Gandhinagar: Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday challenged Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to declare any one village "untouchability-free" before the upcoming Independence Day and maintained the social evil was still prevalent in the state.
Speaking in the legislative Assembly, he came down heavily on the BJP government in Gujarat over the issue of atrocities against Dalits.
Referring to the successful launch of Chandrayaan-2 mission on Monday, Mevani said while it shows expertise in space, there exists no technology to prevent death of sanitation workers engaged in cleaning sewers or septic tanks.
"It is the need of the hour for the government to visit villages where Dalits are subjected to untouchability and discrimination such as not allowing them to fetch water from common well.
"The government should book the guilty under the Protection of Civil Rights Act. But, the sad part is that no offence is registered," the Dalit leader said.
The MLA from Vadgam in Banaskantha district was speaking on his 'cut-motion' moved against the budgetary demands of the Social Justice and Empowerment department.
"Whenever an incident of atrocity takes place, media persons ask me `when will I visit that place'. Now, it is my humble appeal to Vijay Rupani, known to be a sarva-mitra' (friend of all), to be a 'Dalit-mitra' and visit such places.
"I want him to declare any one village of Gujarat untouchability-free before August 15," he said.
Speaking in the budgetary demands, Mevani slammed the government, saying not a single rupee has been allocated to eliminate the social evils of discrimination and untouchability.
"The Social Justice and Empowerment department was not created to uplift Dalits and tribals economically. This department is meant for ensuring social justice by eliminating discrimination and untouchability, which are still prevalent in the state.
"But, not a single rupee has been allocated to eliminate these social evils in the budget of this department," said the independent lawmaker.
"It was announced yesterday that we have successfully launched Chandrayaan-2. But, at the same time, we do not possess a technology to prevent sanitation workers from entering in sewer lines and dying in them," rued Mevani.
He offered to gift a robot to the state government to clean sewers and prevent death of sanitation workers.
"This is my offer to the government. I will gift you a Rs 11 lakh robot, invented in Kerala. Sanitation workers need not enter in to manholes if we use this robot.
"I am ready to gift it. But, can you give it in writing that you will use it?" asked Mevani.
Alleging that Dalits are forced to use separate crematorium, he urged the government to bring a policy wherein people from all castes are required to use common crematorium.
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