Gaur. The dalits of Rautahat have staged a huge demonstration saying that the poor dalits have been deprived of their right to housing.
Thousands of dalits and the poor staged a demonstration at the Rautahat headquarters in Gaur on Tuesday, saying that the state had ignored the right to housing for Dalits as a fundamental right in the constitution. The Dalit Housing Construction Struggle Committee, Rautahat, which is leading the movement, has also submitted a memorandum to the government through the Chief District Officer demanding eight points. They have even warned to fight hard if their demands are not met.
Handing over the memorandum, the protesters demanded that housing should be provided to the poor dalits, reservation should be made in every state body in proportion to the population of dalits, ethnic untouchability as a fundamental constitutional right and right to housing should be fully implemented. They also demanded immediate investigation into the irregularities in the construction of houses, action against those who withheld payment in the commission and immediate payment of the remaining amount, speedy completion of houses under construction and provision of skills and employment to Dalit youth.
They have besieged the public housing office in the district saying that the construction of housing for the poor dalits has been stopped due to corruption in the public housing program under the state government. He warned that no district office would be allowed to function if the Dalits were deprived of their right to housing by fulfilling their demands.
The committee has stated that there will be a permanent siege on July 29 on the issue of corruption in the safe citizen housing program. If the demand is not met, a program of additional struggle will be decided in a few days with a review. A large amount of public housing and civic housing program has been frozen every year.
