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THE PRIME MINISTER (SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR) : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, discussion on this topic is going on since today afternoon. I seek apology of the House for not being present here. I understand the feelings of this House, but the situation is such that where on one hand, atrocities are being committed on the harijans, on the other hand, humanity is at stake in the Gulf. I had to go to the Rajya Sabha, where a discussion on the Gulf was going on.

Recently, when this issue was raised by Shri Madan Lal Khurana and Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra in this House, I have said that it is a matter of grave concern. The seriousness of the issue increases, when these atrocities are committed on the poor section of our society, who have been exploited and neglected. It increases more, when the units of the administration, which are responsible for their security and protection are under doubt. I am pained to say that in this incident, the behaviour of the police is not beyond doubt. This has been accepted by the State Government and from the information we have gathered it appears that some police officials have committed excesses and those were so grave that some innocent people lost their lioes. I don’t want to go into such figures as how many of them were guilty or were innocent, but whosoever has been killed wrongly, whether an innocent person or guilty person, it is a wrong thing. I assure this House that full investigation will be made in this regard and the guilty will be punished.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has taken steps in this regard and an enquiry is going on. I think that its report will be received soon.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : I will reply to it. I have been told that one of the officials, who was to be arrested, is absconding and some others have managed to get bail. Therefore, no one could be arrested. No one has been freed deliberately, but......(Interruptions)....

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : I cannot say it for certain. This is an information. It can be wrong also. I am saying it to the House, but there is one very Strong question and I have no answer to it. If the court has given bail to anyone, the Government can do nothing in it and the intention of the Government in this regard....(Interruptions).... But if any negligence has been committed, we will see to rectify it.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, our country is passing through a transitional period. A class of our society, which has been exploited and suppressed for thousands of years, is now taking a step to create a new history. The adivasis, harijans, poor and backwards belong to these classes of our society. But now an awareness is coming among the people of these classes and there are two reasons behind it. Firstly, as we have democracy we go to them after every five years or sometimes and tell them ...(Interruptions)... becomes glad? I am happy if you became glad by this.

I was saying that we go to them and tell them that they are the builder of this society and this country. This is one reason behind the awareness and secondly, the society has a dynamism of its own, which is known as social dynamism. A society cannot remain as it is. It is always changing within itself, whether we want it or not.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the number of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students studying in universities and colleges is equal to the total number of students studding in the university at the time when we were studying. They are taught the history of revolutions in the world and they know that the God has not made anyone unequal, but it is the present social set up, that has exploited and neglected them. Therefore, they want their rights. Now, it has to be decided by us whether we will change ourselves according to their feelings and the policy and programmes of the Government will be formulated according to their wishes and expectations or we will try to suppress them through the suppressive forces of the Government.

We don’t want to accuse anyone, but unfortunately, it is not easy to bring about change in the social set up. Those, who have full control of this set up of wealth, power and Government, do not want to give up their interests so easily.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : If you only want to make noise, I have no objection. Both the sides can make noise, it is true that only those who are coward, make noise. Those who have no fear, never shout. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, therefore, I would like to submit that we have to speed up this process of bringing about change and as one of my friends asked, I would like to say it specifically that if we want to improve this situation, we have to speed up this change. Attention has to be paid towards the welfare of these classes, who have been exploited and neglected till now. It is true that this issue is related with law and order situation also and it shows the weakness of the police and the administration, but it also shows the weakness of our social set up. We have to take steps to bring about change in that social set up. Those who are raising these issues of atrocities today, have atleast taken a step in the right direction. They have started to understand the concept of social consciousness. Their social consciousness is demanding its right place and wants to change this social set up, under which such exploitation and suppression has taken place. I think this mentality will never change. When we will analyse our economic policies, we will take steps to bring about change in the society. We should not shirk from our responsibilities and we should not consider the human distress through individual incidents only, but should look towards it in the perspective of social change.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am confident that this discussion in the House today is going in the right direction. But we had to achieve the objective behind this discussion and it will be good if this House is prepared to bring about that social change, in which, no person belonging to the scheduled caste or scheduled tribe will remain helpless, will ever be exploited. But I am pained to say that although there is unity among our friends on this question, but there is a lack of unity in this House on the question of policies on social change. I will be glad if our friends sitting on both the sides will together work to speed up the work of bringing about social change and will try to take the country Forwards it. . . . (Interruption) ... May be I am a conservative in your view, but I am mentioning about progressiveness.... (Interruptions)......

