Non dalit speakers spoke at a seminar on dalit issues organized by PAGAAM-Ladhar
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in/ Chandigarh
A Seminar on Dalit issues was organised in Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall Jalandhar in which Dalit intellectuals participated from all over Punjab. It was unique in a way that none of the speakers of Seminar was from Dalit category. Advocate Rajinder Shah a practicing Lawyer in the Supreme Court explained how Constitutional provisions if implemented can remove injustice being done to Dalits. He said reservation is for posts/appointments. Appointments may be of Minister, Governor or CM/PM etc. Constitution says reservation at every level. Interpretation of Constitution is not done in its spirit.
Dr Piare Lal Garg former Registrar of Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences was very vocal when he said the successive governments fail to implement it’s own schemes as they use the Dalits only as vote banks and don’t want their all round development. Even scholarship schemes are allowed to be misused by the private educational institutions and benefits don’t percolate to the poor Dalits . Education has become so expensive that only 2% Dalits are able to pass graduation level. Dr Sumail Singh Sidhu a historian from JNU and Gurbachan Singh explained how Guru Nanak Dev jee and Guru Granth Sahib laid the foundation stone of casteless society in India. The principles of Equality ,Fraternity and Justice enshrined in the Constitution of India were propagated by Baba Nanak to whom the Seminar was dedicated.
SR Ladhar said the Dalits have highest population 32% in Punjab but they own 3% land. The Reservation policy is faulty. Govt has notified 25% reservation in jobs instead of adequate representation as per population. Promotion in jobs is much lesser @ 14% and 20% for class one/two and class three/four respectively. 85th constitutional amendment is not being implemented by Punjab Government. Contrary to UPSC and Constitution of India the Punjab Government have imposed 45% marks condition to qualify in PCS judicial examination.
With the result the very spirit of constitution is defeated by the government to make adequate representation to backward classes including scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes. Bogus SC Certificates in Punjab is again a serious issue which have further reduced the chances of Dalits to inter into professional colleges and jobs reserved for them.
The way out for amelioration of Dalits suggested by Non Dalit speakers was implementation of constitution of India in letter and spirit alongside change of mindset on the lines of philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev ji.
Sant Seechewal and Budhist monk BHANTE Samedo also expressed their views.Jagtar Singh IRS Rtd, Amarjit Singh IRS rtd ,Surinder Kumar IPS rtd., Onkar Nath IAAS Rtd. Dr Sawraj Singh writer and many Dalit intellectuals attended the seminar
The seminar was organised by PAGAAM an NGO which works for the welfare of OBC SC and ST people in the country. The Punjab incharge of PAGAAM , S R LADHAR a retired IAS officer thanked everyone who attended the seminar. A large number of Dalit intellectuals were present who attended the seminar.
October 26,2020
