Kozhikode: On the backfoot over Dalit issues as it heads into elections in Uttar Pradesh and other states, BJP on Sunday blamed Congress for the disparities faced by the community and pledged to work for promoting social harmony to achieve social justice for the marginalised sections.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Birth Centenary Year Resolution adopted at the party's National Council meeting pitched for realisation of objectives of social justice, saying all classes must get equal access to means, privileges and opportunities for individuals.
It also spoke about a number of schemes launched by the party-run central and state governments to achieve social, food and energy security.
Criticising the Congress, the resolution alleged that during its rule in the country, the weaker sections have been deprived of transparent allocation of basic amenities.
The result was that poor have become poorer in rural areas whereas in urban areas dalits, backwards and economically weaker sections have been reduced to a life in the slums, it said.
"Due to the policies of the Congress, we could not achieve our social goals even after 70 years of independence.
"The reason for this is inability to end economic disparity for long.
"Along with this, it is also unfortunate that in these seven decades, disparities faced by Dalit society could not be completely eradicated," the resolution said.
The party said Deendayal Upadhyay used to believe that in the country, every individual shall have intimate bonding with the society.
"To end all social disparities so as to establish an egalitarian society and to bring the SCs and STs into the mainstream development, the BJP will promote sense of social harmony this year so that social justice could be rendered to the marginalised sections," it said.
The BJP has been facing dalit backlash, especially after the Rohith Vemula suicide row and incidents of cow vigilantes attacking the community. It has come as a setback to the party which is trying hard to woo the dalits especially as the community could play a crucial role in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
The party asserted that it continues to strive as per the ideas of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay to ensure economic, cultural and spiritual freedom.
"We must work to end discrimination and disparities among various sections of the society and infuse the sense of integrity in the whole nation," said the resolution proposed by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and adopted by the Council.
