CM-SC outfits meet ends in fiasco

BANGALORE: The interaction between the state government and various scheduled caste (SC) organisations convened by the former to arrive at a consensus on the solution to the problems being faced by Dalits ended in a fiasco, with some organisations boycotting the meet on grounds that there has been discrimination in sending the invites. However, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda asserted that the meeting went on well and a time-frame was fixed to resolve them. “The anger of some Dalit organisations is misplaced. They have not questioned the sincerity of the government in resolving the Dalits’ issue,” the CM told Express over phone after the meeting. Nonetheless, Samata Sainik Dal chief M Venkatswamy announced his decision to boycott the meet as the government had wrongly invited two political parties - RPI and BSP -which was not acceptable.“Non political organisations working for the cause of Dalits are to take part in the meeting. By inviting BSP and RPI, the BJP government has politicised issues pertaining to Dalits. Hence, we are boycotting the meet,” Venkataswamy said. Despite repeated requests by the CM not to boycott the meet, Venkatswamy and his followers walked out in a huff.Similarly, head of the dalit organisation (Ambedkar Vaada) Mavalli Shankar accused the BJP government of dividing the Dalit organisations for its political ends. Emerging out of the conference hall of the Vidhana Soudha, both Venkatswamy and Shankar accused the government of buckling to the pressure of fundamentalists on the issue of “made snana.” Samata Saink Dal volunteers will stage a demonstration in front of DGP office on December 1.