United struggles vital to fight caste system : KVPS

Raghavulu says effective implementation of SC, ST A A Sub-Plans is the need of the hourA

Hyderabad: Socio-economic development of the scheduled communities would help address issues related to caste system and ensure proper implementation of the SC, ST Sub-Plans Act that was intended to bring about the much needed change, said Kaki Madhav Rao, former chief secretary and chairperson of the United Action Committee to claim SC, ST Sub-Plan Funds.

Kula Vivaksha Porata Samithi (KVPS), the organisation working for underprivileged communities, had played a vital role in realising the ST, SC Sub-Plan, remarked Madhav Rao. "Movements against the injustice being meted out to the disadvantaged sections, both socially and economically, should go simultaneously," he opined.

Madhav Rao was speaking at the 2nd State level meeting of KVPS that was held at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in the city on Wednesday. Over 600 representatives of scheduled communities from different regions of the State participated in the meeting.

KVPS conference opined that mass representations and united struggles were the ultimate solution to overcome the prejudice over the age old caste system. Journalist and founder of Centre for Dalit Studies (CDS) Mallepalli Laxmaiah said that united movements and efforts would be steps and ladders to end the inequality in the caste system.

"For giving an everlasting solution to the problem of social indifference in the nation, we need personalities like Karl Marx, B R Ambedkar and Buddha," said Laxmaiah. CPM State secretary B V Raghavulu said that instead of fighting back, whenever there was an attack or discrimination on Dalits, there was a need for SC, ST organisations to protest and strive to prevent such incidents from happening again.

"The way State level assessments have been going on if the indiscrimination meted out against the underprivileged communities is to be taken into account, there was an immediate need to protest against such issues at the regional and mandal level," said the CPM leader.

Social discrimination based on caste system was still continuing in schools and children from the disadvantaged communities were being made to sit separately during the mid-day meals, informed Raghavulu.

He added that just by achieving the ST, SC Sub-Plan the task of organisation was not complete. Constant monitoring over the implementation of the act was the need if the hour. "We also have to identify the loopholes in the act for its efficient accomplishment," he observed.

Endorsing the views of Raghavulu, KVPS State secretary John Wesly said that the attacks on Dalits were still continuing. "Movements and protests against caste systems were weakening," he remarked.

Unless the scheduled communities gave up their fear and forward communities changed their discriminatory approach towards the latter, the movement and struggle should be continued, opined the conference.

DBF State secretary K Vinay Kumar, CDS conveners Satyanarayana and Paturi Ramaiah were among those who spoke on the occasion.