Panipat, September 4
In what could be termed as a big jolt especially to the Congress, its traditional Balmiki voters may decide to form a new political party at the national-level Mahapanchayat of Dalits being held at Ram Leela Maidan in New Delhi tomorrow.
Talking exclusively to The Tribune on phone from Karnal, the national convener of the Aadi Dharam Samaj, Shukracharya Darshan Rattan Ravana, hinted at the setting up of new political party by saying “a big decision” would be taken at the Mahapanchayat tomorrow.
However, he refused to elaborate on what type of decision was likely to be taken at the proposed Mahapanchayat. When specifically asked whether a new political party would be floated, he refused to comment on it directly and merely said that do not ask any question regarding this at present and wait for tomorrow.
At the same time, he said whatever would be “the big political move”, final decision regarding that would be taken at the Mahapanchayat itself after discussing the proposal with the participants.
Ravana claimed that the proposed Mahapanchayat would be a historical one, as a record number of Dalits would participate in it from different states of the country.
Meanwhile, he demanded that para-military forces should be deployed in and around Balmiki Colony of Gohana to minimise terror in the minds of all migrated Dalits for ensuring their return to their houses.
Alleging that the local police was favouring persons belonging to a special caste, he said that Dalits had lost their faith in the Haryana Police after the incident of torching their houses on Wednesday.
Terming the enhancement of interim relief from Rs 5000 to Rs 50,000 for each victim family as inadequate, Ravana demanded that at least Rs 1 lakh should be provided as interim relief, as the victims had lost everything in the attack on the colony.
Ravana further said that the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had herself assured that interim relief would be increased to Rs 1 lakh during her meeting with a delegation of Dalits of Gohana, led by Union Minister Selja yesterday.
Reiterating his demand for CBI inquiry into the Gohana incident, he said that instead of transferring the then Sonepat DC, SP and DSP, they should have be suspended and criminal cases should be lodged against them. He also condemned the incident of torching several Dalit
houses in Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons at Gohana after his visit to Balmiki Colony, INLD MP Ajay Chautala demanded the dismissal of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government as, according to him, it had failed to protect the houses and property of Dalits.
On the other hand, Congress leaders Dr Karan Singh Kadian and Surender Hooda blamed the INLD and the BJP for torching the Dalit houses.
