National Dalit Summit Calls for March to Parliament on 4 December
The two-day National Dalit Summit held on the 26th and 27th of August at Hyderabad concluded with former UGC Chairperson and Professor of JNU, Sukhdeo Thorat’s speech on the importance of education for emancipation of Dalits. He said the civil rights movement against caste and untouchability is essential in the eradication of untouchability and caste.
An AIARLA delegation led by Satyadeo Ram, MLA and National President along with Manoj Manzil, Vice-President, Dhirendra Jha, General Secretary, Sriram Chaudhari, Honorary President AIARLA participated in the National Dalit Summit held in Hyderabad.
In the current scenario when atrocities against Dalits are on rise, conventions like these play a key role in bringing together all the progressive-Ambedkarite-Left organisations and civil societies to ensure a united resistance.
The importance of the government supporting education through scholarships is essential for eradicating inequality and upliftment of dalits. There should be a law against discrimination and measures to sensitise people on issues of caste and untouchability.
The Summit ended by electing a 10-member committee that will lead the campaign for Dalit March to Delhi on 4th December 2023 and the Dalit Agenda 2024. The committee consists of Mallepalli Laxmaiah, Ramchandra Dome, Nirmal, Dhirendra Jha, Gulzar Singh Goria, Vikram Singh, Karnel Singh, Beena Pallikall, N Sai Balaji and B Venkat.
Various state conventions in September and October will be held and one crore signatures will be submitted to the President of India during this campaign which will culminate in the Dalit March to Parliament on 4th. The movements that came together in Hyderabad through National Dalit Summit 2023 will carry forward the revolutionary spirit of annihilation of caste and ensuring justice for Dalits in coming months.
The Summit adopted a resolution condemning the failure of BJP government both at centre and state in ensuring peace and safety for people of Manipur. The summit also remembered people's poet Gaddar and paid him tributes.
The committee will also build up momentum to establish a Dalit Agenda for 2024 elections and ensure the defeat of corporate and communal BJP government and ensure democracy is restored and constitution is protected.
CPIML Team Visits Residential Schools in Telangana
A delegation of CPIML leaders along with Dalit activists from other organisations visited the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Centre for Excellence, in Gowlidoddi (Hyderabad) on 28th August 2023, run by the Telangana Government, for students belonging to the Dalit, Adivasi, backward castes and minority communities in the state.
The delegation included CPIML Politburo Member Dhirendra Jha, CPIML MLA Manoj Manzil, former AISA National President N Sai Balaji and Dalit activists from different organisations.
There are a total 1,019 such residential schools being run by the Telangana Government for Dalits, Adivasis, backward castes, minorities and general castes, in which the CPIML delegation visited the Dalit residential school. Such schools were set up in the state after a huge movement for educational rights led by the left and Ambedkarite forces. However, the success of these schools became prominent after the implementation of subplan law for Dalits and Adivasis. The subplan laws for SCSP and TSP forced the government to utilise the funds allocated for Dalits and Adivasis, thereby eliminating diversion and under use of funds.
These communities hugely benefited from the quality education that was imparted and helped many students avail admissions in IITs, medical colleges, and other higher educational institutions. When the government spends on education, by setting up affordable schools and colleges, pays better salaries to teachers, and ensures an overall better-quality education, the students from marginalised communities not only prosper, but lead a dignified life.
This is in stark contrast against the education system in many states including Bihar, where the schools and colleges are in a sorry state of affairs with teachers not being paid salaries properly, and the standard of education being poor. The CPIML delegation vowed to present their experience before the Bihar Vidhan Sabha to urge the state government to implement similar sub-plan law to ensure proper fund allocation for SC/ST communities as per the sub-plans and to ensure that efforts towards better educational needs for the marginalised communities are realised.
