Prominent Lawyer Advocate Mehmood Pracha was honoured with the 2021 annual award at the ‘Safai Mazdoor Divas’ last week for his work in supporting the Safai Karamcharis’ demand for equal status in society.
The ‘Safai Mazdoor Divas’ is commemorated every year on 31st July which is observed in the memory of a Safai Karamchari ‘Bhoop Singh’ who was shot down by Delhi Police during the strike of Safai Karamcharis on 31st July in 1957. The day is also celebrated to highlight the contribution of Swachchta Karamcharis to society despite being extremely marginalized and deprived.
Advocate Mehmood Pracha in his address said, “I have received many awards on national and international platforms till now for various activities, but I consider this award as one of the most important awards of my life and career, as this has been given by the community, who made every individual of the country self-sufficient and talked about equal rights for all”.
“Manual scavengers who carry our filth with their bare hands are the first and foremost frontline workers of the society, before and after the pandemic, because they prevent us from getting ill to diseases”.
He asserted, “They should be given equal and even more status than the doctors and army of the countries, as doctors treat our diseases but these workers prevent us from getting these diseases. Army protects us on borders but these workers protect and save us within the country”.
“Privatization of the work done by manual scavengers should not be done, if the government wants to replace the manual work with machinery, the Dalit/Valmiki community should be given the contract of the machines and not the Savarnas, who already enjoy the privilege of being the upper caste and majority”, he further said.
The award was handed over to Adv Pracha by Rakesh Tikait, farmer leader and national spokesperson of Bhartiya Kisan Union. He extended his support to Swachchta Karamcharis for their struggle in getting equal and fair status in society.
He said, “The support we have received from the Dalit community is overwhelming, we are also ready to lend our possible support to the workers in their struggle”.
Along with Mehmood Pracha, the award for the year 2018-19 was given to Bharat Kesari Birju Pehelwan (Valmiki) and for 2019-20 to Professor Dr Kaushal Pawar of Delhi University.
Along with Mehmood Pracha, the award for the year 2018-19 was given to Bharat Kesari Birju Pehelwan (Valmiki) and for 2019-20 to Professor Dr Kaushal Pawar of Delhi University.
The event was jointly organized by Dalit organizations which include, Rashtriya Dalit Bachao Andolan, Mission Save Constitution, Valmiki Chaupal, Safai Mukti Andolan, and Delhi Municipal Worker Sangh.
The event was joined by many eminent figures, including Dr OP Shukla, President Rashtriya Dalit Bachao Andolan, a retired bureaucrat of Valmiki caste, and Justice BG Kolse Patil and moderated by Harnam Singh, former Chairman of the Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis.
