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I too have faced atrocities like other Dalits, says Parameshwar

Dr G. Parameshwar tried to strike an emotional chord with Dalits
Bengaluru: State Congress chief Dr G. Parameshwar tried to strike an emotional chord with Dalits saying he had experiencd the atrocities faced by several Dalits and even untouchablity. Delivering the concluding remarks at Sarthaka Samavesha here, Dr Parameshwar said in a choking voice, “Even though I am the son of an MLC, my father would have to cut my hair. Such was the humiliation I went through. Many of my detractors tried to portray me as a person who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This is not true. I have been humiliated on caste lines several times.”
Dr Parameshwar’s statement assumes significance in the wake of Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah repeatedly claiming that he was no stranger to the discrimination faced by Dalits. Recalling the incidents of Dalit killings, Dr Parameshwar questioned angrily, “How long should Dalits wait to be treated equally? Remember, I am not saying this for the sake of a post alone. I am talking about treating Dalits equally. Is it wrong to have bigger aspirations?” he wondered his eyes filling up. Slamming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party, the KPCC president said that due to the rise of communal forces in the
country, Dalit youngsters were looking anxiously towards the Congress party which had protected the rights of minorities and Dalits for a long time. “Congress party workers and leaders will have to work relentlessly to allay the fears of these communities,” he said. He added that the Congress in the state had reached a stage where it will have to indulge in politicking to stamp out communal forces.
“During S. M. Krishna’s tenure as Chief Minister, he focused only on development, but forgot to engage in politicking therefore, we lost the 2004 Assembly polls. We must get into politicking right away,” he said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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