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, so far as the question of law and order is concerned, there is no difference in it, whether it is U.P. or Bihar I have observed that we link every question to party politics. Death can be linked to party politics. Wherever there is killing, it is the murder of humanity and so there is no question of any political difference. Therefore, I say that we should be united at least on some questions. It could have understood if someone from Government’s side would have said that whatever has happened is good. Many of our colleagues have raised their hands and in case it is claimed that the U.P. Government officials have done a great job then I shall be the first person to join you and say that we deplore the action of Uttar Pradesh Government. Whatever had happened there, whether in U.P., Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan or in Maharashtra, wherever it might have happened, whenever some innocent person is killed, it is a matter of shame for all of us.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is not in my knowledge whether he has been awarded or not as has been stated by Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan but I give this assurance that I shall look into the matter and if that person is found to be guilty he will be punished. There is no problem. To err is human and thus if we have committed any mistakes it might have happened, after all we are not angels. But there are some people who pose themselves as if they have come down to earth straight from heaven and they have no distress but we do not belong to that category. I am an ordinary citizen like you and therefore, I can also commit mistakes and I am prepared to own them. I do not say that whatever work I am doing is totally correct. I give this assurance to my colleague Shri Ram Vilas Paswan that if you point out our wrong actions.. ..(Interruptions)

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : I do not consider them angels because they have worked with us barely for two days. They are ordinary party workers like us but you know them better than us if you consider them angels.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to say that we should unanimously condemn this action and that the question raised by Shri Vijay Kumar and Shri Khuranaji is very important. I respect their sentiments and appreciate them for drawing the attention of the House and the nation towards this burning problem. Their inspiration will give us boost to work more effectively but it will be better if they refrain from doubting in tensions of one another. We may not have as much affection towards them as they have but they too have some concern for them for the sake of humanity. They should keep it in mind. None should create any controversy on this issue, may it be the Central Government, U.P. Government or Bihar Government. It is our firm belief that all State Governments should work unitedly and try to improve the prevailing situation and our effort will be in this direction. The doubts and misgivings in the hearts of the Harijans and Adivasis should not be further enhanced because doubts and apprehensions create in the hearts of people further complicate the matters. I would request the hon. Members of this House to make an earnest effort to solve the problems and eradicate the prevailing evils and at the same time refrain from committing any such act which may give a feeling that any attempt of hatching a conspiracy against the Harijans and Adivasis is being made. If this sort of a feeling is allowed to go deep in to the hearts of Harijans and Adivasis, then they will not be able to look at this august House with any hope. In that case frustration and despair would prevail and that would have serious repercussions. If you look at Adivasis inhabited area from Tripura down to Tamil Nadu, you will find a sense of uneasiness, pain and agony prevailing and do not give air to this feeling. My request to all of you is to make concerted efforts to remove their sufferings.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I assure this House that you convene a meeting of all the leaders of the political parties in this House, take a decision what steps are to be taken to prevent recurrence of this type of incidents and the Government will accept every word of that decision.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, though it is not proper for me to make this type of announcement, but as the Members are too much concerned and as it is a deeper agony, the Government of India will provide funds so that every deceased person gets at least one lakh rupees. If the Government of Uttar Pradesh or Bihar has given something, that will be included in it.

SHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the objection raised by the hon. Member is correct. I did not go there and the Minister of State visited the other place. If any other Minister or I visit this place too and it gives some sense of satisfaction and security to these people then we shall go there as well.