Dalit leaders, MP slam foreign-aided Navsarjan NGO for “misleading” the Dalits

Gandhinagar: Gujarat BJP Schedule Caste(SC) morcha president Ambalal Rohit, Lok Sabha MP Kirit Solani, former president Ashwin Banker and Rohit Samaj president Vikram Chauhan in a joint statement today slammed Martin Macwan led foreign/church funded NGO Navsarjan and its employee Kirit Rathod for “taking U-turn after compromise was arrived on Thangadh issue and for misleading the Dalits”.

“In Thangadh issue, Gujarat government has opened the gateways for legal justice through impartial probe by high-level probe committee and extended the highest compensation amount in the history of Gujarat. We condemn Navsarjan NGO which is involved into blackmail and wheeling dealing over deaths of Dalit youths and its employee Kiritbhai Rathod for taking u-turn after compromised was achieved.”

The statement further reads. “Navsarjan NGO under the veil of ‘Gujarat Anusuchit Jati Atyachar Samiti’ is working with only one agenda of receiving foreign fund and defame the country in foreign land. Instead of arriving at solution of Dalit problems, Navsarjan is into further propelling the issue and triggering trouble between groups. Its employees on payroll are into converting Dalit atrocity incident into fund collection project and by that further complicating the disputes.”

The statement says, “It is very clear that for last four years, Thangadh case is being fought by Navsarajn NGO’s lawyer Smt Shilpa Shah.”

“Why Navsarjan’s Kiritbhai Rathod and family of victim took u-turn in the morning after compromise was arrived with the government, all demands were accepted and even statement was delivered in media – all this due to the efforts of leaders of community? The government accepted Navsarjan’s demand to place one Dalit officer in Special Investigation Team(SIT) and announced additional relief amount. Let them declare now that who has delivered more than this?”

“BJP government and community leaders have right from the last rites of victim youths to present day delivered through SIT for justice, 12 acre land and Rs 41 lakh amount as relief for the first time in the history. What Navsarajn has given to victims? It should declare.”

“Isn’t is seditious act to conduct biased surveys on untouchability in Gujarat and defame our country in foreign land? Isn’t it a conspiracy to mislead the society by giving fake figures of backlog vacancy?”

“We warn (Navsarjan) that it should not create problems among Dalits and defame the state by triggering tension among communities,” the statement said.

This is second statement against Navsarjan by Dalit community leaders in past three days after Navsarjan’s controversial role in Dalits related incidents. Families of victims that were on fast were called by minister of state for Home and Social justice minister among others to government bungalow post midnight and their demands were accepted. The family members also gave statements in video that they were satisfied. Even Navsarjan NGO’s representatives were there in the meeting. However next day, victim families accompanied by Navsarjan took u-turn and said compromised was not acceptable to them now.

Last month then Social Justice minister Ramanlal Vora had in his statement regarding Dalits related incidents mentioned Thangadh and said: “After Thangadh incident, two ministers of Gujarat government had immediately rushed to the place of incident. Actions were taken against those responsible, and therefore Thangadh accused are in jail even today. The state government has extended total Rs 33,43,000 financial assistance to families of Thangadh victims. Benefits like monthly pension, maintenance, post death assistance, widow assistance, national social assistance are extended to them. Municipality has allotted 100 vaar plots. Assistance has been paid for construction over the plot under Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Aavas Yojana. The land for victims was allotted in Velana village as per the demand of people of Thangadh. However the victims were not ready to move. Latter another piece of land was demanded at Varmaghat in Thangadh taluka but it was forest land and therefore allotment couldn’t be possible. The state government is in process to allocate the land at Jamvadi in Thangadh taluka under survey number 409. Thus the state government has extended enough help to Thangadh incident victims.”

In video: Family members of victims had stated that they wanted SIT or CBI probe, any of two. They than thanked the government. A mother of victim had also thanked CM, minister and Nagarpalika chief and said she was now happy to return back to village as she had been assured justice. However within 48 hours family members changed the tone, and said they were not satisfied

DeshGujarat