Gujarat Dalit MLAs skip meet held to discuss communities concern

In what was supposed to be a meeting to discuss the atrocities on Dalits and how to fight against the same was rather blotted by infighting and accusations. The point of instigation behind the conflict was that a large of the agitation was being conducted online and within the comforts of air-conditioned rooms.

"The fact is that unlike other communities we don't show the unity required of us. The people who actually go out and fight for Dalits are few. The rest are showing outrage on social media," said Kevalsinh Rathod of Samajik Ekta Ane Jagruti Sabha.

The meet that had given an open invitation to all Dalit MLAs, including Jignesh Mewani, was marked by the absence of almost all of them except for Pravin Maru of the Congress. "It was an open invitation to everyone to join in to help us decide the way forward. Mevani was not in town and hence could not come," said Rathod.

Mulchand Rana, a Dalit activist said whenever an incident of atrocity was reported, people gathered in large numbers to support the victim. "But once the hoopla dies down, they are abandoned. After the Una incident we gave a call for Dalits to stop skinning cows but we did not provide them with an alternate means of employment," said Rana.

The discussion also emphasised on the need for a legal cell exclusively for the community to help them fight it out in courts. The other suggestions included ensuring that the grants meant for the Scheduled Caste communities was used to the fullest. On the need for monetary backing, a participant suggested seeking donations from prominent Dalits including IAS officers, businessmen and class 1 officers of the state government for the cause.