NASHIK, MARCH 31: A new political party, the `Hindu Dalit Sanghatana', is being formed to act as a pressure group for the welfare of Dalits who have stayed within the Hindu fold. The Sanghatana is also planning to contest the forthcoming Assembly polls in Maharashtra.The chairman of the Maharashtra Rajya Matang Vikas Mandal, Madhukar Kamble, stated that the Hindu Dalit Sanghatana will be formally established on May 23. The Dalit Samata Parishad and the Matang Samaj Vikas Mandal would organise rasta roko agitations all over the State on April 21 and 23 to create a conducive atmosphere for the establishment of the new party.Kamble further stated that the new party would contest 120 seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said that the party would organise all Dalits, except those who converted to other religions (like Buddhism and Christianity), and work for their welfare.He stressed that he was not in favour of getting into a confrontation with the followers of Dr B R Ambedkar who had converted to Buddhism. He said that the new party would press for a review of the reservation policy and a five per cent quota for Hindu Dalits. He accused neo-Buddhists of deriving maximum benefits out of reservations at the cost of Hindu Dalits who refused to convert.Kamble belongs to the Matang community and heads the Dalit Samata Parishad, which was created by the Shiv Sena in 1997. On October 23, 1997, Uddhav Thackeray flagged off an asmita yatra (identity march) of Hindu Dalits from Kalaram Mandir Nashik (where Dr Ambedkar had staged a satyagraha for temple entry in 1930) to Mumbai. The yatra was addressed by Bal Thackeray at Shivaji Park. The Sena apparently did not fulfill its promises, prompting Kamble to threaten a stir on August 15, 1998, after which he was made chairman of the Matang Vikas Mandal.
