Nikhil Sablania
22 August 2012. Today, Rashtriya Dalit Panchayat and All India SC/ST Railway Employees Association held a mass rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to protest against the Uttar Pradesh government for accepting the Supreme Court order that declared as unconstitutional a section of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service (reservation for SC, ST and OBC) Act-1994, which gave reservation in promotion in government departments. In a press conference organised by the Confederation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Organizations, Karamveer Singh — the organiser of the rally — said: “The 85th constitutional amendment is not being implemented even though the Parliament has made it clear that reservation to Dalits should be given with consequential seniority.”
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Though the promotion policy of the government does not apply to the nodal department in states, the prerogative to maintain a promotion roaster remains, which is also not followed by many, said a supporter.
“We strongly protest against outsourcing of government projects, as these then move into the realm of private companies where there is no provision of reservation. This makes us lose jobs,” said Ashok Kumar, national secretary of All India SC/ST Railway Employees Association.
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Various organizations of SC/ST employees joined Rashtriya Dalit Panchayat and All India SC/ST Railway Employees Association in the mass rally at Jantar Mantar. Some of the organizations that joined the protest were:
- Vishwa Dalit Parishad (Bijnaur),
- Anusuchit Jati, Janjaati (SC/ST) Aarakshan Manch, Alwar (Rajasthan),
- Ambedkar Missionaries Vidhyarthi Association,
- All India SC/ST Railway Employee Association, Kota (Rajasthan),
- All India Scheduled Castes and Tribes Railway Employees Association, Hajipur/Danapur (Bihar),
- All India Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Railway Employees Association, Secunderabad (Andhra Pradesh),
- All India SC/ST Railway Employees Association of Konkan Railway (Goa),
- All India SC/ST Railway Employees Association, Allahbaad (Uttar Pradesh),
- Akhil Bhartiya Anusichit Jaati/Janjaati Kalyaan Sanhg, Lok Nirmaan Vibhag, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh),
- All India Railway Employees Association, Ajmer (Rajasthan),
- All India Railway Employees Association, Mughalsarai (Uttar Pradesh),
- All India Railway Employees Association, Bhusawal (Maharashtra),
- Income Tax SC/ST Employees Federation, Alwar (Rajasthan),
- All India Railway Employees Association, Chennai (Tamil Nadu),
- All India Railway Employees Association, (Karnataka),
- Ambedkar Karamchari Mahashang evam Samman Swabhimaan Sanrakshan Samiti (UP),
- Aarakshan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, Ajamgadh (UP),
- Haryana Anusuchit Jaati Adhyapad Sangh,
- Andhra Pradesh Dalit Mahasabha; and many more.
[Report and films courtesy: Nikhil Sablania]
