Hyderabad, Aug. 13: Several Dalit organisations on Monday celebrated their victory following inclusion of the issue of violation of caste discrimination in the agenda of the UN-sponsored world meet against racism slated to begin in Durban on August 31.

Representatives of various organisations under the aegis of People’s Forum Against Racism and Caste Discrimination and the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights garlanded the statue of Dr B R Ambedkar at the Tank Bund and took out a big rally to Sundarayya Vignana Kendram.

Dancing to the tune of drumbeats, the Dalit activists raised slogans like “cast out caste” and “upper caste domination murdabad”. About 200 Dalit activists who have been invited to participate in the Durban conference, later held a meeting at Nisiet to chalk out their strategy for the Durban meeting.

Addressing the gathering, RPI president and MP Ramdas Athawle said the decision at the third preparatory meeting for the Durban conference was a “historic” victory for the Dalits.

Exuding confidence that this would result in drawing the attention of the world towards failures of the powers-that-be in India in ending discrimination against Dalits, he said, “Struggle is in our blood. For the past several centuries, we have been humiliated and tortured by the upper castes. We will not keep quiet till equal rights are achieved on par with all others in every sphere of life.”

Many other prominent Dalit leaders also addressed the participants of the rally.