The Untouchables strive to get out the vote of discrimination

New Delhi, April 14, 2009. - Victims of a brutal discrimination, "dalits" or untouchables Indians have used democracy as a tool to make their voices heard in India, where today marked the birth of the historical leader of this community.
"The dalits have risen to democracy and vote more than the rest, because they saw in it an opportunity to participate in political decisions. Locally, however, are regarded with contempt and to pressure them not to vote, "he told Efe Professor Vidhu Verma, an expert on caste.
In India, home to more than 160 million "Dalits", a heterogeneous community excluded from the Hindu caste system that is dedicated to the tasks considered "impure"-clean latrines, pick up trash, and suffer the scorn of others.
Every year, millions of "Dalits" today celebrated the birth of their leader, Bhimrao Ambedkar, but this time with an eye to elections that begin on Thursday.
As the vote-16 percent of census-is decisive in many constituencies, the various parties have tried to win sympathy for a solid majority in an election that are uncertain.
Proof of this is that the main leaders of the ruling Congress party and Hindu BJP today participated in tributes to Ambedkar electoral winks and launched the "dalits", although historically have been largely committed to their cause.
Analysts believe that the untouchables parties often choose to best suit their caste, as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of the untouchable Mayawati, part of a new "Third Front" electoral decided to end bipartisanship in India.
With her ​​as regional prime minister, the ruling BSP in the most populous state, Uttar northern, where the untouchables have prepared a massive three-day party in the city of Agra to celebrate the anniversary of Ambedkar.
Mayawati, the pride of its people while excessively megalomaniac and has filled the region of statues in his honor, has been postulated to be the first "Dalit" reaching the head of the central government if the two main national parties fail dawn.
Many in India believe in fact the "capped" at this election and, although it would be a surprise to reach a sufficient majority to govern, "will have a leading role in post-election negotiations," he predicted Verma.
"This festival catches us working in the field. Our struggle has lasted 3,000 years and today we are in a good position to achieve about 60 members (of 543). There is an opportunity to come to power, "he told Efe a spokesman for the BSP.
In a final campaign rally for the first phase of the elections held on Thursday in Uttar and 16 other regions, Mayawati described the two main national formations "parties of the capitalists and millionaires" whose governments, he said, have made ​​the poor poorer in India, according to PTI.
Mayawati has completed a work of decades to build democracy and give voice to this community as large as delayed, held in Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution of 1950, his first great defender.
Although born into a family of untouchability, Ambedkar (1891-1956) graduated in Law and became a social activist and politician who denounced the caste system and promoted and achieved its abolition.
"Ambedkar was the architect of liberation 'Dalits'. Is a key player in history, a man who gave his life for the cause. The dalits still respect him despite the time, "said Verma.
But the banning of breeds and the introduction of a quota system in college and the administration for "Dalit" has brought to the system, which resists in the field and serves as an instrument for mobilizing the vote.
In rural areas, the "dalits" in remote areas and are still denied access to temples or watering, an example of the widespread discrimination against that Ambedkar fought bravely to the point to leave Hinduism and become a Buddhist .
Today the fight was again recalled: "We come together to make garlands and pray before the statues of Ambedkar. In our act were 300 people, but has left people across India, "he said from Chennai (south) spokesman Ari Vamudhan, training Dalit Panthers (VCK).