NEW DELHI: Dalits in Rampur, who had threatened to convert to Islam if their houses fall target to the demolition drive of the civic body, on Thursday ended their agitation, The Hindu said on Friday. It said they took the decision after district officials assured them that their houses would not be demolished.

Kumar Eklavya, one of the leaders of the Valmiki Basti Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, told The Hindu: “There was no point in continuing with our threats after the officials accepted our demands.”

Asked why did the Dalits threaten to convert, he said, “We didn’t have any option but to do that.” Mr Eklavya clarified that the Dalits had never converted as reported by a section of the media on Wednesday.

Chandra Prakash Trip­athi, District Magistrate, Rampur, said that as per the discussion with Dalits, their houses would neither be demolished nor would be relocated. “Any step would be taken only after detailed discussion with the community leaders,” The Hindu quoted a press release from the district magistrate as saying.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2015

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