Bhim Army to protest in Capital on April 18

As the Modi government prepares to launch more programmes in the name of Dr Ambedkar, the Bhim Army, an organisation of Dalit youths, has given a call for Jail Bharo protest rally at New Delhi's Parliament Street on April 18 to protest "atrocities" against Dalits in UP, MP, Haryana and Rajasthan.

"Unless these governments take back false cases heaped on Dalits for taking part in April 2 agitation against the dilution of SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court and release our leader Chandrashekhar from jail, we are not going to call off our agitation," said Bhim Army's co-founder, Vinay Ratan Singh. Singh said, "Chandrashekhar has already started his relay hunger strike from the jail against police excesses.

"We invite OBCs, Muslims and even like-minded people from general castes who believe in the Constitution and equality to join our protest rally on April 18," said Singh.

Shriram Hiteshi, the 85-year-old founder of Siddharth High School in Ghaziabad, said, the state repression has become so blind against Dalits that the police even named him in the FIR, even though he cannot walk properly.

"My only fault is that I raised voice against the rape of a Dalit girl. How can we stifle our voice and not speak just because we are from so-called low caste? Dr Ambedkar's Constitution has given us equal rights and no one can stop us from asserting our rights" he said.