Alleging discrimination, more than 2,000 Dalits, say they will convert to Islam in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Wall Collapse Case
Coimbatore, Dec 25: A section of Dalit residents of a village near here, including some members of families of 17 victims killed in a recent wall collapse have announced they will embrace Islam soon alleging discrimination against them.
The Dalits have declared that they would convert to Islam on January 5 and they are members of the Tamil Puligal Katchi and residents of Nadur village as well.
The decision to become Muslims was taken at a party meet at nearby Mettupalayam, TPK sources said.
Party sources said more than 2,000 Dalits have expressed their willingness to convert to Islam, including some members of families of 17 people killed in the wall collapse.
The decision was taken to protest against alleged failure of police to take action against the owner of a house under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in connection with a wall collapse incident.
They also alleged they were being discriminated against by police and other authorities.
Recently, Nadur village, about 50 km from here faced a wall collapse incident, in which 17 people were killed.
The Dalit residents and the TPK, a pro-Dalit party, had been demanding action against the house owner, since the wall that collapsed was the compound of his house.
It was constructed by him with alleged ulterior motives since it had no pillars to support it, according to the party.
Also, the wall had an alleged motive of demarcating his residence from that of SCs and thus it discriminatory warranting action under the SC/ST Act, according to the residents.
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BJP using women's quota bill as front to pass Delimitation Bill that will break India: Mamata
Cooch Behar (WB) (PTI): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday alleged the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre was using the proposed amendment to the women's quota law in Parliament as a front for the Delimitation Bill that would "break the country into pieces".
The TMC will fight this Central government's move at every step, she asserted at her party's poll rally here.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to tweak the women's quota law, along with the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, to implement the proposed amended women's quota law, in the Union territories of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir, were introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
According to the Constitution amendment bill, Lok Sabha seats will be increased to a maximum of 850 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats will also be increased in state and Union territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
Opposing the Centre's move, Banerjee alleged that "the BJP brought the Delimitation Bill while keeping the women's reservation bill at the front".
"The BJP is trying to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to nearly 850 through the Delimitation Bill. It will break the country into pieces," the TMC supremo said.
She also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not speaking the truth about the development of north Bengal at a BJP rally last week.
"The prime minister said nothing was done for the development of north Bengal. But we spent Rs 1.72 lakh crore on the development of the region," Banerjee said and asked Modi to cross-check data before making such remarks.
