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Cong. plans rally against Govt. policies

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI JAN. 11. Stepping up its campaign against the BJP-led Government at the Centre, the Congress will hold a "Halla Bol'' rally in the Capital on January 19 in protest against the "failure'' of the Vajpayee regime to protect the life and property of the Dalits, Backward Classes and other poor sections of society. The rally would seek to highlight the Government's "anti-poor and anti-Dalit policies''.

Addressing a press conference here, the senior Dalit leader and DPCC general secretary, Jaikishen, said the decision to hold the rally was taken by the mahapanchayat of Dalits and social organisations representing people living in slum clusters, resettlement colonies and villages. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, had given the go-ahead for the rally, which would witness participation by senior AICC and Delhi Congress leaders.

Leading the rally will be the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, her Chhattisgarh counterpart, Ajit Jogi, the Delhi Assembly Speaker, Chaudhary Prem Singh, besides the AICC leaders, Ambika Soni, Kamal Nath, Mohsina Kidwai, Balram Jhakhar, R. K. Dhawan, Mukul Wasnik and Mahvir Prasad. The DPCC president, Subhash Chopra, will preside over the rally, which is also seen as the launch of an offensive against the BJP in this crucial election year.

Lashing out at the Government "for turning a blind eye to the suffering of Dalits, OBCs, SC/ST and other deprieved classes'', Mr. Jaikishen said atrocities against the Dalits had risen sharply during the BJP-led Government's rule.

He was also critical of the continued privatisation of PSUs by the Government, which was fast rendering useless the reservation accorded to these sections in the Constitution. "The employment opportunities to these classes have been reduced sharply and there is no place for the poor in the policies of the NDA Government which is insensitive to their sufferings.''

He said the BJP was not bothered about employment or development and was indulging in wrong interpretation of Hindutva and cultural nationalism, which was dangerous for a multi-cultural society such as India's.

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