Selja for casteless society, dignity of labour

Chandigarh, July 8 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Selja today advocated for a casteless society, saying that casteism was a menace for the country and also felt the need to realise the dignity of labour. Addressing a gathering at the International Seminar on Life and Teaching of Guru Ravidass here, Ms Selja said the Guru always stood for the downtrodden and fought against the caste system.

She said there was a lot to be done for the upliftment of the weaker sections.

She said as an honest and energetic craftsman Guru Ravidass preached that no profession was low or high.

Presiding over the seminar, Punjab Local Bodies minister Jagjit Singh stated that the people of the country should work together cutting across the caste barriers.

''The caste system is still a menace in our country as those from the lower castes faced many hardships both at the social and economic level even in this modern era of globalisation,'' the Punjab minister said.

Lauding the preaching of Guru Ravidass, he gave a clarion call to the people to imbibe the teachings of Guru Ravidass in daily life to attain salvation.

He said the Punjab government had cleared Rs 2.5 crore for Guru Ravidass Foundation. He requested Kumari Selja to take up the matter with Haryana Government to setup Guru Ravidass Chair in Kurushetra University and appealed to Himachal Pradesh Speaker Gangu Ram Mussafir to help in establishing Guru Ravidass Chair in Himachal University as well.

Ch Jagjit Singh said the Punjab government had launched various welfare schemes to raise the living standard of weaker sections.

UNI PS LS DB1854