Valmiki Samaj' ( sanitation workers are drawn from this Dalit sub-caste), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president said Ambedkar was a national leader and any insult to him would not be tolerated.

Demanding stringent action against those who desecrated the Ambedkar statue, Mr Paswan warned the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government that inaction on its part would be construed as the Government's connivance in the despicable act. The LJP had decided to stage a dharna at Ambedkar's statue in Lucknow on Friday in support of its demand. Later, a memorandum would be submitted to the Governor.

Future course

The future course of action would be decided at a party meeting in New Delhi on December 4. On February 24, 2007, a rally would be held at the Ambedkar Maidan here.

Mr. Paswan, whose party is trying to emerge as an alternative to Bahujan Samaj Party vis-à-vis Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh stated that the Kanpur incident had exposed the failings in the BSP. Taking a dig at the BSP president, Mayawati, Mr Paswan remarked that the party had abandoned Ambedkar's mission and was more interested in completing Kanshi Ram's mission.

Though the reaction to the Kanpur incident in the industrial metropolis was quelled by the police and the district administration which replaced the desecrated statue with a new one on Wednesday, the LJP and the BSP have been quick to capitalise on the issue.

While the LJP conference adopted a resolution condemning the incident and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, the BSP had indicated that the party would take up the issue, particularly, the killing of Dalits in police firing in Nashik and Ulhasnagar.

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