Presiding over the 11th annual convention of Koli Kalyan Board, in Kullu today, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that stringent measures would be taken against those found guilty of racial discrimination and showing indifferent attitude towards Children of low castes, particularly in schools by differentiating them with others. He said that anyone found indulging in the crime and indifference towards such children would loose his job immediately. This applies to all government schools and other institutions of learning, he said. All children will sit, study and eat together and anyone found discriminating the children on basis of caste, colour, region or religion would be fired from the job, said Shri Virbhadra Singh.The Chief Minister issued directions to all the Deputy Commissioner to ensure that any such incident does not take place in their respective districts. He said that if anyone reports any such incident, strict action would be taken against the defaulters by the government apart from the punishment under law.He said that the government was implementing many schemes for welfare of poor and had constituted various welfare boards for different communities.
Gone are the days when the people use to draw a line parallel between higher and lower castes, he said adding that the people belonging to low caste were not allowed to enter the religious places and participate in religious ceremonies of upper caste people. Today the scenario was quite different. The temples were open to all in the State. People of any region and religion can pay their obeisance at any temple owned and controlled by the government, he said. There are famous 'Shakti Peeths' in Himachal and people from every nook and corner of the country come to pay obeisance here. "We do not discriminate and divide, but believe in taking everyone along. We do not believe in casteism and the government was working equally for welfare of all", he said. It takes time to change the thinking which dominated our society in past and can only be changed through education and sociology-economic development of the society, which can be achieved through education only said the Chief Minister.
Education is key to wisdom and development of an individual. Undoubtly, time will come when the future generations will not believe in racial difference, said Shri Virbhadra Singh. Time will come when children will be seen convincing their grandparents about narrowing, rather eliminating the concept of casteism completely, he said.Congress believes in secularism and this was the basis of development of the country.Chief Minister said that the government would construct Raghunath Temple in Kullu, which would be open to all and not a private temple as being claimed by a royal scion of Kullu. Taking a jibe at sitting Kullu MLA, the Chief Minister said, 'Bhagwan Sabke hain, kisi ek Vyakati Ki sampati nahin' (God is of everyone and not a private property of an Individual) especially when it is the presiding deity of the people of Kullu valley. The government would construct a huge temple of Lord Raghunath, he said giving direction to select a suitable place and land for the same.Shri Virbhadra Singh said that the Koli samaj should provide a suitable piece of land for construction of Ambedkar Bhawan in Kullu and the government would provide adequate assistance. He assured to consider the other demands sympathetically.
Later, Chief Minister inaugurated Darka bridge on Kullu-Karon road in Lug Valley constructed with an outlay of Rs. 2.20 crore and Primary Health Centre completed with an outlay of Rs 1.04 crore at Bhutti.Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil proposed vote of thanks. He said that 56 sub castes of Koli samaj had been incorporated in the list of Scheduled castes. He said that reservation was being provided in direct recruitment to scheduled caste community and detailed about various schemes being implemented for welfare of SC/ST.Ayurveda Minister Shri Karan Singh also spoke on the occasion. Every one is creation of God, and integral part of the society, he said. Shri Karan Singh also announced a sum of rupees one lakh to Koli Kalyan Board from his discreationary fund.President HP State Koli Samaj, Shri Roshan Lal Dogra welcomed and honoured the Chief Minister and other dignitaries present and urged for construction of Community Centre at Shimla for Koli Community, construction of Ambedkar Bhawan at Kullu besides providing property rights for Chakota (land for tilling purpose).Chief Parliamentary Secretary Shri Vinay Kumar, MLAs Shri Yadvinder Goma and Shri Mohan Lal Brakta, ex- Minister Shri Satya Prakash Thakur, Secretary HPCC Shri Sunder Singh, Chairman Wool Fed. Shri Raghuvir Singh, District Congress President Shri Budhi Singh Thakur, District Mahila Congress President Ms. Vidya Negi, Block Congress President Manali Shri Bhuvneshwar Gaud, Chairperson Zila Parishad Ms. Rohini Chaudhary, President Mandi Parliamentary Youth Congress Shri Adityavikram Singh, Deputy Commissioner Shri Yunus, SP Shri Padam were also present on the occasion amongst senior district officers and representatives of Koli Kalyan Board.