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"The Indian government is trying to stop such
a discussion at Durban in a naked display of the prejudiced
casteist policy of the ruling political parties and classes. The
Indian government's attitude has exposed as shallow its pretence
of social equity."
P.L. Mimroth, New Delhi
Dalit leaders, Human rights activists and concerned citizens
demonstrated at the offices of the United Nations in New Delhi
this morning, demanding that the forthcoming United Nations
Conference in Durban, South Africa, on Racism, Racial
Discrimination and Xenophobia discuss the issue of Caste and the
violence that casteism has inflicted on the person and human
dignity of hundreds of millions of people in several countries of
Asia and other continents for over three thousand years.
In a memorandum handed over to the representatives of the
United Nations, the demonstrators expressed No Confidence
in the so-called National Committee set up by Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee for the Durban Conference. The Indian government
was trying to stop such a discussion at Durban in a naked display
of the prejudiced casteist policy of the ruling political parties
and classes. The Indian government’s attitude had exposed as
shallow its pretence of social equity, the demonstrators said.
In the afternoon the group supported by many dalit and
non-dalit NGOs taken out demonstration from Jantar Mantar to
Parliament street holding the banners and placards as well as
shouting slogans. The procession was stopped by police in front
of Parliament. Two members of committee, Vimal Thorat and P L
Mimroth, went to submit the copy of memorandum to the Prime
Minister of India. The Secretary of PM accepted the copy of
memorandum for the Prime Minister, and meanwhile the group
sitting on the Parliament street kept shouting slogans. We hope
in view of this we demand that UN secretary to impress upon the
Indian Government and other bodies to include the issue of caste
discrimination on the agenda of Race Conference.
Posted on 2001-07-18
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