Vijayawada: Need for awareness on constructional rights stressed

Vijayawada : Joint collector of NTR district T Sampath Kumar took part as chief guest at the conference organised by Dalit Stree Sakthi (DSS) on “Constitutional Values--Politics” at Press Club here on Wednesday.

He emphasised the need for every one to be aware of constitutional rights. It is ignorance that is the reason for backwardness, he said.

The joint collector said that one should exercise the right to vote with responsibility and elect only those who protect the Constitution. “It is the responsibility of all of us to stand up to protect the Constitution,” he said.

National Convener of Dalit Stree Sakthi Jhansi Geddam presiding over the conference said that it is the responsibility of every one of us to examine whether the present day politics are in tune with the constitutional values. Rule of Law and Republican form of governance are two important values of the constitution. As per the principle of Rule of Law, the governance should be carried on as per law treating everyone equal and application of the laws should be equal to all. But, if one sees the way of governance, one could see that law is applied selectively and vindictively.

Marginalised people are arrested on some pretext and are never produced before the court within 24 hours. All resources are shared only by the dominant caste elite. Retired Judge Jesu Ratna Kumar said that those with education and values are not politically active, thereby leaving the political arena to the corrupt and unethical forces.

Siva Bhagya Rao called for the dalit sections to become aware of the constitutional rights and rise up to defend them. Only if the Dalits become educated, they can defend their rights.

Prof Saraswathi Iyer, Sanja Ambedkar also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, T Sampath Kumar released the Telugu booklet on “Constitution in Brief” published by Dalit Stree Sakthi.