Even the presence of BJP president Amit Shah in Lucknow could not deter Dalit party MP from Bahriach Savtri Bai Phule as she continued her tirade against the government demanding reservation as per population.
The leader also demanded Rs 50 lakh as compensation plus a government job for Dalits, who lost their lives during the agitation on April 2, the day she said would be observed as ‘Bahujan Swabhiman Diwas’.
Besides, the MP also demanded strict action against the person who filed a writ against SC/ST Act which led to large-scale violence and arson on April 2.
The BJP MP also defended the Dalit agitation across the country of April 2 over SC ruling to dilute SC/ST Act. “Everyone has the right to defend Constitutional obligations,” she said.
“I will continue my fight for Dalits till my last breath. I do not care whether I remain an MP or not, but my fight for the Dalits will continue without any fear,” she announced while addressing a press conference on Wednesday.
In her 14-point charter of demands, the Bahriach MP said that the people opposed to Dalits have filed a writ against the SC/ST Act and were behind the demotion of Dalit employees and officers in the state government.
Without taking any names but targeting her party, Phule said that the attack on Dalits have increased as the government was trying to dilute the Constitution.
“If the government is serious on the Dalit issue it should convene a special session of the Parliament to discuss the matter,” she said.
The BJP MP added that along with reservation to the SC/ST and the OBCs, the government should also provide reservation to the Muslims too.
Phule, who had organised an ‘Aarakshan Bachchao Maharally’ in Lucknow on April 1, said, “I have already raised the issue of Dalits in the party forum and in Lok Sabha several times. I am a staunch follower of Dr Ambedkar and will do whatever was required to get the rights of the Dalits as given in the Constitution.”
“Against the reservation quota of 23 per cent, the government was only going for 19 per cent though in most government offices and departments, not 50 per cent of the quota posts are filled. Similar was the case of OBCs where against 27 per cent reservation, only around 21 per cent were being given and there are huge backlogs in the posts of government departments,” she said.