`Dalits continue to be excluded from opportunities'

Times of India

MANGALORE: A district-level workshop on Dalit rights that began here on Sunday has expressed concern over the post liberalization economic policies going against Dalits and the downtrodden communities of the country instead of making them partners in the development process.

Inaugurating the workshop, senior CPM leader K R Sriyan said though the role of the private sector has increased considerably in the economic activities after the country has adopted the liberalization, the Dalit communities continue to be excluded from the opportunities in the private sector. Domination of the opportunities by one section and exclusion of the other, would lead to social tensions in the days to come, he said.

According to him the capitalist and castiest forces have combined with each other for mutual benefits and the Sangh Parivar was a part of this set up. Though Sangh Parivar too speaks about Dalit upliftment, their policies like banning cow slaughter go against the interests of the Dalit as beef is the cheapest nutritious food available for the poor, he said.

Expressing concern over the long and sustained efforts by Dalit groups to distance the Dalit communities from leftist movements, he said no other movement other than the communist would address the problems of the Dalit community effectively.

Speaking on the occasion, CPM state secretary G N Nagaraj focused on the growth of Dalit movement in Karnataka. Despite strong Dalit movements, evil practices like untouchability continue to exist in several parts of the state, he said.