NEW DELHI: A skill development programme for manual scavengers was organised by the office of the District Magistrate of Shahdara here on Friday, where 28 manual scavengers in the district – involved in the practice for the last five to 15 years – were chosen.
The qualification of the identified manual scavengers, aged between 18 and 60, ranged from illiteracy to BCom (Hons), while their salaries ranged between Rs 200 to Rs 8,000 per month.
The programme was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, leaders of Aam Aadmi Party and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha.
As he shared the stage with AAP leaders and praised the party and its workers, some BJP workers waved black flags to protest against Sinha.
Speaking about Dilip Pandey, AAP's incharge of North-East Delhi constituency for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sinha asked the public to give him their love.
"Pandey is a very good human being and I respect him a lot. I wish him happiness and you all should bless him, so that he remains happy and makes happy to you all," the MP from Bihar's Patna Sahib constituency said.
Praising the work being done by the AAP government, he said, "They are doing a wonderful job. The AAP government is doing works worth praising. I am with you (AAP) in all works and will be with you in all future works."
Later, the BJP workers also gathered outside the district collector's office and raised slogans against Sinha.
"We are here to provide a solution to manual scavengers. It is a pilot project in Shahdara district and, in the near future, will be implemented by every district," Sisodia said, lauding the role of the DM.
Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam stated that earlier there were no state monitoring committees, but now vigilance committees have been constituted in every district.
He ensured that in the near future, manual scavengers will be free of their practice and their contribution to society will be recognised.