New Delhi, 16th April, 2008

Dr. Udit Raj, National President, Indian Justice Party, said in a statement today that UP Chief Minister Mayawati had branded all opposition parties as anti-Dalits yesterday. We demand from her as to why no action was taken till 14.4.2008 against the BJP workers who had defaced and blackened the photographs of Periyar and Dr. Ambedkar in the hoardings displayed near the IJP office, threw stones and spat at these photographs on 13.4.2008. On 14.4.2008 in the afternoon, IJP workers had assembled at Hazratganj to celebrate the 117th birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar and were condemning the disrespect shown to Ramaswami Periyar. At about 2 PM, hundreds of IJP workers had assembled at Darul Shafa for holding a Dharna and discuss the issue relating to the disrespect shown to Periyar when they were stopped by the police, a scuffle took place between the workers and the police followed by beating. Dr. Udit Raj said that after this incident, hundreds of IJP workers were arrested and kept in the Lucknow Police Lines. After detaining the workers for about seven hours, the Police started asking them to go out one by one. Just when the workers were coming out of the Police Lines, each one of them was mercilessly beaten. Eleven senior leaders, Sarvshri Udit Raj, former Minister R.D. Gautam, Mahender Saroj, Vikas Yadav, Indresh Sonkar, Chaudhri Kishen Lal, Bhola Sonkar, Om Prakash Bharti, Durga Prasad, Pravesh Singh Yadav while being released after a short period were severely beaten because of which they were seriously injured. Afterwards, the injured were given first aid treatment at the Civil Hospital and a written report was lodged with the Senior Superintendent of Police, Lucknow.

Dr. Udit Raj said that if BJP has the right to worship or show respect to Lord Rama, then IJP has also got every right to honour and respect leaders and social reformers of their choice. He said that if Tamil Nadu professes the ideals of Periyar Ji, then are they doing something against the Indian Constitution for which BJP is protesting? BJP should come forward and tell the people as to how it violates the Indian Constituion or any other law of the land. Is the BJP not working for the disunity of the country by doing this activity?

Yesterday Mayawati branded all the political parties as anti-dalits. There cannot be a bigger proof of the fact that her own attitude is most anti-dalit. Veru rarely, police indulges in such brutal beatings. Yesterday's brutal beatings were carried out clearly on the instructions of Mayawati with a view to brow-beat the IJP leaders so that they may not work independently. Mayawati Ji is scared that Indian Justice Party is emerging as an alternative to her. Dr. Udit Raj urged the National Commission for Scheduled Castess and National Human Rights Commission to provide security to him and hold an independent investigation into these brutual killings and punish the guilty.
Dr. Udit Raj said that it is surprising that the Personal Security Officer provided to him by the Central Government who was in the Police Lines at the time of the arrests was threatened by the police to go away. When he refused to do so, the police threatened to shoot him and made him to leave the premises.

The security guard provided to Dr. Udit Raj by the Lucknow Police authorities, had left his duty by afternoon on the instructions of Mayawati. Under these circumstances, he urges upon all the parties and the Central Government that he may be provided Z+ security immediately. In these circumstances, either he will have to stop his activities in Uttar Pradesh or else he may be killed while doing the party work. Dr. Udit Raj said that yesterday's ghastly incident was something very rare. The district administration, on the instructions of the Superintendent of Police (East), forcibly took away two vehicles of the Indian Justice Party, one Innova and one Scorpio and loudspeakers, tents,etc. installed in the pandal at Hazrat Ganj. It is worth mentioning here that the Indian Justice Party had sought permission from the district administration for holding a rally for exposing the misdeeds of the Mayawati Government but this permission was not granted. Throughout the day, the way in which the workers of the Indian Justice Party and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations were treated gave the impression that they were being systematically harassed. The mobiles, money bags and other belongings of the leaders and workers who were arrested were forcibly snatched.

