Ambedkar cartoon controversy refuses to die

A massive agitation by All India Confederation of SC/ST organisations would be organised on Monday at Jantar Mantar.

The organisations demand for the upliftment of their community and punishment of the culprits responsible for dishonouring B R Ambedkar by publishing his cartoon in textbooks.

Thousands of delegates from all over the country wearing white cap would participate in the demonstration. A R Joshi, Chief Patron of the Confederation, said, 'We are expecting around 10,000 people on the day. But we applied for permission for 30,000. We also want Union HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal, to be removed from the Cabinet and criminal case must be registered against him for this misdeed.'

Organisers said that, Ramvilas Paswan, MP and former Union Minister, PL Punia, Chairman National Commission for SC, Rajkumar Verka, Vice-Chairman and other prominent members from the community would address the gathering. KP Chaudhary, Secretary General of the Confederation, said, 'We will also protest against government as they should amend the constitution for quashing the impact of Supreme Court judgement dated 27 April 2012 delivered against the reservation of SC/ST communities in promotions. Reservation in promotions should be continued. We want that Reservation Act be enacted and be kept in the 9th Schedule of Indian Constitution.'

The members of the Confederation alleged that the Central government , which gets around Rs two lakh crore annually for the upliftment of SC/ST community, do not spend a penny on them. They also lamented that the government SC/ST employees faced bias and neglect from superiors in their departments.

'The reservation of SC/ST communities should be increased in the ratio of their present population from 22.5 per cent to 32 per cent. We want reservation in the private sector, higher education, judiciary and army as well. Like in countries like the USA, the principal of diversity should be implemented in India for providing proportional employment to people of SC/ST communities,' said B S Bharti, Chairman of the Confederation.