Educate new generation to eradicate social discrimination: Gehlot

New Delhi, Apr 18 (ANI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said the new generation of the country should be educated to remove social discrimination existing in the society.

Addressing a conference on effective implementation of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, Gehlot said that public representatives should come forward to take the initiative in establishing social harmony.

"It is the need of the hour to educate new generation about the efforts made by our Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi to bridge the gap of social discrimination. Our public representatives and people working in social service sectors should come forward to take initiative of moving forward our rich tradition of social harmony," said Gehlot.

Emphasizing that the inherent belief behind making provision of reservation in the Indian Constitution was to bring all sections of the society on an equal platform, Gehlot regretted that distance between various castes is increasing and incidents related to pulling down the bridegroom from the back of the horse and not allowing Dalits to sit down on mats were still heard even after the 65 years of independence.

Holding society accountable to the coming generation, Gehlot urged the participation of every section of society to fulfill the task of creating social awareness.

"If the new generation is not being made aware about it the social harmony between ST/SC, OBCs and General categories will decrease and animosity, acrimony and distance will increase and the coming generation would not forgive us for it. We have to increase the participation of every section of the society to fulfil the task of creating social awareness," he added.

The conference was presided over by the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

Rajasthan Governor Shivraj Patil, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs V. Kishore Chandra Dev, Union Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh and Mulapalli Ramchandram were also present on the occasion. (ANI)