Dalits could play pivotal role in social transfomation: Nitish Kumar

Expressing his commitment to improve the lot of dalits, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today said they should be brought back to the mainstream of the society.

Inaugurating the 'Mahadalit Vikas Jagrukta Abbhhiyan', oragsnised by the party here at S K Memorial hall, Kumar said the NDA government during its four and half year of rule had taken a number of steps to improve the lot of dalits.

Kumar said the Bihar government took measures to improve the lot of dalits by constituting the 'Mahadalit Commisssion' on August 15, 2007 with the mandate 'to identify the last man of the society and suggest mesures to improve his lot.'

Referring to the charges of LJP and the RJD chiefs Ram Vilas Paswan and Lalu Prasad that by using the word 'dalit' and by creating the Mahadalit Commission he was dividing the society on caste lines, Kumar remined that the 'father of nation' had himself used the terminolgy 'harijan' and Ambedkar had termed this section of society as the 'oppressed class'.

"I am not bothered about the usages but will continue to work for the development of this section of the society (mahadalits) come what may ignoring the vilification campaign launched by the opposition ahead of the assembly election this year," the chief minister said.

Kumar said that he would embark on 'Vishawash Yatra' (Faith March) from the last weak of this month to gauge the mood of the voters about several development schemes by the state government during the past four-and half-years rule of NDA in
Bihar.
 
Kumar said if he sensed that the voters were not satisfied with the NDA governments' move to develop the state, he would not seek votes for another term.