ON December 17, 2023, the city of Chennai witnessed the State Dalit Rights Summit, a congregation of Left, Dalit and social justice organisations which resolved to fight the Hindutva casteist forces and make a dalit charter of demands as part of the political agenda in the run-up to the general elections 2024.

The summit was attended by around 400 delegates from across Tamil Nadu. It approved a 15-point charter of demands after focused deliberations.
The main purpose of the summit was to bring the agenda of dalit rights concerning 22 crore  people belonging  to the Scheduled Castes, to the fore of the ensuing general elections 2024 platform.
The summit discussed, in detail, how the economic path must be inclusive to ensure the bridging of the gaps in growth, which remain unresolved even after 76 years of independence.
The summit pointed out that the SCs and STs are lagging behind in all development factors, including education, health, access to water, nutrition, land, industry, infrastructure, employment, etc., compared to the national average, which only indicates that the benefits of the plans have not reached these sections, contrary to the tall claims made by those at the helm of affairs.
The discussion was lively, and every speaker dealt with the subjects in depth and detail. The summit criticised the central government policies, saying that they are economically neo-liberal in nature and are upholding the varnashrma order in the social arena.

CHARTER OF DEMANDS

The conference adopted a 15-point charter of demands. Ensuring equity in the sharing of public assets, land reforms, five acres of land to all landless households and retrieval of 'Panchami' lands occupied by the caste Hindus are among the demands.
Also, demands of strict implementation of Bonded Labour (abolition) Act 1976, abolition of the child labour system, proper implementation of reservations in government procurement and reservation in contracts etc, withdrawal of the National Education Policy, reservation in educational institutions – both government and private – from primary level to higher education level and strictly ensuring the existing provisions be continued, abolition of caste bias in educational institutions were made in the charter.
The implementation of reservations in the private sector, filling up of backlog vacancies in the government sector, reservations in promotions, and reservations in defence and judiciary at all levels were demanded.
Other demands include the abolition of manual scavenging, strict implementation of MNREGA and increasing days of work to 200 and daily wages to Rs 600, ensuring implementation of the Prevention of Atrocities Act without dilution, and the setting up of fast-track courts in all districts, special law for implementation of Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP), caste census, special law to curb honour killings, encouragement to inter-caste marriages, withdrawal of Viswakarma Yojana and ensuring security and equality for dalit women.

The summit demanded special sessions of parliament and assembly every year to discuss issues of SCs and STs.

MOBILISING PUBLIC OPINION

The summit congratulated all organisations in Tamil Nadu which were involved in the signature campaign for dalit rights. The campaign mobilised massive support for the demands by securing around 2 lakh signatures.
It was resolved to carry forward the campaign in the ensuing four months and also to impress upon political parties to take up the issues of Scheduled Castes in their election manifesto.
The summit has also planned public interactions to garner support cutting across caste identities. It emphasised that the 2024 elections are crucial and the right-wing forces are to be defeated decisively.
Venkat, general secretary, AIAWU, delivered a special address at the summit. He said “Dalits and adivasis of the country should unite to defeat this anti-people BJP government, which is pro-corporate and ‘Manuvadi’, in the upcoming 2024 Parliament election.”
“The BJP refuses to accept the constitution, secularism and social justice. Because of this, attacks on dalits have become common in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh etc,” he said.
He stressed that a large number of public sector companies are being sold to corporates. “This deprives the employment of many communities who are in the bottom rung as reservations are not enforced in the private sector,” he explained.
He said that while the IT sector is booming, the share of dalits in it is very less. Dalits who contribute to the agricultural economy do not own the land, he said.

The conference was presided over by N Periasamy (ex-MLA) Tamiz Manila Agricultural Workers Union, SK Mahendran (Eex-MLA) TNUEF, M Veerapandian, Tamil Nadu Odukappattor Vazhvurumai Iyakkam and M Chinnadurai, CPI(M) MLA.
A Ramamurthy of the Dalit Rights Movement, A Lasar, ex MLA, V Amirthalingam from AIAWU, A Baskar from Tamiz Manila Agricultural Workers Union,  Marimuthu, CPI MLA, K Samuelraj, T Chellakannu, K Swaminathan and P Selvam from TNUEF participated.  P Suganthi from TNUEF welcomed the delegates.
Leaders of the dalit movements, including R Adhiyaman, Adi Thamizhar Peravai, K Jakkaian, Adi Tamizhar Katchi, Nagai, Tiruvalluvan Tamiz Puligal Katchi, and Vanni Arasu, VCK addressed the gathering.