Paswan to fight for rights in statute

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG 1.

The Lok Janshakti Party president and Union Communication Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, declared today that his party would continue the struggle for inclusion of the Right to Work, Right to Education and Right to Health as Fundamental Rights in the Constitution so that equal opportunity is provided to all sections of society.

A delegation of Lok Janshakti Party leaders presented a memorandum to the President, Mr.K.R. Narayanan, in connection with their nine-point charter of demands. Thousands of party workers courted arrest at Parliament Street after they were prevented from proceeding towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Among those taken into custody were the former Union Minister, Capt.J.N. Prasad Nishad, Mr. Ram Chander Paswan, Mr. Ramesh Jigajinani MPs, party vice president, Mr.Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and the Delhi unit president, Mr. Lalit Kumar Gautam.

Earlier, addressing an impressive rally at Jantar Mantar, organised by the Delhi unit of the party to signal the beginning of the country-wide agitation in support of their demands, Mr. Paswan said his party was in favour of inclusion of the Rights to Education, Health and Work as Fundamental Rights and would continue with its endeavour to achieve this goal. He said equal opportunity of education to students below 14 years should be given and as well uniformity in providing free food, uniform and books for children below the poverty line. Education should be made compulsory for these students.

In addition, the party was also in favour of medical check-up for every child and issuing of free medical and health cards for all infants. Stressing the need to focus on the issue of growing population, he said a broad-based programme should be formulated by the Union Government in consultation with all political parties.

Mr. Paswan said his party was strongly in favour of providing housing units to all the poor and this should be made part of the Five Year Annual plan. Special programmes should be chalked out for the upliftment of women, the oppressed, minorities and backward classes. At the same time, Constitutional rights of the SC and ST categories should be safeguarded and representation should be given to them in service and judiciary in proportion to their population.

He said the party was holding rallies today at the District level all over the country. The agitation would conclude with the Jail Bharo Andolan in all State capitals on August 9.

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