11th August 2016: In another session with the gathering of people from Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe category in the series of Punjab Dialogue, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today had a brainstorming discussion to identify the issues related to Dalit community to be incorporated in the party’s poll manifesto.
The session was addressed by Head of the Punjab Dialogue, Kanwar Sandhu, Member of National Executive Council Yamini Gaumar, Leader of SC/ST Wing Dev Mann, Senior AAP leaders Chandersuta Dogra and Major Singh.While addressing the gathering Sandhu said that growing incidents of atrocities against Dalits in Pan India has made it more significant to know the issues of Dalits from horses’ mouth to set agenda of the forthcoming AAP’s Government in Punjab.Terming the BJP led NDA Government as anti-dalits, Sandhu said recent incidents of attacks in Dalits in Gujarat has exposed the real face of BJP and Prime Minister Narindra Modi’s stony silence on this has made the issue more serious.
A dalit yuth, Mithu expressed his concerns over the growing menace of drug abuse in Punjab and complained that Akalis have opened liquor vends at every nook & order even in rural areas to mint money by addicting the youth.The gathering lauded the initiative of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its announcement of setting up a Skilled University in Punjab on the name of great dalit leader Kanshi Ram.Some of the participants advocated more representation to women fold in the reserved category seats, so that not only the particular family but entire community could be benefitted.Another dalit youth Kamal Kumar rued of discrimination by Akalis as far as laying of the sewerage system in the rural area is concerned.Even the gathering advocated increase in the salaries of womenfolk, who are indulged in cooking of mid-day meals in Schools and Akalis were blamed for non-payment to MNREGA workers in the state.While concluding the session, Sandhu said that all the issues raised in the session were noted down and these key issues would be incorporated in the AAP’s poll document.