Thousands of ST Students March Against Delhi Government Over Reservation Issue

New Delhi, 8 March 2011: Thousands of students, public leaders, politicians, and human rights activists belonging to Scheduled Tribes protested today against the Government of NCT of Delhi. The rally was organised to protest the cancellation of the 7.5% reservation for Scheduled Tribes under the Government of NCT of Delhi and to demand its immediate restoration. The assembled ST communities marched towards Parliament, breaking through police barricades, and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson, Smt Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram, Law Minister, Shri Veerappa Moily, and Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Shri Kanti Lal Bhuria.

Shri Kirori Lal Meena, MP (BJP) Rajasthan, stated, “We will fight for our people. The government must address the distress of the ST communities in India. The reservation should be reinstated at the earliest.”

Many MPs, student organisations, and human rights activists shared the dais, expressing their dissatisfaction with the Government of Delhi and demanding the immediate restoration of ST reservation under Article 342(1) in relation to the Government of NCT of Delhi.

~ Bruce K. Thangkhal