Social activist and ‘Chalo Una’ organiser Jignesh Mevani on Sunday said that the ‘Swabhimani Sangharsha Samavesha’ should become the voice of the oppressed and herald a new era in ensuring social justice.
He was in Udupi to inaugurate the samavesha to mark the culmination of the ‘Chalo Udupi’ jatha organised by the Dalita-Damanitara Swabhimana Horata Samiti. Comparing the samavesha to the struggle of Dalits in Gujarat, Mr. Mevani said that it should become the movement of Dalits, tribals and farmers.
He also said the ‘pankti bheda’ practice in Udupi Mutts should stop within two months. “If it does not stop, the activists will lay siege to the mutt,” Mr. Mevani said.
Terming the coastal region as the Hindutva laboratory of Karnataka, he urged progressive-minded people to stop “the research” before it became too late. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been controlling the entire system just like a snake charmer who controls the snake. It should be stopped,” he said.
Stating that one should understand the Hindutva agenda, Mr. Mevani noted that during the 2002 Gujarat riots when Muslims were allegedly attacked, 746 cases were booked against Dalits while only 56 cases were booked against upper caste Hindus.
This clearly demonstrates the Hindutva agenda and the Dalits, who have been the foot soldiers of the Hindutva campaign, should understand this.
Ridiculing the Gujarat model of development, Mr. Mevani said that Dalits had been living under police protection in 119 villages in that State while they were facing social boycott in 55 villages. “This is the direct result of Mr. Modi’s Sab ka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” he said.
Mr. Mevani said that Dalits in Gujarat had not restricted their struggle on the issue of cow alone.
“It is now converted into a movement seeking land rights. Similar struggle should be launched in Karnataka too and the government should be asked to bring out white paper on lands allotted to industries and others,” he said.
The samavesha passed resolutions demanding protection of food rights to the poor; curb on goondaism in the name of cow protection; allotment of land to the oppressed on priority; extension of job reservation in private sector and ban on ‘pankti bheda’ in Udupi Mutts.
Earlier, a jatha was held from Ajjarkad grounds to Beedinagudde, the programme venue. Chief Minister’s media advisor Dinesh Amin Mattu and journalist Gowri Lankesh were present.
