New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said the Central government was not only committed to social equality for Dalits but also economic justice for them, as he lashed out at opposition parties for projecting BJP as anti-Dalit and anti-minority.
Addressing a rally organised by his party MP Udit Raj at Ramlila Maidan, Gadkari said Narendra Modi government should be judged on its policies and work and not on the “propaganda spread” by other parties.
“Wherever and whenever BJP gets a chance to rule, we work for your rights and respect…Nowadays economic justice is also being discussed along with social justice. Let me assure you we are committed to social justice for you as well as economic justice.
“This poison is spread against us that we are anti- Dalits, anti-minority or anti-backward caste. It is completely wrong. Our government must be judged by our policies and work,” Gadkari said.
His comments came following demands by several speakers that SCs and STs be given reservation in private sector and judiciary and reservation in promotion should also be ensured to them.
Raj, whose All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations held the rally, demanded reservation for the community in contractual employment, saying a large number of recruitments is being done by contract and no reservation policy is followed there.
Apna Dal MP Anupriya Patel, whose party is also a BJP ally, said, the benefits of reservation have still not reached these communities completely and demanded quota for them in private sector.
Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay and BJP's Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Arjun Ram Meghwal also spoke during the rally.