Confederation & NSYF J&K organized E-program on Poona Act Remembrance Day
Jammu, 24.09.21: All India Confederation of SC ST OBC Organisations and National Student Youth Forum (NSYF) organized a virtual program to remember the agreement signed on 24th Sept. 1932 between B. R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi on behalf of depressed classes and upper-caste Hindu leaders on the reservation of electoral seats for the depressed classes in the legislature of British India Govt in 1932.
The resource persons on the occasion were Sh. K C Sulekh, 94 years old, World-Renowned writer and companion of Bharat Ratana Dr. Ambedkar and Famous Dalit Writer Er. H R Phonsa. Program was initiated with the welcome address of Dr. Chetana Kumari in charge female wing Confederation then followed by the address of the resource persons who threw detailed light on the Poona pact and also shared their experience of that time.
KC Sulekh, is a contemporary of Dr. BR Ambedkar and said that the rights our community is enjoying are all because of the efforts of Babasaheb. He said that while the upper caste Hindus worship Gods and Goddesses, Babasaheb was a man of reason and had a scientific and academic temper. Ambedkar was threatened by Gandhi’s followers when he started his fast in Poona. Due to which the demand for a separate electorate was removed. He added that followers of Gandhi never materialized the contents of the Poona Pact. And today the government is not on Gandhian philosophy but that of RSS which is a threat to the pluralistic setting of India and reservation.
Er. HR Phonsa, a renowned writer, stated that the contributions of Dr. BR Ambedkar are so much so that an entire community is thriving on them. He said that Poona Pact when signed enshrined commitments on the upper castes to bring in harmony and abolish caste-based discrimination but till now none of that has happened and the role of the government is also active in it.
RK Kalsotra, State President Confederation, highlighted the issues faced by SC/ST/OBCs in contemporary times and how we need to unite together under the ideology of Dr. BR Ambedkar to address them all. Kalsotra added that today the government is not on Gandhian philosophy but that of RSS on Hedgewar and Golwalkar which is a threat to the pluralistic setting of India and reservation. Even after so many years the provisions of the Poona Pact, which envisioned a just society for Dalits, are still not applicable. The government is constantly trying to dilute reservations by bringing in privatization.
Confederation has launched a nationwide struggle against privatization and dilution of reservation and Kalsotra added that people should unite for the cause so that provisions of the Poona Pact get fulfilled.
The vote of thanks was given by Dr. Sameer Chaudhary, President NSYF J&K. Many other participants also joined the meeting.
