The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF), affiliated to the CPI (M), will unveil a election manifesto exclusively aimed at ensuring social justice and improving the livelihood of Dalits on February 11, which is the death anniversary of noted communist leader M. Singaravelan, at Valluvar Kottam here.
TNUEF general secretary Samuel Raj said the document would focus on not only the differences between people but also on how governance itself is discriminatory in nature.
Mr. Raj added that the TNUEF would be urging all political parties, especially alliance partners, to include the Dalit election manifesto in their own election manifestos that will be released before the election. “There is a gap between Dalits and other communities... We will highlight how the laws that are in existence are not implemented properly and how there is a need for new laws. It will also focus on the needs of Dalit women... There are differences in basic facilities that are seen in Dalit and non-Dalit dwellings. All these issues will be addressed,” he said.
“India’s independence was expected to bring political rights, along with social and economic rights. But, for Dalits, even social and economic rights are being affected. Dalits face discrimination from birth to death,” he said.
“We will be presenting a Dalit social justice election manifesto in the run-up to upcoming State Assembly election. If education, jobs, sanitation, hunger and other issues prove to be a challenge for people, the Dalits struggle to access it by a few notches in comparison,” he added.