(C.L. Maurya)
Private Secretary

 New Delhi, 14th April, 2008

Today, Dr. Udit Raj along with hundreds of workers of Indian Justice Party and All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, were lathicharged and arrested by the police when they were peacefully protesting in front of the BJP Office in Lukcnow against defacement and blackening of the photographs of Periyar displayed on hoardings situated near the Lucknow office of Indian Justice Party by the BJP workers to express their anger at the dastardly behaviour of BJP workers. Some of the workers were seriously injured as a result of the lathicharged.

Yesterday, BJP workers defaced and blackened photographs of Periyar displayed on hoardings situated near the Lucknow office of the Indian Justice Party. The BJP workers not only defaced photographs of Periyar, but also threw shoes and spat at his photographs. Dr. Udit Raj, President of the Indian Justice Party said that if BJP is free to honour and respect Rama, then others are equally entitled to show respect and honour to their religious and social leaders. Dr. Udit Raj expressed his surprise that no arrest has been made till now. He said that it is beyond imagination that social reformers like Periyar and Dr. Ambedkar are being disrespected by the Government which had its foundation on their thoughts and ideology. Not only this, the Police and local authorities have removed the posters of Indian Justice Party which displayed the photograph of Periyar. The State President of the UP Unit of Indian Justice Party, Shri Kalicharan, has sought permission to hold a meeting in front of Darul Shafa to commemorate the 117th birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar and also honour Periyar on this occasion. ]

Dr. Udit Raj said that on 18th March, 2008, he had written a letter to Chief Minister Maya Wati to allot a plot of land at Lucknow for installing statutes of Periyar. Why he did so is precisely due to the fact that last year when Maya Wati announced her decision to honour Periyar by installing his statue, BJP opposed it and Maya Wati abandoned the programme for the sake of securing the votes of Brahmins.

Desecration and defacement of the photograph of Periyar by BJP workers is highly condemnable . Today at 11 AM, Dr. Udit Raj spoke to the Chief of Dravid Kazhagam, Dr. K. Veeramani in Chennai. He said that that when he spoke to Dr. K. Veeramani , he was hurt and there is a lot of resentment in Tamil Nadu on this issue. Dr. Udit Raj said that now onwards, they will display hoardings and install statue of Periyar in every district of Uttar Pradesh and if BJP has guts, let them stop us from doing so.

(C.L. Maurya)
Private Secretary

New Delhi, 10th April, 2008

Dr. Udit Raj, President of Indian Justice Party and All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, today hailed Supreme Court judgment for OBC reservation. According to this judgment 27% reservation has been given to OBCs in Government, Government-aided and private institutions of higher learning. It is to be noted here that on 12th August, 2005 in the Inamdar Case the Supreme Court had given a ruling that reservation in Government, Government-aided and private institutions can not be imposed at the admission level. After this 93rd Constitutional amendment was passed and reservation to OBCs in higher institutions was given. In the Year 2006 a petition was filed against this amendment and the matter became sub judice.
With a view to overcome this bottleneck, the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2006 was made and 27% reservation for OBCs was duly provided. To give effect to 93rd Constitutional amendment, sub-clause 5 was added to article 15 of the Constitution. According to the historic judgment of the Supreme Court given today, article 15(5) has been upheld by the Supreme Court. Dr. Udit Raj said that it would have been better if the Supreme Court had allowed reservation in private institutions and the creamy layer clause would not have been upheld. He also welcomed that this judgment has put an end to the controversy which had arisen from the Nagraj case. In the Nagraj case, the Supreme Court Constitution Bench had made a mention for introducing creamy layer for SC/STs, even though the Attorney General of India, latter on clarified that this was an obiter dicta, i.e., a personal opinion of the Judge and not a part of the judgment. Anyhow in the historic Supreme Court Judgment, it has been clarified that the creamy layer will not be applicable to SC/STs.

The efforts of the Indian Justice Party and Confederation in this regard have yielded positive results. Ever since the anti-reservation movement started, we have been struggling hard against it and also filed an intervention petition in the Supreme Court. Dr. Udit Raj appealed to all the anti-reservation forces to welcome the Supreme Court judgment because this will be in the best interests of all sections of the society and encourage their participation.

