Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor should step down for his involvement in the Indian Premier League owning moral responsibility, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat said on Wednesday.
She told journalists ahead of a Dalit Christians' conference here that the Central government should hold an inquiry to find out the truth. He should not remain in office till such time the inquiry cleared him of the charges.
“How could a Central Minister afford to involve himself in such a profit-making business venture?”
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Reservation benefits
Though Scheduled Caste status was given to Dalits, they could not reap the benefits of reservation as “untouchability” still prevailed. The SCs should get all benefits and the government should initiate action on the report of Ranganath Misra Commission.
“The sun of Indian democratic system is eclipsed by the continuing practice of untouchability. It is extremely a black mark on Indian democracy. The legal system is weak in dealing with atrocities against Dalits,” she said.
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Referring to the recommendation of the Commission for reservation in education and jobs for minorities, she said that as per the recommendations, the Central government should have tabled an action taken report in Parliament.
“This is not the way that the Commission should be treated. We have demanded that in this session of Parliament the Central government should inform the nation about what action had been taken on the report of the commission.”
Bandh on April 27
The CPI(M), along with other Opposition parties, would organise a bandh on April 27 against the rise in prices of essential commodities. The revision in prices of petrol and diesel should also be withdrawn. The Central government had failed to take corrective measures to bring relief to the people and reverse its wrong policies, she added.