http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Leaders_pledge_to_unite_against_casteism/RssArticleShow/articleshow/1764299.cms
Leaders pledge to unite against casteism [ 15 Mar, 2007 0020hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ] NEW DELHI: About 5,000 people, including several Dalit and Hindu leaders, pledged to work against untouchability and discrimination through a seven-point action plan at the first truth & reconciliation conference held in the Capital. The conference was initiated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation. Addressing the conference, he said, "Discrimination is not sanctioned by religion. Every Hindu should be educated about the fact that many sacred texts were written by Dalits... Fear and communication gap between communities is keeping us apart. We must reconcile differences." The seven-point action plan focuses on ensuring temple entry for Dalits, collective celebrations of festivals including community feasts, abolishing the practice of separate utensils for Dalits, empowerment of women from economically weaker sections of society, providing educational facilities to weaker sections, spiritual and religious education to Dalit children and equality and justice for all. As a symbolic implementation of the plan, leaders partook in a community feast. Dalit leader and president of the Indian Justice Party, Udit Raj welcomed the initiatives. He said Dalits would have to be integrated in all streams of society if caste discrimination were to be eliminated. Raj advocated that the posts of the head of maths be filled by priests from every caste on a rotation basis. The conference also featured a special exhibition on the contributions of Dalit maharishis in Hindu literature. Notable examples are the two great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata written by Dalit Maharishis Ved Vyas and Valmiki.
