JD-U Takes Shots at the UPA on Mahadalit Commission

Patna: Oct. 12, 2008

Janata Dal (U) leaders in Patna on Sunday unleashed a scathing attack on National Scheduled Caste Commission president Sardar Buta Singh for declaring the Mahadalit Commission earlier formed by the NDA government in the state unconstitutional.

At a dharna staged at the Income Tax Roundabout in Patna, JD-U national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Shivanand Tiwari said Buta Singh, the former Governor of Bihar, did not know the difference between what was constitutional and what was not.

"As a Governor, he used his power to impose President's Rule in Bihar that was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. His poor judgment cost him his Governorship in Bihar. Now he has declared the formation of Mahadalit Commission as unconstitutional when the facts indicate otherwise," Tiwari said.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh, JD-U state president and also a Member of the Parliament said the UPA leaders were acting out of political malice when they proclaimed the formation of the Mahadalit Commission by the Nitish government was unconstitutional.

"These are the same leaders who would not miss an opportunity to politically exploit people from extreme backward castes like Musahar and Dom but when the state government moves in the direction of improving their social and economic status, they come out in hordes to decry any such actions," Singh said.

Mahadalit Vikas Manch state president of the women's cell Dr. Gita Arya said it was appalling that the Central government was opposing the Nitish administration's Rs. 400 crore plan earmarked for the development of Mahadalits.

"Instead of coming together in support of this much-needed plan, leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan are opposing it only out of political malice. However, we are not going to be cowed down by such leaders and will continue to fight for the rights for those who have been left behind in the race of social and economic empowerment," Dr. Arya said.

The JD-U leaders said that the Manch would stage a statewide dharna on October 18 to protest against the move to delegitimize the Mahadalit Commission and would hold a massive rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on December 6 to mark the death anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

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