Pioneer News Service/New Delhi

The CPI-M has asked the NDA Government to take necessary steps to get the question of caste oppression of Dalits included in the agenda of proposed "World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance".

In a statement issued on Friday, the CPI-M politburo extended its support to the argument of Dalit organisations and democratic rights groups that the issue does not fall within the "national" purview and should not be taken up in an international forum.

The party said the caste oppression of Dalits is an affront to basic human dignity and its practice in India and elsewhere is a fit subject for a conference of this type.

The proposed conference, which is being organised by the UN Commission on Human Rights, will be held at Durban in South Africa in August end.

Criticising the Government's stand that caste does not fall within the framework of a conference on racism, the CPI-M said the basic oppressive features of the caste system are wider than race and colour. It is an inhuman and degenerating system which needs to be ruthlessly weeded out.

It said already there is proposal to include "Zionism" in the agenda of the conference and discrimination based on descent such as caste can certainly be included.