If united, Dalits and Muslims will rule India: Ram Vilas Paswan

If united, Dalits and Muslims will rule India: Ram Vilas Paswan
Submitted by kashif on Sun, 07/06/2008 - 02:24. By TwoCircles.net staff reporter

New York: It is a bitter reality that the majority of the Indian society consisting of Dalits and Muslims have long been exploited politically, economically and socially, said Ram Vilas Paswan, Indian Union Minister for Steel and president of Federation of Dalit and Minority International Forum, at the 17th Annual Convention of American Federation of Muslims from India (AFMI).

Notwithstanding the constitutional provision for equal opportunity of development, discriminations against Dalits and Muslims are a fact, Paswan said. Legislation is needed for reservation to deprived classes, he continued. If Dalits and Muslims get united, they will lead the politics of India and governments will be theirs, he said.
In his presidential address in the opening session of the AFMI conference held at Marriott Hotel in New York City, Paswan said development and progress of Dalits and Muslims can be only through reservations. There are four types of discriminations found in the Indian society: sexual exploitation, casteism, religious hatred and regionalism. Regionalism has overwhelmed all types of discriminations.

Referring to the Shiv Sena campaign against non-Marathis in Maharashtra, Paswan said if all non-Marathis are pushed out of the state, the entire state will come to a grinding halt. Lok Janshakti Party leader asked why there is a need of convention on development and progress of Dalits and Muslims while they constitute 80% of the population of the country. To make India a developed country, the development of these people is must. But it is pitiable that the very people have been deprived of the fruits of economic development, he said.

For a society to develop, emancipation of women is a pre-condition, he said. Eradication of illiteracy from the Muslim society is always talked about in political corridors but no solid strategy has ever been chalked out. He said the Planning Commission should allocate funds for the development of minorities. He also said that his and Left's stand on Babri Masjid issue attracted Muslims to them. If Dalits and Muslims get united and chalk out their political strategy, they will rule the country, Paswan said.

Mr.Syed Shahabuddim, former Member of Parliament, said that while there is much talk about India's development, this is limited to a small segment of the society. Highlighting this fact he said, " In 1999 the country's poor earned thirteen rupees per day, while in 2008 this amount has increased to Rs.15-20 per day. 84.5% of Muslims and 87.2% of SCs and STs are living below the poverty line. Muslims don't have clothes to wear nor a roof to hide. Under these circumstances they don't have time to think of the future. "

Mr.Shahabuddin also pointed out the deficiencies in the present electoral system. He said that under this system the elected government is representative of only twenty percent of the electorate. He urged the governments to follow Gandhi Ji's advise who had said that the governments, while making decisions, should safeguard the interests of the weaker sections of the society.

Addressing AFMI conference Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha Charanjeet Singh Atwal said no class or caste can progress until its educational backwardness is removed.
The conference was also addressed by social activist Teesta Setelvad, Member of Parliament Ram Das Athawale, member of the Planning Commission Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar.

Delegations of Sulabh International members and Bhopal Gas victims also participated in the conference. The revolutionary work by Sulabh International has liberated lot of Dalits from the humiliating work of human waste disposal.

AFMI president A S Nakedar threw light on the aims of the conference and activities of the organization. Former AFMI president Dr Shakir Mukhi welcomed the guests. Ali Qureshi offered vote of thanks and praised the contribution of Mr Ayub Khan, secretary AFMI, Dr Shahid Ali Khan and coordinator Yusuf Sivji in organizing the convention.

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