KOCHI: Communists, Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims should join hands to counter attacks against the marginalised sections of society, said Radhika Vemula, mother of Rohith Vemula, the JNU student who committed suicide last year.
Addressing a seminar on ‘Discrimination and Disparity in India’, at the 10th national conference of the DYFI here on Saturday, she deplored the alleged attacks on Dalits and Muslims by the SFI.
“The ostracism being faced by autorickshaw driver Chitralekha, a Dalit woman from northern Kerala, from her male counterparts is continuing. It is sad that Dalits and Adivasis are still fighting for land in Kerala,” she said.
“An Adivasi leader who was once a powerful and progressive voice, has been forced to join the BJP,” she said, referring to C K Janu, but without mentioning her name. She alleged the Left parties did not support the Dalit leaders and campaign for them in elections in various universities, including the JNU, and called for an open discussion to settle the differences.
“Being Ambedkarites, we follow the Communist principle of fighting against inequality. Dalit movements are different from Muslim movements, which differ from women’s movements, and all these movements are different from Communist movements. If these forces combine, nobody could even think of challenging equality, liberty and fraternity in India,” she said.