New Delhi: While accusing the Centre of caste discrimination in the appointment of members to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra - a trust responsible for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid site - Congress leader Udit Raj demanded equal representation of each caste in the body depending on their population.
"Dalit population is four times higher compared to Brahmins. They have only adjusted a Dalit as a symbolic gesture. Nine out of seven members are Brahmins. Each caste must be represented on the basis of their population, " Raj told ETV Bharat.
Clarifying that the demand made by him was in his capacity as the National Chairman of the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisation, Raj said, "What I want to say is that there is Uma Bharati, Baba Ramdev, Kalyan Singh, Vinay Katiyar...and other people from the backward castes, who must also have representation in the trust, and the strength of the trust must be increased if need be. People from SC, ST, OBC, and women, in particular, must be made members of the trust. I am making this statement in my personal capacity."
"This trust must be dissolved and a new one must be set up, " added the politician.
Referring to the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, Raj said, "these people belonging to the backward castes were the ones who would organise mobs and show up with sticks when asked to, and today, when the time has come to repay them (sic) because whoever is appointed as a member of the trust will have immense power and clout (sic), is that why Dalits and others belonging to backward castes were left behind?"
Earlier, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally announced the formation of the independent trust in a speech in Lok Sabha.
The Supreme Court had mandated the Centre to announce the formation of the trust before February 9 - a day before Delhi assembly polls are scheduled to take place.
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The 15-member trust is to be lead by K Parasaran, being referred to as 'God's advocate', who fought the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in Supreme Court.
Raj had expressed his disappointment over the selection of trust members in a tweet as well while calling it "unconstitutional".
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केंद्र सरकार द्वारा गठित राम मंदिर ट्रस्ट पूर्ण रूप से असंवैधानिक है।
— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) February 7, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
इसमें सिर्फ ब्राहमणों को क्यों रखा गया है। अपवाद में एक दलित को दिखावे के लिये रखा।
घोषित ट्रस्ट को भंग कर सांविधानिक प्रावधानों के अनुरुप ट्रस्ट बने, जिसमें SC, ST, OBC और महिलाओं को भी भागीदारी मिले।
">केंद्र सरकार द्वारा गठित राम मंदिर ट्रस्ट पूर्ण रूप से असंवैधानिक है।
— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) February 7, 2020
इसमें सिर्फ ब्राहमणों को क्यों रखा गया है। अपवाद में एक दलित को दिखावे के लिये रखा।
घोषित ट्रस्ट को भंग कर सांविधानिक प्रावधानों के अनुरुप ट्रस्ट बने, जिसमें SC, ST, OBC और महिलाओं को भी भागीदारी मिले।केंद्र सरकार द्वारा गठित राम मंदिर ट्रस्ट पूर्ण रूप से असंवैधानिक है।
— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) February 7, 2020
इसमें सिर्फ ब्राहमणों को क्यों रखा गया है। अपवाद में एक दलित को दिखावे के लिये रखा।
घोषित ट्रस्ट को भंग कर सांविधानिक प्रावधानों के अनुरुप ट्रस्ट बने, जिसमें SC, ST, OBC और महिलाओं को भी भागीदारी मिले।
