Kapurthala Conference: Give us four reserved seats

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Dalits are about 40 per cent of the state’s population and every political party has been trying to woo them ahead of the Assembly elections in 2017. Eight Assembly seats are reserved for the Schedule Castes (SC).

Monday’s Conference was organised by former Punjab minister Joginder Singh Mann and Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans, both of the Congress, under the aegis of the Central Balmiki Sabha International.

They had earlier claimed that the conference would set the agenda for seeking social, economic and political justice in the state. It was attended by Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh.

Political observers said that if one party agreed to their demands, others will have to follow to be politically in competition. At the conference, NRIs from the community too were recognised. Of the leaders were chosen to represent the community’s interests one was from Punjab while the other represented the NRIs.

Hans Raj Hans was appointed the leader from Punjab, while Faqir Chand Sahota of entral Balmiki Sabha International has been appointed ‘overseas’ leader of the community.

In Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts there are around 6 lakh Dalit votes out of which nearly 4 lakh belong to Ravidassi community and the rest are from the Valmiki community.