(C.L. Maurya)
Private Secretary

 New Delhi, 8th April, 2008

Dr. Udit Raj, National President, Indian Justice Party welcomed the statement of Mr. Nawaz Sharif, President of Pakistan Muslim League that the Pakistan Government is contemplating to dispense with Visa formalities for Indians visiting Pakistan. Lakhs of people from both the countries are eagerly interested in visiting India and Pakistan for trade and for meeting their relatives but due to Visa formalities they find it difficult to do so. Dr. Udit Raj further said that India should respond favourably to this initiative of the Pakistan Government. During the Second World War, many European countries had destroyed one another but now twenty-seven countries have come together to form European Union and have a common currency called Euro Dollar and the formality for going from one country to another in Europe has been dispensed with. If India responds favourably to Pakistan’s approach in this regard, then the country will stand to gain economically because Pakistan is still lagging behind in matters of health, industry and market economy.

Dr. Udit Raj said in his statement that atrocities against Dalits are increasing in Uttar Pradesh. He strongly condemned the brutal murder of a sixty-five year old Dalit woman and her nineteen-year old grand daughter. Dr. Udit Raj said that unless the social transformation movement takes strong roots, it is very difficult to bring equality in the society despite the fact that some Dalits reach top positions in the social ladder. Dr. Udit Raj said that with a view to give further impetus to this social movement, a rally will be held at Lucknow on 14.4.2008 to expose the misdeeds of the UP Government. Last year, because of opposition from the Manuvadi forces, Ms Mayawati dropped the idea of installation of the statueof Ramaswami Periyar. Dr. Udit Raj has demanded a plot of land from the UP Government for this purpose at Lucknow by writing a letter to Ms Maya Wati on 18.3.2008 so that he may do what Maya Wati has not been able to do. So far, BSP has been exposing the misdeeds of others but now Indian Justice Party will expose the misdeeds of BSP.
 

(C.L. Maurya)
Private Secretary

New Delhi, 13th March, 2008.

Dr. Udit Raj, National President of Indain Justice Party and All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisation, has addressed a letter on 18th March, 2008 to the UP Chief Minister that if she is unable to install Periyar's Statue then he is ready to do so. For this purpose he has asked for a suitable plot of land at Lucknow.

In his letter addressed to Chief Minister, Mayawati, Dr. Udit Raj has written, "The Hon'ble E.V. Ramaswami Naickar Periyar, has been your ideal from the very beginning in your movement. Hon'ble Kanshi Ram was greatly instrumental in carrying forward the ideal of Periyar to the common masses. Periyar ji had launched a great struggle against Brahminism in Tamilnadu and achieved great success. Had Hon'ble Kanshi Ram ji not spread the ideals of Periyar to every nook and corner of north India, then most of the people would not have known about Periyar struggle about Brahminism. In the earliar stages of his carrier Periyar was in the Congress Party but he left it after knowing that this party was dominated by the so called upper people and then he started his own movement. Even now, wherever your party spreads the messages of Dr. Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule & Shahuji Maharaj, all over the country, invariably there is a mention of Periyar. Periyar's photographs is prominent in the posters and Banners of Bahujan Samaj Party. Last year you had made up your mind to install the statue of Periyar but change you mind under Pressure from the Bhartiya Janta Party. Was it a sudden realization on your part that Periyar was no longer fore runner of social revolution? Or is it that you use it as a tool during your election campaigns only? If it is not so then we demand that you take immediate steps to install his statue as per your earlier decision. If for some reasons you feel helpless in doing so then we would request you to allot us immediately a suitable plot of land in Lucknow so that along with Kanshi Ram je's unfulfilled dream could be fulfilled while at the same time a place of honour could be given to Periyar. It is earnestly hoped that you will kindly allot us a plot of land for the installation of Periyar's Statue.

Dr. Udit Raj said that if a suitable plot of land is not allotted at Lucknow by 14th April, 2008 for instalation of Periyar Statue the Indian Justice Party will start a campaign to get due honor to Shri Periyar and ensure that his statue is installed at a public place. If the situation goes out of hand because of this campaign then the UP Govt. will be squarely responsible for any untoward incident.

(C.L. Maurya)
Private Secretary