http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/04/stories/2007100452940400.htm
New Delhi 'War' launched for uplift of poor Special Correspondent Janhit Seva Sangathan for time-bound programme to eradicate poverty CHANDIGARH: Janhit Seva Sangathan, a social organisation, on Tuesday launched a "Second War of Independence" to liberate the poor and the downtrodden from the clutches of the "exploiters". In a statement here, Janhit Seva Sangthan president and former Haryana Minister K.R. Punia said that even though his organisation does not work for a particular caste or creed or even religion, it was a harsh reality that people belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes form the lowest rung of society and are being criminally exploited by the rich and the powerful. He said his organization was not interested in a change in Government; it wanted a change in the attitude and perspective of the political and the administrative leadership so that the destitute could benefit economically. "We are not targeting any one particular group or sect, but our goal is the uplift of the poor and Dalits through education and social mobilisation….We will create such a pressure group of enlightened citizens that the Government is forced to bow to the wishes of the people. Today we take a solemn oath and declare that the Sangthan will continue to fight for the rights of the Dalits and the poor and that the struggle will continue till the goal is reached," he added. Dr. Punia said the prime objective now was to bring about such a revolution at the grassroots levels, a mobilisation of the under-privileged masses that no matter which party was in power, they would have to be pro-people and pro-poor. The organisation had constituted core committees to identify families living below the poverty line in various districts of Haryana, he added. He demanded that the Government announce a time-bound 10 year programme to eradicate poverty and identify those living in abject poverty so that BPL ration cards could be issued to them without bureaucratic obstacles. Right to work should be declared a fundamental right and the Government should either provide employment or an unemployment allowance, he added. -- Subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a BLANK email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/