Maharashtra government passed a bill which says, a candidate contesting in the elections cannot do it, unless he/she have proper toilet facility at home.
Speaking to the state legislative Council, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “In the last 60 years, we could not provide basic sanitation facility to people. It is high time to have this basic amenity at home. We are also promoting the Swachh Bharat campaign. We want to make each and every village and city clean and garbage-free.”
Opining that the bill is violating the fundamental rights, NCP, Shiv Sena and members of other parties opposed it.
"Dr BR Ambedkar has given the basic and fundamental rights to us to vote and contest elections. This Bill will be a major setback for the oppressed-class leaders, who have good mass base but cannot have toilet facility. So, his right has been violated," said Kapil Patil, Lok Bharati MLC.
Patel further added that, in the slum areas like BDD hawls, Dharavi etc in Maharashtra, no one will able to have toilets, due to the shortage of space.
"These people use common toilets. This is a systematic attempt to dilute the rights and power of the oppressed by the BJP government," Patil alleged.
Sorting out an idea for such situation, the government said that, when a person willing to contest in the elections is in such horrible slum areas, then he/she can get a certificate from the local authority to participate in the elections.
Recountering back, Patil again said that, there are heavy chances for this clause to be misused by the highly influential people. "In short, this Bill is against the poor, Dalits and Adivasi people," he alleged.
Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab also vehemently opposed this decision. "More than the 25 Shiv Sena and some Congress corporators stay in slums. This is an anti-poor people Bill," Parab said.
Congress MLC Jogendra Kawade said that there is a bigger conspiracy against the poor and the oppressed. "With this Bill, the presence of Dalits and Adivasis will come down in corporations and local bodies. And who will give guarantee that the government officials will issue certificates fairly? Why should we run after the govt officers just to contest the elections? Earlier, there was a law of minimum education and now toilets - it means the poor and the oppressed should only serve the rich and affluent people. This is against the Constitutional rights and it can be challenged in any court of the law," Kawade said.
An observer said: "Sena has got a very good stronghold on slums and chawls and some of its leaders are from these areas. BJP wants to curtail their power by passing this law. If the strong leaders' right to contest is culled, then it will be easy for BJP to wrest power. This Bill was pending for several years but this time the BJP was adamant to approve it with the support of NCP and Congress leaders."
By Phani Ch
