Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Ambedkarite followers have called for protesting the state government’s move on sub-categorisation within Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation during the Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations. The appeal was made during a meeting held on Sunday.
The state government has invited objections and suggestions on the Justice Badar Committee report on SC reservation sub-categorisation without officially releasing the report. Moreover, the time given to submit objections from April 11 to 15 coincides with the Ambedkar Jayanti period. Participants at the meeting criticised this move as unjust and one that could create divisions among communities. They appealed to participants in the Ambedkar Jayanti procession to display protest banners and hoardings on tableaux and welcome stages.
Against this backdrop, a large meeting was organised at People’s Engineering College on Sunday.
Speakers at the meeting strongly criticised the government’s alleged attempt to create divisions among communities benefiting from reservation. They expressed concern that sub-categorisation could weaken the collective strength of the SC category and dilute the broader reservation movement, rather than benefiting any of the 59 castes within the category.
Participants also urged that awareness be raised during Ambedkar Jayanti programmes by displaying protest messages through tableaux and presentations. Citizens were appealed to submit emails and representations opposing the report through the official government website. It was further stated that the next course of agitation would be decided after Ambedkar Jayanti.
Corporators Amit Bhuingal, Dinkar Onkar, Gautam Kharat, Milind Dabhade, Vijay Magre, Daulat More and several other activists were present at the meeting.