State-level meet unites Dalit groups over socio-economic justice
The United Dalit Front convened a significant state-level meeting at Circuit House, Ludhiana, on Sunday, where representatives from nearly 20 Dalit organisations gathered to deliberate on pressing community concerns and outline a future course of action.
The meeting commenced with an address by Dr Kashmir Singh Khunda, who raised serious issues, including controversial remarks made by an SDM, the deteriorating socio-economic conditions of Dalits in Punjab, the deepening crisis of drug addiction among Dalit youth, and the increasing incidents of caste-based atrocities and exploitation of the labouring class.
Bhagwant Samao stressed the need for awareness campaigns and urged each organisation to intensify grassroots engagement by working directly with people at the village level. He called upon all groups to unite and collaborate towards meaningful change. Baldev Singh Kalyan and Kiranjit Singh Gehri provided detailed insights into forthcoming programmes and organisational strategies.
Several major resolutions were passed during the meeting. These included a demand to end caste-based violence and to ensure that Scheduled Caste individuals declare their original caste identity in the upcoming census in order to retain reservation benefits. Participants called for equal access to economic, educational and political resources, in addition to an increase in MGNREGA wages to Rs 800 per day and an extension of guaranteed workdays to 200 annually.
Land reforms featured prominently, with support voiced for the implementation of the Land Ceiling Act, redistribution of surplus land to the landless and rightful ownership of Nazool and Shamlat lands for Dalits.
The gathering demanded that 40 per cent of Panchayat land be allocated to Dalits and that all government schools be upgraded to the “School of Eminence” model. They sought free education up to the highest level, including technical and professional courses, along with state-funded hostel accommodation, meals, travel expenses, and full sponsorship for students pursuing higher education abroad.
Calls were made for interest-free, collateral-free loans with a minimum 30 per cent subsidy to encourage Dalit entrepreneurship, as well as tax relief and subsidised electricity for new businesses.
Raising the income ceiling for Scheduled Castes from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, in line with the EWS category, was strongly advocated. The Front also demanded strict action against the fraudulent issuance of SC certificates to ineligible groups and migrants. They pushed for the establishment of universities and memorials in honour of Dalit leaders and a time-bound process to grant property rights to residents within red line areas.
It was also proposed to set the minimum wage for all labourers at Rs 100 per hour and to raise the salary threshold for ESIC and EPF coverage to Rs 50,000. The gathering voiced opposition to privatisation and emphasised the need to strengthen government departments, along with the regularisation of all contractual employees. While supporting the government’s anti-drug campaign, the Front condemned the demolition of Dalit and poor households under the pretext of enforcement.
Ludhiana