http://www.tribuneindia.com/20001125/ldh1.htm
From Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, Nov 24 - The state convener of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Mr Mohan Singh Phallianwal, today flayed the state government and the police administration, for increasing atrocities against the Dalits and alarming rise in the crime rate. Talking to mediapersons here, he said the law and order situation had worsened and the complicity of the police machinery with the criminal elements had further added fuel to the fire.

He said a disturbing trend of police excesses against Dalits was emerging and the grim scenario of heinous crimes, being committed in the daylight, with the police watching the situation helplessly, needed some firm and effective handling by the state government. While organised criminal gangs were moving scot free, innocent citizens and at times, the complainants, were being implicated in false cases by the police.

Expressing his shock at the killing of Congress activist Harmesh Mukhija in Dharamkot town, Mr Phallianwal lamented total inaction on the part of the police and the state government. In view of the allegations of the involvement of a close relative of a Cabinet Minister in the murder, a judicial probe should be ordered in to the case, to bring out the truth, he added.

Earlier, addressing a party meeting at Jalandhar bypass chowk here, the BSP leader warned the NDA government, headed by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee against any amendment in the Constitution, framed by Dr B.R. Ambedkar. He said while the Congress had so far failed to come out openly against the move, the BSP had expressed its staunch opposition by taking out nationwide jeep rallies.

The ongoing jeep rally, according to Mr Phallianwal, will enter Punjab at Pathankot on December 1 and passing through Amritsar, will arrive in Jalandhar on December 2, where the national party president Mr Kanshi Ram will address a massive public meeting.

Taking part in the deliberations, the senior party activists Dr D.P. Khosla made it clear that the Dalit Samaj would not tolerate any 'fiddling' with the Constitution of the country. He further said that the jeep rally would arrive in Ludhiana on December 3, where the party workers would accord a rousing reception.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were Mr Hargopal, former MP Mr Harbhajan Lakha, Mr Gurdial Chand, Major Pritpal Singh, Mr Bhupinder Singh Jassal, Mr Balwinder Bitta, Mrs Surinder Kaur, Mrs Ramesh Rani, Mr Surinder Chhinda, Mr Amarjit Singh, Mrs Nirmal Kaur and Mrs Kailash Kaur.