AAP to field Dalit deputy chief minister

Goraya: Aam Aadmi Party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday that his party’s deputy chief minister for the state would be a Dalit.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, who is on a tour to the state, made the announcement at a rally organised at Phillaur, a reserved constituency in Jalandhar — which has a sizeable Dalit population — to release its Dalit manifesto.  Although the party does not have a prominent Dalit face yet, there are some emerging leaders, including those that joined the AAP from other political parties — such as former Bahujan Samaj Party Parliamentarian Mohan Singh Phallianwala and the party’s former chief Parkash Singh Jandali.

Among the most significant promises made in the manifesto is a Special Investigation Team to inquire into cases of atrocities against Dalits in the past five years and recommend exemplary punishments.

Complete Text of 19 points Dalit Manifesto of AAP

1. A low cost housing scheme for Dalits to ensure that all members of the community have a pucca house. Registration of all ‘kutcha’ and ‘pucca’ houses of Dalits to enable them to take loans and other benefits including compensation for damage due to natural calamities.
2. Auction of village common land reserved for Dalits to influential persons of other castes by proxy will be stopped and illegal control by people of other castes will be freed. Land will be given to cooperative societies of Dalits formed for this purpose. Wherever people do not opt for a cooperative society a five-member committee of Dalits in each village will approve the auction. Government tube-wells will be made on village common land reserved for Dalits and there will be a provision in cooperative societies to provide free use of tractors and implements for cultivating these lands.
3. The Punjab Scheduled Caste Commission will be empowered, strengthened and expanded to ensure that grievances of Dalits are taken seriously and discrimination of any kind against Dalits is punished. This includes making Dalits work extra hours, exploitation in grant of pension or other benefits due to political affiliation, not giving them minimum wages, etc. The commission will have one dalit representative from each district.
4. A special cell will be created to monitor proper implementation of Post Matric Scholarship scheme, and there will be a time bound enquiry to identify those who have looted money meant for Dalits under the scheme and to punish the guilty.
5. A special SIT will fix responsibility and recommend exemplary punishment for atrocities and false cases registered against Dalits in last five years.
6. Backlog of job vacancies for Dalits will be cleared. A committee will be formed in each department to identify and fill the vacancies.
7. Collateral-free loan of Rs 2 lakh will be given to start small businesses or village based enterprises to enable poor members of the community to earn a dignified living.
8. It will be made mandatory for all educational institutions, government and private offices and NGOs to have a complaint office to deal with discrimination against Dalits. Special Dalit committees in every block to inform people of benefits available for them and to register complaints of corruption and harassment by government staff responsible for delivery of welfare schemes.
9. In the event of crop failure, farm labourers shall be given a compensation of Rs 10,000 for every month of loss of work. Job cards under MGNREGA will be made on priority for Dalits and more work areas will be identified for the scheme.
10. Amount under Shagun scheme will be increased to Rs 51,000. Old age pen- sion, widow pension and handicapped pension will be increased from Rs 500 to Rs 2000. Everyone will be eligible for old age pension at the age of 58 years.
11. Modern Pind Sehat Clinic in every village. Every village will have a modern Pind Sehat Clinic with availability of doctor, free medicines and free of charge diagnostic tests as provided in Delhi by AAP Government. Rs 5 lakh health insurance scheme will be introduced.
12. The AAP government will have a Social Security Scheme for all Dalits.
13. Higher education guarantee scheme. To ensure that no child is deprived of higher education for want of money, the AAP will introduce Higher Education Guarantee Scheme on Delhi pattern to provide education loans up to Rs 10 lakh against government guarantee. Only confirmed admission in a college would be needed to avail the loan. Kanshi Ram Skill University in Doaba Region to conduct advanced studies in skill development and train the trainers who will run skilling programmes in Punjab.
14. Free education for poor Dalit girls up to plus two and free skill training subsequently. Poor Dalit students will get free accommodation and food in the residential hostels for students and working professionals in all districts. No admission charges for Dalit students in government schools.
15. Special financial incentives will be given to workers who are engaged in cleaning jobs in municipalities and government departments. Arrangements/ pits will be made to dispose cow dung and other waste from dalit households situated in rural areas.
16. Complete scrutiny of all BPL ration cards for atta-dal scheme, will be done to ensure that benefits reach the deserving. Clean drinking water, sewage facilities and electricity will be provided to all Dalit Colonies in a time-bound manner.
17. A separate commission will be established for De-notified Tribes (Vimukta Jati) like Sansi, Bauaria, Bazigar, Barad, Bangali, Nat and Gandhila to look into their demands. A special Board will work to their uplift the community, create settlements to ensure low cost pucca houses for all people from these nomadic tribes and ensure school education for their children.
18. There will be provision for reservation in State Boards and Corporations for Dalits like in government departments.
19. All existing subsidies/welfare schemes extended to Dalit families will be further strengthened. Free gas connection, including burner/stove, will be provided to all Dalit families. Free electricity units for Dalit families will be increased to 400 from the existing 200.

Source: The Tribune