Quota issue: Dalit Sena to launch agitation against BJP

Madurai, Nov 16 (UNI) Condemning the BJP's opposition to extending reservations to Dalit Christians and Muslims, Tamil Nadu Dalit Sena President Am. Palanimuthu today said the party would hold a statewide protest against the BJP.

Addressing media after a party workers meeting here, he said the Sena, founded by Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, was committed to fight for the cause of Dalit Christians and Muslims, who ought to be brought under the ambit of reservation.

Stating that the BJP remained discredited after the last Lok Sabha elections, he charged it with communalising the issue time and again. The mode of protest against the BJP and its top leadership would be decided at the Sena's state committee meeting scheduled for November 25 at Chennai, he added.

On reservation in the private sector, he said the corporate houses, which refused to provide reservation should be penalised by suspending power, water supply and other public services.

The Sena wanted Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram to give up 'false propaganda' on educational loans and take necessary steps for Dalit and backward class students to get financial assistance from the Banks.

Regretting that many people engaging in 'kattapanchayats' (kangaroo courts) had been elected to various civic bodies in the panchayat polls, he urged the state government to protect Dalits from them. Further, he demanded regularisation of service for conservancy workers in various municipalities and corporations.

State Sena Chief said Mr Paswan, by sanctioning Rs 1553 crore for the Salem Steel Plant had stopped speculation over privatisation of the public sector company.

On plans for the party's growth, he said an intensive membership drive was being carried out and efforts were on to establish units in all villages. The Sena's state-level conference would be held in June next year in Tiruchirapalli or Perambalur. Besides Mr Paswan, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and leaders of various political parties would be invited for the meet, he added.

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