NEW DELHI: The All India Ambedkar Mahasabha (AIAM), the umbrella organisation fighting for Dalit rights in the country, postponed Bharat Bandh scheduled for August 9. This comes after the Bill which restores the original provisions of the SC/St Prevention of Atrocities Act was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The Dalit outfits had called the bandh to protest the dilution of the act. August 9 also coincides with Quit India movement and World Indigenous day.
Meanwhile, the agitations planned throughout the country by different Dalit outfits, adivasis, farmers abnd ex Army men will continue.
"We are not calling off the strike but postponing it for now. We do not believe in unnecessary confrontation. Dalits will carry out peaceful rallies throughout the country as planned. The major demand of the Dalit outfits was fulfilled by the government. So the Ail India Ambedkar Mahasabha has taken a positive note of it," said Ashok Bharti, chairperson, AIAM.
Besides the demand for the restoration of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the Dalit outfits had also demanded that the five Dalit leaders arrested under the NSA be released. These include Chandrasekhar, Shivakumar, Sonu, Upkar Bawre and Yogesh Verma. The organisation had also demanded that those arrested over the April 2 Bharat Bandh be released and charges against them be dropped.
"We want to give the government more time to consider our other two major demands. We are not succumbing to the government pressure or any other political pressure. It is our sustained effort that helped pave way for the restoration of the Act. The welfare of Dalits had taken a backseat in this country," said Bharti.
The organisation appreciated the support of politicians from across the political spectrum. "We are thankful to political leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi, H D Devegowda, Sharad Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, V M Singh who supported our struggle," said Bharti.
"We will hit the streets if our other demands are not looked into by the government," he added.