CPI(M) would demand an action taken report on the recommendations of the National Commission on Religious and Linguistic Minorities headed by justice Ranganath Mishra, party general secretary Prakash Karat said here.
Addressing a public meeting organised by 'Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front' last night, he said the Centre had not acted on the commission's report so far. "Our party will be in touch other parties in this regard", he said.
Karat said an important recommendation of the commission was 15% reservation in education and jobs for minorties who were socially, economically and educationally backward. It had also recommended that those of Scheduled Caste origion, irrespective of religion, be brought under SC reservation, Karat said.
He said the party had demanded that Dalit Christians and any person of SC origin, irrespective of religion, be given reservation.
He said the various policies of the Centre, including privatisation, had limited opportunities for the SCs. 'The government had downsized and banned recruitments. The SCs had scope only in government sector and now it was also gone', he said.
Karat said the opportunities for SCs would be reduced in the education sector with the Government 'promoting' privatisation of higher education and allowing foreign universities to function in the country. Dalits should fight privatisation, liberalisation and globalisation, he said.
There was a need for a powerful struggle to protect the rights of Dalits and other oppressed sections, he said.
He said the goals and aims set by social reformers like Dr Ambedkar and EVR Periyar had not been achieved even after 62 years of independence.
Earlier, addressing the first state level conference of the Front, Karat said the struggle against caste system should go along with struggle against socio-economic and class exploitation.
