‘Working class most affected by corruption’

Pune: Gujarat Independent MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani said on Sunday that working class is most affected by corruption in India. “Casteism is a blot on democracy. People do not want to admit and acknowledge issues of casteism, GDP, malls and consumer culture” he said.

Mevani was speaking as the chief guest at the 5th Session of 9th Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad (BCS) in MIT-WPU Campus. The BCS was organised by MIT world Peace University and MIT School of Government, Pune. The three-day event is being supported by Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt. of India, The Ministry of Higher & Technical Education and Ministry of Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Maharashtra, UNESCO Chair for Human Rights, Democracy, Peace and Tolerance, Pune, National Teachers Congress Foundation, National Women’s Parliament & TATA Institute of Social Sciences among others.

Speaking on the occasion Mevani said, “More than 80 crore people cannot spend more than Rs 20 in a day due to corruption. There are crimes against Dalits in every 18 minutes and 90 per cent of them still live in the outskirts of villages. When I first entered the assembly after becoming an MLA, the employees of assembly like peons, liftmen came to me and told that their salary was Rs 12,000 but they receive only Rs 7000-8000. After this, I asked myself a question which still leaves me in thought that Gujarat Assembly who cannot pay minimum wages to its own employees, there, what law we will make? In our country, who will be the landowner and who will be landless is decided by caste. According to a survey, there are 98 types of untouchability prevailing in Gujarat.”

He added that “Celebrate Valentine’s Day, fall in love because without falling in love, there will be no inter-caste and inter-religion marriages.

Addressing a large gathering of students, Mevani said, “Casteism and corruption alone is responsible for this. Working class people are the most affected by this. For me, this in itself is a very big scam. The caste system has a cultural and material dimension. Middle-class Dalit is a victim of caste discrimination.”

Prof. Vishwanath D Karad, Founder President of MIT World Peace University, Vishwajit Kadam, MLA (INC, Palus, Kadegaon- Sangli), Prof Rahul Karad, Executive President, MIT World Peace University and Convener, BCS, Ashish Butail, MLA (INC), Palampur, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, Tongpang Ozukum Minister, Public Works Department, Government of Nagaland, MLA (IND), Swami Vigyananand, Founder & Global Chairman, World Hindu Foundation (WHF), & Joint General Secretary, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Prakash Joshi, Chandrakant Pandav, Nanik Rupani among others were present on the dais.

Kadam, addressed the gathering and said, “We live in the largest democracy in the world. Casteism is prevailing since the origin of Indus valley civilization. However, castes were assigned that time according to the work done by people. The divide and rule policy of British was bought in by them for ruling India. This made casteism grow. Mahatma Gandhi tried to eradicate casteism but couldn’t be successful. Financial corruption can only be eradicated if corruption of mind is done away with.”

Yuva Adhyatmik Guru Samman was given to Syed Salman Chishty, GaddiNashin Dargah Ajmer Sharif & Chairman, Chishty Foundation (Ajmer, Rajasthan), Vaibhavishri Alekar Shrimad Bhagvat Katha Exponent (Pune, Maharashtra), Syed Ajmal Nizami, Sajjada Nashin Caretaker of Dargah Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A) (Delhi) and Raseshwari Devi Foremost Preacher of Jagadguru Swami Shri Kripaluji Maharaj (Odisha).

Ashish Butail MLA (INC), Palampur, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh and Tongpang Ozukum Minister, Public Works Department, Government of Nagaland, MLA (IND) were honored with Aadarsh Yuva Vidhayak Samman (Ideal Youth Legislator Honor).