THE BJP and the Congress parties are the two sides of the same coin and their policies of governance are the same. BJP is pursuing the same policies of neoliberalism as started by the Congress in 1991. These policies are responsible for the deterioration of conditions of not only tribals but also of the youth, farmers, working class and the general masses, said Manik Sarkar, chief minister of Tripura and Polit Bureau member of CPI(M), at the Mahapadav in Udaipur.

THREE dalits were killed on May 14 in Dangawas village of Nagaur district in Rajasthan and thirteen were seriously injured, among whom are six women in an attack unleashed on them by the dominant upper caste, the jats. The attack took place over the 23 bigahs of land of dalits which was forcefully possessed by jats since long. As rightful claimants of that land, dalits built huts in the farm land. The jat community called their caste panchayat on May 14, and pressurised the reluctant dalits to attend their panchayat.

The following is the statement issued by the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch on May 19.

THE Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch condemns the horrific crime committed against dalits in Dangawas village in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district where 3 dalit men were killed on May 15. They were mowed down under tractors by the Jats, who are a dominant caste in the region, over a land dispute. Many dalits were grievously injured. Dalit women were molested, severely beaten and there were repeated attempts to disrobe them.

DALIT Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) is a national platform of various Dalit empowerment organisations from across the country which are working for eradication of untouchability and caste discrimination, and socio-economic development of the community. DSMM, under the guidance of CPI(M), was established on 27 November 2014 at a national conference in Delhi. The Manch will observe Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 as ‘Dalit Rights Day’ to highlight the constitutional safeguards for Dalits in India.

THE executive committee of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) in a statement issued on March 22, lodged its strongest protest against the pathetic conditions in which participants at the 15th National Para-Athletic Championship have been put in a camp in Ghaziabad. Over 600 athletes from different parts of the country have been lodged in some under construction buildings with even the basic facilities lacking. What they have for toilets are inaccessible mobile toilets that have been put up at the venue forcing many of the participants to defecate in the open.